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Stevens Point Area Senior High's Joey Hauser, who helped the Panthers win the past three WIAA Division 1 state championships, plans to graduate from SPASH this week and start classes Monday at Marquette University.

The 6-foot-8 Hauser, who had season-ending ankle surgery in early December, completes his semester exams at SPASH on Friday, and will graduate early from the Wisconsin Valley Conference school in order to enroll at Marquette.

Hauser signed a letter of intent last November to play college basketball at Marquette, where he will join his older brother Sam, a 6-8 sophomore forward who is having a breakout season for the Golden Eagles.

Joey Hauser will take a redshirt season in 2017-18 and will have four years of eligibility at the Big East Conference school beginning in 2018-19. He is considered a full member of the men's basketball program beginning on Monday. He will be able to travel with the team, attend practices, live in the dorms with the rest of his teammates, and get top rehab care for his injury.

"The main benefit of enrolling early at Marquette is to get myself 100 percent healthy," Hauser said. "I will get rehab every day on my ankle and be ready to go next season."

Ranked No. 45 in the country in the class of 2018 by 247Sports, Hauser played in the Panthers' season-opening victory over Rhinelander, scoring 35 points and grabbing nine rebounds.

However, a lingering ankle injury flared up and prevented Hauser from completing his senior season. The injury was sustained during Hauser's junior season in a WIAA football playoff game victory over Bay Port. 

Carolina Panthers orthopedic surgeon Dr. Robert Anderson performed surgery on Hauser's ankle last month, and the talented and versatile forward is expected to make a full recovery.

After receiving clearance to enroll at Marquette from the NCAA this week, Hauser begins his time in Milwaukee on Monday and will be on full scholarship. 

Hauser missed 11 games as a junior while dealing with that same ankle injury, and then helped Stevens Point capture its third consecutive state championship by scoring 33 points and snaring 21 rebounds in an 85-56 triumph over Arrowhead in the Division 1 championship game.

Playing alongside his older brother and all-state guard, Trevor Anderson, Joey Hauser averaged 9.9 ppg as a freshman and 17.6 ppg as a sophomore while helping Stevens Point to a combined record of 55-1, including convincing state-title game victories over Germantown (2015) and Muskego (2016). 

With Sam Hauser playing at Marquette and Anderson playing at Green Bay last season, Joey Hauser increased his output to 23.6 ppg as SPASH finished 24-4.

Hauser finishes his prep career with 1,161 career points with his highest two scoring outputs having occurred in his final two high school games. 

"I feel my career at SPASH was filled with lots of fun and lots of winning," Hauser said. "I am going to miss being at SPASH so much. I want to thank my teammates throughout the years and my coaches for making it one of the best experiences of my life. 

"Unfortunately, in my high school career I've dealt with multiple injuries and missed many games, but it was a great three and a half years that I won't forget."