Valpo Football Set to Kick Off 2026 on Saturday at Brown Field

Lawrence Tech (0-0, 0-0 MSFA)

at Valparaiso (0-0, 0-0 PFL)

Game #1 Saturday, Aug. 29, 1 p.m. CT

Brown Field (5,000) – Valparaiso, Ind.

 
This Week in Valpo Football: The 2026 Valparaiso University soccer season kicks off on Saturday afternoon because the Beacons welcome Lawrence Tech to Brown Field to begin the second season of Andy Waddle‘s Valpo head teaching regime. This marks the primary of three nonconference video games and the one nonconference residence sport in 2026. It kicks off an 11-game regular-season slate that includes 5 Brown Field dates. Fans are inspired to reach early as Valpo rally towels will likely be given away upon entry, whereas provides final.
 
Previously: Valpo is ready to play at Brown Field for the primary time since a livid Senior Day rally to beat Stetson 32-31 in extra time on Nov. 15 of final season. Valpo adopted that up with an in depth 27-20 loss at rival Butler, however completed the season with a 2-10 total file and 1-7 Pioneer Football League mark. The Beacons hope to construct upon enjoying their finest soccer late within the season in 2025 as 2026 commences on Saturday.
 
Glancing Ahead: Valpo can have a bye week subsequent week, the primary of two byes this season, earlier than hitting the street for the primary time in 2026 with a Sept. 12 go to to Murray State. Each of the workforce’s two remaining nonconference video games will likely be on the street towards members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. 
 
Series Notes: This represents the first-ever matchup between Valpo and Lawrence Tech. 
 
Following the Beacons: Saturday’s sport will air on ESPN+ with Todd Ickow starting his 36^th season on play-by-play and Valpo Athletics Hall of Famer Tom Byrne dealing with shade commentary. The radio name of the sport that includes Grayson Merchant and CJ Perez will air on WVUR, 95.1 FM Valparaiso, ValpoAthletics.com and the TuneIn Radio app. For in-game updates, observe @valpoufootball on X. Links to reside video and stats might be discovered on ValpoAthletics.com. This season, 9 of the 11 video games will likely be on ESPN+ with the remaining two video games airing on YouTube.

Scouting the Blue Devils

• Starting quarterback Ryan Schuster returns after throwing for over 2100 yards, 13 touchdowns and only one interception final season. He has thrown for over 3300 yards in 16 video games over the past two years.
• Under the course of head coach Oscar Olejniczak.
• Set to host Saint Mary-of-the-Woods subsequent week.

Opening Up

• The Aug. 29 season opener will mark Valpo’s earliest opener since additionally starting on Aug. 29, 2019 at Eastern Kentucky and can match the workforce’s earliest opener since Aug. 28, 2014 at Western Illinois.
• The Beacons will begin the season at residence for the second consecutive 12 months and simply the third time since 2012. This will mark the primary time consecutive seasons have kicked off with a house sport since 2011 and 2012.
• The Beacons will look to begin the season within the win column for the second straight 12 months. You have to return almost twenty years for the final time Valpo began consecutive seasons at 1-0, the 2006 and 2007 campaigns below head coach Stacy Adams. 

Preseason Plaudits

• Two members of the Valpo protection – defensive again Nic Lendino and linebacker Anthony Feltrinelli – had been tabbed to the Preseason All-Pioneer Football League Team by the convention workplace.
• Valpo was considered one of six groups with a number of Preseason All-PFL honorees.
• Return specialist Chris Gundy was named to the Phil Steele Preseason All-PFL First Team, whereas Lendino and Feltrinelli achieved Second Team standing. A trio of third-team honorees rounded out Valpo’s Phil Steele laurels – offensive lineman Noah Kline, tight finish Colin Hayes and defensive again Mark Johnson.
• The Beacons had been picked 11^th within the preseason ballot. San Diego is the preseason favourite to win the league adopted by Drake and St. Thomas.

A True Hero

• Team captain Mark Johnson made a selfless determination this previous summer time, when he agreed to donate bone marrow to probably save the lifetime of a 5-year-old baby in Paris, France.
• Johnson discovered that he was a match for the kid after signing up for the nationwide registry when he discovered the touching story of head coach Andy Waddle‘s spouse Kerry Jean, who had a uncommon bone marrow illness earlier than receiving a life-saving donation from a person named Todd Spencer.
• Because of his selfless donation and his different community-service work, Johnson has been nominated for the 2026 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. He is considered one of 175 whole nominees from throughout all ranges of faculty soccer and considered one of 49 FCS student-athletes.
• The story of Johnson’s bone marrow donation was instructed by ValpoAthletics.com, The Victory Bell, The Times of Northwest Indiana, CBS-2 Chicago and NBC-5 Chicago.

