Former Wisconsin volleyball star nominated for ESPY

Former Wisconsin volleyball star nominated for ESPY

The 2024 ESPYS are right around the corner with the ceremony taking place on July 11. A former Wisconsin Badger is among the nominees: Volleyball star Sarah Franklin, who was nominated for the Best Women’s Collegiate Athlete category.

The outside hitter is coming off of a 2023 season during which she won the Big Ten Player of the Year, the AVCA Northeast Region Player of the Year and the AVCA National Player of the Year.

Wisconsin went all the way to the National Semifinals in the NCAA Tournament, losing to Texas, who ultimately went on to beat Nebraska in the title match.

Franklin’s story is a rather remarkable one considering she was sidelined ahead of the 2023 season, having to undergo a procedure to address two blood clots in her forearm, putting her playing career in serious doubt.

Also in consideration for the award are LSU gymnast Haleigh Bryant, Iowa basketball star Caitlin Clark and Northwestern lacrosse player Izzy Scane.

Two former Wisconsin volleyball stars named to 2024 USA women’s Olympic volleyball roster

Two former Wisconsin volleyball stars named to 2024 Women’s National Volleyball Olympic Roster

Former Wisconsin volleyball stars Lauren Carlini and Dana Rettke will represent UW as members of the United States 2024 Women’s Olympic Volleyball Roster in Paris, France this summer.

USA Volleyball, the national governing body of volleyball in the United States, announced the 12-woman team on Wednesday. Both Rettke and Carlini will make their Olympic debuts in Paris.

Carlini, alongside Illinois alumnus Jordyn Poulter, will play setter for the 2024 team while Rettke, arguably the greatest player in Wisconsin history, will play middle blocker during her quest for gold.

Carlini, an Aurora, Illinois native, was an AVCA First-Team All-American and All-Big Ten Team member in four consecutive seasons as a Badger. She also took home 2014 Big Ten Player of the Year nods and Big Ten Setter of the Year in both 2014 and 2015.

After being named the 2012 Gatorade National Player of the Year in volleyball, Carlini won 2013 Big Ten Freshman of the Year and experienced UW’s title game run the same year.

Like Carlini, Rettke earned nearly every collegiate award possible during her career with Wisconsin. An AVCA First-Team All-American in all four years, Rettke was named the Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year twice in 2020 and 2022.

Her most infamous moment arrived during Wisconsin’s championship-winning season against Nebraska in 2021. As a perennial title favorite, the triumph was Rettke’s first and only during her time as a Badger.

Rettke also received 2019 Big Ten Player of the Year, 2017 Big Ten Freshman of the Year and 2019, 2020, and 2021 AVCA Northeast Region Player of the Year nods from 2019-21.

Captained by three-time Olympian Karch Kiraly, the U.S. Women play their final preliminary round of the Volleyball Nations League this week in Fukuoka, Japan.

WATCH: Wisconsin volleyball punches its ticket to the Final Four

WATCH: Wisconsin volleyball punches its ticket to the Final Four

Wisconsin volleyball is yet again headed to the Final Four. It defeated Oregon 3-1 last night at the UW Field House, ensuring its fourth Final Four trip in the last five seasons and sixth in program history.

The Badgers took the first two sets 25-22 and 25-22 respectively, dropped the third set 25-27, then closed the match decisively with a 25-18 third set victory.

Wisconsin will join Texas, Pittsburgh and Nebraska in Tampa Bay. The Badgers split with the Cornhuskers earlier this season, though they might be viewed as an underdog as the AVCA Rankings have Nebraska at No. 1, Wisconsin at No. 3, Pittsburgh at No. 4 and Texas at No. 5.

The semifinal matches are set for later this week, with the National Championship scheduled for Sunday, December 17 at 2 p.m. central.

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How to watch Wisconsin volleyball in round two of the NCAA Tournament

The Badgers survive and advance

With a sweep of Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament champion Jackson State, the Wisconsin Badgers are into the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Just before Wisconsin advanced through the first round of the tournament, the Badgers home court saw Northern Iowa and Miami battle it out. The Hurricanes took down Northern Iowa in four sets and will take on the No. 1 seeded Wisconsin Badgers.

The 27-3 Badgers will match up with Miami with start time set for 7 p.m. central.

The match will be streaming on ESPN+ just as today’s win over Jackson State was for the Badgers.

We will see you tomorrow, Badger fans:

How to watch Wisconsin volleyball’s NCAA Tournament opener

The Badgers begin their journey on Thursday

Wisconsin volleyball has once again secured a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and with it home court advantage early on in the dance.

The road to Tampa for the Final Four begins on Thursday as the Badgers take on Jackson State, who won the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament and come in at 17-12 overall. The Badgers enter into Thursday with a 26-3 record in the regular season.

The match is set for 7:30 p.m. at the UW Fieldhouse and will be streaming on ESPN+. The Wisconsin match will be preceeded by Northern Iowa taking on Miami (Fla.) with the winners meeting in Madison on Friday at 7 p.m.

Badgers volleyball player selected as National Player of the Week

Badgers star given national honors

The Badgers women’s volleyball team finished their regular season strong this past weekend, beating both Nebraska and Iowa at home to wrap the year with a 26-3 overall record.

