UWBadgers.com provided live coverage of Wisconsin's 7-2 win over Lindenwood on Oct. 5, 2012. An archived version of the blog can be found here:
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With the start of official practices just under two weeks away, UWBadgers.com will introduce to you the newest members of the Wisconsin wrestling team by giving you a look at who they are off the mat. Today, it's Ellsworth, Wis., native Parker Hines' turn under the spotlight.
Previous spotlights:
Kegan Gennrich
Lenny Bloom
Parker Hines comes to Madison from Ellsworth, Wis., where he wrestled four seasons at Ellsworth High School. Hines was a Division 2 state champion and put up a near perfect 38-1 record in his senior season for the Panthers. Hines was a two-time state finalist, and a three-time state qualifier in high school, and helped Ellsworth capture the team state championship in his junior season. He also played football as an offensive lineman and was named the Middle Border Conference Most Valuable Player as well as all-state honorable mention at his position.
Favorites:
Athlete: Jordan Burroughs
Movie: Never back down
TV Show: That 70s Show
Sports team: Green Bay Packers
Food: Fruit
Place on campus: Lakeshore
Vacation spot: Florida
Place to wrestle other than the UW Field House: Ellsworth wrestling room
Questions:
Why did you choose Wisconsin?: It's the best campus in Wisconsin and it has strong traditions and history
First started wrestling: Kindergarten
Most memorable match: Junior year of high school at regionals, I escaped and took my opponent down to win in seven seconds.
My favorite thing about Wisconsin wrestling is: The tradition
Before each match I...: Break a sweat
In off-season training, I worked on: Riding technique
Dream as a collegiate wrestler: Become an All-American
My role models are: Chad Stelt and Hayden Hauschault
What talent would you like to have?: To be able to play the piano, the guitar, and sing
Secret talent I have: Great dancer
Dream job/career: Actuary
Dream date: Jullian Hough
One thing I absolutely have to do before I turn 40: Skydive
If I could live anywhere in the world, it would be: The Midwest
If I could bring one thing from my hometown, it would be: Rush River
The most unusual thing the average person would not know about me is: I'm single
I can't live without: My iPod
Greatest invention of the last 100 years: iPod
What is your greatest achievement?: State champ
Which fictional or historical figure would you like to meet?: Winston Churchill
Most famous person I've met: Jack Radabaugh
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?: Mind reader
If I had a million dollars, I would...: Not have student loans
Person I'd love to trade places with for a day and why: Bill Gates, so I could buy some cars, houses, toys, etc.
Favorite quote: "One day your life will flash before your eyes, make sure it's worth watching."
With the start of official practices just under two weeks
away, UWBadgers.com will introduce to you the newest members of the Wisconsin
wrestling team by giving you a look at who they are off the mat. Next up:
Hortonville, Wis., native Kegan Gennrich.
Previous spotlights:
Gennrich comes to the Badgers from Hortonville High School, where he was a state champion in his senior season and put together a stellar 148-25 record over four years for the Polar Bears. Kegan also finished third at state in both his sophomore and junior seasons, was the 2012 Post-Crescent All-Area Athlete of the Year and a 2012 FloNational All-American. Off the mat, Gennrich also played football in high school and was named all-conference in his senior season.
Favorites:
Athlete: LeBron James
Movie: The Sandlot
TV show: Workaholics
Sports team: Wisconsin Badgers
Food: Pizza
Place on campus: Memorial Union
Vacation spot: Cabin in Rhinelander, Wis.
Wrestler: Jordan Burroughs
Place to wrestle other than the UW Field House: Kohl Center
Questions
Why did you choose Wisconsin?: Strong wrestling program and I love the atmosphere in Madison.
First started wrestling: 4 years old
Most memorable match: State finals my senior year of high school
My favorite thing about Wisconsin Wrestling: The great teammates
Before each match I...: Pace a lot
In off-season training, I worked on: Hand fighting
Dream as a collegiate wrestler: NCAA Champion
What talent would you like to have: To be able to sing
Dream job/career: Rapper
Dream date: Mila Kunis
If I could live anywhere in the world, it would be: On the beach in California
If I could bring one thing from my hometown, it would be: The Twist (local ice cream place)
I can't live without: Naps, video games, music
Greatest invention of the last 100 years: Xbox
What is your greatest fear?: Spiders
What is your greatest achievement?: Wisconsin state champion and Post Crescent Athlete of the Year
Which fictional or historical figure would you like to meet?: Batman
Most famous person I've met: Greg Jennings
If I had a million dollars, I would...: Buy a very large house
UWBadgers.com gameday live blog covered the action from Wisconsin's 3-2 win over Minnesota State on Sept. 29, 2012. An archived version can be found here:
The UWBadgers.com Gameday Blog provided live coverage of Wisconsin's 2-2 tie at Minnesota State on Sept. 28, 2012. An archived version of
the blog is below.
