Wisconsin Badgers Volleyball discussion, Kelly Sheffield is building a dynasty in Madison!

Intro Badger fans you've asked for it we're delivering we're going to talk about the most dominant program at Wisconsin right now we're doing that today on lockdown Badgers are we building the dynasty let's go you are locked on Badgers your daily podcast on the Wisconsin Badgers part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day [Music] Is Wisconsin a dynasty what's going on better fans welcome to locked on Badgers your team every single day really do appreciate everybody tuning in and we're just gonna get into it like we always do with the good guest we got Anthony Winker coming on Anthony weeker6 on Twitter covering women's volleyball also Sports director at wsum listen Anthony we talked a little before the show I wanted to start off with this there's a point where programs kind of go from being really really good consistently and I mentioned Clemson football until they want some titles to their Dynasty now is Wisconsin Women's Volleyball becoming a Dynasty now before our eyes I honestly think so and especially when you talk about in the in the Big Ten sense of things because this team they have won four straight Big Ten regular season titles and that is remarkable that's the longest run I think it's the second longest run in history Penn State had some ridiculous run back in the early 2000s where they were where they rattled off like seven or eight in a row but I mean since then this Wisconsin team is about as dominant As It Gets in the Big Ten um four straight they're working on a fifth right now already undefeated uh so far in conference play and I think nationally speaking maybe one more Championship would get it there but I think that winning that championship in 2021 really elevated this team from like you kind of were saying that consistently great level to just an absolute Elite upper echelon program in in the sport of volleyball right now Kelly Sheffield let me see this because and again we talked before the show and people who listen to the show know I I don't know a lot about volleyball I love the sport and I think what the women are doing on this in volleyball is incredible um but I'm curious if you have more context on this so uh Kelly Sheffield's been here it's almost like a tale of two halves for him his first period at Wisconsin was was really good he's won 82 percent of his matches but really it's those last four years right where it was the this the runner-ups the national championship the four straight Big Ten titles is there any type of feel what shifted that caused this this last kind of four consecutive Big Ten Championship run oh I tell you what I think a lot of it kind of has to do with the fact that for those four years they had two players whose numbers will probably go up in the rafters at some point down the line here and that's Sydney hilley and and Dana Recchi it's just an absolute ridiculous combo that the Badgers had for five years I guess actually because they both did end up taking advantage of that extra year and that's the year that they won the national title of course I mean Sheffield I mean he made the the final four in his first year as a head coach so he always had kind of that talent and I think he finally was able to get enough pieces and enough talented players at the same time which I think has kind of been the thing like they've always been really talented but getting that upper echelon like ridiculous best players at their position kind of all came together during that four-year run and so far they've really they've extended it into into this year and this is where Sheffield kind of has shown just how just shown as metal as a head coach I think with maybe not some of the greatest players like the most dominant out there like at the time that they're playing but this is a really good cohesive year that Kelly Sheffield has built and it's because he's a great head coach How good is this team well then let me think there you're walking right into a spot I wanted to ask you about you brought up the 21 national championship team how good is this team compared to that team I think the 2021 team is probably a little bit better uh when you think about just some of the some of the pieces that you had on that team and it was also really really deep um that team had J Demps coming off the bench Grace loberg was in a sixth rotation outside at that time and you the team this year they they have a lot of good pieces um but nobody's as good as Dana Redkey is I don't think either of Wisconsin's two Setters um Izzy Aspen or MJ hamler as good as Sydney hilley was for uh the Badgers that year but again there's no reason why this team can't do exactly what that team did and win a National Championship it's just that 2021 team was special and they they were just that last dance kind of Mantra where they they all came together they had one goal one purpose to win that National Championship that year and they got it done so that team is probably one of the you're talking about a team in that 2021 team that's one of the greatest ever in volleyball I think and this team maybe doesn't reach that level but they could at least accomplish the same exact thing as that team did The energy around the program I really want your perspective on this too because you you talked about that 21 team and