It’s no secret that the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s volleyball program has proven to be exceptionally successful since its inception.
Since head coach Kelly Sheffield joined the Badgers in late 2012, Wisconsin has collected one national championship, four Big Ten titles and is one of three collegiate programs who advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen for the last 11 years in a row.
Success is one way to describe it. Dominance is another.
The talent on the Wisconsin roster ranges from 2023 National Player of the Year and renowned outside hitter Sarah Franklin to 6-foot, 9-inch superstar and middle blocker Anna Smrek and beyond.
But what makes Wisconsin stand out in rankings are the talented freshmen it continues to recruit. UW-Madison’s program is unique. The majority of its roster is made up of upperclassmen or freshmen, and no sophomore is representing the red and white this season. Instead, the team is relying upon its seasoned upperclassmen and its eager and talented freshmen to add to the Wisconsin legacy.
The six freshmen on this year’s squad include Charlie Fuerbringer, Lola Schumacher, Tosia Serafinowska, Maile Chan, Una Vajagic and Trinity Shadd-Ceres.
A similar comparison to this year's team could be drawn to the 2021 National Championship team at Wisconsin.
“After two years of coming up short in the National Championship game, Dana Rettke, Sydney Hilley, Lauren Barnes, and Grace Loberg all made the decision to take their Covid years and lead a senior-laden team on a program-defining run to the program’s first national championship,”Zach Schuster wrote for Bucky’s 5th Quarter.
Several of the notable names on the 2024 roster, such as Smrek and outside hitter Julia Orzol, were freshmen when this last occurred and now find themselves stepping into that leadership position.
Already, the impact from these freshmen can be felt on the court.
Fuerbringer, the setter from Hermosa Beach, California, has started and played in eight of the nine matches this season for the Badgers. The Badger currently sits fifth in the Big Ten for assists per set, with 10.58/set. The previously ranked No. 1 high school setter in the country, Fuerbringer’s game is something even Sheffield can appreciate.
“It's pretty nice to say a setter is a little bit rusty when you're hitting over .400,” Sheffield said on Fuerbringer’s performance against Troy last week. “I guess there's good problems to have."
Freshman libero Schumacher is making similar statements at the Field House. Starting five of the last nine matches in the libero position, Schumacher is currently leading the Badgers with 3.62 digs per set.
The Wisconsin Athletics page reported Schumacher “has six double-digit dig matches and two 20+ dig matches” to her name so far this season.
The depth that comes from a roster like Wisconsin’s cannot be ignored. Despite not receiving as much time off the bench, the rest of the Badgers freshmen bring a variety of accomplishments to the team.
Middle blocker Serafinowska is a three-time gold medal winner in the U17, U18 and U19 Polish championships. Chan ranked No. 1 as a libero prospect in Oregon. Shadd-Ceres, the 2023 senior female volleyball athlete of the year, is a current member of the U19 Canadian national team.
It is truly a testament to the pedigree of this Wisconsin coaching staff, seasoned upperclassmen and success of the program where even the non-starting players hold such a well-rounded resume.
Only time will tell if the makeup of this 2024 roster will lead to another National Championship title for the Badgers. Regardless, one certainty is that this freshman class will continue to make an impact on the success of this Wisconsin program.
