The 2023-2024 season comes to an end and it is time to recognize the individuals that put in the work to make it onto The Central All-Region team. The Central Region consists of the following teams: University of Nebraska Lincoln, University of Wisconsin Stout, Concordia University Wisconsin, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Wisconsin Platteville. This list consists of the top 12 players in the conference, voted on by their peers. A special thanks to the players that helped with this. Let’s take a look at the results and individuals below!
Noah Willey–University of Nebraska Lincoln-Noah is at the top of this list for a reason. As pure of an athlete as anyone in the NCDA, Noah has a dangerous north-south throw and is the best catcher on our team. At any moment Noah could take over points and was a scary face to see in the center of the court.
–Written by Caleb Fowler (Nebraska)
Caleb Fowler–University of Nebraska Lincoln-Caleb is one of the hardest throwing arms on UNL and one of the best side arm throws in the league. As a player he is an extremely effective communicator on the court, which helps elevate his teammates. He has great timing on his crosses and sees the court well to catch people sleeping all the time. Caleb also is not afraid to catch anyone no matter how hard they throw.
–Written by Erik Zander (Platteville)
Tomas Zander– University of Wisconsin Platteville-After his years on the team, Tomas has left his mark as a player and leader. His ability to command his teammates while standing his ground is the best on the team. While only being able to make it to practice with the team a couple times a semester, he still showed up to every tournament and gave his all. He has been a great leader and teammate to me and his team, always pushing us to be the best players we can be.
–Written by Nicholas Stocks (Platteville)
Caleb Laux-University of Wisconsin Platteville-Caleb has one of the strongest arms on the team and when he’s on the move he is dangerous. Along with his ability to throw, he is always looking for ways to improve himself and his teammates. His presence on the court is powerful as he can slow down the opponent’s attack. His passion for the sport is evident in his gameplay and his plans of playing NDA with his siblings to prepare them for next school year’s season.
–Written by Nicholas Stocks (Platteville)
Charles Cardenas- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign– Charles is one of the fastest players in the league. Mix his speed with his incredible stamina, he is a tough guy to go against. Charles is often looked to by his team for leadership and reset throws. He has come a long way this year. Don’t be surprised if he is on the AA list next year.
–Written by Tomas Zander (Platteville)
Connor Knott–Concordia University Wisconsin– Connor has been a great leader and communicator on the court this year. CUW looks more like a unit than in the past. I have seen great improvement because of his leadership. Connor also has one of the hardest throws and quickest releases I have gone against all year. Very difficult to block or catch. CUW is going miss a big time playmaker next year!
–Written by Tomas Zander (Platteville)
Dillion Mundy–University of Nebraska Lincoln-In my book, Dillon will go down as the most under appreciated members of the NCDA. Dude could really do it all and was one of the few people I was truly scared to see in the other side of the attack line. A utility member of the squad that could do it all and more. Dillon had an argument for top of this list and I think it’s a shame he isn’t at the bare minimum, top 3.
–Written by Caleb Fowler (Nebraska)
Nicholas Stocks-University of Wisconsin Platteville– Whether it’s on the court or off, Nick has put in a lot of work to help improve our team over the course of this past year. He has been both a great friend and a helpful mentor to everyone on the team, and we wouldn’t be where we are at the end of this season without him. Nick’s ability to communicate with the team and throw consistent hard throws has made him one of the top players on our team.
–Written by Daniel Breitenstein (Platteville)
Cody Baxter-University of Wisconsin Platteville– Cody has been both a great team member and a great friend this past season. Even though I have only known him for one year, Cody has proved to be one of the most committed players we have on the team. From creating most of the team’s content and graphics to playing even when his body is falling apart, Cody’s love for the sport is very apparent. His ability to power through any obstacle has made him a force to behold on the court, and an inspiration to every member of the team.
–Written by Daniel Breitenstein (Platteville)
Alex Schmit–University of Nebraska Lincoln-Alex is still who I would consider a top 3 most underrated, or even under appreciated player in the entire NCDA. I have seen Alex do things that I didn’t think were humanly possible in order to survive points. Whether it is his unmatched ability to stay alive in points, or his sneaky catching ability, he is always consistently showing up exactly when the team needs it.
–Written by Tre Sumrall (Nebraska)
Gabriel Moseman–University of Nebraska Lincoln-While Gabe may not be the best catcher or thrower on the team, it can be argued that he has the most heart of anyone on the team. Last season Gabe started taking the reigns in calling for the team, and this season he fully took over as the team’s primary communicator, both on and off the court. Gabe was instrumental in getting our rookies ready to play this year, which says a lot as half of the team we had at nationals were rookies.
–Written by Tre Sumrall (Nebraska)
Paul Brock- Concordia University Wisconsin-Paul is definitely not someone to underestimate on the court. He’s got skills, and is a definite leader on the court for CUW. His positive demeanor makes him fun to play against. He is an incredibly good catcher and has a crazy ability to catch anything from close range and make you pay.
–Written by Caleb Laux (Platteville)
