Varsity Magazine - January 3, 2019 by Wisconsin Badgers

INFOCUS

COMING THROUGH Senior linebacker T.J. Edwards started his 52nd game and finished a terrific career by leading a relentless Wisconsin defense in the Pinstripe Bowl. The Badgers allowed just three points to Miami, with Edwards logging a teamhigh nine tackles and the 10th interception of his career â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the most ever by a UW linebacker. PHOTO BY DAVID STLUKA

INFOCUS

BLOCK BY BLOCK Senior Marsha Howard flew up for a big block against Purdue last week, helping lead the Badgers to their first victory over the Boilermakers in four years and the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best start since 2009-10, at 10-4 overall. PHOTO BY LAWRENCE ILES / ICON SPORTSWIRE

INFOCUS

STRAIGHT TO THE POINT The Badgers took the ball on the opening kickoff and never looked back. WR Kendric Pryor’s 35-yard touchdown catch from QB Jack Coan put Wisconsin on the board three minutes into last week’s New Era Pinstripe Bowl and set the stage for a 35-3 win over Miami that gave UW its fifth-consecutive bowl victory — the longest streak in Big Ten history. PHOTO BY DAVID STLUKA

INFOCUS

BUMP UP Teammates Emily Clark and Maddie Rolfes took a second for a smile and a quick fist bump heading out of the Wisconsin locker room last month. Now 19-1-0 overall and ranked first in the nation, the Badgers resume play on Jan. 11. PHOTO BY DAVID STLUKA

INFOCUS

MORE MASON Unranked Mason Reinhardt left his mark at the Midlands Championships last weekend, upsetting the No. 3 seed en route to taking third place at 184 pounds. PHOTO BY STACY SCHIESL

CONTENTS

JANUARY 3, 2019 ▪ VOLUME 9, ISSUE 17

DAVID STLUKA

32 WHO’S NEXT? Who will lead Wisconsin football in 2019? Fresh off a fifth consecutive bowl victory, Wisconsin’s seniors reflect on which teammates are ready to be leaders as the calendar turns to a new year.

PASS THE TORCH 16 LUCAS AT LARGE

IN FOCUS

16 LUCAS AT LARGE

DAN SANGER

FEATURES

Alec Ingold and his fellow outgoing Badgers cherish the last bowl victory with their teammates and look to pass the torch.

21 BY THE NUMBERS 23 WHAT TO WATCH

29 BADGERS GIVE BACK 31 VIRAL VIDEO 41 INSIDE BASKETBALL 45 INSIDE HOCKEY

DAVID STLUKA

27 BADGERING

27 KELLY KARLIS BADGERING

The senior guard shares how her redshirt season with women’s basketball helped her adapt and why UW is her dream school. 13

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LUCAS AT LARGE

BY MIKE LUCAS ▪ UWBADGERS.COM

Badgers’ seniors pass the torch

JEFF HANISCH / USA TODAY

uring his post-Pinstripe Bowl walk across the hallowed Yankee Stadium turf — from the first base dugout to Monument Park and beyond, to where the team busses were parked — Alec Ingold paused before reaching the warning track and glanced at his rearview mirror. “Seeing his play in the last quarter,” he said, “it was a passthe-torch moment.” Ingold, a senior fullback, was talking about his understudy, Mason Stokke, a sophomore. Without prodding, Ingold insisted, “He’s so ready — he’s so ready for everything.” Stokke, who had dealt with injuries and played sparingly in eight regular-season games, took some offensive snaps in the fourth quarter of Wisconsin’s convincing 35-3 win over Miami.

