General College Information
School: Carleton College
Founded: 1866
Location: Northfield
Enrollment: 1750
President: Steven R. Lewis, Jr.
Athletic Director: Leon Lunder
Team Nickname: Knights
Colors: Maize and Blue

| College | Staff | SID | '97-98 | '98-99 | Team | Returners | Newcomers | Lost | Outlook | Roster | Top |

Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Guy Kalland
Telephone: (507)646-4055 Fax: (507)646-5550
Alma Mater/Year: Concordia College-Moorhead, 1974
Record at School (yrs): 188-165 (14)
Career record (yrs): 188-165 (14)
Assistant Coaches: Dan Larson, Dan Roiger
Overall record last year: 16-8
Conference Record/finish: 12-8/fifth place

One of the most successful coaches in the MIAC, Guy Kalland enters his 15th year at the helm of the Carleton men's basketball program. A 1974 graduate of Concordia College (Moorhead), Kalland led his team to the MIAC playoffs two years ago, marking the seventh time in nine years the team qualified
for post-season play. Kalland, a former assistant men's basketball coach at the University of Minnesota from 1979-80, spent four years at Inver Hills (Minn.) Community College, leading the team to a 1982 state championship and runner-up honors in Region XIII. Kalland also coached for two years at Eagle Bend (Minn.) High School and Cannon Falls (Minn.) High School. He runs numerous successful basketball camps during the summer, and is an associate professor of physical education, athletics and recreation at Carleton. Kalland and his wife, Linda, have a daughter, Abby, age 16.

Assistant Coach Dan Larson (beginning 16th season) A fixture of Carleton men's basketball, Larson brings stability and experience to the Knights. A fourth grade teacher at Sibley Elementary in Northfield, Larson has been involved with coaching in the public school system in Northfield for over 20 years, coaching at all levels.

Assistant Coach Dan Roiger (beginning first season) Roiger, a newcomer to the men's basketball coaching staff, has taught at Northfield High School for five years and has coached a variety of sports, serving as boys' varsity basketball assistant this past season. Roiger received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and coaching degrees from Mankato State University.
 
 

| College | Staff | SID | '97-98 | '98-99 | Team | Returners | Newcomers | Lost | Outlook | Roster | Top |

SID Information
Sports Information
Rob Lewis
Office Phone:  507-646-4185
Home Phone:
Fax: 507 646-4426
Email Address: Rlewis@acs.carleton.edu
Website:  http://www.carleton.edu/campus/newsbureau/Sports/sportsinfo.html |

| College | Staff | SID | '97-98 | '98-99 | Team | Returners | Newcomers | Lost | Outlook | Roster | Top |

 1997-98 game by game
 Date  Opponent  Site  Time  Result
11/26/97  Dominican Unversity (Chicago, IL)  Away  7:30 pm  W 79-47
11/29/97 Pizza Hut Classic vs. Monmouth College Away  8 pm  W 86-76
11/30/97 Pizza Hut Classic vs. Knox College Away 3 pm W 83-73
12/3/97  Mount Senario College  Away  7:30 pm  W 81-77
12/6/97  University of St. Thomas  Home  7:30 pm  W 81-69
12/10/97  St. John's University  Home  7:30 pm  W 92-74
12/13/97  Concordia College  Away  3 pm  W 82-65
1/3/98  Macalester College  Home  3 pm  W 78-50
1/5/98  Bethel College  Away  7:30 pm  W 74-72 (OT)
1/7/98  Hamline University  Away  7:30 pm  W 77-69
1/10/98  Augsburg College  Home  7:30 pm  L 86-98
1/12/98  Gustavus Adolphus College  Away  7:30 pm  L 48-69
1/14/98  St. Olaf College  Home  8 pm  W 76-57
1/21/98 St. Mary's University  Home  7:30 pm  W 75-71
1/24/98  University of St. Thomas  Away  7:30 pm  W 71-57
1/28/98  St. John's University  Away  7:30 pm  L 64-67
1/31/98  Concordia College  Home  7:30 pm  W 78-56
2/2/98  Macalester College  Away  7:30 pm  L 75-81 (OT)
2/4/98  Bethel College  Home  7:30 pm  L 65-72
2/7/98  Hamline University  Home  7:30 pm  L 80-83
2/11/98  Augsburg College  Away  7:30 pm  L 90-100
2/14/98  Gustavus Adolphus College  Home  7:30 pm  L 76-79
2/16/98  St. Olaf College  Away  8 pm  W 59-56
2/21/98  St. Mary's University  Away  3 pm  W 82-57
Overall record last year: 16-8
Conference Record/finish: 12-8/fifth place

| College | Staff | SID | '97-98 | '98-99 | Team | Returners | Newcomers | Lost | Outlook | Roster | Top |

