[media-credit name=’BRYAN FAUST/Herald photo’ align=’alignright’ width=’336′][/media-credit]Taylor Reineke is at it again for the Wisconsin volleyball team.

After a successful sophomore campaign where she earned All-Big Ten honors and led the conference with 1.72 blocks per game, the six-foot-three middle blocker has begun this season right where she left off last year. Through the team's first 16 games, Reineke is leading the Big Ten in blocks per game once again, with 1.71 and an even more impressive 2.20 blocks per game in conference play.

"I really love blocking, that's my favorite thing to do," Reineke said. "I'm a middle blocker, that's my job. I really work hard every day in practice and I always strive to get better in that area of my game.

"It feels good to be on top, but I have to work hard to stay there because there are a lot of really good blockers in the Big Ten."

Reineke's love for the game began when she used to watch her babysitter play volleyball as a child, and she has grown from there.

"In sixth grade I tried out for a club (team), West Suburban in Illinois," Reineke said. "I played there for a couple of years but it wasn't really competitive."

Through the urging and support of her parents and older brother, Reineke continued to play and appreciate the game more and more.

"I joined Sports Performance (club team) my freshman year of high school and it was really intense," Reineke said. "That's where I learned to love the game and play for my teammates."

When it came time to choose a college to play volleyball at, Wisconsin was an easy decision to make.

"I always say [Wisconsin] chose me. I love this school," Reineke said. "I think it was my second visit and every other school I went to after didn't compare to Wisconsin. The atmosphere is incredible. The lakes are so beautiful. It's a great atmosphere to be in. I wouldn't pick any other school."

And Reineke has been able to step right in and make an impact from the first time she stepped on the court.

"Taylor is an extremely hard worker and she has been ever since she got here," head coach Pete Waite said. "Obviously what she brings in the stat line is the great blocking and great offensive high hitting percentage. She brings us speed. She is very fast latterly from side to side blocking … the combination of her speed and her work ethic and her attitude has just been great for us."

With a successful season last year and a hot start to this year, Reineke has not let her success take her focus off the team goals.

"I don't really focus on individual achievements," Reineke said. "I would rather focus on team achievements. I don't really care about the All-Big Ten or the All-American. I really care about winning, maybe a Big Ten title."

Even though Reineke does not focus on individual achievements, she still knows what an honor it is to make the All-Big Ten team.

"It's always an honor to make the Big Ten team," Reineke said. "It's a great achievement. It's not that I'm not appreciative of it because I am, but I don't want to focus on it and let it ruin my game. I'd rather think about my team."

However, Reineke is never completely satisfied with her game and is always looking to get better.

"I came back this year as a junior, wanting to keep improving my blocking," Reineke said. "I wanted to have better numbers than last year. Also, offensively I need to get better and put up better numbers on the board."

Reineke has also added more to her game this year — serving and back row defense.

"This is the first year she has been able to serve in the back court and play a little defense and she earned that spot," Waite said. "It was something she had to get better at and she did. We're seeing her improve every week."

Last Friday versus No. 14 Ohio State, Reineke recorded career block 400, becoming the second fastest to do so in school history, but it's her winning attitude and "team first" mentality that has helped her evolve into one of the team's leaders this season.

"Just by watching her play hard every single time we are on the court, everybody works harder around her," Waite said. "She really hates to lose, so she fights hard on every single play. She is on her teammates to push themselves also."