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Indianapolis Star
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Purdue football found Midwestern mountain men, made them 2026 recruiting priority
WEST LAFAYETTE — Purdue football director of recruiting Brad Odom noticed a change in topography when moving from UNLV to West Lafayette. He and the rest of his brother Barry's staff left behind the mountains of the Nevada desert. In Indiana, though, they found more mountainous men. 'We struggled to find bigger guys in Nevada,' Brad Odom said. 'Here, we were shocked at the size of guys in the '26 and '27 class. Big people who can run fast — they're hard to find.' That conclusion may be more anecdotal than factual. It cannot be denied, though, that Purdue's staff prioritized offensive and defensive line recruiting for a crucial 2026 recruiting class. As of Monday, the trenches account for essentially half of the 19 commitments in the class. That includes five defensive tackles or edge rushers and four offensive linemen. Per the On3/Rivals industry rankings, Purdue's four highest-rated commits are linemen. (Prior to four-star defensive lineman Josiah Hope's flip to Louisville last week, they comprised the top five.) That may become an annual trend. "Offensive line and defensive line have to be a priority every year,' said Jason Simmons, Purdue's director of high school recruiting. 'If you're going to win games in the Big Ten, you have to win up front.' A great summer beach read: Our book on Purdue basketball's 2024 FInal Four run Thanks to the transfer portal, if a program does not completely address a positional need in conventional recruiting, it can back-fill down the road. Yet as Purdue's staff sees it, the supply and demand realities of the transfer portal necessitate an emphasis on high school linemen. Other than quarterbacks, offensive and defensive line talent tends to cost more — name, image and likeness guarantees in the past, revenue share allotment going forward. With teams now trying to get bang for their revenue-sharing bucks, developing and retaining big bodies is more economically efficient. 'There's a ton of strategy that goes into the overall budget,' general manager Brandon Lee said. 'We have to find the correct balance of high school recruiting and hitting the portal, whether that's from a roster management standpoint or, in this language we're mentioning, a revenue share and NIL perspective.' Chicago Marist offensive lineman Rico Schreiber became the first 2026 commit Feb. 5. New Palestine's Brock Brownfield and Lawrence Central's James Williams — three-star offensive line prospects considered top 10 in-state talents regardless of position —both committed before the end of May. Insider: Why this unheralded Lawrence Central OL could have '7-year NFL career' after playing at Purdue Brad Odom said offensive line coach Vince Vice's recruiting charisma deserves a lot of that credit. Yet it's not a coincidence that the class went so heavy on linemen so early. Purdue's staff felt an urgency to strike fast at those positions. 'It's a position group that's really sped up in terms of the recruiting calendar,' Simmons said of the offensive line in particular. He said it has begun to resemble the early commitment schedule on which quarterbacks almost exclusively used to operate. "Everybody is going to take one guy and they're in a hurry to get their guy," he continued. "Offensive line is quickly becoming that way as well.' Purdue's staff did not focus on easy gets to fulfill its needs up front. It had to win real battles for some highly recruited players. For a brief period, Purdue held a commitment from Hope, a Kentuckian, over offers from Wisconsin and LSU, as well as the in-state Wildcats and Louisville. Notre Dame, Tennessee and IU were 2024 playoff teams pursuing Ohio defensive lineman Jamarcus Whyce, but he committed to the Boilermakers. Georgia edge rusher Katrell Webb picked Purdue over Florida State, Miami, Michigan and a good chunk of the SEC. Operation move: How Barry Odom established Purdue football recruiting base, priorities after 1,800 mile move Whyce and Webb are now the two highest-rated players in Purdue's class, per those On3/Rivals rankings. As with all football prospects, those recruitments will continue right up to signing day. The emphasis on lineman was not merely a numbers game, though. Odom played and coached the front seven before becoming a head coach. Offensive coordinator Josh Henson has an offensive line background. The makeup of the still-in-process 2026 recruiting class may reflect the identity of the program for years to come. 'We're going to run the football,' Brad Odom said. 'Football is a game of taking someone's body and putting it somewhere they don't want to be against their will. In order to do that, you have to have big, strong offensive linemen.'
