(BIG TEN) – The Wisconsin men’s basketball team announced its 2026-27 non-conference schedule on Monday as the Badgers will tip off their season on Monday, Nov. 2 at the Kohl Center against Denver.
Wisconsin’s non-conference slate is highlighted by:
- Heading to the Bahamas to take part in the Baha Mar Invitational (Nov. 19-20).
- Playing at Marquette on Dec. 5 at Fiserv Forum.
- Traveling to Philadelphia to take on Villanova in the Philly Hoops Showdown (Dec. 12).
- Playing Auburn in Nashville as a part of the Bad Boy Mowers Series – Nashville (Dec. 19).
Wisconsin will open the season with three exhibitions, taking on UW-Parkside at the Kohl Center on Oct. 10, heading north to face Green Bay on Oct. 15, and wrapping up the exhibition schedule at the Kohl Center against Oklahoma State on Oct. 27.
Game times and TV designations will be announced at a later date.
Single-game tickets are scheduled to go on sale to the general public in early October.
The Badgers’ home schedule features 17 regular-season contests, including 10 Big Ten Conference tilts.
Wisconsin Men’s Basketball 2026-27 Non-Conference Schedule
Saturday, Oct. 10 – UW-Parkside (Exhibition)
Thursday, Oct. 15 – at Green Bay (Exhibition)
Tuesday, Oct. 27 – Oklahoma State (Exhibition)
Monday, Nov. 2 – Denver
Friday, Nov. 6 – Delaware
Tuesday, Nov. 10 – Fairfield
Sunday, Nov. 15 – Coastal Carolina
Thursday, Nov. 19 – vs. NC State/Seton Hall (Baha Mar Championship)
Friday, Nov. 20 – vs. NC State/Seton Hall (Baha Mar Championship)
Wednesday, Nov. 25 – Northeastern
Saturday, Dec. 5 – at Marquette
Saturday, Dec. 12 – vs. Villanova (Philly Hoops Showdown)
Saturday, Dec. 19 – vs. Auburn (Bad Boy Mower’s Series – Nashville)
Tuesday, Dec. 22 – Purdue Fort-Wayne
Wednesday, Dec. 30 – Colorado State
UW’s exact conference schedule will be announced later this summer. The following is a breakdown of which Big Ten Conference teams the Badgers will face during the 2026-27 season:
HOME
Illinois*, Indiana, Iowa*, Michigan, Minnesota*, Nebraska, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, Washington
AWAY
Illinois*, Iowa*, Maryland, Michigan State, Minnesota*, Northwestern, Ohio State, Rutgers, UCLA, USC
* home and away opponent
The Big Ten season will conclude with the 30th annual Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament, which is scheduled for March 9-14 at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Women’s soccer picked for fourth: Wisconsin has been selected to finish fourth in the 2026 Big Ten Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll, the conference announced Monday. The Badgers also placed three student-athletes on the Big Ten Players to Watch list, with senior defender Hailey Baumann, sophomore defender Kiara Gilmore, and senior goalkeeper Drew Stover earning the distinction. The trio was also recently named to the 2026 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List, recognizing them among the nation’s top players entering the season.
Stover returns after starting all 22 matches in goal for the Badgers in 2025, playing 1,980 minutes while recording 61 saves, 10 shutouts and a .762 save percentage. A two-time Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week, she earned Second Team All-Big Ten and United Soccer Coaches All-North Region Second Team honors after helping Wisconsin rank among the conference’s top defensive teams.
Baumann enters her senior season after anchoring Wisconsin’s back line in 2025. She started all 22 matches, logging 1,947 minutes while contributing one goal and three assists. To top off an impressive defensive season she earned Second Team All-Big Ten recognition.
Gilmore made an immediate impact during her freshman campaign, starting 21 matches and totaling 1,801 minutes while tallying four assists, the most among Wisconsin defenders. She earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors, was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in her debut season.
The Badgers were picked fourth in the Big Ten preseason poll behind Michigan State, UCLA and Washington. Ohio State rounded out the top five, followed by Penn State, USC, Northwestern, Illinois and Iowa.
The complete 2026 Big Ten Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll and Players to Watch can be found below.
