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Wisconsin adds in-state OLB Evan Van Dyn Hoven as a walk-on

The Wisconsin Badgers earn a preferred walk-on commitment from 2023 athlete Evan Van Dyn Hoven out of Menasha.

Matt Belz

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A day after one of Wisconsin's top former walk-ons, John Torchio, was named a semifinalist for the Burlsworth Trophy given annually to the most outstanding walk-on in the country, the Badgers added a new walk-on to their 2023 recruiting class.

In-state athlete Evan Van Dyn Hoven took to Twitter to announce his decision to walk on at Wisconsin.

A senior from Menasha High School, Van Dyn Hoven, will make the short two-hour drive south to Madison for college, opting to join the football team as a preferred walk-on.

Van Dyn Hoven stands 6-foot-3 and weighs a little over 200 pounds. While he plays wide receiver and is an edge rusher for his high school team, Van Dyn Hoven will begin his career at UW as an outside linebacker under assistant coach Bobby April.

A good athlete, Van Dyn Hoven originally earned an opportunity to walk on with the Badgers in June after a strong performance at one of Wisconsin's summer camps. At camp, he impressed the staff with his athleticism and speed. Also a basketball player, Van Dyn Hoven's blend of size and athletic ability make him an intriguing player, despite a lack of high school film due to injuries the past two seasons.

Playing in just eight games combined the past two seasons, Van Dyn Hoven had 32 tackles, seven tackles for loss, four sacks, and two forced fumbles defensively during his junior and senior seasons, per Wissports. On offense, he totaled nine receptions for 240 yards and four touchdowns.

Growing up as a Wisconsin fan, Van Dyn Hoven told All Badgers that "it feels amazing" to commit to the Badgers, and that "it's a great opportunity that I can't wait to experience." 

With his commitment, the Wisconsin Badgers now have four walk-ons set to join the program for the 2023 season. Joining Van Dyn Hoven includes a pair of fellow in-state players, defensive end Will McDonald of Hudson (Wis.) and offensive lineman Zack Mlsna of Cashton (Wis.). From out-of-state, long-snapper Keane Bessert of Colorado is also set to walk on with the Badgers as a specialist.

While the Badgers are sure to add more walk-ons in the coming months, Wisconsin's 2023 class now has 17 total commits, 13 of which are on scholarship. UW is also exploring several other scholarship players to potentially add late in the cycle as well, meaning there is still plenty of room for the class to grow under Jim Leonhard.

You can check out some senior highlights of Evan Van Dyn Hoven in action below. 

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Matt Belz
MATT BELZ

Title: Publisher, Beat Writer for AllBadgers.com, a Sports Illustrated Channel Hello, my name is Matt Belz, and I am the site manager at All Badgers. I previously wrote for multiple years at Buckeyes 5th Quarter and have been the leading publisher here since March of 2022.  When I am not covering the Wisconsin Badgers football and men's basketball teams, I enjoy being outside and spending time with family and friends.  You can follow everything I write about on several different platforms. First and foremost on our site...AllBadgers.com You can follow me personally on Twitter at @savedbythebelz or check out our Facebook page at Wisconsin FanNation on Sports Illustrated.

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