Valpo men's basketball coach Homer Drew announced Friday that the Crusaders have received a National Letter of Intent from Ryan Broekhoff and that he will join the program as a freshman for the 2009-10 campaign.

Broekhoff, a 6-foot-6, 190-pound guard from Frankston, Victoria, Australia, is in his second year at the prestigious Australian Institute of Sport. Named the Australian Junior National Male Player of the Year earlier this year, Broekhoff has twice been a member of Victorian state teams that won national championships, in 2007 with the Victoria U18 squad and in 2008 with the Victoria U20 squad.

He was also named U20 national MVP in the latter championship. Broekhoff was also selected as a member of the Australian U19 Emus team that won bronze medals at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Germany and The William Jones Cup in Chinese Taipei.

"We are delighted to get another Aussie to join Cameron on our team next year," Drew said. "Ryan, like our other signees during this period, comes from a very athletic family, as both his mother and his father played for the Australian national team. He is a very excellent 3-point shooter, but can also put the ball on the floor, rebound and play good defense. Ryan really brings a complete game with him to the United States."

Broekhoff joins previous commits Chris Halvorsen, Matt Kenney and Tommy Kurth as incoming freshmen for the 2009-10 campaign.

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