University of Minnesota Duluth fourth-year head coach Justin Wieck has announced the signing of two student-athletes to become members of the Men's basketball team. The 2022 recruiting class features two players from the state of Minnesota. Nick Katona (Shakopee, Minn.) and Caleb Siwek (Rosemount, Minn.) make up Coach Wieck's fourth recruiting class for the Bulldogs. 

"We couldn't be more excited with the talent of these two young men," said Wieck. "These guys were our top two targets that we identified early in the recruiting process, and we were able have them join our program in 2022. We are committed to recruiting the best local players that fit who we are at UMD and where our program is headed in the future. Both are extremely talented players, exemplify the values & high character of our program, come from fantastic families, and fit the great academic profile that UMD has to offer."

Katona is a 6-foot-7 wing from Shakopee, Minn. Nick plays for Shakopee High School, under head coach Jacob Dammann. He is listed as the No. 17 ranked prospect in the Minnesota 2022 class and the No. 4 Small Forward by Prep Hoops Minnesota. He averaged 11.9 points, 9.1 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game as a junior, helping lead his team to a 17-6 record and a MN AAAA State Tournament appearance. Katona was honored as Section Defensive Player of the Year, as well as earning all-conference and all-metro awards. Nick also excelled in the classroom, earning Academic all-state recognition. Nick played travel AAU basketball with the Minnesota Fury Basketball club. He is the son of Attilla & Sarah Katona. Nick's older brother, Charlie, is a current member of the UMD Men's Basketball program.

"Nick brings a big time dynamic to our team next year," said Wieck. "Nick's best attribute is that his motor is always running at maximum level. He is a competitor that can affect a game in multiple ways. His combination of size, athleticism, skill and basketball IQ will allow him to be a very versatile asset to our program. He led his team to the state tournament last year and had a phenomenal high-level summer against some of the best competition in the country. We love what Nick brings to the Bulldog Basketball family."

"I chose to be a Bulldog because of the relationship I built with the coaches," said Katona. "The families in the program are amazing and having the chance to compete again with my brother is something I couldn't pass up."

Siwek is a 6-foot-2 combo guard from Rosemount, Minn. Caleb plays for Rosemount High School under head coach Lance Walsten. He is listed as the No. 22 ranked prospect in the Minnesota 2022 class and the No. 3 shooting guard by Prep Hoops Minnesota. He averaged 20.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game as a junior while leading his team to a 15-7 record and a MN AAAA State Tournament appearance. Siwek was a 3^rd Team all-state selection as well as earning Section Player of the Year honors. Siwek played travel AAU basketball with the Howard Pulley Basketball club. Caleb is the son of Curt & Jennifer Siwek.

"Caleb was our one and only guard target for the past 18 months in the 2022 class," said Wieck. "He brings a big-time scoring punch to our guard position. Caleb can stretch the floor to the three-point line, but also works tremendously in our ball screen offense. His feel & IQ will allow him to help us immediately next year. Caleb played at a high-level nationally this past summer, proving to be a high-level scorer against tough competition. He's a tremendous fit into our UMD Basketball Family."

"I chose UMD because it instantly felt like the right fit from the first time I stepped on campus," said Siwek. "The culture is different up in Duluth. The players and coaches are all in and it has reflected with a great start to the season. I'm excited to be a Bulldog! I can't wait to impact the program even more and play with a great group of guys."


The Bulldogs have started the 2021-22 season off strong, currently holding an 8-0 record and ranked #17 in the country by the D2SIDA Top 25 rankings. The 8-0 record is the best start to a season ever in Bulldog program history. The Bulldogs next host Minnesota Crookston on Saturday, December 4^th at 2:00pm in Romano Gymnasium.