Honors
• 2019 and 2020 AVCA First-Team All-American
• 2019 and 2020 VolleyballMag.com First-Team All-American
• 2018 AVCA Second-Team All-American
• 2017 AVCA Honorable Mention All-American
• 2017 AVCA Northeast Region Honorable Mention
• 2019 and 2020 CoSIDA First-Team Academic All-American
• 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 AVCA All-Northeast Region
• 2019, 2020, and 2021 Big Ten Setter of the Year
• 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 All-Big Ten
• 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 Academic All-Big Ten
• 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
• 2017 Big Ten All-Freshman Team
• 2017 K-State Invitational All-Tournament honors
• 2017 HotelRED Invitational All-Tournament honors
• 2018 HotelRED Invitational MVP honors
• AVCA National Player of the Week: Oct. 7, 2019
• Big Ten Player of the Week- Nov. 19, 2018; Oct. 7, 2019
• Big Ten Setter of the Week- Aug. 28, 2017; Nov. 20, 2017; Sept. 3, 2018 (co); Nov. 12, 2018; Nov. 19, 2018; Sept. 3, 2019; Oct. 7, 2019; Oct. 14, 2019; Nov. 4, 2019; Nov. 18, 2019; Nov. 25, 2019; Jan. 26, 2021; Aug. 30, 2021; Sept.13, 2021; Oct. 4, 2021; Oct. 25, 2021 (co); Nov. 22, 2021
• Big Ten Freshman of the Week- Sept. 4, 2017
• 2021 Sullivan Award Semifinalists
• 2021 Senior CLASS Award Finalists
Notables: Ranks fourth at UW with 4,680 assists ... ranks fifth in assists per set with 11.76 ... ranks fifth in career double-doubles with 37 ... has played and started 114 of 115 matches of her career and played in 114 of 117 sets ... set UW season records for assists per set under 25-point rally scoring a 12.03 in 2019 ... averaged a school record 12.45 assists per set in Big Ten-only matches in 2019 ... recorded a Big Ten-season best 902 assists ... high school teammate of Izzy Ashburn
2021: Started in all 34 matches and 122 sets ... led the team in assists with 11.95 per set, which ranked first in the Big Ten ... took over the school record in assists vs. Nebraska (Nov. 26), finished the season in first place with 6138 career assists ... recorded 15 double-doubles over the season ... added 2.61 digs per set ... recorded a season-high 65 assists at Minnesota (Nov. 21) ... recorded a season-high 18 digs vs. Penn. State (Oct. 23) ... recorded 15 matches with double-digit digs ... added 18 service aces (0.15/set) and 90 blocks (0.74/set)
2020: Played in 16 of 17 matches, starting 16, and 52 sets ... missed her first match as a Badger due to COVID protocols at Minnesota on March 31 ... led the team in assists with 10.88 per set, which ranked third in the Big Ten ... surpassed 4500 career assists vs. Michigan (April 2) ... surpassed 100 career matches vs. Purdue (Jan. 23) ... recorded her 37th double-double vs. Florida (April 19) with 49 assists and 17 digs ... added 2.18 digs per set ... recorded a season-high 49 assists vs. Florida in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament (April 19) ... recorded a season-high 17 digs vs. Florida (April 19) ...recorded two matches with double-digit digs .... added seven service aces (0.18/set) and 20 blocks (0.53/set)
2019: Played and started all 34 matches and 116 sets ... led the Big Ten and ranked fourth nationally with 12.03 assists per set ... ranked 12th nationally with 1,396 helpers ... put up a career-high 78 assists at Minnesota (Nov. 14), setting the UW four-set match record under 25-point rally scoring ... ranked fourth on the team with 2.09 digs per set ... recorded double-figure digs in nine matches for nine double-doubles ... recorded a season-high 15 digs in two matches ... led the team in digs in six matches ... tied for third on the team with 28 service aces (0.24/set) ... recorded a season-high three service aces in three matches ... led the team in aces in five matches ... ranked fourth on the team with 83 blocks (0.72/set) ... had a career-high seven blocks vs. Baylor (Sept. 6)
2018: Played and started all 32 matches, and 117 sets ... led the Big Ten and ranked fourth in the nation with 11.98 assists per set ... ranked 10th nationally with 1,402 total assists ... had 50-or-more assists in nine matches ... recorded a season-high 61 assists at Penn State (Nov. 24) ... ranked second on the team with 30 service aces (0.26/set) ... recorded a season-high four aces vs. Florida State (Aug. 25) ... added 2.41 digs per set for third on the team ... recorded double-figure digs in 16 matches to lead the team with 16 double-doubles ... recorded a match-high 19 digs in two matches ... led the team in digs in four matches ... added 0.63 kills per set ... put away a career-high seven kills at Illinois (Oct. 3) ... added 0.68 blocks per set ... had a season-high six blocks vs. High Point (Sept. 2) ... led the team in blocks in one match
