INFOCUS
MOUNTAIN MEN BYU is used to playing in the shadow of the Wasatch Range that towers over LaVell Edwards Stadium, but the Cougars’ offense looked as though it had been tasked with moving a mountain at times last Saturday. Wisconsin’s defense — which has yet to allow a second-half point this season — limited BYU to just 25 total yards after halftime in the Badgers’ 40-6 win. PHOTO BY DAVID STLUKA
INFOCUS
1-2 PUNCH That’s fist-bump worthy! The sophomore duo of Alicia Monson (right) and Amy Davis celebrated their first- and second-place finishes, respectively, for the No. 15 Badgers at the Mayflower Day Open on Saturday. Thanks to their efforts, UW won the triple dual against Northern Iowa and Illinois Chicago. PHOTO BY A.J. HARRISON
INFOCUS
DOUBLE FEATURE Nearly 3,000 fans came out to the “Pac the Mac” event last Saturday at the McClimon Complex to support the Wisconsin soccer teams. The Badgers did not disappoint, as the home crowd was treated to a doubleheader sweep of Minnesota and Loyola Chicago, respectively. PHOTO BY JACK McLAUGHLIN
INFOCUS
UP TO THE CHALLENGE Facing their toughest challenge of the season against Marquette last Friday, the fifth-ranked Badgers battled back after losing the first set to claim the in-state rivalry contest over the Golden Eagles, 3-1. PHOTO BY GREG ANDERSON
INFOCUS
DÉJÀ VU We’ve been here before, right? In a similar position to their match one year earlier, the Badgers found themselves locked again in a scoreless overtime clash during a Border Battle matchup with Minnesota Saturday. And, once again, it was Wisconsin’s Dani Rhodes who scored the golden goal in overtime to lift UW to victory against the tenacious Golden Gophers. PHOTO BY JACK McLAUGHLIN
CONTENTS
DAVID STLUKA
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SEPTEMBER 20, 2017 ▪ VOLUME 8, ISSUE 4
STANDING TALL The Big Ten is taking notice of Wisconsin’s new middle blocker, Dana Rettke. At 6-foot-8, you can understand why. But teammates would tell you it’s not her height that helps her stand out from the crowd. It’s her graceful confidence and powerful athleticism.
FEATURES 2
IN FOCUS
16 LUCAS AT LARGE 19 BY THE NUMBERS 20 WHAT TO WATCH
SCHOLARSHIP SURPRISE
16
Wisconsin’s walk-on legacy continues as football’s P.J. Rosowski and basketball’s Aaron Moesch are rewarded with scholarships.
25 BADGERING
DAVID STLUKA
23 ATHLETES OF THE MONTH
LUCAS AT LARGE
27 BADGERS GIVE BACK 35 INSIDE FOOTBALL 37 INSIDE VOLLEYBALL 39 INSIDE WOMEN’S HOCKEY
25
40 INSIDE SOCCER 46 INSIDE TENNIS 49 THIS WEEK IN HISTORY
DAVID STLUKA
43 INSIDE GOLF
BADGERING
CLAUDIA KEPLER Returning home, the senior transfer discusses her favorite discovery, enjoying time with family and surprise at being elected a co-captain. 13
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LUCAS AT LARGE BY MIKE LUCAS ▪ UWBADGERS.COM
Surprise! You’re on scholarship!
P
“It was probably one point in my life where I literally felt like I wasn’t even there. Then after the fact, it hit me just because I knew how proud my mom and dad would be. “When I got to tell them, I broke down a little bit.” Moesch’s reaction was caught on video. Prior to the UW basketball squad’s August trip to New Zealand and Australia, he joined teammates in reading select lines with their best Aussie accents. “I had zero clue,” said Moesch, a fifth-year senior forward from Green Bay Southwest High School. “The way it was set-up was absolutely perfect.” Exposing himself as a below-average Crocodile Dundee impersonator on the first two things that he was asked to recite, an unsuspecting Moesch was handed a third line; the punchline. “No worries, mum, I’m on scholarship this season,” he read haltingly in front of the camera. Once those words began to sink in, he confessed, “That was true, shocking disbelief on my face. I put my head down because I didn’t want people to see me crying.” The first person that he found to hug was, fittingly, UW head coach Greg Gard. If he could have, he would have also hugged
his mom and dad for their support and encouragement. “People in the airport probably didn’t know what the heck was going on,” Moesch said, “because it was a group of 17 guys jumping up and down and screaming. I never expected it.” Moesch and Rosowski had modest expectations for continuing their athletic careers beyond high school. Both had options from in-state programs and some Division II schools. Rosowski, a three-sport captain, considered playing football and baseball at UW-La Crosse or UW-Whitewater. But he grew DAVID STLUKA
16
.J. Rosowski and Aaron Moesch represent different sports and skill sets. But they’ve shared similar challenges academically as double-majors and athletically as walk-ons. Make that former walk-ons. Although neither saw it coming, and it was presented in different ways, Rosowski, 21, and Moesch, 22, had the same reaction to finally going on scholarship. They both got emotional. Rosowski, a kickoff specialist and back-up punter, found out in a more conventional manner during a team meeting at the conclusion of Wisconsin’s preseason training camp. “At the end of the meeting, Coach (Paul) Chryst said, ‘We have one more thing to announce … P.J. Rosowski is on scholarship,’” recounted Rosowski, a redshirt junior from Stoughton. “It was very casual but it was definitely Coach Chryst’s style. Every player was there (at the meeting) so that made it really special. I don’t think there’s a better way to do it honestly.” Rosowski had played out in his mind the potential for such a moment. “I kind of thought how I would react if it would ever happen,” he admitted. “Even thinking about it, I started crying.” But it was even more stupefying than anticipated. “It was so surreal,” he said. “There was so much adrenaline going at that point, I just kind of looked around (the room) — everyone was going crazy — and I really didn’t know what to do.
