Throughout the year, sports fans yell and the headlines boost Indiana’s biggest teams such as the Indiana Hoosiers, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Purdue Boilermakers. Despite the hype these teams command, true sports fans know they are not the only game in town.
Here are four college athletic programs, including football and basketball, that get their game on.
Marian Knights – Marian University
The Marian Knights football team, of Marian University, earned their first victory Oct.27, 2007 against Taylor University, this was also the first year of the university’s football program. While the team is currently ranked 11th with a 7-2 record in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) conference, the team was crowned the NIAA National Champions in 2012. Head coaches Ted Karras, Jr. and Mark Henninger have led the team to an overall record of 54-28. Next week, the team will play for its third Mid-States Football Association Mideast (MSFA) League championship.
Indianapolis Greyhounds – University of Indianapolis
Recently earning the title as Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) champions, the Indianapolis Greyhounds football team took the victory over Missouri S&T. This 25th ranked team is 22-0 in conference games since the GLVC began sponsoring football in 2012. This NCAA Division II team will play William Jewel College Nov.15 at 4 p.m. ay UIndy’s Key Stadium.
Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats – Indiana Wesleyan University
For the fourth time in Indiana Wesleyan’s basketball program history, the team was ranked No.1 at the start of the season. The team has won seven conference championships within the past eight seasons and has won six in a row. Earlier this year, the team won their first national title as the NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball National Champions.
Butler Bulldogs – Butler University
Apart of the NCAA Division I division and founded in 1887, Butler has shared two consecutive Pioneer Football League (PFL) championships. The Bulldogs have won three PFL titles in the past five years and four league titles overall. The team became the first PFL team to participate in the NCAA Division I Football Championship
In 2013 and earned the PFL’s automatic bid to the national championship and hosted a first round game against Tennessee State. The team plays their last game of the season Nov. 15 at noon against Dayton.
