THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” FRIDAY FEBRUARY 6, 2026

“THE SCOREBOARD”

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INDIANA BOYS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD

ADAMS CENTRAL       80          FREMONT        40         

ANDERSON    87          RICHMOND    57         

ANDREAN        56          LOWELL            49         

ANGOLA           69          FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA  44         

AVON  46          ZIONSVILLE    42         

BARR-REEVE  46          JASPER              41         

BATESVILLE    68          SOUTH DEARBORN   67         

BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE          46          FLOYD CENTRAL         45         

BENTON CENTRAL     51          NORTH MONTGOMERY          30         

BETHANY CHRISTIAN              49          CAREER ACADEMY    36         

BETHESDA CHRISTIAN           61          FAITH CHRISTIAN       58         

BLOOMFIELD 61          NORTH DAVIESS          52         

BLOOMINGTON NORTH         52          EDGEWOOD  50         

BLOOMINGTON SOUTH         56          EVANSVILLE HARRISON         36         

BLUE RIVER VALLEY  72          KNIGHTSTOWN            62         

BLUFFTON       54          EASTBROOK   42         

BOONE GROVE            42          WHEELER        28         

BOONVILLE    67          HERITAGE HILLS          63         

BREBEUF JESUIT         62          INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE             58         

BREMEN           50          ELKHART CHRISTIAN               42         

BROWN COUNTY       69          LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN     41         

BROWNSBURG            71          WEST LAFAYETTE        55         

CARMEL           60          LAWRENCE NORTH  43         

CARROLL (FLORA)      68          CLINTON CENTRAL   47         

CARROLL (FORT WAYNE)      54          HUNTINGTON NORTH            47         

CASTLE             66          EVANSVILLE BOSSE  61         

CASTON           66          NORTH WHITE              11         

CENTERVILLE 74          WINCHESTER 36         

CENTRAL CHRISTIAN              62          BELIEVE CIRCLE CITY              49         

CHARLESTOWN          81          NORTH HARRISON    59         

CHESTERTON               52          MICHIGAN CITY           49         

CLAY CITY        44          SHAKAMAK     40         

CORYDON CENTRAL 86          SOUTH CENTRAL (ELIZABETH)          49         

COVENANT CHRISTIAN          51          TRITON CENTRAL       45         

COVINGTON  52          FOUNTAIN CENTRAL 44         

CRAWFORDSVILLE    72          WESTERN BOONE      55         

CROWN POINT            75          PORTAGE         57         

DEKALB             64          LEO      41         

DEMOTTE CHRISTIAN              66          CULVER            42         

DECATUR CENTRAL  75          SOUTHPORT  63         

EAST CENTRAL             64          LAWRENCEBURG       39         

EAST NOBLE   66          BELLMONT      61          2OT

EASTERN (GREENTOWN)      66          WES-DEL          49         

EASTERN GREENE      64          WHITE RIVER VALLEY              38         

EASTERN HANCOCK 71          CHRISTEL HOUSE      61         

EASTSIDE         57          HAMILTON       20         

EDINBURGH   57          MITCHELL        55         

ELKHART          67          NEW PRAIRIE 39         

EVANSVILLE MATER DEI         62          FOREST PARK 25         

EVANSVILLE NORTH 60          SOUTH KNOX 37         

EVANSVILLE REITZ     55          EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL        50         

FAIRFIELD        42          GARRETT          28         

FISHERS            74          WESTFIELD     72          OT

FORT WAYNE SNIDER              66          FORT WAYNE DWENGER       61         

FRANKTON      50          TRI        47         

GIBSON SOUTHERN 59          SOUTHRIDGE 40         

GOSHEN          72          PLYMOUTH     44         

GREENFIELD-CENTRAL          45          DELTA 34         

GREENSBURG              49          RUSHVILLE     43         

HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN              56          FRANKLIN CENTRAL 54         

HANOVER CENTRAL 50          HIGHLAND      37         

HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE)          66          LOGANSPORT              49         

HAUSER            67          SOUTHWESTERN (SHELBYVILLE)     28         

HEBRON           62          WASHINGTON TWP.  59         

HENRYVILLE   57          EASTERN (PEKIN)        49         

HERITAGE CHRISTIAN             71          INDIANAPOLIS TINDLEY        56         

HOBART           55          KANKAKEE VALLEY    49         

ILLIANA CHRISTIAN   56          CALUMET         51         

INDIANAPOLIS ARSENAL TECH        78          PURDUE ENGLEWOOD          68         

INDIANAPOLIS METROPOLITAN       60          INDIANAPOLIS HOMESCHOOL        59              

INDIANAPOLIS RITTER            62          INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI    59         

INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA       62          GREENCASTLE             60         

IRVINGTON PREP       83          PURDUE BROAD RIPPLE        68         

JAY COUNTY   81          SOUTHERN WELLS    38         

JIMTOWN         58          TRINITY ACADEMY     23         

JOHN GLENN 63          WESTVILLE      17         

KOKOMO         68          CULVER ACADEMY    56         

KOUTS 66          LAKE STATION              48         

LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC      43          TWIN LAKES    41         

LAFAYETTE JEFF           64          MCCUTCHEON           53         

LAKELAND       54          CHURUBUSCO            18         

LAKEWOOD PARK      64          LAKELAND CHRISTIAN           51         

LANESVILLE    59          SPRINGS VALLEY        54         

LAPEL 86          ALEXANDRIA  57         

LAWRENCE CENTRAL             80          NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS) 64         

LEBANON        62          SOUTH PUTNAM         58         

LEWIS CASS   54          WABASH          49         

LINTON             63          CASCADE        60         

MANCHESTER              64          NORTHFIELD 28         

MARQUETTE CATHOLIC        75          HAMMOND NOLL       62         

MARTINSVILLE             51          SPEEDWAY     50         

MERRILLVILLE              62          LAKE CENTRAL            57         

MILAN 79          RISING SUN    49         

MONROE CENTRAL   65          UNION (MODOC)       34         

MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE)          54          NOBLESVILLE               35         

MUNCIE CENTRAL     90          MARION            70         

MUNSTER        78          GRIFFITH          63         

NEW ALBANY 83          JENNINGS COUNTY  60         

NORTH DECATUR       66          WALDRON      37         

NORTH MIAMI               55          WHITKO            49          2OT

NORTH POSEY             50          PIKE CENTRAL              46         

NORTH VERMILLION 51          SOUTH VERMILLION 24         

NORTHWOOD             64          CONCORD      41         

NORTHEAST DUBOIS              41          NORTH KNOX 30         

NORTHEASTERN         63          HAGERSTOWN             53         

NORTHRIDGE               58          WAWASEE       37         

NORTHVIEW  71          TERRE HAUTE SOUTH             38         

OAK HILL          76          WESTERN        57         

ORLEANS         51          LOOGOOTEE  40         

PAOLI  66          SHOALS            38         

PARK TUDOR 80          INTERNATIONAL         21         

PARKE HERITAGE        80          ATTICA               20         

PENN  55          MISHAWAKA MARIAN              48         

PIKE     56          BEN DAVIS       53         

PIONEER          52          NORTH JUDSON         40         

PRAIRIE HEIGHTS       49          CENTRAL NOBLE        43          OT

PRINCETON    77          MOUNT VERNON (POSEY)    40         

RANDOLPH SOUTHERN        76          DALEVILLE       52         

RIVER FOREST              76          OREGON-DAVIS          31         

SCOTTSBURG               77          CLARKSVILLE 41         

SEEGER             73          RIVERTON PARKE       60         

SEYMOUR        55          MADISON        28         

SHELBYVILLE 64          FRANKLIN        45         

SHERIDAN       79          INDIANAPOLIS HERRON        65         

SILVER CREEK              72          SALEM               28         

SOUTH BEND RILEY  99          SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON             33         

SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH     82          SOUTH BEND ADAMS              62         

SOUTH DECATUR       55          MORRISTOWN             50         

SOUTHMONT 57          NORTH PUTNAM         42         

SOUTHWOOD              58          ROCHESTER   35         

SULLIVAN        80          OWEN VALLEY             41         

TAYLOR             60          CLINTON PRAIRIE       44         

TELL CITY         73          CANNELTON  32         

TERRE HAUTE NORTH             62          PLAINFIELD    55         

TIPPECANOE VALLEY              52          KNOX   43         

TRI-CENTRAL 66          ELWOOD          56         

TRI-COUNTY  50          NORTH NEWTON        32         

TRI-TOWNSHIP            30          HAMMOND SCIENCE & TECH           28         

TRI-WEST         73          INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD      64          OT

TRITON              67          ARGOS              23         

UNION CITY    63          SETON CATHOLIC      48         

UNION COUNTY         45          CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN 34        

VALPARAISO  77          LAPORTE          72         

WAPAHANI      54          COWAN            37         

WARSAW          52          MISHAWAKA   43         

WASHINGTON              55          VINCENNES LINCOLN            54         

WEST CENTRAL           54          FRONTIER        53         

WESTVIEW      68          WEST NOBLE 43         

WHITELAND   92          INDIAN CREEK             50         

WINAMAC        70          RENSSELAER CENTRAL         35         

WOOD MEMORIAL     58          VINCENNES RIVET     48         

WOODLAN      60          SOUTH ADAMS            53         

YORKTOWN    62          PENDLETON HEIGHTS            50         

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INDIANA GIRLS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD

CLASS 2A

AUSTIN

BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL    54          SOUTH RIPLEY             24         

SWITZERLAND COUNTY        47          BROWN COUNTY       45         

CLASS 1A

JAC-CEN-DEL

HAUSER            64          CROTHERSVILLE         26         

TRINITY LUTHERAN   63          OLDENBURG ACADEMY        58          2OT

WEST WASHINGTON

WEST WASHINGTON 59          ROCK CREEK ACADEMY        23         

CHRISTIAN ACADEMY             41          NEW WASHINGTON  23         

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INDIANA GIRLS BASKETBALL SECTIONAL SCHEDULE

CLASS 4A

MUNSTER

LAKE CENTRAL            AT          MUNSTER        7:00 PM            

HAMMOND CENTRAL             VS.        CROWN POINT            8:30 PM            

VALPARAISO

PORTAGE         VS.        MERRILLVILLE              7:00 PM            

HOBART           AT          VALPARAISO  8:30 PM            

PENN

SOUTH BEND RILEY  VS.        SOUTH BEND ADAMS              6:00 PM            

LAPORTE          AT          PENN  7:30 PM            

GOSHEN

NORTHRIDGE               VS.        CONCORD      6:00 PM            

WARSAW          VS.        ELKHART          7:30 PM            

CARROLL (FORT WAYNE)

FORT WAYNE SNIDER              VS.        FORT WAYNE NORTHROP    6:00 PM            

FORT WAYNE NORTH              AT          CARROLL (FORT WAYNE)      7:30 PM            

FORT WAYNE SOUTH

FORT WAYNE WAYNE              VS.        NORWELL        6:00 PM            

HUNTINGTON NORTH            VS.        HOMESTEAD  7:30 PM            

MCCUTCHEON

HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE)          VS.        KOKOMO         6:00 PM            

LAFAYETTE JEFF           AT          MCCUTCHEON                          7:30 PM            

CARMEL

ZIONSVILLE    AT          CARMEL           6:00 PM            

NOBLESVILLE               VS.        HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN 7:30 PM          

PENDLETON HEIGHTS

RICHMOND    AT          PENDLETON HEIGHTS            6:00 PM            

ANDERSON    VS.        GREENFIELD-CENTRAL          7:30 PM            

NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS)

INDIANAPOLIS ARSENAL TECH        VS.        LAWRENCE CENTRAL             6:00 PM              

LAWRENCE NORTH  AT          NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS)                7:30 PM              

PLAINFIELD

PIKE     VS.        AVON  6:00 PM            

BROWNSBURG            AT          PLAINFIELD    7:30 PM            

CENTER GROVE

FRANKLIN CENTRAL VS.        DECATUR CENTRAL  6:00 PM            

SOUTHPORT  AT          CENTER GROVE          7:30 PM            

TERRE HAUTE NORTH

MARTINSVILLE             VS.        TERRE HAUTE SOUTH             6:00 PM            

BLOOMINGTON SOUTH         VS.        BLOOMINGTON NORTH         7:30 PM            

COLUMBUS EAST

COLUMBUS NORTH  VS.        WHITELAND                  6:00 PM            

FRANKLIN        VS.        EAST CENTRAL                            7:30 PM            

NEW ALBANY

BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE          AT          NEW ALBANY 6:00 PM           

SEYMOUR        VS.        FLOYD CENTRAL         7:30 PM            

CASTLE

EVANSVILLE REITZ     VS.        GIBSON SOUTHERN 7:00 PM            

EVANSVILLE HARRISON         AT          CASTLE             8:30 PM            

CLASS 3A

CALUMET

EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL     VS.        HIGHLAND      7:00 PM            

HAMMOND NOLL       VS.        GRIFFITH          8:30 PM            

KANKAKEE VALLEY

HANOVER CENTRAL VS.        RIVER FOREST              7:00 PM            

LOWELL            AT          KANKAKEE VALLEY    8:30 PM            

MISHAWAKA MARIAN

JOHN GLENN VS.        CULVER ACADEMY    6:00 PM            

SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH     AT          MISHAWAKA MARIAN 7:30 PM         

TIPPECANOE VALLEY

COLUMBIA CITY          AT          TIPPECANOE VALLEY              6:00 PM            

NORTHWOOD             VS.        FAIRFIELD        7:30 PM            

EAST NOBLE

FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA  VS.        DEKALB             6:00 PM            

LEO      AT          EAST NOBLE   7:30 PM            

MISSISSINEWA

HERITAGE        AT          MISSISSINEWA             6:00 PM            

BELLMONT      VS.        MARION            7:30 PM            

WESTERN

LOGANSPORT              AT          WESTERN        6:00 PM            

PERU   VS.        MACONAQUAH           7:30 PM            

YORKTOWN

DELTA VS.        JAY COUNTY                  6:00 PM            

CONNERSVILLE          AT          YORKTOWN    7:30 PM            

LEBANON

CRAWFORDSVILLE    VS.        BREBEUF JESUIT         6:00 PM            

DANVILLE        AT          LEBANON        7:30 PM            

INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE

PURDUE ENGLEWOOD          VS.        INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL               6:00 PM              

INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS       AT          INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE             7:30 PM              

EDGEWOOD

CASCADE        AT          EDGEWOOD                 6:00 PM            

OWEN VALLEY             VS.        NORTHVIEW  7:30 PM            

RUSHVILLE

SHELBYVILLE VS.        INDIAN CREEK             6:00 PM            

INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI    VS.        NEW PALESTINE          7:30 PM            

FRANKLIN COUNTY

JENNINGS COUNTY  VS.        LAWRENCEBURG       6:00 PM            

GREENSBURG              VS.        BATESVILLE                   7:30 PM            

CHARLESTOWN

SILVER CREEK              AT          CHARLESTOWN          6:00 PM            

NORTH HARRISON    VS.        MADISON        7:30 PM            

VINCENNES LINCOLN

PRINCETON    VS.        SOUTHRIDGE               6:30 PM            

WASHINGTON              AT          VINCENNES LINCOLN            8:00 PM            

EVANSVILLE CENTRAL

EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL        VS.        MOUNT VERNON (POSEY)    6:30 PM            

BOONVILLE    AT          EVANSVILLE CENTRAL            8:00 PM            

CLASS 2A

WHEELER

HEBRON           VS.        WHITING          6:30 PM            

ANDREAN        AT          WHEELER        8:00 PM            

LAVILLE

WINAMAC        AT          LAVILLE             6:00 PM            

BREMEN           VS.        KNOX                  7:30 PM            

LAKELAND

EASTSIDE         VS.        WESTVIEW      6:00 PM            

CENTRAL NOBLE        AT          LAKELAND       7:30 PM            

WOODLAN

ADAMS CENTRAL       VS.        FORT WAYNE LUERS 6:00 PM           

BLUFFTON       VS.        WHITKO            7:30 PM            

BENTON CENTRAL

RENSSELAER CENTRAL         VS.        SEEGER             6:00 PM            

DELPHI              AT          BENTON CENTRAL     7:30 PM            

WABASH

LEWIS CASS   VS.        ROCHESTER   6:00 PM            

OAK HILL          AT          WABASH          7:30 PM            

LAPEL

TIPTON              VS.        FRANKTON      6:00 PM            

TAYLOR             AT          LAPEL 7:30 PM            

WAPAHANI

ALEXANDRIA  VS.        MUNCIE BURRIS         6:00 PM            

BLACKFORD   AT          WAPAHANI      7:30 PM            

SOUTH PUTNAM

NORTH PUTNAM         AT          SOUTH PUTNAM         6:00 PM            

SOUTH VERMILLION VS.        PARKE HERITAGE        7:30 PM            

PARK TUDOR

MONROVIA     AT          PARK TUDOR 6:00 PM            

UNIVERSITY    VS.        COVENANT CHRISTIAN 7:30 PM     

HERITAGE CHRISTIAN

INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA       AT          HERITAGE CHRISTIAN             6:00 PM            

EASTERN HANCOCK VS.        TRITON CENTRAL       7:30 PM            

HAGERSTOWN

UNION COUNTY         AT          HAGERSTOWN             6:00 PM            

CENTERVILLE VS.        SHENANDOAH             7:30 PM            

AUSTIN

SOUTHWESTERN (HANOVER)           VS.        BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL    6:00 PM              

SWITZERLAND COUNTY        AT          AUSTIN              7:30 PM            

EASTERN (PEKIN)

CLARKSVILLE VS.        CRAWFORD COUNTY             6:00 PM            

PROVIDENCE AT          EASTERN (PEKIN)        7:30 PM            

EASTERN GREENE

LINTON             VS.        WEST VIGO     6:00 PM            

NORTH KNOX VS.        SOUTH KNOX 7:30 PM           

TELL CITY

PERRY CENTRAL         VS.        NORTH POSEY             6:30 PM            

SOUTH SPENCER       VS.        EVANSVILLE MATER DEI         8:00 PM            

CLASS 1A

MORGAN TWP.

MARQUETTE CATHOLIC        VS.        WESTVILLE      7:00 PM            

TRI-TOWNSHIP            VS.        WASHINGTON TWP.  8:30 PM            

NORTH WHITE

CASTON           VS.        PIONEER          6:00 PM            

DEMOTTE CHRISTIAN              VS.        WEST CENTRAL           7:30 PM            

OREGON-DAVIS

CULVER            VS.        TRITON              6:30 PM            

TRINITY ACADEMY     VS.        ELKHART CHRISTIAN               8:00 PM            

FREMONT

HAMILTON       AT          FREMONT        6:00 PM            

FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK  VS.        BETHANY CHRISTIAN 7:30 PM          

NORTH VERMILLION

FOUNTAIN CENTRAL VS.        ATTICA               6:00 PM            

RIVERTON PARKE       VS.        FAITH CHRISTIAN       7:30 PM            

BETHESDA CHRISTIAN

FRONTIER        VS.        CLINTON CENTRAL   6:00 PM            

CARROLL (FLORA)      AT          BETHESDA CHRISTIAN           7:30 PM            

SOUTHERN WELLS

NORTHFIELD VS.        NORTH MIAMI                              6:00 PM            

SOUTHWOOD              AT          SOUTHERN WELLS    7:30 PM            

UNION CITY

MONROE CENTRAL   VS.        RANDOLPH SOUTHERN        6:00 PM            

BLUE RIVER VALLEY  AT          UNION CITY    7:30 PM            

PURDUE BROAD RIPPLE

INDIANAPOLIS TINDLEY        VS.        INDIANA DEAF             6:00 PM            

ANDERSON PREP       AT          PURDUE BROAD RIPPLE        7:30 PM            

GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN

VICTORY COLLEGE PREP      AT          GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN    6:00 PM            

TRADERS POINT CHRISTIAN               VS.        EMINENCE      7:30 PM            

WALDRON

EDINBURGH   VS.        KNIGHTSTOWN            6:00 PM            

NORTH DECATUR       VS.        TRI        7:30 PM            

JAC-CEN-DEL

RISING SUN    VS.        SHAWE MEMORIAL   6:00 PM            

HAUSER            VS.        TRINITY LUTHERAN   7:30 PM            

CLAY CITY

WHITE RIVER VALLEY              VS.        LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN     6:00 PM            

SHAKAMAK     AT          CLAY CITY        7:30 PM            

NORTH DAVIESS

BARR-REEVE  VS.        ORLEANS         6:00 PM            

LOOGOOTEE  AT          NORTH DAVIESS          7:30 PM            

WEST WASHINGTON

HENRYVILLE   VS.        BORDEN           6:00 PM            

CHRISTIAN ACADEMY             AT          WEST WASHINGTON 7:30 PM           

TECUMSEH

SPRINGS VALLEY        AT          TECUMSEH     6:30 PM            

WOOD MEMORIAL     VS.        EVANSVILLE CHRISTIAN        8:00 PM            

===========

INDIANA WRESTLING

INDIANA STATE WRESTLING ASSOCIATION: https://www.iswa.com/

INDIANA MAT: https://indianamat.com/

============

INDIANA GIRLS SWIMMING AND DIVING

SECTIONAL

FEBRUARY 5, 7

1. MUNSTER (15) 
PRELIMS: THURS 5:30 PM CT | FINALS: SAT 9 AM, 1 PM CT 
TICKETS | PRELIMS RESULTS | FINALS RESULTS | SCORES | BACKUP FILES 
SCHOOLS: CROWN POINT, EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL, GARY WEST SIDE, GRIFFITH, HAMMOND BISHOP NOLL, HAMMOND CENTRAL, HAMMOND MORTON, HIGHLAND, ILLIANA CHRISTIAN, LAKE CENTRAL, LOWELL, MUNSTER, NORTH NEWTON, RENSSELAER CENTRAL, SOUTH NEWTON 

2. VALPARAISO (16) 
PRELIMS: THURS 5:30 PM CT | FINALS: SAT 9 AM, 1 PM CT 
TICKETS | PRELIMS RESULTS | FINALS RESULTS | SCORES | BACKUP FILES 
SCHOOLS: ANDREAN, BOONE GROVE, CALUMET, CHESTERTON, HOBART, KANKAKEE VALLEY, KNOX, LAPORTE, MARQUETTE CATHOLIC, MERRILLVILLE, MICHIGAN CITY, NORTH JUDSON-SAN PIERRE, PORTAGE, SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS), VALPARAISO, WHEELER

3. SOUTH BEND RILEY (9) 
PRELIMS: THURS 5:30 PM ET | FINALS: SAT 9 AM, 1 PM ET 
TICKETS | PRELIMS RESULTS | FINALS RESULTS | SCORES | BACKUP FILES 
SCHOOLS: BREMEN, MISHAWAKA, MISHAWAKA MARIAN, NEW PRAIRIE, PENN, SOUTH BEND ADAMS, SOUTH BEND RILEY, SOUTH BEND SAINT JOSEPH, SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON

4. WARSAW COMMUNITY (13) 
PRELIMS: THURS 5:30 PM ET | FINALS: SAT 9 AM, 1 PM ET 
TICKETS | PRELIMS RESULTS | FINALS RESULTS | SCORES | BACKUP FILES 
SCHOOLS: COLUMBIA CITY, CULVER ACADEMIES, CULVER COMMUNITY, LEWIS CASS, LOGANSPORT, MANCHESTER, OREGON-DAVIS, PIONEER, PLYMOUTH, ROCHESTER COMMUNITY, TIPPECANOE VALLEY, WABASH, WARSAW COMMUNITY

5. ELKHART (11) 
PRELIMS: THURS 6 PM ET | FINALS: SAT 9 AM, 12 PM ET
TICKETS | PRELIMS RESULTS | FINALS RESULTS | SCORES | BACKUP FILES 
SCHOOLS: ANGOLA, CONCORD, DEKALB, EAST NOBLE, ELKHART, FREMONT, GOSHEN, JIMTOWN, NORTHRIDGE, NORTHWOOD, WAWASEE

6. FORT WAYNE SOUTH SIDE (15) 
PRELIMS: THURS 5:30 PM ET | FINALS: SAT 9 AM, 1 PM ET 
TICKETS | PRELIMS RESULTS | FINALS RESULTS | SCORES | BACKUP FILES 
SCHOOLS: CARROLL (FORT WAYNE), FORT WAYNE BISHOP DWENGER, FORT WAYNE BISHOP LUERS, FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK CHRISTIAN, FORT WAYNE CANTERBURY, FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA LUTHERAN, FORT WAYNE NORTH SIDE, FORT WAYNE NORTHROP, FORT WAYNE SNIDER, FORT WAYNE SOUTH SIDE, FORT WAYNE WAYNE, GARRETT, HOMESTEAD, LAKEWOOD PARK CHRISTIAN, LEO 

7. JAY COUNTY (11) 
PRELIMS: THURS 5:30 PM ET | FINALS: SAT 9 AM, 1 PM ET 
TICKETS | PRELIMS RESULTS | FINALS RESULTS | SCORES | BACKUP FILES 
SCHOOLS: ADAMS CENTRAL, BELLMONT, BLACKFORD, BLUFFTON, DELTA, HUNTINGTON NORTH, JAY COUNTY, MUNCIE BURRIS, MUNCIE CENTRAL, NORWELL, SOUTH ADAMS 

8. HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (11) 
PRELIMS: THURS 6 PM ET | FINALS: SAT 9 AM, 1 PM ET 
TICKETS | PRELIMS RESULTS | FINALS RESULTS | SCORES | BACKUP FILES 
SCHOOLS: ANDERSON, ELWOOD COMMUNITY, FISHERS, FRANKTON, HAMILTON HEIGHTS, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN, LAPEL, MARION, OAK HILL, PENDLETON HEIGHTS, YORKTOWN 

9. CARMEL (10) 
PRELIMS: THURS 6 PM ET | FINALS: SAT 9 AM, 1 PM ET 
TICKETS | PRELIMS RESULTS | FINALS RESULTS | SCORES | BACKUP FILES 
SCHOOLS: CARMEL, EASTERN (GREENTOWN), GUERIN CATHOLIC, KOKOMO, MACONAQUAH, NOBLESVILLE, NORTHWESTERN, TIPTON, WESTERN, WESTFIELD 

10. CRAWFORDSVILLE (13) 
PRELIMS: THURS 5:30 PM ET | FINALS: SAT 9 AM, 1 PM ET 
TICKETS | PRELIMS RESULTS | FINALS RESULTS | SCORES | BACKUP FILES 
SCHOOLS: ATTICA, BENTON CENTRAL, COVINGTON, CRAWFORDSVILLE, DELPHI COMMUNITY, FOUNTAIN CENTRAL, NORTH MONTGOMERY, NORTH VERMILLION, SEEGER, SOUTH VERMILLION, SOUTHMONT, TWIN LAKES, WESTERN BOONE

11. PLAINFIELD (10) 
PRELIMS: THURS 6 PM ET | FINALS: SAT 9 AM, 1 PM ET
TICKETS | PRELIMS RESULTS | FINALS RESULTS | SCORES | BACKUP FILES 
SCHOOLS: AVON, CASCADE, DANVILLE COMMUNITY, GREENCASTLE, NORTH PUTNAM, PLAINFIELD, SOUTH PUTNAM, TERRE HAUTE NORTH VIGO, TERRE HAUTE SOUTH VIGO, WEST VIGO

12. LAFAYETTE JEFFERSON (12) 
PRELIMS: THURS 5:30 PM ET | FINALS: SAT 9 AM, 1 PM ET 
TICKETS | PRELIMS RESULTS | FINALS RESULTS | SCORES | BACKUP FILES 
SCHOOLS: CARROLL (FLORA), CLINTON CENTRAL, FRANKFORT, HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE), LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC, LAFAYETTE JEFFERSON, LEBANON, MCCUTCHEON, ROSSVILLE, UNIVERSITY, WEST LAFAYETTE, ZIONSVILLE

13. DECATUR CENTRAL (15) 
PRELIMS: THURS 5:30 PM ET | FINALS: SAT 9 AM, 1 PM ET 
TICKETS | PRELIMS RESULTS | FINALS RESULTS | SCORES | BACKUP FILES 
SCHOOLS: BEN DAVIS, BREBEUF JESUIT PREPARATORY, BROWNSBURG, COVENANT CHRISTIAN (INDPLS.), DECATUR CENTRAL, HERRON, INDIANAPOLIS ARSENAL TECHNICAL, INDIANAPOLIS CARDINAL RITTER, INDIANAPOLIS CRISPUS ATTUCKS, INDIANAPOLIS GEORGE WASHINGTON, INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE, PARK TUDOR, PIKE, SPEEDWAY, TRI-WEST HENDRICKS

14. LAWRENCE NORTH (12) 
PRELIMS: THURS 6 PM ET | FINALS: SAT 9 AM, 1 PM ET 
TICKETS | PRELIMS RESULTS | FINALS RESULTS | SCORES | BACKUP FILES 
SCHOOLS: BEECH GROVE, FRANKLIN CENTRAL, HERITAGE CHRISTIAN, INDIANAPOLIS BISHOP CHATARD, INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL, INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA MEMORIAL, LAWRENCE CENTRAL, LAWRENCE NORTH, NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS), PURDUE POLYTECHNIC – DOWNTOWN, RONCALLI, WARREN CENTRAL 

15. NEW PALESTINE (11) 
PRELIMS: THURS 5:30 PM ET | FINALS: SAT 9 AM, 1 PM ET
TICKETS | PRELIMS RESULTS | FINALS RESULTS | SCORES | BACKUP FILES 
SCHOOLS: CENTERVILLE, CONNERSVILLE, EASTERN HANCOCK, GREENFIELD-CENTRAL, HAGERSTOWN, MT. VERNON (FORTVILLE), NEW CASTLE, NEW PALESTINE, RICHMOND, SETON CATHOLIC, SHELBYVILLE 

16. FRANKLIN COMMUNITY (9) 
PRELIMS: THURS 5:30 PM ET | FINALS: SAT 9 AM, 1 PM ET
TICKETS | PRELIMS RESULTS | FINALS RESULTS | SCORES | BACKUP FILES 
SCHOOLS: CENTER GROVE, FRANKLIN COMMUNITY, GREENWOOD COMMUNITY, INDIAN CREEK, MARTINSVILLE, MOORESVILLE, PERRY MERIDIAN, SOUTHPORT, WHITELAND COMMUNITY

17. EAST CENTRAL (15) 
PRELIMS: THURS 5:30 PM ET | FINALS: SAT 9 AM, 1 PM ET
TICKETS | PRELIMS RESULTS | FINALS RESULTS | SCORES | BACKUP FILES 
SCHOOLS: BATESVILLE, BLOOMINGTON NORTH, BLOOMINGTON SOUTH, COLUMBUS EAST, COLUMBUS NORTH, EAST CENTRAL, EDGEWOOD, GREENSBURG, LAWRENCEBURG, MILAN, OLDENBURG ACADEMY, RISING SUN, SOUTH DEARBORN, SOUTH RIPLEY, TRINITY LUTHERAN

18. FLOYD CENTRAL (18) 
PRELIMS: THURS 5:30 PM ET | FINALS: SAT 9 AM, 1 PM ET 
TICKETS | PRELIMS RESULTS | FINALS RESULTS | SCORES | BACKUP FILES 
SCHOOLS: BORDEN,CHARLESTOWN, CHRISTIAN ACADEMY OF INDIANA, FLOYD CENTRAL, HENRYVILLE, JEFFERSONVILLE, JENNINGS COUNTY, MADISON CONSOLIDATED, NEW ALBANY, NEW WASHINGTON, PROVIDENCE, SALEM, SCOTTSBURG, SEYMOUR, SHAWE MEMORIAL, SILVER CREEK, SOUTHWESTERN (HANOVER), SWITZERLAND COUNTY

19. JASPER (16) 
PRELIMS: THURS 6:30 PM ET | FINALS: SAT 10 AM, 2 PM ET 
TICKETS | PRELIMS RESULTS | FINALS RESULTS | SCORES | BACKUP FILES 
SCHOOLS: BARR-REEVE,BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE, CORYDON CENTRAL, FOREST PARK, HERITAGE HILLS, JASPER, LANESVILLE, NORTH HARRISON, NORTHEAST DUBOIS, PIKE CENTRAL, SOUTH KNOX, SOUTH SPENCER, SOUTHRIDGE, TECUMSEH, TELL CITY, VINCENNES LINCOLN

20. EVANSVILLE NORTH (14) 
PRELIMS: THURS 5:30 PM CT | FINALS: SAT 9 AM, 1 PM CT
TICKETS | PRELIMS RESULTS | FINALS RESULTS | SCORES | BACKUP FILES 
SCHOOLS: BOONVILLE, CASTLE, EVANSVILLE BOSSE, EVANSVILLE CENTRAL, EVANSVILLE CHRISTIAN, EVANSVILLE F.J. REITZ, EVANSVILLE HARRISON, EVANSVILLE MATER DEI, EVANSVILLE NORTH, EVANSVILLE REITZ MEMORIAL, GIBSON SOUTHERN, MT. VERNON, NORTH POSEY, PRINCETON 

=========

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCORES

#2 MICHIGAN 110 PENN STATE 69

WEST VIRGINIA 59 CINCINNATI 54

UT MARTIN 76 SOUTHERN INDIANA 54

OHIO STATE 82 MARYLAN 62

MEMPHIS 90 UAB 80

CAL STATE FULLERTON 78 UC RIVERSIDE 72

UC SAN DIEGO 77 LONG BEACH STATE 74

UC IRVINE 78 CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD 62

CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE 97 CAL POLY 96

==========

WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCORES

#25 NORTH CAROLINA 53 CLEMSON 44

#3 SOUTH CAROLINA 88 MISSISSIPPI STATE 45

#19 TENNESSEE 82 GEORGIA 77 OT

#7 VANDERBILT 84 #16 KENTUCKY 83

#17 DUKE 59 #6 LOUISVILLE 58

MINNESOTA 91 #10 IOWA 85

#21 ALABAMA 64 #13 OLE MISS 63

#4 TEXAS 77 #5 LSU 64

#9 OHIO STATE 70 #24 WASHINGTON 60

GREEN BAY 61 ROBERT MORRIS 58

TENNESSEE MARTIN 66 SOUTHERN INDIANA 58

SYRACUSE 93 BOSTON COLLEGE 59

STANFORD 86 PITTSBURGH 65

YOUNGSTOWN STATE 79 MILWAUKEE 48

CALIFORNIA 63 GEORGIA TECH 56

WRIGHT STATE 70 PURDUE FORT WAYNE 67

NOTRE DAME 80 VIRGINIA TECH 70

VIRGINIA 67 MIAMI FLORIDA 56

FLORIDA 61 AUBURN 53

MURRAY STATE 114 INDIANA STATE 78

EVANSVILLE 83 VALPARAISO 59

BRADLEY 69 NORTHERN IOWA 47

BELMONT 67 DRAKE 52

MISSOURI 87 ARKANSAS 82

WAKE FOREST 70 SMU 65

NORTH CAROLINA STATE 83 FLORIDA STATE 55

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 55 ILLINOIS CHICAGO 53

UC SAN DIEGO 64 LONG BEACH STATE 53

CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE 65 CAL POLY 50

UC SANTA BARBARA 69 UC DAVIS 61

CAL STATE FULLERTON 82 UC RIVERSIDE 78 OT

USC 83 NORTHWESTERN 65

SAN FRANCISCO 76 SEATTLE 67

PACIFIC 90 SANTA CLARA 82

GONZAGA 67 OREGON STATE 37

WASHINGTON STATE 80 SAN DIEGO 76

UC IRVINE 85 CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD 53

LOYOLA MARYMOUNT 75 ST. MARY 69

============

NFL

NFL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

SUPER BOWL 60

FEB. 8

NEW ENGLAND VS. SEATTLE, 6:30 PM NBC

==========

NBA

WASHINGTON 126 DETROIT 117

ORLANDO 118 BROOKLYN 98

ATLANTA 121 UTAH 119

TORONTO 123 CHICAGO 107

CHARLOTTE 109 HOUSTON 99

SAN ANTONIO 135  DALLAS 123

GOLDEN STATE 101 PHOENIX 97

LA LAKERS 119 PHILADELPHIA 115

===========

NHL

CAROLINA 2 NY RANGERS 0

OTTAWA 2 PHILADELPHIA 1 OT

PITTSBURGH 5 BUFFALO 2

WASHINGTON 4 NASHVILLE 2

NY ISLANDERS 3 NEW JERSEY 1

TAMPA BAY 6 FLORIDA 1

VEGAS 4 LOS ANGELES 1

===========

WOMEN’S PRO VOLLEYBALL

OMAHA 3 DALLAS 0

============

NATIONAL SPORTS NEWS RELEASES

NFL

RAMS QB MATTHEW STAFFORD NAMED NFL MVP, SAYS HE’LL PLAY IN ’26

Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams was named NFL Most Valuable Player on Thursday night at the NFL Honors event in San Francisco.

