Big Ten media days end with Wisconsin, Rutgers, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, Illinois, Penn St.

CHICAGO — The inaugural Big Ten volleyball media days were precedent setting and a big hit.

“There’s so much gratitude for this entire past couple days, looking at a room full of people that are trying to shine a spotlight onto our sport,” Wisconsin coach Kelly Sheffield said.

“It’s been a first-class. It’s been done really, really well. There’s a lot of appreciation, a lot of excitement for what we’re about ready to get into a new season.”

Tuesday at Big Ten Network studios, Wisconsin was joined by by the head coaches and two players each from Rutgers, Maryland, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota and Penn State. 

Monday the other seven teams were on hand, Northwestern, Michigan State, Michigan, Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio State and Purdue.

The season begins Friday, August 26, with a full schedule including a couple of showcase matches when Ohio State plays host to Texas and Minnesota plays Baylor at TCU.

Also, Maryland plays host to Navy and Rhode Island, Purdue plays Bowling Green, Iowa plays Gonzaga, Michigan plays Old Dominion, Rutgers plays Fresno State, Iowa plays Florida International, Indiana plays Indiana State, Michigan State plays Louisiana-Lafayette, Penn State plays Connecticut, Nebraska plays Tulsa, Wisconsin plays TCU, and Michigan plays Northern Arizona.

Highlights, in order of their appearances, follow from Tuesday’s session.

RUTGERS: The Knights finished 8-21 last season, 0-20 (which includes a couple of late-season COVID forfeits) in the B1G, but third-year coach Caitlyn Schweihofer remains positive.

“It definitely is hard, and I look to them because for me I’m their leader. I think the team is reflective of what my attitude towards this process is. And I know what I signed up for, so to speak. And they do, too. They committed to this,” Schweifhofer said.

“And in the recruiting process, I’m very specific about what type of demeanor and outlook and what our vision is, because it does take a very special person to come in and suffer through some of those hard moments. And what was said last night by the speakers was very, very inspiring to me, and I think to them as well because how I look at it is a lot of times you do have some failure before you reach your success.

“Throughout my career, I’ve done this before. So they haven’t but I have. In my first go-around, I used to really think, am I doing this right? Am I making the best decisions? Am I going about the process correctly? But…