Varsity Magazine Vol 3 No 4

IN FOCUS

RETURN OF THE BADGERS A collection of Badger hockey alumni, who now play professionally in the NHL, AHL and ECHL, took part in the annual pro camp at the Kohl Center this week. Mike Eaves and the Wisconsin coaching staff ran the pros through drills, while Jim Snider, UW’s strength coach, led them in the weight room to get them ready for their 2012-13 seasons. Pictured are (Back Row - From L to R): Eric Springer, Patrick Eaves, Craig Smith, Jack Skille, Jake Dowell, Tom Gilbert, Matthew Ford, Davis Drewiske, Joe Pavelski, Ben Street, Ryan McDonagh, John Mitchell. (Front Row): Adam Burish, Joe Piskula, Blake Geoffrion, Brian Elliott, Podge Turnbull PHOTO BY ROSS LADUE RETURN OF THE BADGERS A collection of Badger hockey alumni, who now play professionally in the NHL, AHL and ECHL, took part in the annual pro camp at the Kohl Center this week. Mike Eaves and the Wisconsin coaching staff ran the pros through drills, while Jim Snider, UW’s strength coach, led them in the weight room to get them ready for their 2012-13 seasons. Pictured are (Back Row - From L to R): Eric Springer, Patrick Eaves, Craig Smith, Jack Skille, Jake Dowell, Tom Gilbert, Matthew Ford, Davis Drewiske, Joe Pavelski, Ben Street, Ryan McDonagh, John Mitchell. (Front Row): Adam Burish, Joe Piskula, Blake Geoffrion, Brian Elliott, Podge Turnbull PHOTO BY ROSS LADUE SLIDE JOB Freshman Lindsey Holmes goes airborne as she prepares to slide tackle Loyola Chicago’s Tessa Daniels. The Badgers defeated the Ramblers, 4-0, last Sunday and have started the season with three consecutive shutouts. PHOTO BY ROSS LADUE IN FOCUS

AUGUST 30, 2012 CONTENTS VOLUME 3, ISSUE 4

» STUDYING TO START Danny O’Brien faced a learning curve in his transfer DEPARTMENTS to Wisconsin, but the Badgers’ starting quarterback has proven himself to be up to the challenge. 10 LUCAS AT LARGE 26 by Mike Lucas 12 BEHIND THE DESK by Barry Alvarez « DUAL THREAT Karen Lunda could 14 THE VOICE 38 by Matt Lepay have called it a career after UW dropped her sport, but 16 BY THE NUMBERS the multi-talented Madison na- Facts and figures on UW tive simply picked up another — on the way to All-America honors 18 5 THINGS TO WATCH Where to catch the Badgers and, now, enshrinement in the on TV and the web UW Athletic Hall of Fame. 20 ASK THE BADGERS First Badger memory? » STREAKING 22 BADGERING... 44 The Badgers have Lindsey Johnson been dominant inside Camp Randall Stadium 44 INSIDE SPORTS Football, volleyball, soccer and against non-conference competition. They look to con- 52 THIS WEEK IN HISTORY tinue those trends Saturday as A record-setting start Northern Iowa comes to town.

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

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Rule changes aimed at improving safety

ill Carollo, the Big Ten co- strictly for the safety of our play- be able to make contact with the ordinator of football offi- ers.’’ potential returner until the second Bcials, has a pretty good idea Kickoffs will be from the 35- bounce. Ponder that. on when the momentum swung yard line — instead of the 30 — “Coaches are going to have to among head coaches to reduce the and the coverage team must stay figure out how to do an onside kick risk of injuries on kickoffs. within five yards of the ball, negat- differently,’’ Carollo said. “I think Two years ago, Rutgers defen- ing a running start. Also, touch- you’ll also see a little different sive tackle Eric LeGrand was para- backs will be brought out to the 25, strategy on kickoffs; maybe pooch lyzed from the neck down after not the 20. kicks to dead areas on the field.’’ suffering a spinal cord injury while Last year, the NFL moved its Another rule change involves attempting to make a tackle on a kickoff from the 30 to the 35. head gear. If a player’s helmet kickoff against Army. Touchbacks increased by 45 per- comes off, he must leave the game “They all had been talking casu- cent. for one play unless the opponent ally about making changes at rules was responsible for a foul resulting meetings,’’ Carollo said. “But that “When you’re talk- in the loss of the helmet. injury really struck a chord with a ing about the health If you continue to play without lot of the coaches.’’ your helmet, it’s a 15-yard penalty. Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema and well-being of “The whole premise behind didn’t need any convincing; es- an 18- to 22-year-old that,’’ Bielema said, “was to make pecially since he has always been young man who has our players buckle up and make among the leading proponents his whole life in front those helmets more secure. It’s for making the game safer for its of him, there’s nothing more safety-driven than anything.’’ athletes. Bielema has instructed his play- That’s part of his pledge to the more important.’’ ers, “Hey, if the helmet feels like parents of a prospect. it’s coming off, grab a hold of that “There are two things that I can “We’re not trying to eliminate sucker and pull it down because guarantee your son,’’ Bielema will the kickoff,’’ Carollo insisted. “But the rule doesn’t come into effect advise them. “I can’t promise him the kickoff game has been a very until it’s totally off your head.’’ playing time and I can’t promise dangerous play for college and pro All in all, Bielema was proud of him a degree. I’ll do everything I players and we’re trying to mini- the steps taken by the rules com- can to help him get both. mize some of the injuries.’’ mittee. “It speaks volumes,’’ he “The one thing I can guarantee There may be more strategy said. “I know a lot of coaches had you is that I will personally look than ever. Do you attempt a sky or different opinions and maybe it out for the personal well-being of squib kick with the intent of pin- was a little bit drastic.’’ your son as much as I can and as ning the return team inside the 25? Drastic? Not if it prevents a much is physically possible. Or, do you try to knock it out of the serious injury or a reoccurrence of “It’s something I hold pretty end zone for the touchback? what happened to Eric LeGrand. true — near and dear to my heart.’’ Five yards of field position “When you’re talking about the True to his word, Bielema might not sound like much – un- health and well-being of an 18- to pushed for changes while serv- less you’re a defensive coordinator. 22-year-old young man who has ing on the rules committee. “And Onside and/or squib kicks could his whole life in front of him,’’ we were able to implement a few be more problematic, too, because Bielema said, “there’s nothing rules this year,’’ he said, “that were members of the cover unit won’t more important.’’