seeing that and how it it was really an incredible thing to see you're still on campus now uh what is the the fan perspective the student perspective the energy around the program uh for the women's volleyball team it's crazy I mean that that student section is probably one of the most electric I think in the entire and in the entire nation I'd say maybe you could put Nebraska up there but I mean we don't like to give Nebraska credit for much stuff here so I just we won't say that but yeah I think that the energy is is awesome Wisconsin always fills up that that student section for for volleyball that field house is almost always full uh and it's awesome they're always we're always up there we're always either two or three I think and average attendance um in the entire nation and that's just kind of a testament to kind of how this sport has kind of just grabbed hold of this community and just completely you know been like a rallying point for everybody The support around the program I love the the support around it one of the things I was reading just getting ready for the show is Wisconsin is not only as you said uh one of the most supported volleyball programs in the country from an attendance standpoint they set four attendance records on the road this year and Northwestern has more tickets sold than they've ever sold for a volleyball game I think that speaks to like it's almost like the brand of Wisconsin volleyball is now becoming like an Alabama football brand yeah people want to see this team absolutely we we kind of mentioned already like that's yeah they set four attendance records in Road venues so teams were trying to see the steam play and not only that the one that the the big one I guess which is the regular season or record that they that they got divisive against Marquette that was technically a road match for Wisconsin but I was there and about 80 of that stadium was was wearing red so I mean when you think about that I mean this team they're just the support system that they have just everywhere is remarkable and the sport as a whole kind of as the kind of the way that it's been growing I mean a lot of people are kind of in the boat that you are Ryan where they're kind of just starting to get into it a little bit and that's not a detriment to you in any in any way it's just kind of the way that the sport has been growing as a whole I mean they've been setting attendance records everywhere this year uh and they're getting viewership records with the with on TV and I know we this uh we don't want to give Nebraska credit for too much but they did do something really cool where they set a women's sporting sporting event record with 93 000 people watching a volleyball match live at their football stadium so just it's just a testament to kind of not only this team I guess Wisconsin but the volleyball as a whole is just exploding on a national level what is that game uh Wisconsin's traveling the first match against Nebraska this year as a royal game they're going to uh to Nebraska what is that environment going to be like because both these teams right now it's one and two in the country essentially um their their powerhouses what is that environment going to be like when they go down to Nebraska volleyball is always crazy and they are going to be up for that match if Twitter especially is any indication um they are they they have been looking forward to that match for years and they haven't beaten Wisconsin in like four or five years so they think they're due and that first match is going to be at devaney and it's going to be crazy Nebraska is gonna they they are if they lose that match though they're gonna melt down I think over there too which is absolutely wild so they they want that match so badly and that crowd is always crazy and when you get into Wisconsin in the building it's going to be even crazier so I I'm really excited for that match personally it's I think in a couple weeks on Saturday uh and it's gonna be it's gonna be wild are you gonna be able to make that I don't think so it's around that so it that that's tough we don't really travel too much for for anything like that but I'll definitely try to be at the one that is here at the field house but that is also kind of Thanksgiving weekend so I don't know we'll see we'll see uh we gotta Sponsors take a quick break with Anthony this is this is awesome uh we're coming back we're gonna talk biggest one of the year I think I know what he's gonna go with their um most important player on the team and maybe if there's something he's things could trip this Wisconsin volleyball team up we're going to talk about that next on lockdown badge for the first day quick break for friends of the show a quick second to say thank you to everybody tuning in but first uh we do have to talk about our sponsors our friends the first one is LinkedIn uh listen Anthony would attest to this coach Sheffield would have tested this you have to find the right pieces to put together the right championship teams we've seen it in Madison with the volleyball team LinkedIn helps you do that on the corporate side um they have incredible tools to help screen out people of no business coming into the interview process have no business being there and it's frankly just don't waste anybody's time that's what LinkedIn does they they get rid of the time waste connect you with the