"You can kind of get a sense of if you've got a group when the lights are on they're ready to respond. We felt like it's kind of in their D-N-A they'd be ready. Just their maturity on how they've approached the whole season, you can get a sense that was rubbing off on our guys," said Detweiler.

Behind this championship victory was a season-high 19-point display from senior Lucas Bragg. Shooting 70% from the field and 75% from the arc, he felt as though the performance came naturally to him, as he claimed,

"I would say the ball just found me at the right time. There was no sort of selfishness within our team and we played really good team ball. Just making the right play, the ball just found me the most I guess. It could've been anyone on that night but it was me, so it makes me pretty happy," said Bragg.

Even though Delta got past sectionals, the job is not finished, but Detweiler loves how his team has been passing different tests throughout the season with so many ups and downs, mentioning,

"They're hungry. The best part of this group, because we've had some really good nights and really bad nights, their best quality has been the ability to just move on and turn the page and be ready for what's next," said Detweiler

Delta now turns its focus to a Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian foe, where they will face off on March 14 at one p.m.

Contact Aidan McNally with questions or comments at aidan.mcnally@bsu.edu

But the boat started to rock in the years following. 15 wins in his second season. Then 14 wins. And then in his fourth year with the team, Ball State went 12-19 and missed the Mid-American Conference (MAC) tournament for the third year in a row.

Ball State decided to move on from Lewis, a year before the head coach would have entered the last year on his contract.

"As Coach Lewis and I talked about, it was a wins and losses deal," Ball State Athletic Director Jeff Mitchell said. "The level of success after year one declined, year over year."

This year marked the third straight year the Cardinals finished 7-11 in MAC play. This year's team only took down one division one opponent with a winning record, and that was a 16-15 University of Massachusetts (UMass) team.

Aside from the numbers, Mitchell said the decision was not easy. The athletic director reiterated from his press release March 7 that the program appreciates the contributions Lewis made in his four years with the school.

"These decisions are always extraordinarily difficult," Mitchell said. "It impacts people's lives."

The Cardinals had one of their worst starts to a season ever this year. The team started conference play 0-5 and saw themselves sitting at 4-13 overall. Rumors started to swirl online that Lewis may be in the hot seat.

Ball State continued conference play poorly, and saw themselves at 3-11 in the MAC after a loss to Akron Feb. 20 on the brink of elimination. But the Cardinals finished out the year with four straight wins, and found themselves in a three-way tie for seventh place in the MAC.

There were two bids to the MAC tournament on the table for Ball State - UMass and Buffalo - but the Cardinals were on the wrong side of a tiebreaker.

Mitchell said the evaluation of moving on from Lewis was an ongoing process, but it is part of the responsibility that he has as an athletic director. Mitchell said internal conversations started to happen as Ball State hit the back half of the conference schedule.

"These decisions are never made in a vacuum, not in operations at this level," Mitchell said. "It's a broad-based approach, [and] there was alignment on that."

Even if Ball State was on the right side of a tie breaker, Mitchell said that he "does not know" if that would have affected Lewis' status.

"That wasn't a fact that presented itself," Mitchell said.

Mitchell took over as Ball State's athletic director in 2023 following the conclusion of Lewis' first 20-win season. And as college sports has progressed, Mitchell has seen the negative effects of the transfer portal contribute to Ball State's lack of success in his tenure.

The Cardinals only had four returning players this past season, and the program saw talent leave to bigger schools, like former star forward Basheer Jihad.

"Those were challenges that were beginning to surface and have intensified over the last several years," Mitchell said. "I think there was a continuity of players where it was difficult to develop, but that's not a Ball State issue; that's an issue that's pervasive across the landscape right now."

The athletic director also recognizes that winning is not easy. Ball State was one of four MAC teams to fire their head coach, along with Northern Illinois, Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan.

"Coaching in today's landscape is difficult," Mitchell said.

Mitchell wants Ball State to be in the high-end of the MAC in men's basketball, and he said that want of success is what precipitated the decision.

"I think that as we continue to find our footing in this new landscape, the more clarity we have about how we can proceed and how we can lean on the strengths of the university," Mitchell said. "We have a chance to be successful."

A big talking point online since the firing of Lewis is that Ball State's resources do not give the program a chance to succeed.

Jeff Rabjohns, a publisher for peegs.com and a part of 247Sports Network, put out a statement defending Lewis on X that got over 75,000 views.

"Ball State's resources currently allocated to men's basketball aren't close to what is needed to compete with the top MAC teams," Rabjohns said in the post. "This is about resources, not coaching. Everyone knows Lewis can coach."

But Mitchell said that the talk of resources and how to improve upon those is a near-daily conversation that the university has. He said it is a top priority for the program.

"That's a constant conversation that we have at the institution about driving more revenue, enhancing budgets," Mitchell said. "We have increased the level of support for basketball year over year, for the last three years."

Mitchell said he wishes he could "snap his fingers and give [Ball State men's basketball] more," but the athletic director did emphasize the support the program already receives.

"In addition to financial resources, we have provided staffing assistance to men's basketball, from a dedicated trainer to a dedicated strength and conditioning coach, to continuing to invest in our facilities," Mitchell said.

The transfer portal for men's basketball opens up the day after the national championship game in April, so it is go time for the Cardinals to try and find a new head coach before the portal opens up. Although Ball State is immediately in search of a new leader for the men's basketball program, Mitchell said it is "disingenuous" to put a timeline on it.

While that is the case, Mitchell said it will be his only focus for however long the head coaching search goes.

