Homer Drew

College coach infobox


Name = Homer Drew
Sport = Basketball
| ImageWidth =
Caption = Homer Drew
DateOfBirth =
Birthplace = flagicon|United States St. Louis, Missouri
DateOfDeath =
Deathplace =
College = Valparaiso
Title = Head coach
Awards = Summit League Coach of the Year (1994, 1995, 1996, 2002)
Championships = Summit League Tournament Championship (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004)
Summit League Regular Season Championship (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004)
CurrentRecord =
OverallRecord =
Player =
Years =
Team =
Position =
Coach = *
CoachYears = 1971–1972
1972–1976
1976–1987
1987–1988
1988–2002
2003–present
CoachTeams = Washington St. (asst.)
LSU (asst.)
Bethel
Indiana-South Bend
Valparaiso
Valparaiso
CollegeHOFID =
BBallHOF =

Homer Drew is the head coach of the Valparaiso University Crusader men's basketball team. His younger son, Bryce Drew, currently serves as an associate coach under him on the men's basketball team, and his elder son Scott Drew is the head coach of Baylor University's men's basketball team after having served 9 years assisting under Homer and one year as head coach of Valparaiso. Homer Drew is best known for leading Valparaiso's improbable run in the 1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.

Early career

A native of St. Louis, Missouri, he achieved his Bachelor of Arts in physical education and social studies at William Jewell College in 1966 before completing his Master of Arts in education at Washington University in St. Louis in 1968. Drew then earned a Doctorate in educational administration from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan in 1983. Drew attained his first head coaching job at Bethel College (Indiana) from 1976-1987 and then spent one year as the head coach at Indiana University South Bend for the 1987-1988 season.

Valpo career

In 1988, Drew moved to Valparaiso University. Valpo was a model of consistency under Drew, winning both the Mid-Continent Conference regular season and tournament titles five straight seasons from 1994-1999, and again in the 2001-2002 season. In 1999-2000, he led the Crusaders to their sixth consecutive conference tournament title, and in 2000-2001 to another regular season title. This continuous success helped Drew achieve conference Coach of the Year honors three consecutive seasons, from 1993-1996.

The pinnacle of Drew's coaching career came during the 1998 NCAA Tournament. In the Midwest Region, 13-seed Valparaiso was facing 4-seed Ole Miss in the first round. Valparaiso was down 67-69 with 4.1 seconds remaining in the game, and Mississippi's Ansu Sesay at the free throw line. After missing both shots, the Crusaders came up with possession -- 94 feet from their basket, and with only 2.5 seconds remaining in the game. On the inbound, Drew called the play known as the Pacer. Jamie Sykes inbounded a long throw to Bill Jenkins, who passed the ball to his practically unguarded son, Bryce Drew. Then, as time expired, Bryce released a 23-foot 3-point shot, clinching the Crusaders' 70-69 upset and advancing them in the tournament. The Crusaders proceeded to defeat 12-seeded Florida State University 83-77 in overtime. However, the Crusaders finally fell to 8-seeded University of Rhode Island by a score of 74-68.

After coaching for another four seasons, Drew retired at the end of the 2001-2002 season and took a post as Special Assistant to the President for University Advancement. As of February 21, 2002, Drew had become one of only 19 active Division I coaches to earn his 500th career victory and mounted a 26-season career record of 505-306, a winning percentage of .623. This made him the winningest coach in Valpo history, with a 236-184 record there.

For the 2002-2003 season, his son Scott took the head coach position, but then left after one year to become the head coach at Baylor. Homer was rehired as head coach for Valparaiso's men's basketball team in August 2003, and has already led the Crusaders back to the NCAA tournament in 2004.

