VALPARAISO – It’s going to be a lot easier for Triton basketball fans to get the chance again to see former hometown hero Clay Yeo play in person.

Yeo, who recently completed his freshman year at Valparaiso University, plans to transfer to Bethel College.

The transfer of the former Trojan star was confirmed in a release posted on the Valparaiso University athletics website today.

“Our university and program have invested a lot into Clay, and we are proud that he has became a better man, a better student and a better basketball player from his time at Valpo,” said Valparaiso head coach Bryce Drew in the release. “He has expressed a strong desire to be closer to his family and high school friends, so we are releasing him from his scholarship at Valpo to enroll at Bethel College.”

Bethel College will hold a press conference Monday at 3 p.m. in the Wiekamp Center on the campus in Mishawaka to confirm the announcement.

Yeo, a 6-6 guard/forward, averaged 4.1 points-per-game his freshman season with the Crusaders. He appeared in 28 games, averaging almost 14 minutes per game. He shot 45.5 percent from 3-point range his freshman season. Yeo earned the Horizon League Freshman Player of the Week honors in February after scoring a career-high 12 points, including hitting the game winning trey in a 63-60 win over Oakland.

Yeo turned in a prolific prep career at Triton. He set game and single-season school records for points with 44 and 675 respectively. Yeo finished his career as the program’ all-time leading scorer and the top male scorer in Marshall County high school history with 1,992 points.

The Trojans went 85-19 during Yeo’s career with four Northern State Conference titles, four sectional crowns and two regional and a pair of semi state championships. Triton was the Class 1-A state runner-up in 2013, losing 55-50 to Borden in the title game. Yeo scored 26 points in that game, including 19 in the fourth quarter.

Yeo averaged 26 points to go with 7.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.9 blocked shots per game his senior season in 2012-13. He earned a spot on the Indiana All-Star team in 2013, becoming the first male player from Triton and just the second player ever from the school (joining Lorea Feldman in 1984) as All-Stars.

Valparaiso, an NCAA Division I program,  finished 18-16 overall and 9-7 in the Horizon League during the 2013-14 campaign.

Bethel, coached by Mike Lightfoot, was 28-8 overall and 12-6 in the Crossroads League this past season. The Pilots won the conference tournament title, beating Grace College 70-65 in the championship game. Bethel advanced to the quarterfinals of the NAIA National Tournament.

Yeo, the son of Russ and Jennifer Yeo, will have three years of eligibility remaining. He will also be able to play immediately next season for the Pilots.