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(06/20/10 11:46pm)
The IU Athletic Department honors several athletes at the end of each
academic year as the Indiana Athletes of the Year. The 2010 winners for
the female award were seniors Molly Beckwith and Kateryna Fesenko. For
the men, sophomores Alex Dickerson and Derek Drouin were chosen.
(06/16/10 9:59pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>FROM IDS REPORTS“Back home again in Indiana” has a new meaning for Chris Estridge. After spending two years at Wake Forest, the former 2007 Indianapolis Player of the Year will transfer back to his home state to play for the Hoosiers. The 2008 Brownsburg High School graduate played in 26 games with the Demon Deacons. “We are excited to bring Chris back home to Indiana,” IU men’s soccer coach Todd Yeagley said. “Chris is a very talented and versatile attacking player who we feel can have an immediate impact next fall.”Estridge was named to the 2007 Indianapolis Star Super Team, and led Brownsburg to four Hendricks County Championships. Estridge will bring his talent back to Indiana for a multitude of reasons. “I felt like I could do well at Indiana and that it would be a good fit for me as a player and student,” Estridge said. “Being so close to home is certainly a plus as well.”Estridge is hoping he will be able to make an early impact, he said. “I first plan to come in and work hard for the team and do as best I can,” Estridge said. “If I can get myself into a starting position and make an immediate impact that way, then that is great, but it is certainly all about the team first and trying to help the team out as much as possible.”Coming back also revisits a decision he made during high school recruiting. “Indiana had originally recruited me to play, and it was a very difficult decision between Indiana and Wake Forest,” he said. “I am just excited to now get to come back to Indiana.”— Candice Rohrman
(06/14/10 12:58am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Winning a national championship once is something many athletes spend their whole lives dreaming about and never get the chance to achieve. But sophomore Derek Drouin has managed to win not one, but two NCAA National Championships in the same year.The high jumper snagged the top spot during the 2010 Indoor National Championships and again at this past weekend’s 2010 Outdoor Championship in Eugene, Ore., after jumping 2.26 meters. Drouin is the first Hoosier to ever win indoor and outdoor titles in the same event and in the same calendar year.Drouin said that initially during his freshman year, it had been his goal to just make nationals by his sophomore year.“It’s just really surreal right now,” Drouin said of his success and his two championships.“It feels awesome,” he continued. “It was a sweet victory. My goal in each competition is to get the first attempt. I try to not look at others. It got a little nervous here at the end ... the fans here at Hayward Field were incredible. I can’t wait to compete here again.” Drouin, although only in his second year of eligibility, holds the IU high jump record and is a three-time All-American.The Hoosiers left Eugene with four other athletes earning All-America honors and three athletes placing in the top five of their events.Senior Molly Beckwith became IU’s third All-American all-time in the 800-meter with her second-place finish of 2:02.14, a personal best and the second best in IU history. Beckwith improved on her career-best time by .04 seconds in Friday’s final, but she was still .74 seconds behind the winner, Tennessee’s Phoebe Wright.However, Beckwith did accomplish an obstacle she set for herself after cruising to a win in her prelims heat.“I’m very, very consistent at 2:03, and I feel very comfortable there,” Beckwith said. “I know on Friday I’m going to have to get out of my comfort zone a little bit, and I’d really like to see what I can do.”Beckwith was able to push past that 2:03 comfort mark and earn a podium finish, as well as All-America honors for the second time.“I was really happy with how it went,” Beckwith said. “I felt composed, I passed at the right times, and I didn’t make any unnecessary moves, so I was really happy about it.”Also finishing within the top five was junior Sarah Pease, who finished fourth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, an improvement from her 2009 nationals finish of seventh. Pease has now earned All-America honors in back-to-back seasons in the steeplechase.Pease, after qualifying for the finals, said she would like to beat her personal record and finish in the top three in the finals. Her time of 9:56.91 was good enough for a personal best and beat her previous personal best, which was also a school record.“I really would have liked to be top three, but I didn’t do it, so I’m happy with fourth,” Pease said. “It’s an improvement from last year, and next year I’ll just try to get better.”While she may have not gotten her desired top-three finish, she did have the highest outdoor finish for a Hoosier in an event longer than the 800-meter since 1987, when Colette Goudreau finished third in the 3,000-meter. While Pease could have easily been disappointed about not making her goal, she instead was optimistic about how far she had come and about the next step, the USA Track and Field Jr. and Sr. Championships.“I wanted to be top five at the beginning of the year,” she said. “I ran my first one and I ran 10:05, and I thought, ‘You know, maybe I can get a top five,’ and then cominginto the meet it was probably top three, but I’ll take fourth and just get ready for USAs.”The Hoosiers’ other two All-America honorees were both in field events. Senior Jeff Coover finished tied for fifth place in the pole vault, and junior Faith Sherrill came in sixth in the shot put. Coover, with his finish, became a four-time All-American and is only the third Hoosier pole vaulter to ever accomplish that feat, following former greats Dave Volz and Mark Buse.Four other Hoosiers who made the trip to Eugene all finished in the top 15 in their events. In the 5,000-meter, sophomores Ben Hubers and Andrew Poore finished in 12th and 13th place, respectively. Freshman Kelsie Abhe finished 14th in the pole vault, and junior De’Sean Turner came in 12th place in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. The next step for several of the Hoosiers is USAs June 24-27 in Des Moines, Iowa.
