CONTENTS NOVEMBER 4, 2015 ■ VOLUME 6, ISSUE 13

COVER STORY NEIL AMENT

YOU CAN COUNT ON IT Dave Aranda has directed Wisconsin’s defense for three seasons. For three seasons, the Badgers have been among the nation’s best units. Why? It’s simple math, really.

FEATURES WOMEN’S TENNIS IN [FOCUS] A PERFECT MATCH The week's best photos

Lauren Chypyha didn’t win her title THE VOICE match at the ITA Regional Champi­ A primer for hoops season onships. In the scheme of life, she’s learned, that’s not what matters. BY THE NUMBERS Facts and figures on UW

WHAT TO WATCH LUCAS AT LARGE Where to catch the Badgers

READY FOR THE ROLE ASK THE BADGERS One wish granted Ethan Happ has ditched the scout BADGERING

team jersey ― at least he thinks so ― DAVID STLUKA and is ready to make a mark as a Jordan Hill (M. ) big man for a young Badgers club. INSIDE FOOTBALL Special-SCROLL teams FOR to beMORE­ tested

INSIDE VOLLEYBALL About those ‘Sheffieldisms’ Wisconsin Athletic Communications Kellner Hall, 1440 Monroe St., Madison, WI 53711

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Brian Lucas Director of Athletic Communications

Julia Hujet Editor/Designer

Brian Mason Managing Editor

Mike Lucas Senior Writer

Andy Baggot Writer

Matt Lepay Columnist

Jerry Mao Video Production

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Contributors Paul Capobianco, Tam Flarup, Kelli Grashel, A.J. Harrison, Brandon Harrison, Patrick Herb, Diane Nordstrom

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Cover Photo: David Stluka

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© 2015 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. All rights reserved worldwide. LUCAS AT LARGE BY MIKE LUCAS ■ UWBADGERS.COM Big man Happ ready to grow into role than Happ is still haunted ing rotation. “Because I will be guarding by the memory from his “I was putting on the yellow one of the bigger guys usually, or E freshman season at Wis­ jersey and thinking, ‘Man, this the 4-man, I want them to know consin. is tough,’” Happ said. “And I’ve I will keep my guy in front of me “I remember that day last been working hard ever since so or I will always be there to help year,” he said, “and it was trau­ it doesn’t happen again. Hopeful­ them.” matic for me.” ly, I’m not on the scout team this Happ conceded that it’s tough That was the day when Happ year.” to pinpoint his role since it hasn’t was assigned to the scout team, He was serious, which is may­ been defined yet. But that pic­ a designated group of players, be a good thing, not an insecure ture will begin to crystalize for mainly walk-ons, entrusted with thing. More than anything else, everyone with Wednesday’s exhi­ simulating the opponent’s of­ Happ doesn’t want to take any­ bition opener at the Kohl . fense and defense in practice. thing for granted, even if he is Despite all of the unanswered “We were preparing for the a central figure in retooling the questions, there is something first game,” he remembered, Badgers’ lineup. that Happ can, and will, guaran­ “and they handed out the yellow “I think one of the biggest tee. “Hustling,” he said. “That jerseys, or whatever color they things for me is to be a con­ was a big thing with me last year were, and the other guys stayed stant on defense so that my on the scout team. I prided my­ in white.” teammates know that I have self on that.” White was for the five starters their back,” said the 6-foot-9, As a true freshman, Happ and the top reserves in the play­ 228-pound Happ. drew considerable praise from STEVE GOTTER

LUCAS AT LARGE PAGE 1 OF 3 LUCAS AT LARGE BY MIKE LUCAS ■ UWBADGERS.COM

the coaches for his work with and a first- “Frank did a great job, espe­ the scouts. He agreed that red- round draft pick of the Charlotte cially when he was getting dou­ shirting was clearly in his best Hornets. ble-teamed. He knew when to interests from a developmental “Just because you’ve made throw it out and when to make standpoint. a move,” he said, “it doesn’t his move. And if he wasn’t open “It definitely improved my mean that you have to shoot on when he made his move, he’d game more than playing last year that move. You can always spin throw it out.” would have,” said Happ, “just back, pump fake and go under. During the summer, Happ because I would have gotten There are a lot of different ways worked on his post moves and all minutes so sparingly. to score. other aspects of his game after “Going against Frank (Kamin­ returning home to Milan, Illinois, sky) and Nigel (Hayes) and Sam “GOING AGAINST FRANK AND which is three hours from Madi­ (Dekker) every day in practice NIGEL AND SAM EVERY DAY IN son and just outside of the Quad made my game jump a lot more Cities. PRACTICE MADE MY GAME JUMP than playing six to eight minutes “I really got after it ― I worked (off the bench) would have.” A LOT MORE THAN PLAYING SIX out twice a day,” said Happ, who Happ got quite the education TO EIGHT MINUTES (OFF THE trained with Jordan Delp, an from Kaminsky and Josh Gas­ BENCH) WOULD HAVE.” elite skills coach with Pure Sweat ser, the school record-holder in Basketball. “He helped enhance games played and started. Both my ball-handling and shooting taught him the tricks of the trade ability. that only veterans could teach. “It was a grind, it was tough. “They would grab a leg or arm But it was definitely something where the ref wouldn’t see it and that hopefully by the middle of it hinders the other player great­ the season, I can look back on ly,” Happ said. “Josh did that and know that the time I spent to me all the time when he was this summer was worth it. boxing me out. “It was nice to not have to go “He’d get our arms tied up and from class to workouts. Instead, I couldn’t do anything about it ― it was family, friends, workouts, it’s great to learn that stuff early family, friends, workouts. It was in your career. But you’ve got to a lot easier to be motivated that be smart about it, obviously (in way.” games). One family member, in par­ “Whenever Frank was posting ticular, has provided special up, it looked like he was shield­ motivation. That would be his ing, but he was grabbing your first cousin, J.A. Happ, who just arm, so you couldn’t get around completed his ninth season as all the way to the ball, regardless a Major League pitcher with the if you had position or not.” Pittsburgh Pirates. There were many other things, After being acquired from Se­ far more visible things, that Happ attle at the trading deadline, the picked up from Kaminsky, the 33-year-old Happ had a strong consensus Player of the Year in finish with the Pirates by fash-

LUCAS AT LARGE PAGE 2 OF 3 LUCAS AT LARGE BY MIKE LUCAS ■ UWBADGERS.COM DAVID STLUKA

ioning a 7-2 record with an 1.85 perience. And I know I’m ready “I learned so much from those ERA. He’s now a free agent. to take the shot if I need to.” older guys last year and all of “We’re pretty close, we’ve really He knows, too, that expecta­ them have left,” he said. “Now, I connected through sports,” said tions have changed. Last year, he still have Nigel and Vitto (Brown) Ethan Happ. “He texted me after was off the radar. and Bronson (Koenig) to look up the Final Four and I texted him “On the scout team, you could to. I can still ask them questions. after his season ended.” hone your game without too “But now, I’m also getting Happ is leaner than he was much lashing from the coaches,” asked questions from the fresh­ last spring when the UW sea­ he said. “You could mess up a men, which I am ― a freshman.” son ended in a title game loss to lot while you were trying to work A redshirt freshman; a relative­ Duke. He carried a little over 230 on your moves.” ly young one, at that. Happ is 19. pounds on his frame as a fresh­ Happ has already noticed a dif­ That still makes him older than man. Now, he’s between 225 ference in how UW head coach first-year low-post player Charlie and 228. Bo Ryan is treating him. Thomas, who’s 17, soon to turn “Now, I have a lot more lean “It’s a lot different,” he admit­ 18. muscle mass, and I feel a lot ted. “People have told me that In Wisconsin’s Red and White more agile,” he said. “I feel like when they’re not yelling at you, Scrimmage, Happ had eight I can move side to side and de­ that’s when you’ve got to wor­ points and eight rebounds. One fend people on the perimeter ry because they’ve given up on of his personal goals is to av­ which has really boosted my you.” erage a double-double with his game.” Happ paused and grinned, rebounding leading to putbacks Based on the early practices, “Coach Ryan definitely hasn’t and scoring. he also said, “I feel more readily given up on me. There are just “I feel if I’m working hard available to attack the rim and I so many little things in the game enough,” he said. “I can get that feel a lot more confident in my that he didn’t address with me almost every night.” shot whenever I’m open. last year. But he is now.” But he’s not making any pre­ “I know they want me in the With so many true freshmen on dictions, nor guarantees, beyond post a lot more this year, just be­ the roster, Happ is a viewed as hustling. That alone should keep cause of our lack of size and ex­ somewhat of a veteran. him off the scout team. ■

