INFOCUS
FLASHING THE GLOVE No “Sieve” chant on that shot! Goaltender Kyle Hayton eyed the saved puck in his glove during the Badgers’ series split with Ohio State last weekend at the Kohl Center. Hayton has allowed just seven goals in three games, boosting a UW defense that has allowed nearly one fewer goal per game than last year. PHOTO BY GREG ANDERSON
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WINNING MINDSET Huddled together before their second-tolast home game of the regular season on Sunday, the Badgers’ mantra all season has been “The team is first, I am second.” PHOTO BY GREG ANDERSON
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FREE TO CELEBRATE Head coach Paul Chryst joined his players in celebrating with the Freedom Trophy in the locker room after defeating Nebraska 38-17 Saturday night. Wisconsin has won five straight over the Huskers and is 4-0 since the Freedom Trophy was introduced in 2014. PHOTO BY DAVID STLUKA
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SAVING FOCUS Sophomore Tiffany Clark had eyes only for earning this save, one of 24 digs she earned in Wisconsin’s heartbreaking five-set fight against Minnesota Oct. 4. Clark has started at libero for the Badgers for the last six matches and has recorded double-figure digs in five matches. PHOTO BY JACK McLAUGHLIN
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E V O C
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CONTENTS
BRUCE BENNETT/GETTY IMAGES
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OCTOBER 11, 2017 ▪ VOLUME 8, ISSUE 7
AMONG ‘GREAT’ FRIENDS A former NHL player and coach, Tony Granato counts two of hockey’s greatest players as close friends. Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby will tell you Wisconsin is lucky to have their friend leading the Badgers.
FEATURES 2
IN FOCUS
14 LUCAS AT LARGE 17 BEHIND THE DESK 19 BY THE NUMBERS
O-LINE OPPORTUNITY
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Focus and preparation paid off for the big men of Wisconsin’s offensive line when the Badgers unleashed their running game on the Huskers.
23 ATHLETES OF THE MONTH
DAVID STLUKA
20 WHAT TO WATCH
LUCAS AT LARGE
25 BADGERING 37 INSIDE FOOTBALL 39 INSIDE VOLLEYBALL 40 INSIDE HOCKEY 43 INSIDE SOCCER 46 INSIDE CROSS COUNTRY 49 INSIDE GOLF 52 THIS WEEK IN HISTORY
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CAMP RANDALL 100 SPOTLIGHT
SIDNEY WILLIAMS
The Big Ten’s first African-American starting quarterback of the modern era was an unlikely trailblazer for the Badgers. 11
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LUCAS AT LARGE BY MIKE LUCAS ▪ UWBADGERS.COM
Opportunity knocks for O-line in run game
DAVID STLUKA
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ush over left tackle. Rush over right tackle. Rush up the middle. Here we come again. Stop us if you can. Seven years ago, Wisconsin unleashed a classic “ground-andpound” offense with 29 consecutive running plays, not including two kneel-downs, to seal a 48-28 win at Michigan. UW’s first possession of the second half influenced the play-calling in the Big House. Quarterback Scott Tolzien connected on a 5-yard pass to Isaac Anderson, who was hit and lost the ball. The Wolverines recovered the fumble and converted the turnover into seven points.
The Badgers, who led 24-0 at halftime, were now clinging to a 10-point lead with 9:23 left in the third quarter. Even though he was 14-of-15 for 201 yards, Tolzien didn’t attempt another pass. Instead, he handed the rock to James White (23 carries for 181 yards) and Montee Ball (29 for 173), who ran behind Gabe Carimi, John Moffitt, Bill Nagy, Kevin Zeitler and Rick Wagner. Running was a high-percentage option in any scenario considering everyone on that offensive line went on to start games in the NFL. Zeitler and Wagner are among the highest paid at their positions today. In 2010, by the way, the Wis-
consin offensive coordinator and play-caller was Paul Chryst. On Saturday night, the Badgers and Chryst revisited their past with a smash-mouth sequel that featured 21 straight runs, not including a kneel-down, in the second half of a 38-17 victory at Nebraska. The reviews were favorable, especially on the line of scrimmage. “We like that,” said left guard Jason Erdmann, who saw the most extensive action of his young, 18-game career in relief of the injured Jon Dietzen. “That’s who we are. It’s Wisconsin football.” “If you can keep it on the ground,” said left tackle Michael
Deiter, “there’s nothing better if you’re an offensive lineman. It takes a lot of stress off the whole offense.” “It just shows that the coaches trusted us to move guys upfront and be assignment sound,” said right guard Beau Benzschawel. “And we took care of it. You can’t really expect more.” UW offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph doesn’t expect anything less. “What I liked most about them,” he said of his O-linemen, “was their focus on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. You have success for one reason — in the way you prepare.” From that standpoint, it was an interesting week of preparation. With guard Micah Kapoi limited late in the week, Dietzen got most of the first-team snaps. As a precaution, Deiter repped at left guard — where he has 11 career starts — with Cole Van Lanen taking over at left tackle. In addition, Erdmann practiced at both center and guard. “Everybody is the same way — you’re one play away and you’re in,” said Erdmann, a sophomore walk-on from Slinger High School and the village of Richfield, 90 minutes from Madison. “Every chance you get, you take those reps in practice. We had a couple of guys banged up for BYU (Dietzen and Benzschawel) and I prepared like I was the starter. But I didn’t get an opportunity.” As it evolved Saturday night, Deiter had to come out of the game — a rare sight — after
tweaking his ankle. Van Lanen, a redshirt freshman from Green Bay, stepped into the huddle for him. “I just got rolled up on it … again,” said Deiter, who has been hobbled for a few weeks but has played through whatever pain he was feeling. “I knew I definitely wasn’t good to play for that drive.” But he wasn’t on the sideline for long. Upon returning, he said, “I knew after two plays that I was good to go.” He knew, too, that he could trust Erdmann to do the job after Dietzen came out.
