Indiana University Volleyball travels to Nebraska
IU continues a string of five-consecutive matches against ranked opponents with a trip to No. 4 Nebraska and the Bob Devaney Center tonight in Lincoln. The match will be broadcasted on the Big Ten Network at 9:00pm with Larry Punteney (PXP) & Bloomington Native Emily Ehman (Color) on the call.
IU suffered a four-set setback to No. 12 Purdue on Sunday afternoon, snapping a four-game winning streak that was extended last Friday night with a 3-1 win over Rutgers. This will be the only matchup of the season with the Cornhuskers. Nebraska, Minnesota and Michigan are IU’s road-only matches this year. IU has a 3-4 record on the road in the conference this season with wins over Maryland, Michigan State and No. 25 Michigan. The Hoosiers are 1-1 in matches broadcasted on the Big Ten Network. This will be the final nationally televised match this season for IU.
This marks the 48th season of Indiana Volleyball including the fifth under head coach Steve Aird. Mady Saris continues to have a productive sophomore campaign for IU. She owns 336 kills (No. 3 in Big Ten) and 3.69 kills per set (No. 7 in Big Ten). Camryn Haworth has proven to be one of the most versatile setters in all of the Big Ten. Her 820 assists rank No. 3 in the Big Ten and her 9.01 assists per set put her 6th in the conference. Morgan Geddes and Kaley Rammelsberg have returned to give IU a full-strength lineup in conference play. The pair combined for 22 kills in IU’s win over Rutgers with each hitting over .300. Paula Cerame has 112 digs over her previous four matches for IU and is No. 3 in the Big Ten (348) this season in the category and she owns double digit kills in 12 of the last 13 matches. She’s been over 20 digs in four matches this season. Camryn Haworth and Paula Cerame sit 4th and 5th in the Big Ten in service aces with 33 and 32 respectively this season. Savannah Kjolhede owns 86 total blocks this season which ranks No. 8 in the Big Ten Conference. The Hoosiers sit 13-11 overall and 6-6 in conference, putting them in a tie for sixth in the Big Ten with three other programs. With eight matches to play in the season, IU has a chance to push for a first tournament bid since 2010. There will be at least five ranked matches left on the schedule and the opportunity to add big wins to a resume that already features wins over Texas A&M and No. 25 Michigan, a sweep of Michigan State and a road win at Maryland.
The defending National Runner-Up and fourth ranked Cornhuskers enter tonight’s match at 19-2 and in a three-way tie for first place at 11-1 in the Big Ten. Nebraska is built on the foundation of consecutive top-5 recruiting classes as well as the addition of Penn State transfer and senior middle blocker Kaitlyn Hord. The Huskers are lethal in attack and score from every position on the floor. Madi Kubik, Whitney Lauenstein, Ally Batenhorst and Lindsay Krause pace a strong offensive rotation. Freshman middle Bekka Allick has come on the scene in recent weeks and provides an extra threat at the net. Lexi Rodriguez is one of the best liberos in the nation and was the 2021 National Freshman of the Year as well as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Nebraska has a plethora of options to set with Anni Evans, Nicklin Hames and the No. 1 Recruit in the 2022 class, Kennedi Orr, each recording 190+ assists this season. The Huskers haven’t lost a home match to an unranked conference opponent since Oct. 4, 2013, against Ohio State. IU owns one-ever victory over Nebraska which came in 1978.
IU Men’s Soccer’s Ryan Whittenbrink selected to Top Soccer Drawer Team of the Week
For the second time in three weeks, Indiana men’s soccer redshirt senior Ryan Wittenbrink has been named an honorable mention selection to the Top-Drawer Soccer (TDS) Team of the Week. Wittenbrink tallied a goal and an assist for IU in two matches played last week, bringing his season totals to team-highs in goals (7) and points (20) to go with six assists. The Libertyville, Illinois, native is the only Big Ten player to have at least seven goals and six assists. Not including penalties, Wittenbrink’s goal was his first this season from a free kick. In the 25th minute of IU’s regular season finale against No. 8 Maryland, Wittenbrink gave the Hoosiers a lead with a spot kick from around 25 yards out that curled in and beat UM’s diving keeper. Earlier in the week, he assisted sophomore forward Tommy Mihalic’s go-ahead goal at Evansville.
Previously, Wittenbrink earned team of the week honors from both TDS and College Soccer News on October 18 as well as Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week after tallying four points from a goal and two assists in IU’s 4-2 win over Penn State. Wittenbrink and IU will welcome the Nittany Lions to Bill Armstrong Stadium again this Friday in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET, and fans can stream the match on the Big Ten Plus digital platform.
