Wisconsin High School Sports | Wisconsin Sports Network | WisSports.net

MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Quardell Young was chosen the Player of the Year to headline the individuals selected to the 2015 All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Basketball Team by the league coaches.  In addition, UW-River Falls’ Jeff Berkhof and UW-Stevens Point’s Bob Semling were picked as Co-Coaches of the Year.
 
Young secured first team recognition for the third straight year and is the fifth Warhawk in the last 10 seasons to claim Player of the Year accolades.  He leads the WIAC with 5.67 assists per game and 2.44 steals per contest, while ranking second with a .593 field goal percentage, third with 15.5 points per game and seventh with a .435 three-point field goal percentage.
 
Young has reached double figures in scoring in 24 of 27 games this season, including six games of at least 21 points and a career-high 28 points at UW-La Crosse on Jan. 17.  His performance against the Eagles included 12-of-12 shooting from the field, the fifth perfect shooting game (minimum 10 attempts) in program history.  Young has also produced four games of at least 10 assists.
 
UW-Whitewater’s KJ Evans is the lone repeat selection on the first team from the 2013-14 campaign, while UW-Stevens Point’s Austin Ryf was chosen to the five-member All-Defensive Team for the third straight season.
 
The selection of Berkhof and Semling marks the first time in WIAC history the men’s basketball coaching prize has been shared.  Berkhof received the award for the second time in his career after leading the Falcons to 10 conference victories - four more than the previous two seasons combined.
 
Semling is the first individual in conference listings to win the award three consecutive seasons.  He directed the Pointers to a share of the 29th regular-season title in program history and a spot in the NCAA Division III championship.
 
An All-Sportsmanship Team was chosen for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season.  It included one member from each school.

Player of the Year:  Quardell Young of Whitewater
Co-Coaches of the Year:  Jeff Berkhof of River Falls and Bob Semling of Stevens Point 
Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete:  Trent Schmidt of La Crosse
 
2015 All-WIAC Men’s Basketball Team

First Team
Name, School, Year, Position, Hometown (High School)
Jon Christensen, River Falls, Junior, Forward, Elko, Minn.
Steve Egan, Whitewater, Senior, Forward, Omro, Wis.
Grant Erickson, River Falls, Sophomore, Guard, Lakeville, Minn. (North)
KJ Evans, Whitewater, Senior, Guard, Beloit, Wis. (Memorial)
Tyson Kalien, Eau Claire, Junior, Guard, Chippewa Falls, Wis. (Chi-Hi)
Jake Manning, Platteville, Senior, Forward, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Kennedy)
Alex Olson, Oshkosh, Junior, Guard, Brookfield, Wis. (Central)
Alex Richard, Stevens Point, Senior, Forward, Spring Green, Wis. (River Valley)
Joe Ritchay, Stevens Point, Senior, Guard/Forward, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. (Lincoln)
Austin Ryf, Stevens Point, Senior, Guard, Winneconne, Wis.
Jim Stocki, Platteville, Senior, Guard, Bolingbrook, Ill. (Neuqua Valley)
Quardell Young, Whitewater, Senior, Guard, Kenosha, Wis. (Bradford)

Honorable Mention
Ty Ketz, Superior, Junior, Guard, Clayton, Wis.
Jordan Lutz, Stevens Point, Senior, Forward, Amherst, Wis.
Lewis Mau, Eau Claire, Senior, Guard, Colfax, Wis.
Cody Odegaard, Whitewater, Senior, Guard, Poynette, Wis.
Stephen Pelkofer, Stevens Point, Junior, Guard, Hales Corners, Wis. (Whitnall)
Jarvis Ragland, Stout, Senior, Forward, Milwaukee, Wis. (Rufus King)
Zach Schradle, Superior, Sophomore, Guard, Clayton, Wis.
Jared Staege, La Crosse, Junior, Guard, Waunakee, Wis.
Cale Zuiker, La Crosse, Senior, Forward, Marshfield, Wis.
 
All-Defensive Team
Steve Egan, Whitewater, Senior, Forward, Omro, Wis.
Jordan Lutz, Stevens Point, Senior, Forward, Amherst, Wis.
Lewis Mau, Eau Claire, Senior, Guard, Colfax, Wis.
Austin Ryf, Stevens Point, Senior, Guard, Winneconne, Wis.
Quardell Young, Whitewater, Senior, Guard, Kenosha, Wis. (Bradford)
 
All-Sportsmanship Team
Brett Ahsenmacher, Stout, Sophomore, Guard, Annandale, Minn.
Trevor Berkley, Eau Claire, Senior, Guard, St. Michael, Minn. (Rogers)
Caleb Burch, Superior, Senior, Guard, Eau Claire, Wis. (Altoona)
Connor De Bruin, La Crosse, Senior, Guard, Little Chute, Wis.
Sean Dwyer, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Forward, Palos Park, Ill. (Stagg)
Jack Herum, River Falls, Junior, Forward, River Falls, Wis.
Stephen Pelkofer, Stevens Point, Junior, Guard, Hales Corners, Wis. (Whitnall)
Peyton River, Platteville, Junior, Guard, Maquoketa, Iowa
Quardell Young, Whitewater, Senior, Guard, Kenosha, Wis. (Bradford)
 
UW-La Crosse’s Schmidt Claims Men’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete Award
 
MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse’s Trent Schmidt has been selected the recipient of the 2015 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Basketball Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete Award.
 
A senior from Appleton, Wis. (East), Schmidt carries a 3.75 grade point average and is majoring in accounting and finance.  A three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll, he was selected to the National Association of Basketball Coaches Honors Court in 2014.  Schmidt has received his institution’s College of Business Accounting Department Scholar Award and in 2013, was a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society.  Schmidt has been recognized on UW-La Crosse’s Dean’s List numerous semesters.
 
A two-time recipient of his team’s Sixth Man of the Year Award, Schmidt was selected a team captain for the 2014-15 season.  He received his team’s Passion Award his freshman year and the Most Improved Award as a sophomore.
 
Schmidt has served as a volunteer for UW-La Crosse’s Kid’s Night Out and Junior Eagles Basketball Camp, along with Hoops for All, Help Your Neighbor Day and Riverfront.
 
Also nominated for this year’s scholar-athlete award were:  UW-Oshkosh’s Michael Patt (Sr., Oshkosh, Wis./West); UW-Stevens Point’s Alexander Richard (Sr., Spring Green, Wis./River Valley); and UW-Superior’s Caleb Burch (Sr., Eau Claire, Wis./Altoona).

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Max Sparger, who served as commissioner of the Wisconsin State University Conference for 22 years from 1971-93.  He oversaw the transition of the conference from NAIA to full NCAA membership.  Sparger arrived at UW-Stout in 1959 and served the institution in a variety of capacities, including as an assistant football and basketball coach, head wrestling coach and head football coach.  He served as UW-Stout’s athletics director from 1969-71.

In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.50 grade point average.  In addition, he must be in his last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years.