Local Sports News: May 24, 2024

Three Indiana University Track and Field Athletes punch their ticket to the NCAA Championships
Sean Mockler (Hammer), Tyler Carrel (Pole Vault) and Skylar Stidam (10,000m) punched their ticket to the NCAA Outdoor Championships on day one of the NCAA East First Round in Lexington on Wednesday. Mockler earned the qualifying mark on his second attempt with a throw of 66.66m/218-8 for his second appearance at the Outdoor Championships. Carrel fought hard in the pole vault after there was a four-way tie. He cleared a bar of 5.42m/17-9.25 to earn himself a ticket to Eugene for the second time in his career.

Skylar Stidam showed out on the track in the 10k race. He will make his first appearance of his collegiate career in the big dance after finishing fifth with a time of 29:14.79. Two Hoosiers advanced to the quarterfinals with solid performances in the First Round. Antonio Laidler (100m) and Camden Marshall (800m) also advanced to Friday’s Quarterfinals after earning automatic qualifying times in their respective events. Laidler ran a 10.33 for the big Q in the 100-meter dash while Marshall ran the second-fastest time of the day (1:47.32) in the 800 meters.

Kenisha Phillips wrapped up a great season with the Hoosiers at the NCAA East First Rounds in Lexington on Thursday afternoon. She finished fifth in her heat with a time of 53.85 and 30th overall. On the season, Phillips ran the second-fastest time in the 400 meters at the Big Ten Championships with a time of 52.31 to earn a silver medal. The Buxton, Guyana native, also had a great indoor season with the Hoosiers after she placed second at the indoor conference championships. She set two school records in the 300 and 400-meter events and qualified for Indoor nationals in the 400-meter event to finish eighth.

Indiana University Rowing’s Steve Peterson and Nico Daley earn Big Ten Awards
Two Hoosiers received half of the Big Ten postseason rowing awards handed out by the conference office on Wednesday. IU Rowing Head Coach Steve Peterson earned Big Ten Co-Coach of the Year honors a year after receiving the award outright for the first time in 2023. Wellington, New Zealand, native Nico Daly was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

In his 21st season as IU’s head coach Peterson has led his program to program-record finishes at the Big Ten Rowing Championships in back-to-back seasons. The Hoosiers finished second at this season’s conference regatta as four boats medaled for the first time in program history. On Tuesday, Indiana was announced as part of the 22-team field for the NCAA Championship, its second-straight appearance in the national event and eighth in 10 full seasons under Peterson. Peterson shared coach of the year laurels with Michigan’s Mark Rothstein.

Daly is the second Hoosier to earn freshman of the year honors and first since Alice Wright in 2014. The first-year Kiwi has raced in IU’s top boat, the Varsity Eight, in every competition this season, helping the Hoosier crew to a 23-7 head-to-head record. The V8 finished second at the Big Ten Championships for a second-straight season, just one second behind first-place Michigan. Indiana boasts the No. 12-seeded Varsity Eight crew in the NCAA Championship field. Daly was a first-team All-Big Ten selection at the Big Ten Championships – the only freshman named to either the first or second team. She also helped the V8 win Big Ten Boat of the Week honors in April.

12 Indiana University Water Polo players named to MPSF All-Academic Team
Indiana water polo placed a league-high 12 student-athletes on the 2024 6-8Sports/MPSF All-Academic Team, announced by the league on Wednesday. To be eligible for the 6-8 Sports/MPSF All-Academic Team, a student-athlete must have had 3.00 cumulative GPA, at least a sophomore academically and must have completed one full academic year at the institution prior to the season for which the award is received.

Highlighting the Hoosiers on the award list include a four-time honoree in Zoe Crouch, three-time honors for Kallie White and Sophie Wazzan and second-time appearances for Grace Hathaway, Skylar Kidd, Kiki Mein, Olivia Stark and Sophia Sollie. In their first year of eligibility, sophomores Louisa Downes, Jasmine Higgs, Grace Klinger and Nicole Tyner all received the award as well.

In the classroom in Spring 2024, Indiana finished with a team GPA of 3.54. In the pool this season, the Hoosiers ended the 2024 season at No. 12 in the CWPA poll with a 21-10 overall record. It was the most wins under fifth year head coach Taylor McInerney as IU also got off to its best start in program history, going 12-0 to open the season. Season highlights also included team wins over No. 8 Princeton and No. 13 Michigan.

