Men’s Basketball

Category: Men’s Basketball

Nikitas headed to Europe with USA Select squad

Lawrence's Jamie Nikitas (3) is playing in a European tour with the hopes of signing on with a professional team. — Lawrence’s Jamie Nikitas (3) is playing in a European tour with the hopes of signing on with a professional team.

APPLETON, Wis. — Jamie Nikitas is chasing his hoop dreams on the other side of the pond.

The former Lawrence University men’s basketball star guard is playing on a USA Select team that will take part is as many as 20 contests in Europe from Sept. 1-20.

“I thought this would be a good opportunity for me to be seen, get noticed and get a chance to play over there,” Nikitas said.

The USA Select team is made up of recent college graduates ranging from NCAA Division III to Division I. The team will play in England, Ireland, Norway and possibly Greece over its three-week stay. The USA Select schedule will be a mix of games, tournaments and scrimmages, according to Nikitas.

After putting together a highlight tape, Nikitas began talking with an official from USA Select and was pleased to land with this group.

The Nikitas family has a history of competition overseas with Nikitas’ father, Danny, playing for two seasons in Greece after a stellar career at Lake Forest College. Nikitas’ uncle, Chris, played in the same league in Greece after helping DePaul University, led by Mark Aguirre, to a Final Four berth in 1979.

“This USA Select organization has placed plenty of guys, and a lot of guys are still playing with teams in Europe,” Nikitas said.

Nikitas said he’s not quite sure what to expect from his USA Select teammates since he’s never played with any of them.

“I think it will be letting the game come to me,” Nikitas said. “I may not be the guy who needs to score 25 points a game so it may be grabbing rebounds and stopping guys defensively. I feel like I had a pretty solid all-around game in college so hopefully whatever needs to show itself will show itself.”

Nikitas was a 2015-16 first-team All-Midwest Conference selection and one of 10 national finalists for the Josten’s Trophy, given annually to the top player in NCAA Division III. He finished in the top 10 in the nation in scoring at 25.1 points per game and broke Lawrence’s season scoring record with 577 points. He was the only player in the Midwest Conference to finish in the top seven in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals.

Nikitas was named the United States Basketball Writers Association Player of the Week, was chosen for the D3hoops.com Team of the Week and was twice named Midwest Conference Player of the Week.

Nikitas ranks among the greatest players in Lawrence history and his name is all over the school’s record book. He finished fourth on the career scoring list with 1,406 points, trailing only Josten’s Trophy winner and three-time All-American Chris Braier, All-American Ryan Kroeger and Lawrence Hall of Famer Joel Dillingham.

Once the tour is done, Nikitas hopes he gets the call from a pro team that needs an American guard.

“As long as I stay healthy and play like I can play, I have a chance to catch on with someone,” Nikitas said. “Even if nothing comes of it … to have the opportunity to do this is a really cool thing.”

Lawrence names Ayers as Athletic Performance Coach

APPLETON, Wis. — Tyler Ayers has been named the Athletic Performance Coach at Lawrence University, Director of Athletics Christyn Abaray announced today.

Ayers was hired after a national search to fill this position, which is new to the Department of Athletics.

“We are excited to have Tyler join our LU family as our first full-time Athletic Performance Coach,” Abaray said. “He comes from a knowledge-rich environment for the athletic performance industry so his credentials and experiences are impressive. Beyond this and even more striking was his ability to effectively communicate with all of the different people he encountered, including student-athletes. With him at the helm, I am confident that we will build upon where we are and make even more significant strides.”

Ayers was the assistant strength and conditioning coach at Webber International University in Babson Park, Fla. Ayers, a native of Daytona Beach, Fla., had served in that role since July 2015.

“I would like to thank the Lawrence University administration, search committee and Christyn for this opportunity,” Ayers said. “I believe my job is two-fold. Number one, it’s about impacting the lives of the student-athletes in a positive manner by taking what we learn in the weight room — hard work, determination, toughness, etc. — and applying it to daily life. This all translates into their life after athletics, molding them into great future employees, husbands and wives and mothers and fathers. Number two, it’s about increasing their athletic performance on and off the field while trying to keep them as healthy as possible. If I can do those two things, I will consider my time here successful at Lawrence University.”

Ayers served as the interim head strength and conditioning coach at Stetson University in 2015 before going back to Webber International. He had worked at Webber International as coaching assistant for strength and conditioning for a number of sports.

A 2014 graduate of Anderson (Ind.) University with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science, Ayers also holds certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association, USA Weightlifting and the American Red Cross. Ayers played football at Anderson and served as the team captain as a senior in 2013.

Lawrence opens the fall sports season on Sept. 1 when the men’s soccer team travels to Concordia University of Wisconsin. The Vikings’ first home contest is Sept. 7 when men’s soccer hosts MSOE in the Banta Bowl.

