126 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
Ever since IU quarterback Kellen Lewis has conducted the offensive orchestra, the running back solos have been mute. When Lewis ventured onto the field at Memorial Stadium as a redshirt freshman in 2006, the Hoosiers’ coaching staff instantly became zealots of his jaw-dropping, dual-threat game.
Tune in to Hoosier Sidelines for a preview of the game.
IU quarterback Kellen Lewis might not personify everything you want in a captain, but give credit where credit is due – he’s good.
IU takes opener 31-13.
With a road victory against Michigan State lingering on its shoulders, the IU softball team will host Louisville at 4 p.m. today at the IU Softball Field for an out-of-conference matchup. \nAfter being shutout 26-0 the three games prior to Sunday’s win over Michigan State, the Hoosiers were in need of a spark. The Hoosiers found that spark on Sunday, winning a game no one expected them to capture, not even their opponent Michigan State.\nAfter scoreless droughts in Evanston, Ill., and game one in East Lansing, Mich., senior captain and infielder Tory Yamaguchi turned the tables in the second game versus the Spartans, as she blasted a game-winning double to right center field in the seventh inning. \n“We certainly weren’t happy with the outcomes in the first three games, but we battled to the very end in that fourth game,” said IU coach Stacey Phillips. “We just continue to fight out there game-by-game no matter what kind of a streak we are on.”\nToday’s contest will mark the second time these two teams have met. The first meeting between the two schools saw the Cardinals steal IU’s signature, using the come-from-behind method. After five dominant innings from Hoosiers’ freshman pitcher Sara Olson, Louisville piloted the plate, scoring eight runs in the top of the sixth inning. Its brigade led to an eventual 9-3 win on what was the second game at home for the Hoosiers. Senior third baseman Jennilee Huddleston said there’s a slim chance the previous result would reoccur. \n“Our last game with them (Louisville) was so far back, we’ve changed since,” said Huddleston, a captain on the squad. “We’ve improved in so many areas, there’s no doubt in my mind we can come out on top.”\nAnd these games aren’t foreign to the Hoosiers. In fact, today’s game labels the third time the Hoosiers will have competed against an out-of-conference foe in the midst of their Big Ten season. \n“We’re used to it,” said Phillips regarding her team’s inconsistent schedule. “These out-of-conference games in many ways help us sharpen our tools for Big Ten games down the road.” \nLouisville enters Bloomington after splitting a Big East doubleheader with No. 20 DePaul. The Cardinals nabbed game one from the Blue Demons snapping a three-game winless drought. Sophomore Melissa Roth ignited Lousville’s charge as she delivered her team-leading 18th double of the season. But game two favored the visitors as DePaul rallied behind their freshman starting pitcher Lindsey Dean, who recorded her seventh win of the season, only surrendering two hits. \n“It was great for us to get the win against Michigan State, and now we have to repeat against Louisville,” said junior infielder Emily Bergeson. “We have this mental toughness that makes us play harder regardless of other factors.”
Shutout in two games by Northwestern and losing another to a walk-off home run may have chiseled at the IU softball team’s will, but it did not break it.\nDown 6-2 after five innings, the Hoosiers (13-31, 3-11) battled back to salvage their final game of the weekend with a 9-7 win over Michigan State.\nEven though IU could not deliver a run in Evanston, Ill., the defeats exposed the Hoosiers to experiences they never want to endure again.\n“Those losses were tough to Northwestern, but we know we represent ourselves better than those games,” IU coach Stacey Phillips said. “We continued our fight and competed to the greatest extent against Michigan State by almost winning the first, but capturing the second game.”\nDespite trailing 6-2 after five innings, the Hoosiers were not ready to pull the plug. Phillips’ squad drilled four home runs to propel a seven-run comeback – all in the last two innings of the contest. \nSenior captain and catcher Tory Yamaguchi showed what being a leader is all about in the clutch. Yamaguchi, who bats out of the clean-up spot, nailed a two–run double to right center field in the seventh inning to squeeze past the Spartans. \n“I didn’t come through for the team in the first game, but I knew I needed to stay with it during that last at-bat in the second game,” Yamaguchi said. “I faced the same pitcher that got me out three or four times the first game, but I said to myself, ‘I got to go,’ and came up with the hit.”\nEven though the season has not lived up to the team’s expectations, Yamaguchi is not giving up on her teammates. As a player who has battled through numerous injuries, Yamaguchi leads by example from the plate and in the field. The Woodland Hills, Calif., native leads her team with 22 RBIs and is tied with junior shortstop Emily Bergeson for a team-high five home runs. In the field, Yamaguchi plays both first baseman and catcher. Behind the plate, she has thrown-out 13 opposing base runners. Phillips said Yamaguchi’s mental toughness aids her success all year long. \n“Tory stays more relaxed and focused than any player I’ve seen in crucial moments of a game,” Phillips said. “She has come up huge for us this year and truly jells the team together.”\nThe Hoosiers had multiple chances to knock off the Spartans in the first game of the doubleheader, but ultimately failed. IU stranded 10 runners on base and only registered five hits. Michigan State ended the game with a walk-off home run in the seventh inning.\nRecuperating from the loss, the Hoosiers believe remaining strong develops teamwork and positive production. \n“It felt so good to beat Michigan State because we all came together and contributed as one,” freshman left fielder Brittany Devitt said. “I know we can do the same versus Louisville at home on Wednesday.”
