Indiana University Volleyball Season Begins with Big Ten Media Days in Chicago Volleyball fans will get their first taste of the 2025 season as the Big Ten Conference hosts the fourth-annual Big Ten Volleyball Media Days at its network studios in Chicago. Each of the 18 member schools will send two select student-athletes and their head coach to speak on the state of the program ahead of the upcoming campaign. Eighth-year head coach Steve Aird will be joined by senior opposite hitter Avry Tatum and junior middle blocker Ava Vickers for the annual trip to the Windy City. Each player is a returning starter from last season and is a multi-year contributor for the program.
The trio of Hoosiers will work through designated stations today as one of nine teams through the 2-day event with the other nine going tomorrow. The rotation list includes a press conference, live in-studio television time, social media interviews and a student-athlete photoshoot on the roof of the network offices. Designed to promote the sport and the respective conference teams, the Big Ten has continued to be a major advocate for the growth of college volleyball. This season will continue the rise of nationally-televised matches – including contests on FOX, NBC, FS1 and the Big Ten Network.
The Hoosiers will do their part in taking the game of volleyball to a new level. IU will play its annual Monon Spike match against in-state rival Purdue at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, home of the NBA’s Indiana Pacers and WNBA’s Indiana Fever. It is believed to be one of the first volleyball matches inside the basketball arena and will precede the November debut of the IHSAA Girls State Volleyball finals in the same venue. The contest against Purdue on Thursday, October 16th will likely make an appearance on national television. IU will begin fall practice on Wednesday, August 6th with the team arriving back to campus on the Monday prior. The Hoosiers open the 2025 campaign with a trip to Coral Gables to face Miami (Fla.) and VCU. It’s the third-straight season that IU will play Miami (Fla.) and the second of such matchups in Florida.
21 Indiana University Swimmers and Divers are Competing in Singapore for the World Aquatics Championships Twenty-one Indiana University Hoosiers are participating in the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore between July 16-August 3. The Swimming Event started Sunday and will continue through next Sunday. Diving began Saturday and will go through next Sunday and the Open Water Competition Began on July 16, with an off day on July 18, and continued through July 20. 13 Indiana University Swimmers along with 3 assistant coaches are representing eight different countries and four divers along with Head Coach Eric Best are representing both IU and the United States.
Zalan Sarkany finished 13th overall in the Men’s 400 Meter Freestyle with a time of 3:46.82, there were five heats and 43 competitors and Sarkany started the fifth and final heat in Lane Zero. Rafael Miroslaw swam the second leg for Germany in the Men’s 4 X 100 Meter Freestyle Relay as Germany finished 10th overall with a time of 3:12.89. Mikel Lee swam the second leg for the Host Nation of Singapore as they finished 18th overall with a time of 3:18.38. 20 Nations competed as Kenya did not start the prelims in three heats with Singapore starting the Second Heat in lane zero and Germany starting the third heat in lane six. Casper Corbeau of the Netherlands finished 4th overall in the prelims of the Men’s 100-meter Breastsroke with a time of 59:03 and Josh Matheny of the United States finished 6th overall with a time of 59:40 as they both moved on to the Semifinals. Corbeau and Matheny both advance to the final tomorrow as Corbeau finished 5th with a time of 59:17 and Matheny 4th with a time of 59:15. Miranda Grana of Mexico finished 30th overall in the Women’s 100 Meter Butterfly with a time of 59.86.
Mariah Denigan competed in the Women’s Open Water Swimming Events for the United States Dengian finished 7th her heat in the Prelims of the Women’s 3 Kilometer Knockout Sprints with a time of 18:36:4 and 17th in the Semifinal with a time of 12:21.9. Dengian finished 13th in the Finals of the Women’s 5 Kilometer event. Dengian finished 14th in the Women’s 10 Kilometer Event with a time of 2:11:54.1 and competed in the team event finishing 8th with a time of 1:12.01.6. Diver Carson Tyler helped lead the United States to a fourth-place finish in the Mixed Team event with a score of 4:04.90
Indianapolis Indians beat the Toledo Mud Hens 5-4 at Victory Field The Indianapolis Indians overcame a 2-0 deficit with a five-run fourth inning to takedown the Toledo Mud Hens, 5-4, and secure their fourth straight six-game series win on Saturday night at Victory Field. With a 2-0 deficit in the bottom of the fifth, the Indians (18-8, 60-40) stormed back with their huge inning. Indy loaded the bases with two walks and a single and scratched across their first run when Shawn Ross was hit by a pitch. Tsung-Che Cheng and Ronny Simon then drew back-to-back walks to put the Indians ahead, 3-2. Billy Cook eventually capped the frame with a two-run single to give Indy its fifth run, which proved to be all they would need for the victory. All Indians’ runs in the inning were tagged to Alex Lange (L,0-1), who left with the bases loaded after allowing two Indians’ runs.