10 » VARSITY AUGUST 30, 2012 MIKE LUCAS • UWBADGERS.COM BEHIND THE DESK BARRY ALVAREZ • UW DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS

Camp Randall changes a sight to see

hen our fans walk into and I really got some good ideas. with our new signage. The ring Camp Randall Stadium, If you played there, you can find beams on the suites and upper Wsome things should your name and the year that you deck should jump out at them, too. jump out at them. lettered. It was another step that we took During an earlier renovation, we It’s a good way of honoring your to modernize a stadium that was added the suites on the east side of former athletes. built in 1917. the stadium. They’re very impres- On Friday night, we’ll be rec- Up until now, we really hadn’t sive looking. But there was nothing ognizing some of ours in the UW done anything for our players in on the facing of those suites until Athletic Hall of Fame. Camp Randall or the McClain now. One of my former players, Cory Center. We put in the suites, One of the first things we did Raymer, is a part of this induction widened the corridors, and added was move our retired numbers class. When I think of Cory, I think bathrooms and scoreboards for from the upper deck. The names of of an 18-year-old wise guy. Now’s our fans. Hirsch, Shafer, Schreiner, Ameche, he’s grown and matured. Now we’re in the process of re- Richter and Dayne are now on the modeling and making things more suites. “We made sure the convenient for our athletes. We also wanted to do something Our new weight room in the to recognize our Big Ten titles. So graphics we put up in north end of the stadium is about a all of our championships years are the stadium were third of what it will be. now represented, along with our of substantial accom- Right now, it’s already better Rose Bowl years. plishments. What than what we had, and it’s a tem- Our people really did a good really stand out for me porary situation. The thing I like job with it, and the signage really about it is that we used the existing jumps out at you. It’s striking, it’s is the five Big Ten titles space and preserved the stadium classy, and it’s informative. It re- and five Rose Bowls lines. ally adds to the look and feel of the since 1993.” I’m sure everyone is aware how stadium. we’re cramped for space on cam- A lot of schools will list all their pus. That’s why this project is so bowl appearances. We have that When I called, he was thrilled; perfect because they worked the displayed elsewhere. We made he even apologized for being a wise weight room into Camp Randall. sure the graphics we put up in the guy when he was here. I can’t say enough about how stadium were of substantial ac- Cory was a tough guy; a classic everyone has handled the con- complishments. Wisconsin kid; a kid that we kept struction phase. We have displaced What really stand out for me is at home. Before we got here, he a lot of people, and no one has the five Big Ten titles and five Rose would have gone and played some- complained. We’re going to be Bowls since 1993. place else. Cory was the center on disjointed for a year, but it will be I’ve always said that it’s impor- our 1993 team that won the Big well worth it. tant to recognize and embrace our Ten and beat UCLA in the Rose Our new football locker room in history. Bowl. McClain is far enough along it will I just came back from a Rose Cory and all of our Hall of Fame be used this weekend. Bowl management meeting in Lin- inductees will be introduced at All of these improvements will coln, Neb. Nebraska does a good Saturday’s game. Like our fans, get us up to the times — it will get job with signage in its stadium, I’m sure they will be impressed us where we need to be.

12 » VARSITY AUGUST 30, 2012 BARRY ALVAREZ • UW DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS THE VOICE MATT LEPAY • VOICE OF THE BADGERS

Six set to join elite group in Hall of Fame

his Friday evening, the Uni- a knee injury and competed in the back for the Badgers in 1978. His versity of Wisconsin Athletic 1976 Olympic Summer Games. coaches said he played man cov- THall of Fame will add six The following season at Wisconsin, erage better than anyone on the new members — Jim Haluska, Jim Haines became an NCAA cham- team, and opposing coaches must Haines, Lawrence Johnson, Karen pion by beating Big Ten rival Mike have agreed. Johnson’s intercep- Lunda, Cory Raymer and Dick McArthur of Minnesota. tion total was modest, in large part Bennett. Former coach Duane Kleven because quarterbacks would tend In Varsity magazine a couple says Haines had a combination of not to test him. of weeks ago, Mike Lucas took us toughness and smarts that made Johnson also likes to tell the down memory lane with Raymer, him extra special, referring to him story of how, in his freshman year, the All-America center who helped as a “mental giant.” When his there was a 100-yard dash after a the Badgers to their first-ever Rose wrestling days were done, Haines practice. Before the race, his new Bowl victory, as well as with Coach became a coach — of girls’ softball football teammates must have had Bennett, who no doubt is best at Pepin High School. He led his little if any knowledge of Johnson’s known for leading the Badgers on team to two state titles. speed. Halfway through the race, the magical run to the 2000 Final With this year marking the they found out. Four. 40th anniversary of Title IX, one Simply put, Lawrence John- In addition to being a great could make a strong argument that son was more than a track star player, Raymer was a reporter’s Karen Lunda is one of the more who could play football, or vice- dream. Maybe the best way to important athletes in UW his- versa. He simply was a star in both describe Cory Raymer is by say- tory. Lunda lettered both in field sports. ing he was John Moffitt before we hockey and soccer. While attend- Today, Badger football fans are ever heard of John Moffitt. During ing Madison West High School, well aware of transfer quarter- a media day, some photographers she also played tennis, softball and backs, but the story might not be were gathering players for various competed in speed skating. as new as you think. photos. Raymer emerged from the After starring in field hockey In 1950, Jim Haluska enrolled at tunnel and heard his name. The in her first three years at UW, the Michigan. In time, he decided that center responded “I answer to any- school dropped the program, so Ann Arbor was not for him, so the thing with ‘dumb’ in front of it.” she turned her attention to the new Racine native returned to his home Raymer was dumb like a fox. varsity sport on campus, soccer. state. The media loved Bennett, as In 1981, Lunda became the first In 1952, he went from being well. He liked to tell fans that he Badger women’s soccer All-Ameri- the fifth-string quarterback to the could show Barry Alvarez’s football can. More than three decades later, starter. A few months later, Halus- team how to pass, while Coach she remains the UW single-season ka led the league in completion Alvarez’s boys could teach the bas- leader in goals (22), assists (18) percentage, and the Badgers were ketball squad how to run. and total points (62). Her coach, Rose Bowl-bound for the first time But never confuse their sense of Craig Webb, believes if Karen Lun- in school history. humor with their competitive na- da played soccer today, she would Each inductee should be very ture. No doubt the desire to maxi- be an Olympic gold medalist. proud to be a UW Athletic Hall of mize his or her potential is what Lawrence Johnson also was a Famer. That elite group grows to drove each member in the Class of two-sport athlete. A Big Ten cham- 190 members. What already is a 2012. pion in four events in track, John- good “team” is about to get even Wrestler Jim Haines overcame son was an All-America defensive better.