Two Lawrence men’s basketball players, team earn NABC academic honors

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University men’s basketball team has again been honored with the Team Academic Excellence Award by the National Association of Basketball Coaches, and two Vikings were named to the Honors Court.

This marks the third consecutive year Lawrence has picked up the team award and had student-athletes on the Honors Court. The Vikings posted a team grade point average of 3.13 for the 2015-16 academic year.

Senior guards Jamie Nikitas (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) and Troy Miller (Lake In The Hills, Ill./Huntley) were both chosen for the Honors Court for the second consecutive year.

Nikitas, who earned a degree in economics, was a first-team All-Midwest Conference selection and one of 10 national finalists for the Josten’s Trophy, given annually to the top player in NCAA Division III. Nikitas, who had a 3.46 GPA, finished in the top 10 in the nation in scoring at 25.1 points per game and broke Lawrence’s season scoring record with 577 points. He was the only player in the Midwest Conference to finish in the top seven in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals. Nikitas was named the United States Basketball Writers Association Player of the Week, was chosen for the D3hoops.com Team of the Week and was twice named Midwest Conference Player of the Week.

Miller, who earned degrees in math and economics, was named a Midwest Conference Player of the Week during his career. He scored a career-high 27 points in his final game to lead Lawrence to a 96-89 overtime win at Monmouth College. Miller, who had a 3.80 GPA, hit eight 3-pointers in that game, and that ranks as the second-best game total in school history.

To be eligible for the team award, a team must have a minimum 3.0 GPA for the 2015-16 academic year. Individuals must have a minimum 3.2 grade point average and be a junior or senior to earn a place on the Honors Court.

More than 150 Vikings named to Academic All-Midwest Conference team

APPLETON, Wis. — More than 150 Lawrence University student-athletes have been selected for the Academic All-Midwest Conference team.

The Vikings had 158 student-athletes meet the requirements for inclusion on the academic all-conference team. To be eligible for the team, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.33 grade point average during the 2015-16 academic year.

Six Lawrence teams hit double digits with more than 10 student-athletes being honored. The top Lawrence team was women’s swimming and diving, which had 19 student-athletes make the cut. The top men’s team was soccer, which had 16 student-athletes chosen.

The teams and student-athletes honored are:

Men’s cross country (6)

Max Edwards, Jr., Appleton, Wis./North; Mayan Essak, Fr., Milwaukee, Wis./Shorewood; Ethan Gniot, Jr., Ashwaubenon, Wis./Ashwaubenon; Josh Janusiak, Fr., South Milwaukee, Wis./South; Teddy Kortenhof, So., Portland, Ore./Lincoln; Alex Timpe, Fr., Lafayette, Colo./Dawson School.

Women’s cross country (14)

Kristen Bischel, Jr., Menomonie, Wis./Menomonie; Clare Bruning, Sr., Mondovi, Wis./Mondovi; Janey Degnan, So., Grosse Pointe, Mich./South; Molly Doruska, Fr., Ankeny, Iowa/Centennial; Margaret Huck, So., Kenosha, Wis./Tremper; Amy Hutchings, Jr., Ripon, Wis./Ripon; Kate Kilgus, Jr., Carmel, N.Y./Carmel; Hannah Kinzer, So., New Berlin, Wis./Eisenhower; Liz Landes, Sr., Westmont, Ill./Westmont; Sammi Jo Nixon, Fr., Wadsworth, Ill./Warren Township; Sierra Polzin, Sr., Denmark, Wis./Denmark; Isabella Schleisner, Sr., Hortonville, Wis./Hortonville; Erin Schrobilgen, So., Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park River Forest; Cora Williams, Sr., Brentwood, Calif./Liberty.

Football (4)

Ryan Butterfield, Fr., McDonough, Ga./Strong Rock Christian; Cole Erickson, So., Appleton, Wis./North; Jake Gostisha, So., Appleton, Wis./East; Mitch Ives, Jr., Rhinelander, Wis./Rhinelander.

Men’s soccer (16)

Santiago Alvarez, Sr., Lima, Peru/Franklin D. Roosevelt; Lewis Berger, So., Belchertown, Mass./Belchertown; Nathan Brase, So., Salem Ore./South Salem; Harry Broderick, Jr., St. Paul, Minn./Central; Mike Deremo, Jr., Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township; Robert Desotelle, So., Sturgeon Bay, Wis./Sturgeon Bay; Landon Edwards, So., Sturgeon Bay, Wis./Gibraltar; Nick Huth, Jr., Kimberly, Wis./Kimberly; Chris Kiehl, Jr., Sheboygan, Wis./North; Joe Krivit, Jr., St. Paul, Minn./Como Park; Ryan Leonard, Fr., Christchurch, England/St. Peter’s; Sean Salansky, Jr., Parker, Colo./Legend; Taylor Reifert, Fr., Chicago, Ill./St. Ignatius Prep; Alex Shahbazi, Jr., Marquette, Mich./Marquette; Aaron Sutton, Sr., Ona, W.V./Cabell Midland; Gabe Warshaw, Sr., New York, N.Y./Beacon School.

