Slugging his way to IU Hall of Fame: Check out photos of Kyle Schwarber days as a Hoosier
Kyle Schwarber of IU connected on this swing to hit a home run with a runner on to put IU up 3-0 over Stanford early in the rain delayed game. IU met Stanford in an NCAA baseball tournament game Monday June 2, 2014 at Indiana University.
Rob Goebel / The Star
Kyle Schwarber and Lee Corso pick Indiana to win on College Gameday before the start of the Indiana versus Washington football game at Memorial Stadium on Oct. 26, 2024.
Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times
Indiana University catcher Kyle Schwarber (10) concentrates on the throw to home as Stanford University's Alex Blandino (1) slides in safely for the score. Indiana University played Stanford University in the semi-final round of the NCAA Regional Baseball tournament, Saturday, May 31, 2014, in Bloomington, Ind.
Doug McSchooler/for The Star
Kyle Schwarber of IU is greeted at home plate by Scott Donley and Tim O'Conner after Schwarber hit a home run with a runner on to put IU up 3-0 over Stanford early in the rain delayed game. IU met Stanford in an NCAA baseball tournament game Monday June 2, 2014 at Indiana University.
Rob Goebel / The Star
Indiana's Kyle Schwarber celebrates after scoring Indiana's first run in the first inning against Louisville in Saturday's second College World Series game in Omaha. (By Matt Stone, The Courier-Journal) June 15, 2013
Matt Stone, Matt Stone/The Courier-Journal
Kyle Schwarber, shown during his playing days at Indiana, is off to a strong start in the minors.
Melina Vastola, USA TODAY Sports
Indiana center fielder Kyle Schwarber (10) celebrates with teammates after a home run in the game against Florida State during the Tallahassee super regional of the 2013 NCAA baseball tournament at Dick Howser Stadium.
Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports
Indiana's Kyle Schwarber celebrates after scoring Indiana's first run in the first inning against Louisville in the College World Series in Omaha, June 15, 2013.
Matt Stone/The Courier-Journal
Indiana's Kyle Schwarber warms up his bat under a dougout heater in the seventh inning as Indiana played Xavier at Bart Kaufman Field at Bloomington Wednesday March 5, 2014.
Joe Vitti/The Star
Indiana Hoosiers catcher Kyle Schwarber (10) during their College World Series game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at TD Ameritrade Park.
Dave Weaver-USA Today Sports
Indiana Hoosiers catcher/outfielder Kyle Schwarber (10) during open practice and media availability at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha in Omaha, NE., Friday, June 14, 2013.
Chris Howell | Herald-Times
Indiana Hoosiers catcher/outfielder Kyle Schwarber (10) and Indiana Hoosiers pitcher/infielder Christian Morris (21) sign autographs on their way off the field during open practice and media availability at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha in Omaha, NE., Friday, June 14, 2013.
Chris Howell | Herald-Times
Indiana Hoosiers catcher/outfielder Kyle Schwarber (10) signs autographs during open practice and media availability at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha in Omaha, NE., Friday, June 14, 2013.
Indiana Hoosiers catcher/outfielder Kyle Schwarber (10) and the Hoosiers make their way to a holding area as they file into the park before the Indiana Louisville College World Series game at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha in Omaha, NE., Saturday, June 15, 2013.
Chris Howell | Herald-Times
Indiana Hoosiers catcher/outfielder Kyle Schwarber (10) and the Hoosiers celebrate their win after the Indiana Louisville College World Series game at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha in Omaha, NE., Saturday, June 15, 2013. Indiana won 2-0.
Chris Howell | Herald-Times
Indiana Hoosiers catcher/outfielder Kyle Schwarber (10) tries to slide into home but is tagged out by Louisville outfielder Shane Crain (41) during the Indiana Louisville College World Series game at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha in Omaha, NE., Saturday, June 15, 2013.
Chris Howell | Herald-Times
Indiana catcher Kyle Schwarber (10) rounds the bases after hitting a home run against Austin Peay during Sunday\'s Bloomington Regional championship.
Jeremy Hogan | Herald-Times
Indiana's Kyle Schwarber rounds second as teammate Sam Travis rounds first in the background on his double during the Indiana Minnesota baseball game at Bart Kaufman Field in Bloomington, Ind. Saturday, May 17, 2014.
Chris Howell | Herald-Times
Indiana's Kyle Schwarber runs into third on his way to home during the Indiana Purdue baseball game at Bart Kaufman Field at Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind. Friday, May 2, 2014.
Chris Howell | Herald-Times
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New York Times
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- New York Times
UDFAs know the odds, and they don't care. Get to know 2 Colts determined to defy expectations
WESTFIELD, Ind. — The clock is ticking on their careers. Tough decisions will soon need to be made. This is the time of year when undrafted rookies are living out their dreams, knowing in the back of their minds that they have yet to be fully realized. It could all be gone at any moment, snatched away as NFL franchises pare down their 90-man summer rosters. Only 53 players make the final cut. When you start adding up the returning stars, veterans and this year's draft picks, there's not much room left for the undrafted free agents. Advertisement But these players know the odds they face. The chances they make the Week 1 roster as an undrafted rookie are overwhelmingly slim, yet a pair of Indianapolis Colts, Devonta Davis and Tyler Kahmann, believe they can beat those odds in Indianapolis. If they didn't have that type of mindset, well, they wouldn't have made it this far anyway. Davis once played for Deion Sanders at a school he was never supposed to attend. Kahmann, meanwhile, rewrote the record books at a university that's never produced an NFL wide receiver. Both refuse to call earning a training camp spot the peak of their football careers. 'I'm never really content,' Kahmann said. 'I have had conversations with my family and stuff, and they tell me the same thing, like, 'Appreciate it. It's really cool what you're doing. Not a lot of people get this opportunity.' That's great, but I'm striving for more.' Davis' helmet rested upon his forehead, halfway on. His blue jersey had almost turned black, wet from all the sweat that had soaked through the fabric. As nearby Colts fans screamed for Davis' autograph, with most of them having no clue who he was, a smile crept across his face. All those fans saw was a big man in an NFL practice jersey. They had no idea what it took for the undrafted rookie to wear it. 'Once we reported back for training camp that first day, that's when it felt real,' Davis said as he took in the scene at a recent training camp practice. 'Just seeing how the vets were moving around, I feel like that was my welcome-to-the-league moment.' Davis' path to the doorstep of the NFL was in no way conventional and in so many ways improbable. He didn't grow up in a big city with abundant recruiting exposure. His hometown of Union Springs, Ala., has a population of 3,358 people, per the 2020 census. The median household income in Union Springs is $25,828. Advertisement In April, Davis inked a three-year, $2.7 million contract, though only $3,000 is guaranteed, per Over The Cap. To earn the rest, he'll have to make the Colts' final 53-man roster. 'Getting a shot to play in the league, it's never been done in my city,' Davis said. 'I would be the first.' Most people from Union Springs, Ala., don't leave, Davis explained, but he always dreamed of a life outside its borders. Football granted him the opportunity to blossom beyond his environment. Davis' willingness to reach for an uncertain future, while drawing strength from his humble past, has taken him places he never could've imagined. Before he shared a locker room with DeForest Buckner and Jonathan Taylor in Indianapolis, he shared one with Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders in Mississippi. And it was an accident he wound up at Jackson State to call Deion Sanders his head coach. When Davis was filling out college applications, he said he rushed through the process and mistakenly applied for Jackson State University in Jackson, Miss., instead of Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Ala. 'Luckily, my high school coach, Willie Spears, knew a couple of people from Jackson State,' Davis said. 'So, he got them to come down to the high school, and once they seen my size and everything, they just told me they were gonna offer me (a scholarship).' Spears, who coached Davis at Bullock County High School in Union Springs, Ala., said his former player hardly knew where to stand when Spears took over the program midway through Davis' prep career. Explaining the three-technique position to Davis felt like teaching a foreign language. 'He didn't know any football,' Spears said, laughing. '… My first day, we had a workout, but he and another kid were going with one of the assistant coaches to a University of Alabama Birmingham (football) camp. He apologized, and he was so upset. He said, 'Coach, I'm so sorry, but we already paid for this camp. … But I promise you, I'll never miss another workout.'' Advertisement Davis kept his word, and his dedication helped him blossom into one of Bullock County's top players. Davis' diligence, Spears said, is why he was so willing to vouch for Davis to continue his career at Jackson State. Davis 'gray-shirted' his first year on campus in 2019, meaning Jackson State didn't put him on scholarship until the second semester of his freshman year, so he did not play for the Tigers that season. Davis didn't play in 2020 either, which was Sanders' first year with the program, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, when Davis finally made his debut in 2021, he became one of the most reliable players on the team over his next three seasons. Davis was named a two-time team captain under Sanders and helped the Tigers win back-to-back division and conference titles in 2021 and 2022. After proving himself in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, Davis said he was inspired, in part, by Hunter and Shedeur Sanders, both of whom transferred from Jackson State to Colorado after the 2022 season and shined on a bigger stage. Davis entered the transfer portal after the 2023 campaign and joined Florida Atlantic, which plays in the American Athletic Conference. He opened his final college campaign in 2024 with a sack and forced fumble in a narrow loss at Michigan State. Colts GM Chris Ballard said pro scout Andrew Hoyle 'dug up' Davis after he tested well at Florida Atlantic's pro day, but Davis refuses to take full credit for his performance. With his NFL future on the line, Davis believes his late brother, Shaquille Davis, gave him the extra boost he needed to grab Hoyle's attention. Shaquille Davis died March 20, five days before Florida Atlantic's pro day. 'That's really my why. … He was my other half,' Devonta Davis said. 'He's the one who really pushed me to run a 4.86 (in the 40-yard dash) at 300 pounds. He's the one who really pushed me to bench 27 reps at the pro day.' Devonta Davis did not disclose how his brother died but vowed to always carry his spirit with him, especially as he strives to make the Colts' opening day roster. Spears added that a small-town kid like Davis continues to receive big-time support from back home in Union Springs, Ala. The 24-year-old was gifted the key to the city in May, an honor Davis said he could never repay, though Spears argued otherwise. In exchange for the key to the city, Spears believes Davis has given several youngsters in his hometown the key to success. 'There's not a lot in Union Springs, not even a Walmart. The people there are so loving and giving, but sometimes when you don't have much, the kids think, 'I gotta turn to a life of crime,'' said Spears, who commended Davis for never embracing the street life. 'Devonta proved that, no, you don't. You can still be somebody and go somewhere without that. So, even if the NFL doesn't work out for him or let's say it does work out for the next 10 years, he has a college degree and he's made his city proud. 'Coming from where he's from, he's already won.' Kahmann's mind was racing. The undrafted wide receiver, striving to make a good first impression with the Colts, couldn't remember the play. So, when the huddle broke during spring practice and he messed up the call, coach Shane Steichen laid into him. 'That was probably my welcome-to-the-league moment,' Kahmann said, laughing after a recent training camp practice. 'But other than that, so far, so good.' Advertisement Despite joining a crowded and established wide receiver room in Indy, Kahmann has shown flashes of his ability in camp, particularly during the team periods when he's running with the third unit. The 24-year-old has already built a rapport with third-string QB and former Notre Dame star Riley Leonard. The two have connected on multiple occasions for down-the-field receptions, highlighted by Leonard's 60-yard TD pass to Kahmann in a 7-on-7 drill Sunday. #Colts UDFA WR Tyler Kahmann just caught a longggggggg TD pass from Riley Leonard in 7-on-7, as Leonard's strong day continues. Most comfortable he's looked in all of camp. — James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) August 3, 2025 Kahmann's quick acclimation to his new teammates and the Colts' playbook, save for that miscue in the spring, may be a surprise to some. But for Ballard, who credited team scout Tyler Hughes for putting Kahmann on Indy's radar, it's not. Kahmann 'dominated' at Division II Emporia State in Kansas, Ballard said, which may still be an understatement. Kahmann not only dominated, he made history. The former Emporia State star holds the program record for most catches in a single season (101), most receiving yards in a single season (1,488), most receiving TDs in a single season (20, twice), most catches in a career (281), most receiving yards in a career (3,661) and most TDs in a career (54). ESU Career Highlights Grateful for Emporia State! — Tyler Kahmann (@tyler_kahmann33) January 13, 2025 In other words, Kahmann is arguably the greatest receiver to ever wear an Emporia State jersey. But did he hold himself back to earn that title? It's no secret Kahmann could've transferred after his first breakout season with the program in 2023, in which he totaled 101 catches for 1,234 yards and 20 touchdowns. However, Kahmann opted to stay put because of the loyalty he had to the program and the brutal honesty he had with himself. 'I knew I could probably play (at a D-I program), but I also knew I might not get the same opportunities to show what I could do,' said Kahmann, who never seriously considered transferring. 'At Emporia State, we throw the ball a ton, and I just knew one season (of big production) wasn't enough. But if I had another productive year, I knew I had a chance to get to the NFL.' Former @esuhornetsfb WR Tyler Kahmann at @Colts training camp.