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Vogel bypasses redshirt season

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Also by Cassie Paulsen:

Grapplers upset Minnesota, beat Michigan at home (February 18, 2008)
Seniors honored as grapplers take on Michigan (February 15, 2008)
Badgers split on weekend (February 4, 2008)
Wrestling ready for Field House return (February 1, 2008)
Transfer finds home at UW (January 31, 2008)

by Cassie Paulsen

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

More times than not, freshmen entering the world of Big Ten wrestling figure on redshirting their freshman year. It’s to be expected in what many call the toughest conference in the NCAA. With the Big Ten winning 12 of the last 18 national championships — the other six going to Oklahoma State — those new to this level need that redshirt year to take in the essence and truly understand the level of play they are now up against.

Of the five freshmen who came to campus this fall to wrestle, one is taking a different path by wrestling as a true freshman. Despite the ups and downs, freshman Kendall Vogel has adapted as well as one could in the Big Ten.

“I knew that coming in as a freshman that there’s lots to learn,” Vogel said. “It’s a whole different level at [Division I].”

Vogel’s route to Wisconsin followed several other team members’ paths. Vogel is a homegrown kid, growing up in Westfield, a city about 70 miles north of Madison. He reached the WIAA state championship three times in his four years of high school wrestling, winning a title last year as a senior at 160 pounds weight class and finished with an overall record of 42-1.

So far in his freshman year, Vogel has a 9-14 record and stands at 1-5 in the Big Ten. His one win in conference, however, was by pin. Vogel knew coming in that this would be a whole different ball game than last year.

“It’s definitely different from high school,” Vogel said. “Just because there’s such a tradition in the Big Ten, and knowing your part of that. In high school there’s that small town rivalry, but here — Big Ten, NCAA, D1 — it’s a cool feeling. I get to wrestle at Wisconsin as a true freshman. It’s a great feeling.”

Vogel didn’t know for sure this would be his next stop after graduation. After finishing runner-up at state as a junior, Vogel had a few interests from other colleges. It was that summer before his senior year when he spent a week at a camp in Colorado Springs at the USA Olympic training center, where Vogel grabbed the attention of Badger assistant coach, Bart Chelesvig.

“Bart did a techniques session, and that was when they first contacted me,” Vogel said. “It’s Badger-everything growing up here. I knew this would be the best situation to have that opportunity.”

Since coming to campus in September, Vogel has adapted well to the change of life. His hometown has a population of 1,300, so coming to a city of more than 200,000 can be quite a shock.

“It was a lot to get used to,” Vogel said.

Once here and in the wrestling room for workouts, there were talks of redshirting. Vogel originally had planned on taking this year as a redshirt to adapt to the life of a Division 1 wrestler. However, head coach Barry Davis had a problem. He needed someone to step in for departed senior and All-American Tyler Turner at 149 pounds.

“This is one of the toughest weight classes in the country right now,” Davis said. “Sometimes it’s good for a kid to come in right away and wrestle. I think Kendall Vogel was ready for it, and that’s why we did it.”

Now that his freshman year is almost over, Vogel knows this is the time to turn it on. A year ago Vogel was preparing for the WIAA Individual State Tournament, where he dominated the field en route to his title. This week, Vogel is preparing for the Badgers last team dual against Northwestern before the Big Ten Championships March 8 and 9 in Minneapolis. Despite the ups and downs thus far, Vogel knows now is when his team needs him most.

“I mean, it’s definitely been a bumpy road,” Vogel said. “I knew that coming in as a freshman that there’s lots to learn, it’s a whole different level at D1. But the best I can do is keep improving and keep trying to get to that next level. That’s what the team needs, what the coaches want and what I want.”

While Vogel knows there is still a lot to learn, Davis believes Vogel has done well, all things considered.

“I think he understands what Big Ten wrestling is all about and what wrestling is about in Division I. I think he’s making that adjustment,” Davis said. “He’s a mentally tough kid and a key player down the road for us.”

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