It’s almost universally accepted that Barry Alvarez’s Badger football team is king of the Madison sports world, and for good reason.
After all, it was football that put the University of Wisconsin back on the national sports radar, and it is football that has generated the most exciting back-to-back weeks in recent memory, but, after the monumental defeat of Ohio State and all the hoopla surrounding Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and the man himself, Lee Corso, the Badger football team has left town for a not-so-epic encounter with the Northwestern Wildcats. Fear not, sports fans; there is still plenty to take in.
For starters, those in search of some weekend excitement need not stray far from the Camp. Look no further than the UW Field House, a facility as classic as the stadium it adjoins. Inside the intimate and intense setting of the old barn, the Wisconsin volleyball team has appeared in seven consecutive NCAA Tournaments. In my three plus years in Madison, they have been arguably the most successful program on campus, though Bo Ryan’s ballers are giving them a run for their money. Since head coach Pete Waite took the reigns of the Badger volleyball program in 1999, Wisconsin has made the tourney four times, including an NCAA Championship appearance in 2000.
This season, Waite once again has the Badgers off to a strong start — they are part of a four-team jumble atop the Big Ten standings. Friday marks one of the biggest home matches of the season for Wisconsin, a showdown with the No. 15 Penn State Nittany Lions.
Waite’s Badgers may not be the biggest team around, but a balanced attack led by All-American setter Morgan Shields and outside hitters Jill Odenthal and Aubrey Meierotto has Wisconsin in the hunt for another Big Ten title.
Watching assistant coach Rod Wilde, the fieriest red head this side of Bill Walton, in action on the sidelines is entertainment in its own right. And, unlike Walton, Wilde’s hair is still red.
If nothing else, come out to take in the specter that is the Field House. A trip to the Field House is like stepping inside a museum. How they ever fit a basketball court in that place is beyond me.
Last season, 6,761 fans watched the Badgers and Nittany Lions battle it out at the barn. This year’s match is just as big, so that number should only grow. Anyone with a UW student ID can get into Friday’s match for free, so stop by for some top-notch collegiate volleyball at no cost. Then come Saturday night to see Wisconsin take on an Ohio State. Anyone who has yet to take in a volleyball match does not know what they’re missing in a fast-paced and entertaining sport.
If you need your Badger sports fix sooner than this weekend, just hop on the 80 bus (also free) and head on down to the corner of Observatory and Walnut, where, tonight at the McClimon Soccer Complex, the men’s soccer team takes on DePaul.
In addition to being one of the nicest guys you will meet, head coach Jeff Rohrman has assembled a young and talented team featuring the likes of Phil Doeh, Aaron Hohlbein, and Reid Johnson, along with veterans Nick Van Sicklen, David Martinez, Noah Goerlitz, Watson Vaughan Prather, Erol Goknur, and transfer Jed Hohlbein. Toss in the incredible goalkeeping of Eric Hanson, and you’ve got yourself some quality football.
However, on average only 843 Badger fans attend home matches, which is nowhere near enough. If three years of college has taught me one thing, it is that Madison needs some soccer hooligans. I’m not talking about the scary drunk hooligans who attack players and burn things. What I’m talking about are loyal drunk rowdy fans who chant, play instruments and sing no matter what the score or weather. You know, the type of fan the Camp Randall faithful fancy themselves to be. Anyone who watched the women’s World Cup this year, or the men’s Cup a few years back, knows how awesome soccer fans are.
After coming over from the University of Maryland, Rohrman has revived a once struggling Badger soccer program. So, come out and give his squad some support. Then come back Sunday when they play Michigan State.
It’s time for Badger fans to expand their horizons and show some love for all the teams on campus.
