JWS Staff
Nov 29, 2022
Defending champion Wisconsin volleyball ended its regular season on an 18-match winning streak.
The Badgers have not lost since Sept. 25, even as the team endured a tough Big Ten schedule and the turmoil of a photo leak investigation, and now they enter the NCAA tournament with a 25-3 overall record and the No. 1 seed.
— Wisconsin Volleyball (@BadgerVB) November 28, 2022𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙍𝙤𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙊𝙢𝙖𝙝𝙖 begins now.
Badgers earn the No. 1 Seed in the Top Right Region. pic.twitter.com/BPSfSPSNHc
The University of Wisconsin athletic department announced on Oct. 19 the investigation into a a leak of private photos and videos of Badgers women’s volleyball players, which were then shared on the internet.
At least one of the photos appears to have been taken after the team won the Big Ten title last November and shows members of the team posing with their sports bras lifted, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
The athletic department called the leak a “significant and wrongful invasion” of the athletes’ privacy. Yet even after the off-court issue, which highlighted the vulnerable position of college athletes, the Badgers continued to roll.
Wisconsin finished its conference season Saturday with a 3-1 win against Ohio State, clinching a 19-1 conference record and theBig Ten title. The only loss came on Sept. 25 against Minnesota.
“There was so much learning that came from our one loss against Minnesota,” coach Kelly Sheffield said. “That was really important for where we are right now. There was so much opportunity for us to learn throughout the course of the year and I am so proud of them.”
The 18-match winning streak is tied for the second-longest winning streak in program history. The 19-1 conference record is tied for the best conference record in program history.
Wisconsin already has sold out all-session tickets to its first- and second-round matches in the NCAA tournament. The Badgers will start their quest for a repeat title at 8 p.m. ET Friday against Quinnipiac.
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Claire Watkins
Aug 9, 2024
Olympic basketball enters the semifinals today,with a red-hotTeam USAtaking another important step toward seizing their eighth-straight Olympic gold.
After soundly defeating Nigeria 88-74 in theirquarterfinal, the US cruised to a comfortable 83-64 win over Australia this morning to reach Sunday's gold medal match. Plus, they got the job done by recording double-digit wins throughout the Paris tournament.
The last time the US failed to make an Olympicgold medal gamewas in 1992, when they last suffered any defeat at the Olympic level.
Team USA extends Olympic win streak with semifinal victory
The victory gave the US their60th straight winat the Olympic Games, once again showcasing depth and talent from every player on the roster.
After finishing pool play with an impressive+58 point differential, the team's dominance has continued in the knockout rounds.
The reigning Olympic champions pushedthe margin even further against Australia, with their lead ballooning to 30 points early in the fourth quarter.
France vs. Belgium will decide gold medal match
The US must now wait to find out their gold medal opponent later this afternoon,and today's second semifinal could bring even more fireworks when it tips off at 3 PM ET.
Host nation France will take onBelgium, a team with a wealth of fans traveling to Paris to cheer on their national team.
France has appeared self-assured throughout the Olympic tournament, with a pool play loss to Australia their only blemish thus far. But Belgium has looked similarly dangerous, with their only loss coming at the hands of the US in the group stage.
Belgium forward Emma Meessemanseta new record for consecutive 20-point Olympic performances with seven, a stat that dates back to the Tokyo Games. France, however, should feel confident in their attempt to better theirbronze medal finishin Tokyo, relying on Marine Johannes's sharpshooting combined with Gabby Williams's stellar overall play.
How to watch Sunday's Olympic gold medal game
With 60-straight wins behind them, the US has only one game left between them and historic Olympic glory.They'll go for gold against either France or Belgium on Sunday at 9:30 AM ET, with live coverage acrossNBC networks.
Claire Watkins
Aug 9, 2024
The USWNT is one match awayfrom theirultimate goal after making their way through agrueling Olympic tournamentto advance to Saturday'sgold medal gameagainst Brazil.
This will be the third Olympic gold medal match meeting for the2024 Concacaf W Gold Cupfinalists, with the US defeating Brazil at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Games to top the podium.
Retiring Marta fuels Brazil's podium push
While the USWNT — fresh off a disappointing2023 World Cuprun — are undoubtedly motivated in their push for gold, Brazil might have an even greater galvanizing force. Legendary Brazil footballerMartaannounced in April that the 2024 Games would be her last international tournament with Brazil — a team that's never before won a World Cup or Olympic title.
What's more, Marta's teammates carried the burden of reaching the gold medal game: The 38-year-old will return on Saturday after a two-gamered card suspensiondating back to the team's final group stage game against Spain.
Attacking key to USWNT Olympic gold medal success
The US most recently defeatedBrazil 1-0 at the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup final behind Lindsey Horan's46th-minute goalin stoppage time. That said, Brazil arguably has more immediate momentum after rattling offtwo major upsetsin the Olympic knockout rounds, first against France and then Spain.
