All-around champion, potential 'country's top libero' sign with Wisconsin volleyball

Coach Kelly Sheffield added four contenders for those jobs with the signing of his 2025 recruiting class on Wednesday.

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The players set to join the Badgers for next season are: Madison Quest, a 6-foot-3 outside hitter; Natalie Wardlow, a 6-4 middle blocker; Addison Horner, a 6-3 setter/right side; and Kristen Simon a 5-7 defensive specialist/libero.

All four of them figure to compete for playing time as freshmen for the Badgers, who will be losing Sarah Franklin, Julia Orzol, Devyn Robinson, Caroline Crawford, Anna Smrek and Carly Anderson.

Quest and Horner will get a head start in their transition to the college game by enrolling in January and competing in the spring practices and matches.

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Here’s a look at the incoming class:

Madison Quest brings championship background

Height: 6-3

Position: Outside hitter

High school: Milwaukee Divine Savior Holy Angels

Club: Milwaukee Sting

Quest is the daughter of former Badger Pauline Bresky and Sheffield has a photo of a young Quest at the Badgers camp his first year as coach. She has led DSHA to three consecutive WIAA Division 1 state championships. She is ranked No. 13 nationally by PrepDig.

“Madison is one of the top all-around outsides in her class,” Sheffield said. “Her ball control skills are very good for her age and size. She is constantly looking for ways to get better and has no fear taking big swings for her teams. She grew up following the Wisconsin volleyball program and knows a lot about the special history and tradition here. The kid’s a baller.”

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Natalie Wardlow is program's second from Nebraska

Height: 6-4

Position: Middle blocker

High school: Lincoln Southeast (Nebraska)

Club: Nebraska ONE

Wardlow, who is ranked No. 17 by PrepDig, will become just the second Wisconsin player from Nebraska.

“Natalie has the ability to be one of the top middles in this class,” Sheffield said. “She can hit first, second and third tempo and off of one foot or two feet. She does a good job going pin to pin on the block. She is driven to be really good and will put the work in to reach her goals. She’s long but she’s going to need to get stronger physically.”

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Addison Horner from same program as Badgers Olympian

Height: 6-3

Position: Right-side/setter

High school: Wheaton St. Francis (Illinois)

Club: 1st Alliance

Horner is a product of the same program as former Badger great Dana Rettke and could be a factor at either position, providing a versatility that Sheffield values greatly. She is ranked No. 18 by PrepDig.

“Addy is a really unique player in that she can help us in a lot of different ways,” he said. “She sets and plays opposite and could do either for us. Her skill set is similar to that of former Badger, Courtney Thomas. She is strong and can set with range. She can work the court attacking-wise. She is physical at the net from a blocking perspective and has a really nice serve.”

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Kristen Simon could "become country's top libero"

Height: 5-7

Position: Defensive specialist/libero

High school: Louisville Assumption

Club: KIVA

Sheffield was not really looking to recruit a backcourt player but when the opportunity to get Simon came along he quickly changed that plan. Simon, who is ranked No. 70 by PrepDig, picked Wisconsin over Louisville and Stanford.

“I wouldn’t be surprised to see her helping us early,” Sheffield said. “I can see Kristen becoming one of the top liberos in the college game one of these days. She is one of the hardest workers and self-starters that I’ve seen and is a big reason why we recruited her. She is equally good at serve receive and defense. She reads the game well but also has the athleticism and fierceness to make the tough plays.”

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Those four are not likely to be the only players joining the Badgers next year, as Sheffield plans to scour the transfer portal after the season to try and bring in some more experience, particularly in the front row.

New NCAA guidelines will set the volleyball roster limit at 18, two more than the Badgers currently have. Sheffield would like to have 18 next season. The Badgers have 10 players eligible to return and with the four incoming freshmen they would still have four spots available.

“We’re trying to shoot for 18 players, whether scholarship or walk-on,” Sheffield said. “Everybody can do that math, we’ve got a few more players to get. We’ll have scholarships available.

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“That’s one of the great things with the portal. We would be extremely young if we replaced all of these older kids with younger kids. We can maintain a really good balance with the young players that are freshmen right now and next year’s freshman class and some experienced players through the portal. We have no idea who’s going to be available but there’s certainly the opportunity.”