1998-99 Schedule
 Date  Opponent  Site  Time  Result
11/23/98  University of Hawaii-Hilo Hilo, Hawaii  7:15 p.m.
11/25/98 Hawaii Pacific University Oahu, Hawaii 8 p.m.
11/27/98 Claremont College Claremont, Calif. 7:30 p.m.
11/28/98 Pomona-Pitzer College Pomona, Calif. 7:30 p.m.
12/5/98 St. John's University Away 7:30 p.m.
12/9/98 Concordia College (Moorhead) Home 7:30 p.m.
12/12/98 St. Mary's University Away  3 p.m.
1/2/99 Bethel College Away 3 p.m.
1/6/99 University of St. Thomas Away  7:30 p.m.
1/9/99 Gutavus Adolphus College Home 3 p.m.
1/11/99 Hamline College Home  7:30 p.m.
1/13/99 Macalester College Home 7:30 p.m.
1/16/99 Augsburg College Home  3 p.m.
1/20/99 St. Olaf College Away 8 p.m.
1/23/99 St. John's University Home 3 p.m.
1/27/99 Concordia College (Moorhead) Home 7:30 p.m.
1/30/99 St. Mary's University Home  3 p.m.
2/1/99 Bethel College Home 7:30 p.m.
2/6/99 University of St. Thomas Home  3 p.m.
2/10/99 Gustavus Adolphus College Away 7:30 p.m.
2/13/99 Hamline University Away  3 p.m.
2/15/99 Macalester College Away 7:30 p.m.
2/17/99 Augsburg College Away 7:30 p.m.
2/20/99 St. Olaf College Home 3 p.m.
 

| College | Staff | SID | '97-98 | '98-99 | Team | Returners | Newcomers | Lost | Outlook | Roster | Top |

Team Information
Overall record last year: 16-8
Conference Record/finish: 12-8/fifth place

Starters Returning/Lost: Two/Three
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: Seven/Six

| College | Staff | SID | '97-98 | '98-99 | Team | Returners | Newcomers | Lost | Outlook | Roster | Top |

Top Returners:
Josh Wilhelm, Sr., F, 6-8, 18.0 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 54.7% fg, All-MIAC
Paul Novotny, Jr., F, 6-5, 12.1 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 50.1% fg, MIAC 6th Man of the Year
Brandon Moersch, Jr., G, 6-2, 5.7 ppg, 3.1 apg
 

| College | Staff | SID | '97-98 | '98-99 | Team | Returners | Newcomers | Lost | Outlook | Roster | Top |
 

Top Newcomers:
Jeff Jensen, So., F, 6-4, transfer from Macalester College
Ben Pearson, Fy., F, 6-7, Bloomington, Minn./St. Thomas Academy
 
 
 

| College | Staff | SID | '97-98 | '98-99 | Team | Returners | Newcomers | Lost | Outlook | Roster | Top |
 

Key Losses:
Jim Lovrien, F, 6-4, graduated, all-time three-point leader
Eric Ferch, G, 6-4, graduated, over 1,000 points in Carleton career
Ryan Retzlaff, F, 6-5, graduated
 
 
 

| College | Staff | SID | '97-98 | '98-99 | Team | Returners | Newcomers | Lost | Outlook | Roster | Top |

Season Outlook/Notes:
        When a team loses three of its five starters from the previous year and plays in the MIAC, it would have a right to feel a little nervous - or so you would think, until you talk to Guy Kalland.

        Kalland, who returns for his 15th season as head coach at Carleton, presides over a team that lost starters Jim Lovrien, Eric Ferch, and Ryan Retzlaff and key reserve Sam Richardson to graduation, which might seem like a recipe for a rebuilding year in the highly-competitive MIAC. But Kalland is very confident in the prospects for his 1998-99 squad, and said that his players don't seem at all jittery about the task ahead.

        "This group of guys doesn't get disturbed, and they don't play nervous," Kalland said. "I like the completeness of our players."

