UW-Oshkosh's Dworak and UW-River Falls' Melzer Top All-WIAC Men's Basketball Team

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/

RELEASED: Thursday, March 6, 2003

UW-Oshkosh's Dworak and UW-River Falls' Melzer Top All-WIAC Men's Basketball Team

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh senior forward Tim Dworak and UW-River Falls junior forward Rich Melzer were voted Co-Players of the Year by the league coaches, headlining the 10 individuals selected to the 2002-03 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men's Basketball Team.

This marks the fourth time in conference history that two individuals have shared the league's top honor. The award was split between UW-Stevens Point's Terry Porter and UW-Whitewater's Andre McKoy in 1984, UW-Eau Claire's Gib Hinz and UW-Whitewater's Mike Gutter in 1980 and UW-Eau Claire's Frank Schade and Mike Ratliff in 1972.

Dworak led the Titans to the WIAC Tournament title and a spot in the NCAA Division III Tournament for the second straight season. He leads the league in field goal percentage (.626), while ranking third in scoring (21.8), fourth in rebounding (7.8) and blocked shots (1.39) and eighth in steals (1.46).

Dworak has recorded eight double-doubles (points-rebounds) this season and has scored in double figures in 65 straight contests and 83 of the last 85 games. He ranks second on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,885 points and sixth with 757 rebounds. Dworak was a National Association of Basketball Coaches All-America First Team selection last season.

Dworak becomes the fifth player in league history to win the player of the year honor in back-to-back seasons, joining UW-Stevens Point's Terry Porter (1984-85), UW-Eau Claire's Gib Hinz (1979-80), UW-Oshkosh's Ralph Sims (1977-78) and UW-Eau Claire's Mike Ratliff (1970-72).

Melzer becomes the second Falcon to win the conference's player of the year honor, joining Jeff Payton who won the award during the 1982-83 campaign. Melzer leads the league in scoring (28.1), rebounding (9.7) and blocked shots (2.08), while ranking fifth in field goal percentage (.559). He also has a league-leading 15 double-doubles (points-rebounds) to his credit this season and has scored in double figures in 51 straight games and 71 of 75 contests.

Melzer posted a NCAA Division III single-game high of 54 points this season against UW-La Crosse on January 29. His mark was the fourth highest total in league history and matches Missouri-Kansas City's Michael Watson for the highest mark in all NCAA men's basketball divisions during the 2002-03 campaign.

Melzer averaged 29.0 points per conference game this year, setting a new league mark for points per contest. He also established a new league scoring mark in the 16-game slate with 464 points, surpassing UW-Superior's Jim Sevals' mark of 436 set in 1966.

UW-Oshkosh's Scott Sowinski also garnered All-WIAC First Team honors. He ranks third in the league in three-point field goal percentage (.458), sixth in field goal percentage (.538), free throw percentage (.833) and three-point field goals made (1.81), ninth in scoring (15.0) and 10th in blocked shots (.70).

UW-Stevens Point's Josh Iserloth and Jason Kalsow helped the Pointers to their fourth straight conference title and a spot in the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Pointers are the fifth team in conference history to win four straight men's basketball titles.

Iserloth, a three-time All-WIAC selection, is one of just 14 players in league history to participate on four men's basketball championship teams. He ranks second in the conference in blocked shots (1.74), eighth in scoring (16.9) and three-point field goal percentage (.430) and ninth in field goal percentage (.473). Iserloth ranks fifth on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,537 points.

Kalsow ranks third in the association in field goal percentage (.603) and is sixth in rebounding (7.4), assists (3.59) and blocked shots (1.11).

UW-Eau Claire's Jason Larson ranks second in the league in scoring (22.1) and assists (3.81), third in three-point field goals made (2.59), fifth in three-point field goal percentage (.440), seventh in steals (1.56) and eighth in rebounding (6.0). He surpassed the 30-point plateau on six occasions this year and was a honorable mention pick last season.

UW-Whitewater's Aubrey Lewis-Byers helped the Warhawks to their second straight 21-win campaign and earned All-WIAC First Team honors for the fourth straight year, becoming the first player in league history to earn first team accolades all four seasons. He is fourth in the league in field goal percentage (.579), while ranking seventh in scoring (17.1) and ninth in blocked shots (.75). Lewis-Byers ranks second on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,958 points, a mark that also puts him seventh on league's career list. He also holds the conference record with 598 free throws made in his career.

UW-Platteville's Tyler Selk is a three-time All-WIAC First Team selection and ranks second in the conference in rebounding (8.9), third in assists (3.81), sixth in scoring (17.4), seventh in free throw percentage (.830) and eighth in field goal percentage (.488). He also recorded 10 double-doubles (points-rebounds) during the 2002-03 campaign and finished his career second on the Pioneer all-time list with 1,621 points and 818 rebounds.

UW-La Crosse's Casey Taggatz is second in the league in three-point field goals made (2.62), fourth in scoring (19.4), fifth in free throw percentage (.851) and 10th in assists (2.85) and three-point field goal percentage (.417). He led the Eagles in scoring in 20 of 26 contests this year.

UW-Superior's Cody Kastern ranks fifth in the conference in scoring (18.2) and rebounding (7.7), sixth in steals (1.56) and seventh in field goal percentage (.501) and blocked shots (.96).

Named to the honorable mention team were: UW-Oshkosh's Nate Miller, UW-Platteville's Bryan Stangel, UW-Stout's Andy Bray, Casey Chapman and Nate Templer and UW-Whitewater's Londen Donlow.

UW-Stevens Point head coach Jack Bennett was voted the 2002-03 Coach of the Year by the league coaches. Bennett also earned the conference honor during the 1999-2000 season and has compiled a 142-47 overall record in his seven seasons at the helm of the Pointers, including four straight league crowns.

2002-03 All-WIAC Men's Basketball Team

First Team
Name, School, Year, Position, Height, Hometown (High School)
Rich Melzer, River Falls, Junior, Forward, 6-8, Minneapolis, Minn. (River Falls)
Tim Dworak, Oshkosh, Senior, Forward, 6-7, Kewaunee
Josh Iserloth, Stevens Point, Senior, Forward, 6-8, Plymouth
Jason Larson, Eau Claire, Senior, Guard, 6-1, Sugar Land, Texas (Stephen F. Austin)
Aubrey Lewis-Byers, Whitewater, Senior, Forward, 6-3, Janesville (Craig)
Tyler Selk, Platteville, Senior, Forward, 6-5, Randolph
Jason Kalsow, Stevens Point, Sophomore, Forward, 6-7, Huntley, Ill.
Casey Taggatz, La Crosse, Junior, Guard, 5-10, Stevens Point (SPASH)
Cody Kastern, Superior, Junior, Forward, 6-7, Superior (Senior)
Scott Sowinski, Oshkosh, Senior, Forward, 6-4, Appleton (Xavier)

Honorable Mention
Londen Donlow, Whitewater, Junior, Guard, 6-5, Whitefish Bay (Dominican)
Andy Bray, Stout, Junior, Forward, 6-8, Menominee, Mich.
Nate Templer, Stout, Junior, Forward, 6-5, Beaver Dam
Nate Miller, Oshkosh, Senior, Guard, 5-11, Hudson
Bryan Stangel, Platteville, Senior, Forward, 6-5, Monroe
Casey Chapman, Stout, Senior, Guard, 6-1, Hartland (Arrowhead)

Co-Players of the Year: Tim Dworak of Oshkosh and Rich Melzer of River Falls

Coach of the Year: Jack Bennett of Stevens Point

# # # # #

Back to the WIAC home page