Drexel's Fouch gets NCAA clearance for sixth season

CHRIS FOUCH has unfinished basketball business at Drexel.

Last season, Fouch, Drexel's instant offensive off the bench, was lost for the season after breaking his right ankle in the season's third game vs. Penn.

The 6-2 guard has been granted a medical redshirt by the NCAA and will return for his sixth season next year. The Bronx, N.Y., native also missed his freshman season at Drexel with a knee injury.

"As long as I've been playing basketball, I've won a championship on every level," Fouch said yesterday. "Unfortunately, my first 5 years here, we weren't able to do that, so I feel this would be a good time to come back. We'll have a great team, returning a lot of players."

The returning players include Damion Lee (17.1 points per game), Franz Massenat (14.7) and Dartaye Ruffin (6.9 points, 6.8 rebounds).

Drexel was the preseason Colonial Athletic Association favorite last season, But, without Fouch, the Dragons stumbled to a 13-18 record (9-9 CAA). They lost to George Mason in the first round of the CAA Tournament.

Fouch's 1,194 career points rank 20th on Drexel's all-time list. With 203 three-point field goals, he is seventh among Drexel's long-range shooters.

Fouch plans to begin work at Drexel on a master's degree in sports management.

"Also, I want to be able to show I can stay healthy a whole year," he said.