When Grace Lopez, a star transfer right side hitter went down to an injury that would cost her the entire season many Wisconsin fans and volleyball pundits thought that head coach Kelly Sheffield would go back to the transfer portal. However, he didn't. Wisconsin stayed quiet, and Sheffield trusted the roster he had, particularly one player, a true freshman: Madison Quest.
That bet by Sheffield is paying off early in this Wisconsin volleyball season. The true freshman has now started the last two games in place of Grace Egan, but it was the Grace Lopez injury that gave her the opportunity.
"When Grace Lopez tore her knee in the spring, Madison immediately slipped into that position without ever playing it. We have a spring of training, being able to play four spring matches in front of good crowds, without that I'm not sure we would be at the starting place we are at now."Kelly Sheffield
Wisconsin's Kelly Sheffield was impressed with Madison Quest's willingness to play wherever
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Sheffield was impressed with her in high school, enough to recruit her to Wisconsin. She was a star in high school and one of the best players in the country, but he loved her attitude. That attitude would end up helping her get this early start. Sheffield said her willingness to move was amazing. Some players get stuck in a "this is the position that I play," but not Madison, who was eager to move if it helped the team.
That bet by Sheffield is paying off because not only is she getting valuable experience and opportunities as a true freshman, she's performing at a high clip. She's now sixth on the team in points, fourth in hitting percentage, with 27 total kills on the season.
She's now been a starter in back-to-back starts, and those stats only continue to improve. The excitement for the future is real, but Quest is taking advantage of the present thanks to Sheffield's belief in her, even though she was a true freshman.