2011-12 UMAC Men's Basketball Champion Bethany Lutheran expected to repeat in coming year
2012 UMAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. 48 Points - Bethany Lutheran College (6 First Place Votes)
2. 44 Points - Northwestern College (2)
3. 37 Points - College of St. Scholastica
4. 27 Points - Crown College
5. 24 Points - University of Minnesota Morris
6. 18 Points - North Central University
7. 11 Points - Northland College
8. 10 Points - Martin Luther College
ST. PAUL -- After winning 13 of 14 league games and the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Regular Season Championship in 2011-2012, the Vikings from Bethany Lutheran College were predicted to finish first again in the 2012 UMAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Behind new coach David Balza, Bethany Lutheran went from an 11-15 overall mark (8-6 UMAC) in 2010-2011 to 16-11 (13-1 UMAC) in 2011-2012 while claiming the league title for the first time in school history.
1. Bethany Lutheran College Vikings
2011-2012 Overall Record: 16-11
2011-2012 UMAC Record: 13-1
2011-2012 UMAC Finish: 1st
Starters Returning: 5
Starters Lost: 0
With all five starters returning, solid bench players and a wealth of new recruits, Bethany Lutheran is looking to repeat as regular season conference champions and capture the post-season title that eluded them a year ago. Leading the Vikings will be a very strong senior class which includes last year’s UMAC Co-Player of the Year and All-Defensive honoree Gavin Kroehler. Kroehler averaged 16.4 points per game and 5.1 rebounds per game in UMAC contests while making over 50 percent of his shots from the field. Along with Kroehler, first team all-conference and all-defensive recipient Derek Peterson also returns. Peterson averaged 12.1 points per game and 6.1 rebounds per game during conference play. UMAC Second Team All-Conference recipient and the Vikings’ leading scorer, Alex Weldon, and all-conference honorable mention and team assist leader Patrick Garvin will also be returning for their senior season. Other impactful returners for Bethany Lutheran include Garrett Benson, Deon Wright, Jeremiah Fogarty and Jacob Wensmann.
2. Northwestern College Eagles
2011-2012 Overall Record: 17-11
2011-2012 UMAC Record: 10-4
2011-2012 UMAC Finish: T-2nd
Starters Returning: 4
Starters Lost: 1
While much of the 2012-2013 Northwestern men’s basketball roster will look very familiar to opposing teams and coaches, many new faces will also appear on the Eagles bench. Northwestern, who won the 2012 UMAC Tournament championship, has earned berths in each of the last two NCAA Division III Tournaments, having made first round exits after losing to both of the eventual national champions in 2011 and ’12. The quartet of Wade Chitwood, Tom Gisler, Lance Westberg and Ellis Libby, who all made their Eagles debut as freshmen during the 2009-2010 season, have come full circle and will be playing in their final college seasons in 2012-2013. Chitwood has led Northwestern in scoring in both 2010-2011 and 2011-2012, averaging 17.3 points per game a season ago. Gisler is the reigning two-time national champion (Division III) in three-point shooting percentage. Last year, Gisler made 71 of his 140 attempts for a 50.7 mark while finishing with a 13.1 points per game average. The four seniors have played in a combined 294 games over the last three seasons, with Gisler and Chitwood having consistently started since their sophomore campaigns. Following those four, Northwestern’s varsity experience is limited. Sophomore Devon Apgar made appearances in 12 games, averaging 2.4 points per contest while Kory Kiekoefer scored 76 points in 16 games before an injury ended his sophomore year.
3. College of St. Scholastica Saints
2011-2012 Overall Record: 13-13
2011-2012 UMAC Record: 10-4
2011-2012 UMAC Finish: T-2nd
Starters Returning: 4
Starters Lost: 1
St. Scholastica bounced back from a disappointing 2010-2011 season to finish tied for second in the conference during the regular season a year ago. The Saints saw their season end with a UMAC Tournament semifinal loss to Northwestern. This season, most of the regular cast of characters are back with exception of sharp-shooter Chris Hamers, who now assists head coach David Staniger. CSS returns two-time first team All-UMAC forward Brett Tester, who enters the season eighth on the program’s all-time scoring list. Also back is senior guard Jonah Dahlman, who received All-UMAC postseason accolades for the first time last season. Dahlman’s game picked up when he moved to the off-guard position due to the emergence of freshman guard Derek Steve, who is also back. Freshman Mike Spoden is expected to give Tester another low-post partner, but also back is senior forward MarShaan Johnson, who led the team in blocked shots a season ago. The Mortel twins return for their sophomore campaign and newcomers Steve Golobich, Jake Naslund, Tyler Rosenberger and Andrew Laughlin will give Staniger a lot of depth this season.
4. Crown College Storm
2011-2012 Overall Record: 7-18
2011-2012 UMAC Record: 6-8
2011-2012 UMAC Finish: 5th
Starters Returning: 4
Starters Lost: 1
Crown prepares to enter the 2012-2013 season with two things that the Storm haven’t had in half of a decade: a roster full of returning upperclassmen and a coach with more than two years at the team’s helm. Crown returns 12 players from a year ago, including a core of five players who saw over 20 minutes per game last season. Four members of last year’s starting five return, including UMAC All-Conference Honorable Mention winners Taylor Jones and Truman Shetler. Those two will be joined by Anthijuan Beeks Jr. and Roland Owczarek in the starting lineup. Replacing the graduated David Glover will be well-traveled transfer Anthony DiLoreto. The seven-foot-one junior should be able to reproduce the scoring of the departed Glover while providing a significant boost to Crown’s defensive and rebounding efforts. Also expecting to see large roles this year will be seniors Andy Harrel and Matt Kuik, who both stepped up for Crown down the stretch last year. Those two will be joined by Nick and Drew Krop, who expect to see expanded roles on the wing, and post Jake Jensen to provide a much deeper rotation.
