Wisconsin football gets a win with return of prized WR Trech Kekahuna

WR Trech Kekahuna announces plans to return to Wisconsin after entering portal

Wisconsin wide receiver Trech Kekahuna will return to the school next year after originally entering the transfer portal. / Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Trech Kekahuna has had a change of heart, opting to return to Wisconsin football instead of remaining in the transfer portal.

A redshirt freshman wide receiver, Kekahuna had announced his intentions to transfer earlier this month alongside a host of Badgers following a disappointing 5-7 campaign. Instead, he has declared plans to return, spurning interest from Minnesota, Michigan State, Iowa State, Utah and Hawaii.

WELCOME BACK TRECH! pic.twitter.com/du1jPAXTuo

— Badger Barstool (@badgerbarstool) December 12, 2024

The 5-foot-10, 187-pounder caught 25 passes for 339 yards and two touchdowns last year as the Wisconsin offense sputtered down the road. A new offensive coordinator has been brought in with the hiring of Jeff Grimes, who most recently directed the offense at Kansas.

Kekahuna had a breakout game vs. Purdue, catching six passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns. He showcased his explosive ability, as the TDs went for 69 and 25 yards. 

Four Wisconsin players who previously entered the transfer portal have since decided to return now, as offensive linemen Riley Mahlman and Jake Renfo, and linebacker Darryl Peterson join Kekahuna.

In 2023, Kekahuna played in the final five games of the season, catching four passes for 64 yards in the ReliaQuest Bowl vs. LSU. He also had a 37-yard kickoff return in that game. 

A native of Hawaii, Kekahuna played at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas where he was a four-star recruit who had 1,330 yards and 22 touchdowns on 61 catches as a senior.