Former Indiana University Cross Country and Track and Field Coach Ron Helmer passes away at Age 77
Ron Helmer, former legendary Coach of the Indiana Men’s and Women’s Cross Country and Track and Field programs from 2007-2022, passed away on July 4th in Bloomington surrounded by his loved ones. He was 77 years old. “IU Athletics extends its deepest condolences to the entire Helmer family on Ron’s passing,” said IU Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Scott Dolson. “Ron was a legend in the track and field coaching community, someone whose success in developing champions on the college, national, and international levels over more than 50 years speaks for itself. During his 15 years at Indiana, he not only added significantly to our programs’ history of success, but he was also a leading voice and advocate among our coaching family. I know that everyone who had an opportunity to be around Ron – be that a student-athlete, a fellow coach, or a staff member – benefited greatly from that opportunity, myself very much included.”
Helmer coached a total of 53 years, 37 years at Georgetown and spent his final 15-years at the helm of the Hoosiers program where he mentored 52 individual Big Ten champions in cross country and track and field, led Hoosiers to six NCAA individual titles, 10 Big Ten Athlete of the Year honorees, and three Big Ten Freshman of the Year, 407 All-Americans and eight National Champions. His Olympians included five-time NCAA High Jump champion Derek Drouin who competed in the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics for Canada, earning gold in 2016 and a bronze in 2012, Kelsie Ahbe (pole vault – 2012) and Olu Olamigoke (triple jump – 2012). He also coached five teams that captured Big Ten Championships and another 11 that finished second in the conference. Helmer was also a four-time Big Ten Coach of the Year with the Hoosiers. In addition to his four Big Ten Coach of the Year accolades, he is a six-time USTFCCA Regional Coach of the Year.
Prior to coaching the Hoosiers, Helmer served as the director and head coach of track and field and cross country at Georgetown University for eight years, was an associate head coach with the Hoyas for seven seasons and assistant coach the five years prior. He coached 120 student-athletes to a total of 342 All-America recognitions and 219 BIG EAST individual titles. At the NCAA Championships, Helmer led 27 athletes or relay teams to a top-three finish and coached four national champions – Joline Staeheli (mile, 1996), Miesha Marzell (1500m, 1996) and two distance medley relay champions (1997, 1999). He guided Georgetown to 15 straight cross-country national championships and totaled 37 BIG EAST Championship teams, before being inducted into Georgetown’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019.
Helmer graduated in 1970 from Southwestern College in Winfield, Kan., where he was a captain of his college track and field and cross-country teams six times and helped the team capture four conference championships. After graduation, he started his coaching career at the prep level from 1970-86 winning a combined 10 high school state championships and seven state runner-up team finishes. That level of success caught Georgetown’s attention, and Helmer has spent the last 36 years coaching at the Division I level. Helmer received a Bachelor of Arts degree in math and was inducted into the Southwestern College Athletic Hall of Fame in October 2004 and earned his master’s degree in physical education, with a focus in biomechanics and human kinetics at East Tennessee State University. In January 2006, He earned the Coaches Achievement Program award presented by Oppenheimer Funds, Inc. The Coaches Achievement Program honors coaches at select BIG EAST member institutions for excellence in coaching, mentoring and community service.
He is survived by his wife Rebecca (Browning) Helmer; his children Victoria Arther (Jay), Justin Helmer (Shannon Glenn) and Kari Helmer (Justin Fitzgerald); stepsons Charles (Allison), Robert (Jenn) and Theodore Browning; grandchildren Sydney, Rylee, Brody, Hazel, Layla, Donovan, and Brooklyn; brother Jim Helmer (Deborah) and sister Lynette St. Vrain (Brad.) He was preceded in death by his wife Mary C. Helmer, his father Ralph and his mother Mildred. The family will receive visitors on Tuesday, July 9, from 4-7:00 pm at The Funeral Chapel, 3000 E. Third St. in Bloomington. Funeral services will be at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, July 10, at Sherwood Oaks Christian Church. Coach Helmer, Becky and the family will be forever grateful to Dr. Rafat Abonour and his tireless commitment to Ron’s well-being. Thus, in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Miles for Myeloma -IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, c/o IU Foundation P.O. Box 7072 Indianapolis, IN 46207.
