MADISON, Wis. – The two most decorated Badgers for the Wisconsin volleyball program, Lauren Carlini and Dana Rettke, have been named to the 2024 Women’s National Indoor Volleyball Team, announced by USA Volleyball Wednesday evening.
Carlini and Rettke are two-of-12 athletes named to the 2024 USA Volleyball Olympic roster. Of the 12 athletes, eight are from the Big Ten.
“To make the Olympic team and be one of the 12 players selected to represent your sport and country is what you dream of,” said Badger head coach Kelly Sheffield. “Lauren and Dana, as well as everyone else who’s been in that gym, have worked their butts off. They’ve evolved their game and been willing to do whatever it takes to help their team. I couldn’t be more excited for both of them and the great opportunity that is in front of it.”
Lauren Carlini helped set the tone during the start of the Sheffield era. The four-time AVCA All-American and three-time First Team All-American helped the Badgers to a runner-up finish at the 2013 NCAA Championships. In addition to her freshman campaign, Carlini was named the 2013 Big Ten Freshman of the Year and the AVCA Northeast Regional Freshman of the Year. To cap off her accolades, the Illinois native was also a four-time All-Big Ten selection and was named 2014 Big Ten Player of the Year and 2014 and 2015 Big Ten Setter of the Year. Lastly, in 2016-17, Carlini was honored with the Sullivan Award for the best amateur athlete in any sport in the United States.
Professionally, the six-foot-two setter played her first three seasons out of college in Italy with team Savino Del Bene in Scandicci and a season with Igor Gorgonzola Volley in Novara. Since then, she has made stops in Moscow, Russia, with team Dinamo Moscow, THY Volleyball in Istanbul, Turkey, and most recently with Volleyball Casalmaggiore in Cremona, Italy. She has been Team USA since 2016.
Dana Rettke became the first five-time AVCA First Team All-American during her tenure with the Badgers and helped the Badgers to its first National Championship in 2021. The six-foot-eight middle blocker was also named AVCA National Player of the Year in 2021, where she averaged 1.43 blocks per set, held a .430 hitting percentage, led the team with 3.41…
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