“THE FOCUS WAS VERY CLEAR AND EACH GUY TOOK A STEP IN THAT AREA,” RUDOLPH SAID. “IF WE DO THAT AS AN O-LINE, AS AN OFFENSE, AS A TEAM, WE’LL CONTINUE TO GROW AND WE’LL BE THE TEAM THAT WE WANT TO BE.” “He has been able to get a ton of good reps in practice,” Deiter said. “So, he was ready to step in. And we didn’t miss a beat with him in there. He was ready for that challenge.” Did Deiter have to be conscious of Erdmann’s inexperience? Especially in such a raucous environment like Memorial Stadium — one of the loudest venues in college football. “Not really,” said Deiter, a junior. “I know that he’s a good enough player. “The noise doesn’t help with your first real significant snaps. It’s tough. But I just made sure that he was seeing what I was
seeing and we were on the same page. I knew his ability was good enough.” Erdmann was determined to live up to some very high O-line expectations. “Seize the opportunity — that’s what all the coaches preach,” he said. “The team counted on me. And I went in there and did what I needed to do to get the job done.” Benzschawel liked the way he handled his business. “For a guy to do that not thinking he was going to play,” he said, “and play as much as he did, you can’t ask anything more.” That same can be said of freshman tailback Jonathan Taylor, who rushed for 249 yards. “You never know what holes he’s going to find,” said Erdmann, adding that there’s always the anticipation of something special. “If you stay on your block and finish, he could hit a home run.” Taylor touched all the bases with a 75-yard touchdown sprint late in the second quarter. “We had a great plan,” said Benzschawel, who twice dislocated his pinkie finger. “Guys knew their assignments and we were just going out and playing and not thinking.” Preparation was the foundation for those 21 consecutive runs, Rudolph reiterated. “The focus was very clear and each guy took a step in that area,” he said. “If we do that as an O-line, as an offense, as a team, we’ll continue to grow and we’ll be the team that we want to be.” And, in the end, that could be quite a rush. ▪
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BEHIND THE DESK BY BARRY ALVAREZ ▪ UW DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS
Remembering Joe Tiller’s innovative legacy
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his summer, I did a coaching roundtable for Big Ten Network with Gary Barnett, Tyrone Willingham and Joe Tiller, who passed away last week at the age of 74. Joe was an Ohio guy (Toledo) who went west for college to Montana State and got his first head coaching job at Wyoming, where he spread things out and threw the ball all over the place. He came into our league with an offense that was advertised as “Basketball on Grass.” He was very innovative and a lot of people copied some of the things that he was doing. I remember the first time I saw a bubble screen was when he was running it with Vinny Sutherland. That was his deal and they were good at it. His offenses were very difficult to defend. He had some very good teams, including a Rose Bowl team. They could play with anybody. We had some unbelievable games in the late ’90s when we had Ronnie (Dayne) and they had Drew Brees. They had a lot of good players and it wasn’t just on offense. We had a hard time blocking Roosevelt Colvin. And we really had to search for ways to move the ball on those guys. We were fortunate to beat his 2004 team when we knocked the ball loose from Kyle Orton and Scott Starks scored. If they had beaten us, they may have played for the national championship. Today, I look at Purdue as one
of the most improved programs in the country. Their first-year coach Jeff Brohm has got his guys playing well and believing. He’s an old quarterback and play-caller. He’s also a coach’s kid. He grew up in the business and he knows what he’s doing. He has been around a lot of good coaches and quarterbacks. He understands the system. This will be a tough ballgame Saturday. They’re very sound and they can move the ball. I’ve watched them defensively and they’re physical. They really get after it. Before our game at Nebraska, I visited with BTN analyst Matt Millen and we talked about how Jonathan Taylor has such deceptive speed. He doesn’t look like he’s moving that fast. But you saw on that long touchdown run just before the end of the first half, the safety had an angle on him and he just outran the angle. One thing I wasn’t sure about with him making the transition from high school to college was I didn’t know if he could make you miss. I didn’t know if he was a wiggler. But he’s very deceiving and subtle with his moves and he does make people miss. He has got a good jump-cut and burst. He puts his foot in the ground and makes a quick move. He’s not someone who’s shaking his shoulders in space. He’s very concise and tight. Most freshman running backs don’t have patience. But he has
shown patience as a runner. He lets things develop and when he sees a seam or hole, he can get there. I like the way we played as a team in Lincoln. That was as tough of an environment that I can remember for awhile. They pulled out every stop, everything they could possibly pull out. They made a huge deal out of the game. They brought out their ’97 championship team with Tom Osborne. And the place was wired. But our kids really handled it. Whenever they took the momentum, we took it right back. I thought our offensive line really showed a lot of maturity. We were down to a third left guard, Jason Erdmann, and he really played well. I told Paul (Chryst) afterwards that the 22 straight runs reminded me of one of our old Mike Samuel games when we’d throw the ball less than 20 times. It was one of those games where you’re going to impose your will upon them. You’re going to run the ball and they know you’re going to run the ball and they can’t do anything about it. Those safeties were holding their breath because the next thing you know they’ve got someone like Taylor in the secondary and they’ve got to tackle him in the open field. We’re getting better. That’s the most important thing right now, that we continue to improve. ▪
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BY THE NUMBERS WOMEN’S SOCCER ▶ Seniors Caitlyn Clem and Becca Harrison have accumulated 45 career wins and qualified for two NCAA tournaments. Additionally, both were members of the 2014 Big Ten Tournament championship team in addition to the 2015 squad that won the Big Ten regular-season title.
GREG ANDERSON
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◀ VOLLEYBALL Freshman Sydney Hilley has turned up her defense the last three matches, recording three straight double-doubles and averaging 2.71 digs per set. The setter had a career-high 56 assists and 14 digs against Minnesota and added 14 digs at Michigan State.
▼ FOOTBALL Wisconsin’s defense has outscored opposing offenses 16-14 in the second half this season. The Badgers’ defense scored interception return touchdowns vs. Utah State (Joe Ferguson) and Northwestern (Natrell Jamerson) and logged a safety at BYU (Mike Maskalunas sack).
DAVID STLUKA
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MEN’S SOCCER ▶ Helping the Badgers climb the league standings, Elan Koenig has scored a goal in two of the Badgers’ last three games. The UW defender helped Wisconsin defeat Rutgers, 3-2, and Marquette, 3-0.
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WHAT TO WATCH
FIELD HOUSE FUN
VOLLEYBALL VS. NEBRASKA WENESDAY, OCTOBER 11 ▪ 8PM UW FIELD HOUSE ▪ BTN
GREG ANDERSON
No. 11 Wisconsin returns to the Field House for a two-game homestand this week as the Badgers host No. 4 Nebraska on Wednesday at 8 p.m. and Indiana on Friday at 7 p.m. Catch the match against the Huskers live on BTN and follow @BadgerVB on Twitter for live updates for all matches.
DROP THE PUCK
MEN’S HOCKEY AT BOSTON COLLEGE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13 ▪ 6PM BOSTON, MASS. ▪ WATCHESPN
DAVID STLUKA
ALONE AT THE TOP
FOOTBALL VS. PURDUE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14 ▪ 2:30PM CAMP RANDALL STADIUM ▪ BTN Now in sole possession of first place in the Big Ten West Division, No. 7 Wisconsin welcomes Purdue to Camp Randall Stadium Saturday. The game kicks off at 2:30 p.m. and will air on BTN.
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DAVID STLUKA
Heading to the East Coast, No. 10 Wisconsin takes its first road trip of the season to play at No. 13 Boston College Friday night at 6 p.m. The game will be streamed live via WatchESPN.com and the ESPN app.
