Merrill alumni inducted into Merrill Basketball Hall of Fame, fans receive Bluejay Pride Awards

The Merrill Basketball Program honored four former players on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, inducting them into the Merrill Basketball Hall of Fame during Hall of Fame Night.
“The Hall of Fame Night is one of the coolest nights on the schedule,” Merrill Boys Varsity Basketball Head Coach Troy Pieper said. “It’s so awesome to see former players and coaches come back for a night and be honored. This year we had four of the best athletes to play here. It’s great to have them back and let the community recognize them and honor them.”
The 2026 inductees are David Jesperson, Gena (Rusch) Graves, Mike Weckwerth, and Renee Sladek. Each of the four have impressive stat sheets heavily weighted with awards and recognition achieved during their time as Bluejays at Merrill High School and subsequently as they went on to represent their community at the college level.
David Jesperson played for Merrill from 2010-2013 and is the eighth all-time leading scorer in Merrill Basketball with 1,051 points. He was a two-time unanimous first team Wisconsin Valley Conference selection and helped lead Merrill to a state runner-up finish in the 2010-11 season. He holds the Merrill record for completing 87.8% of Free Throws in his Junior year. Leading the Wisconsin Valley Conference in scoring and rebounding his Senior year is also among his accolades. Jesperson went on to play college basketball at Pepperdine University and UW-Green Bay.
Gena (Rusch) Graves was a three-year Varsity letter winner from 1984-1987. She was a two-time first team All-Wisconsin Valley Conference selection and helped lead the Bluejays to an undefeated Conference Championship in 1987. Graves played college basketball at Ball State University, where she was a four-year letter winner and earned multiple academic honors. She also excelled in track and field, winning the 1987 WIAA State Championship in shot put, among her many other awards and honors for track and field and basketball.

Mike Weckwerth played Varsity basketball from 1969-1972 under Hall of Fame coach Don Kerr. He scored 661 career points and averaged 15.4 points per game. Weckwerth was a two-time second team All-Wisconsin Valley Conference selection and shared team MVP honors his Senior year. He continued his basketball career at UW-Marathon, where his team won a Conference Championship. Among his many other honors, he then continued on to play in city Leagues with his team, winning multiple championships, served as a WIAA basketball official, and was a basketball coordinator for the Badger State Games.
Renee Sladek was a four-year Varsity letter winner from 2010-2014. She was a four-time Wisconsin Valley Conference selection, including first team honors her final three years, and was named Wisconsin Valley Conference Player of the Year her Senior season. Sladek scored 704 career points despite missing numerous games after tearing her ACL. She played collegiately at Northern Illinois and was named to the Mid-American Conference’s All-Academic Team. Despite being plagued by injuries, Sladek left her mark on the game.
Two other women also made their mark on the game, but not out on the court. Louise Pyan and Karen Radloff have been loyal fans for the Merrill Bluejays for many years, showing up in the stands to support the Merrill Basketball Program, along with its players and coaches. And for this, the Merrill Basketball Program also wanted to recognize them.
At the Hall of Fame Night, Pyan and Radloff were presented the Bluejay Pride Award, much to their surprise. “They have been coming to Bluejay games for years and years through the ups and downs. They are always a fixture in the stands,” Pieper said.
They are “two of the most dedicated and loyal fans of Merrill Basketball and Merrill sports in general,” he said. Their “loyalty, passion, and support have helped define what it means to be part of the Bluejay family.”
“Louise Pyan and Karen Radloff have been fixtures in our stands for years, showing up night after night, season after season, not because they had to, but because they care. Their presence, their encouragement, and their pride in our program have made a lasting impact on our players, our coaches, and our community. This award represents commitment, tradition, and unwavering support, and no two people embody those qualities more than Louise and Karen.”