Remember two weekends ago when Minnesota was in town, and the men's hockey championship banner dropped? It was a big weekend for UW sports, wasn't it?

You had the football game, where Wisconsin welcomed rival Minnesota to join the party, setting up a fascinating game for students, alumni and fans of all ages to enjoy as Homecoming week came to a close. As it happened, the Badgers continued on to what looks to be another promising season, toying with the Golden Gophers in a 48-12 victory.

Then, you had the Homecoming for Wisconsin's volleyball team, which was sent reeling after a tough road trip that included a collapse to Ohio State and a pummeling at the hands of No. 2 Penn State.

The Badgers were desperate for a rebound — and with senior leader Maria Carlini out with a foot injury — came back in full-speed-ahead fashion, disposing of No. 9 Purdue and Indiana in three games each, the latter game in front of a colossal 7,064 fans at the Field House.

The weekend would not have been nearly as great as it was without the men's hockey team's grand return to the Kohl Center, UW's first home game since clinching the program's sixth national championship last April. After electrifying the crowd with a montage of last season's highlights, capped by fireworks and the revealing of the championship banner, the Badgers split games with WCHA foe North Dakota.

As good as the weekend of Oct. 13-15 was, it won't even qualify as the best two-day period of UW sports in October.

For my money, give me Halloween weekend.

In between the ghosts and the goblins, the mass public drunkenness, and the city's surefire failure to take Halloween away from UW students, there's going to be some great, great competition going on in Madison.

Let's start with today. The wrestling team opens the 2006-07 event schedule with the finals of Wrestle-Offs at the Field House tonight at 7 p.m. Barry Davis' guys had high hopes for last year (in January, departed senior Tony Turner told me they were hoping for a top-four finish). Without a doubt, after finishing 21st in May, the guys will be back with a vengeance.

Tomorrow afternoon, Sara Bauer and company look to start a new winning streak, after the women's hockey team didn't win for the first time in 19 games last Saturday. North Dakota comes to town Friday and Saturday afternoons.

The women's soccer team has senior day Friday night against Northwestern at McClimon Soccer Complex, bidding adieu to All-Big Ten midfielder Kara Kabellis and a few other last-year players.

But here's where it gets really good: in the nightcaps at the Kohl Center, it's the rematch of the 2006 Men's Frozen Four title game. Boston College versus Wisconsin, in two grudge matches Friday and Saturday nights. The intensity should be electrifying inside the Kohl for 48 full hours this weekend.

Obviously, Bret Bielema's guys are back at it, with No. 17 Wisconsin's final "tune-up" game before JoePa and Penn State come calling. Illinois comes in to Camp Randall Saturday at 11 a.m. (You think the city stayed away from a night game here?)

Speaking of the Nittany Lions, the stretch run is on for Pete Waite and the No. 11 volleyball team. The season's largest challenge for Brittney Dolgner and the Badgers is up Friday night, with undefeated No. 2 Penn State in town. Sunday night, UW gets another crack at Ohio State, which overcame a two-game deficit to upend the Badgers in Columbus three weeks ago.

And you can even get your Halloween on at the Field House, as any student wearing a costume gets in free for either of the matches.

The Badgers are going nuts out of Madison too, as Bloomington, Ind., shall runneth over with Badgers this weekend. The men's soccer team takes on the Hoosiers Friday night, with the winner clinching the Big Ten regular season title. Both the men's and women's cross country teams run the Big Ten Championships at the IU golf course Sunday, too.

I don't know about you, but that's what I call a weekend.

Last thing, Badger fans … roll this through your mind for a second.

Three weeks from right now, the University of Wisconsin could potentially have up to eight teams — eight! — actively playing and ranked in the top 10 of their respective sports.

Football (with a few more wins), men's basketball (some have Bo's boys in the Final Four), volleyball, wrestling, men's hockey, women's hockey, men's cross country, women's cross country (those last four are flirting with No. 1).

Are you kidding me? No way that could happen. Eight top-10 teams? This is too much.

And it all keeps going this weekend, sports fans. Enjoy the Halloween festivities, but don't forget to mix in a little sports there too.

What's the most intriguing game or series this weekend? The debate rages on at [email protected].