WEDNESDAY 10/11 VOLLEYBALL vs. #4 Nebraska Madison, Wis. 8:00 p.m. Watch: BTN SOLD OUT
THURSDAY 10/12
FRIDAY 10/13
WOMEN’S SOCCER at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 7:00 p.m. Watch: BTN Plus
MEN’S & WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational Madison, Wis. 11:00 a.m. Watch: FloTrack.org Event details »
WOMEN’S TENNIS at USTA/ITA Regionals Ann Arbor, Mich. All day
MEN’S & WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING vs. Auburn/Tennessee Auburn, Ala. 3:00 p.m. MEN’S HOCKEY at #13 Boston College Boston, Mass. 6:00 p.m. Watch: ESPN3 View more 10/13 events »
SUNDAY 10/15 WOMEN’S SOCCER at Northwestern Evanston, Ill. 3:30 p.m. WOMEN’S TENNIS at USTA/ITA Regionals Ann Arbor, Mich. All day
ALL TIMES CENTRAL
MONDAY 10/16
TUESDAY 10/17
WOMEN’S TENNIS at USTA/ITA Regionals Ann Arbor, Mich. All day
WOMEN’S TENNIS at USTA/ITA Regionals Ann Arbor, Mich. All day
SATURDAY 10/14 FOOTBALL vs. Purdue Madison, Wis. 2:30 p.m. Watch: BTN Buy tickets » WOMEN’S HOCKEY at Minnesota State Mankato, Minn. 3:00 p.m. MEN’S HOCKEY at Merrimack North Andover, Mass. 6:00 p.m. WOMEN’S TENNIS at USTA/ITA Regionals Ann Arbor, Mich. All day
WEDNESDAY 10/18 VOLLEYBALL at Maryland College Park, Md. 5:00 p.m. Watch: BTN
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 October. 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.
sarah dodd ‖ sophomore ‖ volleyball
After spending her freshman season as a serving specialist, sophomore Sarah Dodd has become one of the Badgers’ top passers this season. The 5-foot-4 defensive specialist is averaging a career-best 1.37 digs, 0.11 assists, and 0.11 service aces per set. Dodd has played in all 48 matches in the Cardinal and White, recording career bests in digs (11 vs. Nebraska on Sept. 20), assists (2 vs. Syracuse on Sept. 1), and service aces (3 vs. Marquette on Sept. 14). One of five Wisconsin players on the team, the Pleasant Prairie native chose the Badgers for the perfect combination of academics, athletics, location and atmosphere. Dodd is majoring in management and human resources. She is a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and Sports Business Club.
philipp schilling ‖ senior ‖ men’s soccer
Philipp Schilling, a senior from Schwegenheim, Germany, has been dubbed by head coach John Trask as a program changer. The captain has made a difference on the team since the second he stepped on campus last year. In addition to playing 31 games, nearly 3,000 minutes, recording shutouts and holding a 0.90 goals-against average, Schilling has racked up many community service hours with Badgers Give Back. Schilling is a leader in all areas of student-athlete life. He is an active member of SAESO — spearheading the “Badgers Beyond Borders” affiliate group and serving as the student-athlete representative for the Diversity Integration Group within Athletics. He is extremely reliable and embodies the idea of engagement within the athletic community.
tannor wagner ‖ freshman ‖ men's cross country
Tannor Wagner, a true freshman from Ashwaubenon, Wis., shined in his home debut for the Badgers as he won the Wisconsin “Mayflower Day” Open to help UW win its first meet of the year. Wagner crossed the 8K course at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course in 25:56.0. Wagner also turned in a strong performance in his UW debut, with a 33rdplace showing at the Indiana Open on Sept. 2. He closed out September at the Greater Louisville Classic with an 83rd-place showing to help Wisconsin to an eighth-place finish. 23
BADGERING...
FINN GESSNER
When the Wisconsin men’s cross country team lines up for the ninth annual Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational Friday at the Zimmer Championship Course, true freshman Finn Gessner will be among those trying to make a name for himself on the big stage. The former Madison La Follette High School standout should have lots of supporters on hand to make the event memorable. Gessner took time this week to discuss his unique pre-race routine, his favorite quote from UW Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Mick Byrne and his most cherished possession. Is there a story behind your first name? “Kind of. My mom and dad really liked the name, but my grandparents didn’t at all. When I was born, I don’t know if it was the day after, my grandma called my dad pretty upset that they named me Finn and wanted them to switch it. But my parents liked it too much.” What’s your favorite Mick quote? “If you’re saying something and he really doesn’t care for it, he’ll say, ‘You’re mistaking me for someone who gives a crap.’” Is there a food you like that others don’t? “I haven’t met that many people that like Kombucha (fermented tea) because it smells really, really bad.” You have to give up all your possessions but one. Which one do you keep? “Probably my Wisconsin cross country T-shirt signed by (Badgers runner) Joe Hardy.” If you could choose to attend any sporting event in history what would it be? “Jack Johnson vs. Jim Jeffries in 1910.” Why that heavyweight boxing match? “The story behind the fight (Johnson was the first black world champion; Jeffries white) and Jack Johnson getting the win. It’s a cool story. It’s inspiring.” Click to read more »
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ony Granato cannot explain it other than to say he was lucky. Fortunate not once, but twice. Before Granato became the Wisconsin men’s hockey coach last March, he spent 26 years in the NHL. His greatest experience from 13 seasons as a player is working alongside Wayne Gretzky. His greatest experience from 13 seasons as a coach is working alongside Sidney Crosby. Two icons. Two treasures. Two faces of the NHL. “When you go through your playing career and what are you thankful for the most, it was the opportunity to play with Wayne,” Granato said. “The most inspiring thing as a coach, it was to coach Sid.” Granato didn’t just play with Gretzky on the Los Angeles Kings from 1990 to ’96. They were linemates and began an enduring friendship. Granato didn’t just tutor Crosby as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2009 to ’14. They became confidantes and admirers of one another. A year ago, the NHL celebrated its centennial anniversary by having a blue ribbon panel
pick the 100 greatest players in its history. Of the 49 whose career timelines match up with Granato — from 1988 to 2001 — 28 either played with him or were coached by him in some capacity. The point being that Granato has shared a locker room and a championship quest with a lot of the modern-day elites — Hall of Famers Paul Coffey, Marcel Dionne, Brett Hull, Guy Lafleur, Mark Messier, Larry Robinson, Patrick Roy, Joe Sakic, Teemu Selanne and Steve Yzerman among them — and refers to Gretzky and Crosby as the best he’s been around. Gretzky, known as “The Great One,” became the all-time leading scorer in NHL history from 1979 to ’99, won four Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers and was a nine-time Hart Trophy winner as Most Valuable Player. Crosby, known as “The Next One,” has captained the Penguins to three Stanley Cups and Team Canada to a pair of Olympic gold medals since his NHL debut in 2005. “They are our game, they really are,” Granato said of the two. “I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to be with both and loved every second of it.”
