Wisconsin volleyball commit follows in footsteps of one of the best Badgers of all time (2024)

In her heart, Lynney Tarnow has been a Badger ever since she was 8 years old, bouncing around the UW Field House to the sounds of “Jump Around.”

That connection to the University of Wisconsin volleyball program took a major leap forward Saturday, when she became the first player to make a verbal commitment on the first day coaches were able to make scholarship offers to the 2026 recruiting class.

It was the culmination of a process that began when she attended her first volleyball camp in 2016.

“I remember my first camp,” Tarnow said Sunday. “I was in a Nike outfit and I came with my mom and I was super nervous coming in, but then I just had so much fun. I was acting like an 8 year old. They were playing 'Jump Around' in the gym and we were all jumping and dancing. I can remember that, and that’s what made me keep coming back. I feel like I’ve been a part of the program for a while now.”

While she was attached emotionallyto the Badgers from an early age, it wasn’t until the past year or so that her game rose to the point where she became a no-brainer recruit for coach Kelly Sheffield and his staff.

Tarnow said a turning point for her came at last year’s Elite Camp, where she started to see her own potential.

“I got to scrimmage with the (Wisconsin) players and I was just in awe,” she said. “I went home and I was like, 'Mom and dad, this is crazy, but that was the best experience of my life.' This year I took it very serious and worked really hard because if there was a possibility to be a Wisconsin player, that’s what I want and I’m going to work really hard to get the offer.”

That 8-year-old wannabe has sprouted into a 6-foot-5 powerhouse who is ranked the No. 6 player in the nation by Prep Dig. The resident of Downers Grove, Illinois, attends Benet Academy in nearby Lisle and plays for 1st Alliance, the same club program that produced another Badgers middle blocker, Dana Rettke.

That connection has become a familiar one for Tarnow, something she finds a little humbling.

“She’s an amazing player, so her name does come up quite often,” Tarnow said. “I have been compared to her, just because of my height and people have said some things. I wouldn’t compare myself to her quite yet because she’s so amazing.”

Trish Samolinski, who also coached 2025 Wisconsin recruit Addy Horner, is confident that Tarnow will be an impact player for the Badgers.

“She’s really had a breakout season this year,” Samolinski said. “I would say that her 15s year she was figuring out how to work that body. She’s really tall, and 16s is where you’ve really seen her take off.

“She’s really worked hard to improve her lateral speed and how fast she transitions and makes herself available in any situation. I think the biggest area she showed that she was ready was when she went to the 18s national with our 18 Gold team and she was named to the all-tournament team. She had a dominating performance and was able to hang with all those 18-year-olds.

“I think that really showed how hard she’s been working in the gym. I mean, the kid never stops. She’s the type of kid who’s been doing extra lessons every week, always pushing herself to technically become better. I think that’s what Kelly and (associate head coach) Brittany (Dildine) recognize. The rapid growth she made is what is the most intriguing. She hasn’t stopped getting better, and I don’t think she’s going to.”

Tarnow and Samolinski both pointed to the Badgers tradition of developing topflight middle blockers, from Haleigh Nelson to Tionna Williams, Rettke, Danielle Hart, Carter Booth and others, as added appeal.

Tarnow sees a common thread among those players.

“I think it’s the work ethic of Wisconsin,” she said. “The middles are always busting their butts, working really hard. You can see that on TV. So that definitely was appealing because you see the middles grow in the program. What’s not to like about seeing middles go up and get better and better from their freshman to their senior years? That was so attractive to me and it still will be. I’m excited to work when I get there.”

She’s also looking forward to getting to know future teammate Kymora Scott, who became the second 2026 commit just a few hours later. Scott lives in Flossmoor, about 40 miles away.

“I haven’t met her, but I’m excited to get to know her,” Tarnow said. “It’s kind amazing that we are so close. That’s great because we can build a friendship before we even go there. I’m excited for her. Middles have to stick together.”

Tarnow’s longstanding familiarity with the Wisconsin program and coaches helped make Saturday a little more comfortable for her, especially compared to players who were speaking to coaches for the first time ever on that day. She scheduled Wisconsin as her first of three calls, hoping for the best.

Still, she had to catch her breath a bit when Sheffield made the scholarship offer. And at that point, the other programs on her list didn’t stand a chance.

“It was like, Oh my gosh, it’s real,” she said. “I called my parents in the room and I was just so grateful. Things are circling in your mind and you’re just so happy in the moment that you can’t even think straight. I was like, I need my parents here with me. He said it again and my parents heard. It was just a really, really great feeling that I don’t think I can compare with many others.”