Valparaiso Crusaders
Encyclopedia
The Valparaiso University Crusaders compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association
's Division I .Valparaiso competes in the Horizon League
in all sports except for football, which is not sponsored by the conference. The football team is a member of the Pioneer Football League
. On May 27, 2006, Valparaiso announced it would join the Horizon League
, effective July 1, 2007. This move has rejoined the school with six former Mid-Con rivals.
(capacity 5,000), opened in 1919. Its basketball
, swimming
and volleyball
teams play at the ARC
, which has a capacity of 5,000. The Eastgate Athletic Complex is home to the soccer teams, as well as the baseball team. The tennis
teams use the Valparaiso University Tennis Complex. The cross country teams compete at Sunset Hills Farm.
was chosen over the Dunesmen and the Vandals. After debate in 1941 over choosing a mascot less proximate to the Nazi cause, the Crusader was chosen as the new mascot in 1942. The original illustrated mascot was penned by a Disney artist and patented in 1951, and used until 2010, when the school rebranded itself athletically and academically.
, as prior to this point the administration believed athletics were a distraction from academic pursuits. George Keogan
, who also coached the men's basketball
team, was the first coach. The first game was October 4 at Brown Field
, a win over the Chicago YMCA team 26-0. Every game that first year would end as a shutout. The team had a 5-3 record that year. http://www.valpo.edu/athletics/assets/mediaguides/FB-2006-2007-001.pdf. In 1943
and 1944
, the Crusaders did not field a football team due to World War II
.
. That year, they joined their first conference, the Indiana Collegiate Conference
, their home until 1976
. The post-war years began a tremendous run of coaching stability. They hired Emory Bauer in 1946
. Bauer would coach the team until 1967
. Walt Reiner would also coach the team from 1957
until 1964
. Until 2006
, only four other men would coach the Crusaders. This includes Stacy Adams who in 2005 became the university's first African American head coach.
, the Crusaders joined the Heartland Collegiate Conference. In 1990
, the Crusaders moved to the Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference
. During their time in these conferences, they would lose more often than win.
In 1993
, the NCAA mandated that schools playing Division I basketball may only play football in Division I. The Crusaders along with five other schools formed the Pioneer Football League
, where they remain today. Playing primarily against non-scholarship teams, the Crusaders' reversed their fortunes. They won their first outright championship in 2003
, when they won the PFL championship game.
7 times. They are currently coached by Bryce Drew
(son of former coach Homer Drew
) and play their home games at the Athletics-Recreation Center
.
-1972
season. The team joined the North Star Conference
for the 1987
-1988
season. In 1990-1991, the Crusaders reached the finals of the North Star Conference Tournament before losing to DePaul
. The Crusaders' best season in the North Star Conference was 1991-1992. That year, they finished with a record of 20-9. The 1992
-1993
season was their first season in the Mid-Continent Conference. The Crusaders advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2003
and 2004
seasons under coach Keith Freeman
. The Crusaders lost in the first round each of these years, to Purdue
and Kansas State
, respectively. Marlous Nieuwveen is the only Crusader to appear in a WNBA
game. Debbie Bolen (1989–1993) and hall of fall class of 1999, is the current holder of 18 single game records, season and career women's basketball individual records including points scored, scoring average, most field goals, most free throws, assists, and steals.
championships, only losing to Southern Utah
and Oral Roberts
. The men's team finished fifth. In addition, sophomore Laura Rolf was named an All-American in the mile run, finishing tenth at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship.
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
's Division I .Valparaiso competes in the Horizon League
Horizon League
The Horizon League is a ten school, NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose members are located in five of the Midwestern United States....
in all sports except for football, which is not sponsored by the conference. The football team is a member of the Pioneer Football League
Pioneer Football League
The Pioneer Football League is a college athletic conference which operates in the East, Midwest, and California of the United States. It has member schools that range from New York, North Carolina, and Florida in the east to California in the west. The conference participates in the NCAA's...
. On May 27, 2006, Valparaiso announced it would join the Horizon League
Horizon League
The Horizon League is a ten school, NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose members are located in five of the Midwestern United States....
, effective July 1, 2007. This move has rejoined the school with six former Mid-Con rivals.
