The Wisconsin Softball team celebrated on Sunday after being selected as one of the 64 teams playing in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. This will be the Badgers’ first tournament appearance since 2022. 

The Badgers finished 32-19 this season, and made it to the semifinals in the Big 10 Tournament. Building on another great season in 2025, the team had many great moments this year, but none bigger than this.

In the Big 10 Tournament, Wisconsin took down Purdue and Oregon in an exciting fashion, via a walkoff from sophomore infielder Hannah Conger and a high-scoring upset. Additionally, three Badgers earned all-tournament honors, redshirt freshman infielder Jackie Showalter, senior pitcher Shelby Jacobson and Conger.

Wisconsin will be taking on the 28-26 Baylor on Friday in the Austin Regional. The other regional matchup will be the regional No. 1, Texas vs Wagner. If Wisconsin beats Baylor, they would take on the winner of this matchup.

While the Badgers have been known for their upsets this season, the path forward in this tournament will not be an easy one. Texas (42-10) is coming off an SEC Championship and an outstanding season, and are one of the favorites to win it all this season.

However, this first regional is in a double elimination format, where a team is eliminated if they reach two losses. A win against Baylor would be huge as the pressure for an upset against Texas will be slightly lifted. 

The Badgers will be making their 10th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, but this will be their first matchup against Baylor since 2002. The Badgers have never won the championship, nor have they ever continued past the regional round. However, they are 2-0 against Baylor, all-time.

This tournament bid is the cherry on top to an incredible season for the Wisconsin Softball program. The team rallied behind their star, junior catcher Hilary Blomberg, as well as the team’s three seniors, catcher Emily Bojan, Jacobson and infielder Rylie Crane. Head Coach Yvette Healy notched her 600th win this year.

The Badgers will take on Baylor at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, and will have the potential to continue their upset streak and move on past the regional round for the first time in program history. If this is the last time we see this team, there is no doubt of the history they have already made this season.

It’s safe to say that Wisconsin’s respective basketball programs are in different places in their rebuilding process. 

Men’s Basketball

After their crushing loss to High Point in the first round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament, the Badgers’ roster was deconstructed. Whether it be from graduation or transferring, Wisconsin lost eight of their total 14 players, including star back court tandem John Blackwell and Nick Boyd, as well as fan-favorites like Riccardo Greppi and Isaac Gard. 

So far, Greg Gard and company have recruited three transfer players and four incoming freshmen for the new campaign. 

The biggest get of the new class is Miami (OH) junior transfer guard Eian Elmer. Elmer was vital to the Redhawks’ undefeated season, leading the team in three-point percentage, rebounds and three-pointers made. Elmer will be a strong candidate to start for next season. 

Wisconsin also received commitment from George Washington junior guard Trey Autry. As a junior, Autry posted a 38.5% three-point percentage, making 2.5 per game. Autry is also a projected starter for Gard’s Badgers next year.

The final transfer for Wisconsin so far is Hofstra junior Victory Onuetu. The 6’10 forward led the Pride with 6.9 rebounds per game last season. While he will have to compete with returning bigs Nolan Winter and Austin Rapp to start, Onuetu is a lock for the rotation next season. 

Of the four recruits that have been signed by the Badgers, only one is from the U.S. 

Forward LaTrevion Fenderson out of Delafield, Wis. is a composite three-star, nationally ranked 208th according to 247 Sports. Fenderson averaged 14 points, six assists and two rebounds his senior season, and will look to compete for playing time with other swing forwards. 

Guard Jackson Ball will have an opportunity to compete this year as well. The 6’4 Kiwi played on the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup team alongside fellow Badger Hayden Jones. 

Wisconsin also picked up a pair of commitments from the land down under in forward Isaac Riddle and guard Owen Foxwell. Riddle most recently played in the 2025 U17 Oceania Cup where he averaged 14 points a game. Foxwell, a 22-year-old who played for the South East Melbourne Phoenix of the Australian National Basketball League last year, averaged 10.8 points, 4.5 assists and three rebounds per game. 

The blow of losing over half of the team is significant and Greg Gard will have to prove that he can turn the new era of players into a postseason-caliber team, and with one open roster spots remaining, there is still room to make a splash. 

Women’s Basketball

Wisconsin Women’s Basketball turned a new leaf after the messy departure of Marisa Moseley by hiring long-standing Missouri head coach Robin Pingeton. Pingeton’s first season as head coach in Madison didn’t go as planned, but it was a step in the right direction. 

In a very competitive Big Ten in 2025, Wisconsin finished in 15th place, winning one more game than last season, but new transfers and incoming freshmen have high hopes for the new campaign come November. 

The first and possibly the biggest addition for the 2026 newcomer class for Pingeton is former five-star guard Addie Deal. The true freshman had a solid 2025 campaign, averaging 5.1 points and 1.6 assists per game. Her freshman season was highlighted by a 20-point performance against Ohio State as well as multiple five-assist games. 