It marks the first time the quarterback has won the award in his 17 NFL seasons, the first 12 spent with the Detroit Lions and the last five with the Rams.

He narrowly edged New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye for the award, finishing with five more points than the Patriots quarterback.

Stafford, who turns 38 on Saturday, also revealed he will return for an 18th season. He hadn’t previously committed to return in 2026.

Stafford led the NFL with 4,707 yards and 46 touchdown passes despite playing through back issues. He didn’t miss a game and was intercepted eight times in 597 attempts.

Stafford (366 points) received 24 of the 50 first-place votes while Maye (361) got 23.

HALL CALLS BREES, FITZGERALD ON FIRST BALLOT, LEAVES BELICHICK ON HOLD

SAN FRANCISCO — Six-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick was officially left out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026, likely opening the door to revisions in the selection process later this year.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald were elected in their first year of eligibility, and Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly was another headliner in the class.

Former New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri was also among those chosen for enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Thursday at the Palace of Fine Arts during the annual NFL Honors program before Super Bowl LX.

San Francisco 49ers great Roger Craig was the lone seniors candidate elected from the pool of five that featured Belichick.

In Vinatieri’s second year of eligibility, the 24-year NFL kicker (1996-2005 New England Patriots, 2006-2019 Indianapolis Colts) got the call. He holds numerous kicking records, including the marks for career points (2,673), consecutive field goals made (44), career field goals (599) and most seasons with 100-plus points (21).

His 48-yard field goal in the Super Bowl win over the Rams in February 2002, largely remembered for the performance of 24-year-old Tom Brady and Belichick’s mix of young and old talent, all but kickstarted the Patriots’ dynasty.

But Belichick’s trophy collection with the Patriots and the franchise owner who hired him to spark a dynasty lasting parts of two decades, Robert Kraft, remained a sizzling hot topic inside the scenic Bay Area theater setting.

Belichick was the “coach finalist” and Kraft the “contributor” in a mutually exclusive category separate from the 15 finalists chosen by the Hall’s Selection Committee in December. The committee can elect up to five Modern-Era Players for each class, with nominees needing 80% of the vote to be elected to the Hall.

A Super Bowl winning quarterback under Sean Payton with the Saints, Brees (2001-05 San Diego Chargers, 2006-2020 Saints) and Fitzgerald (2004-2020, Cardinals) earned Gold Jackets in their first year on the ballot.

Brees ranks second in NFL history with 80,358 passing yards and 571 passing touchdowns and was a 13-time Pro Bowl selection in addition to Super Bowl XLIV MVP. Brees is the only member of the Saints to enter the Hall of Fame on the first ballot.

Fitzgerald was drafted third overall in 2004 and played 17 seasons for the Cardinals. He had 1,432 career receptions for 17,492 yards and ranks second in NFL history in both categories. He is sixth on the all-time receiving touchdowns list with 121.

Kuechly, a finalist in 2025, was in his second year on the Hall of Fame ballot. He played only eight NFL seasons (2012-19 Panthers) and retired due to chronic head injuries after posting 1,092 tackles, 18 interceptions, 66 passes defensed, 12.5 sacks and 31 quarterback hits. He was named to NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2010s.

Belichick, Kraft and senior player candidates Ken Anderson, Craig and L.C. Greenwood were in the same pool of candidates. The versatile Craig, now 65, was elected on the back of winning three Super Bowls with the 49ers with Joe Montana and Jerry Rice in featured roles. He was the first running back with 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season, accomplishing the feat in 1985. He scored three touchdowns in San Francisco’s Super Bowl XIX victory over the Miami Dolphins.

The Class of 2026 will be enshrined Aug. 8 in Canton, Ohio, as part of a weekend of festivities that includes the Aug. 6 NFL preseason Hall of Fame Game.

Former Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty said he would be surprised if the heat on the Hall weren’t at an all-time high during the summertime inductions.

“I think the travesty of all of this is this summer, there’s gonna be a Hall of Fame induction and there’s gonna be guys who are deserving of being in the Hall of Fame. And we can probably all bet that the top topic is gonna be Bill Belichick not being there,” McCourty told Field Level Media on Tuesday. “And I think that’s unfortunate because there are going to be players, coaches, contributors that are Hall of Fame-worthy, but because this feels like a huge mistake, the only talk is going to be about the guys that didn’t get into the Hall of Fame.”

The Pro Football Hall of Fame defended its process for selection saying the limits of between four and eight enshrinees per class “aligns with the Hall of Fame’s important Mission to ‘Honor the Greatest of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values and Celebrate Excellence Together.’” The Hall also said it would remove members of the Selection Committee found to be in violation of written bylaws.

Belichick was widely viewed as a lock as a first-ballot Hall of Fame selection. His greatness, and worthiness, bears out by almost every measure. He won two Super Bowls as defensive coordinator of the New York Giants and has been on the sideline in a total of 12 Super Bowls — he was assistant head coach of the Patriots in January 1997, when New England lost to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXI — with a 6-3 record as head coach.

Former Dallas Cowboys coach and Hall of Famer Jimmy Johnson, 82, skipped the Thursday ceremony because he was “pissed” about Belichick’s omission.

“He is the greatest of all time. Yes, he had a great QB, but we all did,” Johnson said.

The Hall of Fame said in response to backlash over reports of voting results earlier this week it understood and accepted the uproar, but it did not name Belichick directly.

“It’s that very passion that propels the game. The Hall also respects the members of the Committee when they follow the selection process bylaws. It is an honor to serve as a selector,” the Hall of Fame said in a release. “… The selection of a new class is the most important duty the Hall of Fame oversees each year, and the integrity of that process cannot be in question.”

PATRIOTS VS SEAHAWKS PREVIEW: EXPERT PREDICTIONS, PICKS AND ODDS FOR SUPER BOWL 2026

USA TODAY

One question is running through the mind of every NFL fan all week long: Who is going to win Super Bowl 60?

As of Feb. 4, the Seattle Seahawks are significant favorites to defeat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. This year’s big game marks just the second time in the Patriots’ last 10 Super Bowl appearances that they enter the title game as true underdogs. Tom Brady and the Patriots won their first Lombardi Trophy in franchise history, taking down the St. Louis Rams 20-17 in Super Bowl 36.

This year’s Super Bowl is also a rematch of Super Bowl 49, 11 years ago. In that NFL championship game, the Patriots took down the Seahawks, a team boasting the league’s best defense, after Malcolm Butler’s goal-line interception.

Here’s how experts are predicting the outcome of this go-round of Patriots vs. Seahawks in the big game:

USA TODAY Sports: Seahawks 27, Patriots 20

Tom Viera writes: “The Patriots’ attempt to usher in a new dynasty will ultimately fail. On the second Sunday in February in Santa Clara, Sam Darnold and the Seahawks will be smiling through the confetti, as they are the victors by a touchdown.”

Arizona Republic: Seahawks 24, Patriots 21

Jeremy Cluff writes: “This game offers some big-time intrigue between two franchises starved for another Super Bowl. It is also a rematch of a classic Super Bowl between the two franchises on Feb. 1, 2015, which the Patriots won, 28-24. We expect a different result this time around, thanks to some huge plays from Seattle’s defense, handing the Seahawks their second Super Bowl victory.”

The Sporting News: Patriots 27, Seahawks 24

Vinnie Iyer writes: “The Patriots have proven themselves with their defense in the playoffs, taking most of the winning burden away from Maye. That defense will be a difference-maker again, with Maye getting well prepared by McDaniels during the bye to attack the Seahawks.”

Pro Football Network: Seahawks 27, Patriots 20

Jacob Infante writes: “It should be an entertaining Super Bowl matchup, but the Seahawks enter with a slight advantage. I have them picking up the victory in a one-score matchup that should be tightly contested until the very end.”

Patrick Surtain II: Seahawks 35, Patriots 7

Guerilla Sports asked the Broncos’ star cornerback for his Super Bowl prediction. Surtain predicted a Seattle blowout.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS TO PLAY LOS ANGELES RAMS IN FIRST-EVER GAME IN MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

The National Football League has announced that the San Francisco 49ers will play the Los Angeles Rams in the historic first-ever regular season game in Melbourne, Australia. The teams will meet at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), in partnership with the Victorian State Government and Visit Victoria.

The game in Melbourne will be part of an NFL record nine international games in 2026 across four continents, seven countries and eight stadiums.

“As we continue our preparations for the NFL’s first-ever regular season game at the MCG in Melbourne, we are delighted that the San Francisco 49ers will take on the Los Angeles Rams,” said NFL Australia & New Zealand General Manager Charlotte Offord. “The 49ers are a popular franchise within the Australian market, and this rivalry game solidifies what we know is going to be an incredible NFL experience for our fans down under.”

“This is a terrific opportunity to continue to support the league in its mission to grow the game of football,” said Al Guido, CEO of the 49ers. “We look forward to working with the NFL to benefit local Australian communities through sport.”

“As we make history with the NFL and bring the first regular season game to Australia, we are pleased to take our annual match-up against our NFC West rival San Francisco 49ers to the MCG,” said Los Angeles Rams President Kevin Demoff.  “Since we first secured marketing rights to the country in 2021 and more recently since the announcement of this game last year, we have seen tremendous excitement for our team from fans both in Australia and also across the world.  We look forward to spending this offseason continuing to deepen our connection with the Melbourne community leading up to the game this fall.”

Further details including date, kickoff time and ticket information will be announced at a later date. Fans interested in the 2026 game in Melbourne should visit nfl.com/Melbourne to stay updated on all the latest news and information.

“Bringing the NFL to the MCG is a huge win both on and off the field – and hosting a team like the San Francisco 49ers will make it even better,” said Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan. “We can’t wait to welcome these two great teams to Melbourne and showcase the best of our city and our state.”

“This event will shine an international spotlight on Melbourne bringing even more visitors from across the globe,” said Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos. “We’re already seeing year-round benefits thanks to our major marketing campaigns that are exposing American audiences to the best of Victoria, and having the 49ers will only add to the interest.”

The Los Angeles Rams, alongside the Seattle Seahawks, Las Vegas Raiders and Philadelphia Eagles, hold international marketing rights in Australia and New Zealand as part of the NFL’s Global Markets Program, an initiative that grants global marketing rights to clubs in markets outside of the U.S. to build brand awareness and fandom. All 32 NFL teams participate in the program with rights across 21 markets. Since being awarded those rights in 2021, the Rams have expanded their presence in Australia through partnerships and key player initiatives.

The NFL has a growing presence in Australia with over 7.5 million passionate fans and is committed to investing in the development of the game year-round across the continent and the Asia-Pacific region. The NFL opened its Australia and New Zealand office in 2022 on Australia’s Gold Coast, established an NFL Flag football program in 2022 and officially launched the NFL Academy APAC in 2024. 

Flag football, the non-contact format of the game, will make its debut as an Olympic sport in Los Angeles 2028 (LA28). NFL Flag is played across all states and territories in Australia, with almost 100,000 participants currently playing the game across more than 500 schools. In partnership with the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) and American Football Australia (AFA) the league continues to showcase efforts to increase participation and inspire the next generation, with Brisbane ‘32 aspirations also in its sights.

For news about the 2026 NFL Melbourne game and to sign up for ticket information, fans can visit here.

To stay up to date on all things NFL Australia, follow @NFLAusNZ on Instagram, X and TikTok and the Los Angeles Rams on Instagram

Sixty-two regular-season NFL games have been played outside the United States with London, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Madrid, Dublin, São Paulo, Mexico City and Toronto having hosted games to date.

SUPER BOWL LX PREVIEW

The New England Patriots (17-3) and Seattle Seahawks (16-3) will meet in Super Bowl LX on Sunday, February 8 (6:30 p.m. ET, NBC) at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. It will mark the first Super Bowl since the 1970 merger between teams that each ranked in the top four in scoring offense and scoring defense during the regular season.

The Patriots will make their 12th Super Bowl appearance, the most among all teams. On Sunday, New England can become the first team to win seven Super Bowls and surpass San Francisco (40 wins) for the most postseason wins by a franchise in NFL history.

The Seahawks, who will appear in the Super Bowl for the fourth time, can secure the second Super Bowl victory in franchise history, previously winning Super Bowl XLVIII following the 2013 season (Seattle 43, Denver 8).

New England and Seattle are the 10th pair of teams to meet in multiple Super Bowls, previously facing off in Super Bowl XLIX in Arizona following the 2014 season (Patriots 28, Seahawks 24). Super Bowl LX marks the 32nd consecutive season to feature a different Super Bowl matchup than the season before.

New England can become the third team since realignment in 2002 to win the Super Bowl the season after finishing in last place in their division, joining the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles and 2009 New Orleans Saints. After finishing with a 4-13 record in 2024, the Patriots are the fifth team to appear in the Super Bowl the season after winning fewer than five games, joining the 2021 Cincinnati Bengals, 2019 San Francisco 49ers, 1999 St. Louis Rams and 1988 Cincinnati Bengals.

With New England and Seattle both advancing to Super Bowl LX, at least one team has advanced to the Super Bowl the season after missing the playoffs in six of the past 10 seasons (2016-25). New England joins the 2021 Cincinnati Bengals as the second team in the past five seasons (2021-25) to advance to the Super Bowl the season after a last place finish.

With Mike Vrabel, in his first season as the Patriots head coach, and Mike Macdonald, hired by the Seahawks in 2024, Super Bowl LX will mark the fourth Super Bowl ever between head coaches each within their first two seasons with a team. The others: Super Bowl XLIII (Mike Tomlin and Ken Whisenhunt), Super Bowl XXXVII (Jon Gruden and Bill Callahan) and Super Bowl XXXVI (Bill Belichick and Mike Martz).

Vrabel can become the first head coach to win 18 games, including the playoffs, in his first season with a team in NFL history. He can also become the fifth person in NFL history to win the Super Bowl as both a player and a head coach, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Mike Ditka, Tony Dungy and Tom Flores as well as Doug Pederson. As a player, Vrabel won three Super Bowls (XXXVI, XXXVIII and XXXIX) with New England.

Macdonald, who will be 38 years and 227 days old on Super Bowl Sunday, can become the third-youngest head coach to win the Super Bowl, trailing only Sean McVay (36 years, 20 days in Super Bowl LVI) and Mike Tomlin (36 years, 323 days in Super Bowl XLIII). He can also become the first head coach under the age of 40 to win 17 games in a season, including the playoffs, in NFL history.

New England quarterback Drake Maye, at 23 years and 162 days old, can become the youngest starting quarterback ever to win a Super Bowl, surpassing Ben Roethlisberger (23 years and 340 days old in Super Bowl XL). Maye can become the fifth quarterback ever to win the Super Bowl in his first or second season, joining Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner and Russell Wilson.

Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold can become the fourth quarterback ever to win the Super Bowl in his first season with a team, joining Tom Brady (Super Bowl LV with Tampa Bay), Trent Dilfer (Super Bowl XXXV with Baltimore) and Matthew Stafford (Super Bowl LVI with the Los Angeles Rams).

Seattle wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba can become the fourth player (fifth occurrence) to lead the NFL in receiving yards during the regular season and win the Super Bowl in the same year, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Drew Pearson (1977) and Jerry Rice (1989 and 1994) as well as Cooper Kupp (2021).

Including the postseason, Smith-Njigba has 1,965 receiving yards – the most receiving yards by a player under the age of 24 in NFL history – and can become the third player ever with at least 2,000 receiving yards in a season, including the playoffs, joining Cooper Kupp (2,425 receiving yards in 2021 with the Los Angeles Rams) and Puka Nacua (2,047 in 2025 with the Los Angeles Rams). He can also become the second player ever with 90-or-more receiving yards in 15 games in a season, including the playoffs, joining Kupp (19 games in 2021).

Seattle wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who was named Super Bowl LVI Most Valuable Player with the Los Angeles Rams, can become the eighth wide receiver to be on the active roster and win the Super Bowl with two different teams, joining Billy Davis (Baltimore and Dallas), Ed McCaffrey (San Francisco and Denver), Marcus Nash (Denver and Baltimore), Ricky Proehl (St. Louis Rams and Indianapolis), Gloster Richardson (Kansas City and Dallas), Torrey Smith (Baltimore and Philadelphia) and Justin Watson (Tampa Bay and Kansas City).

Seattle linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence, who has a sack and forced fumble in both Seahawks wins this postseason, can become the first player since 2000 with a sack and forced fumble in three consecutive playoff games within the same postseason.

New England defensive tackle Milton Williams, who won Super Bowl LIX last season with Philadelphia, can become the sixth player to be on the active roster and win the Super Bowl in consecutive seasons with different teams, joining LeGarrette Blount (2016 with New England, 2017 with Philadelphia), Chris Long (2016 with New England, 2017 with Philadelphia), LeSean McCoy (2019 with Kansas City, 2020 with Tampa Bay), Ken Norton (1993 with Dallas, 1994 with San Francisco) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders (1994 with San Francisco, 1995 with Dallas).

SUPER BOWL 60: NOTES TO SPARK CONVERSATION ON GAME DAY

Super Bowl 60 is more than just a football game — it’s a spectacle filled with history, numbers, and quirky facts that can fuel plenty of conversations while watching with family and friends. Turn these nuggets into trivia questions and impress your game-day crowd.

GAME DAY & LOGISTICS

Players from both teams individually drive a Cadillac Escalade during Super Bowl week.

Each team receives 108 footballs, though approximately 120 footballs are used during the game.

NFL officials typically earn $12,000 per game; Super Bowl officials make between $30,000–$50,000.

Super Bowl 60 ticket prices start around $6,500.

In 1967, tickets were as low as $6, with nearly 30,000 empty seats at the L.A. Coliseum.

HISTORY & RECORDS

Prior to 1969, the game was known as the AFL-NFL Championship Game. It officially became the Super Bowl in 1970.

The most-watched Super Bowl occurred in 2015, drawing 114.44 million viewers.

Super Bowl Sunday ranks as the second-biggest food consumption day in the U.S., trailing only Thanksgiving. Pizza and wings dominate the menu.

New Orleans and Los Angeles are tied for hosting the most Super Bowls, with 11 each.

The Louisiana Superdome became the first indoor stadium to host a Super Bowl on January 15, 1978 (Dallas vs. Denver).

TROPHY, RINGS & COMMERCIALS

The Vince Lombardi Trophy costs approximately $50,000, is crafted by Tiffany & Co., takes four months to complete, and weighs 71 pounds.

A 30-second commercial during Super Bowl 60 costs roughly $8 million.

In 1967, the same ad cost $37,500.

By Super Bowl XXIX, the price climbed to $1.15 million.

The NFL contributes $5,000–$7,000 per ring for up to 53 players on the winning team.

Most expensive Super Bowl rings:

Giants (SB XXV): $230,000

Packers (SB I): $100,000

Patriots (SB XXXIX): $65,000

Colts (SB XLI): $60,000

Patriots (SB XXXVIII): $58,000

Tom Brady’s seven Super Bowl rings are valued at a combined $2,414,489.

Lawrence Taylor once auctioned one of his rings for $230,000.

SUPER BOWL MVP NOTES

Tom Brady won Super Bowl MVP four times.

Bart Starr, Terry Bradshaw, and Eli Manning each won it twice.

Joe Montana and Patrick Mahomes have won it three times.

Super Bowl XII featured co-MVPs: Cowboys defensive linemen Harvey Martin and Randy White.

Chuck Howley (Super Bowl V) is the only MVP from a losing team.

The first three Super Bowl MVPs were Alabama quarterbacks:

Bart Starr (I, II)

Joe Namath (III)

Desmond Howard remains the only special teams MVP (Super Bowl XXXI in New Orleans), returning a kickoff 99 yards and a punt 96 yards.

Bob Griese led Miami to a Super Bowl win while completing 6 of 7 passes.

TEAM & MATCHUP FACTS

The Patriots are making their 11th Super Bowl appearance, most in NFL history.

Dallas, Denver, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco each have eight appearances.

New England and Pittsburgh are tied with six Super Bowl wins.

Seattle and New England will meet for the 21st time, with Seattle holding an 11-9 edge.

New England became the first team to reach a Super Bowl following a 13-loss season the previous year.

This marks the first Super Bowl in which both teams began the season with 50-1 odds to make the game.

Mike Vrabel could become the first to win a Super Bowl as both a player and head coach for the same franchise.

Mike Ditka won an NFL title as a player (1963) and later coached the Bears to a Super Bowl XX victory in New Orleans.

QUARTERBACK NOTES

Both starting quarterbacks were selected third overall in the NFL Draft:

Drake Maye (2024)

Sam Darnold (2019)

Maye is the second-youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl:

Dan Marino: 23 years, 127 days

Drake Maye: 23 years, 162 days

Ben Roethlisberger: 23 years, 340 days

Sam Darnold is 0-4 all-time against New England.

This will be Darnold’s second Super Bowl, having served as Brock Purdy’s backup in Super Bowl 58.

SPECIAL TEAMS & LOUISIANA TIES

Former Saints standout Rashid Shaheed has returned two kickoffs and one punt for touchdowns this season.

Louisiana has produced seven homegrown Super Bowl–starting quarterbacks:

Doug Williams

Terry Bradshaw

David Woodley

Peyton Manning

Eli Manning

Stan Humphries

Jake Delhomme

ENTERTAINMENT

Super Bowl 60 halftime performer: Bad Bunny

Alternate entertainment includes Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett.

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MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

NO. 2 MICHIGAN CRUSHES PENN ST.; NIMARI BURNETT DROPS 31 IN 21 MINUTES

Nimari Burnett scored a career-high 31 points to lead No. 2 Michigan to a 110-69 rout of Penn State in a Big Ten contest on Thursday in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Burnett went 11 of 16 from the field overall and 7 of 10 from 3-point range while playing just 21 minutes. L.J. Cason, Trey McKenney and Morez Johnson each scored 12 points for Michigan (21-1, 11-1 Big Ten), which is now off to its best start in school history.

Michigan shot 60.6% from the field overall (40 of 66), including 51.7% from 3-point range (15 of 29), and held a 44-21 rebounding advantage.

Freddie Dilione V scored 19 points and Josh Reed and Melih Tunca each had 15 points in defeat for Penn State (10-13, 1-11), which shot 2 of 20 from 3-point range and 37.1% overall (23 of 62).

Going up against a bigger Michigan frontline was going to be challenging enough for Penn State, but the task got harder for the Nittany Lions at the beginning of the game when 7-foot freshman center Ivan Juric was ruled out with an illness.

Michigan dominated the first half, taking a 56-24 lead into the locker room. The Wolverines shot 21 of 32 from the field overall and made 7 of 13 shots from 3-point range in the half. Meanwhile, Penn State was 0 of 10 from the 3-point line in the first half.

The second half wasn’t much different, as Michigan built a 42-point lead on Burnett’s triple that made it 76-34 with 14:40 remaining.

The Wolverines reached the 100-point mark with 3:23 left when a 3-pointer by Will Tschetter gave Michigan a 100-59 lead.

It was the eighth time this year that Michigan has scored at least 100 points in a game.

Michigan left little doubt from the start, opening the game on a 15-2 run and going up 26-10 with 8:50 remaining in the first half.

The Wolverines later went on a 9-2 run to grab a 44-18 lead with 3:38 until halftime.

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WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S TOP 25 ROUNDUP: MINNESOTA UPSETS NO. 10 IOWA

Grace Grocholski scored a team-leading 21 points and Amaya Battle posted 12 points, 14 rebounds and six assists as Minnesota upset 10th-ranked Iowa 91-85 in Iowa City on Thursday.

Mara Braun scored 16 points and Tori McKinney added 15 for Minnesota (17-6, 8-4 Big Ten), which has won five straight games.

Ava Heiden had 24 points and Chazadi Wright added 20 points and 12 assists while playing 40 minutes for Iowa (18-5, 9-3), which has dropped three straight games. The Hawkeyes had an eight-point lead early in the first quarter but scored only 14 in the second and 16 in the third as the Golden Gophers took control.

No. 3 South Carolina 88, Mississippi State 45

Joyce Edwards posted 21 points and Ayla McDowell added 16 as the Gamecocks had little trouble against the Bulldogs in Columbia, S.C.

Raven Johnson tallied 10 points, seven assists and six rebounds for South Carolina (23-2, 9-1 Southeastern Conference), which has won four straight. The Gamecocks shot an impressive 55% from the field, 43% from beyond the arc, and 93% from the charity stripe.

Madison Francis had a team-high 12 points and Kharyssa Richardson added 11 for the Bulldogs (16-8, 3-7), losers of three of their last four. They were held to just six points in the third quarter.

No. 17 Duke 59, No. 6 Louisville 58

The Blue Devils scored just nine points in the third quarter but a late-game rally helped them secure edge the host Cardinals in Louisville.

Toby Fournier scored a game-high 15 points and Riley Nelson and Taina Mair each had 13 points and nine rebounds for Duke (17-6, 12-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), which has won 14 straight after a 3-6 start to the season.

Elif Istanbulluoglu posted 13 points and six rebounds for Louisville (21-4, 11-1), which saw its own 14-game winning streak end. Laura Ziegler and Reyna Scott each contributed 11 points.

No. 7 Vanderbilt 84, No. 16 Kentucky 83

Mikayla Blakes posted a whopping 37 points and Aubrey Galvan added 16, including two free throws in with 12 seconds to play, to push the Commodores past the host Wildcats in Lexington.

Galvan also had a team-leading seven assists while Sacha Washington added 15 points for Vanderbilt (22-2, 8-2 SEC), which has won two straight games after losing two straight. The Commodores outscored the Wildcats 30-25 in the fourth quarter despite Kentucky having a far better shooting night from the and beyond the arc.

Teonni Key had 27 points and 12 assists for Kentucky (18-6, 5-5), which has lost four of five. Clara Strack added 14 points and 15 rebounds, and Amelia Hassett added 19 points.

No. 19 Tennessee 82, Georgia 77 (OT)

Zee Spearman posted 23 points, including eight in overtime, as the Lady Volunteers rallied to defeat the host Bulldogs in Athens, Ga.

Mia Pauldo added 21 points and Janiah Barker scored nine points to go with a team-leading 13 rebounds for Tennessee (15-5, 7-1 SEC), which lost its last two games.

Dani Carnegie posted 25 points for Georgia (18-5, 4-5), tying the game 68-68 on three free throws with five seconds left in regulation. The Volunteers outscored the Bulldogs 14-9 in overtime.

No. 25 North Carolina 53, Clemson 44

Nyla Harris scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds — both game-high totals — as the Tar Heels rallied for a big second half to defeat the Tigers in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Lanie Grant added 16 points for North Carolina (19-5, 8-3 ACC), who has won six straight games. The Tar Heels were held to just nine points in the second quarter and trailed by as many as six points in the third.

Rusne Augustinaite had 15 points and Raven Thompson added eight for Clemson (16-8, 7-5), which saw its three-game winning streak end. The Tigers shot just 27% from the field and were held without a field goal for the final 9:01 of the game as they were outscored 31-20 in the second half.

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NBA

NBA ROUNDUP: LAKERS STOP 76ERS DESPITE LUKA DONCIC’S INJURY EXIT

Austin Reaves scored 35 points off the bench, LeBron James added 17 points with 10 assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers overcame the loss of Luka Doncic to earn a 119-115 victory over the visiting Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.

Jake LaRavia and Rui Hachimura each scored 14 points as the Lakers won in their return from a 5-3 road trip. Doncic left the game late in the second quarter with left leg soreness after scoring 10 points. He will undergo an MRI, according to coach JJ Redick.

The Lakers came back from a 14-point deficit in the third quarter and won after not taking their first lead until the fourth quarter.

Joel Embiid scored 35 points and Tyrese Maxey added 26 points with 13 assists as the 76ers saw their season-high five-game winning streak come to an end. VJ Edgecombe produced 19 points and 10 rebounds.

Spurs 135, Mavericks 123

Victor Wembanyama dominated with 29 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and three blocked shots to carry the visiting San Antonio past Dallas.

Harrison Barnes had 19 points, Keldon Johnson 18 and De’Aaron Fox 17 for the Spurs, who have won three in a row.

Mavericks star Cooper Flagg had 32 points and became the youngest player in NBA history with 30 or more points in four consecutive games. Naji Marshall also scored 32 as Dallas took its sixth straight loss.

