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Kelly Sheffield breaks down Wisconsin volleyball’s four 2026 recruits on signing day

November 12, 2025
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MADISON — Kelly Sheffield was at Luke Fickell’s house along with fellow Wisconsin head coaches Greg Gard and Mike Hastings when the longtime volleyball coach was awaiting some news from one of his 2026 recruits.

“The four of us were over there outside, and I said, ‘I’m expecting a phone call now. … If I get a FaceTime and a commitment, I’m going in the pool,’” Sheffield said.

Then came the call with good news from Audrey Flanagan, a highly-touted outside hitter from Redondo Beach, California. Flanagan delivered the good news with a regular phone call rather than a video call, which perhaps made it even better news for Sheffield.

“So I stayed dry,” Sheffield said. “But that was a cool moment. … When you’re getting a commitment, that feels as good as almost any win, and it’s really unusual to celebrate a commitment with other head coaches of other sports.”

Sheffield is drenched with optimism, though, about the four-person class that is ranked second nationally in PrepVolleyball.com’s rankings. The class consists of Flanagan and Halle Thompson at outside hitter and Lynney Tarnow and Kymora Scott at middle blocker.

“We’ve got four fantastic players, fantastic humans that will be joining our program,” Sheffield said. “Great competitors that all have very high ceilings, I believe.”

Here is what Sheffield said about each of his newest Badgers, along with their comments released via UW Athletics upon their signing:

Halle Thompson

Halle Thompson, a 6-foot-1 outside hitter from Spring, Texas, is “certainly one of the most dynamic attackers in the country,” Sheffield said.

“She was one of the starting outsides (for USA Volleyball’s U19 team) and can pass, is fearless,” Sheffield said. “Great serve. I don’t say that too many times about a high school kid, but she’s got a really, really nice serve. … She will tattoo balls from the back row. An elite back-row attacker for her age.”

Thompson, a highly-touted recruit in Texas on a highly-recruited club team, “kind of took us a little bit by surprise with her interest,” Sheffield said.

“Sometimes when you’re on the phone with people, it goes really, really well, and you just know you’re talking the same language,” Sheffield said. “And others, it’s almost like you’re talking with somebody that you’re pretty sure the words were English, but they’re not understanding me and I’m not understand them. Halle — we were speaking the same language right from the get-go.”

Thompson’s comments via UW Athletics: “The University of Wisconsin immediately felt like home from the moment I arrived on campus. After participating in a fun and exciting four-day camp and joining my future teammates in the program’s tradition of jumping into Lake Mendota, I knew Wisconsin was the perfect fit. The university’s balance of academic excellence, athletic intensity and vibrant community reflects everything I value. I’m thrilled to represent the Badgers and to grow both on the court and in the classroom, surrounded by coaches, teammates and peers who share the same drive and passion — proud to be a Badger!”

Audrey Flanagan

Audrey Flanagan, a 6-foot-3 outside hitter from Redonda Beach, California, went to the same high school as current UW setter Charlie Fuerbringer.

“Tall, six-rotation player,” Sheffield said. “Can get into angles that very few people can get to with her age. … I think she can be an elite blocker as well. Her contact point is just different than most people. Her ability to hit high and to get into angles — just a very, very smooth athlete.”

Flanagan at one point had a knee injury, but Sheffield said her approach to rehab “was done really well.”

“It was a great rehab,” Sheffield said. “We’re getting a great, great player. We’re getting a healthy player and one that’s going to have a huge impact for us.”

Flanagan and Thompson are “two of the top outsides in this class, dynamic six-rotation players,” Sheffield said. They were on the same U19 team for USA Volleyball. Flanagan will join the Badgers in May after the end of the club season rather than early-enrolling.

Flanagan’s comments via UW Athletics: “I chose Wisconsin because the moment I stepped on campus, it just felt like home. The people, the energy and the team culture were everything I was looking for. It’s a place where everyone pushes each other to get better and where the love for the game is unmatched. I can’t wait to play at the Field House and experience how special it is to be a Badger!!”

Kymora Scott

Kymora Scott, a 6-foot-2 middle blocker/right-side hitter from Flossmoor, Illinois, was a little more under the radar before she caught the UW staff’s attention at the convention center in Indianapolis.

“I was on one end of the convention center,” Sheffield said, guessing it might have been court No. 96. “And I get a text from Gary (White). ‘I need you on court 1.’ And I wrote back to him. I said, ‘Are you effing with me right now?’ That was a 25-minute walk through the crowds to get over there. He says, ‘I really need you over here.’”

When Sheffield finally finished the trek across the convention center and stood at the court where Scott was playing, she quickly impressed him.

“About two minutes in, we both sat down, and we stayed for a while,” Sheffield said. “Her athleticism, her ability to hit off of one foot really jumped out. You could see, wow, there’s an effortless ability to attack off one foot. She reminded me of a former player I had at Dayton named Megan Campbell with her ability to hit off of one foot or Devyn Robinson’s ability to hit off of one foot at the similar age.”

Wisconsin coach Kelly Sheffield is welcoming a four-person recruiting class that is ranked second nationally in PrepVolleyball.com’s rankings.

Scott’s under-the-radar status was “totally fine” for Sheffield, but also a little unusual for one of the top volleyball programs in the country.

“We don’t lean too much on the rankings when we’re recruiting people, but typically when we’re offering somebody scholarships, usually it’s not somebody that most people don’t know about,” Sheffield said. “And that was kind of the case here.”

Scott’s comments via UW Athletics: “I chose UW-Madison because when I stepped on campus for the first time, I realized this was more than just volleyball. The campus, the campus live, which never has a dull moment, school pride, the support the students have for each other and the alumni being so proud to say that they attended Wisconsin. The resources at Wisconsin sets them apart from other colleges. These resources set students up for success after graduation. UW is a great place to continue to be that beacon of light to others who look like me, through majors such as communications where I interact with others and represent myself through ways like volleyball and outside of volleyball.”

Lynney Tarnow

Lynney Tarnow, a 6-foot-5 middle blocker from Downers Grove, Illinois, has a long history as a Wisconsin fan.

“We’ve known Lynney for a long, long time,” Sheffield said. “She sent me a picture a few weeks ago of her when she was probably about nine and coming to our little Badgers camp, and I think she was eating a popsicle or something during one of the breaks. With those groups, we give them popsicles during the breaks. We’re not doing that to our high school kids.”

Now that Tarnow is beyond her days of having popsicles at UW youth volleyball camps, she has a skill set worthy of national attention.

“Most people in the country know who she is,” Sheffield said. “Very physical attacker. Played for an elite club. Played for national championships and has been in the USA pipeline for a while. Has got the ability to hit off one or two feet. Can be a very physical blocker.”

Tarnow drew a comparison from Sheffield to former UW star Haleigh Nelson.

“She has a lot more experience coming in than what Haleigh had at the same age,” Sheffield said. “But there’s certainly some similarities. I would say Lynney’s a better athlete at this age, and we all know what type of impact Haleigh had in her career.”

Tarnow’s comments via UW Athletics: “I chose Wisconsin because I have loved this school since my very first volleyball camp when I was nine years old. It has been my dream to be a part of this prestigious program, with its traditions and massive support from the community. I’m thrilled to be a Badger!”

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin volleyball coach breaks down 2026 recruits on signing day

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