Indiana University Women’s Swimming and Diving Wins 7th Big Ten Championship in Dramatic Fashion
Every single point mattered. Indiana women’s swimming and diving won its seventh Big Ten Championship – first since 2019 – on Saturday, outscoring runner-up and four-time defending champion Ohio State by one-half of a point at the Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Center in West Lafayette. The Hoosiers walked it off, placing second in the 400-yard freestyle ahead of third-place Ohio State to earn the necessary two-point advantage over the Buckeyes. OSU led through three legs, but sophomore Kristina Paegle’s 46.65 anchor got IU home in 3:11.37, over a second quicker than Ohio State’s relay. The previous closest difference between first and second at a Big Ten women’s championships was 2004, when Michigan edged Penn State 604.5-590.5.
Because the team results were decided by such a small margin, every performance was crucial. Juniors Ching Hwee Gan, Brearna Crawford and Skyler Liu all won individual Big Ten Championships during the final night, but the Hoosiers could not have done it without freshman MacKenna Lieske, who had to win a swim-off in the morning to get into the 200-yard breaststroke C final, earning maximum points from her heat. It could not have happened without springboard specialist Anne Fowler’s perhaps last performance on platform, getting her own 17th-place finish and the nine points with it. Anna Freed swam an exhausting 200 fly, 200 back double and finished fifth in both races. There’s a hero in every Hoosier that swam, dove or encouraged her teammates. “I am still in a state of disbelief,” IU head swimming coach Ray Looze said. “What our women did tonight was simply unbelievable. We basically witnessed a near-perfect performance by everyone. This is a championship that I will never forget!”
Moments before the relay, Liu hinted that perhaps destiny was having its day. As the top seed stepped to the end of the 10-meter platform for her final dive, she needed 78.80 points to summit the top of the leaderboard. She said her arms were “trembling” as she went into her handstand 30 feet above the water. Somehow, she got into position, executed three-and-a-half somersaults into a pike position and glided into the water. Liu scored 79.20 points, winning her second Big Ten title in two days. She was named the Big Ten Diver of the Championships. “That was the ultimate team victory,” IU head diving coach Drew Johansen said. “I have never seen four days of competition come down to half of a point. Every girl on this team made a difference. To see Skyler hit that last dive to win by less than a point was spectacular, and then to see our relay out-touch OSU was like a storybook ending.”
Crawford captured her second-career 200-yard breaststroke title in a season-best 2:07.25. She previously won it as a freshman in 2022 but was foiled last season by teammate Noelle Peplowski, now an assistant coach for the program. Indiana has won eight of the last nine Big Ten 200-yard breaststroke championships. The junior also earned a bronze medal for her performance in the 100-yard event on Friday. Gan and fellow junior Mariah Denigan kicked off the evening session in style with their medal performances in the 1,650-yard freestyle. Swimming out of the first of five heats, Denigan dropped a 15:59.66 in her first mile swim of the season. Only Gan and Wisconsin’s Madeline Waggoner would beat that in the remaining four heats. Gan was ruthless in her victory, going wire-to-wire in the top-seeded heat and touching in 15:54.83. It’s Gan’s first individual Big Ten championship after finishing third in the event as a freshman and second last season and IU’s first mile title since 2014.
All four Hoosiers on the clinching relay previously competed in 100-yard freestyle finals. Junior Anna Peplowski (47.53) and Paegle (47.65) both medaled. Senior Ashley Turak (49.09) was eighth, and Ella Ristic (49.89) finished 24th. Peplowski led off the relay in 47.72, followed by Turak’s nearly identical 47.71. Ristic was 49.29, giving way to Paegle’s incredible 46.65 anchor. IU had three top-10 finishers in the 200 fly via Freed’s fifth (1:57.76), sophomore Katie Forrester’s sixth (1:57.97) and Ava Whitaker winning the B final in 1:57.67. In the 200 back, Freed (1:54.80), sophomore Mya Dewitt (1:54.620 and junior Kacey McKenna (1:57.19) followed suit. A pair of freshmen also earned points on platform as Ella Roselli and Lily Witte each performed in the consolation final, their third final in three days. Indiana women’s diving will head to Louisville, Kentucky, for NCAA Zone Diving Championships March 14-16, looking to qualify for the 2024 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships a week later.
Penn State Sweeps Indiana University Men’s Basketball for the first time since 2009
The Indiana Hoosiers lost to the Penn State Nittany Lions 83-74 on Saturday afternoon at Bryce Jordan Center in State College, PA. The Hoosiers are 14-13 on the season and 6-10 in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers have lost 4 in a row and 5 of the last 6 games and will host Wisconsin on Tuesday Night. Indiana has lost 4 straight to Penn State for the first time since 2008-09 and lead the all-time series 42-17 and its the first time since 2009 that Penn State swept Indiana. Penn State is 14-14 overall and 8-9 in the Big Ten and have won their last two games after knocking off Illinois Wednesday Night in a throwback game in Rec Hall which is where Penn State called home before they moved into the Bryce Jordan Center.
