Badger Volleyball Sign Three
January 06, 2025 | Volleyball
Badgers add two transfers and a 2025 freshman
MADISON, Wis. – Head coach Kelly Sheffield of the Wisconsin volleyball program has announced the signing of Grace Egan, Grace Lopez, and Aniya Warren. Egan joins the Badgers after spending two seasons at Ohio State, while Lopez will have two years of eligibility left after two seasons at Miami (Florida). Warren will enter as a true freshman from Lockport, Ill.
Wisconsin reloads at the pins after a large departing graduation class, and adds another talented freshman to the class of 2025 joining Addy Horner, Natalie Wardlow, Madison Quest, and Kirsten Simon.
Grace Egan, a Sterling, Ill. native, spent two seasons at Ohio State, and saw time on the floor in 2024 as a redshirt freshman. Egan played in 18 sets in 2023 before suffering a season-ending injury. In her redshirt season, the outside hitter played in 22 matches, tallying 200 kills for an average of 2.53 kills per set. Egan played all six rotations and chipped in with 18 service aces, 2.03 digs per set, and .46 blocks per set. Egan's best match came coincidentally against the Badgers in the five-set thriller on November 27. Egan hit a career-best 22 kills and 23.0 points. In total, Egan recorded 10 or more kills in nine matches, and six matches with 10 or more digs, for a total of four double-doubles in 2024.
"Grace is an exciting athlete and competitor who is just starting to scratch the surface of what she can become," said Badger head coach Kelly Sheffield. "She's missed a lot of matches her first two seasons due to injury, but is healthy and ready to go. We saw first-hand her skill and competitive drive when we played against her in our last weekend of the regular season. She can get on the ball fast and has good touch on the ball when she passes."
Grace Lopez will come to the Badgers after earning back-to-back AVCA All-American Honorable Mention recognitions. The two-time All-ACC First Teamer played in all 33 matches, helping the Miami Hurricanes to a 22-11, 12-8 (ACC) record in 2024. The 6-foot-1 outside hitter was second on the team with an average of 3.54 kills per set, while hitting .255 (421-151-1058). Lopez, also a six-rotation player, chipped in with 32 service aces, 2.29 digs per set and. 67 blocks per set. Lopez is no stranger to the Field House, as her the Hurricanes visited UW twice, including a NCAA First Round appearance, in 2023 where Lopez lead the team with kills in both matches.
"Grace is a six-rotation lefty opposite, something we haven't had in my time here," said Sheffield. "She is fearless and seems to play her best against the best teams. She hits well from either pin, has a nice top-spin and float serve, and defends her area of the court well. We'll be able to run things fast with her, which is something I'm excited to do."
Aniya Warren, an incoming freshman, comes in as the No. 1 ranked libero of the 2025 class in the nation (PrepDig). Warren is also a member of the USA U19 team as team captain and helped lead the team to a gold medal at the 2024 NORCECA Continental Championship. As a high school prep, the 5-foot-8 libero was recently named a MaxPreps All-American this season, a two-time Conference Player of the Year, four-time All-Conference, and totaled 1,600+ career digs as a senior. Warren hails from Lockport, Ill., and goes to Benet Academy.
"Aniya is a competitive warrior," said Sheffield. "She has a high motor and her teams win. She owns her area of the court passing-wise and anticipates and reads very well defensively. I'm fired up to have her join a talented freshman class coming in."
Both Egan and Lopez will be joining the Badgers this spring, while Warren will arrive this summer.
Wisconsin reloads at the pins after a large departing graduation class, and adds another talented freshman to the class of 2025 joining Addy Horner, Natalie Wardlow, Madison Quest, and Kirsten Simon.
Grace Egan, a Sterling, Ill. native, spent two seasons at Ohio State, and saw time on the floor in 2024 as a redshirt freshman. Egan played in 18 sets in 2023 before suffering a season-ending injury. In her redshirt season, the outside hitter played in 22 matches, tallying 200 kills for an average of 2.53 kills per set. Egan played all six rotations and chipped in with 18 service aces, 2.03 digs per set, and .46 blocks per set. Egan's best match came coincidentally against the Badgers in the five-set thriller on November 27. Egan hit a career-best 22 kills and 23.0 points. In total, Egan recorded 10 or more kills in nine matches, and six matches with 10 or more digs, for a total of four double-doubles in 2024.
"Grace is an exciting athlete and competitor who is just starting to scratch the surface of what she can become," said Badger head coach Kelly Sheffield. "She's missed a lot of matches her first two seasons due to injury, but is healthy and ready to go. We saw first-hand her skill and competitive drive when we played against her in our last weekend of the regular season. She can get on the ball fast and has good touch on the ball when she passes."
Grace Lopez will come to the Badgers after earning back-to-back AVCA All-American Honorable Mention recognitions. The two-time All-ACC First Teamer played in all 33 matches, helping the Miami Hurricanes to a 22-11, 12-8 (ACC) record in 2024. The 6-foot-1 outside hitter was second on the team with an average of 3.54 kills per set, while hitting .255 (421-151-1058). Lopez, also a six-rotation player, chipped in with 32 service aces, 2.29 digs per set and. 67 blocks per set. Lopez is no stranger to the Field House, as her the Hurricanes visited UW twice, including a NCAA First Round appearance, in 2023 where Lopez lead the team with kills in both matches.
"Grace is a six-rotation lefty opposite, something we haven't had in my time here," said Sheffield. "She is fearless and seems to play her best against the best teams. She hits well from either pin, has a nice top-spin and float serve, and defends her area of the court well. We'll be able to run things fast with her, which is something I'm excited to do."
Aniya Warren, an incoming freshman, comes in as the No. 1 ranked libero of the 2025 class in the nation (PrepDig). Warren is also a member of the USA U19 team as team captain and helped lead the team to a gold medal at the 2024 NORCECA Continental Championship. As a high school prep, the 5-foot-8 libero was recently named a MaxPreps All-American this season, a two-time Conference Player of the Year, four-time All-Conference, and totaled 1,600+ career digs as a senior. Warren hails from Lockport, Ill., and goes to Benet Academy.
"Aniya is a competitive warrior," said Sheffield. "She has a high motor and her teams win. She owns her area of the court passing-wise and anticipates and reads very well defensively. I'm fired up to have her join a talented freshman class coming in."
Both Egan and Lopez will be joining the Badgers this spring, while Warren will arrive this summer.
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