Badger Connect Podcast

Wisconsin Basketball takes center stage on Episode 32 of the Badger Connect Podcast! Mike Heller sits down with Badgers forward Austin Rapp! Rapp shares more about his background, what led him to Wisconsin, his early impressions of this year’s team and his teammates, and what Badger fans can expect from him on the court this season. Get to know one of the stars of Wisconsin Basketball as the Badge...

Wisconsin Hockey takes center stage on Episode 31 of the Badger Connect Podcast! Mike Heller is joined by Badgers Joe Palodichuk and Zach Schulz for a conversation about life inside the Wisconsin Hockey program, their journeys to Madison, the chemistry inside the locker room, and what it means to wear the Cardinal and White. Get to know Joe and Zach away from the rink while also hearing their pers...

Wisconsin Football tight end Jacob Harris joins Mike Heller for Episode 30 of the Badger Connect Podcast! Harris takes fans inside his journey to Wisconsin, his development at tight end and what it takes to compete at the Big Ten level. He talks about life inside the Badgers program, his relationships with his teammates and coaches, and the work that goes on behind the scenes each week. Get to kno...

Wisconsin Women’s Basketball Head Coach Robin Pingeton joins Mike Heller for Episode 29 of the Badger Connect Podcast, and this time she’s joined by her husband, Rich! Robin and Rich talk about their journey together, the role basketball has played in their lives and what the opportunity to come to Wisconsin has meant for their family. Robin also discusses taking over the Badgers program, building...

Wisconsin Basketball Associate Head Coach Joe Krabbenhoft joins Mike Heller for Episode 28 of the Badger Connect Podcast! Krabbenhoft talks about the Badgers, his role on Greg Gard’s staff, the upcoming season and his journey from playing at Wisconsin to now coaching at his alma mater. And with Vikings-Packers coming up Sunday, the conversation couldn’t stay entirely on basketball. Joe is a Viking...

Wisconsin Football specialists take center stage on Episode 27 of the Badger Connect Podcast! Gavin Lahm and Sean West join Mike Heller to talk about their journeys to Wisconsin, life as specialists for the Badgers, and the work that goes into a part of the game that often only gets noticed when the pressure is on. Gavin and Sean share stories from inside the Wisconsin program, break down the uniq...

Wisconsin Football is a family affair on Episode 26 of the Badger Connect Podcast! Badgers linebacker Cooper Catalano is joined by his dad, Jim Catalano, for a special conversation with Mike Heller about Cooper’s football journey and the family behind it. Cooper talks about growing up around the game, his path to Wisconsin and what it means to play for the Badgers. Jim shares his perspective as a...

Two Wisconsin Volleyball legends join the Badger Connect Podcast! Lauren Carlini and Sydney Hilley sit down with Mike Heller to talk about their journeys at Wisconsin, the growth of the Badger Volleyball program and the experiences that helped shape their careers on and off the court. The two former Badger All-Americans look back on their time in Madison, share stories from inside the program and...

On Episode 24 of the Badger Connect Podcast , Mike Heller sits down with Wisconsin men’s hockey forward Oliver Tulk to discuss his path from Canada to Madison, adapting to college hockey, and what it means to wear the Motion W. Oliver shares stories from his hockey journey, life with his teammates, and the experiences that have shaped him both on and off the ice. Whether you’re a Badger hockey fan...

What does it take to build a championship culture behind the scenes? On Episode 23 of the Badger Connect Podcast , Mike Heller is joined by Kristen Simon for a conversation about the work that often goes unnoticed but plays a major role in Wisconsin Athletics. From her path to Madison to the relationships she’s built with student-athletes, Kristen shares what drives her every day and why she’s pas...

On Episode 22 of the Badger Connect Podcast , Mike Heller sits down with Wisconsin football teammates Matt Jung and Chris Brooks Jr. for a conversation that’s equal parts football and personality. From how their friendship developed to life inside the Badgers program, the two share stories, jokes, and a few moments fans probably haven’t heard before. If you’re looking for a laid-back conversation...

Wisconsin men’s hockey teammates Finn Brink and Grady Deering join Mike Heller on Episode 21 of the Badger Connect Podcast! The two Badgers discuss their paths to Madison, the culture inside the Wisconsin hockey program, what it’s like playing for Coach Hastings, and their goals for the upcoming season. They also share stories from the locker room, their friendship as teammates, and what Badger fa...

