Presented by the vice chair of the Service for Veterans Prisoners of War (POW) Committee, Patti Moy, the event told the stories of war prisoners throughout U.S. history, from the American Revolution, the American Civil War, to the World Wars. She focused on how both German and Italian prisoners of war (POWs) worked in Indiana's agricultural and canning industries during World War II.

Moy believes that with the state's deep connections to the manufacturing and agricultural industries, each Hoosier is part of this pinpoint of history and has a story to tell.

"It's part of our Hoosier history," Moy said. "We have a lot of individuals who came from the smaller communities who had family stories and local history of these individuals."

Moy highlights how these POWs, despite being from the enemy side, were treated well inside the state. She notes these international treatment laws came from conventions like the Geneva Convention.

"You had all those rules, the Geneva Convention and everything," Moy said, "and we were hoping that our members overseas were treated the same here."

But one problem this time in history faces is that those in the present forget these stories exist. This stems from what Moy describes as adults being unable to make connections.

"Individuals in the community, they don't make that connection of where your food and everything is supposed to be coming from," Moy said. "And so it's a surprise when they found out that, 'Oh, our men went off to war, so somebody had to do the work there to keep everybody fed.'"

Through these stories, Moy hopes people never forget the impact these prisoners had on Indiana's history, even if it takes cans of beans and fields of corn.

Contact Evan Shotts with comments at evan.shotts@bsu.edu.

Sam Jasionowski sits down to chat about the 2026 film and music awards season

Hosted by: Ian Case, Sam Jasionowski

Edited by: Ian Case

Graphic by: Ian Case

The department monitors crime statistics from previous years to identify patterns and adjust safety strategies. Reviewing past reports helps the department determine where to increase patrols, improve lighting, or offer additional surveillance to prevent incidents before they occur.

"When we track those crimes, we see trends, problem areas, certain times of day, it allows us to be able to allocate our resources to those areas," said Matt Gaither, Ball State University police captain.

Offering multiple ways for students to reach out, including confidential reporting through the Silent Witness System. They also work with the Office of Victim Services, making sure victims are comfortable and their voices are being heard. These options allow students to come forward with concerns while feeling supported.

In addition to reporting options, police work with other campus offices to provide services designed to help students in everyday situations. The Motorist Assistance Program offers free help for vehicle issues on campus. While the Office of Student Conduct works with university police to better inform students about safety and responsibility.

The department also builds trust with the campus community. With events like lunch with a cop, the Citizen Police Academy, bike registration and free self-defense classes. This gives students and the community a chance to meet officers and learn more about why the university police handles situations the way they do. The University Police Department holds up to many standards that other departments do not meet.

"We have our officers in hundreds of hours of training a year, that isn't required. Our officers are currently on the best training and practices. We are a fully accredited police department," Captain Gatiher said.

These programs and the level of education help students feel comfortable reaching out about sensitive topics. Whether students need assistance, to report a concern or simply have questions about safety on campus.

"We want to make sure that they have that comfort level of reporting what they need to report, asking the questions they need to ask, and getting the answers and resolutions that they need to make them feel like they are comfortable knowing we are taking care of the problem," Captain Gaither stated.

Staying informed about available resources and understanding how the department works can help students and the community feel more confident as they go about their daily routines. Anyone who needs help or wants to report a concern is encouraged to contact university police or use the support services. Reach the Ball State Police Department directly at 765-285-1111.

Contact Rayanna Goble with comments at rayanna.goble@bsu.edu.

The Muncie-based acrylic pour artist spends his days filling blank white canvases with layers of primary colors and metallic accents, splattering enough paint that even his once-neutral dining room curtains are considered works of art.

But his days were not always saturated with sunshine and the colors of the rainbow. One day, in particular, changed his life forever. After the fact, Brammer was narrowly consumed by the muted undertones of depression.

April 4, 2020

Brammer was driving on Interstate 69, halfway between Muncie and Fort Wayne, Indiana, when his car flipped five times in an automobile accident along the interstate. He sustained a "multitude" of injuries: a collapsed lung, a broken sternum, a broken scapula, three broken ribs, a "completely bruised up face," and, "most notably," a T6 incomplete spinal burst fracture.

The spinal cord injury at the T6 vertebrae, about halfway down his abdomen, rendered Branner paralyzed. As a result of the incomplete fracture, he still maintains "preserved motor function" in his lower body but is unable to bear weight on it.

Today, almost six years to the day since the accident, Brammer reflected.

"This accident was extremely life-altering for me in a multitude of ways. I barely survived. I have my hands; I have my head. That's stuff that I am very grateful for, and that I should not even probably have in the first place," he said.

However, he did not always feel so lucky. Alongside his art skills, gratitude took time to develop - and was far less tangible.

The first 365 days

"The first year [post-accident], I was nowhere near as optimistic as I am now," Brammer said. "I was not doing much of anything, really. I was just grieving…and grievance in itself doesn't have a set time period…Everyone heals and makes their milestones of grievance at their own pace."

His mother, Candace Brammer, said that as the middle child of the family, Austin fit the stereotype.

"When he was young, he was a strong-willed child, and I remember saying multiple times, 'This obstin[acy] is going to come in handy someday. I don't know how. I don't know what [for] - it's probably going to be for a job - but it's going to serve you well at some point.'"

After the accident, she said she could not bear to witness the depressive personality shift in her youngest, once highly independent, son.

"It was so hard as a mom," she said. "There's so much more to being paralyzed than just being in a wheelchair, and I had never really thought about that too much."

What made it especially hard, Candace said, was the timing of it all. The date of Austin's car accident, April 4, 2020, was less than one month after the United States government declared the COVID-19 pandemic a national emergency and enforced lockdown restrictions in March 2020, according to The National Conference of State Legislatures.

Per quarantine protocol, loved ones and visitors were not permitted into hospitals. This meant that Austin went through the earliest stages of his recovery process alone.

Austin's older brother, Chase Brammer, said he does not remember a lot from the accident itself, having "blacked out the immense stress and pain of the whole thing," but the bits and pieces he does remember "ranks in the top two worst days of my life."

Growing up just two years apart from one another, the brothers had a close bond. They shared similar engineering hobbies, music tastes and even slept in bunk beds as children, which made the space between them post-accident all the more devastating for Chase.

"I was frustrated, personally, because I thought that the quality of care and the ability to communicate [within hospital networks] was as good as it was going to get, but it was not as high as I think it would have been if it wasn't during COVID," he said.

