The Indianapolis 500 purse record was shattered for the second year in a row after a monumentally successful 107th running of the Indianapolis 500, with race winner Josef Newgarden (photo) of Team Penske earning $3.666 million from the total purse of $17,021,500.

After record-breaking payouts in 2022, this is the largest purse and largest winner’s payout in the century-plus history of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” The year’s average payout for NTT Indycar Series drivers was $500,600, which also exceeds last year’s average of $485,000.

In 2022, the Indianapolis 500 purse was $16,000,200 and the year’s winner payout was $3.1 million. Prior to 2022, the largest Indianapolis 500 purse was $14.4 million for the 2008 Indianapolis 500.

Second-place finisher Marcus Ericsson of Chip Ganassi Racing took home $1.043 million, exceeding the take-home prize for last year’s second-place finisher.

“This is the greatest race in the world, and it was an especially monumental month of May featuring packed grandstands and intense on-track action,” Penske Entertainment President and CEO Mark Miles said. “Now, we have the best end card possible for the 107th running of the Indianapolis 500: a record-breaking purse for the history books.”

The month of May was full of major milestones as Indianapolis Motor Speedway welcomed more than 330,000 fans to the Racing Capital of the World for Sunday’s race, making it the second-largest Indianapolis 500 crowd in more than two decades.

A.J. Foyt Enterprises’ Benjamin Pedersen earned Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year honors for his performance during the month. Pedersen earned a $50,000 bonus for being named Rookie of the Year, adding to a take-home prize of $215,300.

Renew Tickets for 2024

Fans can renew or upgrade their Indy 500 tickets at ims.com/review, by calling 317-492-6700 or by visiting the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Ticket Office. The renewal window will continue through June 20.

These are the best prices of the year for renewals and upgrades. Prices will increase when tickets go on sale this fall, and again in 2024 before each event.

“More than 325,000 fans filled IMS on Indianapolis 500 Race Day for the biggest and most memorable celebration of all that is May,” said IMS President J. Douglas Boles. “Whether 2023 was your first trip to IMS or your 50th, we encourage you to renew or request an upgrade for seats by June 20 to reserve their spots for next year for another great celebration of speed and tradition.”

Steve Bush photo

Three former IndyStar Indiana Mr. Basketball winners and three former IndyStar Indiana Miss Basketball honorees will take part in an All-Star signing event at 4 p.m. June 10 in the pavilion area of Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Those set to take part in this signing event are Larry Humes, 1962 Mr. Basketball from Madison; Denny Brady, 1964 Mr. Basketball from Lafayette Jeff; Billy Keller, 1965 Mr. Basketball from Indianapolis Washington; Judi Warren, 1976 Miss Basketball from Warsaw; Lisa Winter Finn, 1996 Miss Basketball from Huntington North; and Lisa Shepherd-Stidham, 1997 Miss Basketball from Richmond.

The signing event brings a "past element" to the 2023 Indiana All-Star itinerary, which is spotlighting Indiana's best from the past, present and future.

The present is the 2023 IndyStar Indiana senior All-Stars, who will take part in a trio of doubleheaders. They will play June 7 against the Indiana Junior All-Stars at Indianapolis Cathedral (girls at 6 p.m., boys about 8 p.m.) as well as a pair of encounters against the Kentucky senior All-Stars -- June 9 in the Owensboro Sportscenter (girls at 5:30 p.m. CDT, boys about 7:30 p.m. CDT) and June 10 in Gainbridge Fieldhouse (girls at 5 p.m. EDT, boys about 7:30 p.m. EDT).

The future includes both the Junior All-Stars, who play a pair of doubleheaders, as well as the inaugural All-Stars Futures Games. The Juniors face Kentucky on Sunday, June 4 (girls at 2 p.m., boys about 4 p.m.) at Jeffersonville and the Seniors on June 7 at Indianapolis Cathedral. And the new Futures Games doubleheader is a curtain-raising set of contests on June 10 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, girls at noon and boys at 2 p.m.

Rosters for all those games previously have been announced. 

The IndyStar Indiana All-Stars are presented by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. The Indianapolis Star is the title sponsor of the Indiana All-Stars. Hoosier Shooting Academy is a presenting partner of All-Star Week (June 4-10). Energy Systems Group is a presenting partner of the June 10 senior doubleheader against Kentucky.

