GOOD MORNING, SUNSHINE Practices are notoriously early for the women’s rowing team, which took to the water early last week in advance of its strong performance at the Head of the Rock over the weekend. PHOTO BY CHARLIE HEALY IN FOCUS GOOD MORNING, SUNSHINE Practices are notoriously early for the women’s rowing team, which took to the water early last week in advance of its strong performance at the Head of the Rock over the weekend. PHOTO BY CHARLIE HEALY LINE ‘EM UP Teammates were happy to welcome defenseman Joe Faust to the bench after the sophomore tallied the Badgers’ first goal of the season on opening night against Northern Michigan. PHOTO BY DAVID STLUKA IN FOCUS LINE ‘EM UP Teammates were happy to welcome defenseman Joe Faust to the bench after the sophomore tallied the Badgers’ first goal of the season on opening night against Northern Michigan. PHOTO BY DAVID STLUKA OCTOBER 13, 2011 CONTENTS VOLUME 2, ISSUE 10 38 STICKING IT OUT Jacob Pedersen had the same feelings as many college students about packing up and heading home. But he didn’t. 30 DEPARTMENTS » A NEW TRAIL 10 LUCAS AT LARGE Women’s cross country by Mike Lucas is back to embracing the Badgers’ distance run- 12 BEHIND THE DESK ning heritage. by Barry Alvarez 14 BY THE NUMBERS Facts and figures on UW 16 ASK THE BADGERS Question of the Week 18 5 THINGS TO WATCH 20 BADGERING 22 Brittany Haverstock » PRESSING PLAY “Are we the team The No. 4-ranked Badgers are 56 THIS WEEK IN HISTORY Starting with a bang... back to work after enjoying their that we were three bye week, and keeping the pedal years ago? I’m not 58 THE VOICE down is a theme as they head into sure, but we’re not by Matt Lepay the season’s second half. far behind.” EDITOR’S NOTE Get out and cheer ’em on Varsity is published weekly by: Wisconsin Athletic Communications he Wisconsin football team was off last Saturday, enjoy- Kellner Hall, 1440 Monroe St., ing its bye week as the season neared the midway point. Madison, WI 53711 T For the Badgers, it was a chance to take stock of their progress through five weeks of play, relax and — in some cases Subscribe to Varsity — simply get healthy for a seven-week stretch run as they look to win a second-consecutive Big Ten title. View All Issues A chance to recharge is always good, and opportunities to do so come few and far between during the course of a season. For those outside the program, however, there was some- Brian Lucas thing missing when last Saturday rolled around. No Badger Director of Athletic Communications football left a bit of a void on what turned into a beautiful fall day in Madison. Brian Mason The majority of the coaches and players filled their off-day Editor by watching college football on TV. I imagine plenty of UW fans spent their Saturday the same way. Mike Lucas Still, it’s not the same as suiting up in Lead Writer your favorite gear to cheer on the Bad- gers, whether in person or from afar. Matt Lepay Well, all that rest your vocal chords got Columnist will come in handy this weekend. Homecoming week has arrived on Drew Scharenbroch the UW campus and, along with it, a Video Production BRIAN busy stretch of home events sandwiched around Saturday’s 11 a.m. football game Drew Pittner-Smith MASON against Indiana. Advertising Cross country is putting on the biggest meet in the nation Contributors this year (outside of the NCAA championships) Friday as the Karl Anderson, Paul Capobianco, Badgers host the third-annual Wisconsin adidas Invitational Charlie Healy, Patrick Herb, at the fantastic Zimmer Championship Course. The elite field Ross LaDue, Diane Nordstrom, includes the No. 2-ranked Badger men. Anna Poulter-Hendrickson Friday also features a big match at the Field House, with the Badgers hosting new Big Ten rival (and No. 5-ranked) Nebras- Photography ka at 7 p.m. The contest marks the return of former UW coach David Stluka, Greg Anderson, John Cook and the first meeting between the two schools since Neil Ament, Ross LaDue, the championship match of the 2000 NCAA Tournament. Charlie Healy Top-ranked women’s hockey also tangles with a ranked conference rival, hosting No. 3 Minnesota in a WCHA series with Border Battle points on the line at the Kohl Center on Problems or Accessibility Issues? Friday (7 p.m.) and Sunday (2 p.m.). [email protected] The men’s soccer team, which sits atop the Big Ten stand- ings after back-to-back wins over powerhouses Indiana and Michigan, also looks to defend its home turf by hosting Michi- © 2011 Board of Regents of the gan State at the McClimon Complex on Sunday. University of Wisconsin System. There’s a lot to cheer about right now when it comes to UW All rights reserved worldwide. sports. This weekend offers the perfect opportunity. LUCAS AT LARGE MIKE LUCAS • UWBADGERS.COM Big stage helps Byrne learn about his lads isconsin men’s cross said. “He was actually quite ner- country coach Mick “We’re still vous.’’ Byrne is used to crowds. Collins will cross paths Friday W six or seven He’s technically a New Yorker after with his younger brother, Shayne having spent better than two de- weeks out Collins, a UCLA freshman. “So cades at Iona College. He still has a from the we’ve got a bit of a family duel,’’ home in the Bronx (City Island). enthused Byrne, a long-time friend Truth is, Byrne stands out in a national of their mom and dad. crowd — by the force of his person- champion- In addition to Connor and Col- ality alone. lins, the Badgers will be banking Question is, how many of his ship,’’ Byrne on the experience of Mohammed runners will stand out Friday in said. “It’s a high quality Ahmed (fifth at the Dellinger), El- third running of the Wisconsin meet and it’s at home. liot Krause (sixth) and Maverick adidas Invitational? Darling (seventh). And, rest assured, there will be a This will be a good “Mohammed is further along crowd. barometer for us.’’ in training at this time of the year “You’re going to be surrounded than he’s ever been because of com- by bodies the entire race,’’ Byrne peting late into the summer in each predicted. want to overthink it. of the last two years,’’ Byrne said. Not only is the field large — “Certainly the worst thing a “Maverick is so very even-keeled, around 300 athletes are expected coach can do is overthink it, be- along with being a great workhorse to compete Friday in the “varsity’’ cause it’s the 14th of October and and team leader. He’s very excited 8-kilometer race over the Thomas there’s a long ways to go (until the about racing here at home and so Zimmer Championship Cross NCAA meet). We don’t want to get is Elliot, a Wisconsin boy, who will Country Course — but it’s talented too far ahead of the process.’’ get pumped up.’’ and deep. How would Byrne evaluate his Rounding out the top seven for “You’ve got to be mentally strong top five runners? “It’s hard to sepa- the Badgers will be Drew Shields to know that 30th place is not bad rate them,’’ he said. “All five of the and Michael Brice. in a meet of this caliber,’’ said By- guys who ran in Eugene (Ore.) are “In Drew’s own words, he says rne, acknowledging the race will be training hard and looking good and that he’s in the best shape of his a mid-season measuring stick for they’re very excited.’’ life,’’ Byrne said. “Michael earned his No. 2-ranked team. On Oct. 1, the Badgers won the a spot in this race by winning at Il- “We’re at a certain point in our team title at Oregon’s Bill Dellinger linois. He loves running in front of training, where our guys know Invitational. the Badger fans.’’ where they are physically and men- Five runners finished in the top Byrne has his own anticipation tally. The big thing for us right now 10, including Reed Connor, who level for Friday’s race. is to translate that physical fitness was second behind Southern Utah’s “We’re still six or seven weeks into the mental part. Cameron Levins. out from the national champion- “You can only put so much men- Ryan Collins, the senior transfer ship,’’ he said. “But it’s a high qual- tal energy into a meet like Friday’s. from Virginia, was fourth. “It was ity meet and it’s at home, so that’s You don’t want to get too stressed exciting to see him run his first race always good. This will be a good out about it. The athletes don’t in a Wisconsin uniform,’’ Byrne barometer for us.’’ LUCAS AT LARGE BEHIND THE DESK BARRY ALVAREZ • UW DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS Making a change is never an easy thing hen I was recruiting defensive coordinator at Florida You’ve got to win, and once the state of Ohio as an State, and Mike Stoops was the you win, you have to sustain it. WIowa assistant coach I head coach at Arizona until he I remember after my first year would always stop in and see Ron was fired last weekend.