Women’s soccer (12)

Rebecca Bernheimer, Fr., Vancouver, Wash./Columbia River; Lucy Brown, Sr., St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall; Lara Frankson, So., Oregon, Wis./Oregon; Greta Fritz, Jr., Belle River, Ontario/L’Essor; Liza Girsova, Sr., Hong Kong/Busan (South Korea) International; Patsy Kealey, Sr., New Rochelle, N.Y./Ursuline; Anne Leung, Sr., Albuquerque, N.M./Albuquerque Academy; Casey Merkle, Jr., Tower Lakes, Ill./Barrington; Melissa Rooney, So., Racine, Wis./Prairie; Eva Tourangeau, So., Denver, Colo./George Washington; Perrin Tourangeau, Sr., Denver, Colo./George Washington; Sarah Zaccarine, Jr., Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Lake Zurich.

Women’s tennis (7)

Emma Arnesen, So., Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton Warrenville South; Katie Frankel, Jr., Deerfield, Ill./Deerfield; El Goblirsch, Fr., Minneapolis, Minn./Holy Angels; Annie Harincar, Fr., Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn; Lindsay Holsen, So., Oconomowoc, Wis./Oconomowoc; Shang Li, So., Tianjin, China/Elgin (Ill.) Academy; Katie Nottberg, Fr., Loveland, Colo./Loveland.

Volleyball (8)

Cyra Bammer, So., Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville; Megan Conley, Sr., Elroy, Wis./Royall; Sydney Nelson, So., Crystal Lake, Ill./Central; Lauren Ray, So., Hales Corners, Wis./Whitnall; Sara Schliesman, So., Juneau, Wis./Dodgeland; Terese Swords, Sr., Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township; Claire Vinopal, Fr., Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South; Nicole Witmer, Fr., Plainfield, Ill./Joliet Catholic.

Men’s basketball (4)

Troy Miller, Sr., Lake In The Hills, Ill./Huntley; Jamie Nikitas, Sr., Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South; Jeremy Stephani, So., Arlington Heights, Ill./Wheeling; Connor Weas, Jr., Whitefish Bay, Wis./Whitefish Bay.

Women’s basketball (5)

Lauren Deveikis, So., Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley; Patsy Kealey, Sr., New Rochelle, N.Y./Ursuline; Leah Reeves, Fr., Lisle, Ill./Lisle; Fanita Robins, So., Chicago, Ill./Providence St. Mel; Andrea Wilkinson, Sr., Racine, Wis./Lutheran.

Men’s indoor track (7)

Women’s indoor track (15)

Clare Bruning, Sr., Mondovi, Wis./Mondovi; Janey Degnan, So., Grosse Pointe, Mich./South; Molly Doruska, Fr., Ankeny, Iowa/Centennial; Sage Greenlee, So., Fort Collins, Colo./Poudre; Margaret Huck, So., Kenosha, Wis./Tremper; Amy Hutchings, Jr., Ripon, Wis./Ripon; Hannah Kinzer, So., New Berlin, Wis./Eisenhower; Liz Landes, Sr., Westmont, Ill./Westmont; Sammi Jo Nixon, Fr., Wadsworth, Ill./Warren Township; Margaret Norby, Fr., Appleton, Wis./East; Brenna Ori, Jr., Portland, Ore./Woodrow Wilson; Sierra Polzin, Sr., Denmark, Wis./Denmark; Isabella Schleisner, Sr., Hortonville, Wis./Hortonville; Erin Schrobilgen, So., Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park River Forest; Cora Williams, Sr., Brentwood, Calif./Liberty.

Men’s swimming and diving (3)

Christian Bell, Jr., Farmington, Minn./Farmington; Kaleb Cooperman, Sr., Warrenville, Ill./Wheaton Warrenville South; Jordan Spalding, Fr., Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South.

Women’s swimming and diving (19)

Rosemary Bauer, So., Elm Grove, Wis./Brookfield East; Eryn Blagg, So., Omaha, Neb./Millard West; Hayley Cardinal, Sr., Lombard, Ill./Glenbard East; Natalie Cash, So., Gilberts, Ill./Hampshire; Emily Flack, Sr., Edina, Minn./Edina; Elizabeth Garcia Creighton, Fr., St. Paul, Minn.; Rachel Gregory, Jr., Richardson, Texas/Plano East; Shelby Hader, So., Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls; Abby Kosberg, Sr., Wildwood, Ill./Warren Township; Sarah Loepfe, Sr., La Crescent, Minn./La Crescent; Tahnee Marquardt, Sr., Greven, Germany; Danielle Millin, Jr., Monona, Wis./Monona Grove; Delaney Olsen, So., Plymouth, Wis./Plymouth; Rebecca Schachtman, Jr., St. Louis, Mo./Ladue Horton Watkins; Sarah Schweickart, Fr., Loveland, Colo./Loveland; Haedyn Smith., Sr., Antioch, Ill./Antioch; Anna Vogel, So., Oak Park, Ill./ Oak Park River Forest; Paige Witter, Jr., Denver, Colo./Washington; Emmi Zheng, Fr., St. Louis Park, Minn./St. Louis Park.

Baseball (6)

Kyle Duex, So., River Falls, Wis./River Falls; Cole Erickson, So., Appleton, Wis./North; Brandon Klar, Jr., University City, Mo./Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day; Adam McDonald, Jr., Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central; Anthony Ortiz, So., Bridgeview, Ill./Illinois Math and Science; Travis Weber, So., Evanston, Ill./Loyola Academy.

Golf (1)

Nigel Schuster, Jr., Dusseldorf, Germany.

Softball (4)

Jessica Demski, Sr., Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township; Tierney Duffy, Sr., North Riverside, Ill./Riverside-Brookfield; Maddie MacLean, Fr., Arlington, Wash./Arlington; Katie Schumacher, Sr., Little Chute, Wis./Little Chute.

Men’s tennis (7)

David Brooker, Fr., Appleton, Wis./North; Adam Busch, Sr., Hales Corners, Wis./Greendale Martin Luther; Brian DeCorte, Sr., Southampton, Pa./William Tennent; David Jumes, Jr., Appleton, Wis./Xavier; Ethan Perushek, Sr., Maple Grove, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret’s; Ben Tomhave, So., Cloquet, Minn./Cloquet.

Men’s outdoor track (7)

Women’s outdoor track (13)

Eryn Blagg, So., Omaha, Neb./Millard West; Clare Bruning, Sr., Mondovi, Wis./Mondovi; Hayley Cardinal, Sr., Lombard, Ill./Glenbard East; Janey Degnan, So., Grosse Pointe, Mich./South; Molly Doruska, Fr., Ankeny, Iowa/Centennial; Margaret Huck, So., Kenosha, Wis./Tremper; Amy Hutchings, Jr., Ripon, Wis./Ripon; Hannah Kinzer, So., New Berlin, Wis./Eisenhower; Liz Landes, Sr., Westmont, Ill./Westmont; Margaret Norby, Fr., Appleton, Wis./East; Isabella Schleisner, Sr., Hortonville, Wis./Hortonville; Erin Schrobilgen, So., Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park River Forest; Cora Williams, Sr., Brentwood, Calif./Liberty.

Student-athletes receive awards at Honors Celebration

APPLETON, Wis. — More than a dozen Lawrence University student-athletes recently received awards at the 2016 Honors Celebration.

The awards and winners are as follows.

The Ruth Bateman Award is given for excellence in scholarship, athletic ability and leadership by a female athlete. Senior softball player Tierney Duffy (North Riverside, Ill./Riverside-Brookfield) won the award after finishing her career with a .347 batting average. A starting outfielder for four seasons, Duffy was an All-Midwest Conference and All-Great Lakes Region selection in 2016. The co-chair of Lawrence’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Duffy was a leader in organizing the inaugural BLUCrew Awards, helped raise $13,000 with the Special Olympics Polar Plunge and worked with the Kids Give program. Duffy has a 3.6 grade point average and is a member of the Academic All-Midwest Conference team.

The Iden Charles Champion Cup is given for excellence in scholarship, athletic ability, college spirit and loyalty. Senior hockey player Renato Engler (Davos, Switzerland) served as the team captain and was a two-time Northern Collegiate Hockey Association All-Academic team member. Engler led the team in 2015-16 with nine goals and 16 assists for 25 points and recently signed to play professional hockey in his native Switzerland.

The Outstanding Freshman Athletic Award for Men is given the freshman man who has made the most outstanding contribution to Lawrence athletics. Football player Ryan Butterfield (McDonough, Ga./Strong Rock Christian) was the team’s starting quarterback. He completed 85-of-164 passes for 967 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions. He also ran 82 times for 549 yards and three touchdowns. Butterfield was named the Midwest Conference Offensive Player of the Week and was chosen as the USA College Football Rookie of the Week. He posted the first 200-plus yard rushing game for the Vikings since 2002 and posted the longest touchdown run (79 yards) by a quarterback in school history.

