“THE SCOREBOARD” ================================================================ INDIANA BOYS BASKETBALL THURSDAY ALEXANDRIA 70 TAYLOR 63 ANDERSON PREP 70 SOUTHWESTERN (SHELBYVILLE) 50 AUSTIN 58 TRINITY LUTHERAN 52 AVON 55 INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE 54 OT BEN DAVIS 78 INDIANAPOLIS ARSENAL TECH 52 BLACKFORD 70 MUNCIE BURRIS 36 BOONVILLE 60 SOUTHRIDGE 51 BORDEN 57 SALEM 48 BROWN COUNTY 43 EDINBURGH 41 CASTON 56 NORTH MIAMI 51 COLUMBUS NORTH 70 COVENANT CHRISTIAN 63 CORYDON CENTRAL 80 SPRINGS VALLEY 56 CROWN POINT 97 HANOVER CENTRAL 54 DEMOTTE CHRISTIAN 61 WINAMAC 58 EDGEWOOD 63 EASTERN GREENE 60 FOREST PARK 64 EVANSVILLE DAY 26 FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK 64 FORT WAYNE NORTHROP 40 FORT WAYNE SOUTH 72 NEW HAVEN 59 GIBSON SOUTHERN 67 NORTH POSEY 52 HAMMOND MORTON 70 SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON 66 OT HAUSER 70 GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN 42 HERITAGE CHRISTIAN 58 INDIAN CREEK 48 INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD 59 COLUMBUS EAST 56 INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI 77 INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS 49 JASPER 67 BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE 48 KANKAKEE VALLEY 74 NORTH JUDSON 66 LAFAYETTE JEFF 69 INDIANAPOLIS TINDLEY 41 LAPEL 77 TIPTON 60 LAWRENCE CENTRAL 90 SOUTHPORT 65 LAWRENCE NORTH 76 FRANKLIN CENTRAL 63 LAWRENCEBURG 59 OLDENBURG ACADEMY 46 LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN 65 DUGGER UNION 52 LOOGOOTEE 52 NORTH KNOX 39 MONROVIA 93 BELIEVE CIRCLE CITY 35 MORGAN TWP. 75 LAKE STATION 66 MOUNT VERNON (POSEY) 65 SOUTH SPENCER 43 NEW PALESTINE 59 WARREN CENTRAL 46 NORTH DAVIESS 57 SULLIVAN 47 NORTHVIEW 65 BLOOMINGTON SOUTH 53 PLAINFIELD 81 DANVILLE 52 PURDUE BROAD RIPPLE 62 INTERNATIONAL 43 RIVERTON PARKE 55 SOUTH VERMILLION 32 RUSHVILLE 61 NORTH DECATUR 42 SHAKAMAK 61 OWEN VALLEY 44 SHELBYVILLE 84 BATESVILLE 69 SHERIDAN 90 TRADERS POINT CHRISTIAN 37 SOUTH BEND RILEY 81 BOWMAN ACADEMY 33 UNIVERSITY 82 INDIANA MATH & SCIENCE 49 VALPARAISO 76 HAMMOND CENTRAL 54 WHITE RIVER VALLEY 47 VINCENNES RIVET 37 WOOD MEMORIAL 62 SOUTH KNOX 42 ================================================================== INDIANA BOYS BASKETBALL FRIDAY ALL TIMES EASTERN ADAMS CENTRAL AT LAKEWOOD PARK 7:30 PM ANDERSON PREP AT MORRISTOWN 7:30 PM ANDREAN AT CALUMET 8:00 PM ANGOLA AT LAKELAND 7:30 PM ARGOS AT ELKHART CHRISTIAN 7:30 PM BEECH GROVE AT WHITELAND 7:30 PM BENTON CENTRAL AT LOGANSPORT 7:30 PM BETHANY CHRISTIAN AT FREMONT 7:30 PM BLOOMFIELD AT BARR-REEVE 7:30 PM BLUE RIVER VALLEY AT FRANKTON 7:30 PM BREMEN AT CULVER 7:30 PM BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL AT ORLEANS 7:30 PM CALUMET CHRISTIAN AT HEBRON 8:00 PM CASCADE AT MONROVIA 7:30 PM CASTLE AT JEFFERSONVILLE 8:00 PM CENTERVILLE AT CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN 7:30 PM CENTRAL NOBLE AT FAIRFIELD 7:30 PM CHESTERTON AT CULVER ACADEMY 7:30 PM CHRISTIAN ACADEMY AT NORTH HARRISON 7:30 PM CHURUBUSCO AT EASTSIDE 7:30 PM CLARKSVILLE AT ROCK CREEK ACADEMY 7:30 PM CLAY CITY AT RIVERTON PARKE 7:30 PM CONCORD AT WESTVIEW 7:30 PM COWAN AT SOUTHERN WELLS 7:30 PM CRAWFORDSVILLE AT COVINGTON 7:30 PM CROTHERSVILLE AT MEDORA 7:00 PM EAST CENTRAL AT GREENSBURG 7:30 PM EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL AT GRIFFITH 8:00 PM EASTERN (GREENTOWN) AT CARROLL (FLORA) 7:30 PM ELKHART AT NORTHWOOD 7:45 PM EVANSVILLE CHRISTIAN AT NORTH CENTRAL (FARMERSBURG) 8:00 PM EVANSVILLE HARRISON AT EVANSVILLE CENTRAL 8:00 PM EVANSVILLE REITZ AT EVANSVILLE BOSSE 8:00 PM FAITH CHRISTIAN AT NORTH WHITE 7:30 PM FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA AT COLUMBIA CITY 7:30 PM FORT WAYNE LUERS AT CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) 7:30 PM FORT WAYNE SNIDER AT MARION 7:30 PM FRANKFORT AT DELPHI 7:30 PM FRONTIER AT CLINTON CENTRAL 7:30 PM GARRETT AT WEST NOBLE 7:30 PM GARY LIGHTHOUSE AT GARY WEST 8:00 PM HAGERSTOWN AT EASTERN HANCOCK 7:30 PM HAMMOND MORTON AT PORTAGE 8:00 PM HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE) AT LEBANON 7:30 PM HUNTINGTON NORTH AT KOKOMO 7:30 PM INDIANA MATH & SCIENCE AT KIPP INDY LEGACY 7:30 PM INDIANAPOLIS HERRON AT PROVIDENCE CRISTO REY 7:30 PM INDIANAPOLIS METROPOLITAN AT FRANKLIN 7:30 PM INDIANAPOLIS ROOTED AT VICTORY COLLEGE PREP 6:00 PM JAC-CEN-DEL AT SOUTH RIPLEY 7:30 PM JAY COUNTY AT BELLMONT 7:30 PM JOHN GLENN AT GOSHEN 7:30 PM KNIGHTSTOWN AT SOUTH DECATUR 7:30 PM KNOX AT TRITON 8:00 PM KOUTS AT TRI-TOWNSHIP 8:00 PM LAKE CENTRAL AT MCCUTCHEON 7:30 PM LAKE STATION AT WEST CENTRAL 8:00 PM LAKELAND CHRISTIAN AT WHITKO 7:30 PM LAVILLE AT PLYMOUTH 7:30 PM LEWIS CASS AT LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC 7:30 PM MACONAQUAH AT ROCHESTER 7:45 PM MADISON AT SWITZERLAND COUNTY 7:30 PM MADISON-GRANT AT DALEVILLE 7:30 PM MERRILLVILLE AT PENN 8:00 PM MILAN AT UNION COUNTY 7:30 PM MISHAWAKA MARIAN AT LAPORTE 8:00 PM MISSISSINEWA AT MANCHESTER 7:30 PM MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE) AT YORKTOWN 7:30 PM MUNSTER AT WHITING 8:00 PM NEW ALBANY AT BLOOMINGTON NORTH 7:30 PM NEW CASTLE AT MUNCIE CENTRAL 7:30 PM NEW WASHINGTON AT SOUTH DEARBORN 7:30 PM NORTHEAST DUBOIS AT EVANSVILLE MATER DEI 8:00 PM NORTHEASTERN AT CONNERSVILLE 7:30 PM NORTHRIDGE AT DEKALB 7:30 PM NORWELL AT HOMESTEAD 7:30 PM OAK HILL AT DELTA 7:30 PM OREGON-DAVIS AT ST. THOMAS MORE 7:30 PM PAOLI AT CRAWFORD COUNTY 7:30 PM PHALEN ACADEMY AT PARK TUDOR 7:00 PM PURDUE ENGLEWOOD AT INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN 7:30 PM SEEGER AT NORTH VERMILLION 7:30 PM SEYMOUR AT SILVER CREEK 7:30 PM SHAWE MEMORIAL AT CARROLLTON CHRISTIAN (KY.) 7:00 PM SHENANDOAH AT WAPAHANI 7:30 PM SHOALS AT WEST WASHINGTON 7:30 PM SOUTH ADAMS AT EASTBROOK 7:30 PM SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH AT MISHAWAKA 7:30 PM SOUTH NEWTON AT ATTICA 7:00 PM SOUTH PUTNAM AT DUGGER UNION 7:30 PM SOUTHWOOD AT BLUFFTON 7:30 PM SPEEDWAY AT TRITON CENTRAL 7:30 PM TERRE HAUTE NORTH AT EVANSVILLE NORTH 8:00 PM TERRE HAUTE SOUTH AT PARKE HERITAGE 7:30 PM TRI-CENTRAL AT NORTHFIELD 7:30 PM TRI-COUNTY AT PIONEER 7:30 PM TRI-WEST AT INDIANAPOLIS RITTER 7:30 PM WABASH AT PERU 7:45 PM WALDRON AT RISING SUN 7:30 PM WASHINGTON AT EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL 8:00 PM WASHINGTON CATHOLIC AT SOUTH VERMILLION 7:30 PM WASHINGTON TWP. AT TRINITY ACADEMY 7:30 PM WAWASEE AT EAST NOBLE 7:30 PM WEST LAFAYETTE AT ROSSVILLE 7:30 PM ===================================================================== INDIANA GIRLS BASKETBALL STATE FINALS SESSION 1 10:30 AM ET | CLASS 1A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP BORDEN (24-4) VS. FREMONT (28-2) APPROX. 12:45 PM ET | CLASS 2A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP EASTERN (PEKIN) (20-7) VS. OAK HILL (24-3) SESSION 2 6 PM ET | CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP RONCALLI (27-3) VS. BELLMONT (24-3) 8:15 PM ET | CLASS 4A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP CENTER GROVE (28-0) VS. NORWELL (25-4) STATE FINALS PREVIEW: https://www.ihsaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2025-26%20Girls%20Basketball%20Preview.pdf =============================================================== MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCORES #13 MICHIGAN STATE 76 #8 PURDUE 74 ST. BONAVENTURE 94 RHODE ISLAND 76 HAWAII 77 UC DAVIS 73 UC SANTA BARBARA 70 UC RIVERSIDE 59 WICHITA STATE 88 MEMPHIS 82 UC IRVINE 68 CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE 67 CAL POLY 102 LONG BEACH STATE 92 UC SAN DIEGO 84 CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD 72 CALIFORNIA BAPTIST 68 UT ARLINGTON 56 =============================================================== WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCORES #10 LOUISVILLE 69 GEORGIA TECH 50 FLORIDA 74 #19 OLE MISS 67 #6 LSU 89 TENNESSEE 73 #7 OKLAHOMA 89 ARKANSAS 44 #16 KENTUCKY 63 AUBURN 56 #21 NORTH CAROLINA 82 VIRGINIA 70 #1 UCONN 84 GEORGETOWN 52 #5 VANDERBILT 85 #24 ALABAMA 60 #12 DUKE 80 FLORIDA STATE 52 #3 SOUTH CAROLINA 112 MISSOURI 71 #9 IOWA 82 ILLINOIS 78 #4 TEXAS 79 #23 GEORGIA 50 NOTRE DAME 72 SYRACUSE 62 NORTH CAROLINA STATE 65 WAKE FOREST 56 MIAMI FLORIDA 79 PITTSBURGH 58 VILLANOVA 82 SETON HALL 52 NORTHERN IOWA 92 VALPARAISO 54 DRAKE 87 EVANSVILLE 85 MURRAY STATE 115 INDIANA STATE 67 TEXAS A&M 68 MISSISSIPPI STATE 64 LONG BEACH STATE 67 CAL POLY 57 UC SANTA BARBARA 61 UC RIVERSIDE 57 UTEP 66 JACKSONVILLE STATE 64 UC IRVINE 60 CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE 57 CREIGHTON 69 PROVIDENCE 49 WASHINGTON STATE 69 SEATTLE 55 LOYOLA MARYMOUNT 66 SAN FRANCISCO 57 OREGON STATE 83 SAN DIEGO 49 SANTA CLARA 87 PACIFIC 79 GONZAGA 75 ST. MARY’S 67 =============================================================== MEN’S COLLEGE HOCKEY SCORES MINNESOTA 4 #2 MICHIGAN 2 FERRIS STATE 5 LAKE SUPERIOR STATE 2 =============================================================== MEN’S COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL SCORES #10 BALL STATE 3 TUSCULUM 1 #8 LOYOLA CHICAGO 3 NORTHERN KENTUCKY 0 #15 LEWIS 3 #13 OHIO STATE 0 ================================================================ COLLEGE WRESTLING SCORES NO MATCHES SCHEDULED ================================================================ DIVISION 1 COLLEGE SOFTBALL SCORES #2 TEXAS TECH 24 ABILENE CHRISTIAN 0 #16 OKLAHOMA STATE 2 #4 NEBRASKA 1 #5 OKLAHOMA 32 ALABAMA STATE 0 #6 FLORIDA 28 E. TEXAS A&M 0 #8 ARKANSAS 10 OMAHA 2 #10 FLORIDA STATE 12 FLORIDA GULF COAST 3 #10 FLORIDA STATE 5 FLORIDA GULF COAST 3 #14 ARIZONA 8 EASTERN ILLINOIS 0 #15 TEXAS A&M 8 HOUSTON 1 #21 VIRGINIA 9 GEORGE MASON 6 #23 ARIZONA STATE 9 UC RIVERSIDE 1 #25 GRAND CANYON 6 MINNESOTA 0 UTAH 4 SOUTHERN UTAH 3 UTAH 9 WEBER STATE 1 WEBER STATE 14 UTAH TECH 2 MCNEESE 11 IOWA 4 SOUTHERN 10 MEMPHIS 4 CAL STATE FULLERTON 3 BYU 2 AUBURN 8 DETROIT 7 SAN DIEGO STATE 5 SAN DIEGO 0 CENTRAL FLORIDA 8 DARTMOUTH 1 ================================================================= DIVISION 1 COLLEGE BASEBALL SCORES CALIFORNIA BAPTIST 16 SAN FRANCISCO 2 WICHITA STATE 3 OMAHA 2 BYU 6 WASHINGTON STATE 4 DALLAS BAPTIST 6 ORAL ROBERTS 5 USC 4 CAL POLY 0 HAWAII 6 BALL STATE 1 ================================================================= DIVISION 1 MEN’S LAX SCORES STONY BROOK 8 IONA 6 UMASS 11 BROWN 8 ================================================================= DIVISION 1 WOMEN’S LAX SCORES HOFSTRA 14 MARIST 8 #20 STONY BROOK 9 #11 COLORADO 7 DAVIDSON 17 WINTHROP 13 ================================================================= NBA SCORES PHILADELPHIA 124 MIAMI 117 CHARLOTTE 133 INDIANA 109 SAN ANTONIO 126 BROOKLYN 110 HOUSTON 113 ORLANDO 108 ATLANTA 126 WASHINGTON 96 PORTLAND 121 CHICAGO 112 SACRAMENTO 130 DALLAS 121 PHOENIX 113 LA LAKERS 110 NEW ORLEANS 129 UTAH 118 MINNESOTA 94 LA CLIPPERS 88 ================================================================== NBA G-LEAGUE SCORES AUSTIN 102 MOTOR CITY 94 WESTCHESTER 120 4C 12 CLEVELAND 129 OSCEOLA 107 GRAND RAPIDS 119 LONG ISLAND 116 RAPTORS 116 COLLEGE PARK 111 MEMPHIS 117 WISCONSIN 97 SOUTH BAY 129 VALLEY 98 ================================================================== NHL SCORES FLORIDA 5 TORONTO 1 BOSTON 4 COLUMBUS 2 CAROLINA 5 TAMPA BAY 4 DETROIT 2 OTTAWA 1 OT NY ISLANDERS 4 MONTRÉAL 3 OT PITTSBURGH 4 NEW JERSEY 1 PHILADELPHIA 3 NY RANGERS 2 OT NASHVILLE 4 CHICAGO 2 ST. LOUIS 5 SEATTLE 1 MINNESOTA 5 COLORADO 2 CALGARY 4 SAN JOSE 1 EDMONTON 8 LOS ANGELES 1 ================================================================== MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL BOSTON 7 TAMPA BAY 5 BALTIMORE 6 DETROIT 5 ST. LOUIS 9 HOUSTON 4 NY YANKEES 7 ATLANTA 3 PITTSBURGH 6 MINNESOTA 4 PHILADELPHIA 7 WASHINGTON 3 NY METS 5 HOUSTON 0 MIAMI 8 TORONTO 7 COLORADO 11 SAN FRANCISCO 3 CINCINNATI 11 SAN DIEGO 10 LA DODGERS 7 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 6 LAS VEGAS 7 TEXAS 3 MILWAUKEE 5 TEXAS 1 LA ANGELS 5 CHICAGO CUBS 4 ARIZONA 13 KANSAS CITY 10 SEATTLE 8 CLEVELAND 7 ================================================================== WOMEN’S PRO VOLLEYBALL SCORES SAN DIEGO 3 GRAND RAPIDS 0 ATLANTA 3 OMAHA 1 ================================================================== MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER MIAMI 2 INDEPENDENT DEL VALLE 1 ================================================================== NATIONAL SPORTS NEWS RELEASES NFL JETS AGREE TO TRADE JERMAINE JOHNSON TO THE TITANS FOR T’VONDRE SWEAT, AP SOURCE SAYS The New York Jets have agreed to trade pass rusher Jermaine Johnson to the Tennessee Titans for defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Thursday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the player-for-player swap of starting players cannot become official until the start of the NFL’s new league year on March 11. ESPN and NFL Network first reported the deal. Johnson will be reunited with Titans coach Robert Saleh, who was the Jets head coach when New York drafted the defensive end in the first round with the 22nd overall pick out of Florida State in 2022. He’ll also be back with defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton, who was his position coach with the Jets his first three seasons. “New York, thank you for everything truly,” Johnson wrote on X. “The love I’ve been shown here for the past 4-5 years has been nothing short of amazing, both on and off the field. Y’all will always hold a special place in my heart. Wish all of my former coaches and former teammates the best!! Thank all of y’all for sharing a battlefield with me.” He closed with: “11 out,” referring to his jersey number with the Jets, and added a salute emoji. The trade of Johnson leaves the Jets with just one of their first-round picks from 2022: wide receiver Garrett Wilson, who was taken 10th overall that year. Cornerback Sauce Gardner, the fourth overall pick, was traded to Indianapolis in November. The deal also puts the Jets in position to potentially take the best pass rusher in the draft in April — possibly Ohio State’s Arvell Reese, Texas Tech’s David Bailey or Miami’s Reuben Bain — with the No. 2 overall selection as coach Aaron Glenn tries to improve a defense that was among the NFL’s worse during a 3-14 season. Glenn fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilks with three games remaining and hired Brian Duker last month to replace him. Glenn confirmed Tuesday at the NFL combine that he will call the plays on defense next season. The 27-year-old Johnson was set to play next season on his fifth-year rookie option, but will save the Jets $13.4 million on the salary cap and he could become a free agent next offseason. Considered a rising star during his first few years with the Jets, which included a Pro Bowl selection in 2023, Johnson had just three sacks a season after tearing his right Achilles tendon in the second game of 2024. He had 13 sacks in 47 games with the Jets, had a touchdown on an interception return and forced one fumble and had a fumble recovery. Johnson, who had a career-high 7 1/2 sacks in 2023, will now be expected to provide a pass-rushing threat in Saleh’s defense in Tennessee. Sweat was a second-round selection of the Titans out of Texas in 2024. The 6-foot-4, 366-pound run-stuffing presence should help anchor a defensive line that also includes tackles Harrison Phillips and Jowon Briggs and edge rusher Will McDonald. Sweat, who was taken 38th overall by the Titans two years ago, had three sacks and 85 total tackles in 29 games, including 28 starts. The 24-year-old nose tackle injured an ankle in Tennessee’s season opener against Denver and landed on injured reserve before returning after missing five games and was an effective piece on the Titans’ defensive line. REPORT: GIANTS FIELDING OFFERS FOR LB KAYVON THIBODEAUX The New York Giants are listening to trade offers for linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux, SNY TV reported Thursday. “The belief from teams here at the combine is that he will eventually get dealt,” the report from Indianapolis said. Thibodeaux, 25, has 23.5 sacks in 53 games since the Giants drafted him with the No. 5 overall pick in 2022. He recorded a career-low 2.5 sacks and was limited to 10 games in 2025 before going down with a season-ending shoulder injury. Thibodeaux is scheduled to earn $14.75 million in 2026, playing on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract. His best season came in 2023 when he recorded 11.5 sacks, 50 tackles and three forced fumbles in 17 starts. BILLS GM: OWNER TERRY PEGULA ACTED ALONE IN FIRING SEAN MCDERMOTT Bills general manager Brandon Beane had no input on the coaching change in Buffalo, he said at the NFL Scouting Combine this week. Beane and head coach Sean McDermott were “equals” reporting independently to owners Terry and Kim Pegula, according to the GM. The Pegulas retained Beane and had him lead the coaching search for McDermott’s replacement, which ultimately became an in-house promotion. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady was introduced as the new coach last month. “That decision was ultimately Terry Pegula’s. And his alone. The structure was Sean and I both separately report to (ownership) and we were equals in it. We had nine really good years together,” Beane told CBS Sports in a sitdown interview at the network’s makeshift studio in the media area of the combine. “I think Terry, using his words, don’t quote me, but something like we hit a proverbial playoff wall. I think he felt like we need something new. We need something fresh, just need to try something else. This was the decision he made and you follow along with it, ‘Alright, you’ve made this decision.’ Now we need to put our heads together and line up who are the best candidates.’” Beane denied suggestions the Bills had McDermott’s replacement signed, sealed and delivered before he was fired following an overtime playoff loss to the Bills. Brady, who has never been a head coach at any level, former Chargers and Colts quarterback Philip Rivers, former Giants head coach Brian Daboll, Commanders run game coordinator Anthony Lynn and Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo were among the candidates Beane interviewed. Beane said Brady interviewing elsewhere for head-coaching jobs the past two seasons was a consideration when the organization defined what it was looking for in a coach. But he disputed any idea that familiarity gave Brady a boost or worked against him. “To me, it’s like, treat everyone the same. And so we started that interview and I said, ‘let’s treat Joe like he was with the Green Bay Packers.’ Brian Daboll we interviewed and he had been there four years prior (as Bills offensive coordinator). We know him pretty well and did the same thing,” Beane told Sirius/XM. “Just to make sure it was a level playing field. The thing about Joe, you feel his energy, you feel his presence. But he had a vision for our defense, for our whole team. This was a guy that had a holistic approach. Ultimately, he earned it, but it was not a foregone conclusion for sure.” REPORT: DOLPHINS FIRST, STEELERS LAST IN NFLPA REPORT CARDS The Miami Dolphins finished first in the NFL Players Association’s annual player report cards for the third year in a row, according to an ESPN report on Thursday. The Minnesota Vikings and Washington Commanders rounded out the top three, while the Pittsburgh Steelers finished in last place for the first time in the fourth time the survey has been conducted. “Players consistently describe the organization as ‘the best in the NFL,” the survey said of the Dolphins, according to ESPN. Per ESPN, 1,759 players responded to this year’s survey, which grades teams on a scale of A+ to F on things ranging from head coach and team ownership to locker room, treatment of families and home field, a new category this year. The survey was sent to everyone on an active roster at the time the survey was conducted from Nov. 2 to Dec. 11. After survey results were made public each of the first three years, the NFL won a grievance against the players association, claiming it violated the league’s collective bargaining agreement. While an arbitrator agreed with the league, the NFLPA made it clear it intends to continue collecting surveys going forward even if they can’t be publicly shared. The Steelers reportedly finished last in willingness to invest in facilities, locker room and home field, the latter so “by a wide margin.” “Players cite inadequate maintenance and excessive wear from hosting local college and high school games,” the survey said, per ESPN. “Players across the league note the poor condition of the field and emphasize the need for investment to bring it up to standard.” The Arizona Cardinals, who finished in last place a season ago, moved up one spot to 31st. The Cleveland Browns remained at No. 30, where they ranked last year. ======================================================================== COLLEGE FOOTBALL REPORT: TEXAS QB ARCH MANNING OUT OF BOOT, WILL BE LIMITED THIS SPRING Texas quarterback Arch Manning is no longer wearing a boot and is expected to be available for spring practice in a limited capacity after undergoing minor foot surgery in January, according to an ESPN report. “He had a lingering thing that he’d been dealing with over a couple of years that we just wanted to clean up,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian told ESPN. “It wasn’t a serious issue at all. It takes time. You do a procedure on a foot, we’re going to be cautious to make sure he’s 100% healthy before he goes.” Manning, the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2023 class and the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning, took over as the Longhorns’ starter last offseason with plenty of weight on his shoulders, leading the top-ranked team in the preseason AP poll and being trumpeted as the likely No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft. After some early growing pains, Manning came into his own down the stretch of the 2025 season. With 14 touchdown passes, five rushing touchdowns and two interceptions in his final six games, he finished his first season as a starter completing 61.4% of his passes for 3,103 yards, 36 total touchdowns (26 passing, 10 rushing) and seven interceptions in 13 games. “I think he gained a lot of confidence in the second half of the season, and I think we learned about him, he learned his style of play, and he came back with a really good mindset. This is his team,” Sarkisian told ESPN of Manning ” … In the end, naturally, he wants to go win a championship. The rest of the things will fall into place, but that’s where his mindset is. He’s the ultimate team player, and it shows every day.” Texas opens the 2026 season at home on Sept. 5 against Texas State. ==================================================================== SEC, BIG TEN STUDY: POOLING TV RIGHTS ‘DANGEROUSLY UNWORKABLE’ AND NOT AS PROFITABLE AS SUGGESTED A study commissioned by the Southeastern Conference and the Big Ten concluded that allowing conferences to pool their media rights — a key proposal among some looking to solve money problems in college sports — would generate less revenue than if the leagues continue the decades-old practice of selling their own games. The idea of pooling media rights has been touted by some lawmakers and sports leaders as the best way to supercharge revenue and ensure college sports remains solvent in a new, more-expensive era brought on by name, image and likeness (NIL) payments to college players. The study, a copy of which was shared Thursday with The Associated Press, estimated that at the rate leagues like the SEC, Big Ten, Atlantic Coast Conference and Big 12 are increasing the value of their media rights, they would outperform one much-cited projection that said schools could add $7 billion in worth over the next decade or so by pooling the rights. “The … proposal not only fails to produce more revenue than the current conference structure but also introduces a dangerously unworkable model and new risks to the college sports landscape,” the paper said. The $7 billion projection is the brainchild of Cody Campbell, the billionaire head of the board of regents at Texas Tech, who established a nonprofit called Saving College Sports, which is the focal point of the paper’s analysis. Both Campbell and a Democrat-backed bill in the Senate, called the SAFE Act, have proposed rewriting the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act, which bars the conferences from combining their TV rights. Campbell has acknowledged that the unspooling of TV contracts that have varying expiration dates between the league and broadcasters would take years. The SCS proposes creating an independent entity charged with maximizing revenue, with options to sign on to what could be a reworked Sports Broadcasting Act within 12 years. He has been critical of conference commissioners, saying that rather than looking at the big picture, “all they care about is what happens to them. And I think that is fundamentally the problem.” The SEC’s Greg Sankey shot back at that by saying Campbell’s views “reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of the realities of college athletics.” Sankey and Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti hired the FTI Consulting Firm, which pokes holes in virtually all of Campbell’s assumptions, including the idea that college sports could replicate NBA and NFL revenues by pooling their games. The study said the NBA’s recent $6.9 billion-a-year deal spread across a number of national networks and streamers “reflect a number of market dynamics and are not simply the result of ‘aggregation.’” “Instead, the NBA was successful in selling smaller packages of games to larger numbers of distributors thereby increasing market demand and adding additional media partners for smaller packages,” the report said. The relatively small number of NBA (30) and NFL (32) teams compared to the 136 that would be part of a college pool (if every school agreed to participate) makes those deals more manageable, according to FTI. The study also took a historical perspective, including a reference to a seismic shift in college football TV rights in the early 1980s. After the Supreme Court declared that the NCAA’s pooling of games violated antitrust laws, schools formed the College Football Association to package games. The study said that arrangement produced less revenue: $43.6 million, compared to $69.7 million under the NCAA package. That spurred Notre Dame to leave the group, followed by a steady exodus by the conferences, which led to the system that is in place today in which all the leagues parcel out their own media rights, mostly to ESPN, CBS, Fox and NBC. “Decentralization also helps preserve the unique character of college sports — an incredibly important brand attribute,” the study said. NCAA FOOTBALL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE PROPOSES STIFF PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS OF TRANSFER PORTAL WINDOW INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA football oversight committee is recommending emergency legislation to protect the transfer portal window by issuing penalties for schools and coaches who circumvent the rules. The committee on Wednesday proposed the legislation to penalize schools who add players who did not make public their interest in transferring during the January transfer portal window. The proposed legislation would become effective immediately if approved at the Division I cabinet meeting in April. Among the proposed penalties, the head coach who accepts a transfer who did not properly enter the January portal would be prohibited from all recruiting, on-field coaching and team meetings for six games. The school accepting the transfer would be fined 20% of its football budget. Also, the school would lose five roster spots for the following season, even if the coach who accepted the transfer is no longer employed. Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks said it is important to enforce the transfer portal window rule. “Attempts to circumvent the transfer window process is an issue for the sport,” Brooks said in a statement released by the NCAA. “We want to let everyone know that this is not going to be allowed, and the committee wants to protect the transfer window that has been established.” Buffalo athletic director Mark Alnutt, the chair of the oversight committee, said “significant penalties” are needed to enforce the transfer rule. “We felt this was appropriate to place an emphasis on this rule with where we are in Division I football,” Alnutt said. “We have a window for student-athletes to notify their school when they would like to enter the transfer portal. If there is movement without going through the process as it is legislated, the committee felt there needed to be significant penalties.” The committee also voted to eliminate the annual limit on official recruiting visits. The transfer rule and compensation for players through name, image and likeness contracts have created other issues. The University of Cincinnati is suing its former quarterback, Brendan Sorsby, following his transfer to Texas Tech. Cincinnati is accusing Sorsby of breaching his NIL contract, which the school says was signed in July 2025 to cover the 2025 and 2026 seasons. Cincinnati says the contract included a $1 million buyout if Sorsby transferred. Sorsby received the most lucrative deal of the portal period — a reported $5 million — to return to his home state for his final season. NCAA RULES PANEL PROPOSES LETTING PLAYER EJECTED FOR TARGETING IN 2ND HALF TO PLAY ENTIRE NEXT GAME INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Division I football rules makers have proposed a one-year trial rule allowing a player disqualified for targeting for the first time to play in his team’s next game regardless of which half the penalty was assessed, the NCAA announced Thursday. Currently, players disqualified for targeting must miss the rest of the game and, if the penalty occurs in the second half, sit out the first half of the next game. Under the Division I Football Rules Subcommittee’s proposal, a player disqualified for targeting a second time during the season would miss the first half of the next game. A third targeting ejection in the same season would cause the offending player to miss the entire next game. Targeting is forcible contact with an opponent’s head or neck area where the offending player often uses the crown of his helmet to make contact or launches his body into the opposing player above the shoulders. Oversight committees for the Bowl Subdivision and Championship Subdivision must approve proposals before they become official. Those committees meet next month. “This continues the evolution of our targeting rule and balances the important safety impact with an appropriate penalty structure,” said A.J. Edds, rules subcommittee chair and vice president of football administration for the Big Ten. “We will closely monitor this one-year adjustment, and the committee believes it is important to enhance the progressive penalty to ensure proper coaching and player education.” Dress code The rules subcommittee proposed that players wear leg coverings from the top of their shoes to the bottom of their pants. Players would have to wear the same covering style and colors for that particular game. Players out of compliance with the rule would have to leave the game for at least one down and correct the issue. A team would receive a warning for the first offense. If a team has a second offense under this proposal, the offending team would be given a 5-yard penalty. Any subsequent violations of the rule would result in a 15-yard penalty. “The current look of the uniform is clearly not meeting the expectations of the college football community,” Edds said. “This will take a collective effort by administrators, coaches and officials to communicate expectations to players and equipment managers. This proposal, we believe, is definitive and gives us a chance for consistent enforcement across Division I football.” Fair catch kick Under a proposal, a team could choose to attempt a fair catch kick after a completed or awarded fair catch. The kick would be a field goal place kick with a holder or a drop kick from the spot where the returner caught the ball. The defense would be at least 10 yards from the spot of the kick. If the ensuing kick goes through the uprights, it would be worth three points. Subcommittee members believe adding the rule would align Division I rules with those in the NFL and high school football. The rarely used play came up in 2024 in the NFL when the Los Angeles Chargers’ Cameron Dicker converted from 57 yards against the Denver Broncos. ==================================================================== MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL NO. 13 MICHIGAN STATE HOLDS ON LATE FOR UPSET WIN OVER NO. 8 PURDUE Carson Cooper scored 15 points to lead No. 13 Michigan State to a 76-74 win at No. 8 Purdue in a Big Ten contest on Thursday in West Lafayette, Ind. Kur Teng scored 13 points and Jeremy Fears Jr. added 12 points for Michigan State (23-5, 13-4), which won in West Lafayette for the first time since 2014. Braden Smith had 12 points and 10 assists, and Jack Benter came off the bench to score 11 points in defeat for Purdue (22-6, 12-5). Leading 76-74 in the final minute, Michigan State failed to get a shot off before the shot clock expired, and Purdue took possession with 26.1 seconds remaining in the game. Purdue put the ball in the hands of Trey Kaufman-Renn, who missed a hook shot in the lane that was rebounded by Michigan State’s Cam Ward. A 46.1 percent free-throw shooter, Ward went to the free-throw line with 8.1 seconds remaining and missed the front end of a one-and-one. After getting the rebound and calling a timeout with 3.4 seconds left, Purdue inbounded the ball to Smith, who missed a 3-pointer just before the buzzer sounded to end the game. Trailing 72-64 with over four minutes left, Purdue went on an 8-2 run to cut Michigan State’s lead to 74-72 with 2:16 remaining. Ahead 66-64 with 5:48 remaining, Michigan State scored six straight to take a 72-64 lead with 4:11 left, forcing a Purdue timeout. Trailing 42-38 with 18:15 remaining, Michigan State went on a 9-2 run to take a 47-44 lead with 15:35 left. Purdue answered and took a 56-55 lead with 11:28 remaining, but Michigan State responded with seven straight to take a 62-56 lead with 10:00 left. The game was close throughout the first half, with Michigan State going on a 10-0 run to take a 16-13 lead with 12:28 left until halftime. Purdue rallied to take a 28-24 lead with 6:43 to go in the half and held a 39-36 lead at halftime. OREGON STATE BASKETBALL COACH WAYNE TINKLE FIRED AFTER 12 SEASONS CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) — Oregon State has dismissed basketball coach Wayne Tinkle after 12 seasons with the Beavers, the school announced Thursday. Oregon State went to the NCAA Tournament twice during Tinkle’s tenure, including a run to the Elite Eight after winning the Pac-12 Tournament title in 2021. The Beavers are 16-14 overall and 9-8 in West Coast Conference play this season. They finish the regular season on Saturday at Santa Clara before the WCC Tournament in Las Vegas next week. Tinkle has the option of remaining with the team for the rest of the season but has not yet announced a decision. “We are grateful to Wayne for his dedication to Oregon State and for the leadership he has provided our men’s basketball program,” said Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes. “He has represented Beaver Nation with integrity and commitment. As we approach the dawn of the new Pac-12 era, we believe it is in the best interest of our men’s basketball program to transition to its next chapter. These decisions are never easy, but we are focused on positioning our program for sustained success in a rapidly evolving collegiate athletics landscape.” Oregon State is 175-204 overall under Tinkle. He was head coach at Montana before joining the Beavers, leading the Grizzlies to three NCAA Tournament appearances in eight seasons. =================================================================== WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL WOMEN’S TOP 25 ROUNDUP: LIV MCGILL LEADS FLORIDA TO UPSET WIN OVER NO. 19 OLE MISS Liv McGill scored 19 of her 28 points in the first half and also recorded eight assists and six rebounds to lead Florida to a 74-67 upset win over No. 19 Ole Miss in Southeastern Conference play on Thursday night at Gainesville, Fla. Laila Reynolds added 14 points for the Gators (17-13, 5-10 SEC), who won for the fourth time in the past six games. Florida shot a stellar 59.1 percent from the field and led by as many as 14 points while beating a ranked team for the first time in nine opportunities this season. Tianna Thompson established career bests of 25 points and seven 3-pointers for Ole Miss (21-9, 8-7). Cotie McMahon added 15 points and Christeen Iwuala added 10 for the Rebels, who have lost three straight games and five of their past seven. The Rebels trailed by five in the fourth quarter before Reynolds made two baskets and McGill made a capping trey during a 9-0 run to make it 65-51 with 6:08 remaining. Ole Miss cut the deficit to five three more times but couldn’t get any closer. No. 6 LSU 89, No. Tennessee 73 Mikaylah Williams recorded 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists to help the Tigers knock off the Volunteers in SEaC play at Baton Rouge, La. MiLaysia Fulwiley added 18 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots off the bench as LSU (25-4, 11-4 SEC) won its third straight game. ZaKiyah Johnson had 14 points and eight rebounds, Grace Knox had 13 points and nine boards and Flau’jae Johnson added 10 points for the Tigers. Jaida Civil scored 17 points off the bench for Tennessee (16-11, 8-7), which lost its fifth straight game and eighth in the last 10. Nya Robertson had 14 points and Talaysia Cooper added 13 for the Volunteers. No. 10 Louisville 69, Georgia Tech 50 Elif Istanbulluoglu scored 18 points and Imari Berry added 13 off the bench as the Cardinals defeated the Yellow Jackets in Atlantic Coast Conference play in Atlanta. Tajianna Roberts had 12 points and backup Reyna Scott added 10 for Louisville (25-5, 15-2 ACC), which won for the fourth time in the past five games. The Cardinals led 36-24 at halftime and their biggest lead was 20. Talayah Walker scored 20 points for Georgia Tech (12-17, 7-10), which lost its second straight contest. The Yellow Jackets shot 38.3 percent from the field and committed 21 turnovers. ==================================================================== NBA NBA ROUNDUP: LAST-SECOND TREY GIVES SUNS WILD WIN OVER LAKERS Royce O’Neale made a 3-pointer with 1.7 seconds remaining as the host Phoenix Suns overcame a 13-point second-half deficit for a 113-110 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. O’Neale gave the Suns a 110-108 lead on their previous possession before LeBron James’ tip-in tied it with 22.7 seconds remaining. The Suns played for one shot, and Grayson Allen drove the lane and kicked it to Collin Gillespie, who found O’Neale wide open on the left wing. Allen scored 28 points and made six 3-pointers, while Gillespie scored 21 points and also hit six 3-pointers as the Suns overcame a 41-point game from Luka Doncic to win the season series with only one game remaining. Doncic made six 3-pointers and had eight assists and eight rebounds, as well. LeBron James had 10 of his 15 points in the second half and Marcus Smart had 14 points for the Lakers, who have lost five of seven and are one game ahead of the Suns for the sixth spot in the Western Conference. Hornets 133, Pacers 109 Kon Knueppel set the NBA single-season rookie record for 3-pointers and Brandon Miller matched a season high with 33 points, fueling Charlotte Hornets to a victory over Indiana in Indianapolis. Knueppel highlighted his 28-point performance by matching his own franchise rookie record with eight 3-pointers, boosting his season total to 209. LaMelo Ball collected 20 points and eight assists and Moussa Diabate contributed 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Hornets, who extended their franchise-best road winning streak to nine. Indiana’s Andrew Nembhard contributed 20 points and seven assists and Micah Potter added 19 points off the bench. Jarace Walker added 16 points for the free-falling Pacers, who have dropped five in a row and nine of their last 11 games. Spurs 126, Nets 110 Julian Champagnie scored 26 points in a successful homecoming and San Antonio extended its longest winning streak since the 2015-16 season to 11 with a victory over Brooklyn in New York. Champagnie’s big night helped offset a second straight quiet showing from Victor Wembanyama, who was held to 12 points and had eight rebounds. Stephon Castle added 13 of his 18 in the opening quarter, Devin Vassell scored 14 and De’Aaron Fox contributed 10 of his 14 in the third. Michael Porter Jr. scored 17 of his 25 in the third when the Nets made a comeback attempt before taking their sixth straight loss. Day’Ron Sharpe contributed 14 points and 11 rebounds off the bench and rookie Danny Wolf also scored 14. Rockets 113, Magic 108 Kevin Durant scored 40 points and Houston went on a 21-0 run in the third quarter to overcome a 19-point deficit and drop host Orlando. Reed Sheppard added 20 points and made five 3-pointers for Houston, while Alperen Sengun had 16 points and Jabari Smith Jr. scored 13 for the Rockets, who won their third straight game. Desmond Bane led Orlando with 30 points, while Paolo Banchero totaled 19 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. With the Magic leading 76-57 with 5:04 left in the third, Houston scored 21 straight points over a span of 3:31 to grab the lead. A Sengun layup with 3:07 left in the game gave the Rockets the lead for good. 76ers 124, Heat 117 Tyrese Maxey registered 28 points, 11 assists and five steals to guide host Philadelphia to a victory over Miami. Joel Embiid produced 26 points and 11 rebounds for the 76ers, who finished the game on an 8-0 run to capture their third straight win. Kelly Oubre Jr. added 21 points and eight boards. Bam Adebayo paced Miami with 29 points and 14 rebounds and Tyler Herro pitched in with 25 points and seven assists off the bench, but the Heat lost their second game in a row. Timberwolves 94, Clippers 88 Anthony Edwards scored 31 points and Donte DiVincenzo added 18 as Minnesota shook off short-handed Los Angeles to earn a victory in Inglewood, Calif. Jaden McDaniels and Ayo Dosunmu each scored 12 points and Rudy Gobert added 13 rebounds as the Timberwolves improved to 5-1 since Feb. 9 and 2-0 to start a three-game road trip that ends Sunday at Denver. Derrick Jones Jr. put up 18 points and Bennedict Mathurin added 14 for the Clippers, who were without Kawhi Leonard (ankle) and John Collins (head/neck). Kris Dunn scored 11 points for Los Angeles, which has dropped three consecutive games for the first time since a five-game skid from Dec. 5-18. Hawks 126, Wizards 96 Corey Kispert and CJ McCollum took it to their old team, combining for 58 points to help Atlanta roll to a win over visiting Washington. The duo, obtained in the trade that sent Trae Young to the Wizards last month, sparked Atlanta to its second wire-to-wire victory over Washington in the past three days,Kispert had career highs with 33 points and 11 field goals, including six 3-pointers. McCollum scored 25 points, shooting 9-for-19. They each scored 22 points in the first half. Washington was led by Tre Johnson, Will Riley, Justin Hardy and Justin Champagnie with 14 points each. The Wizards were without leading scorer Alex Sarr, who missed his sixth game with a right hamstring strain, and second-leading scorer Kyshawn George, out because of a left knee contusion. Trail Blazers 121, Bulls 112 Jerami Grant scored 27 points and Toumani Camara added 16 to help visiting Portland post a victory over struggling Chicago. Robert Williams III recorded 14 points, a season-best 14 rebounds and four blocked shots and fellow reserve Vit Krejci also scored 14 points as the Trail Blazers won for the sixth time in their past nine games. Matas Buzelis had 20 points and seven rebounds and Tre Jones scored 19 points off the bench as the Bulls dropped their 11th straight game, matching the third-longest losing streak in franchise history. Kings 130, Mavericks 121 Precious Achiuwa posted a career-high 29 points to lead Sacramento to a win over host Dallas. Achiuwa shot 13 of 19 from the field, including 3 of 3 from 3-point range, and had 12 rebounds. Maxime Raynaud scored 22 points and Daeqwon Plowden added 19 off the bench. Naji Marshall racked up a season-best 36 points to go with 10 boards for Dallas, which fell short of a third successive victory. Khris Middleton contributed 17 points and Brandon Williams had 16. Pelicans 129, Jazz 118 Saddiq Bey had a season-high 42 points along with seven assists and five rebounds to lead New Orleans past Utah in Salt Lake City. Zion Williamson added 20 points and four steals to help the Pelicans pick up their third straight win. Dejounte Murray tallied 17 points, nine assists and four steals in his second game back from an Achilles tendon injury. Ace Bailey led Utah with 23 points. Brice Sensabaugh added 20 points off the bench for the Jazz, who shot 50% from the field but still lost their fourth consecutive game. MAGIC G DESMOND BANE FINED $25K FOR HURLING BALL INTO STANDS Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane was fined $25,000 on Thursday for forcefully throwing the game ball into the stands at the end of his team’s 110-109 road win against the Los Angeles Lakers. After LeBron James missed a turnaround three-point attempt at the buzzer on Tuesday, Bane hurled the ball to the far end of the court, where it deflected off the shot clock and hit spectators seated along the baseline. Bane, 27, has averaged 20.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists over 57 games (all starts) in his first season with the Magic, who acquired him last June in a blockbuster trade with the Memphis Grizzlies. Earlier Thursday, the NBA issued an identical fine to Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards for the same offense. Edwards’ throw from the far foul line at the beginning of halftime appeared to strike a security official in the head. Bane was previously fined $35,000 in December for throwing the ball at the back of an unsuspecting opponent, New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby. TIMBERWOLVES’ ANTHONY EDWARDS FINED $25K FOR THROWING BALL INTO STANDS Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Thursday for throwing the game ball “with force” into the stands during Tuesday’s 124-121 road win over the Portland Trail Blazers. The incident occurred after Edwards rebounded a Portland miss at the end of the second quarter. He pump-faked a three-quarter-court heave and then followed through with it by launching the ball well after the buzzer sounded. It didn’t appear to be out of frustration or malice, but the ball struck someone standing next to the basket. Edwards, the first overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, is averaging a career-high 29.6 points this season along with 5.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists. His scoring average is on pace to increase for a fifth consecutive season. ================================================================= NHL NHL ROUNDUP: OILERS STARS HIT MILESTONES IN ROUT OF KINGS Connor McDavid had a goal and an assist for his sixth straight 100-point season, Leon Draisaitl notched his eighth straight 30-goal campaign, and the Edmonton Oilers ended a season-high four-game skid with an 8-1 romp over the host Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night. McDavid has reached triple digits nine times overall in his career, third most in NHL history behind Wayne Gretzky (15) and Mario Lemieux (10). Draisaitl had a goal and three assists, Zach Hyman a goal and two assists, Jake Walman scored twice, Andrew Mangiapane produced a goal and an assist and Connor Ingram made 21 saves for the Oilers, who were coming off a 6-5 loss at the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday. Warren Foegele scored for the Kings, who have dropped five in a row (0-4-1) to remain three points out of a playoff spot. Darcy Kuemper stopped 11 of 15 shots before he was replaced by Anton Forsberg, who finished with 18 saves for Los Angeles. Wild 5, Avalanche 2 Matt Boldy had two empty-net goals and added two assists, Joel Eriksson Ek also scored twice and Minnesota beat Colorado in Denver in a matchup of two of the league’s top teams. Filip Gustavsson made 44 saves for Minnesota, which has won six in a row and tightened the race in the Central Division. Mats Zuccarello also scored, and Kirill Kaprizov had two assists. Martin Necas had two goals, Nathan MacKinnon contributed two assists and Mackenzie Blackwood turned away 31 shots for the Avalanche. Colorado leads the NHL with 85 points and the Wild have 80, tied for second most in the league. Hurricanes 5, Lightning 4 Carolina’s Sebastian Aho broke a third-period tie with a power-play goal and the Hurricanes overcame blowing a three-goal lead to beat Tampa Bay in a matchup of the Eastern Conference’s top two teams in Raleigh, N.C. Logan Stankoven and Taylor Hall both had a goal and an assist and Nikolaj Ehlers also scored — all in the opening seven minutes — for the Hurricanes, who were in their first game since the Olympic layoff. Seth Jarvis also supplied a goal and an assist and Andrei Svechnikov assisted on two goals for Carolina. Brandon Bussi made 24 saves. Brandon Point posted a goal and an assist for the Lightning, who opened their post-break schedule a night earlier by defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs. Brandon Hagel, Nikita Kucherov and Dominic James also scored for the Lightning, who were without head coach Jon Cooper for the second night in a row following the death of his father. Red Wings 2, Senators 1 (OT) Dylan Larkin scored his second goal of the game at 1:50 of overtime as visiting Detroit beat Ottawa. John Gibson made 26 saves for the Red Wings, who had lost four of five (1-3-1) before the break. Lucas Raymond notched two assists. Brady Tkachuk scored for the Senators, who had won five of six before the break. Linus Ullmark turned away 18 shots. Panthers 5, Maple Leafs 1 Brad Marchand scored two goals as Florida resumed play following the Olympic break with a win over Toronto at Sunrise, Fla., in a battle of teams looking to climb into Eastern Conference playoff contention. Evan Rodrigues added a goal and an assist for the Panthers while Carter Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk also scored. Anton Lundell added two assists and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 28 shots for Florida, which was on a 1-5-0 run ahead of the break. John Tavares scored for the Maple Leafs, who have lost their first two games after the break. Joseph Woll made 32 saves. Bruins 4, Blue Jackets 2 Boston erased an early one-goal deficit with three straight goals and held on to defeat visiting Columbus. Viktor Arvidsson tallied twice and Sean Kuraly and Morgan Geekie also lit the lamp for the Bruins, who are 5-0-3 in their past eight games. Joonas Korpisalo made 36 saves, and Michael DiPietro stopped two shots after Korpisalo briefly exited in the second period with an injury. Adam Fantilli had a goal and an assist, Kirill Marchenko also scored and Mason Marchment assisted on both goals for the Blue Jackets, whose seven-game winning streak ended. Elvis Merzlikins stopped 19 shots. Islanders 4, Canadiens 3 (OT) Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored the game-winner at 1:46 of overtime as New York rallied for a victory at Montreal. Matthew Schaefer scored twice, Anders Lee tied the game late and Simon Holmstrom had two assists for the Islanders, who have won three in a row. Ilya Sorokin made 21 saves. Noah Dobson tallied twice against his former team, Cole Caufield added a goal and Samiel Montembeault made 22 saves for the Canadiens, who have lost two of three (1-0-2) but extended their point streak to six (4-0-2). Penguins 4, Devils 1 Connor Clifton and Egor Chinakhov scored 50 seconds apart during a three-goal third period to help Pittsburgh, minus superstar Sidney Crosby, break open a tight contest and beat visiting New Jersey. Tommy Novak opened the scoring, Evgeni Malkin recorded two assists, Blake Lizotte added an empty-netter and Arturs Silovs was stout in making 28 saves for Pittsburgh. Crosby will miss at least four weeks with a lower-body injury suffered while playing for Canada at the Milan Cortina Games earlier this month. Paul Cotter scored for the Devils, who are second-to-last in the Eastern Conference standings and matched a season high with their fifth consecutive loss, which is part of a 1-7-0 rut. Jacob Markstrom made 31 saves. Predators 4, Blackhawks 2 Ryan O’Reilly scored a game-winner late in the third period to help power Nashville past visiting Chicago. Roman Josi made a beautiful pass to O’Reilly, who tipped the game-winning goal past Spencer Knight to secure the victory for the Predators with 3:16 left . Filip Forsberg, Steven Stamkos and Matthew Wood also scored, while Justus Annunen improved to a perfect 4-0 in his career against the Blackhawks with the 21-save performance. Connor Bedard was dominant in the loss while scoring for the Blackhawks and Tyler Bertuzzi also found the back of the net. Spencer Knight finished with 22 saves for Chicago. Flyers 3, Rangers 2 (OT) Matvei Michkov scored twice, including the overtime winner, as Philadelphia battled back to edge host New York and extend the Rangers’ slump. Michkov skated around J.T. Miller and snapped a shot five-hole past Igor Shesterkin at 2:10 of the extra frame for his 15th of the season. Trevor Zegras scored the other goal for the Flyers, who trailed 2-0 midway through the game. Samuel Ersson made 23 saves as Philadelphia won for just the fourth time in its past 11 games (4-4-3). Sam Carrick and Alexis Lafreniere had the goals for the Rangers, who have dropped five straight (0-4-1) and are 2-11-2 since their Winter Classic victory over the Florida Panthers on Jan. 2. Flames 4, Sharks 1 Nazem Kadri scored twice and goaltender Dustin Wolf continued his mastery against the team he grew up supporting as visiting Calgary beat San Jose. The Flames have won 50 consecutive games when scoring four or more goals. Connor Zary and Mikael Backlund both netted one goal and one assist for the Flames, who posted a second consecutive victory. Wolf, who hails from nearby Gilroy, Calif., made 34 saves to win for the 10th time in 12 career clashes with the Sharks. Tyler Toffoli opened the scoring for the Sharks, who have lost five straight (0-4-1). Yaroslav Askarov stopped 25 shots. Blues 5, Kraken 1 Dylan Holloway came off the injured list to produce three goals and an assist, leading St. Louis past visiting Seattle. Pius Suter had a goal and two assists for the Blues, who won for just the second time in 10 games (2-7-1). It was St. Louis’ first game after the three-week Olympic break. Jordan Kyrou also scored for St. Louis. Jonatan Berggren and Justin Faulk earned two assists and Joel Hofer made 23 saves. Kaapo Kakko scored for the Kraken, who have lost their first two games coming out of the break. Philipp Grubauer made 27 saves. ====================================================================== BASEBALL SPRING TRAINING ROUNDUP: RED SOX BUILD BIG LEAD, HOLD OFF RAYS Boston pitching dominated early and the Red Sox held on for a 7-5 victory over the visiting Tampa Bay Bays on Thursday in Fort Myers, Fla. The Rays trailed 7-0 in the fourth inning but brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth follow an RBI triple by Marshall Toole. Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet started the game and pitched two scoreless innings before Aroldis Chapman struck out the side in the third and right-hander Greg Weissert sailed through the fourth to get the win. Boston scored all seven runs in the fourth but no earned runs were charged to T.J. Nichols before he exited after getting only two outs. The Red Sox rally began with third baseman Andruw Monasterio reaching on second baseman Ben Williamson’s error, which allowed Caleb Durbin to score and Kristian Campbell to advance to second. Red Sox right-hander Devin Sweet secured the save, allowing two hits, a run and striking out two in the ninth. Toole had a pair of hits for the Rays. Shortstop Trevor Story drove in two runs for the Red Sox in a seven-run fourth inning. Orioles 6, Tigers 5Jordan Sanchez laced a single up the middle past a drawn-in infield to plate the winning run in walk-off fashion against lefty Carlos Pena at Sarasota, Fla., to keep the Tigers winless in seven games this spring. Sanchez, 20, entered the game in the No. 9 spot in Baltimore’s order, replacing second baseman Jeremiah Jackson, who had two hits, as did first baseman Pete Alonso. Tyler O’Neill was 3-for-3 with a home run in the first inning to boost his batting average to .778. The Tigers powered up after falling behind 5-2. Eduardo Valenica golfed a two-run homer to left in the sixth and Carson Rucker’s solo homer in the seventh — both off of Baltimore’s Trey Gibson — tied it at 5. Baltimore had 15 hits and stranded seven of the Tigers’ nine runners who reached scoring position. Sanchez scored Aron Estrada in the ninth when he caught up with a Pena fastball and knifed the game-winner past a diving Jack Penney at short. Detroit’s winless record includes two ties. Mets 5, Astros 0Nolan McLean pitched four scoreless innings with six strikeouts and the Mets used home runs by Tyrone Taylor and Marcus Semien to cruise past punchless Houston in West Palm Beach, Fla. Right-hander Robert Stock relieved McLean in the fifth and fanned six batters in three innings. The Astros were held to two hits, struck out 15 times in 28 at-bats and only one of the team’s non-starters — outfielder Anthony Huezo walked — reached base. Taylor roped a two-run shot to center in the second and Semien, who was 2-for-3, followed with his first homer in a Mets uniform to left-center off of Bryan King. King replaced lefty Steven Okert, who took the loss allowing three runs and a walk in one inning. Yankees 7, Braves 3Left-handed slugger Spencer Jones blasted a solo home run out of George Steinbrenner Field and the Yankees powered their way past the Braves in Tampa, Fla. The Yankees jumped in front 5-0 in the bottom of the first inning and five of their eight hits were for extra bases. New York’s homers came from Jones, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm, who began the barrage of Braves veteran right-hander Carlos Carrasco with a two-run blast in the first inning. Jones cleared the bleachers and went windshield shopping in the parking lot outside the park in right-center field. Ben Gamel homered for the second time this spring for Atlanta, and center fielder Jose Azocar had two hits. Carrasco allowed five runs in 1 2/3 innings. Elmer Rodriguez was the winning pitcher for the Yankees with four strikeouts and two runs allowed in three innings. Phillies 7, Nationals 3Bryce Harper drove in two and scored a run, leading the Phillies past the Nationals in Clearwater, Fla. Philadelphia busted it open with a four-run third, breaking a 1-1 tie with a home run from designated hitter Kehden Hettiger to left center. Bryson Stott, who homered in the first, reached in front of Harper and scored on a double to the right field corner. Harper came around on a single by catcher Garrett Stubbs. Washington right-hander Gus Varland allowed four runs in two-thirds of an inning but was relieved before finishing the third inning. Nationals first baseman Andres Chaparro yanked a two-run home run inside the left field foul pole to cut the lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the fourth. Harper made it 6-3 with a sacrifice fly in the fifth, knocking in Hettiger. REPORTS: MAX SCHERZER RETURNING TO BLUE JAYS ON 1-YEAR DEAL Veteran Max Scherzer is rejoining the Toronto Blue Jays on a one-year, $3 million deal, multiple outlets reported early Thursday. The contract contains incentives totaling $10 million and a no-trade clause, per The Athletic. Despite bolstering the starting rotation with Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce in the offseason, the Blue Jays still had a pitching need. Shane Bieber has forearm fatigue that has slowed his spring training work and fellow right-hander Bowden Francis is out for the season following Tommy John surgery. The 41-year-old Scherzer is entering his 19th MLB season and has a career record of 221-117 with a 3.22 ERA in 483 games (474 starts). His 3,489 strikeouts are 11th on the all-time list. The three-time Cy Young Award winner played for the Blue Jays last season and was 5-5 with a 5.19 ERA in 85 innings over 17 games (all starts). He made three key starts in the postseason, defeating the Seattle Mariners in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series. In the World Series, he started two games against the Los Angeles Dodgers and kept the Blue Jays in both games, despite them turning into extra-inning losses. Overall, he pitched 14 1/3 innings, giving up six runs on 12 hits and striking out 11. His ERA was 3.77. REPORT: A’S MAKE LONG-TERM OFFER TO ROY NICK KURTZ The Athletics have made a long-term extension offer to slugging first baseman Nick Kurtz, the New York Post reported on Thursday. No financial details were available, and there is “no word on the likelihood of getting it to the finish line,” according to the report. Kurtz, who turns 23 on March 12, was a unanimous choice as the American League Rookie of the Year in 2025 after batting .290 with 36 home runs, 86 RBIs and a 1.002 OPS in 117 games. The A’s drafted Kurtz with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 draft out of Wake Forest. He batted .344 with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs in 33 games in the minors from 2024-25. The A’s have a recent track record of signing players to extensions before they are arbitration eligible. In the past year, they have signed outfielders Tyler Soderstrom (seven years, $86 million) and Lawrence Butler (seven years, $65.5 million) and All-Star shortstop Jacob Wilson (seven years, $70 million). ====================================================================== AUTO RACING INDYCAR ROARS INTO ITS SEASON OPENER AT ST. PETERSBURG AS ALEX PALOU CHASES A 4TH STRAIGHT TITLE ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — IndyCar opens its season with a roaring four races in March, a return to Phoenix Raceway, three new venues and the son of a motorsports icon making his debut in a North American-based series. Oh, and Alex Palou will be racing for his fifth championship in six years. The season begins Sunday on the downtown streets of St. Petersburg with a field of 25 drivers led by defending race winner Palou. The Spaniard kicked off his title campaign on the street course a year ago with the win, the first of eight victories that included the Indianapolis 500 and a third consecutive IndyCar title. He’s back with his Chip Ganassi Racing team intact, the breach of contract lawsuit with McLaren decided, and his eyes on another title. If he wins a fourth-straight, Palou would join Sebastien Bourdais as the only driver in series history to accomplish the feat. “I think 2025 was so strange, so good, so magical … it’s very hard to get there. That doesn’t mean that nobody can or that I cannot do it again, but you need so many things to go right to get eight wins, to win the 500, to win the championship,” Palou said. “Although I would love to have another season like 2025, I am pretty certain that it’s probably not going to happen again for me. But I’ll try. I’ll try.” His competition will come from within — teammate Scott Dixon, a six-time IndyCar champion, is looking to rebound from last year’s one-win season — as well as traditional heavyweight Team Penske. McLaren hopes to be a contender after Pato O’Ward finished second in the standings last year, and Andretti Global has been bolstered by the addition of former Penske stalwart Will Power and other key hires. Many eyes will be on Power, who turns 45 on Sunday, same day as his first IndyCar race driving for someone other than Roger Penske since 2009. He was replaced in the Penske lineup by David Malukas, who at 24 has a longer runway than Power. But Power was quickly snapped up by aggressive new Andretti owner Dan Towriss, who also hired Ron Ruzewski, one of three Team Penske executives fired after an Indianapolis 500 inspection infraction, as team principal of its IndyCar team. Ruzewski and Power know Team Penske inside and out and bring priceless knowledge to an Andretti organization that last won the IndyCar title in 2012. “It’s really difficult to understand, like, are we missing anything? Are we good or bad? We won’t know that until we actually have our first race,” Power said. “But the end of the first race weekend you’ll start to see, as you always do, ‘OK, we need to work on this, this, this and this.’” Power won Penske its last IndyCar championship in 2022 and the organization is trying to rebound from a rough season last year. Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden didn’t win until the season finale and finished 12th in the standings, while teammate Scott McLaughlin went winless but was ninth in the standings. “We’ve just got to focus on being more consistent. It’s kind of simple to say that, but that’s just what it will come down to,” Newgarden said. “If we don’t want to finish 12th in the standings, we’ve got to finish more races.” Busy month of March IndyCar has a healthy 18-race schedule this year, the most events since the 2014 season, and for the first time in years the series won’t go weeks between the opener and the next race. Penske, who owns IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, was able to get a record four races in March by joining NASCAR next weekend for a return to Phoenix. IndyCar last raced at Phoenix in 2018, a race won by Newgarden. From Phoenix the series goes to the inaugural event on the Streets of Arlington in a collaboration with Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys. IndyCar closes out the month at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama. Arlington is one of three new venues on the schedule as IndyCar will move away from downtown Toronto to race on the streets of Markham, Ontario, and a President Donald Trump-backed event in Washington, D.C., to mark the 250th birthday of the United States. The season will end Sept. 6 with the finale back at Laguna Seca for the first time since 2023. Schumacher’s debut IndyCar typically features a few new faces every year but none come with the name recognition that Mick Schumacher brings. Schumacher is the son of seven-time Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher and has made the move away from F1 after three seasons without a ride. He drove for Haas in F1 and became a Mercedes reserve driver after losing that seat at the end of 2022. He hasn’t made an F1 start since and instead competed in the World Endurance Championship. Now the 26-year-old German will give North American open wheel racing a try with a seat at Rahal Letterman Lanigan. He’ll need to quickly adapt to oval racing, which will be new to Schumacher, who said he’s leaning on teammate Graham Rahal for advice. “I’m very curious and interested in learning about that,” Schumacher said. “The good thing is we have Graham on board, who has done a couple of these races in his lifetime, and therefore I can learn very much from him.” Coincidentally, Schumacher will be on the grid this year with Romain Grosjean, the driver he replaced at Haas in 2021. Grosjean returns to IndyCar after a year away with Dale Coyne Racing, the team that first brought him to the series in 2021. Coyne has an entirely new lineup this year as Grosjean will pair with rookie teammate Dennis Hauger, the reigning INDY NXT champion. ==================================================================== GOLF NEWS AUSTIN SMOTHERMAN FIRES BOGEY-FREE 62 FOR 1-SHOT COGNIZANT CLASSIC LEAD Austin Smotherman fired a bogey-free 9-under 62, including six straight birdies in the middle of his round, to take the first-round lead at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches on Thursday in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Nico Echavarria of Colombia sits one back after a 63, while a six-man group featuring Taylor Moore, Jackson Suber, Kevin Roy, Daniel Berger, Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan and Sweden’s Pontus Nyholm rounded out the early chase pack with 4-under 67s. Recent PGA Tour returnee Brooks Koepka never found much rhythm in his Florida return. He was 4-over for his last six holes, including a double bogey at the par-3 17th, and signed for a 3-over 74 that left him buried in a tie for 98th heading into Friday. David Ford’s card was the opposite of steady. After starting his round on the back nine, Ford took a disastrous quadruple bogey at the 17th that saw him take multiple shots while standing in water. He then erased the damage in a hurry by holing out for eagle on both the 2nd and 3rd holes to finish at 1-over 72 in a tie for 68th. ====================================================================== INDIANA SPORTS TEAM RELEASES COLTS FOOTBALL REPORTS: COLTS AGREE TO LET QB ANTHONY RICHARDSON SEEK TRADE The Indianapolis Colts have granted quarterback Anthony Richardson permission to seek a trade, multiple media outlets reported on Thursday. Richardson lost the starting role to Daniel Jones in 2025 before later sustaining a season-ending injury in which he broke his orbital bone. ESPN reported that Richardson’s vision has been restored. The Colts appear intent to re-sign Jones, who performed well in his first season with Indianapolis after inconsistent play and multiple injuries (neck, ACL) with the New York Giants (2019-24). That leaves Richardson on the outside looking in, nearly three years removed from being selected by Indianapolis with the fourth overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. Richardson, 23, is 8-7 as a starter in parts of three seasons, completing 50.6% of his passes for 2,400 yards, 11 TDs and 13 interceptions in 17 games (15 starts). He also has rushed for 634 yards and 10 TDs on 115 carries. After losing the starting job to Jones, Richardson went on injured reserve following an accident during pregame warmups in Week 6. Jones passed for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions, leading Indianapolis to an 8-2 start. He played through a fractured left fibula and went 8-5 as the starter before his season ended with the Achilles injury on Dec. 7 in a loss in Jacksonville. For his career, Jones has completed 64.7% of his passes for 17,683 yards, 89 touchdowns and 55 interceptions in 83 regular-season games (82 starts) for the Giants and Colts. He has a 32-49-1 record as a starter. Jones also has rushed 444 times for 2,343 yards and 20 TDs. ==================================================================== INDIANA PACERS GAME REWIND: PACERS 109, HORNETS 133 The Indiana Pacers returned to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday for their final matchup of February as they clashed with the Charlotte Hornets. Entering Thursday’s game, the Pacers were 2-0 against the Hornets this season. The Pacers have snapped losing streaks in each of those previous two meetings – an eight-game losing streak in November and a 13-game losing streak in January. Indiana started strong, and scored over 30 points in both the first and third quarters, but the Pacers produced just 12 points in the second frame to Charlotte’s 36. That deficit was ultimately too much to overcome, and Indiana fell to Charlotte, 133-109. The Pacers welcomed Obi Toppin back into the lineup for Thursday’s matchup as the forward returned from a 55-game absence due to a stress fracture in his right foot. Toppin will remain on a minutes restriction for the duration of the season according to coach Rick Carlisle, but his reinstatement into Indiana’s rotation stands to bolster the Blue and Gold reserves. Toppin scored the first basket of the game as he wove his way through three Charlotte defenders to the rim. He didn’t appear in the second half of action, but contributed three points, two rebounds, and an assist in his eight minutes. “I’m super blessed,” Toppin said postgame. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been out there on the floor, but to be on the floor today felt amazing.” Andrew Nembhard gave Indiana a seven-point lead as he knocked down a 3-pointer in the first quarter, but Charlotte’s subsequent 11-0 run had the Hornets up five points at the halfway point of the period, 19-14. Kon Knueppel hit a stride in the first quarter from deep. He knocked down three triples for the Hornets, and kept their offense afloat alongside LaMelo Ball, who scored eight points. Knueppel led all scorers through the first period with nine points. Jarace Walker recorded seven points and five rebounds through the first quarter for the Pacers, who led 34-31 at the buzzer. Indiana scored just 12 points in the second quarter – a season-low scoring total for the second period. The Pacers entered the halftime break trailing Charlotte, 67-46. Knueppel continued to lead the Hornets with 15 points, and shot 5-for-8 from long range. Walker and Nembhard scored seven points each for Indiana. The Hornets leveraged their efficiency from deep into a 21-point halftime lead – Charlotte knocked down 50 percent of its triples to Indiana’s mere 20 percent from beyond the arc. Walker was the first to hit double figures for the Pacers, and did so in the third quarter by knocking down a 12-footer as Indiana searched for momentum against a 23-point deficit. He also slipped a tricky pass to a cutting Nembhard for two points. The Pacers scored 36 points in the third frame, led by Micah Potter’s four 3-point baskets, but gave up 40 points to the Hornets. Charlotte led after three, 107-82. Knueppel didn’t cool down from outside – he knocked down eight 3-pointers and tallied 28 points for the Hornets. Brandon Miller led Charlotte in scoring with his 33 points and seven rebounds. Nembhard led the Pacers with 20 points and seven assists as he recorded his third straight 20+ point game. Charlotte found little resistance on offense, and scored the ball efficiently. The Hornets knocked down 55 percent of their field goals, including 47 percent from long range. Indiana hit just 47 percent of its looks from the floor, and 31 percent from 3-point range. Inside the Numbers The Pacers set a season-low scoring total in the second quarter as they scored just 12 points. Andrew Nembhard recorded his third straight 20+ point game on Thursday. Charlotte won the rebounding battle, 46-37. The Pacers committed just 12 turnovers to the Hornets’ 17, but Indiana allowed 19 points off those turnovers. ==================================================================== INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS ERIC PATTERSON NAMED INDIANS MANAGER FOR 2026 SEASON INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Indians, in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Pirates, today announced Eric Patterson has been named the Triple-A club’s manager for the 2026 season after serving as its bench coach in 2025. He will become the 65th manager in franchise history (since 1902) and the ninth since the Indians’ affiliation with Pittsburgh began in 2005. The Pirates also announced the additions of Beech Grove, Ind. native JD Closser as catching & game planning coach, Casey Harms as hitting coach and Nasusel Cabrera as pitching coach. Hitting coach Eric Munson, pitching coach Drew Benes and coach Joe Thatcher will return from the 2025 staff, with Munson and Benes retaining their roles. Manager Eric Patterson Patterson, 42, enters his second season with the Indians and first professional season as a manager after previously spending the 2023-24 seasons with Triple-A Iowa. He began his coaching career with Chicago (NL) in 2021 as an assistant hitting coach for High-A South Bend and ACL Cubs in 2022. He was selected by Chicago (NL) in the eighth round (246th overall) of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft out of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta) before making his debut with the Cubs three years later. His five-year major league career included stops in Chicago (2007-08), Oakland (2008-10), Boston (2010) and San Diego (2011). Catching & Game Planning Coach JD Closser Closser, 46, joins the Pirates organization after spending the last six seasons as catching coordinator with the Atlanta Braves. He began his instructional career as an assistant coach with then High-A Tampa in 2014 and was promoted to coach with the club in 2015. He next served as the bullpen coach for Double-A Trenton from 2016-17 and catching coordinator for New York (AL) from 2018-19. The former major league catcher was selected by Arizona in the fifth round (163rd overall) of the 1998 First-Year Player Draft and made his big-league debut with the Colorado Rockies on June 30, 2004, vs. Milwaukee. He spent all three seasons of his MLB career (2004-06) with Colorado. His minor league career ended in 2011 with Triple-A Albuquerque. Born in Beech Grove, Ind., Closser helped lead Alexandria-Monroe (Alexandria, Ind.) High School to an IHSAA Class 2A State Championship at Victory Field and was named Indiana Mr. Baseball in 1998. Pitching Coach Drew Benes Benes, 37, is entering his 10th season in the Pirates organization and third as Indianapolis’ pitching coach after splitting the 2023 campaign between Indy (bullpen coach) and Double-A Altoona (pitching coach). In 2025 – one year after coaching future NL Rookie of the Year and NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes – Benes led a pitching staff that featured multiple Pirates prospects including Bubba Chandler, Mike Burrows, Braxton Ashcraft, Thomas Harrington and Hunter Barco. After beginning his instructional career with Single-A West Virginia in 2017, Benes served as pitching coach with the GCL Pirates in 2018 and High-A Bradenton in 2019-20. Prior to his coaching career, he spent two years running the Rawlings St. Louis Prospects Baseball Club, a high school and youth baseball organization which focuses on the development of young athletes. Benes – who was originally selected by Cincinnati as a third baseman in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft but did not sign – pitched two years at Arkansas State (Jonesboro) University before being selected by St. Louis as a right-handed pitcher in the 35th round in 2010. He spent three seasons in the Cardinals’ farm system before ending his playing career with a seven-week spring training stint with Texas and brief cameo in the Frontier League in 2013. Pitching Coach Nasusel Cabrera Cabrera, 58, joins the Pirates organization with 35 years of professional coaching experience, most recently serving as a development coach with the ACL White Sox in 2024. Following 18 years coaching in the Dominican Republic to begin his career, Cabrera joined Seattle’s minor league staff with stints with the DSL Mariners (2007), Short-Season A Everett (2008, 2014) and Rookie-Advanced Pulaski (2009-13) while also serving as Latin American pitching coordinator beginning in 2010. Cabrera joined the Mariners big-league staff as batting practice pitcher in 2015 and also served as interim bullpen coach in 2017. Cabrera pitched for three seasons in Oakland’s minor league system from 1986-88 before beginning his instructional career in the Dominican Republic. Hitting Coach Eric Munson Munson, 48, is entering his fifth season as the Indians hitting coach after beginning his coaching career in affiliated baseball in 2021. In 2024, he coached the Indians to a league-leading .271 batting average, the team’s first league-leading mark in that category since 2018. Prior to joining Indy’s coaching staff, Munson owned and operated Gold Standard Athletics in Dubuque, Iowa since its opening in 2013. His career as an instructor began with an undergrad assistant role at his alma mater – the University of Southern California – and later as an assistant at the University of Dubuque. He was selected by Detroit as the third overall pick in the 1999 First-Year Player Draft and made his debut one year later on July 18, 2000, vs. Cincinnati. His nine-year major league career included stints with Detroit (2000-04), Tampa Bay (2005), Houston (2006-07) and Oakland (2009). Hitting Coach Casey Harms