Penn State @ Wisconsin
Where:Madison, WI (Wisconsin Field House)
When: Friday — 11-15-13 (8:00 p.m. ET)
Media: CBSsports.com’s GameTracker (Hello Big Ten: Why isn’t this match on TV? Hello? Anyone home?)
The Buzz on Wisconsin. #14 Wisconsin (19-7 overall, 8-6 B1G). In the NCAA’s most recent RPI ranking, Wisconsin comes in at #16 (Penn State is ranked #2) (for the complete RPI rankings, Click Here). Key offensive players for Wisconsin include 6-4 Jr. OH Ellen Chapman (3.41 kills/set), 6-0 Jr. S/OH Courtney Thomas (2.69 kills/set), 5-7 Jr. OH/DS Deme Morales (2.61 kills/set), and 5-11 RS Jr. MB Dominique Thomas (2.38 kills/set). Defensive leaders include 5-6 So. L Taylor Morey (2.92 digs/set), 5-8 Sr. DS/L Annemarie Hickey (3.71 digs/set), 6-2 Fr. setter Lauren Carlini (2.90 digs/set), Thomas (2.80 digs/set) and Morales (2.50 digs/set).
Kelly Sheffield Quote for the Day: “We went to their place. I think we battled with them pretty tight. We let a massive lead go by in Game 1 and in Game 2, we had a little bit of lead, and they kind of pulled ahead. Game 3 was back and forth. We felt like we let an opportunity slip by at their place. They’re good. There’s no question about it. They’re good. They’re talented. They’re experienced but we feel like we’ve got a pretty good ball club as well. It’s one of the monsters right now and we’re certainly excited about that opportunity on our home court to get a piece of them.” Quote courtesy of uwbadgers.com.
The Buzz on Penn State: Head Coach Russ Rose on Big Ten conference matches (interview with Wynton Jake Somerville of The Daily Collegian): “They’re all hard. There’s not one you look forward to. You better be ready to play because you’re going to be challenged.”
Notwithstanding Coach Rose’s view (which we share), some folks think Penn State has already established itself as the best team in the B1G.
Certainly, one could find statistics that would suggest that may be true. Penn State is ranked #2 in the latest AVCA poll , it sports a 22-2 overall record (13-1 in the B1G), a .323 team hitting % (1st in the B1G) and has limited its opponents to a .128 hitting % (also 1st in the B1G). Still, there are plenty of matches to play, and they’re all tough.
So whether that “best team in the B1G“ is theoretically true (or not), it is totally irrelevant in terms of the outcome of tonight’s match against the Badgers. Just as Penn State’s 41-7 all-time record against the Badgers is totally irrelevant. In volleyball, it’s not even “what have you done for me lately,” it’s “what are you doing for me right now.”
And right now, we are quite certain that no one — as in zero people — on the Wisconsin team or staff is going into tonight’s match believing anything other than that the Badgers are going to defeat Penn State. Our guess (and hope) is that Penn State wins. But we might be wrong.
Here’s a quote from Nia Grant, in an interview with Wynton Jake Somerville of The Daily Collegian, that sums it up pretty well: ““I think every team is going to come at us with a little bit of aggression but we should be doing the same thing to everybody else.”