The first 500 fans to attend the All-Stars' signing event will receive a complementary poster that features Humes, Brady, Keller, Warren, Winter Finn and Shepherd-Stidham. In conjunction with their appearance at the signing event, the six former Indiana No. 1 players shared memories of their All-Star experiences.

In the 1962 All-Star games, Humes excelled as Indiana split two games with Kentucky. He scored 21 points with 10 rebounds on 9-of-12 shooting and was named the “Star of Stars” as Indiana prevailed 88-82 in Louisville. A week later, he totaled 19 points and 11 rebounds on 7-of-14 shooting but Kentucky claimed a 70-68 decision in Indianapolis.

 “The crowds at Freedom Hall (12,000) and Butler Fieldhouse (14,719) were unbelievable,” Humes said. “The competition and the makeup of the teams, those also are strong memories. The games were competitive, and there were a lot of great players on both teams. To win the Star of Stars, that was important to me.”

As for being voted Mr. Basketball, Humes said the title was special for multiple reasons.

 “It’s the greatest honor a youngster in the state of Indiana ever could dream about,” he said. “I felt like I was branded with it for the rest of my life in the sense that I had to work hard to live up to the recognition that goes with the award. It really served as a great motivation for me when I was younger because it was the first truly big honor I had received. All of a sudden, I realized I had a lot to live up to.

 “Being Mr. Basketball, it’s a special fraternity you’re in for the rest of your life. You have to live up to it.”

In the 1964 All-Star games, Brady scored four points on 2-of-5 shooting in a 68-59 first-game setback against Kentucky and its Mr. Basketball – future college and pro standout Wes Unseld – in front of 15,700 fans in Freedom Hall. A week later, however, Brady tallied a team-high 12 points on 4-of-7 field goals and 4-of-6 free throws as Indiana recovered for a 68-54 triumph before a crowd of 13,093 in Butler Fieldhouse.

 “What I remember most about the games was how big the Kentucky team was and how much better we were even though we lost to them at Kentucky,” Brady said. “I also remember that off the court there many things for us to do, the most exciting of which was getting to drive around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.”

Brady described his selection as Mr. Basketball as a bonus.

 “Being named Mr. Basketball was like icing on the cake after winning the (1964) state tournament,” he said. “It was quite a surprise as our coach (Marion Crawley) never talked about any of us being an All-Star. But when it happened, he told me it was well deserved.”

Indiana dropped both games to Kentucky in 1965, but Keller gave his all despite the results. He tallied 12 points and two rebounds on 6-of-12 shooting in a 90-80 opening loss in front of 11,109 fans in Butler Fieldhouse. A week later, Keller scored 20 points with four rebounds while hitting 6-of-15 field goals and 8-of-9 free throws in a 74-69 setback before a crowd of 15,800 in Freedom Hall.

 “Kentucky had more size than we did, but the games were close and a no-foul-out rule allowed one of their key players (Tom Hagan) to stay in there,” Keller recalled, noting that Hagan scored 22 in each game but would have fouled out of the second game had conventional rules been used. “What I remember most was the fun we all had. We all had an opportunity to get to know one another at dinners and (off-court) events. Because the games were played to benefit the Blind Fund, that was an important part, too.”

Keller contributed to the All-Stars again in 1979 when he served as head coach of the Indiana girls’ team. His connection to the All-Stars remains current as his grandson, Luke Almodovar of Noblesville, is a member of this year’s boys’ team. Keller remains proud that Indiana Mr. Basketball is among the titles he earned in his career.

 “Most people, when they talk to me about awards or accomplishments, it usually is about the Pacers,” he said “Fewer people talk about NCAA honors and fewer yet talk about high school.

 “But Mr. Basketball, that really means something to people of Indiana because we are a basketball state. Then when you look at a list of the Mr. Basketball winners, all the great players who came before and the great players who came after, to be in with all those tremendous players, it is such an honor. It is an honor that stays with you. You carry the name of Mr. Basketball everywhere you go in life.”

Warren totaled 16 points, three rebounds and three assists on 7-9 shooting in the first girls’ All-Star game, a 59-48 loss to Kentucky in front of 15,780 fans in Freedom Hall. She followed with 11 points, five rebounds and six assists on 3-of-9 field goals and 5-of-8 free throws as Indiana prevailed 68-55 in the rematch before 17,426 in Market Square Arena.

