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More than 200 coaches and leaders seated at round tables inside Camp Randall Stadium for the 2026 BIOS Leadership and Coaching Symposium.

Recap: 2026 BIOS Leadership & Coaching Symposium

More than 200 coaches and leaders gathered at Camp Randall Stadium for our 5th Annual BIOS Leadership and Coaching Symposium, a day of culture-building, research, and inspiration.

BIOS Verified: Research-Informed Sport Practice

Badger Inquiry on Sport (BIOS) conducts research on athletics and serves as a catalyst for great research and sport in Wisconsin and beyond. Through BIOS Verified, BIOS partners with sports programs across the state to strengthen practice, connect research to the everyday work of coaches and leaders, and build deeper relationships across Wisconsin. What is [...]

Yvette Healy, head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers softball team, energetically addresses her players in a dugout huddle during a game. She is wearing a red Wisconsin visor, sunglasses, and a red vest, surrounded by players in white and red Badgers uniforms.

Leading the Pack: Rebuilding with Purpose with Yvette Healy

Yvette Healy on rebuilding a program with purpose — and why the beginner’s mindset never really goes away.

Pictured is Cassaundra Thorpe. Cassaundra is smiling and wearing a gray scarf.

Leading the Pack: Building Leaders in College Athletics with Cassaundra Thorpe

Cassaundra Thorpe on developing leaders in college athletics — and what it really takes to build a career doing it.

Women's Golf Head Coach, Todd Oehrlein, is wearing a red jacket with a red hat. He is speaking to a player who is wearing a black jacket and a red visor. He is holding a range finder and they are on a golf course. The grass is green and there's brush in the background. There are golf clubs next to Todd.

Leading the Pack: Data, Analytics, and the Art of Coaching with Todd Oehrlein

Todd Oehrlein on data, analytics, and the psychology of performance — and how coaches across every sport can find the right balance.

Picture of Camp Randall and Barry Alverez Field. The stadium is full of fans, mostly in red. The fans are watching a football game.

Register: 2026 BIOS Leadership & Coaching Symposium

Save the date — the 5th Annual BIOS Leadership & Coaching Symposium is June 23, 2026 at Camp Randall Stadium. This year’s theme: Building Culture and Developing Your People.

Three people stand on a football field inside Camp Randall Stadium. From left, Maria Dehnert, Peter Miller, and Sara Jimenez Soffa pose for a photo.

UW BIOS Featured in School of Education and On Wisconsin Magazines

BIOS was featured in the UW School of Education and On Wisconsin magazines — a look at our groundbreaking research on the science of leadership in sport.

Posed is Andres Iniesta. He is facing the camera standing in a black suit jacket and a white shirt. He is holding out a soccer ball with his right hand. He is smiling.

BIOS Certificate in Next-Level Leadership with Andrés Iniesta

The Badger Inquiry on Sport (BIOS) Research Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison presents the BIOS Certificate in Next-Level Leadership, an innovative certificate program designed for current and aspiring sports leaders. Taught collaboratively by UW Sports Leadership Professor Jordi Díaz Gibson and football legend Andrés Iniesta, this certificate combines rigorous academic research with elite, practical experience.

Overhead shot of the BIOS Symposium. Tables are seen from the floor above with white linen table clothes. Lights hang from the ceilings and there are papers, pens, and soda drinks on the tables. The lights are red and white. There is a stage with people standing on it at the top left of the picture.

2024 BIOS Leadership and Coaching Symposium – Innovative Coaching in a Changing World

On Thursday, June 27, Camp Randall Stadium opened its’ doors for the 3rd Annual BIOS Leadership and Coaching Symposium. At the third annual BIOS Symposium, we aim to grow as leaders and, in-turn, impact our teams in positive ways on and off the field. Leadership matters. Coaching matters. We aim to support the development of […]

Pictured center is Dr. Peter Miller, BIOS Director and Professor of Education. Dr. Miller is wearing a black sweatshirt. He is wearing glasses. He is talking with his hands. Next to Dr. Miller, is a male student with glasses, dark hair, and a black sweatshirt. Also can be seen are the back of a woman's head. Her hands are crossed and she has brown hair. The table the group is sitting at has open laptops.

