September 20, 2023 • 36 mins
On the latest edition of Going Great Across UW Women's Athletics, Brian Posick is joined by volleyball stars Izzy Ashburn and MJ Hammill! They'll talk about the top-ranked 2023 squad and the legacy that the program has built.
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(00:00):
When you don't reach that goal.I think it's the same amount of fire,
but you just have a little bitof a chip on your shoulder,
you know, unfinished business. Youfeel the same way. I know,
yeah, I feel the same way. I think a lot of people expect
people to come back from a lossending season to say that that's all they're
thinking about and you don't want tofeel that from last year, when having
(00:22):
experienced a win and a loss atthe end of the season, I can
fully say that coming back to theseason, it's the same amount of work.
It's I want to feel that feelingagain. I want to feel that
win again. I obviously don't wantto lose at the end of the season,
but I don't think that that changesthe motivation at all. It's let's
get back to work and let's gofor another one. Welcome to Going Great
(00:43):
Across you W Women's Athletics, presentedby Great Clips, Great Clips. It's
going to be great. Going GreatAcross you W Women's Athletics is a showcase
on the great thing student athletes areaccomplishing on the field, in the classroom
and beyond. Now Here's host BryanPosic, Hello, and welcome to iHeartRadio's
(01:03):
podcast Going Great Across UW Women's Athletics, presented by Great clips On Brian Posic,
the father of a former UW women'shockey player, an NCAA pole vault
qualifier, the brother of an AllAmerican basketball and soccer player, and the
husband of an iron man. Ialso served as the PA announcer for Wisconsin
volleyball back in the day. Inthis podcast, we'll talk with a guest
(01:25):
or guests who have made or aremaking an impact on UW women's athletics and
our guests today from inside the uW Fieldhouse from the Badger volleyball team,
senters Izzie Ashburn and MJ. Hamill. Thanks for being here today, guys,
Yeah, thanks for having us.Yeah, And so we're speaking on
Monday. It's September eighteenth, oneday after the top ranked Badgers rallied from
(01:46):
two sets down to beat third rankedFlorida in five sets. There were over
ten thousand fans in Gainesville, asschool record for the match. They were
going bonkers, they're up to zip, they thought they had you, and
you win the match. How didyou guys pull that off? Staying with
it? I think not judging thosefirst two sets and resetting every single chance
(02:07):
that we could between every point betweenevery set, really coming together and taking
that reset rather than living in thepast or living in the future. I
think our team did a great jobat that and that's the only reason we
were able to continue on. Yeah, I think a lot of those moments
you're when you're not playing your bestvolleyball. It's easy, like Izzy said,
to like judge those moments, butin reality, you're kind of just
(02:30):
staying the course and like waiting waitingfor those moments to come up. Volleyball
is a huge game of momentum,and so once you find that, like
that little bit of spark, youjust have to keep it growing. And
I think that's what we were ableto find even at the end of set
two, and then we just ranaway with it into Set three. And
you just have to believe, likeat all moments. It's it's really fun
(02:51):
when you're away because you know thatthe people who believe are is that team
right there, and you know youhave so many supporters, but it's like
you really to just kind of cometogether and just try and do something great.
Yeah, when you talk about aspark, you know what would spark
could be a hit, a block, you know, a big dig or
a pass or whatever. Somebody sayssomething, what was the spark in that
(03:13):
match against Florida. I would sayI think a lot of the biggest spark
for us was like when we startedwinning those long rallies. Those a lot
of times can just be like motivatorsbecause you know you're working your butt off
and sometimes you just need like alittle trickle over the net or you just
need the ball to drop in atthe last second. And I would say
(03:35):
we started getting some of those,we started winning the transition game, and
that was that was a key forus. Yeah, I would give a
lot of the credit of the sparkto out working It's something we talked about
before the game. It's a goodteam on the other side, they expect
long rallies. They're a great defensiveteam. They're they're gonna work hard.
We need to outwork them, andI think those long rallies came down to
(03:57):
outworking them, and that's where thespark really came from. Putting in all
that hard work and getting the rewardof winning that that long rally and making
that place quiet really brings energy toour side. Well, yeah, long
rallies can be motivators and can bedeflators too though, right, Yeah,
and maybe you saw that on theother side of the net. Yeah,
I mean it's it's definitely like Ithink volleyball is just a great test of
(04:19):
like mental toughness because of how muchmomentum is actually in the in the game,
like point by point, and alot of times it's hard when you
lose those those long points because eventhough it's just one on the scoreboard,
that feels like you are just inthat moment and it can kind of be
so deflating. So if you arethe team that wins those long rallies,
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you have to run away with it, and if you're not, you just
have to go right back to work. Yeah, your club earned that when
there's no question about it. Butwhen Florida's set her Alexa Stucky went out
with an injury and it looks serious. I just mentioned deflating a moment ago
that had to be for the Gators, and you feel for you, you
know, it's a you know,fans of the National Football League or just
sports fans wanted to see Aaron Rodgersplay for the Jets and he gets hurt
(05:03):
for blays In, and it's youdon't you don't wish that upon him,
no matter what you think of thehuman being. That was just sad to
see. I think you would ratherbeat them when they're at full strength.
Unfortunately for them, it didn't turnout that way. Yeah, it's absolutely
horrible to see. I mean,we're all student athletes at the end of
the day, and you know allof the work that she does with her
(05:23):
team and how incredible she is asa center and a leader on that side,
and it's just so hard to seeand for them to come out and
still keep fighting for her, it'ssomething that we expected. I mean,
they're a great team and like Isaid, they're really hard workers, so
we knew that they were going topower through, power through anything that could
happen, even something as serious asthat. So I mean, it's just
(05:46):
a great testament to that team overthere, and I really hope the best
for her. Yeah. A Connoshanative, Kennedy Muff took over for Stuckey
at center, and we wish herand the Gators all the best to luck.
You know, we were just talkingabout injuries. What's the worst injury
you've had in volleyball any major ones, so hopefully not. I've been fairly
lucky. I mean, knock onsome wood, I'm the front in my
(06:08):
fifth year here. I'm an oldlady, but I've been pretty lucky in
my time here. So Jay,Yeah, I had kind of like an
off court injury, a little bitlike I rolled my ankle, try to
play through it, and then turnsout I like had chipped a piece of
my bone off in my ankle,and I had like a surgery in the
spring. I don't think many peopleknow that. It was really simple,
(06:29):
crazingly but that's about it. Andyou're all good now, I'm all good.
Now I'm playing to stay all good. Here you go. You know,
I mentioned my daughter is a hockeyplayer. She's still playing overseas now
in Sweden, which is a blast. And she talks. She'll show me
bruises that she has on her bodytaking pucks in the thighs or you know
wherever, or you know, onthe neck or what have you. And
do you guys share like battle wounds, like, oh my god, look
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at this. I mean, becauseyou're you're you're diving on the floor,
I mean, your your body isrelatively well protected, but I would think
your hips, your elbows, youyour forearms digging all the time. I
mean, do you share battle scarswith your teammates and say, man,
that's a nice one, but lookat this one. You know, yeah,
we'll compare a little bit. Imean the worst are the ones that
don't show though, and they hurt, and you're like, I promise you,
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this is bad, Like you're tryingto convince other people. You're like,
I know yours is purple, butI promise you this one hurts.
Worse is the Ashburn's with us MJHamiltwo from the Batch of volleyball team perfect
through non conference play getting ready forBig ten competition coming up on September twenty
second at Northwestern. You know Imentioned the big crowd down in Gainesville.
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You've played in front of a numberof big crowds already this season. You
know, when you're playing in theNCAA tournament, you're gonna play in front
of big crowd, especially when youget to the to the final four.
