Merchants Bank, IU Athletics Partner to Provide IU Student-Athletes with Critical Financial Literacy Training In the rapidly evolving landscape of intercollegiate athletics, preparing student-athletes for life both on and off the field has never been more important. IU Athletics and Merchants Bank showed off their shared commitment to that goal through a highly successful, five-session financial literacy program designed exclusively for IU’s student-athletes. The custom-made, student-athlete focused sessions were designed by the team at Merchants Bank. To provide a comprehensive curriculum, students attended all five sessions as each session presented different topics, building a complete economic foundation. The core curriculum covered: Money Psychology, Budgeting & Planning, Financial Management, Taxes & Investing and Agents and Contracts.
To enrich the curriculum with real-world expertise, Merchants Bank also brought in trusted partners to present to students, including specialists from Valeo Financial Advisors (featuring IU Men’s Basketball alumnus Johnny Jager) and the Krieg DeVault law firm. In the inaugural year for this program, members of each of IU’s 24 varsity programs participated across the comprehensive series with the goal of building a secure financial foundation for their futures. “This financial series came from a culmination of countless hours of internal planning from our team at Merchants Bank and collaboration with our program partners,” said Ariana Meiser, Merchants Bank’s Market President. “We’re thrilled with the enthusiasm and engagement shown by attending students and take great pride in knowing that key lessons from these trainings will go on to support them well beyond their time as collegiate athletes. We look forward to bringing a similar, evolved training series to IU Athletics next year and every year throughout the course of our sponsorship.”
“We are deeply grateful to Merchants Bank and Chairman Michael Petrie for their extraordinary commitment to our student-athletes,” said IU Vice President and Director of Intercollege Athletics Scott Dolson. “As collegiate athletics continues to evolve, empowering our students with essential financial education and life skills is paramount. This partnership ensures that the young men and women representing Indiana University are uniquely prepared for lifelong success, both during their time on campus and long after graduation.”
After the conclusion of the five-session program, IU’s student-athletes emphasized the wide-ranging impact that the workshop had on them as they look toward their futures in Bloomington and after they graduate. “I really enjoyed learning about how I can make the money I have now work FOR me rather than just having it sit around with no plan for the future,” said 2025 Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year Carter Smith. “The financial literacy program was an informative program that gave student athletes the tools to navigate their financial situations that aligns with their needs.”
“My teammates and I really enjoyed the opportunity to learn from the people at Merchants Bank the past few weeks,” added IU Women’s Basketball’s Lene Beaumont. “With the landscape of college athletics adapting, there comes a lot of benefits, but being able to properly manage your finances can be difficult. The financial literacy program taught me a lot about how I could better my future self by taking the proper steps now.”
The success of Merchants Bank’s Financial Literacy Program underscores a shared commitment to holistic student-athlete development by IU Athletics. By partnering with Merchants Bank, IU Athletics is working to ensure that its student-athletes are not only well-informed about their opportunities and responsibilities today, but when they leave IU they will do so with the financial acumen, and the tools necessary for the future. “Thank you, Merchants Bank, for taking your time to teach us athletes about the importance of how we use our money! Thank you to IU Athletics for offering this opportunity for us to learn how to be smart and wise with our finances,” said IU Volleyball’s Kiki Granberry.
Three Indiana University Women’s Soccer Coaches Earn Promotions Indiana women’s soccer Head Coch Josh Rife announced title changes for all three assistant coaches. Mary Seiffert will hold the title of Associate Head Coach, followed by Assistant coaches Daniel Seiffert earning the title of Soccer Analyst. Assistant Coach Peyton York as earns the title of Director of Player Development while continuing to work with the goalkeeper group. Rife spoke on each and their promotions and new roles.
Mary Seiffert [Associate Head Coach]- “I’m thrilled to announce Mary Seiffert’s promotion to Associate Head Coach. Throughout her time on our staff, Mary has been an invaluable leader, mentor, and tireless advocate for the success of our student-athletes, and this promotion is a reflection of the tremendous impact she has made on our program. Her experience with the U.S. Youth National Team, combined with her extensive background in collegiate athletics, brings an elite level of knowledge, professionalism, and perspective that continues to elevate our team. I couldn’t be more excited for Mary to take on this expanded role, and I know she will continue to play a vital part in the future success of our program.”
