Profiles

Pace Bennett

Guard
Sophomore
6-2, 170, Moline, Ill. (Rock Island-Alleman)

2009: Played in 13 games.

High School: Named Illinois Basketball Coaches Association honorable mention all-state his senior year, as well as Rock Island Argus first-team all-metro and first-team All-Western Big 6 Conference…coached by Steve Smithers…National Honor Society member, Western Big 6 Conference all-academic and honor student.

Personal: Business administration major…named to the fall 2008 Carthage athletic director’s honor roll…born April 1, 1990.

Max Cary

Guard
Sophomore
6-3, 160, Geneva, Ill.

2009: Played in all 25 games and made five starts…averaged 5.2 points per game and 1.6 rebounds with a .370 three-point field-goal percentage…scored a season-high 13 points against North Park on Jan. 31.

High School: Named All-Western Sun Conference and Daily Herald all-area his senior year…coached by Tim Pease…four-year member of the soccer team.

Personal: Double major in business administration and marketing…son of Rich Cary, who played on the 1977-80 Carthage men’s basketball teams, was named honorable mention All-CCIW in 1978 and second-team all-conference in 1980 and is ranked 19th on the Red Men’s career scoring list…born Aug. 28, 1989.

Jon Cieski

Guard
Junior
6-1, 180, Lemont, Ill.

2009: Played in 12 games.

2008: Played in four varsity games.

High School: Named All-South Suburban Conference and Daily Herald all-area his senior year and set a school record for most three-point field goals…coached by Rob Wastraztky…three-year member of the soccer team and played baseball his senior year.

Personal: Exercise and sport science major…named to the spring 2008 Carthage dean’s list…born Jan. 23, 1989.

Jordan Davis

Guard
Sophomore
6-2, 145, Carmel, Ind. (Indianapolis--Park-Tudor)

2009: Played on the junior varsity team.

High School: Lettered twice and coached by Michael Hasch…his junior-year team won a sectional championship…honor student.

Personal: Business administration major…born April 26, 1990.

Steve Djurickovic

Guard
Junior
6-3, 179, Pleasant Prairie, Wis. (Kenosha-Bradford)

Enters the 2010 season ranked 16th on the all-time Carthage scoring list (1,271 points), second for made free throws (425), fourth for free-throw attempts (521) and fifth in assists (266)

2009: Named “D3hoops.com” third-team All-America and first-team All-Midwest Region and National Association of Basketball Coaches second-team all-region…named first-team All-CCIW for the second-straight year…led the CCIW in scoring (27.6 points per game thru the end of the regular season), assists (6.36 per game) and minutes played (37.04 per game), while ranked fourth in three-point field-goal percentage (.432), eighth in free-throw percentage (.833), 13th in rebounding (4.7 per game), 13th in steals (0.96 per game) and 14th in field-goal percentage (.497)…started all 25 games…named CCIW “Men’s Basketball Co-Player of the Week” on Dec. 8 and on Feb. 16…set Carthage season records for points (691), scoring average (27.6 points per game), made free throws (239), free-throw attempts (287) and assists (159)…scored in double figures in all 25 games with a season-high 38 points at California Lutheran on Nov. 24…scored 30 or more points 11 times, including seven of the team’s first eight games…held to less than 20 points in only three games with a season-low of 15 points against Elmhurst on Feb. 21…dished out a Carthage-record 12 assists in the Red Men’s 87-69 win over North Park on Jan. 31.

2008: Named “D3hoops.com” fourth-team All-America, national “rookie of the year,” second-team All-Midwest Region and regional “rookie of the year”…named first-team All-CCIW…started all 25 games…averaged 35.8 minutes per game…ranked second among CCIW scoring leaders (23.2 points per game, 13th in NCAA Division III), first in assists (4.28 per game), third in assist/turnover ratio (1.73 per game), tied for fifth in free-throw percentage (.795), ranked 12th in field-goal percentage (.471) and 15th in rebounding (4.4 per game)…named CCIW “player of the week” after making his collegiate debut with 24 points against Eastern and 23 versus Bluffton in the Westminster (Pa.) “Buzz Ridl Classic”…named CCIW “player of the week” again on Jan. 21 after scoring 30 points, including 14 points in the final five minutes and 14 seconds, in the Red Men’s 74-68 win over No. 12 Augustana (Ill.) on Jan. 19…named CCIW “player of the week” for a third time after scoring a season-high 39 points against North Central on Jan. 23 and setting both Carthage and CCIW game records with 23 free throws and set a school record with 27 free-throw attempts…completed 186 of 234 free throws and fell just four free throws short of matching Jack Lutz’ 1967 season record of 190…scored in double figures in all 25 games…collected a season-high nine assists against Millikin on Feb. 23.