Episode 20 of the Badger Connect Podcast features Wisconsin Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst. Eichorst joins Mike Heller to discuss his return to Wisconsin, the experiences that prepared him to lead the athletic department, and his vision for the future of Badger Athletics. A Wisconsin native and former member of the UW Athletics administration, Eichorst returns to Madison after leadership rol...

Episode 19 | Abu Sama III Wisconsin’s newest running back, Abu Sama III , joins Mike Heller on Episode 19 of the Badger Connect Podcast. The explosive Iowa State transfer discusses why he chose Wisconsin, what drew him to Madison, his fit in Jeff Grimes’ offense, and what Badger fans can expect from him this season. Sama also reflects on his college journey, including his breakout performances at...

Episode 18 of the Badger Connect Podcast with Mike Heller features Wisconsin men’s basketball players Hayden Jones and Jackson Ball. Two of the newest members of the Badger basketball program join Mike Heller to discuss their journeys to Madison, adjusting to life as Division I student-athletes, and what excites them most about the future of Wisconsin Basketball. In this conversation, Hayden and J...

Episode 17 of the Badger Connect Podcast with Mike Heller features Wisconsin hockey legend Ron Vincent. Recently named to the University of Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2026, Vincent looks back on his remarkable Badger career, including winning the 1981 NCAA National Championship, playing for legendary coach Bob Johnson, and the lifelong friendships formed during one of the greatest er...

Wisconsin Track & Field and Cross Country has a new leader, and it’s a familiar name for Badger fans. On Episode 16 of the Badger Connect Podcast, Mike Heller sits down with Chris Solinsky, the newly appointed Director of Track & Field and Cross Country at Wisconsin. One of the most decorated student-athletes in Wisconsin history, Solinsky returns to Madison after successful coaching stops at Oreg...

Episode 15: Chris Clark | Director of Rowing For nearly three decades, Chris Clark helped shape one of the most successful programs in Wisconsin Athletics history. Now serving as Wisconsin's Director of Rowing, Clark joins Mike Heller to discuss his remarkable journey, the evolution of Badger rowing, and what makes Wisconsin such a special place to build a championship culture. In this episode, Ch...

Episode 14 of the Badger Connect Podcast features Wisconsin Men’s Basketball players Zach Kinziger and Will Garlock. Zach and Will join Mike Heller to discuss their basketball journeys, what led them to Wisconsin, and their experiences inside the program. The conversation covers their player development, team culture, life as a Badger student-athlete, and what fans can expect from the future of Wi...

Episode 13 of the Badger Connect Podcast features Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph and his father, David Joseph. Colton joins Mike Heller to discuss his journey from Old Dominion to Wisconsin after a breakout season that earned him Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year honors. The conversation dives into his dual-threat playing style, adapting to Madison, and the excitement surrounding the futu...

On Episode 12 of the Badger Connect Podcast, Mike Heller sits down with Wisconsin Football Director of Recruiting Pat Lambert. Pat shares insights into the recruiting process at Wisconsin, the changing landscape of college football, and what it takes to identify and bring elite talent to the Badgers. Watch the full episode on YouTube  #onwisconsin #badgers #badgerconnect #wisconsin #wisconsinfootb...

Former Wisconsin Basketball standout Brian Butch joins the Badger Connect Podcast to announce his new role as the Badger Connect Communities Relations Coordinator. In this episode, Brian joins Mike Heller to discuss the launch of Badger Connect Communities, a new statewide initiative focused on connecting Wisconsin schools and communities with Wisconsin Athletics through exclusive content, experie...

Your inside connection to Wisconsin athletics. Each week, Mike Heller sits down with Badger athletes, coaches, and legends to bring fans closer to the programs they love. New episodes drop every Thursday. Join the community at BadgerConnect.com

Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Thomas joins the show. Mike Heller sits down with Joe on location at Six Springs Farm, the home of his “Hall of Fame Beef,” for a wide-ranging conversation that goes beyond football. Joe reflects on his journey from Wisconsin to the NFL, what it took to sustain a Hall of Fame career, and the mindset behind his success. The conversation also dives into life after foot...

Former Wisconsin Basketball standout and current assistant coach Brad Davison joins the show. Brad sits down with Mike Heller to reflect on his time as a Badger, the moments that defined his playing career, and what it meant to wear Wisconsin across five seasons. He shares insight into the mindset that helped him compete at a high level and the leadership that made him a staple of the program. Now...