Allan Evridge - Football, senior quarterback
Badger fans used to knowing who their quarterback is and how he can perform in crunch-time situations will be holding their breath for senior Allan Evridge this season. The Kansas State transfer is the man slated to take over the starting role after the graduation of Tyler Donovan, but with little in-game experience, Evridge has a lot to prove. He played a limited role in seven games during the 2007 season, completing 5-of-12 pass attempts for a total of 66 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. Evridge showed glimpses of great potential in his days at Kansas State, where he posted 1,365 yards on 102 pass attempts and six touchdowns in just six starts for the Wildcats, but playing against teams like Ohio State and Penn State in the Big Ten this year will show Evridge's true worth in his final year on the college gridiron.
Hanna Grinaker - Women's Cross Country, junior
In just her first two years running cross country for UW, junior Hanna Grinaker earned All-American honors twice, All-Big Ten honors, the 2006 Big Ten Freshman of the Year award and the fastest time for the Badgers at the NCAA National Championship meets in both 2006 and 2007. Last year, she finished her cross country season in 25th place with a time of 20 minutes and 51 seconds to spearhead a Badger team finish of 20th place at Terre Haute, Ind,, at the 2007 NCAA National Championship meet. Look for Grinaker to once again lead Wisconsin to another respectable finish among the nation's top cross country programs with performances strong enough to garner even more All-American and All-Big Ten honors.
Victor Diaz - Men's Soccer, senior forward
The Madrid, Spain native should be one of the best offensive threats on the Wisconsin men's soccer team this year. Starting 44-of-50 games in the last three years, Diaz has made appearances on the All-Big Ten lists at the end of each season and has led the team in assists each of the last two years. He tallied a team-high seven goals in his inaugural season in 2005 and has scored four goals in each season since. In 2007, Diaz accumulated 16 points and eight assists and landed a spot on the first-team All-Big Ten squad. Look for him to be a major force in the Badgers' campaign to improve on their sixth-place finish in last year's final conference standings.
Matt Withrow - Men's Cross Country, senior
Wisconsin's elite men's cross country program will have its best athlete returning to the trails this fall in senior Matt Withrow. Along with his multiple All-American and Big Ten honors, Withrow was the third finisher for the Badgers and took ninth place overall when Wisconsin was crowned national champion in 2005. At last year's NCAA National Championship meet, Withrow was the first Badger to cross the finish line, finishing in 17th place with a time of 30 minutes and nine seconds. His time helped Wisconsin capture fifth place at the meet and grab its sixth-consecutive top-five NCAA Championship finish. Withrow should be primed for another season of success under the helm of head coach Jerry Schumacher and will once again make Wisconsin a prime contender for the national title.
Taylor Walsh - Women's Soccer, senior forward
Madison native Taylor Walsh is one of the stalwart players on the roster for the Wisconsin women's soccer team, which is in the midst of a rebuilding process under veteran head coach Paula Wilkins. Brimming with potential as a true freshman in 2004, Walsh suffered a season-ending injury that forced her to take a medical redshirt. Since then, she has started in 51-of-60 games in her three years and has led the team in goals each of the past two seasons. Last season, she put up four goals, nine points and one assist on a game-winning goal in matches against Boston University and Ohio State. Walsh will be a critical component of this year's team that, with the help of the nation's fourth-best recruiting class, should improve upon its 10th-place finish in the Big Ten standings last year.
Audra Jeffers - Volleyball, senior middle blocker
The last remaining member of head coach Pete Waite's freshman class of 2004, senior middle blocker Audra Jeffers will be at the heart of a Wisconsin volleyball team that lost five seniors to graduation, including three full-time starters. After redshirting her first year with the program, Jeffers has established herself as a starter and has been a tremendous contributor on both sides of the ball, averaging no less than 2.51 kills and 0.81 blocks per game each year. In 2007, she made a move from opposite hitter to middle blocker and tallied a .280 hitting percentage with 1.25 blocks per game, both good for second-best totals on the team. She also accrued career highs in assists (five against Northern Iowa), blocks (eight against Michigan) and kills (17 against Michigan). She will be the leader on a Wisconsin team seeking redemption for its shocking second-round 3-0 loss to Iowa State in the NCAA tournament last season.
Travis Beckum - Football, senior tight end
As one of the finest offensive weapons on the Wisconsin football team this year, senior tight end Travis Beckum opted out of the NFL draft to play one more season with the Badgers. After playing defensive end as a freshman in 2005, Beckum became on of the team's top players when he was given the opportunity to play offense as a sophomore. In the past two years, Beckum put up 1,885 yards and 11 touchdowns and has averaged 13.9 yards per catch. Although his 136 career receptions are third all-time in Wisconsin history, he is on pace to surpass former Badger wide receivers Brandon Williams (202) and Lee Evans (175) to take the top spot. Last year, Beckum was named a finalist for the John Mackey Award as the nation's top tight end and was named college football's Tight End of the Year by the Touchdown Club of Columbus, Ohio. His 982 receiving yards were the most for any collegiate tight end in 2007, and his 75 receptions were second best in the nation. Look for Beckum to be a favorite downfield target for senior quarterback Allan Evridge and for him to be a first or second-round pick in the 2009 NFL draft.
