Valparaiso

They will have a new coach so things will be different---good or bad who knows

I signed with Valpo in the fall and in the process passed up other opportunities from better baseball schools because of the strong academics at Valpo as well as other factors.

Like TR said, Valpo's getting a new coach as well as moving to a new conference during the 2007-2008 year.

If you want to know anything else, feel free to pm me.

Who is going to be the new coach? any ideas

I was just down there for orientation this weekend and the two top assistants have applied but beyond that I'm not sure.

linedriver

Baseball aside you are at a great school

A former Dodger big leaguer is interested I hear.

Academically, top notch. But the baseball facilities are in need of some big time help. We played in showcases on campus on several occasions over the years - easily the worst field we saw anywhere. Worse than some high school fields we've played on. Not sure what's up with that, but son was very turned off to Valpo as a result - felt it was a real reflection on what kind of emphasis the school placed on it's baseball team. Maybe it was more a reflection on the coach, who knows? Time will tell, I guess.

I played up there just this past spring. I was not impressed with the playing surface and the set up of the bullpens.

You are getting a Richmonder (VA) as the new head coach at Valpo. Tracy Woodson was a HS standout here, then ACC player of the year at N.C. State, before playing several years in the pros, much of which was in the bigs, esp. with the Dodgers and Cardinals. You can see him in that famous "dog pyle" photo after the Dodgers won the World Series in 1988 (the year of Orel Hershiser and Gibson's famous homer off Eckersley).

Woodson has been a partner in a local baseball training facility that opened just last year, but we just got word he has left here to take over at Valpo. His reputation around here is very good, though I think this is his first shot at college head coaching.