Former Indiana Fever player Nikki McCray-Penson dies at age 51
Nikki McCray-Penson, who helped lead the famed 1996 Olympic team that started the United States’ current run of seven consecutive gold medals, has died at the age of 51, it was announced Friday. McCray-Penson starred for the Tennessee Lady Vols in the 1990s in her native state of Tennessee before playing in the ABL and WNBA which included 2 years with the Indiana Fever from 2002-2003 and later becoming a college basketball head coach. She served as an assistant women’s basketball coach last season for Rutgers, which confirmed her death. The cause of death has not been announced. McCray-Penson and her husband, Thomas Penson, have a son, Thomas Jr., who turned 10 in February. McCray-Penson was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2013, during her tenure with South Carolina, where she was an assistant to her close friend and Olympic teammate Dawn Staley. She was part of Staley’s staff as the Gamecocks won the 2017 NCAA championship. Soon after, she took her first head-coaching job, with Old Dominion.
In all, including last season at Rutgers, McCray-Penson had 16 years of college coaching experience, serving as head coach at Mississippi State and ODU. After consecutive 20-win seasons, she left the Monarchs to take over the Bulldogs, who went 10-9 during the COVID-19-impacted 2020-2021 season. In October 2021, before the start of what would have been her second season at MSU, she stepped down to focus on her health. She returned to coaching this past season, becoming an assistant to Coquese Washington at Rutgers. A native of Collierville, Tennessee, McCray-Penson helped the Lady Vols win three SEC regular-season championships and two SEC tournament titles. They also made a women’s Final Four appearance in 1995, when Tennessee fell in the championship game to Connecticut.
After college, McCray-Penson was named to the U.S. national team, which trained and toured together from fall 1995 until the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta. That U.S. team’s popularity and success was seen as the springboard to the launch of the WNBA in 1997 and was chronicled in the ESPN 30 for 30 special “Dream On,” which was released last year. McCray-Penson was a three-time All-Star during her nine years in the WNBA and won gold medals with Team USA in the 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympics. She led the Columbus Quest to the 1997 ABL championship, as she played in that league before moving to the WNBA. She was the ABL’s MVP in 1997 and was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.
Fort Wayne Komets Co-Owner Richard Franke dies at age 79
Fort Wayne Komets co-owner Richard Franke passed away Tuesday, July 4, at age 79, the team announced Thursday. Richard served as minority owner of the Komets for 33 years alongside his four brothers, Bill, Steve, David, and Michael, and Scott Sproat. When the original Komets franchise moved to New York in 1990, Richard and his brothers worked to purchase a franchise from Flint, Michigan, and immediately move the team to Fort Wayne, keeping the historic hockey franchise in the Summit City. “We all remember him driving us to games as a kid,” said Michael, president of the Fort Wayne Komets. “He loved hockey, the Komets and his beloved Montreal Canadians.”
During his tenure, Richard oversaw numerous Komets championships. “Winning the first championship in 1993 was a big deal for the whole family, especially for Rich, a longtime Komet fan,” said Steve, CEO of the Komets. Richard is survived by his wife, Cherylene; son, Jeffery; daughter, Pamela; his sister Mary; and his four brothers. “I owe a lot to my brother,” said David, general manager of the Komets. “I will miss him dearly.” He also served as part-owner of Perfection Autowash Full-Service Express in Fort Wayne and represented the first graduating class at Bishop Luers High School in 1962, according to his obituary.
Indy Eleven Women’s Team wins the W-League Central Conference Championship
A 57th-minute goal from Sam Dewey proved to be the match winner as Indy Eleven defeated Minnesota Aurora FC 1-0 in the USL W League Central Conference Final on Saturday afternoon in Flint Michigan. Dewey’s team-leading ninth goal of 2023 came off an assist from a Grace Bahr set piece, giving her a second assist this season. In goal, Nona Reason earned her seventh clean sheet of the season and her second in 2023 playoff action. The Girls in Blue are the first team to advance to the USL W League Semifinal and have earned the right to host on Friday, July 14 at pm. The opponent for the match will be determined by the Western Conference Final between San Francisco Glens SC and California Storm. The loss was the first for Aurora FC after an undefeated 12-0-0 regular season and avenged a 2-1 playoff loss to Minnesota in the opening round of the 2022 playoffs.
