We're gearing up for the last weekend of regular season play in Madison. Wisconsin is 38-9 and our 15-5 record in conference has us sitting in second place in the Big Ten! 

We host Michigan State this weekend for a big three-game series. What Badgers fan doesn't love battling the Spartans? Friday's 6 p.m. game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network, and there are a ton of fun activities all weekend. 

It's crazy to realize that this is only our second weekend at home this season; we've played 40 games on the road this spring. We can't wait to play in front of our family and friends, as we celebrate senior day for Maggie, Molly, Shannel, Kendall, Kelsey, Meghan and Whitney. 

Three Big Ten teams have a chance to earn the Big Ten championship in the final weekend of Big Ten play, with Michigan (17-2), Wisconsin (15-5) and Nebraska (14-5) vying for the conference crown. 

The Big Ten is one of three conferences, joining the SEC and Pac-12, with six or more teams in the top 50 of the latest RPI. Nebraska (sixth) climbed four spots this week, while Michigan (12th), Wisconsin (23rd), Minnesota (29th), Iowa (34th) and Northwestern (45th) are also among the top 50.

When you think about the amazing winning legacies that Michigan and Nebraska have built, it's impressive just to be mentioned in the same sentence as these powerhouse programs. They've combined for 16 world series appearances, and more than 30 conference championships. We know the Badgers softball program will grow and improve by osmosis and proximity, just being around and near great coaches like Carol Hutchins and Rhonda Revelle and their Huskers and Wolverines legacies in the Big Ten.

The thought for today is faith. When you're trying to build a program into having a national presence, the trip is long and arduous. It's no easy path year to year, and within each season. The fact is we've never had an all-American in our program. We lack that legacy, that winning tradition that so many of our opponents have. When you're building a new winning tradition, it's so easy to get impatient. Yet throughout the season, you're still in the journey. Even when you play well early in the year, you're just making strides, you haven't arrived yet. 

The toughest test of mental toughness and fortitude is faith. Can you get your team and staff to truly believe in a future that they have never seen? Can you get recruits and parents to buy into a vision that is yet to exist?

We are so proud of this team, and this group of young women forging the way, battling to be a Top-25 team. Yet when you're on the road for your first 30 games, you're facing adversity and challenges more extreme than your counterparts. You're in a truly challenging situation trying to create something, when the odds are stacked against you. 

This group is fighting the good fight, playing hard, and earning every step of progress we achieve. 

Today will be a great test of mental toughness, leadership and faith. 

Honestly, my biggest memory of Minnesota was that it was the first place our first team in 1995 ever played! It was fall ball and it was probably the coldest day in history of UW softball... and all we had were shorts! Regardless of the weather or our uniforms, it is one of my fondest memories because it was when we really started to feel like a team. We were all in it together and definitely started creating memories that very first weekend in Minnesota Good luck to the Badgers this weekend - keep up the great season!

I completely second Keri's comments... it was the first away game of the program's career -- that is where it started -- the score was so horrible that day that I vowed to never let that happen again to our border rival or anyone else. We realized that we had a long way to go but we were beginning something special for our school and for many women who would come after us. When you look at the pictures from that day, you will see many smiles on our faces, not because we won but because we realized what we had just begun. From then on, we continued to battle with them and even started winning the rivalry. It had to start somewhere and we may have lost that day, but the program continues almost 20 years later! Best of luck today ladies and I can't wait to read about the wins! You are making all of us alumni proud this season and we hope it continues right into a Big Ten championship and a berth to the NCAA tournament! And just be thankful you don't have to play in shorts in 30 degree weather...vour legs were so pink that day it looked like we were wearing red pants!

I have a painful memory against the Gophers. Three cracked ribs after colliding with a runner for a force out and almost missing the Big Ten tournament back in 2005. 

If I could, here's some wisdom for each game, possibly reiterating coach Healy: One pitch, one out, one inning at a time. All your training in the off season prepared you for these coming weeks, so relax. Your muscle memory will take over.

