Senior averaged 17.5 points per game
By Holly Neumann
Iola-Scandinavia High School senior Kenny Holz will take his basketball skills to Concordia University in St. Paul, Minnesota.
“I feel extremely grateful to have the opportunity to play basketball after high school,” he said. “It’s very humbling to see all the years of hard work payoff.”
Concordia is a Division 2 program and competes in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
Iola-Scandinavia boys’ basketball coach Sam Bertsch said he is proud of Holz’s accomplishments.
“He is proof that if you set your dreams and goals high enough, you will succeed,” he said.
Holz averaged 17.5 points and five rebounds per game and finished with 804 career points, good enough for seventh place in school history.
“I am happy for Kenny to get the opportunity to play at Concordia University, especially being a Division 2 program,” Bertsch said. “I don’t think many people know how hard it is to play basketball beyond high school. In my 15 years as a head coach, we’ve had some talented boys go through the program. In that time, we’ve had three players play at the next level: one at D3 and two played junior college.”
Holz thanked his coaches, community and family for their support.
“I can’t thank Iola-Scandinavia High School and the community enough,” he said. “I’ve learned so much and met so many great people here and thanks to my entire family for all sacrifice they made to make this happen.”
Holz expects to fit in well at Concordia.
“It has that small-town, big-city feel,” he said. “The coaching staff treated me like family. Not only do they have an amazing basketball program, but great academics as well.”
Holz, who plans to major in sports management or exercise science, hopes to bring a lot of energy to the team.
“I’m looking forward to the challenge,” he said. “I know I’m going to be challenged in almost every way possible, but I am going to keep working hard and be ready.”