137 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(10/08/09 10:35pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU women’s tennis team is back in action this weekend after two weeks off following the Hoosier Invitational.The Hoosiers start play today in the University of North Florida Invitational, sponsored by Hampton Inn. All eight players on the roster will participate in both singles and doubles competition against a field of small southern schools.In a group of teams that includes Florida Gulf Coast, Troy and Georgia Southern, among others, IU sticks out like a sore thumb.IU coach Lin Loring said the team’s participation in the UNF Invitational had more to with scheduling than anything else.“We always try to schedule one tournament in the fall to get out of regional competition,” Loring said. “We also like to play every two weeks, so the North Florida tournament was one of only a few that was held this weekend. We’re going to play a bunch of schools that you normally don’t see, which is what we always try to do in the fall.”The Hoosiers spend the entire spring season playing Big Ten team after Big Ten team, which is the main reason Loring likes to mix it up in the fall. He admitted he didn’t know a whole lot about the talent level of any of the teams in the tournament, but he said his players will benefit regardless.The weather might end up being IU’s toughest opponent.“The forecast is saying 90 degrees for this weekend,” Loring said. “We are a little bit worried about that and keeping the girls hydrated because it obviously hasn’t been 90 degrees around here for a while.”
(10/08/09 10:34pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After advancing to the final 32 in doubles competition at the All-American Invitational in Tulsa, Okla., the IU team of Jeremy Langer and Maxime Armengaud was eliminated on Thursday.The tandem fell to the No. 12 doubles team of Adam Baker and Alex Zotov (Vanderbilt) in a match that went back and forth throughout. Langer and Armengaud were unable to capitalize on three match points when they led 7-5 and 7-6 and then again during the tiebreak, but the Hoosier duo showed resiliency late in the match.Langer and Armengaud fought off four Vanderbilt match points before finally losing 9-8.“I thought we played well,” IU coach Randy Bloemendaal said. “I just thought they could have played a little bit better during one of those points. It’s definitely disappointing when you don’t convert match points, but the other team played extremely well. It’s just one of those things that you have to learn from.”The Hoosiers are now headed home after nearly a week in Tulsa. Despite the result, Bloemendaal was encouraged by the way Langer and Armengaud played together during their first All-American event.The two sophomores had never played a doubles match together before going 3-1 this week.IU has the weekend off and will return to competition next week when it plays in the Louisville Tournament.“I don’t think we walk away from this and hang our heads,” Bloemendaal said. “I thought we did a lot of good things. These two guys got some good experience early in their careers. I really got to sit back and look at where we are at, and I think we are moving in the right direction.”
(10/08/09 3:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU men’s tennis team practices in a number of different doubles combinations on a daily basis.Sophomores Jeremy Langer and Maxime Armengaud, however, had never been paired together before this week.It looks like they should work together again in the future.Langer and Armengaud continued to surprise in the All-American event at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center in Tulsa, Okla. The duo won its third round qualifying match against North Carolina State’s Rob Lowe and Frideric Prandecki on Wednesday and earned the right to play in the tournament’s main event beginning today. “This is a nice step for our program,” IU coach Randy Bloemendaal said. “It’s hard for two guys to come in a gel right away, but Jeremy and Max have good chemistry on the court, they get along well off the court and they’ve been able to apply what they’re supposed to do when they’re playing. Nothing is easy about that, but they have done a heck of a job working at it.” Langer and Armengaud jumped to a 7-1 lead against the Wolfpack by committing very few unforced errors. After Lowe and Prandecki rallied to stay alive by taking the ninth game, the Hoosier pair came right back and closed them out.“I don’t think either guy played unbelievable, I think we just played solid,” Bloemendaal said. “I thought the other team came out and played a little tight at the start and then we just came at them with the same pressure. From what we talk about doing mentally and physically, I think those two guys did it to a ‘T’ today.”Armengaud said the inability of the Hoosiers to close out a first-round match Tuesday motivated them to beat Lowe and Prandecki before they were able to generate any sort of momentum.“Coach (Bloemendaal) talked to us for a while after yesterday’s match to stay focused for the whole match,” said the Nice, France, native. “We were more focused than we used to be and that allowed us to do better.”Langer and Armengaud, both of whom are playing in their first All-American event, now make up one of the final 32 teams in the doubles tournament. Their play during the next several days will not only help their rankings, it could also potentially impact the spring season.If the Hoosier duo takes first place in the event, the entire IU team would earn an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament, regardless of its ranking at the time.“It’s very exciting,” Armengaud said. “Our hard work has definitely paid off to be able to make it to this final weekend. These are only the best teams so the competition is very good. Hopefully we can win a few of these matches.”
