Sara Scalia to Participate in the State Farm College Slam Dunk and 3 Point Championship in Phoenix
Indiana Senior Guard Sara Scalia has been selected to the Hanes Women’s 3-Point Championship roster for the 35th annual State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix this evening. Scalia is one of eight players that will participate in the 3-point competition, which will air live on ESPN at 9pm. Tickets for the event start at just $15 and can be purchased by visiting www.collegeslam.com. Discounted rates are available for groups of 10 or more, which can also be secured by visiting the event’s website.
One of the nation’s best 3-point shooters this season, Scalia knocked down an IU single season record 103 triples in her final season with the Cream and Crimson. She ranks fourth in NCAA Division I in three pointers made, fourth in 3-pointers per game (3.22) and 12th in 3-point percentage with a 43 percent clip. The Stillwater, Minn. native was IU’s second leading scorer this season with 16.3 points per game and had three or more triples in 21 times. Scalia scored in double figures in 28 games with 10 games with 20 points or more and a season-high 32 points against Bowling Green. A 2023-24 All-Big Ten first team honoree, Scalia finished her five-year career as a five-time All-Big Ten selection. She was also a Top 10 finalist for the Ann Meyers Drysdale award for nation’s top shooting guard while also earning WBCA All-Region honors and was the Big Ten Player of the Week on Nov. 20. Scalia will be IU’s first participant in the 3-point competition since Aulani Sinclair (2009-13) won the event in Atlanta in 2013.
The State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships invites 24 of the nation’s elite men’s and women’s college basketball players to compete for slam dunk and 3-point shooting bragging rights. The night features the King’s Hawaiian Slam Dunk Championship, the Hanes Men’s 3-Point Championship, the Hanes Women’s 3-Point Shooting Championship and the Dave’s Hot Chicken Hot Shot Challenge. The winners of the Hanes Men’s and Women’s 3-Point Championships will then compete in the Skechers Battle of the Champions. Since the event’s inception, several of the top players in college basketball have competed in the State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships before moving on to the professional ranks, including Gary Payton, Steve Nash, Jason Terry, Kyle Korver, Bobby Hurley, Michael Finley, Allan Houston, Wesley Matthews, Denzel Valentine, Yogi Ferrell, Cappie Pondexter, Katie Gearlds, Kristi Toliver, Odyssey Sims, Tiffany Hayes, Tiffany Mitchell, Ariel Atkins and Rhyne Howard.
The Indiana Alumni Team Hoosier Army is returning to The Soccer Tournament in June
Representing the Indiana men’s soccer program, Hoosier Army, a team of IUMS alumni, will participate again in The Soccer Tournament (TST), a six-day seven-versus-seven tournament for a one-million-dollar prize. The festival, featuring men’s and women’s tournaments, will run Wednesday, June 5, through Monday, June 10, at the WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina. The tournaments will feature a total of 118 matches over the six days of non-stop soccer action. Last year’s inaugural tournament sold out, so fans interested in attending TST are encouraged to buy tickets early at this link. Announced teams include Luis Nani’s Nani FC (featuring Mario Balotelli), Heather O’Reilly’s US Women (U.S. Women’s National Team Alumni), Wrexham men’s and women’s teams, a team representing German Bundesliga giant Borussia Dortmund, Como 1907, Chad Ochocinco’s Nati SC and many other big names to come!
Hoosier Army made history in the 2023 tournament, winning the first-ever match 5-2 over Borussia Dortmund. The Indiana alumni team won its next group play match against Kingdom FC in a thrilling “target score” finish as goalkeeper Christian Lomeli currently an assistant coach with the collegiate program – scored the winning goal with both teams down to two men. The Hoosiers shared the best record (2-1) in their group through three games but slipped out of the tournament on goal differential after falling to the eventual champion, Newtown Pride FC. Hoosier Army’s announced roster currently features 17 alumni or athletes with connections to the program. TST expects to announce Hoosier Army roster additions before the start of the tournament.
HOOSIER ARMY ROSTER (As of April 3)
Brian Ackley, Joris Ahlinvi, Mike Ambersley, Michael Catalano, Jeremiah Gutjahr, Nikita Kotlov, Grant Lillard Christian Lomeli, Francesco Moore, Austin Panchot
Harrison Petts, Brad Ring, Luis Soffner, Trevor Swartz, Cory Thomas, Tanner Thompson and Joe Tolen.
