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Four individuals will be inducted into the Valpo Athletics Hall of Fame Saturday, Feb. 10 as the Class of 2024. Raitis Grafs '03, Jon Robisch '64, Jordan Rutkowski '12, and Ozzie Young '96 comprise the 26th class in Hall of Fame history....

The Hall of Fame induction will take place as part of the inaugural All-Sports Reunion weekend Feb. 9-10, 2024. The induction luncheon is slated for midday on Saturday, Feb. 10, and the inductees will be honored at that afternoon's men's basketball game as well. Further details about the induction luncheon and registration information will be available in the coming weeks.

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Valparaiso U. 60
Virginia Tech  82

According to news reports, NCAA President Charlie Baker has sent a letter to all D-1 universities suggesting a new "division" of athletics that would require payment of at least $30,000 per athlete in major sports.

"In a letter sent Tuesday to Division I members, NCAA President Charlie Baker suggested a new 'subdivision' be created for institutions with the 'highest resources.' Those schools would be required to invest a minimum of $30,000 annually into an educational trust for each of at least half of their student-athletes. The average total cost per school is estimated to be around $6 million...."

"The latest plan, which would allow subdivision participants to create their own rules regarding roster size, recruitment or NIL, comes amid speculation that the Power Five conferences might seek to separate from the NCAA. Those conferences are seen as the most competitive in Division I athletics."

It saddens me to report that Phil Brockington—a Harvard Law grad who taught 25 years at VU's Law School and who continued to be a major contributor to the university over the decades following retirement with his time, effort, and funds—has passed away at age 83. Phil was also a beloved member of the Valparaiso community at large. Along with former director Richard Brauer, Phil was a prime figure behind the development of major art collections establishing the stature of Valparaiso University's Brauer Museum through substantial personal donations and an endowment fund he established. However, Phil used to joke that his claim to fame would likely be as legal representative for Orval Redenbacher. He will be missed by many. 

Some of you may remember Margaret Perry as the Director of the Library for more than a decade and a beloved figure on campus who contributed her talents greatly in all sorts of university activities before retiring in 1993. To me, she was a close and cherished friend, a generous and caring person. Bless her! Margaret'a brief obituary appears in the Washington Post, and a funeral mass will be held in Washington DC this Friday:
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/washingtonpost/name/margaret-perry-obituary?id=53052332&fbclid=IwAR2wyXIYUC1wVmh9DYy6rQMvBjuTsOIhBAuA7g8Utu7sffb8J36PHs0cXXY

Phoenix Gill (son of NBA vet Kendall Gill), a 6'3" guard in the class of '25, has received an offer:

Bryce's shot took place 25 years ago today, on March 13, 1998. Remember where you were when watching the game? View Bryce's description of the energy on campus and recall the excitement that once was. It was magical!

According to this morning's news reports, the College of Nursing and Health Professionals will receive $1 million as part of the new $1.7 trillion omnibus budget just passed into law. The intent seems to be to "upgrade its Skills Lab and Simulation Center." I wonder if this could influence any decision about Nursing or Athletics towards funding for facilities improvement. [PS: This note of information is meant as an apolitical comment and not an endorsement or invitation to debate the overall bill.]

Just received the following invitation, which I assume others have gotten as well. Could be interesting! Maybe we could create a list of possible questions in this thread?



Valpo Athletics Insider with Charles Small, Ed.D.
Wednesday, Dec. 14, 6:30–7:30 p.m. Central
Online via Zoom

Join Valparaiso University Director of Athletics Charles Small, Ed.D., for a question-and-answer conversation about the 2022–2023 season. Dr. Small will recap the successes in fall sports, as well as share his vision for the future of Valpo Athletics in the spring and beyond.

Athletic Director Mark LaBarbera is one of the senior members of the university staff who has elected to retire at the conclusion of this academic year.

And here I was looking forward to baseball season so I could forget the basketball season. 


