Mark Zengerle ended up with Salmon Arm of the British Columbia Hockey League this season in part because of a trade involving a Wisconsin Badgers men's hockey recruit.

Now, that label applies to him, too.

Zengerle, a 19-year-old forward, on Tuesday gave Badgers coaches a verbal commitment to accept a full scholarship, likely in the fall of 2010.

His visit to Madison last weekend to see Wisconsin host Michigan Tech was enough for Zengerle to cancel planned trips to North Dakota and Boston University, among other schools.

"Wisconsin was my first visit, and I knew that was the place I wanted to go," he said.

"Obviously, the hockey is pretty amazing," he added. "I really liked the coaches, I liked the facilities. I liked what the coaches had said to me."

A high-scoring forward from Rochester, N.Y., Zengerle got a spot in Salmon Arm after UW recruit Derek Lee was traded to Victoria. Zengerle, listed at 5-foot-11 and 172 pounds, went west with former Northwood School teammate and good friend Conor Morrison.

Zengerle played two years at Northwood, a Lake Placid, N.Y., prep school that produced former Wisconsin players Tony Granato and Mike Richter.

There's a chance that Zengerle could join the Badgers next season, but for that to happen it likely would take an unexpected number of early departures to the pros in the forward ranks.

"I'm perfectly fine with that," Zengerle said of the prospect of waiting until 2010. "I like it up here."

Just look at his point total to find out why. Zengerle has 14 goals and 40 points in 21 games, which is tied for third in the BCHL despite missing time recently with a shoulder injury.

"It's going real well from a point standpoint," he said, "but everything (is going well), really."

Zengerle would be only the sixth Wisconsin player to call New York state home. The others: forward Matt Auffrey (2004-05), forward E.J. Bradley (1994-98), goaltender Ben Hall (1964-67), forward Brian Mullen (1980-82) and forward Jason Zent (1990-1994).

Wisconsin coaches aren't allowed to comment about recruits that have not signed a national letter of intent.