There are times when real life gets in the way of sports and then there are times when sports get in the way of real life. I’ve been burning the candle at both ends, and in the middle, in recent weeks as I’ve been enveloped with the Milwaukee Brewers and their march to the World Series. I was fortunate enough to attend Game 1 last Friday, and if you saw me at Brown Field on Saturday, you saw someone who was barely standing. The emotions of watching the team I grew up loving chase something I never thought possible in my lifetime have been impossible to describe and amazing to live. I’ll be at the Athletics-Recreation Center for the next two nights as the Valparaiso men’s and women’s basketball teams tip off their respective 2026-27 seasons, but one eye will certainly be in Tampa. Crossover season is officially here and this month has been one of the most memorable of my life. With apologies to missing last week, here is the latest Monday Morning Bell. There’s a lot to celebrate in Valpo athletics, and it all starts on the gridiron. - PO

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VALPARAISO - There was no crazy comeback on Saturday. There was no late defensive stand with the game hanging in the balance.

There was simply domination and that’s just how the Valparaiso football team wanted it.

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Winning back-to-back games in the Pioneer Football League hasn’t happened often for the Valparaiso football team in recent memory. Following a road blowout win at Morehead State and then a dominant defensive performance against Drake at home, the Beacons are suddenly rolling. Win at San Diego on Saturday and Valpo is streaking in a way it hasn’t done in nearly a quarter century. In the center of it all is a second-year coach that wasn’t around Valparaiso for the years of the program falling short. Andy Waddle isn’t focused on the past, and he’s not too keen on living for the future either. In the latest edition of Four Downs, Waddle illustrates his mindset on the eve of another big road test for the Beacons.

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Roger Powell Jr. has spent much of the last three years talking about the lack of respect surrounding the Valparaiso men’s basketball program.

It appears the rest of the Missouri Valley Conference is finally listening.

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The sounds you heard from Valparaiso’s campus last weekend was the Victory Bell ringing over and over again. The volleyball team rang the bell on Thursday and Friday night and then the football team rang the bell repeatedly for much of Saturday afternoon. It was a special weekend around the Athletics-Recreation Center and Brown Field and that left a lot to celebrate in the latest edition of the Monday Morning Bell. - PO

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VALPARAISO - In the middle of a raucous celebration at the Valparaiso Victory Bell on Saturday afternoon, Rowan Keefe and Mark Johnson found each other for a long embrace.

The fifth-year quarterback who returned to Valpo looking for revenge after throwing three interceptions against Drake last season. The senior defensive back who watched the Bulldogs put up 41 points against his defense a year ago.

Saturday was about more than football for Keefe and Johnson. It was about changing the narrative surrounding Valpo football.

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VALPARAISO - Keira Lucas is an outside hitter playing libero. Kyla Bellich is a freshman making her collegiate debut a third of the way into conference play.

Welcome to the latest version of Valparaiso volleyball.

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Everything came together for the Valparaiso football team last Saturday as the Beacons traveled to Morehead State and came away with a 37-3 win. All three phases made strong contributions to one of Valpo’s biggest road victories since joining the Pioneer Football League. Now second-year coach Andy Waddle faces the task of preparing the Beacons to face three-time defending champion Drake at Brown Field on Saturday. In advance of the Bulldogs coming to town, Waddle sat down with The Victory Bell for an elongated version of Four Downs.

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It’s amazing the rabbit holes that journalism takes us down. While this week’s edition of the Monday Morning Bell is largely about the Valparaiso football team and its dominating victory against Morehead State, it’s also about Tom Dohrmann. His name came up 60 years after the fact because of a play in Saturday’s game. That led me to hours on the internet searching out information about Dohrmann. I include some of my findings at the end and may have more in the future. - PO

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There was a harsh bit of déjà vu last Saturday as the Valparaiso football team fell short on the final play of Homecoming for the third time in the last four years. The Beacons lost in overtime to Marist in 2023, got blown out by Drake in 2024 and then turned the ball over on downs on the final play of Andy Waddle’s first two Homecoming games with Valparaiso. Valpo had opportunities to win both games late. The Beacons will look to shake off the loss to rival Butler as they travel to Morehead State on Saturday. First, Waddle sat down with The Victory Bell for the latest edition of Four Downs where he talks about what he saw on film, Rowan Keefe’s leadership and how difficult close losses are to swallow.

