Varsity Magazine - November 27, 2019 by Wisconsin Badgers

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DIGGING DEEP Giving her everything, junior Lauren Barnes goes all out to earn a dig for the Badgers in their 3-0 sweep of Nebraska. PHOTO BY TOM LYNN

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THANK YOU Jonathan Taylor made a point to thank the fans as he made his way to the locker room following his 222-yard rushing performance in the Badgersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 45-24 win over Purdue last Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium. PHOTO BY TOM LYNN

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MR. SHOOTOUT Senior Max Zimmer scored the shootout winner last Saturday at Minnesota to help the Badgers earn the extra point. He has fired in all three UW shootout winners since the start of the 2018-19 season. PHOTO BY JIM ROSVOLD

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CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’ On the road in California for the NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament, the Badgers took a moment to relax together at Venice Beach in the midst of a whirlwind last few weeks. Wisconsin earned its second-straight appearance in the national round of 16 before falling to UCLA, 2-0. PHOTO BY A.J. HARRISON

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GOOD FROM 62 Senior Zach Hintze made the memory of a lifetime in his final game at Camp Randall last Saturday, hitting a school-record 62-yard field goal as time expired on the first half and being mobbed by his teammates on the way to the locker room. PHOTO BY TOM LYNN

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TOP OF THE CLASS Leading No. 5 Wisconsin to an undefeated 10-0 record at home (21-5 overall) this season, the Badgers volleyball team recognized its senior class of Sarah Dodd, Madison Duello, Tiffany Clark, M.E. Dodge and Mallory Dixon at its annual Senior Night celebration. PHOTO BY GREG ANDERSON

EVERY BOUNCE PASS, BOARD AND BADGERS WE’RE THERE. ™

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CONTENTS

NOVEMBER 27, 2019 ▪ VOLUME 10, ISSUE 9

DAVID STLUKA

30 EYES ON THE PRIZE The excitement is palpable for Saturday’s Border Battle rivalry game against Minnesota. Can the Badgers take back Paul Bunyan’s Axe and all that comes with it?

FEATURES 2

LUCAS AT LARGE

IN FOCUS

D-LINE TRUST

18 LUCAS AT LARGE

21 BY THE NUMBERS 24 WHAT TO WATCH 27 FORWARD360

39 INSIDE FOOTBALL 41 INSIDE BASKETBALL 43 INSIDE VOLLEYBALL 45 INSIDE HOCKEY 49 INSIDE WRESTLING

TOM LYNN

29 VIRAL VIDEO

TOM LYNN

There’s no shortage of trust and motivation among the Badgers’ defensive linemen heading to Minnesota.

VOLLEYBALL

43 B1G LEADERS No. 5 Wisconsin travels to No. 7 Penn State on Friday and needs only one more win to clinch a share of the Big Ten title. 15

Wisconsin Athletic Communications Kellner Hall, 1440 Monroe St. Madison, WI 53711

VIEW ALL ISSUES Jessica Burda

Director of Brand Communications Managing Editor

Brian Lucas

Director of Football Brand Communications

Julia Hujet

Editor/Designer

Brian Mason

Editor/Contributor

Mike Lucas

Senior Writer

Andy Baggot Writer

Chris Hall, Jerry Mao, Bianca Miceli, Brandon Spiegel Video Production

Monica Danek Advertising

Adam Ahearn Distribution

Contributors

Carissa Brzezinski, Paul Capobianco, A.J. Harrison, Brandon Harrison, Patrick Herb, Diane Nordstrom, Kelli Steffes Photography

David Stluka, Greg Anderson, Bob Campbell, Jack McLaughlin, Tom Lynn, Cal Sport Media, Icon Sportswire Cover Photo: Tom Lynn Problems or Accessibility Issues? VarsityMag@UWBadgers.com ÂŠ 2019 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. All rights reserved worldwide. 17

LUCAS AT LARGE

BY MIKE LUCAS ▪ UWBADGERS.COM SENIOR WRITER

Difference-maker for the D-line? Trust.

DAVID STLUKA

henever one word came up in separate conversations with defensive linemen Isaiahh Loudermilk, Garrett Rand and Matt Henningsen, they each pounced on the word like it was a fumble on the ground or a deflected pass in the air. The word? Trust. “Trust means a lot, especially in this game,” said the 6-foot-7, 293-pound Loudermilk. “If you line up and you’re not so sure if the guy next to you can do his job, you might overcompensate and try to do a little more and sometimes when you do that, you’ll mess up. “As a defense, I fully trust the guys behind me, and I fully trust any D-lineman we put out there. Having that trust as a team definitely means a lot, especially when it comes down to big situations in a game and you have to trust everyone out there to do their job.”

