Men’s Basketball: Cajuns to Retire Dean Church’s Jersey in Home Finale

Dean Church, the first-ever Ragin’ Cajuns men’s basketball player named an All-American, will have his jersey retired during a halftime ceremony of the Cajuns’ regular season finale on Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Cajundome, it was announced by the UL Athletics Department on Saturday.
 
Church will join former Ragin’ Cajuns greats Dwight “Bo” Lamar (1970-73), Marvin Winkler (1967-70) and Andrew Toney (1977-80) in having the honor of jersey retirement by the University.
 
Church, who wore No. 12, earned the schools first-ever All-America honor when he received the NAIA All-America award following the 1963-64 season. He became the first in program history to ever receive an All-America honor twice when after the 1964-65 season he was named to two All-America First teams – Associated Press Little All-America and NAIA All-America.
 
“We are excited to be retiring Dean Church’s jersey at our last home game,” Ragin’ Cajuns men’s basketball head coach Bob Marlin said. “He was an integral part of our tradition-rich program, becoming our first two-time All-American under the direction of coach Beryl Shipley.
 
“Dean and (wife) Sally have always loved and supported our University. We look forward to sharing this special night with him, his family, former teammates, and all of the Ragin’ Cajuns fans.”
 
Church, who starred at Blackham Coliseum from the 1960-61 through 1964-65 season,  finished his career with 1,546 career-points and still ranks 12th all-time in UL’s record books. He was a 10th-round pick by Philadelphia in the 1965 NBA Draft and in 1981 he was inducted into the Louisiana Basketball Hall of Fame.
 
In his last two seasons playing for the then-USL Bulldogs, he was named the Gulf States Conference Player of the Year.
 
At the end of his career, Church held the single-season records for most points (701), points per game (23.4), field goals scored (237), field goal percentage (.570, 237-416), free throw percentage (.832), most games in double figures (30) and 30-plus point games (8).
 
One of the best from the charity stripe, Church still holds the school’s record for most free throws made in a season (227), most free throws made in a game (18), most free throws attempted in a game (20) and attempted in a season (273).
 
A native of Ashland, Ky., Church is married to the former Sally Evans of Harvey, La. They have three children: Dean, Jr., David, and Anne.
 
DEAN CHURCH’S TOP HONORS:
• Gulf States Conference Player of the Year (1964 & 1965)
• First Team All-Gulf States Conference (1964 & 65)
• NAIA First Team All-American (1964 & 1965)
• AP First Team Small College All-American (1965)
• Athlete of the Year in Louisiana, 1965 (runner up-1964)
• “S” Club Hall of Fame Member
• Louisiana Basketball Hall of Fame Member
 

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