Like a boxer who gets knocked down from countless jabs, the IU softball team often finds itself at rock bottom. \nBut no matter how many times it has hit the canvas, the team has always fought its way back.\nAfter a blow from Ball State on Tuesday, the Hoosiers (12-27, 2-8 Big Ten) strive to rebound in conference play this weekend. Labeled as critical contests, IU will contend in two-game sets with Northwestern and Michigan State beginning Friday in Evanston, Ill.\nIU coach Stacey Phillips, whose club is second-to-last in the Big Ten standings, said her Hoosiers are ready to throw the fatal punch. \n“There’s plenty of season left for us to make a run, but now is the time,” Phillips said. “We control our own destiny.”\nIn the midst of the Big Ten season, the Cream and Crimson’s struggles linger over its shoulders. Only one everyday player – Jennilee Huddleston – is hitting more than .300 from the plate. Only one 20-game starter – Sarah Padove – has yet to record an error in the field. And only one pitcher, Monica Wright, logs an earned run average less than 4.00. \nBut the aforementioned are only small examples of the Hoosiers’ problems. The frequent losses have taken a toll on this team mentally, including one of its leaders.\n“It’s been very difficult for me since it’s my last season on the team,” captain and infielder Tory Yamaguchi said. “We’re trying to battle through this the best we can and not focus on our mistakes.”\nYamaguchi, who was drafted professionally earlier this season, is leading by example. The Woodland Hills, Calif., native made a sacrifice for her squad by switching from catcher to first baseman for the first time in her collegiate career. Because of her intelligence in the field, Phillips frequently moves Yamaguchi back and forth depending on the opposition. She has thrown out 13 runners attempting to steal, leads the team in homeruns (five) and is tied for most runs batted in (20).\n“As a leader, I am more about setting an example by my play than by my voice,” Yamaguchi said. \nGoing on the road isn’t going to make things easier for Yamaguchi and her teammates. The Hoosiers are 9-20 away from Bloomington, but Phillips said her club can overcome the obstacle. \n“The road schedule is somewhat grueling in the Big Ten,” Phillips said. “We’re kind of used to traveling back and forth, so we’re more than able to tackle the challenges ahead.”\nIU enters today’s competition after an 8-0 performance by the Mid-Atlantic Conference’s Ball State. The Cardinals flew past IU behind sophomore Elizabeth Milian’s strong performance inside the pitcher’s circle. \n“We can’t and won’t dwell on one game,” junior infielder Julie DiNallo said. “We don’t want any domino effects and we’re just going to continue to fight.”\nAnd that’s what the Hoosiers have been doing all along – fighting.\n“We’re trying to stay focused mentally through these tough times,” DiNallo said. “Northwestern and Michigan State are both very good teams, but we’re ready to surprise some people.”
The Hoosiers’ plan wasn’t to just keep their heads up mentally, but also to play solid softball as the Big Ten tournament approaches. But reoccurring, unbalanced attacks have the cream and crimson perplexed as run production has dwindled. Stellar pitching from their opponents don’t help either. \nAfter an impressive pitching performance from Ball State’s Tiffany Garofano against Miami (Ohio), the Cardinals flew behind sophomore pitcher Elizabeth Milian as the team clobbered the Hoosiers 8-0 in six innings. The loss marked the 12th time IU (12-28) has been shut out this season. \nIn addition to performing well at the plate, Milian’s pitching prowess carried Ball State’s attack. With an earned run average under 3.00, Milian threw every pitch on Tuesday, surrendering only four hits and recording four strikeouts. \n“She (Milian) was right around the plate,” IU coach Stacey Phillips said. “We let some pitches go by that we really could of have handled.” \nAt the dish, Milian, a Grand Blanc, Mich., native, went 1 for 2 with two walks. \nThe only shining moment offensively for IU was senior third baseman Jennilee Huddleston’s double in the second inning. Huddleston’s extra base hit ties her for seventh on IU’s the all-time career doubles’ list. But the Hoosiers couldn’t unfurl Milian after Huddleston’s hit as Milian kept her composure and mowed down the next three batters in succession. \n“It’s tough because we played so well on Saturday and kind of let down (yesterday),” Huddleston said. “Easiest thing to do is to come back out fired up this weekend.” \nThe Hoosiers drop to 5-5 in April with no consistent performances on record. Even though Tuesday’s game was an out-of-conference matchup, Huddleson said the team is still struggling to find consistent play. \n“It’s not good to be inconsistent,” Huddleston said. “We definitely can learn from our mistakes.” \nPhillips’ squad had high hopes entering yesterday’s game because of the magic junior pitcher Monica Wright sparked from the mound against Ohio State. Wright, the No. 1 pitcher in the Hoosiers’ rotation, logged a one-hitter against the Buckeyes and posted her second shutout of the season. But the Hoosiers couldn’t ride their pitching against Ball State as Phillips’ rotation went flat, consequently calling upon four pitchers for the second time this season. \n“It’s just aggravating coming off a good win and taking a step back,” senior center fielder Julia Hamilton said. \nUp next, the Hoosiers will head to Evanston, Ill., and East Lansing, Mich., for conference games against Northwestern and Michigan State, respectively. \nHamilton, the team’s lead-off hitter, said even though the Hoosiers aren’t winning, the team has to stay positive down the stretch. \n“It’s obviously mental toughness,” Hamilton said. “We just mentally have to stay consistent every game.”
