Taking the court: Players and fans are ready for another action-packed Badger volleyball season
Photos by Taylor Wolfram
The Kohl Center was the backdrop for thousands of volleyball fans — most sporting Badger red in support of the home team — during the Opening Spike Classic. The weekend-long event marked the start of the Wisconsin women’s volleyball regular season, and it was apparent once again why the team is ranked in the top 10. On Friday, Aug. 29, the Badgers defeated the No. 14 Kansas Jayhawks in a five-set thriller that had the arena buzzing. While the team fell to the fifth-ranked Texas Longhorns on Sunday, Aug. 31, the Badgers focused on the positives ahead of the 2025 season.
“This is a good chance for us to kind of go through the tough together, go through this first loss and really see how we are going to bounce back,” says senior outside hitter Mimi Colyer. “We saw … how we’re going to grow through the season and how we’re going to do that together as a team, and just really help us in the future.”
Fans walk into the Kohl Center before the #8-ranked Wisconsin Badger volleyball took on the #5-ranked Texas Longhorns during the Opening Spike Classic in the Kohl Center. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison(From left to right) Joseph Schuler, Will Feuerer, Aditya Shah, Stella Cuene, and Erin Kelly cheer on the Badgers with playful signs that were updated regularly during the three-set match. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–MadisonThe AreaRED student section put up their hands to wish the Badgers luck as Mimi Colyer serves the ball. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–MadisonBucky Badger and the Spirit Squad hype up the crowd. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–MadisonOutside hitter Grace Egan (#32) brings a whole new meaning to “Jump Around” as she soars off the court to spike the ball. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–MadisonLet’s go, Red! Fans cheer after the Badgers score a hard-fought point. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–MadisonThe Badgers are digging it. The team celebrates a point during after a heated rally with the Texas Longhorns. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–MadisonThe crowd gets loud as the Badgers keep the score even in the second set. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison