(BDCi) — It sounded pretty awful due to travel delays of more than four hours but it had a happy ending for Chattanooga, Tennessee Baylor kicker and Brazilian Rafael Gaglianone, who gave an oral commitment to the University of Wisconsin during a visit Sunday.
Due to travel problems, Gaglianone did not arrive in Madison on Saturday until well after the Badgers 51-3 victory over Indiana. However after touring the campus, he jumped on the scholarship offer.
“It’s definitely a big-time opportunity and I couldn’t be more thankful for that,” Gaglianone told BadgerNation.com. “It’s a big-time program with top-notch facilities. I’m really glad they gave me a chance.”
Gaglianone is the 20th commitment to the University of Wisconsin’s 2014 recruiting class. His only other scholarship offer was from North Carolina State, but said he was receiving interest from Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas A&M.
The commitment comes roughly three years after Gaglianone moved to the United States from Brazil where he was born and raised. He came to this country to play soccer and get an opportunity to go to college. He started playing football midway through his sophomore year.
“I just went with it,”Gaglianone said. “My first day I made a 50-yarder. It was just one of those things (where it) all went well. Over the last two years I had to change completely my technique and adjust to kicking with and without a tee to get to the point where I could be good.”
Gaglianone who has worked with kicking instructor Chris Sailer, said he was 10 of 14 on field goal attempts as a senior, including a 57-yarder and multiple field goals of 40 or more yards. He also narrowly missed a 60-yard attempt.
Source: lacrossetribune.com