The Valparaiso University baseball team has announced an exciting and challenging schedule for the 2025 season, setting the stage for a thrilling campaign that will see the Beacons take on a diverse array of opponents, including several NCAA Regional teams from the previous year.

Gearing Up for a Competitive Season Ahead

Facing Off Against Formidable Foes

The Beacons will kick off their 2025 season with a three-game series against Samford of the Southern Conference, a team they faced to open the 2024 season, emerging victorious in two out of three games. This early-season matchup will set the tone for the Beacons' campaign, as they look to build on their previous success against the Bulldogs.

Navigating the American Conference and Beyond

Following the Samford series, the Beacons will travel to Memphis to take on the American Conference powerhouse, a team they have faced 14 times in the past, including the first three games of the 2022 season. This series will provide the Beacons with an opportunity to test their mettle against a formidable opponent and gain valuable experience.

Embracing the Home Advantage

The Beacons will then return home for a three-game set against Niagara, a team that enjoyed a highly successful 2024 campaign, winning 38 games overall and 20 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), en route to a league title and an NCAA Regional appearance. This early-season home series will mark the earliest home games in Valparaiso's program history, as the team has typically played its first home games much later in the season in recent years.

Facing the Big Ten and SEC Heavyweights

After the Niagara series, the Beacons will embark on a 15-game road trip, starting with a series against Ohio State, a 29-win Big Ten Conference club in 2024. This will be followed by a highly anticipated matchup against national baseball powerhouse Vanderbilt of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), a 38-win NCAA Regional team from the previous year, against whom the Beacons played a competitive, one-run game.

Challenging the Illini and Defending MVC Champions

The Beacons' nonconference schedule will conclude with a series against Illinois, a team that went 35-21 overall and 18-6 in the Big Ten Conference last season, earning an NCAA Regional berth. The Beacons will then turn their attention to conference play, opening against Indiana State, the defending Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) regular-season champions, who won two NCAA Regional games as part of a 44-win season in 2024.

Facing the MVC's Best

The Beacons' MVC schedule will be a true test of their mettle, as they will face a gauntlet of teams that made the NCAA Regional last year, including defending MVC Tournament champion Evansville, a team that won 39 games, including a regional title, and advanced to the NCAA Super Regional.

Navigating the Remainder of the Schedule

The Beacons' home MVC series will include matchups against Murray State, UIC, and Southern Illinois, while their road MVC journeys will take them to Missouri State, Belmont, and Bradley. The team will also face off against several non-conference opponents, including Notre Dame, Northern Illinois, Western Michigan, and Northwestern, in a series of midweek games throughout the season.With a challenging schedule that features numerous NCAA Regional teams from the previous year, the Valparaiso Beacons are poised to face a true test of their abilities and determination. As they embark on this ambitious 2025 campaign, the Beacons will undoubtedly showcase their talent, resilience, and competitive spirit, making for an exciting season of college baseball.