No. 7 Wisconsin and Northwestern

It’s finally here.

For most years, this week is season-defining. When it’s not, it’s still one of the biggest weeks on the calendar with national implications.

It’s Wisconsin week for Volleyball team no. 2 from Nebraska. This time, however, the two men of college volleyball will first battle it out inside the UW Fieldhouse, a house of horrors where the Huskers haven’t won since 2013. Last season’s first clash of No. 1 vs. No. 2 could not be decided. until a Badger net violation confirmed by a review in the fifth set gave Nebraska its first win over Wisconsin in 10 contests.

The stakes are much lower in the first crossover between the two schools, but that won’t stop the rivalry and animosity that exists between two programs that have more crossover than either would like to admit. The entire college volleyball world will tune into the first of two huge matchups on Friday night, with the winner sitting quietly with Penn State atop the conference standings and the loser suddenly becoming the third wheel in the Big Ten race. .

Here’s everything you need to know as NU begins its four-game road trip.

How to track

Fit: No. 2 Nebraska (20-1, 10-0 B1G) at No. 7 Wisconsin (15-4, 9-1 B1G)

When: Friday, November 1

Where: UW Fieldhouse, Madison, Wisconsin.

Time: 8pm CDT

Clock: Big Ten Network

Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates

The Wisconsin Boy Scout

Head Coach: Kelly Sheffield | Season 12 | 307-65 (.825) at Wisconsin | 579-177 Career HC Record (.766) | Three-time B1G Coach OTY (’22, ’19, ’14) | One national championship (2021) and five B1G championships (’14,’19,’20,’21,’22).

Record 2023: 30-4 (17-3 B1G, 2nd) | AVCA National Player of the Year, First Team All-American, Second Team All-American, Two Third Team All-American, Honorable Mention All-American | B1G Player of the Year, three first-team All-Big Ten selections, one second-team All-Big Ten selection | 3-1 Final Four loss to eventual national champion Texas.

All Time Series: Nebraska is 20-14-1 (last game Nov. 24, 2023, Wisconsin 3-0)

Fun fact: Nebraska coach John Cook led the Wisconsin program from 1992 to 1998 before returning to Nebraska. He posted a 161-73 overall record, including back-to-back 30-win seasons and trips to the Elite Eight in his final two years in Madison. His .688 hitting percentage was the highest in school history for coaches with more than one season until Kelly Sheffield arrived to revitalize the program.

Return key: Sarah Franklin, OH, gr. | Devyn Robinson, MB / OPP, gr. | CC Crawford, MB, Gr. | Anna Smrek, MB / OPP, Sr. | Gulce Guctekin, L, Jr. | Julia Orzol, OH / L, Sr. | Carter Booth, MB, Jr.

Key additions: Carly Anderson, S, Gr. (Montana) | Charlie Fuerbringer, S, Fr. (Recruit) | Trinity Shadd-Ceres, OH, Fr. (Recruit) | Lola Schumacher, L/DS, Fr. (Recruit).

Key departures: Temi Thomas-Ailara, OH (Eligibility) | Izzy Ashburn, S (Eligibility) | MJ Hammill, S (Eligibility).

Outlook: This loaded Wisconsin senior class will be back once again to claim its second national title after winning the program’s first in 2021 over the Huskers. After losing to Texas last season in the Final Four, reigning national player of the year Sarah Franklin, All-Americans Devyn Robinson and Anna Smrek, and CC Crawford return for either their fifth or senior seasons. Throw back Swiss Army Knife Julia Orzol and 6-7 All-American blocker Carter Booth, and this Badger team is loaded for another run to the Final Four — this time in Louisville.

The biggest question centered on the setter position as head coach Kelly Sheffield said goodbye to her 6-2 offensive system with setters Izzy Ashburn (tied for second in school career aces) and MJ Hammill graduating each. Like their fellow Big Ten rivals, Wisconsin chose to rely on a true freshman to run the show in Charlie Fuerbringer, the No. 1 setter in the nation coming into Madison. To date, she has provided a strong and veteran lineup, averaging 10.60 assists (4th in the B1G) and 2.03 digs per set. He also has 22 aces which is tied for second on the team and one behind the team lead.

Franklin continued to play as the top player in the country with 4.41 kills per set on a .295 hitting percentage. Although, using it hard is something to watch out for. Her 775 attacks are more than double Anna Smrek (357), who is second. Still, Smrek uses her 6-9 frame to her advantage with 2.83 kills per set at a .342 clip, while Devyn Robinson is third on the team with 2.20 kills per set while hitting .379.

Freshman Lola Schumacher saw most of her starts at libero, while returning junior Gulce Guctekin sticks at defensive specialist. Schumacher leads the team with 3.68 digs per set, while Booth leads the defense with 75 blocks. The Badger block is always a strength and that’s no different in 2024 with four players having 70 or more blocks. Besides Booth, Robinson (74), Smrek (74) and Crawford (71) hit those marks.