The Outstanding Freshman Athletic Award for Women is given to the freshman woman who has made the most outstanding contribution to Lawrence athletics. Outside hitter Arianna Neumeyer (Manitowoc, Wis./Lutheran) was an All-Midwest Conference selection for the Lawrence volleyball team. She led the team with 215 kills and at 2.42 kills per set. Neumeyer also finished second on the team with 25 aces and was third with 282 digs.

The Ralph V. Landis Award was established by the Lettermen of Lawrence in honor of Dr. Landis, physician to Lawrence students from 1926-78, and is awarded for outstanding contributions to Lawrence athletics by a senior male athlete. Senior men’s basketball player Jamie Nikitas (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) was a first-team All-Midwest Conference selection and one of 10 national finalists for the Josten’s Trophy, given annually to the top player in NCAA Division III. Nikitas finished in the top 10 in the nation in scoring at 25.1 points per game and broke Lawrence’s season scoring record with 577 points. He was the only player in the Midwest Conference to finish in the top seven in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals. Nikitas was named the United States Basketball Writers Association Player of the Week, was chosen for the D3hoops.com Team of the Week and was twice named Midwest Conference Player of the Week.

The Charles E. Pond Award for Women is given for all-around athletic ability by a senior woman in two or more sports and for sportsmanship, school spirit and scholarship. Swimmer and track athlete Hayley Cardinal (Lombard, Ill./Glenbard East) was a multiple Midwest Conference champion for the Vikings. In the pool, Cardinal won the 100-yard breaststroke in 2014 and took titles in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke in 2016. Cardinal, who made an NCAA “B” cut three times, holds the Lawrence records in the 100 and 200 breaststroke and the 200 individual medley. She also is part of the 200 and 400 medley relay teams. Cardinal is a member of the Academic All-Midwest Conference team and served as the swim team captain. She also run the hurdles and relays for the Lawrence track team.

The Marion Read Award is given for outstanding contributions to Lawrence athletics. Softball shortstop Amanda Jaskolski (Shawano, Wis./Shawano) capped her career by earning first-team National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America honors. A two-team All-Great Lakes Region selection, Jaskolski was a career .439 hitter with 17 doubles, two triples, 19 homers and 76 runs batted in. She holds Lawrence season records for hits (54), RBIs (46), runs scored (37) and homers (13). Jaskolski was a two-time Midwest Conference Player of the Year and hit .462 with 13 homers and 46 RBIs as a senior.

The Letterwinner Award is presented by the L Club to those outstanding seniors who have earned eight or more letters. The winners are:

Clare Bruning (Mondovi, Wis./Mondovi), cross country and track and field

Cam Davies (Grosse Point, Mich./South), cross country and track and field

Chris Fuelling (Saint Paul, Minn./Highland Park), cross country and track and field

Bjorn Gowdy-Jaehnig (Decorah, Iowa/Decorah), track and field

Liza Girsova (Busan, South Korea), soccer and track and field

Tyler Herman (Wadsworth, Ill./Warren Township), track and field

Liz Landes (Westmont, Ill./Westmont), cross country and track and field

Genna Matt (Mount Horeb, Wis./Mount Horeb), soccer and track and field

Isabella Schleisner (Hortonville, Wis./Hortonville), cross country and track and field

Cora Williams (Brentwood, Calif./Liberty), cross country and track and field

BLU Crew award winners to be selected Friday

APPLETON, Wis. — The first BLU Crew Awards will be selected Friday evening at the Warch Campus Center.

The inaugural event is sponsored by Lawrence University’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). SAAC will hand out 12 awards to its fellow Vikings and announce the All-Viking Team.

The event begins at 7 p.m. and is open to the public.

The categories and nominees are:

Breakthrough Athlete of the Year

Jessica Demski (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township), softball, pitcher

Jake Gostisha (Appleton, Wis./East), football, defensive end

Patsy Kealey (New Rochelle, N.Y./Ursuline), soccer, goalkeeper

Elana Lambert (Shorewood, Wis./Shorewood), tennis

Best Victory

Women’s cross country victory at Concordia (Wis.) Invitational

Hockey 6-3 win over Lake Forest to clinch berth in Northern Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs

Women’s soccer 2-0 win over UW-Stevens Point

Softball 5-4 win over Cornell

Men’s tennis 5-4 win over Cornell to qualify for Midwest Conference Tournament

Outstanding Play of the Year

Mattias Soderqvist (Stockholm, Sweden), back-to-back saves vs. Marian

Jamie Nikitas (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) to Mitch Willer (Sussex, Wis./Sussex Hamilton) for dunk vs. Knox

Cyra Bammer (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville), kill off face of Macalester player

Mike Deremo (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township), goal vs. Lakeland

Renato Engler (Davos, Switzerland), goal vs. Aurora

Ryan Berkley (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township), goals vs. UW-Stevens Point

