Badgers volleyball players earn Big Ten honors

(UW ATHLETICS) MADISON – Sarah Franklin, a senior outside hitter on the third-ranked Wisconsin volleyball team, has been named the 2023 Big Ten Conference Player of the Year, the league office announced on Thursday morning. Franklin was also a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection, being joined on the first team by sophomore Carter Booth and junior Anna Smrek. Senior Devyn Robinson earned second-team All-Big Ten honors.

Franklin is the sixth Badger to be named the Big Ten Player of the Year and the first since Dana Rettke was honored in 2019. The 6-foot-4 outside hitter leads the team and ranks fifth in the Big Ten with 4.17 kills, racking up double-figure kills in 23-of-29 matches this season. In the backcourt, Franklin adds 2.02 digs per set with seven double-doubles on the season. The senior tallies 4.64 points per set, while adding 0.52 blocks and 0.19 service aces per set. Finishing the regular season strong, Franklin earned AVCA National Player of the Week on Tuesday to go along with three Big Ten Player of the Week awards this year. She earns her third first-team All-Big Ten honor, earning awards in 2020 and 2022.

A 6-foot-7 middle blocker, Booth leads the Big Ten and rank fourth nationally with 1.55 blocks per set while also leading the conference and ranking fourth in the NCAA with a .440 hitting percentage. The sophomore also adds 1.77 kills per set.  Booth earns her second straight first-team All-Big Ten honor after being recognized in 2022 at Minnesota.

Smrek earns her first All-Big Ten honor, having a break-out season in 2023. The 6-foot-9 right-side hitter ranks second on the team with 2.62 kills per set, putting away double-figure kills in 10 matches. Hitting a season-best .399, the opposite comes in at third in the Big Ten and 20th in the NCAA in attack percentage.  She ranks third on the team with 1.09 blocks per set.

Robinson ranks third on the team with 2.58 kills per set, tallying double-figure kills in 10 matches. The 6-foot-2 right-side hitter tied her career high with 21 kills vs. Arkansas in late August. She also adds 0.89 blocks per set, which ranks fourth on the squad. Robinson earns her third-straight All-Big Ten honor after earning first-team awards in 2021 and 2022.  

Senior MJ Hammill represents Wisconsin with the Big Ten Sportsmanship award for sportsmanship and ethical behavior. Honorees must also be in good academic standing and must have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. The 6-foot-2 setter puts up 4.87 assists per set as part of the Badgers’ 6-2 offense. Hammill also adds 2.23 digs per set.