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(05/07/04 4:46am)
The Hoosiers are looking to do what no IU softball team has done since 1996 -- earn a spot in the Big Ten tournament. It's fitting that the team's tournament chances hinge on its performance against its biggest rivals, the Purdue Boilermakers.\nIU (31-30, 6-12) currently sits in ninth place in the conference standings, but a series sweep of Purdue would vault the team into the Big Ten tournament. Even if the Hoosiers fail to sweep the Boilers they can still make the tournament if they split this weekend's series with Purdue and Ohio State sweeps Penn State this weekend. \nThe Hoosiers are not only playing for bragging rights and a chance at postseason play, they are playing for the lead in the annual Titan Series. The Titan Series is a competition between the in-state rivals in which the schools head-to-head performances in 23 sports are recorded in a point system. Purdue and IU are currently tied in the series with 8.5 points apiece and the only contests remaining are softball, men's golf and baseball. \nWhen IU takes the field Saturday, it will mark the home finale for four seniors: Karly McCormack, Abby Page, Heather Stillians and Val White. While the team will be focused on playing its way into the Big Ten tournament, it will be an emotional day for the departing seniors.\n"I am going to miss all of my teammates but especially the other seniors on the team," White said. "Even Karly, who is a transfer senior, seems like a teammate that I have played with for four years."\nAlthough the team got off to a rocky start this season, Stillians still feels an incredible connection to her teammates.\n"We had trouble meshing at the beginning of the season," Stillians said. "We evolved into a really close team and at this point in the season and I am closer with this team as I have been with any other team in the past." \nWhat coach Sara Hayes Nottger will remember the most about the seniors is their ability to adapt to their changing roles with the team.\n"She (Stillians) has been the go-to player in the past few seasons and her role changed this season," Nottger said. "She could have handled the situation in a much different way but because of how she handled the situation we feel that she excelled even further than we had ever imagined." \nPurdue is coming off a weekend where they fell to Ohio State and split their series with Penn State. \nThe Hoosiers will be facing a stingy Purdue pitching staff that has a combined 1.88 ERA. Freshman Brooke Baker leads the unit with a 17-11 record and a 1.73 ERA. \nIU hopes to add two more wins to its win total, which would give the team 33 wins in the season, the most since 1996 when the Hoosiers recorded 37 victories. \nThe Hoosiers play host to the Boilermakers Saturday with the game set to start at noon. The second game of the series will be played in West Lafayette Sunday and is set to start at 1 p.m. \n-- Contact staff writer Mark Carlson at mecarlso@indiana.edu.
(04/28/04 4:35am)
At the core of every great team is veteran leadership. This year's IU softball team is no different, with four seniors guiding the Hoosiers to a surprisingly successful season. As IU (28-27, 4-10 Big Ten) rolls into Lexington to play Kentucky (24-27-1), the Hoosier seniors have all played different roles in the team's success.\nSenior Karly McCormack leads with her performance rather than with vocal leadership. The same is true of fellow senior Abby Stark. \n"When the team is down, I feel like the best thing I can do is make that extra effort and make the big play," Stark said. \nIf the team is looking for a vocal leader, it needs to look no further than seniors Heather Stillians and Val White.\n"Heather is probably our most vocal leader," IU coach Sara Hayes Nottger said. "She's the one who talks to the team if we are having problems."\nMcCormack, who is playing her first season as a Hoosier, decided to transfer to IU after playing at Central Michigan for the past three seasons and said the team's performance comes as no surprise to her. \n"I really didn't have many expectations going into this season," McCormack said. "I didn't know much about the team, but we are having a great year." \nAs the season winds down, it is evident how much the seniors have brought to the team. If the team keeps pace, it will finish the season with its first winning record since 1997. \n The team has played the toughest teams in the Big Ten earlier in the season and has three series left against Penn State, Purdue and Ohio State. Each of which are close to the bottom of the Big Ten standings. \n"This is the best team I have played on in four years," Stark said. "We are in a position where we handle our own destiny." \nNottger hopes the team can earn an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament, but to do so, it needs to keep its record above .500. \n"The team and myself are very excited as we travel to Kentucky," Nottger said. \nIU will begin its doubleheader at 4 p.m. Wednesday in Lexington. The second game will follow immediately after at 6 p.m. \n-- Contact staff writer Mark Carlson at mecarlso@indiana.edu.
(04/22/04 6:17am)
Playing a tough schedule ended up paying off for IU in the end.\nIt looked as if the Hoosiers had the game in hand -- then came the seventh inning. With IU up 2-0, Louisville countered with two runs to tie the score before IU upended the Cardinals in extra innings, 3-2.\nThe Hoosiers had been in these close battles before, and this time the Hoosiers (26-25, 2-8 Big Ten) came up on top to gain momentum with a non-conference win heading back into conference play.\nIU started the game strong when freshman Tory Yamaguchi drove in a run, giving IU the lead. \nIU's offense struck again in the bottom of the fourth inning as senior Abby Stark drove in another run, putting the No. 30 Cardinals in a 2-0 hole. The Hoosiers steadily dismantled Louisville and only needed three more outs in the top of the seventh inning to put the game away. \nCardinal freshman Courtney Moore started the inning with a double. Two wild pitches later Moore crossed home plate and cut the Hoosiers lead in half. Later in the inning, sophomore Michelle Vasquez doubled, driving in the game-tying RBI. \n"I was disappointed with what happened in the seventh inning," IU coach Sara Hayes Nottger said. "I wanted to get some game experience for some of our players, but I didn't intend for the game to be tied up. I knew that our team was going to fight back and I knew we would have more opportunities to win later in the game."\nLouisville threatened again in the top of the eighth inning as junior Lisa Estes hit a triple, putting the Cardinals into scoring position. IU senior Heather Stillians fought for the last two outs of the inning and the Hoosiers came out of the inning unscathed. \nIn the bottom of the eighth inning, junior Ashley Griffiths got the offense going for the Hoosiers with a single. Yamaguchi again got a clutch hit for IU -- making her 4-4 on the day -- putting the Hoosiers in scoring position. Sophomore Mariangee Bogado stepped to the plate and calmly hit an infield single, driving in the game-winning run. \n"I was relaxed the whole day and came ready to play," Yamaguchi said. "We didn't know how big of a win this was for us until after the game. Once coach Nottger read us some stats on Louisville after the game, we realized just how big this win was."\nYamaguchi carried the Hoosiers' offense, but it was Stillians on the mound who carried the Hoosiers on defense. Stillians, who started the game, was called on again in the bottom of the seventh inning to create some outs in the recently-tied game. Stillians struck out a batter in both the seventh and eighth innings -- giving her four strikeouts on the game. \n"I was very confident coming into the game after our game against Minnesota," Stillians said. "After I gave up that hit in the top of the eighth inning, I told myself that there was no way they were going to score off of me."\nStillians came through, forcing outs from the next two batters she faced.\nIU continues its conference schedule as it travels to Evanston, Ill., to face Northwestern Friday and Saturday with Friday's contest starting at 4 p.m. and Saturday's beginning at noon. Sunday, Michigan State will play host to the Hoosiers for a doubleheader starting at noon. \n-- Contact staff writer Mark Carlson at mecarlso@indiana.edu.
(04/21/04 4:59am)
When IU looks back on this season, it won't be disappointed about the strength of its schedule. Facing off against softball powerhouses Michigan, Nebraska, and Iowa earlier in the season should help prepare the Hoosiers (25-25, 2-8) for their upcoming game against the Louisville Cardinals (35-10).\n"If Louisville played some of the teams we have played this season like Michigan, Illinois, and Iowa, the game would be really competitive," IU coach Sara Hayes Nottger said. "We have our work cut out for us tomorrow." \nThe Cardinals, winners of their last 13 games, are coming to Bloomington looking to extend the streak. Louisville is fresh off its road trip to Houston -- sweeping the Cougars in three games by a combined score of 12-6. The Hoosiers faced this same Houston team earlier in the season -- losing the game, 12-2. \nAs a team, the Cardinals are batting .300. Freshman Audrey Rendon is leading the way for Louisville with a .405 batting average and freshman Courtney Moore who has 36 RBI's on the season. Junior Aja Sherman has amassed a 12-2 record this season on the mound and has a 1.38 ERA. \nIU is coming off a weekend where it earned its first two conference wins of the season. The team's second win against Minnesota was a breakout game for sophomore Meghan Connors who got her first collegiate hit against the Golden Gophers. Connors' first hit came in the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs and proved to be the game winner as it drove in sophomore Lauren Hines. \n"I had the chance to win the game earlier in the weekend," Connors said, "but I popped out. When I got the hit against Minnesota, it was just a great feeling."\nNottger feels the Hoosiers will keep playing well with Connors in the lineup.\n"Meghan has been solid defensively and with (freshman) Kim Richards out with a hurt shoulder Meghan has been coming up big for the team," Nottger said.\nThe Hoosiers have been marred lately by untimely errors in the field. In last weekends loss to Minnesota, the Hoosiers committed eight errors, six of them coming in the fourth inning. The Hoosiers feel as long as they keep their bats warm they can still pull out the game against Louisville.\n"We just have to hit well against Louisville to get the win," senior Val White said. "We have been committing too many errors as a team but that is more of a mental thing so that can be worked out."\nThe Hoosiers face off against Louisville at 4 p.m., Wednesday at the IU softball complex. IU continues its conference schedule this weekend with games against Northwestern Friday and Saturday and a double header against Michigan State Sunday in East Lansing, Mich. \n-- Contact staff writer Mark Carlson at mecarlso@indiana.edu.
