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(11/05/09 5:17am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU women’s basketball team spent the past few weeks scrimmaging itself before its 108-54 win against Lambuth. The Hoosiers get another opportunity to face themselves in today’s exhibition game against Grand Valley State. “We run the same kind of stuff,” IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said. “So it’s going to be interesting how we play against ourselves.” The two teams run very similar game plans because their coaches spent time coaching together at Michigan State. Legette-Jack was an assistant, while Grand Valley State’s coach Janel Burgess worked with the post players and later became associate head coach. “She’s going to play against herself,” Legette-Jack said. “Because we run the same defenses, we run the same offenses. It’s going to be fun to have this game.” However, the two teams have more in common than just their game plans and strategies. Grand Valley State is also a relatively young team and like IU, has only one senior on its roster. While Grand Valley State might be young, it returns four starters and eight letter winners from a team that went 20-10 last season. They are also ranked No. 13 in the preseason Division II rankings and ranked second in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate conference. The Hoosiers plan to fine-tune both their offense and defense against Grand Valley State. Senior guard Jamie Braun said IU had extreme issues with its play-calling. “I don’t think we ran a single play in that game (against Lambuth),” Braun said. The other goal Braun said she believed it was important for the team’s final exhibition game is to get their defense better prepared for the start of the regular season.And as far as the scoring in this game, don’t count on the Hoosiers aiming for 100 points again.“We don’t worry about the score,” Legette-Jack said. “It’s about our journey. It’s too early in the season to be worried about that stuff. We’re just trying to work on becoming a better team.”
(11/02/09 4:53am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Lambuth University Eagles were the 2006-07 NAIA National Champions and made it to the Sweet Sixteen in the following season, but that didn’t stop the Hoosiers from dominating them in their first exhibition match Sunday. IU finished with 108 points, double the Eagles’ score of 54. The Hoosiers had not scored more than 100 points since a regular-season game against Ball State in 2002. They scored 103 points in that game. The women played extremely well on both the defensive and offensive end. They had five players in double digits and forced 26 turnovers. They also had 14 steals and three blocks. Junior guard Jori Davis led all scores with 24. She is looking early on to be a prominent scorer on this year’s young team. After joking that Davis should average 60 points a game, IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack advised against labeling a go-to player. Instead, Legette-Jack said everyone will have to step in and pick up the slack left from the loss of three starters. Some of that burden will be picked up by the freshmen. Two of the three freshmen, forward Sasha Bernard and guard Aulani Sinclair, both received significant playing time against the Eagles.Bernard started the game and Sinclair came in as a reserve. The two combined to score 18 points. Although the Hoosiers had a successful game, Bernard said the team is in the process of gaining chemistry.“Still learning each other,” she said. “But it’s coming along.”While to spectators the Eagles might have looked a step behind the Hoosiers on Sunday, Legette-Jack said her team benefited from the competition. “It was really great to get out there and play someone other than ourselves,” Legette-Jack said. “We’ve been really kind of beating each other up for the last two and a half, three weeks.” The exhibition game provided more than an opponent for the Hoosiers, giving them a chance to work out kinks from their game and discover what else they need to focus on. Experience is something that this Hoosier squad lacks, but Legette-Jack said while this year’s team might not win in the experience department, it is more talented than the previous team. Legette-Jack said their talent hasn’t eclipsed IU’s willingness to play together. “We pride our ladies in the fact that we share the ball,” she said. “We are a very unselfish team, and we give up a good shot for a great shot. And I think that we are going to continue to get better throughout the season.”
(10/19/09 4:03am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>No lights, a fire extinguisher, two wagons of fireworks and a crowd of more than 13,000 helped jumpstart the 2009-10 women’s basketball season. With Assembly Hall immersed in darkness, the team ran onto Branch McCracken Court amid a fireworks show. The sparklers, a new addition to Hoosier Hysteria, were part of an idea the players had.Normally, IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack would put together the introduction or come up with ideas. But this year, the players got creative. Junior guard Jori Davis said she asked the event planners about the fireworks and that she was excited about how open they were about the new tradition. The team also had a video playing while they ran onto the court. The fireworks pumped up the fans who attended, as well as the freshman players. For freshman forward Aulani Sinclair, it was the first time playing in Assembly Hall with fans. Sinclair, who said she attended prior Hoosier Hysteria events when she was younger, said she thought about how amazing going to IU would be because she always loved the school. “It’s just a dream come true to be able to be in this atmosphere,” Sinclair said. As far as playing in front of so many Hoosier fans, Sinclair described the energy as amazing, and she said the Hoosiers could benefit from having that at their games. “Hopefully, the people out here that came and watched tonight have seen our passion and all of the energy that we have,” Sinclair said. “Hopefully they’ll come to more of our games.” Before the women took the court for their first official practice of the year, the team signed autographs. Davis said this opportunity allowed them to come in close contact with their fans, in particular their young female fans, which Davis appreciated. While on the court, the team did a few layup drills and a shoot-around but did not scrimmage. There was also a 3-point contest involving both the men and women’s teams, which allowed the players to engage in some friendly competition. Even though it was only a contest, a few players, including Davis, took it seriously. Davis said she wanted to beat Sinclair in the contest because Sinclair is the 3-point specialist on the team. “The other day in practice I was like, ‘I’m going to beat you. Better watch out, freshman,’” Davis said. The atmosphere and attendance motivated the always-hyped Legette-Jack. “We’re so excited about the fact that you know, slowly but surely, the fans are starting to realize that there are two basketball programs here,” Legette-Jack said. Even though in the past the women’s team has not had the attendance the men’s team boasts, Legette-Jack said the team will not do promotions to put fans in the seats, but instead will continue with the same plans she has used for the past three years: playing good basketball.Legette-Jack said every time she enters Assembly Hall, she has a vision of the program’s future. “I see, every day I go in this gym, 17,000 people rooting for women’s basketball,” Legette-Jack said. “I have to see that, and I have to believe that with all my spirit, and one day it’s going to come.”
(08/25/09 12:32am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Amber Jackson has always loved traveling.Born in Japan to a military family, she spent time living in the Philippines and also visited Guam and Mexico.“I’ve always had an urge to travel the world,” Jackson said. “I love learning about and being immersed in different cultures.” The former Hoosier forward is now set to take on Spain. She recently signed a one-year contract to play professional basketball for Club Baloncesto Arxil. During her two seasons at IU, Jackson shot 51.9 percent from the field and 70.9 percent at the free-throw line. She transferred from San Jose State after her sophomore year. IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack describes Jackson as a “finisher” and said the quicker pace will benefit Jackson because she scores a lot and runs the floor well. Legette-Jack is confident in Jackson’s ability, saying Jackson is “absolutely ready to conquer the world.” Jackson displayed this by discussing her goals for her season in Spain. Jackson said she ultimately wants to help Club Baloncesto Arxil make the playoffs.“Winning is always important,” she said. “I definitely do not plan on having a losing season.” The team’s early interest and her sister, Angela, influenced Jackson’s choice to play for the Spanish club. Angela Jackson also played professional basketball overseas and got her start in Spain. Amber Jackson said she wanted to play in either Greece or France, but her sister’s persistence eventually sold her on playing in Spain. Jackson is not the only senior from last season’s squad who will continue to play basketball. Kim Roberson, IU’s all-time career steals leader, signed a five-year deal with Samsung Life Bichumi in South Korea. Roberson said she chose to play in South Korea because it is her mother’s native country and playing there would allow her to become reacquainted with her mother’s side of the family, which she has only met once. Roberson said she is working on learning the language and traditions of South Korea. “It is half of who I am,” she said. Playing for Samsung Life Bichumi worked out well for Roberson because she was unable to try out for the WNBA due to hand surgery. By the time Roberson had recovered, the WNBA season’s May 21 start had already passed. Although she can’t currently play in the WNBA, Roberson plans to succeed while in South Korea.“My goals are simple,” she said. “Do my best and help out the team in doing its best.” Other seniors from the 2008-09 season may not have signed professional contracts overseas, but they are still doing big things. Fifth-year senior Whitney Thomas will take advantage of an NCAA rule allowing an extra year of eligibility in another sport by playing volleyball for the Hoosiers this fall. Lydia Serfling, a former walk-on and scholarship player, is now working at Penn State as an assistant strength and conditioning coach.
