UWFox - Athletics

UWFox January Update

The Cyclones men’s basketball team is off to a 17-1 start overall, 8-1 in the WCC-East division.  UWFox has benefited from a solid bench and balanced scoring throughout their first 15 games.  Six different players have led the team in scoring during games this season.  Seven Cyclones players average 6 points or more a game.

Second year players Jake Coenen (Kimberly) and Phil Landua (Kaukauna) have established themselves as leaders of the team.  “Jake and Phil have been very solid for us all year long”, commented head coach Lee Rabas.

“We can depend on Phil to rebound and come up with energy plays, and Jake has been a very calming influence at tight times.  He either knocks down a critical shot, makes a great pass, or hits free-throws”.

The new members of the Cyclones program have also been solid contributors throughout the season.  Travis Puyleart (Green Bay Preble) has been a reliable scorer off the bench all season.  He is the team’s second leading scorer at 10.4 ppg.  Beau Reshel (Hortonville) and Christian Krah (Bayport) have started every game for UW-ox.  Reshel contributes 7.4 ppg and Krah is second on the team in assists and steals.

First year players Mike Fitzgerald (Xavier) and Korey Jagiello (New London) lead the team in field goal shooting.  Fitzgerald is shooting 53.8% from the floor and Jagiello a blistering 71.7% through the first 15 games of the season.

Joe Dachelet (Menasha) and Lucas Schultz (Appleton West) have handled the post duties with consistency throughout the season.  Dachelet has started every game, and is shooting 67.4% from the floor and pulling down 4 rebounds/game.  Schultz averages 6.5 points/game and 3.5 reb./game as one of the Cyclones top reserves.

Scott Van Dyn Hoven has been a dependable defender and rebounder off the bench in the back court.  “His presence makes us a more athletic team”, commented Rabas.  Kevin Jukkala has been sidelined since the beginning of January with a hand injury.  His injury will keep him out the rest of the season.  Jukkala was a consistent on ball defender and legitimate 3-point threat off the bench for UWFox.

-11/18/10-

The Current Team Picture

-11/01/10-

Men's Basketball Recruits and Newcomers for 2010-2011

The 2010-2011 UW-Fox Valley men’s basketball team welcomes the following first year players to the program:

Travis Puyleart was a 1st team Fox River Classic (FRCC) all-conference player for Preble (Green Bay, WI) High School.  He led the Hornets in scoring and was their most valuable player in 2009-10.  He was also named to the Green Bay Press-Gazette all area team. 

Krah was a 2nd team FRCC all-conference player at Bayport H.S. (Suamico, WI) and team MVP as a senior. He was a reserve on the 2008-09 Bayport team which reached the WIAA D1 state final four. 

Fitzgerald was a starter on the 2008-09 Xavier (Appleton, WI) Hawks team which earned a trip to the WIAA D2 state tournament, and won the Eastern Valley conference championship. 

Beau Reshel earned 2nd team all-conference honors in the Bay Conference last season. The 6-1 guard helped lead Hortonville High School to one of the schools best conference finishes in recent years. 

Korey Jagiello (New London) and Lucas Schultz (Appleton West) were both 2 year starters for their respective programs. Both helped their teams to strong finishes last season, with Appleton West finishing 17-8 and earning a berth in the Green Bay sectional, and New London a spot in a WIAA D2 regional final. As a junior Jagiello helped the Bulldogs to a regional championship and sectional berth against Fitzgerald and the Hawks. 

Jukkala was a starter for the Jaguars, who compete in the FRCC, while Van Dyn Hoven helped lead Little Chute to an Eastern Valley Conference Championship, and a berth in the regional title game last season (2009-10). 

Schuh and Malueg both played on good high school teams in Little Chute and Marion. They will provide further depth for the Cyclones in 2010-2011.

-3/03/10-

-11/02/09-

2009-2010 Season Preview

The UW-Fox Valley men’s basketball team enters the 2009-10 season with a lot of new faces and many unknowns.  With a new head coach and coaching staff, seven new players, and only 4 returning players the one thing Cyclones’ fans can count on is the unexpected.  UW-Fox opens their season on November 6 against UW-Marshfield in the opening round of the UW-Fond du Lac tournament.

Lee Rabas took over the reigns of the program as the new head coach in early June.  Rabas brings 19 years of basketball coaching experience to the position including a successful 7 year stint as head coach at Xavier High School in Appleton where his teams went 103-56 including 2 conference championships and a WISAA state-runner up finish in 1997-98.  For the last 5 years he served as an assistant coach at Lawrence University where the Vikings were 99-27 and made four appearances in the NCAA DIII national tournament.

Rabas has assembled an assistant coaching staff that includes several former college players, and some familiar faces from his tenure at Xavier High School.  Drew Demerath, Bob Klein, Rick Vander Wyst, Dave Mader, Zach Zeuske, and John Vermeern bring many talents and strengths to the staff that will help Coach Rabas in building a successful men’s basketball program at UW-Fox Valley.

Karl Sachs (Seymour), Isiah Mader (Appleton East), Bill Wildenburg (Manawa), and Max Anderson (Appleton East) give the Cyclones four experienced players in the WCC.  Sachs is the team’s leading returning scorer and will be a key contributor in 09-10.  In addition to experience Mader brings size, leadership, and shooting ability to the floor.  Wildenburg will provide depth, rebounding, and a physical presence to the UW-Fox front- court, while Anderson will provide steady ball handling and outside shooting.

The list of newcomers includes Chris Searl (Appleton West), Jake Coenen (Kimberly), Phil Landua (Kaukauna), Joe Dachelet (Menash), Cole Meyer (Bayport), Ryan VandeHey (Kimberly), and Kyle Bloedow (Little Chute).  Searl and Coenen will provide depth on the perimeter.  Meyer, Dachelet, and Bloedow will man the Cyclone frontcourt.  Landua and VandeHey give the Cyclones two athletic and versatile wing players.

How quickly the newcomers can mesh with the veterans will be key to the Cyclones early season schedule, as will staying healthy as the team learns to handle a smaller roster.  Also pivotal to the season will be the team’s ability to adapt to a new system and coaching staff.  One thing is for sure.  Every member of the team and coaching staff will work hard in building the program and team in 2009-10.

-10/20/09-

Rabas to lead Men's Basketball Program

UW-Fox Valley, a member of the Wisconsin Junior College Athletic Association (WJCAA) and Wisconsin Collegiate Conference (WCC), has named Lee Rabas as its new head men's basketball coach. He takes over a Cyclone program that finished the 2008-09 season with an 8-17 overall record, and 4-8 record in conference play.

Rabas inherits only 4 returning players from last year's 8-17 team, including one of its leading scorers, Karl Sachs of Seymour, Isiah Mader and Max Anderson of Appleton East, and Bill Wildenburg of Manawa. He is excited about the opportunity to run the men’s basketball program at UW-Fox Valley.  “We have a great location, tremendous academic programs, and a growing campus.  Add to that the favorable costs, and you’ll see why I believe the potential for this program is off the charts.”  Rabas spent the summer of 2009 trying to re-build the roster and is excited about the returners and the new players who will be joining the program in 2009-10.