Two Indiana University Volleyball players earn Big Ten Weekly Honors
After an impressive week in conference action, which featured a win over No. 15 Purdue and a dominant sweep of Michigan, junior setter Camryn Haworth and freshman libero Ramsey Gary both took home Big Ten Weekly Honors, as announced by the conference office on Monday afternoon. Haworth took home Big Ten Setter of the Week laurels for the third time in her career and second time this season. Gary grabs her first conference honor, earning the nod as the Big Ten Freshman of the Week. Gary is the first defensive player to earn freshman of the week honors this year. Both Hoosiers were fantastic in a pair of home wins, 3-1 vs. No. 15 Purdue and 3-0 vs. Michigan, as IU extended its winning streak out to three games. IU is 5-3 in the Big Ten for the first time in 30 years.
Haworth ran an offense that hit a collective .301 across seven sets last week, highlighted by a dominant offensive performance (.330, 41-8-100) against Michigan. The junior helped spark a career-high 18 kills for sophomore outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles on Saturday night and led IU to its first win over Purdue since 2012. The Fishers, Ind. native finished just shy of her second-career triple-double on Wednesday night, compiling 40 assists, nine digs and eight kills in a brilliant all-around effort. She had five service aces on the weekend, pushing her to 49 total aces on the season. She is just three shy of breaking IU’s single season record in the rally era. She is the first IU player to win the same Big Ten award twice in the same season since Ashley Benson won a pair of defensive players of the week honors in 2010. Haworth and Nebraska freshman Bergen Reilly are the only two Big Ten setters to win the award twice this season.
One of the top freshmen in the conference and the nation, Gary gets the nod as the Big Ten Freshman of the Week after sparking a strong defensive performance for the Hoosiers. She recorded 43 digs across seven sets (6.1 per set) while adding nine assists and two service aces in a pair of victories. The Pendleton, Ind. native is averaging 4.72 digs per set in Big Ten play and has four 20+ dig performances in eight conference matches. Gary is the first IU player since February of 2021 to win Big Ten Freshman of the Week and just the fifth Hoosier to win the award since the conference began handing it out in 2009. She is one of just four freshmen (Reilly, Nebraska’s Harper Murray and Purdue’s Chloe Chicoine) to win it this year. The pair of Hoosiers look to continue IU’s outstanding start to the season this week with matchups Wednesday at Purdue and Saturday Night at home against Ohio State.
Indiana University Men’s Golf finishes third at the Quail Valley Collegiate
The Indiana men’s golf team finished third overall at the Quail Valley Invitational on Monday at the Quail Valley Golf Club in Vero Beach Florida. The Hoosiers shot a team score of 837 (271-281-285; -27). The Hoosiers compiled a team score of 271 (-17) in the opening round of the tournament to match the school record established on four previous occasions. IU also played a team scorecard of 271 at the Big Ten Championships (1981), Renaissance Intercollegiate (2009), Loyola Intercollegiate (2016), and Colleton River Collegiate (2023). All four individuals that counted towards the team score shot a 68 or better. The 552 (-24) team score through 36 holes marked the program’s second-lowest tally after two rounds. The mark trailed only the 551 played at the Renaissance Intercollegiate in 2009. Indiana has now shot under par in each of the last three tournaments played. The Hoosiers played a school record tournament of 823 (-29) at the Windon Memorial Classic and an 837 (-3) at the Fighting Irish Classic.
Sixth-year senior Noah Gillard played his best tournament of the fall schedule to pace the Hoosiers at 206 (67-69-70; -10). He totaled 15 birdies over the three rounds and was the lowest IU score in two of the three frames he played. The Greenwood native finished sixth in the individual ranks.
Senior Drew Slayers nabbed another top-10 finish on the season after shooting a 208 (68-67-73; -8). He posted 14 birdies throughout the event. The finish marks his fourth top-10 effort in five tournaments played this fall. Freshman Cole Starnes tied for 36th at 215 (70-73-72; -1). He matched Gillard for the team lead with 15 birdie conversions over 54 holes. Graduate Thomas Hursey also tied for 36th at 215 (68-77-70; -1). The former Division II All-American racked up 12 birdies. Redshirt junior Robert Bender III finished tied for 50th at 217 (68-72-77; +1). He knocked down 11 birdie tries. Indiana will close out the fall slate with an individual only event at the Bearcat Individual (Oct. 23) and the Steelwood Collegiate (Oct. 28-29).
Indiana University Men’s Basketball Receives votes but not ranked in the Associated Press top 25 Preseason Poll
Indiana will not be ranked when the 2023-24 college basketball season tips off. The preseason Associated Press top 25 poll was released Monday, and the Hoosiers are among the team’s receiving votes. Purdue is No. 3 in the poll, Michigan State is No. 4 and Illinois is No. 25. Wisconsin, Maryland and the Hoosiers were the Big Ten teams who received votes but did not crack the rankings.
Indiana was ranked No. 13 last preseason in the Associated Press poll. Two of Indiana’s non-conference opponents are ranked. Kansas is No. 1 and UConn is No. 6. Potential opponent Texas is No. 18 and Auburn, IU’s opponent in Atlanta in December, received votes. Indiana plays its first exhibition on Sunday, October 29, at Assembly Hall against Indianapolis at 1pm. The Hoosiers open the regular season on Tuesday, November 7, at Assembly Hall against Florida Gulf Coast.
