Biography
Career Summary
Consummate teammate and glue guy in one of the most successful eras in Shocker basketball history… The first Shocker to log time on four different conference championship teams… Most successful senior (by percentage) in Division I college basketball’s Class of 2016… Team had an .886 winning percentage when he appeared in the boxscore (109-14) over a five-year career that spanned from 2011-16… Was granted a fifth year of eligibility after breaking his finger early in his sophomore season (2012-13)… Frequently on stage (2,182 minutes over parts of five seasons) but rarely in the spotlight (362 career points)… Knowledge of the system, constant hustle, and knack for making key plays at key moments have made him a fan favorite, while also endearing him to the coaching staff… A three-time MVC Scholar Athlete who appeared in 123 games and made 74 career starts, while setting a tone of toughness… Played sparingly as a freshman, appearing in 13 games as a deep reserve as WSU rolled to its first MVC title and NCAA Tournament berth since 2006… Started the first eight games of the 2012-13 season before a broken pinky forced season-ending surgery, sidelining him for WSU’s March run to the Final Four… Earned a medical redshirt and returned for a second sophomore season, averaging 12.4 minutes in 2013-14 for a WSU team that won its first 35 games and rose as high as No. 2 in the national rankings… Was asked to play out of position as an upperclassman, often giving up several inches while serving as a 6-foot-4 power forward, but was a gritty and effective rebounder – especially on the offensive end… Rejoined the starting lineup as a junior in 2014-15 and made the MVC’s Most Improved squad, averaging 4.2 points and 3.7 rebounds, for a team that finished 30-5 (17-1 MVC)… Most memorable effort of his career came in the Second Round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament when he torched Kansas with four three-pointers in a 12-point, nine-rebound performance that helped lift the Shockers into the Sweet 16… Started all 35 games as a senior for a veteran WSU squad that included All-Americans Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet and helped lead the team to its third-consecutive MVC regular season title (16-2) and NCAA Tournament wins over Vanderbilt and Arizona… Team was 67-5 against the MVC in his four full seasons…
Team Success:
4x MVC Regular Season Champion – 2012, 14, 15, 16
1x MVC Tournament Champion -- 2014
5x NCAA Tournament Qualifier – 2012, 13 (medical RS), 14, 15, 16
2x NCAA Sweet 16 – 2013 (medical RS), 15
1x NCAA Final Four – 2013 (medical RS)
Individual Honors/Accolades:
4x WSU Letterman – 2012, 14, 15, 16
3x MVC Scholar-Athlete – 2014 (2nd), 2015 (2nd), 2016 (1st)
1x MVC Most Improved Team – 2015
1x Shafer Dart Most Inspirational Player Award (WSU Postseason Banquet) – 2016
1x Shelley Cox/KAKE-TV Leadership Award (WSU Postseason Banquet) -- 2016
2015-16
1st Team MVC Scholar-Athlete
WSU Postseason Banquet: Shafer Dart Most Inspirational Player Award, Shelley Cox/KAKE-TV Leadership Award
2014-15
MVC Most Improved Team
2nd Team MVC Scholar-Athlete
2013-14
2nd Team MVC Scholar-Athlete
2015-16 (Senior): Started all 35 games and averaged 21.2 minutes… Averaged 3.5 points and 3.1 rebounds… For the third-consecutive season, finished with more steals (17) than turnovers (13)… Scored a season-high nine points in the AdvoCare Invitational against Alabama (Nov. 27) and chipped in eight points on three other occasions… Logged a season-best 38 minutes in overtime contest at Seton Hall (Dec. 19)… Led the team in rebounding on four occasions… Enjoyed a fitting senior sendoff with a protypical Wessel game against Illinois State (Feb. 27) in which he scored just two points but tallied three steals, two assists (without a turnover) and a season-high eight rebounds (four on the offensive end)… Named to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll for the Fall Semester.