Switching between Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne and Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana (RHI) in Indianapolis, Chase, Candace and the rest of Austin's immediate family FaceTimed as often as they could, cheering him on through various therapy appointments.

But even through the computer screens, Candace's motherly intuition told her that although Austin's physical pain had been heavily numbed through medication on account of his "plenty" injuries, his anger - over circumstances far beyond his control - remained inconsolable.

By the time Austin was discharged from the hospital and returned to his childhood home in Muncie to live with his parents, they shared his sense of helplessness.

"We were just kind of thrown into 'What do we do now?' and 'How do we help you?'" Candace remembered.

These were questions none of the Brammers had answers to - but Candace looked inward to find them. The Ball State early childhood education alumna had worked as a preschool teacher in the years prior to that. After Austin's accident, Candace quit her job, but her nurturing character held strong as she became his primary caregiver, a role she held for three years before returning to the workforce.

During this time, the mother and son formed an ironclad bond.

"We cried together…We both had a lot of anxiety about all the newness, trying to find a new way through the world and [how] to function, but honestly, it's been really great," Candace said. "We definitely got a lot closer than we ever had been, because I don't think we were as close as I was with my other kids."

Art as therapy

Austin was 24 at the time of his accident. At that age, "He was big into independence, social life and experiencing the world the way young, 20-year-olds do," Candace said.

That all changed in the blink of an eye, at about 60 mph.

Upon moving back into his childhood home, Austin became nearly comatose under a mixed cocktail of grief, anger and depression. Watching in real time as those emotions took over her son, Candace knew the pair could not spend their days sitting idly by.

"We have to find something to do," she said, beginning her activity search.

As a child herself, Candace enjoyed crafting and making pencil sketches with her best friend in the early 80s, but "was never good at it," she said. "That was me as a kid; the end results were never good, but the process was fun."

Then came Austin's 25th birthday. He still fondly remembers the day his parents gifted him his first, premixed, acrylic fluid art set.

"My mom said, 'Austin, you're gonna do this with me, because I want to do it, and I want you to do it with me too,'" he said, reciting his mother's matter-of-fact tone in the moment.

Austin described feeling "liberated" after creating his first painting. For him, the artistic craft was far more than just "something to do," as Candace had initially set out to find.

Instead, acrylic pour art was "something I could do again," Austin said. "It was something that was not a spinal cord injury. It was something that wasn't the loss that I was dealt."

Over the last half-decade, Austin has regained his independence. While Candace said Austin "doesn't need much help anymore," she was happy to step in when he needed it and cultivate his craft.

"I feel very happy that I was able to help him. That's extremely gratifying, because of how hard [recovery] was and how much [a parent] wants [their] child - even though [Austin] was grown - to enjoy life, so it's great to watch his [creative] process and how it's affected him," she said.

'Going all in'

For about two years after receiving the art set, Austin said he did acrylic fluid art for fun. It was his close friends and family who helped turn his creations into cash flow.

His grandmother's sister was the first person to ask for a commissioned piece in late 2023. Austin said he was hesitant to take up the request at first because "the art itself is very, very abstract, and it's very hard to necessarily replicate certain pieces or certain images, and it's very, very difficult to have a lot of control over. There's always an aspect of randomness to this," he said.

Nevertheless, Austin completed the commission and remembers the customer testimonial he received afterward.

"Austin, if you don't do something with this, I feel like you're wasting a really, really, really good talent and a really good story," he recalled his grandmother's sister telling him.

The positive, motivating feedback, coupled with the end of the 2023 calendar year - a time for new year's resolutions - posed Austin with a decision to make.

"I was determining whether or not I was going to decide to actually go all in and try to become a vendor at certain markets and events for my artwork and have my own little side gig - or if I was going to get an administrator certification in Salesforce… You can kind of tell which direction I ended up going," he laughed.

In March 2024, Austin applied to be a vendor at Minnetrista Museums & Gardens weekly farmers markets and was later accepted.

"I love the Minnetrista. It's a super accessible market, and I love that about it," he said.

Through the years, as he has returned to the Minnetrista farmers markets and similar events like First Thursday boardwalks in downtown Muncie, "I just realized, 'There's something to be made here,' whether it be money, a defining experience for people, [or] a powerful story," Austin said.

His wheelchair, now an ingrained part of his story, has afforded him opportunities to connect with other disabled individuals - opportunities he recognizes he may not have if not for his car accident.

"There was a wonderful time," Austin recalled, "where I met a family with a little girl who had spina bifida, so she was in an Ultralight wheelchair, akin to what I use."

The family, as Austin's anecdote went, was visiting from the Wisconsin area en route to the Children's Museum of Indianapolis. The family's daughter had done well in school and was heavily invested in art, so they made a pit stop to see the Bob Ross exhibit in Muncie, where they met up with Austin at a First Thursday event.

"I'll do a lot of special stuff for kids if they're interested in art, because I think it's really important for kids to get into artwork…to encourage them to explore different mediums of expression," he said.

Austin let the family's daughter pick out a 3" by 3" easel painting to take home with her. In moments like those rooted in connection, "It's not really so much about making a quick 10 bucks, or however much I sell [paintings] for. It's about giving [customers] a memory," he said.

'Beauty in the absurd'

As the years have passed, Chase said his brother's sense of creativity is nothing new. "[Austin's] always been a creative person. I don't think he's had a medium to express it until this," he said.

Austin said what draws him specifically to the acrylic pour medium is its abstract nature that reminds him of "the beauty of the absurd," a strong parallel to the fact that he likely would never have discovered his artistic talent without his 2020 wreckage.

Although the car accident inevitably forced him to rethink and adjust, Candace said her son is still the same boy she has known and loved since his birth.

"He's so kind and empathetic, and he was that way all his life. He was that way before his accident; the accident didn't make him that way," she said.

Austin shared similar thoughts about his evolution post-accident. To him, it was not so much a change in character as having to "overcome and adapt," a standard of human existence.

"The long story short of it all is I suffered a very traumatic and tragic thing. It could always be worse, and I acknowledge that. But just like anybody else when they suffer a traumatic thing, we find ways to cope with it, and we find ways to overcome and adapt," he said. "[Acrylic pour painting] was my first step in the direction of finding something that I can do again. It made me feel alive, and it put a smile back on my face that I hadn't really had in a long time. I really do owe a lot of it to my mom, because she was pretty stubborn about it."

Today, Austin's creativity has earned him recent titles, including RoHo's Martini Bar in Muncie's February Artist of the Month and Savage's Ale House's current March Artist of the Month. Those interested in seeing his art or hearing his story firsthand can visit Austin at Minnetrista's Saturday farmers markets or First Thursday events in downtown Muncie, both of which he is a frequent vendor at.

Contact Katherine Hill via email at katherine.hill@bsu.edu.

The Indiana Attorney General's Office, representing Secretary of State Diego Morales and other state defendants, asked Indiana's Southern District Court on Friday to deny a preliminary injunction sought by student and voting rights groups challenging the policy.

The plaintiffs - Count Us IN, Women4Change Indiana and Indiana University student Josh Montagne -are trying to halt enforcementof a 2025 law that explicitly bars student college IDs from being used as voter identification at the polls.

AFebruary requestby the plaintiffs for a preliminary injunction is still pending. A status conference in the case is scheduled for June 9, but a ruling is likely to come before the upcoming May primary.

The state has argued that concerns about voter fraud, as well as the variety of student IDs, justify the ban. Their most recent filing maintains that the challengers have not shown the law violates the U.S. Constitution or that they will suffer irreparable harm before the case is resolved.

Full ICC story with document imbedded

"SB 10 does not burden the right to vote," state attorneys wrote in a new 43-page memorandum opposing the injunction. They argued that any burden created by the change is "minimal," adding that only a small number of voters who previously relied on student IDs would be affected.

The underlying lawsuit was filed in May 2025 after Indiana lawmakers amended the state's voter ID statute to explicitly exclude identification issued by educational institutions.

For years before that change, student IDs issued by several public universities could be used at polling places if they met state requirements. Those earlier rules allowed student IDs to be used if they included the prospective voter's name, photo and a valid expiration date.

Voting rights advocates argue that eliminating student IDs disproportionately affects younger voters, who are less likely to possess driver's licenses or other forms of identification.

In October,a federal judge rejectedthe state's attempt to dismiss the lawsuit, allowing the constitutional claims to move forward.

Dispute over burden on voters

The plaintiffs argue the law - enacted last year asSenate Enrolled Act 10 - targets students and young voters by eliminating one of the "most accessible" forms of identification they commonly use.

They contend the change violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments and the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, which prohibits voting discrimination based on age.

Their February motion asked the court to temporarily block enforcement of the ban before the May 2026 primary election.

State lawyers, however, countered that the requirement to present other forms of identification is not a "meaningful" barrier.

"Obtaining valid voter ID is not a severe burden on the right to vote," the state argued in the filing, noting that Indiana voters can use multiple forms of identification that satisfy the law's requirements, including an Indiana driver's license, a state identification card issued by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, a U.S. passport or passport card, or certain other government-issued photo IDs that meet state criteria.

State attorneys added that voters who lack ID can receive one "at no cost," and that the state also provides a provisional ballot process for voters who appear at the polls without identification. Those voters would have to latervisit the county election office to verify their identity.

"It is voter motivation, not the need to obtain a photo ID, that is the decisive factor in voter participation," lawyers for the Indiana Attorney General's Office said.

The state also disputes the claim that the law targets students or younger voters.

"SB 10 does not increase the burden on the right to vote, nor does it target students or young people," attorneys wrote.

The attorney general's office argued that voter participation is driven more by "motivation," rather than administrative barriers like identification requirements.

"It is voter motivation, not the need to obtain a photo ID, that is the decisive factor in voter participation," the state wrote, citing decades of academic research on voting reforms that found "negligible effects on turnout."

Attorneys pointed to testimonies from the student plaintiffs, arguing that neither of the two Indiana University students deposed in the case had taken steps to obtain a driver's license or state ID.

"For both students, the obstacle is not time, money, or lack of access to documents," the filing said. "They simply don't want to be responsible for keeping their identifying documents secure."

State cites election administration interests

Indiana officials also defended the change as a policy decision intended to address concerns about the consistency and reliability of student identification cards.

They argued that state lawmakers had legitimate reasons for excluding student IDs from the list of acceptable voter identification.

"Student identification cards are not issued under any statewide election or motor vehicle legal standard, do not require proof of citizenship, lawful presence, or Indiana residency, and vary significantly by institution in format, security features, and issuance procedures," the filing said.

Indiana's voter ID law, though, is meant only to verify identification.

According to the state, the law advances several interests, including improving "uniformity" in acceptable voter IDs and simplifying election administration.

Attorneys also said the plaintiffs' claims that the law was designed to "suppress" student voting are unsupported.

The state further argued that courts should be cautious about altering election rules close to an election - invoking the so-called "Purcell principle," a2006 U.S. Supreme Court doctrinewhich warns against late judicial changes to voting procedures that could confuse voters and election officials.

State lawyers also questioned whether the organizations bringing the lawsuit have the legal standing required to pursue the claims. They argued the groups have not demonstrated that anyone they serve will be unable to vote because of the law.

The attorney general's office contends, too, the sweeping relief requested by the plaintiffs - a statewide order preventing enforcement of the law - would be improper.

Their filing argues that the groups "have not identified a single person who lacks another form of ID or will be unable to obtain another form of ID" because of the law.

Pending further action from the court, a full trial in the case is scheduled for January 2027.

The outages are due to high wind speeds, with wind gusts up to 50 to 60 miles an hour, said Indiana Michigan Power Communications Specialist Senior, Michael Bianski. He said the biggest issue the county has been facing is tree limbs falling due to the high wind speeds, causing them to fall onto power lines.

"The ground is pretty wet still, so it's a little softer, and when that wind picks up, it's easier to uproot those larger trees," Bianski said.

Currently, he said that it is "not safe" for Indiana Michigan Power to have its crew try to fix any outages, since wind speeds are above 30 miles per hour.

"When wind gets up this high, if we put those bucket [trucks] up, it can actually tip the trucks over," he said.

Bianski said their crew is assessing damage and are "making note" of what materials are needed for each job site. He said in the next few hours the wind speed should decrease, allowing for the crew to "hit the ground running at full speed."

For all down wrires, Bianski said all should be reported to Indiana Michigan Power by calling 800-311-4634, or by calling the local police department.

"If you see any, please repeort them, and don't try to move them yourself," he said.

This story will be updated with more information as it comes available.

Contact the Daily News via email at editor@bsudailynews.com.

The Cardinals controlled everything early. After a start to the game where neither team could find the bottom of the net, Ball State saw themselves take a ten-point lead. But in the last few minutes of the first half, everything changed.

