Oilers are Talented and Hungry for Success

The Oilers are coming off of a season in which they finished 24-4 overall with a 16-3 record in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC).  The Oilers won their ninth South Division title in the past ten years, but had to deal with disappointment as they failed to qualify for the NCAA Division II Tournament. 

This season, the Oilers will be looking ahead to competing for another conference championship with the opportunity to reach the national tournament under the direction of head coach Charlie Ernst, who takes over for the retired Ron Niekamp.

"We want to win the South and our players expect to do just that," said Ernst.  "We have a nice blend of experience and youth, which should help us reach our goals.  We like our athleticism and skill level, but we need to learn to be consistently tough on the defensive side of the ball."

Overall, the Oilers return nine players who saw action in games last season.  They also added three freshmen to the mix and appear to be very deep on paper.

"We believe our team has tremendous depth," said Ernst.  "Because of that, we are going to play a little faster pace compared to what we have in the past.  Hopefully our depth will allow us to wear teams down and consistently put pressure on our opponents."

At point guard, the Oilers return first team all-conference selection Kyle Caiola, who is primed for another outstanding season as a senior this year.

"Kyle had a great off-season and really got stronger," said Ernst.  "He has always been a gifted athlete, but by getting stronger, he has set himself up for the rigors of going through the season as a marked man."

As a junior, Caiola averaged 14.0 points and 2.5 assists per game.  He also connected on 50.6 percent of his field goal attempts, 88.7 percent of his shots from the free throw line and 42.7 percent of his attempts from behind the three point stripe.  He also averaged 1.6 steals per game and reach double figures in 25 contests during the year.

During his collegiate career, which spans two years at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell and The University of Findlay, Caiola has scored 1,435 points.

Backing up Caiola will be sophomore Sean Samsel, who averaged 4.0 points per game during his inaugural campaign.

"Sean also had a great off-season and has gotten stronger," said Ernst.  "He has good understanding of the position and will play a key role this year."

At the wings, the Oilers have a number of options as the team possesses a handful of players who can play multiple positions.

Junior Aaron Robinson and sophomore Greg Kahlig headline the group as both will be counted on to provide production on both ends of the floor.

Robinson returns after earning a spot on the GLIAC all-defensive team last year.  As a sophomore, Robinson averaged 10.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per game.

"Aaron is one of the best defenders to put on an Oilers uniform," said Ernst.  "He is tremendously athletic and becoming more consistent on the offensive side of the floor."

Robinson also shot 89.1 percent from the free throw line and scored in double figures 17 times on the season.

Kahlig averaged 8.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game last year for Findlay and is expected to have an even bigger impact on offense during his second season with the team.

"Greg is a great scorer," said Ernst.  "He will play a key role in the success of our team and if he is able to consistently knock down three pointers, he will be very difficult to defend."

Freshmen Jake Heagen and Josh Brown will also see minutes on the wings as both are talented and athletic.

Heagen was named the Ohio Division II Player of the Year as a senior at John Glenn High School and has the versatility to play multiple positions at the collegiate level.  He was also selected as the Muskingum Valley, District 12 and Eastern District Player of the Year for his performances during his senior season.

"Jake has a bright future in our program," said Ernst.  "He is tough, athletic and active, which will make him a difficult match-up for most teams."

Brown comes to Findlay after playing on a highly successful Southfield High School team, which made back-to-back trips to the Michigan State Tournament Final Four.

"Like Aaron, Josh is a stopper on defense," said Ernst.  "He has great athleticsim and plays bigger than he is."

At forward, junior Jack Smith returns after averaging 7.5 points and 3.7 rebounds per game during his sophomore season.

"Jack has really matured," said Ernst.  "He has always had the talent of being an all-conference player, but he needs to perform more consistently.  We are looking for him to have a breakout season this year."

Smith also scored in double figures ten times last season and shot 46.4 percent from the floor.

Sophomore Mark Frilling will also return to the forward position and is primed to have a bigger role this year in his second season.

"Mark will quickly become a fan favorite due to his effort level," said Ernst.  "He gets as much out of his ability than anyone on our team."

The center position has the most depth and will present the coaching staff with a number of options in which to choose from.

Senior Rob Marsden and junior Brad Piehl headline the group as both have registered extensive playing time during their careers.

Marsden returns after averaging 1.8 points and 1.2 rebounds per game and has been a starter at the position before during his career.

"Rob has had an up-and-down career, but is primed for a successful senior season," said Ernst.  "He has worked really hard and his talent is undeniable."

Piehl returns after averaging 6.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game last year as a sophomore, starting nine games for the Oilers in the post.

"We got a glimpse of Brad last year and are looking for him to have more of a key role this season," said Ernst.  "He is highly skilled and can stretch the defense."

Red-shirt sophomore Chris Baldwin also returns and will join freshman Kaspars Brencans in fighting for minutes at the center position.

"Chris has started each of the past two seasons with injuries and it set him back," said Ernst.  "He is one of our top athletes, which is rare for a center.  Kaspars meanwhile has a lot of qualities that excite us.  He plays hard, is athletic and defends well."