5/31/2011
Valpo Men's Soccer Announces 2011 Schedule
Valparaiso men's soccer head coach Mike Avery announced today his side's schedule for the 2011 campaign, which includes two home matches against teams which finished in the top-20 in the nation in 2010. The Crusaders enter 2011 looking to continue their winning tradition, having finished with a winning record in each of the last two years for the first time in program history.
5/23/2011
Crusader Men's Soccer Inks Nieto to NLI
Valparaiso men's soccer head coach Mike Avery has announced one more player who has signed an NLI to join the Crusaders for the 2011 season. In Eric Nieto, the eleventh player to commit to Valparaiso University, Avery has added another integral piece into the stellar class of incoming freshmen. The Crusaders will begin the 2011 campaign in August and will strive to continue the winning tradition which has led them to two record-setting back-to-back winning seasons.
3/18/2011
Valpo Men's Soccer Announces Second Group of 2011 Recruits
Valparaiso men's soccer head coach Mike Avery introduced five student-athletes today who have accepted Valparaiso's University's offer of admission and will join the Crusaders for the upcoming 2011 campaign. With eleven total additions to date, Avery's Crusader squad has added significant depth and talent to the roster of a team coming off back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in program history.
3/7/2011
Valpo Men's Soccer Shaving Heads to Raise Money for St. Baldrick's Foundation
Members of the Valparaiso University men's soccer program will be getting their heads shaved for charity this Saturday, Mar. 12 as the program teams up with St. Baldrick's Foundation, a volunteer-driven charity committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives.
2/23/2011
Valpo Men's Soccer Announces First Group of 2011 Recruits
Valparaiso University head men's soccer coach Mike Avery introduced a six member recruiting class today that will help the Crusaders build on the momentum of back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in program history. Valparaiso is coming off a 9-8-2 campaign in 2010, and Avery's squad has posted an impressive 19-15-6 mark in the past two seasons.
2/17/2011
Quartet of Soccer Players Earn Academic All-League Accolades
The Valparaiso men's soccer program had four players honored as the Horizon League announced the 2010 Academic All-League team.
1/18/2011
Crusader Men's Soccer Announces 2011 VIP Camp Dates
The Valparaiso men's soccer program announced today its camp dates for the spring and summer of 2011. For the first time in its five year history, the Valpo VIP Camp will offer something new: a one day college-prep camp for players interested in continuing to develop their skills so that they may compete at the collegiate level.
12/8/2010
Oleck Chosen to Instruct at National Player Development Camp
Valparaiso men's soccer assistant coach Jeff Oleck has been chosen as an instructor for the EXACT Soccer National Development Camp in Chicago, Ill. on Dec. 22-23.
11/30/2010
Crusader Men's Soccer Earns NSCAA Team Academic Award
The Valparaiso men's soccer program has once again been honored as a recipient of the NSCAA Team Academic Award from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, earning recognition for the eighth straight year.
11/18/2010
Schwarz Named Third Team Academic All-American
Valparaiso fifth-year senior goalkeeper Ryan Schwarz (Rockford, Ill./Boylan Catholic) has been named to the 2010 ESPN Academic All-America Men's Soccer Third Team, as selected by CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America). Schwarz is the first Crusader men's soccer player in program history to earn Academic All-American honors.
11/8/2010
Trio of Crusaders Earn HL Postseason Recognition
Senior Adrian Ortiz (Berwyn, Ill./Morton West) and redshirt junior Stefan Antonijevic (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Stevenson [College of Lake County/Marquette]) both repeated as Second Team All-Horizon League honorees, while junior Guy Shabtay (Ramat-Gan, Israel/Blich [Prairie State C.C.]) earned a spot on the All-Newcomer Team as the league announced its postseason award recipients Monday afternoon.
11/6/2010
Crusaders Send Seniors Out Winners With 2-0 Victory Over Detroit
Valparaiso's group of eight graduating seniors were honored prior to Saturday night's match at Brown Field and all started and ended the match on the pitch. In between, they all played vital roles in the Crusaders' 2-0 victory over Detroit in the season finale.
