(UW ATHLETICS/MARQUETTE COMMUNICATIONS) – Sarah Franklin and Charlie Fuerbringer of the Wisconsin volleyball team have been named American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Americans, announced by the AVCA Wednesday morning.
Adding to the laundry list of accolades this season, outside hitter Sarah Franklin was named First Team All-American, while freshman setter Charlie Fuerbringer has been named to the Third Team.
Crowned Player of the Year in both the Big Ten and AVCA North Region a couple weeks ago, fifth year senior Sarah Franklin can now add back-to-back seasons as a First Team All-American honoree. Franklin started and played in every single match this season, averaging 4.46 kills per set, 2.28 digs per set, and 4.96 points per set. Out of 33 matches, Franklin hit double-figure kills in all but two matches, including career-best 33 on September 17 against Marquette. In total, Franklin tallied nine matches with 20+ kills, and recorded eight double-doubles (kills and digs) in 2024. From a season ago, where Franklin earned National Division I Player of the Year, the 6-foot-4 outside hitter improved in nearly every category. On Tuesday, Franklin was named one-of-four finalists for this year’s National Player of the Year honor.
With high expectations coming into the 2024 season, freshman setter Charlie Fuerbringer proved to be the full package. Fuerbrginer wrapped up a successful freshman campaign with Third Team All-America honors. Two weeks ago, Fuerbringer was also named All-Big Ten Second Team, a unanimous honoree to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, and was also named AVCA North All-Region Freshman of the Year. The 5-foot-11 setter tallied 11 double-doubles (assists and digs), including a career-best 59 assists on November 27 against Ohio State. Fuerbringer stayed consistent, ranking in the Top 20 of the NCAA in assists per set, with her highest ranking at 14th with 10.96 assists per set. She was also second on the team with 34 service aces, chipped in with 2.49 digs per set, and .59 blocks per set. Lastly, Fuerbrginer finished No. 5 in the Badger volleyball record books for fifth most assists (1,270) as a freshman.
Golden Eagle honored: Marquette University women’s volleyball setter Yadhira Anchante was named an AVCA Division I All-America Honorable Mention for the second time in her career, the American Volleyball Coaches Association announced on Tuesday morning.
Anchante led the Golden Eagles to a 25-9 record and their second NCAA Regional appearance in the last three seasons with averages of 10.57 assists and a career-high 3.34 digs. The native of Lima, Peru posted a career-best 23 double doubles while using her final year of eligibility.
She posted her 1,000th career dig in the NCAA Regional Semifinal against No. 2 Penn State and is the first player in program history with more than 2,000 assists and 1,000 digs. She ends her career fourth in MU history with 3,440 assists in 94 career matches.
In the NCAA First and Second Round tournament wins over FGCU and No. 17 Utah, Anchante averaged 11.25 assists and 5.13 digs per set and tied program single-match tournament records against the Utes with 51 assists and 25 digs.
Anchante is just the sixth player in Marquette history to earn a pair of AVCA All-America nods and the first since program all-time kill leader and 2018 AVCA Second Team All-American Allie Barber did so three times from 2017-19.