But to play in front of tenthousand there, I think Arkansas had a
school record crowd when you played themtwice down down there, and then seventeen
thousand thirty seven at five Serve forhim to watch Wisconsin and Marquette and nc
(08:00):
a indoor volleyball attendance record. Whatwas that experience, Like, it's so
special. I feel like that's justa testament to how much the sport is
growing. It's you know, youdream of these moments as a little girl,
and I think that it's just goingto be so much more normal when
we leave here, like ten yearsdown the road, I think that those
are going to be normal attendance sizes. Like I think we're gonna have to
(08:24):
find ways to get more seating insidegyms. I mean, people want to
watch a sport. It's such incredibleathleticism, and it's just it's so fun
to be supported like that and havethat community around the sport. Yeah,
it's it's also great experience for usto feel a huge gym filled with people
only cheering for the other side ofthe net. It's something that is great
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for us at the beginning of theseason, especially as we're growing to feel
that pressure and to still be ableto power through and stay together. But
this has been a huge talk thisyear, especially with me and MJ going
to the media Day, which isa second annual media day for the Big
Ten this year. Just seeing thegrowth of women's volleyball in the last five
years and in the last ten years, and looking at the growth of games
(09:09):
on television accessible to the whole nation, and the growth of attendance records and
people trying to one up that everysingle year, and the growth of the
fan base and people trying to gettickets. It's it's incredible to see,
and like MJ said, I'm hopingthat that becomes more normal. But just
allowing more people to see the incrediblesport and gaining access to that, it's
(09:31):
just going to continue growing because onceyou watch one game, you're gonna fall
in love. I fell in lovewith it back in the early nineties when
I was doing PA here and LauraAbananti's playing Sharisa Livingston. I mean,
there were some great, great,great, great players here. How about
playing in front of ninety one thousandplus at Memorial Stadium and Lincoln like Nebraska
did against Omaha. How would youlike to play outside at Camp Randall Stadium.
(09:54):
I mean, that's that's an onlypossible next step, right, Like
you just gotta go up from here. So I mean, bringing on yeah,
or Lambo Lambo would be fun.Yeah, I do. Lambo seats
a little bit more than Camper HandleStadium. Is He Ashburne and MJ.
Hamill with us going great across theu W Women's Athletics presented by Great Clips.
So? Is He a graduate studentfrom Dayton, Minnesota, near the
(10:16):
Twin Cities. First team under armourAll American in high school won a state
title in twenty eighteen at Champlain ParkHigh School. Is He's mom played college
college volleyball at Minnesota Morris. Sodid you have a volleyball in your crib?
Yeah? I started pretty young.She kind of ran the youth almost
rec league in my hometown. Somy mom was my coach from second grade
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on. Started club in fourth grade. Really just fell in love with it.
I kind of played every sport Icould growing up, but I always
knew that volleyball was where I wasgoing to end up. But I'm really
grateful I got the opportunity to playso many different sports and connect with so
many different people. But yeah,volleyball is it from the start. I
think my mom had a little bitof influence, but I mean this,
(11:00):
and I got in that gym,I knew I wanted to play the play
volleyball the rest of my life.You mentioned before to me that you know
you played all sorts of sports.You also did taekwondo, right, I
did taekwondo, tennis. Yeah,why taekwondo? What got you into that?
I'm not sure. I showed upwhere my parents brought me to and
that was It was a taekwondo gymfor I think a year or two.
But anything I could be involved inis what I did growing up. Yeah,
(11:22):
and you played the flute in theband. I did play the flute
in the band. I wish becauseI know our guys would love to hear
that right now. Yeah, I'msure I'll show you a video later.
So why was consin and not Minnesota? I mean you were recruited by a
bunch of different schools. Did I'msure the Gophers offered you two, didn't
they. I had a lot ofsmaller schools offered me early on. I
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had a lot of walk on offersaround the country. I was pretty small
going into high school. I playedfor a smaller club in Minnesota, not
super well known. I played undersid Hilly in high school. She was
the center at our high school aswell, and then I kind of took
over the settings so she could hit. But yeah, I just am so
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grateful that they took a chance onme here and expected that growth out of
me and saw the potential in me, because I don't think that's something everybody
gets the opportunity to have somebody somebodyfor them to look to, and they
just fully believed in me early onin high school. The second that Kelly
offered me, I knew I wasgonna come here. The second I hadn't
(12:30):
even been on campus yet, andI was like, I've only heard incredible
things. I've watched this team play. I know what they're about. I've
talked to Sid like this is whereI need to be and this is as
real as it is. I talkedto Kelly a couple of times, and
how he is in recruiting and withme being fifteen years old is exactly what
I got here, and it's exactlywhat I expected. It doesn't change.
It's it's the same on the court, same off the court. You build
(12:50):
that connection, and I'm so gratefulfor my choice. I'm so grateful that
I got to sack a fifth yearhere and keep the experience going. Yeah,
I'll ask you more about Kelly hereat a moment. So, three
time academic All Big ten honoree,a degree in mathematics, frazy a grad
student in business analytics. So what'sthe toughest class that you have right now?
(13:11):
I'm not in class right now?Excuse me? Well, I did
my undergrotten three years and my masterswas a one year program, and I
pushed two classes to this fall.Actually, so I don't start school until
the next month. Were you lucky? I did it the right way though,
I've earned this semester. Okay,all right, okay, well,
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good for you and mathematics business analytics. You want to play pro volleyball,
but I read that you'd like tocoach. Yeah, I wouldn't mind coaching.
I think I've done some camps andI've done some privates in the past
and I've really enjoyed it. AnyWay, to stay connected the sport.
If I can play pro in theStates, I would love to do that.
But yeah, I can't see myselfleaving the game in any regards.
(13:58):
So anyway to stay connect, didis how I want to continue on?
Yeah, and congratulations to Izzy.She broke the thirty six year old school
record for service aces held by thelate Margie Kaminski. I knew her as
Margie Fitzpatrick. She was a formercoach here. She replaced Steve Lowe,
who was the head coach. Hedied of cancer in nineteen ninety one.
Margie was great, took over fora year. John Cook came in after
(14:20):
that. But that's nice to holdthe record. I don't care if you
did it in four years and ninematches or not. Right, that's still
pretty significant. You're welcome. You'rewelcome. MJ. Hamill's a senior from
Greenwood, Indiana, a three timefirst team All State honoree, second team
Under Armor All American at Center GroveHigh School. Your sister Taylor played at
Middle Tennessee State. Your mom playedat Clemson. Right, So did you
(14:43):
have a volleyball in your crew?So I definitely did. I think instead
of investing in daycare, she justbrought me to practices and hoped that I
would be entertained and I was.It worked, we worked, and you
were sold. I mean, youmust have played other sports growing up too.
I'm Indiana. That's a big basketballstate. Yeah. Finally felt like
she was almost trying to keep meout of the sport. It was like
to almost like argue that she wasn'tpushing me into anything, and it was
(15:07):
like me, I think I wastrying to get into my sister's practices when
I was about like seven years oldand Taylor had just started playing club volleyball,
and I was just like itching toactually get on a team. And
my mom realized that it was likeI wanted it rather than she did,
and sure, yeah, I justhad a lot of freedom with that.
Yeah. Did you ever try toput together a three on three against anybody
(15:30):
who would have you? You,your mom, and your sister. Oh?
Absolutely, I mean I even Iwould take my dad too. He's
been around this sport for so long. He's okay, I'm he's asking me
about, you know, scouting reportsnow and asking what I'm doing with the
man has learned so much. Heis just a great listener. Okay,
I think he's a great volleyball playernow too. All right? Is he
what is he an outside hit hermiddle block or is he a DS?
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What is he? You know?I'd have to say, I think he
has some good hands. I thinksetting runs in the family. Really Yeah,
okay, all right, would youlike to coach someday. I don't
think I would. I do.I like working one on one with people.
I think I like talking out thatside of the game, But I
don't necessarily trust how competitive I canget when I'm not on the court,
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and so I would like to notbe in those like really intense moments because
I just I think I do muchbetter outside of it. Okay, yeah,
yeah, I gotcha. You wantto be a nurse practitioner, correct,
Right, So you're in biomedical engineering. That's your major. So what's
your toughest class you may have justcome from it? Yeah, yeah,
I have quite a few. Iwould probably say it's probably biomechanics right now.
(16:41):
It just a lot of what Ido has to do with a lot
of like physics and human body crossover. So there's a lot of application into
sports, believe it or not,which is really fun. It can just
get really complicated with trying to solvepretty intense problems. Wow, is she
like the smartest kid on the tShe is brilliant? She is brilliant.
(17:03):
He's definitely not. Is he's beingnice? I'm not being nice? Going
great across you? W Women's Athleticspresented by great clips, and we just
talk about sports and taekwondo and whatare other interests? What are other interests
do you guys have? I meanbecause oftentimes besides school, obviously, sports
can consume you. So do youhave something you Okay, I pull back
(17:26):
and your Netflix binge or you know, read this this author or whatever.
