(UW ATHLETICS) – Sophomore defenseman Luke Osburn and junior forward Gavin Morrissey earned recognition on the preseason All-Big Ten teams voted on by Conference coached and announced on Wednesday. Osburn earned preseason All-Big Ten First-Team honors, while Morrissey earned second-team accolades.
Osburn is coming off an impressive freshman season. The Buffalo Sabres draft pick finished with six goals and 21 points to rank second among defensemen on the roster in goals and points and second among UW freshmen in scoring. Obsburn’s 21 points are the most a UW freshman defenseman has earned since NHLer K’Andre Miller posted five goals and 22 points during the 2018-19 season. He finished fourth in the country among freshmen defensemen in scoring and sparked UW’s two-goal comeback against Michigan State in the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament Worcester regional final on March 28. He received Big Ten All-Big Ten Honorable Mention and Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors for his contributions last season.
Morrissey, who was part of the 2026 Worcester Regional All-Tournament Team, scoring the game-tying goal in the Regional Final in the Badgers’ overtime comeback victory over Michigan State, is not new to honors. He led the 2025-26 roster with a career-high 27 assists and 36 points; hit 30 points for the second-straight year; tied for fifth with nine goals; tied for second with four power-play goals and three game-winning goals; and posted 54 shots and 21 blocks on the season. Morrissey tied for 14th in the country with 0.77 assists-per-game and 16th in the nation with 27 assists. He also ranked fourth in the nation for faceoffs won and fifth in the conference in faceoff percentage among those who took at least 50 faceoffs. Last season, he earned Academic All-Big Ten honors. One of this year’s tri-captains, Morrissey also won the team’s Dr. Joseph Coyne/Joe Pavelski Most Consistent Player and the Ivan B. Williamson Scholastic Awards.
The Big Ten also rolled out its preseason rankings placing the Badgers at No. 3 just behind No. 2 Michigan State, who Wisconsin defeated in overtime to secure a spot in the NCAA Frozen Four. Michigan was picked by league coaches to win the league.
Last year the Badgers landed at No. 5 in the preseason poll and finished the Big Ten season in fourth place.
Wisconsin opens the season on Friday, Oct. 2, at the Kohl Center against Robert Morris. The puck drops at 8 p.m., while Saturday’s Game 2 on Oct. 3, begins at 7 p.m. CT
The Badgers open Big Ten play on Friday, Oct. 30, against Notre Dame.
Big Ten Preseason Poll
1.) Michigan
2.) Michigan State
3.) Wisconsin
4.) Minnesota
5.) Ohio State
6.) Notre Dame
7.) Penn State
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