IUWBB’s Mackenize Holmes named to Lisa Leslie Award watch list
Senior forward Mackenize Holmes has been named one of 20 players to the 2023 Lisa Leslie Award watch list, announced by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). The annual award recognizes the top centers in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball.
Holmes averaged 15.2 points and a 60 percent clip from the floor in an injury shortened campaign as a junior. Despite only seeing action in 25 games, Holmes still earned WBCA All-American honorable mention and a place on the All-Big Ten second team. She led the program with 7.0 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and shot 80.8 percent from the free throw line last season and tied Berger with a team-high three double-doubles. The Gorham, Maine native was a Top 10 watch list candidate for the 2022 Lisa Leslie Award, with appearances on the Naismith Trophy, Wooden Award and Wade Trophy watch lists as well. Holmes also joined the 1,000-point club last season.
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting, presented by Dell Technologies, in each of the three rounds that are already underway. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2023 Lisa Leslie Award will be narrowed to 10 and then in late February to just five. In March the five finalists will be presented to Leslie and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee where a winner will be selected. The winner of the 2023 Lisa Leslie 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), Ann Meyers Drysdale Award (Shooting Guard), Cheryl Miller Award (Small Forward) and the Katrina McClain Award (Power Forward), in addition to the Men’s Starting Five.
IUMBB’s Trayce Jackson-Davis named Preseason AP All-American
Indiana senior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis was named a 2022-23 Associated Press Preseason All-American, the publication announced on Monday afternoon. He was previously honored as a Preseason All-American by the Blue-Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, College Hoops Today, The Almanac and CBS Sports. Jackson-Davis was also named Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year.
Jackson-Davis enters the year ranked 15th all-time at IU in scoring (1,565), 19th in scoring average (16.9), ninth in rebounds (797), seventh in blocked shots (178), and seventh in field goal percentage (55.8%). He was named a third-team All-American as a sophomore, has earned all-district honors each of the last two seasons, and has been a third team, first-team and second-team All-Big Ten choice in his first three campaigns with the Hoosiers. The former Mr. Basketball winner ranked among the Big Ten leaders in points per game (18.3; 6th in the Big Ten), rebounds per game (8.1; 6th), field goal percentage (58.9%; 4th), free throws made (147; 5th), free throws attempted (218; 2nd), and total blocked shots (81, t-1st) in 35 starts for the Hoosiers in his third season on campus.
Jackson-Davis anchored a Hoosier defense that was ranked as the most efficient in the league by KenPom (24th in the nation) and held opponents to a league-low 39.6% shooting from the floor. Jackson-Davis has recorded 32 double-doubles and two 30-point/10-rebound performances in his career. During the 2022 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament, he averaged 25.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per contest on 34-of-51 shooting (66.7%) from the floor. Jackson-Davis broke five program records during the tournament run, including single-game points (31), single-game made field goals (15), total points (76), total made shots (34), and total rebounds (25). He was named all-tournament for his efforts. Indiana opens the season with an exhibition matchup against Marian at 3pm on Saturday at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
IU Men’s Golf Drew Salyers wins second straight tournament
For the second-consecutive tournament, junior Drew Salyers carried the Indiana men’s golf team to the finish line. The Howard, Ohio, native claimed victory as the Hoosiers finished ninth in the team standings at The Williams Cup at the Eagle Point Golf Club. Tournament host and No. 8 North Carolina went wire-to-wire to win the event after shooting and 867 (+3). UNC Wilmington (879; +15) and NC State (895; +31) finished second and third, respectively.
Salyers claimed his third-career collegiate victory with a dominant third round of 70 (-2) that consisted of seven birdie conversion.
The three-time Big Ten Men’s Golfer of the Week has earned individual medalist honors in consecutive tournaments after winning the Quail Valley Collegiate Invitational with a scorecard of 199 (65-65-69; -17). Salyers has played seven-straight round at or under par dating back to the third round of the Purdue Fall Invitational.
