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(01/21/11 5:49am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>There were four straight loses to avenge, a Big Ten record to improve and a home court to defend Thursday night for the IU women’s basketball team. Standing in its way was No. 12 Michigan State. The Spartans handed the Hoosiers their fifth straight loss by a score of 69-55. A late run by IU with just less than 10 minutes left in the second half was not enough to make up for the Spartans’ previous 30 minutes of energy.The Hoosiers (8-11, 2-5) did not have enough on defense to counter the Spartans’ (17-2, 5-1) persistent offensive attack. “Our fight was there, our desire was there, our hustle, our turnovers too, but it was through the work ethic,” IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said.Michigan State shot 44.7 percent from the field and scored 21 points off IU’s 19 turnovers, 17 of which came in the first half. The Hoosiers committed five turnovers in the second half, but the damage had already been done. Michigan State had trouble with turnovers as well with 27, but IU could not capitalize off those opportunities during the first half, which kept them behind the Spartans most of the way. The Hoosiers also had trouble stopping the Spartans’ three-point shots. Michigan State finished shooting 62.5 percent from behind the arc. IU senior guard Jori Davis noted that her team could have put more defensive pressure on the Spartans’ guards to prevent the threes. Senior guard Whitney Lindsay said that the team did not come firing out of the gate like they needed to.“The attack wasn’t there as much as it should have been,” Lindsay said. “The second half we attacked more. We need to do that in the beginning.”Lindsay finished with 16 points, second behind Davis’ 20. The Hoosiers finished shooting 41.7 percent from the field and converted four three-point shots. The Hoosiers now prepare to face Penn State in three days. “I think the last 10 minutes are what we are going to take to move forward to our next opportunity,” Legette-Jack said.
(01/18/11 2:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It was another tough night offensively for the IU women’s basketball team.The Hoosiers (8-10, 2-4) dropped their fourth in a row to No. 16 Iowa (15-4, 3-3) 71-51. IU shot 25.5 percent from the floor Sunday afternoon. The offense performance was outmatched by Iowa’s seven 3-pointers and their 36.4 percent shooting from the field. Coach Felisha Legette-Jack's team was outplayed from the beginning of the first half when Iowa jumped out to a 6-0 lead. The Hoosiers faced several large deficits throughout the game that were too much to overcome. In a game of runs, IU’s were never quite enough compared to the Hawkeyes’ offensive bursts. The Hoosiers were led in scoring by junior guard Alisha Goodwin. Despite playing only 15 minutes, Goodwin still finished the game with 14 points. Sophomore forward Aulani Sinclair contributed 12 points for the Hoosiers and senior guard Jori Davis finished with 10. The Hawkeyes were able to keep Davis, IU’s leading scorer, out of the offensive picture. Iowa’s pressure forced Davis to shoot 2-11 from the field. Davis also had six turnovers. The defensive effort that IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack stressed all season was there for the Hoosiers. IU forced 16 steals and 20 turnovers but only scored 12 points off those turnovers. The Hoosiers continuously put the Hawkeyes to the line where they scored 24 of their points. IU will look to fine-tune those areas when they take on Michigan State at home Thursday night.
(01/13/11 3:47am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After two straight Big Ten wins to start the conference season, the IU women’s basketball team will look to get back above .500 against Illinois(6-10, 1-2) at 7 p.m. today in Assembly Hall. In the past week, the Hoosiers (8-8, 2-2) have suffered two straight losses to No. 20/21 Ohio State and rival Purdue. IU will have a lot of work to do defensively with University of Illinois sophomore forward Karisma Penn. Penn averages a double-double with 16.8 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. The Illini are coming off a two-game losing streak that places them at 1-2 in Big Ten play. With Illinois averaging 64.1 points per game, the 55-point defensive effort the Hoosiers had against Purdue will need to carry into today’s game. IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack stressed the importance of turning that defense into offensive production.“We didn’t push it to score, we pushed it to just play the game, and that’s not who we are,” Legette-Jack said after the loss to Purdue. The Hoosiers have lived and died by the three this season, attempting more than 21 per contest. This might cause problems against the Illini who have held opponents 25.6 percent from beyond the arc this season. IU will continue to look for leadership from senior guard Jori Davis who won last week’s Big Ten Player of the Week award and is third in the Big Ten in scoring with 18.5 points per game. Production from senior guard Whitney Lindsay has improved after scoring 38 points in the last two games. Scoring from Lindsay helped take the defensive pressure off Davis and balanced the offensive attack.