Out of high school, Deal was also a McDonalds All-American and Jersey Mike’s Naismith Player of the Year award recipient. Deal will have a great chance to make an impact for Wisconsin this year after struggling to find her role on a stacked Iowa team. 

Senior forward Kadidia Toure is the second addition to the Badgers for the upcoming season. The Long Island transfer averaged a double double on 19.2 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. She also led the Sharks in steals and blocks per game last season, and willed the Sharks to an impressive second place finish in the Northeast Conference. 

Wisconsin also added three incoming freshmen for next season, including forward Adaline Sheplee, a huge addition for the Pingeton era. The star out of Rice Lake, Wisconsin is one of the top rated players in the 2026 class, with 247 Sports ranking her at no. 55. She is also the second ranked player out of the state of Wisconsin. 

In her senior season at Rice Lake High School, Sheplee averaged an astonishing 27.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game, including 40-plus-point performances against Eau Claire North and Prescott. 

Forward Leah Nordin was the next to commit to the Badgers. Nordin is the all-time leader in points at Shawano Community High School and averaged 26.5 per game her senior season, which is ranked fifth in all of Wisconsin.

Last but not least is guard Giselle Janowski out of Pewaukee, Wisconsin. In her senior year at Pewaukee High, Janowski averaged 15.3 points per game and is also responsible for their state title in 2024 and state runner-up finish in 2023. 

Pingeton and her staff have done a wonderful job in this recruitment cycle and have created an opportunity for the Badgers to be competitive in 2026.

There are a lot of new faces in the Wisconsin basketball ecosystem, and possibly more to come. Many players in both the men’s and women’s portals have yet to commit. John Tonje — the school’s most notable portal product in recent years — didn’t commit until May. 

Both teams have a lot to prove this season, and have made substantial swings to improve their rosters. Now, we are all eagerly waiting for November for them to prove it.

The University of Wisconsin women’s hockey team earned the title of National Champions this year for the ninth time as a program, and for the second year in a row. The Badgers beat Ohio State 3-2 in March, adding the cherry on top to a historic season.

Wisconsin has been at the forefront of women’s collegiate hockey for a number of years since their inception in 1999. But the hiring of former Wisconsin Men’s Hockey player and “miracle on ice” team member Mark Johnson in 2002 changed the history of the program forever.

Johnson played for Wisconsin from 1977-1980 and played an integral role in bringing home the National Championship his freshman year. He also won Olympic gold in 1980 as a part of the historic “Miracle on Ice” team and contributed to a multitude of important goals. He then played professional hockey from 1980-1992, spending 10 of those years in the NHL.

After serving as an assistant coach for the men’s team, Johnson was hired as the third head coach in program history for the women’s hockey team. In his first season, the Badgers finished 22-8-5, and Johnson was recognized as WCHA Co-Coach of the Year.

After a few more great seasons, Johnson led the team to their first National Championship in 2006. Since then, the Badgers have added eight more to the tally, in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2025 and now in 2026.

This season, Wisconsin’s dominance was tested. With five of their active players joining Olympic rosters in February, the team was down their biggest stars. But the Badgers didn’t falter. They finished 35-4-2 on the season, earning their 11th WCHA regular season title.

They continued their domination into the postseason, where they won by large margins leading up to their close loss to Ohio State in the WCHA finals. But that didn’t stop them from earning the overall No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament. There, they dominated Quinnipiac and won against Penn State in overtime to send them to the National Championship game, where they avenged their earlier loss to Ohio State.

The 2025-2026 team received many other accolades as well. Senior Caroline Harvey won the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award for the most outstanding collegiate women’s hockey player and was joined by three other Badgers in the top 10 finalists. Harvey also won WCHA Player of the Year and Defender of the year.

Johnson also had a memorable season, earning WCHA Coach of the Year accolades for the 11th time in his career, having Harvey as his seventh Patty Kazmaier Award winner and notching his 700th win as a head coach, becoming the first coach in NCAA women’s hockey history to reach this mark.

There isn’t enough space in this article to express the impact Johnson has had on the Wisconsin Women’s Hockey program and on the sport of hockey as a whole.

Johnson and Wisconsin have produced 25 Olympians, 26 All-Americans and countless other accolades. Notable alumni include Hilary Knight, widely considered the greatest women’s hockey player of all time, Alex Rigsby Cavallini, the first female drafted in the USHL, hockey hall-of-famer Brianna Decker and now Harvey, the 2026 Olympic MVP and senior Laila Edwards, the first black woman to play for Team USA Women’s Hockey.

While the Men’s Hockey team has not seen the dynastic success of the women, in the past couple of years, their level of play has been increasing. This led to them finishing as National Runner-ups this year in the NCAA tournament, losing a tight match to Denver.

