Indiana University Women’s Soccer Opens the Season Hosting Youngstown State Its a new season and new era for the Indiana University Women’s Soccer Program as they will kick off the regular season tonight at 8 PM hosting the Youngstown State Penguins a Bill Armstrong Stadium. This will be the first game for New Head Coach Josh Rife who takes over for Erwin van Bennekom who stepped down at the end of last season. For Rife this will be full circle moment as he played for Hall of Fame Coach Jerry Yeagley who the field is named for from 2000-01 and getting to two Final Fours and Big Ten Championship. Now he leads the Indiana University Women’s Soccer Program after six years as the head coach at Ball State University with a record of 49-38-21. “There are still days where It doesn’t feel real that I am the Head Women’s Soccer Coach at Indiana University but I am super proud to be a part of this program” Rife said after the team’s 2-0 exhibition win over Notre Dame.
The Hoosiers won both exhibition games taking down Cincinnati 2-1 and Notre Dame 2-0. Rife and his staff have had to work quickly to install the system and bring this team together in a short time but he is pleased how they have brought in so far and know they are heading in the right direction. “Nervous I am always nervous but you got to go play the games but this group has shown a lot of resolve and toughness and they believe in our staff and each other and have given us a lot of trust so we appreciate that” Rife Said. Notre Dame is always a tough team that the Hoosiers have struggled with over the years and even though this won does not count in record books the Hoosiers are happy to get a win. “Notre Dame is a great program and always has deep runs in the NCAA Tournament, so anytime you can get a win against this type of team its good but I challenge our team that this is a stepping stone and not the highlight of the season” Rife Said. Coach Rife knows that playing time in exhibition season is important but is ready for the regular season to start. “Its good to give everyone an opportunity and come out 2-0 but now the Real Ones start” Rife Said.
Indiana returns four starters from a season ago and has to replace four year starter Jamie Gerstenberg who is the all-time leader in Goalkeeper Shutouts with 30 and third all-time in wins with 28. Senior Dani Jacobson and Graduate Transfer Sally Rainey split time between the pipes and allowed just one goal in exhibition play. The Hoosiers saw three players score four goals with Sophomore Transfer Aleyna Quinn who played for Rife at Ball State scoring both goals against Cincinnati along with Marisa Grzesiak and Kennedy Neighbors scoring against Notre Dame. Neighbors along with Maddie Ledwith assisted on both of Quinn’s goals against the Bearcats. Grzesiak scored the first goal Saturday crossing over her defender and launching the ball into the upper right corner of the net. “It was a total team effort and worked our way up the field as everyone was doing their part” Senior Marisa Grzesiak said after Saturday’s win over Notre Dame. “I got the second ball and was feeling opportunistic and went it for it and worked out in our favor” Grzesiak added. This was the first time that Indiana has beaten Notre Dame in Grzesiak’s time in Bloomington and she feels good after the exhibition season. “It feels amazing and I am happy for us Seniors and I hope we can carry on in the next couple years with this” Grzesiak Said.
Youngstown State will make its first ever trip to Bloomington In Women’s Soccer as the Penguins are looking to beat a Big Ten opponent for the first time. Youngstown State is 0-3 all time against the Big Ten falling to Ohio State in 2003 and 2009 along with Michigan in 2010 and they will play the Wolverines in Ann Arbor on September 7th. Youngstown State begins is 30th season as a Women’s Soccer program and has an all-time record of 98-375-97 all time record and one winning season 9-8-3 in 2022 and 7-7-3 in 2023 as the Penguins have never made the NCAA Tournament.
Youngstown State 5-11-2 overall and 3-7 in the Horizon League in 2024 for then Coach Brian Shrum now Rich Wall is the 8th coach in prorgram history takes over after 2 years at Mercyhurst in Pennsylvania with a 20-15-5 record and spent 4 years as the Men’s Soccer coach at Lees-McRae College from 2015-18 with a record of 35-33-5 total record of 55-48-10 in 6 seasons. Wall played at Wingate and Gardner-Webb and Saw action in 70 Matches and he and Josh Rife worked together at Ball State as an assistant coach in 2019 when Josh Rife was Head Coach as the Cardinals won 15 games which tied a program record and second place in the Mid-American Conference Regular Season.
