Great read http://www.uwbadgers.com/news/2016/12/8/general-varsity-rewriting-history.aspx
It may seem like a strange way to begin measuring Lauren Carlini's massive impact on the Wisconsin volleyball program, but there's perspective to be found in criticism.
It has accumulated over the course of Carlini's peerless four-year career with the Badgers, a time measured largely in achievement and applause.
The grousing is rooted in the summer camps conducted by UW coach Kelly Sheffieldand his staff. Some participants come to Madison from long distances expecting that a certain two-time, first-team All-America setter and U.S. Olympic candidate is going to provide them with individual attention. That was not always realistic.
"Everyone wants to meet Lauren, there's no question," Sheffield said. "We'll get emails and complaints all the time from people upset that she didn't get to work with them."
That was especially the case this summer when Carlini spent three weeks training with the U.S. national team, a prestigious assignment for someone who aspires to be an Olympian in 2020 and play professionally when her college career has run its course.
"I know a lot of people were really upset about that," Carlini said. "I was hearing about it on Twitter.
"Nothing super negative," she noted, but the vibe was intense enough that she felt bad for those who weren't able to catch her act. Even when Carlini is on hand for the camps, there's only so much the headliner can do to please.
"We've got a few thousand campers coming through here," Sheffield said. "She can't coach everybody."
That Carlini is in such public demand is evidence of her unique reputation at Wisconsin.
She arrived in 2013, the premier prospect in the nation, and immediately helped deliver the Badgers — a 12th seed — to the NCAA championship match.
That gave way to a Big Ten Conference title in 2014, the first No. 1 ranking in program history earlier this season, and now four consecutive NCAA Sweet 16 appearances.
Third-seeded UW is two wins away from another national championship appearance and a shot at its first NCAA crown. The road is made easier by the fact that the school is hosting a regional that it is partcipating in for the first time since 2000.
The Badgers (27-4 overall) will face unseeded Ohio State (22-12) at 1 p.m. Friday at the UW Field House. The other regional semifinal has sixth-seeded Stanford (23-7) meeting unseeded Florida State (26-5) at 3:30 p.m.
The survivors meet Saturday at 5 p.m. for a berth in the national semifinals, set for Dec. 15 and 17 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. It goes without saying that Carlini, one of four seniors, wants to bring a national championship to UW.
But whether or not that mountain is scaled — the Badgers lost to Nebraska in 2000 and Penn State in 2013 — Carlini will go down as one of the most transcendent student-athletes, male or female, in school history.
She stayed true to her commitment to Wisconsin even though there was a coaching change from Pete Waite to Sheffield prior to her freshman season. She proceeded to trigger a renaissance for the 43-year-old program, one that's been felt on a variety of fronts.
Since Carlini arrived, the Badgers have won 112 of 136 matches (.824) overall and 12 of 15 (.800) in the national tournament.
"She's really taken Wisconsin volleyball to the next level and I want to learn from her," said Sydney Hilley, a setter and top-five prospect from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. "She started a tradition of excellence and winning there and I want to keep that going."
Since Carlini came onboard, Wisconsin has seen per-match attendance go from 3,512 to a projected school-record of 5,915 and drawn 19 sellouts (6,012).
"From a fan perspective, people want to watch winning teams, but more importantly, they want to be inspired," Sheffield said. "She's the leader of how our team operates in a match and the fans have been coming not just because we've been winning, but how we play."
Since Carlini showed up, UW has landed four top-10 recruiting classes, including the five that signed in November and will begin playing in 2017.
"She's had a massive influence on who we are and how we go about things on a daily basis that makes it attractive to other people," Sheffield said.
Hilley will enroll at Wisconsin in January and begin working out with Carlini, all with an eye toward being ready to follow in her footsteps next season.
"Obviously I have some really big shoes to fill," Hilley said. "I'm confident that I can."
Carlini, from Aurora, Illinois, is the first four-time, first-team all-Big Ten selection and could be the first three-time, first-team All-American in program history.
But if Hilley were given a choice, she would take Carlini's leadership instincts over her technical skills.
"That's such a huge thing," Hilley said. "Even if your setting isn't going well, you still have to be the person on the court that's calming everyone down and keeping them fired up."
