Column: Small exit a genuine shock

Valpo's former athletic director departs after nearly two years on the job

There have been few moments when I have experienced genuine shock in my two decades of covering Valparaiso athletics.

When it comes to competition, Valparaiso beating Green Bay in the 2013 Horizon League semifinals off Ryan Broekhoff’s buzzer-beater is up there. Valpo subsequently losing to Green Bay three years later in the Horizon semis in Detroit is also in the mix. Louisville hitting a walk-off home run in the 2012 NCAA tournament was jaw-dropping.

Off the court, getting word Keith Freeman was fired tendered his resignation from the Valparaiso women’s basketball team stopped me in my tracks. Finding out Alec Peters had suffered a broken foot and would miss the remainder of his college career is up there. Finally, walking into the Athletics-Recreation Center last year and finding out Matt Lottich had been let go was shocking simply because of the timing.

Those six moments don’t hold a candle to the shock I experienced on Monday morning.