Drew University Athletics

Growing up, Kevin Ralph spent many a night watching Drew basketball games with his older brother, dreaming of one day playing at that level himself. Determined to get there, he devoted himself intensely to his work on the court, practicing his three-pointers and developing his skills as a tremendous offensive player. When his game flourished in his high-school senior year—he was averaging 21.6 points and 8.5 rebounds per game—that dream came true.

Drew University got lucky and landed the 6’,5” boy who’d been watching their games since middle school. By the time he left Drew four years later, Ralph was one of three players in Drew history to have scored at least 1,350 points and have 450 rebounds with 1,366 career points (ranking 5th in school history) and 479 rebounds (ranking 7th). The hours he spent practicing three pointers in high school paid off, too: he ranked 1st in three-point field goals in a single game (8 against Washington and Jefferson) and in free throw percentage in a season (.842 in 1992-93). He graduated at 5th in career free throws made (242) and 9th in career scoring average (14.2).

Likewise, Ralph says he felt lucky to be playing at Drew University, where his older brother had been a tennis star several years before him. The school gave him the best of both things he was looking for in college: competitive college basketball and top-notch academics. “Our coaches made it clear that our academics came first,” he notes. “But the faculty also really understood the importance of athletics.”

It’s the people Ralph played with at Drew who also earned his respect. “Being on a team teaches you how to deal with adversity, as well as the importance of relationships and being accountable to people,” says Ralph, who was co-captain his junior and senior years. “It made me value friendship and trust. It’s nice to have that foundation to go back to.”