Chryst secures another in-state prospect
Jake Whalen, who had his grayshirt offer upgraded during an official visit this weekend, announced his commitment to Wisconsin on Sunday evening.
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A 6-foot-2, 220-pound linebacker and fullback from Wausau (WI) West, Whalen ultimately chose UW over Iowa, but also had scholarships from Army, Northern Iowa and Buffalo, among others.
Proud to announce that I will be continuing my football career at The University of Wisconsin #udub #onwisconsin pic.twitter.com/yMgrhSqQKG- Jake Whalen (@JAKEisWHALEN) February 2, 2015
"It was really a no-brainer after talking to the coaches and getting the full ride from Wisconsin," Whalen told BadgerBlitz.com. "To be honest, it was going to really tough to turn down a chance to play linebacker right away at Iowa, but once I got to Wisconsin for my official visit and was able to talk to the coaches, I knew it was the place I wanted to be.
"Wisconsin gives me a chance to play in front of my friends and family at one of the best academic schools in the nation. It's always been a dream of mine and I really fell in love with the school again. I definitely felt a different vibe from the coaching staff with coach (Paul) Chryst there. I'm really excited."
Whalen's commitment comes after a difficult recruiting stretch for the Badgers, who received decommitments from Jake Pickard, Nate Howard (both Friday) and Dominic Sheppard (Sunday). Wisconsin currently has 21 commitments in the current class, six coming from in-state: Alec Ingold, Jon Dietzen, Zack Baun and David Pfaff, in addition to Whalen.
"Alec and I train at the same place and they always hang the jerseys of college players up on the walls," said Whalen, who was hosted by offensive lineman Jon Dietzen this weekend. "We would always look up there and say that we'll have ours up there one day and be teammates at Wisconsin. It's pretty crazy that it's actually going to come true."
A two-star prospect, Whalen was a WFCA all-state pick at linebacker this fall after recording 115 tackles but could play fullback for the Badgers.
"I'm really not concerned about where I play," Whalen said. "Coach Chryst said I'll basically come in as an athlete and see how I develop this summer. Then they will plug me in wherever is best for the team. I'll play wherever they need me.
"It's just a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. I really feel like everything worked out for the best in the end."
The decision to attend Wisconsin will also work out well for Whalen's parents, who have discussed the idea of getting an apartment in Madison. Jake's younger sister, Mariah, is one of the top sophomore volleyball players in the nation and has already committed to the Badgers.
"I'll be at Camp Randall and my sister will be a the Field House, so this will be great for my parents," Jake Whalen said. "They want to be able to support us as much as possible in college and this is a great chance for them to do that. That means a lot to my whole family and made my decision that much easier."