Local Sports News: October 30, 2024

#25 Indiana University Women’s Basketball Hosts Division II Maryville in Exhibition Game The Indiana Hoosiers Women’s Basketball Team will kick off the 2024-25 season tonight in Simon Sjkodt Assembly Hall at 7pm when they Division II Maryville University from Missouri in the Hoosiers lone exhibition contest with the game streaming on Big Ten Network Plus. The Hoosiers have a 14-player roster and return nine from a season ago including starters Sydney Parrish, Chloe Moore-McNeil and Yarden Garzon. Indiana finished 26-6 a season ago and made its third Sweet 16 appearance in four years. Moore-McNeil and Parrish are fifth year seniors and Garzon is a Junior.

The Hoosiers return Juniors Lexus Bargesser, Henna Sandvik, Sharneece Currie-Jelks and Lilly Mesiter along with Sophomores Lenee Beaumont and Juliana LaMendola. The Hoosiers welcome in two transfers that fans will know in playing against the Hoosiers the last couple year with in Senior Karoline Striplin from Tennessee and Junior Shay Ciezki and are expected to help fill void due to the graduation of the programs all-time leading scorer Mackenize Holmes and three-point sniper Sara Scalia. The Hoosiers graduated reserve Center Arielle Wisne. Indiana brought in three freshmen with Faith Wiseman who played at Indian Creek High School in Trafalgar along with Buffalo, New York Native Sydney Fenn who played her prep school ball in Arizona and Valentyna Kadlecova from the Czech Republic.

Head Coach Teri Moren begins her 11th season in Bloomington with a 226-99 record and it’s the programs all-time wins leader and she has an overall record of 425-229 in 22 seasons as a College Head Coach. Indiana is picked to finish 5th in the annual Big Ten Preseason Coaches and Media Polls and ranked in both the Associated Press and WBCA Coaches Polls for the fifth consecutive season. Moren has had nine consecutive 20-win seasons with the Hoosiers and just one losing season during her first season in Bloomington. Moren has taken the Hoosiers to six NCAA Tournaments and two postseason WNIT Tournaments and the Hoosiers won the WNIT Postseason Title in 2018.

Maryville beat SIU-Edwardsville 81-66 Monday Night in Edwardsville, Illinois as the Saints beat a division 1 opponent for the second time in three seasons in an exhibition game after beating St. Louis 78-70 on November 3, 2022. Madyson Rigdon scored 19 Points, Gracie Stugart had 18 points and 12 rebounds with a 13 point and 13 Rebound effort from Annika Pluemer. The Saints trailed 12-6 and went on a 11-0 run to lead 19-15 at the end of the first quarter. Maryville outscored SIUE 20-11 in the second quarter to go into the locker room 39-26 at halftime. In the third quarter SIU-Edwardsville outscored the Saints 16-14 as Maryville led 53-42 going into the final ten minutes. Maryville finished the final quarter outscoring the Cougars 28-24. 

Maryville has 15 players in the roster represented by 8 States Including Indiana with Graduate Student Claire Rake from Center Grove HS in Greenwood. Rake is 5-9 played at Truman State in Missouri playing 88 games scoring 557 points and 147 rebounds and knocking down 144 three pointers while starting 30 games. The Saints have 4 players six foot or taller with 6-3 Sophomore Kamryn Winch the tallest. In addition, the Saints have players from Missouri, Iowa Illinois, Kansas, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Kentucky. Brita Hand will begin her third season at Maryville with. 34-24 record and overall record of 86-48 after spending three seasons at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City Iowa. The Saints were 19-11 overall and 15-7 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference which includes the University of Indianapolis and are picked to finish fourth.  

Indiana University Goalkeeper JT Harms Named Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week Indiana men’s soccer senior JT Harms was named the Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week on Tuesday via the conference office’s announcement. Harms earned his fifth-straight victory, holding No. 15 UCLA to one goal with four saves during Friday’s match in Los Angeles. The senior recorded his first-career assist, alertly punting a pinpoint pass to senior forward Samuel Sarver who was making a counter-attacking run. The honor is Harms’ first of his career. Five different Hoosiers have earned Big Ten weekly awards in the last three cycles.

D’Angelo Ponds earns a Pair of National Defensive Honors After earning weekly accolades from the Big Ten on Monday, sophomore defensive back D’Angelo Ponds was named Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week and Jim Thorpe Award National Defensive Back of the Week on Tuesday. Ponds grabbed a pair of first half interceptions against the Huskies, with his first Hoosier interception going 67 yards the other way for the game’s opening touchdown. It was his first career pick-6 – college or high school – and is the longest defensive touchdown scored by an IU player since Jameel Cook Jr. took one for 96 yards against FIU in 2015. His second interception came in the second quarter and set up Indiana’s second scoring drive of the game. The two interceptions versus Washington mark the first multi-interception game by a Hoosier in Big Ten play since Jamar Johnson at Ohio State (2; 2020).

