Andrew Rohde's 'dream' of playing for Wisconsin Badgers has lived up to expectations

Wisconsin native and Badgers' guard Andrew Rohde's homecoming has brought plenty of on-court and personal fulfillment

Feb 17, 2026; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Andrew Rohde (7) looks to pass the ball as Ohio State Buckeyes center Christoph Tilly (13) defends during the first half at Value City Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Senior guard Andrew Rohde is all smiles when it comes to his lone season with the Wisconsin Badgers.

But there is one thing that the Brookfield, Wisconsin, native hasn't enjoyed about being back in the Badger state: winter weather.

"It took me back a little bit. Like, this little, where it's nice out for two days and then it gets cold again," Rohde said. " I didn't miss those."

After beginning his college career at St. Thomas (MN) and spending the past two seasons at Virginia, Rohde knew it was time to return to Wisconsin.

"I was ready to come home," Rohde said after a practice in late February. "I've been away for a couple years, so, I see my parents at Christmas and that's it for the whole season... But here, I see my parents at every game. Sometimes, even on our off days, I'll go home."

"My brother just had a baby, so, I'm a new uncle. Being able to go spend time with my nephew and stuff like that, it's been amazing and I'm so grateful for it."

And as Greg Gard said when Wisconsin signed Rohde over the offseason, it's been a "win-win."

Rohde gets to be closer to his family and play for the school he grew up rooting for and Wisconsin got a 6-foot-6 guard who's become one of the team's most reliable defenders and a strong connective piece on offense.

Hand down, man down 👌

Andrew Rohde puts the #Badgers up 43-37 at the Under-16 media timeout

Nolan Winter leads all players with 13 points and 9 boards

📺 B1G+ x https://t.co/eHYeuH46ey pic.twitter.com/4RYeKgFb8H

— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) October 30, 2025

Rohde is averaging 6.1 points, 2.8 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals across 25.8 minutes per game this season, leading the team in steals and ranking second in assists.

It may be a different role than Rohde had in past years, or initially imagined as a Badger, but it's one that he embraced early on.

"I kind of noticed early on, that was the role that I was supposed to fill... just try to be the guy that holds everything together defensively and things like that and trying to find open guys," Rohde said. "I'm a team player, so I go out there every day, and I'm trying to make these guys better. I'm trying to help our team in whatever way I can."

Rohde's embraced his role, and he's helped Wisconsin put together a season with some extreme highs and memories that will stick with him beyond college.

"The past couple weeks has definitely been one of the highs of my college career," Rohde said of the Badgers' stretch of play in January and early February that featured a trio of wins over Top 10 opponents. "Even just going through the hard times. I remember after the Florida trip, after we lost the TCU... You look back on those moments and they're like, dang, that helped us build this momentum."

The Badgers' win over then No. 10 Michigan State at the Kohl Center stands out in particular.

"It was amazing," Rohde said. "I've never been a part of a court storm before, so just to be able to go out there and enjoy it with the guys and see the freshmen out there, just having fun, enjoying the win, it was just crazy, and it was a great feeling. So I was really blessed to be a part of that."

As a senior transfer who's at a new school for his final campaign, Rohde's sense of time is jumbled. He arrived in Madison in the summer. Now that he's finally settled into the new program and area, Rohde is getting ready for his college career to end, with one of the final steps — senior night — coming Wednesday.

For our seniors.
Badgers 🆚 Terrapins
⏰ 7 p.m.
📍 Kohl Center
📺 @FS1
🔗 https://t.co/J8C5gsKSjC pic.twitter.com/HJjuus5A4L

— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) March 4, 2026

Rohde credits the Wisconsin coaching staff for helping himself and the Badgers two other senior transfers, Nick Boyd and Braeden Carrington, keep the right perspective.

Said Rohde, "We've just gotta go out there and make the most of it and appreciate every moment, all the little stuff, all the little meetings with these guys, because everything happens so quickly, and then, once it's done, it's done."

But for as fresh as his time with the Badgers feels, he's been able to reflect on his full four years of college.

He's proud of how far he's come, as a player and as a person, noting how much he's changed and grown off the court since stepping onto a college campus for the first time as a freshman.

And while there may be some things Rohde would have changed about his college experience, he knows that everything he went through happened for a reason and allowed him to fulfill a dream he never thought possible — one that still doesn't feel real.

"When I come into the gym and stuff, and I see the Wisconsin logo, I'm like, dang, it's wild," Rohde said. "(It's) something I wouldn't have even dreamed of happening, but here it is."