One of the University of Wisconsin women’s basketball team’s in-state players is leaving the program.
Gracie Grzesk announced she is entering the transfer portal in a social media post Thursday.
Wisconsin women’s basketball’s in-state freshman adds name to growing transfer list
One of the University of Wisconsin women’s basketball team’s in-state players is leaving the program.
Gracie Grzesk announced she is entering the transfer portal in a social media post Thursday.
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“Thank you Wisconsin,” Grzesk wrote in an Instagram post.
“I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to play for my home state. I want to thank the coaches, trainers and support system for giving me an opportunity here. I am forever grateful for the friendships, memories and experiences I have made in Madison. Trusting in God’s plan for me.”
The former Green Bay Notre Dame standout becomes the third player in two days to leave the Badgers following Marisa Moseley’s resignation on Sunday. Two-time first-team All-Big Ten Conference forward Serah Williams and transfer center Carter McCray announced they were transferring within a five-hour span Wednesday.
The 2024 Wisconsin Miss Basketball finalist, whose exit leaves junior guard Lily Krahn, of Prairie Du Chien, as the only in-state player on the Badgers roster with the upcoming graduation of Monroe native Natalie Leuzinger, declined to comment further on her decision when asked by BadgerExtra.
The 5-foot-11 forward saw limited action during her freshman season. Grzesk appeared in just 16 games without a start and averaged just 4.4 minutes per game while scoring 10 total points. She logged double-digit minutes just once, playing 11 minutes and scoring a season-high three points in Wisconsin’s 91-60 loss to Nebraska on Jan 20.
It’s a far cry from what Grzesk did during her high school career. She committed to Wisconsin before the start of her junior season on Oct. 29, 2022, appearing in all but one of her 119 high school games.
She led Green Bay Notre Dame to three WIAA Division 2 state championships as well as a runner-up finish her senior year in 2023-24.
Grzesk, whose father, Gary, is coach of the St. Norbert College men’s basketball team and mother, Liz, is the recruiting coordinator and mentor for the Green Bay based Purple Aces AAU program and member of the Youngstown State Athletic Hall of Fame, averaged 15.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3 assists and 1.7 steals per game during her high school career. She is the Tritons’ all-time leading scorer — boys or girls — with 1,835 career points.
Grzesk is the latest in-state Wisconsin player to exit the program that played under Moseley.
Alex Luehring, a 2017 Verona grad, left the program after playing in just seven games during Moseley’s first season in 2021-22. Tara Stauffacher, a 2019 Beaver Dam grad, transferred to Northern Illinois following that season.
Sydney Hilliard, a 2019 Monroe grad, abruptly left the program after appearing in seven games, including two starts, in the 2022-23 seasons. Hilliard previously took a leave of absence during Moseley’s first season.
Most recently, 2021 Beaver Dam grad Maty Wilke transferred following the 2022-23 season. The Golden Beavers standout stayed at Wisconsin during Moseley’s first season while recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament before starting all 29 games as a redshirt freshman, averaging 11.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and assists.
Wilke is currently a junior at Utah, averaging 9.3 points and 2.2 rebounds in 23.1 minutes per game. The 5-10 guard has appeared in 29 of 30 games with six starts for the Utes, who are 22-8 overall.
