Wisconsin volleyball lacks 'incredible need' as transfer portal opens again
Kelly Sheffield has a lot to like as he looks at Wisconsin's 2026 roster, but the Badgers could add some more depth in the spring portal window.
MADISON – Kelly Sheffield has a lot to like as he looks at the Wisconsin volleyball team’s 2026 roster. “I love the roster that we have right now,” Sheffield said. “I love the ability to grow with this group.
This group is going to be feisty and get after it on Day 1. ” That puts Sheffield’s Badgers in an enviable position as the spring transfer portal window opens May 1 for 15 days. As of April 30, the longtime UW coach did not see an “incredible need” for the 2026 roster.
Wisconsin will be in the market for players who can fill the two remaining roster spots and bring the Badgers to the 18-player cap. (NCAA rules do not require teams to use every roster spot, but it could have Title IX implications for a particular school. ) “If we didn’t have a roster target number that I was given, I’m not sure that we’d be bringing anybody in, but we do, and I’ve got to respond to that,” Sheffield said in a phone call.
The Badgers’ biggest need after the winter transfer portal window appeared to be libero after the departures of Aniya Warren and Maile Chan, who transferred to Oklahoma and Florida State, respectively. That left Kristen Simon as the only libero on the spring roster. UW has since at least partially addressed that need with the commitment from Italian libero Anna Bardaro – “a partner in crime” for Simon, Sheffield said after the last spring match.