Wisconsin volleyball earns exhibition match victory in first action of 2024 season

Wisconsin volleyball earns exhibition match victory in first action of 2024 season

The Wisconsin Badgers’ volleyball program previewed its 2024 season with a strong showing on Tuesday.

With six newcomers in its lineup, Wisconsin swept Bradley 25-17, 25-22, 25-14 in an exhibition match before a packed crowd at UW’s Field House.

As members of its starting lineup, freshmen Charlie Fuerbringer (setter) and Trinity Shadd-Ceres helped UW generate an 11-4 scoring surge to close out Bradley in its first set.

Bradley captured a lead early in the second set, but momentous plays from CC Crawford and Devyn Robinson pushed UW ahead 25-22 late. The Badgers would cruise to an 11-tally triumph in the third set through a balanced offensive attack.

Middle blocker Carter Booth recorded 12 kills, all-world outside hitter Sarah Franklin chipped in with 10 kills and Shadd-Ceres followed with nine kills in her collegiate debut.

“It feels good to be back with the girls,” Franklin told UWBadgers.com. “Everyday in practice we are getting closer and closer and I think getting to play against another team really just puts into perspective the amount of work we are able to put in and it just feels great being back.”

Wisconsin will begin its regular season against No. 6 University of Louisville  at KFC Yum! Center on Aug. 27.

With team captains Franklin, Robinson and Julia Orzol at the helm, Wisconsin will look to capture its fifth AIAW/NCAA Tournament semifinal in six years after losing to Texas in the Final Four last spring.

The Badgers recently landed at No. 3 spot in the 2024 Preseason American Volleyball Coaches Association top 25 rankings and enter this slate as one of the most viable contenders across the collegiate landscape.

Wisconsin will face Texas in an effort to avenge its semifinal defeat on Sept. 1 in Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum.

Wisconsin volleyball announces 2024 team captains

Wisconsin volleyball announces 2024 team captains

Wisconsin volleyball program announced its 2024 team captains on Monday.

Fifth-year middle blocker Devyn Robinson, fifth-year outside hitter Sarah Franklin and senior outside hitter Julia Orzol will serve as UW’s leaders ahead of its 2024 campaign.

Robinson, who notched her 1000th career kill a season ago, appeared in 31 matches and 110 sets for UW in 2023. The Ankeny, Iowa native also ranked third on the team with 2.43 kills per set and managed 0.92 blocks and 0.39 digs per set. The output earned her a spot on the 2023 NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team and Second-Team All-Big Ten team.

Franklin, the 2023 AVCA National Player of the Year, Northeast Region Player of the Year and Big Ten Player of the Year, enters her fifth year of eligibility after two seasons with both the Badgers and Michigan State Spartans.

The 6-foot-4 superstar captained UW with 4.15 kills per set (No. 5 in the Big Ten), posted double-figure kills in 28 matches and was responsible for 0.53 blocks and 0.18 service aces per set. The spectacular season showing even landed her an ESPY nomination for the Best Women’s Collegiate Athlete category.

Orzol, the 2021 Big Ten Freshman of the Year and 2023 NCAA Regional All-Tournament selection, will aim to replicate her stellar 2023 season. She led the team with 3.46 digs per set and accounted for a team-best 0.31 service aces per set.

The Badgers recently landed at No. 3 spot in the 2024 Preseason American Volleyball Coaches Association top 25 rankings this week after a 30-4 mark last year. All three athletes represented Wisconsin during its NCAA Final Four run last year, and they enter this fall with realistic championship aspirations.

CHECK IT OUT: Four Badgers volleyball players earn All-Big Ten honors

Multiple Badgers chosen for All-Big Ten teams

The Badgers women’s volleyball team officially began postseason play Thursday, hosting Jackson State, but they had four players earn All-Big Ten honors earlier in the day.

Senior outside hitter Sarah Franklin is coming off of a week where she was the Big Ten Player of the Week and the National Player of the week but she was picked as a unanimous choice for the All-Big Ten First Team as well as the Big Ten Player of the year Thursday.

Junior opposite Anna Smrek and sophomore middle blocker Carter Booth were also chosen for the All-Big Ten First Team.

Finally, senior outside Devyn Robinson was selected for the All-Big Ten Second Team!

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Wisconsin volleyball gearing up for European tour

The Badgers’ volleyball team is gearing up for their European tour from June 2-14 and will head to Turkey, Slovenia, Italy and Switzerland.

The Badgers’ women’s volleyball team is gearing up for their European tour from June 2-14. Kelly Sheffield and his squad will play matches and go sightseeing in Turkey, Slovenia, Italy and Switzerland.

Libero Gulce Guctekin is a native of Turkey, and she was giving her teammates some lessons on how to speak her primary language. She operated as their cultural expert ahead of their trip.

The volleyball team lost to Pittsburgh in the quarterfinals of last season’s NCAA Tournament, falling two wins short of a chance to defend their 2021 national championship.

With many of the regulars, such as Izzy Ashburn and Devyn Robinson, back this season, they should be right at the top of the national rankings again in 2023.

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Badger Volleyball set to start spring season Friday

The Wisconsin Badgers’ volleyball team launches their spring season Friday, taking on Marquette at Oconomowoc High School at 7:30 PM CT.

The Wisconsin Badgers’ volleyball team launches their spring season Friday, taking on Marquette at Oconomowoc High School at 7:30 PM CT. The team fell short of defending their National Title from 2021 in the fall, losing to Pittsburgh in the Elite Eight.

With star players like Devyn Robinson, Anna Smrek and Sarah Franklin back on the court together again this spring, the Badgers remain one of the most dominant teams in the country.

On top of the fact that the Badgers are returning 12 letters winners, five starters and a libero from last year, they have some impressive newcomers. Minnesota transfer Carter Booth (6-foot-7) joins Wisconsin after making the Big Ten All-Freshman team in 2022 as well as incoming freshman Saige Damrow from Howards Grove, Wisconsin, who won four high school state championships.

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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: