This Week In Badger Volleyball: Nov. 28-Dec. 4
November 29, 2016 | Volleyball
Wisconsin opens NCAA tournament at home
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Wisconsin (25-4) hosts first-round and second-round matches of the 2016 NCAA Championship on Thursday and Friday in the UW Field House.
UW takes on Howard (26-5), the 2016 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion, in the first round on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in the UW Field House. In-state rival Marquette (23-8) faces No. 25 Washington State (21-11) in the other first-round match on Thursday at 5 p.m. Both matches will be streamed live on BTN Plus.
Winners advance to the second-round match on Friday at 6 p.m. If Wisconsin advances, the match will air live on the Big Ten Network.
The Badgers earned the highest seed in program history as they are seeded third in the championship. Wisconsin is 39-19 (.672) in 19 years of NCAA tournament play, including a 10-3 mark under Coach Kelly Sheffield. UW is making its fourth straight appearance in the tournament.
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QUICK NOTES
- Wisconsin ended the Big Ten season tied for second in the conference at 17-3. The Badgers won their 10th-straight match with a 3-1 win over Iowa on Wednesday before falling at second-ranked Minnesota, 3-2, on Saturday. UW has finished among the top-four teams in the league the last four seasons.
- Senior Haleigh Nelson tied the UW record for matches started at Minnesota with her 132nd start. She is also tied for first in program history with 482 sets played and needs to play in just three more matches to tie the mark for matches played at 137.
- Junior Kelli Bates picked up the 1,000th dig of her career at Minnesota on Saturday. The 5-11 libero/outside hitter has 1,009 saves in her third season, becoming the 16th Badger to record 1,000 digs.
- Freshman Molly Haggerty was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Tuesday after recording back-to-back double-doubles. It is her fifth weekly rookie award of the season, which ties for the second-most selections in a season in conference history.
- UW is ranked first in the final regular-season NCAA RPI released Nov. 28. Minnesota (25-4) and Nebraska (27-2) are ranked second and third, respectively, while Texas (22-4) is ranked fourth.
- In Big Ten matches, the Badgers finished the season as the conference leader in kills per set (14.24), and assists per set (13.50). Senior Lauren Carlini led the league with 11.82 assists per set.
FIVE HONORED BY B1G
Three members of the third-seeded Badgers were named to the 2016 All-Big Ten Conference squad. Molly Haggerty was also named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
Senior Lauren Carlini became the first four-time All-Big Ten pick in program history, earning a unanimous selection, while senior Haleigh Nelson earned her second-straight honor. Sophomore Tionna Williams earned her first award while Haggerty became the fourth Freshman of the Year in UW history. Haggerty also earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors and was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team.
Senior Tori Blake was recognized as the team's Sportsmanship Award recipient.
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Wisconsin is making its fourth straight and 20th overall NCAA tournament appearance in 2016.
The Badgers earned the highest seed in program history as they are seeded third in the championship. The previous best was a No. 4 seed in the 2015 tournament.
UW is 39-19 in 19 years of post-season play, including a 10-3 record under Coach Kelly Sheffield. The Badgers have made four-straight tournament appearances under Sheffield.
UW has advanced to two NCAA championship matches, seven Elite Eights, and 13 Sweet 16s. .
| By round |
| First Round (19 years) | 17-1 (one bye) |
| Second Round (16 years) | 11-5 |
| Sweet Sixteen (13 years) | 7-6 |
| Elite Eight (7 years) | 2-5 |
| NCAA Semifinals (2 years) | 2-0 |
| National Championship (2 years) | 0-2 |
BADGERS FINISH SECOND IN THE BIG TEN
Wisconsin ended the Big Ten season tied for second in the conference at 17-3.
The Badgers won their 10th-straight match with a 3-1 win over Iowa on Wednesday before falling at second-ranked Minnesota, 3-2, on Saturday.
UW has finished among the top-four teams in the league the last four seasons. Wisconsin is 64-16 (.800) under head coach Kelly Sheffield in four years. Big Ten standings
TOUGH SCHEDULE
Wisconsin is 12-4 against AVCA Top-25 teams this season after falling at No. 2 Minnesota on Saturday.
