CONTENTS AUGUST 21, 2014 ■ VOLUME 5, ISSUE 1 COVER STORY THE FUTURE IS NOW Some are new faces and some made an immediate impact as freshmen last year. But for all the Badgers featured in this year’s “What’s Next” issue, expectations are high for 2014-15. FEATURES LUCAS AT LARGE IN [FOCUS] NO TIME TO SLEEP The week's best photos THE VOICE After leading the Seahawks to a Insider's guide to 2014 Super Bowl title, Russell Wilson BY THE NUMBERS has no plans to rest on his laurels. UW stats and figures WHAT TO WATCH WSOC kicks off the season ASK THE BADGERS BEHIND THE DESK Breakout stars in 2014-15 BADGERING... #THANKSFANS Ivy Martin (Women's Swimming) Director of Athletics Barry Alvarez looks back at another outstanding INSIDE FOOTBALL year for the Badgers, both on Young WRs trying to catch on and off the field. INSIDE VOLLEYBALL Badgers ranked No. 6 -SCROLL FOR MORE- INSIDE MEN'S SOCCER Big recruiting class looks to make a splash Wisconsin Athletic Communications Kellner Hall, 1440 Monroe St., Madison, WI 53711 VIEW ALL ISSUES Brian Lucas Director of Athletic Communications Julia Hujet Editor/Designer Brian Mason Managing Editor Mike Lucas Senior Writer Matt Lepay Columnist Drew Scharenbroch Video Production Amy Eager Advertising Andrea Miller Distribution Contributors Paul Capobianco, Tam Flarup, Patrick Herb, A.J. Harrison, Brandon Harrison, Diane Nordstrom, Kelli Grashel Photography David Stluka, Greg Anderson, Neil Ament, Cal Sport Media, Icon SMI, ESPN Images Cover Photo: David Stluka Problems or Accessibility Issues? [email protected] © 2014 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. All rights reserved worldwide. LUCAS AT LARGE BY MIKE LUCAS » UWBADGERS.COM Wilson hopes to leave no doubt about future ussell Wilson uncon- three-dimensional “green-eyed” thing special. It’s one of those sciously fidgeted with the Seahawks logo radiates with 65 things where I will always have a RSuper-sized ring on his round diamonds and one neon huge place in my heart for Wis- right hand. You could tell the Tsavorite surrounded by gem- consin. I love the school and I former Wisconsin quarterback stones, 12 to be exact, which is love the people here.” was still unaccustomed to call- the magic number in the Pacific After transferring from NC ing so much attention to himself Northwest. There are 12 gem- State, after giving up his profes- with a piece of jewelry on his stones, 12 feathers, 12 flags, all sional baseball dream, how far finger, no matter the crowning in honor of the “12th man.” away was Wilson from being an achievement that the ring sym- On the inside of the ring, there NFL quarterback when he took bolizes in the NFL. are some engraved messages to his first snap with the Badgers? “I try not to be too flashy,” go along with the Tiffany & Co. “I don’t think I was far,” he said pleaded the 25-year-old Wilson. copyright. The aforementioned softly. “I wasn’t far at all.” “I like to go under the radar.” “Leave No Doubt” has the top Especially after he uncovered That’s not the easiest thing line under which there is “24/7.” some missing pieces to his own to do anymore when you’re the There’s the final score of Super personal QB puzzle during the starting quarterback for the Bowl XLVIII: “Sea 43, Den 8.” 2011 season; a mix of incredible Super Bowl champion Seattle And there’s one last message, highs and gut-wrenching lows. Seahawks and one of the most “What’s next?” “Playing in another conference recognizable athletes in the Indeed, what’s next, not only (the Big Ten) and having to learn sports world and beyond. for Wilson, but everyone fea- a whole new offense helped me “Wearing this Super Bowl ring tured in this issue of Varsity? improve for the NFL,” Wilson is truly special,” Wilson was What’s next for Sojourn Shelton claimed. saying. “I don’t wear it often, but and Corey Clement in football? Laughing, he recalled, “I used when I do, I think of the sense of What’s next for Nigel Hayes and to put plays on the back of note sacrifice, I think of the togeth- Bronson Koenig in basketball? cards and carry them around ev- erness that our team had and What’s next for Lauren Carlini in erywhere and the guys used to I think of our commitment as volleyball and Ann-Renee Desbi- look at me funny. And, then, I’d players. We always said, ‘Leave ens in hockey? run plays late at night in Camp no doubt’ and that’s what we Wilson made it clear that he