62 // VARSITY April 3, 2014
INSIDE
VOLLEYBALL
Badgers to play four times
during spring season
UW looks to build off NCAA runner-up finish
BY DIANE NORDSTROM @BADGERVBALL
A
fter an incredible 2013
season in which the
Badgers finished as
the NCAA runner-up, the team
is excited to get back on the
court this spring.
Wisconsin will play four
times this season, including
two home matches ― April 6
vs. Minnesota and April 16 vs.
Marquette.
"We've had about two
months of small group work-
outs and a week with the en-
tire team on the court," head
coach Kelly Sheffield said.
Sheffield returns six starters
and nine letterwinners from
last fall's team and will have to
replace libero Annemarie Hick-
ey. It was also announced that
junior Crystal Graff will take a
medical hardship due to inju-
ries and no longer compete.
TRIO SELECTED TO USA VOLLEYBALL
● Three Badgers participated in the
USA Volleyball Women's National
Team Open Tryouts in late February
in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Freshman Lauren Carlini was se-
lected to train with the national team
in May and June in Anaheim, Calif.,
while Taylor Morey was named to
the U.S. Collegiate National Team that
will compete on a tour of eastern Eu-
rope July 8-19. Dominique Thompson
will travel to Minneapolis from June
22-July 1 to train and compete at the
USA Volleyball Girls' Junior National
Championships from June 26-30.
DILDINE EARNS AVCA HONOR
● Assistant coach Brittany Dildine was
recognized by the American Volley-
ball Coaches Association (AVCA) as a
member of its Thirty Under 30 award
winners for 2014. The award honors
30 of the up-and-coming volleyball
coaches under 30 years old in the
sport at all levels of the game.
In her first year on the Badgers'
bench, Dildine mentored the back-
row defenders to a Big Ten Confer-
ence-leading 15.82 digs per set in
2013. Wisconsin's defense was a key
to its run to a NCAA runner-up finish
as UW averaged 17.0 digs per set in
tournament play.
SCHEDULE
THIS WEEK
Wednesday at Marquette 6:30 p.m.
Sunday Minnesota 3 p.m.
COMING UP
April 16 Marquette 6:30 p.m.
April 26 at Minnesota Spring
Invitational,
Minneapolis, Minn.
Lauren Carlini and Dominique
Thompson were named to
USA Volleyball squads.