On an off-tackle run, Stokke decleated one defender and sealed another to create a crease for the tailback. “You get to see a guy grow up right in front of your eyes,” Ingold said of Stokke. “I feel a little bit choked up and stuff. He’s a great guy and this team is going to build off this — winter, spring ball, all the way to fall camp — they’re going to have this taste in their mouth. And that’s big for everybody. “Getting that last win is always pretty cool.” Nobody should know that better than Ingold and his senior teammates. “I haven’t lost a bowl game,” Ingold enthused, “and it’s a big part of our program.” Put a check mark by the Pinstripe Bowl, the Orange Bowl (34-24 over Miami), the Cotton

Bowl (24-16 over Western Michigan), the Holiday Bowl (23-21 over USC) and the Outback Bowl (34-31 over Auburn). The Badgers have now won an unprecedented five straight bowl games. Nobody else has done that as a Big Ten member. “It’s something we take pride in,” Ingold said. It’s something that Ingold is passing on to Stokke. Something that nose guard Olive Sagapolu is passing on to Bryson Williams. Something that safety D’Cota Dixon is passing on to Scott Nelson. Something that inside linebackers T.J. Edwards and Ryan Connelly are passing on to Jack Sanborn. On the offensive line, it’s something Michael Deiter and Beau Benzschawel are passing on to the returning starters and subs. As fifth-year seniors, with

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LUCAS AT LARGE a combined 103 starts, they’ve been on teams that have gone 53-15 overall, 34-9 in the Big Ten and 5-0 in bowls. Their torches glow brightly. “Sending our seniors off the right way was our main goal and that’s what we did. It was an awesome experience,” said Cole Van Lanen, a redshirt sophomore. “I’m definitely ready to go. There’s still a lot to learn. But I’m ready to take on the challenge and come back even better next year.” Van Lanen split reps at left tackle with Jon Dietzen, a redshirt junior. Although Dietzen started 12 games this season, he was on the equivalent of a “pitch count” because of past injuries and surgeries. As a result, Van Lanen, who started once, got priceless game experience. “Coach (Joe) Rudolph valued me as a starter, I felt like I was a starter and I played as much as a starter,” said Van Lanen, who cited the losses of Deiter and Benzschawel, and maybe others, and noted, “We’re losing a lot. But we still have a lot coming back. They’ve taught us a ton.” Among the O-line teachers/ mentors was redshirt junior David Edwards, who has groomed Logan Bruss as his successor at right tackle. Bruss, a redshirt freshman, started the last three games for the injured Edwards, who this week announced his intentions to forgo his final season and declare for the NFL draft. A year ago, Deiter, Benzschawel and Edwards submitted their names to the draft advisory board and got a grade

BY MIKE LUCAS ▪ UWBADGERS.COM

based on the evaluation of NFL general managers and personnel directors. Redshirt sophomore center Tyler Biadasz, who has started 27 straight games, went through that process in December and announced this week his intention to return for his junior season. Options at guard include redshirt junior Jason Erdmann, who has appeared in 40 games, and redshirt freshman Kayden Lyles, who started seven games at defensive end out of necessity. Everything will begin to sort itself out during spring practice.

“THIS TEAM IS GOING TO BUILD OFF THIS — WINTER, SPRING BALL, ALL THE WAY TO FALL CAMP — THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE THIS TASTE IN THEIR MOUTH,” INGOLD SAID OF THE BOWL WIN. “AND THAT’S BIG FOR EVERYBODY.” The only certainty is that tailback Jonathan Taylor will make everyone better. “He always looked up to Saquon Barkley and Ezekiel Elliott — all the great running backs that came before him,” Ingold said. “And I told him, ‘Those guys are great. But they’re not better than you just because they came before you.’ He needs to keep that mindset the whole offseason. “We know that he’s going to be humble. But to have a little swagger about him … to just really understand that he controls his own ceiling is really big for

him … and I hope that he really takes that forward.” Taylor has already mapped out his immediate plans. “I’m going to take a few days off and then start working my way back into the weight room,” he said. “Once we come back to school on Jan. 20, we’re hitting the ground running. This year was this year. But next year it’s a whole new team and a whole new season.” The final chapter to Taylor’s sophomore season was historic on many fronts, not the least of which was Taylor authoring another 200-yard rushing game (205 on 27 carries) giving him eight for his career (27 games). Only Ron Dayne reached that 200-plateau more often (14 in 47 games). “It’s amazing to have a back like that and it’s a privilege to block for him,” said Van Lanen, who fully understands the feeling is mutual from Taylor, the Doak Walker Award winner and the nation’s leading rusher. “We make him right and he makes us right. I’m excited to have him for another year.” How much better can Taylor get? And in what areas? “First off is consistency — that’s the main thing — you have to make sure you don’t fall off,” Taylor said. “Secondly, you look at some of the runs that you missed. Was it a technique issue? Was I out of position? Do I have to work on setting up (the run) and being in a better position?”