Leading the Way

• Three Valpo gamers had been named workforce captains previous to the season, as voted upon by their friends.
• Senior defensive again Mark Johnson was named a captain for the second consecutive season. He began all 12 video games a 12 months in the past and has appeared in 33 video games over the past three campaigns.
• Redshirt junior defensive again Nic Lendino is serving as a captain this season. He was tabbed All-PFL Honorable Mention final season and has began all 23 Valpo contests over the past two years.
• Redshirt senior quarterback Rowan Keefe is the lone offensive captain. A fifth-year member of this system, Keefe was named the workforce’s Most-Improved Player for the second time in his profession final season. Keefe performed in all 12 video games and made 9 begins at quarterback a 12 months in the past.

Roster Rundown: Nearly half of the United States are represented on the Valpo roster, as Beacons hail from 21 completely different states. Illinois (29) and Indiana (23) are probably the most represented, adopted by Ohio (17) and California (10).
 
Who’s Back?: The 2026 Beacons return seven starters on offense and eight on protection from final season. This comes after Valpo featured simply 4 returning starters on offense and three on protection final season.
 
Notes Wrapping Up 2025

• The workforce recorded the biggest comeback in program historical past, rallying from 24-0 down late within the third to beat Stetson 32-31 in extra time, going 4-for-4 on 2-point conversions within the sport.
• Five gamers earned all-conference accolades, two had been Freshman All-Americans and one was a First Team FCS All-American, Valpo’s first since 1999.
• The Beacons additionally boasted a Campbell Trophy semifinalist and 4 Academic All-PFL alternatives.
• Valpo led the nation in kick return common at 27.9.
• On protection, Valpo had 70 tackles for loss, tied for the fifth most in a single season in program historical past.
• On offense, the Beacons accomplished 59.9 % of their passes, the workforce’s highest single-season completion share since 2013 and third highest in program historical past.
• The 2025 squad opened the season with a 67-10 conquer Virginia Lynchburg, this system’s highest level whole and margin of victory since 1958.

Head Coach Andy Waddle

• Andy Waddle (57-71 total, 2-10 at Valpo) was named the 19^th head coach of the Valpo soccer program on Dec. 9, 2024. He is in his second season main the Beacons in 2026.
• A two-time Ohio Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, Waddle possesses over twenty years of collegiate teaching expertise together with the earlier 12 years as the top coach at Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio.
• The Pioneers began the 2024 season 8-0, the primary 8-0 begin in program historical past. The program loved a 13-game successful streak that spanned the top of the 2023 season and begin of the 2024 marketing campaign, tied for the longest in program historical past and this system’s longest since 1920. The 13-game successful streak was on the time tied with Army for the second longest energetic successful streak in all of NCAA school soccer, behind solely Division-III SUNY-Cortland’s 20-game streak.
• Waddle guided the squad to a mixed 16-5 file and 14-2 mark within the NCAA Division-III Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) over his final two seasons in Ohio. He efficiently engineered a turnaround of the Marietta program, main the workforce to a file of .500 or higher in seven of the final eight years after the Pioneers had beforehand skilled 9 consecutive dropping seasons.
• When Waddle took over as the top coach at Marietta previous to the 2013 season, he inherited a program that had gained three or fewer video games in every of the earlier six years and was coming off an 0-10 season. Before Waddle’s eight-year run of sustained success that started in 2017, Marietta had a successful file simply twice in a 20-year span. The program loved as many successful seasons in Waddle’s last eight years as head coach because it had skilled within the earlier 30 years mixed.
• The 2024 season culminated with Marietta’s second-ever postseason look and first since 1973 because the Pioneers competed within the Extra Points Bowl, hosted at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. After the 8-0 begin, Marietta was ranked twenty second nationally by D3Football.com and twenty third by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). The Pioneers completed the 2024 marketing campaign ranked amongst nationwide leaders within the following classes – third-down conversion share protection (first, .250), redzone offense (eighth, .912), whole protection (tenth, 236.1), sacks per sport (3.18, sixteenth), whole offense (453.9, nineteenth), scoring offense (40.5, twenty first) and scoring protection (14.9, twenty third).
• Marietta positioned 16 gamers on the All-OAC workforce in 2024 and had 101 whole all-league alternatives throughout Waddle’s tenure. Following the 2023 marketing campaign, Waddle was named the OAC Coach of the Year after main Marietta to its highest win whole since 1995. Waddle earned his first OAC Coach of the Year award in 2017 after main the Pioneers to a 6-4 mark, the workforce’s first successful season in 11 years. During his time at Marietta, Waddle instructed 19 all-region performers, 22 All-Americans and 4 Academic All-Americans.
• Prior to his dozen years main the Marietta program, Waddle spent eight seasons at Wittenberg University, the place he joined the workers in 2005 because the defensive secondary coach and was promoted to defensive coordinator a 12 months later. Wittenberg gained 4 North Coast Athletic Conference championships and made 4 NCAA playoff appearances within the seven seasons with Waddle working the protection. His 2009 defensive unit led all the NCAA in whole protection (189.9) and scoring protection (8.85) and this system tied a college file with 12 wins.
• Waddle started his teaching profession in 2003 at Mansfield University (Pa.) because the defensive backs coach. The NCAA Division-II Mountaineers went 8-3, a six-game enchancment over the earlier season, and recorded the workforce’s first successful season in almost 30 years. In 2004, Waddle served because the secondary coach at D-III Maryville College (Tenn.), the place he helped this system win as many video games because it had within the earlier three seasons mixed.
• An all-conference defensive again, Waddle performed for 2 North Coast Athletic Conference championship groups and made three NCAA playoff appearances at Wittenberg. He spent two seasons on the University of Findlay previous to transferring to Wittenberg. He was redshirted throughout the Oilers’ 1997 NAIA nationwide championship season and was a starter the next 12 months.
• Waddle earned his bachelor’s diploma in sociology from Wittenberg in 2003 and accomplished his grasp’s in govt management from Liberty University in 2014. A local of Enon, Ohio, Waddle and his spouse Kerry Jean have a daughter, Hopelyn, and a son, Spencer. The Waddles are concerned with the Be The Match Bone Marrow Registry and have raised almost $20,000 whereas registering over 2,000 potential bone marrow donors.

Meet the Staff

• Reed Florence – Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach – In his second season at Valpo after spending the earlier three seasons on Waddle’s workers at Marietta, the place he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
• Zach Feltrop – Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach – In his second 12 months at Valpo after spending the earlier six seasons at Marietta College, serving as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach below Waddle.
• RJ Ghilarducci – Assistant Head Coach / Special Teams Coordinator / Defensive Line Coach – Is in his seventh season on the Valpo soccer workers.
• Terry Geiger – Wide Receivers Coach / Recruiting Coordinator – Is in his second season at Valpo after spending the earlier three years on workers at Marietta, the place he was the extensive receivers coach and recruiting coordinator below Waddle.
• Peter Nank – Offensive Line Coach – Is in his second season at Valpo after spending the earlier two seasons because the offensive line coach below Waddle at Marietta.
• Michael Joseph – Defensive Backs Coach – Is in his second season at Valpo. Played at Division-III University of Dubuque earlier than happening to spend 5 years within the National Football League as a member of the Chicago Bears from 2018-2022 earlier than he spent 2023 and 2024 as a member of the United Football League’s DC Defenders.
• Connor Vierstra – Tight Ends Coach – Is in his second season on Valpo’s workers. Graduated from Marietta College in December 2024, ending as this system’s all-time profession chief in passing touchdowns, completions and go makes an attempt for the Pioneers.
• Weston Bridges – Running Backs Coach – Is in his first season on Valpo’s workers after serving because the working backs coach on the University of Sioux Falls in 2025.
• Justin Schiets – Director of Football Operations / Defensive Ends Coach – Is in his first season at Valpo, serving as Director of Football Operations and training the defensive ends. Arrived at Valpo after a stint in participant personnel and recruiting at Western Michigan.
• David Busch – Quality Control / Offensive Line – Is in his second season on Valpo’s workers. Was a five-year starter on the Marietta offensive line from 2020 to 2024.
• Jaelon Quiero-Gordon – Quality Control / Safeties – Is in his first season serving in a top quality management position and dealing with the workforce’s safeties. He was a five-year soccer student-athlete at Marietta College below Waddle from 2020-2024 and broke into teaching by instructing the defensive backs at Ohio Dominican University.

Family Tree

• QB Marcus Brown and DB Donovan Brown are brothers.
• OL Billy Jack McCool and OL Spencer McCool are brothers.
• DB JQ Harris and LB Nathan Harris are brothers.
• DL Emmanuel Olojo’s brother Jeremiah performed soccer at Valpo in 2017 and 2018.
• QB Bo Brunner’s older sister Belle golfed at Valpo from 2021-2025, uncle Brian O’Connor performed baseball at Valpo from 1996-1999 earlier than being drafted by the Houston Astros and grandfather Tom Brunner competed in monitor & subject at Valpo from 1968-1972. His brother Tommy is a swimmer at Ball State.
• Spencer and Billy Jack’s father Billy Wade McCool performed soccer at Wake Forest (1999-2000) and Valdosta State (2000-2001) and rugby at North Texas (2001-2003).
• JQ and Nathan’s uncle Robert Mathis performed at Alabama A&M and for the Indianapolis Colts.
• DB Mark Johnson’s father Mark performed soccer at Vanderbilt from 1986-91.
• DL Bertrand Berry II is the son of former Notre Dame defensive finish Bertrand Berry, who went on to play 12 years within the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts, St. Louis Rams, Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals. He was Second-Team All-Pro and a Pro Bowl choice in 2004.
• RB Michael Rumoro’s uncle Mark Tortorice performed baseball at Grand Canyon from 1982-1985 and performed minor league baseball within the Oakland A’s and Chicago White Sox’s farm programs
• QB Nathan Downey’s grandfather Jim Rucks performed soccer, basketball and baseball on the University of Illinois from 1969-1973
• QB Johnny DiBlasio’s relative Karen DiBlasio swam at Harvard and within the 1980 Olympics.
• DL Caleb Baczek’s father Todd performed soccer at Northwestern and was signed by the New York Jets.
• QB Jacob Ritter’s mom performed volleyball at Iowa and father performed soccer at Michigan.
• OL Marco Morales’ grandfather Jaime was knowledgeable Bolivian soccer participant within the Sixties.
• LB Floyd Watson III’s uncle Kevin Watson performed for the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints. 
• LS Hayden Hourany’s uncle Joe Brown performed soccer at Ohio State (1996-2000) and for the Seattle Seahawks (2001-2002).
• P Will Struyk is said to George Washington.

Did You Know? #BeaconBits

• DL Alex Goworowski has by no means seen Star Wars, Rocky, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones or Caddyshack.
• OL Noah Kline’s prolonged household is so giant that at one level he had a relative dwelling in each state besides Maine.
• OL Nathan Snedegar is a second-degree blackbelt in Taekwondo. 
• RB Michael Rumoro is a first-generation American.
• WR Bryson Winbush’s largest concern is huge statues.
• WR Nolan Teising is called after MLB legend Nolan Ryan.
• OL Billy Jack McCool lived within the cities/suburbs within the southern United States till eighth grade, then moved along with his household to a ranch in Wyoming and discovered cattle ranching and horses.
• DB Kaiser Wilhelm is a self-taught gymnast.
• DL Caleb Baczek can play the harmonica.
• OL Marco Morales created and ran his highschool’s “Barstool” account that has 1,300+ followers. This account was used to advertise his highschool’s athletics in a enjoyable manner that was updated with present tendencies/memes and likewise up to date followers/mother and father on schedules and sport occasions.
• WR Robbie Spang is a scholar senator and a Christ College (honors school) scholar at Valpo.
• WR Isaac Tran had eight surgical procedures in a five-year span.
• DB JD Friday is a professional Fortnite participant.
• DB Colten Tripp scored a 4 on the AP U.S. History examination.
• RB Niko Kokosioulis can play the piano and ukulele.
• RB Russell Tye didn’t begin enjoying soccer till highschool.
• RB Elijah Rose has 14 siblings.
• DL Mac McCormick grew up on a farm.
• LB Floyd Watson III was born on Leap Day, Feb. 29.
• DL Alex Prine had an in depth encounter with a black bear in Canada.

Player-by-Player Quick Hits – Projected Offensive Starters
*Based on two-deep, starters topic to vary

• QB #2 Rowan Keefe, R-Sr. – Team captain… Named the workforce’s Most-Improved Player for the second time in his profession in 2025… Earned 2025 Academic All-PFL Second Team honors… Enters the 2026 season having made 15 profession begins at quarterback together with a number of begins in every of the final three seasons… Completed 17 passes or extra in every of his last 4 video games of the 2025 season.
• LT #74 Mason Knoch, R-So. – Played in 11 video games on Valpo’s offensive line in 2025.
• LG #63 Cooper Bothwell, R-Jr. – Played in 10 video games on Valpo’s offensive line in 2025 after transferring from Marist.
• C #56 Justin Hemmersbach, R-So. – Played in 9 video games and made eight begins on Valpo’s offensive line in 2025.
• RG #79 Austin Lambert, R-Jr. – Played in three video games on Valpo’s offensive line in 2025. 
• RT #70 Noah Kline, Sr. – Named to the 2026 Phil Steele Preseason All-PFL Third Team… Enters the 2026 season having began 32 consecutive video games on Valpo’s offensive line.
• TE #11 Colin Hayes, R-So. – Named to the 2026 Phil Steele Preseason All-PFL Third Team… Was on the receiving finish of two profitable 2-point conversion passes within the Nov. 15, 2025 win over Stetson, one on the finish of regulation and one in extra time. In each situations, Valpo would have misplaced the sport if he didn’t catch the go.
• WR #13 Marty O’Keeffe, R-Jr. – Played in 12 video games and made one begin in 2025, hauling in six catches.
• WR #17 Devin Yeats, R-Sr. – Caught a landing go with all zeros on the clock as a part of an untimed down that helped the workforce drive extra time within the Nov. 15, 2025 victory over Stetson. 
• WR #9 Chris Gundy, R-Sr. – Had 19 catches for 276 yards and a landing in 2025 together with a career-high 108 receiving yards on 5 catches on Oct. 25 vs. Morehead State… Has performed in 32 profession video games coming into the 2026 season.
• RB #20 Michael Rumoro, So. – Played in 9 video games and made two begins as a real freshman in 2025… Had 137 speeding yards on 34 carries plus eight receptions for 51 yards in 2025.

Player-by-Player Quick Hits – Projected Defensive Starters
*Based two-deep, starters topic to vary

• DE #15 Gabriel Batres, R-Jr. – Was named the PFL Defensive Player of the Week on Aug. 31 after a three-sack efficiency towards Virginia Lynchburg.
• DT #91 Garrett Risley, Sr. – Played in eight video games and made one begin for Northeastern State in 2025.
• DT #99 Emmanuel Olojo, R-Fr. – Named to the workforce’s Scout Team Player of the Year whereas redshirting in 2025.
• DE #42 Alex Goworowski, R-Sr. – Played in all 12 video games and made 11 begins in 2025… Blocked a PAT on Oct. 11, 2025 vs. Dayton.  
• LB #1 Max Samuel, R-Jr. – Started the primary 4 video games of the 2025 season earlier than lacking the remainder of the 12 months as a result of sickness.
• LB #51 Anthony Feltrinelli, R-So. – 2026 Preseason All-PFL Team choose… Named a Freshman All-American by Stats Perform FCS, FCS Football Central and Phil Steele along with incomes All-PFL Honorable Mention standing in 2025.
• LB #19 Connor Cervantes, R-Jr. – Played in 10 video games and made 9 begins in 2025, beginning every of the ultimate eight video games of the season.  
• CB #0 Nic Lendino, R-Jr. – Team captain… 2025 Preseason All-PFL Team… All-PFL Honorable Mention and the workforce’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2025… Finished 12^th within the PFL and second on the workforce with 86 tackles, averaging 7.2 per sport in 2025.  
• S #3 Mark Johnson, Jr. – Second-year workforce captain… Phil Steele Preseason All-PFL Third Team… Became the primary Valpo participant with an interception, pressured fumble and fumble restoration in the identical sport in over twenty years on Nov. 1, 2025 at No. 25/22 Presbyterian.
• S #22 Jason Salman, Jr. – Played in 9 video games in 2024 at Marietta College below head coach Andy Waddle, then performed in 12 video games and made 5 begins with the Beacons in 2025. 
• CB #8 O.C. Nurse, Sr. – Played in 12 video games and made 11 begins final season, totaling 24 tackles together with a season-high eight on Oct. 18 at St. Thomas.  

Specialist Quick Hits – Projected Starters

• Okay #26 Luke Scoma, R-So. – Played in all 12 video games and made 5 subject objectives in 2025.
• P #88 Will Orlando, Fr. – Set the Indiana High School state championship file for punting common at 46.7 with an extended of 53 within the 2025 state title sport.
• RS #9 Chris Gundy, Sr. – Phil Steele First Team Preseason All-PFL at return specialist… Led the PFL in kick return common at 28.6 in 2025.