DAVID STLUKA

ISAIAHH LOUDERMILK

Trust can impact performance and effort. “We’re always able to go all out because we’ve got guys next to us that we can trust,” said the 6-3, 286-pound Henningsen, who reiterated and personalized the overall defensive mantra, “There’s no doubt in my mind that the guy next to me is going to get the job done.” Rand, who’s more reticent than the others, expanded the theme ever so slightly, “If you’ve got the trust and then you believe … you just do your job the best that you can so the other guys can do theirs … if I’m trying to do more than my job sometimes, it will eventually not go out as planned.” Beyond the belief in each other, there’s the belief in the coaching, the belief in the plan, the belief in the rotation. The Badgers have been fresher and more productive at defensive

MATT HENNINGSEN

end by rotating three linemen over two spots, a tactic embraced by Loudermilk, Rand and Henningsen. It was all made possible, too, by Rand’s return from injury that sidelined him in 2018. “It’s awesome having him back,” Henningsen said. “We have the three-man rotation where none of us ever needs to get tired. It takes some unselfishness to know that when you’re tired, you should come out because you know that you can trust the guys behind you.” That word again. “Coach trusts everyone that he puts in there,” Loudermilk said. Wisconsin defensive line coach Inoke Breckterfield’s trust has extended to a 315-pound nose guard, Keeanu Benton; a true freshman from Janesville (Wisconsin) Craig. The precocious Benton, a prep wrestler, has filled the void left by soph-

omore Bryson Williams, who has been limited by injuries this season. Loudermilk, Rand and Henningsen have the utmost trust in Benton. “The whole team, the whole defense has been impressed with what he has been able to do,” Loudermilk said. “That’s a spot, the nose guard spot, where you have to have someone who can anchor down in there and win the one-on-ones. And he has done that for us.” Benton had a season-high three tackles and a sack at Ohio State. “He has picked up things really fast and he has done a good job of learning on the run,” said Rand. “Probably one of the best things that you could have as a freshman is taking the coaching really well.” Henningsen has watched Benton’s ongoing education in the trenches which can be an unforgiving place for someone so inexperienced. “He came in as a big, athletic kid without much football knowledge or technique,” he said, “and it’s pretty cool seeing him progress the way he has.” The mesh of these disparate souls — Loudermilk, Rand and Henningsen — has been intriguing based on their contrasting narratives. And they each know for the Badgers to slow down Minnesota’s multi-faceted offense, a blend of the run and pass, it will have to start on the line of scrimmage. Loudermilk is from Howard, Kansas (Pop: 602) where he played eight-man football while coming up through the ranks of

the West Elk schools (serving 363 students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12). Wichita is 60 miles away and the nearest city to Howard with a population of at least 50,000. By sharp contrast, Rand is from the desert; Chandler, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix whose greater metro area is approaching five million people. Rand graduated from the largest high school in the state, Hamilton, which has an enrollment over 4,000. Cody Bellinger is one of its famous alums.

“WE’RE ALWAYS ABLE TO GO ALL OUT BECAUSE WE’VE GOT GUYS NEXT TO US THAT WE CAN TRUST. THERE’S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT THE GUY NEXT TO ME IS GOING TO GET THE JOB DONE.” Henningsen was a walk-on from suburban Milwaukee and a four-year honor roll student at Menomonee Falls High School (enrollment 1,303 for grades 9-12). He was a two-time team captain in football and the captain of his basketball team as a senior. He now owns a 4.0 grade-point average in electrical engineering. Now add to this overall mix David Pfaff, a fifth-year senior from Mequon and Homestead High School. Although he has seen little action during his career, he brings some personality to the D-line room that has not gone overlooked and underappreciated by Loudermilk, Rand and Henningsen. “He’s a guy who brings a

ton of energy to everything he does,” Henningsen said of Pfaff (pronounced Foff). “He’s one of those guys that you love to have on the team because he always has a great attitude and he’s always to excited to be out there. He just loves the game of football.” “He’s definitely one of the leaders on the D-line,” said Loudermilk. “He’s the kind of guy that is not going to let up one bit. Coach feels comfortable putting him in.” At the end of a recent practice, Rand walked over to an interviewer and Pfaff playfully shouted from a distance to give him some love, or something to the equivalent. “I love Pfaff,” said an obliging Rand. “He works hard and he’s one of the upperclassmen that makes sure everyone is in line.” A year ago, the Gophers rushed for 201 yards in a lopsided 37-15 victory at Wisconsin. The defensive front looked to be running on fumes late in the season and it was overwhelmed by a huge, aggressive Minnesota offensive line featuring 400-pound right tackle Daniel Faalele. The ultimate “In Your Face” possession took place in the fourth quarter. Protecting a 23-7 lead, the Gophers burned 9 minutes and 16 seconds off the clock on a 15-play, 55-yard drive that was punctuated by 13 runs and ended with a missed field goal. The bottom line? It was painful. The Badgers simply couldn’t get off the field. Click to read more »

BY THE NUMBERS

DAVID STLUKA

144

WOMEN’S HOCKEY ▶ In her first year for the Badgers, junior transfer Daryl Watts leads the NCAA this season with 41 points. That’s 15 goals and 26 assists for the forward.