(07/27/09 12:28am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU football coach Bill Lynch said fans should prepare for a new face to his team when the season kicks off against Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 3.Many players have changed positions and moved to spots on the other side of the ball, including senior Ray Fisher, who led the team with 42 receptions and five touchdowns in 2008. Fisher will make the move to cornerback for his final season. Along with Fisher, three other wide receivers will make the switch to defense.But Lynch said this type of moving is normal for college football and that IU is just trying to put its best players on the field. The team will also use more tight ends this season, instead of using four or five wide receivers. But those changes are not the most important of all the Hoosiers have done in the offseason. Lynch said he feels the implementation of leadership development and team building was an integral facet of the team’s training. He said the older players have taken ownership of the team, which should be beneficial for the other younger players as well. As far as the upcoming season is concerned, Lynch said the goal is always to contend for the Big Ten Championship, and to once again be a bowl team. He pointed out a few players for fans to watch. He said he feels junior quarterback Ben Chappell will have a standout season and that the offensive line is much-improved from last season. Senior defensive ends Jammie Kirlew and Greg Middleton combined have the most sacks of returning players this year, Lynch said. The pair both received preseason awards, and Lynch said they both should have outstanding seasons.Hoosiers fans also should be ready for a new experience in the stands when IU opens its season. Not only will the fans get to see the 2009 Hoosiers in full action for the first time, it will also be the inaugural game after the new North End Zone project. The project broke ground in July 2007, creating a new end zone area that encases a strength and conditioning center, the headquarters of IU football and an academic resource center. The north end zone will also house the IU Hall of Champions, and it contains seating from a much different angle than available before its completion.Lynch called the project a “tremendous asset to the program,” and said he believes the changes essentially make Memorial Stadium a new stadium, creating a new game day experience. Lynch also said it benefits recruiting, as it creates a “wow factor.” For the rest of the summer, the Hoosiers will have a busy schedule. The team will travel to Chicago on Monday and Tuesday for the Big Ten Media Days. Lynch will also continue to participate in the Tailgate Tours that have been traveling around Indiana all summer. The last event will be Aug. 26 in Indianapolis.
(07/16/09 12:34am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Andrea Newbauer, a 5-foot-8 point guard from Concordia Lutheran High School in Fort Wayne, has her future set as a Hoosier.The 2010 IU women’s basketball commit said she chose IU for three reasons: coach Felisha Legette-Jack, education and proximity. Newbauer said she was impressed with what Legette-Jack had done with the program and said she believes the women’s program will continue to improve. Newbauer also said that Legette-Jack’s passion for the game made her want to play for her. IU’s academics also helped make Newbauer’s college choice easy. Newbauer said she wants to go into the medical field and said she feels IU’s curriculum is beneficial for that degree. Newbauer said one of the biggest reasons is the distance from home. Because Newbauer is from Fort Wayne, her parents will be able to come and see her play often. However, Newbauer won’t have to wait until she is officially a Hoosier to play at Assembly Hall, as she has played on the court for both a tournament and for a summer camp.In the offseason, Newbauer has been playing with her AAU team, Indiana Elite, and played on the Indiana Junior Girls All-Star team earlier this summer. Newbauer is considered by ESPN.com to be the 35th best point guard in her class. She was also on the first-team All-State Underclass team in Indiana during her previous year of play in high school.IU has also expressed interest in several other Indiana Elite players, including junior Liz Stratman from Heritage Christian High School in Indianapolis and freshman Taya Reimer from Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers, Ind.