(04/20/04 4:57am)
She has a presence on the mound. With her hair braided back and sunglasses hiding her intimidating stare, you can almost see the batters tremble when they step to the plate against sophomore pitcher Mariangee Bogado.\n"When Mariangee came to IU, we didn't know much about her," senior Val White said. "We had only heard about how she pitched and were excited to have her on the team." \nBogado started playing softball at age nine while she lived with her family in Mariana Estado, Venezuela. By age 15, she was playing for the Venezuelan national team.\n"I had to work hard to get on the national team," Bogado said. "It was such a huge experience for me."\nIU assistant coach Mickey Dean met Bogado while he was on the coaching staff of the Venezuelan national team.\n"I was just amazed by the team's enthusiasm and their understanding of the game," Dean said.\nThe governing body in Venezuela makes it a priority to educate their players. They thought one opportunity was to send some of their players to the United States so they could pursue a higher education. \nBogado moved to the United States in 2003, starting her collegiate career at Thomas University in Georgia. She made the All-American team while at Thomas but wanted to play on a bigger stage and transferred to IU. \nBogado grew up familiar to classes of 30 students or less and was in for a shock when she came to IU and its classes of more than 300 students. \nBogado said language was the greatest barrier she had to overcome when she moved from Venezuela to the United States.\nWhen White heard Bogado was coming to IU, she jumped at the chance to be her roommate.\n"Mariangee is an easy person to get along with, she has a great personality," White said. "At first I was a little nervous because I was going to be living with someone I had never met before from a different culture."\nBogado's other teammates had little trouble welcoming her as well. The team not only accepted Bogado and her athletic ability but also her unique perspectives on life.\n"She's a special person, very dynamic," coach Sara Hayes Nottger said. "Because of her experiences in life, she brings a little more perspective to our team and our game. When she is playing you can tell that she loves the game, and off the field she really cares about her teammates."\nAnother obstacle Bogado had to overcome was leaving behind her brother and parents when she came to the United States. While she talks to them on the phone often, she said she still misses seeing their faces. \n"They can't come to visit me," Bogado said. "It is very difficult to get a U.S. visa, and with everything going on in Venezuela right now, it is not a good idea to leave the country."\nAt IU, Bogado has been picking apart opponents with her pitching. She is currently third in the Big Ten in strikeouts and innings pitched and has led the Hoosiers in almost every pitching statistic. Bogado has also been a workhorse for IU, pitching ten complete games thus far this season.\nA testament to her popularity on the team are the chants the team uses to pump up its teammates from the dugout: many of them are in Spanish. \n"I've had fun with the team, teaching them basic cheers in Spanish," Bogado said. "My teammates are always coming up to me and asking me to translate words for them." \nBogado takes the mound against the Iowa Hawkeyes at 3 p.m. Friday and noon Saturday. The Hoosiers end their homestand against Illinois as part of a doubleheader, starting noon Sunday at the IU softball complex.\n-- Contact staff writer Mark Carlson at mecarlso@indiana.edu.
(04/06/04 5:52am)
The Hoosiers (23-18, 0-2 in the Big Ten) were hungry to wash the bad taste out of their mouths after two tough losses to Michigan this weekend when Bowling Green came to town Sunday.\nTwo wins later, IU was still not satisfied. \nAs the Hoosiers travel to Muncie to take on Ball State (8-20), they are hungrier than ever. \n"We won our last two games against Bowling Green," senior Abby Stark said. "But we didn't give them the pounding that we should have given them."\nThe Cardinals, losers of five of their last six games, should be a perfect chance for IU to show its competitive fire. After defeating Eastern Michigan twice Saturday, the Cardinals fell flat in their third game against the Eagles, losing 10-0. \nAlthough IU endured two tough losses to Michigan last weekend, it proved the team could not be shaken. \n"I thought intimidation could be a factor against a team like Michigan," IU coach Sara Hayes Nottger said. "But that wasn't the case. We came out against them with a lot of energy and fire, it makes me think that our team really can't be intimidated."\nAs the Big Ten season gets underway, Nottger is equally optimistic about her team's chances.\n"We're playing with a lot of confidence, and we are getting some great performances on the mound. I feel that we can get a hit on any pitcher in the Big Ten," Nottger said. \nThe team is trying to remain focused on Ball State rather than looking ahead to this weekend, when Big Ten foes Iowa and Illinois are coming to town. \n"We need to come out ready to go," freshman Kim Richards said. "We also have to be more consistent and focused at the plate."\nThe Hoosiers, who have won six of their last eight games, need consistent hitting and strong defense to pull out the win against the Cardinals. \n"We need to keep hitting the ball hard," sophomore Megan Roark said. "But we also need to relax on defense so that we don't make any errors."\nRoark, who has pitched well lately, was the workhorse for the Hoosiers this weekend. Roark pitched against Michigan Saturday as the Hoosiers lost 4-1, but bounced back against Bowling Green. She pitched both games against the Falcons, getting victories in both games. She pitched 13.1 innings Sunday striking out 12 batters and only giving up two runs.\nThe Hoosiers travel to Ball State to take on the Cardinals at 2 p.m. today. \n-- Contact staff writer Mark Carlson at mecarlso@indiana.edu.