14.4

◀ WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Sophomore guard Imani Lewis has knocked down 72 points in Wisconsin's first five games this season, averaging 14.4 per game to lead the Badgers.

TOM LYNN

10-0

DAVID STLUKA

TOM LYNN

◀ FOOTBALL With 5,856 career yards, RB Jonathan Taylor needs 144 more to become just the seventh player in FBS history to rush for 6,000 yards — and the first to do so in just three seasons.

VOLLEYBALL ▶ UW wrapped its home Big Ten season with a perfect 10-0 mark, its first undefeated home conference season since 2001.

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WHAT TO WATCH TOM LYNN

B1G DREAMS

VOLLEYBALL AT PENN STATE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29 ▪ 5:30PM UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. ▪ BTN No. 5 Wisconsin wraps up the regular season on the road traveling to No. 7 Penn State on Friday. Needing only one win to clinch at least a share of the Big Ten title, tune in to watch the Badgers face the Nittany Lions at 5:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network.

FOOTBALL AT MINNESOTA SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30 ▪ 2:30PM MINNEAPOLIS ▪ FOX

DAVID STLUKA

AXE WEEK

No. 13 Wisconsin travels to No. 9 Minnesota on Saturday to battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe and a share of the Big Ten West Division Title. With a berth in the Big Ten Championship Game at stake, don’t miss kickoff live at 2:30 p.m. on ABC and ESPN’s College Gameday on site.

KASSIE DUNNIHOO

MAJOR DECISION

WRESTLING AT IOWA SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1 ▪ 7PM IOWA CITY, IOWA ▪ BTN No. 7 Wisconsin makes the first of seven appearances on Big Ten Network as the Badgers travel to top-ranked Iowa to open the conference dual season. Don’t miss one of the season’s top duals live at 7 p.m. on Sunday. 23

UA SPOTLIGHT MC

UA HIGHLIGHT MC

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WHAT TO WATCH WEDNESDAY 11/27

THURSDAY 11/28

FRIDAY 11/29

SATURDAY 11/30

WOMEN’S HOCKEY at Country Classic vs. Harvard Nashville, Tenn. 4:30 p.m. Event info »

WOMEN’S HOCKEY at Country Classic vs. #8 Boston College Nashville, Tenn. 1 p.m. Event info »

VOLLEYBALL at #7 Penn State University Park, Pa. 5:30 p.m. Watch: BTN

FOOTBALL at #9 Minnesota Minneapolis 2:30 p.m. Watch: ABC

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL at Bahamas Hoopfest vs. Ball State Nassau, Bahamas 6 p.m. Event info »

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL at Bahamas Hoopfest vs. #25 Arkansas Nassau, Bahamas 6 p.m. Event info »

View more 11/30 events »

SUNDAY 12/1 MEN’S HOCKEY vs. Michigan Madison, Wis. 4 p.m. Watch: BTN Buy tickets » WRESTLING at #1 Iowa Iowa City, Iowa 7 p.m. Watch: BTN

ALL TIMES CENTRAL

MONDAY 12/2

TUESDAY 12/3

WEDNESDAY 12/4 MEN’S BASKETBALL at NC State Raleigh, N.C. 8:15 p.m. Watch: ESPN2 MEN’S & WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING at Toyota U.S. Open Atlanta All day

VIEW FULL CALENDAR ON UWBADGERS.COM »

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FORWARD360 SPOTLIGHT

Giving Thanks By Giving Back

Annual Thanksgiving basket distribution benefits local families BY MICHELLE DIECKELMAN & CAPRI WHITELEY ▪ UW FORWARD360

hanksgiving is a holiday for giving thanks, watching football, and of course, sharing a meal with loved ones. On Sunday, Nov. 24, 2019, in preparation for the holiday, more than 50 student-athletes and staff volunteers from Wisconsin Athletics spent the morning at Goodman Community Center. The group organized, packaged, and distributed baskets filled with various Thanksgiving food items, which will benefit up to 25,000 Dane County residents. This is not the only time Wisconsin Athletics has helped with this year’s effort. Earlier on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, student-athletes helped collect monetary and stuffing donations prior to a women’s volleyball game. From this one night of fundraising, Goodman Community Center was able to provide 30 families with a warm Thanksgiving meal. Goodman Community Center’s annual Thanksgiving Basket Distribution has become a tradition to give back to families in need during the holiday season. One volunteer who truly made today’s event a big success was Sam McDaniel, the Food Pantry Coordinator at Goodman Community Center. For Wisconsin Athletics, it was a morning filled with laughs, love, and hard work. The team was able to create, stuff, and distribute more than 500 baskets. “We think we’re going

to give out more baskets than we’ve ever given,” McDaniel says. There was no lack of hustle from the volunteers, whether they were placing corn and gravy into grocery bags, unloading turkeys from trucks, or placing the baskets into families’ cars, they did it efficiently and with smiles. The Thanksgiving Basket Distribution is all about helping those in the local community, in an effort to lighten their burdens this holiday season. “The Thanksgiving meal is one of those iconic holiday gatherings. It’s a big piece of people feeling okay with where they are, even in distress. When people come to pick up the baskets, they see all of you and everybody else out here willing to help, just using their own time, not asking for anything in return, and that makes people feel like, I think that things are going to be OK, because their community is here to help them,” McDaniel says. Thanksgiving is a day to spend time with family, friends and give thanks. With some help from Wisconsin Athletics, many families will no longer have to worry about how they are going to provide a warm Thanksgiving meal for their families. If you would like to learn more, or donate, visit Badgers Give Back and Goodman Community Center. ▪