LUCAS AT LARGE PAGE 3 OF 3 THE VOICE BY MATT LEPAY ■ VOICE OF THE BADGERS A primer to get ready for hoops season ith another basketball will get three 30s, plus a 60. You a lot of grief from players and season upon us, the can carry two of the 30s into the coaches. After all these years, it Wtiming seems right to second half. No doubt the hope is still a hoot. If it is Bo “overturn­ mention some things your friend­ is for fewer stoppages late in ing” a call, or an assistant who ly columnist is looking forward to games. It is something that has barks at him (Rob Jeter might seeing. This will be my 28th year drawn a ton of criticism, especial­ have been the worst), it all adds following the Badgers, but every ly in the NCAA tournament, when to the entertainment value of a November there is always excite­ TV audiences are much larger. midseason practice. ment, both for the games and for “Watch Them Grow”: For years “Gentlemen … Matt”: Those a few laughs. a favorite line of Bo Ryan, and words belong to assistant coach Yeah, I know. Twenty-eight it truly applies this season. Last Gary Close. On every charter years. I’m getting old. Enough year, we figured a veteran Bad­ flight, some of us arrive early and about that. Let us get to the top­ gers team had a chance to be board the plane ahead of the ic. Fair warning: some of these special. This season, we really team. When the Badgers make items are purely selfish, but don’t know, but there is fun in their way to their seats, Close hopefully worth a smile. Others that as well. Sure, Nigel Hayes always greets a group of us by will be easier to understand. We and Bronson Koenig are All-Big saying hello in his own special will start with the latter. Ten-caliber players, and perhaps way. He looks around at the five The Whistle: Once again, those even better than that. But what or six of us on board and simply in college basketball are trying about Ethan Happ, Vitto Brown, says “Gentlemen.” Then he looks to increase scoring and create a Jordan Hill and a good-looking at me and cracks, “Matt.” better pace of play. The shot clock group of freshmen? OK, maybe you have to be is 30 seconds. The restricted area I am eager to see Zak Showalter there, but for me a road trip moves from three feet to four. on the floor. Last season he aver­ doesn’t begin until I get insulted You probably know about those aged 7.6 minutes per game. Now, by G.C. changes. What is worth watching the opportunity exists for much Bo’s Buddies: For many of us, is how effectively teams adjust to more playing time. If there is more a season officially is underway an increased emphasis (again) offense to go along with his overall when many of Ryan’s high school on promoting offensive freedom tenacity, he will be another one of and college friends show up for of movement. Officials (again) will those players who opposing teams a game at Penn State, Maryland attempt to crack down on defen­ love to hate. That is a good thing. or elsewhere in the eastern part sive players who bump cutters. ■ ■ ■ ■ of the country. Sadly, one of Bo’s Many believe there will be a ton of Now the selfish part. closest friends, Jay Holiday, is fouls, especially early in the sea­ Otto: For more than 50 years, battling a serious illness. Yet, by son. We have seen it before. We Otto Puls has kept the scorebook nature, Jay is an upbeat man, as should be braced to see it again. for Wisconsin home games. Otto are all of the head coach’s buds. Fewer TOs: In the past, teams also is the assistant equipment I look forward to watching that would get four 30-second time­ manager. He also is a former group continue a great tradition. outs, plus a 60-second TO. You official who works practice every So there you have it. That list could carry three of your 30-sec­ day. In the possession portion is part of what makes this game, ond timeouts into the second (scrimmages), he still blows the and especially being around this half. Starting this season, teams whistle. Oftentimes, it leads to program, so special. ■

THE VOICE PAGE 1 OF 1 ASK THE BADGERS

IF YOU WERE GRANTED ONE WISH, WHAT WOULD? IT BE? DAVID STLUKA DAVID STLUKA DAVID STLUKA

CHASE KINNEY PATRICK MUTO MORGAN McDONALD MARIA AVGERINOS Junior ■ Women’s Swimming Senior ■ Men’s Rowing Soph. ■ Men’s Cross Country Junior ■ Women’s Tennis

“If I could have one “It would be tempt­ “If I could have one “If I had one wish it wish it would be to ing to wish for a wish, I would really would be to go back have my younger million dollars or to like to be able to in time, because siblings stay little spot a UFO, but, be­ teleport. I could get I’ve always wanted forever. They’re ing a senior, I think up late for class to witness histo­ growing up too fast! I would have to and teleport straight ry firsthand. But I I have three sib­ wish for more time there and not be would not want to lings, one is a fresh­ to hang out with all late.” time travel into the man in college, one my teammates and future because it’s is a junior in high friends. It won’t be like reading the last school and one is long before every­ chapter of a book a freshman in high one graduates and before you finish it.” school.” has to get jobs and move on with their lives. I just wish I could have more days of carefree fun. Whether it’s enjoying the sum­ mer weather or just having fun at home, I’ll really miss just messing around with all my best friends on this cam­ pus.” BADGERING DAVID STLUKA JORDAN HILL

The Badgers regain the services of Jordan Hill in 2015-16 after a red- ALL ABOUT JORDAN shirt season in 2014-15. The third-year sophomore looks to crack a Year: Sophomore backcourt rotation at either point guard or shooting guard. A native of Position: Guard Pasadena, California, Hill appeared in seven games as a freshman but Height: 6-3 has served as a valuable member of the scout team for two seasons. An Weight: 178 under-recruited prep who attended Exeter Academy (N.H.) after high Hometown: Pasadena, Calif. High School: Exeter Academy (N.H.) school, Hill caught the attention of the UW coaches with his hard-work­ ing pedigree and tenacity on defense. QUICK Qs WITH JORDAN How excited are you to take off the redshirt and play? One song on your pregame playlist? “I haven’t known what it’s like to prepare for a game that I “‘Scholarships’ by Drake and Future.” know I’m going to be playing in for so long. Exciting is not the word to describe it. Invigorating or exhilarating might be more Favorite sport other than basketball? appropriate. I’m really looking forward to being on the court “Volleyball.” with all the guys that I’ve been working so hard with for the last Thing you miss most about L.A.? SCROLL two years.” “The beach.”

What did you learn while sitting out last year? Favorite team to watch? “I learned how much I love the game. It’s not easy. None of this “.” is easy, playing at a high level. I realized how much work and time you have to put in and be willing to wait your turn some­ Worst thing about prep school? “Curfew.” times, even when you feel like you’re ready. I learned a lot on the court, as well ― how to manage a game, take better shots, Dream career, besides basketball? defense, all of those things.” “Designing and making clothing that athletes wear.” Your reputation coming in was as an intense defensive player. What’s the scouting report on you now? “I can feel the defensive intensity coming back even more this season knowing that I’m going to be on the court guarding somebody other than Josh (Gasser) or Bronson (Koenig) or Trae (Jackson). I’m always going to be a dog on defense. I have to be in order to play, and in order for us to win. But I’ve worked really hard over the past few years to expand my game offensively. I feel like I can shoot the ball from all over the court now and I think my passing and ball-handling has gotten a lot better, too.”

