BY ANDY BAGGOT
UWBadgers.com Insider
MADISON, Wis. — It's human nature to wonder what the future holds and so it goes for those who follow the Badgers.
What will happen in 2016?
Will there be a new men's basketball coach?
Who will be the starting quarterback when the football season begins?
What kind of impact will current and former Wisconsin student-athletes have in the Summer Olympics?
Are there national championships in the offing for women's hockey and volleyball?
Will the Badgers look any different now that a new footwear and apparel provider is onboard?
While we wait for answers, here's a Sweet 16-style checklist of noteworthy developments heading into '16:
1. FASHION STATEMENT
Headlines were made in early October when Wisconsin and Under Armour signed a 10-year apparel and footwear deal worth in excess of $100 million. The arrangement — $96 million in retail value and $4.5 million in guaranteed licensed sales royalties — begins July 1, 2016. It averages out to $10 million a year, which makes it the most lucrative among the 14 sponsorship deals UA has with major college programs. That list includes Auburn, Maryland, Northwestern, Notre Dame and South Carolina.
"Our brand is very important," UW Director of Athletics Barry Alvarez said. "It's something we have earned and we want to build off of."
2. LAMBEAU LEAP
The Badgers will open the 2016 football season in historic style. They will host LSU in a non-conference game Sept. 3 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. It will mark the first time Wisconsin has played football at the iconic NFL facility — the men's hockey team played Ohio State in an outdoor game there in 2006 — and it will be the first instance of major-college teams appearing there.
It won't be the first time a college game has been played there, though. St. Norbert, a NCAA Division III school located in nearby DePere, defeated Fordham in 1982 and '83. They were billed as memorial games to Vince Lombardi, the late legendary coach of the Packers who played and coached at Fordham. The Green Knights also defeated Minnesota State-Mankato at Lambeau in 1960.
3. ON PAPER, A GAUNTLET
That season-opener with LSU, a perennial powerhouse out of the SEC, will usher in one of the most challenging 12-game schedules for the Badgers. Not only will it include nine Big Ten Conference assignments for the first time since 1984, it will be demanding based on the results of 2015.
Ten of the 12 opponents played in bowl games this season. That includes all three non-league foes: LSU (9-3), Akron (8-5) and Georgia State (6-7). It also includes Michigan State (12-2), Iowa (12-2), Ohio State (12-1), Northwestern (10-3), Michigan (10-3), Minnesota (6-7) and Nebraska (6-7) out of the Big Ten.
Games with Ohio State, Nebraska, Illinois and Minnesota will be played at Camp Randall Stadium. All told, the Badgers will face schools that were a combined 92-53 (.634) heading into their bowl games.
4. HISTORIC REUNION
In 2006, Wisconsin became the first school to win NCAA men's and women's hockey titles in the same season. Members of those squads will have reunions in Madison Jan. 29 and 30. The men will do so as part of their non-conference series with Alaska at the Kohl Center. The women will have theirs as part of a WCHA series vs. St. Cloud State at LaBahn Arena.
Wisconsin continues to be the only school to accomplish the co-ed feat. Boston College and Minnesota had cracks in 2012 and '14 — both had their men's and women's teams in the Frozen Four — but failed to finish the deal.
5. WATT AN ACHIEVEMENT
Since leaving the Wisconsin football program as an All-American in 2011, defensive end J.J. Watt has become a bona fide NFL superstar. A first-round draft pick of Houston, Watt has put himself in position to make history in 2016. He was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2012 and '14. He's favored to win the award again, which would allow him to join former New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor as the only three-time recipient.
Watt has also been mentioned, again, as an MVP candidate. If that were to happen, Watt would join Taylor (1986) and Minnesota end Alan Page (1971) as the only defensive players to win that award since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970.
6. THE GAME CHANGER
Beata Nelson grew up in Fitchburg, a few miles from the Wisconsin campus where her parents went to college. So, on one hand, it's not all that strange that she decided to swim for the Badgers. But it's a very big deal that she did because the 12-time Wisconsin state champion — holder of three state records — is arguably the No. 1 recruit in the nation for 2016-17. Nelson picked Wisconsin over California, Indiana, Michigan and Tennessee and became the focal point of an unprecedented recruiting class that also includes Cierra Runge, a transfer from Cal who owns the NCAA record in the 500-yard freestyle and who, like Nelson, has an eye on making the American team for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
"She's definitely a game-changer," UW head coach Whitney Hite said of Nelson.
7. DRIVE FOR FIVE
From 2006 to '12, the Wisconsin women's hockey team won four national titles and advanced to the NCAA championship game on two other occasions. Since then the Badgers have knocked at the door, reaching the Frozen Four in 2014 and '15, but have been unable to reach the final match of the season. Perhaps that will change in 2016. Wisconsin opened the season with a program-record 18 consecutive wins, including an NCAA-record nine straight shutouts and a WCHA series sweep of its nemesis, defending national champion Minnesota. A fifth NCAA crown for the Badgers would move them into a three-way tie for the most in history with Minnesota and Minnesota Duluth.
8. NEXT MAN IN
Joel Stave, the winningest quarterback in Wisconsin football history, played his final game and was named offensive MVP of the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 30. The process of replacing the four-year starter, who racked up a record 31 career victories, will begin in earnest when spring practices commence in March of 2016. Stave's backup, junior Bart Houston, has dibs on the job and is expected to be No. 1 on the depth chart. Alex Hornibrook, a left-hander coming off his redshirt year, impressed observers in fall camp with his poise and arm strength.
