Indiana University Men’s Basketball player Xavier Johnson granted extra year by the NCAA
Indiana University senior point guard Xavier Johnson has been granted an extra year of eligibility after the NCAA approved a medical hardship waiver for the 2022-23 season. He suffered a broken foot against Kansas on Dec. 17 and later had surgery. He started 11 games and averaged 9.9 points and 4.9 assists. He had a season-high 23 points in a win at Xavier, including seven rebounds, had 20 points and eight rebounds against North Carolina, and added 11 points and 11 assists against Arizona.
“We are very happy for Xavier and his family and can’t wait to have him be a key member of our program next season,” said IU Coach Mike Woodson. “I know this year was challenging for him, but he brought a positive attitude every day and I believe he will bring a great deal to our team next season because of the adversity he has faced.” In 2021-22, he earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors after averaging 12.1 points and finishing third in the Big Ten in assists at 5.1 per game.
Sampson James rejoins the Indiana University Football Team
Running Back Sampson James is returning to Indiana after a stint with Purdue. James has been admitted to IU and will join the football program as a walk-on. James first joined coach Tom Allen and the Hoosiers for the 2019 season out of Avon High School outside of Indianapolis, where he rushed for 3,451 yards and scored 41 total touchdowns. A two-time IFCA All-State selection, James was a consensus four-star recruit, ranked No. 182 in the nation and 10th among running backs.
James originally committed to play for Ohio State, but he de-committed from the program in October of 2018. The 6-foot-1 running back flipped his commitment to Indiana, where he saw immediate playing time as a true freshman. In 2019, James appeared in all 13 games with two starts, carrying the ball 81 times for 275 yards and three touchdowns. At Purdue on Nov. 30, James posted 118 yards on 22 carries with one touchdown. James’ role at Indiana decreased during the 2020 season, generating just 96 yards on 32 carries across six games. During fall camp before the 2021 season, James decided to leave Indiana and enter the transfer portal. He chose to play for coach Jeff Brohm at Purdue, but James did not play during the 2021 season. In July of 2022, James entered the transfer portal for a second time. He did not play during the 2022 season.
James now joins an Indiana running back room coached by Craig Johnson in his second in Bloomington. Jaylin Lucas is back for his sophomore year after earning first-team All-American honors as a kick returner in 2022. After beginning his career at North Carolina, Josh Henderson approaches his second season at Indiana, where he rushed for 398 yards, gained 274 receiving yards and scored eight total touchdowns. Indiana also added Wake Forest transfer Christian Turner, who rushed for 1,022 yards and 12 touchdowns across two seasons.
Former Indiana University Women’s Basketball player Kiandra Browne transfers to Duquesne University
Former Indiana women’s basketball forward Kiandra Browne announced her commitment to play at Duquesne University on Tuesday night via her Instagram account. The Dukes are located in Pittsburgh, Penn. and are a member of the Atlantic 10 conference, finishing 19-12 overall and 8-8 in conference last season. The Dukes have made the NCAA Tournament once in 2016 before falling in the second round and have played in the WNIT seven times in program history.
Browne will enter the scene as a former Hoosier with 58 collegiate games on her resume including eight starts. The Montreal, Quebec, Canada native finished her Indiana career with 132 total points and 131 boards in 10 minutes per contest. She was known for her sound defense that didn’t always show up in the stat line and her encouragement from the bench despite her own discouraging situations. Browne was riddled with injuries in her three-year Hoosier career including a hip injury and then later a right thumb injury that kept her out the majority of the 2022-23 campaign. She only played seven games this past season but still served a valuable role in the huddles.
The forward announced her decision to enter the transfer portal on March 29 after talking with Indiana head coach Teri Moren. Since announcing her new basketball home, Browne has already received uplifting comments of support from her former Hoosier family on Instagram. Browne has two seasons of eligibility left and will wear the No. 52 while playing as a Duke.
Indiana University Women’s Golfer Alexis Florio earns Big Ten Honors
Indiana graduate transfer Alexis Florio was among those honored by the Big Ten Conference in the announcement of the league’s annual postseason awards on Wednesday. Florio was named a Sportsmanship Award Nominee presented to one player from each member institution.
The Columbia transfer played 27 rounds in her debut season for the Hoosiers. She charted seven rounds at or below par, including a season-low 64 at the Evie Odom Invitational. She broke the school record in both single round score (64) and three-round tournament score (205) at the Evie Odom Invitational. Her stroke average of 73.93 marked the lowest total Indiana’s roster. She finished inside the top-20 in five tournaments with three top-10 and two top-5 finishes.
Indiana Fever waive Forward Emily Engstler
The Indiana Fever announced Wednesday the team has waived forward Emily Engstler making her the fourth lottery pick since 2019 whom the WNBA team has waived, released or traded. Engstler averaged 5.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 blocks per game in 35 games played during her rookie campaign in 2022 on the worst team in the league with a 5-31 record.
Engstler, who started her college career with Syracuse and finished with Louisville, was the No. 4 pick in the 2022 draft. She was one of four first-round selections the Fever had last year, along with No. 2 NaLyssa Smith, No. 6 Lexie Hull and No. 10 Queen Egbo, who are still on the Fever’s roster. Smith and Egbo were from Baylor and Hull from Stanford. The Fever, who have not made the WNBA playoffs since 2016, in previous seasons cut their draft lottery picks from 2021 (No. 4 Kysre Gondrezick) and 2020 (No. 3 Lauren Cox), and they traded their 2019 lottery selection (No. 3 Teaira McCowan). Cox is listed on the Connecticut Sun’s roster and McCowan is with the Dallas Wings.
Indiana had two more first-round picks this year, selecting South Carolina center/forward Aliyah Boston at No. 1 and Indiana guard Grace Berger at No. 7 earlier this month. WNBA training camps begin April 30, and the regular season starts May 19, so waived players such as Engstler still have a chance to earn a roster spot with another team.
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