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(04/15/05 5:47am)
The men's soccer team continues its spring campaign as the Hoosiers take on the Dayton Flyers as a part of a fund-raiser for the Urban Soccer League at 8 p.m. tonight at Kuntz Stadium in Indianapolis.\nThe Hoosiers continued their winning ways Wednesday night as Indiana defeated the Butler Bulldogs 5-1 at North Central High School in Indianapolis. It was a happy homecoming for Hoosier freshmen Chris Munroe, Greg Stevning and Charley Traylor, who played in front of their hometown in the winning effort. \nJunior Josh Tudela opened the scoring for the Hoosiers less than six minutes into the game from a pass from fellow junior John Michael Hayden. A second Hayden to Tudela connection gave the Hoosiers a 2-0 advantage going into halftime. The lead heading into the second half allowed some of the future Hoosiers a chance at playing time. IU scored three goals in the second half from all from redshirt freshmen -- Kevin Noschang, Erek Kozlowski and Doug Reisinger. \nThe team takes a 4-0 record into tonight's game with the Flyers, outscoring its opponents 12-1 during the spring season. After struggling offensively during the first three games of the spring, the Hoosiers finally broke out of their defensive shell against the Bulldogs. The five goals scored by the Hoosiers against Butler almost matched the goal total of the spring season so far. \n"The defense is our first goal," said IU coach Mike Freitag. "However, we don't want to defend the entire game."\nDayton comes into tonight's game under the reign of new coach Dennis Currier looking to build on an 11-7-1 record during the fall season. The team is full of young players looking to jumpstart the fall campaign with a victory over the Hoosiers.\n"We are looking forward to the game with Dayton," Freitag said. "They've had success in the recent years and will look to continue the success with their new coach."\nThe Hoosiers are looking to replace important pieces of back-to-back national championship teams. Noschang tallied his fifth goal in four spring games for the Hoosiers.\n"We've done really well since we've lost some key players," Traylor said. "We've had some younger guys step up."\nAfter tonight's game against the Flyers, the Hoosiers will finish their spring schedule with a friendly match against the Mexican Youth National team. The game will be co-hosted by the Indiana Youth Soccer Association to benefit Latino soccer programs around the state. The game will be played Tuesday night at Bill Armstrong Stadium.\n-- Contact staff writer Chris Engel at ccengel@indiana.edu.
(04/13/05 5:04am)
The back-to-back national champion IU men's soccer team looks to continue its string of solid spring outings as it heads to North Central High School in Indianapolis to play Butler at 7 p.m. tonight.\nThis spring, the Hoosiers have already defeated Linsday Wilson College, Bradley University and St. Louis University.\n"We've played well so far," said sophomore Brian Plotkin. "We've scored when we had our opportunities and have limited our opponent's chances. That's a formula for success."\nLike the past two seasons which have produced two national championships, the Hoosier defense has had a stranglehold on opposing strikers. The Hoosiers have not allowed a single goal during the first three games of a six-game spring schedule, outscoring their opponents 7-0.\n"Defense has always been our main focus in the 32 years of varsity soccer here at Indiana," said IU coach Mike Freitag. "Our defense has brought us a lot of success."\nButler will be poised to knock off the defending national champions when the two teams square up tonight. Butler is 0-3-2 in its last five meetings against the Hoosiers. \n"Butler is a pretty experienced team," said junior Mike Ambersley. "They always play us hard."\nDespite the poor record against the Hoosiers, the Bulldogs do not roll over and play dead when they face the cream and crimson.\n"Butler always gives us a good challenge because they are so well coached," Freitag said. "On any given day they can be somebody."\nWith the defense in mid-season form, the Hoosiers are looking to score often for the remainder of the spring season.\n"We've been consistent on the defensive end," Freitag said. "We need some more patience with keeping possession and distribution on the offensive end."\nThe game will be a homecoming for Hoosiers Charley Traylor, Chris Munroe and Greg Stevning. The three former club and high school teammates helped the North Central Panthers to four consecutive Marion Country Championships, a second-place finish in the 2001 state tournament and a state championship the following season.\n"It's nice to be able to go back to our old high school to play," Traylor said. "A lot of our friend's parents are coming to watch us play, so that's a neat thing."\nThe game will serve as a reunion for Plotkin with former teammates and opponents from his playing days with the Chicago Soccers.\n"I'm looking forward to play some friends on Butler from home that I've played club with," Plotkin said. "Also, it's an in-state game, so everyone will come out to win."\nThe Hoosiers wrap up their six-game spring schedule with another game in Indianapolis Friday and then the finale against the Mexican Youth National team Tuesday at Bill Armstrong Stadium.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Chris \nEngel at ccengel@indiana.edu.
