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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) — IU football fans will soon have another way to watch the Hoosiers in action.

Beginning this fall, Memorial Stadium will feature eight field-level premium suites on the stadium’s south end, immediately behind the end zone, Indiana University announced Thursday.

Each suite will include spacious sectional seating, a mounted big-screen TV on the awning, a drink rail with seats facing the field, and a personal suite attendant.

For those pre- and mid-game munchies, fans can fill a plate at an all-you-can-eat hospitality buffet and grab a can of beer or glass of wine.

Each suite costs $20,000 per season and includes 16 tickets to each IU home game, beginning with the Sept. 2 season opener against Ohio State. Pricing for a single-game suite is yet to be determined.

The new premium suites are the result of a partnership between IU Athletics and REVELXP, which works with sports and entertainment brands to offer fans an elevated gameday experience.

Click here to visit the IU Hoosiers website and find out more.

An additional view of the premium field-level suites at IU’s Memorial Stadium starting this fall. (Provided Photo/IU Athletics)

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis announced on Wednesday that Luke Bosso will become the school’s next athletic director. The move is effective June 19.

Bosso currently serves as managing director of government advisory with Katz, Sapper & Miller. He began his career with Indiana University Sports Properties and Learfield Sports. 

“Luke’s passion for athletics and his deep relationships in Indianapolis and throughout the state will be an asset to our thriving athletics program, our student-athletes and our coaches,” Indiana University President Pamela Whitten said in a press release. “As we transition to the future IU Indianapolis, his leadership will help ensure Jaguars Athletics grows as part of the fabric of our city.”

Bosso will take over as director of athletics during a time of change for IUPUI. The campus is preparing to operate as IU Indianapolis at the start of the 2024 academic year.

“It is a true privilege to join the IU family, and I look forward to pursuing even greater experiences for our student-athletes, ensuring they not only secure a top-notch education but compete at the highest levels as representatives of one of our state’s premier athletics programs,” Bosso said in a press release.

IUPUI is a member of the NCAA’s Horizon League.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) — A former Indiana University football player was arrested Monday after two women accused him of sexual assault.

According to court documents, Connor Delp, 20, from Greenwood, was arrested Monday on two felony charges of rape and a felony charge of sexual battery.

The charges come after a woman went to the Indiana University Police Department on Nov. 13 and reported that she was sexually assaulted by Delp two days before on Nov. 11.

During initial investigation, detectives learned that a second woman was involved and Delp attempted to assault her on the same night.

Investigators spoke with the two women, court papers say, learning that the two women had been friends with Delp for a few months before the incident. On Nov. 10, Delp had invited the two women to his apartment near IU’s campus in Bloomington.

The two women went to Delp’s apartment, where Delp, the women, and another man who the women were unfamiliar with, spent a few hours conversing and drinking alcohol.

One woman told investigators she believed everyone in the group consumed around five drinks, though no one appeared “overly intoxicated.”

Court documents say that around 3 a.m. Nov. 11, the group began to discuss video games, and Delp offered to let the group play video games on the console in his bedroom. The two women went with Delp to his room. The women told investigators they were unsure where the second man went.

Delp turned on the console and the first woman started to play video games, wearing a set of headphones Delp had given her. While the three were in Delp’s bedroom, the women claim he attempted to engage in sexual intercourse with both of them, though both women repeatedly told him “no.”

Delp had sex with the first woman, but she told investigators she repeatedly said “no,” court documents say.

After the first woman and Delp stopped having sex, the two women gathered their belongings and left Delp’s apartment after requesting an Uber.

The first woman told detectives that Delp had texted her several times after they left his apartment, asking if she was OK and saying, “let me know when u make it back safe”.

The second woman turned over text messages between her and Delp to police, where Delp says he received “mixed signals” and “he would never have taken advantage of them.”

Detectives contacted Delp at his home, and spoke with Delp’s lawyer who said that “a determination would be made at a later time as to whether he would be providing a statement.”

On Nov. 21, investigators spoke with Delp, who confirmed that the two women had come to his apartment. Delp told investigators that everyone in the group had three shots of alcohol, and that the second woman had a few more drinks after that.

Court papers say Delp told investigators that the women had been at his apartment for about an hour before he decided he was going to his bedroom. Delp said the women followed him to his room, and the three of them engaged in sexual activities.

Delp told officers that he did have sex with the first woman, though they mutually agreed to stop.

Delp told investigators that neither woman told him “no” during the activity, nor did they show signs of discomfort, court documents say.

Police said Delp’s attorneys presented what they called results from a polygraph test taken by Delp that showed he “was not being deceptive in his responses.”

