The All-Decade Team was compiled by staff from D3hoops.com All-American teams.
Guard Adam Dauksas
Illinois Wesleyan, 2003-06
All-American years: 2005 (1st), 2006 (1st)
Conference honors: 2005 player of the year
NCAA Tournament appearances: 2003 (Sweet 16), 2004 (Sweet 16), 2005 (second round), 2006 (Final Four)
What others say:
“Adam was one of the most competitive
players I have ever been around. His will to win was second
to none. There were many games that he took over and just
refused to let us lose…he is a better person than he was
basketball player. It was truly an honor to coach
him.”
– Scott Trost, former Illinois Wesleyan coach
Career synopsis: Dauksas was a four-year starter at point guard for Illinois Wesleyan, leaving as the school's all-time assist leader (589). At 6-3 Dauksas could also put the ball in the basket, however, scoring 1,488 points in his Titan career. The Flossmoor, Illinois native helped IWU to CCIW championships in 2003, 2004, and 2005 and led the charge to Salem as a senior. Dauksas scored 31 points at UW-Whitewater in the second round of the 2006 tournament and the next weekend had 26 points and 13 assists in the sectional finals against Puget Sound. A relentless competitor who played with a dramatic flair, Dauksas was a two-time First Team All-CCIW performer and won the league’s Most Outstanding Player honors in 2005.
Guard Willie Chandler
Misericordia, 2000-03
All-American years: 2001 (honorable mention), 2002 (1st),
2003 (1st)
Conference honors: 2000 Player of the Year, 2001 Player of the Year, 2002 Player of the Year, 2003 Player of the Year
Other honors: 2001 Jostens Award Finalist, 2003 Jostens Award Finalist
What others say: “The thing
that made Willie Chandler such a special player was his
versatility. He could do it all, which is rare at the Division III
level. He could shoot the three, he could put the ball on the floor
and finish at the basket, or at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, he could
post up when a smaller man was assigned to guard him.”
– Dave Martin, former Misericordia coach
Career synopsis: Not all members of the All-Decade team had the chance to shine in the NCAA Division III tournament, but that doesn’t take away from the luster of what they accomplished. Chandler wrote and rewrote the college and conference record books during his four years at Misericordia. His 2,898 points rank second all-time in Division III and first among the thousands of players during the last decade. Martin marvels, “What is truly amazing about his 2,898 career points is that his entire senior year was plagued by injuries. In addition to that, we very seldom saw any straight man-to-man defense. He was often the target of many different types of ‘junk’ defenses, and almost always found himself double teamed.” The junk defenses didn’t work and Chandler scored at will. In 2003 the Gary (Ind.) Steelheads selected Chandler with their first pick (fifth overall) in the Continental Basketball Association draft.
Forward Tim Dworak
UW-Oshkosh, 2000-03
All-American years: 2002 (3rd), 2004 (1st)
Conference honors: 2002 Player of the Year, 2003 Player of the Year
NCAA Tournament appearances: 2002 (Sweet 16), 2003 (Elite Eight)
What others say: "Tim was a joy to
coach. He possessed great skill and ability and was an
outstanding leader. He always put the team and his teammates
above any personal accomplishments. Tim's dedication, intense
work ethic and tremendous competitive nature led to his personal
success on the court.”
– Ted Van Dellen, UW-Oshkosh coach
Career synopsis: Starting 93 of a possible 115 games, Tim Dworak enjoyed a stellar career at UW-Oshkosh that included 1,999 points, 784 rebounds and a .610 field goal percentage, the second-best mark in WIAC annals. Dworak not only put up big numbers but did it against tough competition – 24 points in 2002 WIAC tournament final against UW-Whitewater, 33 points in the 2002 NCAA Tournament against St. Thomas, 36 points in the 2003 NCAA Tournament against Hope. One of those memorable performances came in the 2003 Sweet 16 at top-ranked Randolph-Macon. Dworak’s 27 points powered the Titans by the Yellow Jackets and into the Elite Eight, UW-Oshkosh’s deepest postseason run to date. As a sign of his athleticism, Dworak participated in preseason tryouts for the both the Milwaukee Bucks and the NFL’s Green Bay Packers.
Forward Brandon Adair
Virginia Wesleyan, 2004-07
All-American years: 2006 (1st), 2007 (2nd)
Conference honors: 2004 Rookie of the Year, 2006 Player of the Year
NCAA Tournament appearances: 2005 (second round), 2006 (national champion), 2007 (national runner-up)
Other honors: 2006 All-Tournament Team
What others say: “He truly
was one of those very rare, total players that found his way into
Division III athletics. Brandon not only helped to take our program
to the national level with his incredible talent, but also with his
outstanding leadership qualities on and off the court.”
– Dave Macedo, Virginia Wesleyan coach
Career synopsis: A pair of Ton Ton Balenga shots might be the most memorable moments of Virginia Wesleyan's run to the 2006 national title, but the Marlins' program never would've gotten to the Sweet 16 level without Adair. An undersized big man even by Division III standards, Adair made his living in the paint with a variety of moves to get around defenders, using his athleticism, not to mention the backboard, to his advantage. Adair scored 21 points in the national title game, 15 of them in the second half as the Marlins rallied from a 29-19 deficit. He went on to average 17.7 points per game as a senior, leading the Marlins back to the title game. Adair scored 2,100 career points and was the key to the team that put Virginia Wesleyan on the map.
Center Joel Kolmodin
Wheaton (Ill.), 2000-04
All-American years: 2003 (1st), 2004 (1st)
Conference honors: 2003 player of the year
Other honors: 2003 Jostens Finalist, 2004 Jostens Finalist
What others say: “His
personal discipline is largely responsible for his success …
He’s an extremely disciplined young man. He can score inside
or face the basket and shoot the three-ponter, but if you get him
on the block, he’s very difficult to stop.”
– Bill Harris, Wheaton (Ill.) coach, during Kolmodin’s
junior season
Career synopsis: After an impressive freshman season at Wheaton, Kolmodin suffered a season-ending knee injury in the third game of the following year. Kolmodin battled pain throughout his collegiate basketball career, undergoing five knee operations for torn cartilage before he finished his junior season. In that junior season, he returned better than ever despite the pain, averaging 23.2 points and 11.2 rebounds in 14 conference games. He was an easy choice for the CCIW's Most Outstanding Player award and earned first team All-CCIW honors again as a senior. “He proved to be an extremely difficult match-up as, at 6-foot-8, he possessed an outstanding arsenal of post moves and a 42 percent three point career mark,” remembers Harris. “He was also an outstanding rebounder which made him effective at both ends of the floor."