On November 30, the Wisconsin Badgers had to end their regular volleyball season. In the last ten weeks, they didn’t have a chance to comfort themselves. They did win the battle against Penn State. Yet, the fun turned into grief by facing a series sweep from the Nebraska Huskers. It was the first time in a decade the former national champion squad had to taste such a bitter pill. The feeling left them nowhere. So on the final night, they tried to turn things up for the sake of having a better finish. It had also been the senior night in UW Field House on Saturday. 

Meanwhile, two intriguing facts followed the Badgers. First, by defeating Michigan State, the team could send goodbye to its six seniors in style. Second, Kelly Sheffield’s team earned an entry in the NCAA bracket for the 28th time in the program’s history. But as one brings another, Badgers’ good days are showing signs of being extended. But how? 

Wisconsin Badgers become a ray of hope to the budding ones 

On December 1, Jon Arias, the Wisconsin Badgers fan, uploaded a minute-long snippet on X. In the snippet, the youngest fans reminisced over their favorite affairs in the camp. They did not seem to be deterred by the Badgers’ 23-6, 17-3 B1G run this regular season. Rather, they had the flowers ready for the unbowed mindset of Wisconsin. In the snippet, a young fan praised this mindset highly. She said, “Whenever they make a mistake, they just move on. They don’t make a feat about it. They just keep going. How they’re so supportive of their teammates.” A proper example of it came to the public on November 30.

On November 30, seniors Sarah Franklin and Julia Orzhol came all guns blazing. They recorded double-figure kills. But before Saturday night’s game, the Badgers failed to create a similar magic. On November 23, the Huskers thrashed them with a 3-0 result. Four days later, Ohio State stepped into UW Field House to steal the night. The unranked opponent had almost its night sorted by snatching two set points. But again, Sarah Franklin’s effort saved the game for the Badgers. So this attitude found its place in the fan’s words. Meanwhile, Sarah Franklin also received positive comments from the fans. 

In the snippet, several youngsters took Sarah’s name as their favorite Badger. The reason? One of them claimed, “I love how supportive she is to her teammates.” In the meantime, someone quipped, “She’s a really great player, and she has a really good attitude.” Another senior, Julia Orzol’s name, also made it into the discussion. The young fans rated her highly, backing her invincible attitude in the arena. However, all these names have already played their last regular season for the Badgers. A larger exam awaits them, presenting an opportunity to finally settle the score. 

A lot of things are at stake for the Badgers 

On December 1, the Wisconsin Badgers found their place in the lower right region of the NCAA 2024 bracket. The squad punched its ticket as the second seed behind the Huskers. However, they still have the chance to host their games in the UW Field House. On that note, the Wisconsin Badgers will start their journey in the NCAA volleyball contest, this time facing Fairfield on December 5. The next day, they will face the winner of Tennessee and Georgia. But if the Badgers win those games, they might get a serious hit to counter the Huskers in the NCAA contest. That could be the game of a lifetime. How? 

In 2021, the Wisconsin Badgers claimed the NCAA volleyball championship for the last time. Guess who was the opponent in the final? Nebraska Huskers. Furthermore, this year, the Huskers may have settled for the series win. However, if the situation arises, both squads will jump into the competition to settle the scores. And who does not know that the Badgers are already etching for a respectable ending in the season after finishing their last season in the semifinal of the NCAA contest? Therefore, a lot of things are on the cards for Wisconsin. Are you keeping tabs on those? Let us know in the comments below.