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DAVID STLUKA
▪▪▪▪ “Tony never took shortcuts,” Gretzky said. ranato had a front-row seat for how “He just wanted to win at all costs. You play Gretzky embraced his role as NHL amwith players like that, it’s ultimately who you bassador and how Crosby willingly, enwant as a teammate because it really is such a thusiastically assumed the mantle. hard sport. “Seeing what he ex“You need all 20 perienced as the face players whether it’s “TONY WAS A LEADER ON THE TEAM. HE WAS ALWAYS of hockey and what USHL, college hockey ACCOUNTABLE. THAT’S HOW YOU he did for the game or NHL. You all have to EARN THE TRUST OF TEAMMATES.” of hockey behind the be on that same page scenes I admire him in and if you’re not, one an unbelievable way,” Granato said of Gretzky. guy can be a definite weak link. “The day-to-day demands he had as a player “Tony was a leader on the team. He was aland representing our league was an amazing ways accountable. That’s how you earn the feat in itself. I have the utmost amount of retrust of teammates.” spect for his ability to always unselfishly think of the game first.” Granato said Gretzky, 56, set an example for Crosby, 30. “I see a lot of similarities in the two,” Granato said. “Anything that happens in the world — the world of sports; the world of hockey — the mic goes right into their faces. Anything that happens, good or bad, with your team, the mic goes right in their faces. “Any controversy, they’re always there to represent us as hockey players in as good of a way as you can. That’s the part I think is special. “It says a lot about their values. It says a lot about what kind of person they are. It’s really pretty special,” Granato said of his friends. It doesn’t seem to be a coincidence that Gretzky and Crosby befriended Granato, one of the greatest players in Wisconsin history who totaled 100 goals and 220 points from 1983 to ’87. The three appear to have a lot in common. Listen to how Granato earned Gretzky’s trust.
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DAVID STLUKA
DARREN LEE
▲ TAP TO WATCH - Mic'd Up: Behind the Bench with Tony Granato for the Season Opener
Crosby said Granato earned his trust through his sincere approach to human relations. “He was just so good at talking to guys,” Crosby said. “He cares so much about people. At the end of the day he always wanted to know how guys were doing and wanting to do anything he could to help.” But Granato didn’t just connect with those in the LA and Pittsburgh dressing rooms. Support staffers, arena employees and those in the front office felt his presence as well. “He knows everybody’s name when he sees people,” Crosby said. “It’s not a quick ‘Hi’, either. It’s usually a short conversation. “It’s a part of him. He genuinely does care and you can see that in the way he interacts. Regardless if it’s a player or a coach or somebody who’s an employee at the rink, it doesn’t matter. “I’ve seen that from him time and time again.”
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▪▪▪▪ he history between Gretzky and Granato is fascinating. They became teammates in Los Angeles partly because Gretzky liked how Granato, a right winger, played against him. Granato began his NHL career with the New York Rangers and was assigned to shadow Gretzky during a game in the 1988-89 season. “You chase Gretzky around,” then-Blueshirts coach Michel Bergeron told Granato. “I took that as the greatest challenge, the greatest compliment I could have, to have that opportunity,” Granato said. Gretzky later told Kings owner Bruce McNall that he respected the way Granato defended him, which set the stage for a trade on Jan. 20, 1990. Granato and left winger Tomas Sandstrom came to LA in exchange for center Bernie Nicholls.
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When Granato joined the Kings for a secmaybe one of the toughest players to ever ond-half game at Edmonton, he was informed play in the National Hockey League.” he’d be rooming with someone he knew only Gretzky said he and Granato had the same as “W. Douglas.” objectives. Granato asked Bob Miller, the former UW “We wanted to play our best every night and radio announcer who’d become the voice of win every game,” Gretzky said. “Hockey was the Kings, if he knew who “W. Douglas” was. our focus at that age.” Miller laughed. The two men were on the same page right “It’s Wayne,” he said, divulging Gretzky’s from the start. alias. “It was a nice friendship right from the very When Gretzky showed up the next day, the beginning and very compatible,” Gretzky said. bonding began. What makes GranaGranato learned to, now 53, such a “HE’S A GOOD PERSON. HE HAS that Gretzky loved his good friend? NO ENEMIES,” GRETZKY SAID. soap operas. “He’s a good per“HE’S GOT A BIG HEART. HE TRULY “He was as easy as son. He has no eneTREATS PEOPLE WITH A GREAT DEAL OF RESPECT. WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT could be,” Granato mies,” Gretzky said, YOU GET WITH TONY.” said. emphasizing the difGretzky learned ference between that Granato has a deep love for all things Granato’s on-ice persona and his off-ice inWisconsin even though Granato grew up in stincts. Downers Grove, Illinois. “He’s got a big heart. He truly treats people “I’m not surprised he’s back with the Badwith a great deal of respect. What you see is gers,” Gretzky laughed. “Rooming with him I what you get with Tony.” watched more Badger football games than I Gretzky said Granato was a major piece to ever imagined I would watch.” a lineup that reached the Stanley Cup finals On the ice, Gretzky saw Granato, all 5-footin 1993 “because of his unselfishness and his 10 and 185 pounds, as “pound-for-pound work ethic.” ICON SPORTSWIRE
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signature fist pump after scoring a goal from watching Pay, who was drafted in the ninth round by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1973 but never reached the NHL. Gretzky was an admirer of the late Bob Johnson, the one-time UW coach who took Calgary and Pittsburgh to the Stanley Cup finals in 1986 and ’91, respectively. “Had a lot of respect for him,” Gretzky said, citing Johnson’s role in bringing European tactics to the U.S. game. Gretzky also spoke to the UW football team prior to its appearance in the Rose Bowl in 1994. What are the chances Gretzky could show up at the Kohl Center to watch his friend in action?
