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Taking the court: Players and fans are ready for another action-packed Badger volleyball season

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​Photos by Taylor Wolfram
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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.”

An exterior shot of the Kohl Center show fans walking into the building
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
Five Badger fans cheer for the Badgers, making 'w' signs with their hands. One fan holds up a sign in support of the Badger team.
(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–Madison
A zoomed out photo shows the Badger women's volleyball team and the Texas Longhorns women's volleyball team on a volleyball court. The court is surrounded by cheering fans.
The AreaRED student section put up their hands to wish the Badgers luck as Mimi Colyer serves the ball. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
Bucky Badger holds up a guitar prop on the volleyball court. Behind him, the Wisconsin Badgers Spirit Squad stand in their cheer formations.
Bucky Badger and the Spirit Squad hype up the crowd. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
Egan, in mid jump, spikes the ball across from two Texas Longhorn players who are jumping up in an attempt to stop the ball.
Outside 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–Madison
Two fans stand among a sea of Badger fans and cheer on the team.
Let’s go, Red! Fans cheer after the Badgers score a hard-fought point. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
The Badger women's volleyball team gathers in mid-court to cheer each other on after winning a point.
The Badgers are digging it. The team celebrates a point during after a heated rally with the Texas Longhorns. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
A zoomed out photo shows the Badger women's volleyball team and the Texas Longhorns women's volleyball team on a volleyball court. The court is surrounded by cheering fans.
The crowd gets loud as the Badgers keep the score even in the second set. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison

Tags: student life, UW Athletics

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