2026 Big Ten Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll
1. Michigan State
2. UCLA
3. Washington
4. Wisconsin
5. Ohio State
6. Penn State
7. USC
8. Northwestern
9. Illinois
10. Iowa
11. Michigan
12. Nebraska
13. Purdue
14. Minnesota
15. Rutgers
16. Indiana
17. Maryland
18. Oregon
2026 Big Ten Women’s Soccer Players to Watch
Izzy Lee, 5th-Yr., GK, Illinois
Cayla Jackson, Jr., F, Illinois
Emma Yee, Jr., F, Illinois
Emily Graham, So., F, Indiana
Piper Coffield, R-Sr., D, Indiana
Aleyna Quinn, R-Jr., F, Indiana
Elle Wildman, So., MF, Iowa
Sofia Bush, Sr., MF, Iowa
Millie Greer, Sr., D, Iowa
Mckinley Heaven, So., F, Maryland
Faith Luckey, Sr., GK, Maryland
Lisa McIntyre, Sr., MF, Maryland
Ella Jablinskey, Jr., F, Michigan
Campbell Jewell, Sr., D, Michigan
Ellie Fife, Jr., D, Michigan
Kennedy Bell, Sr., F, Michigan State
Kayla Briggs, Sr., MF, Michigan State
Bella Najera, Sr., MF, Michigan State
Sarah Martin, R-Jr., GK, Minnesota
Caroline Birdsell, R-Jr., F, Minnesota
Taylor Heimerl, Sr., D, Minnesota
Ella Rudney, Sr., F, Nebraska
Kayma Carpenter, Sr., F/D, Nebraska
Ella Guyott, Sr., D, Nebraska
Kennedy Roesch, Jr., F, Northwestern
Megan Norkett, Sr., F, Northwestern
Keira Kemmerley, So., MF, Northwestern
Amanda Schlueter, Sr., MF, Ohio State
Ava Bramblett, Sr., D, Ohio State
Ava Greco, Jr., MF, Ohio State
Carly Cormack, Jr., MF, Oregon
Ellie Felt, So., F, Oregon
Lauren Kenny, Sr., D, Oregon
Molly Martin, Sr., MF, Penn State
Mackenzie Gress, Sr., GK, Penn State
Aubrey Kulpa, Jr., F, Penn State
Irene Campo, Sr., MF, Purdue
Jaiden Anderson, Jr., F, Purdue
Megan Santa Cruz, Sr., MF, Purdue
Gabriela Gil, R-Jr., MF, Rutgers
Olivia Bodmer, R-Sr., GK, Rutgers
Ashley Baran, Sr., F, Rutgers
Olivia Woodson, Sr., F, UCLA
Leena Powell, So., F, UCLA
Grace Shank, So., MF, UCLA
Annabel Austen, Gr., GK, USC
Mary Cochran, Gr., MF, USC
Alyssa Parsons, Fr., F, USC
Alex Buck, Jr., F, Washington
Tanner Ijams, R-So., GK, Washington
Lucy Newlin, 5th-Yr., MF, Washington
Hailey Baumann, Sr., D, Wisconsin
Kiara Gilmore, So., D, Wisconsin
Drew Stover, Sr., GK, Wisconsin
Volleyball tv schedule unveiled: The 2026 Wisconsin volleyball regular season schedule will feature 16 matches broadcasted on national television. This season’s networks include the Big Ten Network, ESPN, Fox and FS1.
The Badgers will kick off the season on Fox against Louisville on August 22nd for the AVCA First Serve in Milwaukee, Wis. Wisconsin will also be televised on FOX on October 10 at Nebraska.
For the Opening Spike Classic in Pittsburgh, Penn., matches against Standford and Pitt will televise on ESPN2 and ESPN.
This year’s FS1 appearances will be against Florida (Sept. 2), Auburn (Sept. 3), Michigan (Oct. 25), and Penn State (Nov. 8).
Lastly, matches on the Big Ten Network include Marquette (Sept. 17), Purdue (Sept. 27), Indiana (Oct. 1), Minnesota (Oct. 4), Illinois (Oct. 8), Iowa (Oct. 18), and Washington (Oct. 23).
All additional conference matches will be on B1G+, this includes the Alumni Match on August 8 and the exhibition against Butler on August 14.
Additional times and television designations may be added and announced at later date.
A football dark horse: Most predictions place Badgers football in the lower half of the Big Ten Conference standings.
Oddsmakers project Wisconsin’s win total at six and a half.
CBS Sports analyst Tom Fornelli is more optimistic.
He says coach Luke Fickell’s defense was excellent last year, but injuries decimated the offense.
Fornelli calls the Badgers a “dark horse” competitor in the Big Ten. He points to a much-improved rushing attack and a better schedule.
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