ANDY BAGGOT Insider Related Content • Varsity Magazine

BY ANDY BAGGOT
UWBadgers.com Insider

MADISON, Wis. — Pat Kuhlman arrived at the west side entrance to LaBahn Arena late Saturday morning and, as is her custom, got into line and began to wait.

Five hours had passed since she and her husband, Wayne, jumped in their truck, left their home in suburban St. Paul, Minnesota, and drove to Madison.

It would be another three hours before the Wisconsin women's hockey team hosted Western Collegiate Hockey Association rival Ohio State in its final regular-season game at LaBahn.

It would be another two hours before the doors to the building would open and fans were allowed inside with many, like the Kuhlmans, hustling to their favorite first-come, first-served spots in the 2,273-seat facility.

The cell phone weather app said it was 32 degrees. Kuhlman was properly bundled up against the damp, freezing conditions and the long wait, but, as you'll soon find out, added warmth was just a few feet away.

The Kuhlmans have been doing this since 2016 when their granddaughter, Mekenzie Steffen, began her career with the Badgers. Their journeys are about to end.

"Yes, it's very sad," Pat said. "I don't know where the years went. It's been a flash."

Steffen is one of six seniors on the Badgers, a defenseman and captain whose 149-game resume includes three trips to the NCAA Frozen Four and a national championship ring from 2019.

"They've been so excited and so supportive of me this whole time," she said of her family, including dad Todd, mom Tracy and brother Ben. "They've honestly given me purpose this last four years, just knowing they're in the stands is something that has given me so much life. I know it's meant the world to them, but it's meant more to me."

Truth be told, Pat wasn't at all thrilled when Mekenzie, a standout at Hill-Murray High School, opted to come to Wisconsin, a border rival and an intense one at that where all things Minnesota are concerned.

"I didn't want her to (play for the Badgers)," Pat said, "but I wouldn't have traded it for a minute if I knew what the experience was going to be like.

"These people here are amazing. They're just the greatest people, they really are."

Kuhlman was referring to a core group of 10 to 15 diehards that typically show up to LaBahn Arena three hours before the opening faceoff regardless of weather. They pass the time waiting for the doors to open by talking, catching up, comparing notes, sharing perspectives.

The first time the Kuhlmans showed up, Andy Schumacher, who works for UW Health on its facilities and maintenance staff, was already the first person in line. His favorite seat is near the penalty box, while the Kuhlmans prefer a spot in section 16, two rows from the top.

Schumacher said he has season tickets to men's and women's hockey because he loves the sport. A fast, enduring friendship was born at the front of the line, one that will continue between 74-year-old Pat and 38-year-old Andy thanks to the power of Facebook.

"He's like my grandson," Pat said.

"I think they've had just as much fun these past four years as I have," Mekenzie said of her family members. "I'm not kidding. They've made so many friends with the fans."

The regular-season ending series didn't go according to plan for the Badgers, but it was another unforgettable display by their fans.

A sellout crowd — the 30th of the last two seasons — watched the Buckeyes ruin Senior Day with a 3-1 victory on Saturday afternoon. It was the 71st time LaBahn has been filled to capacity in the last 89 games.

A day later, 14,361 showed up for the sixth Fill the Bowl extravaganza at the Kohl Center to see Wisconsin manage a 1-1 overtime draw. It was the second-highest single-game attendance mark in U.S. women's hockey history. The highest was the 15,359 that showed up for Fill the Bowl in 2017.

Perspective: Wisconsin drew more fans for one game than the other 28 NCAA Division I women's games did combined on the weekend (11,070). No wonder the Badgers are on pace to lead the nation in attendance for the fourth consecutive season.

Kevin Warren, the new Big Ten Conference commissioner, was on hand for the series opener and left with a glowing report.

"This is an incredible environment," he said. "This really epitomizes what intercollegiate athletics is all about, especially what the Big Ten is about. You see really talented women who are skilled skaters, skilled passers, great athletes, but also great students and even better people."

Warren saw first-hand how the atmosphere fits into the support profile for all Wisconsin sports programs.

"The fan base is iconic," he said. "They support all their sports, men's sports, Olympic sports, football, women's sports. The fans are great."

Kuhlman, who joined her family on the LaBahn ice sheet for the pregame ceremony honoring the seniors, said such a loud, energetic setting is emotional even if you're sitting in the stands.

"It gives you the chills," she said.

The players feel the same way. Senior center Abby Roque, who scored both goals for the Badgers, found herself looking into the Kohl Center stands during a timeout. It reminded her of the record-setting Fill the Bowl in 2017 when Wisconsin produced a 2-0 WCHA win over St. Cloud State.

"Both times it's been amazing," Roque said. "You just feel the energy."

The latest Fill the Bowl game — tickets were $2 — honored local first responders and military personnel. During the contest, Wisconsin coach Mark Johnson wore the heavy protective jacket his son, Patrick, dons as a member of the Madison Fire Department.

Of course, the Badgers use their attendance prowess and events like Fill the Bowl as part of their recruiting pitch. Mark Johnson said his players likely don't fully appreciate the power of Fill the Bowl now, but they will eventually.

"They'll realize how lucky they were because very few players in our sport get a chance to experience what these kids experienced," Johnson said. "It's cool. It's really cool."