INFOCUS
EYES ON THE PRIZE Sophomore Maddie Rowe’s focus on the puck helped her lead the Badgers to a 4-0 win over St. Cloud State on Saturday at a sold-out LaBahn Arena. She scored two goals and added an assist to earn her first-ever WCHA Offensive Player of the Week honors. PHOTOS BY GREG ANDERSON
INFOCUS
FACE-OFF AGAINST CANCER A pair of Badgers fighting cancer — 1990 NCAA champion Rob Andringa and Noah Sanger, the fiveyear old son of volunteer assistant coach Jeff Sanger — wave to a packed Kohl Center crowd before taking part in the ceremonial puck drop last Saturday. PHOTO BY LARRY RADLOFF
INFOCUS
AIR IVERSON Khalil Iverson brought the Kohl Center to its feet with a SportsCenter Top 10 dunk during the second half of Wisconsin’s game against Nebraska on Monday night. The Badgers host Northwestern on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. (CT) on FS1. PHOTO BY DARREN LEE
INFOCUS
ORDER OUT OF CHAOS With colliding bodies all around, junior forward Seamus Malone found a loose puck at the goal line and pushed it over for a goal last Friday in UW’s 4-2 victory at the Kohl Center. Malone’s effort was further rewarded with a raucous round of celebratory hugs courtesy of his teammates on the ice. PHOTOS BY MADDIE MacFARLANE
INFOCUS
BADGERS IN THE BIG APPLE Wisconsin made its annual trip to New York City to compete at the Dr. Sander Invitational, but also found time to explore the city. The Badgers did some sightseeing on Friday, including a stop at the National September 11 Memorial. PHOTO BY CHUCK HART
CONTENTS
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JANUARY 31, 2018 ▪ VOLUME 8, ISSUE 21
HEART OF A LION Standing only 5-foot-4, Wisconsin guard Suzanne Gilreath is growing into a playmaker for the Badgers and a respected leader thanks to her speed, skill and positive mindset.
FEATURES 2
IN FOCUS
16 LUCAS AT LARGE 19 BY THE NUMBERS
23 BADGERING
HOME FOR SUPER BOWL
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Former UW defensive lineman Beau Allen’s road to pro football’s biggest stage has circled back home.
24 BADGERS GIVE BACK
ICON SPORTSWIRE
20 WHAT TO WATCH
LUCAS AT LARGE
35 INSIDE BASKETBALL 39 INSIDE HOCKEY 43 INSIDE WRESTLING 45 INSIDE TRACK & FIELD 49 INSIDE TENNIS 53 INSIDE WOMEN’S GOLF 54 BADGER HISTORY
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BADGERS GIVE BACK
‘MAGICAL’ FRIENDSHIP For Bodhi and the Badgers, the swimming and diving team’s bond with a young boy with leukemia is very special. 13
Wisconsin Athletic Communications Kellner Hall, 1440 Monroe St. Madison, WI 53711
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LUCAS AT LARGE BY MIKE LUCAS ▪ UWBADGERS.COM SENIOR WRITER
Allen’s road to Super Bowl circles home
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innesota’s Minnetonka High School is 25 minutes away from U.S. Bank Stadium and light years away from the National Football League for any teenager dreaming of playing in a Super Bowl. “It almost seems a little bit surreal how it has all worked out so well for me,” said Beau Allen, who’s from Shorewood, a western suburb of Minneapolis. “It’s about as exciting as it can get.” Allen has traveled from Minnetonka High (where he was a lacrosse state champion) to Wisconsin (where he went to three Rose Bowls) to the NFL (where he was a seventh-round draft pick). On Sunday, he will be wearing No. 94 — with his long hair flowing from under his midnight green helmet with the silver wings — and stepping on the Super Bowl LII stage with the Philadelphia Eagles. “You can’t draw it up any better,” said the 26-year-old Allen. Well, you could. Unlimited access to tickets (he gets 17) would be helpful to accommodate the requests from family and friends. “I’ve had so many people hit me up,” he said, sighing. It’s all part of the build-up; the predictable Super Bowl whirlwind that has gripped the Eagles since their rout of the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC championship game. “It has been crazy, but in a good way,” said Allen, who’s completing his fourth season in Philly. “It reminds me a little bit
of when we played in the Rose Bowls. But multiply it by 100 or so.” Beyond the Pasadena trips, Allen appeared in a then school-record 54 career games as a defensive lineman for the Badgers. In 2014, he was the 224th player drafted; 32 picks from Mr. Irrelevant. On facing such long odds to even make the team as a rookie, he said, “I didn’t know back then if I was going to stay for one training camp in August or four years, 10 years, whatever.
“IT ALMOST SEEMS A LITTLE BIT SURREAL HOW IT HAS ALL WORKED OUT SO WELL FOR ME. IT’S ABOUT AS EXCITING AS IT CAN GET.” “But I just wanted to be able to feel like I never left anything on the table. That I worked as hard as I could have worked. Maybe it’s not the sexiest answer. But it’s true. “I still think about it that way. When I hang up the cleats, I want to be proud of the way I worked and the way I practiced and prepared and played. That’s how it has always been for me.” Allen never missed a game with the Badgers. He has missed just one with the Eagles. “I like to think I’ve been very reliable,” he said. “Even though I’m technically a backup, I’ve played over 40 percent of the snaps this year, so I really don’t
look at myself as a backup.” Allen has been a perfect fit for a D-line rotation that has been the backbone of an aggressive defense. “We all mesh really well together,” he said. “And we play hard for each other.” Although he’s more of a runstuffer, he knows the pass rush will be critical against New England’s Tom Brady. “We’ve done our fair share of film study on No. 12,” he said. Another Patriots jersey number has triggered some flashbacks for Allen. That would be the No. 28 worn by running back James White, who was in the same UW recruiting class with Allen. “I’ve been texting with James a little bit, nothing too crazy, just that I’d see him in the game,” he said. “I have a lot of respect for James; how he works and the things that he can do on a football field. “I’m friends with him. My folks are really good friends with his parents. I have nothing but love and respect for James. All that said, I’m going to do everything I can to shut him down.” The Eagles have the Patriots outnumbered, 3-1, in former Badgers. Besides Allen, there’s tailback Corey Clement, who gets regular snaps; and safety Chris Maragos, who’s on injured reserve. In mid-October, Maragos suffered a season-ending knee injury while covering a punt against Carolina. Maragos, an eight-year veteran from Racine, Wisconsin,
is the captain of Philadelphia’s special teams. “Over the last month,” Allen said, “Chris has gotten in front of the team on a couple of occasions and shared his thoughts and experience from a guy who has won a Super Bowl with Seattle. “Even though he has been hurt, he still has been really involved and vocal.” Allen didn’t play with Maragos at Wisconsin. But he was a senior when Clement was a freshman. Both returned to Madison in November during their bye week and were introduced at the Iowa game. The week before, Clement had three touchdowns (two rushing) in a win over Denver. “It
was kind of a breakout game for Corey,” Allen said. “It was kind of cool to see him have his moment in Philly.” Allen had his own “moment” and it was emotional. Before an October home game, the Eagles invited a group of breast cancer survivors to hold the American flag during the national anthem. Among those recognized were Allen’s mom and grandmother. “I was starting and they announced me,” Allen said. “So, I got to run out of the tunnel on to the field and I gave them a big hug.” Because he has been so inspired by his mom — “For everything she has been through and has sacrificed for our family” — he has been active with cancer
awareness groups and causes. Over a four-week period in October — a “Crucial Catch Challenge” — Allen donated money to the American Cancer Society for each tackle made by the Eagles defensive line. As a UW freshman, Allen began growing out his hair (and hasn’t had it cut since then) out of respect for his mom, Susie, who has been cancer free for more than a dozen years. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m going to cut it and donate it eventually (to an organization that makes wigs for cancer patients),” he promised. “But I don’t want to have a Sampson and Delilah moment.” Not now, not before realizing his Super Bowl dream. ▪
▼ TAP TO WATCH - Super Bowl LII Opening Night with the Badgers ICON SPORTSWIRE
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BY THE NUMBERS ◀ WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD Taylor Amann broke her own school record in the indoor pole vault on Friday, soaring 13 feet, 11 1/4 inches to win the event at the Dr. Sander Invitational.
WALT MIDDLETON
13-11 ¼ 30+ WOMEN’S HOCKEY ▶ Wisconsin has outscored its opponents 36-6 in the opening frame to build a +30 goal differential, a statistic that stands as the best in NCAA Division I women’s hockey.
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ERIC MILLER
◀ MEN’S TRACK & FIELD Ollie Hoare shined in the Big Apple at the Dr. Sander Invitational, finishing fifth in the 3000 meters in 7:54.91. His time ranks No. 9 in Wisconsin’s top-10 list.
KELLI GRASHEL
7:54.91
DAVID STLUKA
WRESTLING ▼ In a dominating 23-8 victory that included 10 takedowns, fifth-ranked Evan Wick (165 pounds) tallied his seventh technical fall of the season against Indiana’s Dillon Hoey on Friday.
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WHAT TO WATCH DARREN LEE
HOME HARDWOOD
MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. NORTHWESTERN THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1 ▪ 7:30PM KOHL CENTER ▪ FS1 DAVID STLUKA
After an extended run of road games, Wisconsin returns home to the Kohl Center this week and will face Northwestern on Thursday. Catch the Badgers tip off against the Wildcats on FS1.
B1G CLIMB
MEN’S HOCKEY VS. MICHIGAN FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2 ▪ 6:30PM ANN ARBOR, MICH. ▪ FOX SPORTS WIS.
THINK PINK
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. OHIO STATE SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3 ▪ NOON KOHL CENTER ▪ BTN
JACK MCLAUGHLIN
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Wisconsin celebrates the annual Play4Kay Think Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Game on Saturday and the Badgers will face Big Ten foe Ohio State at the Kohl Center. BTN will air the game live at Noon.
buy tickets
GREG ANDERSON
Looking to keep climbing in the Big Ten standings, Wisconsin travels to Ann Arbor to take on Michigan for a Friday-Saturday series. The puck drops for both games against the Wolverines at 6:30 p.m. on Fox Sports Wisconsin.
WEDNESDAY 1/31 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL vs. Minnesota Madison, Wis. 7:00 p.m. Watch: BTN2Go Buy tickets »
THURSDAY 2/1 WOMEN’S TENNIS vs. Northern Illinois Madison, Wis. 1:00 p.m. MEN’S BASKETBALL vs. Northwestern Madison, Wis. 7:30 p.m. Watch: FS1 SOLD OUT
FRIDAY 2/2
SATURDAY 2/3
MEN’S & WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD at Frank Sevigne Husker Invite Lincoln, Neb. Noon
MEN’S & WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD at Frank Sevigne Husker Invite Lincoln, Neb. 9:30 a.m.
WOMEN’S HOCKEY at #6 Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 5:00 p.m.
WOMEN’S TENNIS vs. Bradley Madison, Wis. 10:00 a.m.
MEN’S HOCKEY at #20 Michigan Ann Arbor, Mich. 6:30 p.m. Watch: Fox Sports Wis.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL vs. #18 Ohio State Madison, Wis. Noon Watch: BTN Buy tickets »
View more 2/3 events »
SUNDAY 2/4 MEN’S BASKETBALL at Maryland College Park, Md. Noon Watch: CBS
MONDAY 2/5 WOMEN’S GOLF at UCF Challenge Orlando, Fla. All day
TUESDAY 2/6
WEDNESDAY 2/7
WOMEN’S GOLF at UCF Challenge Orlando, Fla. All day
WOMEN’S GOLF at UCF Challenge Orlando, Fla. All day
ALL TIMES CENTRAL
VIEW FULL CALENDAR ON UWBADGERS.COM »
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BADGERING...