Click to read more » 19

We didn’t invent the term “gemutlicHKeit” but we did perfect it. Welcome to a state of gemutlichkeit.

BY THE NUMBERS

5.8

DAVID STLUKA

4,171

MEN’S BASKETBALL ▼ Ethan Happ became only the 15th player in Big Ten Conference history to collect 1,000 career rebounds when he hit that mark in UW’s 84-53 win over Grambling State on Dec. 22.

JOHN FISHER

▲ WRESTLING Seven Badgers placed at the Midlands Championships, the most Badgers to make it to the podium at the prestigious tournament since 1975.

◀ FOOTBALL Finishing his sophomore season with 2,194 rushing yards, Jonathan Taylor has racked up 4,171 in just two years — already the fifth-highest career total at UW. Melvin Gordon (4,196 in 2013 and ’14) and Iowa State’s Troy Davis (4,195 in 1995 and ’96) are the only FBS players to rush for more yards over a two-year span.

STACY SCHIESL

GREG ANDERSON

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ▶ Junior Kendra Van Leeuwen leads the Big Ten with 5.8 assists per game. The 5-foot-10 guard has recorded double-digit assists in three games this season, including a career-high 12 vs. Arkansas.

15 21

WHAT TO WATCH

BORDER BATTLE

MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. MINNESOTA THURSDAY, JANUARY 3 ▪ 8PM KOHL CENTER ▪ BTN Wisconsin returns home to face Border Battle rival Minnesota at the Kohl Center on Thursday. Watch the historic rivalry’s next chapter at 8 p.m. on Big Ten Network. DAVID STLUKA

buy tickets

MEN’S HOCKEY VS. DENVER SATURDAY, JANUARY 5 ▪ 7PM KOHL CENTER ▪ FOX SPORTS WIS. PLUS

DAN SANGER

DROP THE PUCK

Wisconsin rings in the New Year with a pair of non-conference contests against No. 8 Denver on Jan. 4 and 5 at 7 p.m. both nights. Friday’s game streams live on BTN Plus ($) and watch Saturday’s game on FOX Sports Wisconsin Plus.

buy tickets

GREG ANDERSON

HIT THE ROAD

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL AT IOWA MONDAY, JANUARY 7 ▪ 7PM IOWA CITY, IOWA ▪ BTN PLUS The Badgers take to the road for two Big Ten games this week, traveling to Penn State on Thursday at 6 p.m. CT and then Iowa on Monday at 7 p.m. CT. Both contests will be streamed live on BTN Plus ($). 23

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WHAT TO WATCH WEDNESDAY 1/2

SUNDAY 1/6 MEN’S BASKETBALL at Penn State University Park, Pa. 6:30 p.m. Watch: BTN

ALL TIMES CENTRAL

THURSDAY 1/3

FRIDAY 1/4

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL at Penn State University Park, Pa. 6 p.m. Watch: BTN Plus

MEN’S HOCKEY vs. #8 Denver Madison, Wis. 7 p.m. Watch: BTN Plus Buy tickets »

MEN’S BASKETBALL vs. Minnesota Madison, Wis. 8 p.m. Watch: BTN Buy tickets »

MEN’S & WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING at Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii Time TBA

MONDAY 1/7

TUESDAY 1/8

SATURDAY 1/5 MEN’S HOCKEY vs. #8 Denver Madison, Wis. 7 p.m. Watch: Fox Sports Wisconsin Plus Buy tickets »

WEDNESDAY 1/9

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL at #19 Iowa Iowa City, Iowa 7 p.m. Watch: BTN Plus

