Devyn Robinson, Caroline Crawford announce plans to return to Wisconsin volleyball next season

MADISON – The Wisconsin volleyball team received a double-dose fo good news Friday.

Devyn Robinson and Caroline Crawford announced their intentions to return to the Badgers next season. The two seniors have one more year of eligibility left due to the COVID exemption the NCAA made for athletes who competed in the pandemic-plagued 2020-21 school year,

The news came a few days after redshirt sophomore Ella Wrobel entered the transfer portal.

Crawford, a 6-foot-3 middle blocker, announced her return on Instagram. Her post read, in part:

“Being able to wear Wisconsin across my chest has been a dream come true. I’m so fortunate to have an extra year of eligibility to play the sport I love. I couldn’t be more excited and determined for next season. There’s still unfinished business.”

Crawford’s average of 1.35 blocks per set ranked second on the team and her .329 hitting percentage ranked third. She also averaged 0.82 kills per set and was a threat behind the service line throughout the season.

Robinson, a 6-2 right-side hitter, announced her return later in the day.

“tell a friend to tell a friend …. SHE’S BAAAACK. I’m not done with you yet,” she wrote and then tagged the Wisconsin volleyball X and Instagram pages.

Robinson received honorable mention on the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American team, the third time she has received All-American status from that group. She ranked third on the team in kills (2.43 per set) while hitting .310. She a fourth on the squad in blocks (0.92 per set).

Wisconsin finished 30-4 and took second in the Big Ten before reaching the Final Four for the fourth time in five seasons. The team was ranked No. 3 in the final AVCA poll.

National player of the year Sarah Franklin, another player with an additional year of eligibility, was already looking ahead another year with the team following the Badgers’ loss to Texas in the national semifinal.

“We are a team that doesn’t back down, doesn’t give up, and this is definitely fuel coming into spring, coming into summer, coming into preseason next year,” Franklin said when asked how the loss to Tezas would fuel the team’s work during the offseason. “It’s a great opportunity to come back with this group of girls. I think we should watch out for next year.”

More: What’s ahead for the Wisconsin Badgers volleyball team in 2024? Here’s an early look.