Indiana University Men’s Basketball Freshman Aleska Ristic to Enter the Transfer Portal IU guard Aleksa Ristic will enter the transfer portal, per multiple reports. The Nis, Serbia native appeared in 12 games off the bench in 2025-26, totaling only 31 minutes. He played in the professional ranks in Serbia prior to joining the Hoosiers, but he never cracked Darian DeVries’ rotation. Ristic will become the fourth Indiana player to head into the portal, along with Josh Harris, Jason Drake, and Jasai Miles. The transfer portal officially opened Tuesday, April 7.
16 Members of the Indiana University Football National Championship Squad Participate in the Indianapolis Colts Local Pro Day Nearly 80 draft-eligible players were spread across the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center’s indoor practice facility. With a noticeable Indiana flavor. It wasn’t IU Pro Day 2.0, but it was close. 16 members of the Hoosiers’ national championship team were invited to the Colts’ local Pro Day on Tuesday morning. Missing was Fernando Mendoza, the presumptive No. 1 overall pick in the April 23-25 NFL draft. The Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback reportedly was in Las Vegas for a meeting with his soon-to-be employers. The Hoosier representation nearly was equaled by draft prospects from Illinois (14) and Purdue (12), but the group’s true impact might be felt in two weeks. “Man, I believe each and every one of the draft-eligible guys can go out on the field and produce,’’ wide receiver Elijah Sarratt said of his Hoosier teammates. “I put work in with them just about every single day. I feel like they’re capable of making some big plays at the next level.’’
Depending on which draft analyst you prefer, at least a half-dozen Hoosiers could be selected this year. Two carry round 1 pedigree: Mendoza and wide receiver/Lawrence North H.S. product Omar Cooper Jr. Mendoza is a lock to be just the second Hoosier selected No. 1 overall – the Cleveland Browns drafted Corby Davis 1st in 1938 – and represent the school’s first first-rounder since wideout Thomas Lewis in 1994 (No. 24 overall to the New York Giants). Several mock drafts project Cooper coming off the board late in round 1 on the strength of his 69 catches for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. He ran a 4.42 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine. “At the end of the day,’’ he said, “I don’t want to get my hopes up too high. You never know what the GMs and owners are thinking. I try to be where my feet (are) and enjoy the process.’’
The process on Tuesday included a variety of drills run by Colts’ position coaches. General Manager Chris Ballard and Coach Shane Steichen assumed a panoramic view from the middle of the field. At one point, Ballard spent several minutes talking with IU tight end/fullback Riley Nowakowski. At the end of the workout, Ballard offered advice to players who hoped their football career didn’t end with their final college game. A handful of players were on hand but chose not to work out. They still valued the opportunity to network with an NFL team and its GM and coaches. Cooper didn’t go through drills but wasn’t about to skip the event.
“I’m from Indianapolis and I’m always going to support my hometown team even if I don’t have the opportunity to play for them,’’ he said. “Just being able to come here and show my face, see the facilities, places I’ve seen as a kid . . .’’ Just getting to this point in his athletic career, Cooper added, has been “amazing.” “You grow up in Indianapolis, you dream of going to these things. The fact I was able to be a part of it is a special feeling. Also, playing for Indiana, again, everything is a dream come true. I’m just grateful for this opportunity.’’ Cooper and IU put together one of the greatest rags-to-riches stories in college football history. The nation’s losingest football team – 9-27 from 2021-23, including 3-24 in the Big Ten – followed the lead of Curt Cignetti to an 11-2 record and a spot in the national playoffs in 2024, before going supernova last season. The Hoosiers were ranked No. 1, completed a 16-0 season and won the national championship in January with a 27-21 victory over Miami in South Florida.
An influx of transfers fueled the dramatic turnaround. Cooper was one of the holdovers from lesser times. He resisted the urge to leave Bloomington. “I’ve always wanted to leave the school better than it was when I got there,’’ he said. “That was something I had on my mind. . . . The first two years was hard, not winning too many games, not many fans. I just wanted to stick with that because growing up you don’t watch Indiana football. I wanted to be a part of something that could potentially change the culture there and these past two years we were able to.’’ Last season, Cooper and Sarratt formed one of the nation’s most prolific tandems: 134 receptions, 1,767 yards, 28 touchdowns. While Mendoza is the starting point for the April 23 draft and Cooper might join him later in round 1, safety D’Angelo Ponds carries a second-round projection and Sarratt should be taken in rounds 3-4. Center Pat Coogan, linebacker Aiden Fisher, safety Louis Moore and Nowakowski also will/might merit attention before the 257-pick process runs its course.
