Chris “The Bopper” Braier excelled because of his innate ability to lead others by example and his perseverance and aggressiveness on the basketball court, football field, and in life. He was captain of both the basketball and football team and received All-Conference and All-Area honors in both sports. In his senior year, Braier led the basketball team to the state semifinals, which ultimately earned him 2nd Team All-State honors. Further, the basketball team earned a 45-5 record in his two years as a varsity starter. In addition to his feats as an athlete, Braier was an active member of the National Honor Society and an Academic All-Conference member. After graduating, Braier continued to pursue his basketball and academic career at Lawrence University, where he was a three-time All American, 2nd team Academic All-American in 2006, and 2006 Division III National Player of the year. Braier was the only player in the 100-year history of the Midwest Conference to record over 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in his career. Braier’s most incredible achievement was being awarded the Jostens Trophy, an honor given annually to one student athlete in the country who excels in the classroom, community, and on the basketball court. This prestigious award landed Braier in Sports Illustrated’s “Faces in the Crowd.” Following college graduation, Braier played basketball professionally in Europe for three years. He came back to coach the Tosa East JV basketball team during the 2008-2009 season.