The Hoosiers’ performance in April has fluctuated in harmony with Bloomington’s unsteady weather. A heated streak of two wins here, a chilled swing of two losses there – not a steady forecast in sight. \nIt was the same story this weekend as the seesawing Hoosiers endured both the highs and the lows. Friday saw Ohio State squeeze past IU 3-2, yet Saturday the Hoosiers regrouped, defeating the Buckeyes 4-0. \n“As long as we can tie some things together and feel more comfortable offensively and defensively, we can take some pressure off,” IU coach Stacey Phillips said. “If we continue to fight, we are going to straighten things out and put up some more wins.” \nThe cream and crimson will strive to balance its attack against in-state foe Ball State at 4 p.m. today. \nThis will be the second time the Hoosiers have competed outside the conference in the midst of Big Ten play. Last week, the Hoosiers prevailed over Indiana State 4-1 as senior captain Tory Yamaguchi excelled offensively. \n“The timing of this game couldn’t be more perfect,” Phillips said. “Ball State’s small ball and running ability is a lot like Northwestern and Michigan State’s play.” \nBall State ventures from Muncie to Bloomington after a victory against Miami (Ohio). The Cardinals cruised the entire game behind pitcher Tiffany Garofano. The junior pitching sensation logged a complete game and posted eight strikeouts to pick up her ninth win of the season. \nIU rallied behind junior pitcher Monica Wright against Ohio State on Saturday. The flamethrower tossed a one-hitter, posting her second shutout of the season and 12th complete game in 20 starts. While pitching was at a premium, the Hoosiers kept their cool and performed in the clutch courtesy of freshman Sara Olson. Olson, who is also part of the pitching rotation, knocked a two-run single in the sixth to ignite the offensive brigade. \n“We get a lot of wins and losses, but we have to be more consistent,” junior infielder Stephanie Pellerito said. “We are ready to get on a roll against Ball State. \nIU, along with four others teams – Penn State, Ohio State, Illinois and Wisconsin – is below .500 in the Big Ten standings. Freshman catcher Brittany Stein said the Hoosiers still have a chance to make the Big Ten Tournament because of the tight race.\n“We have to sharpen up a few things on defense,” Stein said. “But if we keep hitting the ball the way we have, we can make the tournament.” \nPhillips said this week’s games will direct the Hoosiers’ future. \n“After this weekend, we are really going to tell where we are going to be,” Phillips said. “We have to shoot for the Big Ten Tournament and let the chips fall where they may.”
