Indiana University Football Shows Off During its Pro Day for all 32 NFL Teams During what was surely the most well-attended Pro Day Indiana Football has ever held, two players in particular captivated the crowd of NFL scouts and personnel in attendance. One was anticipated and expected going in; the other, while not a complete surprise, may have tangibly boosted his draft stock. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza didn’t throw at the NFL Combine, but he did on Wednesday. So this was the first chance for teams to watch him throw in a formal workout setting ahead of the NFL Draft in three weeks. And the Heisman Trophy winner put on a show. He sprayed the ball all over the field, with only three incompletions out of 56 throws. He warmed up with Charlie Becker, then threw during his workout to Omar Cooper Jr., Elijah Sarratt, E.J. Williams Jr., Riley Nowakowski, Holden Staes, Kaelon Black, and Roman Hemby.
All the pass-catchers made plays, but it was Mendoza who stood out the most. Las Vegas Raiders brass, including general manager John Spytek and head coach Klint Kubiak, stood in a group behind Mendoza as he threw inside Mellencamp Pavilion, and they saw their potential No. 1 pick deliver. “I wanted to best showcase our guys,” Mendoza said after his workout. “Quarterbacks, in the past, have done shorter pro days than that. But I wanted to make sure everybody could showcase their abilities in front of all 32 NFL teams and really run routes that are applicable to the timing we’re going to be running in the NFL. I think it went great. I thought everyone showcased amazing, and it was great being back in Bloomington one more time with our guys, after such a fantastic finish.” If the Raiders select Mendoza at No. 1 overall, as is largely expected, he will become the first IU player taken in the first round in more than 30 years.
Meanwhile, D’Angelo Ponds was the biggest standout on the defensive side. He was already the IU defender with the highest draft projection, as he’s slated as a potential day two pick. He only helped himself on Wednesday. Ponds drew oohs and aahs from the crowd of teammates and family members after running a blazing 40-yard dash, unofficially clocked at 4.31 seconds. The fastest 40-yard dash time by a cornerback recorded at the NFL Combine in February was 4.32 seconds, by Missouri’s Toriano Pride Jr. Ponds said he was running even faster in his preparation for pro day, clocking at 4.28. But he was pleased with his time. “I feel like a lot of people didn’t expect me to run that time. I’m just glad I put it out there on tape,” Ponds said. “I heard it (the oohs and aahs) a little bit. The support from the people here is so amazing. Even at the combine, I’m hearing the oohs and aahs as well. Just thankful to be here, honestly.”
Indiana University and Syracuse Men’s Basketball to play Non-Conference Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse this November Indiana men’s basketball has added a notable non-conference game for next season. IU, per CBS Sports, will take on Syracuse on Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The matchup will be labeled a neutral site game. The Hoosiers now have two games scheduled in Indianapolis in 2026-27. They’ll also face Kentucky on Dec. 27 at Lucas Oil Stadium, which will count as an IU home game. This will be Indiana’s first matchup against Syracuse since 2021-22, when the Orange pulled out a win in double overtime at the Carrier Dome. The Hoosiers are 1-6 all-time against Syracuse, with their one victory coming in the 1987 national championship game. The game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse will most likely be IU’s second game of the 2026-27 season, after playing Bellarmine on Nov. 5. The matchups against Bellarmine, Syracuse, and Kentucky are the three known games on next year’s schedule for Darian DeVries’ program.
This will also likely be Syracuse’s first major non-conference game with new head coach Gerry McNamara. The Orange fired Adrian Autry after this past season and brought in McNamara, a member of their 2003 national championship team, from Siena to take over. DeVries and McNamara matched up this past season when the Hoosiers defeated the Saints, 80-61, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Dec. 22, 2025. IU is 1-6 all-time against Syracuse. The Hoosiers have lost six in a row after winning the 1987 national title game in New Orleans. The most recent matchup was in Nov. 2021. Syracuse won that game 112-110 in double overtime.
Indiana and Northwestern Baseball to meet at Wrigley Field The Indiana Baseball team will get the chance to play at one of the sport’s most iconic venues when the final month of the regular season begins. Head coach Jeff Mercer and his squad will play the opening game on Friday, May 1st of their series against Northwestern at Wrigley Field – the home of the Chicago Cubs. It’s the fourth straight year that the Wildcats have hosted a game at the Friendly Confines. IU’s game against Northwestern will be the first contest the program plays at an MLB stadium since a March tournament at T-Mobile Park (Mariners) in 2019. The Hoosiers also played at Target Field (Twins) for the 2013 Big Ten Tournament. The final two games of the weekend series will take place at Northwestern’s home stadium. First pitch will come at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT on Big Ten Plus. Tickets for the game are available at www.cubs.com/northwesternbaseball. Wrigley Field gates will open approximately two hours after the conclusion of the Cubs and Diamondbacks game that afternoon.
Indiana University Basketball Guard Jason Drake is Entering the Transfer Portal The first departure from the 2025-26 IU basketball team broke on Wednesday afternoon. Guard Jason Drake will enter the transfer portal when it opens next week, according to a report by Dushawn London of 247Sports. Drake did not play at all for IU in 2025-26 after suffering an injury in the summer. Last year at Drexel, Drake started all 33 games and averaged 11.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 26.2 minutes per game.