Conference affiliation
The Crusaders first joined a Division I conference in 1982 when the men's basketball team joined the Mid-Continent Conference. Other sports joined conferences in later years.| Years | Football | Men's Basketball | Women's Basketball |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982–1987 | Division II | Mid-Continent Conference | |
| 1987–1992 | Division II | Mid-Continent Conference | North Star Conference North Star Conference The North Star Conference or NSC was a women's conference in the NCAA. The conference existed from 1984 to 1992. In 1993 six teams moved to the Mid-Continent Conference.-Membership:*Akron 1989-92*Cleveland State 1989-92*Dayton 1985-89*DePaul 1984-91... |
| 1992–1993 | Division II | Mid-Continent Conference | Mid-Continent Conference |
| 1993–2007 | Pioneer Football League Pioneer Football League The Pioneer Football League is a college athletic conference which operates in the East, Midwest, and California of the United States. It has member schools that range from New York, North Carolina, and Florida in the east to California in the west. The conference participates in the NCAA's... |
Mid-Continent Conference | Mid-Continent Conference |
| 2007- | Pioneer Football League Pioneer Football League The Pioneer Football League is a college athletic conference which operates in the East, Midwest, and California of the United States. It has member schools that range from New York, North Carolina, and Florida in the east to California in the west. The conference participates in the NCAA's... |
Horizon League Horizon League The Horizon League is a ten school, NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose members are located in five of the Midwestern United States.... |
Horizon League Horizon League The Horizon League is a ten school, NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose members are located in five of the Midwestern United States.... |
Sport participation
- Football
- Men's Cross Country
- Women's Cross Country
- Volleyball
- Men's Soccer
- Women's Soccer
- Men's Basketball
- Women's Basketball
- Men's Swimming
- Women's Swimming
- Men's Indoor Track and Field
- Women's Indoor Track and Field
- Men's Tennis
- Women's Tennis
- Men's Outdoor Track and Field
- Women's Outdoor Track and Field
- Softball
- Baseball
- Women's Bowling
- Men's Golf
- Women's Golf
Venues
VU plays its home football games at Brown FieldBrown Field (Valparaiso University)
Brown Field is a 5,000-seat multi-purpose stadium in Valparaiso, Indiana. It is home to the Valparaiso University football team. The facility opened in 1919....
(capacity 5,000), opened in 1919. Its basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
and volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
teams play at the ARC
Athletics-Recreation Center
The Athletics–Recreation Center is a 5,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Valparaiso, Indiana, United States, located at 1009 Union Street. It serves as the home court for Valparaiso University men's and women's basketball teams as well as the volleyball team...
, which has a capacity of 5,000. The Eastgate Athletic Complex is home to the soccer teams, as well as the baseball team. The tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
teams use the Valparaiso University Tennis Complex. The cross country teams compete at Sunset Hills Farm.
Mascot
After years of going without one, Valparaiso University pursued a mascot in 1931. The UhlanUhlan
Uhlans were Polish light cavalry armed with lances, sabres and pistols. The title was later used by lancer regiments in the Russian, Prussian, and Austrian armies....
was chosen over the Dunesmen and the Vandals. After debate in 1941 over choosing a mascot less proximate to the Nazi cause, the Crusader was chosen as the new mascot in 1942. The original illustrated mascot was penned by a Disney artist and patented in 1951, and used until 2010, when the school rebranded itself athletically and academically.
First years
The Valparaiso football program was started in 19191919 in sports
-American football:College championship* College football national championship – Centre Praying Colonels, Harvard Crimson, Illinois Fighting Illini, Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Texas A&M Aggies...
, as prior to this point the administration believed athletics were a distraction from academic pursuits. George Keogan
George Keogan
George E. Keogan was an American collegiate basketball coach, most known for coaching University of Notre Dame from 1923 to 1943. Keogan never had a losing season in his 20 years at Notre Dame....
, who also coached the men's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team, was the first coach. The first game was October 4 at Brown Field
Brown Field (Valparaiso University)
Brown Field is a 5,000-seat multi-purpose stadium in Valparaiso, Indiana. It is home to the Valparaiso University football team. The facility opened in 1919....
, a win over the Chicago YMCA team 26-0. Every game that first year would end as a shutout. The team had a 5-3 record that year. http://www.valpo.edu/athletics/assets/mediaguides/FB-2006-2007-001.pdf. In 1943
1943 in sports
1943 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.Note — many sporting events did not take place because of World War II-American football:* Chicago Bears win 41-26 over Washington Redskins in the NFL championship game in Chicago...
and 1944
1944 in sports
1944 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.Note — many sporting events did not take place because of World War II-American football:* Green Bay Packers defeats 14-7 New York Giants in New York City for the NFL title...