The IU softball team (10-26, 1-7) made critical strides this off-season with their sights centered on making the Big Ten Tournament. \nIU coach Stacey Phillips secured adept recruits, returned veteran leadership and revamped the pitching staff. \nBut aside from revising the program, many obstacles still remain. One of those obstacles will face the Hoosiers today when they take on in-state rival Indiana State in Terre Haute. \nPhillips’ squad is coming off a four-game stretch against Minnesota and Wisconsin where IU escaped with just one win, their first in Big Ten competition. \n“Playing away from Bloomington isn’t that much different than playing at home,” sophomore outfielder Kelli Ritchison said. “We feel that we can play just as hard in different places.”\nThe Hoosiers are 8-20 away from Bloomington and are currently last in the Big Ten conference (1-7).\nIn their last outing, the Hoosiers split a doubleheader with Wisconsin. Senior Jennilee Huddleston led the way for the Hoosiers, belting a three-run home run that led to the eventual victory. Junior second baseman Julie Dinallo said the win not only was a confidence booster, but also a prelude to better days ahead. \n“We really just trying to rebound as a team and trying to get better everyday,” Dinallo said. “Our ultimate goal is to come together as a team rather than as individuals.”\nFreshman pitcher Sara Olson also had a highlight day against Wisconsin, recording a season-high 10 strikeouts. \nEven though it’s seldom that a non-conference game falls in between Big Ten play, Phillips said there’s a lot to play for when competing against neighboring universities. \n“Obviously in-state rivals are there and we’re very excited for this game,” Phillips said. “There’s a lot of bragging rights at stake and we’re going to go out there and show what we have.” \nThe Sycamores (9-19-1) are having problems of their own. They are 1-5 this season on their own turf and post a dismal team batting average of .224. Indiana State will throw out the first pitch at 4 p.m. \nBecause Wednesday’s game doesn’t count toward IU’s Big Ten record, Phillips said there’s a chance she might alter the lineup and observe the results. \n“With this non-conference game, we may put some of our players in different positions and experiment a little bit,” Phillips said. “By all means, it’s not a practice game, but we may test the waters at some course.”\nFollowing today’s game, the Hoosiers will gear up for a conference series against Ohio State in Bloomington on Friday and Saturday.
A leader always leads by example. Whether it’s her assistance during practice or performance on the field, she knows when to step up at the right time. \nAfter seeing the Hoosiers start 0-6 this season in the Big Ten, Jennilee Huddleston, a senior third baseman on the IU softball team, rose to the occasion in Sunday’s victory against Wisconsin. \nAfter seeing her team drop two games to Minnesota Friday, Huddleston sparked some magic against Wisconsin during yesterday’s doubleheader, which was televised on the Big Ten Network. The Peachtree, Ga., native ignited the Hoosier brigade as she clobbered a three-run home run in the top of the seventh to help defeat the Badgers 5-3. Despite losing the second game of the series, the win marked the first Big Ten victory for the Hoosiers. \n“It felt great to help this team out,” Huddleston said. “It helps build our confidence for the next games to come.” \nHuddleston went 3-for-4 from the plate and delivered three RBIs. The Hoosier leader tops her squad in batting average, hitting .311 from the dish, and is second in slugging percentage behind junior shortstop Emily Bergeson. \n“It’s always a good thing to get a key hit,” Huddleston said. “I love being a leader for this team.”\nIU coach Stacey Phillips said Huddleston has basked in the glow for her whole career and her offensive success is key.\n“She’s really come through big in her career,” Phillips said. “There was no doubt that she was going to come through and take care of it.”\nDespite dropping the second game of the doubleheader to Wisconsin, freshman pitcher Sara Olson managed to pitch a solid game.\nAfter throwing three no-hit innings, Olson surrendered a home run to Wisconsin first baseman Alexis Garcia. Garcia’s home run broke a scoreless tie, a lead the Badgers did not relinquish. \n“It’s a thrill to be inside the pitchers’ circle and help this team out,” Olson said. “It’s definitely hard losing three out of four games, but we came out nicely against Wisconsin and everyone earned it.”\nEven though she allowed Wisconsin to break the deadlock, Olson pitched her second complete game and set a career high 10 strikeouts while giving up only four hits and two earned runs. \n“My drop ball has really been big for me,” Olson said. “I love it when (assistant) coach (Tarrah) Beyster calls for my change-up.” \nSunday’s performance was drastically different from the Hoosiers’ opening conference games against Michigan and Penn State. Sunday was their turn to shine. \n“We showed a lot of toughness out there, different from our previous Big Ten games,” Phillips said. “We are going to build on that from here on out and improve ourselves mentally and physically everyday.”\nThe Hoosiers will continue their road trip Wednesday when they travel to Indiana State for a 4 p.m. matchup.
