Indiana University Women’s Volleyball Welcomes USC to Wilkinson Hall The Indiana volleyball team (10-4, 3-2 Big Ten) will get the chance to bounce back from its first home loss of the season when USC visits Wilkinson Hall this afternoon. The Hoosiers have won 27-straight home games against unranked teams and have won over 70 percent of their games at Wilkinson Hall since the beginning of the 2022 campaign.
IU has found a three-headed offensive monster over the past few weeks as fifth-year opposite hitter Avry Tatum has made her return to the lineup. Tatum, second-year outside hitter Jaidyn Jager and third-year middle blocker Ella Boersema combined for 24 kills against No. 1 Nebraska and are chipping in over 9.00 kills per set this year. Jager has been one of the best players in the Big Ten this year. She’s top 10 in the league in points per set (4.25) with 192 kills, 12 aces and 21 blocks. Even in a week that she didn’t practice, Jager had nine kills against the Huskers on Thursday. She’s averaging 3.39 kills per set in conference play.
As Big Ten play has picked up, so has IU’s block at the net. The Hoosiers are averaging 2.33 blocks per set over five conference matches. That’s led by fifth-year middle blocker Kiki Granberry who is averaging 1.40 blocks per set in league action. Boersema and Tatum each have double-digit blocks as well. Sunday’s game against the Trojans will be broadcasted on the Big Ten Network at 2 p.m. with Kelsie Kasper (PxP) and Alyssa Klostermann (Color) on the call. The Hoosiers have won six-straight games against the league’s west coast schools over the last three years.
A Win Would over USC would be the 11th win of the season and the fifth at home. Would be the seventh-straight win over the west coast Big Ten schools. Would be the 28th-straight win over an unranked team at home. The Hoosiers are looking to bounce back from a loss to No. 1 Nebraska on Thursday night.
IU has won 19 of its last 27 Big Ten games, dating back to the final week of the 2024 season. Today’s game is the fourth-straight match broadcasted on national television.
Second-year setter Teodora Krickovic is closing in on becoming the 12th player in program history to reach 2,000 career assists. She’s less than 250 away as she continues to set the Hoosiers at an elite offensive rate. The Serbian is averaging 10.70 assists per set in her career at IU. Since the 2022 campaign (four-plus years), Indiana has racked up 87 wins under head coach Steve Aird. That includes at least 15 wins in each full season during that stretch. IU will be looking to reach that plateau again for the fifth-straight year in 2026. Third-year middle blocker Ella Boersema shared the team with nine kills in the match against No. 1 Nebraska. She’s on a run of six-straight matches with at least eight kills. During that stretch, she is hitting .407 and has only committed more than two attacking errors on one occasion.
Even in the defeat, IU hit .282 with 34 kills against Nebraska. It’s the highest that any opponent has hit against the Huskers since 2024. The Hoosiers have hit .280 or better in three of the last four games and on eight total occasions this year. Second-year outside hitter Jaidyn Jager also had nine kills on Thursday.
Following Thursday’s action, the Hoosiers are third in the Big Ten in hitting percentage (.272) in conference games only. IU has already played the top two teams in that category (Nebraska, Wisconsin) and will get the team that is fourth in the league (USC) on Sunday).
Fifth-year middle blocker Kiki Granberry has been IU’s best blocker this season at 1.23 blocks per set. In her outstanding college career, she has recorded 368 career blocks. She is closing in on 400 in her fifth year and is top 20 among active NCAA players in the category. Since the 2023 season, the Hoosiers have won 27-straight home matches against unranked teams at Wilkinson Hall. Over the last 28 home games against unranked Big Ten teams, IU is 26-2. IU hasn’t lost back-to-back home games since the 2024 campaign. When the west coast programs joined the league in 2024, IU lost the first three games against them. A win over UCLA at the end of that season has kickstarted a six-game winning streak against the west coast schools. That includes a 4-0 record in 2025. IU already beat UCLA this season in September.
