After a rough day that saw five players enter their name into the transfer portal, Badger volleyball rebounded Saturday by securing one of the top middle blockers in the portal.
Kelly Sheffield and Wisconsin got to work quickly and landed middle blocker Jaela Auguste on Saturday. The 6-foot-2 transfer from Florida confirmed her commitment on social media.
"So beyond excited to announce my commitment to Wisconsin," she said in the post. "So grateful to be able to continue my career ar such a great program! Thank you to all the people who have helped and believed in me through this process!"
BOOM!!! This is huge. Jaela Auguste is a Badger!! Per her Instagram. pic.twitter.com/sB1nMdnMEu
— Badger of Honor (@BadgerOfHonorFS) December 20, 2025
Badgers act quickly and secure a star at a position of need
After losing five players to the portal a day after losing to Kentucky in the national semifinal, Wisconsin responsed by going out and getting one of the best players at her position. Auguste was a 2025 All-SEC First Team selection and 2025 AVCA Third Team All-American this past season with the Gators. She finished with 106 blocks and 27 aces on the season.
Wisconsin likely isn't done in the transer portal, but it's certainly a strong start for Sheffield and company, who also have the No. 2 ranked recruiting class. In fact, Auguste went to the same high school as incoming freshman Halle Thompson, and they'll now be reunited as teammates in Madison.
The Badgers are losing a lot of talent to graduations and transfers, including stars Mimi Colyer, Carter Booth and Addy Horner. The addition of Auguste fills the void left by Booth at middle blocker, and will be an instant plug-and-play starter. Wisconsin exceeded expectations this season by making it all the way to semifinal in the NCAA tournament, and now with the addition of Auguste, have begun to reload to make another run in 2026.