Rosters set for the Hoosiers Reunion Classic All Star Games in Knightstown
The rosters for the 19th annual Hoosiers Reunion All-Star Classic are set. The girls-boys doubleheader will be played April 27 at the Hoosier Gym in Knightstown with the girl’s game at noon at the boy’s game to follow. Tickets are $25 with access to both games. There are 450 tickets available and sold only at thehoosiergym.com. The players have not yet been divided into teams, but Shari Doud of Eastern Hancock and Melissa Winkler of Rushville will coach the Terhune Tigers girls and Amy Shearer and Olivia Shearer of Columbia City will coach the Hickory Huskers girls. On the boys’ side, Tipton’s Cliff Hawkins will coach the Terhune Tigers boys and Chad Ballenger and Brett Crist of Hamilton Heights will coach the Hickory Huskers’ boys.
Girls- Chloe Spreen, Bedford North Lawrence (Alabama), Johnea Donahue, Fort Wayne Snider (Bowling Green), Ellery Minch, Mt. Vernon (DePaul), Camryn Runner, Hamilton Heights (Evansville), Avery Kelley, Evansville Memorial (Evansville), Faith Wiseman, Indian Creek (Indiana), Ava Ziolkowski, Crown Point (Indiana Tech), Reagan Wilson, Noblesville (Iowa State), Kennedy Fuelling, Norwell (Marian), Kayla Lacombe, Tech (Kankakee Community College), Juliann Woodard, Jennings County (Michigan State), Adrianne Tolen, West Lafayette (Missouri S&T) , Jordyn Poole, Fort Wayne Snider (Purdue), Kamara Mills, Lawrence North (Queens University of Charlotte), Payton Benge, Plainfield (Spring Arbor), Rachel Harshman, Mooresville (St. Francis), Hailey Cole, Bellmont (Trine), Talia Harris, Fishers (Mercer), Allie Caldwell, Zionsville (Undecided), Alli Harness, Carroll (Flora) (Western Michigan) and Audrey Annee, Center Grove (Army).
Boys-Isaac Schultz, Adams Central (Olivet Nazarene), K.J. Windham, Ben Davis (Northwestern), Reis Butcher, Brebeuf Jesuit (Marian), Evan Haywood, Brebeuf Jesuit (Butler), Jack Benter, Brownstown Central (Purdue), Justin Sims, Chesterton (Marian), Ronald Rutland III, Crispus Attucks (IU Indianapolis), D’Amare Hood, Delta (St. Francis), Josiah Dunham, Evansville Christian (Southern Indiana), Tucker Tornatta, Evansville Memorial (Marian), Keenan Garner, Fishers (Undecided), Micah Davis, Franklin (Eastern Kentucky), Jaxon Pardon, Carroll (Fort Wayne) (Bowling Green) , Rob Sorensen, Guerin Catholic (Undecided), Dylan Murans, Guerin Catholic (Army), Kobi Bowles, Lawrence North (Undecided), Aaron Fine, Noblesville (Purdue), Hunter Walston, Noblesville (Undecided), Josiah Gustin, Pendleton Heights (Marian) ,Isaac Andrews, Wapahani (Undecided) and Trey Buchanan, Westfield (Iowa)
Indiana University Baseball beats Indiana State at Bart Kaufman Field
In the return game between the two teams, Indiana and Indiana State played a nearly identical contest as the one two weeks ago in Terre Haute. This time it was IU (16-14, 1-2 B1G) erasing a six-run deficit, outscoring the visitors 16-1 over the final five innings enroute to a 16-7 win on Tuesday night at Bart Kaufman Field. Sophomore shortstop Tyler Cerny hit a game-tying grand slam in the fourth inning as part of a four-hit day, his second four-hit contest of the season. After Indiana State retook the lead in the sixth, junior third baseman Josh Pyne mashed a two-run long ball over the center field to hand the Hoosiers a lead they would never relinquish.
