For the past two years, junior outside hitter Brittney Dolgner has been the most prominent offensive force on the court for the Wisconsin volleyball team. She led the team in kills and earned All-Big Ten honors as both a freshman and sophomore. She became the fastest player in UW history to reach 1,000 kills in a career Friday night and ranks 17th in school history in that category.
In 2007, Dolgner became the first UW sophomore to earn All-American honors.
The Daily Cardinal caught up with Dolgner this week and asked her about her volleyball career.
Daily Cardinal: When did you first start playing volleyball?
Brittney Dolgner: I first started in fourth grade. I was the only girl who could overhand serve in my whole elementary school as a fourth grader, so that was really cool.
DC: What first inspired you to start playing volleyball?
BD: Watching my sisters play when I grew up, and I knew my parents played it. My dad played in the Army, in Turkey. My mom [played in] high school, and she still plays in, like, the old lady"" leagues. So just my family basically.
DC: Who has been your greatest role model since you started playing volleyball?
BD: Oh, there's way too many. The support of my family really has helped a lot, and all of my teammates are kind of role models for me. There's different people who's different techniques show me a lot of stuff.
DC: What was your deciding factor in coming to Wisconsin?
BD: I think the fact that I got along so well with the team. When I first came, I was wearing a pair of Chuck Taylors, I remember, and Amy Bladow was like, ""I knew I liked you,"" just because of the fact that I was wearing those shoes. And we just hit it off from there. The girls were so much fun and [there's] a great coaching staff.
DC: What is the highlight of playing for this Badger team?
BD: Just getting to know all these great people and the opportunities that we get. We get to travel all over, we're with a ton of organizations ... just getting to know a lot of people.
DC: Is there any game in particular that stands out in your Badger career so far?
BD: I think my freshman and sophomore years, both of the Penn State games. Sweeping them in three sets [my first year] and then raising all that money for breast cancer awareness my sophomore year.
DC: What are your plans after volleyball once you finish your career at Wisconsin?
BD: I have no idea! But after I get my degree, I'm looking to maybe go overseas or try AVP or maybe coach.
- interview conducted by Andrew Van Sistine
