Student athletes lock in on academics during the summer

Wisconsin athletes know that every season counts, including summer. And for any student who’s trying to balance school, friends and occasional exercise, the same mentality applies.

Braeden Carrington of the Wisconsin men’s basketball team encourages fellow Badgers to bring an athlete’s mindset to their academics. 

“The champion’s mentality is doing all the little things to get to the big end goal, and that means using your time in the summer to get ahead,” Braeden says. “If you can stay consistent, you’re going to be very successful in your time in college.”

The champion’s mentality is doing all the little things to get to the big end goal, and that means using your time in the summer to get ahead.

Braeden Carrington

former Wisconsin men’s basketball player

For over 140 years, students have been taking advantage of the best season in Madison to get ahead on their degree, lock in on challenging courses or stay on track to graduate at the same time as their peers. 

Don’t mistake summer for the off-season. Every student should have a Summer Term game plan, whether that’s taking a summer course, traveling or gaining real-world experience through internships (or all of the above). 

See what student athletes had to say about their experience with Summer Term. 

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Braeden Carrington

Former Wisconsin men’s basketball senior guard (Graduating Summer 2026)

After transferring twice during his college career, Braeden needed to lock in on his academics in order to stay on track for graduation.

Last summer he took a course called Videogames & Learning, which explores how videogames and gaming culture shapes how people think.

Braeden appreciated learning the deeper meaning behind videogames and never minded doing the homework, which was (sometimes) playing videogames. It’s one of the many online courses available during Summer Term, and yes, it’s being offered again this year.

Online courses like this one gave Braeden the flexibility he needed to balance studying, training and taking care of his two dogs, Nala and Blue.

Braeden, Nala and Blue enjoy walking on the Lakeshore Path and taking advantage of the easy access to nature here on campus. 

“I have two dogs, so obviously I like to get out and see nature,” Braeden says. “I couldn’t ask for a better place to have my last year.” 

For anyone thinking of taking a Summer Term course, Braeden’s advice is this: “Take that summer course, because it’s really going to help you. It’s going to make your life easier.”

Ronnie Porter

Former Wisconsin women’s basketball senior guard (Graduated May 2026)

Ronnie Porter of the Wisconsin women’s basketball team brings the same intensity to her coursework as she does to her sport.

“School is big for me, so I’m going 110%,” Ronnie says. “I treat my academics just as well as I would treat a game—a big game, a game I want to win.” 

Like many Summer Term students, Ronnie used Summer Term to lock in on a challenging course. For her, that was a statistics course that’s required for her major in Human Development and Family Studies. 

It was really good for me to be able to take that hard class in the summer. I had more time to think about my work, get it done, and put more effort into it.

Ronnie

former Wisconsin women’s basketball player

“It was really good for me to be able to take that hard class in the summer. I had more time to think about my work, get it done, and put more effort into it,” Ronnie says. 

Reflecting on her time at UW–Madison, Ronnie’s advice for her fellow Badgers is to take your academics seriously and make every minute count, including summer.

Logan Hensler

Wisconsin men’s hockey junior defenseman

Logan’s academic career has been much like his hockey career: He always seems to be one step ahead.

Logan was among the small but growing number of students who take summer courses before the start of their freshman year. These early start sessions help incoming students get a feel for collegiate academics while also getting a jumpstart on degree requirements.   

Logan says Summer Term is like a warm-up for the semester, helping him build a consistent routine and good study habits while still having flexibility to enjoy his summer.

“The ability to get some credits out of the way before I started my first semester of college was really huge for me to get warmed up and ready to go for the school year,” Logan says.

Going into the next semester with a lighter load is huge.

Logan Hensler

Wisconsin men’s hockey defenseman

Logan sees Summer Term as a competitive advantage, allowing him to take a lighter course load during his season and “play more free” on the ice. 

“I feel a lot less stressed when some of my credits are already taken care of,” Logan says. “Going into the next semester with a lighter load is huge.” 

Logan’s advice to fellow Badgers is to spread your credits out over Fall, Spring and Summer Term, so you have time to enjoy the little things, like summer nights at the Terrace. Because even the ambitious types need to stop and smell Lake Mendota once in a while. 

Kristen Simon

Wisconsin volleyball sophomore libero

On the volleyball court, Kristen Simon, sophomore libero for the Wisconsin volleyball team, is known for her quiet discipline, preferring to let her digs speak for themselves.

But during the summer months, she likes to let down her ponytail and relax by the lake, try new restaurants and branch out with new hobbies, like painting. 

Last summer, she took Introduction to Art, where students get to learn fundamentals and practice with different mediums like watercolor, oil pastels and acrylic paint. 

Taking an elective in the summer was super nice because I could get my work done and then just go explore, have fun with my friends and get to experience Madison.

Kristen Simon

Wisconsin volleyball sophomore libero

The course is offered online, but the homework requires you to touch grass – or rather, draw it. According to Kristen, the assignments included drawing a favorite scene and capturing multiple sunsets side-by-side. 

“It was so fun to explore something I probably wouldn’t have gotten to do in the Fall term, when I would have been so busy,” Kristen says. 

For Kristen, Summer Term is an opportunity to enjoy life in Madison at a slower pace, which she can’t always do with her demanding training schedule. 

“Taking an elective in the summer was super nice because I could get my work done and then just go explore, have fun with my friends and get to experience Madison,” Kristen says. “I loved the flexibility and the freedom of taking a class, but still having that social life and being able to go hang out with friends.”

Kristen’s advice for fellow Badgers considering Summer Term is – to borrow the iconic Nike slogan – just do it.   

Make every season count with Summer Term

It’s not just athletes who rely on Summer Term, over 10,000+ students take advantage of summer sessions to:

• Get ahead on required credits
• Lock in on a challenging course
• Catch up after a personal setback
• Stay on track to graduate with their friends

It’s never too early to start game planning for summer. Follow @uwsummer on Instagram to see how fellow Badgers are making their summer count, and share your game plan using #MyBadgerSummer.