MADISON – One of the joys of Wisconsin reaching the volleyball Final Four for veterans like Devyn Robinson and Anna Smrek is that many of their teammates will experience it for the first time.
“I think almost half our team hasn’t been to a Final Four or anything like that,” Smrek said.
There are eight players on the Badgers’ roster of 15 who were on the the team two years ago when it won the national championship.
That would give UW a decided edge over most teams. Texas, the Badgers' opponent in a national semifinal Thursday night, is not one of them. Thirteen of the Longhorns’ players helped them win the national title last season, including five returning starters.
In addition to pitting the last two national champions, the Wisconsin-Texas match will feature two of the three teams that have held the No. 1 ranking in the coaches poll this season. The other, Nebraska, is on the other side of the bracket and will face Pitt in the other semifinal.
Here is what you need to know.
When time does Wisconsin volleyball play Texas?
Wisconsin will play Texas at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the Nebraska-Pitt semifinal (6 p.m.) at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.
How can I watch the Wisconsin volleyball team at the Final Four?
Both semifinal matches can be viewed on ESPN or the ESPN app.
How did Wisconsin advance to the Final Four?
The Badgers, a No. 1 seed in their region, swept Jackson State and Miami in the first and second rounds, respectively. Last week they avenged a regular-season loss to No. 5 seed Penn State in the regional semifinal and then defeated No. 2 Oregon in the regional final.
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How many times has the Wisconsin volleyball team played in the Final Four?
This will be the Badgers' sixth appearance. Here is how they’ve fared.
2021 (No. 3 seed): Semifinals – Beat Louisville, 25-23, 15-25, 25-21, 23-25, 15-9. Final – Beat Nebraska, 22-25, 31-29, 25-23, 23-25, 15-12.
2020 (No. 1 seed): Semifinals – Lost to Texas, 24-26, 19-25, 23-25.
2019 (No. 4 seed): Semifinals – Beat Baylor, 25-27, 25-21, 25-17, 25-19. Final – Lost to Stanford, 16-25, 17-25, 20-25.
2013 (No. 12 seed): Semifinals – Beat Texas, 25-19, 25-18, 26-28, 25-23. Final – Lost to Penn State, 19-25, 24-26, 25-20, 23-25.
2000 (No. 7 seed): Semifinals – Beat USC, 15-10, 15-9, 15-9. Final – Lost to Nebraska – 9-15, 15-9, 15-7, 2-15, 9-15.
How did Texas advance to the Final Four?
To earn their 15th trip to the Final Four, the Longhorns defeated Texas A&M in four sets in the first round and swept SMU in the second. Last weekend they rallied from a 2-1 deficit to beat Tennessee in the regional seminal and knocked off No. 1 seed Stanford in four sets in the regional final.
Who are the top players for the Texas volleyball team?
Junior outside hitter Madisen Skinner was the player of the year for the Big 12 Conference as well as the Southwest Region of the American Volleyball Coaches Association all-region team. Senior Asjia O’Neal, a 6-foot-3 middle blocker, was also first-team all-Big 12 and all-region as well as a member of the U.S. national team last summer. Freshman Ella Swindle, a 6-3 setter, is tied for the team lead with seven double-doubles. Senior opposite hitter Molly Phillips was a second-team all-Big 12 selection. Former Minnesota Golden Gopher Jenna Wenaas, a junior outside hitter, is second on the team with 2.83 kills per set.
What are the Texas volleyball team’s biggest wins this season?
The Longhorns are 12-2 against ranked teams. Their highest-ranked regular-season victory came over then-No. 5 Minnesota, which later fell out of the top 25, followed by a Big 12 sweep of then-No. 9 BYU.Texas' victory over Stanford avenged an early-season sweep by the Cardinal.
Who would Wisconsin volleyball face in the national championship match?
With a win the Badgers would be assured of facing an opponent they’re familiar with in the final. Their matches with Big Ten rival Nebraska have been epic, and last season Pitt came to the UW Field House and defeated the Badgers in the regional final.
NEBRASKA (32-1): The Cornhuskers are the overall No. 1 seed for the tournament and lead the nation in opponent hitting percentage (.134). The team is 9-1 against ranked opponents and split with UW this season. Junior right-side hitter Merritt Beason was the North Region player of the year, part of a record-tying haul for the Cornhuskers on the AVCA all-region team. Six players were recognized, including 2022 All-American libero Lexi Rodriguez.
PITT (29-4): The ACC champion is 8-3 against ranked opponents. This is the program’s third straight appearance. Junior setter Rachel Fairbanks was the East Coast Region player of the year. In that regard, the Panthers were one of the most talented teams in the nation. Seven of its players were first-team all-region.