Every team battling through adversity needs unsung heroes to boost the team’s performance. \nBasketball has its sixth man, hockey has its second line and baseball has situational bench players. Indiana softball has senior Kari Bettenbrock and junior Stephanie Pellerito.\nAfter dropping their four opening games in Big Ten play, the Hoosiers (7-23, 0-4) rallied against Kentucky to take their next two games by close margins. As her team heads north to face Minnesota and Wisconsin in conference games, IU coach Stacey Phillips said now is the time when her team needs to come alive.\n“We’re going to try to roll through with the Kentucky wins earlier this week,” Phillips said. “We now have to focus on our defense and sharpen up on our weaknesses.”\nBettenbrock, who pinch-hit in the second game in Lexington, put the Hoosiers ahead by one run early in the out-of-conference matchup. Later in that game, Phillips called upon Pellerito, the other half of the dynamic duo, to regain the IU’s lost momentum at the plate. Pellerito did just that by blasting a 2-run home run, giving the Hoosiers a 15-13 advantage, a lead they would not relinquish.\nBettenbrock, a utility player on IU’s team, said offense was the main focus during Thursday’s practice, a key ingredient that has been missing this season.\n“Our focus in practice was hitting and realizing that we need to win at least two of the next four games,” Bettenbrock said. “The team is positive after our wins in Kentucky and we are expecting an upswing during Big Ten play.”\nDespite only seeing action in 21 games this season, Pellerito is expecting some key victories down the stretch. \n“I think beating Kentucky set the team off on a high note for this weekend,” Pellerito, the Tustin, Calif., native said. “If we win the next four games, we’ll have a pretty good chance of making it to the Big Ten Tournament.”\nBoth Bettenbrock and Pellerito’s clutch play will be vital if the Hoosiers want to make the all-important Big Ten Tournament, Phillips said.\nHaving started the conference schedule 0-4 with losses to Michigan and Penn State, Phillips notes that her team has to make their strengths stronger now more than ever.\n“Michigan and Penn State showed a lot of toughness here, and we need to show that same toughness on the road,” Phillips said. “The Big Ten is obviously such a strong conference, but it’s really in our control.”\nThe Hoosiers are scheduled to battle Minnesota on Friday and Saturday. The softball team will make an appearance on the Big Ten Network on Sunday, playing in a doubleheader versus Wisconsin beginning at 11 a.m.\n“It’s a matter of making the next month and a half the best part of the season,” Phillips said. “The true colors are going to shine through here, so we are going to see what happens.”
Clutch moments have happened from time to time early in the IU softball season. In her first start, sophomore Kelli Ritchison’s game-saving catch in left field and senior catcher Tory Yamaguchi’s game-winning grand slam Wednesday are just a few of those clutch moments. \nBut the question isn’t when another player will step up in a clutch situation. Rather, it’s when will the Hoosiers, as a unit, catch fire?\nThe Hoosiers (7-19), who have been disheartened in seasons past, are ready to make some noise in the Big Ten and silence their skeptics when they start their two-game set against No. 6 Michigan. And if anyone wants to help lead this charge, it’s junior pitcher Monica Wright. \nWright, who has shined bright inside the pitcher’s circle, is rounding into form after two sub-par seasons.\n“I’ve added another pitch to my arsenal and am overall more confident in all my pitches,” said Wright, the No. 1 pitcher on the staff. “I worked really hard on pitch location and try to be a leader for this team.”\nThe Morrison, Ill., native has watched her earned run average dip over the years from 4.41 as a freshman at Northern Iowa to 3.88 as an IU sophomore then to 3.33 in 18 appearances so far this season – her second with the cream and crimson. \n“Monica has really worked hard to make herself into a complete pitcher,” IU coach Stacey Phillips said. “She’s healthier now than she has been in past seasons and is constantly improving her pitches.” \nWright exhibits a bit of a hockey atmosphere on the hill. She doesn’t change her overall philosophy on gameday, but mixes her pitches – like a hockey coach changes lines – often to confuse \nher opponents. \nConsistency is how Phillips described Wright’s potential, given her ability to throw at blazing speed, go the full seven innings and stay focused in the heat of the moment. \nAlong with Wright, Yamaguchi believes the Hoosiers can get back on track and start to surprise some teams down the road. \n“We’ve had a tough first half of the season, but we’re starting to make the adjustments,” Yamaguchi said. “We’re playing more relaxed out there and ready to change the outcomes of our games.” \nDespite the team having its hands full this weekend beginning Big Ten play, Phillips is focused on her players instead of the schools venturing to Bloomington. \n“We’re just going to go out there and play ball,” Phillips said. “We’re not worrying about who we’re playing, we’re just concerned about ourselves and our production.” \nThe Hoosiers start this weekend’s home stand against Michigan. Action against the Wolverines begins at 3 p.m. Friday, followed by a 1 p.m. game on Saturday. Sunday’s doubleheader against Penn State will mark the inaugural softball broadcast on the Big Ten Network. Both games will be televised live, with the first pitch scheduled for 10:30 a.m.