The Penguins return The top four scorers from the 2024 season. Senior Forward Taylor Berry ranks 10th all time in program history with 27 career points 2 goals 5 assists last season Berry’s five assists were the most since Ernestina Abambila had 8 in 2016 9 goals and 9 assists in her career . Senior Forward Chloe Weiland has scored 7 goals in the last two seasons and scored 3 goals and an assist for 7 points in 2024. Sophomore striker Sara Felder was an all Horizon League Freshman selection with 3 goals and Senior Defender Emma Rigone scored 2 goals and 2 assists in 2024. Youngstown State returns Sophomore Goalkeeper Maya Naimoli tallied 5 wins 3 shutouts and 96 saves with 1.72 goals against average with .756 save percentage in her freshman season and was named horizon League all freshman team selection and two time Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week
Indiana University Men’s Golf Announces the 2025-26 Regular Season Schedule Indiana head men’s golf coach Mike Mayer announced the program’s 2025-26 schedule on Wednesday morning. The schedule includes 11 regular season events, highlighted by the Hoosier Invitational, hosted by the Hoosiers from April 18-19 at The Pfau Course. “This is perhaps one of the most demanding schedules that we have established in my career,” Coach Mayer said. “The challenge of putting together a schedule includes both level of competition we will face and the talent of the team we have returning. Returning our top six players from last season we believe that, if we stay healthy, we can handle this daunting schedule. We are thrilled to be playing at some of the best venues in the country against the top teams in college golf.”
Indiana opens the schedule with three events in the month of September. The Hoosiers will play the Rod Myers Invitational (Sept. 5-7) at the Duke University Golf Club, Fighting Illini Invitational (Sept. 19-21) at Olympia Fields North, and the Windon Memorial Classic (Sept. 29-30) at Knollwood Country Club. A group of individuals will play the Indy at Forest Hills (Sept. 26) at the Forest Country Club. The fall slate will continue at the Fighting Irish Classic (Oct. 6-7) at the Warren Golf Course, before returning to the Quail Valley Collegiate Classic (Oct. 19-20) at the Quail Valley Golf Club. The fall calendar will wrap at the Ka’anapali Classic Collegiate (Oct. 27-29) at The Royal Ka’anapali Course.
The five-event spring schedule will begin with the Gators Invitational (Feb. 14-15) at the Mark Bostic Golf Course. March will see IU play the Colleton River Collegiate (March 1-2) at the Colleton River Club and the Schenkel Invitational (March 13-15) at Forest Heights Country Club. A group of Hoosier individuals will head to the Highland Country Club for the Butler Spring Invitational (March 30-31). Team competition is slated to resume for the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate (April 11-12) at the Columbus Country Club. IU will conclude the regular season as hosts of the Hoosier Collegiate (April 18-19) at The Pfau Course. Postseason play will begin with the Big Ten Championships (May 1-3) at Pumpkin Ridge. NCAA Regionals will take place May 18-20 with the NCAA Finals from May 29-June 3 in at the La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, Calif.
Nick Solak’s Home Run leads the Indianapolis Indians to a win over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Nick Solak’s go-ahead two-run homer in the fifth inning was the decisive hit in the Indianapolis Indians 6-5 win over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on Tuesday night at PNC Field. Matt Fraizer posted his first four-hit game since Aug. 23, 2023, with Double-A Altoona vs. Akron. After Ji Hwan Bae singled to lead off the fifth frame, Solak deposited a curveball from Erick Leal (L, 7-9) over the left field wall for a 6-4 advantage. The Indians (25-15, 67-47) got on the board two batters in, with Ronny Simon tripling to lead off the ball game. Solak brought him home on a sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead. With the bases loaded in the second inning, Tsung-Che Cheng brought home a second run on an RBI groundout. A Jeimer Candelario homer in the bottom of the second cut the deficit for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (29-11,67-45) ,2-1.
Cam Devanney launched his first home run as an Indian, and his 20th home run of the season, to extend the lead, 3-1, in the third frame. The Indians added another run via triple and sac fly in the fourth inning, with Matt Fraizer reaching third base and Rafael Flores bringing him home. A three-run fourth inning tied the ballgame for the RailRiders, capped by a two-run homer from Duke Ellis, before Solak swatted the decisive blast. Drake Fellows tossed 4.0 innings, allowing four runs with five hits and one walk. Following Fellows, Ryan Harbin (W, 1-0)allowed one run across 2.0 innings in his Triple-A debut. Colin Holderman tossed 2.0 perfect innings to bridge Evan Sisk (S, 5) for a scoreless ninth inning. Leal allowed all six Indianapolis runs.
Indiana Fever Suffer a One Point Home Loss to the Dallas Wings at Gainbridge Fieldhouse The Indiana Fever (18-15) suffered an 81-80 loss to the Dallas Wings on Tuesday night. Indiana Fever found themselves behind in the first quarter, with Dallas Wings taking a 23-15 lead. Despite being down by as many as 14 points in the second quarter, the Fever battled back behind 10 points from Kelsey Mitchell and seven points from Sophie Cunningham to make it a 42-42 game at the halftime break. Dallas regained the lead in the third quarter, which they held onto for the entirety of the remainder of the game. Indiana cut the deficit to within one points with :33 remaining, rallying from being down by as many as 17, but the team was unable to pull off the comeback.
