Wisconsin Athletics Annual Report
Issue link: http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/154647
From the desk of Barry Alvarez W hen looking back at the 2012-13 season, I would be remiss if I didn't start by thanking all of our terrific fans. Your support is unparalleled in the world of college athletics. I know our coaches, student-athletes and staff share my feelings and appreciate the commitment you make to Badger athletics. I am very proud whenever we earn a distinction such as "The Greatest College Football Town in America" by USA Today, and our fans have a huge role in that. There's nothing better than seeing Camp Randall, the Kohl Center, the Field House or any of our venues packed with fans wearing Cardinal and White, cheering on the home team. And I think we gave our fans a lot to cheer about again this year. I was unbelievably proud of our five conference champions, each of whom had a unique story. The men's cross country team continued its dominance with its 14th-straight Big Ten title. The football team made history with its school-record third consecutive conference crown. The men's track team fought until the last event in its dramatic victory at the Big Ten indoor championship. The men's hockey team re-grouped after a tough start to the season to win the WCHA Broadmoor Trophy and advance to the NCAA tournament. And the softball team, just a few years removed from a 15-win season, took the Big Ten by storm, sweeping through the conference tournament for its first Big Ten title. As is always the case when looking back at a season, there will be moments that stand out. Montee Ball becoming college football's career touchdowns leader. Buzzer beaters by Ben Brust and Traevon Jackson to propel the men's basketball team to victories. The women's basketball team handing No. 7 Penn State its only Big Ten loss of the season. Drew teDuits winning our first men's swimming NCAA title since 1959. Scoring 70 points vs. Nebraska in the Big Ten football championship game. Off the field, our student-athletes continued to excel in the classroom and in the community. For the fourth-straight year, the cumulative GPA of our student-athletes was at least 3.0. With the implementation of our revamped 'Badgers Give Back' program, our student-athletes volunteered more than 4,000 hours in the community. We are constantly striving to improve our facilities for the benefit of our student-athletes, staff and fans. 2012-13 saw the grand opening of LaBahn Arena, the new home of the women's hockey team that also serves the men's team and the swimming programs. We also added an indoor practice facility at University Ridge, which helped our women's team advance to the NCAA championship. We are currently putting the finishing touches on the Student-Athlete Performance Center and the Softball Training Center. None of these projects would be possible without the generosity of our terrific fan base. So I close this letter in the same vein in which I opened it, by saying thanks. On, Wisconsin! Director of Athletics Barry Alvarez