There is a buzz around the campus community that seems to be growing louder as we begin to close in on the start of the basketball season. The RedHawks are focused on improving on last season’s 9-19 record and they are dialed in on one goal – A.I.I. Conference post season play.
Second year head coach Kristofer Schnatz is optimistic about his squad and believes that they will compete at a new level this year. “We had a very good off-season and our team is focused. We have a nice mix of returners and new talent that we believe will translate to great basketball” said Schnatz.
Returners
The RedHawks welcome back 2014 A.I.I. All-Conference Second Team honoree and 2012-13/2013-14 leading scorer Brandon Grubl (Valparaiso, IN) (14.9 ppg) and 2013-14 second leading scorer Quentin Palmer (Valparaiso, IN) (12.8 ppg). Grubl and Palmer return to the RedHawks line-up and look to lift the strong core from last year. Grubl’s long range jumper and Palmer’s crafty scoring around the rim will immediately impact the RedHawk offense causing match-up issues for those trying to defend the dynamic guards.
The RedHawks return a total of nine letterman and all five starters from last season. The front court core is led by two seniors Cody Artuso (Hebron, IN) (8.9 ppg) and DJ Teague (Gary, IN) (9.0 ppg) and junior JJ Pennington (Hobart, IN) (8.8ppg). Artuso started 24 games last season and is coming off his most efficient scoring season at 48.8% from the field. In his first season with the RedHawks, Teague shot 53.6% from the floor, led the team in rebounds and blocks. The back court is led by juniors Darrius Davis (Indianapolis, IN) (10.7ppg) and Devon Ellis (Hammond, IN) (9.5 ppg). Senior Nick Moore (Gary, IN) and Junior Dylan Ramirez (Lake Station, IN) round out the returners for the 2015-16 team.
“Last season was a learning experience for us; we spent a lot of time teaching our team how to prepare and how to play together. Our guys now understand what our expectations are, and they have matured as a group. We are looking forward to continuous improvement and a run at the A.I.I. Conference post season” said Schnatz.
Newcomers
Five new student-athletes join the RedHawks roster for the 2015-16 season including several familiar names from the Region led by John Mosser (Valparaiso, IN), Jordan Collazo (Portage, IN) and Dwayne Haden (Lake Station, IN). Mosser, a Valparaiso High School graduate in 2013, was named to the All-Duneland Athletic Conference and All-Area First Team. He averaged 14.6 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. Collazo, a four year starter at Portage High School, is coming off an extremely productive senior season averaging 18.7 ppg, 5.9 agp and 3.5 spg. He was named to the All-Duneland Athletic Conference, All-Area First Team and was an All-State Honorable Mention. Rounding out the roster are two high energy guards Jairen Hunt (Grand Rapids, MI) and Isaiah Wilson (East Chicago, IN).
“This is a special group of newcomers. We have added depth in every position with a nice combination of experienced athletes and true freshman. We are building a program that will show signs of improvement for years to come” said Schnatz.
Schedule/Opponents
The RedHawks have a challenging schedule with a mix of NAIA, NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III opponents. The men’s program opens up at home on October 28th at 7 p.m. versus Judson University (Elgin, IL). In last season’s match-up, the RedHawks struggled offensively in the 54-66 loss on a neutral court. The RedHawks have dropped four straight against the Judson Eagles since 2010.
“The schedule is never easy. We will be challenged every time we step on the floor” said Schnatz. “We are looking to make some noise this year and in order to do that, we must find a way to win over teams that we haven’t beaten before. That is our challenge this season” he added.
The RedHawks will look to grind out one game at a time, but they would be lying if they said that they weren’t looking forward to Chicago State University (November 18th) and Northern Illinois University (November 25th)! These two exhibition games will surely test the RedHawks on the road.
“We enjoy the opportunity to compete at the highest level. These games give our team an opportunity to do just that” said Schnatz.
The RedHawks will navigate a difficult schedule in an effort to make the Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) post-season tournament hosted by Clarke University (Dubuque, IA) in February 2016. The schedule features 32 games, hosting 15 of them here at home in Gary, IN.
Season Outlook
The RedHawks will look to improve on last year’s season (9-19) which featured some big wins. Coach Schnatz’s first season at the helm led the RedHawks to their first win over an NAIA opponent in over three years (Indiana University Kokomo and Wilberforce University). The team returns nine student-athletes which is the largest returning class in the program’s history. They are hoping that this stability will bring consistency and improved play on the court.
“Our program is progressing and our students believe in our plan. We are looking forward to an exciting year of basketball here at IU Northwest” said Schnatz.
Once again, the RedHawks tip-off their season at home on October 28th when they host the Judson University Eagles at 7 p.m., immediately following the women’s game. For more team information and season schedule, visit www.iunredhawkathletics.com .
2015-16 Indiana University Northwest Men’s Basketball Roster
00 Jairen Hunt SR G 6-0 Grand Rapids, MI Godwin Heights High School
1 Jordan Callazo FR G 5-8 South Haven, IN Portage High School
3 Dwayne Haden FR G 5-7 Gary, IN Edison Sr. High School
5 Devin Ellis SR G 6-3 Hammond, IN Hammond Clark High School
10 Darrius Davis JR G 6-2 Indianapolis, IN Lake Michigan College
11 Dylan Ramirez JR F 6-4 Lake Station, IN River Forest High School
12 Brandon Grubl SR G 6-2 Valparaiso, IN Elmhurst College
13 JJ Pennington JR G/F 6-4 Hobart, IN River Forest High School
21 Quentin Palmer SO G/F 6-5 Valparaiso, IN Valparaiso High School
22 Nick Moore SR G 6-0 Gary, IN Bowman Leadership Academy
23 Isaiah Wilson SO G 6-3 East Chicago, IN Purdue University Calumet
24 John Mosser SO F 6-7 Valparaiso, IN Southern Nazarene University
33 DJ Teague SR C 6-8 Gary, IN Arkansas Baptist College
50 Cody Artuso SR F/C 6-6 Hebron, IN Hebron High School