Shortly removed from the 2026 Big Ten volleyball media days, it's fun to revisit some of the Wisconsin Badgers best quotes.
To no surprise, head coach Kelly Sheffield was all over the event. He had numerous interviews, and each did a great job getting Badgers fans excited for the upcoming season.
With Wisconsin's 2026 schedule just weeks away from beginning, Sheffield previewed this year's team and what makes these players so special.
"There is a variety of personalities on this team... I think what we look like coming out of the gates, and these guys are competitive as heck, so they're not wanting to wait until October," he said.
Sheffield believes Badgers fans will get to see a ton of growth out of this roster throughout the season, and it's one
that is thrown straight into the fire as part of the 2026 AVCA First Serve.
What is Wisconsin's identity this season?
"We want players that, when their backs are against the wall, they come out trying to set the world on fire."
— Big Ten Volleyball (@B1GVolleyball) August 3, 2026
Kelly Sheffield on the identity of @BadgerVB 👇 pic.twitter.com/cfwBz4XxXF
Wisconsin's head coach wants these girls to be tough, he wants them to be gritty, and most importantly, be resilient.
"That's what we try to be," Sheffield said. "We want to be a team that if an opponent gets on a three-point run, they're not crushed, they don't think it's over,"
"We want players that, when their backs are against the wall, they come out trying to set the world on fire."
Hear from setter Charlie Fuerbringer
"He just really wants us to be the best versions of ourselves, and it is so obvious."@BadgerVB's Charlie Fuerbringer on HC Kelly Sheffield 👇 pic.twitter.com/ClU2OOgavr
— Big Ten Volleyball (@B1GVolleyball) August 3, 2026
Charlie Fuerbringer is a California native who's set to play her junior year at Wisconsin. The 5-foot-11 setter started 24 matches a year ago and was named to the 2025 All-Big Ten First Team.
Fuerbringer said she's trying to be a "come with me teammate."
Simply put, she wants to make everyone around her better.
In a sit-down interview with the Big Ten Network, Fuerbringer revealed that coach Sheffield always tells the girls "great morning" as a way to set the standard for the day.
"He [Sheffield] just really wants us to be the best versions of ourselves, and it is so obvious," she said. "He is helping us everyday, asking us questions, picking our brains... Learning from him has just been so amazing."
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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Biggest takeaways from Wisconsin volleyball at 2026 Big Ten Media Days