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After redshirting last season, what was it like to finally get on the court this season? “It was really exciting to get back on the court in game-like situations again. I was nervous leading up to the first game and it felt like I hadn’t played since high school, but once I stepped back onto the court it just felt natural.” How did your redshirt season help you step into a starting role this year? “My redshirt season helped me to slow the game down a bit. Transferring to a big time conference made me become really frantic at first, so it was nice being able to kind of sit to the side and soak in as much information in as I could. I learned a lot from my teammates about the different style of play and how to help the team be successful in a handful of ways that I hadn’t noticed before.” You call Wisconsin your ‘dream school.’ What makes it that? “I love the atmosphere of this big school. There are so many people to network with and make life long relationships with. It’s big enough in the way that you feel like you can escape from your everyday hassles, but small enough to know that everyone and everything are only a few steps away.” You compare your game to 2018 WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart. What about her game makes you admire it? “Breanna is a versatile player that I compare myself to. I’ve learned a lot from watching her game and she’s shown time in and time out that she’s there for the team’s success as a whole.” DAVID STLUKA

You’re a retail and consumer behavior major and did an internship this summer. What do you want to do with your degree? “With my degree, I would like to either start up or work for a clothing company that gives a portion of their profits to benefit the community in some way.” You say that you make yourself laugh. What makes you so funny? “My responses are just quick and I never hold back on my sarcasm. I love to see people laughing and smiling, so it’s just kind of an instinct to keep the mood light and tell jokes.” ▪

BADGERS GIVE BACK SPOTLIGHT

badgers give back

The most wonderful time of the year

Wisconsin Athletics makes wishes come true for less fortunate children BY BADGERS GIVE BACK STAFF

“

t is better to give than to receive.” Holiday trees, strung with twinkle lights, red ribbon and ornaments were placed at the entrance of Wisconsin Athletics’ facilities. To bystanders, this was just good spirit. For Wisconsin Athletics, these trees symbolized a message of hope to the less fortunate. Tucked away in each ornament were inscribed words of toys and essential items to be donated to families in need. “Families in our community face financial strains throughout the year and especially during the holiday season,” said Jackie Davenport, Wisconsin Athletics Director of Community Relations. “Our goal is to come alongside them during the season of giving and help families have a happy holiday.” The second annual Giving Tree drive makes wishes come true for families in Dane County by alleviating the financial burden of providing gifts around the holidays. Thanks to the generosity of Wisconsin Athletics student-athletes, staff and fans, families were granted cherished gifts off their wish list.

This year, over 600 children received the joy of opening a holiday gift. The drive is capped every year with the annual Teddy Bear Toss at men’s ice hockey. After the Michigan State game on Saturday, Dec. 8, fans helped spread cheer by throwing hundreds of stuffed animals onto the ice. In total, 1,700 teddy bears will now find a warm home in the arms of less fortunate children. “It was raining stuffed animals,” added women’s rower Mackenna Wilkie. “An event like the Teddy Bear Toss shows how much the people of Madison take care of one another. The event wouldn’t be possible without the donations of our fans.” The holiday season is about so much more than just gifts. By equipping parents with toys, essential items and other offerings, families are reminded that the true meaning of the holiday season is to gather with those we love most. From Wisconsin Athletics to you, we hope you had wonderful holidays and a blissful New Year! ▪

Championing the UW. Alumni and friends take great pride in giving back, especially during the Annual Campaign. Do your part. MAKE A GIFT TODAY. allwaysforward.org/go/UW

VIRAL VIDEO

DAVID STLUKA

PINSTRIPE BOWL HIGHLIGHTS UP NEXT:

DARREN LEE

ICON SPORTSWIRE

WISCONSIN BEATS PURDUE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOUR YEARS

HAPP HITS MILESTONE DURING WIN OVER GRAMBLING STATE

FOLLOW THE BADGERS â&#x2013;¶ 31

DAVID STLUKA

CHRIS ORR

t was one of the final times Michael Deiter exited the McClain Indoor Facility field as an eligible member of the Wisconsin football team. The decorated senior left guard and co-captain was accompanied by two sidekicks on the offensive line, senior right guard Beau Benzschawel and sophomore center Tyler Biadasz, after practice that Thursday afternoon a few days before Christmas. Deiter stepped away from a casual conversation pock-marked by laughter to embark on one with a more serious tone. Who’s next? Who makes up the next wave of leaders for the Badgers? Whose personalities will best serve as the emotional template for Wisconsin heading into the 2019 season? Deiter, the first-team All-American and program record-holder for games started, with 54, is known for his thoughtful takes. His list of leaders starts emphatically with junior inside linebacker Chris Orr and sophomore tailback Jonathan Taylor. “The pillars,” Deiter said.