(06/14/10 12:48am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Rumors have run rampant across the country about the reshuffling of conferences and which schools could end up as members of the Big Ten Conference.Could Texas come? Would Oklahoma follow? What about Missouri or Maryland?For now, only one school will definitely be joining the Big Ten: the University of Nebraska.The first academic institution added to the conference since Penn State joined in 1990 was chosen because of its similarities with the current conference and because it just “fit.”“By unanimous vote, the Big Ten Presidents and Chancellors are pleased to welcome the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to the Big Ten Conference,” said Lou Anna K. Simon, Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors chair and Michigan State president.“We believe Nebraska is an extraordinary fit, reflecting the criteria we established at the beginning of the process — high academic quality, competitiveness, cultural compatibility and fiscal responsibility.”Even though Nebraska is a much smaller campus than most of other conference schools, with just over 23,000 students, it was compatibility — not athletic championships, school size, or even the public’s perception of what Nebraska could bring to the Big Ten — that was the key to making the expansion move.“I’m convinced that 21 years ago, and for the last 20 years, we made as good an expansion choice with Penn State as any other expansion in the country because of the similarities and the fit between Penn State and the Big Ten conference,” Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany said. “I am equally convinced today as we stand here that Nebraska will be a great member of the Big Ten, not only on the playing fields, not only in the classroom, but because of the cultural fit and the geographic fit and the desire to be a member of the Big Ten conference.”Nebraska Athletics Director and former Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne echoed the Big Ten’s reasoning.“The Big Ten Conference has much to offer,” Osborne said. “This is a tribute to our athletic program, our academic programs and our fans. This is the right move at the right time. This is a rare opportunity that may not have been an option for us in the future.”However, while critics believe the school’s athletic programs outweighed all else in the expansion decision, another primary reason the Big Ten chose Nebraska was due to academic similarities.Nebraska, like many of the other Big Ten institutions, is a member of the Association of American Universities. Sixty-one American and two Canadian universities are members of the nonprofit association. The AAU’s primary focus is to provide universities funding for research and both graduate and undergraduate education.Why Nebraska?Academic reasons and cultural similarities don’t do it for everyone. Why Nebraska instead of Texas, whose athletic department made a NCAA-high $138.5 million in revenue over the past two years and boasts teams that compete for championships in nearly every sport? Or why not Oklahoma, which has made three trips to the BCS National Championship game over the past 10 years? There are several other seemingly more successful, particularly in recent years, institutions within the Big 12. However, looking at Nebraska’s strong football tradition and history, it fits right along with another Big Ten historical football program, Michigan. Like Michigan, the Huskers have one of the largest football fan bases in the country, having sold out 304 straight home games, an NCAA record. They also have been successful academically in football, with 98 Academic All-Americans all-time, the most in NCAA history. Historically, the team has been successful on the field too, as it has won five national championships since 1970 and is one of eight Division-I programs to have more than 800 wins. Nebraska is the fourth-winningest program in history, and in the last 50 years, it is the best NCAA football program in both the number of wins and winning percentage. The Huskers are 827-341-40 all-time.But Nebraska is much more than just a football stronghold, as it has had several other sports routinely play for championships and in postseason tournaments, including baseball and volleyball. The Huskers volleyball team has won three national championships and appeared in 11 Final Fours in the 35 years the program has existed. Baseball success has been more recent, with three College World Series appearances in the last decade. Who’s next?It seems as if the Big 12 conference will soon be defunct, as ESPN reports rumors about schools looking for other options. Some are reportedly thinking of following Nebraska. The Big 12 is now down to 10 teams after Colorado bolted for the Pac-10 Conference.It is currently unknown if the Big Ten will pursue any of the remaining Big 12 schools. “At this point, I think as far as we’re concerned, it’s my understanding there aren’t any other (Big 12) conference members being considered by the Big Ten,” Big 12 Conference Commissioner Dan Beebe said.For now, the Big Ten seems content with just adding Nebraska, but Delany left room for a chance for more expansion.“I want to go back to our presidents. I want to talk to our athletic directors, take a deep breath and sort of see what the possibilities might be,” Delany said.But he made sure to not rule out the so-called “power conferences” that many believe could come from the Big 12 disassembling.“We’re still going to be open and aware of what’s going on around us,” Delany said. “We’re going to continue the study process. I don’t think that the change that is in play is going to abate anytime soon. It could be lesser change than a lot of people speculated — maybe it’ll be something as seismic as others have speculated on. We’re stronger today than we were yesterday as a result of Nebraska’s application to the Big Ten and their unanimous acceptance into the Big Ten.”
(06/09/10 11:10pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In 1950, the United States shocked England 1-0 in a World Cup match, a game that has been fondly referred to as the “Miracle on Grass” and one that has been portrayed in both book and film form. Now, 60 years later, the U.S. Men’s National Team is looking for a repeat.The 2010 version is also hotly anticipated, as ESPN has billed the match “the biggest game of the World Cup.” There is much more than a game at stake, as the winner between the two will most likely determine who wins Group C. The United States seems to have the upper hand in momentum, as it has put up two solid wins in its final games before World Cup action, defeating its opponents 5-2. But things haven’t been looking so hot for England. While it recorded wins versus Japan and the South African club Platinum Stars, it looked uninspired on the field for long stretches and failed to create many attacking chances. However, with head coach Fabio Capello, England comes into the World Cup as one of the favorites to win the Jules Rimet Trophy, which is given to the winner of the World Cup. Capello has won a championship in seven of his 16 seasons as a coach, and if not for a referee scandal, he would have nine titles. His chances for winning the World Cup only increase due to the strong squad he has put together, featuring forwards Wayne Rooney and Peter Crouch, midfielders Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, and defenders Rio Ferdinand and John Terry, among others. Center defender Ferdinand, who was set to captain the English side, suffered a knee ligament injury in the squad’s first training session and was forced to withdraw from the squad. Michael Dawson replaced him. Also benefiting the English is Rooney’s play as of late, scoring 26 goals this past season for Manchester United and 34 goals in all competitions. He has a unique skill set, able to score from far or close, with his head or with his feet, and he has the speed to get by even some of the fastest defenders. However, England’s defense, once a solid point for the team, has suffered greatly due to Ferdinand’s injury, and the United States will look to exploit this chink in the British armor. However, injuries are never something teams, even rivals, like to focus on. “I’m devastated for him (Ferdinand) as well, as I’m sure most of his friends and his teammates are,” U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard said. “How will it affect the team? I don’t know. I think they’re all very strong characters, and as the week goes on they’ll be fully prepared. We’ve had a good teammate of ours go down and not make the World Cup. That was a little while ago, but it still hurts.”However, it could prove to be a breaking point for the England squad, as several U.S. players have exhibited strength against weaker defenders. Last year, Jozy Altidore proved he could out-muscle his opponents when he took the Spanish defense to task in the United States’ shock 2-0 victory during the Confederations Cup, and half a season in England with Hull F.C. should help him once kickoff begins. Add to that the wide play from Clint Dempsey and U.S. captain Landon Donovan, and the English defense will have its hands full.Only time will tell who leaves “The Revolutionary War: Round 2” victorious, but either way, the United States will go in confident. “If we didn’t believe that we could, why would we be here? It wouldn’t be right,” U.S. midfielder Clint Dempsey said. “I shouldn’t be part of this team if I didn’t feel we can do something special. Every time you put on the U.S. jersey, you should think you can do a good job. If you don’t, you shouldn’t be here.”
