Indiana University wins Govenor’s Cup over Purdue University
When it came to Indiana and Purdue Athletics battling head-to-head in 2022-23, the Hoosiers were head-and-shoulders better. IU finished with a record 15 ½-4 ½ victory over Purdue in the Governor’s Cup, the annual all-sports competition between the in-state rivals. First established in 2001-02, the Governor’s Cup awards points to the winning team in each of the schools’ shared 20 sports. If the schools don’t meet in a particular sport head-to-head during the regular season, then that sport’s point is awarded to the school that finishes higher in the Big Ten Championship competition. If the teams meet twice during the regular season (i.e. basketball, volleyball, women’s soccer), each contest is worth ½ point. And in sports where the teams meet three times (baseball, softball), the point awarded to the team that wins at least two of the three matchups.
Indiana’s 11-point margin of victory is the most decisive win for either school in the series’ 22-year history. Previously, the largest margin was five on three occasions (IU in 2009 and 2013, Purdue in 2016). This also marks IU’s fourth consecutive win in the series dating back to 2017-18, the longest win streak in series history. Indiana’s dominance in 2022-23 was across the board. In basketball, coaches Mike Woodson and Teri Moren’s programs each won home-and-away, completing IU’s first basketball season sweep of Purdue since 1982-83. In baseball, IU scored 51 runs – including 26 in the series opener – during a three-game sweep of Purdue this past weekend that moved Coach Jeff Mercer’s team into a tie with Maryland for the Big Ten lead. And in sports where the point was awarded based on the team performance at the Big Ten Championship competitions (men’s and women’s cross country; men’s and women’s golf; men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field), IU earned seven out of a possible eight points.
Indiana University Softball’s Taryn Kern named D1 All-American
Indiana softball freshman second baseman Taryn Kern has been recognized as one of the best and most valuable players in college softball by D1Softball.com after receiving First-Team and Freshman Team All-American nods, the organization announced on Tuesday. Kern finished the season with a .404 batting average with 63 hits, 23 home runs and 68 RBI. The 23 long balls are tied second in the NCAA. She held a slugging percentage of .942 with an on base percentage of .578.
She was named the Big Ten Player and Freshman of the Year in addition to the All-Big Ten First Team and All-Big Ten Freshman Team. The San Jose, Calif., native led the conference in eight offensive categories: slugging percentage, home runs, RBI, walks, hit by pitch, runs scored, OBS and OPS. Kern had a historic and successful season as she broke four single season records in runs scored, home runs, RBI and slugging percentage in her rookie season.
Three Former Indiana University Men’s Basketball players reach the NBA Finals
The 2023 NBA Finals are set to tip off Thursday in Denver and three former IU players are on the rosters competing for the Larry O’Brien championship trophy. Thomas Bryant (Denver), Cody Zeller (Miami) and Victor Oladipo (Miami) are attempting to become the first former IU player on an NBA championship roster since OG Anunoby in 2019. Anunoby did not see the floor in the 2019 NBA finals but was on the Toronto roster.
Last season, Juwan Morgan was on the Boston team that fell to Golden State in six games. Of the three Hoosiers in this year’s Finals, only Zeller figures to play a role in determining the NBA champion. Oladipo is out after suffering a torn patellar tendon in his left knee in late April. And Bryant, who was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to Denver prior to the trade deadline, is on the Denver roster but has not played at all in the playoffs. Zeller, a late-season addition for the Heat out of free agency, is averaging 2.6 points and 2.7 rebounds in 9.2 minutes per game in 16 playoff games. According to ProBallHoosiers, other former Hoosiers to win NBA championships include Herm Schaefer, Dick Farley, Jon McGlocklin, Steve Downing, Quinn Buckner and Isiah Thomas.