 “I remember just how fun it was to play with the high-quality players,” Warren said. “We had some other good players in high school, but the All-Stars had a whole team full of good players. I also remember the time at the hotel, the practices, the facilities and how close we became in those two weeks. There are several players with whom I am still friends today.”

As for being a Miss Basketball, in her case the first Miss Basketball, Warren said it was an unexpected honor.

 “I just played for the love of the game,” she said. “But being Miss Basketball, it was something that pushed me to give back to the game of basketball, to contribute to the progress of girls’ and women’s basketball over the years. It is amazing how much (the game) changed my life.”

Of note, Warren later served as an All-Star girls' assistant coach in 1991 and as the All-Star girls' head coach in 1993.

In the 1996 All-Star games, Winter Finn helped Indiana sweep Kentucky with an 87-82 decision in Lexington and a 68-57 triumph in Indianapolis. She totaled five points, four rebounds and five assists in the opener in front of 8,000 fans at Memorial Coliseum. She followed with 20 points and six rebounds on 8-of-11 shooting, 3-of-4 3-pointers and 1-of-2 free throws before a crowd of 12,546 in Market Square Arena.

“Several players on the All-Star team that year had played AAU together, so we had pretty good on-court chemistry,” Winter Finn said. “My high school coach (Fred Fields) was the head coach of the All-Star team, so being on the court with him was pretty similar to my high school experience.”

Winter Finn said it is humbling to continue to see her name on the Miss Basketball list each year when a new name is added.

“I hope basketball players and fans in Indiana continue to recognize the title of Miss Basketball as the distinguished honor it is,” she said. “I truly cherish being part of that history.”

As for the ’97 All-Star games, Shepherd-Stidham said she does not remember many details other than that Indiana split with Kentucky and the loss “may have had something to do with an iguana.”

For the record, Shepherd-Stidham scored nine points with five rebounds and two assists in a 71-56 victory in front of a crowd of 11,781 in Indianapolis. A week later, she followed with 19 points on 6-of-19 shooting with three 3-pointers and 4-of-4 free throws in an 86-83 setback before 2,000 fans in Frankfort’s Farnham Dudgeon Civic Center.

Shepherd-Stidham does recall her time off the floor with the All-Stars.

“Getting to spend two weeks with my teammates and the boys’ All-Stars is something I always will remember and cherish. We had so many laughs and fun moments together. I never will forget one of the guys – I won't mention any names – brought his pet iguana to the hotel. A number of players from both (the boys’ and girls’) teams ended up getting sick with salmonella, and some players had to make a trip to the hospital. The iguana ended up passing away a couple of days later.”

As for being Miss Basketball, Shepherd-Stidham understands the significance.

“I always have taken great pride in the fact that I was able to represent the state of Indiana by wearing No. 1,” she said. “There were so many talented players in my class, and it was a privilege to get to play alongside them.”

The information below is about tickets for the Indiana-Kentucky All-Star basketball games in 2023.

Admission is $10 per person for the Indiana Juniors vs. Kentucky Juniors doubleheader on June 4 at Jeffersonville. Tickets are available at the door. The girls start at 2 p.m., and the boys follow about 4 p.m.

Admission is $10 per person for the Junior-Senior doubleheader on June 7 at Cathedral. Tickets are available at the door. The girls start at 6 p.m., and the boys follow about 8 p.m.

Tickets are $12 and $10 each for the All-Stars against Kentucky on June 9 in Owensboro. The girls start at 5:30 p.m. CDT (6:30 p.m. EDT), and the boys follow about 7:30 p.m. CDT (8:30 p.m. EDT). Tickets are available at owensborotickets.evenue.net.

Tickets are priced at $100, $75, $50, $35, $25, $20 and $10 for June 10 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Futures Games doubleheader has the girls at noon and the boys at 2 p.m. The Senior All-Star doubleheader has the girls at 5 p.m. and the boys about 7:30 p.m. One ticket for all four games on June 10. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com.

Fresh off a 4-6 season last year, there is a sense of excitement surrounding the North Putnam football team this offseason. 

The Cougars opened the season 0-4 under coach Scott Moore, who is in his second season, before winning four of their last six games. During the process, North Putnam showed an ability to roll up points, scoring or surpassing 50 points three times. 

