No, that isn’t a typo. Wisconsin men’s hockey coach Tony Granato is set to receive his degree this Saturday. After leaving Madison just a few credits short of a degree, and with an NHL career to worry about, Granato never got the chance the graduate. After returning to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to coach his alma mater, he finally found the time to finish his studies.
The stars aligned for Granato when the Badgers came calling last spring, looking for a new head coach. The former Badger took this as an opportunity to not only coach where he once played, but to continue his studies as well. It was even reported that he was taking a class on coaching. Whether that correlates to success on the ice, well, only time can tell.
As for the team on the ice, the 2017-18 schedule was recently announced. Some highlights include a trip to Boston College, and the University of North Dakota will be in Madison for two games in early November. Additionally, Notre Dame has joined the Big Ten Conference for hockey, meaning Wisconsin will play twice in South Bend while the Irish will come to Madison for two games as well.