Wisconsin volleyball: UW unanimous pick to win Big Ten

The No. 2 ranked Wisconsin Badgers volleyball squad is the unanimous pick to win their third straight Big Ten title, according to the Big Ten coaches. Were the Badgers to win the title this year, they’d be the first Big Ten team to win three straight conference titles since Penn State won eight (!!!) straight from 2003-2010.

Here are the full conference predictions following the first place Badgers:

2. Nebraska
3. Penn State
4. Minnesota
5. Purdue
6. Ohio State
7. Illinois
8. Michigan
9. Northwestern
10. Michigan State
11. Rutgers
12. Iowa
13. (tie) Indiana; (tie) Maryland

Three Badgers, Sydney Hilley, Dana Rettke and Devyn Robinson, were also named to the preseason all-conference team with Hilley and Rettke being unanimous selections. Wisconsin tied Penn State for the most players on the team and led the conference with two of the five unanimous selections. Here is the full team with unanimous selections being listed in all caps.

Taylor Landfair, So., OH, Minnesota
STEPHANIE SAMEDY, Sr., OPP, Minnesota
Nicklin Hames, Sr., S, Nebraska
Lexi Sun, Sr., OH, Nebraska
Temi Thomas-Ailara, Jr., OH, Northwestern
EMILY LONDOT, So., OPP, Ohio State
Kaitlyn Hord, Sr., MB, Penn State
Jonni Parker, Sr., RS/S, Penn State
Erika Pritchard, Grad., OH, Penn State
Hayley Bush, Sr., S, Purdue
GRACE CLEVELAND, Sr., OH, Purdue
SYDNEY HILLEY, Grad., S, Wisconsin
DANA RETTKE, Grad., MB, Wisconsin
Devyn Robinson, So., MB/RS, Wisconsin

Wisconsin opens the 2021 season this weekend when it hosts the Big Ten-Big 12 Challenge in the UW Field House. The No. 2 Badgers take on TCU on Friday at 6 p.m. while No. 7 Minnesota faces No. 10 Baylor at 8:30 p.m. The teams switch opponents on Saturday with UW taking on the Bears and the Golden Gophers facing TCU at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., respectively. Both matches on Saturday air live on the Big Ten Network.