Hayley Cardinal (Lombard, Ill./Glenbard East), victory in 200 breaststroke at Midwest Conference Championships

Troy Miller (Lake In The Hills, Ill./Huntley), NBA-range 3-pointer in overtime at Monmouth

Alic Riedel (Appleton, Wis./East), kickoff return for touchdown vs. Rockford

Alic Riedel (Appleton, Wis./East), big hit on defense vs. Rockford

Upset of the Year

Women’s cross country tops field led by UW-Stevens Point to win Concordia (Wis.) Invitational

Women’s swimming defeats Lake Forest 146-117

Hockey defeats Marian 3-2

Softball gets 7-3 win at Monmouth

Women’s soccer 2-0 win over UW-Stevens Point

Baseball gets 6-4 victory over St. Norbert

Best Individual Performance

Ryan Butterfield (McDonough, Ga./Strong Rock Christian), football vs. Grinnell

Hayley Cardinal (Lombard, Ill./Glenbard East), swimming at Midwest Conference Championships

Jamie Nikitas (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South), basketball vs. Carroll

Liz Arco (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett), volleyball vs. Grinnell

Mattias Soderqvist (Stockholm, Sweden), series vs. MSOE

Troy Miller (Lake In The Hills, Ill./Huntley), basketball vs. Monmouth

Patsy Kealey (New Rochelle, N.Y./Ursuline), basketball vs. Concordia Chicago

Katie Schumacher (Little Chute, Wis./Little Chute), softball vs. St. Norbert

Comeback of the Year

Hockey vs. Lake Forest, trailed 3-1 and came back to win 6-3

Softball vs. Cornell, trailed 2-0 and came back to win 5-2

Men’s basketball vs. Monmouth, trailed 71-62 and came back to win 96-89 in OT

Men’s tennis, Adam Busch vs. Cornell’s Tom Greene, lost first set and rallied to win in three sets to clinch team’s berth in Midwest Conference Tournament

Women’s soccer vs. Grinnell, trailed 1-0 and scored two goals in final 13 minutes to win 2-1

Men’s Rookie of the Year

Ryan Butterfield (McDonough, Ga./Strong Rock Christian), football, quarterback

Nick Felan (Highlands Village, Texas), hockey, forward

Josh Janusiak (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee), cross country/track

Nathan Schlesinger (Austin, Texas), fencing

Nolan Spencer (Elmhurst, Ill./York), baseball, shortstop

Max Stahl (Tijeras, N.M./Sandia Prep), swimming

Women’s Rookie of the Year

Lilly Endsley (Rockford, Ill./Guilford), tennis

Mari Hubanks (Sharon, Wis./Walworth Big Foot), soccer, defender

Maddie MacLean (Arlington, Wash./Arlington), softball, pitcher

Arianna Neumeyer (Manitowoc, Wis./Lutheran), volleyball, outside hitter

Emmi Zheng (St. Louis Park, Minn./St. Louis Park), swimming

Coach of the Year

Jason Fast, cross country

Steve Francour, men’s tennis

Mike Szkodzinski, hockey

Kim Tatro, softball

Men’s Athlete of the Year

Ryan Butterfield (McDonough, Ga./Strong Rock Christian), football, quarterback

Renato Engler (Davos, Switzerland), hockey, forward

Matt Holliday (Hong Kong), baseball, first baseman/pitcher

Josh Janusiak (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee), cross country/track

Jamie Nikitas (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South), basketball, guard

Women’s Athlete of the Year

Ryan Berkley (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township), soccer, forward

Clare Bruning (Mondovi, Wis./Mondovi), cross country

Hayley Cardinal (Lombard, Ill./Glenbard East), swimming

Tierney Duffy (North Riverside, Ill./Riverside-Brookfield), softball, outfielder

Meg Krautsch (Oshkosh, Wis./West), softball, shortstop

The Viking Award

Brandon Boelter (Saginaw, Mich.), hockey

Tierney Duffy (North Riverside, Ill./Riverside-Brookfield), softball

Natalie Kramer (Mendota Heights, Minn./Henry Sibley), basketball

Jacob Lueck (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard East), football

Jamie Nikitas (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South), basketball

Lauren Ray (Hales Corners, Wis./Whitnall), volleyball

Basketball star Nikitas named finalist for Jostens Trophy

APPLETON, Wis. — Lawrence University men’s basketball star Jamie Nikitas has been named one of 10 finalists for the Jostens Trophy, the award given each year to the top player in NCAA Division III.

Nikitas (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South), a senior guard, is the second Lawrence player to be named a finalist in the 19-year history of the award. Three-time All-American Chris Braier, Lawrence’s career scoring and rebounding leader, won the award in 2006.

