Reflections on Life & Faith
An evening with Billy Donovan & Daniel Crews
Wednesday, August 28th @ 7pm | The Rock of Gainesville
Billy Donovan is the winningest basketball coach in the history of the University of Florida, including two national championships during his tenure. He is currently the head coach of the Chicago Bulls, entering his fifth season with the team.
Special guest Daniel Crews shares the Gospel through song. Having recorded seven albums, Daniel Is currently the Worship Pastor at FBC of Ft. Walton Beach, FL.
Billy Donovan
William Donovan Jr. is a professional basketball coach named the Head Coach of the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 2020. Prior to this role, he was formerly the head coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He spent 19 seasons at the University of Florida, where his Florida Gators teams won back-to-back NCAA championships in 2006 and 2007. Donovan has more wins than any other coach in the history of the Florida basketball program, and he coached the Gators to more NCAA tournament appearances, NCAA tournament wins, and Southeastern Conference (SEC) championships than all other Florida coaches combined.
Donovan was born and raised in Rockville Centre on Long Island, New York. As the starting point guard for Rick Pitino’s Providence team, Donovan led the Friars to the 1987 Final Four. As such, he is one of only four men (Dean Smith, Joe B. Hall and Bobby Knight being the others) to appear in the NCAA Final Four as a player and win the NCAA national championship as a coach.
Before his tenure at Florida, Donovan spent most of the 1987–88 season as a reserve guard for the New York Knicks, who at the time were coached by his college coach, Pitino. After leaving the NBA and briefly working as a Wall Street stock broker, Donovan followed Pitino to the University of Kentucky, where he served as an assistant coach for the Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball from 1989 to 1993. He accepted his first head coaching position at Marshall University in 1994 and led the Thundering Herd to a 35-20 record over two seasons.
Donovan was hired to revive Florida’s basketball program in 1996. After two losing seasons while he rebuilt the roster through relentless recruiting, Donovan’s Gators began a streak of sixteen straight 20-win seasons, a period which included multiple conference championships, four Final Four appearances, two NCAA championships, and three SEC coach of the year awards.
During Donovan’s tenure at Florida, he was often rumored to be a candidate for various NCAA and NBA head coaching positions. In June 2007, after leading the Gators to their second consecutive national title, he accepted an offer to become the head coach of the NBA’s Orlando Magic. However, he immediately had second thoughts, and after a week, he persuaded the Magic to release him from his newly signed contract and allow him to return to Florida, where he remained for eight more seasons.
Daniel Crews
Growing up in a Christian home, Daniel has sung in church since he can remember. He launched Daniel Crews Ministries (DCM) after graduating from the University of North FL in 2007 with a degree in Vocal Performance. DCM has provided Daniel a platform to share the Gospel through song by leading in worship and solo concerts around the country in churches, conferences, retreats, revivals and youth camps.
In June of 2018, Daniel realized through a series of events lead by the Holy Spirit his brokenness, repented and came to know Christ. God has used his powerful testimony to help others realize their need for Jesus.
Daniel served as Resident Artist at First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Florida from 2014 to 2018. Previously in 2011 to 2013, Daniel served as Resident Artist for First Baptist Church of Atlanta, Georgia with Dr. Charles Stanley, founder of the international InTouch Ministries.
Daniel has recorded 7 albums since the launch of Daniel Crews Ministries. His latest recording, Making Melody, is inspired by the familiar passage in Ephesians 5, “ . . . be filled with the Spirit, teaching one another is psalms and hymns and spiritual song, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.”
HOSTED BY
10901 West Newberry Road
Gainesville, FL 32606
