Earlier this spring, Navy fullbacks coach Ivin Jasper said Victor Listorti was the most impressive player in the position group other than returning starter Alex Tecza.
“Vic Listorti has really come on and been a pleasant surprise,” Jasper said.
That praise instilled Listorti with confidence and he continued to impress the coaching staff with his development. On Friday, the Chesapeake High graduate was chosen to receive Admiral Mack Award winner as Navy’s most improved player during spring practice.
The Vice Admiral William P. Mack Award was initiated in 1976 and is named in honor of the Naval Academy Superintendent from 1972-75 who was a strong supporter of the school’s intercollegiate athletic program.
Listorti moved to fullback this spring from snipe and flourished in his new position. The Pasadena resident could very well find himself second on the depth chart to start August preseason camp.
“The player that stood out as the most improved was Vic. He had a tremendous offseason and took advantage of his opportunities this spring,” Navy coach Brian Newberry said. “We expect him to be an impact player for us at B-back this season. His hard work, perseverance and consistency this spring are a great example of what this program is all about. I couldn’t be more pleased to present Vic with the prestigious and well-deserved Admiral Mack Award.”
Offensive coordinator Drew Cronic came out of spring drills confident Listorti was ready to contribute at fullback during the 2025 season.
“We are very proud of Vic and his progress this spring,” Cronic said. “We wanted to identify a running back to complement Alex Tecza and [Listorti] has shown that he is more than capable of filling that role for our offense. I am excited to see his continued development.”
Jasper described Listorti as a fast, explosive runner with the ability to change direction quickly and catch the football out of the backfield. He said the former Capital Gazette Male Athlete of the Year has many of the same tools as Tecza, but still needs to become more physical and improve the mental side of his game.
“I’m extremely proud, excited and happy for Victor,” Jasper said. “He was struggling at the snipe position and things weren’t looking good for him, but he made the move to B-back and he’s now a completely different person.
“B-back is more of a natural position for [Listorti] and he has taken full advantage of all the reps he got this spring. He needs to continue to improve his skills, study film and be ready to contribute in the fall. He’s a really good kid and I’m excited to watch him grow in our offense.”
Listorti is a 2022 graduate of Chesapeake, where he was a three-sport athlete in football, wrestling and track and field. He attended the Naval Academy Prep School during the 2022-23 academic year.
He earned first team All-State and second-team All-Metro honors in football as a senior after setting school records single-season rushing yards (1,983) and rushing touchdowns (27). He was the Capital Gazette Wrestler of the Year after going 50-0 and capturing the Class 4A-3A state championship at 182 pounds. He was also a member of the 4×100 relay team that set the school record (43.76) and claimed the region championship.
Listorti is the first fullback to win the Admiral Mack Award since Bryan Hammond in 2017 and just the third since it was first presented.
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