Another product of the Valparaiso University men’s basketball program entered the ranks of professional basketball players on Friday, as it was announced that Shane Hammink had signed a professional contract with Bilbao Basket of Liga ACB in Spain – the top professional basketball division of the Spanish basketball league system. Hammink becomes the 47^th former Crusader in the last 24 years to go on to play professionally.

Hammink helped lead the Crusaders to 54 wins, a pair of Horizon League regular season championships and two bids to the Postseason NIT in his two seasons at Valpo. He was a key component of the 2015-16 squad which won a school-record 30 games and advanced to the NIT title game. Last season, he averaged 15.1 points and 3.9 rebounds per game as the Crusaders won 24 games and earned an at-large berth into the NIT. He closed his Valpo career with 809 points scored (11.9 ppg), shooting at a 50% clip from the field and an 80% clip from the foul line over his two seasons.

Bilbao Basket has been a member of Liga ACB since the 2004-05 season and has finished in 10^th place in the 17-team league each of the last two years. Bilbao will also represent Spain in this coming season’s EuroCup for the fifth time in the last six years.

Hammink becomes the second player from last year’s squad to join the Crusader legacy of professional players, as Alec Peters was drafted last week by the NBA’s Phoenix Suns.