The Wisconsin Badgers and successful Avon Old Farms (CT) linebacker Christian Alliegro are likely moving forward in different directions.
Alliegro, a former prep school lacrosse star who picked up football on the side, was a three-star linebacker in the 2023 recruiting class. The linebacker was interested in NC State, Minnesota, Maryland, Virginia, and Wake Forest but ultimately signed with Wisconsin. Alliegro appeared in a handful of games as a true freshman and recorded five tackles, a pass defense, and a sack.
During the 2024 season, Alliegro stepped up for Wisconsin and the linebacker had his best season to date. Alliegro recorded 66 total tackles, a pass defense, and three sacks with three double-digit tackle games. The linebacker had a career performance against Iowa where he recorded 16 tackles and a sack while establishing himself as a top rising linebacker in the Big Ten Conference.
The 2025 season proved to be a much different campaign for Alliegro as the defense in general struggled in the first half of the season. The linebacker broke his arm and young guns Cooper Catalano and Mason Posa managed to blossom in wake of the injury. Alliegro still had a productive year with a career-high four sacks, but the playing time going around at linebacker during the 2026 season will be limited.
The junior linebacker announced he would enter the transfer portal with one year of eligibility remaining moving forward.
Wisconsin Badgers LB Christian Alliegro Enters the Transfer Portal Following Down 2025 Season
Entering the year, Posa and Catalano were both players the staff knew would play, but the amount of playing time the duo received was never truly the plan. Alliegro was someone who the staff expected to step-up during the 2025 season but a struggling secondary allowed most teams to pass beyond the linebacker.
The defender also missed two games this season but otherwise would have been on track to record very similar numbers to his 2024 campaign. Alliegro finished the 2025 season with 49 total tackles after recording 66 in 2024.
As the season continued to progress and the younger linebackers played more, reality set in for Alliegro. Wisconsin has two players with three years of eligibility left and playing the older linebacker over them would be a move that could harm the development of them both. Regardless of what is brought to the table, Alliegro would not have been able to carve out as significant of a role for himself next season in a very competitive room.
The linebacker will now enter the transfer portal with likely a great deal of potentially interested programs. The Connecticut native could potentially reunite with the UConn Huskies, though the linebacker could be ACC bound this time around. Virginia, Wake Forest, and NC State had all been previously involved with the linebacker during his high school recruitment. Rutgers is another program that could be in play after previously recruiting the linebacker and being a top program destination to home.
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