2001-02 WIAC Men's Basketball Headlines

2001-02 WIAC Men's Basketball Headlines

Oshkosh's Dworak Named NABC First Team All-America

RELEASED: Monday, March 25, 2002

Crowning one of the finest individual seasons in the 104-year history of UW-Oshkosh men's basketball, junior forward Tim Dworak has been named to the 2002 NCAA Division III All-America first team by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).

Dworak becomes the 12th player in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) to earn NABC All-America First Team honors. Additionally, he is only the second UW-Oshkosh player to receive All-America honors by the NABC, with the other being guard Dennis Ruedinger, a first team selection in 1996. UW-Oshkosh also has four NAIA All-Americans on its men's basketball resume, including two-time honoree Ralph Sims.

Dworak was joined on the eight-member NCAA Division III All-America first team by senior center Jeff Gibbs of Otterbein College (Ohio), senior center Mark Lesko of Muhlenberg College (Pa.), junior guard Antoine McDaniel of Carthage College (Wis.), junior forward Mike Medbury of State University of New York-Brockport, junior center Colin Tabb of Trinity College (Conn.), senior guard Brian Turner of Rutgers University-Camden (N.J.) and senior forward Kyle Williford of Bridgewater College (Va.). Earlier this month, Dworak was named by D3Hoops.com., an Internet site, as a NCAA Division III All-America third team selection.

Dworak emerged as UW-Oshkosh's most heralded player this past year, leading the Titans to a 24-6 record, WIAC regular season and tournament championships and to the round of 16 in the NCAA Division III Championship. UW-Oshkosh's victory total, WIAC Tournament title and advancement in the NCAA Division III Championship established school bests, while the Titans' WIAC regular season title was their first since 1978.

Compiling double-figure scoring totals in all 30 games and in rebounding in 10, the Kewaunee, Wis. native led the WIAC in both scoring and rebounding this past season by averaging 23.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per contest. He also led the league in field goal percentage at 64.8 (247-381), while ranking third in steals with an average of 1.83 per game (55) and seventh in free throw percentage at 79.8 (194-243). In conference play, Dworak's 16-game scoring average of 26.3 points per contest was the highest since the 1976-77 season. Prior to NCAA Division III post-season play, Dworak ranked ninth in the country in scoring and fourth in field goal percentage.

Dworak, who ranks as UW-Oshkosh's ninth all-time leading scorer with 1,274 career points, tallied 30-plus points in a game eight times this past season. Among them were a career-best 38 points in games against UW-River Falls on December 8 and UW-Whitewater on January 2.

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Six Earn NABC All-West Region Accolades

RELEASED: Monday, March 25, 2002

Madison, Wis.--Six men's basketball players from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) have been named to the 2001-02 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC)/Pontiac Division III All-West Region Team. Oshkosh's Tim Dworak, River Falls's Rich Melzer and Stevens Point's Josh Iserloth were named to the six-member first team, while La Crosse's Eddie Hebert, Platteville's Tyler Selk and Whitewater's Aubrey Lewis-Byers were named five-member second team.

Dworak, a junior forward from Kewaunee, Wis., was named the 2002 NCAA Division III West Region Player of the Year by the NABC. He spirited the Titans to the WIAC regular season and tournament championships and advancement to the "Sweet 16" of the NCAA Division III Championship. He led the WIAC in both scoring and rebounding this season by averaging 23.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per contest. Dworak, the 2002 WIAC Player of the Year, also led the league in field goal percentage at 64.8 (247-381), while ranking third in steals with an average of 1.83 per game and seventh in free throw percentage at 79.8 (194-243).

Dworak tallied 30-plus points in a game eight times this season. Among them were a career-best 38 points in games against River Falls on December 8 and Whitewater on January 2. He also tallied double-figure scoring totals in all 30 games and in rebounding in 10 contests.

Dworak becomes the first Titan since Dennis Ruedinger garner NABC Player of the Year honors. Ruedinger received the honor in 1996.

Melzer, a sophomore forward from Minneapolis, Minn. (River Falls HS) led the Falcons, which finished 17-9 overall and 9-7 in the WIAC, ranked second in the WIAC with 21.6 points per game and was third in rebounding with 7.8 per contest. He led the league in blocked shots with 2.12 per game and ranked ninth in with a 51.2 field goal percentage. He averaged 34.2 minutes played a game. Earlier this year, he was named All-WIAC First Team.