right people the right time for the right opportunities and it's why small businesses continue to rank LinkedIn jobs number one in delivering hires compared to Leading competitors LinkedIn jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to faster posters on for free at linkedin.com lockdowncollege that's linkedin.com lockdown College to Post your job for free terms and conditions do apply today's uh show is also brought to you by our good friends over at FanDuel FanDuel is America's number one sports book safe secure incredibly easy to use I had um I forgot to put it up here I had somebody on Twitter tell me they're they're putting their their banjo money on the box and I was like no no no Phoenix Suns let's go ride with me on this one Sons Niners Braves um and if you want to get spicy you want to add some Tabasco into your FanDuel but go Badgers to win the Big Ten title too it's not impossible here you win that Ohio State game I don't know you don't even need to win the Ohio State game you're gonna get into the Indy because the West is terrible so go to FanDuel right now new customers get 200 bonus bets guaranteed when you place a five dollar bet that's 200 bonus bets win or lose uh it's a great time to do it FanDuel the official sports betting partner of the NFL visit fanduel.com locked on and kick off the NFL season all right let's get Anthony back in and continue this conversation here Anthony I mentioned before the um before I kind of let you go for the the friends of the show the sponsors biggest win of the year I think I know where you're gonna go here but I want you to kind of talk about it a little bit yeah I mean it's definitely the road match at Florida um that's probably what you were thinking but uh yeah Wisconsin they got a reverse sweep there um and it was really a tough tough win that good team showed so much grit obviously we can't talk about that win without acknowledging the fact that Florida did lose Alexis Stuckey they're All-American Setter in the middle of the second set and they weren't the same after that which is you know to be kind of expected that's essentially the setter um that's your quarterback uh in volleyball and if you lose your quarterback in football you kind of know that the team isn't really the same after that if you don't have like five star after five star behind them of course but I mean Florida they had Kennedy muff come in and she did okay but I mean Wisconsin they took they took the match over after that and you have to credit them even though Florida left lost their Setter Wisconsin still went into a raucous Road environment one of those four records setting environment that Wisconsin played in on the road and rattled off three straight sets and no matter who you're playing against that's a top three team that you just went in there and won three sets in a row on so you have to give them credit for that even though Florida may have lost their Setter you have to credit the Badgers for going in there after dropping the first two sets they easily could have just rolled over but Kelly Sheffield and the whole team wouldn't let that happen and they went in there and then they won the next three and that that takes grit and this team has it in spades Best player well and you mentioned um the the cohesiveness of the team like it's it's a great team you continue to kind of use that togetherness grittiness I do want to ask you we mentioned uh some of some of the stars in previous years theoreki for example who's is there a star on this team like who's the biggest star on this team uh I would have to probably go with Devin Robinson as the as the best player on this team um she's she's been there um year after year uh and produced that back to even when that National Championship team was uh you know what she was a part of that Squad that won that team and a big part of it and now she's gotten really way better as the as she's progressed here senior now um and on that right side she's been doing absolute work for for Wisconsin so I'd say probably Devin Robinson would be the best player on this team Most important player what about most important player does that does that change the equation for you I think we lost Anthony no sorry the lights just went off in this room that I was on I don't I don't really know I was trying to get it back but that's okay um the most important player I I would probably have to say it's Yulia orozal um Wisconsin's libero this year um she's just she's just such a do everything player for for Wisconsin and she was an outside for the past two years Junior now and was able to step into this libero position and really she hasn't missed a beat uh and it's been really impressive the things that she can do uh defensively speaking she's Wisconsin's best pastor by far and that's something that Wisconsin definitely needs uh and she really just defensively speaking the fact that she is still able to be just as good and I feel like just as valuable as she was when she was patrolling the pins in these last couple years uh including as a sixth rotation outside on the Maddie winning team in 2021 and to come in there play a different position and really be just as good I think and it's been really impressive plus she offers so much depth at other positions if somebody else was to go down so very important right there for Yulia orozal and a veteran piece for sure