P.J. Rosowski
up watching games at Camp Randall and dreamed of kicking for the Badgers. “You always heard about the walk-on tradition here,” he said, “and how those guys were major contributors and if they got to that point, they earned that scholarship. A lot of guys have that goal.” Moesch, a 1,000-point career scorer as a prep, was first sold on the UW from an academic standpoint. “I wanted to go here to be a student anyway, so why not as a walk-on?” he posed. On his visit, he heard what he wanted to hear from former head coach Bo Ryan and Gard. It was their assurances that conSTEVE GOTTER
Aaron Moesch
“THEY SAID, ‘WALK-ON OR NOT, IT DOESN’T MATTER BECAUSE YOU’RE A PART OF THE TEAM AND WE DON’T TREAT ANY PLAYER DIFFERENTLY FROM ANY OTHER PLAYER, SCHOLARSHIP OR NOT,’” vinced him to accept a preferred walk-on invitation. “They said, ‘Walk-on or not, it doesn’t matter because you’re a part of the team and we don’t treat any player differently from any other player, scholarship or not,’” he remembered. There has been a long list of successful football walk-ons, including defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard. Rosowski singled out former teammates Joel Stave, Alex Erickson and Joe Schobert. “The list goes on and on,” he said, noting his roommate, linebacker Ryan Connelly, was a fellow former walk-on. “I can’t thank them all enough for what they’ve done and the path they’ve led for guys like me.” Moesch feels the same way about the unsung trailblazers in basketball. “One of the guys that you kind of look up to is Brett Valentyn, the Holy Grail of walk-ons,” he said. Valentyn, a Verona native, poured his heart and soul into being the best scout team player that he could be until finally earning some playing time and
a scholarship his final season. “That’s one guy who did it the right way,” said Moesch, also putting Dan Fahey and Jordan Smith into that category. They’ve created a legacy, he added, “That gets passed on from one to another.” Valentyn, in fact, advised Moesch, “Keep working and working and good things will happen.” They have for Moesch and Rosowski. Especially academically. Moesch will graduate in May with two degrees in Finance and Investment Banking and Risk Management and Insurance. Rosowski has a double major in Geological Engineering and Geology and Geophysics. Over the summer, he had an internship with Alliant Energy. He wants to work someday with renewable energy. Last spring, Moesch was a globe-hopper. Along with a Green Bay buddy, he went backpacking through Europe. “It was quick, it was fun, it was tiring, it was one helluva experience,” he said. After getting home from the exhibition swing through New Zealand and Australia, Moesch said, “I was talking with my mom and I realized that I was in 10 countries this summer.” Moesch now has set his sights on getting a toehold in the rotation. Rosowski just wants to get healthy after missing the last two games with a quad injury. Both have positive outlooks through the lens of walk-ons. Former walk-ons, mate. ▪
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BY THE NUMBERS DAVID STLUKA
◀ FOOTBALL Sophomore QB Alex Hornibrook’s 18-for-19 (.947) passing performance at BYU put him in elite company alongside former Badgers QB Russell Wilson (16-for-17, .941, at Minnesota on Nov. 12, 2011) as the only major college quarterbacks since 2000 to complete at least 94 percent of their passes in a road game.
94.7% MEN’S SOCCER ▶ Why score one when you can score two? The Badgers have tallied multiple goals in four of their six games this season, posting an unblemished 3-0-1 record in those multiple-goal matches.
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY ▼ In his first home race for the Badgers, freshman Tannor Wagner led UW to the team title thanks to his individual victory in 25 minutes, 56 seconds at last Saturday’s Mayflower Day Open. Wagner was one of five Badgers to finish in the top 10 at Wisconsin’s home opener.
9-0
2 A.J. HARRISON
25:56
DAVID STLUKA
◀ VOLLEYBALL A mark not touched since 2010, the Badgers wrapped up their non-conference season undefeated with a 9-0 overall record. That successful run is tied for the fourth-best start in program history. 19
WHAT TO WATCH
A DASH OF NUTMEG
WOMEN’S SOCCER VS. MICHIGAN STATE THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 ▪ 8PM McCLIMON COMPLEX ▪ BTN
JACK MCLAUGHLIN
Now in the heat of Big Ten play, No. 9 Wisconsin stays home to face Michigan State Thursday at 8 p.m., live on BTN. Need more soccer? Tune in to BTN Plus at 1 p.m. Sunday for the Badgers’ next home tilt vs. Michigan.
ticket info
PROTECT THE HOUSE
MEN’S SOCCER VS. PENN STATE SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 ▪ 7PM McCLIMON COMPLEX ▪ BTN PLUS
ticket info
JACK MCLAUGHLIN
BIG TIME TV
VOLLEYBALL VS. MICHIGAN SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 ▪ 2PM UW FIELD HOUSE ▪ ESPN It’s can’t-miss television for No. 5 Wisconsin as No. 20 Michigan visits the UW Field House Sunday. Watch all of the Big Ten action live on ESPN.
20
JACK MCLAUGHLIN
Wisconsin looks to keep its 13-game home unbeaten streak alive as Penn State stops by Saturday at 7 p.m. Can’t join The Colony in the stands? Watch it streamed live on BTN Plus.
WEDNESDAY 9/20
THURSDAY 9/21
FRIDAY 9/22
SATURDAY 9/23
WOMEN’S SOCCER vs. Michigan State Madison, Wis. 8:00 p.m. Watch: BTN Ticket info »
WOMEN’S HOCKEY vs. Lindenwood Madison, Wis. 7:00 p.m. Buy tickets »
WOMEN’S HOCKEY vs. Lindenwood Madison, Wis. 3:00 p.m. Buy tickets »
VOLLEYBALL vs. Michigan State Madison, Wis. 7:00 p.m. Watch: BTN Plus SOLD OUT
MEN’S SOCCER vs. Penn State Madison, Wis. 7:00 p.m. Watch: BTN Plus Ticket info »
MEN’S & WOMEN’S TENNIS at Milwaukee Tennis Classic Milwaukee, Wis. All day
MEN’S & WOMEN’S TENNIS at Milwaukee Tennis Classic Milwaukee, Wis. All day
TUESDAY 9/26
WEDNESDAY 9/27
MEN’S TENNIS at Milwaukee Tennis Classic Milwaukee, Wis. All day
SUNDAY 9/24 WOMEN’S SOCCER vs. Michigan Madison, Wis. 1:00 p.m. Watch: BTN Plus Ticket info »
MONDAY 9/25 MEN’S GOLF at Northern Collegiate Sugar Grove, Ill. All day
MEN’S SOCCER vs. Wright State Madison, Wis. 7:00 p.m. Watch: BTN Plus Ticket info »
SOFTBALL at Northern Illinois (Doubleheader) DeKalb, Ill. 1:00/3:00 p.m. VOLLEYBALL vs. #20 Michigan Madison, Wis. 2:00 p.m. Watch: ESPN SOLD OUT View more 9/24 events »
ALL TIMES CENTRAL
VIEW FULL CALENDAR ON UWBADGERS.COM »
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STUDENT-ATHLETES OF THE MONTH Congratulations to UW’s Student-Athletes of the Month for September. These honorees have been recognized ― via nominations from Student-Athlete Advisory Committee members, coaches, advisors and sport administrators ― for their accomplishments in athletics, academics, on campus and in the community.