14 » VARSITY AUGUST 30, 2012 MATT LEPAY • VOICE OF THE BADGERS BY THE NUMBERS

VOLLEYBALL Junior Annemarie Hickey WOMEN’S SOCCER tallied double-figure digs For the first time since 1991, in all three matches on the Badger women’s soccer the weekend, upping her team has begun its season streak of matches with with three straight shutout 10 or more digs to seven victories. UW is 3-0-0 to (dating back to last sea- start a season for only the son). The 5-9 libero has fifth time since 1988 and the 849 digs in her career and first time during the Paula ranks fourth on the UW 14 Wilkins era. career record list in digs MEN’S SOCCER per set at 3.60. The Badgers scored four goals in the final 14 minutes of action — including the game- winner in the 89th minute — to cap off a 4-3 come-from-behind win over Memphis.

3 3.60 119.4 FOOTBALL After three NFL preseason games, former Badger and recently named starting QB Russell Wilson has shined for the Seahawks, with preseason numbers that include 35-for-52 passing (67.3 percent) for 464 yards, five TDs and a league-leading 119.4 QB rating. Wilson is one of five rookie QBs that has been named to start in week one. Since the NFL-AFL merger, there hasn’t been a season in which more than two rookie QBs started their respective teams’ season-openers.

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5 THINGS TO WATCH AUG. 30 - SEPT. 5

THURSDAY 8/30 • 11 AM • FSN Wisconsin

Game week primer Get ready for game week with the Badger Sports Report featuring Bret Bielema and hosted by Matt Lepay. Catch previews, player features and more as you prepare for the Badgers’ season opener on Saturday.

1 SATURDAY 9/1 • 10 AM • BTN

Pregame ritual Make the BTN Pregame part of your game-day tradition. BTN will get you ready for kick off and catch you up with all of the news around the Big Ten.

SATURDAY 9/1 • 2:30 PM • BTN 2 Real American Football A new season officially begins when the Badgers take the field against Northern Iowa. BTN has you covered from kick off until the final horn.

MONDAY 9/3 • 12:30 PM • UWBadgers.com 3 Meet the coaches Get ready for another week of Badger athletics with the Monday press conference. Head football coach Bret Bielema, women’s soccer coach Paula Wilkins, men’s soccer coach John Trask and volleyball coach Pete Waite will all take questions.

WEDNESDAY 9/5 • 1 PM • BTN 4

Badger rewind Can’t get enough Badger football? Can’t wait until Saturday? Don’t worry; you can relive Wisconsin’s season-opening game during your lunch hour.

518 » VARSITY AUGUST 30, 2012 2 4 Question of the Week: Ask The As a Wisconsin native, what was your BADGERS first exposure to Badgers athletics?

MICHELLE MUELLER • JUNIOR • SOFTBALL • LA CROSSE, WIS. “My first UW exposure was going to a Badger football game back in the seventh grade. I remember buying a T-shirt inside of Bucky’s Locker Room because I had spilled something on mine, so I needed a new one, of course! Then I got to my seats and Camp Randall soon became the most fascinating place I had ever seen. It still is!”

JOSH GASSER • JUNIOR • MEN’S BASKETBALL • PORT WASHINGTON, WIS. “My older sister, Becky, went to UW, so I remember going to Badgers football games all the time when I was about 10 years old or so. I loved watching the student sec- tion and I remember thinking how cool it would be to be a part of that. The game that sticks out in my memory most was the football win over Minnesota in 2005 where we blocked the punt to win in the game. My sister went to UW and her husband went Minnesota so we had a family rivalry going on.”

CLAIRE RADDATZ • SOPHOMORE • VOLLEYBALL • MEQUON, WIS. “One of my first UW memories is from when I was about 2 years old. My dad (former UW football player Craig Raddatz) would run the Crazylegs Classic and I would be dressed in a cheerleader outfit. I’d cheer him on and then we’d go on the field and ’’I would meet Bucky. It was so fun being on the field with all of the fans.”

MICHAEL BRICE • JUNIOR • MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY • NEENAH, WIS. “Since both of my parents are University of Wisconsin alumni, I have been attending Badger athletic events as long as I can remember. My first memories of Madison are watching Badger football games, listening to the marching band practice and eating breakfast at Mickies on game day.”

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BADGERING...

LINDSEY JOHNSON »» WOMEN’S SOCCER After spending the last few summers playing locally, Sussex, Wis., native Lindsey Johnson decided to join the USL’s W-League, a women’s pro-am soccer club, this past summer with the hopes of increasing her skill by competing against top-notch competition. Playing for the Seattle Sounders, Johnson spent the entire summer in Washington, playing with and against some of the best players in the world.

What are some of the things you took from your experience this past summer? “It was a huge step for me to be able to go all the way to Seattle. I didn’t know anyone there – it was my first time actually being completely away from home. So that was a big adjustment, and the soccer environment was a pretty big adjustment as well because there were a lot of good players on the team and I didn’t necessarily get as much playing time as I usually do, so becoming a better teammate and learning to be patient were two things I took from the experience.”

What was the most exciting aspect of your summer in Seattle? “Playing against Olympic-level players like Alex Morgan, Hope Solo and Megan Rapinoe was the best thing I could’ve done because they consistently set the bar high for practices and games, so it really resonated with me and made me want to work that much harder.” Outside of soccer, what was the most interesting thing you did? “For the Fourth of July we went to Hope Solo’s house and we had a little get together, so that was really cool. They were all really nice and offered to always get together. We went to a men’s Sounders game with a bunch of the girls and it was a lot of fun.” How does Seattle compare to any other city you’ve been to? “The city of Seattle is amazing, it’s completely different from being in Milwaukee or Madison, which is basically where I’ve been my whole life. The culture out there is something I’ve never experienced in my life. They are huge soccer fans, so we would have around 4,500 people at our games. Everywhere I would go they would have Seattle Sounders apparel and memorabilia. It was just very different from anything that I’ve seen- they’re more into soccer there than any other sport, like football or basketball.”

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STUDY SESSION Danny O’Brien faces a learning curve in making the move to Madison, but the Badgers’ starter will be up to speed for the opening snap Saturday

BY MIKE LUCAS • UWBADGERS.COM iven the time that Danny O’Brien duti- tation with the Terps, “because it was a pretty com- fully spends in the dark — literally, not plex, pro-style offense. There were a lot of things to figuratively — is it fair to say that Wis- do before the snap at the line of scrimmage.’’ consin’s starting quarterback views the Breaking it all down in the film room, he said, Gfilm room as somewhat of a sanctuary? “opened my eyes to the way that the game is played “A little bit; you can call it that,’’ he said. “It’s at the next level. You learn what to look for; ten- peaceful. You can get into your own zone.’’ dencies and how to prepare for an opponent.’’ You can also call it like it is — calling out the dif- There were advantages to sharing his sanctuary. ference between a Tampa 2 zone and Cover 4. “When you’re with other people, you get their view “You can sit there and watch film for hours,’’ and how they see things,’’ he said. “You might see O’Brien cautioned, “but if you don’t know how to something you might have otherwise not seen.’’ watch film, you’re really not getting much better. I More often than not, he spent countless hours watched a lot of film in high school.’’ studying film on his own. “There’s a positive in But he really didn’t learn the art of watching film being by yourself, and getting locked in,’’ he said. — the nuances — until he got to Maryland. “That helps with your confidence.’’ “We had to (learn),’’ he said of his freshman orien- Is it possible for a player, especially a quarter-

28 » VARSITY AUGUST 30, 2012 back, to watch too much film? lot more things on the quarterback, which I pre- “You have to be smart about it,’’ O’Brien said. ferred.’’ “You could out-think yourself. But at the same time The Wisconsin offense, he said, has different if you do it the right way, it can really help you. So terminology “but a lot of the same reads.’’ I don’t think you can watch too much.’’ Plus, it offers a running game; the No. 1 rushing A year ago, there were probably times when he attack in the Big Ten last season. couldn’t bear to watch any film. A year ago, O’Brien “I’m really excited to get back into this kind of an had to feel like he was in the dark — figuratively — offense,’’ O’Brien said, “It’s why I came to play col- with Gary Crowton’s spread offense. lege football. So I’m looking forward to this oppor- “It was a very different scheme, a very differ- tunity to build off two years ago and last year, too.’’ ent way to play the game,’’ O’Brien acknowledged. Did he get better as a quarterback last season “I’m not saying it was better or worse (than any at Maryland? Measuring his response, O’Brien re- other offense), it was just different plied, “That’s a real tough question. In ways (he “There were a lot of different skills sets that we did).’’ Better how? “Mental toughness,’’ he said. used in that system that we didn’t use the year before. The pro-style West Coast offense had a · · · 29 Little did Danny O’Brien know at the time that the O’Brien, of course, found his way to Madison on 18 credits that he carried with him from his North the heels of Russell Wilson, the NC State transfer, Carolina high school to the University of Maryland who brought a national awareness to the NCAA would be a means to an end; the first step towards exemption that provides athletes with a one-time an opportunity provided by the NCAA through its waiver; the option to play immediately at another graduate student exemption that would ultimately school if they have earned their undergraduate de- allow O’Brien to transfer — without penalty — to gree. Wisconsin. “It’s one of the rules that benefits the student- “Honestly, I didn’t know all the credits were go- athletes and rewards them for succeeding in the ing to transfer until I graduated,’’ said O’Brien, who classroom,’’ opined O’Brien, who’s enrolled in the attended East Forsyth High School in Kernersville, Educational Leadership Policy Analysis program N.C. (10 miles from Winston-Salem). “I took some at Wisconsin. “You can’t do it unless you graduate advanced placement classes; a lot of people from and a lot of times graduate early. Certainly I’m not our school did. And that helped me a lot getting going to complain about it because I’m here be- there (Maryland) with 18 credits; that’s a semester cause of it.’’ and some change. There was always a strong commitment to aca- “Being there for summer school, I knew that I demics in the O’Brien household — “My family in- was going to graduate in three and one-half years stilled habits in me and pushed it (education) pret- if not three years, which was a goal of mine. I sat ty early even when I didn’t see the benefits in it,’’ down with a business school advisor and he said, he admitted — never more so than after the family ‘You could potentially finish grad school — before moved from Arden Hills, Minn., a St. Paul suburb, all is said and done — on scholarship.’ I said, ‘Let’s to Kernersville. Danny O’Brien was 10. do it.’ I didn’t know it was going to help me in this “I was fortunate to move in August just before way. But it did.’’ school started,’’ he said. “I joined a football team

