California connection helps Wisconsin volleyball land an outside hitter (2024)

Kelly Sheffield couldn’t speak with Audrey Flanagan until this past Saturday, but the University of Wisconsin volleyball coach had some surrogates filling that void until then.

For the past year or so Wisconsin’s incoming freshman setter Charlie Fuerbringer has been breaking in her recruiting skills on her former teammate at Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, California.

That combined effort paid off Monday evening when Flanagan called Sheffield and made her verbal commitment to Wisconsin.

Flanagan, a 6-foot-3 outside hitter from Redondo Beach, California, said that Fuerbringer’s recruiting pitch started during the Mira Costa postseason banquet last year.

“I always admired Charlie and looked up to her,” Flanagan said. “When she would tell me things I would just believe what she says. At the Costa banquet we were sitting on the table and she was like, ‘I really want you to come to Wisconsin. I want you to visit me.’ So immediately I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I want to go to Wisconsin.’

“Then through this whole process she was the one I went to with my questions. I was on the phone with her Saturday for like an hour, in between calls, just talking about Wisconsin. She would tell me what Kelly said about her. She was like the mediator between me and Kelly. I look up to her so much. Obviously she’s amazing and having a setter that I know and trust is a huge thing for me.”

After taking a number of calls on Saturday, Flanagan said she quickly narrowed her list to two schools— Wisconsin and UCLA. While the lure of staying close to home had some appeal, and her club coach at SCVC is an assistant coach for the Bruins, she pretty much knew where she wanted to go.

“I think I knew in my heart that Wisconsin was always going to be my school,” she said. “I think I was just hesitant to make that decision but around 4 I called Kelly and told him I was committed.

I think it was just that feeling I got. I only imagined myself in a Wisconsin jersey. I think that’s what did it for me.”

Flanagan becomes the third player to commit to Wisconsin for the 2026 class, joining middle blockers Lynney Tarnow from Downers Grove, Illinois, and Kymora Scott from Flossmoor, Illinois. They both announced their commitments on Saturday, accepting scholarships on the first day they could be offered.

Sheffield, who cannot comment on recruits until they sign their National Letter of Intent, has said he plans to bring in five players in the class, all front row attackers.

However that class is constituted over the coming days, Flanagan figures to be one of the headliners of the group.

She was recently named to the USA Volleyball 12-member U19 team that will compete at the NORCECA Continental Championship in Honduras in July.

She also received some more recruiting pitches during tryouts from Natalie Wardlow, a 2025 WIsconsin recruit, who was Flanagan’s roommate. Wardlow was named an alternate to the U19 team.

“She’s literally the sweetest person,” Flanagan said of Wardlow. “I think I bonded with her a lot.”

Melissa Boice, the recruiting director for SCVC, says the sky's the limit for Flanagan.

“This kid is long and lean and powerful and smart,” Boice said. “She is one of the top kids not only in our area but the country. She just made the U19 National Team so she’s got a huge upside. I think she’s going to be a big-time player for sure.

“What is special about Audrey is her quiet confidence on the court. She will lead by example. She will carry a team on her back and keep her composure. Her demeanor is very calm and collected while she’s absolutely destroying her opponent.”

Flanagan is the No. 4 ranked outside hitter and the No. 8 player overall by Prep Dig.

“She’s like an outside hitter in the form of Charlie Fuerbringer, where she has such an all-around game,” said Chris Fitzgerald, Prep Dig national analyst. “She has a great all-around foundation of skills, being able to serve receive, being able to pass and being able to score in multiple ways. She’s just so smooth.”

All of that rings true to Boice.

“She’s definitely mature beyond her years and I think her IQ and love for the game is absolutely outstanding,” Boice said. “Her ball control separates her from a lot of players. She has great ball control and serving and passing is a huge part of our game, no matter what level you’re at. And she passes with the best of them.”

Once Flanagan’s decision was made, the one last task she had was to take a photo for her Instagram announcement. The only problem was that she failed to buy any Badgers gear when she made a trip to Madison a couple months ago to look around. So that sent her scrambling to find some appropriate apparel for her photo.

“I am borrowing one of my friend’s sweatshirts and she was asleep when I wanted to take my photo,” she said. “And then I had other things planned, so I finally got the sweatshirt and it took me about an hour to take the photo. I just wanted it to be perfect.”