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(05/16/13 12:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>He drove hard to the lane, jumped and crumpled against the hardwood at the United Center April 28, 2012.This rapid sequence in the Chicago Bulls’ first-round playoff game against the Philadelphia 76ers wouldn’t only alter the trajectory of the next season’s playoffs, but also the legacy of the youngest player to have ever won the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award — Derrick Rose. He had torn his anterior cruciate ligament, more commonly referred to as the ACL, which required a recovery period of eight to 12 months, causing him to miss the entire 2012-13 season. And, it would appear, ruin the Bulls’ chances at a championship run this year.The 24-year-old Chicago native, selected first overall by his hometown Bulls in the 2008 NBA Draft, was destined to be the knight in shining armor for a franchise that hasn’t reached the NBA Finals since Michael Jordan led the team to a championship in 1998. Rose’s initial two seasons in the league ended with abrupt first-round playoff exits, though the 2010 season lit a spark the city of Chicago hadn’t seen since Phil Jackson was strutting the sidelines. It also marked the beginning of Rose’s legacy, which has since been a fiery point of discussion. Advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals two years ago, the Bulls’ lack of an ideal supporting cast was evident, as the Miami Heat’s “Big Three” — LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh — overpowered Rose in what was virtually a three-on-one game. With the Boston Celtics’ own “Big Three” — Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen — declining, the Heat remained the only obstacle in the Bulls’ path to a championship. Prior to the current season, general manager Gar Forman assembled a roster much to the liking of head coach Tom Thibodeau, a defensive-minded basketball guru. The power and ferocity of that roster was on display during a decisive Game 7 against the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the playoffs, as the team won the series without Rose, leading scorer Luol Deng (out due to illness) and interim starting point guard Kirk Hinrich (calf injury). Even without those integral pieces on the floor, the Bulls managed to spring an upset against the heavily-favored Heat in Game 1 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Semifinals, leading fans to ponder the team’s chances of advancing with Rose on the floor.But with each passing game, we’ve seen Rose go all out during pregame warm-ups, only to trade his sweat-soaked shirt and shorts in favor of a crisp suit prior to tipoff. And that’s where the inherent problem lies. With the worst group of active players the NBA Playoffs have seen in quite some time having knocked off a so-called dynasty, Rose has been content to sit and watch, not once even hinting at the notion of a possible return. But shouldn’t a player as passionate and humble as Rose sacrifice the fact he may not be the exact replica of himself circa 2011 and give what he can to aid in the quest for a championship? I’m no doctor, but I am smart enough to know physicians cleared Rose to play as early as March, indicating that the 6-foot-3-inch, 190-pound All-Star is physically capable of playing the game at the highest level. Sure he might have mental reservations about returning to the same court where he suffered such a gruesome injury, but won’t he have to face any existing fear at some point? And why didn’t he do so at the beginning of this series against the Heat, which his team trails 3-1 at the time of this publication? And if Rose was intent upon sitting for the duration of the postseason, why didn’t the team rule him out to avoid this chaos? Rose may go on to win championships with the Bulls, or another team, but NBA fans won’t forget the soap opera that has unfolded during the first two rounds of the playoffs. And the rest of us will be left to wonder, “what if?” — ckillore@indiana.edu
(04/22/13 4:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>What unfolded on the track at Bill Armstrong Stadium on Friday evening was a carbon copy of the 2012 women’s Little 500. With a heroic effort from senior rider Kayce Doogs, Delta Gamma claimed its second consecutive title, becoming the sixth team in the event’s history to win back-to-back races. Entering the 97th of 100 laps, Kappa Kappa Gamma held a sizeable lead and began its sprint to the finish, though the race was far from decided at that juncture. Doogs and senior Kappa Alpha Theta rider Kathleen Chelminiak — the two finished first and second in last year’s race, respectively — closed in on Kappa Kappa Gamma on the final lap, engaging in a battle to the finish line. However, Doogs said she and her team were prepared for that type of exhilarating finish. “We had a feeling halfway through the race that it was going to come down to a sprint finish,” she said. “It was really windy, and my coaches just told me, ‘you need to sit a wheel and wait to go in turn three.’ Kappa kind of broke away, so we all just chased, and I sat third wheel and went when I had to go. “It worked out perfect. It was beautiful.” Prior to the head-to-head sprint finish between Doogs and Chelminiak, overtaking Kappa Kappa Gamma was a challenge in itself and arrived as a surprise to Delta Gamma Coach Pam Loebig. “It really kind of caught us off-guard, because all of a sudden Kappa had this gap,” she said. “But it worked out well because Chelminiak was chasing and Kayce was right on her wheel.“We just had to wait it out, and we thought, ‘OK, they’ll catch them in the sprint,’ and she more than caught them in the sprint. She blew by them in the sprint and just left them behind.” Despite her team’s title chances dwindling with every passing second late in the race, Loebig said she remained confident a victory still wasn’t out of the question, particularly with a rider of Doogs’ caliber on the track. “This race, just like last year, was exactly to our plan,” Loebig said. “Around lap 70, we started playing endgame and counting laps and deciding who was going to ride what laps. We did it exactly to our plan and it worked out well.” Entering the race wearing the coveted yellow jersey, Delta Gamma knew it had a target on its back, but the experience of having won last year’s event aided in capturing this year’s crown. Doogs said the effort she and her team put in during the past year was crucial to Delta Gamma’s ability to repeat. “It’s incredible,” Doogs said. “We elevated our training even more after winning last year. Some people might think winning once is enough, but it wasn’t enough for us. We wanted to win again. “It’s amazing because we’ve been planning for this for so long. We’ve pictured in our minds, and it was just a matter of making it come true.”