After their 4-9 spring break trip to the Sunshine State, the Hoosiers retuned to Bloomington in a winning fashion Thursday against Drake. \nThe Hoosiers defeated the Bulldogs 1-0, largely because of a critical mistake in the bottom of the sixth inning by Drake’s defense. After junior second baseman Julie DiNallo blasted a base hit into center field, lead-off hitter junior Julia Hamilton bunted down the third baseline. Hamilton’s “small ball” ultimately led to a “W” for the Hoosiers. Bulldogs’ substitute third baseman Carrie Hatfield charged the bunt, but mistakenly threw the ball into right field, enabling IU’s Dinallo to score the winning run. \n“The name of the game is capitalizing on mistakes the other team makes, and that’s what we did,” IU coach Stacey Phillips said. “The team stayed in the moment each inning of play and we have to continue doing that in the games to come.” \nThursday afternoon’s game marked sophomore left fielder Kelli Ritchison’s first career start and, consequently, she was tested late in the ball game. With Drake’s last chance to tie the game in the top of the seventh, designated player Erin Mollohan sent a pitch to left field where Ritchison, who took a 360-degree turn as the ball was in flight, made a jaw-dropping catch.\n“It was an ugly play,” Ritchison said. “Thankfully, I caught the ball, and am glad we came out with a win.” \nRitchison, who went 0-2 from the plate and caught four balls hit to left field, wasn’t too hyped up when Phillips told her she was getting the start. \n“I was really nervous, yet excited for our first home game and to get my shot,” Ritchison said. “I actually didn’t know I was starting until we arrived at the field.” \nIU starting pitcher Monica Wright, who pitched seven scoreless innings, helped carry the Hoosiers to victory. Despite the lack of offense early in the game, the Hoosiers rallied around their pitcher, watching her record three strikeouts, allow one walk, and only give up two hits out of 24 batters faced. \n“On a day like today the defense was just phenomenal and I put the pitch where I was told,” Wright said. “I just tried to keep my composure out there and throw the ball one pitch at a time.” \nHailing from Morrison, Ill., Wright is excelling on all fronts on the mound. In 16 appearances this season, the Hoosiers’ veteran pitcher has struck out 39 batters with a 3.40 earned run average. \nThe Hoosiers continue their home stand with the IU Classic today. Last year, the Hoosiers finished third in the four-team competition. This year’s tournament format consists of only three teams: IU, Louisville and Illinois-Chicago. \nIU will ride Thursday’s 1-0 win today into a doubleheader starting with Louisville at 2 p.m.
For IU Continuing Studies student David Boyer, breakfast is more than a morning boost. It’s a job and a personal love.\nOn top of going to school part-time and working at the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center, Boyer was recruited to revamp the breakfast scene at Bear’s Place Ale House and Eatery last fall after the restaurant’s first unsuccessful go-around with the morning meal. Since Boyer created his own menu and re-energized the morning rush, business has flourished because of his presence in the kitchen. \n“Dave has a great imagination and passion when it comes to food,” said Eric Davidson, a chef at Bear’s Place. “In the last month and a half alone, business has doubled because of his presence.” \nPrior to becoming a Hoosier, Boyer spent 17 years in the San Francisco Bay Area, first as a graphic artist and later as a printing press operator. Boyer said he bought the printing press business, which evolved into one of the first environmentally oriented printing companies in the Bay Area.\nFor a long time, however, Boyer wanted to command the kitchen. Boyer said he envisioned himself as a chef.\n“My family ate the traditional meat and potatoes mostly, so I had to cook for myself,” Boyer said. “In San Francisco, the variety of cuisines was extraordinary. It inspired me by opening me to an arena where a lot vegetarian food was really full of flavor.”\nAfter he moved to Bloomington in 2001 and sent his children to college, Boyer migrated back to his real home – the kitchen. \nBoyer had a stint at Mother Bear’s Pizza and is still employed by Bloomington Bagel Company, where he was crowned “Bagel Dave.”\nAs a result of Bagel Dave’s excellence in all facets of cooking, not just bagels, he said his talent was noticed by Bear’s Place management.\n“The owner of Bear’s Place, Gary Newman, and General Manager Jim Reef approached me about doing breakfasts at Bear’s Place,” Boyer said. “They recruited me to try to bring great breakfasts back to Bloomington and I’m really proud of the food I am making.”\nAlthough Bear’s Place’s breakfast is becoming a hot commodity, prices aren’t rising on Boyer’s menu.\n“We have huge portions and inexpensive prices,” Boyer said. “Making our customers satisfied is extremely important.” \nAside from the restaurant’s music, comedy, poker games and other events for which Bear’s is known, Boyer is helping the restaurant become the place for that morning pick-me-up.\nBoyer recommended some of his best sellers – the Challah French toast, his famous breakfast burrito and Bagel Dave’s homies, which are home-fried potatoes with eggs, cheese and vegetables.\nBoyer started his breakfast reign last fall, and the customers, just as he pictured them, keep coming for more.\n“I come in for Dave’s breakfast primarily for his breakfast burrito,” said John McCluskey, IU professor of African American and African Diaspora Studies. “If I’m out running errands and I’m close, I might as well drop in for a great meal.”\nAmid Boyer’s new breakfast brigade, he also assists Bloomington Bagel Company, usually when IU is closed for breaks. \n“I am very proud of my food,” Boyer said. “My goal is to create robust and flavorful breakfasts.” \nBagel Dave said his motto is short and simple: “No one leaves hungry!”
