Illinois 2026 Postseason Single-Gender and Festival Mixed 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 ten of the state's single-gender groups and all nine of the state's festival mixed groups. These are the results, accompanied by succinct wrap-ups of each season. A championship mixed postseason rankings is forthcoming.

Single-Gender

1. Wheaton Warrenville South “Esprit” (1 first-place vote)

Esprit was nothing if not consistent in 2026. Whether it was a division win and overall prep/womens Best Choreography caption at Davenport North in Iowa, finals appearances at Naperville North and Sullivan in the thick of the Illinois competition season, or a division win at Janesville Craig in Wisconsin to close the year, Esprit was there when it mattered most. Additionally, their science fair show brought plenty of smiles and laughter from the audience, hitting the sweet spot of having a good season and a fun show. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief

2. Mt. Zion “Les Femmes” (2 first-place votes)

It was a tale of two months for Les Femmes in 2026. In February, they lost to brother choir You’ve Got Male three times, but in March, they beat YGM twice and had an impressive showing at Heart of America Orlando. In Florida, they lost to only Los Alamitos and came out ahead of several quality programs from around the country like Olentangy, Omaha Westside and Huntington North. They also cleaned up in Illinois, outrunning El Paso-Gridley, Naperville North and Waubonsie Valley at Wheaton Warrenville South. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief

3. El Paso-Gridley “Hi Fidelity” (1 first-place vote)

HiFi notched two overall finals appearances this year, their most since 2022. The group beat Wisconsin up-and-comer Eau Claire North in finals at Tomah and eastern Iowa outfit Western Dubuque at Bettendorf. In Illinois, Hi Fidelity was second in a five-group division at John Hersey, taking down Vivant and Resonance as well as Noblesville New Dimension from Indiana. While they did not match up against Esprit and dropped their only matchup against Les Femmes, it was still a good enough season to garner a first-place vote in these rankings. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief

4. Mt. Zion “You’ve Got Male”

YGM checks in as the better of two mens choirs on this list, placing ahead of the Danville Executives. The two groups never faced off this year, robbing ardent show choir fans of what could’ve been. What did happen, however, was a pair of overall finals placements for You’ve Got Male, their first since Troy Buchanan in 2023. A clear highlight of the season was Naperville North, where YGM was third overall, the best overall placement in program history, and beat Wheaton Warrenville South The Classics. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief

5. Naperville North “Vivant”

Vivant’s season was a classic tale of getting better and better throughout the season after a rocky start. Vivant placed third out of three at their first two competitions, both against stellar competition, and they did miss a two-group single-gender finals at Mt. Zion. However, they were able to step it up at the end of the season, placing in the top three at John Hersey ahead of groups from Noblesville and Waubonsie, and overcoming third-ranked Hi Fidelity and fourth-ranked You’ve Got Male in order to place on the podium at a very stacked Wheaton Warrenville South competition, a great way to end their season. - Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor

6. Mother MacAuley “Mac Melody”

Mother MacAuley had a standout season despite only appearing at a mere two competitions. Their biggest claim to fame came at Crete-Monee, where they were able to take down much larger single gender groups in top-ranked ranked Esprit and fifth-ranked Vivant to win the division, as well as take down mixed groups from Manteno and Naperville North to make overall finals, marking a monumental achievement for the small program. Mother Mac also had a successful outing at Chesterton, where they beat Pendleton Heights New Edition to win their division to end a small but mighty season on a high note. - Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor

7. Danville “Contemporaires”

Much like their mixed group Delegation, Contemporaries entered the season with some turbulence after Jeff Thomas’ departure from the program, but were still able to find plenty of success. Contemporaires kicked off the season with a strong second-place finish over a strong Edgewood group at Southmont before beating their male counterparts out for another silver medal at Manteno. They then found themselves in the thick of some strong Indy competition at Lafayette Jefferson before ending their season with a strong division win at Avon. Despite the turbulence, Contemporaries remained a strong choir, a testament to Karrin Estes’ leadership and the ladies’ hard work. - Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor

8. Waubonsie Valley “Resonance”

Waubonsie Resonance was a choir that had a quietly successful season this year, as they were able to record some stronger finishes than the last couple of years. These came at Chesterton and Davenport West specifically, where Resonance was able to beat out Brownsburg Bella Voce to make a two group single gender finals at the former, and placed on the podium at the latter ahead of Davenport North Center Stage. While Resonance isn't quite in the thick of Illinois’ single-gender competition yet, signs are showing they could get there soon. - Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor

9. Glenwood “Titan Flame”

Illinois’ newest single-gender group, Glenwood Titan Flame, is still getting off its feet in its second year of competition, as it still only sports around 20 members. Despite this, Titan Flame isn't afraid to get their feet wet against top-notch competition from around the nation, as they took on a lofty schedule with diverse contests. Flame’s continued development, as well as learning from the best of the best, will only prove good for this fledgling group. - Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor

10. Danville “Executives”

Danville’s small-but-mighty men’s group Executives found plenty of success despite sporting a mere eight members. Executives competed in the prep division at some strong competitions in Indiana, placing on the podium at Southmont ahead of a strong group in Mooresville Nexus, and competing well at Lafayette Jefferson. Executives may only be spearheaded by a mere eight guys, but it’s certainly eight guys who can put on a heck of a show. - Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor

Festival Mixed

1. Sullivan “Singers” (3 first-place votes)

In its third year under director Heather Pistorius, Sullivan has truly formed itself into a dominant force in Illinois’ festival mixed division. Singers notched two division wins, including a rare finals berth at Glenwood, and stayed ahead of the rest of the division at El Paso. El Paso also saw Singers take Best Choreography off of Troy Buchanan Soundwave, a perennial division contender, showing their immense visual strength with Jeff Jordan. These accomplishments have launched Sullivan to the top of the rankings, and have shown the future is bright for one of Illinois’ household names. - Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor

2. Danville “Delegation” (1 first-place vote)

Danville entered this season as a bit of an unknown, as director Jeff Thomas unexpectedly left the program in the fall, leaving alumni Karrin Estes to lead the choirs. However, Danville proved largely unfazed, with a strong podium opening at Southmont ahead of many staple Indiana choirs. Danville’s success continued with podium finishes at Manteno and Lafayette Jefferson, as well as a division win ahead of numerous good Indy choirs at Avon. Indiana is a state known for its small division strength, so Delegation still being able to compete in the thick of them proves that this choir is still a strong one, even if their state-line geographic situation meant they didn't go against a ton of Illinois' festival mixed groups. - Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor

3. Crete-Monee “Cavaliers”

Crete-Monee has seen a bit of a resurgence in recent years under new director Ben Alifantis, and the trend certainly continued this season. Cavaliers never left the top three in the division, including at competitive outings like El Paso and Glenwood. They were also able to take a commanding sweep over choirs like Herscher and Pekin at Manteno, as well as fending off choirs like Carmel Catholic and Peotone throughout their season. Their New Orleans-themed show, driven by Bradley Davis’ choreography, charmed audiences across the state in another great chapter in a great new era for Cavs. Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor

4. Carmel Catholic “Cadence”

Carmel Catholic is a choir not a lot of people have really heard of before this season; however, they certainly made their name a lot more known this year. They got their name most out there at El Paso, where they placed fourth in a loaded division ahead of strong choirs like Herscher and Pekin, catching audiences off guard with their strength. They then were able to get their first division win in program history at John Hersey, placing ahead of Peotone, a major achievement for the group. Will the state see Cadence a lot next season? Who knows. But what we do know is they will be a strong contender wherever they do show up. - Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor

5. Herscher “Class Act”

For a choir with only around 15 performers, Herscher Class Act proved a strong force in Illinois despite their size. Herscher started off the season strong with a big win at Crete-Monee ahead of choirs like top-ranked Sullivan and sixth-ranked Mundelein Reverb, took top-two finishes at Manteno and Sullivan, and still placed top-five ahead of solid choirs at El Paso despite a terribly early 7:35 a.m. performance time. Next year’s Class Act is a bit of a mystery, with director Kyle Schrage leaving the program to pursue grad school, but this year’s show was certainly a success. - Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor

6. Mundelein “Reverb”

Illinois’ lone “prep” group, Mundelein Reverb, saw a lot of success this season, much like their large mixed group Sound. After starting the season strong with a division win at New London over multiple good Wisconsin choirs, Reverb held onto the podium for the rest of the season, taking down solid competition from Illinois and Iowa in the process. Mundelein has been resurgent as of late under Cory Thompson, and a continuously strong Reverb means a continuously strong program overall. - Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor

7. Pekin “Noteables”

Pekin Noteables had their final hurrah this season, as 2026 marked their final year as a competitive show choir. Their heist-themed show spent a lot of the season trading blows with Peotone, as the two choirs went back and forth at three competitions, showing the choirs’ similar strength. Noteables were able to end their retirement tour on a high note, placing on the division podium ahead of Springfield at Glenwood, as they leave behind a legacy that will be forever remembered in Illinois. Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor

8. Peotone “Powerhouse”

After some turbulence the past couple years in the director’s seat, Peotone finds themselves a small, but still stable choir. Powerhouse took on a strong five-comp schedule all across the state of Illinois, facing strong competition from Illinois and beyond. They largely faced choirs like Pekin and Springfield in the lower half of the division, however, Powerhouse matched their strength well against them throughout the season, proving the group has grit despite its size. - Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor

9. Springfield “Collage”

Springfield’s new all-city group Collage was finally able to get off its feet and into competitions this year after missing last season. Collage may very well be the smallest mixed group in Illinois, competing with only around 10 members, but the group was still able to put on a fun show at El Paso and Glenwood. The program has a foundation now, and with some growth in the future, they may become a force in festival mixed in due time. - Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor