2 team in the Big Ten preseason poll, slotting in only behind the Nebraska Cornhuskers, who were a unanimous selection for the top spot. Rounding out the top five after Wisconsin were Penn State, Purdue, and Minnesota to set the tone for a competitive Big Ten. Now, in 2026, the Badgers have a younger team with a star-studded freshman class. But they do still have two players who were nominated to the preseason All-Big Ten team: Fuerbringer and transfer Jaela Auguste. There were 19 total players named to the preseason All-Big Ten team, with Nebraska and Purdue each having three selections.