Registered as a 6-foot-1 middle blocker for the UW women’s volleyball team, Sheila Shaw competes against women in the Big Ten that even she has to look up to. Shaw proves that her height has nothing to do with her ability to play great volleyball.
Shaw grew up in the small town of Muskego, Wis. With two older sisters by her side, Shaw found herself being the athlete of the family and the child who inherited the height. She started playing volleyball and basketball in fifth grade and played the latter throughout her high-school career. Although her love for basketball reigned supreme, she soon discovered her knack in volleyball.
“Basketball was my favorite sport until freshman year of high school. I played AAU basketball, but then I finally decided I wanted to play volleyball, so I started playing club volleyball,” Shaw said. “I then really got into it because I started to get better.”
In her high-school volleyball years, Shaw racked up her share of awards. She led her high school in kills and blocks, and in the 2000-2001 season she was named the Gatorade High School Player of the Year for Wisconsin.
Her collegiate volleyball playing has now become a daily routine for Shaw, and she finds that there is nothing else she would rather devote her time to.
“I just love volleyball so much. I think it is the competitiveness of the game, and I love the team atmosphere,” she said. “I like being a part of something.”
When it came time to choose a college, Wisconsin was the obvious choice for Shaw. She always knew that she wanted to be a Badger.
“I have always wanted to go here since I started getting letters. I am a Badger for life,” Shaw said.
Shaw returns this season after an outstanding freshman year that turned out to be a pivotal one. She was named to the 2002 Big Ten All-Freshman team and is the Badgers’ top returning blocker. She started 18 games and played in 27 as she ranked third on the team with a .310 hitting percentage.
“I had a great freshman year; I got a lot of court time, but I had to work extremely hard to play. It was great experience for me,” Shaw said. “I was really determined to play my freshman year.”
This year Shaw is in her sophomore season for the Badgers and has been a crucial player for UW. Her ability to place hits offensively is comparable to her ability in reading and blocking hitters twice her height defensively. So far this season, Shaw has managed to help lead the Badgers to a record of 15-5 overall and 7-2 in the conference.
This fall, Shaw leads the team in hitting with a percentage of .333 and has a team-best 61 blocks. She ranks third on the team with 2.92 kills per game. She also leads the team in service aces, and is second in the Big Ten with 36 (.51/game). To add to this season’s resume she has also recorded double-figure kills in 12 matches, including the last eight matches in a row.
Last weekend when the Badgers defeated the Nittany Lions in five games, Shaw was contributing in every way that she could. She provided 11 kills, one service ace, four defensive digs and five blocks. Her all-around play has made her a fan favorite in the Fieldhouse. Just because Shaw often steps onto the floor facing taller opposition at the middle-blocker position, it doesn’t mean that she will be out-played. Shaw consistently shuts down even the tallest of players with her great blocking and growing power.
Over the last two seasons, Sheila Shaw has proven that she can play with the best in the Big Ten. Her strong play and even stronger desire to be the best athlete she can be should provide the Badgers with a valuable leader on the court and great personality off it.
