I was just lucky to have my hand on him. Brandon.Vickrey@valpo.edu. Bishop Noll grad Brittany Anderson had 18 assists. As a basketball player, Cassie Kerns reached the mountaintop of collegiate athletics: She was able to call herself a national champion. She was a part of four sectional titles and three 20-plus win seasons for coach Greg Kirbys Vikings. Bradley was quickly touted as the next Magic Johnson and made the cover of Sports Illustrated. Valparaiso to host NIVC championship after sweep of UConn The power forward was a member of tyhe Roosevelt "Rough Riders" state champs in 1970 which won the title game 28-0. Courtesy of Purdue University Athletics Communications. After hitting .240 with St. Louis that year, Bigbie returned to the minor leagues under contract with the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers before going to Japan where he played the 2008 season with the Yokohama Bay Stars in the Japanese Central League. Short has partnered with Athletes for Charity, HealthLinc and the East Chicago Fire and Police Departments to create academic incentives to benefit youth. Portage Pop Warner wins title:The Portage Indians won the Pop Warner Jr Pee Wee National Championship 36-12 on Friday over the Westchase Colts (Florida). Szulborski's name was already known as he was a two-time honorable mention All-American at Purdue and led the nation in rushing in 1947 with 851 yards. Though injured, he played with the Cardinals' 2006 World Series championship team. Barnett was nicknamed "The Skull" and "Fall Back Baby" for his trademark jump shot in which he kicked both legs back. Inside Athletics. After averaging 19.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.8 blocks and 2.8 steals per game during her four-year career at Wheeler, Bruszewski earned a scholarship to Notre Dame, where she graduated from in 2011. Every Man's Journey to Significance." Lofton last worked in the majors in 2007. W 3-1. Barnett was picked in the first round of the NBA draft by the Syracuse Nationals in 1959. Your IP address is listed in our blacklist and blocked from completing this request. Karras was born in Gary on July 15, 1935. "Mac" as he is known, played for baseball for Gary Roosevelt High School and graduated in 1979. The Valpo mens swimming program paid out $114,179 in expenses while making $116,189 in total revenue. I loved them both and if it was left up to me, Id be playing both professionally right now.. For Morris, it was also the final at-bat of his career. Szulborski not only coached football, but started the school's wrestling program, coached golf for six years and baseball for 10, and was an assistant track coach for 10 years. He was traded to Oakland last year to pry Ben Zobrist away from the As. I didnt shortchange myself or the guys around me.. He received the school's award for Most Valuable Offensive Back in 1995. You had all these monitors. Kerns graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in photography from UConn. Portage advanced to the title game with a 40--6 win over the Far West Snakes (Arizona) in Tuesday's semifinal. He was 67-18-2 in his career with 18 knockouts. Stoddard also lettered in baseball at N.C. State, going on to pitch for six professional teams between 1975 and 1989, including the Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians. McClendon earned the nickname "Legendary Lloyd" in the series after homering at five consecutive at bats. WebValpo Volleyball. In his two seasons in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines enjoyed unprecedented success, winning 59 games in the span. He graduated the same year and went on to play basketball for Western Kentucky University. Volleyball. I appreciate you guys for being there, showing love and support. That 10-by-10-foot mural at Columbus Drive Gyros was painted Jan. 28 by the artist known as Fhat Cousins, who worked on his labor of love for eight hours. In the summer of 2016, Moore signed with New Orleans as a free agent, where he's spent the past four seasons. He graduated from Horace Mann High School on the Steel City's north side. Repko began his professional life as a shortstop and battled injuries the next two seasons before converting to the outfield in 2002, when he began a steady climb through the L.A. farm system. The right-handed outfielder and first baseman was drafted by the New York Mets in the 8th round of the amateur draft in 1980. She led the Cardinals to an 18-2 record and the first two sectional championships in program history. A big kid, his