Wisconsin adds preferred walk-on Nate Van Zelst to 2021 recruiting class

On the eve of college football's second signing period, Wisconsin added its first preferred walk-on to the 2021 recruiting class.

Tuesday, Nate Van Zelst, a senior kicker from Loyola Academy in Illinois, announced his decision to walk on with the Badgers.

"From where I live there are many people who attended Wisconsin, so I’ve grown up hearing about how great it is," Van Zelst told BadgerBlitz.com. "Once I went to campus in the summer going in to my junior year, I was finally able to realize first-hand how special it is there.

"Once I stepped on campus I immediately felt at home and knew that I would be able to be successful in the classroom, community and football program with so many great people surrounding me."

A 6-foot, 190-pound kicker, Van Zelst, who has been in contact with UW staff member Taylor Mehlhaff, chose Wisconsin over scholarships from Air Force, Army, Eastern Illinois and Yale. He was also considering opportunities from Northwestern, Miami and Arizona, among others.

"Coach Mehlhaff likes my ability to kick field goals consistently under pressure," Van Zelst said. "I’ve been able to play in some big games, including two state championships, and had to make some big kicks. He likes my work ethic and consistency. He is excited to have me come in and help me develop in all phases of my kicking game.

"I definitely believe there is a path to a scholarship at Wisconsin. It’s something I will work hard at and give my all to. I’m excited to have an opportunity to compete and prove my capabilities as a player."

Kohl’s Kicking tabs Van Zelst as the No. 35 ranked kicker in the country. From that web site:

"Van Zelst had strong showings at multiple Kohl's events in 2020. He is one of the best field goal kickers in his class and he has displayed excellent command of his body and control on his field goal reps. He charted well and competed well in the field goal portion of camp multiple times. His KO charts from his second Showcase in June show what he's capable of. Van Zelst's field goals are some of the cleanest in the 2021 class. He has grown into one of the top kicking prospects in his class and we expect big things from him over the next couple of years."

When Van Zelst arrives on campus this summer he is expected to compete with Collin Larsh, Jack Van Dyke and, potentially, Gavin Meyers, who carried both a kicker and punter title on UW's 2020 roster.

"It feels amazing to have found my future home and family," Van Zelst said. "It’s obviously been a crazy year of recruiting with all the rule changes, but it was most definitely worth it. It’s like a breath of fresh air knowing where I can call home now.

"I’ve been focusing on staying consistent with my foot-to-ball contact on field goals, as well as improving my hang time on kickoffs. I’ve had my most productive year in the weight room as well, making sure I improve my explosiveness in my hips and flexibility."

Wisconsin signed 21 scholarship seniors during the early signing period in December.