"It will be important that we have somebody prior to the final four," Mitchell said. "But certainly my time frame is going to be to conduct a thorough and thoughtful search, and that process has begun."

While the transfer portal is not open yet and nothing is official, there have been some players, like sophomore guard Davion Hill, who have put out on social media their intent to enter the transfer portal. Mitchell said he met with the team to acknowledge the difficulty of the situation and that he respects any decision they may make.

In terms of hiring a new head coach, Mitchell said there will be a five-day window where the new coach can talk to the team and make efforts to try and bring players back.

"I told them to their face, I respect [their decisions]," Mitchell said. "I also told them that we're working diligently to find a new head coach, and I hope that they have the opportunity to visit with that new head coach to talk about their future."

The Lewis era in Muncie is over. The Cardinals will look to the future with whoever Mitchell and his team decide is the best fit.

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

Ball State defeated Bowling Green 75-63 and will advance to the semifinals where they will play the Toledo Rockets.

RELATED: 'It's March' - Ball State Women's Basketball advances in MAC tournament after win over Bowling Green

The key for the Cardinals against Bowling Green was the efficiency of sophomore guard Grace Kingery who scored a career high 25 points. Kingery shot an impressive 52% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc, while also racking up five rebounds and two assists. The team itself shot a solid 42% from the field and 50% from three.

Head Coach Brady Sallee described the win as a "heck of a game." Sallee nodded his head at Bowling Green head coach Fred Chmiel for the closeness of the game.

"Fred [Chmiel]'s such a pro down on that other sideline," Sallee said. "He started trying to exploit some matchups and they made a couple shots on some penetrate and kick situations."

The Cardinals have played Toledo twice, beating them 72-68 and 78-71 in the two matchups.

Sallee is confident that the previous meetings will give Ball State an advantage. The head coach said he is so confident he could tell you what the other teams pregame meal is.

"It's really about putting that in front of your team and making sure they understand the plan regardless of who you play. But I know whoever it is we play, it's going to be a good one, and that's just what MACtion is," Sallee said.

As Ball State had to wait to find out who its next opponent was going to be, Coach Sallee had his scouting plan down to a tee

"I'm getting old, so I'll go back to the hotel room and watch [UMass vs. Toledo] on the computer. My staff will stay behind and watch it. But at this time of the year, you know everybody inside out. I can tell you what they ordered for a pregame meal you know," Sallee said.

The key for the Cardinals as they take on Toledo is containing junior guard Kendall Carruthers. Carruthers is the leading scorer for the Rockets, averaging 12.2 points a game. In the two teams first meeting on Jan. 7, Carruthers was the game's leading scorer with 19 points along with a pair of assists and a steal.

In their second meeting, the Cardinals kept Carruthers to 13 points, and Ball State's rebounding was likely the key.

The Cardinals racked up 50 rebounds in that second meeting to the Rockets 38, 12 of those 50 coming from senior center Tessa Towers.

Ball State now has a day of rest before their semifinal game, and a chance to go to the tournament championship for the second year in the row.

During the off day, the Cardinals are continuing a tradition they've had for some time as they're being hosted by a local high school for practice.

"We've had great luck since we've gone over there so we'll do that, then the superstition part of it will kick in and we'll prepare the gameplan in front of them," Sallee said.

Other than the practice aspect for the Cardinals, Sallee wants his team to do one thing on the off day: relax.

"At that point, it's about kicking their feet up, resting, relaxing and enjoying each other," Sallee said. "And this team has been really good at staying loose all year long. We're going to try to keep them that way. We're just going to put our best selves out there and see what we got."

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

Tonight: This morning's storm brought cool and dreary conditions which will continue through the night. Temperatures will fall to 29 degrees, but will feel cooler due to light rainfall and strong winds. Winds will have a sustained speed of 20 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. High winds will make most umbrellas useless, so it is best to stay inside tonight.

Tomorrow: Tonight's clouds will clear letting the sun shine bright. We will begin the day at 30 degrees and a light breeze, eventually reaching 46 degrees at 5 p.m. Winds will increase with gusts reaching the high-20s in the afternoon, eventually calming in the evening.

Seven-Day Forecast: Skies will be mostly clear and temperatures will increase, reaching the mid-50s on Friday. Also, with Friday comes intense winds and gusts in the high-40s. Secure outdoor objects and watch for debris and fallen limbs. The next couple days will have mostly cloudy skies with a 70 percent chance of rain on Sunday. Temperatures will max at 69 degrees on Sunday before dropping to the low-30s on Monday and Tuesday.

- Weather Forecaster Dillinger Clark

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

The season was on the line for the Cardinals, as a loss would eliminate any hope of an NCAA tournament bid. But from that point on to the end of the game, sophomore guard Grace Kingery and senior forward Bree Salenbien combined for 16 points to lift the Cardinals to a win.

"I think we really just stuck to us," Salenbien said. "We got a little crazy there for a second and I looked up and it was down to four. In that moment, I think we really stuck together and I think we did what we do."

The Cardinals took down the Falcons 75-63 to advance to the semifinals of the Mid-American Conference (MAC).

"You'd almost think it was March out there," Head Coach Brady Sallee said.

Sallee said both teams played like they did not want to go home, and the head coach said that is what happens this time of year.

"I just thought in that moment where they cut it to four, we became the best version of ourselves in crunch time, and got out of here with a big one and survived to Friday," Sallee said.

During Bowling Green's big run, Sallee admitted that he probably let play go too long before calling a timeout, but he said he has had trust in his team all year to answer any punch that is thrown their way. The head coach said that after the timeout, he saw his team go back to who they are.

"In that timeout, we didn't talk a whole lot of X's and O's, we talked about just who we are and getting back to who we are," Sallee said.

Only four Cardinals' players from last year's championship team are on this year's squad, so for most of the team, Cleveland was unfamiliar territory. But it did not appear that way for Ball State.

After a back-and-forth start, Ball State outscored Bowling Green 23-13 in the second quarter to ride a 14-point halftime lead.

19 of the Cardinals' 42 first half points came from forward Aniss Tagayi, center Alba Caballero and guard Zhen Verburgt: all of whom are freshman. Sallee said before the game that he was interested to see what his team would look like in Cleveland.

The head coach saw pretty quickly how his team responded to the pressure.

"To see Aniss play the way she did, to see Zhen [Verburgt] play the way she did, Alba I thought was really good," Sallee said. "This is a lot up here when you're first here."

Kingery has been on this stage before, as she played a smaller role on last year's championship squad. But Kingery is not comfortable in Cleveland just because she played in this tournament last year.

The guard grew up in North Ridgeville, which is just under 20 miles away from Cleveland. Kingery's family was in attendance, and she showed out in front of them, as she scored a career high 25 points on 5-10 shooting from three.

Kingery is playing her best basketball at the right time, as the guard has broken her career high three separate times since the start of February.

"I think just the confidence that I've had, [and] my teammates have in me and the coaches putting me in those situations," Kingery said. "They make it really easy."

In the first half, the Cardinals did not allow Bowling Green to make a single three, and only allowed three the entire game. The early defensive efforts allowed Ball State to hold a steady lead the entire way.

"We just prepare really well," Salenbien said. "We knew their personnel, running their three point shooters off the line."

Ball State took down Bowling Green 82-67 Feb. 14, and Sallee said that he had a feeling after that first game that he would see the Falcons again. The head coach said the film session after that first game was a little deeper than normal because of that that feeling.

That feeling paid off, as Ball State forced Bowling Green's two best players, sophomore guard Johnea Donahue and junior guard Paige Kohler, to a combined 9-34 shooting from the field.

"We learned a lot from the first game," Sallee said. "I'm just really proud of my team for diving in that deep to the personnel."

Leading up to this game, Sallee said that preparation for this game was just like any normal road game. But now that the team has officially advanced to the semi-finals, the head coach said the "fun begins."

Sallee said the first day of the tournament is the hardest. But now that his team has gotten past the quarterfinals, the head coach said they can unpack their bags and get their feet under them.

"There's a little bit of a deep breath for the players, they don't play tomorrow, so they can rest," Sallee said. "We're going to put our best selves out there and see what we got."

Ball State will take on No. 6 Toledo Mar. 13 in the MACsemifinals.

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

Here are three takeaways from the game.

Shaky first quarter

Ball State got off to a slow start in the first quarter, shooting only 30% from the field and 20% from three in the first five minutes.

This slump allowed Bowling Green to get out to a quick two-point lead but right after that, it seemed the Cardinals early game nerves were gone.

In the back half of the first, Ball State jumped up to 40% from the field and 42% from three while scoring 11 points off turnovers and 12 off of fast breaks.

In a one bid conference tournament such as the MAC, weak starts could be crucial, but the Cardinals found rhythm to completely take over.

At the end of the first quarter Ball State looked like a different team than the one that started the game, finishing with three more minutes with the lead than Bowling Green and stretched the lead out to seven under a minute to go.

Don't shy away from the paint

With two solid forces in the paint with senior center Tessa Towers and freshman forward Alba Caballero, Ball State needs to emphasize paint activity from here on out.

The first half showed what was possible in the paint as they recorded 26 total rebounds, 20 points in the paint and four second chance points, all more than Bowling Green which helped them boast a 14 point lead at half.

When you have a player two inches taller than your opponent's tallest player, you have to use that to your advantage, and the Cardinals did by feeding it to Towers in the paint time and time again.

Towers' presence in the paint made Bowling Green constantly double her, allowing for open looks beyond the arc.

Towers finished the game with seven points, eight rebounds and three steals. An overall solid performance from the senior center.

Ball movement and threes

Another key to Ball State's victory tonight was how they moved the ball as they finished with 22 assists to Bowling Green's seven.

Assists are only one side of this story though as the ball movement opened up players in the paint, which allowed for open three-point shots.

The Cardinals capitalized with a 50% from beyond the arc, with sophomore guard Grace Kingery going knocking down 5 threes and senior guard Bree Salenbien shooting a whopping 66% from behind the arc.

As Bowling Green shot a poor 3-16 from three-point range, Ball State was able to take advantage with their consistency, something that can carry them in the month of March.

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

Tonight: Temperatures are expected to drop just below freezing overnight, so take caution when leaving your house because the precipitation we have had is likely to freeze. Winds will be around 20 mph with gusts up to 40 mph, and the rain showers are going to clear up around 7 p.m. this evening.

Tomorrow: The sun returns to our forecast, and our temperatures are predicted to reach the high-40s as we work our way through the day. It is also going to be slightly breezy tomorrow with wind speeds around 10 to 15 mph and gusts up to 20 mph.

Seven-Day Forecast: Our temperatures are going to begin to drop as we make our way later into the week, as a result of the cold front making its way across the Midwest towards the East Coast. Temperatures are going to increase slightly during the weekend but fall again early next week. The next few days are expected to be quite windy with gusts reaching 40 mph or greater on Friday and Sunday. Rain also returns to our forecast Sunday afternoon with a 70 percent chance.

