LOS ANGELES – No. 1 UCLA (3-0, 0-0 MPSF WEST) heads to the East Coast for a huge exhibition game and to compete in the Princeton Invitational. The Bruins will open with an exhibition game against the top professional team in the world, Pro Recco, on Wednesday, Sept. 3, at 3:00 p.m. PT at Asphalt Green’s Upper East Side Campus in New York, N.Y. Then the Bruins will head to Princeton, N.J., to play four games, beginning with No. 13 California Baptist University (3-1) on Friday, Sept. 5 at 10:00 a.m. PT and DeNunzio Pool. The Bruins will close out day one with George Washington (2-4) at 1:00 p.m. PT. UCLA will take on No. 3 Fordham (4-0), an NCAA semifinalist from a year ago, at 8:00 a.m. PT on Saturday, Sept. 6 and then close out the tournament with Bucknell (1-3) at 11:00 a.m. PT. None of this week’s games at the Princeton Invitational will have a live stream or live stats, but you can follow along with live scoring updates on the Bruins’ official account on Twitter(X). The exhibition game with Pro Recco will have a live stream available on subscription on Overnght.com (link below).
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Wednesday, Sept. 3 (Asphalt Green’s Upper East Side Campus – New York, N.Y.)
3:00 PM PT – No. 1 UCLA vs. Pro Recco (Exhibition) | LIVE STREAM
UCLA is 14-0 all-time against California Baptist University. The Bruins won the last meeting against the Lancers, 19-8, in last year’s home opener on Sept. 14, 2024.
UCLA is 3-0 all-time against George Washington. The Bruins won the last meeting against the Revolutionaries, 18-6, in the first round of the NCAA Championship on Nov. 29, 2018.
UCLA is 3-0 all-time against Fordham. The Bruins won the last meeting against the Rams, 22-0, at the Princeton Invitational on Sept. 8, 2012.
UCLA is 8-0 all-time against Bucknell. The Bruins won the last meeting against the Bison, 18-8, at the Princeton Invitational on Sept. 9, 2017.
RECAPPING LAST WEEK
No. 1 UCLA (3-0) opened the season with three double-digit wins over ranked teams in the San Diego area. The Bruins opened the 2025 season with a 20-8 win over No. 20 Navy (Aug. 29) at Brian Bent Memorial Aquatics Complex in Coronado, Calif. Then head to La Jolla, Calif. to take part in the Triton Invitational. UCLA began the tournament with a 16-6 win over No. 14 UC Davis (Aug. 30) and then defeated the hosts, No. 12 UC San Diego (Aug. 30), 18-2.
Navy Game Notes (Aug. 29): UCLA had a total of 13 players score in the contest, paced by a career-high four goals from sophomore Bode Brinkema. He also added an assist to finish with a career- and game-high five total points. Redshirt sophomore Nate Tauscher made just his fourth start of his career, playing the first half and holding the Midshipmen to two goals. Redshirt freshman Joey Kent came on in relief, making his first appearance in a Bruin uniform and allowed six goals in the second half. Statistics are still not available.
UC Davis Game Notes (Aug. 30): In the win over the Aggies, sophomore Ryder Dodd led all scorers with five goals. It was his first game of the year after he missed the Navy game due to illness. Redshirt senior Chase Dodd scored four points against UC Davis (two goals, two assists). Sophomore Bode Brinkema also scored a pair of goals against the Aggies and added an assist for a total of three points. Redshirt sophomore Nate Tauscher got the starting nod and tallied eight saves while allowing five goals in three quarters and 2:55 in the fourth. Redshirt freshman Joey Kent came on in relief and played the final 5:05 of the fourth quarter, tallying one save while surrendering one score.
UC San Diego Game Notes (Aug. 30): In the game against the Tritons, Chase Dodd and junior Ben Liechty each scored their first hat tricks of the year. Chase Dodd added an assist for a four-way tie in the scoring department with four points. Brinkema (one goal, three assists), Ryder Dodd (two goals, two assists), and redshirt junior Vinnie Merk (one goal, three assists) all finished with four total points. Tauscher made his third-consecutive start on the year, registering eight saves and three steals while giving up two goals in the first three periods. Kent came on in relief and played the entire fourth quarter, racking up three saves (including a blocked penalty shot) to pitch a shut out in his eight minutes of action. Additionally, it marked the third-largest margin of victory in series history against UC San Diego and the most since a 24-1 win in 1976.