Who in the NBA would you like to be compared to? “Steph Curry. I was just in the gym earlier today working on awkward finishes like him. I was trying to make sure no matter where I am on the floor, to get my feet down, my arm set and to shoot the ball the same way every time. That guy inspires me because he proves you don’t have to have incredible athletic talent, you just have to be smart and be able to put the work and time in and you can get those results.”

Why did you come to Madison from Pasadena, California? “I wanted a challenge. I think my whole life I’ve taken the dif- ficult route and I didn’t want to change that. I went to a prep school that was the best school academically in the nation. It was a school where we ended up playing some great teams and we did some great things, winning the school’s first-ever championship. And then, coming here, I knew I wasn’t going to play right away. But there has been a history of excellence here and I wanted to be a part of that and I see if I could put my own stamp on it.”

Where did you eclectic interests ― fashion, photography, etc. ― come from? “My mom and dad really wanted to make sure that I was a well-rounded human being. Ball is life to an extent. But my parents wanted me to be fine if I didn’t have basketball or sports. Can I still be a great student? Can I still have interests that can make money or keep me passionate about some- thing? They didn’t want one thing to define me. That’s what they taught me.” ■ JACK MCLAUGHLIN LAUREN ARNDT Both teams have 11 players. So why does Wisconsin always seem to win the numbers game at the line of scrimmage? What should be a simple equation has confounded teams tasked with facing the Badgers’ No. 1-ranked defense. Dave Aranda was a philosophy major in college, but he’s put together a master’s thesis in the mathematics of matchups as Wisconsin’s defensive coordinator.

ave Aranda was always willing to go the extra spent a week in Baton Rouge. mile to further his development as a young One of the many things that stood out during the Dcoach. That included skipping a week of Tigers’ spring practice ― “And I was in most of the classes while a student at Cal Lutheran University. meetings,” Aranda said ― was the daily routine of Distance was never a factor. The shorter trips would the LSU head coach. be the 40-mile drives from the Thousand Oaks cam­ “It was like clockwork at noon every day,” Aranda pus to Los Angeles, where he would hang out with said. “I remembered he would go jogging around a the defensive staffs at USC and UCLA. lake, and he was a hard jogger. He looked like he After a chronic shoulder injury had ended his play­ was going to collapse.” ing career, Aranda directed all of his energy to be­ That was his first impression: he was industrious coming a coach ― starting with his apprenticeship and he sweat a lot. Not that he expected to make his as a Cal Lutheran student assistant. own impression on a high-profile coach of a presti­ Because the Division III program didn’t conduct gious Southeastern Conference program. spring drills, Aranda decided to pick the brain of “I didn’t expect him to remember me,” Aranda others in the college profession who were practicing said. their craft at that time of the year. Decades later, they would cross paths again: Dave “So I just took a week off from school,” said Aran­ Aranda and Gerry DiNardo. da, a philosophy major. Much had changed about their job descriptions. But it came with a price when he fell short of a Aranda was Wisconsin’s defensive coordinator and passing grade in one course. DiNardo had long since left coaching and was serv­ “It wasn’t philosophy but it was my English teacher ing as a studio analyst for Big Ten Network. that got ticked off,” he said. “It was the only ‘D’ that As part of the BTN’s annual preseason tour of cam­ I got in all of my academic career at Cal Lutheran.” pus sites, Aranda and DiNardo have gotten a chance DAVID STLUKA Give him some points for effort since he was in­ to know each other better over the past three years trigued enough by LSU defensive coordinator Lou that Aranda has been in Madison. Tepper that he traveled all the way to Louisiana and “Ever since he joined the conference, I’ve been

DAVE ARANDA: IT ALL ADDS UP PAGE 2 OF 8 intrigued by what he does defensively, it’s very un­ sion lament: too much content, too little time. usual,” said DiNardo, whose 12-year head coaching “I talked to him for a half-hour,” DiNardo said, run also included stops at Vanderbilt and Indiana. “and three minutes made TV.” “When we would talk to him on the set before we But there were still many highlights for the viewer. started taping, me and Howard (Griffith, another DiNardo noted how Aranda used a basketball anal­ BTN analyst) would always talk about defense and ogy to bring context to how the Badgers are able to the unusual defense that it free up rushers and exploit is. matchups. “I also liked him person­ “HE SAYS TO ME, ‘THIS IS NO DIFFERENT “He says to me, ‘This is ally very much even though THAN PICKING FOR YOUR POINT GUARD,’” no different than picking for I can’t say I’m good friends “ your point guard,’” said Di- SAID DINARDO, PARAPHRASING, “YOU WANT with him. But I love to inter­ Nardo, paraphrasing, “You TO GET YOUR BEST SHOOTER ON THEIR WORST act with him and watch him want to get your best shoot- coach.” DEFENDER, OR A DIFFERENT DEFENDER.” er on their worst defender, The 62-year-old DiNardo or a different defender.” is the host of an “Inside the Staff Room” segment The accompanying clip showed an inside line­ that airs on the BTN pregame show on Saturdays. backer getting a jump on the snap and “picking” a “I made it vague,” he said of the title, “so I could go blocker ― occupying the tailback ― while the out­ with X’s and O’s and a little of this and that.” side linebacker was speed-rushing the tackle. Leading up to the Rutgers game, DiNardo drove “They got the same matchup as people who blitz up from Chicago and huddled for 30 minutes with Aranda in the film NEIL AMENT room, where they broke down some cut-ups from Wisconsin’s wins over Illinois, Hawai’i and Troy. DiNardo, an All-America offen­ sive guard, played on Notre Dame’s 1973 national championship team. And he had his own interpretation of what Aranda was doing with his 3-4 defensive scheme. “I wanted to go up there and see if I was right,” he said. “That was the genesis of it.” Aranda walked away impressed from their noon hour session last Wednesday. “He had some good questions; he was pretty insightful,” he said. “It was mainly about how we use our people and try to dictate things and take things (away from the of­ fense).” DiNardo was equally impressed with Aranda and his defensive con­ cepts. “I found it fascinating,” he said. But he voiced a standard televi­

DAVE ARANDA: IT ALL ADDS UP PAGE 3 OF 8 and have to play man coverage,” DiNardo comment­ “and we’re going to clear the floor and we’re going ed. “But the coverage is zone. That’s the uniqueness to give the ball to Kobe at the top of the key. and what intrigues me.” “Ten (seconds), nine, eight,” he said, counting Lining up with three down linemen is not as unique down, “and Kobe is going to do his work. When I as it has been in the past. More and more college think of 4-3 teams, I think of wide defensive end teams are adopting the 3-4 scheme. Until Aranda rushers. That’s what I see; I see LeBron and Kobe.” arrived, the Badgers had been a 4-3 defense. Closer to home, he sees Joe Schobert and Vince “The five big guys,” DiNardo said of the offensive Biegel. line, “are responsible for those three down linemen. “I think we’ve got two legitimate outside rushers But there’s four linebackers and they’re also respon­ that, given that opportunity, can win those one-on­ sible for two of them. ones like your 4-3 speed-rushers or a true 4-3 (de­ “The problem is, they don’t know which two are fense) will do,” Aranda said. “But I just feel we’re going to rush and which two are going to drop (into more suited to be a team that passes the ball (the pass coverage). Then Dave goes to two down line­ hoops analogy), a team that runs picks for certain men, and no down linemen.” players. We’re going to pass the ball six or seven To DiNardo’s thinking, the tactic of “wasting” times before we take a shot. O-linemen ― making the five three (or few­ “Everyone has an opportunity. That helps the Vince er) down linemen from the defense ― allows Aranda Biegels and the Joe Schoberts … It’s a fine line. You to put additional rushers in position to pressure the want to rush the guys who can do something, so quarterback. Vince and Joe are obviously those guys. As such, Aranda drew a parallel to a late shot clock “But, at the same time, I think Vince and Joe are possession in the NBA. helped when we’re passing the ball.” “Here’s my LeBron James or here’s my Kobe Bry­ Last year, Aranda used some film clips of the San ant,” Aranda said of the pass rusher equivalent, Antonio Spurs to illustrate his point.

