Cade Yacamelli and his dad traveled to Madison, Wis., so Cade could take part in a football camp at the University of Wisconsin a few weeks ago.
Yacamelli didn’t yet own a Wisconsin offer, but they were still his No. 1 school.
“I told my dad that if I got one [while there], I might commit on the spot,” said Yacamelli, who will soon be a senior at Penn-Trafford.
Well, the Badgers did extend an offer. And while Yacamelli didn’t commit that day — he wanted his mom to see the campus first — it was only a matter of time before he did.
Yacamelli committed to Wisconsin while on an official visit to the school June 18. He spread news of his commitment on social media a few days later. Yacamelli is the first Penn-Trafford player to commit to a Power Five school since 2005 graduate Jason Kacinko, who began his career at Purdue before transferring to Pitt.
A 6-foot, 200-pound running back-defensive back, Yacamelli also had FBS offers from Army, Navy and Air Force. He said Pitt and Penn State were both showing interest.
“Wisconsin was my first camp,” he said. “I was thinking about going to the Pitt and Penn State camps, but once Wisconsin offered, I was pretty much done. They were my No. 1 choice. When I got there, I knew it was the perfect fit. I loved the coaching staff and loved the campus.”
Paul Chryst, formerly the head coach at Pitt, is entering his seventh season as Wisconsin’s head coach. Joe Rudolph, who was Chryst’s offensive coordinator at Pitt, is Wisconsin’s associate head coach and offensive coordinator.
Wisconsin has been recruiting Yacamelli since the beginning of his junior year. He has not only provided the Badgers with a commitment, but also a problem, albeit a good problem. What position will he play there?
“When I went there for the camp, they listed me as a slot receiver, but then moved me to running back and then to safety,” said Yacamelli. “Coach Rudolph told my dad, ‘The wide receivers coach loves him. The running backs coach loves him. And the safeties coach loves him. We’re in a pretty unique position.’”
Yacamelli was an all-conference running back in the Class 5A Big East Conference his junior season when he rushed for 680 yards (he averaged 8.7 yards per carry) and scored a team-best 10 touchdowns. He also had nine receptions and on defense was a starting safety. Yacamelli was also a big factor as a kick and punt returner.
U Prep’s Murray commits
Rashan Murray’s recruitment by Akron didn’t last long. Just a few days after the Zips offered the City League football standout, Murray committed to play for them. Murray is a rising senior who attends Obama Academy and plays for University Prep. Murray (6-1, 180) was an all-City League wide receiver his junior season, but will likely play defensive back in college. When Murray gets to Akron, he’ll see a familiar face. Obama graduate and former University Prep star Michael Snowden is entering his second season playing for the Zips.
Where’s Waldo?
When the 2022-23 college basketball season commences and someone asks “Where’s Waldo,” the answer will be IUP. Bethel Park’s Dolan Waldo, one of the top true post players in the WPIAL, committed to IUP last week. As a junior, the 6-foot-7 Waldo averaged a team-high 17 points per game and was an all-section honoree. IUP played only three games during the 2020-21 season due to COVID-19, but went 28-2 and won the PSAC title a season earlier.
SEC offer for Cummings
Not often does an SEC school offer a basketball player from Western Pa., but it happened last week when Lincoln Park’s Brandin “Beebah” Cummings received an offer from South Carolina. It’s the second Division I offer for Cummings, who got one from Bryant in April. Cummings is a 6-3 combo guard who averaged 11.5 points a game as a freshman last season. South Carolina coach Frank Martin guided the Gamecocks to the Final Four in 2017.
This and that
Brashear’s Ta’Mere Robinson, one of the top football players in the state in the class of 2023, has added Ohio State to his long list of offers. Among his others are Pitt, Penn State, Notre Dame and Michigan. He took an unofficial visit to Notre Dame last week. … Butler basketball standout Devin Carney took an official visit to George Mason. He previously visited Rice. The rising senior has more than a dozen offers overall. … Penn Hills basketball player Daemar Kelly, who will be a junior this fall, was offered by Robert Morris. Kelly also has one from Radford.
Brad Everett: beverett@post-gazette.com and Twitter @BREAL412.
First Published: June 30, 2021, 9:30 a.m.