Colts sign Patriots Super Bowl hero Vinatieri
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Colts are switching from the NFL's most accurate kicker to the best in the clutch.
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Colts are switching from the NFL's most accurate kicker to the best in the clutch.
INDIANAPOLIS -- Jack Keefer's not much of a history buff. What happens to his Lawrence North team for a couple of hours Saturday night means a lot more to him than what happened to Oscar Robertson and Indianapolis Attucks a half-century ago.
In a weekend set that included two wins against ranked opponents and the end of a nine-game win streak, the No. 19 IU water polo team captured its second-straight Collegiate Water Polo Association Western Division regular season title.
Before the Hoosiers headed to Rochester, N.Y., to compete in the 2006 American Collegiate Hockey Association Championship Tournament last week, IU coach Rich Holdeman pointed to one game that would decide how his team would fare throughout the tournament -- its matchup with Oakland University.
Exactly two weeks after finishing its previous tournament, the men's golf team played Sunday in the Pinehurst Intercollegiate. Because of unplayable course conditions, the final 18 holes were canceled, leaving the Hoosiers with a third-place finish.
The National Basketball Association, under Commissioner David Stern, has an image problem. Major League Baseball, under Bud Selig, has a steroid problem. The National Hockey League, under Gary Bettman, has more problems than it does fans. Meanwhile, the National Football League, under Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, has the problem of prosperity, which frankly, is no problem at all.
TERRE HAUTE -- Senior guard Cyndi Valentin did not want to be denied. In Monday night's second round WNIT game against Indiana State, Valentin scored IU's last 10 points of the game to lead the Hoosiers to a 68-62 victory, extending their season at least one more game. Down 59-58 in the closing minutes, IU had the ball following two Indiana State free throws. Valentin dribbled up the court and, rolling off a pick from senior center Angie Hawkins, found herself wide open at the top of the key. "I think (IU) coach (Sharon) Versyp made a great call to call that play, but I was wide open," Valentin said. After the senior drilled the wide open 3-pointer, the Sycamores quickly replied with a basket of their own. Valentin responded again.
Sophomore Christina Loukas, two-time Big Ten Diver of the Year and of the NCAA Championships, tied former IU standout Sara Reiling for the best all-around finish at an NCAA competition as the IU women's swimming and diving team culminated its season with a 14th-place finish at the 2006 NCAA Championships in Athens, Ga. Saturday. The Hoosiers scored 91 points overall at the championships while Auburn University took home the national championship, defeating the University of Georgia in the second-closest finish in NCAA history.
After playing 14 straight games away from home to open the season, the IU baseball team is ready to finally play a game in Bloomington. The road-weary Hoosiers face Valparaiso University today at Sembower Field. Today's game is the first of a four-game home stand for the Hoosiers, which includes a three-game series with Hartford University. "We are definitely ready to come home and get a chance to play on our home field and in front of our fans for once," senior pitcher Josh Lewis said. "It will be nice to be off the road for awhile."
SALT LAKE CITY -- It's time to say goodbye. Words can't fully express what ended Saturday. A season that began with limitless dreams quickly dissolved into a coaching fallout. But when the fires tamed, the Hoosiers that originally ignited optimism rose again. A five-game losing streak beget a five-game winning streak that beget IU's first tournament berth in three years. But the run finally ended with a 90-80 loss to No.3-seeded Gonzaga Saturday night. And all that was left for a coach and his players were emotions. The moment seemed larger than words. "I can't explain it," IU coach Mike Davis said of his feelings after the game. "We've been through a lot together. I am just proud of them." In a fashion fitting for the entire season, the Hoosiers fought till the bitter end. They held the nation's leading scorer to 14 points. They set a new IU tournament record for 3-pointers. Their point guard even came one rebound shy of a triple-double. But also in a fashion fitting for the entire season -- things were just not meant to be.
SALT LAKE CITY -- After IU's 90-80 loss Saturday night, the walk through the long-winding tunnel beneath the stands of the Jon Huntsman Center felt like a funeral procession. The awkward silences and the irrelevant small talk couldn't conceal the fact that IU coach Mike Davis was making his final trek to the IU locker room. The fallout of his departure couldn't be concealed, either. "I'm sure he knows this, but my father passed away this summer, and he's like a father figure to me," sophomore forward Robert Vaden said. "I love him with all my heart and I'm sure he loves me as well."
IU senior golfer Shannon Johnson knew she had been playing well. She had carded round after round of sub-80 golf. What she didn't know was how dominant her play would be at the UNLV Spring Invitational in Las Vegas during spring break. Johnson's three-day score of 211 (68-75-68) tied the IU school record, but more importantly, was good enough to finish at the top of the leaderboard.
After three weeks of what-ifs, the IU women's softball team had a breakthrough weekend by capturing the Florida State Invitational March 12. The Hoosiers defeated two ranked opponents in one weekend after posting a 0-2-1 record against ranked teams prior to the tournament. Overcoming mental barriers helped push the Hoosiers to finally defeat a ranked opponent for the first time since 1998.
After playing seven games in seven days in Bradenton, Fla., the IU baseball team completed an eventful spring break road trip with a 5-1 loss to the University of Illinois-Chicago on Saturday. The Hoosiers went 3-4 on the trip and now have an overall record of 4-10.
After a long winter hiatus, the IU women's rowing team jumped back into action at the Clemson Regatta on Saturday. The meet concluded the squad's spring break training trip, which was held from March 11 to 18. The event showcased Clemson Universitiy, Marist College, Pennsylvania, Purdue and IU in Clemson, S.C. Coach Steve Peterson said in a statement the regatta would be a positive starting point for the relatively young team.
As the last match of Joe Dubuque's collegiate wresting career came to a close, the IU senior flexed his arms as he walked around the mat and then raised two fingers in the air, presumedly to signify his back-to-back national championships. Dubuque defeated Troy Nickerson of Cornell 8-3 at the NCAA Championships in Oklahoma City on Saturday to capture the 125-pound title once again. Dubuque is the second Hoosier wrestler in the program's history to win two national titles, but the first to do it in consecutive seasons. Charlie McDaniel captured titles for IU in 1935 and 1938.
For the IU women's basketball team, the postseason is the postseason whether it is the NCAA or the National Invitation Tournament, but the goal remains the same -- keep winning.
SALT LAKE CITY -- It's time to say goodbye. Words can't begin to express what ended Saturday. A season that began with limitless dreams quickly dissolved into a coaching fallout. But when the fires tamed, the Hoosiers that originally garnered enthusiasm rose again. A five game losing streak beget a five game winning streak that beget IU's first tournament berth in three years.
Throw out the stats. Forget the ball skills. The real issue at hand leading up to Saturday's Gonzaga-IU game is quite simple. It comes down to one question. Who's got the better 'stache? Gonzaga's Adam Morrison has drawn attention all season for his fuzzy, caterpillar-like facial hair, but one Hoosier in particular feels a little under appreciated.
SALT LAKE CITY -- The Hoosiers' top three have looked, as of late, a little bit like "the walking wounded", as a reporter referred to them in a question from Friday's press conference. Sophomore forward Robert Vaden sprained his ankle against Ohio State and had an ice bag taped around it after Thursday night's game. He wore a different sized shoe on that foot to account for the swelling, but he seemed unaffected as he played a team-high 36 minutes and hit the game-winning shot.