IUWBB ranked 11th in Associated Press Preseason Poll
Indiana women’s basketball will start off the 2022-23 season at No. 11 in the Associated Press preseason poll, announced on Tuesday. It marks the 58th consecutive week that the Hoosiers have appeared in the Associated Press poll, dating back to the 2019-20 season. They came in at No. 11 in the final poll of the 2021-22 season.
IU is coming off consecutive Sweet Sixteen appearances where it finished 24-9 overall in 2021-22 and are highlighted by All-Americans Graduate Guard Grace Berger and Senior Forward Mackenize Holmes. The program will also welcome seven new players to its roster this season including 2022 Indiana Ms. Basketball, Junior Guard Sydney Parrish and Senior Guard Sara Scalia.
Indiana was selected to finish second (media) and third (coaches) in the annual Big Ten preseason polls earlier this month as Berger and Holmes earned spots on the All-Big Ten preseason team. Season and single game tickets for the upcoming campaign are now on sale through the IU Ticket Office by visiting its website, calling 1-866-IUSPORTS or in person at the West lobby ticket office in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Ryan Wittenbrink bags Big Ten, National, Weekly Awards
After earning four points in Indiana men’s soccer’s important 4-2 conference win over Penn State on Friday (Oct. 14), redshirt senior Ryan Wittenbrink has earned a laundry list of weekly awards. Wittenbrink was named to the College Soccer News Team of the Week before earning Top Drawer Soccer honorable mention Team of the Week and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors on Tuesday (Oct. 18).
Wittenbrink scored a goal and tallied two assists as IU earned its 800th win all-time, becoming the fastest program to reach that milestone. The Libertyville, Illinois, native scored from a penalty, improving his record to 3-for-3 in attempts from the spot this season. His four points tied his career-high, first recorded on March 19, 2021, at Rutgers. Through 12 matches in 2022, Wittenbrink has already doubled his goal-scoring production from a year ago. Wittenbrink ranks top-three in the Big Ten in goals (6), assists (5), points (17), game-winning goals (3), shots (33) and shots-on-goal (20), and is the conference’s only player to sit top 10 in all six categories.
A consistent producer for IU this season, Wittenbrink has been especially effective of late. The redshirt senior has recorded 10 points in Indiana’s last five matches, scoring three goals and providing four assists. In four seasons at IU, Wittenbrink has totaled 14 goals and 12 assists. Wittenbrink is the second Hoosier to earn a Big Ten weekly award this season after senior forward Herbert Endeley also earned offensive player of the week laurels on Oct. 4 after collecting a goal and two assists between the Northwestern and Michigan matches.
IU Women’s Basketball Player Sara Scalia named to Ann Meyers Drysdale Watch List
Indiana Senior Guard Sara Scalia has been named one of 20 candidates on the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award watch list, announced by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association on Tuesday. The Stillwater, Minnesota native averaged 17.9 points and shot 41.3 percent from the 3-point line in her Junior season at Minnesota. She led the program in field goal attempts (513), field goals made (203), 3-pointers attempted (269), 3-pointers made (111) and free throw percentage (91.5). Scalia scored in double figures 26 times last season, scoring 30 or more points four times and 20 or more in nine games while notching her 1,000th career point in 2021-22.
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting, presented by Dell Technologies, in each of the three rounds starting Friday, October 21. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2023 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award will be narrowed to 10 and then in late February to just five. In March the five finalists will be presented to Meyers Drysdale and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee where a winner will be selected. The winner of the 2023 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award will be presented on a to be determined date, along with the other four members of the Women’s Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Nancy Lieberman Award (Point Guard), Cheryl Miller Award (Small Forward), Katrina McClain Award (Power Forward) and the Lisa Leslie Award (Center), in addition to the Men’s Starting Five.
Indiana University Women’s Soccer Player Olivia Smith named Big Ten Freshman of the Week
Indiana women’s soccer midfielder Olivia Smith earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week Honors; the league announced Tuesday afternoon. Smith scored her first collegiate goal in a 2-2 draw against Purdue last Sunday. The Fishers, Indiana native, has played in 11 matches and earned her first career start against Indiana State. She has totaled nearly 390 minutes on the pitch this season.
The last Hoosier to win Big Ten Freshman of the Week was Jamie Grestenberg on Sept. 14, 2021. The Hoosiers will host Maryland tomorrow night in their last home match of the regular season. It will be broadcasted on BTN+ with kickoff set at 7pm.
Indiana University Men’s Golf Finishes 10th, Drew Salyers earns Medalist Honors
Junior Drew Salyers concluded his historic tournament with individual medalist honors after shooting a 199 (65-65-69; -17) at the Quail Valley Collegiate Invitational on Monday. The Indiana men’s golf team finished 10th overall after shooting a 841 (281-282-278; -23) for the weekend. The final round of 278 (-10) tied for the 15th best single round for the Hoosiers and was the lowest IU round since securing a team-record 271 in the 2016 Loyola Intercollegiate. The Hoosiers will have a quick turnaround as the fall slate will conclude at The Williams Cup Presented by Stitch Golf hosted by North Carolina this Friday through Sunday. The event will take place at the Eagle Point Golf Club in Wilmington, N.C.
Salyers won his second-career collegiate tournament with a personal-best scorecard of 199 (65-65-69; -17), tied for the second-lowest round in program history. His final round of 69 (-3) included three birdies and an eagle on his 17th hole to jump ahead of Michigan State’s Drew Hackett heading into the final hole of the event. The Howard, Ohio, native is the second Hoosier to ever secure a three-round score under 200 for the Hoosiers. Jeff Overton accomplished the feat on three occasions, including a school-record 192 at the 2004 Xavier Invitational. Salyers has accumulated eight top-10 finishes throughout his three seasons with the Cream and Crimson.
Fifth-year senior Mitch Davis tied for 43rd overall after shooting a 212 (71-71-70; -4). His final round included a team-best six birdies and an eagle. Senior Eric Berggren finished in a tie for 59th at 216 (71-75-70; E). His third, and best, round consisted of four birdies, including three in a row on the front nine, and an eagle. Senior Noah Gillard tied for 62nd at 217 (74-71-72; +1). The Illinois transfer finished the tournament with two birdies in the final round. Fifth-year senior Harry Reynolds finished the event tied for 77th at 221 (75-77-69; +5). Reynolds played bogey-free golf over his final round that included three birdies.
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