Indy Eleven beat Detroit City FC 3-0 in the U.S. Open Cup
Indy Eleven is on to the Quarterfinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup for the first time in club history after a 3-0 defeat of USL Championship rival Detroit City FC on Wednesday night at Carroll Stadium. Indy Eleven opened the scoring by way of a Detroit City own goal off a Benjamin Ofeimu cross from the right side. The Boys in Blue have scored their first goal in the 14th minute or earlier in each of their three U.S. Open Cup matches this season (CHI 4’, SA 2’).

The home team would tack on two more in the first half with Douglas Martinez finding Augi Williams (33’) for the tally and Aedan Stanley connecting on a corner to Ofeimu (36’). Williams now has a pair of Open Cup goals for Indy this season, while Stanley has a team-best two assists. Indy Eleven continues the streak and is unbeaten in its last eight matches, dating back to the Third-Round win over Chicago Fire FC II on April 17. The Boys in Blue also become the second Indiana club in the history of the tournament to reach the Quarterfinals (Indianapolis Inferno 1992). 

Indiana Pacers Point Guard Tyrese Haliburton named to the All-NBA Team
Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton has received an honor that only five other players in franchise history have. Haliburton, a two-time NBA All-Star who led the league in assists per game this season, has been named as 3rd Team All-NBA player. The league made the announcement Wednesday night. The 6’5″ facilitator was one of only six guards in the league to make the 15-player list. The full list of All-NBA teams is below:

  • 1st Team All-NBA
    • Giannis Antetokounmpo – Milwaukee
    • Luka Doncic – Dallas
    • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City
    • Nikola Jokic – Denver
    • Jayson Tatum – Boston
  • 2nd Team All-NBA
    • Jalen Brunson – New York
    • Anthony Davis – Los Angeles Lakers
    • Kevin Durant – Phoenix
    • Anthony Edwards – Minnesota
    • Kawhi Leonard – Los Angeles Clippers
  • 3rd Team All-NBA
    • Devin Booker – Phoenix
    • Stephen Curry – Golden State
    • Tyrese Haliburton – Indiana
    • Lebron James – Los Angeles Lakers
    • Domantas Sabonis – Sacramento

By making the All-NBA 3rd Team, Haliburton becomes the sixth-ever Pacer in franchise history to be named as one of the 15 best players in the league that season. Haliburton joins:

  • Reggie Miller
    • ’95, ’96, ’98
  • Jermaine O’Neal
    • ’02, ’03, ’04
  • Metta World Peace (formerly Ron Artest)
    • ’04
  • Paul George
    • ’13, ’14, ’15
  • Victor Oladipo
    • ’18

Because Haliburton has been named to an All-NBA team, he will now make an additional $41 million on his rookie extension deal over the next five years. The All-NBA announcement for Haliburton comes after the 24-year-old Wisconsin native averaged 20.1 points and 10.9 assists per game on 47.7% shooting.

Indiana Fever Drop to 0-5 on the Season
In the opener of a three-game series out west, the Indiana Fever came up short, 85-83, to the Seattle Storm at Climate Pledge Arena on Wednesday night. Wednesday’s game welcomed 18,343 fans – the fifth consecutive game the Fever have played in front of a sellout arena and the largest crowd in Storm franchise history.

Indiana Fever (0-5) rookie guard Caitlin Clark led her team in scoring on Wednesday with 21 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and two blocks. Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell trailed behind Clark with a 17-point showing and three rebounds, while Fever forward NaLyssa Smith recorded her first double-double of the year with 16 points and 11 rebounds, along with two steals. Fever center Temi Fagbenle posted eight points, six rebounds and three blocks off the bench. Kristy Wallace earned a starting nod tonight for the first time this season and the 28th starting appearance in her career. Former Indiana University Star Grace Berger did not play for the game third in a row. Indiana pulled down a season-high 40 rebounds and outscored Seattle (2-3) in paint points, 50-46, and bench points 20-12.

Seattle guard Jewell Loyd spearheaded the Storm win with a season-high 32-point, 11-rebound double-double performance as well as six assists. Storm forward Nneka Ogumike posted 22 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Center Ezi Magbegor also added 14 points, nine rebounds and three blocks to service the Storm’s win. Indiana will take on the Los Angeles Sparks tonight at 10pm from Crypto.com Arena and the game will broadcast on ION.

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