Want an overview of the state of Wisconsin athletics? Look no further; we will take you through the Wisconsin teams that are trending up, trending down, and more.

Stock Up

No. 13 volleyball (8-4)

Kelly Sheffield proved why he is, in my humble opinion, one of the strongest coaches in the country. After a shaky 4-4 start, he has refocused the team and has solidified the tactics.

Now, the Badgers are red hot. Since losing a pair to then-No. 10 Washington, Wisconsin won its first four Big Ten games, three of which were top-15 teams. In this stretch, Wisconsin has taken 12 of 14 sets.

The Badgers join Minnesota and Michigan as the only undefeated teams in the Big Ten.

No. 13 women’s soccer (9-2-1)

Dani Rhodes and the Badgers are on some kind of run right now. After wrapping up non-conference play with a difficult road loss to UCLA, the Badgers have won their first five Big Ten games and are safely alone at the top of the conference standings.

The 5-0-0 start in conference play is the best mark in program history. Rhodes is leading the team with six goals and is tied for fifth as the best goal-scorer in the conference.

Jonathan Taylor’s Heisman chances

Five touchdowns and 9.8 yards per carry against Kent State was enough to keep Taylor’s national attention cooking. As other candidates start showing a little inconsistency, Taylor’s steadiness and explosiveness is

He has cemented himself as a threat in the passing game which should also turn voters’ heads. He has put himself in a position to catapult himself into the Heisman lead with strong performances against Ohio State and Michigan State. Surely, that’s a couple of big “ifs,” but it is indeed possible.

Maddie Posick

Posick has been an off-and-on fourth liner for the Badgers’ women’s hockey team her first two seasons, but she has improved quite a bit over her time at UW.

Her offseason work culminated in the best moment of an excellent weekend in Wisconsin sports. In a televised game against Penn State called by her father Brian Posick, Maddie used fancy puck-handling to advance into the offensive zone and scored her first collegiate goal on a jaw-dropping snipe.

With her father’s call, this is the first of many special moments for the No. 1 women’s hockey team.

Stock Down

Men’s soccer (2-8-1)

The men’s soccer team dropped its sixth game out of the last seven and remains winless since Sept. 8 after suffering a 2-1 overtime loss to lowly Michigan State (2-6-1).

The only bright moment was Duncan Storey’s game-tying goal in the 66th minute. The strike was the Badgers’ first goal since Sept. 20.

Wisconsin and Rutgers are the only two winless teams in Big Ten conference play.

Holding high

No. 1 women’s hockey

As expected, Wisconsin throttled Penn State this weekend, outscoring the Nittany Lions 10-0 over two games. The Abby Roque - Sophie Shirley - Daryl Watts continues to produce, and Watts has scored a goal in each game as a Badger. Watts is on pace for an astonishing 42 goals this year, which would seem outlandish if she hadn’t put that number up her freshman season when she skated for Boston College.

Staying down

Football special teams

The No. 8 Badger football team is the real deal in almost every phase of the game.

Unfortunately, special teams has been an adventure. Missed kicks, muffed punts and a failure to recover onside kicks should continue to cause concern for Wisconsin’s ability to compete in tight games.

Thank goodness Zach Hintze can kick the ball a million miles.