(04/19/13 3:47am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After spending weeks in preparation for Friday’s race, 33 women’s teams will compete for the title they’ve had their eyes on for the past year.The 26th annual running of the women’s Little 500 will take place at 4 p.m. Friday on the track at Bill Armstrong Stadium. In what is being considered, perhaps, the most competitive women’s field in the history of the race, reigning champion Delta Gamma will have the proverbial target on its back, but isn’t feeling any pressure that would typically be associated with defending a title. “We know it’s going to be a fast race and we know it’s going to be really hard, but we’re ready to react to whatever happens,” Delta Gamma senior rider Kayce Doogs said. “We’re pretty deep, so we’re not worried.”Along with the yellow jersey comes the unmistakable attention from other teams in the field, which is an aspect of Friday’s race Doogs and her teammates have embraced. In fact, the distinction of the yellow jersey will allow Delta Gamma to set the tone early. “Being the returning champion, there’s definitely a target on your back,” Doogs said. “People are going to be more in tune to what your every move is and they’re going to want to attack you when they can. “They’re going to be watching like a hawk to make sure they know what you’re doing at all times because you proved yourself the year before.” One of those “hawks” that is ready to swoop down to knock Delta Gamma from its perch is Teter, which is led by senior rider Lisa Hutcheson. The second place finisher in this year’s Individual Time Trials, Hutcheson has been anxiously awaiting race day, eager to prove she and her Teter squad are a serious threat to win their second Little 500 championship in the past three years. “I’m ready to get out there,” Hutcheson said enthusiastically. “We did really well in the Spring Series, and I feel like it’s now or never.” Yet instead of paying any mind to its competition, Teter has employed an inward focus during the past week in an effort to improve on its third place finish in last year’s race. “We’re counting the lead pack as the lead pack, but we’re not really focusing on other teams,” Hutcheson said. “We’re just going to race. We’re not going to let people sit in, we’re going to make people work and we’re going to make it a tough, exciting race.” The amount of effort and dedication riders such as Hutcheson and Doogs have displayed since last season’s race would make a victory that much sweeter and satisfying in the minds of both women. However, no matter the end result, Friday’s race will possess a bittersweet tinge, as both riders will be racing for the final time. “Going out with another win would be amazing,” Doogs said. “It would show that all these years of hard work and all the sacrifices we’ve made have been worth it. It means everything.” Hutcheson echoed those sentiments. “It would put it all together and put it all in perspective,” she said. “I’d know it all paid off.”
(04/16/13 5:15pm)
This year's women's field looks to be the most competitive in its 26-year history.
(04/16/13 2:53pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The body of a Little 500 cyclist isn’t simply a body. It’s a machine.For that machine to work at its maximum capacity and efficiency requires the best fuel. Only the proper foods provide what they need to perform at the highest level. The staples of a college student’s diet — pizza, alcohol, processed foods — are toxic sludge for a rider. Lisa Hutcheson, a senior rider for Teter, said the key to her nutrition plan is avoiding those items altogether. “I can’t go to fast food restaurants or anything like that, so I completely cut that out of my diet,” she said.While the usual thought concerning “dieting” is cutting down on food consumption, Hutcheson and her Teter teammates take a different approach. Because of their consistent training and workouts, it’s paramount for them to consume more calories.“We’re not trying to be low-calorie eaters because we still have to maintain a lot of muscle,” Hutcheson said. “We usually eat a lot of meat, pasta and eggs.” However, adhering to that type of a nutrition plan has its challenges, particularly the temptations she and her teammates often face. “It’s hard when you’re visiting other friends or if you go home or something,” Hutcheson said. “In those situations, it’s hard not to just eat a bunch of sweets. But I live with my teammates, so that certainly makes it easier.” Perhaps no rider took that strategy to heart as strictly as senior Sigma Nu rider Brice Brookshire, who finished ninth in this season’s Individual Time Trials. Brookshire underwent a rapid transformation as a direct result of his stringent dieting plan. “I weighed 195 pounds at last year’s race, and I decided I needed to lose weight to be more competitive,” he said. “I started counting calories, and now I’m down to 177 pounds, which is huge on the track.” Brookshire said he is easily able to stick to his plan through the use of an iPhone application and a heart rate monitor. “I actually used the MyFitnessPal app and a heart rate monitor with my Garmin in it,” he said. “It keeps track of the calories that I burn.” Brookshire said he is also selective about the food he consumes and that he tends to eat voraciously. “I obviously like a lot of protein,” he said. “I can go chicken, chicken patties on the fryer and cheap steaks from Kroger. I cut out fast food and things like McDonald’s. That was the first thing I did when I started dieting because I realized how bad those things are.” Through the addition of vitamins in his training plan, Brookshire has created a system that has allowed his body to feel energized on a daily basis. “I feel great in the morning, and I feel great training,” he said. “I’ve seen a huge improvement in myself this year.”
