Valpo's first, 1st-round NBA draft pick, Bryce Drew's presence defined an era that produced four straight seasons in which the Crusaders captured both the Mid-Continent Conference regular season and tournament championships.

In his sophomore, junior and senior years, Drew helped Valpo advance to the NCAA Tournament. The 1998;Big Dance; was highlighted by Drew's buzzer-beating, 3-point basket to defeat Mississippi in the first round. After scoring 22 points versus Ole Miss, he tallied 22 points in the overtime win over Florida State that vaulted Valpo to its only Sweet Sixteen appearance.

A strong leader both on and off the court, Drew was selected Third Team All-America by Basketball Times in 1998. Now a member of the New Orleans Hornets, Drew was a two-time Mid-Con Player of the Year (1997 - 1998), three-time First Team All-Mid-Con selection (1996, 1997, 1998) and three-time Mid-Con Tournament MVP (1995 as a freshman, 1996 & 1998). The all-time leading scorer in Valpo history (2,142 points), Drew is also the Crusaders; all-time leader in 3-point field goals (364), assists (626) and field goals (696), while standing second in steals (186). He is also currently the Mid-Con's all-time leader in 3-point field goals and assists, and ranks third in scoring. Drew still holds Valpo's single-game record for 3-point field goals with nine.

A member of the undefeated USA Gold Medal team at the 1997 World University Games, Drew was the 16th pick in the 1998 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets. After playing two seasons with Houston, he was traded to the Chicago Bulls in 2000. For the last two seasons, Drew has been a member of the Hornets, who played in Charlotte before moving to New Orleans last year.