This season, with the men’s team finishing second and the women’s team winning it all, marked the first time both teams had made it to the National Championship in the same year since 2006. Wisconsin was also the only school to have both their men’s and women’s teams make their respective Frozen Fours, cementing them as “America’s college hockey capital.”

2026 also saw the end of an era for the women’s team, with several stars spending their last year here. Harvey, Edwards, fifth year Lacey Eden and senior Kirsten Simms have played their last game with the Badgers, along with others. But it is clear that Johnson’s recruiting is unmatched, and their incoming class looks to make an immediate impact.

The 2026-2027 will mark Johnson’s 24th season with the team, with no end in sight. Johnson’s contract extends until 2030, and he is currently the highest paid coach in women’s college hockey history. As defending National Champions, the team will head into next season ranked No. 1, with everything to prove. But the Badgers, behind the steadfast Johnson, will be ready to weather the storm once again.

Wisconsin Athletic Director Chris McIntosh announced that he will be stepping down to take on the role of The Big Ten Conference’s first Deputy Commissioner for Strategy, departing just days after helping secure major legislation that could reshape the future of University of Wisconsin athletics.

McIntosh, a former Badger football player who graduated from UW in 1999, joined the UW Athletic Staff in 2014 before being named Director of Athletics in 2021.

“I was not searching for something new,” McIntosh wrote in his departure email. “I love the University of Wisconsin, I also believe the position of Athletic Director is one of the best jobs in the country.”

His sudden departure comes just days after Wisconsin governor Tony Evers signed a new name, image and likeness bill into law, designed to give UW-Madison $14.6 million annually to support student-athletes.

McIntosh had advocated for the legislation, stating that without it the university may have to either change expectations on the success of the college’s athletics or reevaluate how many sports could exist, according to The Cap Times.

Throughout the growth of NIL within collegiate athletics, Wisconsin has struggled to keep pace. The football program ranks near the bottom of the Big 10 in NIL spending, totaling less than $9 million in spending, far behind programs like Ohio State, which has allocated around $20 million, according to a 2023-2024 report from the Center for Research on the Wisconsin Economy. At the same time, the House vs. NCAA antitrust case, passed back in September, that allowed student-athletes to receive a portion of revenue, led UW to face expenses exceeding $20 million.

In response to criticism both in regards to NIL funding and program decisions, McIntosh reiterated that he was still “committed to elevating the investment,” and states that the new law is necessary to support women’s and Olympic sports.

McIntosh spent his last few weeks as a Badger to advocate and help secure legislation aimed at protecting the future of all Wisconsin sports. His departure immediately afterward raises questions about the timing, as the university now enters a new financial era without the leader who pushed for its foundation.

But, he trusts those who will come after him, stating in his last message, “I am confident we are positioned for future success.”

McIntosh now takes on his role as the first Big Ten Deputy Commissioner for Strategy, as Chancellor-designate Wilcots will take the lead in determining who will direct athletics for UW going forward.

March Madness has officially wrapped, and once again it has done its annual duty: keeping basketball fans entertained, keeping non-basketball-fans pretending to care and keeping every significant other who filled out a bracket based on mascots convinced they have a shot at winning. The nets are down, the confetti has been swept and the country can finally exhale until November, when we all willingly sign up for this emotional roller coaster again.

While USF and Akron tragically failed to deliver on the nation’s collective prediction that they would make the Sweet 16, the Big Dance still offered its usual cocktail of highs, heartbreaks and the kind of predictable unpredictability that defines the tournament every year.

The First Four

The First Four is often a forgotten, overlooked part of the Dance. But this year was particularly important. Miami (OH) had just completed the first undefeated season since the 2014-15 Kentucky Wildcats, a team led by Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker with a bench deeper than the Mariana Trench, who made an insanely impressive Final Four run before a 7-foot tank named Frank stormed into Indianapolis and rained on their parade.

The difference between Kentucky and Miami (OH), though, was threefold: Miami (OH) didn’t have Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker (1), they had a strength of schedule ranked 250th in all of Division I (2) and they lost in the quarterfinals of their conference tournament (3), so many speculated whether or not the RedHawks had the talent to be in the Dance.

Despite the doubt, Miami (OH) caught fire against SMU, beating them by 10 and proving their season wasn’t for nothing.

The First Weekend

There is no hiding behind the ugly, gut-wrenching, soul-evaporating loss Wisconsin suffered against H*** P**** in the first round. Being the highest seed to get bounced early left a bad taste in Wisconsin fans’ mouths everywhere.

Chase “Jack Gohlke 2.0” Johnston — 26-year-old sharpshooter who appears to have been created in a lab just in time to torment the Badgers — created quite the ruckus when he hit the 40-foot three that basically sealed Wisconsin’s fate before the tournament dust even got the chance to settle.

