Index of Sports Press Releases

Feb. 8, 2010

Hemenway lands first 2010 recruit in Harrisburg’s Draisey

John Hemenway

MITCHELL, S.D. – Things couldn’t be going much better for Dakota Wesleyan University head men’s basketball coach John Hemenway right now. His Tiger team has won 10 straight games, and Monday he announced his first big recruit for 2010 – Harrisburg (S.D.) star Patrick Draisey.

Scoring a commitment from Draisey, an athletic 6-6 post player, is a great start to Hemenway’s 2010 recruiting class. The senior at Harrisburg High School recently signed his Letter of Intent to continue his basketball career at Dakota Wesleyan, and his addition to the Tiger frontcourt should partially help ease the loss of All-American Preston Broughton to graduation at the end of this season.

Hemenway is excited to add Draisey to his roster. He thinks his newest recruit’s height, athleticism and ability to score in the paint will be a huge asset to the Tigers over his career.

“Patrick will be an outstanding addition to our program,” Hemenway said. “We have recruited him for a long time and think he will really help us in the post. He has excellent touch around the basket and is going to get bigger and stronger.

“I can’t wait to have him join us next season.”

Draisey has had a great four-year career for the Tigers, which includes three years as a starter and three varsity letters for head coach Scott Langerock. As a junior last season he averaged 15 points and nine rebounds per game while converting an astounding 65.0 percent of his field goal attempts. For his efforts last season, Draisey earned All-Conference First Team honors in both the Big Sioux and Big 8 conferences. He was an All-Big Sioux Second Team pick as a sophomore, and there are surely more honors to come for the senior this season.

In addition to basketball, Draisey has earned varsity letters for Harrisburg’s football and track and field teams. This fall he was an All-Big 8 First Team selection in football.

Draisey is joining a Dakota Wesleyan team that is enjoying its most successful stretch in the school’s storied basketball history. The Tigers are currently 21-5 overall and lead the GPAC with a 13-2 record. Hemenway became the fastest DWU coach to reach 100 wins earlier this season, and this is the fourth-straight season his teams have reached the 20-win milestone. The Tigers have also qualified for last three NAIA Men’s Basketball Division II National Tournaments, and hopefully a fourth bid is on the way this season.

Draisey, a member of the Harrisburg Honor Roll, is the son of Dana and Cindy Draisey of Sioux Falls, and he plans to major in business at Dakota Wesleyan.