“That’s a pretty unbelievable honor to be considered for,” Nikitas said. “I know Chris Braier won it, and to be mentioned in the same sentence with him at Lawrence is pretty humbling.”

The Jostens Trophy is awarded each year by the Salem (Va.) Rotary Club to an outstanding NCAA Division III men’s and women’s basketball player. The award, given for the first time in 1998, encompasses more than just basketball ability as work in the classroom and in the community are factors in selecting the winner.

“I’m thrilled to see Jamie as a finalist for the Jostens Trophy as he is one of the best young men I’ve ever had the privilege to coach,” Lawrence coach Joel DePagter said. “The Jostens Trophy looks for the well-rounded student-athlete, and that is exactly how I would describe Jamie.”

An economics major with a 3.40 grade point average, Nikitas is coming off a record-breaking season that saw him earn first-team All-Midwest Conference honors. Nikitas was second in the league and finished the regular season ninth in all of NCAA Division III in scoring at 25.1 points per game.

Nikitas broke Lawrence’s season scoring average record by 3.6 points per game and scored 577 points, which shattered the school’s season scoring record of 494. Nikitas scored a career-high 40 points at Carroll University on Jan. 12 and had six 30-plus point games during the season. Nikitas also set Lawrence season records for free throws made (156) and attempted (222).

Lawrence basketball star Jamie Nikitas is one of 10 finalists for the Jostens Trophy, which honors the top player in NCAA Division III.

In addition to being second in the league in scoring, Nikitas finished first in steals at 2.6 per game, sixth in rebounding at 6.7 and seventh in assists at 3.4. He was the only player in the conference to finish in the top seven in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals.

“To be one of the final 10 is pretty crazy and pretty special,” Nikitas said. “If you would have told me at the beginning of the year that I would be (a finalist for the Jostens Trophy), I would have told you were crazy. I wouldn’t be here without coach DePagter and coach (Chris) Kellett and the Giant (assistant coach Jon Meyer) and all my teammates. I couldn’t have done it without them.”

A two-time all-conference and academic all-conference selection, Nikitas was twice named the Midwest Conference Player of the Week this season. Nikitas also picked up two national honors as he was chosen as the United States Basketball Writers Association Player of the Week and selected for the D3hoops.com Team of the Week.

Nikitas ranks among the greatest players in Lawrence history and his name is all over the school’s record book. He finished fourth on the career scoring list with 1,406 points, trailing only Braier, All-American Ryan Kroeger and Lawrence Hall of Famer Joel Dillingham.

Nikitas also ranked second in Lawrence history with 188 steals, sixth with 474 field goals, ninth with 120 3-pointers, 10th with 229 assists and 11th with 521 rebounds.

“It has been an absolute privilege to build a relationship with Jamie, and the entire Nikitas family, over the past several years,” DePagter said. “Lawrence was lucky to have Jamie on campus the past four years, and it will not be the same without Jamie and his family around.”

The Salem Rotary Club’s Jostens Trophy Committee employs a numerical rating to narrow the list of finalists so that the decision can be made on the most objective basis possible. The 20 finalists continue thru the review process and a 32-member national selection committee determines the two winners.

Ballots from the national selection committee are due by March 9 with the winning schools expected to be notified by March 11. The awards presentation is scheduled for March 17 at the Salem Civic Center in conjunction with the NCAA Division III men’s basketball semifinals and championship in Salem, Va., on March 18-19.

The Jostens Trophy is a national award created by the Salem Rotary Club to honor the most outstanding men’s and women’s NCAA Division III basketball players of the year. The award takes into account three vital parts: basketball ability, academic prowess and community service. The trophy models the Rotary International motto of “Service Above Self” by recognizing those who truly fit the ideal of the well-rounded NCAA Division III student-athlete. This year’s class marks the 19th year the award has been presented.

The other men’s finalists are: Trey Bardsley (Nebraska Wesleyan), DJ Beckman (Alma), Dillon Bender (Mount Aloysius), Jordan Bolger (Concordia Moorhead), Tim Daniel (Greenville), Ben Gardner (Hope), Lucas Hausman (Bowdoin), Jared Holmquist (Trine), George Valle (Whitworth).

Nikitas earns first-team All-MWC honors

Lawrence's Jamie Nikitas (3) is a first-team All-MIdwest Conference selection. — Lawrence’s Jamie Nikitas (3) is a first-team All-MIdwest Conference selection.

APPLETON, Wis. — Lawrence University men’s basketball star Jamie Nikitas has been named to the All-Midwest Conference first team in a vote of league coaches.

Nikitas (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) earned the honor after a record-breaking season with the Vikings. Nikitas was second in the league and ninth in all of NCAA Division III in scoring at 25.1 points per game.

