MP
Mitchell Pfeifer
  • Finance
  • Class of 2019
  • Wales, WI

Wales Native Pfeifer to Play for UW-Whitewater Men's Basketball in 2016-17

2016 Nov 30

Mitchell Pfeifer, a native of Wales, WI, and graduate of Kettle Moraine High School, will compete for the 2016-17 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team.

Pfeifer, a sophomore at UW-Whitewater, is majoring in accounting.

The Warhawks are off to a 4-0 start in non-conference play, including wins over Colorado College on Nov. 18, NAIA No. 20 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) on Nov. 19, Ohio Northern on Nov. 26 and Beloit on Nov. 29.

UW-Whitewater returns to action Thursday, Dec. 8, against Rockford (Ill.) College at 7 p.m. at Kachel Gymnasium in Whitewater.

See below for a complete season preview of the 2016-17 Warhawks.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team opened its 2016-17 season with aspirations to compete for a conference championship and the program's fifth national title.

The Warhawks return to action after posting a 16-10 record, including a 7-7 mark in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play, and claiming their 18th consecutive bid to the WIAC Tournament in 2015-16.

Head coach Pat Miller returns for his 16th season. A four-time WIAC Coach of the Year and two-time national coach of the year, Miller has led UW-Whitewater to six WIAC championships, four conference tournament titles and eight NCAA Tournament appearances, including national championships in 2012 and 2014.

Miller returns five players with significant experience as starters, including two who started more than half of last season's contests.

Senior forward Cole Van Schyndel (Kaukauna, Wis./Wrightstown) was named honorable mention All-WIAC a year ago after averaging 12.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while shooting 61.9 percent from the floor, good for 14th in NCAA Division III. He also led the league in offensive rebounding (49 / 1.96 per game) and totaled three double-doubles for the season.

Senior Drew Bryson (Elkhorn, Wis./Elkhorn), junior Jerry Ngobi (Janesville, Wis./Janesville Craig), sophomores Andre Brown (Kenosha, Wis./Indian Trail) and Maurquis Turner (Milwaukee, Wis./King) return in the backcourt for the Warhawks.

Bryson started 19 contests last season, averaging 6.1 points per contest while shooting 42.3 percent from the floor. Ngobi made 12 starts and averaged 6.0 points on 52.9 percent shooting while tallying 46 assists and 20 steals.

Brown started nine games and averaged 8.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, and Turner made seven starts and averaged 5.1 points while shooting 45.7 percent from 3-point range.

Other returners include senior forward Alex LeGault (Green Bay/Southwest) and sophomore guard/forward Mitchell Pfeifer (Wales, Wis./Kettle Moraine).

Pfeifer earned minutes in 22 games and averaged 2.5 points and 2.0 rebounds per contest. LeGault played in eight games last season.

The Warhawks host Colorado College and NAIA foe Lindsey Wilson on Nov. 18-19 at Kachel Gymnasium. Both games are set to tip off at 7 p.m.

Following a trip to Ohio Northern on Nov. 26, UW-Whitewater plays its next six contests at home, taking on Beloit (Nov. 29), Rockford (Dec. 8), Kalamazoo (Dec. 10), George Fox (Dec. 11), Trine (Dec.19) and Ripon (Dec. 21).

The Warhawks conclude the non-conference portion of the regular season and the calendar year in games at JustaGame Fieldhouse in Wisconsin Dells. The team takes on Lawrence on Dec. 29 and 2015-16 NCAA Tournament qualifier Central (Iowa) on Dec. 30.

UW-Whitewater opens WIAC play Jan. 4 at home against UW-La Crosse. The team's 14-game conference slate concludes Feb. 18 at home against UW-Eau Claire.