(04/12/05 6:47pm)
As he approaches the 18th green after a decent approach shot, freshman Matt Oppenheimer is more concerned with the break of his putt rather than the books waiting for him when he returns to his dorm. Oppenheimer is one of many students taking advantage of the IU Golf Course during the spring and fall months.\n"I like coming out and playing between classes when I am able to," Oppenheimer said. "It is convenient to have such a nice course close by to come out and play."\nIn the spring golf enthusiasts can attack an 18-hole course, a par-3 course or a lighted driving range. The course also offers a chipping and putting green to improve short games. \nWhen the weather gets nice, many students head over to the course to squeeze in nine holes or hit balls on the driving range. April is the most popular month for student traffic on the course, with September a close second, but usage declines after students begin to hit the books, said Mike Mayer, men's golf head coach and director of golf at IU.\n"This time of year is student-dominated for us here at the course," Mayer said. "Students make up about 35 percent of our total play during the year."\nThe IU Golf Course is located on the Indiana 45/46 Bypass between 10th and 17th streets and is open seven days a week for both student and nonstudent golfers. \n"The practice facilities here at Indiana are pretty good," freshman Chris Eline said. "When the course gets in better shape, I will probably play more."\nStudents receive a significant discount for play on the 18-hole and the par-3 courses; play on the 18-hole course costs $13 on weekdays and $15 on weekends for students who walk instead of renting a golf cart. For nonstudent walkers, the rates are $22 on weekdays and $25 on weekends. Students and nonstudents who would rather not walk can rent a cart for $12. The course enforces a dress code that recommends collared shirts and prohibits cutoffs and tank tops.\nThe IU Golf Course offers many opportunities for students to play golf and to improve their golf game with group and individual instruction. The School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation offers three one-credit golf classes taught by members of the golf team coaching staff and the assistant professionals at the course.\n"These golf classes offered through HPER are very popular," Mayer said. "It's a good way for students to get relatively inexpensive golf instruction."\nHPER offers classes for golfers of every skill level. The beginning class stresses the basics of golf, the intermediate level works on the mechanics of the swing, and the advanced level teaches students course management. The advanced classes are for higher-level students and members of the community.\n"The class was helpful because it forced me to hit every day," junior Lindsay Armour said. "My instructor was very helpful."\nThe course has many tight fairways with trees that could obstruct the flight of the ball, and it features many doglegs that can trip up the most skilled golfer. The course is home to both the men's and women's golf teams and is the scene of many collegiate tournaments, including the Big Ten Championships.\nContact the IU Golf Course at 855-7543 for tee times or to schedule group or individual lessons.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Chris Engel at ccengel@indiana.edu.
(03/31/05 5:04am)
Senior Jeff Overton made his case again for being named Big Ten and National Golfer of the Year when he finished second in the Pinehurst Intercollegiate Championship.\nThe Hoosiers made a strong showing by firing a three-round score of 888, finishing 12 shots behind runner-up Xavier University and 13 shots behind champion Southern Methodist University to finish third in the field of 13. The team's performance could see the Hoosiers rise back into GolfWeek's top-50 poll, as the Hoosiers finished behind two teams ranked in top 50. \n"We were not hitting on all cylinders this tournament," said IU coach Mike Mayer. "Some of that is due to some really tough conditions the first two rounds, but when we peak, we will do much better."\nOverton shot three rounds of par or better en route to his second top-five finish of the spring season and his sixth top-five finish in eight events this year. The Evansville native's 5-under 211 was one shot more than medalist Colt Knost of Southern Methodist. Overton held a four-stoke advantage as he made the turn to the last nine holes of the tournament. On the strength of hitting five putts more than 30 feet in length, Knost caught Overton before the 18th hole. Overton's drive found the water on 18, and Knost took medalist honors.\n"I really wanted to win this tournament," Overton said. "The way it ended leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but I learned a lot from this tournament that I will use later on this season."\nOverton's strong performance comes after being named one of the 10 semifinalists for the prestigious Hogan Award. The award, which recognizes the top college golfer -- taking into account collegiate and amateur events over the last year -- will be awarded May 14.\nJunior Scott Seibert's final-round score of 5-under 67 was the low score of the tournament for any player. Seibert's final round propelled him into a fourth-place finish as he shot a 2-over 218 for the event. Seibert's final round 67 was his second lowest round as a Hoosier, and his fourth-place finish was a career-best and his first top-10 finish.\n"I hit the ball well all tournament," Seibert said. "My putter got really hot today, and I was able to post a really low score."\nFreshman Santiago Quirarte followed up the best performance of his college career last week with another solid tournament. The Big Ten Player of the Week finished in a tie for 15th place, carding a 12-over 228 with rounds of 77, 76 and 75.\nSenior Heath Peters and junior Brad Marek rounded out the scoring for the Hoosiers. Peters finished in a tie for 31st place with a score of 15-over 231, and Marek finished in a tie for 52nd place after he fired a 22-over 238 for the tournament.\nThe Hoosiers have some time off at the midway point of the spring season before their next tournament when they travel north to face another strong field, including intrastate rival Purdue at the Boilermaker Invitational. The invitational will occur April 16 and 17 in West Lafayette.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Chris Engel at ccengel@indiana.edu.
(03/25/05 5:11am)
After two sub-par performances to start off the spring season which saw the IU men's golf team slip out of GolfWeek magazine's top 50 rankings, the Hoosiers look to rebound at the Pinehurst Intercollegiate this Monday and Tuesday.\nInconsistent play from the team has seen the Hoosiers place fourth and third in the opening two tournaments of the spring season.\n"We cannot afford to be mediocre," said IU coach Mike Mayer. "We must be on top of our game if we want to contend for titles."\nThe team will be playing at the famous Pinehurst golf complex, which is hosting this year's U.S. Open. The Hoosiers will look for their first tournament title of the season and senior Jeff Overton will look to take medalist honors for the seventh time of his collegiate career and the first since the Xavier Invitational last fall. The Hoosiers will face another challenging field this week as two of the 12 teams are ranked in GolfWeek's top 50 poll.\n"This is a strong field this coming week," Mayer said. "There are some really, really good teams playing in the tournament and some other teams that have done good things but are under the radar."\nThe play of freshman Santiago Quirarte has been a bright spot for the Hoosiers during the opening tournaments of the season. Quirarte was awarded Big Ten player of the week after his 3rd-place finish at last week's Pioneer Classic. Quirarte is using the award as motivation for future success.\n"It's nice to be honored," Quirarte said. "I use every tournament as a learning experience and a change to improve."\nQuirarte's recent play gives the Hoosiers another threat to shoot very low scores on any given round.\n"Having our No. 3 player shoot such low scores really takes the pressure off the other players," Mayer said. "Overton and (senior Heath) Peters are the vocal leaders of our team, but Santiago is becoming a leader by the example he sets on the course."\nThe Hoosiers have become more close-knit as the team reaches the middle part of the spring schedule. Many of the players hang out together off the course and the long trip to Phoenix was a good way to build team chemistry for the Hoosiers.\n"Spring break was big for us," Mayer said. "Having the guys spend so much together really will help as the season continues."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Chris Engel at ccengel@indiana.edu.