Indiana University Diving Head Coach Drew Johansen Named Coach of Team USA for the Paris Olympics
Indiana Head Diving Coach Drew Johansen has been named the Head Coach for the U.S. Olympic Team for diving at the 2024 Paris Games, as USA Diving announced its full coaching staff this week. Johansen will lead Team USA in a fourth-straight Olympics, serving as head coach since 2012. In that span, U.S. divers have totaled nine medals. Three Indiana University divers – Andrew Capobianco, Jessica Parratto and Carson Tyler will compete in Paris. Serving as Parratto’s coach, Jenny Johansen will join her husband on the Team USA staff. Together, the Johansen’s become the first married pair to coach for USA Diving at a Summer Games. Jenny Johansen was a two-time Olympian in 1996 and 2000, competing in both the 3-meter and 10-meter events in Sydney. Tyler will become the first U.S. male diver since that same year to participate in both individual events.
Former Indiana University Track and Field Star Rikkoi Brathwaite to Represent the British Virgin Islands at the Paris Olympics
Former Hoosier Rikkoi Brathwaite qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. He will represent his home country of the British Virgin Islands in the 100 meters. Brathwaite is a two-time IVB National Champion in the 100 meters, winning the 100 meters in 2023 and 2024. He currently ranks 33rd in the world rankings with a score 1246. His fastest time this year in the 100-meters is 10.03 at the National Training Center in Clermont, Fla. At Indiana, Brathwaite was a two-time First Team All-American and Big Ten Indoor Champion in the 60 meters. He was also named Big Ten Indoor Track Athlete of the Year and earned All-Big Ten First Team honors. His fastest time at IU in the 100 meters (10.20) ranks second in the programs all-time list.
Cailtin Clark Records First Triple Double in Indiana Fever Franchise History in a Home Win over the New York Liberty
Indiana Fever Rookie Guard Caitlin Clark became the first player in franchise history and the only rookie in WNBA history to record a triple double as Indiana defeated the New York Liberty, 83-78, on Saturday afternoon at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Clark finished with 19 points, tied a franchise and career-high with 13 assists and tied a career-high with 12 rebounds as Indiana (9-13) defeated the New York Liberty for the first time since 2022. Saturday was highlighted by a 19-6 run from Indiana to end the fourth quarter for the win and extend Indiana’s home winning streak to five games.
Four Fever players, including all three of Indiana’s 2024 WNBA All-Stars, scored in double figures on Saturday afternoon. Fever center Aliyah Boston tallied 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal. Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell followed with 14 points, four rebounds and two assists. Saturday’s game was Boston’s 11th and Mitchell’s eighth consecutive games scoring in double figures. Fever forward NaLyssa Smith recorded her fifth double-double of the season and 26th of her career with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Clark also became the fastest rookie in WNBA history to record 350+ points, 150+ assists and 120+ rebounds in her 22nd career game played, passing Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu, who previously owned this record in 30 games played.
Off the bench, Fever forward Damiris Dantas and Fever guard Lexie Hull led the reserves as the two combined for 13 points. Dantas recorded her first points of the season with Indiana early in the second quarter from a made three-point field goal and ended 3-of-3 shooting. Hull played pivotal minutes and recorded six points on 2-of-3 field-goal shooting and went 2-of-2 from the free throw line. Former IU Standout Grace Berger did not play. Indiana went on a 15-6 run for more than four minutes in the first quarter, finishing with a 24-18 lead. With about two minutes left in the second quarter, the Liberty earned its first lead of the game, 35-33, but finished the half trailing Indiana, 39-38. The Liberty outscored the Fever, 24-16, in the third quarter, putting Indiana in a seven-point deficit going into the fourth quarter before Indiana rallied for the win. Indiana outscored the Liberty in paint points, 42-30, bench points, 15-14, and outrebounded New York, 41-31.
For New York (17-4), three Liberty players scored in double figures, led by Ionescu’s 22 points on 9-of-23 shooting and 4-of-13 from three-point range. Ionescu dished out four assists and three rebounds in the loss as well. Liberty guard Betnijah Laney-Hamilton trailed closely behind with 20 points, as well as four rebounds and four assists. Forward Breanna Stewart tallied 14 points, eight of which came from the free throw line, but was held to 0-of-5 from three-point range. Center Jonquel Jones pulled down 12 rebounds, but only scored six points. The Fever take on the Washington Mystics at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Wednesday at Noon and the game will be broadcast on WHTR Channel 13 and NBA TV.
