Valparaiso University men’s basketball head coach Matt Lottich announced today that Emanuel Dildy has joined the Crusader coaching staff as an assistant coach. A Chicago native, Dildy brings power conference and Missouri Valley Conference coaching experience to the Valpo bench as the Crusaders prepare for their inaugural season of MVC play.

“We are extremely excited and blessed with Coach Dildy’s addition to our staff,” said Lottich. “Coach Dildy brings a tremendous amount of experience to our program as we join the Missouri Valley Conference. He helped Loyola make the transition from the Horizon League to the MVC, and he was instrumental in putting together a roster which has improved that program greatly.”

Dildy spent last season coaching in the Southeastern Conference, as he was a member of the Missouri staff as an assistant coach. Prior to arriving at Mizzou, Dildy worked for three seasons (2013-16) as an assistant coach at Loyola, where he helped coach the 2014 MVC Freshman and Newcomer of the Year in Milton Doyle.

Dildy also spent one season (2012-13) as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Eastern Illinois, as he broke into the Division I coaching ranks. Dildy’s coaching career started at Kennedy-King College in Chicago, where he served as an assistant coach for two seasons (2008-10) before spending two seasons as head coach (2010-12).

“Coach Dildy has proven to be a great recruiter with deep Chicago ties,” said Lottich. “He will also help greatly with our player development on and off the court. I know he is excited to be at Valpo and to help continue to build on our championship tradition.”

Dildy played for two seasons at New Mexico State before transferring to Eastern Illinois, where he was an All-Ohio Valley Conference selection as a senior. After graduating from EIU in 2005, Dildy played professionally in Germany for two years and stateside for one season in the International Basketball League before embarking on his coaching career.