What are your interests? I lovemovies and TV shows. I also recently
got into reading as a hobby.Our team is kind of into that right
now. I'm a big runner whenI get the time. Okay, not
in season as much, but Ireally enjoy a good run to get my
mind away. What's the longest run? I'm supposed to stay from two to
(17:51):
five miles? Okay, let's justsay you do that, right? Okay?
How about you? I would probablysay like cooking, baking, shopping
for various fall candles. Really,I'm a really really good shopper. I
don't know if that's a talent.I'm a big fall girl or a flaw
Yeah, okay, all right,So if you had friends over MJ,
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what would be that go to dinner? Oh, let's see, probably since
it's fall, like a lasagna,soup and then up yeah, and then
some sort of like chocolate chip cookie. Do you have plans tonight? Well,
you want to come over for MezzieAshburn and MJ. Hamill were us
setters for the Wisconsin volleyball team.We're talking on September eighteenth, and the
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Badgers are nine and ozh not tryingto jinx anything. Five starters back from
last year's squad. That one anotherBig ten title, your fourth in a
row, made it to the Eliteeight. I'm sure you thought you could
have gone further. Was that motivationI would assume walking into this season most
definitely. I mean it's even ifyou do like twenty one when we finished
(19:00):
the year on a win. Youknow, each year is a brand new
season, and so you go backfrom square one and you just have to
work. And when you don't reachthat goal, I think it's the same
amount of fire, but you justhave a little bit of a chip on
your shoulder, you know, unfinishedbusiness. You feel the same way.
I know, yeah, I feelthe same way. I think a lot
(19:22):
of people expect people to come backfrom a loss ending season to say that
that's all they're thinking about, andyou don't want to feel that from last
year when having experienced a win anda loss at the end of the season,
I can fully say that coming backto the season, it's the same
amount of work. It's I wantto feel that feeling again. I want
(19:42):
to feel that win again. Iobviously don't want to lose at the end
of the season, but I don'tthink that that changes the motivation at all.
It's let's get back to work andlet's go for another one. Yeah,
can you really explain what it waslike winning a national title? I
mean, I've been part of itas as a broadcaster, even as a
student up you know, when Iwas in college. But can you describe
(20:03):
them when people say what was that? Like? How did it feel?
You? Really? I suppose you'relike, well, how do you explain
it? Right? Yeah, It'slike it's almost weird because I think when
you're trying to be really great ata certain craft, you know that there's
never like a mountaintop. I thinklike the grates in each sport would even
agree with that, Like, forexample, I don't think Lebron even thinks
(20:26):
that he has ever arrived. Oryou know, Dana Htkey when she was
Player of the Year, I don'tthink she ever thought she arrived at her
her greatest and so I think whenyou accomplish, you know, the like
you in the season on a win, it's you kind of look around and
you're like, this is like thisis what we wanted, Like this is
what we achieved. Yeah, it'sit's almost like a very weird but like
(20:51):
I would say, freeing feeling andjust like very rewarding and it's so special
to go with like a group ofgirls that you just love so much,
like it's this program is my family. Yeah, it still doesn't feel fully
real, if I'm being honest.Waking up the next morning, I just
moment being like that didn't happen,Like we still have a game today.
But there was a moment I rememberbeing on the court and just thinking to
(21:12):
myself like I was that little girlthat just wanted to make the team,
and then I was the girl thatI just want to play college volleyball,
and then I was I just wantto play Division one. I just want
to be in the Big ten.I just want to have a chance of
the tournament wherever I go. Iwant to make it far in the tournament.
And then you come here and youlook around and you're like I'm right
where I wanted to be when Iwas that little girl, and just so
(21:34):
much appreciation for the people around me, and so much just gratitude for not
only the place I'm in, butthe people I'm around. Is just so
important because you can't you can't enjoyit unless you're with the right people.
I feel like and every season's agrind, but I can look around every
day and be like, nah,I'm supposed to be here. I'm so
(21:56):
happy to be here, even inthe hardest moments. It's exactly where I
want to be, is he AnMJ and I are sitting inside the field
house the night or twenty twenty oneNational Championship banners often to my left.
All the other big ten banners areup. It's it's really cool. You
talk about appreciating what you have atWisconsin. The eight thousand, how many
nine thousand fans that fill this placefor every single match obviously appreciate you.
(22:18):
That's got to be a fantastic feelingtoo. It really is like again,
I was once just like a littlegirl looking to this program is just my
favorite thing ever to watch, Likethey were always just on my schedule of
Okay, Badgers have a game tonight, and I'm going to be sitting right
there on the couch yelling at theTV for them. And to think about,
you know, how much this gamehas grown, how many people are
(22:40):
now watching, Like it really issurreal to look back on like where you
came from and just like appreciate,and that just motivates you to want even
more, to just keep growing,to work even harder. Sure, I
want to ask you about a coupleof year teammates. Sarah Franklin. Her
career was in jeopardy this summer.She had blood clots in her right arm.
(23:03):
She had surgery, but she's comeback, thankfully. What she had
wasn't as severe as they thought,maybe, and she looks better than never.
What's it like seeing Sarah out theresmiling and whacking away. Kelly said
it best. She's playing like shealmost lost the love of her life.
Sarah Franklin won't play volleyball the restof her life, and that's that is
her goal. And for a secondthat that was almost not a possibility.
(23:29):
And she's playing like that. She'sgiven her all every single day. She's
so invested in this team and soinvested in the game. And I mean,
it's showing in her play obviously.Yeah, could you imagine that?
I couldn't imagine that rightly losing myvoice? What would I do? You
know, especially the timing of it. She was. I mean, we're
a day or two away from goingto Europe and you hear about this,
(23:52):
and it's you're hoping the best forher. You're you're wanting to bring her
with you for the experience, butalso you know what's for her is probably
not that, and you're just tryingto find different ways to be there for
her. But she was so strongthrough it all and staying so connected to
the team, and I mean shewas supporting us probably, yeah, more
than we ever could have asked forwhen we should be the ones with her
(24:15):
all the time and we're in Europeplaying games, and I mean just the
strength of her and the strength thatshe brings this team is incredible, right,
One quick tangent, What was thebest part about your European trip?
Best place that you went? Whatwas your favorite Bruce Springs sing in Zurich.
Oh my gosh, yeah, Iknow you have had pretty good seats
too. Oh, we were standthe way to like, like have we
(24:37):
think Bruce saw us in the crowd, like no doubt, you know,
because we're heads above everybody, right, and probably one of the youngest in
the crowd. And that was unbelievable, Like I didn't understand who like Bruce
was as a person. Yeah,and he is the boss, that's true.
He is the boss. And heprobably he played what three three and
a half hours? Yeah, Imean his enter at his age is he's
(25:03):
yeah, yeah, he's mid seventies. Yeah, yeah, he's yeah,
he's well. He definitely has it. He definitely has it all right,
Tammy Thomas Ai Lara Kelly Sheffield saidlast week that she may be the most
talented player he's ever coached. Youplayed some You mentioned Dana Redgi before Sydney
Hilly before. I mean, whywould he say something like that if it
wasn't true. Yeah, she isso athletic. Temmy is just speedy ball
(25:30):
of muscle, can jump, canhit hard, can serve really hard.
She is so talented and she's sucha joy in the gym. It's so
much fun to play around and towatch her work and to have her lighting
everybody up a little bit. Yeah, I think her ceiling is just so
high, Like I there's really justno stopping that type of athleticism, and
(25:56):
it's it's so exciting to set right, Like it makes our jobs a lot
easier. I was going to say, who do you pick from? I
mean, honestly, up and downyour lineup? It's crazy, who do
you pick from? I'm telling youthat's that's where we look at that our
drawing board and we're like, Ithink I think every option is a good
option. Yeah, it's hard.It's hard. It's a great problem to
(26:18):
have. It's hard, though,like to have so many options. It's
the best problem a setter could have. But it does make decisions or yeah,
our decision making a little harder.Hannah Smerecky got Crawford, you got
robbed? I mean up and downthe line right, So, like you
football in a huddle, I don'tknow how many times quarterbacks talk about it
or players talk about it. Thereceiver comes back, Hey I was wide
(26:41):
open, you know, look fromme or whatever? Do you get that?