It’s much too early to gauge where the Hoosiers’ softball team is headed. \nInstead of dwelling over this past weekend’s winless drought at the Frost Classic in Chattanooga, Tenn., the Hoosiers are optimistic about the rest of the season ahead. \n“Obviously we’re really disappointed with the losses,” said IU coach Stacey Phillips. “But, on the other hand, we’re really on the verge of turning things around.” \nAfter dropping their first three games of the weekend, the \nHoosiers searched for a win Sunday against Kentucky. \nIU kept pace with the Wildcats late until a blast to left field ignited a total momentum swing. Kentucky answered IU’s 5-4 lead after five innings by posting six runs in the sixth, knocking off the Hoosiers 10-5.\nThe nail in the coffin that marked a winless road trip for the Hoosiers came courtesy of a two-run home run by Wildcat third baseman Annie Rowlands, her first career round-tripper.\nAs a team, IU went 8-29 from the dish with only four Hoosiers left on base the whole game. \n“We were able to show a little bit more energy against Kentucky,” Phillips said. “Our players now have a good understanding of the things they have to work on to win close games like this one.” \nDespite sporting a dismal 1-8 overall record, many Hoosier players labeled Sunday’s loss at Kentucky as a learning experience.\n“I thought today was a difference maker for the team,” freshman left fielder Brittany Devitt said. “Our energy and our passion really came out even though the game didn’t end out in our favor.” \nDevitt, who went 1-3 with an RBI and a run scored, said her teammates acted differently in the dugout – energy she hopes will only continue for the rest of the season.\n“We were loud and cheered the whole game,” Devitt said. “If we keep up that level of intensity, I think we’re only going to get better from here.”\nThird baseman Jennilee Huddleston, who went 0-2 with a walk, said the loss is in the Hoosiers’ rear-view mirror and the team is ready to move forward. \n“After the game, we put the loss right past us,” Huddleston said. “We have a whole season ahead of us and we know the task at hand.” \nPhillips said a turnaround is ahead for her ball club and the team will soon march to a different drum. \n“Despite our recent losses, we have a good understanding of the small things we have to work on to win games,” Phillips said. “We’re going to put the missing pieces together and get ourselves back on track.” \nThe Hoosiers will look to rebound at the Under Armour Invitational, beginning Thursday in Clearwater, Fla.
Fans supporting the cream and crimson are ecstatic when their Hoosiers take the court at Assembly Hall.\nSporting their classic candy-striped warm-ups, the Hoosiers emerge through an array of cheerleaders onto the court – the cue for public address announcer Chuck Crabb.\nCrabb then delivers his prominent introductory line to the Indiana faithful. \n“Ladies and gentlemen, your Indiana Hoosiers,” Crabb exclaims, accompanied by the band’s rendition of the IU fight song. \nNow it’s game time. \nCrabb initially didn’t envision himself sitting in arguably the best seat in the Hall; rather, the Brazil native pictured himself in the newspaper business.\n“My ambition was to be the next Grantland Rice,” Crabb said. “I wanted to be a sports writer.”\nPreceding his undergraduate run at IU, Crabb wrote press releases for his high school basketball team. For regional contests, Crabb said he ventured to Bloomington, writing press releases for the Bloomington Herald-Telephone, now the Bloomington Herald-Times. At the same time, Crabb was becoming familiar with the names and faces of the IU Athletics staff.\nAfter Crabb chose to major in journalism at IU, he was offered a part-time position at the Telephone.\nHis high school work paid off even more as he became an acquaintance of Tom Miller, who was the sports information director for IU Athletics from 1948 to 1983. Crabb accepted Miller’s offer to work for the sports information office in the fall of 1970.\n“It was a lot of fun because the Bloomington Herald-Telephone would allow me to double-cover, to work IU swimming and diving when Mark Spitz and Gary Hall were performing,” Crabb said. “I would cover the dual meets for the paper while also representing IU sports information, typing up results and distributing them to several newspapers.”\nCrabb graduated from IU in May 1973 when many newspapers were not hiring aspiring sports writers.\nAfter a stint as a desk editor, Crabb returned to his alma mater a few years later and was asked before a basketball game in 1976 if he was interested in replacing longtime public address announcer Bert Laws, who announced IU football and men’s basketball from 1936 to 1977, and wanted to retire.\nCrabb is now several games away from completing his 31st season as the public address announcer of IU basketball.\nAccompanying his announcing, Crabb also serves as an associate athletic director of facilities. Crabb said he is responsible for overseeing the daily maintenance of IU’s athletic venues and works with the varsity club’s events and schedule planning. \n“I hold a deep and sincere admiration for Chuck because of his unparalleled dedication to the athletics department,” Jim Butler, director of video services for IU Athletics, said in an e-mail. “His list of responsibilities is positively stunning.” \nCrabb said working two jobs as an undergraduate taught him time-management skills and proper organization, which are useful for what he does today. \n“Chuck is a tremendous resource, not only for what he does day to day, but his historic knowledge of the history of the program,” said Tim Fitzpatrick, senior associate athletics director. “His role goes beyond the public address in so many other ways that he’s a real asset to our staff.”
