MADISON, Wis. – Gulce Guctekin, a freshman on the second-ranked Wisconsin volleyball team, has been named the Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Week and Co-Freshman of the Week, the conference office announced on Monday. She earns her second Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week award and her third Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor.
A 5-foot-5 libero, Guctekin averaged 5.38 digs per set, including a career-high 28 digs at No. 8 Ohio State last Saturday. At Nebraska, the Istanbul, Turkey, native added 15 digs and was perfect in 25 service receptions as the Badgers secured their fourth-straight Big Ten championship. She also added one service ace against the Huskers and put up 12 assists on the weekend.
No. 3 Wisconsin (25-3) was selected as a top regional seed and the No. 3 overall seed in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. UW hosts first and second round matches on Friday and Saturday in the UW Field House.
No. 24 Washington (20-10) takes on TCU (16-10) in the opening first-round match on Friday at 4:30 p.m. before Wisconsin (25-3) faces off against Quinnipiac (14-14) at 7 p.m. First-round winners advance to the second round of the tournament on Saturday at 6 p.m. in the Field House. All matches air on ESPN+.
The Badgers are the reigning NCAA champions and hold a 60-24 (.714) all-time record in the program’s 25 NCAA tournament appearances. UW is 32-8 under head coach Kelly Sheffield in nine years in the championship, advancing to at least the Sweet 16 round of play each season, including four appearances in the national championship final four with three coming over the last three seasons.
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