317 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(02/07/07 7:53pm)
The locker room was divided. The dark-skinned players sat side-by-side, opposite their white teammates before the game.\nThat was the arrangement of the IU football team when George Taliaferro, now 80, led it to its only undefeated Big Ten championship, in 1945. \nThough he was an All-American running back and a leader who played a large role in the team's success, Taliaferro, who is black, said there were limits to what he was allowed to do at IU. He said he couldn't live in the dorms, and the only two things he did at IU was go to class and play football.\n"I faced a problem that I think still exists in today's sport," Taliaferro said. "I had to be twice as good as the white players to make the team and retain a spot. This format resulted in me playing with guys who had never played against or with a black person."\nIU would not be the last place Taliaferro saw this type of separation between his teammates.\nTaliaferro was the first African-American player ever drafted by an NFL team when the Chicago Bears selected him in the 13th round of the 1949 NFL draft. He instead elected to sign with the Los Angeles Dons of the All American Football League. \n"The pros weren't any better than the IU locker room, because money was involved," Taliaferro said.\nHe returned to the NFL the following year with the New York Yanks and participated in three Pro Bowls during his six NFL seasons. \n"I did what was contrary to their desire," Taliaferro said. "The system encouraged me to be the best that I could and also let me know that I was doing something right because the opposition was there and I exceeded it."\nTaliaferro said he and many other African-Americans of his era have helped today's athletes, but he doesn't agree with everything they've done with the opportunity.\n"There's no question that the guys of my era have paved the way for today's players," Taliaferro said. "But there is one thing in today's game that I'm sure the men I played with would have a problem with, and that is the entertainment value that has been added to the game.\n"Terrell Owens is a disgrace to the game of football," he said, "and what Reggie Bush did in the NFC championship just made white people think that we are clowns, which they already do."\nThe trials that Taliaferro has been through in his life helped shape his views on society, and also led him to be a mentor to today's youth. He has worked as a teacher, social worker and administrator, and he said he always strives to make his colleagues and students better people. \n"I always like to think that people have become better than they were before because I was around them," he said. \nHe said he tries to use the lessons learned through football to improve the lives of his family.\n"Having the will to prepare is your greatest asset," he said. "And that is something I try to instill in my children because I know that mind-set was what propelled me into success"
(02/05/07 9:00pm)
In the waning moments of Super Bowl XLI, Colts fans at Nick's English Hut did not want to jinx their team. They were afraid anything could happen with time still left in the game.\nOnce the clock hit zero, they were able to start the party.\nThe Indianapolis Colts defeated the Chicago Bears 29-17 on Sunday night to give the Circle City its first major championship -- and many in the Bloomington community celebrated, too.\n"(The) Colts are a team of destiny," junior Ty Ferraro said. "It's meant be -- everything lined up for them this year. Peyton Manning's the best quarterback in the league."\nDespite the number of IU students from Chicago, the crowd at Nick's English Hut was full of Colts fans.\n"I love my Colts," senior Katie Fagan said after the game. "They (were) absolutely fantastic today. (Colts coach) Tony Dungy deserves this more than any other coach in the NFL. I just love it."\nThe IU campus roared in rejoice as the Colts finally won the big game that had eluded them so many times.\nDespite their love for the Colts, many fans seemed to find more joy in downing the Bears and quarterback Rex Grossman.\n"Grossman has done nothing but fallen on his ass all game," freshman Will Paine said at Reed Center. "Rex Grossman is nothing."\nBears fans who had predicted a Chicago victory were proven wrong by the Colts. \nBefore the game, hopes for both teams were high. \n"It's going to be a lot of happiness," IU alumus Bob Lukemeyer said at Nick's before the game. "People are going to be happy just 'cause both teams made it this far. But of course Bears fans are going to be a little upset as the Colts come to victory."\nAnd for one Bears fan, there was a silver lining even in defeat. \n"My grandpa was telling me this was the first time an African-American (coach) had been in the Super Bowl, and this is Black History Month, and it makes me proud to know that vacancy has been filled by Tony Dungy," freshman Bianca Crenshaw said at Read.\nThe Colts fans were ecstatic with the win but persisted to rag on the Bears.\nAfter the game, fans started filing outside to celebrate their team's wins. Cars honked at each other as they drove down Kirkwood Avenue.
(02/05/07 5:08am)
The IU wrestling team fell on hard times again this weekend, dropping numerous matches to No. 1 Minnesota and North Carolina State at University Gym.\nThe No. 18 Hoosiers lost to the top-ranked Gophers 29-7 on Friday night and followed with a 22-18 loss against the Wolfpack on Saturday. \nMinnesota dominated the Friday dual the whole way through. Eight of the 10 Gopher starters are in the top 20 individually and proved to the Hoosiers and every fan in attendance why they are No. 1 in the country.\nIU coach Duane Goldman said he thought the Hoosiers needed to apply more pressure to Minnesota.\n"We battled hard in some of the matches but we just didn't give the Gophers enough pressure to come out with a win," Goldman said.\nThe many Hoosier losses on the day began with a match from junior Max Dean that ended in a loss to one of the two unranked members of the Gopher team in the 165-pound match. No. 16 Dean lost 10-4 in a decision that favored Minnesota sophomore Tyler Safratowich. \nAll of the five top-15 rated Hoosiers dropped matches to Gopher opponents. The only Hoosiers to win their matches were freshmen Trevor Perry and Nathan Everhart at 174 and 194 pounds.\nThe next day, the Hoosiers couldn't win individual matches in a fashion that would give them the win. Though NC State was a much closer dual, IU was still unable to come up with a victory. Dean said this losing stint has given the young Hoosiers a real picture of what the Big Ten season is like.\n"These duals gave our younger guys a view of what the grind of the Big Ten season is like and it'll be up to us older guys to provide guidance," Dean said. \n After an undefeated start, the Hoosiers are now 10-4 and have seen their share of problems within the four-dual losing streak. Goldman said the Hoosiers need an attitude adjustment to get back in their early season form.\n"It's going to take heart for us to win," Goldman said. "But, it can't come from the coaches. The athletes need to show some heart and Hoosier pride."\nJunior Brandon Becker said the Hoosiers realize the difference in their late competition.\n"The Big Ten is the best conference in the nation," Becker said "But we just have to fight harder, then we have to get wins no matter who we face"
(02/02/07 4:42am)
For many IU students, Super Bowl Sunday will result in the fulfillment of a lifelong dream of NFL fan glory -- or the torment that comes along with being so close to it.\nThe focus on IU's campus has been set squarely on the Super Bowl since the Bears-Colts matchup was established after the NFL conference championships. But this spotlight has left many in the dark as they experience alienation without an allegiance to a Super Bowl XLI team. \nThis emotional roller coaster will be all but absent for those who aren't football fans or who cheer on teams that have fallen out of contention. These people have had to endure constant talk of the Super Bowl matchup, and freshman Ayrica Harvey said she is exhausted by the coverage.\n"It's the only thing that's on TV and I'm sick of it," Harvey said. "The (Cincinatti) Bengals aren't in the Super Bowl so I don't care."\nConstant chants of "Da Bears" or praise for Colts quarterback Peyton Manning at every corner you turn has angered some.\nThe reaction comes as no surprise to freshman Will Paine, a Nashville, Tenn., native who said he hates all the campus talk -- not to mention the mustached Peyton Manning "laser, rocket arm" commercials.\n"As someone from a neutral state, I'm really getting tired of it," Paine said. "Everyone at IU has a side, and it's pretty frustrating not to have one."\nThough Paine feels the indifference that comes with being neutral on the IU campus, he said he has some admiration -- and doubt -- in the Colts.\n"You have to be proud of the Colts for finally making it," he said. "But I won't be surprised if it becomes a hostile environment in a week if the Colts don't finish after getting over the Patriot hump."\nThough fans whose teams fell earlier in the season may be irritated, the people who have really been left out of conversations and lost in all the hoopla are those who aren't football fans at all.\nIU freshman Amber Daniel spoke for many students when she said: "I don't even like football!"\nThe left-out IU students who are football fans, however, have been noticed by those who have caused the conversation.\nSenior Ryan Moore is an Indianapolis native and a huge Colts fan. Moore, who fashioned the body of Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri to go with his copy-and-pasted head on his Facebook profile, said he believes it is hard to hear about the Super Bowl with no one to cheer for. \n"You have to feel sorry for people being in this Midwestern setting," Moore said. "I'm sure they are left out when their team isn't in it. If their team isn't one of those two, or they don't like football, then they probably get tired of hearing about it. But all I can say is, it sucks to be them.
(01/29/07 5:12am)
After losing their first dual of the season at Illinois last Sunday, Jan. 21, the No. 16 Hoosiers were looking to get back on the winning track against Ohio State this weekend.\nIn only their third Big Ten dual, the Hoosiers faced a Buckeye team that was coming off its own Big Ten loss, as it dropped a 26-12 decision against Penn State on Saturday. \nThough the statistics suggested the Hoosiers should have come out with the win, they lost to Ohio State, 19-14. Freshman Trevor Perry said the numbers were right and the Hoosiers (10-2, 1-2) should have won the matchup against the Buckeyes (6-4, 2-1).\n"I don't think they were better than their record said at all," said Perry. "We just have to win individual matches that we're capable of winning to come out with the dual victory."\nPerry gave one of the best performances in his young career as he earned a technical fall against Buckeye Tommy Priestly. The win improved Perry's record to 14-6 and 3-0 in Big Ten competition.\nThough Perry shined, many Hoosiers continued to lose close matches. Three of the 10 matches IU competed in came down to the wire, but Ohio State won all three. Perry said his team's inability to close out close matches makes it more difficult to earn wins in the Big Ten.\n"We have to win matches in order to get momentum," he said. "Three of our matches were losses in a situation that could have given us the dual."\nCoach Duane Goldman agreed with Perry's assessment.\n"Lately close matches have been our downfall," Goldman said. "Guys who are prepared and trained to win are finding a way to lose. This is the third week that tight matches cost individuals and the team a victory."\nAfter dropping two road duals, the Hoosiers return to Bloomington for the next forum and begin this stint against No. 1 Minnesota this Friday.\n"Being on the road is always tough," Goldman said. "It'll be nice to be at home, but we have top-rated Minnesota coming and it doesn't get any easier as we'll face more top 10 teams."\nIf there was a bright spot in the Hoosiers' loss besides Perry, it was No. 9 Angel Escobedo, who rebounded from his loss at Illinois. The loss was the first for Escobedo since Dec. 2, when the Hoosiers competed at the Las Vegas Invitational. Angel said he used his loss as motivation and hopes his team can do the same.\n"In my match I fell behind just like I did at Illinois, but I fought hard for a comeback win," Escobedo said. "I think our team needs to look at these losses and use them as motivation instead of putting our heads under our tails."\nThe Hoosiers face Minnesota on Friday and will attempt to overcome the woes that tainted an undefeated season.