(12/10/10 5:04am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Thursday brought two teams with early season win streaks into Assembly Hall. The IU women’s basketball team looked to ride the momentum of its upset of Nebraska, and the Miami of Ohio Redhawks sought a win against their only Big Ten opponent this year. The Hoosiers (5-4) could not overcome the Redhawks (5-3) in a back-and-forth battle that left IU on the losing end of a 67-61 game. “The story of a young team continuing to find its way,” head coach Felisha Legette-Jack said. “We are in the learning stage right now, and it is a young team that needs to continue to grow and mature.”Against Miami of Ohio, the Hoosiers’ shots did not fall. IU was 32.2 percent from the field and made only one three-point shot in 20 attempts. IU came into the game knowing it had to defend Redhawks guard sophomore Courtney Osborn and contain the inside presence of junior Maggie Boyer. Senior guard Whitney Lindsay was part of the defensive effort to stop Miami’s shooters but came up short Thursday night against Miami’s 42.1 percentage from the field. “I think we waited too late to pressure her (Osborn),” Lindsay said. “We just got to get better with that and pressure the whole 40 minutes and not just the end when we need it most.”Turnovers plagued both teams throughout the game. The defensive pressure of senior guards Andrea McGuirt and Lindsay helped force 26 Redhawks turnovers. However, IU was unable to capitalize, scoring only 19 points off of them. In the second half, a tempo increase by the Hoosiers led to a fast-paced see-saw basketball game to which the team has become more accustomed. However, several missed layups kept IU from pulling out the win in the end.All season, coach Legette-Jack has stressed rebounding and owning the boards. The Hoosiers were not strong enough to out-rebound the Redhawks, who won the rebounding battle 46 to 35. Senior guard Jori Davis once again found ways to lead her team in scoring and get to the free-throw line. Davis led all players with 31 points and went 15-of-20 from the free-throw line. The All-American candidate broke her own Big-Ten record for free-throw attempts. Davis’ performance still could not bring the Hoosiers the victory they wanted. “It’s a team effort, you know,” Davis said. “There’s always something you have to get better at as a team. The defensive intensity was not there tonight.”
(12/02/10 5:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU women’s basketball game today will be exactly how the name describes it — a challenge. The Hoosiers (3-3) travel to compete against Clemson (5-1) as part of the 2010 ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Hoosiers face a tall, strong opponent in the Tigers. Clemson has maintained a rebounding margin of plus-10.7 and has a tough inside-out presence.“If we pressure them a little bit, then we can get some turnovers,” coach Felisha Legette-Jack said. “Once they get in the frontcourt, it will be really difficult to defend that team.”Legette-Jack stressed rebounding, defensive pressure and, most importantly, a tough mental attitude this week in practice to overcome a tough Clemson team.“We finally outrebounded a team against Cleveland State,” senior forward Hope Elam said. “That’s definitely a key to win, outrebounding our opponent.” The bench contribution this season has helped the Hoosiers thus far. Elam, a product of that bench contribution, now moves into the starting lineup. She has contributed from 3-point range, hitting a team-high 14 3-point field goals.Senior guard Jori Davis echoed Legette-Jack’s need for mental toughness when speaking about the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. “Playing with a high level of IQ and really playing smart this game will help us, not so much the physical,” Davis said. “If we come focused, ... we definitely can beat them.”This year’s challenge features six teams ranked in the Associated Press top 25, and conference pride will be on the line. “It’s not just Indiana we are representing, it’s about the entire Big Ten,” Legette-Jack said. “You don’t want to be the team that didn’t defend the Big Ten.”
