Indiana University Baseball wins Big Ten Tournament opener over Illinois
As the only team to appear in the Big Ten Tournament in each of the last 10 events, the Indiana baseball program won a game for the ninth time in those 10 appearances with a 4-3 victory over Illinois on Tuesday on Charles Schwab Field in Omaha Nebraska. Indiana earns an off day before it will face Iowa on Thursday at 3pm. Each game of the Tournament will be carried on the Big Ten Network and Indiana Sports Radio Network via IUHoosiers.com/Audio.
Illinois (25-26) got the scoring started with one run in the top of the fifth inning before Indiana (41-16) got a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame. A pair of eighth innings runs for the Hoosiers proved useful, as the Fighting Illini plated a pair of unearned runs in the ninth to close the gap to one run. Freshman Tyler Cerny led a trio of Hoosiers with multiple hits in the tournament opener with a 2-for-4 day at the plate. He doubled and scored the first run of the game to move his hitting streak to 10 games and tie a season-long streak. Senior Peter Serruto collected two hits, walked, drove in one RBI, and came around to score one run, while redshirt junior Bobby Whalen also chipped in two hits.
Freshman Devin Taylor singled, scored one run and drove in one RBI in the contest. Senior Hunter Jessee had the biggest swing of the game with a two-out RBI single in the eighth inning to move his hitting streak to a career-high-tying eight games. Freshman Evan Whiteaker (2-0) took over on the mound in the fifth inning and covered the next 4 1/3 innings for the Hoosiers to earn the win. He allowed one unearned run on one hit and struck out a career-high six batters. Freshman Brayden Risedorph (6) collected the final two outs to pick up his sixth save of the season with one unearned run allowed and one strikeout.
Senior Ben Seiler made the start and took a no decision after two innings of scoreless work. Freshman Ethan Phillips tossed two innings and allowed one run on two hits. Jack Wenninger (6-4) took the loss with two runs allowed on seven hits over 4 1/3 innings of a start. Logan Tabeling also allowed a pair of runs over one inning of work. Branden Comia drove in one RBI with a double and walked twice in the game. Six different Fighting Illini hitters accounted for six hits in the game.
Former IU Men’s Basketball Player Calbert Cheaney returns to Bloomington to join the Men’s Basketball Staff Indiana University men’s basketball coach Mike Woodson has announced that Hoosier great Calbert Cheaney, who spent the last three years as an assistant coach for the Indiana Pacers, will join his staff as Director of Player Development in a non-recruiting coaching role. This will be his second stint assisting IU, he was Director of Operations in 2011-12 and added the responsibility of overseeing the players internal and external player development in 2012-13.
“I could not think of anyone better suited to be part of this program than Calbert Cheaney,” said Woodson. “Every team or program he has been a part of after his playing career, he has had an immense impact on. As a player in college and as a pro, his experiences are as good as it gets. Our players can ask him, how do you become successful when you get to college? What can I do to help my team win championships? What do I need to do to be an All-American or National Player of the Year? How did you become a first-round draft pick who played 13 years in the NBA? “I think he can share his experiences of how teams expect their players to work every day and get the most out of their ability,” added Woodson. “He’s done it, he’s lived it, and I don’t think you will find anyone who has a bad thing to say about him. He is a high-character individual who loves this program.”
Cheaney spent the last three seasons on the staff of the Pacers with an emphasis on player development. From 2018-20, he was an assistant coach for the Erie BayHawks and College Park Skyhawks of the NBA G League. Prior to that, he spent three seasons (2013-16) as an assistant coach at Saint Louis University. In 2013-14, Cheaney was part of a staff which saw the Billikens finish 27-7, win the Atlantic 10 regular season title and make an NCAA Tournament appearance. In his first experience at the collegiate level, IU made back-to-back Sweet Sixteen appearances, won its first outright Big Ten title in 20 years in 2013 and was rated No. 1 in the country for the majority of that second season. He began his coaching journey following his retirement as a player. He spent two years in the Golden State Warriors organization and in 2009-10 he was a special assistant in the front office and in 2010-11, he was on the bench as an assistant coach.
“I’m extremely grateful that Mike Woodson thought enough of me to be a part of the program that played such an important role in shaping me into the man I am,” said Cheaney. “I’ve known Coach for a long time, and I hold him in the highest regard. I have nothing but love and passion for this program and I can’t wait to return and start working with our players and staff. Helping them get the most out of themselves is something that I enjoy and brings me great satisfaction when they see their work pay off on the court. My family and I are thrilled about this next chapter in our lives.”
The Evansville native starred at Indiana from 1989-93. A three-time All-American, Cheaney is the Big Ten and IU’s all-time leading scorer with 2,613 career points. In his four seasons with the Hoosiers, he led IU to a remarkable 105-27 record and the NCAA Tournament each year, including a Final Four appearance in 1992. As a senior in 1992-93, Cheaney averaged 22.4 points and 6.2 rebounds and garnered virtually every national player of the year accolade, including the Naismith College Player of the Year honor and the John R. Wooden Award. For his career, Cheaney averaged 19.8 points and 5.2 rebounds and shot 55.9 percent from the field. He still holds the school record for field goals made with 1,018. He is one of four players in school history (Scott May, Kent Benson and Victor Oladipo) to earn national player of the year accolades.
