The Badgers celebrate match point against Nebraska.
Tom Lynn

Volleyball

Five things to know: Big Ten Championship on the line

Badgers travel to Penn State and Rutgers

Volleyball

Five things to know: Big Ten Championship on the line

Badgers travel to Penn State and Rutgers

No. 5 Wisconsin

21-5, 17-1

No. 7 Penn State

23-4, 16-2

Game Coverage


Friday, November 29 | 5:30 p.m. CT | Rec Hall | University Park, Pa.

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MADISON, Wis. – No. 5 Wisconsin (21-5, 15-1 B1G) wrap up the regular season on the road, traveling to No. 7 Penn State and Rutgers next weekend. Wisconsin takes on the Nittany Lions on Friday at 5:30 p.m. CT from Rec Hall in University Park, Pennsylvania, live on the Big Ten Network. On Saturday, UW serves off at Rutgers at 6 p.m. from College Avenue Gym in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

1. BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP ON THE LINE: The Badgers need to win only one more match to claim at least a share of the 2019 Big Ten championship. Only four teams remain in contention for the 2019 title. Wisconsin (17-1) and Minnesota (15-3) play at Penn State (16-2) and Rutgers on alternate nights. Nebraska (15-3) hosts Maryland and Ohio State on its final regular-season weekend.  

2. RECORD AWARD FOR DANA: Junior Dana Rettke was named the Big Ten Player of the Week after an impressive week, averaging 4.50 kills per set while hitting .532. The 6-foot-8 middle blocker also added 2.17 blocks per set. Rettke led all players with 15 kills, eight blocks and three service aces vs. Iowa while hitting .591. She added 12 kills against Nebraska while not recording an error to hit .480. Rettke also added five blocks, including a solo, against the Huskers and chipped in three digs.
 
An eight-time Big Ten Player of the Week, Rettke has set the UW record for most career POW honors. That mark also ties for the third-most ever in conference history. She has also been named the  Big Ten Player of the Week four times this season, the most by any conference player this season and just one short of the most weekly awards received by a Big Ten athlete.

3. SETTING SYD: Junior Sydney Hilley had another great week at quarterback, averaging 15.17 assists per set and guiding the Badgers to a .366 hitting percentage. The 6-foot Hilley added 2.50 digs, 0.83 blocks per set and 0.50 service aces per set. She is a six-time Big Ten Setter of the Week  this season and 11 times in her career, tying Lauren Carlini for the most UW career awards.

Hilley's 48 assists vs. Nebraska ties for third on the UW three-set 25-point rally scoring record. Hilley also added 43 assists vs. Iowa and picked up her team-best eighth double-double of the season. In all matches, Hilley leads the nation with 12.31 assists per set, setting the Badger offense to a Big Ten-leading .296 percent.  In Big Ten-only matches, she averages 12.67 assists per set, more than 1.0 assist better than the second-place setter.  Wisconsin is hitting .303 in conference matches, which would set the all-time (any scoring) season record.

4. HOMECOURT ADVANTAGE: The Badgers wrapped up their home Big Ten season with a perfect 10-0 record, the first time since 2001 that UW is undefeated at home in conference play.

5. NCAA TOURNAMENT ANNOUNCEMENT SUNDAY: The bracket for the 2019 NCAA Championship will be announced on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. live on ESPNU. UW will be making its seventh-straight and 23rd overall NCAA tournament appearance. The Badgers are 46-22 in 22 years of the tournament, advancing to at least the Sweet 16 the last six consecutive years.
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Players Mentioned

Sydney Hilley

#2 Sydney Hilley

S
6' 0"
Junior
Dana Rettke

#16 Dana Rettke

MB
6' 8"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Sydney Hilley

#2 Sydney Hilley

6' 0"
Junior
S
Dana Rettke

#16 Dana Rettke

6' 8"
Junior
MB