Practices for fall sports — cross-country, field hockey, flag football, football, golf, boys soccer, girls swimming and diving, girls tennis, and girls volleyball — began on Aug. 11 at high schools around Illinois, marking the start of the IHSA 2025-26 sports season.
Over the next few weeks, Wednesday Journal will have previews of our local high school teams. In our annual “State of the Athletic Program” story, we contact local athletic directors to get their thoughts on where their programs are. They also offer their thoughts on the previous season and look forward to this season:
Oak Park and River Forest High School
Athletic Director Nicole Ebsen, 5th year
Assessment of last season: “2024-25 was a great year for the Huskies. We brought home a third-place trophy in [Class 4A] softball, had an individual state champion [MJ Rundell] in wrestling, had sectional champions in girls tennis, boys and girls track and field, softball, and wrestling, and regional champions in girls volleyball, wrestling, girls soccer, baseball, boys volleyball, and softball. Liam O’Connor [cross-country, track and field] was also selected out of over 400 applicants from across the state for the IHSA All-Academic Team.”
General state of the program: “We’re very excited going into the season. Our outdoor renovations are completed as we have our newly-turfed field [at Oak Park Stadium] ready for tryouts. We are anxiously awaiting the completion of Project Two [includes a new swimming pool with bleachers, a small gymnasium, locker rooms, and weight rooms] and can’t wait to see what the physical education/athletic facilities will look like at this time next year. I continue to be amazed by the flexibility of our coaches, athletes, trainers, and athletic office staff as we navigate through the challenges associated with the construction on campus. In true selflessness, our Huskies have shown great perseverance through these tough times, and we are still as competitive as ever.”
Goals for this year: “The goals are the same as they have been over the past couple of years — get kids engaged, train hard, be competitive, and overall develop good human beings. These goals will be achieved through the continued dedication of our staff and students and the continued support from our community.”
Ebsen adds: “The Class of 2026 will be my first OPRF class whom I have gotten to see through their four years under normal circumstances [Ebsen came to OPRF in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted athletics for much of her first year]. They are a great group of athletes who work hard both in and out of the competition spaces. I can’t wait to see their hard work pay off in both postseason success and in post-secondary athletic opportunities.”
Fenwick High School
Athletic Director Scott Thies, 15th year
Assessment of last season: “Last year brought a lot of excitement to Friar Nation, starting with the addition of our 31st sport in girls flag football. It’s a great addition to our athletic offerings and provides new opportunities for our student-athletes. We sent about 30 seniors to play a sport in college at some of the best schools in the country, including the University of Michigan, Williams College, University of Illinois, Middlebury College, and many others.”
General state of the program: “Every school year presents new challenges and new opportunities for our student-athletes and programs. We’re excited for the start of the ’25-’26 school year. As a member of the Chicago Catholic League and Girls Catholic Athletic Conference, we are in the process of bringing the East Suburban Catholic Conference schools into our conferences. The new schools will provide new geographic rivalries and shorter travel times for our athletes.”
Goals for this year: “We want all of our athletes to have a sense of pride in representing Fenwick High School and competing as a Friar. Further, it is our mission to provide our athletes with the life lessons and skills that will help all our kids be successful in college and beyond.”