Rare injury sidelines Wisconsin volleyball standout Sarah Franklin

MADISON – As the Wisconsin volleyball team goes through the early stages of its four-country foreign tour, one of its top players is recovering at home.

Junior outside hitter Sarah Franklin recently had surgery due to blood clots associated with Quadrilateral Space Syndrome, the team announced Tuesday. She is out indefinitely.

Franklin was expected to join the team at some point during the tour, which ends on June 14.

"So much to be thankful for," Badgers coach Kelly Sheffield wrote on Twitter. "Sarah has been an inspiration to all."

According to orthobullets.com, Quadrilateral Space Syndrome a rare injury caused by nerve and artery compression that creates tenderness to the affected area. It most occurs in the dominant shoulder. Athletes at the greatest risk are those involved in contact sports or sports that involve throwing or a lot of overhead movements such as volleyball.

Franklin missed each of the team's scrimmages this spring due to injury but was expected to go on tour and play. It was in a tweet that included a picture of the team at the airport that Sheffield noted that Franklin and associate head coach Brittney Dildine would join the team "in a few days"

Sheffield was expecting to get a look at Franklin as the coaching staff got a jump start on determining the lineup for the upcoming season.

"Sarah didn't play in any matches in the spring, so I know she's really looking forward to playing on this trip," Sheffield said in the days leading up to the trip.