Indiana University Women’s Basketball Sophomore Yarden Garzon named to the Cheryl Miller Preseason Award Watch List
Sophomore Guard Yarden Garzon has been named one of 20 players to the 2024 Cheryl Miller Award watch list, announced by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) on Wednesday. Garzon is coming off an impressive freshman campaign where she was named to the All-Big Ten second team and All-Big Ten freshman team. The Ra’anana, Israel native averaged 11.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and shot 45.8% from the 3-point line in her rookie campaign. Her performances earned her three Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors and was also named the USWBA Tamika Catchings national freshman of the week, the program’s first, last season.
She led the Big Ten form the 3-point line in 3-point field goal percentage while setting and IU record for 3-pointers made (70) in a freshman season and fourth in a single season. Additionally, she finished second in a single season in 3-point percentage. She scored in double figures 19 times in 2022-23 Garzon also had two double doubles while finishing in the top 10 in five IU freshman records. The Hoosiers have placed a player on the Cheryl Miller award preseason watch list for the fourth-consecutive season as Grace Berger appeared on the list from 2021-23.
#19 Indiana University Women’s Soccer Travels to #4 Penn State and Maryland to close out the Regular Season
No. 19 Indiana Hoosiers (11-1-4, 5-1-2 B1G) travels to the east coast for another ranked match up against No. 4 Penn State in University Park, Pa. this evening at Jeffery Field with their last game of the regular season at Maryland on Sunday afternoon. Tonight’s kickoff is set for 7pm and will air live on B1G+. The Hoosiers will take the pitch at 1pm in College Park, MD, on Sunday. The Hoosiers (11-1-4, 5-1-2 B1G) and the Michigan Wolverines were even going into the half each with five shots. Junior midfielder Sydney Masur and senior midfielder Anna Bennett provided Indiana with two chances in the half as they IU defense held Michigan (7-5-3, 3-4-1 B1G) to just one. Indiana picked up the pace in the second half. In the 46th minute, Paige Webber had a great opportunity on a feed from midfielder Sofia Black, but it hit off the right side post going just wide of the net. Bennett fired a shot on goal in the 52nd minute followed by another chance from junior defender Camille Hamm in the 54th minute but couldn’t get anything past U-M’s keeper. Piper Coffield converted on a penalty kick in the 61st minute after Michigan was called for a handball in the box. The defenses would battle it out, but Gerstenberg and Indiana backline held off the Wolverines attack holding them to zero shots on goal in the last 29 minutes of play as Indiana won 1-0.
Indiana rose to No. 19, moving up seven spots in week nine of the United Soccer Coaches national poll. The Hoosiers also received a nod from TDS ranking No. 19 and College Soccer News as they came in at No. 23 in the Women’s National Top-30 poll. The Hoosiers received votes in week seven and earned their highest ranking at No. 16 in week six. Additionally, IU was also recognized in TopDrawerSoccers’ national poll for the first time coming in at No. 17 and most recently No. 19. Prior to this season, IU last appeared in the polls in March 2021 when they were ranked No. 24. Indiana is second in the Big Ten standings behind No. 4 Penn State who holds an undefeated record through 15 matches. The Hoosiers are eyeing their first tournament appearance since 2019 where they were the No. 7 seed. IU fell 1-0 in the Quarterfinal match against No. 2 seed Rutgers in Piscataway.
No. 4 Penn State (11-0-4, 5-0-3 B1G) tied Northwestern 2-2 in Evanston on Sunday evening. The Nittany Lions are undefeated through 15 matches and have held the top spot in the conference all season long. They are coming off a 2-2 draw against Northwestern on Sunday, Oct. 15. Despite a brace from sophomore midfielder Olivia Borgen and a career high 11 saves from graduate goalkeeper Katherine Asman, the Wildcats put on the pressure against the ranked squad taking an early 2-1 lead in the first half. Borgen found the equalizer in the 51st minute to tie the match. Asman leads the conference in saves with 54 on the season (.885 save percentage) and goals against average (.506). As a team, Penn State leads the conference with a .871 save percentage on the year. Borgen leads the offense with six goals with 12 points alongside Payton Linnehan who has five goals and three assists on the season for 13 points. As a team, PSU has scored 34 goals on 31 assists and have totaled 99 points this year. Between the posts, the ranked squad leads the conference with a .871 save percentage on the year also holding .437 shots on goal percentage with 11 game winning goals. Indiana last defeated the Nittany Lions on Nov. 8, 1996, in the Big Ten Tournament. IU battled PSU to a 0-0 decision in Bloomington last season on Sept. 18, 2022.
