For a typical student-athlete, the transition to the collegiate level can be a long and tiresome process. It is a journey which often requires prolonged patience and eternal optimism, as some athletes spend their first year at a college program relegated into a reserve role or toiling away on the bench. At times, inexperience can act as a deterrent to opportunity, with some coaches believing that it is best for freshmen to gain initial exposure to college sports in small, constrained increments.
Coach Kelly Sheffield, however, has opted for a far less conservative approach. In 2016, he has given his freshmen volleyball players a chance to vie for prominent roles on the team, demonstrating that he is not afraid to depend on them to succeed in crucial moments.
“The better players are gonna play, regardless of age,” Sheffield said. “I don’t care how old somebody is. If you’re getting it done, you’ll be on the court. I don’t have any reservations whatsoever about putting players in, especially if they’re proving themselves everyday in the gym.”
Every coach has their own method, but the unwavering confidence Sheffield has shown in his freshmen has paid huge dividends for the Badgers this season. Currently, No. 4 Wisconsin (8-2 Big Ten, 16-3 overall) is off to one of its best starts in program history, and that success is due in no small part to excellent play from this year’s freshman class.
Out of the four freshmen who began their Wisconsin careers this season, each one of them has shown themselves to be capable contributors at the college level by finding ways to make an immediate impact.
Among them, outside hitter Molly Haggerty, who boasts a team-high 183 kills this season, is making a strong bid for National Freshman of the Year. Defensive specialist/libero M.E. Dodge, who was penciled into the starting lineup due to an injury early in the season, has also proven her value, ranking fifth amongst Big Ten freshmen in digs per set. Additionally, Sarah Dodd has played in all 19 matches so far, primarily as a serving specialist. Setter Mallory Dixon has played in just two matches, but did record a service ace in a winning effort against Texas A&M University—Corpus Christi.
Realizing they would be held to a high standard right away, the Badgers’ freshmen quickly adopted a collective mentality that encouraged them to rise above the stigma attached to their age.
“When we came into the season we just sat down and talked about how we don’t wanna be treated like freshmen, and how we needed to earn that respect right away,” Molly Haggerty explained. “We just try to listen to every little detail and try to absorb it right away.”
“Everyday in practice, we’re just sitting and watching the upperclassmen and reflecting on what they’re doing and what we need to do better.”
In accordance with that mantra, the freshmen seem to carry themselves with a poise far beyond their years, even in the face of the mounting attention that comes with playing for an elite program.
“I really like the pressure,” Haggerty said. “I’ve just always been that kind of player that’s used to carrying a big load and a big role, so I just think it’s been great.”
With two National Player of the Week awards and a school record for kills in a match already on her resume, Haggerty has made the transition to college about as seamlessly as possible. But even Haggerty, just like any other freshman, has had to come face-to-face with her weaknesses and adjust her game to acclimate to collegiate-level volleyball.
“The biggest thing I’ve been trying to do in practice and in games is working on different shots and really working on stuff in the front row,” Haggerty said. “It was harder in the beginning because if I had a tough match, I’d have to come back the next day and face a better block, so I really had to adjust to that. It’s been really hard to watch myself make stupid errors on film, but it has been a big reason for my growth.”
Libero Dodge has had to get accustomed to the variety of challenges within college volleyball as well, but she feels she continues to develop as the year progresses.
“I was very nervous when I first got here because I didn’t know anyone and I didn’t know their style of play,” Dodge said. “Being with the upperclassmen and the sophomores has really helped me transition well and I think that my confidence has gone up. I’m a lot more vocal and aggressive on the court.”
Even more important than the success on the court, the response the freshman have had in times of adversity is what really catches Sheffield’s eye.
“At this level people are gonna block you, they’re gonna send tough serves at you and there’s gonna be some balls that you’ve felt you could have dug that you didn’t,” Sheffield said. “It’s important that you move onto that next play quickly and that you don’t spend your time thinking about what just happened, or what should’ve happened. Our players have done a really good job of being open to learning and staying resilient.”
No matter how the rest of the season unfolds, these freshmen have given both players and coaches tremendous hope for what lies ahead.
“Our ceiling is limitless,” Dodge said. I think we can keep getting better every single day and just grow on the court and also as people.”