(07/16/09 12:32am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For most young girls playing AAU and summer league basketball, the ultimate goal isn’t about winning or having fun. It’s about getting the opportunity to play college ball. Most players would not consider IU a program of interest because the women’s program at IU is drastically smaller than at other schools like University of Connecticut or University of Tennessee. That perception might be changing for some players who participated in the 2009 adidas Hoosier Hardwood Championships, which took place Monday through Wednesday. Games were played in Assembly Hall, the Bloomington SportsPlex and both Bloomington high schools. Teams playing at Assembly Hall had an opportunity few people have: the chance to play a game at a legendary venue. This chance was not something taken lightly by both players and coaches.Indiana Elite coach Danny Riego said he had his players walk around Assembly Hall, which he referred to as a “museum.” He said one of the benefits of this tournament was the opportunity to get to play at Assembly Hall and that the players were getting to run, sit and shoot in the same place that some of IU’s greats, like Isiah Thomas, did. Riego said the tournament location was also beneficial because it allowed his players to get a glimpse of what college life is truly like. But Riego said ultimately the tournament was about college recruiting. Another thing Riego said he felt made this tournament different than most AAU and summer ball tournaments was the competition. Riego said events in the Midwest typically only have teams from that area, but this event had teams from Alaska, California, Mississippi, Nevada and Texas. Competition with such states is rare, as it tends to be very expensive to play in tournaments farther than the Midwest, Riego said. However, the teams making the trip from states such as Texas did not come primarily for recruiting. Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil, coach of TeamXpress, said her team made the trip because it was an adidas event and said that all of her players are undecided as of now. But Davis-Wrightsil said she feels that after this event, IU will be interested in many of her players. Many schools viewed the competition at Assembly Hall, including representatives from LSU, Oklahoma, Kansas, California and most Big Ten schools. In all, the tournament showcased about 60 teams and organizers expect it to be much larger for the 2010 event, which will also take place in Bloomington.
(07/12/09 11:58pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Bloomington will get an economic boost this week, and it has girls’ basketball to thank. The adidas Hoosier Hardwood Championships will take place from Monday to Wednesday in Bloomington. The tournament will be host to teams of girls age 14 to 17.Eric Marvin, director of the Hoosier Sports Corporation, said those attending and playing in the games will spend a combined total of $1,267,200.Marvin said the economic impact is calculated using a formula that multiplies the number of people attending the event times the number of event days and then finally by $88. The number of attendees was determined by industry research showing that for girls’ basketball events, on average two other people attend the event along with the participant, and organizers expect 80 teams to participate in the tournament, Marvin said. He said the $88 is based on study findings from a few years ago that determined average spending by sports patrons in Monroe County.Local restaurants, especially those sponsoring the event, are prepared for more customers and business. Buffa Louie’s, a sponsor of the adidas tournament, will be providing food for the college coaches doing recruiting Monday, manager Ed Schwartzman said. He said Buffa Louie’s doesn’t sponsor many events but that sponsoring this particular event made sense. Anyone visiting the restaurant on at Kirkwood and Indiana avenues could easily see the connection based on the sports – particularly basketball – memorabilia covering its walls. Another sponsor, Yogi’s Grill & Bar, will increase its staff size for the tournament, said manager Chris Karl. Yogi’s will also be providing food, in the form of 100 boxed lunches, for the coaches, Karl said. Karl said the close proximity of the event was the reason Yogi’s chose to sponsor the tournament, and that the restaurant should get a good return from it. Bryan Alexander, who is organizing the tournament, said its organizers chose Bloomington because it wanted to recreate an experience.Alexander said when he was a child, he had the camp experience at a college campus, but now the prominence of AAU programs has taken the place of many of those camps. By having the tournament on a college campus, it provides the opportunity for girls to play in a university setting. The tournament expects to welcome 80 teams overall, including 15 teams from Indiana. But this event isn’t just for college coaches looking to recruit the next big thing – it is also for the fans. Attendees will be able to see numerous games and potentially a few future IU players. Andrea Newbauer, 2010 IU recruit, will be playing with her team, Indiana Elite Central. The point guard from Concordia Lutheran High School in Ft. Wayne said she is excited about potentially playing in Assembly Hall, as she has only played there for camps and hasn’t yet had the experience of a real competition with a crowd. The games will be played in Assembly Hall, Bloomington SportsPlex and in Bloomington North and South High Schools.