Trei Cruz led off the second inning for Toledo (13-13, 52-49) with a walk and came around to score on a Brian Serven double to open the game’s scoring. The Mud Hen stacked on another run with a Hao-Yu Lee solo shot in the top of the fourth, extending Toledo’s lead to2-0 before Indy’s offensive explosion in the bottom half. Rehabber Kerry Carpenter managed to pull the Mud Hens within one with a two-run, opposite-field home run in the sixth, which capped both team’s scoring. Hunter Barco started the game for Indy but was pulled after tossing 55 pitches across 2.0 innings of work. Five Indians pitchers combined for the final seven frames. Randy Labaut (W, 5-1) earned the win with 2.0 innings of one-run relief and Eddy Yean (S,6) twirled his ninth consecutive scoreless appearance in the ninth inning for the save. Cook has now driven in a run in a career-high six straight games since July 20, which matches Liover Peguero for the longest run by an Indian this season. Across his streak, Cook is hitting .385 (10-for-26) with four homers, 11 RBI and a 1.253 OPS.
Indy Eleven Men’s Soccer Takes Down FC Tulsa to Advance to the USL Jägermeister Cup Quarterfinals Indy Eleven won the USL Jägermeister Cup Group 3 with a 2-1 victory over FC Tulsa in the final round of group play on Saturday at Carroll Stadium. The Boys in Blue advance to the quarterfinals of the 38-team tournament on Wed. Aug. 20 at Group 6 winner Greenville Triumph SC of USL League One. In his two seasons, coach Sean McAuley has guided his Indy Eleven teams to the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semi-finals and the 2025 USL Jägermeister Cup quarterfinals in their first-ever appearance. The Boys in Blue are 4-0-2 in Cup play this season (Open Cup & Jägermeister Cup). In the Jager Cup, Indy Eleven recorded a 3-0-1 mark in group play for 11 points, including a key shootout victory over Birmingham Legion FC on June 28.
With his team leading 2-1, Boys in Blue goalkeeper Hunter Sulte made a key play in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time, deflecting a cross from FC Tulsa’s Harvey St Clair out of the area with his right foot. Sulte made a key stop in the 15th minute off a header from Kalil El Medkhar inside the six with a reflex save with his left arm inside the right post. Indy Eleven scored first in the 38th minute with midfielder James Murphy initiating the scoring sequence with a long diagonal ball to Bruno Rendon on the right side. Rendon showed his speed going deep inside the area, delivering a cross to forward Romario Williams. Williams stopped the ball with his right foot and finished with a toe ball off FC Tulsa keeper Johan Penaranda inside the left post.
Early in the second half, the Boys in Blue nearly extended their lead in the 48th minute with midfielder Jack Blake made a nifty move inside the area to create space for a left-footed toe ball chip that caromed off the crossbar. In the 51st, the second goal came for Indy Eleven when midfielder Cam Lindley played a ball outside to Rendon on the right side. Rendon took one touch and played it into the six where it was deflected by defender Lamar Batista for an own goal that gave the Boys in Blue a 2-0 lead. Sulte made another key save in the 55th, punching away a blast from inside the area by Patrick Seagrist heading toward the left corner of the goal. The Boys in Blue return to USL Championship play with “Block Party” on Saturday, August 2 at 7 p.m. at Carroll Stadium vs. Eastern Conference rival Tampa Bay Rowdies.
Floyds Knobs Indiana Wins the Little League Softball Central Region Tournament and Heads the World Series The Floyd Knobs Community Club Little League from Floyds Knobs, Indiana won the Little League Softball Central Region Tournament Friday afternoon avenging their loss to the Daviess County Little League from Owensboro Kentucky. Floyds Knobs beat Owensboro 7-4 in the Championship Game in Whitestown, Indiana and now heads to the Little League Softball World Series in Greenville, North Carolina August 3-10. Floyds Knobs finished the tournament with a 5-1 record and lost to Owensboro 2-0 in their fourth game of tournament play which was a double elimination format until the final game. Floyds Knobs bounced back with 5-1 win over the Daniel Boone Little League from Columbia, Missouri to get a second shot at Owensboro and they were able to take down the team that came into the Championship Game with a 3-0 record.
Floyds Knobs outscored the opponent 36-8 in the tournament with two shutouts and two one run victories with Kentucky being the only team score more than one run scoring six runs in the two matchups. Floyds Knobs is one of 12 teams that will be in Greenville. Floyds Knobs will be in the Orange Bracket along with Japan, Czechia, Canada, Brazil and the Host Team from North Carolina. The Indiana State Champs will play Next Monday at 10 AM against the winner of Winterville, North Carolina and Sao Paulo Brazil. The World Series is a double elimination format.
New Castle Indiana Finishes the Junior League Baseball Central Region Tournament 3-2 The New Castle Henry County Youth Baseball Little League from New Castle, Indiana finished with a 3-2 record at the Junior League Baseball Central Region Tournament in Midland Michigan. New Castle got off to a 2-0 start taking down the Harrison County Little League from Bethany, Missouri 18-2 on Wednesday and the host team the Shepherd Michigan Little League 12-1 on Thursday. New Castle lost to the Whitefish Bay Wisconsin Little League 8-3 on Friday. The Indiana State Champs bounced back with a 20-6 win over the Grand Island, Nebraska Little League Saturday Morning and lost Saturday Afternoon to the St Clair, Michigan Little League 6-1 ending their chance to advance to the Junior League Baseball World Series that starts next week in Taylor, Michigan. New Castle is one of 10 teams from 9 states that is competing in this tournament along with the Host Team that represented Midland, Michigan.