The Wisconsin Badgers are done with their exhibitions, and they have a week of practice before they have to take on the No. 3 Kentucky Wildcats in the AVCA First Serve. The team that knocked the Badgers out of the NCAA Tournament last season. There's sweet revenge in the air, or Badger fans are hoping. Kentucky is a wagon again this season, and while there were a few losses, they've all been replaced.
Kentucky also did two exhibitions against Ohio and Dayton. Both were 4-0 sweeps and never particularly close, but they did give some insight into the Wildcats. There are three things Wisconsin needs to know before Friday's huge match to start the season.
1. Brooklyn DeLeye is still going to be the problem
This is no surprise to anyone, but DeLeye is a problem. She's going to be one of the frontrunners for AVCA Player of the Year. She had 15 kills against Wisconsin in the NCAA Tournament last year, and actually Wisconsin had a pretty good answer for her. They only allowed her a .160 hitting percentage. However, Eva Hudson killed the Badgers as attention was focused on DeLeye, and the Badgers struggled to fend off both top-level attackers.
DeLeye is still the main weapon for Craig Skinner's Wildcats, and in the exhibitions she showed she hasn't missed a beat. Kentucky doesn't post box scores of its exhibitions, but the reporters on site were clear that DeLeye is ready to go.
I cannot tell you how nice it is to see Brooklyn DeLeye be able to go up and rip at a ball with a full jump and approach again. From all accounts, the senior is FULLY healthy and can jump with no pain again. Gonna be a fun year 😼
— Hunter Mitchell (@HMitchell14) August 8, 2026
2. Morgan Gaerte gives Kentucky another huge offensive weapon
The Wildcats lost Eva Hudson after last season, a big sigh of relief for Wisconsin. Then Skinner went out and grabbed first-team All-ACC Morgan Gaerte, who had 497 kills last season. She's 6'5 and not scared to swing hard and fast. She's a real problem for opposing defenses, and Wisconsin's back row will need to be ready.
She was kept out of the Dayton exhibition to keep her healthy before Wisconsin, but all reports are that she will be fully ready to go come Friday. Her play against Ohio was something to behold, though, and revealed that she may actually be an upgrade from Hudson for the Wildcats.
Morgan Gaerte blasts a ball on the D-ball to bail the Cats out of a sticky dig in transition. Her ability to terminate on that side of the court, in the front or the back row, is going to totally transform the way this Kentucky team can play offensively.
— Hunter Mitchell (@HMitchell14) August 8, 2026
Related: 4 questions Wisconsin volleyball still hasn't answered even after Butler exhibition
3. Kentucky's middle blocker buzz was quiet in the exhibitions
Lizzie Carr and Kennedy Washington are returning and will get almost all the playing time. But they lost some depth after those two. The Wildcats lost Brooke Bultema and Jordyn Dailey to the transfer portal last season. That hurts the middle blocker depth. Washington will be the go-to after Carr and will play alongside the star middle blocker. There hasn't been much buzz for either in the exhibition.
Getting nitpicky here because Kentucky is a wagon and Wisconsin will absolutely have their hands full, but if you have to find a weakness, it may be here. Something the Badgers will look to take advantage of on Friday in the opening of the AVCA First Serve.
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