Link Academy and Spire Academy Win their Chipotle Nationals Openers For the Third Year the Chipotle Nationals High School Basketball Tournament returned to the State of Indiana as 12 of the top Boys Basketball Teams and 6 Girls Basketball Teams from all over the country invaded Hamilton Southeastern High School for four days to decide who are the best teams in the nation. The Boys opening round kicked off Wednesday Night with two games.
Link Academy Missouri beat Wasatch Academy from Utah 69-62 in Game 1. Michigan State Signee Carlos Medlock Jr scored 21 points with his future Head Coach Tom Izzo sitting courtside to watch him lead his team to win. Junior Davion Thompson added 17 Points and Oregon Signee Tajh Azria added 13 points. Link Academy located in Branson Missouri is 24-4 on the season shot 23-46 from the field for 50%, 8-17 from three-point range for 47% and 15-20 from the free throw line for 75%. The Lions pulled down 29 rebounds, 14 assists, 9 steals, 9 blocks, and 17 turnovers.
Wasatch Academy from Mount Pleasant Utah ends the season with a 24-7 record. Junior Mana Wintana led the Tigers with 16 points; UConn Signee Junior County added 15 points and Chidi Nwigwe added 13 points. The Tigers went 22-48 from the field for 46%, 7-19 from three-point range for 37% and 11-17 from the free throw line for 65%. The Tigers had 27 rebounds, 10 assists, 8 steals, no blocks and 20 turnovers. Link Academy led 11-8 after the first quarter and outscored the Tigers 19-13 in the second quarter to lead at halftime 30-21. Wasatch Academy outscored Link Academy 22-19 in the third quarter as Link led 49-43 going into the fourth quarter as the Lions closed it outscoring the Tigers 20-19 and advanced to the Quarterfinals against Dynamic Prep from Texas.
Spire Academy Ohio beat Archbishop Stepinac New York 87-76 in Game 2. Alabama Signee Taris Bouie scored 22 points, going 11-12 from the field to lead Spire Academy. Dorian Rinadlo-Korman added 19 points, Darrell Davis scored 16 points and Dayton Signee Aiden Derkack added 12 points with his future Head Coach Anthony Grant in attendance. Spire Academy is in Geneva, Ohio with a 28-2 record shot 35-51 from the field for 69%, 4-11 from three-point range for 36% and 13-25 from the free throw line for 52%. Spire had 32 rebounds, 24 assists, 5 steals, 5 blocks and 14 turnovers.
Hassan Kouressi scored 30 points and Michigan State Signee Jesiah Jervis scored 20 points as they combined for 50 of the 76 points for Archbishop Stepinac. The Crusaders are from White Plains, New York and end their season with a 26-5 record. Archbishop Stepinac went 26-69 from the field for 38%, 7-28 from three-point range for 25% and 17-21 from the free throw line for 78%. The Crusaders had 27 rebounds, 9 steals, 7 assists, 3 steals and 8 turnovers. Spire led 20-18 after the first quarter and outscored the Crusaders 18-15 in the second quarter as they led at halftime 38-33. Spire opened things up in the third quarter, outscoring Archbishop Stepinac 27-10 to lead 65-43 going into the fourth quarter. Archbishop Stepinac outscored Spire 33-22 in the fourth quarter as Spire advances to the Quarterfinals against AZ Compass Prep from Arizona.
Top-Ranked Madonna Runs Past No. 9 Taylor University Men’s Lacrosse No. 1 Madonna kept its unbeaten record against NAIA foes this season intact and moved to 6-0 on the year against teams ranked or receiving votes in the NAIA by handing No. 9 Taylor a 27-10 defeat at Wheeler Field on Wednesday. The visiting Crusaders (10-1, 6-0 WHAC) poured in the first 15 goals of the afternoon and never looked back, despite Taylor rebounding to play to a 7-7 draw over the third and fourth periods. Jackson Dale continued his torrid pace with two goals and four assists to lead the way for TU, while Henry Cooper tallied three goals and one assist and Ezra Jenkins posted two goals and one assist. No. 9 Taylor (6-5, 2-4 WHAC) will look to bounce back on Saturday, April 4 at 1:00 pm when it hosts Lawrence Tech (2-8, 1-5 WHAC). The Trojans took a 14-6 win at LTU earlier this season on March 11.
Taylor University Baseball Voted No. 1 in NAIA Top 25 Poll For the first time in program history, the Taylor University baseball team sits atop the NAIA. The Trojans were voted No. 1 in the third edition of the 2026 GoRout NAIA Baseball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, released Wednesday by the national office. TU (30-3, 18-2 CL) received nine first-place votes and 440 points to rise from the third spot, jumping No. 2 Georgia Gwinnett (31-3), which collected six first-place votes. The ascent caps a stretch that has seen the Trojans climb from ninth in the preseason poll to third two weeks ago to the top of the national rankings — a rise built on the program’s best 30-game start and a current 12-game win streak following last weekend’s sweep of Bethel.
Taylor has now appeared in 19 consecutive polls dating back to the 2023 season and has been ranked inside the top 10 in each of the last six releases. Bellevue checked in at No. 3, while previous top-ranked LSU Shreveport (La.) and Johnson (Tenn.) round out the top five. Crossroads League rival Huntington dropped nine spots to No. 25, and receiving-votes Marian fell just outside the ranked teams. The top-ranked Trojans return to action This afternoon against Saint Francis, with Game 1 of the Crossroads League doubleheader slated for a 3 p.m. first pitch at Winterholter Field.