For Immediate Release
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
NSIC Media Relations
Full PDF Release
Augustana Selected in NSIC MBB Preseason Coaches’ Poll
Schilling Tabbed Preseason Player of the Year
Augustana College was selected as the 2011-12 NSIC Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ favorite. The Vikings accumulated 164 points with nine first place votes to earn the honor. Last year’s NSIC / Sanford Health Men’s Basketball Tournament Champions of Winona State (158) were ranked second and received three first place votes while last year’s regular season champions of Minneso ta State (140) were third with one first place vote. Concordia-St. Paul was fourth with 135 points and a first place nod while MSU Moorhead rounded out the top five with 122 points.
The Vikings will also boast the NSIC Preseason Player of the Year in Cody Schilling (G, 6-5, 190, Sr., Ellsworth, Minn. / Ellsworth HS). Schilling’s 21.2 points per game led the NSIC in scoring during the 2010-11 season. He shot 52.4 percent from the field while averaging 4.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He was the NSIC Freshman of the Year in 2008-09 and has started 89 consecutive games for the Vikings. Schilling’s first-team selections included spots on the All-NSIC, Daktronics All-Central Region and NABC All-Central District squads. Schilling sits in ninth place on the Augustana career scoring list with 1,391 points.
NSIC coaches rank each team from 1 to 13 with a first place vote receiving 13 points, second place 12, third place 11, etc. Coaches do not rank their own team or vote for their own players.
The 2011-12 men’ s basketball season gets underway on Friday, November 11th and NSIC action on December 2nd.
2011-12 NSIC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
| Rank |
Team |
Points |
| 1 |
Augustana (9) |
164 |
| 2 |
Winona State (3) |
158 |
| 3 |
Minnesota State (1) |
140 |
| 4 |
Concordia-St. Paul (1) |
135 |
| 5 |
MSU Moorhead |
122 |
| 6 |
St. Cloud State |
108 |
| 7 |
Bemidji State |
82 |
| 8 |
SMSU |
78 |
| 9 |
Minnesota Duluth |
76 |
| 10 |
Northern State |
67 |
| 11 |
Wayne State |
54 |
| 12 |
University of Mary |
46 |
| 13 |
Upper Iowa |
31 |
| 14 |
Minnesota, Crookston |
13 |
First Place Votes in ( )
2011-12 NSIC Men’s Basketball Players to Watch
AUGUSTANA COLLEGE - #21 Cody Schilling's (G, 6-5, 190, Sr., Ellsworth, Minn. Ellsworth HS) 21.2 points per game led the NSIC in scoring during the 2010-11 season. He shot 52.4 percent from the field while averaging 4.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He was the NSIC Freshman of the Year in 2008-09 and has started 89 consecutive games for the Vikings. Schilling’s first-team selections included spots on the All-NSIC, Daktronics All-Central Region and NABC All-Central District squads. Schilling sits in ninth place on the Augustana career scoring list with 1,391 points.
BEMIDJI STATE - #34 James Ellisor (F, 6-5, 195, Sr., Glendale, Ariz. / Glendale CC) averaged 17.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game and shot 57.9 percent from the field in 2010-11 to earn Second-Team All-NSIC honors. He led the NSIC in field goal percentage, while ranking in the top 10 in steals (4th, 1.6 spg), blocks (T6th, 0.9 bpg), scoring (7th) and rebounding (9th). He started 25 of 26 games for BSU and posted ten 20-plus scoring games and recorded double-figures in all but two contests. Nationally, Ellisor ranked 32nd in field goal percentage.
CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL - #5 Peter Olafeso (G, 6-2, 200, Sr., St. Paul, Minn. / Harding HS) had double digit points in 24 of 27 games this season and scored 20+ points seven times. He had a season high 28 points against Southwest Minnesota State on 2/11/11. He had his first career double-double against Minnesota, Crookston on 1/22/11 going for 16 points and 10 rebounds. He had 20+ points per game in three straight games scoring 27 against MSU-Moorhead on 1/21/11, then scored 21 points the next night against UMC 1/22/11 and finally he scored 20 points against Augustana on 1/28/11. Olafeso also had seven games with 5+ assists including a season/career high eight assists and zero turnovers against Minnesota State in the Golden Bears upset win.
UNIVERSITY OF MARY - #40 Damon Smith (F, 6-7, Sr., Milwaukee, Wis. / Ronald Reagan HS) joined the University of Mary squad last year and helped the Marauders post one of the best seasons in school history. A transfer from Ellsworth Community College, Smith started all 29 games and averaged 6.7 points per game and 4.0 rebounds and shot 60 per cent from the field in 2010-11. With Smith in the lineup, the Marauders posted a 23-6 record, were ranked as high as 14th in the nation and finished 18th in the last poll, won 16 straight games, finished second in the Northern Sun, hosted an NSIC playoff game for the first time, and earned a spot in the NCAA tournament for the first time. Smith is the lone starter returning this season for the Marauders.
MINNESOTA, CROOKSTON -#4 Almir Krdzalic (G, 5-11, 155, Jr., Sioux Falls, S.D. / Lincoln HS) played in all 26 games starting 25 last season averaging 7.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 27.7 minutes per game. He recorded 95 assists and 45 steals. His best performances were when he scored 15 points with four rebounds and three steals in a 78-85 loss to Bemidji State on February 11 and scored 15 points with three rebounds and four assists in a 79-95 loss to the University of Minnesota Duluth on February 12.
MINNESOTA DULUTH - #32 Ryan Rasmussen (G, 6-2, 195, Sr., Waupun, Wis. / Waupun HS) returns for what is likely to be a memorable senior campaign at Minnesota Duluth. The 6-2 guard will resume his duties as co-captain of the Bulldogs after a 2010-11 season that concluded with a nod to the All-NSIC Second Team after posting 19.7 PPG against league foes The Waupun, Wis., native led the Bulldogs in scoring with 18.2 PPG and became the 34th member of UMD’s 1,000 point club with a six point effort at Winona State. Rasmussen also surpassed his previous career high of 41 points with a 43-point performance in a double-overtime setback against Wayne State on January 8, 2010.
MINNESOTA STATE - #42 Connor O’Brien (F, 6-7, 200, So., New Prague, Minn. / New Prague HS) started and played in 32 games last season and averaged 6.6 points and 5.5 rebounds. He recorded three double-doubles and finished the year shooting .434 from the floor, .297 from downtown and .750 from the free throw line. O’Brien scored ten or more points seven times and had ten or more rebounds on six occasions.
MSU MOORHEAD - #40 Alex Novak (F, 6-9, Jr., Oxford, Iowa / Clear-Creek-Amana HS) is the blocked-shots record holder at MSUM after breaking the record Feb. 19 against Upper Iowa. He currently has 122 blocks after 54 games played. In 2010-11 season he averaged 9.3 points per game while starting all 27 games. He led the NSIC in rebounding (10.7), blocks (1.96) and was third in minutes played (34.78) per game. He scored in double figures 13-times and had double digit rebounds 17-times while shooting 56.2 percent (109-194) from the field and .532 (33-62) from the free throw line. He was named second team All-NSIC and All-Region Academic All-American.
NORTHERN STATE - #24 Collin Pryor (F, 6-6, 190, Jr., St. Charles, Ill. / St. Charles East HS), a First Team All-NSIC member from last season, is back to lead the Wolves in 2011-12. Pryor played in and started all 26 games as a sophomore last season and led the team with his 15.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Those numbers ranked him 12th in the NSIC in scoring and fourth in rebounding. Pryor also shot the ball at a 54.1 percent clip, second on the team and seventh in the league.
SMSU - #13 Jordan Miller (G, 6-5, 197, Jr., Mitchell, S.D. / Mitchell HS) started all 26 games last season and is the squad’s top returning scorer after averaging 13.8 points per game and connecting on a team-high 52 3-point field goals. Miller shot 88.5 percent from the free throw, ranking 18th nationally, and dished out 84 assists, finishing second on the team. He has started all 55 games in his career and ranks fifth in school history in free throw pct. (83.4) and 10th in 3-point field goals made (123).
ST. CLOUD STATE - # 10 Brett Putz (G, 6-0, 185, Sr., Forest City, Iowa / Forest City HS) Brett Putz (Sr., G, Forest City, Iowa) is the Huskies team captain in 2011-12. Putz has played in all 95 games of his collegiate career and been a starter in 63 games. Last season he started 28 games and averaged 12.1 points. He is a 45.2 percent field goal shooter, 46.3 percent from the field and 84.7 percent from the free throw line. Putz is the top returning scorer for the Huskies and last year made a career high seven three-point baskets against Cal. State -Dominguez Hills on Nov. 19. He has scored 971 points in his Husky career and ranks seventh on the all-time three-point baskets made list with 183.
UPPER IOWA - #44 Tucker Wentzien (C, 6-8, 240, Jr., Solon, Iowa / Solon HS) returns to Upper Iowa for his junior season in Peacock blue. Wentzien has started 39 of the 51 games he has played in for Upper Iowa in his first two years. The Solon, Iowa native averaged 11.5 points and 6.3 rebounds (12th in the NSIC last year) per game as a sophomore after averaging 6 points and 4.4 rebounds as a freshman. Wentzien blocked the third most shots/game in the NSIC last year (1.3) as well. He shot 47.7% from the floor and 32% from the three point line, while converting 78.2% of his attempts at the charity stripe. The Peacock post player scored a career-high 22 points last season at home versus St. Cloud State University and pulled down a career-high 12 rebounds at Concordia University-St. Paul. Wentzien hit double figures in points 18 times and registered a double-double in points and rebounds twice.
WAYNE STATE - #5 Amry Shelby (G, 5-11, 155, Jr., Marion, Iowa / Marion HS) was a Second Team All-NSIC selection for the Wildcats last season after leading WSC in scoring at 13.9 points per game. Shelby shot 50 percent (123-246) from the field and 88.1 percent (96-109) from the free throw line. He ranked fifth in the NSIC in free throw percentage, 13th in steals per game (1.22) and 14th in three point and field goal percentage. In his two seasons with the Wildcats, Shelby has shot 50.9 percent from the field and 82.9 percent from the free throw line.
WINONA STATE - #44 Clayton Vette (C, 6-9, 250, Jr., Waverly, Iowa / Shell Rock-Waverly HS) had outstanding sophomore season, earning All-NSIC Second Team honors. He was second on team with 14.0 points per game average and led squad with 6.4 rebounds per game. He reached double-digits in 20 of 29 games played and shot 54.6 percent (154-282) from the field on the year. He scored 24 points and had 11 rebounds in the NCAA Tournament against Minnesota State, one of his six double-doubles on season.
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