Wisconsin football lands UW-La Crosse transfer punter Ethan Tranel
Wisconsin football has added a transfer portal commitment from former UW-La Crosse punter Ethan Tranel.
The Wisconsin football program continued to reinforce the margins of its roster by adding a specialist from the Division III ranks.
UW–La Crosse punter Ethan Tranel has committed to join the Badgers, giving Wisconsin a homegrown option at a position where consistency matters. Tranel announced the decision after two productive seasons with the Eagles, during which he developed into one of the WIAC’s most reliable punters.
“Beyond grateful for the last two years at UW–La Crosse,” Tranel wrote. “With that being said, I am very excited to continue my football journey at the University of Wisconsin! 🦡🔴⚪️”
Tranel checks in at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds and hails from Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, playing his high school football at nearby Mount Horeb. The path to joining the Badgers makes plenty of sense, and so does the fit.
Let’s start with the production.
In his first season as UW–La Crosse’s punter in 2024, Tranel appeared in all 12 games and handled 35 punts for 1,404 yards, averaging 40.1 yards per punt with a long of 64 yards. He consistently helped flip the field, finishing the season with 12 punts downed inside the 20, eight punts of 50 yards or more, eight fair catches, and just two touchbacks all season.
That season included a standout performance against UW–Platteville on Oct. 5, when Tranel punted the ball six times for 258 yards, averaging 43 yards per kick with a long of 54 and two punts inside the 20.
The second season showed even more growth.
In 2025, Tranel’s workload increased despite appearing in 11 games. He attempted 51 punts for 2,134 yards, raised his average to 41.8 yards per punt (most in the WIAC), and had a season-long punt of 67 yards. His situational numbers followed suit: 18 punts inside the 20, 12 punts of 50-plus yards, 17 fair catches, four touchbacks, and zero blocked punts.
Across two seasons, the résumé is clean and consistent. In 23 career games, Tranel totaled 86 punts for 3,538 yards, averaging 41.1 yards per punt with a long of 67. He finished with 30 punts inside the 20, 20 punts of 50-plus yards, six touchbacks, 25 fair catches, and no blocked punts.
That profile makes Tranel worth adding.
Wisconsin’s specialist group is undergoing a reshuffle heading into 2026. Atticus Bertrams entered the transfer portal this offseason in search of a fresh start. Punter Sean West is set to return after earning the starting job last season and showing legitimate Big Ten-level production. West averaged 47.7 yards per punt on 25 attempts, recorded a long of 62 yards, and logged 14 punts of 50-plus yards, giving the Badgers a legitimate weapon.
The Badgers also return Gavin Lahm, who competed with Nathanial Vakos for the kicking job during fall camp, redshirted to preserve his final season of eligibility, and now enters next season as the favorite to handle both placekicking and kickoff duties. Wisconsin has also added Toledo long snapper James Roe, who joins Andrew Goodman in that room, bringing added competition and helping stabilize the special teams operation.
Tranel steps into that picture with a clear understanding of the hierarchy. West is the starter, but Wisconsin needs competition and depth at the position. With Bertrams previously handling shorter-field punting situations to help pin opponents deep, it’ll be interesting to see whether the staff views Tranel as a complementary option in a similar role.
The Badgers have shown they’re comfortable using a true one-two punch at specialist when it fits the game plan, and Tranel gives them another reliable piece to work with that has multiple years of eligibility to develop.
This was a necessary addition.
Wisconsin has long treated special teams like a place where games can tilt in your favor when executed properly. Adding a punter who has shown year-over-year growth, handled volume, avoided mistakes, and understands situational football fits that philosophy. If Tranel pushes the room in a meaningful way, great. If he develops into more, even better.
Head coach Luke Fickell believes the punt is the “most important play in football,” so adding another dependable leg to compete behind the scenes feels like a logical way to reinforce the depth that supports it.
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