As the Badgers prepare for what will surely be one of the most promising seasons in Wisconsin volleyball history, the team will also have one of the toughest schedules.
Volleyball: Abundance of talent on display as team works way through offseason
The Badgers will play 17 teams that made the NCAA tournament last season, including three of the final four participants.
Wisconsin will travel across the country and face some of the nation’s best in the non-conference portion of their schedule. The Badgers will be tested right out of the gate as they face Hawaii at the Wahine Invitational in Honolulu, which made a deep run in last season’s NCAA tournament.
#Badgers release their 2016 schedule and it is arguably the #toughest ever! https://t.co/5Ojy2MGUuV pic.twitter.com/ejcCRvV2NI
— Wisconsin Volleyball (@BadgerVB) April 7, 2016
Another highlight of the non-conference slate is a trip to Austin, Texas, which will pit the Badgers against the Longhorns, last season’s national runner-up.
Head coach Kelly Sheffield said in an interview on UWBadgers.com that he is excited for the schedule’s release.
“It’s obviously a challenging schedule,” Sheffield said. “Not only with the level of teams that we are competing against — every non-conference team was ranked in the top 70 in last season’s RPI — but also with the travel.”
Moving to conference play, the Badgers have a favorable draw to make a run toward another Big Ten championship.
Of last season’s top three finishers in the Big Ten, Minnesota, Nebraska and Penn State, Wisconsin only plays Minnesota twice. Wisconsin will face defending NCAA champion Nebraska Oct. 21 in Lincoln and take on Penn State Oct. 28 at the Field House.
The Badgers second matchup with the Gophers will double as the regular season finale and could have major conference and NCAA implications come November.
Overall, Sheffield noted that the Big Ten is always one of the toughest conferences in America and this season should be more of the same.
“As for the Big Ten, it’s hard to find too many teams that shouldn’t be even better this upcoming year. A lot of talent returns in the conference.”
The Badgers return to action this Saturday to take on Marquette 1 p.m. at the Field House. The exhibition will be the only time fans will have an opportunity to check out the team before next season.
