MILWAUKEE, Wis. (naccsports.org) --- The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) has announced its major award winners and all-conference team for the 2024-2025 men's basketball season.
Wisconsin Lutheran College graduate forward
Ryan Broeckel was named NACC Player of the Year for the third consecutive season, while Concordia University Chicago senior guard
Jacob Collicott was recognized as this year's NACC Defensive Player of the Year. Additionally, Benedictine University forward
Noah Mason earned NACC Freshman of the Year honors and the Wisconsin Lutheran, under the direction of
Aaron Aanonsen, was named the NACC Coaching Staff of the Year.
NACC Player of the Year --- Ryan Broeckel, Gr., F, Wisconsin Lutheran College
Broeckel, a graduate forward, has appeared in all 28 of Wisconsin Lutheran's games heading into the NCAA Tournament, averaging 17.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.82 blocks, and 1.75 steals per game while leading the Warriors to a 25-3 record and a top-25 ranking. This season, he has connected at a 48.69-percent (186-of-382) clip from the field.
Broeckel enters the NCAA Tournament ranked in the top 50 nationally in blocks (27th, 51), double-doubles (31st, 10), offensive rebounds (33rd, 3.32), total rebounds (40th, 244), and blocks per game (43rd).
Additionally, Broeckel led all NACC players in offensive rebounds per game, and ranked second in blocks, double-doubles, field goals made (186), and field goal attempts (382), third in blocks per game, total points (498), and total rebounds (244), fifth in rebounding average, sixth in scoring average, steals (49), and steals per game, seventh in free throw attempts (145), ninth in free throws (108), and 10th in defensive rebouning average (5.29).
Broeckel will depart WLC ranked in the top 15 all-time in the NACC in both points and rebounds. This season, he has scored in double figures in 23 of 28 games, including 11 games with 20 points or more. Broeckel posted a season-high 33 points on 14-of-24 shooting in a win over Rockford to open February. He also has 11 games with double-digit rebounds, including a NACC season-best 19 in the Warriors' NACC Tournament quarterfinal win over Rockford.
Broeckel is the first three-time NACC Men's Basketball of the Year. It also represents Wisconsin Lutheran College's fourth such honor in men's basketball.
Andrew Bruggink captured WLC's first NACC Player of the Year honor in 2020.
NACC Defensive Player of the Year --- Jacob Collicott, Sr., G, Concordia University Chicago
Collicott, a senior guard, played in 25 of Concordia Chicago's 26 games this season, leading the Cougars to the No. 5 seed in the NACC Tournament. He averaged 17.9 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 3.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game while posting a league-best 12 double-doubles.
Collicott closed the regular season ranked fourth nationally in steals per game, fifth in overall steals (87), 12th in defensive rebounds (7.80 rpg), 24th in rebounding average, and 30th in total rebounds (249) - all with NACC-leading totals. He also ranked second amongst NACC players in free throw attempts (176), fourth in field goal attempts (351) and free throws made (132), fifth in scoring average and assists per game, seventh in blocks per game and total points, and eighth in total blocks (26).
Collicott reached double figures in scoring in 23 of 25 games, scoring 30 points or more in four separate contests. He scored a season-high 34 points on 10-of-19 shooting in a 103-100 overtime win over McMurry in mid-November. On the boards, Collicott reached double figures 12 times. He pulled down a season-high 17 rebounds twice - at Wisconsin Lutheran in early December and against Concordia Wisconsin at the Concordia Invitational Tournament in January. Collicott also posted 16 rebounds in the return game against WLC in mid-January. He also posted a NACC season-high eight steals against Concordia Ann Arbor in the Cougars' CIT opener.
Collicott is the second CUC player to be named NACC Defensive Player of the Year.
Izak Ruddell was named NACC South Division Defensive Player of the Year following the 2020-2021 season.
NACC Freshman of the Year --- Noah Mason, F, Benedictine University
Mason, a forward, played in Benedictine's first 18 games before being sidelined with an injury. He averaged 11.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting 57.4 percent (74-of-129) from the field. Mason also dished out 24 assists, had 17 steals, and blocked nine shots.
He surpassed double figures in scoring on 10 occasions, scoring a season-high 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting in an overtime loss to North Central (Ill.) over Thanksgiving Break. Against Concordia Wisconsin on Jan. 11, Mason pulled down a season-high 14 rebounds. He also scored 20 points in a close loss to Marian on Jan. 18.
Mason is the fourth Benedictine player in six years - and sixth overall - to be named NACC Freshman of the Year. Recent honorees for the Eagles include
Nick Kosich (2020),
Trevor Montiel (2021-South), and
Andrew Stokes (2023).
