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After receiving the news Sunday night that it will host the
first two rounds of the NCAA tournament this weekend, the No. 8 Badger
volleyball team is poised to make a deep run in its 16th postseason appearance.

"We are looking forward to hosting this weekend," head coach
Pete Waite said at his Monday press conference. "We have some strong teams
coming in, teams we are familiar with (because) we played either this year or
last year. We will be working on them this week once the tapes come in and get
ready in the gym."

Wisconsin, who will play Northern Iowa Friday in the opening
round match, will be hosting first and second round matches for the fourth
straight season, and the team has been able to advance to regional play for three
consecutive years.

If Wisconsin were to advance to the regional round this
season, the team would not have to leave home as Madison will be the site of
one of the tournament's four regional locations for the first time since 2000.
That year Wisconsin advanced all the way to the national championship match
before losing five games to Nebraska.

Because of the way things are laid out for this year's
tournament and the senior leadership on the team, the team draws comparisons to
the 2000 squad that went 33-4 and won the Big Ten title. Waite agreed with that
assessment at his press conference.

"I would compare this team to the team in 2000 that made it
to the Final Four just because of the depth they have," Waite said. "Having
this senior group of five that have been started for the last four years, they
have all the tools and everything has been laid, and the groundwork is in place
for them to have a good run.

"Obviously, you got to prove it then when you walk on the
court starting Friday. As far as teams and level, I think this is right up
there with that 2000 team."

Simpson earns Big Ten
Player of the week

After guiding the Badgers to three consecutive sweeps over
Ohio State, Iowa and Minnesota last week, senior setter Jackie Simpson was
named the Big Ten Player of the week for the third time in her career. She also
earned the weekly honor Oct. 30 last year following the sweep of Penn State
where she was also named the AVCA National Player of the Week. Simpson earned
the award for the first time during the middle of her freshman season in 2004.

"Jackie was really on in every aspect of her game," Waite
said of Simpson's play last week. "She was really connecting well with her
hitters. She was making some one-handed sets and some very difficult plays, so
I'm happy for her. She has worked very hard to get to that point, and I think
she's got more to finish up now."

For the week, Simpson averaged 12.89 assists per game in leading
the Badger offense to a .302 hitting percentage. She also had seven kills, six
blocks, two service aces and 10 blocks in the three victories.

Jeffers nursing
injury

Junior middle blocker Audra Jeffers is still nursing a foot
injury suffered at Ohio State last Monday. Jeffers sat out last weekend's
matches against Iowa and Minnesota to rest up for the NCAA tournament.

"Audra Jeffers is still nursing her foot injury," Waite
said. "We will see what day she is able to practice this week."

However, junior Morgan Salow stepped into the middle over
the weekend and played well in Jeffers' absence. Against Iowa and Minnesota
Salow had 12 kills and five blocks.

"We were really pleased with Morgan Salow coming in over the
weekend," Waite said. "She really surprised us with the level of play, the
offensive output she brought to us."

Waite said he was excited to see Salow play at a high level because
it gives him confidence in her ability to fill in the middle and gives Waite
another option of the bench once Jeffers returns.

 "[Salow] is a bigger
player actually so it offers more," Waite said. "She is in there at about 6
feet 4 inches and Audra's about 6 feet 2 inches, so that gave us a better block
and better offense. It made us deeper that way."