5 best moments
No. 1 Trevon's lay-up is true
Playing as a 12-seed, the worst in Bo Ryan's time in Madison, few expected the Badgers to challenge Florida State. Wisconsin trailed through much of the game but rallied to force overtime. Trévon Hughes banked in a spinning lay-up with the Badgers trailing and hardly any time on the clock, propelling Wisconsin to the second round. The win was a surprisingly pleasant conclusion to a difficult and trying season.
No. 2 Once, twice, three times a champion
Behind the play of all-world netminder Jessie Vetter and a fleet of explosive skaters, the Wisconsin women's hockey team dominated 2008-'09 from start to finish. The team only incurred two losses and outscored opponents 17-1 as it rolled through three NCAA tournament games to the title. Along the way sophomore forward Hilary Knight set school records for points and goals in a season, and the team finished with the nation's top offense and defense.
No. 3 Karel keeps Badgers in Paradise
Lisa Stone's squad was not expected to do much after a down season and losing the program's all-time leading scorer Jolene Anderson. But in late November, sophomore guard Alyssa Karel stepped up, draining a huge, game-winning jumper against the No. 6 Baylor Bears to win the Paradise Jam Tournament. That helped power a 10-1 start to Wisconsin's season.
No. 4 Johnson returns to Olympic stage
Nearly 30 years ago, former Badger Mark Johnson led the United States Olympic Hockey team to one of the greatest moments in American sports history, upsetting the USSR 4-3. In late January he got the chance to go back when he was named head coach for the U.S. Women's National Hockey team. After seven seasons at the helm of Wisconsin's program, he will spend next year leading the U.S. squad into the 2010 games in Vancouver.
No. 5 Oh Howe Close!
Although boasting an 11-4 record midway through one's first season in Badger red would be a big accomplishment, it was only the start for Andrew Howe. The freshman from Indiana ran up a 19-match winning streak, which brought him all the way to the NCAA championship match in the 165 lb. class. Despite falling 3-2 to Edinboro's Jarrod King, Howe became UW's first All-American in his weight class since 1998.
5 Worst moments
No. 1 Mess in Michigan
Up 19-0 at halftime in Ann Arbor, it appeared the UW football team would emerge victorious for the first time in 14 years in the Big House. The Wolverine offense, however, roared to life, scoring 27-straight points, handing the Badgers their first defeat of the year. Bret Bielema's squad never recovered, dropping four straight and stumbling to its worst record since 2003.
No. 2 Swept away by Northern Michigan
There were many crushing losses in a season that left the Badgers just one victory away from the NCAA tournament, but a home series against Northern Michigan stands above all the rest. The Wildcats entered the weekend with just three wins but took both games, including a 6-5 triumph in overtime on Saturday night.
No. 3 Trapped in the sixth circle
The lowlight of what was perhaps Bo Ryan's most trying season, the Badgers fell six straight times in the midst of the Big Ten season. The streak included five losses by seven or fewer points, two losses in the Kohl Center and nearly kept Wisconsin out of the NCAA tournament.
No. 4 P.J. Hill (everything)
The junior did not break 70 yards in four of the Badger's five regular season losses, but that paled in comparison to his off-season activities. First, Hill declared for the draft despite a sub-par year, and then was cited twice for drunken driving in one month. Furthermore, the second DUI ended in a police chase through Madison. Shockingly, no NFL team decided to use any of their draft choices to select Hill.
No. 5 Volleyball misses tournament
On Nov. 12, the Badgers were 14-4 on the season and looked to be good shape despite the loss of five important players from the previous year's squad. After that, they faltered baldly, winning just three of their last 14 games and missing the NCAA tournament for the first time in head coach Pete Waite's ten-year tenure.
