Wisconsin’s week at the UW Field House checked a lot of boxes, and the biggest one was the first sweep of the season. The Badgers handled a pair of SEC opponents in the Big Ten/SEC Challenge, taking down No. 17 Florida and Auburn after a difficult opening stretch at the Opening Spike Classic.
The Florida match set the tone. In front of a sold-out crowd, Wisconsin survived a five-set battle, winning 25-21, 20-25, 25-19, 24-26, 15-13.
Freshman Audrey Flanagan delivered 18 kills, nine digs and three blocks, while Grace Egan added 17 kills. Wisconsin finished with 71 kills to Florida’s 57.
The Badgers had 27 errors, but the attack stayed busy all night. Fellow freshman Lynney Tarnow chipped in 16 kills, and Charlie Fuerbringer ran the offense with 55 assists and 15 digs.
Thursday brought a cleaner performance. Wisconsin swept Auburn 25-23, 25-17, 25-20 to notch its first sweep of the season. Halle Thompson led the way with 11 kills and 11 digs, and transfer Eva Travis added 10 kills.
Wisconsin finished with 46 kills to Auburn’s 33, hit .305 to Auburn’s .196, and committed 14 errors. Fuerbringer added another double-double with 36 assists and 12 digs.
The Badgers came out sharp in the first set and never gave up the lead, even after Auburn made a late push. The second set was tight early, with the teams tied at 13, but Wisconsin ripped off a 6-0 run and closed it out 25-17.
In the third, Auburn grabbed the early edge before Wisconsin answered with five straight points. The teams were level at 17 before the Badgers finished on an 8-3 run to seal the sweep.
Next for Wisconsin is a road trip to College Station, where it will face No. 8 Texas A&M next Friday before meeting No.
2 Texas on Sunday. The Badgers have already been tested plenty to start the season, and they’ll get two more big chances to answer the bell.
In Other News...
Wisconsin Has 3 Freshmen Who Could Matter Right Away Against Notre Dame
For most of the offseason chatter around Wisconsins 2026 recruiting class, the attention naturally landed on quarterback Ryan Hopkins. But as fall camp has unfolded, a few other true freshmen have started to push their way into the conversation, and that matters with Notre Dame on the horizon. Wide receiver Brock, tight end Sievers and defensive player Dunmore have each shown enough promise to put themselves in position for early snaps, even if their first impact is more likely to come on special teams or in limited rotational work.
That kind of contribution may not make headlines in September, but it can still shape a season, especially against a matchup that will demand clean execution and depth from the Badgers. Coaches have liked what theyve seen from the trios work ethic and intelligence, and those traits often translate fastest when young players are asked to do the little things well. Wisconsin is still early in the process of finding out exactly how much it can trust them, but the fact they are already in the mix says plenty about the opportunity in front of them. [Read more 🡒]
Marcus Freeman Just Sent Wisconsin Fans A Needed Reminder At Lambeau
An intriguing subplot is already building around the upcoming game at Lambeau Field, where Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman and Wisconsin's Luke Fickell will meet as head coaches for the first time. Their connection runs deeper than a one-off matchup, with Freeman having played for Fickell and later coached under him, which gives this game a familiar edge even before the teams take the field. Freeman made sure to reinforce that point during his Week 1 press conference, offering clear respect for Wisconsin and the roster Fickell has put together.
From a Badgers perspective, the praise landed as a useful reminder that this is not a program being overlooked by those who know the sport best. Freeman singled out quarterback Colton Joseph along with linebackers Mason Posa and Sebastian Cheeks, which says plenty about where the attention is heading as the game approaches. With both coaches now leading their own programs, the matchup carries the feel of a reunion and a measuring-stick moment at the same time, and Wisconsin fans have reason to believe their team is being taken seriously. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Is Quietly Building Something Important Before The 2026 Season
Wisconsins offseason staffing move may not have generated much noise outside the program, but it is the kind of hire that can matter a lot when a football staff is trying to get organized for the long haul. The Badgers brought in Marcus Berry as Senior Director of Personnel Strategy, adding a veteran front-office voice with more than 25 years of experience in college and NFL personnel work. Berry arrives from Temple, where he served as Chief of Staff and Director of Player Personnel, and his background suggests Wisconsin is putting real emphasis on the machinery behind roster building.
It is also notable timing for a program entering a new administrative era, since Berry is one of the first football hires under Athletic Director Shawn Eichorst. For Wisconsin, the move points to a broader effort to sharpen how the Badgers evaluate and manage personnel before the 2026 season arrives, with the kind of behind-the-scenes infrastructure that can shape recruiting, retention and roster planning. The hire does not answer every question about where the program is headed, but it does show Wisconsin is taking a deliberate step toward building something more organized beneath the surface. [Read more 🡒]