(04/15/13 4:09am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Beta Theta Pi riders knew they had the potential to do something great at Team Pursuit if everything went perfectly.Beta rode what is believed to be the second best time in men’s Team Pursuit history, finishing with a time of 8:49.70 to win Team Pursuit for the first time in its history. Cutters reached the finals alongside Beta to clinch the white jersey, given to the winner of the Spring Series, and finished the finals in a time of 9:03.84.Little 500 Race Director Jordan Bailey said the 1986 Cutters produced the fastest time in Team Pursuit history, finishing in 8:36.According to the IU Student Foundation records page, which dates back to 1994 with a few gaps in between, only six other times have ever been “sub-9.” Phi Gamma Delta (Fiji) last did it in 2005 when it finished its prelims with a time of 8:58.71.Beta’s 8:49 is better than all of the times listed on the website, including Fiji and Sigma Alpha Epsilon in 1998 and Fiji doing it twice in 1997. None of those times are less than 8:50.“We were moving,” Beta senior rider Eric Anderson said. “We were moving. It was unbelievable. “There were a few times we were going so fast that (Will) Kragie’s wheel was kicking out, then my wheel would kick out. We’ve just been doing it so many times. You might freak out if that was your first time doing that. We’ve just done this so many times and have wanted this so badly for so many years.”The Betas decided to have every rider pull one lap, meaning each rider would take turns leading the other three so they could all draft off of him and conserve energy. This way, no rider gets worked too hard.“It all just flows so well,” Anderson said. “It’s the eeriest thing. It’s just silent other than our bikes and our breathing. Everyone’s just in a rhythm, just completely zoned in. When it clicks like that, 8:49 happens I guess.”Beta had wanted to win Team Pursuit more than all of the other Spring Series events. When the team giving them their splits on the Cutters let them know they were increasing their margin every lap and it was becoming sizeable, that motivated Beta to work even harder.Once those numbers start getting bigger, it’s like blood’s in the water,” Anderson said. “It’s time to really attack and keep the throttle down. When you’ve got four guys who have been doing this for as long as we have, we have the ability to do that. It’s definitely motivating. But at the same time, we were just so dialed in and so focused that no one was going to beat us today.”Cutters senior Kevin Depasse said his team wanted Team Pursuit more than any of the other Spring Series events. Despite winning the Spring Series, it was bittersweet to finish second in Team Pursuit.“You don’t work this hard to come in second,” Depasse said. “Good on the Betas. They rode incredibly tonight. That was all them. We rode 9:03. What are you going to do? That’s good on them. That was a great run and they’ve been training hard. Glad to see that program do well.”Now the two teams, who are friends off the track and have mutual respect for each other, won’t talk for the next week. Now, it’s race week.“We definitely didn’t want them sweeping the series,” Anderson said. “I know we’re all doing our best to beat them, and I’m sure they’re doing the same thing. It’s going to set up for quite a race on Saturday.”Like the men’s side, the women’s Team Pursuit came down to two teams garnering more recognition as potential favorites in the 26th running of the women’s Little 500 on Friday afternoon. Teter, led by senior rider Lisa Hutcheson, edged Delta Gamma for the Team Pursuit title with a finals time of 8:20.11, though the winning effort didn’t arrive without drama. “After the first round, Ashton (DeHahn) started passing out on the ground, so we didn’t ride her for the second round,” Hutcheson said. Without DeHahn, the taste of victory was even sweeter for Hutcheson and her Teter squad. The emotions were running high after the first place finish was sealed. “It was kind of like we surprised ourselves,” Hutcheson said. “I was surprised with our team of how strong we were in every situation. Our third rider just doesn’t ride, and we ended up with the same result. It was amazing, and it was really rare for the field this year.” Even more so than at full strength, down the stretch, Teter had to hold off Delta Gamma, which finished second with a finals time of 8:24.35.“We were speeding up at the end, and Delta Gamma was losing momentum,” Hutcheson said.
(04/12/13 3:11am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Despite dominating the first two Spring Series events, the Cutters still haven’t put away Beta Theta Pi for possession of the white jersey.With Team Pursuit signaling the end of the IU Student Foundation’s Spring Series on Saturday, Cutters has 33 points to pace the pack and Beta sits in second with 41. Cutters can clinch the title regardless of Beta’s finish if it places in the top 3. Beta has to finish two places higher than Cutters to take the white jersey, given to the team who wins the Spring Series.With that in mind, Cutters senior Kevin Depasse knows Beta will be coming after them.“Just because we happen to have done well in the first two events, I guarantee you the Betas are foaming at the mouth trying to beat us,” he said. “I wouldn’t expect anything less. I would be disappointed if they were doing anything less.”Starting Saturday at noon, two teams will take the track at once, racing against each other. All four riders on each team are on the track, as the teams pursue each other.The two top men’s teams will square off with each other in the finals at 8:36 p.m.“We’re just going to go out there and throw down as hard as we possibly can,” Beta senior Eric Anderson said. “Of all the series events, this is the one we want the most far and away.”While Depasse knows his team enters Team Pursuit with a lead, that doesn’t affect his mindset. He is focused on one task at hand Saturday.“You want to win,” he said. “That’s just how it is. No bike racer enters a race thinking they can’t win. We trained so hard; this is a venue where if you do something, you want to win it.”On the women’s side, a recent streak of dominance will be put to the test once again. Teter, last year’s Team Pursuit champion, will be aiming for its fourth consecutive title, though defending that honor will be no small task. Reigning women’s Little 500 champion Delta Gamma is a serious threat to knock Teter from the Team Pursuit throne. “We think this is an event our team is prepared for,” Delta Gamma rider Emily Loebig said. “After Individual Time Trials, we weren’t exactly pleased with our performance. We’ve kind of used that as motivation, and we’re looking forward to working together.” With the previous Spring Series events — ITTs and Miss-N-Out — being individual competitions, Loebig said her team will be a threat because of their chemistry. “It’s exciting to finally all be working together out there,” Loebig said. “It makes us remember we’re doing this for each other.”
