Truman Lamers earns Elite Academic All-State honors from WBCA

Rhinelander High School senior Truman Lamers was one of 15 boys’ basketball players statewide to be recognized as Elite Academic All-State by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. The honor was announced on Tuesday.

    Lamers  

According to a press release announcing the Elite Academic All-State team, to be recognized, WBCA member coaches were required to nominate their athletes. Minimum requirements for nomination included seniors with a GPA of at least 3.5 and an ACT score of at least 25. Nominating coaches could also provide additional information including on-court statistics, awards and accolades and a personal narrative.

“These individuals truly represent the best of the best for student-athletes in the state of Wisconsin,” the WBCA stated.

The WBCA Executive Board selected the 15 boys and 16 girls recipients (there was a tie in the girls voting) from the list of nominees.

“When you start talking about high school sports, you have to remember that there’s that academic piece as well. What we’re doing is not just playing game that we love and competing and focusing on basketball, but all of these kids are also dedicated students,” Hodag boys’ basketball coach Derek Lemmens told the River News Tuesday.  “When you have a student like Truman … to get that elite (honor) means that you were not only an exceptional athlete and a player, but also an exceptional student. So to be exceptional at all those different aspects shows just how hard and how much time that kid puts into things, how hard he works, and how committed he is to all those facets of his life.”

Lamers currently carries a 4.563 GPA on Rhinelander High School’s weighted scale. On the court, Lamers finished as the Hodags’ leading scorer this year at 13.4 points per game and was a first-team All-Great Northern Conference recipient. He led the team in steals at 2.9 a contest and added four rebounds a game.

Joining Lamers on the WBCA’s Boys’ Elite Academic All-State team are Eli Achterberg (Pardeeville), Aaron Bartol (Berlin), Brynden Beck (Port Edwards), Justin Bliesner (Homestead), Maddox Cornette (Bay Port), Brennan Dempsey (Fort Atkinson), Davis Dercks (Oakfield), Jake Hansen (Wauwatosa West), Jace Paul (Alma Center Lincoln), Andrew Rader (Notre Dame Academy), Jared Schultz (Northwood), Brayden Steinbecker (Manitowoc Lincoln), Clayton Streiff (New Glarus) and Michael Vanden Heuvel (Chilton).

Lakeland star wing Kristina Ouimette was one of the 16 recipients on the girls’ side. 

The honor differs from standard WBCA All-Academic list. That honor requires that nominated athletes be varsity players from any grade level and hold a GPA of at least 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale).  

Lamers, Seth Nofftz and Greyson Gremban were honored from the RHS boys’ basketball team while 11 members of the RHS girls’ basketball team where honored — Gracie Anderson, Dawsyn Barkus, Lexi Beran, Aubryn Clark, Ellie Cummings, JaLyn LaChapelle, Vivian Lamers, Amelia MacIntyre, Ella Miljevich, Kara Monk and Kelsey Winter. 

The WBCA stated more than 1,800 boys and 2,300 girls received Academic All-State awards. 

Lamers, and the rest of the WBCA’s Elite Academic All-State honorees will be recognized at the WBCA All-State Banquet April 14 in Wisconsin Dells and receive plaques recognizing their accomplishment.

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].