Volleyball at the Fieldhouse: A Place Like No Other
Nestled in the heart of Madison, the University of Wisconsin’s Fieldhouse stands as a symbol of collegiate athleticism and school spirit. Since 1930, the Fieldhouse has hosted basketball, wrestling, boxing and volleyball, and is now one of the only facilities in the country that is solely dedicated to volleyball.
All photos: Claire Zimmerman
This season, the Fieldhouse was electrified by the dominant volleyball team as it took the country by storm and entered the NCAA tournament as a No. 1 seed. The Wisconsin Badgers’ volleyball program has not only established itself as a powerhouse on the national stage but has also cultivated a passionate fanbase who show up and show out at every home match.
The Badger fans, led by the MadHouse Area Red student section and the Wisconsin band, packed the Fieldhouse on December 7th and 9th nights as the Badgers faced Penn State and Oregon to advance to the Final Four in Tampa, FL. This year is the 14th time Wisconsin has reached the Elite Eight in the tournament.
With entrance lines stretching blocks away, and students camping out all day for a front row seat, the Wisconsin Badgers made sure to put on a good show. The wins over Penn State and Oregon left the team with an undefeated season at its home court in the Fieldhouse.
“I have been waiting in line for an hour, and when I got here the line was already hundreds of people long,” said UW-Madison junior Hattie Latham.
This was the Badgers’ fourth time since 2019 hosting the regional matches at home, and since the 2021 National Title, the fanbase has only grown larger.
It is no secret that Badger volleyball fans are some of the most dedicated fans in the sport and they fill the stands at every home match.
Before each match, many young Badger fans line the court in hopes to catch a high five from a player after warmups. Each player on the roster also hands out a mini volleyball to one of the kids on the sidelines, an honor that every young volleyball fan wants a chance at.
One young Badger fan expressed her excitement while waiting in the tunnel as she said, “Sarah Franklin is my favorite player, so I hope I get a high five from her. I am so excited for the game!”
The Fieldhouse has a capacity of just over 7,000, which is fairly small for a collegiate arena, but the size is exactly what makes the venue so unique. It is one of the loudest arenas in college volleyball, easily reaching 90 decibels, making it an extremely intimidating environment for the opposing teams. The combination of the fans, traditions and talented roster create an unmatched atmosphere and establishes a home-court advantage like no other.
“The Fieldhouse is an electric environment and unlike any other crowd for Wisconsin sports,” said Latham. Because it’s small, it’s so loud and we are so close to the action on the court. The energy just can’t be replicated.”
The Wisconsin Badgers’ volleyball program and the historic Fieldhouse have created an unstoppable duo by captivating fans and establishing Madison as a volleyball city. The Fieldhouse is a fortress where the spirit of Wisconsin volleyball thrives and will continue to thrive as the team continues to make strides on the national stage. There is truly no place like the Fieldhouse.