(11/22/10 5:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU women’s basketball team’s defense could not put a stop to No. 18 Georgia’s offensive output Sunday. Georgia (3-0) defeated the Hoosiers (2-2) in Athens, Ga. by a score of 84-51. IU was down early and could not seem to stop the Bulldogs’ runs throughout the rest of the game.IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack did see some positives from her team offensively as three players finished in double digits.“I love the fact that there were some good things that came from our guard play,” Legette-Jack said. “I think that our team has learned a lesson and will continue to get better for the month of March.”Senior guards Whitney Lindsay and Jori Davis finished with 13 and 10 points, respectively. Senior forward Hope Elam led the Hoosiers in another outstanding offensive performance with 16 points. After impressive 3-point shooting against Memphis, the Hoosiers shot only 25.9 percent from behind the arc in Sunday’s game.The Bulldogs were much stronger on the boards with a 44-28 advantage against the Hoosiers. Offense was the key for Georgia; the Bulldogs finished shooting 50 percent from the field. The team had 23 points off the Hoosiers’ 20 turnovers and had 28 points off the bench. IU’s next game is 7 p.m. Wednesday against St. Louis at Assembly Hall.
(11/19/10 5:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Thursday’s women’s basketball game pitted two fast-paced teams against each other. The aggressive offensive play of Memphis proved too much for the Hoosiers in the end. The 80-71 loss was the first for the Hoosiers (2-1) this season. The back-and-forth style of play did not favor IU in the second half when the Tigers’ endurance seemed to be at its peak. Momentum was on the Hoosiers side in the first half. They opened play with an up-tempo offense and strong shooting from the midrange and from outside the arc that the team had not shown yet this year. “I like the fact that we have done some things that I have not seen us do in a long time,” IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said. “The in-and-out game was there for us tonight, and it was not there last week.”The Hoosiers were tough to beat in the outside game during the first half. They shot 58.3 percent (7-for-12) from behind the arc before halftime but shot only 15.4 percent from long-range in the second half. Senior Hope Elam played possibly her best game for IU this season with three 3-pointers and 17 points. She was the recipient of a majority of those kick-out passes. Sophomore Aulani Sinclair also added 17 for the Hoosiers. The first half ended with a Memphis run that brought the Tigers within three points going into the locker room. The change in momentum carried into the second half with the Tigers outscoring the Hoosiers 50-38. In the second half, the Hoosiers said they saw a lot of things that went right in the first half go wrong. Senior Jori Davis attributed this to part of the loss. “The little things weren’t going our way,” Davis said. “They had our number so we just have to learn from it and keep pushing.”Davis finished with a game high 20 points. Jasmine Lee led Memphis with a double-double — 19 points and 12 rebounds. The Hoosiers were out-rebounded 44-39 by the Tigers. Turnovers were also a game changer. Memphis (2-1) had 27 points off of IU’s 24 turnovers. The Hoosiers must take this game in stride as they prepare for a game at 2 p.m. Sunday at No. 18 Georgia. IU will face a tall, strong and fast SEC opponent. “I think we just have to forget about this game and get better and move on to the next game,” Elam said. “Georgia is going to be a really good team and another challenge for us.”
(11/12/10 5:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU women’s basketball team is ready. The Hoosiers open the season Friday at Ball State. It is the team’s first step in looking past the issues of the 2009-10 campaign. The Hoosiers competed in two exhibition games this year that gave them a chance to identify and work out some key issues before regular season play begins. IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said she knows Ball State is going to be a relatively different team than she has seen in the past with the addition of two key freshmen. “You can try to prepare for them specifically, but you don’t know what you’re trying to prepare for,” Legette-Jack said. Instead, the Hoosiers have spent the week in practice focusing on things that the exhibition games exposed as problems — improving transition defense, sharing the ball better and rebounding. Defensively, IU wants to be ready to defend both inside and outside with the senior-freshman combination of forward Emily Maggert and guard Jordan Huber.“Maggert’s just an unbelievable player,” Legette-Jack said. “She’s a pristine player where everything she does just makes sense.”If the Hoosiers do chose to double up on her, they leave Huber behind the arc, where Legette-Jack describes her as a deadeye 3-point shooter. Legette-Jack and IU don’t plan to change their defensive strategy to try and combat the inside-outside combination. They plan to stay in their matchup zone and maintain their full court pressure. “We don’t change what we stand for,” Legette-Jack said. “It’s not secret what you do anymore, it’s just that your players need to be more aggressive than the other team.”