Indianapolis Star
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Girls basketball recruiting: HSE's nationally ranked PG likes 4 schools but keeping door open
WESTFIELD – KK Holman has a top four colleges. Well, sort of. The nationally ranked point guard is still open to offers and interest from other colleges, but she took official visits to Marquette and Wisconsin last month and has visits to Arizona State and Florida scheduled for the end of the month. It's a short list, but with the caveat things are subject to change. Narrowing the scope, even while leaving the door open for further recruitment, has made things less stressful for the 2026 Hamilton Southeastern girls basketball standout, who was in Westfield over the weekend for the final AAU tournament of her career with IGB. The four schools atop Holman's list were chosen based on the relationships they've built with her over the past 2-3 years. "The way they've talked to me and (recruited) me, that's been really important and really stood," she said. More: Lapel's Laniah Wills commits to Butler. 'That's a pressure off my shoulders. I feel very good about it.' As for her visits to Marquette and Wisconsin, players from both teams were "really welcoming" to Holman, who had the opportunity to spend "a lot of time" with them and was able to hear their insight on the coaches, what they thought of the program and how they felt. Holman will be a major addition for whichever college she chooses. The 5-10 point guard is rated as a four-star recruit by ESPN and ranks just outside the top 50 (No. 51) in their national 2026 rankings, second-highest among Indiana prospects (Lawrence Central's Lola Lampley is ranked 20th). Holman looked smooth in her game Saturday afternoon, aggressively attacking the glass and showing off her tenacity both defensively and as a passer. Asked where her focus has been this summer, the Junior Indiana All-Star cited the mental side of the game. She's been working closely with 2010 Indiana Miss Basketball Courtney Moses Delk on mindset training for the past year, and has taken to journaling and visualizing before games. Statistically, Holman was a star for the semistate runner-up Royals last season, averaging 12.2 points on 49% shooting, 5.8 assists, 5.3 rebounds, just 1.8 turnovers and 2 steals. She's positioned to clear 1,000 career points and will be at the forefront of a young HSE outfit alongside classmate Kayla Stidham, who recently committed to Ball State. The Royals graduated six seniors, including IndyStar Miss Basketball Maya Makalusky, Kayla Brinley and Addison Van Hoesen. "We have a lot of rebuilding to do with a lot of underclassmen coming up to fill those spots," Holman said. "We just need to get more comfortable with them and each other. This year's still going to be good, we just need to get more comfortable and rely on each other more." As for the season ahead, specifically the national rankings and her place among the state's top 2026 Miss Basketball contenders, Holman doesn't see it as pressure. "Lola at Lawrence Central and Myah (Epps) at Homestead are both great players," she said, citing two of the other preseason frontrunners. "I would be happy with any of us getting it."
