@MarianUHoops BASKETBALL NOTES
F
GAME 14-16: CUW/LAKELAND/BENEDICTINE
2013-14 Season Preview
ew teams have the luxury of returning all five starters and fewer teams
can say they have five seniors, who are proven contributors. Head
Coach Mark Boyle has both as he prepares for what hopes to be a
successful and exciting season at the helm of the Marian University men’s
basketball program.
Entering his 26th season, Boyle is the longest-tenured coach in the
state of Wisconsin and believes this year may be the first time he returns
all five starters to his lineup.
The Sabres, who finished 15-11 in 2012-13, including a 10-6 mark in
the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference, had the fifth-best record in
the league, but were reduced to the eighth seed in the tournament due
to seeding rules amidst the two divisions. Marian then fell to top-seeded
Lakeland on the road in a disappointing finish to an otherwise successful
season.
“They know each other and they know what it takes to win,” Boyle said
of his experienced squad. “We want to secure a tournament home game
and, if things fall into place, this team could even be capable of being in the
race for the regular season title.”
For the first time since its inception in 2006, the NACC will introduce a
new scheduling format that
features a 20-game league
schedule with all 11 teams
playing each other twice
under one division, followed
by an eight-team postseason
tournament.
Looking to guide this
senior laden squad is guard
Sam Koslowski (Neenah,
Wis./St. Mary’s Central),
who has emerged as the
team’s guiding voice after
averaging in double figures
and starting all 26 games for
the Sabres a year ago.
“[Sam’s] competitive
nature and understanding
of the game has earned the
respect of his teammates
as the leader of this team,”
Boyle stated.
Senior Cody Veleke currently ranks 17th on the
Alongside
him
is
Marian all-time scoring list.
fellow senior Cody Veleke
(Oakfield, Wis./Oakfield), who led the Sabres in scoring, rebounding,
blocks, steals and field goal percentage, earned All-Conference accolades
for the second straight season, including All-NACC First Team honors in
2012-13.
“Cody has proven to be one of the top post players in the conference
with his solid and consistent play,” Boyle said.
As for Boyle’s guard play, it’s as stable and consistent as any team
in the conference with sophomores Alex Stecker (Oostburg, Wis./
Oostburg) and Drew Binversie (Valders, Wis./Valders) returning after
receiving All-Freshmen Team nods a season ago. It was the first time in
program history that the Sabres had put two on the All-Freshmen Team.
Stecker led the team in assists (99), as well as, free throw percentage
(90.7) and th