Is there somebody on your squat?It's like, hey, I'm wide
open. Do you have you haveplayers like that too? Yeah? And
like you want that feedback because youknow we're seeing the block, they're also
seeing the block as well, soyou like want to adjust. But you
know, sometimes you have one onone on every single hitter because they just
have to go kind of like manon right like you, you kind of
(27:03):
get everybody going up different holes everywhere, and so it's it's almost like,
Okay, be patient because you're notgoing to take all the swings in the
match, but I'm still going togive you a lot, Like just stay
with me here. One ball's onlyone ball exactly, yep, yep.
For the second straight season, Wisconsin'srunning a six two offense. Izzie Ashburn
and MJ. Hamill combined for almosteleven assists percent, which would lead the
(27:26):
Big Ten individually. You're also bothvery good defensively too. You've I think
both of you have had five doubledoubles this year. So what do you
take more pride in You're passing yourdefense. I think we're working hard on
defense right now. Obviously there's awall in front of us of a block,
which super grateful for in the rightback that our blockers are so physical
(27:51):
and big up at the net.But yeah, I think I think we're
working really hard on defense. Wework together super well. We get to
kind of help each other out out. It's just as it's been a moment
of or a place of emphasis forus. I guess this season really playing
some good right back defense, especiallywith how well we hit out a system
(28:11):
allowing us to take a few digsif if teams are going to target the
right backs, we're always back there. We have great auto system setting,
we got really great auto system attacking. So yeah, yeah, So when
Kelly came to you and said,okay, we're going to run a six
two, because you're both very capableof being the number one setter pretty much
anywhere in the country. So howdid you take that And when did you
(28:34):
two first discuss it and say,Okay, we can do this. We
need to do this to be successful, and obviously you've been successful with it.
I think we actually noted. LikeI think we came to the realization
that we were at a high possibilityof running a six two just because of
like the sheer talent we have inthe front row, like how many hitters.
(28:55):
I think in order to utilize everybody'sbest like that, that means that
we have to be okay with likenot being the star of it. And
I think that is like a testamentof what we're trying to do on the
court, Like, if you don'tnotice us, that means we're doing a
good job. We're putting the spotlighton our teammates who like fully deserve it.
You know, we just kind ofwant to make everybody better, and
(29:19):
it's it's not about us, youknow, We're just trying to lead the
team as best as we can.Yeah, we work together super well.
Looking at the benefits of a sixtwo having eyes on the bench at all
times and having that other person toconnect with you even in the toughest moment.
We're a really great team together.And I think both of us went
into that decision really selflessly and justsaying we want to win games and if
(29:42):
if this is to help our teamplay the best, if this is the
way that we can reach our highestpotential, then let's work at it.
Rather than I only want to runa five one somewhere, I only want
this for myself. It's it's biggerthan you, and we both I think
(30:03):
jumped into that just right away.It was never a question whether or not
this was going to work between meand MJ. It was instantly like,
let's figure out how to do this. Let's figure out the flow of the
game. Let's let's train in away that me and you can figure out
how the six two can work,and how the communication can work with us
and Kelly, and how our blockersand right sides can adjust to the sixth
(30:23):
two as well. And I thinkthat this season, coming into it already
having that experience running the sixth two, it was a lot easier to jump
into the flow of the game.Again. Yeah, yeah, you guys
see each other reading each other's mindsalmost you see what right you see which
oh okay, and you're you know, yes, you know. There's a
lot of times where I think duringa timeout, like the first thing I
say to her is like, oh, I just saw that, Like I
(30:45):
was going to ask you about that, or I was going to tell you
about that. Even when we goin like it's it is a little bit
harder because these hitters are sometimes gettinglike crossover between us, so other than
the right sides, you know,these hitters are hitting off of two different
setters, which, no matter howin sync we are, is still different.
You're taking a different ball from someoneand not to mention like as a
(31:07):
setter coming off of the court cankind of mess with your flow sometimes,
so that's what he was saying aboutlike working through it last season. But
but now it does feel like youjust have like a pure teammate, like
you are fully on the same team, just trying to attack something. Getting
to know Kelly, I've known fora long time now though had you two
(31:30):
been selfish, you wouldn't be playing, or you might not even be here,
right. So Kelly, Kelly Sheffield, he's he's and this is just
me talking here. You can saywhat you'd like. He's. I love
him, He's, he's he's He'sgreat. He's great, he's funny,
he's charming, he's knowledgeable, he'switty. He can be serious obviously,
(31:52):
but he's gotten the most out ofyou two, out of your teammates,
out of former players. So howdo you characterize your head coach, Kelly
Sheffield. He's a genius, Agenius. Yeah, truly, he's a
genius at like people, which Idon't think many people realize like he is.
(32:15):
There's a reason, how like whythis program has grown so much in
the time that he's been here.He's gotten people to matches. He's created
just like this culture which is reallyhard to do. People think that culture
comes with it, but no,like him and his staff just recruit people
who all have a like a commongoal and that's how you get something special.
(32:38):
Yeah, and I think it comesfrom him being so real. He's
he gets to know us better thanI ever could have asked a coach to
know me and to know my familyand to build help us build the connections
between ourselves rather than just us tohim, he's bonding this team together every
single year, and like she said, that doesn't come without effort, and
(33:00):
it's it takes a lot of effortand that's just not shown anywhere else.
And that builds the bond on thecourt, It builds better practices, it
builds better communication, and it startswith him just taking the time out to
be a real person to us andto come in consistently and care about our
lives outside of the sport and careabout us as individuals as well as as
(33:21):
athletes. Yeah, he has alittle goofy though, any he's very very
goofy, and you see that likeright away. But even like the goofy
moments are on purpose because there's justlike a whole side to him. And
like if We're going to be herefor so many hours a day and we're
gonna like give everything we have toit. Like it truly is, like
(33:43):
he's so good at what he doeson every level. Yeah again, the
Wisconsin women's volleyball team Wisconsin, Butthere used to be a men's volleyball team
here And did you know that backin the day it was a varsity sport.
Yeah, no idea, but yeah, yeah, a long time ago.
But we just refer to your clubas Wisconsin volleyball number one in the
country after a fifth Strade Big Tentitle. I know you want to win
(34:04):
another national championship, but there arepeople that doubt your club. As he
was saying this before, do youfeel the same way, And who who
doubts you? I mean, Idon't think anybody that comes in this building
that's wearing cardinal and white doubts thatyou can do it again. But there
are people out there that do.Huh. Yeah, Like you know,
you have fans of other places.You have just people online who are allowed
(34:27):
to get behind a screen and justsay whatever they want to read that stuff
to you. Never never, butthey're you know, they're out there right
like and they have to have aplace to put it. But again,
that's like we kind of talked aboutthis, like that's a part of growing
the sport. You know, Likewho who knows an NFL team that like
nobody else doubts them? Right,Like nobody you you have all those comments
and that like we want that almostbecause people are invested in us, and
(34:52):
it just like adds to this wholekind of you know excitement. Yeah,
always gonna be doubts when you're winninggames too, I mean from people surrounding
and like she said, from otherfans and just from people that watch the
sport. Like we've had success inour past, we're having success now,
and everybody wants successful teams to godown at some point and all the time,
(35:19):
the Celtics, the Lake or whatever. We just have to focus on
not listening to all that outside noiseand staying together. And I think we
did a really good job at thatthis yesterday against Florida of just the only
thing that matters is us, Yeah, looking at each other, we might
be the only ones that believe inthis gym right now except for the couple
of people were in red in thecrowd, But other than that, we're
the only people that matter right now, and we're the only people that need
(35:43):
to believe. Pleasure to talk toyou guys. This has been a lot
of fun. Yeah, you're welcome. Good luck with all your schooling.
Thank you, good luck with whateveryou're doing, and were back in class.
That's Izzy Ashburn and n J Hamillof the Wisconsin volleyball team, the
top ranked team in the country.Big Tin opener Friday, September twenty two
at Northwestern Big Ten home openers Sunday, September twenty fourth against Indiana. My
(36:07):
thanks to producer engineer Dave McCann onBrian Posic. This is going great across
UW Women's Athletics presented by Great Clipsand iHeartRadio. Going great across UW Women's
Athletics prosented by Great Clips, GreatClips. It's going to be great.
(36:27):
Going great across u W Women's Athleticspresented by Great Clips, Great Clips.