Indy Eleven Women’s Soccer beats Minnesota Aurora in W League Conference Semifinal
Indy Eleven’s leading goal scorer Natalie Mitchell scored the match winner and Kate Phillips denied a penalty kick to give the Girls in Blue a 2-1 win over Minnesota Aurora FC and a trip to the USL W League Central Conference Final for the second consecutive season. Indy is now 2-1 against the Aurora in W League playoff action, winning for the second straight year. Defender Karsyn Cherry picked the perfect time for her first Indy Eleven goal as Grace Bahr found her on a perfectly placed corner in only the third minute of action. Cherry navigated traffic at the top of the six-yard box and headed it home for the early lead. The assist was the second for Bahr in 2024. The teams traded chances for the remainder of the first half and it wasn’t until the 66th minute when either team would find the back of the net. This time, Minnesota found the equalizer by way of a Katelyn Duong free kick. The match winner came from Indy’s leading goal scorer Natalie Mitchell in the 82nd minute of play off Addie Chester’s second helper of the year. It looked promising that the Girls in Blue would hold on for the win until Minnesota was awarded a penalty kick in the 89th minute. Phillips, who came into the match with one shutout in three appearances made the save to secure the victory.
Three Indiana Fever Players named to the WNBA All Star Team
The WNBA announced Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston, guard Caitlin Clark and guard Kelsey Mitchell were selected to the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game. This year’s WNBA All-Star Game will be played in Phoenix at Footprint Center on Saturday, July 20 on ABC at 8:30pm featuring the WNBA All-Stars against the USA Basketball Women’s National Team. Boston and Mitchell join Tamika Catchings, Katie Douglas and Candice Dupree as the only players in franchise history to earn multiple WNBA All-Star Game invitations with the Fever. This year is the second season in franchise history the Fever will send three players to the WNBA All-Star Game, joining Catchings, Anna DeForge and Tammy Sutton-Brown in 2007.
Boston earned her second consecutive WNBA All-Star selection after starting for Team Wilson during the 2023 WNBA All-Star Game. Boston pulled down a team-high 11 rebounds in last year’s WNBA All-Star Game in Las Vegas. In Boston’s first 20 games of the 2024 regular season, she averaged 13.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 blocks in 30.2 minutes per contest and has started every game this season. On June 18, Boston was named WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the week for the week of June 10-16, which was the second time she received player of the week honors.
Clark earned her first WNBA All-Star selection after averaging 16.2 points, 6.9 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 34.2 minutes per contest and has started in all 20 games this season. The 2024 No. 1 overall draft pick leads all rookies in points per game, assists per game, minutes per game, field goals made, 3-point field goals made and is third in the WNBA in assists per game. Clark won WNBA Rookie of the Month in May and already owns the franchise rookie-record for most assists in a debut season. In Clark’s 19th career game, she became the fastest player in WNBA history to record at least 300 points, 100 rebounds and 100 assists.
Mitchell also earned her second consecutive WNBA All-Star selection this year after playing for Team Stewart in the 2023 WNBA All-Star Game. Mitchell leads Indiana in scoring with a team-best 16.3 points per game and ranks 13th across the league. Through the first 20 games this season, Mitchell is also averaging 1.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and shooting better than 43 percent from the floor. Mitchell enters Tuesday night’s game at the Las Vegas Aces five 3-point field goals shy from reaching 500 made from beyond the arc in her career.
| INDIANA FEVER WNBA ALL-STAR GAME PLAYER APPEARANCES | |
| Aliyah Boston | 2023*, 2024 |
| Tamika Catchings | 2002*, 2003*, 2005*, 2006*, 2007*, 2009*, 2010*, 2011*, 2013*, 2014*, 2015* |
| Caitlin Clark | 2024 |
| Marisa Coleman | 2015 |
| Anna DeForge | 2007* |
| Katie Douglas | 2009*, 2010*, 2011* |
| Candice Dupree | 2017, 2019 |
| Briann January | 2014 |
| Kelsey Mitchell | 2023, 2024 |
| Tammy Sutton-Brown | 2007 |
| Erica Wheeler | 2019^ |
| Tamika Whitmore | 2006 |
| Natalie Williams | 2003 |
| Rita Williams | 2001 |
| Shavonte Zellous | 2013 |
| * – Starter — ^ – All-Star Game MVP |
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