Oak Park-River Forest senior setter Matthew Proskey is such a unique volleyball player that his coaches and teammates thought he needed a new nickname.
During a practice, coach Justin Cousin made a remark that got senior middle blocker Wesley Kochendorfer thinking.
“Our coach was joking around because Proskey is pretty aggressive,” Kochendorfer said. “I think he’s one of the most aggressive setters in the state.
“So Cuz is like, ‘He doesn’t know what he is. He’s confused. He’s like a set-something.’’’
Then a lightbulb went off in Kochendorfer’s head.
“I said, ‘He’s the set-tacker,’’’ Kochendorfer said.
There is no such word or position in volleyball. But by any name, the 6-foot-3 Proskey was one of the keys in the Huskies’ run to their first state championship match since 1998.
In the state final in Bolingbrook on Saturday, Proskey recorded 39 assists as Oak Park-River Forest lost 25-19, 22-25, 25-20 to Glenbard West.
Proskey, a McKendree recruit, led the eight-team field with 89 assists in three matches, which included a win over two-time defending state champion Marist in the semifinals, and junior outside hitter Jimmie Chrusfield III had the most kills with 43.
“This season has been great,” Proskey said. “It’s all been kind of a blur because of how much fun I’ve been having.
“This year, we went to Arizona, and it’s been a blast. We learned a lot about ourselves and where we thought we should have been for the season. That was a huge, eye-opening experience.”
Proskey’s numbers for the Huskies (33-5-1) have been eye-opening. With 794 assists this season and nearly 1,400 in his career, he has been a sure-handed setter for the team, and his hitters appreciate it.
“So much of my success is attributed to our setter,” Kochendorfer said. “Oh, man, we’ve been together since seventh or eighth grade. We’ve just mastered our connection.”
But Proskey, a team captain along with Kochendorfer and senior libero Gus Leman, can generate offense in other ways.
“He can literally do everything,” Chrusfield said. “I remember my freshman year, somebody got subbed out, and he played outside hitter, and he carried our team to victory.
“Not a lot of setters can be offensive, but Proskey is very offensive, so you don’t know if he’s going to set it or hit it.”
Does Proskey know?
“I ask him what position he plays, and he doesn’t even know,” Cousin said. “He wants to do everything because he can do everything. That’s Matt Proskey.”
Cousin, who has been OPRF’s coach since 2021, gave Proskey a lot of credit for the recent success.
“Proskey has been absolutely instrumental in everything we do,” he said. “You can see it. Whether it’s a good pass or a bad pass, he touches every single ball and puts up a better ball for his hitters every single time.”
Glenbard West was the only Illinois team to beat Oak Park-River Forest this season. The Huskies’ one win in four matches in that rivalry came on April 14, the same day Proskey’s older brother, Calvin, pitched threw three scoreless to lead UC Santa Barbara past then-No. 1 UCLA, which had won 27 straight games.
Calvin Proskey, who was slowed by an injury early in the season, also threw a scoreless inning in the Gauchos’ win over then-No. 14 USC on April 7. He finished his junior season with a 2.87 ERA in eight appearances for the Gauchos, who lost to No. 6 Texas in a regional final on May 31.
“My mom and dad do what they can to watch us both,” Matthew Proskey said. “His season didn’t end as he hoped, and it didn’t start well either. But after his injury, I was glad to see him back and up to speed.”
The Proskey brothers played baseball and volleyball when they were kids, but Calvin eventually chose baseball, and Matthew picked volleyball.
“Every day I’m in the gym, I know I’m going to touch the ball,” Matthew Proskey said. “When I played baseball, I was just standing around doing nothing. I really enjoy volleyball.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter.