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DAVID STLUKA

TOM LYNN

isconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard thinks this week should be a piece of cake. The Badgers are about to play a chips-in-themiddle-of-the-table rivalry game with Minnesota, the likes of which we haven’t witnessed in nearly 60 years. When the teams meet on Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, the stakes include a berth in the Big Ten Football Championship Game, a high-profile bowl slot, bragging rights in a Border Battle series that dates back to 1890, and possession of Paul Bunyan’s Axe. It’s perfect theater for a rivalry — the mostplayed in Football Bowl Subdivision history — that’s currently in a dead heat (60-60-8). It’s a perfect end-of-November marquee-topper for the ESPN College GameDay crew, especially if snowfall and wind predictions are correct. It’s reminiscent of the regular-season finale in 1962 when No. 3 Wisconsin hosted the fifth-ranked Gophers and pulled out a 14-9 victory on the way to a Big Ten championship. Leonhard doesn’t expect the game to be leisurely — far from it, especially if meteorologists have a clue and up to 12 inches of snow falls

prior to the duel — but his players’ preparation and focus for it should not be an issue. He said Axe Week might be the easiest one to coach. “It should be,” Leonhard said. “If you have the right guys it should be, there’s no question about it. If you can’t get excited about weeks like this, you’re in the wrong sport. If you can’t get excited to coach in a week like this, you’re in the wrong profession. “This is the best of college football. Rivalry game. Trophy on the line. Big Ten West on the line.” Both teams are ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 for just the sixth time overall. The Gophers (10-1 overall, 7-1 in the Big Ten) are ninth. Wisconsin (9-2, 6-2) is No. 13. Both clubs have top-10 defenses and offenses that are uncommonly proficient in ball control, according to FBS statistics. Both outfits have designs on playing in the Rose Bowl, something the Gophers haven’t done since 1961 and Wisconsin last accomplished in 2012. At the heart of the showdown is the fact Minnesota came to Camp Randall Stadium last November and emphatically ended a 14-game losing streak in the series with a 37-15 victory.

The unexpected triumph was such that Goone of those things that you want to say at the phers gate-keepers treated the Axe like a set end that you’ve accomplished. It’s something of crown jewels, at one point taking it on a that the importance of it is carried through nine-city tour of the state. the years and there’s not a group here that The Badgers, meanwhile, were sent into a hasn’t felt that type of commitment to getting mournful daze. A special display case in the it done. There’s a pressure. There’s an excitelocker room was sudment. There’s all those denly empty, markthings that go with it. ing the first time since But the importance of it “THIS IS THE BEST OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL. 2004 that the Axe lived is very much alive.” RIVALRY GAME. TROPHY ON THE LINE. somewhere other than Leonhard, a threeBIG TEN WEST ON THE LINE.” Madison. time All-America safety, Getting the Axe back played in four Border was made a priority beBattles, winning twice fore Wisconsin coaches and players closed the at home (2002 and ’04) and losing twice on book on 2018. the road (2001, ’03). He said he has distinct, “The stories of us losing it had never been enduring memories of those games where told before, so this is extra motivation,” senior he and his teammates stormed the opposing outside linebacker Zack Baun said. sideline to retrieve the Axe and, also, seeing an “Getting this Axe back means a lot,” junior archrival make the same joyful assault. center Tyler Biadasz said. “I mean a lot a lot.” The legendary series is littered with recent tales of woe and wow where the Badgers are concerned. The last time they lost two in a row, in 1993 and ’94, a possible national championship bid was ruined and Joe Rudolph was there. Now the Wisconsin offensive coordinator, Rudolph was the starting left guard in ’93 when the Gophers forced six turnovers and came away with a 28-21 decision in Minneapolis. It was the only loss of the season for the Badgers, who went on to win the Big Ten crown and Rose Bowl en route to finishing 10-1-1. When Minnesota scored in the final five minutes to claim a 17-14 win at Camp Randall in ’94, Rudolph was left with a bitter taste that still lingers. “Absolutely it does,” he said. “It’s

