Freshman star Andrew Rohde has St. Thomas charging into first Summit League tourney

As early as the first summer practices, St. Thomas men's basketball coach Johnny Tauer already felt certain his program discovered something special in Andrew Rohde.

Tauer didn't realize just how impactful, though.

The 6-6 guard from Milwaukee became the hidden jewel of the St. Thomas recruiting class, which included three Minnesota natives and was ranked No. 1 in the Summit League.

Rohde was named Summit League freshman of the year and earned all-league first-team and newcomer honors Thursday.

His average of 16.7 points this season ranks third highest among Division I freshmen and the best scoring average for any St. Thomas player the past 17 seasons. He's also just 16 points shy of becoming the first Tommies freshman to reach 500 points in a season.

"Andrew Rohde has been phenomenal," Tauer said. "To do the things he's doing on the court, he does it with a lot of humility and toughness. He's got a lot on his shoulders."

The fourth-seeded Tommies (18-13) make their debut in the Summit League tournament Sunday against Western Illinois in Sioux Falls, S.D. The former Division III program is not eligible to play in the NCAA tournament until 2025-26, so this conference tourney means even more.

Rohde's talent, along with balanced production from veterans and other freshmen, make St. Thomas a dangerous opponent that could spoil the hopes of teams that are fighting for an automatic NCAA bid.

"We know this is the end point of our season," Tauer said. "I think they're really grateful for this opportunity. Last year, we weren't able to go to the Summit League tournament. So, getting to do this at the end of the year is a great capstone to the season. What an opportunity."

A year ago, the Tommies ended their first season in Division I with a 10-20 record after beating Omaha to end the regular season. Four league wins was impressive for a roster almost entirely of D-III players.

Tauer's squad desperately needed a talent upgrade to make a jump in Year 2. That came in the form of the 2022 recruiting class. Minnesota fans were familiar with East Ridge's Kendall Blue, Byron's Ahjany Lee and Wayzata's Carter Bjerke, who eventually redshirted.

Blue has been a solid contributor as a freshman this season, averaging 7.4 points and 3.1 rebounds with 20 starts. The 6-9 Lee averaged 5.4 points and 4.4 rebounds off the bench.

The sleeper of the bunch is easily Rohde even after leading Brookfield Central to a state runner-up finish in the smallest division in Wisconsin. Ranked 316th among national recruits by 247Sports.com, Rohde never heard from nearby Marquette or Wisconsin. He flew under the radar basically until he arrived in St. Paul.

In his college debut, Rohde had 15 points in a 72-60 loss at then-No. 9 Creighton on Nov. 7. He averaged 22 points in the last five games of the regular season, including 27 vs. North Dakota last weekend.

"I've been able to learn from [veterans]," Rohde said. "Coach Tauer has been mentoring me. He always gives me advice and things I can get better at. That's definitely helped me out a lot to stay calm in tough situations – kind of grow as a player."

Rohde made a statement Feb. 9 in front of a sellout crowd at home vs. Oral Roberts, the undefeated No. 1 team in the Summit League. In what could be a semifinal preview — if St. Thomas advances this weekend — Rohde scored 18 of his 25 points in the first half in a 95-88 loss.

"As the game goes on, you have to find different ways to score and create for your teammates," said Rohde, who also leads his team with 3.7 assists per game. "Any game we think we can compete with anybody."

Senior guard and team captain Riley Miller said Rohde told him before the game, "I think I finally know the offense" before putting on an offensive show.

"He always had the talent," Miller said. "Now he's getting the mental side of the game and how you be composed out there."

A budding star like Rohde would likely be in the spotlight in the NCAA tournament. The Tommies wouldn't be eligible right now until his senior year, so they hope his game shines brightest in the Summit tournament for years to come.