LaBarbera announces retirement

Valparaiso athletic director has been in the position since 2004; school to begin national search

Longtime Valparaiso director of athletics Mark LaBarbera announced his retirement on Tuesday afternoon, effective June 30.

LaBarbera’s retirement brings to end an 18-year tenure that began in the spring of 2004 and has seen Valparaiso go through tremendous growth in a number of areas. LaBarbera succeeded Bill Steinbrecher, who spent 25 years in the position. Valparaiso will now begin a national search for just its third athletic director in the last 43 years. Valparaiso President Jose Padilla announced on Tuesday that the school will utilize Parker Executive Search out of Atlanta for the search.