With the start of official practices just under two weeks away, UWBadgers.com will introduce to you the newest members of the Wisconsin wrestling team by giving you a look at who they are off the mat. First up: Deerfield, Ill., native Lenny Bloom.
Bloom joins the Badgers after a stand out career at Deerfield High School where he left as the school's all-time leader in both wins and takedowns. Bloom was a two-time Illinois state tournament qualifier and, as a senior, was the class 3A Barrington sectional champion. He was also a two-time regional and conference champion, and was the freshman/sophomore state champion in his sophomore season. Bloom was a two-time junior freestyle state champion and competed at both the Disney Duals and Scholastic Duals, as well as three years at Fargo.
Favorites:
Athlete: Brian Urlacher
Movie: The Neighborhood Watch
TV Show: 24
Sports team: Chicago Bears
Food: Tuna salad
Place on campus: Wisconsin wrestling room
Vacation spot: Mexico
Wrestler: Jordan Burroughs
Questions:
Place to wrestle other than the UW Field House: Deerfield High School
Why did you choose Wisconsin?: The coaches, campus, and the great academics.
First started wrestling: In sixth grade at 11 years old
Most memorable match: Sectional championships my senior year
My favorite thing about Wisconsin wrestling is: My teammates and the facilities
Before each match I...: Listen to the song "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC
In off-season training, I worked on: Handfighting and strength training
The best thing about Madison is: The campus and wrestling facility
Dream as a collegiate wrestler: NCAA Champion
My role models are: My parents
What talent would you like to have?: Juggling
Secret talent I have: I can do the splits
Dream job/career: Professional athlete
Dream date: Jessica Alba
One thing I absolutely have to do before I turn 40: Skydive
If I could live anywhere in the world, it would be: In Florida right on the beach
If I could bring one thing from my hometown, it would be: My dog, Tucker
I can't live without: My Xbox
Greatest invention of the last 100 years: Computer
What is your greatest fear?: Dying
What is your greatest accomplishment?: Two-time junior freestlye state champion
Which fictional or historical figure would you like to meet?: George Washington
Most famous person I've met: Michael Jordan
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?: To fly
If I had a million dollars, I would...: Buy a huge house
Worst habit: Procrastinating big projects
Person I'd love to trade places with for a day and why: Michael Jordan, because everyone knows him and to live in his house. He is also considered one of the greatest athletes of all-time.
Favorite quote: "Once you've wrestled, everything else in life is easy." - Dan Gable
Join Stephanie Peace as she shares how she used falling short of the post season last year as motivation for achieving that goal this season
Last May our team came so close to making the regional tournament and moving on to the post season. Coming up short left a bitter taste in my mouth and I used that as a little extra motivation through the long summer break. When I left Madison at the end of the spring I was disappointed, but not discouraged. The 2012 season was such an exciting experience and every bit of it made us better. With such a large returning class and so many young faces, it is exciting to be a part of Wisconsin softball.
When I returned home to Texas at the beginning of the summer I flew directly into College Station. I wanted to watch a couple of my best friends play in the Texas A&M regional tournament. I wanted to know what the atmosphere was like during a regional tournament and I wanted to see great softball being played. With each game I watched in the post season, I became more excited and more motivated. I want to be at a regional tournament next May. I know that our team is capable of competing in the post season with the top sixty four teams in the nation.
After the regional tournament my parents and I drove home to San Antonio, and I went to work. I was happy to be home with my family and old friends, but I ran, lifted and hit multiple times a week. I worked out alone mostly, but sometimes I would drag old teammates to my workouts with me. I focused on footwork and speed nearly every time I practiced this summer. I ran hill sprints, ladders, base running and changing direction drills.
I am fortunate to have played, and now coach, for a summer ball organization that owns an indoor softball facility. They allow me to come and practice on their field and hit in their cages. Although the facility was inside, it was no shelter from the Texas heat. The building has no air conditioning and no fans. I would usually work out in the evenings and night to avoid the hottest part of the day. I was definitely a cage rat, though. When I went to the facility I was there for hours. I would turn on some country music and work on every part of my game. I took my time with my workouts and skills; I didn't want to waste my effort.