(04/08/13 1:56am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For the second time in two years, the women’s Miss-N-Out title came down to Kappa Alpha Theta’s Kathleen Chelminiak — last year’s champion — and Delta Gamma’s Kayce Doogs.At last year’s Miss-N-Out, Chelminiak held off Doogs to take the title. In the Little 500, Doogs chased down Chelminiak throughout the final lap and overtook her in turn four, holding on to the lead and the overall victory.On Saturday, Doogs once again topped Chelminiak on the final turn of the last lap, this time resulting in the 2013 Miss-N-Out title.With an unsatisfactory performance at last week’s Individual Time Trials, Doogs channeled her frustration into a quality outing during a sunny, breezy day at the track. “Personally, I didn’t perform as well as I wanted to at ITTs,” she said. “But Saturday was a good day for me to go out there and display my strengths. It was a beautiful day, and I think everybody was happy being there all day.” Rounding out the final women’s heat was Chelminiak, who finished second, Teter’s Lisa Hutcheson, Wing It’s Melissa Moeller, Teter’s Emma Caughlin and Kappa Delta’s Lauren Kohut. Entering Saturday’s competition as the ninth overall seed, Doogs was able to earn the Miss-N-Out victory by way of her previous experience in the race, which consists largely of strategy, due to riders being pitted in packs unlike the Individual Time Trials.“It’s a totally different mindset because ITTs are 100-percent individual,” she said. “With Miss-N-Out, you don’t know how long you’re going to be in the running. Stuff just happens out there as you’re doing each heat.” However, attention to detail played a significant role in Doogs’ first-place finish. “It’s all about watching other heats before you and getting an idea of the weather, especially with the wind we had on Saturday,” she said. “You have to go into your heat being prepared for anything that could happen. “You have to capitalize on any opportunity that you see towards the sprints at the end, as well.” Despite the relaxed attitude with which teams and riders tend to approach the Miss-N-Out competition, it presented Doogs and her Delta Gamma team with an opportunity to scan the field and analyze its competition for the women’s Little 500 race April 19. “Miss-N-Out is a good time to see other teams’ strengths and their sprinter,” Doogs said. “Having a sprinter on your team is definitely a factor to look for when you’re planning race day strategy and how you’re going to approach your team.”Gaining a sense of the dynamics of each team was an important factor during the race, but it also offered Doogs an opportunity to take the pulse of her own team. “It was definitely good for us,” she said. “Personally, I got to see the strengths of our team. I also got to see what other teams have good sprinters and think, ‘OK, if it came down to a sprint finish this year, who do you think they would have on the bike?’” Doogs did spend time contemplating what the individual title meant to her.“I feel very proud and very happy that I was able to win yesterday,” she said.
(04/05/13 3:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The setting remains the same, but a shift in mentality and philosophy awaits the female riders competing in Saturday’s Miss-N-Out competition. This second Spring Series event will begin at noon Saturday on the track at Bill Armstrong Stadium. With teams having completed Individual Time Trials on Wednesday, which featured riders alone on the track competing only against the clock, Miss-N-Out presents a varying degree of difficulty. While riders will not compete with their teams, they will be placed in heats of six to 10 riders separated by gender. Emma Caughlin, a Teter rider who has placed in the top 10 of ITTs for three consecutive years, said her mindset entering Miss-N-Out doesn’t change tremendously and that she is excited about the opportunity to compete. “I try not to get too anxious or nervous about it because it’s only a four-lap set, and it’s only 2 1/2 minutes,” Caughlin said. “Miss-N-Out is more of just a fun thing, and it works out how it works out. I’m excited to see how it goes.“It’ll be interesting to see how it goes because we haven’t had a lot of time on the track this spring.” While Caughlin sees Miss-N-Out as more of a relaxed event than ITTs, she said it has the potential to weed out the grizzled, experienced riders from those with minimal or no experience. “There’s more strategy in Miss-N-Out, so it separates who has raced before from the girls who are new, because the girls who are new don’t really understand the strategy behind Miss-N-Out,” Caughlin said. Most importantly, it will give last year’s eighth-place ITT finisher and her Teter squad the opportunity to prove they are a threat. “The event will show how we can compete against the other girls who will be on the track during the race,” Caughlin said. “If we have multiple girls from our team in the finals, it will show the depth of our team. And we’re all strong enough to get to the finals, which is awesome.” Possessing quality team depth is an attribute only a select few teams can boast, though nothing trumps experience in an event such as Miss-N-Out, per Delta Gamma’s Emily Loebig, who is back for another shot at the event. The necessary knowledge and understanding of the strategy within the Miss-N-Out competition was also a focal point for Loebig. “The experience I have gained in the event is really helpful,” Loebig said. “This event, more than any other, is more about strategy. It’s not just about pure strength and talent, so having experience going into it is important.”Because most riders will find themselves in various circumstances during the women’s Little 500 race on Apr. 19, gaining a grasp of the tactical elements is paramount. “You have to know how to position yourself well and to conserve energy when you can, so that you can go as far as you can,” Loebig said. “You never what you’re going to be doing on race day, whether you’ll be riding by yourself or in a pack and knowing how to handle your bike well.”
(04/04/13 3:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A lineage of tradition persisted Wednesday evening on the track at Bill Armstrong Stadium. Senior Kathleen Chelminiak, a rider for Kappa Alpha Theta, became the third consecutive repeat Individual Time Trials champion, a streak that dates back to 2008. Chelminiak was nearly at a loss for words following the conclusion of her heat, which she won decidedly with a time of 2:39.34, 39 one-hundredths of a second off her winning time from last year’s title. “It’s honestly really surreal,” Chelminiak said. “I can’t believe it, even though it’s something that happened last year. The feeling doesn’t really get any less, like, crazy.” Chelminiak is following in the footsteps of the two previous repeat ITT champions: former Teter rider Caitlin Van Kooten and former Wing It rider Kristi Hewitt. Van Kooten claimed the honor in both 2010 and 2011, while Hewitt accomplished the same feat in 2008 and 2009. Rounding out the women’s top 10 was Teter’s Lisa Hutcheson (2:42.51), Chi Omega’s Aryn Doll (2:44.13), Wing It’s Melissa Moeller (2:44.74), Kappa Kappa Gamma’s Jackie Stevens (2:45.98), Teter’s Emma Caughlin (2:46.01), Kappa Delta’s Lauren Kohut (2:47.10), Alpha Chi Omega’s Kelsey Tharnstrom (2:47.36), Delta Gamma’s Kayce Doogs (2:47.93) and Teter’s Ashton DeHahn (2:49.38). Chelminiak, a Mishawaka, Ind., Marian High School graduate, credited her coaches and teammates for her winning effort. “I had my teammates around the track, I had my coach around the track and I had the girls in my house around the track cheering me on,” Chelminiak said. “It’s crazy. It’s so motivating, and, honestly, I couldn’t do it without them.” Entering the race, Chelminiak was calm and levelheaded and said she didn’t have placing or winning on her mind. “I don’t really think about it a lot,” she said. “I kind of just go out there and do what I do. I don’t really think. I just kind of go.” Chelminiak even admitted she and her competitors joked back and forth before their heat, adding to the easy-going approach that has been a deciding factor in her back-to-back ITT titles. “Before our heat, we were all over there joking around saying, ‘Wait, where are we supposed to be? What’s going on?’ So we were kind of wishing each other luck before and everything,” Chelminiak said. A senior, Chelminiak was quick to laud her competition, rather than bask in the glory of her own repeat title. “It’s weird because you kind of are going up against your friends,” she said. “I’m super blessed to have this opportunity. I am super excited to have these girls with me. Obviously, you always want to win, but at the same time, I would be happy with any outcome because I know all these girls have worked equally as hard as I have. “I know that all of these girls could, potentially, do this just as well as anyone else.” Yet in the heat of the moment, Chelminiak was clear about the one and only goal for her and her Kappa Alpha Theta team.“It’s just another day at the track preparing for the race on April 19,” she said.