Our 2024 Spring Semester: BIOS Projects and Inquiries

It was an exciting and productive semester for Badger Inquiry on Sport (BIOS)! Our team was busy working at the intersection of research and sport. We produced some innovative research, visited hundreds of campus, school and community sites, recruited world-leading scholars as BIOS Fellows, and crafted a research agenda for the year ahead. Athletics and […]

A Basic guide to student athletes with type 1 diabetes.

Does your student-athlete have Type 1 diabetes? A basic guide for coaches whose student-athletes have Type 1 diabetes

There are many things that coaches and student-athletes worry about throughout a season, but one item that isn’t always addressed is the chronic health needs of student-athletes. Specifically, student-athletes with Type 1 diabetes. William Kugler, a senior at Madison West High School, recognized that some coaches may not know about Type 1 diabetes and, therefore, […]

Pete Miller, Kathy Allen, and Josie Schaefer stand posing for a picture. They are standing in front of a window and Kathy Allen is in the middle. Kathy is holding a Bell Cow.

Bell Cow Award: Kathy Cemensky Allen, a trailblazer for girls in sport

Bell Cow leaders provide us a model from whom we can learn deeply and meaningfully about coaching. The term “Bell Cow” is not just a catchy reference to Wisconsin’s proud dairy heritage, but a useful metaphor for leadership. Tradition has it that farmers have been known place a large bell around the neck of the […]

Posted head shot of Jennifer McClearen. Jennifer is in front of a blue background. She is wearing a gray shirt with a white blazer.

Female Athletes and the Hierarchies of Networked Sports Media

On Thursday, April 20, BIOS and the UW Department of Communication Arts. co-hosted Dr. Jennifer McClearen of the University of Texas Austin at Camp Randall Stadium. McClearen is a feminist media scholar whose research examines the cultural production of identity and difference in popular media with a specific interest in sports media industries. She probes […]

Dr. Faisal Abdu'Allah portrait. Faisal is wearing a black turtleneck with a black leather jacket. He is in the forefront of the photo and behind him is a photograph of a half face of a young child.

Finding Meaning at the Intersection of art and sport

Dr. Faisal Abdu’Allah joined BIOS to share his story on the intersection of athletics and art. Dr. Abdu’Allah was a high-level soccer player and discussed how his identities as an athlete and artist came together.

Making sports historical: The experience gained from two classes

BIOS welcomed UW Department of History Professor and former UW Athletic Board Chair, Dr. David McDonald, to Camp Randall Stadium on Thursday to hear how and what makes sports matter in history.

Posed head shot of Dr. Ann Sheehy. It is a gray background and Ann is centered in the photo. She is wearing a white shirt with a gray blazer.

Facing an Unknown Future in College Sports: Reflections from a Year in the Speaker’s Office

The 2023 Spring BIOS Seminar Series kicked-off on Friday, Feb. 24 with Dr. Ann Sheehy. Dr. Sheehy is an Associate Professor and Division Head of Hospital Medicine in the Department of Medicine and Public Health. Dr. Sheehy is also UW Athletic Board Chair, Faculty - Athletic Board, FAR to the Big Ten & NCAA, Student-Athlete Disciplinary [...]

Four Big Ideas: Volume 1

BIOS is an action-packed lab. In 2022, we hosted over 25 research seminars, poured over hundreds of research articles, explored cutting-edge sports innovations, initiated a state-wide study of coaching, and picked the brains of leading athletics experts across multiple disciplines. In concert with our aims to improve athletics though research, we’ve synthesized some of the [...]

Photo of Dr. Julie Stamm. Julie has her hair down and is crossing her arms leaning up against a tree. She is in a black shirt wearing a necklace and there is grass and paved blacktop in the background.

How Many Concussions Have You Had? Early Lessons from a Study of Professional Rugby Players

On Wednesday, November 2, BIOS welcomed Dr. Julie Stamm, Professor of Kinesiology, to discuss her recent findings of brain safety and concussion reporting. It was an important discussion talking about brain health and concussion prevention. See the seminar recording below.

Dr. Peter Miller standing portrait. Peter is in a white shirt with his hands at his side. He is standing on grass with a motion W for the Wisconsin Badgers in the background. The yellow goal post can also be seen in the background.

Initial Findings of the Wisconsin Coaching Project Part 2: How Coaches Connect

On Friday, Oct. 21, BIOS hosted a seminar at Wisconsin Athletics, featuring Dr. Peter Miller and the initial findings of the Wisconsin Coaching Project. It was a great conversation discussing examples of how top coaches foster relationships within and beyond their teams. See the seminar recording below.

