Indiana University Quarterback Kurtis Rourke Named to the Golden Arm Award Watch List
Recognizing the top senior or upperclassman quarterback set to graduate with their class, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award has added senior quarterback Kurtis Rourke to its preseason watch list. The Golden Arm Award, presented annually to the top upperclassmen quarterback by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, encapsulates all that is positive in college sports. The award acknowledges performance on the field for sure, but it goes beyond completion percentage and touchdown strikes. The award values character, citizenship, integrity and those who honor the game. This season’s list acknowledges 63 of the nation’s leading quarterbacks, representing all 10 FBS conferences as well as football independent. The preseason watch list, semifinalists, finalists, and award recipient are selected by the distinguished Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Selection Committee, a group of prominent college football journalists, commentators, announcers, and former players.
In his career, Rourke has appeared in 36 career games with 33 starts. Those appearances came over five seasons at Ohio University (2019-23) where he was tabbed Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-MAC as a junior in 2022. His senior season netted second-team All-MAC honors as he has over 5,400 yards in the last two seasons. Rourke has amassed 8,479 career all-purpose yards and accounted for 61 touchdowns (50 passing, 11 rushing). He has completed 638-of-963 passes for 7,651 yards passing and 50 touchdown passes and rushed for 1,240 career yards on 232 carries with 11 touchdowns. He also excelled in the classroom as an Academic All-American in 2022 and enters the season with his undergraduate degree in hand from Ohio U.
Indiana University Men’s Golf adds CD Hockersmith as an Assistant Coach
Indiana Men’s Golf Head Coach Mike Mayer has hired assistant coach CD Hockersmith; the program announced on Tuesday. “We are thrilled that Coach Hockersmith has accepted our invitation to join our Hoosier family,” Mayer said. “He brings a tremendous amount of playing and coaching experience with him.
“He is well known among junior golfers in Indiana and the Midwest, and he will be a formative recruiter for us. Coach Hockersmith was an outstanding collegiate golfer at Ball State, an outstanding golfer at all levels, and he is most importantly an outstanding person. He will be a great addition to our men’s golf program.” Hockersmith joins the Indiana program after spending the last three seasons as the head coach at Earlham College. He led the Quakers to three-straight top-5 finishes in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship, including a school-record performance in a fourth-place result in 2024.
“I am thrilled to join the men’s golf program at Indiana,” Hockersmith said. “I have so much respect for Coach Mayer and what he has built here in Bloomington. The facilities are some of the best in all of college golf and I cannot wait to get my Hoosier career started.” He mentored two members of the Quaker golf program to All-America Scholar honors, had one player named All-HCAC, and coached the HCAC Player of the Week on seven occasions. Earlham set three program records in his final season with the program. Prior to his time at Earlham, Hockersmith played professionally for 12 seasons. The Richmond, Ind., native earned Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar honors, All-MAC Second Team accolades, a spot on the MAC All-Tournament Team, and was credited as the Most Valuable Player for the Cardinals. He also served as the team captain for head coach Mike Fleck during his senior season.
Indiana University Women’s Tennis announces 2024 Fall Schedule
Indiana Women’s Tennis Head Coach Gabrielle Moore announced the Hoosiers 2024 fall schedule on Monday afternoon. “We are looking forward to an exciting first fall season together,” Moore said. “We will be hosting our annual Hoosier Classic that will display a strong group of returners and a talented incoming class. We also have a competitive fall schedule that will provide some excellent opportunities for our ladies to compete, develop and prepare us for the spring season both as a team and individually. This team is eager to get back on the court together, and we can’t wait to get started!”
First up for the Hoosiers will be the Columbia Invitational in New York on Sept. 13-15th. The Hoosiers will head to North Carolina for the ITA All-American Championships. The week-long tournament will be hosted by Cary Tennis Park, Duke University, North Carolina and North Carolina State. Pre-qualifying rounds begin on Saturday, Sept. 21st with the main draw concluding on Sunday, Sept. 29th. IU women’s tennis will host their annual Hoosier Classic tournament at the IU Varsity Tennis Courts on Oct. 4-6th. The Hoosiers will play a compass draw with each player guaranteed to play three rounds of singles and doubles matches.
Up next, the cream and crimson will head to Murfreesboro, Tenn., for the ITA Regional Championships. Competition will begin on Oct. 10th and finish on Oct. 14th. The cream and crimson will begin November with the North Florida Invite. The tournament will be hosted in Jacksonville, Fla. from Nov. 1-3. The ITA Sectional Championships are slated to take place in Athens, Ga., from Nov. 7-10th with the NCAA Individual Championships from Nov. 19-24th in Waco, Texas.
Indianapolis Indians Walk It Off against St. Paul Saints in Wednesday Matinee
Liover Peguero roped a bases-loaded walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Indianapolis Indians defeated the St. Paul Saints on Wednesday afternoon at Victory Field, 6-5. Trailing 5-4 entering the bottom of the ninth inning, Indianapolis (20-19, 53-59) rallied with three consecutive base hits against Diego Castillo (L, 0-3), the last of which came off the bat of Henry Davis to tie the game. Nick Yorke then reached base on a fielder’s choice to load the bases with no outs before Peguero blasted a line drive to the right-center alley to end the contest.
St. Paul (18-23, 56-59) jumped out to a quick start in the first after tagging Jared Jones for three runs on three consecutive doubles from Diego A. Castillo, Edouard Julien and Jair Camargo. The Saints padded their lead in the third with a two-run double from Chris Williams. Indy’s rally began after a pitching change in the fourth inning when Yorke reached base on a double into the right field corner. In the following at-bat, Yorke advanced to third after a Peguero groundout and then scored from third on a wild pitch from Ryan Jensen. In the fifth frame, the Indians continued to cut into the Saints lead with a trio of runs. Jose Rojas and Yorke each logged a single while Davis plated a run on an RBI double. Neither team scored until Indy’s two-run ninth inning.
St. Paul starter and Former Indiana University Pitcher Caleb Baragar tossed 3.0 innings of two-hit baseball with four punchouts. After Baragar’s exit, the Saints turned it over to Jensen, Hobie Harris, Nick Wittgren and Castillo. The relievers combined for 5.0 innings while yielding six earned runs with four strikeouts. In his second rehab start, Jones gave up five runs (four earned) on seven hits with three strikeouts. In relief of Jones, the Indians turned to Issac Mattson, Hunter Stratton and Geronimo Franzua (W, 4-5) for 5.2 shutout and four strikeouts. The victory was Indianapolis’ fourth in walk-off fashion this season and first since Gilberto Celestino roped a walk-off two-run double on June 8 vs. Columbus. The Indians and Saints continue their six-game set tonight at 7:05pm at Victory Field. RHP Mike Burrows (0-1, 3.65), will toe the rubber for the Indians against southpaw Aaron Rozek (0-1, 6.38).
Indianapolis to Host 2025 WNBA All Star Game according to ESPN Report
Another year, another massive sport win for Indianapolis. ESPN is reporting that the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game will be held in Indianapolis. ESPN says the announcement will come later this week. Indiana Fever popularity is at an all-time high thanks to this year’s number one overall pick Caitlin Clark. The Fever lead the league in attendance and have experienced massive numbers in both fans at games and in broadcasts. The city is coming off huge successes around the 2024 NBA All-Star game. The city will also host the 2026 men’s NCAA basketball Final Four and the 2028 Women’s Final Four. The Indiana Fever resume play after the Olympic break Friday.
Taylor University Women’s Soccer Receives Votes in Preseason Coaches’ Poll
Taylor picked up where it left off last season in the polls, continuing to receive votes and collecting 14 points in the NAIA Preseason Women’s Soccer Coaches’ Top 25 Poll released on Wednesday. The Trojans have appeared in 19-consecutive polls dating back to the third poll of the 2022 season, in which the Trojans began the year on a ten-match unbeaten streak, which included nine victories. TU had an impressive season in 2023, finishing 10-3-5 and 5-2-2 in league play while narrowly missing out on the NAIA National Tournament.
Audrey Grimm topped the scoring charts for the Trojans and returns for her senior season along with Leah McQuade, who burst onto the scene as a freshman and scored eight goals, good for a tie for second on the team. Stalwarts in defense, Brooke Cimini, Libby Thomas, and Campbell Massey also return to a talented and deep squad. A plethora of other key contributors return for the Trojans, along with 10 incoming freshmen brought in by Head Coach Scott Stan. Stan has put together a challenging schedule for his formidable team, featuring seven teams ranked or receiving votes in the opening poll, including two in the top six. #RV Taylor begins the season on the road against Georgetown on Saturday, August 17 at 1:00 pm before opening their home schedule on Saturday, August 24, against #RV Carroll with kick-off slotted for 7:00 pm.
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