Harms, 36, enters his sixth season with the Pirates organization after serving as hitting coach for Double-A Altoona in 2025. He began his professional coaching career in 2021 as hitting coach in the Florida Complex League before being elevated to Integrated Baseball Performance coach for Single-A Bradenton from 2022-23. He then joined High-A Greensboro as bench coach in 2024 before serving as a hitting coach for the Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League. Prior to his coaching career in professional baseball, Harms spent five years as the director of baseball operations with University of California Santa Barbara before being promoted to assistant coach in 2017. In 2019, he began a two-year stint as an associate head coach at Santa Barbara (Calif.) City College while also leading the Northwoods League Waterloo (Iowa) Bucks to the playoffs in 2019 and league championship with the team in 2020. Harms attended Occidental College (Calif.) where he was an outfielder and three-year captain. He graduated with a degree in kinesiology (2012) and received a master’s degree in coaching and athletic administration (2016) from Concordia University Irvine (Calif.). Coach Joe Thatcher Thatcher, 44, is entering his third season with the Pirates organization after beginning his coaching career as the Indians bullpen coach in 2024. Prior to his coaching career, Thatcher founded Pro X Athlete Development in Westfield, Ind. He also is an owner of Bullpen Ventures, which oversees the operation of Grand Park in Westfield and several other sports facilities around the country. The Indianapolis native attended Kokomo High School and Indiana State (Terre Haute) University before signing with Milwaukee as a minor league free agent in 2005. He made his major league debut with San Diego on July 26, 2007, at Houston and went onto a nine-year major league career that also included stints with the Diamondbacks (2013-14), Angels (2014) and Astros (2015). Support Staff Head Athletic Trainer – Matt McNameeAthletic Training Coordinator – Casey LeeStrength and Conditioning Coach – Raldy HerreraPerformance Dietitian – Sierra Scott The Indians open the 2026 season at Victory Field on Friday, March 27 vs. the St. Paul Saints, the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. Full season, half season and mini plans are on sale, and group and premium reservations may also be made. For more on the Indians, visit IndyIndians.com or contact the Victory Field Box Office at (317) 269-3545 or Tickets@IndyIndians.com. ==================================================================== INDIANA MEN’S SWIMMING BEY RECORD, BREASTSTROKE STRENGTH HIGHLIGHT FIRST PRELIM SESSION MADISON, Wis. – Josh Bey was stunned when he saw his time on the scoreboard. In the prelim of the 400 individual medley, the Indiana freshman swam a 3:36.92 – 2.81 seconds better than the IU program record and 5.69 seconds better than his previous personal best. He raised and lowered his arms in an “I-U” motion and struck the water. His swim was the highlight of Indiana’s Thursday (Feb. 26) morning, the first preliminary session of the 2026 Big Ten Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships inside the Soderholm Family Aquatic Center on the campus of the University of Wisconsin. IU will look forward to having 10 ‘A’ finalists, six ‘B’ finalists and two ‘C’ finalists Thursday night. The evening session will kick off at 6 p.m. ET, with IU’s first event starting at 6:30 p.m. Bey’s time ranked second-best in the morning – and fifth-fastest among freshmen all-time – and he will lead five Hoosiers into finals in the event. Freshman Noah Cakir also advanced to the championship final, while sophomore Luke Whitlock (3:43.88) and freshman Luke Ellis (3:44.62) made the consolation final. Senior Zalán Sárkány rounded it out in the ‘C’ final. In familiar fashion, Indiana built a wall of crimson in the breaststroke event. Four Hoosiers will advance to the 100-yard breaststroke championship final: sophomores Alexei Avakov (51.38) and Travis Gulledge (51.41) as well as juniors Toby Barnett (51.84) and Dylan Smiley (52.04). Both of Indiana’s scoring divers advanced to the 1-meter championship final to help maximize Indiana’s night. Senior Maxwell Weinrich (335.70) and sophomore Joshua Sollenberger (332.45) finished sixth and seventh, respectively, in the prelim. The final diver of the morning, Sollenberger hit a Forward 2 1/2 Somersault 1 Twist Pike for 64 points to sneak into the ‘A’ final. Seven more Hoosiers moved on to the evening session between the 100-yard butterfly and 200-yard freestyle. Senior Owen McDonald’s 44.86 in the 100 fly ranked tied for fifth in the morning. Junior Aaron Shackell is a favorite to reach the podium in the 200 free, ranking third in the prelim with a 1:32.57. TEAM SCORES 1. Michigan – 116 2. Ohio State – 114 3. Indiana – 110 4. Wisconsin – 102 5. Northwestern – 100 6. USC – 98 7. Purdue – 96 8. Minnesota – 92 9. Penn State – 40 RESULTS 100 BUTTERFLY t5. Owen McDonald – 44.86 (Championship Final) 10. Raekwon Noel – 45.37 (Consolation Final) 16. Andrew Shackell – 46.12 (Consolation Final) 20. Mikkel Lee – 46.23 (C Final, Personal Best) X. Max Lestina – 46.23 (Exhibition) X. Lukas Paegle – 47.17 (Exhibition) X. Max Cahill – 48.07 (Exhibition) X. Utkarsh Patil – 48.49 (Exhibition) 400 IM 2. Josh Bey – 3:36.92 (Championship Final, Program Record, Personal Best) 7. Noah Cakir – 3:41.61 (Championship Final) 11. Luke Whitlock – 3:43.88 (Consolation Final, Personal Best) 14. Luke Ellis – 3:44.62 (Consolation Final) 18. Zalán Sárkány – 3:46.05 (C Final) X. David Kovacs – 3:48.48 (Exhibition) X. Drew Reiter – 3:48.63 (Exhibition) 200 FREESTYLE 3. Aaron Shackell – 1:32.57 (Championship Final) 12. Miroslav Knedla – 1:33.50 (Consolation Final, Personal Best) 13. Kai van Westering – 1:33.55 (Consolation Final) X. Cooper McDonald – 1:34.90 (Exhibition) X. Brandon Fleck – 1:35.72 (Exhibition) 100 BREASTSTROKE 3. Alexei Avakov – 51.38 (Championship Final) 4. Travis Gulledge – 51.41 (Championship Final, Personal Best) 6. Toby Barnett – 51.84 (Championship Final, Personal Best) 7. Dylan Smiley – 52.04 (Championship Final, Personal Best) X. Collin McKenzie (Exhibition) 1-METER DIVING 6. Maxwell Weinrich – 335.70 (Championship Final) 7. Joshua Sollenberger – 332.45 (Championship Final) X. Jacob Schade – 309.90 (Exhibition) X. Aiden Sadler – 298.35 (Exhibition) X. Dash Glasberg – 257.00 (Exhibition) UP NEXT Thursday night’s finals sessions at the 2026 Big Ten Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships will kick off at 6 p.m. ET with the consolation final of the 1-meter diving competition. Hoosiers will compete in finals of the 100 butterfly, 400 IM, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 1-meter diving and 200 freestyle relay. ==================================================================== INDIANA BASEBALL BASEBALL CENTRAL: WESTERN KENTUCKY BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The month of February will come to a close this weekend as the Indiana Baseball team (3-5, 0-0 B1G) heads to Bowling Green for a four-game road series with Western Kentucky (5-4, 0-0 CUSA). The Hilltoppers are coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2025 and have the makings of a team that can compete for another CUSA crown this year. IU got a much-needed bounce back win on Wednesday (Feb. 25) afternoon at Xavier. The offense scored 10 runs on 15 hits while the pitching staff allowed just four runs. Seven different arms worked into the game, led by a pair of innings each from graduate students Conner Linn and Gavin Seebold. Freshman pitcher Xavier Carrera picked up his first collegiate win. After facing stiff competition on the mound to begin the year, IU’s bats are starting to heat up at just the right time. The Hoosiers are hitting .324 over the last five games including batting averages of .400 or better in that stretch from sophomore shortstop Cooper Malamazian (.474), sophomore utilityman Hogan Denny (.409), freshman second baseman Landen Fry (.400) and redshirt junior outfielder Ayden Crouse (.400). This will be IU’s first true four-game road series in non-conference play since heading to San Diego (3-1 series win) in the final year of Chris Lemonis’ time in Bloomington (2018). Beginning in 2025, conference play expanded to 10 weekend series. This will be the final tuneup before IU starts Big Ten action next weekend (March 6-8) against Washington in Bloomington. IU will briefly step out of conference play in April against Abilene Christian. Barring any changes in the weather, IU is scheduled to play one game Friday (Feb. 27), two on Saturday (Feb. 28) and a Sunday (March 1) contest to wrap up the weekend. Graduate student Tony Neubeck will get the ball on Friday afternoon to begin the series for the Hoosiers. Gameday Info at Western Kentucky (Friday, February 27th – 4 p.m. ET) Live Video: No Stream Live Audio: bit.ly/IUAudio Live Stats: bit.ly/4s23RwS at Western Kentucky (Saturday, February 28th – 2 p.m. ET + 5 p.m. ET) Live Video: No Stream Live Audio: bit.ly/IUAudio Live Stats: bit.ly/4s23RwS at Western Kentucky (Sunday, February 29th – 2 p.m. ET) Live Video: No Stream Live Audio: bit.ly/IUAudio Live Stats: bit.ly/4s23RwS Probable Starters Indiana vs. Western Kentucky • Friday: LHP Tony Neubeck, Gr. (0-0, 1.29 ERA) • Saturday – 1: LHP Brayton Thomas, So. (1-0, 2.25 ERA) • Saturday – 2: TBD • Sunday: TBD Leading Off BALANCED OFFENSE: IU has gotten contributions from all over its lineup in the early part of the season. 12 different players have recorded a hit this season. The latest addition to that list is freshman third baseman Mateo Noto who had an RBI single on Sunday against Notre Dame. RIVERA ROCKET: Graduate student right-handed pitcher Reagan Rivera went to work in a big win over UCF last Saturday. He recorded the final 12 outs in a scoreless save in Jacksonville. He’s as versatile as it comes on IU’s staff this year and can both start games or close when needed. THE REAL HD: Sophomore outfielder Hogan Denny is on a tear to begin the season. He’s hitting .367 with an on-base percentage of .513. On top of his hits, he’s reached base safely with seven walks and two hit-by-pitches. His current seven-game hitting streak is the longest of his career. BEHIND THE DISH: Junior catcher T.J. Schuyler is one of the best defensive catchers in the entire country. On the season, he’s already thrown out four runners who are trying to steal. One of those was a “strike ’em out, throw ’em out” double play in the ninth inning against Notre Dame. FAMILIAR FACES: IU’s pitching coach Matt Myers will return back to Bowling Green where he was the head coach at Western Kentucky (2012-15) for four years. IU head coach Jeff Mercer spent time on his staff before going back to coach at Wright State. HEATING UP: Sophomore shortstop Cooper Malamazian has torn the cover off the ball in the last five games. He’s hitting .474 in that stretch with nine base knocks, eight RBIs and six runs scored. He’s hit fifth in the lineup, offering protection to the top of IU’s order. TOP OF THE ORDER: IU may have found a potent 1-2 duo at the top of its order. Redshirt junior outfielder Ayden Crouse is hitting .348 this year and has provided long at-bats at the top of the order. Sophomore third baseman Will Moore supplements him with a .400 on-base percentage. QUALITY ARMS: The Hoosiers have settled in on a starting rotation to begin the season. Graduate student Tony Neubeck has led the way on Friday with his 1.29 ERA. He will need to work longer into games but has the makings of a poised veteran on the mound. KEEP FIRING: Graduate student pitcher Gavin Seebold has worked 8.1 scoreless innings to begin the season. That stretches across three outings including two shutout frames to end a win over Xavier on Tuesday. He’s IU’s top relief option this year. OL’ RELIABLE: Redshirt junior pitcher Jacob Vogel has been the main option to help IU get out of long innings. In his career, 27 of his 35 appearances have been scoreless outings. He went 3.2 innings without allowing a run last week against Notre Dame. Scouting the Opponent Western Kentucky • The Hilltoppers are coming off perhaps their best season in program history and are off to another strong 5-4 start this year. They split a four-game series with BYU, took three out of four from SEMO and dropped a tight midweek affair at Kentucky. This weekend will already be their third, four-game series of the year. • Infielder Lane Arroyos has done the bulk of the job offensively for Western Kentucky. He leads the team in hits (13), home runs (2) and RBIs (13). He’s got an OPS of 1.174 through nine starts and has scored eight times. Junior outfielder Hayden Nazarenus has done a fantastic job with a .417 batting average. Five players bat above .300 for Marc Rardin’s squad. • After pitching the ball at a high level last year, Western Kentucky reshaped its pitching staff this year. NAIA transfer Aaron Robertson, who will get a start this weekend, has been lights out through the first two weeks. He’s 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA. He’s struck out 14 batters and hasn’t walked anyone this season. The rotation runs deep for the Hilltoppers. Southpaw Zach Lyles is the top bullpen piece. He’s already pitched in four games. Inside the Series Western Kentucky • These two teams have played just three times in program history. This year’s series will feature four games, the first weekend series ever. Friday’s game will be the first meeting since a 2014 extra-innings victory for the Hoosiers. IU has long ties to the program down in Bowling Green. Pitching coach Matt Myers was the head coach at Western Kentucky for four years (2012-15). During that time, he hired current IU head coach Jeff Mercer as a volunteer assistant. Former IU assistant coach (2025) Blake Allen was also an assistant coach during his tenure. ==================================================================== PURDUE MEN’S BASKETBALL #13 MICHIGAN STATE HANDS #8 PURDUE 76-74 SETBACK [13] Michigan State 76, [8] Purdue 74 (Postgame Notes) 13 Michigan State topped No. 8 Purdue 76-74 in Mackey Arena, dropping the Boilermakers’ record to 22-6 overall and 12-5 in the Big Ten standings. Purdue has lost back-to-back games to Michigan State for the first time since Feb. 10, 2018, and Jan. 8, 2019. The Boilermakers have lost four home games this season, coming to teams currently ranked 3, 4, 10 and 13. Purdue is 0-4 against ranked teams in Mackey Arena, but is 4-0 against ranked teams away from Mackey Arena. The four home losses equal the number of home losses from the previous three seasons combined. Michigan State won in Mackey Arena for the first time since the 2013-14 season, snapping a seven-game Boilermaker winning streak in Mackey Arena. Purdue lost for the first time this season when having at least four players score in double-figures (now 16-1). Purdue shot 49.1 percent from the field and 48.0 percent (12-of-25) from 3-point range, while outrebounding the Spartans, 28-26, with only nine turnovers. Purdue had never lost under Matt Painter (26-0) when making at least 12, 3-pointers, outrebounding its opponent and having single-digit turnovers. Braden Smith became the fifth player in NCAA history to surpass 1,000 career assists, now with 1,004 assists. He needs four assists to pass LIU Brooklyn’s Jason Brickman into fourth on the career assists list. Smith tallied his 25th point-assist double-double with 12 points and 10 assists, and his 36 career 10-assist games are the third most in NCAA history (Chris Corchiani, Jason Brickman). Trey Kaufman-Renn tallied 10 points with six rebounds and a career-high tying seven assists. Jack Benter scored 11 points, the most for him since having 20 points against Kent State on Dec. 29, 2025. His 11 points were his most in a Big Ten Conference game. Omer Mayer went 2-of-3 from deep, and is now 22-of-46 (.478) from 3-point range in Big Ten games. WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Carson Cooper scored 15 points, Kur Teng had 13 and No. 13 Michigan State survived Braden Smith’s missed 3-point attempt with a second to play for a 76-74 victory over No. 8 Purdue on Thursday night. Jeremy Fears Jr. added 12 and Coen Carr had 11 for the Spartans (23-5, 13-4 Big Ten), who snapped a seven-game losing streak at Purdue. Smith, who became the fifth player in Division I history to reach 1,000 career assists, finished with 12 points and 10 assists for Purdue (22-6, 12-5). Jack Benter had 11 points for the Boilermakers. After Smith’s two free throws closed the deficit to 66-64 with 5:48 left, the Spartans responded with a 6-0 run. Trailing 74-67, Smith hit a 3-pointer and a driving layup to trim the lead to 74-72 with 2:16 left. Trailing 76-74, Purdue’s Trey Kaufman-Renn missed a chance to tie it with a jumper in the lane with 8 seconds left. Michigan State’s Cam Ward missed the front end of one-and-one. The Boilermakers got the rebound and called timeout with 3.4 seconds left to set up the final shot. ==================================================================== PURDUE WRESTLING NCAA WRESTLING ANNOUNCES PRE-ALLOCATIONS, THIRD COACHES’ RANKINGS, SECOND RPI WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee has unveiled the pre-allocation spots, third coaches’ rankings and second RPI rankings for the upcoming NCAA Wrestling Championships. Seven Boilermakers are ranked in the top 33 among their respective weights in the coaches’ poll. The following table shows how Purdue’s 10 starters stack up in each set of rankings. NR = Not RankedWRESTLER (weight)COACHES’ RANKINGRPI RANKINGAshton Jackson (125)NR56Blake Boarman (133)3340Greyson Clark (141)2736Gavin Brown (149)NR36Stoney Buell (157)2423Joey Blaze (165)28Brody Baumann (174)1925James Rowley (184)2635Ben Vanadia (197)2125Hayden Filipovich (285)NR38 PRE-ALLOCATION SPOTS The Big Ten Conference, the preeminent league for collegiate wrestling, earned 87 of 288 automatic qualifying bids for the NCAA Championships — by far the most of any conference. The Big 12 Conference has the second-most with 63, followed by the Atlantic Coast Conference (39), Mid-American Conference (27) and Ivy League (23). There will also be 42 at-large selections. The automatic qualifying spots are assigned to placewinners in each conference tournament. For example, the Big Ten has seven automatic bids at 141 pounds, and those who finish in the top seven at that weight at the Big Ten Championships will have guaranteed their spot in the national tournament. After all conference tournaments have concluded, the NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee will meet to select the remaining 42 at-large qualifiers. The selections will be announced March 10, while brackets and seeding will be announced on NCAA.com at 8 p.m. ET March 11. All weight classes will consist of 33 wrestlers. Below are the Big Ten’s allotments of automatic qualifiers as well as total at-large slots available nationally at each weight. WEIGHT (lbs)BIG TENAT-LARGE1259513384141741499415784165951741041848419710428594 Each qualifying tournament was awarded pre-allocations to the national tournament based on regular season performance by conference wrestlers through Feb. 23. The pre-allocations were determined using a sliding scale of the three standards — win percentage, coaches’ ranking and RPI ranking — while never going below the base of .700 winning percentage, top-30 coaches’ ranking and top-30 RPI ranking until reaching the maximum of 29 wrestlers per weight class. For each wrestler who reached the threshold in at least two of the three categories, his conference tournament was awarded a qualifying spot in that weight class. THIRD COACHES’, SECOND RPI RANKINGS The coaches’ rankings are determined by a vote of three coaches in each weight class. For ranking purposes, coaches may consider only a wrestler who has been designated as a starter at a respective weight class. Wrestlers must have eight Division I matches in the weight class to be considered, with at least one match within the last 30 days. The RPI is a calculation that consists of three factors: winning percentage, opponents’ winning percentage (strength of schedule) and opponents’ opponents’ winning percentage (opponents’ strength of schedule). Only matches against Division I opponents at the designated weight class count toward the RPI, and a wrestler must have competed in 15 matches to be ranked. No forfeit of any kind counts toward the match minimum. The coaches’ ranking and RPI are two of several criteria that will be evaluated during the at-large selection and seeding process, along with head-to-head competition, quality wins, conference tournament placement, results versus common opponents and win percentage. A full description of the entire selection process for the 2026 Division I Wrestling Championships is available at ncaa.org. The 2026 Big Ten Wrestling Championships will be hosted by Penn State in State College, Pa., at the Bryce Jordan Center from March 7-8. The 2026 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships take place March 19-21 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, home of the NBA’s Cavaliers. ====================================================================== PURDUE MEN’S TENNIS BOILERS SHUT OUT RED BIRDS WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue defeated Illinois State 4-0, following a dominating showing across the board for the Boilers. With the result, Purdue improves to 4-5 on the year while Illinois State falls to 4-6. Boilermakers started the dual off strong by winning the doubles point, clinched by first time pairing, freshmen Jacob Lee, and Nikola Jovic, 7-5. Purdue took the momentum into singles play winning set one on all six courts in dominating fashion. Lee, at the number five position, took the first singles victory by defeating Caden Scarlett (IST) 6-1, 6-4, followed by Nikola Jovic 6-1, 6-2, at the number four position. Finally, Mujtaba Ali-Khan posted the match-clincher behind 6-1, 6-2 wins, for his first win of the year. Up Next, Purdue hosts USC and UCLA March 6 and 8, respectively. Doubles Henrik Villanger / Nour Fathalla (PUR ) def. Adrian Dibildox / Christian Capacci (IST.): 6-1 Jacob Lee / Nikola Jovic (PUR) vs. Finn Logue / Jett Leong (IST): 7-5 Tin Ostro / Caden Scarlett (IST) def JD Velasquez / Mujtaba Ali-Khan (PUR): 4-6 Singles Nour Fathalla (PUR) vs. Adrian Dibildox (IST): 6-1, 5-3 UNF Henrik Villanger (PUR) vs. Christian Capacci (IST): 6-2, 5-4 UNF JD Velasquez vs. Tin Ostro (IST): 6-3, 3-4 UNF Nikola Jovic (PUR) vs. Jett Leong (IST): 6-1, 6-2 Jacob Lee (PUR) vs. Caden Scarlett (IST): 6-1, 6-4 Mujtaba Ali-Khan vs. Finn Logue (IST): 6-1, 6-2 Order of Finish Doubles: 1, 3, 2 Singles: 5, 4, 6 ===================================================================== NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S BASKETBALL IRISH DOWN ORANGE IN REGULAR-SEASON HOME FINALE, 72-62 SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Fighting Irish sent the seniors out in fashion on Thursday evening inside Purcell Pavilion on Senior Night, claiming a 72-62 win over Syracuse. The victory improves Notre Dame’s record to 19-9 on the season and 11-6 in ACC play. Notre Dame finishes with a record of 14-2 at home in regular-season play. Hannah Hidalgo continued her storybook season, scoring a game-high 27 points to go along with eight rebounds, seven assists and seven steals. The guard has now scored 25 or more points in three straight games. Cassandre Prosper had a notable performance, scoring 16 points to go along with seven rebounds, two assists and a block. Malaya Cowles also finished in double figures, scoring 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field. HOW IT HAPPENED The opening 10 minutes was a back-and-forth affair, as it was a one-possession game the entire first quarter. Syracuse led by three at 16-13 with a minute left in the first frame before Hidalgo had back-to-back steals that led to fastbreak layups followed by a put back right before the buzzer by Bransford to give Notre Dame a 19-16 lead at the end of the quarter. After the Orange opened the second quarter with a bucket to cut the lead to one, the Irish scored the next six points to go on top 25-18. Syracuse answered with eight straight points of their own to retake the lead at 26-25 with just over 6 minutes left in the half. The score moved to 32-31 in favor of the visitors before Notre Dame ended the second stanza with a 6-0 run to take a 37-32 lead into the halftime intermission. Hidalgo led the way with 14 points at the break and was joined in double-figure scoring by Prosper who had 10 over the first 20 minutes of action. The Irish came out in the third quarter and quickly pushed the lead to double-digits at 43-33 within the first 2 minutes of play. The Orange utilized a 13-2 run over a 5-minute stretch to comeback and take a one-point lead at 48-47 in the final minute of the third. Notre Dame scored the final points of the quarter off a layup from Cowles to take a 49-48 into the final 10 minutes of regulation. A jumper from Hidalgo followed by a three-pointer from Vanessa de Jesus quickly pushed the lead back up to six early in the fourth. Syracuse cut the lead to four on two occasions within the first three minutes of the final frame before the Irish slowly took control of the game. Notre Dame led by six with 2:30 left in the contest and then scored seven of the final 10 points to come away with the 72-62. NOTRE DAME STAT OF THE GAME Hidalgo became just the second player in the country this season to record at least 20 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and seven steals in a game this season, joining Liv McGill from Florida. Furthermore, Hidalgo is just the third player to achieve that stat line in a major conference game since the 1999-00 season. NOTRE DAME NOTES The Irish improved to 41-6 against Syracuse in the all-time series. Notre Dame has won six of its last seven games, each victory by 10 or more points. Opponents have recorded 20 or more turnovers against the Irish in four straight games and 15 total times during the 2025-26. Notre Dame finished with 10 steals, marking the 22nd time the team has recorded double-digit steals in a game this season. With 27 points, Hidalgo has scored 20+ points in 21 games this season and 72 games in her career, which is the program record. Hidalgo has finished in double figures in the scoring column in all 94 games of her career, the longest streak in program history. Prosper finished in double figures scoring for the 22nd time this season Cowles’ 13-point night marked the 11th time this season she has finished with double-digit points. UP NEXT The Irish wrap up the regular season on the road, taking on No. 10 Louisville at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 1 inside the Yum Center. The game will air on ESPN2. ==================================================================== NOTRE DAME SOFTBALL CONFERENCE