DETROIT (2/2/2020) -- Very few outside the University of Detroit Mercy family are familiar with the ballad of Eli Holman. 

Arguably one of the most talented and decorated players to ever set foot on campus, the 6'10" forward transformed himself into a fearsome defender, a reliable scorer, and an all-around consummate student-athlete while attending Detroit Mercy. 

Holman first made waves when the Northern California native blossomed into a legitimate high school prospect at Richmond High School, helping the Oilers reach the CIF championship game, eventually hoisting the trophy as the victors. 

After transferring from Indiana University and sitting out the 2008-09 season due to NCAA transfer rules, he was a part of the biggest turnaround in Titan basketball history as the team went from 7-23 in 2007-08 to 20-14 in 2008-09. The next season Holman was named to the All-Newcomer Team and was honored with the Norm Swanson Top Newcomer Award. 

His 11.8 points per game that season was good for third on the team in scoring, and his 8.9 rebounds per game was the best in the Horizon League. By the end of that first season, he would up his production to 12.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game while recording four double-doubles against Milwaukee, Cleveland State, Valparaiso and Green Bay in the Titans' last ten games. 

As a junior, he was selected as the team's Robert Calihan co-Most Valuable Player and earned All-Horizon League Second-Team honors. He would also earn All-Defensive Team honors as well as being named a CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Defensive All-America selection after topping the Horizon League in both offensive and defensive rebounds and tallying a conference-best 13 double-doubles. 

It all came together for Holman in his senior season, as he was named Horizon League Sixth Player of the Year and selected as one of 21 honorees on the 2012 CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Defensive All-American Team. He averaged 10.8 points and 7.0 rebounds per game while finishing second with 35 total blocks. During the team's conference championship tournament run, he scored a team-high 20 points vs. Loyola in the first round, then followed that up with a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds against Youngstown State in the quarterfinals. In the NCAA Tournament, he posted another against eventual national runner-up Kansas.

"Well, you know originally I went to Indiana University first," Holman said. "Then the coaching change happened with Kelvin Sampson and then Ray McCallum took the job here. I followed Coach McCallum here because he recruited me (following high school). It was a big difference, obviously going from a bigger school class-wise and things like that and then coming to Detroit Mercy. It actually turned out to be better for me as far as academics and just being able to have the ability to grow physically, mentally and emotionally." 

Following graduation, he played in the NBA Summer League and continues to enjoy an esteemed career playing overseas in China for the Tianjin Gold Lions. In the 2017-18 season, he averaged 28 points, 15.6 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. 

"My favorite memory here? It would have to be winning the championship with the guys that I played with. Obviously, I couldn't do it without them. Ray McCallum, Doug Anderson, Nick Minnerath and Chase Simon, all those great players, Jason Calliste, I couldn't do it without them. And we're all great friends to this day. I would say winning the championship was very memorable."

Outside of being a professional athlete, Holman has enjoyed giving back to the community beginning with the inception of the Eli Holman Foundation, bringing his childhood dream of helping others to fruition. 

His philanthropic efforts to the University of Detroit Mercy have led to the completion of the Thomas and Arvie McNamara Student-Athlete Academic Center with the Eli Holman Study Hall. 

"I'd rather be a Titan than a Hoosier anyway." 

Congratulations Eli Holman on your induction into the Titan Hall of Fame.