A judge set Delp’s bond at a $30,000 surety and a $500 cash bond. He was no longer listed as being in the Monroe County jail as of Tuesday afternoon. A preliminary hearing for Delp has not been scheduled.

Indiana University announced it had suspended Delp from the football team on November 17, 2022, but did not announce the reason for the suspension.

(AP) — Notre Dame transfer quarterback Tyler Buchner committed on Thursday to Alabama, where he will be reunited with former Fighting Irish offensive coordinator Tommy Rees.

“Sometimes life brings opportunities that are beyond anything you can imagine and that is what has happened today,” Buchner said in a Twitter post. “I have committed to play football for the University of Alabama and head coach Nick Saban.”

Buchner, entering his third college season, began last year as Notre Dame’s starting QB but injured his shoulder in a Week 2 game against Marshall and missed the rest of the regular season.

He returned to lead the Fighting Irish to a Gator Bowl victory against South Carolina.

In two seasons with the Irish, the former four-star recruit from California has thrown six touchdown passes and eight interceptions. He also has run for seven scores and 459 yards.

Rees, who recruited Buchner, left his alma mater to take the same job at Alabama earlier this year.

Alabama completed spring practice last weekend with no clear front-runner in a quarterback competition that include third-year player Jalen Milroe, redshirt freshman Ty Simpson and two freshmen.

The Crimson Tide are looking for a replacement for Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young, who is expected to be one of the first picks Thursday night in the NFL draft.

Milroe is the only incumbent Alabama quarterback with significant game experience. He started one game last season and played most of another after Young was injured in a game against Arkansas.

Milroe threw five touchdown passes and three interceptions while completing 58.5% of his passes last season. He also ran for four touchdowns, including three in a victory against Texas A&M.

The last time Alabama’s No. 1 quarterback for a season was a transfer was 2015, when former Florida State passer Jacob Coker helped lead the Tide to a national title. Since then, the Tide’s starters have been Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones and Young.

Buchner was competing at Notre Dame with Wake Forest transfer Sam Hartman, who came to the Fighting Irish with three seasons of starting experience and 110 career touchdown passes. He will be a sixth-year senior.

Coach Marcus Freeman did not name a starter after spring practice, and Buchner said earlier this week when he announced that he would enter his name in the transfer portal that a return to Notre Dame was possible.

Instead, he will play for Rees, the former Notre Dame quarterback who spent six seasons as position coach for the Fighting Irish. He was offensive coordinator from 2020-22.

Buchner is the second Notre Dame quarterback to transfer since the end of last regular season. Drew Pyne left for Arizona State.

A look at football players in the Big Ten this spring who are poised to have breakout seasons this fall:

EAST DIVISION

INDIANA: QB Tayven Jackson, little brother of Hoosiers basketball All-American Trace Jackson-Davis, appeared in three games for Tennessee last year and retained his redshirt status. The homegrown four-star recruit and native Texan Brendan Sorsby head into fall in a close battle for the starter’s job.

MARYLAND: DL Jordan Phillips made one tackle in three games for Tennessee last season and probably would have remained in a backup role had he stayed with the Volunteers. He figures to make a big impact on a rebuilding defensive line.

MICHIGAN: CB Will Johnson, according to Pro Football Weekly, would be a top-10 pick if he were eligible for the NFL draft this year. He became a starter in November and closed with a flurry, making a career-high eight tackles against Ohio State and two of his three interceptions against Purdue in the Big Ten title game.

MICHIGAN STATE: RB Jalen Berger is the key if the Spartans are going to re-establish a running game that dropped off dramatically following the departure of 2021 Doak Walker Award winner Kenneth Walker III. Berger’s 683 yards were fewest by an MSU leading rusher since 2018 (excluding 2020 pandemic season).

OHIO STATE: S Sonny Styles was mostly a special teams guy last year. Expect him to be on the field a lot more. The Buckeyes play as many three safeties at a time, and the 6-foot-4, 222-pounder also has worked at linebacker. He was one of the stars of the spring game with six tackles and two pass breakups.

PENN STATE: QB Drew Allar gets the keys to the offense after playing behind Sean Clifford. The 2022 top national quarterback recruit displayed his elite passing ability in 10 appearances. With a bounty of talent surrounding him and a favorable schedule, the stage is set for him to make the Nittany Lions a College Football Playoff challenger.

RUTGERS: OL Jacob Allen is ready to show what made him New Jersey’s top-ranked recruit and the nation’s No. 10 lineman last year. He didn’t play his first season because of a lower-body injury. New line coach Pat Flaherty is giving Allen a long look for a starting tackle job.