- Weather Forecaster Halle Dziekan

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 clickHERE

The Cardinals' first game of the tournament comes against Bowling Green, a team they beat earlier in the regular season 82-67, but they are no slouch as they are led by MAC Defensive Player of the Year sophomore guard Johne Donahue.

Here are three keys to the Cardinals' success heading into game one.

Scoring in the paint

As Bowling Green's biggest threat is their Defensive Player of the Year in Donahue, one of Ball State's biggest threats is senior center Tessa Towers, who was selected to the All-MAC first team. The main separator between the two? Height.

Donahue stands at 5'8, while Towers stands at 6'5. As Donahue leads the Falcons in steals with 4.2 a game, the key for the Cardinals will be being overly present in the paint.

Towers has had her best season of her career this year as she is averaging 15.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists a game. In Ball State's first matchup against the Falcons, Towers racked up 14 points and 10 rebounds.

A similar showing today will put Ball State in a good position to advance.

Slow down guard play

Bowling Green's biggest offensive threat is junior guard Paige Kohler who averages 14.9 points a game. In her last time out against the Cardinals she had a productive day scoring 17 points and two assists.

Along with being a threat on defense for the Falcons, Donahue is also their second leading scorer, averaging 11.3 points a game.

The key for the Cardinals in this facet of the game will be a solid defensive performance from freshman forward Aniss Tagayi, who averages 1.5 steals and nearly one block a game.

Sophomore guard Grace Kingery will also be a key reinforcement in the defensive backcourt as she also averages at least one block a game.

A solid defensive performance from both Salenbien and Kingery would give Ball State the edge they needed in round one.

Rebound, rebound, rebound

Heading into the postseason, Ball State has two of the top 10 rebounding leaders in the conference in Towers who is fourth with 258 rebounds this season, and Salenbien who is seventh with 222 rebounds this season.

On the opposing side, Bowling Green has players in the 10th spot, and 15th spot, a decent gap between the two teams.

As scoring in the paint should be an emphasis for Ball State, so should rebounding. With a 6 '5 Towers having at least two inches on Bowling Green's tallest player, the paint should be the place to go on offense for Ball State.

Ball State is scheduled to kick off the MAC tournament today at 4 p.m. or 30 minutes after game two.

Contact Rylan Crum with questions @rylan.crum@bsu.edu or on X @RylanCrum

In this episode of 9-1-1 What's Your Hot Take, Sam and Willow discuss the events of season 9 episode 11, 12, and the Nashville Crossover of 9-1-1.

Music track: Talk by Chill Pulse

Source:https://freetouse.com/music

Copyright Free Music for Videos

Hosted by: Sam Jasionowski and Willow Emig

Edited by: Sam Jasionowski

Graphic by: Willow Emig

He credits his passion for media production and the person he is today to the media he consumed as he was growing up.

"I think it's a combination of a lot of things, but if I had to name one thing in particular, it would probably be the movies I've consumed throughout my life," said Fuhrman. "I find that my creative style is heavily based on elements from my favorite media."

While at Ball State, Fuhrman has had ample time to grow as an individual and as a creative. The personal growth he has seen was an unexpected benefit to the education he has received as a Cardinal.

"I expected to develop my skills and grow as a person, but I wasn't prepared for the drastic change in my mindset and maturity in such a short time," Fuhrman noted.

Fuhrman detailed the many opportunities that have been available to him and noted how the experiences helped to hone his skills as a creative. One such opportunity has been the work he does with the Digital Corps.

The experiences with the Digital Corps have sharpened his hard skills for his career and fostered connections with other talented creatives. In addition to his work with the Corps, Fuhrman has been able to strengthen the tools in his repertoire through his studies.

Throughout his time as a media production student, he has learned vital skills for his trade. His favorite aspect of being in his major is the readily available equipment that is open for students to rent.

"It's really cool to rent out a ton of professional film gear and get some practice on it," he said. "Extra points if the equipment you use impresses your professors."

The creative freedom is a vital part of his experience, as his creativity is vital to who he is as a person and as a creative.

"I really value my creativity," Fuhrman said. "I feel the most like myself when I am working on a passion project, or when I can put my own original spin on an assignment."

As he works to wrap up his time at Ball State, Fuhrman continues to make waves as he explores his identity as an individual and as a creative.

At Cardinal Media, we believe everyone at Ball State has a story worth telling. Cardinal Spotlight is our way of getting to know students beyond the surface - what they're up to, what matters to them, and what makes them who they are. Ordinary college life is more interesting than it gets credit for, and we want to hear about it.

Just after 2 p.m. on a fall Sunday in 1975, a 729-foot freighter named "SS Edmund Fitzgerald" departed from Superior, Wisconsin, carrying over 26,000 tons of taconite ore. The ship, affectionately named "Big Fitz," was heading for Zug Island in Detroit. But the next evening, the ship would vanish, never reaching her destination.

Just some 17 miles from Whitefish Bay, Michigan, a distance Edmund Fitzgerald could cover in just over an hour, the Great Lakes freighter met her demise. It wasn't some well-documented sinking like the RMS Titanic; Edmund Fitzgerald's sinking story was quite the opposite.

The Fitz had been traveling with a sister ship called SS Arthur M. Anderson when a storm bringing sustained winds of nearly 70 mph hit the duo. Snow began to fall, and Arthur M. Anderson lost sight of Edmund Fitzgerald shortly thereafter.