I spent most of my weekends coaching an amazing group of high school aged girls. They were so much fun to be around. All of these young ladies spent the summer working and preparing to play at the college level. We travelled all over the state of Texas and to Oklahoma and Mississippi. They competed with some of the best teams in the nation and in front of dozens of college coaches.
I mostly worked with the outfield players, but I also worked with the hitters. I used drills we use here at Wisconsin, and they loved the challenging workouts. With each drill we ran in practice, I reiterated to the girls and myself the basic fundamentals of the game. I reminded myself that it wasn't long ago that I was in my players' shoes wanting to be a division I athlete. Coaching helped me pick up on some of the finer points of the game. Coaching was a great learning opportunity and I enjoyed working with such dedicated young athletes.
In my first two years as a Badger, the program has grown and improved. It has been an exciting adventure with a great group of girls and coaches. I cannot overlook the opportunities I have been blessed with and the people I have been able to share it with. Coach Healy said today that, "the harder you have to work for a goal, the more meaningful an achievement becomes." I agree. The journey to a post season tournament means more with each year it eludes us. I used internal and an external motivation, this summer, to drive me to be a better athlete. I want our team to be successful and I know that I can play a part in that. I know that I have a wonderful opportunity here at the University of Wisconsin. Not to give full effort wastes the talents and opportunities I have been given.
It is Hall of Fame week at the University of Wisconsin. Join UWBadgers.com as we look back at all of the deserving wrestlers in the UW Athletics Hall of Fame.
Jim Jordan's accomplishments on the mat for the Badgers rank him among the wrestling program's all-time greats.
Jordan, UW Hall of Fame Class of 2005, was a three-time All-American and two-time national champion as a Badger, taking home back-to-back titles at 134 lbs. in 1985 and 1986. Jordan took home Big Ten titles and was named the team's captain and most valuable wrestler in both of those years as well.
Jordan holds the Wisconsin wrestling season (49) and career (156) records for wins.
Jordan eventually embarked on a political career following his wrestling days, and currently serves in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Ohio's 4th Congressional District.
Jordan's UW
wrestling career also helped plant the seeds for the program's biggest family
tree. Jim's brother Jeff wrestled at Wisconsin from 1984-88 and was a two-time
All-American, Jim's oldest son, Ben, wrestled from 2008-12 and collected
All-America honors in 2012 and will serve as a volunteer assistant coach for
the team in 2012-13, and his youngest son, Isaac, is an incoming freshman for
the Badgers.
As both an accomplished international and collegiate wrestler, Matt Demaray, 2007 inductee of the UW Hall of Fame, ranks right near the top of the list of greatest Badger wrestlers of all-time.
Demaray wrestled at Wisconsin from 1989-1992 and racked up an impressive list of accomplishments during his time in Madison. He was a three-time All-American, two-time national champion, and two-time Big Ten champion at 150lbs. as a Badger, compiling a 150-24 career record along the way. Those 150 wins place him second all-time, and his .853 winning percentage sixth all-time, in the Wisconsin wrestling record books. Demaray is also tied for sixth all-time in single season wins with 42 in 1990-91.
He is one of only four Badgers to record an undefeated season, as he went a perfect 42-0 in the 1990-91 season.
Demaray was the 1991 Wisconsin Athlete of the Year, 1991 Big Ten Wrestler of the Year, 1991 and 1992 Wisconsin Outstanding Wrestler, and was Academic All-Big Ten, and first team academic All-American in 1992. He was also awarded the Big Ten Medal of Honor Award in 1992.
Demaray also
found success wrestling at the international level. He was an alternate on the
1992 Olympic team, won the 1992 US Open Freestyle Championships, was a Senior
US World team member in 1993 - the same year he competed in the world
championships and world cup.
Donny Pritzlaff, UW Hall of Fame Class of 2010, certainly holds a special place in Wisconsin wrestling lore as one of only three four-time All-Americans in program history.
Pritzlaff finished in sixth and fifth place in 1998 and 1999, respectively, before rattling off back-to-back national titles in 2000 and 2001 at 165 lbs. Pritzlaff was also a three-time Big Ten champion.
As a result of his dominating four-year career in Madison, the Badgers' wrestling record book is littered with Pritzlaff's name. He ranks fourth in both career (135) and single-season (43) victories, he's tied for ninth in career falls (27), his career 135-16 mark places him third all-time for career winning percentage (.894), and his 43-1 (.977) 2000-01 season, and 36-2 (.947) 1999-00 season put him fifth and tenth, respectively, on the single-season winning percentage list.
