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MADISON, Wis. — The April 5 edition of Varsity Magazine is now online. The weather is warming up and so is spring football. And the happiest Badgers participating in practices might just be Jack Cichy and Chris Orr. Learn more in this week's issue!
Catch up with the latest from the Badgers with this week's issue on the computer or download it via the Varsity app on your phone or tablet.
Adversity and Opportunity
Injuries ended their seasons. But for Jack Cichy and Chris Orr, the road back has provided more than rehabilitation and healthy bodies. It's given them a clearer outlook on football and life.
The reminders are on Chris Orr's wall. Pictures of his mom, dad, grandmother and three brothers. Whenever the Wisconsin linebacker hits a snag in his rehab from knee surgery, whenever he feels the need for a pick-me-up, he gets inspiration from his family, even though they're miles away. "I kind of use that for motivation," he said. "I know they're watching." Orr is a long way from his home in DeSoto, Texas, a Dallas suburb. UW linebacker Jack Cichy, by contrast, grew up in Somerset, a village in northwest Wisconsin, a four-hour drive from campus. He has people watching over him, too, during his rehab. But he has tried to avoid reminders of his surgery. "I've thrown my sling away," he said. "I'm trying to think about it as little as possible." Read more ...
Video: Cichy and Orr back on the field
BY MIKE LUCAS | UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
Walk-ons find success, more as Badgers
UW culture of finding and growing talent extends to softball program
It was a conversation between boss and employee, but also between peers. One voice belonged to Barry Alvarez, the Wisconsin director of athletics and Hall of Fame football coach. The other participant was Yvette Healy, who has spent the last seven years as UW softball coach. Alvarez had a proven idea from his coaching days with the Badgers that he felt might help Healy fortify her growing program. "I know you've got limited scholarships," he told her, mindful of the 12-tender limit, "so how about going out and finding the best athletes in the state and recruiting them as walk-ons?" Alvarez did that to great success, building a walk-on culture that spawned a phenomenon. The list of in-state prospects who began their Wisconsin careers as non-scholarship recruits and went on to become NFL fixtures is long and distinguished. ... Healy listened and began to craft her own walk-on plan. Read more ...
Video: Three things to know before the Badgers face off against the Hawkeyes
BY ANDY BAGGOT | UWBadgers.com Insider
Lucas at Large:
A Legend of the hockey mic at UW, in NHL
NHL Hall of Fame announcer Bob Miller started his storied career calling Wisconsin hockey games
The storytellers were Bob Miller, whose legendary broadcasting resume includes having his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; and Tony Granato, whose return to his alma mater has already bordered on the stuff of legends with the revitalization of a dormant program after just one season. From up-close and afar, they have earned each other's respect: Miller, 78, the former Wisconsin hockey play-by-play man and iconic voice of the Los Angeles Kings; and Granato, 52, the former UW star, Olympian and battle-scarred NHL survivor as a player (13 years) and coach (13 years). "He's such a wonderful human being," Granato said. "He was an individual who would do anything to win the game," Miller said. Now for their story. Read more ...
Video: Men's Hockey: Get well soon, Bob Miller! (Feb. 17, 2017)
BY MIKE LUCAS | UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
Badgering: Sarah Disanza
A standout performance in the 5,000-meter race at last week's Stanford Invitational earned redshirt junior Sarah Disanza a spot in the top 10 of UW's program history. The New Jersey native shares more about her road back from injuries and her journey as a Badger.
When Sarah Disanza crossed the finish line, completing the 5,000-meter race at the Stanford Invitational on March 31, the junior for the Wisconsin women's track and field team was euphoric. Yes, her time of 15 minutes, 55.57 seconds was a personal best. Yes, her effort put her among the top 10 in program history in the event. But Disanza's giddy reaction to placing 10th was more about the journey than the moment. It was her first outdoor race at that distance since her freshman season in 2014. A series of setbacks had forced Disanza to recover and regroup three times, so being able to run fast, free and competitively was a joy. Disanza talked about her journey — its many lessons — while offering other campus-related insights earlier this week. Read more ...
Video: Wisconsin Track & Field: Team approach key to individual sport (Feb. 21, 2017)
BY ANDY BAGGOT | UWBadgers.com Insider
Student-Athletes of the Month
Congratulations to UW's student-athletes of the month for March. These honorees have been recognized — via nominations from Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) members, coaches, advisors and sports administrators — for their accomplishments in athletics, academics, on campus and in the community.
- Men's Golf: Jordan Hahn
- Men's Track & Field: Morgan McDonald
- Men's Tennis: Lamar Remy
- Women's Tennis: Sydney Rider
More Varsity Extras ...
- By the Numbers: Stats of note from the past week
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- In Focus: The Badgers' best new photos
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- Ask the Badgers: What's the best thing about Wisconsin Badgers fans?
- Men's Rowing: Alex Idarraga
- Women's Track & Field: Amy Davis
- Football: Alec Ingold
- Softball: Kelsey Jenkins
Latest Team Updates ...
All that and much more in this week's edition of Varsity Magazine.
The 'Varsity' Magazine mobile app is free and available for download on iPhones, iPads, or any Android device. If you don't have access to a mobile device, a web-friendly version of the magazine can be found here. The mobile app features enhancements like embedded video, social media streams for the different Badgers teams, top-notch photography, and interactive elements like scrolling text and swipeable photo galleries.
View the full archive of all Varsity Magazines here on UWBadgers.com.
