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Sarah Brenner of Mondovi High School has joined the ranks of females coaching boys' varsity basketball teams in Wisconsin for the 2023-24 season.

Brenner, a former standout player as Sarah Hughes for both Colfax High School and UW-Eau Claire, previously served as the girls' coach at Augusta and replaces Ryan Christianson as the Buffaloes' head coach for the 2023-24 campaign. 

Brenner becomes the sixth female in Wisconsin coaching varsity boys' teams this season, believed to be a record high. She joins Joy Webster of Lake Holcombe, Bobbi Marion of Gilman, Amy Ring of Phillips, Mary Crane of Parkview and Michelle Kincaid of Elcho. 

Former Wisconsin Starz director James Adams, who also spent nine years as the head girls' basketball coach at Madison East and four years helping with the Madison College women's program, has been selected as the first head coach in the history of men's basketball at Indiana University -- Columbus.

The NAIA school located just outside of Indianapolis will begin play on the hardwood next season and compete in the River States Conference. 

Adams, 52, was named to head up the Crimson Pride program earlier this month and the Madison native will spend the 2023-24 season hitting the pavement to recruit a roster full of players.

"It's going pretty well so far as far as interest in attending our school and playing basketball," Adams said. "I have experience recruiting after spending four years with the women's program at Madison College, so I'll be hitting the recruiting path hard. 

"I'll be recruiting junior college players to fill the upper classes on our roster and high school players to fill the lower classes."

As an NAIA school, Adams will be able to offer scholarship money to incoming recruits, and he says he plans to recruit Wisconsin and the Midwest while building the program from the bottom up.

"I'm excited about the way the school adminstrators treated me during our interviews," Adams said. "It makes me feel good inside that it's a university that wants me there. I'll use all of my different skill sets to start the program."

A 1992 graduate of Madison West, Adams said the Crimson Pride will play in a new $40 million facility next season. He also is looking to be in contact with state AAU and high school coaches about potential players. He can be reached at adams90@iu.edu. 

First-year UW-La Crosse men's basketball coach JT Gritzmacher is wasting no time in bringing in quality recruits for the Eagles' program. 

Four stellar prospects from Wisconsin already have committed to La Crosse, which lost to UW-Superior and Concordia University of Moorhead, Minn., in Superior last weekend. 

Marquette High School teammates T.J. Adams (6-2) and Cade Kohnen (6-3) along with Sean Ladwig (6-2) of Catholic Memorial and Drew Tomashek (6-2) of Ashwaubenon have announced they plan to continue their education and play basketball at La Crosse. 

Ranked No. 49 among seniors in the state by WisSports.net, Adams is a stellar perimeter shooter with size and very good passing ability. He averaged 12.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists as a junior while shooting 41 percent from three-point range, connecting on 75-of-181 tries. He picked up second-team all-Greater Metro Conference honors and helped Marquette to a 21-7 record and the league title.

Kohnen played off the bench as a junior at Marquette and was perhaps the Hilltoppers' top reserve. He figures to contend for a starting role for one of the state's better teams in 2023-24 after a very strong spring/summer showing.

Ladwig missed his entire junior season while recovering from ACL surgery. The active and skilled wing prospect played in 18 games as a sophomore for the varsity squad at Catholic Memorial.

Tomashek is the starting point guard for Ashwaubenon and his father/coach, Mark Tomashek. He earned second-team all-Fox River Classic Conference choice as a junior after averaging 14.2 points, 2.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists. Ashwaubenon went 15-10 a year ago. 

Nacir Beamon (6-3), who played as a freshman at Martin Luther, as a sophomore at Milwaukee Academy of Science and last year at an out-of-state prep school, is attending Nicolet High School. Since his family had a total move into the Nicolet district, it is expected Beamon will be eligible for a loaded Nicolet squad in 2023-24. He averaged 15.0 points and 4.3 rebounds as a sophomore while helping Academy of Science to a 23-6 record and runner-up finish in the WIAA Division 4 State Tournament ... Twins Javonte and Keyondre Johnson have made the varsity team at Janesville Parker as freshmen. Both Johnsons stand around 6-3 and figure to help the Vikings with their length and athleticism ... Manitowoc Lincoln coach Thadd Cornell is just three wins shy of 300 for his coaching career ... Opening night of the season is less than a week away. At this point, there are 74 games scheduled for next Tuesday. Here is the link for opening-night contests.

For the latest and most up to date boys' basketball news and recruiting information, follow Mark on Twitter @wisbbyearbook. Email story ideas, recruiting info, etc. to Mark by clicking here.