Recruiting Report: Luke Schwartzhoff (2020)

Jared Martinson

June 13, 2019 @ 10:01 AM

The Three Rivers Conference is one of the most renowned in outstate Minnesota. 6-foot-7 forward Luke Schwartzhoff is motivated to add La Crescent to the list of top teams south of the metro. The Lancers were 20-7 in 2018-19 falling in the Section 1AA semifinals to eventual State participant Lake City. Schwartzhoff led the team in scoring at 16 per game while fellow junior Zach Todd poured in 15 a night. They both return next season to lead the charge but Schwartzhoff knows the senior leadership will be missed. "We will lose three key seniors in Thomas Kiesau, Romy Whitford and Grant Nutter," he said. "We have some underclassmen who are hungry and ready to fill those spots. "I think we will have a very competitive squad playing in a tough TRC conference, we are looking to keep improving every season as we have been." At his size and length not many can match up in inches with Schwartzhoff and he's added lots of lateral agility over the last year to make himself a more impactful player on both ends. He rebounds well and runs the floor in transition fluidly, skills that translate well to his opportunity with the Minnesota Lightning grassroots club. "We have a group of Section 1AA guys and all my teammates are great players and friends now as well," Schwartzhoff said. "We play well as a team." The Lightning are 11-9 on the season and have a couple impressive wins over the Northern Lakers and SW MN Stars. They'll finish out the summer at the Summer Slam in Sioux Falls and back in the Twin Cities for the PH Circuit finals. Schwartzhoff's teammate Zach Todd, Lake City's Jake Wohlers and Zumbrota-Mazeppa's Zach Hutton have turned heads this spring showing what the small-school southern Minnesota prospects are made of. As for what to expect down the road from Schwartzhoff, he's evolved as a reasonable threat from deep and finishes well at the basket. He says he's working on creating his own shot and expanding his game on the perimeter. Local D3s have reached out. "I have been in contact with UW-La Crosse, St. Mary's and the University of Chicago," he said. "I met with (U of Chicago) coach Mike McGrath earlier this week. I have also heard from the University of Dallas."