Daniel Seiffert [Assistant Coach / Soccer Analyst]- “Daniel’s promotion to Assistant Coach/Soccer Analyst reflects not only the value he brings to our staff, but also the direction the game of soccer continues to evolve. As analytics, video technology, and performance data become increasingly important, it will help us identify trends, make more informed decisions, and gain valuable competitive insights. I’m excited to see him lead this area of our operation as we continue building a championship-caliber program that embraces innovation while staying true to our identity.”
Peyton York [Assistant Coach / Director of Player Development]
“Peyton’s promotion to Assistant Coach/Director of Player Development is a reflection of both her impact on our program and our commitment to developing the whole student-athlete. The Indiana University Women’s Soccer program is intentional about investing in our players not only as soccer players, but as people. We take that responsibility seriously every single day. Peyton has a genuine passion for mentoring young women, building meaningful relationships, and creating an environment where our student-athletes can grow on and off the field. I’m excited for her to lead this important area of our program because I know she will have a lasting impact on the lives of our players long after their time at Indiana comes to an end.” Mary, Daniel, and Peyton receive these new titles ahead of the 2026 regular season opener scheduled for Wednesday, August. 12 against Hampton.
‘Where do you see a hole?’: Indiana’s offense is reloaded for 2026 Indiana football’s offense is loaded going into 2026. This is far from breaking news, but after fall camp began this past week, IU wide receiver Charlie Becker made sure everybody knows how strong the group looks. Becker met with the media on Thursday after IU’s second practice of fall camp, and he took a question about Michigan State transfer receiver Nick Marsh as an opportunity to praise the entire offense. “We got weapons all over now. With Turbo (Richard), Khobie (Martin), and Lee (Beebe Jr.), our running backs, I mean, shoot, those guys are some studs. Our O-line is just a bunch of dawgs, ballers. Josh (Hoover) is a beast. Look at our offense, and, you know, where do you see a hole? We got receivers, we got depth there,” Becker said. “We got dawgs all over the field. And adding Nick Marsh just adds another layer to that.”
The Hoosiers boasted a dynamic offense in 2025 behind Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan’s unit finished 17th in the nation in total offense, at 452 yards per game. Indiana was one of the best rushing teams in the nation, ranking 12th with 212.9 rushing yards per game. It’s an almost impossibly high bar to set for this season’s offense to replicate what last year’s team did. But the high amount of talent at head coach Curt Cignetti’s disposal gives the group a chance to similarly succeed, even if it doesn’t, say, finish third in the nation in scoring offense (41.6 points per game) like the 2025 offense did. “We don’t have a big offensive ego,” Cignetti said at Big Ten Media Days in late July. “Like, we don’t have to lead the country or conference in scoring, even though we lead the conference in scoring just about every year since ’19. We don’t have to.”
Martin, Richard, and Beebe give Indiana a diverse trio of running backs with different skill sets that can all unlock things for the offense. Bob Bostad’s offensive line was one of the best in the country last year, and with three starters back and a strong transfer portal addition in Joe Brunner, should be a strength again this season. But IU’s receiver room has the most talent of all those position groups, and it’s those players who could define just how good the Hoosiers’ offense can be in 2026. They have depth at wide receiver, with Lebron Bond and Davion Chandler showing some flashes as freshmen last year. Tulane transfer Shazz Preston brings a lot of prior production to Bloomington, with 43 receptions for 723 yards and four touchdowns last season. Slot receiver Tyler Morris, now healthy after missing last year with a knee injury, is a good weapon in the middle of the field. But it starts and ends with Marsh and Becker. Marsh led Michigan State in receiving for two straight seasons, despite playing in subpar offenses. Last season, he put up 662 yards on 59 receptions with six touchdowns. There’s potential for his numbers to soar much higher in a better overall offense.
