Wisconsin's Sarah Franklin (13) dives for a save during the match against Michigan State on Saturday, November 30, 2024 at the UW Field House in Madison, Wisconsin. Scott Ash / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Sarah Franklin details how Wisconsin Badgers volleyball is different than other parts of the country and world

Originally posted on Wisconsin Badgers on SI
By Lorin Cox | Last updated Jul 11, 2025 5:11 PM ET

Sarah Franklin has seen the different forms of volleyball culture all over the country, and now, the world.

But to her, there's something different about how they do it at Wisconsin.

Franklin grew up playing in Florida and started her collegiate career at Michigan State before transferring to the Badgers.

Now, she's playing internationally in the Volleyball Nations League for Team USA and taking the lessons she learned in Madison to the global stage.

“In Wisconsin, I feel like there were even more people than in Florida, because in Florida you have beach volleyball and all these other sports that you can do outside," Franklin said on The USA Volleyball Show. “But once we got to Wisconsin, I felt like there were so many girls who were so invested into volleyball because they would get into it so young and just kind of go on it and there was a lot of high level clubs around there.”

Need more VNL talk and can't wait til game time? This is the pod for you! U.S. Women's National Team outside Sarah Franklin shares her Volleyball Nations League experience so far, teammate relationships, and much more!

Watch: https://t.co/21GiOCN0Hj #usavshowpod @BadgerVB pic.twitter.com/qZSGz9ybMQ
— USA Volleyball (@usavolleyball) July 10, 2025

For Franklin, the transition to Wisconsin was about taking her game to the next level.

She knew that playing for coach Kelly Sheffield would raise the bar and help her ascend to the international stage she's playing on now.

"After I got to Wisconsin, I was like, ‘Woah, I feel like I have not been in this kind of top level and expected to do things, ever,'" Franklin said. "I've always been the underdog team that's had to fight for that."

On Team USA in the Volleyball Nations League, she's getting the chance to play alongside another Badgers legend in Dana Rettke.

Badgers doing some work today, helping team USA to a 3-0 sweep over the Netherlands! pic.twitter.com/Ldf9MTxYK0
— Wisconsin Volleyball (@BadgerVB) June 22, 2025

Rettke graduated from Madison before she transferred in, but the 2021 National Champion was someone Franklin looked up to.

"Coming from the Badgers, she knows what the differences are a little bit more than anyone else," Franklin said. "Wisconsin does things very specifically, and getting to understand that from Dana's perspective has been golden. I can't wait to apply that when I do get overseas."

Franklin is making the jump to professional volleyball overseas this upcoming season, signing with Savino Del Bene Scandicci in Italy.

The Volleyball Nation League tournament play continues through July 27.