AVCA

Dana Rettke

Preseason number-1 ranked Wisconsin was unanimously chosen as the Big Ten Conference favorite for the 2020-21 volleyball season, voted on by the Big Ten coaches and announced on Wednesday.

The defending 2019 Big Ten Champions open their season ranked No. 1 by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). It is the sixth straight season the Badgers will open the year ranked among the top 10 teams in the country and only the second time in program history ranked first in the nation.

Additionally, conference coaches selected three Badgers to the All-Big Ten first team, including All-American Middle Blocker Dana Rettke and All-American setter Sydney Hilley, who were both unanimous selections. Teammate Molly Haggerty was also voted to the Big Ten preseason first team.

The Badgers will open their season with a two-game series against the 13th ranked Purdue Boilermakers on Friday and Saturday nights at the UW Fieldhouse.

Badger Coach Kelly Sheffield (File Photo) – Courtesy of UW Athletics

The Wisconsin women’s volleyball team drew the number-one ranking in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) preseason poll, released on Tuesday.

The Badgers finished the 2019-20 season as national runner-up and ranked second.

Texas is ranked second and Stanford third in the preseason poll. The Big Ten has five other schools ranked in the top 25, including Nebraska (5th), Minnesota (7th), Penn State (9th), Purdue (13th) and Michigan (24th).

In-state rival Marquette is ranked 20th in the preseason poll.

The Badgers will open their season against Purdue Jan. 22 & 23 at the UW-Field House. Start times haven’t been released yet.