OFF TO A BALANCED START
In addition to winning its first three games by double digits, UCLA has reached double-digit scorers in all three games this season, sporting 13 different players to score in the win over Navy, 10 in the win against UC Davis, and 11 in the victory at UC San Diego.
LEADING FROM THE JUMP
So far in its first three games, the Bruins have not trailed for a single second. UCLA was tied 1-1 vs. Navy and then engineered an 8-0 run to lead 9-1 with under two minutes left in the second quarter. Tied 1-1 against UC Davis, the Bruins went on an 8-2 run to lead 9-3 at halftime. After being tied 1-1 against UC San Diego, UCLA reeled off 12 straight goals to build a 13-1 lead with 2:00 remaining in the third quarter.
UCLA PICKED TO WIN THE MPSF
Defending NCAA Champion UCLA collected 99 points and nine first-place votes in topping the 2025 MPSF Men’s Water Polo Western Division preseason coaches’ poll. The Bruins return 21 players from last year, including ACWPC National Player of the Year and MPSF Player and Newcomer of the Year Ryder Dodd, who broke both the conference and UCLA freshman single-season scoring record in 2024 with 102 goals. Also back for UCLA are All-Americans Chase Dodd (26 goals), Peter Castillo (31 goals, 64 earned exclusions), and Frederico Jucá Carsalade (25 goals, 38 assists).
Team
Points (1st Place)
2024 Record
2024 MPSF Finish
2024 NCAA D1 Finish
UCLA
99 (9)
26-2
2nd
1st
USC
90 (2)
23-6
1st
2nd
Stanford
82
22-5
3rd
T-3rd
California
74
12-13
4th
n/a
RETURNING ALL-AMERICANS
For the second straight year, the Bruins return four of the five All-Americans from the prior season. Sophomore attacker Ryder Dodd is back from his record-shattering season where he set the MPSF and UCLA freshman single-season scoring record with 102 goals. He was a First-Team All-American, as was his brother, redshirt senior attacker Chase Dodd (26 goals, 33 assists). Sophomore utility Peter Castillo was a Third-Team All-American a year ago (31 goals, 64 earned exclusions). The other All-American the Bruins return in 2025 is Honorable Mention selection and redshirt junior attacker, Frederico Jucá Carsalade (25 goals, 38 assists). Junior utility Ben Liechty, the 2024 MPSF Newcomer of the Year, also qualifies as the Bruins’ fifth returning All-American as he was an Honorable Mention selection in 2023. UCLA lost the playing services of All-American, Nico Tierney (Honorable Mention, 41 goals), but added him to the Bruins’ staff as an assistant coach for the 2025 season.
RETURNING ALL-MPSF PLAYERS
Last year, UCLA had a league-best and school-record-tying nine players earn 2024 Delfina All-MPSF West accolades, but only five of them return, highlighted by MPSF Player and Newcomer of the Year, Ryder Dodd. He also won the Peter J. Cutino Award and was named the ACWPC National Player of the Year in 2025. All five All-League performers returning were also listed in the returning All-American note above. In addition to losing Nico Tierney (Honorable Mention All-MPSF) from a year ago, the Bruins also lost the services of First-Team attacker Makoto Kenney (15 goals, 45 assists), Honorable Mention goalkeeper Garret Griggs (25 starts, 23-2 record, 173 saves, 9.12 goals against average), and Honorable Mention center-defender Aaron Voggenthaler (24 goals). The Bruins return a sixth All-MPSF contributor in junior center Marcell Szécsi (Honorable Mention pick in 2023, 13 goals in 2024).
SUPER SENIORS
The Bruins return five seniors in 2025 that all made huge contributions a year ago. Joining redshirt senior Chase Dodd is fellow redshirt seniors attacker Trey Doten (11 goals), and center Eli Liechty (24 goals, 48 earned exclusions). UCLA also regains the services of senior utility Gray Carson (14 goals) and attacker Noah Rowe (six goals, 21 assists). Together this class has an overall record of 94-14 (.870), which includes going a combined 52-5 (.912) over the last two seasons.
MORE NOTABLE RETURNEES
Flexing its superb depth, there are six more Bruins seeking to have increased roles this season, starting with redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Nate Tauscher. Tauscher was the back-up goalie last year but came up big when his number was called. He only made three starts on the year (3-0), but two of them came at the NCAA Tournament (semifinals and finals). This group also includes junior attacker Wade Sherlock (21 goals, 35 assists), redshirt junior utility Ben Larsen (19 goals), redshirt junior attacker Vinnie Merk (three goals), redshirt sophomore defender Max Matthews (six goals, also scored the game-winning goal at the buzzer for the Gold team in a 15-14 win over the Blue squad in the 2025 preseason), and sophomore utility Bode Brinkema (16 goals, 23 assists, 22 steals).
