Sydney Hilley

Early life

Hilley was born and raised in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. She attended Champlin Park High School, where she developed into one of the nation's top setter prospects. Coming from an athletic family — her mother played collegiate volleyball and her father played collegiate basketball — volleyball became her primary focus, eventually earning her a scholarship to Wisconsin.

College career — Wisconsin Badgers (2017–2021)

Hilley enjoyed one of the greatest careers ever by a Wisconsin setter, starting every match of her collegiate career and serving as a cornerstone of Wisconsin's rise into a national powerhouse. She helped the Badgers reach multiple Final Fours and guided the program to its first NCAA National Championship in 2021, where she recorded 51 assists, 2 kills, and 5 blocks in the title match against Nebraska, earning NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team and Madison Regional MVP honors.

Awards & honors

Playing career

Following graduation, Hilley began her professional career in Turkey as a practice player with VakıfBank, one of the world's premier volleyball clubs.

In 2022, she joined Manatí Volleyball Club in Puerto Rico, making her professional club debut in the Liga de Voleibol Superior Femenino.

Hilley competed in Athletes Unlimited beginning in 2023, recording 545 assists and finishing 8th overall while serving as a three-time team captain. In the 2024 season she added 462 assists, four double-doubles, and a 14th-place overall finish, ranking among the league leaders in assists in both seasons.

Hilley joined the Omaha Supernovas for the inaugural Pro Volleyball Federation season in 2024, helping Omaha capture the first championship in league history and earning Playoff MVP honors.

In 2025, Hilley joined Indy Ignite and was named PVF Setter of the Year and All-PVF First Team, leading the team to the league championship series with 1,277 assists, 308 digs, 40 blocks, and 15 service aces.

In 2026 she returned to the Omaha Supernovas to compete in Major League Volleyball.

Playing style

Hilley is known for elite decision-making, exceptional volleyball IQ, leadership and communication, defensive consistency, a fast offensive tempo, and the ability to distribute effectively to all attackers. Her combination of leadership, court vision, and consistency has made her one of the most respected setters of her generation. Her responsibilities on the court include:

• Elite decision-making and play distribution
• Setting a fast offensive tempo
• Leadership and communication on the court
• Defensive consistency in the back row
• Distributing effectively to all attackers

Beyond volleyball

Hilley graduated from Wisconsin with a degree in Genetics and Genomics before earning a master's degree in Applied Biotechnology. In addition to her volleyball career, she has worked as a scientist for Beckman Coulter Diagnostics.

Career timeline

1. 2017 — Begins collegiate career at Wisconsin
2. 2019 — Wins first Big Ten Setter of the Year award
3. 2020 — Repeats as Big Ten Setter of the Year
4. 2021 — Wins NCAA National Championship and Senior CLASS Award
5. 2022 — Begins professional career in Turkey and Puerto Rico
6. 2023 — Makes U.S. Women's National Team debut and competes in Athletes Unlimited
7. 2024 — Wins PVF Championship and Playoff MVP with Omaha Supernovas
8. 2025 — Named PVF Setter of the Year with Indy Ignite
9. 2026 — Returns to Omaha Supernovas in Major League Volleyball competition

Personal information

Last updated: 2026-06-13