SJNA: DME Basketball Coaching Staff

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Ben Wisniewski

Ben Wisniewski was named the Director and Head Coach of the program in 2024. He most recently coached at Get Better Academy in the Czech Republic and was the head post grad coach at Montverde Academy, but is no stranger to Wisconsin.

Wisniewski, most recently coached at Get Better Academy in the Czech Republic, is no stranger to Wisconsin. Having grown up in New Berlin, Wisconsin, just 20 minutes from SJNA, and playing his high school basketball at New Berlin West, Wisniewski’s local knowledge and connections make him a perfect fit for the program. Wisniewski also played collegiately at Edgewood College where he is the second all-time leading scorer in the school’s history. Wisniewski also played professionally for the Saigon Heat in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, before starting his coaching career.

Wisniewski also boasts a strong coaching resume, having served as an assistant coach at Montverde Academy and a graduate assistant at the University of Washington. His list of players coached during that time features a long list of current NBA and NCAA Division I players like Matisse Thybulle (Portland Trail Blazers), Scottie Barnes (Toronto Raptors) and Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons).

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Alex Piggott

Alex was named the Director of Post Graduate Basketball on the Delafield campus in 2024...
Alex was named the Director of Post Graduate Basketball on the Delafield campus in 2024, after serving in the same role at DME Daytona campus from 2023-24. He brings a wealth of experience over the past decade, holding roles with the University of Washington, Kansas State University, and Montverde Academy where he worked alongside head coach Ben Wisniewski and the Post Grad program. As an assistant for Coach Kevin Boyle in 2019, he helped guide Montverde Academy High School team to a 25-0 record as Maxpreps National champs. Alex has been fortunate to be a part of 3 high school national championships and 2 state championships. Alex was born in Wales, United Kingdom and is a native of Overland Park, Kansas.
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Luke Thein

Luke Thein

Luke was named an asisstant coach in 2024 and has 10 years of experience coaching at the collegiate level...
Luke was named an asisstant coach in 2024 and has 10 years of experience coaching at the collegiate level coaching for Edgewood College in Madison, WI. Thein has served as the men’s basketball assistant coach (2013-14), graduate assistant (2014-16), and then served as the recruiting coordinator / assistant coach from (2016-2023). Thein ’13 is a former four-year player for the Eagles where he was a team captain as a junior and senior, a two-time NACC Conference champion, and helped the Eagles to their first NCAA tournament berth in 2012. Outside of Edgewood, Thein has coached and recruited for the Wisconsin Swing, an AAU basketball team, from (2014-2019). Thein attended Kimberly high school where he was a two-time Varsity basketball captain, a 2007 state basketball semifinalist, and 2008 state football champion. Thein brings a wealth of knowledge in recruiting the Midwest and has built many connections at the collegiate level in his 10 year coaching career at Edgewood College.

Alex was born in Wales, United Kingdom and is a native of Overland Park, Kansas.

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Bryquis Perine

Bryquis Perine

Bryquis joined as a player development coach in 2024, and brings a wealth of experience...
Bryquis joined as a player development coach in 2024, and brings a wealth of experience from a long career in Division I and professional basketball overseas.

From 2011-2021, Bryquis enjoyed a long international career as a professional player. Perine played all across Europe including, England, Sweden and France. He was also top 5 in Baltic League in scoring and led team in assists and points and he helped lead team to final eight of French League.

Since 2022, Perine has served as a basketball skills developer at Brown Deer High School, and was a Division I basketball player at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay prior to his overseas career.

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Rand

Rand Wallis

Rand joined the team in 2024, after most recently serving as a volunteer assistant for the University of Mississippi's Men's basketball program.

Rand joined the team in 2024, after most recently serving as a volunteer assistant for the University of Mississippi's Men's basketball program.

During his time at Mississippi, he worked with Assistant Coach Brian Burg with scouting opponents ,which included gathering injury reports and opponents NCAA leading stats and assisted director of video operations

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Rico Headshot

Rico Overall

Rico joined the program in 2024 as well, and brings a strong background of experience with him.
Most recently, he has served as the Assistant Women's Basketball Coach at Cleveland State Community College and as head coach of the men's AAU team the Georgia Fastbreak.
Rico joined the program in 2024 as well, and brings a strong background of experience with him. 
 
Most recently, he has served as the Assistant Women's Basketball Coach at Cleveland State Community College and as head coach of the men's AAU team the Georgia Fastbreak.
 
His playing experience began at Cleveland State CC where he was named to the first-team all-conference and finished 19th in the nation in scoring. He continued his career at Lee University where he tallied 1,000 career points and finished as the 3rd leading scorer in the conference in his senior season.
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Elaine - Trainer

Elaine Gonya

Elaine is the DME Wisconsin Licensed Athletic Trainer, tasked with keeping athletes in the program healthy through efforts in injury prevention, timely evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation.

Elaine is the DME Wisconsin Licensed Athletic Trainer, tasked with keeping athletes in the program healthy through efforts in injury prevention, timely evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation. Beyond working with DME athletes, she divides her time between serving as a senior-level Licensed Athletic Trainer for the professional baseball team, the Lake Country Dockhounds, is a college professor, and works in hospital-based Sports Health. With over 30 years working in sports medicine, her areas of specialization include Advanced-level Master Dry Needling Certification, Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) screening clinician, and within Sports Health: Performance Pitching Specialist, Shoulder Specialist, ACL Injury Prevention program development. Elaine was a college basketball coach for 12 years and brings a wealth of knowledge specifically related to the biomechanical considerations of high-level basketball players.

After completing her undergraduate studies in Sports Medicine, Physical Education, and Biological Science at Otterbein University in Ohio, Elaine Gonya received her graduate degree in Exercise Physiology and Nutrition from the University of Kansas. A university educator for more than 25 years, Elaine has taught nutrition and performance, the pathophysiology of the disease, special topics in exercise physiology and athletic training, kinesiology/biomechanics, anatomy and physiology, and exercise testing and prescription, injury assessment, and evaluation at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

During her collegiate sports career and beyond, Elaine was an Academic All-American who scored over 1000 career points in college, was recognized as a two-time NCAA All-American athlete in Heptathlon, played USA Team Handball, as well as 5 years in full-contact women’s professional football. She has completed twelve marathons, including Boston, Chicago, and the US Marine Corps. She enjoys global travel, SCUBA diving, sea kayaking, mountain biking, and telling “mom jokes” while raising three teenagers who are equally active.

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Jon Schmidt

Jon Schmidt

Jon has been with SJNA since 2017, and now serves as the Physical Education Instructor, and the Strength & Condition Coach for the DME program.

Jon has been with SJNA since 2017 and now serves as the Physical Education Instructor, and the Strength & Condition Coach for the DME program.

Personal Summary: Jon came to SJNA through his experience outside of the classroom.  He has a decade of experience in Fitness and Sports Performance training, gym management, and kids' recreational programming.  He has a passion for all athletics, including wrestling, where he was both an NCAA Division 3 All-American and Academic All-American.  Jon has coached all levels ranging from the club-youth level to NCAA Division 1. In his free time, he loves hunting, camping, and enjoying time with his son, Hank.

Education, Accreditations, Honors/Awards, Merits, & Certifications: Bachelor’s of Science in Education:  Health, Human Performance, and Recreation from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater | Master’s of Athletic Administration from The Ohio University | NSCA – Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist | USAW – Advanced Sports Performance Coach | CrossFit Certified Trainer

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