The past year has been a rollercoaster for fifth-year senior captain Taylor Wurtz.

After only suiting up in five games last season, Wurtz grabbed a medical red shirt and sat out her senior year due to a back injury.  Sunday afternoon she returned to her team in the regular season opener in a 66-41 trouncing of Drake and inscribed her name into the Wisconsin women’s team’s record book by becoming the 22nd UW player to reach the 1,000 career points plateau, joining a special group of legends including Jolene Anderson, Jesse Stomski, and Tamara Moore, making for an even more intriguing tale of disappointment and triumph.

The 2011-2012 third-team All Big Ten guard entered the game five points shy of the milestone. Wurtz, an excellent outside shooter, netted a jumper just inside the three-point line to extend the lead to 10-2 with 14:35 remaining in the first half. That was the first Wisconsin basket not scored by junior Michala Johnson, who made her impressive UW debut after transferring from the Connecticut and, like Wurtz, had to sit out the 2012-2013 campaign in accordance with the NCAA’s transfer rules.

With both players unable to play last season, the two developed a close bond, both helping each other persevere through a frustrating time. Johnson explained that she kept thinking about the two of them being on the court in the future, and said that this prospect motivated her to work hard.

“I could only practice with her and I always wished I could play with her this year,” Johnson said. “The circumstances provided us with this opportunity and we are definitely going to take advantage of it.”

The jumper left her three points shy of 1,000, and with 8:51 to go in the half, Wurtz knocked down a three-pointer from the right wing to bring her to the exciting milestone. She has been a consistent three-point shooter throughout her career, converting 36.1 percent of her attempts from beyond the arc (162-of-449).

Sophomore Dakota White started for the Badgers at point guard and led the squad with 18 points Sunday. She described her first encounter with Wurtz that led to her desire to play with the three-year captain.

“She was my host when I came in as a recruit,” White said. “And when I was a freshman I always said ‘Oh, I want to play with Taylor,’ and now it’s actually happening and I want to work on getting some more assists for her [laughs].”

Head Coach Bobbie Kelsey attributes Wurtz’s success to her work-ethic and her desire to be on the court with her teammates, and also says that it is her passion for the game that possibly led to her health issues last season.

“Taylor’s work-ethic is second-to-none, I wish we could put her work-ethic into other bodies,” Kelsey quipped. “And we have to watch her, because sometimes she won’t say anything when she’s hurt … she’s not like the other kids who will go hide on a bike sometimes.”

Kelsey also added that she is happy that one of her best players is back on the court and that she is excited for Wurtz to finish out her career as a Badger on her own healthy terms, rather than battling injuries.

“She’s been a joy to coach,” Kelsey said. “She’s just a sponge, whatever you tell her, she’s going to try to do it the way you said it and loves basketball.”

Wurtz finished Sunday’s game with 13 points and added seven rebounds and two assists.

Following the game, with an ear-to-ear smile, she said that the milestone meant a lot to her but insists on focusing on the long season ahead, and most importantly, winning games.W

“I never take basketball for granted,” Wurtz said. “I just want to put everything I have into this team and this last year.”