(01/22/07 4:59am)
An unlikely sight was on display Friday night as Hoosier and Boilermaker fans sat side-by-side in the tight quarters of University Gym. The 2,500-seat gym was sprinkled with crimson and gold as patrons watched IU defeat Purdue 25-12 and improve to 10-0 on the season. \nNot less than two days after knocking off their in-state rivals, the wrestling squad lost to No. 16 Illinois on Sunday afternoon, 22-9.\nOn Friday, No. 9-ranked Angel Escobedo silenced Purdue fans quickly as he helped the No. 15 Hoosiers get off to a fast start against Purdue (10-1). Escobedo notched a 21-6 technical fall against Purdue's Brandon Tucker in the 125-pound match. \nEscobedo said that he has known about the rivalry his whole life and his first taste of Big Ten action was exactly what he anticipated. \n"I expected a heated battle and it was great to get my first Big Ten win against Purdue," Escobedo said.\nEscobedo set a winning tone for his teammates and gave a performance that he thought was beyond his years.\n"I think it showed a lot of maturity on my part in the way I performed," he said. \nThe Hoosiers won six of 10 matches, and after Escobedo's performance there was a string of close matches that were decided by one point. All of the one-point matches ended in Purdue's favor. Coach Duane Goldman said the Hoosiers performed well but still have to improve.\n"When IU and Purdue compete, all the statistics go out the window," Goldman said. "We did a nice job but need to work on turning around some of the close matches."\nGoldman went on to say that the tough practices and a good schedule helped them to come into the dual healthy and with some good competition under their belts.\nJuniors Brandon Becker and Marc Bennett pulled the dual out for the Hoosiers. The crowd cheered both wrestlers on when they won their respective matches with arms raised to the sky. \nNo. 7 Becker nabbed a 9-1 win when he earned a major decision over Jake Murphy of Purdue in the 157-pound match. He hadn't performed Dec. 29 at the Midlands Championships and said it felt good to be back and that he expected a victory.\n"Winning is what I work for, so I expect it every time out," Becker said. "This was definitely a great one to come back for and this was probably the best turnout since I've been here."\nAs the only active senior, No. 12 Bennett is one of the leaders and proved it with a win in the 184-pound match where he gained his fifth fall of the season and improved to 26-4.\n"This win was a great way to get some momentum heading into the rest of the Big Ten season," Bennett said. "This dual was way too close and I knew we were the better team so I didn't want to give the guy a chance." \nAgainst the Illini, Escobedo lost his first match since early December when Illinois' Gabe Flores built on his undefeated record. The Hoosiers earned two victories from Bennet and senior Josh Buuck.
