On a lucky occasion, wandering into the Field House after hours can render a surreal exposure. With dimmed lights and a faint reflection from the hardwood floors, the old gym almost seems false, an apparition, a sight linked in limbo of a storied past and a still-used future. Maybe it’s… Read more »

Words are so simple. They are just letters and syllables threaded together, their message shaped entirely by the person behind them. They can convey our deepest sympathies in the face of tragedy, our biting scorn in response to perceived injustice, our laughter when we are most in need of comic… Read more »

With a record-setting regular season now in the rear-view mirror, the Wisconsin softball team sets its sights on the postseason where it will play in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinal Friday. Wisconsin (39-11, 16-7 Big Ten) will head to Lincoln, Neb., as the No. 4 seed in the tournament and… Read more »

While many students partook in various festivities on Mifflin Street Saturday afternoon, the Wisconsin men’s track and field team was hard at work at the McClimon Track Complex, competing in its last regular season meet. The No. 11-ranked Badgers took home wins in 13 events in the Wisconsin Open, which… Read more »

On a bittersweet Senior Day, one senior in particular made sure her name won’t be forgotten after she graduates or even after her final game at Goodman Diamond. Hitting her 12th home run in the rubber match of the Wisconsin softball team’s series with Michigan State, senior utility player Whitney… Read more »

It had been a long time since I had made my last trek to Goodman Diamond. Apparently so long that I missed the memo that everyone knows about what’s going on with Wisconsin softball. Call it a rebirth, call it an emerging powerhouse, call it whatever you want. But in… Read more »

A year ago Taylor Smith made her mark on Wisconsin women’s track history, breaking UW’s shot put record with a heave of more than half a meter further than any Badger before her. However, Smith was nowhere near her peak then. Saturday afternoon, the Badger standout again surpassed the record… Read more »

It’s the top of the seventh, down one run with one out and the bases empty: a familiar situation in which the Wisconsin softball team found itself again Sunday. And yet again, the Badgers persevered, bringing in four runs to secure another come-from-behind victory. There’s no question Wisconsin has developed… Read more »

Fear of the unknown. It’s something I’d like to believe that most human beings share. It’s why some of us were afraid of the dark at an early age. That primal fear that comes with being unable to understand or control your surroundings is very basic, and it’s at the… Read more »

After destroying future Daily Cardinal Editor-in-Chief Abby Becker in a Keystone Light chug-off, incoming Badger Herald EIC Katherine Krueger set a bold standard for her team. “I challenge you to be as lazy as you can today, because it doesn’t take much to beat a paper of such low quality!… Read more »

The last time The Badger Herald beat The Daily Cardinal in softball, Lance Armstrong was still an American hero, the world was beginning to embrace Bieber fever and MTV’s Jersey Shore had only completed its first viewer-enriching season. Although no time in history can ever hope to repeat such a… Read more »

Anyone who watches baseball or softball knows that the position that most often comes at a premium with a shortage of quality players is the catcher. It’s hard enough to find someone who wants to crouch behind a player wielding a metal weapon — in this case it’s called a… Read more »

“Legends” and “Leaders.” Not exactly what we might call Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany’s finest moment. The names became laughable monikers that seemed to mock the 12 teams of the Big Ten thrown into divisions in a grab bag manner. Would you consider Indiana a legendary football program? Or two… Read more »

On a rare sunny day this April, the Wisconsin football team capped off its spring season with its annual Spring Game at Camp Randall Saturday. Following a different format than in years past, the offense, team “White,” lost to the defense, team “Cardinal,” 61-47 after a second-half collapse saw the… Read more »

On a sports team, one of the most important and difficult things to obtain is the respect of your peers. It takes a person with a special mix of skill and discipline to gain that respect from his teammates. Despite being on the team for only two years, senior Alexander… Read more »

Trading in the cardinal and white for the opportunity to compete in red, white and blue, two members of the Wisconsin women’s hockey team helped earn Team USA a gold medal at the International Ice Hockey Federation’s World Championship April 9. Senior forward Brianna Decker and junior goaltender Alex Rigsby… Read more »

While addressing the local media after his team’s 6 a.m. Friday morning practice, Wisconsin head coach Gary Andersen was asked a question about the program being more open to the public this spring. For Wisconsin, more open really means open at all. Because how many times had a practice been… Read more »

For many in their final year of high school, second semester is like a dream come true. It is a time when high schoolers across the country secure collegiate enrollment and pursue semester-long vacations filled with skipped classes, blown-off homework and senior prom. But freshman Tori Blake threw that all… Read more »

The University of Wisconsin volleyball team wrapped up its three-match spring schedule at home with a 3-1 win over UW-Milwaukee (25-16, 23-25, 25-23, 25-17) Tuesday night. Wisconsin has dropped just two sets in three wins against Loyola, UW-Green Bay and UW-Milwaukee during its exhibition spring season. Head coach Kelly Sheffield… Read more »

For almost his entire life, James White has never been the lead running back. When he was a three-star running back from Saint Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., White was just an accent to his four-star teammate and UNC-commit Giovanni Bernard. When White arrived at Wisconsin, he… Read more »

When there’s a scandal involving college athletes receiving illegal payments or benefits we rarely, as a society, bat our eyes for a second. When it was reported last week that the Auburn football program allegedly paid members of their football team to keep them from going pro, no one nor… Read more »

The Wisconsin football team broke in the turf in Camp Randall Stadium for the first time in 2013 this week, with players in full pads working on new schemes brought in by Gary Andersen and his coaching staff. The defense continued to work on implementing the new 3-4 system for… Read more »

What is the measure of a great coach in college basketball? For Wisconsin’s Bo Ryan, it’s all about consistency. But does that make him great? His resume speaks for itself: 12 years with the Badgers, 12 NCAA tournament berths. No finish lower than fourth in the conference standings. One of… Read more »