(06/06/10 11:53pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Very few things seem to send IU coach Tom Crean into a rage. Bad calls rarely send him off the bench, even during closely contested games, but mention cutting extracurricular activities and he responds with technical-deserving behavior. However, Crean is not alone. He is one of many who responded with shock and fury about the recent teacher contract changes at the Monroe County Community School Corporation. The agreement will cut stipends for extracurricular activities, which includes sports, music and all other after-school activities. The stipends will be cut for one academic year. “It’s beyond sickening to see this and I don’t just say that as a coach,” Crean tweeted. “I say that as a tax paying resident of Bloomington and a father of 3 children in the school system.”Crean continued his Twitter rant, complete with capitalized words and exclamation points, clearly upset the district had made this decision. Those directly affected were even more disturbed. “It was absolute surprise and shock,” Bloomington High School North track coach Ernie Clark said. “I never expected people to vote for something that could ruin so many opportunities for kids.” Many kids are told through grades K-12 that grades alone won’t grant them the acceptance letter into a good college. Extracurricular activities are typically what students use to help their applications stick out, and losing those programs could hurt upperclassmen who are trying to get into college. Something else that will most likely suffer is the scholarships that seniors-to-be could lose, as after-school programs they excelled in could lose funding for their final year of high school. Although the new contract will reinstate several librarians, it does not provide money for the teachers that ran after-school organizations and clubs, or any money for any of the coaches at Bloomington North or South High Schools. “Surely common sense and all of our children’s futures were put on hold for a few hours when that decision was made,” Crean tweeted. “Not ‘what were you thinking?’ but ‘why weren’t you thinking?’“There has to be a better way!”Unfortunately, finding another way will be difficult, as raising that kind of money will be hard to do in the short time before the MCCSC school year starts. “I honestly don’t know what the options are, but I think there are many rules and regulations keeping it from being too simple or easy,” Clark said. “I think it is going to be tough to find other solutions.”Finding other options will be the key to keeping the current coaches in their Bloomington High School positions. If a solution cannot be found easily, many of the coaches might begin to reconsider the commitment they originally delegated when they were still being compensated. “The truth is that I am in coaching for kids, but it is a lot easier to justify, internally, getting paid a little bit for a lot of time than it is to volunteer a lot of time,” Clark said. “I don’t believe people realize how much time good coaches put in. Most of us make under $1 an hour in MCCSC for our coaching jobs.”Bloomington South Athletic Director J.D. Holmes agreed, saying it would be hard to stay and essentially work for free. “I would think that there will be some (coaches who leave), if not all, not coach for nothing ... It’d be hard for me to coach for free now at this time,” Holmes said. It’s just more of a principle thing than it is about the money sometimes.”But to many of them, it’s not about the compensation. “I’ve already committed to staying, definitely this coming season I’m coaching,” Bloomington North soccer coach Victor Kaponosore said. “After that, we’ll see.”Even as a much higher-paid college coach, Crean realizes it’s not about money. “My first three years of coaching both as a assistant at my High School and at Alma College I made 700 dollars total,” he tweeted. “Most don’t get in to get wealthy. They do it because of PASSION, DETERMINATION AND A DESIRE TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE EXCEL!”The contesting of the new contract will continue presumably until the MCCSC finds a way to pay the teachers and coaches who devote their free time to these extracurricular activities. Until then, many will try to figure out whether to stay or move their family and already-established roots away from Monroe County. “I can’t justify, to myself, volunteering all of these hours to other people’s families while my family sits at home without me,” Clark said. “It just doesn’t feel like the right thing to do.”
(06/03/10 12:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Recent graduate Sam Olson will never forget his first public relations class — not because of his grade, the projects or even the people taking the class with him, but because of the professor. “Beth Wood truly cared about her students,” Olson said. “Rarely ever have I had a professor that is so approachable and makes herself readily available to all her students whenever they need it.” Wood spent seven years lecturing and teaching at IU before she lost her battle with lung cancer in Nov. 2009. However, she did much more than just teach public relations. Michael Evans, the associate dean for Undergraduate Studies at the IU School of Journalism, said Wood essentially founded the PR program in her time with the University. On Saturday, Wood will be honored through an American Lung Association Lung Walk in Carmel, Ind. The walk will raise money for the 35 million people currently suffering from chronic lung disease in the United States. The walk, which offers both a 5-kilometer and a 1-mile option, will serve as the second of three outings to help those with chronic lung disease. The two options are offered because some participants are currently dealing with lung disease and want to participate in the event without overwhelming themselves. “Generally, most of our participants finish the entire 3.1 miles,” said American Lung Association Special Events Manager Liz Zuercher. “Occasionally some of the folks that are doing the 1-mile route do need assistance with wheelchair assistance or something with that fashion to cross the finish line.”While the location for the walk is in Carmel, it is held at the Monon Center, which was chosen for the walk because of its ideal location, its good relationship with the Lung Association and free parking for the participants. The park also donates the property use, allowing the Lung Association to keep its costs down, Zuecher said. Honoring Wood is important for many of her former students. “She made it so much more than textbook learning,” recent IU graduate Alison Sperling said. “Her real-world knowledge of PR made the class and her teaching unique to the journalism school.”Sperling enjoyed Wood’s classes so much that she frequently recommended them to her friends who also wanted to study public relations. Even those who had no knowledge of Wood’s reputation among journalism students still left her class in awe of her dedication to helping her students. “She was always eager to lend a hand to whoever needed it, never giving up on anyone until the problem was solved,” Olson said. “Losing her was and still is a terrible thing, and she is going to be greatly missed by many.”