        It's easier to feel relaxed about the upcoming season when you can look to three-time all-MIAC forward and team co-captain Josh Wilhelm, who became the 13th player in school history last year to exceed 1,000 career points and 500 career rebounds. (He currently has 1,377 points and 531 rebounds).  The 6-8 senior overcame  an apparent season-ending knee injury to average 18.0 points per game and 7.7 rebounds per contest, and received an armful of postseason honors: he was first-team All-MIAC, a member of the 1998 National Association of Basketball Coaches/Chevrolet-Chevy Trucks Division III All-West District second team and was named All-West Region honorable mention by Columbus Multimedia.

        For Kalland, it's Wilhelm's composure and dedication, along with his basketball abilities (he also connected on 35 percent of his 3-point attempts and led the team with 28 blocks), that make him such a special player.

        "I haven't seen a game or even a practice where Josh hasn't brought his 'A' game," Kalland said. "Very few players play as hard as he does."

        The Knights won't rely solely on Wilhelm inside, as forward Paul Novotny, who won MIAC Sixth Man of the Year honors last year in his first season for the Knights after transfering from the University of North Dakota, will step into a starting role this year. Novotny started only
three games but still averaged 12.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per contest last season.

        "Paul Novotny will have a premier year for us," Kalland said. "I can tell you this - he will not win the MIAC Sixth Man award this year."

       The duo of Novotny and Wilhelm will more than compensate for the absence of Retzlaff (11.3 ppg) inside, but it's on the perimeter where the Knights must replace Ferch (a 1,000-plus point scorer in three years at Carleton) and Lovrien (the all-time school leader in three-pointers, with 239), in particular. First, however, they will rely on junior point guard Brandon Moersch, who started all but two games at the position last year, averaging 5.7 points and 3.1 assists per contest.

        The rest of the perimeter will be patrolled by junior Paul Riedner (a starter in the final six games last year) and junior Mike Binder at the two-guard position, with steady senior co-captain Matt Tompkins, sophomore Steve Knutson and Macalester transfer Jeff Jensen vying for the wing
position.

        Among the five newcomers to the program, Jensen (who was sixth in the MIAC in three-point accuracy his first year at Macalester, hitting 45 percent of his shots) and first-year Ben Pearson (a 6-7 post player who led St. Thomas (Minn.) Academy to the AAA state title last year) figure to have the biggest immediate impact. Kalland is also excited by Janaki Fisher-Merritt, a 6-7 senior from Wrenshall, Minn., who is playing varsity basketball for the first time this season.

        As for the overall conference picture, Kalland names Gustavus Adolphus, St. Thomas, St. Olaf and Augsburg as MIAC heavyweights, with Carleton in the mix, but adds that every team in the conference has the capability to pull off big wins.

        "You can't go out and play average anymore," Kalland said. "I've said it before, but our league will be as strong as it's ever been."
 
 
 
 

| College | Staff | SID | '97-98 | '98-99 | Team | Returners | Newcomers | Lost | Outlook | Roster | Top |

Preseason Roster
Carleton men's basketball
Carleton College
No. Name Yr. Pos. Ht. Hometown/H.S.
11 Brandon Moersch Jr. G 6-2 Northfield, Minn.
13 Jeff Jensen So. F 6-4 Billings, Mont./Skyview
15 Matt Stangl Fy. G 6-0 Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley
21 Peter Kiedrowski Fy. G 6-3 Minneapolis/Minnehaha Academy
23 Paul Riedner Jr. F 6-4 Red Wing, Minn.
25 Matt Tompkins Sr. F 6-1 Adams, Minn./Southland
31 Ben Pearson Fy. F 6-7 Bloomington, Minn./St. Thomas Acad.
33 Paul Novotny Jr. F 6-6 Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park
35 Mike Binder Jr. F 6-3 West St. Paul, Minn./Henry Sibley
43 Steve Knutson So. F 6-4 Eden Prairie, Minn.
45 James Skjong Jr. F 6-4 Tyler, Minn./Russell-Tyler-Ruthton
51 Josh Wilhelm Sr. F 6-8 Minnetonka, Minn.
53 Janaki Fisher-Merritt Sr. F 6-7 Wrenshall, Minn.

Head Coach: Guy Kalland (188-165 after 14 seasons)
Assistant Coaches: Dan Larson, Dan Roiger
Captains: Matt Tompkins, Josh Wilhelm
 
 
 

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