Moore admits things are good for his team currently. 

"The offseason has been going really well for our team. We have a good, core group of kids who have bought in and are working hard to improve for the upcoming season. We are getting stronger and faster and look for some younger guys to have great seasons. Our spring practices went really well and it has been beneficial to be in year two of the new system because we already have a foundation set of what we are about and what we want to accomplish. Our team is ready for summer to start and Friday nights in the fall will be here before we know it," Moore told The Putnam County Post. 

Moore said last year's record was the byproduct of a new staff and new system. 

"We had a great senior class that bought in and did everything they were asked of.  They will be tough to replace, but we have a lot of young guys that now know what it takes to be successful and we are confident in them.  We knew that we had a tough schedule to start the year and even though we were in each game at certain points and competitive, we let some get away from us on the scoreboard.  We played a lot of guys that were not able to have any JV experience in the years prior and now that they have had a year of Friday nights we are looking for them to be leaders on and off the field.  We finished the season strong going 4-1 in our last 5 regular season games and played a tough Sullivan team to a 4 quarter game in the sectional.  Our JV team went undefeated last season and some of those guys will have to step into new roles, but we also started several freshmen on Friday nights, so they will have to be leaders as sophomores with the experience they have," Moore admitted. 

Moore said the Cougars will feature some young linemen, who have gotten stronger in the weight room, as well as some young skill players that he is looking forward to seeing. 

"We have some young receivers/defensive backs and a couple of running backs/linebackers that are looking to take over every down roles and had a great spring catching and knowing the offense and defense. Our quarterback had a great offseason attending camps and throwing well this spring, as he has also gotten a lot stronger this offseason," Moore said. 

And, as the clock continues to count down to the season opener at North Montgomery on Aug. 18, Moore has a good feeling about his Cougars. 

"If we continue to buy in as a team and do things the right way in all aspects, I am confident that we can put ourselves in positions to be successful this upcoming season," Moore said. 

When the softball season began, North Putnam opened it with confidence and a motto that summed up how they would approach the season, "champions don't wake up every day motivated to conquer the world. They conquer the world because they wake up motivated to go 1-0 every day."

That motto paid huge dividends for Kerry Rousey's team, which won the Class 2A Sectional 44 championship by exercising demons against South Vermillion (21-7). South Vermillion defeated the Cougars 8-1 earlier this month and ended North Putnam's run in the postseason the last two years. 

"It is an extremely good feeling. To not only win a sectional that has been 17 years since the Cougar softball program has had one but to do it over the two-time defending champion makes it even feel much more enjoyable knowing our program is heading in the right direction," Roussey told The Putnam County Post. 

The win came with some amazing feats, as Kyndal Brewer blasted a grand slam in the sixth inning to give the Cougars the lead, but South Vermillion would battle back to retake the lead in the top of the seventh inning. 

However, as has been the case all season, Brylie Scmitz came through when it mattered most, drilling a walk-off single to lift North Putnam to the win and title. 

The efforts were something Roussey has seen all season from his squad. 

"We have really had a total team effort with our success this season. Our six seniors -- Kyndal Brewer, Emma Williams, Brylie Schmitz, Ashlynn Stacks, Karyssia Miller and Kylie Rust -- have been our anchors. Our underclassmen, which have much of our speed in junior Lexi Daigle, freshman Bailee Pride and Hailee Daigle, have been able to get rally's started with their speed and cause a lot of pressure on our opponent's defense," Roussey said. 

North Putnam will next play Cascade.  The Cadets handled Covenant Christian in the Cascade sectional title game, 12-0.

Cascade and North Putnam played in the season opener on April 3.  Cascade used a five-run third inning to break open a 1-0 game and go on to win, 9-0.

North Putnam scored 16 runs in each of its two softball victories this season over Southmont.

Unlike the regular season win in five innings, Tuesday's 2A sectional semifinal had to go seven before it became official.

The Cougars scored in each of the first three innings and led 8-0 before Southmont plated two runs in the bottom of the third.

Kyndal Brewer recorded the win as she worked four innings in relief of starting pitcher Karyssa Miller.

North Putnam (19-9) will get a rematch with South Vermilion (21-6) in tonight's sectional championship.  South Vermilion defeated the Cougars on May 18, 8-1. North Putnam has also been eliminated from the postseason by South Vermilion each of the last two seasons.

