MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin volleyball head coach Kelly Sheffield was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Northeast Regional Coach of the Year, the organization announced on Tuesday. In addition, Sarah Franklin, Danielle Hart, Julia Orzol and Devyn Robinson were named to the all-region team. Sheffield is now a finalist for AVCA National Coach of the Year while the players will be up for All-America honors, which will be announced Dec. 14.
Sheffield earns his sixth regional coach of the year award. He led the Badgers to the 2022 Big Ten Championship, their fourth consecutive and his fifth overall. In his 10th year at Wisconsin, Sheffield is 261-56, having advanced to at least the Sweet 16 round of play in the NCAA tournament for 10 straight years. The Badgers have made four appearances in the NCAA final four, including the last three years in a row, winning the program’s first national championship in 2021.
Franklin, a 6-foot-4 outside hitter, earns her second-straight all-region honor after being recognized last season while at Michigan State. She leads the Badgers and ranks seventh in the Big Ten with 3.58 kills per set. The Lake Worth, Florida, native has double-figure kills in a team-best 21 matches, including three matches with 20-plus kills. A six-rotation player, Franklin adds 1.80 digs per set and has four double-doubles this season.
A 6-foot-4 middle blocker, Hart earns her first AVCA All-Region honor. She ranks sixth in the nation and fourth in the Big Ten with 1.52 blocks per set. A native of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Hart leads the team with a .438 hitting percentage, which ranks second in the Big Ten. She adds 1.80 kills per set, tallying double-figure kills in five matches.
The 2021 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Orzol also earns her first all-region award. The 6-foot outside hitter ranks third on the team with 2.55 kills per set. She has double-figure kills in 13 matches this season, tying her career high with 19 kills at Purdue on Oct. 8. The Olsztyn, Poland, native adds 2.32 digs and 0.51 blocks per set, earning a career-high 16 digs in two matches while tallying four double-doubles this year.
From Ankeny, Iowa, Robinson earns her second all-region honor, also being recognized in 2020. The 6-foot-3 right-side hitter ranks second on the team with 2.64 kills per set while ranking third on…
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