VB Set for I-94 Rivalry at No. 6 Wisconsin

The Marquette University volleyball team (3-4) heads west on I-94 this Thursday, Sept. 17 to take on No. 6 Wisconsin (4-4) in the UW Field House. First serve is set for 7 p.m. CT, and will be televised nationally on the Big Ten Network.

LAST TIME OUT

Marquette volleyball rallied from a two-set deficit before falling at Illinois in five sets, 15-25, 11-25, 27-25, 25-18, 13-15. Carson Tyler led the Golden Eagles with a match-high 17 kills and 12 digs for her second-straight double-double, while Emma Parks added 12 kills and tied a career high with four blocks. Emi Juric recorded a career-best 18 digs, Molly Welge posted a career-high six blocks and Luanna Markus dished out 38 assists with nine digs. Marquette erased a 2-0 match deficit and led 11-7 in the fifth set before Illinois rallied to secure the victory.

HISTORY VS. WISCONSIN

Marquette and Wisconsin have met 29 times in program history, with the Badgers holding a 26-3 advantage in the all-time series. The Golden Eagles' most recent victory came on Sept. 5, 2019, when they earned a 3-2 win in Madison, while their other two victories came in 1977 and 1978. Marquette's 2019 triumph is its lone win in 14 road meetings with Wisconsin, and the Golden Eagles are 0-10 at home and 2-3 at neutral sites in the series. Since the 2019 victory, Marquette has dropped each of the last five regular-season meetings from 2021-25, including a 3-0 decision at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on Sept. 17, 2025.

SCOUTING THE BADGERS

Wisconsin enters Thursday at 4-4 following a challenging nonconference slate that has featured six ranked opponents. The Badgers own wins over Louisville, Florida, Auburn and Texas A&M, including five-set victories over Florida and Texas A&M, and most recently fell in four sets at Texas. Wisconsin averages 13.47 kills and 16.27 digs per set, led offensively by Eva Travis with 86 kills (3.19/set) and Audrey Flanagan with 82 (2.93/set). Setter Charlie Fuerbringer directs the attack with 317 assists (10.57/set) and ranks second on the team with 96 digs, while Anna Bardaro leads the back row with 106 digs (3.53/set).

TYLER TAKES CHARGE

Carson Tyler has been Marquette's most consistent offensive threat, reaching double figures in kills in all seven matches and totaling a team-high 101 kills (3.74/set). Tyler also leads MU with 117 points and 10 service aces while ranking second with 68 digs (2.52/set). She has produced three double-doubles, including each match against Illinois, and posted 30 kills and 23 digs across the two-match series.

MARKUS THE MAESTRO

Freshman setter Luanna Markus has directed Marquette's offense with 241 assists (8.93/set), ranking second in the BIG EAST in assists per set. Markus has posted at least 30 assists in six of seven matches, highlighted by a career-high 39 against South Florida and 38 at Illinois. She has also contributed 57 digs, 22 kills on .293 hitting and 17 blocks this season.

EMI STEPS UP IN THE BACK ROW

Freshman libero Emi Juric has produced double-digit digs in four consecutive matches and five times overall. Juric recorded 13 digs against Stanford and Illinois before setting a career high with 18 in Sunday's match at Illinois. She leads Marquette with 84 digs (3.11/set) and has committed only one service error on 108 serves this season.

WELGE AT THE NET

Molly Welge leads the Golden Eagles with 29 total blocks, including three solos and 26 block assists, while averaging 1.12 blocks per set. Welge has recorded at least three blocks in all seven matches, highlighted by five against Texas, five against South Florida and a career-high six at Illinois. She has also contributed 39 kills (1.50/set) and 56 points.

PARKS PROVIDES ANOTHER OPTION

Emma Parks ranks second on the team with 60 kills and averages 2.61 kills per set through seven matches. Parks has reached double figures four times, including a career-high 13 kills on .522 hitting at Wright State and 12 kills at Illinois. She also tied a career high with four blocks Sunday, including her first solo block of the season.

TANI FINDS CONSISTENCY

Freshman Tani Juric has recorded at least seven kills in six of seven matches and ranks third on the team with 56 kills (2.07/set). Juric recorded a career-high 11 kills while hitting .258 at No. 4 Stanford and followed with eight kills on a season-best .500 hitting percentage in Marquette's sweep of Illinois. She has added 20 digs and eight blocks through 27 sets.

DIGGING DEEP

Marquette recorded a season-high 68 digs at Illinois, surpassing its previous high of 59 against Texas. Emi Juric led the way with a career-high 18, while Carson Tyler and Avery Helms each added 12. The performance came two days after MU recorded 49 digs in its three-set win over Illinois, giving the Golden Eagles 117 digs across eight sets against the Illini.

BATTLE-TESTED EARLY

Marquette's difficult nonconference slate continues at No. 6 Wisconsin after the Golden Eagles already faced No. 2 Texas and No. 4 Stanford during the first seven matches. MU took Texas to five sets and claimed the third set at Stanford. The Wisconsin match will also be Marquette's fifth true road contest in its first eight matches of the season.

Including this week's scheduled matches, MU is one of four teams (MU, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Texas) to face three or more top-6 opponents in the opening five weeks of the season (including Week 0 at the Jeep AVCA First Serve). Of the results from all of those contests, Marquette is tied for the second-most sets won against top-six opponents (UK 4-3, MU 3-6, TEX 3-7 , WIS 2-12). MU has also not been swept by a top-six team thus far in the season.

MARQUETTE QUICK HITTERS

Carson Tyler has recorded double-digit kills in all seven matches this season and leads Marquette with 101 kills (3.74/set).
Tyler leads MU with 117 points (4.33/set) and 10 service aces.
Tyler has recorded at least 12 kills in every match this season.
Luanna Markus has 241 assists (8.93/set) through Marquette's first seven matches.
Markus has recorded at least 30 assists in six of seven matches, with a career-high 39 against South Florida.
Markus has also contributed 57 digs, 22 kills and 17 blocks.
Emi Juric leads Marquette with 84 digs (3.11/set).
Emi Juric has recorded double-digit digs in four straight matches, including a career-high 18 at Illinois.
Emi Juric has committed just one service error on 108 attempts this season.
Molly Welge leads Marquette with 29 blocks (1.12/set) through 26 sets.
Welge has recorded at least three blocks in every match this season.
Welge posted a career-high six blocks at Illinois on Sunday.
Emma Parks ranks second on MU with 60 kills (2.61/set) and has reached double figures four times.
Tani Juric has recorded at least seven kills in six of seven matches and owns 56 kills (2.07/set).
Avery Helms enters Thursday with 46 digs, including a career-high 12 at Illinois.
Marquette has 52 total blocks through seven matches, averaging 1.93 per set.
The Golden Eagles have committed 32 fewer service errors than their opponents, 54-86.
Marquette is 3-0 in three-set matches and 0-4 when a match extends beyond three sets.
Thursday's contest at Wisconsin will be Marquette's fifth true road match in its first eight contests of 2026.