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An old friend and former faculty member, Verne Sanford, has passed away at the age of 86. Many of you may remember Verne from the Math department, but he was also an avid follower of Valparaiso sports, especially basketball. You might remember observing him regularly attending games in the bleachers with his wife. Even though he couldn't see the action because he was legally blind, he would listen to Todd's play-by-play on earphones attached to a portable radio and rely on his wife's descriptions. If I remember correctly, his granddaughter was a student who once led the VU Pep Band at games. His physical lack of vision never stopped him. He was often seen getting around campus or across town on his bicycle: I don't know how he did it. He read constantly with assistance of magnifying devices or braille texts, and he was excellent at woodwork, an example of which he once gave me as a gift for my son.


From the obituary: "Verne attained the education level of PhD and served as a Professor of Mathematics at Valparaiso University for 27 years. He volunteered with Boy Scouts, Valparaiso Low Vision Support Group, Valparaiso Exchange Club and other organizations.  Summers found him running the Dunes Campstore and Dairy Isle along with his children while wife Marie kept them all fed.  Hobbies included singing, reading, woodworking, fundraising and advocating for handicap accessibility.  He was a long-time member of Immanuel Lutheran Church."




In Memoriam
Verne Robert Sanford
September 4, 1935 – January 23, 2022
Department of Math and Computer Science
1960, 1967 - 1994
http://www.angelcrestinc.com/obituary_pages/obit_10.html

Ironically, Title IX was established to protect and promote women in sports, but this admirable cause has now become a tool to damage the opportunities for women. By including "gender identity" as a protected status, Title IX has been expanded to the following, which can destroy the integrity of women's sports: "A recipient institution that receives Department funds must operate its education program or activity in a nondiscriminatory manner free of discrimination based on sex, including sexual orientation and gender identity" (U.S. Department of Education). Rather than supporting the women in their sports programs, the shameful silence by administrators in universities about the unfairness evident in this issue is detrimental to their female athletes. Universities should be advocating for their women athletes.


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I thought some on this board would want to know the sad news that our friend Walt Wangerin has passed away at the age of 77. Beginning in 1991, Walt was a professor in theology and English, well-known as a writer of novels, children's books, poetry, and religious texts. Also an ELCA pastor, the chapel has hosted an annual preaching series in his name since 2012. Additionally, Walt held the Jochum University Chair from 1991-2009.   

The following meme has been getting a lot of attention, so I thought I'd adapt it to a Valpo theme just for a bit of humor. Feel free to try your own combination! Truthfully, I think I actually know all of these folks. The four individuals shown in the picture: an idealistic freshman seeking class in the Art/Psychology building on the first day of school, a hung-over senior trying to find out where his major field lines up at the ARC on graduation day, a woke professor attending a mascot renaming faculty senate meeting, and a fan favorite athlete alum at Homecoming wandering campus to find former teammates for a pickup game of volleyball on the lawn behind Guild/Memorial.


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While I believe athletes have the right to control and benefit from their name, image, and likeness, I can see that this will be damaging to athletics programs outside big conferences or not located in large urban areas, both of which permit greater opportunities for earnings. As I wrote a couple months ago: "If you thought there is a gap between big conferences and mid-major conferences now, you haven't seen anything yet. Even within smaller conferences like the Missouri Valley, the better players with earning potential will gravitate to schools that are in commercial or media centers. Hello, Loyola! Schools or conferences will not have to facilitate endorsements; instead, the universities with higher earning athletes will be well known on social media and elsewhere, and recruited players or transfers will be aware of the potential. In addition, the ways of making money go far beyond endorsements. Athletes could create their own You Tube channels the way some 'influencers' earn millions of dollars each year. This will benefit top-level players financially, but it also will help certain athletics programs while harming other athletics programs, including Valpo."

Already on Twitter, my predictions are beginning to prove true. Paul has highlighted two programs that will benefit. Loyola's team is meeting with a "brand marketing specialist later today" that will show their players how to take advantage of the Chicago market, and Oklahoma has added a prominent web page celebrating its marketing skills for athletes: https://www.only1oklahoma.com/nil.html

Additionally, other programs—especially at private schools—are concerned about what associations or images the athletes might promote that could counter university standards and values. Paul points out BYU as an example. The new NIL rules will hurt places like Valpo (smaller, more rural, private, and religious) in recruiting top high school players, and may be more harmful when trying to attract transfers who have established reputations and social media followings.