(03/23/05 5:30am)
Growing up in Queretaro, Mexico, freshman golfer Santiago Quirarte figured he would play a sport when he went to college.\nHe never imagined it would be golf.\n"Up until I was 14 I was a successful tennis player in Mexico," Quirarte said. "I picked up golf and started winning local tournaments so I focused on that."\nQuirarte's focus paid off as he became the No. 1-ranked youth golfer in Mexico and was awarded a scholarship to play golf for the Hoosiers. He was recruited by many other schools coming out of high school including the University of Denver, University of Texas El-Paso and Colorado State, but in the end, Quirarte knew IU was the best fit for him.\n"I really was impressed with the facilities here at IU," He said. "The guys on the team I met were great as well when I came to visit."\nQuirarte's uncles, who had played golf for many years, nurtured the young golfer early in his career, he said. With his uncles helping him on his golf game and his dad helping him on his mental game, Quirarte quickly became one of the best youth golfers in Mexico.\nBy the time Quirarte stepped foot on campus this fall, he had represented Mexico seven times on international teams, won 13 tournaments his final youth season in Mexico, earned the No. 1 ranking in Mexican youth golf and finished 10th at the 2003 Junior World Championship in San Diego.\nQuirarte played in all five tournaments the Hoosiers entered in the fall season and ended the season with a 75.62 scoring average. His best finish was 18th place at the Xavier Invitational.\nAlthough Quirarte went through some growing pains during his first season of collegiate golf, going into the spring season the Hoosiers had high expectations for Quirarte.\n"Santiago had his ups and downs this fall," said IU coach Mike Mayer. "We will see that he is no longer a freshman and he will step up his game."\nSo far this spring Santiago has surpassed even Mayer's expectations. After finishing 38th at the season-opening Hyatt Tournament, Quirarte fired a three-round score of 210 to finish fourth at last week's Pioneer Classic. His efforts paid off: He received the Big Ten Golfer of the Week award, the first such honor of Quirarte's Hoosier career.\n"Santiago played really well this last week and this was a great honor for him," Mayer said. "We have already seen more confidence in him after winning the award."\nThe improvement over the winter months should come to no surprise as Quirarte really worked on improving his game for the spring season, he said.\n"Santiago's love for golf is shown in the way he practices," Mayer said. "I never thought I'd see someone put in as much work as (senior Jeff) Overton, but Santiago has outworked Overton if that's possible."\nLike most college freshmen, Quirarte has had to make many adjustments to college life. Quirarte has the added adjustment of becoming accustomed to a new culture and a new country that other freshmen golfers do not have to deal with. Quirarte said the adjustment to college life hasn't been too difficult, but admits he misses his mother's home cooking from time to time. His teammates, Quirarte adds, have made things much easier for him.\n"These guys are my brothers, like family," Quirarte said. "They have been a great support with friendship and giving rides and watching out for me."\nIf his past success is any indication for the future, Quirarte will have many great achievements as a Hoosier golfer.\n"Santiago is truly a special golfer with a bright future ahead," Mayer said.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Chris \nEngel at ccengel@indiana.edu.
(03/23/05 4:39am)
More than 500,000 Americans died of cancer in 2001, according to the American Cancer Society. The diagnosis of cancer can be very damaging for a family, especially for the young children of cancer victims.\nA group of IU students, with the support of Circle K at IU, has organized a summer camp to help these children. Camp Kesem is a student-run camp for children who have or have had a parent with cancer. Camp Kesem gives these children an opportunity to build self-esteem and gain support from counselors and peers facing the same challenge.\n"There are many summer camps for children with cancer," said junior Samantha Leapman, Camp Kesem camper care co-chairwoman. "We wanted to help children who are dealing with parents with cancer. These kids' needs are often underserved."\nCamp Kesem will serve children between the ages of 6-13 from the Indianapolis and Bloomington areas. The camp will take place Aug. 7-12 at Bradford Woods in Martinsville. The campers will participate in normal summer camp activities such as swimming, hiking and other organized events. They also will participate in "cabin chats," which will give the children an opportunity to share their feelings about having parents who have been diagnosed with cancer. Providing support during these chats and throughout the entire camp is one of the main goals for Camp Kesem.\n"As counselors, we are just there for support," said counselor and sophomore Abby Taylor. "The fact that the kids are with peers going through a similar situation is therapy enough."\nCamp Kesem is a secular camp that is free of charge to every camper because of the high costs families face when battling cancer. Camp Kesem will cost about $21,000 to operate for the five-day program. The students running the camp have raised more than $20,000 thus far. One of the fund-raising methods has been a letter writing-campaign asking friends, families and businesses for donations.\n"We have done a good job so far raising money," Leapman said. "We would appreciate any donation people would be willing to give."\nThis summer will be the first summer IU students will run Camp Kesem. The IU camp is one of only eight Camp Kesems offered in the country. Camp Kesem National's mission statement says it "provides college students across the nation with the tools and support necessary to create self-sustaining summer camp programs for children who have or had a parent with cancer." \nThe first Camp Kesem was held at Stanford University in 2000 with the help of the students from the Hillel Center. The Stanford camp still serves as the model for Camp Kesem outlets across the nation.\nCamp Kesem is searching for more campers to fill the 40-camper limit for this summer, as well as for more donations to support the camp. To donate to the camp or to request an application form, contact Leapman at sleapman@indiana.edu or visit IU Camp Kesem's Web site, www.campkesemnational.org/indiana.html. \n-- Contact Staff Writer Chris Engel at ccengel@indiana.edu.
