NEWS RELEASE
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Matt Stanek * Sports Information Director * 780 Regent Street * Madison, WI 53715 * Phone: (608) 265-6406 * www.uwsa.edu/wiac/

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, February 28, 2001

Madison, Wis.--Ten players have been named to the 2000-01 WIAC All-Conference Men's Basketball First Team, which was recently selected by the conference coaches. Superior's Vince Thomas was named the Player of the Year, while Whitewater Head Coach Dave Vander Meulen was named the Coach of the Year.

Thomas becomes the first player in Yellowjacket history to receive the conference's Player of the Year honor. This season, he helped the Yellowjackets to their best record (16-9) since the 1978-79 campaign. He leads the WIAC in scoring (21.4) and rebounding (9.1), becoming only the third player in WIAC history to accomplish this feat. Whitewater's Mike Gutter (1979-80) and Eau Claire's Mike Ratliff (1971-72) also led the conference in scoring and rebounding. Thomas also leads the WIAC in blocked shots (41), ranks second in steals (2.08/g), fifth in free throw percentage (.820) and tenth in field goal percentage (.510). He scored in double figures in 23 of the 24 games he played this season and registered ten double-doubles. Thomas was an All-WIAC First Team selection last season and Honorable Mention honoree in the 1997-98 season.

Aubrey Lewis-Byers helped Whitewater to a share of the 2000-01 WIAC Championship. He ranks second in the WIAC in scoring (19.2), sixth in field goal percentage (.559) and 15th in steals (1.32/g). He scored in double figures in 23 of the 25 games he played this season, scoring 20 or more points in 11 of those games. Lewis-Byers was also an All-WIAC First Team selection last season.

Eau Claire, which earned the WIAC's automatic NCAA tournament berth, is represented on the First Team by Sherm Carstensen. He is a three-time All-WIAC First Team honoree. Carstensen leads the WIAC in three-point field goals made (61), ranks third in scoring (17.9), 12th in blocked shots (.44/g) and 15th in three-point field goal percentage (.367).

Stevens Point, which claimed a share of the 2000-01 WIAC Championship after winning the title outright last season, landed two players on the First Team. Josh Iserloth ranks third in the WIAC in three-point field goal percentage (.437) and blocked shots (1.32/g), fifth in rebounding (6.7), eighth in scoring (15.0), 13th in field goal percentage (.498) and 15th in free throw percentage (.755).

Joe Zuiker leads the WIAC in field goal percentage (.652) and ranks fourth in the league in rebounding (6.9). He also was second on his team in scoring (11.8). Zuiker tied four other players in Stevens Point history by shooting a school-record nine-for-nine from field in the Pointer's 74-59 win over River Falls on Jan. 10.

Platteville also had two players, Beau Buchs and Tyler Selk, named to the First Team. Buchs ranks third in the WIAC in rebounding (6.9), seventh in scoring (15.6) and ninth in field goal percentage (.510). Selk ranks second in the WIAC in rebounding (8.3), fourth in scoring (17.5), tenth in blocked shots (.46/g) and 14th in field goal percentage (.475).

Oshkosh's Justin Kamps helped the Titans to a berth in the WIAC Tournament Championship against Eau Claire. He ranks seventh in the WIAC in assists (3.22/g), eighth in steals (1.48/g) and free throw percentage (.797), ninth in scoring (14.7) and assist/turnover ratio (1.36) and 15th in field goal percentage (.457). Kamps earned All-WIAC Honorable Mention honors during the 1998-99 season.

River Falls' Kent Becker garnered All-WIAC First Team honors for the first time in his career. Becker leads the WIAC in steals (53) and ranks second in free throw percentage (.872) and three-point field goal percentage (.463), third in assists (4.00/g), fifth in scoring (16.4) and seventh in field goal percentage (.525). He was named All-WIAC Honorable Mention last season.

Stout's Aaron Vachowiak also garnered First Team honors for the first time in his career. Vachowiak ranks third in the league in free throw percentage (.871), fifth in field goal percentage (.560), ninth in rebounding (6.3) and 13th in scoring (13.5). On Jan. 20, he became the 21st Blue Devil to reach the 1,000 point mark. Vachowiak was named All-WIAC Honorable Mention last season.

Named to the Honorable Mention squad were: Eau Claire's Matt Fermanich, La Crosse's Eddie Hebert and Matt Schultz, Oshkosh's Tim Dworak and Aric Vaubel, River Falls' Rich Melzer, Stevens Point's Brent Larson, Stout's Pat Von Feldt and Whitewater's Robert Smith and Jake Wolter.

Whitewater Head Coach Dave Vander Meulen was selected the 2000-01 WIAC Coach of the Year by his peers, marking the fifth time in his career he has won the honor. Vander Meulen guided the Warhawks to a 17-8 overall record and a share of the 2000-01 WIAC Championship, their first championship since the 1993-94 season.

Name, School, Position, Height, Year, Hometown (High School)
Vince Thomas, Superior, Forward, 6-7, Sr., Wheaton, Ill. (North)
Aubrey Lewis-Byers, Whitewater, Forward, 6-3, So., Janesville (Craig)
Sherm Carstensen, Eau Claire, Forward, 6-7, Sr., Eau Claire (Memorial)
Kent Becker, River Falls, Guard, 5-11, Jr., Stone Lake (Hayward)
Josh Iserloth, Stevens Point, Forward, 6-8, So., Plymouth
Justin Kamps, Oshkosh, Guard, 6-4, Sr., Appleton (Xavier)
Joe Zuiker, Stevens Point, Forward, 6-7, Sr., Port Edwards
Tyler Selk, Platteville, Forward, 6-4, So., Randolph
Aaron Vachowiak, Stout, Forward, 6-7, Sr., Wausau (West)
Beau Buchs, Platteville, Center, 6-6, Sr., Belmont

Honorable Mention
Tim Dworak, Oshkosh, Forward, So., Kewaunee
Jake Wolter, Whitewater, Guard, 5-9, Jr., Wauwatosa (East)
Aric Vaubel, Oshkosh, Forward, 6-6, Sr., Appleton (East)
Pat Von Feldt, Stout, Guard, 6-0, Sr., Stevens Point (SPASH)
Matt Fermanich, Eau Claire, Guard, 6-1, Sr., Antigo
Brent Larson, Stevens Point, Guard, 5-9, Sr., Ladysmith
Richard Melzer, River Falls, Forward, 6-8, Fr., Minneapolis, Minn. (River Falls)
Robert Smith, Whitewater, Forward, 6-8, Sr., Madison (La Follette)
Matt Schultz, La Crosse, Guard, 6-1, Jr., Cuba City
Eddie Hebert, La Crosse, Guard, 6-3, Jr., Barrington, Ill. (Fremd)

Player of the Year: Vince Thomas of UW-Superior
Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete: Jay Bennett of UW-Stevens Point
Coach of the Year: Dave Vander Meulen of UW-Whitewater

Back to the WIAC home page