11/3/2010
Crusaders Blank Eastern Illinois, 2-0
Junior Chadd Sult (South Bend, Ind./John Adams) scored his first career goal midway through the first half and junior Guy Shabtay (Ramat-Gan, Israel/Blich [Prairie State C.C.]) added an insurance tally in the second stanza as Valparaiso earned a 2-0 victory in non-league action over Eastern Illinois Wednesday night at Brown Field.
11/2/2010
Valpo Closes Out 2010 Season With Two Home Games
Valparaiso closes out the 2010 season with a pair of home matches at Brown Field this week. The Crusaders will face Eastern Illinois in non-league action Wednesday night before wrapping up the year with a Horizon League game against Detroit.
11/1/2010
Schwarz Earns Academic All-District Honor For Second Straight Year
For the second straight season, Valparaiso fifth-year senior goalkeeper Ryan Schwarz (Rockford, Ill./Boylan Catholic) has been named to the ESPN Academic All-District V First Team. With the honor, Schwarz is now eligible for Academic All-America consideration.
10/31/2010
Golden Goal Sends Crusaders to Defeat Sunday
Valparaiso redshirt junior Stefan Antonijevic (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Stevenson [College of Lake County/Marquette]) headed in his fourth goal of the season midway through the second half to knot up Sunday's match with UIC at Brown Field, but the Flames' Eric Frazier scored his second goal of the game in the 106th minute as the Crusaders fell 2-1.
10/28/2010
Valpo Set to Host UIC on Halloween
Valparaiso begins its year-ending three-match homestand on Halloween night at Brown Field, as the Crusaders host UIC at 6 p.m. The Crusaders are trying to stay alive in the fight for a spot in the Horizon League Championship.
10/23/2010
Crusaders Fall to Green Bay in Foggy Battle
On a foggy night in Green Bay, Wis., Valparaiso had a great number of chances at goal, including eight corner kicks in the second half, but couldn't push the ball across the goal line as Green Bay earned the 1-0 victory Saturday evening.
10/20/2010
Crusaders Score Season High in 4-0 Victory Over Western Michigan
Senior Zack Stivers (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) scored a pair of goals, including the eventual match-winner midway through the first half, while Adrian Ortiz (Berwyn, Ill./Morton West) and Guy Shabtay (Ramat-Gan, Israel/Blich [Prairie State C.C.]) both registered goals as well as Valparaiso defeated Western Michigan, 4-0, in non-league action Wednesday night at Brown Field.
10/19/2010
Men's Soccer to Take on Western Michigan, Green Bay
Valparaiso closes out a three-match stretch of non-league contests with a game against Western Michigan at home Wednesday night. The Crusaders then hit the road for the final time in the regular season for a league showdown at Green Bay Saturday evening.
10/17/2010
Golden Goal Drops Crusaders at #16/17 Ohio State
Taking on a side tied atop the Big Ten standings for the second straight game, Valparaiso kept #16/17 Ohio State off the scoreboard into extra time Sunday afternoon, but the Buckeyes got a golden goal from Konrad Warcyzha in the 97th minute for the 1-0 overtime victory in Columbus, Ohio.
10/13/2010
Crusaders Fall in Offensive Duel With Michigan
A scoreless game at the half quickly turned into a offensive battle Wednesday night, but unfortunately for Valparaiso, the Crusaders came out on the wrong end of a 4-2 decision against Big Ten co-leader Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich.
10/11/2010
Pair of Big Ten Foes Await Men's Soccer This Week
Valparaiso steps out of Horizon League play to take a pair of shots at teams atop the Big Ten standings. The Crusaders travel first to Ann Arbor on Wednesday to face Michigan before heading to Columbus on Sunday to take on Ohio State.
10/9/2010
Crusader Men Drop One-Goal Decision to Cleveland State
The tough-luck Horizon League campaign for the Valparaiso men's soccer team continued Saturday evening in Cleveland, Ohio, as the Crusaders fell victim to an 86th minute goal as Cleveland State earned the 1-0 victory.
10/6/2010
Crusaders Draw With Western Illinois Wednesday Night
Returning to Brown Field for the lone home match in a six-game stretch Wednesday night, Valparaiso battled to a 1-1 double overtime draw with former Mid-Con rival Western Illinois.
10/5/2010
Men's Soccer Comes Home Before Returning to Road
Valparaiso takes a brief break from the road, returning home Wednesday to take on Western Illinois in non-league action. The Crusaders then continue their travels, which take them to Cleveland State for a Horizon League showdown on Saturday.
10/3/2010
Valpo Falls In One-Goal Game to Loyola
For the second straight Horizon League game, Valparaiso came out on the wrong end of a 1-0 decision, falling to Loyola (Chicago) Sunday evening in Chicago, Ill.
10/1/2010
Crusaders Fall In Extra Time at #14/15 Butler
Valparaiso played right with #14/15 Butler in Indianapolis on Friday afternoon, forcing the game into extra time scoreless, but the Bulldogs struck for the golden goal in the 109th minute as the Crusaders fell 1-0.
9/29/2010
Crusaders Collect Donations, Equipment for TOCO
The Valparaiso men's soccer program raised about $1,800 at its second annual charity game against Milwaukee on Sept. 24 and also collected six boxes worth of athletic equipment to donate to the children's charity, They Often Cry Outreach (TOCO), for their work in Haiti and St. Lucia.
9/29/2010
Men's Soccer Faces Pair of Road HL Games
Valparaiso continues Horizon League play with a two-match road trip this weekend, traveling to nationally-ranked Butler on Friday before making the short trip to Chicago to face Loyola on Sunday.
9/26/2010
Crusaders Take Down Wright State, 3-1
Valparaiso got out to a strong start Sunday night at Brown Field against Wright State, scoring two goals within the first 20 minutes, and carried it throughout the match despite playing a man down the final 46 minutes, eventually earning a 3-1 victory over the Raiders in Horizon League action.
9/24/2010
Crusaders Drop Overtime Decision in League Opener
Valparaiso converted on a penalty kick early in the second half to tie its Horizon League opener with Milwaukee, but the Panthers tallied the golden goal in the 97th minute to earn the 2-1 victory at Brown Field Friday evening. The defeat was the Crusaders' first of the season, seven games into the campaign.
9/22/2010
Crusader Men Home for Pair of HL Matches This Weekend
Valparaiso takes aim at remaining unbeaten this weekend in a pair of home matches. The Crusaders open Horizon League play Friday night against Milwaukee before taking on Wright State Sunday evening.
9/21/2010
Men's Soccer Holding Charity Game Friday for TOCO
For the second straight season, the Valparaiso men's soccer program is holding a charity game to raise money for They Often Cry Outreach (TOCO), as the Crusaders are waiving the standard admission charge for Friday's game against Milwaukee and instead accepting monetary donations for TOCO. TOCO's founder, St. Lucian reggae artist Taj Weekes, will be in attendance at the game and will also be participating in a number of events on campus during the day.
9/20/2010
Crusader Men's Soccer Up to Seventh in Regional Rankings
The Valparaiso men's soccer team continued its rise up the NSCAA regional rankings this week, as the best start in program history currently has the Crusaders ranked #7 in the Great Lakes region.
9/19/2010
Valpo Men Still Unbeaten After 2-0 Win in Home Opener
The Valparaiso men's soccer team played its first regular season match under the lights at Brown Field Sunday evening and gave the home fans a taste of the way the season has gone so far, earning a 2-0 victory over Bowling Green State University.
9/17/2010
Stivers Scores Golden Goal as Crusaders Defeat IUPUI
Senior forward Zack Stivers (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) found the back of the net in the 93rd minute of play Friday in Indianapolis, Ind., giving Valparaiso a 1-0 overtime victory over IUPUI. The win extends the Crusaders' season-opening unbeaten streak to five games.
9/15/2010
Crusader Men Look to Extend Unbeaten Streak
Valparaiso looks to continue the longest unbeaten streak to start a season in program history, concluding a five-match road trip at IUPUI on Friday afternoon before returning home to Brown Field for the first time in 2010 to host Bowling Green on Sunday night.
9/13/2010
Crusaders Break Into Regional Men's Soccer Rankings
Off to its best four-match start of all-time, the Valparaiso men's soccer team cracked the NSCAA Regional Rankings for just the second time in program history this week, coming in at #10 in the Great Lakes region in this week's polling.