REDSHIRTS AND FRESH FACES
Looking to make a big splash this season are five redshirt freshmen and five true freshmen that have arrived in Westwood for the 2025 campaign. The redshirt freshmen include attacker Alex Heenan (Harvard-Westlake School), goalkeeper Joey Kent (JSerra Catholic HS), attacker Andrew Spencer (Sacred Heart Prep), goalkeeper Nick Tovani (San Ramon Valley HS), and center defender Harry Tucker (Perth, Australia). The five freshmen looking to make an immediate impact include goalkeeper Harper Gardner (Rio Americano HS), Jackson Harlan (Corona del Mar HS), Zac Miller (Westlake HS), Hayden O’Hare (Campolindo HS), and Santino Rossi (Newport Harbor HS).
A CHAMPIONSHIP PROGRAM
The UCLA Bruins captured their 13th NCAA Championship in men’s water polo with an 11-8 win over USC on Dec. 8, 2024, at Stanford’s Avery Aquatic Center. The win also marked the fifth NCAA Championship for UCLA Head Coach Adam Wright while in charge of the Men’s Water Polo team, with all five titles coming against USC. It is Wright’s ninth NCAA title overall, as he also won two as a player at UCLA (1999 and 2000), one as the head coach of the women’s program (2024), and one more as an assistant coach with the women’s team in 2009. UCLA had a total of seven players score in the contest, paced by two goals each from freshman Ryder Dodd, redshirt junior Chase Dodd, and graduate students Nico Tierney and Jack Larsen. Graduate student Makoto Kenney added a game-high three assists. Redshirt freshman Nate Tauscher made just his third start of his young career, going the distance while recording 10 saves, three steals, and one assist while surrendering eight scores.
ALL THE WRIGHT STUFF
After guiding the Bruins to the NCAA Championship in 2024 and being named the MPSF Coach of the Year for the fourth time, Adam Wright returns for his 17th season as UCLA’s head men’s water polo coach in 2025 with an overall record of 373-68 (.846) and an MPSF mark of 72-25 (.742). His teams earned perfect APR (Academic Progress Rate) scores of 1,000 in 2014, 2015 and 2016 while winning the school’s 112th, 113th and 114th NCAA Championships in 2014, 2015 and 2017. Wright added the fourth NCAA Championship to his resume as the men’s head coach in 2020 (Mar. 21, 2021) and a fourth perfect APR score in 2021. On July 20, 2017, then-UCLA Director of Athletics, Dan Guerrero, announced that Wright would guide both the UCLA men’s and women’s water polo teams. Wright was inducted into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame on June 20, 2019, and to the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020. On March 22, 2022, UCLA Director of Athletics, Martin Jarmond, announced that Wright had signed a new six-year contract, starting in July of 2022, as the Head Coach for both of the Bruins’ Men’s and Women’s Water Polo programs.
The UCLA Bruins made their 39th appearance in the NCAA Championship in 2024, winning the program’s 13th NCAA title with a nation’s best 26-2 (.929) record. The Bruins also posted the best record in MPSF play with a 5-1 mark. The Bruins opened the NCAA Championship with a 22-6 win over No. 20 Salem in the First Round and then posted a 17-14 win at No. 4 Stanford in the NCAA Semifinals. Top-seeded UCLA then defeated No. 2 USC, 11-8, in the title match. UCLA placed an MPSF-high nine players on the All-MPSF teams in 2024, including Ryder Dodd becoming the first player in league history to be named the Player and Newcomer of the Year in the same season. Additionally, Adam Wright was named MPSF Coach of the Year for the fourth time in his career (2011, 2017, 2023, 2024).
Other Notes:
UCLA represented as Team USA at the 2025 FISU World University Games and captured a silver medal. Ryder Dodd, Bode Brinkema, Ben Liechty, and Peter Castillo were on the U20 World Championship roster for Team USA that won a silver medal at the World Aquatics U20 World Championships, the highest finish ever for a USA Men’s National Team in World Championship play at any age group with Dodd being named the Best Player.
USAWP National League Champion
Undefeated 13-0 season against a dozen teams consisting of multiple Olympic-level athletes.
Pacific Cup Champion
Undefeated in three games with eight-goal average margin of victory.
