Wisconsin

14-year-old killed in Wisconsin school shooting shared gifts of music and art with many, friends say

Published

1 year ago

December 21, 2024

MADISON, Wis. — Rubi Patricia Vergara was a talented young teenager who often handcrafted gifts for others and shared her musical talents with many, family friends recounted at funeral services held Saturday morning.

14-year-old killed in Wisconsin school shooting shared gifts of music and art with many, friends say

Vergara, 14, was a student at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, where she was shot and killed by a fellow student Monday. Teacher Erin West, 42, was also killed in the attack.

“She was a quiet, gentle spirit who cared deeply for others,” City Church lead pastor Tom Flaherty said. “But Rubi also had a faith beyond her years.”

Vergara’s services were held at City Church, which is adjacent to the school. West’s funeral is set for Monday at Doxa Church in Madison, according to her obituary.

Two other injured students remained hospitalized Saturday in critical condition but were stable, UW Hospital said.

A family friend, Dawn Moris, spoke about Vergara’s compassion and empathy. Vergara made personalized birthday cards for loved ones with digital artwork, origami and had started crocheting. Moris showed those in the congregation a small crocheted smiley face potato crafted by Vergara.

“She applied a caring and creative approach to everything she did,” Moris said.

Vergara played keyboard in a family worship band and could hear a song and pick it up on the piano, Moris said. As a singer, she had a special talent of harmonizing and “sang like an angel,” Moris said.

Vergara’s aunt played her niece’s favorite song, “Shoulders” by for King & Country, on the guitar during the service. Her uncle, Andy Remus, thanked the people of Madison for supporting his family this past week.

Police say the shooter, 15-year-old student Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow, shot herself at the school and died at a Madison hospital. Police have said she was in contact with a man in California who authorities say was planning to attack a government building. Rupnow’s motivation for the attack remains a key part of their investigation.

Volmert reported from Lansing, Michigan.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

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Wisconsin

Purdue Basketball: Wisconsin Preview: Stats, Analytics, Analysis

Published

10 hours ago

March 7, 2026

Press Room

Purdue Basketball: Wisconsin Preview: Stats, Analytics, Analysis

Wisconsin 2025-2026 Season

2/28: W – 63 – 62 vs Oregon @ Home

2/24: W – 72 – 68 vs Indiana @ Away

2/17: W – 78 – 74 vs Maryland @ Home

Position	#	Player	Class	Height	Weight	Min	Pts	Reb	Ast
Point Guard	2	Nick Boyd	Sr.	6’3”	177	31	20	4	4
Shooting Guard	25	John Blackwell	Jr.	6’4”	203	33	18	5	2
Small Forward	7	Andrew Rohde	Sr.	6’6”	195	26	6	2	3
Power Forward	32	Aleksas Bieliauskas	Fr.	6’10”	235	18	4	4	1
Center	31	Nolan Winter	Jr.	7’0”	235	31	13	9	2

Position	#	Player	Class	Height	Weight	Min	Pts	Reb	Ast
Guard/Wing	0	Braeden Carrington	Sr.	6’5”	200	18	9	3	1
Power Forward	22	Austin Rapp	So.	6’10”	238	22	9	4	2
Center	23	Will Garlock	Fr.	7’0”	243	7	1	1	1

Nolan Winter went down with an ankle injury in Wisconsin’s 78-45 demolition of Maryland. He’s listed as day-to-day. If he’s unable to answer the bell, look for Bieliauskas to move to center and Austin Rapp to move into the starting lineup at power forward.

(Per KenPom.com – National Rank / Big 10 Rank in ())

Adjusted Efficiency: 124 (18) – Big 10 Only: 118.6 (4)

Adjusted Tempo: 69.1 (91) – Big 10 Only: 67.7 (3)

Average Possession Length: 17 (105) – Big 10 Only: 18.1 (7)

Effective Field Goal%: 54.2 (64) – Big 10 Only: 53.7 (9)

Offensive Rebound%: 29.7 (214) – Big 10 Only: 28.8 (6)

Three Point%: 35.7 (80) – Big 10 Only: 32.8 (8)

Two Point %: 54.9 (61) – Big 10 Only: 54.2 (10)

Adjusted Efficiency: 102.1 (48) – Big 10 Only: 112.3 (9)

Adjusted Tempo: 69.1 (91) – Big 10 Only: 67.7 (3)

Average Possession Length: 17 (105) – Big 10 Only: 18.1 (7)

Effective Field Goal%: 54.2 (64) – Big 10 Only: 53.6 (12)

Offensive Rebound%: 29.7 (214) – Big 10 Only: 34.9 (18)

Three Point%: 35.7 (80) – Big 10 Only: 32.8 (8)

Two Point %: 54.9 (61) – Big 10 Only: 54.2 (10)

I usually find a stat mismatch that favors Purdue in this section, but I feel like this is a “throw the stats out the window” type of game. The Boilermakers have rolled over at home against the top of the Big 10 this season. Needless to say, that’s surprising for a group of battle-tested seniors who started the season with National Championship aspirations.

The “Big 3” has turned into “maybe one of the three show up?” for Purdue.

Their last home win was a 93-64 beatdown of the Hoosiers, where Braden, Trey, and Fletcher all played up to their preseason expectations, and the game was never in doubt. That’s what I’m looking for in their last game in Mackey. Things haven’t gone the way we hoped this season, but a win against Wisconsin would give the Boilermakers some much-needed momentum heading into the Big 10 Tournament.