📷©️Indianapolis Colts — ESU Athletics (@ESUSports) July 30, 2025 Tyler Harris, who was a graduate assistant at Emporia State during Kahmann's college career, believes the opportunity Kahmann now has with the Colts isn't only a byproduct of his collegiate production, but the reward for all the work he put in to produce at that rate in the first place. After Kahmann graduated from Campus High School in Haysville, Kansas, in 2019, he red-shirted his first season at Emporia State before the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out Emporia's 2020 season. Advertisement For two years, Kahmann went without playing in a real game, but he didn't allow the setback to stunt his growth. After everyone was sent home at the height of the pandemic, Kahmann and Harris both went back to Wichita, Kansas. According to Harris, players were still 'legally' allowed to train with staff members if they agreed to, but since most gyms and fields were closed, Harris and Kahmann had to get creative. 'The cops might've chased us off a field once or twice,' Harris said, laughing. 'The country was all out of whack, but yeah, we still had to get the work in. So, if we had to jump a fence or two, that's what we did.' Harris added that Kahmann's dedication was validated when he finally made his Emporia State debut in 2021. Kahmann totaled nine catches for 77 receiving yards and his first touchdown in a narrow loss against Pittsburgh State. The cornerback Kahmann was matched up against for most of that game? Dallis Flowers, who made the Colts' 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie in 2022 and now plays for the 49ers. 'That's when I thought we might have struck gold,' Harris said of Kahmann's performance. 'Dallis Flowers was shutting down everybody, but Tyler, even as a freshman, had his coming out party.' In retrospect, Harris believes Kahmann's performance against Flowers was the first significant step toward a potential NFL career. Now, Kahmann is hoping to turn that potential into reality by becoming the first former Emporia State wide receiver to appear in an NFL game. 'Everybody wants to be in the NFL. Everybody has that dream,' Kahmann said. 'But it was never really a specific goal until like my junior year of college. I was just trying to be the best I can be in every aspect of my life, not just football, and honestly, I think that approach is the reason I'm here.' (Top photo of Kahmann: Michael Conroy / Associated Press)
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
WNBA power rankings: Are the Indiana Fever contenders again?
Don't look now, but the Indiana Fever might actually be contenders. For much of the year, consistently mediocre would have been the best way to describe Indiana. The Fever were within one game of .500 through the first 22 games of the season, except for two blips (at 2-4 and 12-10). Now, they are winners of five in a row over Las Vegas, Chicago, Phoenix, Dallas and Seattle. Advertisement Unlike the last time, when Indiana was playing without Caitlin Clark, this style of play feels more applicable to the Fever at full strength. They're controlling the defensive glass, pushing the tempo, drawing a lot of fouls, and hitting 39 percent of their 3-pointers. All-Stars Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell are each averaging at least 16 points over these five games, while Aari McDonald and Sophie Cunningham are chipping in 14 and 11.4 per game, respectively. The defense — which is the part of the game that Clark would most negatively affect — is second-best in the WNBA during this span, moving them to fourth in the league for the season, but even a slight drop from fourth to sixth would be good enough for Indiana's ambitions. The splashy offseason addition of DeWanna Bonner may not have paid dividends, but the Fever have aced the scrap heap by picking up McDonald and now Chloe Bibby. The sweet-shooting Bibby (she might have the highest, quickest 3-point release in the W) is already the first frontcourt reserve most nights, and she was a plus-19 with 10 points as Indiana erased an early deficit against the Mercury in the middle of this winning streak. Although the Fever aren't yet in the top four of the league standings, they are only 1.5 games behind No. 2 New York and comfortably within reach of homecourt in the first round of the playoffs. This is where they were always supposed to be, even if it took a circuitous path to get back to contention following Clark's injury. There has to be something supremely satisfying about knowing that every time you throw the ball up, something good is going to happen. Especially in a road environment, when each swish silences the crowd, other than the tiny corner of your bench that gets increasingly delirious with every make. (Cheryl Reeve, of course, stays as stoic as ever through it all.) Advertisement Kayla McBride's heater on Saturday against the Las Vegas Aces was an incandescent shooting display. On national television, against her former team and recent two-time champion, no guard was better than McBride. She hit two triples before the ABC broadcast even switched to the Aces/Lynx feed from a lacrosse game, ending the first half with eight 3s on eight tries for a WNBA