Here is the full AP preseason top 25 poll: 1. Kansas, 2. Duke, 3. Purdue, 4. Michigan State, 5. Marquette, 6. UConn, 7. Houston, 8. Creighton, 9. Tennessee, 10. Florida Atlantic, 11. Gonzaga, 12. Arizona, 13. Miami (FL), 14. Arkansas, 15. Texas A&M, 16. Kentucky, 17. San Diego State, 18. Texas, 19. North Carolina, 20. Baylor, 21. USC, 22. Villanova, 23. Saint Mary’s, 24. Alabama and 25. Illinois. Others receiving votes: Wisconsin 53, Colorado 49, UCLA 47, St. John’s 47, Maryland 34, Virginia 27, Auburn 27, TCU 24, Mississippi St. 20, Kansas St 13, Xavier 8, Memphis 7, Missouri 6, Boise St. 4, Indiana 3, Florida 2, Coll of Charleston 2, New Mexico 1, Drake 1.
Five Star Point Guard Boogie Bland to announce on Friday his College Choice with Indiana Men’s Basketball in his top three
Class of 2024 five-star recruit Boogie Fland has a date for his college announcement. Fland, the No. 20 player nationally in the senior class, will announce his college choice on Friday, October 20. The decision is expected to come at 2 p.m. ET at Fland’s high school, Archbishop Stepinac in New York. He will choose between Alabama, Indiana and Kentucky. Fland took official visits to all three schools. His original list of schools also included Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, St. John’s and UConn. As a junior, Fland averaged 18.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and two steals per game. He averaged 14.4 points, five rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.9 steals as a sophomore. If Indiana were to land Fland, he would become the second recruit in the program’s 2024 recruiting class. The Hoosiers already have a commitment from five-star wing Liam McNeeley.
B97 to be the New Radio Home of Indiana University Women’s Basketball for the 2023-24 Season
Fans will be able to hear Indiana Women’s Basketball games live on the radio this season on its new home on B97 in Bloomington. B97 (WBWB) is the sister station to Hoosier Country 105 (WHCC), the home of IU women’s basketball for nearly 30 years. To avoid conflicts with the IU men’s basketball games, B97 is proud to become the home of Indiana Women’s Basketball, giving the program a dedicated broadcast channel to bring fans all the live game action as it happens in the 2023-24 season. Austin Render will still serve as the play-by-play announcer as he enters his third season with the program. Along with being the voice of Indiana women’s basketball, Render is the sports director at both B97 and WHCC 105.1. He will continue to bring you every minute of the action all season long, including games and weekly coaches shows with Coach Moren at The Chop Shop Market and Table.
Indianapolis Colts lose on the Road to the Jacksonville Jaguars 37-20
The Jacksonville Jaguars continued their dominance over the Indianapolis Colts at home with a 37-20 win in Jacksonville on Sunday afternoon. Jacksonville took sole possession of first place in the AFC South with the victory. The Colts have now lost nine straight games as the road team against the Jaguars. The 2016 game was at Wembley Stadium in London as part of the NFL’s International Series. Gardner Minshew, filling in for injured rookie Anthony Richardson, started strong, engineering a 16-play, 65-yard scoring drive on the Colts’ first possession. Kicker Matt Gay made a 28-yard field goal for an early 3-0 lead. Jacksonville answered with a 13-play, 75-yard drive of its own, capped off by a 2-yard Travis Etienne touchdown run to go ahead, 7-3. Next possession, Minshew committed his first turnover with the Colts when pass rusher Josh Allen came around the edge for a strip-sack. The Jaguars recovered the ball at the Indianapolis 22-yard line. They turned the takeaway into a touchdown the next play on an Etienne direct snap touchdown run. The Colts appeared to be on the move late in the first half. Minshew connected with Jonathan Taylor for a 40-yard gain his most explosive play since returning from an ankle injury. The drive stalled when Andrew Cisco intercepted Minshew shortly after Taylor’s big gain.
The Jaguars turned that takeaway into points as well as quarterback Trevor Lawrence found wideout Christian Kirk for a 29-yard touchdown pass to go on top, 21-3. The Colts were able to cut the deficit to 21-6 on a Gay 56-yard field goal to end the half. The defense forced a three-and-out on Jacksonville’s first possession of the second half, but Minshew gave it right back with an interception to Rayshawn Jenkins. Brandon McManus kicked a 48-yard field goal to make it 24-6 in favor of Jacksonville. Lawrence then hit tight end Brenton Strange for a 10-yard touchdown to give the Jaguars plenty of cushion at 31-6. The Colts scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to make the final score respectable. Minshew connected with receiver Josh Downs for a 2-yard score for the rookie’s first career touchdown. Then, after Warren Central product JuJu Brents’ first career interception, running back Zack Moss scored from three yards. Sunday was Minshew’s first start after the Colts placed Richardson on the injured reserve list with a sprained AC joint suffered last week against Tennessee. The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the team is strongly considering season-ending surgery for Richardson. Minshew finished 33-of-55 for 329 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. He also fumbled once. The Colts return home Sunday to host Cleveland at 1pm on CBS.
For more local news . . . Check out our archived episodes of What’s Happenin’ and Talkin’ Sports with Nick Jenkinson