23-for-23

Looking back at the top stories at The Victory Bell in 2023

Two dominant stories stand out when I think back on Valparaiso athletics in 2023.

The first is the transition in leadership in the men’s basketball program as Valparaiso moved on from Matt Lottich and brought Roger Powell Jr. back to the fold. I’ll never forget the two weeks of frenzy following Lottich’s dismissal and then the two months of constant recruiting stories following Powell’s hiring.

The second is the Valparaiso women’s soccer team going on an improbable run through the Missouri Valley Conference tournament and capturing the title as the No. 6 seed. Watching the Beacons take on Notre Dame in the NCAA tournament was a special moment.

There were plenty of other memories from the last year at The Victory Bell. I was blessed with the opportunity to share 191 stories and 17 podcast episodes in 2023 and I’m forever grateful for all of your support along the way.

In this season of Year-End lists, here is a look back at 23 of the stories that really stood out to me when looking back at 2023. Enjoy the memories.

23-for-23: A look back at The Victory Bell

No. 1 - Humanity on the Hot Seat (Jan. 12) & Humanity on the Hot Seat, Part II (Jan. 13)

In what ended up being the start of Matt Lottich’s obituary at Valparaiso, I tried to take a humane look at what the beleaguered coach was going through in what ended up being the final season of his tenure. It was clear that things weren’t going well and that a change needed to be made, but that didn’t make the process any easier to go through when human emotions are in play.

No. 2 - Out of the Deep (Jan. 23)

One of my favorite stories of the year as I had the chance to hear Valparaiso swimmer Sara Strauss’ story. She shared an incredible journey with a reminder that the discussion surrounding mental health is more important than ever. If you missed her TedTalk, check it out here.

No. 3 - Stay, Go or Pro (Jan. 30)

I’m fascinated to see how history will remember Ben Krikke’s time at Valparaiso. He is easily one of the best players to ever wear a Valparaiso uniform, but his teams never tasted much success. He finished his four years as one of the statistical greats in program history, but he also ended his collegiate career at another school. I know this much to be true, I valued every interaction I had with Krikke over the years.

No. 4 - Home is where the court is (Feb. 22)

My favorite stories to write for The Victory Bell are always the ones that I know wouldn’t have seen the light of day at my previous employer. This look at Dan and Kris Morrill, the parents of Valpo men’s basketball walk-on Luke Morrill, was really fun to put together. I miss seeing Dan and Kris at games this season.

No. 5 - Postseason path different for Scott and Bryce (Mar. 19)

What a treat when the NCAA put Baylor (Scott Drew), Grand Canyon (Bryce Drew) and Gonzaga (Roger Powell Jr.) in Denver for March Madness. I couldn’t have known at the time that Powell would eventually join Homer, Scott and Bryce in the fraternity of Valpo men’s basketball head coaches.

No. 6 - Lottich out at Valparaiso (Mar. 23)

I’ll never forget walking into the Athletics-Recreation Center on Mar. 23 and bumping into a staffer who looked as white as a ghost. He told me that Lottich had just been let go moments earlier. A truly shocking development that came just days after I had heard the coaching staff was coming back for the 2023-24 season. I didn’t sleep much for the next two weeks.

No. 7 - What’s next for Valparaiso? (Mar. 24)

At over 2,300 views, this look at potential candidates - including Roger Powell Jr. - for the men’s basketball coaching vacancy was the most viewed story of the year at The Victory Bell. It goes back to something I’ve learned in journalism: stories of hirings and firings will get some page clicks. Stories of potential hirings will get ALL the page clicks.

No. 8 - Small’s Big Decision (Mar. 25) & Small’s Big Hire (Mar. 27)

Another key journalism lesson is that news is new and journalism is what comes after. Reporting the news that Lottich was out was one thing. Digging deep into what Valparaiso athletic director Charles Small was thinking through the transition process was another.

No. 9 - Can a familiar face save Valparaiso basketball? (Mar. 30)

Another one of the biggest stories of the year, I examined just what Valparaiso basketball means to people and why a familiar face should be the one to get a chance to save the program.

No. 10 - Valpo doesn’t have a coach and I don’t have a headline (Apr. 4)

The coaching search hit two weeks and I hit a wall. I can’t even count the amount of phone calls I made, leads I followed and sleep I didn’t get. I couldn’t even come up with headlines anymore and started doubting my ability to write complete sentences. I even predicted, that despite all the reporting, I’d get beat by a national reporter who probably couldn’t find Valparaiso on a map.

