The Wisconsin Badgers and head volleyball coach Kelly Sheffield just received huge news. One of the top young volleyball players in the world is now going to play for Wisconsin next season. Decelise Champion a 6'6 outside hitter from Puerto Rico is reclassifying from next year's class (2027) to this season's freshman class (2026).
She will now be joining the team in September after Puerto Rico's Olympic Qualifier. She has done everything she can academically to get into Wisconsin and be able to play immediately. This gives Sheffield an embarrassment of riches in terms of hitters on the roster, but the talent just took a huge leap forward with Champion coming in 2026.
Champion is one of those rare young players who ends up being the MVP or voted a top player in basically every tournament she plays in. She was considered one of the top players in the 2027 class, if not the top player. She was easily considered the best international recruit for volleyball in her class, and at 6'6, she's a force to be reckoned with at hitter.
‼️𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐄‼️
— Wisconsin Volleyball (@BadgerVB) June 12, 2026
Now joining us for the 2026-27 season, Decelise Champion!
📝 | https://t.co/QkOR9bP0dO pic.twitter.com/F5p1N7DOSF
Decelise Champion is now going to be a Wisconsin Badger for the upcoming season
Related: Wisconsin lands the one player Kelly Sheffield absolutely needed for 2026
Sheffield said this about her early arrival in the Wisconsin press release, "Although it is unusual to have someone start college and competing at such a young age, her maturity, her background, and the great support we have here at Wisconsin for all of our athletes gives me confidence that she will be able to thrive."
Champion started as a 6'3 outside hitter for the Puerto Rican national team at 14 years old. She's since blossomed to 6'6 and has been playing for an international professional team in Italy when not helping her home country of Puerto Rico.
This gives Sheffield another attacker in a class that's already loaded with young talent. Sheffield's problem this season won't be talent; it will be youth. Many of his best players will be true freshmen finding their way in Big Ten volleyball.
Champion joins Audrey Flanagan and Halle Thompson as a freshman outside hitters. With an already experienced roster of Eva Travis (a transfer), Grace Egan, and Madison Quest. There's also top right side hitter Grace Lopez, who is set to return for 2026.
Flanagan and Thompson are considered top recruits in the 2026 class in their own regard and have shown a ton of promise in their spring games. It will be interesting to see how Sheffield manages all this young talent and gives them the necessary reps for not only their talent level but also their development. The other question will be whether any of the freshmen class will end up redshirting. While the listed freshmen above were only outside hitters. The class featured five recruits (now six with Champion).
The Badgers are completely loaded for both the present and the future. If there are any hiccups, most likely they will be early as the young players learn to adapt to the highest level of volleyball (the Big Ten).
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