UW Curling Club sweeps to 2nd straight championship

The University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Curling Club clinched the USA Curling College National Championship for the second straight year last week, even after losing several players from last year’s team to graduation.

The UW curling club, started as a club sport just two years ago, defeated perennial curling power Michigan Tech 5-3 in the championship in Midland, Mich., on March 9. The team had gone 3-0 in pool play at the tournament, and then defeated Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute by identical 9-8 scores in the playoffs.

“I’m beyond excited for what the future holds and know that we are developing a program that will forever influence the UW–Madison student community and the future of collegiate curling in America,” said UW–Madison Curling Club president, Mason Maeder.

Curling is a team sport played on ice where two teams of four players take turns sliding heavy granite stones (rocks) towards a target (house) marked on the ice, aiming to get their stones closer to the center than the opposing team. Players sweep the ice in front of the stone with brooms to control the stone’s path and speed.

Members of the UW–Madison Curling team joined the program with varying levels of experience, but all possessed a passion for the sport.

Adriana Fisher, a freshman from Wausau, has had the sport in her blood for as long as she can remember.

“My grandparents have both curled for over 30 years and my parents have curled for over 10 years,” said Fisher. “Their love for the sport and competition made me love it just as much.”

Jacob Servais, a senior at UW–Madison, lost touch with the game after middle school but reclaimed it again once he came to campus.

“My love never faded despite an almost decade long hiatus, which ultimately brought me back to the sport after discovering the club in the fall of 2023,” said Servais.

The team had lost several players to graduation after the winning the 2024 title, so bringing new players on was a challenge, Maeder said. It was crucial for the team to test both new and returning players in different scenarios and positions.

“Building relationships between players was a necessary part of team development and required communication,” said Maeder.

This close-knit nature of the sport is something that the club’s president wishes more people knew about curling.

“We focus on being there for one another and maintaining a collaborative environment where each of us can grow and improve,” said Maeder. “It’s not just about winning titles; it’s about supporting each other and pushing ourselves to be better, on and off the ice.”

For the Badgers, 2024-2025 brought both.