Sports Editor
PUC honors two at halftime of homecoming game
Miniature-sized replica basketballs were thrown to the homecoming crowd on Saturday night, with PUC legend John Friend's headshot on the ball.
Friend, who headed PUC's athletic program from 1980 until his retirement in 2001 and served as athletics consultant last year during dire days, was introduced as the inaugural inductee of the Purdue Calumet Athletic Hall of Fame.
A banner located at the south-west corner of the REC Center recognizing Friend was presented between games of the PUC-Judson doubleheader homecoming basketball game.
"It's pretty humbling," Friend said wearing his Purdue sweater proudly. "I was lucky to be here. I've enjoyed it and I'm very proud of the time I had here."
Former basketball player Brenda (Clark) Drook received the Purdue Alumni Association-Calumet's annual Bob Hayes Athletic Alumni Award at halftime of the men's game.
Drook was the starting point guard for PUC during the mid-1980s. She became the third female in Indiana high school history this season to serve as head coach of a varsity boys basketball team (Hebron High School).
The Bob Hayes Athletic Alumni award is presented annually to a former PUC athlete or graduate who distinguished themselves after their PUC graduation. Hayes toiled 37 years at PUC, serving as athletic director, coach, faculty member and sports statician.
Friend was active in having PUC become a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, after studying what it would take to have PUC become a Division I member in the NCAA.
"We studied membership into the NCAA in the late '80s and they raised the bar on the requirements," Friend said. "They required 14 sports and our funding was entirely out of student fees. We were satisfied with the NAIA level and we have been successful, as shown by the banners in the REC Center."
Friend was the athletic director and football coach at Munster before coming to PUC.
Friend, who headed PUC's athletic program from 1980 until his retirement in 2001 and served as athletics consultant last year during dire days, was introduced as the inaugural inductee of the Purdue Calumet Athletic Hall of Fame.
A banner located at the south-west corner of the REC Center recognizing Friend was presented between games of the PUC-Judson doubleheader homecoming basketball game.
"It's pretty humbling," Friend said wearing his Purdue sweater proudly. "I was lucky to be here. I've enjoyed it and I'm very proud of the time I had here."
Former basketball player Brenda (Clark) Drook received the Purdue Alumni Association-Calumet's annual Bob Hayes Athletic Alumni Award at halftime of the men's game.
Drook was the starting point guard for PUC during the mid-1980s. She became the third female in Indiana high school history this season to serve as head coach of a varsity boys basketball team (Hebron High School).
The Bob Hayes Athletic Alumni award is presented annually to a former PUC athlete or graduate who distinguished themselves after their PUC graduation. Hayes toiled 37 years at PUC, serving as athletic director, coach, faculty member and sports statician.
Friend was active in having PUC become a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, after studying what it would take to have PUC become a Division I member in the NCAA.
"We studied membership into the NCAA in the late '80s and they raised the bar on the requirements," Friend said. "They required 14 sports and our funding was entirely out of student fees. We were satisfied with the NAIA level and we have been successful, as shown by the banners in the REC Center."
Friend was the athletic director and football coach at Munster before coming to PUC.
Published in the PUC Chronicle Feb. 11, 2008
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