OPENER ON THE HORIZON FOR THE IRISH SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame softball opens up Atlantic Coast Conference play this weekend with a three-game series at Georgia Tech in Atlanta this weekend. The series opener on Friday, February 27th will be broadcast nationally on ACC Network at 5:00 p.m. before games on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. will be available to stream on ACC Network Extra. February 27th marks the earliest Notre Dame softball has ever opened up conference play in the program’s 38 seasons. All-time, the Irish are 20-7 against the Yellow Jackets, including an 8-5 clip on the road. Notre Dame last played Georgia Tech on March 17, 2024, scoring five runs in the seventh to come back and take down then 25th-ranked Georgia Tech to win the series. Mickey Winchell logged a hit in that win. Notre Dame pitching will look to get back on track following last weekend. This year, the Irish staff has 101 strikeouts, tied for the second-most among ACC teams. Brianne Weiss leads the team with 40 strikeouts, among the top-five in the conference. Kami Kamzik and Micaela Kastor continue to be a formidable 1-2 punch in the Notre Dame rotation. Kamzik has a 2.79 ERA while Kastor has a 2.83 ERA. Both Irish right handers have thrown multiple complete games this season. In conference play last year, Kastor recorded 55 strikeouts while Kamzik led the team with a 3.88 ERA against league foes. At the plate, Sydny Poeck has shined for Notre Dame, hitting a team-best .429 with six RBI on the year. The junior outfielder leads the team in both batting average and on-base percentage this year (.500). Caroline O’Brien, who has started all 16 games at third base, leads the team with 19 hits and has swiped five bases on the base paths. Last year, O’Brien, who was named to the 2025 All-ACC Freshman team, hit .340 in conference play. Notre Dame will look to improve upon its 7-17 conference record a year ago. The Irish won three ACC games on the road in 2025 (at Louisville, at NC State, at #17 Duke). ====================================================================== NOTRE DAME TRACK AND FIELD IRISH START STRONG AT ACC CHAMPIONSHIPS BOSTON, Mass. – The Notre Dame track & field team started off the 2026 ACC Indoor Championships strong on Thursday at the TRACK at New Balance in Boston. Lauren Huber posted a personal-record score of 3968 in the pentathlon to place second and earn First Team All-ACC honors. She finished first overall in both the shot put (13.34m) and the 800m (2:10.98) and added a personal-best effort in the long jump (5.29m). Cameron Todd earned Second Team All-ACC honors with a fifth place finish in the 5,000m race with a time of 13:44.59. On the women’s side, Mary Bonner Dalton and Amaya Aramini both captured All-ACC honors on Thursday night. Dalton was a First Team All-ACC honoree with a second place finish in a time of 15:48.14. Aramini earned Second Team All-ACC accolades by virtue of her fourth place finish in a time of 15:48.54. Ben Pable reset his own school record in the weight throw for the second consecutive week with a big 22.94m performance for the Irish. He took second place in the event to earn First Team All-ACC accolades. Jackson McDowell matched his season-best effort in the men’s high jump with a 2.11m clearance to place fourth and earn Second Team All-ACC honors on the night. Through day one of competition, the Irish women have a league-leading 25 points through four events while the men have 19 points and are fifth through five events. Day two of the three-day championships begins at 1:00 p.m. on Friday with the men’s long jump. THURSDAY RESULTS Pentathlon 60m Hurdles 11. Kate McGuinness – 9.03 15. Lauren Huber – 9.20 Pentathlon High Jump 7. Lauren Huber – 1.62m 15. Kate McGuinness – 1.50m Pentathlon Shot Put 1. Lauren Huber – 13.34m 14. Kate McGuinness – 9.49m Pentathlon Long Jump 11. Lauren Huber – 5.29m 12. Kate McGuinness – 5.27m Pentathlon 800m 1. Lauren Huber – 2:10.98 5. Kate McGuinness – 2:20.85 Pentathlon Total Scores 2. Lauren Huber – 3968 15. Kate McGuinness – 3467 Men’s 5,000m 5. Cameron Todd – 13:44.59 19. Dylan Throop – 14:02.46 Women’s 5,000m 2. Mary Bonner Dalton – 15:48.14 4. Amaya Aramini – 15:48.54 14. Reagan Riley – 16:11.67 (PR) 31. Addison Knoblauch – 16:50.57 Men’s Weight Throw 2. Ben Pable – 22.94m (PR) 10. Obi Okeke – 20.37m Men’s High Jump 4. Jackson McDowell – 2.11m Men’s DMR 7. Schuler, Ahart, Stehly, Anderson – 9:43.43 Women’s DMR 4. Mucharsky, Sanders, Farley, Allori – 10:57.75 ===================================================================== NOTRE DAME BASEBALL IRISH SET TO TAKE ON TRIO OF TEAMS IN TENNESSEE SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Notre Dame baseball team is back on the road this weekend as they are set to face Alabama A&M, UIC and host Tennessee Tech for three games from Friday through Sunday. DateTime (ET)OpponentLocationProbable StartersBroadcastFeb. 2712:00 PMAlabama A&MBush Stadium – Cookeville, Tenn.RHP Jack Radel vs. RHP Edyn BarberFeb. 2812:00 PMUICBush Stadium – Cookeville, Tenn.LHP Caden Crowell vs. LHP Brandon BakMar. 13:00 PMTennessee TechBush Stadium – Cookeville, Tenn.RHP Ty Uber vs. RHP Logan MollerESPN+ THE MATCHUPS This marks the first meeting between Notre Dame and Alabama A&M. The Irish hold a 31-10 lead over UIC all-time. It will be the first neutral-site matchup between the teams. Notre Dame holds a 3-0 lead all-time against host Tennessee Tech. LAST TIME OUT The Irish bounced back to take a 9-8 extra-innings win to cap off the Live Like Lou Jax Baseball Classic. UCF – Jack Radel used 68 pitches to strikeout nine batters and retire all 18 batters he faced in a perfect 6.0 innings of work. UCF tied the game in the ninth before taking the game by a 4-2 score in 10 innings. Dylan Passo belted the first home run of his collegiate career LSU – The No. 2 Tigers took a lead early in a 9-4 final. The Irish outscored LSU 4-3 over the final five innings of play as Jayce Lee notched a home run. Mark Quatrani and Noah Coy both went 2-for-4 at the plate and scored a run for the Irish. INDIANA – Trailing 8-3 midway through the seventh inning, the Irish plated five runs in the bottom half of the inning before walking off a 9-8 win in 11 innings. Mark Quatrani went 4-for-6 at the dish with two home runs on the day. Drew Berkland added a 4-for-6 effort of his own with three RBIs, which included the game-tying and game-winning runs. TOP TALENT The Irish have six players listed in the D1baseball.com Preseason rankings by position. Sophomore Bino Watters was the 17th ranked first baseman. Junior Jack Radel was 29th on the starting pitchers list. Junior Mark Quatrani was 49th on the catchers list. Graduate student Drew Berkland was 63rd on the outfielders report. Sophomore Oisin Lee came in at 74th on the relief pitchers list. Junior Davis Johnson was listed at 132nd in the outfielder rankings. Additionally, Notre Dame had representation on the D1Baseball Impact Freshman List as Caden Crowell came in at No. 9 on the ranking. ====================================================================== BUTLER BASEBALL BULLDOGS SET FOR WEEKEND SERIES AGAINST MARSHALL INDIANAPOLIS – The Butler Bulldogs travel to Huntington, West Virginia, this weekend for a three-game series against the Marshall Thundering Herd. Game one of the series is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 27, with first pitch slotted for 3 p.m. ET. GAMEDAY INFORMATION DATE: Friday, Feb. 27 – Sunday, March 1 GAME TIMES: Friday – 3 PM ET, Saturday – 4 PM ET, Sunday – 1 PM ET LOCATION: Huntington, W. Va. LIVE STATS: Butlersports.com ABOUT THE BULLDOGS The Bulldogs are coming off a week in which they played five games in as many days, including a doubleheader on Saturday against Murray State. Butler went 1-4 over that stretch, bringing its record to 2-6 on the season. Butler picked up a 10-8 victory at Illinois last week, marking Butler’s first win over a BIG Ten opponent since 2024 when BU took down Indiana 6-2, at Bulldog Park. Gavin Gilmore leads Butler at the plate, batting .389 to start the season. Gilmore ranks first on the team with 14 hits while recording eight RBIs and seven runs. Matthew Rhoades leads BU in OPS, slugging percentage, home runs and total bases. The power-hitting first baseman has started in all eight games for Butler. Max Winders has been dominant on the mound for the Bulldogs. In three appearances (one start), Winders has posted a 3.00 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP. The sophomore leads Butler with 14 strikeouts and has yet to issue a walk. Butler returns 17 letterwinners from a year ago and welcomes 21 new faces to the squad for 2026. Butler welcomed Ty Neal to the coaching staff this offseason as the program’s pitching coach. Neal was an assistant coach at Michigan in 2025, helping the Wolverines post a 33-23 overall record. They went 16-14 in the Big Ten standings and held a 4.92 team ERA. Neal has made stops at Michigan, Arizona State, Cincinnati, Indiana, Miami Ohio, and Southern Illinois. He brings nearly 20 years of coaching experience to the program and has assisted in the recruiting and development of over 50 MLB draft picks. Freshman Grayson Bradberry was named the BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year by D1Baseball and Perfect Game prior to the start of the season. Bradberry hails from Columbia City, Indiana and earned All-Conference honors (3x), Pre-Season All-State honors, team MVP (2x), NE8 Conference Player of the Year and was chosen as a two-time team captain. In 2025, Butler saw Jack Moroknek get drafted in the 11th round by the Washington Nationals. Moroknek led the team in hits (81), batting average (.372), total bases (153), RBIs (57), home runs (18), runs scored (57), slugging percentage (.702) and OPS (1.145) while posting one of the best individual seasons in Butler history. Moroknek was the first Bulldog drafted since Ryan Pepiot was taken in the third round of the 2019 MLB Draft. Head Coach Blake Beemer enters his fourth season at the helm of the Bulldogs. Beemer helped coach back-to-back BIG EAST Freshman of the Year winners Joey Urban (2023) and Kade Lewis (2024) in his first two seasons with the Bulldogs. Beemer played a pivotal role in developing Jack Moroknek who earned All-BIG EAST second team honors a season ago before being selected by the Washington Nationals in the 2025 MLB Draft. SCOUTING MARSHALL Marshall enters the weekend with a 2-5 record. The Thundering Herd opened the season by taking two games against Evansville but have dropped five straight since. The weekend series against the Dawgs marks their first homestand of the season. Evan Bottone is off to a hot start. The Akron transfer is slashing .542/.633/1.000 at the plate. Bottone leads the Herd with 13 hits and three home runs. On the mound, Bryce Blevins comes in with a 1-1 record and has allowed just three earned runs in 13 innings pitched, good for a 2.08 ERA. The senior southpaw is coming off a quality start against The Citadel, tossing six innings while allowing three earned runs. UP NEXT The Bulldogs return to Indianapolis for their first homestand of the year, as they will play host to Morehead State. Game one is scheduled for Friday, March 6, with first pitch coming at 3 p.m. More information will be available on butlersports.com. ====================================================================== BUTLER TRACK AND FIELD BUTLER PREPARES FOR THE BIG EAST INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS The Butler track and field team are headed to the BIG EAST Indoor Championships in Chicago, Ill. on Friday and Saturday. The Bulldog men are looking to build after finishing sixth at the indoor conference championships last season. This year, the team will be led by grad students William Zegarski, Eli Fullerton and Jesse Hamlin alongside sophomore Brendan Thomas, who are looking to get the Bulldogs back to being the 5,000-meters titleholder. Zegarski will also be competing in the men’s 3,000-meters alongside junior David Slapak, junior Matteo Rosio, and Redshirt freshman Seth Mahony. In the men’s mile, grad students Austin Gabay and Hamlin, will lead the way alongside freshman Owen Whitney. The Dawgs are sending sole runners for three events. Sophomore Joe Pierro will be the competitor for the Dawgs in the 200-meter race. Junior Troy Larrison will be the 400-meter representative and grad student Ryan Elston will be competing in the 800-meter race. The Bulldogs are competing in three relays during this competition. These relays will not be finalized until event day. The distance medley relay could consist of Slapak, Gabay, Hamlin, Whitney, junior Aedan Rendek, Pierro, or Larrison. The 4×800- meter relay could include Hamlin, Gabay, Rendek, Slapak, Elston, or Whitney. The 4×400-meter relay will possibly be run by Larrison, junior Ethan Falconer, senior Mason Steinbraker, Pierro, junior Lairden Rogge, freshman Edward Mumford, Whitney, or Elston. Butler will also look to have some success in the field led by junior Cabott Craft and Mumford. Craft will be competing in long jump and triple jump. Mumford will be competing in the high jump event. In the multis, Butler will have one competitor on each side with senior Sean Davies hoping to earn some points as the sole Bulldog in the men’s heptathlon. The heptathlon consists of the 60-meter hurdles, 60-meter run, 800-meter run, 1000-meter run, high jump, long jump, shot put, and pole vault. Junior Lily Wharton leads the way for the women in the pentathlon, which consists of the 60-meter hurdles, 800-meter run, high jump, long jump, and shot put. On the women’s side, freshman Anna Niebrugge has emerged as one of the Bulldog’s top runners holding the top mark in the 60-meter race, where she currently holds the school record. Junior Jocelyn Davis and grad student Lauren Doerr will also be competing in the 60-meter event. Niebrugge will also be part of the 200-meter race alongside Davis and sophomore Jenna Plank. Niebrugge will be part of the 4×400-meter relay team with senior Grace Stedge, Plank, and Davis while the Bulldogs look to claim the top spot. Freshman Poppy Healy, freshman Cameron Kirtley, Stedge, sophomore Camille El Baghlouli, or freshman Carys Glyn-Jones will possibly be on the Bulldog team for the distance medley relay. The possible representation for the Bulldogs in the women’s 4×800-meter relay could be the team of Healy, Kirtley, El Baghouli, Glyn-Jones, or sophomore Hannah Moore. These relays will also not be finalized until event day. The Lady Bulldogs will have sole runners in the 800-meter and 5000-meter events. Healy will make her BIG EAST Indoor debut in the 800-meter race. Moore will be leading the Dawgs in the 5000-meter competition. The first event will be the women’s pentathlon beginning on Friday at 11:30 ET with the women’s pole vault kicking off at 1 PM. The track events will start with the women’s 5,000 meters at 1:45pm. Saturday’s slate will begin with field events starting with the women’s shot put at 11 AM and the races will begin at 11:05 AM starting with the women’s 3000-meter. The Men’s Heptathlon will be inserted in the track event portion of the schedule where appropriate. You can stream the event both days on ESPN+ at https://www.espn.com/search/_/appearance/dark/o/watch/q/big%20east%20track. Live results will be available at https://results.lakeshoreathleticservices.com/meets/61998. Any additional information can be found on Championship Central at https://www.bigeast.com/tournaments/?id=208. ====================================================================== BALL STATE BASEBALL CARDINALS DROP OPENING GAME IN HAWAII HONOLULU — Ball State leadoff batter Gavin Balius slapped the game’s first pitch into left field, but it turned out to be the Cardinals’ only hit until Balius scored on a run-scoring single in the ninth inning, as Hawaii outdistanced Ball State, 6-1, in the first of a four-game series at Les Murakami Stadium. In the first baseball game ever played between Hawaii and Ball State, senior relief specialist John Chambers made just the second start of his Ball State career, and his first of 2026. He fired five innings and absorbed the loss (0-1), but only allowed three runs and three hits as the Rainbow Warriors struck for a single run in the third inning, and got two more in the fifth. Ball State pitchers Chambers, Zach Kwasny and Trent Murphy scattered just eight hits overall, but it was the Cardinals’ seven straight innings without a hit that proved the difference. Balius reached base on the game’s opening pitch, then collected his 12th stolen base of the season to move into scoring position. He moved to third on Kensky Thomas’ fly to right, but was left on base when Charlie Keller struck out. Balius walked in the third inning and was caught stealing for the first time this season to thwart a second rally attempt. While Hawaii tacked on single runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth, the Cardinals didn’t put another runner on base until Balius reached on an error in the ninth. He advanced to second on a throwing error, and scored on a one-out single to center field by Brett Griffiths. Jacob Gillis singled and moved Griffiths to third, but Kendric Sorgius’ strikeout ended the contest. Hawaii improved its record to 6-3, while the Cardinals fell to 4-4. Game two of the series takes place Friday at 6:30 p.m. HT (11:30 p.m. ET). ===================================================================== BALL STATE SWIMMING AND DIVING WOMEN’S S&D CLAIM TWO GOLDS ON DAY TWO OF MAC CHAMPIONSHIPS AKRON, Ohio – The Ball State women’s swimming and diving program added three medals, including two golds, as the squad continued competition on day two at the Mid-American Conference Swimming and Diving Championships. The first gold of the night was brought in by senior freestyle specialist Payton Kelly, who placed first in the 50 freestyle with a time of 21.88. Her finishing time in the event not only stands as a brand-new Ball State and MAC record, but also punches her ticket to the 2026 NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships (March 18-21) in Atlanta Georgia. Kelly takes top prize in the event for the second straight year, tying Ohio’s Zita Szoke for gold at last year’s MAC Championships. Ball State’s second gold was claimed by graduate Grace Walker, who scored a career-best 298.75 on the 1-meter board, beating her own fourth-best score in program history. Rounding out the medals on day two was the 400 medley relay team of Ava Butterfield, Addie Beasley, Anna Keen and Kelly which earned bronze with a program-leading time of 3:37.07. Addy Czarnecki and Reagan Graves contributed points to Ball State’s effort, placing fifth (4:53.81) and 12th (4:56.31) in the 500 freestyle. In the 200 individual medley, Beasley turned in a seventh-place performance (2:02.18), followed by Alexa Von Holtz in eighth (2:02.90) and Milagros Amione in 16th (2:03.30). Also earning points for the Cardinals was Keen who finished fifth in the 50 free (22.63). At the end of day two, Ball State sits at fourth with 189 points. The Cardinals trail behind Buffalo (191), Ohio (193) and Akron (265). Action at the MAC Championships continues tomorrow morning with prelims at 10 a.m. followed by finals at 6 p.m. Events will be streamed on ESPN+. Ball State Results on Day 2 of the MAC Championships THURSDAY EVENING FINAL RESULTS 500 Freestyle | Program Record – 4:48.37 by Marcella Ribeiro in 2021 5th – Addy Czarnecki – 4:53.81 – sixth in program history 12th – Reagan Graves – 4:56:31 – ninth in program history 200 IM | Program Record – 2:00.85 by Alexa Von Holtz in an 2023 7th – Addie Beasley – 2:02.18 – second in program history 8th – Alexa Von Holtz – 2:02.90 16th – Milagros Amione – 2:03.30 50 Freestyle | Program Record – 22.23 by Payton Kelly in 2025 1st – Payton Kelly – 21.88 – program record, MAC record & NCAA qualifying time 5th – Anna Keen – 22.63 1M Diving | Program Record – 305.48 by Caitlin Locante in 2021 1st – Grace Walker – 298.75 – fourth in program history 400 Medley Relay | Program Record – 3:39.79 by Butterfield, McDonald, Keen, Kelly in 2025 3rd – Ava Butterfield, Addie Beasley, Anna Keen, Payton Kelly – 3:37.07 – program record THURSDAY MORNING PRELIM RESULTS 500 Freestyle | Program Record – 4:48.37 by Marcella Ribeiro in 2021 8th – Addy Czarnecki – 4:56.29 – Advances to A Final 16th – Reagan Graves – 4:58.85 – Advances to B Final 21st – Callie Tuma – 5:00.12 23rd – McKenna Potteiger – 5:01.87 EX – Kiran Stauffer – 5:01.46 200 IM | Program Record – 2:00.85 by Alexa Von Holtz in 2023 7th – Alexa Von Holtz – 2:01.88 – Advances to A Final 8th – Addie Beasley – 2:01.89 – Advances to A Final – second in program history 9th – Milagros Amione – 2:02.31 – Advances to B Final – third in program history 24th – Haley Johnson – 2:05.45 37th – Julia Ofman – 2:09.14 50 Freestyle | Program Record – 22.23 by Payton Kelly in 2025 1st – Payton Kelly – 22.23 – Advances to A Final – tied program record 5th – Anna Keen – 22.64 – Advances to A Final 26th – Kiley Zoeller – 23.52 34th – Lauren Fecher – 24.03 38th – Alyssa Messenger – 24.21 47th – Olivia Owens – 24.85 54th – Maya McDonald – 28.78 57th – Haley Sakbun – 23.65 58th – Ella Sears – 23.73 62nd – Natalie Marshall – 24.12 66th – Savannah Farlee – 24.93 1M Diving | Program Record – 305.48 by Caitlin Locante in 2021 4th – Grace Walker – 265.65 – Advances to A Final 25th – Ella Penny – 199.30 28th – Eeva-Liisa Gibson – 195.70 ==================================================================== BALL STATE FOOTBALL CARDINALS ANNOUNCE SPRING FOOTBALL SCHEDULE, INCLUDING SPRING SHOWCASE ON APRIL 18 MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State football program opens its spring practice schedule following the University’s spring break, March 2-6, with a program of 15 team workouts that culminates in the Cardinals’ annual Spring Showcase event on Saturday, April 18 (1:00 p.m.). The Cardinals conduct an annual Pro Day event on Monday, March 2, then when student-athletes return to campus, second-year head coach Mike Uremovich will put his club through spring drills that begin on Monday, March 23. The Cardinals’ 2026 Spring Showcase will feature practice scenarios along with 11-on-11 contact in a variety of situational scrimmages. Surrounding events for the Spring Showcase will be announced in mid-March. All practices and Pro Day are closed to the public. ==================================================================== BALL STATE SOFTBALL SOFTBALL BACK IN ACTION AT HILLTOPPER SPRING FLING Games 9 vs. Illinois (5-9)Friday, February 27 at 11 a.m. ET / 10 a.m. CTLive StatsGames 10 vs. IU Indy (3-8)Friday, February 27 at 1:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. CTLive StatsGames 11 at Western Kentucky (10-3)Saturday, February 28 at 4 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. CTLive StatsGames 12 vs. IU Indy (3-8)Saturday, February 28 at 6:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. CTLive StatsGames 13 vs. Illinois (5-9)Sunday, March 1 at 11 a.m. ET / 10 a.m. CTLive StatsTickets InfoTicket InformationNotesBall State | Illinois | IU Indy | Western KentuckySocial MediaTwitter | Instagram » THIS WEEK IN BALL STATE SOFTBALL: After a week off to focus on training, the Ball State softball team returns to the road Friday when it opens play in the Hilltopper Spring Fling with games versus Illinois (11a ET / 10a CT) and IU Indy (1:30p ET / 12:30p CT) … Saturday’s action sees the Cardinals battle the host Hilltoppers (4p ET / 3p CT) and play a rematch versus the Jaguars (6:30p ET / 5:30p CT) … BSU concludes the three-day event Sunday with a rematch versus the Illini (11a ET / 10a CT). » THE OVERALL RECORD: Ball State enters the Hilltopper Spring Fling with a 1214-1193-4 (.504) overall record dating back to 1975 … The Cardinals finished the 2025 campaign with a 33-18 record to reach the 30-win mark for the 17th time in program history and the 12th time in the past 18 seasons. » LAST TIME OUT: The Ball State softball team went 2-1 at the 901 Classic hosted by Memphis Feb. 13-15, earning a 9-5 win over Southern Indiana and a thrilling 6-2 (8) extra-inning victory over the host Tigers on the opening day of the event … The Cardinals closed the tournament with a 4-1 setback to Kansas City, while its game versus Evansville was rained out. » A QUICK LOOK AT THE CARDINALS: Ball State continues to be one of the league’s top hitting teams entering its third weekend of play, ranking third in the MAC and 84th nationally with a .313 team batting average … Redshirt junior catcher Skylinn Pogue leads the way, ranking fifth in the MAC with a .462 mark … She has reached base safely in all eight games for the Cardinals this season, including smashing at least one hit in seven games … Senior pitcher/infielder Ella Whitney is second on the squad with a .407 average, while senior infielder Lindsey DeRoeck is third at .391 … DeRoeck leads all MAC players with a 1.50 RBIs per game average, collecting a team-high 12 RBIs over the first eight games … In the circle, four different Cardinals have logged at least one start this season, with Whitney leading the squad with a 2-1 record and a 2.84 ERA … Freshman Grace Gray leads the squad with 14.2 innings of work and has struck out a team-high 14 batters to rank second in the league at 6.7 strikeouts per seven innings … Gray also owns Ball State’s only complete game shutout so far this season, earning the win in Ball State’s 10-0 (5) victory over Long Island (Feb. 7) … Combined, Ball State’s pitching staff ranks second in the MAC and 47th nationally with a 2.88 ERA while holding opposing batters to a .277 average … In the field, Ball State’s defense ranks fourth in the MAC and 103rd nationally with a .965 fielding percentage, committing just seven errors … In addition, the defense turned three double plays and surrendered just five stolen bases. » VERSUS THE HILLTOPPER SPRING FLING FIELD: Ball State owns a 17-13 record versus teams in the Hilltopper Spring Fling field … The Cardinals will be meeting Illinois for the sixth time, with the Illini owning a 4-1 edge after sweeping an April 16, 2002 doubleheader in Urbana, Illinois, by scores of 8-1 and 4-3 … Ball State holds a commanding 13-2 lead in the all-time series versus IU Indy despite the Jaguars winning the latest meeting by a score of 8-3 on April 12, 2022 in Indianapolis … WKU holds a 7-3 edge in the all-time series versus the Cardinals, including three straight wins … The last time the teams played, the Hilltoppers earned a 6-4 win on Feb. 18, 2024, as part of the Chattanooga Challenge. BALL STATE NEWS & NOTES: » ONE OF THE NATION’S BEST: After a breakout year in her first season with the Ball State softball program in 2025, senior Ella Whitney has earned recognition as one of the top pitcher/utility players in the country … She entered the 2026 season ranked as the No. 9 Pitcher/Utility Player in D1Softball’s Preseason Player Position Rankings … In addition, she was the 49th-ranked player in the D1Softball Preseason Mid-Major D100 Player Rankings … Including her two seasons at FIU, Whitney owns 26 pitching wins, two saves and 124 strikeouts … She is also a .307 career batter with 113 hits, including 23 doubles, one triple and 16 home runs … Her 100th career hit was an RBI single in the bottom of the third inning to drive in what proved to be the game-winning run in a 3-0 shutout over Central Michigan in the 2025 regular season finale. » CLIMBING THE BALL STATE CHARTS: Junior Maia Pietrzak enters the Hilltopper Spring Fling ranked 10th in program history with a .346 (83-for-240) career batting average … She is Ball State’s active career leader with 79 career runs scored, with her 60 runs in 2025 ranking as the third-best total in a season in program history … Pietrzak also currently ranks sixth in program history with a .448 on base percentage and 18th with a .521 slugging percentage. » ON THE OFFENSIVE FRONT: Ball State put on an offensive clinic last season, ranking first in the MAC and 22nd nationally by averaging 6.59 runs per game … The Cardinals have opened the 2026 season on a similar pace, averaging 6.00 runs per game to rank sixth in the league and 93rd nationally … Both of Ball State’s wins at the FGCU Kickoff Classic came via the run rule, with the Cardinals have out-scored opponents 48 to 30 so far this year. » TAKING THE HIT: A pride point for the offense under the leadership of third-year associate head coach Matt Burns, Ball State batters have been hit by a pitch seven times so far this season to rank ninth in the MAC and 139th nationally … Last season, the Cardinals lead the nation by being hit 91 times, which was a BSU single season record topping the previous mark of 55 set in 2015 … The next closest team was St. John’s, which was hit 69 times over 57 games, six more than the 51 the Cardinals played … Under Burns’ offensive guidance Ball State batters have been hit by 147 pitches over the past two seasons. » WALK THIS WAY: The Cardinals have drawn 45 total walks so far this season, including tying the program’s single game record with 14 walks in the 9-5 victory over Southern Indiana (Feb. 13) … Ball State previously drew 14 walks in a 15-7 (6) victory over Kent State on April 4, 2018 … Senior outfielder Ashley Lovett currently leads the team with nine walks, while ranking first in the MAC and eighth nationally with 1.13 walks per game … Senior infielder Mandy Lauthis second in the league and eighth nationally with 1.00 walks per game, with her eight walks on the season also helping her lead the squad, rank second in the MAC and rank 37th nationally with a .593 on base percentage. » LEADING THE CHARGE: In addition to leading the squad with 12 RBIs so far this season, Lindsey DeRoeck has a MAC-best .913 slugging percentage … Of her nine hits, seven have gone for multiple bases including four doubles, one triple and two home runs. » PRESEASON PROGNOSTICATION: The Ball State softball team was picked to finish third among the 12 teams in the MAC’s annual preseason coaches’ poll … The Cardinals earned 98 total points and two first-place votes … Miami was picked to win its seventh consecutive MAC regular season titles with 116 points and eight first-place votes, while Ohio was selected second with 108 points and one first-place tally … The Cardinals also earned one vote to win the MAC Softball Championship title, with Miami and Ohio garnering five each. ==================================================================== INDIANA STATE SWIMMING AND DIVING LOPEZ REPEATS AS 1M SPRINGBOARD CHAMPION, SYCAMORES CLAIM 200 MEDLEY RELAY TITLE EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Indiana State closed out the second day of the 2026 MVC Swimming and Diving Championships by securing the 1M Springboard and the 200-yard Medley Relay titles to claim the team lead heading into Friday. Jecza Lopez (285.40) bounced back from a prelim session that saw her sixth in the field heading into the finals by putting together a dominant performance on the 1M Springboard to claim her second consecutive 1M Valley title by nearly 25 points. The Sycamores relay teams closed the night out in style with Raine Boles (50 Fly) and Kaleigh Kelley (50 Free) putting together a blistering pace in the comeback in the 200-yard Medley Relay as Indiana State posted a 1:39.68 to top Southern Ililnois (1:40.02) for the relay title. The Sycamores lead the team standings with 639 total points, while Southern Illinois (634) and Missouri State (631.5) both sit within 10 points. Thursday Evening Recap Indiana State opened the evening in the 100-yard Fly with four Sycamores taking on the field in the A-Finals. Raine Boles was the first Sycamore to the wall in 54.54 to place fourth, while Kaleigh Kelley (54.78) was one spot back in fifth. Addison Johnson (55.11) and Sophia Diaz (55.74) finished seventh and eighth respectively. Maria Saldana Riebeling and Gemma Dilks both advanced to the A-Finals in the 400-yard IM with the duo both placing in the top five in the field. Riebeling was fourth in 4:21.74, while Dilks finished one spot back in 4:23.81. The Sycamores put three in the 200-yard Freestyle finals on Thursday night with Erin Cummins and Claire Parsons competing in the A-Finals, while Peyton Heagy advanced to the B-Finals. Cummins was fifth in 1:48.22, while Parsons was 1:49.48 to place seventh. Heagy finished 15th overall in 1:52.27. Jecza Lopez repeated as the 1M Springboard MVC Champion as the junior topped the field. Lopez totaled 285.40 to win the event by nearly 25 points over UNI’s Avery Hogan (250.90) to secure her first win over the week. Sofia Dansereau took on the field in the 1M Springboard consolation bracket finishing eighth in the B-Finals with a six-dive score of 202.25. The Sycamores closed out the day with the second-fastest time in school history in the 200-yard Medley Relay in securing their first relay win of the week. The team of Sahara Visscher, Ali Pearson, Raine Boles, and Kaleigh Kelley went 1:39.68 with Boles going23.68 in the 50-Fly split, while Kelley went 22.29 in the 50-Free split to come back and secure the win. Thursday Evening Results 100-yard Fly: A-Final – Raine Boles (54.54, 4th), Kaleigh Kelley (54.78, 5th), Addison Johnson (55.11, 7th), Sophia Diaz (55.74, 8th): 400-yard IM: A-Final – Maria Saldana Riebeling (4:21.74, 4th), Gemma Dilks (4:23.81, 5th); 200-yard Freestyle: A-Final – Erin Cummins (1:48.22, 5th), Claire Parsons (1:49.48, 7th); B-Final – Peyton Heagy (1:52.27, 15th) 1M Springboard: MVC Champion – Jecza Lopez (285.40); B-Final – Sofia Dansereau (202.25, 16th) 200 Medley Relay: MVC Champion – Sahara Visscher, Ali Pearson, Raine Boles, Kaleigh Kelley (1:39.68) Thursday Morning Recap Indiana State started the morning session off strong putting four swimmers in the 100-yard Fly event A-Finals following the preliminary rounds. Kaleigh Kelley (54.84), Raine Boles (54.92), Addison Johnson (54.99), and Sophia Diaz (55.30) all finished inside the top seven in the field to advance to the evening’s top finals session. Allie Barasch took on the field in an exhibition swim finishing in 56.29. The Sycamores followed up with two more in the 400-yard IM A-Finals field as Gemma Dilks (4:23.86) and Maria Saldana Riebeling (4:24.74) both dropped time off their season bests to finish inside the top six in the preliminary field. Ella Moustgaard (4:31.36) and Elle Santucci (4:33.86) both took on the field in the morning session. Indiana State added three more swimmers advancing to the evening’s 200-yard Freestyle finals. Erin Cummins (1:48.87) and Claire Parsons (1:50.25) both advanced in the A-Finals field, while Peyton Heagy (1:52.39) secured her spot in the B-Finals. Grace Cummings (1:53.88) and Addison Johnson (1:54.30) both narrowly missed out on the finals field, while Rachel Stutz (1:55.04) competed in an exhibition swim. Jecza Lopez led the Sycamore divers in the early afternoon 1M Springboard prelims as the junior placed sixth overall in the field with a score of 238.15. Sofia Dansereau will compete in the evening’s consolation bracket with a score of 215.70, while Brenna Woodruff placed 19th with 190.75. Bree Cleary competed as an individual with a score of 207.10. Thursday Morning Finals Qualifiers 100-yard Fly: A-Finals – Kaleigh Kelley (54.84), Raine Boles (54.92), Addison Johnson (54.99), Sophia Diaz (55.30); 400-yard IM: A-Finals – Gemma Dilks (4:23.86), Maria Saldana Riebeling (4:24.74); 200-yard Freestyle: A-Finals – Erin Cummins (1:48.87), Claire Parsons (1:50.25); B-Finals – Peyton Heagy (1:52.39); 1M Diving: A-Finals – Jecza Lopez (238.15); B-Finals – Sofia Dansereau (215.70); C-Finals – Brenna Woodruff (190.75); Up Next The Indiana State swimming and diving continues the 2026 Missouri Valley Conference Swimming and Diving Championships inside the Deaconess Aquatic Center over February 25-28 in Evansville, Ind. ==================================================================== EVANSVILLE WOMEN’S SWIMMING MULTIPLE SWIMMERS APPROACH RECORD TIMES IN THURSDAY MVC ACTION EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Four University of Evansville swimmers etched their names into the school record books posting top ten times in Thursday’s action at the MVC Championships at Deaconess Aquatic Center. Thursday Results Chris Rector opened the day with a 4:04.68 in the 400-IM prelims. His time marked the 9th-fastest in UE program history but was just a preview of what was to come. In Thursday’s finals, Rector lowered his time by over four seconds. His 4:00.01 marked the second-fastest time in program history while giving him a 17th-place finish. It was also a personal record. Evelyn Chin was equally impressive in the 100-Fly. She put forth her personal best effort with a 55.58 to finish in 10th place in the morning prelims. Her time put her third in Purple Aces history. She later took 14th place in the finals with a 56.23. In the Men’s 100-Fly, it was Alex Willis moving into the program top ten list. His prelim time of 50.39 put him into the finals where he would perform even better. His 49.67 marked the 7th-best time in the UE record books while marking his PR. Wyatt Gallas was the fourth to register a program top ten time. In the 200-Free prelims, Gallas swam a PR of 1:40.89. It put him 10th in program history. A total of 11 PR’s were set by Aces swimmers on Thursday including three in the Women’s 200-Freestyle. UE looks to build on its momentum in Friday’s third day of the conference championships. Thursday Prelims Women’s 100-FlyEvelyn Chin – 10th – 55.58 – Personal Record – #3 time in program historyGrace Moody – 18th – 56.73Jadyn Dauphinais – 20th – 56.93 – Personal RecordAmanda Denny – 27th – 58.97Mia Pesavento – 29th – 59.34 Men’s 100-FlyAlex Willis – 24th – 50.39Brendan Ulewicz – 31st – 51.05 – Personal RecordSammy McCall – 33rd – 52.31 – Personal RecordAdam Pawlak – 35th – 52.98Robert Hargrove – 36th – 53.48Bryce Ryan – EXH – 54.51Mohammed Rashed – EXH – 57.95 Women’s 400-IMJillian Giese – 29th – 4:43.51Audrey Wandling – 34th – 4:56.74 Men’s 400-IMChris Rector – 18th – 4:04.68 Women’s 200-FreeLuana Carrotta – 34th – 1:58.07 – Personal RecordMia Pesavento – 35th – 1:58.22 – Personal RecordDelaney Miller – 37th – 1:59.43 – Personal RecordHannah Krings – 38th – 2:01.64Lilly Yancey – 40th – 2:03.18 Men’s 200-FreeWyatt Gallas – 29th – 1:40.89 – Personal Record – #10 time in program historyLuke Cook – 35th – 1:42.69Joseph Capo – 35th – 1:42.69Michael Pruett – 37th – 1:43.52Tyler Jackson – 38th – 1:43.91Carter Bolling – 39th – 1:44.44Harry McDowell – EXH – 1:44.15 – Personal Record Women’s 1-Meter DiveEden McRoberts – 19th – 180.95Leah Gardner – 22nd – 148.55 Thursday Finals Women’s 100-FlyEvelyn Chin – 14th – 56.23Grace Moody – 21st – 56.60 Men’s 100-FlyAlex Willis – 20th – 49.67 – Personal Record – #7 time in program history Men’s 400-IMChris Rector – 17th – 4:00.01 – Personal Record – #2 time in program history Women’s 200-Medley RelayJadyn Dauphinais/Claire Mewbourne/Evelyn Chin/Grace Moody – 8th – 1:43.25 Men’s 200-Medley RelayLogan Tenison/Jesse Montano/Alex Willis/Sammy McCall – 7th – 1:30.28 ===================================================================== EVANSVILLE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL RUNNER SCORES 36, REACHES 1,000 CAREER POINTS AGAINST DRAKE EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Sophomore Camryn Runner (Cicero, Ind./Hamilton Heights) put together one of the finest single game performances in Evansville women’s basketball program history on Thursday night, breaking the program record for points in a regulation game with 36 while reaching the 1,000-point plateau for her career and adding nine assists and eight rebounds. However, the Aces fell to Drake, 87-85, as the Bulldogs scored the winning basket with 11 seconds left. Runner is the 22nd Ace in program history to reach 1,000 points and is the second-fastest to reach the milestone. She is the eighth player in the country since 2002 to record a line of 36 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists. Kylee Norkus (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley) also had a strong night for the Aces, shooting 6-for-8 from the field to put up a career-high 15 points while snagging a season-high six rebounds. The game was a shootout from the start, with each team scoring 14 points in the first five minutes of action. Evansville established a lead late in the quarter, using an 8-0 run to take a 28-18 advantage before taking a 29-22 lead into the second quarter. Drake made a run of their own in the second period, cutting their deficit to one at the 5:50 mark before taking a 39-36 lead. Runner would tie the game back up at 39 with a three, but the Bulldogs closed the half on a 7-2 run to take a 49-43 lead at the break. Drake’s run continued coming out of halftime, scoring the first nine of the period to extend their lead to 15. Evansville would cut into the deficit, using threes by Sydney Huber (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Mount Vernon) and Norkus and an and-one by Georgia Ferguson (Waterloo, Ontario/Cairine Wilson Secondary School) to bring it back within nine. After Drake pushed their lead back to 13, Evansville again battled back, outscoring the Bulldogs 7-2 over the final three minutes to make the score 66-58 heading into the fourth quarter. Again facing a 13-point deficit, this time with 8:45 to play, the Aces made a furious comeback fueled by Runner and Norkus. Runner assisted Norkus on a layup to bring the deficit back to single digits, before a three by Norkus, a pair of free throws by Runner and a layup by Norkus trimmed the Drake advantage to three points with 3:59 remaining. The two teams traded baskets over the next several possessions, but Runner took over in the final two minutes. On consecutive possessions, Runner sunk two free throws, made a jumper and a layup, and knocked down a three-pointer with 15 seconds left to tie the game at 85. In addition to tying the game, the three-pointer pushed Runner over the 1,000 point mark for her career. However, Drake responded with a layup on the other end, and Runner’s last second shot fell short as the Bulldogs escaped with an 87-85 win. Evansville travels to Murray on Saturday, batting the MVC Regular Season champion Murray State Racers. Tip-off is set for 2 PM. ====================================================================== IU INDY TRACK AND FIELD MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD TEAMS HEAD TO HL INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The IU Indianapolis men’s and women’s track and field programs will head to Youngstown, Ohio, this weekend to participate in the 2026 Horizon League Indoor Championships at the Watson and Tressel Training Site. The two-day meet will begin on Saturday (Feb. 28) and conclude on Sunday (Mar. 1) with a variety of finals events. CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL: https://horizonleague.org/tournaments/?id=111 ====================================================================== EVANSVILLE BASEBALL BASEBALL RETURNS HOME TO HOST MILWAUKEE EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville baseball team returns home to Charles H. Braun Stadium this weekend, hosting the Milwaukee Panthers for a three-game set. First pitch for Friday’s series opener is set for 3 PM. Evansville vs. Milwaukee | Friday, February 27 – March 1 | 3 PM, 2 PM, 1 PM CTSite | LocationGerman American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium | Evansville, Ind.LinksFriday, 3 PM: Live Stats | TV: N/A Expected Pitching Match-Up: UE LHP Kenton Deverman (0-2, 9.00 ERA) vs. Milwaukee RHP Gavin Theis (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Saturday, 2 PM: Live Stats | TV: N/A Expected Pitching Match-Up: UE RHP Max Hansmann (0-0, 2.45 ERA) vs. Milwaukee RHP Aric Ehmke (0-2, 8.10 ERA) Sunday, 1 PM: Live Stats | TV: N/A Expected Pitching Match-Up: UE LHP Kevin Reed (1-1, 7.04 ERA) vs. Milwaukee LHP Riley Peterson (0-1, 9.00 ERA) Follow the Aces Baseball Site | Twitter | Game Notes Series History– Evansville leads the all-time series, 8-4– The teams last met in 2017, splitting a four-game series– All 12 meetings have come in EvansvilleWeekly Honors– Kevin Reed and Tanner Graham were recognized as Missouri Valley Pitcher and Freshman of the Week, respectively, after combining to shut out #18 Kentucky last Saturday– The shutout was Evansville’s first over a Top-25 opponent since March 7, 2010, when the Aces defeated #10 Pepperdine, 2-0– Reed fired six shutout innings while limiting the Wildcats to three hits to earn his second career Pitcher of the Week nod– Graham tossed the final three frames to pick up his first career saveVeteran Presence– Senior right-hander Max Hansmann entered the 2026 season as the longest tenured Ace on the roster and has provided a steady presence in the weekend rotation– Through two starts, Hansmann has posted a 2.45 ERA in 11 innings– Entering the weekend, Hansmann ranks eighth in the MVC in ERA, fifth in innings pitched and fourth in strikeouts (12) Breakout Performance– Preseason MVC Freshman of the Year Wyatt Pennington enjoyed the best game of his young collegiate career on Tuesday at Vanderbilt– Pennington slugged his first collegiate home run, going back-to-back with Harrison Taubert, and had an RBI double against the Commodores– Through seven games, Pennington ranks second on the team with a .440 slugging percentage and third in OPS at .785 ===================================================================== SOUTHERN INDIANA SOFTBALL EAGLES HEAD TO AUSTIN PEAY AND BELMONT THIS WEEKEND EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Softball heads back on the road to Tennessee this weekend for another preseason tournament before the start of Ohio Valley Conference play. USI Softball (3-9) will first travel to Clarksville, Tennessee, on Friday to face Austin Peay State University (7-8) and Ohio University (9-5) at 3 and 5:30 p.m., respectively. On Saturday, the Screaming Eagles make the short trip to Nashville, Tennessee, for a pair of games against Belmont University (8-5) starting at 1 p.m. USI concludes the weekend back in Clarksville for a game against Central Michigan University (5-5) at 10 a.m. on Sunday. The Screaming Eagles are 16-13 all-time against Austin Peay, 0-3 against Belmont, and 0-2 against Central Michigan. USI will be squaring off against Ohio for the first time in program history. USI is coming off a 2-3 trip last weekend at the Florida Atlantic University Joan Joyce Classic. The Screaming Eagles captured their two wins against the University of Massachusetts, 4-2, and against Villanova University, 2-1. USI won in walk-off fashion against the Wildcats to end the trip last Sunday. In their other three games, the Eagles fell to the University of Kansas and twice against Florida Atlantic. The seventh-inning walk-off winner against Villanova was definitely an exclamation point to conclude the trip to Florida for the Screaming Eagles. Junior infielder Sydney Long delivered the walk-off RBI knock in the bottom of the seventh inning that scored freshman outfielder Katelyn Marx from second base. It was Long’s second career walk-off hit, as Long previously came through with a game-winner in last season’s series-opening 1-0 win against the University of Tennessee at Martin in the eighth inning. Marx and Long are two of three Screaming Eagles batting over .300 this season. Marx leads the squad, hitting .361, with Long batting .324. Senior outfielder Caroline Stapleton sits in between the two with a .333 batting average. Stapleton also has a team-high 10 runs scored. Long is tied for the team lead with five RBIs alongside junior outfielder Kate Satkoski and sophomore first baseman Grace Huffman. Satkoski has four extra-base hits, coming on three doubles and a home run. Freshman pitcher Anna Kemp (1-3) currently paces the pitching staff with 32 innings pitched and 30 strikeouts. In the right-hander’s last outing, Kemp went five innings and struck out six in a no-decision against Villanova last Sunday. Fellow freshman pitcher Elly Robbins (1-3) is coming off her first career win, going the full seven innings and allowing only two runs against Massachusetts last Saturday. After this weekend’s trip down to Tennessee, USI will open its OVC and home schedule next weekend at USI Softball Field against Tennessee State University. The series is slated for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. next Saturday, March 7, before concluding on Sunday, March 8, at Noon. For this weekend’s slate of games, only Friday’s contest against Austin Peay will be streamed this weekend, which can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+. Additional coverage and live stat links are available on the USI Softball schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com. ===================================================================== VALPO SOFTBALL SOFTBALL CLOSES PRE-MVC ACTION AT LINDENWOOD Valpo (6-7, 0-0 MVC) at Lindenwood Invite (St. Charles, Mo.) Feb. 27 – vs. Green Bay (0-11) – 12:30 p.m. | at Lindenwood (6-7) – 5:30 p.m. Feb. 28 – vs. Western Illinois (5-9) – 4:30 p.m. | at Lindenwood – 7 p.m. Next Up in Valpo Softball: The Valpo softball team competes in its final tournament prior to the start of Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend, making the trip to St. Charles, Mo. for the Lindenwood Invite. The Beacons will play the hosts twice, while facing Green Bay and Western Illinois once apiece. Previously: Valpo posted a 2-4 record last week at the UNLV Rebel Classic, earning wins over Merrimack and Utah Valley. The Beacons put up 37 runs over their six games and had a team batting average of .341. Looking Ahead: Valpo opens MVC play next weekend with a three-game series at Southern Illinois, which was picked third in the MVC preseason poll. Following Valpo Softball: All four games will have live stats available via ValpoAthletics.com. Most home games and most MVC road games will be broadcast on ESPN+, while select nonconference games will have video streams depending on the host. Head Coach Mike Armitage (26-37 [.413] at Valpo, 2nd season; 95-104 [.477] overall, 5th season): Mike Armitage is in his second season as head coach of the Valpo softball program after being hired as head coach on June 6, 2024. In his first year at Valpo, Armitage guided the Beacons to 20 wins – the program’s winningest season since 2018 and an 11-win improvement over the previous season. Valpo posted a six-win improvement within MVC play, finishing with its highest total of Valley wins, its most MVC series wins and its best Valley regular season finish since 2018 as well. Prior to Valpo, Armitage spent three seasons as head coach at Minnesota State Moorhead, posting the first back-to-back 30-win seasons in MSUM program history in 2023 and 2024 after inheriting a Dragons program which had not finished above .500 since 2007. Series Records: Green Bay – The Beacons and Phoenix will meet up for the third time this season, as Valpo earned 10-4 and 6-0 wins over Green Bay on opening weekend. GB still leads the all-time series, 26-23, but Valpo has won the last six in the series. Lindenwood – The Lions emerged victorious last season in the only two meetings all-time between the programs, 4-2 and 2-1. Western Illinois – The third-most common opponent in program history and the most common outside Chicago, Valpo trails the all-time series with WIU, 57-13. Since Valpo departed the Mid-Continent Conference after the 2007 campaign, however, it is Valpo with an 8-2 edge in the series. Last season, the two teams split two matchups, with WIU earning an 11-7 win before the Beacons took the second meeting, 4-1. Fun With Weather: For the second time in three outdoor weekends, the Beacons have had their tournament schedule affected by projected weather before even departing for the tournament. This weekend, Valpo’s scheduled second game against Western Illinois on Sunday has been canceled, while its start time versus WIU on Saturday has been pushed back as well. Déjà Vu: No, the clock hasn’t turned back to 2025. This is, in fact, the exact same tournament lineup on the same exact weekend as last year – Lindenwood hosting Valpo, Green Bay and Western Illinois on the season’s fourth weekend. The Beacons’ original game count was the same as well, as they also played Green Bay once and Lindenwood and Western Illinois twice at last year’s event. Swinging Hot Bats: The Beacons continued their strong offensive output in the early season last weekend at UNLV, hitting .341 and posting a .447 on-base percentage while scoring 37 runs over six games. Through three weekends of action, Valpo ranks 17th in on-base percentage (.460) and 54th in batting average (.331). Walk This Way: A big reason for Valpo’s continued offensive success on opening weekend is its collective discerning eye at the plate. The Beacons have drawn six or more walks in eight of their 13 games this year, highlighted by a 10-walk performance in the opening-weekend win over Oakland – tied for fifth-most in a single game in program history. Valpo currently ranks eighth nationally in walks (81), with four different players having already drawn nine or more walks. Going Yard: Valpo connected on a pair of home runs last weekend at UNLV, one apiece in the two games against Utah Valley. In the first game against the Wolverines, Ava Goodman went deep – notably, that round-tripper came in her first collegiate plate appearance. Then, in the win over Utah Valley, Mack Gallagher touched them all with her second homer of the year, her eighth at Valpo and the 25th of her collegiate career. Just Keep Reaching Base: Senior Mack Gallagher extended her season-opening on-base streak to 13 consecutive games as she reached at least once in all six games last weekend. She slashed .471/.591/.706 for the week and drove in seven runs. Her weekend was highlighted by going 3-for-4 with three runs