(07/05/09 11:01pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Football players receiving scholarship offers from schools such as Michigan, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Purdue, Kansas, Minnesota, North Carolina State and Indiana rarely choose the latter. Throw in being a four-star recruit and snagging numerous top-20 player rankings, and IU usually doesn’t even crack a player’s top-10 list. However, one of IU’s latest verbal commitments, Jibreel Black, isn’t an ordinary recruit. Black didn’t spend his childhood playing in youth football leagues, and he didn’t play in junior high either. The first time Black played organized football was his freshman year at Wyoming High School in Cincinnati.The ability to come from learning the basics of playing the game to becoming a four-star recruit in only three years is astonishing to some. But Bernie Barre, Black’s high school football coach, said Black’s intensity is one of the reasons he is successful. Barre described Black as being “relentless about getting to the ball and to tackles,” and said Black’s “motor is always running.” Hard work also plays a role, as Barre said Black gives not just 100 percent, but 150 percent, all the time. Barre, who has coached Black throughout high school, believes Black will be a great college player because of his quickness and agility.Black’s older brother Larry Black, currently a defensive tackle for the Hoosiers, also thinks Jibreel Black will be an incredible college player who will make a major and immediate impact. Jibreel Black had more than 20 schools, including seven Big Ten schools, offer him scholarships, according to ESPN.com. But he ultimately decided to verbally commit to the Hoosiers. The obvious question is, why would a four-star recruit want to come to a school that has a lackluster football program, instead of committing to one of the many Big Ten football powerhouses?Jibreel Black seemed to be motivated by the challenge of a school that doesn’t receive many big name recruits, and by the chance to put IU on the map for football. Jibreel Black said his motivation has been based mainly in fear. He always worried someone would be better than him, and that always encouraged him to work harder and to stay late after practice to do sprints. Having so many schools after him was enjoyable for Jibreel Black, he said. He said visiting campuses and going to basketball games was fun, but it made the final decision hard. Jibreel Black said his decision was not based on family ties to the school. He said his brother helped out a lot, but, ultimately was only about 25 percent of the decision process. Jibreel Black said he wanted to play for the Hoosiers because it was a good fit and because he would be able to develop more as a player. Another key reason he chose IU was playing time. He could see playing time as a freshman, as two defensive ends, Jammie Kirlew and Greg Middleton, will be graduating after this season. Jibreel Black said this was important to him because he loves playing and wouldn’t want to sit out for an entire season. But what Jibreel Black said he is most excited about in his verbal commitment to the Hoosiers was the opportunity to play at the next level and in the Big Ten with his brother. Jibreel Black headlines the 2010 class of football recruits, which currently boasts nine players.
(06/28/09 10:13pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Amidst men in their mid-to-late 30s, a 19-year-old attempted to make the cut for the 2009 U.S. Open during the third week of June.IU sophomore David Erdy spent time mingling with the likes of Tiger Woods and others at Bethpage Black, after being called up to play because of another golfer’s injury. Shingo Katayama withdrew from the event, allowing Erdy to move from the first alternate spot to the playing field. Erdy said when he received the phone call to come up, he felt extreme excitement, and it was “one of the happiest moments of (his) life.” But getting the call to play is only the beginning. A player still has to play to make the cut. Combine one of the most demanding courses in the nation with only 60 spots, and making the cut can be very difficult. After playing the first two rounds, Erdy did not make it, shooting a 78 and a 74 respectively, and finishing the tournament tied with Padraig Harrington for the 137th position, according to espn.com. Even though Erdy did not make the cut, he said he didn’t feel bad about himself when he left and that the course was tough. Erdy said he could have played better but he got caught up in the moment. Erdy did have one memorable moment of the tournament that stuck out in particular. During his final round, he sunk a 35-footer on the 17th hole.“The crowd went wild,” he said. Erdy said being around all the other professional golfers helped the situation feel genuine. Erdy also met Tiger Woods while at the U.S. Open. Erdy said Tiger was friendly, and was “really as nice as he can be.” Erdy said his experiences at the U.S. Open will help him in all areas for the rest of his life, not just with golf or athletics.