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and that’s where I met my first friends in North Carolina. It was still tough — anytime you’re that young and you move across the country. But it made it a little easier being on a team and the same group of guys every day. That bridged the gap a little bit.’’ Eventually, he came around to his parent’s thinking on the core value of his schooling. “Then I started seeing it myself — what an education can do for your career,’’ he said. “But I really didn’t see that until the end of middle school and the start of high school. Then, I took it pretty seriously.’’ A few years later, he began to realize that football could be a vehicle to a college scholarship. “It was maybe the end of my sophomore season and the beginning of my junior season when I started getting a little in- terest,’’ he said. “After my junior year — I had a pretty good year — I was taking visits and Duke was my first offer. Worst case scenario? I’m going to Duke University for free.’’ From the very beginning of the recruiting process, O’Brien wanted to select a school where if he didn’t end up “I warmed up for a couple playing football, he would still be content with his of games thinking I might choice from an educational standpoint. He didn’t receive any offers from Big Ten programs and go in, especially later in picked Maryland over Duke and Virginia. the year,’’ he recalled. “But “I really wanted to go into business,’’ he said, preparing like I was going “and the Smith School of Business at Maryland is one of the Top 25 in the country. That was a big to be the starter allowed selling point for me as much as the football part me to be ready when it was.’’ The principal salesperson for the Terps was was my time to play.” assistant coach James Franklin, who was Ralph Friedgen’s offensive coordinator. Franklin raved

32 » VARSITY AUGUST 30, 2012 about O’Brien’s football IQ. “One thing coach mop-up duty against Morgan State by throwing Franklin always told me — and it has always stuck three touchdowns passes on his first four pass at- with me — is, ‘Always prepare like you are the tempts. The following week in practice, O’Brien starter,’’’ O’Brien said. “I kind of took that to heart was hobbled by an ankle sprain and Robinson took and prepared like I was going to be playing game most of the snaps in a 31-17 loss at West Virginia. one in 2009.’’ Robinson had injury problems of his own, a O’Brien wound up redshirting during his fresh- strained shoulder, and when it worsened, Fried- man season at Maryland. “I warmed up for a gen signaled to the bullpen for O’Brien, who got couple of games thinking I might go in, especially his first collegiate starting assignment against later in the year,’’ he recalled. “But preparing like I Florida International in the fourth game of the was going to be the starter allowed me to be ready season. In becoming only the fifth freshman quar- when it was my time to play. The game was a lot terback to start in Maryland history, the first since slower for me my redshirt freshman year than it 1999, O’Brien didn’t disappoint. would have been if I had gotten in as an 18-year- Completing 18-of-27 passes for 250 yards and old kid.’’ two touchdowns, he led the Terps to a 42-28 vic- As Jamarr Robinson’s back-up, O’Brien saw tory. “It’s different going into a game knowing that limited action through the first three games of the you’re the guy,’’ O’Brien said. “The good thing is 2010 season though he did make the most of his when you prepare the same way every week; you VIDEO: BADGER BREAKDOWN - NORTHERN IOWA don’t have to do anything differently. I was fortu- business. Coaches are gone (fired) every year ev- nate to get a win and I didn’t turn the ball over, so erywhere. It’s the nature of the business, unfortu- that felt good. I remember it like it was yesterday.’’ nately.’’ Robinson never got his job back. O’Brien got on Maryland hired Connecticut’s Randy Edsall to a roll — he threw 96 passes before finally getting replace Friedgen and Edsall turned over the of- one intercepted — and guided Maryland to seven fense to Crowton, who installed his own system victories as a starter, including a 51-20 rout of East and went away from everything that had been es- Carolina in the Military Bowl at RFK Stadium in tablished by Franklin. In the 2010 opener, O’Brien Washington, D.C. After throwing for 2,438 yards completed 31-of-44 passes for 348 yards and led and 22 touchdowns, O’Brien was tabbed as the the Terps to an impressive 32-24 win over the Mi- ACC’s Rookie of the Year. But he really couldn’t ami Hurricanes and their first-year coach Al Gold- celebrate. en. Before the bowl game, the Terrapins fired the “I went into the season with very high expec- 63-year-old Friedgen, a Maryland alum, who had tations, not only for myself, but for the team; I compiled a 74-50 record over his 10 seasons and thought we had a lot of talent,’’ O’Brien said. “It had one year left on his contract. His dismissal, started out well. Unfortunately that first game was effective following the bowl, was linked in part to the highlight of the season. You learn from it. There Franklin’s departure from the staff. Franklin, who were a lot of good things, and a lot of bad things.’’ in 2009 had been named the eventual successor to The bad far outweighed the good. Four games Friedgen, took the head coaching job at Vanderbilt. into the season, O’Brien got benched — losing his “It was rough,’’ O’Brien said. “Our whole team job to C.J. Brown, who was more adept at running was tight with that coaching staff. Coach Frank- Crowton’s offense. O’Brien returned as the starter lin had recruited a lot of those guys to Maryland. in mid-October (Game 10) only to break his arm That was a tough pill to swallow. But it’s a tough against Notre Dame. Maryland lost eight straight

