Junior wide receiver Lee Evans, who set the Big Ten record for receiving yards in a season and was one of three finalists for the 2001 Biletnikoff Award, will return for his senior season in 2002.
\I feel it is in my best interest to return to Wisconsin,"" Evans said. ""I am looking forward to another year of college and one more season of playing college football. I believe that will benefit me.""
Wisconsin Head Coach Barry Alvarez was pleased with Evans' decision.
""I'm very happy Lee will be back with us next season,"" Alvarez said. ""He is one of the best offensive players in the country, and I believe his decision will prove to be a win-win situation for him and our football program.""
The 2001 first-team All-American and consensus first-team All-Big Ten choice caught 75 passes for 1,545 yards and nine touchdowns last season, all of which were school records. Evans led the Big Ten and was ranked No. 4 nationally with 128.8 yards per game. Evans had a school record of eight 100-yard receiving performances in 2001. In the process, he became Wisconsin's career leader in receiving yardage with 2,255 yards, surpassing former Badger receiver Al Toon's 17-year old record.
Evans recorded the second, fifth and sixth highest single-game receiving yardage in school history, including a 228-yard effort against Michigan State.
Several members of the Badger football team earned top honors recently. Anthony Davis, a redshirt freshman running back, was named the National Freshman of the Year by the Touchdown Club. Davis gained a reputation as the fourth leading ball carrier in the nation with 1,466 yards during the season, an average of 133.3 yards per game.
Davis, who had 11 touchdowns, was also recognized as the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and made The Sporting News' first-team Freshman All-American list.
Senior defensive lineman Wendell Bryant, along with junior wide receiver Lee Evans, made the Associated Press list of second-team All-Americans. During the 2001 season, Bryant had eight sacks and 69 tackles. He was also named to the second-team All-American by The Sporting News.
Kalekeni M. Banda resigned as head coach of the men's soccer team Jan. 4 after coaching five years at Wisconsin.
Banda, whose teams have improved their on-field record each of the last four seasons, brought some stability to the program after being named coach prior to the 1997 season.
""I wish nothing but success to the UW men's soccer team,"" Banda said.
Seniors Lizzy Fitzgerald and Sherisa Livingston garnered national honors when ASICS/Volleyball Magazine named them to the first-team All-American volleyball team.
Livingston, a middle blocker, earned the honors for the second time in her collegiate career. Fitzgerald, a setter, earned her first All-American honors and was also recognized as the 2001 Big Ten Conference Player of the Year.
In her career at the UW, Livingston maintained a .402 hitting percentage, a university record. She ranked seventh on the Big Ten career list with 1,912 kills and averaged 5.13 kills per game, the second highest in the conference.
Fitzgerald also topped charts at the UW. Her 3,923 assists are the third most in UW history. In addition, Fitzgerald had 2.45 digs and .89 blocks per game. She is also acknowledged as one of the top setters in the nation, with 13.72 assists per game.
The men's and women's track teams each took home seven first-place finishes at the Badger Track Classic Jan. 12.
Senior captain of the men's team, Jabari Pride, finished first in the 600-meter run with a time of 1:22.15. He also combined forces in the champion 4 by 400-meter relay with junior Ryan Ridge, sophomore Dustin Rabine and sophomore Gustin Smith to cross the finish line in 3:20.38.
Redshirt freshman Jvontai Hanserd placed first in the 400-meter dash in 49.29 seconds, while sophomore Dan Murray won the 800 meters in 1:54.61.
Redshirt sophomore Jon Mungen completed the 60-meter hurdles first, with a time of 7.97 seconds.
Wisconsin's jumpers also fared well. Steve Jones took the high jump with a height of 6 feet 9 inches and freshman Alonzo Moore squeaked past the competition in the triple jump by jumping 49 feet 8 inches. Senior Len Herring earned his personal best of 26 feet 3 inches in the long jump, enough for a first-place victory.
The women's track team also dominated their portion of the Badger Track Classic by winning seven of the 15 events at the meet.??
Freshman Katie Kolpin racked up points for the Badgers, winning the 600-meter run in 1:37.93. She also participated in the 4 by 400-meter relay team with sophomores Greta Bauer, Kym Hubing and Christie Muenzenberger, which had a first-place time of 3:57.86.??
Senior Briana Stott-Messick also earned a first place for the team in the 3000-meter run when she crossed the finish line in 9:51.16.
The Badgers proved successful on the field as well, winning four of the six field events. Seniors Christine Baudry and Tara Clark tied for first in the pole vault at 11 feet 6 inches while sophomore Angie Kolanko won the high jump in 5 feet 4 and one-fourth inch. Senior Cathy Ross took the triple jump in 39 feet one-quarter inch and sophomore Bree Fuqua threw the shot put for a first-place distance of 47 feet 10 inches.'?
Seniors Lizzy Fitzgerald and Sara Urbanek have been invited to participate in the U.S. Women's National team training camp. The former members of the UW volleyball team will train under Toshi Yoshida, the head coach of the national team. If successful at the camp, the players will train with the team throughout the summer to prepare for the 2002 World Championships in September.
Urbanek, a defensive specialist, has won two letters at Wisconsin and averaged 2.29 digs per game and 28 service aces in 2001.
Former UW player Jenny Maastrict also participated in the camp in 2001.
The 18th-ranked Wisconsin wrestling team took home third place after defeating its four opponents at the Virginia Duals Jan. 12. Wisconsin, now 8-5 overall, beat Rider College, No. 20 Pittsburg, No. 23 Penn State and Kent State in the second day of the tournament.
Junior Tony Black, No. 8 in the polls, shut out each of his six opponents, the only Badger to do so.
Senior Grant Hoerr also swept his four opponents Saturday while junior heavyweight Dave Neumyer went 2-2.
Redshirt freshman Brady Reinke went 5-1 in the 174-pound contest over the weekend, gaining a technical fall and two victories in the second day of the tournament.
The Badgers start the Big Ten season with a road trip at Indiana Jan. 25 and Ohio State Jan. 27. They will host Michigan State in the first conference home match Feb. 1.
Sophomore Matt Marshall was named Big Ten Swimmer of the Week Jan. 8.
Marshall won seven races, including four relays at the Rainbow Invitational at the University of Hawaii Jan. 4 and 5. He was named Swimmer of the Week as a result of his victories at the invite.
Marshall took first place in the 50-yard butterfly in 22.39 seconds and 100 fly, with a time of 49.67 seconds. He also swam the 50 -yard freestyle in 21.18 seconds for a first-place finish. Marshall further put forth his efforts in the relays. Marshall participated in the 200-yard medley relay, the 500-yard freestyle relay, the 400-yard medley relay and 400-yard freestyle relay.
The University of Wisconsin dance team danced their way to ninth place at the 2002 College National Championships in Orlando, Fla. Jan. 10-13. Bucky Badger, making his first appearance in the competition in four years, took 13th in the mascot competition.