9/12/2010
Men's Soccer Draws With FGCU, Earns Tournament Title
The Valparaiso men's soccer team fought to a scoreless double-overtime draw with Florida Gulf Coast Sunday afternoon in Milwaukee, Wis., good enough for the Crusaders to win the Marquette Invitational championship, their second tournament title in as many weekends. Valpo is now undefeated through four fixtures for the first time in program history.
9/10/2010
Men's Soccer Shuts Out Santa Clara; Matches Best Start in Team History
Valparaiso matched its best start in program history with its third straight win to open the season, while fifth-year senior goalkeeper Ryan Schwarz (Rockford, Ill./Boylan Catholic) set a new team record with his 15th career shutout as the Crusaders defeated Santa Clara, 1-0, to open the Marquette Invitational in Milwaukee, Wis. on Friday afternoon.
9/8/2010
Men's Soccer Heads to Marquette For Tournament
Valpariaso looks to match and/or surpass the best start in program history this weekend as it travels to Milwaukee to compete in the Marquette Invitational. The Crusaders face Santa Clara on Friday afternoon before taking on Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday.
9/6/2010
Del Giudice's Late Goals Give Valpo Overtime Victory
A goal in the 88th minute by senior midfielder Roby Del Giudice sent Monday's match against UC Riverside in Las Vegas, Nev. to overtime, and Del Giudice notched the match-winner late in the first overtime period to close a 2-1 victory for Valparaiso. The win gave the Crusaders the UNLV Nike Invitational tournament title, the first in-season tournament championship in Valpo men's soccer history.
9/6/2010
Schwarz Named Horizon League Player of the Week
Valparaiso fifth-year senior goalkeeper Ryan Schwarz (Rockford, Ill./Boylan Catholic) was named the Horizon League Player of the Week today after matching the Crusader career shutout record in a 1-0 win over UNLV in the season opener Monday.
9/4/2010
Schwarz Matches Career Shutout Record as Valpo Blanks UNLV, 1-0
Valparaiso goalkeeper Ryan Schwarz (Rockford, Ill./Boylan Catholic) matched the Crusader career shutout record with his 14th clean sheet, while newcomer Guy Shabtay (Ramat-Gan, Israel/Blich [Prairie State C.C.]) found the back of the net in the waning minutes to give the Valpo men's soccer team a 1-0 victory over UNLV at the UNLV Nike Invitational in Las Vegas, Nev. to open the season Saturday.
9/3/2010
Crusader Men's Soccer Heads to Vegas to Open 2010
The 2010 campaign gets under way for the Valparaiso men's soccer team this weekend as they travel to Las Vegas to play in the UNLV Nike Invitational. The Crusaders will face the host Rebels Saturday afternoon before taking on UC Riverside on Labor Day.
8/31/2010
Valpo Men's Soccer Looks to Continue Rise in 2010
The Valparaiso men's soccer program is the very definition of a program on the rise, coming off of a 2009 campaign in which it captured a school-record ten victories and finished in third place in the Horizon League. Now, the Crusaders enter 2010 with nine starters and 17 letterwinners back from last year's team, ready to take the next step and challenge for a Horizon League title.
8/29/2010
Crusaders Close Out Preseason With Intrasquad Scrimmage
On a gorgeous late-August night at Brown Field in front of a good crowd, the Valparaiso men's soccer program closed out preseason play with an intrasquad scrimmage Saturday evening. The end result saw the Gold and White sides fight to a 1-1 draw.
8/24/2010
Crusader Men Picked Third in Horizon League Preseason Poll
The Valparaiso University men's soccer team has been predicted to finish in a tie for third place in the Horizon League in 2010, as chosen by the league's nine head coaches and announced by the League office today.
8/21/2010
Crusader Men's Soccer Opens Exhibition Play Under the Lights
The Valparaiso men's soccer team got its first run of action against an opposing squad Saturday evening in the first event under the lights at Brown Field, falling to Northern Illinois 2-1 in exhibition action. 23 Crusaders in all saw action in the preseason game, which consisted of 100 minutes broken into 40, 30 and 30 minute periods.
7/2/2010
Crusader Soccer Coaches Earn Contract Extensions
Valparaiso University director of athletics Mark LaBarbera announced today that women's soccer head coach John Marovich and men's soccer head coach Mike Avery have both agreed to four-year contract extensions to continue at the helms of their respective programs.
