Wisconsin football recruiting: Badgers announce 8 enrollees for 2015

Wisconsin announced eight early enrollees on Tuesday, the first day of class for the spring semester.

The eight recruits will start classes this week and are eligible for spring practice. Five are scholarship players: quarterback Alex Hornibrook (West Chester, Pa.), quarterback Austin Kafentzis (Sandy, Utah), offensive lineman Jon Dietzen (Black Creek, Wis.), tight end Kyle Penniston (Orange, Calif.) and linebacker Nick Thomas (Bradenton, Fla.).

Two are walk-ons: linebacker Ty DeForest (Marshall, Wis.) and wide receiver Noah Stengel (Sheboygan, Wis.). One, defensive back Serge Trezy (Orlando, Fla.), is a junior college transfer.

Trezy will be a junior in 2015 after spending two seasons at Eastern Arizona College. He was at one point expected to join Wisconsin's 2014 recruiting class. The other seven early enrollees will be freshmen for the 2015 season.

We'll have much more on each early enrollee throughout the week. Below is Wisconsin's official bio on each one, with links to B5Q's stories on their commitments.

LB Ty DeForest (walk-on story)

6'1, 220 lbs.
Marshall, Wis. (Marshall)

High School: Two-time WFCA and Associated Press all-state selection at linebacker ... three-time Capitol South Conference Defensive Player of the Year ... named first-team all-conference at linebacker, running back, punter and specialist position during career, with eight first-team nods in all ... finished senior season with 132 tackles, 23 TFLs, 7 sacks, 3 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles and 2 defensive touchdowns ... for his career, racked up 364 tackles, 63 TFLs, 19 sacks, 4 interceptions and 4 forced fumbles ... two-time offensive MVP and two-time defensive MVP at Marshall ... three-year team captain ... in addition to playing quarterback, running back and linebacker, was Marshall's placekicker, punter, kick returner and punt returner all four years ... in track, won four conference titles as a junior (100m, 200m, 4x100 relay, long jump) and scored in 4x100 and 4x200 relays at WIAA Division 2 state meet ... also qualified for state track meet in four events as a sophomore ... lettered in basketball and baseball, earning All-Capitol South honors in both sports ... coach was Matt Kleinheinz

Personal: Parents are Tim and Michelle DeForest ... father, Tim, played football at UW-Whitewater ... three-year High Honor Roll student ... member of National Honor Society ... volunteered as mentor for elementary school students and with Youth Frontiers program

OL Jon Dietzen (commit story)

6'5, 330 lbs.
Black Creek, Wis. (Seymour)

High School: Four-star recruit by Scout ... three-star recruit by 247 Sports, ESPN.com and Rivals ... two-time first-team all-state selection by WFCA and Associated Press ... as a senior, named recipient of Joe Thomas Award as state of Wisconsin's top offensive lineman ... named Bay Conference Lineman of the Year as a senior ... helped Seymour advance to quarterfinals of WIAA Division 3 state playoffs as a junior and senior... team captain and team MVP as a senior ... also played hockey ... coach was Matt Molle

Personal: Parents are Bruce and Karen Dietzen ... enjoys hunting and fishing

QB Alex Hornibrook (commit story)

6'4, 215 lbs.
West Chester, Pa. (Malvern Prep)

High School: Three-star recruit by 247 Sports, ESPN.com, Rivals and Scout ... as a senior, completed 63 percent of his passes for a school-record 2,156 yards and school-record 26 touchdowns ... finished career with a school-record 3,356 passing yards and 38 touchdowns ... winner of 2014 Pennsylvania Mini Max Award from Maxwell Football Club ... first-team All-Inter-Academic League as a senior ... also named first-team All-Main Line and first-team All-City by the Philadelphia Daily News ... three-year team captain at Malvern Prep ... coach was Aaron Brady

Personal: Parents are Jeff and Dawn Hornibrook ... father, Jeff, played football at Temple ... great uncle John Hornibrook played football at Miami (Fla.) ... uncle Ben Davis was No. 2 pick in 1995 Major League Baseball Draft and went on to play for Padres, Mariners and White Sox ... distinguished honor roll student ... member of National Honor Society ... volunteer for Make-A-Wish Foundation

QB Austin Kafentzis (commit story | interview)

6'1, 200 lbs.
Sandy, Utah (Jordan)