In addition to being second in the league in scoring, Nikitas finished first in steals at 2.6 per game, sixth in rebounding at 6.7 and seventh in assists at 3.4. In conference games only, Nikitas averaged 26.1 points (second in the MWC), 6.3 rebounds (ninth), 2.7 steals (first) and 3.6 assists (seventh).

A second-team all-conference selection a season ago, Nikitas was twice named the Midwest Conference Player of the Week this season. Nikitas also picked up two national honors as he was chosen as the United States Basketball Writers Association Player of the Week and selected for the D3hoops.com Team of the Week.

Nikitas ranks among the greatest players in Lawrence history and his name is all over the school’s record book. He finished fourth on the career scoring list with 1,406 points, trailing only All-Americans Chris Braier and Ryan Kroeger and Lawrence Hall of Famer Joel Dillingham.

Nikitas also ranked second in Lawrence history with 188 steals, sixth with 474 field goals, ninth with 120 3-pointers, 10th with 229 assists and 11th with 521 rebounds.

Miller goes out in style as he leads Vikings over Monmouth

MONMOUTH, Ill. — Troy Miller scored a career-high 27 points in his final game to lead the Lawrence University men’s basketball team to a 96-89 Midwest Conference overtime victory in the season finale at Monmouth College on Saturday.

Miller, a senior guard, went 8-for-11 from the floor on nothing but 3-point attempts to eclipse his previous career high of 21 points. The eight 3-pointers ties the second-highest game total in Lawrence history and is a personal best for Miller, who hit seven triples in a game last season.

Jeremy Stephani added 19 points for the Vikings (10-13, 7-11 MWC), and Jamie Nikitas had 18 points before fouling out. Nikitas finished his career with 1,406 points, good for fourth on Lawrence’s career list. He also shattered the season scoring record with 577 points and the scoring average record at 25.1 points per game.

Ben Peterson picked up 13 points and a game-high eight rebounds for Lawrence before he fouled out, and Connor Weas added 11 points and seven boards.

Lamont Mitchell and Matt Juhola scored 18 points apiece for the Scots (13-10, 9-9).

Lawrence rallied from a nine-point deficit in the final five minutes of regulation and nearly won the game without an overtime. The Vikings were down 71-62 when they went on a 7-1 run courtesy of a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws from Stephani and Evan McLaughin’s layup.

Mitchell and Miller traded 3-pointers, and the Vikings tied it at 77-77 on another Stephani 3-pointer with 1:29 left. Miller then hit another 3-pointer and added a free throw to give Lawrence an 81-77 edge with 45 seconds left.

Monmouth’s Will Jones converted a three-point play, and after the Vikings turned it over, Mitchell hit a jumper for an 82-81 lead. McLaughlin was fouled with six seconds left and made one free throw to tie it. Jon Calhoun was short on a layup at the buzzer that would have won it for Monmouth.

The game was tied at 87-87 in overtime when the Vikings took over. Stephani hit a jumper in the lane, and Miller drained a long 3-pointer to put the Vikings up 92-87 with 53 seconds left.

After a Monmouth miss, the Scots were forced to foul. Lawrence hit just 4-of-8 free throws in the final 42 seconds but that was enough as Monmouth had a turnover and a pair of missed 3-pointers to finish the game.

Box score

Second-half surge leads Carroll past cold-shooting Vikings

APPLETON, Wis. — A scoring outburst midway through the second half Wednesday led the Carroll University men’s basketball team to a 70-51 Midwest Conference victory over Lawrence University at Alexander Gymnasium.

Kyle Keranen led three Carroll players in double figures with 18 points. Marcus Johnson added 17 points and seven rebounds, and Bryan Nagy had a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Pioneers (18-4, 14-3 MWC).

Jamie Nikitas paced Lawrence (9-13, 6-11) with 17 points and nine rebounds. Mitch Willer added 13 points and five rebounds for the Vikings, who shot just 32.7 percent for the game, including 25 percent from beyond the arc.

Lawrence trailed 41-35 after Willer hit a 3-pointer on his first attempt from beyond the arc this season. The Pioneers then went on a 13-2 run, capped by a pair of Keranen free throws, over the next 5:38 to take a 54-37 lead with 6:50 left.

Nikitas hit a jumper to cut the lead to 54-39, but Carroll scored the game’s next six points to pull out to a 60-39 advantage. Lawrence didn’t get closer than 19 points the rest of the way.

The game was tight throughout the first half with eight lead changes and six ties. Lawrence’s biggest lead of the half was 17-14 after a 3-pointer by Jeremy Stephani, but the Pioneers grabbed their biggest lead of the half at 28-22 on Tanner Zaeske’s 3-pointer with 14 seconds left.

Lawrence’s Connor Weas then buried a 3-pointer from the corner at the buzzer to trim the margin to 28-25 at the break.

Box score

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