Wisconsin Men’s Basketball Announces Freshman Addition Josh Manchester for 2026-27 Season

Madison, Wisconsin – The University of Wisconsin men’s basketball program announced on April 22, 2026, that Josh Manchester, a native of Mount Horeb, will join the team as a freshman for the 2026-27 season.

Manchester concluded his high school career at Mount Horeb High School with 2,534 points, ranking him tenth in Wisconsin state history for career scoring. As a senior, he averaged 30.1 points per game while leading his team to a conference championship.

According to 247Sports, Manchester’s only Division I scholarship offers came from Northern Illinois and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay before his commitment to the Badgers.

Head coach Greg Gard expressed enthusiasm about the addition, stating, “We’re excited to have Josh join our program. As we continue to intentionally build out our roster, it’s vital to have players in a variety of roles. Josh appreciates and understands the work and development that his role will require. He’s got a competitor’s mindset paired with a knack for scoring as witnessed by him being amongst the top 10 scorers in Wisconsin high school history.”

Gard also highlighted Manchester’s family connection to the program, noting that he had previously recruited Josh’s father, Paul Manchester, to UW-Platteville from La Crosse Logan High School in 1995, where Paul played for his own father, Tom.

“It’s truly amazing how this profession and game can bring people full circle more than 30 years later!” Gard remarked.

Manchester was recognized as a Wisconsin State Journal Player of the Year and earned Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association All-State honors following his senior season. As a junior, he averaged 31.1 points per game and helped lead Mount Horeb to another conference title.

He becomes the third true freshman to join Wisconsin’s roster for the 2026-27 season, alongside fellow in-state recruit LaTrevion Fenderson and Australian guard Jackson Ball.

The announcement comes amid significant roster turnover for the Badgers, with starters John Blackwell and Aleksas Bieliauskas entering the transfer portal, while Nick Boyd and Andrew Rohde have exhausted their eligibility. Wisconsin has already added three transfers to address those departures.

Manchester is expected to report to campus this summer to begin preparations for the upcoming season.