Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Excited For Holidays In New York
12/8/2015 10:45:00 AM | Football
By: Sam Beishuizen | Twitter
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Zack Shaw waited five years for the surprise that came at the end of practice Sunday afternoon.
Indiana Director of Athletics Fred Glass showed up to the team's huddle with a message to deliver. Truth be told, the Hoosiers already had a pretty good idea of what he was about to say.
Glass told the team he was proud of what they'd accomplished and that he'd just gotten off the phone with a certain bowl representative. He reached into a bag and pulled out a red
Yankees cap and told the team they were heading to New York to play in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl against Duke.
Shaw's Indiana Hoosiers were finally going bowling.
"It's hard to put into words," Shaw said. "You wait so long for something like that to happen. When it did, everyone was just really excited because it's sort of happening. This is what you play for."
Shaw put in his time. The bandit returned for a fifth season knowing a bowl was within reach, but it was never certain until the Hoosiers defeated Purdue in the final week to punch their ticket to the postseason.
His relief was shared among Indiana's senior class that, in its last season, reached the bowl game they strived for when they arrived in Bloomington as freshmen.
"I'm very proud," senior quarterback Nate Sudfeld said. "Ultimately, we wanted to get to the postseason. We were aware that if we didn't take care of business at the end of the season here, and really throughout the season, that we would never have that opportunity (as seniors). Everybody should be able to experience a bowl game."
Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson is admittedly not much of a baseball fan, but he couldn't shrug off the magnitude of playing a game at Yankee Stadium the day after Christmas. The national television exposure during the holiday season in a city like New York should bring Wilson's program additional attention, which could pay dividends down the line with recruiting.
"I wouldn't say I'm the biggest baseball guy ever, but the first time I went to Wrigley Field, I almost started crying," Wilson said. "They've got a new stadium, not the same field. But it's kind of neat to play in one of the great cities. It's going to be kind of neat to play in a great venue."
Redshirt sophomore linebacker Marcus Oliver is simply happy he can stop worrying about where he'll be playing.
Oliver was one of the Hoosiers who spent the week weighing the bowl options trying to figure out which one Indiana would be invited to. It was mostly guesswork that kept he and his teammates busy during a slow week as they counted down the days to selection Sunday.
"It was stressful, but it was also kind of fun," Oliver said. "Just being able to be around these guys, and when we found out seeing how happy everyone was. You understand why this is so important. This is why you play."
Earlier last week, knowing New York was a potential bowl destination, Wilson asked how many of his players had visited New York before. He was curious more than anything else.
"I think about 20 of our kids raised their hands," Wilson said.
That's about to change.
And Indiana wouldn't have it any other way.
"Christmas in New York," Shaw said," It's going to be fun."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Zack Shaw waited five years for the surprise that came at the end of practice Sunday afternoon.
Indiana Director of Athletics Fred Glass showed up to the team's huddle with a message to deliver. Truth be told, the Hoosiers already had a pretty good idea of what he was about to say.
Glass told the team he was proud of what they'd accomplished and that he'd just gotten off the phone with a certain bowl representative. He reached into a bag and pulled out a red
Yankees cap and told the team they were heading to New York to play in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl against Duke.
Shaw's Indiana Hoosiers were finally going bowling.
"It's hard to put into words," Shaw said. "You wait so long for something like that to happen. When it did, everyone was just really excited because it's sort of happening. This is what you play for."
Shaw put in his time. The bandit returned for a fifth season knowing a bowl was within reach, but it was never certain until the Hoosiers defeated Purdue in the final week to punch their ticket to the postseason.
His relief was shared among Indiana's senior class that, in its last season, reached the bowl game they strived for when they arrived in Bloomington as freshmen.
"I'm very proud," senior quarterback Nate Sudfeld said. "Ultimately, we wanted to get to the postseason. We were aware that if we didn't take care of business at the end of the season here, and really throughout the season, that we would never have that opportunity (as seniors). Everybody should be able to experience a bowl game."
Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson is admittedly not much of a baseball fan, but he couldn't shrug off the magnitude of playing a game at Yankee Stadium the day after Christmas. The national television exposure during the holiday season in a city like New York should bring Wilson's program additional attention, which could pay dividends down the line with recruiting.
"I wouldn't say I'm the biggest baseball guy ever, but the first time I went to Wrigley Field, I almost started crying," Wilson said. "They've got a new stadium, not the same field. But it's kind of neat to play in one of the great cities. It's going to be kind of neat to play in a great venue."
Redshirt sophomore linebacker Marcus Oliver is simply happy he can stop worrying about where he'll be playing.
Oliver was one of the Hoosiers who spent the week weighing the bowl options trying to figure out which one Indiana would be invited to. It was mostly guesswork that kept he and his teammates busy during a slow week as they counted down the days to selection Sunday.
"It was stressful, but it was also kind of fun," Oliver said. "Just being able to be around these guys, and when we found out seeing how happy everyone was. You understand why this is so important. This is why you play."
Earlier last week, knowing New York was a potential bowl destination, Wilson asked how many of his players had visited New York before. He was curious more than anything else.
"I think about 20 of our kids raised their hands," Wilson said.
That's about to change.
And Indiana wouldn't have it any other way.
"Christmas in New York," Shaw said," It's going to be fun."
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