The Badger Backer Roundup: NCAA Tournament Begins, Nolan Winter Injury Update, and Spring Ball Kickoff
Wisconsin earns a No. 5 seed in Portland, Nolan Winter provides a major injury boost, and Wisconsin football looks to add two commits in the near future.
Things are heating up in Madison for the Wisconsin Badgers.
Basketball is heading out West for the first round of the NCAA Tournament. After a long offseason, the football team is about to put the pads back on and get spring practices rolling, while recruiting is starting to take off. And both the men’s and women’s golf teams are in full swing.
🏀Basketball: The Tournament Begins
The bracket is set, and the Badgers (24-10) are heading West. After a gritty run to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, where they fell just short in a 68-65 nail-biter to top-seeded Michigan, Wisconsin has earned a No. 5 seed in the West Region.
The Matchup: Wisconsin will face No. 12 High Point in Portland. Tip-off is scheduled for Thursday, March 19, at 12:50 PM CT.
Injury Update: Greg Gard provided a massive lift on Monday, noting that both Nolan Winter (ankle) and Jack Janicki were “full-go” in practice drills. While they haven’t resumed full contact, their participation in full-court skeleton drills suggests both will be available for Thursday’s opener.
🚨 CUT THE NETS SPECIAL: 80% OFF! 🚨
The Big Dance is here, and there is no better time to join our community. For a limited time, you can get 80% OFF an annual subscription to The Badger Backer. Get every deep dive, injury update, and insider analysis for the price of a cup of coffee.
Subscribe here to unlock the prediction and save 80%!
🏈 Football: Spring Ball & Commit Watch
The pads go on this week! Wisconsin officially kicks off spring practice on Thursday, March 19.
The Schedule: 15 practices running through April 30. Note: There is no “Spring Showcase” for fans this year, but the April 25 scrimmage is the one to circle for “insider” reports.
The Sorgi Watch: 4-star QB Jack Sorgi has officially decommitted from Louisville. With predictions trending heavily toward Madison, look for a potential homecoming announcement soon.
Cole Reiter on Commit Watch: 4-star offensive lineman Cole Reiter (Germantown, WI) is expected to commit this month. The Badgers have been viewed as a favorite for a long time, but some blue-bloods, including Michigan, have recently offered the Wisconsin prospect.
New Year, New Number: With a new season and a slew of new players, number changes are hard to keep track of. Here’s an updated list of number changes heading into the new season.
Wisconsin Football@BadgerFootballnew players ➡️ new numbers
8:32 PM · Mar 11, 2026 · 16.4K Views5 Replies · 21 Reposts · 131 Likes
⛳ Golf: Arizona Desert & Georgia Grinds
It was a split-site weekend for the Badger golfers as they navigated the spring break slate.
Women’s Golf: After a 7th-place finish at the Shootout at Wachesaw, the team is currently in Tucson for the MountainView Collegiate. Senior Alexia Siehl continues to lead the pack, looking to build on her top-15 finish in Myrtle Beach.
Men’s Golf: The men finished 8th at the Schenkel Invitational in Georgia. Jacob Beckman was the standout, finishing 12th overall at 5-under par. Sophomore Jason Shwartz also climbed 14 spots on the final day to secure a top-25 finish.
Wisconsin Men's Golf@BadgerMGolfAn encouraging week down South 👏 Special thank you to everyone in Statesboro for their support. We’re back next week in Arizona at the Pay It Forward Collegiate! #OnWisconsin x @SchenkelInvite
9:32 PM · Mar 15, 2026 · 310 Views1 Reply · 5 Likes
🥎Softball: B1G Opener Struggles
The Wisconsin Softball team (14-10 overall, 0-3 B1G) opened conference play with a tough road trip to Los Angeles. The Badgers were swept by No. 7 UCLA, struggling to contain a Bruins offense that used the mercy rule in two of the three games (5-14, 0-8, 9-16).
The Bright Spot: Alivia Bark and Emily Bojan continue to be a formidable duo at the top of the lineup, with Bojan extending her on-base streak to 22 games. She is hitting .400 with 4 HRs, 14 RBIs, and 30 runs scored.
Up Next: A much-needed bye week before heading to Penn State on March 20.
It means a lot to have you here at The Badger Backer. I’m passionate about digging deep into Wisconsin football and basketball, and your readership makes it all worthwhile. Catch up on previous posts or ensure you don’t miss anything by subscribing below! Let’s keep the Badger conversation going!
Follow me on ‘X’ @christianborman and @thebadgerbacker!