First-year outside hitter Sara Snowbarger has played well in conference play when the lights get bright. In games against No. 6 Wisconsin and No. 1 Nebraska, she’s combined for 16 kills while hitting .341. She’s had three-or-fewer attacking errors in five-straight games. Today’s game will feature a number of kids from the state of California. Second-year outside hitter Jaidyn Jager, third-year outside hitter Izzy Clark, third-year setter Sade Ilawole and fifth-year opposite hitter Avry Tatum all hail from California. As does associate coach Rachel Morris.
The Trojans open their weekend at Purdue on Friday but have lost three-straight matches in conference play. Interim coach Megan Moenoa will officially coach her first career game on Friday. USC lost in four to Michigan and in five to Michigan State last weekend. USC has turned to freshman setter Milly McGee in recent matches but has experimented with junior setter Lilli Etter as well. Sophomore opposite Abigail Mullen leads the pack with 3.12 kills per set. Redshirt junior outside hitter London Wijay adds 3.02 kills per set but at a .193 hitting percentage. In recent years, USC has become one of the best blocking teams in the country. Junior middle blocker Mia Tvrdy averages 1.41 per set and had 16 in one match earlier this year. Redshirt junior middle blocker Leah Ford provides 1.26 blocks per set. Sophomore libero Taylor Deckert wears the jersey for the Women of Troy.
The Trojans were the lone of the west coast schools that IU had played before they joined the league. The two teams met first in 1998 and then played in the NCAA regional semifinals in 2010. USC won the first meeting as Big Ten foes in 2024. IU finally got on the scoresheet with a fantastic 3-1 win over USC in 2025. The Trojans dominated early but IU came roaring back to pick up its first ranked win of the season on the way to the NCAA Tournament. USC is the only of the west coast schools that IU hasn’t beaten in Bloomington yet.
Indiana University Women’s Soccer Wraps Up West Coast Road Trip at USC Indiana women’s soccer continue their road trip as they travel across town to take on USC. The Hoosiers will close their road trip against the Trojans This Afternoon with a 4 pm ET start time. Indiana prepares for their second game from Loas Angeles, Calif. after suffering a defeat to No. 10 UCLA last Thursday night 5-0. The Hoosiers found themselves on the defensive end for most of the first half with goalkeeper Dani Jacobson recording a season high six saves to hold the Bruins to a 1-0 lead at the break. UCLA found their offense in the second half, scoring four goals through the final 45 minutes. Jacobson increased her save total in that span, finishing the match with nine total.
Maggie Ledwith and Bella Haggerty lead all Hoosiers with five and three goals scored, respectively, this season. Kennedy Neighbors, Piper Coffield, and Jenna Chatterton tie with two goals apiece, followed by Aleyna Quinn with one goal. 10 Hoosiers have recorded an assist this season, led by Ledwith, Chatterton, Grace Hamm, and Haden Vlcek with two. Graham earned her first assist on the year in the previous match. Bella Haggerty, Kennedy Neighbors, Paige Droner, Emma Ehret, Amaya Falzarano, and Ella Stanley have also added assists. Ledwith and Haggerty lead the Hoosiers in total points with 12 and seven, respectively. Chatterton follows behind with six along with Neighbors with five and Coffield with four. Aleyna Quinn, Grace, and Vlcek each have two points while Droner, Ehret, Falzarano, Stanley, and Graham also have one point apiece for the Hoosiers.
18 Hoosiers have recorded a shot this season. Ledwith leads the way with 31 shot attempts, followed by Hamm and Neighbors with 18 and 15, respectively. Droner follows behind with 12, along with Coffield and Graham with 10 shots each. Chatterton has added eight shots, followed by Haggerty with seven and Stanley with six. IUWS returns home to start their final homestand of the season. They will play three straight matches from Bill Armstrong Stadium, starting with Michigan State on Friday night, October 16, at 7:30 pm.