AMY DAVIS ‖ sophomore ‖ women’s cross country
A sophomore from Madison, Amy Davis has earned a pair of top-two finishes during this cross country season. She won the Indiana Open to begin the year before finishing second at the Wisconsin Mayflower Day Open last Saturday. Thanks in part to her strong finish, the Badgers won their home-opening meet against UNI and Illinois Chicago. Off the course, Davis has emerged as one of the leaders for the 15th-ranked Badgers and is a tremendous supporter of her fellow Badgers. Davis has also made strides in the classroom, as she has worked closely with the UW academic staff to find her strengths, improve on her weaknesses and develop positively in the classroom.
d’cota dixon ‖ junior ‖ football
Voted a team captain by his peers heading into the season, junior safety D’Cota Dixon is an unquestionable leader for the ninth-ranked Badgers. The Oak Hill, Florida, native is in his second season as Wisconsin’s starting strong safety and sets an example on the field while helping set the pace for one of the nation’s top defenses. Dixon ranks third on the team with 15 total tackles, including 2.0 for loss, and has an interception and a forced fumble to his credit. His efforts have helped the Badgers to become one of just two teams this season to not allow a point in the second half of any game. Dixon sets an even more impressive standard off the field, where the Academic All-Big Ten selection is working toward completing his degree in rehabilitation psychology and interning with UW Director of Clinical and Sports Psychology Kris Eiring on developing mental health initiatives for student-athletes. In June, Dixon was presented the Wilma Rudolph Student-Athlete Achievement Award for overcoming personal challenges to achieve academic success.
dani rhodes ‖ sophomore ‖ women’s soccer
Dani Rhodes is just getting started at Wisconsin. The sophomore has been a vital part of the No. 9 Wisconsin women’s soccer team’s success this season, leading them to a 7-1 record so far. She leads the nation in game-winning goals with four and has tallied five total goals on the season. She had the lone goal in the Badgers’ upset over No. 3 Virginia and also had the golden goal in overtime against Minnesota, giving UW its first conference victory. The Waukesha, Wis., native has started all eight games for the Badgers and has accumulated a team-leading 27 shots. 23
BADGERING...
CLAUDIA KEPLER Claudia Kepler grew up in Verona, Wisconsin, but made a name for herself by leading the Ohio State women’s hockey team in goals her first three seasons as a winger with the Buckeyes. A coaching change prompted Kepler to transfer to Wisconsin, where she’s been elected as a co-captain and happily reconnected with her roots after sitting out a year per NCAA transfer rules. She took a moment recently to talk about her family, her favorite discovery since returning home and how an enemy scouting report viewed the Badgers. What was it like growing up with a twin brother? “With my twin brother Nolan I think the best part was you always had someone to hang out with, even when we’d hang out too much and get in fights. But at the end of the day we’d always figure out a way to get along.” What’s your greatest discovery since you’ve come back home? “Bubble teas. I didn’t go to Sencha (on State Street) for bubble tea until I was on this team and it is so good. It’s tea with these tapioca pearls. Our whole team gets them right before we go on a bus trip.” Is there a Cliff’s Notes version for why you transferred to UW in 2016 after three years at Ohio State? “Sometimes with coaching changes (which happened with the Buckeyes), obviously some players like (the original) coach better. Some people would be better off with a different situation. That was me, so I changed the situation I was in.” What’s been the most challenging part of this transition for you? “I’d say the most challenging part would be just kind of the nerves that get built up over time, the nervousness of coming to a new team. Then the build-up to this season. I haven’t played in almost two years it feels like.”
DAVID STLUKA
What were some of the themes of the scouting report on Wisconsin when you played at Ohio State? “The coaches would always say, ‘It’s a skilled team, but they’re also a team that really doesn’t hold back, either. They can get chippy and they battle you hard.’ So it was a mixture of playing against really skilled players, but also players who are pretty tough. So we really had to play our best game in order to stick with them.” ▪
25
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BADGERS GIVE BACK SPOTLIGHT
badgers give back
▲ TAP TO WATCH - Badger Brain Breaks: “Bailando!”
A
re you ready to dance down the hall with Bucky? Another school year has started, which means Wisconsin student-athletes and Bucky Badger are back for a second year of Badger Brain Breaks as a part of the Wisconsin Athletics WiscFit program. The goal of WiscFit is to promote a healthy, active lifestyle for kids across Wisconsin. However, after gaining popularity in classrooms, Badger Brain Breaks crossed state lines. “I am a third grade teacher in Minnesota, but my mom is a Badger alum and showed me the Brain Breaks,” added Kaitlin Gardner of Somerset Elementary School. “I have a math team in my room that is named after the Badgers. So when I first showed them the videos, they loved them. The kids ask to do them all the time. When we came back from winter break it was the first thing they asked about since it was a new month and there was a new Badger Brain Break.”
Badger Brain Breaks, one of the main pieces of the WiscFit program, is a series of videos that feature Badgers student-athletes and Bucky Badger showing off some of their favorite dance moves. The dances are upbeat yet simple enough for anyone to follow along with, which make them perfect for teachers, parents and guardians to use in the classroom or at home to help keep kids active, break up periods of inactivity during the day and improve overall learning. Active breaks during the school day have also proven to improve the attention spans and increase the productivity of students. Beth Wrobel, a fourth grade teacher in Onalaska, Wisconsin, says, “My students beg for them daily, so I use a Badger Brain Break as our daily transition before afternoon reading class. It’s fun, and they’re ready to focus after and learn.” Visit www.uwbadgers.com/WiscFit to view the Badger Brain Break videos and fill out the survey to let us know what you think. ▪
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GREG ANDERSON
THE BIG TEN IS TAKING NOTICE OF WISCONSIN’S NEW MIDDLE BLOCKER, DANA RETTKE. AT 6-FOOT-8, YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHY. BUT TEAMMATES WOULD TELL YOU IT’S NOT HER HEIGHT THAT HELPS HER STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD. IT’S HER GRACEFUL CONFIDENCE AND POWERFUL ATHLETICISM.