High School: Named Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Division 1 first-team all-state, Associated Press honorable mention all-state, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel honorable mention all-area, Southeast Conference “Player of the Year,” first-team All-SEC and Kenosha News first-team All-Kenosha County with a 22.4 scoring average. 7.2 rebounds and an .806 free-throw percentage…leading scorer in Kenosha County his senior-year on a 12-11 team that reached the sectional championship…scored 30 or more points on four occasions, including a career-high 40 points against Milwaukee North High School on Jan. 13, 2007…named first-team All-Southeast Conference and Kenosha News first-team All-Kenosha County his junior year with a 14.5 points-per-game mark…named honorable mention all-conference as a sophomore and averaged 10.6 points per game…his junior-year team reached the regional finals…scored 1,084 career points…coached by Nick Perrine…three-year football letterwinner and a two-year starting quarterback…his senior year football team went 9-2 and qualified for the state playoffs…four-year honor student and 2007 Holy Rosary “Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year.”

Personal: Exercise and sport science major…son of Carthage men’s basketball coach Bosko Djurickovic…his mother, Becky, is a former women’s basketball coach at North Park University and a former girls basketball coach at Kenosha Bradford High School…his brother, Pete, is a freshman quarterback on the 2009 Carthage football team, and his sister, Amanda, played volleyball at Carroll (Wis.) before graduating from Carthage…named 2009 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA)/ESPN the Magazine second-team District 5 all-academic…named twice to the Carthage dean’s list and a two-semester member of the Carthage athletic director’s honor roll…born Nov. 9, 1988.

Sean Fendley

Guard
Senior
6-1, 175, Elmhurst, Ill. (York)

Enters the 2010 season ranked sixth on Carthage’s career list for made three-pointers (148) and ninth for three-point field-goal attempts (340).

2009: Named third-team All-CCIW…played in 24-of-25 games and made 24 starts…ranked 10th in CCIW scoring (14.0 points per game thru the end of the regular season), seventh in minutes played (31.83 per game), seventh in three-point field-goal percentage (.410) and 16th in rebounding (4.3 per game)…scored in double figures in 17-of-24 games with a season-high 24 points in both the Nov. 22 Redlands game and the Jan. 17 North Park contest…collected six three-pointers on three occasions.

2008: Missed the first eight games of the season with an Achillies tendon injury…played in 17-of-25 games and made 15 starts…averaged 27.8 minutes per game…averaged 11.1 points per game with a .443 three-point field-goal percentage…set a Carthage game record with nine three-pointers vs. the Illinois Institute of Technology on Jan. 14…scored in double figures eight times with a career-high 29 points in the Jan. 14 Illinois Institute of Technology game.

2007: Played in 24-of-25 games and made five starts…averaged 7.8 points per game with a .476 three-point field-goal percentage, third-best in the CCIW…scored a season-high 17 points on five-of-seven three-pointers against Marietta on Dec. 20 at the “Adidas D-3 Desert Shootout”.…averaged 17.5 minutes per game.

High School: Named Illinois Basketball Coaches Association fourth-team all-state his senior year and played in the IBCA all-star game…named first-team all-area his senior year by both the Daily Herald and the Elmhurst Press, as well as Chicago Sun-Times honorable mention all-area and All-West Suburban League Silver…his senior-year team went 23-6 and won both West Suburban League Silver and regional titles…coached by Al Biancalana…four-year member of the baseball team and played football his freshman and sophomore years…West Suburban League all-academic pick and four-year honor student.

Personal: Business administration major…his grandfather, John “Jake” Fendley, played basketball at Northwestern University and for the 1952 and 1953 NBA Fort Wayne Pistons…his father, Mike Fendley, who was inducted into the same Triton College Athletic Hall of Fame class as MLB players Kirby Puckett and Lance Johnson, went on to play football at Northern Illinois University…born Dec. 14, 1987.

Chris Franz

Forward
Sophomore
6-4, 170, Mundelein, Ill.

2009: Played on the junior varsity team.

High School: His junior-year team won a regional championship…coached by Richard Knar…member of the baseball team his freshman and sophomore years…honor student.

Personal: Athletic training major…named to the spring 2009 Carthage dean's list and to the fall 2008 Carthage athletic director’s honor roll…born April 2, 1990.

Jake Hasse

Guard
Sophomore
6-3, 175, Naperville, Ill. (North)

2009: Appeared in two varsity games,

High School: Named honorable mention All-DuPage Valley Conference his senior year and Daily Herald second-team all-area…his sophomore-year team won a regional title…coached by Mark Lindo…member of the football team his freshman and sophomore years…DuPage Valley Conference all-academic and honor student.

