Loudon Love
 Love in March 2019 | |
| No. 11 – Wright State Raiders | |
|---|---|
| Position | Center |
| League | Horizon League |
| Personal information | |
| Born | April 21, 1998 |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 260 lb (118 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Geneva (Geneva, Illinois) |
| College | Wright State (2017–present) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Loudon Love (born Loudon Love Vollbrecht on April 21, 1998) is an American college basketball player for the Wright State Raiders of the Horizon League.
Early life and high school career
Love's parents got divorced when he was in middle school and he moved from Vermont to Illinois with his mother, Laura Love.[1] Love attended Geneva Community High School, where he competed in basketball and football. As a junior, he averaged 11 points and 6.8 rebounds per game for a 30-win team. Love played offensive tackle on the gridiron and received a scholarship offer from Illinois. In November 2015, Love was injured during the last play of Geneva's 41-22 Class 7A playoff loss to Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School. An MRI revealed he tore his ACL, forcing him to miss his senior year in basketball.[2] After receiving basketball offers from Northern Illinois, Western Illinois, Northern Kentucky, UMBC, and UMass Lowell, he committed to play under coach Scott Nagy at South Dakota State, and followed him to Wright State when he received the coaching job there. He legally changed his last name from Vollbrecht to Love, his mother's last name, in honor of her sacrifices growing up.[3]
College career
Love redshirted his first season at Wright State, spending the season trying to lose weight and get in shape by doing intensified workouts and going on a restricted diet. On January 7, 2018, Love scored 25 points and had 17 rebounds and five blocks in a win against Oakland, earning Horizon League freshman of the week honors.[4] As a freshman, he averaged 12.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per game on a team that finished 25-10 and reached the NCAA Tournament.[1] He was named Horizon League Freshman of the Year and Second Team All-Conference. As a sophomore, he averaged 15.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game and had 12 double-doubles. Love was named to the First Team All-Horizon League and District 12 First Team by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.[5]
On November 9, 2019, Love had 26 points and 14 rebounds in a 85–62 win over Miami (OH). He fractured his elbow during a game against La Salle on November 26 and missed several weeks.[6] Love earned Horizon League player of the week honors on December 31 after a 22-point, 16-rebound performance against Green Bay.[7] Love had 21 points and nine rebounds during a win against Youngstown State on January 18, 2020, though coach Scott Nagy was upset with his performance.[8] He was named Horizon League player of the week on February 17, after contributing 24 points and nine rebounds in a win over UIC.[9] Love was named Horizon League player of the year at the conclusion of the regular season.[10] Love averaged 15.9 points and 9.7 rebounds per game.[11]
References
- ^ a b Ryan, Shannon (March 14, 2018). "Wright State's Loudon Love brings his football backgroud at Geneva to the basketball court". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
- ^ Armstrong, Rick (November 11, 2015). "Geneva's Loudon Love-Vollbrecht suffers torn ACL". Aurora Beacon-News. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
- ^ Archdeacon, Tom (November 9, 2016). "WSU's Love is death to backboards". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
- ^ Archdeacon, Tom (January 10, 2020). "By any name, Wright State has a force in Love". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
- ^ "Love Honored by NABC". Wright State Raiders. March 20, 2019. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
- ^ Archdeacon, Tom (December 14, 2019). "Raiders' Love hopes to return from fractured elbow this month". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
- ^ Hoeferlin, Mackenzie (January 13, 2020). "Raider Basketball: Loudon Love returns to success on the court". Wright State Guardian. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
- ^ Harris, Doug (January 22, 2020). "Wright State basketball: Nagy looking for more from Love". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
- ^ "Loudon Love named Horizon League Player of the Week". Wright State Raiders. February 17, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
- ^ Boyle, John (March 2, 2020). "Wright State's Love named Horizon League Player of the Year". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
- ^ Tyson, Zo (March 8, 2020). "#HLMBB SEMIFINAL PREVIEW". Horizon League. Retrieved March 19, 2020.