Especially for Mitchell. Time is running out. "It would be awesome because
I haven't been to the tournament at all since I've been here, so I've never experienced it,'' Mitchell said. "So it would mean a lot for me to be able to go. "It would also mean a lot to be the
first team to get out of that drought and make it to the tournament. That would set us up for success so maybe we can put a few more ban- ners up there.'' Wisconsin coach Pete Waite un- derstands her hunger. "It's always that way for seniors,
for sure, because they know the end is near and they want to get it done,'' said Waite, who's entering his 14th season with the Badgers and 25th overall.
The banners hanging from the UW Field House tell a story; an incomplete one, at that. There has not been a fresh entry since 2007. That was the last time the Badgers volleyball team appeared in the NCAA tournament. And that's why Mitchell is hoping to play into December. "It's kind of funny when we do come in here for practice every day,'' she said, "we never really look up at those because we always have going to the tournament on our mind.
"There are a lot of reminders all over the Field
House that let us know what our final goal is, and what we want to make of the season. There's inspi- ration coming from all different places.''
38 ยป VARSITY AUGUST 23, 2012
"The younger ones are also hungry and they want to be the ones who bring the team back to the tourna- ment. It's a matter of how fast they mature and how well things go as far as injuries. "We have the talent. But we defi- nitely have a challenge ahead of us.'' That's because the Big Ten Con-
ference is so unforgiving; so loaded. Four teams are ranked in the top 10 and seven
are in the top 25 of the preseason national coaches poll.
"You'd better have your act together, because ev- ery team is so good,'' Waite said. Are the ingredients there for a successful run, however deep it may be? "Those ingredients will speak for themselves
when we get out on the court,'' said Mitchell. "And it will be very obvious that everyone is essential to our team. "We have a small team this year, and we're re- turning pretty much all of our starters. It will be a very familiar team to other Big Ten schools and to