(04/03/13 3:56am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For the only time during the Little 500 Spring Series, it will be all about the individual performances of riders.Beginning at 3:55 p.m. Wednesday, female riders and their male counterparts will take to the track at Bill Armstrong Stadium for the 2013 Individual Time Trials. The event consists of heats of four riders each completing four laps around the track from a stationary starting position located at one of the four turns. Riders are sorted based on their four-lap time.Reigning ITT champion Kathleen Chelminiak, a senior rider for Kappa Alpha Theta, headlines the field this season. The experience she gained from placing first one year ago will be vital to a repeat performance, she said. “I think it’s good to already have experience because you know what to expect overall, and you know what to expect pain-wise,” Chelminiak said. “It’s something you have to keep pushing through, regardless of how your legs are feeling or what the other people are doing.” Kayce Doogs, a senior rider for Delta Gamma, said the burden of expectations after a third-place finish in last year’s ITT’s. “Obviously, it puts a little pressure on your back to perform as well as you did,” Doogs said. “It’s important to ignore last year’s results and to go with how you feel with the training you’ve done during the past year. It’s really a chance to see all the hard work you’ve put in pay off.” Unlike the other events in the Spring Series, ITT’s stray entirely from the team-oriented competition riders become accustomed to.“Everyone has their own ITT strategy,” Chelminiak said. “You have to make sure that you know what yours is and not let other people influence it.” Doogs echoed those sentiments, noting the total self-reliance not found in the team competitions. “It’s the only time during the season where you can 100 percent hold only yourself accountable for your results,” Doogs said. “If you don’t get the time that you wanted, it’s completely your fault.“For the personal development of a rider, this is the one time where it’s just you and showing what you’re capable of and showing what you can do,” Doogs said. Despite having an introverted, individual focus, riders also have their teammates in mind and desire to see them do well. “A lot of it is for your team,” Chelminiak said. “You’re all rooting for each other and your team. Mostly everything about Little 500 is team-oriented. I’m always thinking to myself, ‘What’s best for Theta Cycling?’” Doogs had a similar train of thought about representing her team. “Winning it is obviously a great confidence-booster for yourself, but also for your team because your team is attached to your name,” Doogs said.
(03/25/13 4:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As the gloomy morning skies gave way to a sparkling, sun-splashed afternoon, the 2013 Women’s Little 500 Qualifications elevated in intensity and competitive spirit. When the dust settled at Bill Armstrong Stadium, 33 of 34 teams had qualified, officially sealing the lineup for next month’s race. Collins was the lone team in the field to fail to qualify for a spot in next month’s Little 500. Claiming the pole starting position was Kappa Kappa Gamma, which qualified with a time of 2:42.54. The finish resulted in a six-place jump from last year’s qualifications, in which Kappa Kappa Gamma earned a seventh-place starting position.Spearheading the winning effort for the victors was senior Jackie Stevens, who didn’t understate the significance of taking the pole. “I feel like we kind of needed it to establish ourselves as a team,” Stevens said. “We’ve always been a highly-ranked team, but I feel like no one ever really looks at us as a threat. I feel like it was good to get our name out there.”“We went into it really confident. I’m happy, and we’re all really glad we got the pole, but we want to win the race and not just quals.” While qualifying early in the day is preferred by most teams — including Kappa Kappa Gamma — the team said afternoon sunshine contributed to their success. Kappa Kappa Gamma made its attempt at 1:55 p.m. “It definitely made our mood a lot better,” Stevens said. “We were all a lot happier and not having to deal with our muscles being really cold.”“Originally, we were really mad that we weren’t going to be able to qualify in the morning, but it actually kind of ended up favoring us.” Kappa Kappa Gamma was joined in the top five by Wing It (2:44.30), Kappa Alpha Theta (2:44.60), 2012 Little 500 champion Delta Gamma (2:44.64) and Teter (2:46.85). Four of the top five teams made their attempts at or after 11:40 a.m.Committing the most monumental slide was Army, which landed 21st (2:58.10) after earning a third-place finish during last years qualifications. While earning victories relies heavily on experience and leadership from upperclassmen, Kappa Kappa Gamma faced the challenge of cultivating a harmony between the new riders and veterans. That perceived obstacle unexpectedly transformed into somewhat of a blessing. “You know, it has actually been kind of nice to start fresh and have a positive attitude all around,” Stevens said. “Being a senior, it is kind of on your shoulders to get them acclimated to everything, but our rookies are awesome.” After all the hard work put in to earn the top spot in the pole and to spark a chemistry within the team, Kappa Kappa Gamma members allowed themselves time to celebrate on Saturday afternoon following qualifying, though the team members were back on their bikes Sunday morning. “We’re trying to stay pretty level-headed,” Stevens said. “We don’t want winning to make us overly confident or cocky. We have a hard month ahead of us, and we need to train really hard to be fully prepared for the race.”
(03/22/13 3:50am)
The women’s cycling teams will duke it out at Bill Armstrong Stadium in
the 2013 Little 500 Qualifications. The fastest 33 teams will advance to
the race.
(02/07/13 4:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The mutual dream of two friends came to fruition Wednesday morning. Noel Padmore and Kristopher Smith, two of IU’s 22 commits in its 2013 class from Flowery Branch High School in Georgia, signed their National Letters of Intent to continue their academic and athletic careers together at IU this fall. The final task of transforming their shared vision into a reality was signing the dotted line and faxing the paperwork to IU compliance officials. “It was exciting, but I was sort of nervous,” Padmore said. “It was humbling. It was a blessing.” Padmore, a 3-star defensive back according to Rivals.com, cited his relationship with the IU coaching staff as a key factor behind his decision to leave the South and attend college in Bloomington. “It was really the relationship I have with (cornerbacks) Coach (Brandon) Shelby, and the relationship I have with all the other coaches,” Padmore said. “And having Kris with me, that’s a bonus, too.” Despite meeting just two years ago, Padmore and Smith have developed an enduring friendship that is evident both on and off the field.“I’ve known him for two years,” Padmore said. “We chill all the time, and he’s one of my best friends.” They wish to be roommates next school year, and Smith, a three-star linebacker, said he is ecstatic about that possibility. “It’s a great feeling knowing I’ll have a friend up here I already know,” Smith said. “Really, it’ll be great having a best friend I can talk to every day and have there and compete with.” Yet the reality that these Atlanta natives will be playing together on the collegiate level wasn’t even a possibility in Smith’s mind as a prep star. In fact, Smith said he wouldn’t have believed it at all at the time. But it’s finally starting to sink in for the 205-pound linebacker. “It’s unbelievable,” Smith said. “I didn’t think it would happen. I mean, we all talked about it happening, and I’m just glad it happened to me.” IU Coach Kevin Wilson, the man who brought Padmore and Smith to Bloomington, said he likes what both will bring to the table. “One, they’re both really good,” Wilson said. “I’m not big on recruiting teammates, but they were both pretty unique. We got Kris on campus, he liked us from the get-go, and I think he sold Noel in getting him up here.” With the shared dream between these two of playing together in college now a reality, a new dream has begun to form in the minds of both Padmore and Smith that is best described as ambitious. “I’m not just thinking about a Big Ten Championship,” Padmore said. “I want to go to the Rose Bowl, as well. Returning to that game is one of the reasons I chose IU.” Smith agreed with his best friend’s sentiments about returning the Hoosiers to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1968. “That would be crazy,” Smith said. “That’s the main goal, coming in working to get back to the Rose Bowl. Our coaches were telling us that 2013 will be the class that starts it.”
(01/04/13 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The arrival of a new year brings with it the hope of improving one’s quality of life. Many Americans are fond of making New Year’s resolutions to fulfill that hope, but only those who are willing to persevere and sacrifice will see the fruition of their self-made proclamations. IU Coach Kevin Wilson’s Hoosiers would be wise to follow the trend and make a few resolutions of their own, because room for improvement in 2013 is vast for a team that finished the 2012 regular season with a 4-8 record. 1. Bolster the rushing defenseAt any level of football, the key ingredient of a victorious formula is to, first and foremost, stop the run. The Hoosiers were abysmal in that department in 2012, having finished the season ranked 116th out of 120 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in rushing defense, allowing an average of 231.33 yards per game on the ground.If IU wishes to be competitive in the Big Ten Conference Championship race, it simply can’t be as porous against the run as it was in 2012. 2. Solve the quarterback quandary Some may disagree that the Hoosiers’ quarterback situation is, in fact, a quandary, but entering spring practices, it’s only fair to assume that sophomore Cameron Coffman and sophomore Tre Roberson are on equal footing. Sure, Roberson was named the Hoosiers’ starting quarterback entering the 2012 season, but Coffman played his way into consideration for the starting job. If this position remains in flux through spring ball and fall camp, the offense may go through the motions for long stretches as it did a season ago. 3. Protect the footballAnother key ingredient to winning is protecting the football by limiting turnovers. The Hoosiers weren’t terrible in terms of protecting the ball in 2012, but they weren’t great, either, finishing ranked 74th nationally in turnover margin at -.25. There is no greater demise to a team dripping with potential than turnovers. For IU to achieve its dreams of playing for a Big Ten Championship, it must take excellent care of the ball. 4. Limit “big yardage” plays defensivelyMy definition of a “big yardage” play is one that covers at least 20 yards. The Hoosiers were burned by these plays consistently in 2012, and it started immediately, as they allowed six plays of this variety against intrastate foe Indiana State during a 24-17 victory over the Sycamores to begin the season. Not only do these types of plays kill a team’s confidence, but they also possess the ability to swing momentum 180 degrees in one fell swoop. 5. Qualify for a bowl gameThe Hoosiers haven’t fulfilled former IU Coach Terry Hoeppner’s vision of “playing 13” since 2007, when they lost to Oklahoma State, 49-33, in the Insight Bowl. IU’s chances of making a return to postseason play look bright, with the season’s first five games being played at Memorial Stadium against beatable teams, including Indiana State, Navy, Bowling Green, Missouri and Penn State. And with 19 returning starters entering the 2013 season, the end goal should be nothing short of a bowl game.— ckillore@indiana.edu