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TOM LYNN

DAVID STLUKA

“Vastly different feelings,” Leonhard said, “one you never want to feel in your life and one you never want to forget.” Did the Badgers take the Axe rivalry for granted last season? Fourteen years is a long time to maintain the same level of intensity. Leonhard said no. “We got outplayed last year in a big way,” he said. “The scoreboard showed that. I don’t think we took it for granted. It was the culmination of what this team was. They were hungrier than we were that day and executed significantly better than we did that day.” Rudolph said there was a lesson in the humbling setback, which included four giveaways. “I think what this team probably embraced is that no one person, no one group, no one side of the ball — offense, defense, special teams — nobody can watching rivalry games like Wisconsin vs. Mindo it alone and you really do need each other nesota. to be successful consistently,” he said. “To me, when I think of the Axe, it’s the best Rudolph smiled at the notion that his job, of college football rivalries,” he said. “That’s which includes overseeing the offensive line, what college football is all about. That’s what would be easy this week. helps provide the pas“Hopefully the motision that fans feel. vation factor is some“You watched Satur“TO ME, WHEN I THINK OF THE AXE, thing you don’t need to days. You watched big IT’S THE BEST OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL coach,” he said. “When games. You watched there’s extra energy, as RIVALRIES. THAT’S WHAT COLLEGE FOOTrivalry games and the a coach you have to do energy — whether it’s BALL IS ALL ABOUT. THAT’S WHAT HELPS a good job directing that from the stands, the PROVIDE THE PASSION THAT FANS FEEL.” energy in the right way. emotion of the players, “We’re harping on things getting chippy these guys about focus and preparation.” on the field — you can tell when it’s real and Biadasz knows the message well. the bigger the rivalry, the more energy and “We can prepare better,” he said. “We all passion.” know what it takes and we’re ready to put it There will be no shortage of energy, emoall out there.” tion, passion and feistiness when the Axe goes Leonhard said he fell in love with football on the block one more time.

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DAVID STLUKA

Best seats in the house: Celebrating 25 years of Mike and Matt BY ANDY BAGGOT ▪ UWBADGERS.COM INSIDER

he best vantage point to experience Wisconsin football and men’s basketball games probably belongs to Dave McCann. As a long-time broadcast engineer for iHeart Radio in Madison, he’s spent the last two decades sitting in press boxes coast-to-coast making sure Badgers fans can hear, loud and clear, the familiar stylings of Matt Lepay and Mike Lucas. Lepay notably handles the play-by-play, Lucas choreographs chunks of insight and analysis, while McCann sets up, maintains and operates the technology needed to bring it all to life. Together they’ve brought to life nearly 250 football and almost 700 basketball games for Wisconsin fans. Together the three men have collected millions of stories and told millions more. McCann usually has the same view of the action as his two partners — be it an upper-deck radio booth hovering high above the field or a table courtside — but there are stadiums where

his view of the field is limited and he can’t see what’s happening near one end zone. That’s when McCann does one of his favorite things, something many Badgers fans do when they can’t be there in person or watch on TV. He tunes in. He gives his eyes to Lepay and his curiosity to Lucas and gives in to the emotions of the moment. “Sometimes I’ll forget that I’m engineering,” McCann said, “and I’ll just listen.” That obstructed-view sequence may ultimately disappoint. The final outcome may be painful. The postgame journey home may be somber, treacherous or both. The pace may be exhausting when the seasons overlap as they do right now. But none of that changes the way McCann feels about collaborating with Lepay and Lucas. “Every game is a thrill to be working with them,” he said.

Lepay and Lucas have been calling Wisconsin you get a rhythm, like a dance partner,” Alvafootball and men’s basketball games on radio rez said. “They know what they’re going to get together for 25 years. In the process, they’ve from each other.” become an institution, two guys known for Mark Tauscher is a former Wisconsin and their instincts, insights and chemistry. Green Bay Packers offensive lineman who has They’ve taken turns been part of the broadtelling stories of young cast team for home people and big dreams. games for the last six “THEY’VE SEEN WISCONSIN FOOTBALL GROW TO They’ve taken turns seasons. In addition WHERE IT IS. THEY’VE SEEN WISCONSIN BASKETgiving perspective to to providing a unique BALL GROW TO WHERE IT IS NOW. THEY’VE GONE strategy, policy, rules perspective, he brings THROUGH HIGHS AND LOWS AND THEY UNDERSTAND and tactics. a welcome sense of THAT IT’S A JOURNEY THROUGH A SEASON AND They’ve taken turns humor while bantering A LOT OF THINGS CAN HAPPEN THROUGH IT.” giving voice to a rewith Lepay and Lucas. naissance that contin“I think they both ues to define all things Badgers. know what each other’s thinking and how they Bowl games and NCAA tournament berths go about preparing,” Tauscher said. “I think they were the exception, not the rule, when Lepknow how each other’s mind works, which ay and Lucas first teamed up in 1994. In all, might be a dangerous thing.” Click to read more » Wisconsin has qualified for 23 bowl games — including a current Big Ten Conference-best streak of 18 in a row — and men’s basketball has made it to the national tournament 22 times on their watch. That consistency has endured through two athletic directors, including Barry Alvarez; four football coaches, including Paul Chryst; and six men’s basketball coaches, including Greg Gard. Few college fan bases have enjoyed such an enduring product and have such a wellschooled set of personalities like Lepay and Lucas serving as narrators. “They both have seen the history of these programs,” Gard said. “They’ve seen Wisconsin football grow to where it is. They’ve seen Wisconsin basketball grow to where it is now. They’ve gone through highs and lows and they understand that it’s a journey through a season and a lot of things can happen through it.” Lepay and Lucas have conveyed their thoughts with a synchronized sense of style. “You work with someone long enough,