Malik Reneau led the Hoosiers with 27 points and 6 rebounds. Kel’el Ware added 16 points and 8 rebounds and Trey Galloway added 11 points along with 5 assists and 4 rebounds. Indiana finished the game 29-57 form the field for 50%, 2-15 from three-point line and 14-25 from the free throw line for 56%. Indiana pulled down 31 rebounds, dished out 14 assists, 5 steals, 3 blocks and committed 14 turnovers. Indiana had 50 points in the paint, 13 points off turnovers and 11 points off the bench.
Penn State’s starting five all scored in double figures led by Ace Baldwin Jr. with 23 points. Zach Hicks scored 17 points, D’Marco Dunn added 13 points and 11 points apiece from Qudus Wahab and Nick Kern Jr. Wahab pulled down 11 rebounds for his 4th double-double of the season. Puff Johnson added 8 points off the bench. Penn State finished 24-53 from the field for 45%, 9-21 from three-point range for 43% and 26-30 from the free throw line. Penn State pulled down 32 rebounds, dished out 14 assists, 6 steals, 1 block and committed 11 turnovers. Penn State scored 28 points in the paint, 13 points off turnovers and 8 points off the bench.
The game was tied 32-32 with 2:55 left in the first half as the Hoosiers were scoring inside and hanging in despite going 0-5 in the first half form three-point range. Penn State finished the half on 8-1 run and went into the locker room leading 40-32. Penn State was up 50-39 with 15:25 left when the Hoosiers went on a 10-2 run when Trey Galloway scored on a layup to make it 52-49 with 12:08 left in the second half. Penn State kept lead as the Hoosiers got within two with 10:06 left when Malik Reneau scored and made a free throw to make it 56-54. Penn State increased the lead to double digits and the Hoosiers got within five with 2:31 left trailing 72-67. Penn State finished the game outscoring Indiana 11-7 and 43-41 in the second half.
The Hoosiers hit their first three-pointer of the game with 1:35 left when Mackenize Mgbako scored 7 points for the entire game. C.J.Gunn added a second three pointer with three seconds left as he finished with 5 times. The Hoosiers have struggled all season from three-point land and the free throw line and a lot of games that is what it has come down to why Indiana has struggled so much this season. Anthony Walker scored 4 points, Gabe Cupps and Anthony Leal added 2 points each and Payton Sparks played and did not score.
The Hoosiers have four conferences games left with Wisconsin and Michigan State at home and Minnesota and Maryland on the road and the Hoosiers are in position of playing on the first day in the Big Ten Tournament in Minneapolis. The Hoosiers have been an 11 seed three times in 2009, 2011 and 2020 going 1-2 in those games. If things do not get any better and the teams below Indiana wins some games the Hoosiers are looking at their lowest seed ever in the Big Ten Tournament and that would be another reason that gives the Hoosier Nation fan base a reason to make a coaching change just three years into the Mike Woodson era. After two winning season and two NCAA Tournament appearances Woodson will be back next season despite a rough season and fans hope that things can and will be fixed in the off season.
Bloomington North completes Three-Peat as Girls Gymnastics Sectional Champions
Bloomington North scored 106.4 points to win its third straight Girls Gymnastics Sectional Championship Friday Night at Franklin Central HS. It’s the Cougars 7th sectional title in school history and the first three-peat since winning four in a row from 1981-1984. Columbus North finished second with a score of 106.0 points followed by Bloomington South with a score of 103.7 as all three teams advance to the Regional next Friday Night at Franklin Central. Edgewood finished ninth with a score 95.05 points and will not advance as a team and no Mustangs finished in the top six in any individual event as their season comes to a close.
Bloomington South has its best score of the season as the Panthers finished first on the beam with a team score of 26.775 while the Cougars finished first on the Bars with a team score of 25.8 and the Floor Exercise with 28.0. The Bloomington schools finished in the top four in each event. Bloomington North was second on the Beam with a score of 26.625 and fourth in the Vault with a score of 25.975. Bloomington South finished second on the Vault with a score of 26.25, third on the bars with a score of 23.85 and third on the Floor Exercise with a score of 26.275. Reece Euler of Columbus North won four of the five individual titles winning the Vault, Bars, Beam and All-Around while Austyn Dykes of Franklin Central won the Floor Exercise.
