303 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(12/17/19 4:45pm)
This week, the Hoosier Network is taking a look back at the best Indiana athletes of the decade. We surveyed current and former beat writers, along with others in the IU Athletics sphere, to see who they believe the best of the best are.
The final rankings will be published Friday, and leading up to that we'll have guest columns from voters where they make a case for certain athletes. Today, Hoosier Network co-founder Josh Eastern runs down the accomplishments of the top-ranked soccer player of the decade, Andrew Gutman.
***
Todd Yeagley, Brian Maisonneuve, Danny O’Rourke, Ken Snow, Armando Betancourt, Angelo DiBernardo, Andrew Gutman.
Seven names that I’m sure Indiana soccer fans know and remember quite well. They form a pretty exclusive fraternity. All of them are winners of the MAC Hermann trophy (MAC Player of the Year or Hermann award winner before 2002) and all played at Indiana. Those seven names make up the most MAC Hermann award winners of any one school.
But only one of those names played during this decade at Indiana. Andrew Gutman was able to break a drought of 14 years without a Hoosier winning the award when he won it in 2018. It was a very deserved award for Gutman whose quality showed every match.
But left backs aren’t supposed to impact games as much as Gutman did during his time at Indiana.
Just by position name, you wouldn’t expect much to come from a left back. He is a defender, after all. Most of the attention usually goes to the attacking players who score the goals.
But in IU coach Todd Yeagley’s system, Gutman thrived in the left back position. Not to get all tactical, but a big emphasis in Indiana’s system is to get the outside backs up the field to create overloads in wide positions and whip balls into the box.
Gutman fit that description impeccably. He scored goals, provided assists, and was a pain for the opposition to deal with.
The MAC Hermann award, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and more All-American honors completed his list of achievements during his senior year. That went along with his team-leading 11 goals along with nine assists, good for (only) second on the team.
In each of his four seasons, he featured on an All-Big Ten team. The first two seasons were the second team, but in the latter half of his IU career, he was named to the first team. The last two seasons of Gutman’s time at Indiana featured two straight College Cup appearances.
Both, however, fell just a bit short of the ultimate goal of capturing that ninth star. That isn’t the most important thing.
What is important is the dominance he displayed and his journey to get to where he got in Bloomington. As Eddie Cotton so exquisitely wrote in 2018, his journey was a bit different than others who make their way to Indiana. Most are highly touted recruits, but Gutman flew under the radar. In the end, it proved to be a more than worthwhile addition for Yeagley and the Hoosiers.
In a program with a history as rich as Indiana, it’s hard to leave a legacy because the level of excellence that is required. Gutman was able to do that. Through his attacking ability as a defender, he was able to leave a legacy that people will remember for a long time.
What he did in Bloomington was enough to earn him a contract with Scottish Premiership side, Celtic, who has its own illustrious history, and has since played in MLS too.
So when you add it all up, it’s a no-brainer. MAC Hermann award winner, the Big Ten double in 2018, two College Cup appearances, All-American teams, All-Big Ten teams. The list could go on. And it’s why Andrew Gutman is one of the top players of the decade at Indiana.
Previous Best of the Decade columns
Tevin Coleman, by Mike Miller
(05/02/19 3:54pm)
On the final episode of The Flagship, we say thank you for listening, reading and interacting with us during our time in Bloomington. We give our top moments of our time at IU and look ahead into the future. It's our final piece of content for The Hoosier Network. Join Josh, Eddie and Teddy.
(04/11/19 8:21pm)
On the latest edition of the Little 500 podcast, we are joined by Steering Committee president Addison Housand and VP Joey Zirille. We talk about the process of getting on Steering Committee, what goes into their jobs and much more about the race. Josh Eastern hosts.
(04/11/19 7:23pm)
By Dylan Wallace - Special to The Hoosier Network
IU senior Hayley Kwasniewski remembers her first Little 500 as a freshman in 2016 — the multi-colored balloons filling in the sky above Bill Armstrong Stadium, the voice of Bachelor hunk and IU alumnus Ben Higgins saying, “Mount your bikes," and the roar of the fans as the riders circled the track.
Growing up in Valparaiso, Indiana, Kwasniewski had never seen such a spectacle on bikes. But the next day she saw something even more striking.
She was sitting in the bleachers watching the men’s race. It featured the same IU colored balloons, an even bigger crowd and more Ben Higgins — until something changed at lap 99.
The day before, Kwasniewski watched the women’s field compete in a 100-lap race. But this time, none of the male riders were making a move to take the final lead. That’s when someone next to her told her the men’s race is 200 laps.
“I just thought both races were equal,” Kwasniewski said.