LEE KEMP
Lee Kemp won three NCAA wrestling titles at Wisconsin and followed that up with three world freestyle championships, unprecedented feats at the time that make him one of the greatest wrestlers in history. In 2006, the UW, USA Wrestling and International Wrestling Hall of Famer began compiling a journal of motivational quotes and stories that rang true with his iconic career. Kemp, 61, soon had the framework for a paperback book entitled “Winning Gold: Success Secrets of a World Champion” that was published in 2017 and can be ordered via Kemp’s web site at leekemp.com. The coach of the U.S. freestyle team for the 2008 Summer Olympics, Kemp is based out of Chicago and recently shared some thoughts on his latest project. BY ANDY BAGGOT ▪ UWBADGERS.COM INSIDER
You have 75 distinct, inspiring messages in the book after starting out with 200-plus. How has the book been received? “I think well. I got some positive comments on the Amazon book review section. … For what it is, it’s a good book. I didn’t try to do a literary book. I just did a book of where I thought my skill set is at this moment. It’s trying to motivate people. It’s thoughts that I had, thoughts that motivated me that other people wrote. It’s like the quote at the beginning of the book by Michael Jordan. It’s not mine, but it’s something I felt could motivate people. ‘Practice like you never won. Play like you never lost.’ When I read that I thought, ‘That’s exactly me. That’s how I was.’” One of your favorite passages in the book is entitled “Burn the Ships.” It’s about the explorer Cortez and his men sailing from Spain to Mexico in search of Aztec treasure in 1519. What’s the message there? “It could be folklore — I tried to research it a little bit — but what you take away from the story is all about achievement. I use it now when I’m talking to groups of people. I tell them, ‘You’ve got to burn your ships.’ They say, ‘What do you mean by that?’ I tell them the ships are the things that are going to take you back to your place of comfort. There is no ship that’s taking you back. You’re stuck here. You’ve got to figure this out. That’s what I think the takeaway of the book is and that’s been well received.” Where does this book fit on your list of things you’re most proud of? “I’ve never thought of it like that, but now that you mention it I’m very proud of it, partly because I’ve gotten really good feedback.” Click to read more »
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BADGERS GIVE BACK SPOTLIGHT
badgers give back
‘Magical’ friendship for Bodhi and Badgers Swimming and diving team’s bond with young boy with leukemia very special
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BY ANDY BAGGOT ■ UWBADGERS.COM INSIDER
lowly but surely, Bodhi O’Rourke is weaving his way into the hearts of all Wisconsin student-athletes. In the last five months, O’Rourke, a 4-yearold with leukemia, was installed as an honorary captain of the football team and became a close, personal friend of standout men’s tennis player Lamar Remy. Now O’Rourke and his family have become attached to members of the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams. The results are nothing short of amazing. “We’ve gotten more out of it than Bodhi has, which is pretty magical,” UW men’s and women’s coach Whitney Hite said. Bodhi is a patient at American Family Children’s Hospital whose link to Wisconsin athletics is through the Badgers Give Back program. “It has played a big role on Bo’s journey this school year and given him a positive outlet
during what has been an extremely difficult battle,” his mother, Ruthie, wrote in an email. Bodhi and his family, including four siblings, were introduced to the swimmers and divers in November. The O’Rourkes made a strong first impression by showing up with donuts. Team members responded with a card, official UW swim caps and Gummy Bears. According to Ruthie, the O’Rourkes have been on hand for several early Saturday morning practices, typically hanging out for an hour or so. “The swimmers and divers are a gifted, talented group of young role models,” she wrote. “The work ethic and dedication they display is really remarkable. As a parent this is an invaluable gift for our kids to see. “Having such a large group of students it is hard to have a lot of one-on-one interaction.
Obviously they are essentially at work when A helpful link has been provided by Megan we visit. Yet they take the time to high-five and Caskey, a nurse at AFCH whose husband, Neil, say ‘hi.’ is an assistant coach under Hite. “Bodhi has befriended many of them and “It’s been good for our kids,” Hite said. “Swimlikes to send Instagram videos and messages mers aren’t as revered as football and basketback and forth with them. ball players, yet in Bodhi’s eyes they are. “Whether they like it or not, I think they are “I’ve been pleased that our kids, in typistuck with us now,” Ruthie continued. “We will cal fashion, haven’t done the bare minimum. always be cheering them on, wishing them They’ve gone above and beyond. nothing but success and “The magic in this is happiness.” the relationship and “IT’S EVOLVED TO A GOOD RELATIONHite said he asked having that be authenSHIP. I THINK IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT his student-athletes to tic and sincere.” BODHI. I THINK IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT reach out to Bodhi and Hite has a son who’s A TEAM AND THE TYPE OF PEOPLE his family not knowing the same age as Bodhi. THAT WE HAVE. IT’S BEEN REALLY how they’d respond to The father/coach beTOUCHING AND REWARDING TO SEE the assignment. came emotional talking IT ALL COME TOGETHER.” “I wanted them to about their divergent have a relationship outjourneys and the impact side their comfort zone a little bit and have Bodhi has had on the swim team. them realize that there’s bigger things going on “Sorry,” Hite said, trying to compose himself. outside their world,” Hite said of his swimmers “He’s just such a good kid.” and divers. Hite recounted how Bodhi brought candy “It’s evolved to a good relationship. I think canes in for the team at Christmas and how he it says a lot about Bodhi. I think it says a lot remembered the January birthdays of several about a team and the type of people that we coaches. have. It’s been really touching and rewarding “I’m not sure who’s getting more out of it to see it all come together.” and that’s a good thing,” Hite said. ▪
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isconsin’s women’s basketball coach Jonathan Tsipis is more than happy to share Suzanne Gilreath with others. Especially since she falls in the almosttoo-good-to-be-true category. “She’s the epitome of positivity,” Tsipis said of his 20-year-old sophomore guard, who stands much taller than 5-foot-4 among those who know her. “She has such a good disposition.” Tsipis likes to tell the story of how the campus academic services people were so impressed by her approach in taking advantage of the school’s available tools and resources that they recruited her. “Last summer, they asked for her to speak to all the freshmen,” he said. “It’s not only about utilizing the resources that we have, but it’s also about having an appreciation for them.” Mary Weaver-Klees, Associate Director of the UW’s Fetzer Academic Center, credits Gilreath for practicing what she preaches. “She is always in the Fetzer Center. She is very proactive in everything she does,” Klees said. “She doesn’t react, she asks for assistance ahead of time. She says ‘I think I’ll need assistance with this ahead of time.’
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“As a result of doing all of the things she told the freshmen to do, she’s on top of her game academically and is doing great in her classes. She comes in to see tutors or advisors. She takes her own advice.” Gilreath’s diligence in her studies — in the classroom and on the court — is hard to ignore. “She has the most remarkable growth mindset of any student I’ve worked with,” shared Kat Nichols, a UW learning specialist. “She is constantly saying ‘I’m going to get better, I’m working to get better.’ Pushing to see the results of getting better. She is an example that other athletes can strive for as well. No matter where you come in, you’re leaving more advanced than you could ever imagine.” It’s why Tsipis feels so good about Gilreath mentoring first-year student-athletes, including his three freshmen, one of whom, Niya Beverley, a 5-7 point guard, has come under Gilreath’s wing. “She’s really close with Niya who has been getting thrown in the fire,” said Tsipis. “Suzanne will talk about, ‘Hey, this is what I went through last year. You’re going to be fine. This is the plan.’
JACK MCLAUGHLIN
“It’s great to have that (perspective) because as much as we can talk about the process to our younger kids, they gravitate to Suzanne because you gravitate to people who are positive. “She never lets anything that might be viewed as a negative — whether it’s her size or coming in underrated (as a college prospect) — as something to hold her back. I love coaching her.” Tsipis can be demanding of Gilreath because he knows that she can handle it. “I’m not sure there’s a time when I’m coaching her,” he said, “there’s not a ‘Thank you’ or an ‘Okay, I see that.’ “I’m hard on her because she wants to do well. She watches more film with our staff than any of our other players. And she spends more time getting extra shots in. She’s so coachable.” Nothing can seemingly get her to veer outside of her lane. “There’s nothing that happens bad that she says is going to happen again,” Tsipis observed. “She always sees the best in not only what’s going to happen but in the people around her.” One of Gilreath’s biggest fans isn’t surprised That positivity and hard work has paid off in the least. for Gilreath on the court as of late. Earlier this David Gilreath didn’t get a chance to “hang month, she tied the UW school record for out” with his little sister too much when they 3-pointers made without a miss by going 5-ofwere growing up since there’s a nine-year dif5 from beyond the arc ference in their ages. at Northwestern and But he always knew repeated the effort one thing about her. “SHE NEVER LETS ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE with five triples the “She’s not very tall,” VIEWED AS A NEGATIVE — WHETHER IT’S HER following game against he said, “but she’s got SIZE OR COMING IN UNDERRATED (AS A COLLEGE Penn State. the heart of a lion.” PROSPECT) — AS SOMETHING TO HOLD HER On Sunday, Gilreath, The 5-9, 170-pound BACK. I LOVE COACHING HER.” who has yet to start Gilreath embodied a game this season, that same characterisraised the bar even higher with a career-best tic throughout his Wisconsin football career 27 points on the strength of seven 3-pointers whether he was running jet sweeps, catching (7-of-12) in Wisconsin’s win at Illinois. Her sevpasses or returning kickoffs and punts. en treys rank second on the UW single-game “I’ve looked up to him since I was younger,” record list. Suzanne said. “He showed me the way.”