(03/31/04 4:23am)
After a slow start Saturday at the Hoosier Invitational, the Hoosiers' offense took off Sunday.\nIU (19-16) only mustered three runs during Saturday's two losses to Western Kentucky and Notre Dame. The team, clearly frustrated from Saturday's outing, gained its confidence back Sunday by beating St. Louis twice with a combined score of 16-4. \nThe Hoosiers, who have won seven of their last 10 games, faces the University of Chicago-Illinois (11-15) Wednesday. The Flames are on a winning streak of their own, winning six of their last eight games.\n"Both teams are coming into tomorrow's game with a lot of confidence," IU coach Sara Hayes Nottger said. "Both teams are going to come out aggressive. We both have good hitters, but I think we have the advantage with our pitching." \n"They just beat Stanford, who is one of the best teams in the country," senior Val White said. "We just have to play our game and avoid playing their style of softball, and we will be successful."\n"We have to bring our bats against Illinois-Chicago," Nottger said. "Our pitchers have to take control in the pitching circle, as well so that we can keep their powerful hitters off-balance and off-rhythm." \n"We see our game tommorow as preparation to start the Big Ten season," freshman Kim Richards said. "We have to make sure we are doing all of the little things right so that we are ready for Michigan later this week." \nWhite said she sees this game as a building block for the weekend.\n"The team is really excited about playing tommorow," White said. "We have to make sure we're all on the same page so we can start the Big Ten season on the right foot." \nThe Hoosiers start their doubleheader against host University of Chicago-Illinois Wednesday. The first game begins at 4 p.m. and the second at 6 p.m. \n-- Contact staff writer Mark Carlson at mecarlso@indiana.edu.
(03/24/04 4:26am)
The wind was blowing into the IU softball field Tuesday, but balls were still flying out. The Hoosiers (15-14) split the doubleheader against Drake (14-9), keeping IU one game over .500. \nSophomore Mariangee Bogado pitched all seven innings in game one, striking out seven batters. But Bogado's pitching performance wasn't enough to propel IU past Drake, as the Hoosiers fell 3-0 in game one. \nDrake took advantage of the fatigued Hoosiers as Bulldog sophomore Katie Wappler hit a two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning to give Drake the lead. The Bulldogs never looked back as sophomore Jamie Desjarlais drove in the Bulldogs' third run in the top of the seventh inning. \n"Our team didn't hit as well as we normally do," Bogado said, "and in the first game, I made a mistake pitching when I gave up the home run. I was ahead 0-2 in the count, and I shouldn't have thrown the pitch I did."\nThe Hoosiers' offensive slump was overcome in game two, as IU went ahead 2-0 in the first inning. Junior Ashley Griffiths started off by reaching first base. Two batters later, sophomore Tory Yamaguchi reached base as well. Sophomore Abby Page and Bogado got back-to-back hits, each driving in one run to put the Hoosiers ahead. \nIn the bottom of the second inning, freshman Kim Richards and Yamaguchi each drove in two more runs. Yamaguchi went three of three in the second game to push the Hoosiers to victory. \n"We came out rolling in the second game," Yamaguchi said. "The first game we came out really flat, and the team was down the whole game. As a team we are tired, but we would never use that as an excuse. Fatigue is not the reason we lost the first game."\nSophomore Megan Roark pitched a complete game in the second game, striking out two batters on the way to victory. \nIn the top of the fourth inning, Drake freshman Emily Hajduk put the Bulldogs on the board with a solo home run. In the top of the seventh, senior Lauren Smith threatened IU with an RBI single, making the score 4-2. Roark dug in and let her outfield put the last two batters away to give the Hoosiers the victory. \n"We've been playing good ball lately, so I was a little disappointed with our play today," IU coach Sara Nottger said. "The team is tired, but at this point of the season we are going to be tired -- so we have to find the energy to compete each day."\nIU will play host to Indiana State (17-13) Wednesday afternoon at the IU Softball Field. The first game of the doubleheader is set to start at 2 p.m. and the second at 4 p.m.\n-- Contact staff writer Mark Carlson at mecarlso@indiana.edu.
