Anna Smrek | Volleyball (2024)

Honors

• 2023 AVCA Seond-Team All-American
• 2023 AVCA All-Northeast Region
• 2023 First-Team All-Big Ten
• 2023 NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team
• 2022 Big 12/Big Ten Challenge All-Tournament
• MVP of the 2021 NCAA Championship
• 2021 UW Most Improved Player
• 2022 Academic All-Big Ten

Of Note: Tallest women's athlete to ever don a Badger uniform ... joined the Badgers in January of 2021

2023:Played in 31 matches, starting 11, and 107 sets ... missed three matches due to injury ... ranked second on the team with 2.67 kills per set ... had double-figure kills in 13 matches ... hit a season-best .401, which ranks second on the team, second in the Big Ten and 18th in the NCAA ... added 1.15 blocks per set ... had a season-high seven blocks in three matches ... added 0.37 digs per set ... had a career-high five digs in two matches ... recorded a career-high two aces vs Rutgers (Oct. 13)

2022: Played in 30 matches, starting 10, and 102 sets ... missed two matches with a back strain ... tied for second on the team with a .318 hitting percentage ... averaged 1.66 kills per set ... had double-figure kills in five matches, including four of the last six matches ... led the team in kills in one match ... ranked third on the team with 1.11 blocks per set ... had a career-high nine blocks vs. TCU (Aug. 26) ... led the Badgers in blocks in six matches ... put up a career-best two assists at Iowa (Oct. 14) ... had a career-high five digs at Indiana (Oct. 5) ... averaged 0.31 digs per set ... recorded her first career service ace vs. Indiana (Nov. 6)

2021: Played in 25 matches, starting 19, and 75 sets ... ranked second on the team and fifth in the Big Ten with a .366 hitting percentage ... ranked sixth on the team with 1.84 kills per set ... recorded a career high 20 kills vs. Louisville in the NCAA National Semifinal (Dec. 16) ... had double-digit kills in three matches ... ranked fourth on the team with 0.77 blocks per set ... had a season high seven blocks vs. Nebraska in the NCAA championship match (Dec. 18) ... added 0.28 digs per set ... had a season high four digs vs. Louisville

High School: Played for the Canadian Youth National Team, 2018-20 ... won a silver medal at 2018 NORCECA Championship in Honduras ... competed in the 2019 World Under-18 Championship in Egypt ... won silver medals at the 2018 OVA Championships, playing with U17 and U18 ... finished fourth in 2018 U15 Canadian Nationals ... named Best Blocker at the 2020 Washington Capitol Hill Tournament ... played with Defensa Volleyball Club under coaches Rob Fernly and Kevin Horne

Personal: Parent are Michael and Sanja Smrek ... father played basketball at Canisius College from 1981-85 and was drafted in the second round of the 1985 NBA draft by the Portland Trailblazers ... played six years in the NBA, including winning two NBA Championships with the Los Angeles Lakers ... has one brother, Luke (25), who played tennis at Marquette ... born Oct. 11 ... nickname is Smreky ... major is health promotion and health equity

Why Wisconsin?

"I chose the University of Wisconsin because it felt like home. I loved the staff and teammates that I would be getting and knew it was going to be my second family! I also loved the compatible and gritty nature of the program and culture."

Career Highs

Kills: 20 vs. Louisville, 12/16/21
Attempts: 35 (2x; MR at Florida, 9/17/23)
Attack Pct: .704 (20-1-27) vs. Louisville, 12/16/21
Assists: 2 at Iowa, 10/14/22
Aces:2 vs Rutgers, 10/13/23
Digs: 5 (2x; MR vs. Miami, 9/8/23)
Blocks: 9 vs. TCU, 8/26/22
Points: 21.5 vs. Louisville, 12/16/21

Off the court with Anna

Describe what it is like to play in Field House:It’s exhilarating!? It’s amazing, the energy, the fans, the atmosphere is special
First started volleyball: 13 years old
Most memorable volleyball match:National Championship vs Nebraska
The best part of playing volleyball is:the team and staff getting another family away from home, but also the competition.
My favorite thing about Wisconsin volleyball is: built-in family.
Before each match, I:Listen to music, do band work, just get in the right mental space.
Best UW road trip: Driving through Europe when we didn’t fly.
One word that describes the team: Bonded
One word that describes me: interesting
What is the best thing you bring to the team? My creativity
Favorite thing to do off the court with my teammates is:literally anything, can be as simple as hanging out in an apt.
Most memorable volleyball achievement: Winning a national championship
The best thing about the Field House is: The history
My “Bucky” (UW things you want to do) List is: I want to try more restaurants around the capital
Dream as a collegiate player:Become an All American, Win another national championship
Post-college plans/goals:Play professional volleyball overseas
The best thing about Madison is:the environment, there is a good balance between city but also the lakes.
What is your favorite Coach Sheffield saying? learn like a scientist
What causes do you care about?BLM, Habitat for Humanity, etc.

What does it mean to be a Badger?

"Being a Badger means being a good teammate, wanting to better one another, being competitive while also trusting and having your teammates backs"