Members of the IUPUC softball team gather on the third base line before their game against Indiana Wesleyan in their inaugural season at Ceraland in Columbus, Ind., Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023.
The Republic file photo
There weren’t as many local state champions this year as in 2022, but there were plenty of other big local stories, led by the emergence of intercollegiate athletics.
Here is a list of our Top 10 local sports stories from 2023:
1. IU Columbus ramps up intercollegiate athletics.
After debuting with men’s and women’s cross-country programs in the fall of 2022, IUPUC began playing baseball and softball this spring. Rebranded as IU Columbus, the Crimson Pride played volleyball and men’s and women’s soccer in the fall.
IU Columbus athletics director Zach McClellan also announced plans to add men’s and women’s basketball in 2024-25 and play at the new Nexus Fieldhouse. Men’s and women’s track are set to debut in 2025.
2. Columbus North’s Kathryn Wilson wins state singles title in girls tennis.
Columbus North’s Kathryn Wilson poses with her Girls Singles State championship medal Saturday June 10 at Park Tudor School in Indianapolis.
The Republic file photo
Wilson capped a perfect 30-0 junior season by winning the state singles title on June 10. Her three-set win against South Bend St. Joseph’s Molly Bellia made her the first Bull Dog to win a state tennis title since Caroline Hedrick in 2008.
3. Columbus North wins state girls 4×800-meter relay title in track and field.
Columbus North’s Carys Glyn-Jones, bottom left, Julia Kiesler, bottom right, Julie Klaus, top left, and Lily Baker, top right, pose with their first place medals for the 4×800-meter relay in the Girls Track and Field State Finals at Indiana University, Saturday, June 3, 2023.
The Republic file photo
A year after a near-miss in a runner-up finish, the Bull Dogs captured the 4×800-meter relay to open the Girls Track and Field State Finals on June 3. Then-sophomore Carys Glyn-Jones joined then-seniors Julia Kiesler, Julie Klaus and Lily Baker to win in 9 minutes, 11.22 seconds.
4. Columbus North wins first boys basketball sectional in 10 years; Jennings County wins first sectional and regional in 25 years.
Columbus North lifts the sectional trophy after beating Whiteland 67-59 at Columbus North, Saturday, March 4, 2023.
The Republic file photo
The Bull Dogs beat Franklin, Columbus East and Whiteland to claim their first boys basketball sectional since 2013 before dropping a 45-43 heartbreaker to Bloomington North in the Seymour Regional.
Jennings County players, coaches and fans celebrate the regional championship Saturday March 11 at Seymour.
The Republic file photo
Jennings won its first sectional since 1998, then its first regional since that same year with a 64-40 win against Evansville Reitz before falling to Brownsburg 51-47 in the semistate semifinals.
5. Otter Creek Golf Course announces plans for redesign.
Otter Creek owner and chief executive officer Bob Haddad, fourth from left, speaks to a group of spectators Wednesday at Otter Creek. Pictured from left are director of agronomy Brent Downs, head superintendent Mitchell Eickhoff, pro Jimmy St. John, Haddad, designer Tom Kite, design associate Erik Belgur design partner Billy Fuller and Otter Creek director of golf Austin Wright.
The Republic file photo
Otter Creek owner and chief executive officer Bob Haddad Jr. announced in late June that Otter Creek’s 27 holes would undergo a redesign and selected World Golf Hall-of-Famer Tom Kite and design partner Billy Fuller to do the redesign. Haddad gave a vision for a “Cradle-to-grave” experience that could include a six-to-nine hole “Chip-and-Putt” Course, a nine-hole Executive Course and an 18-hole Championship Course.
6. Tony Stewart racing in Leah Pruett’s NHRA ride for 2024 in order for couple to start family.
Eldora Speedway track owner Tony Stewart celebrates after winning the SRX race at the Rossburg, Ohio, facility in August.