It's going to be great.
When you don't reach that goal.I think it's the same amount of fire,
but you just have a little bitof a chip on your shoulder,
you know, unfinished business. Youfeel the same way. I know,
yeah, I feel the same way. I think a lot of people expect
people to come back from a lossending season to say that that's all they're
thinking about and you don't want tofeel that from last year, when having
(00:22):
experienced a win and a loss atthe end of the season, I can
fully say that coming back to theseason, it's the same amount of work.
It's I want to feel that feelingagain. I want to feel that
win again. I obviously don't wantto lose at the end of the season,
but I don't think that that changesthe motivation at all. It's let's
get back to work and let's gofor another one. Welcome to Going Great
(00:43):
Across you W Women's Athletics, presentedby Great Clips, Great Clips. It's
going to be great. Going GreatAcross you W Women's Athletics is a showcase
on the great thing student athletes areaccomplishing on the field, in the classroom
and beyond. Now Here's host BryanPosic, Hello, and welcome to iHeartRadio's
(01:03):
podcast Going Great Across UW Women's Athletics, presented by Great clips On Brian Posic,
the father of a former UW women'shockey player, an NCAA pole vault
qualifier, the brother of an AllAmerican basketball and soccer player, and the
husband of an iron man. Ialso served as the PA announcer for Wisconsin
volleyball back in the day. Inthis podcast, we'll talk with a guest
(01:25):
or guests who have made or aremaking an impact on UW women's athletics and
our guests today from inside the uW Fieldhouse from the Badger volleyball team,
senters Izzie Ashburn and MJ. Hamill. Thanks for being here today, guys,
Yeah, thanks for having us.Yeah, And so we're speaking on
Monday. It's September eighteenth, oneday after the top ranked Badgers rallied from
(01:46):
two sets down to beat third rankedFlorida in five sets. There were over
ten thousand fans in Gainesville, asschool record for the match. They were
going bonkers, they're up to zip, they thought they had you, and
you win the match. How didyou guys pull that off? Staying with
it? I think not judging thosefirst two sets and resetting every single chance
(02:07):
that we could between every point betweenevery set, really coming together and taking
that reset rather than living in thepast or living in the future. I
think our team did a great jobat that and that's the only reason we
were able to continue on. Yeah, I think a lot of those moments
you're when you're not playing your bestvolleyball. It's easy, like Izzy said,
to like judge those moments, butin reality, you're kind of just
(02:30):
staying the course and like waiting waitingfor those moments to come up. Volleyball
is a huge game of momentum,and so once you find that, like
that little bit of spark, youjust have to keep it growing. And
I think that's what we were ableto find even at the end of set
two, and then we just ranaway with it into Set three. And
you just have to believe, likeat all moments. It's it's really fun
(02:51):
when you're away because you know thatthe people who believe are is that team
right there, and you know youhave so many supporters, but it's like
you really to just kind of cometogether and just try and do something great.
Yeah, when you talk about aspark, you know what would spark
could be a hit, a block, you know, a big dig or
a pass or whatever. Somebody sayssomething, what was the spark in that
(03:13):
match against Florida. I would sayI think a lot of the biggest spark
for us was like when we startedwinning those long rallies. Those a lot
of times can just be like motivatorsbecause you know you're working your butt off
and sometimes you just need like alittle trickle over the net or you just
need the ball to drop in atthe last second. And I would say
(03:35):
we started getting some of those,we started winning the transition game, and
that was that was a key forus. Yeah, I would give a
lot of the credit of the sparkto out working It's something we talked about
before the game. It's a goodteam on the other side, they expect
long rallies. They're a great defensiveteam. They're they're gonna work hard.
We need to outwork them, andI think those long rallies came down to
(03:57):
outworking them, and that's where thespark really came from. Putting in all
that hard work and getting the rewardof winning that that long rally and making
that place quiet really brings energy toour side. Well, yeah, long
rallies can be motivators and can bedeflators too though, right, Yeah,
and maybe you saw that on theother side of the net. Yeah,
I mean it's it's definitely like Ithink volleyball is just a great test of
(04:19):
like mental toughness because of how muchmomentum is actually in the in the game,
like point by point, and alot of times it's hard when you
lose those those long points because eventhough it's just one on the scoreboard,
that feels like you are just inthat moment and it can kind of be
so deflating. So if you arethe team that wins those long rallies,
(04:41):
you have to run away with it, and if you're not, you just
have to go right back to work. Yeah, your club earned that when
there's no question about it. Butwhen Florida's set her Alexa Stucky went out
with an injury and it looks serious. I just mentioned deflating a moment ago
that had to be for the Gators, and you feel for you, you
know, it's a you know,fans of the National Football League or just
sports fans wanted to see Aaron Rodgersplay for the Jets and he gets hurt
(05:03):
for blays In, and it's youdon't you don't wish that upon him,
no matter what you think of thehuman being. That was just sad to
see. I think you would ratherbeat them when they're at full strength.
Unfortunately for them, it didn't turnout that way. Yeah, it's absolutely
horrible to see. I mean,we're all student athletes at the end of
the day, and you know allof the work that she does with her
(05:23):
team and how incredible she is asa center and a leader on that side,
and it's just so hard to seeand for them to come out and
still keep fighting for her, it'ssomething that we expected. I mean,
they're a great team and like Isaid, they're really hard workers, so
we knew that they were going topower through, power through anything that could
happen, even something as serious asthat. So I mean, it's just
(05:46):
a great testament to that team overthere, and I really hope the best
for her. Yeah. A Connoshanative, Kennedy Muff took over for Stuckey
at center, and we wish herand the Gators all the best to luck.
You know, we were just talkingabout injuries. What's the worst injury
you've had in volleyball any major ones, so hopefully not. I've been fairly
lucky. I mean, knock onsome wood, I'm the front in my
(06:08):
fifth year here. I'm an oldlady, but I've been pretty lucky in
my time here. So Jay,Yeah, I had kind of like an
off court injury, a little bitlike I rolled my ankle, try to
play through it, and then turnsout I like had chipped a piece of
my bone off in my ankle,and I had like a surgery in the
spring. I don't think many peopleknow that. It was really simple,
(06:29):
crazingly but that's about it. Andyou're all good now, I'm all good.
Now I'm playing to stay all good. Here you go. You know,
I mentioned my daughter is a hockeyplayer. She's still playing overseas now
in Sweden, which is a blast. And she talks. She'll show me
bruises that she has on her bodytaking pucks in the thighs or you know
wherever, or you know, onthe neck or what have you. And
do you guys share like battle wounds, like, oh my god, look
(06:54):
at this. I mean, becauseyou're you're you're diving on the floor,
I mean, your your body isrelatively well protected, but I would think
your hips, your elbows, youyour forearms digging all the time. I
mean, do you share battle scarswith your teammates and say, man,
that's a nice one, but lookat this one. You know, yeah,
we'll compare a little bit. Imean the worst are the ones that
don't show though, and they hurt, and you're like, I promise you,
(07:15):
this is bad, Like you're tryingto convince other people. You're like,
I know yours is purple, butI promise you this one hurts.
Worse is the Ashburn's with us MJHamiltwo from the Batch of volleyball team perfect
through non conference play getting ready forBig ten competition coming up on September twenty
second at Northwestern. You know Imentioned the big crowd down in Gainesville.
(07:38):
You've played in front of a numberof big crowds already this season. You
know, when you're playing in theNCAA tournament, you're gonna play in front
of big crowd, especially when youget to the to the final four.
