Kevin Van Wijk has joined the Crusader men's basketball team. (Ray Acevedo)
Valparaiso men’s basketball
head coach Homer Drew announced
today that Kevin Van Wijk, a 6’8”,
230 lb. forward from the Netherlands,
has joined the Crusader squad effective immediately. Van Wijk will have three seasons of
eligibility for the Crusaders beginning with the 2010-2011 season.
“We are thrilled to have Kevin join our men’s basketball
team,” said Drew. “He plays quite
similar to Cory Johnson in that he
is very active around the basket and is a very aggressive player. We are looking forward to working with him.”
Van Wijk most recently spent a year in the Post Graduate
program at the Canarias Basketball Academy
in the Canary Islands, and also brings
experience in national and continental competition. He led all players at the 2007 Spanish Junior
Championships with 13 rebounds per game and was a member of the All-Tournament
team playing for Gran Canaria. He also
led the Netherlands
at the 2005 U16 European Championships, averaging 15.6 points and 11.7 rebounds
per game.
“It feels really good to be here in Valpo as a member of the
men’s basketball team,” said Van Wijk.
“I talked a lot with [associate head coach] Bryce Drew before deciding to come here, and he was just really
interested in me and what I was doing the last couple years. The size of the school was important to me
too, because I wanted a smaller school.
Then, talking with Coach [Homer] Drew, I just really felt right at home,
and all the coaches and teammates have really made me feel welcomed since I
arrived.”
Van Wijk is the
second newcomer for the Crusaders’ 2010-2011 season, joining freshman guard Jay Harris. Both Harris and Van Wijk will be joining the
Valpo returnees on the preseason foreign tour to Cancun
August 8-13.
|
Print
