The Wisconsin volleyball roster is officially posted, and that always provides some insights for the astute fan. This year, there was even more anticipation for the roster as it's full of incoming players. Some of the reveals were ruined for the spring roster, and head coach Kelly Sheffield did a great job of getting freshmen on campus for the spring. There are still a few things that stand out. Here are four:
1. Decelise Champion is listed at 6'6
Champion was always projected to be tall, but 6'6 is really tall even for volleyball standards. She's now the tallest player on the roster (and the youngest). She passed Lynney Tarnow, who's listed at 6'5. Champion is now the tallest outside hitter in college volleyball, and if Sheffield can get her going at Wisconsin, she will be an absolute force as a hitter.
2. Grace Lopez remains the only listed right side
Lopez continues to be the only player listed as a right side on the roster. Technically, Kymora Scott is also listed as right side, but her primary position seems to be projected towards the middle blocker. She is also a project that may need a few years on the roster before Wisconsin sees a lot of her in action. Therefore, who's the backup to Lopez? It will have to be one of the other hitters; one of the freshmen hitters will rotate in, and Grace Egan may end up sliding over.
Egan played plenty of right side in Lopez's absence last season, but Egan continues to be listed on the roster as an outside hitter.
3. Anna Bardaro is listed as a freshman
Bardaro, the new libero from Italy, is listed as a freshman, and that's interesting for a few reasons. First, it's obvious as she's never used any eligibility, so it makes sense from that standpoint. However, she's 21 years old, and the new eligibility rules from the NCAA make it so you only have five years from 19 years old. This rule was literally designed for instances like this: professionals from overseas coming in to play college sports. Or at least limit it to realistic age ranges.
21 years old would make it so Bardaro is listed as a junior. This was the approach that Wisconsin basketball took with Owen Foxwell, listing him as a senior. However, Sheffield and his staff are placing her in the pile of freshmen. It will be fascinating to see how that plays out over the next couple of years.
4. Youth, Youth, Youth
Speaking of freshmen, the Badgers have a mountain of freshmen. There are no official numbers on this, but 2026 may mark the largest number of freshmen on the volleyball roster, ever. The Badgers have nine players (counting Bardaro) listed as freshmen. Half the roster is freshmen. That's a ton of youth; add in the three sophomores, and 12 out of 18 listed players are underclassmen.
This will be a defining aspect of the season for Sheffield and the Badgers; the team may rise and fall on the back of their youth. There will be bumps along the way, but the talent is as deep as it's ever been.
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