Former Badger Dana Rettke wins Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year

Former Wisconsin volleyball legend Dana Rettke added to her highly decorated trophy case on Wednesday morning, as she was named the Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year:

Former Wisconsin volleyball legend, Dana Rettke, added to her highly decorated trophy case on Wednesday morning, as she was named the Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year.

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The Wisconsin middle blocker first won the Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year award in 2019 after leading the conference in blocks. It is not surprising to see Rettke win the prestigious award for the second time after she led the Badgers to a National Championship last season. The Riverside, Ill., native also set the Badgers’ career block record in 2021 en route to winning the AVCA National Player of the Year.

It is sad to see Rettke leaving Wisconsin, but I am excited to see her continue her dominance for her professional team in Italy and the USA Volleyball Women’s National Team.

How to watch Wisconsin volleyball’s NCAA Regional Semifinal vs. UCLA

The Badgers continue their NCAA Tournament journey on Thursday

The No. 4 overall seeded Wisconsin Badgers rolled into the NCAA Regional Semifinal with back-to-back sweeps to begin their NCAA Tournament journey.

Wisconsin gets to stay home at the UW Field House on Thursday when the UCLA Bruins come to town. The Bruins won their first two matches at home before traveling to Madison.

Wisconsin and UCLA are set to do battle at 4 p.m. CT, and ESPNU will have the action live from the UW Field House.

If the Badgers come out on top, the Regional Final is set for Saturday at 7 p.m. CT against the winner of No. 5 Baylor and No. 12 Minnesota.

Dana Rettke named Big Ten Volleyball Player of the Week

The star middle blocker earns the weekly honor

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After a massive 2-0 weekend for Wisconsin volleyball with wins over No. 6 Ohio State and No. 14 Penn State, star middle blocker Dana Rettke was named Big Ten Player of the Week in the conference.

Rettke averaged nearly 4.5 kills per set in the nine sets that Wisconsin played throughout the weekend. She had a season-best 24 kills in the win over Penn State that went the full five sets. After back-to-back home wins, Rettke and the Badgers head on the road for a pair of Big Ten matchups this week.

Next up for Wisconsin is No. 6 Nebraska on Wednesday before they go to West Lafayette to battle No. 12 Purdue on Sunday.

Wisconsin Volleyball releases their 2021 non-conference schedule

Wisconsin volleyball releases their 2021 non-conference schedule:

After a terrific 2020-2021 season ended in a national semifinal loss for Wisconsin volleyball, the Badgers have key pieces from a year ago returning to Madison to make another run.

With 2019-20 Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year Dana Rettke back, Wisconsin will start the year once again seen as a top program in the country.

Earlier today, the Badgers revealed their non-conference schedule in 2021 including a date for their preseason red and white scrimmage at the Wisconsin Field House. The Wisconsin Big Ten schedule was released last month, but we now know when and where the season begins for the Badgers.

Here is a look at Wisconsin volleyball’s entire non-conference schedule in 2021:

Wisconsin volleyball star Dana Rettke named as a Honda Award finalist

Rettke named as a finalist

For the second straight year, Wisconsin volleyball star Dana Rettke has been named as a finalist for the Honda Award. The award recognizes the “best of the best in collegiate athletics,” and Rettke is one of four finalists. Rettke is joined by Logan Eggleston from Texas, Madison Lilley of Kentucky and Stephanie Samedy from Minnesota.

The list of Rettke’s accolades could fill the UW Fieldhouse walls, but they include being a four-time first-team All-American by VolleyballMag.com and a three-time Academic All-Big Ten pick. The 6-foot-8 middle blocker was also a four-time Big Ten Conference first-team honoree.

The award will be presented on June 28 at 9 PM ET during a CBS Sports Network special.

WATCH: Wisconsin volleyball releases hype video ahead of Final Four matchup

Ahead of the highly anticipated matchup that will be broadcast on ESPN, the Badgers released a hype video featuring highlights from the B…

After what has been an amazing week, including beating the Florida Gators in the Elite Eight and the naming of six Badgers as All-Americans, Wisconsin volleyball will face the Texas Longhorns on Thursday night in the Final Four of the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament.

Related: How to watch Wisconsin volleyball in the Final Four

Ahead of the highly anticipated matchup, the Badgers released a hype video featuring highlights from the Badgers’ last matchup against the Gators. The clip features great blocks from seniors Molly Haggerty and Dana Rettke, as well as some outstanding digs from Giorgia Civita.

Six Wisconsin volleyball players named as All-Americans

Only two days after an electrifying victory over the Florida Gators in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament, Wiscons…

Only two days after an electrifying victory over the Florida Gators in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament, Wisconsin volleyball announced on their Twitter that six Badgers have been named All-Americans.

Related: How to watch Wisconsin volleyball in the Final Four

Those honored include seniors Dana Rettke, Sydney Hilley, Lauren Barnes, Molly Haggerty and Grace Loberg, as well as freshman right-side hitter Devyn Robinson. Dana Rettke was named a First Team All-American for the fourth time in her career and is the first player in Wisconsin program history to ever accomplish this feat. Rettke is one of only six players to ever be named as a four-time First Team All-American in the history of collegiate volleyball.

These honors represent just how special the Wisconsin volleyball team has been this season, both individually and as a team. The Badgers, led by six All-Americans, will face the Texas Longhorns on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. CT in the Final Four of the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament.

Below are Wisconsin volleyball’s All-Americans from the 2021 season:

Jonathan Taylor and Dana Rettke named Wisconsin athletes of the year

The two Badgers take home more hardware

[lawrence-newsletter]The University of Wisconsin honored two of the top athletes in the history of their respective programs yesterday when former Badger and current Indianapolis Colts RB Jonathan Taylor along with Wisconsin volleyball’s Dana Rettke took home athlete of the year honors.

Rettke starred starred on a team that finished as the national runner-up in 2019. As the starting middle blocker for the Badgers, she was named Big Ten Player of the Year as well as earning her third-straight first-team All-American nod in 2019.

The greatness of Taylor needs no explanation. For three seasons in Madison, the New Jersey native tore up the Big Ten en route to winning back-to-back Doak Walker Awards in 2018 and 2019. The unanimous first-team All-American in 2019 finished the year with 26 touchdowns, five of which came through the air, and over 2,000 yards on the ground.