Offense: B+ In their late season push, the Badgers offense — for lack of a better word — exploded. The normally defense-minded squad netted 44 goals throughout the course of its final 12 games of the season, with a season high seven goals against Minnesota State in the quarterfinals of… Read more »

Slightly laden down with tryptophan and a little too much pumpkin pie from my delayed Thanksgiving celebration, I sat in the press conference room of the Kohl Center at about 9:30 p.m. on Nov. 24, 2012. I was tired. I had just spent the entire day conversing with aunts and… Read more »

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Wisconsin players wiped tears from their eyes and stared blankly into the locker room walls, emotions consuming any room for words. This was the unceremonious aftermath of the fifth-seeded Badgers dropping their opening game of the NCAA tournament, 57-46, to 12th-seeded Mississippi Friday afternoon at… Read more »

Recently named a member of Cosmopolitan’s “Hottest Guys of March Madness 2013,” Wisconsin redshirt senior Mike Bruesewitz was not surprised. “Absolutely not,” Bruesewitz said with a straight face. “I deserve to be on that list. I worked extremely hard to be on that list. I clearly am very concerned about… Read more »

The Wisconsin men’s hockey team punched its ticket to St. Paul with a sweep of Minnesota-Duluth this weekend, setting its eyes on the WCHA Final Five and a chance at winning its first Broadmoor Trophy since 1998. After a miserable 1-7-2 stretch early in the season, the Badgers have turned… Read more »

As Wisconsin used a 13-0 run to pull it into a first half lead and Ohio State utilized a 10-0 run of its own to retake the lead early in the second half, it seemed like a game of elongated runs would decide the winner of the Big Ten tournament.… Read more »

In a game that might be better remembered for the numerous penalties and scuffles than the quality of play, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team (20-12-7, 14-8-7 WCHA) clinched a spot in the WCHA Final Five with a 4-1 win over Minnesota-Duluth (14-20-5, 10-14-5) Saturday, completing the series sweep after winning… Read more »

CHICAGO — For fifth-year senior forward Ryan Evans, it has never been a question of potential. The Wisconsin men’s basketball team’s 6-foot-6 forward, a player who recently earned the collective laughs of the country when his jump-shot free throws landed on ESPN’s First Take, may be the best athlete on… Read more »

CHICAGO — Traevon Jackson’s message was clear. His team trying to recollect itself in the United Center locker room at halftime and recover from a disastrous 17-point first half effort, the sophomore guard had an idea for reigniting Wisconsin’s offense: stop heaving up contested three-pointers and feed the ball through… Read more »

It feels like a completely different season. Looking back on the Badgers’ atrocious 1-7-2 start to the 2012-13 season, it’s hard to imagine how quickly things can change. Sure, October and November don’t seem so far away in retrospect, but now, by mid-March, that 10-game streak started about five months… Read more »

If you think the quarterback situation was crowded and full of mystery now, just wait until June when junior college quarterback Tanner McEvoy comes to campus. McEvoy, a transfer from Arizona Western College, was one of the most sought-after recruits in the country. According to ESPN, McEvoy was the No.… Read more »

He said he wanted to win a state championship his senior year, just like “everybody else.” Although he didn’t directly clarify who “everybody else” was, it seemed clear that Aquinas senior point guard Bronson Koenig was referring to his future teammates on the Wisconsin Badgers, freshman forward Sam Dekker and… Read more »

A new coach armed with new rules made for a remarkable day on Saturday as the Badgers officially kicked off the 2013 football campaign with their first practice of the spring season. It’s been nine weeks since the painful loss to Stanford in the Rose Bowl and the team’s first… Read more »

MINNEAPOLIS — In falling to North Dakota 2-1 in the semi-final round of the WCHA Final Face-Off Friday, the Wisconsin women’s hockey team lost more than a chance to compete for the conference tournament title. Entering the game, No. 2-seeded Wisconsin (23-10-2) and No. 3-seeded North Dakota (26-11-1) knew the… Read more »

Perfection. It’s something few teams can boast. But, with Wisconsin Mr. Basketball winner Luke Fischer leading the way, Germantown can now say they’ve done it two consecutive years. And, well, they can say they’ve won 56 straight games, too. Being named the MVP of the tournament and finishing the game… Read more »

EAST LANSING — After a 20-point second half effort doomed Wisconsin in a humbling defeat to Purdue Sunday, the Badgers’ offensive futility seemed to finally be catching up with them. Catch up they did at the Breslin Center Thursday night as UW’s distant Big Ten title hopes finally crumbled in… Read more »

Fresh off a two-game sweep of St. Cloud State University in the first round of the WCHA playoffs and currently riding an eight-game winning streak, the Wisconsin women’s hockey team is playing their best hockey of the season. In the midst of Wisconsin’s tremendous performances has come the emergence of… Read more »

With the clock crawling closer to zero, the three-point heaves became a sign of desperation as the Wisconsin men’s basketball team watched a nine-point lead evaporate in four minutes early in the second half. Not a single one of the No. 17 Badgers’ 12 shots from beyond the arc in… Read more »

Tiera Stephen is the lone senior on the Wisconsin women’s basketball team and Thursday night was most likely her final game taking to the Kohl Center floor. Even with a greater sense of urgency from Stephen with her career winding down, the Badgers were unable to tie the game late… Read more »

Recently named Big Ten Freshman of the Week, Wisconsin freshman pitcher and utility player Taylor-Paige Stewart has been solid in her rookie year for the Badgers. Posting a 1-0 record with a spotless ERA and a save this past weekend in the Diamond 9 Tournament, Stewart has given her team a… Read more »

Words are merely symbols that try to represent what people see, hear and do. And although oftentimes these representations are accurate, there are times when even words fall short and cannot describe someone to their full extent. One such person is Wisconsin women’s basketball assistant coach Alysiah Bond, who through… Read more »

It may not start with the sexiest of opponents, but the Wisconsin men’s basketball team is about to embark on its most critical stretch of the season, one that will determine its positioning in the postseason. With a victory over Nebraska (13-14, 4-10 Big Ten) at the Kohl Center Tuesday… Read more »

Following a sluggish first period, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team took over Sunday night at the Kohl Center and put up 51 shots-on-goal en route to a 5-0 shutout victory against Penn State. The Senior Day battle found a fitting first goal from senior defenseman John Ramage, who launched a… Read more »

On a rare day off, Mike Weiss relaxes, spends times with his friends and fist bumps exceptionally well. But, on a typical day, Weiss breaks records, wins national titles and trains for international swimming competitions. Two weeks ago, the senior captain did something that earned him the nickname “Magic Mike.”… Read more »

It’s pretty rare to have two solid high school wrestlers from the same state decide on the same collegiate wrestling program 1,000 miles away from home. It’s a whole different story when those two wrestlers combined for seven state championships while competing for the same high school and are dominating at… Read more »

With an elevated style of play from top to bottom in the Big Ten this season, coaches and players alike from the conference’s top tier of teams are hesitant to call any contest a “trap” game. With Wisconsin (18-8, 9-4 Big Ten) traveling to Evanston, Ill., for a date with… Read more »

Her nickname is “Giggles.” One of her hobbies listed on the Wisconsin Athletics website is laughing. That’s not exactly the personality you’d expect from a player who crushed Big Ten pitching for a .400 average just a season ago. But the Wisconsin softball coaching staff hopes to change the at-bat… Read more »

CHICAGO — It took 30 shots on goal and 33:03 off the clock, but it was well worth the wait for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team. At the 13:03 mark of the second period the Badgers found their way onto the scoreboard for a 1-0 lead — 3:19 later and… Read more »

MINNEAPOLIS — It was overtime again. For a program-record third straight game, Wisconsin needed extra time against Minnesota Thursday night and the lone difference was that this time, the Badgers could not complete the closing act. Because this time, even overtime could not drag the No. 20 Badgers out of… Read more »

For most Badgers, love is in the air today, but for members of the Wisconsin men’s hockey team vengeance, rivalry and aggression are the only things on their mind.No. 18 Wisconsin (12-9-7, 9-6-7 WCHA) will take on archrival No. 2 Minnesota (19-5-4, 11-5-4 WCHA) in a highly anticipated series with… Read more »

Seven years ago, 40,890 fans filled Lambeau Field to watch the Wisconsin men’s hockey team down Ohio State 4-2 in the Frozen Tundra Classic during the second-ever collegiate outdoor hockey game. Three years ago on Feb. 6, 2010, the Badgers used two third-period power play goals from Brendan Smith to… Read more »

Offense — B- The magic number for the Badgers has been 60 this season. Wisconsin’s record in games in which the team scores 60 points or more is an impressive 15-2, compared to 2-7 in the games the squad has scored less than that amount. Both of UW’s wins this… Read more »

Déjà Vu of Alando Tucker 2005 You might be a little too young to remember, but the play you saw Ben Brust convert a last-second miracle on was actually used successfully once before. The date: Mar. 12, 2005. The place: The United Center and the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament.The… Read more »

Offense: C+ Shooting three-point shots is something the Badgers’ offense has revolved around this season. The problem is, with a reliance on the outside shot comes a larger risk for going cold from the field, compared to attacking the rim. And nowhere has that been more evident than the usual… Read more »

There’s power in numbers. Unfortunately, Wisconsin head coach Bobbie Kelsey just doesn’t have those numbers right now.  After starting the season with a comfortable number of players, the UW women’s basketball team has suffered from the unfortunate and uncontrollable loss of players. What used to be a comfortable number has… Read more »

Lately, the Wisconsin women’s basketball team has gone only as far as junior guard Morgan Paige could take them, like when Paige dropped 33 points in the Badgers’ stunning 63-61 upset of then-No. 7 Penn State Thursday night. The case was no different Sunday afternoon, only the distance Paige carried Wisconsin (10-12,… Read more »

The sports world is filled with siblings: Peyton and Eli Manning, Venus and Serena Williams, Jose and Yadier Molina. Wisconsin’s addition to this list? Ivy and Ruby Martin. Ruby, a senior, and Ivy, a sophomore, have both had phenomenal success swimming here at Wisconsin. Despite growing up in Madison and… Read more »

They say Shanel Blackshear is loud and somewhat goofy. They say Stephanie Peace can inspire her teammates with a simple flick of her glove. They say Whitney Massey doesn’t say too much, or talk too loudly, but she doesn’t need to; her bat speaks much louder. They say Michelle Mueller… Read more »

In losing back–to-back games against No. 1 Minnesota this weekend, the missing piece for the No. 8 Wisconsin women’s hockey team was clear: offensive depth. The Badgers (15-9-2, 11-9-2 WCHA) were able to net just one goal in the 120 minutes of hockey they played. While the competition couldn’t get… Read more »

Sometimes wins aren’t always pretty — a fact the Wisconsin men’s hockey team experienced Saturday. In a 2-1 decision that led to a series sweep over Alaska-Anchorage (13-16-5, 1-15-4 WCHA), Wisconsin (11-8-5, 8-5-5 WCHA) sneaked by with the win Saturday thanks to two second period goals after a sluggish opening… Read more »

Before the Wisconsin men’s basketball team even stepped on the floor and eluded a third consecutive conference loss by the thinnest of margins against Minnesota, questions resounded about how the Badgers would handle the Gophers’ dominance on the glass. Heading into Wisconsin’s (14-6, 5-2 Big Ten) 45-44 victory over No.… Read more »

