Let’s hit rewind to December 20, 2024, after a stellar five-year college career, including three epic seasons with the Wisconsin Badgers, Sarah Franklin decided to keep it local and signed with Madison’s League One Volleyball (LOVB) pro squad. The team was absolutely hyped, announcing, “She’s not going anywhere We’re THRILLED to add Sarah Franklin to the LOVB MAD roster. Sarah is a @BadgerVB 4x All-American, 2023 AVCA National Player of the Year, 2024 Big 10 Player of the Year, and 2023 NORCECA Final Six Silver Medalist. Let’s welcome Sarah to the team!”

Fast forward to January 17, and history was officially made! Madison was absolutely buzzing as the new women’s professional volleyball league made its debut, and it couldn’t have picked a better stage than a packed UW Field House. LOVB Madison squared off against LOVB Salt Lake, and the vibes were unmatched—electric, to say the least. The home team had a secret weapon too: three former Wisconsin Badgers on the roster, drawing in all the love from the ever-loyal Badger fans. The match itself? A five-set thriller that had everyone on the edge of their seats, with LOVB Madison clinching a nail-biting 3-2 victory. Home court, home crowd, home win—absolute perfection. And now, in a moment tugging at all the heartstrings, Sarah Franklin recently shared an emotional reunion with her former Wisconsin coach just days after leaving the program.

LOVB’s official Instagram came in hot after the game, dropping a post that had everyone feeling all the feels. The highlight? A super emotional Sarah Franklin sharing a heartfelt hug with her former Wisconsin Badgers coach, Kelly Sheffield, right there at The Field House. The caption summed it up perfectly: “@sarah.franklin13 reuniting with Coach Kelly at The Field House, brings us all to tears” And let’s just say, that hug hit harder than a game-winning spike.

While as a Wisconsin Badger, Sarah Franklin was rocking the court, while wearing the crown of the team captain in 2024 and starting in all 33 matches. She recorded double-figure kills in as many games as 31 and had a career-high 33 kills against Marquette tying the university record. Oh, and her stacked trophy shelf? Sarah achieved an ESPY nomination for the Best Female Collegiate Athlete in 2023, AVCA National Player of the Year in the same year, Honda Sport Award finalist in 2023 and 2024.

This Wisconsin Badgers’ star also glittered as a First-Team All-American for three years and won the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2024. Add in her multiple AVCA All-Region honors and her North and Northeast Region Player of the Year wins, and you’ve got a résumé that reads like pure volleyball poetry. And guess what? As she continues to shine in LOVB now, there was a low patch in her time in Badgers and she had definitely shone under her coach Kelly!

From Wisconsin Badgers to LOVB!

Sarah Franklin, the unstoppable outside hitter of her former team, Wisconsin Badgers, redefined volleyball greatness. As per a report by Daily Cardinal from September 2024, hailing from Lake Worth, Florida, Franklin’s journey began at age 11, leading her to high school championships and eventually a collegiate start at Michigan State. Drawn by Wisconsin’s competitive culture, she transferred and thrived under Coach Kelly Sheffield, becoming a record-breaking force with performances like 28 kills against Purdue and leading the Badgers to Big Ten titles and deep NCAA tournament runs.

Sarah’s path hasn’t been without challenges. Diagnosed with Quadrilateral Space Syndrome in 2023, she underwent surgery to remove blood clots—a hurdle that threatened her career. But her resilience brought her back stronger. And then she became the team captain and dominated the 2024 season and now continues the same for LOVB Madison.