(03/12/04 4:49am)
In August 2002, junior softball player Ashley Griffiths was driving with her family from California to IU, ready to start her sophomore year.\nIn a split second, that all changed. \nGriffiths recalls they were an hour outside of Barstow, Calif., when she lost control of the car and it began to roll. The car rolled a total of six times before coming to a stop. Her mother, Theresa, who was asleep in the front seat, was thrown from the car, as was her father, David. \nGriffiths, who was not thrown from the car, first ran to her father, whose scalp was torn back, his knee crushed and his left bicep torn out.\n"I thought he was going to die," Griffiths said, "I didn't think he was going to make it until the ambulance got there."\nShe then ran to her mother to find a badly mangled arm among other injuries. \nGriffiths came away with a concussion, facial lacerations, broken fingers, herniated discs in her back and glass lodged in her wrist. \nThe accident left her father in the hospital for almost five months and her mother two months. Griffiths' injuries only required a one-day hospital stay.\n"Once I was out of the hospital, I just felt complete guilt. I just wished that some of their pain could be put on me," Griffiths said.\nGriffiths spent the next several months at home in California caring for her parents while they were in the hospital. She claimed softball didn't even enter her mind until her father spoke to her for the first time since the accident.\n"The first thing he said was, 'Ashley, what are you doing here? You have to be at school on Monday.'I had to tell him that the Monday he was talking about was almost four months ago," Griffiths said. \nAmazingly, when Griffiths decided to come back to IU for the spring semester of her sophomore year, she worked her way into playing shape and started in the first game of the spring.\n"We were just excited to see her back at IU," said coach Sara Hayes Nottger. "Ashley is a tough athlete, and we expected nothing less from her when she returned to the starting lineup."\nGriffiths not only earned her spot in the lineup, but she contributed to the IU's success throughout the spring. \nAgainst Michigan State, Griffiths hit a walk-off home-run to give the Hoosiers the victory. This was their first Big Ten win since April 28, 2001, a streak of 33 consecutive Big Ten games. \nNottger said Griffiths' strong will, determination and solid play on the field earned her a leadership role on the team.\n"She's been a great communicator on the team. She is someone her teammates can go and talk to," Nottger said. "Ashley also helps us keep softball in perspective and gives our team a grasp of just how important softball is."\nThe Hoosiers are holding the IU Classic this weekend at Sembower Field. They face off against Wright State and Western Michigan Saturday and take on Loyola-Chicago Sunday. \n-- Contact staff reporter Mark Carlson at mecarlso@indiana.edu.
(02/27/04 5:38am)
Room service and wake-up calls must be common for the Hoosiers softball team (5-4). The team, which is fresh off trips to Florida and Texas this month, is traveling to Illinois to compete in Southern Illinois' Kay Brechtelsbauer Classic.\nThe Hoosiers travel to Carbondale, Ill., to face Indiana State (4-4), Southern Illinois (5-2) and an untested Harvard team (0-0) this weekend. \nThe team feels it has something to prove this weekend and looks to earn a few wins against tough competition. \n"We're trying to be the best team in the Midwest -- that's our goal," said IU coach Sara Hayes Nottger. "ISU being in-state and Southern Illinois being in the area gives us the opportunity to compete with the best in the Midwest." \nAfter reaching the Elite Eight in last year's NCAA Tournament, Southern Illinois is a team the Hoosiers look forward to competing against. \n"They're a great team," said senior Abby Stark. "They are going to be a good test for us. If we beat Southern, we'll let everyone around know that our team is for real." \nWhile Southern Illinois may be their toughest competition this weekend, the Hoosiers' most difficult match-up may be Harvard. Nottger expressed concern about Harvard because it has yet to play a game, making scouting this year's team difficult. \nThe Lady Hoosiers have confidence in their talent after solid performances against powerhouses such as Florida and No. 12 Nebraska. The extra-inning loss to Nebraska showed the Hoosiers what they need to work on. IU lost to Nebraska on a suicide bunt in the bottom of the eighth inning. \n"We need to improve on our short-game defensive coverage," Nottger said. "We also need to do a better job moving runners from first base into scoring position." \nWhile trying to focus on this weekend's games, their upcoming trip to Tucson, Ariz., has the team looking ahead to next week. The warmer the locale, the better the competition as the Hoosiers will face No. 2 Arizona in the Hillenbrand Invitational. \n"We are doing our best to focus on the games this weekend, but it's hard knowing that next week we will be traveling to Arizona," said sophomore Megan Roark. \nThe Hoosiers' success this weekend largely relies on the performance of senior Karly McCormack. McCormack fuels the team's offense with a .481 batting average and leads the team in almost every offensive category. \nThe pitching of Roark and sophomore Mariangee Bogado will also be key in the Hoosiers' games over the weekend. Bogado has pitched four complete games for the Hoosiers so far this year, and Roark proved herself against Nebraska by giving up one in eight innings of play. \nThe Hoosiers start the weekend by facing Indiana State at 10 a.m. Saturday followed by Southern Illinois at noon. The team will face Harvard at noon Sunday and finishes the weekend with its second game against Southern Illinois at 4 p.m. \n-- Contact staff writer Mark Carlson at mecarlso@indiana.edu.
