Freshman center Owen Hamilton announced Tuesday that he will be transferring from Northern Illinois to the University of Wisconsin-Madison this fall to walk-on for the Badgers. Playing a minor bench role, the seven footer averaged 2 points and 1 rebound per game in his first year of division one basketball last year with the Huskies.

Hamilton was granted a release from Northern Illinois in March with hopes of playing closer to his hometown of Prescott, Wisconsin. He thanked the coaches, players and staff at NIU in an announcement tweet, also noting that he had always dreamed of being a Badger and playing at the Kohl Center.

Hamilton will arrive on campus this fall. As a transfer, however, Hamilton will be required to sit out the 2018-2019 season before joining the team with three years of eligibility remaining starting in 2019-2020.

Wisconsin has had plenty of successful walk-ons in the past, and adding a capable big man in the always physical Big Ten is never a bad thing.