When the No. 8 Wisconsin volleyball team (8-0 Big Ten, 16-1 overall) returns to the UW Field House this weekend, the team will be playing for more than an unblemished Big Ten record and undisputed conference supremacy. The Badgers will be looking to Spike Cancer"" this weekend when they join forces with American Transmission Company (ATC) and Coca-Cola to raise money for Susan G. Komen for the Cure, a foundation dedicated to ending breast cancer as a life-threatening disease through research, education, screening and treatment.
""The Susan G. Koman for a Cure organization is one that I personally and others on the team have donated to in the past,"" senior setter Jackie Simpson said. ""Cancer - and especially breast cancer - is an issue that hits home to many [players] on our team. Many of us have had family and loved ones diagnosed with breast cancer, so this really adds another factor to the drive behind our team this weekend.""
The ""Spike Cancer"" event will take place Sunday afternoon when the Badgers take on No. 2 Penn State (8-0, 16-2). ATC has pledged to donate 50 cents to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Madison Affiliate for every fan in attendance at the match. In addition, fans will receive pink Wisconsin volleyball water bottles courtesy of ATC and Coca-Cola while supplies last.
The Badgers will welcome breast cancer survivors Marilyn Bielema, mother of UW football head coach Bret Bielema and Lisa Powell, a program assistant in the UW football office, to their bench as honorary coaches for the afternoon. The first serve on Sunday is scheduled for 1 p.m.
""We are expecting an amazing crowd this weekend,"" Simpson said. ""This is a big weekend for our team with Ohio State and Penn State coming to the Field House, but the 'Spike Cancer' event makes it all the more special. The Field House crew was cleaning the upper deck so hopefully we can fill it.""
A better weekend could not have been picked for the event, with the games against Ohio State (2-6, 8-9) on Friday night and Penn State on Sunday that are expected to draw record crowds.
While the Buckeyes have fallen short of expectations this season by dropping five of their last six matches and sinking below .500 before the midpoint of the conference season, the Nittany Lions have been rolling over all of their opponents since losing a match to then-No. 2 Stanford nearly five weeks ago.
Penn State has swept every conference opponent it has met thus far in the season and is ranked as the best in the Big Ten in hitting percentage, kills, opponent hitting percentage, assists and blocks.
The Nittany Lions' junior outside hitter Christa Harmotto, the conference leader in hitting percentage at .490, was named as Big Ten Player of the Week for the fifth time in her career this past week.
""Both are very strong teams and have been playing very well this season so it makes this weekend pretty exciting,"" sophomore opposite hitter Katherine Dykstra said. ""Having Penn State, who is ranked No. 3 in the nation, on Sunday is going to be a challenge, but I'm really excited to be playing then on a day that we can also be raising money. It is going to be great to have our home crowd, and just like last year, I think our crowd can really help,"" Dykstra said.
But Wisconsin has plenty of reason to be optimistic heading into this weekend. Since losing to BYU in September, UW has put together a 13 match win streak and the best start in school history at 16-1.
The Badgers rest at either second or third place in every statistical category that Penn State reigns over and is ranked third best in service aces.
Sophomore outside hitter Brittney Dolgner boasts the second highest kill average (4.74 per game) and point average (5.32 per game) in all of the Big Ten, while senior middle blocker Taylor Reineke and senior libero Jocelyn Wack are the second and first runners up blocking (1.63 per game) and service aces (.47 per game) respectively.
Combine those statistics with the crowds that the ""Spike Cancer"" campaign and No. 2 team in the country will draw, and Wisconsin can expect great deal of momentum and energy in its favor for this weekend's matchups.
""Our fan support has been amazing the past few years,"" Simpson said. ""Those who have come to the games and been a part of our student section always have a blast.
""We truly appreciate our students and with this weekend being the 'Spike Cancer' event we are really hoping even more students will come see what UW Volleyball is all about.""
In addition to playing for a great cause, the Wisconsin is also playing to maintain its hold on the top spot in the Big Ten. A pair of wins against Ohio State and Penn State would keep them in sole possession of first place in the conference and give them a big advantage in the race for the Big Ten champion title heading into the final five weeks of conference play.
""If we can play at our best this weekend, it could be a very interesting year for the Big Ten,"" Simpson said. ""We know that every match is critical in this conference though. Any team can win on any given night.""