Five Players in U20 World Championship
Bode Brinkema, Peter Castillo, Ben Liechty and Ryder Dodd combined for over 50% of Team USA’s goals (53/104) in its highest finish ever earning silver. Ryder Dodd was named tournament MVP.
Harry Tucker finished fourth in scoring with 10 goals for Australia.
World University Games
UCLA (minus Ryder Dodd, Chasee Dodd, Ben Liechty, Harry Tucker, and Frederico Jucá Carsalade), represented as Team USA and earned a silver medal (tied for its highest finish since 1985).
Three Active Players on World Aquatics Championship Roster
Ben Liechty, Chase Dodd and Ryder Dodd made up 20% of the Team USA roster that finished eighth.
POLLING THE BRUINS
UCLA opens the 2025 campaign at No. 1 in this preseason CWPA National Men’s Varsity Top 20 Poll (100 points), released on Aug. 20.
The junior was a first-team All-Region 4D and first-team All-Northwestern District selection. Curtis had 181 kills and an area-best 78 blocks.
Caroline Eye, Central
The junior had an area-best 642 assists, 36 aces and 138 digs. Eye was a first-team All-Region 2B and first-team All-Bull Run District selection.
Lauren Foltz, Warren County
The senior was a first-team All-Northwestern District and a first-team All-Region 3B selection. Foltz had 134 kills and 32 aces.
Cami Golliday, Sherando
The junior had 30 aces and an area-best 337 digs. Golliday was a first-team All-Northwestern District and a second-team All-Region 4D selection.
Cheslea Stine, Strasburg
The junior was a first-team All-Bull Run District selection. Stine had 226 digs and 37 aces.
Hadley Witherow, Central
The senior had an area-best 278 kills, 44 aces and 170 digs. Witherow was a first-team All-Region 2B and a first-team All-Bull Run District selection.
Coach: Chuck Ashby, Sherando
Ashby led the Warriors to a 15-7 record in his first year back at the helm since 2013. Ashby was named the Class 4 Northwestern District Coach of the Year.
Ballenas Whalers senior girls volleyball side shines at B.C. event
Published 1:30 pm Wednesday, December 24, 2025
The Ballenas Whalers senior girls volleyball team capped off an incredible season with a strong showing at the AAA provincial championships in Vernon.
The team finished second in their pool before advancing to the crossover matches, ultimately securing 12th place in the province. Their journey to the provincials saw them rise from the initial qualifiers in Oceanside, through the North Islands, and then the Islands, consistently proving their resilience and determination.
For the second year in a row, Ballenas stands proud as the highest-ranked AAA Vancouver Island team in the province, a testament to their hard work, talent, and team spirit.
One of the highlights of the tournament was their faceoff with eventual tournament champions, Holy Cross. The Whalers took one set off the eventual champions and held their own in a competitive three-out-of-five crossover match, showcasing their ability to compete at the highest level.
Much of the team’s success can be attributed to the guidance and dedication of their coaching staff. With Rod Pick, Cassidy Kitchen and Sydney Gerke at the helm, the players were able to maximize their potential both on and off the court.
A special congratulations goes to the graduating seniors – Norah Hughes, Sophia Torgerson, Anna Parree, Cadie Denhaan and Cara McLaughlin – as they head off on to new adventures. Their contributions on and off the court have left a lasting legacy for Ballenas volleyball.
Hats off to all these young athletes for their remarkable season, their sportsmanship, and their continued commitment to excellence. The future looks bright for this talented group of volleyball stars!
WOODSTOCK — Hadley Witherow finished off her stellar high school volleyball career with her best season yet.
The Central senior led a young Falcons’ squad and played a major role in the team playing its best at the end of the year.
“I feel like in the beginning of the season, we definitely struggled,” Witherow said. “But towards the end, we finally had team chemistry and started to improve. I think beating Clarke (County) was definitely our upset. Just knowing that we can beat them made us improve and be ready for all the other teams.”
Witherow, The Northern Virginia Daily’s 2025 Volleyball Player of the Year, had an area-best 278 kills, a team-best 44 aces and a team-best 170 digs. She also finished second all-time in school history in kills at a program that’s enjoyed a lot of success.
For all of the great statistical accomplishments for Witherow this season, Central volleyball coach Ashlie Clar said Witherow’s leadership really stood out.
“Last year and this year she’s really had to step up into a leadership role, but even more so this year with younger players,” Clar said. “And she knew that. She was our best hitter and one of the best passers on the team. So she just knows how to play every position, and she works harder than anybody. She sets that line, like the sky is high for her, and sets that ceiling for the other girls. And they want to be like Hadley.”