To make matters worse, Wisconsin was the only seed higher than six to lose in the first round. That continues to be upsetting when you find out that there were only seven other upsets in the entire first round — and three of those were 8-9 games, which barely count unless you’re the losing fanbase.

Elsewhere, Penn looked to continue to ride the hot hand of TJ Power’s 44-point game in their conference championship win against Yale. Illinois is better than Yale, though, and it took Penn a little longer than it should have to figure that out, and they failed big-time, losing by 35. But it did create quite the chant coming from the Quaker band!

Kentucky and Santa Clara  played in an absolute nailbiter that resulted in a half-court buzzerbeater from the Wildcats’ Otega Oweh to send the game to overtime. Thanks to the momentum shift from the shot, Kentucky was able to deliver a great performance in overtime to outlast Santa Clara.

Robbie “Cream Abdul-Jabbar/Larry Nerd/Milk Chamberlain” Avila led St. Louis to a masterful performance in the first round against Georgia, sending the Bulldogs packing with 102 points of baggage. Unfortunately for the Billikens, their reward was a date with the best team in the country, Michigan, who promptly ended their season.

And then came one of the biggest upsets of the whole tournament: Iowa knocking out the reigning champion Florida. Iowa had the biggest run of all, with the hardest of roads to make it as far as they did, beating Nebraska in the battle for the corn crown against red-hot Nebraska.

The Second Weekend

By the time the Sweet 16 arrived, the Big Ten had taken over the bracket. Six of the league’s nine qualifiers were still alive, and they delivered some of the tournament’s best basketball.

Purdue outlasted Texas in a thriller, Michigan State battled UConn to the wire before falling late, Illinois took down reigning runner-up Houston, Michigan handled Alabama with surprising ease and — as we already know — Iowa won the corn crown.

But the Elite Eight is where teams were able to prove they were battle-tested.

Iowa’s run ended there, with Illinois playing in like they had to honor Marcus Domask and Terrence Shannon Jr. It was a similar story for Purdue. After leading by seven after the first 20 minutes, Purdue was outscored 48-26 in the second half to lose by 15.

On the contrary, Michigan had Tennessee on lockdown for the entirety of their game, beating the Volunteers by 33, the largest margin of victory for any team in the Elite Eight since Villanova beat Penn by 41 in 1971.

The best game of the Elite Eight by a wide margin would be between Duke and UConn though. The Blue Devils and the Huskies had opposite halves, with Duke outsourcing UConn 44-29 in the first half, and UConn outscoring Duke 44-28 in the second. That is not why it was the most entertaining, though.

With 10 seconds left in the game, Duke inbounded the ball, and in an attempt to pass the ball up the court, UConn’s Silas Demary Jr. tipped the attempted pass, and Braylon Mullins drained a 35-foot game winning three leaving 0.4 seconds left on the clock.

Now that Michigan has been crowned, it’s tempting to view the tournament through the lens of the final result. But the truth is, the heart of March Madness lives in the journey and the Cinderellas, the heartbreak. Even just the fact that it’s March gets people riled up for playoff basketball.

Both the men’s and women’s swim and dive teams competed at their respective NCAA Championship meets in Atlanta, Georgia at the end of March. The women’s team finished in 13th place, scoring 70.5 points, while the men’s team finished in 32nd place, scoring 19 points. Between the teams, there were 3 school records broken and 10 All-American performances.

The University of Virginia won the women’s meet, extending their record of 6 straight championship wins. Defending champions, the University of Texas, won the men’s meet.

This year was the first of the new structure for the championship meet, in which the NCAA eliminated “B” and “C” finals, and instead only advanced the top eight, or the “A” final, to the afternoon section for a second swim. They also changed the order of events, moving events to different days than in the past. Along with this, the organization of diving was restructured, with a break between the 6 rounds with swimming events in between, allowing the divers to warm up again for the second half of the rounds. 

Women’s team

The women’s national championship meet was held from March 18-21. Behind outstanding swims from sophomore Maggie Wanezek, the Badgers powered through to a top 15 finish. Wanezek finished in second place in the 100 and 200 meter backstroke, and 18th in the 200 meter freestyle, earning the Badgers 33.5 points from her alone. She received two First Team All-American honors, improving tremendously from her singular Honorable Mention All-American from her 13th place finish in the 200 meter backstroke in 2025.

Two other lady Badgers earned individual All-American honors in their NCAA Championship debut, receiving honorable mentions. Freshman Brooke Corrigan finished in 16th in the 200 meter breaststroke and redshirt freshman Lucie Delmas finished 11th in the 200 meter butterfly, where she also set a new school record at 1:53.89. Corrigan also finished 23rd in the 100 meter breaststroke and Delmas finished 37th in the 200 meter breaststroke as well.