The 12 wins ties for the most victories over ranked opponents in a season in program history, equaling the 1998 record.
| Most wins over ranked teams | |
| Year | Record |
| 2016 | 12-4 (.750) |
| 1998 | 12-5 (.706) |
UW has defeated then-No. 6 Hawaii, then-No. 18 San Diego, then-No. 16 Texas A&M, then-No. 2 Texas, then-No. 17/22 Ohio State (twice), then-No. 14 Purdue, then-No. 24 Illinois, then-No. 18 Michigan (twice), then-No. 10 Penn State, and then No. 13 Michigan State.
Wisconsin's losses have come to then-No. 11 North Carolina, No. 3 Minnesota (twice), and No. 1 Nebraska.
The Badgers recorded consecutive wins over ranked opponents for the first time since September with the wins over Michigan and Michigan State on Nov. 18-19.
The Badgers have played the third-toughest schedule in the country, according to the NCAA stats released Nov. 25. Texas ranks first while TCU comes in second. Minnesota and Purdue rank fourth and fifth, respectively.
WISCONSIN REMAINS THIRD
The Badgers stay at third in the AVCA Top 25 Coaches' poll released Nov. 28. Wisconsin has been among the top-six teams nationally all season long.
The Big Ten continues to dominate the poll with the top-three teams, five teams in the top 15, and six teams in the top 25.
Minnesota (25-4) takes over the top spot after downing Nebraska last week. The Huskers (27-2) fall to second followed by the Badgers. Kansas (26-2) and Texas (22-4) are ranked fourth and fifth, respectively.
Penn State (22-9) moves up two spots to 13th while Michigan State (24-8) drops on place to 15th. Michigan (22-10) moves up to 17th. Ohio State and Purdue receive votes. Complete AVCA poll
BADGERS LEAD RPI!
UW is ranked first in the final regular-season NCAA RPI released Nov. 28.
The RPI is one of the tools used by the NCAA committee to select tournament teams. It is also used to select host teams for the tournament, including regionals.
The Badgers have played 24 of 29 matches against teams in the top 100 of the RPI, including 14 matches against top-25 teams.
The Big Ten has seven teams in the top 30, including five in the top 15. Minnesota (25-4) and Nebraska (27-2) are ranked second and third, respectively, while Texas (22-4) is ranked fourth. Complete NCAA RPI
SENIOR SUCCESS
The 2016 senior class of Tori Blake, Lauren Carlini, Romana Kriskova and Haleigh Nelson will go down in program history as one of the most successful ever.
The class will compete in four straight NCAA tournaments, the first Badger class to do that since the 2007 team.
Four-year record of 110-24 (.821) currently ranks third as the best career mark since 1982 (prior to 1982, matches were only two sets). This year's class trails only the 1997-2000 class (115-22) and the 1998-2001 class (112-23).
The quartet also won one Big Ten championship and has never finished lower than fourth in the conference.
BIG TEN LEADERS
In Big Ten matches, the Badgers led the conference in kills per set (14.24) and assists per set (13.50). UW also ranked second in digs per set (15.04) and third in hitting percentage (.280), third in service aces per set (1.26), and third in opponent hitting percentage (.199).
Senior Lauren Carlini led the league with 11.82 assists per set in conference play. She had a season-high 60 assists at Minnesota on Saturday.
Senior Haleigh Nelson tied for second in hitting percentage (.394) and tied with Carlini for fourth in service aces per set (0.32).
In all matches, Wisconsin leads the Big Ten and ranks 15th nationally with 13.44 assists per set. UW also leads the Big Ten with 15.44 digs per set.
Carlini leads the conference and ranks fifth nationally with 11.77 assists per set.
HAGGERTY HONORED AGAIN
Molly Haggerty was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week. It was her fifth weekly rookie award of the season, which ties for the second-most selections in a season in conference history.
The 6-1 outside hitter recorded back-to-back double-doubles last week, to average 3.33 kills and 3.22 digs per set. Haggerty had 13 kills and 12 digs vs. Iowa last Wednesday, and a team-high 17 kills while adding 17 digs at Minnesota. She also added 0.56 blocks per set for the week.
Haggerty has eight double-doubles this season, which ranks eighth in the Big Ten.
