Wisconsin Badgers volleyball isn’t quite ready to let go of the No. 1 overall ranking in the AVCA polls. It was a close one this week, as a fall to the No. 3 Florida Gators may have dropped them out of the top spot. It was a record breaking type of week for the Badgers, and they proved why they should remain at the top spot.
True grit. pic.twitter.com/De9xQiHgXy
— Wisconsin Volleyball (@BadgerVB) September 18, 2023
The Week for Wisconsin Badgers Volleyball
This week saw the Badgers take on Marquette and the Florida Gators. While playing Marquette, the Wisconsin Badgers saw Senior Sarah Franklin record her 1,000th career kill and Izzy Ashburn become the ace-queen of Badgers volleyball. They defeated the Golden Eagles in four sets in front of the largest indoor NCAA crowd and the largest for women’s sports in Wisconsin.
Their mettle was tested against the Florida Gators, which saw them needing to be the comeback kids once again after they fell in the first two sets. The club battled back to remain undefeated in a thrilling five-set victory.
Other Movements in the Rankings
This week saw a big shake-up in the top five for the AVCA polls. Nebraska, Stanford, and Louisville saw movement this week, with Florida holding their No. 3 ranking. Nebraska moved up two spaces to No. 2, Stanford gained one spot to No. 4, with Louisville fell three slots to No. 5. The Badgers and Nebraska hold the only undefeated records of 9-0.
The biggest mover seems to be Washington State, as they jumped into the top 10 after sitting outside at No. 11 last week. This week, they’re ranked No. 7 after going 10-1 in their first 11 games. Western Kentucky snuck into the rankings this week with a tie at No. 25 with Iowa State.
The Badgers open conference play this week against Northwestern.