(01/12/07 4:57am)
As the IU wrestling team practiced on the court level of Assembly Hall, the giant arena filled with intensity.\nCoach Duane Goldman paced back and forth, yelling "dig deep" to his wrestlers who tussled with one another in an attempt to put their opponents against the padded wrestling-room walls.\nThe Hoosiers competed against each other as if there were a national championship on the line, using every bit of strength and energy in their bodies. \n"This isn't wrestling, this is street fighting," Goldman told his players.\nThis sense of passion and determination on display has been a staple of this year's wrestling squad. Goldman said his team was able to practice harder during winter break in preparation for the Big Ten Conference competition.\nBut the Hoosiers will have to go through Eastern Illinois before facing a Big Ten foe. IU will travel to Charleston, Ill., to face coach Ralph McCausland and the Panthers on Sunday in Lantz Arena. \nIU might be somewhat familiar with the Panthers after competing in the same tournament last month. The Hoosiers placed fifth at the Midlands Championships while Eastern Illinois finished 27th. The Hoosiers will also get a chance to scope how they might stack up in the Big Ten. Eastern Illinois was 0-3 at the Purdue duals, and the Hoosiers open Big Ten competition against the Boilermakers at Assembly Hall on Jan. 19. \nThe matchup will pin a Panthers squad that is 0-4 in dual meets against an IU team that is 8-0 in dual meets. Still, IU junior 165-pound wrestler Max Dean said the Hoosiers will not overlook the Panthers, who he said would help warm up IU to Big Ten competition. Dean will use the match to work with some younger wrestlers on the squad, he said.\n"I plan to provide guidance as one of the more experienced guys," said Dean. "I'll let them know the good and bad while painting a realistic picture of what is mostly a mental game for talented kids like them." \nNo. 12 senior 184-pound Marc Bennett said he, too, won't look past his opponent, 184-pound competitor junior Greg Perz, who has a season record of 17-4, 4-0 in dual meets.\n"I don't worry about the rankings," Bennett said. "I expect everyone to be good and don't look past anyone."\nIU freshman Angel Escobedo won the Midlands in the Hoosiers' last time out, defeating an Eastern Illinois opponent en route to his 125-pound championship. He enters the dual with an 8-0. \n"I'm not going to let the win get to me," Escobedo said. "I'm just going to continue working hard at getting better in practice." \nGoldman said Eastern Illinois will help his team to compete in the Big Ten. \n"They do a good job and are a physical team that will challenge us," he said. "Big Tens are coming up in a week, and this competition will help us be ready to go"
(01/09/07 2:19am)
IU wrestling coach Duane Goldman announced Dec. 8 the signing of three top recruits to letters of intent last month. The recruits give more depth to a wrestling squad ranked No. 16 in the nation.\n"All three of these individuals are great wrestlers and exceptional students," Goldman said. "They are dedicated, hard-working student-athletes with high goals and great potential -- exactly the kind of people who we want representing Indiana."\nThe recruits -- Joe Fagiano, Matt Ortega and Reece Freeman -- have acquired numerous awards in their prep careers.\nFagiano, of Saint Patrick High School in Chicago, is a decorated member of his school's wrestling team where he won the 215-pound Illinois State Championship last year. Fagiano, in his senior season at Saint Patrick, is working toward his second consecutive championship. He was named the 2006 East Suburban Catholic Conference Most Outstanding Wrestler after winning the ESCC title and is ranked by Wrestling International Newsmagazine No. 10 in the nation at 215 pounds.\nOrtega is a three-time New Mexico state champion in three different weight classes. Ortega, like Fagiano, is seeking another state title.\nWhile leading Rio Rancho High School to a fourth-place finish at the Reno Tournament of Champions in December 2005, Ortega garnered a seventh-place finish at 119 pounds in the event. Ortega won the event twice before at 103 and 112 pounds before moving up to 119 last year. Ortega is ranked No. 12 in the 125-pound class by the magazine. \nFreeman is a Bloomington native and attends Bloomington High School South. Freeman's team won two sectional, regional and semi-state championships in his first three years. Freeman went 46-2 and placed fifth in the state as a junior. Freeman has a career record of 134-10 in his three weight classes and is the No. 1-ranked wrestler in Indiana at 119 pounds. \nIU freshmen wrestlers Paul Young and Kurt Kinser, who both attended Bloomington South, are Freeman's former teammates. Kinser said he thought Freeman would be a good fit for the team, but he thought Freeman would need make adjustments from high school to college wrestling.\n"You reach a lot higher level when you make the change to college from high school -- the adjustment tests character -- but I think he'll make the needed changes," Kinser said. \nYoung said Freeman possesses work ethic, toughness and leadership qualities.\n"While at Bloomington South he was always someone that I trusted to lead the team in the right direction," Young said. "He leads by example and motivates his teammates to do better; he's definitely helped me through some of the tougher practices"
(01/05/07 5:18am)
While most students were still reclining on couches at home over winter break, the IU wrestling team was on the road against challenging tough competition. The Hoosiers traveled to Illinois to compete in two separate meets.\nNo. 21 IU swept the FITE Duals at Rich East High School in Park Forest, Ill., and the Hoosiers placed fifth at the star-studded Midlands Championship at Northwestern in Evanston, Ill.\nOn Dec. 17, the Hoosiers competed against Southern Illinois at Edwardsville, Eastern Michigan and Harper in the FITE Duals. IU improved its dual-meet record to 8-0 when it swept the three schools, losing only one of 10 matches, and the Hoosiers finished with a 38-point average margin of victory. \nIU rode its momentum into the Midlands Championships hosted by Northwestern where four members of the team placed. As a team, the Hoosiers finished fifth in the Midlands Championships. Then-No. 7 Iowa State won the meet and No. 5 Iowa placed second. \nThe Hoosiers lost junior Brandon Becker to an injury in his third match of the Midlands Championships. \nCoach Duane Goldman said he was pleased with his team's performance.\n"Our team did really well and we were right in the thick of it," said Goldman. "But we could have placed higher if we had Brandon Becker." \nBecker had to take an injury default after rolling through his first two matches and didn't compete any further after taking a medical forfeit. Though Becker didn't finish the Midlands, he will compete Jan. 14 against Eastern Illinois. \nJunior Max Dean helped to pick up some of the slack left in the absence of Becker. He picked up a personal-best fourth place finish at 165 pounds. Dean said the success over break was rewarding and he was impressed by his teammate Angel Escobedo.\n"He showed everything that we knew he had in him," Dean said. "I was really happy to see him compete the way he is capable of." \nEscobedo flourished in both meets, pinning all three of his opponents at the FITE Duals and winning the 125-pound title at the Midlands Championship. The freshman is ranked No. 10 and won his matches in an average of about four minutes.\n"The Big Ten is the toughest conference, and I think winning the Midlands is a great confidence booster to go out and continue to win more tournaments," Escobedo said.\nEscobedo was also named the IU Athlete of the Week on Wednesday by the IU Athletics Department. Escobedo has improved to 23-2 on the season and leads the team with 10 pins. It was his first selection.\nThe Hoosiers also had impressive performances from some of their other members, with two fifth-place finishes by 133-pound sophomore Andrae Hernandez and 149-pound freshman Matt Coughlin. No. 12-ranked junior Marc Bennett also placed seventh in the meet.
(12/11/06 4:56am)
The recent selling of the Hoosiers' 1976 basketball championship ring has provoked many evaluations of the item itself. But what was lost among all the hoopla is the man behind the ring. \nThe first 1976 championship ring sold on eBay for $50,100 on Dec. 3. But this price does not capture the value put on the ring by its late owner Harold Andreas, former player Kent Benson said. \nBenson, a star center on the 1976 undefeated Hoosiers, said that a monetary tag had been placed on a ring that had sentimental value to the former assistant coach Andreas, as it was his first and only championship ring throughout many years of coaching. \nBenson received many accolades during his career as a Hoosier. He garnered the Most Outstanding Player of the 1976 NCAA tournament award and was the consensus All-American and Big Ten MVP of the 1976 season. He also scored 25 points in IU's 86-68 championship win against Michigan.\nBenson credits Andreas for helping him become one of the all-time greats in IU basketball history.\n"Coach Andreas was very instrumental in my career," Benson said. "He was a good friend who gave me a lot of encouragement."\nAndreas was a valuable factor in the championship dynasty, Benson said, as the former assistant coach spent long hours working tirelessly to help players become the best possible. \n"I was blessed to have him as a coach," he said. "He made a big effort to help me succeed, and we worked many hours after practice on my hook shot and the intangibles."\nMany credit Andreas for the formation of the 1976 Hoosier team as well. He gave former IU coach Bob Knight his first job at Cuyahoga Falls High School in Ohio. \n"He knew the game," Benson said of Andreas. "Knight obviously wanted him on his staff."\nBut where Andreas left his mark the most was on the players.\n"He had a genuine interest in the players," Benson said. "He wanted you to succeed on and off the court"
(12/04/06 5:10am)
Top competition was on display as IU competed in the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Friday and Saturday. The field boasted 49 teams, and IU coach Duane Goldman said this tournament was among the top two regular season events in the nation. The Hoosiers, who are currently ranked No. 17 according to RevWrestling.com, went up against some of these top teams and finished sixth with 89.5 points. \nIU presented a load of youthful talent, with six freshmen and one sophomore competing in the tournament. Big Ten Co-Wrestler of the Week Angel Escobedo was among the successful Hoosiers at the tourney. He was near the top of the field the whole way through, beginning with a 3-0 record on day one. Escobedo continued his winning streak on the second day, making an appearance in the 125-pound championship match against the No. 9 wrestler in the nation, University of Nebraska's Paul Donahoe. In a hard-fought match, Escobedo fell to Donahoe 2-1. \nEscobedo said his title as the Co-Wrestler of the Week helped him in competition at the invitational but also put a bit of a bull's-eye on his back. \n"I definitely felt that my title was helping me to gain confidence and respect out there," Escobedo said. "I also felt that guys gave me their best shot, but I like the grit of a hard-fought match." \nAnother notable finish among the young members of the Hoosier team came from Nick Walpole, 141 pounds, who, after being brought out of redshirt status to compete in the invitational, lost in an 8-0 decision to No. 7-ranked Dominick Moyer from Nebraska. Other strong showings came from Nathan Everhart, 194 pounds, who lost to the eventual winner of the tournament, No. 4-ranked Max Askren from the University of Missouri, in a 5-4 decision. Maurice Gunn, who filled in for Dave Herman in the heavyweight class, was 2-2 on the day after a 6-3 loss to The Citadel's John Buck. Freshman Trevor Perry was injured in his first match and didn't return to competition. \nTwo-time All-American junior Brandon Becker said he was pleased with the performance of his younger team members.\nCoach Goldman also said he was impressed by the young members of his squad, saying the competition would serve them well. \n"This was a great experience that will show our young guys the level they need to compete at," Goldman said. "It opened their eyes to the fact that they can compete on a national level." \nA number of veteran Hoosiers have been consistent in the season's early competition. Becker paced the veterans of the squad with a runner-up performance, losing in the 157-pound championship to No.2-ranked Brian Stith of Arizona State University in a 2-1 decision. Marc Bennett wasn't far behind, though he received his first taste of defeat in his first match after a 10-0 start to the season. Bennett battled back, improving to 17-2 on the season, but lost a match to enter the fifth-place championship. He defeated Raymond Jordan of Missouri in a 4-3 decision to take fifth in the 184-pound class. Matt Coughlin and Max Dean also competed well, taking third and sixth, respectively.\nThe early season success of the Hoosiers has some of their coaches and players looking toward the future with confidence. "I am really excited about this team," Dean said. "We have some young talent, but we can compete with the best in the nation"
(11/28/06 4:08am)