, the Crusaders did not field a football team due to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Post-war years
The Crusaders resumed their football program in 19451945 in sports
1945 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.Note — many sporting events did not take place because of World War II-American football:...
. That year, they joined their first conference, the Indiana Collegiate Conference
Indiana Collegiate Conference
The Indiana Collegiate Conference was a college athletic conference in the United States from 1951 to 1979. It consisted of schools in Indiana....
, their home until 1976
1976 in sports
1976 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Ingemar Stenmark, Sweden** Women's overall season champion: Rosi Mittermaier, West Germany-American football:...
. The post-war years began a tremendous run of coaching stability. They hired Emory Bauer in 1946
1946 in sports
-American football:* All-America Football Conference begins play. Cleveland Browns win the championship by beating New York Yankees 14-9.* Chicago Bears win the NFL crown by defeating the New York Giants 24-14 in New York.-Association football:England...
. Bauer would coach the team until 1967
1967 in sports
1967 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* The first Alpine Skiing World Cup is organised for the three ski events: Downhill, Slalom and Giant Slalom:** Men's overall champion: Jean-Claude Killy, France...
. Walt Reiner would also coach the team from 1957
1957 in sports
1957 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* NFL Championship – Detroit Lions won 59-14 over the Cleveland Browns.*College football champions Auburn University-Association football:...
until 1964
1964 in sports
1964 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Men's Olympic Gold Medal:** Downhill: Egon Zimmermann, Austria** Slalom: Josef Stiegler, Austria** Giant Slalom: François Bonlieu, France* Women's Olympic Gold Medal:...
. Until 2006
2006 in sports
2006 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* January 2, Fiesta Bowl – Ohio State 34-20 Notre Dame* January 2, Sugar Bowl – West Virginia 38-35 Georgia...
, only four other men would coach the Crusaders. This includes Stacy Adams who in 2005 became the university's first African American head coach.
Down years
In 19771977 in sports
1977 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Ingemar Stenmark, Sweden** Women's overall season champion: Lise-Marie Morerod, Switzerland-American football:...
, the Crusaders joined the Heartland Collegiate Conference. In 1990
1990 in sports
1990 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Pirmin Zurbriggen, Switzerland-American football:...
, the Crusaders moved to the Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference
Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference
The Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference was a football-only NCAA Division II Conference formed for the 1990 football season. The conference was formed as the result of a merger of the football only Heartland Football Conference and the football playing members of the Great Lakes...
. During their time in these conferences, they would lose more often than win.
Division I years
1993 in sports
1993 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg** Women's overall season champion: Anita Wachter, Austria-American football:...
, the NCAA mandated that schools playing Division I basketball may only play football in Division I. The Crusaders along with five other schools formed the Pioneer Football League
Pioneer Football League
The Pioneer Football League is a college athletic conference which operates in the East, Midwest, and California of the United States. It has member schools that range from New York, North Carolina, and Florida in the east to California in the west. The conference participates in the NCAA's...
, where they remain today. Playing primarily against non-scholarship teams, the Crusaders' reversed their fortunes. They won their first outright championship in 2003
2003 in sports
2003 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season championship: Stephan Eberharter, Austria** Women's overall season championship: Janica Kostelić, Croatia-American football:...
, when they won the PFL championship game.
Bowl Games
| Season | Bowl | Champion | Runner-Up | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | Cigar Bowl Cigar Bowl The Cigar Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game featuring small college teams held in Tampa, Florida from 1946 to 1954. It was played at Phillips Field, which was located across the Hillsborough River from downtown Tampa at the current site of Tampa Preparatory School and Julian Lane... |
Wisconsin-La Crosse University of Wisconsin-La Crosse The University of Wisconsin–La Crosse is a public university located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA... |
47 | Valparaiso | 14 |
| 2003 | Sports Network Cup | Duquesne Duquesne Dukes The Duquesne Dukes are the athletic teams of Duquesne University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Duquesne has played men's basketball only in NCAA Division I and has played football as a club team from 1891–1894, 1896–1903, 1913–1914, and 1920–1928, in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision ... |
28 | Valparaiso | 3 |
Men's basketball
The Crusaders basketball program began in 1917. Since then, they have won 8 conference championship tournaments and appeared in the NCAA tournamentNCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
7 times. They are currently coached by Bryce Drew
Bryce Drew
Bryce Homer Drew is the head coach, and a former member, of the Valparaiso University Crusader men's basketball team...
(son of former coach Homer Drew
Homer Drew
Homer Drew is a former American college basketball coach, most recently for Valparaiso University Crusaders men's basketball team. His younger son, Bryce Drew, succeeded him as the head coach in May 2011...
