MADISON, Wis –  The No. 1-seeded Badgers (16-0) continue their quest for a NCAA Championship, advancing to their eighth-straight Sweet 16. Wisconsin takes on No. 16-seed  BYU (17-1) on Saturday at 7 p.m. live on ESPN3 in the CHI Health Center Convention Center.

Wisconsin is competing in its 24th overall and eighth-straight NCAA tournament under head coach Kelly Sheffield. The Badgers are 52-23 all time in the tournament and have finished as the NCAA runners up three times – 2000, 2013 and 2019. UW is competing in its 18th overall and eighth straight Sweet 16 in 24 tournament appearances.

1. A GRAND ENTRANCE: After a first-round bye, Wisconsin opened the NCAA tournament with a 3-0 sweep of Weber State in the second round on Thursday. The Badgers used a balanced scoring attack, with five players putting away seven-or-more kills, and 11 team blocks to advance to the Sweet 16.

2. REGIONAL ALL-STARS: Five Badgers were named to the AVCA All-Northeast Regional team. Dana Rettke repeated as AVCA Northeast Regional Player of the Year and is joined on the team by Lauren Barnes, Sydney Hilley, Grace Loberg and  Devyn Robinson. Molly Haggerty was selected honorable mention all-region. All players are now eligible for AVCA All-America honors, which will be announced on April 21.

3. HITTING HARDER: The Badgers continue to dominate opponents offensively, hitting .347 on the season, which leads the Big Ten and ranks third nationally. Wisconsin hit .408 against Weber State on Thursday, its third time this season over .400. Senior Dana Rettke ranks second in the Big Ten and sixth nationally with a hitting percentage of .459. Freshman Devyn Robinson ranks third in the Big Ten and 12^th nationally at .437.

4. BARNES' CAREER GAME: With her final dig in the second set against Weber State on Thursday, senior Lauren Barnes picked up career dig No. 1,000. The 5-foot-6 libero finished with a match-high 19 digs to bring her career total to 1,002, including 490 digs at Wisconsin. Barnes has recorded 10-or-more digs in five straight matches.

5. MAKING HISTORY:  UW remains undefeated on the season as its 16-0 start is the best opening in program history. It also ranks as the fourth-longest winning streak in program history. Wisconsin's longest winning streak was 22 straight matches during the 2014 season. The Badgers also won 18 straight in 1995-96 and 17 straight in 1997. 

6. SCOUTING THE COUGARS: BYU (17-1) is coming into Saturday's match after sweeping UCLA, 3-0, Thursday night during the second round of the tournament. The Cougars came into the tournament after winning the West Coast Conference title for the seventh time since 2011. As a team, BYU is hitting .309, putting away 14.5 kills per set. Defensively, BYU is averaging 2.5 blocks per set and 15.7 digs per set. 

Senior Kennedy Eschenberg, a 6-foot-5 middle blocker, leads the team with .456 hitting percentage and 1.59 blocks per set. For the third straight year, she was named WCC Defensive Player of the Year. Senior outside hitter Taylen Ballard-Nixon averages a team-best 3.92 kills per set. Whitney Bower, a 5-foot-9 sophomore setter, was named this year's WCC Setter and Player of the Year, with 10.90 assists per set. A 5-foot freshman libero, Madi Allen, leads the team with 4.18 digs per set.