This weekend marked the most successful match of the still young IU wrestling season. IU scored a perfect 5-0 performance in its only home match this fall. Four members of the team also went 5-0 Saturday at the Hoosier Duals in Assembly Hall. \nFreshman Angel Escobedo, one of the four Hoosiers to finish undefeated on the day, said he was pleased with his performance.\n"It felt great to get back on the winning track," said Escobedo, a 125-pound weight class competitor who placed third at the MSU Open on Nov. 12. "I was a little shaky at MSU because it was my first official varsity meet, but my coaches helped me to regain the confidence I need to be the best."\nEscobedo pinned his four final competitors on the day en route to a 5-0 Saturday record. \nIU faced off against Appalachian State University, University of Oregon, Bucknell University, Cumberland University and Ohio University with a 30-point average margin of victory. IU opened competition against ASU, taking eight of 10 matches in a 38-9 win. \nThe Hoosiers continued their prevailing ways against Oregon. Escobedo made a pin 44 seconds into his match. He was helped by co-captains Max Dean and Brandon Becker who collectively led the Hoosiers to a 35-8 win over the Ducks. Dean also went undefeated on the day in the 165-pound weight class with a 4-0 record. He sat out against ASU. \nIn what Becker said was the toughest competition of the day, IU defeated Bucknell 44-3. Though the Hoosiers dominated, Becker said that all the matches were tough. \n"Every team fought hard, but Bucknell really competed, and every match was a little closer," he said.\nIU then went on to defeat Cumberland 41-6.\nIn their last match of the day, the Hoosiers faced the Ohio Bobcats. IU was sparked by winning its first six matches to take a 25-0 lead. In the heavyweight matchup against Ohio, IU's Justin Kuhn was defeated by Marcus Adelman, who outweighed Kuhn by 70 pounds. IU went on to defeat Ohio 31-9.\nMarc Bennett, who competes in the 184-pound weight class, was another Hoosier who went a perfect 5-0 on the day. Bennett gave credit to his younger teammates for his performance. \n"I have really good freshmen partners who helped me perform well this week," he said.\nBennett also said the effort of IU's competitors was pretty good, but the talent level was what made the difference in their wins. \nIU coach Duane Goldman said he felt that Escobedo stepped up and performed closer to what he's capable of. Goldman also said he was pleased with his team's performance. \n"I felt that everyone wrestled well and competed hard," Goldman said. "The matches we lost were because of mistakes, but there was always effort present"
(11/17/06 4:53am)
After a stellar performance at the Michigan State Open last Sunday -- in which 11 team members placed, including a first-place finish from junior Marc Bennett (184 pounds) -- IU heads into its second meet of the season in Columbia, Mo. at the Missouri Open Sunday.\nThe Hoosiers will compete alongside nearly 600 wrestlers from more than 20 schools. Programs that will be attending include Missouri, Illinois, Michigan State and Ohio State.\nThe Hoosiers entered this season as the No. 13-ranked team in the nation, according to TheWrestlingMall.com. After returning six starters from last season, the Hoosiers have some experience on their side, but they will have to make up for the absence of two-time NCAA champion Joe Dubuque, while adding 11 true freshmen to this year's squad. Coach Duane Goldman said they have talent but will have to overcome some early obstacles. \n"Getting Angel Escobedo will fill in for Dubuque," Goldman said. "We have a difficult schedule early in the season, so we'll have to speed up the learning curve and throw some of these younger guys into the fire." \nReturning starter and two-time All-American Brandon Becker will be one of the leaders on this relatively young team. He said he plans to mentor some of his talented freshman teammates. \n"Our young guys are really talented, and they're winners," Becker said. "I just plan to show them some tricks and lead them in the right direction." Becker said he wants to compete for a national championship through hard work and preparation. \nBennett was a solid starter on last year's team but stunned many patrons at the MSU open last week when he grabbed first place in the 184-pound slot. After building this momentum, Bennett said he will use his success as fuel for the rest of the season. \n"A lot is different now that I'm not cutting weight," said Bennett, who recently went up a weight class from 174 pounds. "I plan to be a lot more aggressive this year."\nAnother experienced member of the team is junior Max Dean, who made his second consecutive trip to the NCAA championship last year, after a fifth-place finish in the Big Tens. Dean is a team captain, along with teammate Becker, and said he appreciates his new title. \n"A lot more responsibility comes with being a captain; I'm honored but think that I've earned it," Dean said. "In the MSU Open a lot of experienced members won't compete, while younger members gain experience that they can apply to the team's success. \n"We're still trying to get unity among our team members while we get to know the freshmen," Dean said. "We have some hard work ahead of us, but I'm excited about this upcoming season"
(11/15/06 5:09am)
Sunday afternoon marked the culmination of one of the largest intramural flag football programs in the country. \nIU's flag football is second only to Ohio State, with 340 teams competing this season. The championships, held in John Mellencamp Pavilion, featured the 10 remaining teams in the five divisional championships. \nAn extensive day of football opened with the CO II division championship between the SK All-Stars and a team of athletic trainers named Renegade Rehabilitation. The SK All-Stars got off to a quick start, leaving the Renegades in need of resuscitation. Sophomore Joe Wagman made two one-handed circus catches while senior Allie Shook ended the game on an interception that propelled the All-Stars to an 18-0 shutout. Wagman said his squad's success was a product of teamwork. \n"We really have the best girls and mesh really well," he said.\nThe Wheeler Dealers added a comedic aspect to the Men's II final by outfitting their coach with a headset during the game. Sigma Pi C quarterback Dave Dytko broke a couple of long runs to put his team on top. The Dealers fought hard during a frantic two-minute drill in an attempt to tie the 14-6 game. But their dreams were crushed within the hands of senior Brendon Litwin when he snatched up the floating ball that he dropped on an earlier play in the series. Litwin went on to return his interception for a touchdown that sealed their 21-6 win. \n"I'm happy I was able to capitalize on a second chance after missing the first attempt," Litwin said. \nThe CO I game was the Cameron Troxell show. He was the catalyst for a huge day by the DU/Alpha Phi team that faced off against Friends will Friend. Troxell seemed to be involved in every play, accumulating two interceptions and a 66-yard touchdown catch. \n"I jut try to go hard after every ball," said Troxell. \nDU/Alpha Phi played stifling defense Sunday in a 31-6 blowout.\nIU softball assistant coach Tarrah Beyster led members of the IU softball team playing under the name Collective Action against Alpha Omicron Pi, who had their own coaches from Lambda Chi making play calls from the sidelines. After throwing an interception at the 1-yard line that gave possession back to Collective Action, Alpha Omicron Pi had to bat down a Collective Action pass late in the game to secure their 26-20 win. Alpha Omicron Pi was unaware Collective Action was out of timeouts near the end of the game, which would have altered their game plan to more of a rushing attack to keep the clock running.\n"I thought we were down and didn't know they were out of timeouts," said Stephanie Donlan. "That's something my coaches should have informed me of." \nCarrie Reading of Recreational Sports sang the national anthem before the start of the Men's I game. Former IU softball player and Collective Action team member Anne Rohlman came to the scorers table and expressed her dissension with the decision to only have the anthem sung before the Men's I game. \n"If we're all there playing for the championships, then why should the guys get special recognition?" she said. "I felt second-class." \nThe last game of the day was a showdown of the unbeatens between ATO A and Beta Theta Pi A in the Men's I final. The game was a defensive struggle until Beta scored 12 unanswered points in the last two minutes of the first half. ATO's morale rose when starting quarterback senior Matt Criscione arrived from Chicago at halftime. But Beta kept their composure, holding ATO scoreless and winning by mercy rule in their 19-0 win. Some competitive juices in the players spilled out after the game. Beta quarterback Adam Kielman said the game was revenge for their basketball loss to ATO in last year's intramural season, whereas Mike Hubbarth of ATO -- listed as "The Mike Hubbarth" in the flag football program -- made bold statements about the next season. \n"It would have been a whole different game if Matt was here," he said. "Just wait until next year"
(10/18/06 4:17am)
This weekend, while most baseball fans watched the Detroit Tigers sweep the Oakland A's, the IU club baseball team competed at Southern Indiana in a tournament made up of the 10 top club teams from the Great Lakes Region conference.\nEven though it was a preseason tournament, the Hoosiers still wanted to leave as champions, and each team was eager to get its season off to a good start.\nIU club baseball President Matt Ostrega said the team played as if the season were already in full swing.\n"It was a great tournament with some quality teams," said Ostrega. "A couple of our games had a playoff atmosphere because they were very close."\nIU played three games, competing against Miami University of Ohio, Ohio State and Ohio University. The Hoosiers finished 1-2 for the weekend after slow starts against Miami and Ohio that eventually led to losses.\n"I think we came out a little flat and didn't get some energy until it was too late," said Ostrega. "Unfortunately, we made too many mental mistakes on the base paths, as well as too many physical errors on defense."\nIU played No. 12 Miami in its first taste of action in the preseason. A few crucial errors helped the Redhawks score four runs early. However, the Hoosiers began to chip away at the lead in the fourth inning and scored twice to cut the lead in half. But the Hoosiers' success was short lived, as relief pitcher Adam Myers gave up four consecutive hits to Miami's top four hitters. The Hoosiers went on to lose 7-5.\nThe Ohio State contest was a different ball game, as the Hoosiers raced out to a 2-0 lead and grabbed another run in the third inning to push the lead to 3-0. But after a few costly errors, the game quickly turned, as the Buckeyes scored four times in the fourth inning. Senior Ostrega managed to get a single down the third base line, scoring runners who were on second and third to give the Hoosiers a 5-4 lead. IU later added an insurance run to win 6-4.\nIn their third game against Ohio, the Hoosiers played hard but caught some tough breaks that included two diving catches with runners in scoring position and a catch over the fence to rob a three-run homer off the bat of junior shortstop Erik Pedersen. A win against the Bobcats would have put IU in the championship bracket, but the Hoosiers went to lose 12-1.\nThe Hoosiers wanted more success from the tournament but are optimistic about the upcoming season, pitcher Sam Brashler said. Brashler said the absence of some players may have caused a problem in the team's chemistry.\n"I expect more from this team, and I still do," Brashler said. "We were missing some of our best players this weekend and made some mistakes that may have changed the outcomes of our two loses."\nFamily issues and untimely midterms cost the Hoosiers a couple of key players who might have helped out during their two losses in the tournament.\nThough the tournament results weren't precisely what the club expected, the Hoosiers gained much from the trip. \nClub baseball Vice President Adam Perlman said the experience will be beneficial because the team developed the determination it will take for them to get things done when their offense isn't clicking on all cylinders during the season. Perlman also said the team will have to sharpen up to have success during the season in the tough South Division of the NCBA Great Lakes Region.