BY ANDY BAGGOT
UWBADGERS.COM INSIDER
G
etting comfortable in your own skin can take the better part of a lifetime or, if you’re like Dana Rettke, it can be a product of an earnest childhood. Long before Rettke became a 6-foot-8 middle blocker for the Wisconsin volleyball team — the tallest woman to ever compete in any sport at the school — she learned how to embrace the inevitable reactions to her size. Double-takes on the street? Comes with the territory. Strangers asking for pictures on a Florida beach? All righty then. Acknowledgements from UW classmates? No biggie. Slapstick photo shoots with junior teammate Amber MacDonald, a 5-4 defensive specialist? All good. Rettke handles them all with an engaging mix of grace, patience, understanding and cool. “I’ve learned that everybody’s kind of curious about me, a genuine curiosity, so I don’t
want to be one to be disrespectful and shoot them down,” she said. “I’ve always grown up like that. I’ve always been taught just to be respectful.” Rettke rejected the notion that her physical gifts are a burden in any way. “I don’t look at it as a challenge,” she said. “It’s a way of life.” Rettke is writing the latest chapter of her life under a large spotlight. She’s a headliner in the second-rated recruiting class in the nation. She’s a front-line force for the fifth-ranked team in the country. She’s playing before sellout crowds at the UW Field House (capacity 6,102) that are almost as big as her quiet hometown of Riverside, Illinois (population 8,748). Rettke has already been honored three times by the Big Ten Conference — Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week after her debut for the Badgers last month, and Freshman of the Week after she was named to the all-tournament team at the HotelRED Invita29
JACK MCLAUGHLIN
▲ TAP TO WATCH - Her or Me? with Dana Rettke and Mariah Whalen
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tional — while helping to key an unbeaten start to the regular season. Rettke couldn’t be happier. “I walk down the streets here every day just thinking about how much I love this place and how thankful I am for this opportunity,” she said. UW coach Kelly Sheffield initially pondered redshirting Rettke because he wasn’t sure how the 18-year-old would adapt to the demands of her sizeable role, but those thoughts disappeared not long after Rettke enrolled in January with fellow rookies Sydney Hilley, a setter, and Mariah Whalen, an outside hitter. “I think at times she’s probably one of the more dominating players in the country with still an unbelievable amount of room to grow,” Sheffield said of Rettke. “We knew that we had a player that had the potential to be special and dominant, but she’s probably touching into that a little bit more frequently at an earlier stage probably than what we reasonably expected.”
Rettke was born to parents of above-average height — father John is 6-6; mother Kathy is 5-11 — and Dana was in elementary school when her pediatrician predicted she would grow to be at least as tall as her dad. “She’s been big ever since she was little,” John said, chuckling at his unintended choice of words. “She was off the growth charts her entire life from when she was born.” Sitting in the near-empty Field House before a recent practice, Dana reflected on how her life has been shaped by the essence of her shape. Being bigger than everyone else in her elementary school classes prompted the teachers to view her through a different lens than her peers. “When you’re much taller than the kids your age, people assume you’re older and they deal with you as if you were a little more mature,” John Rettke said. “I think she took that cue.” Dana was 6 when she began taking dance
lessons at the direction of her aunt, a profesto the conclusion that she preferred one over sional dancer. Dana focused on jazz and tap, the other. lessons that not only cultivated a sense of bal“I loved all the basketball coaches,” she said, ance and form, they led to annual stage shows “but I didn’t think it was for me.” that put Dana in front of an audience. Volleyball wasn’t always Rettke’s thing, ei“That’s a lot of ther. Her mother imfootwork,” Dana said. plored her to give it a “WHEN YOU’RE MUCH TALLER THAN “That’s only helped try, but Dana was reTHE KIDS YOUR AGE, PEOPLE ASSUME me throughout my sistant and didn’t give YOU’RE OLDER AND THEY DEAL athletic career.” club volleyball a try WITH YOU AS IF YOU WERE A LITTLE Whalen said her until she was 15. MORE MATURE,” JOHN RETTKE SAID. first encounter with “I always felt that “I THINK SHE TOOK THAT CUE.” Rettke — it was during volleyball … it was a club match when too far out of reach — they were 15 — brought all her attributes to that I waited too long for that,” she said. life. Even though Whalen is 6-1, she looked up Rettke changed her mind, and stumbled upon and marveled at her future roommate. her passion, when one of her best friends went “Oh, my gosh, you’re super tall,” Whalen said out for volleyball and coaxed Dana to join her. of her initial reaction. That gave way to a lasting first impression of Rettke’s presence on the court. “In club I don’t remember her being awkward at all,” Whalen said. “She looks very athletic when she does things.” Rettke’s athleticism was grown in the fertile soil of diversity. In addition to dance classes, which she continued through eighth grade, she played soccer and softball, swam, and was a high jumper in track in middle school. “She was always super active,” John Rettke said. “If there was a ball to be kicked or thrown, she was doing it.” Basketball was another focus for Dana. At one point she was playing on a high-profile AAU circuit — she was a 15-year-old on an under-17 squad — and drawing interest from the likes of Illinois, Iowa, Michigan State, Northwestern and Stanford. There was a time when Rettke was attending volleyball camps while playing AAU basketball. She gradually came
31
“I gave it a try,” Rettke said. “I had a lot of fun. That sort of sealed the deal.” Rettke said enrolling at UW for the spring semester and getting to know her new teammates was a critical development in her rookie season. A primary item on the agenda was cultivating a sense of rhythm with Hilley, the top-rated setter recruit in the nation. “We really struggled with that at the beginning, but we worked through it,” Rettke said of their timing in spring drills. “We got a feel for each other’s style of play.” Rettke already knew Whalen from their club days. In fact, Rettke joined the Whalens for a trip to Naples, Florida, when the two girls were juniors in high school. That’s where Whalen got a measure of Rettke’s grace. At one point a stranger approached them on the beach. “Oh, my gosh,” the woman said to Rettke. “You’re the tallest girl I’ve ever seen. Can I take my picture with you?” Whalen said Rettke complied. “She was always super chill about it,” Whalen head coaching career when taller players said of Rettke. “You see the grace in that. would purposely slouch or wear flats because “It makes Dana who she is. She has differthey were reluctant to advertise their height. ent experiences than anyone else. We can go “They did not want to stand out,” he said. through the same thing, but she has it a lot When Rettke went from 6-7 to 6-8, she saw more different because of how tall she is.” it as a milestone, waiting until she was on a How hard would it be to walk in Rettke’s visit to Madison to tell Sheffield in person. shoes? “She came up and “For a girl I’m prethigh-fived me,” he said. ty tall, so people would “THAT’S JUST WHO SHE IS. I DON’T Sheffield noted that come up to me and say, THINK SHE’LL EVER CHANGE. SHE’S he’s seen Rettke wear‘God, you’re so tall,’” A VERY CONFIDENT PERSON ing heels. Why? Whalen said. “I could AND THAT HELPS A LOT.” “I want to get to easily see where she 7-foot,” she told him. would get frustrated Sheffield, the father of two young daughters, with it and kind of get annoyed with it, but she said Rettke loves it when little kids come up hasn’t. and want to take a picture with her. “That’s just who she is. I don’t think she’ll “She’s very, very comfortable in her own ever change. She’s a very confident person and skin,” he said. “She’s told me she doesn’t want that helps a lot.” to be like everyone else.” Sheffield remembers a time in his 16-year
DAVID STLUKA
Ask Rettke for her biggest adjustment to college and she’ll offer two; one on the court and one off of it. “The speed of the game,” she said of feedback from a 9-0 start, one that gives way to the gravel road that is the 20-match Big Ten schedule. The Badgers are one of six league teams situated in the latest top-25 national ranking and will face another — No. 20 Michigan — at the Field House on Sunday. Wisconsin hosts Michigan State in both teams’ Big Ten opener on Friday. Rettke leads Wisconsin in hitting percentage (.479), kills per set (3.32) and blocks per set (1.57), but her personal assessment of her play is understated. “When I go back and watch film, there’s so much I need to get better at,” she said. Rettke has quickly made herself at home at the Field House, which is scheduled to host 15 sellouts this season.