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Sarah Pippin was standing in a crowd of her teammates, deep on Valparaiso’s bench, last Friday night when suddenly she heard her name called by Nick Polite.

The Beacons were in a rut in the Missouri Valley Conference opener against Belmont and Valpo’s interim head coach was looking for a spark wherever he could find it.

He found it with the freshman right side hitter from Niles, Michigan.

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Valparaiso’s annual Homecoming festivites brought plenty of energy and excitement to campus. From Rev. Brian Konkol’s inauguration on Friday to Kiara Desiderio’s late match-winning goal on Sunday, there were plenty of memorable moments throughout the week. The latest edition of The Monday Morning Bell highlights plenty of great performances around Valparaiso athletics from the past week.

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VALPARAISO - When John Marovich put the decision in Kiara Desiderio’s hands, the sophomore responded by putting her faith in God.

Then she put the ball in the net.

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VALPARAISO - There were upward of 120 plays run during Valparaiso’s Pioneer Football League opener against Butler on Saturday afternoon.

The Beacons needed one more.

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Former Valparaiso men’s basketball coach Homer Drew used to always say that there was no bigger game of the year than the first conference game of the season. In that regard, the Beacons are preparing for their biggest game of the season on Saturday afternoon as PFL rival Butler will be in town for Valparaiso’s Homecoming celebration as well as for the Battle for the Hoosier Helmet.

Valpo wrapped up its nonconference slate with a 1-2 record following last week’s 39-16 loss to Indiana State. Now all eyes turn to the Pioneer Football League. To close the door on the nonconference and take the first looks at PFL play, Andy Waddle joined The Victory Bell for the latest edition of Four Downs.

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The 2026-27 basketball season is right around the corner and the latest episode of The Victory Bell: The Podcast focuses on looking at the schedule. Valparaiso men’s basketball assistant coach Matt Gordon joins the pod to examine the nonconference slate and share how each game got on the schedule.

TVB founder Paul Oren also shares some thoughts on the recent news coming out of the Valparaiso volleyball program.

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Host: Paul Oren

Guests: Matt Gordon

For more coverage of Valparaiso athletics, visit TheVictoryBell.com

Following an early-season bye, the Valparaiso football team returned to the gridiron with a road game at FCS scholarship Murray State. The Beacons fell 27-18 in a game that was closer than the final score indicated. Valpo had multiple chances to take the lead in the second half and then was a stop away from being in position to win the game. The Beacons ultimately came up short, but the effort has second-year coach Andy Waddle encouraged as Valpo prepares for the final nonconference game of the year this Saturday in Terre Haute.

In what will be a recurring feature to The Victory Bell this season, Waddle returns for another edition of Four Downs.

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Carin Avery said multiple times last season that “if every year were like this, I’d coach forever.”

Forever certainly appeared to be on the table when Avery signed a multi-year contract extension last November following a season in which the Beacons delivered their best finish since joining the Missouri Valley Conference.

Now, in a development that has seemingly come slowly and then suddenly, Avery is out as Valparaiso’s coach after 24 seasons, according to an announcement by the school on Monday morning.

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It’s officially busy season in regards to Valparaiso athletics. It seems like only yesterday that soccer was the only team playing. They were joined in recent weeks by volleyball and football, and now golf, tennis and cross country are starting their seasons as well. Throw in some fall softball and campus is buzzing. More sports means more chances for some great performances, and there were plenty last week. Let’s get into it with the latest edition of The Monday Morning Bell. - PO

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James Gleghorn couldn’t wait to get started.

The Indiana Wesleyan tennis coach was hired to the same position at Valparaiso in late May and he was in the car as soon as possible.

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