Wizards 126, Pistons 117

Will Riley led eight Washington players in double figures with 20 points as the undermanned Wizards surprised host Detroit.

Riley added six rebounds and five assists for the Wizards, who had only 10 players available after trade deadline moves yet still won for the fourth time in six games. Sharife Cooper supplied a career-high 18 points.

Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 30 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, and Duncan Robinson had 21 points. Jalen Duren missed the second half due to right knee soreness. Another Detroit starter, Tobias Harris, sat out due to left hip soreness.

Raptors 123, Bulls 107

Brandon Ingram scored 22 of his 33 points in the first half as Toronto defeated visiting Chicago, which completed seven trades before the deadline. The Bulls featured two new players in their starting lineup and three overall.

Immanuel Quickley added 24 points for the Raptors, who have won two of three to open a five-game homestand. Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Murray-Boyles each put up 17 points.

Chicago’s new backcourt of Anfernee Simons and Jaden Ivey logged 22 and 13 points, respectively. Guerschon Yabusele had 15 points and 11 rebounds in his Bulls debut off the bench.

Hornets 109, Rockets 99

Rookie Kon Knueppel scored 24 points, LaMelo Ball added 20, and visiting Charlotte extended its winning streak to eight games by defeating Houston.

Miles Bridges added 18 points while Josh Green tallied 14 on 4-for-4 shooting for the Hornets, whose winning streak is the franchise’s longest since the 1998-99 season.

Kevin Durant scored a game-high 31 points for the Rockets, who have split their past six games and dropped both contests of a home back-to-back. Jabari Smith Jr. chipped in 17 points and seven rebounds.

Magic 118, Nets 98

Jalen Suggs registered his first career triple-double as Orlando opened a four-game homestand with a win over Brooklyn.

Suggs, in his fifth year with the Magic, finished with 15 points, 11 assists, 11 rebounds, four blocks and three steals in just 29 minutes. Desmond Bane notched 23 points and Paolo Banchero added 22 for the Magic, who never trailed.

Rookie Egor Demin made six 3-point attempts on the way to a career-high 26 points for the Nets, who dropped their ninth straight against Orlando. Rookie Nolan Traore matched his career high with 21 points.

Hawks 121, Jazz 119

Jock Landale equaled his season high with 26 points in his Atlanta debut and Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 23, including the game-winning basket with 1.3 seconds left, as the Hawks beat visiting Utah.

Landale was acquired by Atlanta from the Grizzlies on Wednesday, drove from Memphis to Atlanta for the Thursday morning shootaround and was in the starting lineup later that day. He shot 10-for-14 from the field, tied his season high with 11 rebounds, matched his career high with five assists and had a season-best four blocked shots.

Atlanta also got 22 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists from Jalen Johnson, his 10th triple-double of the season. Isaiah Collier totaled 25 points and 11 assists while Kyle Filipowski amassed 15 points and 17 rebounds for the Jazz.

Warriors 101, Suns 97

Pat Spencer produced career highs of 20 points and six 3-pointers and Golden State scored the final 10 points edge host Phoenix despite playing its second straight game without Stephen Curry (knee).

Gui Santos contributed 18 points, and his breakaway layup with 28.7 seconds remaining put the Warriors up 99-97. After Phoenix’s Dillon Brooks missed a 3-point attempt, the Warriors came up with a loose ball and De’Anthony Melton made a layup at the buzzer.

Brooks scored 24 points and Grayson Allen had 21 points and five 3-pointers for the Suns, who had won four of their previous five games.

CELTICS TRADE F CHRIS BOUCHER TO JAZZ

Two days after acquiring center Nikola Vucevic, the Boston Celtics traded forward Chris Boucher to the Utah Jazz on Thursday.

Guard John Tonje heads to Boston, while Utah also receives a second-round draft pick and cash.

Boucher, 33, signed a one-year contract in the offseason but played just one game since Nov. 23.

In nine games off the bench with Boston, he averaged 2.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in 10.4 minutes per game. In nine seasons with the Golden State Warriors, Toronto Raptors and Celtics, Boucher has averaged 8.7 points and 5.1 rebounds in 416 games (23 starts).

Along with opening up a roster spot for the Celtics, shipping out Boucher sheds $2.3 million from their salary cap.

Tonje, 24, was selected by Utah in the second round of last year’s NBA draft out of Wisconsin, but he has yet to make his NBA debut. He is averaging 18.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists through 18 games in the NBA’s second-tier G League.

The Vucevic deal, which sent guard Anfernee Simons to the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday, shored up the Celtics’ frontcourt and saved the team about $6 million.

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NHL

NHL ROUNDUP: AVERY HAYES SCORES TWICE IN DEBUT AS PENS TOP SABRES

Avery Hayes lit the lamp twice in an unforgettable NHL debut as the Pittsburgh Penguins put a stop to their two-game losing streak with a 5-2 road victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.

Fellow rookie Ben Kindel also found the back of the net twice for the Penguins. Pittsburgh’s Tommy Novak scored the other goal and Arturs Silovs made 26 saves.

Tage Thompson tallied his 30th goal of the season and Jason Zucker scored early for the Sabres, who are 1-2-1 in their past four games. Alex Lyon stopped 27 of the 31 shots he faced in the Sabres’ crease.

With the Penguins trailing 1-0, Hayes scored a beauty on his first career shot. He sped around a defender to pick up a loose puck and fired it past Lyon to knot the contest at 1-1 with 10:42 left in the first period. His one-timer with 1:13 left in the opening gave Pittsburgh the lead for good.

Lightning 6, Panthers 1

Erik Cernak scored his first goal, Nikita Kucherov stretched his point streak to 10 games, and Tampa Bay headed off to the Winter Olympics break by earning its 10th straight home win by blowing out Florida.

Brandon Hagel, Zemgus Girgensons, Pontus Holmberg and Oliver Bjorkstrand scored at even strength and Jake Guentzel added a power-play goal. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 33 shots in the win.

The Lightning won three of the four matches in the season series and moved to 19-1-1 in their past 21 matches overall. The feisty match featured 167 penalty minutes.

Senators 2, Flyers 1 (OT)

Tim Stutzle scored an overtime game-winner in Philadelphia for the second time this season, lifting Ottawa to a victory over the Flyers.

Stutzle, who also tallied in OT in a 3-2 road win over the Flyers on Nov. 8, raced past Travis Sanheim in this one before deking Dan Vladar (25 saves) with a nifty move to his backhand 47 seconds into the extra frame.

Nick Cousins also scored and James Reimer made 15 saves for the Senators, who head into the Olympic break having won five of their past six games. Philadelphia, which earned a point thanks to Jamie Drysdale’s goal late in regulation, has lost five of six entering the break.

Hurricanes 2, Rangers 0

Rookie Brandon Bussi made 16 saves in a successful homecoming as visiting Carolina downed New York.

Andrei Svechnikov scored early as Hurricanes improved to 8-0-2 in their past 10 and earned their second shutout win on the Rangers’ home ice this season. Jordan Staal added an empty-net tally in the final minute.

Bussi, a Long Island, N.Y., native, won his seventh straight game. Rangers goalie Jonathan Quick registered a season-high 41 saves.

Islanders 3, Devils 1

Bo Horvat scored the go-ahead goal with 3:27 left to play to lead New York past host New Jersey in Newark, sweeping the four-game season series against from the Devils.

Casey Cizikas and Mathew Barzal each added a goal for the Islanders, while Horvat assisted on Barzal’s empty-netter for a two-point night. Ilya Sorokin saved 23 of the 24 shots he faced.

Nico Hischier scored the Devils’ lone goal and he was assisted by Jesper Bratt and goaltender Jake Allen. New Jersey will go into the Olympic break on a three-game losing streak.

Golden Knights 4, Kings 1

Mark Stone recorded a goal and two assists and the hosts jumped out to a four-goal first-period lead en route to an easy victory over Los Angeles in Las Vegas.

Adin Hill made 32 saves to pick up his 100th career win (100-67-16). Jack Eichel and Pavel Dorofeyev each had a goal and an assist, Ivan Barbashev had two assists and Mitch Marner also scored for Vegas, which won its second straight game.

Trevor Moore scored for Los Angeles, which took its fourth loss in five games (1-3-1). Anze Kopitar picked up an assist for his 1,300th career point, the 39th skater in NHL history to accomplish that feat.

Capitals 4, Predators 2

Jakob Chychrun scored twice in a three-point performance and Pierre-Luc Dubois recorded one goal and one assist in his first game in more than three months as host Washington defeated Nashville.

Tom Wilson also scored for the Capitals, who have won four of five games, while Dylan Strome notched two assists. Logan Thompson made 27 saves for the win, but Washington lost John Carlson in the first period due to a lower-body injury.

Jonathan Marchessault and Michael McCarron tallied for the Predators, who were defeated in two games on successive nights. Justus Annunen stopped 26 shots and Adam Wilsby collected two assists.

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INDIANA SPORTS RELEASES

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

CURRY TO MISS REMAINDER OF SEASON

Noblesville guard Justin Curry suffered a torn ACL, torn meniscus and sprained medial collateral ligament to his left knee during Saturday’s game against Guerin Catholic.

Curry was averaging 16.7 points per game, and is a Valpo commit.

RILEY SCHELLHAMMER RULED ELIGIBLE

Riley Schellhammer will be eligible for Greenfield-Central’s Class 4A Sectional 9 semifinal vs. Anderson on Friday after being cleared by the IHSAA. This is her third school since the 2025 season including Fishers, and Lawrence Central.

COLTS

ADAM VINATIERI NAMED TO PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2026

Adam Vinatieri, widely regarded as the greatest kicker in NFL history, on Thursday was announced as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Modern Era Class of 2026.

Vinatieri will take his spot in Canton in his second year of Pro Football Hall of Fame eligibility. He’s only the third player to only play kicker to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame, joining Jan Stenerud and Morten Andersen.

“Adam Vinatieri is one of the most accomplished athletes football or any other sport has ever seen, and he is unequivocally the greatest kicker in NFL history,” Colts Owner & CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon said. “His iconic, game-winning kicks, his multitude of league records and his amazing longevity are legendary, and now, they have rightly earned him a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. We send our congratulations to Adam and his family, and we can’t wait to join with Colts Nation in celebrating this phenomenal achievement.”

Over 24 seasons – 10 with the New England Patriots (1996-2005) and 14 with the Colts (2006-2019) – Vinatieri became the NFL’s all-time leading scorer with 2,673 points; no player in NFL history has made more regular season field goals than Vinatieri’s 599. He connected on an NFL-record 44 consecutive field goals between the 2015 and 2016 seasons with the Colts, and no player had more seasons with 100 or more points scored than Vinatieri (21).

Vinatieri’s legendary reputation was built not only on the volume of kicks he made, but in his consistent ability to deliver on some of the biggest kicks in NFL history. With the Patriots, Vinatieri famously connected on last-second game-winning field goals to clinch Super Bowl XXXVI and Super Bowl XXXVIII; in the 2006 playoffs, Vinatieri connected on 14 field goals to help push the Colts to earn their first Indianapolis-era Lombardi Trophy.

Vinatieri is the NFL’s all-time leader in postseason points scored (238), postseason field goals made (56) and postseason extra points made (70).

Those clutch moments weren’t confined to just the playoffs, too. No player has connected on more field goals in overtime than Vinatieri (10), and he connected on 28 game-winning field goals in the final minute of the fourth quarter or in overtime.

With the Colts, Vinatieri played in 205 games, the fourth-most in team history. He’s the only player in NFL history to connect on at least 250 field goals and score 1,000 points with two different teams. He’s one of five players in NFL history to appear in a game at the age of 46 or older.

Vinatieri earned first-team AP All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 2002, 2004 and 2014, and was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s All-2000s first team and the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. He earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors 19 times – more than any kicker in league history – and was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month five times.

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INDIANA PACERS

PACERS TRADE MATHURIN AND JACKSON TO CLIPPERS FOR IVICA ZUBAC, DRAFT PICKS, AP SOURCE SAYS

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Pacers finally got the center they needed. The Los Angeles Clippers got the draft picks they wanted — and two additional players to boot.

On Thursday, the Pacers dealt high-scoring swingman Bennedict Mathurin, center Isaiah Jackson and up to three draft picks to the Clippers for center Ivica Zubac, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade deadline deal had not yet been announced officially.

Indiana gets one of the league’s top defensive centers — and the post presence they’ve been seeking since longtime center Myles Turner surprised the Pacers by leaving for Central Division rival Milwaukee last summer in free agency.

One advantage is that Zubac, who turns 29 next month, is signed through the 2027-28 season, meaning he’ll be around when two-time All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton returns from his torn Achilles tendon next season. Mathurin can become a restricted free agent this summer and it was unclear whether the Pacers could afford to re-sign their first-round draft pick from 2022.

Plus, Zubac was a second team all-defensive team selection last year and the Pacers now have nearly half of this season to see how he fits on a roster that won last season’s Eastern Conference title and has most of its key players signed for multiple years.

Zubac also is averaging 14.4 points and 11.0 rebounds while shooting 61.3% from the field, making him an offensive upgrade over Jackson and Jay Huff, who struggled to replace Turner’s productivity both offensively and defensively.

In some ways, this deal is reminiscent of the move president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard made two years ago to get All-Star forward Pascal Siakam, which helped set up Indiana’s successful postseason runs in 2023-24 and 2024-25.

But without Haliburton — and a series of debilitating injuries — the Pacers have struggled to the third worst record in the league, 13-38.

The Clippers, meanwhile, continue to stockpile draft picks as they overhaul their roster following the earlier deal that sent James Harden to Cleveland.

Mathurin recently returned from toe and thumb injuries that kept him out most of January, and he’s been increasingly rounding into form. He’s still averaging 17.8 points and 5.4 rebounds, mostly off the bench, this season and has improved significantly as a defender, too.

Jackson has started 14 times in 38 games played this season and is averaging 6.4 points and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 58.2% from the field. Like Mathurin, Jackson also was a first-round draft pick in 2021, No. 8 overall. And though Jackson had shown flashes of the player Indiana thought he could become, he lacked the consistency to win the starting job even after the loss of Turner.

But both could find more playing time in Los Angeles now, and that could help speed up the Clippers’ overhaul.

GAME PREVIEW: PACERS AT BUCKS

The Pacers (13-38) will hit the road for their final four games before the All-Star break, beginning with a playoff rematch with the Bucks (20-29) on Friday night in Milwaukee. This will be the third meeting this season between the Pacers and Bucks and the first in Milwaukee. The Bucks won both meetings earlier this season at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

The Blue & Gold should be well-rested for the Central Division showdown, as they sat their five of their top six scorers in their last game on Tuesday against Utah on the second night of a back-to-back.

Pascal Siakam is headed to Los Angeles next weekend for his fourth All-Star appearance and is in the midst of one of the best stretches of his career.

Siakam has scored 20 or more points in 10 consecutive games entering Friday. He is one of just eight players in franchise history to have a streak that long. The others are Billy Knight (three times), Danny Granger (three times), Reggie Miller (twice), Paul George (twice), Victor Oladipo, Clark Kellogg, and Jermaine O’Neal.

It’s been a disappointing season for the Bucks, who are nine games under .500. Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has missed 19 of 49 games due to injuries and is currently sidelined with a right calf strain.

But Milwaukee is playing better lately. After dropping five straight and eight of nine, they have won their last two games, including an overtime victory over New Orleans on Wednesday. Ryan Rollins scored 27 points in that victory, AJ Green added 20, and former Pacers center Myles Turner tallied 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting and nine rebounds.

Projected Starters

Pacers: G – Andrew Nembhard, G – Aaron Nesmith, F – Johnny Furphy, F – Pascal Siakam, C – Jay Huff

Bucks: G – Ryan Rollins, G – AJ Green, F – Gary Trent Jr., F – Kyle Kuzma, C – Myles Turner

Injury Report

Pacers: Micah Potter – questionable – left hip contusion), Tyrese Haliburton – out (right Achilles tendon tear), Obi Toppin – out (right foot stress fracture)

Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo – out (right calf strain), Gary Harris – out (left hamstring strain), Bobby Portis – out (right hip contusion), Taurean Prince – out (neck surgery)

Last Meeting

Dec. 23, 2025: A rough shooting night did the Pacers in in a 111-94 loss to the Bucks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Indiana shot just 40.7 percent from the field overall, 8-for-31 (25.8 percent) from 3-point range, and 20-for-33 (60.6 percent) from the free throw line.

T.J. McConnell was a rare bright spot, scoring 16 points off the bench on 7-of-9 shooting while also dishing out six assists. All-Star forward Pascal Siakam added 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting and nine rebounds, while Andrew Nembhard tallied 14 points and six assists.

Kevin Porter Jr. led Milwaukee (12-18) with 24 points on 8-of-13 shooting while also collecting six rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Ryan Rollins scored 23 points and pulled down seven rebounds off the bench for the Bucks, Kyle Kuzma had 15 points and seven boards, and Bobby Portis finished with 14 points and nine rebounds.

Noteworthy

The Pacers and Bucks are scheduled to meet once more in the regular season on March 15 in Milwaukee.

After losing their first eight games at Fiserv Forum, the Pacers have won three of their last five regular season meetings in Milwaukee and also won two playoff games in Milwaukee over that span.

After the All-Star break, the Pacers head to Washington for two games with the Wizards before opening a four-game homestand on Feb. 22. Between those two road trips on either side of the All-Star break, they will go 19 between home games — the longest stretch without a home game in the regular season in franchise history.

Broadcast Information (Where to Watch and Listen to Pacers Games >>)

TV: FanDuel Sports Network – Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)

Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan – Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analyst), Pat Boylan (studio host)

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INDIANA HOOSIERS FOOTBALL 2026 COMMITS

DL KEVONTAY HUGAN, 6-2 235, SARASOTA, FL  4-STAR

LB JA’DYN WILLIAMS, 6-2 205, MASSILLON, OH 4-STAR

CB KASMI HICKS, 5-11 170, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 4-STAR

DL CAMERON MCHANEY, 6-1 315, BRADENTON, FL 3-STAR

TE PARKER ELMORE, 6-5 225, COLUMBUS, IN 3-STAR

TE TREVOR GIBBS, 6-4 235, CROWN POINT, IN 3-STAR

S D’MONTAE TIMS, SEFFNER, FL, 6-0 195, 3-STAR

DL GABRIEL HILL, 6-2 275, NAPERVILLE, IL 3-STAR

DE RONELLE JOHNSON, 6-4 260, BLUE SPRINGS, MO 3-STAR

LB JACOB SAVAGE, 6-1 219, UNION, KY 3-STAR

S JAMAR OWENS, 6-0 175, DOUGLASVILLE, GA, 3-STAR

OL SANUEL SIMPSON, 6-4 285, RIVER FALLS, WI 3-STAR

OL BEN NOVAK, 6-6 310, MERRILLVILLE, IN 3-STAR

DL BLAKE SMYTHE, 6-4 300, FRANKLIN, IN 3-STAR

WR KORTEZ RUPERT, 6-1 160, EAST ST. LOUIS, MO 3-STAR

DL RODNEY WHITE, 6-2 280, TOWSON, MD 3-STAR

OL CJ SCIFRES, 6-6 325, GREENWOOD, IN 3-STAR

SIGNED LETTER OF INTENT

TE PJ MACFARLANE, 6-5 205, MIDDLETOWN, OH 3-STAR

WR LAVAR KEYS, 5-10 165, HYATTSVILLE, MD 3-STAR

OT KENTON MONDEAU, 6-7 315, EAU CLAIRE, WI 3-STAR

TRANSFERS

OL JOE BRUNNER, 6-5 317, WISCONSIN

K PADDY MCATEER, 6-3 207, TROY

CB AJ HARRIS, 6-1 193, PENN STATE

WR SHAZZ PRESTON, 6-0 206, TULANE

CB CARSON WILLIAMS, 5-11 170, MONTANA STATE

LS DREW CLAUSEN, 6-6 260, IOWA STATE

DL JOE HJELLE, 6-3 300, TULSA

P BILLY GOWERS, 6-1 205, HAWAII

TE BROCK SCHOTT, 6-3 245, MIAMI, FL

DE CHIDDI OBIAZOR, 6-6 275, KANSAS STATE

DE JOSHUA BURNHAM, 6-4 260, NOTRE DAME

RB TURBO RICHARD, 5-8 207, BOSTON COLLEGE

S JIQUAN SANKS, 5-10 195, CINCINNATI

QB JOSH HOOVER, 6-2 200, TCU

DE TOBI OSUNSANMI, 6-3 250, KANSAS STATE

WR NICK MARSH, 6-3 203, MICHIGAN STATE

S PRESTON ZACHMAN, 6-1 212, WISCONSIN

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INDIANA SOFTBALL

INDIANA DROPS OPENER AT FAU

BOCA RATON, Fla. ––– Indiana fell in its 2026 season opener at FAU on Thursday (Feb. 5) night, falling to the Owls, 8-0.

With the loss, Indiana starts the season with an 0-1 mark.

FAU 8, INDIANA 0 (F/5)

KEY MOMENTS

• Aly VanBrandt started the game with a line drive to left field. Alex Cooper laid down a sac bunt to move VanBrandt to second. Avery Parker walked, but Indiana could not bring any runners home.

• FAU struck first with a lead-off home run from Kylie Hammonds to go up 1-0 in the bottom of the first.

• Ella Troutt held strong in the circle, striking out back-to-back hitters to end the inning.

• Troutt pitched a quick 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the second. 

• FAU added on two runs in the bottom of the fourth to extend their lead to 3-0.

• McKenna Mulholland doubled to center field to bring in two RBI and finish the game in an 8-0 run rule.

NOTABLES

• Three Hoosiers made their Indiana debut tonight: Ellie Goins, Brooke Mannon and Ella Troutt.

• Troutt threw four strikeouts in 3.2 innings as she made her first start as a Hoosier.

• Mannon threw a strikeout in her first batter faced as a Hoosier pitcher.

• It was Indiana’s first meeting with FAU since 2024.

UP NEXT

Indiana will play two games tomorrow (Feb. 5) with matchups against Army at 4 p.m. and No. 25 Ohio State at 8 p.m. to follow.

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INDIANA MEN’S SOCCER

INDIANA ANNOUNCES FIVE FRESHMAN SIGNEES

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana men’s soccer head coach Todd Yeagley announced on Thursday (Jan. 29) five freshman signings. The signing class, which will join the program in the coming fall, includes top players from across the country as well as one international signing.

Michael Adu-Gyamfi | Forward | Accra, Ghana | Right to Dream

Ghanaian forward Michael Adu-Gyamfi joins Indiana from the Right to Dream Academy, the same academy system that IU junior Collins Oduro advanced through. Adu-Gyamfi spent his high school years in Connecticut at the Suffield Academy as well as at the IFA West and Connecticut United clubs. In 2024, he led Suffield to a NEPSAC Class B Championship and was named the NEPSAC Class B Player of the Year. Adu-Gyamfi has shown his attacking prowess especially over the last three seasons, totaling 53 contributions as a sophomore, junior and senior.

Yeagley’s take: “Michael is an elite attacker who comes through the Right to Dream pathway, similar to Collins Oduro, and understands how to influence the game in the final third. He brings imagination, vision and the ability to unbalance defenders with his creativity off the dribble and final pass. As one of the nation’s finest attackers, Michael’s quality and production will position him to contribute immediately and elevate our attacking efficiency.”

Sam Hess | Defender | Naperville, Ill. | Eclipse Select

Top Drawer Soccer rates Sam Hess as the No. 12 player out of the Midwest region. Hess has worn the captain’s armband in seven seasons for club with Eclipse Select (ECNL) and Sockers Chicago FC (MLS NEXT) and was Naperville North High School’s first three-year captain. NNHS enjoyed an 85-8-12 record over his four seasons, and Hess led the school to an unbeaten state championship run in 2025. Hess accepted an invitation to the High School Boys Soccer All-America Game, where he earned Most Valuable Player honors.

Yeagley’s take: “Sam is a competitive, versatile player with a winning mentality who helped lead Naperville North High School to a state championship. He impacts games in both midfield and defensive roles, competes with edge and communicates at a high level. Sam’s elite physical and mental toughness and positional flexibility will allow him to excel and thrive here at IU.”

Ryan Hunsucker | Goalkeeper | Westfield, Ind. | Indy Eleven

From up the road in Westfield, Indiana, 6-foot-4 goalkeeper Ryan Hunsucker has proven himself in big games for his club side, Indy Eleven. Hunsucker helped the academy to a USL Academy Cup title in 2024, where he won the Golden Glove award and Young Player of the Tournament. Indy Eleven would go on to win the USL Academy League Finals too, where Hunsucker captured Golden Glove honors again, as well as the tournament’s Golden Ball, after making 11 saves in the title match. Hunsucker also lettered in basketball for Westfield High School.

Yeagley’s take: “Ryan is a goalkeeper with an excellent technical base, good size and range, and he brings the mentality you want anchoring your back-line. Training every day with Indy Eleven’s first team has accelerated his understanding of the position, sharpened his distribution and strengthened his command of the box as well as his communication. He is on a strong trajectory, and we’re excited about his future and continued growth within our program.”

Dempsey Resich | Forward | Palos Verdes, Calif. | Los Angeles FC

Dempsey Resich is the No. 66-ranked prospect in the Class of 2026 and one of the top players in the country taking the college route. Resich played in the academy of Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles FC, and for most of 2025 played with LAFC2 in MLS NEXT Pro while sharing the pitch with IU alumnus Tommy Mihalic. At the U17 level, Resich finished the year second in goals nationally with 36, and in 2022 he led his academy to the Generation adidas Cup final four while earning Best XI honors for the tournament.

Yeagley’s take: “Dempsey is a proven goalscorer who was among the nation’s leading producers for LAFC, combining strong finishing, smart movement in the box and aerial ability. He has gained valuable professional experience with LAFC’s second team while showing versatility across multiple positions. His physical and mental toughness, along with natural leadership qualities, position him to make an immediate impact on our program.”

Vincent Uglow | Defender | Newtown Square, Pa. | Penn Fusion

Top Drawer Soccer’s No. 9-ranked prospect from the Pennsylvania region, left-footed Vincent Uglow joins IU from Penn Fusion Soccer Academy and Malvern Preparatory School. In 2024, Uglow led Penn Fusion to a U17 Pennsylvania State Cup Championship, and he earned U16 ECNL Northeast All-Conference honors the year before. A four-year letterwinner at Malvern Prep, Uglow earned Daily News first-team All-Area accolades as a senior and Inter-Academic All-League honors as a junior and senior.

Yeagley’s take: “Vincent brings a well-rounded defensive profile to our roster. While naturally left-sided, he is also effective on his right, giving us positional flexibility across the back-line. We expect Vincent’s physical profile and athletic tools to continue to develop, further enhancing his ability to compete at a high level. His composure on the ball and strong defensive qualities position him to become a reliable and impactful contributor within our program.”

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PURDUE FOOTBALL

DREW BREES: FIRST-BALLOT HALL OF FAMER, CLASS OF 2026

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Drew Brees, a Purdue Boilermaker and one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time, has been announced as an inductee for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. A first-ballot Hall of Famer, Brees joins Roger Craig, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri in the class of 2026. The announcement was made at NFL Honors, the league’s primetime end-of-season awards show, Thursday evening in San Francisco.

Brees will become the fifth Boilermaker to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame alongside Len Dawson (1987), Bob Griese (1990), Hank Stram (2003) and Rod Woodson (2009). The 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place in Canton, Ohio in August. John Purdue Club and President’s Council Lifetime members will receive priority access to VIP Enshrinement offerings, including official ticket purchasing opportunities, exclusive Purdue events celebrating Brees, and local hotel accommodations from August 7-9. More details to come soon to those who qualify.

A Super Bowl MVP and Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, Brees retired in 2020, which made the class of 2026 his first year of eligibility for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He set five NFL records throughout his career: completions (7,142), 5,000-yard passing seasons (5), consecutive games with a touchdown pass (54), most touchdown passes in a game (7) and the highest single-season completion percentage (74.4). He also still ranks second in NFL history in passing touchdowns (571) and passing yards (80,358), while ranking third in completion percentage (67.7) and fourth in wins (172).

Brees was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in 2001, spending five seasons with the team before joining the New Orleans Saints. While in New Orleans, Brees broke nearly all of the organization’s statistical passing records, and he led the Saints to victory in Super Bowl XLIV (2009). As a Saint, he was a two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year, five-time All-Pro and 13-time Pro Bowler.

Before his incredible NFL career, Brees rewrote the record books at Purdue. He arrived in West Lafayette as a little-known quarterback and left as one of the most-decorated players in school history, setting two NCAA records, 13 Big Ten Conference records and 19 Purdue records. On the Big Ten career lists, he still ranks first in completions (1,026) and passing yards (11,792) and second in passing attempts (1,678), passing touchdowns (90) and total offense (12,692).

The Boilermaker QB was a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist, two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and two-time first team all-conference selection. Brees also won the 2000 Maxwell Award as the nation’s outstanding player and the “Chicago Tribune” Silver Football as the Big Ten Most Valuable Player. That same year, he broke his own total offense record with 4,189 yards to lead the Boilermakers to a Big Ten title and Rose Bowl appearance. Brees completed 309-of-512 passes for 3,668 yards with 26 touchdowns, while rushing for 521 yards on 95 carries (5.5 average) with five touchdowns en route to leading the nation in total offense (358.1 yards per game). As a star in the classroom, he was the 2000 Academic All-American of the Year.

Brees is no stranger to halls of fame. He was inducted into the Purdue Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Academic All-America Hall of Fame in 2016. In January, Brees became the fourth Boilermaker to earn the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award, marking 25 years since the conclusion of his college career.

2026 PURDUE FOOTBALL COMMITS

TE ARMARI TOWNS, 6-6 220, SELMA, AL. 3-STAR

DL JOSIAH HOPE, 6-3 200, RADCLIFF, KY 3-STAR

ATH JETT GOLDSBERRY, 6-0 195, LINCOLN CITY, IN 3-STAR

RB ISAIAH WRIGHT, 5-10 207, ROCKWOOD, MI 3-STAR

CB RADERRION DANIELS, 6-0 173, LAKE CORMORANT, MS 3-STAR

DE MAX CARMICLE, 6-7 250, COUNTRY CLUB, IL 3-STAR

DE KATRELL WEBB, 6-3 235, SUWANEE, GA 3-STAR

QB CORIN BERRY, 6-3 185, COVINA, CA 3-STAR

WR JOJO JOHNSON, 6-4 175, RICHMOND, VA 3-STAR

OL BROCK BROWNFIELD, 6-3 250, NEW PALESTINE, IN 3-STAR

OL JAMES WILLIAMS, 6-3 275, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 3-STAR

S EMONI SMITH, 6-1 175, GALLOWAY, OH 3-STAR

DL KOBE CHERRY, 6-5 275, GREENWOOD, IN 3-STAR

TE COOPER MCCUTCHAN, 6-4 220, CINCINNATI, OH 3-STAR

S DANA GREENHOW, 5-11 170, TYRONE, GA 3-STAR

OT TERRELL BERRYHILL, 6-6 270, EAST ST. LOUIS, IL 3-STAR

WR BRANDON KINSEY, 6-0 175, MIAMI. FL 3-STAR

DL AIDEN SOLECKI, 6-4 250, DOWNERS GROVE, IL 3-STAR

OT RICO SCHRIEBER, 6-7 315, CHICAGO, IL 3-STAR

LB BRAYDEN SWEENEY, 6-2 215, GRAND RAPIDS, MI 3-STAR

K JACOBO ECHEVERRIA LOZANO, 5-10 170, UPPER ST. CLAIR, PA

DE JEREMY LEWIS, 6-3 255, COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA 3-STAR

S TA’VARI HAMPTON, 6-0 185, MIAMI, OK 3-STAR

WR RICKY SAMPSON, 6-4 210, VICTORVILLE, CA 3-STAR

TRANSFERS

DE TREY MOORE, 6-5 210, SAN DIEGO, 3-STAR

DE ELO MODOZIE, 6-4 248, GEORGIA, 4-STAR

WR JAYLAN HORNSBY, 6-3 215, SYRACUSE, 3-STAR

S JOHN SLAUGHTER, 6-2 200, COLORADO, 3-STAR

OT JATAVIUS SHIVERS, 6-6 325, SOUTH CAROLINA, 3-STAR

S JUSTIN DENSON, 6-2 194, MICHIGAN STATE, 3-STAR

ED KEYSHAWN BURGOS, 6-5 260, VIRGINIA TECH, 3-STAR

WR BISI OWENS, 6-4 215, PENN, 3-STAR

LB HUDSON MILLER, 6-0 235, TOLEDO, 3-STAR

CB DEE NEWSOM, 6-3 170, SAMFORD, 3-STAR

TE KYLAN FOX, 6-4 235, CENTRAL FLORIDA, 3-STAR

WR XAVIER TOWNSEND, 5-11 195, IOWA STATE, 3-STAR

CB DON SAUNDERS, 6-4 195, UTAH, 3-STAR

RB FAME IJEBOI, 6-0 210. MINNESOTA, 3-STAR

P DYLAN DRENNAN, 6-2 205, BUFFALO, 3-STAR

OT NUKU MAFI, 6-4 325, OKLAHOMA STATE, 3-STAR

DL RODNEY LORA, 6-3 300, CENTRAL FLORIDA, 3-STAR

LB JOJO HAYDEN, 6-2 245, ILLINOIS, 3-STAR

OL BOAZ STANLEY, 6-4 310, SOUTH CAROLINA, 3-STAR

S MISTER CLARK, 6-0 185, FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL, 3-STAR

DL CURT NEAL, 6-0 310, ILLINOIS, 3-STAR

LB ANTHONY SPECA, 6-1 223, PENN STATE, 3-STAR

WR ASAAD WASEEM, 5-11 175, FLORIDA ATLANTIC, 3-STAR

RB TRAVIS TERRELL, 5-9 170, JACKSON STATE, 3-STAR

OL MAKAI SAINA, 6-4 310, USC, 3-STAR

S JADEN MANGHAM, 6-2 195, MICHIGAN, 3-STAR

OL MICAH BANUELOS, 6-2 310, USC, 3-STAR

RB JERRICK GIBSON, 5-11 206, TEXAS, 3-STAR

DL WISDOM SIMMS, 6-4 315, NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL, 3-STAR

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PURDUE MEN’S BASKETBALL

KAUFMAN-RENN NAMED TO MALONE AWARD SEMIFINALIST LIST

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue senior forward Trey Kaufman-Renn has been named one of 10 semifinalists for the Karl Malone Award, given annually to the nation’s top power forward, announced today by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Kaufman-Renn is joined by Big Ten counterpart Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan) on the list. Others mentioned are Koa Peat (Arizona), Graham Ike (Gonzaga), Joshua Jefferson (Iowa State), Malik Reneau (Miami, Fla.), Caleb Wilson (North Carolina), J.T. Toppin (Texas Tech) and Alex Karaban (UConn).