(06/02/10 10:48pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>WOMEN’S BASKETBALL The IU women’s basketball team recently signed 5-foot-8 point guard Alisha Goodwin from Jefferson College. Goodwin previously played at Jefferson College, where she averaged 12.9 points a game. Jefferson College made it to the NJCAA Championships in the 2009-10 season but lost to the Gulf Coast Community College Commodores 83-61.“Alisha brings us a backup in the point guard position, as well as at the two guard spot,” IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said. “ She is a gifted athlete with a high IQ for the game, and I really think her track background will help us push the ball up the floor this upcoming season.”FOOTBALLSafety Jerimy Finch has left the IU football team after joining the Hoosiers in 2008. Finch played in 12 career games and had two fumble recoveries playing for special teams last year. Finch will reportedly pursue other opportunities. TRACK AND FIELDNine Hoosiers qualified for the NCAA National Championships. Both Sarah Pease and De’Sean Turner qualified for the 3,000-meter steeplechase by winning their individual heats. Two more athletes, Ben Hubers and Andrew Poore, qualified in the 5,000-meter. Molly Becker qualified in the 800-meter. It will be her third straight advancement to the NCAA Championships and her seventh career national meet. Additionally, four athletes qualified in field events: Derek Drouin qualified in the high jump, Kelsie Abhe and Jeff Coover in the pole vault, and Faith Sherrill in the shot put. The NCAA Championship meet is held June 9-12 in Eugene, Ore. — Candice Rohrman
(05/31/10 3:08am)
The night before the Indianapolis 500 Dario Franchitti dreamed of the race and Tony Kanaan. He dreamed that him and Kanaan would go head to head for the win at the fabled Indianapolis Motor Speedway. And when Franchitti saw Kanaan, who started in 33rd place, creep up to second place behind him, he thought his nightmare was coming true. “I thought, ‘I knew it,’ Franchitti said. However Franchitti didn’t let his dream intimidate him as he focused on both moving away from Kanaan and saving as much fuel as possible. Kanaan was forced to pit due to lack of fuel, which Franchitti said took the pressure off of him. “Until he pitted, I never took my eye off him because he can always surprise you,” Franchitti said. “He didn't get the result that he deserved, but to have gone from last to second was cool.” However, Franchitti and Kanaan were never expected to be competing in the end of the race or at any logical point, as the two started thirty positions apart. Instead much of the pre-race hype was about three-time winner Helio Castroneves. Castroneves won everything—the pole and the pit crew challenge—except the one that mattered after 200 laps on the excruciatingly hot track. After being pegged the favorite by many, the sheer dominance that Franchitti, and not Castroneves, displayed was unexpected. “What an awesome car he (Franchitti) had,” Castroneves said. “Ganassi (Chip) did an incredible job to put him up there. It was the car to beat today. We tried.” “Unfortunately, silly mistakes put us in the back.” Franchitti was indeed the car to beat as he led 155 of the 200 laps en route to his second Indianapolis 500 victory. In the past several years the driver leading the most laps has failed to win the race, as fellow Target Chip Ganassi teammate, Scott Dixon, led the most laps in both 2008 and 2009, failing to win either race. The last time a winning driver led more laps was in 2000, when Juan Pablo Montoya led 167 laps. Target Chip Ganassi Racing drivers have led the most laps in the last three Indianapolis 500 races. Franchitti also is now ranked 21st on the all-time lap list. Prior to the race he was ranked 59th. With his second Indianapolis 500 victory, Franchitti becomes the 17th driver to kiss the bricks at least twice. He also is the first driver from Scotland to win the race duplicate times. Another record was also set with Franchitti’s victory on Sunday, as Chip Ganassi hit a unique milestone. Ganassi became the first owner to win both the Daytona 500, under driver Jamie McMurray, and the Indianapolis 500 in the same year. However, even though this accomplishment is extraordinary, Ganassi has remained humble about his success in the racing world. “I didn't drive either car. I didn't change any tires. I didn't put any fuel in the cars,” Ganassi said. “I don't do any of that stuff. I have hundreds of people that do that kind of thing. I'm very, very lucky is what it comes down to. I'm very lucky.” ?“I'm just the guy that gets my name on the door, the sign in the front. But it's a lot of hard work by a lot of people, a lot of people that never get the attention they should.”The victory gave Ganassi his fourth overall Indianapolis 500 win as an owner, with two coming from Franchitti. While only 16 other drivers have managed to accomplish the feat Franchitti did on Sunday, he feels that it does not place him among the great drivers of the past. “Those guys are legends. I said the other night, ‘I'm just a driver, those guys are legends,’ Franchitti said. “I'm so lucky to be driving for Chip and Team Target, getting in good cars, especially having gone away after we won in '07. To be invited back was pretty cool. To have won a championship and an Indy 500, I didn't expect any of this…I expected to be retired by the time I was 35. “This is all a bonus and it's pretty cool.”
(05/26/10 11:44pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The beginning of the 2010 Indianapolis 500 has been anything but traditional, as fan and race favorite Tony Kanaan wrecked twice in qualifying and barely made it into the race. Two other females qualified before Danica Patrick in 23rd, and Sebastian Saavedra discovered he qualified while in Methodist Hospital.Nineteen-year-old Saavedra, driving for William Rast racing — a team Justin Timberlake sponsors — posted the slowest speed and was in 33rd place with only about an hour left of quals. But after a crash resulted in back pain, Saavedra was taken to get an MRI, and it looked as if his hope of qualifying was over.However, due to two other drivers, including Paul Tracy, deciding to attempt additional qualifying attempts and forfeiting their original speeds, Saavedra became the sixth rookie to qualify for this year’s race and was shocked by his good fortune. “I still can’t believe that I am in the Indianapolis 500,” Saavedra said via his blog. “I told someone today that maybe it is OK that I am sore from my crash on Sunday, because that means that this is real and I am not dreaming.”While Saavedra will start in the last row, he will still be someone for fans to focus on, particularly if the regular Indy Car drivers struggle on the track. And if those same drivers continue to struggle, Saavedra could turn his current Mr. Irrelevant position into a high-ranking finish for his very first Indianapolis 500 race.