“I always tell people that, even though there are 6,000 people here, it really doesn’t feel like it,” she said. “It just feels like you’re playing in front of a bunch of friends.” The other adjustment Rettke mentioned is time management, something every UW student-athlete learns one way or another. “Everything needs to be planned for,” she said of her studies. Rettke plans to major in psychology because “I love working with people and being around people in general, talking with them,” she said. Speaking of which, Rettke said she recently got into a casual conversation with one of her classmates. It turns out he knew who she was. “I was at your game last week,” he told her. Her reaction to that dab of celebrity? “Pretty cool,” Rettke said. Spoken like someone full of grace, someone who’s found comfort in her own skin.
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INSIDE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (3-0, 0-0)
Home events in bold. All times CT. Sept. 1 Utah State
W, 59-10
Sept. 9 Florida Atlantic W, 31-14 Sept. 16 at BYU Sept. 30 Northwestern Oct. 7
at Nebraska
W, 40-6 11 a.m. TBA
Oct. 14 Purdue TBA Oct. 21 Maryland
11 a.m.
Homecoming
Oct. 28 at Illinois Nov. 4
at Indiana
11 a.m. TBA
▲ TAP TO WATCH - Wisconsin vs BYU Highlights
THIS WEEK The ninth-ranked Badgers (3-0) are idle as they prepare to host Northwestern in the Big Ten opener for both teams next Saturday, Sept. 30, at Camp Randall Stadium. LAST WEEK Behind a record-setting performance from QB Alex Hornibrook and another fantastic defensive effort, Wisconsin rolled to a 40-6 win over BYU last Saturday in Provo, Utah. Hornibrook completed 18 of 19 passes — the best mark by an FBS quarterback in a road game since at least 2000 — and threw for career highs in passing yards (256) and
touchdowns (4). UW’s defense held an opponent scoreless in the second half for the third-consecutive week, limiting the Cougars to just 25 total yards after halftime.
Nov. 18 #8 Michigan TBA Nov. 25 at Minnesota
TBA
Dec. 2
Big Ten Championship
Indianapolis, Ind.
DAVID STLUKA
Nov. 11 Iowa TBA
View schedule on UWBadgers.com » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
NEED TO KNOW Next Saturday’s Big Ten opener with Northwestern will kick off at 11 a.m. (CT) and air live on ABC. GOOD TO KNOW Entering conference play, freshman RB Jonathan Taylor leads the Big Ten in rushing (146.0 yards per game), rushing touchdowns (5) and rushing average (8.3 yards per carry).
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
▶ Hornibrook turns page, turns in record-setting performance
FOLLOW US:
▶ College Football’s Top QBs of Week 3 ▶ Hornibrook sparks Badgers to 40-6 road victory
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INSIDE VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE (9-0, 0-0)
Home events in bold. All times CT. Big Ten/ACC Challenge, Madison, Wis.:
Aug. 25 Louisville
W, 3-0
Aug. 26 #11 N. Carolina W, 3-0 at K-State Invitational, Manhattan, Kan.:
Sept. 1
vs. Syracuse
W, 3-0
vs. Arkansas
W, 3-0
Sept. 2
at Kansas State
W, 3-0
HotelRED Invitational, Madison, WI:
Sept. 7
Lipscomb
W, 3-0
Sept. 9
Texas A&M
W, 3-0
Sept. 14 Marquette
W, 3-1
Sept. 16 Southern Miss. W, 3-0 ▲ TAP TO WATCH - Badgers finish off non-conference season with a bang
THIS WEEK No. 5 Wisconsin (9-0, 0-0) opens the Big Ten season at home this weekend, hosting Michigan State (7-2, 0-0) and No. 20 Michigan (10-2, 0-0). The Badgers and Spartans serve off at 7 p.m. on Friday in the 26th annual Steve Lowe Night. UW hosts Michigan on Sunday live on ESPN at 2 p.m. LAST WEEK For the first time since 2010, Wisconsin wrapped up the non-conference season with an undefeated record. UW won its own Badger Classic with a 3-1 win over Marquette and a 3-0 sweep of Southern Miss. The Badgers’ 9-0 mark
ties for the fourth best start in program history. GOOD TO KNOW Wisconsin is 21-14 in Big Ten Conference openers, including a 13-6 mark at home. UW swept Ohio State in its 2016 opener. NEED TO KNOW Friday’s match will be streamed live on BTN Plus while Sunday’s match airs live on ESPN. You can listen to both matches in the Madison area on 100.9FM or online with the iHeartRadio app. Follow @BadgerVB on Twitter for live updates.