DAVID STLUKA
▪▪▪▪ hen they were playing, Gretzky envisioning Granato as a future coach was far from his mind. After retiring from the NHL as a member of the San Jose Sharks in 2001, Granato sandwiched two stints as an NHL head coach around an assistant’s role with the Colorado Avalanche from 2002 to ’09. From there, Granato worked as an NHL and U.S. Olympic assistant while with the Penguins from 2009 to ’14. He then was an assistant with the Detroit Red Wings from 2014 to ’16 before leaving to come to Madison. “Usually the guys that become coaches are the guys that truly go beyond as far as their love for the sport and love for the game,” Gretzky said. “The guys who become coaches are the guys that don’t complain whether it’s the travel schedule or practice time or how many games you played in how many nights. “Looking back at it, you kind of realize those are the guys who are going to be around hockey a long time. Tony was that kind of a player.” Turns out Gretzky has ties to Wisconsin hockey beyond his relationship with Granato. Gretzky grew up in Brantford, Ontario, emulating Dave Pay, a high-scoring winger from St. Catharines, Ontario. “My favorite player when I was a kid,” Gretzky said. “He was the best 17-year-old I ever saw play.” Pay came to UW and played for the Badgers from 1972 to ’74. He scored 33 goals in 73 career games and skated on the 1973 NCAA championship team. Granato said Gretzky got his
33 33
ICON SPORTSWIRE
“Crazier things have happened,” he said with of sorts, unable to recognize his four children a laugh. in photos she produced. Gretzky said his most compelling story about “We called 911,” Gretzky said. Granato involved a near-tragedy in January of A four-hour operation followed and many 1996. thought Granato’s NHL career was over. Three weeks after a thundering on-ice hit Fast forward to January of 1997 when with Jeff Brown of Granato, playing for the Hartford WhalSan Jose, was named “IF YOU WANT SOMEBODY WHO’S ers, Granato underto participate in the GOING TO BE INVESTED AND WANT went brain surgery NHL All-Star Game. YOU TO IMPROVE AS A PLAYER AND AS A PERSON, I KNOW FROM to remove a blood “They definitely EXPERIENCE THAT HE’S THAT KIND clot from his left didn’t take the part of OF GUY,” CROSBY SAID OF GRANATO. temporal lobe. his brain that says he’s Granato was attough,” Gretzky said. tending a Super Bowl party at Gretzky’s home “He had brain surgery and came back and when the life-threatening condition came to played. Never talks about it. He got four stitchlife. es in the forehead and came out and played Granato complained of a headache and went the third period as far as he’s concerned.” to lay down. When his wife, Linda, went to Crosby saw that grit when he and some of check on him, Gretzky said she found him out his Pittsburgh teammates did a YouTube search of Granato’s NHL playing career, one that includes 1,425 penalty minutes. “He played hard,” Crosby said with a snicker. “He didn’t look like he was afraid of anything. It looked like he showed up every night to play a pretty tough game.” Granato said his relationship with Crosby grew out of his time with Gretzky. “Sid is fascinated with Wayne,” Granato said. “Admired everything he did. “He was always asking ‘What was he like as a player? What was he like as a teammate? What was he like as a captain?’ “He loves to hear stories. He loves to hear what the game was like.” What is Granato’s strength as a coach? “His ability to communicate,” Crosby said, noting that Granato handled the penalty-killing units. “When you have a person like him who just genuinely cares Sidney Crosby about others, guys can feel that right away I think.
34
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
“On top of that, he knows the game. He’s had experience as a player and a coach. I’m sure he’s covered a lot of different things.” Gretzky and Crosby, from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, are Canadian, but they look forward to seeing Granato coach Team USA in the 2018 Winter Olympics. “It’s a team that’s going to play with a lot of heart,” Gretzky said, noting there’s no clear-cut favorite for the gold medal. “His teams are going to play the way he played. They’re going to play hard with a great deal of respect for the game and passion.” Crosby said the Americans will be well-prepared in part because of Granato. “He’s very detailed,” Crosby said. “On top of being very detailed, he’s able to communicate well, so when you’re in a short-term event like that, guys have to understand quickly and be prepared. He’ll be really good at that.” Crosby attended Shattuck St. Mary’s (Minnesota) High School and once practiced at the Kohl Center before playing a midget game against the Madison Capitols. Crosby then starred for Rimouski Oceanic of
the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League before moving to the NHL. The major junior route has served Crosby and many of his peers well, but what if a prospect was weighing options that included Wisconsin? “I’d be pretty biased towards Tony just because I’ve played for him and gotten to know him,” Crosby said. “I know everything that he’s all about. “If you want somebody who’s going to be invested and want you to improve as a player and as a person, I know from experience that he’s that kind of guy.” Crosby said the decision between major junior and college is a separate conversation, but “I would definitely vouch for Tony and what he brings and the type of person he is.” Crosby said it was great to see Granato at UW. “He’s so good in that position,” Crosby said. “Whether those players move on to play at higher levels or they don’t, it doesn’t matter because he’s going to have an impact on their lives.”
35
INSIDE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (5-0, 2-0)
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
W, 40-6
Sept. 30 Northwestern W, 33-24 Oct. 7
at Nebraska
Oct. 14 Purdue Oct. 21 Maryland
LAST WEEK Behind a career-high 249 rushing yards and two touchdowns from freshman RB Jonathan Taylor, the Badgers used a dominant second-half performance to score their fifth-consecutive win over Nebraska, a 38-17 victory last Saturday in Lincoln.
GOOD TO KNOW The Badgers have won 11 straight meetings with Purdue, dating back to 2004, the longest win streak by either team in series history and the third-longest streak for the Badgers over any Big Ten opponent.
11 a.m.
Nov. 4
at Indiana
11 a.m. TBA
Nov. 11 Iowa TBA
DAVID STLUKA
THIS WEEK Alone atop the division standings, seventh-ranked Wisconsin (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) prepares to face its third-consecutive Big Ten West foe when Purdue (3-2, 1-1) comes to Camp Randall Stadium Saturday.
2:30 p.m.
Homecoming
Oct. 28 at Illinois ▲ TAP TO WATCH - Wisconsin vs Nebraska Highlights
W, 38-17
Nov. 18 #17 Michigan TBA Nov. 25 at Minnesota
TBA
Dec. 2
Big Ten Championship
Indianapolis, Ind.
View schedule on UWBadgers.com » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
NEED TO KNOW Saturday’s game kicks off at 2:30 p.m. (CT) and airs live on BTN and BTN2Go, with Kevin Kugler, Matt Millen and Lisa Byington on the call. Matt Lepay, Mike Lucas, Mark Tauscher and Patrick Herb will call the game statewide on the Badger Sports Network and worldwide via iHeartRadio. Live stats are available via UWBadgers.com and the Badger Gameday app.
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
▶ Baggot: Taylor and run game ‘makes us right’
FOLLOW US:
▶ USA Today: Badgers could be in the mix for the Playoff ▶ Land of 10: Why Wisconsin won’t talk about 12-0
37
INSIDE VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE (11-4, 2-4)
Home events in bold. All times CT. HotelRED Invitational, Madison, WI:
Sept. 7
Lipscomb
W, 3-0
Sept. 9
Texas A&M
W, 3-0
Badger Classic, Madison, WI:
THIS WEEK No. 11 Wisconsin (11-4, 2-4 B1G) returns home for two matches while wrapping up its run of four-straight matches against ranked teams. The Badgers host No. 4 Nebraska (13-3, 6-0) on Wednesday at 8 p.m. in the UW Field House, just 12 days after playing the Huskers in Lincoln on Sept. 30. The match airs live on the Big Ten Network. Wisconsin wraps up the week by taking on Indiana (11-7, 0-6) on Friday at 7 p.m. in the Field House. LAST WEEK Wisconsin has lost its last three matches, all to highly ranked teams, after falling at No. 14 Michigan State, 3-1, last Saturday. The Badgers also fell to No. 6 Minnesota, 3-2, on Oct. 4. It marks the first time since the 2015 season that UW has dropped three straight matches.
