Wisconsin is set to lose four senior starters - Bronson Koenig, Zak Showalter, Nigel Hayes and Vitto Brown - to graduation at the end of the semester.
Head coach Greg Gard will also be without reserve Jordan Hill, who has decided to leave the program and has been granted his release to explore transfer options, according to a release through the university.
“I am so grateful for the opportunity to spend four years studying and playing at Wisconsin,” Hill said in a release. “In May, I will be graduating with an incredible degree from a world class institution. Making the decision to leave the program was one of the hardest things I've had to do in life, but I had to make the best decision for myself.
“Thank you to everyone who has shown me love, my teammates who became brothers, coaches who never let me get stagnant, and all of the people on campus who educated a young man from Pasadena. I can never say enough because coming here was life-changing. I will always hold a special place in my heart for you, Wisconsin. I will forever be a Badger. On Wisconsin!”
Hill, who is scheduled to graduate in May, appeared in 75 games with one start during his career as a Badger. The redshirt junior had 147 points, 83 rebounds and 41 assists in three seasons in Madison.
“We want to thank Jordan for his dedication to our program and congratulate him on getting his degree,” Gard said in the same release. “He was a valuable member of some very successful teams at Wisconsin. We wish him well and will do whatever we can to help him both on and off the court moving forward.”
Losing Hill puts a bit more pressure on 2017 signees Brad Davison, a 6-foot-2 combo guard, and Kobe King, a versatile wing. Sophomore-to-be D'Mitrik Trice is penciled in as the starting point guard, while Brevin Pritzl is expected to get that same opportunity at shooting guard in 2017-2018.
As it stands, the Badgers now have two open scholarships heading into the summer. Gard will likely allocate one to walk-on Aaron Moesch, with the other possibly going to a potential graduate transfer.