(03/10/05 5:15am)
Golfers say players "drive for show and putt for dough."\nIf that is the case, the No. 35 IU men's golf team came home to Bloomington with empty pockets after finishing fourth in the Hyatt Plantation Intercollegiate Tournament in Puerto Rico this week.\n"We hit the ball well enough to win," said IU coach Mike Mayer. "We just could not put the ball into the hole when we got near the greens, and that hurt us."\nThe Hoosiers shot a 13-over 877 to finish in a fourth-place tie with the University of Southern Mississippi. The University of Kentucky took home the championship, beating the Hoosiers by 26 shots by shooting a 13-under 851 during the three-day event.\nThe opening round of the spring season was the best for the Hoosiers, shooting a four-under 284. However, the short game eluded the Hoosiers during the last two days of competition as they posted scores of 297 and 296.\nSenior Jeff Overton began his final collegiate season with another top-five finish, finishing in a fifth-place tie with a score of three-under 213, seven shots behind medalist Aron Price of Georgia Southern. Like his fellow teammates, Overton was unable to perform around the greens, which hurt his score.\n"I didn't get much out of the course this week," Overton said. "Emotionally I wasn't on the right level."\nSenior Heath Peters and junior Brad Marek both carded scores of four-over 220 for the tournament. Freshman Santiago Quitarle scored 10-over 226. Junior Scott Seibert rounded out the scoring for the Hoosiers with a score of 11-over 227.\n"We came out rusty this week," Marek said. "However, we are practicing hard, and we hope to head down to Phoenix and put ourselves into a position to win a golf tournament."\nThe Hoosiers will look to build off this week's performance next Tuesday when they head to Phoenix to compete in the Pioneer Classic. The field they will face will not be as challenging as the one that participated in Puerto Rico, but the Hoosiers will face a much larger field when they head to the southwest. However, finally dusting off the winter rust is a relief to the team.\n"Now that we got the first tournament under our belt, the edge is gone," Mayer said. "Kentucky came out and played bad in their first tournaments, and now they came and won this week. We will look to do the same sort of thing."\nAs long as the Hoosiers have good course management around the greens, the season looks bright as the team looks for Big Ten and NCAA championships.\n"We learned a lot about ourselves this week," Mayer said. "We are going to build on this week and get better as a team."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Chris Engel at ccengel@indiana.edu.
(03/09/05 6:17am)
The amateur version of "March Madness" officially began this week as the intramural basketball championships took place Monday and Tuesday at Assembly Hall. After three regular season games and several rounds of tournament play, 16 teams competed for the right to be called RecSports champions in eight different divisions. (Editor's note: The Indiana Daily Student was unable to report on men's and women's division I intramural championships at press time Tuesday.)
(03/04/05 6:19am)
The men's golf team heads into the spring season this weekend with one goal: to focus on its game and let the rest fall into place.\n"Our main goal is to be focused, disciplined and to have mental control," said IU coach Mike Mayer. "If we do this, we will play up to our ability and the results will fall into place."\nThe team has high expectations as players start the season at the Hyatt Plantation Club Intercollegiate tournament in Puerto Rico this weekend. The field of 10 teams makes this tournament one of the smaller fields the Hoosiers will face this season. But with Golfweek magazine's No. 21, No. 25, No. 27 and No. 28-ranked teams looming, the field will be one of the deepest the No. 35 Hoosiers will face this spring.\nMany of the schools participating this weekend have already started their spring season and have the advantage of playing outside all year because of warm weather. \n"Hopefully we will overcome any rust there is, but we will not use that as an excuse," Mayer said. "If we are focused about our play, rust will be a non-factor."\nAlthough the Hoosiers have been restricted by the chilly Indiana winter, they have continued to work indoors on their game to prepare for the spring season.\n"Everyone is working hard during the winter workouts," said junior Scott Seibert. "We've also been lucky because we have been able to get on the course a few times because there has been less snow on the ground this winter."\nThe team has experienced constant improvement during Mayer's seven years as head coach. Last spring the Hoosiers earned their first NCAA Tournament berth since the 1996-1997 season. \nMayer hopes that the results will come if the Hoosiers keep their focus on the golf course. The team is aiming at winning the Big Ten Championship and advancing to the NCAA Tournament finals.\n"Minnesota and Purdue will give us a challenge in conference this season," Mayer said. "We want to walk away with the Big Ten Championship and follow that up with a NCAA Finals appearance and hopefully a national championship."\nMuch of the Hoosier success will depend on the play of senior captain Jeff Overton, who looks to build on last season's 20th place finish in the NCAA Individual Finals. Overton has a lot of momentum coming into his final season as a collegiate golfer. He is ranked No. 4 in Golfweek magazine's individual NCAA rankings and has gained valuable experience by his success at prestigious amateur events such as his semi-final appearance at the U.S. Amateur.\n"Playing in those events has really helped my game," Overton said. "The top amateur events are as difficult as the top college tournaments. I know I can play with the best and win if I play my game."\nOverton will be joined by fellow senior Heath Peters, juniors Brad Marek and Seibert and freshman Santiago Quirarte. Quirarte was a highly sought-after recruit from Mexico and has already had an immediate impact on the team.\n"Santiago had his ups and downs this fall like most freshmen do," Mayer said. "We will see this spring that he is no longer a freshman. He has a bright future here at IU."\nAs the team searches for its first Big Title in seven seasons and its first NCAA Championship, they must keep in mind their goal for the season -- focus, focus, focus.\n"We can win the Big Ten this year and contend at nationals. If we bond together keep our focus and put together scores when we need to, we can be a top 10 team in America," said Overton.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Chris Engel at ccengel@indiana.edu.