On the year, Haggerty leads the Badgers and ranks seventh in the Big Ten with 3.43 kills per set. She has 10-plus kills in a team-best 16 matches, leading UW in kills in 10 matches. The Glen Ellyn, Illinois, native also adds 2.43 digs per set for third on the squad.
NELSON TIES UW RECORD
Senior Haleigh Nelson tied the UW record for matches started at Minnesota with her 132nd start. She is also tied for first in program history with 482 sets played and needs to play in just three more matches to tie the mark for matches played at 137.
Nelson ranks 17th in kills on the UW career record list. The 6-4 middle blocker has 1,077 kills in her fourth season, needing 31 kills to move into 16th. Marisa Mackey (1995-98) currently ranks 16th with 1,107 kills.
Nelson picked up the 1,000th kill of her career against Rutgers on Oct. 30. She became the 20th UW player and seventh middle blocker to record 1,000 kills.
She became the 41st Big Ten athlete and seventh UW player to record 500 blocks at Texas on Sept.. 18. She is just the fifth Wisconsin player to record more than 1,000 career kills and 500 career blocks.
Nelson has 573 stuffs in her fourth season, which ranks fifth on the Badger record list. She needs eight blocks to move into fourth, a position currently held by Sherisa Livingston (1998-01) with 580 blocks.
Nelson also ranks third in block assists (516) and continues to rank seventh in blocks per set (1.19).
She ranks first for UW career hitting percentage at .369, moving her ahead of her with Livingston, who hit .366.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BATES
Junior Kelli Bates picked up the 1,000th dig of her career at Minnesota on Saturday. The 5-11 libero/outside hitter has 1,009 saves in her third season, becoming the 16th Badger to record 1,000 digs.
She recorded a match-high 22 saves against the Golden Gophers, her eighth match this season with 20-or-more digs.
Bates leads the Badgers and ranks eighth in the Big Ten with 4.00 digs per set. She has double-figure digs in team-best 22 matches this season.
Bates has showed her versatility all season long, starting 12 matches at outside hitter and 17 matches at libero.
One of the team's top passers, Bates has been aced only 14 times in 474 receptions for 97 percent. She also ties for fourth on the team with 15 service aces.
Bates also takes over at setter when Lauren Carlini has the dig. She has three-or-more assists in six of the last seven matches, tying her career high with five helpers at Minnesota on Saturday.
CARLINI RANKS SECOND
Senior Lauren Carlini ranks second at Wisconsin with 5,406 assists. She needs 428 assists to move into first, currently held by Laura Abbinante (1993-96) with 5,833 helpers.
Carlini became just the third Badger and 21st Big Ten setter to record 5,000 career assists against Rutgers on Oct. 30.
Carlini also ranks seventh in career digs with 1,325, needing 73 digs to pass Erin Byrd (1999-2002), who had 1,397 digs, for sixth on the UW record list. She also has 122 service aces, which ranks eighth, needing 12 service aces to move into seventh, a spot currently held by Abbinante with 133 aces.
Carlini also ranks fifth in assists per set (11.50).
DIG THAT BALL!
The Badgers had outdug four straight opponents before getting edged by Minnesota, 81-75, on Saturday. Wisconsin is averaging 16.90 digs per set over the last five matches.
Wisconsin leads the Big Ten with 15.44 digs per set.
Junior Kelli Bates ranks eighth in the Big Ten with 4.00 digs per set. The 5-11 libero has double-figure digs in a team-high 22 matches this season, including eight matches with 20-plus saves. She has 10-plus digs in the last seven matches, averaging 4.55 digs per set over the stretch.
Senior Lauren Carlini adds 2.62 digs per set. Freshman Molly Haggerty chips in 2.43 saves per set while freshman M.E. Dodge contributes 2.22 digs per set.
BLOCK BACK ON TRACK
After struggling with blocking during most of the Big Ten season, the Badgers got their block back on track the last two weeks of the Big Ten season.
Over the last four matches, UW is averaging 2.75 blocks per set, including a team-best 1.50 blocks per set by sophomore Tionna Williams. Senior Haleigh Nelson adds 1.12 blocks per set.
Wisconsin had 13 blocks against Michigan on Nov. 18 and outblocked Iowa 15-2 on Wednesday. UW's 15 blocks tie its highest of the Big Ten season, set vs. Ohio State on Sept. 23.
