Madison, Wis. – University of Wisconsin-La Crosse sophomore forward JJ Paider of Neenah (H.S.) has been selected to the 2023-24 All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Basketball First Team in a vote by the league coaches, the league office announced Wednesday.

Senior guard Will Fuhrmann of Reedsburg (H.S.) and sophomore guard Dustin Derousseau of Tomah (H.S.) were named to the 2023-24 All-WIAC Honorable Mention Team while senior guard Jake Gross of Kenosha (Tremper) was voted to the 2023-24 All-WIAC All-Defensive Team.

Sophomore forward Josh Crubaugh of New Berlin (Eisenhower) was named to the 2023-24 All-WIAC Sportsmanship Team.

Paider earned his first career All-WIAC honor after playing in 24 games with 17 starts this season. He averaged 8.8 points and a team-high 6.5 rebounds per game. Paider scored in double figures in 10 games, including a career-high 23 points at UW-Oshkosh on January 17. He was 11-of-16 from the field and one-of-three at the free throw line. 

He also led UWL in field goal shooting at 56.1% (74-of-132) while also shooting 77.1% (64-of-83) at the free throw line. Paider recorded four double-doubles, finishing with 21 points and career-high 17 rebounds against UW-River Falls on January 31, going seven-of-eight from the field and seven-of-eight at the line. The 17 rebounds were the most for a UWL player since Lucas Collom finished with 19 against UW-Oshkosh on February 26, 2014. Paider also registered double-doubles versus Wartburg College, Iowa (11 points, 11 rebounds), UW-Stout (14 points, 12 rebounds) and UW-Whitewater (19 points, 12 rebounds).

He ranks second in the WIAC in field goal shooting, third in rebounding and eighth in free throw shooting.

Fuhrmann started all 26 contests this season, finishing second on the team in scoring at 11.7 points per game and led the Eagles in three-point field goals made (45), attempted (102) and three-point shooting (44.1%). He was also led UWL in steals (35) while ranking second in assists (43) and third in blocks (9). 

Fuhrmann is fourth in the conference in three-point shooting and 13th in three-point field goals made per game (1.7).

Selected to the 2022-23 All-WIAC Defensive Team, Fuhrman recorded at least two steals in 10 contests with a season-high four at UW-Superior and Saint Mary's University (Minn.). He scored in double figures in 14 games, including five of the last six contests of the season. Fuhrmann had a career-high 25 points versus UW-Oshkosh, going nine-of-12 from the field, including five-of-six from three-point range, and two-of-two at the line. He had three other games with at least 20 points, finishing with 23 versus Saint Mary's (Minn.). Fuhrmann scored 20 points versus Concordia College (Minn.) and Bethel University (Minn.). He finished with a career-high 11 rebounds at Wisconsin Lutheran College. 

Derousseau and Gross both earned their first career all-conference recognitions.  Derousseau started all 26 games this year, leading UWL in scoring (12.9 per game), assists (2.2) and blocks (0.8) while ranking second in steals (1.3). He scored in double figures in 19 contests with at least 15 points in eight games. Derousseau finished with a career-high 32 points versus UW-Stevens Point, going 10-of-18 from the field, including two-of-six from three-point range, and 10-of-11 at the line.  His 10 free throws made and 11 attempts were both season-highs. 

Leading UWL in field goals made (121), Derousseau was second in three-point field goals made (38) and third in three-point field goal attempts (83). He shot 36.1% from the field and 74.4% (64-of-86) at the free throw line, finishing tied for second on the team in free throws made and second in attempts. Derousseau scored 29 points versus Bethel (Minn.), finishing 10-of-14 from the field, including five-of-eight from three-point range, and four-of-five at the line. His five three-point field goals made and eight attempts were both season-highs. 

He is 10th in the WIAC in free throw shooting and 13th in scoring and three-point shooting.

Gross appeared in 22 games, including 16 starts, in 2023-24 while averaging 9.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. He was fifth on the team in scoring and second in rebounding. Gross tied for second in assists (34). He finished in double-digit scoring in 10 games with a season-high 15 at UW-Whitewater. He tied his season-high with four three-point field goals in the game. Gross finished with 14 points versus Wartburg (Iowa), tying his season-high with four three-pointers. He grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds versus UW-Stout this year and had at least five rebounds in 16 different games. 

Gross was one of five players voted to the All-WIAC Defensive Team. He is the eighth UWL player to be named to the All-WIAC Defensive Team, which started in 2012-13. He joins Lucas Morrissey (2012-13), Jared Staege (2015-16), Taulvish McCray (2017-18, 2018-19), Luke Norcia (2019-20), Seth Anderson (2020-21), Sean Suchomel (2020-21, 2021-22) and Fuhrmann (2022-23) in earning the honor for UWL.  Gross recorded a steal in 18 of 22 games played with a season-high four against UW-Stevens Point. He had at least two steals in 10 games. 

Gross currently ranks third in the league in steals and ninth in rebounding.

 

Crubaugh was named to the 2023-24 All-WIAC Sportsmanship Team, chosen for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season.  It includes one member from each school.  He appeared in five games this season. 

UWL finished 14-12 overall and 8-6 in the WIAC this season under first-year head coach JT Gritzmacher.  The Eagles tied for second in the league standings, qualifying for the WIAC Tournament.