Downers Grove's Bryan Mullins Joins Loyola University Basketball Staff

Downers Grove native Bryan Mullins has been named director of mens basketball operations at Loyola University Chicago, head coach Porter Moser announced Wednesday.

Mullins, a Downers Grove South graduate, was a standout for the Southern Illinois University basketball program, leading his team to a pair of NCAA tournament appearances, one NIT berth and two Missouri Valley Conference championships. He recently spent four seasons playing professionally in France.

"Bryan is one of the most decorated student-athletes to come out of the Missouri Valley Conference in the last 10 years, having been an Academic All-American, a two-time conference champion, and MVC Defensive Player of the Year," Moser said in a statement. "As we move into the Missouri Valley Conference, Bryan will be a great role model for our players to look to for knowing what it takes to win in this league. As a player, no one was as competitive, worked harder, or was smarter than Bryan, and I know he will bring those same traits to our program as he enters the coaching profession. I am extremely excited to welcome him to our staff."

During his career at SIU, Mullins was a two-time Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year and was named to the conference all-defensive team in each of his four seasons.

As a freshman, the 6-foot-2 guard led the MVC and ranked seventh in the nation in steals (2.85 spg). That season, Mullins was named to the MVC's all-newcomer team.

Off the court, Mullins graduated with a degree in finance and a perfect 4.0 cumulative grade-point average, was a three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete Team pick and garnered the 2009 MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award. A two-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America honoree, Mullins was presented with the league's highest academic achievement when he earned the MVC President's Council Academic Award.

In 2009, he earned the Dr. Charlotte West Scholar-Athlete Award for his academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership.