Indiana University Athletics Announces the 2025 Hall of Fame Class Indiana University Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Scott Dolson announced Thursday that IU Athletics will welcome six new members to its Athletics Hall of Fame. The six individuals comprise the 40th class, bringing the roster of inductees to 261. Meradith Dickensheets (Rowing, 2012-15), Angel Escobedo (Wrestling, 2007-10), Mel Groomes (Football, 1944-47), Peggy Martin (Field Hockey/Women’s Basketball/Softball, 1969-72), Glenn Terry (Men’s Track and Field, 1990-93) and Cody Zeller (Men’s Basketball, 2012-13) will be officially inducted at the annual Hall of Fame dinner on Sept. 5, and will be recognized at halftime of the Indiana-Kennesaw State football game at Memorial Stadium the following day. In addition to those six 2025 inductees, Kyle Schwarber (Baseball, 2012-14) was also selected for inclusion in the IU Athletics Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Due to the requirement that all living Hall of Fame inductees attend the ceremonies, Schwarber has deferred his induction this year and will be officially welcomed to the Hall of Fame in a future year when his Major League Baseball schedule permits him to return to Bloomington for the Hall of Fame festivities.
“Indiana University has a rich history of success in a wide variety of sports, which is highlighted in this year’s Hall of Fame class that touches on eight of our programs and includes representation from six different decades,” Dolson said. “We are excited to welcome these six individuals to the Hall of Fame and congratulate them and their families on this well-deserved honor. We continue to have an abundance of highly qualified candidates to consider each year, which goes to highlight the extraordinary achievements of these six and their impact on our department, their sports, and Indiana University.” The IU Athletics Hall of Fame, established in 1982 by the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics in conjunction with the Varsity Club and the I-Association, recognizes individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the prestige of IU both on and off the field of competition. For more information about Hall of Fame Dinner tickets contact the IU Varsity Club at varsity@iu.edu or 812.855.0866.
Meradith Dickensheets (Rowing, 2012-15)- The most accomplished student-athlete in the 25-year history of the IU Rowing program, Dickensheets was a two-time First-Team All-American in 2014 and 2015 as well as a two-time First-Team All-Big Ten honoree those same two seasons. She accomplished all of that after joining the program in 2012 as a freshman walk-on with no previous rowing experience. But she quickly blossomed under the tutelage of Coach Steve Peterson, and ultimately guided IU Rowing to its first two NCAA Championship berths in 2014 and 2015, including program-best 11th place NCAA team finishes both years. She is the first IU Rower to be inducted into the IU Athletics Hall of Fame.
Angel Escobedo (Wrestling, 2007-10)- Escobedo is one of the most accomplished wrestlers in IU history. During his four years competing for the Cream and Crimson, the Gary, Ind., native won an NCAA title at 125 pounds as a sophomore to go along with three Big Ten titles from 2008-10. In addition to his 2008 NCAA title, he also placed fourth at NCAAs as freshman, fifth as a junior, and third as a senior, making him the program’s only four-time All-American. He compiled a 137-14 career record, and he still ranks second in program history in wins and third in pins (42). After graduation he competed internationally with Team USA and earned a fifth-place finish at the 2013 World Championships and a second-place finish at the 2015 Pam Am Games. He continues to make an enormous impact on the IU Wrestling program as its head coach, and he’s preparing to begin his eighth year in charge. He’s overseen the steady improvement of the program each year, highlighted by last season’s 24th-place finish at the NCAA Championships.
Mel Groomes (Football, 1944-47)-Groomes was a mainstay in the IU offensive backfield from 1945-47, where he lined up next to fellow IU Athletics Hall of Fame member George Taliaferro. Groomes was the leading receiver on IU’s undefeated 1945 Big Ten Championship team as well as on the 1946 squad, and earned All-Big Ten honors in both football and track and field. After graduating from IU in the spring of 1948, Groomes was signed to an NFL contract by the Detroit Lions, who had recently lured Groomes’ IU coach – Bo McMillin – away from Bloomington to take over as the head coach of their franchise. Groomes played in the Lions’ 1948 season opener on Sept. 22, 1948, and in doing so became the first Black player in Lions’ history and the first Black player from IU to play in the NFL. After injuries ended his playing career, Groomes spent four years in the Air Force before turning to the coaching profession – in baseball. His baseball head coaching career was highlighted by a 31-year stint at North Carolina A&T from 1956-87 where he won 463 career games. Groomes passed away in 1997 at the age of 70.
