WAUKESHA, Wis. – The Carroll University men's basketball team is gearing up for the 2022-23 season. With many familiar faces returning for their junior and senior years, Head Coach Paul Combs is excited about their work ethic since the end of last season.
 
"A big kudos to our guys for putting in the work," says Combs. "We've made a big improvement from last March to this October. They've been very committed to the process." One of the underlying ways the Pioneers have packed on the muscle and the work ethic was with the hiring of assistant coach Taylor Jannsen. "Having Taylor has been a big help," says Combs. "On the floor and in the weight room, day-to-day he's been there to help. We've seen significant improvement in weight training thanks to him."
 
A group of student-athletes who came into this league as freshmen during the heart of the COVID-19 Pandemic have grown up. Justin Steinike, Josh Hudgens, Paradisio Dante, and Tyler Miller are now in their junior season with the Pioneers, "They're maturing," says Combs. "This team has started to grow and understand the balance it takes to be successful."
 
Senior year leaders like Ethan Balinao, and sixth-year man Justin Gruber are feeling good about this season, "We have a lot of returners stepping into new roles as well as many newcomers that will make an impact," says Balinao.
 
The Pioneers will open their season with the Annual Pioneer Tip-off Classic, hosted in Van Male Field House on November 11 and 12. Carroll's first matchup is against Whitman college on Friday the 11^th at 7 PM.