(10/07/09 4:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After several tough days in singles competition, the IU men’s tennis team found its rhythm in doubles play.The two Hoosier teams combined for three doubles wins Tuesday in the All-American Qualifier at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center on the Tulsa campus.The duo of sophomores Jeremy Langer and Maxime Armengaud won their first two doubles matches and will play the North Carolina State team of Rob Lowe and Frideric Prandecki in today’s final qualifying round. If they win, Langer and Armengaud would advance to the tournament’s main event, which begins Thursday.“We’re just taking it one match at a time right now,” IU coach Randy Bloemendaal said. “I don’t think we are treating tomorrow any differently than we treated today. Our goal is definitely to get to that main event but we are learning things everyday and that’s the important thing. It’s probably a better way to learn when you’re winning than when you’re losing.”After winning a close 9-7 match against Cassidy Mears and Evan Urbina of Brigham Young, Langer and Armengaud turned their focus to another difficult contest with Mississippi State’s George Coupland and Artem Ilyushin.Langer and Armengaud jumped out early, but Bloemendaal said “they lost focus” and let the opponent back in the match. Ultimately it was another 9-7 victory that got the Hoosiers one step closer to their goal.“Even with the guys winning, we’ve still got a long ways to go,” Bloemendaal said. “We have a lot of things that we need to work out. Hopefully tomorrow we play a little bit better than we did today. It’s all a process that we’re going through.”Junior Lachlan Ferguson and freshman Alex van Gils won their first round match against the team of Holden Ching and Marko Starcevic from Sacramento State before bowing out in the second round with an 8-4 loss to Virginia.
(10/06/09 3:22am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Having talent is a must to be successful in just about any sport. Freshman Tommy Aliber might not currently be the best player on the IU men’s tennis team, but his hard work and dedication have turned him into a two-time state champion and the No. 1 singles player in the Missouri Valley and give him the ability to possibly reach that point at IU. “I think he’ll be comfortable winning at this level where some of the guys have never done that in the team environment before,” IU coach Randy Bloemendaal said. “He can teach the guys how to react and how to act around certain teams and how to prepare that way.” Aliber, who attended Pembroke Hill High School in Kansas City, Mo., already has some solid credentials. He finished third in the state of Missouri as a senior, was named first team All-State and won a doubles title at the National Open. At one point, he was the No. 2-ranked high school doubles player in the country. “We think he is a guy that can initially come in and help us in doubles,” Bloemendaal said of the 6-foot-3-inch Aliber. “We felt like, indoors, he could make an immediate impact even before he started making jumps as a player. There are a lot of guys that tall in the Big Ten, but he’ll definitely help us out because of size.” Aliber drew some interest from other schools from around the country, but he said he felt comfortable at IU. “I knew a couple of guys on the team so I felt really good about that,” Aliber said. “And then as soon as I got to know coach Bloemendaal and coach (Randy) Winn, it just seemed like the right fit.” With many of the key pieces returning from last year’s team, the Hoosier team feels it can be a contender in the majority of its meets this season. Bloemendaal said Aliber will be a critical part of building IU into a national men’s tennis power. “I think he’s going to be a big part of us making jumps,” Bloemendaal said. “He’s been at the top, and he knows that everyone has to be on board to win. He’s been there before.” Aliber understands the fact that he will have a great deal of competition within his own team, but he said he is willing to work and help out in any way he can. “I feel like I can bring a positive attitude, and I’ve been on teams before, so I feel real comfortable being part of a team,” he said. “I’ll do whatever I can ... and I’ll play wherever I’m needed.”
