Check out the FloVolleyball NCAA Countdown, where we rank the top 20 collegiate women's volleyball teams in the country leading up to opening day on August 26. The No. 5 spot goes to Wisconsin this year, and here's why:

The Upshot

The nation's best collegiate setter has one last chance to return to the final four.

Last Season

• 26-7 overall, 16-4 in Big Ten (3rd place)
  
• 2-1 in NCAA Tournament (lost 3-2 vs. Florida @ Texas)
  
• No. 7 in final 2015 RPI
  
• Team Hitting Percentage: .270 (#20 in nation)
  
• Opponents' Hitting Percentage: .170 (#29 in nation)
  
• Team blocks per set: 2.69 (#25 in nation)
  

The Players

RETURNING STARS

Lauren Carlini | 6-2 | Senior | Setter
11.91 assists/set (#7 in nation); 0.82 blocks/set; First Team All-American

Haleigh Nelson | 6-4 | Senior | Middle Blocker
2.62 kills/set (.422, #8 in NCAA); 1.23 blocks/set; Second Team All-American

Lauryn Gillis | 6-1 | Junior | Outside Hitter
3.16 kills/set (.236); 0.36 blocks/set

Kelli Bates | 5-11 | Junior | Outside Hitter
3.13 kills/set (.207); 0.56 blocks/set

Tionna Williams | 6-2 | Sophomore | Middle Blocker
2.21 kills/set (.330); 1.31 blocks/set

Romana Kriskova | 6-2 | Senior | Opposite
2.25 kills/set (.260); 0.73 blocks/set

PROMISING NEWCOMERS

Molly Haggerty | 6-1 | Freshman | Outside Hitter
First Team Under Armour All-American

Mallory Dixon | 5-9 | Freshman | Setter

M.E. Dodge | 5-10 | Freshman | Libero

Sarah Dodd | 5-4 | Freshman | Libero

BIGGEST LOSSES

Taylor Morey | 5-6 | Libero
4.49 digs/set

Non-Conference Matches to Watch

August 26 @ Hawaii
September 9 @ North Carolina
September 10 vs. Louisville @ North Carolina
September 16 @ Texas A&M
September 18 @ Texas

Outlook

It would not be accurate to call Lauren Carlini the best collegiate setter of her generation. After all, Penn State's Micha Hancock was equally dominant just two seasons ago, and U.S. National Team coach Karch Kiraly has reason to be licking his chops at the prospect of a Carlini/Hancock combo the at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. But Hancock led her team to two national titles, including a finals win over Wisconsin in 2013, when Carlini was a freshman. Since then, the Badgers have been close, but no cigar. In 2016, Carlini again teams with middle blocker Haleigh Nelson and outside hitters Lauryn Gillis and Kelli Bates, a trio that brings as much offensive punch as any the nation. Right behind them is heralded freshman Molly Haggerty, who might have been a sure starter on most any other team. "She'll be in there somewhere," Coach Kelly Sheffield (4th season) said. With Tionna Williams at MB2 and Romana Kriskova at opposite, Sheffield needs only replace last year's now-graduated libero, Taylor Morey. Sophomore Amber MacDonald is in contention, but so are two freshmen, M.E. Dodge (recovering from injury) and Sarah Dodd. Sheffield, who in the past backed out of non-conference matches with USC and Washington, has gone the opposite route this season. He's booked a slew of top teams in August and September, a move that can only send his team's RPI skyrocketing if it can survive the challenge. "Every single out-of-conference team we're playing this season was in the NCAA Tournament last season," Sheffield said. "I'm not sure anyone's ever played that kind of schedule before." Probably not.

Prediction

Perhaps no team in the nation will be more battle tested by the time the tournament rolls around. If Carlini can elevate the play of her already-talented teammates, the Badgers could be in position to host the first four rounds of the postseason, perhaps punching a ticket to another national semifinal.

Previously:
20. Louisville
19. UNC
18. BYU
17. Illinois
16. Purdue
15. Texas A&M
14. Oregon
13.  Ohio State
12. Penn State
11. Florida
10. USC
9. Hawaii
8. Washington
7. Kansas
6. UCLA

Additional research and reporting contributed by Leslie Hamann.