Tag: UW volleyball

Former Wisconsin volleyball legend set to play professionally in Indianapolis

Former Wisconsin volleyball legend set to play professionally in Indianapolis

Former Wisconsin volleyball standout Sydney Hilley will play professional volleyball for Indy Ignite Pro in 2025.

A few days before former Northwestern and Wisconsin volleyball outside hitter Temi Thomas-Ailara joined LOVB Madison’s squad, Hilley committed to join Indianapolis, Indiana’s latest professional squad.

The Ignite will kick-start its inaugural season in January 2025 as a member of the Pro Volleyball Federation. Hilley joins several Big Ten alumni, including former Buckeye Kylie Murr and former Wolverine Carly Skjodt, to join the 10-woman team next year.

In five years at Wisconsin, Hilley personified consistency as a setter. The Brooklyn Park, Minnesota native was a five-time consecutive AVCA All-American, three-time Big Ten Setter of the Year and four-time First Team All-Big Ten honoree from 2017-21.

Hilley ranks No. 4 in program history in assists (4,680), No. 5 in assists per set (11.76) and No. 5 in career double-doubles (37). She started 114 of 115 matches during her illustrious tenure career and played in 114 of 117 sets, per UW athletics.

During UW’s 2021 title-winning season, Hilley led the Badgers and Big Ten in assists with 11.95 per set. She started all 34 matches and 116 sets in 2019, the season in which Wisconsin appeared in the NCAA title game vs. Stanford.

Hilley’s latest feat arrived when she was named MVP of the Pro Volleyball Federation Playoffs for the Omaha Supernovas. She will now look to build off an already remarkable volleyball career with Indy down the line.

NEWS: Wisconsin volleyball superstar receives diagnosis on injured ankle

Wisconsin volleyball superstar receives diagnosis on injured ankle

Wisconsin volleyball superstar Sarah Franklin suffered a sprained ankle during USA Volleyball’s gold medal match of the NORCECA Pan Am Cup on Sunday.

After recording nine kills through three sets in the United States’ gold medal contest, Franklin landed awkwardly on her left ankle during a block attempt. Despite the setback, she finished the tournament with 33 kills, four blocks, and two aces.

Franklin’s timetable for recovery and return to action is undetermined, according to Wisconsin State Journal volleyball reporter Dennis Punzel. Updates to her injury are worth monitoring as the Badgers are set to open their season in less than two months with a home match against Bradley on Aug. 20.

Wisconsin’s outside hitter collected several pieces of hardware following her spectacular 2023 season, including Big Ten Player of the Year, the AVCA Northeast Region Player of the Year and the AVCA National Player of the Year honors.

The Lake Worth, Florida native joined former Badger legend and Olympic-bound Dana Rettke as the second player in program history to pocket AVCA National Player of the Year nods. The output even earned her a nomination for the Best Women’s Collegiate Athlete category at the 2024 ESPYS.

As a team, Wisconsin fell to eventual-champion Texas in its 2023 NCAA Tournament National Semifinal clash. Wisconsin will look to return to its sixth semifinal in seven seasons and capture its first NCAA title since 2021.

Wisconsin has significant early-season matches against Louisville on Aug. 27 at the KFC Yum! Center before a rematch with the Texas Longhorns at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in early September.