Valparaiso hires Charles Small, 1st Black athletic director

VALPARAISO, Ind. (AP) — Valparaiso has hired Charles Small as its athletic director.

The former Iowa State administrator will become the first Black athletic director in school history and begins his job July 1.

The announcement ends a three-month search after longtime athletic director Mark LaBarbera announced his retirement.

“I look forward to embarking on a journey with our coaches and administrators to make a concerted effort to help Valpo student-athletes flourish,” Small said in a statement.

Small played basketball at Pittsburgh from 2002-06, initially making the team as a walk-on. He became the athletic department’s graduate assistant for student life and compliance and held several other titles before leaving for the University of New Orleans in 2013-14. He worked at Arkansas in 2014-15 and joined Iowa State’s staff in 2018.

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