Serving up six: Badgers prepare for Buckeyes

MADISON, Wis. — No. 1 Wisconsin (17-0, 8-0 B1G) concludes the first half of Big Ten play with one home match and one road contest. The Badgers face off against Ohio State (7-10, 4-4) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. UW then hits the road on Saturday, playing against No. 2 Nebraska (17-0, 8-0) at 7 p.m. Both matches will be live-streamed on Big Ten Network.

1. DOMINANT STREAK: UW is currently on a school-record 26-match winning streak in the Big Ten, dating back to the 2022 season. This includes an 18-match winning streak in their home court, the Field House. Additionally, the Badgers have won 27 straight sets, which is the longest set-winning streak in the country this year.

2. IMPRESSIVE PLAYER: Sarah Franklin, a senior outside hitter, was named the Big Ten Player of the Week after averaging 5.67 kills per set last week with a hitting percentage of .321. In matches against Rutgers and Maryland, she had 16 and 18 kills respectively, along with a season-high four service aces against Rutgers. Franklin also contributed to defense with 3.00 digs and 0.33 blocks per set. As a result, she earned the Big Ten Player of the Week honors.

3. CONSISTENTLY STRONG: UW’s hitting performance remains impressive, with a .410 hitting percentage against Rutgers and a .311 hitting percentage against Maryland. The Badgers have hit above .300 in 13 matches, including two matches where they hit above .400. Their hitting percentage of .317 ranks them third nationally and first in the Big Ten.

4. POWERFUL SERVERS: In Big Ten-only matches, Wisconsin leads the conference with an average of 2.50 aces per set. The Badgers have four players among the top servers in the league. Junior Julia Orzoł ranks third with 0.54 aces per set, while sophomore Gulce Guctekin and players CC Crawford and Sarah Franklin tie for fourth with 0.50 and 0.42 aces per set respectively.



5. NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS: UW currently holds the longest set-winning streak in the nation this season.

1. Wisconsin 27 (9/17-present)

2. Arizona State: 24 (9/3-9/21)

3. Dayton: 19 (9/22 – present)

4. Tennessee: 18 (9/8-9/29)

5. Nebraska: 17 (8/25-9/6)

The Badgers’ record for the longest set-winning streak is 33, achieved from September 6, 2000, to September 29, 2000. Currently, they have won 24 straight sets in Big Ten play, only two short of the record. UW won 26 consecutive Big Ten sets from September 22, 2002, to October 26, 2002, and from October 4, 2014, to November 7, 2014.

6. PURSUING GREATNESS: Wisconsin’s current 17-match winning streak is tied for the fourth longest in program history.

1. 22 (September 28, 2014—December 14, 2014)

2. 21 (September 30, 2022—December 8, 2022)

3. 18 (November 24, 1995—September 27, 1996)

4. 17 (August 25, 2023—present)

    17 (October 10, 1997—December 13, 1997)