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JACK MCLAUGHLIN
▲ TAP TO WATCH - Wisconsin Won Their First Conference Game Against Northwestern
Today, the 29-year-old Gilreath is the owner of an eclectic resume that includes a psychology degree from the UW, a taste of the NFL with a handful of teams and a worn passport. “I’ve been traveling the world a lot,” said Gilreath, who has traveled to nearly 30 countries while working sales for a national jewelry manufacturing and distribution company. Two years ago, he was in Canada to watch Suzanne make her debut with the Badgers during a three-city August exhibition tour prior to the start of her freshman year at Wisconsin. “I follow her like she’s Kobe Bryant,” he said. “I’m glued in front of the TV when she’s playing. I haven’t been this emotional about watching someone else play in any other sport in a long time. “It doesn’t matter if she’s 6-foot or 4-9, she can get that shot up with her quick release,” he said of her 3-point range. “I don’t know where she got it from. I can tell you that she didn’t get it from me.” Suzanne Gilreath has actually taken quite a bit from her older brother, whose game-opening touchdown return against No. 1 Ohio State in 2010 helped land him on the Camp Randall 100 list. “He just told me to keep working hard and nobody can stop you,” she said. “The biggest
thing now that he tells me, ‘Make the best of your experience in every opportunity that is given to you.’” Specifically, he has encouraged her to tap into all of the UW’s academic resources. “She sends me her transcript every semester and that’s something I’m very proud of,” he said. “In basketball, she works hard and that will take care of itself. But she’s excelling in the classroom.” It’s that type of personal commitment, he admitted, that has put a smile on his face in ‘just seeing the young lady she is becoming and the positive influence that she’s having on others.” Using such words as “joyful” and “uplifting” to describe his sister, he acknowledged that they text frequently, nearly every other day. Plus, they FaceTime about twice a week. “I just want to see how she’s doing but I actually don’t talk to her about basketball,” he said. “I know how college can be and she’s away from home — not far — but away from her sister.” Suzanne and Suzette Gilreath are fraternal twins. “You’d think they were identical,” David said. “They look alike and act alike.” Suzette is a dance major at the University of Minnesota. Despite the distance between them, Suzanne said, “She’s here to support me. And I’m here to support her, too.”
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JACK MCLAUGHLIN
Suzette has a nose ring, which is the way that Tsipis tells them apart. “She’s as energetic and positive as Suzanne,” he pointed out. Suggesting it’s a family trait, Tsipis said, “You can tell that they really support each other.” There’s strength in numbers with the Gilreaths. Suzanne has two older sisters (Davenna and Daisha), two older brothers (David and Devente), her twin (Suzette) and a younger sister (Autumn). Suzanne has always looked up to her mother, Suzie, for dealing with some adversity at a young age, she says, and “seeing her fight and never give up in life.” Meanwhile, Gilreath says that she has gotten her personality and positive mindset from her dad, David, who has a popular motivating phrase that Suzanne has tried to live by. “Stay hungry and humble,” she repeated. “It was something that he always stated to me growing up and it has stuck with me to this day. “You have to want it, too, because nobody is going to give you anything.” Suzanne Gilreath wants it so much that she confessed “I play with a chip on my shoulder.” It’s not about proving herself to her peers as much as it is about accepting “how much smaller I am than most players on the court, so I have to work a little harder and be a little quicker.” It hasn’t been easy. As a high school sophomore, she didn’t have much of a shot. “So, I started working on it,” she said. “I was always in the gym and I was trying to develop my jump shot by watching Steph Curry and Ray Allen on YouTube. And now it’s (Oklahoma’s) Trae Young. “I watch their footwork and how they move without the ball. The biggest thing is how they’re being defended and how they create their shot. I try to do it by just being quick.” As a prep senior, Gilreath averaged 29 points and became the Minnesota record-holder for most career 3-pointers with 294. She has always focused on the makes and not dwelled on the misses. That trait, reinforcing the positive, has shaped her game, according to her brother.
was about to hire Tsipis from George Washing“You can tell when she’s playing it doesn’t ton University, one of the first phone calls that matter if she has missed 10 shots in a row, her he received was from Gilreath, then an incomconfidence is still sky high,” David said. “Nothing freshman. ing ever gets her down.” “When I talked to Suzanne, she had already That was seconded by Tsipis who said, “She Googled me and had watched some of our can shoot it off the top of the backboard. But practice clips on YouTube,” said Tsipis, who was if she’s open on the very next play, there’s not blown away by her willingness to start building going to be a hesitation.” a relationship. Grinning, he went on, “I remember the first “I usually don’t have to time I met her in pertalk to her about turning “STAY HUNGRY AND HUMBLE. IT WAS SOMETHING son. I was out recruita shot down.” THAT (MY DAD) ALWAYS STATED TO ME GROWING ing, and she sat with me Gilreath has shot UP AND IT HAS STUCK WITH ME TO THIS DAY. and asked a ton of ques159 of the team’s 385 YOU HAVE TO WANT IT, TOO, BECAUSE NOBODY tions. She brought a 3-pointers in 23 games. IS GOING TO GIVE YOU ANYTHING.” basketball with her and She has made 58 — 34 she dribbled it while we more than anyone else. were talking.” In conference play, she’s It didn’t take him long to figure out that they averaging 11 points, second best on the Badgers. had a common energy and passion for the “There’s not a lot of 5-4 shooting guards in game. the Big Ten,” Tsipis said. “I’ve seen this with “Anyone who knows me — or has seen me on players when they’re smaller, or maybe don’t the sidelines — knows I’m not a quiet guy; my have the quickest release, they understand emotion is on my sleeve,” he said. “It’s fun to see how to space it more. somebody have that same kind of enthusiasm.” “They shoot the ones that people don’t beIt’s part of that almost-too-good-to-be-true lieve they’re going to take, which sometimes narrative. But Gilreath insists that it’s not difwe don’t believe she has just taken. (Grinning ficult to be the way that she is. “It’s easy and again). But she does a great job of getting to natural,” she said. “I thank God that I have this open spots quickly.” personality.” When the news leaked out that Wisconsin
“
JACK MCLAUGHLIN
33
INSIDE MEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE (10-13, 3-7)
Home events in bold. All times CT. Jan. 2
Indiana
Jan. 5
at Rutgers
L, 60-64
Jan. 9
at Nebraska
L, 59-63
Jan. 16 at #3 Purdue
W, 71-61
L, 50-78
Jan. 19 Illinois
W, 75-50
Jan. 23 at Iowa
L, 67-85
Jan. 26 at #6 Mich. St. L, 61-76 Jan. 29 Nebraska
L, 63-74
Feb. 1
Northwestern 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 4
at Maryland
Noon
Feb. 8
at Illinois
8 p.m.