That analysis gained some clarity a week later when the Badgers gave Miami a 35-3 thumping in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium in New York City. The loquacious Orr, making his first start of the season and 16th of his career, gave an emotional pregame speech to his teammates before going out and piling up eight tackles and an interception. “Chris is loud and obnoxious,” Deiter said with a small smile, “but he knows when to talk and when not to.” Taylor, meanwhile, capped a brilliant season with 205 rushing yards and a touchdown on 27 carries, earning MVP honors for the game and becoming the third back in program history to surpass 2,000 rushing yards in a season. Deiter said Taylor, a unanimous first-team All-American and reigning Doak Walker Award winner, is viewed as a leader by default because of what he’s accomplished in two seasons in Madison. “But it’s also the way he handles himself,” Deiter said. “He’s a leader now. He’s been a leader since he’s gotten here. But now he’s got to be the leader.

DAVID STLUKA

“Both those guys will do a very good job.” more defensive end Isaiahh Loudermilk to asBut Orr and Taylor are hardly alone as prosume more of a leadership role with the exit of jected leaders on a club that had 15 juniors — senior nose tackle Olive Sagapolu. including three-year starting quarterback and “He’s a quiet guy who just puts his head co-captain Alex Hornibrook — and 31 underdown and goes to work, but I think it’s realclassmen in the two-deep ly his time to patrol that depth chart for the Pinroom,” Edwards said of stripe Bowl. Loudermilk. “With Ol“HE’S A LEADER NOW. HE’S BEEN A “There’s a lot of guys ive being gone we need LEADER SINCE HE’S GOTTEN HERE,” that are going to have to somebody to step up and DEITER SAID OF TAYLOR. “BUT NOW step up into roles,” Deiter take control.” HE’S GOT TO BE THE LEADER.” said. Another torch was The Badgers finished passed in the secondary, 8-5 overall. It’s not the where redshirt freshman Big Ten Conference title nor the College Footfree safety Scott Nelson took it from senior ball Playoff berth they all sought, but they set strong safety and co-captain D’Cota Dixon, a program record with their fifth consecutive who missed his fourth game of the season due bowl victory and looked impressive doing so. to injury. Nelson oversaw a unit that interceptThe defense forced five turnovers, limited ed two passes — by sophomore strong safety the Hurricanes to 40 plays, the fewest for an opponent since Ohio State had 40 in 2009, and just six first downs. The offense, meanwhile, amassed 406 yards — 333 on the ground — while facing the No. 2-ranked defense in the Football Bowl Subdivision. There were several torches passed during the Pinstripe Bowl, veteran to understudy. Record-setting senior inside linebacker and co-captain T.J. Edwards handed his to Orr after recording a team-best nine tackles, a fumble recovery and his 10th career interception, the most at his position in program history. “I’m expecting really big things from him next year,” Edwards said of Orr. “He’s a really good player. I think he’s going to shock a lot of JONATHAN TAYLOR people next season.” Edwards also expects sopho-

