YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Former Eastern Michigan University women's basketball Associate Head Coach Leonard Drake died suddenly in Evansville, Ind., Sept. 29, 2010. He was 56 years old.

Drake had a wealth of basketball coaching experience on both the men's and women's college basketball fronts. In 33 years of coaching, he had eight conference championships, seven conference tournament championships, five NCAA Tournament appearances, four NIT appearances, and one WNIT appearance.

Following three seasons at EMU, Drake was hired in June 2010 as the athletic director at Evansville Central High School.

In his first year at EMU Drake helped tutor the post players, including second-team All-Mid-American Conference selection Colleen Russell. A perennial bench player, Russell accumulated just 143 points in her first three years. Then in just one year working with Drake, Russell poured in a team-best 379 points and ranked third in the conference in blocks per game.

It was a magical 2009-10 campaign for the Drake and the Eagles, as the squad finished with a 22-9 overall record and an 11-5 mark in Mid-American Conference play. The Eagles became the first MAC women's basketball program to post a 20-win season following a year in which the team won less than 10 games. EMU also finished just one victory shy of equalling the 1985-86 Ohio University squad for the biggest single-season turnaround in league history.

Prior to joining the EMU staff, Drake spent 10 years at Lamar University. Drake joined the Lamar basketball program in 1997 as an associate men's coach until being named the head women's coach in 2002 and served in that capacity through the 2006-07 season.

He was also the head men's coach at Central Michigan University (1993-97), an associate head men's basketball coach at Ball State University (1985-93), a head women's basketball coach at Xavier University of Louisiana (1984-85), an assistant men's basketball coach at Xavier (1979-85) and an assistant men's basketball coach at Central Michigan (1978-79).

While at Ball State, the Cardinals won 20 or more games six times. Ball State also won three MAC titles, appeared in four NCAA Tournaments and three National Invitation Tournaments, while notching three Top-25 rankings. Ball State's 1989-90 team lost 69-67 to eventual National Champion and No. 1-ranked UNLV in the 'Sweet 16' of the 1990 NCAA tournament.

Prior to his time in Muncie, Ind., Drake spent six years at Xavier University of Louisiana. As an assistant men's basketball coach he helped the Gold Rush post a 129-49 overall record, earn two trips to the NAIA National Tournament and win 20 games in four of six seasons.

Drake was a standout basketball player at Central Michigan where he completed his bachelor's degree in 1978 and his master's degree in 1983. He earned team MVP honors in 1976 and was team captain and named CMU “Athlete of the Year” in 1977.

Named to the CMU Athletics Hall of Fame Class in 2007, Drake ranked third in career scoring at the completion of his career and still ranks seventh with 1,338 points. He shot .878 (101-for-115) from the line in 1976, a mark that ranked third nationally that year. Drake also tallied 126 career steals which ranks eighth in school history and made two free throws with no time on the clock in CMU's 77-75 NCAA Tournament first-round victory over Georgetown in 1975.

A native of Chicago, Ill., Drake grew up in Niles, Mich. and graduated from Niles Brandywine High School in 1973. He was a first-team Class B All-State basketball player as a senior in 1973.

Drake is survived by his wife, Rhonda, a son, Jared (22) and a daughter, Enjoli (16).

Funeral arrangements are still pending.

THE LEONARD DRAKE FILE
Full Name: Leonard Drake
Born: July 16, 1954 (Chicago, Ill.)
High School: Brandywine H.S. (Niles (Mich.) - Graduated in 1973
College: Central Michigan University - Graduated in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in education
Central Michigan University - Graduated in 1983 with a master's degree in special education

COACHING EXPERIENCE
YEAR SCHOOL JOB TITLE RECORD
2007-2010 Eastern Michigan University Assistant Coach 47-42
2002-2007 Lamar University Women's head basketball coach 40-97
1997-2002 Lamar University Men's associate head basketball coach 71-73
1993-1997 Central Michigan University Men's head basketball coach 21-83
1985-1993 Ball State University Men's associate head basketball coach 170-79
1984-1985 Xavier University of Louisiana Women's head basketball coach 13-16
1979-1985 Xavier University of Louisiana Men's assistant basketball coach 129-49
1978-1979 Central Michigan University Men's assistant basketball coach 19-9
Overall Coaching Record (Includes head and assistant experience): 510-448 (.532)