Iserloth, a junior forward from Plymouth, Wis., spearheaded the Pointers' run for a third consecutive league title. He led the team and ranked fourth in the WIAC with 20.6 points per game. He also averaged 5.8 rebounds per contest and ranked third in the league with a 48.3 three-point field goal percentage. At one point this season, he made 22 of 25 three-point shot attempts.

Twice this season, Iserloth broke the school's single-game scoring record by recording 40 points at River Falls on January 9 and then at Whitewater on January 23. He also earned All-WIAC First Team accolades earlier this year.

Hebert, a senior guard from Barrington, Ill. (Fremd HS), helped the Eagles to their first winning season since the 1988-89 campaign and the most conference wins since 1982-83. He led the Eagles with 17.4 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per affair. He ranked second in the league with a 51.4 three-point field goal percentage and was third with an 84.5 free throw percentage. He earned All-WIAC First Team honors earlier this season after gathering honorable mention the past two seasons.

Hebert ranks fifth on the school's all-time list with 1,330 career points and he scored in double figures in 71 of 101 games, including 23 of 26 this season.

Selk, a junior forward from Randolph, Wis., was second in the WIAC in rebounding with 7.8 per game. He also ranked fifth with 3.65 assists per game, and sixth in scoring with 17.5 points per contest. Selk is 16th on the school's career scoring list with 1,168 points.

Earlier this season, he earned All-WIAC First Team honors for the second consecutive year. Next season, Selk will vie to become just the fifth player in Pioneer history to earn all-league honors three times.

Lewis-Byers, a junior forward from Janesville, Wis. (Craig HS), led the Warhawks to a share of their
second consecutive WIAC title and a spot in the league's tournament championship game. He led the team and ranked fifth in the league with 18.8 points per game. Lewis-Byers, a three-time All-WIAC First Team selection, also added a team-leading 6.0 rebounds per contest. He ranked fifth in the conference with a 57.2 field goal percentage and sixth with an 80.9 free throw percentage.

Lewis-Byers is Whitewater's record holder for career free throws made (479) and free throws attempted (629). He also ranks sixth on all-time scoring list with 1,479 career points.

The NABC All-Region team was selected and voted on by member coaches of the NABC. Eighty-eight student-athletes from eight districts were named to the All-Region team and are now eligible for the NABC/Pontiac Division III All-American Team.

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Oshkosh's Dworak Named Third Team All-America

RELEASED: Tuesday, March 19, 2002

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh junior forward has been named to the 2002 D3Hoops.com All-America Third Team, it was announced recently by the Internet site.

Dworak, a Kewaunee, Wis. native, was one of 20 players receiving NCAA Division III All-America accolades by the Internet site, with five players named to each of the four teams. Dworak is the first UW-Oshkosh player to gain All-America status since Dennis Ruedinger landed first team mention by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) in 1996.

Compiling one of the best single-season performances in the 104-year history of UW-Oshkosh men's basketball, Dworak spirited the Titans to a 24-6 record, WIAC regular season and tournament championships and advancement to the "Sweet 16" of the NCAA Division III Championship.

Counting double-figure scoring totals in all 30 games and in rebounding in 10, Dworak led the WIAC in both scoring and rebounding this season by averaging 23.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per contest. He also led the league in field goal percentage at 64.8 (247-381), while ranking third in steals with an average of 1.83 per game (55) and seventh in free throw percentage at 79.8 (194-243). In conference play, Dworak's 16-game scoring average of 26.3 points per contest was the highest since the 1976-77 season.

Dworak, who ranks as UW-Oshkosh's ninth all-time leading scorer with 1,274 career points, tallied 30-plus points in a game eight times this season. Among them were a career-best 38 points in games against UW-River Falls on December 8 and UW-Whitewater on January 2.

Dworak is joined on the third team by senior guard Aaron Galetta of Union College (N.Y.), senior center Nathan Hoffmann of St. Norbert College (Wis.), senior guard Leo Jones of Wesleyan University (Conn.) and senior forward David Paul of the College of Staten Island (N.Y.).

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Four Earn D3Hoops.com All-Region Men's Basketball Honors

RELEASED: Tuesday, March 19, 2002

Madison, Wis.--Four Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) men's basketball players have been named to the 2002 D3Hoops.com All-West Region Team. Oshkosh's Tim Dworak earned first team honors, while Stevens Point's Josh Iserloth and Whitewater's Aubrey Lewis-Byers was named to the second team. La Crosse's Eddie Hebert garnered third team honors.

