Ty Hoglund’s 2,620 career points aren’t by accident.

Dakota Wesleyan University’s All-American guard will finish as one of the all-time leading scorers in school and South Dakota collegiate history.

His career will be defined by clutch shots, high-scoring games and dazzling plays. But all the points, all the plays and all the fist pumps are the fruits of his labor. Hoglund’s ability to light up the scoreboard is the perfect storm of God-given talent and hours of dedication.

“Obviously he’s supremely talented,” DWU coach Matt Wilber said. “But he’s self-made in the fact he’s in the gym more than anybody else on our basketball team and he has been for four years. He’s led our team in hours in the gym and greatness can happen when you’ve got talent like that.”

The greatness has been on display four straight seasons and it’s more of the same his senior campaign. He’s leading DWU in scoring at 22.4 points per game. He’s got the Tigers on the brink of his fourth-straight national tournament appearance.

Despite the end in sight, Hoglund doesn’t get nostalgic about it and is attacking each day like he attacks the rim.

“I am going to keep going about my days the same way,” Hoglund said. “This season, it’s going to end some time. But I am going to continue to work my butt off, be a good leader, be a good person to my teammates.”

That mentality is what makes Hoglund unique. His swagger and confidence make him DWU’s unquestioned leader. He’s always encouraging and supportive to his teammates.

He’s the loudest player in the gym and his voice reverberates at practice. Here’s a sampling of Hoglund’s positive words at a recent Corn Palace practice, urging on his teammates:

• “Get going, Jeff! Get going, Jeff!”

• “Gotta go faster!”

• “Good job. Keep being hungry to be better. Tigers on 3!”

It’s that kind of attitude why Wilber says -- with tongue-in-cheek -- Hoglund could coach the Tigers.

“He could probably be one of the very few guys ever that could probably operate as a player-coach and be successful at it,” Wilber said. “His voice carries as much, if not more weight than mine does.”

Hoglund’s infectious personality makes him a natural leader. He’s a “goofball,” and an “odd cat,” said senior teammate Collin Kramer. But that’s what draws people to him.

“He’s personable. He’s real and anytime he’s talking to you, he’s being himself,” Kramer said. “I think that makes it easy for people to like him and he attracts people just because he’s nice.”

Kramer and Hoglund played AAU basketball together for the Dakota Schoolers. But Kramer didn’t realize how much of a leader and tireless worker Hoglund was until they joined the Tigers.

Kramer recalls going through grueling preseason workouts and being exhausted. It didn’t matter to Hoglund because there were still shots to be made.

“I am laying in bed, can’t move and he’s like, ‘You want to go shoot some shots?’ I am like, ‘Oh my God,’ ” Kramer said. “Once I lived with him and we were roommates, it really shined how much time he puts in. I don’t think people overlook it, but I don’t think they realize the hours and the sacrifices and things that he’s given up.”

Born to play

Hoglund seemed destined to be in this position.

Ty’s father -- Mick -- was a basketball coach and he’s largely responsible for igniting Ty’s love for hoops. Mick let Ty and his sister, Morgan, tag along to practices. Ty was always observative and said he knew the Dell Rapids girls basketball sets by the first grade.

“I spent a couple hours in the gym after school every single day,” Ty said. “I thank him for that and I thank my mom (Shauna) for letting me go and do that. But it was just a lot of fun for me and I never dread going there. I never dread picking up a basketball. It’s been a game my whole life and it’s been unbelievably fun.”

He was always attracted to sports and didn’t seem interested in much else at a young age.

“I think Shauna tried to buy him some other type of presents,” Mick said. “He would play with those for like two seconds -- a truck or whatever -- and then he would go back to the ball. He’s always gravitated toward baseball or a basketball and golf.”

Mick was Wilber’s high school basketball coach at Dell Rapids. Wilber played amateur baseball for the Dell Rapids Mudcats and often saw Ty running around the baseball fields. Prior to coaching the Tigers, Wilber was co-owner and director of the Tibbetts Instructional Basketball School (TIBBS). He worked a camp in Dell Rapids the summer before Hoglund’s freshman season and that’s where their relationship took off.