(10/06/09 1:03am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU men’s tennis team was eliminated from singles play after a less-than-satisfying performance at the All American Qualifier on Monday.Junior Lachlan Ferguson and sophomore Jeremy Langer were both ousted in the first round of competition at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center on the campus of the University of Tulsa.Ferguson, who played No. 1 singles for the Hoosiers a year ago, dominated the first set (6-2) against New Mexico State’s Gustave Diep, but he would drop the final two sets to his unranked opponent in a match that lasted nearly three hours.Ferguson went through an off-season operation on his stomach and groin and he said it will take him a while to play he the way he did last spring.“I had some opportunities to win and I just couldn’t finish but there were some positives to take out of it,” Ferguson said. “Obviously, I haven’t been back all that long, and it’s not just as easy as flipping the switch and you’re back to where you were. As long as I keep chipping away and get some more matches under my belt, I think I’ll be fine.”Langer was playing in the All American event for the first time and he dropped his match in straight sets to Louis Cant of Mississippi State. After hanging in for most of the first set, Langer couldn’t find a close out as he fell 5-7. Cant took the final set 6-2 to advance to the second round.“We’re going through some things but sometimes you have to have breakdowns before you have breakthroughs,” said IU coach Randy Bloemendaal. “It’s hard but it’s part of the process and you just have to keep doing the right things. The guys are doing that. They are fighting hard on the court, their attitudes are good, they just have to do a few other things.”Langer and Ferguson along with sophomore Maxime Armengaud and freshman Alex van Gils will compete in doubles competition tomorrow.
(10/05/09 2:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Sophomore Maxime Armengaud and freshman Alex van Gils both advanced to the second round via bye at this weekend’s All American Pre-Qualifier before falling to their ranked opponents.Armengaud, a native of Nice, France, gave No. 17 Santiago Villegas (Virginia) everything he could handle in the first round of competiton Saturday morning, but he ran out of gas late in the match.Villegas outscored Armengaud 10-3 in the tiebreaker after the Hoosier won the second set 5-7.Van Gils, who was playing in his first tournament of the season, fell in straight sets (6-4, 6-4) to No. 20 Zach Nichols of Texas Christian.“I thought the guys competed hard. I thought they played real hard,” said IU coach Randy Bloemendaal. “With these younger guys, we are trying to feel our way out a little bit, and you have to come into a tournament like this and play at your highest level right away. Everybody is definitely good here.”The Hoosiers aren’t done playing in one of the biggest tournaments of the fall season. Junior Lachlan Ferguson and sophomore Jeremy Langer begin play in the All American event today and will continue playing as long as they keep winning. The event wraps up Oct. 11.Bloemendaal said Ferguson’s experience should help him react to the intense atmosphere.“It’s a little bit of an uncomfortable environment when you first step into it,” he said. “You just have to find a way to step into the arena and play at your top level. I know Lachlan has seen those guys before, and it makes a difference.”
(10/02/09 4:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU coach Randy Bloemendaal tried time and again to explain to his players that they could compete with any team or athlete in the nation before last weekend’s UVA Ranked Plus One tournament. It took junior Lachlan Ferguson and sophomore Maxime Armengaud one day to figure that out. Both players dropped their first match of the weekend before rallying to win seven of their last eight matches overall. Ferguson and Armengaud will get another opportunity at this weekend’s All American Pre-Qualifier in Tulsa, Okla. Sophomore Jeremy Langer and freshman Alex van Gils will also compete for the Hoosiers. “I think it’s just like this last weekend,” Bloemendaal said. “I think we are going to go in and find that we are good enough, but the challenge will be getting the guys to see that that is the level we need to be playing at. It’s a mind-set thing, and that’s what I’m going to work on most with these guys. If we want to win championships, this is the level we need to be at, and we need to do well in these tournaments.” Even though it is only the third tournament of the year, the All American Pre-Qualifier could have a significant effect on the rest of the season. Not only do the Hoosiers get the opportunity to compete against the best players in the nation, they could also potentially earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. “It’s a real big event,” Bloemendaal said. “It is really a good opportunity to set the team up for next semester.” Langer, who played No. 3 singles last year, is excited to represent IU in the big tournament. “This is my first opportunity to play in the All Americans, and I can’t wait,” he said. “We’ve all really grown and matured a lot, and we really all help each other.”
