First time honor for both Badgers
MADISON, Wis. – Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig were named to the 2015-16 Preseason All-Big Ten Team from the University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team.
It marked the first time both Hayes and Koenig, a La Crosse, Wis., native, were named to the team, as Hayes was a unanimous selection. The only other unanimous selections were Big Ten Player of the Year Melo Trimble of Maryland, Denzel Valentine of Michigan State and A.J. Hammons of Purdue.
This marks the second-consecutive season two Badgers have been named to the preseason all-conference team. Frank Kaminsky, the 2015 National Player of the Year, and 2015 Second Team-All Big Ten honoree Sam Dekker, were each selected last year.
Hayes and Koenig mark the 11th and 12th players under head coach Bo Ryan to earn the honor.
The 12 preseason all-conference honors in the Ryan era are tied with Michigan State for the most in that span.
On Nov. 4 at the Kohl Center, Wisconsin officially opens the season with an exhibition game against UW-River Falls. The Badgers’ season-opener is on Nov. 13 against Western Illinois and will include a special commemorative ceremony to honor last season’s national finalist team.
2015-16 PRESEASON BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Melo Trimble, Maryland
2015-16 PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN TEAM
NIGEL HAYES, WISCONSIN
Bronson Koenig, Wisconsin
James Blackmon Jr., Indiana
Yogi Ferrell, Indiana
Jarrod Uthoff, Iowa
Jake Layman, Maryland
MELO TRIMBLE, MARYLAND
Caris LeVert, Michigan
DENZEL VALENTINE, MICHIGAN STATE
A.J. HAMMONS, PURDUE