It is no surprise that fifth-year Sarah Franklin was able to win another Big Ten’s Player of the Year title. Last year she exceeded expectations, earning the award with a total of 497 kills, sitting at a 0.298 hitting percentage, as well as 15 aces for the outside hitter.
In the 2024 season, she surpassed these statistics only halfway through. After the Badger win against Texas A&M on Dec. 13, Franklin shot a total of 523 kills over the net and more than doubled her aces from her previous season to 39.
To say Franklin was ready for the No. 6 Texas A&M matchup was an understatement. On Dec. 5, Franklin added another 12 kills to her career, as well as eight digs against Fairfield to start the Big Ten Tournament. The following night against No. 7 Georgia Tech, the squad was able to advance yet again after a 3-1 match win. Star hitter Franklin led with 20 kills, following senior Anna Smrek with 13.
Franklin was not the only standout player in tournament play. Coming off of an injury, freshman Lola Schumacher led the team with 14 digs and three assists against Fairfield.
Freshman Charlie Fuerbringer shined both offensive and defensively on Dec. 6 against Georgia Tech. Not only was she able to score the only four Wisconsin aces, but Fuerbringer led with 49 assists and 21 digs for the match.
The No. 2 Wisconsin showed they were ready to put up a long fight with their match against Texas A&M, playing a full 5 sets. A back and forth battle between the two, Wisconsin took the first, third, and fifth sets, winning then 25-21, 25-29 and 15-13 respectively. The Aggies won only the second and fourth at 25-18 and 25-23.
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Franklin led the squad with 21 kills, which made this her 23rd match straight reaching double digit kills. Junior Carter Booth followed suit by scoring her career high of 14 kills.
After a long hiatus due to injury, junior defensive specialist Gulce Guctekin got back in the game reaching 13 digs for the Badgers with her partner, Schumacher grabbing 24 digs next to her.
Fuerbringer continued to lead the Badger squad with 56 assists, only three less points from her career high on Nov. 27 against Ohio State.
With all three of these wins the Badgers were set to play against No. 1 Nebraska on Dec. 15 in the regional final. Nebraska was behind three of the four Big Ten losses for Wisconsin, so the squad had to bring a fight to the regional final.
To start the first set, Guctekin was able to keep a 4-0 serving run going, setting up senior Julia Orzol for a kill and block. Fuerbringer added two out of her three total aces for the match. Keeping the set neck and neck, Smrek hit over two kills for a tie game at 24-24. However, Nebraska won the set 26-24.
The second set started strong with a huge lead from Nebraska at 8-2, and that momentum continued to a ten point lead at 14-4. Senior CC Crawford got her first kill for the night, but the set went to Nebraska with a score of 25-17.
Nebraska took the final set and match after a tough battle given from the Badgers. Franklin got another kill for the match bringing her total to 12 kills for the night. The squad continued swinging, but with a few hitting errors the team trailed behind, bringing the final score the 25-21 for the Huskers.
As the season comes to a close it is clear to see that head coach Kelley Sheffield is going to miss his seniors and fifth years, but is ready for the next season to begin. This was the 14th consecutive season the Badger squad recorded 20 or more wins with coach Sheffield at the helm.
Franklin finished her career in Madison recording the seventh-highest career total kills at 1,421.
This season will be one for the books, and Wisconsin’s hitters will be missed. Being able to watch Franklin, Smrek, Crawford, Orzol, Devyn Robinson and Carly Anderson give it their all this season has been a delight.