When the Wisconsin volleyball team takes the court for the first time this fall, it will do so with a roster featuring seven freshman and just two seniors. Indeed, youth will be served for the Badgers in 2004. The most notable of the changes is at setter, where freshman Jackie Simpson takes over for departed Morgan Shields. Simpson beat out sophomore Katie Lorenzen for the starting job.

“She’s a very competitive person,” head coach Pete Waite said of Simpson. “She will find any way she can to get the team to win. She’s very crafty. She brings a big block. Overall, she’s got a lot to offer; she’s just young and needs to learn some things along the way.”

While the battle may be over for the moment, Simpson is not taking anything for granted as a starter.

“It’s really exciting, but it just shows me what I have to work on now,” Simpson said. “I’m going to need to work even harder.”

In order to aid in her development, Simpson graduated from Downers Grove South High School in Illinois a semester early and joined the Badgers in the spring. That early arrival allowed her to build a solid repoire with the UW hitters.

“That was fantastic for her and the hitters,” Waite said.

Simpson will have no shortage of options in the Wisconsin offense. The Badgers return a solid attacking nucleus in outside hitters Aubrey Meierotto, Marian Weidner and Jill Odenthal.

“We’re looking for Marian and Aubrey on the left side and ‘Odie’ on the right to do some great things this year,” Waite said.

Odenthal, who averaged 3.58 kills per game and hit at a .307 clip in 2003, was named to the preseason All-Big Ten team.

“It’s a great honor and I’m very proud to have it, but I’d rather see this team succeed than have any individual honor or accolade,” Odenthal said.

Providing depth is sophomore Maria Carlini, who began the 2003 season at middle blocker, but saw action at each frontline position. She is expected to line up primarily as a left outside hitter this season.

Inside, Wisconsin returns last season’s starting middle-blocker tandem of Sheila Shaw and Amy Bladow. Shaw emerged as one of the Badgers’ most productive hitters last season, pacing the squad in hitting percentage at .313 and averaging 3.03 kills per game. After beginning the season as a reserve, Bladow claimed a starting job from Carlini in the non-conference season and never let go of it. The two returners will have to battle with freshmen Taylor Reineke, Audra Jeffers and Maya Carroll for playing time.

With addition of newcomers like Reineke (6-foot-3), Jeffers (6-foot-2) and Carroll (6-foot-2), as well a tall setter in Simpson, UW expects to boast a much improved block. Last season, Wisconsin ranked second to last in the Big Ten in blocks, putting increased pressure on the Badgers’ defense and passing. With an average height of 6 feet, the 2004 squad should not have that problem.

“It’s definitely something that I think will be one of our strengths this year,” Weidner said of the Badger block.

For defense and ball-handling, Waite will turn to true freshman Jocelyn Wack. An outside hitter at Westosha Central High School in Salem, Wis., Wack will begin the season as UW’s libero.

“She’s doing a great job,” Waite said of Wack. “She came in as the top player in the state as an outside hitter, but she’s a great defender and a great passer. She’s perfect for that role.”

Two other newcomers will factor into the defensive specialist rotation: Amanda Berkley and Megan Mills. Berkley joined the team in the spring through an on-campus tryout.

To lead the host of new Badgers, the team voted junior Aubrey Meierotto and senior Marian Weidner as captains for the 2004 season.

“We’ve asked Aubrey to really step it up vocally on the court and Marian is one who has a real sense of how everyone’s doing on the team,” Waite said. “So, I think they’re going to be a great combination.”

Despite the lineup and roster changes, UW was picked to finish third in the Big Ten’s preseason coaches poll, behind 2003 NCAA semifinalist Minnesota and defending conference champion Penn State.

“That tells me they have a lot of respect for our recruiting class because we’re really going to be young on the court,” Waite said. “For us to be picked third with the possibility of half the lineup being freshmen, that’s exciting for me for the future, but it’s also going to be interesting to see how quickly we gel and if we’re ready for Big Ten play.”

Things do not get any easier after the Big Ten’s top three, as Illinois and Michigan State promise to push for the conference crown as well.

“It is going to be a dogfight, but I’m sure it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Odenthal said. “The Big Ten is an amazing conference and I’m so excited to be a part of it. It’s going to be a battle every weekend.”