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
▶ Undefeated: Badgers wrap up non-conference season 9-0
Sept. 22 Michigan State
7 p.m.
Sept. 24 #20 Michigan
7 p.m.
Sept. 29 at Iowa
7 p.m.
JACK MCLAUGHLIN
Badger Classic, Madison, WI:
Sept. 30 at #14 Nebraska 7 p.m. Oct. 4
#1 Minnesota
Oct. 7
at Michigan St. 5:30 p.m.
Oct. 11 #14 Nebraska
7 p.m. 8 p.m.
View full schedule » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
FOLLOW US:
▶ Brett Favre in Madison to watch daughter Breleigh ▶ Kelli Bates finds her way, leads the way for No. 5 Badgers
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E N ZORAGE
E V CO
THE 2017.5 NISSAN ROGUE®
Now Standard on every Nissan Rogue: Automatic Emergency Braking | Blind Spot Warning | Rear Cross Traffic Alert The 2017 Nissan Rogue helps cover you from every angle. Straight up the A-gap. Down the middle. Even sideline-to-sideline. Rogue’s Intelligent Safety Shield Technologies work together to help sense more around you and give you an extra hand when you need it. Now, you can worry more about the big game. And less about getting to it, safely. Nissan. A proud partner of College Athletics.
,
TAKE ON TODAY
1. Automatic Emergency Braking: AEB cannot prevent accidents due to carelessness or dangerous driving techniques. It may not provide warning or braking in certain conditions. Speed limitations apply. 2. Blind Spot Warning: Blind Spot Warning is not a substitute for proper lane change procedures. The system will not prevent contact with other vehicles or accidents. It may not detect every vehicle or object around you. 3. Rear Cross Traffic: Not a substitute for proper backing procedures. May not detect all moving vehicles. Speed and other limitations apply. See owner’s manual for details.
INSIDE WOMEN'S HOCKEY SCHEDULE (0-0)
Home events in bold. All times CT. Sept. 16 South Korea
W, 8-0
Exhibition
Sept. 22 Lindenwood
7 p.m.
Sept. 23 Lindenwood
3 p.m.
Sept. 28 Mercyhurst
7 p.m.
Sept. 29 Mercyhurst
7 p.m.
Oct. 6
at Syracuse
3 p.m.
Oct. 7
at Syracuse
2 p.m.
Oct. 13 at Minnesota St. 7 p.m. Oct. 14 at Minnesota St. 3 p.m.
THIS WEEK The Badgers (33-3-4 in 201617) open regular-season play with a home series against Lindenwood (6-25-2) at LaBahn Arena this weekend. Puck drop on Friday is set for 7 p.m. while the series finale on Saturday begins at 3 p.m. LAST WEEK Wisconsin defeated the South Korean National Team, 8-0, in an exhibition contest at LaBahn on Saturday. Six different Badgers scored in the win, including Claudia Kepler and Alexis Mauermann, who both had a pair of goals. Three different goaltenders, Kristen Campbell, Alyson Baldwin and
7 p.m.
Oct. 21 Bemidji State
7 p.m.
Oct. 28 at #3 Minnesota 4 p.m. Oct. 29 at #3 Minnesota 3 p.m.
Breanna Blesi, combined for a five-shot shutout as UW outshot Korea 60-5.
Nov. 4
Ohio State
Nov. 5
Ohio State Noon
Nov. 10 at #7 Cornell
2 p.m.
GOOD TO KNOW This year’s squad is one of the youngest teams in program history as UW has 16 underclassmen on its 23-player roster. In addition, 10 players are expected to make their UW debuts this weekend, including Kepler and Campbell, who both transferred to Wisconsin.
Nov. 11 at #7 Cornell
2 p.m.
SPENCER NATZKE
▲ TAP TO WATCH - Wisconsin Hockey Highlights: South Korea
Oct. 20 Bemidji State
2 p.m.
Nov. 24 vs. #8 Northeastern 3 p.m.
Washington, D.C.
View full schedule » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
NEED TO KNOW Fans can follow the action on Twitter (@BadgerWHockey). Tickets are still available for this weekend’s series on UWBadgers.com.
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
▶ Badgers blank South Korea in exhibition
FOLLOW US:
▶ Baylee’s Blog: Ready for the new year ▶ Newcomers contribute in rout of South Korea
39
INSIDE MEN'S SOCCER SCHEDULE (3-2-2, 1-1-0)
Home events in bold. All times CT. Aug. 25 at Tulsa
T, 2-2
Aug. 27 vs. Oral Roberts
T, 1-1
Tulsa, Okla.
Sept. 2
Grand Canyon
Sept. 8
at Michigan
Sept. 13 Northwestern
W, 3-1 L, 1-2 W, 3-1
Sept. 16 Loyola-Chicago W, 2-0
LAST WEEK The Badgers cruised past Northwestern with a 3-1 win on Thursday night before recording their first shutout of the year over Loyola-Chicago,
2-0, on Saturday night. Senior Chris Mueller led the Badgers in shots in both games and had a goal and assist against the Ramblers. GOOD TO KNOW Senior Tom Barlow had quite the weekend, scoring two goals and recording his first assist of the season. He is two goals shy of his career high of five goals in a season. He leads the Badgers with three goals on the season and two gamewinners, both of which were over the weekend.
L, 3-4
Sept. 23 Penn State
7 p.m.
Sept. 26 Wright State
7 p.m.
Oct. 1
at Rutgers
Oct. 4
Marquette
Oct. 7
#6 Michigan State 7 p.m.
▶ Make it 13: Badgers extend home unbeaten streak ▶ Wisconsin opens strong at home in Big Ten play
7 p.m.
Oct. 10 Green Bay
7 p.m.
Oct. 13 #3 Maryland
6 p.m.
Oct. 21 at #2 Indiana 6:30 p.m. Oct. 24 at Milwaukee
7 p.m.
Oct. 29 at #25 Ohio State Noon Nov. 4-12
Big Ten Tournament
Columbus, Ohio
View schedule on UWBadgers.com »
SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
NEED TO KNOW Saturday’s game will be broadcast live on BTN Plus. Links for live statistics of both games will be available on UWBadgers.com, while live updates will be available on Twitter (@BadgerMSoccer).
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
2:30 p.m.
