Getting To Know Valpo

(St. Louis, MO) – Valparaiso aims to be a leader in the Missouri Valley Conference and that’s one of the reasons the Crusaders are now in America’s second oldest basketball conference. Valparaiso basketball is a proven commodity and university leaders and coach Matt Lottich expect continued success in their new league.

Since the beginning of the millennium (17 seasons) the Crusaders have won nine regular season conference titles, with four different coaches and two different conferences. They’ve advanced to postseason play the last seven seasons, and they do it while graduating players and staying scandal free. As this Valpo sponosored tweet let’s you know, the Crusader program is among the nation’s elite.

 

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Pretty impressive company over the past 3 seasons – bringing our winning tradition into @ValleyHoops! #GoValpo #MVCHoops pic.twitter.com/s9JuHgyiRM

— Valpo Basketball (@ValpoBasketball) May 31, 2017

 

Second year coach Matt Lottich was a three year assistant at Valparaiso. He grew up in the Chicago land area and thinks the Valpo job is a perfect fit for the former Stanford star.

 

 

Lottich believes some of the reason for success on the small Indiana based university, is a commitment to playing the game in what the Lottich calls the ‘right way.’

 

 

The Crusaders play in the renovated Athletics-Recreation Center, average over 3,000 fans per game and are very successful in home games. Lottich says a strong and intelligent fan base leads to a great game day environment at Valpo.

 

 

The Crusaders won 24 games last season (Lottich’s first as a head coach), tied for first place in the Horizon League and played in the National Invitation Tournament. They swept two MVC teams and played a very representative non-conference schedule.

Lottich knows playing in the Valley will be a great challenge. While playing in an unfamiliar facilities, Lottich also understands how well prepared and coached his new opponents will be.

 

 

Lottich is first non-Drew to coach at Valparaiso since 1988. Homer Drew coached two different stints with the team winning 370 games. Sons, Scott and Bryce Drew were each successful head coaches. The brothers won five conference titles in six seasons, so Lottich had big shoes to fill.

Director of Athletics Mark LaBarbera says hiring Bryce Drew’s assistant was an important decision.

 

 

In our next installment of ‘Getting to Know Valpo‘ AD LaBarbera discusses the upward trajectory of the Valparaiso athletic department and Coach Lottich talks about his excitement about playing in the Missouri Valley’s ‘Arch Madness’ postseason tournament.

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