Badger 2024 Volleyball

[Voyageur]

I sure hope that Sheffield isn't going anywhere, anytime soon. He's only 54 and has 2 relatively young daughters (10 &12). So I hope he and his family want to stick around Madison until his daughters are at least....30.

His current contract is up at the end of Jan. 2028. Of the schools that are required to report coaches salaries, he is ranked as the having the 4th highest salary ($474,445) on NCAA Women's Volleyball. At some point, Chris McIntosh and the Badger brass, might want to bump him up closer to what Cook is making at Nebraska.

While I do love the atmosphere at the always packed Fieldhouse, I think if keeping Kelly happy and in Madison required more money, they could raise enough of it just by shifting some of the bigger matches to the Kohl Center. I have been in both venues, when packed and yes the Fieldhouse is quaint & full of tradition, but a packed Kohl Center, with twice the capacity, is LOUD and just as crazy. As a fan, the Kohl center is also a lot more comfortable than those hard benches that the FH offers, although if its a good match, you're standing as much as you're sitting.

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My first adventures with the Field House goes back into the 50s, attending State basketball tournaments. Then, into the 60s, watching both HS, and the Badgers playing at home. It was acceptable digs in those days, but outdated in today's sports market. But it was cozy, being close to the action, I gotta admit that. I don't think it's too far off they'll be playing all their games in the Kohl to be honest. Like you said, a bigger venue, more attendance, more advertising opportunities, and more money coming in through NIL.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

My first adventures with the Field House goes back into the 50s, attending State basketball tournaments. Then, into the 60s, watching both HS, and the Badgers playing at home. It was acceptable digs in those days, but outdated in today's sports market. But it was cozy, being close to the action, I gotta admit that. I don't think it's too far off they'll be playing all their games in the Kohl to be honest. Like you said, a bigger venue, more attendance, more advertising opportunities, and more money coming in through NIL.

I spent a lot of time in that fieldhouse in my days. Quaint and kind of historic, but the Kohl center seats twice as many, is way more comfortable and is bigger, and closer to student dorms and housing. Not that Camp Randall or the FH are that far, but in the winter time, that trek can make some want to stay home.

I wish they would move women's hockey into the Kohl center, at least for the WCHA games. Their games are typically sold out at The LaBahn Arena and that only seats 2,273. The Kohl Center Seats 17,071. While they might not 100% sell out the Kohl Center for all the WCHA games, I think they easily triple what they are doing at the LaBahn.

I can see it being a tough call for programs like Volleyball and Hockey. Both teams have had a ton of success and part of that success might be packing their "smallish" venues. Changing that formula and playing in front of more people, but in only "half a building full venues", might not feel the same.

With the way the Men's hockey team was playing a few years ago, I almost half expected THEM to swap facilities with the women. Last year they improved a ton, but so far this season, seems they went back to not playing well enough to win games.

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[Voyageur]

Late game tonight. Playing on the West Coast. Starts at 10 PM CT, on BTN. Gonna be a light night stay up for me.

Same tomorrow night. I think it's a 9:30 PM start our time? More West Coast V-ball. We need this sweep.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Another dominating performance last night by Bucky. This one was never really in doubt. Charlie is really taking charge of the attack and her setting and use of all those around her, is really starting to pay dividends. I'll keep saying it, she is going to be one special player by the time her career ends in Wisconsin. Sarah Franklin is just the consistent player that may just win another National Player of the year if she keeps playing such error free ball. I can't recall the stat, but she committed her first hitting error last night in like 3 games and 80+ hits.

It was worth staying up for and as Charlie and Kelly said after, a solid performance, but they still have room to improve. They didn't mention it, but I would like to see their serving improve. To many service mistakes. Seems like a lot of teams that the Badgers face have at least one really terrific server that just sends it, I don't see that from the Badgers side. Not saying they are terrible servers, they are all consistently average or a bit above, just nothing special. Even if you don't serve aces, you want your serves to put some pressure on the opponent. What was funny last night was that I was saying that to myself in the 3rd set and then Julia went up there and hit 2 aces in a row and was hitting right into a group of Trojan players that seemed to all be hand tied as to who's ball it was. One of the announcers commented "great scouting by the Badger to spot that weakness."

I think this team has steadily improved and yes, Nebraska is still going to be a really big hurdle, but I guess we will see just how far the Badgers have come on the 23rd when they travel to Omaha and take on those Huskers. The Huskers were at home last night against the Gophers and I watched the last few sets, the Gophers took a set from them and actually made the Cornhuskers look beatable.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Gritty win by the Badgers last night against UCLA. Both Liberos out, with Gulce either sick or injured (they didn't say) and Lola getting hit in the head with a ball in warmups. Enter Saige Damrow and Maile Chan, with a little Carly Anderson sprinkled in for good measure.

That first set loss by the Badgers had me thinking that this might be one of those nights that with all the changes, the team would checkout early and chalk up road loss. Damrow and Chan both looked way over their heads and the starters looked tired and out of sync. I even questioned why Kelly didn't move Julia to Libero, a position she played most of last season. I think had this been a tournament game or against a better opponent, he may have. He saw this as a teaching moment and an opportunity to get other players playing time.

Turns out Kelly knew what he was doing and Damrow finally got into her groove. She wasn't outstanding, but the playing time could go a long way for the team, if she is needed down the road. Set aside all the service errors, which I still say is the Badgers Achilles heal and they were able to turn on the jets and coast after a scary start to the match.

Charlie, Franklin and Smrek are absolutely studs and carrying this team. Orzol and Booth have their moments, but I am just so impressed by the top 3. I will say it again, Charlie's game gets better and better with every game, I think she could put up a perfect set from the damn parking lot!