Personal: Biology major…named to the fall 2008 Carthage athletic director’s honor roll…born Dec. 20, 1989.

Joe Higgins

Guard
Graduated Senior
6-0, 170, Kenosha, Wis. (St. Joseph/Marquette University)

2009: Played in all 25 games and made one start…averaged 11.8 minutes, 0.7 points and 1.2 assists.

2008: Played in all 25 games and made 10 starts…averaged 24.4 minutes per game, 1.3 points per game, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals

2007: Starting point guard and played in all 25 games, making 24 starts…averaged 2.6 points per game, 3.96 assists (second in the CCIW) and 1.08 steals (13th in the CCIW)…scored a season-high 11 points against Marietta on Dec. 20 at the “Adidas D-3 Desert Shootout”…collected a career-high nine assists in the Jan. 31 Wheaton (Ill.) contest…set a Carthage game record with seven steals in the Jan. 13 Augustana (Ill.) game…averaged 24.9 minutes per game.

2006: Attended Marquette University fall term 2005 but did not play basketball…transferred to Carthage in January 2006 but did not play basketball.

High School: Named All-Lakeshore Conference and Kenosha News All-Kenosha County both his junior and senior years…his sophomore-year team won both conference and sectional championships, his junior-year team won both conference and regional titles, and his senior-year squad won a regional championship…coached by Greg Leech…four-year letterwinner on the football team and named all-conference both his junior and senior years…recipient of the St. Joseph High School Dominic & Amelia Tirabassi Outstanding Athlete Award…National Honor Society member, Wisconsin Coaches Association all-academic, Lakeshore Conference all-academic and honor student.

Personal: Accounting major…named to the Carthage dean’s list five times and a two-semester member of the Carthage athletic director’s honor roll …born Dec. 6, 1986.

Cody Hilton

Guard
Senior
5-11, 168, Lombard, Ill. (Glenbard East)

2009: Played in 22-of-25 games and made 11 starts…averaged 14.4 minutes, 3.8 points and 1.7 rebounds with a .343 three-point field-goal percentage…scored a career-high 15 points against Calvin on Dec. 6 in the CCIW/MIAA Classic.

2008: Played in 15-of-25 games and averaged 5.0 minutes per game…scored a season-high eight points against Hope on Dec. 1.

2007: Played mostly on the junior varsity team…made his lone varsity appearance in the Feb. 14 North Park game.

High School: Named honorable mention All-DuPage Valley Conference and Daily Herald honorable mention all-area his senior year on a 24-4 regional-championship team…his junior-year squad also won a regional title…coached by Scott Miller…member of the volleyball team his senior year…DuPage Valley Conference all-academic.

Personal: International political economy major…named to the spring 2008 Carthage athletic director’s honor roll…his mother, Brenda Hilton, is the office manager for the Summit League office in Elmhurst, Ill…born Nov. 6, 1987.

Robert Howard Jr.

Guard
Junior
6-0, 174, Markham, Ill. (South Holland-Thornwood)

2009: Played on the junior varsity team.

2008: Played on the junior varsity team.

High School: His junior- year team went 26-8 and finished fourth at the Illinois High School Association Class AA state championship…his senior year squad went 22-6 and reach they sectional finals…coached by Bob Curran…member of the football team his junior year…honor student.

Personal: Business administration major…born July 7, 1989.

Steve Ideran

Guard
Junior
6-3, 170, Batavia, Ill.

2009: Played in 17-of-25 games and made three starts…averaged 7.3 minutes and 1.7 points per game…scored a career-high 10 points at Augustana (Ill.) on Feb. 7.

2008: Played in 10-of-25 games and averaged 4.0 minutes per game.

2007: Played mostly on the junior varsity team…made varsity appearances versus Marietta on Dec. 20 and Elmhurst on Feb. 7.

High School: Named Suburban Life all-area his senior year on a 27-2 team that won Suburban Prairie Conference North and regional titles en route to an appearance in the sectional finals…also named Suburban Life all-area as a junior…coached by Jim Roberts…member of the golf team his freshman and sophomore years…National Honor Society member.

Personal: History major…his father, Dave Ideran, attended Carthage and lettered on the 1975 and 1976 men’s basketball teams…named to the Carthage dean’s list five times and a three-semester member of the Carthage athletic director’s honor roll…born April 15, 1988.

Riley Jackowiak

Guard
Sophomore
6-1, 155, Granger, Ind. (South Bend-St. Joseph's)

2009: Played on the junior varsity team.

