VINCENNES, Ind. – 2019 National Champion Randy Tucker announced earlier this week that he is committing to play basketball next season at Wisconsin-Green Bay.
Tucker will join a Phoenix squad led by second-year head coach Will Ryan, who is the son of former Wisconsin basketball coach Bo Ryan.
In his first season at Green Bay, Ryan helped guide the Phoenix to an 8-17 record with an 8-12 record in Horizon League play.
"I chose Green Bay because of their strong beliefs in me as both a player and as an individual," Tucker said. "I saw the opportunity as the perfect place to continue my journey through basketball and life. I was able to connect well with the staff quickly and sometimes you just know. I hope to use this school as my next springboard towards success."
During his time at Vincennes, Tucker led the Blazers to a 45-12 record, including two appearances in the NJCAA Men's National Tournament.
Tucker was a redshirt on the VU 2019 National Championship team and is the 12th player from that team to move on to play at the NCAA Division I level.
"I believe that just epitomizes VU basketball," Tucker said of being around the National Championship team in 2019. "I was able to soak in the championship and see how every piece fits. Some teams come up short, however the guys that buy in and put the team before themselves usually end up being successful."
On the court, Tucker finished his Trailblazer career with 404 points, 179 rebounds and 68 assists in 42 starts for the blue and gold.
Tucker's best shooting performance as a Trailblazer came during the 2019-20 season, when he scored 22 points at Wabash Valley.
Tucker then began the 2021 season with a 14-point, 12-rebound double-double in VU's win over Dohn Prep.
Tucker also had a trio of 15-point outings this past season, first coming at Lewis & Clark, followed by a home game with Olney Central and in the District Semi-Finals against Shawnee.
"Vincennes has helped me tremendously, in ways I do not even realize yet," Tucker said of his time at VU. "I felt that the coaches, especially Coach Franklin, believed in me so much that they constantly pushed me and challenged me in ways that I had never been before. I am thankful for that and I realized that as long as I stayed the course, there was no way to fail."
Tucker added that his biggest takeaway from his time at Vincennes was how authentic everything was.
"I was able to find a base structure, learn from the best and be held accountable on and off the court," Tucker added.
As for what legacy he hopes to leave behind at VU, "I want to leave the impression that it is not all about being the biggest, strongest or most talented," Tucker said. "Fort the most part those are uncontrollable, yet I can control my effort, my heart and willingness to give what I have for the team."
As for what advice he would give to the next group of Trailblazer players, "At times where it may be the most uncomfortable, you just have to keep pushing and always believe in yourself."