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“The tradition of winning here is unbelievable, especially the last 10 to 15 years,’’ O’Brien said. “You can really see it in the players, too. There’s a lot of confidence. But they’re hungry to get back to the Rose Bowl and do it again and it’s awesome to be a part of it.” and finished 2-10. Crowton was fired and is now the offensive coordinator of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. O’Brien tried to make the best of the situation last winter. Part of that entailed taking a three- credit course “Doing Business in Australia’’ which was sponsored through the Maryland business school. O’Brien and about 50 of his classmates spent more than half of their time in Sydney, the largest city in the country. Besides classwork, there were plenty of opportunities for recreation, including scuba diving. By then, O’Brien was already contemplating his next opportunity to play college football. And when he showed up in Madison on his recruiting trip, he couldn’t keep his eyes off the Big Ten championship trophies in the waiting area outside of Bret Bielema’s office in Camp Randall Stadium. “The tradition of winning here is unbelievable, especially the last 10 to 15 years,’’ O’Brien said. transition either way. You’re the new guy. You’re “You can really see it in the players, too. There’s a almost a freshman all over again and you have to lot of confidence. But they’re hungry to get back to prove yourself. The cool thing is this place will the Rose Bowl and do it again and it’s awesome to feel more like a home because you can form those be a part of it. Every day I’m out there (Camp Ran- bonds with the guys over two complete seasons.’’ dall) for practice, I can’t help but look around and Looking out the eighth floor window, scanning imagine what it’s going to be like on Saturday.’’ the empty rows of empty seats that will be filled O’Brien will have more time to adjust to his new for Saturday’s opener against Northern Iowa, he surroundings: two years of eligibility. “The way I confided, “It’s home. I feel like I’m at home right see it,’’ he said, “the transition was going to be the now.’’

37 AHEAD OF HER TIME The end of field hockey at UW turned out to actually be a new beginning for All-American — and Hall of Fame inductee — Karen Lunda

BY MIKE LUCAS • UWBADGERS.COM

rowing up in the Camp Randall Stadium neighbor- hood, Karen Lunda was a self-described tomboy who played whatever sport was in season, and whatever sport she could. “I played on a boys’ soccer team from sixth to ninth grade,’’ she said, “because they didn’t Ghave girls’ soccer.’’ Hold that thought — “because they didn’t have girls’ soccer’’ — and put it into context: the U.S. women’s soccer team just won its third-consecutive gold medal in the 2012 London Olympics. “It’s interesting to look back over the whole spectrum because it’s changed drastically,’’ Lunda said.

Perspective, historical or other- team. “I had never played the game wise, is not lacking in Karen Lunda, before,’’ said Lunda, who had compet- the Badgers’ first women’s soccer All- ed in tennis and softball at Madison American and a member of the 2012 West High School. “The only thing induction class for the UW Athletic that I really knew about it was there Hall of Fame. “It’s very exciting and were 11 players, which is the same as very humbling,’’ she said. soccer.’’ The irony is that when Lunda first One of her former softball coaches got to Wisconsin in the late ‘70s, she provided her with a stick and a ball basically thought, “My athletic career and Lunda took it from there. “When was pretty much over. I wasn’t good I tried out, my goal was to make the enough to play basketball or tennis. traveling team,’’ she said. “And I And they didn’t have softball or soc- ended up being the leading scorer my cer. But I wanted to try something.’’ freshman year and getting a scholar- So she went out for the field hockey ship.’’

placed it with soccer. “I was very excited to be able to play soccer at the college level,’’ Lunda said. “But I also had this kind of lump in my heart for my teammates in field hockey … for them … their dreams were kind of dashed.’’ Lunda still has some vivid memories from soccer’s transition from a club sport. “We just wanted to play,’’ she said. “We borrowed men’s uniforms and sold chocolate bars to make money.’’ There was also the time the team was scheduled to play at a tournament in Indianapolis. Ex- cept nobody knew how they were going to get there. Loren Seagrave, a former UW women’s assistant track coach, was a family friend, so Lunda asked him if they could borrow his van for the trip. “He said, ‘Sure, but there’s just one problem — it doesn’t start,’’’ Lunda recalled. “My dad got his mechanic to put a new battery in the van but there was another problem: no front passenger seat. So we duct-taped a lawn chair to the front and we all packed in.’’ Lunda embodied the slogan “Just Do it’’ well before it was cre- ated in 1988. “We just did what it While she was honing her skills in one sport, she took because we wanted to play,’’ was helping organize another on the Madison cam- she said, “and everybody was out there because of pus. “We started a club soccer team my freshman that.’’ year,’’ she said, “and by my sophomore year we had Maximizing her playing opportunity, Lunda led enough (players) for two club teams.’’ the UW team in goals (22), assists (18) and points In retrospect, it was a good thing that she had a (62) in her only season of competition (1981). fallback. Those records still stand. “Field hockey was struggling to field a team be- Despite earning All-American recognition, her cause we really didn’t have a feeder program; it soccer career had pretty much run its course. “Peo- wasn’t played in high schools in the Midwest,’’ she ple have said, ‘It’s too bad you were ahead of your said. “My senior year was very bittersweet.’’ time,’’’ she said. That’s because UW dropped field hockey and re- One of those people was Craig Webb, the former

