No. 11 Penn State volleyball comes off another victory over a ranked opponent, No. 19 Minnesota, as it heads into its, likely, final match against a Top 25 team. The Nittany Lions took down the Golden Gophers 3-1 on Friday night and hope to build on this six-game win streak on Sunday as they take on No. 7 Wisconsin. This is their second of four road matchups before they return to Rec Hall for the regular season-closer vs. Rutgers.
Here's everything you need to know about Penn State's upcoming match.
How to watch No. 11 Penn State vs. No. 7 Wisconsin
- Date: Sunday, Nov. 8
- Time: 4 p.m. ET
- Venue: UW Field House (Madison, Wis.)
- How to Watch (TV): FS1
- Streaming: Prime Video
- Penn State record: 18-5 (10-3 Big Ten)
- Wisconsin record: 17-6 (11-2 Big Ten)
Penn State vs. Wisconsin series history
The Nittany Lions hold a 18-10 record over the Badgers, which includes their most recent meeting on Oct. 10, 2025 when they swept Wisconsin.
At home, though, the Badgers have a slight upperhand with an 8-6 record all-time. The last away game Penn State took away from them was back in 2017. Since then, the Nittany Lions have lost to Wisconsin six times on the road.
Key Nittany Lions and Badgers to watch
Penn State: Outside hitter Whitney Lauenstein and setter Alexis Stucky
The Nittany Lions have opposite hitter Kennedy Martin who should, once again, dominate the court and the scoreboard on Sunday. She comes off a 34-kill and 35.5-point performance vs. Minnesota. Now, the reason why she isn't a key player to watch is because Penn State needs more from its spark plug on the outside, Lauenstein.
Lauenstein had a 10-kill and -point match against the Golden Gophers, and hit in the positives (0.348 hitting percentage). This was an improved performance from her game against Purdue, but against Wisconsin, she needs to be better. If Stucky can get Lauenstein going and find significant production on the outside while still keeping Emmi Sellman hot, this Nittany Lion offense will stay even with the Badgers. Lauenstein has too much firepower to be quieter against Wisconsin. Penn State needs her to be on top of her game.
Stucky needs to have a great game in order for that to happen. She's been consistent for the blue and white, so Sunday should be no different. Against Minnesota, she logged 55 assists, two aces, and led the team defensively with 15 digs. Penn State's offense must be as pristine as possible, and that starts with Stucky. Then, the Nittany Lions need to have answers for Wisconsin's wide-spread offense. Stucky is clearly key to that.
Wisconsin: Outside hitter Audrey Flanagan and setter Charlie Fuerbringer
This is another outside-setter duo that should have no problems getting going on Sunday. The freshman outside has a team-leading 277 points on the season, 238 kills, and 26 aces. She was the massive recruiting win for the Badgers and her acquisition has paid off in no time. She doesn't hit at the same rate Martin does for the Nittany Lions, but that's because of how many offensive weapons Fuerbringer has at her disposal at any time. Flanagan, though, is also an all-around player who contributes on defense as well (139 digs, fourth-most on the team; 25 blocks, seventh-most). Penn State will have to account for where she is on the court at all times.
Then you pair Flanagan with the junior setter who has 980 assists (most), 226 digs (second-most), 17 aces (second-most), 42 blocks (fourth-most), 76 kills (sixth-most), and 115.5 points (sixth-most) on the season. She spreads this offense out very well, which is a nod to her chemistry with everyone on the court at any time.
This match could easily come down to two things: Which team operates better out of system and, therefore, which setter plays better.
No. 11 Penn State vs. No. 7 Wisconsin prediction
Prediction: 3-2, Penn State
This will be an intense Big Ten battle and for the Nittany Lions, this is their last shot to prove they can hang with the big dogs in the country.
The Badgers had a dominant run in the NCAA Tournament in 2025. They swept their first two opponents, beat the regional No. 2 seed Stanford for the first time in program history, then upset the No. 1 regional seed Texas to move onto the Final Four. Against another No. 1 seed, Kentucky, the teams battled through a full five sets. Wisconsin took the first and third sets then held the Wildcats to three match points before falling 15-13 and getting knocked out of the tournament.
This season, the Badgers returned Fuerbringer and outside hitter Grace Egan. They didn't have a ton of starters from 2025 back on the court, but they brought high-profile players in via recruiting and the portal. Their offense is very well-spread out with five players having over 145 kills on the season and six with at least 115 points.
At No. 7 in the country, Wisconsin is a legitimate championship contender having beaten teams like Louisville, Florida, Texas A&M, Oregon, Purdue, Indiana, and Minnesota this year. This is a must-win for Penn State and it won't come easy. I think this is either a five-set battle or a very close, four-set fight.
What the Nittany Lions have over the Badgers is more recent experience defeating ranked opponents. They're on a six-game win streak, which includes four Top 25 opponents. The last time Wisconsin faced a ranked team was Washington, and it lost in five sets. Illinois on Oct. 8, when it was ranked 24th in the AVCA Poll, is the most recent ranked matchup the Badgers won. They might have to shake off some rust against a Penn State squad that's riding a ton of momentum in this final stretch of the season.
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