Willing oneself to victory in the midst of a mere seven-minute contest will do a wrestler no good when faced with a potentially more talented and likely better prepared opponent. Especially while competing against a multitude of teams in the country’s most elite wrestling conference, Wisconsin wrestling head coach Barry… Read more »

After winning four out of their last five conference games, the Wisconsin women’s hockey team will look to stay hot as No.1 Minnesota travels to LaBahn Arena this weekend for a two-game series. Top-ranked Minnesota (24-0-0, 18-0-0 WCHA) will put their 24-game winning streak on the line in Madison against… Read more »

Prior to his senior year, senior forward Derek Lee felt like an alternate. There was always someone ahead of him, always someone else quarterbacking the play, always someone else holding court in the face-off. He wasn’t the star or the go-to guy everyone recognized, but now, in his senior year,… Read more »

As classes start up again at the University of Wisconsin and students begin to swap winter break stories after nearly a month off school, it would be safe to say sophomore defenseman Jake McCabe’s story might just take the gold. Literally. Chosen in early December as captain for Team USA in… Read more »

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Wisconsin found itself ahead by 10 points with just over 10 minutes remaining against the No. 2 team in the nation. They were also on the road in a hostile environment. Reality was bound to set in, and it did. With 10:08 remaining, the Badgers began one… Read more »

PASADENA, Calif. — Before either Stanford or Wisconsin even arrived in Pasadena, much less Los Angeles for the 2013 Rose Bowl, it was already predicted to be a defensive battle. Both the Cardinal and the Badgers’ run-heavy offenses were balanced by tough defenses known for shutting down even some of… Read more »

Just over a year removed from losing to Marquette on its home floor, Wisconsin heads to the Bradley Center in the annual in-state rivalry game. The rivalry for these two teams has developed on and off the court in recent years. On the court, the Golden Eagles (5-2) broke the… Read more »

Former Wisconsin coaching legend Barry Alvarez had no plans of returning to the sideline for his fourth career Rose Bowl after Bret Bielema left for Arkansas. But a few calls later from seniors Mike Taylor and Curt Phillips, Alvarez was back in the reigns for one more game. As his… Read more »

Barry is back. Yes, the Wisconsin Football legend himself who led the Badgers to three Rose Bowl victories in 1994, 1999 and 2000 will return for a fourth shot at the “Granddaddy of Them All” Jan. 1, 2013. According to Tom Mulhern of the Wisconsin State Journal, the football captains… Read more »

When it rained, it poured for the Wisconsin men’s basketball team Tuesday night. And unfortunately for Nebraska-Omaha, streaky shooting was more than enough for the Badgers to subdue their opponent early in their 86-40 win at the Kohl Center. After Wisconsin (6-3) emerged from an early three-point deficit, a 20-2… Read more »

After winning just one of its first 10 games this season, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team doubled that total over the weekend with a 3-1 win over No. 5 Denver, the team that still sits atop the WCHA standings. The Badgers also notched a 1-1 tie against the Pioneers (9-4-1,… Read more »

INDIANAPOLIS — You can let out that sigh of relief now, Badger fans. The Wisconsin football team is indeed the Big Ten champion for the third year in a row. At the hands of the most creative game plan offensive coordinator Matt Canada has made all season, Wisconsin (8-5, 4-4… Read more »

It’s a pretty simple diagnosis when it comes to prediciting the outcome of the 2012 Big Ten Championship game. It’s going to be close. If there’s anything Wisconsin and Nebraska have both shown consistently this season is the ability to make games painstakingly close. Both fan bases can attest to… Read more »

Whether it’s eating a daily dose of Wheaties for breakfast, drinking the recommended daily amount of milk or just being gifted with unusually athletic genes, some kids just grow up big. Wisconsin heavyweight wrestler Connor Medbery was well aware of his unusually large size, due to either genetics or a… Read more »

In a game that lived up to its billing as a gritty defensive battle, it was precisely Virginia’s defense that carried them to a 60-54 victory over Wisconsin at the Kohl Center Wednesday night. And never was the Cavaliers’ defensive strength more critical than in the final minute of the… Read more »

With one costly, season-ending planting of his left foot on the Kohl Center floor, Josh Gasser reshaped the careers of redshirt freshman George Marshall and sophomore Traevon Jackson. When Gasser, the proven floor general, the all-Big Ten defender, tore his ACL in practice Oct. 27, it put the redshirt freshmen… Read more »

Another week has passed, and the Wisconsin football team fell in overtime again — 24-21 to Penn State. After its second overtime loss in a row — and third in four games — Wisconsin (7-5, 4-4 Big Ten) will look to rebound quickly in preparation for its Big Ten title… Read more »

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — For the second straight week, the Wisconsin offense stalled in the second half. And for the second straight week, senior quarterback Curt Phillips brought the Badgers back from the brink of defeat in the final seconds to force overtime Saturday. Getting the ball back with three… Read more »

Fact: When you have to punt the ball three times in your opponents’ territory, something on your offense isn’t working. The Wisconsin football team didn’t lose to Ohio State due to a lack of offense — with 206 rushing yards and 154 passing yards for a total of 360 yards,… Read more »

The Wisconsin men’s basketball team may be only three games into the regular season, but its upcoming schedule has made it feel like tournament time for the Badgers. A 73-40 win over Cornell Sunday night kicked off a brutal stretch of four games in seven days for the Badgers, an… Read more »

When Montee Ball took the ball at the 7-yard line, he cut left, leapt into the air and landed on his left foot before flopping into the Camp Randall end zone. The perfect Senior Day tale, the one where he would tie and then break the all-time NCAA touchdown record,… Read more »

