With a new coach and an extremely young roster, last season's Madison College men's basketball team surprised a few people en route to a successful 20-win campaign. The 2017-18 WolfPack will not have that luxury as they return a handful of veteran talent for second year and interim head coach Bill Kegler, who bolstered his roster with an impressive group of newcomers.

Madison College returns 45-percent of its offensive production from last year, led by second team all-conference and all-region point guard Tyree Young. The 5'11" Milwaukee, Wisconsin, native averaged 13.0 points, 4.1 assists, and 3.9 rebounds during his freshman season. Also back are guards Stavon Staples and Jezzriah Burton, who combined for 17.4 points and 5.0 rebounds, and will be looking to step into bigger roles this season.

The biggest loss from last winter was All-American Shane Waldon, whose production totals of 17.6 points and 7.3 rebounds will need to be replaced, a responsibility that likely falls mostly on the shoulders of another big man from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. Deshawn Black, a 6'5" forward, saw his minutes increase as his freshman season went on and averaged 6.6 points and 4.3 rebounds. Also back to help in the paint will be Jeffrey Marcum. The 6'6" forward saw action in 17 games and averaged 2.5 points.

"This group of returners contributed in many ways to the success we saw last season," boasts coach Kegler, who spent four seasons as an assistant coach before earning the promotion ahead of last season. "They are ready to build upon that success and use their experience to help integrate our new players efficiently."

Filling out the rest of the roster is a versatile group of first year players that bring a high level of success from the prep ranks. Nathaniel Buss (Verona, WI), Sean Suchomel (Sun Prairie, WI), and Alex Easterday (Elkhorn, WI) are three guards who earned numerous all-conference awards. Buss is the all-time leader in assists at Verona HS, while Easterday was selected to play in the WBCA All-Star Game. Of the incoming forwards, Anthony Johnson (Beloit, WI) and Brandon Robinson (New Hope, MN), were recipients of numerous all-conference distinctions.

"This class of players understands the competitive level we want to play at and they are working to learn every day," states Kegler. "They will continue to improve and learn from our second year players and contribute this season."

Coach Kegler believes his team will benefit significantly from the overall level of basketball experience. It's a quality his team will have to rely on with a very difficult list of opponents.

"We have a very challenging non-conference schedule in addition to our perennially strong conference. We will need to come ready to play every night and defend with a passion in order to achieve success."

The WolfPack will see a number of nationally ranked foes throughout the 2017-18 season. Elgin Community College will visit the capital city on December 2 for a Region IV showdown. The Spartans are the #2 team in the NJCAA DIII Preseason Poll. When the calendar flips to 2018 and North Central Community College Conference games begin, Madison College will open with an extremely challenging two-game road trip. Defending N4C champ, Triton College, begins the year as the #6-ranked team in the NJCAA DII Preseason Poll. Meanwhile, Joliet Junior College holds the #8 spot in DIII. The 'Pack visits the Trojans on January 3 and the Wolves on January 6. The tough tandem will visit Madison College for back-to-back games in late January, part of a season-high four-game homestand.

"Our goal for the season is to win the N4C title and to be playing our best basketball in February in preparation for the Region IV Tournament. We have a very fun group of young men and we are committed to keeping this program trending upwards and establishing a tradition of success."

The season officially opens with a two-game homestand at H. Douglas Redsten Gymnasium starting Wednesday, November 1 against NJCAA DII McHenry County College. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. after the women's game. Saturday's tilt with Highland Community College starts at 3:00 p.m., with several Madison-area players filling up the Cougars roster.

All Madison College home games, and a majority of the away contests, will be video streamed live via MadisonCollege.TV. The free stream is also available on the Madison College Athletics Facebook and YouTube accounts.

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