Dworak, a junior forward from Kewaunee, Wis., spirited the Titans to the WIAC regular season and tournament championships and advancement to the "Sweet 16" of the NCAA Division III Championship. He led the WIAC in both scoring and rebounding this season by averaging 23.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per contest. Dworak, the 2002 WIAC Player of the Year, also led the league in field goal percentage at 64.8 (247-381), while ranking third in steals with an average of 1.83 per game and seventh in free throw percentage at 79.8 (194-243).

Dworak tallied 30-plus points in a game eight times this season. Among them were a career-best 38 points in games against River Falls on December 8 and Whitewater on January 2. He also tallied double-figure scoring totals in all 30 games and in rebounding in 10 contests.

Iserloth, a junior forward from Plymouth, Wis., spearheaded the Pointers' run for a third consecutive league title. He led the team and ranked fourth in the WIAC with 20.6 points per game. He also averaged 5.8 rebounds per contest and ranked third in the league with a 48.3 three-point field goal percentage. At one point this season, he made 22 of 25 three-point shot attempts.

Twice this season, Iserloth broke the school's single-game scoring record by recording 40 points at River Falls on January 9 and then at Whitewater on January 23. He also earned All-WIAC First Team accolades earlier this year.

Lewis-Byers, a junior forward from Janesville, Wis. (Craig HS), led the Warhawks to a share of their second consecutive WIAC title and a spot in the league's tournament championship game. He led the team and ranked fifth in the league with 18.8 points per game. Lewis-Byers, a three-time All-WIAC First Team selection, also added a team-leading 6.0 rebounds per contest. He ranked fifth in the conference with a 57.2 field goal percentage and sixth with an 80.9 free throw percentage.

Lewis-Byers is Whitewater's record holder for career free throws made (479) and free throws attempted (629). He also ranks sixth on all-time scoring list with 1,479 career points.

Hebert, a senior guard from Barrington, Ill. (Fremd HS), helped the Eagles to their first winning season since the 1988-89 campaign and the most conference wins since 1982-83. He led the Eagles with 17.4 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per affair. He ranked second in the league with a 51.4 three-point field goal percentage and was third with an 84.5 free throw percentage. He earned All-WIAC First Team honors earlier this season after gathering honorable mention the past two seasons.

Hebert ranks fifth on the school's all-time list with 1,330 career points and he scored in double figures in 71 of 101 games, including 23 of 26 this season.

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Hebert, Becker Named Men's Basketball Scholar-Athletes

RELEASED: Wednesday, February 27, 2002

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Eddie Hebert and UW-River Falls' Kent Becker have been named 2001-02 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Max Sparger Men's Basketball Co-Scholar-Athletes, it was announced recently by WIAC Commissioner Gary Karner.

Hebert, a senior from Barrington, Ill. (Fremd HS), is majoring in finance and spanish with a 3.53 grade point average. He is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and has been named to the UW-La Crosse Dean's List numerous semesters.

Hebert earned All-WIAC First Team honors this season after helping the Eagles to a 17-9 overall record and fourth-place league finish with a 10-6 mark. The fourth-place finish for the Eagles was the best since the 1988-89 campaign when they also finished fourth in the league. Hebert earned All-WIAC honorable mention honors the last two seasons. He is a team captain and was also his team's Most Valuable Player last season. Hebert ranks second in school history in career steals (127) and three-point percentage (.455).

Hebert is a member of the Golden Key and Spanish National Honor Societies. He has also served as a volunteer with various organizations including New Horizons - a women's shelter.

Hebert becomes the first Eagle in school history to win the conference's men's basketball scholar-athlete award.

Becker, a senior from Stone Lake, Wis. (Hayward HS), is majoring in business administration with a minor in economics and posts a 3.64 grade point average. He is a four-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and has been named to the UW-River Falls Dean's List five semesters. Becker has also earned a perfect 4.0 grade point in three semesters.

Becker is a two-time All-WIAC First Team selection and also has been a team captain the past two years. He scored his 1,000th career point against Oshkosh on January 19, becoming the 15th Falcon to reach the mark. He was named the team's Most Valuable Player last season and holds the Falcon record for career free throw shooting percentage (.822).

Becker becomes the first Falcon since Brian Menzel (1993-94) to win the league's men's basketball scholar-athlete award.

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is sponsored by Culver's. In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.25 grade point average, be in their last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years.