GOOD TO KNOW Freshman Sydney Hilley has turned up her defense the last three matches, recording three straight double-doubles. The 6-0 setter had a career-high 56 assists and 14 digs against Minnesota. She also had 14 digs at Michigan State. Hilley is averaging 2.71 digs per set over the last three matches. NEED TO KNOW The Badgers make their second appearance on the Big Ten Network when they host the Huskers. Friday’s match will be streamed live on BTN Plus. All matches can be heard in the Madison area on 100.9FM or online using the iHeartRadio app. Fans can also follow live updates on Twitter @BadgerVB.
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
▶ Wisconsin drops tough match to Michigan State
W, 3-1
Sept. 16 Southern Miss
W, 3-0
Sept. 22 Michigan State
L, 2-3
Sept. 24 #20 Michigan
W, 3-0
Sept. 29 at Iowa
W, 3-0
Sept. 30 at #8 Nebraska
L, 2-3
Oct. 4
#6 Minnesota
Oct. 7
at #14 Michigan St. L, 1-3
L, 2-3
Oct. 11 #4 Nebraska
8 p.m.
Oct. 13 Indiana
7 p.m.
Oct. 18 at Maryland
5 p.m.
Oct. 21
JACK MCLAUGHLIN
▲ TAP TO WATCH - Highlights: Wisconsin vs. Minnesota Volleyball
Sept. 14 Marquette
at #6 Minnesota 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 25 at #2 Penn State 6 p.m. Oct. 28 Northwestern
7 p.m.
View full schedule » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
FOLLOW US:
▶ Badgers fall to Gophers in five-set fight ▶ Minnesotan Hilley faces state school she eschewed for UW
39
INSIDE MEN’S HOCKEY SCHEDULE (2-1-0, 1-1-0)
Home events in bold. All times CT. Oct. 1
Michigan Tech
W, 3-2
Oct. 6
#19 Ohio State
L, 2-3
Oct. 7
#19 Ohio State W, 3-2
Oct. 13 at #13 Boston College 6 p.m. Oct. 14 at Merrimack
6 p.m.
Oct. 20 vs. N. Michigan
7 p.m.
Green Bay, Wis.
Oct. 21 vs. N. Michigan
THIS WEEK No. 10/12 Wisconsin (2-1-0, 1-1-0 Big Ten) takes its first road trip of the season and plays at No. 13/RV Boston College (0-0-1, 0-0-0 Hockey East) on Friday at 6 p.m. CT, and at Merrimack (0-1-1, 0-00 Hockey East) on Saturday at 6 p.m. LAST WEEK Wisconsin posted a home split last weekend against Ohio State, dropping a 3-2 contest last Friday, before winning by the same score on Saturday.
GOOD TO KNOW Wisconsin is allowing just 2.33 goals against per game through three games (seven total goals). Last season, UW allowed 3.28 goals-against per game. NEED TO KNOW Friday’s game at Boston College can be seen on ESPN3 and heard on 1310 WIBA, on the Badger Radio Network and the iheart radio app with Brian Posick and Paul Capobianco on the call. Saturday’s game streams at Merrimackathletics.com and can be heard on 1070 WTSO, on the Badger Radio Network and the iheart radio app.
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
▶ Hayton named to Mike Richter Award watch list ▶ UW coaches tasked with finding “right” players
Oct. 27 St. Lawrence
7 p.m.
Oct. 28 St. Lawrence
7 p.m.
Nov. 3
#8 North Dakota 7 p.m.
Nov. 4
#8 North Dakota 7 p.m.
Nov. 10 at Michigan State 6 p.m. Nov. 11 at Michigan State 6 p.m. Nov. 17 Michigan
7 p.m.
Nov. 18 Michigan
7 p.m.
Nov. 25 Mercyhurst
7 p.m.
Nov. 26 Mercyhurst
5 p.m.
Dec. 1
at #7 Minnesota 7 p.m.
Dec. 2
at #7 Minnesota 7 p.m. View full schedule »
SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
FOLLOW US:
GREG ANDERSON
▲ TAP TO WATCH - Badgers Close Ohio State Series With a Win
5 p.m.
Green Bay, Wis.
INSIDE WOMEN’S HOCKEY SCHEDULE (6-0-0, 0-0-0)
Home events in bold. All times CT. Sept. 22 Lindenwood
W, 3-1
Sept. 23 Lindenwood
W, 4-0
Sept. 28 Mercyhurst
W, 4-0
Sept. 29 Mercyhurst
W, 5-1
Oct. 6
at Syracuse
W, 1-0
Oct. 7
at Syracuse
W, 5-2
Oct. 13 at Minnesota St. 7 p.m. Oct. 14 at Minnesota St. 3 p.m. Oct. 20 Bemidji State
7 p.m.
Oct. 21 Bemidji State
7 p.m.
Oct. 28 at #9 Minnesota 4 p.m.
THIS WEEK The No. 1 Badgers (6-0-0, 0-0-0-0 WCHA) continue their road swing with a trip to Mankato, Minnesota, to take on Minnesota State (1-2-1, 0-0-0-0 WCHA). Puck drop on Friday at the Verizon Center is set for 7 p.m. while Saturday’s series finale begins at 3 p.m. LAST WEEK Wisconsin earned a sweep of Syracuse, defeating the Orange 1-0 on Friday before earning a 5-2 triumph on Saturday. Abby Roque scored the game-winning goal in Friday’s game while Claudia Kepler lit the lamp twice in Saturday’s
triumph. Roque also earned three assists in Saturday’s victory. GOOD TO KNOW Sophomore Kristen Campbell has been stellar in the UW net, allowing only four goals this year in six games. The UND transfer leads the NCAA in wins (6) and shutouts (3) so far this year.
Nov. 4
#7 Ohio State
Nov. 5
#7 Ohio State Noon
2 p.m.
Nov. 10 at Cornell
2 p.m.
Nov. 11 at Cornell
2 p.m.
DAVID STLUKA
Oct. 29 at #9 Minnesota 3 p.m.
View full schedule » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
NEED TO KNOW Fans can watch this weekend’s series on MSUMavericks.com while fans can also follow the game on Twitter (@BadgerWHockey).
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
▶ Baylee’s Blog: Bringing the pink to New York
FOLLOW US:
▶ Orange crushed: Badgers complete sweep of Syracuse ▶ Pair of UW home games to air on Fox Sports Wisconsin
41
INSIDE MEN’S SOCCER SCHEDULE (7-2-3, 3-1-1)
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 Sept. 19 at Duke Sept. 23 Penn State
L, 3-4 W, 1-0
Sept. 26 Wright State W, 2-1 2OT
THIS WEEK Wisconsin (7-2-3 overall, 3-1-1 Big Ten) wraps up its regular-season home schedule with a Friday night matchup against Big Ten powerhouse Maryland at 6 p.m. LAST WEEK Wisconsin dominated Marquette on its home turf, 3-0. Tom Barlow, Chris Mueller and Elan Koenig each found the back of the net. It was Koenig’s second game in a row scoring. Mueller extended a three-game scoring streak as he scored the lone goal against No. 1-ranked (RPI) Michigan State in UW’s 1-1
draw on Saturday night. It was the first time Michigan State did not score first against a Big Ten opponent. GOOD TO KNOW The Badgers have won their last five contests against instate rivals (Milwaukee, Green Bay and Marquette).
at Rutgers
W, 3-2
Oct. 4
Marquette
W, 3-0
Oct. 7
#6 Michigan St. T, 1-1 2OT
Oct. 10 Green Bay Oct. 13 #3 Maryland
POSTPONED
6 p.m.
JACK MCLAUGHLIN
▲ TAP TO WATCH - Wisconsin Battles Marquette for an In-state Victory
Oct. 1
Oct. 21 at #1 Indiana 6:30 p.m. Oct. 24 at Milwaukee
7 p.m.
Oct. 29 at Ohio State
Noon
Nov. 4-12
Big Ten Tournament
Westfield, Ind.
View schedule on UWBadgers.com »
SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
NEED TO KNOW Friday night’s showdown with the No. 3 Terrapins will be broadcast live on ESPNU. Live statistics for both games will be available on UWBadgers.com and live updates can be found on Twitter (@BadgerMSoccer).
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
▶ Double overtime draw pushes UW in the right direction
FOLLOW US:
▶ In-state rivalry belongs to Wisconsin ▶ Wisconsin's game against Green Bay postponed
43
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INSIDE WOMEN’S SOCCER SCHEDULE (9-3-2, 3-2-2)
Home events in bold. All times CT. Aug. 24 Creighton
W, 2-0
Aug. 27 Northern Illinois W, 2-0 Aug. 31 at #3 Virginia
W, 1-0
Sept. 3
at William & Mary W, 3-1
Sept. 7
at Drake
W, 3-0
Sept. 16 Minnesota
W, 1-0 OT
Sept. 21 Michigan St.
W, 2-1 OT
Sept. 24 Michigan Sept. 29 at Maryland
L, 1-2 OT T, 2-2 2OT
at #16 Rutgers L, 0-1 OT
Oct. 6
Purdue
W, 2-1
Oct. 8
Indiana
T, 0-0 2OT
Oct. 12 at Illinois ▲ TAP TO WATCH - Seniors reflect on their time as Badgers
THIS WEEK Wisconsin starts a three-game road stint at Illinois on Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. and then travels to Northwestern on Oct. 15 at 3:30 p.m. LAST WEEK The Badgers clinched a huge win against Purdue on Friday night. The Boilermakers had the highest winning percentage in the conference and UW defeated them, 2-1, behind big goals from freshman Cameron Murtha and sophomore Victoria Pickett. Wisconsin battled Indiana to a 0-0 tie on Sunday.
GOOD TO KNOW Purdue entered Friday’s match with the highest win percentage in the Big Ten (.900) and an average of 7.8 shots on goal per game. Against Wisconsin’s defense the Boilermakers only managed two shots on goal.
7 p.m.
Oct. 15 at Northwestern 3:30 p.m. Oct. 21 at Iowa
7 p.m.
Oct. 25 #13 Penn State
7 p.m.
GREG ANDERSON
Oct. 1
View full schedule » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
NEED TO KNOW Both games will be streamed live on BTN Plus and links for live statistics can be found on UWBadgers.com. Additionally, fans can follow live updates on Twitter (@BadgerWSoccer).
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
▶ Senior day deadlock: Badgers and Hoosiers battle to draw
FOLLOW US:
▶ Badgers make it rain on Boilermakers ▶ Photo Gallery: Women’s Soccer Senior Day
45
INSIDE MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY SCHEDULE
Home events in bold. All times CT. Sept. 2 at Indiana Open Results »
Bloomington, Ind.
Sept. 8 at ISU Country Financial Results » Invitational
Bloomington, Ill.
Sept. 16 Wisconsin “Mayflower Results » Day” Open Sept. 30 at Greater Louisville Classic Results »
Louisville, Ky.
Oct. 29 at Big Ten Championships Bloomington, Ind. 9 a.m.
THIS WEEK The No. 28 Badgers host the 2017 Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational presented by Under Armour on Friday at the Zimmer Championship Course. The women’s “B” race kick starts the meet at 11 a.m. with the men’s “B” race to follow at 11:40 a.m. The women’s championship race will be held at 12:20 p.m. with the men’s to follow at 1 p.m. LAST TIME OUT Oliver Hoare finished eighth at the Greater Louisville Classic on Sept. 30 to lead the Badgers to an eighth-place finish. For his efforts, Hoare was named the Big Ten Athlete of the Week, marking the
first time the sophomore has earned the honor from the conference. GOOD TO KNOW Twenty of the top-30 teams in the country will be in attendance at this year’s Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational, including No. 1 Northern Arizona, last year’s NCAA champion.
Terre Haute, Ind.
Oct. 29 at NCAA Championships Louisville, Ky. 11 a.m. View schedule on UWBadgers.com »
SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
NEED TO KNOW Admission for the meet is free and parking is available at Blackhawk Church. Fans can also watch the meet live on FloTrack and follow all the action on Twitter (@BadgerTrackXC).
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
▶ Hoare named Cross Country Athlete of the Week ▶ Hoare leads Badgers in Louisville 46
Nov. 10 at NCAA Great Lakes Regional 11 a.m.
▶ Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational named top meet
FOLLOW US:
DAVID STLUKA
Oct. 13 Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational 11 a.m.
INSIDE WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY SCHEDULE
Home events in bold. All times CT. Sept. 2 at Indiana Open Results »
Bloomington, Ind.
Sept. 8 at ISU Country Financial Results » Invitational
Bloomington, Ill.
Sept. 16 Wisconsin “Mayflower Results » Day” Open Sept. 30 at Greater Louisville Classic Results »
Louisville, Ky.
Oct. 13 Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational 11 a.m. Oct. 29 at Big Ten Championships Bloomington, Ind. 9 a.m.
THIS WEEK The No. 17 Badgers host the 2017 Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational presented by Under Armour on Friday at the Zimmer Championship Course. The women’s “B” race kick starts the meet at 11 a.m. with the men’s “B” race to follow at 11:40 a.m. The women’s championship race will be held at 12:20 p.m. with the men’s to follow at 1 p.m. LAST TIME OUT Amy Davis, Sarah Disanza and Alicia Monson all earned top-20 finishes at the Greater Louisville Classic on Sept. 30,
leading Wisconsin to a runner-up finish. GOOD TO KNOW Eighteen of the top-30 teams in the nation will attend this year’s Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational, including No. 3 New Mexico, No. 5 Stanford and No. 6 San Francisco.
Terre Haute, Ind.
DAVID STLUKA
Nov. 10 at NCAA Great Lakes Regional 11 a.m. Nov. 18 at NCAA Championships Louisville, Ky. 11 a.m. View schedule on UWbadgers.com »
SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
NEED TO KNOW Admission for the meet is free and parking is available at Blackhawk Church. Fans can also watch the meet live on FloTrack and follow all the action on Twitter (@BadgerTrackXC).
