5 thoughts after Wisconsin volleyball's spring schedule
Catching up on what stood out after the Badgers' spring matches, along with what's ahead in the fall after the announcement of the 2026 schedule.
The University of Wisconsin volleyball program may have found its next great attacking connection.
The chemistry between setter Charlie Fuerbringer and a number of Badgers last season helped lead them to yet another Final Four appearance under coach Kelly Sheffield. Those options allowed Fuerbringer to spray the ball around the court for a team firing on all cylinders at the end of the year. But gone are Alicia Andrew and All-Americans Carter Booth and Mimi Colyer, who are now playing professionally, and outside hitter Una Vajagic transferred to Arizona State.
Wisconsin signed former Florida middle blocker Jaela Auguste during the offseason, and there’s already an early rapport between Fuerbringer and the All-American. That was highlighted in the spring finale against Northern Illinois during a second-set kill, where after Fuerbringer lobbed a one-handed set, the ball exploded off of Auguste’s right arm that erupted reactions from the Badgers on the court and the Field House faithful.
Auguste led the team with 30 kills and finished the spring with a .510 hitting percentage, according to stats provided by Sheffield last month.
“Jaela, a lot of highlight film swings from her, right?” Sheffield said after the March 23 win at Marquette. “She’s one of the most dynamic attackers, not only in the country, but one of the more dynamic attackers that I’ve coached.
“And there’s play there in the fourth set where Charlie went really, really long string to her on the slide, and she just got on it and just crushed it. Her ability to get on something really fast, even when the setter is 25 feet away from you is really special.”
Badger Observer covered two of Wisconsin’s three spring matches, the March 23 contest at Marquette and the April 24 sweep over Northern Illinois at the Field House. Here are more thoughts after their spring schedule, along with a breakdown of the recent release of the 2026 nonconference slate and which Big Ten foes the program will face at home and on the road.
There’s depth on the outside
Wisconsin’s hitting percentage was .392 this spring, but Sheffield believed one of the areas this program can take strides in heading into this summer and preseason practices is its offense. He called it “a work in progress.”
“We’ve got a lot of weapons, and just trying to figure out how to attack into space is something we’re going to just continue to work on,” Sheffield said after win over Northern Illinois.
But like last season, there should be options on the outside to complement Auguste and other middles such as sophomore Natalie Wardlow and freshman Lynney Tarnow.