The Miami, Florida, native was also the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week as he added five tackles and a half tackle for loss against the Huskies. He was the highest-graded defensive back in the Power 4 during Week 9 (93.5) per Pro Football Focus. His four-career interception are tied for No. 2 among active FBS true sophomores. Ponds is the first IU defender to earn the Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week or the Jim Thorpe Award National Defensive Back of the Week, and second to garner a national defensive award. Linebacker Micah McFadden was tabbed as the Walter Camp Foundation National Defensive Player of the Week in 2020.

Indiana University Men’s Basketball Player Myles Rice Named to Bob Cousy Award Watchlist The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the preseason watchlist for the 2025 Bob Cousy Award, including Indiana redshirt sophomore guard Myles Rice on Monday. Named after Class of 1971 Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic and Holy Cross guard Bob Cousy, the annual honor, now in its 22nd year, recognizes the top point guard in Division I men’s college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watchlist of 20 athletes.
 
The winner of the 2024 Bob Cousy Award will be presented on a to be determined date, along with the other four members of the Men’s Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Jerry West Award (Shooting Guard), Julius Erving Award (Small Forward), Karl Malone (Power Forward), and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award (Center), in addition to the Women’s Starting Five. Previous winners of the Bob Cousy Award include Tristen Newton, UConn (2024), Markquis Nowell, Kansas State (2023), Collin Gillespie, Villanova (2022), Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois (2021), Ja Morant, Murray State (2019), Jalen Brunson, Villanova (2018), Trey Burke, Michigan (2013), Kendall Marshall, North Carolina (2012), Kemba Walker, Connecticut (2011), and Jameer Nelson, St. Joseph’s (2004).
 
The 6-3, 180-pound guard averaged 14.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.6 steals per game while leading Washington State to the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth in 16 years. He posted 27 double-figure scoring games, 16 multi-steal performances, 13 outings with at least five assists, and netted 20-plus points on six occasions. The Columbia, S.C., native was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, All-Pac-12 First Team, Pac-12 All-Freshman Team, and was selected Pac-12 Freshman of the Week seven times. He set Washington State freshman records for single-game scoring (35), single-season scoring (519), single-season steals (56), single-season assists (134), single-season field goals (190), and single-season free throw percentage (81.1%). He started all 35 games played for the Cougars.  Rice took a redshirt season in 2021-22 and medically redshirted while receiving treatment for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma during the 2022-23 season. He received his last chemotherapy treatment on March 9, 2023. Rice was named the Student Athlete of the Year at the 2023 Black Student-Athlete summit.  The Indiana Hoosiers will open the home slate of the 2024-25 season with an exhibition against Marian at 7 pm on Friday. The regular season will start at 8pm on Wednesday, Nov. 6 against SIUE at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
 
2025 BOB COUSY POINT GUARD OF THE YEAR AWARD PRESEASON CANDIDATES*
Mark Sears, Alabama
Jeremy Roach, Baylor
Tyrese Proctor, Duke
Walter Clayton, Florida
Malik Mack, Georgetown
Ryan Nembhard, Gonzaga
MYLES RICE, INDIANA
Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State
Dajuan Harris, Kansas
Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State
Elliot Cadeau, North Carolina
Markus Burton, Notre Dame
Bruce Thornton, Ohio State
Ace Baldwin, Penn State
Braden Smith, Purdue
Dylan Harper, Rutgers
Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee
Jordan Pope, Texas
Wade Taylor IV, Texas A&M
Elijah Hawkins, Texas Tech  
*Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2024-25 season

Kurtis Rourke among Davey O’Brien Award Quarterback Class of 2024 The Davey O’Brien Foundation revealed the 35 quarterbacks named to the Davey O’Brien QB Class of 2024 and Indiana’s Kurtis Rourke is among the group as an official candidate to win the 2024 Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award. The list includes 35 quarterbacks with 16 semifinalists coming from the group. The semifinalists will be chosen based on voting from the Davey O’Brien National Selection Committee as well as bonus ballots awarded from the first round of the Davey O’Brien Fan Vote. For the fifth straight year, a Fan Vote will take place on the award’s three social media platforms—Facebook,Instagram and Twitter (X)—and the top five vote getters on each platform will receive bonus committee member ballots which will be added to the votes cast by the national selection committee. First-round voting will close Friday, Nov. 8 at 11:59 p.m. (ET).

Rourke, a two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, paces the FBS in passer rating (125.3), is the highest-graded passer nationally per Pro Football Focus (91.7), ranks No. 2 nationally in completion percentage (.746) and is tied for No. 4 in the Big Ten lead in passing touchdowns (15) through Week 9. With 189 yards passing in the first half against Nebraska, he moved his season total to 1,941, which sits No. 22 on Indiana’s single-season list. His 15 passing touchdowns moved him into a tie for No. 10 in the single-season Hoosier charts, as well. His first half efforts set the tone for Indiana’s biggest margin of victory in a Big Ten game in program history, matching a 49-0 win over Minnesota in 1945. Rourke missed the Week 9 victory over Washington due to injury.

