Season Preview: Waddle Era Set to Begin for Valpo Football
Although the 10-day forecast for Northwest Indiana is filled with rays of sunshine, the heat wave of Summer 2025 has begun to give way to an ever-so-slight nip in the air that can only mean one thing: football season is upon us.
As the boys of fall return to the gridiron with the Valparaiso University football team kicking off the 2025 campaign on Saturday at 1 p.m. by hosting Virginia Lynchburg at Brown Field, the Beacons are set to officially begin a new chapter in the long history of the program as Andy Waddle has assumed the squad’s head coaching duties. With back-to-back home games to begin a season for the first time since 2002, new fan experience elements coming to gameday and a new head coach leading the way, excitement is high for football to be back at Brown Field this weekend.
While there are many players who will seize their opportunities and make names for themselves over the course of the 2025 season who may not be mentioned in this article, here is a glance at what we know about each position group heading into Week 1.
Quarterbacks
Heading into the first week of the season, the quarterback competition is ongoing with two players who have started games for the Brown & Gold in the past both expected to see action under center on Saturday against Virginia Lynchburg.
Redshirt sophomore Caron Tyler (Temecula, Calif. / Chaparral) was all over the highlight reels a year ago, appearing on SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays twice, for a play made with his legs early in the year at Youngstown State and for one made with his arm to close the year against Davidson. He appeared in 10 games and made six starts on the season, going 89-of-158 for 978 yards and six touchdowns while rushing for 398 yards and three scores.
Redshirt junior Rowan Keefe (Park Ridge, Ill. / Maine South) is also very much in the mix to earn the starting quarterback role and like Tyler has started games in the past for the Beacons. Before Tyler was named the team’s Most-Improved Player in 2024, Keefe garnered that award in 2023. That season, the Illinois native played in five games and made four starts including 187 passing yards on 9-of-12 through the air, three touchdowns and no interceptions while playing only the second half on Oct. 21 at Davidson. In 2024, Keefe started each of the season’s first two games.
“Both quarterbacks are doing some really good things,” Waddle said. “I think we’re going to have to get into a couple of games worth of action to see who is able to separate themselves in live reps. They’re back and forth and both have the potential to make a lot of plays for us.”
Running Backs
Talented sixth-year senior running back Michael Mansaray (Columbus, Ohio / Westerville South [South Dakota]) achieved Preseason All-Pioneer Football League recognition and could be poised for another big season after ranking among the league leaders in a variety of categories a year ago. He rushed for nine touchdowns in 2024, one away from becoming just the eighth player in program history with double-figure rushing touchdowns in a single season. He had a season-best 135 rushing yards on Oct. 26 at Marist, narrowly ahead of his 132 on Sept. 21 vs. Roosevelt.
“Mike is strong, fast, physical and explosive,” Waddle said. “He’s good in pass protection and he has fine hands. He is an all-around good football player.”
While six players in the running back room are either true or redshirt freshmen, the other two enter the season with a combined 11 years of college experience. Mansaray’s fellow veteran in the backfield will be seventh-year senior Dawaiian McNeely (Ceres, Calif. / Central Catholic [Wyoming]), who played in 26 games and had 83 carries for 482 yards and two touchdowns over the last six seasons (five in which he saw game action) for Wyoming of the FBS Mountain West Conference. Redshirt freshman Amir Simmons (Baltimore, Md. / Gahanna Lincoln) was the team’s Scout Team Offensive Player of the Year last season and retained four years of eligibility while playing in four games.
Wide Receivers
The wide receiver with the most experience in a Valpo uniform is redshirt junior Chris Gundy (Smithfield, Va. / Smithfield), who has made 41 catches in 21 games over the last two seasons including 29 grabs for 297 yards a year ago. He has found the end zone once in each of the last two years.
The overall most-experienced player in the position group with 22 collegiate games over the last three seasons and a newcomer to Valpo, Jay Melchiori (Marengo, Ohio / Highland [Marietta]) played for Waddle at Marietta each of the last three seasons and earned all-conference second team honors each of the last two years. Last season, he had 46 receptions and 723 receiving yards, ranking seventh on the Pioneers in both categories.
“Jay was a quality guy in our system at Marietta for multiple years,” Waddle said. “He knows our system really well and can play all three positions. Chris Gundy is a guy who has played a lot of football here at Valpo. He is very fast and athletic, and we’re excited to see what he can do this season.”
Redshirt freshman Ryan Ricketti (Rocky River, Ohio / Rocky River) played in four games and redshirted last season, redshirt junior Devin Yeats (Hampshire, Ill. / Hampshire) played in 10 games and made three starts in 2024 and has seen action in 17 collegiate contests and redshirt sophomore Marty O’Keeffe (Orland Park, Ill. / Brother Rice) is back for his third year in the program.
Tight Ends
Redshirt junior Max Carter (Camarillo, Calif. / Adolfo Camarillo) is the most experienced player in the tight end room, but battled some injuries during fall camp. Redshirt sophomore Micah Mackay (Zionsville, Ind. / Lutheran) has moved from wide receiver to tight end after playing in 11 games in 2023 and being limited to two due to injuries in 2024.
Redshirt freshman Brayden Welch (Oregon City, Oregon / Oregon City) is at the forefront of a talented quartet of redshirt and true freshmen at the tight end position.
