PHOENIX — Grand Canyon University's men's basketball team will have a new coach for the first time in seven years.
Bryce Drew, a three-time NCAA tournament head coach, has been selected by the university to work as its new men’s basketball head coach.
“We are unbelievably excited to have Bryce Drew lead our basketball program into its next phase of development,” GCU President Brian Mueller said in a statement.
“Bryce built a very successful mid-major program at Valparaiso and proved he can recruit at a high level at Vanderbilt but, most importantly, he embodies the Christian mission of the University in how he lives his life both on and off the court.”
Drew served as head coach at Valparaiso, and at Vanderbilt, where he qualified for his third NCAA tournament visit as a head coach in 2017.
He has a career coaching record of 164-108 (.603), including a program-record season of 30 wins in his final year at Valparaiso.
“It begins with the mission of the university and the vibrant Christian atmosphere and how it’s moved out beyond the campus into the surrounding neighborhoods and the city,” Drew said in a statement.
“My wife and I fell in love with the campus and the area. Even with the mission and how great the campus is, it has fantastic people.”
The 45-year-old will become the university's 14th head coach.
Dan Majerle was fired by Grand Canyon University as its head basketball coach last week.
The Antelopes finished the season 13-17, its worst performance in the seven years under Majerle’s tenure.
The decision was announced hours after the WAC canceled the tournament over coronavirus concerns.