***
It’s been three years since Kwasniewski has found out the difference. Now, she is no longer a spectator as she races for the Independent Council team, which she joined her sophomore year. Heading into her final Little 500, she has a new goal in mind to accomplish in April. That goal isn’t to win or to set a personal record, it’s to change the women’s race to 200 laps.
She isn’t going at this task alone, though.
After the fall series for Little 500 concluded in October, a group of five women that Kwasniewski knows — alumna Brooke Hannon, senior Marie Wirsing, senior Maddie Sigg, senior Celine Oberholzer and junior Mily Oseid — gathered at The Tap, a trendy brewpub a few blocks from campus.
It only took a matter of time before the topic of Little 500 came up.
“We got on the topic of how the race could probably be 200 laps and everybody would be fine,” Hannon said. “It would be great because it would mean we would have equality.”
But this isn’t just the first time these thoughts have crossed any of these women’s minds. Hannon and Wirsing, who have done over 30-mile workouts, both agreed that after they finish a race, which since it’s a team of four, each rider bikes 25 laps, just about 12.5 miles, they feel like they can do more. But those thoughts were exactly that — just thoughts.
Until Oberholzer, sipping on her Freedom of Speach drink from the Tap, told the group that they are going to go for it.
“It was just that moment where I was like ‘why don’t we do something?’” Oberholzer said. “We’re capable and passionate and all care about this issue.”
She started a GroupMe of the women at The Tap, and then Wirsing added Kwasniewski. The title of the GroupMe is, “Nasty Women.”
Kwasniewski began compiling stats and created a petition over Christmas break, and once everyone was back on campus this semester, she and Oberholzer met with Little 500 race director Andrea Balzano.
Balzano gave them the steps on how to go about pitching this change. On April 26, which is tentatively scheduled and could be subject to change, Oberholzer will give a presentation to the Rider’s Council and from there, a vote will occur. If it gets two-thirds the vote, it moves up to the rules board, which requires three-fourths the vote, but Tara Vickers, the director of the IU Student Foundation, has ultimate veto power.
It seems like an easy call, even with that bureaucratic slog, but there are plenty of people who disagree as a long tradition and grumpy consensus stand in their way.
***
When the Little 500 started, in 1951, it was just a men’s race. The women got included a few years later, but in a hokey event called the, “Mini 500,” which was actually a tricycle race.
Elizabeth Bateman, who attended IU from 1968-1971 before taking a gap year and going to Maryland, competed in the Mini 500.
“It was a joke,” Bateman said. “But we had a lot of fun doing it.”
She remembers practicing with her teammates in the parking lots and trying to master the bike exchange of jumping off the tricycle and passing it on, but countless times falling and laughing about it. Despite the fun she and her friends had doing it, Bateman said it was demeaning.
“It was ridiculous,” Bateman said. “Women sports were not taken seriously at all.”
That frivolous treatment continued for decades. It wasn’t until April 22, 1988 when the first women’s Little 500 race took place.
The change didn’t spark from within the Little 500 rule-makers, either. Four women from Kappa Alpha Theta attempted to qualify for the men’s race but found themselves placed 34th at the end of qualifications, and only 33 teams race.
They took the initiative to try and create a women’s race and with the approval of IUSF, got it approved to take place one year later.
When the inaugural race took place, the fact it was half the distance as the men was never discussed much amongst the women competing.
Lee Ann Guzek Terhune, one of the Theta riders who founded the women’s race, said the focus was about finally giving women an opportunity to compete, and hopefully filling the entire 33-team field.
There are many believed reasons as to why women still aren’t riding 200 laps today.
The same year Hayley Kwasniewski rode in her first Little 500 in 2017, senior Caitlin Kamplain experienced opportunity.
Delta Tau Delta got kicked out of their fraternity house for multiple instances of hazing and as a result, Kamplain’s sorority, Theta Phi Alpha, got to move in their house in the fall of 2017.
But for Camplain and her Little 500 teammates, they were able to inhabit Delta Tau Delta’s training room in March of that year.
The room came with rollers and trainers, which are both primarily used for training indoors when the weather isn’t cooperative.
Trainers consist of a frame and a clamp to hold the bike securely, with rollers that press up against the back wheel that allows the rider to pedal without the bike moving forward. Rollers are similar, except there are two rollers for the back wheel and one for the front wheel, and riders have to balance themselves on the bike when riding in place. Both are expensive and cost anywhere from $100-$300.
Theta Phi Alpha went from having no equipment other than their personal road bikes to having expensive rollers and trainers to ride in the winter, just like the best teams.