(11/12/10 3:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It’s not abnormal to see IU women’s basketball coach Felisha Legette-Jack anywhere and everywhere around IU’s campus. She’s not hard to miss, decked out in red or white and giving as many high-fives as possible. “We get excited about being in the gym, and we get excited about representing Indiana University and our women’s basketball program,” Legette-Jack said. “We do not make a secret of that.”That might explain why the coach rarely misses an event or opportunity where the student body will be present. Every occasion is another chance for her to spread the word about her passion for the women’s basketball program. Senior guard Andrea McGuirt has seen Legette-Jack’s excitement in many different ways. No matter where she is or what she’s doing, her energy and passion are always there, McGuirt said. Legette-Jack is not the average coach, players say. The emotion and motivation she brings to her team has helped them to work harder. Although junior forward Georgie Jones transferred midseason last year, she has quickly picked up on how influential Legette-Jack can be. “She motivated me even more to play,” Jones said. “She is one of those coaches that you want to do so well for and play so hard for her.”The motivation and passion the players talk about are a reflection of the way Legette-Jack grew up. Legette-Jack said her family had to earn what they needed. She said she was not the most naturally talented person on her basketball teams, so she had to outwork the rest of her teammates to have a role. ]“That just became my mantra, to outwork people,” Legette-Jack said, “and that is something I talk about as a coach now.”Legette-Jack said she expects more out of her players than even they know they have. Freshman center Simone Deloach said she has learned what her coach expects in the short time she has been at IU.“To be at this level, you need to be pushed past your limits,” Deloach said. “She gets that out of all of us.”Energy and passion are integral parts of IU’s practices, games and daily life. Legette-Jack said she has instilled that in them.“Every day, we try to go out and represent something bigger than ourselves, and it’s the passion behind that that becomes real great,” she said.
(11/05/10 3:40am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU women’s basketball team has a final chance to be comfortable on the court Saturday before regular season play begins. The Hoosiers play host to the University of Indianapolis in the team’s last exhibition game at 4 p.m. in Assembly Hall.IU will look to improve upon its first exhibition win against Alaska-Anchorage. In that game, IU was outrebounded and had 18 turnovers.IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said the continuing improvement and health of sophomore center Sasha Chaplin is crucial. “I love seeing Sasha Chaplin being out there again,” Legette-Jack said. “A healthy Indiana women’s basketball team is a fun team to watch, and I think our future looks bright if we can keep everyone healthy.”The Hoosiers will also look for continued success from senior forward Hope Elam, who had 15 points in the opener, including three 3-point baskets. Saturday’s game allows yet another chance for the team’s four freshmen to get comfortable in the program and understanding what it is like to play at the next level. Finally, IU has an opportunity to work out some more of the “nerves” from the first half of the Alaska-Anchorage game and bring the fun back to the court.“Once they started to have fun, they were able to do some great things,” Legette-Jack said.
(11/03/10 4:32am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It wasn’t an easy start of the season for the women’s basketball team. The Hoosiers opened exhibition play Tuesday against a formidable Division II team Alaska–Anchorage pulling away in the second half to win 72-49. “In the first half it seemed like everyone was on their own island,” IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said. “Not in a selfish way, but in a ‘I’m not sure if I’m ready to start the season, is this going to work out’ and kind of too much into the head stuff.”The first half was plagued with inconsistency and turnovers that had the Hoosiers playing catch up into the second half. At halftime, the Seawolves led 28-27.In the second half, IU slowed the tempo by moving the ball around the perimeter and looking for the quality shot instead of the quickest one. The Hoosiers opened the second session with a 12-3 run to take a 39-31 lead with 13:27 remaining. The Seawolves cut the lead to four midway through the half, but IU built on its lead as the 23-point final margin served as the largest lead of the game.Rebounding was a major aspect where Legette-Jack said she felt her team fell short. Alaska-Anchorage out-rebounded the Hoosiers 41-40.“The disappointment to see that another team came into our house and out rebounded us even by one a half isn’t good enough,” Legette-Jack said. “We have to take ownership of the glass.”Senior Jori Davis went 12-for-16 from the free throw line and sparked the Hoosier offense. She finished with 16 points. Although the team struggled in the first half, Davis also saw positives and ways the team could move forward. “We just came out and really worked hard,” she said. “These are the games where you get all the nerves out and work out the kinks so you can be prepared for the season to come.”The second half showed a much stronger team on offense. Senior Hope Elam did not let first-half shooting struggles keep her from putting the ball up in the second half. She finished with 15 points. “It was movement all together,” she said. “I think once we started actually giving that extra pass, I think a lot of us were recipients of scoring off of that extra pass.”Junior center Sasha Chaplin returned from an injury last season and was a prominent force inside for the Hoosiers on the offensive and defensive end. With 10 offensive rebounds, she was able to make up for the Hoosier’s first-half field goal struggles. Chaplin also added eight points and two blocked shots.
