The 5-foot-5 libero from Turkey was a crowd favorite in Madison.
Wisconsin Badgers junior defensive specialist Gülce Güçtekin has entered the transfer portal, according to Lincoln Arneal of Husker Illustrated.
— Bucky’s 5th Quarter (@B5Q) December 16, 2024
The 5-foot-5 Istanbul, Turkey native was a fan favorite at the UW Field House, starting 29 of 32 matches in her freshman year as the libero. Her passionate celebrations after aces — they included jumping into the arms of her nearest teammate — were a huge reason why Badger fans fell in love with her play. She also posted 3.95 digs per set in her first year at Wisconsin.
In her second year, Güçtekin saw reduced playing time, but played in all 33 matches as a defensive specialist as the Badgers went to the Final Four in 2023.
This past season, Güçtekin played five matches at libero and played in 25 out of the team’s 32 total matches.
Just as she was getting in rhythm with freshman libero Lola Schumacher, Güçtekin missed five games with an injury, but came back for her first appearance back in the Field House against Georgia Tech, where she earned a warm reception from the Field House crowd.
She was the defensive specialist in the last two matches in the NCAA Tournament, where she was still clearly battling through an injury. In the Round of 16 match against Texas A&M, where she posted 13 digs and an ace, she was shown on the sidelines when she wasn’t on the court with a wrap around her core.
Over her career, she averaged 2.93 digs per set in her career and had 79 aces for the Badgers.