Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Athletics September in Review
10/3/2006 12:00:00 AM | General
Oct. 3, 2006
Indiana Athletics kicked off the 2006-07 season in dramatic fashion. IUHOOSIERS.com takes a look back at the first month of the season with its September In Review.
DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS FACILITY ENHANCEMENT PLAN
On Sept. 22, The Indiana University Trustees approved an estimated $55 million in facility enhancements for the IU Department of Athletics. The facilities master plan is highlighted by four major projects; three entirely new structures and one significant retrofit and renovation.
"Indiana is an elite institution that competes with other top universities in every facet of its educational mission," Greenspan said. "In order for the athletic program at IU to continue to compete at that high level, we must invest in our success and that means providing comparable resources and facilities to that of our peers."
The Memorial Stadium North End Zone Project will house a new, state-of-the-art strength development area used by over 600 Indiana student-athletes. In addition, coaches offices and meeting space for the football program, a Hall of Honor which will spotlight successful student-athletes and teams throughout the history of IU athletics and athletic administration offices will be a part of the plan. The project also calls for the removal of the north and south end zone bleachers.
Architect's plans call for the Indiana basketball teams to have a new facility to call home. The Indiana Basketball Development Center will serve as the daily headquarters for the men's and women's programs, featuring practice courts, locker rooms, coach's offices and meeting rooms for each team, as well as a training room and strength development area. The addition of the center will alleviate serious overcrowding issues encountered in the current facility.
The Student Development and Compliance unit at Indiana University will relocate as a part of the facilities plan, moving from a modest 2,500 square foot space in Assembly Hall to a spacious and renovated 18,000 square foot area located on the east side of Memorial Stadium. Classrooms, private tutoring space, study areas, computer labs and staff offices will all be housed in the Academic Center for Excellence.
The final component of the facilities upgrade involves the construction of the Hoosier Baseball and Softball Complex, just north of the Mellencamp Pavilion and Indiana Tennis Center. Both stadiums will feature a state-of-the-art playing surface, press box, indoor batting cages and bullpens. Likewise, the baseball and softball projects will include new locker rooms and offices adjacent to the stadiums. These upgrades will position IU to host future Big Ten and NCAA post season play, as well as elite amateur tournaments.
FIELD HOCKEY
Following dramatic victories over Iowa and then-No. 5 Ohio State, the No. 12 Indiana field hockey team is on a school record 11-game winning streak. After a season-opening loss to then-No. 19 Virginia, the Hoosiers are now 11-1 overall and 3-0 in the Big Ten.
IU is receiving proper recognition for its success, as it swept the Big Ten's weekly field hockey honors the conference announced on Oct. 2. Junior forward Kate O'Connell earned offensive player of the week, while junior goalkeeper Haley Exner was tabbed the week's top defensive player. For the weekend, O'Connell took three shots, scored three goals, notched one assist for seven points, while contributing to every Indiana score. Currently, she is second on the team in goals (7) and points (20).
Exner turned in an equally impressive performance against Iowa and Ohio State. The San Diego, Calif., native held the Hawkeyes scoreless until 67th minute, recording seven saves in the win. She followed that performance with an even better one, tallying an impressive season-high 11 saves against the Buckeyes.
Coach Amy Robertson also received some promising facility news, as an outdoor facility is becoming a reality for the Indiana field hockey program. Visible and steady progress is being made on the state-of the-art $1.5 million facility, complete with a synthetic playing surface and watering system. The facility is on schedule for completion late this fall in time for the 2007 season.
WOMEN'S SOCCER
Fifth-year head coach Mick Lyon's soccer team is off to a 7-2-3 overall start and a 4-0 ledger in the Big Ten Conference. This marks the first time in program history that the Hoosiers are off to a 4-0 league start.
Indiana is unbeaten in its last 10 matches and has recorded five shutouts on the year. The Hoosiers are also receiving their proper league and national recognition, as junior defender Jenna Babcock was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for the period ending Oct. 1. Babcock spearheaded the Hoosiers' defensive gems against Michigan and Michigan State to also earn a spot on TopDrawerSoccer.com's National Team of the Week. In addition, senior midfielder Ali Brown was named to the TopDrawerSoccer.com and SoccerBuzz.com National Teams of the Week after scoring two goals and assisting on a third in Indiana's two victories over Minnesota and Ohio State.
MEN'S SOCCER
The 6-3-2 (1-0-1 in the Big Ten) Indiana men's soccer team has played seven overtime matches in its first 11 contests. Redshirt freshman Darren Yeagle scored the golden goal in double overtime to give the Hoosiers their first Big Ten win of the season, 2-1 against Michigan State at Oct. 1. Yeagle was named Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts against the Spartans and in a 1-0 overtime victory over Kentucky on Sept. 27. Yeagle leads Indiana with five goals and 11 points on the year.
VOLLEYBALL
The 10-6 Indiana volleyball team opens AT&T Crimson and Gold Cup competition on Oct. 4 when it hosts Purdue at 7 p.m. at University Gym. The Hoosiers set a new attendance record of 1,362 at University Gym on Sept. 30, but fell to No. 13 Ohio State 3-1.
On Sept. 22, the Hoosiers used 23 total blocks, the third-best total in program history, to upend then-No. 19 Michigan, 3-2. Indiana also captured the IU Credit Union title on Sept. 15-16 by defeating Chattanooga, Mercer and SMU.
CROSS COUNTRY
The No. 26 Indiana women's cross country captured its fourth straight Indiana Intercollegiates title on Sept. 15 at the LaVerne Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, Ind. This is also the site of the Nov. 20 NCAA Championship meet. Senior All-American Jessica Gall won the individual championship in a career-best 17:36.3.
Freshman Jordan Kyle recorded his first career meet win while pacing the Indiana men's cross country team with a career-best 8K time of 24:45.36 to lead the Hoosiers to the George Mason Invitational title on Sept. 30.
FOOTBALL
Indiana is 2-3 and 0-1 as it continues its Big Ten schedule at Illinois on Oct. 7. Sophomore Marcus Thigpen leads the nation in kickoff return average (38.44 yards per return as of Sept. 30), and the Hoosiers are the top kickoff return team at 25.44 yards per return.
Junior cornerback Tracy Porter also ranks among the Big Ten and national leaders in interceptions. Porter is tied for seventh on the Hoosiers' career list with nine interceptions, and he had two interceptions and a blocked punt on Sept. 23 against Connecticut.
In the Sept. 2 season opener against Western Michigan, Porter returned a punt 86 yards for a touchdown, and cornerback Chris Phillips had a 66-yard interception return for a touchdown, marking the first time since Sept. 20, 1980 (Tim Wilbur vs. Kentucky) that IU had an interception and punt return for a touchdown in the same game.