Cheaney was the sixth player chosen in the 1993 NBA Draft by the Washington Bullets, beginning an NBA career that spanned 13 seasons with Washington, Boston, Denver, Utah and Golden State. He appeared in 825 regular-season games and amassed career averages of 9.5 points, 3.2 boards and 1.7 assists. In 1994-95 with the Bullets, he averaged 16.6 points and 4.1 rebounds, both career highs. Cheaney and his wife, Yvette, have one son, Julian, a graduate of DePaul, and one daughter, Sydney, who earned her degree from the University of Miami.
Indiana University Baseball player Devin Taylor named Big Ten Freshman of the Year
As the first pitch of the Big Ten Tournament is thrown, the Big Ten Conference office has announced the All-Big Ten and “of the Year” awards for the 2023 season with the Indiana baseball program well represented. Freshman Devin Taylor highlights the 2023 postseason awards with the Big Ten Freshman of the Year honor and first-team All-Big Ten, while six total Hoosiers earned accolades from the conference coaches. Taylor is the third Hoosier to earn the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award, as he joins Alex Dickerson (2009) and Sam Travis (2012). He is just the second IU rookie to earn All-B1G first team honors and the first position player to do so in program history. Pitcher Joey DeNato also earned first team honors during his first season on the field in 2011, while Larry Blackwell earned a first-team nod in 1979 as a freshman. Sophomore Ryan Kraft also earned first-team All-Big Ten honors as the relief pitcher, while the trio of senior Phillip Glasser, sophomore Luke Sinnard and sophomore Brock Tibbitts each earned second-team honors. The Big Ten third team featured sophomore Josh Pyne, while the All-Big Ten Freshman Team saw Tyler Cerny join Taylor on the list.
For the year, Taylor led all Big Ten freshmen in batting average (.328), OPS (1.146), runs scored (58), home runs (16), RBIs (56), total bases (121), slugging percentage (.695), walks (34) and on-base percentage (.451). His 16 home runs rank third all-time by a Big Ten freshman and are No. 2 in Indiana freshman history behind Carter Mathison (22; 2022). His 56 RBIs on the season are No. 6 in program history by a freshman, with 32 of those coming in Big Ten play to rank No. 6 on the Big Ten only charts at IU. Kraft led all Big Ten pitchers in ERA during the 2023 campaign with a 2.51 mark over 19 appearances – 18 in relief – and 57 1/3 innings of work. With 54 1/3 innings of relief work in 2023, Kraft ranked No. 9 nationally among relievers in innings pitched. He struck out 49 batters and posted a 6-1 record, with a perfect 4-0 mark in conference games. He added five saves coming during the non-conference slate.
One of the more consistent hitters on the team in 2023, Tibbitts paced the squad with a .387 batting average, .477 on-base percentage and 64 RBIs on the year. He ranked No. 2 on the squad in hits (82) and home runs (10), to go along with 31 walks and 12 hit-by-pitch to just 32 strikeouts. Glasser reached base in each of the first 45 games of the season and has piled up a team-best 28 multi-hit games on the year in 56 starts at shortstop. The 45-game reached base streak tied the longest by a Hoosier since at least 2005 and he finished the year with a team-best 83 hits and 63 runs scored, while his .350 average was No. 2 on the team. The only Big Ten pitcher with multiple double-digit strikeout games in 2023, Sinnard rocketed up the single season strikeouts charts at Indiana and enters the postseason ranked tied for No. 5 at 104 punchouts. Sinnard led the Big Ten in strikeouts, ranked third in innings pitched (78 1/3) and tied for No. 4 in victories (6). The right-hander needs just five more strikeouts to set the Indiana single-season record.
Pyne followed up his standout rookie season with his second straight 70-hit, 50-RBI campaign. The third baseman added 46 runs scored, 14 doubles and five home runs to his stat sheet. His 13 multi-RBI games are No. 3 on the team, and he has 18 multi-RBI games to his credit in 2023. Cerny joined Taylor with double-digit home runs this season to mark the first time in Indiana history a pair of freshmen reached the 10-home run mark in the same season. Among Big Ten freshmen, he led the group in triples (4) and hit-by-pitch (12) on the season, ranked second in runs scored (46) and third in hits (57), total bases (102) and home runs (10). Senior Peter Serruto was named Indiana’s recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award after catching 95 percent of the innings over the last two months of the season. He finished the year with a .309 batting average in Big Ten play and threw out nearly 40 percent of the potential base stealers in conference play.
Indiana University Women’s Soccer welcomes five additions for the 2023 Season
Indiana women’s soccer head coach Erwin van Bennekom has announced five additional newcomers for the Fall of 2023 with four true freshman and one transfer. “We can’t wait to welcome this group of student athletes to campus,” van Bennekom said. “We look forward to integrating them within our team.”
