MADISON – Being close to home has its advantages.
Teagan Mallegni understands that better than most. After spending the first two years of her college career three hours away from her hometown of McFarland, she finds herself less than a 30-minute drive from home now.
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She is making the most of it.
“I’m really close with my family and my brothers,” she said. “They’re both at home still, too. For me to have the opportunity to go back and just hang out with them and be with my family and be in the comfort of my space, I think, has been really great.”
Mallegni was one of the players who got away, a high-level prep basketball standout from the state who chose to play her college ball elsewhere,
The 6-foot-1 junior guard, who played her first two years at Iowa, was one of four players Wisconsin signed out of the transfer portal. Each of the signings carries significance for different reasons. Mallegni’s addition is another step in the push from coach Robin Pingeton and her staff to show the state’s best players that UW is a viable option.
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Mallegni is joined by three other in-state products on the roster: freshmen Adaline Sheplee, Giselle Janowski and Leah Nordin. And on signing day, Wisconsin will add two more in-state players: Madison Edgewood point guard Anna Miller and Kimberly forward Ava Von Vonderen.
Pingeton said she wants as many in-state players in the program as possible.
“I think it just hits a little bit closer to home when you’re representing your home state,” Pingeton said. “[I’m] so excited about them, excited about our recruiting. There’s a lot of talent in this state and we’ve worked really hard, as we said we would, in regards to building relationships with these high school coaches, AAU coaches, recruiting the state hard, building relationships in the community.”
Mallegni averaged 3.2 points and 2.6 rebounds in 8 minutes per game at Iowa as a freshman in 2024-25 when the team reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Last season she couldn’t work her way into the rotation after suffering an early-season injury and illness and averaged 1.5 points and 1.3 rebounds in 5 minutes per game. She played in 15 contests, half as many as she did as a freshman.
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Despite the reduction in minutes, Mallegni said her decision to seek a fresh start had nothing to do with playing time.
“I knew that I had to work my way up again, which I was OK with,” she said. “I think just from the development side of things, I struggled a little bit with that with my coaches at Iowa. I think it was harder for me to feel supported and valued in that way.”
The developmental piece, both as a player and person, was key for Mallengni during her portal recruiting process. In Wisconsin’s case, the intial call from the UW coaches, which had a welcoming and supportive vibe, also stuck with her.
And then there was what she saw as an opposing player. Mallegni had 10 points and four assists in an 81-52 victory over the Badgers last season, and she would occasionally see them on TV and noticed how Pingeton interacted with the team.
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“I just thought that it was a great way to do it,” Mallegni said. “It seemed like she was getting through to her players. I think it was watching how she interacted with her players on the court in the heat of the moment, in the times that maybe weren’t the best and feel the best. I think those interactions were what kind of sold me in that way.”