Feb. 11 #24 Michigan Noon
THIS WEEK Wisconsin (10-13, 3-7) hosts Northwestern at the Kohl Center on Thursday, then takes to the road again for a game at Maryland on Sunday.
Center opening its doors on Jan. 17, 1998. The Badgers are 283-45 in the Kohl Center, the ninth-highest winning percentage of any active building in college basketball.
LAST WEEK Having played five of the last seven on the road, the Badgers are looking to bounce back from three straight losses at Iowa, at Michigan State and against Nebraska in Madison on Monday.
NEED TO KNOW Wisconsin’s game against Northwestern tips off at 7:30 p.m. (CT) and will be televised on FS1, while Sunday’s contest at Maryland begins at noon (CT) on CBS. All radio broadcasts can be heard on the Badger Sports Network. Follow @BadgerMBB on Twitter for updates.
GOOD TO KNOW This season marks the 20year anniversary of the Kohl RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
6 p.m.
Feb. 19 Minnesota
8 p.m.
Feb. 22 at Northwestern 6 p.m.
DARREN LEE
▲ TAP TO WATCH - Greg Gard Visits Wisconsin Hockey Game
Feb. 15 #3 Purdue
Feb. 25 #5 Michigan State Noon View full schedule/results »
SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
FOLLOW US:
▶ Lucas at Large: Rehab offers fresh perspective for King ▶ Young leader Davison ‘the real deal’
35
INSIDE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE (9-14, 2-8)
Home events in bold. All times CT. Dec. 14 Milwaukee
L, 64-67
Dec. 28 #23 Iowa
L, 46-56
Dec. 31 at Purdue
L, 35-57
2018 Jan. 4
#22 Michigan L, 57-80
Jan. 7
#13 Maryland L, 44-71
Jan. 11 at Northwestern L, 60-69
THIS WEEK The Badgers (9-13, 2-7 B1G) return home for two games this week. Wisconsin looks for a season split against Minnesota (16-5, 5-3) as the Golden Gophers come to town on Wednesday. Tip time is 7 p.m. from the Kohl Center. No. 18 Ohio State (17-5, 6-3) faces off against the Badgers on Saturday in the Kohl live on the Big Ten Network. Game time is noon. LAST WEEK Wisconsin split in Big Ten action, falling at Indiana, 69-55, on Wednesday before picking up its first Big Ten road win since 2015 with a 70-61 victory at Illinois on Sunday. Sophomore Suzanne Gilreath scored a career-high 27 points, hitting seven 3-point-
L, 62-69
Jan. 18 at Minnesota
L, 65-90
Jan. 21 Northwestern W, 58-46 Jan. 24 at Indiana
L, 55-69
ers, which ranks second on the UW single-game record list.
Jan. 28 at Illinois
W, 70-61
NEED TO KNOW Senior Cayla McMorris is counting down to 1,000 career points. The guard has 986 points in her fourth season and will become the 25th UW player to record 1,000 career points.
Feb. 11 at Nebraska
2 p.m.
Feb. 14 Rutgers
7 p.m.
Feb. 18 at Iowa
2 p.m.
GOOD TO KNOW Saturday’s game vs. the Buckeyes airs live on the Big Ten Network while Wednesday’s game vs. Minnesota will be streamed live on BTN Plus. Both games can be heard in the Madison area on 100.9 FM or online with the iHeartRadio app with Jon Arias on the call. Live updates are available on Twitter @BadgerWBB.
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
▶ Badgers conquer Fighting Illini in road battle, 70-61
Jan. 31 Minnesota Feb. 3
JACK MCLAUGHLIN
▲ TAP TO WATCH - Roichelle Marble's Biggest Inspiration
Jan. 14 Penn State
7 p.m.
#18 Ohio State Noon
Feb. 21 at Michigan State 6 p.m. Feb. 28-Mar. 2 Big Ten Tournament
Indianapolis
View full schedule/results » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
FOLLOW US:
▶ Badgers drop road battle to Hoosiers, 69-55 ▶ Karlis contributes in practice, looks forward to senior season
37
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INSIDE MEN’S HOCKEY SCHEDULE (13-12-4, 7-8-3-1) Home events in bold. All times CT. Jan. 5
at #14 Penn State L, 1-5
Jan. 6
at #14 Penn State T, 3-3 OT
LOST SHOOTOUT 0-1
Jan. 12 Michigan State
L, 0-2
Jan. 13 Michigan State
W, 5-2
Jan. 19 at #1 Notre Dame L, 2-4 Jan. 21 vs. #1 Notre Dame W, 5-0
Chicago
Jan. 26 #14 Penn State
W, 4-2
Jan. 27 #14 Penn State T, 4-4 OT
WON SHOOTOUT 1-0
Feb. 2 at #20 Michigan 6:30 p.m. #12 Minnesota
8 p.m.
Feb. 10 #12 Minnesota
7 p.m.
Feb. 23 at #5 Ohio State
7 p.m.
Feb. 24 at #5 Ohio State
7 p.m.
Feb. 9
▲ TAP TO WATCH - Badgers Fight Back to Tie, Win Shootout Against Penn State
THIS WEEK No. 18 Wisconsin (13-12-4, 7-8-3-1 Big Ten) heads to face No. 20 Michigan (1212-2, 7-9-2-1 Big Ten) for a Friday-Saturday series at Yost Arena in Ann Arbor, Michigan. LAST WEEK Wisconsin earned five of six points last weekend against Penn State with a pair of comebacks at the Kohl Center that resulted in a 4-2 victory and 4-4 overtime tie. The Badgers won the resulting shootout, 1-0.
GOOD TO KNOW Trailing to start the third period in both games last weekend against Penn State, the Badgers came back to earn five of six points. In the prior 15 games UW trailed after two periods, it went 0-14-1.
MADDIE MACFARLANE
Feb. 3 at #20 Michigan 6:30 p.m.