High School: Both his junior and senior-year teams won Northern Indiana Conference titles…coached by Keith Kurowski…also a member of the soccer and golf teams.

Personal: Undecided on major…born July 30, 1989.

Jon Lee

Guard
Senior
6-1, 180, Downers Grove, Ill. (South)

2008: Appeared in two varsity games.

2007: Played on the junior varsity team.

High School: His junior-year team went 30-4 and finished third in the Illinois High School Association Class AA state championship…coached by Paul Runyon.

Personal: Exercise and sport science major…born Dec. 13, 1987.

Ross Mathison

Center
Sophomore
6-5, 245, Uddingston, Glasgow, Scotland

2009: Played on the junior varsity team.

High School: Did not play high school basketball…member of the rugby and volleyball teams.

Personal: Biology major…born March 7, 1990.

Peter McBride

Forward
Sophomore
6-3, 175, Arlington Heights, Ill. (Mount Prospect-Prospect)

2009: Played on the junior varsity team.

High School: His senior-year team won a Mid-Suburban League co-championship and advanced to the regional finals…coached by John Carmadella…four-year member of both the soccer and volleyball teams…Mid-Suburban League all-academic and four-year honor student.

Personal: Mathematics major…named to the fall 2008 Carthage athletic director’s honor roll…born Feb. 25, 1990.

Eric Moore

Forward
Senior
6-4, 190, Naperville, Ill. (Neuqua Valley)

2009: Played in 20-of-25 games…averaged 6.1 minutes, 1.3 points and 1.5 rebounds per game

2008: Played in 13-of-25 games…averaged 3.8 minutes per game.

2007: Played mostly on the junior varsity team…appeared in eight varsity games and started the Feb. 14 North Park contest…scored a season-high four points in the Nov. 21 Grinnell game.

High School: Named All-Upstate 8 Conference and Daily Herald all-area his senior year and set a school season records for rebounding and free-throw attempts…all four of his teams won conference titles, and his senior-year squad went 22-8 and won a regional title…coached by Todd Sutton.

Personal: Marketing major…named to the spring 2008 Carthage athletic director’s honor roll…born Nov. 22, 1987.

Kevin Newman

Forward
Sophomore
6-4, 200, Lansing, Ill. (Thornton Fractional South)

2009: Played in four February varsity games.

High School: Member of the basketball team his freshman and sophomore years…four-year member of the baseball team and played football his senior year…National Honor Society member and honor student.

Personal: Double major in business administration and marketing…named to the fall 2008 Carthage dean’s list and to the fall 2008 Carthage athletic director's honor roll…born July 16, 1990.

Billy Shemerdiak

Guard
Graduated Senior
6-4, 200, Orland Park, Ill. (Sandburg)

2009: Played in all 25 games and made nine starts…averaged 15.9 minutes, 2.8 points and 2.4 rebounds per game.

2008: Played in all 25 games and made 21 starts…averaged 24.0 minutes per game, 8.7 points per game, 4.9 rebounds and a .364 three-point field-goal percentage…scored in double figures nine times with season-high 19 points in the Dec. 5 Trinity International (Ill.) game…pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds against East-West on Nov. 28.

2007: Played in all 25 games and made 12 starts…averaged 4.7 points per game and 2.2 rebounds…scored a career-high 21 points in the Jan. 5 Northland game…pulled down a season-high eight rebounds against Marietta on Dec. 20 in the “D-3 Desert Shootout.”…averaged 14.6 minutes per game.

2006: Played in 10-of-25 games…missed eight games in January after being declared academically ineligible but reinstated on Feb. 1…averaged 5.6 minutes and 1.2 points.

High School: Named All-Southwest Inter-Conference Association West his senior year…team’s leading scorer both his junior and senior seasons…coached by Dan Lange…three-year member of the baseball team and played volleyball his senior year.

Personal: Exercise and sport science major…born April 3, 1987.

Nick Sobieszczyk

Forward
Senior
6-3, 180, Cary, Ill. (Arlington Heights-St. Viator)

2009: Played on the junior varsity team.

2007-08: Attended Carthage his freshman and sophomore years but did not participate in basketball.

High School: Did not play high school basketball…four-year member of the soccer team…National Spanish Honor Society member and honor student.

Personal: Exercise and sport science major…played on the 2006 and 2007 Carthage junior varsity soccer teams…named to the fall 2008 Carthage athletic director’s honor roll…born Aug. 8, 1987.