▼ TAP TO WATCH - DiNardo and Aranda Break Down Badgers' Defense DAVID STLUKA

DAVE ARANDA: IT ALL ADDS UP PAGE 4 OF 8 “I remember Marcus Trotter looking at me and doubts in the minds of the blockers if they’re unsure saying, ‘C’mon, man,’” Aranda related. who’s coming and from what angle. But the more Trotter watched, the more the senior “The offense has to protect all of the available de­ linebacker understood the message. fenders,” said Aranda, knowing how the numbers “With the Spurs,” Aranda said, “one guy would get will add up in his favor on defense. “They can’t just the ball and pass it; the next guy would get it and key and lock in on one guy. pass it; the next guy would get it and have a clean “They have to worry, ‘I’m on Vince (Biegel) but shot. Vince could rush outside or Vince could rush inside “Whoever they were playing would then get the or Vince could drop. Now, I’ve got to sink inside be­ ball and everyone would spread out and one player cause Chris Orr is rushing inside.”’ would work through the He posed another ex­ double-team with time ample: What about line­ running out and take a GERRY DINARDO: backer T.J. Edwards? shot off his back foot. “I CAN’T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I LEARNED What if he comes on a “The Spurs would get “ scrape-rush inside? “You the ball back again and SO MUCH FOOTBALL IN A 30-MINUTE SPAN OF want them to go through it was pass, pass, pass, TIME THAN I DID WITH DAVE ARANDA.” all of that in their mind,” clean shot. I was trying to Aranda said. hammer that point. You want them to think before reacting to whatev­ “In the 3-4 (defense),” Aranda went on, “every­ er they’re expecting or actually seeing. The irony is one is going to want to rush. But if we can rush as a that Aranda does not call for a lot of blitzes, per se; team, every individual rush is going to be that much maybe a half-dozen so far this season. better.” “We’re three down (linemen), a lot of times two The Spurs were effective and efficient with their down,” he said. “So we’re bringing one, a lot of times spacing ― and with making the extra pass ― espe­ two, every down because we’re creating the four- cially when they had five scorers on the floor and man front that other people are lining up in.” forced the defense to guard everyone. Grasping that concept is fundamental to team suc­ DAVID STLUKA The Badgers can create a comparable scenario cess in his system. with multiple rushers on the field. And it can create “Everyone kind of knows what we’re trying to set

DAVE ARANDA: IT ALL ADDS UP PAGE 5 OF 8

DAVID STLUKA

On outside linebackers coach Tim Tibe­ sar: “He was just what the doctor ordered for Vince and Joe because he has been able to motivate them and he’s a good technician, as well. “He’s able to relate to them and answer all of Joe’s questions, ‘What if this, what if that?’ And he knows how to treat Vince ― he allows Vince to be Vince.” On secondary coach Daronte’ Jones: “He has the most egos, in a good way, and the most playmakers. And he has been able to manage those young guys that we have playing.” Aranda relies heavily on what his assis­ tants tell him. Overall, he’s a very good listener. “I’ve learned this from other people tell­ ing me,” DiNardo said, “but he takes sug­ gestions from his players; sometimes they will text him, ‘Coach, what if we did this?’ “That’s very unusual that he would have this dialogue with them.” It’s not out of the norm from Aranda’s perspective. “You want your players to feel comfort­ able in the game plan,” he said. “Espe­ cially within the structure of our defense, Vince Biegel and Michael Caputo there are so many options and different ways that we can solve problems. up,” he said. “We’re going to get these matchups “Last week was a great example. I remember and it’s going to take a few inside rushes to set up talking to Michael Caputo a couple of times. ‘How the outside. do you feel about the game? Do we have too much “It’s going to take a few corner rushes to set up in? What things do we need more work on?’ the linebacker rushes. We’re passing the ball (the “As you know when you talk with Mike, he’s very basketball analogy again) and we’re going to get the thoughtful; he takes his time and what he says he best shot we can. But we’ve got to set it up.” means. Joe (Schobert) is very similar. Both of those There has been the need for more teaching this guys are very intelligent and perceive things. They year, he acknowledged. see through whatever is out front to kind of see what “We’re spending so much more time talking about is pushing it from behind. They’re good big picture alignment and assignments,” he said of the con­ guys. cessions that have been made to inexperience. “It’s “So is Jake Keefer (a reserve defensive linemen). been more fundamentals and techniques.” Jake has been through a bunch of coaches and sys­ Aranda couldn’t say enough about his defensive tems,” he said of the fifth-year senior. “He has got assistants who have “coached up” the players. the respect of the D-line and the pulse of those guys On defensive line coach Inoke Breckterfield: up front. You listen to those guys for sure.” “Great technician. The D-line is feeding out of his Caputo loves that about Aranda. hand right now and they’re really playing well.” “He definitely matches the scheme with our abili-

DAVE ARANDA: IT ALL ADDS UP PAGE 6 OF 8 NEIL AMENT ties and that’s one of the main things and why Coach Aranda and this defense is so successful,” Caputo said. “Even if it looks like I’m not comfortable with “HE HAS SO MANY ― I DON’T WANT TO SAY TRICKS UP it (something they may be doing schematically), he HIS SLEEVE ― BUT HE HAS METHODS AND ADJUST­ can see that and he can say, ‘All right, we’re chang­ MENTS OF DOING THINGS“ TO GET THE JOB DONE A ing it.’ LITTLE DIFFERENTLY,” CAPUTO SAID OF ARANDA. “He has so many I don’t want to say tricks up ― “BUT THE RESULT IS THE JOB GETS DONE.” his sleeve ― but he has methods and adjustments of doing things to get the job done a little differently. But the result is the job gets done. “This past game against Rutgers,” Caputo said of last Saturday’s 48-10 victory, “we wanted to make sure they didn’t know where the blitz was coming from. My feedback to the coaches ― from being up-close to their O-line and quarterback ― was that they had no idea where the blitz was coming from. We knew that and it gave us confidence.” Aranda did feel the urgency to get his defense’s attention ― collectively ― after Rutgers’ second se­ ries that featured 10 straight runs and some sloppy tackling on the part of the Badgers. He may have even raised his voice. “I’m not sure if I’ve seen him really mad,” Caputo said. “But there’s a firmness in his voice. When he’s telling you something and he wants you to get it, and it’s more of a command, he has this intense look and you pick up on it. ‘OK, we need to do that.’ “A lot of coaches scream their heads off. Coach Aranda is more along the lines of getting you to know what he’s talking about. I think that’s more effec­ tive.” DiNardo had been around Aranda enough to pick up a few things about his personality. “He’s very cerebral to begin with ― very quiet, very low-key,” he said. “But the one thing I learned is that he really personalizes his game plan. “He might say to you, ‘Here’s the blitz that you have to win. We’re setting this up for you. I’m going to put you against the running back, probably their weakest protector. This is for you … win.” Caputo has heard it many times. “Sometimes in front of the team, sometimes in front of the defense,” Caputo said. “Sometimes, he’ll do it individually, and that means a lot. He’s says, ‘You have to win. You have to get over this block.’ LAUREN ARNDT “Or, he’ll come up at practice when we’re re-run­ ning something and he’ll say, ‘You have to get in this gap. You’ll make the play ― if you get in this gap.