Following his
Badger career, Pritzlaff went on to compete internationally, and placed third at
the 2006 World Championships for Freestyle.
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Ryan Evans
UW Athletic Communications
Continue reading Hall of Fame week: Jim Jordan, Matt Demaray & Donny Pritzlaff.
It is Hall of Fame week at the University of Wisconsin. Join UWBadgers.com as they look back at all of the deserving wrestlers in the UW Hall of Fame.
After his Badger wrestling career Russ Hellickson, Hall of Fame class of 1995, made his mark on the international level as well as behind the bench for Wisconsin wrestling as a coach for 16 years.
Hellickson won 10 national freestyle wrestling titles after leaving Wisconsin as well as three Pan American Games gold medals (1971, 1975, 1979), silver (1979) and bronze (1971) medal finishes at the World Championships, and a gold medal at the prestigious Tbilisi Tournament in Russia in 1974.
He competed for Team USA at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, bringing home a silver medal at 220 lbs. He qualified, and was the U.S. Olympic freestyle team captain for the boycotted 1980 games in Moscow.
Hellickson was a charter member of the Wisconsin Wrestling Hall of Fame, and is also enshrined in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Midlands Open Hall of Fame.
While competing internationally, Hellickson also found time to serve as a coach for his alma mater, both as an assistant (1971-82) and as its head coach for four seasons from 1983-86. He led the Badgers to a 70-22-1 dual record in his time as head coach, including three 20-win seasons, as well as back-to-back Big Ten runner-up finishes in 1985 and 1986.
Hellickson ranks third among UW wrestling coaches in career winning percentage with a .758 mark.
It's a good problem to have if you're Andy Rein, Hall of Fame Class of 2002, and you can't decide whether your accomplishments as a wrestler or as a coach for the Wisconsin Wrestling team are more impressive. Both sets can certainly stake a claim.
As a player, Rein was a three-time All-American for the Badgers, taking second in 1978, sixth in 1979, and winning a national title in 1980. He was also a two-time Big Ten champion (1978, 1980), three-time Midlands Open champion (1978-80), and his career 119-13-1 record included an undefeated 40-0 season in 1980.
Following his Badger career, Rein went international and continued to find success on the mat. He won four United States national freestyle titles and was a two-time Olympian (1980 and 1984) in freestyle, taking home a silver medal at the 1984 games in Los Angeles at 149.5 lbs.
Rein also won gold medals at the 1983 Tbilisi Tournament in the Soviet Union and the 1979 Pan American Games, as well as silver medals at the 1982 World Cup of Wrestling and the 1985 Super Champions Tournament.
After being hired as the Badgers' head coach in 1987, Rein led Wisconsin to a 81-41-3 record in his seven seasons at the helm of the program, which included Big Ten runner-up finishes in 1987, when Rein was named NCAA Rookie Coach of the Year, and 1992, when he was named Big Ten Coach of the Year.
Rein coached 14 student-athletes to All-America distinction and two - David Lee and Matt Demaray - to national championships. His .659 winning percentage as head coach.ranks sixth in program history
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Ryan Evans
UW Athletic Communications
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Ryan Evans
UW Athletic Communications
It is Hall of Fame week at the University of Wisconsin. Join UWBadgers.com as they look back at all of the deserving wrestlers in the UW Hall of Fame.
John Roberts (left), a 1994 inductee to the UW Athletic Department Hall of Fame, was a stand out on two fields of play during his time at Wisconsin, excelling both on the mat, as well as the football field.
Roberts served as team captain for the wrestling team in both the 1941 and 1942 seasons, and led by example. He captured back-to-back Big Ten titles at 165 lbs. in those seasons, as well as a NCAA second place finish in 1941. Immediately following his career Roberts led Wisconsin wrestling as its head coach in 1943.
On the gridiron Roberts was a member of the No. 3-ranked 1942 Badgers' football team that finished 8-1-1 and second in the Big Ten. His football career continued as a coach for Stevens Point High School and UW-Stevens Point before Roberts served as the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) for 28 years from 1957 until 1985.
Ed Templin (right), a 1995 inductee of the UW Athletic Department Hall of Fame and captain of the Badgers' 1923 squad, was the first three- time Big Ten champion in Wisconsin Wrestling history, earning a three-peat at 145 lbs. from 1922 through 1924.
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Ryan Evans
UW Athletic Communications
