Wisconsin Badgers volleyball head coach Kelly Sheffield kicked off the 2026 season with a sold-out showdown against former alumni.
In the end, the alumni, a team that consisted of professional players across the board, took down Sheffield's 2026 squad, 3-1.
Mimi Colyer, Sarah Franklin, and Temi Thomas-Ailara helped guide the alumni to victories in the first two sets, 25-21 and 25-23. Wisconsin's current roster kept things close and pulled out a 25-21 win in the third set.
Ultimately, the alumni's professional experience proved to be too much as they took the fourth set, 25-22.
Colyer led the way with 12 kills for the alumni, but Franklin wasn't too far behind with 11. Thomas-Ailara added nine while Tiffany Clark had a team-high 20 digs.
Wisconsin's 2026 roster was up for the challenge
We're still
happy to be back 👐#OnWisconsin || @UWHealth pic.twitter.com/kJ1GEwIp2l
— Wisconsin Volleyball (@BadgerVB) August 9, 2026
Altogether, freshman Audrey Flanagan led the way with her 17 kills. The only other current collegiate player to tally double digits was senior Eva Travis, who had 10.
Other star performances from Sheffield's 2026 team included Grace Egan's nine kills and Natalie Wardlow's eight.
Charlie Feuerbringer has been catching a ton of attention ahead of the 2026 season, and she held her own with 35 assists.
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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Takeaways from Wisconsin volleyball's preseason match vs. alumni