(09/28/09 3:16am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The weekend didn’t begin the way junior Lachlan Ferguson and sophomore Maxime Armengaud had hoped, but they righted the ship and won seven matches at Virginia’s Ranked Plus One Invitational. The IU men’s tennis duo rebounded from an opening-round loss to take first place in the A-1 doubles consolation bracket. Ferguson and Armengaud knocked off the Tennessee team of Taylor Patrick and Bryan Swartz in the consolation semifinal and then hung on for a 9-7 win against Alberto Gonzalez and Alex Musialek of Kentucky in the final. IU coach Randy Bloemendaal said it took a match or two for his two players to realize they could compete with the high-caliber field of players. “They really picked their level up over the last two days,” Bloemendaal said. “We won seven of our last eight matches, but for us to win championships and get through to the next level, we have to move up in the pecking order. “The thing you have to understand is the talent level is no different. It’s like watching the football game this weekend – I don’t think there was a difference between Michigan and Indiana. I don’t see a difference in talent level out here on the tennis court, either. With the pecking order, certain guys feel like they should walk off and win. Nobody is going to open the door for you.” Armengaud also had some success in singles competition. After losing a tough three-set match to No. 62 Viktor Maksimcuk of Louisville, Armengaud defeated Radford’s Zack Watson and Mid Tennessee State’s Victor Melo in back-to-back matches. Ferguson, who was playing in only his second tournament since having an operation this summer, also lost his singles opener before winning consecutive matches on Sunday. “This definitely helped our confidence, because we were able to win a few matches in the last two days,” Armengaud said. “It should help us not only during the spring season, but also in some of the upcoming national tournaments.”
(09/28/09 3:15am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU women’s tennis team got off to a fast start by dominating the competition at the annual Hoosier Invitational.The consistent yet unpredictable rain didn’t seem to bother the Hoosiers as each of their eight competitors won at least one singles match and two doubles matches this weekend.Freshman Leslie Hureau may have been the most impressive Hoosier. She finished 7-0 in the tournament by defeating all three of her singles opponents and teaming up with junior Myriam Sopel to win four straight doubles matches.Three of the four IU doubles teams advanced to the Final Four, but didn’t play it out because IU coach Lin Loring did not want two of his teams to play against one another. The Hoosiers finished 12-3 overall in doubles play. “I was especially impressed with our doubles,” Loring said. “We can definitely hold on to these combinations.”The same situation occurred in two of the three singles brackets. In both the IU and Hoosier flights, players from the same team were scheduled to play each other, so Loring and his tournament committee manipulated the bracket.“The fall tournaments are all about playing matches,” Loring said. “We want our players to play against as much competition as possible.”The third singles flight played out the way it was supposed to as IU senior Lindsey Stuckey advanced to the championship. However, she lost to LSU’s Ebie Wilson in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3.Junior Charlotte Martin, who was slated to play Hureau in the final of the Hoosier flight, was also 3-0 in singles competition on the weekend. Loring was pleased with his team’s play and said he is excited about the possibilities the 2009-10 season may bring. “Overall, it was a very good tournament for us against solid competition from BCS conferences,” Loring said. “We are way ahead of where we were last year at this time. Our goal now will be to keep improving from here.”
(09/25/09 4:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Junior Lachlan Ferguson and sophomore Maxime Armengaud will represent the IU men’s tennis team at the University of Virginia Ranked Plus One tournament this weekend.Ferguson, who is ranked No. 52 in the nation by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, will play North Carolina’s Jose Hernandez in the first round Friday. He is the third seed in the A-4 bracket and could see No. 14 Michael Shabaz of Virginia if both advance past their first three matches.Ferguson is excited to get back on the court after being limited during the summer because of an operation on his groin and stomach.“I’m ready to get back out there,” he said. “It’s going to be a big challenge for me going against some of the best players in the country. Hopefully I can get a few wins.”Armengaud enters the tournament unranked and will play the fourth seed, Viktor Maksimcuk (Louisville), in the A-1 bracket.IU coach Randy Bloemendaal said the tournament is a good opportunity for both players to gain not only valuable experience, but also points toward their ranking.The tournament is held in Charlottsville, Va., and continues through Sunday.“You get points for every win you can get against a ranked player, so it’s a chance for our guys to pick up multiple points when we go to these types of tournaments,” Bloemendaal said. “It’s good recognition now, but it’s also good recognition on the backside when the rankings come out. Anything like this is really a good opportunity for our guys.”