It would prove to be the last time they would see her.

Captain of the Fitzgerald, Ernest McSorely, radioed Anderson less than an hour later, stating that he was taking on water and had begun to develop a list, meaning she was leaning heavily to one side. McSorely radioed a second time, reporting a failing radar. In the midst of a snow squall carrying near hurricane-force winds, Big Fitz was sailing blind.

Captain of the Anderson, Jessie "Bernie" Cooper, did all he could to lead Fitz to Whitefish Bay, but as the snow grew stronger, her radar was whited out, meaning all contact with Fitzgerald would be via radio.

As the afternoon turned to night, Anderson would find herself nearing Fitzgerald. Cooper radioed ahead to her sister, asking how they were doing. McSorely reassured Anderson that everything was okay, responding with a simple message.

"We are holding our own."

These five words would be the final message ever received from Fitzgerald, as ten minutes later, she became entirely unreachable. Unbeknownst to Anderson, the 729-footer was on the bottom of Lake Superior, broken apart into two.

It's believed she sank in under a minute because no distress signal was ever sent.

How she sank remains a mystery to this day. Some conspiracies think she broke apart on the surface, while others believe it was three rogue waves that sent her into a nosedive to the lakebed. No matter what happened, only one thing is certain.

All 29 souls aboard were lost.

SS Edmund Fitzgerald's story serves as a stark reminder that we are nothing to stop the forces of Mother Nature. It is a story that was immortalized in an unusual way.

Less than a month after the sinking of SS Edmund Fitzgerald, Canadian singer Gordon Lightfoot read an article in Newsweek titled "The Cruelest Month." The article details the night of Nov. 10, 1975, when the lives of the ship's crew were lost. Moved by the story of SS Edmund Fitzgerald, Lightfoot decided to write a song, drawing from the details of the Newsweek article.

Originally, Lightfoot was hesitant to release the song, fearing that the music would bring up claims of exploitation of a tragedy. However, in August of 1976, Lightfoot chose to include the track on his album "Summertime Dream." The track came to be known as "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." To this day, it remains his most successful song, charting at No. 1 in his native country, Canada.

But now I ask, so what? Who cares about this 50-year-old power ballad about an American ship sinking in Lake Superior, written by a Canadian singer before all the details even emerged?

Me, I care. And I'm not alone.

Despite the fact that I was born March 11th, 2005 - 30 years after Fitz met her untimely demise - I, along with a vast majority of inhabitants of the Midwestern United States, care about the story behind "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald."

Beginning with the rarity of the wreck, it's not something you hear about every day, especially in the Midwest. Today, there are an estimated 3 million different shipwrecks that are scattered across the oceans, according to research done by UNESCO.

That's off the coast, though, not right in a Midwesterner's backyard.

If you were to tell someone from Boston that a ship sank off the coast of Nantucket 50 years ago, they might care, but they would eventually move on and pay it no mind. Eventually, it would get old and that care would disappear.

In a landlocked state, however, there would most likely be a much different reaction. If you tell someone from rural Indiana that a ship sank some 17 miles from land in the middle of Lake Superior, and a Canadian singer decided he wanted to make a song about it, I can almost guarantee that you would get a much different reaction than the one from the Bostonian.

I like to compare it to a law in Nebraska that ruled hunting whales within state boundaries illegal. If someone were to successfully hunt a whale within the state lines of Nebraska, it would live on in history because it's remarkable and essentially impossible.

A ship sinking in the Great Lakes may not carry the same level of difficulty that hunting a whale in Nebraska might, but for a subsequent song to top the charts in several major countries around the world is a nice nod to the Midwest.

The next appeal of this story is the mystery. Of course, the wreck of SS Edmund Fitzgerald is a tragedy. I'm not trying to make it seem like a talking dog and his friends are attempting to solve the mystery of how it sank - this isn't Scooby-Doo.

Twenty-nine lives were lost that night when the ship split in two at some point: That's all we know. We don't have any other information about the wreck itself. Did the ship break apart on the surface or after it hit the bottom of Lake Superior? How quickly did the ship sink? Why wasn't a distress signal ever sent out? These are all questions we'll probably never have the answers to.

Of course, there are the so-called "experts" out there who believe they know exactly what happened that night. They'll tell you all kinds of stories about how Fitz sank and why you should believe them over anyone else. But the truth is, only 30 people know what happened that night: the 29 crew members and God. Unfortunately for us, none of them can speak to the events that led to the ship's sinking that November night. It needs to stay that way. Without the element of mystery, one of the pillars on which this shipwreck stands will collapse.

Despite these resident experts, the opportunity to get answers has most likely closed. Due to the cold freshwater of Lake Superior, the wreck of SS Edmund Fitzgerald remains almost completely intact with no bacteria or rust to eat away at her. There have been a few expeditions to gather answers about how she went down, but none have been conducted in the last 30 years. This is because the Canadian government now guards the site as it is considered a mass grave and tampering with such is a criminal act.

There have been numerous requests throughout the years to try to gather evidence as to how she went down, but all have been denied. It's a mass grave site, and we need to respect it as such, especially for the families who lost a son, husband or even dad in the wreck.

Nothing quite like that unique sinking has happened since 1975. After the loss of Fitz, sweeping regulation changes in maritime trade on the Great Lakes took effect. In order to stop massive ships like Big Fitz from sinking, the United States Coast Guard created stricter regulations aimed at making ship trade safer.