Adam Stuart

Forward
Graduated Senior
6-4, 210, Kildeer, Ill. (Buffalo Grove/Baylor University)

2009: Played in all 25 games and made eight starts…averaged 18.3 minutes, 4.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per game…scored a career-high 17 points at Silver Lake on Nov. 26…collected a career-high 12 rebounds versus Hope on Dec. 5 at the CCIW/MIAA Classic.

2008: Played in 13-of-25 games and made three starts…averaged 7.8 minutes per game, 1.9 points per game and 1.7 rebounds…scored a season-high 11 points in the season-finale versus Millikin.

2006-07: Attended Baylor University for two years but did not play basketball…two-year member of the club volleyball team.

High School: Named All-Mid-Suburban League and Daily Herald all-area his senior year on a league-championship team…coached by Ryan O’Connor…member of the volleyball team and earned all-conference and all-area honors as a senior…four-year honor student.

Personal: Exercise and sport science major…member of the 2007 Carthage men’s volleyball team… named to the spring 2007 Carthage dean’s list and a two-semester member of the Carthage athletic director’s honor roll…born April 19, 1985.

Adam Tolo

Forward
Senior
6-6, 190, Mackay, Queensland, Australia (Holy Spirit/South Suburban College)

2009: Started all 25 games…averaged 26.4 minutes, 7.1 points and 3.5 rebounds with a .326 three-point field-goal percentage…tied a Carthage game record with 15 three-point attempts at Illinois Wesleyan on Feb. 4 and scored a season-high 20 points.

2007-08: Attended South Suburban College his freshman and sophomore years and played basketball…his 2008 team finished fifth in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II championship, and his 2007 team finished seventh.

High School: Did not play high school basketball…played on several area club teams.

Personal: Information systems major…his younger sister, Marianna Tolo, plays professional basketball for the Canberra Capitals in the Australian Women’s National Basketball League…named to the fall 2008 Carthage athletic director’s honor roll…born Feb. 20, 1988.

Justin Walker

Forward
Senior
6-4, 180, Naperville, Ill. (Aurora-Waubonsie Valley)

2009: Played on the junior varsity team.

2008: Played in three varsity games.

2007: Played mostly on the junior varsity team…made his lone varsity appearance in the Feb. 14 North Park game.

High School: His junior-year team won a sectional championship…coached by Dave Sauerbaugh and Steve Weemer

Personal: Exercise and sport science major…born Aug. 9, 1988.

Matt Weel

Guard
Junior
6-1, 170, Niles, Ill. (Notre Dame)

2009: Played in 10 games and averaged 5.1 minutes per game.

2008: Played mostly on the junior varsity team…appeared in one varsity game.

High School: Named All-East Suburban Catholic Conference and Pioneer Press all-area his senior year…team leader as a senior in scoring, assists and free-throw percentage.

Personal: Exercise and sport science major…his uncle, Stan Kapka, played basketball at Carthage from 1983 to 1986 and is still the Red Men’s career leader in assists with 357…named to the spring 2008 Carthage dean’s list and to the spring 2008 Carthage athletic director’s honor roll…born Feb. 28, 1989.

Richard Williams

Center
Senior
6-5, 202, Poplar Grove, Ill. (North Boone)

2009: Played inn 22-of-25 games and made 14 starts…averaged 18.8 minutes, 3.8 points and 2.8 rebounds per game…scored a career-high 10 points in both the Nov. 26 Silver Lake game and the Jan. 24 North Central contest.

2008: Appeared in five varsity games.

2007: Played mostly on the junior varsity team…appeared in four varsity games.

High School: Named Illinois Basketball Coaches Association honorable mention all-state his senior year, as well as first-team All-Four Rivers Conference and Beloit Daily News second-team all-area…second-team all-conference as a junior…all three of his teams won conference championships…coached by Lenny Doetch…two-time all-conference high jumper in track and field…lettered twice in football and earned all-conference honors his senior year…four-year honor student and graduated with honors.

Personal: Exercise and sport science major…member of the 2008 Carthage men’s track and field team and finished fourth in the high jump at the CCIW Outdoor Track and Field Championship…named to the spring 2008 Carthage athletic director’s honor roll…born July 13, 1988.

Drew Worsley

Guard
Junior
6-2, 160, Ottawa, Ill. (Marquette)

2009: Played on the junior varsity team.

2008: Played on the junior varsity team.

High School: Named Ottawa Times-Press honorable mention all-area his senior year…his junior-year squad won a regional championship…coached by Kevin Schultz…four-year member of the golf team and lettered once in baseball…National Honor Society member and high honors student.

Personal: English major…named to the spring 2008 Carthage athletic director’s honor roll…born Sept. 28, 1988.