Before that, the game plan for Kamplain and her colleagues was to go to IU’s SRSC, where the odds of getting a bike to ride on were no guarantee based on the influx of college student’s wanting to hit the stationary that particular day.
“It was really hard to train, and it’s not that like a lot of teams that don’t have those resources don’t want to put that work in,” Kamplain said. “The resources just aren’t there; it’s just so expensive. We never would’ve had that if it weren’t that Theta Phi were lucky enough to move into the Delts house.”
The lack of resources explains why the women’s race has sometimes struggled to field a full set of teams. In the 31 years the women’s 500 has existed, the full field has been maxed out to 33 teams just five times. But Kamplain believes that going to 200 laps won’t change that dynamic — and in fact is an important step toward real equality.
“Women are definitely capable of riding 200 laps,” Kamplain said. “But I don’t think the whole field is there yet.”
***
Just 32 women’s teams are set to compete in the Little 500 this year, another year without a maxed out field.
The schedule is still set for the Friday before the men’s race — the same day as IU football’s spring game — at 4 p.m. where classes aren’t cancelled unless professors personally choose to. Upping the race count extends the hours of the race, and since it’s not a Saturday 2 p.m. start, the sun could start to go down as the race goes on, causing IUSF to turn on the lights, which is money to spend.
For the 32nd straight year, the women’s race will serve as an opening act — half the distance, on a weekday, with half the crowd that shows up the following day.
“The only reason we aren’t riding 200 laps is because we are being told we can do 100,” Kwasniewski said.
The “Nasty Women” hear the talks of resources and think they can try and tackle both things at the same time. They plan to develop a training plan for a 200-lap race, as well as a donation drive where people can donate old bikes they don’t use anymore and it can be given to underfunded women’s teams, in addition to doing a big garage sale once a year for other miscellaneous materials.
They are trying to cover all grounds to make sure this rule change has the best chance of passing and to get the equal laps they think the women deserve.
The 2019 women’s Little 500 will take place on April 12, while the meeting to discuss this change isn’t scheduled until two weeks after the race. If the rule change passes, it won’t get implemented until the Little 500 in 2020, which means the women who created this petition won’t be able to compete in it.
But it’s not about them being able to brag they raced 200 laps.
“We just want to do this for the women who do Little Five at IU,” Oberholzer said. “Whether we like it or not, we’re the future, so we might as well start making good things happen while we have the resources to start.”
In an article published by the Indiana Daily Student in 1987, Spero Pulos, the assistant director at IUSF at the time, said, “Everything has to start out small,” in reference to the women’s race.
After 31 consecutive years of the race being 100 laps, Kwasniewski, Oberholzer and company believe it’s been long enough for the small start, and it’s time to go big.
(04/09/19 5:48pm)
Get ready for the 2019 men's and women's Little 500's with our preview show recorded from Beckley Studio in Franklin Hall. We chat with riders from SKI and Phi Delta Theta in studio, get breakdowns of each race from the Indiana Daily Student beat reporters and much more. Race broadcasters Jacob Vinson and Josh Eastern co-host.
A big thanks to everyone who helped put these together at The Media School at IU and to IU Sports Media.
(04/07/19 9:47pm)
On this edition of the Quest for Nine Report, Indiana men's soccer knocks off Lipscomb, 3-0, in the lone spring home match of 2019. Hear from Todd Yeagley and Thomas Warr.
(04/05/19 6:16pm)
As IU senior goalkeeper Sean Caulfield said, there are no trophies won in the spring season.
And because there aren’t, it gives IU coach Todd Yeagley and the Hoosiers a great opportunity for the young guys to get a look. That is the case because Indiana lost nearly an entire starting lineup from last year’s roster. But, coming off its trip to Mexico over spring break, Indiana has a bit of a better idea of who those new faces will be.
The Hoosiers will have their one and only chance to play in front of their fans during this spring season come Sunday when they welcome in the Lipscomb Bisons to Bloomington. It not only will be a chance to play a quality opponent, but another chance to experiment with the lineup this spring.
(04/04/19 5:03pm)
We are back with another episode of the Little 500 podcast and are happy to be joined by Curt Simic and Peter Tattersfield (starting around the 36:56 mark). Both have raced in the Little 500, and in Simic's case, has been around the race in some capacity for most of his life. Both share their experiences in the Little 500 and what it means to them. Simic chats with Josh Eastern and Galen Clavio while Tattersfield caught up with Galen in Mexico City.
(04/02/19 1:33am)
On this edition of the Little 500 podcast, we talk with new color commentator and Little 500 champion, Charlie Hammon. We talk about this year's race along with his time as a rider in the race. Hammon is joined by Josh and Eddie.