40 » VARSITY AUGUST 30, 2012 Lunda still has some vivid Lunda was flattered. “I would say definitely back then I would have had a shot (at the Olympic memories from soccer’s tran- team),’’ she said. “Being an All-American, I was sition from a club sport. “We one of the better players in the country and would have been invited to the national team. But it’s just wanted to play,’’ she hard to know how everything would have panned said. “We borrowed men’s out.’’ uniforms and sold choco- Fact is, Lunda almost did make it to the Olym- pics — in speed skating. She was an alternate for late bars to make money.’’ the 1976 U.S. team in Innsbruck, Austria. Her older sister, Kay, was on the 1972 Olympic team. UW women’s soccer coach. Karen Lunda trained with the Heidens: Eric, During her formative years, Lunda actually who won five gold medals in the 1980 Lake Placid played soccer with and against Webb. Olympics and his sister Beth, a bronze medalist. “If Karen Lunda were playing today,’’ he said, Lunda gave up speed skating in her mid-teens. “I “she would be a combination of Abby Wambach couldn’t earn a living doing that type of thing,’’ and Carli Lloyd. I have absolutely no doubt she’d she said, “and I wanted to be a physical therapist.’’ be wearing an Olympic gold medal around her Her appreciation for competition never waned. neck.’’ Nor did she ever take competing for granted

41 after dealing with Osgood-Schlatter disease. “It “If Karen Lunda were play- really made me appreciate my health,’’ she said. “Having it in a sense taken away from me — not ing today,’’ said former coach being able to play sports for that year — I feel very Craig Webb, “she would fortunate that I’ve had all the opportunities that I’ve had.’’ be a combination of Abby Since 1984, Lunda has been living in Tucson, Wambach and Carli Lloyd. Ariz., and building Lunda & Associates, a work in- I have absolutely no doubt jury evaluation and prevention firm specializing in functional capacity and ergonomic evaluations. she’d be wearing an Olym- “Similar to rehabbing an athlete back to a sport,’’ pic gold medal around her she said, “we rehab a worker back to their job.’’ Lunda expects to be overcome by a flood of good neck.’’ memories when she returns to Madi- son for Friday night’s hall of fame induction ceremonies in front of the Camp Randall Memorial Sports Cen- ter. “I’ll get to see almost my entire family and friends I haven’t seen for years,’’ she said. When Webb was asked to detail Lunda’s legacy, he called her “the foundation’’ upon which the UW women’s soccer program was built. “Although many other great women made huge contribution to our success,’’ he said, “without Karen it simply would not have happened.’’ From her estimable perspective, Lunda believes her legacy would be tied to “being a hard worker and using the talent that I had’’ to be successful in whatever endeavor or sport. She has never cursed her fate for coming along too soon or “ahead of her time’’ or before Title IX really took root. Nonetheless, what if … what if she would have had the opportunity to play four years of college soccer for the Badgers, not just one? “To be honest,’’ she said, “I don’t know that I would trade those years of both playing field hockey and the soccer club experience.’’ That’s because her only goal was to just play, to just do it.

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INSIDE FOOTBALL BY BRIAN MASON @BadgerFootball

SCHEDULE New year, but Badgers Regular Season Sept. 1 Northern Iowa 2:30 p.m. looking for same results Sept. 8 at Oregon State 3 p.m. UW has won 14 straight season-openers Sept. 15 Utah State 7 p.m. Sept. 22 UTEP TBA Sept. 29 at Nebraska 7 p.m. Oct. 6 Illinois 2:30 p.m. hen the No. 12-ranked UW has also won each of Oct. 13 at Purdue 11 a.m. WBadgers tee it up Sat- its last 16 home openers. The Oct. 20 Minnesota TBA urday to open the 2012 sea- Badgers last dropped their Oct. 27 Michigan State 2:30 p.m. son against Northern Iowa, home opener with a 43-7 Nov. 10 at Indiana TBA Nov. 17 Ohio State TBA they’ll be looking to keep loss to Colorado on Sept. 2, Nov. 24 at Penn State TBA several streaks intact. 1995. For starters, Wisconsin Wisconsin has actually has won its season opener started 2-0 each season Oct. 17, 2009. Only LSU has a longer every year since 1998, a run since 2002. The only other active home win streak (17). of 14 consecutive victories FBS team that can make that that is tied with USC for the claim is USC, although some » UW has gone undefeated at home third-longest active streak of the Trojans’ results were in each of the last two seasons, and- in the FBS, trailing only Ne- later vacated. Bret Bielema owns a record of 39-3 braska (26) and Florida (22). at Camp Randall Stadium — with all During their streak of Home sweet home three losses coming to teams that 14-consecutive season- » The Badgers have won 16 went on to play in BCS bowl games. opening victories, the Bad- straight home games — the gers have enjoyed an aver- second-longest active streak » The Badgers’ 39 home wins are the age margin of victory of 17.7 in the country — dating back most by an FBS team since the start points. to a 20-10 loss to Iowa on of 2006 season.

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INSIDE VOLLEYBALL BY DIANE NORDSTROM @BadgerVBall

SCHEDULE Last Week at USF Invitational Friday at USF W, 3-0 Saturday vs. UCF W, 3-0 vs. Creighton L, 1-3

This Week at Long Beach State Invitational Aug. 31 vs. James Madison 1 p.m. vs. CSU Northridge 7 p.m. Sept. 1 at Long Beach State 9 p.m.

Up Next InnTowner Invitational Sept. 7 Drake 7 p.m. Sept. 8 North Dakota State Noon Milwaukee 7 p.m.

