CONTENTS FEBRUARY 8, 2017 ▪ VOLUME 7, ISSUE 25 DAVID STLUKA

ON THE ROAD Take a look under the hood of the Badgers’ successful road sweep of Ohio State and how the Wisconsin hockey program earned two important Big Ten victories in two different cities. GREG ANDERSON FEATURES HOCKEY IN [FOCUS] IN MEMORIAM The week's best photos

Former Wisconsin hockey head BEHIND THE DESK coach Jeff Sauer is remembered for Alumni success has roots here his selfless love of the game and giving back to the community. BY THE NUMBERS Facts and figures on UW

LUCAS AT LARGE WHAT TO WATCH Where to catch the Badgers HARD AT WORK ASK THE BADGERS Ethan Happ’s garnering national Favorite study spots interest and POY talk, but the UW DAVID STLUKA sophomore’s focused solely on the BADGERING little things to improve his game. Coach Whitney Hite (Swim)

-SCROLL FOR MORE- INSIDE FOOTBALL Leonhard named DC Wisconsin Athletic Communications Kellner Hall, 1440 Monroe St. Madison, WI 53711

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Brian Lucas Director of Athletic Communications

Jessica Burda Director of Digital Content Managing Editor

Julia Hujet Editor/Designer

Mike Lucas Senior Writer

Andy Baggot Writer

Matt Lepay Columnist

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Contributors Paul Capobianco, Kelli Grashel, A.J. Harrison, Brandon Harrison, Patrick Herb, Brian Mason, Diane Nordstrom

Photography David Stluka, Neil Ament, Greg Anderson, Bob Campbell, The Players Tribune, Cal Sport Media, Icon Sportswire

Cover Photo: Jim McIsaac

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© 2017 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. All rights reserved worldwide. LUCAS AT LARGE BY MIKE LUCAS ▪ UWBADGERS.COM Happ’s hard at work as attention grows fter the two-hour prac- stoppages. He wasn’t merely at the Kohl Center. tice, Ethan Happ didn’t amusing himself, either. There “He’s crafty,” said CBS analyst Aleave the floor with the was a method to it all. Clark Kellogg, who was courtside rest of his Wisconsin teammates. “I don’t want to make too big for Sunday’s game. “There’s a Instead the redshirt sophomore of a deal out of it,” Happ plead- knack for finishing inside. It’s a center picked up a Sterling ed. “But I think the more you combination of skills. It’s hands. basketball and went through a have the ball in your hands and It’s footwork. It’s strength. But shooting circuit for 30 minutes you’re putting yourself in awk- it’s also knowing where you with a manager rebounding and ward positions under the hoop are (in relationship to the ball), keeping track of the makes. like that, even if you’re just kind where the basket is and where “It’s basically form shots and of fooling around during prac- the defender is. swing spots, 2s and 3s, 80 tice, it helps.” “A lot of times guys don’t han- made; 40 post moves, 10 free It’s all about building muscle dle all three of those. Sometimes throws, five in a row, something memory. “The more repetitions guys will know where the de- DAVID STLUKA like that,” explained Happ, who — reverses with your left hand fender is, know where the ball went through this specific rou- or awkward spins with your right is and they forget where the tine two days before the Bad- hand — it’s going to help,” he basket is. He does all three. He gers entertained Indiana during reiterated. knows where his defender is. He a Super Bowl Sunday matinee at The Hoosiers tried to control feels him. He finds him. And he the Kohl Center. Happ by rotating three different knows where the hoop is.” During the practice itself, low-post defenders: 6-foot-10 Then it becomes a matter of when the starters were on de- Thomas Bryant, 6-10 De’Ron finishing. fense and matched against the Davis and 6-7 Juwan Morgan. “And,” Kellogg said of Happ, scout team, Happ would stand They all took their turns with “he has got the ability with both under the basket and hoist shots little success. Happ still made hands to finish.” with his left and right hand on 8-of-10 shots and scored 20 The 6-8, 225-pound Kellogg either side of the rim during points in Wisconsin’s 65-60 win knows his way around the rim. DAVID STLUKA

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emotionally tied to the ball go- ing in and still knowing you can produce even though you might go through a period where you might miss some shots. Contin- ue to stay the course.” Is Happ in the discussion for Player of the Year in the Big Ten? “Oh, no question, no ques- tion,” Kellogg said. “It’s going to be hard to overcome Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan who has got 20 double-doubles. That kind of individual consistency and bril- liance, to me, is what the Player of the Year is about. But Happ is right there with Maryland’s Melo Trimble.” DAVID STLUKA On Monday morning, ESPN’s Jay Bilas, one of the most ac- complished and respected an-

▲ TAP TO WATCH - Top 5 Plays vs. Indiana alysts in college basketball, hit send on this tweet: “Wisconsin’s During his three seasons at Ohio Ethan Happ is the best defend- State — 86 career games — he “HE’S CRAFTY,” SAID KELLOGG. er I’ve seen all season. To this averaged a double-double (15 “THERE’S A KNACK FOR FINISH- point, he’s the leader for Nation- points, 10 rebounds). In 1982, ING INSIDE. IT’S A COMBINA- al Defensive Player of the Year.” he was the Most Valuable Player TION OF SKILLS. IT’S HANDS. IT’S The testimonials from Kel- in the Big Ten. That same year, FOOTWORK. IT’S STRENGTH.” logg and Bilas are heady stuff he was a No. 1 draft pick of the for Happ who found himself on Indiana Pacers. don’t go away. They might go another list last week, a list of When asked about Happ’s dormant as you adjust to a new 10 finalists for the 2017 Kareem ball-handling skills, especially position. But they don’t go away. Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year since they’re outside the norm Those have resurfaced with his award. As a UW senior, Frank for someone 6-10, Kellogg not- ability to score. And he has been Kaminsky won it in 2015 on his ed, “Part of that is how he de- better finishing inside more so way to being the consensus Na- veloped as a player. He was a than he was.” tional Player of the Year. point guard until he was about Kellogg agreed that Happ has Happ has seen old videos of a sophomore in high school and begun to slow down the process Abdul-Jabbar. then he had a pretty significant with his back to the basket. “He had the goggles, right?” growth spurt. “That would be one way to inquired Happ, who related “So, those instincts that you look at it — that you realize how his dad through a friend of have as a ball handler, even you’ve got a little more time,” he a friend wound up with some though you’re a little taller, they said. “It’s maturity; not being so sweat pants that once belonged

LUCAS AT LARGE PAGE 2 OF 4 LUCAS AT LARGE BY MIKE LUCAS ▪ UWBADGERS.COM

“HE’S ALREADY GOT TERRIFIC FEET,” HELLAND SAID OF HAPP. “HE’S QUICK … AND HE’S WILL- ING TO EXPEND ENERGY, WHICH IS A BIG DEAL. HE GETS INTO PEOPLE’S MOTORS.”