This comment by Alec Peters in Paul's Times article is also revealing: ""Coming out of high school, I didn't know that I wanted to be a professional basketball player. I know that I loved playing basketball and I wanted to play right away wherever I went and Valpo gave me that opportunity. If I went to a bigger school, I knew I would've had to redshirt and then maybe wouldn't have played right away, but if I knew that I could go there and I was going to make $20,000 (because of NIL), maybe that changes things. Coming out of high school, maybe I look at things a little differently then."

I haven't seen any announcement yet, but I received a message today from a friend that a relative of former VU President Harre informed him Alan died this morning. Those of you who were on campus during his twenty-year term (1988-2008) will remember him and his wife at athletic events, especially basketball where his wife Diane always kept a scorebook. My favorite memory of Alan was at the famous "Miracle" home game in December of '88, where VU basketball beat a top-20 ranked Notre Dame in front of a packed ARC.  As usual, I was sitting a couple seats away from Alan, and at the final buzzer, as everyone was cheering and some were rushing the court, I reached over to shake his hand, saying that I wanted to be the first to congratulate him. Three years later Alan invited me to his office so that he would be the first to shake my hand when he informed me I had received tenure! He was a first-class gentleman.

Not official yet, but I am hearing that the Pioneer League will cancel its fall 2020 season. Announcement may come tomorrow.

A look back at VU sports in a year cut short:

For those who are missing campus, here is the new tour of VU available for prospective students unable to visit due to current restrictions. Check it out!

Congrats to Men's Golf! #1 among 19 in the field!
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I thought I'd pass along this information. President Heckler has decided to retire, and Valparaiso University will begin the search for a successor. Heckler will remain to assist the new president in the transitional period.

I saw this curious message from Coach Stake on Twitter, and I was reminded about how out of proportion and preposterous social media actions can be. I also thought that we might be missing an opportunity for widespread publicity. Why not publicize that one of Valpo's sports has been suspended by Taylor Swift's representation for a post two years ago, and is being prevented from participation on Twitter because of an innocent, probably complimentary, use of a brief snippet from a Taylor Swift song? I can only see this as a good way of getting Valpo's name into the news with sympathy from most people. Just associating Valpo with Taylor Swift's name would gain thousands of retweets (she has 84 million followers, mostly in high school or at college age), and it might even engender a comment from Swift herself. Maybe she would even contribute to Valpo or promise to visit as a goodwill gesture. I don't fully believe that all publicity is good as long as the name is spelled correctly; however, any publicity in this case can only be good for VU!



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@taylorswift13
's representation suspended our account because we used a song of hers two years ago in a 20 second clip. And for the past two months I've been unable to get us back up and running. Will throw a party when I do, though.

After the Crusaders Senior Game loss and the Valpo high school basketball team suffering a major upset in the sectionals, I was looking for something positive, and I found this. Cal State Fullerton allowed its senior manager to suit up and the coach put him in the game for a play. He scored a basket while being fouled and made the free throw before checking out with 3 points in 20 seconds of play, which appears in the boxscore as 0 minutes.


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I have attended almost all the events highlighted in this video, but I thought those on the board not around campus might like to see this.


Happy New Year! 

Now that Valpo has played 8 of its 31 scheduled games, we are about one-fourth of the way through the season, and we have a decent basis to start looking at trends. One important area to watch will be the continuation of a positive assists-to-turnovers comparison. Thus far, the team is averaging 16.4 assists and 13.1 turnovers per game. Last year's team averaged 12.5 assists and 14.7 turnovers per game. I look for Valpo to keep a positive assists to turnovers ratio and hopefully improve it against High Point.

Check out this terrific 3-D tour of the Brauer Museum that was produced during the recent art exhibition of Frank Dudley works!


https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=yjE8rsBkFCE

I am saddened to report here that one of the most beloved faculty members and longtime Dean of Christ College, Arlin Meyer, passed away this morning. Arlin was a mentor to many students, including quite a few who have been on this discussion board, and he was an avid supporter of all VU sports, always in attendance at basketball, football, volleyball, etc. He was so admired that he was nicknamed "God" by many Christ College students. He was also a great friend to many of us; in fact, he was one of the first to greet and befriend me when I first arrived at Valpo. He will be greatly missed by all in the Valparaiso community.