Dr. Peggy Martin (Field Hockey, Women’s Basketball, Softball, 1969-72)- A pioneer student-athlete at Indiana University, Martin was a three-sport standout as an undergraduate from 1969-72. Most notably, she was the captain of the IU Women’s Basketball team that earned three consecutive trips to the AIAW Tournament during her playing career. In addition, Martin earned three letters as a member of the IU Field Hockey program and four as a member of the softball team. After graduating from IU in 1972 and later earning her Ph.D. from IU in Physical Education, Martin went on to enjoy a Hall of Fame coaching career in another sport – Volleyball. Martin compiled a 1,064-281-8 record in 33 years as a head volleyball coach at Central Missouri, making her the winningest Volleyball coach in NCAA Division II history. She led the program to 19 straight conference titles from 1982-2000 and was the Division II National Coach of the Year in 1987 after leading the program to a runner-up NCAA finish. She’s spent the last 15 years as the head volleyball coach at Division II Spring Hill College in Mobile, Ala., where she has gone 424-96 overall and a remarkable 233-9 in conference games. Her teams have won the last six conference regular season and postseason championships, and entering the 2025 season, her teams had not lost a regular season conference game in 10 years. She will enter her 49th season as a head coach this fall with a 1,488-377-8-career record, giving her the most victories of any coach at any NCAA level. Martin has won 28 Coach of the Year awards overall and was inducted into the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame in 2009.
Kyle Schwarber (Baseball, 2012-14)-Arguably the most accomplished college and professional baseball player IU history, Kyle Schwarber was a two-time First-Team All-American during his three years in Bloomington. He concluded his IU career among the program’s all-time leaders in slugging (.607), home runs (40), hits (238), and runs (182) while batting .341 in 180 games. He was the anchor of an IU program that won two Big Ten regular and tournament titles during his three seasons and advanced to the 2013 College World Series for the first time in program history. In 2014 Schwarber was drafted fourth overall in the MLB Draft by the Chicago Cubs and has gone on to tremendous successes during an 11-year (and counting) career that has included Chicago (2015-20), Washington (2021), Boston (2021), and Philadelphia (2022-present). His teams have advanced to the playoffs nine times, highlighted by the Cubs’ 2016 World Series Championship. As of July 16, 2025, he has 313 career home runs, including an NL-best 46 home runs in 2022. He’s also a three-time All-Star (2021, 2022, and 2025) and was named MVP of the 2025 game after hitting three home runs in an extra-inning ‘Swing Off’ that earned the National League the victory after the teams were tied after nine innings.
Glenn Terry (Track and Field, 1990-93)- After arriving in Bloomington in the fall of 1989 as one of the most celebrated high school track athletes in the country, Terry more than lived up to those lofty expectations during his four years with the Hoosiers. As an IU senior in 1993, the Cincinnati, Ohio, native captured a pair of individual NCAA titles, winning the 55-meter hurdles indoor title and the 110-meter hurdles outdoor crown. He also had two other top three finishes at the NCAA Indoor Championships in the 55-meter hurdles during his career, was a five-time All-American, and a six-time Big Ten individual event champion. In addition to his individual success, he helped Coach Sam Bell’s program to an extended run of excellence from a team standpoint. During Terry’s four seasons IU Track and Field won five Big Ten team titles (three indoor, two outdoor) and had seven top 20 team finishes at the NCAA Championships.
Cody Zeller (Men’s Basketball, 2012-13)- While the Washington, Ind., native spent just two seasons in Bloomington before departing for the NBA as a first-round draft pick, few players in the history of the IU Basketball program have made as big of an impact as Zeller did during his time on campus. The IU program went a combined 22-41 in the two years before his arrival in 2011, but a remarkable 56-16 during his two years in an IU uniform. During his debut season in 2011-12, Zeller earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors after leading IU in scoring (15.6) and rebounding (6.6) and helping IU to a 27-9 record. IU also earned its first NCAA Tourney invitation in four years and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time in a decade. Zeller’s follow-up performance as a sophomore was even better. He earned second-team All-America honors, averaged team-bests of 16.5 points and 8.0 rebounds and helped lead IU to its first Big Ten title in 11 years, its first No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament in 20 years, and a second-straight Sweet 16 appearance. At season’s end, Zeller was selected with the fourth overall pick in the NBA Draft by Charlotte. He spent 12 years in the NBA with five different franchises and averaged 7.9 points/game during his career.
Indiana University Football Home Game Against the University of Illinois is Officially Sold-Out Single-game tickets for Indiana Football’s Sept. 20 game against Illinois are sold out. Additional Memorial Stadium sellouts are possible in the coming weeks for Coach Curt Cignetti’s program, which is coming off its first-ever College Football Playoff appearance in 2024. Currently, single-game tickets remain on sale for IU’s other six home games. There is limited inventory remaining for the Aug. 30 season opener against Old Dominion (which will include the first public appearance of IU’s new mascot, Hoosier the Bison), and the Homecoming match-up against Michigan State on Oct. 18. Hoosier fans who are interested in attending any of IU’s home games are strongly encouraged to purchase their tickets as soon as possible through IUHoosiers.com. Fans are also encouraged to plan ahead and pre-purchase gameday parking. All IU Athletics Complex parking in and around the stadium (including the grass lots south of the stadium) are already sold out. But there remain a series of convenient, on-campus parking opportunities that are within one mile of the stadium that can be purchased in advance for $50/game. Please note that only single-game ticket buyers are eligible to purchase a single-game parking pass. Fans still interested in securing tickets to the Illinois game, meanwhile, can visit Seat Geek, the official fan-to-fan marketplace for IU Athletics. Thanks to SeatGeek’s ‘Buyer Guarantee,’ ticket sellers and buyers have the comfort of knowing that all transactions are verified before completion.
D’Angelo Ponds and Aiden Fisher are on the Thorpe and Butkus Award Watch Lists Indiana returning All-Americans D’Angelo Ponds and Aiden Fisher are on preseason watch lists for two of college football’s most prestigious awards. Ponds is on the Jim Thorpe Award watch list announced on Wednesday. A second-team All-America pick by six outlets in 2024, Ponds was a first-team All-Big Ten pick as a true sophomore. Rated the top cornerback in the Big Ten and No. 9 in Power 4 (84.2) per Pro Football Focus he picked off three passes, he broke up passes and ended the season with 55 tackles (35 solo). In one of the season-defining plays of 2024, Ponds opened the scoring versus Washington with a 67-yard pick-six that thwarted a UW scoring opportunity in the first quarter. The Jim Thorpe Award is presented annually to the nation’s top defensive back. This year’s preseason watch list features 35 of the country’s premier defensive backs, representing nine conferences and one independent program.
Meanwhile, Fisher is on the Butkus Award watch list. After he was the first-ever first-team All-America pick at linebacker in program history in 2024, Fisher is back. His 118-tackle season ranks No. 16 on the single season charts. The first-team All-Big Ten pick last season anchored a defense that led the nation in rushing defense. The Butkus Award, one of college football’s most respected honors, recognizes the nation’s top linebacker—a homage to the fierce, no-nonsense legacy of Dick Butkus, whose No. 51 jersey became a symbol of dominance on the field. This watch list features 51 of the best linebackers in the nation, a nod to Butkus’ iconic number, and includes elite defenders from 39 programs across the country. Ponds and Fisher were both also on the Bronko Nagurski Award preseason watch list announced on Tuesday.
Indiana Fever Take Down the Phoenix Mercury at Gainbridge Fieldhouse The Indiana Fever (15-12) earned a 107-101 win over the Phoenix Mercury at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, with the 107 points marking the second-highest points scored in a game in franchise history. The Fever trailed the Mercury 30-20 at the end of the first quarter but went on a 13-0 run from 8:00 to 5:06 in the second quarter to erase the deficit and take the team’s first lead of the night. Throughout the second quarter, Aari McDonald scored 12 points of her career-high 27 points on the night, and Sydney Colson added an additional eight to give Indiana the 55-50 lead at halftime. The Fever scored 19 points in the third quarter, continuing to lead 74-72 over the Mercury with nine points from Damiris Dantas, six points from McDonald, and four points from Natasha Howard. Aliyah Boston scored 14 points within the first four minutes of the fourth quarter to start the Fever’s rally against the Mercury leading to the win for the Fever.
The 107 points scored are the second-most scored by the Fever in a single game in franchise history, three away from the franchise record of 110 points scored. The Fever also recorded the second-most points in a single game across the WNBA this season, the record being 109 scored by both the Minnesota Lynx and Dallas Wings. Indiana’s 35 points scored in the second quarter are tied for the fourth-most in a single quarter in Fever franchise history. Additionally, it is the team’s second-most points scored in a single quarter this season, the only higher quarter being the second quarter against the Dallas Wings on July 13. Aari McDonald recorded a career high and season high 27 points, surpassing her previous high of 23 points set on July 5, 2024, while a member of the LA Sparks against the Las Vegas Aces.
·Aliyah Boston recorded her 36th career double-double, ending the night with 22 points and 11 rebounds, her 12th of the season. Boston’s 17 points scored in the fourth quarter are the second-most scored in a single quarter in Fever franchise history, two shy of the record held by Kelsey Mitchell with 19 points set on May 20, 2022. Kelsey Mitchell saw her double-digit scoring streak of 26 games snapped, scoring eight points tonight against the Mercury. Indiana Fever begin a four-game road trip tonight against the Dallas Wings at American Airlines Center, broadcast nationally on ION at 7:30 pm.
Minor League Baseball Sets Guiness Book of World Records for “World’s Most Autographed Baseball” Minor League Baseball Wednesday announced that 6,750 baseball fans across 15 minor league stadiums and Major League Baseball headquarters in New York City combined to set a new world record for the most autographed piece of sports memorabilia with the ‘World’s Most Autographed
Baseball’. The 2,600-mile trek began with 551 signatures at Victory Field on June 24 and culminated yesterday with the certification by Guinness Book of World Records adjudicator Andy Glass.
“Following the World’s Most Autographed Baseball on its summer road trip has been nothing short of extraordinary, but what truly stands out is the sense of community it fostered at every stop,” said Kristin Sutton, Minor League Baseball Vice President, Marketing. “Witnessing thousands of fans engage with
this tour, excited to leave their mark on a piece of history, underscores the unique bond we share with them. We’re thrilled to have broken a Guinness World Record and showcase the spirit and excitement that our MiLB ballparks bring to communities nationwide.” The 8-foot, 1,200-pound replica baseball broke the previous record of 2,146 signatures by Cambridge United Football Club (UK) on an inflatable jersey in 2024. The 551 signatures captured in Indianapolis
were the fourth-most among MiLB stops, trailing Triple-A Toledo (585), Triple-A Lehigh Valley (569) and High-A Jersey Shore (564).
Taylor University Posts 61 Academic All-CL Awards from Spring Semester The Academic All-Crossroads League honors from the spring semester were announced by the league office on Tuesday, with Taylor once again ranking near the top of the league with 61 of the 533 awards from the sports of baseball, track and field, competitive cheer, golf, baseball and softball. The Taylor men’s track, and field program led all Trojan teams with 14 Academic All-Crossroads League honors, while the baseball team accounted for 11 awards and the women’s track and field teams claimed 10. The 61 spring semester honors pushed Taylor’s final tally of academic all-league awards for the 2024-2025 year to 149 from its 18-varsity collegiate athletic programs. In order to be eligible for Academic All-Crossroads League recognition, a student-athlete must have reached junior status academically with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 during the semester in which they competed. Individuals must have also been on their team’s roster for the entire season and must be nominated by their respective institution.
Taylor’s 2024-2025 Spring Semester Academic All-Crossroads League Awards Men’s Track and Field-Tiernan Bass, Braden Bixler, Isaac Elkin, Josh Forbes, Paul Gabrielsen, Ryan Hanak, Bennett Hill, Zach McKowen, Joel Mumaw, Bryce Noble, Gabriel Osborn, Grayson Rasmus, Kyle Sweeney and Lextin Willis. Baseball-Jake Boyer, Jared Crandall, Mason David, Sam Gladd, Ben Kennedy, Kaleb Kolpien, Drew Loy, Brayden Manning, Conner Miller, Matthew Roderer and
Fletcher Roemmich. Women’s Track and Field-Lynae Ackley, Audrey Brinkruff, Kaitlin Burden, Zoe Dinius, Rebekah Firestone, Emersyn Funk, Abby Mays, Kiana Seifert, Kali Siemers and Noel VanderWall. Women’s Basketball-Ava Henson, Quinn Kelly, Kacey Ott, Kendall Sietsema, Ellie Vermilion, Kendall Wayne, Ainsley West and Maycee Woods. Men’s Basketball-Kobe Funderburk, Caleb Hodgson, John McLimore, Ben Michel, Carson Miller, Nate Paarlberg and Jackson Ullom. Softball-Livie Lehmann, Delaynee McCreary, Mackenzie Noah, Brooke Sanchez and Maddie Schultz. Men’s Golf- Matthew Albright, Will Schuitema and Griffen VanErmen. Women’s Golf- Ellie Beavins and Ellie Karst. Competitive Cheer- David Musser.