Valpo Men’s Golf Posts Top Team GPA in the Nation
The Valparaiso University men’s golf program has been honored by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) as the Division I Academic National Champion, posting the top team GPA among all Division I programs. The 11-man Crusader roster combined for a team GPA of 3.755 over the 2015-16 academic year.
“Every year, each member of the team provides me with their individual and team goals, and those will be golf related, in the classroom and personal,” said Crusader head coach David Gring. “All 11 of our players unanimously identified that finishing #1 in the country for team GPA among D-I schools was one of their goals. This became one of our three primary team goals for this past season, and I couldn't be more proud of our guys for having the vision and obtaining the ambitious goal.”
Beyond being named the Division I Academic National Champion, Valpo was recognized by the GCAA as an All-Academic Team for a sixth consecutive year. The Crusaders also picked up President’s Special Recognition honors – awarded to programs with a 3.5 team GPA or better – for the fifth straight year, one of just three programs nationally to earn that honor five years running.
“Academics has always been a very important part of our team culture and it is emphasized with great zeal, from our recruiting process all the way through graduation,” said Gring. “These guys are constantly pushing themselves individually and as a team and they are holding each other accountable with their grades. The eagerness and intensity that these young men put towards their practice, tournament play and classroom performance is extraordinary and even profound.”
Valparaiso was one of three Horizon League programs to be named an All-Academic Team this season, while the Crusaders were joined by Detroit as league institutions which earned the President’s Special Recognition status. Three Crusaders - Jared Magoline, Nick Seitz and Peter Webb- earned Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholar honors from the GCAA last week, while all 10 eligible Crusaders earned spots on the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll.
“We have a plethora of major studies on the team, from marketing to sports management to chemistry,” said Gring. “For 11 student-athletes of all ages and backgrounds to average a 3.755 GPA for the entire year is both praiseworthy and thrilling. What is most exciting about this award is that it is truly a complete team effort and each guy has to carry his weight. It is a blessing to work with these fine young men every day and we are most grateful for this national recognition.”
Campbell Earns PDL All-Conference Honors
Rising senior Nico Campbell (Kingston, Jamaica/St. George's College) capped off a stellar summer season of soccer for the Des Moines Menace by being named to the Premier Development League’s 2016 All-Central Conference Team.
Campbell helped anchor a defense which tied for the PDL lead in fewest goals allowed with his work between the pipes for the Menace. Making nine regular-season appearances, Campbell posted a 0.44 goals against average and tallied 36 saves for Des Moines in helping to lead the Menace to a 10-2-2 record.
Campbell has been joined this summer on the Menace by fellow Crusader Ramone Howell (Portmore, Jamaica/Jamaica College), who made seven appearances in the midfield during the regular season, playing a total of 472 minutes. Campbell and Howell helped Des Moines capture the PDL Heartland Division championship, the program’s third consecutive division title.
Campbell is heading into his final season at Valpo, coming off a 2015 campaign in which he was named the Horizon League Goalkeeper of the Year and posted a 0.76 GAA with eight shutouts – both the second-best marks in a single season in program history. Meanwhile, Howell enters his junior season as a Crusader after cementing himself as a stalwart in the midfield for Valpo over his first two years, appearing in all 37 matches and averaging nearly 89 minutes per match while scoring three goals and tallying three assists.
McShane Returns to Crusaders as Graduate Assistant
Valparaiso University softball head coach Kate Stake announced today that 2015 Crusader alum Tarah McShane will return to the program this fall, joining the program as a graduate assistant.
"I'm excited that Tarah has chosen to return to the Valparaiso softball program," said Crusader head coach Kate Stake. "It was clearly evident that she's the right person at the right time for this position. She's approachable, knows both our players and our coaches well, and is fiercely loyal and dedicated to the program's success and well-being. I believe very much that Tarah is an integral part of combining and facilitating our goals for this coming season, and she brings a great deal of value to the program as we continue chasing championships and growing our culture."
McShane returns to Valpo after spending a year at UIC as a volunteer assistant coach. She helped guide the Flames to the Horizon League regular season title in 2016, as UIC won 32 games and saw eight players earn All-League recognition.
McShane enjoyed a stellar career on the diamond for the Crusaders as a catcher, corner infielder and designated player. Valpo won 117 games over her four-year career (2012-2015), including a pair of Horizon League titles in 2012 and 2013. McShane appeared in 168 games, including 159 starts, over her four years as a Crusader and concluded her time at Valpo second in program history in fielding percentage (.989), seventh all-time in RBIs (94) and doubles (36), ninth in home runs (14) and tenth in putouts (536).