(03/27/19 2:18am)
Indiana's season came to a close Tuesday night with a 73-63 loss to the Wichita State Shockers.
The 3-point shooting of the Shockers was the difference as they made 11 3-pointers and were led by Markis McDuffie who finished with a game high 21 points. For the Hoosiers, Juwan Morgan also had 21 in a losing effort.
The Hoosiers finished the season at 19-16 in what was a bizarre season that still nearly ended up with a NCAA Tournament berth. Listen to what Archie Miller and some players had to say postgame along with our three takeaways.
(03/25/19 10:00pm)
The Indiana basketball season just keeps motoring along after two more wins in the NIT have them in the quarterfinals. We break down how they got here and what has gone into this NIT run. Can IU make it to NYC? Josh, Connor and Austin discuss.
(03/25/19 9:59pm)
The Indiana women's basketball season has officially come to a close after a second round loss in the NCAA Tournament to the Oregon Ducks. We take a look back at the NCAA Tournament run and try to sum up what this season was for Teri Moren and the Hoosiers. Josh, Connor and Austin discuss.
(03/21/19 10:33pm)
Indiana women’s basketball is where it wants to be.
All season long, the talk has been about getting back to the NCAA Tournament. IU coach Teri Moren said at the beginning of the season the WNIT title last season was good, but it wasn’t the ultimate goal. When Monday’s bracket was leaked, the Hoosiers saw they were ultimately in the 64-team field.
So when Indiana takes the floor Friday night at Matthew-Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon against the No. 7-seed Texas Longhorns, the No. 10-seed Hoosiers will be in an NCAA Tournament game for the first time since 2016. It’s been a long time coming, but Indiana isn’t content with just the one game. They’re happy they made it, but they want to be in Eugene longer than just one game.
“We’re hungry, we’re still chasing the same end goal that all other 63 teams are chasing,” IU forward Brenna Wise said. “So, we’re not just going to settle and say we’re content with getting in. We got more to be done.”
(03/20/19 1:19pm)
Indiana basketball started its NIT journey with a 89-72 win over the St. Francis Red Flash and advanced to host Arkansas on Saturday afternoon in Bloomington.
The Hoosiers were led by 28 points by Juwan Morgan and 22 points from Al Durham. They were losing at halftime, but outscored the Red Flash 55-32 in the second half to pull away and earn the win.
Here's some reaction and our coverage from Assembly Hall.
(03/19/19 10:17pm)
After sweating being on the bubble, the Hoosiers are off to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016. Indiana earned a 10-seed and will be facing the Texas Longhorns in Eugene, Oregon. Can Indiana make a run? Josh, Austin and Connor discuss.
(03/19/19 4:45pm)
Since rebranding itself as Bears Cycling, the team has taken on the role of being one of a few teams made up of nearly all Bloomington kids. This group of townies have grown up with the race in their backyard and now have been able to compete in the race for a few years. Josh Eastern tells their story.
(03/19/19 5:28am)
This wasn’t how it was supposed go for Indiana basketball.
In a season that started out with such promise, the Hoosiers didn’t see their name called on Selection Sunday. Instead they were one of the first four teams out of the NCAA Tournament, receiving a No. 1 seed in this year’s National Invitation Tournament.
After Thursday’s Big Ten Tournament loss to Ohio State, Indiana had some time to sit on its hands and wait. But now that waiting game is complete and there is no time to dwell as the Hoosiers will welcome in the St. Francis (PA) Red Flash Tuesday night to Assembly Hall.
“Our message is at the end of the day if you have an opportunity to put an Indiana jersey on, you better be ready to play,” IU coach Archie Miller said. “For us, obviously there's disappointment, but at the same time there's also opportunity. We need to focus in on the opportunity, then we need to be ready to go.”
(03/19/19 4:56am)
After coming off a WNIT title in 2018, the Hoosiers were one of two teams to end their season with a win.
But coming into the 2018-19 season, the goal wasn’t another WNIT title. While it was great for IU to fill up Assembly Hall en route to the title, there was a bigger goal in mind: to get back to the NCAA Tournament.
With that goal in mind, Indiana started the season with a nearly unblemished record in the non-conference. Then in Big Ten play the Hoosiers started off hot before losing six of seven games at one point. But a late season rally in which they knocked off a top ranked Iowa team, beat their rival Purdue by over 20 points and another win in the Big Ten Tournament ultimately was enough to push them over the line.
(03/09/19 6:33pm)
MEXICO CITY -- The Indiana men's soccer team is in Mexico City from March 8-March 16. Josh Eastern, Eddie Cotton, Juan Diego Alvarado and Michael Ramirez are following the team during its time in Mexico.