Randall. I usually got in some- did.” knows what’s next for the Sea- how or I’d ask someone to let In late June, Wilson returned hawks. But in moving forward, me in. I’ve always been big into to Madison to stage his one-day he couldn’t help but think back visualization. passing academy at Camp Ran- to the time, however limited, “Playing with the (UW) of- dall Stadium and the McClain that he spent on this campus fense, and the style of play, Facility. While here, he visited and in this community and how is similar to what we have in with athletic director Barry Al- all of those experiences helped Seattle,” he went on. “How we varez (“I wore the ring for him shape so many things in his life. spread out guys with the Sea- so he could check it out”) and “Whenever I land in Madison, hawks is more like NC State. But he attended a dinner honoring it’s a special moment for me. It’s the fierce running attack that we multiple UW legends. surreal,” he said. “Every time I have with the Seahawks is very The ring is stunning. The come on this campus, it’s some- similar to what we were doing LUCAS AT LARGE BY MIKE LUCAS » UWBADGERS.COM when I was here.” nent citizen in Seattle. And, as “There was a kid named While everyone felt that Wil- the quarterback of the Super Lavelle and he ended up win- son had to prove that he was Bowl champion, he has reached ning the MVP (in Madison),” tall enough to play quarter- the national stature of a super- Wilson said. “About a week and back in the NFL, he looked at it star.” a half ago, he found his mom differently. “You’re always an Asked about the concessions, on the kitchen floor. She had unknown,” he said, accepting if any, that he has made to car- passed away. As we were eating his fate. “I trusted the fact that rying such a “prominent” pro- lunch together, he asked me, my talent was going to take me file, Wilson said, “There’s always ‘What was that first song you where I needed to go, and it was a challenge of privacy. But I played today?”’ just going to work.” don’t try to worry about it too Wilson always has music play- So much has seemingly much. You always hope people ing during his camps. “It was changed in his life since Wilson respect that part of your life.” Michael Jackson and ‘I’ll Be was drafted in the third round, What about the Wilson brand? There,”’ he told him. “Lavelle the 75th player overall, by the What has gone into that? What said, ‘That was my mom’s favor- Seahawks. But how much has brand, he questioned. “I guess ite song.’ God works in myste- he changed? “I really don’t con- I have one; that’s for someone rious ways. There’s a story like sider myself a celebrity,” he said else to answer,” he said. “I just that from every camp. That’s innocently, if not naively. “I just try to be who I am. I try to be why I run the camps. How can I try to be as normal as possible.” very humble. I try to put the affect that one kid and his life?” It’s quite the challenge. In late things I love most first. God has It was something that he May, the Seattle Times polled its truly blessed me over and over learned at home from his late readers: “Do you like Seahawks again.” father, Harrison, who passed quarterback Russell Wilson with Wilson has been pleased with away in 2010. He can’t look at a fuller head of hair or his new, American Family Insurance and his Super Bowl ring without very close-cropped look?” This how it has represented him and thinking of him and the lessons was after Wilson showed up supported his passing academy. that were taught. Such as “Nev- for the team’s visit to the White “It’s a great company and huge er get too down, never get too House with the latter, along in my life, especially in terms of high, just always stay focused with a goatee. helping the kids,” he said. “They on what your mission is.” Wilson is news, never more so find ways to make a difference And never take anything for than after he filed for divorce, in kid’s lives and that’s really granted. “You never know when which he revealed on the Sea- spectacular for me.” this game can be taken away hawks web site. Wrote one Seat- Committed to making that from you,” he said. “You never tle Times columnist, “Probably difference himself, Wilson has know when you may get hurt or no other player in Seattle would conducted his camp in Madison, something bad is going to hap- have warranted any coverage of Richmond, Virginia, Raleigh, pen.