Luedtke Earns First Team All-Northwest Conference Recognition

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University junior forward Brandon "Bubba" Luedtke (Meridian, ID/Mt. View HS) has been selected First Team All-Northwest Conference for the 2014-15 season in voting by the NWC head coaches. In addition, Willamette senior forward Kyle McNally (Sr., F, Salem, OR/Sprague HS) received Honorable Mention All-NWC recognition.

A total of 16 players received All-NWC honors this season. Six athletes were chosen for the First Team, with five athletes on the Second Team and five players earning Honorable Mention.

Joining Luedtke on the First Team were Kenny Love, a sophomore guard from Whitworth University, Christian Jurlina, a sophomore forward from Whitworth, Nick Holden, a senior forward from the University of Puget Sound, Matt Mounier, a senor forward from Whitman College, and MItch Wettig, a senior forward from Pacific University.

The Bearcats have qualified for the 2015 Northwest Conference Tournament after placing fourth in the NWC standings during the regular season. Willamette, currently 10-15 overall and 8-8 in the NWC, will take on regular season champion Whitworth in an NWC semifinal game on Thursday, Feb. 26 in Spokane, Wash. Game time is set for 7 p.m. (PST).

Lewis & Clark College will play at Whitman in the other NWC semifinal game on Thursday at 7 p.m. If Willamette defeats Whitworth, the Bearcats will advance to the NWC Championship game, set for Saturday, Feb. 28. The Bearcats, as the #4 seed in the four-team tournament, would play the title game on the road.

The winner of the NWC Tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

First Team All-Northwest Conference

Brandon Luedtke (Jr., F) received First Team All-NWC honors this year after earning Honorable Mention All-NWC in 2013-14. He leads the NWC with 9.6 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game. He ranks fifth in the NWC and tops the Willamette roster with 14.2 points per game.

During the regular season Luedtke registered 10 double-doubles for the Bearcats, including four in the last seven games. He scored a season-high 23 points against Dubuque University (Iowa) on Nov. 28, tied a career high with 15 rebounds against University of La Verne on Nov. 21, and set a career high with seven steals against Pacific on Feb. 21.

He led the Bearcats by shooting 52.9% on field goals (120 of 227). He earned 40 assists (1.9 avg.) and achieved 19 blocked shots (0.9 avg.). He started 21 games and missed four games due to injury.

"Bubba has carried out every task we have asked of him as a our lead player, whether it be scoring, rebounding, or defensively guarding multiple positions," Willamette Head Coach Kip Ioane said. "This recognition is well deserved."

As a sophomore in 2013-14, Luedtke averaged 10.6 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. He ranked second in the NWC in rebounding and led the league with 5.8 defensive boards per game. He shot 51.6% from the field (99 of 192). He scored a career-high 25 points against Pacific University on Feb. 4, 2014.

Luedtke has played in 69 games during his career with 42 starts. He has scored 625 points, while grabbing 476 rebounds and contributing 113 steals. He owns a career field goal shooting percentage of 53.1%.

Honorable Mention All-Northwest Conference

Kyle McNally (Sr., F) was chosen Honorable Mention All-NWC for the first time. He was one of the top defensive players in the conference during the regular season, as he led the NWC with 62 blocked shots and 2.5 blocks per game.

McNally ranked second behind Luedtke on the WU roster with 6.7 rebounds per game, including 5.0 defensive boards per contest. He scored 6.9 points per game, registered 1.8 steals per game and supplied 1.7 assists per night.

He scored a career-high 15 points against Colorado College on Dec. 30. He hauled down a career-high 15 rebounds versus Pacific Lutheran University on Feb. 13.

"I am extremely happy for Kyle, as he is the bedrock of our defense, and as a senior, expanded his offensive abilities as well," Ioane noted. "He too deserves this recognition from the league."

In his career, McNally has competed in 97 games with 66 starts. He has scored 456 career points to go along with 483 career rebounds.

McNally holds all of Willamette's records for blocked shots. He set the single game record with nine blocks against George Fox University on Jan. 10, 2015. He has the season record with 62 blocks this year and he owns the career record with 141 blocks.

Northwest Conference Special Awards

Kenny Love of Whitworth was chosen Northwest Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year. Whitworth Head Coach Matt Logie was named NWC Men's Basketball Coach of the Year.