Seniors Abby Wanezek, Hazal Ozkan and Blair Stoneburg completed their college careers at this meet. Wanezek finished 37th in the 100 meter freestyle and 39th in the 200 meter freestyle, and swam in all 5 relays. Ozkan finished 38th in the 100 meter breaststroke, 20th in the 200 meter breaststroke and 28th in the 200 meter individual medley. Stoneburg finished 34th in the 200 meter freestyle and 24th in the 500 meter freestyle, and swam on 3 relays.

Other individual swims came from sophomore Stella Chapman and juniors Hailey Tierney and Maggie Waggoner. Chapman competed in both the 200 and 400 meter individual medleys, finishing 26th and 29th, as well as the 200 meter breaststroke, where she finished 36th. Tierney finished 40th in the 50 meter freestyle, and Waggoner finished 34th in the 1650 freestyle (the mile) and 41st in the 400 meter individual medley.

All but one relay finished in the top 15, scoring meaningful points for the team, and earning Honorable Mention All-American honors. One of the highest placing relay, coming in 12th place, was the 400 meter medley relay team of Maggie Wanezek (backstroke), Corrigan (breaststroke), Delmas (butterfly) and Abby Wanezek (freestyle). The 200 meter medley relay also finished in 12th, from Maggie Wanezek (backstroke), Corrigan (breaststroke), Tierney (butterfly) and Abby Wanezek (freestyle). 

The 800 meter freestyle team of Abby Wanezek, Maggie Wanezek, junior Izzy Enz and Stoneburg also had a good showing, finishing 14th, as did the 200 meter freestyle relay of Tierney, Abby Wanezek, Maggie Wanezek and Stoneburg, who finished 15th. Lastly, the team of Abby Wanezek, Stoneburg, Tierney and freshman Andrea Dworak finished 23rd in the 400 meter freestyle relay.

The Badgers showcased their great depth, having at least one athlete in every event, besides diving and the 100 meter butterfly.

There was one NCAA record set in this meet, in the 400 meter freestyle relay by the University of Virginia team of Claire Curzan, Madi Mintenko, Anna Moesch and Sara Curtis.

Men’s team

The men’s national championship meet was held from March 25-28, a week after the women’s meet. The Badgers finished in 32nd place, and broke multiple school records along the way. The only individual All-American recognition came from senior Dominik Mark Torok from his 16th place finish in the 400 meter individual medley, earning an honorable mention. Torok also finished 18th in the 200 meter butterfly and 24th in the 200 meter breaststroke.

Seniors Charlie Jones, Cooper Scharff and Torok, along with redshirt senior Ben Wiegand, had their last swims as a Badger at this meet. Jones swam butterfly on both medley relays, while Scharff swam freestyle on the 200 meter medley relay, as well as on the 200 meter freestyle relay. Wiegand competed in the 100 meter breaststroke, finishing 17th, and swam the breaststroke leg on both medley relays and was a member of the 200 freestyle relay as well.

The Badgers highlighted their strength in distance swimming at this meet, with multiple individual qualifiers in the 200 and 500 meter freestyles, as well as a top 10 finish in the 800 meter freestyle relay. 

Freshman Enzo Solitario had a strong NCAA debut, finishing 22nd in the 200 meter freestyle, 34th in the 500 meter freestyle and 19th in the 200 meter butterfly. Sophomore Yoav Romano also competed in the 200 and 500 meter freestyles, finishing 32nd and 30th, respectively. Junior Luukas Vainio also accompanied Romano and Solitario in the 200 meter freestyle and finished in 33rd.

The 800 meter freestyle relay featured these three swimmers (Romano, Solitario, Vanio), as well as Torok. This team put on an incredible performance, making the final and finishing in 9th place earning them Honorable Mention All-American honors, as well as setting a new school record of 6:08.72. 

Another Badger relay set a school record at this meet in the 400 meter medley relay. The team of junior Nathan Welker (backstroke), Wiegand (breaststroke), Jones (butterfly) and Vainio (freestyle) finished in 22nd place with a time of 3:05.03.

The 200 meter medley relay of Welker (backstroke), Wiegand (breaststroke), Jones (butterfly) and Scharff (freestyle) finished in 26th place, and the 200 meter freestyle relay of Wiegand, Scharff, freshman Drew Gaerthofner and Vainio finished in 31st place.

There were 5 NCAA records set at this meet, 4 individual. Hubert Kós from the University of Texas set new records in both the 100 and 200 meter backstroke. Ahmed Jaouadi set the record in the 1650 meter freestyle (the mile) and Josh Liendo set it in the 100 meter butterfly, both from the University of Florida. Lastly, the Arizona State University team of Remi Fabiani, Adam Chaney, Ilya Kharun and Jonny Kulow set a new record in the 200 meter freestyle relay.

Both the men’s and women’s teams had a good showing at the meet, with many impressive swims. Many of the top finishes came from underclassmen, showing a great outlook for the future of the team. Specifically, Maggie Wanezek’s breakout season and podium finishes has brought fans excitement for her next couple years as a Badger.

March Madness is the NCAA’s annual single-elimination college basketball tournament that determines the national champions out of 68 teams.

Arguably, the most captivating aspect of march madness is the betting. Brackets allow people, sports fans or not, to choose who they want to advance and ultimately win the tournament. In 2025, it was estimated that Americans bet $3.1 billion on March Madness.

This social engagement drives revenue. On average, the men’s tournament generates roughly $870 million a year in media rights. Big brands often partner with the NCAA to capitalize on bracket profits, effectively turning college basketball into a gambling game.

But, despite the men’s tournament generating $870 million per year, the women’s championship is valued at about $65 million. The reason isn’t complicated: only 16% of U.S. adults fill out a women’s tournament bracket last year.

Yet the demand for women’s basketball is at an all time high. Players such as Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers have helped transform the women’s game into a major commercial force.  The 2024 women’s national championship had 18.9 million viewers, beating the men’s title game, 14.8 million.

So why is no one filling out the brackets?

The answer lies not in the popularity of women’s March Madness, but rather in the lack of media coverage, branding and investment in the women’s tournament.

State Street Brats, a very popular and well-known bar and grill located on State Street in Madison, WI, has recently partnered with ESPN and launched its “Bracket Challenge”: an opportunity for students to come together, fill out a bracket and compete for prizes. Yet nowhere in the promotion is there mention of a women’s bracket. They only advocate for the men’s tournament, despite both competitions happening simultaneously. This has caused a reaction in UW players, such as Nikki Kerstein, a freshman point guard for the Badgers.

“I was really surprised,” Kerstein said. “Especially considering how great of a season our women’s team has had this year.”

The University of Wisconsin is the place to be for women’s sporting events. From our eight-time national champion hockey team to our nine Big 10 Championships in Women’s Volleyball, and even Women’s basketball with an historic season, women’s sports are immensely celebrated in Madison.

It’s never been about people not caring about women’s basketball, it’s that they haven’t been given the opportunity to do so. Lack of exposure simultaneously correlates with a lack of knowledge.

“I think Madison businesses should be responsible for promoting women’s sports, even if they don’t feel inclined to,” Kerstein said. “Women’s basketball really is just as exciting and entertaining as the men’s game.”

While it’s easy to call out an establishment for overlooking women’s sports, we all need to do better. Supporting women’s sports starts with visibility. Tell your coworkers to fill out a women’s bracket. Talk about the athletes. Watch the games and if you need a place to start, watch JuJu Watkins as she wraps up a historic season.

If March Madness is truly about the love of the game, then it’s time we start treating both tournaments like they belong in the conversation.

“I must tell you — we are going to have to bring the women’s team.”

These were President Donald Trump’s words on the morning of Feb. 22, 2026 during a phone call with the U.S. men’s hockey team after their Olympic victory. One week earlier, the women’s team had secured gold of their own.

While the comment may not surprise those familiar with Trump’s rhetoric, it undermined the very spirit of the Olympics: athletes of every gender, race and nation deserve an equal place on the world stage.

The women representing the U.S. had a historic week at the Winter Olympic Games. Eight of twelve gold medals (62%) were won by women. This marks the 6th time in Olympic history where women exceeded men in overall medals won.

The U.S. women’s hockey team was part of this history, securing its third Olympic gold medal in an exhilarating overtime match against Canada Feb. 19.

This year, however, the U.S. women’s hockey team represented groups within the U.S. that often get overlooked in the Olympic realm.

Current Wisconsin defenseman and forward Laila Edwards is the first Black woman to play, score and win for the U.S. hockey team. U.S. captain Hilary Knight represented love within the queer community by proposing to her girlfriend and fellow Olympian Brittany Bowe in the Olympic Village.

The women received immense recognition and applause for their performance and character throughout the week. In many ways, their team gave the country hope and excitement for the next generation of female hockey players of all groups.

But this historic week of accomplishment and representation quickly gets diminished by our country’s leaders, as FBI president Kash Patel answers a phone call from Trump in the U.S. Men’s hockey locker room.

Minutes before, the U.S. Men’s hockey team won gold in a rivalry game against team Canada.

A video was released later that day showing the men’s team appearing to be on the phone with Trump as celebrations commenced. On the phone call, he congratulated them on the victory.

But instead of focusing on the men’s accomplishment, he found a way to downplay the women’s victory as well.

“I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that,” Trump was heard saying over the phone to the men’s team. Trump said, “I do believe I probably would be impeached,” if he didn’t invite the women’s team along with the men to the State of the Union.

After all the great strides this week accumulated from years of hard work and triumph, Trump somehow found a way to reduce the women’s team to a joke and a burden.