(10/14/10 3:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It’s a brand new season and a fresh start, which is exactly what the IU women’s basketball team might need. The squad officially opens its season Friday with Hoosier Hysteria.The Hoosiers will look to the leadership of their four seniors to move past the injuries and rough patches they encountered toward the end of last season. “Obviously we had a little detour that we had to take last year, but I think I’m excited about beginning again this year,” senior forward Hope Elam said. This year, the team has high expectations and goals of significant postseason play. Senior guards Andrea McGuirt and Jori Davis each spoke about hopes of a solid seasons and playing late into the year. “It’s getting to the NCAAs and winning a Big Ten championship or winning a Big Ten regular season,” Davis said. “Just accomplishing something a little bit higher on the ladder this year.”The climb up that ladder starts in a much more entertaining way with Hoosier Hysteria. Davis added that personality and entertainment is a key component for the women’s basketball team, and the players will be able to showcase it this week.“We show the fans that when they come to see us play, they will also be entertained,” Davis said. “It’s not just boring girls playing basketball. We can entertain you.”During the summer, team members each took a different approach in preparation for a successful season.Senior guard Whitney Lindsay spent her time getting mentally strong and is looking at different ways to help her team than in previous seasons. Chosen as one of 32 participants in Point Guard College’s “College Athlete” Session in August, Lindsay had an opportunity to grow in her understanding of the game. “I’ve always been able to contribute to the team, but this year I want to contribute more of a knowledge of the game, being a smart point guard instead of a fast point guard,” she said. With their final year beginning, the seniors are reluctant to dwell on the fact that they have only one year left. “I have a sense of urgency in my spirit,” Lindsay said. “I’m more just taking every moment in and trying to give it the best I can.”As the season approaches, each of the seniors knows her own expectations and how she hopes to achieve it.“For now I’m going to try to stay in the moment and focus on the team and what we’re trying to accomplish.” Davis said.
(09/30/10 1:37am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>That red bump or rash that just won’t go away could be more than just a simple irritation.In recent years, the number of healthy people suffering from Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, has increased.October is MRSA Awareness Month, and professors, students and doctors said awareness among healthy students and Bloomington residents should be raised.Senior Cassidy Kahn, a member of the IU swimming and diving team, learned firsthand how MRSA could quickly change a life. In 2008, Kahn had a rash on her legs for a few days before she suddenly became ill. The rash was caused by a MRSA infection. She was diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis, a rare flesh-eating bacteria with a high death rate. She said she was lucky to survive the infection. Through surgeries and physical therapy she fought her way back to being a member of the diving team. The senior now advocates for MRSA awareness.Oct. 2 is World MRSA Awareness Day, and Kahn said she is devoting time to help inform others how to spot MRSA and the risks of the infection. Starting today, Kahn will distribute brochures and Purell hand-sanitizer near the west entrance of the Health, Physical Education, and Recreation building. She, along with other volunteers, will be available to answer questions and pass along information about MRSA.Kahn said she hopes by bringing awareness to campus about MRSA and her struggle, people will do their part to spread the word.“It’s not one of those things that people can just brush off,” Kahn said. “People need to know what it is and what to look for.”Richard Hardy, a virologist and IU biology professor, said MRSA has arisen from other strains of staph aureus and become drug resistant.“These strains of staph aureus do not respond to antibiotics,” Hardy said. “So once they are inside the body they begin causing cell death.”There are two ways people acquire MRSA, Hardy said. The first is hospital acquired MRSA and the second, community acquired MRSA.Hardy said he supports the medical community’s claim that there has been an increase in the community acquired MRSA. About 1 percent of the population, he said, carries MRSA on their skin, and these people can pass the infection on when they come in contact with another person’s open wound.Mark Schwartz, a plastic surgeon in New York City who helped treat Kahn during her bout with the illness, said he has seen more seemingly healthy people diagnosed with MRSA.Schwartz said there is a lot of awareness in the medical community about how common MRSA is with healthy young people, but that information is not being spread to the masses.“When people are diagnosed, they are shocked because there is a lot of misinformation,” he said. “The population in general needs to be better aware so that perhaps it won’t have the stigma attached.”
