A fixture on the sidelines for more than two decades, Dr. Homer Drew led Valparaiso University to 371 victories and nine postseason appearances while at the helm of the Crusader basketball program, and on Saturday, February 4, he will be inducted into the Valparaiso University Athletics Hall of Fame. 

Drew ended his career, which also included stints at Bethel (Ind.) and IU-South Bend, with 640 career victories over 34 seasons overall, where he ranked sixth among active Division I coaches at the time of his retirement.  The nine postseason appearances include seven trips to the NCAA Tournament, highlighted by the Crusaders’ run to the Sweet 16 in 1998. 

A four-time Mid-Continent Conference Coach of the Year, Drew led the Brown and Gold to eight regular season conference championships, eight conference tournament titles, and 10 20-win seasons.  He has had 35 players go on to play professional basketball or baseball.

Drew has also been honored as one of the 150 most influential people in Valparaiso University history and was presented in 1999 with the Lumen Christi Medal, the University’s highest honor, in recognition of a lay person’s distinguished service to church and society.

He also has received the Mid-Continent Conference’s Commissioner’s Award of Merit in 2002 and was honored with the Naismith Good Sportsmanship Award in 1998.  In 2010, the playing floor in the arena of Athletics-Recreation Center was named in his honor.  He is currently an associate director of athletics at Valparaiso University.

The Valparaiso University Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Banquet will be held on Saturday, Feb. 4 in the Community Room of the Christopher Center on campus.  The banquet is slated to begin at 3:30 p.m.  The cost of the banquet is $30 per person for the buffet dinner and reservations can be made by calling Sharon Jackson at 219.464.5471 or 800.803.7184 ext. 72.  The deadline for making reservations is Monday, Jan. 30.