A new documentary movie about Valparaiso will premiere in December. I thought those on this board would be interested. Here is a link to its trailer (also, be sure to check its "Images" page): http://www.makingparadise.com/

Rod Moore has been an outstanding representative of Valparaiso University for nearly half a century. He has been an exemplar as a professional and as a person. It will be hard to imagine Valparaiso sports without him on the sidelines. He will always be viewed as a legendary figure at Valparaiso University. From a personal point of view, I always enjoyed very much my conversations with Rod on the sidelines during football games. Thank you, Rod, for all you have done!


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Roderick Moore '68, ATC, LAT, will step down as the head athletic trainer for the Valparaiso University athletic department on Sept. 1 after nearly 50 years in the role.


"During my career at Valparaiso University, I have had the good fortune of working with thousands of excellent student-athletes, many of whom have become good friends of mine." said Moore. "Valpo has allowed me to work in a wide variety of athletic training roles in the community and at the state, national, and world levels. I have learned what it takes to be successful at the very highest level of competition and feel privileged that I have been able to use that knowledge here in my time at Valpo."


Moore became the department's head athletic trainer in 1967 while completing his undergraduate work. He has since served in this role and worked directly with all Crusaders' athletic programs during his time at Valpo. He worked as the primary athletic trainer for the men's basketball team throughout his 49-year tenure and worked with the football program for more than four decades — including a 33-year stretch without missing a Crusader football game.


"For more than 50 years, Rod has contributed directly to the success of thousands of Valpo student-athletes," said Mark LaBarbera, director of athletics. "Through his long-term commitment to his alma mater, he has demonstrated all that is good and worthy in college athletics. There are no words that can adequately express the appreciation and respect owed him for all he has done and all he has meant to Valpo Athletics. It has been a privilege to have him as a colleague."


An active member of the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA), Moore was a member of the NATA Board of Certification from 1977–1980, serving as chairman from 1978–1980. He served as president of the Great Lakes Athletic Trainers Association from 1978–1980. Moore has been a professional member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association as well.


Beyond Valparaiso University, Moore has lent his athletic training expertise to numerous other events. He served as the head athletic trainer at a NCAA College Division Track and Field Championship and as a staff athletic trainer for numerous other NCAA Championship events. In the summer of 1996, Moore worked at the field hockey venue at the Atlanta Olympics. He has been the medical director for regional competition at the Hoosier State Games as well.


Moore worked with the Valparaiso Community School District from 1972–1986. He has been active with the Lutheran Basketball Association of America (LBAA) since its Tournament of Champions moved to Valparaiso University in 1971, overseeing officials and athletic trainers, and has served on the LBAA Board of Directors since 1997.


Moore has received numerous accolades for his work throughout the years, earning induction into the Indiana Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Indiana Football Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2014, Moore was awarded the Golden Pinnacle Award by the Great Lakes Athletic Trainers Association (GLATA), the highest honor a member of GLATA can receive and an award that recognizes those members who have provided outstanding leadership to GLATA.


Moore graduated from Valparaiso University with a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1968. He went on to earn his Athletic Training Certificate in 1970 and completed his master's degree in health, physical education, and recreation from South Dakota State University in 1982.

As of today, the NCAA has instituted a new rule allowing for coaches and staff to like, retweet, favorite or endorse a recruit's post on public social media platforms. The coaches still cannot initiate conversations or post comments, but this will be an interesting development to follow and see how coaches use (or abuse) the opportunity. It also will assure that those coaches who have been reluctant to have a social media presence (ie. Bryce Drew) now will be drawn, perhaps compelled, to join. 