tennis coach Harold Wegner said Larsen was built more for football than for baseball.. Valpo "We loved to compete against each other and Gary football was good. So his new boss in Detroit arranged for him to play minor league baseball in Florida and was so impressive as a pitcher he was invited to the Atlanta Braves spring camp in 1966 fresh off his first NBA season. Kansas City took Manaea in the supplemental draft. Valpo He jumped in velocity real quick, Pishkur said. Ron Reed, a native of LaPorte, graduated from Notre Dame in the mid 1960s as a basketball star, ranking 30th in the schools history in scoring with 1,153 points and third all-time in rebounding average with 14.3 rebounds per game as well as Notre Dames single-season record for rebounding average with 17.7 rebounds per game. When I got out after my senior year, it was the first year of the college draft for baseball. Rank . Lofton had three tours of duty with the Indians and played single seasons with the Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angels Dodgers; the White Sox, the San Francisco Giants, the Cubs, The Pittsburgh Pirates and Texas Rangers. In 1975, he teamed with Brent Musburger and 1971 Miss America Phyllis George on CBS-TV's "NFL Today," which was the first network pregame show to go completely live. Central High School graduate, has been a part of the WNBA since its inception in 1997. Volleyball camps get you in front of college coaches and help you develop the skills you need to get recruited. Years ago, he established a charter school in Milwaukee and then a boys school in Louisville, where he claims there are 1,000 homeless children. We are East Chicago Super Bowl 50. He served as the pro scouting director for the Angels from 2011-2016. Chesterton native and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Mitch McGary grabs a rebound in front of Dallas Mavericks center Tyson Chandler in a game last season. The ARC Arena currently has 5,000 seats and will accommodate over 5,400. He attended the University of Arizona where he was torn between playing baseball or basketball, Lofton told Times sportswriter Glenn Minnis in 1993. The father of two made his home for years in Chesterton before moving to the far southern suburb of Mokena. Angela Bess. Ted told The Times in an April interview how the fight game was. "Boxing was much different back then," Ted Zale said of the era when his uncle fought. The barn had a big "Swingin' A's" logo painted on it that could be seen from the Indiana Toll Road. Moore lives in New Jersey with his wife and three children. He was part of the New York Giants' Super Bowl championship team in 2011. That was pretty high praise, Pishkur said. In 2015, Popovich was named the next head coach of the U.S. national team. He would also send newspaper clippings of Duke games to prospects. He was a member of the 1970 team that won the NBA championship against the Los Angeles Lakers. We were the first to not only do a live pregame, but we were the first to have a black and a woman co-anchoring a network football show.". Football Todd Ickow and Tom Byrne. The most up to date world ranking featuring mens volleyball national teams. Upon his return from Europe, Frank began his coaching career, which included stints as an assistant coach for the Harlem Globetrotters, at Hampton University in Virginia and at the high school level in California. Cassie stands on the sidelines, and she explains things to guys who don't get it. One of three Northwest Indiana players on the UM roster, Robinson shined on the national stage, playing a key role in a run to the 2013 national championship game, where Michigan fell to Louisville. The area was notorious for drug activity, but friends and family member insisted Bradley was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. He was as tough as the steel that rolled out of the old open hearths of U.S. Steel's Gary Works. Eddie Wineland is a mixed martial arts fighter who was the first World Extreme Cagefighting bantamweight champion. "Big T," as he is known, was a first-round draft pick for the Golden State Warriors in 1987 and went on to play for the Miami Heat and the Minnesota Timberwolves in his five-year NBA career. The boy wanted to have a W-2 form to hide his income. He was one of six children born to Jim, an ironworker in the steel mills, and Dorothy Kittle. I called his dad, and they had like four phones going. Athletics & Intramurals How did a Detroit kid from Pershing High School get away from Fritz Crisler? His playing career