WHAT'S NEXT?
WRESTLING
BY RYAN EVANS
Badgers' prospects look
promising for 2013-14
Old and new faces ready to contribute next year
L
ast season saw the Badgers engineer a remarkable turnaround from their
2011-12 campaign, and with
its three NCAA qualifiers returning to the lineup next season ― as well as the potential
addition of some promising
young talent ― Wisconsin is
primed to build on that momentum next season.
48 » VARSITY
JUN E 20, 2013
With three-time All-American Tyler Graff (133 lbs.), as
well as 2013 NCAA qualifiers
Jackson Hein (197 lbs.) and
2013 Big Ten Freshman of the
Year Connor Medbery (Hwt.)
all back in the fold for the Badgers in 2013-14, head coach
Barry Davis is confident next
season will again be a much
improved one for UW.
@BadgerWrestling
"We have some great leadership
coming back," Davis said. "With the
veterans we have coming back, plus
the young guys that are ready to make
an impact, we should make another
leap forward."
Overall, eight of the Badgers' 10
starters from a year ago will be back
next season, but Davis hinted that
the lineup could look a bit different.
After qualifying for NCAAs at 197
lbs., Hein may wrestle at 184 lbs.,
while last season's 157 lbs. starter,
Kalvin York, is moving down to 149
lbs. In addition, last year's crop of
redshirts — guys like Ryan Taylor,
Jesse Thielke, Isaac Jordan, Rylan Lubeck and T.J. Ruschell — are
ready to step in and compete for
spots in the lineup after stellar seasons in open tournaments.
Davis envisions that there will be a
host of intriguing battles for spots in
next season's starting 10, but it is that
depth across the board that he said
will make the Badgers dangerous as
they continue their climb back up the
Big Ten ranks.
"Our depth is what will make the
difference for us," Davis said. "We
have depth that we haven't had before.
"It's taken us a couple years to get
back to where we want to be after everything that happened, but I think
right now we've created a lot of depth
at all weight classes. When you have
depth, you have more competition
which creates better athletes."
With key members of the 2012-13
team returning, as well as a potential
influx of new, young talent, the Badgers will certainly be a team to keep
an eye on next year.
