Simply put, this could be the year for the University of Wisconsin women’s volleyball team.
There is a mutual understanding among the players and coaching staff that what is done over the next few months in their offseason training program will pay huge dividends in increasing their chances at an elusive NCAA title.
This team is loaded with talent for next season and should be one of the highest ranked teams entering the fall. Returning all but one contributor from last year’s Sweet 16 team, next year’s version of Wisconsin volleyball will have a target on their backs.
Despite the high expectations, head coach Kelly Sheffield and the rest of the Badgers are putting their head down and putting in the work to make sure they are the last team standing this time around.
“It’s exciting to see people competing,” Sheffield said. “This time of year, you see who has it in them to take the extra step.”
Senior All-Americans Lauren Carlini and Haleigh Nelson will lead to the charge for the Badgers next season and will be pushed by last season’s all-Big Ten performers in Tionna Williams, Kelli Bates and Lauryn Gillis.
The team is also loaded with depth and should reap the benefits of a top-ranked recruiting class sooner rather than later.
Key supplementary players Romana Kriskova and Amber MacDonald should step into bigger roles next season and top-10 recruit Molly Haggerty will push for early playing time.
MacDonald has the spotlight on her this offseason as she is the favorite to replace departing senior Taylor Morey as the team’s libero. That competition will be one of the key developments to follow as the team moves through the offseason.
Although replacing Morey will be no small task, senior leader Carlini believes MacDonald is up to the challenge.
“Taylor is a huge piece that needs to be replaced and she was an amazing player,” Carlini said. “She was a vocal leader who was the firebomb on the team to get people motivated. [MacDonald] has really been trying to move into that role and find her voice and position as a leader. I think she has done a great job so far. She is obviously a great volleyball player, but she is trying to find her voice and how she fits into the role.”
The lone negative this offseason is that rising sophomore Madison Duello injured her knee in a training session at the end of January and will be sidelined for seven to nine months.
Although Duello wasn’t pegged to be a major contributor this season, her absence will slow her development moving forward.
“I’m really disappointed for [Duello],” Sheffield said. “It was obvious she worked out hard over break, spent time in the gym and was ready for a great spring. Unfortunately, 10 minutes into her first open gym in the Field House, she ends up having a non-contact knee injury. Unfortunately, these things happen.”
In the immediate future, the team will turn its attention toward three exhibition scrimmages taking place over the coming weeks. They begin with a matchup against Marquette at the Field House April 9.
The exhibitions will give the Badgers an opportunity to practice some of their new formations and skills against a live opponent with fans in the seats. The team is eager to get back to playing real competition and Carlini mentioned the importance of having chemistry on the court, and that the exhibitions will provide a learning opportunity for the team.
“It’s going to be fun to play,” Carlini said. “We haven’t played a spring game in years, so it will be fun to get on the court and compete with another team — to get the cob webs out and get into a flow with each other … To see how we are connecting on the court and see how plays are being made without [Morey].”
These exhibitions will provide a solid litmus test for the Badgers to assess where they are in their offseason training program. Although the results are of less importance, the team wants to make sure they are on track for next season.
Carlini refrained from stating the obvious in regards to next season, saying instead that at this program, expectations are always high. Sheffield, however, was willing to put the hammer down, understanding the opportunity this team has.
“This could be the best team in Wisconsin volleyball history,” Sheffield said.
How sweet it is: No. 6 Wisconsin volleyball team advances to third-straight Sweet 16
In order to reach that potential, everyone — from the players to the staff — is putting in the long hours now to assure they receive their due in praise and glory next December.
