[media-credit name=’UW Badgers’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]On February 12, 1976, as the University of Wisconsin prepared to play host to the National Intercollegiate Invitational Tennis Championships, a preview article in this newspaper noted, "The Badgers are anchored by Eric Cullen and captain Marty Goldin, who captured last year's Big Ten doubles championship."

Twenty-seven years later, Cullen's nephew of the same name became editor-in-chief of this newspaper.

Thirty years later, Goldin's daughter, Lexi, played her final home tennis match as part of the UW roster this weekend, marking the beginning of the end of a four-year career as one of this school's finest student-athletes.

Goldin, who was winning her exhibition match on Senior Day when her opponent was injured and defaulted, is the rare third-generation UW athlete, with her grandfather Mel — in whose honor there is an active scholarship — having lettered in track and field before her father Marty took to the court in the 1970s.

"It's just a neat thing that you can tell people you're playing at the same school your dad did," Goldin says with a smirk. "He thinks it is so cool."

And Marty Goldin, a regular in the stands for Badger tennis matches, exudes an equally wide smile when speaking of his graduating daughter.

"I am very proud of my daughter," Marty Goldin says. "She's had a wonderful career as a student and as a player."

That career as a student is noteworthy, as well, with Goldin having proved one of this school's most academically robust athletes over the past four years. In 2004 and 2005, she was named an Academic all-Big Ten award winner, and she has the grade point average to back it up.

"She's a consummate student-athlete," UW coach Patti Henderson says. "Academically, out of four years — out of eight semesters — she's had [six] 4.0's and one darn near close."

For Goldin, while her college years may be dwindling to a close, that education is not yet anywhere near over. She has applied to medical school for the fall and seems eager to continue learning.

"I do enjoy learning. I would never want to get a job where you're done learning," Goldin says. "I don't want that. I like the feeling of learning something new every day."

But as with so many graduating UW seniors, that future for Goldin remains somewhat uncertain. Over a capellini and salad dinner (she enjoys mixing her greens and pasta), the lone fourth-year student on the Badger squad contemplates her options for the fall.

"I'm hoping to hear from Wisconsin Medical College relatively soon … Penn State and Wisconsin Medical College are the two schools I'm waiting for," she says. "I have no idea right now."

Should neither school pull through for the academic standout this year, Goldin plans on giving it a try again in 2007.

"I would re-apply again the following year," she says. "And as far as next year … EMT classes, I think would be fun."

Either way, Goldin's competitive tennis career will be drawing to a close — at least for now — at the end of this season. It is a tenure that includes four years on the Nicolet High School tennis team and as many varsity letters from UW.

"I walked on my freshman year and I got the scholarship my sophomore year," Goldin recalls. "I knew that I was decent in high school, but I kind of thought going in [to college] that I wasn't going to have a chance."

If anything, hard work and dedication got Goldin those four letters. She was a genuine walk-on athlete — not recruited by UW in any capacity — and yet as she was handed a bouquet of flowers as part of a sentimental Senior Day ceremony late Saturday morning, the deep bond between the UW tennis team and its sole senior athlete could not have been more evident.

Still, Goldin's final home match was an exhibition, played with all the heart of a graduating senior but not noted for the record. While a series of Badger injuries and lineup shuffles increased her playing time earlier this season — and as recently as an April 17 match against Illinois — the reality of team ace Caitlin Burke's return to the roster for Saturday's Ohio State home finale was that Goldin would not make the official lineup. And in previewing the match over dinner three days prior, she did seem to be at peace with the prospect.

"School is ahead of tennis for me. I came in for academics and that was always first for me," Goldin says. "I didn't come in thinking that I was going to end up playing one singles of anything. So my goal for me was to always be competitive all four years … but also off the court, the fitness and the academics and stuff, that's where I know I can really thrive. And I have a lot of confidence in that."

But in reflecting upon her senior season, Goldin also shows a hint of disappointment. It's been a difficult year for the Badgers, who earned only their second Big Ten victory Saturday, and Goldin has seen more of the sideline than the court throughout the spring.

"I feel like I deserved maybe a little bit more playing time and especially in a couple of the meets. And that's probably the one thing I'm going to walk away not really understanding," Goldin says. "Especially the home matches, when my parents were there … I know that's not a good excuse just to put me in. But I know that I would have played my heart out those matches. And it just kind of really would have meant something for me. But [I] can't do anything about it. I played those exhibition matches those days and tried to fight in those."

Still, in leaving UW, Goldin leaves behind a remarkable legacy and takes with her enough memories and relationships to last a lifetime.

When asked who her closest friend on the team has been over the past four years, Goldin answers with a wide grin, "Katie McGaffigan … But Caitlin Burke would probably want me to say her."

The Wisconsin season is not yet over, as the team will travel back to Illinois later this week for the Big Ten Tournament. But with the squad's disappointing record at the close of a season marred by injury, Champaign, Ill., is almost certain to mark the last stop on Goldin's college tennis career.

Still, the memories of a four-year career will live on.

"Tennis has been the biggest part of [college], even more than academics, I feel. Just the time I put into it," Goldin says. "That's what I'm going to remember 40 years down the road — and the people that I met."