Following its first Big Ten win of the 2024 campaign, Maryland volleyball (10-5) heads into a daunting two-game road stretch, its toughest of the season.
The Terps opened Big Ten play with a three-match losing streak before handling Rutgers in straight sets on Saturday.
Now, Maryland heads up north to face No. 9 Wisconsin on Friday at 8 p.m., before taking on No. 12 Minnesota on Saturday at 6 p.m.
Friday’s match will be streamed on Big Ten Plus, while Saturday’s game will air on Big Ten Network.
No. 9 Wisconsin Badgers (9-4, 3-1 Big Ten)
In his 12th year at the helm, head coach Kelly Sheffield has led the Badgers to historic levels of success. Wisconsin is one of three programs to make the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 every season over the past 11 years, including one national championship. His five Big Ten championship wins are tied for the second-most among all coaches.
Sheffield has positioned the Badgers to continue this trend, ranking top-10 in the recent American Volleyball Coaches Association poll. Wisconsin started 1-3 with losses against highly ranked teams, but has won eight of its last nine matches, including wins over No. 17 TCU, No. 18 Baylor and No. 24 Washington.
Players to know
Sarah Franklin, fifth-year outside hitter, No. 13 — Franklin, the 2023 AVCA National Player of the Year, has carried over her success from last season. She was fifth in the Big Ten with 4.2 kills per set last year and has improved those numbers in 2024. Franklin’s 4.5 kills per set this season ranks 17th in the country.
Charlie Fuerbringer, freshman setter, No. 24 — Prep Volleyball’s No. 1-ranked setter in the class of 2024 has looked strong in her first season with the Badgers. She had a memorable debut against No. 4 Louisville with 42 assists, nine digs and two total blocks. Fuerbringer is 25th in the nation with 10.4 assists per set, earning her Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.
No. 14 Minnesota Golden Gophers (9-5, 2-2 Big Ten)
Second-year head coach Keegan Cook looks to build off an impressive first season with the Golden Gophers. Prior to being named the head coach at Minnesota, Cook led Washington to eight consecutive NCAA Tournament berths. Last season, he took the Golden Gophers to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, rattling off 11 wins in their final 15 games.
Minnesota started the season with a 1-3 record against four teams in the AVCA top 25 poll, but have won eight of its last 10 games. The Golden Gophers have three wins over ranked teams: Wisconsin, No. 25 Auburn and reigning national champion No. 7 Texas.
Players to know
Melani Shaffmaster, redshirt senior setter, No. 5 — After earning a spot on the All-Big Ten second team last season, Shaffmaster has been just as good in 2024. Her 480 assists rank eighth in the Big Ten, and she also leads the team with 17 service aces. Earlier this season, Shaffmaster recorded her first career triple-double with 47 assists, 10 kills and 21 digs.
Zeynep Palabiyik, sophomore libero, No. 12 — The 5-foot-4 libero out of Istanbul, Turkey, is coming off a solid freshman campaign, playing in 20 matches. Still, Palabiyik has only improved in 2024. She is third in the Big Ten in digs with 230, while also recording the second most assists on the team (57).
Three things to watch
1. Conference road woes. Maryland has gone 3-12 over its last 15 conference road matches. While the Big Ten is known as the best volleyball conference in the country, the Terps will need to find some wins away from the Xfinity Center Pavilion. A road win over one of these ranked teams would certainly boost Maryland’s resume.
2. Sydney Bryant’s hot stretch. After her career-high 24 kills against Iowa, Bryant backed it up with two more double-digit kill performances. During this stretch, she has tallied 49 kills, earning her the starting nod over outside hitter Sam Csire in the last match.
“If I don’t believe in myself, no one else will,” Bryant said. “Just reminding myself that I am good enough, I’m here for a reason and just trying to give myself that boost of confidence.”
3. Consecutive wins over Minnesota. The Terps defeated Minnesota last year at home in five sets, marking the program’s first win over the Golden Gophers. The Terps will be looking for back-to-back wins over Minnesota, this time on the road. However, Maryland has a combined 2-30 all-time record against both Wisconsin and Minnesota.