Before Saturday’s Game Indy Eleven handed Flint City AFC its first loss of the 2023 season 3-0 Thursday Night in Flint to advance to the USL W League Central Conference Final. Grace Bahr got the scoring started by converting a penalty kick, her second in as many matches, to give the Girls in Blue the early lead in the 14th minute. The tally was her third of the season, all coming on set pieces, and proved to be the match winner. Indy doubled its lead after Sam Dewey had a brilliant shot that went off the crossbar make it back into play and into the Eleven’s possession. Maddy Williams found herself with the ball and played it to the six for Dewey, who snuck a back heel into the lower 90 for her team-leading eighth goal of the season. The assist was the first for Williams. A second-half insurance goal came from Katie Soderstrom who scored her seventh of the season off Rafferty Kugler’s first assist of 2023 in the 49th minute. Nona Reason earned the clean sheet in goal for the Eleven, her fifth of the season. Indy is now 3-0 all-time versus Flint City, outscoring the side 12-1. In its 24 overall matches over two seasons, the Eleven have tallied three-plus goals in a match 13 times. Overall, Indy has a plus-40 goal differential in 2023, outscoring its opponents 43-3.
Indiana Pacers player Tyrese Haliburton named to the United States Men’s Basketball National Team
After officially signing a max contract extension with the Indiana Pacers Thursday, guard Tyrese Haliburton has been added to the 2023 USA Men’s National Team roster for the FIBA World Cup. Haliburton and 11 other players will compete at the FIBA men’s World Cup in Manila the Philippines from Aug. 25-Sept. 10. This will be the third time for the 23-year-old has appeared on a USA Basketball roster, as he was a member of the U19 World Cup team in 2019 and the U.S. Select Team in 2021.
In addition, Haliburton made the all-tournament team after winning gold in 2019, while the 2021 USA Select Team trained alongside the 2021 USA Men’s National Team before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. “On behalf of USA Basketball, I’m thrilled to introduce the 2023 USA Men’s National Team, which features some of basketball’s brightest talent,” USA Basketball Men’s National Team managing director Grant Hill said. “We are excited for the challenges ahead and look forward to the opportunity to compete at the 2023 FIBA Men’s World Cup. “I am confident that working together, and under the leadership of our outstanding coaching staff, this team will proudly represent the United States this summer in Manila.”
Golden State head coach Steve Kerr will serve as head coach and will be assisted by Gonzaga head coach Mark Few, Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue and Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra. “My staff and I are thrilled to have the opportunity to coach such talented, team-oriented players,” Kerr said. “I’m confident this group will represent our country well, with effort, talent, and a commitment to winning together. We look forward to competing for a gold medal in the World Cup later this summer.” On this year’s roster, nine players had previous experience playing for USA basketball and three players will make their debut as first-timers. Before arriving in Manila, the USA Men’s National Team will hold a training camp Aug. 3-6 in Las Vegas before playing a series of exhibition games as part of the USA Basketball Showcase.
Indianapolis Indians name Miguel Andujar the team’s player of the month for June
The Indianapolis Indians named first baseman/corner outfielder Miguel Andújar as their June Player of the Month after he logged a career-high 20-game hitting streak and led the team in batting average, RBI, slugging percentage, OPS, hits, doubles, extra-base hits, total bases and runs in 23 games. Andújar, 28, put together the best offensive month by an Indians batter this season, ranking among International League qualifiers in doubles (T-3rd, 10), hits (5th, 34), batting average (8th, .362), extra-base hits (8th, 14) and RBI (T-8th, 23). He currently leads the IL with a .354 batting average (85-for-240) in 59 games and ranks among full-season qualifiers in doubles (T-5th, 22), hits (T-7th), RBI (T-9th, 55), on-base percentage (10th, .416), slugging percentage (10th, .575) and OPS (10th, .991).