(09/25/09 4:03am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU women’s tennis coach Lin Loring has been around long enough to know good tennis when he sees it.The 32-year coach at IU has seen plenty of solid tennis out of his Hoosiers this summer, and he is excited to see them compete in the fall season.“We’re always excited to get started and the fall season is a great teaching time for us,” said Loring, who has coached 999 career matches. “The results don’t go on the team record, they just go on the individual record, so it’s a great time to work on stuff. We can experiment with doubles teams and see how we can play to the strengths and weaknesses of the freshmen. It’s really an exciting time for us.”The No. 48 Hoosiers only have one freshman, Leslie Hureau of France, and Loring said she has the experience to contribute right away. Evgeniya Vertesheva, a native of Russia, transferred to IU from Cal State Northridge, where she played No. 1 singles.“Both of those players are ready to step in and help us right away,” Loring said.IU expects to get a great deal of competition when it opens the season at the Hoosier Classic this weekend. No. 23 LSU and Mississippi State out of the Southeastern Conference along with Kansas State out of the Big 12 and Memphis out of Conference USA will participate in the tournament.“It’s nice to have some warm-up matches before the team season starts next semester,” junior Charlotte Martin said. “It will be really exciting to see them play because both of them have been practicing really well so far.”Loring said the field of teams in the tournament allows his club to see new players that they may never have played before.“We don’t play any of these schools in the regular season, and it’s really fun playing new and different players,” he said. “You can learn a lot from that. There have been some years where we play Northwestern three times. It’s a little boring that way.”All eight Hoosiers will play this weekend with the first matches beginning 10:30 a.m. Friday.
(09/23/09 4:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Tennis, by all accounts, is a global sport. After all, the top eight professional players ranked by the Association of Tennis Players come from different countries. It should come as no surprise, then, that no player on the IU Men’s Tennis team lives within 400 miles of Bloomington. “That’s really the way the world is going to progress,” IU coach Randy Bloemendaal said. “We’re all going to have to work together on certain things.”Bloemendaal said it’s nice to have so much diversity among players on a small team. “It is kind of a neat thing,” he said. “It’s something I’ve always enjoyed – the relationships with different cultures, with different parts of the world. I think it’s a great learning experience. It’s such a great learning tool, especially in a university environment.” Seven of the 10 players on the roster are from outside the United States. The three that did go to high school in the U.S. – Stephen Vogl (Rye County Day School, Conn.), Will Kendall (Millburn, N.J.) and Tommy Aliber (Pembroke Hill, Mo.) – are also somewhat culturally diverse. Everyone brings something different to the team, and each player provides his own perspective on certain situations. “A lot of the local guys, when they come on the team, they say, ‘Coach, wow, I really enjoyed such and such from this part of the world,’ and ‘I had no idea about it,’” Bloemendaal said. “So we have ambassadors from all over, which is really neat.” Lachlan Ferguson, a junior from Adelaide, Australia, said he learned a lot about tennis by taking trips before coming to college. “I spent three or four years traveling before I got here, and I played in a lot of different countries,” Ferguson said. “I met a lot of people, and it was kind of nice coming here and meeting more people from a lot of countries that I’d been to in the past. Hopefully, we stay in contact for a long time and keep playing. It’s been a lot of fun.” The diverse roster also means the coaching staff looks long and hard at all the tennis talent around the world before it offers scholarships. Bloemendaal and assistant coach Scott Linn scour the online rankings and do what they can to make a pitch to players that best fits their program. With this year’s freshman class, the coaches said they think they have found what they are looking for. Isade Juneau of Quebec, Josh MacTaggart of the United Kingdom, Alex van Gils of Germany and Aliber have worked hard to prepare for the 2009-10 season. Bloemendaal said they are willing to compete for every opportunity. “All four freshmen have great attitudes,” he said. “A couple of them have really come in and started doing things at a higher level than other freshmen in the past. “Whether it be the strength and conditioning or being more organized, they just seem more mature, more ready to go. It looks like a real good group of guys.”
