Lauren Carlini, LOVB player and UW-Madison women’s volleyball coach
By Jane Burns | Photography by Hillary Schave
Volleyball star Lauren Carlini’s entire life has led to moments she’s experiencing now and dreams that have already come true. Now she’s building on those dreams to help others achieve theirs, too.
The former Badgers All-American returned to Madison last fall after helping the U.S. win a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, then joined UW-Madison Head Volleyball Coach Kelly Sheffield’s coaching staff as offensive analyst and strategy consultant. She juggles those duties with a pro volleyball career, as a member of Madison’s club in the new League One Volleyball (also called LOVB). Carlini is also a founding athlete of LOVB, which has six pro teams across the U.S.
In some ways, it was all meant to be. As a child, Carlini drew a picture of herself standing on an Olympic podium, a picture she still has, and put up an Olympic flag on her bedroom wall.
“There was a lot of manifesting from a young age,” she says.
The opportunity to play pro volleyball in the U.S. wasn’t part of the plan — until it was. LOVB gave her a chance to come home after a pro career in Italy, Russia and Turkey.
“Right time, right place, right situation,” she says. “I would have been dumb to say no to this.”
The dual coach/player role is an inspiring one. Given Carlini’s path in life and the chance for those players to see her in action with LOVB, her mere presence shows players what is possible.
“There’s credibility there,” she says. “When you see someone do it in person, then you think, ‘OK, if she can do it, I can do it, too.’”
What would your advice be if a little girl said, “I want to be you when I grow up?”
Honestly, I would say don’t try to be me. Be better. Be yourself and be better. And don’t be afraid to put in the hard work and don’t be afraid to dream big.
