Rich Valavicius

Class of 2005

Richard “Val” Valavicius grew up in Hammond, Indiana, where he became one of the state’s top prep basketball players. At Hammond High School from 1971–1975, he earned All-Sectional, All-Region, and Indiana Lake Shore All-Star honors for three consecutive years. His senior year brought national recognition as a Prep 100 All-American, Parade All-American, First Team Indiana All-State selection, and a member of the Indiana/Kentucky All-Star Team. After high school, Val toured Europe with an AAU team, averaging 16.9 points per game.

Valavicius began his college career at Indiana University, playing for Bobby Knight on the Hoosiers’ undefeated 1975–76 NCAA championship team. He later transferred to Auburn University, where he captained the team, was named Big Sun Tournament MVP, and won the Paul Lambert Memorial Award for Leadership twice. His playing career ended prematurely due to injury, but he transitioned seamlessly into coaching.

Moving to Huntsville in 1981, Val served as an assistant basketball coach at Johnson High School before becoming head coach at Huntsville High in 1985. Over 15 seasons, his teams won 203 games and two city championships. Known for his work ethic and leadership, Val remains celebrated both for his playing days and his contributions to Huntsville basketball as a coach and mentor.

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