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Wisconsin Volleyball falls short in NCAA Semifinals (AUDIO)

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Kelly Sheffield (File Photo)

The top-ranked Wisconsin women’s volleyball season came to an end on Thursday night with a 3-set loss to Texas in the semifinals of the NCAA Final 4 in Omaha.

The Badgers led the first set 20-16 before the 5th-ranked Longhorns rallied for a 26-24 victory.

Texas (27-1) took the second set 25-19 and built an early 8-2 lead in the third set before Wisconsin mounted an attack, only to fall short 25-23.

All-American Logan Eggleston had a match-high 17 kills for the Longhorns, who advanced to play 2nd ranked Kentucky in Saturday night’s title match.

Freshman Devyn Robinson had a team-high 14 kills for the Badgers, who finished 18-1.

Wisconsin was trying to reach the national championship match for the third time in coach Kelly Sheffield’s eight seasons and fourth time in program history, but fell short.

AUDIO: Sydney Hilley says all things considered, they had a heck of a season :21

AUDIO: Coach Kelly Sheffield on falling short of their ultimate goal :18

AUDIO: Kelly Sheffield said there’s nothing he can say to take the pain away :14

Wisconsin Volleyball team back in NCAA National Semifinals (AUDIO)

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Molly Haggerty

For the second straight year, the Wisconsin volleyball team will compete in the NCAA National Semifinals.  The Badgers (15-0) advanced with a 30-28, 18-25, 25-22, 18-25, 15-12 win over eighth-seeded Florida on Monday night from the CHI Health Center Arena in Omaha, Nebraska.

Redshirt senior Molly Haggerty led Wisconsin with 17 kills while Dana Rettke had 16 and Grace Loberg 10.

The Badgers had been forced to go five sets all season long, but they were put to the challenge by the Gators on Monday night.

Wisconsin hit a season-low .153 (59 kills – 30 errors – 189 attempts) against the Gators that hit .170 (63-31-188).

The Badgers were out-blocked 12-9, marking just the second time this season they have been out-blocked.  Freshman Devyn Robinson recorded a career-high six blocks to lead UW. [Read more…]

Wisconsin volleyball advances to eighth-straight NCAA Sweet 16

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Despite being tested in the second set, the No. 1-seed Wisconsin volleyball team swept Weber State in the second round of the NCAA Championship on Thursday night at the CHI Health Center Convention Center in Omaha, Nebraska.

Wisconsin (16-0) won its first tournament match with a 25-17, 25-19, 25-15 sweep of the Wildcats (19-2) to remain undefeated on the season.

As a team, the Badgers hit .408 (45-4-98), marking the third time this season hitting over .400, as Sydney Hilley put up 37 assists.  Weber State hit just .175 (36-16-114).

Wisconsin’s defense outblocked the Wildcats 11-4 behind a season-high nine blocks from Danielle Hart.  Devyn Robinson added a career-high five stuffs.

The Badgers advance to their eighth-straight NCAA Sweet 16 under head coach Kelly Sheffield.  Wisconsin will be making its 18th overall regional appearance in 24 tournament appearances.  UW improves to 52-23 all-time in NCAA tournament appearances with Thursday nights win.

The Badgers will play the winner of UCLA and BYU, which kicks off at 9:30 p.m. Thursday evening, either on Saturday or Sunday in the regional semifinals.

 

UW Volleyball team awarded the top overall seed in NCAA Tournament

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The Wisconsin women’s volleyball team has been ranked number-one in the country all season long.  Sunday, for the first time in program history, the Badgers earned the top overall seed for the NCAA Tournament.

The tournament was reduced from 64 to 48 teams, giving the top 16 seeds first-round byes.  UW (15-0) gets a first-round bye and will open against either Bowling Green 922-1) or Weber State (18-1) at 6 p.m. on April 15 in Omaha.  Bowling Green and Weber State will meet in the first round at 6 p.m. on April 14.

Five other Big Ten teams were seeded in the top 16.  Minnesota at number-three, Nebraska 5th, Purdue 7th, Ohio State 9th and Penn State 13th.

The Badgers have only lost three sets this season, but they’ve played only three matches since Feb. 22, due to COVID-19 issues [Read more…]

Wisconsin Volleyball ranked #1 in AVCA Preseason Poll

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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.

 

Badger volleyball advances to Elite Eight after third straight sweep

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The No. 4 Wisconsin Badger volleyball team swept No. 13 Texas A & M in its NCAA Regional Semifinal match on Friday afternoon.  The Badgers (25-6) have now won nine straight sets in the NCAA tournament, taking the match 25-20, 25-17, 25-23 over the Aggies (23-8) at the UW Field House.

Three Badgers finished with double-digit kills, led by junior Dana Rettke with 14.  Molly Haggerty and Grace Loberg pitched in 12 and 10, respectively, as the Badgers hit .394 (50 kills – 9 errors – 104 attempts).  Texas A & M’s Hollann Hans finished with a match-high 20 kills on 44 attempts to hit .250 (20-9-44).

