COLUMBIA CITY – Parker Hazen has made his college choice.

The Columbia City senior standout made a verbal commitment Sunday night to continue his hoops career next year at Valparaiso University.

Hazen, a 6-7 forward, averaged 15.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game his junior season for the Eagles. Columbia City went 20-7 during the 2015-16 campaign and won its second straight Class 3-A sectional championship with a roster featuring 11 seniors.

Hazen, who was a member of the Junior All-Stars North team, also had received scholarship offers from Ball State and IUPUI before picking the Crusaders.

Hazen’s brother Brachen will be a freshman at Arkansas this fall. Brachen, also a 6-7 forward, was an Indiana All-Star and originally committed to Central Florida before a coaching change there prompted his decision to attend Arkansas.

Parker Hazen is the first recruit in the Class of 2017 for new Valparaiso coach Matt Lottich. Lottich was a VU assistant coach for three years before replacing Bryce Drew, who left VU in April after five seasons as head coach to become the coach at Vanderbilt.

The Crusaders went 28-10 during the 2015-16 season, ending the campaign with a loss to George Washington in the championship game of the NIT.