Hoosier Army set to play in The Soccer Tournament on Thursday
This week, Hoosier Army, a team made up of Indiana men’s soccer alumni, is set to participate in The Soccer Tournament (TST), a seven-versus-seven competition in Cary, North Carolina, for a $1 million dollar prize. All three of Hoosier Army’s scheduled group stage matches will be streamed. The Indiana alumni team will play in the opening match of the tournament against Borussia Dortmund on Thursday at 9am. The match can be streamed on Peacock. The Borussia Dortmund team represents the eight-time German Bundesliga champion club and features several former players on its roster, including Roman Weidenfeller and Kevin Großkreutz. The remaining two group stage matches, against Kingdom FC at 5:30pm Thursday and Newtown Pride FC at 9am Friday, can be seen on TST’s Youtube page (@thesoccertournament7v7). Should Hoosier Army reach the knockout stage, its remaining matches will be streamed on Peacock.
Hoosier Army Group Stage Schedule-June 1 (Thu) | 9 a.m. | Borussia Dortmund | Peacock, June 1 (Thu) | 5:30 p.m. | Kingdom FC | YouTube, June 2 (Fri) | 9 a.m. | Newtown Pride FC | YouTube
Hoosier Army Roster- Hoosier Army was the first college soccer alumni team to enter the TST field, and its roster features players from the last 18 year of IU men’s soccer. Kevin Noschang is the most senior Hoosier on the squad, representing the 2005-08 squads. He’ll play alongside Ryan Wittenbrink, who was part of Indiana’s run to the NCAA College Cup last fall. Five players featured on the roster played in the 2012 NCAA National Championship squad. Hoosier Army’s full roster can be found below.
Joris Ahlinvi (2019), Kevin Alston (2006-08), Joshua Gatt (Signee – Turned Pro), Jeremiah Gutjahr (2015-18), Nikita Kotlov (2010-13),
Grant Lillard (2014-17), Christian Lomeli (2015-16), Matt McKain (2010-13), Francesco Moore (2015-18), Kevin Noschang (2005-08)
Austin Panchot (2015-18), Harrsion Petts (2010-13), Louie Soffner (2009-12), Kyle Sparks (2012-15), Trevor Swartz (2014, 16-18), Cory Thomas (2015-18), Ryan Wittenbrink (2019-22) and Thomas Warr (2017-20)
Head Coach: Kevin Robson, Assistant Coaches: Tom Morris, Patrick Doody and Jacob Bushue, General Manager: Todd Yeagley.
Josef Newgarden earns record $3.6M for his Indianapolis 500 Win
Josef Newgarden celebrated his first Indianapolis 500-win Sunday night. He cashed in Monday at the race’s annual victory dinner. The two-time IndyCar champ earned a record $3.666 million for the biggest win of his career, an increase of more than $500,000 over last year’s race winner, Marcus Ericsson. Newgarden’s win also extended Team Penske’s record total to 19. Indy’s total purse of $17,021,500 also broke last year’s mark by more than $1 million. Race organizers estimated more than 330,000 attended the race. It was the second-largest race-day crowd since 2000 though actual attendance figures are not announced. “This is the greatest race in the world, and it was an especially monumental month of May featuring packed grandstands and intense on-track action,” Penske Entertainment President and CEO Mark Miles said in a statement. “Now, we have the best end card possible for the 107th Running of the Indianapolis 500: a record-breaking purse for the history books.”
Ericsson took home $1.043 million as the runner-up after coming up just short to be the first back-to-back 500 winner since Helio Castroneves in 2001-02. If the race finished under yellow instead of a final lap restart, Ericsson would have collected an additional $420,000 from BorgWarner. Ericsson is in a contract year with Chip Ganassi Racing and has said he would like to stay with the team. Benjamin Pedersen continued A.J. Foyt Enterprises big month as he was selected as the race’s rookie of the year. He collected $215,300, including a $50,000 bonus for the award. Pedersen’s teammate, Santino Ferrucci, made the six-car pole shootout and finished third in the race the best showing by a Foyt driver since 1999. Ferrucci is the only driver who has completed all 200 laps and posted a top-10 finish in each of the past five 500s. The average payout for Sunday’s race was $500,600, which also topped last year’s average by more than $15,000.
Follow us on Facebook
For more local news . . . Check out our archived episodes of What’s Happenin’ and Talkin’ Sports with Nick Jenkinson