WEST DIVISION

ILLINOIS: QB Luke Altmyer, beaten out for the starter’s job at Mississippi last year, is first in line to replace Tommy DeVito. Coach Bret Bielema said Altmyer got better with each spring practice. Altmyer doesn’t have star RB Chase Brown behind him like DeVito did. Altmyer does have a high ceiling and will throw to an upgraded group of receivers.

IOWA: QB Cade McNamara has won over the locker room and shined on the practice field since transferring from Michigan. He gives the fan base hope the offense can up its production in a make-or-break season for coordinator Brian Ferentz. McNamara hasn’t played since injuring his knee in the third game last season.

MINNESOTA: DE Jah Joyner led the team in quarterback pressures despite being in a backup role. He likely will take over Thomas Rush’s spot and be a major contributor for new defensive line coach Winston DeLattiboudere, who’s looking for more sacks than the 19 the Gophers produced in 13 games.

NEBRASKA: DL AJ Rollins switched from tight end to defensive tackle at new coach Matt Rhule’s request. The 6-foot-6, 220-pounder has taken his new role and run with it. He played with the No. 1 offense in the spring game and had four tackles, one for loss, and a pass breakup.

NORTHWESTERN: WR Cam Johnson played from 2018-21 at Vanderbilt and last season at Arizona State, where he caught just 10 balls. Johnson should have a prominent role for a team that lost top receiver Malik Washington to the transfer portal and whose top returning pass catcher had just 19 receptions.

PURDUE: QB Hudson Card is next up in the program known as the “cradle of quarterbacks.” The Texas transfer takes over for Aidan O’Connell. He has a strong arm and good athleticism. More important, he has picked up offensive coordinator Graham Harrell’s system quickly.

WISCONSIN: CB Ricardo Hallman made eight starts last season, but his playing time dipped significantly after he struggled in a midseason overtime loss at Michigan State. He intercepted three passes Saturday in a practice open to the public. The Badgers need him to step up at a position where they lack depth.

___

AP Sports Writers Dave Campbell, Tom Canavan, Larry Lage, Mike Marot, Steve Megargee and Andrew Seligman contributed to this report.

(AP) — The Big Ten is hiring former Major League Baseball executive Tony Petitti to be its next commissioner, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Tuesday night.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because a deal was still being finalized. An announcement is expected from the conference by the end of the week.

Petitti replaces Kevin Warren, who is leaving to become president of the Chicago Bears. Warren’s last day on the job was scheduled to be April 17.

Petitti continues a trend of recent hires to lead the top conferences coming from outside college sports — like Warren, who worked for the Minnesota Vikings before taking over for Jim Delany and becoming the Big Ten’s first Black commissioner in 2019.

The Pac-12 subsequently hired George Kliavkoff, who was an executive for MGM Resorts International. Last year, the Big 12 hired Brett Yormark as commissioner after he had previously run Barclays Center in New York and worked for the Roc Nation talent agency.

Petitti has extensive background in television, working for ABC, CBS and MLB Network. He was also chief operating officer for MLB, taking over the position Rob Manfred held before he became commissioner.

MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) — Jaylin Sellers scored 20 points to help Ball State defeat Kent State 82-70 on Tuesday night.

Sellers was 7 of 9 shooting, including 1 for 3 from distance, and went 5 for 5 from the line for the Cardinals (20-8, 11-4 Mid-American Conference). Basheer Jihad scored 13 points and added six rebounds. Luke Bumbalough was 5 of 7 shooting (3 for 5 from distance) to finish with 13 points.

The Golden Flashes (22-6, 12-3) were led in scoring by Sincere Carry, who finished with 21 points and six rebounds. Malique Jacobs added 18 points and six rebounds for Kent State. Miryne Thomas also had 13 points.

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The NCAA asked a federal appeals court on Wednesday to reject a legal effort to make colleges treat Division I athletes like employees and start paying them an hourly wage.

Lawyers for the student-athletes said that weekly, they often spend 30 hours or more on their sport and often need money for expenses, even if they are on full scholarship. And they believe the athletes deserve a share in the millions that are spent on coaches, college administrators and facilities — and the billions that networks pay to televise college sports.

They are not seeking pay equivalent to their market value, but only a modest across-the-board pay rate similar to those earned by work-study students, the lawyers said.

“This does not open up a circumstance in which there’s a bidding war (for top talent),” lawyer Michael Willemin said.

The NCAA urged the court to uphold the tradition of college athletes being unpaid amateurs. Critics of the pay-for-play scheme also fear the cost could lead schools to cut sports that don’t generate as much or any revenue while sending more resources to their profitable football and basketball programs.