Each day the crew will have content about their time and what the team is up to. Below will be a running timeline of content created while on the ground in Mexico City. The team will also play two games on Tuesday (3/12) and Thursday (3/14).
Follow along with The Hoosier Network as we take you behind the scenes of Indiana men's soccer's trip in Mexico City.
(03/08/19 4:59am)
Indiana baseball will travel again this weekend for another national round-robin tournament as they participate in the Seattle Baseball Showcase.
The formerly named Safeco Field Tournament will be held at newly named T-Mobile Park and will host Washington, No. 17 Coastal Carolina, San Diego, Minnesota, and No. 4 Oregon State.
The Hoosiers will play Washington on Friday, Oregon State on Saturday, and San Diego on Sunday.
It will be another test of a weekend for Indiana, facing some tough competition and having to travel across the country. They’ll look to improve upon their 6-5 record after taking two of three games from the Coastal Carolina Tournament last weekend.
Now let’s take a deeper look at Indiana’s opponents for the weekend.
Friday: Washington
The Hoosiers will start the tournament with Washington, who’s off to a stellar start with an 8-2 record.
The game will be a great test for Indiana. Washington is an experienced and talented team who went 36-25 a season ago and made it all the way to the College World Series before getting eliminated by Oregon State.
The Huskies come into the game hot, having won seven in a row and putting up lots of runs. They’re averaging 8.4 runs per game and even beat Northern Colorado earlier in the season by a score of 25-8.
Washington has four hitters who are hitting better than .300 and are led by junior catcher Nick Kahle who was named a Collegiate Baseball Preseason Third-Team All-American.
Kahle consistently hits in the two or three-hole for the Huskies and has a .419 batting average to go along with two home runs, 14 RBIs, and 10 walks on the season.
Washington will likely go with freshman right-hander David Rhodes to start on the bump. Rhodes is a player with a lot of upside. He was drafted in the 40th round of the 2018 MLB Draft to the Mariners out of high school.
In three starts, Rhodes only has 12 innings of work but has posted a 1.50 ERA and two wins.
Saturday: No. 4 Oregon State
The weekend doesn’t get any easier for Indiana as they’ll face not only two PAC-12 and 2018 College World Series teams in a row, but the defending national champions in No. 4 Oregon State.
The Beavers are 10-1 and won their first 10 before dropping one to West Virginia, 2-0.
This could be the toughest game for Indiana all season and Oregon State’s strength against Big Ten opponents won’t make things any easier.
Oregon State swept Nebraska in a four-game series two weekends ago and on Feb. 17 when they played Minnesota, the 2018 Big Ten Champs and 2019 preseason pick to win the conference again, Oregon State won 13-1.
The Oregon State bats are strong and are led by their guys in the two through four slots: sophomore right fielder Alex McGarry, junior catcher Adley Rutschman, and junior shortstop Beau Philip, respectively.
All three are hitting at least .343 for their beating average and have 10 plus RBIs. McGarry is hitting at a .429 mark and Rutschman has hit five home runs already.
The Beavers will go with Saturday starter and senior righty Bryce Fehmel to start. Fehmel was on the 2018 All-PAC-12 First Team and has a career 3.17 ERA.
In 2019, Fehmel is 2-0 in three appearances with a 2.70 ERA, 17 strikeouts, and has only given up one home run. Opponents’ batting average stands at .160.
Sunday: San Diego
Indiana will close their time in Seattle with a solid San Diego squad with a 9-4 record.
Though San Diego is not a cakewalk by any means, this will be the most winnable game for Indiana and a great way to end the weekend with a potential win.
San Diego is a team that likes to hit for contact rather than swing for the fences. They’ve only hit three home runs on the season thus far.
They do have six players who are hitting .300 or better and four with 10 plus RBIs.
Freshman utilityman Cody Jefferis is leading the way with a .388 batting average, 14 RBIs, and has drawn 11 walks. He also has hit four doubles on the season.
The Toreros have yet to establish a consistent Sunday starter but junior lefty Josh Hendrickson, junior righty Louie Crow, and junior lefty Chris Murphy are all possibilities who have made Sunday starts this season.
Here’s a comparison of the three pitchers’ stats to the season.
Hendrickson: 2.20 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 2-0, 14 K (16.1 IP)
Crow: 4.50 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 0-0, 6 K (6 IP)
Murphy: 2.45 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 1-1, 27 K (18.1 IP)
If Indiana can replicate what it did in the Coastal Carolina Tournament, winning two of three games, then it will have been a successful weekend for the Hoosiers.