A new season brings a new coach and new energy to the boys

The new coach of the Cotter varsity boys basketball team, Dan Messmann,  brings a lot of experience as a first year coach.  He has coached at Hope Lutheran high school  for nine years. In addition to that, he has also coached at WSU, UW-Lacrosse, and Saint Mary’s, and was once an assistant at Cotter.

“I am very excited about the opportunity I have been entrusted with and with the coaching staff that we will have I believe we are well prepared.” He also states “that we work as best we can and take advantage of the opportunities that we are blessed with each and everyday.”

Cotter will have a few seniors that are key returning players such as frontline players Talyn Gilbertson, Jack Gardner, and Laken Macal, according to Messman.

He says  “Their leadership and work ethic will be a great foundation for the program”  and they “will be leaned on heavily.”

Juniors counted on to contribute include Andrew Hinz, Jake Mueller, Joey Renk, Tony Wan, and Ethan Glodowski.

The Ramblers will be without sophomore Charlie Reilly, who was one of their leading scorers in the summer. Reilly tore his ACL in football and is out for the season.

The team will also need underclassmen to step up and Connor Yocum and Cale Beckman are two sophomores that could see time.

The team is hoping to use the early practices to work on defensive intensity and ball security to give the team a shot at being competitive against a tough schedule.

Messmann’s assistants include Ryan Todd, in his second year in the program, and Eldridge McClatchey, who brings years of coaching in Winona at the YMCA and WABO programs.

Messmann says that he is looking forward to the Rushford-Peterson and St.Charles games this season, as they are two of the top teams in the area.

Cotters first varsity game is Tuesday, December 4, at Lanesboro.