DAVID STLUKA

Eric Burrell and sophomore SCOTT NELSON cornerback Caesar Williams — and limited Miami to six completions in 17 attempts and 48 yards. Senior safety Evan Bondoc said Nelson and Burrell project as leaders for next season. “Scott and Eric are two guys who have grown into that role and become more vocal as they’ve gotten more confident and more experience,” Bondoc said. Nelson seems to have the intangibles necessary to be a guide not only in the secondary, but across the whole locker room. “He’s kind of a natural leader, but based on the role he was stepping into this year, it helped him become more of a leader on and off the field,” Bondoc said. Senior fullback Alec Ingold scored his 17th career rushing TD on 103 attempts, then seemed to said. “You can’t just be saying all this stuff. If hand the torch of the running backs meeting you’re a guy not carrying your weight, or just room to Taylor and sophomore tailback Garrett not doing what you’re supposed to be doing, Groshek. it’s kind of tough for “He’s a guy who guys to look up to you does it all and does it in that way.” “IT’S NOT DISCUSSED, IT’S FELT,” the right way,” Ingold Taylor has been carDEITER SAID. “YOU HAVE A FEELING said of Groshek, who rying his weight ever THAT SOMEONE’S GOING TO BE A averaged six yards a since he arrived on LEADER EVEN IF THEY’VE BEEN LEADING carry this season, “and campus in the summer ALREADY AND DON’T KNOW IT.” he’s starting to speak of 2017. He has 22 up a little bit more as 100-yard games, eight the season’s gone on.” 200-yard outings and Taylor, meanwhile, isn’t known for saying a 4,171 rushing yards in his first two seasons, lot, which doesn’t bother his teammates. putting him among the elite in college football “He’s a lead-by-example guy,” Benzschawel history.

“The first step in gaining the trust of the Dietzen, redshirt sophomore tackle Cole Van locker room is your own play,” Ingold said. “You Lanen, redshirt freshman tackle Logan Bruss have to take care of your own stuff first before and junior center Jason Erdmann have all startyou can spill over to the other lockers, talking ed before. to guys. Biadasz will be the emotional pulse of the “We do it the right way here. A lot of guys unit with Van Lanen not far behind, according focus on their stuff first. Once you’ve focused to Deiter. on your craft and built “When we’re gone, your own role then they’re going to have you can become that to own that,” Deiter “WE DO IT THE RIGHT WAY HERE. A LOT OF leader.” said. GUYS FOCUS ON THEIR STUFF FIRST. ONCE Taylor will stretch Leaders abound in YOU’VE FOCUSED ON YOUR CRAFT AND his leadership wings the Wisconsin lockBUILT YOUR OWN ROLE THEN YOU while running behind er room. Some are CAN BECOME THAT LEADER.” a refurbished offenknown. Some are on sive line that will be the verge. anchored by Biadasz, “It’s not discussed, who this week announced his intention to reit’s felt,” Deiter said. “You have a feeling that turn to school rather than declare for the NFL someone’s going to be a leader even if they’ve draft. been leading already and don’t know it.” Among the returnees, junior left tackle Jon Let the discovery process begin.

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INSIDE MEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE (10-3, 2-0) Home events in bold. All times CT. Nov. 27 NC State

W, 79-75

Nov. 30 at #14 Iowa

W, 72-66

Dec. 3

Rutgers

Dec. 8

at Marquette

W, 69-64 L, 69-74

Dec. 13 Savannah St. W, 101-60 Dec. 22 Grambling St. W, 84-53 Dec. 29 at W. Kentucky L, 76-83

▲ TAP TO WATCH - Badger Sports Report with Greg Gard Week of 12/30/18

THIS WEEK No. 22 Wisconsin (10-3, 2-0 Big Ten) steps back into Big Ten Conference action with a home game against Minnesota on Thursday at 8 p.m. UW hits the road on Sunday to take on Penn State at 6:30 p.m. Both games can be seen live on BTN. LAST WEEK Despite 20-point efforts from Ethan Happ and Brad Davison, UW suffered an 83-76 setback at Western Kentucky on Dec. 28.

GOOD TO KNOW Wisconsin began Big Ten play with a pair of wins in December, opening with a 2-0 conference mark for the 5th time in the last 7 years. Under UW head coach Greg Gard, UW is 19-9 (.679) at home in Big Ten play. NEED TO KNOW Both games this week for the Badgers can be seen on BTN or via BTN2Go. Matt Lepay and Mike Lucas will call both games statewide on the Badger Sports Network and worldwide via iHeartRadio. Live stats are available via UWBadgers.com and the Badger Gameday app.