Kate Yanchulis
Oct 25, 2022
The No. 5 Wisconsin women’s volleyball team will face off against No. 1 Nebraska on Wednesday in the midst of an eight-game winning streak — and an ongoing photo leak investigation.
The University of Wisconsin police department is investigating a leak of private photos and videos of Badgers women’s volleyball players, which were then shared on the internet, the athletic department announced on Oct. 19.
One of the photos appears to have been taken after the team won the Big Ten title last November and shows members of the team posing with their sports bras lifted, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
The athletic department called the leak a “significant and wrongful invasion” of the athletes’ privacy.
Despite the turmoil of the leak and the investigation, the Badgers keep winning. They swept Michigan State at home Friday and beat Michigan 3-1 on the road Sunday, improving to 15-3 overall and 9-1 in Big Ten play.
Still here. 😤 pic.twitter.com/A8a3bTwyMh
— Wisconsin Volleyball (@BadgerVB) October 24, 2022
Wisconsin outside hitter Sarah Franklin, who transferred from Michigan State in the offseason, stepped up against her former team. She recorded eight kills and four blocks in the win over the Spartans.
Against Michigan, middle blocker Devyn Robinson led the team with 17 kills. The Wolverines took the first set, but the Badgers won the next three to come away with the win.
“After set one, I felt like we just needed to stay calm and loose and it felt tense in the huddle, but we just had to realize that we have to take a deep breath and get back to our game,” Robinson said after the match.
Next up: a national championship rematch against top-ranked Nebraska (18-1, 10-0) in front of a sold-out crowd at UW Field House at 9 p.m. ET Wednesday. The match will air on Big Ten Network.
The Badgers bested the Cornhuskers in five sets to take their first NCAA title in program history last December. They’ll look to hand the Cornhuskers their first Big Ten loss of the season and extend their winning streak to nine matches.
Women’s sports, straight to your inbox
Start your morning off right with Just Women’s Sports’ free, 5x-a-week newsletter.
Dee Lab
Aug 8, 2024
In perhaps their toughestOlympictaskso far, USA Volleyball took down Brazil 3-2 in this morning’s back-and-forth semifinal to advance to Sunday’s gold medal match.
The win guarantees the US a seventh Olympic podium finish and the chance to repeat theirTokyo gold medal win— a feat they accomplished by beating Brazil back in 2021.
A volleyball rivalry with Olympic history
Thelongtime rival nationshave met on the Olympic court many times, including five medal contests over the last eight Olympics.
In those five matches, Brazil walked away with three medals (two gold, one bronze), while Team USA notched one goldand one bronze in two wins.
Team USA ends Brazil's Olympic gold medal hopes
While there wasn’t a medalon the line in this morning's five-set thriller, the teams definitely played like there was. The US struck first, taking the first set before trading the next three with Brazil, who forced the deciding fifth set largely off the outstanding play of star Gabi Guimarães.
But the States shifted into gear in the fifth, downing Brazil 15-11 off aKathryn Plummer killto clinch a spot in Sunday's final.
Plummer led the US with 26 points, while fellow outside hitter Avery Skinner and opposite Annie Drews contributed an impressive 19 and 18, respectively.
What's next for USA Volleyball
Today's win might have been the USA’s toughest challenge on their path to back-to-back gold, but to complete the job, they’ll have to take down the winner of today’sTurkey-Italy semifinal.
The volleyball gold medal match will kick off on Sunday at 7 AM ET, with live coverage acrossNBC networks.
USA Beach Volleyball loses Olympic medal bid
Over on the sand,Team USA’s last hope for a beach volleyball medal vanished in Tuesday’s quarterfinal round, making this thefirst Summer Olympicswithout a US team on the podium since 2000.
Last-standing US pairKelly Chengand Sara Hughes fell in straight sets to Switzerland’s Nina Brunner and Tanja Hüberli, just one day after fellow US duo Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth fell in the round of 16.
It’s a disappointing finish for a national contingent that’s claimed four of the previous fivegold medals— most recently by Alix Klineman and April Ross’s TokyoA-Team.
Dee Lab
Aug 8, 2024
Every member of Team USAcontributed to Wednesday's88-74 Olympic quarterfinal winover Nigeria, withroster depthhighlighting the stat sheet.
With all 12 players tallying points and assists on 31 of the team's 34 made field goals,USA Basketballnotched its 59th-consecutive Olympic victory.
Mid-game scoring run fuels USA dub
A slow US start kept the game tight into the second quarter, until a prolific 21-6 run saw Team USA close out the first half with a 19-point lead. They then added to their bucket bonanza with a 10-0 run to open the third quarter.
Despite leading Nigeria with 19 points and helping trim the USA’s lead to 13 in the fourth quarter,Promise Amukamaraand her squad ultimately fell short of silencing Team USA's shooting prowess.
Wilson makes more US Olympic history
USA Basketball standoutA’ja Wilsonled the charge with her third double-double in Paris, her 20 points and 11 rebounds marking her fourth Olympic double-double — the most ever recorded by a US woman.
Also showing up big in the paint was Breanna Stewart, with 13 points, five rebounds, and three assists, whileBrittney Grineradded 11 points of her own.
Young capitalizes on her starting lineup shot
The player who shined the brightestwas arguably three-time WNBA All-StarJackie Young.Young replaced six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi in the lineup, mainly due to her strength and aggressive defensive ability — skills that helped her stifle top Nigeria scorerEzinne Kalu.
In addition to her defensive contributions, Young also posted 15 points and three rebounds.
"She's playing the way we want to play both ends of the floor," head coachCheryl Reevesaid of the Aces double-threat. "And it's time to get to that space where we understand that if we don't win, we go home."
Olympic semifinal against Australia looms
Australiaposes the next hurdle along Team USA’swin-or-go-home huntfor an eighth-straight Olympic gold medal.
The US last beat the Opals 79-55 in Tokyo, and the US will aim for a similarly orchestrated result in tomorrow’s Olympic semifinal.
JWS Staff
Aug 8, 2024
Welcome to The Gold Standard, hosted by WNBA and Team USA basketball legend Lisa Leslie and NWSL and USWNT great Kelley O'Hara.
In today's episode, our hosts recap the USWNT semifinal win over Germany, Team USA's 3×3 basketball bronze, Kevin Durant breaking Lisa's Olympic record, Sha'Carri Richardson's silver medal, and so much more.
Watch along for expert insight from gold medalists, exclusive behind-the-scenes stories, and pure enjoyment of the Summer Games.
Subscribe to Just Women's Sports on YouTube to never miss an episode.
JWS Staff
Aug 7, 2024
The 91st, your one-stop-shop for all things USWNT at the 2024 Paris Olympics is back and breaking down the Olympic semifinals.
It wasn't always pretty, but the result remains the same. The USWNT is through to the Olympic gold medal match after back-to-back 1-0 extra time wins over Japan and Germany. Hosts Jordan Angeli, Jess McDonald, and Duda Pavao react to those games, provide player ratings, and talk through Brazil's stunning win over World Cup champions Spain.
Later, Allie Long joins in for a game of "This or That," addressing such pressing issues as whether or not Simone Biles or Katie Ledecky is the bigger GOAT.
To close things out, the crew previews the USWNT's gold medal final and discusses whether Emma Hayes should make some shock lineup changes in order to put the best XI on the pitch.
Subscribe to Just Women's Sports on YouTube to never miss an episode.
