MADISON – Grace Egan is back.
Well, sort of.
The Wisconsin outside hitter subbed in during the fourth set of the sixth-ranked Badgers’ Oct. 23 loss to No. 21 Washington. Her first time on the court since missing several weeks with a back injury came in a very limited capacity, though.
She came in ahead of the last point of the fourth set to serve, with the Badgers trailing, 24-18. After Washington eventually won the point and the set, Egan remained on the sideline for the entire fifth set.
"She told me yesterday she's back, and I said, 'OK, alright, you're back,'" Wisconsin coach Kelly Sheffield said. "But she hasn't done much practices. So just because she says she's back doesn't mean that, alright, here, let's just get you out on the court."
Egan's entrance came with a loud ovation from the UW Field House crowd – officially listed at 7,229 although actual turnout was obviously lower. That resounding reaction was part of Sheffield's calculus for giving Egan the limited opportunity against the Huskies.
"I figured, alright, it's getting late; people are grumpy," Sheffield said with a quick aside to ask for the World Series score. "We were getting popped at that point, and I was hoping to get the crowd into it a little bit. And they did."
Big ovation from the UW Field House crowd as #Badgers outside hitter Grace Egan subs in to serve.
— John Steppe (@JSteppe1) October 24, 2026
First match for her since Sept. 2 after dealing with a back injury. pic.twitter.com/W0brsyn7hi
While Egan's first opportunity in the front row will have to wait for another time, simply being on the court in any capacity is a milestone in her recovery.
Egan shared in a Sept. 14 Instagram post that the injury “brought a level of fear and stress I hadn’t experienced before.” She ended up missing 13 matches, with UW going 11-2 during that stretch. Both losses were against ranked teams.
Before her injury, Egan totaled 37 kills in four matches while hitting .242. That included a 17-kill performance in UW's narrow five-set win over Florida. Her nine service aces were tied for fourth on the Badgers heading into the Washington match despite her extended absence.
Egan not-so-subtly hinted at the Oct. 23 return on social media, posting a video on Instagram on Oct. 22 with “I’M BACK” text appearing on top of footage of her running from the locker room to the court.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Grace Egan returns briefly for Wisconsin volleyball. Is she truly back?