The Republic file photo
Tony Stewart has had success in just about every type of car he’s driven, and now, the three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion will attempt to win an NHRA drag racing title. Stewart and Leah Pruett, who were married two years ago, announced on Dec. 7 that Stewart would drive Pruett’s Top Fuel dragster in 2024 so that the couple could focus on starting a family.
7. Columbus East’s Saige Stahl, Kenzie Foster and Chloe Gilley and Columbus North’s Maddi Rutan named Indiana All-Stars.
Recent Columbus East graduate and Indiana All-Star Saige Stahl gathers to go up for a shot as Kentucky’s Love Mays (left) and Abby Holtman (5) defend Saturday June 11 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
The Republic file photo
Columbus North’s Maddi Rutan pitches to Columbus East in the first round of the North Sectional at the Southside diamonds, Tuesday, May 23, 2023.
Paige Grider | For The Republic
Columbus East shortstop Kenzie Foster prepares for the ball to be put in play against Columbus North in the first round of the North Sectional at the Southside diamonds, Tuesday, May 23, 2023.
Paige Grider | For The Republic
Columbus East’s Chloe Gilley passes the ball against Bloomington North at Columbus East, Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023.
The Republic file photo
Three Columbus East and one Columbus North athlete were named Indiana All-Stars in their respective sports. East’s Saige Stahl played in the Indiana-Kentucky All-Star Girls Basketball games, North’s Maddi Rutan and East’s Kenzie Foster played in the North-South All-Star Softball Classic and East’s Chloe Gilley played in the Indiana North-South All-Star Volleyball Classic. Stahl now is playing at Indiana State, Rutan is playing at Eastern Kentucky and Foster is playing at Syracuse, while Gilley has committed to play at ISU next year.
8. Columbus North grad Imani Guy, Hauser grad Alex Gross and Columbus East grad Cortney VanLiew sign contracts to play professionally overseas.
Imani Guy, center, goes up for a basket against the Willeton Tigers in a game last year. Guy was with the Eastern Suns last year and will begin her second season of the Australian Women’s NBL1 later this month.
The Republic file photo
Three local products are playing professional sports overseas. Guy played basketball this season with the Central District Lions in Australia. Gross began playing basketball this fall with ZZ Leiden of Holland in the BNXT League. VanLiew is playing volleyball with Polkky Kuusamo in Finland.
9. Columbus North boys tennis finishes state runner-up as a team and Hank Lin and Anvay Atram and Amrit Kar are state runners-up individually; North’s Reese Euler is state runner-up on bars in gymnastics.
Columbus North boys tennis won the North Regional with a 5-0 win against Austin on Wednesday Oct. 3. Pictured are, from left, Anvay Atram, Hank Lin, Parth Shah, Amrit Kar, Austin Clark, Yoki Murabayashi and Michael Crossman.
The Republic file photo
After a few years of tough draws, the Bull Dog boys tennis team broke through to the state final in October before dropping a 3-2 decision to Carmel. A week later, Lin (singles) seniors Atram and Kar (doubles) made the individual finals.
Reese Euler of Columbus North shows off her medal collection at the Gymnastics State Finals Saturday May 11 in Muncie.
The Republic file photo
Euler finished second on the bars, fourth on the beam, fifth on the vault and fourth in the all-around at the Gymnastics State Finals in March.
10. Hauser softball and Columbus North boys soccer make run to state’s final four.
Hauser players raise the regional championship trophy after defeating Eastern (Pekin) Tuesday May 30 at Hauser High School in Hope.
The Republic file photo
For the second year in a row, the Hauser softball team made in to the semistate final, but this year, it was after moving up from Class A to 2A, where it fell to eventual state champion North Posey.
The Columbus North boys soccer team celebrates its 2-0 win against Floyd Central in the Bloomington South Regional final Saturday Oct. 14.
The Republic file photo
The North boys soccer team, a year after finishing state runner-up in Class 3A, defended its regional title before falling to Cathedral 2-1 in the semistate.