I wish him the best!


http://roadtothechipper.com/2015/07/24/dale-carlson-to-take-over-the-lindenwood-belleville-football-program/

Buzz Berg, a very good old friend, avid supporter of VU sports, and beloved member of the Valparaiso community has passed away. I am sure many on this message board remember him and may have been his students in various classes during the 48 years he taught in the history department at Valpo before his retirement a few years ago. Therefore, I thought I'd recognize him here and share this link to his obituary notice: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/nwitimes/obituary.aspx?pid=174986597

Various sources are reporting confirmations that Northern Kentucky will join the Horizon League this year.

I'm not sure how much validity there is in this, and I couldn't think of a more awful move by the Horizon League, but this certainly should serve as a spark for some off-season conversation: http://pantheru.com/2015/05/horizon-league-tournament-going-neutral/

I know some alumni on this board may have had Prof. Galow as a teacher in Journalism/Communications. In addition, he often connected his subject with sports, and he served as the softball coach for a while; so, I thought I'd note his passing here. Carl was one of the good guys! For those in the area, I have been informed a memorial service will be held Sunday at 3 p.m. in Christ Lutheran Church, which is across from the high school. Tim Knauf will preside and Fred Niedner will preach.

Despite the 20 inches of snow, a sign that spring is on the way to Valparaiso! The softball team begins play this weekend in Georgia at the Mercer Invitational with games scheduled Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Therefore, I thought I'd begin this thread for the season and mention that College Sports Madness has just recognized four Crusaders as preseason all-conference picks [McShane & Ranieri as 1st team; Lawson & Weissenhofer as 2nd team] with Kaitlyn Ranieri also named as a preseason selection for Player of the Year.


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Time to move ahead in the schedule by adding more wins, starting with Milwaukee on Monday.

Excellent preview interview with Coach Drew by Todd. Bryce appears optimistic about Keith's condition:


Valpo Basketball Preview 1|5|15

Crusaders look to record a dozen wins before Christmas! 

Usually our student-athletes are exemplary citizens, but this time some of them displayed not very smart behavior. WVUR reports that 26 of those arrested are VU athletes. 


http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/police-arrest-at-underage-drinking-party/article_8590c2b7-6c56-57de-bf75-04537f720590.html

Last game before final exam week and the first real test to see if this Valpo team has put the New Mexico disaster behind them. Also, it would be nice to get to double digit wins!

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The softball team won both ends of a doubleheader against Purdue Calumet to start the short fall schedule of games. Freshman Brenna Boyle was especially impressive in her initial game as a Crusader with 3 hits, 2 home runs, and 4 RBIs! Here is my photo of her watching her first home run as it clears the outfield fence.

Check out this terrific piece featuring our own Todd Ickow talking about the recent history of Valpo sports with some great action video:


Todd Ickow: The Man Behind the Mic

It appears the women's soccer team will be the first to play against the new Horizon League affiliate school, Belmont:


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[Congratulations to the Class of 2014!]

In another thread we have had an ongoing discussion about the NCAA APR report and academic standards at various universities, especially those in the Horizon League. It is worth noting that Valparaiso University led the Horizon League with perfect APR scores in 11 team sports categories. Since graduation takes place today, this is also a good time to remember that players on our teams are student-athletes. Speaking to some of them this past week, I know they are looking forward to today's celebration, excited and proud to accept their diplomas. Therefore, let's take a moment to thank them not only for their performances on the court or in the field, but also for their accomplishments in the classroom.

Congratulations to the Class of 2014!

I attended the football team's spring Brown/Gold game, and I was impressed with the discipline and enthusiasm of the team. The game was entertaining and exciting, especially for an exhibition. The score was close throughout, and the outcome in doubt down to the final play when the Brown team was driving for a winning touchdown but was stopped at the goal line as the game clock ran out. Final score: Gold 24 - Brown 21.

The weather was autumnal with temperatures in the 40s and a brisk northerly wind, which seemed right for the game. Here are just a few of my photos from the game, but I will have many more to share.

The Horizon League Board of Directors has approved Belmont University as an affiliate member in the sport of men's soccer. The first affiliate member in the Horizon League in over 30 years, the Bruins will be eligible to compete in 2014. Belmont has played men's soccer as an independent since the 2012 season and previously was in the Atlantic Sun Conference.

http://www.horizonleague.org/blog/belmont-university-to-join-horizon-league-as-affiliate-member