For the season, Kaufman-Renn is averaging 12.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game, while shooting 56.1 percent from the field. He is one of four players nationally to average at least 12.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and shoot at least 55 percent from the field (Duke’s Cameron Boozer, North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson and Gonzaga’s Graham Ike).

For his career, Kaufman-Renn has scored 1,386 points with 621 rebounds and 197 assists. He needs three assists to become the second player in Purdue history with 1,300 points, 600 rebounds and 200 assists while shooting at least 55.0 percent from the field (Brad Miller).

Kaufman-Renn and the Boilermakers will face Oregon on Saturday in Mackey Arena, beginning at 1 p.m. ET.

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NOTRE DAME SOFTBALL

IRISH SOFTBALL OPENS 2026 SEASON FRIDAY IN CLEARWATER

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame softball team returns to the diamond this Friday at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida as Kris Ganeff begins her second season as head coach and 25th overall coaching for the Irish.

In her 24 years on staff, Ganeff has been a part of 905 wins and 21 NCAA Regional Appearances. The former Notre Dame catcher will look to lead Notre Dame back to the postseason after a 23-31-1 record a season ago. At last year’s NFCA Leadoff Classic, Ganeff got her first career win against #15 Missouri in walk-off fashion, becoming the first Irish softball coach to get their first win against a ranked opponent.

The Irish return assistant coaches Boo De Oliveira and Mike Perniciaro back to the staff for year two with Notre Dame. Last year, De Oliveira helped the Irish pitching staff strikeout 323 batters in her first year leading the pitching staff. Those 323 punchouts were tied for the second-most in the ACC. Gessica Garber, who played for Ganeff at Notre Dame from 2004-07, joins the staff this season after being in the broadcast booth last season.

Season Preview

Pitching

Notre Dame returns its top three arms from a season ago in Micaela Kastor, Kami Kamzik and Brianne Weiss. 146 of Notre Dame’s 323 strikeouts last year came in conference play, which was the second-most in the ACC. The Irish were the only school in the conference to have three pitchers strikeout 70 or more batters in the regular season.

Kastor will return to the circle for her senior season as the ace of the staff. Kastor posted a career-high 123 strikeouts last year and has posted back-to-back seasons with 10 wins. She tossed five complete games for Notre Dame. In her career, Kastor has made 46 starts and appeared in 92 games, striking out 273 strikeouts in over 310 innings.

Kamzik and Weiss return to the staff looking to continue to build off the 2025 season. Kamzik tossed two complete game efforts, wins over Penn State and Louisville, striking out 82 batters in 90.1 innings. Weiss had an impressive freshman campaign, leading the pitching staff with a 4.33 ERA in 64.2 innings. She tossed a complete game shutout at NC State and had dominant relief appearances against Louisville, Pittsburgh and No. 6 LSU.

A pair of incoming freshmen pitchers, Molly Conner and Lily Hagan, will also contribute to the Irish bullpen. The duo was named to the 2026 Softball America Freshman Watch List this preseason.

Infield

The Irish return last year’s starting first and third baseman in Kaia Cortes and Caroline O’Brien back for their sophomore campaigns. Cortes started in 45 games at first base last year and clubbed four home runs. She also got plunked by a pitch 13 times last season, which was tied for the third-most in the conference. Senior Paige Cowley, who will see most of her time at the designated player position, will also provide depth at first base after hitting three home runs last year.

O’Brien, who was named to the Freshman All-ACC team, will shift into a bigger role in the Irish lineup. The Palos Heights, Illinois native hit .340 in conference play last year and only struck out seven times in 112 at bats while providing a flashy glove over at the hot corner. Freshman Keira Murphy will provide depth at the corner spot as well with her defensive capabilities.

Up the middle, junior Olivia Levitt, sophomores Caitlyn Early and Avery Houlihan and freshman Ava Zachary all are vying for playing time at second and shortstop. Levitt saw time at multiple infield positions last year and had 18 hits, while Houlihan came on late last season and started 13 games down the stretch. Early saw action in 29 games, logging five hits and seeing time as a pinch runner. Zachary, who was named 2025 Indiana Miss Softball last year at nearby Penn High School, will look to showcase her bat and glove early for Notre Dame. She was named to the D1 Softball D100 Freshman Watch List and Softball America Freshman Watch List.

Behind the dish, Rebecca Eckart is back for her sophomore season. She had a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in 94 chances last year and will look to provide power to the lineup. Freshman Hayden Kyne, a Softball America Freshman Watch List honoree, also should see some time handling the pitching staff behind the plate.

Outfield

Notre Dame will get a big lift back with senior Mickey Winchell and junior Sydny Poeck returning after both sustained season-ending injuries last year. Winchell was having a breakout season in center field, hitting .408 with a .463 on base percentage in 17 games before having her season cut short. Poeck was hitting .330 and had a .444 on base percentage prior to her injury after 35 games. She enters the season with a 17 game on-base streak.

Junior Christina Willemssen, freshman Jillian Torres, Saint Louis grad transfer Ashley Marietta, and Conner all will compete for time in the outfield as well. Willemssen saw time in left and right last year, drawing 15 walks in just 18 starts. Torres comes in as a highly touted recruit out of California after being named a 2025 PGF High School All-American. Marietta will look to add depth to the position group while Conner will look to utilize her skills all around the diamond, not just in the circle.

NFCA Leadoff Classic Preview

2026 marks the third consecutive year that Notre Dame is competing at the NFCA Leadoff Classic and the 10th overall time in program history. All-time, the Irish are 23-24 at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. Last year, Notre Dame went 3-3 to open up the year in Clearwater, posting wins over #15 Missouri, Penn State and Bethune Cookman. The Irish walked off #15 Missouri last year for the first win of the season.

AUBURN – Friday, February 6th at 5:00 p.m.

Auburn, who is receiving votes in both the NFCA and ESPN/USA Softball Preseason Poll, comes into 2026 following an NCAA Regional Appearance last May. The Tigers return 2025 All-SEC First Team member Annalea Adams, who hit .390 with 10 home runs during her freshman season in 2025.

Notre Dame is 5-4 all-time against Auburn, but 3-4 on a neutral site. The two programs last faced off at the NFCA Leadoff Classic back on February 7, 2020. The Tigers won 4-1.

BYU – Friday February 6th, at 8:00 p.m.

BYU is coming off a 32-17 record a season ago, just missing out on the NCAA Tournament. The Cougars return Big 12 Freshman of the Year and Third Team All-American Ilove’a Brittingham, who set BYU freshman records with 21 home runs and 69 RBI.

The Irish are 4-0 all-time against BYU, all four coming in a neutral setting. Notre Dame won 11-1 in five innings last time out on February 20, 2020 at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Cathedral City, California.

NCCU – Saturday, February 7th at 3:00 p.m.

North Carolina Central went 13-33 last year and 10-10 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Junior outfielder Tyler Suttles returns for the Eagles after hitting .342 a season ago.

Notre Dame is 1-0 all-time against NCCU, the lone win coming on March 11, 2015 in Durham, North Carolina. This will be the first neutral site contest between the two programs.

LONGWOOD – Saturday, February 7th at 6:00 p.m.

After a 21-32 overall record and an 11-7 record in the Big South last year, Longwood enters 2026 with All-Big South first team catcher Brooke Bennett, who led the team with a .328 batting average last year. The Lancers return both Morgan Strickland and Maggie Chapin to the circle after a 4.23 team ERA in 2025

This will be the second matchup all-time between Notre Dame and Longwood. Longwood won the only matchup 2-0 on March 4, 2011 at the Diamond 9 Citrus Classic in Kissimmee, Florida.

#21/#23 LIBERTY – Sunday, February 8th at 9:30 a.m.

Nationally ranked Liberty comes into 2026 with high expectations following a 50-15 record last year and an appearance in the Eugene Super Regional last May. Kaylan Yoder returns in the circle for Liberty after posting a 2.63 ERA in 85.1 innings.

The Irish lead the all-time series 5-2 and a perfect 4-0 in neutral venues. Notre Dame won 3-0 back on February 11th, 2024 at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. Micaela Kastor tossed three shutout innings in relief in the game.

RUTGERS – Sunday, February 8th at 12:15 p.m.

Rutgers is coming off a 20-36 overall record last season, but struggled down the stretch in Big 10 play. Junior outfielder Makenna Coleman, junior infielder Sam Rohwer and junior right-handed pitcher Brooke Shifflett all were named Big Ten Softball Players To Watch by the conference office in the preseason.

Former Big East foes, Notre Dame and Rutgers will meet for the 43rd time on Sunday. Notre Dame leads the all-time 34-8 and is 2-1 in neutral site games against the Scarlet Knights. The Irish won 4-3 in nine innings back on March 6th, 2022 at the Liberty Softball Invitational in Lynchburg, Virginia.

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NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

BALANCED OFFENSE LEADS IRISH IN WIN OVER VIRGINIA TECH

SOUTH BEND, Ind. –  All six Notre Dame players that saw action finished in double figures in the scoring column in Thursday evening’s 80-70 victory over Virginia Tech inside Purcell Pavilion.

The win improves Notre Dame’s record to 15-8 on the season and 7-5 in ACC play.

Hannah Hidalgo led the Irish with 16 points and stuffed the stat sheet with seven rebounds, six steals and five assists. The Fighting Irish trio of Cassandre Prosper, Iyana Moore and Gisela Sanchez each finished with 14 points.

In just her second game back from injury, KK Bransford provided a big spark off the bench, scoring 11 while adding six rebounds and two steals. Vanessa de Jesus also totaled 11 points to go along with five assists and three rebounds.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The visitors built an early seven-point advantage over the opening 10 minutes of play, holding a 21-14 lead at the end of the first frame. The Irish led 10-9 midway through the quarter before the Hokies finished on a 12-4 run.

The game was back-and-forth for the first 5 minutes of the second stanza, as Virginia Tech held an eight-point lead at 32-24 with 4:43 left in the half. Hidalgo then went on a personal 6-0 run to cut the deficit to just two at 32-30. The Hokies then scored the final four points of the half to take a 36-30 lead into the halftime intermission.

Hidalgo led all scorers with 14 points in the opening 20 minutes of action, including going 8-for-8 from the free-throw line.

Virginia Tech held a 41-34 lead with just under 8 minutes remaining in the third quarter before the Irish defense started creating havoc. Notre Dame reeled off 11 straight points, eight coming on the fastbreak, to put the Irish back in front for the first time since the early stages of the game at 45-41.

The Hokies managed to tie the game back up at 49-49 before back-to-back threes from Sanchez and Vanessa de Jesus gave the Irish a six-point lead. The visitors then scored the final bucket of the quarter to make it a four-point Notre Dame lead heading into the final 10 minutes of regulation at 55-51.

The score moved to 66-61 with 6:50 left in the fourth before Virginia Tech scored seven straight to retake the lead at 68-66 with 4 minutes remaining in the contest.

The Irish locked in on both ends of the floor down the stretch and answered in emphatic fashion, scoring 10 straight to take control of the game at 76-68 with less than a minute left on the clock. Moore knocked down all four of her free-throw attempts in the waning seconds to secure the 80-70 win in conference play.

NOTRE DAME STAT OF THE GAME

Notre Dame dominated the turnover battle, totaling just seven compared to Virginia Tech’s 21. The Irish outscored the Hokies 29-7 in points off turnovers. Fourteen of Virginia Tech’s 21 turnovers came via steals for Notre Dame.

NOTRE DAME NOTES

Notre Dame has now won eight straight matchups against the Hokies and improve to 19-2 in the all-time series.

The Fighting Irish were extremely efficient from the charity stripe, knocking down 18-of-19 free throws.

After going 0-5 from three-point range in the first half Notre Dame went 6-for-10 from distance in the final 20 minutes of play.

The Irish outscored the Hokies 34-24 in the paint.

Hidalgo has finished in double figures in the scoring column in all 90 games of her career, the longest streak in program history.

Thursday marked the 11th game this season that Hidalgo finished with five or more steals.

Sanchez’s 14 points mark a high for ACC games this season.

Bransford finished in double figures for the sixth time this season, despite only playing in 11 games.

UP NEXT

The Fighting Irish are back on the road, traveling to Charlottesville to take on Virginia at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 8. The game will air on ACCNX.

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NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S LAX

IRISH OPEN UP 2026 SEASON IN SOUTH BEND WITH MICHIGAN AND CENTRAL MICHIGAN

NOTRE DAME vs #12/15 Michigan – Friday, Feb. 6 at 7 P
Location: South Bend, IN | Loftus Sports Center
LIVE STATS

NOTRE DAME vs. CENTRAL MICHIGAN – Sunday, Feb. 8 at 1 PM
Location: South Bend, IN | Loftus Sports Center
LIVE STATS

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are set to open up their 2026 season with a pair of games at Loftus on Friday, Feb. 6 and Sunday, Feb. 8. The No. 22/25 Irish will first take on the No. 12/15 Michigan Wolverines on Friday evening at 7:00 p.m. They will then host the Central Michigan Chippewas on Sunday at 1:00 p.m 

This will be the seventh match up between the Irish and the Wolverines as the overall series stands at an even 3-3. The last matchup was in 2022 as the Irish fell 11-17 at home on May 13 in the NCAA Tournament First Round.

Notre Dame posts an undefeated 4-0 record against Central Michigan with their most recent win coming last season as they downed the Chippewas in dominant fashion. The Irish defeated Central Michigan 20-7 in their home opener with a big-time performance from Madison Rassas. 

She not only scored her first career goal in the win, but led all players that night with five goals. The standout freshman had a hat trick by the end of the first quarter. She finished the day with an impressive stat line of 5 goals, 3 assists, 8 points, 3 draw controls, 2 caused turnovers, and a ground ball. Check out more on Rassas’s record breaking performance here. 

Rassas, who led the Irish in goals last year, received 2026 Preseason All-ACC Team, USA Lacrosse Preseason All-American Honorable Mention honors, and was ranked #41 in the Inside Lacrosse Top 50 player rankings this year. 

Last season, Rassas earned All-ACC Second Team honors and IWLCA West/Midwest All-Region Second Team honors in her rookie season. She led the Irish with 29 goals, recording 4 assists as well for a combined 33 points on the season. Rassas has also tallied 33 draw controls, 5 ground balls, 5 caused turnovers and recorded 6 hat tricks, 8 multi-point games, and 4 or more goals in 4 games. 

The Irish also return key leaders in upperclassmen Meghan O’Hare (M), Kathryn Morrissey (M), Franny O’Brien (M), Abigail Lyons (D), Julia Carr (D), Izzy Pithie (GK), Kate Timarky (A), and Emma Murphy (A). 

O’Hare was All-ACC Third Team honoree last year and is the top returner in draw controls (40) and was one of the top two in ground balls (24). Pithie was third in the ACC last season in save percentage (.479), third in GAA (9.41), and sixth in saves per game (7.73). Morrissey led the Irish in assists (19) and points last season (42).

With the Irish graduating five last season, they welcome 12 freshmen to this year’s roster with eight newcomers listed in the IWLCA Power 100 Incoming Freshmen Rankings: 

• Ceci Patterson (#3)
• Uma Kowalski (#15)
• Charley Bacigalupo (#27)
• Maura Irish (#29)
• Maeve Cavanaugh (#45)
• Mackenzie Conley (Watchlist)
• Brooke Hopkins  (Watchlist)
• Grace Maroney  (Watchlist)

The Irish are slated for 16 games with an even eight games at home and eight games on the road. The ACC docket will feature 10 conference games with five games on the road and five games at home. 

To view our full 2026 schedule, click here. To stay up to date with all things Notre Dame lacrosse, please follow on social media @NDWomensLax on X and @ndwomenslax on Instagram.

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NOTRE DAME SOFTBALL

IRISH SOFTBALL OPENS 2026 SEASON FRIDAY IN CLEARWATER

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame softball team returns to the diamond this Friday at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida as Kris Ganeff begins her second season as head coach and 25th overall coaching for the Irish.

In her 24 years on staff, Ganeff has been a part of 905 wins and 21 NCAA Regional Appearances. The former Notre Dame catcher will look to lead Notre Dame back to the postseason after a 23-31-1 record a season ago. At last year’s NFCA Leadoff Classic, Ganeff got her first career win against #15 Missouri in walk-off fashion, becoming the first Irish softball coach to get their first win against a ranked opponent.

The Irish return assistant coaches Boo De Oliveira and Mike Perniciaro back to the staff for year two with Notre Dame. Last year, De Oliveira helped the Irish pitching staff strikeout 323 batters in her first year leading the pitching staff. Those 323 punchouts were tied for the second-most in the ACC. Gessica Garber, who played for Ganeff at Notre Dame from 2004-07, joins the staff this season after being in the broadcast booth last season.

Season Preview

Pitching

Notre Dame returns its top three arms from a season ago in Micaela Kastor, Kami Kamzik and Brianne Weiss. 146 of Notre Dame’s 323 strikeouts last year came in conference play, which was the second-most in the ACC. The Irish were the only school in the conference to have three pitchers strikeout 70 or more batters in the regular season.

Kastor will return to the circle for her senior season as the ace of the staff. Kastor posted a career-high 123 strikeouts last year and has posted back-to-back seasons with 10 wins. She tossed five complete games for Notre Dame. In her career, Kastor has made 46 starts and appeared in 92 games, striking out 273 strikeouts in over 310 innings.

Kamzik and Weiss return to the staff looking to continue to build off the 2025 season. Kamzik tossed two complete game efforts, wins over Penn State and Louisville, striking out 82 batters in 90.1 innings. Weiss had an impressive freshman campaign, leading the pitching staff with a 4.33 ERA in 64.2 innings. She tossed a complete game shutout at NC State and had dominant relief appearances against Louisville, Pittsburgh and No. 6 LSU.

A pair of incoming freshmen pitchers, Molly Conner and Lily Hagan, will also contribute to the Irish bullpen. The duo was named to the 2026 Softball America Freshman Watch List this preseason.

Infield

The Irish return last year’s starting first and third baseman in Kaia Cortes and Caroline O’Brien back for their sophomore campaigns. Cortes started in 45 games at first base last year and clubbed four home runs. She also got plunked by a pitch 13 times last season, which was tied for the third-most in the conference. Senior Paige Cowley, who will see most of her time at the designated player position, will also provide depth at first base after hitting three home runs last year.

O’Brien, who was named to the Freshman All-ACC team, will shift into a bigger role in the Irish lineup. The Palos Heights, Illinois native hit .340 in conference play last year and only struck out seven times in 112 at bats while providing a flashy glove over at the hot corner. Freshman Keira Murphy will provide depth at the corner spot as well with her defensive capabilities.

Up the middle, junior Olivia Levitt, sophomores Caitlyn Early and Avery Houlihan and freshman Ava Zachary all are vying for playing time at second and shortstop. Levitt saw time at multiple infield positions last year and had 18 hits, while Houlihan came on late last season and started 13 games down the stretch. Early saw action in 29 games, logging five hits and seeing time as a pinch runner. Zachary, who was named 2025 Indiana Miss Softball last year at nearby Penn High School, will look to showcase her bat and glove early for Notre Dame. She was named to the D1 Softball D100 Freshman Watch List and Softball America Freshman Watch List.

Behind the dish, Rebecca Eckart is back for her sophomore season. She had a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in 94 chances last year and will look to provide power to the lineup. Freshman Hayden Kyne, a Softball America Freshman Watch List honoree, also should see some time handling the pitching staff behind the plate.

Outfield

Notre Dame will get a big lift back with senior Mickey Winchell and junior Sydny Poeck returning after both sustained season-ending injuries last year. Winchell was having a breakout season in center field, hitting .408 with a .463 on base percentage in 17 games before having her season cut short. Poeck was hitting .330 and had a .444 on base percentage prior to her injury after 35 games. She enters the season with a 17 game on-base streak.

Junior Christina Willemssen, freshman Jillian Torres, Saint Louis grad transfer Ashley Marietta, and Conner all will compete for time in the outfield as well. Willemssen saw time in left and right last year, drawing 15 walks in just 18 starts. Torres comes in as a highly touted recruit out of California after being named a 2025 PGF High School All-American. Marietta will look to add depth to the position group while Conner will look to utilize her skills all around the diamond, not just in the circle.

NFCA Leadoff Classic Preview

2026 marks the third consecutive year that Notre Dame is competing at the NFCA Leadoff Classic and the 10th overall time in program history. All-time, the Irish are 23-24 at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. Last year, Notre Dame went 3-3 to open up the year in Clearwater, posting wins over #15 Missouri, Penn State and Bethune Cookman. The Irish walked off #15 Missouri last year for the first win of the season.

AUBURN – Friday, February 6th at 5:00 p.m.

Auburn, who is receiving votes in both the NFCA and ESPN/USA Softball Preseason Poll, comes into 2026 following an NCAA Regional Appearance last May. The Tigers return 2025 All-SEC First Team member Annalea Adams, who hit .390 with 10 home runs during her freshman season in 2025.

Notre Dame is 5-4 all-time against Auburn, but 3-4 on a neutral site. The two programs last faced off at the NFCA Leadoff Classic back on February 7, 2020. The Tigers won 4-1.

BYU – Friday February 6th, at 8:00 p.m.

BYU is coming off a 32-17 record a season ago, just missing out on the NCAA Tournament. The Cougars return Big 12 Freshman of the Year and Third Team All-American Ilove’a Brittingham, who set BYU freshman records with 21 home runs and 69 RBI.

The Irish are 4-0 all-time against BYU, all four coming in a neutral setting. Notre Dame won 11-1 in five innings last time out on February 20, 2020 at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Cathedral City, California.

NCCU – Saturday, February 7th at 3:00 p.m.

North Carolina Central went 13-33 last year and 10-10 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Junior outfielder Tyler Suttles returns for the Eagles after hitting .342 a season ago.

Notre Dame is 1-0 all-time against NCCU, the lone win coming on March 11, 2015 in Durham, North Carolina. This will be the first neutral site contest between the two programs.

LONGWOOD – Saturday, February 7th at 6:00 p.m.

After a 21-32 overall record and an 11-7 record in the Big South last year, Longwood enters 2026 with All-Big South first team catcher Brooke Bennett, who led the team with a .328 batting average last year. The Lancers return both Morgan Strickland and Maggie Chapin to the circle after a 4.23 team ERA in 2025

This will be the second matchup all-time between Notre Dame and Longwood. Longwood won the only matchup 2-0 on March 4, 2011 at the Diamond 9 Citrus Classic in Kissimmee, Florida.

#21/#23 LIBERTY – Sunday, February 8th at 9:30 a.m.

Nationally ranked Liberty comes into 2026 with high expectations following a 50-15 record last year and an appearance in the Eugene Super Regional last May. Kaylan Yoder returns in the circle for Liberty after posting a 2.63 ERA in 85.1 innings.

The Irish lead the all-time series 5-2 and a perfect 4-0 in neutral venues. Notre Dame won 3-0 back on February 11th, 2024 at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. Micaela Kastor tossed three shutout innings in relief in the game.

RUTGERS – Sunday, February 8th at 12:15 p.m.

Rutgers is coming off a 20-36 overall record last season, but struggled down the stretch in Big 10 play. Junior outfielder Makenna Coleman, junior infielder Sam Rohwer and junior right-handed pitcher Brooke Shifflett all were named Big Ten Softball Players To Watch by the conference office in the preseason.

Former Big East foes, Notre Dame and Rutgers will meet for the 43rd time on Sunday. Notre Dame leads the all-time 34-8 and is 2-1 in neutral site games against the Scarlet Knights. The Irish won 4-3 in nine innings back on March 6th, 2022 at the Liberty Softball Invitational in Lynchburg, Virginia.

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BUTLER SOFTBALL

PREVIEW: BUTLER SOFTBALL TRAVELS TO THE UNI-DOME IN CEDAR FALLS TO OPEN 2026 SEASON

Tournament Information – Doc Halverson UNI-Dome Classic (Northern Iowa)

DATE:                             Friday, Feb. 6 – Sunday, Feb. 8

LOCATION:                    Cedar Falls, Iowa / UNI-Dome

LIVE STATS:                   StatBroadcast at ButlerSports.com

LIVE VIDEO:                   ESPN+ (select games)

The Butler softball team opens the 2026 season this weekend with five games over three days at the Doc Halverson UNI-Dome Classic in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Northern Iowa hosts the event and, in addition to the host, the Bulldogs will face Omaha, Kansas City, and Iowa State.

The Bulldogs finished the 2025 season with an 26-22 overall record, going 14-10 in BIG EAST play and qualifying as the fifth seed in their fifth-consecutive BIG EAST Tournament.

Bulldog Bits                                                           

The 2025 Bulldogs rank in the top ten on several of Butler’s all-time single season lists, including:

2nd- batting average (.305), 2nd- RBI (209), 2nd- SB (84), T2nd- conference wins (14), 3rd- hits (387), 3rd- runs (236), 3rd- walks (160).

With 22 double plays in 2025, Butler led the BIG EAST and ranked 36th nationally.

With 84 stolen bases in 2025, Butler led the BIG EAST and ranked 26th nationally.

Cate Lehner broke Butler single-season records in 2025 with a .438 batting average (1st BIG EAST, 20th nationally), 77 hits (2nd & 27th), and 39 stolen bases (1st & 8th). She tied Butler’s single-season record with 42 runs scored.

BIG EAST coaches ranked Butler 6th in the 2026 Preseason Poll. The St. John’s Red Storm was voted preseason favorite behind six first place votes and a league-best 62 points. Creighton and UConn followed, in the tie for the second spot, with 51 points each. Villanova (50) ranked fourth, and Providence (32) came in fifth. With 31 points, Butler landed in the sixth spot.

Butler’s 2026 schedule includes three teams that qualified for the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs will face Omaha (2/6) and Indiana (4/8) on the road and will host UConn for a BIG EAST series April 10-12.

2025 Season Butler Team Leaders (returning)

Cate Lehner- ave. (.438), AB-176, R-42, H-77, SB-39

Hailey Conger- 3B-2

Makenna Alexander- HR-9

Rylyn Dyer- W-8, APP-29, SH-2, SV-4,

Katie Petran- ERA-4.74, GS-18, CG-4, IP-97.1, SO-70

COMPARING OPPONENTS (2025 seasons)

Butler (26-22, 14-10 BIG EAST) – season ended in BIG EAST Tournament

Outscored by opponents, 243-236, in 2025. Two of top-5 hitters return.

Team produced a 4.57 ERA along with 3 shutouts. Two of three starting pitchers return.

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Omaha (40-13, 14-4 Summit) – Season ended in the NCAA regional.

Outscored their opponents, 285-145, in 2025. Three of top-5 hitters return.

Team produced a 2.68 ERA along with 10 shutouts. All four pitchers return.

Kansas City (5-43, 1-17 Summit) – Season ended in first round of Summit League Championship.

Outscored by opponents, 394-111, in 2025. Four of top-5 hitters return.

Team produced an 8.38 ERA with 0 shutouts. One of five pitchers returns.

Northern Iowa (32-18, 19-8 The Valley) – Season ended in second round of MVC Tournament.

Outscored their opponents, 321-265, in 2025. Three of top-5 hitters return.

Team produced a 4.15 ERA along with 4 shutouts. Four of five pitchers return.

Iowa State (31-23, 15-9 Big 12) – Season ended in second round of Big 12 Championship.

Outscored by opponents, 294-263, in 2025. Three of top-5 hitters return.

Team produced a 4.58 ERA along with 5 shutouts. Three of five pitchers return.

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BUTLER WOMEN’S LAX

BULLDOGS KICK OFF SEASON IN MICHIGAN

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The Butler women’s lacrosse team will begin their 2026 campaign up north as they travel to Michigan. The Bulldogs will play two games this weekend with one at UWM Sports Complex first on Friday Feb. 6 against Detroit Mercy followed by another match on Sunday Feb. 8 against Eastern Michigan at their indoor practice facility.

Game Times

Friday, Feb. 6

Detroit Mercy

1:00PM ET

Detroit, Mich. / UWM Sports Complex

Sunday Feb. 8

Eastern Michigan

1:00PM ET

Ypsilanti, Mich. / EMU Indoor Practice Facility

Bulldog Bits

Head coach Maggie Zentgraf returns for her fourth season with the program. Zentgraf is a former member of the Notre Dame women’s lacrosse team. She previously coached at Division III Lake Forest, going 11-4 in the program’s first-ever season.

Butler placed seventh in the BIG EAST last season with a record of 0-14 and 0-6 overall

Butler welcomes 17 newcomers to the team including 12 freshmen, four transfers and one assistant coach.

Freshman Samantha Wilson is set to take over the starting goalkeeper role this season after joining the program from Windermere, Fla.

Elise Latham is the top returning scorer in goals (30) and points (36).

Riley Ryan rejoins the team as the 2025 season assist leader (8)

Scouting Detroit Mercy

Detroit Mercy finished fourth in the Mid-Atlantic Conference with a 3-3 conference record.

Head coach Emma Kuehl enters her first season under the helm after leading Lawrence Tech University to a 26-8 record overall in 2024.

Six Titans earned all-league honors including midfielder Alyssa Jarvis and goalie Avery Young along with defender Lexi Jenkins. Jarvis is the top returning scorer after notching 30 goals and 31 points last season.

Scouting Eastern Michigan

The Eagles finished the 2025 campaign with a record of 8-9 overall and 4-2 in the conference.

Head coach Maddie Dugan enters her second season under helm. Dugan led the Eagles to a shared Mid-Atlantic Conference regular season crown last season, the first in program history.

Attacker Mackenzie Blackwell returns as the team’s top goal scorer and points leader. Blackwell finished with 59 goals and 65 points. Attacker Tracy Grollman returns for the Eagles as the assist leader, finishing with 16 in the 2025 season.

Up Next

The Bulldogs will have a 10-day break until they return home to face Akron on Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 1 pm.

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IU INDY MEN’S BASKETBALL

IU INDY TO OPEN THREE-GAME HOMESTAND ON SATURDAY

INDIANAPOLIS – The IU Indianapolis men’s basketball team will open a three-game homestand on Saturday (Feb. 7) when the Jaguars host Cleveland State at 2:00 p.m. inside the Jungle. It marks the Jaguars first game since last Friday’s contest at Youngstown State while Cleveland State (10-14, 6-7 HL) comes in riding a league-best five-game winning streak. CSU won the prior meeting between the two schools, 99-86, back on Dec. 29.

