Valley names Barger new softball coach

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

The Tippecanoe Valley School Board approved the hiring of Brian Barger as the school’s new softball coach.

Valley athletic director Sam Sturtevant confirmed the hiring of Barger to RTC Thursday.

This will be Barger’s second stint as Valley softball coach.

Barger is also an IHSAA basketball official.

Barger inherits a program that went 17-7 overall and 8-1 in the Three Rivers Conference this spring. Valley finished second behind North Miami in the TRC.

In the sectional, they defeated Kankakee Valley 10-6 on Kankakee Valley’s home field in the sectional semifinals on May 25 and knocked off Rensselaer 6-2 on May 27 to win its first sectional title since 1992.

Valley then lost to eventual Class 3A state champion New Prairie 16-0 in a regional on May 30 to end its season.

Valley graduated five seniors – Brittany Benn, Abby Bowers, Molly Moriarty, Madi Smith and Corinna Stiles – from their 2022 team. Smith, a catcher, will play collegiately at Anderson University.

No juniors played in any of Valley’s three state tournament games. Putcher Dalynne Bussard and infielder Mackaylie Costello received first-team all-TRC recognition and are expected to return in the spring of 2024.

Barger replaces Marc Green, who resigned after one season to accept the men’s and women’s golf coach positions at Holy Cross College.