Bloomington South 5th, Bloomington North 14th at the IHSAA Boys Swimming State Finals
The Bloomington Schools were well represented on Saturday at the IHSAA Boys State Swimming Finals at the Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis. Bloomington South finished 5th with 123 points and Bloomington North Finished 14th with 55.5 points. Carmel won its 10th straight State Championship with a dominating 409 points and becomes the first school in IHSAA to win 10 straight state titles in a boy’s sport. Carmel Swimming Coach Chris Plumb has led Carmel to 31 state titles with 18 in Girls Swimming and 13 Boys Swimming. Penn finished second with 165 points and 244-point margin between first and second place is the largest margin of victory in state history by 18 points. The Greyhounds point total was the second largest ever only to the 2018 Carmel Team that featured Two Future Olympians. Carnel has won 24 State Championships in Boys Swimming dating back to 1989 and since 2008 they and Chesterton have been the only two programs to take home state titles in the event.
Bloomington South finished 2nd in the 400 Yard Freestyle Relay with a time of 3:06:78, Lukas Paegle finished 2nd in the 100 Yard Butterfly with a time of 48:03-17 and 4th in the 50 Yard Freestyle with a time of 20:52. David Kovacs 2nd in the Boys 100 Yard Backstroke with a time of 48:71 and 3rd in the 200 Yard Indvidual Medley with a time of 1:49.67. The Panthers finished 7th in the 200 Yard Medley Relay with a time of 133.75. Bloomington North’s James Stewart was 7th in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 50:20. The Cougars finished 7th in the 200 Yard Freestyle Relay with a time of 1:26.73. Stewart tied for 10th in the 50 Yard Freestyle with a time of 21:26-6.5. Benjamin Dixon 12th in the 100 Yard Freestyle with a time of 46:97-5 Points and 15th in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 21:49-2 Points.
On Friday Night Bloomington South’s David Kovacs had the best time the 100-yard backstroke prelims finishing with a time of 48.34 and third in the 200-yard Indvidual Medley with a time of 1:49:24. Lukas Paegle finished second in the 100 Yard butterfly with a time of 47.85 and finished 4th in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 20.67 Panthers finished second in the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:07.47 and tied for 5th place in the 200 Yard-Medley Relay with a score of 1:33.36. Kian Kadlec finished 19th in the 500 yard-freestyle Botond Kun finished 25th in the 500 yard-freestyle with a time of 4:50:51 and 26th in the 200-Yard freestyle with a time of 1:46:67.
Bloomington North’s James Stewart finished ninth in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 21:20 and Benjamin Dixon finished 15th with a time of 21.33. Stewart finished eighth in the 100 yard-butterfly with a time of 49.95. Dixon finished 9th in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 46:48. The Cougars finished fourth in the 200 yard-freestyle relay with a time of 1:26.14 and 11th in the 400-freestyle relay with a time of 3:11.33. Benjamin Buehler finished 20th in the 200 Yard Freestyle with a time of 1:44.79 and 22nd in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 47.43. Hunter Tang finished 21st in the 100 yard-breaststroke with a time of 59.67.
Indiana University Volleyball announces 2024 Spring Schedule
Indiana volleyball head coach Steve Aird announced the program’s 2024 spring schedule on Friday afternoon, featuring a pair of matches against Midwest foes and a collegiate tournament at one of the premier clubs in the nation. IU, coming off one of the best seasons in program history, will play matches against Xavier (April 6th) and Purdue (April 19th) at a pair of high schools in the state of Indiana. Westfield High School, just north of Indianapolis, will play host to the Hoosiers’ first match of the spring against Xavier. That match will be a return home for senior outside hitter Kenzie Daffinee who played four years for the Shamrocks. IU will meet in-state rival Purdue on April 19th for a spring match at Center Grove High School in Greenwood, Ind. The Hoosiers will spend Saturday, April 13th in Louisville playing at the KIVA College Spring Tournament against a collection of schools.
IU returns five members of its starting rotation for 2024 including Haworth, libero Ramsey Gary and outside hitters Candela Alonso-Corcelles and Morgan Geddes. Middle blocker Madi Sell and outside hitter Reese Hazelton, both mid-year enrollees in January, will get their first taste of action for the program this spring. Ticket sales for IU’s matches with Xavier and Purdue will be handled by the respective high schools while limited seating will be available for the KIVA College Spring Tournament.
2024 Spring Volleyball Schedule
April 6th – Indiana vs. Xavier (Westfield, Ind. – Westfield HS)
April 13th – Indiana at KIVA College Spring Tournament (Louisville, Ky.)
April 19th – Indiana vs. Purdue (Greenwood, Ind. – Center Grove HS)
2024 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament in Minneapolis is Sold-Out
All-session tickets are sold out for the 2024 TIAA Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament, marking the first sellout in the history of the event. More than 109,000 fans are expected to attend the five-day event, scheduled for March 6-10 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn. The Target Center is home to the four-time WNBA champion Minnesota Lynx and the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves. The tournament returns to the Twin Cities for the second time after a record-setting event last year. Fans are encouraged to visit the official Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament web site (bigten.org/WBBT) and follow Big Ten Women’s Basketball on X (formerly Twitter) (@B1GWBBall) throughout the 2023-24 season for more information on events surrounding the tournament.
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