Sydney Hilley sets the ball up as Tionna Williams runs behind her during a match.
Greg Anderson

Volleyball

Dana Rettke named National Freshman of the Year; first-team All-American

First Badger named freshman of the Year

Volleyball

Dana Rettke named National Freshman of the Year; first-team All-American

First Badger named freshman of the Year

2017 AVCA All-America teams

MADISON, Wis. – The records keep coming for Dana Rettke. The middle blocker on the Wisconsin volleyball team becomes the first Badger volleyball player to be named National Freshman of the Year by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), the organization announced on Wednesday.

She also becomes the first freshman in UW history to earn first-team All-America honors.

"It is such an honor and I am so thankful," Rettke said. "I couldn't have done this without my team so I would like to thank them for everything."

In addition, junior Tionna Williams and freshman Sydney Hilley both earned honorable mention All-America honors.

On the season, Rettke was named the AVCA Northeast Regional Freshman of the Year and the Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Year. She was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week a record nine times and was a two-time Big Ten Player of the Week.  

Rettke led the Badgers and ranks second in the Big Ten with a .443 hitting percentage. She also led the team and ranks 10th in the conference with 3.42 kills per set. The freshman had a team-best 1.37 blocks per set, which ranks third in the Big Ten. Rettke also ranks second on the team with 25 service aces (0.22 per set).

The Riverside, Illinois, native set UW season records for hitting percentage, breaking the all-time mark of .422 set by Haleigh Nelson in 2015. Rettke also set school season records under 25-point rally scoring for blocks per set (1.37) and points per set (4.39).

In Big Ten play, she set conference-only season records for kills (254), kills per set (3.39), hitting percentage (.433), block assists (94), total blocks (102), points (328.0) and points per set (4.37).

Williams, a 6-2 middle blocker, ranked second on the Badgers and third in the Big Ten with a .387 hitting percentage. A native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Williams was also second on the team with 0.98 blocks per set while adding 2.44 kills per set.

A 6-0 setter, Hilley ranks second in the Big Ten with 11.76 assists per set. She led the team with 27 service aces this season while adding 2.02 digs, 0.66 kills and 0.64 blocks per set.

AVCA National Freshman of the Year
2017: Dana Rettke, Wisconsin
2016: Kathryn Plummer, Stanford
2015: Hayley Hodson, Stanford
2014: Ali Frantti, Penn State
2013: Ebony Nwanebu, Southern California
2012: Ziva Recek, Florida
2011: Haley Eckerman, Texas
2010: Deja McClendon, Penn State
2009: Lauren Cook, UCLA
2008: Kelly Murphy, Florida
2007: Juliann Faucette, Texas
2006: Megan Hodge, Penn State
2005: Nicole Fawcett, Penn State
2004: Sarah Pavan, Nebraska
2003: Kanoe Kamana'o, Hawai'i
2002: Kim Glass, Arizona
2001: Stacey Gordon, Ohio State
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Tionna Williams

#11 Tionna Williams

MB
6' 2"
Junior
Fort Wayne, Ind.
Sydney Hilley

#2 Sydney Hilley

S
6' 0"
Freshman
Dana Rettke

#16 Dana Rettke

MB
6' 8"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Tionna Williams

#11 Tionna Williams

6' 2"
Junior
Fort Wayne, Ind.
MB
Sydney Hilley

#2 Sydney Hilley

6' 0"
Freshman
S
Dana Rettke

#16 Dana Rettke

6' 8"
Freshman
MB