I libero thought you may go ursul on this one so I did a little prep uh fifth in the Big Ten three point six seven digs per Set uh fourth in the Big Ten with 0.67 Aces per set if I'd read this sentence two years ago Anthony this would have read Greek to me I I didn't know what a libero was I didn't know what it did like I didn't know any of this so I do want to throw it out there because again we got a lot of people who just are more football basketball Centric and are getting into volleyball what is a libero so the libero is just kind of that defensive specialist kind of player they never hit which is obviously adjustment for a player like orzo and they obviously you know that it's them because they're wearing a different colored Jersey than uh the rest of their team and they they're just really the best defensive player on the court and if you think about it kind of they have a bunch of defensive responsibilities um they're like the defensive quarterback whoever like built the line like the linebacker safety whatever that's like calling to play sort of defensively think of it kind of like that where they're the most important player defensively on the floor like I think they get like a free substitution so that's kind of why you would just have that versus a kind of just regular defensive specialist coming in but I tell you what um it's it's just been it's kind of a position that's really made its way into kind of the international world of volleyball pretty recently I think and NCAA has had it for a while and it's just think of it like this for all the new people out there it's just pretty much the player on the on the court that's the has the most defensive responsibilities they don't hit it all so generally they're the shorter players probably um but they just have tons of defensive responsibility and have to be the best defensive player on the on the court that's a great explanation passing here we've talked about how good this team is how they could potentially repeat the 21 team did what's something that could trip them up and maybe it's a minor thing maybe we're picking nits here but well we kind of talked about it like the libero position and but more specifically the back road offensive play for Wisconsin has been a little bit suspect this year specifically the passing um and that's essentially just the serve received for um for kind of all the the people who are just kind of new tuning in um but off the surf the first Contact is the serve receive and that ball needs to be kind of in a position where the setter can get the ball set it and have as many offensive options as possible you want to be able to have different options because that's kind of what kind of throws defenses off where if they only have one read then the block can get set up and it's a lot harder to hit it through the issue for Wisconsin this year is that they haven't been very good with that so A lot of times where the serve comes in they're either missing it entirely and it's a service Ace where they just kind of just don't get it um or the passes just aren't very good and and they're out of system and the setter only has like one or two options and the other team's block can get set up that's been a real issue for Wisconsin this year um they're outside hitters who are really need to be trusted pieces in a kind of receiving pattern uh Sarah Franklin and Timmy Thomas de la have not been very good passing the ball which kind of has left a lot on Yulia orozal to be Wisconsin's best pastor and to cover a lot of court and then what's what Kelly Shepherd has been doing recently is she's as he's been subbing in uh Gucci Gucci it was Wisconsin slavero last year as a sort of defensive specialist to try to cover for some of those deficiencies that's something that got Wisconsin eliminated last year is that they couldn't pass and if and if they can't figure that out this year uh it might be the same fate that's a great outro answer and it's great insight and this is again why I was I'm so stoked Anthony on the show because I think once again uh with guests like him we get smarter because we're able to listen to you so I really appreciate that uh where can people find everything that you're working on and everything that you're doing so obviously there's my Twitter down there um at Anthony winker6 uh also do some announcing for Big Ten plus and wsum where I'm the sports director and then I also write uh for the badger Herald mostly mostly hockey pieces for for them but yeah that's that's everything that I do so love it man um any potential at possibly getting you back on the show at some point to talk more volleyball and or hockey absolutely yeah I'd love to be back appreciate you having me no man it was great uh I think we're okay about the uh the lights here I don't know what happened here but completely I think they can still see me so complete amateur move unbelievable I know no it's all good man it is really really grateful to have you on the show um obviously volleyball is I I'm getting more into it and we hope to get more and more people into it and can keep you spread the word of Wisconsin's dominant program right now the women's volleyball team so he is Anthony Winker I'm Ryan Aarons thank you so much for joining a lot of time Badgers more content coming up both today and tomorrow but uh thank you again on Wisconsin and we'll talk later