to Kareem. But he went on to say that they were stored in the basement and the mice got to them. “We have them. They just have holes in them.” Right now, there aren’t many holes in Happ’s game save from

the free throw line. Overall, he’s DAVID STLUKA shooting 50 percent (51-of- 101), down from last season’s mark of 64 percent. Repetitions are part of the equation for suc- ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ before going in the first round cess at the stripe, according to oakim Noah. (No. 9) of the 2007 draft to the Kellogg who shot 77 percent That name was dropped Bulls. A two-time all-star, Noah from the line at Ohio State. Jby Wisconsin basketball was selected as the NBA Defen- “You have to get to the point strength and conditioning coach sive Player of the Year in 2014. of trusting your mechanics,” said Erik Helland, a 25-year veteran Noah, 34, is now with the New Kellogg, who had a limited NBA of the NBA and Chicago Bulls. York Knicks. career because of chronic knee “I think Ethan plays at a very “They’re similar in stature and problems. “I always say if you similar pace to Joakim,” he said. in terms of how they play, their take good shots, you have good “Honestly, he has a difficult time style of play, their versatility,” Hel- mechanics and you’re on bal- playing at a slow pace. He’s al- land said. “Ethan is a terrific pass- ance, the percentages are going ways active. Just like Joakim.” er and he handles the ball well, to be with you. It’s the same at Because of that activity, the a lot like Joakim did. When he the foul line.” non-stop motor, to be cliché, was Ethan’s age, he didn’t have a Even with his wide frame of Helland said, “That’s a huge reliable jump shot, either. But he reference as one of the voices/ reason why Ethan is effective. developed it over the years. faces of March Madness on He typically outworks people. “I think Ethan will probably CBS, the 55-year-old Kellogg They’ll take a little break and, all develop one over those same was hard-pressed to come up of a sudden, he’s by you … he lines. Sooner or later, whether with someone who has a similar goes and he’s going at a differ- it’s pretty or not, he’s going to playing style to Happ. “There’s ent speed than everybody else.” be a threat and he’ll be able to no one that jumps to mind with The 6-11, 230-pound Noah make a 15-foot jumper when that consistent relentlessness,” played on back-to-back national he’s open.” he conceded. championship teams at Florida During practices, there will

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be competitions among the He’s a guy that you can lean on. top of people. UW players whereby the losers He’s down with us.’” “He’s already got terrific feet. must run a series of sprints from Happ doesn’t seem to slow He’s quick … and he’s willing to boundary to boundary. Maybe down, though. The frenetic pace expend energy, which is a big it’s the starters or rotation. May- is part of his makeup. deal. He gets into people’s mo- be it’s the scout team. Maybe it’s “If anybody were to come into tors. I would almost equate him individuals for turning over the our practice, you’d see that he to a wrestler in that he tries to ball or missing free throws. Happ practices at that pace as well,” push that conditioning envelope runs … win or lose. Helland said. “That’s important on people and there comes a “He does it all the time,” Hel- because it’s not something you point where they can’t keep up.” land said. “I don’t think he ever can flip a switch at game time and While there may be varying misses.” go, ‘I’m going to play hard.’ You opinions on whether there is a “I think his reasoning is two- train yourself so when you go into true match for Happ in terms of fold,” head coach Greg Gard a game it’s just normal speed.” his unique playing style — es- explained. “Number one, he Helland brought up Noah pecially since 230 of his 234 loves the conditioning and again. field goal attempts have been prides himself on being in great “It’s more how their brains initiated around the rim — he shape. But the more telling tale work,” he said. “They’re always has struck a POY chord with is that he wants to be there active, they’re always moving.” television analysts and opposing for his teammates that have to Happ is just scratching the coaches in the Big Ten. run. He wants to show that he surface, too, Helland suggested, “He’s a terrific player,” Illinois is no better than anyone. It’s a on some of his physical gifts. head coach John Groce said last team-bonding thing in his mind.” “He’s deceptively strong,” Hel- week in Champaign. “He’s con- Happ again prefaced his ex- land said. “And this is something tinued to get better every year. planation saying, “I don’t really I’m trying to get across to Ethan, Very, very physical. Finishes with want to make a big deal out of he’s also deceptively athletic in either hand … In our league, I that.” But he added, “If I saw a a vertical sense. He’s not using can tell you everyone respects teammate do that, running every a lot of it right now. As you see the heck out of him.” time, I would think, ‘He’s with him develop, I’d like to see him The ultimate endorsement for us no matter what, high or low. have the ability to finish over the a competitor. ▪

LUCAS AT LARGE PAGE 4 OF 4 BEHIND THE DESK BY BARRY ALVAREZ ▪ UW DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS Success of alumni has deep roots here was very proud of James White donna, wanting to be stroked, I’ve followed his career and I and excited and happy for the this is not the place for you. have been impressed with the Iway he played in the Super If you want to come here and way he has moved up the ranks. Bowl. Whoever it is, when it’s go to school and develop as a He got into scouting and worked one of our kids, one of our former player, then you’re going to be really hard. Obviously, he has done players, that’s who we zero in on. a good fit. Our guys work hard. a good job in player evaluation. You definitely couldn’t miss If you don’t, you don’t have a Chris has stayed in touch and James. What did he have, 14 chance here, you won’t make it. we got together last football catches and 20 points? Wow. As Last Wednesday was a special season. We talked about differ- an athlete, you have to get into day for me because my grand- ent things, including how you a system that fits you and that’s son, Jake Ferguson, signed. I met create a winning culture and what he did with New England. most of the kids in this recruiting how different the NFL is today Mike Tranghese was on the class when they came on their than it has been. College Football Playoff Selec- visits. I love this O-line group. He showed me his plan; an or- tion Committee with me for the National Signing Day is always ganizational philosophy for hiring first couple of years and he’s a exciting for families and it’s just a coach and staff and the respon- friend of Bill Belichick. fun to be a part of it. I get just sibilities of a general manager I remember him telling me that as excited about the walk-on in the relationship. It was well Belichick loved the kid. And that class. That has been our lifeline thought out and very impressive. was back in his rookie season throughout the years. Like a lot of people in the busi- when he was inactive most of the Jimmy Leonhard is a good ness, he paid his dues. So has time (for all but three games). But example of the success we’ve Jay Norvell, one of my former they saw what they had in him. had. When Paul promoted him assistants. He has coached at a When he came here to Wis- to defensive coordinator, I was lot of different places at the col- consin, he was stacked originally thrilled for him. He’s ready and lege and pro level. with John Clay and Montee Ball he will be awesome in that role. It’s time to see if he can be a and, later, with Melvin Gordon. Jimmy was a smart player. He head coach and now he’s getting Yet, whenever he had a chance didn’t have tunnel vision. He saw that chance at Nevada (after 31 to play, he performed. the whole field. He understood years as an assistant). It’s a good He was always ready and very the game. He was the defensive opportunity for Jay and I’m kind dependable. He was a good quarterback and had to tie it all of anxious to see how he does. teammate. Tom Brady was say- together. He’s just a natural. All the good news last week ing that about him Sunday. A lot I got some phone calls last was tempered by the passing of of people, even Brady, felt like week on another one of our for- Jeff Sauer. It was a sad day for he could have been the MVP. mer players, Chris Ballard, who hockey and it extended beyond Like I said earlier, James was a was named the general manager the Badger family. He had a good fit for the Patriots. of the Indianapolis Colts. far-ranging impact on the sport. We talk a lot about finding the I remember him as a tough, grit- Mark Johnson talked about how right fit in recruiting, too. ty, hard-nosed guy, an overachiev- he was a respected ambassador For us, that’s a kid who likes er. Ballard, who was recruited by for the game. Tony Granato talked football, a kid who’s going to buy Don Morton, had to deal with about how much he cared about into our work ethic and how we injuries that cut short his playing people. He will be missed and go about things. If you’re a prima days as a UW wide receiver. remembered for those reasons. ▪

BEHIND THE DESK PAGE 1 OF 1 ASK THE BADGERS

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO STUDY? ON CAMPUS? DAVID STLUKA DAVID STLUKA DAVID STLUKA

AUDREY DALGARNO VITTO BROWN OLIN HACKER ASHLEY PETERSON Sr. ■ W. Lt. Rowing Sr. ■ Men’s Basketball Fr. ■ Men’s Track & Field Sr. ■ Women’s Swimming Brookline, Mass. Bowling Green, Ohio Madison, Wis. Highlands Ranch, Colo.