No. 2/5 Indiana University Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Splits Home Opener No. 2/5 Indiana swimming and diving split its first dual meet of the season Friday afternoon inside the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center, as its men’s and women’s teams both defeated No. 16/NR Northwestern but fell to No. 1/3 Texas. The swimmers competed in the short course meters format – as opposed to the default short course yards – as some athletes prepare for their short course World Championship trials. Liberty Clark led the team with three event wins, in the 50-, 100- and 200-meter freestyle. Clark kicked off her day defeating Texas’ Nikolett Padar in the 200 free at the touch with a 1:53.00, just 29 hundredths faster than the Longhorn. She then was the lone swimmer in the 50 free under 24 seconds, hitting the wall in 23.92. Twenty minutes later out of a break, Clark won the 100 free in 51.61 – 1.6 seconds faster than Texas’ Erin Gemmell.
Indiana swept the butterfly events between Raekwon Noel and Alex Shackell. Shackell dominated her races, winning the 100 fly by 1.58 seconds (56.57) and the 200 fly by over two seconds (2:03.96). Noel won the 200 with a time of 1:52.02, and the 100 with a 50.97. Josh Bey won a pair of close races to join the multi-win club. In the 200-meter breaststroke, Bey trailed two Longhorns at the halfway mark but finished with splits of 31.96 and 32.10 to touch in 2:04.48 in front of Texas’ Campbell McKean (2:04.95) and Luka Mladenovic (2:05.87). He had another strong back half in the 200 IM, his 33.16 breast split really making the difference as he jumped two spots and finished first with a 1:55.11 in front of Texas’ Rex Maurer (1:55.37). Miranda Grana continued her great start to the season with a sweep of the women’s backstroke events. Grana posted a 56.93 in the 100-meter backstroke, 1.31 seconds in front of UT’s Sarah Rodrigues, and a 2:03.68 in the 200-meter backstroke, beating Audrey Derivaux at the touch by 49 hundredths.
TEAM SCORES
Women-No. 5 Indiana 241, Northwestern 59 No. 3 Texas 188, No. 5 Indiana 112 Men-No. 2 Indiana 224, No. 16 Northwestern 76 No. 1 Texas 177.5, No. 2 Indiana 122.5
Men-Josh Bey – 200 breaststroke (2:04.28), 200 IM (1:55.11), Mikkel Lee – 50 freestyle (21.54) and Raekwon Noel – 200 butterfly (1:52.02), 100 butterfly 50.97). Women- Liberty Clark – 200 freestyle (1:53.00), 50 freestyle (23.92), 100 freestyle (51.61) Miranda Grana – 100 backstroke (56.93), 200 backstroke (2:03.68)
Alex Shackell – 200 butterfly (2:03.96), 100 butterfly (56.57)
Indiana will compete in match No. 5 of the College Swimming League, its second match of the new tournament. The Hoosiers will face off against Cal, Stanford and NC State next Friday (Oct. 16) in Walnut, Calif.
Indiana University Women’s Tennis Advances Six Players in the ITA Regionals Round Of 32 Indiana women’s tennis wrapped up day two of the ITA Ohio Valley Regional Championships, with standout play in doubles and singles matches. Doubles play began with fourth year Chase Boyer and third year Gabby Gregg defeating Parr/Martin (Butler), 8-5. Second year Ameia Sorey and third year Nicole Sifuentes are the next pair of Hoosiers to advance after winning against Kolyszko/Webster (Belmont), 8-4. Second year Hi’ilani Williams and fourth year Elisabeth Dunac also advanced to the round of 32. Second year Mansi Vadyala and third year Li Hsin Lin dropped their doubles match in the round of 64 (3-8).
In singles play, Dunac defeated Allie Falkner (Miami OH), 6-0, 6-1, to advance to the round of 32. Also advancing was Williams, who won her match against Savannah Webster (Belmont), 6-1, 6-3, while Gregg also competed in the consolation bracket, picking her first singles win of her IU career against Kathryn Wilson (Purdue), 6-4, 6-4. Advancing players are back in action tomorrow morning. Draws and match times can be found here.