“He asked me one time, ‘Who is the leader on this team?’ ” Ty said. “I responded with ‘I don’t know.’ He said, ‘You have to be a leader.’ Right then, I was like, ‘Wow, this dude knows what he is talking about.’ He’s been a big influence in my life through that whole recruitment process.”

Wilber landed the DWU job in 2013 and offered Hoglund a scholarship shortly after taking the position. Wilber told Hoglund he wouldn’t attend many of his games, but guaranteed a spot would be there for him.

Hoglund evolved into one of the state’s premier players. He was a 5-foot-8, 130-pound freshman, but sprouted to 6-foot-2 as a sophomore and landed on the second-team all-state team. He was a first-team all-stater the next two seasons, leading Dell Rapids to a state runner-up finish as a junior and was the state’s Mr. Basketball as a senior in 2016.

He committed to DWU the fall of his senior season and knew almost immediately it was the right fit for him. He visited with some professors, watched practice and was sold.

“I don’t even think my mom and I were to the Salem exit (on I-90) yet on the way home and I told her I wanted to come here,” Hoglund said.

Northern State University and the University of Sioux Falls were also in the mix. He had aspirations of playing for South Dakota State University growing up. The Jacks never offered, but Hoglund found the perfect fit.

“If I wanted to go SDSU, I would have gone to SDSU and maybe walked on or something like that,” Hoglund said. “But I chose Dakota Wesleyan because I love Dakota Wesleyan with my whole heart. I have invested these last four years into this program and it’s paid off.”

He’s turned into a fan favorite at the Corn Palace. The left-hander can finish with either hand at the rim and he’s within range seemingly anywhere on the court. He’s just as likely to high five a courtside fan as he is a teammate after a big play. He plays with unmatched passion and Mick knows all too well the enjoyment his son gets from playing basketball.

“I just know how much fun Ty loves to play and I like watching that,” Mick said. “I like watching my son have a good time. He’s feels more comfortable on the basketball court probably than anywhere in the world.”

Hoglund is third on DWU’s all-time scoring list, behind only Alan Miller (2,920) and Scott Morgan (2,810). The DWU trio occupies the No. 3 to No. 5 slots on the state’s all-time scoring list. SDSU’s Mike Daum (3,067) and Northern State’s Eric Kline (3,062) are first and second, respectively.

Hoglund can’t help but appreciate the magnitude of being mentioned with the group of scorers.

“You hear them talk about these South Dakota legends from 20 years ago and to think my name might possibly be in that same conversation with them in years to come, that’s pretty cool,” Hoglund said.

Leaving an impact

Hoglund’s days of suiting up for the Tigers are numbered. DWU will finish the regular season today at Hastings College and it will host at least one Great Plains Athletic Conference tournament game on Wednesday. The national tournament is in Sioux Falls, just a short drive from Dell Rapids.

Hoglund has helped the Tigers log 90 wins over the past four seasons, but Wilber said his impact extends beyond wins and losses.

“Graduation is real in college basketball,” Wilber said. “We are going to deal with it with Ty and this senior class is really special. But there’s going to be a hole left in our program that won’t be filled. It’s just we are going to move on from that. That hole is going to stay there because of what he does.”

Ty is going to graduate in May with a business finance degree and is still contemplating his next move. He is weighing a financial advisor job in Sioux Falls and is considering playing professional basketball overseas.

He isn’t sure when he’ll decide, but the thought of playing professional basketball intrigues him. He’s also not quite ready to give up playing the game he’s grown to love so much.

“Basketball, there’s just something about it,” he said. “I love playing in front of people. I just love jelling with my team and all the things that go hand and hand with basketball. The road trips. The friendships. The relationships. It’s been quite a blessing.”

Top-10 SD collegiate men's basketball scorers

1. Mike Daum, 3,067 (SDSU)

2. Eric Kline 3,062 (Augie/Northern)

3. Alan Miller 2,920 (DWU)

4. Scott Morgan, 2,810 (DWU)

5. Ty Hoglund, 2,599 (DWU)

6. Brett Schwartz, 2,581 (DSU)

7. Herm Braxton, 2,506 (Huron)

8. Doug Schlepp, 2,440 (SÐ Tech)

9. Scott Bosanko, 2,424 (NSU)

10. Justin Bonnichsen, 2,380 (Mount Marty)