NACC Coaching Staff of the Year --- Wisconsin Lutheran College (Aaron Aanonsen, head coach)
The Warriors, who will take a 25-3 overall record into this weekend's NCAA Men's Basketball Championship first-round contest against Calvin, won the NACC title for a third consecutive year and for the fifth time in six seasons with a 16-2 mark and received an at-large berth to the national tournament despite falling to St. Norbert in the NACC tournament final. WLC was also ranked inside the top 10 of the D3hoops.com poll for much of the season.
Wisconsin Lutheran leads all NACC programs in a variety of categories - scoring offense (84.5 points per game), scoring margin (+15.4), 3-pointers per game (8.5), 3-point percentage defense (28.8), turnover margin (+6.6), turnovers per game (10.6), and assist-to-turnover ratio (+1.51) - while ranking second in assists per game (16.0), free throw attempts per game (22.9), free throws made per game (17.3), offensive rebounds per game (11.5), steals per game (9.9), 3-point attempts per game (24.3), and turnovers forced per game (17.18), and third in scoring defense (69.1 ppg), rebounds per game (35.86), 3-point percentage (.350), and free throw percentage (.754). Of those categories, the Warriors rank in the top 20 in NCAA Division III in turnover margin (sixth), scoring margin (ninth), assist-to-turnover ratio (18th), 3-point percentage defense (18th), and scoring offense (19th).
Aanonsen is assisted by 2020 NACC Player of the Year
Andrew Bruggink,
Cole Hardtke,
Donavin Robbins, and
Tony Birrittieri.
This is the fifth time in six years that Aanonsen or an Aanonsen-led staff has been recognized by the league's head coaches.
All-Conference Team Announced
Eleven of the 13 institutions were represented on this year's All-NACC Men's Basketball Team, with St. Norbert College and Wisconsin Lutheran each securing a league-best three picks. Both the Green Knights and Warriors had two first-teamers and a second-teamer. Aurora, Benedictine, Cocnordia Wisconsin, MSOE, and Rockford had two picks apiece, with both selections from CUW and MSOE landing on the first team. Concordia Chicago and Marian each had one first-team honoree, while Dominican and Lakeland each landed a player on the second team.
| 2024-2025 All-NACC Men's Basketball Team |
| Player of the Year - Ryan Broeckel, Wisconsin Lutheran College |
| Defensive Player of the Year - Jacob Collicott, Concordia University Chicago |
| Freshman of the Year - Noah Mason, Benedictine University |
| Coaching Staff of the Year - Wisconsin Lutheran College (Aaron Aanonsen, head coach) |
|
| First Team |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Jacob Collicott |
Concordia Chicago |
Sr. |
G |
Lafayette, Ind. |
| Logan Landers |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Jr. |
F |
Cedarburg, Wis. |
| Casey Verhagen |
Concordia Wisconsin |
So. |
G |
Sheboygan, Wis. |
| Brandon Adorno |
Marian |
Jr. |
G |
Chicago, Ill. |
| Donovan Carter |
MSOE |
Gr. |
G |
Island Lake, Ill. |
| Mason Dopirak |
MSOE |
Jr. |
G |
Manitowoc, Wis. |
| Garrett Grzesk |
St. Norbert |
Sr. |
F |
Green Bay, Wis. |
| Jamison Nickolai |
St. Norbert |
Sr. |
G |
Sheboygan Falls, Wis. |
| Ryan Broeckel |
Wisconsin Lutheran |
Gr. |
F |
Chilton, Wis. |
| Grayson Goetz |
Wisconsin Lutheran |
Gr. |
G |
Aurora, Ill. |
| Second Team |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Joevonn McCottry |
Aurora |
Jr. |
G |
Broadview, Ill. |
| Isaiah Davis |
Aurora |
So. |
G |
Kankakee, Ill. |
| Pat Mayfield |
Benedictine |
Gr. |
G |
Elgin, Ill. |
| Tanner Resch |
Benedictine |
Sr. |
G |
Sussex, Wis. |
| Camron Scott |
Dominican |
Gr. |
F |
Pinson, Ala. |
| Isaiah Hammond |
Lakeland |
Sr. |
F |
Milwaukee, Wis. |
| Micah Swanson |
Rockford |
Sr. |
F |
DeSoto, Texas |
| Jaden Bell |
Rockford |
Sr. |
G |
Beloit, Wis. |
| Brandt Wilson |
St. Norbert |
Sr. |
F |
Prairie du Sac, Wis. |
| Jacob Stoltz |
Wisconsin Lutheran |
Gr. |
G |
Kewaskum, Wis. |
| Honorable Mention |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Terrell Taylor |
Dominican |
Sr. |
G/F |
Chicago, Ill. |
| Drew Houtakker |
Edgewood |
Sr. |
F |
Sun Prairie, Wis. |
| DeAndre Vortes |
Illinois Tech |
Sr. |
G |
Chicago, Ill. |
| Garrison Carter |
Illinois Tech |
Jr. |
G/F |
Island Lake, Ill. |
| Andrew Ayeni |
Marian |
So. |
F |
Chicago, Ill. |