scored, a walk and a three-run homer in the Saturday win over Utah Valley – setting her highs in her time at Valpo for hits and runs scored. She also delivered a pair of RBIs in the Beacons’ win over Merrimack and reached base three times (two hits and a walk) against host UNLV. Gallagher ranks sixth nationally in walks/game (1.15) and 43rd in on-base percentage (.588). Banging Out Hits: Sophomore Marissa Jackson had a team-best nine hits over last week’s six games, going 9-for-19 at the plate with three runs scored. Her weekend was highlighted by a four-hit performance in Valpo’s Saturday win over Utah Valley, tying her for second on Valpo’s single-game hit chart. She now owns 19 hits on the season – already more than halfway to her freshman year total of 37 – and has a .487 batting average, good for 64th nationally. V Races Into Record Book: One season after cracking Valpo’s single-season top-10 for stolen bases by going a perfect 17-for-17, sophomore Madison Vrastil made her mark in the single-game department on opening weekend. Vrastil stole one base in the first inning, one in the second inning and two in the third inning of the Beacons’ Saturday win over Green Bay, establishing a new Valpo single-game record with four stolen bases. Last weekend, Vrastil was 8-for-20 with three walks at the plate and stole six bases in as many attempts, improving to 12-for-12 on the bases this year – tied for eighth nationally in steals. A Perfect Start: Valpo swept its four games on opening weekend at the DePaul Dome Tournament, starting 4-0 for the fifth time in program history and just the second time against all D-I opponents. The 2017 squad started 5-0 for the best start by a Valpo team, while the 1986, 2000 and 2002 teams all faced at least two non D-I opponents en route to a 4-0 start. Plating Runs: The Beacons scored 33 runs over their four wins on opening weekend, plating at least six runs in each game. Valpo scored 11 times in the season-opening win over Detroit Mercy and 10 runs in the Saturday win versus Green Bay, the program’s first time scoring double-digit runs in consecutive games since 2020, when it plated 11 against Bethune-Cookman Feb. 29 and turned around to score 12 versus Stetson March 1. Walk It Off: After three big wins to start the season, Valpo faced adversity for the first time in its final game of opening weekend against Oakland, but successfully navigated an early four-run deficit, scoring three in the fourth and two in the fifth to take the lead. The Golden Grizzlies tied the game with a run in the top of the seventh before Mack Gallagher’s RBI single scored Sophia Leitzen to walk off with a 6-5 victory. The walk-off was the Beacons’ first since winning in their final at-bat against Evansville March 29, 2025. It was Valpo’s first walk-off victory in nonconference play since a game-ending home run against Cleveland State March 8, 2020. Who’s Back: Valpo returns 15 letterwinners from last year’s squad for the 2026 campaign, a group which accounted for 85.3% of the team’s at-bats and 100% of the innings pitched last season. The Beacons also return two pitchers – Mia Carroll-Greeves and Kayla Purdy – who sat out the entirety of their first season on campus in 2025. Who’s New: Valpo welcomes six newcomers to the program this season. Transfers Grace Hollopeter and Cadan Brinkman join from Purdue Fort Wayne and Campbell, respectively, while Addie Young, Jenna Flessner, Lillian Martinez and Ava Goodman come in as true freshmen. A Large Roster: Do the math from the above two notes, and you find that this year’s Valpo softball roster is comprised of 23 players. While that is one shy of last year’s team, which featured a program-record 24 players, it is still the second-largest roster in program history. Hitting the Road: This weekend’s games continue a long and winding road for the Beacons before they finally get the chance to play at the Valpo Softball Complex. This is the final weekend of action prior to the start of Missouri Valley Conference play, as Valpo has already played at DePaul, UT Martin and UNLV. The Beacons’ first two MVC series are on the road as well, at Southern Illinois and at Murray State, while they also have a nonconference twinbill at Northern Kentucky between those two series. In all, Valpo has 26 games on its slate before the scheduled home opener against DePaul March 17. Looking Back at 2025: Valpo won 20 games in 2025, more wins than the previous two seasons combined and its highest win total since the 2018 season. The Beacons won nine MVC games, also their highest total since 2018. Offensively, Valpo scored the most runs in a season since 2017, while on the mound, the pitching staff’s ERA was the program’s lowest since 2018. Lopez Earns Preseason Honor: Senior Azalya Lopez was named to the preseason All-MVC First Team for her work in the circle and at the plate. Lopez – a Second Team All-MVC choice last season in her first year at Valpo – posted 10 wins, four saves, a 2.89 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 138 innings of work in 2025 while allowing opponents to hit just .218 off of her — the tenth-best mark in a single season in program history. She tied for the MVC lead in saves, ranked fifth in strikeouts and opponents’ batting average, and eighth in ERA and wins. At the plate, the two-time MVC Newcomer of the Week hit .254 with 14 runs scored and 25 RBIs. Lopez led the team with 10 doubles and ranked second in both RBIs and walks (23). She found her groove in the batter’s box during conference play, hitting a team-best .307 in MVC play with an .835 OPS. Soaring Sophomores: A pair of Beacons who had strong freshman campaigns are back for their sophomore season in 2026. Madison Vrastil hit a team-high .333 as a rookie and posted an .818 OPS. Vrastil moved into 10th on Valpo’s single-season steals chart with 17, third-most among MVC players, and ranked ninth in the Valley with 57 hits. She opened her career with a 22-game on-base streak, tied for the fourth-longest by a Valpo player since 1999. In the circle, Erin Metz appeared in 44 games as a rookie, recording six wins and tying for the MVC lead with four saves while posting a 3.35 ERA and striking out 77 batters in 92 innings of work. She was named MVC Pitcher of the Week April 7 after going 4-0 with a 1.34 ERA the previous week, becoming the first Valpo pitcher to pick up the win in four consecutive games since 2008. Return of the Mack: In addition to Lopez, head coach Mike Armitage had senior Mack Gallagher come with him from MSU Moorhead to Valpo, and Gallagher made a big impact in her first season as a Beacon in 2025. Gallagher ranked second on the team with a .392 on-base percentage, thanks in large part to drawing 36 walks – third-most by a Valpo player in a single season in program history, tied for second among MVC players and tied for 48th nationally in walks per game. She led the Beacons with six home runs and 30 RBIs as well. Big Bat Incoming: Purdue Fort Wayne transfer Grace Hollopeter brings quite the resume with her to the Beacons’ roster for her final season of collegiate softball. A two-time First Team All-Horizon League honoree, Hollopeter hit .415 with 12 home runs last season and led the Horizon League in slugging percentage (.800), on base percentage (.509), OPS (1.309), RBIs (53), doubles (14) and walks (25). The senior – who has seen action at catcher, around the infield and as designated player – hit .355 over her three seasons in the Mastodon uniform, totaling 154 hits, including 34 doubles and 27 homers, 81 runs scored and 111 RBIs. ===================================================================== VALPO SWIMMING AND DIVING THREE MORE RECORDS FALL FOR VALPO ON SECOND DAY OF MVC CHAMPIONSHIPS Majo Suarez de la Fuente (Mexico City, Mexico/ITESM Preparatoria Tec Campus Santa Fe [Bethel]) and Caleb Smesko (Green, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) broke program records Thursday for the Valpo swim program on the second day of the MVC Championships in Evansville, Ind., the latter doing so as part of the Beacons’ record-setting 200 medley relay team. How It Happened Suarez de la Fuente’s record-setting swim came during the morning prelims, as she covered the 400 IM in 4:37.82 — slicing nearly three seconds off her PR and breaking the program record, which had stood for 11 years, by two-tenths of a second. In the same event, Olivia Tressler (Las Vegas, Nev./Desert Oasis) had a prelim swim of 4:40.49, moving up to fifth in program history in the event. Then, with the last swim of the night, two more records fell on the men’s side. Smesko led off the Beacons’ 200 medley relay and posted an opening leg of 23.08 in the 50 back, breaking the program record by one-tenth of a second. Ben Mettler (Sussex, Wis./Hamilton), Luke Snider (Germantown, Tenn./Memphis University School) and Isaac Dinari (Houston, Texas/Memorial) followed Smesko as the quartet came home in 1:30.47, besting the previous program record by over a half-second. The men had an impressive showing Thursday in the 200 free, led by Evan Curran (Golden, Colo./Golden), who improved upon his second-best time in program history with a prelim swim of 1:39.10. He nearly matched that time in the evening finals, touching the wall in 1:39.15 to finish in 15th place. Behind Curran in the prelims, Anthony Martin (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett) and Gabriel Corkran (Avondale Estates, Ga./Druid Hills) posted respective times of 1:40.88 and 1:40.97, improving on their PRs as they rank third and fourth in program history. Nate Bolinger (Plainfield, Ind./Plainfield) moved up to seventh in program history with his prelim time of 1:41.48 as well. Valpo’s best individual finish of the day came from Jackson Oostman (Aurora, Ill./Marmion Academy), who qualified for the ‘B’ final of the 400 IM with a prelim time of 4:02.57 and then lowered his time to 4:01.01 in the evening finals to finish in 11th place. Logan Walliker (Washington, Ill./Washington) swam in the evening finals as well, placing 24th. The Beacons had two swimmers qualify for the evening finals in the 100 fly. Snider qualified with a prelim time of 50.36 and then finished 21st with a final time of 49.87, just eight-hundredths of a second off his own school record. Asa Sadowsky (Green Bay, Wis./Bay Port [Milwaukee]) qualified for the finals with a prelim time of 50.34 and finished in 24th position, while Dinari’s prelim time of 50.58 moved him up to seventh place in program history in the event. Connor Benoit (Sussex, Wis./Hamilton) registered a time trial swim of 23.24 in the 50 fly to rise up to a tie for fifth in program history in the event. On the women’s side, Audrey Morgan (Villa Park, Ill./Willowbrook) had the Beacons’ top individual finish, placing 20th in the 200 free. Morgan qualified for the finals with a prelim time of 1:53.50 and then swam a 1:52.38 Thursday evening, just seven-hundredths of a second off her own program record. Natalie Eaton (Tulsa, Okla./Jenks) moved up to third all-time at Valpo in the 50 breast with a time trial swim of 30.64. Kailyn Benoit (Sussex, Wis./Hamilton) paced the Beacon contingent in the prelims of the 100 fly with a time of 59.08. The women closed the day with the sixth-fastest 200 medley relay in program history — Sophie Schoch (Medina, Ohio/Medina), Eaton, Benoit and Bri Keese (Brighton, Colo./Brighton) combined to post a time of 1:47.51. Schoch’s opening leg of 27.58 equaled her PR in the 50 back, which ranks seventh all-time at Valpo. The Valpo men ended the day in eighth place with 177 points, while the women finished the day in ninth place with 129 points. Next Up Valpo continues competition at the MVC Championships on Friday, with prelim swims beginning at 10:30 a.m. and finals starting at 5:30 p.m. =================================================================== VALPO WOMEN’S BASKETBALL BEACONS FALL THURSDAY EVENING AT UNI The Valpo women’s basketball team was within seven points of host UNI in the second half of Thursday’s meeting in Cedar Falls, Iowa before the Panthers pulled away for a 92-54 victory. Fiona Connolly (South Burlington, Vt./Brewster Academy [La Salle]) paced the Beacons with 20 points. How It Happened Connolly and Allia von Schlegell (Downers Grove, Ill./Nazareth Academy) combined for six early points to give Valpo a quick 5-1 lead. The Beacons were still tied with the Panthers at 8-8 with 5:39 remaining in the first quarter before UNI went on a 14-2 run to close the period — including an 8-0 spurt in the final 1:14 — as it led 22-10 10 minutes in. Valpo limited UNI to just 11 points on 2-of-11 shooting from the floor in the second quarter, but the Beacons scored just 11 points of their own on 2-of-9 shooting for the period. Valpo scored the first five points of the quarter to close to within seven, but that was as close as it would get in the period and the Panthers eventually led 33-21 at halftime. After the offensive struggles of the first half, the Beacons exploded for 25 points in the third quarter on 10-of-17 shooting, including 4-for-4 from 3-point range. But that coincided with a similar offensive surge for UNI, which scored 31 points in the quarter on the same shooting numbers while adding 7-of-8 from the foul line. Valpo got to within 39-32 on the second of two consecutive 3-pointers from von Schlegell with 7:41 to play in the quarter, and still trailed by just 10 with 5:41 remaining in the period before UNI scored seven points in a span of 55 seconds to extend its lead. The Panthers held a 64-46 lead at the end of the third quarter and were able to pull away in the final period. Inside the Game Connolly led all players with 20 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field and a perfect 7-for-7 mark from the foul line, her fifth 20-point effort of the season. The senior scored those 20 points while playing just 19:09 due to foul trouble, becoming the second Beacon this year to score 20 points in fewer than 20 minutes — Milana Nenadic (Kitchener, Ontario/Cameron Heights [Idaho State/Maine]) accomplished the feat in nonconference play at Iowa State. von Schlegell hit three 3-pointers as part of a 13-point night. The rookie pushed her season scoring total to 325 points, seventh-most by a Valpo freshman in program history. Kayla Preston (Omaha, Neb./Millard North) tied her career best with a team-high six rebounds. Valpo finished the night shooting 34% from the field, including 5-of-16 from 3-point range, while UNI hit at a 44.6% clip and was 13-of-25 from the 3-point line. The Beacons did enjoy a strong evening at the foul line, hitting 15-of-19 from the charity stripe. Next Up Valpo (0-28, 0-17 MVC) faces a quick turnaround to return home for a Saturday afternoon game against Illinois State. Tipoff is slated for 1 p.m. on Senior Day at the ARC, with the Beacons recognizing Fiona Connolly, Bella Swedlund and Mikayla Huffine prior to the game. ===================================================================== UINDY WRESTLING THREE GREYHOUNDS APPEAR IN LATEST NWCA RANKINGS MANHEIM, Pa. – The UIndy wrestling team heads into the NCAA DII Super Regional with three ranked wrestlers in the latest edition of the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division II Men’s Coaches Poll. Included in the latest edition of the rankings are three individual Greyhounds ranked in their respective weight classes; Nathan Smith (125), Aidan Sprague (133), and Gavin Garcia (149). Smith jumps up one spot from the previous poll to No. 11 in the 125 weight class who is coming off the GLVC Championships where he went 2-0 against Quincy’s Kaden Rios and McKendree’s Colton King. Similar to Smith, Sprague also went 2-0 on the day in his appearances at the GLVC Championships, and also moving up one spot to No. 9. He only competed in the team’s first two duals, and picking up two major decision wins over Quincy’s Te’Andre Allen and Maryville’s Giovanni Diaz. Garcia rounds out the list of Greyhounds featured in the latest rankings remaining in the top-15 of the 149 weight class, coming in at No. 12. He earned two wins at the GLVC Championships in his bout with both Quincy and McKendree, but fell in a tough 1-0 decision result to Upper Iowa’s Ethan Doty who is ranked in the top-10 of this batch of NWCA individual rankings. The next edition of the NCAA Division II Coaches Association rankings will come out Mar. 7, 2026, with the NCAA Division II Super Regionals looming on Mar. 1. FARNELL CLAIMS FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR HONORS, SEVEN GREYHOUNDS APPEAR ON ALL-GLVC LIST INDIANAPOLIS – UIndy’s Ethan Farrell earned GLVC Freshman of the Year honors, while seven Greyhounds garnered All-GLVC recognition, it was announced by the league office on Thursday. A total of 31 wrestlers were named All-Conference honorees across all six teams and six student-athletes were recognized as their program’s GLVC James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award honoree in the sport. The All-Conference awards are nominated and voted on by league coaches.Freshman of the Year: Ethan Farnell, 197 lb., Indianapolis Becomes Indianapolis’ third Freshman of the Year, joining Dawson Combest and Logan Bailey who won the award back-to-back in 2020 and 2021. Went 26-9 overall and 3-2 against GLVC opponents with the only losses coming to All-GLVC First Team honoree Logan Kvien. Won the Bob Del Rosa Open, and placed top three twice. One of two true freshman named to the All-GLVC Second Team. UIndy’s Nathan Smith was the lone first team honoree for the Greyhounds, while Aidan Sprague, Christian Chavez and Ethan Farnell all earned second team honors. Zach Haughton, Gavin Garcia and Cale Gray rounded out the list of All-GLVC members for the 2025-26 season. A complete list of the 2025-26 All-GLVC teams and postseason honors can be found below. WRESTLER OF THE YEAR: Sam Richardson, R-Fr., 165, McKendreeFRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Ethan Farnell, 197 lb., UIndyCOACH OF THE YEAR: James Kisgen, McKendree ALL-GLVC FIRST TEAM125: Nathan Smith, R-Jr., UINDY 133: Thaddeus Long, Gr., MCK141: Ronan Schuelke, R-Sr., MCK149: Ethen Doty, Sr., UIU157: Cale Hoskinson, Gr., MCK165: Sam Richardson, R-Fr., MCK174: Griffin Luke, So., UIU184: Darion Johnson, R-Jr., MCK 197: Logan Kvien, Gr., MCK285: Jonovan Smith, Sr., MU ALL-GLVC SECOND TEAM125: Elijah Almarinez, Fr., MU133: Aidan Sprague, R-Jr., UINDY141: Nate Wishne, Sr., DU149: Sabian Russell, Jr., QU157: Nic Zamora, Fr., MU165: Nick Mueller, R-Fr., UIU174: Cole Ritter, R-Sr., MU184: Christian Chavez, R-So., UINDY197: Ethan Farnell, Fr., UINDY285: Hunter Tennison, Jr., DU ALL-GLVC THIRD TEAM125: Treyton Ackman, Jr., UIU133: JP Homfeld, R-Sr., MU141: Tanner Arjes, R-Fr., UIU Zach Haughton, Sr., UINDY149: Gavin Garcia, R-Jr., UINDY157: Preston Klostermann, Fr., UIU165: Mustafa Salimi, So., MU174: Zeke Waltz, R-Sr., MCK184: Callan Ivy, Sr., QU197: Jeremiah Larson, R-Sr., MU285: Cale Gray, Gr., UINDY* Extra member due to tie GLVC JAMES R. SPALDING SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD HONOREESMason Knight, DUChristian Chavez, UINDYElijah Almarinez, MULogan Kvien, MCKJackson Jones, QUEthen Doty, UIUGLVC JAMES R. SPALDING SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD TEAM WINNERDrury ====================================================================== UINDY SWIMMING AND DIVING GREYHOUNDS PEPPER LIST OF NCAA NATIONAL QUALIFIERS INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Swimming & Diving Committee announced on this week the qualifiers for the upcoming NCAA DII Championships. A total of 18 men and women qualified as individual swimmers, all five relay teams from the two genders, as well as two divers. UIndy will send its contingent a quick three hours south on I-69 to the year’s biggest meet, hosted by the Deaconess Aquatic Center—site of a fruitful GLVC Championships earlier this month. Diving pre-quals are set for Tuesday, March 10, as are the men’s and women’s 800 free relay finals. The regular schedule starts that Wednesday and runs through Saturday, with a diving event sandwiched each day by morning preliminaries at 10 a.m. ET and evening finals at 5:30 p.m. Last March at the 2025 Championships, both UIndy teams finished in the top five, with the women placing fourth and the men fifth. ====================================================================== UINDY MEN’S BASKETBALL HOUNDS BREEZE PAST BULLDOGS IN FINAL ROAD TRIP OF REGULAR SEASON KIRKSVILLE, Mo.— The University of Indianapolis men’s basketball squad secured an 84-67 victory over the Truman State Bulldogs in their final road trip of the regular season. The Hounds tied their season-high with 13 steals and took care of the ball with only nine turnovers, compared to the Bulldogs’ 17. Tyler Parrish led all scorers and recorded his second 30-point game of the season, shooting from a .550 clip, while going 3-for-5 from three-point range. INS & OUTS The match was the Greyhounds’ from the start. After winning the tip, UIndy grabbed four offensive rebounds before Noah Kon found the first bucket in his first start since the New Year. The senior out of Houston, Texas, found the game’s second basket with a driving layup after the GLVC steals leader, Shaun Arnold, intercepted his first of the night. The Greyhounds took the early lead and did not look back. The Bulldogs got hot from three in the middle of the opening half to cut into what had been a 12-point UIndy lead to single digits. Amoako swung the momentum back in favor of the visitors with a one-handed jam off the Carmelo Harris dish. Harris would hit his second three-pointer of the night on the next trip down the court in the Hounds’ 12-3 run, which extended their lead to 16 points. In the final half the Hounds used an 11-3 run to gain their largest lead of the night, leading the Bulldogs by 21 points with 15 minutes remaining. Justin Duff found his first basket of the night for the home team from beyond the arc to try to get the game back within Truman State’s reach. The Bulldogs went for eight unanswered points, but could not continue their run before the momentum swung back in favor of UIndy, who went on a 10-8 run, negating the previous run by Truman. The Greyhounds’ lead never dwindled below 13 points in the final 20 minutes, capitalized with a 17-point victory in their final road match of the regular season. INSIDE THE BOX -Every UIndy player who touched the court recorded at least one point in tonight’s contest. -The Greyhounds won the war on the boards, grabbing eleven more than the Bulldogs -UIndy was able to convert 18 points off of Truman’s 17 turnovers. -In addition to Parrish, the Hounds saw double-digit scoring from Harris (16pts), Ethan Edwards (13pts) and Amoako (11pts). UP NEXT UIndy closes out the regular season hosting Quincy on Saturday, Feb. 28, at 3:30 p.m. for Senior Day. ======================================================================= IU INDY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL COMEBACK EFFORT FALLS SHORT AGAINST TRUMAN KIRKSVILLE, MO – Following the Greyhounds’ close loss last weekend at home against Lewis, UIndy took a trip to Missouri to take on Truman, and fell 82-76. The Hounds’ comeback came up just short after cutting the lead to three in the fourth quarter after the Bulldogs held a 16 point lead in the third quarter. Free throw shooting proved to be the difference in this one, as the Bulldogs connected on a season high 23 shots from the charity stripe, compared to only 15 from UIndy. UIndy wasn’t short of efficient shooting, connecting on a season high .549 percentage from the field, which included 17-for-26 shooting from the field in the second half. Five Greyhounds found their way into double figures, including Graycie Poe and Autumn Rucker who had 19 and 18 points, respectively. INS & OUTS The 14 minutes of game action was back-and-forth, with the Bulldogs clinging to a three point lead, 27-24, with six minutes remaining in the first half. Poe collected 12 of her 19 points in the first 14 minutes of action, while Rucker and Patricia Chikamba combined for eight more points during that stretch. Truman found elite shooting from a plethora of scorers in the second and third quarters, going on a 20-7 run on 9-of-15 shooting, and holding the Greyhounds to only seven points and two points scorers, Halie Gilbert and Chikamba. With eight minutes to go in the third, the Bulldogs extended its lead to 16, its largest of the game. Following the Bulldogs’ 20-7 run, the Greyhounds found an abundance of scoring of its own from seven different players which included 14 from Rucker, seven from Poe, and six a piece from Gilbert and Amyrah Sapenter. UIndy made 17-of-24 field goals, and went 7-for-11 from the line to slow chip away at the Bulldogs lead in the third and fourth quarters. With just under a minute remaining the Greyhounds found themselves down three, 78-75, following a Sapenter three pointer, capping a quick 9-4 run. But the Bulldogs wouldn’t let the Greyhounds get any closer in large part to its efficient free throw shooting. After Truman took a 16 point lead, the Bulldogs only missed one free throw the remaining 20 minutes of action, keeping UIndy at arms length to cap off its 82-76 win. INSIDE THE BOX – UIndy tied its season high for field goals made in a game with 28, and had its highest field goal percentage in a game since the Greyhounds shot .556 versus UMSL just a season ago. – The Hounds had five double figure scorers in a game for the first time since last year against Lincoln. – UIndy had a season-high 24 team fouls in tonight’s game compared to 16 for the Bulldogs. – Chikamba, Gilbert, Poe, Rucker and Sapenter combined for 68 of the team’s 76 points. MORE NOTES Truman’s head coach, Theo Dean, surpassed longtime Bulldog head coach Amy Eagan for most wins in Truman women’s basketball history with 112. UP NEXT UIndy has one game left on its regular season schedule on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Nicoson Hall where the eight seniors will be honored pregame. ==================================================================== MARIAN TRACK AND FIELD NAIA PREVIEW: WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD TAKE 19 ATHLETES TO INDOOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The NAIA officially announced final rosters and entry lists for the 2026 NAIA Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championship open and relay event qualifiers. Marian University has qualified 19 individuals to represent the Knights at the championship meet. Marian is currently ranked No. 1 in the NAIA in the most recent USTFCCCA poll and will take 19 student-athletes to the 2026 Indoor National Championships, competing in 12 different events during the meet. Marian will be the second biggest team on the women’s side, only trailing Indiana Tech by three. Katie Woods leads the way on the track as she is seeded fourth in the 1000m and first in the mile. In the field, Ciarra Moore is currently seeded sixth in the triple jump, while Delaney Teachnor is ranked seventh in the pole vault, and Nhaydia Watson is seeded seventh in the weight throw. Both the DMR and 4x800m Relay are seeded first, while the 4x400m Relay is currently seeded third. 