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Big Ten Roundup (Aug. 7): Wisconsin, Rutgers Land Transfers for 2023-24 Season

Michael Mack II, a four-year cornerback at Air Force, announced his transfer to Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin Badgers on Thursday. Likewise, Steve Pikiell and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights picked up a journeyman transfer from Florida International in Austin Williams on Saturday. Oskar Palmquist also returned to the Rutgers' men's basketball team after entering the transfer portal this offseason and previously committing to Elon.

Daniel Olinger

Big Ten Roundup (Aug. 7): Wisconsin, Rutgers Land Transfers for 2023-24 Season
Big Ten Roundup (Aug. 7): Wisconsin, Rutgers Land Transfers for 2023-24 Season /
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Every other Big Ten Roundup seemingly includes another player that Luke Fickell has added to the Wisconsin football team. 

After earning a commitment from three-star defensive back Remington Moss on Wednesday, the Badgers picked up four-year cornerback Michael Mack II from Air Force in the transfer portal. 

In basketball transfer news, Steve Pikiell and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights picked up a transfer in Austin Williams. Rutgers will be the fourth school Williams has attended, having previously been at mid-majors Marist, Hartford and Florida International. Williams first started playin college basketball in 2017. 

Additionally, Oskar Palmquist — who originally was a transfer leaving Pikiell's team to play at Elon in 2023-24 — returned to Rutgers on Saturday.

Here's everything you need to know in today's Big Ten Roundup:

Michael Mack II Transferring to Wisconsin

It's too bad for Wisconsin that the Big Ten is eliminating divisions after 2023. With the talent Fickell keeps bringing into the program, the Badgers would have gone back to running the West in no time. 

Though Air Force is not the prime hotbed for talent in the college football sphere, the Falcons went 10-3 in each of their last two seasons, during both of which Mack II was a starter. 

Mack II did, however, enter the transfer portal once it was already closed, hence his very late commitment to Fickell and Wisconsin. 

"I'm trying to get a waiver so I don't have to redshirt this season," Mack II told Jon McNamara of Rivals. "I entered the portal once it was closed, so I have to see what happens with that. If it gets approved, they want me to come in and compete for time right away. If not, I'll take on more of a role of teaching the younger guys and getting my body right, especially for the Big Ten. I should hear about that in the next two or three weeks."

If Mack II does get his waiver and is allowed to play for Wisconsin in 2023, he'll get his first start on Sept. 2, when the Badgers host the Buffalo Bulls. 

Williams, Palmquist Join Rutgers for 2023-24 

After losing so many players to the portal following the 2022-23 season, Pikiell and Rutgers are finally starting to replenish their roster. 

Austin Williams, having first played for Marist from 2017-19, for Hartford from 2019-22 and attending (but not playing for) Florida International in 2022-23, committed to Rutgers on Saturday. 

Williams is a New Jersey native, having played at Seton Hall Prep in high school. He did not play for Hartford during the 2019-20 season due to previous NCAA transfer rules that did not allow for immediate eligibility. And though Williams transferred from Hartford to Florida International during the 2022 offseason, he never played for FIU, sitting out the entire 2022-23 season with a knee injury. 

Standing at 6-foot-4 and playing the guard position, Williams has scored 1,086 total points in his career, but has only shot 29.4% from three over the course of four seasons.

Additionally, though Rutgers originally believed it had lost Palmquist to Elon, the senior forward is returning to Piscataway.

Palmquist played 48 total games for the Scarlet Knights from 2020-23, and started in two last season, according to CBB Reference. His return completes the Scarlet Knights' roster for the 2023-24 season, as Palmquist has taken the team's final available scholarship. 

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Daniel Olinger
DANIEL OLINGER

Daniel Olinger is a Sports Illustrated/FanNation reporter for HoosiersNow.com. He graduated from Northwestern University with degrees in both journalism and economics. 

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