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DAVID STLUKA

INSIDE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (9-2, 6-2) Home events in bold. All times CT. Aug. 30 at South Florida W, 49-0 Sept. 7 Central Michigan W, 61-0 Sept. 21 #11 Michigan W, 35-14 Sept. 28 Northwestern W, 24-15 Oct. 5

Kent State

W, 48-0

Oct. 12 Michigan State W, 38-0

Homecoming

Oct. 19 at Illinois

L, 23-24

Oct. 26 at #4 Ohio State L, 7-38

▲ TAP TO WATCH - Wisconsin vs. Purdue Highlights

THIS WEEK With a share of the Big Ten West Division title and a berth in the 2019 Big Ten Football Championship Game at stake, the most familiar rivals in major college football will meet Saturday as 13thranked Wisconsin (9-2 overall, 6-2 B1G) heads to Minneapolis to battle No. 9 Minnesota (10-1 overall, 7-1 B1G) for Paul Bunyan’s Axe. LAST WEEK Behind 222 rushing yards from Jonathan Taylor and a pair of passing TDs from Jack Coan, the Badgers scored their 14th consecutive win over Purdue with a 45-24 victory to wrap up a 7-0 season at Camp Randall Stadium.

GOOD TO KNOW This year’s clash will be just the sixth meeting of ranked teams in series history, with Wisconsin holding a 5-0 record in games in which both the Badgers and Gophers hold AP Top 25 rankings.

#18 Iowa

W, 24-22

Nov. 16 at Nebraska

W, 37-21

Nov. 23 Purdue

W, 45-24

TOM LYNN

Nov. 9

Nov. 30 at #9 Minnesota 2:30 p.m. Dec. 7

Big Ten Championship Indianapolis 7 p.m. View full schedule/results »

SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:

NEED TO KNOW Saturday’s game kicks off at 2:30 p.m. CT and airs live on ABC, with Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Maria Taylor on the call. Matt Lepay, Mike Lucas 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)

▶ Taylor, seniors soak in special moments at Camp Randall

▶ Stories from football’s senior day ▶ Senior Send-Off: Wisconsin derails Purdue, 45-24

EVERY BOUNCE PASS, BOARD AND ’

BADGERS WE’RE THERE. ™

CH. 84

INSIDE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE (4-1, 0-0) Home events in bold. All times CT. Oct. 30 UW-Whitewater W, 67-34

Exhibition

Nov. 5

North Florida W, 75-62

Nov. 10 Wofford

W, 78-65

Nov. 14 at Colorado

L, 57-74

Nov. 17 Milwaukee

W, 71-40

Nov. 26 Eastern Illinois W, 63-55 at Bahamas Hoopfest, Nassau, Bahamas:

Nov. 29 vs. Ball State

6 p.m.

Nov. 30 vs. #25 Arkansas 6 p.m. Dec. 5

at Georgia Tech

6 p.m.

Dec. 12 Alabama State

7 p.m.

Dec. 20 Prairie View A&M 7 p.m.

THIS WEEK The Badgers (4-1 overall, 0-0 B1G) travel to the Bahamas this week to compete in the Bahamas Hoopfest where they will face Ball State on Friday and Arkansas on Saturday. Both games tip at 6 p.m. CT.

GOOD TO KNOW Sophomore guard Imani Lewis leads the Badgers over five games with 72 points, averaging 14.4 per game. She’s also collected 36 rebounds, second only to teammate Abby Laszewski’s 37.

LAST TIME OUT Wisconsin added two wins to its record after defeating instate rival Milwaukee, 71-40, on Nov. 17 and then picking up a 63-55 victory against Eastern Illinois at home on Nov. 26.

NEED TO KNOW Follow @BadgerWBB on Twitter and Instagram for live updates, photos and videos from from the Bahamas.

RELATED STORIES (Click to read)

▶ Badgers push past Panthers

2 p.m.

Dec. 31 at Purdue

3 p.m.

Jan. 4

Penn State

3 p.m.

Jan. 9

at Nebraska

7 p.m.

Jan. 12

at #15 Michigan St. TBA

Jan. 16

Michigan

TOM LYNN

▲ TAP TO WATCH - Wisconsin Beats Milwaukee at Home

Dec. 28 Rutgers

7 p.m.