(02/16/04 4:22am)
College students love to talk about how poor they are when they are going through school; how they once survived three full days on just a jar of apple sauce. \nWhat many college students don't know is that Bloomington is on the list of the top 10 poorest college towns and one in three Bloomington residents lives in poverty, according to the U.S Census Bureau, which also considers a family of three that makes under $15,000 dollars a year poor. \nSenior Chong Choe realizes what an immense problem poverty is in Bloomington, which is why he has actively taken part in Students Organized Against Poverty. Choe started working with the organization when he was a freshman and now is the president. \nChoe said SOAP is now starting to rebuild their group after a falling out a few years ago. \n"There was lack in student interest and economic conditions have not been favorable lately," Choe said.\nVolunteer members of SOAP gather furniture donated by members of the community and redistribute it to those who need it most in the community. With economic conditions being rocky lately, there has been a lack of furniture to donate, Choe said. \n"When times are tough, people are not buying new furniture, so there is less to give out," he said. \nSophomore Chris Bottger, SOAP's vice president, has not taken part in many projects thus far with the organization but is focusing on getting SOAP back on its feet. \n"So far, we have just been getting the organization going again and trying to increase interest for us, so that we can have a working executive board once again," Bottger said.\nChoe, who has been with the organization for six years, said he has had some more memorable moments.\n"One time on a shift, I met a lady who was in bad shape and just got out of transitional housing. She had three kids, and one of them a baby sleeping in a dresser drawer because she had no furniture," Choe said. " We donated her a few couche,s and a few years later she got back on her feet and donated the couches back to our organization. That proved to me that what we were doing was actually worthwhile."\nSenior Neil Davis, SOAP's treasurer, joined the organization because of a combination of reasons. \n"I walked into the volunteer fair one day looking for something that interested me," Davis said. "I joined SOAP partly because of guilt, but also because I wanted to give more back to the community. Also, being an officer in an organization like this is good for me and for the community as well." \nChoe said he also chose to get involved because he felt a sense of responsibility. \n"Students have inadvertently flooded both the job market and housing market in Bloomington, which has caused some of the poverty in the area," Choe said. "Once I was exposed to this poverty, I couldn't turn my back on it."\nSOAP holds weekly meetings at 8 p.m. every Wednesday evening on the fourth floor of the Indiana Memorial Union Student Activities Tower.\n-- Contact staff wrtier Mark Carlson at mecarlso@indiana.edu.
(02/10/04 6:07am)
Basketball to Indiana is what apple pie is to the United States. Nothing better symbolizes our state than the orange leather ball. But is Indiana so obsessed with basketball to forget about this country's most popular sport?\nIn a recent study released by the NCAA, IU ranks No. 65 in football attendance at home in Division I. The Hoosiers ranked No. 10 in the Big Ten, ahead only of Northwestern University. The average attendance for a home football game at IU was 34,983, an increase of 7,810 fans from the previous year. \nTailgating at IU has become more of an event than the football game itself in the past few years. This phenomenon often has athletic directors looking for ways to fill the seats.\nSophomore Matt Birnbach said IU simply needs a more talented squad. \n"The only reason I stopped going to football games is because since (Antwaan) Randle El left we haven't had any exciting players," he said. \nNational signing day came and passed Wednesday, giving Hoosier football fans new hope for the upcoming season. IU football coach Gerry DiNardo said a strong recruiting class will help get fans into the stadium. \n"There are many people who have a role in dealing with this (attendance) problem," he said. "As a coach I feel building a good team will help boost attendance. Recruiting is part of the puzzle but improving the whole team is important as well." \nThe IU football team posted a record of 2-10 last season, winning only one game against a Big Ten opponent. The last bowl game IU participated in was the Independence Bowl in 1993 when IU lost to Virginia Tech. \nThe fact that IU does not have a strong football history is another reason why fans have shied away from football games. Sophomore Zack Worland claims he stopped buying football tickets because of prices and the lack of tradition at IU. \n"IU football hasn't been exciting since my freshman year. We haven't fielded a competitive team for years," Worland said. "On top of that, it still costs about $10 per ticket. If we had some better recruits and lowered ticket prices, fans might start to come inside the stadium." \nGetting fans into the stadium and creating a hostile environment for opponents is important for the Hoosiers' success, junior quarterback Matt LoVecchio said. \n"An increase in attendance can definitely make a difference in what happens on the field, especially for our defense," he said. "As a team, we like to feed off the energy that the crowd brings. Playing in the Big Ten, we see the impact crowds can have in forming a home-field advantage every week. Support like that can only help this team."\nDespite the losing record last season, the NCAA study shows IU's average football attendance is up by almost 8,000 fans per game. DiNardo envisions even more fans at IU's home football games next season. \n"I can tell you that you will see a better team next season," DiNardo said, "a better team than we have had since I have coached at IU"
(04/14/03 6:03am)