The Cardinals saw themselves have a deficit going into halftime.

What once was a 29-19 lead evaporated in the span of five minutes as the Cardinals could only watch as Toledo went on an 11-0 run to end the half. The only lead that Ball State had in the rest of the game was 35-34. After that, the Cardinals never led.

The Cardinals fell to Toledo 69-65, eliminating them from the MAC tournament.

"We had the year that we knew we were good enough, and we are good enough to be the last team standing up here," Head Coach Brady Sallee said. "We just weren't today."

Junior guard Karsyn Norman said it is a "good question" as to why the Cardinals were not able to get over the hump after Toledo went on their big run. But every time the Rockets looked like they were pulling away, the Cardinals fought back to stay in the game.

"I think we came back every time," Norman said. "It's not like they were ever blowing us out, we were right there, we were still fighting."

The last time the Cardinals saw the game tied was at 53 points. After that, it was a game of catch up, and when the Cardinals had two chances down 65-63 late, they failed to convert on the offensive end.

Ball State's 65 points was only the seventh time this season that the team has failed to score more than 65.

"Some of the shots we normally make weren't really going in today," senior forward Bree Salenbien said. "[I] wish we could have that one back."

Toledo only allowed sophomore guard Grace Kingery to hit one three on the game. Sallee said the Rockets' efforts to drive Kingery off the three-point line opened up the post play, but the head coach said the team just could not seem to convert.

"We just missed shots," Sallee said. "And I hate it for them because we've been a shot-making team all year."

Sallee said that he did not know if the first two matchups between the team were "rock fights" as he described this matchup to be. The head coach said it seemed like there was a lot that did not go the Cardinals' way, which allowed Toledo to ultimately win the semifinal game.

"You scratch your head and you're like 'why us'," Sallee said. "But it's sport, it's the beauty about what this time of year is."

Despite the Cardinals' offensive woes, Salenbien had no issues scoring the basketball. The forward had a career high 34 points on 13-20 shooting from the field and four threes.

"[Salenbien] was unbelievable today, we rode her," Sallee said.

But on Toledo's sideline, the Rockets had a player that the Cardinals could not stop. Senior guard Patricia Anumgba scored 29 points and continuously threw a gut punch every time the Cardinals tried to gain momentum.

"[Anumgba] was really good today and made some big-time buckets for them," Sallee said.

The Cardinals went into this tournament with high hopes of coming away as champions after sharing the MAC regular season title with Miami (OH). But things just did not go the Cardinals way against Toledo, and the team's hopes came up just short.

"As gutted as we are, man I love this basketball team," Sallee said.

Coming into the season, not many people expected Ball State to be in the same position as last year's championship team. There were so many new faces on the team, and there were huge shoes to fill.

But the Cardinals still found a way to finish the year with a 26-7 overall record and go 16-2 in the MAC.

"To do what we did, not a lot of people do that," Salenbien said.

Sallee said that entering this season, everyone wanted to call this year's team a "rebuild." But the head coach said that was never the plan.

"I wouldn't hear it," Sallee said. "I knew who we had in our locker room, I knew the talent, I knew the job ahead of us and I knew we were capable."

The head coach said that when the team expects to win and expects to be in the position to win a championship, it comes with a "really brokenhearted locker room."

Even in the midst of the broken heartedness the team may have, Norman and the rest of the team has still managed to keep their spirits high.

"We have a great group of girls, and we just bonded and did what nobody else thought we would," Norman said. "It might not have ended the way we wanted it to, but I can say we'll be back next year."

The Cardinals will have the opportunity to return a lot of talent next season. But there is one player that has to leave, as her collegiate eligibility is up after this season: Bree Salenbien.

Salenbien said that the Lord has blessed her by putting her in the position that she is today. But Sallee said that the forward has "blessed us 20 times over."

Although Salenbien cannot be on the team next season, she still has high hopes for the program moving forward.

"I'm just excited for their future, they got some big things coming for them," Salenbien said. "It sucks right now, but they've got a lot ahead of them."

The Cardinals season might not completely be over, as the opportunity to play in the WNIT (Women's National Invitation Tournament) is still there, as hopes of making the NCAA tournament are slim to none.

Norman said if the team still has basketball left to play, they will have to "flip the script and keep going."

"It's been a heck of a year, I think we got some more basketball in front of us, I hope we do," Sallee said.

Before exiting the press conference, Salenbien's eyes were filled with tears as she looked at Sallee.

"I'm just so grateful for Coach [Sallee] right here," Salenbien said. "It's amazing what he's done for this program and what he'll continue to do."

Contact Kyle Stout with questions via email at kyle.stout@bsu.edu or on X @kylestoutdailyn.

Today: For today, a high wind warning remains in effect until 8:00 tonight. Continue to watch for possible downed trees or power outages. Use caution when driving especially on open roads. Pleasant temperatures and clear skies will be present throughout the afternoon into evening however.

Tonight: Expect a few passing clouds earlier this evening to become more widespread into morning hours. The vicious winds will slacken off towards midnight. Temps will decline below the freezing mark.

Tomorrow: Saturday will hold rather cloudy skies and chilly temperatures albeit climbing later into the late afternoon. A random stray sprinkle is possible. Winds will remain calmer. Make sure to stay weather aware as this lull will be followed by severe weather into Sunday.

Seven-Day Forecast: This coming weekend and following week will contain rather mischievous weather. Sunday will be warm but dangerous severe thunderstorms are expected late going into Monday. Damaging winds are the main threat and ever changing conditions could enhance the risk. Watch for snow to follow this and very cold temperatures. St. Patrick's Day will be rather cold this year with morning wind chills nearing zero degrees. Only late in the week will more balanced weather return.

- Weather Forecaster Edward Hill

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X @NLIWeather for breaking weather updates.

NewsLink Indiana is a proud Ambassador for the NOAA Weather-Ready Nation program.

For more information about the Weather-Ready Nation program please click HERE

As Ball State has beaten Toledo twice this season, they couldn't get it done a third time as they're eliminated from the MAC Tournament after a 69-65 loss.

Here are three takeaways from today's game.

Defense

The Cardinals started out having a solid day on the opposite side of the ball but ended up wearing down in the second half. Ball State finished with a lackluster defensive performance as they only had five steals, but a decent number of blocks with four. Along with getting beat in the steals category, the Cardinals also finished with 15 total turnovers to Toledo's 13.