2017: Started all 32 matches and played in 113 sets ... averaged 11.76 assists per set, which ranked second in the Big Ten ... ranked second nationally among freshmen in assists per set ... recorded 50-plus assists in six matches and 40-plus assists in 19 matches ... added 2.02 digs per set ... had double-figure digs in nine matches to record a team-high nine double-doubles ... earned first career double-double against North Carolina, recording 43 assists and 11 digs (Aug. 26) ... recorded a season-high five blocks against Lipscomb (Sept. 7) ... has four straight double-doubles from Sept. 30 - Oct. 11 ... set a season high with six kills at Indiana (Nov. 10) ... put up a season-high 57 assists while adding 10 digs at Illinois (Nov. 17) ... set a career high with five aces against Rutgers (Nov. 25) ... led the team with 27 service aces, averaging 0.24 per set ... chipped in 0.64 blocks and 0.66 kills per set
High School: No. 3 on the 2016
Volleyball Fab 50 ... ranked No. 3 PrepVolleyball Senior Ace ... 2015 and 2016 Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year ... 2016 Ms. Baden Minnesota Player of the Year ... named the MaxPreps Junior of the Year and PrepVolleyball National Sophomore of the Year ... 2016 Under Armour first-team All-American ... 2016
USA Today All-USA Preseason Team member ... two-time member of USA Volleyball National team ... served as captain of the 2016 Junior National Team, winning a silver medal at the NORCECA U20 Continental Championship ... participated in the 2015 World Championships as a member of the Youth National Team, winning a silver medal ... three-time first-team all-state honoree for Coach John Yunker ... earned honorable mention all-state honors as a freshman ... the Rebels qualified for three Minnesota State AAA championships, finishing second in 2016 and third in 2015 ... three-time state all-tournament pick ... four-time all-conference honoree ... three-time All-Metro ... two-time Metro Player of the Year ... 2016 Breakdown Player of the Year ... broke her high school's record for kills with 1,891 kills ... also played with Minnesota Select ... Select won the 2016 Junior National Championship with Hilley earning MVP honors ... three-time AAU All-American, leading her team to three top-three finishes
Personal: Parents are Christy and Mike Hilley ... mother played volleyball at North Dakota State in 1986 ... father played basketball at North Dakota State from 1986-90 ... has two siblings—Alex (25) and Sami (19) ... Alex played club volleyball at NDSU ... Sami is a freshman middle blocker at UW-River Falls ... born July 24 ...graduated in December of 2020 with degrees in genetics and genomics; currently a graduate student in applied biotechnology ... nickname is Syd
Why Wisconsin?
"The culture was a perfect fit for me and everyone involved with the team has the same mission. The team strives for greatness in every aspect of our lives."
Match Highs
Kills: 7 at Illinois, 10/3/18
Attacks: 14 at Nebraska, 9/30/17
Attack pct: 1.000 (4-0-4) vs. North Carolina, 8/26/17
Assists: 78 at Minnesota, 11/14/19
Service aces: 5 vs. Rutgers, 11/25/17
Digs: 19 (2x; MR vs. Pepperdine, 11/30/18)
Blocks: 7 vs. Baylor, 9/6/19
Points: 9.0 (2x; MR vs. High Point, 9/2/18)
Double-Doubles: 48
Off the court with Sydney
First started volleyball: first grade
Most memorable volleyball match: 2019 national semifinal vs Baylor
The best part of playing volleyball is: the bond you create with your teammates
My favorite thing about Wisconsin volleyball is: my teammates and the culture
Before each match, I: visualize and listen to music
Best UW road trip: Europe 2019
One word that describes the team: gritty
One word that describes me: winner
What is the best thing you bring to the team? leadership
Favorite thing to do off the court with my teammates is: go to the Terrace
Most memorable volleyball achievement: winning the Big Ten
Is there anything significant about your uniform number? I started with No. 22 because that was my dad’s number in college but when I got to high school the uniform numbers only went from 1-12, so No. 2 was the closest thing and I’ve stuck to that
The best thing about the Field House is: the fans
My “Bucky” List is: attend at least one sporting event for each team at Wisconsin
Dream as a collegiate player: win a national championship
Post-college plans/goals: play volleyball professionally, pursue a career in cancer research
The best thing about Madison is: the college feel
What is your favorite Coach Sheffield saying? “Bring it”
What causes do you care about? cancer/disease research
What does it mean to be a Badger?
“Giving everything you have towards the common goal, outworking everyone, getting one percent better every single day and pushing your teammates to do the same, represent the W with pride."