UW head coach Pete Waite after the match on Saturday. Wisconsin will need to improve quickly as it heads to to the Long Beach State Invitational this weekend, facing tough competition in James Madison, Cal State North- ridge and Long Beach State. Badgers continue road Leading the Big Ten, again swing to start season » After leading the Big Ten with 4.77 UW travels to Long Beach for tournament digs per set last season, junior Annemarie Hickey leads the conference again this season, upping he Badgers kicked off the The loss showed weakness her average to 5.50 digs per set. T2012 season last week- es in Wisconsin’s defense, She had 10-or-more digs in end with a second-place fin- particularly in its block. all three matches to up her streak ish at the USF Invitational in The Badgers averaged 3.25 of double-figure dig matches to Tampa, Fla. blocks per set in their first seven, dating back to last season. UW got off to a good start two wins but just 1.0 blocks Hickey had a season-high 22 digs with 3-0 wins over USF per set in its loss. vs. Creighton. and UCF but like Hurricane “We need to shore our The 5-9 libero has 849 digs in Isaac, the Badgers blew it blocking up and closing her career and ranks fourth on the away in a 3-1 loss to Creigh- that up so there aren’t the UW career record list in digs per ton in the title match. seams for the hitters,” said set at 3.60.

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INSIDE WOMEN’S SOCCER BY JEREMY WODAJO @BadgerWSoccer

SCHEDULE Looking Back Aug. 17 Notre Dame W, 1-0 Aug. 19 South Dakota St. W, 5-0 Aug. 26 Loyola-Chicago W, 4-0

This Week Friday at No. 2 UCLA 9 p.m. Sunday at Loyola-Marymount 2 p.m.

Next Five Sept. 9 Illinois State 2:30 p.m. Sept. 12 at UW-Milwaukee 7 p.m. Sept. 16 at Penn St. 12 p.m. Sept. 21 Michigan St. 5 p.m. Sept. 23 Michigan 1 p.m. Going streaking » Wisconsin recorded its third- straight win on Sunday, marking Paula Wilkins’ first 3-0-0 start as head coach. UW won all in shutout fashion, marking the first time since 1991 that the Badgers have started the season by hold- ing three-consecutive opponents to scoreless outings. Sunday’s win marked just the fifth time since Gunderson making 1988 the Badgers recorded three- straight victories to open a season. most of final year Senior has recorded three straight shutouts Canadian connection » Five Badgers hail from Canada, including three starters. Senior auren Gunderson has UW is 3-0-0 for the first Monica Lam-Feist, juniors Paige Lbeen patient in her as- time since 2005 and have Adams and Genevieve Richard, as cent into the starting goal- held all three opponents well as sophomore Kodee Williams keeper position at Wis- scoreless. and freshman Kinley McNicoll, are consin. After four years of “I always remind Lauren all Canadians by birth.The four, ex- perfecting her craft under to go for it during her se- cluding Richard, who is a GK, have 2011 Big Ten Goalkeeper nior year,” head coach Paula played vital roles in the Badgers’ of the Year Michele Dalton, Wilkins said. “I think she’s offensive success in 2012. After 3 Gunderson is being awarded doing a great job keeping the games, they’ve scored a combined with an opportunity and is team focused and doing all seven goals and tallied four assists making the most of it. of the small things for us.” for a total of 18 points.

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INSIDE MEN’S SOCCER BY ROSS LA DUE @BadgerMSoccer

SCHEDULE Last Week Aug. 24 at Memphis W, 4-3

This Week Friday vs. Washington 6:30 p.m. Sunday at Portland 4:30 p.m.

Next Five Sept. 7 Florida Int. 7 p.m. Sept. 9 Georgetown 12 p.m. Sept. 14 at Western Illinois 5 p.m. Sept. 16 at IUPUI 11 a.m. Sept. 21 Penn State 7:30 p.m.

second half with perseverance on his mind. Perseverance to keep pushing, each minute until the end, knowing that they would be able to comeback and win the game. And that’s just what the team did, scoring four goals in the final 14 minutes of play to snatch a win away from the jaws of defeat. The win was more than a win for the team. It showed the Badgers that if they buy into the program and the team, they are able to accomplish the Wild game more than seemingly impossible. It’s games like the one last Friday night in Memphis just a win that can set the tempo for an entire Comeback at Memphis builds team unity season. Nike Portland Invite up next fter losing to Memphis goal deficit to start the sec- » The men’s soccer team heads out Alast year, behind a Ti- ond half, the Badgers were to Portland, Ore., for two games ger goal in the second min- determined not to let that this weekend. The Badgers take ute, the situation last Friday happen. on an undefeated Pac-12 team night seemed all too famil- During halftime, head in Washington on Friday, before iar. coach John Trask predicted turning their attention to Portland The Badgers conceded that the winning team that on Sunday. Washington started its another early goal to the Ti- night was going to score four season with two wins over Gonza- gers, this time coming in the goals, and asked his squad ga and Cal Poly to open the season, sixth minute, and history if it was going to be them or while Portland split its opening se- was seemingly ready to re- the Tigers to do so. ries against Cal State Northridge peat itself. Even with a two- Each player entered the and Cal State Fullerton.

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THIS WEEK IN BADGER HISTORY

Bielema guided the Badgers to a 12-1 overall record and 7-1 mark in the Big Ten in 2006.

September 2, 2006 A record-setting start The Bret Bielema coaching era at Wisconsin began with a 35-14 victory over Bowling Green at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Wisconsin capped off Bielema’s record-setting rookie season with a 17-14 win over Arkansas in the 2007 Capital One Bowl to earn its 12th win of the season, the most in school history.

August 31, 2000 GOING THE DISTANCE: Walk-on Josh Hunt returned a punt 89 yards for a touchdown, the second-longest punt return in school history, in UW’s 19-7 win over Western Michigan

ALSO August 31, 2007 STARTING WITH A DRAW: Paula Wilkins coached her first game with the THIS women’s soccer team, a 0-0, double-overtime draw with Vanderbilt.

WEEK September 4, 2004 100 OR BUST: Barry Alvarez became the 10th coach in Big Ten history to win 100 games at one conference institution as the Badgers defeated UCF, 34-6, in their season opener.

52 » VARSITY AUGUST 30, 2012 Bielema guided the Badgers to a 12-1 overall record and 7-1 mark in the Big Ten in 2006.