IU Indy (6-18, 2-11 HL) comes in having dropped two straight, but will finish the regular season with five of their final seven home games inside the Jungle. The week off came at an opportune time as the Jags were short-handed on last week’s road trip to Robert Morris and Youngstown State, playing without top scorer Kyler D’Augustino for both games. In his absence, senior Jaxon Edwards had a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double at YSU and fifth-year senior Matt Compas added 15 points off the bench. Senior Finley Woodward added eight points, 10 assists and five rebounds in the loss at YSU.

D’Augustino leads the Horizon League in scoring 21.2 points per game in league games. Edwards checks in at 13.4 points per game in Horizon League play while also leading the team in rebounding (6.3 rpg), steals (17) and blocked shots (10) against league foes.

On Saturday, the Athletics Department will welcome back more than 30 men’s basketball alumni for Saturday’s game and will recognize the group at halftime.

QUOTABLE

“Tough one tonight. I thought our press really bothered them in the first half and we were able to get out in transition and score some easy ones. We weren’t as disruptive in the second half and they were able to beat our press and get some good looks against us. We’re continuing to get better and we’re close to really breaking through. I’m proud of our guys. It’ll be good to get home and play some home games,” head coach Ben Howlett said following the loss at Youngstown State.

SCOUTING CSU

CSU is 10-14 overall and 6-7 in Horizon League play, but has won five straight games entering Saturday’s contest. The Vikings are 3-9 on the road this season with all three road victories coming during the recent five-game winning streak. For the season, Cleveland State enters play shooting nearly 39 percent from three-point range and making 11 triples per game. Below is a look at the Vikings’ possible starting five.

    G Jaidon Lipscomb (6-5, Sr.) – 11.5 ppg, 42.7 3FG%

    G Tre Beard (5-10, Sr.) – 14.3 ppg, 3.4 apg

    F Preist Ryan (6-6, Jr.) – 6.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg

    F Dayan Nessah (6-7, Soph.) – 15.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 54.3 FG%

    F Holden Pierre-Louis (6-8, Soph.) – 3.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg

INSIDE THE SERIES

IU Indy is just 4-15 all-time against Cleveland State and lost the last 14 meetings in the series. The Jaguars are just 3-6 in nine meetings in Indy.

UP NEXT

The Jaguars will continue the homestand against Milwaukee on Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 6:30 p.m. inside the Jungle.

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IU INDY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

JAGUARS TOP CLEVELAND STATE IN THE JUNGLE, 78-70

INDIANAPOLIS – The IU Indy women’s basketball team defeated Cleveland State with a statement 78–70 Horizon League victory Tuesday night at The Jungle. The win marked the Jaguars’ first win over the Vikings since March of 2022. Nevaeh Foster knocked down six three-pointers to help secure the win for the Jags.

IU Indy faced an early challenge in the opening quarter, as Cleveland State held the Jaguars to 33 percent shooting and built a slim 14–11 lead after 10 minutes of play. Despite the slow start, the Jaguars stayed composed defensively and kept the deficit manageable heading into the second period.

The momentum shifted in the second quarter as IU Indy found its groove from beyond the arc. The Jaguars knocked down four three-pointers and shot 50 percent from the floor, outscoring the Vikings 22–14 in the frame. A late surge helped IU Indy take a 33–28 advantage into halftime and seize control of the game.

Coming out of the break, IU Indy continued to apply pressure in the third quarter. The Jaguars shot over 61 percent from the field in the period and tallied 23 points, holding off multiple Cleveland State runs to maintain their lead heading into the final quarter. Foster knocked down her fifth three of the game at the buzzer to give the Jags a 56-49 edge.

The Jaguars put the game away in the fourth quarter. IU Indy shot better than 53 percent from the floor and capitalized at the free-throw line while making key defensive stops, closing out the eight-point victory in front of the home crowd.

Nevaeh Foster led IU Indy with 22 points, knocking down six three-pointers and delivering timely scoring throughout the night. Destini Craig followed with 19 points, consistently attacking the basket, while Hailey Smith recorded 14 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals. Olivia Smith also chipped in 11 points, as the Jaguars finished the game shooting nearly 50 percent from the field and claimed an important Horizon League win.

The Jags improve to 9-13 on the season with a 5-8 mark in the Horizon League. IU Indy will now take to the road as they travel to Wright State on Saturday, February 7 to face the Raiders.

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BALL STATE WOMEN’S TENNIS

BALL STATE WOMEN’S TENNIS SET FOR HOME OPENER AGAINST BUTLER BEFORE B1G ROAD TEST AT MICHIGAN STATE

MUNCIE, Ind. — Following an impressive victory on the road last weekend, the Ball State women’s tennis team (1-1) returns to Muncie this week to host in-state rival Butler (3-4) for its 2026 home opener on Friday, before traveling to East Lansing for a Sunday showdown with Michigan State (2-0).

The Cardinals will welcome the Butler Bulldogs to the First Serve Muncie Tennis Center this Friday, Feb. 6, with match play scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. ET. Ball State enters the contest with momentum after a dominant 6-1 win over Navy this past Sunday in South Bend. Ball State holds a dominant historical edge in women’s tennis against Butler, including an 8-3 record over their last 11 matchups. Ball Sate dropped its last meeting to Butler by a 4-3 decision on March 3, 2024.

So far the key to the Cardinals’ early success this season has been the doubles pairing of Sarah Shahbaz and Isabel Tanjuatco. The duo, who posted a historic 13-1 record during the fall campaign, has opened the spring with a 2-0 mark after defeating Notre Dame and Navy last weekend at the No. 1 doubles position. The victories led to Shahbaz and Tanjuatco earning the Mid-American Conference Doubles Team of the Week award and a national ranking of 87 from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA).

On Sunday, Feb. 8, Ball State will hit the road to face Michigan State at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center. The match is set for a 2 p.m. ET start. The Spartans will be hosting a doubleheader on Sunday, facing Gonzaga in the morning before their afternoon meeting with the Cardinals. The Spartans women’s tennis team holds a 3-1 record against Ball State from 2011 to 2024. MSU won the most recent matchup 4-0 on March 9, 2024.

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BALL STATE MEN’S VOLLEYBALL

MVB ADVANCES TO 6-0 AT HOME WITH FIRST CONFERENCE WIN OVER QUEENS

MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State men’s volleyball program completed its fifth-straight sweep as it advanced to an unbeaten 6-0 inside Worthen Arena with a victory over Queens (25-19, 25-22, 25-22). The men’s squad wins its first conference match of the 2026 season while extending a six-match winning streak.

Patrick Rogers paced the Cardinals (9-1, 1-0 MIVA) with a match-high 13 kills on .524 hitting, accompanied by two service aces and six digs. Ryan Louis added nine kills and another two aces while recording three blocks.

Ball State’s defense was led by Wil Basilio who led the team in digs with seven along with four blocks. Braydon Savitski-Lynde led both teams Thursday evening with five total blocks.

The reigning MIVA Defensive Player of the Week Lucas Machado totaled five digs as he guided the floor with 26 assists.

Both the Cardinals and the Royals (5-3, 0-1 MIVA) struggled in the hitting department, with Ball State totaling 24 errors compared to Queens’ 27. As a team, the Cardinals hit .310 while the Royals hit .273.

After Ball State jumped up to a 9-4 lead in the opening set, the Royals went on a six-point run, which consisted of five Cardinal attack errors, to take a one-point lead. The set then saw three tied scores until Ball State jumped up to a three-point advantage with four Queens errors and a kill from Savitski-Lynde. An offensive pursuit from Louis and Rogers made up the Cardinals’ next four kills, as well as a Savitski-Lynde ace and Royals error, developing a six-point lead which it would maintain to take set one.  

Both teams traded blows to make up 15 tied scores in set two until three Royals attack errors gave the Cardinals a late-set advantage. Ball State would maintain the gap behind kills from Rogers and Basilio, taking its second set after Louis stamped set point. The Royals led by as many as four in set three, seeing a 14-10 advantage before Ball State began to capitalize once again on Queens errors. The Cardinals climbed back to take the lead at 17-16, led by a kill each from Louis, Savitski-Lynde and Rogers. The Royals struggled to build momentum, eventually trailing by seven as Ball State claimed the third and final set.

These two teams conclude the series tomorrow evening inside Worthen Arena at 7 p.m. Ball State looks to advance to double-digit wins on the season as it maintains its unblemished home record.

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INDIANA STATE BASEBALL

BECK LISTED AMONG D1BASEBALL’S PRESEASON TOP 150 OUTFIELDER LIST

D1Baseball – Indiana State baseball’s Carter Beck continues to pile on the preseason accolades as the junior outfielder was listed among D1Baseball’s preseason Top 150 outfielder list on Thursday.

Beck clocks in at No. 43 on the list and is the only Missouri Valley outfielder to be listed among the top 100 athletes on the list. The accolade comes as the organization continues to recognize the Carnduff, Saskatchewan, Canada native in the preseason listings.

Beck returns as one of the Valley’s leading players ahead of the 2026 season as the junior outfielder was recognized by D1Baseball as their projected Player of the Year. He was a 2025 MVC First Team All-Conference and First Team Scholar-Athlete selection after sitting among the Valley’s leaders in batting average (.335), hits (76), and RBIs (56), while adding 11 home runs and 15 doubles.

Indiana State Baseball Season Tickets on Sale Now

Season tickets for the 2026 Indiana State baseball season are now on sale as the Sycamores head into their second season under Head Coach Tracy Archuleta. The Sycamores will play 21 home games inside Bob Warn Field this season, starting on March 4 against Lindenwood.

Reserved chairback season tickets can be purchased for $110. General admission season tickets will go on sale as well with adult ($75), seniors ($55), and youth ($40) tickets also being available for purchase. There will be a $5 surcharge added to those wanting tickets printed.

The Sycamores have teamed up with Pacesetter Sports and the Spirit Shop for the third consecutive season for a season ticket deal. Fans will receive a $50 Pacesetter gift card for each $110 reserved chairback season ticket, $35 gift card for each $75 general admission season ticket, $25 gift card for each $55 senior general admission ticket, and $20 gift card for each $40 youth season ticket sold.

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INDIANA STATE SOFTBALL

INDIANA STATE SOFTBALL OPENS 2026 SEASON IN FLORIDA

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Indiana State Sycamores are ready to kick off the 2026 season this weekend at the Stetson Tournament in DeLand, Florida. The Sycamores look to build early momentum against a competitive field featuring UT Martin, Seton Hall, and Stetson.

The Sycamores enter the 2026 campaign with a roster of 23 players, including seven freshmen, one transfer, and fifteen returners from the 2025 season. This blend of experience and fresh talent sets the stage for a strong opening weekend.

Indiana State’s pitching roster remains a primary strength, as all three of the four hurlers return for the 2025 season. Lauren Sackett, coming off the 2025 season with 107 innings and 89strikeouts, leads a veteran group that includes Megan Asher and Annie Waggoner.

Indiana State’s offensive identity now shifts to a core of rising veterans who gained significant experience during the 2025 season. Lauren Marsicek anchors this new wave of leadership, having started every game while pacing the returning hitters with a .292 average and 40 hits. She is joined by Madison Poulson, whose .287 average speed on the basepaths (8 stolen bases) made her a consistent threat during her standout freshman year. Rounding out the trio is Morgan Goodrich, a vital table-setter who used her .381 on-base percentage to lead the group with 25 runs scored.

Throughout the tournament, the Sycamores will navigate a variety of competitive environments, beginning with a high-pressure matchup against a speed-oriented offense that thrives on the basepaths and features a veteran presence in the circle. The weekend continues with a test of offensive discipline as Indiana State faces a fundamentally sound squad coming off a winning season, anchored by multiple defenders who maintained perfect fielding percentages. The tournament concludes with the added pressure of facing the host team on their home turf, providing a high-stakes environment that will challenge the Sycamores’ focus and adaptability.

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INDIANA STATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

FLOWERS’ CAREER NIGHT NOT ENOUGH FOR SYCAMORES AGAINST RED-HOT RACERS

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State sophomore forward Amerie Flowers tallied a career-high 27 points Thursday night, but league-leading Murray State’s offense proved too much for the Sycamores in a 114-78 setback inside Hulman Center.

Flowers went 12-for-17 on the field, setting career-best marks in both categories, while pulling down a team-high eight rebounds. Clemisha Prackett, Jayci Allen, and Tierney Kelsey each contributed 12 points, while Kennedy Claybrooks dished out a game-high 10 assists to go along with three steals.

Murray State seized control early and never looked back, using strong runs in each half to build separation from Indiana State. After a tightly contested opening quarter, the Racers closed the first half with a decisive surge to take a 58-37 lead into the break. Indiana State showed fight in the second half and played Murray State evenly in stretches, but the Racers continued to extend their advantage with consistent scoring and trips to the free-throw line, pulling away for a lopsided victory.

First Half

Indiana State opened the game strong, jumping out to a 6-2 run behind a pair of baskets from Flowers. The sophomore forward went 7-for-7 in the first six minutes of the game, while Kelsey connected on a three-ball as the Trees led 19-14 at the first quarter media timeout. Murray State closed the quarter on a 10-2 run over the final 2:30, though, taking a 24-21 lead into the second quarter.

The Racers carried that momentum into the second quarter, opening with a 9-2 run before free throws from Prackett slowed the surge. Indiana State traded baskets with Murray State over the next 90 seconds, before the Racers pulled away with a 14-1 run. A layup from Flowers halted the run and sparked a late response to close the half for the Blue and White, but Murray State held a 58-37 advantage at the break.

Second Half

Indiana State applied early pressure in the third quarter, knocking down three of its first five shots with baskets from Claybrooks and Flowers to go alongside a three-point play from Briggs. Murray State kept the pressure on, though, hitting a trio of threes in the frame. The Sycamores showed signs of late to cut into the deficit, but the Racers closed the quarter on an 8-3 run, fueled by six free throws, and led 86-58 after three.

Murray State widened the gap in the final quarter, opening with a 15-3 run over the first 3:27. Indiana State continued to battle, with baskets from Prackett, Allen and Kelsey, but the game was out of reach by then. Baskets from Allen, Kayla Smith and Kelsey inside the last two minutes kept Indiana State on pace with its season scoring average, but the Sycamores’ defense was overwhelmed in a 114-78 defeat.

News and Notes

Amerie Flowers recorded a career, season and MVC high with 27 points.

She broke her previous record of 15 for the season and career and 14 in the MVC by the end of the first half with 16 points.

Flowers’ 27 points were the most by a Sycamore in a game this season.

She set a season high field goal percentage when attempting 10-plus shots from the field at 70.5, going 12-17 in the field.

In going 12-17 she topped both her highest made and attempted in her career.

Jayci Allen tied her season high field goal percentage at 66.7, which she set on November 16 at Austin Peay.

Kennedy Claybrooks recorded her second game with double-digit assists this season (10).

Indiana State tied its season high of 48 paint points, with the figure also being the Trees’ most against a Division I opponent this season.

Indiana State recorded its 12th game with 30-plus bench points this season, fueled by a pair of Sycamores scoring in double-figures off the bench (Prackett, Allen).

The Sycamores had four players in the double figures for the fourth time this season and third straight game.

Thursday’s game marked the second straight game with the same four scoring in the double figures (Flowers, Prackett, Allen, Kelsey).

Murray State’s 57.8 percent clip from the field and 15 3-pointers were the best marks by a Sycamore opponent this season. The Racers’ 15 threes were the most by an Indiana State opponent since Jan. 16, 2005 against Missouri State (19).

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PURDUE FT. WAYNE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

WRIGHT STATE ESCAPES MASTODON COMEBACK

DAYTON, Ohio – The Purdue Fort Wayne women’s basketball team dropped a Horizon League game at Wright State 70-67 on Thursday night (Feb. 5).

Wright State led by as many as 13 in the third quarter before Purdue Fort Wayne mounted a comeback that fell just short. The ‘Dons had a 9-0 run spurted by Jordan Reid, who scored four of her team-high 19 in the 2:37 stretch. After the quarter break, Reid scored and then Lili Krasovec made a layup to cut the lead down to two.

Like what felt like all game, Wright State answered the Mastodon run with a 3-pointer. Breezie Williams from Wright State, who finished with 28, hit two 3-pointers to push it back out to eight with 30 seconds left. Alana Nelson hit a triple, then Reid stole the ensuing inbound pass to bring it back to a one-possession game. Free throws kept the Mastodons at bay, though, as Wright State’s Olivia Brown made four down the stretch. Lauren Lee hit a layup with five to go, but Brown missed two freebies to give the ‘Dons a chance. The Mastodons could not convert on the final possession.

Reid finished with 19 points, her second such game in her last four. She added four steals, three rebounds and an assist in her 32 minutes. Nelson had 18 points with five 3-pointers and eight rebounds. Krasovec scored 14 points, eight of which came in the last 10 minutes of the game. Lee dished out six assists.

Wright State shot 53.2 percent from the floor (25-of-47), 50 percent from 3-point range (10-of-20) and 76.9 percent from the charity stripe (10-of-13). Purdue Fort Wayne finished at 46 percent (29-of-63), 22.7 percent from deep (5-of-22) and 30.8 percent from the line (4-of-13).

With the win, Wright State improved to 7-17, 3-10 in the Horizon League. Purdue Fort Wayne fell to 15-9, 9-5.

The Mastodons will visit Cleveland State on Saturday (Feb. 7) for a 2 p.m. tip.

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EVANSVILLE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

HOT SHOOTING HELPS ACES OVERWHELM VALPO, 83-59

VALPARAISO, Ind. – Fueled by one of its best shooting performances of the season, the University of Evansville women’s basketball team stormed past Valparaiso, 83-59, on Thursday evening in Valparaiso, Ind.

As a team, the Aces shot 48% from both the field and from beyond the arc, knocking down 14 triples on the night. Sophomore guard Camryn Runner led the way for the Aces, flirting with her second triple-double in eight days with a game-high 22 points to go along with seven rebounds and 10 assists. Runner was joined in double-figures by the freshmen trio of Sydney Huber (14 points), Georgia Ferguson (12), and Jelena Savic (11). The Beacons were led by Allia von Schlegell who tallied 16 points for the home team.

“I thought our pace was really good. I thought our tempo was good. I thought we got really good looks because we moved the ball well and got hot and I think the confidence got contagious, which is good,” said Aces head women’s basketball coach Robyn Scherr. “I’ve been waiting for some breakout moments like this and to see these moments more often and so it was nice to see tonight.”

The opening portion of the contest was marked by an efficient Valparaiso offense and Evansville’s struggle to maintain possession of the ball. Valpo grabbed a 10-4 lead near the midway point of the opening stanza before a layup by Savic and a three-pointer from Runner to follow clipped the Beacons’ lead back to one with 3:36 left to play in the first quarter. Valpo would see its lead grow back to five at 17-12 before layup by Ferguson cut Evansville’s deficit to just three heading into the second period. The Aces committed six first-quarter turnovers helping to fuel Valpo’s early advantage.

Evansville saw itself snap back into form just three minutes into the second quarter as back-to-back buckets by Huber helped Evansville regain the lead. What would be a theme for much of the contest came alive in the second quarter as the Aces knocked-down five three-pointers in the second stanza alone, building their lead as large as nine at the half on a jumper by Ferguson.

Out of the break, it was more of the same from the Aces as Evansville used a 15-4 run coming out of the half to quickly build an 18-point advantage over the Beacons. During a 64 second stretch towards the end of the quarter, the Aces grabbed full control of the game as Savic hit three-consecutive three-pointers to balloon UE’s lead to 29 at 69-40 entering the final period.

The Aces would see their lead grow to its largest point of the night at 30 in the fourth quarter as Coach Robyn Scherr utilized the team’s depth through much of the game’s final 10 minutes. A layup by sophomore guard Kaiden Kreinhagen with 6:56 left pushed UE’s lead to 30 at 73-43 and again the advantage reached 30 on a triple by redshirt freshman guard Kylee Norkus with just over two minutes remaining in the game en route to the Aces’ 83-59 victory over Valpo.

The 24-point margin of victory was the largest by Evansville over a Missouri Valley Conference opponent since an 81-50 win at Loyola on March 2nd, 2017.

UE closes out its northern road swing with a trip to battle UIC in Chicago, Ill, at 2 PM on Saturday afternoon.

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EVANSVILLE SOFTBALL

UE SOFTBALL OPENS SEASON AT HEART OF GEORGIA CLASSIC

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – New head coach Bailey Dillender and the University of Evansville softball team open the 2026 season this weekend at the Heart of Georgia Classic. The Purple Aces face host Mercer and Maine in two games while taking on North Carolina A&T in a single contest.

Evansville has a strong returning group that includes 16 players from last season while the program added eight newcomers to comprise the 2026 squad. Infielder Niki Bode is the top returning hitter from 2025. She completed the season batting .329 with 24 RBI and 27 runs scored.

Seniors Taylor Howe, Morgan Adams, and Jess Willsey bring a wealth of experience to the squad. Most impressive is the face that the trio each started all 54 games last season. Howe and Adams hit .277. Howe finished second ono the team scoring 33 runs while Adams was depended on for her power. Adams paced the team with 14 home runs, 38 RBI, and 42 walks. Willsey scored a team-high 39 runs last year while leading the way with 14 doubles.

Eliza Piggott enjoyed a strong freshman campaign. In 37 games, she batted .307 while drawing 17 walks. Despite limited at-bats, Piggott accumulated eight home runs and 33 RBI, both second on the team. Keghan Pye and Miriah Powell wrapped up the 2025 campaign batting .250 and .242, respectively. Pye saw action in 37 games and was extremely dependable on the basepaths. She finished with a team-high 13 stolen bases in 14 attempts.

The three most dependable pitchers from 2025 are back this season. Grace Hollingsworth led the team with a 3.81 ERA and eight victories. She tossed six complete games and walked just 27 batters in over 106 innings of work. As a freshman, Kate Ridgway won six games and recorded. 85 strikeouts. Ridgway racked up a team-high eight complete games and 123 innings pitched. Elle Jarrett won four games in her junior campaign. She appeared in 22 games while making seven starts. Jarrett threw a pair of complete games.

Newcomers set for their first season with the UE program include sophomore outfielder Emma McDonald, freshman utility Ashtyn Holbrook, freshman pitcher/1B Sophia Otten, junior pitcher Alexis Tucker, sophomore outfielder/1B Maliyah Wilkins, freshman 3B Angela Valentine, and freshman utility Addyson Leonaard.

Coach Dillender, Associate Head Coach Alyssa Richards, and Assistant Coach Mia Aldridge embark on their first season heading the Purple Aces program. The trio came to UE from the University of the Cumberlands where they led one of the top programs at the NAIA level. They directed the Patriots to NAIA World Series appearances in each of the last three seasons. Over that time, their team went 138-23 overall and 62-1 in Mid-South Conference games.

UE will face a strong challenge this weekend highlighted by reigning Big South Tournament Champion Mercer. The Bears won 40 games last season while advancing to the finals at the Gainesville NCAA Regional.

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EVANSVILLE MEN’S BASKETBALL

MEN’S BASKETBALL TRAVELS TO VALPO ON FRIDAY EVENING

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Set for the first match-up of the regular season, the University of Evansville men’s basketball team travels to Valparaiso for a 7 p.m. game on Friday evening.

ESPN+ and Purple Aces Radio Network will have the broadcast.

Last Time Out

– Tuesday’s contest at the Ford Center saw Indiana State hit 13 triples while finishing with an 84-63 victory

– Leif Moeller led the Purple Aces with 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting

– Bryce Quinet and AJ Casey scored 12 and 10 points, respectively

First Double-Double

– In the game at UNI, AJ Casey posted his first collegiate double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds

– Scoring 7+ points in 14 of the last 15 games, Casey is averaging 11.2 PPG

– In MVC games, he has scored 14.3 PPG after averaging 7.8 points in non-conference play

– Casey’s 11 boards at UNI tied his career mark, which came against Ball State; he is 13th in the MVC with 5.43 per game

Bringing the Offense

– Over the last six games, Leif Moeller has averaged 17.2 PPG while scoring 20+ points on three occasions

– Highlighting that was a career-high 26 points against Bradley marking the highest point tally by a UE player this season; he was 8-of-17 from the field and 3-for-8 from outside

– Moeller scored a game-high 22 points versus Indiana State and 20 at Drake

– The freshman is second in the MVC with 4.00 assists per game and has accumulated 41 assists in the last eight games; he has had eight assists on four occasions

Series Notes

– Heading into Friday’s meeting, the Aces have won four in a row over the Beacons and took both games last season by 10 points

– UE holds a 76-23 advantage in the series while going 30-14 in road matchups

Scouting the Opponent

– Valparaiso comes into Friday’s game with a record of 11-12 while standing at 5-7 in Valley action

– The Beacons have won three of their last five games with home victories against UNI and Southern Illinois along with a road win at Indiana State

– Three Valpo players average double figures with Owen Dease leading the way with 14.2 points per game

– JT Pettigrew is averaging 10.8 points and a team-high 6.0 rebounds while Rakim Chaney checks in with 10.0 PPG

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SOUTHERN INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL

SCREAMING EAGLES CLIPPED BY SKYHAWKS,76-54

MARTIN, Tenn. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball could not get the offense going consistently and lost to UT Martin, 76-54, Thursday evening at the Elam Center in Martin, Tennessee. The Screaming Eagles go to 5-18 overall and 2-11 in the OVC, while the Skyhawks are 19-5, 11-2 OVC.

USI and UTM were even for the first five minutes until the Eagles’ offense went cold which resulted in a Skyhawk 20-9 lead. USI would go without a point for over seven minutes before starting a rally in the last five minutes of the half.

The Eagles cut the 11-point deficit to three points, 27-24, with 3:44 before halftime on a 15-7 run. USI hit five-of-six from the field during the surge, including three three-point field goals. Sophomore guard Josiah Dunham led the USI run with five of the 15 points.

UTM stabilized after the USI rally and used an 11-2 run of its own to lead 38-26 at the intermission. Dunham had the USI lead in scoring at the break with eight points.  

The USI offensive woes returned to start the second half as the Eagles were outscored, 11-2, through the first five minutes. The Eagles would find themselves in a 30-point hole, 65-35, before things began to click offensively.

USI would win the final seven minutes of the game, 23-18, but that was not nearly enough to dig out of the hole as UTM closed out the 76-54 final. The Eagles were 54.5 percent from the field in those final seven minutes (6-11), compared to 28.1 percent from the field for the game (16-57).

USI junior guard/forward Amaree Brown led the Eagles during the final run with nine points and finished the game with a team-high 14. Brown was the only Eagle to reach double-digits in points.

Next Up For USI:

USI concludes the road swing Saturday when it visits Southeast Missouri State in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Tipoff is slated for 3:45 p.m. Saturday.

The Redhawks are 14-10 overall and 9-4 in the OVC after an 82-70 win over Morehead State tonight at home. SEMO has five in a row after tonight’s action.

SEMO leads the all-time series with USI, 9-3, after winning the first matchup this season, 84-76. The Redhawks have won the last six meetings with the Screaming Eagles dating back to 2023.

Following the road trip, USI returns to Liberty Arena for the final two regular-season home games of 2025-26. The Eagles begin the homestand by hosting Tennessee State February 12 at 8 p.m. and will air live through Gray Media (WFIE-14).

The USI-TSU game will be presented by Ascension St. Vincent. Ascension will be promoting heart health with information and free blood pressure screenings.

The Eagles will celebrate Senior Day in February when they host Tennessee Tech. The game time has been moved to a 4 p.m. tipoff due to the women’s basketball being aired on ESPNU. USI also encourages its fans to wear red for a special “Red Out” game.

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SOUTHERN INDIANA WOMEN’S

EAGLES MAKE SECOND-HALF CHARGE, FALL JUST SHORT AT UT MARTIN

MARTIN, Tenn. – Despite a solid second-half charge, University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball fell just short on the road at the University of Tennessee at Martin on Thursday, 66-58.

Following a slow start on Thursday, the Screaming Eagles (15-7, 9-4 OVC) made a strong push in the second half to tie the game in the middle of the fourth quarter before the Skyhawks (12-10, 8-5 OVC) jumped ahead to claim the ballgame.

The Screaming Eagles were led in scoring on Thursday by senior guard Ali Saunders, who posted a game-high 20 points. Saunders also had four rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Junior forward Chloe Gannon tallied 10 points with eight boards and four steals.

USI shot for 32 percent (18-57) from the floor, with three triples, and 79 percent (19-24) at the free-throw line. The Eagles controlled the glass, 39-33.

UT Martin had three players score in double figures. Collectively, the Skyhawks shot for 44 percent (22-50) overall, with six three-pointers, and 64 percent (16-25) from the foul line.

The Skyhawks jumped out to a 7-0 advantage two minutes into the contest. Despite a made field goal and free-throw conversion by Gannon, as well as a made shot and two made free throws by Saunders, the Screaming Eagles remained down by seven, 16-9, at the end of the first quarter.

The Skyhawks pushed their lead to double digits in the early minutes of the second quarter. Back-to-back tallies in the middle of the second by Saunders and junior guard Sophia Loden cut the difference back down to single digits, 23-15, with five minutes to play in the first half. The two sides exchanged baskets late in the second period, but UT Martin knocked down a couple of threes that helped to extend the lead back above 10. A last-second layup by Gannon right before the break brought USI back within 12, 35-23, going into halftime.

After a bit of a shooting drought for both teams to start the second half, USI made a run late in the third quarter. Trailing 40-26 in the middle of the third, the Screaming Eagles went on a 10-0 run. Redshirt sophomore guard Kylee Dennis scored three fast-break layups during the run. The Eagles trimmed the deficit down to three, but the Skyhawks scored in the last possession of the third to lead by five, 48-43, heading into the fourth quarter.

The Screaming Eagles continued to inch back at the start of the fourth frame. Saunders tied the game at 50 with a stepback three-pointer and 6:25 left in the quarter. However, UT Martin quickly answered with five straight points to regain the lead. Inside the final three minutes, USI went on a cold stretch from the floor, and the Skyhawks capitalized to increase their lead and close out the ballgame.

Following Thursday’s results around the Ohio Valley Conference, USI is in fourth place in the conference standings going into the next game on Saturday.

The Screaming Eagles continue the road trip on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Saturday’s game can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+ and heard on The Spin 95.7 FM.

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SOUTHERN INDIANA BASEBALL

USI PREDICTED TO FINISH SEVENTH IN OVC

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball is predicted to finish seventh in the Ohio Valley Conference, according to a preseason poll announced on Thursday. The Screaming Eagles received 70 votes from the league’s coaches and communications directors.

SIU Edwardsville topped the poll, receiving a conference-high 10 first-place votes and 137 points, while Southeast Missouri State was predicted second with three first-place votes and 136 points. Eastern Illinois came in third with four first-place votes and 132 points.

Little Rock was fourth with 122 points and the last three first-place votes. Tennessee Tech and Lindenwood rounded out the second three with 98 and 86 points, respectively.

Following seventh-place USI are UT Martin (54), Morehead State (37), and Western Illinois (28) in the final three slots.

The 2026 OVC Championship will return to Marion Stadium in Marion, Illinois, on May 20-23, where the top eight teams will compete for a title.

The Eagles, who also are predicted to place 7th in the OVC by D1Baseball.com, are coming off a third-straight OVC Championship appearance, following a 27-29 regular season record and a 15-12 conference mark. USI’s 15 conference wins were a three-year high by the Screaming Eagles in the OVC.

USI will be led by three returning All-OVC players – graduate outfielder Khi Holiday, junior infielder Parker Martin, senior infielder Clayton Slack – and a pair of OVC Players to Watch – senior left-hander Jake Porter and junior right-hander Abdriel Figueroa.

Martin and Holiday are the top returning hitters, batting .341 and .335, respectively. Holiday also led USI with 24 stolen bases, while Martin was second on the squad with 40 RBI.

Slack started all 56 games at shortstop last year for the Screaming Eagles, batting .294 with 35 RBIs during his first season with USI.

Porter finished last season tied for second with four victories in 17 appearances and 11 starts. He also struck out 47 batters in 50 innings of work.

Figueroa made 22 appearances overall (21 out of the bullpen) and was second on the team with three saves. He struck out 40 batters in 35 innings as a sophomore.

