MADISON, Wis. - After starting Big Ten play 2-0, No. 15 Indiana faced off against one of the toughest teams on their schedule, the No. 6 Wisconsin Badgers, on Thursday. Indiana hoped to carry its early Big Ten momentum into a battle against a Wisconsin team that quickly put that momentum to the test. The Badgers would eventually come away with the five-set victory (19-25, 14-25, 25-22, 25-20, 15-8).
But the horizons are broadening for the Indiana Hoosiers. An NCAA preliminary injunction temporarily granted fifth-year players another year of eligibility allowing for veteran volleyball stars such as Avry Tatum to make a comeback. Indiana also hopes to get San Diego transfer Izzy Clark on the court soon. With new opportunities opening up for the Big Ten, the focus is shifted back to the court and the challenge directly in front of them.
“When you go into Big Ten play and you need some edge…these guys have been around,” Indiana head coach Steve Aird said after the recent match against Maryland regarding Tatum and Clark. “They've been around the block, they know what they're doing.”
Wisconsin stood 8-4 overall before the matchup against the Hoosiers and 2-0 in Big Ten play.
The 17-year-old Decelise Champion for the Badgers stepped into the UW Field House as freshman of the week in the Big Ten conference before the matchup against Indiana. She was an unstoppable force, pushing the Hoosiers over and leaving them incapable of retaliating. Tatum did what she could rallying on and off but ultimately this matchup was an all-around team effort for these Hoosiers.
From veterans back on the court to 17-year-olds demanding dominance in the Big Ten Conference we can expect depth all around. The Badgers dominated Indiana with freshman Audrey Flanagan and Champion, both young players with many years to go in growth for their program. Indiana found themselves making the same mistakes they were hoping to clear up in the non-conference schedule with several errors escalating the lead for Wisconsin. Entering the third set, Indiana had 15 errors against the six Wisconsin accumulated. Messy volleyball isn’t going to cut it from here on out, starting slow will end you faster and Indiana did exactly that.
“Wisconsin presents a different challenge for us,” Aird said after a clean sweep against Maryland. “I think they are a legit Final Four contender.”
Not only does Tatum support this team's confidence and comfortability on the court but it also allows for specific players, like Ella Boersema to blossom in her natural position as a middle. In the third set against the Badgers, Boersema stepped up for her team comfortably transitioning back to what feels natural, ending the set with a huge snipe from the opposite side giving the Hoosiers the third set.
Tatum pinches the Hoosiers just in time to regulate some relieving rotations. Tatum's an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American selection, First Team All-Big Ten member, was selected to the AVCA Midwest All-Region team, provided career highs in kills (359), points (405.5), and hitting percentage (.315), while also finishing ninth in program history in hitting percentage. She even got drafted in the fourth round to the Columbus Fury in the MLV draft just before ultimately making a comeback for her fifth season with the Indiana Hoosiers.
She's no stranger to success nor a gatekeeper to the glory these Hoosiers could hold for the rest of this 2026 season. Her addition to this team this late in the season is exactly what Indiana needs to keep a sharp edge to their game. Additionally, this is not the only spark to the flame, Indiana plans on adding Clark back to the court soon. She was seen courtside dressed against the Wisconsin Badgers.
“We are slowly getting there, I think our last piece is going to be Izzy,” Aird said after the match against Maryland.
Transferring from San Diego, Clark was First Team All-WCC (2025, 2024), WCC Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 17, 2025, Sept. 22, 2025, Nov. 11, 2024), WCC Freshman of the Year (2024), WCC Freshman of the Week (Dec. 2, 2024, Nov. 11, 2024), and WCC All-Freshman Team in (2024). With this depth added to the roster and soon to the court, Indiana will be set on all fronts. Indiana’s middle is fully grounded with smooth in-and-out rotations such as Boersema, Kiki Granberry and Victoria Gray. We will have more than a triple threat with Jaidyn Jager, Tatum, Sara Snowbarger, Clark and potentially Boersema if needed.
The Big Ten conference leads all others with unmatched depth. Indiana will be boasting confidence alongside their rising contenders in hopes of furthering their success as the adrenaline continues to rush into tournament play. If Indiana is able to execute Aird's motto of, “play hard and play fast,” this team will be hard to beat off the front line.