“Our tight end group is very young and unproven, but this is a very talented group,” Waddle said. “Some of these guys may start the season as unknown names, but are guys who I hope will be really good players for the next four years.”
Offensive Line
In the trenches, it all starts with redshirt junior Niko Paic (Crown Point, Ind. / Crown Point), who has played in all 22 games over the last two seasons and is entering his fourth year at Valpo. He was elected a team captain by his peers and will start at right guard. Junior Noah Kline (Loveland, Ohio / Loveland) started all 11 games last season and joins Paic to form an experienced right side of the offensive line.
Redshirt sophomore Brendan Mcilvenna (Carmel, Ind. / Guerin Catholic) and redshirt freshman Mason Knoch (New Haven, Ind. / New Haven) are battling for the left tackle position, while redshirt freshman Dan Theiss (Aurora, Ill. / St. Francis) is currently atop the two-deep at left guard. Redshirt sophomore Justin Hemmersbach (Morris, Ill. / Morris Community) goes into Week 1 as the projected starter at center.
“The offensive line starts with Niko, who is a returning starter and captain,” Waddle said. “He’s a tough, gritty guy. Noah Kline is also returning, and there will be some guys who are getting their first experience. Despite only two returning starters, if we can stay healthy, there is some talent there that we can build around and some guys that have a chance to be good players in this league.”
Defensive Line
Staying in the trenches and shifting focus to the other side of the ball, the Beacons have the challenge of replacing several standouts from last year’s defensive line. However, this position group has a proven history of reloading rather than rebuilding under longtime Valpo defensive line coach RJ Ghilarducci.
Redshirt sophomore nose guard Isaiah Fowler (Gary, Ind. / Chesterton) is the most experienced member of the defensive line after starting the majority of Valpo’s games last season. Redshirt sophomore Antony Morris (Cincinnati, Ohio / St. Xavier) also made five starts a year ago, while other returnees on the defensive line include sixth-year Shawn Fester (Stevens, Pa. / Cocalico [Lebanon Valley]), redshirt junior Alex Goworowski (Chicago, Ill. / Saint Patrick) and redshirt senior De’Andre Wilborn (Chicago, Ill. / Westinghouse [Georgetown]), among others. Wilborn is a nominee for the prestigious Campbell Trophy Award, based on a combination of athletics, academics and community service.
“We’re excited about the group that we have returning on the defensive line,” Waddle said. “We are going to try to be active with the group that we have. We have some guys who have the ability to really make plays in that group.”
Linebackers
Junior Max Samuel (Edina, Minn. / Edina) has appeared in 21 games over the last two years and is one of the team’s fastest players. Redshirt sophomore Connor Cervantes (Griffith, Ind. / Griffith) will see an increased role, while redshirt freshman Anthony Feltrinelli (Westfield, Ind. / Westfield) is also in the mix. True freshman Micah Markley (West Chester, Ohio / Lakota West) could make an immediate impact after graduating high school in December and arriving at Valpo for the spring semester.
“We’re inexperienced at the linebacker position outside of Max, who has started a few games,” Waddle said. “Despite the youth and inexperience, this is a very talented group. Max is a really good player and certainly pops out during practice.”
Defensive Backs
Redshirt sophomore Nic Lendino (Naperville, Ill. / Neuqua Valley) was a two-time PFL nominee for National Freshman of the Week last season and was named the team’s Newcomer of the year. He will likely start at the cornerback position alongside veteran Tavion Grant (Houston Texas / Killeen [Texas A&M Kingsville), who arrives at Valpo set to begin his seventh season of college football.
Elsewhere in the secondary, junior safety Mark Johnson (Nashville, Tenn. / Lipscomb Academy) is a team captain and returning starter. He had 45 tackles a year ago, including 10 to go along with a game-winning pass breakup at Marist, helping him garner PFL Defensive Player of the Week laurels. At the other safety, redshirt freshman Wyatt Little (Fort Wayne, Ind. / Homestead) and redshirt sophomore Nick Beidl (Carmel, Ind. / Carmel) are also in the mix.
“I believe our secondary can be a strength for us this season,” Waddle said. “Mark is very, very solid. Tavion has improved throughout camp. Nic is a proven player and fits what we want to do schematically really well.”
Specialists
Redshirt freshman Luke Scoma (Bellevue, Wash. / Bellevue) has claimed the top spot on the kicking depth chart going into Week 1 based on his performance during fall camp. Freshman Zander Lankford (Hobart, Ind. / Hobart) and redshirt junior Nate Hillenburg (Indianapolis, Ind. / Cathedral [Cornell]) are competing at the punting position.
The season will kickoff on Saturday at 1 p.m. vs. Virginia Lynchburg at Brown Field with tickets available at tickets.valpoathletics.com. More preview coverage is on the way this week with Week 1 game notes plus Valpo Football Weekly presented by Lakeshore Bone & Joint Institute coming soon.
All 12 games home and road will be streamed, 10 of which including all six home games will be on ESPN+. Veteran play-by-play voice Todd Ickow and Valpo Athletics Hall of Famer Tom Byrne will call the action on ESPN+ for home games, while Todd and Brandon Vickrey will be on the radio call for road games and student broadcasters led by Jack Hutter and Eli Conklin will have the radio call for games at Brown Field.
