May 2, 2024
Wisconsin continued its recent run in the transfer portal with another addition.
Former Colorado State and Missouri wing John Tonje will join the Badgers for his final college season.
— John Tonje (@johntonje1) May 2, 2024
Tonje spent his first four years with the Rams where he averaged 14.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 38% from beyond the arc. The 6-foot-5 220-pound Tonje then transferred to Missouri for last season to use his COVID year but a foot injury limited him to just eight games and he was a non-factor, averaging just 2.6 points in less than 10 minutes per game. His coach there, Dennis Gates, told reporters that Tonje was among their top players in summer workouts before he suffered a setback.
The Omaha native is eligible for a medical waiver, allowing him a sixth season.
Tonje had actually committed to play for New Mexico late last week, even announcing it on his social media. But the Badgers swung in and did enough to get him to come to Madison instead.
Tonje posted on his social media accounts his commitment to play for the Lobos on his social media accounts on Thursday and after that accepted an offer to go play at Wisconsin is what the Journal has learned from now multiple sources. https://t.co/ZZXFkAFwhb
— Geoff Grammer (@GeoffGrammer) April 28, 2024
A healthy Tonje would slot in on the wing for the Badgers, a spot that is open after the departure of AJ Storr to Kansas. Sophomore John Blackwell and senior Max Klesmit can play that spot, too, while the team is also still in pursuit of another wing in Duke transfer Jaden Schutt.
Tonje joins former Central Arkansas guard Camren Hunter and former Northern Illinois forward Xavier Amos as part of Wisconsin’s transfer portal class.