400m: Emma Edwards 600m: Hanna Reuter, Holli Reuter, Claire Lange 1000m: Katie Woods, Summer Rempe, Gracynn Hinkley Mile: Katie Woods 60m Hurdles: Nina Marinkovic 4x400m Relay: Edwards, Reuter, Reuter, Lange, Jovana Milosevic, Kathy Soriano 4x800m Relay: Isabella Murch, Liz Fischer, Gracie Fields, Grace Goecke, Hinkley, Woods, Rempe, Lange DMR: Woods, Rempe, Hinkley, Fields, Fischer, Soriano, Lange, Murch High Jump: Brooke Coffman Pole Vault: Delaney Teachnor Triple Jump: Ciarra Moore Weight Throw: Nhaydia Watson, Ozofu Magaji The 2026 NAIA Women’s Indoor Track & Field Championship, hosted by Gainesville Sports Commission, will occur at the Alachua County Sports and Events Center at Celebration Pointe in Gainesville, Fla., March 5-7. MARIAN TRACK AND FIELD BRINGS HOME FIVE USTFCCCA REGIONAL HONORS NEW ORLEANS – Regional Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2026 NAIA Indoor Track & Field season were announced on Thursday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Each of the five regions – Great Lakes, Midwest, South, South Central and West – honored both genders’ top track athletes and field athletes as well as the top men’s and women’s head coaches and assistant coaches. Marian earned five honors from the USTFCCCA, led by head coach Katie Wise-Butler who was named the Great Lakes Region Male and Female Coach of the Year. Assistant Coach Presley Martin was named the Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year in the Great Lakes Region, leading the Great Lakes Male and Felam Track Athletes of the Year in Tristan Trevino and Katie Woods. Award winners were determined by a vote of USTFCCCA member coaches. Only those individuals from USTFCCCA member programs are eligible for awards. Many of these honored athletes and coaches are headed to the 2026 NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships next week in Gainesville, Florida. GREAT LAKES REGION — Tristan Trevino — Marian (Ind.) Trevino is ranked second nationally in both the 800 meters (1:50.08) and the mile (4:04.14). He is also a member of the second-ranked 4×800 relay and DMR. Trevino won the 800-meter title at the Crossroads League Indoor Championships, prevailing in a race that featured three other athletes ranked among the national top ten at the time. GREAT LAKES REGION — Katie Wise-Butler — Marian (Ind.) – Men’s Coach of the Year Wise-Butler led the Knights to the team title at the Crossroads League Indoor Championships with 236 points as Marian ranked No. 2 in the NAIA TFRI Ratings. The Knights have 26 national qualifiers with top-five national rankings in nine events, along with seven events earning top-5 appearances in the national #EventSquad Rankings. GREAT LAKES REGION — Katie Woods — Marian (Ind.) Woods is ranked top-five nationally in three different individual events: No. 2 in the 800 meters (2:09.19), No. 2 in the mile (4:42.70), and No. 5 in the 1000 meters (2:49.50). She is also part of the nation’s top-ranked 4×800 relay and DMR. Woods won the 800-meter title at the Crossroads League Indoor Championships. GREAT LAKES REGION — Katie Wise-Butler — Marian (Ind.) – Women’s Coach of the Year Wise-Butler led the Knights to the team title at the Crossroads League Indoor Championships with 244 points as Marian ranked No. 2 in the NAIA TFRI Ratings. The Knights have 19 national qualifiers with top-five national rankings in 10 events, along with seven events earning top-5 appearances in the national #EventSquad Rankings. ================================================================= SMALL INDIANA COLLEGE SPORTS WEB SITES UINDY ATHLETICS: https://athletics.uindy.edu/ MARIAN ATHLETICS: https://muknights.com/ INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/ EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/ WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/ FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/ ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/ ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/ DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/ HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/ MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/ HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/ OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/ IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/ IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/ PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/ INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/ ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/ GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/ HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/ VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index ================================================= “SPORTS EXTRA” TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY 1912 The Yankees announce they will begin wearing pinstripes on their uniforms this year, abandoning the new look at the end of the season. After Jacob Ruppert buys the team, the vertical lines will appear permanently, making their return in a 5-1 loss to Washington during the team’s home opener in 1915. 1948 Pirates legendary third baseman Pie Traynor and left-hander Herb Pennock to the Hall of Fame. The Pittsburgh infielder spent his 17-year career in the Steel City, compiling a .320 lifetime batting average, while the ‘Knight of Kennett Square’ posted a .590 win-loss percentage during his 22 seasons in the majors, including a 162-90 stint for the Yankees from 1923-1933. 1984 San Francisco trades pitcher Fred Breining and outfielder Max Venable to the Expos for first baseman Al Oliver. The Giants will trade the veteran infielder and Renie Martin to the Phillies for Kelly Downs and George Riley in August. 1985 The Yankees send second baseman Toby Harrah to Texas for outfielder Billy Sample and a player to be named later (Eric Dersin). The 36-year-old veteran infielder, an original Ranger, will replace Bobby Valentine as the club’s manager, finishing the 1992 season with a 32-44 record. 1988 The Orioles trade third baseman Ray Knight to Detroit for pitcher Mark Thurmond. The 1986 World Series MVP, after he hits only .217, will retire at the end of the season, playing primarily as the Tigers’ first baseman and DH. 1989 John Olerud, the Blue Jay’s pick in the third round of the upcoming June Amateur Draft, undergoes brain surgery to remove an aneurysm. The Washington State University left-handed first baseman had collapsed on January 11 after a workout. 1998 From Chicago’s Holy Name Cathedral, WGN TV airs the funeral of beloved broadcaster Harry Caray, who spent 53 years behind the mike doing play-by-play for the A’s, Cardinals, White Sox, and Cubs. The eulogies reflected the 83-year-old zest for life, with stories bringing joy and laughter from the crowd that included Billy Williams, Mark Grace, Ryne Sandberg, Rick Sutcliffe, Minnie Minoso, and former Bears coach Mike Ditka. 2003 The new Veterans Hall of Fame selection committee, consisting mostly of Hall of Famers, selects none of the 41 players, executives, and umpires under consideration. Gil Hodges is 11 votes shy of 75 percent needed for induction, receiving 50 votes of 81 votes cast (61.7%). 2006 In spring training intra-squad action, Koby Clemens goes deep off a 43-year-old non-roster pitcher given special permission to train with the Astros. In his next at-bat, the 19-year-old minor leaguer gets brushed back with an inside fastball by the 300-game winner, his dad, Roger. 2006 Effa Manley is among the 17 significant historical figures from the Negro Leagues elected by a select committee for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The former Newark Eagles executive, known as the Boss, will become the first woman enshrined in Cooperstown. 2008 The White Sox wear Northern Illinois University baseball caps in their spring training opening game, honoring the victims of a campus shooting rampage earlier this month. After the contest, the players autograph their hats, which will be auctioned off at NIU to benefit a scholarship fund in memory of the five students killed in the attack. ========================================================================= TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY On February 27 in … 1874 – Baseball first played in England, at Lord’s Cricket Grounds. 1890 – D Needham and P Kerrigan box 100 rounds (6 hours 39 minutes), San Francisco; match is a draw. 1901 – US baseball National League Rules Committee decrees that all fouls are to count as strikes except after two strikes. 1908 – Sacrifice fly rule adopted for Major League Baseball (repealed in 1931, reinstated 1954). 1921 – US female Figure Skating championship won by Theresa Weld Blanchard. 1921 – US male Figure Skating championship won by Sherwin Badger. 1925 – Test Cricket debut of Clarrie Grimmett, who took 5-45 and 6-37 versus England. 1927 – For second Sunday in a row golfers in South Carolina are arrested for violating Sabbath. 1936 – Willy den Ouden swims world record 100 metre free style (1:04.6). 1937 – Donald Bradman scores 169 in 5th Test Cricket versus England in 223 minutes. 1955 – Betty Jameson wins LPGA Sarasota Golf Open. 1959 – Boston Celtics’ Bob Cousy sets NBA record with 28 assists; Boston Celtics score 173 points against Minneapolis Lakers. 1960 – US Olympics Ice Hockey Team beats USSR 3-2 en route to gold medal. 1963 – Mickey Mantle of the New York Yankees sign a baseball contract worth US$100,000. 1966 – Ice Dance Championship at Davos won by Diane Towler/Bernard Ford (Great Britain). 1966 – Ice Pairs Championship at Davos won by Belousova and Protopopov of USSR. 1966 – Ladies Figure Skating Championship in Davos won by Peggy Fleming of US. 1966 – Men’s Figure Skating Championship in Davos won by Emmerich Danzer (Austria). 1973 – Dick Allen signs a record US$675,000 three-year contract with Chicago White Sox. 1977 – Judy Rankin wins LPGA Bent Tree Golf Classic. 1982 – Earl Anthony becomes first professional bowler to win more than US$1 million. 1982 – Dan Issel (NBA-Denver Nuggets) hits on 63rd consecutive free throw. 1983 – Eamonn Coghlan sets indoor mile record of 3:49.78. 1983 – Jan Stephenson wins Tucson Conquistadores LPGA Golf Tournament. 1984 – Carl Lewis jumps world record indoor long jump (8.675 metres). 1987 – Mike Conley triple jumps world indoor record (17.76 metres). 1987 – NCAA cancels SMU’s entire 1987 football schedule for gross violations of NCAA rules regarding athletic corruption. 1988 – Ayako Okamoto wins LPGA Orient Leasing Hawaiian Ladies Golf Open. 1988 – Bonnie Blair (US) wins Olympics 500 metre speed skating in record 39.1 seconds. 1988 – Katarina Witt (German Democratic Republic) wins second consecutive Olympics figure skating. 1991 – Noureddine Morcelli sets 1500 metre mark at 3:34.16. 1992 – Larry Smith named 9th Commissioner of the Canadian Football League. 1992 – Tiger Woods, 16, becomes youngest PGA golfer in 35 years. 1994 – XVII Olympic Winter Games close in Lillehammer, Norway. 1996 – Mark Waugh scores 126 in World Cup against India. 2022 – At SAP Center in San Jose, California, USA, NHL regular season game: San Jose Sharks beats Seattle Kraken by score 3-1. 2022 – At Honda Center in Anaheim, California, USA, NHL regular season game: New York Islanders beats Anaheim Ducks by score 4-0. 2022 – At Madison Square Garden in New York, New York, USA, NHL regular season game: Vancouver Canucks beats New York Rangers by score 5-2. 2022 – At Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, USA, NHL regular season game: Pittsburgh Penguins beats Columbus Blue Jackets by score 3-2. 2022 – At Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona, USA, NHL regular season game: Winnipeg Jets beats Arizona Coyotes by score 5-3. 2022 – At United Center in Chicago, Illinois, USA, NHL regular season game: Saint Louis Blues beats Chicago Blackhawks by score 4-0. 2022 – At American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, USA, NHL regular season game: Dallas Stars beats Buffalo Sabres by score 4-2. 2022 – At PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA, NHL regular season game: Carolina Hurricanes beats Edmonton Oilers by score 2-1. Births of sports figures on February 27 1898 – Birth of Allison Danzig; sports writer (Tennis Pictorial History). 1902 – Birth of Ethelda Bleibtrey; 100 metre/300 metre US swimmer (Olympics-3 gold-1920). 1902 – Birth of Gene Sarazen in Harrison, New York, USA; PGA golfer (Masters 1935, US Open 1922, 1932). 1906 – Birth of Alexander Matheson; New Zealand cricket pace bowler (two Tests 1930-31). 1920 – Birth of Reg Simpson; cricket player (prolific England opener 1948-55). 1924 – Birth of Norman Marshall; cricket player (brother of Roy, one Test for West Indies 1955). 1933 – Birth of Raymond Berry in Texas, USA; NFL hall of famer (Baltimore Colts). 1937 – Birth of L Jay Silvester; American discus thrower (Olympics-silver-1972). 1939 – Birth of Lester King; cricket player (West Indies fast bowler, two Tests 1962-68, 9 wickets). 1939 – Birth of Peter Revson; auto racer (1971 Indianapolis pole winner). 1944 – Birth of Graeme Pollock; cricket player (South African batting prodigy). 1947 – Birth of Ashley Woodcock; cricket player (one Test Australia versus New Zealand 1974, only knock 27). 1952 – Birth of Dwight Elmo Jones in Houston, Texas, USA; basketball player (Olympics-silver-1972). 1960 – Birth of Andres Gomez in Ecuador; tennis pro (Madrid Grand Prix-1990). 1960 – Birth of John van Grinsven; soccer player (MVV). 1961 – Birth of James Worthy; NBA forward (Los Angeles Lakers, 1988 Playoff Most Valuable Player). 1962 – Birth of Kory Tarpenning in Portland, Oregon, USA; pole vaulter. 1962 – Birth of Veronica Ribot-Canales in Buenos Aires, Argentina; US diver (Olympics-1996). 1964 – Birth of April Heinrichs in Littleton, Colorado, USA; American women’s soccer coach (Olympics-1996). 1964 – Birth of Richard de Vries; soccer player (De Graafschap). 1965 – Birth of Sandra Cecchini in Bologna, Italy; tennis star (1995 Warsaw doubles). 1966 – Birth of Chris Howard; US baseball catcher (Seattle Mariners). 1966 – Birth of Pete Smith; US baseball player (Atlanta Braves, New York Mets). 1967 – Birth of Dallas Eakins in Dade City, Florida, USA; NHL defenseman (Winnipeg Jets). 1967 – Birth of Frantisek Kaberle in Brno, Czechoslovakia; hockey forward (Team Czechoslovakian Republic). 1967 – Birth of Robert Kron in Brno, Czechoslovakia; NHL right wing (Hartford Whalers). 1968 – Birth of Loy Vaught; NBA forward (Los Angeles Clippers). 1968 – Birth of Mike Sullivan in Marshfield, Massachusetts, USA; NHL center (Calgary Flames). 1968 – Birth of Ron Cox; NFL linebacker (Chicago Bears). 1969 – Birth of Greg Stevenson in Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada; rower (Olympics-11-1992, 1996). 1969 – Birth of Robert Massey; NFL cornerback (New York Giants). 1969 – Birth of Robert Molenaar; Dutch soccer player (FC Volendam). 1969 – Birth of Willie Banks; US baseball pitcher (Chicago Cubs). 1970 – Birth of David White; NFL linebacker (Buffalo Bills). 1971 – Birth of Ivan Robinson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; US boxer (Olympics-1992). 1971 – Birth of Jaroslav Modry in Ceske-budejovice, Czechoslovakis; NHL defenseman (Ottawa Senators). 1971 – Birth of Rich Tylski; guard/center (Jacksonville Jaguars). 1973 – Birth of Terence Davis; WLAF wide receiver (London Monarchs). 1974 – Birth of Chris Dishman; guard (Arizona Cardinals). 1974 – Birth of Jim Maher; cricket player (Queensland lefty batsman victorious 1995 side). 1975 – Birth of Duce Staley; running back (Philadelphia Eagles). 1975 – Birth of Marcus Robinson; wide receiver (Chicago Bears). 1976 – Birth of Tony Gonzalez; tight end (Kansas City Chiefs). 1983 – Birth of Devin Harris; American basketball player. Deaths of sports figures on February 27 1921 – Schofield Haigh, cricket player (England all-rounder 11 Tests 1898-1912), dies. 1947 – Mackinnon of Mackinnon, cricket player (Tests England versus Australia 1879), dies at age 89. 1961 – Platt Adams, high jumper (Olympics-gold-1912), dies. 1975 – Neville Cardus, writer/cricket player, dies. 1986 – Death of Jacques Plante, Canadian hockey player (born 1929). ================================================= TV SPORTS TODAY Friday, 2/27/2026 MLB SPRING TRAININGTIME ETTVMiami Marlins vs Philadelphia Phillies1:05pmMLBNLos Angeles Dodgers vs San Francisco Giants3:05pmMLBNArizona Diamondbacks vs Seattle Mariners8:10pmMLBNNBA REGULAR SEASONTIME ETTVCleveland Cavaliers vs Detroit Pistons7:00pmESPNFanDuel Sports DEtFanDuel Sports OhioBrooklyn Nets vs Boston Celtics7:30pmYESNBCS-BOSNew York Knicks vs Milwaukee Bucks8:00pmMSGFanDuel Sports MILMemphis Grizzlies vs Dallas Mavericks8:30pmFanDuel Sports MEMKFAADenver Nuggets vs Oklahoma City Thunder9:30pmESPNALTFanDuel Sports OKCNHL REGULAR SEASONTIME ETTVVegas Golden Knights vs Washington Capitals7:00pmScrippsMNMTBuffalo Sabres vs Florida Panthers7:00pmMSG-BUFScrippsMinnesota Wild vs Utah Mammoth9:00pmFanDuel Sports NorthUtah16Winnipeg Jets vs Anaheim Ducks10:00pmSNVictory+MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALLTIME ETTVYale at Cornell6:00pmESPNUMiami (OH) at Western Michigan6:00pmCBSSNBrown at Columbia6:00pmSNYQuinnipiac at Niagara6:30pmESPN+Dayton at George Washington7:00pmESPN2Merrimack at Canisius7:00pmESPN+ULM at Troy7:00pmESPN+Manhattan at Saint Peter’s7:00pmESPN+Mount St. Mary’s at Sacred Heart7:00pmESPN+Siena at Fairfield7:00pmESPN+Harvard at Princeton7:00pmESPN+Dartmouth at Penn7:00pmESPN+Rider at Iona7:00pmESPN+Old Dominion at Georgia State7:30pmESPN+Michigan at Illinois8:00pmFOXAkron at Kent State8:00pmESPNUCoastal Carolina at James Madison8:00pmESPN+App State at Texas State8:00pmESPN+Louisiana at Arkansas State8:30pmESPN+Southern Miss at South Alabama8:30pmESPN+Georgia Southern at Marshall9:00pmESPN2GOLFTIME ETTVPGA Tour: Cognizant Classic2:00pmGOLFLPGA Tour: LPGA Thailand8:30pmGOLFSOCCERTIME ETTVBundesliga: Augsburg vs Köln2:30pmESPN+Ligue 1: Strasbourg vs Lens2:45pmbeIN SportsfuboTVSerie A: Parma vs Cagliari2:45pmParamount+EPL: Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Aston Villa3:00pmPeacockLa Liga: Levante vs Deportivo Alavés3:00pmESPN+Liga MX: Tigres UANL vs Pachuca8:00pmfuboTVLiga MX: Querétaro vs Santos Laguna8:00pmVIXLiga MX: Mazatlán vs Pachuca8:00pmVIXLiga MX: Juárez vs Atlas10:00pmfuboTVLiga MX: Tijuana vs Pumas UNAM10:06pmVIX MLB SPRING TRAININGTIME ETTVMinnesota Twins vs Boston Red Sox1:05pmMLBNKansas City Royals vs Colorado Rockies3:10pmMLBNNBA REGULAR SEASONTIME ETTVPortland Trail Blazers vs Charlotte Hornets1:00pmRip CityFanDuel Sports CHAHouston Rockets vs Miami Heat3:30pmPrimeSCHNToronto Raptors vs Washington Wizards7:00pmTSNMNMT2Los Angeles Lakers vs Golden State Warriors8:30pmABCESPN UnlimitedNew Orleans Pelicans vs Utah Jazz9:30pmGCSNKJZZNHL REGULAR SEASONTIME ETTVPittsburgh Penguins vs New York Rangers12:30pmABCESPN UnlimitedBoston Bruins vs Philadelphia Flyers3:00pmABCESPN UnlimitedEdmonton Oilers vs San Jose Sharks4:00pmNBCS-CASNNew Jersey Devils vs St. Louis Blues5:00pmMSGSNFanDuel Sports MWChicago Blackhawks vs Colorado Avalanche6:00pmCHSNALTNew York Islanders vs Columbus Blue Jackets6:00pmMSGSNFanDuel Sports OhioWashington Capitals vs Montreal Canadiens7:00pmMNMTSNOttawa Senators vs Toronto Maple Leafs7:00pmESPN+SNCalgary Flames vs Los Angeles Kings7:00pmNHLNSNFanDuel Sports WestDetroit Red Wings vs Carolina Hurricanes7:00pmFanDuel Sports SouthFanDuel Sports DETBuffalo Sabres vs Tampa Bay Lightning7:00pmMSG-BUFFanDuel Sports SunNashville Predators vs Dallas Stars8:00pmFanDuel Sports NSHVictory+Vancouver Canucks vs Seattle Kraken10:00pmSNKONGMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALLTIME ETTVLouisville at ClemsonTBAESPN/2Alabama at TennesseeTBAESPN/2Virginia Tech at North CarolinaTBAESPN/2Kansas at ArizonaTBAESPNColorado at Houston12:00pmESPN/2Virginia at Duke12:00pmESPN/2NC State at Notre Dame12:00pmCWSeton Hall at UConn12:00pmFS1Iowa at Penn State12:00pmBTNFlorida State at Georgia Tech12:00pmACCNBucknell at Lehigh12:00pmCBSSNSaint Joseph’s at Rhode Island12:00pmWLNE-DT5Fordham at VCU12:30pmUSAMissouri at Mississippi State1:00pmSECNLe Moyne at New Haven1:00pmNEC Front RowSaint Francis U at Central Connecticut1:00pmNEC Front RowChicago State at Wagner1:00pmNEC Front RowNM State at Middle Tennessee1:00pmESPN+Cleveland State at Robert Morris1:00pmESPN+Georgetown at Xavier1:30pmTNTSan Diego State at New Mexico2:00pmCBSVanderbilt at Kentucky2:00pmESPN/2UCLA at Minnesota2:00pmFS1Oregon at Northwestern2:00pmBTNTennessee State at UT Martin2:00pmESPNUBoston College at Miami (FL)2:00pmACCNOklahoma State at Cincinnati2:00pmCBSSNSt. Bonaventure at George Mason2:00pmMNMTCampbell at Towson2:00pmMNMT2South Dakota State at South Dakota2:00pmMidCo Sports 2Mercyhurst at Stonehill2:00pmNEC Front RowUMBC at UMass Lowell2:00pmESPN+FGCU at Stetson2:00pmESPN+Youngstown State at Green Bay2:00pmESPN+Gardner-Webb at USC Upstate2:00pmESPN+The Citadel at Wofford2:00pmESPN+Purdue Fort Wayne at IU Indianapolis2:00pmESPN+Central Michigan at Buffalo2:00pmESPN+Maine at Binghamton2:00pmESPN+Austin Peay at Bellarmine2:00pmESPN+VMI at Chattanooga2:00pmESPN+UMass at Bowling Green2:00pmESPN+North Alabama at West Georgia2:00pmESPN+New Hampshire at UAlbany2:00pmESPN+Queens at Central Arkansas2:00pmESPN+Charleston Southern at UNC Asheville2:00pmESPN+William & Mary at North Carolina A&T2:00pmFloCollegeRadford at Longwood3:00pmESPN+Detroit Mercy at Oakland3:00pmESPN+FIU at Louisiana Tech3:00pmESPN+UTEP at WKU3:00pmESPN+Sacramento State at Montana State3:00pmESPN+Elon at Monmouth3:00pmFloCollegeUtah at Arizona State3:30pmTNTSouth Carolina at Georgia3:30pmSECNBethune-Cookman at Southern3:30pmHBCU GoTexas Tech at Iowa State4:00pmCBSTexas at Texas A&M4:00pmESPN/2Wisconsin at Washington4:00pmFS1Nebraska at USC4:00pmBTNPitt at California4:00pmACCNRichmond at Loyola Chicago4:00pmCBSSNNortheastern at Hampton4:00pmMNMTAir Force at Wyoming4:00pmMWNFairleigh Dickinson at LIU4:00pmNEC Front RowNorthern Colorado at Idaho4:00pmESPN+Ball State at Northern Illinois4:00pmESPN+Southeastern Louisiana at Nicholls4:00pmESPN+Southern Indiana at Little Rock4:00pmESPN+Presbyterian at Winthrop4:00pmESPN+Lipscomb at Eastern Kentucky4:00pmESPN+Valparaiso at Evansville4:00pmESPN+Howard at Morgan State4:00pmESPN+Northern Arizona at Eastern Washington4:00pmESPN+Toledo at Ohio4:00pmESPN+NJIT at Bryant4:00pmESPN+Eastern Illinois at SIUE4:30pmESPN+North Carolina Central at Delaware State4:30pmESPN+Norfolk State at Coppin State4:30pmESPN+ETSU at Mercer4:30pmESPN+Stephen F. Austin at Houston Christian4:30pmESPN+Lindenwood at Western Illinois4:30pmESPN+Tennessee Tech at Southeast Missouri4:45pmESPN+North Dakota at North Dakota State5:00pmESPN+Colorado State at San Jose State5:00pmMWNAlabama State at Alabama A&M5:00pmSWAC TVDelaware at Kennesaw State5:00pmESPN+Brown at Cornell5:00pmESPN+Lamar at UIW5:00pmESPN+BYU at West Virginia5:30pmFOXProvidence at Creighton5:30pmTNTAlcorn State at Prairie View A&M5:30pmSWAC TVEast Texas A&M at UTRGV5:30pmESPN+Missouri State at Sam Houston5:30pmESPN+Furman at Western Carolina5:30pmESPN+Syracuse at Wake Forest5:45pmCWLiberty at Jacksonville State6:00pmESPNUOklahoma at LSU6:00pmSECNSMU at Stanford6:00pmACCNSan Francisco at Pacific6:00pmCBSSNHarvard at Penn6:00pmNBCS-PHIPortland State at Montana6:00pmSWXUNCG at Samford6:00pmESPN+Dartmouth at Princeton6:00pmESPN+Yale at Columbia6:00pmESPN+Jacksonville at North Florida6:00pmESPN+McNeese at New Orleans6:00pmESPN+Weber State at Idaho State6:00pmESPN+TCU at Kansas State6:30pmESPN2Northwestern State at A&M-Corpus Christi6:30pmESPN+Stony Brook at Hofstra7:00pmMSG2Hawai’i at Cal State Fullerton7:00pmESPN+Wright State at Northern Kentucky7:00pmESPN+Boise State at Fresno State7:30pmMWNFlorida A&M at Grambling State7:30pmSWAC TVVillanova vs. St. John’s8:00pmFOXBaylor at UCF8:00pmFS1Oregon State at Santa Clara8:00pmCBSSNDuquesne at Saint Louis8:00pmFanDuel Sports MWXWashington State at Pepperdine8:00pmESPN+San Diego at Portland8:00pmESPN+CSUN at UC Riverside8:00pmESPN+Omaha at St. Thomas8:00pmSummitOral Roberts at Kansas City8:00pmSummitArkansas at Florida8:30pmESPN/2Ole Miss at Auburn8:30pmSECNUtah Tech at Southern Utah8:30pmESPN+Seattle U at Loyola Marymount9:00pmESPN+Tarleton at California Baptist9:00pmESPN+Long Beach State at CSU Bakersfield9:30pmESPN+Grand Canyon at Utah State10:00pmFS1Nevada at UNLV10:00pmCBSSNCal Poly at UC San Diego10:00pmESPN+Gonzaga at Saint Mary’s10:30pmESPNUC Santa Barbara at UC Irvine10:30pmESPN2MOTORSPORTSTIME ETTVNASCAR Truck: NASCAR Truck Series Race St. Petersburg12:00pmFOXXfinity: Focused Health 2503:00pmCWGOLFTIME ETTVPGA Tour: Cognizant Classic1:00pmGOLFPGA Tour: Cognizant Classic3:00pmNBCLPGA Tour: Women’s World Championship8:30pmGOLFSOCCERTIME ETTVEPL: AFC Bournemouth vs Sunderland7:30amPeacockLa Liga: Rayo Vallecano vs Athletic Club8:00amESPN+Serie A: Como vs Lecce9:00amParamount+Bundesliga: Werder Bremen vs Heidenheim9:30amESPN+Bundesliga: Hoffenheim vs St. Pauli9:30amESPN+Bundesliga: Bayer Leverkusen vs Mainz 059:30amESPN+Bundesliga: Borussia M’gladbach vs Union Berlin9:30amESPN+EPL: Burnley vs Brentford10:00amPeacockEPL: Liverpool vs West Ham United10:00amPeacockEPL: Newcastle United vs Everton10:00amPeacockLa Liga: Barcelona vs Villarreal10:15amESPN+Ligue 1: Rennes vs Toulouse11:00ambeIN SportsfuboTVSerie A: Verona vs Napoli12:00pmParamount+Bundesliga: Borussia Dortmund vs Bayern München12:30pmESPN+La Liga: Mallorca vs Real Sociedad12:30pmESPN+EPL: Leeds United vs Manchester City12:30pmPeacockLigue 1: Monaco vs Angers SCO1:00pmbeIN SportsfuboTVMLS: Chicago Fire vs CF Montréal2:30pmMLS Season PassMLS: New York RB vs New England2:30pmMLS Season PassSerie A: Internazionale vs Genoa2:45pmParamount+EPL: Manchester City vs Newcastle United3:00pmPeacockLa Liga: Real Oviedo vs Atlético Madrid3:00pmESPN+Ligue 1: Le Havre vs PSG3:05pmbeIN SportsfuboTVMLS: Minnesota United vs Cincinnati4:30pmMLS Season PassMLS: Colorado Rapids vs Portland Timbers4:30pmMLS Season PassLiga MX: Atlético San Luis vs Puebla6:00pmVIXMLS: Real Salt Lake vs Seattle Sounders FC7:30pmMLS Season PassMLS: SJ Earthquakes vs Atlanta United7:30pmMLS Season PassLiga MX: León vs Necaxa8:00pmfuboTVLiga MX: Monterrey vs Cruz Azul8:00pmVIXMLS: Dallas vs Nashville SC8:30pmMLS Season PassMLS: Houston Dynamo vs Los Angeles FC8:30pmMLS Season PassMLS: Sporting KC vs Columbus Crew8:30pmMLS Season PassMLS: Vancouver Whitecaps vs Toronto FC9:30pmMLS Season PassLiga MX: América vs Tigres UANL10:00pmVIXMLS: LA Galaxy vs Charlotte10:30pmMLS Season Pass About The Author troyderengowski61@gmail.com See author's posts Post navigation THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” THURSDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2026 THE INDIANA SRN “SCOREBOARD” FEBRUARY 27