“He’s a beast,” Becker said. “He’s worked his butt off this offseason, and I can’t wait to see what he does on Saturdays.” Becker, himself, is just as big a piece for IU as Marsh, if not even bigger. The Nashville, Tennessee native emerged in a massive way for the Hoosiers midseason last year, evolving from a second-teamer to an essential part of the operation. Becker finished the season with 34 receptions for 679 yards and four touchdowns, and he made a lot of big plays in big games. He caught a deep ball from Mendoza in the Big Ten Championship Game that put IU on the doorstep of victory, and he caught touchdown passes in the Rose Bowl and the Peach Bowl. “He’s playing with more confidence and belief. I thought he had a pretty good camp last year. Maybe the biggest change is how we look at him,” Cignetti said on Wednesday. “He was just a guy and he had an opportunity. He was a special teams demon for us in ’24, and early in the year when he got in the games, he took advantage of his opportunities. When (Elijah) Sarratt got hurt, the guy was our leading receiver seven of the last eight games. Had a great summer too.”
New Purdue AD admits dig at Indiana was immediate error New Purdue athletic director Tommy McClelland admits his attempt to take a shot at Indiana, the Boilermakers’ rival and the reigning college football national champion, was out of bounds for his first day on the job. “I’m having a great day yesterday, giving our vision and sharing what we’re going to do here at Purdue,” McClelland told “The Pat McAfee Show” on Friday. “… I made an offhand, unscripted comment about an in-state rival that didn’t land well. I knew it the second it left my mouth.” On Thursday, McClelland told reporters at his introductory news conference that “we are here to win championships” at Purdue, adding “If you don’t want to win championships, go to Indiana.” The comment landed with a thud, especially entering a 2026 football season in which Indiana opens a title defense and Purdue is seeking its first Big Ten win since the end of the 2023 season.
Owning the mistake, McClelland likened the comment to his golf game. “Every now and then, you line it up on the first tee and you’re really excited about that round, and I put it right into the water,” he told McAfee. “… I got 18 more holes to play.” The Boilermakers have been a powerhouse in men’s basketball of late, making it to the 2024 national championship, where they lost to UConn. Purdue hasn’t won an NCAA national championship in any sport since the women’s golf team in 2010, the school’s only national title this millennium and third overall. McClelland said he regretted that his off-hand comment distracted from his real goal and that there is “an incredible opportunity for us to reestablish what can be possible [at Purdue].” He also offered an amended version of his quickly infamous Hoosiers dig. “We’re going to build programs here that are better at winning championships than I am at one-liners,” McClelland said.
Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell Shine as the Indiana Fever beat the Chicago Sky The Indiana Fever (20-12) earned a 90-86 road win over the Chicago Sky led by 27 points from Kelsey Mitchell and 26 from Caitlin Clark. The Fever return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Tuesday, Aug. 11 against the New York Liberty at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Fever opened the game on an 8-0 run but were unable to hold onto the lead as Chicago fought their way back to take a one-point advantage at the end of the first quarter. Clark’s 12 points in the second quarter and 10 from Mitchell helped the Fever regain the lead and go in front 53-42 at the halftime break. The Sky outscored the Fever 20-18 in the third quarter to slightly cut into Indiana’s lead, making it a nine-point game with one quarter remaining. The fourth quarter saw the Sky, once again, cut into the Fever’s lead, but 11 points from Mitchell helped Indiana remain in front and secure the victory.
Finishing the night with 26 points, Caitlin Clark moved into the top 10 in franchise history for points scored with 1,589 thus far in her career. To take the No. 10 spot, Clark moved past Shavonte Zellous (1,569). The duo of Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell set a new league record for most combined points over a 10-game span, scoring 513 points over said period. Kelsey Mitchell set a new single-season WNBA record for most consecutive 20+ point games, now at 16 of such games, breaking her tie with A’ja Wilson (15). Caitlin Clark recorded her eighth 25+ points, 10+ assists and 5+ three pointers, all other players in the history of the league have four combined.
Additionally, Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell recorded their eighth game with each scoring 25+ points, tied for the second most 25+ scoring games by a duo in league history. For the 47th consecutive game Kelsey Mitchell scored 10+ points, tied with Arike Ogunbowale for the 14th longest streak in WNBA history. With 27 points, Kelsey Mitchell moved into 24th in WNBA history for points scored with 5,588 in her career, moving past DeLisha Milton-Jones (5,571). Aliyah Boston earned her 50th career double-double and ninth of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Caitlin Clark earned her 26th career points/assist double-double and ninth of the year with 26 points and 11 assists. Clark’s 26 point/assists double-doubles are the fourth-most and WNBA history, while her nine in a single season are also the fourth-most in a single season in league history. Makayla Timpson set a new career high with three assists, surpassing her previous high of two set on June 17, 2026, against the Seattle Storm.