Indiana University Water Polo announces 2023 schedule
Indiana water polo has announced its 23-game regular season slate for the upcoming 2023 season. The 2023 regular season schedule will include six MPSF matchups and 11 home games at Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center. Part of those 11 home games features the Hoosier Invite where the Hoosiers will play four opponents at home the last weekend of January and the Indiana Classic which has four games as well in the middle of February.
The team will begin the 2023 season competing in five different weekend tournaments including the USCB Winter Invite (Santa Barbara, Calif.), the Hoosier Invite (Bloomington, Ind.), the USCD Triton Invitational (San Diego, Calif.), the Indiana Classic (Bloomington Ind.), and the UC Irvine Invite (Irvine Calif.). These tournaments will start January 21 and run through February 26. The final nine games will consist of three more home matchups vs. Stanford (March 4), Arizona State (April 4), and Michigan (April 8). The other six games will find the Hoosiers traveling to California for single-game weekend trips. Finishing the 2023 regular season, the Hoosiers will hit the road to play SJSU and Santa Clara April 15 and 16. The MPSF Championship will run through April 28-30. Seeding and matchups for that weekend will be determined by regular season results among MPSF teams.
Indianapolis Colts trade Running Back Nyhiem Hines to the Buffalo Bills
It’s been an interesting nine days for the Indianapolis Colts’ offense. The latest shockwave: trading versatile running back Nyheim Hines to the Buffalo Bills for running back Zack Moss a conditional 2023 6th-round pick. The deal was made just prior to the NFL’s 4 p.m. Tuesday deadline. It’s the latest shockwave to run through what has devolved into one of the NFL’s least productive offenses.
Earlier Tuesday, the Colts fired coordinator Marcus Brady. Last Monday, coach Frank Reich benched veteran quarterback Matt Ryan and named Sam Ehlinger the starter for the remainder of the season. Hines had been the primary focus of trade possibilities regarding the Colts as the trade deadline neared. Several teams had expressed interest in the 2018 4th-round pick because of his running, receiving and return skills. He’s in the first year of a three-year, $18.6 million extension signed in September 2021. In five seasons, Hines developed into a multi-dimensional threat for the Colts. He appeared in 72 games, 16 as a starter, and piled up 2,930 total yards and 17 touchdowns from scrimmage: 1,205 yards and 10 TDs on 300 rushing attempts and 1,725 yards and another seven TDs on 235 receptions.
He also is one of the NFL’s top punt returners and set franchise records with 195 yards and two TDs on three returns against Carolina in 2019. Hines’ productivity and impact lessened this season as the Colts’ offense struggled from the outset. He’s collected 188 yards on 25 receptions but been limited to 36 yards on just 18 rushing attempts. He missed the majority of two games with a concussion. Hines is leaving behind a franchise that’s 3-4-1 and an offense that ranks 18th in total yards, 29th in rushing and 30th in scoring.
He’s joining a team that’s 6-1 and considered a front-runner to win the Super Bowl. Buffalo’s offense is led by Josh Allen and ranks 1st in yards per game (430.6), 1st in passing (307.7), 14th in rushing (122.9) and 1st in scoring (29.0). Hines also joins a backfield led by Devin Singletary (323 yards) and rookie James Cook (132 yards). Allen is the team’s second-leading rusher with 306 yards and two TDs. Moss was the Bills’ 2020 3rd-round pick who has appeared in 31 games, all in relief. He’s rushed 225 times for 917 yards and eight TDs and caught 44 passes for 319 yards and two TDs.
Indiana Pacers lose 116-109 to Brooklyn Nets
Kevin Durant scored 36 points to lift the Brooklyn Nets to a much-needed 116-109 win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday night. Durant authored some personal and franchise history in Brooklyn’s second win of the season (2-5). With two first quarter free throws, Durant passed Vince Carter for 19th on the NBA’s All-Time scoring list. He now has 25,754. And he has scored at least 25 points in each of the first seven games of the season, the most in franchise history. Kyrie Irving added 28. Nic Claxton had 19 points and nine rebounds.
Despite a 30-point performance from Chris Duarte, Indiana dropped to 3-5. Buddy Hield chipped in with 22. Bennedict Mathurin contributed 16, and Tyrese Haliburton had 11. The Nets won a highly entertaining back-and-forth game in the fourth quarter. Entering the final 12 minutes, Brooklyn had a 92-85 lead. But Indiana used a 15-8 spurt over the first 6½ minutes to draw even at 100-all. On their next two possessions, the Nets responded. First Claxton’s two-handed follow dunk of an Irving missed 3 put Brooklyn up by two, and 28 seconds later Durant drilled a pullup jumper to stretch the lead to 104-100. A few moments later the lead was seven following two made Durant free throws and a Claxton free throw. Indiana closed to 112-109 on a Mathurin floater with 1:43 left. But an Irving floater extended the lead to five, and two Durant free throws sealed the win. The Pacers host Miami on Friday at 7pm at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
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