Lawyer Steven B. Katz, arguing for the NCAA, said a finding that athletes are employees “launches you on the edge of a slippery slope that rapidly takes you to someplace that you don’t want to go.”

As an example, he said that the cost to attend some of the private colleges involved in the case exceed $70,000 a year. The value of a full scholarship would far outweigh the $10,000 to $15,000 the athletes might earn if they were paid a modest hourly wage, he argued.

Katz also said the scholarships could become taxable if the students are deemed employees. And he questioned how teams would function if some students were “paid employees” on scholarship while walk-ons without a scholarship were not.

At least one person on the panel, U.S. Circuit Judge Theodore McKee, seemed to think at least some student-athletes may be employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act — while acknowledging such a finding would create “so many practical problems.”

Would football players at powerhouse schools earn more than swimmers at small schools? What about Division II athletes?

“Maybe that’s where we end up — that the quarterback at the SEC school is an employee and the woman who’s running cross-country track at Alabama, they’re not an employee,” McKee said.

When Katz raised the potential risk of back taxes being owed, McKee cut him off, saying “the case is complicated enough without us going down that” rabbit hole.

A lower court judge had declined to dismiss the lawsuit before it went to trial, prompting the NCAA to appeal. The three-judge panel did not indicate when it would rule.

Willemin, arguing for the students, said the NCAA burdens athletes with rigid rules on gambling, earning outside income, free speech, even social media usage, while their school teams further restrict their choices by controlling their class schedule, study halls and at times even their college major. The NCAA could loosen its grip on student-athletes and the case might go away, he suggested.

“The NCAA has turned the idea of student-athlete on its head, even in non-revenue generating sports,” he said. “These are regulations the NCAA can change. They’ve chosen not to change them.”

The case is just the latest one to test the NCAA’s traditional amateurism model — and comes as the organization already faces complicated issues stemming from the advent of “name, image and likeness deals that can top $1 million for the most popular college athletes.

The NCAA also hopes that Congress might weigh in, given a series of setbacks in the courts. They include the unanimous U.S. Supreme Court decision last year that lifted the ban on compensation beyond full scholarships, and lets colleges give athletes education-related benefits such as computers and study abroad program fees.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Indiana Hoosiers coach Mike Woodson is expected to return to the sideline Saturday night for a crucial Big Ten contest against Ohio State.

Woodson missed Wednesday night’s game at Minnesota because he was recovering from COVID-19.

The athletic department said Friday in a news release that Woodson was “doing great” and the medical team believes he will be able to coach Saturday night.

Associate head coach Yasir Rosemond replaced Woodson earlier this week for the game in which the Hoosiers rallied for a 61-57 victory over the short-handed Golden Gophers.

Woodson returned to his alma mater last season after spending a quarter-century coaching in the NBA. Under Woodson’s guidance, the Hoosiers (14-6, 5-4 Big Ten) ended a five-year NCAA Tournament drought.

Indiana opened this season as the Big Ten favorite, but three straight January losses sent them tumbling out of The Associated Press Top 25 for the first time this season. The Hoosiers have rebounded by winning four straight, and a victory over the Buckeyes (11-9, 3-6) could put them back in the rankings.

Indiana is currently three games behind 3½ games behind No. 1 Purdue but is tied for fifth in the Big Ten, just one game behind second-place Rutgers.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Trayce Jackson-Davis scored a season-high 35 points and Indiana earned its first regular-season win over Illinois since 2019 with an 80-65 victory on Thursday night.

Indiana shot a season-high 61.8% from the field, knocking down 34 of 55 attempts, including 3 of 9 from distance. The Hoosiers grabbed the lead on Jordon Geronimo’s 3 more than three minutes into the game.

Indiana (12-6, 3-4 Big 10) led by as many as 19 in the first half, but Illinois rallied. Terrence Shannon Jr. hit two 3-pointers and RJ Melendez hit a 3 at the first-half buzzer to get within 10, 43-33. Sencire Harris’ layup to start the second half got the Illini within single digits, but Jackson-Davis dunked and his jumper with 10:48 left made it a 20-point lead, 64-44.

Jackson-Davis hit 15 of 19 shots from the field, grabbed nine rebounds and added five assists and three blocked shots. Geronimo added 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds with three blocked shots. Trey Galloway and Jalen Hood-Schifino added 11 and 10 points, respectively,

Shannon finished with 26 points to lead Illinois (13-6, 4-4). Melendez added 10 points.

Indiana plays host to Michigan State on Sunday, Illinois, which had its four-game win streak snapped, plays host to Ohio State on Tuesday.