Main Draw Results (Round of 64)
Singles Elisabeth Dunac def. Allie Faulkner (Miami), 6-0, 6-1 Hi’ilani Williams def. Savannah Webster (Belmont), 6-1, 6-3 Nicole Sifuentes def. Isabelle Einess (Western Kentucky), 6-1, 7-6 Audrey Aulia (Tennessee) def. Ameia Sorey, 6-4, 6-3
Doubles Persypkina/Vustsina (Lousiville) def. Vadyala/Hsin Lin, 8-3 Boyer/Gregg def. Parr/Martin (Butler), 8-5 Williams/Dunac def. Fudric/Popovski (Cincinnati), withdrawal Sorey/Sifuentes def. Kolyszko/Webster (Belmont), 8-4
A Pair of PR’s and Sisters Lead No. 15 Taylor University Women’s Cross-Country to Fourth-Place Finish at Ray Bullock Invite Taylor Women’s Cross-Country hosted the Ray Bullock Invite on Friday evening, placing fourth of 14 teams as five Trojans finished in the top 30. No. 15 Taylor scored 98 to finish just behind No. 5 Indiana Wesleyan and No. 14 Marian, with No. 8 Grace running away with the team title at 36 points. The other ranked squad at the invite was No. 17 Olivet Nazarene, which Taylor beat by over 150 points. Two of the Trojans top five runners recorded personal bests, while Sisters, Kennedy Applegate and Ansley Applegate also finished in the top five for TU in front of a large homecoming weekend crowd at the TUXC Farm.
Leading the way for TU was Kennedy Applegate, who was within three seconds of her personal best at 23:08.8 followed closely by freshman, Samantha Lickey, who carded a PR of 23:13.0, over twenty seconds faster than her previous best. The parade of Trojans continued with Catey Campbell, Ansley Applegate and Sam Patterson who capped the scoring in 28th. Applegate recorded a personal best time of 23:26.5 as the freshman impressed in the invite. No. 15 Taylor (32-18) continues its season at the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge on Saturday October 24th in Grand Rapids Michigan, with the women running at 11:00 am.
Taylor Trojans Men’s Cross-Country Finish Fifth at Ray Bullock Invite Taylor Men’s Cross-Country hosted the Ray Bullock Invite on Friday evening, placing fifth of 15 squads, with six ranked or receiving votes in the NAIA Top-25 Poll. The Trojans finished ahead of both No. 9 Goshen and RV Olivet Nazarene, while finishing behind No. 15 Madonna, No. 11 Marian, and No. 2 Indiana Wesleyan from the NAIA level. Nathan Burns once again paced TU with a 13th-place finish at 25:44.3, followed by Jordan Burden in 18th, who has place second in every race for TU this season. Zach McWatters and Nathan Meister crossed the line next for TU in 20th and 22nd respectively. Hunter Smith capped the scoring for the Trojans with a 33rd-place finish at 26:31.4. No. 23 Taylor (38-12) compete next at the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge on Saturday, October 24th in Grand Rapids Michigan, with the men taking the course at 10:00 am.
Caitlin Clark denounces the hateful messages Fever teammate Kelsey Mitchell says she received Caitlin Clark still wants Kelsey Mitchell as a teammate, even though Clark understands that’s not always easy. In her final interview of the season, Clark denounced the hateful messages Mitchell says she’s received on social media and urged the soon-to-be free agent to stay with the Indiana Fever for one more season. Mitchell has spent her entire nine-year career with Indiana. Clark also said she was “upset” Mitchell or anyone else would be subjected to degrading remarks.
“I saw Kelsey’s comments and as a teammate, it makes you upset because you care about your teammates so much, and you don’t want anyone to go through something like that,” Clark said. “I think for the people who have followed me, obviously, there is such a microscope on me and that kind of comes with everybody I’ve been teammates with whether that was my time at Iowa, whether that’s been here and that comes with a lot of great things. And then, at times, there can be some negatives.” She added: “I think as far as people that have used me to, you know, demonstrate racist rhetoric or hate or discrimination, that’s not something I stand for. That’s never been something I’ve stood for. For those of you who know me, that’s not what I’m about. It’s not how I was raised, so really disappointing when people do that.”