Nearly three years later, one game still comes to mind when Wisconsin fans think of the Cornell Big Red: a blowout in the second round of the 2010 NCAA tournament. The first and only previous meeting between the Badgers (1-1) and Big Red (1-1) came in a 87-69 Cornell victory,… Read more »

Five high school seniors officially signed to play for Wisconsin basketball head coach Bo Ryan Thursday, locking up one of the more highly-touted recruiting classes of his tenure. Although Wisconsin is not known for locking up nationally-ranked recruiting classes, the program appears to receive a major boost when these five… Read more »

For the second time in as many visits to Camp Randall, No. 6 Ohio State arrives in Madison with an undefeated record. And while the Buckeyes already have at least a share of the Leaders Division title wrapped up, it will be the Wisconsin Badgers (7-3, 4-2 Big Ten) who… Read more »

For Wisconsin basketball forward Ryan Evans, it has always been about the pride. The very pride rattled when coaches cut him from the basketball team as a sophomore in high school, the same quality that brings immense pain, he says, when an opposing player nets even a single basket on… Read more »

The University of Wisconsin’s men’s cross country coach Mick Byrne recently won … his 22nd consecutive Coach of the Year Award.Upon initial review, one might be tempted to believe this number is a typo, but it’s not. Before coming to Wisconsin, Byrne spent 24 seasons at Iona College, leading the Gaels… Read more »

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — On a day when Wisconsin running backs Montee Ball and James White each crossed the century mark to help the Badgers gain a school-record 564 rushing yards, coaches didn’t need much help from quarterback Curt Phillips. But, as defined by a 52-yard run in the third quarter,… Read more »

New beginnings and growing pains marked a sub-par season in 2011-12 for the Wisconsin women’s basketball team, a season in which it finished 9-20 overall and 5-11 in Big Ten play. It was Bobbie Kelsey’s first season as head coach of the Badgers, as she took over the helm following… Read more »

Two plays. That’s all it took in practice for the Wisconsin men’s basketball season to be altered. While they occurred on separate occasions and in separate practices, the Badgers will begin their nonconference schedule without two of their returning starters due to a pair of injuries to senior forward Mike… Read more »

Joel Stave’s season was ended Oct. 29 after he broke his left collarbone. That same day, Josh Gasser tore his ACL in practice, effectively ending his 2012-13 campaign before it even began. The worst of it seemed over. But the injury bug had one more stop to make. One week later, Nov.… Read more »

For the third time in four years, the University of Wisconsin women’s soccer team has made the field of 64 in the NCAA tournament, earning an at-large bid Monday. Wisconsin (12-7-1, 5-5-1 Big Ten) will travel to Los Angeles this weekend where they will take on No. 2 UCLA (15-2-2,… Read more »

No matter who is on the roster or what the stats sheet says, some teams simply know how to beat another team, time and again. The Wisconsin men’s hockey team (1-4-1, 1-2-1 WCHA) opened its home slate last weekend against precisely that kind of team — Colorado College (5-3-0, 2-0-0)… Read more »

The Wisconsin volleyball team will gain national attention this weekend as it travels to Ohio State and Penn State, two of the top teams in the conference. The Badgers will take on the No. 15 Buckeyes Friday and will then have a date with third-ranked Penn State Sunday, a match… Read more »

Since she was six years old, Alex Rigsby has been suiting up in 20 extra pounds of gear. And up until her first year in college, she has used that gear to stop shots from the sticks of men’s hockey teams. Rigsby, the starting goaltender for the University of Wisconsin… Read more »

For many sports, having a good goaltender can sometimes be the vital X-factor that separates a good team from a great team. After earning its first shutout of the season Friday in a 2-0 win in the first game of a series against No. 14 Minnesota-Duluth, the Wisconsin men’s hockey… Read more »

When asking any athlete about their experience playing on a U.S. national team, one assumes the sport in question is implied. That is until you meet Alev Kelter. “Well,” she hesitated, “For what sport?” And added a laugh after being presented the question. The senior for the University of Wisconsin… Read more »

It looked like quarterback Joel Stave was finally finding his rhythm in the offense — and against one of the best defenses in the nation, nonetheless. But all it took was one destructive hit to leave Wisconsin’s (6-3, 3-2 Big Ten) season in question. With what is now being reported… Read more »

For the Wisconsin men’s hockey team, the season could not have started much worse. After a disappointing pair of losses to Northern Michigan Oct. 12 and 13 in the opening series of the season, UW heads into a vital series against Minnesota-Duluth (2-2) Friday and Saturday if it is to… Read more »

Badgers both new and old found success in the pool over the weekend, as senior Dan Lester was named men’s Big Ten Swimmer of The Week and freshman John Bushman was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week. The meets occurred on Oct. 12 and 13 as the Badgers faced… Read more »

More than two weeks after the NCAA suspended Nic Kerdiles, the freshman forward for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team announced Monday he would remain in Madison for the upcoming season.  The 18-year-old Kerdiles is a recruit out of the U.S. National Team Developmental Program whom the Anaheim Ducks drafted in the… Read more »

In a game that saw the Badgers earn their ninth consecutive victory against Minnesota in the annual border battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe, the offense continued its ascension back to its 2011 form despite shaky play at times from redshirt freshman quarterback Joel Stave. While the running game maintained its… Read more »

No bigger stage could be set for the Wisconsin women’s hockey team’s home opener. “It’s going to be a great experience; you only get one chance to open up a building,” head coach Mark Johnson said. “It’s going to be a special night.” The team will face off against Bemidji… Read more »

In a game that will be remembered as much for the powerful winds and stinging rain as it will be for the play on the field, the Wisconsin men’s soccer team avenged three straight losses to the UW-Green Bay Phoenix with a 3-0 win at the McClimon Complex Wednesday. A… Read more »