Indiana Fever’s Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark Named to the Team USA Basketball World Cup Roster The Indiana Fever duo of Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark has been selected to represent USA Basketball in the upcoming 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup held in Berlin, Germany from September 4-13. The pair join Fever Head Coach Stephanie White who was previously announced as an assistant coach for the United States at the tournament. This marks the first FIBA Women’s World Cup roster either player has been a part of. Additionally, Boston and Clark are just the second and third, respectively, Indiana Fever players to represent the United States in the FIBA Women’s World Cup, joining Tamika Catchings who competed for the Red, White and Blue in the 2002, 2006 and 2010 tournaments.
Boston and Clark were both named to the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament roster in March of this year. Injury forced Boston to miss the tournament, but Clark was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after averaging 11.4 points per game and 6.4 assists per game to help lead the United States to a championship victory. The United States will compete in four games in the preliminary round games, beginning with China on September 4. The United States will then face Italy on September 6 and the Czech Republic on September 7. The top team in each group will receive automatic qualification to the quarterfinal round, while the second and third will compete in a qualification round for the remaining quarterfinal spots. For more information on the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup, click here.
Big Ten Unveils the 2026 Women’s Soccer Television Slate The Big Ten Conference announced its television schedule for the 2026 women’s soccer season. Big Ten Network (BTN) will broadcast 21 regular season matches involving all 18 participating schools. BTN will also cover the 2026 Big Ten Women’s Soccer Tournament semifinals and championship game, with the semifinals on Sunday, November 8 and the championship on Friday, November 13. The quarterfinals November 4-5 will be streamed on B1G+, BTN’s subscription streaming service. Action on BTN is set to kick off on Wednesday, August 12 when USC hosts Duke. In addition to the BTN lineup, Big Ten matches and nonconference contests will be streamed on B1G+, providing access to stream 2,700 more games and next-day on-demand archives. This season’s BTN broadcast schedule for women’s soccer is listed below.
| Date | Matchup | Time (ET) | Network |
| Wednesday, August 12 | Duke at USC | 9 p.m. | BTN |
| Thursday, August 13 | TCU at Wisconsin | 8 p.m. | BTN |
| Thursday, August 20 | Notre Dame at Nebraska | 8 p.m. | BTN |
| Thursday, August 27 | Saint Louis at Illinois | 7 p.m. | BTN |
| Sunday, August 30 | Colorado at Michigan State | 11 a.m. | BTN |
| Thursday, September 10 | Penn State at Ohio State | 7 p.m. | BTN |
| Thursday, September 10 | Michigan State at USC | 9 p.m. | BTN |
| Thursday, September 10 | Maryland at Washington | 11 p.m. | BTN |
| Sunday, September 13 | Minnesota at Penn State | 12 p.m. | BTN |
| Sunday, September 13 | Nebraska at Iowa | 2 p.m. | BTN |
| Sunday, September 13 | Rutgers at Washington | 4 p.m. | BTN |
| Thursday, September 24 | Wisconsin at Maryland | 6 p.m. | BTN |
| Thursday, September 24 | UCLA at Rutgers | 8 p.m. | BTN |
| Sunday, October 4 | Michigan at Indiana | 12 p.m. | BTN |
| Thursday, October 8 | Illinois at USC | 10:30 p.m. | BTN |
| Friday, October 16 | Michigan at Oregon | 9 p.m. | BTN |
| Friday, October 16 | Washington at UCLA | 11 p.m. | BTN |
| Sunday, October 18 | Ohio State at Purdue | 12 p.m. | BTN |
| Thursday, October 22 | Penn State at Michigan State | 6 p.m. | BTN |
| Sunday, October 25 | Purdue at Northwestern | 6 p.m. | BTN |
| Friday, October 30 | UCLA at USC | 10 p.m. | BTN |
| Sunday, November 8 | Big Ten Tournament Semifinal | 2 p.m. | BTN |
| Sunday, November 8 | Big Ten Tournament Semifinal | 5 p.m. | BTN |
| Friday, November 13 | Big Ten Tournament Championship | TBD | BTN |