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
▶ Badgering: Alicia Monson
FOLLOW US:
▶ Badgers take second at Greater Louisville Classic ▶ Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational named top meet
47
INSIDE MEN’S GOLF SCHEDULE
Home events in bold. Sept. 10-12 Badger Invitational Results » Sept. 24-25 at Northern Intercollegiate Sugar Grove, Ill. Results » Oct. 1-3
Oct. 8-9
at Marquette Invitational Erin, Wis. Results » at Windon Memorial Skokie, Ill. Results »
Oct. 23-24 at Pinetree Intercollegiate
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
2018 Feb. 9-10
at Big Ten Match Play
Palm Coast, Fla.
LAST WEEK Playing in its third tournament in 15 days, the Wisconsin men’s golf team placed 12th at the Windon Memorial at Evanston Golf Club in Skokie, Illinois. Junior Jordan Hahn, who opened the tournament with a 3-under par 67 in the first round, led the Badgers, earning a share of 38th place. UP NEXT The Badgers play one more tournament as a team in the fall, the Pinetree Intercollegiate on Oct. 23-24 at Old Fort Golf Club in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
OF NOTE Junior Jordan Hahn, sophomores Pete Kuhl and Nick Robison and freshman Griffin Barela have competed in all four tournaments for the Badgers this fall. Hahn (twice), Robinson and Barela have all paced UW at some point in the season while Kuhl has been Wisconsin’s second finisher on two occasions.
Bluffon, S.C.
DAVID STLUKA
Mar. 12-13 at Colleton River Collegiate Mar. 25-27 at Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate
Awendaw, S.C.
Mar. 31-Apr. 1
at D.A. Weibring Invitational
Normal, Ill.
View full schedule » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
GOOD TO KNOW Senior Michael Abrahamson and junior Brett Robinson competed as individuals at last year’s Pinetree Intercollegiate, finishing tied for 37th and 60th, respectively.
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
FOLLOW US:
▶ Badgers place 12th at Windon Memorial ▶ Five things to know: Windon Memorial Classic
49
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 Results » Invitational
Lexington, Ky.
Oct. 21-22 at Cardinal Cup
Simpsonville, Ky.
2018 Feb. 4-6
at UCF Challenge
Orlando, Fla.
Feb. 25-26 at the Westbrook Spring Invitational
LAST WEEK The Badgers finished second at the Bettie Lou Evans Invitational, which wrapped up Saturday at the University Club of Kentucky in Lexington. It was UW’s best stroke play finish of the season. UW has now placed among the top five at every tournament this fall. NEXT WEEK Up next for UW is the Cardinal Cup on Oct. 21-22 in Simpsonville, Ky. Wisconsin finished second at that tournament a year ago.
OF NOTE A balanced Badgers lineup saw all five golfers place in the top 20, led by senior Lexi Harkins’ seventh-place finish. Junior Jessica Reinecke earned the first top-10 finish of her career, placing ninth at +3. Seniors Becky Klongland and Aya Johnson tied for 15th place at +6 while classmate Gabby Curtis finished one stroke back in a tie for 20th.
Peoria, Ariz.
Mar. 16-17 at Hawkeye-El Tigre Invitational
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Mar. 23-25 at Clemson Invitational
Sunset, S.C.
Apr. 8-10
at Silverado Showdown
Napa, Calif.
View full schedule »
SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
GOOD TO KNOW Reinecke and Johnson both recorded career-best finishes while Harkins, a transfer from North Carolina in her first season at Wisconsin, had her best finish as a Badger.
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
FOLLOW US:
▶ UW finishes second at Bettie Lou Evans Invitational ▶ Five things to know: Bettie Lou Evans Invitational
51
THIS WEEK IN BADGER HISTORY
DAVID STLUKA
CAMP RANDALL 100 SPOTLIGHT:
SIDNEY WILLIAMS
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
W
52
ith just two games left in the 1956 season and sporting a 1-5-1 record, head coach Milt Bruhn knew his Wisconsin football team needed a spark. He turned to a little-used defensive back-turned-quarterback to try to ignite the offense. The plan worked. Sidney Williams, who had rarely seen the field, was installed as UW’s starting quarterback ahead of its game at Illinois. At that point in the season, the two teams had a combined 3-9-2 record, hardly the makings of a historic contest. However, when Williams took the first snap of the game from Art Bloedorn, he became the first African-American starting quarterback in the modern era of the Big
Ten Conference. The Badgers escaped Champaign with a 13-13 tie on the strength of a Williams 9-yard touchdown run with less than four minutes remaining. Sidney Williams, a gangly bundle of muscle and heart who had to beg his way on the squad a year ago, lifted Wisconsin’s football team from the depths of despair to an unexpected 13-13 tie with Illinois before 52,858 Saturday, wrote the Milwaukee Sentinel. The following week, seventh-ranked Minnesota came to town armed with a 6-1-1 record and once again, Williams punctuated a late comeback. After a pass interference call on Minnesota in the end zone gave the Badgers the ball on the 1 yard line, Williams plunged in with 2:07 left in the game. UW missed the ensuing extra point, just missing out on a stunning upset. Williams started every game at quarterback for
the Badgers in 1957, leading them to a 6-3 record and a No. 19 ranking in the final Associated Press poll. He ran for four touchdowns and passed for four more. In addition, he returned three punts, one kickoff and recorded two interceptions and two fumble recoveries on defense. The next season, Williams started under center for UW’s season-opening 20-0 win at Miami. After that game, Dale Hackbart took over as the Badgers’ starter with Williams still seeing action at quarterback. Wisconsin went 7-1-1 and finished the season ranked No. 7 in the country as Williams completed 22 of 40 passes for 321 yards and two TDs and ran 46 times for 108 yards and two scores. One of those was a 20-yard run to open the scoring in the season-ending 2712 win over Minnesota. Following that victory, Williams and the nine other UW seniors were carried off the field by students who rushed the field. After the end of his trailblazing college career, Williams left the UW campus in 1958 for two years of professional football — one year in the NFL and one season in the Canadian Football League. Hampered by injuries during his brief pro career, however, he returned to Madison and graduated with a degree in chemical engineering. He earned a law degree from George Washington University in 1967 and was for many years a highly-respected patent lawyer for the UpJohn pharmaceutical company, being appointed Executive Director of Trademarks and Domestic Patents for the company in 1990. He retired from UpJohn in 1995 but remained active in the affairs of his alma mater, serving on the board of directors of the University of Wisconsin Foundation, as well as on the UW College of Engineering's Industrial Advisory Board. In 1994, he received the University of Wisconsin's Distinguished Alumnus Award. Williams was inducted into the University of Wisconsin Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008. For the complete Camp Randall 100 list, visit CampRandall100.com. 53