Three years ago, when AJ Cochran heard of Wisconsin, he fell in love almost immediately. The Big Ten atmosphere, the 40,000-plus students, the social scene and excellence in academics all appealed to the then high school senior. While still in pursuit of finding the university where he would like to… Read more »

The Badgers’ offense was nowhere to be found last weekend, as the Wisconsin women’s hockey team not only suffered their first two defeats of the season, but were shutout twice on the road against Minnesota-Duluth at AMSOIL Arena. The 2-0 and 1-0 defeats marked the first time since 2001 that… Read more »

WEST LAYFAYETTE, Ind. — With the rain pouring down throughout an afternoon game between Purdue and Wisconsin, it became evident the winner at the line of scrimmage would likely determine the victor. And the Badgers didn’t just win the battle. They annihilated their opponent. With a complete effort from both… Read more »

With five games left in the regular season, the University of Wisconsin women’s soccer team is looking to finish the season strong, a campaign starting this weekend in its final two home games. In a match that will honor the team’s seniors, Wisconsin (8-5-1, 1-4-1 Big Ten) will take on… Read more »

As the buzz began surrounding the 2012 football season, Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema repeatedly stated his excitement for the depth and experience returning on the defensive line. More specifically, the group with the deepest depth on the roster belonged to the Badgers’ defensive ends. Returning five players who saw… Read more »

While most freshmen experience a tough time adjusting to college classes and living on their own when they arrive on UW’s campus in August, freshman midfielder Anders Kristensen had to adjust to a new country. Kristensen, who grew up in Silkeborg, Denmark, has been playing competitive soccer since he was… Read more »

Providing a much-needed boost out of the backfield in Wisconsin’s 31-14 win over Illinois Saturday was not former Heisman finalist Montee Ball, the tailback who faced enormous expectations coming into this year. Rather it was James White, the quick-footed junior running back known more for his flashy cutbacks than his… Read more »

Coming off a much-needed home victory against Cleveland State, the University of Wisconsin men’s soccer team is looking to build off that momentum and transfer it to the road, as it travels to Bloomington Saturday for a matchup with 14th-ranked Indiana. Indiana is arguably the premier team in Big Ten… Read more »

Drew Meyer plays a position the Wisconsin football team would rather not have on the field. The redshirt freshman is a punter — and based off his statistics through five games — a pretty darn good one, too. “It’s kind of funny,” Meyer said. “Family and friends are always like,… Read more »

Ranked the No. 1 player in the Midwest and No. 30 in the U.S. by Top Drawer Soccer (Jan. 2012), freshman midfielder Drew Conner has made his presence known on the Badgers’ men’s soccer team halfway through his first season. Making his mark was something head coach John Trask hoped… Read more »

After living in Wisconsin for her whole life, senior defender/midfielder and Wisconsin women’s soccer team captain Lindsey Johnson left her comfort zone and spent her summer in one of the most bustling cities in the United States: Seattle. It’s one thing to go from Sussex, Wis., with a population just over 10,000… Read more »

LINCOLN, Neb. — When it comes to third-and-short, or fourth-and-short, Wisconsin has not had much luck converting the once-easy situational downs. And it’s a problem that made the trip with them to Memorial Stadium this weekend. With just more than a minute left in the game, Wisconsin (3-2, 0-1 Big… Read more »

One year ago, Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez fell apart under the lights of Camp Randall. He threw three interceptions and connected on just half of his 22 passing attempts. He served as the microcosm of a Cornhuskers team that looked overmatched in its Big Ten debut. But it’s a new… Read more »

The University of Wisconsin women’s soccer team looks to get back to its winning ways against Big Ten rival Minnesota Thursday. After losing to No. 22 Michigan at the McClimon Complex Sunday, Wisconsin (7-3, 1-2) travels west to take on Minnesota (6-5, 1-2), searching for its second Big Ten victory.… Read more »

It is a difficult transition for any college student to move away from home and settle into a new place. The shift to a university means adjusting to a new home, new friends and a new lifestyle — this can be daunting to even the most well-equipped high school graduates.… Read more »

His graceful yet explosive running style and ability to outrun Nebraska linebackers and defensive backs may be the key to Wisconsin pulling off the upset in Lincoln. And no, I’m not talking about Montee Ball. I’m talking, of course, about dreadlocked running back Melvin Gordon, whose head-turning 112-yard day against… Read more »

After recovering from a torn ACL, only to then tear her meniscus, fans may wonder if Paige Adams ever thought about not returning to the soccer field. If you ask her, her response may include belting out the words of singer Gloria Gaynor, “Did you think I’d crumble? Did you think… Read more »

Let the Joel ‘Sunshine’ Stave era begin. For now, anyway. As the first freshman quarterback to start for Wisconsin since Jim Sorgi in 2000, Stave led Wisconsin to a 37-26 win over University of Texas at El Paso in its final nonconference match of the season Saturday. The Greenfield, Wis.,… Read more »

Only one word can describe the UW men’s soccer team as it heads into its first game of the Big Ten season at the McClimon Complex Friday against Penn State: prepared. After what has already been a roller coaster of a season, the Badgers currently sit at 2-2-3 after nonconference… Read more »

While a weekend full of easy victories in the Southern Georgia Invitational Tournament doesn’t say much about UW’s preparedness for the fast-approaching Big Ten season, the results speak volumes to the program that head coach Pete Waite has established in his 14 years at Wisconsin.After a fourth straight win in… Read more »

For Chase Rau, the small town of Sparta, Mich., means everything. It’s the place he calls home, it’s where he first made headlines and it’s where his biggest fans reside. Most importantly, Sparta is also his motivation. Throughout his high school years, the town of 4,180 actually seemed to focus… Read more »