Unsurprisingly, it worked, as since that fateful night in 1975, there has not been another commercial shipwreck on the Great Lakes resulting in the death of the crew. While it isn't impossible for a cargo vessel to sink in the Great Lakes, it is highly improbable because of what was learned from SS Edmund Fitzgerald's sinking, making this famous lost ship's legacy undeniable.

In a way, the wreck transcends pop culture, becoming a sort of political and regulatory reminder that rules can save lives.

The sheer magnitude of SS Edmund Fitzgerald's final voyage is one that can not be understated. The afternoon of Nov. 9, 1975, saw 29 men, aged between 20 and 63 years old, launch from a port in Wisconsin. Those men were doing their job just like any one of you and I; just like they had done for 17 years prior to the sinking.

We use Lightfoot's song as a reminder of those 29 souls that were lost in Lake Superior on Nov. 10, 1975. Their legacy lives on, immortalized in a power ballad about their final voyage. The memory is carried on in other ways, as the Mariner's Church of Detroit ringing their bell 29 times every Sunday closest to November 10 for each life lost. But none carry the weight and prowess of Lightfoot's tune.

So while I may be a kid from Northern Kentucky, I hold "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" dear to my heart. It could be false nostalgia, or maybe I'm being cynical. Or, better yet, maybe the words and soundwaves of Gordon Lightfoot's voice stand upon the pillars above, reminding us every year of those brave men who allowed for a safer today by giving up their lives.

This article is a part of Ball Bearings Spring 2026 magazine: Waves. Read more stories online at ballbearingsmag.com.

The Mid-American Conference (MAC) tournament begins today, and Ball State Women's Basketball looks to continue their stellar season with a first round matchup with Bowling Green.

The Cardinals are coming into the tournament as the conference's number two seed, with aspirations to win their second consecutive MAC championship. Head Coach Brady Sallee said the process leading up to this game was as typical as any away game the team has had all season.

Monday practice, Tuesday practice and then all eyes on Cleveland.

"This Wednesday game is always pretty normal other than the excitement of the tournament and all the different teams being around," Sallee said.

There are only four players on this year's team that played on last year's championship squad. Playing March basketball in Rocket Arena is new territory for most of the Cardinals. Sallee said his biggest message to the team is to eliminate as many distractions as possible.

Although the trip comes with a championship goal in mind for the Cardinals, Sallee wants the group to "enjoy the experience and have fun with each other."

"This is a great experience and one that they've earned, so I want them to experience that as well," Sallee said.

Any conference tournament holds weight to it, as NCAA tournament bids are on the line. Sallee said he is "interested as anybody" to see how his team responds to the pressure.

"It will be new for all of us, but hopefully when that ball goes up it just turns into another game," Sallee said.

Sallee said it has been a mantra all year to have a "1-0 today" mentality, and he said that does not change for this tournament.

"You gotta take care of Wednesday to get to Friday, and you gotta take care of Friday to get to Saturday," Sallee said. "If you're getting too far ahead of yourself, you're gonna go home early."

The good part about the MAC tournament is that Ball State has played all of their potential opponents before. The Cardinals defeated Bowling Green 82-67 Feb. 14 in Worthen Arena.

The head coach said the team knows the challenges the Falcons bring, with their on ball defensive pressure. Bowling Green has the MAC defensive player of the year in sophomore guard Johnea Donahue.

Sallee said this time of year, teams "know each other so well." Ball State knows Bowling Green's personnel, and vice versa.

"It's been a big emphasis for two days to guard their personnel effectively," Sallee said.

The Cardinals will be the third game in Rocket Arena today, and will tip off 30 minutes after the second game played today, likely around 4 p.m.

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

Here is an exclusive Q&A with Salenbien.

Q: How are you personally, especially in your last year, dealing with the emotions of playing your last few collegiate games, but balancing that with the goal of winning?

Salenbien: "It's bittersweet for sure, but [I'm] definitely just trying to take it a game at a time. We do hopefully have a few games left so I'm just trying to soak it all up. I'm sad that I've only gotten such a short time with this team, but we've accomplished so much."

Q: You haven't been in the position of the MAC tournament, but you have with Gonzaga with their conference tournament, how has that prepared you for what's coming?

Salenbien: "Last year I did play in it, and it's a different animal for sure; you were playing so many games in a row. But we've been preparing for a long time, and we are prepared for it, I do believe that. So I'm just excited to go try to win this thing."

Q: Not that a tournament like this is every going to be easy, but how much easier does it make it when the group is so close knit?

Salenbien: "Super easy. Much easier than wanting to be at each other's throats all the time. We do enjoy spending time with each other, and I do think [the] trip will be super fun, but we do have a lot ahead of us. If we have the opportunity to play Miami (OH) again, that'll be a good game."

Q: How do you feel like those first two games against Miami (OH) might prepare you for a potential matchup in the championship?

Salenbien: "The first one we didn't do too hot [but] the second one we put up a much better fight, so I am excited to see what we do differently. We have a few more things we could throw at them, and obviously we have to get there first. [We have] a lot more to go before them."

Q: How much does this group mean to you?

Salenbien: "[It's] hard to put into words. I would say my time at Gonzaga was a little rockier, and here I've been able to really maintain the relationships with these girls, [and] we only did that in one year, so it is super sad. But I'm so glad I've met all 12 of them. It's been so perfect."

Q: What were some of your raw emotions on senior day, especially when you look up at the big screen and you see a tribute video for you?

