RIPON, Wisconsin – On the eve of the Midwest Conference Tournament,
Luke Meinholz of the Ripon men's basketball program has been named a first-team All-Midwest Conference performer as announced by the league on Thursday.
Meinholz, a junior from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, led Ripon with 14.8 points per game in the regular season – 10th-most in the league – and was the top steal-getter in the Midwest Conference with 72 (2.88 per game – eighth-most in all of Division III). No one else in the league had more than 43 steals. On February 14, Meinholz became the school record holder in single-season steals after notching his 68th of the campaign.
Leading Ripon in nearly every statistical category, Meinholz was also in the top 10 in the league in field goal percentage (sixth, 48.4%), rebounds per game (seventh, 6.52), assists per game (eighth, 2.88) and blocked shots (eighth, 18). The junior scored in double figures 22 times in 25 games, has accumulated four double-doubles and has scored at least 10 points in each of his last 10 games dating back to January 13. His career high came in the upset win at Illinois College on January 6 where Meinholz poured in a game-high 27 points.
Ripon faces top-seeded Illinois College on the road on Friday (February 23) at 5 p.m. in the Midwest Conference Tournament semifinals.
The full All-Midwest Conference team is below.
Newcomer of the Year: Kai Te Huki, Grinnell College, Freshman
Player of the Year: Jake Mazrimas, Illinois College, Senior
Coach of the Year: David Arseneault Jr., Grinnell College
Team Sportsmanship Award: Lawrence University
First Team All-Conference
Azeez Ganiyu, Beloit College, Senior
Jake Mazrimas, Illinois College, Senior
Jayden Meeker, Cornell College, Junior
Luke Meinholz, Ripon College, Junior
Buzz Ritzel, Illinois College, Junior
Kai Te Huki, Grinnell College, Freshman
Second Team All-Conference
Sean Gallery, Knox College, Junior
Gabe Garcia, Grinnell College, Freshman
Zach Ingle, Cornell College, Junior
Alex Knight, Lake Forest College, Junior
Daboin Nestor, Illinois College, Senior
Plumer Turner, Monmouth College, Sophomore
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