record. With Las Vegas focusing its defensive effort in the paint on Napheesa Collier, McBride was essentially wide open on her first four 3-point attempts. The first contest came on the fifth 3-pointer, when McBride saw Kierstan Bell in front of her but spotted up regardless. The Aces somehow went under on two screens to allow McBride's sixth, then she created a pull-up in transition off her own steal for No. 7. The eighth and final was the deepest of the bunch, yet never in doubt as her third make in 90 seconds. If anything, McBride was too discerning with her shot selection. To get only eight 3s up when she was shooting that well — and Minnesota was absolutely crushing Las Vegas — was a missed opportunity. She had several other windows to shoot, even if they weren't perfectly clean, and instead, she kept the offense humming for great opportunities. With the WNBA single-game record of nine 3s within reach, McBride took two shots at history in the first five minutes of the second half before calling it a day. Ideally, those looks would've come in the first half when she was still on fire, but it's hard to quibble too much with McBride's decision-making. The Sparks welcomed Cameron Brink back to the lineup this week after her June 2024 ACL injury. Meanwhile, the Storm have steadily made Dominique Malonga a bigger part of their rotation since the All-Star break, playing her double-digit minutes in every game and at least 15 minutes four times. On Friday, the last two No. 2 picks met for the first time in their careers, and the matchup harkened a great frontcourt rivalry in the early 2000s between Hall of Famers Lisa Leslie and Lauren Jackson. Brink and Malonga are early in their careers — both have played just over 300 minutes in the WNBA. Their mistakes are as commonplace as their impact plays. But it's easy to see how they can be franchise stalwarts in the near future, particularly because of how they change the game defensively. The pair already scares away guards from attacking the paint just by roaming and being present as a help defender. Veterans can get them in isolation with superior craft — you can bet that the show-and-go that Nneka Ogwumike used on Brink in her first stint is something Malonga has also seen in practice — but the rim protection already stands out. The stretches when Malonga and Brink had to defend each other were especially fun in a game that delivered well beyond their minutes. At this stage, before they've yet to fully grow into their WNBA bodies, they're all limbs and energy, delightful to watch nonetheless. Leslie vs. Jackson is a high bar, as they were two of the five best centers in league history. But the promise is there. Advertisement In talks with general managers this week about the upcoming trade deadline, one line of thought was that New York would work to acquire some Breanna Stewart insurance, given the two-time MVP's knee injury. The problem is that Stewart cannot be replaced. If she is hurt during the postseason, the Liberty aren't winning another title. Also, they already signed their Stewart insurance: Meesseman. The 2019 WNBA Finals MVP made her debut for New York on Sunday after participating in one shootaround with the team. She's played alongside Natasha Cloud and Jonquel Jones at other stops, making the acclimation look comfortable for the 32-year-old veteran. Her defense around the rim is noticeable; she provides real size to deter paint attempts. Lob passes into Jones, and vice versa, plus side pick-and-rolls with Cloud and Sabrina Ionescu are all second nature. Meesseman is also aggressive in scoring. The Liberty ran the first play of the game for her against Connecticut, setting up Jones on the perimeter to feed Meesseman the ball in the post, and even though she missed, New York fed her again two plays later for a fadeaway. The Liberty needed another non-deferential two-way player, especially in Stewart's absence, and they have one in the Belgian star. An extra standout this week (since the power rankings have been off), and there is no way I couldn't recognize Naz Hillmon's game-winner against Dallas. It bears repeating that Hillmon had made one 3-pointer during her first three seasons in the WNBA (she attempted only six). One. Now, Hillmon is making 34 percent of her 3.5 attempts per game, and she is a legitimate floor spacer who feels comfortable launching from distance to win a game. Powered through like traffic didn't exist. 🚧💥@_bjones18 | #DoItForTheDream — Atlanta Dream (@AtlantaDream) July 31, 2025 Hillmon is performing better in her fourth season, including assisting more frequently, blocking more shots, turning the ball over less, and finishing around the rim. But it's the complete transformation as a shooter that has made her indispensable to the Atlanta Dream — they are 15.8 points per 100 possessions better with her on the court, the best on-off on a team that includes multiple All-Stars. As it stands, Hillmon has to be a shoo-in for Sixth Woman of the Year. But the Dream also have to seriously consider if they can continue to limit such a valuable player to 22 minutes a night off the bench. For the season, the Connecticut Sun have been historically bad, one of six teams in league history to have a net rating below