KANSAS CITY, Mo.-Sunday, former Utah men’s basketball head coach Rick Majerus (1989-2004), will be posthumously inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the 2019 class alongside two of his coaching peers and six players.
This ceremony will commence at 5:30 pm MST and the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the NCBHOF will provide a live stream via their Facebook and Twitter accounts.
While coaching the Utes, Majerus went 323-95 (.773), winning five WAC titles and making appearances in both the Final Four and national championship game in 1998.
Majerus led the Utes to 11 overall NCAA Tournament appearances and was named as the 1991 Basketball Times National Coach of the Year.
He led Utah to a 30-4 record in 1990-91, a feat he equaled during the 1997-98 season.
Overall, Majerus was 517-216 (.705) as a college basketball head coach. He also had stints at Marquette (1983-1986), Ball State (1987-89) and Saint Louis (2007-2012).
Majerus was widely renowned for his jovial personality, always availing himself to media with his quick sense of humor, much of which was self-depreciating because of his rotund appearance.
Other coaches to be inducted include 1997 national-championship winner Lute Olson, who won the title at Arizona where he coached from 1983-2007, going 587-190 (.755) for the Wildcats. The Tucson, Ariz. staple resides in the city to this day where he is a popular resident among locals.
Olson was 776-285 (.731) all-time as a head coach, also coaching at Long Beach State (1973-74) and Iowa (1974-1983).
Legendary Valparaiso head coach Homer Drew will also be enshrined. He was the head coach exclusively for the Crusaders (1988-2011), going 370-306 (.547) and leading the squad to seven NCAA Tournament appearances including a famous upset of Mississippi in the opening round of the 1998 NCAA Tournament.
This saw his son, guard Bryce Drew, hit a buzzer-beating shot to stun the Rebels, 70-69. The Crusaders advanced to the Sweet 16 that season as they also upset Florida State 83-77 in the Round of 32.
The players to be inducted include star Indiana guard Calbert Cheaney (1990-1993, 19.8 points, 5.4 rebounds per game), Duke forward Shane Battier (1997-2001, 13.6 points, 6.1 rebounds per game, 2001 national champion) Purdue center Terry Dischinger (1959-1962, 28.3 points, 13.7 rebounds per game), Providence guard Ernie DeGrigorio (1970-1973, 20.5 points, 7.7 assists per game), UNLV forward Larry Johnson (1990-1991, 21.6 points, 11.2 rebounds per game, 1990 national champion) and Stanford guard Todd Lichti (1985-1989, 18.8 points, 5.3 rebounds per game, a career 84 percent free throw shooter.
