2 former Wisconsin volleyball players first in program history to become Olympians (2024)

A pair of University of Wisconsin volleyball legends will be sharing a trip to Paris after they were selected as Olympians, the first in Badgers program history.

Dana Rettke and Lauren Carlini were selected Wednesday for the Team USA women's national volleyball roster. They were on the court together when Team USA secured its qualification to the 2024 Paris Olympics by winning in four sets against Germany at the qualifying tournament in Lodz, Poland.

Carlini was a four-time All-American setter with the Badgerswho helped lead them to national runner up in 2013. She helped the national team qualify for the 2020 Games but was left off the roster when it was time to go to Tokyo.

“Is it a huge roster? Of course it is. It’s the Olympics, we all want to make it," Carlini told BadgerExtra in October. "But I’m at that point in my career and my life where if that’s not how the cards fall, it is what it is and I’ve had a great career nonetheless. Am I going to do everything in my power to make that roster? Of course."

And she has.

Rettke was the first Badgers volleyball player to win national player of the year, and she was the only one until Sarah Franklin earned that recognition in December. Rettke also qualified in 2020 but was left off the roster. However, she had seven kills, a block and an ace in the clincher against Germany.

Rettke turned professional after leading the Badgers to their first NCAA championship in 2021 and became a five-time All-American. She was motivated after playing with the Olympic team as she was heading back to Italy to play with Vero Volley Monza.

“This past club season I didn’t get a whole lot of playing time, but every time I did come in I thought I did a great job and tried to earn that spot a little more every day,” Rettke told BadgerExtra in October. “My mindset is just to keep getting better every single day.

“I still have so much I need to get better at. I have so many aspects of my game that I’ve improved at since I was at Wisconsin, but there’s still so much more to improve on. There’s more to do. So my mindset is taking it one day at a time and getting that 1% better each day. I think then great things can happen.

“I think my club season plays a pretty big part in that. I’m going to be training for seven months with a very talented team and I’m really excited about that opportunity. I think that’s just going to help me prepare for the Olympics and trying to earn a spot on that team.”

Carlini has had a well-traveled pro career with six teams in eight years across Italy, Turkey and Russia but looks forward to playing in U.S.-based League One Volleyball (LOVB), which eyes a November 2024 start for training and matches in 2025.

"To make the Olympic team and be one of the 12 players selected to represent your sport and country is what you dream of," Wisconsin coach Kelly Sheffield said. "Lauren and Dana, as well as everyone else who's been in that gym, have worked their butts off. They've evolved their game and been willing to do whatever it takes to help their team. I couldn't be more excited for both of them and the great opportunity that is in front of it."

Dennis Punzel contributed to this story.