(09/21/09 4:37am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It might be early, but the IU men’s tennis team is already winning championships. Freshman Josh MacTaggart and junior Santiago Gruter both claimed titles this weekend at the Hoosier Invitational, the first tournament of the fall season. MacTaggart, a native of the U.K., knocked off teammate and fellow freshman Isade Juneau 6-4, 6-3 in the championship of the Hoosier flight. MacTaggart was never really tested in the tournament as he won each of his four matches in straight sets. In fact, Juneau was the only player to win more than two games in a set against him. “It feels good,” MacTaggart said. “It was quite hard to play a teammate in the championship, especially Isade.”IU coach Randy Bloemendaal said MacTaggart raised his level of play in the tournament. “Josh surprised me with what he can do and what he can’t do on the court,” Bloemendaal said. “I think it’s a good thing.” Gruter, unlike MacTaggart, has played in big matches before. The Lima, Peru, native has been working with the coaching staff to improve his on-court attitude.It appears to be working. After dropping a back-and-forth first set to Xavier’s Bobby Deye, Gruter refocused and took control of the match. He won the last two sets 6-1, 6-2 and took the championship in the IU flight. “I was just trying to stay positive, stay focused,” Gruter said. “Then I realized that my opponent (Deye) was getting a little tired, so I knew I had the physical battle won. I just tried to move him around as much as I could.” “We’re working on some things with Santi about how to compete, and he really came through,” Bloemendaal said. “This is a tremendous way for him to boost his confidence up.” The Hoosiers will travel to Charlottesville, Va., this weekend for the UVA Ranked Plus One tournament.
(09/18/09 4:07am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Lachlan Ferguson has worked hard to improve his game and turn the IU men’s tennis team into a national contender.His efforts helped the Hoosiers reach the Big Ten tournament semifinals a year ago, but the junior is ready for even more as he and his teammates prepare for the 2009-10 season.Ferguson, a native of Adelaide, Australia, played No. 1 singles for the Hoosiers last year, finishing 22-13 overall and 5-5 in Big Ten play. He won’t hit the court for this weekend’s Hoosier Invitational, but he’s anxious to see some of the younger players in action.“It will be interesting to see how some of these new guys that are returning,” Ferguson said. “I want to see if they can step it up.“A lot of these guys haven’t played team tennis before, so it will be interesting to see how they respond to that dynamic. So far, they are doing great.”Three of the four IU freshmen – Tommy Ailber, Isade Juneau and Josh MacTaggart – will get their first college tennis action at the Hoosier Invitational that begins Friday, which will be played on the IU Varsity Courts. The field includes No. 10 Tennessee and No. 22 Louisville, along with Western Michigan, Southern Illinois, Xavier and Cleveland State.Alex van Gils, a native of Tutzing, Germany, will not play.The four players have worked all summer to prepare for this season, but IU men’s tennis coach Randy Bloemendaal said this weekend’s tournament will be a true indicator of where they are.Sophomores Jeremy Langer and Will Kendall and junior Santiago Gruter will also participate. “I’ve seen these guys working hard, and I’m looking forward to seeing how they compete, how they handle certain situations, adversity,” he said. “It’s their first real test against college players, so it will be interesting to see how they do.”
(09/17/09 4:54am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Melvin Simon, co-owner of the Indiana Pacers, co-founder and chairman emeritus of the Simon Property Group that owns Campus Mall and major philanthropist to IU, died Wednesday morning at the age of 82.Simon and his family donated more than $70 million to IU for building projects and program funding.The Bess Meshulam Simon Music Library and Recital Center has been used by thousands of professors and students in the Jacobs School of Music since its opening in 1995. Simon and his wife, Bren, contributed $50 million to the Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center at the IU School of Medicine in Indianapolis. Most recently, his family’s name appears on Simon Hall, the new life sciences building completed in 2007 on the Bloomington campus.In short, he provided Hoosiers with endless opportunities and resources to become successful. “Mel was extremely generous by nature,” IU President Michael McRobbie said in a statement. “As soon as he began to prosper in his career, he thought about how he and his family could use their resources to help others. Mel Simon has left an indelible imprint on so many worthy causes, including IU.” Dr. Craig Brater, dean of the IU Medical School, said Simon’s $50 million contribution helped put the school over the top. “Those are the kind of gifts that really transform a place,” Brater said. “They determine whether you stay at a level of good or go to a level of great. You can not underestimate the importance of what Mel and Bren did for IU with their gifts. Mel’s an example for all of us.” Simon, who earned an honorary doctorate from the Kelley School of Business, and his brother, Herbert Simon, built Simon Property Group, the nation’s largest shopping mall company. The brothers also bought the Indiana Pacers in 1983 when the team was prepared to leave Indianapolis. IU Athletics Director Fred Glass did not know Mel Simon on a personal level, but he said he has always had a great deal of respect for the billionaire entrepreneur.