Freshman Aniss Tagayi continued her solid defensive play with six rebounds and a steal, Ball State's best all-around defensive performance in this game.

Improvements from Karsyn Norman

Last game out against Bowling Green, junior Karsyn Norman ran into shooting struggles as she shot 9% from the field, with her only basket being a three pointer in the third quarter. Besides the lackluster shooting from the field, Norman was able to go 75% from the free throw line.

Her shooting was not on brand for her as she has averaged 9.3 points per game and 35% from the field.

Norman found her footing in the Semi Final matchup as she shot 45% from the field and a good 50% three.

Struggles from Tessa Towers

Last game out against Bowling Green certainly wasn't senior Tessa Towers' best performance, but it was serviceable as she had seven points, eight rebounds and three steals.

Fast forward to two days later against Toledo and things were a little different. Towers got into foul trouble early, recording three fouls near the halfway point of the third quarter. Because of this, she missed seven minutes of the third quarter. Towers ended up finishing the game with four total fouls.

Shooting wise, Towers shot 15% from the field, making it her worst field goal percentage on the season since she went 30% from the field in an early season matchup against Memphis.

Towers also recorded four turnovers, but one bright spot was her rebounding, as she brought in a total of 11 rebounds.

Contact Rylan Crum with any questions at Rylan.crum@bsu.edu on X @RylanCrum

In April of 2025, Amos' father had died, and to Amos, it became the hardest and best year of her life. After his death, her perception of life and her business had changed, and it has deepened her passion. To Amos, this was something that she didn't know could happen after the death of a parent.

"I just think I see things a little bit differently than what I did before. And I just think to myself, he would want me to continue to do what I'm doing and get better and be the best and just work hard, and that's what I'm doing," Amos said.

While Amos has grown as a person, so has her business. Family members have been able to see the growth, but so has the community. The keepsake boxes have helped others who have gone through the same thing that Amos has. Creating these boxes has created and brought a community together full of Amos' new and returning customers.

"You know, she can give boxes to people that you know may be having a hard time, and she can just bring a little slice of joy in their life, because that really goes a long way." said Alec Upchurch, Amos' son.

The keepsake boxes are able to capture the memories of loved ones. Amos is able to put preserved flowers in the boxes to make them more personable. Since the start of her journey, Amos has been able to find new perspectives on her business and wants to remind others that there are other people out there who have gone through the same thing.

"There is beauty in the world right here in Muncie, Indiana, and maybe it'll inspire them to follow what they're meant to, follow their path or discover their passion, or whatever that is," Amos said.

Contact Ava Lens with questions at ava.lens@bsu.edu.

Growing up in Muncie with six siblings, Gindhart Dragoo attended St. Mary's Catholic School where the nuns recognized her artistic talent almost immediately. She would be "cranking out" greeting cards after she was done with her schoolwork which they would then sell out at bingo night.

Her great-grandfather was the cofounder of the Indiana School of Art which is now the Herron School of Art and Design. Her siblings are now all artists, musicians and photographers, adding to the proof that she was born to be in the arts.

"My mother made things out of things," Gindhart Dragoo said.

Living in multiple places, such as California, Arizona and Bloomington, Indiana, the saying, "the White River calls you back," worked out to be true for Gindhart Dragoo. The arts center needed her to work on grants and help raise money in 2000.

Her "Green Glam" is what she calls her upcycled jewelry, taking metal and art glass to create wearable items again.

"My spirit animal is a crow because all shiny things come to these eyes," Gindhart Dragoo said.

While she faces almost no challenges with repurposing any thrifted jewelry, her motto seems to be true: "Debra has never met a piece of crap she couldn't turn into something beautiful."

On top of creating, Gindhart Dragoo is celebrating 25 years of her First Thursday event at Cornerstone Center for the Arts. This aims to support and celebrate local artists, especially younger creators, while giving the chance for local venues and galleries to showcase what they have to offer.

"It's just helping other artists, you know, put their work and creative talents out to our community," Gindhart Dragoo said.

She also frequents the Morrison Woods Health Campus to bring materials and new ideas to the residents who live there. Recently bringing more spring themed materials, it gives them a chance to create with their peers.

Gindhart Dragoo is grateful to be back in Muncie and with the local art community. To learn more about what she has to offer at the Cornerstone Center for the Arts, visit cornerstoneart.org.

Contact Arlene Thompson with comments at arlene.thompson@bsu.edu.

After the 75-63 win over the Falcons in the quarterfinals, Head Coach Brady Sallee said that it this point in the season, teams know each other extremely well. But this is a battle-tested Toledo Rockets squad that Ball State has regular season wins against.

The Cardinals last regular season game was on the road at Toledo Mar. 7, which resulted in a 78-71 win.

Here are three keys to the game for the Cardinals success.

Crash the glass

By just looking at box scores all season, it is evident that BallState succeeds the most whenever they outrebound their opponent. There is a reason why the Cardinals rank top ten in the country in rebounds per game.

But it is extremely important the squad racks up boards against Toledo.

In the first matchup with the Rockets, the Cardinals were outrebounded 36-35 and escaped with a four-point win at home. In the second matchup, the Cardinals had a large rebounding margin of 50-38, and it showed in the team's ability to control the game from start to finish.

Keep Grace Kingery shooting

A key for the Cardinals the entire back half of the season has been to get sophomore guard Grace Kingery open shots. The guard is the team's best three-point shooter, and Kingery was a key part in the quarterfinal victory over Bowling Green.

Kingery has been on a heater since the start of February. The guard has broken her own personal career high three times since the start of the month, with the most recent time being her 25-point game against Bowling Green.

The guard hit big shot after big shot in the quarterfinals win, and it has been a key in the back half of the season to find Kingery for open shots. She has scored in double digits in 17 of her last 20 games.

If the Cardinals can get Kingery multiple open threes, it will be a good sign for Ball State.

Contain Patricia Anumgba

Toledo senior guard Patricia Anumgba is one of the Rockets' best players, and she is playing good basketball at the right time. The guard is coming off a 19-point, 12 rebound performance in the team's quarterfinal win over the University of Massachusetts (UMass).

Anumgba also scored 24 points in the season finale against BallState.

If the Cardinals can contain Anumgba, then the odds turn in their favor to win the semifinal game.

Contact Kyle Stout with questions via email at kyle.stout@bsu.edu or on X @kylestoutdailyn.

