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Top-ranked Badger women’s volleyball the Unanimous Big Ten Preseason favorite

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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.

 

Badgers advance to NCAA Volleyball title game

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Wisconsin Volleyball – File Photo

For the third time in program history, the Wisconsin volleyball team will play for the National Championship.

Thursday night in Pittsburgh, the fourth-seeded Badgers lost the first set 27-25 but won the next three, 25-11, 25-17, 25-19 and beat top-ranked Baylor to advance to Saturday nights NCAA Final.

Three-time All-American Dana Rettke had 19 kills, seven blocks and three aces.  Fellow junior Molly Haggerty added 15 kills and 9 digs while All-American setter Sydney Hilley dished out 43 assists.

Seeking it’s first NCAA title, Wisconsin will play defending NCAA Champion Stanford on Saturday night.  The Cardinal swept the Minnesota Gophers in the night’s second semifinal.

 

Wisconsin volleyball advances to NCAA Final Four

By

Molly Haggerty

The No. 4 Wisconsin Badgers swept No. 5 Nebraska for the third time this season, advancing to its third NCAA Volleyball Championship Semifinal in program history.  The Badgers (26-6) took down the Huskers 25-18, 25-22, 25-19.

Redshirt junior Molly Haggerty was the lone Badger with double-digit kills (14) and was announced as the 2019 NCAA Madison Regional MVP following the match.  Juniors Dana Rettke and Sydney Hilley joined Haggerty on the Madison Regional All-Tournament Team.

The Badgers finished with five service aces (all coming in the first set), headlined by three from Hilley and two from Tiffany Clark, while also edging Nebraska (28-5) in blocks (11-5), led by a match-high eight from Rettke. [Read more…]

Badgers sweep No. 6 Nebraska, draw closer to Big Ten title

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The fifth-ranked Wisconsin volleyball team took a big step closer with a sweep of No. 6 Nebraska on Sunday afternoon.  The Badgers downed the Huskers 25-19, 25-22, 25-21, needing only one more win to clinch a share of the Big Ten Conference Championship.

The Badgers (21-5, 17-1) put on a hitting clinic, connecting on .333 percent (54 kills – 13 errors – 123 attempts) of its attacks with three players tallying double figures.  Junior Molly Haggerty shared match-high honors with 16 kills while Dana Rettke and Madison Duello chipped in with 12 and 10 kills, respectively.

Nebraska’s (23-4, 15-3) Lexi Sun also put away 16 kills but she was the only Husker to hit double figures as the visitors hit .241 (39-13-108).

Badger junior Sydney Hilley put up an impressive 48 assists in the match and added eight digs, just two short of her ninth double-double of the season. [Read more…]

Badger volleyball team advances to NCAA Sweet 16

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For the sixth-straight season, the 8th ranked Wisconsin women’s volleyball team has advanced to NCAA Regional play.  The sixth-seeded Badgers advanced by knocking off Pepperdine 25-16, 25-12, 15-25, 25-13 on Friday night at the UW Fieldhouse.

Sophomore Sydney Hilley recorded her seventh double-double in the last eight matches with 48 assists and 19 digs, which ties her career best.

Senior Tionna Williams led all players with a season-high 14 kills while hitting .458 (14 kills – 3 errors – 24 attempts).

Wisconsin advances to regional play on Dec. 7-8 at a location to be determined.  The highest remaining seed will host the regional tournament.

 

Wisconsin’s Rettke named National Freshman of the Year

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Dana Rettke

Wisconsin volleyball standout Dana Rettke continues to reel in the awards.  Rettke became the first Badger volleyball player to be named National Freshman of the Year by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.  She also becomes the first freshman in UW history to earn first-team All-America honors.

In addition, junior Tionna Williams and freshman Sydney Hilley both earned honorable mention All-America honors.

On the season, Rettke was named the AVCA Northeast Regional Freshman of the Year and the Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Year.  She was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week a record nine times and was a two-time Big Ten Player of the Week.

Rettke led the Badgers and ranks second in the Big Ten with a .443 hitting percentage.  She also led the team and ranks 10th in the conference with 3.42 kills per set.  The freshman had a team-best 1.37 blocks per set, which ranks third in the Big Ten.  Rettke also ranks second on the team with 25 service aces (0.22 per set).

The Riverside, Illinois, native set UW season records for hitting percentage, breaking the all-time mark of .422 set by Haleigh Nelson in 2015.  Rettke also set school season records under 25-point rally scoring for blocks per set (1.37) and points per set (4.39).