(06/21/09 11:06pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU faculty and staff won’t need to look further than campus recreation facilities to get in shape this summer.IU Campus Recreational Sports will bring back the Step Into Fitness Program starting in early July. The program runs July 6-31. The program’s purpose is to aid IU’s faculty and staff in achieving a more active, healthier lifestyle. Participants in the free program will count their daily steps using a free pedometer that will track steps and nutrition.There is no necessary amount of daily steps to join the program, but iurecsports.org offers suggestions of what is a good number. Good is considered to be 6,000 steps daily; better is 8,000 daily steps and excellent is 10,000 steps daily. Participants will also be sent weekly e-mails containing nutritional information from registered dieticians at the IU Health Center. There will be both weekly prizes from Bloomington Bagel Company as well as a grand prize. New participants can sign up online at HPER or SRSC Member Services or stop by one of the Step Into Fitness Road Shows, according to iurecsports.org. The road shows will be at various spots all around campus starting with one from noon to 1:30 p.m. Monday at the Kelley School of Business. The road shows will run until Monday, June 29. Megan Amadeo, who is in charge of the program, said the road shows are done to get as many of the staff and faculty involved as possible. By having the road shows at different places across campus, Amadeo said she believes that increases the chances of people signing up and amplifies the program’s visibility at the same time. Previous Step Into Fitness participants are reregistered and will only have to download the step tracker from iurecsports.org to take part again. The creation of the program stemmed from a Campus Recreational Sports survey done by faculty and staff at IU, Amadeo said. The survey found one of their preferred activities was walking. Because walking is something that can be done essentially anywhere, they decided to create a free program only for faculty and staff, encouraging them to become active using their preferred activity, Amadeo said.Amadeo said the program is intended to help educate participants about both physical activity and nutritional habits. “We hope that, in the four weeks of Step Into Fitness, the participants learn and start to see the benefits so that they will make physical activity a priority in life,” Amadeo said. The Step Into Fitness program is not all Recreational Sports offers faculty and staff.Amadeo said a Recreational Sports membership can be purchased and paid for through payroll deduction. This membership includes all the group exercise classes and access to indoor tracks. Faculty and staff also can make use of personal trainers, who do not require a membership. The last day to sign up for Step Into Fitness is June 30, via iurecsports.org.
(06/18/09 12:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Senior Emily Kasavana is just like any other IU student, except for two distinct differences.The first is shown in her academic excellence; she has a 4.0 grade-point average through the end of her junior year. Not only does she excel in the classroom, but also she is the varsity rowing team’s co-captain. Kasavana is just one of 83 student-athletes named to the 2009 Spring Academic All-Big Ten team. Kasavana and golfer Drew Allenspach were the only two Hoosiers to acquire 4.0 GPAs. In order for student-athletes to be eligible for Academic All-Big Ten Team selection, they must be a letter-winner in their second academic year and have a GPA of 3.0 or more. Kasavana attributes time management and staying organized as the keys to her academic success. It helps that Kasavana is very interested in her major: business economics and public policy. But Kasavana’s work ethic plays a serious role in her grades.“For me it’s about honestly giving my best effort both in the classroom and on the lake,” she said.Kasavana’s teammates also gave their best efforts academically. Twelve members of the rowing team were named to the All-Big Ten Academic Team, the second most for any women’s varsity team this spring. Rowing coach Steve Peterson cites hard work as the foundation of his team’s academic success. Peterson said he feels it can be extremely easy for athletes to get wrapped up in preparation for their sport and forget they are here for an education and not just for sports. “Especially in our sport, where there is no professional rowing, huge contracts or adidas sponsorships waiting for our athletes after college – no matter how good they are at our sport – their future is going to depend upon the education they get, so it has to be an emphasis,” Peterson said. “It is like the old saying goes: There is a reason they are student-athletes and not athlete-students, and that is because they have to be students first.” Other women’s teams also achieved notable success. The women’s track and field team boasted the most honorees, with 19 student-athletes receiving the award. Water polo was third with nine players; the tennis team had seven players; golf garnered five award-winners and softball had four players honored. With 141 members on IU’s spring varsity women’s teams, having 56 student-athletes receive this award could be considered less than exemplary. However, freshmen are ineligible for the award. That leaves 88 eligible female student-athletes, which means nearly two-thirds of eligible female athletes have a 3.0 GPA or higher. The men also did well across all spring sports.Men’s track and field had 15 student-athletes receive honors; baseball