Mar. 2-4 Big Ten First Round Playoffs Mar. 10 Big Ten Semifinals View full schedule/results » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
NEED TO KNOW Both games will air on Fox Sports Wisconsin, while also available online at BTN2Go. com and on the BTN2Go app for cable and satellite subscribers. On the radio, catch the games on 1310 WIBA and the Badger Radio Network.
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
▶ ‘Berry Effect’ helping Badgers kill penalties, earn wins
FOLLOW US:
▶ ‘It’s a battle you can’t win on your own’ ▶ Badgering: Peter Tischke
39
INSIDE WOMEN’S HOCKEY SCHEDULE (26-1-1, 17-0-1) Home events in bold. All times CT.
Nov. 25 vs. Boston University W, 4-2
Washington, D.C.
Dec. 1
Minnesota Duluth W, 5-1
Dec. 2
Minnesota Duluth W, 3-1
Dec. 8
at St. Cloud State W, 1-0
Dec. 9
at St. Cloud State W, 3-0
2018 Jan. 13
Minnesota State W, 6-0
Jan. 14
Minnesota State W, 4-0
Jan. 19
at Bemidji State W, 4-3 OT
Jan. 20
at Bemidji State T, 3-3 OT
THIS WEEK The No. 1 Badgers (26-1-1, 16-0-1-1 WCHA) head to Columbus to take on No. 6 Ohio State (17-7-4, 10-4-4-3 WCHA) in a pivotal WCHA showdown. Friday’s contest at the OSU Ice Rink begins at 5 p.m. CT while Saturday’s game is set to begin at 2 p.m. CT. LAST WEEK Wisconsin swept St. Cloud State in a two-game series at LaBahn Arena. Kristen Campbell earned her ninth shutout of the season on Friday while Maddie Rolfes, Maddie Rowe and Baylee Wellhausen each
picked up three points over the weekend. GOOD TO KNOW The Badgers are on the verge of clinching their thirdstraight league title as UW needs a point this weekend in Columbus to earn a share of the crown, while two points will give the Badgers the title outright.
Jan. 27
St. Cloud State
W, 4-0
Jan. 28
St. Cloud State
W, 3-2
Feb. 2
at #6 Ohio State 5 p.m.
Feb. 3
at #6 Ohio State 2 p.m.
Feb. 9
at Minn. Duluth
7 p.m.
Feb. 10 at Minn. Duluth
4 p.m.
Feb. 16 #7 Minnesota
7 p.m.
Feb. 17 #7 Minnesota
3 p.m.
Feb. 23-25 WCHA
MADDIE MACFARLANE
▲ TAP TO WATCH - Wisconsin Sweeps St. Cloud State
WON SHOOTOUT 2-1
First Round
View full schedule/results » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
NEED TO KNOW Fans can view both Friday and Saturday’s contests on Buckeye Vision. In addition, fans can follow the action on Twitter (@BadgerWHockey).
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
▶ No. 1 Badgers take down Huskies, 3-2
FOLLOW US:
▶ Stellar sophomores lead No. 1 Badgers to 4-0 victory ▶ Best friends: U.S. goalie Rigsby and Canada forward Turnbull
41
We don’t like the cold. We love the cold.
WHEN YOU’RE HAVING FUN, WE’RE HAVING FUN.
VIEW the SNOW CONDITIONS Report At
INSIDE WRESTLING SCHEDULE (6-2, 3-2)
Home events in bold. All times CT. Dec. 1-2 at Cliff Keen Invitational Las Vegas Results » Dec. 7
Maryland
Dec. 9
at UW-Whitewater W, 38-3
Dec. 9
at UNI Open
Cedar Falls, Iowa
W, 32-6 Results »
Dec. 29-30 at Midland Championships Hoffman Estates, Ill. Results »
2018 Jan. 12 at Northwestern L, 14-18 Jan. 19 at #8 Michigan L, 10-29 ▲ TAP TO WATCH - Highlights: Wisconsin vs. Indiana
THIS WEEK After three conference duals in two weeks, Wisconsin wrestling has the week off to rest up and prepare for another home dual when Nebraska comes to Madison on February 9. LAST WEEK The Badgers welcomed Indiana on Friday, with the dual going down to the wire. The Hoosiers took two of the first three matches to go up 12-3, but technical falls by Cole Martin and Evan Wick at 149 pounds and 165 pounds respectively, contributed to UW’s 24-19 victory. GOOD TO KNOW In Friday’s win over Indiana, Evan Wick recorded a per-
sonal record 10 takedowns in his technical fall victory over Indiana’s Dillon Hoey at 165 pounds. That was his team-leading sixth tech of the season and he has also regained the team lead with 75 takedowns. NEED TO KNOW In getting this week off from conference competition, Wisconsin wrestling will have to rest up for the most tumultuous run of its season. Beginning with Nebraska on Feb. 9, the squad will compete in three more conference duals totalling four duals in ten days. The visit from the No. 15 Huskers will begin at 7 p.m. (CT) inside the UW Field House.
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
Jan. 21 at Michigan State W, 28-7 Jan. 26 Indiana Feb. 9
#15 Nebraska
W, 24-19 7 p.m.
Feb. 11 at #14 Illinois
1 p.m.
Feb. 16 #19 Rutgers
7 p.m.
Feb. 18 Purdue Noon Mar. 3-4 at Big Ten Championships
East Lansing, Mich.
Mar. 15-17 at
NCAA Championships
Cleveland, Ohio
View full schedule/results »
SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
FOLLOW US:
▶ Badgers halt Hoosiers after early surge ▶ Badgers regain momentum after defeating Spartans, 28-7
43
INSIDE MEN’S TRACK & FIELD SCHEDULE
Home events in bold. Jan. 13
at The Dual
Minneapolis
Results »
Jan. 19-20 at Larry Wieczorek Invite Iowa City, Iowa Results » Jan. 26-27 at Dr. Sander Invitational New York City Results »
Feb. 2-3 at Frank Sevigne Husker Invite
Lincoln, Neb.
Feb. 9-10 at Iowa State Classic
Ames, Iowa
Feb. 16
Shell Shocker
Feb. 23-24 at Big Ten Indoor
Championships
Geneva, Ohio
Mar. 9-10 at NCAA Indoor Championships
THIS WEEK The Badgers head to Lincoln, Nebraska for the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational, which will take place on Friday and Saturday at the Devaney Sports Center. The heptathlon 60 meters kickstarts the meet on Friday at noon while the heptathlon 60 hurdles is the first event on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. LAST WEEK Wisconsin had an outstanding performance at the Dr. Sander Invitational in New York City at the Armory Track, led by distance sophomore Oliver Hoare and senior Joe Hardy, as the duo finished fifth and
seventh, respectively, in the invitational 3000 meters. GOOD TO KNOW This marks the first time since 2013 that the Badgers have travelled to Lincoln for the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational. The last time UW competed at the meet, Japheth Cato became just the third collegiate to top the 6,000-point threshold multiple times in the heptathlon.
