The Big Ten is already putting Nolan Winter in elite company.
With Wisconsin’s season just days from opening its exhibition schedule, the Badgers forward has been named to the conference’s preseason All-Big Ten Team, a sign that his rise in Madison has not gone unnoticed. Winter is one of 11 players on the list, and the only Wisconsin name included.
That recognition comes after a steady climb through his first three seasons. Winter put together his most productive year in 2025-26, posting career-best numbers across the board: 13.1 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 56.9 percent from the field. He did it while dealing with injuries, which makes the production stand out even more.
Now he’s back after offseason surgery and poised to carry an even bigger load. With this being his fourth season in the program, Winter could end up as the defining piece of a Wisconsin roster that looks different in the backcourt but familiar up front.
The Badgers have reworked things around him, adding Owen Foxwell, Trey Autry and Eian Elmer to the projected starting lineup. But Winter remains the anchor in the frontcourt, and the preseason honor reflects the expectation that he can be one of the best big men in the Big Ten - and in the country.
The full preseason All-Big Ten Team includes Fears and Sandfort, who were unanimous selections. Fears was also named the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year.
Wisconsin will get its first exhibition look at Winter and the new roster soon enough, beginning with UW-Parkside at the Kohl Center on October 10th. The Badgers also face UW-Green Bay on October 15th and Oklahoma State on October 27th.
In Other News...
Wisconsin's Frontcourt Suddenly Carries A Bigger Burden Than Expected
Wisconsin entered the summer expecting its frontcourt to be a strength, but the offseason has looked different than planned. Nolan Winter and Austin Rapp have both missed significant practice time because of injuries and surgeries, leaving the Badgers to lean more heavily on size, defense and development work as they try to rebound from last seasons early NCAA Tournament exit.
The silver lining has been extra runway for Will Garlock and Victory Onuetu, two players who have taken advantage of the opening and made noticeable progress over the summer. Even so, the Badgers still do not have clarity on Winter and Rapp for the upcoming exhibition game, which keeps the frontcourt picture a little unsettled just as Wisconsin wants to establish a stronger interior foundation. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin's Bye Week Comes With A Big Ten Reality Check
Wisconsins lone bye week arrives in Week 6 with the Badgers riding a four-game winning streak, but it also serves as a reminder that the schedule is about to get a lot less forgiving. The break gives the staff a chance to regroup and reset after a strong start, even as the next month looms with a heavier dose of Big Ten pressure and a chance to see where Wisconsin really stands.
UCLA, USC and Iowa headline the stretch that follows, a run that should say plenty about the caliber of the competition ahead and how the league race is taking shape. The Bruins and Trojans bring fresh Big Ten intrigue, while Iowa remains the kind of familiar test that can still expose any soft spots, making this bye week feel less like downtime and more like the calm before a real reality check. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin's Transfer Debate Is Already Heating Up Through Five Games
Through five games, Wisconsins transfer class is already shaping the way this season is being judged. A fresh ranking of the top seven incoming additions puts several names in the spotlight on both sides of the ball, with quarterback Colton Joseph, defensive backs Javan Robinson and Jacob Harris, and other newcomers helping define what the Badgers have gotten out of the portal so far. For a team trying to balance immediate production with longer-term roster building, the early returns offer a useful snapshot of where the staff hit and where it still has work to do.
The evaluation also makes clear that this group is not finished taking shape. Some transfers have already carved out real roles, while others are still working back toward full health and could factor in more heavily as the season moves along. That leaves the conversation open-ended in a way Wisconsin fans know well: the early standings in any transfer debate can change fast once the schedule tightens and the depth chart starts to settle. [Read more 🡒]