By Charlie Gainor, Staff Writer

Xavier Athletics has announced that former Xavier men’s basketball players Trevon Bluiett, Terrell “Tu” Holloway and Romain Sato will all have their jerseys officially retired this year.

Bluiett, who played for Xavier from 2015 to 2018, helped lead the Musketeers to four straight NCAA tournament appearances, including a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2015 and an Elite Eight appearance in 2017. He also helped lead Xavier to their first ever Big East Regular Season Championship title in 2018 with a 27-4 regular season record and a 15-3 record in conference play. 

Bluiett was a consensus Big East First Team selection three times, becoming one of only thirteen players in the history of the conference to hold that honor.

Bluiett made his mark on the record books, holding second place on Xavier’s all-time scoring list with 2,261 points and 12th with 762 rebounds. He also held the record for most three-point baskets in a single season with 105 until it was broken last season by Quincy Olivari with 106. Bluiett also put up a career-high 40 points in the 2016-17 Crosstown Shootout, becoming the first player since David West to eclipse that mark.

Over the summer, Xavier Athletics also announced that Bluiett would be inducted into the Xavier Athletics Hall of Fame alongside guard JP Macura. 

Holloway, who wore the silver and blue from 2009 to 2012, led Xavier to 100 wins and three Sweet Sixteen appearances during his four seasons. Three of Xavier’s five consecutive A-10 regular season titles from 2007-2011 were won in part to Holloway’s performances as he finished seventh all-time in points scored with 1,833 and third in assists with 550. His career free throw percentage of 85.2% is the highest in Xavier basketball history.

Off the court, Holloway is best known for his quote following a brawl at the 2011 Crosstown Shootout.  

“We went out there and zipped them up at the end of the game,” Holloway said in a postgame interview. 

The phrase “Zip ‘Em Up” was enshrined by Macura in 2021 when it was chosen as the name of  Xavier’s alumni team for The Basketball Tournament (TBT), and it has become a mantra in the Xavier student section.

That season, Holloway was selected to the A-10 First Team for the second straight year as he became the only player to finish top five in points and assists per game.

“He’s made such big plays through the course of his career,” former Xavier head coach Chris Mack said. “The moment’s never too big for him.”

Sato played for Xavier from 2000 to 2004, where he established himself as an elite scorer and defensive aficionado. He helped Xavier to two A-10 regular season titles and two A-10 tournament championships, winning a spot on the All-Tournament team in 2002 and 2004. 

In his career, Sato made the A-10 First Team twice, the A-10 First Defensive Team three times and made Dick Vitale’s “All-Velcro” Defensive Team twice. He currently holds fourth place on Xavier’s all-time scoring list with 2,005 points scored and holds the record for most consecutive starts at 130 and most career three-pointers with 307.

In 2004, Sato led Xavier to a four-game sweep of the A-10 tournament that included a  20-point blowout victory against No. 1 ranked St. Joseph and a defeat of host Dayton in the championship game to win their second tournament title in three years. In the tournament, the Musketeers defeated Louisville, Mississippi State and Texas to secure their first Elite Eight berth in program history. This run would be immortalized in 2004 ESPN-produced documentary, The Run.

Following his college career, Sato was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA draft but decided to go overseas to continue his basketball career. He won four league titles in Italy and was named Ligue A MVP in 2010 before winning the EuroLeague title with Greece’s Panathinaikos BC the following year. He was inducted into the International basketball Federation (FIBA) Hall of Fame in 2023.

Alongside Bluiett, Holloway and Sato, women’s basketball alumni Amber Harris and Ta’Shia Phillips jerseys will also be hung in the rafters. 

“Just as hanging a championship banner is a symbol of excellence, honoring former players with retired jersey numbers is one of the highest honors a program can bestow,” director of athletics Greg Christopher said. “Each of these former Musketeer greats contributed to building the foundation of Xavier’s basketball programs.”