Women's Golf

IU notches best finish of year

By Alyson Brodsy · Monday, April 17,2006 12:26 a.m.

Paced by senior Shannon Johnson's 3-over-par 147 -- one off tournament winner Cathryn Bristow of Oregon -- the IU women's golf team finished fifth in the 16-team field at the 2006 Illini Spring Invitational this weekend. The Hoosiers, with a two-day score of 620 in the 36-hole event, were one shot shy of Illinois and only 10 strokes from tournament winner, University of Oregon. Johnson shot a 75 Friday and followed it with a stellar round of 72 Saturday. Her performance Saturday marked the third time in her last five outings where she has fired even par or better.

Despite freshmen, Kepler Intercollegiate eludes IU

By Alyson Brodsy · Monday, April 17,2006 12:26 a.m.

The third and final round of the Kepler Intercollegiate began with the Hoosiers, led by freshman Seth Brandon, four strokes ahead of Northwestern in a two-team race for first place. But after 18 holes and a playoff, the Wildcats escaped with the championship and medalist honors. Saturday's second round ended with IU and Northwestern, with totals of 578 and 582 respectively, having significant separation from the rest of the field.

Hoosiers mingle with elite at Sea Ray, Mt. Sac relays

By Alyson Brodsy · Monday, April 17,2006 12:25 a.m.

The IU men's track and field team split off this past weekend to place members in three prestigious meets across the country. While the majority of the squad headed south to Knoxville, Tenn., for the Sea Ray Relays, distance runners traveled to California for the Mt. Sac Relays and the Pomona Pitzer Invitational. The Sea Ray Relays saw four Hoosiers meet regional qualifying standards, while senior Stephen Haas turned in a record-setting performance in the 10,000-meter run at the Mt. Sac competition.

Novices succeed after varsity struggles

By Jackie Faine and Jacqueline Faine · Monday, April 17,2006 12:24 a.m.

At the conclusion of IU's last home competition against Minnesota, Ohio State and Oregon State Saturday, the women's rowing team learned that intensity can have its disadvantages. According to coach Steve Peterson, the varsity crew's work ethic can make for a big drawback. "They get on the line and become very excited," he said. "I believe they could've won today, but their aggressiveness amounts to problems when they forget to really think."

Bulls handle the Heat, secure playoff berth

By Alyson Brodsy and Tim Reynolds · Monday, April 17,2006 12:23 a.m.

MIAMI -- Luol Deng got a nice gift for his 21st birthday. He's headed to the playoffs. Deng scored 17 of his 26 points in the first half to spearhead the Bulls' rally from an early 15-point deficit, and Chicago got 18 points apiece from Andres Nocioni and Ben Gordon to beat the Miami Heat 117-93 Sunday and clinch an Eastern Conference postseason berth. "This was his present," Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich said.

Cubs take final at offensive PNC Park

By Alan Robinson · Monday, April 17,2006 12:23 a.m.

PITTSBURGH -- If a team wants to get its offense going, PNC Park is the place to go. Todd Walker hit a two-run homer in the first inning, Aramis Ramirez added a two-run shot and the Chicago Cubs finished another successful series in Pittsburgh by defeating the Pirates 7-3 Sunday.

Hoosiers fall short against Hawkeyes

By Jonathan Hines · Monday, April 17,2006 12:21 a.m.

Playing outdoors for the first time at home all season, the IU women's tennis team split matches against Big Ten opponents Minnesota and Iowa this weekend. The No. 35 Hoosiers swept the Golden Gophers 7-0 Saturday, but could not overcome the No. 37 Hawkeyes in a tight 4-3 match Sunday. In a four-hour match against Iowa that began indoors because of weather and ended outdoors, IU failed to win the doubles point for the fifth time in 22 matches.

IU struggles in away matches

By Alyson Brodsy · Monday, April 17,2006 12:20 a.m.

For the second consecutive weekend, the Hoosiers lost all their games on the road, falling in two to No. 17 Northwestern and one to Illinois. The final game against Illinois was called because of rain after two innings. With the winless weekend, IU falls to an even record of 20-20-1 for the season with a 3-8 record in Big Ten action.

Dodging destructive tornadoes, IU prevails

By Evan Harris · Monday, April 17,2006 12:09 a.m.

