MADISON, Wis. — For the first time in program history, the University of Wisconsin volleyball team had an undefeated regular season and is the top seed in the NCAA tournament, which begins this week in Omaha. 

The Badgers are hoping this is the year they win an elusive national championship.

 This is how good the 15-0 Badgers are. Forget about losing matches. They’ve lost only three SETS all season. After a first round bye, they’ll play either Bowling Green or Weber State Thursday night in the NCAA tournament.

"That feeling of when you’re gonna go, continue to go, and if you lose you’re done,” says UW coach Kelly Sheffield. “There are not a lot of times when you are feeling that in your life and man it is a rush, so I’m stoked for our kids.”

This has been a season unlike any other. The start of the season was delayed by the pandemic. There have been matches postponed. In a sport where rhythm is vital, the Badgers went a month without playing a match and had only three matches over a two-month stretch. The players have made unprecedented sacrifices.

 “We are not even allowed to hang out with other teammates on our team that don’t live with you without masks on,” says UW senior setter Sydney Hilley. “So you don’t really see them without their masks on very often. Seeing family, you have to see them with masks on, you can’t eat with them, relationships you are not allowed to see significant others without masks on, stuff like that.”

 "We've really have had to lean on each other in ways like we’ve never had to before. I think that just comes with the environment that we’re in,”​ says UW senior middle blocker Dana Rettke.

The Big Ten champion Badgers have been NCAA runners-up three times, including the last tournament played in 2019. Rettke says that setbacks serve as motivation.

“That was a long time ago, but I don’t think it has ever left any of our minds. It’s definitely something that we have been able to sit on for a very long time. It really is motivation for this tournament and we are really excited to get that opportunity back.”

The Badgers have advanced to at least the Sweet 16 the last seven tournaments. They hope this is the year they break through and win it all.