(12/05/12 4:40am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>INDIANAPOLIS — As the game clock expired, Nebraska Coach Bo Pelini and his Huskers trotted off the turf at Lucas Oil Stadium amid red and white confetti falling through the air. The ever-popular song “Jump Around” blared from the stadium speakers. The House of Pain ballad, reveled by Wisconsin and its fans, was the last thing anyone associated with Nebraska football expected to hear last Saturday evening, and it will serve as the final haunting remnant of the Huskers’ 2012 season that ended with a stupefying 70-31 loss to the Badgers in the Big Ten Conference Championship Game.No, that final score is not a typo or a misprint. Your eyes are not deceiving you. Pelini could barely stomach the end result, which was apparent in his terse statements during his postgame press conference. The bright lights shone upon him like a criminal undergoing interrogation from police detectives.The moderator was forced to nudge Pelini into giving an opening statement, indicative of the bewilderment still metaphorically crippling the fifth-year head coach. Then, succinctly, Pelini began to speak.“I apologize to everybody associated with Nebraska football with how we coached, how we played, and it’s not acceptable,” Pelini said.On the field, Wisconsin steamrolled its way to 539 rushing yards against a Nebraska defense that limited the Badgers to just 56 when the two teams met on Sept. 29 in Lincoln, Neb. Explaining a 483-yard improvement in the rushing department two months after that initial contest, which Nebraska won, 30-27, is a mystery all its own.Even Pelini, a man well-versed in defense, was lost for words when asked about that staggering difference. “I don’t know,” Pelini said. “Obviously, we didn’t play well enough. We came unglued. I wish I had the answer, but I don’t.”In fact, there may not even be an answer to the perplexing scenario, considering the level of parity in the Big Ten Conference this season. The repugnant showing from the soon-to-be 14-team conference — Rutgers and Maryland will join during the 2014-15 season — ended with only three teams ranked in the final BCS poll, the highest of which was that same Nebraska team in the 16th slot. To make matters worse, it marked only the second time in the BCS era, which began in 1998, that not a single Big Ten Conference team finished the season ranked in the top 10 of the final BCS poll.Nebraska’s loss on Saturday allowed Wisconsin to become the first five-loss team to make a BCS bowl game. It’s no wonder America is begging for the curtain to be closed on the gruesome act that was the Big Ten Conference in 2012.It’ll get its wish soon.— ckillore@indiana.edu
(11/28/12 3:48pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It’s a thing of unmistakable beauty, really. For eight months out of every calendar year, college football fans anxiously count down the days until the dawn of a new season that is all too fleeting in nature. In what felt like the snap of a finger, IU’s season came to an abrupt conclusion Saturday afternoon in West Lafayette, after a disheartening 56-35 loss to intrastate rival Purdue that left the Hoosiers with a final regular season record of 4-8.While finishing two victories shy of bowl eligibility is nothing to commend, the future of IU Coach Kevin Wilson’s program is aglow, as 19 of the Hoosiers’ 22 starters are set to return next season.Which of those 19 returning starters will be the most crucial to IU’s run at postseason bowl eligibility in 2013? Here are five Hoosiers who I believe fit that bill.Sophomore quarterback Tre RobersonIncredibly bad luck, unfortunately, found Roberson early in the 2012 season, as the Indianapolis native suffered a broken left leg in the Hoosiers’ second game — a 45-6 victory against Massachusetts — that kept him out for the remainder of the season.Roberson’s mobility, which is a key aspect of Wilson’s offense operating at maximum efficiency, was sorely missed during hisabsence.Having Roberson back and healthy will significantly boost the Hoosier offense.Freshman-to-be defensive tackle Darius LathamAssuming he remains committed to IU and signs his National Letter of Intent in February, Latham will be an integral piece of IU’s defense in 2013.Latham will slide right into a starting spot along the interior of the defensive line due to incumbent senior starters Adam Replogle and Larry Black Jr., who have seen their eligibility clocks expire.With the defensive line being perhaps the weakest link of a porous IU defense this season, Latham’s four-star presence will be a welcome addition.Junior running back Stephen HoustonEntering the 2012 season, the Hoosiers appeared to have a logjam at the running back position with Houston, freshman Tevin Coleman and sophomores D’Angelo Roberts and Isaiah Roundtree each vying for playing time.Houston eventually separated himself from the pack mid-season and finished with 65 more carries than any other running back on the roster during the Hoosiers’ final six contests.As IU’s feature back next season, Houston has a legitimate opportunity to be a 1,000-yard rusher. Junior safety Greg HebanOne of the most flattering descriptions a defensive player can earn during the course of his career is “rangy.” Following a 2012 season in which Heban had a hand on what seemed like every play, he has certainly earned that distinction. The former walk-on and pitcher on the IU baseball team has become, in this writer’s humble opinion, the unquestioned leader of the Hoosier defense.Heban’s ability as a leader will come in handy next season, when he’ll likely be joined by incoming freshman four-star safety Antonio Allen in summer.The Hoosier offensive lineRather than singling out one offensive lineman, I’ve chosen to select IU’s offensive line as the fifth most valuable “player” next season.The Hoosiers will return four of five starters along the offensive line, though senior center Will Matte will be dearly missed. The absence of his leadership will force a young line to grow up in a flash, as three of next season’s five starters will be underclassmen.— ckillore@indiana.edu
(11/26/12 5:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>WEST LAFAYETTE — One of the more recognizable traditions in the game of football is for members of both teams to hold up four fingers at the beginning of the fourth quarter, signifying the commencement of the most mentally grueling 15 minutes of the 60-minute contest. On Saturday at Ross-Ade Stadium, both the Hoosiers and the Boilers held up those four fingers, yet only one team displayed the mental toughness required to be victorious.IU wasn’t that team, though it appeared to be after IU Coach Kevin Wilson’s squad overcame a 14-point deficit to tie the game at 35 early in the fourth quarter.But that final touchdown would prove to be the Hoosiers’ last points of the 2012 season.Purdue put its foot to IU’s throat and didn’t let off until it had reeled off three consecutive touchdown drives in the final 12 minutes of regulation.Those crucial 12 minutes were also a microcosm of the shortcomings IU has suffered through all season. Whether it be vast amount of missed tackles, blown assignments or turnovers, the Hoosiers continually harmed themselves when it mattered most.“On the road in a rivalry game, you can’t turn the ball over four times,” Wilson said. Three of those four turnovers were sophomore quarterback Cameron Coffman interceptions, two of which were thrown in the fourth quarter.Because of those critical mistakes, the Hoosiers were forced to witness Purdue raise the Old Oaken Bucket for the second consecutive season.“I wanted to win it super bad for our seniors because, obviously, it means a lot more to them since it’s my first time here,” Coffman said. “It’s really disappointing that we couldn’t send them out the right way.” Yet there is a silver lining that Coffman and his young teammates can take solace in: 19 of the 22 starters from Saturday’s loss to Purdue return next season.Its young nucleus quadrupled last season’s win total and matched expectations set forth prior to this season. With the improvement shown this season, brighter days may be ahead for the Hoosiers. Those days are not apparent now, but are like the sun seconds before it rises; it’s hard to see, but you know it’s inevitable.“It’s a young group that has a lot of time to continue to mature physically, mentally and in its knowledge of the game,” Wilson said. “They’ll each continue to learn how to mature as a man.” For now, IU fans must be patient with Wilson. Yes, he works in a results-oriented business, but those results won’t come overnight.Junior wide receiver Kofi Hughes said he and the rest of his teammates would begin offseason workouts this week, signaling the effort needed to fulfill the potential Wilson spoke at length about. “There’s a lot of potential, which is exciting,” Wilson said. “But potential is a dirty word if you don’t continue to improve.”— ckillore@indiana.edu