The event took place in the multi-purpose room of the campus's North West Residence Hall, with nearly every seat taken by a student and each one given a small bag of LEGOs. Assistant Director for Career Development, Allen Johnson Jr., began the event with a deep dive into the National Association of Colleges and Employers [NACE] competencies.

The attendees then went into a group discussion about the eight different competencies and which ones they thought were the easiest, hardest, most important and more. The competencies include career and self-development, communication, critical thinking, inclusiveness, leadership, professionalism, teamwork and technology.

Johnson shared why Ball State's Career Center decided to host the LEGO-building event.

"I think a big thing is we try to take an approach where we can work with students and try to meet them where they are, but we understand that lecture-style presentations may not get the best response,"Johnson said. "Our goal is to make sure that we can give students an opportunity to feel like they can participate in these activities where they can build LEGOs and kind of act as if they're children."

Several of the students in attendance expressed that their love for LEGOs was what drove them to come as well as the opportunity to make connections.

After explaining and sharing group thoughts about the NACE competencies, students were directed prompts on what to do with their LEGOs. One of the prompts consisted of building a tower that represents their year at Ball State so far.

After each prompt, the attendees discussed as a group what their towers represented and why they chose what they built. Some of the students' LEGO creations consisted of a residence hall front desk to represent the technology competency, a staircase to highlight communication and a stage to portray professionalism.

First-year student Jackson Fuller explained why he decided to come to the event.

"I just like building LEGOs and getting to build our own thing out of them, and also because it's something that I don't get to do very often," Fuller said.

After the students completed all the prompts of building towers to represent a specific aspect of the NACE competencies and their journeys at Ball State, Johnson led them into a reflection composed of several questions such as what the students discovered about themselves and what they liked about having their ideas and thoughts shared.

The event ended with the students building Ball State Cardinals out of their LEGOs that they got to keep, and they were given specific instructions on how to put them together.

First-year Ball State student Exander Gaddie voiced his thoughts on why he thinks students enjoy events like this one.

"Not only is it educational, but it makes it fun in a way. It lets you be yourself, like nobody is telling you how to do it or what to do but rather what's on your mind and what can you build out of it," Gaddie said.

Ball State's Career Center is located on the second floor of Lucina Hall where they offer programs and services such as career coaching, interview assistance, job fairs and more.

"I think [this event] helps and offers students reassurance, and so they can learn in these spaces but also have an opportunity to have fun," Johnson said.

Contact Gracie Parkhurst via email at gracie.parkhurst@bsu.edu.

Get ready to celebrate St. Patrick's Day by giving back! Tuesday March 17, 2026 (2:00 p.m.) AT 104

On Monday, March 17, 2:00 p.m. the Applied Business Studies department is hosting a Day of Service in the Allegra Restaurant! (AT 104)Join us for a service opportunity that is: Quick, easy, fun, and a great way to earn service hours!

We'll be working together in an assembly-line format, so you can jump in and make an immediate impact. Every meal packed helps support members of our Muncie community.

Don't forget to wear green to celebrate St. Paddy's Day while you serve! Bring your friends, your school spirit, and your heart for service. We look forward to seeing you there!

With questions, contact Dr. Craig Webster,cwebster3@bsu.edu

The 91^stAnnual Student Art Show is Closing Soon - Don't Miss Your Chance to See It!

It's time for the 91st Annual Student Art Show! The School of Art's Annual Student Show displays artwork produced by students and gives students the opportunity to participate in a professional exhibition where a qualified juror selects artwork and artistic awards of distinction.

The public is invited to visit the exhibition at theThe Ned and Gloria Griner Art Gallery, located just off the Atrium Food Court in AJ 101 in theArt and Journalism Building.

Ball State University Department of Theatre and Dance's production of CATS

The Department of Theatre and Dance presents CATS at Emens Auditorium next week! You don't want to miss a spectacular evening with the Jellicle Cats at one of the performances below:

• March 20-21 at 7:30 p.m.
• March 22 at 2:30 p.m.

Directed and Choreographed by Anne Beck with Musical Direction from Michael Rafter.

The Jellicle Cats come out to play on one special night of the year - the night of the Jellicle Ball! One by one, they tell their stories for the amusement of Old Deuteronomy, their wise and benevolent leader, who must choose one of the Cats to ascend to The Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a whole new Jellicle life.

Advance tickets are only $15 for students and Ball State staff! Swing by the Emens Box Office with your friends to snag seats for the whole group.

CATS is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of The Really Useful Group. www.concordtheatricals.com

For more information, go toBall State's Communication Center.

The candidates were nominated through votes from other senators as long as the person fit the requirements and accepted the nomination to run. They were then tasked with preparing slides containing information on what they would want to accomplish if elected.

The two nominees for treasurer were current Parliamentarian Casen Lake and At-Large Senator Ava Sterrett.

Lake, a second-year political science major, is a part of the off-campus committee and is currently the parliamentarian for the executive board. Within his first year in the senate, he had written two amendments and one piece of legislation, with all three eventually passing. Lake is also a part of the Honors College, as well as an ambassador for the political science department.

Lake has three main running points: efficiency, transparency and collaboration.

The first point he discussed was efficiency. He said as treasurer, he would like to keep track of the SGA budget and find new ways to help serve the student body.

Lake said that, in an effort to do this, he wanted to look for more ways to increase the budget through more investments.

"Particularly going along with other universities that have possibly invested in their investment clubs to help use those funds for student government and increase them," he said.

He explained how it would be open to legislation in the senate and with full transparency, so students can see where the money is going and why. In the process, he hopes this will increase student voices on budget decisions.

The last point Lake brought attention to was collaboration.

As treasurer, Lake said he would want to work more closely with every senator, organization and club at Ball State to help further fulfill the needs of the student body.

The next candidate to present was Sen. Sterrett, a second-year business administration major, who is a part of several organizations, including SGA's community and environmental affairs committee. Sterrett is also the Panhellenic Delegate for the Kappa Delta sorority.

Sterrett wishes to continue current Treasurer Caroline Emmerick's teaching of Student Organizational Funding (SOF) and help support the Student Organizational Funding and Assistance Committee (SOFAC) so the senate and student body can understand how the process of requesting money from the budget works.

"I also want to ensure the senate is informed of exactly what SOF policy is, as well as what SOFAC is, and then maintain transparency with what a budget is and how it's being used," Sterrett said.

After both candidates presented, they stepped out of the room with President Chelsea Murdock, as the senate had the chance to discuss who to choose.