9. NET WORTH
The Kelly Sheffield coaching era in Wisconsin volleyball has been exhilarating. Three straight trips to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament, including a spot in the national championship match in 2013, as well as a Big Ten title in '14. On paper it appears Sheffield will have his deepest, most experienced team in 2016. The lone departing senior, libero and co-captain Taylor Morey, represents a massive hole to fill. But setter Lauren Carlini and middle blocker Haleigh Nelson, both co-captains and All-Americans, return for their senior years. One of the youngest lineups in the nation in 2015 will be seasoned, fortified by one of the top recruiting classes in the nation, with an eye on bringing home the first NCAA title in program history.
10. REPPING FOR RIO
A host of current and former Wisconsin student-athletes are vying to compete for their countries in the 2016 Summer Olympics Aug. 5-21 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Some have already qualified, like American Gwen Jorgensen, a 2012 Olympian and reigning world champion in the triathlon. Some are trying to compete in their second Olympics, like distance-running specialist Mohammed Ahmed for Canada and hurdler Egle Staisiunaite for Lithuania. Some will be looking to qualify while simultaneously trying to win a NCAA individual title for the Badgers, like decathlete Zach Ziemek and thrower Kelsey Card.
UW has had at least one men's rower at every Olympics since 1968. Grant James, who was part of the Badgers' 2008 national championship boat, was an Olympian in 2012 and is looking to return in 2016. He's a six-time member of the U.S. Senior National Team and was the 2014 USRowing Male Athlete of the Year.
On the women's side, Vicki Opitz has been a part of three consecutive world champion eights. The boat has won 10 consecutive world championships overall, including the last two Olympic titles. Opitz is a local product, hailing from Middleton, and is the granddaughter of UW's legendary former men's rowing coach, Randy Jablonic.
By the time the Games roll around, Wisconsin could have Olympians in men's and women's swimming, men's and women's rowing, men's and women's track and field and women's soccer in addition to women's triathlon.
11. HIS GARD IS UP
Now that Bo Ryan has exited the Wisconsin men's basketball program stage left, taking his legendary resume, all eyes are on his interim successor.
Greg Gard spent more than two decades working alongside Ryan, earnestly prepping for an opportunity to run his own program. That opportunity came to life Dec. 15 when, after a 64-49 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Ryan abruptly called a halt to his Hall of Fame-worthy coaching career.
Gard will finish out the season as coach. Question is, will he do enough to convince Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez that he deserves the gig full time?
Gard, 45, inherits a club fresh off two NCAA Final Fours, but one so predominantly young after five key departures that it finished the non-conference season 8-5 and lost back-to-back non-conference home games for the first time in 25 years.
What does Gard have to do to be retained? That's a question for Alvarez, who plans to conduct a national search for Ryan's successor when the season ends.
12. ON THE CLOCK
Luke Kunin, a freshman left winger for the Wisconsin men's hockey team, can join a select club during the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
Some NHL talent evaluators project that Kunin, from Chesterfield, Missouri, will be chosen in the first round when the draft is held June 24 in Buffalo, New York. If that pans out, Kunin will become the 11th Badgers product to be taken in the opening round. He'll join winger Mike Blaisdell (Detroit, 1980), center Pat Flatley (New York Islanders, 1982), defenseman David Tanabe (Carolina, 1999), winger Dany Heatley (Atlanta, 2000), defenseman Ryan Suter (Nashville, 2004), winger Jack Skille (Chicago, 2005), defenseman Ryan McDonagh (Montreal, 2007), defenseman Brendan Smith (Detroit, 2007), center Kyle Turris (Phoenix, 2007) and defenseman Jake Gardiner (Anaheim, 2009).
13. LONG DISTANCE ASSIST
The 2016 NCAA men's hockey champion will be crowned in Tampa, Florida, with a significant assist from the UW Athletic Department.
When the Tampa Bay Sports Commission bid on the Frozen Four in 2013, its executive director, Rob Higgins, called Wisconsin officials and asked if they would serve as the host school. The gesture dates back to 1995 when the Badgers and their strong fan following made the first of five football bowl appearances in Tampa. Higgins said he worked closely with Sean Frazier, a former Wisconsin deputy athletic director, and Terry Gawlik, the senior women's athletic administrator, and came to admire their work.
"Wisconsin has a stellar reputation for doing things in a first-class manner," Higgins said.
14. THE SWING OF THINGS
The first American Family Insurance Championship, a PGA senior tour event, will make its debut at University Ridge from June 22-26. Wisconsin Athletic Department officials agreed to a three-year arrangement to help stage the Champions Tour tournament, which will feature 81 of the top golfers, age 50 and older, playing for a $2 million purse.
Proceeds from the event will go to the Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation and American Family Children's Hospital. Stricker, a Madison resident and popular 12-time PGA Tour champion, is the host for the event. He plans to play in the event when he turns 50 in 2017.
15. BUILDING ON SUCCESS
An ambitious plan to give the Wisconsin volleyball program a modern home by the start of the 2016 season is underway. A $1.75 million renovation of the UW Field House has been approved by the State Building Commission. The project, to be paid for with private donations, calls for a new locker room, lounge, video classroom and recovery pool. Those amenities are already available to student-athletes at Camp Randall Stadium, the Kohl Center and LaBahn Arena.
The Badgers drew a school-record 85,774 fans for 17 home matches and saw their season ticket roll hit 2,653.
16. TRADITION REVISITED
For more than two decades, from 1988 to 2010, Wisconsin was the long-standing host for the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division I indoor championships. After a five-year hiatus, the prestigious event returns to Nielsen Tennis Stadium on Feb. 5, 2016.
The tournament features 16 of the top teams in the country with the host school receiving an automatic bid. On 16 occasions, the ITA team champion or runner-up has gone on to claim the NCAA title. In 1994, Georgia won the ITA and NCAA titles with a roster that included current Badgers coach Tina Samara.
"I know many coaches and programs around the country and very excited to have us hosting again," Samara said. "It will be a great weekend of high-quality tennis."
