MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[WashingtonWiz99]

Job posted this week.

Closes mid-May.

Hire made by mid-June.

School begins September.

[Greek Tragedy]

Even though it looks like Point got who they wanted and Dernbach got his dream job, I do feel bad for La Crosse. They lose their top assistant and now their head coach bolts for a conference rival this late in the year. They are in a real bind, being June before a new coach will be named. So much for recruiting this off-season.

[tomt4525]

6'2" Monona Grove G, Jordan Hibner, has committed to La Crosse.  That's interesting to me that he would commit to La Crosse without a coach in place.

[tomt4525]

6'1" Hurley G, Dominic Croci, has committed to the Stout Blue Devils.

[John Gleich]

https://921wpcn.com/instant-replay/

This morning's interview between Scott Krueger and Kent Dernbach can be found here.

[palum]

6'2" Monona Grove G, Jordan Hibner, has committed to La Crosse.  That's interesting to me that he would commit to La Crosse without a coach in place.

It is interesting that that someone would commit without a coach in place. In a lot of cases WIAC athletes are going to school in their chosen field playing sports is an added bonus. La Crosse has some Health Science programs that are hot in the job market right now. I remember one time Bo Ryan was asked how he got basketball players to go to a small school in rural Wisconsin. Bo replied the Engineering School attracted them he just finished the job. Just recently the lack of a head coach didn't hinder UW WW's football recruiting this may not be a fair comparison because their new HC was the interim coach.

[WUPHF]

It is interesting that that someone would commit without a coach in place. In a lot of cases WIAC athletes are going to school in their chosen field playing sports is an added bonus.

I think this happens, but if you look at the Lacross senior class, they are all business or exercise science majors.  I have to think that the vast majority of WIAC athletes are studying a major that they could find elsewhere.

[PauldingLightUP]

Job posted this week.

Closes mid-May.

Hire made by mid-June.

School begins September.

Good call. My bad. Position was posted Wednesday.

https://employment.uwlax.edu/postings/16808

[WashingtonWiz99]

All good. I just don't think they had any other options. Should be an interesting search with no real "front runner" in-house.

[Greek Tragedy]

https://921wpcn.com/instant-replay/

This morning's interview between Scott Krueger and Kent Dernbach can be found here.

Well, he seems excited about it. I know he and his wife are from the area, but I didn't realize how passionate he was going to the camps and learning from Dick, Jack, Jay, Bob etc. I hope he can turn things around quickly, though he stopped short of calling it a rebuild. I think, based on the previous seasons, it's definitely that. Working on getting the fans back in the stands etc. I'd be curious if any of his former players will follow him to Point.

I also wish La Crosse the best, hoping they can get a solid candidate to take over the program that was definitely headed in the right direction.

[tomt4525]

Former Concordia St Paul 6'0" G, Caden Hoffman, is transferring to Stout to play hoops.

[tomt4525]

Former Bowling Green and Libertyville(IL) 6'1" G, Jackson Watson, will be transferring to play for Coach Dernbach and the UWSP Pointers.

Can't find much on Watson, didn't play much at Bowling Green.  Anybody know if he was a walk on?  The high school highlights I could find show some solid athleticism and he's Libertyville's all time leader in 3's made for a single season.  Was All Conference and All County as a Junior and Senior, seems like a significant get to me but other people would know more about him.

[tomt4525]

Scrolling back through Jackson's social media, I found that he was a preferred walk on at Bowling Green.

[WashingtonWiz99]

Watson was a very solid player in high school. Hasn't taken Coach Dernbach long to start putting the pieces in place at Point.

Really interested to see what Lax does with their hire.

[The Dean]

Watson was a very solid player in high school. Hasn't taken Coach Dernbach long to start putting the pieces in place at Point.

I would expect the assistant coach piece to be in place soon.  I know the process has been moving forward with visits.  I've heard of a few names but don't know that there's a front runner. At least none that I'm aware of.  It is great to hear of recruiting moving forward.  Wondering if any recruits at other programs will change over to Point with Dernbach's hire. It was also refreshing to receive an email from Coach Dernbach stating his direction for the program.  He's off to an impressive start. But as we all know, there are few conferences with the depth of great coaches and athletes as the WIAC so it won't be easy.