in the NBA may have only lasted 60 games, but basketball remains at the center of Chris Hunter's life. He worked as a Braves radio and TV announcer in the early 80s. While continuing his training in Los Angeles with fellow world-class sprinters, Neville worked as a personal trainer and gave individual lessons to area prep athletes. Copyright 1999 2023 All rights reserved. Central grad. After earning All-Big Ten honors as a sophomore, he topped the nation in scoring at 30.3 points per game to go with an 11.2 rebound average. He said he got his start in sportscasting while still in the NFL. Weatherford and his wife Laura have three children, and the family splits its time between New Jersey and California. Owner John Troupis recalled how the players, prior to sectionals, had assured him they were going to win the 4A championship. His family soon moved, and he was raised in Louisiana and Terre Haute, where he attended North Vigo High School. Former White Sox slugger Ron Kittle was never afraid of hard work. She was part of the L.C. She was be inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame April 29, 2017. He is a 1982 graduate of LaPorte High School. She currently lives and works as an artist and published model in Indianapolis. She is completely different than anybody else, just her attitude, and it is refreshing.". Photo courtesy of Chad Phillips Photography and Sioux Fall Canaries. Pettis was an all-Southeastern Conference selection, helping the Gators to their first-ever NCAA tournament berth. He was an assistant coach for the WNBA's Atlanta Dream. He has been involved in a variety of real estate and technology ventures, and has been an advisor to Montara Capital Partners, a boutique private equity firm focused on 1031 exchange and tax advantaged real estate transactions. Whether it was basketball or volleyball, Becca Bruszewski found a way to stand out. His professional career began in minors at Bluefield, W.Va, of the Appalachian League. Anita graduated in 1975. Now 30, he is a studio analyst and color commentator for Big Ten Network and ESPN. Cross said it was a shock when he got the call from Joe Horrigan of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As kids, ETwaun Moore and Short often stopped at Columbus Drive Gyros for a quick bite after school. He said he enjoyed being involved in the Gary athletic scene. Karras' brothers Lou, Ted and Paul all played football, Lou and Ted in the NFL. . WebA look at the Hoosier State's volleyball leaders in kills, assists, digs, blocks, aces and hitting percentage. He was drafted by the Detroit Pistons in the fourth round of the 1965 NBA draft. He was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in 2006. WebThe head coach and assistant coach train and lead the 15 players of the Valpo mens swimming team. Wilson was selected in the second round (36th overall) of the 2003 NFL Draft. The Dodgers released Repko in 2010. Weatherford also played for the Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets, before finding a home with the Giants. Use NCSAs list below to find a volleyball camp near you. at Ohio. During Szulborski's tenure, Gary's football coaches were a "who's who" of coaching legends in Rolfe at Emerson, Don Elser (Horace Mann), Leonard Douglas and Claude Taliaferro (Roosevelt), Eddie Herbert (Lew Wallace), Walt Nabhan and Jack Owen (Wirt), Gene Johnson (West Side), George Maddock (Froebel), Ralph Brasaemie (Edison), Ricahrd Dornbos, Ray Lincolnhol, Nick Crnkovich and Pete Billick (Andrean), and Bob Stearns (Tolleston). asked Bridgeman, trying to break the ice. One of the greatest female players in Region history, Hamblin was a mega-star at now-defunct Lew Wallace. His jaw was wired shut after having been broken in a 2014 fight. The next season, he was head coach at St. Edwards University, then the University of Texas in 1934. LaTroy Hawkins has enjoyed more than two decades in professional baseball, a career that began when the Minnesota Twins chose him in the seventh round of the amateur draft after he graduated from Gary West Side High School in 1991. The big, bold and colorful mural on the outside wall of Columbus Drive Gyros hits you like a storm surge while entering the building. Dan Hettinger wrote a biography on him called "Welcome to the Big Leagues . Munster grad Hal Morris, shown here waiting in the on-deck Bridgeman helped lead unbeaten Washington to the 1971 state basketball championship, then starred at Louisville before enjoying a productive 12-year NBA career, much of it with the