Maryland (3-8-5, 0-7-1 B1G) is looking for their first Big Ten win of the season. They face the No. 21 ranked Badgers on Thursday in their final midweek match of the regular season. The Terrapins have given up 23 goals in the conference and have yet to find the back of the net in league play this season. They battled Purdue to a 0-0 draw at home on Sept. 21. UMD went on a three-game win streak, tying four matches in their non-conference part of the season with victories against Towson, George Mason and Binghamton. Against the Terrapins, Indiana is 3-2-4 all-time. Indiana fell 1-0 at home in their last meeting.
Indianapolis Colts Quarterback Anthony Richardson out for the season after shoulder surgery
Speculation became reality for Anthony Richardson. The Indianapolis Colts’ rookie quarterback will undergo surgery on his right shoulder and miss the remainder of the season, according to owner Jim Irsay. “After consultation with our medical staff, Anthony and those close to him, it has been determined that he will undergo surgery to repair his injured shoulder, which will end his season,” Irsay posted on social media Wednesday. “Anthony is a competitor, and we know how difficult and disappointing this is for him and our team. We collected several medical opinions and we felt this was the best course of action for his long-term health. “We anticipate a full recovery and there is no doubt Anthony has a promising future.”
Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick in the draft, and the team determined surgery was the best option to repair a grade 3 sprain to the AC joint in his right (throwing) shoulder. He suffered the injury in the second quarter of the Colts’ week 5 win over Tennessee when Titans linebacker Harold Landry fell on him at the end of a 4-yard run. It marked the third time in four starts Richardson was unable to finish a game – a bruised knee against the Jacksonville Jaguars and a concussion at Houston and he also missed the Week 3 trip to Baltimore with the brain injury. During his media availability Wednesday, coach Shane Steichen admitted the team will consider addressing how to limit the risk of injury when Richardson takes off on designed runs or scrambles on passing plays.
“We’ll cross that bridge next year,” he said. “But again, one of the things that makes him really good is (as) a runner.” That’s one of the traits that convinced the Colts to hitch their future on Richardson in the April draft. One of the drawbacks to Richardson was his college experience: 13 starts at Florida. Even though Richardson’s rookie season consists of four starts and 173 offensive snaps, he’s given the franchise every indication he’s the right guy moving forward. He passed for 577 yards and three touchdowns with one interception, but was dangerous as a runner with 136 yards and four TDs. “Shoot, I thought when he played he was explosive and he was electric,” Steichen said. “He gives us an opportunity every time he steps on the field for a football game. Just his big-play ability, throwing the ball down the field, the runs he had, the touchdown runs, the four touchdown runs in the limited time he played. “There is a tremendous opportunity for him.”
Steichen said Richardson will handle this adversity in the proper way. “This will be a great learning experience for him moving forward,” he said. “He’ll be engaged, he’ll be in the meetings, he’ll be at practice. He’ll learn this year. Sit back and watching and learning. “In the long run . . . if you go through tough times, it’ll make you stronger. This is a tough time for any player. Obviously, your rookie year you want to be out there with your teammates. I know he’s crushed about it, too.” The decision for Richardson to undergo season-ending surgery provides clarity for the Colts for the remainder of the season. “This is Gardner’s team,” Steichen said of Gardner Minshew II. “We’ve got a ton of confidence in Gardner.” Minshew will be backed up by Sam Ehlinger for the rest of the season.
In his second start this season, Minshew suffered four turnovers one fumble and a career-high three interceptions in Sunday’s 37-20 loss at Jacksonville. For the year, he’s completed 90 of 138 passes (65.2%) for 882 yards with three touchdowns, three interceptions and an 81.3 rating. Minshew makes his third start of the season and 27th of his five-year career Sunday when the Cleveland Browns visit Lucas Oil Stadium at 1pm.