DAVE ARANDA: IT ALL ADDS UP PAGE 7 OF 8 You have to be there.’ trust on the other side of the ball, it’s one of the most “When he says that, I’m thinking only one thing, critical things about your organization.” ‘Yeah, I’m going to be in that gap.” Chryst and Aranda do have one very important Aranda recreated a conversation he had with safe­ thing in common. ty Tanner McEvoy: “We’re bringing you on a safe­ “Dave likes football,” Chryst said, “and I like foot­ ty blitz,” he told McEvoy before the Rutgers game. ball.” “We’re going to get the inside linebackers up (on When they get the chance, they will break down the line), so the offensive front has to recognize and film together. Maybe on a Sunday or Monday night. account for them. Or, maybe Chryst will just pop his head into Aranda’s “You’re going to be free. Let’s make it count.’” room at some point during the week. McEvoy got his first sack of the season last Satur­ “He’s very good at identifying what people are do­ day. ing,” Aranda said, “and what their strengths and “I want them to take ownership of it,” Aranda said. weaknesses are and how to go about attacking those From afar, and during his short time in their com­ weaknesses.” pany, DiNardo couldn’t help but notice how UW Aranda downplayed the notion that Chryst could head coach Paul Chryst and Aranda have formed a pick up anything from him. Not so, says the head compatible and successful partnership. coach. “This is a perfect marriage,” DiNardo said. “Paul “You’re always looking how he does it because has done the head coaching thing at Pitt and that is you’ve got a chance to learn from it and grow,” Chryst what made him so qualified for Wisconsin, right? said. “I’m always picking up stuff from him. I wish “But his genius is still offensive football. His genius we were in there (the film room) more.” is still relationships with the players and his charac­ DiNardo could say the same thing after his film ter.” session with Aranda. DiNardo pointed out that is more the rule than the “I said it on the air,” DiNardo volunteered, “I can’t exception. remember the last time I learned so much football “Urban Meyer is built offensively. Paul is built of­ in a 30-minute span of time than I did with Dave fensively. So when you have someone you totally Aranda.”

DAVE ARANDA: IT ALL ADDS UP PAGE 8 OF 8 JACK MCLAUGHLIN DAVID STLUKA

he knock on the hotel room door came in the Chypyha opened the door and saw Samara alone wee hours of the morning that fateful Sunday in the hallway. Chypyha asked if Samara needed to Tlast October. Lauren Chypyha thought it was talk to both her and Burich. someone who was lost or, perhaps, looking for trou­ “Just you,” the coach replied. ble. “My heart sank,” Chypyha said. So Chypyha and Lauren Burich, teammates and Less than a half-hour earlier, Samara had seen her classmates on the Wisconsin women’s tennis team, phone light up. She didn’t answer it at first. ignored it and tried to go back to sleep. “If it’s anything important,” Samara told herself, A big day loomed for Chypyha and she needed “then they’ll leave a voicemail.” her rest. A junior at the time, she’d advanced to the They did. It was Chypyha’s mother, Joan, from the round of 16 in the prestigious Intercollegiate Ten­ family home in Toronto, Ontario. Samara called back nis Association Midwest Regional in Champaign, Il­ and heard some devastating news. She then stead­ linois. She’d won two matches the day before and ied her nerves as she prepared to relay the message was feeling good about her chances of advancing to to her sleepy, unsuspecting player. the quarterfinals. “I was just pretty straightforward,” Samara said. “I Chypyha was starting to drift back to sleep when didn’t know how else to do it.” she saw her phone suddenly light up. It was Tina In a quiet hotel corridor, Chypyha’s world was Samara, the second-year coach of the Badgers. rocked. “I need to talk to you,” Samara said gently. “Open “Your dad has a brain tumor,” Samara told Chypy­ the door.” ha, “and you need to go home right away.” DAVID STLUKA Chypyha’s mind raced, wondering if she broken Chypyha remembers small chunks of that fateful an NCAA rule or if something had gone awry in one exchange. “He needs to go into surgery. … “We’re of her matches and she’d have to default. going to find you a flight. … “I’m so sorry. …”

LAUREN CHYPYHA: A PERFECT MATCH PAGE 2 OF 5 “I COULDN’T UNDERSTAND A WORD HE WAS SAYING. HE WAS TRYING“ TO SAY HE LOVED ME AND IT WAS COMING OUT AS GIBBERISH. HE WAS CRYING. I WAS CRYING.”

There’s no handbook that instructs a coach on how to manage moments such as this. Samara followed her instincts. “You just go into survival mode,” she said. Chypyha didn’t have her passport, so the idea of catching the earliest available flight out of Cham­ paign or Chicago was not possible. Samara promptly instructed her players to pack their gear and checked the group out of the ho­ tel. She found a vending machine, bought a cou­ ple 16-ounce bottles of Mountain Dew, steered the school-issued van toward Madison and began the five-hour journey home. “The last thing I wanted to deal with was her not getting home in time in case something was to go wrong,” Samara said. It was a quiet, solemn ride up Interstate 74-39-90. Lauren spent it mainly talking with her mother about flights out of the Dane County Regional Airport and exchanging texts with her sister. “I honestly couldn’t even cry that much,” Lauren said. “At that point I was just trying to figure out how to react.” Rodney Chypyha, a former minor-league hockey Upon arriving in Madison around 6, the van made goaltender who put his career as a software sales­ a quick stop at Chypyha’s apartment to retrieve her man on hold so he could coach his two college-lev­ passport and some clothes. Lauren got to the airport el, tennis-crazy daughters, had accidently bumped in time for a 7 a.m. flight bound for Toronto, but his head earlier in the week and had begun having before she boarded, she was on the phone with her headaches and acting strangely. father. A subsequent MRI showed a tumor. Lauren and “I couldn’t understand a word he was saying,” her younger sister, Devin, then a freshman at Ar­ Lauren recalled. “He was trying to say he loved me izona, were told to get home as soon as possible and it was coming out as gibberish. He was crying. because surgery seemed imminent. I was crying.” As Samara spoke to her in the hallway, Lauren Withdrawing from a tennis match was the furthest Chypyha ― pronounced “chip-eye-uh” ― drifted thing from Chypyha’s mind. into a fog. A year has passed since that raw, delicate moment “I don’t even remember how I reacted,” she said. and the details tumble forcefully out of Lauren’s “Obviously just a lot of shock,” Samara said of the mouth. She’s sitting at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium moment. “All of us were sitting there not knowing revisiting painful memories that have since given way how to handle it.” to overwhelming relief, inspiration and appreciation.

LAUREN CHYPYHA: A PERFECT MATCH PAGE 3 OF 5 Rodney Chypyha, 55, had such a widespread tu­ of 18-hour days at the hospital leading up to the de- mor that surgery wasn’t the best option. He under­ cision not to operate. went months of chemotherapy and radiation treat- “From her perspective, it was far more difficult,” ments to attack the lymphoma. His cancer has been the father said. in remission since May. The chemo and radiation treatments were appar­ “I’ve got my life back,” he ently successful and relatively said. quick, but the recovery period Rodney said stopping pucks “WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS LIKE THIS wasn’t easy for the Chypyhas. for a living ― he appeared in 35 YOU’VE GOT TO FIGURE IT OUT. HOW DO Rodney showed up to watch games for Saginaw in the old Lauren’s final home match of YOU MANAGE IT? “DO YOU GIVE UP? THAT’S International Hockey League 2014-15 last April looking gaunt ONE OPTION, RIGHT?” RODNEY SAID. in 1982-83 ― prepared him for and tired. his bout with cancer. “OPTION TWO IS TO FIGHT IT.” “He did not look good,” Lau­ “Being an athlete was helping ren said. “I was happy he was me get through it,” he said. “It takes a lot of desire here, but my mind was not on tennis.” to succeed in anything in life. When something hap­ Not only did the Badgers fall to Indiana, but Lau­ pens like this you’ve got to figure it out. How do you ren, a two-time All-Big Ten Conference first team se­ manage it? Do you give up? That’s one option, right? lection, lost in straight sets at No. 1 singles. “Option two is to fight it.” She was accustomed to looking into the stands for Rodney fought all right, but a void remains. There’s her father and finding a source of energy and guid­ still a three-week segment at the outset of his diag­ ance. Not this time. nosis that he doesn’t remember. No recollection of “I warmed up wanting to cry,” Lauren said. “I being frustrated that he couldn’t speak. No memo­ wasn’t really present.” ry of moments when he couldn’t comprehend what Rodney’s condition improved dramatically over the was being said. summer as he coached his daughters in a series of Rodney has reconciled that period as something tournaments. beyond his control. His oldest daughter, though, Lauren, who’s on pace to graduate in May with a struggled with it just as she labored through a week degree in political science, was a different person

LAUREN CHYPYHA: A PERFECT MATCH PAGE 4 OF 5

PAGE 5 OF 5 PAGE

It wasn’t until the match was in the books and Lau­ the match was in the books It wasn’t until Lauren of her withdrawal, On the anniversary what my dad had to go “It was a metaphor for with him being able “I won my battle, so to speak, to her Lauren sent a text message Later that day, wrote. “I did that for you,” she tears. His reply came amid happy said. “I’m so proud of you,” he of Northwestern in a three-hour duel so taut that that so taut duel three-hour in a of Northwestern the up from cramped hand right said her Chypyha fighting wound up Chypyha and intensity. exertion emerging set and in the third match points off three triumph. 6-7, 7-5, 7-6 with a parents that the for pictures with her ren was posing tears. in her left It her. hit moment of the significance reached deep difficult circumstances, stared down triumph for the core and found a way to down to her her Wisconsin career. 81st time in through,” she said. in a sense because I was to watch. It was symbolic able to sort of redeem myself.” because was match the important how telling father, he was there.

“It helped me grow up, to be honest. It was an eye-opening experience.” adapt,” Chypyha said. “It helped me grow up, to be honest. It was an eye-opening have to learn to match. You

Along the way, Chypyha hooked up with Alex Chatt Chypyha hooked up with Along the way, This story completed a full, happy circle last month. This story completed a full, “It helped her relax and know that tennis is great “It helped her relax and Samara also noticed a change in Chypyha, who Samara also noticed a “It helped me grow up, to be honest. It was an grow up, to be honest. “It helped me “In the long run I’ve learned there are some things run I’ve learned there are “In the long “It made me realize, in terms of tennis, there’s a there’s tennis, of in terms me realize, made “It

nals before falling. for the ITA Regional, Lauren advanced to the semifi­ Regional, Lauren advanced for the ITA With her parents on hand in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Michigan, Arbor, Ann in hand on her parents With

Samara said. and a fun sport, but it’s really not that big a deal,” really and a fun sport, but it’s

the coach noted could be pretty high strung. the coach noted could be eye-opening experience.” eye-opening experience.” learn to adapt. learn to adapt. ily getting sick or losing a tennis match. You have to have to You or losing a tennis match. ily getting sick you can’t control, whether it’s somebody in your fam­ somebody in whether it’s you can’t control, a game, I think. a game, I think. ing that this is not my identity. I’ll treat this more as I’ll treat this more is not my identity. ing that this of my goals just because I’ve been able to play know­ able to play I’ve been just because of my goals “That’s honestly helped me the last year reach some reach some the last year helped me honestly “That’s lot more to life than just tennis for me,” she said. for me,” just tennis to life than lot more when she arrived on campus for her senior year. year. her senior for campus on arrived she when

LAUREN CHYPYHA: A PERFECT MATCH LAUREN CHYPYHA: A PERFECT MATCH “In the long run I’ve learned there are some things you can’t control, whether it’s somebody in your family getting sick or losing a tennis somebody in your family getting whether it’s control, “In the long run I’ve learned there are some things you can’t DAVID STLUKA

INSIDE FOOTBALL BY ANDY BAGGOT ■ UWBADGERS.COM DAVID STLUKA

Special teams sure to be tested by Terps Badgers’ outstanding coverage units tasked with slowing down Maryland’s returns

ne of the most improved areas of the Wisconsin football TAP TO VIEW SCHEDULE team this season has been its special teams, especially in Othe areas of kick coverage. The Badgers rank second in the Big Ten Conference and sixth nationally in limiting opponents to 16.0 yards per kickoff. That average was 19.0 yards last season. Moreover, the average starting field position for their opponents is the 22.9-yard line through nine games, the third-best showing among Football Bowl Subdivision teams behind Boston College (22.3) and Ohio State (22.7). Meanwhile, Wisconsin is allowing 5.3 yards per punt return SCROLL with three games left in the regular season. That average was 8.1 in 2014. Those trends figure to be strongly tested Saturday when the Badgers (7-2 overall, 4-1 in the Big Ten) make their first-ever trip to play at Maryland (2-6, 0-4).

“We’re going to be challenged in a big way,” Wisconsin coach INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED TO VIEW TWEETS Paul Chryst said Monday during his weekly press conference. The Terrapins lead the Big Ten and rank fourth nationally in SOCIAL punt return average at 19.1 per attempt. They also stand third in MEDIA: the league and 15th in the nation in kickoff returns at 25.1 yards per try. At the heart of those two threats is junior cornerback William Likely, a first-team All-Big Ten pick last season whose instincts and speed have resulted in him returning punts, kickoffs and interceptions for touchdowns in his career. He led the Big Ten and was fourth in the country averaging 31.0 yards per kickoff return last season. That included a 100-yard re- turn for a touchdown vs. Stanford in the Foster Farms Bowl. Likely, listed at 5-foot-7 and 175 pounds, also set a Big Ten single-game record with 233 yards in punt returns vs. Richmond earlier this season and has returned two punts for TDs. Chryst said managing the threat Likely presents involves a three- pronged plan of ball placement on kickoffs and punts, downfield leverage and finishing tackles. It helps to have senior punter Drew Meyer in his current state of excellence. Last week, Rutgers’ average starting field position after a Meyer punt was its own 12.6 yard line. A week earlier, Illinois averaged a starting field position of its own 11.4 yard line in the second half. Wisconsin hasn’t allowed a kickoff return for TD since 2011 (Duane Bennett, Minnesota) or a punt return for a score since 2012 (Corey Brown, Ohio State). In addition to the threat of a big play, Chryst is mindful of the field position battle that dictates the course of a game. “To date the biggest challenge we’ve had,” he said of Likely and the Terrapins. ■ INSIDE VOLLEYBALL BY DIANE NORDSTROM ■ UW ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS GREG ANDERSON

‘Sheffieldisms’ keep everyone guessing Badgers coach known to show his sense of humor when talking about his team

hen Wisconsin head coach Kelly Sheffield takes the TAP TO VIEW SCHEDULE stage for a news conference, the media members in Wattendance know they are often going to be entertained. Sheffield, who is known for his sense of humor, often enter­ tains media members and his team with his what can best be described as “Sheffieldisms.” For example, during his weekly news conference on Monday, Sheffield was asked about the serve of freshman Madison Duello. “That’s one of the things that I joked around with her a little bit is, sometimes her serve comes from the ‘child’s menu’ so we talked to her about let’s get rid of the corn dogs and the macaro­ SCROLL ni and cheese and the applesauce and things like that, and let’s start serving from the adult menu and putting some pace on the ball and really doing something with it, and take some chances. When she does that, that ball dances for her.” Sheffield is a big fan of the 1970s― whether it’s TV shows,

songs or movies ― and often will refer to back to that era. INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED TO VIEW TWEETS After opening the Big Ten Conference season with losses at then-No. 1 Penn State and then-No. 12 Ohio State, Sheffield was SOCIAL asked about his team turning things around. MEDIA: “A show that I used to like when I was younger, remember the ‘A Team?’ I forget which one it was but the guy would say, ‘I love it when a plan comes together.’ That’s kind of my feeling, is that we’re getting closer. I know that, we are getting closer and I see that even though we lost a few.” Sheffield was nearly 15 minutes late for his post-match radio interview with play-by-play man Jon Arias at Iowa last November. He came up to press row and was noticeably out of breath. INSIDE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL BY KELLI GRASHEL ■ UW ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS GREG ANDERSON