NCAA Final Four tonight

Top-seeded Penn State and fifth-seeded Nebraska will compete in the Final Four semifinals in women’s college volleyball in Kansas City tonight.  The Nittany Lions take on the Huskers at 7 p.m. (CT) tonight.  The winner will advance to the National Championship match on Saturday and face the winner of tonight’s other semifinal match between Florida and Stanford.

 

Wisconsin volleyball players honored by the Big Ten

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The Wisconsin Badger women’s volleyball team had two players named to the 2017 All-Big Ten team.  A pair of middle blockers, junior Tionna Williams and freshman Dana Rettke were both named to the squad.

Rettke and teammate, setter Sydney Hilley were named to the All-Freshman team.

Rettke, after setting a Big Ten Conference record with nine Freshman of the Week awards, was named the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Year.  The 6’8 middle blocker becomes the fifth Badger to earn the rookie honor, following teammate Molly Haggerty, who was honored in 2016.  Her selection to the All-Big Ten team was unanimous.

On the season, Rettke leads the Badgers and ranks second in the Big Ten with a .445 hitting percentage.  She also leads the team and ranks 13th in the conference with 3.37 kills per set.  The freshman has a team-best 1.42 blocks per set, which ranks third in the Big Ten.  The Riverside, Illinois native leads all Big Ten freshmen in hitting percentage and blocks per set while ranking third in kills per set. [Read more…]

Volleyball Badgers fall at Penn State

By

Dana Rettke

The ninth-ranked Wisconsin volleyball team fell to No. 1 Penn State on Wednesday night, falling to the Nittany Lions, 25-19, 25-22, 23-25, 25-16, in Rec Hall.

Middle blocker Dana Rettke led all players with 17 kills while adding four blocks and a service ace.  Fellow middle blocker Tionna Williams notched 10 kills and five blocks.

Penn State (20-1 overall, 10-1 Big Ten) outhit Wisconsin (14-6, 5-6), hitting .241 (54 kills – 19 errors – 145 attempts) while holding UW to .207 (55-24-150).

Sophomore Tiffany Clark and senior Kelli Bates earned 20 and 15 digs, respectively, helping UW earn the backcourt advantage, 67-62.

The Nittany Lions put up 14 blocks to Wisconsin’s nine.  Setter Sydney Hilley and Williams lead the team with five stuffs each.

The Badgers return to the UW Field House on Saturday for a match with Northwestern at 7 p.m.

AUDIO: Kelly Sheffield on the Badgers blowing 18-11 second set lead :16

AUDIO: Kelly Sheffield said they made too many mistakes :16

Volleyball Badgers fall in Lincoln

By

Kelli Bates

The 7th ranked Wisconsin women’s volleyball team won the first two sets in Lincoln on Sunday, then dropped the last three, falling to 8th ranked Nebraska.  The Huskers (11-3, 4-0 Big Ten) pulled away to win 22-25, 17-25, 25-20, 25-23, 15-8 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center Saturday night.

Kelli Bates recorded a match-high 20 kills with 10 digs to earn her fourth double-double of the season and 26th of her career for the Badgers (11-2, 2-2).  Setter Sydney Hilley also needed a double-double, the second of her career.  The freshman tied her career high with 51 assists and added 10 digs.

But UW hit a season low team hitting percentage at .194 (59 kills – 25 errors – 175 attempts) while Nebraska hit .193 (61 – 28 – 171).

The Badgers return home for another top-10 clash against No. 3 Minnesota on Wednesday.  The match will be televised live on the Big Ten Network.

Rettke, Hilley honored by the Big Ten

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Wisconsin freshman Dana Rettke was named the Co-Big Ten Conference Player of the Week and Co-Big Ten Freshman of the Week while freshman Sydney Hilley was named the Big Ten Setter of the Week.

Rettke, a 6’8 middle blocker, averaged 5.0 kills, 1.83 blocks and 0.83 digs per set in leading the Badgers to two wins over the weekend.  Wisconsin swept Louisville and No. 11 North Carolina in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge at the UW Field House.

The 6th ranked Badgers (2-0) take to the road for the first time this season, traveling to Manhattan, Kansas, for the K-State Invitational on Friday and Saturday.  The Badgers will face Syracuse (2-2) and Arkansas (3-0) on Friday before taking on host Kansas State (2-1) on Saturday.