WINONA, Minn. – Basketball player Ariel Riak, who was stabbed to death in his native Australia over the weekend, arrived at Winona State University in 2019 from Southeastern Community College in Burlington, Iowa. With the Southeastern Blackhawks, Riak played 26 games as a freshman and 28 as a sophomore. He shot over 30% from the field both years. He averaged 3.9 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. He started 16 games as a sophomore. The team had a 27-5 record, won the Region XI Championship, and qualified for the NJCAA Division I national tournament.
WSU performance
In his junior year at Winona State, Riak played 19 games. His season-best was seven points vs. MSU-Moorhead. He grabbed five rebounds against Minnesota-Crookston. In his senior year he appeared in nine games and averaged 2.9 minutes per game. He scored three points against Concordia of St. Paul.
Riak. In Southeastern colors. A forward. Six-foot-8 and 221 pounds. His hometown was Perth in western Australia.