Vinnie Lopes began covering men’s volleyball for The Ball State Daily News in the 2007 season. For the next four years Vinnie continued to cover the team for the Daily News in print and on the web. He was there when the 2008 team won back to back matches against then-No. 7 UCLA and was nationally ranked by the media and coaches poll. Vinnie was also in Worthen Arena to cover the program’s 1,000th win.

During the 2009 season Vinnie became a voting member in the media poll for rankings.

Among his awards for sports coverage, Vinnie was the first college sports reporter to win the AVCA Grant Burger Media Award for newspaper volleyball reporting.

Vinnie graduated with degrees in journalism and history at Ball State University. He is now a journalist and non-fiction historical writer who resides in Nashville with his wife Ali. Vinnie is currently writing a thesis focusing on the start of the men’s volleyball program at Ball State.

For more of Vinnie’s stories and videos visit his website.

Contact Vinnie at vinnielopes@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @vinnielopes.