The Eagles begin their season February 13-16 with a trip to Bakersfield, California, for a four-game series against Cal State Bakersfield. USI will host its home opener against Oakland on February 20, starting a four-game series against the Grizzlies.

For more information, visit our website at USIScreamingEagles.com or find us on social media at @USIAthletics.

2026 OVC Baseball Predicted Order of Finish:

  1. SIUE (10 first-place votes) – 137 points

  2. Southeast Missouri (3) – 136

  3. Eastern Illinois (4) – 132

  4. Little Rock (3) – 122

  5. Tennessee Tech – 98

  6. Lindenwood – 86

  7. Southern Indiana – 70

  8. UT Martin – 54

  9. Morehead State – 37

10. Western Illinois – 28

2026 Returning All-OVC Selections:

Khi Holiday (OF, Grad.)

Parker Martin (INF, Jr.)

Clayton Slack (INF, Sr.)

2026 Players to Watch:

Abdriel Figueroa (RHP, Jr.)

Jake Porter (LHP, Sr.)

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VALPO WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

BEACONS FALL TO EVANSVILLE THURSDAY

Allia von Schlegell (Downers Grove, Ill./Nazareth Academy) continued her strong scoring run in MVC play with a team-high 16 points Thursday, while Mikayla Huffine (Rockford, Ill./Rockford Lutheran [Quincy/Iowa Western C.C.]) had her highest-scoring game of the season as the Valpo women’s basketball team fell to Evansville on Girls & Women in Sports night at the ARC Thursday, 83-59.

How It Happened

After Evansville scored mere seconds into the game right off the opening tip, Valpo held the Purple Aces scoreless for a stretch of over four minutes, going on an 8-0 run to take an 8-2 lead.

Evansville came back to even the score at 12-12 with 2:27 to play in the quarter before von Schlegell scored five in a row to restore the lead. Valpo’s edge was 17-14 at the end of the first period.

Back-to-back triples by von Schlegell and Milana Nenadic (Kitchener, Ontario/Cameron Heights [Idaho State/Maine]) had the Beacons ahead 23-18 with 8:53 to play in the opening half.

The Purple Aces went on a 16-3 run over the next four-plus minutes to pull in front, 34-26.

Huffine and Kayla Sullivan (St. Louis, Mo./Lutheran North [State Fair C.C.]) had back-to-back baskets to make it a four-point game, but Evansville scored the final five points of the half to lead 39-30 at intermission.

The Purple Aces scored on each of their first five possessions of the third quarter to double their lead within the opening 2:29, extending to a 50-32 lead.

Evansville led 69-40 at the end of the third quarter and Valpo got no closer than the final margin in the fourth period.

Inside the Game

von Schlegell finished with a team-best 16 points, including three 3-pointers — her 10th game with at least three triples this season.

The freshman has now tallied 15 or more points 10 times this year, just two efforts shy of Dani Franklin’s total of 12 games with 15+ points as a freshman in 2014-15.

Nenadic scored in double figures for the seventh time this year with 11 points, including three 3-pointers to tie a career best.

Huffine came up just short of making it three Beacons in double figures, scoring a season-best nine points on 4-of-5 shooting. The senior also paced Valpo with five assists while committing just two turnovers.

Autumn Dibb (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) had a season-best eight rebounds to lead Valpo on the glass, while Kennedy Sproule (Niverville, Manitoba/Churchill [Bay College]) tallied a season-high three steals to tie for game-high honors.

Led by Sproule’s three steals, the Beacons racked up a season-best 10 steals as a team.

Valpo hit at a 36.7% clip from the field Thursday and was 8-of-29 from 3-point range, while Evansville was 14-of-29 from deep as part of a night when it shot 47.6% overall.

The Beacons held a 26-24 advantage in points in the paint, their first time having the edge in that department this season.

Post-Game Press Conference – head coach Courtney Boyd and Mikayla Huffine

Next Up

Valpo (0-23, 0-12 MVC) remains home Saturday afternoon as it welcomes Southern Illinois to the ARC at 1 p.m. It will be the program’s annual Pink Game for cancer awareness, with cancer warriors and survivors being honored at halftime.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HOSTS ANNUAL PINK GAME SATURDAY AFTERNOON

Valparaiso (0-23, 0-12 MVC)

Game #24 – February 5, 2026 – 6 p.m.

Southern Illinois (7-13, 4-7 MVC)

Athletics-Recreation Center (5,000) – Valparaiso, Ind.

Next Up in Valpo Basketball: The Valpo women’s basketball program hosts its annual Pink Game for cancer awareness on Saturday as the Beacons take on Southern Illinois. Cancer survivors and warriors will be honored at halftime of the game.

Previously: Allia von Schlegell continued her strong scoring run in MVC play with a team-high 16 points Thursday, while Mikayla Huffine had her highest-scoring game of the season as the Valpo women’s basketball team fell to Evansville on Girls & Women in Sports night at the ARC Thursday, 83-59.

Following Valpo Basketball: Video: ESPN+

Radio: WVUR (95.1 FM, Valparaiso)

Streaming audio: TuneIn app

Links for live coverage: Available via ValpoAthletics.com

Head Coach Courtney Boyd (0-23 at Valpo, 1st season; 180-91 [.664] overall, 9th season): Courtney Boyd was named the ninth head coach of the Valparaiso University women’s basketball program on April 4, 2025. A national championship-winning head coach and player, an NAIA National Coach of the Year, and a two-time conference Coach of the Year, Boyd has won 20 or more games in seven of her first eight seasons as a head coach. She spent the last two seasons at the helm of the Quincy University program after six seasons as head coach at Clarke University, leading the latter program to the NAIA national title in 2022-23.

Series Notes: The Salukis hold a 10-5 advantage in the all-time series over Valpo, including a 4-2 edge at the ARC. In their first meeting this year, SIU earned a 97-59 win in Carbondale – Allia von Schlegell led the Beacons with 15 points in that contest.

@ValpoWBB…

…versus Evansville

– After Evansville scored mere seconds into the game right off the opening tip, Valpo held the Purple Aces scoreless for a stretch of over four minutes, going on an 8-0 run to take an 8-2 lead.

– Evansville came back to even the score at 12-12 with 2:27 to play in the quarter before Allia von Schlegell scored five in a row to restore the lead. Valpo’s edge was 17-14 at the end of the first period.

– Back-to-back triples by von Schlegell and Milana Nenadic had the Beacons ahead 23-18 with 8:53 to play in the opening half.

– The Purple Aces went on a 16-3 run over the next four-plus minutes to pull in front, 34-26.

– Mikayla Huffine and Kayla Sullivan had back-to-back baskets to make it a four-point game, but Evansville scored the final five points of the half to lead 39-30 at intermission.

– The Purple Aces scored on each of their first five possessions of the third quarter to double their lead within the opening 2:29, extending to a 50-32 lead.

– Evansville led 69-40 at the end of the third quarter and Valpo got no closer than the final margin in the fourth period.

– von Schlegell finished with a team-best 16 points, including three 3-pointers — her 10th game with at least three triples this season.

The freshman has now tallied 15 or more points 10 times this year.

– Nenadic scored in double figures for the seventh time this year with 11 points, including three 3-pointers to tie a career best.

– Huffine came up just short of making it three Beacons in double figures, scoring a season-best nine points on 4-of-5 shooting. The senior also paced Valpo with five assists while committing just two turnovers.

– Autumn Dibb had a season-best eight rebounds to lead Valpo on the glass, while Kennedy Sproule tallied a season-high three steals to tie for game-high honors.

– Led by Sproule’s three steals, the Beacons racked up a season-best 10 steals as a team.

– Valpo hit at a 36.7% clip from the field Thursday and was 8-of-29 from 3-point range, while Evansville was 14-of-29 from deep as part of a night when it shot 47.6% overall.

– The Beacons held a 26-24 advantage in points in the paint, their first time having the edge in that department this season.

…at UIC

– A slow start led to UIC taking an early 12-3 lead, prompting a timeout from head coach Courtney Boyd just 3:27 into the contest.

– Valpo scored seven straight out of the stoppage to pull within 12-10 with 3:42 to play in the opening period.

– The Flames held a 20-14 lead at the end of the first.

– UIC scored the first six points of the second quarter to extend its lead to double digits for the first time, but the Beacons pushed back, closing to within seven on a Milana Nenadic basket with 6:17 to play in the period.

– The Flames out-scored Valpo 17-4 over the remainder of the half, including seven second-chance points in the last 90 seconds of the half, to take a 43-23 lead into halftime.

– A quick 9-2 spurt over the opening 1:43 of the third quarter, including two triples by Allia von Schlegell, brought the Beacons within 45-32.

– They were unable to get any closer than 13 points in the second half, however. UIC held a 53-37 lead at the end of the third quarter and maintained at least a 15-point lead throughout the final period.

– von Schlegell went 4-of-7 from behind the 3-point line as part of her team-best 19-point effort, matching her career high set earlier this season at Evansville.

– No other Beacon reached double figures in the scoring column, as Kamryn Winch was Valpo’s next-highest scorer, tallying nine points on 3-of-5 shooting from the field and 3-of-3 from the foul line. Winch also led all players with 12 rebounds, tying her career best set earlier this year in the overtime game against Milwaukee.

– Valpo held a 41-36 advantage over the Flames in rebounds — the fifth time this season the Beacons have held the edge in that department.

– Valpo shot 36.4% from the floor and hit 5-of-15 from the 3-point line — a season low in terms of 3-point attempts. UIC ended the game at 44.6% overall and 7-of-17 from deep.

– The Beacons were 12-of-16 at the foul line, hitting at least 75% of their free throw attempts for a third straight game.

– The turnover column hurt Valpo, as the Beacons committed 23 miscues — their highest total in MVC play — while forcing just 10 UIC turnovers. The Flames held a 31-7 advantage in points off turnovers.

…looking ahead

– The Beacons hit the road for four straight road games Feb. 13-26, starting with games at Murray State and Belmont next weekend.

…at the ARC

– Saturday’s game is the tenth of 13 home games this season for the Beacons, as Valpo hosts three nonconference games and 10 MVC games.

– The Beacons are currently 0-9 at the ARC this year.

– Valpo posted a 9-6 record at the ARC last season, the program’s first winning record at home since the 2019-20 season.

….and @ValleyHoops

– Valpo is in its ninth season as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference.

– Valpo was picked outside the top-four of the MVC preseason poll, as the Valley released only the top four selections.

– The Valley finished last season ranked seventh in the NET, matching the conference’s highest NET/RPI ranking in Valpo’s time as an MVC member (2020-21).

…looking back at last year

– Valpo finished last season with a 13-19 overall record and went 9-11 in MVC play to finish in eighth place.

– Among the Beacons’ 13 victories were a thrilling rally from a 20-point deficit for a home win over Drake which entered the game ranked 69th in NET, the program’s highest-ranked win since a win over #54 UNI in 2021-22.

– Leah Earnest was tabbed a First Team All-MVC honoree as she concluded a decorated career that saw her finish first in program history in career rebounds and third in career scoring.

– The 2024-25 Beacons hit 245 3-pointers, third-most in a single season in program history, and tallied 314 steals, seventh on the program’s single-season chart and the most since 2001-02.

@SIU_WBasketball

– Southern Illinois enters Saturday’s game with a 7-13 record this year and sits at 4-7 in MVC play.

– The Salukis have won three of their last four games, including a buzzer-beating win over UIC Thursday on a putback by Jeniah Thompson.

– Four of SIU’s five starters average double figures in the scoring department, led by 15.1 points/game from Alayna Kraus.

Allia Heats Up

– Freshman Allia von Schlegell has made a big impact in her rookie season.

– von Schlegell has scored in double figures 13 times this season, including in 10 of Valpo’s last 14 games.

– 10 times, von Schlegell has dropped at least 15 points – the most 15+ point games by a Valpo freshman since Dani Franklin hit the 15-point mark 12 times in the 2014-15 season.

– von Schlegell currently ranks third among MVC freshmen in scoring (10.5  points/game) and is tied for first in 3-pointers made (45).

– She ranks 73rd nationally in freshman scoring and is tied for 12th among freshmen nationally in 3-pointers made.

Doing Work on the Road

– von Schlegell has excelled in the scoring department on the road in MVC play.

– The freshman has scored 15 or more points in five of Valpo’s six MVC road games to date, including a career-high 19 twice – at Evansville and at UIC.

– von Schlegell has shot 50% (18-for-36) from 3-point range in road MVC games and is averaging 15.3 points/game in those contests.

Winning the Paint

– Valpo held the advantage in points in the paint on Thursday against Evansville, edging the Purple Aces in that department, 26-24.

– It was the first time the Beacons have come out on top in that category since March 1 of last season at Illinois State, when they bested the Redbirds, 32-24.

– That effort also came in a defeat, as both games saw the opposition get hot from deep – ILS was 13-for-23 from 3-point range in that game last season, while Evansville was 14-of-29 from the 3-point line Thursday.

Milana Feasts

– Redshirt junior Milana Nenadic has been on a tear offensively lately, averaging 16.0 points/game over the last six games while leading the Beacons in four contests.

– This recent stretch comes after Nenadic averaged 6.6 points/game and scored in double figures just twice in the season’s first 17 games.

– Nenadic became Valpo’s first MVC weekly award winner in over four years Jan. 19, as she was named MVC Newcomer of the Week after scoring 34 points at Illinois State (more on that game later) and 18 points versus Drake.

– Nenadic has also hit the glass more recently, averaging 6.2 rebounds/game over the last six games after averaging 4.0 rebounds/game over the first 17 games.

– Nenadic recorded her first career double-double last Thursday against Indiana State, going for 19 points and 12 rebounds – she is the first Valpo player to reach those marks in a game in which she committed zero turnovers since Sharon Karungi tallied 22 points and 16 boards without a turnover Feb. 22, 2014 versus Oakland.

Taking Advantage of PT

– Redshirt junior Kamryn Winch might have played just 13:10 off the bench at UIC, but she took full advantage of every second.

– Winch scored nine points (3-5 FG; 3-3 FT) and tied her career best with a game-high 12 rebounds.

– That is the second-fewest minutes played by a D-I player who recorded 12 rebounds this season (USC’s Yakiya Milton, Nov. 18 versus Portland, 12:01).

– Winch is the first D-I player to register at least nine points and 12 rebounds while playing fewer than 14 minutes since Charlotte O’Keefe did so for UTRGV Nov. 23, 2024.

Nenadic’s Night

– It was truly a night to remember for Milana Nenadic at Illinois State Jan. 15, coming off the bench to deliver 34 points on 16-of-25 shooting.

– The 16 field goals made broke the program record for baskets in a single game, as the previous mark was shared at 15 by Deb Lahti (Feb. 19, 1983 vs. Carthage) and Lyn Swanson (Feb. 8, 1986 at Carthage).

– Nenadic is tied for ninth among NCAA D-I players this season for field goals in a game.

– Nenadic’s 25 field goal attempts are tied for eighth-most in a single game in Valpo history.

– The junior now shares fifth on Valpo’s single-game scoring chart with Dani Franklin, who dropped 34 at Stetson Nov. 12, 2016. Those two are the only Valpo players to score at least 34 in a game since 1992. Nenadic’s 34 points are the most by a player coming off the bench in program history.

– The 34 points is tied with Murray State’s Halli Poock for the highest-scoring game by an MVC player this season.

– Nenadic’s previous career best was 20 points earlier this year while facing All-American Audi Crooks at Iowa State.

– Nenadic is just the fourth MVC player in the last nine seasons with at least 16 baskets in a game, and joins a few pretty solid players in that department — Drake’s Katie Dinnebier, Belmont’s Destinee Wells and Murray State’s Katelyn Young.

Nonconference Scoring

– von Schlegell scored in double figures six times in nonconference action, among the best in program history in terms of double-digit scoring outputs by a freshman in nonconference games since Valpo joined the North Star Conference for the 1987-88 season:

Dani Franklin, 2014-15, 11

Meredith Hamlet, 2015-16, 8

Tabitha Gerardot, 2010-11, 8

Sarrah Stricklett, 1996-97, at least 7 (2 boxes unavailable)

Debbie Bolen, 1989-90, at least 7 (1 box unavailable)

Jeanette Gray, 1999-2000, 7

Allia von Schlegell, 2025-26, 6

Stephanie Greer, 1987-88, 6

Amy Cole, 1987-88, 6

Linda Batz, 1987-88, 6

Ali Saunders, 2022-23, 5

Jamie Gutowski, 2002-03, 5

– Notably, the six players ahead of von Schlegell on that list all went on to earn All-Freshman/Newcomer Team honors and closed their time at Valpo among the top-12 in program history in career scoring.

Skip the Second?

– Three times in MVC play, the second quarter has proven to be the Beacons’ undoing.

– Drake outscored Valpo 19-7 in the second quarter, while the Beacons outscored the Bulldogs 49-47 in the other three periods.

– At Illinois State, a 31-12 second quarter for the Redbirds accounted for the entire final margin, as Valpo matched ISU 62-62 in the other three quarters.

– At Indiana State, the Sycamores’ 24-13 advantage in the second quarter offset Valpo’s 65-64 edge in the other three periods.

Shifting Starters

– Valpo has used nine different starting lineups this year, the most recent change coming last Thursday against Indiana State with Fiona Connolly out.

– With Connolly back, she returned to the lineup alongside Huffine, von Schlegell, Sullivan and Preston at UIC – that quintet has now started six times this year after the Evansville game, the most of any lineup.

– Ten different players have been a part of at least one starting five this year, with only one – Mikayla Huffine – starting every game. All ten have started at least three games apiece.

– The Beacons have not used the same starting lineup in more than four consecutive games this season.

The Tall and the Short

– This year’s Valpo roster features recent extremes on both ends of the height spectrum.

– Mor Shabtai and Mikayla Huffine both are listed at 5-4, making them the shortest Valpo players since 5-3 Rashida Ray (2007-11).

– On the flip side, Kamryn Winch and Milana Nenadic both check in at 6-3, making them the tallest Valpo players since 6-5 Nicole Johanson (2018-19).

International Flavor

– Valpo has a trio of international players on its 2025-26 roster: sophomore Mor Shabtai (Israel) and transfers Milana Nenadic (Ontario, Canada) and Kennedy Sproule (Manitoba, Canada).

– Prior to Shabtai’s arrival last year, the Valpo program hadn’t had an international player since Sharon Karungi (Uganda) roamed the paint from 2013-15.

Sister Act

– For the third straight season, the Beacons have a pair of sisters on their roster, as freshman Nuala Connolly joins senior sister Fiona on this year’s squad.

– The last two years featured identical twins Nevaeh and Saniya Jackson.

– Before that, the last set of sisters to suit up together in the Brown and Gold were the trio of Hamlet sisters: Annemarie (2013-16) overlapped with both older sister Elizabeth (2013-14) and younger sister Meredith (2015-19).

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VALPO FOOTBALL

VALPO FOOTBALL FAMILY GROWS ON NATIONAL SIGNING DAY

The Valparaiso University football program has announced the signing of 36 student-athletes, who will continue their academic and athletic endeavors at Valpo, the second recruiting class of the Andy Waddle head coaching era.

 Additional incoming student-athletes will be announced at a later time. Only signees who have fully completed all paperwork and been approved by Valpo compliance are included at this time.
 
Of the 43 signed student-athletes, 13 hail from within the state of Indiana and nine will make their way to Valparaiso from neighboring Illinois. Of the 13 instate recruits, five are from Northwest Indiana. Ohio (four), Texas (four), California (four) and Washington (two) are other states that have produced multiple members of this class. Incoming Beacons also call Wyoming, Wisconsin, Michigan, Tennessee, Arizona, Florida and Pennsylvania home.

Ayle Taylor, DL/LB, 6-4, Fort Wayne, Ind. (Bishop Luers)
Plans to study software engineering… Son of LaRon and Shalon Taylor… Has three brothers (Jarron, Camaree and Myles) and one sister (Ashley)… Brother Myles played football at East Tennessee State… Three-year varsity letter winner… Two-time first team all-state, two-time Indiana Class 3A state runner-up, two-time all-area, two-time first team all-conference… Team captain… Had five tackles including four tackles for loss in 2025 vs. state champion Andrean… Also played basketball all four years of high school… Enjoys reading long novels and manga and watching a good show or anime. 
 
Reece Wilson, WR, 6-0, 180, Bradenton, Fla. (Southeast)
Has joined the program early as a midyear enrollee… Majoring in business management… Son of Melissa Porco and Jason Wilson… Has one brother (Jackson) and two sisters (McKenna and Raelynn)… Brother Jackson is a member of the football team at Arkansas Pine Bluff… Three-year varsity letter winner… Had 203 receiving yards and a touchdown in a 2025 game vs. Braden River… Hobbies include fishing… Has lived in Florida his whole life.
 
Nick Ortiz, OL, 6-4, 290, Granger, Ind. (Saint Joseph)
Plans to major in education… Son of Leah Napolitano and Robert Ortiz… Has one brother (Alex) and three sisters (Olivia, Abby and Isabel)… Four-year varsity letter winner… All-state, all-region and all-conference honoree… South Bend Tribune Preseason Player of the Year… Also competed in track & field all four years of high school, throwing shot put… Team captain in track & field and football… Hobbies include fishing, lifting and gaming… Has four cats… Earned high honors as a freshman, sophomore and senior in high school and honors as a junior.
 
Nash Brubaker, OL, 6-5, 315, Kankakee, Ill. (Herscher)
Intends to study business management… Son of Nikki and Joel Brubaker… Has a brother (Axten) and two sisters (Audie and Lux)… Cousin Hailey King played soccer at Olivet Nazarene from 2022-2024 and cousin Brooke King played soccer at Kankakee CC in 2025… Three-year varsity letter winner… Team captain as a senior… Also played four years of high school baseball and played basketball as a freshman… Enjoys working out and playing baseball and basketball with friends… Considered playing college baseball.
 
Ryan Pimentel, K, 5-11, Hobart, Ind. (Hobart [Grambling State])
Majoring in business management… Son of Henry and Traci Pimentel… Has two brothers (Zach and Hank) and a sister (Breanna)… Mother played softball at Wisconsin Whitewater, sister played soccer at Purdue Northwest, brother Zach wrestled at Indiana University, brother Hank competed in football and track & field at Benedictine University and his grandfather wrestled and played soccer at Ball State… Four-year varsity letter winner… Started his collegiate career at the junior college level, where he was a two-time SoCal NJCAA second team all-conference pick, a top-5 kicker in school history and a top-10 point scorer in Ventura College history with 137 points in two seasons… Earned academic all-state honors at Ventura College and academic all-conference recognition in 2023 at Hobart… Went 7-for-7 on field goals and 24-of-25 on PATs as a high school senior… Also competed in wrestling, soccer and golf in high school… Enjoys golfing.
 
Lamont Miller, OL/DL, 6-4, 290, Bolingbrook, Ill. (Mount Carmel)
Plans to major in biology… Son of Shanita and Lashawn Boga… Has one brother (Malachi) and three sisters (Brianna, Lamia and Lailah)… Four-year varsity letter winner… Leader of the offensive line all four years of high school… Had big games against Brother Rice and Lincoln Way East as a senior… Also competed in rugby (sophomore year) and wrestling in high school… Hobbies include cooking and reading… Experienced five state championships in a row as his eighth-grade team won state before his high school team won state all four years… Academically, earned high honor roll and student of the month recognition.
 
Gunnar Perry, TE, 6-4, 235, Ellettsville, Ind. (Edgewood)
Plans to study sports management… Son of Kevin Perry, Jenny Perry and stepfather Vincent House… Has one brother (Jacob) and two sisters (Amelia and Paige)… Four-year varsity letter winner… Broke the following records as a high school junior – single-game tackles (23), single-game assisted tackles (16) and single-season tackles (139)… Two-time all-conference, two-time all-area and two-time all-Wabash Valley choice… Had 19 tackles in a game against state champion South Putnam his senior year to go along with an interception, three pass breakups and four catches for 32 yards… Also played baseball all four years of high school and earned all-conference honors… Team captain in football as a junior and senior… Enjoys hanging out with his friends, video games and fishing… Is the tallest of his siblings.
 
Luke Gouty, DB, 6-4, 185, New Lenox, Ill. (Lincoln Way West)
Intends to major in engineering… Son of Scott and Amy Gouty… Has two brothers, Zach and Ben… Two-year varsity letter winner… All-conference honoree… Had 11 tackles, an interception, a pass breakup and a fumble recovery against Lapeer his senior year… Also played basketball and baseball all four years of high school and has been a three-sport athlete since age 6… Team captain on the gridiron as a senior… Hobbies include sports, going to the gym and spending time with friends… Honor roll student.
 
Jayden Brogden, WR, 6-3, 210, Cincinnati, Ohio (Lakota West)
Has joined the program early as a midyear enrollee… Majoring in exercise science… Son of April and Quenten Brogden… Has a brother (Quenten Jr.) and two sisters (Naechelle and Tamyra)… Three-year varsity letter winner… Earned all-conference honors as a senior in addition to being named his team’s Receiver of the Year and Player of the Week… Had five receptions for 101 yards on Sept. 12, 2025 vs. Princeton and three receptions for 76 yards on Oct. 10, 2025 vs. Sycamore… Three-year member of his school’s track & field program and also played basketball as a freshman… Enjoys technology and being able to fix things… Has incredible handwriting… Loves cars… Member of the honor roll for the first and second quarters of his senior year.
 
Dominic Zienkiewicz, DL, 6-3, 280, Niles, Ill. (Notre Dame College Prep)
Plans to major in finance… Son of Margaret and Damian Zienkiewicz… Has one brother (Adam)… His uncle Adam Novak was a four-year defensive lineman at Saint Xavier University… Three-year varsity letter winner… Earned all-conference honors… Had a big game vs. St. Lawrence with seven tackles including six tackles for loss and a strip sack… Played basketball as a freshman and sophomore and competed in track & field in each of his first three years of high school… Hobbies include gaming, golfing, fishing, lifting and Star Wars… Transferred high schools for his senior year… Member of the honor roll all four years of high school.
 
Blake Thorp, DL/TE, 6-3, 265, Yorba Linda, Calif. (Yorba Linda)
Son of Kim and Paul Thorp… Has one brother (Max)… Four-year varsity letter winner… Two-time first team all-league, two-time third team all-orange county, two-time first team All-CIF – Division 2, conference Lineman of the Year, Yorba Linda Clean record holder (357 lbs), Yorba Linda Snatch recordholder (247 lbs)… Had two sacks, a safety and 11 tackles in a game against Tesoro as a junior… Team captain as a senior… Hobbies include hiking, fishing, hanging out with friends and playing video games… Began playing tackle football in eighth grade.
 
Bo Brunner, QB, 6-3, 200, Elkhart, Ind. (Concord Community)
Plans to major in engineering… Son of Ben and Maggie Brunner… Has two brothers, Tommy and Harry, and two sisters, Belle and Teddy… Sister Belle golfed at Valpo from 2021-2025, uncle Brian O’Connor played baseball at Valpo from 1996-1999 before being drafted by the Houston Astros and his grandfather Tom Brunner competed in track & field at Valpo from 1968-1972… Brother Tommy is a member of the men’s swimming program at Ball State… Three-year varsity letter winner… Earned all-conference honorable mention as a sophomore… Garnered first team all-conference and first-team all-area as a junior, when he was also the WSBT22 HS Spotlight Athlete of the Year, South Bend Tribune Athlete of the Week and Elkhart Truth Athlete of the Week… As a senior, set a school record for completion percentage (over 70 percent) while earning first team all-state, first team all-conference and first-team all-area… Led the state in punting as a senior… Selected to play in the IHSAA IFCA north/south game… Named Michiana Sports Student-Athlete of the Week, Michiana Sports Reliance Player of the Game, South Bend Tribune Athlete of the Week, Elkhart Truth Athlete of the Week, Goshen News Athlete of the Week, Indy Star Athlete of the Week nominee, Indy Star Regional Top Performer of the Week and ANEC Player of the Week… In the 2025 5A regional championship game against Lafayette Jefferson, he passed for 301 yards, rushed for 161 yards, scored three touchdowns and had one defensive interception… Also competed in track & field and basketball all four years of high school… Team captain on both the gridiron and diamond as a senior… Enjoys playing golf, being on the lake fishing and wake surfing… Writes left-handed but throws right-handed… Member of National Honor Society, academic honors and dean’s list.
 
Amir Plowden, DL, 6-1, 230, Crown Point, Ind. (Crown Point)
Plans to major in exercise science… Son of Frank Plowden and Miya Hawthorne… Has one brother (Ammar)… Two-year varsity letter winner… All-area honorable mention… Had four tackles and a sack against Michigan City as a senior… Also competed in wrestling and track & field… Team captain on the gridiron as a senior… Is graduating high school at age 17 with an honors diploma.
 
Willy Jackson, LB, 6-1, 225, Spokane, Wash. (Gonzaga Preparatory)
Intends to study mechanical engineering… Son of Kris and Heidi Jackson… Has one brother (Wren)… Father played football at Weber State, grandfather wrestled at Southern Utah, uncle wrestled at Cornell and another uncle played football at Southern Utah… Three-year varsity letter winner… All-league linebacker… Also played basketball as a freshman before competing in three years of wrestling… Team captain on the gridiron as a senior… Hobbies include fishing, guitar and playing with his dog… Has a fraternal twin.
 
Skyler Slifer, LB, 6-1, 215, Dayton, Ohio (Kettering Fairmont)
Plans to study criminology… Son of Danny and Alicia Slifer… Three-year varsity letter winner… Three-year starter… Team captain as a senior… Earned all-conference and all-region selection as a junior and senior… Had 16 tackles including 0.5 tackles for loss against Alter HS in 2025… Four-year varsity starter in baseball… Team captain as a senior in football and as a junior and senior in baseball… Hobbies include weightlifting, boxing and cards… Member of the athletic honor roll all four years.
 
Colten Tripp, DB, 5-11, 180, Dripping Springs, Texas (Dripping Springs)
Intends to major in business… Son of Dylan and Shauna Tripp… Has three brothers (Kody, Jadon and Dylan) and one sister (Kaylee)… Father Dylan played football at Montana State from 1993-1997… Three-year varsity letter winner… Two-time first team academic all-district, second team academic all-state, first team all-district and first team all-Central Texas… Had two interceptions including a pick six plus eight solo tackles, six assisted tackles and a forced fumble in a 2025 district playoff game vs. Harlan… Also competed in three years of track & field… Team captain on the gridiron in 2025… Hobbies include hunting, fishing and gaming… Enjoys going to the gym… Scored a 4 on the AP U.S. History (APUSH) exam.
 
Josh Ziebell, DB, 6-3, 190, Waukesha, Wis. (Waukesha West)
Interested in studying exercise science and business… Son of Patrick and Carrie Ziebell… Has a brother (Sam), who played basketball at Wisconsin Lutheran (2021-2025)… Dad Patrick played basketball at Carroll University (1988-1992), cousin Allie is a member of the women’s basketball program at UConn and uncle Mark played basketball at UW Oshkosh (1986-1990)… Three-year varsity letter winner… Earned 2025 all-conference honors… Led all defensive backs in Wisconsin’s largest conference with an average of nine tackles per game… 2025 Wisconsin Shrine Bowl All-Star Game nominee… Had 11 tackles, eight solos, an interception, a pass breakup and one reception for 15 yards in the 2025 Wisconsin state playoffs Level 1 game vs. Union Grove… Also competed in high school track & field (three years), basketball (three years) and lacrosse (one year)… 2026 captain in track & field… Hobbies include concerts, TV, video games and music… Played six different positions during his varsity football career including at times four positions within the same game. He played safety, cornerback, wide receiver, kick returner, punt returner and a series at quarterback.
 
Ilija (Eli) Erkapic, OL, 6-3, 200, Orland Park, Ill. (St. Rita)
Plans to major in business… Son of Iva Erkapic… Three-year varsity letter winner… Varsity starter, Prep Bowl champion and state runner-up… Allowed no sacks or pressures against two 4-star athletes (one who committed to USC) and three pancakes in Week 3 of his senior season vs. Mount Carmel… While in high school, also competed in three years of wrestling, three years of rugby and one year of volleyball… Hobbies include golf, hanging out with friends, going to concerts and watching comedy standups… Plays the piano and used to play the drums… Part of student government for four years and serves as vice president… Enrolled in all honors and AP classes, earning superior high honors.
 
Raphiel Stewart, WR, 5-10, 165, River Forest, Ill. (Fenwick)
Son of Parleta Phillips… Has a sister, Pearl… Three-year varsity letter winner… Two-time all-conference honorable mention… Earned the Friar Award… Had 167 receiving yards on three catches and two touchdowns in 2025 at Carmel Catholic… Also competed in basketball… 2025 team captain on the gridiron… Hobbies include gaming… Member of the honor roll.
 