Hilley has already demonstrated some Carlini-like assertiveness. On more than one occasion she's traveled to Madison — of her own volition — to meet with top recruiting targets and help Sheffield sell the program.
"She knows there's so many girls out there that look up to her," Hilley said of Carlini, "and want to be like her."
Carlini, a retail and consumer behavior major who will graduate in May, is that rare mix of confidence, awareness, moxie and focus.
"I don't remember in her four years a (repetition) that was wasted," Sheffield said. "Everything matters with her.
"I don't know that I'll ever have an athlete that goes through it where she's being purposeful and mindful with everything.
"When you go through practices, day in and day out, and your setter is that way, it certainly impacts everyone else."
Sheffield believes that the two most important elements for success in his profession are culture and talent, in that order, with talent being "a very, very, very close second." He said Carlini has helped foster that culture along with fellow captains Haleigh Nelson, a senior middle blocker, and Kelli Bates, a junior outside hitter.
"You look at any winning program in any sport — professional, collegiate — the ones that are good year in and year out, you sit there and go, 'They've got an enviable culture going on there,'" Sheffield said.
"I think our culture is really, really important. We've had really good leaders that helped push that. Lauren's certainly been one of the very best leaders."
A three-year captain, Carlini did some soul-searching during the recent offseason and decided that she needed to be a better leader. Why?
"One thing that came out of last year, losing in the Sweet 16, was I didn't feel that connection that I had with previous teams," she explained.
"It was that eye-opening moment where I realized I need to do more. I need to be better for my team. I need to get to know them on a personal level."
So last spring Carlini began the process of meeting with her teammates individually in casual settings. It was coffee with Tionna Williams, a sophomore middle blocker. It was breakfast with Lauryn Gillis, a junior outside hitter. It was lunch with Tori Blake, a senior middle blocker. The conversations rarely touched on volleyball.
What did Carlini learn from the exercise?
"You have to care about people more than just as a teammate and more than just on the court," she said. "They need to know that you care about them.
"People are way more willing to do more for you if they know you respect them and care about them and you are rooting them on and you are one of their biggest fans."
Carlini said the project produced the desired result.
"I think it's pretty obvious now how we interact on the court, just how much closer we are," she said.
UW assistant coach Brittany Dildine, who oversees recruiting, said Carlini is selfless, thoughtful and genuine.
"She's constantly looking for that edge for how she could be a better teammate, a better leader, a better captain for those around her," Dildine said. "I think that's a unique quality.
"She's a giver. Very open to helping somebody that is interested in finding success. When you sit down with Lauren one-on-one, you can tell she's all into you and that moment. There's not a lot of distraction.
"Her team knows that she loves them with her entire heart and soul."
When standout freshman outside hitter Molly Haggerty came on her official recruiting visit two years ago, she stayed at the apartment Carlini shares with Nelson.
When Haggerty arrived on campus earlier this year, she said Carlini checked in routinely to make sure things were going smoothly, always following up if Haggerty had questions or issues.
"There's people you meet that just kind of say they'll help because they have to, but she's the type of person that does it because she wants to and really does mean it," Haggerty said. "It shows on the court, too, how great of a teammate and person she is."
Dildine didn't recruit Carlini to UW, but she's come to find out why everyone in the college volleyball world wanted her in the first place.
"She's kind, giving, understanding, non-judgmental," Dildine said. "Everything that you could put into what a good teammate or good leader would be.
"She reflects more on herself better than anybody I've ever met. It's done in a way of strength."
Carlini, who has nearly 6,500 followers on Twitter, said the idea that her college career is chugging toward the finish line is motivation to maximize every moment.
"You're not maxing out your potential if you're not going 100 percent every rep and every drill," she said.
Sheffield told the story of a meeting a family after a recent home match. They'd just driven two hours to see the Badgers play for the first time. They were thrilled with every aspect of the experience.
Why did they come?
The parents related that their daughter had asked for a specific birthday gift back in July.
"They came to see Lauren," Sheffield said. "It was kind of like going to see (Michael) Jordan before he retires. She wanted to see Lauren Carlini before she leaves here.
"A young kid dreaming big."
Carlini smiled when the anecdote was revisited.
"I don't see myself at that level," she said. "Other people do.
"It's cool to be recognized at that type of level, that type of greatness. I hope to live up to what people want me to be.
"I want to keep getting better because of moments like that."