(05/24/10 12:07am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>From IDS ReportsHelio Castroneves won the pole position Saturday for the 2010 Indianapolis 500, with an average speed of 227.970 miles per hour. He even put up one lap at 228 miles per hour, the fastest lap since 2006. His 2010 qualifying speeds were faster than last year’s qualifying speed by 3.1 miles per hour. This is the fourth time Castroneves has won the pole, and his second consecutive. He is the first driver to win two back-to-back Indy 500 poles since Scott Brayton did in 1996. Previously winning the race in 2001, 2002 and 2009, Castroneves is on pace to win his fourth Indy 500, his second victory in a row. If Castroneves can capture the 2010 crown, he will become the fourth driver to win the race four times. Second-fastest in qualifying was Castroneves’ Penske teammate Will Power, who averaged 227.578 miles per hour. Dario Franchitti will also start in the front row with a qualifying speed of 226.990 miles per hour. – Candice Rohrman
(05/23/10 11:59pm)
Six members of the women’s team earned a grade point average of 3.0 or
higher during the spring semester. Hoosiers earning this distinction
include junior Danilsa Andujar, sophomore Jasmine Davis, senior Jori
Davis, junior Lindsay Enterline, junior Georgie Jones and now-graduate
Andrea McGuirt.
(05/17/10 12:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosiers bettered their 2009 Big Ten Championship result in just one day, winning three events Saturday and two events Sunday. In 2009, both the men’s and women’s teams won only one individual title apiece and finished sixth and fourth, respectively, in the team standings. The women did not improve their team finish from 2009, finishing in fourth place again, but the men’s team moved up one spot to fifth. Minnesota won the men’s overall team championship, while Penn State won the women’s overall. But the Hoosiers, still a fairly youthful team, are not disappointed by their finish. “I’m thinking a top-five would be good,” sophomore high jumper Derek Drouin said on Saturday. “I think we would be happy with that.”On Saturday, the Hoosiers battled through a torrential downpour and even an event stoppage for at least 30 minutes because of the weather. However, the weather did not stop two Indiana athletes, Drouin and senior Faith Sherrill, from winning individual field events. Drouin’s accomplishment is even more impressive considering he had issues with weather interference in prior events. “I’ve had some bad luck in the rain before,” Drouin said. “Last year at nationals, it was raining and I just couldn’t handle it. I was worried I was slipping. But today I just tried not to worry about it, and it worked out really well, and I didn’t slip at all.”Drouin’s win marks his third consecutive Big Ten title in the high jump, including this year’s indoor title and the 2009 outdoor title. But this year was different, as Drouin did more than just win — he dominated. Drouin jumped 3.5 inches higher than the second-place finisher and was the only athlete to clear seven feet. It is his goal to continue having success into nationals. “I want to try to win again, and I think that today I showed myself I can jump in the rain,” Drouin said. “At nationals, whatever the weather conditions, I think I’ll set myself up to do pretty well.” Thrower Faith Sherrill did more than succeed Saturday, as she recorded a personal best. In the shot put, her distance of 17.03 meters was 10.25 inches better than the defending champion and former record-holder, Illinois’ Aja Evans. All of this was accomplished despite an inhuman foe: the weather. “Makes you have to get more mentally together,” Sherrill said. “Instead of thinking about the rain and how much worse it could be, you have to think positive and that whole situation. So it’s basically a whole mental bout you have to take out with the rain and just go for what you’re doing.”Sherrill’s accomplishment of throwing more than 17 meters is no minor feat, as only two shot-putters this season have bettered that mark, the other being defending national champion Mariam Kevkishvilli of Florida. Sherill is only the second Hoosier to ever throw the shot more than 17 meters, and her title marks the first time Indiana has won a title in the women’s shot since 2001. Sherrill has high hopes for the rest of her season: Her goal is to get to nationals and perhaps win the event. The Hoosiers continued their success on the track Saturday when junior De’Sean Turner won the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 8:43.72. Turner’s time is the fifth-fastest in IU history, and his time ranks him among the top-10 in the nation. Hoosier Andrew Poore took second in the steeplechase, and both his and Turner’s finish earned the Hoosiers 18 points. Also earning second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase was junior Sarah Pease, who set a new school record with her time of 9:59.16. Pease is the first Hoosier female to break 10 minutes in the event. On Sunday, the Hoosiers won two events. However, they still dropped considerably in the standings. Senior Molly Beckwith continued her dominance on the track, winning the 800-meter in 2:04.11. Beckwith and Sherrill brought home the only two individual wins for the Hoosier women during the championships. The third individual win for the men’s team came in the second-to-last event of Sunday — one of the longest events. Sophomore Andrew Poore ran the 5,000-meter in 13:49.23. Poore defeated the second-place runner by about three seconds and was one of only four runners to finish under 13 minutes. The Hoosiers will continue the road to the NCAA Championships with the regional event, May 27-29, at North Carolina A&T in Greensboro, N.C.
(05/17/10 12:17am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>More than 200 teams and 2,000 players participated in this year’s adidas May Classic tournament, but three players stuck out. The three’s pure athletic ability and raw basketball talent even outshone the newly christened Cook Hall. While Gary Harris, Jeremy Hollowell and Aaron Thomas all have received scholarship offers from the Hoosiers, this weekend marked the first time many of the Hoosier faithful caught a glimpse of the potential signees. The three players have become a hot commodity for several Big Ten and other Midwestern schools during this summer’s AAU circuit. GARY HARRIS Harris, a class of 2012 recruit, attends Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers, Ind., and has received offers from four colleges in Indiana alone, along with Cincinnati, Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio State, Xavier and Vanderbilt. Schools expressing interest in the 6-foot-4 shooting guard include Florida, Marquette, Michigan, Michigan State and Oregon State. Purdue has typically been viewed as a school Harris would be interested in, as both of his parents are Purdue graduates. Harris’ mother, then Joy Holmes, was a very successful basketball player for the Boilermakers. She was named the 1991 Big Ten Athlete of the Year and played four seasons in the WNBA. Though Purdue’s scholarship situation for the 2012 class is tight, speculation continued that Purdue was interested in Harris. Harris, however, cleared this up on Saturday with a simple answer. “No, they’re not,” Harris said when asked if the Boilermakers were involved in his recruitment. Harris, who has bulked up by nearly 20 pounds in the past year, credits the increase of interested schools to working in the weight room and staying injury-free during the AAU season this year. However, with Butler, IU-Purdue University Indianapolis and Notre Dame already offering the in-state guard scholarships, IU will likely be up against even more state and Midwestern schools as Harris continues to improve his game. But IU can take comfort in the fact that Harris wants to enjoy the moment and has not made a timetable for his decision. “I’m just taking it slow right now,” Harris said of recruiting. “I’m just taking it all in. Starting next basketball season, I’m going to start taking it more serious, but I’m just taking it all in and enjoying it right now.” JEREMY HOLLOWELLIU has attempted to get back to recruiting within the state’s large crop of players, and snagging Lawrence Central’s 2012 recruit Hollowell would be a major step for IU coach Tom Crean and his program. That’s if they can grab the 6-foot-6, 190-pound forward before the likes of Cincinnati, Illinois, Indiana State, Louisville, Tennessee and Xavier, all of which have offered, Hollowell said. It’s also likely the Hoosiers will be battling off even more teams after Hollowell’s early play in the adidas May Classic. In his first game on Friday, Hollowell had a double–double, finishing with 17 points and 12 rebounds. On Saturday, however, fans got a glimpse of the sheer potential Hollowell exhibits, as he scored 14 points and showed off some of his dunking abilities. Even more impressive, Hollowell sat most of the game as his team defeated their opponent, adidas Team Hustle, 86-24. Hollowell did start the game and helped his team hold Team Hustle scoreless until the 5:11 mark of the first half. Hollowell is set to visit IU on May 19, but he received a sneak preview of the school’s facilities. However, while Hollowell said he thought Cook Hall was a nice practice facility, those alone can do only so much. More important to Hollowell is the coaching staff. In fact, the important aspects of a school are simple and straightforward to Hollowell. “The style of play, the coach, wherever I’ll fit in, where I feel like I fit in most,” Hollowell said. AARON THOMAS This 6-foot-5, 190-pound shooting guard just oozes Hoosier pride, and he’s not even from Indiana. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native reportedly wore an IU basketball shirt to his first game at the Twin Lakes Recreation Center. Thomas put up 28 points for his team, the Queen City Prophets, but had only just begun impressing the bystanders, parents and media outlets watching the tournament.On Saturday, Thomas had Hoosier fans cheering as he put up several windmill dunks, prompting many fans to hope Thomas gets a chance to fill the remaining scholarship spot for the 2011 recruiting class. The fans aren’t alone. Thomas wants that lone spot, as well. “My interest in IU is very high,” Thomas said. “I feel comfortable here. It’s the biggest court in Indiana, so I’d like to be a part of that, and Tom Crean’s a good coach, you know. He taught Dwayne Wade, so he has a lot of history.” But because he must have options in such a deep recruiting class, Thomas is also looking at Cincinnati, DePaul, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan, Michigan State, West Virginia and Xavier. However, Thomas said he only has offers from Cincinnati, DePaul and Indiana. Thomas said he plans to make his decision by the end of July. For for the time being, Thomas will continue visiting IU, making a trip next month and then coming later in the summer for camps. Like Hollowell, Thomas felt the new facilities did not outweigh the importance of the school’s coach or team, but he was still impressed. “Its good,” Thomas said. “I like it ... I felt like I was at home so, you know, I enjoyed it. They have a lot of new things built, so I like that.”
(05/13/10 12:29am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In 2009, the women’s track and field team finished fourth in the Big Ten Championships, only winning one individual title. Winning the same amount of individual titles, the men’s team came in sixth. This year however, the Hoosiers look to utilize another year of experience as well as several seemingly unstoppable athletes to push through the rest of the Big Ten. The Hoosiers look to be a force to be reckoned with this weekend at Robert C. Haugh Complex, where they will host this year’s conference championship, especially after the women’s team moved into the Division I top-25 rankings, up 12 spots from their previous rank of 34th. The team’s change in ranking is mainly a result of their success at Billy Hayes Invitational last week, where the men’s and women’s teams combined to win seven events. However, rankings are not as important in track and field as they might be in the BCS or men’s basketball, IU coach Ron Helmer said. Instead, the ranking system is based upon a projection. “The national rankings are based on what is projected to be our ability to score points in a national meet,” Helmer said, adding that because the rankings are mere projections, they don’t matter as much to the team as experience and success. “We’re a year older than we were a year ago and hopefully a year better and a little bit deeper,” Helmer said. “As we go through this process of recruiting, and so on and so forth, we’ll get better and better and better. Unfortunately, it’s a slower process than I wish it was, but we’re making great progress.”The development of the Hoosiers this season has foundations in athletes who have had nationally ranked times, heights and distances in multiple meets during the outdoor season. One in particular is senior Molly Beckwith, who has the second-best Division I time in the 800-meter, clocking a 2:02.18 during the Billy Hayes Invite on May 7. However, Beckwith is not the only Hoosier dominating rankings, as junior Faith Sherrill recently broke the IU hammer throw record by more than 13 feet. Her heave of 58.46 meters is the best in the Big Ten. Stepping it up for the men are senior pole vaulter Jeff Coover, sophomore high jumper Derek Drouin, and sophomore long jumper Olu Olamigoke. The three won their individual events at the Billy Hayes invite, the precursor for the conference championships. On the current squad, IU has five different athletes who were crowned Big Ten champions either last year or in this year’s indoor season, Helmer said, adding that there are several other Hoosiers who have the potential to win a Big Ten title. However, those attending the conference championship this weekend might be awed more by the recent changes to Billy Hayes track than by the competition. The track was replaced with a Polytan surface and has only been used for one meet. The surface is the first of its kind in both the United States and the western hemisphere. Helmer said he expects the other Big Ten athletes and coaches will have a good reception of the new track. “I think they’re going to like it a lot,” Helmer said. “If the weather’s good, particularly, we know that the quality of the competition is very, very good, and when you get really good athletes on a good surface in good weather, there’s not a whole lot of bad that’s going to happen.”
(05/10/10 12:39am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The speed of the new Polytan track proved beneficial to the Hoosiers
after just one meet, as they earned seven event wins and set two
records.
However, the team achieved more than just records and wins.
“We got, I think, 30 kids recorded a personal best, which is always good
to see,” IU coach Ron Helmer said. “They’re looking forward very
positively, and the best is yet to come.”