Fifth-year senior Mitch Davis played four birdies in his final round of 77 (+5). He concluded the tournament at 230 (78-75-77; +14) and a tie for 28th. Graduate transfer Thomas Hursey finished 32nd with a final tally of 232 (76-76-80; +16). Senior Eric Berggren tied for 49th place with a scorecard reading 240 (79-78-83; +24), while senior Noah Gillard finished 53rd at 243 (78-81-84; +27). Indiana will take the remainder of the fall off before heading to Hammock Beach, Fla. for the Big Ten Match Play Championship on Feb. 4. The Hoosiers will enter the event as back-to-back champions.
Indiana Women’s Soccer beats Michigan to end season
Indiana women’s soccer freshman forward Ava Akeel scores the game winner in a 1-0 victory against the Michigan Wolverines on Sunday afternoon at U-M Soccer Stadium to close out the season for the Hoosiers. Indiana dominated the first half of the match earning six chances on goal and holding Michigan to just one in the 30th minute. Akeel netted her third career goal in the 25th minute of the game. The Hoosiers earned a corner kick where Teammate Natasha Kimwould get the first touch. It was blocked by the UM defense, before Akeel sent it past the goalkeeper. Defensively, the Hoosiers controlled majority of the game. However, the Wolverines would find a couple of opportunities in the 85th and 89th minutes as they looked for the equalizer, but experienced, graduate goalkeeper Bethany Kopel would come up with the saves.
Indiana is now 7-17-5 all-time against Michigan. IU outshot the Wolverines 15-11, with nine players getting a shot off in the match.
Indiana led 8-3 in corner kicks. Akeel scored her third career goal and her first against a Big Ten opponent. Kopel left her mark on the women’s soccer program as the career shutouts leader as she earned 25th career shutout. She grabbed four saves in today’s match, totaling 307 career saves which is the second most in program history. Indiana ends the season at 3-7-7 overall and 1-7-2 in Big Ten Play. The top eight teams make the Big Ten Tournament and the Hoosiers along with Iowa, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan and Purdue will stay at home. The Quarterfinals are Sunday with Top seed Michigan State Hosting 8 seed Minnesota. Second Seed Northwestern will host 7 seed Rutgers. 3 Seed Wisconsin will host 6 seed Penn State and 4 seed Nebraska will host 5 seed Ohio State. The Semifinals and the Championship match will be held at Lower.com Field in Columbus Ohio Thursday November 4 and Sunday November 7th. The Semifinals will be at 2 and 4:30pm while the Championship Match is set for 2PM with all three games televised live on the Big Ten Network.
Indiana University Men’s Soccer travels to Evansville
Indiana men’s soccer (7-3-4, 3-1-3 B1G) will kick off the final week of the regular season with a road matchup against in-state, non-conference opponent Evansville (6-3-4, 3-0-3 MVC). The match will be streamed live on the ESPN+ digital platform with kickoff set for 7pm. The Hoosiers lost at home Saturday Night to the number 2 ranked Kentucky Wildcats 3-0. The loss snaps a 17-home match unbeaten streak dating back to 2021 and eight matches overall this season.
Indiana is 2-0-0 against in-state opponents, defeating Butler, 2-1, and Notre Dame, 1-0, earlier this season. The Hoosiers have scored 27 goals from 12 unique goal scorers this season. Redshirt senior Ryan Wittenbrink leads the Hoosiers in goals (6) and points (17). Senior defender Nyk Sessock leads the Big Ten with seven assists, four of which have come from throw-ins. Indiana has dominated the all-time series with Evansville, leading 32-4-3. IU has won 18 consecutive matches going back to 1996. The two teams met last season in a 2-0 win for the Hoosiers. Victor Bezerra scored in the 24th minute before Ryan Wittenbrink added another in the 72nd.
Evansville comes into the match with a 6-3-4 record and a 3-0-3 mark in Missouri Valley Conference play. Its last result was a 3-0 win over Drake. The Purple Aces are led by eighth-year head coach Marshall Ray, who has compiled a 40-79-20 record at Evansville. Sophomore forward Nacho Diaz leads Evansville with nine goals this season. Senior winger Nkosi Graham has provided a team-high four assists.
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