Drake basketball player sticks around despite multiple coaching changes
Andrew Alia stayed, then stayed again.
Three years, 3 head coaches, over 40 different teammates. The one constant, I haven’t really thought about it like that. This guy, junior guard Andrew Aliya. The only thing that’s changed is the is the basketball teams I’ve been *** part of, but like it hasn’t really changed much. The support staff is still the same. The Kenosha, Wisconsin native accepted *** walk-on offer from Darren DeVries in 20,220. Three and then played his freshman season in 2023, 202024, each year ending in the NCAA tournament and you’re thinking, man, college is great. Yeah, going to the tournament, that’s pretty nice. DeVrees left for West Virginia. All the players left except Nate Ferguson and Andrew Alia, but I knew I was comfortable here at Drake. I, I value an education, uh, business law. They had *** good program for me. Basketball was, was going well for me at the time. And I, I wanted to see who Drake was going to hire. New coach Ben McCollum wanted him to stay, so Aaliyah came back, even earned minutes at the start of the season. And then I, I broke my foot in practice, and then that sidelined me for the rest of the year. That was December 3rd. Drake went on to win *** school record 31 games, and once again, Aaliyah saw his coach take *** bigger job. I was happy for him. I just remember the phone call. He called me at like 7 a.m. and by that time, Twitter’s, uh, running wild already. Like you knew. Weeks in advance that there was speculation that he was going to take this job or that job. In steps, new head coach Eric Henderson. Once Hendo, they announced Hendo, I actually had. Um, connections to Hendo. He coached in the same high school conference, um, that I played in. Again, Drake lost all but two players from the roster, Aliyah and then red shirt Eli Shettler. After talking with Ben, um, you know, him and Eli were probably not going to go with him, and he’s like, Hendo, if you can get those guys to stay, it, it would be *** big deal. Henderson placed Aliyah. On scholarship, now healthy, the redshirt junior is 2nd on the team with 32 minutes *** night, 2nd in steals, 3 point shooting, 40%, and averaging nearly 8 points *** game. Sticking it out through all those coaching changes. Yeah, I think that’s *** cool thing now and it’s not very common and is now paying off. I’ve definitely been an emotional and just the leader of this team. Um, obviously some games are not our season is not where we want it to be right now, but, but I think we’re only going up.
Drake basketball player sticks around despite multiple coaching changes
Andrew Alia stayed, then stayed again.
Updated: 8:00 AM CST Mar 5, 2026
Three head coaches in three years. Over 40 different teammates. The one constant at Drake during that time? Junior guard Andrew Alia. “The only thing that’s changed is the basketball team that I’ve been a part of,” Alia said. “Everything else around here, it hasn’t really changed much. The place is the same. The support staff is still the same.”The Kenosha, Wisconsin, native accepted a walk-on offer from Darian DeVries in 2022-2023, then played his freshman season in 2023-24. Each year ended in the NCAA Tournament.DeVries then left for West Virginia. All the players left except Nate Ferguson and Andrew Alia. ”I was comfortable at Drake,” he said. “I value an education. Business law, they had a good program. Basketball was going well for me at the time. I wanted to see who Drake as going to hire.” New coach Ben McCollum wanted him to stay, so Alia came back and earned minutes at the start of the season.”Then I broke my foot in practice and that sidelined me the rest of the year,” Alia said.That was Dec. 3. Drake went on to win a school-record 31 games, and once again, Alia saw his coach take a bigger job. McCollum left for Iowa. He faced the prospect of a third head coach in three years. “I was happy for him,” said Alia. “I just remember the phone call. He called me at 7 a.m. By that time, Twitter is running wild. You knew weeks in advance. There was speculation he was going to take this job or that job.”In stepped new head coach Eric Henderson. Alia heard positive things and decided to play it out. Once again, Drake lost all but two players. Alia, and then redshirt Eli Shetlar. “After talking to Ben, him and Eli were not going to go with him,” coach Eric Henderson said. “He’s like ‘Hendo, if you can get those guys to stay, it would be a big deal.'”Now healthy and on scholarship, the redshirt junior is second on the team with 32 minutes per game, second in steals, 3-point shooting (40 percent), and averaging 7.6 ppg. Sticking it out through all those coaching changes is finally paying off.”That’s a cool thing now,” he said of staying put despite his circumstances. “It’s not very common. I’ve been an emotional leader of the team. Our season is not where we want it to be, but it’s going up.”Drake faces SIU Thursday at 3:30 p.m. in St. Louis at the MVC Tournament. The game is on My Des Moines 8.3 and ESPN+.» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play
DES MOINES, Iowa —
Three head coaches in three years. Over 40 different teammates. The one constant at Drake during that time? Junior guard Andrew Alia.
“The only thing that’s changed is the basketball team that I’ve been a part of,” Alia said. “Everything else around here, it hasn’t really changed much. The place is the same. The support staff is still the same.”
The Kenosha, Wisconsin, native accepted a walk-on offer from Darian DeVries in 2022-2023, then played his freshman season in 2023-24. Each year ended in the NCAA Tournament.
DeVries then left for West Virginia. All the players left except Nate Ferguson and Andrew Alia. 
“I was comfortable at Drake,” he said. “I value an education. Business law, they had a good program. Basketball was going well for me at the time. I wanted to see who Drake as going to hire.”
New coach Ben McCollum wanted him to stay, so Alia came back and earned minutes at the start of the season.
“Then I broke my foot in practice and that sidelined me the rest of the year,” Alia said.
That was Dec. 3. Drake went on to win a school-record 31 games, and once again, Alia saw his coach take a bigger job. McCollum left for Iowa. He faced the prospect of a third head coach in three years.
“I was happy for him,” said Alia. “I just remember the phone call. He called me at 7 a.m. By that time, Twitter is running wild. You knew weeks in advance. There was speculation he was going to take this job or that job.”
In stepped new head coach Eric Henderson. Alia heard positive things and decided to play it out. Once again, Drake lost all but two players. Alia, and then redshirt Eli Shetlar.
“After talking to Ben, him and Eli were not going to go with him,” coach Eric Henderson said. “He’s like ‘Hendo, if you can get those guys to stay, it would be a big deal.'”
Now healthy and on scholarship, the redshirt junior is second on the team with 32 minutes per game, second in steals, 3-point shooting (40 percent), and averaging 7.6 ppg. Sticking it out through all those coaching changes is finally paying off.
“That’s a cool thing now,” he said of staying put despite his circumstances. “It’s not very common. I’ve been an emotional leader of the team. Our season is not where we want it to be, but it’s going up.”
Drake faces SIU Thursday at 3:30 p.m. in St. Louis at the MVC Tournament. The game is on My Des Moines 8.3 and ESPN+.
» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page
» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play