(02/09/05 4:54am)
Most freshmen approach college as a fresh start to their lives. They migrate to campus and leave behind all the things they didn't accomplish in high school and move on to a new set of goals. But freshman club lacrosse players Ryan Furman, Michael Link and Brennan Matthews want to achieve one of the few goals that eluded them in high school -- a lacrosse championship.\n"We want to complete something we started in high school," Matthews said.\nThe freshmen hope to contribute to an IU team that received votes in the national preseason Top 25 coaches' poll and is ranked seventh in the Central Collegiate Lacrosse Association. \nThe team, lead by senior captains Justin Kohl and Matthew Roemer, looks to build on a successful fall preseason campaign that saw aggressive play by the Hoosiers lead to routs of conference foes Dayton and Purdue by scores of 10-0 and 20-1, respectively. The Hoosiers open up CCLA conference play this weekend when they travel to the University of Pittsburgh to take on the Panthers.\n"We have good upperclassmen who will lead the team," Matthews said. "We want to come in and contribute to the team and hopefully win some games."\nIf their past success is any indication, the freshman trio will do more than their fair share in contributing to the team. Furman was named second team All-Conference and earned a spot in the Illinois All-Star game last season for his play as midfielder. Furman will be joined in the midfield with Link, who played on the team for all four years.\nBut Matthews is the one who looks to make the biggest impact.\nMatthews anchored the Libertyville, Ill., High School defense and was awarded with first team all-conference and first team all-state honors last season to go along with a second team All-Conference selection his junior year. Matthews turned down a scholarship from Vermont's Division I team and offers from other smaller schools to come to IU. Although lacrosse is one of his passions, Matthews made his school choice based on the quality of school, a sentiment shared by all three freshmen. The fact that IU had a club lacrosse team was icing on the cake.\nThe Libertyville classmates have unfinished business to settle in their first season in Bloomington. The trio led the Libertyville Wildcats to the Illinois state championship last season, only to fall in heartbreaking fashion to Loyola Academy in overtime. This devastating end to four successful years of high school lacrosse has been used as motivation for future success. The freshmen learned the lesson of hard work gone unrewarded, but now they want to help the Hoosiers to conference and national championships.\n"Getting to state and then losing was extremely disappointing," Link said. "We want to do our part for the team and make up for it here."\nFor the freshman trio, friendship is not solely centered on their mutual love for lacrosse. Link and Matthews have been friends for 12 years since their days in elementary school. Furman completed the trio six years ago in middle school. Their friendship goes beyond the lacrosse field, they said.\n"We've been through a lot," Furman said. "It will work to our advantage because we have established unity on the field together."\nFurman, Link and Matthews have more on their minds than having the opportunity to play and contribute to the team. They want to finish something they began the moment they first picked up a lacrosse stick.\n"We won't be satisfied until we win," Link said.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Chris Engel at ccengel@indiana.edu.
(01/26/05 5:23am)
"Ladies and Gentlemen, your Indiana Foosers!"\nIt is doubtful these words will echo through Assembly Hall anytime soon, but in the meantime, the members of the IU Foosball Club are happy with their increased popularity in only its second year of existence. \nThis time last year, sophomore Mike Kasprzyk would not have guessed how much the Foosball Club would have grown in only 12 months.\n"We are excited that we have grown to about 25 to 30 members right now," said Kasprzyk, club president. "However, we would like to get our membership up to 50 members this semester."\nThe club was the brainchild of 2004 IU alumnus Jake Leary while studying abroad in the Netherlands. During his trip, he and his friends were introduced to foosball. The game's popularity in the Netherlands made finding open tables quite easy, since about every restaurant and pub had a table or two. The frequent games at the overseas pubs sparked their competitive nature, and soon the idea of starting a club back home was born. \nThe club's foundation was set and the group came back to IU the next year eager to spread their passion for foosball. After the club's first year, a new group of students led by Kasprzyk inherited the club after the founders graduated in the spring.\nAll practices and competitions of the foosball club are located at the IU Foosball Arena. The arena consists of two high-quality Shelti foosball tables located in the Phi Gamma Delta house. The club prides itself on bringing people together from diverse backgrounds to share a common passion for foosball.\n"The best part is meeting new people outside of the academic setting," junior Dan Randolph said.\nThe club practices every Wednesday night and puts on frequent tournaments to determine the champion fooser of the club. Information regarding practices, tournaments, player profiles and everything else fooser is updated on the club's Web site, www.indiana.edu/~foosball.\nAlthough the practice sessions are laid back for the most part, the matches can become heated. \n"We try to be pretty relaxed, but there are some pretty competitive rivalries between friends," said Kasprzyk.\nThe members have become consumed by the game and the friendly competition the club offers, he said. Many of the members have even coined their own signature shot. This tradition, started by the club's founders, has given birth to names such as "Wicked One-Eyed Wack" and "Three-Legged Monkey" that will go down in IU foosball history.\n"All the guys are working on signature shots," Kasprzyk said. "Mine is 'The Slippery Snake.' It can be dangerous."\nThe game of foosball is not as popular in the United States as it is in Europe. Foosball clubs are rare in America, so the Foosers have not participated against any outside competition thus far. There are plans for a possible match against Central Michigan University, one of the few schools in the Midwest with a foosball club. However, a possible match-up is not probable until next school year.\nEven without outside competition, the Foosers are ready to fuel their passion for this bar-room sport.\n"It's all about having fun and playing foosball," Randolph said.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Chris Engel at ccengel@indiana.edu.
(12/01/04 5:41am)
With IU's football team failing to reach a bowl game for the 10th consecutive year, the Bloomington football community focused its attention on the Mellencamp Pavilion and the RecSports flag football championship last week. After weather delays and scheduling conflicts, the flag football season crowned five division champions.\nThe festivities kicked off with an All-Star game, featuring players from teams who failed to make the final eight. The Cream All-stars defeated the Crimson All-Stars 28-25. \nWhile football was the order of the day, not every aspect of the event was dedicated to the gridiron. Cans of food were accepted as admission to help the Hoosier Hills Foodbank, as RecSports looked to help the local community and to serve the needs of the IU student body.\nAfter a day of sweat, intense play and competition, five teams laid claim to the title of champions: Team Spencer (Co-ed Division I), Smithville (Co-ed II), Wissler Wombats (Women), Sigma Nu (Men's I) and Big Nutz (Men's II).\nThe final event of the night was the Men's Division I championship between The Ruggers and Sigma Nu. The Ruggers, composed of members of the IU club rugby team, were led by junior quarterback Eric Moore. The last time Moore suited up in a championship game, he went 13-16 for 183 yards and threw three touchdowns as he led Penn High School of Mishawaka, Ind., to the 2000 5A Indiana state championship. Moore again hooked up for three scores but threw two critical interceptions.\nSigma Nu quarterback senior Charlie Roeder threw for two touchdowns, but his team's strong defensive effort led the way for Sigma Nu's championship run. Roeder showed his defensive skills as he ran back a Moore interception to tie the game at 8-8 with time winding down in the first half. \nThe Sigma Nu defense stepped up at a crucial moment of the game. With the ball and up by two points, thanks to a blown two point conversion, and less than a minute remaining in the game, the Ruggers seemed assured of a victory. But the Sigma Nu defense forced the Ruggers to punt and gave Roeder 49 seconds to work his magic. After a quick drive, a quarterback-keeper by Roeder sealed the deal with 20 seconds to go to give Sigma Nu the championship.\n"It feels great to win the championship, especially with my friends in my fraternity," Roeder said. "I was worried about the Ruggers and their ability to lateral the ball. I was proud of the way our defense played."\nOverall, RecSports considered the afternoon a success. The weekend was a perfect end to a prolonged season full of unexpected delays.\n"It was a really good day of football," said Director of Intramurals Josh Downing. "We had lots of good competition and fun today."\n-- Contact staff writer Chris Engel at ccengel@indiana.edu.
(11/17/04 5:10am)
IU's recreational sports department is well respected around the nation, with Sports Illustrated On Campus reporting, IU is "perhaps the nation's top recreational-sports program." \nOne of the reasons for the success of RecSports can be traced to the Student Recreational Sports Center and School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation facilities. The two facilities provide students with the opportunity to participate in a wide range of physical activities, from lifting weights to playing badminton and everything in between.\nAccording to the RecSports Web site, the SRSC opened in July 1995 to meet the growing demand for more recreational facilities for student use. The SRSC cost $22.5 million to complete and was funded entirely through student funds. The 9-year-old SRSC became the newest addition to the RecSports facilities, which include the HPER, Woodlawn Field, North Fee Lane Fields and the North Jordan tennis courts. \nAccording to a report from RecSports, 1.8 million people participate in recreational sports programs and facilities each year, including 87.5 percent of the IU student population. Buoyed by high student participation, usage for the SRSC and HPER has risen over the past five years, including the 2004 fall semester. Student involvement in RecSports facilities has grown 4 percent from 2000. According to the same report, the main reason for the boost is the increased popularity in intramural sports.\n"My friends and I go to the SRSC to practice for the upcoming basketball season," said freshman Chase Daoud. "We like the good competition and the high-quality courts at the SRSC."\nIncreased student usage this early in the year is a normal cycle for the RecSports facilities, said Chris Geary, RecSports' program director of research, special events and outreach.\n"Participation in sports and usage of our facilities is relatively high until Thanksgiving break," Geary said. "Kids come back from vacation and the stress of finals sets in and they have less time to come and use our facilities. Participation picks back up in January with the new semester and New Year's resolutions."\nParticipation has been aided by the success of many of the intramural sports. Many programs have filled all the possible slots with participants. The number of intramural indoor soccer teams exceeded expectations, and RecSports resorted to forming a waiting list of 20 teams. \nAnd as intramural sports grow, expect the popularity of the SRSC and the HPER to do the same.\n-- Contact staff writer Chris Engel at ccengel@indiana.edu.
(11/10/04 4:33am)
While the majority of football fans around the country were tuning in to the Colts-Vikings Monday Night Football matchup, senior Todd Bunton and the rest of Da Bears were getting ready for their quarterfinal game of the intramural flag football playoffs. \nThe success of Da Bears is among the many interesting storylines surrounding the flag football tournament.\nDa Bears are not your average flag football team. Whereas most teams are groups of friends, floor mates or fraternity brothers, Da Bears were entirely made up of free agents just hoping to get onto a team. Not only did they come together as a team, they also performed well, going undefeated during the regular season and advancing to the quarterfinals before falling in overtime 26-25.\n"It was a tough loss, but I am so proud of my team because we definitely surpassed our expectations," Bunton said. "At first we were all just some guys who wanted to play some football, but it turned out that we had a great team. It's just too bad it's over now because it was a lot of fun. The guys were all great."\nTwo other big stories surrounding the playoffs is the possibility of back-to-back championships from Acacia and, most importantly, the weather.\nAfter about a month delay because of inclement weather, the intramural flag football championships will be held Nov. 21 at the John Mellencamp Pavilion. The championships will cap off another successful intramural flag football season. The championships were scheduled for Oct. 24, but rain, rain and more rain caused numerous delays in the early rounds of the playoffs.\n"We have had a fairly successful season," said David Hairston, graduate assistant for flag football at RecSports. "Participants and our employees at RecSports have been really helpful during the delays. These things happen when you have outdoor sports."\nAlthough the championships have been pushed back a month, the players and fans have a lot to which to look forward. The participants will get to play on a top-notch Astroturf field with no worries about the outside weather. \nThe festivities will begin at noon with an intramural All-Star game followed by championship matches in all the different flag football divisions. Other events planned by RecSports are a field goal contest, video coverage of the games and a canned food drive to help local charities. A canned item or non-perishable good is required for entry to watch the championships.\n"We just want to get people to come out to the games and watch some good football," Hairston said.\n-- Contact staff writer Chris Engel at ccengel@indiana.edu.