Paige Droner | Midfielder | Chatham, N.J. | Match Fit ECNL- Droner was nominated to the US Coaches All-American team and competed in the All-American game in Panama City. The Chatham, New Jersey native, was named team Captain, team MVP at Chatham High School and Morris County MVP. She was also voted Top 20 in the state. Droner earned First Team All-Conference, All-County and All-State awards.
Piper Coffield | Defender | Mars, Penn. | Pittsburgh Riverhounds Academy ECNL- Coffield recorded 46 goals and 38 assists in her career at Mars High School. She earned High School All-American Game Selection and was on the All-American High School watch list. Coffield was also a Moe Rosensteel Most Outstanding Player of the Year Finalist in 2022. The Pennsylvania native is a two-time All-Selection and All-WPIAL Selection. She was named team Captain of her club team.
Kennedy Neighbors |Midfielder | Evansville, Ind. | Indiana Fire ECNL- Neighbors netted 57 goals along with 69 assists in her four-year career at Reitz Memorial High School. She helped lead her team to back-to-back state championships in 2021 and 2022, going undefeated in 2022. Neighbors is a three-time First Team All-Conference and First Team All-District. The Indiana native was named to the West All-American team and represented her high school in the All-American game.
Parker Scheele | Goalkeeper | St. Louis, Mo. | St. Louis Scott Gallagher ECNL Navy- Scheele has recorded 12 solo shutouts and made 132 saves achieving a .589 GAA and a .921 save percentage in 2022 at Mary Institute Country Day School. She helped her team win the Missouri State Class 2 Championship, winning the school’s first championship in 2022. She earned girls class 2 All-State First Team and Goalkeeper of the Year and Region 2 Player of the Year in 2022. Scheele was named the 2019 ECNL Midwest Conference Champs and was a four-time ECNL National Playoff qualifier (2018, ’19, ’21, ’22).
Hope Paredes | Midfielder | Irvine, Calif. | San Diego State | Portola High School- Paredes, a transfer from San Diego State, recorded 18 shots, nine on goal with one assist. She recorded 1988 minutes on the pitch for the Aztecs, making 38 appearances in the two seasons.
Paredes graduated from Portola High School where she was named the team’s 2017 Offensive Player of the Year for the one season she competed. She played club soccer for San Diego Surf where she competed in the 2019 US Soccer Development Academy (USSDA) National Championship finals. Paredes won the 2018 Surf Cup championship and reached the finals of the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) National Championship finals. In 2017, she was a member of the Manchester City U19 Gold Division championship team, Region IV Olympic Development Program (ODP) 2020 championship, and reached the quarterfinals of the ECNL playoff.
Indiana University Water Polo earns Ten All-MPSF Academic All-American Team honors Ten members of the Indiana University water polo team earned Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF)/6-8 Sports All-Academic Team honors on Monday, the conference office announced. Earning the accolades for the Hoosiers were Zoe Crouch, Lanna Debow, Robyn Greenslade, Grace Hathaway, Katherine Hawkins, Skylar Kidd, Sophie Sollie, Olivia Stark, Sophie Wazzan and Kallie White.
Crouch, Debow, Greenslade and Hawkins all earning MPSF/6-8 Sports All-American honors for the third consecutive year and Wazzan and White for their second. To be eligible for the MPSF/6-8 Sports All-Academic Team, a student-athlete must have had 3.00 cumulative GPA, at least a sophomore academically and must have completed one full academic year at the institution prior to the season for which the award is received.
Graham Rahal to replace the Injured Stefan Wilson in the Indianapolis 500
Graham Rahal will race in the Indianapolis 500 after all. Rahal, who was bumped from the field during qualifications, will fill in for Stefan Wilson, who was injured in a crash during Monday’s practice. Rahal will start from the 33rd position in a car fielded by Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and Cusick Motorsports. Team owners said Wilson was “pretty crushed emotionally” after suffering a fracture of the 12th thoracic vertebrae and learning he would be unable to race. He’d qualified in 25th position, placing him in Row 9.
Rahal was honored to field the call about being the replacement driver, although he admitted there were some logistical challenges. A longtime Honda driver, Rahal will take the wheel of a Chevy. Both manufacturers had to sign off on the deal, as did Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. “This is certainly Stef’s ride, it’s his seat, and he’s done a great job to get it to the point that it is,” Rahal said. “I certainly feel for Stef. I know how much he puts into this year in and year out.” Rahal was formerly a teammate of Stefan Wilson’s brother, Justin Wilson, who died in a crash in 2015. The Wilson family has had a “strong impact” on him, Rahal said. “He was just a tremendous, tremendous guy,” Rahal said of Justin. “In this circumstance… it felt right.”
Rahal knows there’s a lot of work ahead, telling reporters he thought the next few days would be filled with “lots of golf” after missing out during qualifications. “I’ve felt every emotion in the last couple of days. But as I’ve always said, and (DRR owner Dennis Reinbold) knows this well, that’s Indy. It can put you through a vicious cycle and you never know what’s going to happen, how it’s going to take place. We don’t know how it’s going to end up in five- or six-days’ time.” He has a few days to settle in and get to know the car and team ahead of Sunday’s race. He’ll essentially have Carb Day practice to shake things down. “I feel terribly for Stef,” Rahal said. “It was an honor for me to get the call.”
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