had eight and golf and tennis both had two honorees. Once again, with the men’s teams, the mode of evaluation plays a big part. For example, the men’s tennis team only had two players named to the Academic All-Big Ten Team. But the team as a whole did well academically. Freshmen and one first-year transfer comprised half of the team and were ineligible for the award, men’s tennis coach Randy Bloemendaal said. Bloemendaal said two of the three eligible players on the team were named to the Academic All-Big Ten Team, and he also said the men’s tennis team had the third-highest GPA among the other IU men’s teams. Even though not all are eligible for Academic All-Big Ten, six of the men’s tennis players received the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Academic All-American award, and one member was named an ESPN Academic All-American, Bloemendaal said. Regardless of how the student-athletes accomplishments are measured, Athletics Director Fred Glass said he is extremely proud of all the athletes honored. Glass said he is very excited about having 83 student-athletes qualify for the award but will maintain a “never satisfied” attitude toward academic success. And to help students better achieve academic success, Glass has made several changes in his short tenure as athletics director. Originally, the associate athletics director had been responsible for more than 10 duties, which Glass said was too much for one person to do. So, Glass reorganized the department to create an associate athletics director for academics and one solely for compliance. By hiring from within, enough money was saved that a new academic advisor was hired. Glass also said priorities were slightly restructured. Priority No. 1 is following the rules, with both academics and athletic performance falling second and third. Another improvement to the athletics department is the creation of a new academic center. Glass described the $3 million investment as a place for student-athletes to get academic support, and he eventually hopes to have support for the general student body available through the center. The academic center will remain its official name until a donation is received for naming rights, Glass said.In regard to the teams with fewer students honored, Glass said some grade issues are still being worked out. But given the GPAs throughout all the sports teams, he is pleased where things are headed. Across the Big Ten, IU had the seventh-highest number of student-athletes honored, according to bigten.org. But other than Michigan State and Minnesota, all of the other Big Ten schools honoring more athletes did so because of more at-large spring sports.Overall, the Big Ten recognized 2,242 Academic All-Big Ten honorees during the 2008-09 year, the most athletes ever recognized, according to bigten.org.
(06/03/09 11:41pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Get excited about David Beckham? Wish you could have seen Barcelona play Manchester United for the Union of European Football Associations Champions League championship? Think excitement about soccer can only be found overseas?You might want to think again.On Saturday, the action comes to the Midwest with Soldier Field playing host to the United States Men’s National Team versus Honduras in the third and final home World Cup qualifying match for the U.S men, and some members of the IU soccer team will be tuning in.To qualify for the World Cup, the United States must finish among the top three teams after three rounds of qualifying matches. Although currently ranked No. 1 in its pool, the United States faces a formidable opponent in Honduras, which is ranked No. 3 in the pool. And to spice up this already important match, Honduras is responsible for handing the U.S men their last World Cup qualifying loss in the states in 2001. The match will also boast quite a crowd for a traditionally ignored sport in America. According to ussoccer.com, more than 40,000 tickets have been purchased. But several of IU’s own will not be attending the match. IU coach Mike Freitag said that even though he follows the men’s national team consistently and has done so for “years and years and years,” coaching duties would prevent his attendance.Another member of the men’s soccer team, senior defender Ofori Sarkodie, will also stay in Bloomington. Although he won’t be at the match, Sarkodie will still be watching from home. Sarkodie said he follows every single game, and he has a more personal relationship with the national team players than the average viewer. Sarkodie played with youth phenomenon Freddy Adu, as well as with Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore, while on the Under-20 National Team. Sarkodie and Altidore were also teammates on the Under-17 National Team. Although still playing college ball, Sarkodie plans on joining his former teammates one day. Sarkodie said he wants to play for both the U.S. National and Olympic teams, and play professional soccer either overseas or in the United States as well. Sarkodie said he could not predict how far the national team would go, assuming they made the World Cup. He said because the team is well-coached and contains many talented and experienced players from both overseas and Major League Soccer teams, the team is capable of competing against anyone. But Sarkodie also said, at this high level of play, it is always one game at a time, so he could not truly give a prediction. The game will begin at 7:15 p.m. Saturday. With the U.S. men’s team having a 3-3-2 all-time record at Soldier Field and a potential World Cup spot at stake, it could prove to be a very competitive match.