INSIDE VOLLEYBALL
BY DIANE NORDSTROM
@BadgerVBall
SPRING SCHEDULE
This Week
SaturdayLoyola
6 p.m.
Upcoming
April 6
Green Bay
6 p.m.
April 9Milwaukee
7 p.m.
April 20 at Minnesota Spring
Invitational
All day
He also added Tori Blake, a 6-foot3 middle blocker who graduated
from high school early and joined the
team in January.
New staff looking to connect
New era in Badgers
volleyball is underway
First-year coach Kelly Sheffield opens spring
A
new era in Wisconsin
volleyball officially began on March 4 as the Badgers opened spring practices
under first-year head coach
Kelly Sheffield.
Sheffield's goal is to rebuild the UW program and
return to the NCAA tournament. The Badgers have not
competed in the tournament
60 » VARSITY
MAR CH 14, 2013
since 2007.
"The players are working
hard and getting a better
idea all the time with what
we are looking for, and I'm
getting a better idea of what
each of them are capable of,"
said Sheffield.
Sheffield returns 12 letterwinners and four starters
from last fall's 17-16 team.
» In addition to three matches at
home this spring, the new coaching staff is looking to connect with
Badgers fans in other ways.
"One of our goals is to make
sure that we are doing everything
we can to connect with the fans of
the program," Sheffield explained.
"The 'wash drills' that we do before
our home Saturday matches will be
open to the public, and we are also
going to hold a 'Meet the Coaches'
and a 'Meet the Players' session
right after the matches where fans
can ask questions and get insight
into how things are going."
Prior to Saturday's match vs.
Loyola, the two teams will hold an
open practice from 2:30 - 4 p.m.
in the UW Field House. Fans and
teams are invited to watch the
practice.
After the match, fans can ask
questions of the UW coaching
staff, which also includes former
Purdue standout Brittany Dildine.