Indianapolis Star
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Indianapolis high school sports: Three finalists for Marion County Male Athlete of the Year
The Marion County Athletic Association will soon name its City and County Athletes of the Year, an award that dates to 1950 and grew to include girls' achievements in 1979. The awards are geared toward athletic achievement, but almost every winner over the years has exhibited impressive credentials in and out of their athletic, academic and personal areas. Generally, multi-sport athletes are given consideration over single-sport athletes, though in some cases a single-sport athlete has been so outstanding that he or she has been selected as the winner. More: 3 finalists for Marion County Female Athlete of the Year Here are the three finalists for County Male Athlete of the Year (last year's winner was Bryson Luter of Lawrence Central): Chandler, an Indiana football recruit, was a two-time Marion County Offensive Player of the Year. He caught 40 passes for 779 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior on a 7-4 team, then caught 49 passes for 971 yards and 10 TDs as a senior on a team that was 11-0 and ranked No. 1 in the state before falling by one point in the regional to state champion Brownsburg. Chandler finished his high school football career with 111 receptions for 2,039 yards and 24 TDs. He compiled 2,696 career all-purpose yards and scored 27 touchdowns. Chandler, a team captain, was named to the Indiana Football Coaches Association All-State Top 50 as a senior and was a two-time All-MIC selection. In track and field, Chandler was sectional and regional champion in the 110-meter hurdles as a junior. He was also a member of the 4x100 meter sectional champion relay team. The 4x100 relay team is currently ranked No. 1 in the state and posted the No. 2 time in state history. Chandler is currently ranked No. 5 in the state in the 110 hurdles. At IU, Chandler plans to study sports management and marketing. His volunteer work includes working as a mentor for elementary and middle school football and as a youth football coach. Ward, a Butler football recruit, is a nine-time letterwinner in football, basketball and track and field as a three-sport athlete at Lutheran. As a football player, Ward played on state championship teams as a sophomore and junior, starting at receiver and defensive back. As a senior, Ward caught 39 passes for 752 yards and 13 TDs and had 33 tackles and three interceptions on defense and was named to the IFCA All-State team. He also returned one kickoff and one punt for a touchdown. For his high school career, Ward caught 74 passes for 1,439 yards and 27 TDs, rushed for two TDs, averaged 33.9 yards per kickoff return and 16.1 yards per punt return and totaled 32 touchdowns. On defense, Ward accumulated 111 tackles and 10 interceptions. Ward was a two-time member of the All-Marion County third team in basketball, winning a Class A state championship as a sophomore. He scored 1,148 career points. As a junior, Ward averaged 18.9 points, 3.8 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 steals per game. He was limited to 10 games as a senior due to injury. Ward took sixth place at the state meet in the high jump (school record) as a sophomore and was fifth in the long jump (school record) as a junior. He was academic all-state in both basketball and football and a member of the National Honor Society. Ward plans to pursue a career in sports medicine. Zackery, an eight-time letterwinner in football and basketball, was voted Indiana Mr. Football as a senior after catching 58 passes for 1,036 yards and 12 touchdowns as a receiver and making 62 tackles and eight interceptions as a defensive back. The Notre Dame football recruit finished his high school career with 119 receptions for 1,924 yards and 21 TDs on offense and 140 tackles, 14 interceptions, four fumble recoveries, three caused fumbles and two blocked punts on defense. Zackery averaged 22.2 yards per kickoff return and finished with 25 total touchdowns. Zackery won a Class 6A state championship in football as a junior and a Class 4A state title in basketball as a sophomore. He was named academic all-MIC four years and academic all-state two years. Zackery was also one of six recipients for the Watkins Award, presented by the National Alliance of African American Athletes to promote academic excellence among young African-American males. On the basketball court, Zackery was named an Indiana All-Star as a senior and was a Junior All-Star last season. He averaged 11.0 points, 4.3 assists and 2.1 rebounds as a junior. Zackery missed most of his senior season on the basketball court after undergoing a procedure on his thumb suffered during the football season. Zackery served many roles as a volunteer, including at the Coburn Place Domestic Violence Shelter. He plans to study marketing at Notre Dame with a goal of working on the business side in the sports industry after his playing career.
