Why Wisconsin volleyball might have its best team in 2024

Wisconsin, the 2021 national champions, saw its streak of four straight Big Ten titles end last season when Nebraska won it.

Clearly, many great players have come through Wisconsin’s program in the past 10 seasons.

And still, coach Kelly Sheffield says his current group may be Wisconsin’s best collection of talent during this era.

“Quite frankly this team that we’ve got right now going into this year, this might be my most talented team,” Sheffield said during a recent appearance on ESPN radio in Madison. “It’s certainly an experienced team. We haven’t been overly experienced the last two years. We had a lot of turnover after our championship season in 2021. But we’ve got a lot of people who have played a lot of matches and have a lot of talent coming into the season.”

Last season, Nebraska gained an advantage on the league race by defeating Wisconsin in five sets in October in Lincoln.

Wisconsin won the second match in the season series, which was one of two of NU’s losses. Nebraska won the league at 19-1;  Wisconsin finished second at 17-3.

Like Nebraska, Wisconsin reached the NCAA Final Four, falling to Texas in four sets in the semifinals.

This season, Nebraska and Wisconsin once again should be the top contenders to win the Big Ten title considering both teams return several starters.

Wisconsin’s star player is outside hitter Sarah Franklin, the 2023 American Volleyball Coaches Association national player of the year.

Sheffield weighed in on many topics during his radio appearance, including the growth he’s seen in the sport — and the room for improvement.

In Sheffield’s eyes, more growth would be the ability for more people to watch players like Franklin on TV.

“We’ve got our own Caitlin Clark here in Sarah Franklin,” Sheffield said. “But that spotlight is not nearly as bright on Sarah, for whatever reason that is. And that’s not to take anything away from Caitlin — she’s been amazing. And Angel Reese and quite a few other people. But that spotlight needs to get on some amazing athletes in our sport.”

Other volleyball stars who are back this season include Madisen Skinner at Texas, Lexi Rodriguez at Nebraska and Anna Smrek, the 6-foot-9 hitter for the Badgers.

“(Skinner) has just been with the national team a couple of weeks ago, (and) was the Final Four player of the year,” Sheffield said. “Anna Smrek has been in two Final Fours during her time here.”

Wisconsin had four players earn all-Big Ten honors last season and they’re all back: middle blocker Carter Booth, right-side hitter Devyn Robinson, Smrek and Franklin.

There’s also still outside hitter Julia Orzol, libero Gulce Guctekin and middle blocker Caroline Crawford.

And Wisconsin has added freshman Charlie Fuerbringer, a setter and the No. 2-ranked national recruit. Her dad, Matt, was a pro player and is going to be the head coach for the new professional team in Madison.

Nebraska also has each of its all-conference players back — Merritt Beason, Bergen Reilly, Harper Murray, Bekka Allick, Andi Jackson and Rodriguez.

Wisconsin and Nebraska are often recruiting the same players — high school or transfers, like Nebraska outside hitter Taylor Landfair.

Sheffield said Wisconsin volleyball players have opportunities to earn money through NIL.

“First of all, nobody is where men’s basketball is right now (with NIL payments). Not even football,” Sheffield said. “Because of the smaller roster size, for so much it is pay-to-play. For good, bad or ugly. And there is certainly an element of that with football that is happening. We’re clearly in a different place than them (in volleyball). NIL is definitely with every player on our team. But I wouldn’t say it’s at a pay-to-play type of situation. It is enhancing their brand. It is giving opportunities to them and the businesses that they’re working in.”

Like many coaches, including Nebraska’s John Cook, Sheffield is frustrated that teams like Nebraska and Wisconsin have great opportunities to be on TV during the regular season, but then during the first three rounds of the NCAA Tournament, the matches are either streaming only or played at less than ideal times during the day in order to get on TV.

“It still feels like there’s ankle weights on the sport,” Sheffield. “I don’t think we are being elevated in the same way that I’d say women’s basketball is.”

Sheffield also hopes to see a time when there is a major network having a bracket challenge for the NCAA volleyball tournament, just like in men’s and women’s basketball. That way fans are invested in the whole tournament, and not just their team.

And hopefully continued growth will lead to more matches on TV in the first and second round.

“We can’t go dark the first weekend,” Sheffield said.

In Wisconsin, volleyball should continue to grow with a new professional team coming later this year.

In Madison, one club volleyball organization already has 50 teams in just its third year of existence.

“You have hundreds of young kids that are getting into the sport,” Sheffield said. “And then you add the pro team that is starting here. There is an explosion that is happening here.”