No. 11 - Powell is coming back to Valparaiso (Apr. 7)

The biggest Valparaiso athletics story of the year as news broke that Powell was returning. It brought an end to the coaching search and launched the start of rebuilding the men’s basketball program.

No. 12 - If you build it… (Apr. 13)

Lost in the news of Powell’s hiring was Valparaiso President José Padilla revealing at the press conference that the school had settled on (eventually) building a new arena. While little is still known about these plans, Padilla talked at length in an exclusive interview about his vision.

No. 13 - The Curious Case of Ibrahim Diakite (Jun. 6)

Covering college basketball recruiting, especially in the day of the transfer portal, is like looking for a needle in a stack of needles. Powell and his staff rebuilt Valpo’s roster over the summer, but the most intriguing recruiting story came when a prospect that few had heard of verbally committed to Valpo.

No. 14 - Norfolk will leave a legacy, but she’s not leaving yet (Aug. 17)

The end of summer meant shifting focus to the fall sports and there wasn’t a better story than the Valparaiso women’s soccer team. This look at Nicole Norfolk, as well as the rest of Valpo’s senior class, would serve as a preview of things to come.

No. 15 - Column: Homecoming won’t be the same without Coach Koch (Sept. 21)

Getting the chance to sit with Coach Bill Koch’s family following his passing was one of the true honors of this year. Listening to LaDonna, Keith and Kim share stories about their husband and father was truly special.

No. 16 - “We’re teammates in life” (Sept. 22)

Homecoming is a special time at Valparaiso and 2023 was no exception as the 2003 volleyball team returned to campus to celebrate their Mid-Con championship and trip to the NCAA tournament. This, coupled with the 2003 Pioneer Football League champions coming back to town, made for a truly memorable weekend.

No. 17 - Deflated in Des Moines (Oct. 9)

One of the more frustrating weekends of the year. My car died on the way to Des Moines and I finally arrived in town just as a last-second comeback attempt fell short for the Valpo football team. The women’s soccer team lost a lead and the match the next day, but it was a postgame meeting in the Drake locker room that helped turn the tide for the Beacons.

No. 18 - Franco holds late mother close (Oct. 13)

Easily the most emotional story of the year came from talking with Valparaiso defensive back Max Franco. Franco’s mother passed away earlier in the year and he shared his story of what the Valparaiso football family has meant to him in the aftermath of crushing loss.

No. 19 - Valparaiso is going dancing (Nov. 5)

By far the best Valparaiso game of the year as the women’s soccer team scored late against Drake in Des Moines and then held off the Bulldogs to become the first Valpo team to earn a trip to the NCAA tournament since joining the Missouri Valley Conference.

No. 20 - Column: Retention more important than record (Nov. 6) & Column: The Audacity of Hope (Dec. 15)

The 2023-24 men’s basketball season as has always been one about building the foundation for the future of the program. That doesn’t mean going through that growth is going to be easy. I’ve done my best to stay optimistic in the wake of loss after loss.

No. 21 - Column: What I’ll remember about the 2023 Valparaiso women’s soccer team (Nov. 11)

Watching the Valparaiso women’s soccer team take on Notre Dame was a truly special memory from 2023. Valpo’s fans easily outnumbered Notre Dame’s and they provided a fitting farewell for a special group of athletes. I’ll take so many fond memories from this group and I share them in my favorite column of the year.

No. 22 - Column: The ending is the hardest part (Nov. 20)

Boyz II Men had it right when they sang “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye.” Watching player after player walk out of the tunnel outside the Valparaiso locker room following a season-ending loss at St. Thomas was tough. Evan Annis and Solomon Davis put some of those feelings into perspective after their final game in a Valpo uniform.

No. 23 - The Most Interesting Athlete at Valparaiso (Dec. 12)

The best stories come from the strangest of places. I hadn’t heard of Taylor Pusateri before she broke a longstanding record for the Valparaiso indoor track team. After a little bit of research, I realized there was so much more to the freshman athlete.

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Thank you to all who have supported The Victory Bell throughout the year. May the new year bring you health and happiness, and hopefully some trips to Valparaiso. Stop by and say hi whenever you’re in town.

(Photos courtesy Valpo Athletics)