Bradley University Athletics

Bradley Athletics Welcomes Valley Newcomer Valparaiso

General 5/25/2017 9:23:00 AM

PEORIA, IL – Though the two schools are separated by just 191 miles, Bradley has a relatively limited athletics history against Valparaiso. Bradley fans will become much more familiar with the Crusaders, however, as the Missouri Valley Conference Presidents Council unanimously voted to extend a membership invitation to Valparaiso University, and the Crusaders will begin full participation in all its sponsored sports effective for the 2017-18 season, issuing a formal acceptance of that invitation on Thursday morning.

"While my focus as Athletics Director always will remain on Bradley University and our student-athletes," said Bradley Director of Athletics Dr. Chris Reynolds, "the league has been diligent in this membership process and we are pleased to welcome Valparaiso into the Missouri Valley Conference."

"We are excited that Valparaiso is joining the Missouri Valley Conference," said Bradley men's basketball head coach Brian Wardle. "The Crusaders have a strong basketball tradition and history, with a lot of recent success. As a competitor, I want to go against the best possible opponents and having coached against Valpo for a number of years, I know the Valley is adding one of the top basketball programs in the country. The Missouri Valley Conference is, and will always be, one the of the nation's top conferences in the country and just as it has in the past, it will continue to compete at the highest level. Various schools have stepped up and led the MVC to great success throughout its history and we will continue to strive to represent the league and its traditions."

Located in the city of Valparaiso in the Chicagoland area of northwest Indiana, Valparaiso University sponsors 21 NCAA Division I intercollegiate sports, including all of the 15 sports Bradley sponsors. Despite the relative proximity and common bond as Midwestern-based, private institutions, the two schools have a fairly limited history of head-to-head competition.

Of the seven sports both schools sponsor that play head-to-head competitions, Bradley leads the all-time series in six of the seven sports, while the seventh, women's volleyball, is tied, 7-7, all time. The baseball teams from Bradley and Valparaiso are the most common competitors and the Braves own a 13-11 lead in the series, which dates back to April 23, 1991. The Bradley men's basketball team owns a 2-1 series advantage against the Crusaders, but the teams have not met since Valparaiso's 73-55 win Dec. 17, 1983.

Bradley - Valparaiso Athletics History
Sport	Series History	First Meeting	Most Recent
Baseball	Bradley leads, 13-11	April 23, 1991	Valparaiso, 5-2 (4/28/09)
Men's Basketball	Bradley leads, 2-1	Dec. 20, 1980	Valparaiso, 73-55 (12/17/83)
Women's Basketball	Bradley leads, 6-1	Jan. 12, 1983	Bradley, 67-56 (12/19/16)
Soccer	Bradley leads, 7-5-0	Oct. 22, 1989	Valparaiso, 1-0 (9/12/08)
Softball	Bradley leads, 4-1	April 10, 1987	Bradley, 2-1 (3/13/04)
Tennis	Bradley leads, 12-6	Feb. 14, 1998	Bradley, 7-0 (3/5/17)
Volleyball	Tied, 7-7	Sept. 14, 1984	Valparaiso, 3-1 (9/11/10)

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