) and play their home games at the Athletics-Recreation Center
Athletics-Recreation Center
The Athletics–Recreation Center is a 5,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Valparaiso, Indiana, United States, located at 1009 Union Street. It serves as the home court for Valparaiso University men's and women's basketball teams as well as the volleyball team...
.
Women's basketball
The Crusaders women's basketball team started play during the 19711971 in sports
1971 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Gustav Thöni, Italy** Women's overall season champion: Annemarie Pröll, Austria-American football:...
-1972
1972 in sports
1972 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Gustav Thöni, Italy** Women's overall season champion: Annemarie Pröll, Austria-American football:...
season. The team joined the North Star Conference
North Star Conference
The North Star Conference or NSC was a women's conference in the NCAA. The conference existed from 1984 to 1992. In 1993 six teams moved to the Mid-Continent Conference.-Membership:*Akron 1989-92*Cleveland State 1989-92*Dayton 1985-89*DePaul 1984-91...
for the 1987
1987 in sports
1987 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Pirmin Zurbriggen, Switzerland** Women's overall season champion: Maria Walliser, Switzerland-American football:...
-1988
1998 in sports
1998 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Hermann Maier, Austria** Women's overall season champion: Katja Seizinger, Germany-American football:...
season. In 1990-1991, the Crusaders reached the finals of the North Star Conference Tournament before losing to DePaul
DePaul Blue Demons
The DePaul Blue Demons are the intercollegiate athletic teams of DePaul University, located in Chicago Illinois. The Blue Demons participate in NCAA Division I and is a member of the Big East Conference....
. The Crusaders' best season in the North Star Conference was 1991-1992. That year, they finished with a record of 20-9. The 1992
1992 in sports
1992 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup* Men's overall season champion: Paul Accola, Switzerland* Women's overall season champion: Petra Kronberger, Austria-American football:...
-1993
1993 in sports
1993 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg** Women's overall season champion: Anita Wachter, Austria-American football:...
season was their first season in the Mid-Continent Conference. The Crusaders advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2003
2003 in sports
2003 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season championship: Stephan Eberharter, Austria** Women's overall season championship: Janica Kostelić, Croatia-American football:...
and 2004
2004 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2004 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament began on March 20, 2004 and concluded on April 6, 2004 when Connecticut won a third consecutive national championship, becoming only the second school in history to accomplish such a feat. The Final Four was held at the New Orleans Arena in...
seasons under coach Keith Freeman
Keith Freeman
Keith Freeman is the current head women's basketball coach at Valparaiso University. Freeman, the sixth head coach in the history of the Valparaiso University Crusader women’s basketball program, has been the head coach since to the 1994–1995 season...
. The Crusaders lost in the first round each of these years, to Purdue
Purdue Boilermakers
Boilermakers is the official nickname for the intercollegiate athletic teams of Purdue University. As is common with athletic nicknames, it is also used as colloquial designation of Purdue's students and alumni at large....
and Kansas State
Kansas State Wildcats
Kansas State University's athletic teams are called the Wildcats. The official color of the teams is Royal Purple, making Kansas State one of very few schools that have only one official color; white and silver are generally used as complementary colors.Kansas State participates in...
, respectively. Marlous Nieuwveen is the only Crusader to appear in a WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
game. Debbie Bolen (1989–1993) and hall of fall class of 1999, is the current holder of 18 single game records, season and career women's basketball individual records including points scored, scoring average, most field goals, most free throws, assists, and steals.
Women's volleyball
The women's volleyball team has appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 1994, 1995 and 2003–2005.Track & field
In 2007, the women's team finished in third place in the Mid-Continent ConferenceMid-Continent Conference
The Summit League is an NCAA Division I college athletic conference which operates in the Midwestern United States. On June 1, 2007, the conference changed its name from the Mid-Continent Conference.- Current membership :...
championships, only losing to Southern Utah
Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University, or SUU, is located in Cedar City, Utah. It was founded in 1897 as an extension of the Agricultural College of Utah, by the citizens of Cedar City.During its history, the school has been known as:...
and Oral Roberts
Oral Roberts University
Oral Roberts University , based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the United States, is an interdenominational, Charismatic Christian, comprehensive university with an enrollment of about 3,790 students from 49 U.S. states along with a significant number of international students from 70 countries...
. The men's team finished fifth. In addition, sophomore Laura Rolf was named an All-American in the mile run, finishing tenth at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship.