As someone who helped Wisconsin become a volleyball powerhouse and now coaches some of the best athletes in the world, Annemarie Hickey (BA ’14, MS ’25) has a lot to be proud of. But it’s what she achieved off the court during her second stint as a UW–Madison student that brings her immense gratification.
While working two full-time jobs, Hickey enrolled in and graduated from the Wisconsin School of Business’ fully online Master of Science-Business: Data, Insights, and Analytics (MSDIA) program. For her, earning the degree was not just a way to advance her career, but a chance to make good on an undergraduate academic experience that didn’t go as planned.
“I originally came to Wisconsin to play volleyball but knew I was going to be getting a good education there, which was huge for me. But my biggest regret is that I didn’t do well in school,” says Hickey. “I wanted to do better, and I wanted to have that second chance.”
Pursuing an MSDIA degree not only gave her that opportunity but also accelerated the former student-athlete and college coach’s path to the pros. Hickey now represents League One Volleyball (LOVB), a professional league which launched in 2020 and hosted its inaugural season in 2025 with six teams.
As an assistant coach with LOVB Madison, she’s utilizing the technical skills she honed in the MSDIA program to equip players like Lauren Carlini (BS ’17) with tools to adapt to any situation on the court. But she’s also using her sharpened business acumen to grow the reach and impact of the nascent league and its players.
“Volleyball is growing, and people want to watch it at the highest level,” she says. “Joining LOVB was an opportunity for me to create a legacy. I’m not going to be a professional volleyball player, but I can be a part of creating and growing something new that’s huge for the sport.”
Coaching in a professional volleyball league is something Hickey could only dream of during her playing days. Recruited to UW–Madison on a volleyball scholarship, she balanced classes with early morning gym sessions, lengthy practices, and late-night film sessions. After taking the team all the way to the national championship game in her final season with the Badgers, Hickey transitioned to coaching for UW, where she began incorporating data and analytics to give the team a strategic advantage.
“During games, I would be on my computer typing in every single thing that was going on during a rally,” Hickey says. “I’ve always been interested in the technology and the data side of things, and I’m a huge problem solver.”
After pursuing other career opportunities, Hickey officially rejoined the team in 2017 in a brand-new technical coordinator position, making her one of the first in collegiate volleyball to hold an analytics-focused role.
“I was really trying to figure out how we could be innovators for the sport,” she says.
Leveraging her technical acumen and player rapport, she secured an assistant coaching role with the Badgers while simultaneously supporting the launch of LOVB. Around the same time, she discovered WSB’s new MSDIA program, and the flexibility it offered to working professionals. She says the program came at the right place and right time—even if it required a herculean amount of juggling.
“I was coaching at a D1 level and striving to win national championships, while also effectively working for a startup company,” says Hickey. “But I wanted to earn a degree from the Wisconsin School of Business so that others could clearly see the level of preparation and commitment I bring. That was important to me, and I wanted to use my master’s degree to make my coaching life easier.”
“There’s always room to make change if you believe in yourself, work hard, and surround yourself with people that build you up.”
—Annemarie Hickey (BA ’14, MS ’25)
Even before graduation, she began putting what she learned in the program into effect, using data to enhance player performance and refine strategic planning at both the amateur and professional levels. And the gamble on herself paid off in 2025, when Hickey transitioned into an assistant coach role with LOVB Madison.
Her days revolve around leading workout sessions, film study, and practices—but they’re powered by data-driven innovations that help her players maximize their potential and achieve their unique goals, like making an Olympic team.
She’s also channeling the tenacity and resilience she built during her master’s program as she chases her new personal and professional goal: becoming a head coach.
“I exceeded the expectations that I had for myself,” she says. “I learned it’s never too late to go back to school and do something that you want. There’s always room to make change if you believe in yourself, work hard, and surround yourself with people that build you up.”