Witherow said she had great leaders in her early years on the team, and she wanted to be a great leader for the younger players on this year’s team.
“I definitely had to step up a lot,” Witherow said. “Being able to help my teammates, it actually felt really good knowing that I was helping the team and helping them improve.”
Witherow said she first started playing volleyball when she was in eighth grade. She decided to give it a try and it’s worked out well for both Witherow and Central’s volleyball program.
She was brought up as a freshman on a strong team, which advanced to the regional semifinals.
As a sophomore, Witherow was one of the youngest players on a team that had a stellar year. Central lost only one match during the regular season, before falling in the Class 2 state semifinals.
“Winning the regional championship, that felt amazing just being able to do that,” Witherow said. “And I was so young I could look forward to the other years. It was great, and being the youngest player on the team, it was definitely nerve wracking. But again, they all helped me out and helped me to learn and grow and get better.”
Witherow became the team’s top hitter her junior year, finishing with 268 kills, 25 aces and 171 digs.
Witherow said she enjoys being a hitter and loves the feeling of getting a big hit.
“I like to show off my vertical, being able to jump because in the off season that’s all I would practice is being able to jump higher, show my strength,” Witherow said. “So being able to just slam the ball down, it just feels amazing.”
Witherow, who was a first-team All-Bull Run District and All-Region 2B selection this year, said her favorite kill of the season was one that helped her teammate reach a milestone. Witherow had a kill against Rappahannock County on Oct. 14, which gave Central junior setter Caroline Eye her 1,000th assist.
“I think my favorite was probably getting Caroline her 1,000th assist,” Witherow said. “I was helping a teammate and helping her improve and getting her to her goals. To be able to be the person to do that for her definitely feels amazing.”
Clar said Witherow has become an even smarter hitter over the last few years.
“She’s such a good hitter because she can hit anywhere, and her volleyball IQ is something that has really improved,” Clar said. “And she’ll look on the other side of the court, and sometimes she won’t even have to ask us, she’ll know where the open spot is, and she’ll hit there. And if she’s successful, she knows that she can go to that same spot again and again, or she can look over at us and ask for our opinion, and then she does it right away. She can tip, she can hit. She can play the ball anywhere on the court and be successful. So it’s really hard for the defense to get a good read on her, because she can go anywhere.”
One area where Witherow has really improved has been her back row play. She didn’t play in the back row her first two seasons, but has made a big impact there the last two years. Witherow also plays in the outfield for Central’s Class 2 state champion softball team, and she said her softball experience helps her on the back row for volleyball.
“I was definitely very nervous when I first started, but then I grew into it and I actually enjoy diving for balls,” Witherow said. “I think playing softball helped me out to prepare myself to dive in for every ball and make sure a ball doesn’t touch the ground.”
The Falcons got off to a slow start, but the highlight of the season came on Oct. 21. Central swept rival Clarke County, who were undefeated in the Bull Run District at the time.
“Being able to beat them in three, for a team that knocked us out the year before, it just felt so good knowing that we could actually do that. And that definitely helped us for future games after that,” Witherow said. “And we played as a team. We were all together, and that’s definitely when our team chemistry finally struck.”
Witherow plays both volleyball and softball at Central, and she said she loves both sports a lot. Witherow made the game-sealing catch in the Class 2 state finals last year, and also had the game-winning hit in the state semifinals.
“That’s tricky,” Witherow said when asked which sport is her favorite. “But definitely I would lean towards softball, because of winning that state championship. Nothing can take the feeling of winning the state championship, and especially getting the catch of the game. I don’t think anything can beat that.”
Witherow said she has not decided if she will play sports in college. She said she has offers, including one that would be willing to let her play both volleyball and softball. However, Witherow said she has not decided if she wants to play sports in college or just focus on education.
Witherow said playing volleyball at Central has meant a lot to her.
“I think being a part of the volleyball team has definitely made me a better person, because everyone was just so open to taking me in even though I had never played before,” Witherow said. “So just to be a part of the team just feels great in general. It definitely helped me with my leadership, my communication skills and just overall being a better person.”
Marlboro, MA — The WPI volleyball team placed seven student-athletes on the 2025 Fall NEWMAC Academic All-Conference team as announced by the league office.
Highlighting the list for WPI were seniors Victoria Escuer (Caracas, Venezuela) and Fiona Gillis (Manchester, NH) who both became three-time academic honorees.