Milwaukee Bucks. David Neville, a 2002 Merrillville graduate, has impacted the sports of track and field at the high school, college and professional levels. McClendon went on to become a hitting coach for the Pirates, a bullpen coach and hitting coach for the Detroit Tigers before being named manager of the Pirates in 2001. Horizon League Other local teams in competition included the Portage 10-under team, which lost 21-19 to Coastal Cowboys (North Carolina) in a Division 2 consolation. circle during his playing days with the Cincinnati Reds, was a .304 He currently serves as a White Sox ambassador. Indiana's Glenn Robinson III dunks as he participates in the slam dunk contest during NBA All-Star Saturday Night events in New Orleans, Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017. Morris attended Michigan, where the Wolverines won the Big 10 championship in 1984 and 1986, advancing to the College World Series in 1984. He scored the touchdown for Notre Dame that inspired the Ronald Reagan line, Win one for the Gipper, in honor of Notre Dame football legend George Gipp. WebThe home to Valparaiso University mens and womens basketball and volleyball programs, the Athletics-Recreation Center opened in the fall of 1984. In 915 career games, Chaney hit .217 with 14 home runs, 190 RBIs, 237 runs, 458 hits, 75 doubles, 17 triples and 10 stolen bases. He made his Major League debut in 1982 and earned the American League Rookie of the Year Award in 1983 with 35 home runs and 100 RBIs. From 2005-2009, Kerns was a part of two Final Four teams and won a national championship during her senior season when the Huskies went 39-0. Special Projects Coordinator (Office of the Athletic Director) 615.322.4121. Since 1961, the start of MLB's expansion era, Hal Morris and Derek Jeter are the only players with a minimum of 10 seasons in the majors who collected a game-ending RBI in their final home game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Hamblin was drafted in the third round (23rd overall) by the Washington Mystics in the 1998 WNBA Draft. Bradley was scouted by hundreds of universities and chose Northern Illinois University before being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1974. John Higgins Soccer Camps - www.xaviersoccer.com. In 1967, he "fired" Hawk Harrelson, and the Red Sox signed him, thus helping them win the 1967 American League pennant. 42 for most of his career, the number worn by Jackie Robinson. Valparaiso "A cultural moment' U.S. Soccer's Megan Rapinoe on upcoming Women's World Cup, Weeding Out Weed! And when you do, they gladly jump on board and support you 100 percent.. The designated hitter, left fielder and occasional first baseman played for the Yankees, Indians and Orioles but returned to the Sox in 1989 and 1990 and briefly again in 1991, the year he played his last game. He tried to enlist in the U.S. Army during World War II but was rejected because of a football injury. The 6-foot-10 Mitch McGary attended high school there as a freshman and a sophomore, but left for Brewster Academy, a prep school basketball factory in New Hampshire, where he developed his raw, but vast, talents and became one of the top recruits in the nation for his class. He worked as the pitching coach at Northwestern University through 2014, a span of more than 20 years. East Chicago you guys have been behind my back 100 percent. In 1989, Kittle founded Indiana Sports Charities to support cancer research and education. Wineland was a wrestler in high school, and began his MMA training at Duneland Vale Tudo. Volleyball. By her senior year, she averaged 16.2 points and 7.5 rebounds for Valparaiso. He played 96 games in his eight-year career finishing with 399 tackles, four fumble recoveries, 41 pass deflections and 14 interceptions. Volleyball Brian Jennings and Renee Turpa. He played at Froebel, then at Northwestern University and then he went pro, taking the field for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs. Athletics During the visit, he reminisced about time spent with his mother while she worked at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, where a memorial garden grows in her memory. Some, like that quiet kid, can be impossible to reach. His career ended in Dec. 2013, when he was waived by the Mad Ants following his fifth stint with the team. AthleticsRecreation Center - Wikipedia 1,696 likes. The Munster Colts 12-under team won their Division 2 consolation 21-0 over the Colorado Springs Vikings. Harry Szulborski poses with a picture of