To win, the US will have to stifle Brazil's potent attack in what will likely be an open end-to-end battle, while simultaneously converting their chances infront of goal.
Germany denies World Cup champs in bronze medal match
Germany beat Spain1-0 in this morning's bronze medal contest, leaving the reigning World Cup champions and early tournament favorites without a medal for their efforts in Paris.
Giulia Gwinn put Germany ahead in the second half, sinking a penalty after being fouled in Spain's 18-yard box. Later, Gotham FC goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger once again played the hero for Germany, saving an Alexia Putellas penalty kick in second-half stoppage time to secure the clean sheet.
How to watch USWNT vs. Brazil in the Olympic gold-medal match
The USWNT kicks off the gold medal match against Brazil on Saturday at 11 AM ET, with live coverage acrossNBC networks.
Dee Lab
Aug 8, 2024
In perhaps their toughestOlympictaskso far, USA Volleyball took down Brazil 3-2 in this morning’s back-and-forth semifinal to advance to Sunday’s gold medal match.
The win guarantees the US a seventh Olympic podium finish and the chance to repeat theirTokyo gold medal win— a feat they accomplished by beating Brazil back in 2021.
A volleyball rivalry with Olympic history
Thelongtime rival nationshave met on the Olympic court many times, including five medal contests over the last eight Olympics.
In those five matches, Brazil walked away with three medals (two gold, one bronze), while Team USA notched one goldand one bronze in two wins.
Team USA ends Brazil's Olympic gold medal hopes
While there wasn’t a medalon the line in this morning's five-set thriller, the teams definitely played like there was. The US struck first, taking the first set before trading the next three with Brazil, who forced the deciding fifth set largely off the outstanding play of star Gabi Guimarães.
But the States shifted into gear in the fifth, downing Brazil 15-11 off aKathryn Plummer killto clinch a spot in Sunday's final.
Plummer led the US with 26 points, while fellow outside hitter Avery Skinner and opposite Annie Drews contributed an impressive 19 and 18, respectively.
What's next for USA Volleyball
Today's win might have been the USA’s toughest challenge on their path to back-to-back gold, but to complete the job, they’ll have to take down the winner of today’sTurkey-Italy semifinal.
The volleyball gold medal match will kick off on Sunday at 7 AM ET, with live coverage acrossNBC networks.
USA Beach Volleyball loses Olympic medal bid
Over on the sand,Team USA’s last hope for a beach volleyball medal vanished in Tuesday’s quarterfinal round, making this thefirst Summer Olympicswithout a US team on the podium since 2000.
Last-standing US pairKelly Chengand Sara Hughes fell in straight sets to Switzerland’s Nina Brunner and Tanja Hüberli, just one day after fellow US duo Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth fell in the round of 16.
It’s a disappointing finish for a national contingent that’s claimed four of the previous fivegold medals— most recently by Alix Klineman and April Ross’s TokyoA-Team.
Dee Lab
Aug 8, 2024
Every member of Team USAcontributed to Wednesday's88-74 Olympic quarterfinal winover Nigeria, withroster depthhighlighting the stat sheet.
With all 12 players tallying points and assists on 31 of the team's 34 made field goals,USA Basketballnotched its 59th-consecutive Olympic victory.
Mid-game scoring run fuels USA dub
A slow US start kept the game tight into the second quarter, until a prolific 21-6 run saw Team USA close out the first half with a 19-point lead. They then added to their bucket bonanza with a 10-0 run to open the third quarter.
Despite leading Nigeria with 19 points and helping trim the USA’s lead to 13 in the fourth quarter,Promise Amukamaraand her squad ultimately fell short of silencing Team USA's shooting prowess.
Wilson makes more US Olympic history
USA Basketball standoutA’ja Wilsonled the charge with her third double-double in Paris, her 20 points and 11 rebounds marking her fourth Olympic double-double — the most ever recorded by a US woman.
Also showing up big in the paint was Breanna Stewart, with 13 points, five rebounds, and three assists, whileBrittney Grineradded 11 points of her own.
Young capitalizes on her starting lineup shot
The player who shined the brightestwas arguably three-time WNBA All-StarJackie Young.Young replaced six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi in the lineup, mainly due to her strength and aggressive defensive ability — skills that helped her stifle top Nigeria scorerEzinne Kalu.
In addition to her defensive contributions, Young also posted 15 points and three rebounds.
"She's playing the way we want to play both ends of the floor," head coachCheryl Reevesaid of the Aces double-threat. "And it's time to get to that space where we understand that if we don't win, we go home."
Olympic semifinal against Australia looms
Australiaposes the next hurdle along Team USA’swin-or-go-home huntfor an eighth-straight Olympic gold medal.
The US last beat the Opals 79-55 in Tokyo, and the US will aim for a similarly orchestrated result in tomorrow’s Olympic semifinal.
