B5Q Blogopean Union: Wisconsin women’s soccer is going dancing!

Good morning! This is going to be a daily(ish) post that discusses the goings on of the rest of the Big Ten Conference, and the country as needed. Much like the European Union, the Big Ten is a loosely confederated group of entities that sometimes have the same goals (like free movement of people between countries or not winning national titles in football or basketball) and sometimes accept new members that they later regret (Estonia or Nebraska).

We hope that you will use this post to comment on things happening around the conference and also as a sort of daily open thread to discuss breaking news or argue about Spotted Cow (which we NO LONGER DO).

• The Wisconsin Badgers (8-5-6) women’s soccer team made the NCAA Tournament! UW will be hosting the Butler Bulldogs (15-4-1) in the first round of the tournament (here is the full bracket) and J.J. will have a preview of the match later this week.

The game is a 6 p.m. contest at the McClimon Soccer Complex on Friday and marks the fifth time in six seasons that UW has made the NCAA Tournament. The winner will face either UC-Irvine or 2-seed UCLA the following weekend.

• It’s great to see Lorne Bowman happy and healthy and back with the Badgers this season.

• Also...THERE IS REAL LIVE COLLEGE BASKETBALL TUESDAY NIGHT! THAT IS TONIGHT!!!!!!!

• Sarah Wozniewicz scored one goal and added two assists in Sunday’s 8-1 win over Bemidji State. Wozniewicz last earned Rookie of the Week on October 4 after leading UW to a sweep at Merrimack. She was also named WCHA Preseason Co-Rookie of the Year.

• Oh yeah, and the Badgers remained at No. 1.

• Oh, your favorite team doesn’t have the two best linebackers in the conference? Guess Wisconsin is just built different.

• Not blocking T.J. Watt is certainly one choice the Bears could’ve made on this play.

• If you get Garrett Groshek’s approval you’re golden here.

• The volleyball team remained at No. 4, while there is a new No. 1 (Louisville) who is the only undefeated team remaining in the top-25. Minnesota, Purdue, Ohio State and Nebraska are sitting in spots No. 8 through No. 11 while Penn State is No. 15 and Illinois remained at No. 25.
• Congratulations to Jake Kocorowski on all of his efforts.

• I received a well-rounded education at the University of Wisconsin.

• It was announced on Monday that the football game against Nebraska will be a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff. Hey! It’s better than another 11 a.m. kick!

• K’Andre Miller is a defenseman doing this lol!

• Wisconsin men’s cross country is a freaking dynasty. Congrats to Mick Byrne on his 11th (!!!) Big Ten Coach of the Year award.

• The Champions Classic tips-off on Tuesday night. You already know about Michigan State, so here is their preview of No. 3 Kansas!
• Gophers football fans are frustrated, but not ready to throw in the towel on the season yet.
• In shitty news, Rutgers KR/WR Aron Cruickshank will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury he suffered in the first quarter against the Badgers last weekend.
• I’m sure Michigan fans are totally cool with everything now that the Big Ten has admitted they made officiating errors in their game against Michigan State.
• Who do the clowns at Land-Grant Holy Land think will win the B1G West?
• Are...are the Hawkeyes making a change at quarterback??!!??
• Nebraska fired, like, everybody on the offensive coaching staff on Monday.
• On the opposite end of the spectrum, Scott Frost is going to be back for (at least) one more year. A Happy Scott Frost Day to us all!
• Here are three things Inside NU thinks you should know about the Badgers.