Indianapolis Star
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Indiana's top basketball players to relive Hickory vs. Terhune in annual game at Hoosier Gym
The Hoosier Gym All-Star Classic is set for Saturday at the home of the Hickory Huskers. The annual high school basketball all-star event for senior players will begin with the girls at 11 a.m., followed by the boys game. The venue is the gym in Knightstown made famous by the movie ' Hoosiers.' There are still 200 tickets available, which can be purchased at Bobby Plump, the star of the 1954 Milan team that inspired the movie, will be the honorary guest for this year's game. Here are the rosters: Girls Jacklynn Hosier, Alexandria (Vermont) Aniah Smith, Avon (Jacksonville) Avery Gordon, Brownsburg (Purdue) Addison Baxter, Columbia City (Butler) Nevaeh Dickman, Fishers (Buffalo) Lily Graves, Franklin Central (Southern Indiana) Gabby Spink, Gibson Southern (Murray State) Leah West, Greensburg (Belmont) Maya Makalusky, Hamilton Southeastern (Indiana) Hadley Crosier, Lanesville (Maryville) Jaylah Lampley, Lawrence Central (Mississippi State) Laila Abdurraqib, Lawrence Central (New Mexico) Kya Hurt, Lawrence North (Illinois State) Jamaya Thomas, Lawrence North (Northern Kentucky) Meredith Tippner, Noblesville (Miami, Fla.) Kaycie Warfel, Pendleton Heights (Taylor) Kira Reynolds, South Bend Washington (UT-Arlington) Monique Mitchell, South Bend Washington (Akron) Ellie Richardson, Scottsburg (Western Carolina) Kenzie Garner, Sheridan (Ferris State) Ella Bobe, South Knox (Southern Indiana) Addie Bowsman, Twin Lakes (St. Francis) Brooke Winchester, Warsaw (Ball State) Boys Azavier Robinson, Lawrence North (Butler) Grady Carpenter, Tipton (Grace) Dezmon Briscoe, Crispus Attucks (Uncommitted) Julius Gizzi, New Palestine (Indiana Wesleyan) Justin Kirby, Fishers (Miami, Ohio) Tre Singleton, Jeffersonville (Northwestern) Mark Zackery IV, Ben Davis (Notre Dame) Gavin Betten, Manchester (Grace) Brady Koehler, Cathedral (Notre Dame) Braylon Mullins, Greenfield-Central (UConn) Chase Barnes, Fort Wayne Wayne (UIndy) Ethan Edwards, Whiteland (UIndy) Chase Konieczny, South Bend St. Joseph (Uncommitted) Damien King, Anderson (UT-Martin) Drelyn Truesdale, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers (Uncommitted) Dereon Truesdale, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers (Uncommitted) Bryson Cardinal, Guerin Catholic (Uncommitted) Luke Lindeman, Bloomington North (Marian) Boston Willard, Greenfield-Central (Uncommitted) P.J. Douglas, Jeffersonville (Wright State) Michael Cooper, Jeffersonville (Wright State)
Associated Press
09-04-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Hamilton Southeastern guard Maya Malusky is top vote-getter on Associated Press all-state girls team
Hamilton Southeastern won the girls basketball Hall of Fame Classic, the Hoosier Crossroads Conference title, sectional and regional titles and lost only one game in 2024-25, in the semifinal round. Maya Makalusky, the 6-foot-4 shooting guard, spurred the Royals charge. She averaged 22.1 points and 6.8 rebounds while shooting 40.1% from 3-point range and leading HSE to a 27-1 mark. She was so good, she won the coveted IndyStar Miss Basketball Award and was selected by Gatorade MaxPreps as the state's player of now. Now she owns another title — top vote-getter on The Associated Press all-state team. Makalusky received the most votes from a panel of sportswriters, broadcasters and coaches around Indiana. Players are chosen regardless of grade level or the class in which their schools compete. The top five selections comprise the first team with the next 10 earning second and third-team honors and the next 25 receiving high honorable mention status. Makalusky was joined on an all-senior first team by Jaylah Lampley of Lawrence Central, Meredith Tippner of Noblesville, Kira Reynolds of South Bend Washington and Addison Baxter of Columbia City. Lampley also made the first team last year. Makalusky, who will play for the Indiana Hoosiers next season, and Reynolds were both second team picks last year. Lampley is heading to Mississippi State while Tippner is going to Miami (Fla.) and Baxter is Butler bound. Reynolds recently decommitted from Purdue. Brownsburg senior center Avery Gordon, who is a Purdue signee, led the second-team choices. The others are McCutcheon sophomore Lillie Graves and three juniors — Myah Epps of Homestead, Joslyn Bricker of Warsaw and Lola Lampley of Lawrence Central. The third team is junior-heavy, led by Makalusky's teammate, Kennedy Holman. She's joined by Lillian Barnes of Valparaiso, Madalynn Shirley of Evansville Central and Brooklynn Renn of Silver Creek. Pendleton Heights senior Kaycie Warfel also made on the third team after finishing her career by topping the 2,000-point mark.
