MONROE - Sydney Hilliard won't have to trade out colors in her wardrobe when the Monroe junior gets to college.
That's because the red and white will still be in style at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she will attend on a basketball scholarship after her senior season next year, Hilliard announced Saturday.
"It's a big weight lifted off your shoulder," she said of making her decision. "Knowing I will be a Badger is really exciting. I've grown up a Badger fan."
The last girls basketball player from Monroe to earn a Division I offer was Ellie Radke in 2006, who went on to play basketball at Canisius College in New York. Last year, Jordan Hirsbrunner signed a National Letter of Intent to run track and field for the Badgers.
Hilliard averaged 22.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.7 steals per game, in leading Monroe to its second straight WIAA Division 2 state tournament berth. New Berlin Eisenhower tipped the Cheesemakers 67-63 in a Division 2 state semifinal March 9 in which Hilliard scored a game-high 25 points. Hilliard was named to the first-team Division 2 Wisconsin Basketball Coaches All-State team for the second consecutive year.
She was one of the more sought after in-state recruits in the class of 2019. She had scholarship offers from UW-Green Bay, Marquette, UW-Milwaukee, Iowa, Indiana, Nebraska and Northern Colorado.
When Hilliard first started playing basketball in high school as a freshman, she didn't know what her future would have in store. She started playing AAU basketball with Wisconsin Academy, and the interest in her as a player in college continued to grow.
"I had no idea how many offers I would get," she said. "It's pretty exciting to know I get this opportunity. I'm just blessed."
Hilliard's father, Greg Hilliard, played baseball for Wisconsin.
Hilliard felt comfortable in making her decision after visiting Madison several times to watch football and women's basketball games this year.
"Getting to know the staff and players was just a relief," Hilliard said. "The campus is something else. That was a big part of it."
Hilliard said the energy Wisconsin coach Jonathan Tsipis brings to the game is an area she could relate to and she noticed a connection.
"That is a big part of it," she said. "He gets the players fired up to play. Just talking with him was a lot easier than the other coaches."
Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said Hilliard has been able to add a different aspect to her game every year of high school.
"She was very skilled as a freshman, but she wasn't satisfied and she kept working," Mathiason said. "She worked on expanding her game whether it was driving to the basket and scoring or pulling up (for a jumper) and scoring."
This year Hilliard developed a 3-point shot. After making just eight 3-pointers last year and shooting 25.8 percent from beyond the 3-point arc (8 of 312), Hilliard made 24 3s this season and shot a team-best 38.7 percent from long range (24 of 62).
Hilliard will continue playing for her AAU Wisconsin Academy 17 U basketball team along with junior teammate Emily Benzschawel this spring and summer.
"AAU has brought exposure for everyone," she said. "That is how I got coaches really interested in me."
That's because the red and white will still be in style at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she will attend on a basketball scholarship after her senior season next year, Hilliard announced Saturday.
"It's a big weight lifted off your shoulder," she said of making her decision. "Knowing I will be a Badger is really exciting. I've grown up a Badger fan."
The last girls basketball player from Monroe to earn a Division I offer was Ellie Radke in 2006, who went on to play basketball at Canisius College in New York. Last year, Jordan Hirsbrunner signed a National Letter of Intent to run track and field for the Badgers.
Hilliard averaged 22.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.7 steals per game, in leading Monroe to its second straight WIAA Division 2 state tournament berth. New Berlin Eisenhower tipped the Cheesemakers 67-63 in a Division 2 state semifinal March 9 in which Hilliard scored a game-high 25 points. Hilliard was named to the first-team Division 2 Wisconsin Basketball Coaches All-State team for the second consecutive year.
She was one of the more sought after in-state recruits in the class of 2019. She had scholarship offers from UW-Green Bay, Marquette, UW-Milwaukee, Iowa, Indiana, Nebraska and Northern Colorado.
When Hilliard first started playing basketball in high school as a freshman, she didn't know what her future would have in store. She started playing AAU basketball with Wisconsin Academy, and the interest in her as a player in college continued to grow.
"I had no idea how many offers I would get," she said. "It's pretty exciting to know I get this opportunity. I'm just blessed."
Hilliard's father, Greg Hilliard, played baseball for Wisconsin.
Hilliard felt comfortable in making her decision after visiting Madison several times to watch football and women's basketball games this year.
"Getting to know the staff and players was just a relief," Hilliard said. "The campus is something else. That was a big part of it."
Hilliard said the energy Wisconsin coach Jonathan Tsipis brings to the game is an area she could relate to and she noticed a connection.
"That is a big part of it," she said. "He gets the players fired up to play. Just talking with him was a lot easier than the other coaches."
Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said Hilliard has been able to add a different aspect to her game every year of high school.
"She was very skilled as a freshman, but she wasn't satisfied and she kept working," Mathiason said. "She worked on expanding her game whether it was driving to the basket and scoring or pulling up (for a jumper) and scoring."
This year Hilliard developed a 3-point shot. After making just eight 3-pointers last year and shooting 25.8 percent from beyond the 3-point arc (8 of 312), Hilliard made 24 3s this season and shot a team-best 38.7 percent from long range (24 of 62).
Hilliard will continue playing for her AAU Wisconsin Academy 17 U basketball team along with junior teammate Emily Benzschawel this spring and summer.
"AAU has brought exposure for everyone," she said. "That is how I got coaches really interested in me."