ERIC MILLER
College Station, Texas
OUTDOOR Mar. 31 at UC San Diego Invite San Diego, Calif. Apr. 6-7 at Spec Towns Invite
Athens, Ga.
View full schedule/results » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
NEED TO KNOW Live results and a recap will be available on UWBadgers. com while fans can also follow the action on Twitter (@BadgerTrackXC).
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
▶ Distance runners lead the way for the Badgers in NYC
FOLLOW US:
▶ McDonald wins season opener in Australia ▶ 2018 Wisconsin cross country home meet info
45
INSIDE WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD SCHEDULE
Home events in bold. Jan. 13
at The Dual
Minneapolis
Results »
Jan. 19-20 at Larry Wieczorek Invite Iowa City, Iowa Results » Jan. 26-27 at Dr. Sander Invitational New York City Results »
Feb. 2-3 at Frank Sevigne Husker Invite
Lincoln, Neb.
Ames, Iowa
Feb. 16
Shell Shocker
ERIC MILLER
Feb. 9-10 at Iowa State Classic
Feb. 23-24 at Big Ten Indoor
THIS WEEK After a weekend in the Big Apple, the Badgers head west to Nebraska for the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational. The heptathlon 60 meters opens the meet at the Devaney Sports Center on Friday at noon while the heptathlon 60 hurdles is the first event on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. LAST WEEK Wisconsin had an impressive showing in New York, with multiple standout performances from across the board. Distance sophomore Amy Davis set a new personal record time in the invitational 3000 meters finishing in 9 minutes 14.27 seconds to award her a fifth-place finish overall. Davis’ time also marked a spot in the top ten in Wisconsin program
history as it ranks No. 9 on UW’s top-10 list. Senior pole vaulter Taylor Amann also had a huge PR, winning the event with a mark of 13 feet, 11 1/4 inches to topple her previous school best of 13-9 1/2 set at last year’s Big Ten meet. GOOD TO KNOW The last time that UW made an appearance at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational was in 2013, where they put up strong performances in the pentathlon as Deanna Latham and Jessica Flax went 1-2 in the five-discipline event.
Championships
Geneva, Ohio
Mar. 9-10 at NCAA Indoor Championships
College Station, Texas
OUTDOOR Mar. 31 at UC San Diego Invite San Diego, Calif. Apr. 6-7 at Spec Towns Invite
Athens, Ga.
View full schedule/results » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
NEED TO KNOW Live results and a recap will be available on UWBadgers. com while fans can also follow the action on Twitter (@BadgerTrackXC).
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
▶ Badgers go hard on final day in New York
FOLLOW US:
▶ Taylor Amann leads Badgers with a new school record ▶ 2018 Wisconsin cross country home meet info
47
INSIDE MEN’S TENNIS SCHEDULE (2-2, 0-0)
Home events in bold. All times CT. Oct. 19-23 at ITA Regional
Results »
Ann Arbor, Mich.
Nov. 1-5
at ITA Fall National Championships Results »
Palm Desert, Calif.
Nov. 3-5
at Minnesota Invitational Minneapolis Results »
2018 Jan. 20 DePaul
W, 6-1
Nebraska-Omaha W, 6-1
Jan. 27 vs. #14 Mississippi St. L, 1-4
Stillwater, Okla.
Jan. 28 vs. Kentucky
THIS WEEK Wisconsin (2-2) returns home on Saturday for a doubleheader match at Nielsen Stadium against East Tennessee State and Green Bay. The Badgers will face the Buccaneers at 1 p.m. (CT) and the Phoenix at 6 p.m. LAST WEEK The Badgers faced tough competition in traveling to Stillwater, Oklahoma for the ITA Kick-Off tournament. Wisconsin dropped both matches to No. 13-ranked Mississippi State and Kentucky, by a score of 4-1 in both.
GOOD TO KNOW Wisconsin’s two losses in its first weekend on the road is unfamiliar territory. Wisconsin boasted an 18-8 record a season ago, but never lost back-to-back matches. NEED TO KNOW All home matches at Nielsen Tennis Stadium are free to the public. Follow Wisconsin men’s tennis on twitter (@BadgerMTennis) for updates. The home match will have live stats as well as live video available to all fans on UWBadgers.com.
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
▶ Off to the races: Badgers kick off spring with dominant win
Stillwater, Okla.
Feb. 3
East Tenn. State
1 p.m.
Green Bay
6 p.m.
Feb. 9
at Oregon
6 p.m.
Feb. 11 at Washington
Noon
Feb. 15 Marquette
6 p.m.
Feb. 17 at Minnesota
Noon
Feb. 23 Pennsylvania
3 p.m.
DAVID STLUKA
▲ TAP TO WATCH - Doubleheader Sweep For Wisconsin Tennis
L, 1-4
View full schedule/results » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
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▶ Double the fun: UW caps off doubleheader sweep ▶ 5 Things to know: Double delight
49
INSIDE WOMEN’S TENNIS SCHEDULE
Home events in bold. Oct. 12-17 at USTA/ITA Regionals Ann Arbor, Mich. Results » Oct. 27-29 at Vanderbilt Fall Classic Nashville, Tenn. Results » Nov. 3-5
at Harvard Fall Invite Cambridge, Mass. Results »
Nov. 10-12 at FSU All-Conference Results » Showdown ▲ TAP TO WATCH - Wisconsin defeats Colorado State, 6-1
THIS WEEK Wisconsin remains at home at Nielsen Tennis Stadium for the spring dual season to take on Northern Illinois on Thursday, Feb. 1 at 1 p.m. CT. Following Thursday’s match the Badgers host Bradley (10 a.m. CT) and UWGB (3 p.m. CT) on Saturday, Feb. 3rd. The team will then have six days off before hosting the ITA National Indoor Team Championships. LAST WEEK UW took part in three matches in two days, a doubleheader in Milwaukee, Wisconsin versus Marquette and UW-Milwaukee on Friday, Jan. 26, and a dual match against Colorado State in Madison, Wis. on Saturday, Jan, 27. The Badgers defeated Marquette, 5-2, and defeated UWM, 5-0, before going on
to also defeat Colorado State, 6-1, to wrap up a perfect 3-0 weekend. Overall the Badgers went 13-3 in singles, with matches not getting played against UWM, and 6-2 in doubles on the weekend, one match not getting completed. GOOD TO KNOW This is the best start for Wisconsin women’s tennis since 2014, when that team started 3-0. Freshman Lexi Keberle, ranked No. 118 by ITA, had a perfect weekend, going 3-0. NEED TO KNOW Northern Illinois’ match was originally scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 25 but was pushed back to the 1st of Feb. The match is free to the public and has live links to scoring and video streams on social media pages for fans not in attendance.
