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Westphal family continues UW sports tradition

University of Wisconsin sports have been part of the Westphal family of Janesville since grandpa Fred Westphal was an All-America swimmer at the UW.

John Westphal played football for UW and lettered as a linebacker in 1980 and 1981. Now, nephew Beau Allen has joined the UW sports bloodline. Allen signed a national letter of intent to play football for the Badgers last Saturday.

Allen is a 6-foot-3, 305-pound defensive lineman from Minnetonka, Minn. He is ranked a four-star recruit by Scout.com and a three-star recruit by Rivals.com. Allen also considered Notre Dame, Stanford and Michigan, but fortunately for Wisconsin, his parents and relatives in Wisconsin carried the most recruiting clout.

“All my cousins and uncles and aunts are from Wisconsin, so they always talk about the Badgers,” Allen told a Madison newspaper. “They were just in my life growing up.’’

Besides relatives, his parents, Matt and Susie Allen, both attended UW. His dad is a UW graduate, and his mother (John’s sister) attended for two years before getting married and transferring.

Grandfather Fred and uncle John are both members of the Janesville Sports Hall of Fame.

UW has scored a top player in its greatest area of need. Four of the Badgers’ top five defensive tackles are seniors and will be gone after this season.

Allen started at nose guard for four years in a

3-4 scheme. Minnetonka plays among the big schools in the Minneapolis suburbs.

Allen is touted for his speed and ability as a run-stuffer. He led the team with 89 tackles, an outstanding effort for a nose guard, and 6.5 sacks as a senior. Allen has a 3.25 grade point average.