Stat Joust
B1G Team Stats (as of 11/10/13)
B1G Individual Stats (as of 11/10/13)
Wisconsin Roster
 |
| NO |
|
NAME |
POS |
|
HT |
|
Year |
Hometown |
Last School |
| 1 |
|
Lauren Carlini |
S/OH |
|
6-2 |
|
FR |
Aurora, Ill. |
West Aurora |
| 2 |
|
Claire Raddatz |
DS/L |
|
5-11 |
|
SO |
Mequon, Wis. |
Homestead |
| 3 |
|
Courtney Thomas |
S/OH |
|
6-0 |
|
JR |
DeKalb, Ill. |
DeKalb |
| 4 |
|
Annemarie Hickey |
DS/L |
|
5-8 |
|
SR |
Oswego, Ill. |
Joliet Catholic Academy |
| 5 |
|
Taylor Fricano |
OH/RS |
|
6-4 |
|
FR |
Palatine, Ill. |
Palatine |
| 6 |
|
Taylor Morey |
DS/L |
|
5-6 |
|
SO |
Muncie, Ind. |
Notre Dame |
| 7 |
|
Deme Morales |
OH/DS |
|
5-7 |
|
JR |
Amherst, Ohio |
Steele |
| 8 |
|
Victoria Ito |
DS/L |
|
5-5 |
|
SO |
Buffalo Grove, Ill. |
Buffalo Grove |
| 10 |
|
Tori Blake |
MB |
|
6-3 |
|
FR |
Midland, Mich. |
Midland |
| 11 |
|
Kt Kvas |
DS/S |
|
5-9 |
|
JR |
Eagan, Minn. |
Eagan |
| 12 |
|
Julie Mikaelsen |
RS |
|
6-3 |
|
SR |
Askim, Norway |
Sand Vidaregåande School |
| 13 |
|
Haleigh Nelson |
MB |
|
6-3 |
|
FR |
Cary. N.C. |
Cardinal Gibbons |
| 14 |
|
Dominique Thompson |
MB |
|
5-11 |
|
RS JR |
Plymouth, Minn. |
Robbinsdale Armstrong |
| 15 |
|
Crystal Graff |
OH |
|
6-3 |
|
JR |
Madison, Wis. |
La Follette |
| 16 |
|
Caroline Workman |
DS/L |
|
5-5 |
|
JR |
Los Angeles, Calif. |
Marymount |
| 20 |
|
Ellen Chapman |
OH |
|
6-4 |
|
JR |
Glenview, Ill. |
Glenbrook South |
|
| Number | Name | Position | Year/Class | Height | HS
(Club) | State
|
01
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Scott,
Ariel
 | RS | 4/Sr. | 6-04 | Immaculate
Heart
Academy
(Team Complete
Athlete) | NJ
|
02
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Caraway,
Lara
 | DS | 2/So. | 5-04 | Evans City
(Renaissance) | PA
|
03
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Pierce,
Kendall
 | DS | 2/So. | 5-06 | Eden
(Niagara Frontier
Volleyball) | NY
|
04
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Gonzalez,
Dominique
 | L | 3/Jr. | 5-06 | Sandra Day
O'Connor/
(Alamo Volleyball) | TX
|
06
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Martin,
Maddie
 | OH | 4/Sr. | 6-02 | H.B. Plant
(Tampa Bay
Juniors) | FL
|
07
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Grant,
Nia
 | MB | 3/Jr. | 6-02 | Howland
(Cleveland Renaissance
Volleyball
Club) | OH |
08
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Denney,
Erica
 | MH | 3/RS Jr. | 6-05 | Grandview
(Front Range
Volleyball Club) | CO
|
09
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Prieto Cerame,
Paulina
 | OH | 1/RS Fr. | 6-02 | Palmer
Trinity
(Boomers
Volleyball) | FL
|
10
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Muller,
Carley
 | DS | 1/Fr. | 5-07 | Mira Costa
(Tstreet
Volleyball) | CA
|
12
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Hancock,
Micha
 | S | 3/Jr. | 5-11 | Edmond
Memorial
(Oklahoma Peak Performance) | OK
|
13
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Krause,
Taylor
 | DS/S | 1/Fr. | 5-06 | Parkland High
(Synergy
Volleyball) | PA
|
14
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Whitney,
Aiyana
 | OH | 2/RS So. | 6-03 | Northern Valley
Regional
(Downstate Juniors) | NJ
|
15
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Harding,
Maggie
 | DS | 3/RS Jr. | 5-06 | State College
Area | PA
|
16
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Slay,
Katie
 | MH | 4/Sr. | 6-06 | Wakefield
(Triangle Volleyball
Club) | NC |
17
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Courtney,
Megan
 | OH/S | 2/So. | 6-02 | Archbishop Alter
(Team Z) | OH
|
18
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | McClendon,
Deja
 | OH | 4/Sr. | 6-01 | Dupont Manual Magnet
(KIVA) | KY
|
23
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Robertson,
Kelly
 | MB | 1/Fr. | 6-00 | Parkland High
(Synergy
Volleyball) | PA
|
24
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Broerman,
Laura
 | DS | 1/Fr. | 5-02 | St. Mary's
(Colorado Juniors) | CO
|
33
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Fuller,
Lacey
 | DS | 3/Jr. | 5-06 | Torrey Pines
(Coast
Volleyball) | CA
|
Updated as of 8-8-2025