him back from his coaching days at Emerson High School. The 6-foot-5 star scored a combined 68 points in the final two games to lead E.C.W. Philadelphia claimed Robinson two days after and he finished the season there, making his first professional start in the season finale. SOCIAL. He was a four-time Pro Bowl selection and was named to the 1960s All-Decade NFL team. Wineland told The Times his doctors advised him to reconsider a return to the cage, but in July 2015 he returned in a Chicago event. A 6-foot-11 forward, Hunter played with the Wolverines for coach Tommy Amaker from 2002 to 2006. He also spent time with the Baltimore Orioles, the Colorado Rockies, the New York Yankees, the Houston Astros, the Milwaukee Brewers, the Anaheim Angels, the New York Mets and the Toronto Blue Jays. He left Purdue as the third highest scorer in program history, trailing only Rick Mount and Joe Barry Carroll. He has started all 25 games he's played in and is averaging a career-high 11.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. "That meant a lot to me.". Washington graduate is the only athlete with championship rings for the World Series and the NCAA basketball tournament. He faced only the minimum number of Dodges, 27, and didnt allow a single on on base, the definition of baseballs perfect game. I don't care how fast you are.". He was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, individually and as part of the Washington team, in 2011. When he was 15, the family moved to Gary. L 3-0. Bradley went on to be named the MVP of the Midwestern Conference in 1972. Valpo Victory Fund. WebValparaiso University sports news and features, including conference, nickname, location and official social media handles. Web1009 Union St. Valparaiso , IN. Popovich has won five NBA championships 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014 one of only five coaches to do so. Archibald McKinlay, a former Times columnist, wrote in 1990, Don Larsen was born in Michigan City Aug. 7, 1929. All-American and starred for coach Denny Crum at Louisville. His moms never been to California.. He spent one year at Wirt after Emerson closed following the 1981 school year. "Not everybody has the ability to get a four-year degree or an advanced degree but you can become a plumber or electrician and be successful," Bridgeman said. The organization hosted annual celebrity golf tournaments in the Region and later, motorcycle runs. He was as colorful and loud as the green and gold uniforms his Kansas City and Oakland Athletics teams wore. The Celtics traded him to Cleveland where he underwent knee surgery. Women's Bowling Men's Basketball Sepp Becomes Latest Addition to Valpo Mens Basketball. Thus, until Casey McGehee in 2014, Morris was the last player to be leading his league in hits at the All-Star break and not make the team. Karras played for the Lions from 1958-62 and 64-70. Volleyball He finished his rookie campaign with a 7-9 record, 3.86 earned run average and 124 strikeouts in 144 2/3 innings pitched. Eight years later, he's back with the Cardinals. Popovich is the longest active coach in both the NBA and all U.S. major sports leagues. "He is just a class person. He lost Jim "Catfish" Hunter to free agency for not fulfilling part of his contract. A colorful personality, Williamson found a niche in Hollywood, racking up credits in more than 60 roles including many blaxploitation genre films in everything from Black Caesar to M*A*S*H to playing a vampire-killing biker in From Dusk Till Dawn to the 2004 film version of Starsky & Hutch.. Before joining the Angels in November 2011, he was a professional scout for the Pirates for two seasons and the Red Sox for one. Following his retirement, Stoddard, 66, served as the baseball advisor and played the role of a Dodgers pitcher in the 1993 film, "Rookie of the Year." In a regular-season game with state-ranked Lake Central, Manaea took the Satellites into the ninth inning in a 5-4 loss. After he retired from baseball, Kittle went on to manage the Schaumburg Fliers nonaffiliated minor league team from 1998 to 2001. It wasnt long after when Moore and Short, holding the trophy, led the Cardinals into Columbus Drive Gyros and said: Were really hungry!. He hit .340 on the year, which, at the time, was the third-highest batting average by a rookie in 50 years. Thur, Dec 1. He attended West Side High School and the University of Illinois, where he played defensive tackle for Coach Ron Turner and earned a degree in English. Also that year, he was elected to