High School: Four-star recruit by ESPN.com ... three-star recruit by 247 Sports, Rivals and Scout ... named Utah Gatorade Player of the Year as a sophomore (2012) and senior (2014) ... four-time all-state selection ... ranks No. 2 all-time among U.S. preps in total offense (20,021 yards) and touchdowns responsible for (218), trailing only Kenton (Ohio) QB Maty Mauk in both categories ... finished career holding 15 Utah state records, including career passing yards (13,079), career rushing yards (6,942), career passing touchdowns (115), career touchdowns scored (103), career total offense (20,021 yards) and 100-yard rushing games (38) ... also set single-game state records for total offense (694 yards), touchdown passes (8) and touchdowns responsible for (10) ... first high school player in U.S. to finish as his state's career record-holder in both passing and rushing yards ... first U.S. prep to throw for 100 touchdowns (115) and run for 100 touchdowns (103) ... led Jordan to Class 5A state championship as a sophomore in 2012 ... named MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year after throwing for 3,018 yards, rushing for 1,884 yards and posting 58 total TDs ... as a freshman, threw for 3,188 yards, rushed for 1,377 yards and accounted for 55 total TDs to earn MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year honors ... also competed in track and field, helping Jordan to 2012 state championship ... set Utah state record and ranked No. 9 nationally in 2014 in javelin with mark of 217 feet, 9 1/2 inches ... coach was Eric Kjar

Personal: Parents are Kyle Kafentzis and Juliene Kafentzis ... four-year high honor roll student ... father Kyle played football at Hawaii from 1983-86 and for the Chicago Bears ... four uncles (Kent, Kurt, Kyle and Sean Kafentzis) and three cousins (Landon Kafentzis, Tyson Kafentzis and Mikhail Powell) also played football at Hawaii

TE Kyle Penniston (commit story | interview)

6'5, 230 lbs.
Orange, Calif. (Mater Dei)

High School: Four-star recruit by 247 Sports, ESPN.com and Rivals ... ranked as No. 6 tight end in nation by Rivals and No. 10 by ESPN.com ... selected to 2015 Under Armour All-America Game ... caught 31 passes for 419 yards and two touchdowns as a senior ... made 11 catches for 131 yards and a touchdown as a junior ... coach was Bruce Rollinson

Personal: Parents are Scott and Teri Penniston ... father Scott played college football at California Lutheran ... enjoys scuba diving

WR Noah Stengel

6'1, 190 lbs.
Sheboygan, Wis. (North)

High School: First-team all-state selection by WFCA as a senior in 2013 ... also earned second-team all-state honors from Associated Press ... finalist for Al Toon Award for state's top receiver ... selected for 2014 WFCA All-Star Game ... as a senior, led state in regular season with 1,135 receiving yards, pulling in 59 catches and scoring 11 touchdowns while averaging 19.2 yards per reception ... Sheboygan North Offensive MVP as a senior ... two-year team captain... also lettered in track and field and basketball ... qualified for WIAA Division 1 state meet in the high jump as a senior ... coach was Karl Nienhuis

Personal: Parents are Ed and Lisa Stengel ... brother Jake is a senior wide receiver for the Badgers ... brother Connor competed in track and field at Marquette from 2011-14 ... volunteered for Salvation Army, as a youth football coach and official at youth track meets

LB Nick Thomas (commit story)

6'2, 230 lbs.
Bradenton, Fla. (IMG Academy)

High School: Three-star recruit by 247 Sports, ESPN.com, Rivals and Scout ... helped IMG go 10-1 in 2014 (earning No. 1 ranking in state of Florida) and 9-2 in its inaugural season in 2013 ... finished four-year varsity career with 278 tackles, 29 TFLs and 7.5 sacks ... recorded 99 total tackles, 8 TFLs and 1.5 sacks as a junior in 2013 ... racked up 88 total tackles, 14 TFLs and 4.0 sacks as a senior ... two-year team captain ... played first two seasons at Concordia (Kan.) High School, recording 78 tackles and 7 TFLs while rushing for 834 yards and 15 touchdowns as a sophomore ... named first-team All-North Central Kansas League and first-team all-district both seasons ... also lettered in baseball at Concordia, helping team reach state championship game as a freshman and state semifinals as a sophomore ... coach at IMG Academy was Chris Weinke

Personal: Parents are Jerry and LeAnne Thomas ... father Jerry played football at Louisiana Tech ... member of National Honor Society ... recipient of Wendy's High School Heisman school award ... named Academic Scholar-Athlete as a senior ... volunteered at senior citizens center, food back and church

DB Serge Trezy (2014 commit story)

6'2, 195 lbs.
Orlando, Fla. (Agape / Eastern Arizona)

At Eastern Arizona

2013: Three-star recruit by ESPN.com, Rivals, Scout and 247 Sports ... played running back, rushing for 814 yards (7.8 average) and six touchdowns to earn first-team All-Western States Football League honors ... also returned kicks, recording more than 1,300 all-purpose yards

2012: Saw action in four games, recording four total tackles and a sack at defensive end and 61 yards and a touchdown on seven carries at running back

High School: Rushed for 4,164 yards and 54 touchdowns in three years as starter at Agape Christian Academy ... also lettered in basketball and track and field ... head coach was Victor Floyd

Personal: Mother is Sergette Trezy