Senior Molly Beckwith set a new track record in the 800-meter run, with a
time of 2:02.18. Beckwith broke her own track record, set at last
year’s Billy Hayes Invitational, by more than .30 seconds. Beckwith’s
time is the third-fastest of an American and second-best on the Division
I list this outdoor season. It is the second-fastest all-time in
Indiana history.
Several other Hoosiers finished in the top 10 in the 800-meter,
including junior Lindsey Hartman, who took second place with a time of
2:06.40, and junior Ashley Baker with a time of 2:08.21, in fourth
place.
The women’s 4-by-400-meter relay anchored by Beckwith finished in a time
of 3:46.63, a 10-second victory against the rest of the field. The team
consisted of Baker, Beckwith, freshman Ruth Christopher and sophomore
Jordan Gray.
One of the men’s relay teams, the 4-by-100-meter, finished with the best
time in three years by an IU lineup, with a time of 40.36. The relay
team’s time was only .01 seconds off from IU’s all-time top-10 list.
One athlete, however, more than broke the previous IU record — she
demolished it. Thrower Faith Sherrill broke the hammer throw record by
13 feet, 4 inches, heaving nearly 59 meters. Her throw is the best in
the Big Ten this season, as well as 13th in the East region.
The Hoosiers were ahead of other teams in nearly every category and won
by wide margins in their seven event wins, including the steeplechase
and the high jump.
Freshman Erica Ridderman won the steeplechase by 16.5 seconds with a
time of 10:45.40, and sophomore Derek Drouin won the high jump by 19
centimeters, clearing 2.23 meters. Drouin’s best clearance of the
outdoor season puts him at sixth place on the Division I list.
The new track also was a winner, as it received great reception from
runners, coaches, and bystanders.
“It got rave reviews,” Helmer said. “People were impressed with it, from
the look of the facility to how it performed.”
(05/10/10 12:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Victor Oladipo and Will Sheehey will no longer be the lone new Hoosiers next season, as IU has added another player to the 2010-11 recruiting class. Oladipo and Sheehey, members of the Rivals150, are both guards, making the addition of Michel an asset to a Hoosier team in need of a big man.Guy-Marc Michel, a native of Sainte-Marie, Martinique, played at North Idaho College the past two seasons before signing a national letter of intent for IU on May 7. The seven-foot-one-inch, 256-pound center averaged 7.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore for the Cardinals last season, and he led the Scenic West Athletic Conference in blocked shots for the second year in a row.Michel also was ranked 16th nationally with 3.1 blocks per game. “I think for a junior college our league is really, really tough,” NIC coach Jared Phay said. “You know a lot of Division I players, some mid-majors, a few high major guys — so he’s played against pretty good competition.”Phay said while the competition might not be on the same level as the Big Ten every night, it helped Michel learn what he needed to do in order to be successful. “I think he’s a tremendous defensive presence,” Phay said. “But as far as rebounding and defending, he’s really good at those two things.” Michel should offer a size under the basket that the Hoosiers have lacked in the past few seasons, particularly because of his 7-foot, 6-inch wingspan. “We feel fortunate to add a student athlete with the presence and size of Guy,” IU head coach Tom Crean said in a statement. “He automatically upgrades our program on the defensive end with his shot-blocking and post defense. We also feel he will help us with defensive rebounding and help defense.”Michel also has experience playing overseas with the U-20 French National Team and was ranked among the top prospects in Europe, which should help him in his preparation for the Big Ten. He turned down several offers to play overseas because he wanted to get an education as well as improve his basketball skills, Phay said. The Hoosiers plan to have a variety of roles for Michel during his remaining two years of eligibility. “Offensively, he wants the basketball with strong post-ups,” Crean said. “I also see him being able to pass the ball out of double teams, and we feel he can shoot it up to 15 feet. His upside is exciting, and once he gets in top shape, I think he will be prepared to help us.” The signing of Michel to the program is largely credited to assistant coach Steve McClain, as well as the campus, which Michel “really fell in love with,” Phay said. “I am glad Steve (McClain) is the relentless recruiter that he is, because this is another example of him going against the grain to find a real prospect,” Crean said. “I know how excited Steve has been about Guy, and we all feel the same way.“Our players are very excited to add Guy to our Indiana program.”
(05/07/10 1:59am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU women’s softball team will look to West Lafayette as they attempt to break their losing streak of seven games in this weekend’s series. While the Hoosiers (11-34, 3-12) have not beat the Boilermakers (26-24, 7-7) since 2006, they have given them a good fight, with their last matchup going into extra innings.“We lost both games last year by one run and had opportunities to win, but just came up short,” senior Kristin King said. “We will be able to learn from those two games and use that as motivation this year to help us compete that much harder so we can come out on top.”The series, led by the Boilermakers 28-23, seems relatively close but has been dominated by Purdue for more than a decade. The Hoosiers only have three wins in the series since 1998, and none of the current Hoosiers have defeated the Boilermakers during their college careers. “Obviously Purdue is our biggest rival — they are in any sport,” King said. “We want to come out and play hard against any team that we play, but against Purdue it always means a little more, especially to me, since I have grown up in Indiana my entire life.”The Boilermakers are led by third baseman Molly Garst, who is batting .387 and has stolen 41 bases this season. Senior shortstop Liane Horiuchi is third nationally in stolen bases per game, ranked sixth in triples, and is also ranked ninth in triples per game. Purdue leads the nation in stolen bases with 140, and they are also the national leaders in stolen bases per game with 2.80. The Hoosiers will be led by senior outfielder Jennifer Glueckert, who is hitting .363 on the season, and by shortstop Breanna Saucedo, who is batting .305 and has stolen 13 bases on the season. As if the Hoosiers needed any more motivation against their in-state rival, they potentially can secure a contest for IU with a win. The Crimson and Gold Cup contest between the two schools only has a few events left for the year, and the Hoosiers are currently behind. A win could potentially allow the Hoosiers to maintain ownership of the contest, as they also won last year. “The games are still important to us,” King said. “We want to finish the season strong and get some momentum going into next weekend to close out the regular season. As a senior, it will be my last road trip, so getting a couple of wins would be very nice.”