Ponds’ draft stock experienced a boost when he ran an unofficial 4.31 40 at IU’s April 1 Pro Day. His message to NFL teams? “That I’m the best DB in the draft,’’ Ponds said. The latest crop of Hoosiers should threaten the school’s all-time mark for selections in one draft. The record: seven in 1976, when the draft consisted of 17 rounds and 487 picks. IU had six players drafted in 1944 and 1947. Indiana had two players drafted last year, both by San Francisco – defensive tackle CJ West in round 4 and quarterback Kurtis Rourke in round 7 – after being shut out in 2023-24. It hasn’t had more than two players selected in a draft since 2016 when three Hoosiers were taken: offensive tackle Jason Spriggs (round 2 by Green Bay), running back Jordan Howard (round 5 by Chicago) and quarterback Nate Sudfeld (round 6 by Washington). The tide is turning. “Coach Cig did a great job of instilling a standard and discipline in us,’’ Cooper said. “I feel like we’re all going to carry that through ourselves in the league. It’s going to push us even more whatever team we all go to.’’
Fernando Mendoza to Skip the Upcoming NFL Draft in Pittsburgh to Enjoy it with His Family Miami Former IU quarterback Fernando Mendoza is not planning on attending the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, per a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Mendoza is planning on celebrating the draft experience in Miami with his family. Mendoza is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders in the NFL Draft. Mendoza helped lead IU to its first national championship in program history last season. The Hoosiers finished the season 16-0. Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy, throwing for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns.
Former Indiana University Women’s Basketball Star Grace Berger Signs a Qualifying Offer with the Dallas Wings Center Li Yueru and Former Indiana University guard Grace Berger have accepted qualifying offers to return to the Dallas Wings, the team announced on Wednesday. Yueru was acquired by the Wings in a midseason trade with the Seattle Storm in June. The 6-7 center appeared in 22 games for Dallas and averaged 7.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists per contest. She missed the final ten games of the season due to injury. Over 31 total games in 2025, Yueru averaged career highs in points (6.0), rebounds (4.5), assists (0.9), blocks (0.3) and three-point shooting (.364). Berger signed a seven-day hardship contract with Dallas in July, before signing a rest-of-season contract shortly after. She appeared in 18 games for the Wings, making 13 starts and averaged 3.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists. Berger was the seventh overall pick in the 2023 WNBA draft.
The Big Ten Conference Announces the 2026 Football Media Days Schedule The Big Ten Conference announced today the school participation schedule for the 2026 Big Ten Football Media Days presented by Discover®. This year’s event returns to Chicago and will feature a three-day format, July 28-30, with Big Ten Network providing live coverage of all three days. Each of the conference’s 18 institutions will be represented by its head coach and three student-athletes.
DAY 1 (July 28): Illinois, Iowa, Penn State, Rutgers, USC, Wisconsin DAY 2 (July 29): Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Oregon, Purdue, UCLA DAY 3 (July 30): Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Northwestern, Washington
A limited block of hotel rooms have been reserved at Hilton Chicago for this event at a nightly room rate of $299 (plus tax). Reservations can be made here . The hotel reservation deadline is Friday, June 26. Please note that hotel room availability is extremely limited, and reservations are made on a first-come, first-served basis. Additional information regarding credentials, media schedules and student-athlete attendees will be announced at a later date.
13 WNBA regular-season games to air on WRTV In Indianapolis during the 2026 season In its 30th season of the WNBA, WRTV will air 13 regular season games, including the WNBA All-Star Game, in the 2026 season. You can watch the following WNBA Games on WRTV: Saturday, May 9 at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, May 9 at 3 p.m. Saturday, June 6 at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, June 6 at 3 p.m. Saturday, June 20 at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, July 11 at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, July 19 at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, July 25 at 8 p.m. (WNBA All-Star Game in Chicago) Saturday, August 1 at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, August 2 at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, August 8 at 3 p.m. Sunday, August 9 at 12 p.m. You can find the Indiana Fever schedule for the 2026-27 season here.
Taylor University Baseball Pitcher Brody Fine Names Crossroads League Pitcher of the Week Taylor senior Brody Fine collected his second Crossroads League Pitcher of the Week honor as the conference announced its weekly awards on Monday, recognizing the league’s top individual performances from March 30 through April 5. Fine, the conference leader in ERA, wins and strikeouts, moved to 7-0 on the season after tossing five scoreless innings in a 15-2 victory over Saint Francis for No. 1 Taylor. The right-hander fanned seven and allowed just one hit in the contest.
Fine is now averaging 12.65 strikeouts per nine innings with a 0.72 ERA and a 4-0 record in five home starts this season. In his second season at TU, the Lafayette, Indiana native also earned Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 23, making this his second career conference weekly honor. The recognition marks the seventh Crossroads League Baseball weekly award earned by a Trojan this season and the fourth Pitcher of the Week selection. Taylor Athletics has now garnered 57 Crossroads League, WHAC and MSFA Player-of-the-Week awards and six NAIA National Athlete-of-the-Week honors during the 2025-26 campaign. No. 1 Taylor travels to Goshen for this weekend’s Crossroads League series.