Latest news with #BigTenChampionships
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Illinois Football Preview: It's Okay for the Fighting Illini To Have Nice Things - Like the College Football Playoff
X CFN, Fiu | CFN Facebook | Bluesky Fiu, CFNIllinois Offense BreakdownIllinois Defense BreakdownSeason Prediction, Win Total, Keys to SeasonDon't screw this up, 1997 Fighting Illini went 0-11 in Ron Turner's first season. In 2001, Turner's team went 10-1 in the regular season and went to the Sugar Bowl. This was a new era of Illinois football, the program was finally going to be a player, and ...Illinois won a total of 13 games over its next five seasons. Ron Zook was able to lead the 2007 team to the Rose Bowl. It lost, but it really was possible to recruit in Champaign, the team broke through, and ...Illinois went 8-16 over the following two the end of the Zook run, to Tim Beckman, to Bill Cubit, to Lovie Smith, Illinois went 14 seasons without an eight-win season. And then came Bret Bielema. He brought the attitude and a style that grew into a 10-win season, highlighted by living in South Carolina's kitchen and making waffles in a troll job of a Citrus Bowl victory. Now, in Year Five, he has a team that's worthy of a preseason top 25 slot, probably top 15 in some circles. And now the Illinois football program has a shot at back-to-back double-digit win seasons for the first time since ...Ever. Illinois should be consistently good at football. It has the proximity to Chicago, St. Louis, and Indianapolis, just like Iowa, Wisconsin, and Missouri do. It has the coach who knows how to get to the Big Ten Championships and, back in the day with the Badgers, Rose year, it has the skill parts, one of the best defensive back eights in the Big Ten, the kickers, the building buzz, and the schedule that misses a slew of top conference teams; it's there. It's okay for Illinois to have nice things. Like a trip to the College Football Playoff, if it plays up to the experience and potential. Illinois Offense BreakdownIllinois Defense BreakdownSeason Prediction, Win Total, Keys to Season © 2025 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.
USA Today
29-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Iowa softball names sixth head coach in program history
Iowa softball names sixth head coach in program history Following a relatively successful 35-18 season, considering the multiple in-season head coaching changes endured throughout the 2025 campaign, Iowa Director of Athletics, Beth Goetz, announced on Wednesday that former Hawkeyes star Stacy May-Johnson would become the program's sixth head coach. May-Johnson played at Iowa from 2003-06, where she was a three-time All-Big Ten selection and the 2003 Big Ten Freshman of the Year. In 2003, she was a part of the Hawkeyes squad that won both the Big Ten regular-season and tournament championship. She still ranks in the top 15 in program history in career games played, runs, hits, doubles, home runs, RBIs, and batting average. 'I am thrilled to be coming back to Iowa City and to once again be a Hawkeye,' said May-Johnson. 'I look forward to leading Iowa softball to Big Ten Championships and the Women's College World Series, and creating a championship culture both in the classroom and on the field.' In addition to playing at Iowa, she served as a student assistant for the Hawkeyes in 2007 and later as an assistant coach from 2011-14. Outside of Iowa, May-Johnson gathered plenty of coaching experience, including head coaching stints at Utah Valley (2020-21) and, most recently, Fresno State (2022-25). She was also a volunteer assistant at Louisville (2008-10), an assistant at Louisville (2015-16) and Purdue (2017), and associate head coach at Eastern Kentucky (2018-19). 'We are thrilled to welcome Stacy May-Johnson back to Iowa as the new head coach of our softball program,' said Goetz. 'Stacy is a proven leader with a deep understanding of what it means to be a Hawkeye. Her experience as a standout student-athlete, combined with her coaching success and commitment to developing young women on and off the field, makes her the ideal person to lead our program into its next chapter. We are excited for the future of Iowa softball under her leadership.' During her time at Fresno State, May-Johnson saw the Bulldogs improve their win total year-over-year, notching 112 victories in four seasons. In 2025, she led Fresno to 37 wins and the Mountain West Championship title game. In her tenure, May-Johnson coached one Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, two MWC Pitchers of the Year, three NFCA All-Region, and nine All-Mountain West honorees. In the classroom, the Bulldogs had 41 Academic All-Mountain West selections and 28 Mountain West Scholar-Athletes. Before moving to California, May-Johnson spent two seasons as head coach at Utah Valley, where she coached seven All-WAC selections. Following her collegiate career, May-Johnson played professionally for the Chicago Bandits of the NPF (National Pro Fastpitch) and was a member of the United States National Team. She spent five years in the NPF where she was a two-time NPF Most Valuable Player. She was the 2006 NPF Rookie of the Year, a three-time All-Star and led the team to two titles. May-Johnson, who is one of six players to have her number retired with Chicago, led the NPF in home runs, hits and runs scored in each of her MVP seasons in 2008 and 2010. As a member of the U.S. Women's National Team, May-Johnson helped Team USA win gold medals at the 2011 Pan American Games, the 2011 and 2012 World Cups, and a silver medal at the 2012 World Championships. She was named the 2011 USA Softball Female Athlete of the Year. With the hire of May-Johnson, Iowa hopes her experience and knowledge of the game will elevate the program to new heights in the new-look Big Ten and on the national stage. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews
The Citizen
23-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
New SA record for Old Vaaltonian
New SA record for Old Vaaltonian SASOLBURG – Former HTS Sasolburg student, Phethisang Makhethe (22), launched the best throw of her career (68.66m) to break the South African women's hammer throw record at the Big Ten Championships in Eugene. Makhethe, a former silver medallist at the African Youth Games, surpassed the South African hammer throw record of 67.95 metres previously set by Leandri Holtzhausen in March by an impressive 71 centimetres. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Eyewitness News
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Eyewitness News
Phethisang Makhethe breaks SA women's hammer throw record
JOHANNESBURG – Phethisang Makhethe breaks the South African women's hammer throw record, producing the best performance of her career. Competing for the University of Illinois at the Big Ten Championships in Eugene, Oregon in USA on Friday, Makhethe earned the silver medal after launching a massive 68.66m heave with her sixth and final attempt. The 22-year-old was narrowly edged out by American athlete Anthonett Nabwe who won gold with a best throw of 69.85m, setting a new meeting record. Makhethe, a former silver medallist at the African Youth Games, added 71 centimetres to the SA record of 67.95m set by Leandri Holtzhausen in Tokyo in March. "Well done Phethisang for this major achievement. Also congratulations to the coach and support staff. We are very glad to recognise her progression, especially in one of the most difficult field events," said the President of Athletics South Africa James Moloi. The athlete from Sasolburg, Free State improved her personal best by nearly two metres, having set her previous career best of 66.80m in Illinois earlier this month.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
MEN'S COLLEGE GOLF: Illini claim regional title, qualify for NCAA Championships
URBANA — Home sweet home. For the seventh time in program history, the Illinois Fighting Illini men's golf team has won an NCAA Regional tournament, but this time, that honor came on their home golf course at the Atkins Golf Club in Urbana. Advertisement 'It was a good week, successful week,'' said Illinois golf coach Mike Small, a native of Danville and a member of the Vikings 1981 state championship team. Technically, Illinois, ranked No. 14 in the country, tied with second-ranked Oklahoma State for the team title as both schools finished the three-day tournament with scores of 15-under 837. The Cowboys actually overcame a three-shot deficit entering Wednesday's final round and the Illini still had that three-shot lead entering Wednesday's final three holes, but five bogeys on the closing holes allowed Oklahoma State to pull even with Illinois. 'Today, we didn't finish that well either,'' said Small, noting that Illinois saw the Big Ten Championships fade away on the final holes two weeks ago. 'But, we didn't finish well all week on 16, 17, 18. I think we gave away five shots coming in.'' Advertisement But, tying for first and qualifying for the NCAA Championships at La Costa Golf Club in Carlsbad, Calif on May 23 is still a step in the right direction for Small. 'We haven't won a big, significant event all year,'' said Small as Illinois won only the Memphis Intercollegiate this spring, while taking second at Big Tens to go with a couple of thirds at the Purdue Invitational and the Haskins Invitational. 'We beat some really good teams this week. 'We are getting better, but we are still making some mistakes. I see stretches of good play, but I also see us get in our way at times.'' All seven NCAA Regional titles for Illinois have come since 2013 with Small as the head coach, and the seven regional championships for Small rank tied for third in NCAA history with former Clemson head coach Larry Penley, just one off the lead shared by Texas coach John Fields and Oklahoma State coach Alan Bratton. Advertisement Individually, Michigan's Hunter Thompson claimed the regional title with a 10-under 203, while Illinois junior Ryan Voois tied for second at 9-under 204. Voois had back-to-back rounds of 4-under 67 on Tuesday and Wednesday for the Illini. 'It was special,'' Voois said of playing the NCAA Regional at Atkins Golf Club. 'We were wondering how many people would come out and it was nice to have all that support.'' And was it an advantage? 'It's a huge advantage if you take advantage of it the right way,'' he said. 'Knowing the golf course and all the shots is definitely helpful, but you have to approach it the right way.'' Advertisement Illinois senior Jackson Buchanan, who shot a course-record 8-under-63 on Monday, finished in a tie for 5th at 6-under 207. Also qualifying for the NCAA Championships from the Urbana Regional were UNLV, Troy and Texas Tech. The Illinois State Redbirds finished in 10th with a three-day score of 15-over 867. Former Illini TJ Barger was the top scorer for Illinois State, with a three-day score of 2-over 215.