(11/03/04 4:30am)
IU soccer is synonymous with success. IU soccer teams have produced six national championships, 16 College Cup appearances, 27 All-American honorees and the most successful coach in NCAA history. Beating the Hoosiers can make a season a success for many teams. \nMost club teams don't live up to the level of achievement of successful varsity teams. However, the IU men's intramural club soccer team has kept up this high standard of success. The team has consistently being ranked as one of the best club teams in the nation.\nThe team wrapped up a successful fall campaign in disappointing fashion this weekend, failing to advance from the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association Region 3 tournament held in Bloomington. The Hoosiers were favored entering the tournament carrying the No. 5 regional ranking and playing games in the friendly confines of Karst Farm Park. IU started out the weekend with its most difficult opponent of the weekend, the Dayton University Flyers. Windy conditions did not hamper the quality of play from both sides. After 90 minutes of close play, the teams each walked away with a point after tying.\nIU knew what it needed to do heading into its final group game. Dayton had beat Ohio University 2-0 and the scenario was simple; a 2-0 victory would advance the Hoosiers to the championship by virtue of their higher ranking. Anything else would mean an end for the fall season. \nThe Hoosiers came out dominating the game taking a 1-0 lead early. The domination failed to translate into goals as the Hoosiers were unable to finish the opportunities their hard work had earned. Then, suddenly, Ohio attacked back and scored the equalizer -- the nail in the Hoosiers' coffin. The wind fell out of the sails as Ohio added another goal to defeat the Hoosiers 2-1.\n"We really just didn't come to play today," said club treasurer Nick Tiemann of the team's performance over the weekend.\nDayton ended up winning the tournament and earning a berth into the NIRSA National Championships Nov. 18--20 at the University of Texas where they will face the winners of the other NIRSA regions.\n"We had a good season this fall. It was a pretty successful season overall, even though we did not advance from regionals," said senior, club president Andy Leigh. "We are looking forward to the indoor season and then the spring season after that."\nAlthough the Hoosiers did not advance from this weekend, the season as a whole was a success. The Hoosiers compiled an 8-3-1 record against the top competition from around the Midwest and earned a No. 5 regional ranking at the end of the regular season. The club soccer team does not stop after the end of the fall season. The team will have two teams participate in indoor leagues during the winter and will hit the outdoor pitch again in the spring. The spring season is highlighted by a prestigious tournament at the Anheuser-Busch Soccer Complex in St. Louis.\nThe future of the Hoosiers looks bright as the team, composed of many young players, looks to build on this season's success.\n"We have a young team, so we should be successful next year as well," Tiemann said. "We only lose two starters from this year's team. They were important starters, so it will be important to find people to step up and fill those roles."\n-- Contact staff writer Chris Engel at ccengel@indiana.edu.
(10/27/04 5:33am)
IU and Purdue have one of the largest rivalries in all of collegiate athletics. Beating Purdue is one of the main highlights for any fan of a Hoosier team. But this rivalry does not stop on the basketball hardwood, football field or the soccer pitch. Any time the Hoosiers and Boilermakers square off, it's a big game. Intensity for the in-state rivalry escalates further when the two meet up with a championship title on the line, no matter what the sport.\nAfter two intense days of competition, the Boilermakers were the only thing standing between the IU bowling team and the Brickyard Classic title Oct. 16 and 17 in Indianapolis. After individual play Saturday, the Hoosiers sat in first place with 5,885 pins. Sunday's docket consisted of four Baker matches, where every member bowls two frames during a game. IU put together a 3-1 record during Baker match play, good enough to earn them a date with the Boilermakers in the final. IU went into the final with a 170-pin deficit and only four games to catch up to Purdue. \nAfter a solid afternoon of bowling, IU went on to win the match by 20 pins, spearheaded by the play of senior Bryan Komornik, who proved instrumental in the Hoosiers' championship. Komornik's total score of 1,274 during the weekend earned him a spot on the All-Tournament team.\nIU has a rich, 41-year bowling tradition that has had its share of successes. The Hoosiers have graduated five All-Americans, won numerous tournament titles and made many Nationals appearances. However, the Hoosiers are still searching for that elusive first national championship. \nThe team is sponsored by the Indiana Memorial Union and Classic Lanes of Bloomington. The IMU provides the team with uniforms, a travel budget and free bowling. Classic Lanes also provides free bowling for the team.\nAn IU women's bowling team has also been newly formed this year. The inaugural squad consists of a group of talented young bowlers who finished in 10th place at the Brickyard Classic and look to improve as the season continues.\n"We didn't play our best last weekend, but we have a lot of new girls who are getting better," said senior team member Dee Tchir.\nWith Nationals not coming until March, the Hoosiers will look to keep the momentum of the early tournament title going Nov. 6 and 7, when they travel to Marietta, Ga., to play in the Southern Classic.\n"We have a lot of guys who sat out a year who are back," said senior team captain Robby Spigner. "This team has a lot of experience, and we are looking forward to a successful season."\n-- Contact staff writer Chris Engel at ccengel@indiana.edu.