Salenbien: "Sad, I was trying not to cry. Just getting ready to play a game, but it is just once in a lifetime to get this opportunity that I've been given and to be able to impact the game that I am right now. I'm just super lucky, and I love the chances that I've been given to play with these girls and play for this team."

Q: In this past year, basketball wise, what area of the game do you feel like you've grown in the most?

Salenbien: "I think just trying to be more consistent and I wanted to be the player that everyone can lean on, and when you're not consistent that is hard to do. I've been trying to be that for my team. And then of course leadership wise, being more of a leader on the court instead of off the court like I was at my last school." That has been a change for sure, but I'm glad I got to take it."

Q: You talk about leadership, do you feel like the leadership role is kind of amped up a little bit now that it's getting to March?

Salenbien: "We have a lot of leaders on this team; I think we do a really good job of holding everyone accountable and holding ourselves accountable. I don't think there's ever a time where a person needs to be pulled out in terms of leadership. I am the oldest on the team, me and Tessa [Towers}, so I think we do have an obligation to keep everyone's heads in the right place. But I do think we do a really good job of it ourselves."

Q: Basketball aside, what have been some of the favorite moments of this year?

Salenbien: "This summer was a lot of fun, just getting to know the girls, we're all coming from different places. Only four of them knew each other, so [in] getting to know everyone, we took so many adventures and just hung out at different people's houses and things like that. I think that's the memories that last forever. You won't remember the games you win, or you lose, you'll remember that time getting to know each other."

Q: How much will it mean in Cleveland when you look up and see Ball State fans?

Salenbien: "So much. I do hope everyone comes out and supports. I do think it is important to have a little bit of that home crowd advantage so hopefully they do show out and it'll be fun."

Q:How much does it mean to put on a BallState jersey?

Salenbien: "It's been very special the time that I have gotten to wear that BallState across my chest. I do know it means a lot. This program, they're a winning program and they will continue to be for however long Brady [Sallee] is here. We just win here and we have a lot of fun doing it, and we get to create lasting relationships and memories with all that."

Catch Salenbien and the rest of the Cardinals at 4 p.m. today at Rocket Arena in Cleveland against Bowling Green for the first round of the MAC tournament.

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

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 30% of college students are without jobs, with many Ball State students a part of that statistic. Many students are reporting that they were searching for weeks with no luck.

"If you try to apply for a job online, like I've applied for probably 20 to 30 jobs, and they don't get back to me or just immediately decline my application," said Malana Luttel, a student at Ball State University.

Haylee Wicker, now a general manager at 7 Brew, was previously a worker at Parlor Donuts and reported that it took many attempts just to be hired. When applying to 7 Brew, Wicker gives credit to her connections when getting hired.

"The only reason I got this job was because I knew someone that worked here before so they kind of helped me get in," Wicker said.

Since becoming general manager, Wicker receives around 100 applications a month; however, when looking at a student's application, Wicker has some potential conflicts to consider. One main problem when it comes to hiring students is availability between classes and clubs.

"So working around somebody else's availability that is new and just coming to the store is more difficult when I can hire somebody with more availability," Wicker said.

Despite its difficulties, using the connections and resources that you have as a student can go a long way in the job market. If you are a student and need help finding a job during or post-college, you can email the career center at careercenter@bsu.edu with questions.

Any comments? Email Wyatt Maher at wyatt.maher@bsu.edu

"What we do understand about commuters is that they have fewer opportunities to engage with others on campus. So a couple of years ago, when student success coaching started, they also started the commuter success program to get commuters more engaged and give them that direct connection on campus," Kelsey Mosley, graduate student for Student Success Programs, said.

Each week, the students visit with Mosley and the success coaches to talk about their assignments, daily life, and the week. Mosley has built connections with the students and worked hard to make the program something students want to attend.

"It's honestly the highlight of my week because I get to talk to people on campus. I'm a commuter student, so I'm only here for two classes as a non-traditional student. So I don't get that much time here, so by being at the commuter success events, I get to talk to Kelsey and everyone on the team about events that are going on while I'm here. And they also brighten my week by fun questions," Bailey Coleman, graduate student, Ball State University said.

The first-year students have also spent time getting to know each other, fostering new relationships.

"It's a nice little community that they've got going on. I love coming in and talking to the ladies that run it every Friday. I feel like there's a good bond; everything feels very personal between them. I've met a couple of other commuters I'm good friends with now. A couple commuters that are from high school that I've reconnected with," Ryder Riggin, freshman, Ball State University said.

Commuter Students can miss out on many events that happen daily on campus.

"I think it's (Free Frappe Friday) a great way to make friends if you don't live on campus, if you're not in the dorms, and things like that. So you can meet other people that maybe have a lifestyle more similar to yours," Coleman said.

These students shared that Free Frappe Friday encourages them to wake up on time, go to class, and reflect on their week. The success program also tries to help students focus on basic skills to help their education.

"Success coaching is really beneficial, especially for students who are struggling with things like procrastination, time management, motivation, which is something commuters often struggle with, especially in that first year whenever you don't really know a lot of people around here. That's what we're here to do with students," Mosley said.

As the semester ends, these students will continue to be involved in commuter success events. The connections they've built through this program will continue to help them have a sense of familiarity and feel comfortable on campus.

Contact Stella Davis with comments at estella.davis@bsu.edu.

Today: Cloudy skies with temperatures being in the mid-70s, beautiful day to go outside and if you are going out to you car, North Dining, or the Atrium be prepared to be pushed back a little because winds are going south south west 15 mph.