But it wasn’t just Trump’s comment that sparked anger around the country, it was the way the players responded to these remarks.

The men’s team, standing around the phone, were seen laughing at Trump’s remark, laughing at the idea of the women’s team getting recognition.

It’s important to note the men’s team have shown immense support for the women all week. They attended all their games while maintaining close relationships with them. “I think everyone in that locker room knows how much we support them, how proud we are of them and we know the same way we feel about them, they feel about us,” U.S. captain Jack Hughes said as criticism mounted.

It is unclear if the laughter came from a place of conformity or outright sexism, but regardless, it showed profound disrespect from the men’s team. A team built to lift the other up, relate through the journey and push the other towards the same goal instead did the opposite. The failure of the men’s team to laugh on behalf of the women’s team speaks volumes about a culture that condones inequality.

In many cases where women are used as the punch line, they will be told to get over it, that it’s just a joke or “locker room talk.” Women will get over it and continue to show up in spite of the comments made about them. They will get over it even when it’s the most powerful man in the country belittling them.

Later, the women’s team politely declined Trump’s seemingly half-hearted offer, stating, “We are sincerely grateful for the invitation extended to our gold medal-winning U.S. Women’s Hockey Team and deeply appreciate the recognition of their extraordinary achievement,” USA Hockey told NBC News. “Due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate.

The outrage at Trump’s remarks aren’t intended to undermine the accomplishments of the U.S. men’s team this week. Their gold medal was earned, their performance was elite and their victory over Canada deserved recognition. But so did the women’s performance.

Following these events, the women’s hockey team arrived home to celebrate with their country. While some players, such as Hilary Knight, remained outspoken about the lack of accountability, calling the comments “distasteful and unfortunate,” others chose instead to shift the focus toward the team’s accomplishments.

On Feb. 28, members of the 2026 U.S. Olympic men’s and women’s hockey teams appeared on Saturday Night Live. Players Jack Hughes, Quinn Hughes, Hilary Knight and Megan Keller were featured during host Connor Storrie’s opening monologue to celebrate both victories.

Knight delivered the punchline with, “It was going to be just us, but we thought we’d invite the guys, too.”

Rather than turning one team into a joke, the segment used humor to recognize the achievements of both teams; finally giving each the respect their performances deserved.

In the end, the Olympics have never been about who deserves a seat at the table. They are about representing something larger than any one moment or any one voice. And time and again, sport proves the same lesson: togetherness always wins.

The No. 2 Wisconsin women’s hockey team (33-4-2) shut out the Quinnipiac Bobcats this Saturday in the NCAA regional final. 

LaBahn Arena was jam-packed to watch the team’s last home game of the season and celebrate the star-studded senior class. 

Junior forward Kelly Gorbatenko quickly gave fans a reason to cheer when she scored three minutes into the first period. 

The energy in LaBahn erupted, and the team matched their intensity with relentless effort in every new line. Senior Kirsten Simms credited the atmosphere for an extra boost to the team. 

“No matter what the score of the game is or how the game’s going, the crowd always has our back,” Simms said. “It’s something that just feeds the energy on our bench and with our group.”

Simms didn’t wait long to join the scoring party. Three minutes after Gorbentanko’s goal, she blasted a shot off the post on a power play to put Wisconsin up 2-0. 

Freshman Adéla Šapovalivová slotted home a puck to put the Badgers up 3-0 to start the second period. Gorbentanko tallied her second goal at the end of the period to give Wisconsin a 4-goal cushion. 

The Bobcats desperately ramped up their attack to make a late comeback. Nonetheless, goaltender Ava McNaughton and the Wisconsin defense kept the lead safe and allowed only 17 shots on goal. Simms praised McNaughton and the team’s defensive dominance. 

“When you have somebody like Ava McNaughton back there, it’s pretty special,” Simms said. “It’s pretty easy to play in front of.” 

Senior forward Lacy Eden put an exclamation point on the win with an empty net goal halfway through the third. Gorbentanko sealed the victory with her second hat trick of the season to end the game 6-0. 

The whole team took to the ice after the game to hoist their trophy. The senior class took one last bittersweet skate around the arena as the home crowd applauded them. Simms reminisced on the seniors’ final game at LaBahn Arena. 

“There’s been no better place to play the last four years, and to also go to four Frozen Fours together is incredible,” Simms said.

Head coach Mark Johnson became the first women’s hockey coach in NCAA history to hit the 700-win mark. Humble as always, Johnson attributed his success to his coaching staff and players. 

“It’s a group effort, it’s a team effort,” Johnson said. “It’s no different than today, and our team was able to go out and put together one of our better games of the season.”

He commended his entire roster for buying into a team-first mindset. He believes that’s the reason why his squad is competing for a consecutive NCAA title. 