(09/28/06 6:24pm)
When the term "hockey" comes to mind, it usually conjures up images of fast-paced play on the ice. But for the IU field hockey club, the action is all on the grass. \nClub president Audrey Matthias said the co-ed club offers a fun, relaxed environment for those interested in playing field hockey. \n"The field hockey club gives its members a continued opportunity to play field hockey after high school," Matthias said. "Playing a club sport can be a great place for meeting new people and gives you something to look forward to during the week."\nThirty active members comprise the club, six of them are men. \nThe field hockey team holds practices from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday in HPER 163 and 8:30 to 10 p.m. Wednesday at the Bloomington Sportsplex. \nThe team plays in the Tri-State League which includes college field hockey clubs from Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Currently, no Indiana high schools offer field hockey, a sport that is much more prevalent on the East Coast.\nOne aspect of the club is its promotion of teamwork and camaraderie among its members.\n"Good teamwork is a very important part of our experience because it brings everyone closer," said Cropper, a sophomore on the team. "Things have been really great." \nThe club began the season 2-0, with wins against Washington University in St. Louis 5-1 and the University of Miami of Ohio 8-1 over the weekend at home. \nBut Matthias is quick to point out that the club is not all about winning. \n"The objective is to have fun and play as much as possible without being too competitive," she said. \nEven though IU has both a club team and a varsity women's field hockey team, there is still a lack of knowledge about the sport, said Student Athletic board President Ryan Nietert.\n"I feel that field hockey is one of Indiana University's most underrated sports on campus," said Nietert. Last season, the women's field hockey team made it to the Elite Eight in last season's NCAA Tournament and is ranked No. 12 in the nation this season.\nStudents that would like to join the club field hockey team can e-mail fhockey@indiana.edu or visit www.iub.edu/~fhockey.
(09/28/06 4:09am)
When the term "hockey" comes to mind, it usually conjures up images of fast-paced play on the ice. But for the IU field hockey club, the action is all on the grass. \nClub president Audrey Matthias said the co-ed club offers a fun, relaxed environment for those interested in playing field hockey. \n"The field hockey club gives its members a continued opportunity to play field hockey after high school," Matthias said. "Playing a club sport can be a great place for meeting new people and gives you something to look forward to during the week."\nThirty active members comprise the club, six of them are men. \nThe field hockey team holds practices from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday in HPER 163 and 8:30 to 10 p.m. Wednesday at the Bloomington Sportsplex. \nThe team plays in the Tri-State League which includes college field hockey clubs from Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Currently, no Indiana high schools offer field hockey, a sport that is much more prevalent on the East Coast.\nOne aspect of the club is its promotion of teamwork and camaraderie among its members.\n"Good teamwork is a very important part of our experience because it brings everyone closer," said Cropper, a sophomore on the team. "Things have been really great." \nThe club began the season 2-0, with wins against Washington University in St. Louis 5-1 and the University of Miami of Ohio 8-1 over the weekend at home. \nBut Matthias is quick to point out that the club is not all about winning. \n"The objective is to have fun and play as much as possible without being too competitive," she said. \nEven though IU has both a club team and a varsity women's field hockey team, there is still a lack of knowledge about the sport, said Student Athletic board President Ryan Nietert.\n"I feel that field hockey is one of Indiana University's most underrated sports on campus," said Nietert. Last season, the women's field hockey team made it to the Elite Eight in last season's NCAA Tournament and is ranked No. 12 in the nation this season.\nStudents that would like to join the club field hockey team can e-mail fhockey@indiana.edu or visit www.iub.edu/~fhockey.