(04/27/10 3:26am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Diving again was all junior Cassidy Kahn wanted. But during the past year, she has gotten more than that.Kahn’s accomplishments reached their peak for the 2009-10 season when she was awarded the 2010 Thomas A. Brady Comeback Award last week. The award is given to someone who overcame adversity or injury and returned to excel beyond expectations in their respective sport.After getting the news about the award, Kahn was elated.“It was this feeling in my stomach that I was really excited,” she said. “But I was kind of like, ‘Wow I never expected to win something for coming back.’”After coming close to death in a battle with neocrotizing faciitis, a flesh-eating bacteria, Kahn was told she may not walk again, let alone dive. In November, she proved her critics wrong when she took to the diving board in the Hoosierland Invitational.IU coach Jeff Huber described Kahn as an inspiration to himself and his team. He said that she reminds his team that training is a privilege and something you get to do, not have to do.The recovery process continues for Kahn even during the offseason. She said she believes she still has a trek ahead of her to get back to where she once was. Right now, however, she said she is doing as well as she can, if not better.Having gone through such a traumatic experience, Kahn sometimes wishes she could put it behind her, but she said it helps her through tough times in her life now.In hopes of moving forward with her career and life, she offered some advice to others that may be in her shoes.“If you love something, don’t let it go, even if someone says ‘No, it’s not possible,’” she said. “They aren’t telling you, you can’t try. You can always try, and you never know what can happen. Determination can go a long way.”
(03/25/10 2:41am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It has been a season of ups and downs for the men’s swimming and diving team.After a regular season in which they went 1-6 in dual meets, the Hoosiers finished fifth at the Big Ten Championships in February.Although most swimmers were done competing after that, two Hoosiers still have something left to prove.IU will send senior Aaron Opell and junior Doug Spraul to the NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships this week in Columbus, Ohio.The swimmers were selected to attend NCAA championships based on qualification times achieved throughout the season.Opell heads into competition with the top seed in the 200 breaststroke. His time of 1:54.00 is a school record and gave him an individual title at the Big Ten Championships, which were also held in Columbus. Opell also qualified for the 100 breaststroke.Sprual will compete in the 100 and 200 backstroke. He has been swimming well recently, finishing fourth in the 200 backstroke in his first championship final in the Big Ten Championship.The two men will look to continue the success the Hoosiers have had toward the end of the season. The team was plagued by injuries this season, but it pulled together for what IU coach Ray Looze said was its best possible performance at the Big Ten Championships. Last year, the Hoosiers finished 25th at the NCAA Championships with 25 points.
(03/22/10 2:48am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosiers made a strong impact on a national scale this weekend in West Lafayette, finishing 10th at the NCAA women’s swimming and diving national championships.With 10 swimmers and two divers, the Hoosiers ended up with 133 points and finished as the top Big Ten team.Many swimmers contributed to that point total, but senior Kate Fesenko was the star for IU.Fesenko went into the meet as the top seed in the 200 backstroke but was set to compete in four other events.On Friday, Fesenko was out-touched by less than .20 in the 100 backstroke. Fesenko said she showed her best time and was happy with her second-place finish but was looking forward to her events on Saturday.With the pressure on in the 200 backstroke, Fesenko delivered.She broke the school and Big Ten record with a first-place finish. Fesenko is the first IU woman to win an NCAA swimming title.“I don’t really think about winning or losing. I was ready to race and give my best to try to win,” she said. “It is a great feeling, and representing IU is really important to me.”After Fesenko’s win, the team continued to fight for points and a top-10 finish.There were 281 athletes selected to compete based on times recorded throughout the season, and IU was one of only 11 schools to send a double-digit number of swimmers.The Hoosiers struggled after the first day of competition, and the team was not happy about it.“We were 23rd after the first day, and I know we all did not want to be 23rd,” junior Ashley Jones, who finished seventh in the 400 individual medley, said. “The next day we came out ready and swam really well.”The determination moved IU up the rankings each day.It was the Hoosiers’ third year in a row with a top-10 finish, but this year is special to to IU coach Ray Looze.“I don’t think anyone would have picked them to win the Big Ten title or be a top-10 team,” Looze said.Senior Amy Korthauer dove well in the platform competition on Saturday, placing fifth in the event.The Hoosiers also excelled in the relays with a fifth-place finish, a school record, in the 800 freestyle.Other top performances came from sophomore Marguax Farrell with a new school record and 11th-place finish in the 200 freestyle and sophomore Nikki White, claiming 12th in the 1,650 freestyle, 14th in the 200 freestyle and 15th in the 500-freestyle. Sophomore Allysa Vavra finished 14th in the 200 breastroke.The team’s individual and overall performances in this meet and throughout the season are some of the best in school history. The Hoosiers set and broke records all year to culminate in an excellent showing at the national championships.“It’s a testament to where the program is going,” Looze said. “We just like to work everyday, prepare and get what we deserve.”
