Illinois 2026 Postseason Championship Show Choir Rankings

By Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor, and William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief

Following another season of show choir competition, four regional experts were polled on all 14 of Illinois' championship division show choir ensembles. These are the results, accompanied by succinct wrap-ups for each group. The single-gender and festival mixed rankings can be found here.

1. Wheaton North “Flight” (4 first-place votes)

In a chaotic season for Illinois, Wheaton North was the choir that stood out on top as the class act of the state. Their colorful Andy Warhol-themed show sported fun visuals, soup can drums, and an emotion-filled ballad that made the show a must-see. A large part of Flight’s success this year is them truly fitting into their new identity visually under April James and Randy Sage, which, when paired with their signature all-star vocals, made them a dangerous choir. Flight took two wins in a schedule chock-full of national titans, as well as topping fellow Illinois choirs Mt. Zion, EPG, and Waubonsie, proving themselves not just in-state, but on a national scale. - Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor

2. Mt. Zion “Swingsations” 

To describe Swings’ season in one word, 2026 was resurgent. The 2025 season brought an elaborate setup but results that were spotty at times, and 2026 brought a minimalistic set alongside classic Dwight Jordan choreo and more confident vocals. First-year director Christina Cawthon started her tenure with a bang when MTZ beat Neosho to begin the season at Troy Buchanan, and Swings were in the conversation at national-level events Wheaton Warrenville South and Heart of America Orlando. If Mt. Zion can keep its upward trajectory for 2027, they will be a very dangerous choir in very short order. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief

3. Dwight D. Eisenhower “Express”

Dwight D. Eisenhower shocked the world last season with an upset win over El Paso-Gridley at Crete-Monee, and this season they proved that they’re here to stay. After a rocky start with a finals miss at Milton and getting jumped in finals by Mundelein at Crete, Express kicked it into high gear at their last two comps, taking a solid second place at Naperville North and ending with arguably the biggest win in program history with a no-caption win against big dogs Troy Buchanan and Mt. Zion at El Paso. This season proved that Express’ success isn't a fluke, and that they’re officially on the level of Illinois’ contenders. - Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor

4. Waubonsie Valley “Sound Check”

The definition of a “finals group”, Sound Check had their best season since 2020 this year. Sound Check started off a little slow, placing fifth at a strong Milton event, and missing finals at arguably the comp of the year at Chesterton. However, Sound Check showed up big time in their second half, taking a second-place finish at John Hersey ahead of groups like Chesterton, El Paso, and Noblesville, and once again jumping EPG at Wheaton South. This success stemmed from Bonsie’s ability to show up big time in finals, as they entered finals at both Hersey and WWS in sixth before making major jumps at both events. Waubonsie seems to finally be stabilizing after their late 2010s director turbulence, and the future is finally looking up. - Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor

5. El Paso-Gridley “Modulations”

The 2026 season was one of the years that has defined EPG’s 2020s decade: a lightly-themed show (this year about legends and success), snagging a win somewhere (this year at Manteno over Danville and Batavia), being great visually (three Best Choreography captions this year) and putting out one of the biggest show choirs in the country for a school its size. Mods swiped choreo from #1 Wheaton North at Bettendorf and traded haymakers with #4 Waubonsie Valley at the end of the season while dispatching several good groups down the list in Illinois and from Wisconsin. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief

6. Mundelein “Sound”

Mundelein has seen a bit of a comeback in recent years under Cory Thompson, and this year proved no different. Mundelein started off strong, placing on the podium at New London ahead of solid Wisconsin competition, before competing in Illinois for the first time since 2022 at Crete, where they jumped Dwight D. Eisenhower in finals for a big win. They then took a bit of a bump, placing fifth at a stacked Davenport Central event, before taking down Wisconsin powerhouse La Crosse to get another podium finish to end their season strong. Whether they compete in Illinois or not, Mundelein will continue to remain a strong choir wherever they go. - Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor

7. Wheaton Warrenville South “The Classics”

The Classics were right in the mix of Illinois show choir this season after serving as the cream of the crop for a few seasons immediately following the pandemic. However, some of the hallmarks still remained: the Bob Potsic-led show band claimed two Best Band captions and featured soloist Jack Grant hauled in four Best Soloist awards in five tries, showcasing the vocal talent the group has. While 2026 featured a bit of a younger, less experienced Classics ensemble, a season of competition and an offseason of development should cement a strong core for the group going forward. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief

8. Glenwood “Titan Fever”

After a rough patch the last couple years, Titan Fever was able to put together a much more consistent run this season. Glenwood was able to place on the podium at their first three competitions, also snagging a Best Choreo caption at Anderson. They also took down Naperville North at Mt. Zion to make a five-choir finals round at the stacked event. While TF missed finals at their last two competitions, uber-stacked events at Brownsburg and Show Choir Nationals, they still held their own well, and proved that they’re heading back in the right direction. - Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor

9. Quincy “Electric Blue”

Before this season, Electric Blue was a choir that rarely sniffed finals, with their highest-ever placement being third all the way back in 2008. This season, they managed their first-ever grand championship at Central Lee and another podium finish at Fort Madison. These are monumental achievements for the program, and show how much Quincy has been quietly improving the past few years under director Ben Dombroski, with the fruits finally starting to bloom in full. The future is brighter than ever for Electric Blue, and they’ll be coming in said future to make themselves a household name. - Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor

10. Manteno “Magic”

One of Illinois’ most consistent choirs, Manteno put on a solid run this season. While they didn't open how they wanted to with a finals miss at Crete, they were able to get back into the finals round at El Paso and Sullivan, both solid comps. While they hit a speedbump at Hersey, missing finals behind great competition, they ended on a great note with a second-place finish up in Wisconsin at Green Bay Southwest. Magic remains a successful Illinois ensemble, and if you see their signature purple “Magic” sign on stage, you know you’re in for a treat. - Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor

11. Naperville North “Entourage”

Naperville North Entourage had one of those seasons that you just take on the chin. They started off with a finals misses at Crete-Monee and Mt. Zion, both stacked events; however, they were able to get their mojo back a little bit at John Hersey, where they beat out Manteno to make the finals round, before just barely missing finals at Wheaton, where they still outplaced solid choirs like Neenah (Wis.) and Franklin Community (Ind.). While Naperville had a rougher outing this year, it could very well make some motivation to come back stronger than ever next year. Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor

12. Oswego “Commotion”

Oswego’s season this year is one you would certainly call a rollercoaster. They started with a no placement at Milton but quickly caught fire at Crete, where they were able to upset choirs like Wheaton Warrenville South, Manteno, and Naperville North to take a podium finish. They then missed finals at crazy Chesterton and El Paso comps before ending off with another podium placement ahead of good choirs at Davenport West. While Commotion’s season was one of ups and downs, this was the most juice they’ve shown in a few years, and they may be able to pull some more shockers in the future. Dylan Moss, Illlinois contributor

13. John Hersey “OnStage”

John Hersey’s show this year took on a new identity, featuring more musical theater elements such as soloist headset mics, a far cry from the very traditional OnStage most know. The choir took on a tough competition gauntlet, facing stacked events at Milton, Naperville North, and Wheaton Warrenville South, where they faced strong competition from in state and all over. While OnStage didn’t place at any of their events, them giving their shows a shakeup could be just what they need to see some more success in the future. - Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor

14. Batavia “Swingsingers”

This season, Batavia returned to their old home in large mixed after spending a few seasons down in the festival division. They certainly saw some large mixed-level competition, as they competed at stacked events all over Illinois like El Paso and Sullivan, as well as an out-of-state showing at Janesville Craig in Wisconsin. Swingsingers took third at Manteno behind El Paso and Danville, but didn't place at any other competitions. However, Batavia moving back to large mixed shows the program is growing again, and they could very well come back stronger in the future. Dylan Moss, Illinois Contributor