Courtney Burke–women's hockey
The sophomore defender made her mark in her first season donning the red and white uniform, as she registered 23 points (four goals, 19 assists) to go along with 40 blocked shots, good for second on the team.
Burke was also one of the most consistent skaters in the Badgers’ defensive zone, earning the recognition of her teammates and coaches, as she took home the Defensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards. She was also recognized around the conference, earning her a place on the All-WCHA Rookie Team.
To go along with her impressive first season with the Badgers, Burke was invited to the U.S. Women’s National Team Selection Camp that will take place at the Olympic Center in Lake Placid, N.Y., June 16-23.
With the departure of defender Saige Pacholok, Burke will be looked on to player a bigger role in the defensive zone. Additionally, her unique offensive skillset as a defender will be needed, considering the fact the Badgers lose forward Brianna Decker, the team’s best offensive player.
All in all, her two-way skillset in both the offensive and defensive zone is expected to be on display on a consistent basis, as she attempts to follow in the footsteps of stellar defenders under the direction of head coach Mark Johnson.
—Rexford Sheild
Morgan Paige–women's basketball
The Wisconsin women’s basketball team will enter its 2013-’14 season with an experienced roster. The Badgers will return all but one of their starters.
Many of the Badgers have the potential to impress, but senior guard Morgan Paige especially stood out last season and will be one to watch.
She earned third-team All-Big Ten by league coaches and media last season when Wisconsin lost in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament to Purdue.
Paige led Wisconsin with 15.9 points per game and started in all 31 games. Most notably, Paige scored a career-high 33 points when the Badgers upset No. 7 Penn State in January. Paige scored in double figures in 25 of 31 games. She also ranked 11th in the Big Ten with a .792 free-throw percentage.
Paige started playing basketball in the second grade and has earned three letters from Wisconsin. The sport runs in her family, as her brother is a freshman guard at North Carolina. Both siblings received academic recognition this year from their respective conferences, as Morgan earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.
As the 2013-’14 basketball season draws near, our questions will soon be answered. Will the Badgers be ready? Will Paige have another impressive season?
—Cameron Kalmon
Frank Kaminsky–men's basketball
The obvious choice for a men’s basketball player to watch would be sophomore forward Sam Dekker. Yet, it’s always interesting to go against the grain, vaulting Wisconsin junior center Frank Kaminsky as one of the top-four players to watch for the 2013-’14 season.
The 6-foot-11 forward did not produce any jaw-breaking statistics last season (4.2 points per game, 1.8 rebounds per game) but he provided a nice complement off the bench in replace of former center Jared Berggren. Fans got a glimpse of what life was like without Kaminsky during a three-game stretch where he was sidelined with an eye injury, as head coach Bo Ryan’s bench was depleted of big men.
With the departure of Berggren, Kaminsky is the lone big man with valuable game experience. Moreover, centers and forwards are a vital key of Ryan’s swing offense, as they have to be able to establish themselves in the post in addition to stretching the defense around the three-point arc. Will Kaminsky be able to do that and have as much success as his predecessors?
If you think about the history of big guys during the Ryan era (Mike Wilkinson, Brian Butch, Keaton Nankivil, Jon Leuer and Berggren, among others), they came to the program with a lot of raw talent but their contributions were minimal during their first season on campus. As years progressed, they all grew accustomed to their role within the team and blossomed because of that. Additionally, they had their most productive seasons during their junior year.
Kaminsky is approaching his junior year and, if this trend is any indication of his production, the Wisconsin big man will be just fine.
–Rexford Sheild
Melvin Gordon–football
Hide yo Buckeyes, hide yo Gophers, the Badgers are back with another formidable running attack! After playing Robin to Montee Ball’s Batman the last couple of years, senior James White rightfully takes over as the feature back for the Badgers this fall as he hopes to make a statement during his last year in Madison.
However, in recent years, the Badgers have not been a one-running-back team. Cue Melvin Gordon. The redshirt sophomore, who exploded onto the scene last season in the Big Ten Championship Game, putting up 216 yards to help annihilate Nebraska. Gordon emerges as another running option as he is poised for a breakout season to show he will be the next great Badger running back.
Unlike imports Ball and White, Gordon is a home-grown talent out of Kenosha, Wis. A former four-star recruit from the class of 2011, Gordon has enormous ability, as shown by his 4.5 second 40- yard dash, but has unfortunately been hidden behind the surplus of Wisconsin running backs. After redshirting as a freshman, he quietly put up a sound year as the third option for most of the season.
However, with a Rose Bowl berth on the line, it was not Ball or White who led the team in rushing in the Big Ten Championship Game, it was Gordon. He immediately made his mark in the game by darting for 56 yards for the game’s first score, and continued to terrorize the Cornhuskers the rest of the night, finishing with 216 total yards on just nine carries. The “third wheel” finished his year with 621 yards and a ridiculous 10-yards-per-carry average.
After a solid spring game, where he lead the Cardinal team in rushing, Gordon will look to follow the footsteps of Ball, Brian Calhoun and Ron Dayne, among others, as the next Badger running back legend.
Ball will be missed, but thanks to Gordon, the Badgers rushing attack should not miss a beat.
–Rushad Machhi
