Wisconsin football offers talented in-state class of 2026 linebacker
Wisconsin football extended an offer to three-star class of 2026 linebacker Ben Wenzel on Tuesday.
The 6-foot-3 linebacker is 247Sports' No. 100-ranked linebacker and No. 7 recruit from his home state of Wisconsin for the class of 2026. A product of Appleton North High School in Appleton, Wisconsin, Wenzel has now received nearly 20 offers, including from Wyoming, Kansas, Oklahoma and Michigan State, per 247Sports.
Wenzel is slated to take an official visit to Madison on May 30, per Rivals. He will also head to Norman, Oklahoma, for an official visit with the Sooners in late June.
The Sooners boasted several Rivals FutureCasts to land the linebacker before Wisconsin joined his offer sheet, all of which came on May 14. After that offer, Wisconsin insider Jon McNamara released a FutureCast pegging the Badgers as a new favorite.
The same applies to 247Sports' coverage. Wisconsin insider Evan Flood and the 247Sports staff released crystal balls with a 'medium confidence level' for Wenzel to choose the Badgers.
So, following UW's recruiting push, the rising senior's collegiate decision has now emerged into a two-program race between the Sooners and Badgers. The linebacker's in-state ties to Appleton could certainly play a significant factor in his decision, and UW's recruiting insiders appear to believe the same.
In 10 games with Appleton North during the 2024 slate, Wenzel tallied 83 total tackles, 1.0 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. The room for growth is present, but the defensive talent is undeniable. Wisconsin's class of 2026 currently has one linebacker committed -- three-star Aden Reeder.
Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC News
43 minutes ago
- NBC News
Ex-Wisconsin players say in lawsuit that former coach Marisa Moseley psychologically abused them
MADISON, Wis. — Five former Wisconsin women's basketball players have filed a lawsuit saying they received psychological abuse from ex-Badgers coach Marisa Moseley and that the university responded with 'a policy of laissez-faire inaction.' The lawsuit filed Friday in federal court lists the Wisconsin Board of Regents, Moseley and former Wisconsin associate athletic director for external communications Justin Doherty as defendants. The plaintiffs are Lexi Duckett, Krystyna Ellew, Mary Ferrito, Tara Stauffacher and Tessa Towers. The lawsuit was first reported by the Wisconsin State Journal. Moseley announced in March that she was resigning for personal reasons. She went 47-75 in four seasons. In their complaint, the plaintiffs say Moseley 'unconstitutionally toyed with the mental health of her players, including Plaintiffs, as a means of exerting control over every facet of their lives, including retaliating against them based on their protected speech and expressive acts and discriminating against them based on their disabilities or perceived disabilities.' They say Moseley intruded on players' privacy in one-on-one meetings by 'pressuring them to divulge everything from issues with their parents or romantic partners to their confidential mental health symptoms and treatment choices.' 'Moseley accomplished all of this by abusing her position of power by making threats about scholarships and playing time, and manipulating her players, claiming that she was simply 'building trust' with them on and off the court,' the complaint states. For example, the complaint says Ellew was experiencing a mental health event when Moseley kept her alone in the back of a locker room and threatened to notify police unless she agreed to check into a mental health facility. According to the complaint, several players and their parents reported abuse allegations to Doherty, who retired earlier this year. The complaint says Wisconsin adopted 'a policy of laissez-faire inaction' rather than intervening to protect the players. Wisconsin spokesman John Lucas said school officials hadn't yet seen the suit and couldn't comment on it at this time. In January, Wisconsin officials said they were looking into allegations Towers had posted on social media saying that she was mistreated by Moseley and her staff. The lawsuit filed Friday alleges that Towers was placed on 11 new medications in less than a year after she disclosed her ADHD diagnosis. The complaint says Towers' mental health deteriorated as Moseley singled her out. 'Tessa's teammates found Moseley's behavior towards their friend and teammate disturbing,' the complaint says. 'Her teammates knew about Tessa's ADHD, and they watched their coach bully her because of it. Then, as they witnessed Tessa's mental health problems escalating in multiple crises, they observed their coach's behavior grow even worse. They could do nothing about it since Moseley threatened to reduce their playing time if they visited Tessa in the mental health facility or continued their friendships with her.' Moseley stepped down following a 13-16 season that ended with a first-round loss in the Big Ten Tournament. Wisconsin has since hired former Missouri coach Robin Pingeton to take over the program.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Wisconsin football wide receiver included on notable watch list
Wisconsin football starting wide receiver Trech Kekahuna was included on the 2025 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Watch List on Thursday. Entering his third season as a member of the Badgers, Kekahuna accompanied 80 other players across 40 different NCAA Division I programs on the preseason watch list. The prestigious honor annually recognizes college football's most outstanding player of Polynesian ancestry who embodies leadership and probity both on and off the gridiron. Notable award winners at the collegiate level include Marcus Mariota (2014), Tua Tagovalioa (2018), Penei Sewell (2019), Zach Wilson (2020) and Tetairoa McMillan (2024). Finalists for the 2025 nod will be shared on Dec. 9, and the victor will be announced on Dec. 16. After suiting up as a depth option at wide receiver in 2024, Kekahuna projects to enter the 2025 season as the starting slot wide receiver alongside outside threats Vinny Anthony II and Jayden Ballard. As a redshirt junior, Kekahuna reeled in 25 catches for 339 yards in 12 appearances. Kekahuna's most impressive performance arrived on Oct. 5 against Purdue. The Hawaii native's six-catch, 134-yard, two-touchdown output propelled UW to a 52-6 triumph and even earned him Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors. With former wide receiver standout Will Pauling out of the wide receiver room, Kekahuna is now poised for even more deep-ball opportunities. New offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes abides by a ground-and-pound philosophy, so his workload will be interesting to monitor as the season progresses. Contact/Follow on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin football Trech Kekahuna on notable watch list 2025 season
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Wisconsin basketball guard projected as one of nation's leading scorers
With college football just around the corner, preview work for the college basketball season is taking a back seat. However, Wisconsin fans have reason to be excited for the 2025-2026 campaign. The Badgers are expected to be one of the better teams in both the Big Ten and the entire sport. One of the players who will determine Wisconsin's success is junior guard John Blackwell, who is poised to make a significant jump as the team's top option. According to a website dedicated to college basketball data and analysis, Blackwell is projected as one of the highest scoring players in the sport this winter. Torvik has Blackwell with the ninth-highest projected points per game total, just below Ohio State's Bruce Thornton and BYU's AJ Dybantsa. Wisconsin's transfer portal class of Nick Boyd, Andrew Rohde, Austin Rapp and others will be crucial for the team's success this upcoming season. Still, roster retention remains the most important thing in the current age of college sports. Returning contributors like Blackwell, Nolan Winter, and Jack Janicki should have just as much of a say in the team's success. Expect a big year from Blackwell and the rest of his Badgers teammates. Contact/Follow on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin basketball John Blackwell scoring projection Bart Torvik
