Coming off of an uncharacteristically poor two year stint (12-46-13), the Badgers have been quick to return to prominence under new head coach Tony Granato.
Over the last five years, Wisconsin went from being a powerhouse to being at the bottom of the Big Ten, before returning back to its historically impressive form last season.
After an unbelievable turnaround in just one year under Granato (20-15-1), the Badgers are expected to make even more improvements this upcoming season. Speaking at the annual Capital Times Idea Fest in mid-September, Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez said that he “didn’t have a doubt that this group would do a good job.” Still, he was surprised at just how quickly they have regained their competitiveness and restored their reputation.
Alvarez is confident that this upcoming season will only bring more growth. He acknowledged how focused and determined the organization is to recruit the very best athletes. Over the last year, many top recruits have expressed interest in Wisconsin, mostly because of the respect that they have for Granato.
“A lot of NHL coaches send their players to let [Granato] work with them and develop them,” Alvarez said.
Granato and his staff have been very impressive so far in their short tenure with UW. That, combined with the veteran experience of the players, is a big reason why Wisconsin seems poised to continue to climb the ladder towards Big Ten and national prominence.