It is 85 millimeters in diameter, seven millimeters thick and weighs less than 400 grams. It is smaller than most smart phones, but for Carmelina Moscato, the newest addition to the University of Wisconsin women’s soccer coaching staff, her Olympic bronze medal is beyond a possession. It is a symbol… Read more »

Wisconsin is not accustomed to having a tough defense bail out a struggling offense time and again. Say it ain’t so, but through three games in the 2012 season, the defense’s play has been the key factor in keeping the Badgers (2-1) within striking distance of a win. As the… Read more »

While many students at the University of Wisconsin spent their summers catching up with old friends, going on vacation or interning in their respective fields of study, Mohammed Ahmed — better known as “Mo” by teammates — managed to do all three. He spent quality time with his friend Cam… Read more »

Following the first nonconference loss of his career as the head coach at Wisconsin, Bret Bielema opted to stay positive as his team returns home to host Utah State Saturday night. Bielema praised the team’s defensive and special teams effort in Wisconsin’s 10-7 loss Saturday to Oregon State University. Bielema… Read more »

In a weekend of soccer at the McClimon Complex that served to remind fans just how unpredictable collegiate soccer can be, the UW men’s soccer team’s fortunes seemed to turn from dismal to promising almost overnight. After a disheartening 3-1 defeat Friday to the Florida International Golden Panthers that saw… Read more »

After a difficult road trip to Portland, Ore., last weekend that saw the UW men’s soccer team lose 3-2 and tie 1-1 against Washington and Portland, respectively, the Badgers return to the McClimon Complex to play their first home games of the 2012 season —against the Florida International Panthers Friday… Read more »

When Wisconsin head coach John Trask arrived in Madison, the men’s soccer team was in a state of flux. Two years prior to Trask’s arrival witnessed the end of an era, specifically the Jeff Rohrman era, as Rohrman left the program through resignation. Another year saw the debut and quick… Read more »

Fame has its price. Just ask Wisconsin tailback Monteé Ball. After announcing he would return for his senior season, the hype and scrutiny surrounding the 2011 Heisman finalist rose meteorically even before the 2012 season opener. “It’s a completely different lifestyle I’m living right now,” Ball said. “Walking in as… Read more »

CHICAGO — Just as Hermione Granger corrected Ron Weasley’s incorrect pronunciation (“it’s levioooosa, not leviosaa”), Brett Bielema confirmed the correct way to pronounce his Heisman candidate’s name. Start getting used to it kids, it’s Mon-tay, not Mon-tee. As Bret Bielema addressed the media on the first day of the Big… Read more »

On June 30, former Badger defenseman Justin Schultz confirmed what everyone had been anticipating for weeks: He’s finally making the jump to the NHL. After days of guessing where he might end up off a short list of teams that included Vancouver, New York, Toronto and Ottawa, the two-time All-American… Read more »

In a season that showed flashes of greatness and moments that would rather be forgotten, the Wisconsin women’s tennis team continues to look toward young talent for future success. The team’s season came to an end at the hands of No. 53 Indiana in the first round of the Big… Read more »

After the race of his life at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif., April 29, men’s distance track runner Mohammed Ahmed has nearly solidified himself a spot in the 2012 Olympic Games this summer in London. His 10,000-meter time of 27 minutes and 34 seconds, which was… Read more »

Heading into the final weekend of the regular season, the Wisconsin softball team is hoping to bounce back from a difficult weekend as it reflects on what has been a largely successful season so far. The Badgers (33-17, 12-8 in conference) lost both games of a doubleheader to the nationally… Read more »

With apologies to Grantland Rice: Outlined against a blue-gray May sky, the Four Horsemen rode again. In dramatic lore they are known as Famine, Pestilence, Destruction and Death. These are only aliases. Their real names are Evans, Kleist, Brackeen and that kid who draws “Tanked Life” (Steven?). They formed the… Read more »

When words fail to decide disagreements, the human race has found a much more primal way to decide its differences. It’s a sport riddled with has-beens, glory-seekers and drunk college students as both sides struggle to hack away at a slow moving ball the size of a grapefruit. Yes, the… Read more »

On a linebacking corps that features two of Wisconsin’s most explosive playmakers in Chris Borland and Mike Taylor, a high stakes sweepstakes is underway for the chance to complete that trio. But as Saturday’s spring game concluded the spring football season, the battle for the outside linebacker spot alongside this… Read more »

A strong regular season doesn’t necessarily lead to playoff success, a lesson the Wisconsin men’s rugby team learned the hard way in its Elite Eight loss to the Davenport University Panthers in the USA Rugby National Playoffs last weekend. Following a regular season that consisted of mostly blowout victories, the… Read more »

While Wisconsin’s battle for the starting quarterback gig headlined the 2012 spring game, the Badgers’ No. 1 defense kept the backup offense out of the endzone in a 21-10 victory for the Cardinal. In a game that paired the Cardinal — Wisconsin’s probable starters this fall — with their backups… Read more »

The University of Wisconsin has fielded a softball team for 16 years and has never been able to finish in the top three of the Big Ten. Plenty of seasons have passed by with Wisconsin closing play at or near the bottom of the conference. However, head coach Yvette Healy… Read more »

When a team finds itself scouting the Badgers this season, one stat in particular may stick out. The Badgers have not one, not two, but six players batting over .300. With a team offense ranked second in the conference and 34th in the country with a collective batting average of… Read more »

As the Wisconsin football team’s spring game draws nearer, head coach Bret Bielema has been pleased with the progression of his players so far in camp. Even though there hasn’t been much full contact in camp yet, Bielema said he’s been surprised at the level of intensity on the field.… Read more »