IU tallied 14 hits in the contest but took advantage of nine walks and a pair of errors from the visitors to put 16 runs on the board, the most in a midweek game this season. The Sycamores, who are ranked as high as No. 17 in the major polls, hand IU its third ranked victory of the year. Redshirt junior catcher Jake Stadler was inserted into the cleanup hole to replace the injured Brock Tibbitts who left without a plate appearance. The Greenfield, Ind. turned the unfortunate event into a two-hit, two- run day while playing outstanding defense behind the dish. Freshman second baseman Jasen Oliver continued his torrid run of form at the plate, tallying a pair of base hits to extend his team-best 12-game hitting streak. He’s the seventh different IU freshman since 2010, and first since Devin Taylor did so last year, with a hitting streak of 12 games or better during his debut season.
The IU bullpen conceded just one run over the final five innings, holding an outstanding offensive lineup to just nine hits. Sophomore Ethan Phillips (W, 4-0) picked up his team high fourth win of the season while sophomore Brayden Risedorph and redshirt freshman Jacob Vogel threw the final three innings, all scoreless. IU takes this boost of energy into College Park on Friday as it prepares to resume Big Ten play with a three-game set against defending Big Ten Champions Maryland. First pitch Friday is slated for 6:00 PM on BTN+.
Indiana State beats Utah to Advance to the NIT Championship Game
The Indiana State men’s basketball will compete in the final game of the National Invitational Tournament after defeating Utah 100-90 Tuesday night. Center Robbie Avila stole the show at Hinkle Fieldhouse with 26 points and 10 rebounds as the Sycamores prepare to face Seton Hall tonight at 7 pm on ESPN. Before Tuesday’s game, Indiana State defeated Southern Methodist 101-92 in the first round before beating Minnesota 76-64 in the second round. In the third round, the Sycamores beat Cincinnati by a four-point margin with a score of 85-81 in the quarterfinals.
Taylor University Men’s Soccer Head Coach Gary Ross steps down and moves into an Office Role Taylor University Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Kyle Gould, announced on Tuesday that Gary Ross would be ending his 20-year stint at the helm of the TU men’s soccer program to transition into a full-time role within Taylor’s Advancement Office as a Regional Director of Development.“We are thankful for Coach Ross and the 20 years that he has poured into the men’s soccer program,” said Gould. “His tenure was marked with successes on the field and an unwavering commitment to the discipleship of the young men he coached. I know that he is excited about this new opportunity, and we wish him and his family the best in this new chapter of service at Taylor.”
“It has been an honor to coach the men’s soccer program at Taylor for the past 20 years,” said Ross. “My life was so deeply impacted by coaches who poured into me that I wanted to replicate the same impact in the lives of those student-athletes that I was privileged enough to coach. I am very grateful to Kyle and the Taylor administration for the opportunity to coach men’s soccer players at Taylor for so long. Taylor University men’s soccer will always have a special place in my heart, and I am certainly going to always value my time at TU as a coach. At the same time, I look forward to serving the university in this new role.”
Ross began his time at Taylor as a baseball and men’s soccer student-athlete, before graduating in 1995. Ross returned to campus in 2002 to serve as an assistant coach with the men’s soccer team, before taking over the reins of the program in 2004.As just the second head coach for TU men’s soccer since the program began in 1983, Ross piled up 155 wins over the next two decades on the sidelines with the Trojans. That time was highlighted by the historic 2011 season, as Ross led the Trojans to a 19-2-1 mark and the first-ever regular season league championship and NAIA National Tournament bid in program history. For his efforts, Ross was named the MCC Coach of the Year, the NSCAA NAIA Mideast Region Coach of the Year and was one-of-seven finalists for the NSCAA NAIA National Coach-of-the-Year award. The Trojans again finished near the top of the league standings in 2014, going 7-2 in league play, which led to Ross receiving the MCC Coach-of-the-Year honor for the second time in a four-year span.
In addition to his work on the sidelines, Ross teamed with Revival in our Town Ministries in Northern Ireland to lead his teams on six different mission and service trips to Ireland. The Trojans also built a strong academic legacy under Ross, routinely ranking among the NAIA’s leading men’s soccer programs in a host of academic measures. A national search for Taylor’s next head men’s soccer coach will begin immediately. The successful candidate will become just the third head coach in the history of the TU men’s soccer program, which begin in 1983.
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