Wisconsin volleyball: Big Ten individual awards and all-Big Ten teams announced

On Thursday afternoon, the Big Ten Conference announced their individual awards and all-conference teams on Instagram. The No. 1 team in the country and undefeated Big Ten champions, your Wisconsin Badgers, received a number of accolades.

The Badgers, who had seven matches cancelled and two forfeited on the season, were left out of most the individual awards this year most likely due to playing fewer matches than the other teams in the conference.

However, not even COVID-19 could deny the brilliance of Wisconsin senior setter Sydney Hilley who was named the Big Ten Setter of the Year. This is the second straight year that Hilley has won this award.

In 38 sets played, Hilley recorded 413 assists (10.87 per set) and chipped in 83 digs (second on the team behind Lauren Barnes) and 20 blocks (fourth on the team). Hilley has set the Badgers to a Big Ten-leading .342 hitting percentage, which ranks third nationally. She was also a unanimous first team all-Big Ten selection this year. Joining her on the first team was fellow unanimous selection MB Dana Rettke, senior OH Grace Loberg and freshman RS Devyn Robinson.

The all-conference second team featured libero Lauren Barnes, OH Molly Haggerty and MB Danielle Hart. Robinson (pictured below) also, obviously since she made the first team, made the all-freshman team. The Badgers had a team record seven players make the all-conference teams this year and tied a team-record (1997) with four players on the first team.

UW Athletics Communications

As for the other individual awards give out on Thursday:

Minnesota’s OH Stephanie Samedy was named Player of the Year
Purdue’s DS Jena Otec was named Defensive Player of the Year
Ohio State’s RS Emily Londot was named Freshman of the Year
Ohio State’s Jennifer Flynn Oldenburg was named Coach of the Year