View full schedule/results » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:

▶ Wisconsin roars past Milwaukee, 71-40 ▶ Badgers women’s basketball team runs past UW-Milwaukee

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INSIDE VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE (21-5, 17-1) Home events in bold. All times CT. Oct. 13 #6 Minnesota

W, 3-0

Oct. 18 #17 Illinois

W, 3-2

Oct. 19 Northwestern

W, 3-0

Oct. 25 at Michigan State W, 3-0

THIS WEEK No. 5 Wisconsin (21-5 overall, 15-1 B1G) wraps up the regular season on the road, traveling to No. 7 Penn State and Rutgers next weekend. Wisconsin takes on the Nittany Lions on Friday at 5:30 p.m. CT in University Park, Pennsylvania. On Saturday, UW takes on Rutgers at 6 p.m. in New Brunswick, New Jersey. LAST WEEK The Badgers need to win only one more match to claim at least a share of the 2019 Big Ten championship. UW took a big step towards the title with two wins at home, sweeping Iowa and No. 6 Nebraska in the UW Field House. Wisconsin won its fourth-straight match over the Huskers and completed a season sweep of Nebraska for the first time in program history.

GOOD TO KNOW The bracket for the 2019 NCAA Championship will be announced on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. live on ESPNU. UW will be making its seventh-straight and 23rd overall NCAA tournament appearance. The Badgers are 46-22 in 22 years of the tournament, advancing to at least the Sweet 16 the last six years in a row.

W, 3-1

Oct. 30 Maryland

W, 3-0

Nov. 3

at Indiana

W, 3-0

Nov. 8

at Ohio State

L, 1-3

Nov. 9

at Maryland

W, 3-0

TOM LYNN

▲ TAP TO WATCH - Driven || Season 5 || Episode 10

Oct. 27 at Michigan

Nov. 14 at #5 Minnesota W, 3-1 Nov. 16 Michigan State W, 3-0 Nov. 22 Iowa

W, 3-0

Nov. 24 #6 Nebraska

W, 3-0

Nov. 29 at #7 Penn St. 5:30 p.m. Nov. 30 at Rutgers

6 p.m.

View full schedule/results » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:

NEED TO KNOW Wisconsin can clinch at least a share of the Big Ten championship live on Big Ten Network when it plays at Penn State on Friday night. Saturday’s match will be streamed live on BTN+ ($). Both matches can be heard in the Madison area on 100.9FM or anywhere in the world using the iHeartRadio app. Follow @BadgerVB on Twitter and Instagram for live updates on the team.

RELATED STORIES (Click to read)

▶ One Step Closer: Badgers sweep No. 6 Nebraska

▶ Senior Night Sweep: Wisconsin rolls past Iowa ▶ Badgers volleyball team celebrates its seniors

PAUL CAPOBIANCO

INSIDE MEN’S HOCKEY SCHEDULE (6-7-1, 1-4-1) Home events in bold. All times CT. Oct. 18 #3 Minn. Duluth W, 6-2 Oct. 19 #3 Minn. Duluth W, 3-1 Oct. 25 #13 Clarkson

L, 0-4

Oct. 26 #13 Clarkson

W, 4-3

Oct. 31 at #12 Penn State L, 1-6 Nov. 1

at #12 Penn State L, 2-4

Nov. 8

at #20 Omaha

W, 5-2

Nov. 9

at #20 Omaha

L, 2-5

Nov. 15 #4 Notre Dame W, 3-0 Nov. 16 #4 Notre Dame L, 4-5 OT

▲ TAP TO WATCH - Wisconsin Hockey || Ep 14 || For Each Other

THIS WEEK No. 19 Wisconsin (6-7-1, 1-41-1 B1G) plays host to Michigan (4-8-2, 0-5-1 Big Ten) on Saturday and Sunday back in the Kohl Center for the final time until the new year. Saturday’s game begins at 7 p.m., while Sunday’s game is a 4 p.m. start. LAST WEEK The Badgers dropped a 4-1 contest at Minnesota on Friday, before rallying from two goals down in the third period for a 3-3 tie on Saturday. UW gained the extra point in the Big Ten standings thanks to a three-round shootout victory.

GOOD TO KNOW Senior Max Zimmer’s shootout goal was his third winner for the Badgers since the start of last year. He’s accounted for all three shootout wins in the last two seasons. NEED TO KNOW Fans can tune into this weekend’s games by watching Saturday night on FOX Sports Wisconsin+ ($) and Sunday afternoon on BTN. Radio will be available both nights on 1070 WTSO with live stats on UWBadgers.com. View live updates by following @BadgerMHockey on Twitter.

RELATED STORIES (Click to read)

▶ The mark of Zimmer: Comeback nets Badgers shootout win

Nov. 22 at Minnesota

L, 1-4

Nov. 23 at Minnesota

T, 3-3 OT

Nov. 30 Michigan

7 p.m.

Dec. 1

Michigan

4 p.m.

Dec. 6

at #20 Michigan St. 6 p.m.

Dec. 7

at #20 Michigan St. 6 p.m.