The beginning of the weekend had the No. 64 IU men's tennis team hiding for cover from destructive tornadoes in Iowa City, Iowa. By the end of the weekend, the Hoosiers pulled to .500 in Big Ten play with wins over Iowa and No. 38 Minnesota. For the first time in more than 21 years, IU defeated the Gophers, 5-2, at the Baseline Tennis Center. The last time the Hoosiers won in Minneapolis was April 6, 1985. It also was the first win over Minnesota since a 4-3 victory Feb. 21, 1997, in Bloomington.

November offense in April

By Alyson Brodsy and Ryan Corazza · Monday, April 17,2006 12:08 a.m.

It's hard to glean a lot of insight from the Hoosier football team in one spring game (especially when it's two-hand touch on the quarterbacks and coach Terry Hoeppner called a few penalties himself), but Saturday's Cream and Crimson spring football game gave attending fans one thing to think about after they left Memorial Stadium -- this team can create a lot of offense through the air.

Hoosiers split series

By Jake Brown and Jacob Brown · Monday, April 17,2006 12:07 a.m.

After dropping its first two conference series, the IU baseball team split a four-game set at home against in-state rival Purdue this weekend, winning the first two games of the series before losing the final two. The Hoosiers (12-20, 4-8 Big Ten) won the opening game of the series behind three scoreless innings of relief by sophomore pitcher Doug Fleenor and a potent middle of the order.

Jordan River Forum

By Alyson Brodsy · Monday, April 17,2006 12:05 a.m.

As a 1970s IU grad, I was first gladdened, then saddened, when a Google search on Mary Winkler (the Tennessee wife who killed her preacher husband) led me to an IDS column (Amy Obermeyer's "'Foxy' ladies," IDS April 6).

Separation anxiety?

By Melanie Sims · Monday, April 17,2006 12:04 a.m.

Nebraska's only black senator, Ernie Chambers, is fighting to re-segregate Omaha district schools. He might not describe it in those terms exactly, but the legislation he backs is pretty clear. Public schools in Omaha, according to the New York Times, will be divided into three racially distinctive districts -- one largely black, one largely white and one largely Hispanic.

Info overload

By Brian J. McFillen and Brain J. McFillen · Monday, April 17,2006 12:04 a.m.

Didja have a nice Easter weekend? Didja go on an Easter egg hunt? And have Cadbury cream eggs? And sit on the Easter Bunny's lap? And throw Easter grass all around? And break out those Peeps you've been keeping stashed away in the pantry since last Easter, so they'd be nice and crunchy? Well, didja have a good time? Well, didja? Didja? Didja?

A place to call home

By Alyson Brodsy · Monday, April 17,2006 12:03 a.m.

In most situations, April showers bring May flowers. But from the outset, the predicament of the IU American Indian Student Association seems anything but immediately floral.

Formation of new Iraqi government stalled as legislative session delayed

By Alyson Brodsy and Vanessa Arrington · Monday, April 17,2006 12 a.m.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- The U.S. military said four Marines were killed during combat Saturday in the volatile Anbar province west of Baghdad raising the number of American service members killed so far this month to nearly 50.

Pope focuses on Middle East peace in 1st Easter message

By Alyson Brodsy · Sunday, April 16,2006 11:59 p.m.

VATICAN CITY -- In his first Easter message as pontiff, Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday urged nations to use diplomacy to defuse nuclear crises -- a clear reference to worries over Iran -- and prayed that Palestinians would one day have their own state alongside Israel.

Bloomingtoid

By Alyson Brodsy · Sunday, April 16,2006 11:57 p.m.

Indiana is ranked as the 29th most violent state in the country, according to U.S. Census Bureau statistics. Indiana has about 325 incidences of violence per 100,000 Hoosiers.

Local disc golfers taking sport to next level

By Zack Teibloom · Sunday, April 16,2006 11:57 p.m.

Contrary to popular opinion, "frolf," or sometimes, "frisbee golf," is not just a nonchalant game for hippies to play barefooted. For starters, it's called disc golf and the sport is flourishing in Bloomington, which is home to three courses and an active club, which takes its sport seriously. The Bloomington Disc Golf Club competes in league-play twice a week and holds frequent tournaments, even in the winter.

Volunteers encourage students to donate furniture to charity

By Katrina Babin · Sunday, April 16,2006 11:57 p.m.

Unwanted furniture might be the last thing on the minds of IU's graduating seniors, but Anne Pollard and Ned Wenstrup know from seeing curbside couches the lack of options students have when moving out at the end of the year. Pollard and Wenstrup are volunteers for Bloomington's chapter of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, an international nonprofit charitable organization for the impoverished. For the last 15 years, the Catholic service has collected used furniture from locals to deliver to those in need.