Focus on what you can control. Be aware of your stress level. Remember to approach each inning fresh, use your positive self talk and encourage your teammates with positive affirmations. Keep each other calm and confident. 

Have fun Badgers!! 

I remember my freshman year we played home against Minnesota.  I was up in the bottom of the 7th with two outs and Jen Krueger was on third base.  I hit the ball to the first baseman and it hit off her glove and as the second baseman grabbed the ball and was diving for first. I also dove into first and was called safe and won the game. It was one of the greatest memories playing at Goodman Diamond.

My sophomore year. We beat them the last game of the season with a walk off. With two outs, Karla Powell hit a ball to the first baseman, who booted it (not a hard shot, mind you). Karla dove into first base head first and was safe, scoring the winning run. Even though that was only our 15th win of the season and there were absolutely NO hopes of a tournament, it seriously felt like we just won the World Series.

That won't happen this season because these girls are doing great. So proud of all of them!

Our staff had a great discussion yesterday about the broken window theory. Actually we've been meeting with our players all week, seeking out problems and issues that have gone unsolved or unnoticed in the program up until this point. They say winning washes over a lot of problems. The only difficulty with that maximum is that nothing is being solved. An unaddressed issue doesn't disappear just because you're not forced to look at it.

One of our student-athletes left her notebook in our office after visiting yesterday. The page was flipped open to the broken window theory. The broken window theory states that in neighborhoods or communities where broken windows go unfixed, there is a higher incidence of crime and littering than in the same community where a similar broken window on a house or building gets repaired. Thus a seemingly insignificant act of fixing and maintaining a broken part has bigger implications on the psyche of the community and the choices others make.

I'm sure the broken window theory was not written to reflect culture in sport, team chemistry or personal discipline, yet our staff couldn't help but to apply this theory to our team. How many times does each of us choose to overlook small problems for the sake of not rocking the boat? How often do we let little broken windows in our lives go unfixed due to lack of time, or the seeming insignificance of the problem? Have we really taken the time to study and understand the implications of our actions, and sometimes more importantly, our inaction?

The two words that come to mind -- when I think of the broken window theory -- are neglect and vigilance. Those words are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Neglect is most closely associated with what we fail to do, the action that we choose not to take, failing our responsibility to guard and protect.  Neglect often comes when we're oblivious to problems or issues, failing to take action where needed. Conversely, vigilance is often associated with an alert and watchful eye, seeking to solve potential problems before they arise. 

Our staff has worked hard to create a positive, competitive atmosphere that encourages hard work, passion and effort. Once you've created that environment, it becomes even harder to maintain and protect that culture. Yet how often do the broken windows in our programs and on our teams go unnoticed or unfixed? 

From a cultural standpoint, small issues and problems that go unaddressed and unresolved send a message to the community. If we choose not to fix broken windows in our lives and within our team, what does that say about our values and culture?  We may be creating an environment that perpetuates laziness, bad attitudes and poor mental approaches, not by our action, but rather our inaction. When we neglect our responsibility as coaches to care for our environment and protect the culture on our team, it makes it easier for those around us to neglect responsibility and fail to take appropriate action. 

Hopefully we addressed a few problems and fixed a few broken windows this week, as we prepare for two very difficult series on the road at Minnesota and Nebraska. It's never easy to face Top-20 and Top-30 teams on the road, especially in the middle of the season. Hopefully the team's hard-work, preparation and vigilance pays off during this challenging stretch. 

Yvette Healy

University of Wisconsin Softball

Years Lettered: 2002-2005

Hometown: Elburn, Ill.

1. Have fun! Keep things in perspective. Softball is a game, not life or death. If you mess up, do better next time and don't dwell on it. 

