Northern Colorado announced on Apr. 20 that Andrew Crawford, a transfer from the University of Colorado and one of the state’s top high school basketball players, will join the Bears for the 2026-27 season.
Crawford’s addition is seen as significant due to his strong high school career and potential impact on the team. He is recognized for both his athletic skills and leadership qualities.
Crawford, a 6-foot-8 guard from Littleton, played at ThunderRidge High School before spending two seasons with Colorado. He was named to the 2024 Denver Post All-Colorado Boys Basketball Team and earned two Class 6A All-State First Team selections. During his senior year at ThunderRidge, he averaged 14.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game while helping lead his team to three state championship appearances.
Widely regarded as Colorado’s top player in the Class of 2024, Crawford was ranked No. 85 overall in ESPN100 and No. 80 nationally by On3 recruiting services.
Head Coach Steve Smiley said, “We’re really excited to add Andrew to our Bears squad for 26-27! Before looking at what he will bring to our squad on the floor, I want to emphasize how important Drew’s character, maturity and leadership will be to our team. Drew is about all the right ‘stuff’ and is an absolute winner.” Smiley added that Crawford can play multiple positions: “He’s a Swiss army knife, and his greatest quality is that he is a connector on offense and defense… We expect Drew to have an immediate impact on our team.”