“My favorite place “My favorite place to “My favorite place to “My favorite place to to study on campus study is at the ping study is the green- study would either is the WID (Wis- pong table in our house at Birge Hall. be the School of Hu- consin Institute locker room. It’s got The greenhouse man Ecology (Nancy for Discovery). The plenty of space for makes me feel like Nicholas Hall) or the building provides a me, I can stretch my I’m a plant, which Wisconsin Historical productive ambiance legs out and I don’t helps me study for Society on Library as it is well-lit and have to be confined botany.” Mall. They are both quiet. I especially like to my desk. I don’t really pretty and studying at the WID have to stay quiet don’t make me feel during winter, as the like people in a li- like I’m in a library.” many plants inside it brary too.” grow year round.” BADGERING DAVID STLUKA COACH WHITNEY HITE

Whitney Hite is in his sixth season coaxing the Wisconsin men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs to the upper tier of the national swimming scene. He’s nudged both teams into the top 20. He’s landed some elite recruits, especially in the latest class for the women. He’s guided the reigning Big Ten Men’s Swimmer of the Year in Matt Hutchins. He’s coached an NCAA individual champion in Drew teDuits in 2013. With the Big Ten championship meets coming up later this month, Hite took a moment this week to talk about, among other things, his one-time dream job, his Super Bowl success and the biggest splurge he’s ever made. Interview by Andy Baggot: You were born in Colorado. You went to school in Texas. You had coaching stops in Georgia, California, Washington and Arizona. What makes Wisconsin unique in terms of swimming? “There’s charm in every place you go. Denver will always be home, but this is as close to a home as I think I’ll ever have. It is more of my style. Just kind of lunch pail, hard hat, go to work, blue collar. That’s what I appreciate about it. People are genuine. People are real. It’s the Midwest and that’s a good thing. That’s a positive thing. You get similar swimmers. I think it’s taken me maybe

SCROLL four years to really understand who we are. … When I got here I remember fans were really kind of hard on (former UW men’s basketball coach) Bo Ryan. ‘Oh, my God. A throwback to 1940s basketball. Slow it down.’ By God, he won. A lot. It worked. He had a system. He knew who he was. Same with Coach (Barry) Alvarez and Coach (Paul) Chryst (in football). We know who we are and there’s success in that. We get some talented kids, but the way we’re going to win ultimate- ly is through developing kids. There’s an article … that took all the four-year snapshots of who develops the most. Wisconsin women were second in the nation and the men were fourth of all the programs (in terms of) how much improvement that we have with the kids that are on our team. That’s who we are. … The way we’re going to climb this mountain, we’re not going to take an escalator. We’re going to take not necessarily the easy road, and that’s OK. That’s the type of kids I want to be around.”

What’s at the top of that mountain? “Winning. NCAA championships. Big Ten championships. There are a lot of ways to get there. I know how we’re going to get there.”

You coach both men and women. How do you approach coaching your male swimmers versus female swimmers? “That’s a good question. With guys … it’s more kind of you can challenge them a little bit more as far as, ‘C’mon. Let’s get after this.’ Although I do believe women are tougher overall than men … you can challenge men a little bit and you don’t necessarily challenge women. You support them. Encourage them. Not that guys don’t like to be encouraged, but I can dig in with the guys a little bit. With women, you’re going to get better results if you’re more encouraging.”

What’s the best advice you received from another coach? “I do remember one time (Georgia men’s and women’s coach) Jack Bauerle saying, ‘Don’t give up on kids.’ Because as a younger coach you tend to be in a hurry. When you don’t get results, you kind of just move on.”

If you weren’t coaching, what would you be doing? “What would I like to be doing or what would I be doing?”

What would you like to be doing? “I’d love to be doing play-by-play on the radio for baseball. I love baseball and I can talk. And I’ve got a face for radio. … I love sports, but with baseball it’s easier, I think, to call a game. There’s a lot more dead time where you can talk about interesting things or things that aren’t as interesting. … And I really do love baseball. It’s one of the last pure sports left. I would enjoy that.”

Is there a random skill you’d like to have? “I always thought it would be really cool if you had a really specific skill like being able to free- hand draw a perfect circle. I can’t do it. I’d love to be able to play the guitar better. I’ve done a little bit of guitar playing, but it hasn’t progressed the way I’d like. I think it would be pretty cool to play the guitar well.”

Outside of marriage and fatherhood, what was your best day ever? “I’ve been to three Super Bowls. All were Broncos wins.”

What sold you on this job? “I felt like it had potential. I knew (previous coach) Eric (Hansen) and he had done a great job. I felt like you could really win here. Winning isn’t everything, but it’s sure damn important. It had a really good combination. When I was at Washington or Berkeley, recruiting it and selling it, you could get behind it because it was elite in terms of academics. I thought (UW) was a pretty good school. We need to do a better job of telling people how really good it is. The Wisconsin Idea needs to go global, needs to get out beyond the borders of our state.”

What was your biggest splurge? “This watch. So I started the swim camp at Cal (in 2004). They hadn’t done one before and I said, ‘OK, I’ll start it.’ Trying to get that ball rolling is probably why I don’t have any hair. So, the first year I’d done all this work and I’d made like $4,000. I was living like I used to live in college. You’re still renting. You’re still having ramen (noodles) every once in a while. I was like, screw it. I busted my butt on this and I’d always wanted a really nice watch. So I bought a Rolex.” ■ DAVID STLUKA MADISON TO COLUMBUS TO NEW YORK CITY. TAKE A LOOK UNDER THE HOOD OF THE BADGERS’ SUCCESSFUL ROAD SWEEP OF OHIO STATE AND HOW THE WISCONSIN HOCKEY PROGRAM EARNED IMPORTANT BIG TEN VICTORIES IN TWO DIFFERENT CITIES.

PHOTOS BY DAVID STLUKA

hane Connelly has made two important debuts at Madison Square Garden in New York. with the Wisconsin men’s hockey team and it’s The match at MSG was part of a unique double- Stelling which one made him more nervous. header that also included the UW men’s basketball The first came in January 2006. Connelly was a team facing Rutgers in a Big Ten game. freshman goaltender for UW, pressed into extend- A lot of eyes were on Connelly as the newbie ed duty by a knee injury to All-American starter Bri- juggled weather reports, flight and bus schedules, an Elliott. The Badgers were ranked No. 1 in the practice and meeting itineraries, hotel rooming lists nation and were preparing to face Western Colle- and ground transportation for a party that fluctuat- giate Hockey Association rival and defending NCAA ed between 50 and 100 persons for the four-day, champion Denver at the Kohl Center. two-stop tour. A sellout crowd of 15,237 was on hand to see Of course, one of those locations, New York City, how Wisconsin and the 19-year-old rookie from has some of the most daunting travel issues in the Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, would hold up in the world. face of intense pressure. Connelly said coordinating the detail-laden trip The second debut came last month. Connelly was more of a challenge than his high-pressure col- was just three weeks into his new gig as director lege debut with the Badgers. of hockey operations for first-year UW coach Tony Why? Granato. “I didn’t want to mess anything up,” he said. The Badgers were scheduled to take part in a Things didn’t run perfectly, but unlike Connelly’s highly unusual Big Ten Conference series with Ohio first official start for UW — he made 22 saves, but State, one that started on Jan. 26 at Value City Are- lost a 1-0 decision — he felt his first trip as director na in Columbus, Ohio, and finished two nights later of hockey operations was a success.

ON THE ROAD: BEHIND THE SCENES WITH MEN’S HOCKEY PAGE 2 OF 9 coaches’ quarters, dressing rooms, team meetings, meals and study sessions — with the idea of provid- ing a glimpse into how the Badgers travel, prepare and co-exist on the road. Connelly is a pretty good starting point. “Tony told me Tuesday before we left, ‘I don’t want you to stress out at all,’” he said. “I said, ‘I’ll try not to, but that’s just not my personality.’ “Being a goaltender, you want everything de- tailed. You want everything to go a certain way when you’re preparing.” Connelly said working with the first-year staff has been a treat because, like him, they’re UW alums who understand the culture of the program. The three coaches also have lived the NHL life as either a player, head coach or assistant. “They’ve seen everything, so if I bring them some- thing on one end they’ve probably seen it 10 times,” Connelly said. For one thing, the Badgers recorded a monumen- “It’s been really nice. We’re all trying to figure out tal sweep, winning 3-1 and 3-2 in overtime to move what works best, so there’s a lot of ideas thrown into a share of first place in the Big Ten and into the out there. There’s no one way that’s the right way. national rankings for the first time since 2014. Everyone has an opinion and we try to make the For another, outside of a pre-trip snowstorm that best decision possible.” delayed the initial departure of the charter jet and One objective drives the process. a few minor timing issues with team get-togethers, “They put the players in the program first,” Con- the excursion went off without incident. nelly said. “The standard for Badger hockey is al- The UW men’s basketball team did its part to ways going to be at the highest.” make the Big Apple twin bill a success by taking down Rutgers 61-54 in overtime. Connelly never looked or acted like he was fraz- zled on the trip, but there was a noticeable calm to his voice when it was over. “I was more excited to play my first game,” he said. “This was exciting, but there was a little more ner- vousness because if there was anything that was messed up, it would influence the guys on the ice. “I was a little more stressed out for that trip just with all the moving parts.” Connelly’s second debut at UW was one of the many storylines woven into this uncommon hockey trip, which showcased a new coaching staff, a new product and a new energy. Granato and his staff — associate head coaches Don Granato and Mark Osiecki — opened up their operation to cameras, videographers, a social me- JOHN FISHER dia specialist and a writer. Access was granted to otherwise private areas —

ON THE ROAD: BEHIND THE SCENES WITH MEN’S HOCKEY PAGE 3 OF 9 SO IT BEGINS wieldy items like equipment trunks and stick bags, as The charter flight from Madison to Columbus, well as some personal belongings for the travel party. Ohio, left about 40 minutes late in part dueto LaPoint tends to all the coaches’ and players’ snowy conditions. equipment needs — neatly setting up the dressing The coaches and support staff drove their cars to room for practices and games — with help from Wisconsin Aviation and walked a slushy path to a Luke Regner. draft hangar where IDs and carry-on luggage were Athletic trainer Andy Hrodey is the point person checked. The group included Linda Granato, To- for all sports medicine needs, while strength and ny’s wife; Osiecki’s wife, Robin; and Jason King, the conditioning coach Jim Snider helps coordinate UW senior associate athletic director who oversees team meals in addition to monitoring fitness levels. men’s and women’s hockey, and his wife, Tricia. Paul Capobianco not only handles media relations The three coaches sat near the front in a cluster — coordinating postgame interviews with Tony of seats, Apple laptops in hand, and quietly stud- Granato and the players — he serves as color com- ied video of Ohio State, looking for tendencies and mentator for radio broadcasts on the road along- other insights. Flight attendants made multiple trips side play-by-play man Brian Posick. dispensing snacks and beverages to the passengers. Hollis typically stays with the Badgers for an en- Roughly an hour after being de-iced and taking off tire series, but because of the split sites, he head- from Dane County Regional Airport, the jet landed ed home the next day, but not before taking the in snow-less Columbus. team to practice and dinner on Wednesday and the Veteran Badger Bus driver Randy Hollis was there morning skate and the game on Thursday night. to provide ground transportation. He made the He also squired the team to the airport for its late- seven-hour drive the day before — accompanied by night flight to Newark, New Jersey, where a local equipment manager Nate LaPoint — to bring un- bus company waited.

▼ TAP TO WATCH - A Weekend with Badger Hockey

ON THE ROAD: BEHIND THE SCENES WITH MEN’S HOCKEY PAGE 4 OF 9 Snapshot: Upon arriving at the campus hotel, The GAME DAY, PART I Blackwell, Tony Granato quickly got off the bus and At breakfast, the mood is light, but businesslike. was the first to start pulling bags from the storage Don Granato is immersed in his omnipresent laptop compartments underneath the bus. Unusual behav- breaking down video before disappearing to take a ior for a head coach, but not surprising if you know lengthy phone call. His older brother is caught up in how unassuming Granato is. He did it the whole the pending release of the top 100 players in NHL trip. history. Soon he was joined by the rest of his team. They Tony Granato played 13 seasons in the NHL — adjourned to the lobby where room keys in red including five with all-time leading scorer Wayne envelopes were handed out. Players and support Gretzky in Los Angeles — and spent 13 more as staffers share rooms, while coaches and administra- a head coach and an assistant. He and Osiecki go tors have their own. back and forth on players they think are on it, won- UW held its initial practice at the Ohio State Ice dering aloud if any former Badgers players outside Arena, an antiquated facility right across the street of Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Chelios will be on from the hotel, because Value City Arena was stag- it. Curtis Joseph and Mike Richter are mentioned, ing a Big Ten men’s basketball game between the but it’s ultimately agreed that the two goaltenders Buckeyes and Minnesota that night. are on the outside looking in. However, the Badgers had to dress into their gear It’s later learned that Granato has some quality at the Value City Arena, located two blocks away, sources among the voters, so his insights began to then bus back to the practice site. The clumsy trip carry more weight. was made again after practice. Snapshot: The bus ride to the morning skate was brief. When the vehicle pulled Tap to pause/play ▪ Swipe to change ▼ PHOTOS - into the lower level of the build- ing, all the players could be heard thanking the bus driver as they disembark, especially the freshmen, who got off last. Hollis, a friendly, easy-go- ing sort, later notes that he got a telephone call out of the blue last summer. It was Tony Granato calling to introduce himself and say hello. “Couldn’t believe it,” Hollis said. While the players adjourned to their dressing area and got ready for practice, the three coaches are joined by Connel- ly in a nearby dressing room, well-appointed with leather furniture and a big screen pro- jection system. In short order, Tony Granato had his laptop synched up with the projector and is showing his power play unit — the play- ers are all dressed for practice,

ON THE ROAD: BEHIND THE SCENES WITH MEN’S HOCKEY PAGE 5 OF 9 sharing sofas, ottomans and an overstuffed chair — Badgers arrived in New York. Ohio State’s penalty-killing scheme. One of the attendees was freshman center Trent A large horizontal vanity mirror stretched across Frederic, who said he had a paper due and an on- one of the walls. On it the lineup for the series line quiz to complete by Friday. opener — four line combinations and three defen- “She got all over me — all over a couple guys — to sive pairs — was scrawled in red ink. get their work done,” Frederic said of Maloney. After lunch, a handful of players, mostly freshmen, He smiled. adjourned to a round table with book bags and lap- “I’d like to say I didn’t wait until the last minute on tops. Tracey Maloney, a UW Athletic Department this trip (to take care of school work), so that was learning specialist who works with the two basket- good,” Frederic said. “I got ahead of it at Ohio State ball and two hockey teams, is overseeing the ses- and was able to walk around New York.” sion. Maloney said her goal on trips like this are to make “I get to interact with the kids in a way that hope- sure the student-athletes returned to campus fur- fully makes learning fun,” she said. “I also try to con- ther along academically than when they left. nect what happens on the ice or the court with life “Sometimes when you’re winning, you think you and school.” can get rid of school, but you can’t,” Frederic said, Maloney is on the trip in part because a new se- smiling again. “It definitely feels better when you mester has begun and the student-athletes will be walk into class and you’re done.” missing three days of school. An unusual piece to Maloney’s current academic “My travel schedule is dependent on student need model is that Tony Granato is in the process of fin- in regards to assignments that are possibly due on ishing up his degree work. He’s on pace to graduate the road or in upcoming days,” she said. “It’s also in May. exam driven.” “I think it helps me and I think it helps the stu- Maloney moved around a table asking questions, dents,” she said, noting that Granato and some of making suggestions and getting feedback from the his players are taking the same online course. student-athletes. “Tony is so diligent,” Maloney said. “Nothing less Two similar get-togethers took place when the than an ‘A’ is acceptable.”

