Martens returns to the floor for Winona State following a strong 2021-22 campaign in which he averaged just over 30 minutes a contest, scoring 10.2 points per game and hauling 7.4 rebounds per outing.
Head coach Todd Eisner, heading into his eighth season at the helm, said, “Luke is the type of player that every good team has to have. He brings a toughness and energy to our program on a daily basis. Luke is a tireless worker who has improved offensively each season. With some key departures from last year, he will have an opportunity for an even greater scoring role while we will again count on him to be an anchor for us with his defense and rebounding.”
Martens is one of a handful of upperclassmen that will step into important roles right away this winter. Players bringing significant experience to the McCown Gymnasium floor include Owen King, a former NCAA Division I player at South Dakota State who enters his third year at Winona State and graduate transfer Ethan Channel, an experienced guard who suited up for Minnesota Crookston last season. Transfer James Kelley played in 28 games last year at NCAA Division II program University of Illinois Springfield, where he started 15 contests.
Eisner went on to note, “The 2022-23 season will be exciting from the standpoint of molding a team where opportunities exist for expanded roles for returning players and possible immediate playing time for some of our new players. We have to replace Devin Whitelow, a 5-year starter at point guard, and a First Team all-NSIC player in Alec Rosner on the perimeter. Our three returning starters (Martens, King, Drew) will need to provide production and leadership each game and I am excited to watch Connor Dillon's continued development as another key returner on the perimeter. If we can stay healthy, I do believe we have better overall depth which should make practices more competitive and give us more options for playing time in games.”
Also returning this winter are several players who factored heavily in the Winona State 15-11 record last year, including Conner Drew who started 26 games and averaged 8.9 points per game, and Drew Adams, a 6-8 sophomore who played in every Warrior contest. Local standout Carson Arenz, a junior from Onalaska, Wis., also factored in 26 contests last year and has 35 career games under his belt overall.
Rounding out the returners on the WSU roster are guards Connor Dillon and Declan Dillon, sophomore twin brothers from Peoria, Illinois, as well as Carter Lomas, a Wauzeka, Wis. forward. Combined, the trio have played in 45 games at Winona State.
New faces for WSU that have already logged time in the collegiate ranks - in addition to Channel - include junior college transfer Jordan Wilkins, a NJCAA All-America selection last season at Elgin Community College. The tallest addition to the Winona State roster is Leonardo Da Campo, a 6-9 transfer from Santa Fe College, who hails from Venice, Italy.
The Winona State fan base will also get their first look at Devon Fielding, a La Crosse Central High School standout who is in his first season with the Warriors, as is Nate Montgomery, a freshman from Watertown, Wis. Sam Hytinen, a redshirt sophomore, is one of seven Wisconsin products with Winona State in 2022-23. The 6-5 Delafield, Wis. native competed at Arrowhead Union High School.