Their outside hitter Sarah Franklin earned Big Ten Player of the Week honors on Monday and now she’s been selected as the AVCA National Division 1 Player of the Week.

Franklin compiled 30 kills, 16 of which were against Nebraska, while averaging 5.00 kills per set over the team’s two matches this weekend. She also registered three blocks and 15 digs while hitting .329 in the two contests.

Her selection as the National Player of the Week made her the first Badger since Dana Rettke in 2021 to receiver the honor.

Wisconsin was selected as the number-three overall seed in the upcoming National Tournament, the one-seed in their region, and they will host Jackson State on Thursday at 7:30 in a First Round matchup.

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Wisconsin volleyball makes history on Sunday

The Badgers and Gophers make history on Sunday

Wisconsin is currently facing off with Minnesota on the volleyball court as the Badgers look to stay near the top of the Big Ten title race.

There is history being made on Sunday before a match point is won, as the match will be televised on a national network. FOX will have the telecast for the Badgers and the Gophers, marking the first time that a national network has ever carried a women’s college volleyball game.

The sport has been growing rapidly with viewership and attendance records being set in recent months, and Sunday will continue to grow the game we all love. Nothing like a border battle on national television:

Undefeated volleyball matchup sets viewership record

Badgers set new Big Ten Network record

The Badgers women’s volleyball team (18-1) fell to Nebraska (19-0) on the road Saturday, setting a new viewership record for Big Ten Network. A total of 612,000 viewers tuned in to make it the most-watched volleyball broadcast on the network.

As a result of the loss, Wisconsin and Nebraska swapped spots as the top two ranked teams in the country with the Badgers now sitting at number two in the latest AVCA poll.

The two programs will meet again in November, squaring off at the UW Field House on the day after Thanksgiving (Nov. 24).

Wisconsin will be back in action Friday (Oct. 27) on the road versus Michigan State at 6:00PM.

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Nebraska’s head volleyball coach on victory over No. 1 Wisconsin ‘we fought through a lot’

Nebraska head volleyball coach John Cook met with the media on Saturday night after his team’s victory over No. 1 Wisconsin (25-22, 17-25, 20-25, 26-24, 15-13).

Nebraska head volleyball coach John Cook met with the media on Saturday night after his team’s victory over No. 1 Wisconsin (25-22, 17-25, 20-25, 26-24, 15-13). The Huskers (19-0, 10-0 Big Ten) defeated the Badgers (18-1, 9-1 Big Ten) for the first time since 2017.

It was also the first time Nebraska defeated the No. 1 ranked team in the country since 2017. John Cook told the media how proud he was of his team following the victory.

You saw a team that really, really fought through a lot of challenges tonight. Things weren’t going our way. Wisconsin was playing really well. We were really struggling in games two and three, and that team did not quit. They kept believing. We kept telling them it was going to come down to two points at the end, and it was two points in the game four and two points in game five.

The match drew an attendance of 9,198, which is a new record crowd for the Devaney Center. Nebraska will host Maryland on Friday at 7:00 p.m. at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

Find a photo gallery of Nebraska’s victory below.

Nebraska volleyball conquers No. 1 Wisconsin in five-set battle

The No. 2 Nebraska Cornhusker volleyball team played host to No. 1 Wisconsin in arguably the most anticipated matchup of the college season.

The No. 2 Nebraska Cornhusker volleyball team played host to No. 1 Wisconsin in arguably the most anticipated matchup of the college season. The current chapter of the rivalry did not disappoint as the Huskers and Badgers once again took the battle to five sets. Nebraska overcame the fierce war with Wisconsin and conquered its foe for the first time since 2017 (25-22, 17-25, 20-25, 26-24, 15-13.

The Huskers got off to a strong start, taking the first set, but the Badgers responded by taking the following two. Nebraska then clashed with Wisconsin throughout the fourth set but managed to pull away with the win, forcing a fifth set. The battle went down to the wire, but the Huskers managed to come out on top.

Nebraska scored 69 kills off 193 attacks but mustered up a hitting percentage of .130. The Huskers surrendered a season-high 44 attack errors, which accompanied Wisconsin’s 52 kills off 157 attacks. Merritt Beason led the way in kills for Nebraska, finishing with 21 kills off 52 attacks.

Freshman Harper Murray and Ally Batenhorst also hit double-digits in kills. Murray finished the match with 14 kills off 44 attacks and also put up 15 digs, while Batenhorst finished with 13 kills off 40 attacks. Four different Huskers cracked double digits in digs, combining for 60 of the team’s 72: Murray, freshman Bergen Reilly, Lexi Rodriguez and freshman Laney Choboy.

Both Reilly and Rodriguez finished with 17 digs each, while Choboy tallied up 11 digs. Reilly led Nebraska in assists, totaling up 50 on the night.

The Huskers stand at 19-0 and will now become the No. 1 team in the country. Nebraska is the only undefeated team in the top 25. The Huskers will remain home to face Maryland on Friday night. The match is set for 7:00 p.m. and can be viewed on B1G+.