Weeks of rumors and speculation were put to bed this week as North Putnam has sent a letter of separation from the Western Indiana Conference. 

The former conference included the likes of Brown County, Cloverdale, Edgewood, Greencastle, Northview, Indian Creek, South Putnam, Owen Valley, Sullivan and West Vigo. 

In a press release, North Putnam officials thanked the Western Indiana Conference for its time.

"We would like to thank the entire Western Indiana Conference for their patience, understanding and support throughout this process. We look forward to continuing positive relationships with each Western Indiana Conference member school during this transition period and beyond," the release states. 

North Putnam has accepted an invite to join a new athletic conference that will include Crawfordsville, Southmont, North Montgomery, Frankfort and Western Boone. The conference will be named at a later date. 

"We anticipate the new conference going into effect no later than the 2026-27 school year, with the possibility of an earlier implementation. This timeframe should allow us to work with the Western Indiana Conference schools to insure a smooth transition while working with the new conference schools to form conference by-laws, confirming schedules, etc.," the release continued. 

Last month, North Putnam athletic director Bart Jochim told The Putnam County Post there was nothing he could officially share. 

"North Putnam is and will always explore options to do what is best for our students, school and community," Jochim told The Putnam County Post at the time. 

North Putnam boys' basketball coach Vincent Brooks welcomed the change of scenery, pointing to travel times between the two conferences. 

"I believe it is a great move that is focused on what is best for students as it will significantly reduce travel times and allow student athletes the ability to be home earlier on week nights," Brooks told The Putnam County Post. 

North Putnam football coach Scott Moore also embraces the change of conferences, telling The Putnam County Post, his team is "excited about the move into the new conference."

"It will help with travel times for all sports and allow the communities to support the programs at various events. Football wise it will be very competitive and a great opportunity for us to play some different teams and start new rivalries with the other schools," Moore said. 

Moore said the teams in the new conference have experienced success in the past. 

"These other schools have had success and are building great programs, they have top of the line facilities and we know that when we travel it will be great atmospheres on game days. We are hoping to be able to compete year in and year out and are excited about the opportunities," Moore said. 

Following a vote by the North Putnam Community Schools school board Thursday night, the Cougars will be leaving the Western Indiana Conference as an athletic member. 

North Putnam has accepted an invite to join a new athletic conference that will include the likes of: Crawfordsville, Southmont, North Montgomery, Frankfort and Western Boone.

Last month, North Putnam athletic director Bart Jochim told The Putnam County Post there was nothing he could officially share. 

"North Putnam is and will always explore options to do what is best for our students, school and community," Jochim told The Putnam County Post. 

The Cougars were already slated to play Southmont and North Montgomery this football season and last played Western Boone in 2020 in the sectional round of the IHSAA football playoffs. 

This is a developing story and will be updated as necessary. 

Beginning next year, high school basketball teams will shoot two free throws for common fouls when in the “bonus.” This change to Rule 4-8-1 eliminates the one-and-one scenario and sets new foul limits each quarter for awarding the bonus free throw.

Rules changes were approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Basketball Rules Committee at its annual meeting April 24-26 in Indianapolis. The recommendations were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

In addition to awarding two foul shots for all common fouls, teams will reach the bonus when their opponent commits five fouls in each quarter and team fouls will reset at the end of each quarter. Previously, teams were awarded the one-and-one bonus when their opponents committed seven fouls in a half and two foul shots when 10 fouls were committed each half.

“The rules committee studied data that showed higher injury rates on rebounding situations and saw this as an opportunity to reduce opportunities for rough play during rebounds,” said Lindsey Atkinson, NFHS Director of Sports and liaison to the Basketball Rules Committee. “Additionally, resetting the fouls each quarter will improve game flow and allow teams to adjust their play by not carrying foul totals to quarters two and four.”

The throw-in procedure for front-court violations was simplified in Rules 7-5-2 through 7-5-5. When the ball is in team control in the offensive team’s frontcourt and the defensive team commits a violation, a common foul prior to the bonus, or the ball becomes dead, the corresponding throw-in by the offensive team will be at one of four designated spots determined by where the infraction took place. The designated spots are either the nearest 28-foot mark along each sideline or the nearest spot 3 feet outside the lane line on the end line. The one exception is when the defensive team causes a ball to be out of bounds, the throw-in shall be the spot where the ball went out of bounds.

