Wisconsin
Better Know A Badger – 2025 three-star linebacker Cooper Catalano
Better Know A Badger – 2025 three-star linebacker Cooper Catalano
MADISON, Wis. – It turned out that Luke Fickell had no reason to worry.
The University of Wisconsin head coach was hopeful that the results on the field wouldn’t cause members of his highly ranked third recruiting class to start rethinking their commitment or, worse yet, reopen their decision-making process entirely.
From the time the Badgers’ 2024 season ended without a bowl game for the first time in 23 years to the first day of the early signing period, Wisconsin’s staff only saw one prospect de-commit. Twenty-three kids signed paperwork to join Fickell’s program, a class that ranks 20th in the Rivals.com rankings with 10 four-star recruits from eight different states.
“To see guys not waver,” Fickell said. “That faith and belief that the games and what you see on Saturday isn’t everything. For those guys to hold with us and believe in us … relationships, trust, and belief in this process still win out.”
Adding to the depth in the middle of the defense, we look at the signing of Mukwonago (Wis.) High linebacker Cooper Catalano and how his addition improves the program.
Stats
Named the Wisconsin large school defensive player of the year in 2024, Catalano totaled 178 tackles, nine TFLs, three forced fumbles, and three interceptions. He finished his career with 583 tackles, obliterating the previous state record of 462 career tackles. A three-time conference defensive player of the year, Catalano earned all-conference honors during all four seasons of high school.
“The season was really successful,” Catalano said. “We had a young team my junior year. We had almost everybody returning except one of our receivers, so we had 21 players returning. To see the growth of everybody throughout the offseason was really cool. Everybody really bought in to what our coaches were preaching throughout the year. We had our leadership group that worked really hard throughout the winter and summer, and it showed throughout the season. It was a really fun right, even though it didn’t end how we wanted.
“I improved in my game is playing more in space and trusting my instincts. I was less technical in the way I looked at football and just playing loose and having fun out there … Breaking the tackle record was a really cool thing, but that takes a whole team, a great game plan, a great defensive line all four years. It’s a team effort, but that’s something that stood out to me that I’m very proud of. It’s something I’ll hold onto for a long time.”
Recruiting Competition
The third commitment in Wisconsin’s 2025 class, Catalano had offers from Illinois, Iowa State, Kansas, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Northwestern, and Stanford.
“It’s been really quiet ever since I committed,” Catalano said. “I was able to reach out to all the programs that offered me a scholarship, get on the phone with most of them to let them know how much it meant to me that they reached out but ultimately my decision was in Madison. I am happy I went about it that way.”
Recruiting Story
WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW/GRAY NEWS) – A ransomware group has claimed to have breached the learning management system Canvas, possibly exposing the personal information of students, teachers and staff across the country.
According to a statement from the Universities of Wisconsin website, they were notified of a nationwide security breach experienced by Instructure, the provider of Canvas. Universities of Wisconsin schools use the cloud-based management system.
UW-Stevens Point tells NewsChannel 7 they have not confirmed UWSP was involved in the breach, but did send communication that Canvas was down and students should not perform any asked actions if prompted, as it may not be legitimate while Canvas is down.
Instructure, the parent company of Canvas, posted on May 1 about a cybersecurity incident that had been reported and was under investigation.
The next day, Chief Information Security Officer Steve Proud wrote that the information involved in the attack included names, student ID numbers, messages between users and email addresses.
“At this time, we have found no evidence that passwords, dates of birth, government identifiers, or financial information were involved. If that changes, we will notify any impacted institutions,” he wrote.
The Wausau School District sent a letter to parents Wednesday regarding the cybersecurity incident. They said there is no evidence that passwords, single-sign-on credentials, financial information or social security numbers were impacted. They stressed that type of information is not stored in Canvas.
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(WLUK) — The Wisconsin-Notre Dame game at Lambeau Field will be under the lights.
Kickoff will be at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 6.
The matchup, originally scheduled for Oct. 3, 2020, was rescheduled for 2026 after the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the 2020 football season.
The Badgers took on the Fighting Irish at Soldier Field in Chicago in 2021 as part of the Shamrock Series, the neutral-site non-conference series between the two programs. Notre Dame claimed the first game of the series 41-13.
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Wisconsin last played at Lambeau Field in 2016 and scored a 16-14 win over No. 5 LSU.
Wisconsin
DHS urges Wisconsin ‘sanctuary’ county to keep illegal immigrant accused in elderly sexual assaults jailed
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The Department of Homeland Security is urging “sanctuary politicians in Wisconsin” not to release a Nicaraguan national who was arrested after being accused of sexually assaulting an elderly victim, according to a statement Wednesday.
Julio Cesar Morales-Jarquin, 31, is in local police custody after being charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault of an elderly victim, DHS said.
He was arrested last month after a residential care facility in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, reported to police that an employee may have assaulted vulnerable residents, according to local outlet WKOW.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a detainer request on April 27 asking that Morales-Jarquin remain in custody.
ICE ARRESTS ALLEGED CHILD SEX OFFENDER RELEASED UNDER CONNECTICUT SANCTUARY LAWS
Julio Cesar Morales-Jarquin, 31, is accused of sexually assaulting an elderly victim at a Wisconsin care facility, according to authorities. (Department of Homeland Security)
DHS on Wednesday called on Dane County officials not to release Morales-Jarquin, accusing the county of being a “sanctuary jurisdiction” that refuses to honor ICE detainers.
The agency said the county has previously given ICE as little as 30 minutes to take custody of individuals in its jail.
DHS BLASTS MINNESOTA BOARD FOR UNANIMOUSLY PARDONING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CONVICTED OF 3 ASSAULTS
The Department of Homeland Security logo. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
According to DHS, Morales-Jarquin entered the United States in 2023 under the Biden administration’s humanitarian parole program for Nicaragua. Although the program was later ended, DHS said he remained in the country unlawfully.
“This illegal alien is charged with two counts of sexual assault of an elderly victim at an assisted living facility,” Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in the DHS statement. “This dirtbag was released into the country by the Biden Administration. DHS is calling on sanctuary politicians in Dane County, Wisconsin to NOT release this criminal from jail back onto the streets to commit more crimes.”
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The Wisconsin State Capitol, in Madison, Wisconsin, houses both chambers of the Wisconsin legislature along with the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the Office of the Governor. (Jordan McAlister)
“We need Wisconsin sanctuary politicians to cooperate with us to remove criminals from our country,” she added.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Dane County Executive’s Office for comment.
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