Sports

Team reloads with talent over summer

Both of your captains have graduated. So have five of your point leaders. And it's your first year on the job. This is the predicament of Adam Schuchman, first-year general manager of the IU ice hockey team. The Hoosiers reached the 2002 National semifinals in March, but will be a much different team when Schuchman holds tryouts in September.

Four wrestlers move on to Nationals

This weekend is what the Hoosier wrestling team has been working toward all season. Four wrestlers will travel to Albany, NY to participate in the NCAA Championships this Thursday. For one person, it's his last shot at the national title he covets. For another, it's his first championship. For the other two, it's their chance for redemption and to improve on last year's results.

Exorcised

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Chances are, you didn't think this could happen. IU beat defending national champion and top-ranked Duke? No way. You were correct until less than a minute remained in Thursday night's South Regional semifinal in Rupp Arena. But, all those brackets with Duke marching straight to the Final Four took a big hit, thanks to an inspirational comeback that took the Hoosiers the entire second half to complete. It was the comeback that wouldn't quit. On a team that wouldn't fold, either.

Serena outduels Venus for second straight Grand Slam

WIMBLEDON, England -- They smacked strokes just as they do against anyone else. They ran down balls aggressively, too.

After slow start, Purdue hits stride

This season has been rough for Gene Keady and his Purdue Boilermakers. Trying to fight through the Big Ten without much defense, Keady has been left feeling a little under the weather. "These games lately, my chest has been hurting," Keady said. "January and February can get long. Thank goodness the weather's been nice." Sun began to shine for the Boilermakers (11-11, 3-5 Big Ten) last week when they had two victories, beating Northwestern and Iowa. The wins took Purdue back toward the middle of the Big Ten standings after opening the conference season with five losses in six games.

Reddick and Wilson top conference

IU has one of the best triple jumpers in the Big Ten in Hassan Reddick. The junior finished second in both the indoor and outdoor Big Ten Championships and earned a provisional to the NCAA championship last season. This season, Reddick has improved but faces stiffer competition. Fellow teammate freshman Aarik Wilson could possibly be the toughest he finds. "This year the Big Ten is probably the best it has ever been in the triple jump, but these two should vie for the Big Ten championship," coach Marshall Goss said.

Three-headed monster solves MSU's Taylor

INDIANAPOLIS - Senior Dane Fife submitted his request to guard Michigan State's Marcus Taylor early this week. Friday in the quarterfinal round of the Big Ten Tournament in Conseco Fieldhouse, he got his wish. Then split the duties three ways. Fife, with help from junior Tom Coverdale and freshman Donald Perry, hounded Taylor, the Big Ten's leading scorer and top assist man, all afternoon as No. 21 and fourth-seeded IU (20-10) won 67-56 over the fifth-seeded Spartans (19-11). Taylor scored a game-high 20 points but was just 8 of 18 from the field and committed six turnovers with only two assists.

Independents Rule Race

The 52nd running of the men's Little 500 came and went in the tradition of past years without emphasis on the controversy that led up to the race. Saturday The Corleones won the race with speed, humor, and an almost two-lap lead over the majority of the competition.

Buckeyes riding high before Saturday showdown at home

Ohio State Head coach Jim O'Brien wouldn't say that he is surprised to be tied with IU at the top of the Big Ten standings. But going into tomorrow's showdown with the Hoosiers at Value City Arena in Columbus with the conference lead on the line, O'Brien said he is happy with what his team has done so far.

Spurrier introduces his style to 'Skins

ASHBURN, Va. -- Steve Spurrier took the field in chilling fog and drizzle Tuesday for his first practice as an NFL coach. The Fun 'N' Gun is definitely not in Florida any more. "Sort of like playing golf in Ireland," said Spurrier, who exchanged his trademark visor for a black baseball cap because of the weather.

Cyclists ready for women's Little 500

After competing in the biathlon, street sprints, qualifications, Individual Time Trials, Miss-N-Out and Team Pursuit, it's time for the women's teams to take to the track for the event that matters -- the women's Little 500. The women's teams jumped onto their bikes for the first time competitively in the fall with the biathlon. Next was the street sprints. The series took a mid-semester break until January. Since then, bikes have been making continuous circles around Bill Armstrong Stadium's track in practice and series events.

Recruits hoop it up at first practice

Sean May has a knack for dodging questions about where he will play college basketball next season, but early Saturday morning at IU's Midnight Madness, the Bloomington High School North star couldn't escape.

Hoosiers get hot in Florida weather, finish 3rd

The women's golf team's play in its first two tournaments was a lot like the Bloomington weather. Both were inconsistent. Some days it seemed like spring, and sometimes the team practiced indoors for days in a row. Likewise in their tournaments, sometimes the team shot season-low rounds and sometimes it struggled.

IU joins five ranked teams in championships

In their last dual meet of the year, the unranked Hoosiers took the 21st ranked Purdue Boilermakers by surprise, winning in convincing fashion. Now, the Hoosiers hope it's time to take the rest of the conference by surprise when the Big Ten championship meet begins today at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center and continues through Saturday. "We need to make this the best meet of the year to date," Coach Kris Kirchner said. "We need to be swimming faster than we ever have before."

Sophomore uses 'natural gifts' to lead team

Looking at the box scores of IU's water polo matches this year, one name consistently appears under any offensive category statistic.

A tale of two teams

As a co-host of the Big Red Classic at Lake Diamond Golf & Country Club in Ocala, Fla. March 9-10, IU was optimistic they would be swinging into contention for the tournament title. Instead, the Hoosiers struggled to their worst finish since the season-opening Badger Invitational in September. IU placed 14th in the 16-team tournament.

Team drops first game

The Reebok Lady Stars brought its celebrity-studded lineup Wednesday night to Assembly Hall, much to the dismay of coach Kathi Bennett and the IU women's basketball team. WNBA standouts Katie Douglas and Ukari Figgs scorched the defensively-troubled Hoosiers, as the touring team of former college and professional players outlasted IU 84-83 in an exhibition game. Besides showing that Purdue products Douglas and Figgs can still knock-off IU, the night game proved to Bennett that her team needs to improve its transition defense, sloppy passing and ability to put away opponents. "They're very experienced," Bennett said about the Stars, who in recent weeks have pasted Butler 112-81 and Valparaiso 68-56. "They've been there, they know it and can play really loose."

Live football updates on www.idsnews.com

Starting this weekend, the IDS and WIUS student radio will present a special Web site for IU football fans to "watch" the games and track statistics as the game unfolds.

Hoosiers shock Badgers 63-32

MADISON, Wis. -- So this is what good defense looks like. This here, just past midfield, senior Sharrod Wallace running step-for-step with Wisconsin's Lee Evans and breaking up Brooks Bollinger's bomb on the first play of the game, is how pass coverage is supposed to go.

Weather allows 2 of 3; 2 losses