The slugger raked his way to a career-high 20-game hitting streak from May 24-June 18. The streak is the second longest streak in Victory Field history, one game shy of Rajai Davis’ Victory Field era record in 2007. During the streak, which was also tied with Todd Haney (1991) for the fifth-longest in franchise history, Andújar hit .427 (35-for-82) with nine doubles, a triple, five home runs, 19 RBI, .744 slugging percentage and 1.228 OPS. Andújar was claimed off waivers by Pittsburgh from New York (AL) on Sept. 25, 2022. He was originally signed by the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent on July 20, 2011, and made his major league debut on June 28, 2017, at Chicago (AL).
Indiana Fever fall to the Washington Mystics in the Nation’s Capital
After reducing a 17-point lead down to four following a 25-12 scoring run in the third quarter, the Indiana Fever (5-13) fell to the Washington Mystics on Friday night, 96-88, at Entertainment and Sports Arena. Fever guard Lexie Hull had a record-setting night for herself after playing a career-high 37 minutes, leading Indiana in scoring with a career-high 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the floor and 3-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc. Hull also tied a career-high with six rebounds to go along with three assists. NaLyssa Smith followed Hull in the scoring column with 19 points, while Kelsey Mitchell recorded 18 points and shot 3-of-5 from behind the three-point line. Aliyah Boston added 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Indiana finished the game shooting a season-high 55.0 percent (33-of-60) from the floor and 50.0 percent (9-of-18) from the three-point line. Fever guard Erica Wheeler dished out seven of Indiana’s 24 assists, which tied the team’s record for most assists this season. Fromer Indiana University Star Grace Berger played 2 minutes and did not record any stats.
Washington opened the game with momentum, starting 5-of-7 from the court within the first five minutes, but Indiana would soon find its stride and finished the quarter shooting 53.3 percent (8-of-15) from the floor. Hull guided the Fever’s scoring effort within the first ten minutes of play as she contributed eight points, which tied her career-high for most points in a quarter, on 3-of-3 shooting from the floor to go along with three rebounds. The Mystics tied its season-high offensive output for a first quarter and finished the first frame ahead of the Fever, 28-21. The Mystics stretched a 23-9 scoring run, which began midway through the first quarter into the first two minutes of the second frame, allowing Washington to expand the lead. After being held scoreless in the first frame, Mitchell recorded her first basket three minutes into the quarter and went on to record five points. Amanda Zahui B came off the bench to contribute her first four points in a Fever uniform. In its second highest scoring first half this season, Washington held on to its lead going into halftime, 55-40.
After trailing by as many as 17 points at one occasion, the Fever were successful in shrinking the Mystics lead to four points with two minutes remaining in the third quarter. With the help of Mitchell and Hull, who each contributed seven points, Indiana outscored Washington, 24-19, in the third frame. In addition, Smith added four points, four rebounds and two assists in the quarter. The Fever still stood within reach of the lead going into the final ten minutes of play behind, 74-64. Indiana held Washington to 38.5 percent (5-of-13) from the floor and 20.0 percent (1-of-5) from beyond the arc in the final frame, but were ultimately unable to overcome the deficit. Smith closed the final quarter with nine points on 4-of-5 shooting and Mitchell added six points on 3-of-4 shooting to cap her night.
For Washington, the Mystics were led by Brittney Sykes’ season-high 29 points on 10-of-19 shooting from the floor and 4-of-6 shooting from the three-point line. She was followed by Ariel Atkins with a season-high 26 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the court and 9-of-10 shooting from the charity stripe. Atkins also recorded a career best 10 rebounds in her double-double performance. Myisha Hines-Allen had a game-high four steals and Tianna Hawkins dished out five assists.
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