Senior Alana Harris (Lowell, MA) and juniors Zeala VanDamme (San Diego, CA) and Kylie Welcher (Los Angeles, CA) each made their second appearances on the list.
Sophomores Preslie Jerebker (Denver, CO) and Zeala VanDamme (San Diego, CA) rounded out the honorees for WPI, both earning the distinction in their first year of eligibility.
Academic All-Conference honorees must have met the following criteria: earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5/4.0 scale or 4.35/5.0 scale after the 2025 spring semester, achieved second-year academic status at their institution, and been a member of the varsity team for the entire semester.
The Colorado volleyball team set out to prove something in 2025.
The Buffaloes did just that, getting picked to finish 10th in the Big 12 preseason coaches poll before finishing third and reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
As successful as the 2025 campaign was — CU’s 23 wins tied the fourth-most in program history — getting swept at Indiana in the NCAA Tournament left a bitter taste. And the Buffaloes are ready to return and prove themselves all over again.
Head coach Jesse Mahoney confirmed his program is not expecting to lose any of the array of juniors that helped power CU’s 23-9 campaign. The Buffs lose to graduation two starting seniors in setter Rian Finley and libero Sarah Morton, but CU is set to return essentially its entire offense as well as the starting middle blockers.
“As of my exit interviews, we don’t have anybody leaving the program,” Mahoney said. “Barring anything unexpected, but as of now we’re expecting the entire group back.
“It’s really exciting to have all your point-scorers return. There’s some questions in some ball-handling issues in terms of setting and libero, but we think we have those answers in-house right now. Unless you’re the last team standing, you never end where you want to be, so there’s still some things to play for. And I think our players, having tasted a little success, I think they’ll set their sights a little higher next year as well, and we’ll work towards that this spring.”
Highlighting the list of scheduled returnees is Ana Burilovic, a third-team AVCA All-American selection and CU’s first All-American honoree since 2018. Burilovic also earned first-team AVCA All-West Region honors and was a first-team All-Big 12 selection after leading the conference in points per set (5.47) and kills per set (4.71), ranking in the top 10 nationally in both categories.
Beyond Burilovic, the Buffs expect to return experience across the rotation. Middle blockers Maria Splawska and Cayla Payne were a formidable defensive duo, with Splawska leading the team with 1.21 blocks per set. Payne posted a hitting percentage of .338 and averaged 2.13 kills per set.
CU also is set to return its other two outside hitters in Sydney Jordan, who led the team in digs (2.41 per set) and was second in kills per set (2.42), and Lily Dwinell (1.70 kills per set).
Morton was a key part of the defense, but Peyton Neal is expected to return after playing a backup role at libero, and the Buffs also are expecting the return of libero Avery Bolles, who missed most of the 2025 season due to an injury.
“The biggest thing is the motivation piece, and I think they all have that,” Mahoney said. “Everyone talked about in our exit interviews what they want to accomplish next season. The work towards that is finding a way to squeeze out a little bit more from a physical standpoint, obviously from a skill standpoint, a mentality standpoint. This team, I think we can schedule a little bit tougher in the (nonconference). I think we understand if we want to take the next step — and our goal is to finish where we can host the first weekend (of the NCAA Tournament) — is understanding the steps it takes to get there and working towards it.”
The Wisconsin Badgers have been busy in the transfer portal, both with incoming and outgoing players. Among the group was freshman setter Addy Horner, who had been a key player for the Badgers this season when star Charlie Fuerbringer was out with an injury.
Horner elected to enter the transfer portal one day after Wisconsin’s loss to the Kentucky Wildcats in the NCAA Tournament, which made sense given that Fuerbringer still has two more years of college eligibility.
Well, Wisconsin added a setter to replace Horner’s spot, but that will be coming in the 2026 class, rather than via the transfer portal.
In a big move, the Badgers landed a commitment from the No. 3 setter in the 2026 class, Isabelle Hoppe, on Tuesday. Hoppe had been committed to Pitt, but requested a release from her National Letter of Intent after the Panthers landed Penn State transfer setter Izzy Starck in the portal.
Hoppe was ranked as the No. 21 overall player in PrepDig’s 2026 recruiting rankings, as well as the No. 3 setter. She’s the lone setter in Wisconsin’s 2026 class and now fills a big void left by Horner, while giving an extra year gap between her and Fuerbringer in eligibility.
Hoppe is the fifth incoming freshman in a loaded class for the Badgers, joining outside hitters Halle Thompson and Audrey Flanagan, and middle blockers Lynney Tarnow and Kymora Scott.