Indiana University Men’s Soccer player Joey Maher earns Big Ten Defensive Player of Week Honors
Indiana men’s soccer captain and senior Joey Maher was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week; the conference office announced on Tuesday. The announcement marks the second-straight week that a Hoosier has won a weekly award with junior forward Samuel Sarver being named the offensive player of the week last cycle. This is Maher’s first-career weekly award. Maher and IU started the week with a clean sheet in the 2-0 win over Evansville. The Hoosiers conceded just five shots, none on goal. On Sunday, Maher scored IU’s first goal in an important Big Ten victory against Ohio State, coolly converting a penalty kick to open his season account. Indiana kept the Buckeyes, who came into the match averaging 15.1 shots per game, to nine shots with only one on frame. Maher has captained an IU defense that has shut out six opponents in 13 matches, conceding eight goals. Indiana’s goals against average (.615) ranks No. 9 nationally. In 74 career appearances (73 starts), he has helped IU keep 37 clean sheets.
Former Indiana University Men’s Basketball player Romeo Langford waived by the Utah Jazz
Former IU guard Romeo Langford was waived Tuesday by the Utah Jazz, the team announced. Langford agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract – a non-guaranteed training camp deal with the Jazz back in late August. The New Albany product appeared in only one preseason game for the Jazz. He scored four points and dished out two assists in Monday’s 114-94 win against the New Zealand Breakers. Langford is now a free agent but could play for Utah’s G-League team, the Salt Lake City Stars, this season.
He spent his first four NBA seasons with the Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs. Langford was the No. 14 pick in the 2019 NBA draft, the program’s highest draft pick since Noah Vonleh back in 2014. In 141 career games, he holds averages of 4.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and .7 assists per game. The 23-year-old, Indiana’s Mr. Basketball in 2018, has earned over $16 million in his career.
Indianapolis Colts Defensive Tackle Grover Stewart Suspended Six Games by the NFL
Grover Stewart, one of the Indianapolis Colts’ defensive cornerstones, has been suspended for the next six games for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances policy. Stewart immediately accepted responsibility on his Instagram account, but that doesn’t lessen the severity of the discipline. The suspension is without pay, so he’ll forfeit six paychecks from his $9.285 million base salary. That’s $3.095 million. The seventh-year defense tackle also is in the final year of a three-year, $30.75 million extension he signed in November 2020. He’ll be a free agent at the end of the season. Stewart has started 70 of 102 games since being selected in the fourth round of the 2017 draft and developed into one of the NFL’s premier tackles. He’s eligible to return to the active roster Dec. 4 following the Colts’ week 13 game at Tennessee. There was no comment from the team.
A six-game suspension under the league’s PED policy is the appropriate discipline when a player tests positive for an “anabolic agent’’ for a first time. Stewart addressed the situation via his Instagram account. He indicated he unknowingly ingested a substance on the NFL’s banned list, which is no defense in the eyes of the league. “I want to apologize to the National Football League, the Colts organization, my teammates, our fans and my family, Stewart posted. “I was surprised and disappointed to learn I had violated the policy. I respect the integrity of the game and would never purposely put myself or the team in this kind of situation. “I am responsible for what I put in my body, and I should have taken the proper steps to educate myself. I will learn from this moving forward, and I will take the appropriate measures to ensure this never happens again.’’
Stewart and DeForest Buckner have formed one of the NFL’s premier tackle tandems since 2020. They have been the backbone of the Colts’ run defense. The 6-4, 314-pound Stewart has 259 tackles, including 8.5 sacks and 27 tackles for loss. In six games this season, he ranks 8th on the defense with 20 tackles, including two for a loss. Without Stewart, coordinator Gus Bradley must turn to Taven Bryan, Eric Johnson II, rookie Adetomiwa Adebawore and perhaps Tyquan Lewis to work alongside Buckner. Stewart is the fourth Colt to be suspended by the NFL this season. He follows: *cornerback Isaiah Rodgers Sr., suspended indefinitely for violating the league’s gambling policy. Defensive End Rashod Berry, also suspended for violating the gambling policy. Cornerback Chris Lammons, suspended for three games for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Rodgers and Berry were released shortly after the suspensions were announced. Rodgers signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. Lammons was released Sept. 25, but was re-signed to the practice squad.
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