negative-15. But over the past month, the Sun have been run-of-the-mill blah, and that corresponds with the introduction of Lacan, the 2024 No. 10 pick who made her Connecticut debut after EuroBasket. Since Lacan's first game on July 6, the Sun are ninth in the league in net rating, better than teams chasing the playoffs like Washington and Golden State. The key difference for the Sun during this time is that they lead the WNBA in forcing turnovers. Already armed with Saniya Rivers on the perimeter, Connecticut takes thievery to the max by pairing Rivers with Lacan. The two rookies are long-armed and active, making opponents rethink every pass and dribble. Lacan averages 1.9 steals per game, which would be second in the league behind her French teammate Gabby Williams. In their last two games against New York, the Sun forced 41 combined turnovers, nine of them by Ionescu, who was Lacan's primary assignment. There is a lot of uncertainty in Connecticut's future, both on and off the court, but Lacan helps give the Sun a defensive foundation. That skill at 21 years old is impressive. It's playoff tiebreaker season! As the Sparks finally ascend toward the top eight, one of the teams in their way for a playoff spot is the Valkyries, who currently own the season series 2-1. If Golden State wins Saturday, it will secure the crucial tiebreaker. But if L.A. wins, the teams could have the same number of losses heading into the final month of the regular season. The Valkyries have been dominant at home (8-4) while the Sparks are tied with Minnesota for the most road wins (nine) in the W, including one at Golden State on opening night. Plus, this could be a revenge game for L.A. guard Julie Vanloo, who was not too happy about being cut from the Valkyries after EuroBasket. (Photo of Natasha Howard: Soobum Im / Getty Images)
Indianapolis Star
2 hours ago
- Indianapolis Star
'I'm from here': Why IU freshman Trent Sisley stayed with Indiana basketball
BLOOMINGTON — Indiana basketball freshman Trent Sisley gave coach Darian DeVries an immediate win on the recruiting trail. Sisley, the 80th ranked overall recruit in the 2025 signing class, posted on social media he was sticking with his pledge to the Hoosiers in March less than an hour after the school announced DeVries as the basketball team's new coach. Indiana's coaching change would have allowed the 4-star forward to freely explore his options in the transfer portal — he signed a letter of intent in November — but ended up as the lone holdover from the Mike Woodson-era. The Santa Claus native credited a series of conversations he had with IU athletic director Scott Dolson and a timely chat with DeVries for making that decision to stick with the Hoosiers an easy one. 'I think it's the best decision I could have made,' Sisley told The Herald-Times after a recent practice. More: Indiana basketball: Two players sidelined with injuries ahead of Puerto Rico trip Re-live Indiana football's memorable run to the College Football Playoff with our commemorative book Indiana athletic director Scott Dolson stepped in to fill the void with the basketball team's coaching staff in limbo. Woodson announced he was stepping down at the end of the 2024-25 season in early February. Dolson kept in contact with Sisley and his parents, while Woodson closed out the year and the program's coaching search ramped up once IU was eliminated from the Big Ten tournament. 'On my recruiting (visits) coming up through high school, (Dolson) always came up to us and introduced himself,' Sisley said. 'I had a pretty good relationship with him before, so it was really good to hear from him that whole time with all the uncertainty.' It wasn't the first time Dolson dished out an assist behind the scenes. He had similar conversations with former Indiana forward Trayce Jackson-Davis in 2021 after Archie Miller was fired. The All-American never hit the portal either. "He knew I wanted to be here,' Sisley said. 'I'm from here, only two hours away, this was somewhere I wanted to be, and he said there would be a lot of positives coming. I trusted him.' More: Will Indiana basketball's recent international signees play in Puerto Rico? What we know. DeVries' actions spoke as loud as his words. He centered their initial conversation on how Sisley's skill set — the freshman is a versatile two-way forward capable of spacing the floor — was a perfect fit for his system. The timing of the call gave it added weight. "He reached out super quick, 30 or 40 minutes (after) it came out online,' Sisley said. 'It was very cool to have that so quick, it was great." DeVries also ran through his résumé on the call, but it wasn't necessary. Sisley knew about DeVries' success at Drake — his older brother Blake played in the Missouri Valley Conference at Evansville in 2021-22 while DeVries was coaching the Bulldogs — and the turnaround he orchestrated at West Virginia's last season. "I follow college basketball pretty deeply,' Sisley said, with a smile. The phone call laid the building blocks for the strong relationship that's developed between the two since Sisley arrived on campus at the start of the summer. 'He said he wanted me on board,' Sisley said. ' I said I wanted to be on board that same phone call.'