(03/04/10 4:22am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As the IU women’s basketball team journeys to Conseco Fieldhouse for the 2010 Big Ten Tournament’s opening round, it will be facing a familiar and previously-defeated opponent. The Hoosiers (14-15, 7-11) beat the Illinois Fighting Illini (15-13, 7-11) in both meetings this season with only seven or eight players suiting up. But even though the team is healthy again, it isn’t getting complacent. “It’s always hard to beat someone three times,” senior guard Jamie Braun said. “We just can’t go in there thinking that, ‘We’ve already beat them twice. We’ve got them this third game.’ We know they are a very good team and we know we have to bring everything we have in order to beat them.”Beating Illinois will depend on how the Hoosiers can inhibit Illini center Jenna Smith. Smith was just recently named First Team All-Big Ten for the third time and is on the watch list for four season honors, including both the Naismith and Wooden Awards. Although Smith averages 18.1 points per game, the Hoosiers held her to 18.7 percent shooting from the floor in the last contest, far under her average of 49.9 percent.However, her presence was still felt, as she had 9 points, 6 blocks and 20 rebounds. The Hoosiers know her play will largely define the game. “If she’s lighting us up on scoring and rebounding like crazy, it’s going to be a really rough game for us,” Braun said. But one Hoosier said she feels her own play will be the game-changer in the tournament, as she has transitions from a starter to role player.“I’m going to be the spark for this tournament, I feel like, for our team coming off the bench,” junior guard Whitney Lindsay said. “I think a lot of people might have been expecting me to be starting, but since I’m not, when I come in the game, I have to make an impact.” Lindsay, normally the starting point guard, has embraced the change, as it helps her see the flow of the game first and understand what the team needs to change on both sides of the ball before she goes in.However, the Illini could possibly have the extra motivation of never beating the Hoosiers this year, and that momentum could propel them past the Hoosiers if the cream and crimson clad squad does not bring its game to Indianapolis. The team realizes this, and several players, including injured sophomore forward Lindsay Enterline, shouted similar phrases during Tuesday’s practice. “You don’t get a second chance anymore — it’s the tournament,” Enterline yelled to her teammates.The Hoosiers have, at some points this season, played as if they had a second chance, but IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack made sure to emphasize if they play like that, they are going home.“The stakes are higher in postseason because you get one shot to make a difference, and you’ve got to compete, and you’ve got to practice understanding that you survive to move on,” Legette-Jack said. “If you come out here thinking you’ve got a tomorrow, then you’ve already lost.”
(03/04/10 4:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>They yell, berate officials, cheer for every player and sit in floor seats for every basketball game. And while they aren’t exactly Spike Lee, they still spark both the players and the Assembly Hall crowd. To the media, these fans are lovingly referred to as Superfan and Ponytail, or even just “those guys.” But to the players, they have a special place in the Hoosier family. A family that arrives at games more than an hour early and stays even later than the players do. Clark Byers (“Superfan”) and Jim Hudoff (“Ponytail”) have been coming to IU women’s basketball games for nearly 20 years, and Byers, the more talkative of the two, has been making an impression on fans, players and referees. “No matter how you play he’s always going to be there,” junior guard Jori Davis said of Byers. “He’s just a good motivational, little person, a great fan for us. And no matter what, he’s always on our side, so it’s good to have him.” Byers, a ticket-taker at men’s basketball games, has built a reputation by yelling at the referees during games, sometimes being so exuberant that he has been forced to move up into the stands from his normal floor seat. Even players such as Davis, who tend to tune out the crowd noise, will still sometimes catch a glimpse of the action. “Every once in a while I can hear Clark getting on the refs,” Davis said. “It really brings more humor to the game than anything, just seeing him, how much he loves the game, the passion he has for us. “It just makes me want to sometimes just play for him.” And while most Hoosiers don’t always notice the things that both Byers and Hudoff are doing, they still appreciate everything the two do for the team. “When you’re focused on the game, you really don’t see anything other than what the game’s all about,” IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said. “But we can feel their spirit, and that’s what’s important.”Everyone in the stands feels it when either of the fans jump up and down — either in excitement or anger. They are easily the two loudest fans in Assembly Hall and they never miss a game. “It’s called a commitment,” Legette-Jack said. “They’re making a commitment that ‘If you guys don’t show up, we’re going to always be here.’ And they love our game, they love our team, they hurt when we hurt, they celebrate when we celebrate.“Those kind of guys are really who it starts with. It started like that at Michigan State, it started like that at Hofstra, and it’s starting here at Indiana.” The women’s basketball team is eager for the possibility that the two fans can get a movement started, one that will bring more people to the games. But since the two have been coming for nearly two decades, its hard to say if they alone will be able to ignite more popularity for the women’s team. “There’s always that chance they’ll find another buddy to bring with them and just get more and more people to come,” senior guard Jamie Braun said. “That’s what we can hope, so I guess we’ll just keep hoping it.” In the mean time, many players just appreciate the two fans being there and supporting them, even if the numbers remain small. “I think it gives us a sense of hope in knowing that there are people out there that really believe in our program and what we are trying to do here,” junior guard Whitney Lindsay said. “The fact that people go just as hard cheering for us as we go playing for them, it just makes you feel like they’re in it with you, and it makes you feel like you’re going into a battle with a bigger army.” Coincidentally, Hudoff initially started coming to the women’s basketball games because fewer people came to the women’s games, thus the tickets weren’t as expensive. “It’s a lot cheaper, sit anywhere you want,” Hudoff said. “It’s more fun for me.” And while they both have come to love women’s basketball, the players have come to feel the same for them, and the two have become a fixture before every home game. “We definitely know every time we’re coming in and out of the tunnel, they are going to be there tapping our hands — we just expect it,” Lindsay said. “We get pumped with them. I always give Clark a really good high five. It gets him pumped up.” The connection extends after the final buzzer, too. “Every game, after the game, we have this little tradition hug and he’s just like, ‘Jori, you played good,’ no matter what,” Davis said. This connection, while rare with most fans, is definitely special. But Byers said he believes it’s his duty. “I think it’s my job as a fan to emphasize support, to encourage them or just yell either way and also make sure that, hopefully, it’s called both ways, because if it’s not called both ways, it hurts the opponents, it hurts IU, it hurts everybody,” Byers said. “But as long as IU’s just working at it, they’re great. “I love basketball, in through my veins.”