“He and his brother came from nothing to establish one of the largest corporations of its kind in the country,” Glass said. “It was so important for central Indiana because it provided jobs, economic development and opportunities for people. It’s people like the Simon brothers that start businesses and create jobs so that people cannot only go to school here, they can stay in Indiana and make a life here.” As much as Simon meant to the development of Indianapolis in an economic sense, his position as co-owner of the Pacers was also incredibly important. The Simon brothers took charge of the Pacers at one of the lowest points in the franchise’s history. Indiana was coming off of a 20-62 season in 1982 and was averaging fewer than 5,000 fans each game. The situation changed under the leadership of the Simon brothers, and the team has experienced a great deal of success during the last 25 years, highlighted by a trip to the NBA Finals in 2000.“As an owner of the Pacers, (Mel Simon) was a joy to work for and a joy to work with,” Larry Bird, Pacers president of basketball operations, said in a statement. “But he wasn’t only an owner, he was the biggest and best Pacers fan. I will miss him and the Pacers family will miss him.” Glass said Simon’s loss will definitely be felt in the sports world. “Thankfully the Simon family remains with his brother, Herb, and his son, David, and they will certainly carry the family torch, but losing Mel Simon is huge,” Glass said. “There aren’t that many giants in the (sports) business in the country, let alone Indiana.” Simon is survived by his wife Bren; his children, Deborah Simon, Cynthia Scott Skjodt, David Simon and Tammy McCauley; and his brothers Fred and Herbert. His funeral will be at 11 a.m., Friday at the Congregation Beth-El Zedeck at 600 W. 70th St. A private internment will follow.
(09/15/09 12:47am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Shaquille O’Neal has been one of the dominant players on the basketball court for the past 17 years. Many Hoosier football fans hope IU’s Shaq, Shaquille Jefferson, will have a similar effect on their turf.Jefferson, a senior at Lexington High School in Lexington, Ohio, is one of three safeties in IU’s 2010 recruiting class, and he is ready to help the Hoosiers “Play 13” on a consistent basis.“I just want to help out and do what I can,” Jefferson said. “I’m listed as a safety right now, but I’ll play wherever coach (Bill) Lynch and the staff needs me. I think this program is going in the right direction.”Jefferson, who had offers from several Mid-American Conference schools, immediately fell in love with IU when his high school team visited during the summer. As soon as he arrived on campus, Jefferson knew he was in the right place. He never even made an official visit.“All the guys on the team were really nice, and it turned into an easy decision for me,” Jefferson said. “I can’t wait to get started next summer.”Jefferson’s high school coach, Russell Payne, said the recruit hasn’t even come close to his full football potential. He is not ranked by Rivals.com or Scout.com, but Payne believes that doesn’t diminish the potential he will have on the Hoosier football squad.“He’s one of the most pure athletes I’ve ever had the opportunity to be around,” Payne said. “He’s a phenomenal athlete and his best football is ahead of him. Shaq is a very physical player, and I think he’s hitting at the Big Ten level right now.”While Jefferson has worked hard to become the player that he is, his family pedigree also had something to do with his success. Jefferson’s older brother, Jamario O’Neal, played strong safety at Ohio State. He was ranked No. 31 in the class of 2005, according to Rivals.com, and he helped the Buckeyes to four consecutive Big Ten Championships.Payne said other Big Ten schools were interested in Jefferson, but he already had his heart set on playing in Bloomington.“He probably could have gotten some other big-time offers, but you know, I think Indiana was a great fit for him,” Payne said. “Coach (Bobby) Johnson did a great job of recruiting him. When we went over for the one-day camp over the summer, Shaq fell in love with the school and the coaching staff. “When it came time to make his college decision, Shaq kind of wanted to do it quietly because that’s just the player he is. He’s not a ‘look-at-me’-type kid. He’s all about the team first and he’s really just a humble kid.”The Hoosiers have not won a bowl game since 1991 when they beat Baylor 24-0, but Jefferson said he is not concerned. The 6-foot, 180-pound hard-hitter knows the program’s best days are in the future, and he hopes he can help IU become one of the elite teams in the Big Ten.“I definitely think we can turn it around,” Jefferson said. “They have some good players there already, and I think we will only get better.”The new North End Zone doesn’t hurt either.“With all the new facilities there and the upgraded stadium, it’s a great place to be,” Payne said. “And academically, IU will challenge you as a student-athlete. I think all of those aspects will be great for him.”