Jan. 1 vs. U.S. Under-18 Team (Exhibition) 3 p.m.

Plymouth, Mich.

Jan. 10

#11 Ohio State

8 p.m.

Jan. 11

#11 Ohio State

7 p.m.

View full schedule/results » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:

▶ Seven sign to join Wisconsin men’s hockey ▶ Badgers in the NHL: Frederic makes season debut

INSIDE WOMEN’S HOCKEY SCHEDULE (14-1-1, 8-1-1) Home events in bold. All times CT. Oct. 18 at LIU

W, 10-2

Oct. 19 at LIU

W, 12-0

Oct. 26 Bemidji State

W, 4-1

Oct. 27 Bemidji State

W, 4-1

Nov. 2

at #2 Minnesota

L, 2-4

Nov. 3

at #2 Minnesota T, 2-2 2OT

Nov. 16 Minnesota State W, 3-2 Nov. 17 Minnesota State W, 6-1 Nov. 22 at St. Cloud State W, 5-3 Nov. 23 at St. Cloud State W, 6-2 at Country Classic, Nashville, Tenn.:

Nov. 29 vs. Harvard

4:30 p.m.

Nov. 30 vs. #8 Boston College 1 p.m.

LAST WEEK Wisconsin had a victory weekend in St. Cloud, Minn. against the Huskies, taking a 5-3 win Friday night and a 6-2 win Saturday afternoon at the

Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. GOOD TO KNOW Senior and alternative captain Abby Roque became only the eighth Wisconsin women’s hockey player to tally 100 career assists after tallying two during the Badgers’ win at St. Cloud State Friday night. She now holds 102 assists following last weekend.

#10 Minn. Duluth 7 p.m.

Dec. 7

#10 Minn. Duluth 7 p.m.

DAVID STLUKA

THIS WEEK The second-ranked Badgers (14-1-1 overall, 8-1-1-0 WCHA) head to Nashville for the Country Classic this weekend. UW will take on Harvard this Friday at 4:30 p.m. CT at the Ford Ice Center and will face No. 8 Boston College on Saturday in a 1 p.m. showdown.

Dec. 6

at Battle at the Burgh, Pittsburgh:

Jan. 4

vs. Robert Morris 6 p.m.

vs. Colgate/#4 Northeastern Jan. 5 1/4 p.m.

View full schedule/results » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:

NEED TO KNOW Fans can follow this weekend’s tournament on Twitter @BadgerWHockey.

RELATED STORIES (Click to read)

▶ Fast start leads Badgers to 6-2 triumph ▶ Hitting high: Badgers tame Huskies on Friday night

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INSIDE WRESTLING SCHEDULE (6-0, 0-0) Home events in bold. All times CT. at Battle on the Midway, San Diego:

Nov. 1

vs. Fresno State W, 31-8

vs. Army

W, 16-15

vs. Navy

W, 24-12

Nov. 7

at Buffalo

W, 33-3

Nov. 8

at Edinboro

W, 28-15

Nov. 23 at #18 Utah Valley W, 31-13 Dec. 1

at #1 Iowa

Dec. 7

at SIUE Invitational

Edwardsville, Ill.

Dec. 19 Kent State

7 p.m.

Dec. 29-30

at Midlands Championships ▲ TAP TO WATCH - Jump Around Monday with Chris Bono (11/25/19)

THIS WEEK No. 7 Wisconsin (6-0, 0-0 B1G) gets its first shot at a Big Ten opponent this weekend as the Badgers face No. 1 Iowa (2-0, 0-0) in Iowa City, Iowa, on Saturday at 7 p.m. from Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The dual airs live on Big Ten Network. LAST WEEK Wisconsin traveled to Orem, Utah, last Saturday to take on No. 18 Utah Valley and won 31-13, its first win over a ranked opponent this season.

GOOD TO KNOW No. 8 Trent Hillger upset No. 3 Tate Orndorff in the heavyweight class at Utah Valley. Taking the match to overtime, Hillger pinned Orndorff in 8:18. No. 14 Cole Martin recorded his first pin of the season in Utah. Martin took his opponent, Landon Knutzen, to the mat in just 50 seconds in the 149 weight class.

Hoffman Estates, Ill.

Jan. 10

at #11 Minnesota 8 p.m.

Jan. 12

#3 Nebraska

2 p.m.

Jan. 17

#5 Ohio State

7 p.m.

Jan. 31

at Indiana

6 p.m.

Feb. 2

at #17 Purdue

TBA

Feb. 7

#2 Penn State

8 p.m.

View full schedule/results » SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT:

NEED TO KNOW The Badgers make their first of seven appearances on the Big Ten Network on Saturday. Follow @BadgerWrestling on Twitter for live updates on the team.

RELATED STORIES (Click to read)

▶ No. 8 Hillger’s heroics continue as he pins No. 3 Orndorff

▶ No. 8 Wisconsin takes on No. 18 Utah Valley ▶ Gross is the GOAT after knocking off three NCAA champs