FOLLOW US:
JACK MCLAUGHLIN
THIS WEEK Wisconsin men’s soccer (32-2 overall, 1-1-0 Big Ten) hit the road for a 6 p.m. (CT) Tuesday contest at Duke University (5-1-1 overall, 1-1-0 ACC) in Durham, North Carolina. The Badgers return home and look to continue their 13game unbeaten streak at the McClimon Soccer Complex on Saturday night at 7 p.m. as they take on Penn State (12-2, 0-1-0). Saturday night’s game will offer free admission for international fans and students who register in advance by contacting rweinkauf@ athletics.wisc.edu.
Sept. 19 at Duke
INSIDE WOMEN'S SOCCER SCHEDULE (7-1-0, 1-0-0)
Home events in bold. All times CT. Aug. 18 Kentucky
W, 1-0
Aug. 20 vs. #2 Stanford
L, 0-5
Milwaukee, Wis.
Aug. 24 Creighton
W, 2-0
Aug. 27 Northern Illinois W, 2-0 Aug. 31 at #3 Virginia Sept. 3
at William & Mary W, 3-1
Sept. 7
at Drake
Sept. 16 Minnesota
THIS WEEK Wisconsin women’s soccer (71-0 overall, 1-0 Big Ten) will be at the McClimon Soccer complex all weekend long, hosting Michigan State (45-0, 0-2-0) on Thursday at 8 p.m. (CT) and Michigan (4-2-3, 1-1-0) on Sunday at 1 p.m. LAST WEEK It was like déjà vu as sophomore Dani Rhodes scored the golden goal in overtime of the Border Battle against Minnesota for the second year in a row. The Wisconsin native scored in the 97th minute off of a penalty kick goal after a foul was issued to Minnesota.
GOOD TO KNOW Rhodes collected her fifth goal and fourth gamewinner of the season. She has now surpassed the amount of goals she had in her rookie season (4). Since the Badgers’ lone loss of the season against Stanford, Rhodes has scored in five of the last six games.
W, 3-0 W, 1-0 OT
Sept. 21 Michigan State
8 p.m.
Sept. 24 Michigan
1 p.m.
Sept. 29 at Maryland
2 p.m.
Oct. 1
at #12 Rutgers
Noon
Oct. 6
Purdue
7 p.m.
Oct. 8
Indiana
1 p.m.
Oct. 12 at Illinois
JACK MCLAUGHLIN
▲ TAP TO WATCH - Rhodes wins another for Badgers in overtime
W, 1-0
7 p.m.
Oct. 15 at Northwestern 3:30 p.m. View full schedule » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
NEED TO KNOW: Thursday’s game against Michigan State will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network. Sunday’s contest will be streamed on BTN Plus. Live statistics for both games can be found at UWBadgers. com while live updates will be available on Twitter (@BadgerWSoccer).
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
▶ She does it again: Rhodes nets golden goal in overtime
FOLLOW US:
▶ Rose Lavelle on her national team breakthrough ▶ Badgering: Dani Rhodes
41
INSIDE MEN'S GOLF SCHEDULE
Home events in bold. Sept. 10-12 Badger Invitational Results » Sept. 24-25 at Northern Intercollegiate
Sugar Grove, Ill.
Oct. 1-3
at Marquette Invitational
Erin, Wis.
Oct. 8-9
at Windon Memorial
Evanston, Ill.
Oct. 23-24 at Pinetree Intercollegiate
LAST TIME OUT On the strength of a 6-under par final round, UW placed fifth at the season-opening Badger Invitational at University Ridge Golf Course. Freshman Griffin Barela tied for eighth while junior Jordan Hahn earned a share of 15th place. THIS WEEK The Badgers will compete in the Northern Intercollegiate for the first time. The tournament will be held on Sunday and Monday, Sept. 24 and 25, at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Illinois.
OF NOTE In his first tournament as a Badger, Barela shot three consecutive rounds under par on his way to a top-10 finish. That performance earned him Big Ten Men’s Golfer of the Week honors. Barela is one of just eight Badgers to earn Big Ten Golfer of the Week honors, dating back to the award's inception in 1999. GOOD TO KNOW Rich Harvest Farms, the site of this week’s Northern Intercollegiate, played host to the 2017 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships. According to the NCAA, they were the most well-attended NCAA golf championships in the history of the event.
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
▶ Five things to know: Northern Intercollegiate
at Big Ten Match Play
Palm Coast, Fla.
DAVID STLUKA
▲ TAP TO WATCH - On the Course with Nick Robinson & Blaine Woodruff at the Badger Open
Evanston, Ill.
2018 Feb. 9-10
Mar. 12-13 at Colleton River Collegiate
Bluffon, S.C.
Mar. 25-27 at Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate
Awendaw, S.C.
Mar. 31-Apr. 1 at D.A. Weibring
Invitational
Normal, Ill.
Mar. 25-27 at Boilermaker Invitational
West Lafayette, Ind.
View full schedule » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
FOLLOW US:
▶ Barela named Big Ten Golfer of the Week ▶ UW places fifth at Badger Invitational
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INSIDE WOMEN'S GOLF SCHEDULE
Home events in bold. Sept. 11-12 at Minnesota Invitational Woodbury, Minn. Results » Sept. 17-19 East-West Match Play Results » Oct. 6-8
at Bettie Lou Evans Invitational
Lexington, Ky.
Oct. 21-22 at Cardinal Cup
▲ TAP TO WATCH - Wisconsin Golf is Championship Bound
LAST WEEK The Badgers finished in second place at the East-West Match Play Challenge at University Ridge Golf Course in Verona. GOING LOW UW finished fourth in the stroke play portion of the East-West Challenge then defeated No. 1 seed Oregon, 4-1, in the match play semifinals. In Tuesday’s final against Iowa State, the Badgers fell 4-1 in a match that saw the two teams combine for 41 birdies and two eagles. OF NOTE Gabby Curtis has had a hot start to her senior season.
After finishing tied for 10th at the season-opening Minnesota Invitational, she tied for fifth during the stroke play portion of the East-West Challenge. In the match play final against Iowa State, she was the lone victorious Badger, making eight birdies en route to a 2 and 1 victory. GOOD TO KNOW Wisconsin’s lineup has remained constant through the first two tournaments and is loaded with experience. In addition to Curtis, the Badgers have turned to seniors Aya Johnson, Lexi Harkins and Becky Klongland and junior Jessica Reinecke.
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
▶ Badgers earn runner-up finish at East-West Match Play
Simpsonville, Ky.