Throw-in administration was also addressed in a change to Rule 7-6-6. When an official administers a throw-in to the wrong team, the error can be fixed before the first dead ball after the ball becomes live unless there has been a change in possession.

Other approved rules changes include:

• Rule 2-1-3 establishes the official placement of a shot clock operator at the scorer’s table for those states utilizing the shot clock.
• Rule 3-4-5 clarifies that multiple styles of uniform bottoms may be worn by teammates, but they must all be like-colored and adhere to uniform rules outlined in Rule 3-6-2 regarding logos and trademarks.
• Rule 3-5-6 addresses undershirts and allows teams to wear a single solid color or solid black for visiting teams with dark jerseys. This provides an opportunity for schools with hard-to-find colors to have all players wear a black undershirt.
• Rule 9-3-3 was amended to allow a player to step out of bounds and return to the court if the player gains no advantage. A player is penalized only if, after returning inbounds, the player is the first to touch the ball or avoids a violation.

A complete listing of the basketball rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Activities & Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Basketball.”

According to the 2021-22 NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, basketball is the third-most popular high school sport for boys with 521,616 participants in 18,428 schools nationwide. It is the fourth-most popular girls sport with 370,466 participants in 17,901 schools.

The City of Noblesville has announced a transformational partnership with Pacers Sports & Entertainment to bring the Mad Ants, the company’s affiliate in the NBA G League, to Noblesville.

To accommodate the move, Noblesville plans to build a new 3,400 seat, 85,000-square-foot arena on the east side of the city.

“We are excited to welcome Pacers Sports & Entertainment to Noblesville along with the players, coaches and staff of the G League team,” Mayor Chris Jensen said. “The Pacers are an iconic brand with deep roots in central Indiana. Partnering with such an impactful organization opens numerous opportunities for our community and drives forward our efforts for a larger sports and entertainment district with enhanced partnerships.”

The new arena is anticipated to open during the 2024-2025 season, and the team would play at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in the interim. City and team officials are working through due diligence steps with local partners and plan to build the arena at Finch Creek Park near the Mojo Up Sports Complex, which generates nearly 1 million visits per year. The city expects to draw 65,000 fans annually to Noblesville and Finch Creek just for games, which is already the second most visited area in Hamilton County for sports visitors.

“We are working with the Pacers and other partners on programming options for the arena on days it is not used by the Pacers. The facility would be available for events like IHSAA tournaments and competitions, concerts, conferences, corporate events and graduations,” Jensen said. “Further steps are being taken to finalize development and programming partners, which may also incorporate additional project features and recreational amenities.”

The franchise will remain the Mad Ants through the 2023-2024 season. A new mascot will be unveiled prior to the 2024-2025 season and Mad Ants, a name with a special tie to Fort Wayne, will be retired.

“The G League is world-class basketball, and PS&E is proud to bring that to Noblesville as we strengthen our basketball operations and enhance player development in one of the state’s most vibrant and growing communities,” Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Rick Fuson said. “We are excited about the way this partnership fits into the bold vision for economic development Mayor Jensen has laid out, and we can’t wait to continue growing our NBA and G League fan base right here in Hamilton County.”

At the Noblesville Common Council meeting on May 9, a 10-year partnership agreement between the City of Noblesville and Pacers Sports & Entertainment will be presented. The agreement includes $5 million in cash investment from PS&E, which will also lead an effort to secure another $5 million in naming rights and signage over those 10 years, as well as $36.5 million from the city in building the arena.

“We welcome the new partnership with the Pacers,” said Noblesville Common Council President Aaron Smith. “The administration and council have made proactive, smart investments to assist with the financing of this partnership. We are excited to continue the strategic growth on the east side of our city and provide a new attraction for our residents and guests.”

Featuring 30 teams — 28 with one-to-one affiliations with NBA franchises — the G League offers elite professional basketball at an affordable price in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere.

“Fifty-four percent of NBA players have G League experience. Noblesville will compete in 27 media markets in 21 other states, plus Mexico and Canada,” Jensen said. “Noblesville also has a proud history of being a basketball community, including 1998 Mr. Basketball Tom Coverdale and the 2022 Millers Girls Basketball State Champions. Adding our partnership with the Pacers only cements us as a destination for basketball and youth sports.”

