Varsity - The Official Digital Magazine of Wisconsin Athletics

Varsity - November 21, 2013

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

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INSIDE MEN'S SOCCER BY JEREMY WODAJO @BADGERMSOCCER SCHEDULE (13-4-2) THIS WEEK NCAA tournament Thurs. Milwaukee 7 p.m. Sun. Winner at Notre Dame TBA Dance fever: Wisconsin earns berth in Big Dance UW to battle Milwaukee at home on Thursday he Wisconsin men's soccer team has seen its fair share of dark days since its last postseason berth in 1995. To put that into perspective, the last time UW appeared in the NCAA tournament, the 'World Wide Web' was four years young and Bill Clinton was serving his first term in office. T 60 // VARSITY November 21, 2013 That 18-year drought ended Monday, as the 19thranked Badgers saw their name appear on the 2013 NCAA bracket. To make the accomplishment even sweeter, UW was granted a first-round home match and a chance to once again extend the nation's longest home unbeaten streak. "A long waiting period for the guys on the team as well as the staff," UW head coach John Trask explained. "To get rewarded with our body of work and be in the NCAA Tournament after 18 years here at the University of Wisconsin, it's more than exciting." To fuel the excitement even more, Thursday's match at the McClimon Complex (7 p.m.) will also feature another team from the state of Wisconsin, the Milwaukee Panthers. The Badgers played Milwaukee to a 1-1 draw at Engelmann Field in midOctober, but look to get over the hump this time around in front of their home crowd. "It just shapes up for a great game, and it's what the NCAA Tournament is all about," Trask said. "You've got rivalry games all over the country that will be happening. I think it shapes up for just an excellent night of soccer." All of the ingredients are there to make an NCAA tournament run: leadership from 13 seniors, the highest scoring offense in the Big Ten, a hunger to make even more history. Wisconsin has waited nearly two decades for an opportunity to make another run at a national title, similar to what it did in 1995. And Trask believes his team's best days are still ahead of them. "I think there's more in this team," Trask said. "I've said it consistently to them. I'll say it publicly. I still don't think we've seen the best soccer out of this group of players."

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