“You could feel the energy on the bench, the communication on the bench was really positive, and it didn’t matter who was on the ice, it didn’t matter who was scoring, it was just about what can I do to help the team win.”

As for the team, they have their sights set on being repeat champs. But just like Johnson, Gorbentanko notes that their selfless attitude is what will push them over the finish line. 

“I’d say we all really want to go back to back, that’s something that’s been on our minds the whole season,” Gorbentanko said. “But there’s not an ounce of selfishness in there, we all want to win, but we know it’s gonna take a group effort, and when everyone’s able to do their role it’s really special.” 

The Badgers head to State College, Pennsylvania, for the NCAA Frozen Four from March 20-22. The team faces No. 3 Penn State on Friday.

Here he here he, we start another March with The Badger Herald sharing their (probably wrong) Men’s March Madness picks. While not all of us stick true to Wisconsin pride, we range from true fans, logical decision makers and lonely singles.

Sports Editor – Taylor:

Another March comes where I find myself searching for my husband on the basketball court. Last year was a sad display of Cooper Flagg disappointment, however, I have turned a new leaf, the UConn leaf. I didn’t want to take Duke completely out of my final rounds, but I couldn’t bear another loss this year. So please, all help me, the boys of Connecticut … I won’t say who, but you know where to find me.

Sports Editor – Drew:

Is this the Final Four that will appear in my bracket when I submit it officially on Thursday? Probably not, but it would be malpractice for me to appear in an article in a Wisconsin student newspaper not expressing my faith in the Badgers. It would be a tough path with Arkansas and Arizona looming as potential matchups, but the backcourt is good enough to get it done in these games, so why not have a little fun, at least in this article. In the spirit of realism though, I’m going with Kelvin Sampson finally getting a national championship with Houston. The hall of famer came so close last year, and I think he finally gets the job done with the Cougars. The upset of the tournament will come on Friday in Philadelphia when No. 14 Wright State downs No. 3 Virginia for anyone wondering if I picked anything crazy in the early rounds.

Sports Associate Editor – Ryan:

Every champion for the last 24 years has ranked in the top 25 of KenPom’s adjusted efficiency margin. Additionally, every champion since 2004 was ranked within the top 12 in the week six AP poll. So, if you don’t have Duke, Michigan, Arizona, Houston or Iowa State winning it all … I’m sorry, you’re wrong. Those are the only five options. For some of the necessary chaos in my bracket, I have Akron, one of the most efficient offenses in the country, beating the JT Toppin-less Red Raiders and the Aden Holloway-less Crimson Tide. Just kindly ignore the fact that Akron is 0-7 in the tournament in program history. Biased or not, fans are overhyping High Point and Arkansas turns the ball over too much. Wisconsin to the sweet 16 where they go down to the eventual champions. I’ll also take Kentucky, Saint Mary’s, BYU and UCLA going down in the first round in high-scoring shootouts.

Sports Associate Editor – Stephanie:

If there’s one thing about me, I am always overconfident in the No. 1 seeds, and I am always wrong. Sue me if I think they deserved their ranking, I guess. But alas, I am back at it again this year, with Duke, Arizona and Florida in my Final Four. Something is speaking to me about Alabama though, even without Aden Holloway, and they have a relatively easy path, considering I think Michigan is a total fraud (controversial). One last thing: what’s up with former Badger OLB Darryl Peterson’s younger brother literally dominating as a freshman for Kansas??? This is my favorite fun fact and has low-key made me a Kansas fan recently, so I may or may not be cheering for them when Wisconsin inevitably gets embarrassed in the first round by the stat maxxers at High Point.

Sports Writer – Simon:

Last year’s March Madness was chalk. A whopping three big upsets was disappointing for the fans to say the least. This year, Robbie “Larry Nerd/Cream Abdul-Jabbar/College Jokic” Avila and St. Louis dominated Atlantic 10 basketball. I’ve got them going to the Sweet 16. I’ve also got a big upset for Akron over Texas Tech. The Red Raiders lost AP First-Team All-American JT Toppin late in the season to a torn ACL, and I think Akron has the talent to play with the big dogs.

Sports Writer – Nolan:

Michigan started the year pacing to become one of the greatest college basketball teams of all time. While the Wolverines have slowed down, their only losses have come against Wisconsin, top-seeded Duke and Purdue on Sunday. The main difference between the Wolverines and the two teams ranked ahead of them is the Wolverines are led by senior and Big Ten player of the year Yaxel Lendeborg, while Duke and Arizona are led by freshman — something that has hurt high seeds in the recent past. The final No. 1 seed, Florida, has more experience as the reigning champs but will lose in the Elite Eight to an Illinois team with a ton of offensive firepower. As for our Badgers, I have them being eliminated in the first weekend for their sixth straight tournament, with a matchup against a good High Point team and likely Arkansas in the second round if they advance.