The semifinalists will be named on Tuesday, Nov. 12. Looking ahead, the three finalists will be tabbed on Tuesday, Nov. 26, while the winner will be announced live on Thursday, Dec. 12, on The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.

The Davey O’Brien Foundation was created in 1977, and the National Quarterback Award was first issued in 1981. Over its time, the Davey O’Brien Foundation has given away more than $1.3 million in scholarships and university grants to help high school and college athletes transform leadership on the field into leadership in life. In 1938, O’Brien, who was a star quarterback for TCU, became the first player ever to win the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award in the same year. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955. The Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award is presented annually to the nation’s best college quarterback and is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award. The 48th Annual Davey O’Brien Awards Dinner honoring the winner will be held Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

Davey O’Brien QB Class of 2024
Drew Allar, Penn State, Jr., 6-5, 235, Medina, Ohio
Luke Altmyer, Illinois, Jr., 6-2, 205, Starkville, Miss.
Rocco Becht, Iowa State, So., 6-1, 210, Wesley Chapel, Fla.
Carson Beck, Georgia, Sr., 6-4, 220, Jacksonville, Fla.
Max Brosmer, Minnesota, Sr., 6-2, 225, Roswell, Ga.
Bryson Daily, Army West Point, Sr., 6-0, 221, Abernathy, Texas
Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss, Sr., 6-2, 225, Kaysville, Utah
Kyron Drones, Virginia Tech, Jr., 6-2, 234, Houston, Texas
Quinn Ewers, Texas, Jr., 6-2, 210, Southlake, Texas
Dillon Gabriel, Oregon, Sr., 6-0, 200, Mililani, Hawaii
Eli Holstein, Pittsburgh, R-Fr., 6-4, 225, Zachary, La.
Josh Hoover, TCU, So., 6-2, 200, Heath, Texas
Blake Horvath, Navy, Jr., 6-2, 195, Hilliard, Ohio
Will Howard, Ohio State, Sr., 6-4, 235, Downingtown, Pa.
Kevin Jennings, SMU, So., 6-0, 185, Oak Cliff, Texas
Avery Johnson, Kansas State, So., 6-2, 192, Wichita, Kan.
Cade Klubnik, Clemson, Jr., 6-2, 210, Austin, Texas
Riley Leonard, Notre Dame, Sr., 6-4, 216, Fairhope, Ala.
Maddux Madsen, Boise State, So., 5-10, 201, American Fork, Utah
John Mateer, Washington State, So., 6-1, 219, Little Elm, Texas
Jordan McCloud, Texas State, Sr., 6-0, 205, Tampa, Fla.
Kyle McCord, Syracuse, Sr., 6-3, 220, Mt. Laurel, N.J.
Jalen Milroe, Alabama, Jr., 6-2, 225, Katy, Texas
Chandler Morris, North Texas, Jr., 6-0, 191, Highland Park, Texas
Garrett Nussmeier, LSU, Jr., 6-2, 200, Lake Charles, La.
Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt, Sr., 6-0, 207, Albuquerque, N.M.
Jake Retzlaff, BYU, Jr., 6-1, 205, Corona, Calif.
Kurtis Rourke, Indiana, Sr., 6-5, 223, Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Shedeur Sanders, Colorado, Sr., 6-2, 215, Dallas, Texas
Tyler Shough, Louisville, Sr., 6-5, 225, Chandler, Ariz.
Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati, So., 6-3, 228, Denton, Texas
Caden Veltkamp, Western Kentucky, So., 6-6, 236, Bowling Green, Ky.
Cam Ward, Miami, Sr., 6-2, 223, West Columbia, Texas
Hajj-Malik Williams, UNLV, Sr., 6-1, 205, Atlanta, Ga.
Ben Wooldridge, Louisiana, Sr., 6-3, 216, Pleasanton, Calif.

Wilkinson Hall Sold Out for the Indiana-Purdue Volleyball Match  For the third time in the past two seasons, tickets are sold out for an Indiana Volleyball match at Wilkinson Hall. With increased fan support and team success, Wilkinson Hall has become a hard place to play for opposing teams. In the past two years, IU is 18-5 in matches at its home gym. Last year’s Purdue contest, a match that IU won 3-1, set a Wilkinson Hall attendance record of 2,725 fans. Two weeks prior, against No. 2 Nebraska, the Hoosiers broke the then-attendance record in its new gym. The battle for the Monon Spike last season was a four-set thriller on national television and set a new standard for fan support surrounding the program.

Fans are encouraged to arrive to the Purdue match on Friday, November 8th with plenty of time to spare. There will be no tickets available at the booth on match day. There are limited seats remaining for students and faculty that show proper identification. All general admission tickets have been sold. The match is a “White Out” with all IU fans asked to wear white in support of the Hoosiers. IU will celebrate its 50th Year Anniversary that weekend as alumni make their way back to Bloomington for matches with Purdue (Friday, Nov. 8) and USC (Sunday, Nov. 10). The Hoosiers will be looking to once again break the program record for attendance. Tickets for remaining home matches can be found here.