2. Play for those who can't play. There are women and children out there battling disease, injuries, abuse, neglect, poverty, etc. who would love to be on a field right now but can't. You are lucky to be where you are. Play for yourself, for those who helped you get there, and for those who wish they could be there. Honor all of them by playing your best. 

3. Remember, bad days happen. It's how you respond to them and move forward that define you as a player.

Years Lettered: 1996-1998

Hometown: Carmichael, Calif.

Coaches not only help us with the technical, mental and physical aspects of the game, they also inspire and motivate us. Much of our ability to compete and win is due to mental prowess followed by physical skill. I feel the most important thing to remember as a player is that you are part of an elite group of women, competing at a level many only dream to achieve. Love every minute of it, especially when it's hard; and have FUN!

Years Lettered: 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000

Hometown: Chippewa Falls, Wis.

My advice would be to just remember how lucky you are to get the opportunity to play the game of softball and how much fun the game truly is ... plus if they still have it, it feels incredible to hit the ball over that black fence :)

Years Lettered: 1998-2001

Hometown: Brighton, Mich.

My advice would be to simply have fun and enjoy every moment. Worrying about winning or losing or stats or hits or errors or playing time is not why you fell in love with this sport. Play to enjoy and play like you are a kid again. Once you are old and out of the game you will remember and appreciate the memories of good times with wonderful teammates and coaches, specific wins and losses will not define your time at Wisconsin. 

By Kelsey Kleist, Class of 2016

Unless your outfielders are good in snowshoes and your pitchers can throw in mittens, this isn't how many Midwest teams would like to start their spring season. With snow still blanketing the field, the Wisconsin softball team was forced to cancel their home opener vs. Northwestern and move the games to a later date.

Although Wisconsin is 28 games into the season, and yet to play at home, its record marks only three losses. Similar to other Midwest teams, the Badgers have become frequent flyers, traveling to North Carolina, Florida, California, Illinois and Kentucky to get away from the snow and onto the dirt.

Whether spring was ready or not, last weekend was the start to Big Ten competition. Wisconsin headed to Illinois where it swept the Illini and extended its win streak to 13-straight. UW hopes to continue the streak when the team heads to Iowa City this Friday.

Come out to Goodman Diamond on April 10th to cheer on the Badgers as they take on Northern Iowa --and the weather -- for their first home victory.

Our trip to California was a success, posting wins over No. 16 Stanford, Cal State Fullerton, Cal Poly and Cal State Bakersfield. Every team we played in California was impressive. Stanford already has 17 wins, with victories over Georgia, Florida State and Virginia. Fullerton has key wins over Missouri and UCLA, and Cal Poly has beaten Washington and Georgia.  We were really pleased with the composure and confidence that our pitchers and hitters displayed en route to those signature victories.

We switch gears the next two weekends to match up with some of the best regional competition around. We leave tomorrow for four games in Carbondale, Ill., at Southern Illinois University. We're excited to match up against SIU, UIC, Belmont and Eastern Kentucky. Growing up and playing in the Midwest, I've had the opportunity to watch SIU and UIC, have a tremendous amount of success nationally. Both teams have great softball legacies, and winning traditions.

Southern Illinois will certainly be a tough game on Saturday. It's always exciting to play the host team on their field. The Saluki's have wins this year against No. 14 South Florida and a tough Hofstra team with all-American pitching. SIU has six NCAA tournament appearances, including a sweet 16 finish.

On Sunday we'll face UIC who has 4-8 all-time record against Wisconsin. The Flames have nine NCAA tournament appearances, 12 NCAA tournament wins, and a World Series appearance.

Our goal, as a program, is to win the Big Ten, advance to the NCAA tournament and make a run in post-season play. In order to become a nationally-recognized, nationally-ranked program, it's critical that we match up and compete against the best teams in our region. Both SIU and UIC have a tremendous amount of NCAA tournament, championship experience. They both have hosted NCAA regional tournaments. This weekend will be a great test for Wisconsin, to see how we stack up against great Midwest opponents.