2018 Feb. 4-6
at UCF Challenge
Orlando, Fla.
Feb. 25-26 at the Westbrook Spring Invitational
Peoria, Ariz.
Mar. 16-17 at Hawkeye-El Tigre Invitational
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Mar. 23-25 at Clemson Invitational
Sunset, S.C.
April 8-10
at Silverado Showdown
Napa, Calif.
April 20-22 at Big Ten Championships
Cincinnati, Ohio
View full schedule » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
FOLLOW US:
▶ UW defeats Oregon to advance to East-West championship ▶ Badgers advance to championship bracket
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INSIDE MEN'S TENNIS SCHEDULE
Home events in bold. All times CT. Sept. 15-17 at Harvard Chowder Fest Results » Sept. 21-24 at Milwaukee Tennis Classic
Milwaukee, Wis.
Sept. 30-Oct. 7
at ITA All-Americans
Tulsa, Okla.
Oct. 6-8
at Bayliss Invitational
South Bend, Ind.
Oct. 19-23 at ITA Regional
Ann Arbor, Mich.
Nov. 3-5
at Minnesota Invitational
Minneapolis, Minn.
Nov. 3-5
at Wake Forest Invitational
Winston-Salem, N.C.
THIS WEEK The UW men’s tennis team will head down I-94 for the Milwaukee Tennis Classic held at the Western Racquet Club and The Town Club. Qualifier matches begin on Thursday, Sept. 21, with main draw action running Sept. 22-24. LAST WEEK Senior Josef Dodridge shined in the Badgers’ first event of the fall season, going 3-0 to take home the singles championship at the Harvard Chowder Fest in Cambridge,
Mass. He also teamed with fellow senior Chema Carranza to earn the doubles championship.
View full schedule » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
GOOD TO KNOW The Badgers have a pair of seniors ranked in the Oracle/ ITA preseason rankings with Dodridge checking in at No. 92 and Lamar Remy ranked No. 115. NEED TO KNOW Fans can follow results on UWBadgers.com or on Twitter @BadgerMTennis.
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
▶ Dodridge claims Chowder Fest singles championship ▶ Dodridge, Remy earn preseason national ranking ▶ Milwaukee Tennis Classic – Sept. 22-23, 2017
DePaul Noon Nebraska-Omaha 5 p.m.
FOLLOW US:
DAVID STLUKA
2018 Jan. 20
INSIDE WOMEN'S TENNIS SCHEDULE
Home events in bold. Sept. 22-24 at Milwaukee Tennis Classic
Milwaukee, Wis.
Sept. 30-Oct. 7
at Riviera/ITA AllAmerican Championships
Pacific Palisades, Calif.
Oct. 6-8
at Samford Fall Invitational
Birmingham, Ala.
Oct. 12-17 at USTA/ITA Regionals
Ann Arbor, Mich.
Oct. 27-29 at Vanderbilt Fall Classic
Nashville, Tenn.
Nov. 3-5
at Harvard Fall Invite
Cambridge, Mass.
Nov. 10-12 at FSU All-Conference Showdown
Tallahassee, Fla.
Long Beach, Calif.
2018 Jan. 19-21 at Beach Tennis Winter Invite
THIS WEEK The Wisconsin women’s tennis team will open its fall schedule this weekend at the Milwaukee Tennis Classic at the Western Racquet Club and The Town Club. UW will send senior Sara Castellano, sophomore Michelle Linden and freshmen Lexi Keberle and Maryann Rompf to participate in the singles and doubles competitions, which runs from Sept. 22-24.
GOOD TO KNOW The Badgers competed in the Milwaukee Tennis Classic last year when the tournament featured a hidden dual format. UW’s Melissa Pick and Kendall Kirsch finished as the 2016 women’s doubles runner-up.
DAVID STLUKA
View full schedule » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
NEED TO KNOW Fans can follow results on UWBadgers.com or on Twitter @BadgerWTennis. FOLLOW US:
RELATED STORY (Click to read)
▶ Milwaukee Tennis Classic – Sept. 22-23, 2017
47
THIS WEEK IN BADGER HISTORY
CAMP RANDALL 100 SPOTLIGHT:
ERIC HEIDEN
The Camp Randall 100 honors a prestigious group of 100 people who shaped the first century of Camp Randall Stadium. Wisconsin Athletics revealed a new honoree every day from May 24 through the Badgers’ 2017 opening game vs. Utah State Sept. 1. BY BRIAN LUCAS UW Athletic Communications
T
he 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, have reached almost mythical proportions. Movies have been made, books have been written, tales have been spun about “I was there when …” Right in the center of all of it was a 13-member contingent from Wisconsin. The two most famous of those names were Eric Heiden and Mark Johnson, boyhood friends from Madison who took the world by storm with their performances. Heiden won five individual gold medals while setting four Olympic records and one world record in speedskating. He remains the only athlete to win gold in all five long track events in a single Olympics. Johnson, fresh off an outstanding career with the Badgers, was a member of the “Miracle on Ice” men’s hockey team that upset the Soviet Union in the semifinals and beat Finland to win the gold medal. Johnson was the team’s leading scorer and tallied two goals in the win over Russia. Another former Badger, Bob Suter, was a member of the men’s hockey team. Eric Heiden’s sister, Beth, won a speedskating bronze medal in Lake Placid. Those four Madison natives were joined by
speedskaters Mary and Sarah Docter, Dan Immerfall, Leah and Peter Mueller, Mike Woods, and Mike and Tom Plant; ski jumper Reed Zuehlke; and speedskating coaches Dianne Holum and Peter Schotting at a welcome home ceremony held at Camp Randall Stadium on March 29, 1980. A crowd of between 25-30,000 fans greeted the Olympians and the reception was televised live throughout the state of Wisconsin. The UW Marching Band and cheerleaders as well as the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps kicked off the festivities. “An Olympic-style torch was lit and the Olympic banner waved as the athletes were individually introduced and paraded to a stand set up on the football field,” according to that day’s Madison Capital Times. Among the speakers were Wisconsin governor Lee Dreyfus, UW-Madison chancellor Irving Shain and UW System president Robert O’Neill. Madison Mayor Joel Skornicka presented each athlete and coach a key to the city. “There’s nobody like the people from your own hometown. Today has been really special,” Heiden said, addressing the crowd. To read the whole story click here. For the complete Camp Randall 100 list, visit CampRandall100.com.
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