the NFL Players Associations Executive Committee. LeRoy Kirk, who coached LaTroy at West Side, once said, "I saw the same determination in whatever LaTroy got involved in, whether it be basketball or baseball. Throughout Northwest Indiana, there were banners, posters and pep rallies throughout the city in support of the E.C. Volleyball At one point during his time at the Air Force Academy, Popovich reportedly considered a career with the Central Intelligence Agency. He has that funky three-quarters delivery where the ball comes out of nowhere.. He played basketball for four seasons at the academy, where he was team captain and leading scorer his senior year. His brother, Rudy, was also a star on the gridiron and played for the Chicago Bears as a linebacker. Tony Zale was known as "The Man of Steel.". They captured the title again in 1975, knocking off Louisville, which featured Trgovich's high school teammate, Junior Bridgeman. Cub fans soured on him following some blown saves and the Cubs traded him to San Francisco the following year. After retiring from football, he became a businessman in Florida. He thought his baseball days were over and went to work in the steel mills as an ironworkers' apprentice. Irv Cross was an outstanding football and basketball player and track athlete at Hammond High School and was The Times' 1957 Male Athlete of the Year. His father signed him to a contract to pay with the then St. Louis Browns in 1947. His brother, Sam Jr., serves as his agent. He pitched in the 1979 World Series with Baltimore, winning game four and becoming the first player to drive in a run in his first World Series at-bat. McGary failed another drug test in 2016, then faced more disciplinary action from the NBA following a non-compliance issue, before ultimately getting waived by the Thunder in October of that year. In '04, he recovered a fumble by Philadelphia Eagles tight end L.J. He died at age 77 on Oct. 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, suffering from kidney failure, cancer and dementia. In his first official game in the Midwest League, Kittle broke his neck when a catcher stepped on it while he was sliding into home. His 26 saves in 1980 stood as the Orioles' team record until 1986. He decided on Purdue University, joining Robbie Hummel (Valpo), Scott Martin (Valpo) and JaJuan Johnson as part of the nation's fifth- and sixth-ranked recruiting class, according to Scout.com and Rivals.com, respectively. Fan Code of Conduct. Of course, that was just the beginning for the Valpo High grad and son of longtime Crusaders coach Homer Drew. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Former Mr. Basketball Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson is pictured with all the individual and national team awards he earned in 1994 while re-writing the Purdue record book. His Texas Longhorns team defeated Notre Dame, 7-6. Robinson received the John R. Wooden and Naismith awards, becoming Purdue's first national player of year since Wooden won it as a Boilermaker in 1932. He paid the 1972 players to grow mustaches. Candy.Jessen@valpo.edu. "If you were in our family, you learned how to box," said Ted, an Andrean graduate who now resides in Lansing, Mich. "He helped train me for the Olympic trials.". East Chicago named a portion of Melville Avenue Honorary James Arthur Bradley Avenue in 2010 to honor the local basketball legend. Local players, such as East Chicagos Kenny Lofton, second from right,hold a question-and-answer session for children during a visit to Northwest Indiana. He announced his retirement at the end of the season, finishing his career with a 75-94 record and 127 saves in 1,042 appearances. The 255-pound left-hander averaged 6.3 points and 5.2 rebounds over 32 games. He wasnt afraid to take pitches, he could bunt, he could hit in the alleys and he had a little bit of pop, too.. 9 Oklahoma State so they can instead prepare for the 2022 NFL draft. Bob Kuechenberg played in the Brickie Bowl and the Super Bowl. He was taken 40th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves, but played sparingly and was waived late in his rookie year. career hitter for 13 seasons. I had a vision and a dream to be where I am today, Short said. Im 6-foot, and I still have to look up at it, said restaurant owner John Troupis. Her 15.2 career scoring average ranks sixth in Florida history. Tomich was a member of the Green Bay Packers in 2002, though he played only two games. NCSA has compiled a list of college volleyball camps across the country.