Point guard Odyssey Sims made her Indiana Fever debut at 6:12 in the first quarter, her first minutes since signing a hardship contract on Sunday, Aug. 9 following season ending injuries to Sydney Colson and Aari McDonald. Natasha Howard earned her eighth double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds, marking the 56th of her career. Kelsey Mitchell recorded her 19th 20+ point game of the season, the most of any player in the WNBA. The Indiana Fever will remain home at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, hosting the Washington Mystics on Friday Night with game broadcast nationally on ION at 7:30 PM.
Indiana Fever Honors Lin Dunn With the Inaugural Inspiring Women Award The Indiana Fever honored Lin Dunn, a trailblazer in women’s basketball and winningest coach in franchise history, as the recipient of the team’s inaugural Inspiring Women Award Tuesday Night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Dunn was honored at halftime during the Fever game against the Dallas Wings as part of the team’s Inspiring Women Night presented by TELETIES. In recognition of Dunn’s lasting impact on the sport and the lives she’s influenced throughout her career, the award will be renamed in her honor moving forward becoming the Lin Dunn Inspiring Women Award. “I’m deeply honored to receive this award and to be recognized by an organization that has meant so much to me,” said Dunn, who serves as the Fever’s senior advisor. “To have this award carry my name moving forward is truly humbling. I hope it continues to spotlight the many women doing extraordinary things in our communities and beyond.”
Dunn, a Hall of Fame coach with over 55 years of experience in collegiate and professional sports, is known for breaking barriers and building opportunities for women in basketball, from coaching to front-office leadership. As head coach, she led the Fever to their first and only WNBA championship in 2012 and years later, as general manager, Dunn was responsible for drafting current Fever stars Lexie Hull (2022), Aliyah Boston (2023) and Caitlin Clark (2024). Fever Team President Kelly Krauskopf, who hired Dunn as Fever head coach in 2008 and worked alongside her through the team’s championship run, praised Dunn’s legacy and influence in advancing women in sports. “Lin Dunn is the embodiment of what this award stands for including resilience, leadership and an unwavering commitment to uplifting others,” Krauskopf said. “Naming this award after Lin ensures that her legacy inspires future generations both on and off the court.”
The Inspiring Women Night presented by TELETIES, a woman-owned business dedicated to providing high-quality hair accessories, celebrates female leaders who are making meaningful change. “At TELETIES, we believe in celebrating women who challenge limits, lead with purpose, and inspire the next generation to dream bigger,” said Alyssa Brown, vice president of marketing at TELETIES. “Lin Dunn’s strength, vision, and unwavering passion embody everything our brand stands for, and we’re proud to help shine a spotlight on her extraordinary impact both on and off the court.”
Vincennes University Athletics Secures a Multi Year Deal with Adidas and Game One University Athletics is proud to announce a landmark multi-year agreement naming adidas as the official athletic footwear, apparel, and accessory provider and Game One as the exclusive supplier for all intercollegiate sports programs through June 30, 2030. “We are thrilled to partner with adidas and Game One,” said Director of Athletics John Meeks. “This is more than a uniform change — it’s a unified identity for all of Trailblazer Athletics. Every team will now compete in a consistent, high-quality look that proudly carries our name and colors, strengthening our brand across every sport. This partnership elevates the student-athlete experience with top-tier gear, improves resources for all programs, and deepens our connection with fans by giving them more ways to show their Trailblazer pride in the same gear worn by our student-athletes.”
The agreement streamlines and strengthens the Trailblazer brand across all sports, providing access to high-performance adidas products, simplified ordering, and cost efficiencies. These improvements will allow VU Athletics to reinvest in student-athlete development, facilities, and fan engagement initiatives. “Partnering with Vincennes University is a tremendous honor,” said Pat Weber, President and CEO of Game One. “Our sales and service team appreciates Director of Athletics John Meeks and his administration. We pledge to provide an elevated commitment to Vincennes that will have a positive impact on the student-athlete experience.”
Game One is the fastest growing sports equipment, apparel and uniform supplier in the country, serving a loyal customer base of nearly 150 colleges, universities, and conferences nationwide. It is the largest team supplier of adidas in the nation. “It has been a pleasure to work with John Meeks to initiate this new partnership with adidas and Trailblazer athletics,” added Tim McMurray, Vice President of Collegiate Partnerships for Game One. “With the collegiate athletics landscape ever evolving, we strive to be innovative and a changemaker. Our service team is already hard at work assisting the VU coaches and staff.”