UW volleyball resumes after COVID-19 pause
MADISON – Wisconsin coach Kelly Sheffield doesn't expect to field a team capable of winning an NCAA women's volleyball title
Yes, UW is 10-0 in Big Ten play and No. 1 in the coaches poll.
Yet with his team having been on pause since Feb. 25 because of positive COVID-19 tests and still not at full strength, Sheffield anticipates some turbulence.
“We're not expecting ourselves to be playing at an elite level like we were a couple weeks ago when we get back in the gym,” Sheffield said Monday after UW resumed team workouts. “But we're hoping to be really freaking good somewhere down the line. That's not defeatist. That's just what it is.”
UW saw four matches postponed, two at home against Nebraska and two at Iowa. The Badgers are set to host Northwestern (2-1) at 6 p.m. Friday and 6 p.m. Saturday.
Sheffield expects to have about twothirds of a full roster this week and he remains uncertain which players will be available.
“Whoever they give me in practice that day,” he said, “we'll train those guys up and try to put the best lineup we can out there and let it rip that night.”
UW has eight scheduled matches before the NCAA tournament opens April 13.
“The fortunate thing is we've got a few weeks before the tournament gets here,” Sheffield said, “so we'll use those weeks wisely to try to build our team back up and try to be good.”
In addition to being 10-0 before the pause, UW had dropped only two of 32 sets.
Sheffield has talked to other coaches – in volleyball and other sports – about how they handled a similar extended pause.
“Here is what I'm finding out,” he said. “When they come back it is different for every team. And it is different for individuals.”
Sheffield's No. 1 concern is to avoid pushing the players too hard too soon.
“Listen to your medical people and trust your athletes,” he said. “Let's not come out with our hair on fire right out of the gate. … If you're doing three-hour practices today and tomorrow, that's probably not smart.
“Let's be smart with our decisions. We want to be really good a month from now. If we're not that good a week or two from now, that's OK. Let's not panic. I want to make sure that our players are a little better every day.
“We'll slowly build it up day by day. The season is long. The most critical thing is that by the end of the year your team is healthy. And let's make decisions to allow that to happen.”