Badgers volleyball ranked No. 3 to open season, face No. 1 Texas and No. 5 Stanford in Milwaukee Sept. 1-2
After making the Final Four last season, the University of Wisconsin volleyball team opened as the No. 3 team in the country.
In the first coaches poll of the season, released Monday, the Badgers are ranked behind Texas and Nebraska. The Longhorns beat Wisconsin 3-1 in the semifinals last season before sweeping Nebraska for the championship.
The Badgers won the NCAA title in 2021 and finished in the Elite Eight two seasons ago.
Also ranked in the coaches Top 25 poll is Marquette at No. 24.
The poll also shows how tough the Big Ten is with five teams in the Top 10 and seven in the Top 25. (No. 7 Penn State, No. 8 Purdue, No. 10 Oregon, No. 18 Minnesota and No. 21 USC).
But even Wisconsin’s nonconference schedule will be tough.
Five of those opponents are ranked, including a matchup with Texas and No. 5 Stanford on Sept. 1-2 at the Milwaukee Bucks arena.
Before that, though, the Badgers open the season at No. 6 Louisville on Aug. 27.
TOP PHOTO: Wisconsin vs. Ohio State on Oct. 18, 2023 (PHOTO: UWBadgers.com Ashley Steltenpohl)