Wally Ellenson, a 6-foot-5, 195-pound rising senior wing from Rice Lake (Wis.) High, received a scholarship offer Saturday from Minnesota Gopher head coach Tubby Smith. Ellenson, who is one of the top players in the Midwest in the Class of 2012, shined this summer as a member of Minnesota Pump N Run AAU program this summer. GopherHole.com caught with Ellenson this week to learn the latest on his recruitment.
Ellenson made an unofficial visit to Minnesota in October of 2009 and attended the Gophers’ homecoming game versus Purdue and Minnesota-Iowa basketball game in 2010 and Minnesota-Ohio State game this past season.
Ellenson helped lead Rice Lake to a 16-8 mark, losing to River Falls 46-36 in the playoffs. He averaged 21.2 points per game and scored 40 points in a 84-72 loss to Roseville in the East Metro Showcase and 36 versus Superior in a 82-70 loss. Ellenson had 25 points in a 66-63 win over St. Cloud Apollo in the Border Battle as he hit the game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer in the win over Apollo.
Ellenson led Rice Lake to a 13-11 mark as he averaged a team-best 14.8 points per game for the Warriors as a sophomore. They lost to Baldwin-Woodville 65-64 in overtime in the second round of the WIAA playoffs. He is a two-time Big Rivers Conference first-team all-conference pick.
Ellenson transferred to Rice Lake from Eau Claire Memorial, where he averaged 10.1 points per game as a freshman for the Old Abes, who finished 6-15. He was named honorable mention All-Big Rivers Conference.
Ellenson helped lead the Playground Warriors 15-and-under AAU team to runner-up finishes at the Hoosier Shootout and Kentucky Hoopfest last summer, but he switched to the Minnesota Pump N Run program this season.
His younger brother, Ellwood, a 6-foot-7 rising junior, averaged 6.8 points per game and his rising ninth grader brother, Henry, is already dunking the basketball and some say he might be the best of the three. He received calls from schools such as Purdue, Minnesota, Colorado State and Nebraska.
His father, John, played college basketball at Marquette and Wisconsin.
Ellenson is also a standout high jumper who won the Wisconsin state championship with a 6-foot-6 jump. He broke his father’s previous school record and had a jump of 6-foot-11 earlier this season. Ellenson finished seventh in the WIAA Track & Field State Championship at 6-foot-4 as a freshman and second at 6-foot-6 last season. Ellenson finished with a jump of 6-foot-8 in the Big Rivers Conference Championship as a sophomore.
Ellenson also has offers from St. Louis, Milwaukee, Oklahoma State, Utah, Nebraska, Green Bay, Detroit, Loyola, Duquesne, Northern Illinois, Illinois-Chicago, North Dakota State, Cal Poly, Dayton, Washington, Drake, Pepperdine, Holy Cross and West Virginia.
GopherHole.com caught with Ellenson this week to learn the latest on his recruitment.
GH: Minnesota head coach Tubby smith called you today. What did he say?
WE: We talked a lot. We talked about how I would fit into the program and how he has been coming to our AAU games and watching and then he offered me a scholarship.
GH: What was your reaction?
WE: I was happy. It is a nice opportunity. I just look forward to checking out the campus.
GH: I know that you had heard some from the Gophers, but maybe not as much as you would have liked. Were you surprised by the timing of the offer?
WE: My AAU coaches were talking to them and I kind of knew that it was coming.
GH: It has to make you feel pretty good that you have picked up offers from some high level schools such as Minnesota, West Virginia, Nebraska and Oklahoma State?
WE: Yes. I feel pretty good about the opportunities and seeing what one is the best is what is coming next.
GH: Have you thought about taking some unofficial visits before school starts?
WE: It will be hard to make an unofficial visit (the athlete has to pay his own way). I think that I will wait to take official visits (a maximum of five schools can pay for the trip). We are just trying to decide where we are going to take our officials to.
GH: Do you know what schools you definitely want to take official visits?
WE: No, I am still talking.
GH: Are you still open to other schools?
WE: Yes, but I am starting to nail it down now. I am looking hard at those schools more than others
GH: Did you ever have a dream school growing up?
WE: Yes. I did. Having my dad go to the Badgers and then I learned out more about the program and it didn’t really fit my style of play.
GH: I know that your mother is a Gopher fan. Was she excited about the offer?
WE: Yes. They think that it is a good opportunity as well as other schools.
GH: The nice thing about Minnesota is that you have relatives in Woodbury and it is only about a 2 and a half hour drive for your parents?
WE: Yes. It is nice how close they are, knowing that all my family can come to the games.
GH: Have you talked about trying to come to Minnesota in the next couple of weeks?
WE: Tubby mentioned it in a conversation and I haven’t really got a chance yet to talk to my parents about when I am going to visit.
GH: Have you even thought about when you might try to decide on a school?
WE: I want to decide before the high school season and probably after I take a few official visits and find the school that is right.