loyola ramblers

Mike Mulligan and David Haugh were joined by Loyola men's basketball head coach Drew Valentine to discuss his surging Ramblers.

Coach Drew Valentine’s Story: 
In this episode, you’ll hear from Drew Valentine. Drew is currently the Head Coach at Loyola University Chicago. Drew was promoted to Head Coach on April 5, 2021. Prior to being named head coach, Drew was an assistant coach for Porter Moser at Loyola. As you will soon hear, Drew Valentine is all about leading. In eight seasons on various coaching staffs during his career, Coach Valentine has been a part of teams who went to the postseason seven times, including three NCAA Sweet 16 appearances, two of which resulted in trips to the Final Four. However, this podcast is about a young boy who fell in love with basketball watching SportsCenter at the age of four with his dad. Right away, you are going to hear how important Drew’s parents are to him and his brother, Denzel. Drew so eloquently expresses his love and appreciation for his parents. Drew also describes the amazing coaching and life lessons learned from Coach Greg Kampe, Coach Tom Izzo, and Coach Porter Moser. At the core of Drew’s coaching philosophy is the players he coaches. From having daily dinner with them at training tables after practice to sending weekly encouraging Friday night text messages, Coach Valentine is consistently connecting with his players and re-enforcing the Loyola Culture. As Drew so proudly says: “Culture is Everything.” Drew and his Ramblers are committed to the Culture. Finally, Drew offers some outstanding tips for young coaches in: player development, building player relationships, recruiting, networking, and simply believing in yourself as a coach. This is a wonderful 37-minute conversation about a young head coach who is wise beyond his years! 

Follow Coach Drew Valentine @CoachDrewLU 

Follow Tell Me Your Story Coach @CoachKevinDro