While the women's tennis team looked impressive at times this weekend, it failed to record a victory.\nThe Hoosiers (9-14, 1-7 Big Ten) faced the Iowa Hawkeyes (7-13, 3-5) and lost a close match 4-3. The competition continued Sunday against a Minnesota team (14-5, 7-1) that is tied for first place in the Big Ten standings.\nDespite the team's play this weekend, coach Lin Loring said he remains optimistic.\n"Where we had chances, we did very well," Loring said. "This season is so similar to last year, where we showed that we can go with anyone in the doubles. Minnesota is tied for first in the Big Ten, but we dominated the No. 1 spot in doubles and almost won at the No. 2 spot. In double, we can cover up our injuries. Our weakness is singles where we can't cover up those injuries."\nAgainst Iowa, the Hoosiers swept all three doubles spots to give the team an early lead. The Hoosiers struggled at the singles spots, winning two out of the six matches. Junior Martina Grimm beat Iowa sophomore Gloria Okino 6-4, 6-1 to give Grimm her 23rd win of the season. With this win, Grimm reached her career high in single season singles victories and leads the team in singles victories. Senior Karie Schlukebir also won her singles match against junior Deni Alexandrova 3-6, 6-2, 6-4. \n"I didn't play great on Saturday, but I was still able to pull it out," Schlukebir said. "Sunday I worked on some things, but I faced some tough competition, and unfortunately I didn't get the win."\nThe Hoosiers struggled Sunday against Minnesota, recording their sole victory at the No. 1 doubles spot where the tandem of Schlukebir and junior Linda Tran defeated juniors Amy Thomas and Valerie Vladea 8-4. While Tran competed in the doubles competition, injuries caused her to sit out for her singles match.\n"It (Tran's absence) bumps everyone up one spot so it's tougher for all of us," said Schlukebir. "It's better for us going into next weekend to have her healthy because we have two important matches next weekend."\nWith Tran's absence, freshman Sarah Batty moved up to the No. 1 spot and played a tough match against sophomore Angela Buergis but eventually lost in the tie break 6-2, 1-6, 1-0 (7). \nGrimm played in the No. 2 spot and decided to retire after falling behind in the second set to decrease her chances of further aggravating her injuries.\n"I think I played all right today," Grimm said. "I think it was better to stop because in the long term with the injuries, next weekend will be more important. It wasn't a good idea to take the chance and make my injuries worse." \nWith the improvement the team has made this year, Loring is very optimistic about its chances next year.\n"The improvement the girls have made this year are overshadowed because many of the girls have to play so far out of position (because of injuries)," Loring said.\nThe Hoosiers face Illinois Saturday in Champaign, Ill.
(04/08/03 5:40am)
The IU women's tennis team has been missing something lately. It isn't determination or hard work. The team is missing something more tangible. When senior Karie Schlukebir returned last Saturday against Michigan State, it was evident what the team had been lacking leadership.\nEarly in her collegiate career, Schlukebir was diagnosed with melanoma, a type of skin cancer. It forced her to miss most of her freshman and sophomore seasons, but could not keep her away from tennis indefinitely. \nSchlukebir's matches against Michigan State marked the first time she competed since the team met Northwestern on Feb. 16. \nHer presence was felt immediately as the Hoosiers snapped a four-match losing skid against Michigan State. Schlukebir, having spent significant time away from tennis, showed no rust as she won both her singles and doubles matches. \n"Karie obviously gave the team a big lift," coach Lin Loring said. "When we can put her in the doubles lineup, we are just that much stronger. I'm not sure we would have won the doubles matches against Michigan State or Michigan without her. It's remarkable the way she's playing, considering she had lung surgery just two weeks ago." \nWhile the team and coaches would like to have her back on a regular basis, Schlukebir said she has felt little pressure from the coaches to make a premature comeback.\n"The great thing is that the coaches aren't all about tennis," Schlukebir said. "They are concerned about me and about how I am feeling rather than when I will be able to play again."\nSchlukebir will compete in the rest of the regular season matches this year but will miss the Big Ten tournament so she can receive additional treatment. \nRegardless of how long Schlukebir can play, junior Linda Tran said she is happy just to have her back. Schlukebir and Tran are doubles partners and have won both doubles matches since Schlukebir's return. Schlukebir is tied for eighth, and Tran is seventh on IU's all-time doubles victories list. Tran said since Schlukebir's return she has been much more comfortable on the court. \n"If feels great to have her back," Tran said. "I know where she's hitting and we understand each other. I feel that there's no weakness between us."\nWith both Schlukebir and Tran together again, they can continue to ascend to the top of the Hoosiers' all-time doubles victory list. \nSchlukebir and the Hoosiers' next match is on Saturday in Illinois against the Fighting Illini.
(04/07/03 5:36am)
The IU women's tennis team (9-12, 1-5) split its two matches this weekend by defeating Big Ten foe Michigan State (8-10, 0-6) Saturday and falling to Michigan (11-5, 4-2) Sunday. There was much excitement surrounding the return of senior Karie Schlukebir, who played her first match since February against the Spartans Saturday. \nSchlukebir won her singles match on Saturday at the fifth spot, defeating junior Josie Schmude, but lost Sunday against Michigan senior Jen Duprez. \nSchlukebir's impact was felt in doubles play, where she paired up with junior Linda Tran to win at the top doubles spot Saturday and Sunday. \n"It feels great to have her back," Tran said. "I finally feel comfortable on the court because I know where she's hitting and we understand each other. There's no weakness between the two of us."\nAgainst the Spartans, Tran defeated junior Caroline Lay at the top singles spot. Sophomore Dominika Walterova and freshman Sophie Rychlik also won in singles action. \nThe Hoosiers defeated the Spartans in the top two doubles spots as well with junior Martina Grimm and freshman Sarah Batty defeating Lay and freshman Keri Thompson 8-6. \nThe Hoosiers were impressive early Sunday, again claiming the top two doubles matches. But the Wolverines came out victorious with wins in five of the six singles spots. The lone singles win for the Hoosiers came from Batty, who at the second spot defeated Michigan junior Chrissie Nolan 6-1, 6-2. \n"I was very aggressive on the court and I went after my shots," Batty said. "I've had a lot of tough matches but I've stayed competitive and kept the matches close."\nCoach Lin Loring said he was impressed with his team's play over the weekend, especially against the favored Wolverines.\n"We knew we were underdogs against Michigan but we kept it close," Loring said. "We played well against a good team and we put ourselves in a position to win."\nThe bright spot in both matches this weekend was the success in doubles play as the Hoosiers took the top two spots in both matches. \n"The highlight of both days was winning the doubles matches," Loring said. "Sarah and Martina made great comebacks both days to win their matches." \nThe Hoosiers have their next match Saturday where they play at No. 24 Illinois.