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Oshkosh Men To Host First Round NCAA Tournament Game

RELEASED: Sunday, February 24, 2002

Madison, Wis.--The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh men’s basketball team will host an NCAA Division III Tournament first round game based on pairings that were announced earlier this evening by the NCAA.

Oshkosh will host Ripon College on Thursday, February 28 at Kolf Sports Center in Oshkosh, Wis.

The Titans (22-5) received an automatic bid to the national tournament by winning the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) tournament. Oshkosh also won a share of the WIAC regular season title, marking its first league title since 1978 and the 12th in school history.

Oshkosh is making its fourth NCAA tournament appearance (1996, 97, 98) and has won eight of its last nine contests.

Ripon (18-6) won the Midwest Conference tournament championship to earn the conference’s automatic bid into the tournament field.

The winner of the Oshkosh/Ripon game will travel to St. Paul, Minn. to face the University of St. Thomas. The Tommies (24-3) won the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament to claim an automatic bid.

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La Crosse’s Hebert Named To Verizon Academic
All-District Second Team

RELEASED: Thursday, February 21, 2002

La Crosse, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse senior guard Eddie Hebert of Barrington, Ill. (Fremd HS) has been selected to the 2002 Verizon Academic All-District V Men’s Basketball Second Team. A double major in finance and Spanish, Hebert maintains a 3.53 grade point average.

Hebert, a two-time All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) honorable mention selection, ranks second in the league in three-point field goal percentage (.514), third in free throw percentage (.845), fifth in three-point field goals made (2.08) and seventh in scoring (17.4). His .514 three-point field goal percentage ranks as the fourth-highest mark in WIAC history.

A four-year letterwinner for the Eagles, Hebert became the 11th player in school history to record 1,000 career points, surpassing the mark with 19 at UW-Stevens Point December 12. His 1,330 career points ranks fifth on the school’s all-time list as he scored in double figures in 56 of 101 games.

He ranks second in career steals (127) and three-point percentage (45.5), fifth in three-point field goals made (161), sixth in free throws made (285) and is 10th in rebounds (518).

Hebert has been a member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor roll all four years as well as the Golden Key and Spanish National Honor Societies.

He was one of five student-athletes selected to the second team and the lone representative from the WIAC on the first or second team.

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Three Share Men's Basketball Title

Oshkosh, Stevens Point and Whitewater all won their final regular-season Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) contest to claim a share of the 2001-02 WIAC Championship.

This marks the first season since the 1947-48 campaign that more than two schools have shared the men's basketball crown. Milwaukee, Oshkosh, Platteville and Stevens Point shared the title that season. Additionally, the last time three teams shared the WIAC title was the 1938-39 season when Eau Claire, Oshkosh and Superior divided the league honor.

Oshkosh defeated Eau Claire 84-59 at W.L. Zorn Arena to win their first men's basketball title since 1977-78. Tim Dworak lead the Titans with 32 points and eight rebounds. Scott Sowinski added 19 points, while Nick Scherer chipped in 11 points and a game-high five assists. The Titans went on a 9-0 run late in the first half to turn a 28-23 lead into a 37-23 advantage, with the Blugolds never getting the difference under ten during the remainder of the game.

Stevens Point defeated Superior 83-56 at Quandt Fieldhouse to win their third consecutive league title. The Pointers shared last season's championship with Whitewater. Josh Iserloth and Ron Nolting lead a balanced scoring attack with 13 points each. Tamaris Relerford had 12 points and Kalonji Kadima added 11. The Pointers shot 11-for-17 (64.7%) from three-point range in the game.

Stevens Point trailed 16-10 in the first half when they hit five consecutive three-pointers as part of a 15-5 run to take a 25-21 lead. Iserloth then scored the team's first nine points in the second half to turn a 37-29 halftime lead into a 46-29 advantage.

In a first-place showdown in front of 2,274 spectators at Mitchell Hall, Whitewater defeated La Crosse 80-65 to claim a share of their second consecutive league crown. Jake Wolter led five Warhawks in double figures with 19 points. Londen Donlow added 16 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Nic Smith added 14 points, while Aubrey Lewis-Byers had 11 and Jonathan Hodges ten.

The contest featured six ties in the first half before the Warhawks shot 68% from the field in the second half to take control of the game. Whitewater used a 24-13 run to close out the game.

Oshkosh claimed the No. 1 seed for the WIAC Tournament, while Stevens Point earned the No. 2 seed and Whitewater the No. 3 seed. The tournament's winner receives the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Tournament.

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