No. 10 – Western Illinois Leathernecks
Western Illinois coach Chad Boudreau’s first two seasons couldn’t have been more different. During his first season at the Leatherneck controls, everything seemed to go right. The team was in the hunt for a title up until the final days of the season, finishing the season 21-12.
Last year injuries decimated his team and they finished 12-19 and just 6-14 in league play.
Very little of that roster remains.
In their place are a healthy dose of Division 1 veterans, some promising freshmen and an NAIA star that Boudreau believes can be an OVC star.
Idaho State transfer Isaiah Griffin (10.5 ppg & 3.9 rpg) is the most accomplished of the wave D1 transfers. The 6’6 grad-transfer tallied nearly 600 points during his last two Big Sky Conference seasons.
Four former Missouri Valley transfers are on the scene. Southern Illinois (Carbondale) forward Antwaun Massey is a solid four-man who makes winning plays. Indiana State transfer Tyran Cook averaged nearly 13 points-per-game, two seasons ago at VMI, but missed most of last season with multiple injury issues.
Another former Sycamore (and USI player) is 6’10 grad-transfer Nick Hittle and former Bradley forward Goanar Biliew is looking for a strong finish to his collegiate career.
NAIA all-American Lucas Lorenzen may be the key to the season. The former Dordt University player is a 6’4 guard who averaged nearly 23 points and six rebounds per game. In recent years we’ve seen many D2 and NAIA players make the leap to D1 and be very successful.
Lorenzen and Griffin should be the Leathernecks’ one-two punch offensively.
It’s clear that Boudreau wanted his team to be bigger, stronger and older. Ten of his players are at least juniors and four are grad students.
I’ve spent the last five months building the team back,” said Boudreau. “Getting bigger, getting more physical and getting the culture back the way it was (two years ago).”
Ifiok Peter is a redshirt sophomore that has great promise.
The Leathernecks open the season on November 3 at Radford.