There was an early learning curve for this experienced Badger squad, as a trio of losses to No. 6 Louisville, No. 1 Texas and No. 5 Stanford gave UW a 1-3 record, but a 14-1 stretch of then he has the Badgers close. top of the conference standings. The only blemish is a five-set loss to no. 18 Minnesota on the road, but there’s a chance that could cost them in the B1G race despite playing the Huskers twice and No. 3 Penn State at home in early November.

It’s never safe to make a prediction in a game like this, but the Badgers are playing well, sweeping a very good No. 10 Purdue team last Saturday. A Boilermaker team that pushed Nebraska to five sets just a few weeks ago. Home court will matter and the Badgers won by eight to NO at the Fieldhouse, pointing to a strong lead that the Huskers will need to overcome for their first win in Madison in over a decade.

How to track

Fit: No. 2 Nebraska (20-1, 10-0 B1G) at Northwestern (4-14, 2-8 B1G)

When: Sunday, November 3

Where: Welsh-Ryan Arena, Evanston, Ill.

Time: 12:00 PM CDT

Clock: B1G+

Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates

Northwestern Scout

Head Coach: Tim Nolan | Season 1 | 99-50 (.664) Career HC Record | HC at Grand Canyon with a 95-36 overall record that led the school to its first NCAA Tournament berth | Eight years as an assistant at USC.

Record 2023: 15-15 (9-11 B1G, T-8th) | Oen First Team All-Big Ten Member | Did not qualify for the postseason.

All Time Series: Nebraska leads 20-1 (last game in 2023, Nebraska won 3-1)

Series Fun Fact: The Huskers’ only loss to the Wildcats was a four-set loss on the road in 2011. NU has won 16 straight since then, with sweeps in 10 of the last 13 years.

Return key: Alexa Rousseau, S, Gr. | Drew Wright, L, Soph. | Kennedy Hill, MB, Jr. | Kathryn Randorf, OH, Jr. | Gigi Navarrete, DS/L, Soph.

Key additions: Buse Hazan, OH, Jr. (South Florida) | Lauren Carter, S, Jr. (Denver) | Rylen Reid, OH, Jr. (Florida Gulf Coast) | Sophia Summers, MB, gr. (Washington) | Lily Wagner, OH, Soph. (Freedom).

Key Departures: Julia Sangiacomo, OH (Eligibility) | Averie Hernandez, OH, (Illinois) | Leilani Dodson, MB (UCLA) | Maddy Chinn, OH (Eligibility) | Ellee Stinson, L/DS (Texas A&M).

Outlook: Northwestern was put in a tough spot following the 2023 season, and it’s no surprise to see average results more than halfway through 2024. Shane Davis and the University mutually agreed to part ways after his eighth season in which he went 103- 128, but struggled to a 45-105 conference record. The parting of ways stems from a lack of momentum in the program, but also from the off-court issues that plagued Davis in his later years.

In July 2023, it was reported that Davis had been suspended in March 2021 for his role in defaming one of his players. On July 24, Davis was named in a trial on hazing charges.

Tim Nollan was hired two months later on February 6 and went to work bringing in five transfers to replace a batch of departures. The loss of Davis was felt in those departures, with standout underclassman Averie Hernandez transferring to conference foe Illinois. Senior blocker Leilani Dodson sought the sunny skies of Los Angeles and went to UCLA, while free Ellee Dodson (4.41 D/S) took her talents to Aggieland at Texas A&M. Additionally, Julia Sangiacomo, who was a First Team All-Big Ten selection, has graduated and is now playing professionally in Turkey.

South Florida transfer Buse Hazan leads this revamped Wildcast squad with 3.00 kills per set while matching a team-high 20 aces. However, the support behind her has been spotty, with no one else on the roster with a kills-per-set mark higher than 1.93, which belongs to setter Alexa Rousseau, who also spends time as a hitter. Lauren Carter will also see time at setter as she came over from Denver for her junior campaign.

Kennedy Hill is the anchor in the middle with a team-high 82 blocks while hitting .312 on the season with 121 total kills. Coming from Washington, Sophia Summers dominated as a sophomore middle with 69 blocks and 1.27 kills per set. Drew Wright began her collegiate career as a hitter but has switched to a libero who leads the Wildcats with 2.88 digs per set and 20 aces.

This first season has always been about laying the groundwork and nothing has shown otherwise. It will be interesting to see if Nollan’s abundance of success at Grand Canyon can translate to the Big Ten. Davis, who won two men’s national titles at Chicago-Loyola, could never find consistent success. Will Nollan’s tenure end differently? The Wildcats certainly hope so.

MORE: Keys to victory: Nebraska vs. UCLA

MORE: Behind the point spread: Ohio State-Penn State, UCLA-Nebraska and three more

MORE: Matt Rhule already sees tremendous improvement from Dylan Raiola

MORE: Adam Carriker says referees need post-match press conferences

MORE: No excuses – Nebraska needs to beat UCLA

Stay up to date with all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SIsubscribing to HuskerMax on YouTubeand visiting HuskerMax.com daily.