But to play in front of tenthousand there, I think Arkansas had a
school record crowd when you played themtwice down down there, and then seventeen
thousand thirty seven at five Serve forhim to watch Wisconsin and Marquette and nc
(08:00):
a indoor volleyball attendance record. Whatwas that experience, Like, it's so
special. I feel like that's justa testament to how much the sport is
growing. It's you know, youdream of these moments as a little girl,
and I think that it's just goingto be so much more normal when
we leave here, like ten yearsdown the road, I think that those
are going to be normal attendance sizes. Like I think we're gonna have to
(08:24):
find ways to get more seating insidegyms. I mean, people want to
watch a sport. It's such incredibleathleticism, and it's just it's so fun
to be supported like that and havethat community around the sport. Yeah,
it's it's also great experience for usto feel a huge gym filled with people
only cheering for the other side ofthe net. It's something that is great
(08:46):
for us at the beginning of theseason, especially as we're growing to feel
that pressure and to still be ableto power through and stay together. But
this has been a huge talk thisyear, especially with me and MJ going
to the media Day, which isa second annual media day for the Big
Ten this year. Just seeing thegrowth of women's volleyball in the last five
years and in the last ten years, and looking at the growth of games
(09:09):
on television accessible to the whole nation, and the growth of attendance records and
people trying to one up that everysingle year, and the growth of the
fan base and people trying to gettickets. It's it's incredible to see,
and like MJ said, I'm hopingthat that becomes more normal. But just
allowing more people to see the incrediblesport and gaining access to that, it's
(09:31):
just going to continue growing because onceyou watch one game, you're gonna fall
in love. I fell in lovewith it back in the early nineties when
I was doing PA here and LauraAbananti's playing Sharisa Livingston. I mean,
there were some great, great,great, great players here. How about
playing in front of ninety one thousandplus at Memorial Stadium and Lincoln like Nebraska
did against Omaha. How would youlike to play outside at Camp Randall Stadium.
(09:54):
I mean, that's that's an onlypossible next step, right, Like
you just gotta go up from here. So I mean, bringing on yeah,
or Lambo Lambo would be fun.Yeah, I do. Lambo seats
a little bit more than Camper HandleStadium. Is He Ashburne and MJ.
Hamill with us going great across theu W Women's Athletics presented by Great Clips.
So? Is He a graduate studentfrom Dayton, Minnesota, near the
(10:16):
Twin Cities. First team under armourAll American in high school won a state
title in twenty eighteen at Champlain ParkHigh School. Is He's mom played college
college volleyball at Minnesota Morris. Sodid you have a volleyball in your crib?
Yeah? I started pretty young.She kind of ran the youth almost
rec league in my hometown. Somy mom was my coach from second grade
(10:39):
on. Started club in fourth grade. Really just fell in love with it.
I kind of played every sport Icould growing up, but I always
knew that volleyball was where I wasgoing to end up. But I'm really
grateful I got the opportunity to playso many different sports and connect with so
many different people. But yeah,volleyball is it from the start. I
think my mom had a little bitof influence, but I mean this,
(11:00):
and I got in that gym,I knew I wanted to play the play
volleyball the rest of my life.You mentioned before to me that you know
you played all sorts of sports.You also did taekwondo, right, I
did taekwondo, tennis. Yeah,why taekwondo? What got you into that?
I'm not sure. I showed upwhere my parents brought me to and
that was It was a taekwondo gymfor I think a year or two.
But anything I could be involved inis what I did growing up. Yeah,
(11:22):
and you played the flute in theband. I did play the flute
in the band. I wish becauseI know our guys would love to hear
that right now. Yeah, I'msure I'll show you a video later.
So why was consin and not Minnesota? I mean you were recruited by a
bunch of different schools. Did I'msure the Gophers offered you two, didn't
they. I had a lot ofsmaller schools offered me early on. I
(11:46):
had a lot of walk on offersaround the country. I was pretty small
going into high school. I playedfor a smaller club in Minnesota, not
super well known. I played undersid Hilly in high school. She was
the center at our high school aswell, and then I kind of took
over the settings so she could hit. But yeah, I just am so
(12:07):
grateful that they took a chance onme here and expected that growth out of
me and saw the potential in me, because I don't think that's something everybody
gets the opportunity to have somebody somebodyfor them to look to, and they
just fully believed in me early onin high school. The second that Kelly
offered me, I knew I wasgonna come here. The second I hadn't
(12:30):
even been on campus yet, andI was like, I've only heard incredible
things. I've watched this team play. I know what they're about. I've
talked to Sid like this is whereI need to be and this is as
real as it is. I talkedto Kelly a couple of times, and
how he is in recruiting and withme being fifteen years old is exactly what
I got here, and it's exactlywhat I expected. It doesn't change.
It's it's the same on the court, same off the court. You build
(12:50):
that connection, and I'm so gratefulfor my choice. I'm so grateful that
I got to sack a fifth yearhere and keep the experience going. Yeah,
I'll ask you more about Kelly hereat a moment. So, three
time academic All Big ten honoree,a degree in mathematics, frazy a grad
student in business analytics. So what'sthe toughest class that you have right now?
(13:11):
I'm not in class right now?Excuse me? Well, I did
my undergrotten three years and my masterswas a one year program, and I
pushed two classes to this fall.Actually, so I don't start school until
the next month. Were you lucky? I did it the right way though,
I've earned this semester. Okay,all right, okay, well,
(13:33):
good for you and mathematics business analytics. You want to play pro volleyball,
but I read that you'd like tocoach. Yeah, I wouldn't mind coaching.
I think I've done some camps andI've done some privates in the past
and I've really enjoyed it. AnyWay, to stay connected the sport.
If I can play pro in theStates, I would love to do that.
But yeah, I can't see myselfleaving the game in any regards.
(13:58):
So anyway to stay connect, didis how I want to continue on?
Yeah, and congratulations to Izzy.She broke the thirty six year old school
record for service aces held by thelate Margie Kaminski. I knew her as
Margie Fitzpatrick. She was a formercoach here. She replaced Steve Lowe,
who was the head coach. Hedied of cancer in nineteen ninety one.
Margie was great, took over fora year. John Cook came in after
(14:20):
that. But that's nice to holdthe record. I don't care if you
did it in four years and ninematches or not. Right, that's still
pretty significant. You're welcome. You'rewelcome. MJ. Hamill's a senior from
Greenwood, Indiana, a three timefirst team All State honoree, second team
Under Armor All American at Center GroveHigh School. Your sister Taylor played at
Middle Tennessee State. Your mom playedat Clemson. Right, So did you
(14:43):
have a volleyball in your crew?So I definitely did. I think instead
of investing in daycare, she justbrought me to practices and hoped that I
would be entertained and I was.It worked, we worked, and you
were sold. I mean, youmust have played other sports growing up too.
I'm Indiana. That's a big basketballstate. Yeah. Finally felt like
she was almost trying to keep meout of the sport. It was like
to almost like argue that she wasn'tpushing me into anything, and it was
(15:07):
like me, I think I wastrying to get into my sister's practices when
I was about like seven years oldand Taylor had just started playing club volleyball,
and I was just like itching toactually get on a team. And
my mom realized that it was likeI wanted it rather than she did,
and sure, yeah, I justhad a lot of freedom with that.
Yeah. Did you ever try toput together a three on three against anybody
(15:30):
who would have you? You,your mom, and your sister. Oh?
Absolutely, I mean I even Iwould take my dad too. He's
been around this sport for so long. He's okay, I'm he's asking me
about, you know, scouting reportsnow and asking what I'm doing with the
man has learned so much. Heis just a great listener. Okay,
I think he's a great volleyball playernow too. All right? Is he
what is he an outside hit hermiddle block or is he a DS?
(15:50):
What is he? You know?I'd have to say, I think he
has some good hands. I thinksetting runs in the family. Really Yeah,
okay, all right, would youlike to coach someday. I don't
think I would. I do.I like working one on one with people.
I think I like talking out thatside of the game, But I
don't necessarily trust how competitive I canget when I'm not on the court,
(16:14):
and so I would like to notbe in those like really intense moments because
I just I think I do muchbetter outside of it. Okay, yeah,
yeah, I gotcha. You wantto be a nurse practitioner, correct,
Right, So you're in biomedical engineering. That's your major. So what's
your toughest class you may have justcome from it? Yeah, yeah,
I have quite a few. Iwould probably say it's probably biomechanics right now.
(16:41):
It just a lot of what Ido has to do with a lot
of like physics and human body crossover. So there's a lot of application into
sports, believe it or not,which is really fun. It can just
get really complicated with trying to solvepretty intense problems. Wow, is she
like the smartest kid on the tShe is brilliant? She is brilliant.
(17:03):
He's definitely not. Is he's beingnice? I'm not being nice? Going
great across you? W Women's Athleticspresented by great clips, and we just
talk about sports and taekwondo and whatare other interests? What are other interests
do you guys have? I meanbecause oftentimes besides school, obviously, sports
can consume you. So do youhave something you Okay, I pull back
(17:26):
and your Netflix binge or you know, read this this author or whatever.