ON THE ROAD: BEHIND THE SCENES WITH MEN’S HOCKEY PAGE 6 OF 9 The bus ride to Value City Arena was quiet. Short- ly upon arrival, the three coaches were on their laptops preparing video clips to show the players. Again, players gathered in the coaches’ room. Tony Granato showed four clips of the Buckeyes breaking out of their zone. He noted how their goaltender, Christian Frey, is quite active playing the puck. “They attack below the goal line really well,” Granato said. Osiecki took the floor and went over even- strength responsibilities. He pointed out how Ohio State tries to shrink the defensive zone. He said the Buckeyes have one of the best power plays in the nation. “Which means what?” he asked the players. “No penalties,” came a small chorus of replies. The Badgers got first-period goals from sopho- more winger and captain Luke Kunin and sopho- more winger Matthew Freytag and build a 2-0 lead. “We have another level in us,” Granato tells the players between the first and second periods. “We can be better.” But there would be no pulling away from the eighth-ranked Buckeyes, who cut the deficit to one early in the second and tested UW freshman goal- tender Jack Berry on numerous occasions. “Be ready to work and battle,” Granato says during the second intermission. “Let’s finish this,” Kunin said. An empty-net goal by junior winger Ryan Wagner sealed the victory for Wisconsin, its second straight over a top-10 opponent. The dressing room was happy, but somewhat re- served. Tony Granato livened things up by giving Berry a game puck for his 26-save performance, a move that brought whoops and yells. Also getting a game puck was Osiecki, a former Ohio State head coach whose trip to Columbus was his first since being let go by the school in 2013. His replacement, Steve Rohlik, is a former UW teammate. Rohlik’s top assistant, Mark Strobel, is another former Badgers player. The circumstances made for a noteworthy postgame handshake. Granato didn’t think his team played all that well, but a win is a win. “We will be better,” he said, already thinking about the rematch in New York City.

ON THE ROAD: BEHIND THE SCENES WITH MEN’S HOCKEY PAGE 7 OF 9 Snapshot: On hand forpractice were Brian and Pauline Hughes, whose son Cameron is a junior center for UW. They wound up meeting Tony Grana- to face-to-face for the first time. No one in the Wisconsin entourage was giddier than redshirt junior de- fenseman Corbin McGuire. He grew up in Ridgefield, Connecticut — a 35-minute train ride north of the city — and proudly sported his New York Rangers hat. After practice, McGuire led a squad- ron of teammates to his father Dennis’ advertising office, which was located a reasonable walk from the hotel. The free afternoon evolved into a variety of activities for those in the UW entourage. Some journeyed to see the 9/11 Memorial. Some checked out Central Park. Some went to Radio City Music Hall. Some just tapped into the electrici- ty of Times Square. Frederic, from St. Louis, Missouri, said he’d been to New York City once ▲ PHOTOS - Tap to pause/play ▪ Swipe to change before when he was 12 or 13. A BITE OUT OF THE APPLE The highlight this time was simple. The UW entourage landed in Newark around “Just walking around with the guys and seeing all 12:30 a.m. local time and bussed into the heart of the crazy stuff that New York has to offer,” he said. the Big Apple. The team hotel, the Marriott Mar- The Granatos and the Osieckis attended a Broad- quis, is located right off the neon, bustle and zani- way presentation of “The Lion King.” ness of Time Square. Tony Granato has prominent roots to New York Breakfast gave way to a mid-morning bus ride to City. He was taken by the Rangers in the sixth round Chelsea Piers, a facility that houses a collection of of the NHL draft in 1982 and enjoyed a memora- indoor rinks and overlooks the Hudson River. ble rookie season with them. He scored 36 goals — The view prompted senior winger Aidan Cavallini still a franchise record for a first-year player — and to climb the bleachers before practice and take pic- finished third in the Rookie of the Year balloting in tures. 1989. The practice rink featured a series of banners Going back to Madison Square Garden, where hanging from the wall and rafters. Most were for Granato scored his first NHL goal and recorded his New York University and youth teams from the first hat trick in ’89, put him in the role of tour guide. Long Island Hockey League. At one point, a hot cup of green tea in his hand, Watching the Badgers practice you couldn’t help Granato began walking the fifth floor of the famed but notice diagrams of drills and plays drawn on the building known as the “World’s Most Famous Are- inside portion of the Plexiglass. Made you wonder na.” He stopped in a hallway that defined the in- how long they’d been there and who was the artist. credible history of The Garden.

ON THE ROAD: BEHIND THE SCENES WITH MEN’S HOCKEY PAGE 8 OF 9 ▲ TAP TO WATCH - Badgers in the Big Apple

There were large color photos of Muhammad Ali Following the series sweep, the Badgers found fighting Joe Frazier in one of their epic heavyweight themselves ranked 18th in the U.S. College Hockey boxing matches. Next to it was a glorious black- Online poll, marking their first appearance there in and-white shot of a young Elvis Presley. four seasons. At one point, Granato was asked how many of “We’re just getting started,” Granato said. the NHL Top 100 he played with. He counted 17, a Frederic was a first-round NHL draft pick of Boston total he later changed to 22. in 2016. He was asked if he thought about someday True to Granato’s pledge, the Badgers played returning to MSG to skate as a member of the Bruins. much better in the series finale against Ohio State, “I really didn’t think about that, but I guess now but that didn’t mean things went according to plan. thinking about it, it would be pretty sweet to play Thanks to goals from Cavallini in the first peri- there again,” he said. od and Freytag in the third, the Badgers had a 2-0 “But I’ll always have that memory of Hughes put- lead, but it disappeared in the final 100 seconds of ting it in the net and us winning in overtime ifI regulation. never go back there.” Rohlik pulled Frey for an extra attacker and gen- The men’s basketball and men’s hockey teams erated two goals, tying the game with 16 seconds swapped planes and some human cargo for the re- left in the third. turn ride to Madison. Members of the UW Band But instead of taking an emotional step back, Wis- and spirit squads came to New York with the bas- consin asserted itself in overtime. Hughes drove the ketball team and returned on a bigger aircraft with net, found a loose puck in the crease and banged the hockey team. the winner home with 2:02 left. The two-hour return leg was smooth and Connel- The postgame dressing room was joyous. Grana- ly went home happy. to gave a game puck to Hughes. The coach also “I always want to make it first class for the play- acknowledged UW Director of Athletics Barry Al- ers because that was my experience when I played varez, who gave Granato a hug and made a short here,” he said. presentation to the players. “It was stressful to start, but once the first plane “Can’t tell you how proud I am of you and your showed up, I knew it wouldn’t be too bad.” coaches,” said Alvarez, who hired Granato and his Connelly was hardly a one-man band, though. staff after Wisconsin won only 12 of 70 games be- “A lot of different layers to this,” he said. “The sup- tween 2014 and ’16. “The important thing is to port from everyone made it really easy.” keep it going.” View the full Exposure gallery here »

ON THE ROAD: BEHIND THE SCENES WITH MEN’S HOCKEY PAGE 9 OF 9 GREG ANDERSON eff Sauer was an intensely private man whose and associate head coaches Don Granato and Mark boisterous legacy cries out for attention. Osiecki, all of whom played for Sauer and the Bad- J When the former Wisconsin men's hockey gers. coach died unexpectedly Thursday at the age of 73, When the new staff was unveiled last March, he left behind a series of distinctive achievements Sauer was included in the welcoming video and that are rare in his profession. beamed throughout. One: Sauer succeeded an icon and found a way to “You could see how proud he was,” Tony Granato create his own championship legacy. said. Bob Johnson was that legend. He built the Bad- The roles were reversed last September when gers into a perennial powerhouse, winning three Sauer was inducted in the Wisconsin Athletics Hall NCAA titles from 1973 to '81 before Sauer took of Fame as a host of former players looked on. over in 1982 and produced two national champion- “The day resonates with me just because I was ship-winners of his own. able to get there,” said Rob Andringa, who grew up Two: Sauer left the college game as a coach in in Madison and played four years for Sauer. 2003, but instead of easing into retirement, he took “It was such a great feeling to see him,” Osiecki his generosity and love of hockey to the disabled said. and excelled on an international stage. Osiecki and Tony Granato had lunch with Sauer In addition to coaching Team USA in the Deaflym- in late autumn and the three men spoke enthusias- pics, he led the American sled hockey team to two tically about the future. Granato made sure Sauer Paralympic gold medals. knew he was welcome to visit the Kohl Center of- Three: Sauer nurtured a coaching tree that has fices or practice any time. some prominent local branches. Many colleagues and confidants were stunned by One of Sauer's former assistant coaches, Mark the news of Sauer's death and its cause, pancreatic Johnson, oversees the four-time NCAA champion cancer. He attended a UW game against Michigan women's hockey team at Wisconsin. On the other State in early January, but was hospitalized not long UW bench is first-year head coach Tony Granato after that.

A HEART FOR HOCKEY: REMEMBERING JEFF SAUER PAGE 2 OF 4 “HE WAS ONE OF THE CLASSIEST PEOPLE I'VE EVER MET IN MY LIFE,”“ BRAUN SAID OF SAUER. “A GUY WHO HAD IMPECCABLE INTEGRITY. WHAT I LIKED ABOUT HIM WAS THAT HE WAS JUST JEFF. HE WAS THE SAME ALL THE TIME.”

“Allowing personalities to come out,” he said. “That's one of the things he did well. “We always talked about him being a conductor of the orchestra. Knowing what you had in the locker room and never really constricting it so much and let the personalities come out. His teams played to that.” Osiecki spoke from Minneapolis, where he got the news while having breakfast with his father, Tom. It turns out that Sauer and Tom Osiecki played on the same Twin Cities-based bantam team growing up. With Sauer behind the bench, Wis- consin won an NCAA title in 1983, but many refused to give him due credit because the roster was comprised of ▲ PHOTOS - Tap to pause/play ▪ Swipe to change Johnson's players. “It's a big loss for all of us,” Granato said Thursday. The critics were silent in 1990 when the Badgers Sauer is survived by his wife Jamie, son Chip, swept the Western Collegiate Hockey Association daughter Beth and four grandchildren. Funeral ar- regular-season and playoff crowns on the way to rangements are pending. claiming the national championship. Condolences came from all over the hockey Andringa, Osiecki and Don Granato played on that world when news of Sauer's death broke. After all, team. Andringa and Osiecki were defensive partners he touched a lot of people. when UW hammered Colgate 7-3 in the NCAA title Sauer was born in Fort Atkinson, graduated from game at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. Andringa and Colorado College in 1965 and spent 31 seasons Granato were co-captains the following season. coaching college hockey at his alma mater and Wis- Andringa recounted how emotional Sauer became consin. in the winning dressing room. He amassed 655 career wins, which ranks among “We did this together,” Sauer told them. “You guys the top 10 all-time, and a program-best 489 victo- deserve this. You are like sons to me.” ries with the Badgers from 1982 to 2003. Andringa said Sauer was one of those coaches Osiecki said his enduring lesson from Sauer was who appeared on the fringe of team pictures, not about psychology. out front.

A HEART FOR HOCKEY: REMEMBERING JEFF SAUER PAGE 3 OF 4 Prior to last Friday’s game at Michigan State, there was a moment of silence to honor the passing of Jeff Sauer. Schools all over the country did the same, including places like Minnesota, Boston University, Bowling Green, Bemidji State and North Dakota.

“He loved being a part of what is special about At one time, Joel Maturi, a former high school bas- being on a team and in the locker room,” Andringa ketball coach, was the UW Athletic Department ad- said. “That closeness.” ministrator in charge of overseeing men's hockey. He Andringa said one of Sauer's greatest strengths remembers Sauer ribbing him good-naturedly about was “the way he allowed us to be the 20-year-old his suspect background, but being a patient teacher. kid who could make a mistake. He could laugh and Maturi went on to serve as athletic director at Mi- joke about a prank. ami (Ohio), Denver and Minnesota, all hockey-cen- “He was so good at being in the moment.” tric schools. Following an icon like “Badger” Bob Johnson isn't “I owe my career to Jeff Sauer,” Maturi said. “Ev- easy. ery place I went from there was because of hockey “You look at history and I don't care what sport and because of what I learned from Jeff.” you pick, there's not too many people who can suc- After his college coaching career ended, Sauer ceed after a legend,” Andringa said of Sauer. “He lent his wisdom to WCHA commissioner Bruce Mc- was able to do that.” Leod, USA Hockey – with former UW player Jim Mark Johnson, Bob's son, was an assistant under Johannson in a supervisory role – and wound up Sauer from 1996 to 2002. serving as a mentor to a host of coaches, players “He was a great man and a tremendous ambas- and officials at all levels. sador for the game of hockey,” Johnson said. “He's Tony Granato said that selfless love of the game is going to be missed for a lot of reasons.” Sauer's enduring legacy. Paul Braun was the long-time radio and TV voice “That's an incredible man,” he said. “After all he of the program. Not long after getting the dreadful had done for so many kids in our program, play- news about Sauer he was sifting through hundreds ers and people that he touched, to say, 'You know of cassette tapes from UW games long ago, many what? I have more to give.' featuring his good friend and fellow golf aficionado. “That's what makes Jeff Sauer remarkable. It's the “He was one of the classiest people I've ever met stuff he did for people, period. in my life,” Braun said of Sauer. “A guy who had im- “You're so thankful you had him in your life, but peccable integrity. you also wish he could be around here every day to “What I liked about him was that he was just Jeff. watch and still be a part of it.” He was the same all the time.” View Exposure photo gallery here »

A HEART FOR HOCKEY: REMEMBERING JEFF SAUER PAGE 4 OF 4 INSIDE FOOTBALL BY MIKE LUCAS ▪ UWBADGERS.COM SENIOR WRITER BOB CAMPBELL

▲ TAP TO WATCH - Leonhard on DC Opportunity: “A Dream Come True” Leonhard ready to take reins of defense Experience runs far deeper than lone season as assistant coach

fter Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst weighed Jim TAP TO VIEW SCHEDULE Leonhard’s interest in replacing Justin Wilcox as defen- Asive coordinator ― “Is this something you’d like to do? Is this something you’d want to do?” he asked ― Leonhard re-

flected on how everything had fallen into place after his 10-year NFL career. “A year ago, if you were to ask me if this was going to happen, I’d probably would have laughed at you ― not knowing exactly how it was going to go and how it would work out,” said Leon- hard, who had no previous coaching experience prior to taking

SCROLL over the UW secondary last season. “Paul brought me in and asked me if I was interested. He thought I was ready and he thought I could handle it. I was ex- cited about the possibility and kind of wanted to see where I was at ― if I really wanted to entertain the idea. “It went a lot of places initially,” Leonhard acknowledged of his

thought process, “trying to decide if it was the right time and if TWEETS VIEW TO REQUIRED CONNECTION INTERNET I was ready. The actual calling of the plays and designing every- thing, I feel very comfortable with. It’s the rest … SOCIAL “It’s building the relationships with the guys and the staff. It’s MEDIA: making sure of all the details in the day-to-day (operation). It’s structuring practices and meetings. It’s kind of the whole big picture of it. I was just making sure I was going to be comfort- able with that and the time that went along with it. “The longer I thought about it,” said Leonhard, the energy building in his voice, “the more excited I got about the possibil- ities and what could happen and I jumped at the opportunity.” Why is Chryst confident that Leonhard can make the jump from first-year assistant coach to coordinator? “To me, for a coordinator, there has to be certainly a foot- ball knowledge level,” Chryst said. “Jimmy has far more than just a one-year level of coaching knowledge; X’s and O’s, scheme knowledge. In fact, I think he has got great football schematic knowledge. “And, then, I think a big part of coordinating is connecting. It’s connecting the coaches and coming up with and coordinating the different units into a scheme. It’s connecting the coaches to players. It’s finding ways to connect players to players and how you play. “It’s connecting how one unit plays off the other two units. In this case, how does the defense play off of and with the offense and the special teams? Jimmy has a skill that he can connect groups of people. As a coach, teacher, I thought he’d be really good last year at this time. “Now, I know that he’s a heckuva teacher.” INSIDE MEN’S HOCKEY BY ANDY BAGGOT ▪ UWBADGERS.COM INSIDER DAVID STLUKA

▲ TAP TO WATCH - Tony Granato Weekly Presser: Maintaining Momentum Five takeaways from Big Ten sweep of MSU Road victories vs. Spartans offer glimpse of bigger potential to come Move top up 2 & bottom down 1

ive takeaways on the Wisconsin men’s hockey team fol- TAP TO VIEW SCHEDULE lowing its Big Ten Conference series with Michigan State: F One: By virtue of 6-3 and 4-3 (overtime) road victo- ries over the Spartans, UW continues to hold down a share of

first place in the Big Ten and remains in position to do some- thing rare. For all their legendary achievements — framed by six NCAA titles — the Badgers have won only three regular-season championships since 1969 when they debuted in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Wisconsin won MacNaughton Cups in 1977, ’90 and 2000. UW has a long way to go — 10

SCROLL regular-season games remain, including two with co-leader Min- nesota Feb. 24 and 25 in Minneapolis — but that’s a pretty juicy carrot dangling in front of those facemasks. Two: Thanks in part to its five-game winning streak, Wiscon- sin (15-8-1, .646) has a better overall record right now than 11 of the 16 entries in the NCAA tournament from last season. That includes half of the Frozen Four field as well as defending INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED TO VIEW TWEETS TWEETS VIEW TO REQUIRED CONNECTION INTERNET national titlist North Dakota. Three: The Badgers swept back-to-back opponents away from SOCIAL home for the first time since January of 2013, improved to 7-2 MEDIA: away from the Kohl Center and 6-3 in games decided by one goal. For perspective, UW was a combined 4-21-4 away from home and 6-10 in one-goal outings from 2014 to ’16. Four: Some statistics mean next to nothing. Some catch your eye. Sophomore center Seamus Malone has assisted on six game-winning goals for UW this season and has produced nine of his 21 points (3 goals, 6 assists) in the third period. Sopho- more winger and captain Luke Kunin has scored the first goal of the game five times — the Badgers are 5-0 in those instances — and has registered 10 of his team-best 17 goals away from home. Kunin also has five game-tying goals, while freshman cen- ter Trent Frederic has four. Junior center Cameron Hughes has scored three of his six goals in the third period or overtime and had the primary assist on three others in crunch time. Five: An emotional backdrop to the sweep of Michigan State was the sudden, unexpected death of former UW coach Jeff Sauer last Thursday at the age of 73. Wisconsin players and coaches — Tony Granato, Don Granato and Mark Osiecki all served as captains under Sauer — wore patches honoring the man who led the Badgers to NCAA titles in 1983 and ’90. True to his private, humble nature, Sauer’s obituary published Sunday spanned three brief paragraphs. There was no mention of his Hall of Fame coaching career which included stops at Colorado College and Wisconsin. It focused on his family, noting simply that “he inspired us all with his positive attitude, loyalty, integrity and steadfast dedication to friends and family.” In lieu of flowers the family asks for contributions to the USA Hockey Foundation or the American Hearing Impaired Hockey Association. A private family ceremony is being planned as well as a memorial service. ■ INSIDE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL BY DIANE NORDSTROM ▪ UW ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS DAVID STLUKA

▲ TAP TO WATCH - Johnathan Tsipis Weekly Presser: Building on Improved Defensive Play Opportunities attainable for Badgers Wisconsin looks to take full advantage of seven remaining games

fter struggling through the first half of the Big Ten sea- TAP TO VIEW SCHEDULE son, most coaches wouldn’t look at the seven remaining Agames as an opportunity. But for Badger women’s bas- ketball coach Jonathan Tsipis the remaining games are just that.

“We still have a lot of basketball and it’s opportunity. Oppor- tunity for us to get out on the practice floor,” Tsipis explained. “We’re in the same process as everyone in the country. You can either look at it as opportunity — as glass half full — or you can look at how quickly can the season end. “Until they tell us we can’t play anymore or practice with this

SCROLL team, we will take every bit of this time and try to make progress for us moving forward.” Progress has been made by the Badgers especially in scoring and getting to the free-throw line. In last Saturday’s loss to No. 14 Ohio State, Wisconsin had three players score in double figures for the first time since Jan.

1 — a span of nine games. TWEETS VIEW TO REQUIRED CONNECTION INTERNET “We don’t have somebody that is going to give us 20 or 25

points,” said Tsipis. “We understand that so we have to (score) SOCIAL by committee and we have to be able to do it with a balance of MEDIA: our perimeter and our post players.” UW found that balance against the Buckeyes as guards Cayla McMorris and Suzanne Gilreath both scored 14 points, while forward Avyanna Young added 11 points. “I think you can build off different people stepping up … and the ability of being able to get the line 36 times,” Tsipis said. “(Get- ting to the free-throw line) was something we felt like helped us be successful in the non-conference. We’ve not been consistent with that. I think it can be a strength of ours during Big Ten play.” INSIDE WOMEN’S HOCKEY BY A.J. HARRISON ▪ UW ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS DAVID STLUKA

▲ TAP TO WATCH - 3 Takeaways with Women’s Hockey Top-2 showdown for UW on senior weekend No. 1 Wisconsin hosts No. 2 Minnesota Duluth in sold-out series

s the WCHA regular season winds down, the series get TAP TO VIEW SCHEDULE tougher for the No. 1 Badgers as UW welcomes No. 2 A Minnesota Duluth to LaBahn Arena. The Badgers are coming off of a sweep at Bemidji State, as

UW earned a 6-1 victory in the series opener before earning a hard-fought 4-2 win on Saturday. UW trailed in the first period for the first time all year on Saturday before scoring four goals in the final two periods to come away with the win. “I think the Bemidji State series was a challenge for us and we stepped up and were able to get it done,” senior defenseman

SCROLL Jenny Ryan said. “Ultimately we got the sweep, which is what we wanted and battled until the final whistle.” This weekend’s series against UMD, which is sold out, marks UW’s final regular-season home series. Wisconsin will honor its six seniors prior to Sunday’s noon game. “I’m excited for the weekend, but knowing that it’s our last reg- ular-season weekend at the LaBahn is sad,” senior Sarah Nurse INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED TO VIEW TWEETS TWEETS VIEW TO REQUIRED CONNECTION INTERNET said. “This has been our home for the past four years and I’ve been so fortunate to play in front of the best fans in the country SOCIAL week in and week out. MEDIA: “I’m going to have some family in the stands and I can’t wait to share the weekend with them and the rest of the class.” “It’s a hard reality to face knowing that my time at LaBahn is coming to an end,” Ryan said. “But instead of thinking of it as a last, I’m just trying to think of it as one more opportunity to play in front of an amazing crowd with my teammates and best friends. It will be emotional, but I am so grateful to share it with this group of players and this fan base. “I plan on really soaking in this weekend and enjoying every second with my senior class and all of the people who have helped me and the team succeed.” INSIDE SOFTBALL BY SPENCER NATZKE ▪ UW ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS JACK MCLAUGHLIN

