Around Sports: Lips takes gold, men's golf women's soccer hire assistants

WOMEN’S SWIMMING
Lips wins two gold medals at YMCA Championships

Incoming freshman Haley Lips may not be joining future teammates Nicholas Schwab and Dorina Szekeres in London, but for now can boast of gold medals from a national event.

Lips won two gold medals Tuesday at the YMCA National Long Course Championships in Atlanta, setting a 400-meter freestyle national record in the process. With a time of 4:17.56, Lips broke Shelby Fortin’s record (4:19.65) set in 2010.

Later, Lips earned her second gold medal of the evening by winning the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:19.52.

With Lips’ help, her Middle Tyger club team leads the championships with 361 points, 98 ahead of Upper Main Line (263).

MEN'S GOLF
McCants named assistant coach

Brian McCants has been named assistant coach for the Indiana men’s golf team, Head Coach Mike Mayer announced Tuesday.

“He is a tireless worker and recruiter and he will scour the country looking for the best recruits to help our program continue to be successful,” Mayer said in a press release.

McCants spent this season as an assistant coach at Kansas University following six years as the men’s head golf coach at Division II Newberry College in Newberry, S.C.

While at Newberry, McCants guided the Wolves to three South Atlantic Conference Championships and won SAC Coach of the Year honors four consecutive years.

McCants spent seven total seasons as a member of the men’s golf coaching staff at Newberry, serving as head coach during the final six.

In 2011, McCants guided the Wolves to the NCAA D-II National Championship quarterfinals, making them the first SAC team in history to qualify for the Championship tournament twice. They also qualified in 2008.

“What he did at Newberry College is incredible, turning that small DII program into a national powerhouse,” Mayer said in the release. “We welcome Coach McCants and his wife Lauren into our Hoosier family.”

Prior to Newberry, McCants served as head men’s golf coach at St. Andrews Presbyterian College in Laurinsburg, N.C.

McCants is a 1994 graduate of Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Mich.

WOMEN’S SOCCER
Pair of women’s soccer alumnae join Hoosier coaching staff
Former Indiana women’s soccer players Chloe McKay and Megan Reinhardt were named assistant coaches, Head Coach Mick Lyon announced Monday.  

“Megan and Chloe have remained close to me and the program as they developed their coaching careers so I am thrilled that they have rejoined the IU women’s soccer team,” Lyon said in a press release. “They are both extremely talented, knowledgeable about the game and full of personality, which will blend into the program very nicely.”

Reinhardt was a goalkeeper from 2005-07 and helped the Hoosiers reach the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen in 2007, her final season. In 2011, she served as goalkeeper coach at the University of Indianapolis.

A native of Indianapolis, Reinhardt graduated from IU in 2009.

“It is truly an honor to have the opportunity to return to my alma mater as a member of the staff,” Reinhardt said in the release. “I am looking forward to working with Coach Lyon and Coach McKay as we continue to build on a program already steeped in tradition. I am thrilled to be a Hoosier once again.”

Mckay, a midfielder, finished her four-year career with the Hoosiers (2007-10) with 16 assists, good for third-most in program history. As a freshman on the 2007 Sweet Sixteen team,she recorded a team-high six assists.

That season, she also earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.

During 2011, McKay served as a student assistant coach for the Hoosiers while completing her degree as a fitness specialist.

“I would like to thank Coach Lyon for this great opportunity to continue my involvement with Indiana women’s soccer,” McKay said. “I was blessed to be a part of this program for four years as a player and now I am excited to have a chance to be able to give back to the program as part of the coaching staff.”

-- Joe Popely