Tyne Vettickal, WR, 6-1, 170, Valparaiso, Ind. (Wheeler)
Plans to major in business management… Son of Jay and Katie Vettickal… Has two sisters, Grace and Anna… Four-year varsity letter winner… Earned first team 2A all-state, first team all-conference and all-region… Had 152 receiving yards on eight receptions including a touchdown in a game against Griffith as a senior… Also played soccer and basketball all four years in addition to competing in two years of track & field… Enjoys watching and playing sports, building and fixing things and reading… Did not start playing football until eighth grade… Involved in athletic leadership, Natural Helpers and National Honor Society.
 
Braden Harms, WR, 6-3, 200, St. Charles, Ill. (St. Charles North)
Intends to study business… Son of Brian and Nicole Harms… Has two brothers, Dane and Colin… Three-year varsity letter winner… Earned all-conference, two-time all-area and two-time offensive player of the week… Had 42 catches for 705 yards, 10 touchdowns and one two-point conversion as a senior… Played both ways with 15 tackles… Started playing basketball in first grade… Hobbies include golf and lifting… Used to play baseball, hockey and soccer… Three-time member of the honor roll.
 
Spencer McCool, OL, 6-6, Sheridan, Wyo. (IMG Academy)
Plans to major in business… Son of Billy Wade and Michelene… Has a brother Billy Jack and a sister Lauren… Father Billy Wade McCool played football at Wake Forest (1999-2000) and Valdosta State (2000-2001) and rugby at North Texas (2001-2003), grandfather Daniel Vazquez played football at Wilbur Wright Junior College in Chicago (1967-68), great grandfather Bill Maniord played football at Allen Academy in Bryan, Texas, great grandfather Jack McCool played basketball for Lon Morris JC in Jacksonville, Texas, great-great uncle Shelby Metcalf played basketball for East Texas State and was an All-American before later coaching at Texas A&M… Brother Billy Jack was a freshman on the Valpo football team in 2025… Four-year varsity letter winner… Wyoming 2A all-conference, Big Horn High School Legacy Award, IMG Academy captain, IMG Academy Junior National Trenches Award, IMG Academy Academic Award… 95 percent individual performance grade vs. International Puerto Rico Team (2025), including numerous pancakes and consistent second-level blocking… Also played basketball as a freshman and sophomore and golf as a freshman… Team captain on the gridiron in 2025… Hobbies include sports, fishing, family travel, cooking, reading, weight lifting and saxophone… Played youth polo in Texas and worked cattle up in Wyoming… Member of high honor roll all four years of high school.
 
Russell Tye, RB, 5-9, 200, Cleveland, Ohio (Orange)
Plans to major in marketing… Son of Amy and Russell Tye… Has one sister (Lila)… Three-year varsity letter winner… Earned first-team all-district as well as second team all-state and first team all-conference… Set his school’s single-season rushing record, single-season touchdown record and became the school’s all-time leading rusher… Had 342 yards and two touchdowns on 35 carries against Harvey as a junior… Had the game-winning touchdown in the homecoming game against Harvey… As a junior, set the school rushing record at 1,872 on 216 carries and 24 touchdowns… Played hockey all four years of high school… Team captain on the gridiron from his sophomore through senior season… Hobbies include working out, time with family and God… Started playing football in high school.
 
Elijah Rose, RB/Slot, 5-7, 170, Texas (Kaufman)
Son of Darrick and Morgan Rose… Has two brothers (Darrick Jr. and Ethan) and one sister (Lyric)… Four-year varsity letter winner… First team all-district honoree… Had 200 rushing yards and 43 receiving yards in a game against Corsicana… Also competed in four years of track & field and three years of basketball… Was a team captain on the gridiron as a freshman… Has 14 siblings… Member of A-B honor roll.
 
Nikolas Kokosioulis, RB, 5-8, 170, Park Ridge, Ill. (Maine South)
Plans to study biomedical engineering… Son of Jim and Jocelyn Kokosioulis… Has a brother (Fotis) and a sister (Dimitra)… Three-year varsity letter winner… All-area first team, all-conference, academic all-state, player of the week and team captain… Candidate for Sports Illustrated National Boys Athlete of the Week (Nov. 3, 2025)… Rushed for 1,181 yards with 18 touchdowns and 397 receiving yards on 35 catches in 2025… Top-single game performance was a 2025 playoff game vs. Downers Grove South featuring 20 carries for 159 yards and five touchdowns and three receptions for 32 yards… Also competed in four years of track & field and one year of lacrosse… Team captain in football in 2025 and track & field in 2024 and 2025… Hobbies include mixed martial arts, weight lifting and watching movies… Can play the piano and ukulele… Has a 4.0 weighted GPA with three AP classes… Maine South Student of the Month for November 2025, IHSA Scholastic Achievement Award, Central Suburban League Scholar Athlete Award.
 
Edwynn Brazil, TE, 6-2, 220, Turlock, Calif. (Turlock)
Intends to pursue sports management/kinesiology… Son of Jeff and Amanda Brazil… Has one sister (Londyn)… aunt Stesha played softball at Fresno State, mom Amanda competed in rodeo at Tarleton, dad Jeff in rodeo at Fresno State, sister Londyn in rodeo at Texas A&M and aunt Kelly in rodeo at the University of Arizona… Three-year varsity letter winner… All-league, all-section and all-area honoree… Also competed in water polo, basketball, track & field and swimming… Team captain in both basketball and football… Hobbies include video games and weight lifting… Used to be a lineman… Honor roll all four years of high school.
 
Mac McCormick, DL, 6-4, 228, Vincennes, Ind. (Lincoln)
Majoring in business… Son of Will and Brittney McCormick… Has two brothers (Ben and Theo) and one sister (Ella)… Four-year varsity letter winner… all-state honoree as a junior and senior, county player of the year in 2024-25 and conference player of the year in 2025… Won SIAC Player of the Year in 2025… Also competed in four years of basketball and one year of golf… Team captain in both football and basketball… Hobbies include golf, basketball, hunting and fishing… Grew up on a farm… Honor roll every year of high school.
 
Kingston Coates, DL, 6-2, 250, Palo Cedro, Calif. (Foothill)
Plans to pursue history… Son of Autumn and Greg Coates… Has two brothers (Kamdyn and Kyler) and one sister (Kinlee)… Father Greg played football at Liberty in 1996 and great grandfather Bill Griffith played football at Air Force in 1952-53… Three-year varsity letter winner… Two-time all-league choice, two-time all-section third team and all-state medium schools… Had 12 tackles including three tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble at Enterprise in 2025… Also competed in three years of wrestling and one year of football… Enjoys video games, DnD and zombies… Has a matching tattoo with his mother and brother.
 
Chance Fanus, DB, 6-0, 175, Forney, Texas (Fortney Virtual Academy)
Intends to major in finance… Son of Jeff Rohman and Lauren Baker… Has a brother (Connor) and a sister (Tatum)… Brother has competed on the cross country team at East Texas A&M for two years… Three-year varsity letter winner… Two-time first team all-district, three-year varsity starter, first team all-conference honoree, Team Defensive MVP as a senior, school record holder for the longest defensive touchdown, school record holder for most interceptions in the playoffs (five)… As a senior, only gave up 41 yards and 12 complete passes on 40 attempts while generating two interceptions, 14 pass breakups, three tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries plus 37 tackles including 24 solos… Also competed in basketball as a freshman and sophomore… Hobbies include reading the bible, going to the gym, playing The Game, watching TV and Facetiming family/friends… Can windmill a 10-foot basketball hoop.
 
JD Friday, DB, 6-0, 145, Llano, Texas (Llano)
Plans to major in business… Son of Dwayne and Bridget… Has one brother (Trent)… Father (football) and mother (volleyball) were athletes at Midwestern State… Three-year varsity letter winner… Named all-state and team defensive and special teams MVP… Had two interceptions and two blocked kicks against Marion in 2024… Competed in four years of track & field… Enjoys cooking… Is a pro Fortnite player… Member of A-B honor roll.
 
Cordney Glaspie, DB, 6-0, 185, Fort Wayne, Ind. (Homestead)
Plans to study business analytics… Son of April Gregg and Cordney Glaspie… Has a brother (Damoney) and a sister (Marshela)… Three-year varsity letter winner… Two-time all-conference honorable mention choice… In a 2025 game vs. Northside, had an interception, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and four tackles… Also competed in track & field as a junior and senior… Team captain on the gridiron in 2025… Hobbies include cooking, video games and nature… Eats toaster strudels every day.
 
Nathan Foster, RB, 5-8, 185, Leo, Ind. (Leo)
Plans to study sports management… Son of Nathan and Jennifer Foster… Has a sister, Taylor… Three-year varsity letter winner… Earned first team all-conference in 2024 and 2025 and all-state in 2025 while also being named best running back in 2024 and 2025… Had 13 carries for 232 yards and four touchdowns while also recording an interception in 2025 vs. Norwell… Played basketball as a freshman and competed in track & field as a senior… 2025 team captain on the gridiron… Enjoys reading, training and listening to music… Enjoys everything horror… Member of the honor roll.
 
Drew Rosick, K, 6-0, 180, New Haven, Mich. (Armada)
Majoring in finance… Son of Andy and Tammi Rosick… Has one sister, Olyvia… Four-year varsity letter winner… Two-time all-county and an all-region honoree… Five-star kicker… Went 2-for-2 on field goals, 4-for-4 on PATs and 5-for-5 on touchbacks in a 2025 game vs. Croswell-Lexington… Also competed in soccer as a freshman and sophomore… Enjoys lifting, video games, shoes and golf… Won a dessert competition as a senior in culinary… Three-time all-academic team honoree and was named a student of the month.
 
Austin Hill, LB, 6-0, 240, Urbana, Ohio (Urbana)
Son of Keith and Amanda Hill… Has two brothers (Bryce and JJ) and a sister (Myah)… Four-year varsity letter winner… Second team running back as a freshman and sophomore and second team linebacker as a junior and senior… Southwest all-district linebacker as a junior and all-district special mention as a senior… Had 22 carries for 138 yards and three touchdowns plus 10 tackles including six solos and five tackles for loss in 2024 vs. North Union… Played three years of high school baseball… Team captain on the gridiron in 2025… Hobbies include sports, fishing, lifting and spending time with family… Wrestled for 11 years… Member of the honor roll.
 
Robbin Anzodru, DL, 6-3, San Diego, Calif. (Santa Fe Christian)
Plans to major in business… Son of Mikelina and Philip… Has one brother (Anthony) and four sisters (Mary, Helen, Unice and Annet)… Is related to MMA fighter David Onama… Four-year varsity letter winner… Defensive Player in San Diego All-Star Game… Top Defensive Player of the Year in San Diego and Defensive Player of the Game in CIF state playoffs, Defensive Player in San Diego All-Star Game… Competed in rugby his sophomore through senior year, football his freshman through senior year and track his freshman, sophomore and junior year… Also competed in soccer as a freshman and sophomore and lacrosse as a freshman and sophomore… Also played rugby all four years… Hobbies include going to the beach, snowboarding and surfing… Can do a backflip.
 
Cy Longley, WR, 6-0, 180, Brentwood, Tenn. (Ravenwood)
Plans to major in business… Son of Eric and Rouchelle… Has a brother (JD) and a sister (Elin)… Three-year varsity letter winner… First Team All-District… Had three receptions for 60 yards and three touchdowns against Summit… Also competed in three years of baseball and one of track & field… Hobbies include fishing and golf… Is originally from Atlanta.

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UINDY MEN’S BASKETBALL

HOUNDS DROP THURSDAY NIGHT BATTLE TO TRITONS

ST. LOUIS — UIndy fell to Missouri-St. Louis 62-58 on Thursday night at the Mark Twain Building. Despite the Greyhounds’ strong rebounding effort, collecting 40 total boards, the Tritons prevailed in a tense GLVC matchup.

INS&OUTS

Carmelo Harris led the Greyhound offense with 14 points with Shaun Arnold just behind him notching 13 of his own shooting 7-for-9 from the charity stripe.

The first half began with both teams exchanging leads in a competitive start. The Greyhounds took an early edge with Tyler Parrish contributing two 3-pointers, including one at 15:27 that put his squad ahead 12–8. The Greyhounds capitalized on their opportunities in the paint, with Shaun Arnold adding crucial points to keep them close. Despite their efforts, Mo.-St. Louis gained momentum in the latter part of the half, culminating in Jake Hamilton’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer, closing the half with the Greyhounds trailing 35–27.

UIndy made a strong push in the second half, highlighted by Carmelo Harris’s 3-pointer at the 14:07 mark, narrowing the gap to 42–38. Kelvin Amoako contributed significantly with a dunk and an assist, keeping the pressure on Mo.-St. Louis. Despite trailing for much of the half, UIndy managed to close the gap to two points with Harris’s fastbreak 3-pointer with 25 seconds left. The Tritons were able to break the Greyhound press and secure the victory with a Makeer Makeer layup to put them up ahead four, before a Miles Boland steal as the clock hit zero.

INSIDE THE BOX

-Arnold recorded his eighth double-double of the season, and third in a row, with 13 points and a new season-high 15 rebounds.

-The Hounds won out -rebounded their opponent 40-36.

-UIndy also won the turnover battle with two fewer turnovers than UMSL. 

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UINDY WRESTLING

WILD THURSDAY NIGHT DUAL ENDS IN TIE-BREAKER AGAINST #8 MCKENDREE

LEBANON, Ill. – The No. 25 UIndy wrestling team fell via a tiebreaker to the No. 8 team in the country, McKendree, on Thursday night, 20-19.

This is the first dual since 2023 that ended via a tiebreaker for UIndy, the Hounds won that dual in 2023 against No. 2 Nebraska-Kearney at the NWCA National Duals.

Thursday night’s dual was littered with ranked wrestlers, eight in total, with a ranked match up at the 133 weight class between Aidan Sprague and Thaddeus Long, and eight of the 10 bouts involving at least one ranked wrestler.

INS & OUTS

Things started off strong for the Hounds picking up two major decisions and a decision win in three of the first four matches of the night. At 125, Nathan Smith got things going for UIndy with an 11-4 decision win over Colton King. Smith’s two near falls and two reversals were good enough to push him past King.

Zach Haughton and No. 11 Gavin Garcia added another eight team points with major decision wins each in their bouts. Haughton pitched a shut out, his first shut out victory of the 2025-26 season, with a four-point near fall and a takedown. While Garcia showcased why he’s No. 12 in the country, closing things out with a massive eight point third period, and an 11-3 win over Logan Rathjen.

In the lone ranked-on-ranked match up of the night, No. 4 Thaddeus Long outlasted the relentless Sprague, who attempted to take down Long at multiple points in the second and third period, but was unsuccessful as Long’s two take downs proved to be enough over Sprague. The Hounds hung on to an 11-3 lead after four matches.

McKendree took four of the next five matches, with all four of those wins coming from top-15 nationally ranked Bearcat wrestlers. The lone win over that stretch came from Shane Bates who took advantage of Bruce Henry, in the 174 weight class, from the jump. His five point first period, and four point second period made for a comfortable third period for Bates to earn the major decision win.

Following No. 5 Logan Kvien’s pin victory over the latest GLVC Wrestler of the Week, Ethan Farnell, McKendree led 19-15 headed to the final match. With Cale Gray needing to pick up a pin victory to avoid the tiebreaker scenario, Gray did everything he could to find the necessary six team points.

Gray jumped out to a 12-3 lead to earn the four points needed for the tie, and attempted a pin twice in the final minute, but was unsuccessful as Casey Olszowka fended off those two attempts. With the score at 19 all, the first tiebreaker was the total number of pin wins. With Kvien’s pin that gave McKendree the one extra point to break the tie, after a wild back-and-forth affair on Thursday night.

#25 UINDY 19, #8 MCKENDREE 20

125: No. 12 Nathan Smith over Colton King (Dec 11-4)

133: No. 4 Thaddeus Long over No. 10 Aidan Sprague (Dec 9-2)

141: Zach Haughton over Aiden Colbert (MD 9-0)

149: No. 11 Gavin Garcia over Logan Rathjen (MD 11-3)

157: No. 15 James Hoskinson over Michael Ortega (Dec 7-1)

165: No. 4 Sam Richardson over Gavin Davis (MD 8-0)

174: Shane Bates over Brice Henry (MD 10-2)

184: No. 6 Darion Johnson over Christian Chavez (Dec 7-3)

197: No. 5 Logan Kvien over Ethan Farnell (Fall 2:03)

285: No. 11 Cale Gray over Casey Olszowka (MD 12-3)

UP NEXT

The Hounds will conclude its regular season this weekend with the Greyhound Duals and the Greyhound Open on Saturday Feb. 8 and Sunday Feb. 9.

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UINDY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL FALLS TO UMSL ON THURSDAY NIGHT

ST. LOUIS – Following the UIndy women’s basketball team’s 30-point win over Lincoln last Saturday, the Hounds dropped tonight’s contest on the road against nationally recognized UMSL, 64-51. UMSL was ranked No. 23 in the country last week, before dropping out and received 15 votes this week.

The Tritons extended its win streak over UIndy to five, with the Greyhounds’ last win coming in the 2023-24 season when UIndy prevailed 72-67.

Taylor Van Meter had her best game in a Greyhound uniform, eclipsing double-digit points for the first time in her freshman season. Autumn Rucker led UIndy in scoring tonight with 11 points, the 13th time this year she has amassed double figures.

INS & OUTS

After Amyrah Sapenter’s early three-pointer to take a 3-2 lead with 7:25 to go in the first quarter, the Tritons outpaced the Hounds the rest of the first quarter with a 17-7 run. UMSL went 8-for-13 from the field during that stretch, while the Hounds only managed three, with Halie Gilbert, Rucker and Sapenter making those three buckets.

Things remained a nine point game at halftime, with Van Meter collecting four of her 10 points over those 10 minutes, while Ruby Garner and Rucker combined for the Hounds’ other eight second quarter points.

But UMSL was able to take control of the game in the third quarter, outscoring UIndy 22-14 in the third, including a 12-5 run over the middle 5:22 of the quarter to extend the Tritons’ lead to 16. The Tritons continued to extend its lead with another scoring run, this time an 11-5 run, led by four point scorers, to its largest lead of the game, 23.

The Hounds ended the game on a 10-0 run to cut the lead to 13, but was not enough as the Tritons took the season series against UIndy.

INSIDE THE BOX

– The Hounds continued to get a lot of production from its bench, outsourcing the Tritons’ bench 22-3.

– Rucker paced the way on the boards for UIndy with six.

– Sapenter and Jaelynne Murray were the two lone Hounds with a three-pointer on the night.

UP NEXT

UIndy will remain in St. Louis for its second game of the weekend against Maryville at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday Feb. 7.

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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

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“SPORTS EXTRA”

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

On February 6 in …

1926 – NFL rules college students ineligible until graduate college classes.

1932 – First Olympics dog sled race, in Lake Placid, New York (demonstration sport).

1934 – Cincinnati Reds purchases 43-year-old Dazzy Vance from the Saint Louis Cardinals for $7,500.

1936 – (to February 16) The IV Olympic Winter Games are held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.

1941 – Auke Adema win 6th official Dutch 11 Cities Skating Race (9:19).

1947 – Compton and Arthur Morris both complete dual tons in same Test Cricket.

1948 – Donald Bradman retires hurt, 57 in his last Test Cricket innings in Australia.

1953 – Ian Craig makes Test Cricket debut at age 17 years 239 days, youngest Aussie.

1958 – Seven soccer players of Manchester United die in an air crash at Munich, Germany.

1958 – Ted Williams signs with Boston Red Sox for US$135,000, making him highest paid.

1967 – Heavyweight Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay) TKOs Ernie Terrell in 15 rounds in Houston, Texas, USA for heavyweight boxing title.

1968 – (to February 18) The X Olympic Winter Games are held in Grenoble, France.

1968 – Former US President Dwight Eisenhower shoots a hole-in-one in golf.

1970 – Graeme Pollock completes 274 versus Australia at Durban.

1970 – NBA expands to 18 teams with Buffalo, Cleveland, Houston and Portland.

1971 – First time a golf ball is hit on the Moon (by Alan Shepard).

1973 – 6th ABA All-Star Game: West 123 beats East 111 at Utah.

1973 – Bernice Fekete skips her curling rink to second straight 8-ender, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

1974 – Third time Texas Rangers shut-out New York Islanders 6-0.

1977 – 4th time New York Rangers shut-out New York Islanders 4-0.

1981 – Suleiman Nyambui runs world record 5k indoor (13:20.4).

1983 – 13th NFL Pro Bowl: NFC beats AFC 20-19.

1983 – Nancy Lopez wins LPGA Elizabeth Arden Golf Classic.

1986 – New Jersey Devils’ Peter McNab becomes the 42nd NHL player to score 350 goals.

1987 – US female Figure Skating championship won by Jill Trenary.

1990 – Brett Hull becomes first son of NHL 50 goal scorer (Bobby) to score 50.

1990 – Ground breaking begins on Baltimore Orioles’ new $102 million stadium.

1991 – Mousey Davis becomes the first coach of the New York-New Jersey Knights.

1993 – 44th NHL All-Star Game: Wales beat Campbell 16-6 at Montréal.

1993 – Riddick Bowe TKOs Michael Dokes in one round for heavyweight boxing title.

1994 – Dawn Coe-Jones win LPGA Healthsouth Palm Beach Golf Classic.

1994 – Leonid Voloshin triple jumps world record 17.77 metres.

1994 – NFL Pro Bowl: NFC beats AFC 17-3.

1995 – Darryl Strawberry suspended from baseball for 60 days.

1995 – Greg Blewett scores his second century in his second Test Cricket.

1998 – Minnesota Twins trade Chuck Knoblauch to New York Yankees for $3 million and four minor league players.

2005 – Super Bowl XXXIX: The New England Patriots win their second consecutive Super Bowl title, defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21.

Births of sports figures on February 6

1895 – Birth of George Herman Ruth AKA Babe Ruth in Baltimore, Maryland, USA; baseball player (Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, record 714 home runs).

1903 – Birth of John Dunning; cricket player (New Zealand medium-fast bowler of 1930s).

1910 – Birth of George H Poyser; English soccer player/manager (Brentford).

1911 – Birth of A W “Dooley” Briscoe; cricket player (batted in two Tests for South Africa 1930s).

1919 – Birth of Lindsay Tuckett; cricket player (son of Len, 9 Tests for South Africa 1947-49).

1924 – Birth of Billy W William; Ambrose right soccer star.

1927 – Birth of Smokey Burgess; American baseball catcher (Pittsburgh Pirates).

1929 – Birth of Sixten Jernberg in Sweden; skier (Olympics-gold-1956, 1960, 1964).

1931 – Birth of Freddie Trueman; cricket player (“Fiery Fred”, 307 wickets for England).

1940 – Birth of Jimmy Tarbuck; English comic/golfer.

1947 – Birth of Charles Hickcox; American 200-metre/400-metre medley swimmer (Olympics-3 gold-1968).

1949 – Birth of Manuel Orantes; tennis champion (US Open-1975).

1952 – Birth of Richard Charsworth; Australian women field hockey head coach (Olympics-1996).

1953 – Birth of Susie Hutchison in Flintridge, California, USA; equestrian show jumper (Olympics-1996).

1958 – Birth of Kelly Leadbetter in Phoenix, Arizona, USA; LPGA golfer (1986 Hennessy French Open).

1958 – Birth of Mark Hamilton in Louisville, Kentucky, USA; sprint kayak Olympics-1996).

1958 – Birth of Simon Baker; Australian speed walker, (Olympics-1984, 1988, 1996).

1963 – Birth of David Capel, cricket player (England all-rounder in 15 Tests 1987-90).

1963 – Birth of Mike Hough in Montréal, Quebec, Canada; NHL left wing (Florida Panthers).

1964 – Birth of Matt Hayes; Australian soling yachtsman (Olympics-1996).

1966 – Birth of Tom Tupa; NFL punter/quarterback (Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots).

1967 – Birth of Bennie Dekker; Dutch soccer player (NEC/AZ/De Graafschap).

1967 – Birth of Mike Evans; WLAF defensive tackle (Amsterdam Admirals).

1967 – Birth of Randy Hilliard; NFL defensive back (Denver Broncos-Superbowl 32).

1968 – Birth of Imtiaz Abbasi in United Arab Emirates; cricket wicket-keeper (World Cup 1996).

1968 – Birth of Malika Mahfoud in Copenhagen, Denmark; golfer (Gippsland Ladies Amateur).

1968 – Birth of Richard Newbill; WLAF linebacker (London Monarchs).

1969 – Birth of Anna Acker-Macosko in Marshfield, Wisconsin, USA; LPGA golfer (1995 Gold Coast Tour).

1969 – Birth of Bob Wickman in Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; pitcher (Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees).

1969 – Birth of Greg Patrick; WLAF safety (Frankfurt Galaxy).

1969 – Birth of James Jones; NFL defensive tackle (Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens).

1969 – Birth of Kurt Abbott; US baseball player (Florida Marlins).

1969 – Birth of Rajindra Dhanraj in Trinidad; cricket leg-spinner (West Indies 1994-95).

1970 – Birth of Jeff Rouse; American 50 metre/100 metre backstroke swimmer (Olympics-gold/silver-1992, 1996).

1970 – Birth of Mark Hutton in Adelaide, Australia; pitcher (New York Yankees).

1971 – Birth of Brad Hogg; cricket player (Western Australia chinaman all-rounder, Australia versus India 1996).

1971 – Birth of Carlos Rogers; NBA forward/center (Toronto Raptors).

1971 – Birth of Lance Bade in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; US double trap (Olympics-bronze-1996).

1971 – Birth of Mana Endo in Hiroshima, Japan; tennis star (1996 third round Australian Open).

1971 – Birth of Peter Tchernyshev in Saint Petersburg, Russia; dance skater (and Naomi Lang).

1972 – Birth of David Binn; NFL safety (San Diego Chargers).

1972 – Birth of Mark Labbrook; Australian 200 metre/400 metre runner (Olympics-1996).

1972 – Birth of Shawn Respert; NBA guard (Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors).

1973 – Birth of Arie Obdam; Dutch soccer player (FC Volendam).

1973 – Birth of Fred Miller; tackle (Saint Louis Rams).

1973 – Birth of Lulama Masikazana; cricket wicket-keeper (Kwazulu for E Province).

1974 – Birth of Nathan Davis; defensive tackle (Atlanta Falcons).

1974 – Birth of Olaf Lindenbergh; soccer player (Ajax, De Graafschap).

1975 – Birth of Chad Allen in Dallas, Texas, USA; baseball outfielder (Olympics-bronze-1996).

1975 – Birth of Leo Insam; hockey defenseman (Team Italy 1998).

1976 – Birth of Kim Zmeskal in Houston, Texas; US gymnast (Olympics-1992).

1983 – Birth of Sreesanth; Indian cricket player.

Deaths of sports figures on February 6

1964 – W L Cornford, England cricket wicket-keeper (4 Tests versus New Zealand 1930), dies.

2000 – Death of Philip F. “Ted Tappet” Walters in Homosassa, Florida; race car driver in Briggs Cunningham team in the 1950s.

On February 7 in …

1849 – American heavyweight boxing championship event is held at Roach’s Point, Maryland. Tom Hyer defeats James Ambrose AKA Yankee Sullivan in 17 minutes, 18 seconds.

1882 – Last bare knuckle champion John L Sullivan knocks out Paddy Ryan in Mississippi, USA.

1884 – Canadian Rugby Football Union forms.

1908 – Connie Mack sells hurler Rube Waddell to Saint Louis Browns for $5,000.

1912 – Second Dutch 11-city skate (Coen de Koenig wins with time of 11:40).

1942 – First indoor 15-foot pole vault (Cornelius Warmerdam, 15 feet 3/8 inch).

1949 – Joe DiMaggio becomes first US$100,000 per year baseball player (New York Yankees).

1958 – Brooklyn Dodgers officially become the Los Angeles Dodgers, Inc.

1959 – Dorothy Rigney sells Chicago White Sox to Bill Veeck for a reported US$27 million.

1970 – LSU’s “Pistol” Pete Marovich scores 69 points in losing cause.

1970 – US female Figure Skating championship won by Janet Lynn.

1970 – US male Figure Skating championship won by Tim Wood.

1973 – First time New York Rangers shut-out New York Islanders 6-0.

1975 – NBA New Orleans Jazz end a 28-game road losing streak.

1976 – Darryl Sittler, Toronto Maple Leafs, sets NHL record with ten points in a game.

1979 – Faoud Bacchus scores 250 for West Indies versus India at Kanpur.

1979 – Toronto Maple Leafs’ Darryl Sittler scores NHL record ten points (6 goals).

1982 – Joanne Carner wins LPGA Elizabeth Arden Golf Classic.

1985 – New Jersey Devils’ Don Lever becomes 57th NHL player to score 300 goals.

1986 – US female Figure Skating championship won by Debi Thomas.

1987 – US male Figure Skating championship won by Brian Boitano.

1987 – For only the second time, a Major League Baseball player is forced to take a pay cut due to salary arbitration. Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitcher Orel Hershiser signs for US$800,000 which is a twenty percent reduction.

1988 – 38th NBA All-Star Game: East beats West 138-133 at Chicago, Illinois.

1988 – NFL Pro Bowl: AFC beats NFC 15-6.

1988 – Nancy Lopez wins LPGA Mazda Golf Classic.

1989 – 40th NHL All-Star Game: Campbell beat Wales 9-5 at Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

1991 – Bob Knight, Larry O’Brien, Tiny Archibald, Dave Cowens, Harry Gallatin, and Larry Fleisher elected to NBA Hall of Fame.

1993 – NFL Pro Bowl: AFC beats NFC 23-20.

1993 – Tammie Green wins LPGA Healthsouth Palm Beach Golf Classic.

1995 – Last day of Test Cricket cricket for Graham Gooch and Mike Gatting.

1998 – (to February 22) The XVIII Olympic Winter Games are held in Nagano, Japan.

1998 – NHL’s Dallas Stars retire Neal Broten’s #7.

2005 – The Detroit Tigers sign right-fielder Magglio Ordonez for five-years for US$75 million.

2006 – Venezuela’s Caracas Lions wins its first Caribbean Series championship since 1989, defeating the Dominican Republic’s Licey Tigers.

2010 – The New Orleans Saints defeat the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 in the NFL Super Bowl at Dolphin Stadium in New Orleans, to claim their first NFL title.

2010 – The NFL Super Bowl is watched by more than 106 million people in the U.S., surpassing the 1983 finale of M*A*S*H to become the most-watched program in U.S. television history, according to the Neilsen Company.

2014 – (to February 23) The XXII Olympic Winter Games are held in Sochi, Russia.

2022 – At Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, NHL regular season game: Ottawa Senators beats New Jersey Devils by score 4-1.

2022 – At Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, NHL regular season game: Toronto Maple Leafs beats Carolina Hurricanes by score 4-3.

2023 – In a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Oklahoma Thunder in Los Angeles, California, LeBron James breaks the NBA’s all-time scoring record with his 38,387th point, passing previous record holder Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Births of sports figures on February 7

1902 – Birth of Ethelda Blebtrey in Waterford, New York, USA; 100 metre swimmer (Olympics-gold-1920).

1908 – Birth of Clarence Clarence Linden “Buster” Crabbe in Oakland, California, USA; swimmer (Olympics-gold-1932), actor (Tarzan the Fearless, Flash Gordon).

1909 – Birth of Joseph “Poeske” Scherens; Flemish cyclist (champion sprinter 1932-37).

1919 – Birth of Ilse Pausin in Austria; figure skating pairs (Olympics-silver-1936).

1921 – Birth of Athol Rowan; cricket player (brother of Eric, South African off-spinner).

1945 – Birth of Gerald Davies; British rugby player.

1949 – Birth of Sunil Wettimuny; cricket player (Sri Lanka open batsman 1975-79 World Cups).

1950 – Birth of Dan Quisenberry; baseball pitcher (Kansas City Royals).

1950 – Birth of Marilyn Cochran in Burlington, Vermont, USA; skier (Olympics-1972).

1951 – Birth of Manfred Schumann in the German Federal Republic; bobsled (Olympics-silver/bronze-1976).

1955 – Birth of Rolf Benirschke in Boston, Massachusetts, USA; NFL place kicker / Wheel of Fortune host.

1962 – Birth of Alan Sippy; cricket player (dashing Bombay lefty batsman of 1980s).

