RELEASED:  Thursday, March 6, 2008 (Photo courtesy of Brad Trick)

UW-Whitewater’s Goodwin Tops All-WIAC Men’s Basketball Team; Miller Named Coach of the Year

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Matt Goodwin was voted the Player of the Year to headline the 10 individuals selected to the 2008 All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Basketball Team by the league coaches, while Warhawk head coach Pat Miller was selected the Coach of the Year.

Goodwin, a junior guard, helped the Warhawks to the WIAC regular-season and tournament titles.   He ranks third in the conference with 17.6 points per game, fifth with 60 three-point field goals made, eighth with a .417 three-point field goal percentage, 13th with a .495 field goal percentage and 14th with a .709 free throw percentage.

Goodwin has scored in double figures in 24 games, including surpassing the 20-point plateau in 10 contests.  He led the team in scoring in 11 games, including a season-high 33 points against UW-Stout on Feb. 9.   The 33-point performance including a conference season-best eight three-point field goals made.

UW-Whitewater has had 10 individuals win the conference player of the year trophy.   Goodwin joins past winners Mike Gutter (1980), Andre McKoy (1984), Dwayne Johnson (1986), Elbert Gordon (1989), Ricky Spicer (1990), Ty Evans (1994), Allan Wassil (1996), James Stewart (1997) and Jeremy Manchester (2006).

Repeat selections on the All-WIAC first team included UW-Stevens Point’s Pete Rortvedt and Steve Hicklin.  Rortvedt, a junior forward, secured first team status for the second consecutive year after claiming honorable mention recognition in 2006.   He ranks sixth in the conference with 59 three-point field goals made, 15th with a .393 three-point field goal percentage, 17th with 12.4 points per game and 18th with 4.3 rebounds per game.  Rortvedt has led the Pointers in scoring in 10 contests, including a season-high 25 points against Carroll College (Wis.) on Nov. 17.   He ranks second on the school’s all-time list with 225 three-pointers made and 20th with 1,106 points.

Hicklin, a senior guard, claimed first team honors for the second straight season after ranking eighth in the league with 57 three-point field goals made, ninth with a .416 three-point field goal percentage, 11th with a .500 field goal percentage and 2.61 assists per contest and 16th with 12.5 points per game.   He had a season-best 20 points against UW-Whitewater on March 1 and ranks 18th on UW-Stevens Point’s all-time chart with 1,150 points.

Also named to this year’s first team were:  UW-Eau Claire’s Dan Beyer, UW-Oshkosh’s D.J. Marsh, UW-Platteville’s Curt Hanson and Jeff Skemp, UW-Stevens Point’s Bryan Beamish, UW-Superior’s Jake Smith and UW-Whitewater’s Myles McKay.

Individuals claiming honorable mention status included:  UW-La Crosse’s Chris Fehrenbach and Tony Mane, UW-Oshkosh’s Jordan Johnson, Matt Miller and Dane Seckar-Anderson, UW-Stout’s Miles Webb, UW-Superior’s Dwight Hill and Shane Manor and UW-Whitewater’s Kori Vernon.

UW-Whitewater head coach Pat Miller was voted the Coach of the Year for the second time in his career.   He is in his seventh season with the Warhawks and boasts a 146-48 record, including a 77-35 mark in WIAC games.   Miller also won the league prize in 2006.

Named to the inaugural All-Sportsmanship Team were:  UW-Eau Claire’s Zack Ryan, UW-La Crosse’s Billy Kegler, UW-Oshkosh’s Jordan Johnson, UW-Platteville’s Berent Froiland, UW-River Falls’ Scott Kelly, UW-Stevens Point’s Khalifa El-Amin, UW-Stout’s Chris Jardine, UW-Superior’s Greg Polkowski and UW-Whitewater’s Rob Perry.  The team was selected for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season.  It included one member from each school as selected by that school.

2008 All-WIAC Men’s Basketball Team
First Team
Name, School, Year, Position, Height, Hometown (High School)
Matt Goodwin, Whitewater, Junior, Guard, 6-1, Milwaukee (Rufus King)
Jeff Skemp, Platteville, Junior, Center, 6-10, Hazel Green (Southwestern)
Dan Beyer, Eau Claire, Senior, Forward, 6-7, Waukesha (Catholic Memorial)
Steve Hicklin, Stevens Point, Senior, Guard, 6-4, Sussex (Hamilton)
Pete Rortvedt, Stevens Point, Junior, Forward, 6-5, Minocqua (Lakeland)
Curt Hanson, Platteville, Sophomore, Guard, 6-1, Deerfield, Ill.
Bryan Beamish, Stevens Point, Junior, Forward, 6-6, Wisconsin Rapids (Lincoln)
Jake Smith, Superior, Freshman, Forward, 6-6, Rhinelander
D.J. Marsh, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Forward, 6-4, Bayside (Nicolet)
Myles McKay, Whitewater, Junior, Guard, 6-3, Milwaukee (Menomonee Falls)

Honorable Mention
Matt Miller, Oshkosh, Junior, Guard, 5-9, Hudson
Kori Vernon, Whitewater, Junior, Forward, 6-6, Madison (Memorial)
Dane Seckar-Anderson, Oshkosh, Junior, Forward, 6-7, Oshkosh (West)
Tony Mane, La Crosse, Freshman, Guard, 6-1, Milwaukee (Thomas More)
Jordan Johnson, Oshkosh, Senior, Forward, 6-5, Waupaca
Miles Webb, Stout, Senior, Guard, 6-3, Brooklyn Park, Minn. (Park Center)
Dwight Hill, Superior, Sophomore, Guard, 5-8, Chicago, Ill. (De La Salle)
Chris Fehrenbach, La Crosse, Senior, Guard, 6-2, Waukesha (Catholic Memorial)
Shane Manor, Superior, Freshman, Forward, 6-6, Altoona

All-Sportsmanship Team
Khalifa El-Amin, Stevens Point, Junior, Guard, 5-8, Milwaukee (Rufus King)
Berent Froiland, Platteville, Senior, Center, 6-10, Viroqua (Kickapoo)
Chris Jardine, Stout, Freshman, Forward, 6-1, Port Wing (South Shore)
Jordan Johnson, Oshkosh, Senior, Forward, 6-5, Waupaca
Billy Kegler, La Crosse, Senior, Forward, 6-5, Waterloo
Scott Kelly, River Falls, Senior, Forward, 6-5, Hastings, Minn.
Rob Perry, Whitewater, Senior, Forward, 6-4, Milwaukee (Dominican)
Greg Polkowski, Superior, Senior, Forward, 6-4, Goodman
Zack Ryan, Eau Claire, Senior, Guard, 6-0, Lake Elmo, Minn. (Tartan)

Player of the Year:  Matt Goodwin of Whitewater
Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete:  Steve Hicklin of Stevens Point
Coach of the Year:  Pat Miller of Whitewater