What are your interests? I lovemovies and TV shows. I also recently
got into reading as a hobby.Our team is kind of into that right
now. I'm a big runner whenI get the time. Okay, not
in season as much, but Ireally enjoy a good run to get my
mind away. What's the longest run? I'm supposed to stay from two to
(17:51):
five miles? Okay, let's justsay you do that, right? Okay?
How about you? I would probablysay like cooking, baking, shopping
for various fall candles. Really,I'm a really really good shopper. I
don't know if that's a talent.I'm a big fall girl or a flaw
Yeah, okay, all right,So if you had friends over MJ,
(18:14):
what would be that go to dinner? Oh, let's see, probably since
it's fall, like a lasagna,soup and then up yeah, and then
some sort of like chocolate chip cookie. Do you have plans tonight? Well,
you want to come over for MezzieAshburn and MJ. Hamill were us
setters for the Wisconsin volleyball team.We're talking on September eighteenth, and the
(18:37):
Badgers are nine and ozh not tryingto jinx anything. Five starters back from
last year's squad. That one anotherBig ten title, your fourth in a
row, made it to the Eliteeight. I'm sure you thought you could
have gone further. Was that motivationI would assume walking into this season most
definitely. I mean it's even ifyou do like twenty one when we finished
(19:00):
the year on a win. Youknow, each year is a brand new
season, and so you go backfrom square one and you just have to
work. And when you don't reachthat goal, I think it's the same
amount of fire, but you justhave a little bit of a chip on
your shoulder, you know, unfinishedbusiness. You feel the same way.
I know, yeah, I feelthe same way. I think a lot
(19:22):
of people expect people to come backfrom a loss ending season to say that
that's all they're thinking about, andyou don't want to feel that from last
year when having experienced a win anda loss at the end of the season,
I can fully say that coming backto the season, it's the same
amount of work. It's I wantto feel that feeling again. I want
(19:42):
to feel that win again. Iobviously don't want to lose at the end
of the season, but I don'tthink that that changes the motivation at all.
It's let's get back to work andlet's go for another one. Yeah,
can you really explain what it waslike winning a national title? I
mean, I've been part of itas as a broadcaster, even as a
student up you know, when Iwas in college. But can you describe
(20:03):
them when people say what was that? Like? How did it feel?
You? Really? I suppose you'relike, well, how do you explain
it? Right? Yeah, It'slike it's almost weird because I think when
you're trying to be really great ata certain craft, you know that there's
never like a mountaintop. I thinklike the grates in each sport would even
agree with that, Like, forexample, I don't think Lebron even thinks
(20:26):
that he has ever arrived. Oryou know, Dana Htkey when she was
Player of the Year, I don'tthink she ever thought she arrived at her
her greatest and so I think whenyou accomplish, you know, the like
you in the season on a win, it's you kind of look around and
you're like, this is like thisis what we wanted, Like this is
what we achieved. Yeah, it'sit's almost like a very weird but like
(20:51):
I would say, freeing feeling andjust like very rewarding and it's so special
to go with like a group ofgirls that you just love so much,
like it's this program is my family. Yeah, it still doesn't feel fully
real, if I'm being honest.Waking up the next morning, I just
moment being like that didn't happen,Like we still have a game today.
But there was a moment I rememberbeing on the court and just thinking to
(21:12):
myself like I was that little girlthat just wanted to make the team,
and then I was the girl thatI just want to play college volleyball,
and then I was I just wantto play Division one. I just want
to be in the Big ten.I just want to have a chance of
the tournament wherever I go. Iwant to make it far in the tournament.
And then you come here and youlook around and you're like I'm right
where I wanted to be when Iwas that little girl, and just so
(21:34):
much appreciation for the people around me, and so much just gratitude for not
only the place I'm in, butthe people I'm around. Is just so
important because you can't you can't enjoyit unless you're with the right people.
I feel like and every season's agrind, but I can look around every
day and be like, nah,I'm supposed to be here. I'm so
(21:56):
happy to be here, even inthe hardest moments. It's exactly where I
want to be, is he AnMJ and I are sitting inside the field
house the night or twenty twenty oneNational Championship banners often to my left.
All the other big ten banners areup. It's it's really cool. You
talk about appreciating what you have atWisconsin. The eight thousand, how many
nine thousand fans that fill this placefor every single match obviously appreciate you.
(22:18):
That's got to be a fantastic feelingtoo. It really is like again,
I was once just like a littlegirl looking to this program is just my
favorite thing ever to watch, Likethey were always just on my schedule of
Okay, Badgers have a game tonight, and I'm going to be sitting right
there on the couch yelling at theTV for them. And to think about,
you know, how much this gamehas grown, how many people are
(22:40):
now watching, Like it really issurreal to look back on like where you
came from and just like appreciate,and that just motivates you to want even
more, to just keep growing,to work even harder. Sure, I
want to ask you about a coupleof year teammates. Sarah Franklin. Her
career was in jeopardy this summer.She had blood clots in her right arm.
(23:03):
She had surgery, but she's comeback, thankfully. What she had
wasn't as severe as they thought,maybe, and she looks better than never.
What's it like seeing Sarah out theresmiling and whacking away. Kelly said
it best. She's playing like shealmost lost the love of her life.
Sarah Franklin won't play volleyball the restof her life, and that's that is
her goal. And for a secondthat that was almost not a possibility.
(23:29):
And she's playing like that. She'sgiven her all every single day. She's
so invested in this team and soinvested in the game. And I mean,
it's showing in her play obviously.Yeah, could you imagine that?
I couldn't imagine that rightly losing myvoice? What would I do? You
know, especially the timing of it. She was. I mean, we're
a day or two away from goingto Europe and you hear about this,
(23:52):
and it's you're hoping the best forher. You're you're wanting to bring her
with you for the experience, butalso you know what's for her is probably
not that, and you're just tryingto find different ways to be there for
her. But she was so strongthrough it all and staying so connected to
the team, and I mean shewas supporting us probably, yeah, more
than we ever could have asked forwhen we should be the ones with her
(24:15):
all the time and we're in Europeplaying games, and I mean just the
strength of her and the strength thatshe brings this team is incredible, right,
One quick tangent, What was thebest part about your European trip?
Best place that you went? Whatwas your favorite Bruce Springs sing in Zurich.
Oh my gosh, yeah, Iknow you have had pretty good seats
too. Oh, we were standthe way to like, like have we
(24:37):
think Bruce saw us in the crowd, like no doubt, you know,
because we're heads above everybody, right, and probably one of the youngest in
the crowd. And that was unbelievable, Like I didn't understand who like Bruce
was as a person. Yeah,and he is the boss, that's true.
He is the boss. And heprobably he played what three three and
a half hours? Yeah, Imean his enter at his age is he's
(25:03):
yeah, yeah, he's mid seventies. Yeah, yeah, he's yeah,
he's well. He definitely has it. He definitely has it all right,
Tammy Thomas Ai Lara Kelly Sheffield saidlast week that she may be the most
talented player he's ever coached. Youplayed some You mentioned Dana Redgi before Sydney
Hilly before. I mean, whywould he say something like that if it
wasn't true. Yeah, she isso athletic. Temmy is just speedy ball
(25:30):
of muscle, can jump, canhit hard, can serve really hard.
She is so talented and she's sucha joy in the gym. It's so
much fun to play around and towatch her work and to have her lighting
everybody up a little bit. Yeah, I think her ceiling is just so
high, Like I there's really justno stopping that type of athleticism, and
(25:56):
it's it's so exciting to set right, Like it makes our jobs a lot
easier. I was going to say, who do you pick from? I
mean, honestly, up and downyour lineup? It's crazy, who do
you pick from? I'm telling youthat's that's where we look at that our
drawing board and we're like, Ithink I think every option is a good
option. Yeah, it's hard.It's hard. It's a great problem to
(26:18):
have. It's hard, though,like to have so many options. It's
the best problem a setter could have. But it does make decisions or yeah,
our decision making a little harder.Hannah Smerecky got Crawford, you got
robbed? I mean up and downthe line right, So, like you
football in a huddle, I don'tknow how many times quarterbacks talk about it
or players talk about it. Thereceiver comes back, Hey I was wide
(26:41):
open, you know, look fromme or whatever? Do you get that?