(10/26/04 4:37am)
The tradition of coaching success at IU is unmatched by most universities in the nation. Doc Counsilman, Bobby Knight and Jerry Yeagley are considered to be some the greatest college coaches in the history of their respected sports. It's time for Hoosier fans to add another name to the list of Hall-of-Fame coaches: diving coach Jeff Huber.\nHuber's coaching ability has been recognized by six Big Ten Coach-of-the-Year awards, five U.S. National Coach-of-the-Year awards and most, recently, a return trip to the Olympics to serve as an assistant coach on the United States Olympic Diving team, where he coached three former Hoosier divers: Sara Hildebrand, Cassandra Cardinell and Kimiko Soldati.\nHuber also served as the Dominican Republic's diving coach at the 1984 Los Angeles games as well as an assistant coach at the 2000 Sydney games.\n"It was very special for me to have three divers on the Olympic team," Huber said while speaking at a meeting of the Women's Club at the Meadowood's Terrace Room Oct. 14. \nHuber is beginning his 15th season as the men's and women's diving coach at IU and his 27th season coaching NCAA diving. In those 15 years, Huber has proven himself to be one of the premier diving coaches in the nation. During his career at IU, he has made champions out of Hoosier divers, including 22 Big Ten champions, over 20 divers named to the All-American team and 15 NCAA champions. Also, Huber has coached the Hoosiers to the last 10 U.S. National Championships.\nHuber recapped his collegiate career, when he snubbed a scholarship opportunity IU coach Hobie Billingsley gave him coming out of high school. Huber later went on to tell the audience about how he couldn't turn down Billingsley a second time when he offered Huber the job as diving coach.\n"I turned down IU once; there was no way I was going to do it again," Huber said about the offer to come to IU as a coach from the University of Nebraska.\nHuber also shared his experiences in the Olympics. He went into the preparation coaches and athletes do during the offseason, the international rivalries in diving, and into the pressure all the competitors face during the short time they are in the Olympic city. He also touched on some of the more controversial issues of the Athens Olympics, such as security and the problems of such sports like diving that require judges to award the winners.\n"We were really glad to have Jeff speak to us today," said Marge Belisle, a member of the University Club. "He has always done a great job teaching, motivating and coaching."\nHuber's coaching days are far from over. He hopes to continue the success he has earned in his first 15 years at IU. \n-- Contact staff writer Chris Engel at ccengel@indiana.edu.
(10/20/04 4:55am)
The lights shine bright as teams take the field in the intramural flag football championship. Throughout the year, they have proven to be the best and now they are on the field showcasing their skills on IU intramurals' biggest stage. Hours of training and preparation have come down to this one night. No, this is not your usual flag football championship squad -- this is the team of hard-working referees.\nIU's recreation sports program is well respected around the nation, with publications such as Sports Illustrated On Campus recognizing IU as "perhaps the nation's top recreational sports program." The players and the administration at IU RecSports have worked hard to make IU's recreational sports program one of the nation's best, but without referees, there could be no program.\nThis year alone, 245 new officials have signed up to referee flag football, volleyball and indoor soccer. The process to become a referee is a large commitment of time and energy. The only requirement to be a referee is to be a current IU student. No experience is necessary because all new referees have to go through the same training, regardless of experience. Referees have to go to an introductory meeting, a stations training to learn the sport and two nights of practice games. Overall, new referees spend about 10 hours of training before they are able to officiate a real game.\n"Training does not end after the introduction training," said Assistant Director of Intramurals Josh Downing. "Our officials are in constant training from the first game to the last game they ref."\nSo far, the training has paid off. RecSports has not had a serious issue with complaints of the referees other than the usual complaints regarding poor sportsmanship. The future of referees at IU is looking bright with all the new students coming out this year to participate, Downing said.\n"They've been doing a good job. We have a good young crew of referees who should be successful for the next two or three years," Downing said.\nBeing a referee for RecSports has its advantages. The students gain experience officiating sports, make new friends and have a starting pay of $6.75 an hour.\n"Being a ref is fun because you get to have power over people and they respect you," said freshman referee Mason Quick.\n-- Contact staff writer Chris Engel at ccengel@indiana.edu.
(10/13/04 4:59am)
The fifth annual Hoosier Fall Classic preseason tournament gave volleyball teams from the Midwest the chance to shake out the rust accumulated during the offseason. Twenty-four teams from the Midwest came to Bloomington Saturday looking for their first tournament victory of the year.\nThe men's volleyball club team took to the court this weekend with the hopes of a successful start to the season to erase the bad taste left in its mouth after a disappointing showing in last year's national tournament. \nThe "A" team went into the nationals with a No. 3 national ranking but came out in 21st place.\nHowever, with a new season comes a fresh start to achieve the failed goals of past seasons.\n"Years past, we have peaked in the middle of the season and went on to have a disappointing showing at nationals," said senior Dave Reid, president of the club. "We want to peak at the national tournament this year." \nThe "A" team blew threw group play with a 3-0 record, thanks to victories over Earlham, Missouri's "B" team and the IU Alumni team. \nReid and senior Will Smith were instrumental in the success of the Hoosiers. \nThe team's record earned it a date with the Missouri "A" team in the first round of single-elimination. IU made quick work of the Tigers in two games to meet with Dayton in the semifinals.\nTwo teams looking to build off last year's performances, IU and Dayton had ambitious goals heading into the Hoosier Fall Classic. In the end, the Flyers were too tough for the Hoosiers, as they spiked their way to the finals in two games. \nIn the end, Dayton won a hard-fought battle with Illinois to take the championship.\n"We did OK today," Smith said. "We had a lot of new guys on the team, so we weren't sure how things were going to turn out today. In the end, we lost to a good team that went on to win the tournament, so we are on our way for this season."\nThe Hoosiers finish up their preseason schedule with a trip to the Illini 16 Tournament this weekend and the Spartan Back to the Hardwood Classic Oct. 23. \nEven though the Hoosiers came up short, they said they still have their eye on the prize -- a national championship in April.\n-- Contact staff writer Chris Engel at ccengel@indiana.edu.