Photo by: Darren Lee
Badger volleyball faces challenging schedule in 2019
May 02, 2019 | Volleyball
Wisconsin to face 12 teams that played in postseason
2019 Printable Schedule | 2019 Schedule | Season Tickets on sale June 3
MADISON, Wis. – One of the most challenging schedules in program history awaits the Wisconsin volleyball team in 2019. The Badgers will face 12 teams that played in the postseason (11 NCAA and one NIVC), including 10 squads that won at least 20 matches and nine that were ranked in the final American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top-25 Coaches Poll.
"It's certainly a challenging schedule," head coach Kelly Sheffield said. "We have 11 matches against teams that were in the (NCAA) Sweet 16 last year, including seven matches against teams that were in the Elite Eight. Of our eight non-conference matches, six of them are against teams that made the NCAA tournament."
The Badgers finished the 2018 season advancing to the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament with a 25-7 record. Wisconsin ended the season ranked eighth in the final AVCA Top 25 poll. Wisconsin should enter the 2019 season as one of the nation's top teams as it returns at least 83 percent of its kills, service aces, digs and blocks.
UW opens the season on Aug. 30-31 at the sixth-annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge. This year's challenge will be hosted by the University of North Carolina with Wisconsin and Minnesota representing the Big Ten Conference and taking on the Tar Heels and Florida State from the ACC. The Seminoles were 19-10 in 2018 and lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
"We are excited to continue our scheduling partnership with the ACC again this year and open the season against Florida State and North Carolina," said Sheffield. "This is our sixth season and it has produced some really good matches.
"We follow that up with home matches against Marquette and Baylor – two excellent programs that we had great battles with last year. We then travel to the Southeast to play two of the most improved programs in that region, and two teams that were in postseason play in Clemson and South Carolina."
Wisconsin's home opener is Sept. 5-6 with the HotelRED Invitational. The Badgers host Marquette (28-7 in 2018) and Baylor (20-9) in the tournament. The Golden Eagles ended the season ranked 15th in the AVCA poll, advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament, while the Bears competed in the second round of the NCAA tournament, ending the season ranked 24th.
The Badgers head to Clemson, South Carolina, for the Clemson Invitational on Sept. 13-14, facing South Carolina (20-10) and the Tigers (19-15) in the tournament. The Gamecocks lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament while Clemson advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NIVC.
UW wraps up its non-conference season with a home-and-away series against Washington on Sept. 19 in Madison and on Sept. 21 in Seattle. The Huskies were 20-13 in 2018, advancing to the Elite Eight of NCAA play.
"We end the non-conference with a home-and-away against Washington," added Sheffield. "Although the Washington scheduling is a little unique, we thought it was great for each team's fan bases, and since we don't open Big Ten play until the following Friday, it could work out."
The Badgers open Big Ten play on Sept. 27, facing Purdue (24-9) in the 28th-annual Steve Lowe Night in the UW Field House. The Boilermakers are one of six conference teams that ended the season ranked in the final coaches' poll. No. 2 Nebraska (29-7), No. 3 Illinois (32-4), No. 6 Penn State (26-8), No. 7 Minnesota (27-4), No. 12 Michigan (24-10), and No. 17 Purdue made the Big Ten one of the toughest leagues in the country.
"There's not a lot to say about our conference schedule," Sheffield said. "The Big Ten is the Big Ten – it's always challenging."
NCAA tournament play opens on Dec. 5-7 with first- and second-round matches on campus sites. Regional play will be Dec. 13-14 on campus locations with the NCAA national semifinals and championship on Dec. 19 and Dec. 21 at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.
Season tickets on sale June 3
Current season ticket holders are invited to watch their inbox on June 3 when 2019 Wisconsin volleyball season tickets go on sale. Also at that time, prospective season ticket holders may request new season tickets. Full details HERE.Wisconsin Volleyball || Driven || Episode 4
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