Wisconsin volleyball freshman celebrates ‘unforgettable’ graduation

ISTANBUL, Turkey — Chances are nobody else in the graduation class of 2023 at Howards Grove High School had as memorable a day Sunday as Saige Damrow.

While the rest of her classmates were receiving their diplomas on a rainy afternoon at the school’s football field, Damrow was being toasted by her University of Wisconsin volleyball teammates on a purple yacht on Istanbul Bogazi, the body of water that separates the European and Asian parts of the city.

Wisconsin volleyball hopeful messy arrival in Turkey brings good luck

“People say they forget their high school graduation and it doesn’t mean that much,” Damrow said. “But I don’t think I’ll ever forget that I got to graduate between two different continents on a yacht. Nobody else gets to do that.”

Damrow got to do that because she decided to graduate early so she could enroll at UW for the spring semester and begin training with the Badgers. She understood at the time that she would be missing out on a lot of the senior year traditions, but figured it would be the best way to get a head start on her college volleyball career.

Things haven’t exactly worked out according to plan as she has not been able to practice as she recovers from a procedure on her knee after the end of her high school season.

Bruce Springsteen, tour of Italy highlight Wisconsin volleyball’s Europe itinerary

“At first there was a little bit of, ‘What if I miss high school, what if I miss this, what if I miss that?’” she said. “Then as soon as I got (to Madison) there was no doubt that I was where I was supposed to be. Even though I can’t play, I get to experience this with the team, experience every practice with the team. It’s definitely going to be a benefit going into the season. I just love the team so much and the culture and energy here is much better than anything I’d get back home.”

Still, the UW staff didn’t want Damrow’s graduation day to go by unnoticed. So director of operations Jess Williams arranged with Damrow’s mother Carrie to send her Saige’s graduation gown and cap to surprise her on the big day.

And Damrow was indeed surprised when coach Kelly Sheffield summoned the players and the traveling party to the top deck of the boat and announced Sunday was a big day in the life of one of the players.

“I had no idea,” Damrow said. “My mom told me I should bring my cap and gown to take pictures in it, but I said no. So she sent it to Jess. When Kelly pulled me out I had no idea.

“It feels good. It’s nice that everyone around me acknowledges the fact that I accomplished something. It’s so nice to have everyone I love around me because I can’t be with my family or my friends from high school.”

Sheffield credited Williams and tour director Tim Kelly with pulling off the surprise, which was capped by a champagne toast from everyone onboard.

Gulce Guctekin gives her Wisconsin volleyball teammates a history lesson

“That’s what great directors of operations and great tour directors do, they create memories,” Sheffield said. “She had a lot of fun and her teammates had a lot of fun. Even though she’s been here for a semester, graduating from high school is still a pretty special day.”

Although she has been sidelined so far, Damrow is confident she will be fully recovered by the time fall training starts in August.

“I should’ve been back by now, but I’ve had a couple of setbacks,” said Damrow, a 5-foot-8 defensive specialist. “But I’m on the path to hopefully getting back by the season.”

Why Saige Damrow is a top-flight recruit for the Wisconsin volleyball 2023 class

The Badgers got the competitive part of their European tour off to a successful start by sweeping four sets from a team from VakifBank, one of the top clubs in Istanbul.

After something of a bumpy start in the first set, the Badgers were in command most of the rest of the match in winning 25-21, 25-15, 25-23, 25-15.

Sheffield said early in the match his team looked like it was suffering from jet lag and sea legs from the two-hour boat ride, as it quickly fell behind 10-3.

But from then on he could find little to complain about. He was particularly pleased with how his team finished off the sets.

Why Wisconsin volleyball coach Kelly Sheffield likes challenging schedule

After falling behind early, the Badgers closed out the first set on a 4-1 run. But that was nothing compared to set 2, when they trailed 15-13 before going on a 12-0 run, fueled by the serving of Turkey native Gulce Guctekin, who had five service aces in an 11-point service run.

It was a similar story in set 3, as VakifBank led 23-20 before the Badgers responded with a 5-0 run that was highlighted by two combined blocks by Minnesota transfer Carter Booth and Anna Smrek.

Sheffield singled out Guctekin for her defensive play and her serving as she played in front of her parents, Ali and Ferda, and her older brother Erturk. Guctekin finished with a team-high 17 digs despite sitting out the fourth set, to go along with her five aces.

Why international Wisconsin athletes are on the outside looking in at NIL deals

“I think it was amazing,” Guctekin said. “I was looking forward to this game because it was the first time my parents and my brother would be able to watch me play live. So I wanted to play well and show my skills and how my team is really good.”

Guctekin said she knew most of the players for VakifBank from playing together in the Turkish national team program, though most of them are a year or two younger than her.

“They’re younger than me but they’re talented,” said Guctekin.

How does the transfer portal work? Some answers to common questions

Offensively, the Badgers were led by All-American newcomer Temi Thomas-Ailara with 10 kills in her first competition after transferring from Northwestern and Smrek with nine kills.

“Temi just adds so much,” Sheffield said. “She makes you think when she’s behind the service line. They were serving a lot at the front-row passer and I thought she and Oz (Julia Orzol) did a really good job of managing that. She just gets on a ball so fast.

“And Anna had some really big-time swings out of the quick.”