The Wisconsin softball team received a big boost Sunday afternoon, as Karla Powell — the team’s only senior — made the start at the designated player position. The game marked only the 13th time in the 40 games this season that the senior cracked the Badger starting lineup, as nagging… Read more »

Whether it’s hitting the ball out of the park, rallying from large deficits or shutting out opponents, the Wisconsin softball team continues to find various avenues for success. The Badgers (24-13, 8-4 Big Ten) have reached the halfway mark on their Big Ten calendar and are sitting in a very… Read more »

Riding the momentum from a big upset win over then No. 47 Indiana, the Wisconsin women’s tennis team hopes its confidence will carry it to more wins in the last weekend of the regular season. On Friday, Wisconsin (11-10, 2-7 Big Ten) will travel to Iowa City to take on… Read more »

As incoming transfer quarterback Danny O’Brien begins his career as a Badger this fall, his career will be forever linked to that of an accomplished predecessor. But, no matter how much Wisconsin fans dream of O’Brien recreating the magic Russell Wilson brought to Bret Bielema’s team in 2011, those expecting… Read more »

Finally putting an end to a six-match losing streak, Wisconsin split its weekend against Purdue and Indiana. En route to a 5-2 win over No. 47 Indiana (15-8, 4-5 Big Ten) Sunday, the Badgers (11-10, 2-7 Big Ten) came out running, taking the doubles point from the Hoosiers to start… Read more »

After snapping a five-match losing skid, the Wisconsin men’s tennis team (9-10, 1-6 Big Ten) will look to put a conference winning streak together as it travels to the state of Indiana this weekend to face the Purdue Boilermakers and the Indiana Hoosiers. The Badgers were finally able to break… Read more »

In the third installment of Herald Sports’ lengthy Q&A with Wisconsin men’s hockey head coach Mike Eaves, the discussion turns toward Eaves’ younger Badgers and the growth he’s seen in them over the season. Kelly Erickson: Now focusing on your younger guys. We’ll start with your sophomore class. As a… Read more »

The Wisconsin softball team just continues to find ways to win. After finishing off last weekend’s conference sweep against Minnesota with the largest comeback victory in the program’s history — coming back to win 11-10 despite being down eight runs in the fourth inning — Wisconsin (20-12, 6-3) welcomes Western… Read more »

One year ago, Thomas Hammock was the newcomer on the coaching staff of Wisconsin’s offense — all of his colleagues had walked the halls and sidelines of Camp Randall Stadium for years. But only a few weeks after that first season ended did Hammock suddenly become the guy with the… Read more »

When the Wisconsin secondary lines up for the season opener against Northern Iowa this September, there will be an unfamiliar absence in the backfield. With the departures of Aaron Henry and Antonio Fenelus, the two most celebrated members of the Badgers’ secondary last season, the team lost two of its… Read more »

The Wisconsin men’s tennis team has plenty to be proud of despite its recent losing slump. The Badgers had an impressive record from their non-conference season and are drawing confidence from those past wins during this drought. Wisconsin had a trying non-conference season this winter, one which they hoped would… Read more »

The Wisconsin softball team (13-10) moved to 2-1 in Big Ten play as players returned home after defeating Iowa (11-17) Sunday by a score of 5-4, handing the Badgers the series victory over Iowa after they split the doubleheader Saturday. The final game of the conference-opening series for Wisconsin was also… Read more »

As the Michigan State men’s tennis team celebrated its first Big Ten victory of the season, the Badgers dropped their second consecutive contest at the Nielsen Tennis Center in a grueling 6-1 defeat. Sunday’s match began with a promising start as Wisconsin (8-7, 0-3) earned the doubles point against Michigan… Read more »

On the same day the Wisconsin basketball team exited the NCAA Tournament in heartbreaking fashion, the football team kicked off its spring camp. It’s been a tumultuous offseason for head coach Bret Bielema & Co., as the Badgers had to replace six assistant coaches — a majority of whom were… Read more »

More than a week after March Madness launched, many Badger fans were left feeling surprisingly pleased with their team’s performance through the first two rounds. After bringing down a sharpshooting Vanderbilt team loaded with seniors — a popular underdog pick for a deep NCAA tournament run — Wisconsin advanced to… Read more »

DULUTH, Minn. — Wisconsin junior forward Brianna Decker emotionally embraced her family and made her way to the podium Saturday afternoon as she became the 15th recipient of the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award. The award recognizes the best player in NCAA Division I women’s hockey each season — much like… Read more »

Looking strictly at seeding, Thursday transpired precisely according to plan for the Wisconsin Badgers. A 73-49 win over 13th-seeded Montana advanced fourth-seeded Wisconsin to the Round of 32, where the Badgers will meet the fifth-seeded Vanderbilt Commodores on Saturday. The sizable difference between Wisconsin and Montana was just as present… Read more »

Wisconsin junior Molly Spence had one of the best weekends a player can even imagine. She was awarded the Big Ten Player of the Week after her amazing performance at the Wolf Pack Softball Classic as she belted four home runs and drove in 10 runs over the weekend. On… Read more »

INDIANAPOLIS — Most teams would be satisfied with the defensive effort the Wisconsin men’s basketball team set forth against Big Ten Player of the Year Draymond Green Saturday afternoon in Indianapolis. But with Michigan State’s deep frontcourt rotation, Wisconsin wasn’t able to get the result it wanted in the semifinals… Read more »

It’s no secret that the Badgers have struggled in the Big Ten Tournament the past three years, failing to register a single win. On Friday, Wisconsin will seek to end its streak of three consecutive one-and-done conference tournament appearances when it takes on Indiana at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis,… Read more »

The University of Wisconsin men’s track and field team’s select few members have been preparing for this upcoming weekend for the entire year. This Friday and Saturday, the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship will be held at the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium in Nampa, Idaho. The Badgers will send… Read more »