[media-credit name=’JEFF SCHORFHEIDE/Herald photo’ align=’alignright’ width=’336′][/media-credit]

Even the
most casual of fans are aware of several things about University of Wisconsin?s
men?s basketball team this season: That Wisconsin has been ranked in the top 25
for most of the season, that head coach Bo Ryan does a mean ?Soulja Boy? dance
and that junior forward Joe Krabbenhoft has emerged from behind the scenes to
become one of UW?s most prominent players.

Prior to
the 2007-08 season, Krabbenhoft spent the majority of his playing time below
the radar, contributing at key moments with fundamentals rather than flair and
letting his substance and consistency speak for themselves. But since the
departure of the team?s top two scorers last season ? Kammron Taylor and Big
Ten Player of the Year Alando Tucker ? Krabbenhoft has inherited one of the
leading roles among the team.

?I?ve had
to step up as a leader after Alando [Tucker] left.? Krabbenhoft said. ?He would
be the one taking shots, making plays, and now I?m stepping up and taking them.?

Krabbenhoft
has certainly been stepping up. He is fifth on the team in scoring with 7.9
points per game, second in rebounding with 6.7 per game, shooting 78 percent
from the line and 50 percent from the floor and has lead the team in each
offensive category in at least one game this season. Week after week, he is
filling up the stats sheet, and week after week he provides a substantial
performance, improving in all aspects of the game since his sophomore season.

Ryan values
Krabbenhoft?s versatility and attributes his success to his diligence on and
off the court.

?He just
comes every day, and I don?t know what else you can say.? Ryan said. ?There are
just some people who come out and give a great effort every day. The results
may vary, but it?s that effort that can help [win games].?

Personal
improvement on the part of Krabbenhoft has been responsible for his growing
success. ?[My] confidence has gotten better, and I?ve slowed my game down. I?m
concerned with getting better, playing my hardest. I just want to improve.?

The 6-foot-7-inch
forward from Sioux Falls, S.D., has always had a reputation for being a hard
worker and places heavy importance on a strong work ethic to improve his
skills. In high school he earned first-team all-state selection as a senior,
led hometown Roosevelt High School to a third place finish at the state
tournament and was named Gatorade state player of the year. He first suited up
for the Badgers in the 2005-06 season as a freshman and was later named to the
Big Ten all-freshman team.

?You?ve got
to take advantages of opportunities to prove what you have learned, how far
you?ve come.? Krabbenhoft said. ?I feel good.?

Despite the
national attention he has received as of late, Krabbenhoft feels the main goal
is success within the team, and that is where his focus is concentrated.

?The
thought of winning the Big Ten Championship, a National Championship, Final
Four, all those that are out there in front of us keep me motivated,?
Krabbenhoft said. ?Game by game, we want to win every game and add up those
wins. We want to be considered the best team at Wisconsin.?

<em>A minor editing error in the original article was corrected on Feb. 22, 2008.</em>