Talent-laden Badgers ready for spring Wisconsin set to face nine NCAA tournament teams in ambitious season

ith the season’s first pitch just over the horizon, the TAP TO VIEW SCHEDULE Wisconsin softball team looks to make a statement Wduring the 2017 season with a combination of sav- vy veterans, a talented class of newcomers and a great deal of

knowledge in the coaching corps. The Badgers are scheduled to face nine teams that advanced to the 2016 NCAA Tournament, four of which finished the sea- son among the nation’s top 25. UW’s advantage against these programs lies in its offensive experience, returning 68.7 percent of its running, 70.7 percent of its hitting and 79.9 percent of last

SCROLL season’s RBI production. Junior Kelsey Jenkins is coming off of her second-consecutive first-team All-Big Ten campaign, earning the highest on-base percentage (.568) and second-highest single-season batting av- erage (.409) in school history last season. The Tucson, Arizona, native has started 105 consecutive games for the Cardinal and

White, showing no signs of stopping as she was named to the TWEETS VIEW TO REQUIRED CONNECTION INTERNET D1 SoftballNews.com Top 50 watch list, the Fastpitch News top 50 hitters (No. 13) and FPN preseason All-America list as a part SOCIAL of the second team. MEDIA: The Badgers also return sophomore Melanie Cross, whose standout rookie campaign saw her play in all 53 games, starting all but two behind the plate, and ranked second on the team with six homers. Her .455 slugging percentage was the eighth-best mark for a Wisconsin freshman while her nine doubles earned her a fifth-place rank among freshmen in the record books. Senior Chloe Miller tied Jenkins for the team lead with seven home runs, while her team-high 51 runs batted in ties for first in Wisconsin history. Miller ranked in the top three among Bad- gers in every batting category last season. Wisconsin expects its six newcomers — five freshmen and one transfer — to make an immediate impact on the scoresheet, highlighted by two-time Gatorade Player of the Year Kayla Kon- went. Junior transfer Brooke Wyderski, who put together two impressive seasons at Loyola-Chicago, joined Jenkins on the FPN top 50 hitters list, clocking in at No. 27. The Cardinal and White also welcome two new coaches to the staff in 2017, as Danielle Zymkowitz begins her first year as an assistant coach while former Wisconsin standout Taylor-Paige Stewart joins as a volunteer assistant coach. Stewart will use her experience to guide a pitching staff mixed with experience and youth, but loaded with talent. Senior Kirsten Stevens made 38 appearances last season, recording 10 wins and a 3.22 ERA, striking out 78 batters for the Badgers. Junior Mariah Watts appeared in eight games last season and had 17 starts as a freshman in 2015. Sophomore Angie Morrow made five appearances in her rookie campaign in 2016. UW welcomes freshman Kaitlyn Menz as the newest addition to the mound, who finished her high school career with 75 wins. The Badgers open up their season Feb. 10-12 at the UNI Dome Classic in Cedar Falls, Iowa, facing Northern Iowa, Ne- braska-Omaha, Toledo, and Drake. ▪ INSIDE TRACK & FIELD BY A.J. HARRISON ▪ UW ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS JOHN NEPOLITAN

Indoor season homestretch awaits Badgers Wisconsin has only two more meets until championship season begins

ollowing an action-packed weekend in New York City, the TAP TO VIEW SCHEDULE Wisconsin track and field teams will make their second trip Fof the year to Iowa, this time competing in Ames at the Iowa State Classic.

The Badgers sent approximately 30 student-athletes to the Big Apple for the Armory Track Invitational and enjoyed several out- standing performances. Morgan McDonald ran the third-fastest time in school history in the invitational 3000 meters to finish runner-up. “For me it was a pretty ideal early season race,” McDonald

SCROLL said. “I came away with a personal best and a time that should qualify me for nationals.” “Mission accomplished for Morgan,” UW Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Mick Byrne said. “He came to New York to get an NCAA qualifier and if you go on past results, his time gets you into the national meet every year. It’s nice to know that you can go back to training instead of chasing a standard.” INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED TO VIEW TWEETS TWEETS VIEW TO REQUIRED CONNECTION INTERNET The UW relays also shined, as the Badgers’ quartet of Gabby DesRosiers, Ebony McClendon, Georgia Ellenwood and Bren- SOCIAL na Detra ran the second-fastest time in program history in the MEDIA: 4x400-meter relay en route to a fourth-place showing in the invitational section. In addition, the Wisconsin women won the distance medley relay while the men finished runner-up. “Overall all of our relays were solid,” Byrne said. “Certainly we will have more in the tank, which we will need at the Big Ten meet.” INSIDE WRESTLING BY KELLI GRASHEL ▪ UW ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS PAM RUSCHELL

▲ TAP TO WATCH - Three Takeaways before Wisconsin faces Purdue and Michigan Tough stretch ahead vs. Purdue, Michigan Wisconsin splits between the road and home for pair of weekend duals

t hasn’t been an easy road for the Wisconsin wrestling team TAP TO VIEW SCHEDULE after facing the No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the country in back- Ito-back weekends, in addition to three top-15 teams during the two weekends prior.

This high level of competition is what makes the Big Ten argu- ably the best wrestling conference in the country. There’s no shortage of some of the nation’s top talent in the conference. Last week’s USA Today Coaches poll saw five of the top 10 teams hailing from the Big Ten. In this week’s most recent Inter- mat rankings — the official individual rankings — the Big Ten has

SCROLL 38 individuals in the top 10 of their respective weight classes. Despite such a challenging road, the Badgers are ready for the challenge. This fight was evident in some tight losses to third-ranked Iowa on the road last weekend. The Badgers’ ag- gressive performance was highlighted by freshman Mason Re- inhardt, who entered the lineup for the first time last week and

dropped a close 3-1 decision to Cash Wilcke. Joining Reinhardt TWEETS VIEW TO REQUIRED CONNECTION INTERNET at Carver Hawkeye Arena, Hunter Ritter, Jens Lantz, Eli Stickley, Cole Martin and Jared Scharenbrock made their first appearanc- SOCIAL es in the renowned arena, one of the most hostile environments MEDIA: found in college wrestling. In the popular Harry Potter book series (turn away now for a possible spoiler alert), the heroes strengthen a historic sword with a poisonous venom. Stay with me here. The sword only takes in that which makes it stronger. For fans of wrestling and fictional teenage wizards alike, it’s easy to draw a comparison to Wisconsin’s current schedule. The Badgers have been dealt the toughest opponents and competed in the most unfriendly envi- ronments, but the team continues to focus on only that which will make them stronger. If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you. That rings true for the Badgers who can take their experienc- es and lessons learned against the nation’s best to find success in such a crucial point of the season. The conference season is nearly over and March lies ahead. UW’s greatest challenges are still to come in the postseason, but Badgers continue to learn and improve. And so the tough road continues with Purdue on the road Fri- day night for a 5 p.m. brawl. Wisconsin will then turn right back around to host Michigan at the UW Field House on Sunday at noon. Michigan and Purdue both hold steady in the middle of the league standings as the Wolverines hold a 4-4-0 Big Ten re- cord and the Boilermakers are 3-5-0 in conference action. Sunday’s dual against Michigan will also serve as the first alumni dual, where all Wisconsin wrestling alumni are invited back and will be recognized during the dual. Both Friday and Sunday’s duals will be streamed live on BTN Plus and live sta- tistics will be available on UWBadgers.com. Fans and media can find live updates onTwitter . ▪