Column: Reasons for hope on the court, in the pool

With a struggling volleyball team, a one-win Big Ten football team led by a new head coach and a men’s soccer team looking toward its 25th NCAA Tournament appearance, it has been a roller coaster fall for IU Athletics. As the leaves fall off the trees, many of IU’s fall sports are concluding their seasons, and that brings a new set of schedules for winter sports.

Women’s Basketball (1-1)

Coming off the second-worst season in program history, IU Coach Felisha Legette-Jack should have the Hoosiers prepared for a much more successful season this year.

However, success will rely on the Hoosiers’ ability to win at home, which is something IU struggled with last season. If IU cannot win at Assembly Hall, I do not see them having much success as they have a tough slate of games on the road.

The toughest challenge IU will face is filling the void left by Jori Davis. She graduated and now plays basketball in Israel.

“I am not trying to build just one leader. We must create leaders all over the court,” Legette-Jack said. “If I can create 14 leaders, my job is done and that is important for any coach, to build a team of leaders.”

IU will have another rough season, but I do see a much-improved team on the horizon.
The Hoosiers hit the road for the first of two straight road games when they travel to Nashville, Tenn., Friday to face the Belmont Bruins.

Men’s Basketball (2-0)

The much-anticipated IU men’s basketball season tipped off with two blowout victories during the weekend against Stony Brook (96-66) and Chattanooga (78-53).

The young experience that has developed along with the addition of 2011 Indiana Mr. Basketball, Cody Zeller, should allow IU to succeed. The fast, up-tempo play on both sides of the ball will be key for IU to win a lot of games.

“I think we can run, and with anyone in the country, so might as well just do it,” sophomore Victor Oladipo said.

Last season, IU struggled in close game situations. If they can close out opponents, expect the Hoosiers to have a special season ahead, but not without a lot of tough games along the way.

I think the Hoosiers are poised to erase the dim memory of the past three seasons because of their depth and willingness to improve under IU Coach Tom Crean.
IU plays away from Assembly Hall for the first time tonight at Evansville.

Swimming and Diving (Men 2-2, Women 2-2)

The swimming and diving teams have taken to the water already this season and must continue to have solid individual performances if they hope for team success.  
Senior Allysa Vavra and sophomore Brenna MacLean must continue their top performances to lead the IU women.

Vavra won the Big Ten 400-meter individual medley last season and took home a bronze medal from the 2011 Pan Am Games. She must look to improve her time, though it is already an impressive 4:48.05.

MacLean swam for Team Canada and finished sixth in the 200-meter butterfly at the Pan Am Games with a time of 2:16.13.

Sophomore Laura Ryan has also seen success early as she has twice been named Big Ten Diver of the Week.

Junior Zac Nees must continue to improve as he looks to lead the men’s team. He won the 1-meter springboard competition in the team’s last meet against Texas and Michigan.

It was the first career dual-meet victory for Nees, something IU Coach Jeff Huber called “intrinsically rewarding.”

Sophomores Cody Miller and Darian Schmidt have taken home Big Ten honors this season and look to lead the Hoosiers this weekend.

With Huber at the helm, IU is always in a position to compete at the highest level. Expect more Hoosier names to appear in the headlines as the season progresses.
Both the men and women head to State College, Penn., for a meet with Penn State and Virginia on Friday.