(03/27/03 5:42am)
Two members of the men's swimming and diving team will be representing IU at the NCAA Championships, starting today. The national title meet unfolds today through March 29 in Austin, Texas.\nJuniors Marc Carlton and Claes Andersson will be competing at the tournament. Junior Matt Leach and sophomore Murph Halasz were selected as alternates but did not travel to the competition.\nAndersson will be competing in both 50 and 100 yard freestyle events while Carlton will be competing in three events: the one-meter, three-meter and platform. Carlton earned his NCAA berth by finishing second in the NCAA diving regionals on March 15. \nWith a strong performance at the NCAA tournament, Carlton can finish up an already successful season. \n"If I have a decent meet, I will make the finals in all three events I'm competing in," Carlton said. "I think it's a realistic goal, and I hope to reach it."\nWith so few spots available, it made making the cut for the NCAAs more difficult, diving coach Jeff Huber said. \n"If we had more spots, maybe six or seven, then I think we would have been able to bring more divers to the competition," Huber said. \nCarlton and Andersson arrived in Texas Monday along with Huber and swimming coach Ray Looze. \n"We got here early so that we could practice at the facility and so I could get used to the boards," Carlton said.\nCarlton, who finished in 12th place on the three-meter event at last year's NCAA competition, said he is calm and ready to perform. \n"Honestly, I've been very relaxed the whole time I've been here," he said. "It doesn't even feel like I have a meet this week."\nAndersson, who Looze said is the team's "most experienced sprinter," is making his first trip to the NCAA competition this weekend. \nThe competition continues through Saturday. Preliminaries begin at noon each day with finals at 7 p.m.
(03/10/03 6:05am)
The stakes were high at the Indiana Open on Saturday. The meet, held at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center, marked the last chance for competitors to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, which is held later this month in Austin, Texas. \nSwimmers from schools all around the area competed, including those from Cincinnati, Evansville, and Ball State, trying for NCAA times. \nWhile success at the open could translate to a NCAA spot, nothing is certain until all meets are finished Sunday. Sophomore Murph Halasz was the only swimmer with an NCAA-qualifying time prior to Saturday's meet, with a B-time in the 200-yard freestyle. \nIU men's coach Ray Looze said a handful of swimmers have shots at making NCAAs, but the team won't know for sure until later in the week. The NCAA sets provisional times that swimmers need to reach. However, those times don't necessarily guarantee a spot, as the standards change depending on how swimmers perform. \n"(The NCAA) take a certain number of people, so you really don't know who will make the cut until everything settles out," Looze said. "Murph (Halasz) probably has the best chance with Dave Schulze and Matt Leach on the outside looking in."\nJunior Claes Andersson had success in the 50-yard freestyle, swimming a time of 20.08. That time would be good for fourth all time on IU's career best list, but Andersson already holds the second place time with a 19.93 last year.\nJunior Mike Payne swam his career best in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 20.32. Payne's time was the 10th best ever at IU. Both swimmers posted provisional times for the NCAAs.\nSenior David Schulze had a season best time in the 200-yard breaststroke at the Open with a time of 2:00.10, giving him a provisional time. The 200-yard free relay team consisting of juniors Dale Ramsy, Andersson and Payne, and sophomore Nicolas Burgess, also posted a NCAA provisional time.\nWhile the Indiana Open is not considered a big meet, the athletes competing still said they took it seriously.\n"It's not a big meet but the stakes are just as high," Halasz said. "Although it's not a high profile, high pressure meet, the stakes are just as high because we are trying to get a NCAA bid."\nControversy arose as the 200-yard medley relay finished the relay squad's event. The IU men earned a provisional time of 1:27.89, but it was ruled that the second leg of the relay jumped early, disqualifying the Hoosiers. The time posted by the 200 medley relay would have ranked IU 12th in the nation this year. \n"It was a time trial, and we didn't get any of the times we were looking for," Looze said. "We came close. The 200 medley time would have been good enough for 12th, but you have to do it legally and we didn't"