Numbers could add up to big year for UW Strong senior class anchors team that returns 72.2% of its scoring from last year

et’s do some math. TAP TO VIEW SCHEDULE Take three of the Big Ten’s top 10 most improved scor­ L ers, add in 72.2 percent of the previous season’s scoring as well as a 2014 first-team All-Big Ten pick and you have what the Wisconsin women’s basketball team hopes is the formula for a successful season. Depth may be the difference for a team that returns four start­ ers with a wealth of experience. “Three of the top 10 most improved scorers in the Big Ten were Wisconsin players,” UW head coach Bobbie Kelsey said. “Nicole

SCROLL Bauman was first, Tessa Cichy was fourth and Dakota Whyte was 10th. So we feel really good about our guard play.” The Badgers will be without junior Malayna Johnson, who tore her ACL during preseason practice, but the team gains her older sister, Michala Johnson, a 2014 first-team All-Big Ten pick who was granted a sixth year of eligibility after tearing her ACL last

season. The elder Johnson was the leading scorer (16.6 ppg) INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED TO VIEW TWEETS and rebounder (7.3 rpg) for Wisconsin in 2013-14. “We’re very excited about that, because we all know what she SOCIAL can do and requires the double team,” Kelsey said. “That’s going MEDIA: to only open it up for our guards to continue to shoot the 3. “We finished the regular season first in the Big Ten in 3-point percentage, and Nicole Bauman was second in the country in 3-point field goal percentage behind Mosqueda Lewis from Connecticut.” Bauman, a 5-foot-10 guard from New Berlin, Wisconsin, was UW’s top scorer last season, averaging 15.2 points per game. Shooting a 48.8-percent clip, Bauman set a Big Ten record for treys in conference games, with 61. Bauman was the league’s most improved scorer, raising her average by 9.2 points per game. Cichy’s scoring improved by 7.8 points per contest, while Whyte was up 4.9 points per game. Wisconsin hosts Minnesota State in an exhibition contest at 2 p.m. Sunday before concluding its two-game preseason series by hosting UW-Eau Claire next Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m. ■ INSIDE MEN’S HOCKEY BY ANDY BAGGOT ■ UWBADGERS.COM GREG ANDERSON

Wisconsin feeling ‘fresh air’ after sweep With visit to No. 1 North Dakota up next, Badgers get right back to work

f members of the Wisconsin men’s hockey team know their his­ TAP TO VIEW SCHEDULE tory, their current state of euphoria will be short-lived. I The Badgers are coming off a non-conference series sweep of Arizona State at the Kohl Center over the weekend. The 5-1 and 2-1 victories brought a sense of satisfaction that was impossible to generate during a 0-3-3 start. “There’s a feeling of fresh air,” Wisconsin associate head coach Luke Strand said. The Badgers dominated the opener against the NCAA Division I upstart, piling up 56 shots on goal and taking control of the

SCROLL game with a four-goal burst in the second period. Sophomore center Ryan Wagner led the way with a pair of goals, while junior right winger Grant Besse, sophomore defenseman Tim Davison and freshman left winger Luke Kunin had two-point outings. Things didn’t come so easily in the second match, but Wis­ consin did enough good things to earn its first sweep in 23 regu­

lar-season series dating back to March of 2014. Freshman cen­ INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED TO VIEW TWEETS ter Seamus Malone had a hand in both goals, scoring the winner late in the second. SOCIAL Freshman goaltender Matt Jurusik stopped 42 of 44 shots he MEDIA: faced in the series, while the power play (2-for-9) and the penalty kill (7-for-7) continued to be productive. But having your way at home with a first-year program is one thing. Going on the road to face an unbeaten perennial power- house is something else entirely. That’s the task facing the Bad- gers (2-3-3) when they play at North Dakota (6-0-2) on Friday and Saturday night in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Ralph Engelstad Arena can be an intimidating place to play for even the most veteran of teams. Not only did Wisconsin fea- ture eight freshmen and seven sophomores in its sweep of the fledgling Sun Devils, there are three players on the roster who’ve played a game at The Ralph, and none of them tasted victory. Senior defensemen and co-captains Kevin Schulze and Eddie Wittchow were in the lineup in February of 2013 when North Da- kota came away with a 1-1 overtime draw and a 4-1 win. Kunin, meanwhile, played there last January with the under-18 squad from the U.S. National Team Developmental Program and experienced a 7-2 setback. The Badgers are working on a seven-game winless streak against North Dakota (0-6-1) and haven’t won a game in Grand Forks since December of 2009 (0-3-1). “Winning is an everyday thing,” Strand said. “It’s something we tasted and it’s what we want. But there’s work behind it.” After winning back-to-back games for the first time since Feb- ruary of last season, Wisconsin coach Mike Eaves told his players “that if you want to win you have to pay the rent every day.” “That was a good message for the guys,” Strand said. According to Strand, a prime task facing the coaches is getting a young club to cultivate matching identities ― tenacious, relent- less and fearless ― regardless of who comes over the boards. INSIDE WOMEN’S HOCKEY BY A.J. HARRISON ■ UW ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS DAVID STLUKA

Badgers head into bye with top ranking Wisconsin takes over No. 1 spot in polls after an impressive October showing

eading into its first idle weekend of the season, Wisconsin TAP TO VIEW SCHEDULE enters the break with not only the No. 1 ranking in the lat­ Hest USCHO.com Division I Poll, but also its best-ever start through 10 games. At 10-0-0, the Badgers also own the program’s longest unbeat­ en streak to begin a season, topping the mark of 8-0-0 set in 2008-09 and 2010-11. Both of those teams went on to win NCAA championships. Even more impressive is that the Badgers haven’t allowed a goal in 521 minutes, 15 seconds, a streak that started during their season-opening series vs. Providence. Wisconsin’s eight-game SCROLL shutout streak is the longest in WCHA history by two games. “It is impressive,” UW head coach Mark Johnson said. “I don’t stay up thinking about it, but obviously it has become a topic that really starts with the goaltender and it moves out from there. We’re playing disciplined hockey and when we do break down,

Ann-Renée Desbiens has been able to stay focused and play real INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED TO VIEW TWEETS well.” Desbiens has been spectacular during the streak, recording SOCIAL 108 saves and seven of the team’s eight shutouts. Her current MEDIA: scoreless run of 440:52 is the second-longest streak in NCAA history ― men or women ― and trails only UW legend Jessie Vet- ter’s streak of 448:32 set during the 2006-07 season. “It’s a nice streak,” Desbiens said. “It’s proof that we are im- proving and doing the little things correctly. To get eight shutouts in a row is an impressive team effort.” INSIDE MEN’S SOCCER BY BRANDON HARRISON ■ UW ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS EVAN HALPOP

Badgers finish regular season Wednesday Wisconsin looks to close out home slate on high note at McClimon Complex

ollowing just its fourth loss on the road this year, the Wis­ TAP TO VIEW SCHEDULE consin men’s soccer team returns home to host its final Big FTen challenge of the regular season against Northwestern on Wednesday. The match at the McClimon Complex is set to begin at 7 p.m. (CT), as the Badgers look to end on a high note with their first win at home. Wisconsin leads the all-time series with Northwestern 26-11-5, however the most recent pair of games were won by the Wildcats. The Badgers tied then-No. 24 Northwestern in a scoreless draw the last time the Wildcats came to Madison in October of 2012.

SCROLL Last season, in the most recent meeting, the then-No. 16 Wild­ cats surpassed the Badgers with the help of a pair of goals from Joey Calistri. Despite the Badgers owning an 11-5 advantage in shots, the Wisconsin offense was unable to capitalize offensively to combat the pair of goals. This year, the Badgers hope to find a different result.

