Wisconsin Badgers land Virginia guard and former in-state prospect Andrew Rohde

After one season at St. Thomas (MN) and two in Virginia, the former Brookfield Central prospect announced he will use his final season of eligibility at the University of Wisconsin.

Rohde was the first transfer to announce his intentions to play for the Badgers since the portal opened on March 24. His decision immediately enhanced Wisconsin's backcourt, which saw the graduation of starter Max Klesmit and reserve Kamari McGee, starting point guard John Blackwell's declaration for the NBA Draft, and the transfer of reserves Daniel Freitag and Camren Hunter.

“Playing for Wisconsin means a lot to me,” Rohde said in a statement. “Getting the chance to compete at a high level in front of my family, for a program I’ve always admired, is something I’m truly thankful for. I’m ecstatic to be a part of Badger nation and can’t wait to get on the court in front of one of the best atmospheres in college basketball.”

Rohde was an immediate impact player after picking St. Thomas over DePaul and six mid-major offers out of high school. Named the Summit League Freshman of the Year, Rohde started all 31 games and averaged 17.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.7 steals.

Entering the portal and committing to Virginia, Rohde initially struggled at the Power Conference level and averaged 4.3 points and 2.7 assists per game, shooting 29.3 percent from the floor, 25.7 percent on three-point attempts, and 43.8 percent from the foul line as a sophomore.

Following the abrupt retirement of head coach Tony Bennett, Rohde became one of the Cavaliers' key leaders and finished the year ranked third on the team in scoring (9.3 ppg) and first in assists (4.3 apg), including having nine assists in three straight games that were part of a six-game stretch in ACC play where he had 42 assists to three turnovers.

While Virginia finished 15-17 under interim coach Ron Sanchez, Rhode's shot returned by shooting 41.3 percent from three and hitting double figures 14 times.

“Bringing Andrew back to Wisconsin is a win-win,” head coach Greg Gard said in a statement. “Great opportunity for him to play close to home and our fans will love cheering for him. He’s had a chance to play at different levels, showing off his offensive ability starting at St. Thomas and then earning his defensive degree at Virginia we respect so much. Now he gets to put those together at a Wisconsin program that he’s been familiar with since he was a little kid. He’s a big guard that has played in a lot of big games and we’re excited to have him back home for his senior season.”

Starting 53 games over the last two seasons, the Badgers now either have a starting point guard or a secondary point guard option to rotate in with Blackwell if he returns for his junior season. Blackwell announced he is retaining his college eligibility as he goes through the draft evaluation process and said he would return to Wisconsin if he decided to withdraw from the draft.

Including the transfer portal addition of Portland forward Austin Rapp, the Badgers have at least two remaining open scholarships to use in the portal.