To most University of Wisconsin students, Lake Mendota is just an aesthetic perk of campus — a place where you can drink a beer on the terrace during summer, or walk across its frozen water during winter.
But to a select group of students, it is the birthplace of a national powerhouse built by their own hands.
That group comprises the Wisconsin Sailing Team, which can be seen practicing on Mendota each Tuesday and Thursday throughout the spring and fall. In its fleet of 18 dinghy-sailboats, the team spends upwards of a few hours each practice preparing for regattas across the United States against some of the best collegiate sailors in the country.