Hendricks Regional Health and Wabash College today announced a new three-year partnership effective July 1, 2023, that makes Hendricks the sports medicine provider for the Little Giants.
 

“Wabash Athletics is thrilled to partner with Hendricks Regional Health to elevate our sports medicine operations, especially in athletic training services,” said Matt Tanney, Director of Athletics & Campus Wellness. “The athletic training profession is in the midst of a sea change nationally, and partnering with a trusted, local healthcare provider to leverage its expertise and professional networks in support of Wabash scholar-athletes is a big win. We're excited to work alongside the Hendricks' team in the coming months to launch this effort.”

Through the partnership, the Hendricks team of physicians, athletic trainers, and physical therapists will provide care to Wabash student-athletes. Services include the prevention, evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation of athletic injuries.

“Building strong, lasting partnerships with schools and employers is something we are incredibly proud of at Hendricks,” said Shane Sommers, Vice President of Professional Services for Hendricks Regional Health. “The field of sports medicine has advanced tremendously, and we are committed to bringing the latest – and most proven – techniques for preventative and rehabilitative treatment of student-athletes. Our athletic trainers that will be taking care of the
13 Little Giants athletic teams are supported by a comprehensive group of orthopedic specialists, including a proud Wabash alum.”

During its annual review of the by-laws Monday, the Board of Directors of the Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc. tabled a proposal that changes the way schools are classified in the four-class sports.

The board, led by President Chris Conley of Delta High School and Vice President Kye Denney of Wes-Del High School, approved 12 proposals, three failed to receive enough support, and several others were tabled during the meeting in Indianapolis.

All proposals are considered in the order that the rule appears within the current by-laws. The Board of Directors has four options on each proposal: affirm, deny, table or amend a rule. A simple majority is necessary to act on any measure and all approved measures become effective immediately unless otherwise noted.

After lengthy conversation, the board opted to table the proposal for further study which would begin classifying schools in the four-class sports of baseball, basketball, softball and volleyball using fix enrollment figures. Since 1997-98, the rule has required equally distributing schools among the four classes.

The proposal, which will now be taken up at the June 22 Executive Committee meeting, was submitted by Commissioner Paul Neidig on behalf of the Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (IIAAA). It calls for the following breaks:

• Class 4A – 1,400 enrollment and up
• Class 3A – 600-1,399 enrollment
• Class 2A – 325-599 enrollment
• Class A – 324 enrollment and down

Due to the tabling of the four-class proposal, the other proposals affecting the Tournament Success Factor were subsequently tabled as well.

In other items:

• The board unanimously approved (17-0) of reducing the necessary number of schools participating in an Emerging Sport (currently girls wrestling and boys volleyball) from 150 to 100 before that sport would become officially sponsored and a state tournament implemented. The minimum of 40 schools per district was also struck from the rule.
• The proposal that required schools to notify the Association of their intention to play up one or more classes for the next reclassification cycle with a deadline of September 1 was approved 18-0.
• An amendment to Rule 9-14 that reduces the number of practices required after missing consecutive days was approved 18-0. Students missing 8-14 consecutive days will now need two practices (previously four) while those missing more than 14 consecutive days will now need three practices (previously six).
• Clarifying language to Rule 14-8 that high school students with a provisional officiating license may officiate any contests other than those at the high school level (grades 9-12) was approved 18-0.
• An amendment to Rule 14-9 that extends the deadline to renew an officiating license from May 31 to June 30 was approved 18-0.
• A proposal from the Indiana High School Tennis Coaches Association requesting the first authorized practice date for girls tennis in the spring did not pass (1-17).
• Amendments to Rules 50-1 and 50-1.2 (Pre-Participation Practice) that reduced the number of practices required both passed unanimously (18-0).
• Two proposals from Austin Principal Dr. Ryan Herald that would reduce the maximum number of games that a baseball and softball team may play both failed to receive any support.
• The elections of next year’s leadership of the Board and Executive Committee were also held. Stacy Adams of Valparaiso High School was voted president of the 2023-24 Board of Directors and Chad Gilbert of Charlestown High School was elected vice president. Chris Conley of Delta High School was named chairman of the 2023-24 Executive Committee and Tom Black of East Central High School was confirmed as vice chairman.