5. University of Minnesota Morris Cougars
2011-2012 Overall Record: 11-15
2011-2012 UMAC Record: 7-7
2011-2012 UMAC Finish: 4th
Starters Returning: 2
Starters Lost: 3
After losing key post players from the 2011-2012 squad, the Cougars from the University of Minnesota Morris will be loaded with guards and speed. The team will rely on new post players along with some experience in the back court to help spell losing 11 years of experience from last year’s team. The Cougars return All-UMAC and All-Defensive Team member Brendon Foss, who will help lead the team’s defense. Offensively the team will look for immediate impact of transfers RJ Dean and Tyler Pendelton, who both averaged over 10 points per game last season with their previous teams. Dean, last year’s UMAC Freshman of the Year as a member of Northland College’s roster, Evan Reller, Jordan Gieske and Joe Roggenbuck will need to put in major minutes as the big men on the roster who will try and provide inside scoring. Also back for head coach Paul Grove is guard Steve Birman, who led Minnesota Morris in scoring in 2010-2011.
6. North Central University Rams
2011-2012 Overall Record: 13-12
2011-2012 UMAC Record: NA
2011-2012 UMAC Finish: NA
Starters Returning: 3
Starters Lost: 2
North Central comes into 2012-2013 returning four of its five regular starters from last season, including senior guard Nathan Roeder, who led the Rams in scoring (22.1 PPG) and assists (4.5 APG). Roeder also set the single game scoring record for North Central against Crown last January when he put up 44 points. If Roeder’s pace from previous years continues, the 2012 Association of Division III Independents Player of the Year will break the 2,000 point mark for his career this season. The Rams return both of their key front court players from last season in Bryce Burkman and Jordan Harrell, who were responsible for 40 percent of the team’s rebounding. Harrell was the Rams’ third leading scorer with 13.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, while Burkman contributed 10.6 points and 7.7 rebounds a year ago. NCU also brings back starting point guard Dylan McKneeley, who averaged 6.9 points and 3.5 assists per game last year. Forward Ben Peters started 18 of the team’s 25 games last season, averaging 4.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.
7. Northland College LumberJacks
2011-2012 Overall Record: 5-20
2011-2012 UMAC Record: 4-10
2011-2012 UMAC Finish: 7th
Starters Returning: 3
Starters Lost: 2
Northland goes into the 2012-2013 season under new leadership as Scott Sorenson takes over the reins of the program having spent the last six years as an assistant coach at the NCAA Division II level including the last four at the University of Minnesota, Crookston. After the LumberJacks finished seventh in the UMAC standings last season, Sorenson looks to build a winning program starting from the ground up with youth. Northland’s roster of eleven features eight student-athletes who are freshmen or sophomores. The youthful enthusiasm is what Sorenson is hopeful will drive the LumberJacks to a successful season. As far as returners go, the LumberJacks return seven players from last year, including second team All-UMAC forward Adrian Flores. Flores led Northland in scoring (15.6 PPG) and rebounding (6.6 RPG) last season. Flores’ frontcourt teammate, Eric Krall, also looks to help provide experience this season. Krall averaged 6.6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game before a foot injury ended his season with seven games to go. Northland also returns five sophomores who all received extensive experience last season. Zach Ringhouse saw action in all 25 games a year ago, starting in 16 contests, while averaging 7.4 points per game.
8. Martin Luther College Knights
2011-2012 Overall Record: 2-22
2011-2012 UMAC Record: 2-12
2011-2012 UMAC Finish: 8th
Starters Returning: 3
Starters Lost: 2
Martin Luther is hoping that a talented group of incoming players along with a group of experienced veterans can push them out of the bottom half of the standings towards the goal of returning to the UMAC Tournament in the 2012-2013 campaign. The Knights will once again rely on forward Galen Holzhueter to lead the way offensively. Holzhueter backed up his 2010-2011 UMAC Newcomer of the Year season by leading the league in scoring last season with 18.6 points per game. Holzhueter also led the UMAC in minutes per game (35.5), and finished in the top ten in free throws made, free throw percentage and rebounds per game last season. Joining Holzhueter up front will be seniors Josh Danell and Justin Eternick. Danell provides length and shot blocking ability, while Eternick provides scoring from both inside and outside. Freshman Mark Steinbrenner also provides some depth and length up front. On the perimeter, the Knights hope an infusion of talented players allows them to get back to playing the style of up-tempo offense and pressure defense they prefer. Point guard Kaleb Buch returns after missing last season due to injury, joining returning wing players Craig Wilke and Ben Edmundson in bringing experience on the floor. Newcomers Luke Rothe, Todd Brassow and Austin Eisenman all could be in the mix for playing time at the guard positions as well, providing scoring punch and athleticism on the outside.
All eight UMAC teams will play a full slate of nonconference games before league contests kick off on January 8. At the conclusion of the 14-game conference schedule, the top four teams will compete in the conference tournament on Wednesday and Saturday, February 20 and 23, with the winner earning the UMAC's automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament.