Senior Salute: Ben Krikke

I have really enjoyed my time at Valpo! Over the past four years I have really grown to love the school and the community as a whole. What made Valpo an attractive choice for me was the family-centered environment that the coaches have prioritized. From the very start, the coaches showed that they care for me as a person and want to see me succeed in life as well as basketball. From the on-court perspective, the Missouri Valley is a strong conference that I knew I could flourish in. It presented great opportunities for me to take my game to the next level and have a significant impact for my team. 

All my coaches have had a meaningful influence on me since being at Valpo. I have built genuine relationships with each of them and really appreciate all the time they have spent helping me become the best basketball player I can be and an overall better person. Some moments that really meant a lot to me was during my sophomore year when I spent a lot of time in quarantine. They took the time to check in on me and make sure I was doing ok. They have also been great about encouraging me in my business ideas and aspirations for the future. 

I have developed a lot as a player and person since being at Valpo. First, as a player, I was given the chance as a freshman to make an impact and had the support of coaches and the help of managers and teammates to continue to work hard and develop my skills. I have had strength coaches along the way that have played a part in developing me athletically to become stronger and faster. I appreciate everyone that has helped me train hard and achieve my goals. 

Off the court, I feel like I have developed as a person and built a lot of great, lifelong relationships with people at Valpo and the community as a whole. I have become more involved on campus and have really enjoyed the Valpo experience.  

Some of my most memorable experiences at Valpo have included traveling with the team to the tournaments in the Virgin Islands, the Bahamas and Montreal. My favorite memory was making the run to the conference final my freshman year at Arch Madness and upsetting Loyola. 

The Valpo basketball program genuinely seeks out building a good culture of people who care about each other and want to see each other succeed on and off the court.