Sen. Addy Morey advocated for Lake to be elected, explaining that whenever they had worked together, he was reliable. She said if he was asked to do anything by anyone, he would do it.

"Those things are new and would definitely benefit the student body, especially with transparency to the student body, trying to translate all the transparency that's going on here and trying to facilitate that," Morey said.

Sen. Charley Isaacs said that while he has not worked with either candidate, from what he saw from each presentation, Lake's was more proactive and Sterrett's was more "reactive."

"From what I saw of Sen. Sterrett's presentation, it seemed to be if people had an issue or a concern, [her response is] 'Come to me personally.' It seemed to be more reactionary than proactive in my personal opinion," Isaacs said.

Sen. Lucian Kaufman, who is a part of Feminists For Action, wanted to bring attention to Lake's presentation concerning investment in other organizations possible consequences.

"He made a motion to basically offshoot some of our budget allocations to private organizations, like not organizations, but clubs, basically. And I would like everybody to kind of think about how that would affect our students, how that would affect transparency, and how that would affect the budget going forward," Kaufman said. "He is a very experienced lawmaker and very experienced delegate. I would like you all to think about how that law would affect our funding requests going forward."

After the discussion ended, SGA went into a vote between the two candidates. After a couple of minutes, the vote closed, and with 21 yays out of 27, Parliamentarian Lake won.

SGA then went into the candidate presentations for the next chief administrator, which were between Lisette Ariza and Zack Francis.

The first candidate to present was Ariza, a third-year political science and sociology major, who is a part of several organizations, including the Honors College and SGA's Off-Campus Caucus.

As chief administrator, Ariza wants to continue SGA's collaboration with the Communications Center to ensure consistent and clearly recorded meetings of minutes that can be distributed in a timely manner. She also wants to focus on senator accountability by creating a spreadsheet of student organizations with dates and times.

"When it comes to senator accountability, BeConnected is a useful platform. [However, I would like] to get your hours in for organizational visits and mak[e] an Excel spreadsheet that includes, dates, times, [and] months just so that everyone is able to see what actually works best for their schedule," she said.

After Ariza finished her presentation, she stepped out for Francis, a second-year social work major. Francis was a former on-campus chair but is now an off-campus senator and the community and environmental affairs committee chair.

Francis, similar to Ariza, wants to focus on accurate and timely minutes so SGA can get them out to the student body within 24 hours of the meeting in order to ensure transparency on what is talked about. He also wants to focus on the RoundTable Talks and make them consistent on a monthly basis, so the student body can come to the senate with more issues they potentially want addressed.

RELATED: The Student Government Association hosts its first Round Table Talk

"When it came to our roundtable talks, I thought they were such a great way to have our legislation system be an accessible body. And I'm hoping that by doing round table talks on a monthly basis and making them more known to students, [it] will be really imperative for all of us," Francis said.

Francis also wants to increase the number of organizational visits within SGA to connect more with the student body and make those visits more efficient for both parties.

The senate then went into discussion while both candidates sat outside the room. After the discussion finished and SGA went into their vote, Ariza was approved with 20 out of 27 votes for chief administrator.

After the elections had finished, SGA went into a budget request from the organizational caucus presented by its chair, Sen. Jack Correa. The request made was for a tabling event on March 12 from 2-5 p.m and for another event in late April, with a date and time to be determined, to bring awareness to safe drinking habits and give out items for safety when drinking.

The items the caucus wants to buy with the allocated money given to them would be $21 for a 32-ounce bag of assorted candy, $16 for a 50-pack of drink covers, $16 for 20 drink test strips and an inflation buffer of $10, rounding up to $63.

The budget request was approved by SGA unanimously.

Another budget request was made by the Community and Environmental Affairs Committee, presented by Sen. Ava Sterrett. The request was made for another tabling event at the Scramble Light on March 18 in order to receive input about sidewalks that may be difficult to utilize, as well as ideas on what to place in the empty space next to North Dining.

The money requested was for three Frito-Lay snack packages worth $77.97 and an inflation buffer of $6.75.

The budget request was approved by SGA unanimously.

SGA also went over nominations for the next president pro tempore, and senators were given a list of names of people who qualified to be nominated. The requirements to be nominated are that it has to be done by a senator, the individual has to accept the nomination, have at least a 2.8 GPA or above, and have been an on‑campus student for a minimum of three semesters. They also would have to be a full‑time student and have been a student senator or member of the executive board for two consecutive semesters before the election.

The current nominees are Sen. Grace Rerucha, who has accepted the nomination, and Gracie Hamilton, who was not present, with their answer still pending.

SGA will meet again next week, March 19, at the L.A. Pittenger Student Center in Cardinal Hall B at 3:15 p.m.

Contact Landon Jones via email landon.jones2@bsu.edu.

Ball State had two players on the first team: senior forward Bree Salenbien and senior center Tessa Towers.

Head Coach Brady Sallee said that these awards are a result of winning and teamwork. Sallee said the people that got recognized were because they were standing on the backs of their teammates.

"It means a lot to them," Sallee said. "When you do it with a selfless team like this, I think it's even more important."

Towers said that she was grateful to even be considered for any of the teams. The center only played around four minutes per game last season, but this season Towers is second on the team in points per game with 15.

"I just felt really grateful for everyone around me, and just for this team and the opportunities that I've been given," Towers said.

This was Salenbien's first year with the team after transferring in from Gonzaga, and the forward said that being selected to the All-MAC first team is everything that she could have ever dreamed of.

"If you told me that I was going to be where I am today and having the success I'm having a couple of years ago or even a year ago, I definitely would not have believed you," Salenbien said.

The Cardinals have shown throughout the season their ability to play through players like Salenbien and Towers. After past games, sophomore Grace Kingery has talked about how much easier it makes it for her to get open three point looks when Towers draws so much attention in the post.

Alongside Towers' post presence has been Salenbien's passing ability as a forward. Salenbien is second on the team in assists with 3.8 per game. Sallee said that the team plays through both of them in "different ways."

The head coach said that with Salenbien, the team has used her in a "Larry Birdish" way to get the ball in the forward's hands and allow her to make decisions.

"At times she has taken pressure off of our guards because she can almost be another point guard, even though she's playing the four," Sallee said.

With Towers, Sallee said the center's presence in the paint forces doubles teams and opens up shooters around the perimeter. The head coach said that Towers has done a good job getting the ball out of those double teams all year.

Sallee said that their play reflects the team's strength in sharing the ball.