Clark was responding to the comments Mitchell made Saturday during her exit interview and the challenges that of living life in such a glaring spotlight. Since Clark’s arrival in 2024, the Fever have become one of the WNBA’s most watched teams. Indiana games routinely sell out — at home and on the road — and opponents often move Fever games to larger venues to sell more tickets. The Fever also have become a top attraction on the national television circuit, too, often drawing the highest ratings.
And Mitchell also has seen her stardom rise. This season, she broke the WNBA single-season scoring record, the league record for consecutive 20-point games and late this season was serenaded with chants of “M-V-P” at home games. But that’s not all Mitchell heard. “The hardest part of being a Fever girl, especially — you guys know I’ve been a part of this a long time — but the last couple years is, I don’t think people understand how much we endure,” she said. “If I showed y’all my DMs about the hate and, you know like, the stuff that comes with being a professional athlete, but specifically being an Indiana Fever basketball player, it’s a lot that goes into that, and those days are hard as hell, man.”
And while Mitchell said she “loves” both Clark and being part of a backcourt with her, Mitchell said it can be tough playing on the same team. “Having the eyes that she got, you know, we get a lot of flak just for being on her team, and I think that comes with a lot, too,” Mitchell said. “I just think that people have got to give us grace. I think this organization is unbelievable, man, but I think that when it comes to like really trying to be yourself it hasn’t always been easy. That’s all I’ll say.” This season was tougher off the court than on it. From the early season rumors about coach Stephanie White’s job status and White’s relationship with Clark through Indiana’s first-round postseason exit, there seemed to be a non-basketball controversy at every turn.
When backup guard Sophie Cunningham said transgender women should be kept out of women’s sports, supporters of both opinions started showing up at games. Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve even wore a T-shirt during a Fever game in support of transgender women. White finally lashed out at the constant circus-like environment during a short, pregame news conference in which she accused outsiders of trying to tear the team apart. Twice security officials escorted fans out of games against the Las Vegas Aces though they returned later when it was determined they had not violated the fan code of conduct policy. After the second incident, when four-time MVP A’ja Wilson walked toward a fan whose seat was near the baseline, Aces coach Becky Hammon responded. “I think there’s a certain etiquette that both players and fans need to abide by, but clearly there’s something that gets — the lines get crossed — and it seems to happen here,” Hammon said. It hasn’t slowed down in the week since Indiana’s season-ending loss at Las Vegas.
Fever general manager Amber Cox defended the Fever fans during her exit interview Saturday. “The attacks on our fanbase have no basis in reality, and they need to stop, especially with members of the media,” Cox said. “Every organization in the league, every organization throughout professional sports, all the way down to youth rec leagues, have to deal with occasional bad behavior from spectators. And anyone who crosses the line in an arena or online needs to be held accountable. I want to be really clear about that: There is a line, and people need to be held accountable if they cross it.”
Former Fever player Brianna Turner, who now plays for the Aces, used her social media account to call Cox’s comments “unequivocally false.” It was hard on everyone inside the organization and yet for the second straight year, the Fever were one win away from eliminating the Aces on their home court. And while Clark was disappointed with the result, she’s also unhappy that Mitchell or anyone else must deal with the hateful comments. “I think it kind of gets into this larger discussion in mainstream sports of what people go through. I think, just recently, I saw Coco Gauff came out and kind of talked about her experience,” Clark said. “So any time I see something like that, you know, it makes me upset, makes me sad, makes me really disappointed, you know, because that’s not who I am. It’s not what I’m about. I think for my teammates, obviously, there’s a lot of really great things that come with playing here, too, and as far as Kelsey and our future with her with the organization, I think she knows how much I love her. We’ve talked since the season ended, and there’s nobody I would want to share the backcourt with than her.”