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
▶ Badgers move to 3-0 with first home victory
Tallahassee, Fla.
Long Beach, Calif.
2018 Jan. 19-21 at Beach Tennis Winter Invite Results » Jan. 26 at Marquette
W, 5-2
W, 5-0
at Milwaukee
Jan. 27 Colorado State Feb. 1
Northern Illinois
Feb. 3
Bradley
Green Bay
Feb. 9-12
W, 6-1 1 p.m. 10 a.m. 3 p.m.
ITA National Team Indoor Championship
Feb. 17 vs. Arizona Las Vegas
Noon
View full schedule/results » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
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▶ Wisconsin sweeps doubleheader ▶ Badgers grab first victory
51
FORWARD Be a difference-maker during the University of Wisconsin’s Annual Campaign — it’s what Badgers do. AllWaysForward.org
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.
Results »
at UCF Challenge
Orlando, Fla.
Feb. 25-26 at the Westbrook Spring Invitational
LAST TIME OUT The Badgers are coming off a fall season that saw them finish among the top five in all four tournaments and finish with a 291.6 scoring average. That is on pace to be the best scoring average in school history by almost five strokes. THIS WEEK UW opens the spring season at the UCF Challenge on Feb. 4-6 at the Eagle Creek Golf Club in Orlando, Fla. Wisconsin tied for eighth out of 17 teams at last year’s event with Jessica Reinecke’s 25th-place finish leading the way.
OF NOTE The Badgers had the same starting five lineup of seniors Gabby Curtis, Lexi Harkins, Aya Johnson, Becky Klongland, and junior Jessica Reinecke in every match of the 2017 fall season. All indications point to the same experienced quintet taking on the spring season. GOOD TO KNOW The senior foursome of Curtis, Harkins, Johnson and Klongland combined for 14 top-25 finishes between them in the four matches of the 2017 fall season, including a fifthplace finish from Curtis at the East-West Match Play and a fourth-place finish from Harkins at the Cardinal Cup.
RELATED STORIES (Click to read)
GREG ANDERSON
2018 Feb. 4-6
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/results »
SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:
FOLLOW US:
▶ 5 Things to Know: Spring Season ▶ Badgers ink two for 2018-19
53
THIS WEEK IN BADGER HISTORY
DAVID STLUKA
CAMP RANDALL 100 SPOTLIGHT:
JOE SCHOBERT
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 MIKE LUCAS UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
J
54
oe Schobert had his bags packed for Grand Forks. Since he couldn’t land an FBS scholarship, despite a strong sales pitch from his Waukesha West High School coach Steve Rux, Schobert was prepared to enroll at the University of North Dakota, an FCS program. At the last minute, Bret Bielema came through with a “Not so fast, my friend” and an offer that Schobert couldn’t refuse. The offer was to stay close to home as a preferred walk-on at Wisconsin. It was a no-brainer for Schobert, who respected the school’s history and fairness with non-scholarship players. During a prep all-star game that summer, Schobert, who was athletic enough to dunk a football over the crossbar of the goal post, had shown his versatility as a running back, safety and kick returner. Lettering on special teams as a true freshman at UW, he eventually found a home at linebacker. Schobert blossomed as a starter during his junior
season and personally shut down Auburn in overtime of the Outback Bowl with tackles on three straight plays. In 2015, Schobert was the Big Ten Linebacker of the Year, a first-team All-American and the Jack Lambert Award winner. The Cleveland Browns took him in the fourth round of the NFL draft, the 99th player selected overall. ▪▪▪▪ Camp Randall Stadium inspired Joe Schobert before he ever played there. Or even saw a game there. He always wondered from afar — well, not that far, only 66 miles away in Waukesha — what it would be like. Call it a state of mind. He was a state kid who wanted to play for the state school. And playing at the historic venue in Madison was one of the perks. “It was inspiring for a young kid like me,” said Schobert, 17, then a junior at Waukesha West. “We were getting ready to play Kenosha Bradford and Melvin Gordon,” he said of a semifinal matchup with the high-scoring Red Devils. “I was thinking if we beat them, we’d be able to play in that stadi-
DAVID STLUKA
um the next week. That would be really cool. And Iowa capitalized on four turnovers and escaped it happened.” with a 10-6 victory, snapping Wisconsin’s 10-game Waukesha West punched its ticket to Madison winning streak at Camp Randall. and the state final by shutting down the Bradford “It’s disappointing when you don’t win, but you offense in a 30-15 win. Gordon had a 25-yard learn from it,” Schobert said. “It’s a team game and touchdown run late in the first half. But it was offense and defense works together. If we would Schobert who sealed the verdict with a 96-yard TD have gotten one more stop and the offense would scamper in the fourth quarter. have gotten one more drive and scored, it would He was just warming up, too. The best was yet have turned out totally different.” to come. As it was, Schobert did everything within his Schobert accounted for power to influence the 329 of Waukesha West’s outcome against the “I DON’T KNOW IF I FELT UNBLOCKABLE,” 436 total yards in a 45-26 Hawkeyes. Consider this SCHOBERT CONCEDED. “BUT, FOR ME, rout of Stevens Point in the sequence in the fourth PERSONALLY, ESPECIALLY IN THE SECOND 2010 state title game at quarter: Schobert sacked HALF, I FELT LIKE I WAS IN A ZONE. I DIDN’T Camp Randall. By rushing quarterback C.J. Beathard THINK THEY COULD BLOCK US AT ALL. 38 times for 296 yards, he — forcing a fumble. UW IT WAS A CONFIDENCE THING.” broke the WIAA Division 1 nose tackle Arthur Goldsingle-game mark held by berg flopped on the ball ... Racine Park’s John Clay, who had 19 carries for 259 “But it popped between his legs and I dove in yards in 2005. and grabbed it,” Schobert recalled. “The refs were “My offensive line deserves a lot of credit blockstill looking in the pile to see who had the ball. I ing for my skinny butt running through the holes,” said, ‘Hey, it’s over here. I’ve got it.’ Everyone was said Schobert. “We called the same play a bunch of fighting over nothing. That was definitely an amustimes in a row — a 28 or 29 toss and counter off it ing moment.” — and we were able to gash them all day. The other To read the rest of the story, click here. For the team never adjusted to it.” complete list, visit CampRandall100.com. Unstoppable to unblockable? You could make that case on the Schobert timeline. Bridging five years and two of his most unforgettable Camp Randall experiences, he evolved from that “unstoppable” halfback against Stevens Point to that “unblockable” outside linebacker against Iowa. But the reality for Schobert is that the Badgers lost his senior year to the Hawkeyes even though he produced one of the more dominant individual defensive showings in stadium history. In the 2015 Big Ten opener, he had three sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and five quarterback hurries. Yet it still wasn’t enough.
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