Wisconsin
3 takeaways from Wisconsin volleyball’s spring win over Northern Illinois
Wisconsin coach Kelly Sheffield shares his biggest spring takeaway
Wisconsin coach Kelly Sheffield shared his biggest takeaway from the spring following the Badgers’ four-set win over Northern Illinois.
MADISON – Wisconsin volleyball got one last tune-up in the spring.
The Badgers, while showing some things that still need to be tuned up, ultimately won four sets against Northern Illinois, 25-18, 25-18, 25-13, 25-22, on April 24 at the UW Field House to conclude their spring schedule.
UW and Northern Illinois planned to play four sets regardless of the outcome of the first three sets (although they did not record stats for the fourth set).
The second and third sets had a combined 13 ties and six lead changes in the four sets as the Badgers faced a Northern Illinois team with only eight players (and no players taller than 6-foot-2). UW broke free in the third set with a 12-0 scoring run, but the fourth set was tied as late as 21-21.
Here are three takeaways from the Badgers’ win:
Eva Travis, Jaela Auguste again have starring roles (and highlight-worthy kills)
Eva Travis’ first spring after playing in the Big West ended with a big performance against Northern Illinois, recording 10 kills while hitting .643 as she started the first two sets and subbed in for the third set.
“Eva’s getting a lot better,” Sheffield said. “That’s not to say that she hasn’t had a great first freshman and sophomore year because she did. But where she’s been the last two weeks versus the first month here – she’s really settling in and becoming the player that we thought she was capable of being when we went after her in the portal.”
Fellow transfer Jaela Auguste also had 10 kills while hitting .769 and recording four blocks. Sheffield will especially remember one of those 10 kills – an authoritative blow off a one-handed set by Charlie Fuerbringer that excited the UW Field House crowd.
“That’s probably one of the top five highlights this building has even seen,” Sheffield said. “Unfortunately, we threw the next ball into the net when we were serving. But for that one fleeting moment, that was a pretty sweet play.”
Travis and Auguste’s starring roles were a similar story as six days earlier, when Travis had eight kills and Auguste had 10 against UW-Green Bay. Auguste also had six blocks in the road win.
Wisconsin’s depth on display against Huskies
While Auguste and Travis were at the top of UW’s box score, the Badgers also showcased the depth of their attack in the win over Northern Illinois.
Freshman outside hitters Audrey Flanagan and Halle Thompson each had seven kills. (Flanagan hit .455, and Thompson hit .353.) Sophomore middle blocker Natalie Wardlow had six kills while hitting .625.
Freshman middle blocker Lynney Tarnow’s stat line did not jump out as much – three kills while hitting .429 – but one of those was practically a bullet down the right side that landed right in front of the NIU back row.
Eight of the 10 non-libero UW players recorded at least two kills in the three sets that counted toward the official stats, and those eight players each hit above .350 in the process. The Badgers hit .525 as a whole.
That was all while the Badgers were once again without Grace Egan and Grace Lopez amid their continued injury recoveries. Neither player saw the floor in any of UW’s three spring matches.
“It’ll be a nice parlor game trying to figure out who’s going to play for this team,” Sheffield said. “Especially on the pins, there’s a lot of capable players, and we had some of them that didn’t even get in today.”
Wisconsin gets sloppy from service line
The Badgers certainly did not have their finest showing from the service line in their spring finale against Northern Illinois.
UW had 14 service errors while recording only three service aces in the three sets where the team kept official stats. Those 14 errors came from eight UW players, as Sheffield said jokingly that “everybody felt like it was their duty to miss two or three.”
“In three [sets]? You’re too kind not counting the fourth set,” Sheffield said. “It was sloppier than it’s been in previous matches. … Sometimes that can be a little bit contagious, like free-throw shooting.”
The 14 service errors against NIU were up from Wisconsin’s seven in the first three sets against UW-Green Bay and 11 in four sets against Marquette. Sheffield seems unlikely to lose too much sleep over the woes at the service line, though.
“I really think that’s going to end up being a strength of ours, so I’m not overly that concerned,” Sheffield said. “We’ve been really good behind the service line in the other matches that we played. We’ve been really good behind the service line in practices.”
Manuel Franco claims his $768 million Powerball jackpot
Manuel Franco, 24, of West Allis was revealed Tuesday as the winner of the $768.4 million Powerball jackpot.
Mark Hoffman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Wisconsin Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at April 26, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 26 drawing
Midday: 3-2-6
Evening: 6-9-6
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 26 drawing
Midday: 8-8-1-3
Evening: 0-4-4-1
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning All or Nothing numbers from April 26 drawing
Midday: 01-02-06-07-09-12-14-16-18-20-22
Evening: 01-06-07-11-12-13-14-15-19-21-22
Check All or Nothing payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Badger 5 numbers from April 26 drawing
06-10-17-18-21
Check Badger 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning SuperCash numbers from April 26 drawing
01-04-07-13-19-27, Doubler: N
Check SuperCash payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
- Prizes up to $599: Can be claimed at any Wisconsin Lottery retailer.
- Prizes from $600 to $199,999: Can be claimed in person at a Lottery Office. By mail, send the signed ticket and a completed claim form available on the Wisconsin Lottery claim page to: Prizes, PO Box 777 Madison, WI 53774.