Wisconsin (4-10-3, 1-3-3 Big Ten) has been riding a strong INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED TO VIEW TWEETS offensive surge lately, led by sophomore midfielder Christopher Mueller who holds the team lead in five of the six individual sta- SOCIAL tistical categories. Mueller stands at 13 points on the season, off MEDIA: five goals and three assists. Sophomore Tom Barlow ranks second behind Mueller in those six statistics. Fellow sophomore forward Mark Segbers leads all players in assists, with four. Wednesday’s game provides Northwestern a chance to clinch at least a share of the Big Ten regular season title. The Wildcats sit in a second-place tie with Rutgers in the conference stand- ings, which Ohio State leads by a single point. The fate of the Wildcats depends on the outcome of the matches around the conference this week. The Wildcats (7-7-2, 4-3-0 Big Ten) head to Madison after knocking off Penn State to keep their title chances alive. A head- er from junior defender Nathan Dearth in the 81st minute proved the difference, as Northwestern took home a win in University Park. Despite the offensive effort put forth by Dearth, he ranks only fifth on the team with four points. The Wildcats are led by senior forward Calistri, who tops all players with 11 points from three goals and five assists. Junior forward Mike Roberge is second with seven points, while sophomore forward Elo Ozumba (6) and junior midfielder Jeffrey Hopson (5) are third and fourth, respec- tively. ■ INSIDE WOMEN’S SOCCER BY BRANDON HARRISON ■ UW ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS LEONARD CEDERHOLM

Badgers’ season now in wait-and-see mode Its Big Ten tournament over, UW must await word on berth in NCAA tournament

t’s that time of the year. With conference tournaments under­ TAP TO VIEW SCHEDULE way and the NCAA tournament looming, a number of teams Iare now in wait-and-see mode when it comes to whether or not their season will continue. Wisconsin is one of those teams this year. Following a 2-1 loss at home against No. 7 seed Ohio State last Sunday, the No. 2-seed­ ed Badgers were abruptly knocked out of the Big Ten tournament in the quarterfinal round and now must wait to see if they’ve done enough to receive an at-large bid in the NCAA tournament. On the surface, one would think that Wisconsin stands a good chance to continue its season. But when you dig deeper which SCROLL ― is what the NCAA selection committee is enlisted to do this time of year ― things begin to look a little less certain. While the Badgers (11-6-3, 8-2-1 Big Ten) were able to surge down the stretch and capture a share of the Big Ten regular-sea­ son crown, their non-conference results, 3-4-3 overall start and

recent two-game losing skid work against the team’s resume. INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED TO VIEW TWEETS “UW has also beaten Minnesota, Nebraska, and Michigan while drawing with Ohio State (in the regular season) and Kentucky,” SOCIAL Chris Henderson wrote in his breakdown of the tournament bub- MEDIA: ble on HEROSports.com. “They also won a share of the Big Ten title, but it’s all going to depend on what the Selection Committee values most.” Whether or not Wisconsin qualifies for the NCAA tournament is completely up for debate at this point. Either way, the Bad- gers should be proud of what they accomplished collectively as a team this year. After the aforementioned shaky start, the Badgers found their footing and put together a run for the ages. Unbeaten in nine straight games and winners of eight straight, Wisconsin clinched a share of its first Big Ten regular season crown since 1994. Last week, Paula Wilkins was named Big Ten Coach of the Year, Rose Lavelle was recognized as Big Ten Midfielder of the Year and Victoria Pickett earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors. Brianna Stelzer and Caitlyn Clem also were second-team All-Big Ten selections. Let’s not forget the six seniors, Nikki Greenhalgh, Marisa Kresge, Molly Laufenberg, Kinley McNicoll, Mckenna Meuer and Brianna Stelzer, who each stepped up and helped lead the Badgers to a championship when few saw it coming. You don’t need a committee to measure the success of those accomplishments. ■ INSIDE WOMEN’S GOLF BY TAM FLARUP ■ UW ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS DAVID STLUKA

Fall season ends on record-setting pace Five tournaments show many bright spots for UW team and individuals

isconsin saved its best for the final tournament of the TAP TO VIEW SCHEDULE fall, enduring the remnants of Hurricane Patricia to fin­ Wish with its best 54-hole score of the season at a 27-over 303-290-298―891 and place ninth at the Alamo Invitational, Oct. 25-27, in San Antonio, Texas. Among the 15 rounds UW’s five golfers played at the event, just five were 76 or higher. The team scoring this fall puts the Badgers on a record-setting pace, averaging 297.43. The school 18-hole average mark is the 298.97 set last year.

SCROLL Also on a school-record pace for 18-hole scoring average is ju­ nior Brooke Ferrell. The Edgerton, Wisconsin, native was the No. 1 or 2 golfer in four of five events and is averaging a career-best 73.86 in 14 rounds. The school single-season mark of 74.33 was set by Malinda Johnson in 2004. Ferrell is second on the list with her 74.72 average from last year.

Ferrell put up one of the best performances in Wisconsin his­ INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED TO VIEW TWEETS tory at the Cardinal Cup, Oct. 19-20. She matched the school record for 54 holes (213), in addition to tying the second- and SOCIAL third-best scores for 18 (66) and 36 (140) holes, respectively. MEDIA: Ferrell finished the tournament knotted in first at 3-under for her first collegiate title. Led by Ferrell, the Cardinal Cup resulted in Wisconsin’s best tournament finish of the season, as the Badgers placed fourth with a 302-295-299―896. Gabby Curtis was the Badgers’ top finisher through the first two tournaments and tied Ferrell for 18th at the Alamo Invitational with a season-best 54-hole total of 3-over 73-72-74―219. The sophomore is averaging a career-best 75.07 strokes per round. Michelle Cheung (70-75-71) led the Badgers at the Windy City Collegiate Championship, as the junior picked up the best 54- hole score of her career at an even par 216. Cheung paced the Badgers to a 14th-place team finish with 295-304-295―894. She is third in the team in scoring with a career-best 75.29. Newcomer Nat Zeng of Thailand was Wisconsin’s top rookie golfer. She participated in eight rounds, picking up a scoring av- erage of 75.75 strokes per round, which was fourth-best on the team. The Badgers hosted their own unique tournament, Sept. 20-22, at University Ridge Golf Course. In Wisconsin’s second tourna- ment of the year, the East-West Match Play Challenge was com- posed of 36 holes of qualifying, followed by an eight-team match play tournament. The Badgers participated in the consolation match play tour- nament after finishing the 36-hole stroke play rounds in a tie for fifth with UC Davis at a 19-over 296-299―595. The Aggies won the tiebreaker, granting UW the sixth seed. Wisconsin fell to sev- enth-seeded SMU, 2 and 3, in the first round before losing to UC Davis, 5 and 0, in the final round. Wisconsin opened the season at the Cougar Classic, which was held at Yeaman’s Hall Club in Charleston, South Carolina. The Badgers shot a 63-over 303-315-309―927. UW opens the spring season Feb. 2-7 at the UCF Challenge in Orlando, Florida. The Badgers then host the fifth-annual West- brook Spring Invitational, Feb. 22-22, on location in Peoria, Ari- zona. The 15-team field, 54-hole tournament held at Westbrook Village Golf Course has become a favorite of the participating teams and often produces record-breaking results. The Badgers return to South Carolina for the Briar’s Creek In- vitational, March 21-22, at John’s Island. UW also returns to the Silverado Showdown hosted by the University of Oregon, held April 3-5 at the Silverado North Course in Napa, California. The conference tournament which signals the end of the reg- ular season again will be held at The Fort in Indianapolis, April 22-24. NCAA considerations will be handed out following the confer- ence tournament. The Badgers hope to be in the mix for their fifth invitation in the past six years. Last year, UW qualified for a program-first third-straight NCAA regional but did not advance to the national championships. ■