Professor Scott Russell Sanders arrived a few minutes early Monday night, organizing some papers to hand out to the students in his graduate-level creative non-fiction writing class.\nA few minutes later, his students trickled into the room, smiling, waiting for his opening remarks. \n“OK everyone, I am now passing out a map to my house,” Sanders said, pointing out directions and street names. “My wife Ruth and I are expecting you for tea and cookies.”\nThe classroom was organized like Donald Trump’s infamous boardroom. Sanders sat with his students at a long table and talked back and forth.\nBut conversation in Sanders’ boardroom had no parallels to “The Apprentice.” Instead, it emulated one of FDR’s fireside chats: laid back and relaxed, but with in-depth discussions about great thinkers such as Virginia Woolf. \nStudents passing by paused to peek through the doorway, stopping when they heard the unexpected laughter on the first floor of Ballantine Hall.\n“How many of you keep a journal or a notebook of some sort?” Sanders asked, looking around the table and counting hands. \nWithin a few seconds, every hand waved high in the air.\n“That’s great,” he said. “Even if your work doesn’t get published, you are still writers.”
While bleeding green as a student at Michigan State, Stacey Phillips was certain she would become a head softball coach in the Big Ten someday. \nPhillips told her head coach Jacquie Joseph, who still manages the Spartans today, she would also be giving steal signs and calling suicide squeezes for a living one day.\n“I want to coach, Coach,” Phillips said, recalling the exact conversation she had with Joseph at Michigan State. “Yep, that’s what I want to do.” \nPhillips’ statement, which Joseph thought was comical at the time, became reality when IU named her the head coach of the Hoosiers softball program in 2006. \nAt Michigan State, Phillips excelled in many fronts of the game. A four-year letter recipient in East Lansing, Phillips was an offensive machine and still holds several records at her alma mater.\n“It’s funny because any of my records that still stand are probably going to be broken in the next five years,” Phillips said. “I just don’t want anybody to break it when we play them.”\nDespite hanging up her Spartan jersey in 2000, Phillips wasn’t ready to leave the game for good. \nThe then-recent graduate, who holds a bachelor’s degree in audiology speech sciences, started her coaching career as an assistant with the University of Detriot-Mercy. Around the same time, she was drafted professionally. \nPhillips was the No. 1 pick for the San Antonio Armadillos of the National Pro Fastpitch League. \nEven though San Antonio drafted her, the team failed to form and the Akron Racers redrafted Phillips the following year, but she never played. \n“I was drafted a bunch of times professionally, but never played,” said Phillips. “But I like picking the brains of some of these Hall of Fame coaches who were drafted as well.”\nTwo years later, Phillips became the head coach of the Hoosiers.\n“Coach Phillips’ enthusiasm and passion for the game of softball serves as a source of strength for our program,” said Chris Reynolds, IU’s senior associate athletic director, in an e-mail. “She is a tireless worker and genuinely cares about helping our student-athletes reach their full potential on and off the field.”\nPhillips said recruiting will flourish thanks to the IU Varsity Club’s plan to build a new $6 million stadium for the softball squad.\n“We are going to secure the talent that matches that $6 million stadium,” Phillips said. “In particular, the kids who are in our program now are worth $6 million plus.”\nPhillips said she loves being a part of IU softball because her players are always looking to improve their play on the field. \n“Our players are great kids,” Phillips said. “They had made a commitment and continue to remain loyal to this program.”\nAs for the upcoming season, Phillips said her team is ready for challenges ahead due to its mix of experience and youth.\nThe Hoosiers return senior catcher Tory Yamaguchi and senior infielder Jennilee Huddleston – the two top batters from last season. \n“Tory and Jennilee are both great leaders for this ball club,” Phillips said. “They both represent pictures of toughness and have a lot of passion for \nthe sport.”\nAfter hitting .335 at the plate last season, Huddleston has high hopes for the team this year.\n“We’ve had a good and productive off-season and are feeling very confident in where we are headed this season,” Huddleston said in an e-mail. “There’s no doubt in my mind that this will be a successful season for us.”\nAnd when the time comes on April 20, Phillips will stand in the opposite dugout of her former coach Joseph, ready to bleed red instead of her \nformer green. \n“I might still have some green blood in me, but now I’m all about the crimson,” \nPhillips said.