"It just so happens that those two kids have been forced to share the ball probably a little bit more than they've ever been asked to," Sallee said.

Salenbien and Towers are the only two seniors on a Cardinals team that presents a lot of youth. Going into the season with so many new players, Sallee did not know where leadership would come from, but he said that every ounce of leadership the team brings is critical.

The head coach said that he has seen cultural leadership with Towers, especially with how big of a step the center has taken from last year to this year. During games, Sallee said the team has been able to turn to Salenbien.

"Bree [Salenbien] has been a real calming voice for us in games, and she's been that kid that says the right stuff when we need her to and has been big for us that way," Sallee said.

Both Salenbien and Towers are players who have taken massive steps this season from their previous years. Salenbien has more than doubled her statistics this season in points, rebounds and assists compared to last season at Gonzaga.

The forward has gone through multiple season ending injuries in her career, and her last one left her deciding if she even wanted to use her last year of eligibility to transfer. But throughout the recovery process, she did, and it has paid off for Salenbien.

"Going from thinking about being done playing basketball to where I'm at today, it just makes me emotional," Salenbien said.

Sallee said it is a little "abnormal" to see a player come in and be able to step into a role like Salenbien has. He said that something that gets lost sometimes in player leadership is the ability to be genuine and have strong character.

The head coach said that players do not tend to follow leaders missing those traits.

"The real true good leaders have that strong character to them, and they try their hardest to do exactly what they're asking others to do as well," Sallee said. "That's one of the strengths that Bree [Salenbien] has."

Towers has had a roller coaster of a collegiate career. The center spent the first two years of her career at the University of Wisconsin, but after issues with alleged mistreatment at the program and only four games played over two years, she decided to enter the transfer portal.

In her first season with Ball State, Towers only averaged 4.4 minutes per game and only appeared in 17 games. But this season, Towers has played a huge role for the Cardinals, and the growth that is shown on the stat sheet is something that Sallee said is "unbelievable."

"I've said it all year, I think she's a made-for-TV movie," Sallee said.

The head coach said that Towers did not let anybody write her story or decide what she was going to do.

"Regardless of what coaches at Wisconsin said or anybody else said, she had a different view of it all and went to work and is sitting here where she is right now," Sallee said. "It's one of the coolest things I've been a part of."

Towers said she feels like her story is special and unique to herself. The center said she has spent the last three years working tirelessly, and it is shown with the All-MAC first team award.

"Looking at where I came from to where I am now, it's just a big difference and I'm just very grateful for everything around me," Towers said.

Sallee said that Towers' story of overcoming adversity and becoming the player that she is today is something that can inspire other athletes.

"I know I'm not the only athlete that has gone through what I've gone through," Towers said. "I always enjoy telling my story and enjoy having another experience for people to live off of."

Salenbien and Towers will have the chance to keep their season going as they take on Toledo in the MAC semifinals Mar. 13 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland.

Contact Kyle Stout with questions via email at kyle.stout@bsu.edu or on X @kylestoutdailyn.

Ball State University senior and captain of Code Red, Mallory Leeper, was able to earn her spotlight by making it as one of the 48 finalists within the Colts Cheerleading auditions. It was announced on the Colts Cheer Instagram page that she, along with 47 other dancers, had been selected for the finals, where they would go to demonstrate their skills on stage at the Colts Audition Showcase on March 7, at the Hilbert Circle Theatre in Indianapolis, Indiana.

"When I got there, the environment was just so supportive, everybody was just constantly supporting one another, I, many times, forgot I was in an audition," Leeper said.

Code Red head coach Kaitlyn Molin was a Colts cheerleader for five seasons. In her first season, she was named the rookie of the year. She was also Pro Bowl Cheerleader and the overall cheerleader of the year in 2024. Assistant coach Sydney Van Meter had retired from Colts Cheer in February 2026 after four years with the team. She was also named rookie of the year in her first season. In turn, Leeper has had a lot of positive influence during the audition process.

"They helped me so much, I honestly would not have been able to get through the process without them," Leeper said.

Although Leeper did not make it to the final 2026 - 2027 Indianapolis Colts Cheer team, she still has her final Mid-American Conference tournament and National Dance Association College Nationals coming up in April.

Contact Alu Mgengo with comments at alu.mgengo@bsu.edu

Today: Winds will slowly pick up throughout the day with a high of 53 degrees. The sun will shine throughout the day with clouds moving in later tonight.

Tonight: The sky will slowly get more cloud coverage through the night with a low of 31 degrees. The wind will get more breezy as the night continues with gusts picking up over 30 mph.

Tomorrow: The morning will start off a little cold at 44 degrees although the temperatures will slowly increase throughout the day. The winds are going to start from the south southwest at 25 mph and pick up through the day slightly. The clouds will stick around all day with a little sunshine peaking through.

Seven-Day Forecast: There will be a wind advisory Friday that will last until Monday. A cold front will move in this weekend bringing in the chance for rain on Sunday and dropping those temperatures from upper 60s to lower 30s. Monday brings a 30% chance of snow. the upcoming week will start off cold, but will slowly increase in temperatures. The lows will stay moderate to the high, although on Sunday night the low will drop by 40 degrees.

- Weather Forecaster Karina Gross

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X @NLIWeather for breaking weather updates.

NewsLink Indiana is a proud Ambassador for the NOAA Weather-Ready Nation program.

For more information about the Weather-Ready Nation program please click HERE

In volleyball, the offense tends to always get the spotlight and the crowd roaring, but they're not the only piece to the puzzle, especially in Ball State Men's Volleyball.

Ball State Head Coach Mike Iandolo emphasizes "turning points on defense" by putting the pressure on the opposing team by starting with a good serve, challenging their defense and having a good blocking defense is what works for this team.

"Something in general that we needed to get better at was ball control, specifically defense. Digging more balls and turning those into points and that starts with our defense. And for us it's about how we become our best team and for us our best team is defense," Iandolo said.

Within volleyball, the defense, specifically the middle blockers, have a split second to read the setter's eyes to successfully close the gap. And for middle blockers like Jacob Surette, this is one of the many important details that make this team shine.

Surette said that he and his teammates communicate before each play about who will fill in what roles and how they ensure that the defensive wall stays closed.

Even though the offense may bring in the crowds, the defense is what wins these games. You can catch the Ball State Men's Volleyball match tomorrow, March 11, 2026 at 6 p.m. in Worthen Arena when they take on the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Contact Emma Bergman with comments at emma.bergman@bsu.edu.