In her last match for Marist, senior right-side hitter Savanah Weathers helped the RedHawks win their second straight Class 4A state championship.
It was a great way to go out, for sure, but reality is finally setting in.
“I’m going to miss the girls because I’ve played with a lot of them since I’ve been playing club volleyball,” Weathers said. “Playing alongside of them is something I’m really going to miss.
“It’s the connection that we all have.”
On her next journey, the 2025 Daily Southtown Girls Volleyball Player of the Year will have at least one Marist connection. Weathers is heading to NCAA Division II Davenport in Michigan.
Waiting for her there will be Maddie Berry, the RedHawks’ setter last season and the 2024 Daily Southtown Girls Volleyball Player of the Year.
Marist’s Savanah Weathers (10) and Elayna Davidson (5) go for the ball against Benet in the Class 4A state championship match at CEFCU Arena in Normal on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (Rob Dicker / Daily Southtown)
“I’m looking forward to playing again with Maddie,” Weathers said of Berry, who had 902 assists in her first year in college. “When I visited there, it had the same vibe as Marist.”
Weathers, Berry’s soon-to-be roommate, put up some strong all-around numbers for Marist (36-5) this fall. She finished with a team-high 262 kills, adding 235 digs, 87 blocks and 26 aces.
The 5-foot-8 Weathers and 5-4 Berry may not be the tallest players in college, but they could be a potent tag-team again.
“Maddie is already tearing it up there and there’s no doubt Savanah will do the same,” Marist coach Jordan Vidovic said. “I’m a little biased toward undersized players, having been one myself.
Marist’s Savanah Weathers (10) swipes the ball across the net for a kill against Normal Community during the Class 4A Bradley-Bourbonnais Supersectional on Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown)
“I like to see them get recognized for their impact. Both are absolute dream players, and you will see the results start to show in college.”
Vidovic confirmed that Weathers worked hard and sometimes wanted to overwork.
“Up until the final practice before state, she constantly was doing everything she could to give herself the best chance to succeed,” he said. “She was taking extra reps on her swings. She was getting extra reps the day of practice on the day of the championship game.
“It got to the point where I had to stop her and tell her we didn’t need to jump anymore. She would leave nothing to chance.”
Marist’s Savanah Weathers (10) saves the ball against Mother McAuley during a nonconference match in Chicago on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown)
Weathers comes from an athletic family. Her brother, Jonah, a two-sport athlete at Marian Catholic, is playing baseball at Logan. He plans on heading to Louisville after his sophomore year.
Savanah grew up playing baseball against boys and softball. Volleyball eventually won out.
“I really don’t know how I got involved in playing volleyball,” she said. “I told my parents I wanted to play. We’re a family with basketball and baseball players.
“But I randomly took an interest in volleyball. Maybe I saw it on TV.”
Once she started playing, she was hooked.
“It’s a super high-energy sport,” Weathers said. “Just being able to hit the ball is my favorite part. I love jumping and being able to kill the ball.”
Marist’s Savanah Weathers (10) and Cassidy Cage (23) go up for a block against Mother McAuley’s Keira McQuillan (10) during a nonconference match in Chicago on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown)
Winning isn’t too bad either.
Last season, the RedHawks took nine losses into the playoffs and still won the state title. This season, they had five losses but swept seven playoff matches in two games, including revenge wins over Mother McAuley and Benet.
“I remember the beginning of preseason last year, we all had a super-close bond,” Weathers said. “This year, the group of seniors that we did have all came from the championship team, so we all know what it felt like. We had the goal of going downstate and winning it again.”
After winning back-to-back gold medals together, Vidovic offered up perfect praise of Weathers.
“Savanah is nothing but the best,” he said.
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
