Sheffield named Big Ten Coach of the Year, four Badgers named to All-Big Ten teams

MADISON, Wis. — For the third time in his career, Kelly Sheffield is the Big Ten Coach of the Year.

Sheffield guided the No. 2 Wisconsin Badgers volleyball team to a 10th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and a fourth consecutive Big Ten Championship. Wisconsin finished 19-1 in conference play this year and won each of their last 18 games.

The @BadgerVB leader – @KellyPSheffield – has led Wisconsin to it’s fourth-straight @B1GVolleyball Championship while posting a 19-1 conference record and 18 straight wins.@bigten pic.twitter.com/txHobVQtHb

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 30, 2022

Sheffield has turned Wisconsin into a volleyball juggernaut since taking over head coaching duties in 2013. The Badgers have at least reached the Sweet Sixteen in every season of his tenure, were NCAA Tournament runners-up in 2013 and 2019, and won the program’s first-ever National Championship last season.

Four Badgers players also picked up honors on Wednesday. Sarah Franklin, Danielle Hart, and Devyn Robinson were all unanimously selected to the All-Big Ten first team and Julia Orzol was named to the second team.

The 2022 All-#B1GVolleyball Teams and individual honorees were announced today, as chosen by a vote of the conference’s 14 head coaches!

https://t.co/piBvEH7hSV pic.twitter.com/AXX1ySGVKi

— Big Ten Volleyball (@B1GVolleyball) November 30, 2022

Franklin has started every match for the Badgers this season and ranks sixth in the Big Ten in kills per set. She picked up Big Ten Player of the Week honors last month. This is Franklin’s second appearance on an All-Big Ten team, after being named to the first team last year.

Hart was named to the All-Big Ten second team in 2019 and 2020, and finally made the jump to the top team this season. She has started every match for Wisconsin and ranks third in the country in blocks per set. She also ranks second in the Big Ten in hitting percentage.

Robinson was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team and All-Big Ten first team in 2020, and the second team in 2021. She has played in every match this season and ranks third on the team in hitting percentage, kills per set and blocks per set.

A freshman from Poland, Orzol continued her top form after being named Big Ten Freshman of the Year last season. She has started every match this season and is second on the team in kills per set.

The work is just beginning for Wisconsin. They begin their NCAA Tournament on Friday with a first-round match against Quinnipiac. That match begins at 7 p.m. at the UW Field House.

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