The Badgers are averaging 2.52 blocks per set this season, which ranks fifth in the Big Ten.
DOUBLE BADGERS
Senior Lauren Carlini has a school record 72 double-doubles for her career and leads the Big Ten this season with 16 double-doubles.
Freshman Molly Haggerty picked up her seventh and eighth double-double of the season last week against Iowa and at Minnesota. Against the Hawkeyes on Wednesday, she had 13 kills and 12 digs while she had a team-high 17 kills and a career-high 17 digs against the Gophers.
Junior Kelli Bates has three double-doubles this season and 21 in her career.
On the season, Wisconsin players have 27 double-doubles.
SERVICE PLEASE
UW leads the Big Ten, allowing only 0.57 service aces per set. Wisconsin has given up only 60 service aces on the season, including none by three opponents.
The Badgers have given up six-or-fewer service aces in all 29 matches this season, including 22 matches with two-or-less.
In conference-only matches, UW allowed only 0.59 aces per set (44 total), which led the Big Ten.
In Big Ten-only matches, Wisconsin scored on 1.26 service aces per set (93 total), which ranked third. In all matches, UW averages 1.17 aces per set (124 total), which ranks eighth in the Big Ten.
UW has recorded more service aces than 21 of 29 opponents, while tying six foes. Only Ohio State (4-3) and Michigan State (4-2) have recorded more service aces than the Badgers.
Wisconsin recorded a school three-set record 11 service aces at Rutgers on Oct. 5, including a career-high and school record six aces by senior Lauren Carlini.
On the season, senior Haleigh Nelson leads the team with 32 aces (0.30/set) while Carlini adds 30 aces (0.28/set).
Four other Badgers have double-figure aces this season with Molly Haggerty (16), Amber MacDonald (15), Kelli Bates (15), and Sarah Dodd (11) scoring well from the line.
IN NATIONAL STATS
In the NCAA stats released Nov. 28, Wisconsin is tied for 10th nationally in win-loss percentage at .862.
Senior Lauren Carlini ranks fifth in the nation with 11.77 assists per set.
Senior Haleigh Nelson is 26th nationally with a .375 hitting percentage.
Sophomore Tionna Williams ranks 41st nationally with 1.29 blocks per set.
| T10. | W/L percentage | .862 |
| 15. | Assists per set | 13.44 |
| 21. | Hitting percentage | .269 |
| 23. | Kills per set | 14.20 |
| 37. | Blocks per set | 2.51 |
| 72. | Opponent hitting percentage | .180 |
| 115. | Digs per set | 15.44 |
| 185. | Service aces per set | 1.18 |
THANK YOU FANS
Wisconsin has sold out the UW Field House 10 times this season and is averaging a school record attendance.
The Badgers are averaging 5,977 fans per match this season, which ranks third nationally. Nebraska leads the nation with 8,224 per match while Hawaii ranks second at 6,759 per match.
UW's mark would set a school record for attendance average, shattering the current mark of 5,050 fans per match set in 2007.
I GOT THAT!
Four Badgers surpassed career milestones last week against Iowa or at Minnesota.
- Junior Kelli Bates picked up her 100th career dig at Minnesota on Saturday. She has 1,009 digs in her third season.
- Freshman M.E. Dodge earned career dig No. 200 vs. the Hawkeyes.
- Junior Lauryn Gillis picked up the 600th kill of her UW career. She has 602 putaways as a Badger.
- Redshirt senior Romana Krišková had the 100th dig of her Badger career against Iowa.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Five UW players are closing in on career milestones.
- Junior Kelli Bates needs just four kills for 800 in her third season.
- Senior Lauren Carlini needs four kills for 400 putaways.
- Redshirt senior Romana Krišková is just one block away from 300 for her career and 16 kills away from 500 as a Badger.
- Sophomore Amber MacDonald will reach 400 career digs with one save.
- Sophomore Tionna Williams is just 13 kills away from 500 for her career and 18 blocks away from 300 in her second season.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Howard
The Bison enter the tournament after claiming the program's second straight Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship, finishing the regular season with a 26-5 record and a perfect 12-0 in league play.
