2008 Woodie Awards
Conner hopes to end on high note with Summit League title
Kevin Leibrock
Issue date: 2/27/08 Section: Sports
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"Being a redhead, you always kind of get that stuff," Conner said. "At Oral Roberts they were talking about Lucky Charms and someplace else they called me Captain Red Beard. College hasn't been nearly as bad as high school where I was the star player on the team and got it bad every game."
This season Conner and the 22-6 Jaguars have been getting the last laugh.
IUPUI has won 11 of its last 13 games and Conner is averaging 21.1 minutes per contest-the most in his college career. The fifth-year senior doesn't lead the Jags in any statistical category, but has provided much-needed veteran guidance to the team's younger players.
Teammate and fellow fifth-year senior Bill Van Senus said Conner brings valuable leadership skills to the team. Van Senus and Conner, both business majors, quickly became friends as freshmen and have a yearly tradition of taking trips to Las Vegas.
"I've lived with Drew for four and a half years and he's just been that steady figure on our team and in our lives," Van Senus said. "He's almost kind of like a father figure to some of our younger guys who are only 17 and 18. Drew's going on what…24…25? Who even really knows?"
From elementary school teams to YMCA leagues, Conner has been involved with basketball for as long as he can remember. He grew up in the '90s-a time when many fellow children across the Hoosier State were cheering on Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers. Growing up 50 miles north of Indianapolis in Kokomo, Conner was instead inspired by the Pacers' rival from the Windy City.
"My favorite player was Michael Jordan from the Bulls, of course," Conner said. "I'm from Kokomo, so it's only about two and a half hours from Chicago. I was never really a Pacers fan; I was always a Bulls fan and a big Michael Jordan guy."
At Taylor High School, Conner was, like his boyhood hero Jordan, the star of his team. During his four years with the Titans, he amassed 1,449 points and 695 rebounds-both school records. Conner also gained two sectional titles, a regional championship and a multitude of memories.
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