Varsity - The Official Digital Magazine of Wisconsin Athletics

Varsity - October 10, 2013

Varsity is the free Official Digital Magazine of Wisconsin Athletics, covering Badgers football, basketball, hockey and more each week.

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"I told T.J. to look at other places, but I knew he was coming here. He always pictured himself in a Wisconsin singlet," Kyle said of his brother. Badger brotherhood: Siblings bolster lineup Three sets of brothers bring family atmosphere to wrestling room at Wisconsin BY ANNA POULTER-HENDRICKSON UW ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS ou have no choice of the family you are born into. Fate decides your siblings. For six members of Wisconsin's wrestling team, fate played out favorably, and those six have made the choice to be brothers on the mat at Wisconsin, as well. "Having a sibling on the team just adds to the brotherhood of the sport," says longtime UW head coach Barry Davis. "When things are tough, it is great to have that extra support beside you on the mat. "It is great to have that additional support in the good times and the bad. Besides your teammates and coaches, your brother is always there for you." Brothers Kyle and T.J. Ruschell, Scott and Seth Leigel and Brandon and Justin Weber found the ultimate teammate in a sibling and are now pur- Y 42 // VARSITY October 10, 2013 suing their collegiate wrestling goals with a family member in their circle. For assistant coach Kyle Ruschell, having younger brother T.J. in the room has only added to their relationship as siblings. "Having T.J. on the team has definitely helped our relationship," Kyle said. "Being seven years older and being gone out of the house, we kind of drifted apart because of our ages. When he came up here we became closer. He had a lot of questions that I was able to help answer and, because of that, we became a lot closer." Kyle, a two-time All-American for the Badgers in 2009 and 2010, was already an assistant coach at UW when T.J. committed. "I stayed out of the recruiting. I wanted to make sure this was the right place for him," Kyle said. "I told T.J. to look at other places, but I knew he

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