What new sport would you like to see Valpo offer?

[okinawatyphoon]

I've been thinking about our athletic successes lately, especially in new sports. We added golf and bowling recently, which was a smart yet risky move during the recession. Are there any sports you'd like to see Valpo add? I love that we fill a niche with bowling, but what about hockey? How about rowing, taking advantage of our proximity to Lake Michigan? Lacrosse? Fencing? Wrestling?

Just some thoughts to generate some discussion. 

[a3uge]

It would be cool if Valpo had a football team...

Okay enough trolling.

Valpo actually did have a club hockey team six or seven years back, but it's not around any longer. I don't see it working at a D1 level. Indiana isn't exactly a hockey enthused area, and the nearest rink is over 45 min away. It would also be expensive to buy ice time for practices and games. The university would be losing a lot of money if they sponsored it, unlike bowling, which they could get 5 or 6 students whose expenses are a small white van to drive to games.

Valpo is pretty far west for a small school to pick up lacrosse, so I can't see them adding that sport any time soon. Marquette just added lacrosse though, so anything is possible.

Rowing on Lake Michigan seems a bit rough.

[valpotx]

I don't see us adding any sports for over a decade, if ever.  We already offer the maximum amount of sports that the HL sponsors, so there isn't any point in it

[VU75]

Mens Volleyball

[historyman]

Collegiate Bass Fishing

Hey, Murray State was third in the nation.

http://www.collegiatebasschampionship.com/

Valpo could join the ACA (Association of Collegiate Anglers)

Purdue was 34th and IU was 35th.

[classof2014]

It would be cool if Valpo had a football team...

Okay enough trolling.

Valpo actually did have a club hockey team six or seven years back, but it's not around any longer. I don't see it working at a D1 level. Indiana isn't exactly a hockey enthused area, and the nearest rink is over 45 min away. It would also be expensive to buy ice time for practices and games. The university would be losing a lot of money if they sponsored it, unlike bowling, which they could get 5 or 6 students whose expenses are a small white van to drive to games.

Valpo is pretty far west for a small school to pick up lacrosse, so I can't see them adding that sport any time soon. Marquette just added lacrosse though, so anything is possible.

Rowing on Lake Michigan seems a bit rough.

I would love to see a hockey team in Valpo. Like you said though the nearest rink I believe is in Saint John? Personally, I grew up playing hockey and would have loved the opportunity to walk on or be a part of a club team. Something more than intramural floor hockey with a bunch of clueless nimrods when it comes to the game. I would also love the ability to watch FREE hockey during the wintertime. Me, being from Northern Illinois, playing hockey and knowing many people from Illinois and being big Blackhawk fans, I think hockeywould do well here. Obviously  not like basketball but if there was a rink in Valpo I think people would go.

Unfortunately if Valpo wants a hockey team again. I think this lay on the City of Valpo to build a rink. Like you said renting a bus to drive 45 minutes to practice and not to mention the student support would be dismal, being 45 minutes away from campus.

As for the main question I don't think Valpo should expand. Unless an ice rink is built in Valpo, hockey isn't coming. Which at this point I think is the most reasonable idea in regard to adding a new athletic team.

[a3uge]

Ah, intramural floor hockey... Good times... Good times... (okinawatyphoon knows what I'm talking about)

[mvandersee]

Based on the existing facilities I would have to say that if anything were to be added (I don't see expansion soon) wrestling would make the most sense logically, while lacrosse would be my choice personally.

I'm not originally from NW Indiana, so I don't have any idea as to the popularity of high school/college wrestling in the area, but in most of the rest of the upper-Midwest (IA, IL, WI, MN) wrestling is a fairly popular sport which produces many great college athletes.  This could lead to Valpo getting decent regional recruits if a solid program were to be built by a potential new coach.  The only drawback to adding wrestling would be that it could potentially create an imbalance in the number of men's vs. women's sports scholarships based on Title IX, but I don't know all of the details on Valpo's situation in that regard.

Personally would like to see lacrosse added because it would be playable on Brown Field with little to no changes, would provide both a men's and a women's sport, and would add another fun spring sport to watch on campus besides baseball and softball (since T&F obviously can't compete at home).  Sure Valpo is kinda far west to be in the whole East Coast lacrosse craze, but the NCAA is hosting regionals at Lucas Oil Stadium next weekend which makes it look like they want to push lacrosse in non-traditional markets.  We would probably be a decent fit in the ECAC conference, which holds many of the "western" schools like Denver, Air Force, Ohio St, and Michigan.

[VULB#62]

Definitely men's and women's Lacrossse.  Notre Dame and Detroit both play.  Purdue plays in the MCLL.  Non D-1 -- Hanover calls itself the best lacrosse in Indiana.  With a turf surface, the nice thing about lacrosse is that is it not dependent on nice weather, which is a plus considering the fickle springs that occur in the midwest. Heck, games are played in the snow. It's usually a 12-14 game season, so travel expense is limited to 6-7 trips, but teams generally carry 33 or more players so you move and lodge a lot of bodies.

[usc4valpo]

Realistically, I would say lacrosse.  On my wish list, it would be hockey.  However, hockey is very expensive - I definitely think the popularity would be there though.  Notre Dame has hockey and they have a following; Valpo is an hour from Chicago which is a hockey crazy town.  They have a hockey club at USC and it is gaining interest with students from the East Coast.  There are rumors they may go to Division I, but they are rumors.

Now, if you want to promote diversity and culture to the university, I would consider improving soccer.  It is huge at Indiana, Sanit Louis and other schools.  Creighton and Drake have strong support also.

[Kyle321n]

I'll echo the hockey sentiment.  My high school alma mater (Lake Central) has had pretty good teams since adding it as a sport so you have a nice little feeder school right in your backyard.  The closest rink is the one in St. John, and I don't think getting ice time would be too expensive since they have open skate times every day of the week.  I feel like there would be a fairly rabid following to start with and if you can get good early in the programs history, you'll have a fan base forever.


That said I don't see it being added anytime soon.

[classof2014]

The only way Valpo would get hockey is if the City of Valparaiso builds a rink. Driving 45 minutes to practice will be extremely expensive and very difficult for students to get there to watch games. 

[agibson]

Collegiate Bass Fishing

For that matter, Disc Golf!

http://www.ncdgc.com/

Tennessee Tech won this year, so, heck, surely Valpo can step up.

[covufan]

LAX for both men and women.

[jetz]

Curling.  Boys and girls.  Pick a straight sidewalk and do it on campus.  Play colleges from Canada.  Tailgate.  Awesome.

[covufan]

Curling.  Boys and girls.  Pick a straight sidewalk and do it on campus.  Play colleges from Canada.  Tailgate.  Awesome.

Curling.  Tailgate.  12 oz curls.  Coincidence?