1963 – Birth of Roland Lefebvre; cricket pace bowler (Glamorgan and Holland).

1964 – Birth of Cynthia “Sippy” Woodhead in Riverside, California, USA; swimmer (Olympics-silver-1984).

1965 – Birth of Kristal Parker-Gregory in Columbus, Ohio, USA; LPGA golfer (1995 Hawaiian-20th).

1965 – Birth of Reginald Thal; soccer player (MVV).

1966 – Birth of Kristin Otto; swimmer (first woman athlete to win six gold medals at the Olympic Games (1988)).

1967 – Birth of Joseph Tilford Leigh Greene in Dayton, Ohio, USA; long jumper (Olympics-bronze-1992, 1996).

1968 – Birth of Martin Sinner in Koblenz, Germany; tennis star (1990 Pretoria).

1968 – Birth of Peter Bondra in Lutsk, Ukraine; NHL right wing (Washington Capitals).

1969 – Birth of Bucky Richardson; US football quarterback (Houston Oilers).

1969 – Birth of Fiona Robinson in Collie, Western Australia; basketball player (Olympics-bronze-1996).

1970 – Birth of Chris Gardocki; NFL punter (Indianapolis Colts).

1970 – Birth of Denis Chasse in Montréal, Quebec, Canada; NHL right wing (Winnipeg Jets).

1970 – Birth of Stanley Roberts; NBA center (Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves).

1971 – Birth of Andrew Currey; Australian javelin thrower (Olympics-1996).

1971 – Birth of Marvin Graves; Canadian Football League quarterback (Montreal Alouettes).

1972 – Birth of Aftab Habib; cricket player (Leicestershire right-handed batsman 1996).

1972 – Birth of John Slaney in Saint John’s, Newfoundland, Canada; NHL defenseman (Los Angeles Kings).

1973 – Birth of Billy Baumhoff in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA; soccer midfielder/forward (Olympics-gold-1996).

1973 – Birth of Juwan Howard; NBA forward/center (Washington Bullets/Wizards).

1973 – Birth of Kristin Godridge in Traralgon, Australia; tennis star (1993 Futures-Singapore).

1973 – Birth of Leanne Schuster in Mesa, Arizona, USA; WPVA volleyball player (National-9th-1995).

1973 – Birth of Sonia Paquette in St-Janvier, Québec, Canada; hurdler (Olympics-1996).

1973 – Birth of Tim Bowens; NFL defensive tackle (Miami Dolphins).

1974 – Birth of Ryan Phillips; linebacker (New York Giants).

1974 – Birth of Steve Nash; NBA guard (Phoenix Suns).

1975 – Birth of Alexandre Daigle in Montréal, Quebec, Canada; NHL center (Ottawa Senators).

1975 – Birth of Marika Lehtimaki; ice hockey center (Finland, Olympics-1998).

1976 – Birth of Terry Battle; running back (Detroit Lions).

1977 – Birth of Christine Scheels in New Berlin, Wisconsin; speed skater (Olympics-1994).

1977 – Birth of Hillary Wolf in Chicago, Illinois; extra lightweight judoka (Olympics-1996).

Deaths of sports figures on February 7

1911 – Harry Graham, cricket player (6 Test for Australia 1893-96, 301 runs), dies.

1940 – Francis Ford, cricket player (5 Tests for England versus Australia 1894-95), dies.

1942 – Dorando di Desiderio Pietri, marathon runner (Olympics-gold-1908), dies at age 56.

1962 – Arthur Carr, cricket player (11 Tests for England 22-29), dies shovelling snow.

1964 – Lillian Copeland, US discus thrower (Olympics-gold-32), dies at age 59.

1985 – Uday Merchant, cricket player (brother of Vijay, prolific scorer), dies.

1993 – Arthur Ashe, tennis star (Wimbledon 1975), dies of AIDS at age 49 (born 1943).

On February 8 in …

1896 – Western Conference forms of Midwestern University, later renamed Big 10 Conference.

1916 – American baseball’s National League votes down Charlie Ebbets proposal to limit 25-cent seats.

1935 – First NFL draft; Jay Berwanger of University of Chicago is first pick (by Philadelphia Eagles); he never plays in the NFL.

1936 – First ski jumping tournament, Red Wing, Minnesota, USA.

1936 – First successful Toronto Maple Leafs penalty shot, Conacher versus New York Rangers.

1947 – Jan van der Hoorn wins 8th Dutch 11-cities skating race (10:51).

1948 – V Olympic Winter Games close at Saint Moritz, Switzerland.

1953 – Betty Jameson wins LPGA Serbin Golf Open.

1960 – Boston Celtics’ Bill Russell becomes first NBA player with 50 rebounds (51).

1963 – AFL’s Dallas Texans become Kansas City Chiefs.

1967 – Longest losing streak in Toronto Maple Leaf history (ten games).

1972 – Josh Gibson and Buck Leonard selected to Baseball Hall of Fame.

1973 – Mushtaq and Asif Iqbal make 350 stand for fourth wicket versus New Zealand.

1975 – The Washington Capitals get only one shot in a period against the New York Islanders.

1976 – Jan Stephens wins LPGA Sarah Coventry Naples Golf Classic.

1976 – Largest crowd at Cleveland Coliseum (Cleveland Cavaliers vs Washington Bullets – 21,130).

1981 – Sally Little wins LPGA Elizabeth Arden Golf Classic.

1981 – US female Figure Skating championship won by Elaine Zayak.

1981 – US male Figure Skating championship won by Scott Hamilton.

1982 – The longest-playing infield foursome is broken up as the Los Angeles Dodgers trade Davey Lopes to the Oakland Athletics for minor leaguer Lance Hudson. The second baseman had played with Steve Garvey, Ron Cey and Bill Russell since 1974.

1983 – Champion thoroughbred Shergar kidnapped in Ireland; never found; Lloyds of London pays US$10.6 million insurance.

1983 – Wayne Gretzky sets NHL all star record of four goals in one period.

1983 – 35th NHL All-Star Game: Campbell beats Wales 9-3 at New York Islanders.

1983 – Baseball orders Mickey Mantle to sever ties with Claridge Casino.

1984 – Oakland Athletics take New York Yankees’ pitcher Tim Belcher as Type A free agent compensation.

1984 – (to February 19) The XIV Olympic Winter Games are held in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia.

1985 – First-class cricket debut of Jimmy Adams (age 17), Jamaica versus Barbados.

1985 – Bruce Morris, Marshall University, makes a 92-foot 5.25-inch basketball shot.

1985 – Michael Gross swims world record 800 metre freestyle (7:38.75).

1986 – Spud Webb (5 feet 7 inches tall) of Atlanta Hawks wins NBA Slam Dunk Competition.

1986 – US male Figure Skating championship won by Brian Boitano.

1987 – 37th NBA All-Star Game: West beats East 154-149 (overtime) at Seattle, Washington.

1987 – Nancy Lopez wins LPGA Sarasota Golf Classic.

1991 – Roger Clemens signs record $5,380,250 per year Boston Red Sox contract.

1992 – (to February 23) XVI Olympic Winter Games are held in Albertville, France.

1994 – Kapil Dev sets world record for Test Cricket wickets with 432.

1996 – NFL and Cleveland allows Art Modell to move his NFL franchise to Baltimore but he has to leave the Browns’ name behind.

1998 – First female ice hockey game in Olympics history: Finland beats Sweden 6-0.

1998 – 48th NBA All-Star Game East beats West 135-114 at New York City.

1998 – NHL stops season until February 24th to accommodate the Olympics.

2006 – Wayne Krivsky is selected as the Cincinnati Reds’ general manager, replacing Dan O’Brien.

2009 – First baseman Ryan Howard and the Philadelphia Phillies agree to a three-year, US$54 million contract.

2022 – At Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, NHL regular season game: Vancouver Canucks beats Arizona Coyotes by score 5-1.

2022 – At Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, NHL regular season game: Vegas Golden Knights beats Edmonton Oilers by score 4-0.

2022 – At Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, NHL regular season game: Winnipeg Jets beats Minnesota Wild by score 2-0.

2022 – At Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., USA, NHL regular season game: Columbus Blue Jackets beats Washington Capitals by score 5-4.

2022 – At Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, NHL regular season game: New Jersey Devils beats Montreal Canadiens by score 7-1.

2022 – At TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, NHL regular season game: Pittsburgh Penguins beats Boston Bruins by score 4-2.

2022 – At Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, NHL regular season game: Ottawa Senators beats Carolina Hurricanes by score 4-3.

Births of sports figures on February 8

1901 – Birth of Janina Spychajowa-Kurkowska in Poland; women’s world champion archer.

1925 – Birth of Raimondo d’Inzeo in Italy; equestrian (Olympics-gold/2 silver/3 bronze-1948-1976).

1930 – Birth of Catherine Hardy in Carollton, Georgia, USA; 4×100 metre runner (Olympics-gold-1952).

1936 – Birth of Cletis Boyer; third baseman (New York Yankees).

1936 – Birth of Manohar Hardikar; cricket player (batted in two Tests India versus West Indies 1958-59).

1942 – Birth of Fritz Peterson; baseball pitcher (New York Yankees).

1947 – Birth of Sam Gannon; cricket player (Australia lefty quick, three Tests versus India 1977-78).

1949 – Birth of Scott Allen, American skater (Olympics-bronze-1964).

1959 – Birth of Irina Kalinina in USSR; springboard diver (Olympics-gold-1980).

1960 – Birth of Alex Scott; British horse trainer.

1960 – Birth of Dino Ciccarelli in Ontario, Canada; NHL right wing (Minnesota North Stars, Washington Capitals).

1960 – Birth of Linda Fratianne in Los Angeles, California, USA; figure skater (Olympics-silver-1980).

1963 – Birth of Mohammad Azharuddin; cricket player (elegant Indian batsman 1984-).

1963 – Birth of Raleigh McKenzie; NFL center/guard (Philadelphia Eagles, San Diego Chargers).

1964 – Birth of Dennis Gibson; NFL inside linebacker (San Diego Chargers).

1965 – Birth of Carmen Savy in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; golfer (1990 Brisbane and District).

1965 – Birth of Jim Thornton; NFL tight end (Houston Oilers).

1965 – Birth of Lee Knight; Canadian Football League full back (Hamilton Tiger Cats).

1965 – Birth of Rod Bernstine; NFL running back (Denver Broncos).

1965 – Birth of Terry McDaniel; NFL cornerback (Oakland Raiders, Los Angeles Raiders).

1966 – Birth of Kirk Muller in Kingston, Ontario, Canada; NHL center (Toronto Maple Leafs).

1967 – Birth of Yvon Corriveau in Ontario, Canada; NHL left wing (Washington Capitals).

1968 – Birth of Joy Fawcett in Inglewood, California, USA; soccer defender (Olympics-1996).

1968 – Birth of Ron Goetz; Canadian Football League linebacker (Saskatchewan Roughriders).

1969 – Birth of Herb Hohenberger; hockey defenseman (Team Austria 1998).

1970 – Birth of Alonzo Mourning; NBA center (Miami Heat, Charlotte Hornets).

1970 – Birth of Cameron Cuffy; cricket player (Saint Vincent and West Indies fast bowler 1994-).

1972 – Birth of Adrian Rollins; cricket player (Derbyshire batsman, brother of Robert of Essex).

1972 – Birth of Marcus Pollard; NFL tight end (Indianapolis Colts).

1973 – Birth of Andreas Gliatis; soccer player (NEC).

1973 – Birth of Dave Dopek in Bolingbrook, Illinois, USA; 200 metre runner.

1973 – Birth of Eric Kresser; quarterback (Cincinnati Bengals).

1973 – Birth of Michelle Brogan; Australian basketball forward (Olympics-bronze-1996).

1973 – Birth of Tom King; Australian 470 class yachtsman (Olympics-1996).

1975 – Birth of Damon Denson; guard (New England Patriots).

1976 – Birth of Holly Manthei in Edina, Minnesota; soccer midfielder/forward (Olympics-1996).

1976 – Birth of Jim Parque in Norwalk, California; baseball pitcher (Olympics-bronze-1996).

1978 – Birth of Christa Williams in Houston, Texas; softball pitcher (Olympics-gold-1996).

1982 – Birth of Zersenay Tadese; Eritrean long distance track/road running athlete.

1983 – Birth of Atiba Hutchinson; Canadian football player.

Deaths of sports figures on February 8

1944 – Clem Wilson, cricket player (brother of Rockley, two Tests for England 1896), dies.

1956 – Connie Mack, baseball manager (Philadelphia Athletics, 1901-50), dies at age 93.

1973 – Herbie Taylor, cricket player (2936 runs in 42 Tests for South Africa), dies.

1984 – Death of Karel Miljon, Dutch boxer (born 1903).

1991 – Miran Bux, cricket player (two Tests for Pakistan 1954-55), dies at age 47.

2006 – Death of Ron Greenwood, English football manager (born 1921).

2017 – Death of Viktor Chanov, Ukrainian footballer (born 1959).

2017 – Death of Steve Sumner, English-born New Zealand footballer (born 1955).

===========

TV SPORTS

Friday, 2/6/2026

OLYMPICS	TIME ET	TV
Figure Skating: Rhythm Dance	3:55am	USA Peacock
Curling Mixed Doubles Prelims	4:05am	Peacock
Figure Skating: Pairs’ Short Program	5:35am	USA Peacock
Women’s Hockey: France vs Japan	6:10am	Peacock
Figure Skating: Women’s Short Program	5:35am	USA Peacock
Curling Mixed Doubles Prelims: USA vs Switzerland	8:35am	USA Peacock
Women’s Hockey: Czechia vs Switzerland	8:40am	Peacock
Opening Ceremony	2:00pm	NBC Peacock
NBA REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics	7:30pm	NBCS-BOS FanDuel Sports SUN
New York Knicks vs Detroit Pistons	7:30pm	Prime
New Orleans Pelicans vs Minnesota Timberwolves	8:00pm	GCSN FanDuel Sports North
Indiana Pacers vs Milwaukee Bucks	8:00pm	FanDuel Sports IND FanDuel Sports MIL
Memphis Grizzlies vs Portland Trail Blazers	10:00pm	FanDuel Sports MEM Rip City
Los Angeles Clippers vs Sacramento Kings	10:00pm	Prime
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL	TIME ET	TV
Loyola Chicago at Davidson	6:00pm	CBSSN
Dayton at VCU	7:00pm	ESPN2
Brown at Yale	7:00pm	ESPN+
UConn vs. St. John’s	8:00pm	FOX
Bradley at UNI	8:00pm	CBSSN
Drake at Illinois State	8:00pm	ESPN+
Belmont at UIC	9:00pm	ESPNU
GOLF	TIME ET	TV
PGA: WM Phoenix Open	3:30pm	GOLF
SOCCER	TIME ET	TV
Bundesliga: Union Berlin vs Eintracht Frankfurt	2:30pm	ESPN+
Ligue 1: Metz vs Lille	2:45pm	beIN Sports fuboTV
Serie A: Verona vs Pisa	2:45pm	Paramount+
La Liga: Celta de Vigo vs Osasuna	3:00pm	ESPN+ fuboTV
Liga MX: Tigres UANL vs Santos Laguna	8:00pm	fuboTV
Liga MX: Mazatlán vs Guadalajara	10:06pm	VIX

Saturday, 2/7/26

OLYMPICS	TIME ET	TV
Curling Mixed Doubles Prelims	4:05am	Peacock
Freestyle Skiing: Women’s Slopestyle Qualification	4:30am	USA Peacock
Alpine Skiing: Men’s Downhill	5:30am	USA Peacock
Women’s Hockey: Germany vs Japan	6:10am	Peacock
Cross-Country Skiing: Women’s 10km Skiathlon	7:00am	NBC Peacock
Freestyle Skiing: Men’s Slopestyle Qualification	8:00am	NBC Peacock
Curling Mixed Doubles Prelims	8:35am	Peacock
Women’s Hockey: Sweden vs Italy	8:40am	Peacock
Speed Skating: Women’s 3000m	10:00am	NBC Peacock
Women’s Hockey: United States vs Finland	10:40am	Peacock
Luge: Men’s Singles	11:00am	NBC Peacock
Ski Jumping: Women’s Normal Hil	12:45pm	Peacock
Curling Mixed Doubles Prelims	1:05pm	Peacock
Snowboarding: Men’s Big Air Final	1:30pm	USA Peacock
Figure Skating: Men’s Short Program	1:45pm	NBC Peacock
Women’s Hockey: Switzerland vs Canada	3:10pm	USA Peacock
Figure Skating: Free Dance	4:00pm	NBC Peacock
NBA REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Washington Wizards vs Brooklyn Nets	3:00pm	MNMT YES
Houston Rockets vs Oklahoma City Thunder	3:30pm	ABC ESPN+
Dallas Mavericks vs San Antonio Spurs	6:00pm	KFAA FanDuel Sports SW
Utah Jazz vs Orlando Magic	7:00pm	FanDuel Sports FL KJZZ
Charlotte Hornets vs Atlanta Hawks	7:30pm	FanDuel Sports ATL FanDuel Sports CHA
Denver Nuggets vs Chicago Bulls	8:00pm	ALT CHSN
Golden State Warriors vs Los Angeles Lakers	8:30pm	ABC ESPN+
Philadelphia 76ers vs Phoenix Suns	9:00pm	NBCS-PHI AFSN
Memphis Grizzlies vs Portland Trail Blazers	10:00pm	FanDuel Sports MEM Rip City
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Sacramento Kings	10:00pm	NBCS-CA NBCS-CA
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL	TIME ET	TV
Alabama at Auburn	TBA	ESPN/2
Wisconsin at Indiana	12:00pm	FOX
Arkansas at Mississippi State	12:00pm	ESPN/2
Syracuse at Virginia	12:00pm	ESPN/2
Villanova at Georgetown	12:00pm	TNT
Nebraska at Rutgers	12:00pm	BTN
Temple at East Carolina	12:00pm	ESPNU
Louisville at Wake Forest	12:00pm	ACCN
Drexel at Elon	12:00pm	CBSSN
Lafayette at Army West Point	12:00pm	ESPN+
Oregon at Purdue	1:00pm	CBS
Missouri at South Carolina	1:00pm	SECN
Saint Francis U at Le Moyne	1:00pm	NEC Front Row
Wagner at Central Connecticut	1:00pm	NEC Front Row
Chicago State at New Haven	1:00pm	NEC Front Row
Loyola Maryland at Boston University	1:00pm	ESPN+
ETSU at VMI	1:00pm	ESPN+
UMass at Coastal Carolina	1:00pm	ESPN+
Middle Tennessee at Delaware	1:00pm	ESPN+
Eastern Michigan at App State	1:00pm	ESPN+
Virginia Tech at NC State	1:30pm	CW
Ole Miss at Texas	2:00pm	ESPN/2
Baylor at Iowa State	2:00pm	ESPN/2
Butler at Marquette	2:00pm	FS1
Kansas State at TCU	2:00pm	TNT
Princeton at Penn	2:00pm	ESPNU
Miami (FL) at Boston College	2:00pm	ACCN
Missouri State at Liberty	2:00pm	CBSSN
George Washington at Duquesne	2:00pm	ATTSN-PIT
Lehigh at Holy Cross	2:00pm	NESN
Sacred Heart at Manhattan	2:00pm	SNY
Omaha at North Dakota State	2:00pm	WDAY-DT3
Richmond at Rhode Island	2:00pm	WLNE-DT5
Denver at North Dakota	2:00pm	MidCo Sports
St. Bonaventure at Fordham	2:00pm	ESPN+
The Citadel at Chattanooga	2:00pm	ESPN+
Gardner-Webb at Presbyterian	2:00pm	ESPN+
Northern Illinois at Georgia State	2:00pm	ESPN+
Siena at Saint Peter’s	2:00pm	ESPN+
Cornell at Columbia	2:00pm	ESPN+
Detroit Mercy at Green Bay	2:00pm	ESPN+
Jacksonville at West Georgia	2:00pm	ESPN+
Charleston Southern at USC Upstate	2:00pm	ESPN+
Niagara at Quinnipiac	2:00pm	ESPN+
Longwood at Winthrop	2:00pm	ESPN+
FGCU at Bellarmine	2:00pm	ESPN+
Cleveland State at IU Indianapolis	2:00pm	ESPN+
New Hampshire at Vermont	2:00pm	ESPN+
North Texas at UTSA	2:00pm	ESPN+
Campbell at North Carolina A&T	2:00pm	FloCollege
Utah at Kansas	2:30pm	FOX
William & Mary at Hampton	2:30pm	MNMT2
La Salle at Saint Louis	3:00pm	FanDuel Sports MW
North Florida at Queens	3:00pm	ESPN+
Bowling Green at Arkansas State	3:00pm	ESPN+
Kent State at Southern Miss	3:00pm	ESPN+
FIU at WKU	3:00pm	ESPN+
Western Michigan at Texas State	3:00pm	ESPN+
Ball State at ULM	3:00pm	ESPN+
Sam Houston at Louisiana Tech	3:00pm	ESPN+
Oklahoma at Vanderbilt	3:30pm	SECN
Mercyhurst at Fairleigh Dickinson	3:30pm	NEC Front Row
SMU at Pitt	3:45pm	CW
Oklahoma State at Arizona	4:00pm	ESPN/2
DePaul at Providence	4:00pm	FS1
Morehead State at UT Martin	4:00pm	ESPNU
Florida State at Notre Dame	4:00pm	ACCN
Towson at Hofstra	4:00pm	CBSSN
Northeastern at Stony Brook	4:00pm	SNY
Saint Joseph’s at George Mason	4:00pm	MASN
Cal Poly at UC Davis	4:00pm	Spectrum
Western Carolina at Wofford	4:00pm	ESPN+
Stonehill at LIU	4:00pm	NEC Front Row
Binghamton at NJIT	4:00pm	ESPN+
Central Michigan at Louisiana	4:00pm	ESPN+
Toledo at James Madison	4:00pm	ESPN+
UTA at Utah Valley	4:00pm	ESPN+
A&M-Corpus Christi at Nicholls	4:00pm	ESPN+
Buffalo at South Alabama	4:00pm	ESPN+
Miami (OH) at Marshall	4:00pm	ESPN+
Eastern Illinois at Tennessee Tech	4:00pm	ESPN+
SIUE at Little Rock	4:00pm	ESPN+
Maryland Eastern Shore at Morgan State	4:00pm	ESPN+
Maine at Bryant	4:00pm	ESPN+
American at Navy	4:00pm	ESPN+
North Carolina Central at Norfolk State	4:00pm	ESPN+
Grand Canyon at UNLV	4:30pm	FOX
Western Illinois at Tennessee State	4:30pm	ESPN+
Houston Christian at Southeastern Louisiana	4:30pm	ESPN+
Robert Morris at Youngstown State	4:30pm	ESPN+
Delaware State at Coppin State	4:30pm	ESPN+
Southern Indiana at Southeast Missouri	4:45pm	ESPN+
Milwaukee at Northern Kentucky	5:00pm	FanDuel Sports Ohio
Alabama State at Grambling State	5:00pm	SWAC TV
Harvard at Dartmouth	5:00pm	ESPN+
Stetson at Eastern Kentucky	5:00pm	ESPN+
Kennesaw State at Jacksonville State	5:00pm	ESPN+
Colgate at Bucknell	5:00pm	ESPN+
UIW at McNeese	5:00pm	ESPN+
Central Arkansas at Lipscomb	5:00pm	ESPN+
North Alabama at Austin Peay	5:00pm	ESPN+
Akron at Troy	6:00pm	ESPN2
Georgia at LSU	6:00pm	SECN
South Dakota at South Dakota State	6:00pm	CBSSN
Idaho at Montana	6:00pm	Scripp
Mercer at Samford	6:00pm	Nexstar
Gonzaga at Oregon State	6:00pm	KHQ
Jackson State at Mississippi Valley State	6:00pm	SWAC TV
Seton Hall at Creighton	6:00pm	Peacock
Northern Colorado at Idaho State	6:00pm	ESPN+
Northwestern State at East Texas A&M	6:00pm	ESPN+
Santa Clara at Washington State	6:00pm	ESPN+
Lamar at Stephen F. Austin	6:00pm	ESPN+
UTRGV at New Orleans	6:00pm	ESPN+
Ohio at Old Dominion	6:00pm	ESPN+
Duke at North Carolina	6:30pm	ESPN
Marist at Fairfield	7:00pm	SNY
Radford at High Point	7:00pm	ESPN+
Mount St. Mary’s at Iona	7:00pm	ESPN+
Purdue Fort Wayne at Wright State	7:00pm	ESPN+
Merrimack at Rider	7:00pm	ESPN+
South Carolina State at Howard	7:00pm	ESPN+
UMass Lowell at UAlbany	7:00pm	ESPN+
Illinois at Michigan State	8:00pm	FOX
San Diego State at Air Force	8:00pm	FS1
Georgia Tech at Stanford	8:00pm	ESPNU
Clemson at California	8:00pm	ACCN
Utah State at Wyoming	8:00pm	CBSSN
Eastern Washington at Montana State	8:00pm	ESPN+
Pacific at Pepperdine	8:00pm	ESPN+
Abilene Christian at California Baptist	8:00pm	ESPN+
Seattle U at Portland	8:00pm	ESPN+
Oral Roberts at St. Thomas	8:00pm	SUMMIT
Tennessee at Kentucky	8:30pm	ESPN
Florida at Texas A&M	8:30pm	SECN
Tarleton at Southern Utah	8:30pm	ESPN+
San Jose State at Colorado State	9:00pm	MWN
Northern Arizona at Weber State	9:00pm	ESPN+
NM State at UTEP	9:00pm	ESPN+
San Diego at Loyola Marymount	9:00pm	ESPN+
Arizona State at Colorado	9:30pm	ESPN2
Washington at UCLA	10:00pm	FS1
Cal Poly at UC Davis	10:00pm	ESPNU
Boise State at New Mexico	10:00pm	CBSSN
Fresno State at Nevada	10:00pm	KNSN
Portland State at Sacramento State	10:00pm	KMAX
Houston at BYU	10:30pm	ESPN
San Francisco at Saint Mary’s	11:30pm	ESPN2
GOLF	TIME ET	TV
PGA: WM Phoenix Open	12:00pm	GOLF
SOCCER	TIME ET	TV
EPL: Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur	7:30am	Peacock
La Liga: Rayo Vallecano vs Real Oviedo	8:00am	ESPN+
Serie A: Pisa vs Sassuolo	9:00am	Paramount+
Bundesliga: Mainz 05 vs Augsburg	9:30am	ESPN+
Bundesliga: Wolfsburg vs Borussia Dortmund	9:30am	ESPN+
Bundesliga: Freiburg vs Werder Bremen	9:30am	ESPN+
Bundesliga: Heidenheim vs Hamburger SV	9:30am	ESPN+
Bundesliga: St. Pauli vs Stuttgart	9:30am	ESPN+
EPL: AFC Bournemouth vs Aston Villa	10:00am	Peacock
EPL: Fulham vs Everton	10:00am	Peacock
EPL: Burnley vs West Ham United	10:00am	Peacock
EPL: Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Chelsea	10:00am	Peacock
EPL: Arsenal vs Sunderland	10:00am	Peacock
La Liga: Barcelona vs Mallorca	10:15am	ESPN+
Ligue 1: Lens vs Rennes	11:00am	beIN Sports fuboTV
Serie A: Genoa vs Napoli	12:00pm	Paramount+
Bundesliga: Borussia M’gladbach vs Bayer Leverkusen	12:30pm	ESPN+
La Liga: Barcelona vs Mallorca	12:30pm	ESPN+
EPL: Newcastle United vs Brentford	12:30pm	USA Peacock
Ligue 1: Brest vs Lorient	1:00pm	beIN Sports fuboTV
Serie A: Fiorentina vs Torino	2:45pm	Paramount+
EPL: Liverpool vs Newcastle United	3:00pm	Peacock
La Liga: Real Sociedad vs Elche	3:00pm	ESPN+
Ligue 1: Nantes vs Olympique Lyonnais	3:05pm	beIN Sports fuboTV
Liga MX: Toluca vs Cruz Azul	6:00pm	VIX
Liga MX: Atlas vs Pumas UNAM	8:00pm	VIX

Sunday, 2/8/26

NFL PLAYOFFS	TIME ET	TV
Super Bowl LX: Seattle vs. New England	6:30pm	NBC Peacock
NBA REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
New York Knicks vs Boston Celtics	12:30pm	ABC ESPN+
Miami Heat vs Washington Wizards	2:00pm	FanDuel Sports Sun MNMT
Los Angeles Clippers vs Minnesota Timberwolves	3:00pm	FanDuel Sports North FanDuel Sports SoCal
Indiana Pacers vs Toronto Raptors	3:00pm	FanDuel Sports IND SN
OLYMPICS	TIME ET	TV
Snowboarding: Women’s, Men’s Parallel Giant Slalom Qualification	3:00am	USA Peacock
Curling Mixed Doubles Prelims	4:05am	Peacock
Freestyle Skiing: Women’s Slopestyle Qualification	4:30am	USA Peacock
Alpine Skiing: Women’s Downhill	5:30am	USA Peacock
Cross-Country Skiing: Men’s 10km Skiathlon	6:30am	NBC Peacock
Snowboarding: Women’s, Men’s Parallel Giant Slalom Final	7:00am	NBC Peacock
Biathlon: Mixed Relay 4x6km	8:05am	NBC Peacock
Curling Mixed Doubles Prelims: United States vs Estonia	8:35am	USA
Curling Mixed Doubles Prelims	8:35am	Peacock
Speed Skating: Men’s 5000m	10:00am	NBC Peacock
Women’s Hockey: France vs Sweden	10:40am	Peacock
Luge: Men’s Singles	11:00am	USA Peacock
Curling Mixed Doubles Prelims	1:05pm	Peacock
Snowboarding: Men’s Big Air Final	1:30pm	USA Peacock
Figure Skating: Pairs’ Free Skate	1:30pm	USA Peacock
Snowboarding: Women’s Big Air Qualification	1:30pm	Peacock
Figure Skating: Women’s Free Skate	2:45pm	USA Peacock
Figure Skating: Men’s Free Skate	3:55pm	USA Peacock
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL	TIME ET	TV
USC at Penn State	12:00pm	BTN
Tulsa at South Florida	12:00pm	ESPNU
Texas Tech at West Virginia	1:00pm	FOX
Michigan at Ohio State	1:00pm	CBS
UNCG at Furman	1:00pm	ESPN2
Maryland at Minnesota	2:00pm	BTN
UCF at Cincinnati	2:00pm	CBSSN
Wichita State at Tulane	2:00pm	ESPN+
Charlotte at Memphis	2:00pm	ESPN+
Northwestern at Iowa	3:00pm	FS1
Rice at UAB	3:00pm	ESPN+
GOLF	TIME ET	TV
PGA: WM Phoenix Open	12:00pm	GOLF
SOCCER	TIME ET	TV
Serie A: Bologna vs Parma	6:30am	CBSSN Paramount+
La Liga: Deportivo Alavés vs Getafe	8:00am	ESPN+
Ligue 1: Strasbourg vs Metz	9:00am	beIN Sports fuboTV
Serie A: Lecce vs Udinese	9:00am	Paramount+
Serie A: Como vs Atalanta	9:00am	Paramount+
EPL: Brighton & Hove Albion vs Crystal Palace	9:00am	Peacock
EPL: Aston Villa vs Brentford	9:00am	Peacock
EPL: Nottingham Forest vs Crystal Palace	9:00am	Peacock
Ligue 1: Olympique Lyonnais vs Lille	9:00am	Peacock
Bundesliga: Köln vs RB Leipzig	9:30am	ESPN+
La Liga: Athletic Club vs Levante	10:15am	ESPN+
Ligue 1: Angers SCO vs Toulouse	11:15am	beIN Sports fuboTV
Ligue 1: Le Havre vs Strasbourg	11:15am	beIN Sports fuboTV
Ligue 1: Auxerre vs Paris	11:15am	beIN Sports fuboTV
EPL: Liverpool vs Manchester City	11:30am	Peacock
Bundesliga: Bayern München vs Hoffenheim	11:30am	ESPN+
Serie A: Sassuolo vs Internazionale	12:00pm	Paramount+
La Liga: Atlético Madrid vs Real Betis	12:30pm	ESPN+
Serie A: Juventus vs Lazio	2:45pm	Paramount+
Ligue 1: PSG vs Olympique Marseille	2:45pm	beIN Sports fuboTV
La Liga: Valencia vs Real Madrid	3:00pm	ESPN+
Liga MX: Querétaro vs Pachuca	6:00pm	VIX

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