At the conclusion of the 2005-2006 season, Drew's career record was 555-347. His Valpo record stood at 286-225 [http://www.valpo.edu/athletics/assets/mediaguides/MBB-2006-2007-001.pdf]

Head Coaching Record

CBB Yearly Record Start
type=coach
conference=
postseason=
poll=noCBB Yearly Record Subhead
name=Bethel College
startyear=1976
conference=no
endyear=1987|CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1976-1977
name = Bethel College
overall = 19-11
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1977-1978
name = Bethel College
overall = 24-7
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1978-1979
name = Bethel College
overall = 22-13
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1979-80
name = Bethel College
overall = 23-10
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1980-1981
name = Bethel College
overall = 27-10
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1981-1982
name = Bethel College
overall = 28-6
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1982-1983
name = Bethel College
overall = 23-7
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1983-1984
name = Bethel College
overall = 18-13
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1984-1985
name = Bethel College
overall = 25-10
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1985-1986
name = Bethel College
overall = 18-14
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1986-1987
name = Bethel College
overall = 25-9
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Subtotal
name = Bethel College
overall = 252-110
confrecord = CBB Yearly Record Subhead
name=Indiana University South Bend
startyear=1987
conference=no
endyear=1988|CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1987-1988
name = Indiana University South Bend
overall = 17-12
conference =
confstanding =
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Subtotal
name = Indiana University South Bend
overall = 17-12
confrecord = CBB Yearly Record Subhead
name=Valparaiso
startyear=1988
conference=Mid-Continent Conference
endyear=2002|CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1988-1989
name = Valparaiso
overall = 10-19
conference = 4-8
confstanding = T-5th
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1989-1990
name = Valparaiso
overall = 4-24
conference = 1-11
confstanding = 7th
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1990-1991
name = Valparaiso
overall = 5-22
conference = 2-14
confstanding = 9th
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1991-1992
name = Valparaiso
overall = 5-22
conference = 2-14
confstanding = 9th
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1992-1993
name = Valparaiso
overall = 12-16
conference = 7-9
confstanding = T-6th
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1993-1994
name = Valparaiso
overall = 20-8
conference = 14-4
confstanding = T-2nd
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference tournament
season = 1994-1995
name = Valparaiso
overall = 20-8
conference = 14-4
confstanding = 1st
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference tournament
season = 1995–1996
name = Valparaiso
overall = 22-10
conference = 13-5
confstanding = 1st
postseason = NCAA 1st Round
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference tournament
season = 1996–1997
name = Valparaiso
overall = 24-7
conference = 13-3
confstanding = 1st
postseason = NCAA 1st Round
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference tournament
season = 1997-1998
name = Valparaiso
overall = 23-10
conference = 13-3
confstanding = 1st
postseason = NCAA Sweet Sixteen
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference tournament
season = 1998–1999
name = Valparaiso
overall = 23-10
conference = 10-4
confstanding = T-1st
postseason = NCAA 1st Round
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference tournament
season = 1999–2000
name = Valparaiso
overall = 19-13
conference = 10-6
confstanding = T-2nd
postseason = NCAA 1st Round
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
season = 2000–2001
name = Valparaiso
overall = 24-8
conference = 13-3
confstanding = T-1st
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference tournament
season = 2001–2002
name = Valparaiso
overall = 25-8
conference = 12-2
confstanding = 1st
postseason = NCAA 1st Round
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Subtotal
name = Valparaiso
overall = 236-183
confrecord = 128-90CBB Yearly Record Subhead
name=Valparaiso
startyear=2003
conference=Mid-Continent Conference
endyear=2007|CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference tournament
season = 2003–2004
name = Valparaiso
overall = 18-13
conference = 11-5
confstanding = 1st
postseason = NCAA 1st Round
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 2004–2005
name = Valparaiso
overall = 15-16
conference = 10-6
confstanding = 3rd
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 2005–2006
name = Valparaiso
overall = 17-12
conference = 8-8
confstanding = T-4th
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 2006–2007
name = Valparaiso
overall = 16-15
conference = 9-5
confstanding = 3rd
postseason =
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Subtotal
name = Valparaiso
overall = 66-56
confrecord = 38-24CBB Yearly Record Subhead
name=Valparaiso
startyear=2007
conference=Horizon League
endyear=|CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 2007-2008
name = Valparaiso
overall = 22-14
conference = 9-8
confstanding = T-4th
postseason = CBI Second Round
ranking = no
ranking2 = noCBB Yearly Record Subtotal
name = Valparaiso
overall = 22-14
confrecord = 9-9CBB Yearly Record End
overall=593-376

External links

* [http://www.valpo.edu/athletics/staff/HomerDrew.php Valparaiso University Bio]
* [http://www.valpo.edu/athletics/ Valparaiso University Department of Athletics]