Howard averages 12.73 kills per set, led by 5-11 junior outside hitter Khaila Donaldson's 430 kills (3.94/set). Jessica Young, a 5-11 junior outside hitter, averages 2.32 kills per set while 5-11 sophomore outside hitter Courtney Dalton adds 2.14 kills per set. Whitney Fields, a 5-10 senior middle blocker, leads all Bison with a .314 attack percentage (130K - 38 E - 293 TA).
Tamia Dockery, a 5-8 sophomore setter, dishes out 9.71 assists per set, adding 2.17 digs per set and 40 blocks (0.37/set).
Donaldson contributes a team-high 36 aces (0.33/set) while 5-3 junior libero Carlise Cardoza adds 0.32 aces per set. Fields and 5-7 senior outside hitter Katherine Broussard each add 26 aces apiece.
Morgan Marlbrough, a 5-4 senior libero, paces all Bison with 454 digs (4.17/set), while Broussard (2.61/set), Donaldson (2.54/set) and Dockery (2.17/set) all contribute over two digs per set.
Fields averages 0.86 stuffs per set, while 6-0 senior outside hitter Dominique Cleggett and Dalton contribute 0.76 and 0.65 blocks per set, respectively.
Head Coach: Shaun Kupferberg
School Record: 85-64 (5th year)
Assistant Coaches: Esther Johnson, Richard Hall
vs. Howard
First Meeting.
Marquette
The Golden Eagles hold a 23-8 overall record entering the tournament, going 13-5 in Big East Conference play. Marquette will be making the program's sixth-consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Taylor Louis, a 6-2 redshirt sophomore outside hitter, paces the squad with 4.44 kills per set, adding 20 aces (0.17/set) and 246 digs (2.10/set). Jenna Rosenthal, a 6-6 redshirt sophomore middle hitter, hits 2.28 kills per set while 6-1 redshirt senior middle hitter Meghan Niemann adds 2.15 and 6-5 rookie outside hitter Allie Barber finishes 1.95 kills per set.
Six-foot, one-inch redshirt senior setter Sara Blaiser puts up 10.01 assists per set, adding 0.91 kills per set and a team-high 24 aces (0.21/set).
Marquette's defense is led by 5-7 senior defensive specialist Lauren Houg, who averages 4.49 digs per set. Blaiser adds 2.22 digs per set while Louis (2.10) and 5-5 junior libero Manon Geoffroy (2.07) save more than two digs per set.
Rosenthal averages 1.26 blocks per set, followed by Niemann (0.82/set) and Louis (0.54/set).
Head Coach: Ryan Theis
School Record: 69-29 (3rd year)
Career Record: 213-83 (9th year)
Assistant Coaches: Meghan Keck, Ryan Lengerich
vs. Marquette
Wisconsin leads 17-0
In Madison: Wisconsin leads 10-0
Last meeting: The in-state rivals last met in 2008, with the Badgers winning 3-0.
Washington State
The Cougars are making their 11th program appearance in the NCAA Tournament, holding a 21-11 season record, including five wins over top-25 teams, and going 11-9 in Pac-12 play.
WSU holds opponents to a .162 hitting percentage, the lowest among Pac-12 teams. Ranking second in the league in blocks, the Cougars are paced by 6-3 sophomore middle blocker Taylor Mims with 184 blocks (1.52/set). Claire Martin, a 6-4 sophomore middle blocker, contributes 1.45 stuffs per set while 6-5 junior outside hitter Casey Schoenlein adds 0.94 blocks per frame.
Alexis Dirige, a 5-2 rookie libero, saves 3.82 digs per set, while Kyra Holt adds 2.27 digs per set. Nicole Rigoni, a 5-8 junior setter (1.67 digs/set), 6-0 senior setter Haley MacDonald (1.55 digs/set) and McKenna Woodford (1.29 digs/set) round out the Cougar defense.
Holt, a 6-1 senior outside hitter, adds a team-high 3.72 kills per set as well as leading the team with 29 aces (0.24/set). Woodford, a 6-4 sophomore outside hitter, averages 2.43 kills per set while Mims and Schoenlein average 1.90 and 1.78 kills per set, respectively.
Head Coach: Jen Greeny
School Record: 90-103 (6th year)
Career Record: 192-125 (9th year)
Assistant Coaches: Burdette Greeny, Shannon Hunt
vs. Washington State
First Meeting.
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