Sports

Junior swimmer in starring role after slow start

Some athletes begin swimming when they are young, competing and improving as they grow. Through years of hard work and practice, some become good and some become great. Others have natural talent and athletic ability that goes untapped until it explodes in a display of broken records and conference honors.

Heavyweights illustrate recruiting difference

The difference between the wrestlers from No. 1 Minnesota and No. 22 IU was apparent in the heavyweights' post-match wardrobes. Minnesota freshman Garrett Lowney walked from the locker room to the team bus after Friday's 25-12 win wearing a jacket from the 2000 Olympic Games. Senior heavyweight Mike Dixon left the Hoosiers' locker room wearing an IU letterman jacket.

Turnovers hurt Hoosier offense

Iowa City, Iowa -- About 10 minutes into the second half of Sunday's game, Hawkeye guard Mary Berdo faked left and exploded down the baseline. Met down low, she fired the ball out to junior forward Jerica Watson, who put up an uncontested shot in the lane. It rattled around for a few seconds, then fell in. The Hoosiers (14-7, 5-5 Big Ten) then lost possession of the ball on the other end, and Berdo took it up the court. She stutter-stepped on her defender and buried a long three.

Hoosiers seek better competition, faster times

Four Hoosiers and a relay team won events at the women's track and field Indiana Invitational this weekend at the Harry Gladstein Fieldhouse. Personal records were set, and IU sprinters dominated the finals. But coach Randy Heisler said he's not yet sure if his team is ready for the indoor Big Ten championship in three weeks.

Invitational gears team for conference meet

With three weeks until the Big Ten Indoor Track Championships, coach Marshall Goss was looking for some sign of life from a number of his athletes. His wish came true this weekend at the Indiana Invitational. Goss said he believed the competition proved his athletes would be able to compete in the conference. "I felt that we competed very well," Goss said. "We still have a ways to go, but in looking at the areas across the board, you can pick out highlights.

Purdue prevails against Indiana

When any IU team faces Purdue, motivation isn't a problem. The motivation is Purdue. But this weekend's swim meet against the Boilermakers would also be that last time Purdue would swim in Lambert Pool. Try as they might, the men's swim team couldn't beat the Boilermakers. It won four of the events at the meet in a 131-112 loss to Purdue Saturday. "It was one of the Indiana-Purdue battles that we came up on the short end of," coach Kris Kirchner said. "We had some great performances by a bunch of different guys."

Fife's effort leads to win

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- When IU played Penn State Jan. 17 in Assembly Hall, junior guard Dane Fife played one of his best defensive games, shutting down Penn State guard Joe Crispin, one of the nation's most accurate shooters. A gritty performance from Fife on defense is hardly a surprise. But interim head coach Mike Davis has been waiting patiently this season for Fife to show more consistency on offense.

Tie, win clinch title for Hoosiers

To clinch the Midwest Collegiate Hockey League regular season championship, the hockey team had to do no worse than a win and a tie against top-ranked University of Michigan this weekend. So in a Hollywood-style turn of events, the Hoosiers (15-7-2, 11-1-2 MCHL) fought back from a 4-1 deficit to tie the Wolverines Friday, then crushed Michigan (20-5-2, 11-2-1 MCHL) 7-3 Saturday.

Haston scores career-high 29

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Although the Hoosiers are notorious for struggling on the road, junior center Kirk Haston found a sweet spot 550 miles east of Bloomington. Last February, he scored what was then a career-high 28 points against Penn State. Saturday, Haston was playing with four fouls and managed to score a career-high 29 points in IU's 85-78 overtime win against Penn State (13-7, 3-6 Big Ten) before a crowd of 15,232 at the Bryce Jordan Center. It was the first time the Hoosiers won back-to-back games on the road in the conference since the 1995-96 season.

Minnesota too strong for Hoosiers

As the opening lineups were announced Friday night for IU's clash with Minnesota, it was understood a Hoosier victory would be nothing short of miraculous. The Golden Gophers were favorites to win at every weight class. The overmatched Hoosiers lost seven of nine matches and accepted one forfeit as the No. 1 ranked Gophers out-muscled No. 22 Indiana 25-12. The loss gave the Hoosiers (13-4,1-3 Big Ten) their third consecutive conference defeat and preserved Minnesota\'s (14-1,3-0 Big Ten) perfect conference record.

Hoosiers to defend record against Eagles

When the women's tennis team travels to Marquette at 11 a.m. Sunday, it is about more than simply winning matches -- it is about staying perfect. The Hoosiers are unblemished at 4-0.

Women\'s basketball star pleads guilty to felony

Senior forward Rachael Honegger has been sentenced to six months on house arrest for embezzling a grocery store out of about $13,000. Monroe Circuit Judge David Welch sentenced Honegger, 22, on Monday to a three-year jail term, suspending all but six months of that sentence.

Do or die for Hoosier hockey

IU returns for 4-team tourney

After opening the season with a win at Notre Dame Jan. 25, the men's tennis team looks to continue its early success with a pair of matches Saturday at the Indiana Winter Invitational.

Team looks for league win

The men's swim team hasn't enjoyed its dual meet season much. Two wins in seven tries attest to that, as will a winless Big Ten campaign. But all could be mended 4 p.m. Saturday when the Hoosiers trek north for a battle in rival Purdue's 61-year-old Lambert Pool.

XFL to kick off season

NBC will kick off the season for a new football league at 8 p.m. Friday. The New York/New Jersey Hitmen will travel to Las Vegas.

Coach seeks consistency, personal bests

Friday and Saturday will be a gut check for the men's indoor track team. Fifteen teams will challenge the Hoosiers in their own Harry Gladstein Fieldhouse beginning at 4 p.m. Friday and noon Saturday.

Indiana Invitational is warm-up for things to come

The women's indoor track team defeated nationally ranked Ohio State in its last meet, but no ranked teams will make the trip to the 27th annual Indiana Invitational.

Familiar faces square off in conference showdown

Lisa Bluder and Kathi Bennett have seen a lot of each other during the past 12 years. For Bluder, it's usually a pleasant get-together. For Bennett, it's been a nightmare.

Road problems cured, for now

Well, we finally won a Big Ten road game. It's about time. Before Wednesday night's 70-67 victory at Ohio State, the Hoosiers had gone almost a year without a conference victory away from Assembly Hall.