(02/24/10 3:58am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The No. 25 IU men’s swimming and diving team, winless in dual meets since defeating Northwestern on Oct. 23, will attempt to avenge losses when the Men’s Big Ten Championships begin today in Columbus, Ohio.IU has not, however, concentrated on dual meets this year as much as it has in the past.“We have pretty much put it all on the line for this meet,” senior Kevin Happ said. “It may not have shown throughout the year, which is why it is mentally hard.”There is still a long road ahead for the Hoosiers. The men’s side of the Big Ten is loaded with tough competition. Five teams, including IU, are ranked in the top 25, with No. 8 Michigan appearing to be the overall favorite.IU coach Ray Looze, coming off a Big Ten Championship with the women’s team, said the men have trained with the women, and he is confident they can go in and show results indicative of that training.The bar, however, is set low.“We’re probably predicted to finish eighth,” Looze said. “So if we finish any higher than that, I think we have done a phenomenal job.”The swimmers are ready and eager to prove to other teams what they have been working on. It will take fast times and good leadership to do something that will surprise the competition.Junior Bryan Chovanec is one of the leaders Looze and other swimmers will look to this week. Chovanec knows the Hoosiers have struggled in dual meets this season, but he thinks that, at this point, it will only help them.“We have already been down as far as we can go,” he said. “There is only room to go up. This meet will definitely be our breakout meet.”
(02/22/10 5:16am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The decisive win the IU women’s swimming and diving team had been looking for all year could not have come at a better time. The No. 14 Hoosiers became back-to-back Big Ten Champions on Saturday, finishing 185.5 points ahead of second-place Minnesota.For the seniors, this means three conference championships in their four-year careers.The Hoosiers went in as the underdogs but were first after day one. The team struggled in the second day this year, though, as is has in years past, falling to third. “We were only 14 points behind the first team and after that day everyone knew it was going to be a good weekend,” senior Donna Smailis said.Smailis set a school record in her first-place finish in the 100-meter freestyle.IU coach Ray Looze said he expected a far worse scenario after the second day.“Even though we were in third place, it was a confidence builder because we could have been in a big hole,” Looze said. “We were pretty fired up sitting where we were.”IU only went up from that moment.With seven individual titles and two relay wins, IU swam faster than it had all year by setting school records, career bests and NCAA “A cuts” — automatic qualifying times for nationals.Junior Allysa Vavra finished first in the 400 individual medley with the second-fastest time in school history and an NCAA A cut.“I never thought I could go that fast,” Vavra said. “That was actually faster than my goal time. It’s kind of weird to even get an ‘A’ time because those times are insanely fast.”Senior Kate Fesenko set two Big Ten Records in the 200 butterfly and 200 backstroke. She remains undefeated in the latter event this season.Fesenko was named Big Ten Swimmer of the Year, Taylor Wohrley was named Big Ten Freshman of Year, seven swimmers and one diver were First Team All-Big Ten, and three swimmers were Second Team All-Big Ten.The number of women receiving honors is reflected in Looze’s comments that it was a complete team effort.“I have to credit all the girls, from the divers to the swimmers to the freshman to the seniors and everyone in between,” he said.Sophomore diver Gabby Agostino led the divers with a first-place finish on the platform and third in the 1-meter springboard competition.The final day ended with yet another record-breaking performance. Smailis, sophomore Brittany Strumbel, Wohrely and sophomore Margaux Farrell set a school record in the 400-meter freestyle relay, breaking the old record by nearly three seconds. Some people might not have thought the Hoosiers could swim as fast as they did, but Looze said the IU coaching staff did.“We believed in them,” Looze said. “We talked to them all the time how if you really prepare well and work hard when you’re supposed to, good things like this can happen.”
