Ottumwa, IA – As the Indian Hills Men's Basketball team is set to open up the 2022 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) DI Men's Basketball Tournament on Tuesday night, a number of former Warriors have earned trips to the NCAA's upcoming March Madness tournament.
Three former Warriors will suit up for a shot at a national championship – Drake Jeffries, Levar Williams, and Tyrese Nickelson will all make their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. Five former Warriors will manage the sidelines for their respective team in Barret Peery, Daniyal Robinson, Cole Dewey, Nate Schmidt, and Connor Murrell.
DRAKE JEFFRIES (2019-20) | WYOMING UNIVERSITY
In one season at Indian Hills, Jeffries helped lead the Warriors to the NJCAA Central District Championship and the NJCAA Region XI title while earning All-Region XI honors. Jeffries and the Warriors earned a trip to the NJCAA National Tournament, but due to COVID-19, the tournament was cancelled.
Jeffries now gets a shot at postseason action on a national level as one of the nation's top shooters helped Wyoming earn an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament this year, the team's first since 2002. Jeffries ranks inside the top-25 nationally in three-point field goals made and three-point field goal percentage. The Cowboys will open up the national tournament in the First Four round against No. 12 seed Indiana at 8:10 PM on Tuesday.
LEVAR WILLIAMS (2020-21) | NEW MEXICO STATE
At Indian Hills, Levar Williams started 23 of 24 contests on the way to an NJCAA Region XI Championship in 2021. Williams averaged 8.0 points per game and hit double-figures 10 times during his stay in Ottumwa.
Williams and the Aggies captured the WAC Tournament championship to earn the No. 12 seed in the West Region of the upcoming NCAA Tournament. New Mexico State will take on No. 5 seed UConn at 5:00 PM on Thursday.
TYRESE NICKELSON (2019-21) | TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY CORPUS CHRISTI
Tyrese Nickelson led the Warriors to back-to-back NJCAA Region XI Championships in 2020 and 2021 before moving on to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
Nickelson, who has appeared in 31 games this year, and the Islanders have earned the No. 16 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament and will play in the First Four round vs. Texas Southern Tuesday night at 5:40 PM in Dayton, OH.
COLE DEWEY (ASSISTANT COACH – 2015-18) | TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY CORPUS CHRISTI
An assistant coach under current Warrior head coach Hank Plona, Cole Dewey was a part of three consecutive national tournament teams at Indian Hills, including the 33-1 program in 2017-18. Dewey helped guide the Warriors to 91 victories before taking head coaching positions at Otero Junior College (CO) and Garden City Community College (KS).
Dewey was named the assistant coach at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in May 2021 and has made an immediate impact. Dewey and the Islanders have earned the No. 16 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament and will play in the First Four round vs. Texas Southern Tuesday night at 5:40 PM in Dayton, OH.
BARRET PEERY (HEAD COACH – 2011-14) | TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY
Former Indian Hills head coach Barret Peery led the Warriors to 93 wins from 2011-14, including a runner-up finish at the NJCAA DI National Tournament in his final season in Ottumwa. Under Peery's direction, the Warriors boasted a 60-1 home record and were ranked No. 1 in the nation on multiple occasions.
Peery, who departed Indian Hills to take the assistant coach position at Arizona State, has also coached at Santa Clara and Portland State before being named the Associate Head Coach at Texas Tech this year. The No. 14 ranked Raiders reached the Big 12 Tournament championship game and earned the No. 3 overall seed in the West Region where the Red Raiders will take on No. 14 seed Montana State at 11:45 AM on Friday.
DANIYAL ROBINSON (1995-96) | IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
Daniyal Robinson was a member of the Indian Hills Basketball program that helped ignite its run to national prominence. Robinson and the Warriors went 35-4 during the 1995-96 season and advanced to the NJCAA DI Men's Baketball National Tournament in a season where the team was ranked No. 1 in the nation.
Robinson moved on to Arkansas-Little Rock before embarking on a coaching career. Robinson is currently in his seventh season at Iowa State, his second stint with the Cyclones. The Cyclones have earned the No. 11 seed in the Midwest Bracket and will take on No. 6 seed LSU at 6:20 PM on Friday.
NATE SCHMIDT (ASSISTANT COACH – 2017-19) | IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
A former assistant under Hank Plona, Nate Schmidt came to Indian Hills in 2017-18 and helped lead the Warriors to 60 wins over two seasons and a pair of national tournament appearances.
Schmidt, who previously served as a Graduate Assistant and Coordinator of Player Development at Iowa State from 2014-17, returned to the Cyclones' staff in 2021 as the Recruiting and Player Development Coordinator. The Cyclones have earned the No. 11 seed in the Midwest Bracket and will take on No. 6 seed LSU at 6:20 PM on Friday.
CONNOR MURRELL (2017-18) | IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
Connor Murrell was a member of Indian Hills' undefeated regular season team in 2017-18 where the Warriors went 33-0. Murrell played in 22 games at Indian Hills before moving on to the University of Ohio.
Following his playing career, Murrell served as the Graduate Assistant at Ohio where the Bobcats reached the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 in 2021. Murrell now serves as the Graduate Assistant at Iowa State where the Cyclones have earned the No. 11 seed in the Midwest Bracket and will take on No. 6 seed LSU at 6:20 PM on Friday.