The Wisconsin front line outdueled the Aggies 9-2 in blocks.  Rettke had five to pace the Badgers, while Danielle Hart and Sydney Hilley added four stops apiece.  The Badgers defense held the Aggies to a .229 hitting percentage (42 – 17 – 109).

Wisconsin advances to its 10th NCAA Regional Final, including fifth in the last seven years under head coach Kelly Sheffield.

The Badgers upped their home-match winning streak to 13 matches with Friday’s win.

Wisconsin advances to the NCAA Regional Final and will face the winner of the second semifinal match between No. 5 Nebraska and No. 12 Hawaii.  First serve will be at 5 p.m. on ESPNU, live from the Wisconsin Field House.

Badger women’s volleyball hosts NCAA Regional

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Wisconsin coach Kelly Sheffield

The fourth-seeded Wisconsin Badger women’s volleyball team swept Illinois State and UCLA over the weekend, advancing to the NCAA’s Sweet 16 for the 17th time in program history.

For the fourth time in program history, the Badgers will host NCAA Regional action in the UW Field House.  The Badgers (24-6) will face off against No. 13 Texas A & M (23-7) on Friday at 1 p.m. (Live on ESPNU).  Fifth-seeded Nebraska (26-4) takes on No. 12 Hawaii (25-3) in the other regional semifinal at 3:30 p.m. on Friday (ESPN3).

Semifinal winners play on Saturday at 5 p.m. live on ESPNU for the right to advance to the NCAA National Championship on Dec. 19 and Dec. 21 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.

The Badgers are 9-7 in the Sweet 16, including a 4-2 mark under head coach Kelly Sheffield.  UW swept San Diego in the Champaign (Illinois) Regional in 2018.

The Badgers have hosted regional action three other times, in 2006, 2000 and 1997, winning Sweet 16 matches all three years.

Badgers claim Big Ten Volleyball title, will host NCAA 1st and 2nd round matches

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Wisconsin Volleyball – File Photo

The Wisconsin Badger women’s volleyball team captured the Big Ten title outright after sweeping Rutgers on Saturday and seeing Minnesota knock off Penn State.

For the seventh-straight season and the 23rd time in program history, the Badgers earned a bid to the NCAA tournament.  The Badgers were selected as the No. 4-seed in the tournament and will host first and second round matches on Friday-Saturday in the UW Field House.

UCLA (18-11) takes on Notre Dame (19-9) in the opening first-round match on Friday at 4:30 p.m. before Wisconsin (22-6) faces off against Illinois State (22-11) at 7 p.m.  First-round winners advance to the second round of the tournament on Saturday at 6 p.m. in the Field House.

The Badgers hold a 46-22 (.676) all-time record in the program’s 22 NCAA tournament appearances.  UW [Read more…]

Badger women’s volleyball hosts NCAA matches

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Badger Volleyball – File Photo

For the sixth-straight season and the 22nd time in program history, the Wisconsin volleyball team earned a bid to the NCAA tournament.  The Badgers were selected as the number-six seed in the 2018 championship bracket and will host first and second rounds in the UW Field House on Thursday and Friday.

Wisconsin (22-6) will face Green Bay (20-10) in the first round on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.  Northern Iowa (24-9) faces off against Pepperdine (21-8) in the opening first-round match at 5 p.m.  First-round winners will face off on Friday at 7 p.m. for the right to advance to regional play.

The Badgers hold a 43-21 (.672) all-time record in the program’s 21 NCAA tournament appearances.  UW is 15-5 under head coach Kelly Sheffield in the NCAA tournament, advancing to at least the Sweet 16 round of play each season.

Wisconsin has been a top-10 seed in the tournament six times since seeding began in 2000.

A total of seven Big Ten Conference teams made it into the NCAA tournament, including No. 2-seed Minnesota and No. 3-seed Illinois.

7th ranked Volleyball Badgers open season with a win

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Sydney Hilley

The freshman duo of Sydney Hilley and Dana Rettke led the 7th ranked Wisconsin volleyball team to a 25-18, 25-19, 26-24 sweep of Louisville in the first round of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge in the UW Field House on Friday night.  UW opened its season with a win for the second straight season and for the fourth time under fifth-year head coach Kelly Sheffield.

Hilley finished with 36 assists and added four kills, three digs and one block.  In Hilley’s first start running the Badger offense, Wisconsin hit .320 (42 kills – 11 errors – 97 attempts) while holding Louisville to .171 (39-21-105).

Rettke led all hitters with 15 kills while hitting .500 (15-3-24).  the 6’8 middle blocker also had a match-high six blocks.  Wisconsin outblocked the Cardinals 8-6.

Sophomore M.E. Dodge had a team-high 10 digs.

The Badgers wrap up the Challenge on Saturday night at 7:30 against 11th ranked North Carolina (0-1).  The Tarheels lost their opener last night at Minnesota.