Wisconsin Badgers
University of Iowa
Setting the Stage: Another B1G battle loading
November 06, 2024 | Volleyball
Badgers look to make a statement
| Venue | UW Field House |
| Radio | 100.5 ESPN Madison |
| Match Notes | Wisconsin | Iowa | Penn State |
| Live Stats | Iowa | Penn State |
| B1G+ | vs Iowa |
| NBC | vs Penn State |
| Social Media | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram |
| Tickets | Iowa | Penn State |
MADISON, Wis. — The No. 7 Wisconsin volleyball team will host a pair this weekend, playing Iowa on Friday night at 6 p.m. The next day, they will turn around to play No. 3 Penn State at 2:30 p.m. Friday night's match will be aired on B1G+, while Saturday's showdown will be featured on NBC for the Badger's second match on the network this season.
Before the match begins, here are six things to know:
1. LAST TIME OUT: Going 1-1 last weekend, the Badgers' win streak came to an end as the No. 2 Nebraska Cornhuskers upended UW in straight sets on Friday night at the UW Field House. The 25-21, 25-22, 25-19 victory was highlighted by strong serving and excellent defense from the Cornhuskers, as they outplayed the Badgers in every area. As a team, UW hit just .094. But Wisconsin rebounded on Sunday afternoon, taking down a hot Illinois team with a balanced offensive attack, as Sarah Franklin and Anna Smrek both recorded 13 kills and Carter Booth added 10 of her own. The Badgers rallied in set two, winning it 26-24 to propel them to an eventual sweep.
2. SETTER TO SETTER: Badgers' Charlie Fuerbringer and Penn State's Izzy Starck were the top-two high school ranked setters in the nation for the class of 2024. Per Prepvolleyball.com, Fuerbringer was ranked No. 1 while Starck ranked No. 2. Similarly, Prep Dig swapped the two rankings.
3. AT THE TOP: As a team, the Badgers have rocketed up to T-1st in the nation and first in the Big Ten, averaging 3.06 blocks per set with Louisville. Offensively, the Badgers have been efficient with a .293 hitting percentage, which ranks 11th in the NCAA and tops in the B1G. Pittsburgh tops the NCAA with a .332 hitting percentage.
4. TAMING THE LIONS: During the Sheffield era, Wisconsin holds a 6-4 record over Penn State when playing at the UW Field House, and in its last five meetings at the Field House, the Badgers are 5-0, including two NCAA tournament matches.
5. SCOUTING THE NITTANY LIONS: Penn State has dominated Wisconsin with a 50-15 all-time record against the Badgers. In its last five matches, however, Wisconsin is 4-1, including two NCAA tournament matches. This season the Nittany Lions currently sit at No. 3 in the country, holding a 22-1 overall record and a 12-0 record in the Big Ten. Nebraska is the only other team that is undefeated in the Big Ten.
6. SCOUTING THE HAWKEYES: Against Iowa, Wisconsin owns a 62-21-1 all-time record against the Hawkeyes, and have won seven-straight. The last time Iowa has beat Wisconsin was back on Oct. 5, 2018 in five sets, and was the only time the Hawkeyes defeated Wisconsin during the Sheffield era. Currently, Iowa holds a 9-15 record overall and a 3-9 record in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes are coming off a 1-3 loss to No. 3 Penn State.