(02/17/10 5:58am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU women’s swimming and diving coaches gave each swimmer a T-shirt with a target on the back during this week’s practice. This is exactly what the No. 14 Hoosiers will have when they step foot in West Lafayette to defend their Big Ten title.It has been more than three weeks since the Hoosiers’ last victory against a Big Ten team, and the women will have their work cut out for them if they hope to repeat as champions, IU coach Ray Looze said.“We are kind of going in as the underdog,” Looze said. “I would say Minnesota is the overwhelming favorite. We are really going to have to work some IU magic to do anything with them.”Senior Kate Fesenko remains undefeated in the 100 and 200 backstroke in her Big Ten career, and although keeping her streak alive would be nice, it is not prevalent on her mind.“Winning the championships for the second time in the row is going to be the most important thing for everyone,” she said. “It’s well more important than individual titles.”A championship title would mean a third ring for senior Donna Smailis, but to do that, IU will have to qualify women in every event.The coaching staff told the swimmers they would have to have at least two girls in each final, but Smailis knows not to worry about the numbers and averages.“Swimming is really simple,” she said. “They just tell you to swim without your head so you don’t think about it. Just have fun and you’ll swim fast.”The divers have also been strong for the Hoosiers as of late. Several divers will be coming off outstanding performances at the Winter Nationals last weekend, and those who did not compete are ready for their shot.“They are all well above their personal bests, so that is very motivating,” IU diving coach Jeff Huber said. “It is all there; you just have to tweak it a little bit.”Huber said he believes they will be just as competitive as everyone in the conference and has been preparing his divers with rehearsal performances so there will be no surprises.It is often difficult to defend any title, and the Hoosiers know this. That is why Looze wants his swimmers to keep their mindsets in the present week.“I don’t really see us as defending a Big Ten title,” he said. “We tried to sort of put that out of our heads and focus on the here and now.”
(02/17/10 5:57am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU women’s swimming and diving coaches gave each swimmer a T-shirt with a target on the back during this week’s practice. This is exactly what the No. 14 Hoosiers will have when they step foot in West Lafayette to defend their Big Ten title.It has been more than three weeks since the Hoosiers’ last victory against a Big Ten team, and the women will have their work cut out for them if they hope to repeat as champions, IU coach Ray Looze said.“We are kind of going in as the underdog,” Looze said. “I would say Minnesota is the overwhelming favorite. We are really going to have to work some IU magic to do anything with them.”Senior Kate Fesenko remains undefeated in the 100 and 200 backstroke in her Big Ten career, and although keeping her streak alive would be nice, it is not prevalent on her mind.“Winning the championships for the second time in the row is going to be the most important thing for everyone,” she said. “It’s well more important than individual titles.”A championship title would mean a third ring for senior Donna Smailis, but to do that, IU will have to qualify women in every event.The coaching staff told the swimmers they would have to have at least two girls in each final, but Smailis knows not to worry about the numbers and averages.“Swimming is really simple,” she said. “They just tell you to swim without your head so you don’t think about it. Just have fun and you’ll swim fast.”The divers have also been strong for the Hoosiers as of late. Several divers will be coming off outstanding performances at the Winter Nationals last weekend, and those who did not compete are ready for their shot.“They are all well above their personal bests, so that is very motivating,” IU diving coach Jeff Huber said. “It is all there; you just have to tweak it a little bit.”Huber said he believes they will be just as competitive as everyone in the conference and has been preparing his divers with rehearsal performances so there will be no surprises.It is often difficult to defend any title, and the Hoosiers know this. That is why Looze wants his swimmers to keep their mindsets in the present week.“I don’t really see us as defending a Big Ten title,” he said. “We tried to sort of put that out of our heads and focus on the here and now.”