2014-15 (Junior): A member of the MVC’s Most Improved Team after a junior season that saw big increases in playing time and production… Also a Second Team MVC Scholar Athlete… Appeared in 32 games with 31 starts and averaged 23.6 minutes… Put up 4.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and turned the ball over just 14 times in 756 minutes… Switched positions in the off-season from small forward to power forward due to the team’s lack of returning post depth and thrived, despite a significant size disadvantage… A crowd favorite with a penchant for being in the right place at the right time for rebounds and loose balls…
Regained his shooting touch after a rough 2013-14 season, hitting 36.0 percent from deep (31-of-86)... Got hot at some opportune times… After taking just three shots in 36 minutes in the Round of 64 against Indiana, was one of the offensive stars in the Round of 32 win over Kansas on March 22… Connected on a season-high four treys vs. the Jayhawks in a 12-point, nine rebound effort that earned him a postgame interview with the CBS crew… On Feb. 28, helped WSU fend off a hard-charging Northern Iowa in a winner-take-all battle for the MVC regular season title, draining three triples on his way to 11 points… Had Five total double-figure scoring performances, topped by a 15-point outburst against Saint Louis on Dec. 6… Was nearly the hero in overtime loss at nationally-ranked Utah, scratching out six points and nine rebounds… Missed three games at the Diamond Head Classic (Dec. 22, 23, 25) with an ankle injury, suffered late in the first half of the Alabama game on Dec. 16… Returned for a three-second cameo at Drake on Dec. 31, then rejoined the lineup for good on Jan. 4… Recorded steals in bunches with three-or-more thefts in five different games... Named to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll for both the Fall and Spring semesters.
2013-14 (Redshirt Sophomore): Named to the All-MVC Scholar Athlete Second Team… Appeared in 35 of the 36 games, all off the bench… Averaged 1.2 points and 1.9 rebounds in 12.4 minutes of action but made subtle contributions on both ends of the court… Grabbed a career-high six rebounds in the Nov. 20 win at Tulsa… Had a string of 14-straight games with at least one board snapped in the Third Round of the NCAA Tournament against Kentucky… Missed his first 20 three-point attempts before connecting on Feb. 19… Hit on three of his last five treys to finish out the year… Scored a season-best six points on Feb. 22 against Drake, knocking down both of his three-point attempts, as WSU locked up the MVC Title outright…
2012-13 (Sophomore): Started eight games, his first career starts, before a broken pinky injury held him out of the next seven games while he contemplated surgery... Announced decision to have surgery Jan. 8, and received a medical hardship... Hard-nosed player willing to get floor burns... Had career-high 11 points against WCU, his lone double-figure scoring game... Had five points, three rebounds and an assist in the opener, and had eight points and four assists against Tulsa before leading the team with six assists at Air Force...
2011-12 (Freshman): Played in 13 games as a true freshman, averaging 1.6 points and 1.0 rebounds... Had a career-high eight points and three rebounds against Chicago State in 20 minutes... Also had three rebounds against Newman... Named to the WSU AD's Honor Roll in Fall, 2011, and Spring, 2012.
High School: Named 6A First Team All-State as a senior after helping the Heights Falcons to their third-straight state championship… Averaged 6.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 0.8 blocks and 1.2 steals… Team was ranked as high as No. 5 nationally during the 2010-11 season and finished at No. 12 after compiling a 25-0 record… Team went 72-3 over his final three seasons, including 47-1 against Wichita City League competition (a league widely regarded as the best in the state)… As a junior, averaged 12.4 points as Heights finished No. 27 in the national rankings and won the state title… Put up 8.9 points as a sophomore to lead the team to a 24-1 finish and a No. 26 ranking… In three seasons, scored 788 points... Named All-State in basketball and also All-State Football Top 11... Chosen as the Barry Sanders High School Athlete of the Year by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission... A member of the National Honor Society and a National Scholar-Athlete... As a junior was named Second Team All-Class 6A and All-Wichita City League.
Personal: Grandfather, Evert Wessel, played basketball at Wichita State from 1956-59, and father, Todd, played football at WSU... There are six basketball and two football state titles in his immediate family... The son of Todd and Kelly Wessel... Has a brother, Trevor... Also recruited by the University of Kansas to play football... Born Oct. 13, 1992 in Wichita... Graduated in May of 2015 with a B.A. in Management.