UW Badger volleyball team huddle together raising up their arms together. The volleyball court and volleyball net are in the background. The team is wearing white long-sleeve shirts.

Meditation Training at UW: Translating Research into Practice

On Wednesday, Nov. 16, BIOS hosted Director of Meditation Training at UW, Chad McGehee, and UW Orthopedics and Rehabilitation professor Dr. Andrew Watson to share their findings of meditation training at UW Athletics. See the full recording below. We did not have time to address the additional Zoom questions that are listed below. Please see [...]

Picture of people sitting at table looking at podium. Man is speaking at podium and a screen is in the far background. Tables have white tablecloths on them and the carpet has a motion W on it.

BIOS Leadership and Coaching Symposium

SAVE THE DATE! Tuesday, June 27, 2023 12:00 – 5:00 PM For the second year, BIOS is excited to welcome coaches and leaders from around the state to Wisconsin Athletics for a day of learning from top UW coaches and leaders. Registration HERE.

Challenges to Medical Decision-Making in the Athletics Context

Dr. Baugh’s research focuses on health implications of repetitive brain injury in sport and the resultant individual, institutional, policy and ethical considerations.

Picture of Pete Miller standing at podium speaking. He has his left arm raised and is speaking into the microphone. There is a water bottle on the podium

Initial Findings of the Wisconsin Coaching Project Part 1: How Coaches Connect

Initial findings of the Wisconsin coaching project part 1: How coaches connect. On Wednesday, Sept. 21, BIOS hosted its' first Fall 2022 seminar at Wisconsin Athletics, featuring Dr. Peter Miller and the initial findings of the Wisconsin Coaching Project. It was a great conversation discussing the current context of youth sport and how top [...]

Group of five people stand together to smile for picture

BIOS Symposium on Leadership, coaching, and connectedness

Coaches and leaders from around Wisconsin came together at Camp Randall Stadium for the BIOS Symposium on Leadership, Coaching, and Connectedness.

Uw Badger Head Women's Soccer Coach Paula Wilkins speaking at podium

Coach Paula Wilkins on leadership and adaptability

Coach Wilkins, the head UW Women’s coach and a top leader in the field of US collegiate soccer, shared rich insights on culture and adaptability at our UW-Madison Coaching Symposium.

Offensive Coordinator Bobby Engram holding microphone

Coach Bobby Engram on how shared experiences can deepen team connections

The Badgers offensive coordinator — a former NFL star and NFL coach — focused on how coaches can develop relationships by sharing experiences with members of their teams.

The Wisconsin Volleyball team huddled up in a circle linking arms

Coach Kelly Sheffield on how to design a championship program

Coach Kelly Sheffield, discussed how he designed a championship program. Coach Sheffield focused on the layout and content of the team’s “championship manual,”…

Defensive Coordinator Jim Leonhard holding microphone

Coach Jim Leonhard on how to find your authentic coaching identity

The Wisconsin Coaching Project (WCP) aims to develop and support impactful coaching in and beyond Wisconsin. WCP includes several elements. We’ve established a new master’s degree in sports leadership at UW-Madison. We’ve also started an empirical study on “coaching and connectedness” that allows us to travel throughout the country to speak with and observe coaches […]

View of UW Madison Field House Looking Up At the UW Crest During Sunset

Welcome To The New UWBios.com

With the new UWBios.com we hope to better connect with people around the world….

Photos of soccer balls on grass at Wisconsin Badgers McClimon soccer field

Purposeful Heading in Youth Soccer: A new paradigm for brain injury detection

Purposeful Heading in Youth Soccer: A new paradigm for brain injury detection On Friday, April 8, BIOS welcomed UW Associate Professor of Orthopedics, Dr. Alison Brooks, Associate Professor of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering at Robert Morris University, Dr. Rika Wright Carlsen, and UW-Madison Mechanical Engineering and Robert Morris University Postdoctoral Associate, Dr. Anu Tripathi to […]

A View of Camp Randall and Downtown Madison From the Air Above

About Badger Inquiry on Sport (BIOS)

Our Badger Inquiry on Sport (BIOS) initiative harnesses the power of the university, bringing top-level research and athletics together. We use three strategies to elevate a world-leading research and athletics enterprise. BIOS connects We serve as a bridge, purposefully connecting athletics, research, and innovation at UW. BIOS catalyzes We catalyze research and innovation by matching […]