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MADISON, Wis. -- Fourth-ranked Wisconsin (11-1, 3-1 B1G) returns home to host two Big Ten foes in the UW Field House this week. The Badgers host Iowa (2-12, 0-4) on Wednesday at 6 p.m. live on the Big Ten Network. The home week continues on Saturday when UW takes on Illinois (11-4, 3-1) for the second time in less than a week. First serve is 7 p.m. live on the Big Ten Network.
1. RECORD ON THE LINE:Â The Badgers put their school record 26-match home winning streak on the line this week. Wisconsin has won 26 straight at home, dating back to Sept. 19, 2019, breaking the previous mark of 25-straight home wins from Oct. 29, 1999 through Sept. 8, 2001. Wisconsin has also won 19 straight home Big Ten matches, dating back to Nov. 9, 2018. The school record is 25 straight home conference wins set from Oct. 29, 1999 through Nov. 21, 2001.
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2. BADGERS ARE BIG TEN'S BEST:Â Wisconsin swept the Big Ten awards this week as freshman
Julia Orzol (4.71 kps) was named the Big Ten Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week. Fifth-year senior
Sydney Hilley (13.57 aps) was named the Big Ten Setter of the Week and graduate student
Lauren Barnes (7.00 dps) was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week. Orzol is the first Badger freshman to be named Player of the Week since
Dana Rettke was honored on Oct. 23, 2017. She is also just the ninth UW rookie to earn Player of the Week accolades. Hilley has upped her school-record Setter of the Week awards to 15, which ranks third in the conference.
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3. MARVELOUS MILESTONES COMING SOON: Three Badgers are counting down to career milestones. Fifth-year senior
Grace Loberg is 13 kills away from 1,000 putaways. She will become the 25th UW player to reach the grand mark. Graduate student
Sydney Hilley will reach 1,000 digs with 15 saves. The setter will become the 18th Badger to tally 1,000 saves and the third Wisconsin setter with 5,000 assists / 1,000 digs. Super-senior
Dana Rettke is just four points away from 2,000 career points. She will become the third UW player to attain 2,000 career points.
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4. LEADING THE NATION: UW leads the nation in hitting percentage (.330) and kills per set (14.98). Wisconsin also ranks second in assists per set (13.73). Fifth-year senior
Sydney Hilley leads the nation with 12.32 assists per set while graduate student
Dana Rettke leads the nation with a .534 hitting percentage. Rettke also ranks 27th in blocks per set with 1.33 while junior
Izzy Ashburn ranks 38th with 0.49 service aces per set.
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5. ORZOL ON POINT:Â After missing four matches due to an ankle injury, freshman
Julia Orzol has turned up her play since returning to the Badger starting lineup. Over the last four matches, the 6-foot outside hitter shares the team lead with 3.87 kills per set, which ties for seventh in Big Ten-only matches. Â
6. SCOUTING THE TEAMS: Iowa is 2-12 on the season with wins over Iowa State and Incarnate Word. The Hawkeyes are 0-4 in Big Ten play, with losses to No.12 Nebraska, Michigan State, Illinois and Michigan. Senior opposite hitter Courtney Buzzerio leads Iowa with 4.42 kills per set, followed by freshman outside hitter Addie VanderWeide with 2.56 kills per set. Toyosi Onabanjo, a freshman middle blocker, has a team-best 0.58 blocks per set while senior defensive specialist Maddie Slagle leads the team with 3.32 digs per set.Â
Illinois is now 11-4 on the season after losing last Sunday to the Badgers. The Fighting Illini are no longer undefeated (3-1) in conference play but were able to pull off an upset win at then-No.4 Purdue in five sets last weekend. Illinois hosts No. 6 Purdue on Wednesday before facing the Badgers on Saturday. Sophomore outside hitter Raina Terry leads the team with 3.10 kills pet set, followed by grad student Megan Cooney with 3.08Â kills per set. Kyla Swanson, a junior middle blocker, leads the team with 1.14 blocks per set while senior defensive specialist Taylor Kuper has a team-best 4.46Â digs per set.Â
