MADISON – The Wisconsin volleyball team had a chance to experiment with different lineups and assess a young squad during its exhibition game against Notre Dame on August 17.
All four rotations, we were different,” said Wisconsin coach Kelly Sheffield. “I think the players in the first and second rotations were the same, but we switched our middle blockers and our outside hitters. … Some teams, when you make those kinds of changes, when you’re just switching them on the rotation… there can be some uncertainty. These guys had no issues at all. … That’s something I learned from this group today, that we can shift the pieces around a bit.
The Badgers’ outcome, in addition to remaining unaffected, was a 3-1 exhibition victory against theFighting Irish(25-23, 25-23, 23-25, 25-20). Here are some key points from the Aug. 17 exhibition combined with the Badgers’ team practice on Aug. 16:
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Emerging talent showcased by the 2025 Wisconsin volleyball squad
With a squad full of young athletes who have the potential to make an impact in 2025, Sheffield expressed “great satisfaction” with the performance of his younger players during the exhibition game.
I believed the story of the game was our young players,” Sheffield said. “It’s somewhat what we’ve been observing in practice, as there’s not much fear coming from them.
In a competition for the libero position involving first-year players Kristen Simon and Aniya Warren, both started two sets and, according to Sheffield, “did really well.” Simon recorded three service aces and a team-leading 17 digs, while Warren had one service ace, one service error, and 12 digs.
Madison Quest – one of the new first-year students vying for the Badgers’ starting position on the right side of the court– participated in three of the four sets and recorded six block assists, matching the highest total on the team with Carter Booth.
She’s mastering a new aspect of the pin,” Sheffield said about Quest, “and protecting against the quick and the go set. I thought she did an excellent job with that.
Natalie Wardlow – also a first-year student and a contender on the right side – participated in the fourth set and recorded four kills. These were challenging kills, according to Sheffield’s assessment.
A few really excellent off-system swings on both pins,” Sheffield said. “A few balls that I’m not really sure how she managed to score from because they were very difficult balls she had to deal with.
Wardlow showed some strong moments during the intra-team scrimmage, earning five kills in the first set. She added three more kills in the second set and one in the third, concluding the day with a .333 hitting percentage.
Grace Egan stands out all weekend at the UW Field House
Ohio State transfer Grace Egan left a powerful first impression on Badger supporters at the Field House this weekend.
Her 13 kills were the highest for the Badgers in their four-set victory against the Fighting Irish. Her sixth kill in the first set—equal to the total of Mimi Colyer and Carter Booth up to that point—secured the Badgers’ win in the set.
It wasn’t her sole standout performance over the weekend. In the team’s scrimmage on August 16, Egan recorded a team-leading 15 kills with three errors out of 30 total attacks. This included seven kills and just one attack error in the first set.
She’s a very energetic player,” Sheffield said. “Her physical abilities are truly exceptional, and she’s a very exciting player to watch. … She’s going to play a major role in what we’re aiming to achieve this season.
Sheffield still believes there is potential for growth in Egan, despite sitting out the third set and making a return for the fourth.
She lost a little bit of focus, I’d say, when she returned and began the fourth set,” Sheffield remarked. “I think she’s somewhat of a player who relies on rhythm. I was really curious to see how that would play out after she took a set off. She needs to improve in that area, but she’s still a tough opponent. She’s always a challenge.
Notre Dame performs better than its (limited) pre-season ranking suggested.
The University of Notre Dame – a team that received no votes in the AVCA preseason coaches poll – proved to be even more challenging againstthe eighth-ranked Badgersthan the 3-1 result might imply.
The initial set saw UW secure a close 25-23 victory, featuring 12 ties and three instances of the lead changing hands. Notre Dame managed to take leads of 5-2, 7-4, and 20-17 in the second set, but the Badgers eventually took control with a 5-0 scoring streak.
The Fighting Irish won the third set as the Badgers recorded a match-low .022. Even in the fourth set, there were five ties before the Badgers pulled ahead for a 25-20 victory that secured the match.
Notre Dame, according to Sheffield, has “improved significantly from their recent performance.”
That’s one of the most physically strong teams Notre Dame has likely had since 1997,” Sheffield said. “They have some strong players. They put some pressure on us behind the service line. They weren’t hit very often. I thought they did a great job covering.
No Charlie Fuerbringer, but another individual steps in and does an excellent job
UW’s setter Charlie Fuerbringer, who was named to the 2024 third-team All-American squad, missed the scrimmage on August 16 and the exhibition game on August 17.
Sheffield was reserved about the specifics of the injury – “she was wearing sweatpants today, remained on the sideline during the game, and didn’t play at all,” he said with a smile – but he remains optimistic that she will be back in time for theAugust 29 season kickoff versus No. 14 Kansas.
There’s a sense of urgency in how you’re performing, progressing, and competing,” Sheffield remarked. “There’s also an awareness that this is a lengthy season. Therefore, I don’t believe anyone will make choices that don’t position us optimally to be as strong as possible by the end of the year.
Freshman Addy Horner took the starting position in each of the initial four sets and “made some excellent choices and impressive plays.” She contributed 44 of the team’s 50 assists along with three kills.
You observed a setter this evening that didn’t show any fear,” Sheffield remarked. “There are many aspects to learn, but she performed an exceptionally good job today. So we’re well supported in that area.
This piece first was published on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:Wisconsin highlights its emerging talent, along with other updates from the volleyball exhibition victory against Notre Dame