If all three Purdue seniors show up, this game shouldn’t be close, especially considering….

If Winter can’t go, or is significantly hindered by a bum ankle, it’s going to be tough sledding for the Badgers today. As a veteran ankle sprainer, I wouldn’t be super optimistic about his chances of being anywhere close to 100%, he’s in the “oh man, this thing is throbbing, swollen, and purple” part of the recovery process. Throw in the fact that Wisconsin has the Big 10 tournament looming, and I’m doubtful that the Wisconsin big man plays in this game.

The Battle of the Backcourt

Nick Boyd and John Blackwell have been outstanding this season. That’s not great for a Purdue team with only one guard capable/interested in playing defense. CJ Cox will probably have to guard Blackwell because he’s too strong for Braden or Fletcher off the bounce. That, I assume, leaves Braden on Nick Boyd, and that should give everyone some indigestion. At the very least, Purdue’s senior guard needs to match Boyd’s point production because, based on all available data, he’s going to get into the lane at will and torture the Boilermakers.

Wisconsin: Prefer not to say

Looking Into My Crystal Ball

I smashed my crystal ball after the Ohio State loss. As I said above, I’d like to think that Purdue’s seniors show up today and give the home crowd a show in their last home game. That’s certainly one of the scenarios that could play out today, and it’s the one I’ll be hoping for.

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Wisconsin safety Austin Brown shows out freakish skills on Pro Day

Published

22 hours ago

March 7, 2026

Press Room

Wisconsin safety Austin Brown shows out freakish skills on Pro Day

MADISON – Luke Fickell has long been a fan of Austin Brown’s potential.

The Wisconsin football coach sung the praises of the senior safety before last season and reiterated that opinion after an 11-tackle performance in a Week 3 loss to Alabama.

“He’s one of the more talented guys I think we have on the entire team,” Fickell said in September. “As far as speed, size, ability to run, ability to tackle, he’s one of those guys that I’ve always kept saying, your ability is everything that they’re looking for at the next level. Your ability to show that is what’s going to be the biggest difference.”

Brown was one of the iron men of the Wisconsin defense in 2025. He played 672 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, second only to cornerback Ricardo Hallman. His presence was especially key given the season-ended injury to field safety Preston Zachman

Brown finished fourth on the Badgers with 53 tackles and earned an invitation to the East-West Shrine Bowl. He started for the West in the Shrine Bowl, played 32 snaps and finished with one tackle in a 21-17 victory for over the East.

Friday March 6 at the McClain Center the Badgers held their Pro Day, a perfect time to shine for a player who was listed as one of athletic freaks in college football by The Athletic last summer.

Brown didn’t disappoint.

Unofficially Brown posted the No. 1 vertical of the day, 43 feet, the No. 2 broad jump (10-9), the second fastest 40-yard dash (4.47 seconds), the third-fastest shuttle run (4.21) and the fifth-best three cone drill time (7.05).

He also benched 225 pounds 20 times, which put himself behind some of UW’s linemen and tight end Lance Mason – Ben Barten did it 33 times – but it was better than any safeties or cornerback invited to the NFL Combine.

Brown has been training at X3 Performance in Fort Myers, Fla.

“I’m not satisfied by any means, but I’m happy with my overall performance,” Brown said. “On my vertical I did really good. I wanted to get another inch or two, but you can only get so much. On my bench, I wanted to get 20, and I lost some weight, so I didn’t want to lose any strength with that.”

Brown, who is 6-foot-1, played at about 215 pounds last season. He said he weighed 209 when he started training for the draft and was at 200 pounds with 8% body fat Friday.

“I had a lot of meetings with scouts just through the postseason stuff, Shrine Bowl and all that so I got to talk to a lot of them personally,” Brown said. “(Today) I just wanted to show them my athletic ability across the board overall, and I feel like I did that.”

What Brown showed during his college career was the ability to fill a variety of roles. It is the kind of the experience that could pay off for an NFL hopeful.

“I feel like versatility is one of my best strengths,” he said. “I’ve played both safety spots. I’ve played dime, I’ve played nickel when I started my junior year. I’ve played every special team, so I feel like versatility is one of my great strengths and that’s something I can hang my hat on.”

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Ex-Wisconsin fullback Alec Ingold cut by Miami Dolphins

Published

1 day ago

March 6, 2026

Press Room

Ex-Wisconsin fullback Alec Ingold cut by Miami Dolphins

Alec Ingold, a Pro Bowl fullback for the Miami Dolphins, former Badger and graduate of Bay Port High School in the Green Bay area, is reportedly on the market.

NFL insider Mike Garafolo said Ingold and Miami are parting ways, and he’s free to sign with a new team immediately.

Ingold spent the last four seasons with the Dolphins, including a Pro Bowl year in 2023, after three years with the Las Vegas Raiders. He’s primarily a blocking back but does have 75 career receptions and six all-purpose touchdowns in his career.

Ingold is also a three-time nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. His Ingold Family Foundation advocates and financially supports children in the child welfare system, providing education, support and access to opportunities. He has authored a book, developed curriculum around overcoming adversity and works with SOS Children’s Villages Florida, a residential foster care community in Florida.

At the University of Wisconsin, Ingold moved from linebacker to running back as a freshman in 2015 and played in 51 career games, with 11 starts at fullback. He ran for 17 career touchdowns at Wisconsin from 2015 through 2018 and caught four touchdown passes.

Ingold was at the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, announcing a Dolphins pick on Day 2.

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