Is there somebody on your squat?It's like, hey, I'm wide
open. Do you have you haveplayers like that too? Yeah? And
like you want that feedback because youknow we're seeing the block, they're also
seeing the block as well, soyou like want to adjust. But you
know, sometimes you have one onone on every single hitter because they just
have to go kind of like manon right like you, you kind of
(27:03):
get everybody going up different holes everywhere, and so it's it's almost like,
Okay, be patient because you're notgoing to take all the swings in the
match, but I'm still going togive you a lot, Like just stay
with me here. One ball's onlyone ball exactly, yep, yep.
For the second straight season, Wisconsin'srunning a six two offense. Izzie Ashburn
and MJ. Hamill combined for almosteleven assists percent, which would lead the
(27:26):
Big Ten individually. You're also bothvery good defensively too. You've I think
both of you have had five doubledoubles this year. So what do you
take more pride in You're passing yourdefense. I think we're working hard on
defense right now. Obviously there's awall in front of us of a block,
which super grateful for in the rightback that our blockers are so physical
(27:51):
and big up at the net.But yeah, I think I think we're
working really hard on defense. Wework together super well. We get to
kind of help each other out out. It's just as it's been a moment
of or a place of emphasis forus. I guess this season really playing
some good right back defense, especiallywith how well we hit out a system
(28:11):
allowing us to take a few digsif if teams are going to target the
right backs, we're always back there. We have great auto system setting,
we got really great auto system attacking. So yeah, yeah, So when
Kelly came to you and said,okay, we're going to run a six
two, because you're both very capableof being the number one setter pretty much
anywhere in the country. So howdid you take that And when did you
(28:34):
two first discuss it and say,Okay, we can do this. We
need to do this to be successful, and obviously you've been successful with it.
I think we actually noted. LikeI think we came to the realization
that we were at a high possibilityof running a six two just because of
like the sheer talent we have inthe front row, like how many hitters.
(28:55):
I think in order to utilize everybody'sbest like that, that means that
we have to be okay with likenot being the star of it. And
I think that is like a testamentof what we're trying to do on the
court, Like, if you don'tnotice us, that means we're doing a
good job. We're putting the spotlighton our teammates who like fully deserve it.
You know, we just kind ofwant to make everybody better, and
(29:19):
it's it's not about us, youknow, We're just trying to lead the
team as best as we can.Yeah, we work together super well.
Looking at the benefits of a sixtwo having eyes on the bench at all
times and having that other person toconnect with you even in the toughest moment.
We're a really great team together.And I think both of us went
into that decision really selflessly and justsaying we want to win games and if
(29:42):
if this is to help our teamplay the best, if this is the
way that we can reach our highestpotential, then let's work at it.
Rather than I only want to runa five one somewhere, I only want
this for myself. It's it's biggerthan you, and we both I think
(30:03):
jumped into that just right away.It was never a question whether or not
this was going to work between meand MJ. It was instantly like,
let's figure out how to do this. Let's figure out the flow of the
game. Let's let's train in away that me and you can figure out
how the six two can work,and how the communication can work with us
and Kelly, and how our blockersand right sides can adjust to the sixth
(30:23):
two as well. And I thinkthat this season, coming into it already
having that experience running the sixth two, it was a lot easier to jump
into the flow of the game.Again. Yeah, yeah, you guys
see each other reading each other's mindsalmost you see what right you see which
oh okay, and you're you know, yes, you know. There's a
lot of times where I think duringa timeout, like the first thing I
say to her is like, oh, I just saw that, Like I
(30:45):
was going to ask you about that, or I was going to tell you
about that. Even when we goin like it's it is a little bit
harder because these hitters are sometimes gettinglike crossover between us, so other than
the right sides, you know,these hitters are hitting off of two different
setters, which, no matter howin sync we are, is still different.
You're taking a different ball from someoneand not to mention like as a
(31:07):
setter coming off of the court cankind of mess with your flow sometimes,
so that's what he was saying aboutlike working through it last season. But
but now it does feel like youjust have like a pure teammate, like
you are fully on the same team, just trying to attack something. Getting
to know Kelly, I've known fora long time now though had you two
(31:30):
been selfish, you wouldn't be playing, or you might not even be here,
right. So Kelly, Kelly Sheffield, he's he's and this is just
me talking here. You can saywhat you'd like. He's. I love
him, He's, he's he's He'sgreat. He's great, he's funny,
he's charming, he's knowledgeable, he'switty. He can be serious obviously,
(31:52):
but he's gotten the most out ofyou two, out of your teammates,
out of former players. So howdo you characterize your head coach, Kelly
Sheffield. He's a genius, Agenius. Yeah, truly, he's a
genius at like people, which Idon't think many people realize like he is.
(32:15):
There's a reason, how like whythis program has grown so much in
the time that he's been here.He's gotten people to matches. He's created
just like this culture which is reallyhard to do. People think that culture
comes with it, but no,like him and his staff just recruit people
who all have a like a commongoal and that's how you get something special.
(32:38):
Yeah, and I think it comesfrom him being so real. He's
he gets to know us better thanI ever could have asked a coach to
know me and to know my familyand to build help us build the connections
between ourselves rather than just us tohim, he's bonding this team together every
single year, and like she said, that doesn't come without effort, and
(33:00):
it's it takes a lot of effortand that's just not shown anywhere else.
And that builds the bond on thecourt, It builds better practices, it
builds better communication, and it startswith him just taking the time out to
be a real person to us andto come in consistently and care about our
lives outside of the sport and careabout us as individuals as well as as
(33:21):
athletes. Yeah, he has alittle goofy though, any he's very very
goofy, and you see that likeright away. But even like the goofy
moments are on purpose because there's justlike a whole side to him. And
like if We're going to be herefor so many hours a day and we're
gonna like give everything we have toit. Like it truly is, like
(33:43):
he's so good at what he doeson every level. Yeah again, the
Wisconsin women's volleyball team Wisconsin, Butthere used to be a men's volleyball team
here And did you know that backin the day it was a varsity sport.
Yeah, no idea, but yeah, yeah, a long time ago.
But we just refer to your clubas Wisconsin volleyball number one in the
country after a fifth Strade Big Tentitle. I know you want to win
(34:04):
another national championship, but there arepeople that doubt your club. As he
was saying this before, do youfeel the same way, And who who
doubts you? I mean, Idon't think anybody that comes in this building
that's wearing cardinal and white doubts thatyou can do it again. But there
are people out there that do.Huh. Yeah, Like you know,
you have fans of other places.You have just people online who are allowed
(34:27):
to get behind a screen and justsay whatever they want to read that stuff
to you. Never never, butthey're you know, they're out there right
like and they have to have aplace to put it. But again,
that's like we kind of talked aboutthis, like that's a part of growing
the sport. You know, Likewho who knows an NFL team that like
nobody else doubts them? Right,Like nobody you you have all those comments
and that like we want that almostbecause people are invested in us, and
(34:52):
it just like adds to this wholekind of you know excitement. Yeah,
always gonna be doubts when you're winninggames too, I mean from people surrounding
and like she said, from otherfans and just from people that watch the
sport. Like we've had success inour past, we're having success now,
and everybody wants successful teams to godown at some point and all the time,
(35:19):
the Celtics, the Lake or whatever. We just have to focus on
not listening to all that outside noiseand staying together. And I think we
did a really good job at thatthis yesterday against Florida of just the only
thing that matters is us, Yeah, looking at each other, we might
be the only ones that believe inthis gym right now except for the couple
of people were in red in thecrowd, But other than that, we're
the only people that matter right now, and we're the only people that need
(35:43):
to believe. Pleasure to talk toyou guys. This has been a lot
of fun. Yeah, you're welcome. Good luck with all your schooling.
Thank you, good luck with whateveryou're doing, and were back in class.
That's Izzy Ashburn and n J Hamillof the Wisconsin volleyball team, the
top ranked team in the country.Big Tin opener Friday, September twenty two
at Northwestern Big Ten home openers Sunday, September twenty fourth against Indiana. My
(36:07):
thanks to producer engineer Dave McCann onBrian Posic. This is going great across
UW Women's Athletics presented by Great Clipsand iHeartRadio. Going great across UW Women's
Athletics prosented by Great Clips, GreatClips. It's going to be great.
(36:27):
Going great across u W Women's Athleticspresented by Great Clips, Great Clips.
It's going to be great.
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