Warriors Basketball Teams Sweep NACC Titles FIRST CONFERENCE SCHOOL TO SWEEP HOOPS TITLES IN SAME SEASON WLC became the first school in the 15-year history of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) to claim both the men’s and women’s basketball conference tournament titles in the same season. Head coaches Aaron Aanonsen and Klay Knueppel (pictured above) were each named NACC Coach of the Year for their efforts. Aanonsen, who wrapped up his fourth season at the helm at WLC, led the Warriors to an 11-3 mark overall and the North Division title with a 7-3 division record. His charges then captured the overall NACC title with a 78-71 victory over Rockford in the NACC Tournament championship game. The overall title was the second
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in succession for WLC, while the tournament crown was the first for a WLC men’s basketball squad since winning the Lake Michigan Conference Tournament in 2006 – that league’s final season. The Warriors were the NACC’s top rebounding squad, outrebounding opponents by 7.4 boards per game. That number jumped to 8.4 rebounds per game in league play. WLC also experienced success getting to – and converting from – the free throw line, leading all NACC schools in free-throw makes (16.8) and attempts (22.7) per game. This was Aanonsen’s second consecutive NACC Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year honor.
Knueppel led WLC to a 12-1 mark overall, including a 9-1 record within the North Division, and secured the NACC’s overall crown with a 78-53 win over host Benedictine in the championship game of the NACC Tournament. Under the 17th-year head coach, the Warriors have won eight NACC championships and 10 NACC Tournament titles in the league’s 15 years of existence. WLC finished second in the NACC in scoring (69.4 points per game) and allowed the fewest points per game in the league (45.9). This is Knueppel’s third NACC Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year honor in the last four seasons and his NACC-record fifth honor overall.