(11/16/12 4:55am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As I flipped the channel on my television to CNN, I could feel the blood rush to my head as the nearly indescribable feelings of animosity began to course through my veins. On the screen appeared former Penn State Defensive Coordinator Jerry Sandusky, clad in an orange prison jumpsuit with his attorney, Joseph Amendola, at his side as he awaited the final verdict from Judge John Cleland.Then, slowly and deliberately, one of the 12 jurors read each guilty charge: involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault, unlawful contact with minors, corruption of minors and endangering the welfare of children, among a slew of other charges, each creating in me a mixed sense of conniption and anguish. In total, Sandusky was found guilty on 45 charges. Listening to and processing each charge was troublesome, but watching as Sandusky’s victims in attendance burst into tears was the most agonizing aspect of watching the scene at the Bellefonte, Pa., courthouse.Four months later, Sandusky was formally sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison, and at 68 years of age, he’s unlikely to survive, effectively making it a life sentence. The fact that Sandusky will spend the rest of his life in prison doesn’t make the lives of his victims any less arduous. They are forced to live with the paralyzing memories of their attacker that are incomprehensible to those who have never suffered such calamitous experiences. No penalties, jail sentences or any other form of punishment to anyone involved in Sandusky’s crimes will ever heal the wounds of his victims. Any person who believes otherwise is a fool. It doesn’t matter that Penn State was forced to vacate all of the football team’s victories between the 1998 and 2011 seasons. It doesn’t matter the football team will be forced to play with only 65 scholarship players for four years beginning in 2014, compared to the typical 85.Penn State was also levied with a $60 million fine that will be used to benefit abused children and may even go as far as to take the first step in putting an end to child sexual abuse altogether. Yet the foremost matter is for Sandusky’s victims to be recognized, both those who have come forward and those who haven’t.While the game of football is the least important matter in these circumstances, its grand stage can be utilized to raise awareness of child sexual abuse. Indiana’s contest against Penn State at Beaver Stadium on Nov. 17 will be one of the innumerable games into the future in which the victims of such heinous crimes will have a silent, yet effectually symbolic, collective voice. Penn State Coach Bill O’Brien’s players will wear a blue ribbon sticker representing child sexual abuse awareness on their classic white helmets, as they have done all season.On Nov. 17, One Heart, a group of Penn State students against the sexual abuse of children, will continue its heartwarming efforts to raise money and awareness. The astonishing efficacy of the human spirit will continue to glow as bright as it ever has. — ckillore@indiana.edu
(11/14/12 3:16am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Former Olympic gold medalist Bob Richards once said, “It may sound strange, but many champions are made champions by setbacks.”IU Coach Kevin Wilson’s Hoosiers suffered a catastrophic setback Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium, losing 62-14 to Wisconsin.Lost amidst the shuffle of postgame discussion concerning the death of IU’s hope for the Big Ten Conference Championship Game was the chilling fact that the 48-point loss wasn’t the widest margin of defeat for Wilson.Last season, his team suffered a 52-point drubbing at the hands of both the Badgers and Michigan State Spartans.Recovering from such a devastating defeat isn’t a paltry task, but it is one the Hoosiers must undertake. The possibility of qualifying for a bowl game is still alive and well. Senior center Will Matte is cognizant of that prospect and recognizes it must be the Hoosiers’ collective ambition in salvaging the season.“That’s definitely been a goal of mine,” Matte said. “It’s under two weeks left in the regular season now. I’ve been savoring each day and making sure that I can be at my best each moment.”While the Hoosiers’ aspiration of playing a 13th game is legitimate, it’s a pipe dream that only the most passionate of fans believe contains any substance. IU faces a daunting trip to Penn State’s Beaver Stadium and its 106,572 raucous fans, which doesn’t bode well for a Hoosier team required to win its final two games to become bowl eligible. To put the scenario in perspective, the largest away crowd Wilson’s young team has seen this season was an announced capacity of 47,981 at Illinois’ Memorial Stadium.Add that with a Penn State rushing defense that ranks 37th nationally, and the Hoosiers’ chances of pulling off the upset fly out of the window. There is a silver lining for IU’s current predicament.In my recap column of the Wisconsin game, I said IU had returned to its losing ways of old. I was proven wrong by sophomore quarterback Cameron Coffman Monday.“Going back and looking at film, there were a bunch of things that were just a little bit off, whether it be a throw being a little too high or a guy running a route one step too far,” Coffman said. “They’re all very fixable things.” The compounding of those small mistakes along with the verified and substantiated claim that the Hoosiers were too amped up to play in a game with such decisive stakes was the fatal formula that doomed an IU squad featuring 13 underclassmen in starting positions.What should be learned from last Saturday’s empirical example is that young teams are often exposed when the lights shine brightest, and, unfortunately, that’s exactly what transpired against Wisconsin. So, no, this season’s IU squad is not a reincarnation of past teams. It’s a team that has experienced a gargantuan setback that might, eventually, transform it into a champion. — ckillore@indiana.edu