MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin women's soccer team is back in the NCAA tournament and opens up championship play on Friday night against Butler at the McClimon Soccer Complex.
Kickoff for the first-round matchup is set for 6 p.m. Tickets are $9 for adults and $5 for seniors, children and UW-Madison students and will be available at the gate of the McClimon Soccer Complex starting at 5 p.m. on Friday. Fans can purchase tickets either with cash or credit card.
Parking is available in Lot 60, located north of the stadium, for free beginning at 4:30 p.m. The concession stand at McClimon will be open and will be cashless and accept only contactless payment (credit cards, ApplePay, GooglePay, etc.)
1. DANCING FACTS: This marks the 23rd time that UW has qualified for the NCAA tournament and the Badgers are 20-21-2 all-time in NCAA tournament contests. UW has advanced to the NCAA second round the last four times its qualified for the NCAA tournament (2016-19) and looks to advanced to the second round for the 14tth time in program history. UW is 6-4 in its last 10 NCAA tournament games.
2. RACKING UP THE HONORS: The Wisconsin women's soccer group of seniors
Natalie Viggiano, juniors
Macy Monticello and
Emma Jaskaniec, sophomore
Gabby Green and freshman
Aidan McConnell all earned Big Ten Conference year-end honors. Viggiano collected second-team All-Big Ten accolades, McConnell and Monticello were named third-team All-Big Ten while McConnell also was named to the All-Big Ten Freshmen Team. Green received Big Ten Sportsmanship honors and Jaskaniec was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team.
3. THE BRACKET: Wisconsin is one of six Big Ten Conference teams that made the NCAA tournament this season, joining the likes of Rutgers, Michigan, Purdue, Penn State and Ohio State. Only the ACC (9) and SEC (7) had more teams in the Big Dance than the Big Ten Conference. UW faced nine of the 64 teams in this year's NCAA tournament and picked up two wins against NCAA tournament teams in Milwaukee and Providence while earning draws against Michigan, Ohio State and Loyola.
4. ABOUT BUTLER: The Bulldogs will make their third-ever appearance in the NCAA tournament on Friday and went 15-4-1 this season and had a 7-2-1 record in Big East action. Katie Soderstrom, a three-time first-team All-Big East selection, leads the Butler attack with 12 goals and 7 assists. Freshman Emma Martin has started 19 games in net for the Bulldogs and has nine shutouts this season.
5. UP NEXT: The winner of UW/Butler will face the winner of No. 2 UCLA and UC-Irvine next weekend in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