- Prizes of $200,000 or more: Must be claimed in person at the Madison Lottery office. Call the Lottery office prior to your visit: 608-261-4916.
Can Wisconsin lottery winners remain anonymous?
No, according to the Wisconsin Lottery. Due to the state’s open records laws, the lottery must, upon request, release the name and city of the winner. Other information about the winner is released only with the winner’s consent.
When are the Wisconsin Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Super Cash: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- All or Nothing (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
- All or Nothing (Evening): 9 p.m. CT daily.
- Megabucks: 9:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Badger 5: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
That lucky feeling: Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
Feeling lucky? WI man wins $768 million Powerball jackpot **
WI Lottery history: Top 10 Powerball and Mega Million jackpots
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Wisconsin editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Flood warnings persist in parts of Wisconsin Sunday, April 26 as forecasts call for more potential storms early in the week.
The National Weather Service issued the warnings early Sunday. The warnings are in place for Rock, Dodge, Jefferson, Winnebago, Shawano, Outagamie, Waushara and Waupaca counties.
Some of the warnings are in effect until Thursday morning, April 30, while others remain in place until further notice.
The NWS urges motorists not to attempt to drive through flooded areas or around barricades.
Forecasts call for showers and a chance for a thunderstorm Monday, April 27. Skies should begin to clear up Tuesday but temperatures are expected to hover in the mid-50s and low 60s through the week.
See weather radar for Wisconsin
What to do during a flood warning
- If advised to evacuate, do so immediately.
- Use a battery-operated radio or television to get the latest emergency information.
- Do not walk through floodwater. Just six inches of floodwater can sweep you off your feet if it is moving swiftly.
- Turn around, don’t drown; do not drive into a flooded street. Cars can be swept away by two feet of moving water or there may be unseen damage to the road. If you come to a flooded area turn around and go another way. Most flood-related deaths are caused by people driving through water.
- Watch out for fire hazards.
- Move to higher ground.
- Stay alert, turn weather notifications on.
- Do not allow children to play in flowing water. Waters can hide rocks, trees and debris.
This weather report was generated automatically using information from the National Weather Service and a story written and reviewed by an editor.
See the latest weather alerts and forecasts here
A troubling trend for the Wisconsin football continues when it comes to the NFL Draft.
In the past, it was common for Wisconsin football players to be taken early and often over the three days of the draft, but recently, the number of Badgers being taken is dwindling. And when they are, they have been late Day 3 picks.
This year the program hit rock bottom. Not one Badger got drafted in 257 selections, the first time since 1978. There was a thought that maybe a few Badgers would be picked late, but they all went undrafted.
But that doesn’t mean those players football dream is over.
As soon as that last pick is announced, players are agreeing to sign on with teams as undrafted free agents (UDFAs). As was the case with many other former Wisconsin Badgers, these players will have a shot to make an NFL roster in 2026 the hard way.
Here is where every Badger landed as an undrafted rookie after the NFL Draft was completed.
Destinations For Every Undrafted Wisconsin Badger
EDGE Mason Reiger – Signed with the Miami Dolphins – via Jordan Schultz
WR Vinny Anthony – Signed with the Atlanta Falcons – via Nick Osen, 247Sports
TE Lance Mason – Signed with the Seattle Seahawks – via Aaron Wilson, KPRC 2 Houston
S Austin Brown – Signed with the Indianapolis Colts – via Tom Pelissero, NFL Network
OL Riley Mahlman – Signed with the Atlanta Falcons – via Aaron Wilson, KPRC 2 Houston
CB Nyzier Fourqurean – Signed with the Los Angeles Rams – via Aaron Wilson, KPRC 2 Houston
EDGE Darryl Peterson – Signed with the Los Angeles Rams – via Aaron Wilson, KPRC 2 Houston
FB Jackson Acker – Signed with the Buffalo Bills – via Aaron Wilson, KPRC 2 Houston
DL Ben Barten – Signed with the New York Giants – via Wisconsin Football
WR Jayden Ballard – Invited to minicamp with the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts – via Aaron Wilson, KPRC 2 Houston
DL Jay’Viar Suggs – Signed with the New Orleans Saints – via US Sports Management
DL Parker Petersen – Signed with the Carolina Panthers – via Wisconsin Football
K Nathanial Vakos – Invited to minicamp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – via Wisconsin Football
This will be updated with new signings.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow
-
Pittsburg, PA8 seconds agoOverreactions to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2026 NFL Draft Class: Will Howard’s future, Omar Khan without Mike Tomlin, and more
-
Augusta, GA6 minutes agoAugusta Braves: Semipro football and community involvement for Augusta
-
Washington, D.C12 minutes agoDC Weather: Sunny and seasonable Monday before midweek rain chances
-
Cleveland, OH18 minutes agoDowntown Cleveland roads closed due to filming
-
Austin, TX24 minutes agoEast Austin Shooting: Several Casualties Reported, Suspect Still at Large | Chilling Video Surfaces
-
Alabama30 minutes agoHow Tennessee softball celebrated Sage Mardjetko after one-hitter vs Alabama
-
Alaska36 minutes agoMiss Manners: When a host cares more about their dogs than their guests
-
Arizona42 minutes agoArizona Lottery Pick 3, Fantasy 5 results for April 26, 2026