Leaves Wright State as all-time rebounds leader & No. 3 scorer in program history

DAYTON – The two-time reigning Horizon League Player of the Year and the leading rebounder in Wright State basketball history, Loudon Love has announced his intentions to turn pro and begin a professional career overseas.

The Illinois native has signed a contract with Stade Rochelais, a member of France’s third division. The team plays in La Rochelle, France, southwest of Paris.

“I will not be returning for an extra year of college basketball, but will instead be beginning my professional career overseas,” Love said. “It breaks my heart that I was unable to end my collegiate career in front of such great fans in the beautiful Nutter Center we get to call home, but I will always carry those memories with me.”

“To all those involved, thank you for allowing me to represent Wright State University as a player, as a student, and more importantly, simply as a person. it will forever hold a special place in my heart,” he continued. “I’ll always have a connection to this place. A connection beyond the records, the milestones, and the stats. This is where I grew up. I will always be a Raider for life.”

In addition to being the back-to-back Horizon League Player of the Year, Love was also a three-time member of the Lou Henson All-America Team, which honors the nation’s best mid-major players in Division I college basketball.

“Loudon has been an integral part of the program ever since we have arrived at Wright State,” head coach Scott Nagy said. “We are very proud of the man he is and all he has helped us accomplish during his career. We wish him nothing but the best as he begins his next journey as professional basketball player.”

In total, Love played in 120 career games in a Raider uniform and leaves Wright State as the winningest player in the Division I era, having been a part of 89 wins over his five seasons. He finishes his career with 1,123 career rebounds, the most in Wright State basketball history (men and women), a total that is currently the 79th-most all-time in NCAA history. On the offensive side of the stat sheet, Love exits Wright State as the No. 3-leading scorer all-time in program history with 1,792 career points.

Love’s mark has been left on the Horizon League record books as well, finishing his career as one of only six players in League history to have won multiple Player of the Year awards and one of only three Horizon League players to have earned multiple Player of the Year honors and to also have been named the League’s Newcomer of the Year.

Love led the Raiders in both scoring and rebounding last season, averaging a double-double for the season with a 16.6 points per game average and a 10.1 rebounds per game clip. He recorded double digit point totals in 23 of 24 games, including 14 games with 15 or more points and had 12 double-doubles last season while being named to the NABC All-District 12 First Team for the second straight year.

After redshirting his first season on campus in 2016-17, Love averaged 12.9 points per game on the way to Horizon League Freshman of the Year and second-team honors. He has tallied three straight HL first team accolades in the proceeding years, adding the back-to-back Player of the Year awards. He has improved his points per game and rebounds per game average yearly on the way to averaging a double-double for the first time in his career last season.

Love played in a pair of NCAA postseason games in a Raider uniform, tallying 12 points and nine rebounds against Tennessee in the 2018 NCAA Tournament before a 14-point, nine rebound effort at Clemson in the 2019 NIT. Love and the Raiders won at least a share of the Horizon League regular season title in each of his last three seasons, adding the Horizon League Tournament Championship at the end of the 2017-18 campaign.

COURTESY WSU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS