Wisconsin
BREAKING: Wisconsin football secures commitment from top-ranked class of 2026 running back
Wisconsin football received a commitment from highly-coveted class of 2026 running back target Amari Latimer on Saturday.
Latimer, who recently whittled his list of finalists down to the Badgers, Michigan Wolverines, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Bulldogs, Texas Longhorns and Tennessee Volunteers, received over 40 overs during his recruiting process. The top-ranked running back officially visited Wisconsin the weekend of May 30 and makes his link to the program permanent with his decision.
247Sports, On3 and Rivals all list the 6-foot, 215-pound running back as a four-star recruit. 247Sports’ composite considers him the the No. 288 overall player in the class of 2026, No. 17 running back and No. 33 recruit from his home state of Georgia. Of note, the Tyrone, Georgia, native will reunite with his older brother Geimere Latimer, who transferred to UW this winter following a stellar season on defense at Jacksonville State.
While his decision to commit to Luke Fickell’s program was far from a no-doubter, recruiting outlets linked Latimer to Madison weeks ago. 247Sports Wisconsin insiders Evan Flood, Jon McNamara and Nick Osen all released crystal ball predictions connecting him to Wisconsin as far back as May 8.
During his third season at Sandy Creek High School, Latimer logged 136 carries for a whopping 1,113 rushing yards and 15 scores on the ground, in addition to 27 receptions for 363 yards and four receiving touchdowns. The 2026 prospect logged at least 100 rushing yards in six games, including a 194-yard performance in a 20-point in on Aug. 30.
Latimer becomes the 15th overall recruit to join Wisconsin’s class of 2026 cohort and ninth since the beginning of June. His decision is especially notable given four-star edge Jackson Ford’s recent commitment to Penn State on Friday, Ben Duncum’s pledge to the Kentucky Wildcats on Wednesday and defensive lineman Kobe Cherry’s commitment to Purdue on Monday.
Most importantly, Latimer is the first running back to pledge his commitment to UW in the 2026 cycle. He will now look to join the list of legends, including Jonathan Taylor, Melvin Gordon, Braelon Allen and Montee Ball, who have graced the scarlet and red at position.
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About 1,000 animal welfare activists who tried to gain entry on Saturday to a beagle breeding and research facility in Wisconsin were turned back by police who fired rubber bullets and pepper spray into the crowd and arrested the group’s leader.
It was the second attempt in as many months by protesters to take beagles from the Ridglan Farms facility in Blue Mounds, a small town about 25 miles (about 40 kilometres) southwest of Wisconsin’s capital, Madison.
Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said in a video statement that 300 to 400 protesters were “violently trying to break into the property” and assault officers. He said protesters have ignored designated areas for peaceful protest and blocked roads to prevent emergency vehicles from entering.
“This is not a peaceful protest,” Barrett said.
The sheriff’s department said a “significant” number of people were arrested out of about 1,000 protesters at the site but did not give an exact total as they were still being processed as of the afternoon.
Protesters tried to overcome barricades that included a manure-filled trench, hay bales and a barbed-wire fence. Some protesters did get through the fence but were unable to enter the facility, where an estimated 2,000 beagles are kept, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.
Wisconsin guard Andrew Rohde reflects on early March Madness exit
Wisconsin guard Andrew Rohde said the Badgers ‘thought we could do so many things’ in the NCAA Tournament before it ended abrupty with an upset loss.
Wisconsin men’s basketball has added a sharpshooting wing via the transfer portal.
Miami (Ohio) transfer Eian Elmer has signed with the Badgers, the team announced April 18. The 6-foot-7 wing will join UW with one year of eligibility remaining.
Elmer averaged a career-high 12.7 points and 5.9 rebounds while shooting 49.8% from the field and 42.9% from 3-point range in 2025-26. His production helped the RedHawks go 32-2 and earn an at-large NCAA Tournament bid.
“We are really excited to add another excellent addition to our spring signees,” UW coach Greg Gard said in a release. “Eian brings a wealth of experience and scoring punch as a 6-7 wing. … A terrific shooter, his skillset and production fit excellently into our plan as we build out next year’s team. Throughout our evaluation process, our staff loved his size, power and skill and truly believe he will thrive in our system.”
Elmer is Wisconsin’s third transfer portal addition since the end of the 2025-26 season, joining former George Washington guard Trey Autry and former Hofstra forward Victory Onuetu. UW also added Australian guard Owen Foxwell.
The additions of Autry, Onuetu and now Elmer leave Gard’s staff with three more roster spots to fill ahead of the 2026-27 season.
The Badgers are looking to replace much of their production from a 2025-26 team that went 24-11. Nolan Winter is expected to be the team’s only returning starter after John Blackwell and Aleksas Bieliauskas entered the transfer portal and Nick Boyd and Andrew Rohde exhausted their eligibility.
MILWAUKEE – Friday’s severe storms have passed. And with that, the threat of any severe weather has also passed for the immediate future as no storms or rain are expected for several days.
However, plenty of damage remains across southeastern Wisconsin as of Saturday morning, in addition to the ongoing flooding threat.
Several area rivers are at flood stage, and there are multiple river flood warnings in effect.
FOX6 Weekend WakeUp on Saturday begins at 6 a.m.
On the scene in the morning
What we know:
Farmstead damage in Franklin
FOX6’s Hayley Spitler is in Franklin on Saturday morning, April 18, getting a daylight look at the damage from last night’s storms.
Storm damage in Caledonia
Friday’s storms left quite the mark across southern and southeastern Wisconsin, including at L and L Farms and Greenhouse in Caledonia.
FOX6 Weather Extras
Local perspective:
Meanwhile, FOX6Now.com offers a variety of extremely useful weather tools to help you navigate the stormy season. They include the following:
FOX6 Storm Center app
FOX LOCAL Mobile app
FOX Weather app
Maps and radar
We have a host of maps and radars on the FOX6 Weather page that are updating regularly — to provide you the most accurate assessment of the weather. From a county-by-county view to the Midwest regional radar and a national view — it’s all there.
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School and business closings
When the weather gets a little dicey, schools and businesses may shut down. Monitor the latest list of closings, cancellations, and delays reported in southeast Wisconsin.
FOX6 Weather Experts in social media
The Source: Information in this post was compiled by the FOX6 Weather Experts.
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