Tonight: Thunderstorms and rain with the temperature being in the mid-60s, if you are going to go out make sure you bring an umbrella or you can stay in your dorm. we will be seeing some severe weather too but its a slight change.

Tomorrow: During your morning commute thunderstorms will be continuing with the temperature being 67 degrees, then later in the during lunch the temperature will be 68 with rain continuing all day and at 5pm the temperature will be 64 degrees winds throughout the day will be in the 18-20 mph range.

Seven-Day Forecast: Thunderstorms coming in on Wednesday morning with the temperatures high being 68, starting on Thursday temperatures will cool with it being sunny, then on Friday clouds will come in with it being windy and the temperature being 58, clouds continuing on to the weekend and the beginning of next week with more rain coming in on Sunday, and temperatures dropping 4 degrees below freezing on Monday and then coming back up to 1 degree above freezing on Tuesday.

-Weather Forecaster Jon Urbina-Reyes

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

Background behind the storm system

As with typical storms, a low pressure system is tracking across the United States. Typically, cold fronts attached to these pressure systems are associated with thunderstorms. As systems move from west-to-east, they create windy conditions to help power storm formation. In addition, a warm front to our north has brought warm, moist air from the Gulf into our area. This results in higher dew points and instability to further give storms the energy they need. Finally, winds above the surface are strong and going in different directions. This is called shear and is especially associated with fronts. As winds change direction and increase as you move upward, it allows storms to rotate and have the chance to produce tornadoes. Essentially, the low pressure system combined with moist air and strong winds is the cause of this weather.

Timing of the storms

Scattered rain will continue through the evening and these showers will not cause issues. Things begin to pick up overnight and storms will become stronger. Although the severe threat to our north will begin much earlier, our best chance of severe weather in Muncie will be from 5-9 a.m. Expect for there to be difficulties in the morning commute, so give yourself extra time when leaving the house. Following the strong storms, rain will continue Wednesday until 5 p.m. where a large drop in temperatures will then occur.

Hazards possible tonight

The Storm Prediction Center has placed the NewsLink Indiana viewing area in a Slight risk, which is 2/5 on the severe weather scale. All hazards will be possible tonight. This includes heavy rain with an isolated flood threat, wind gusts up to 60 mph, hail up to an inch, and possible tornadoes. The main threat area will be to our northwest and include Metro Chicago. However, just because we are not in the highest risk area does not mean to take this lightly. Weather can change fast and storms can become severe quickly.

In short, expect for there to be strong storms tonight and for them to affect your commute tomorrow. Storm systems like this are already dangerous, but this occurring at night makes them even more difficult. Remain weather aware and have a way to receive warnings this evening, and enjoy the warm temperatures today before they drop.

- Chief Weather Forecaster Joseph Sawicki

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

Typewriter-Written Narrative

Requiem follows two protagonists: newcomer Grace Ashcroft (Angela Sant'Albano), as well as series veteran Leon S. Kennedy (Nick Apostolides). Both are drawn into a conspiracy involving former Umbrella scientist Victor Gideon (Antony Byrne), as he seeks to unleash a new bioweapon upon the world. Performances in this game are spectacular, as Sant'Albano's Grace is easily one of the most compelling roles the series has seen in a while. You really buy the idea that she is in way over her head with the way she is constantly stressed out and stuttering her way through situations. On the other hand, Apostolides delivers another spectacular performance as Leon, having now portrayed the character at three markedly different points in his life. Leon is now a grizzled veteran, searching for answers to a disease inflicting him and fellow Raccoon City survivor Sherry Birkin (Eden Riegel).

The narrative itself offers a sort of return to form for the series after the last two entries focused mainly on the Winters family. Both Grace and Leon have ties to the series past, specifically with Umbrella and the Raccoon City incident, and their paths turning back to this iconic tragedy signals a sort of homecoming, yet stays away from egregiously nostalgia-baiting most of the time. In this way, the game really is a requiem for the series, offering a look back into its roots while also suggesting a bold new path forward in the future. I don't want to spoil too much of the narrative, as the reveals in the latter half are especially monumental, but I will say that there's plenty to love here, especially for long-time fans.

Gracefully Tense

The game's first half is mainly dominated by Grace, whose gameplay is centered more around the series' horror elements. Grace has scarce access to weapons, only being able to wield a small selection of pistols, while also being fairly low on inventory space and supplies. On my first playthrough, I found myself constantly scrounging for more ammo and healing items, while ultimately avoiding most of the zombies to avoid the risk that comes with direct combat. Grace's sections mostly take place in the Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center, a gothic-looking hospital complete with secret passages and a creepy basement. The hallways are often narrow and the building is plenty dark, making enemy encounters less predictable.

Enemies have also seen a bit of a facelift in this section. There are multiple interesting zombie variants, like a hyper-violent zombie wielding an I.V. drip as a makeshift spear, a singing zombie that can alert the horde, and a suited zombie obsessed with keeping the lights off. Learning each enemy's unique gimmick made navigating the care center thoroughly engaging, and that's not even counting the two "stalker-type" enemies that inhabit parts of the area, posing a significant threat to Grace if you're not careful. Overall, Grace's sections are the most tense I've felt in a Resident Evil game in a while, maybe ever.

An Icon Returns

While we get a little taste of him early on, it's not until much later that Leon's section truly begins. That said, every little bit of Leon we get feels like a massive release of tension. Leon sports an impressive arsenal of pistols, shotguns, rifles, and machine guns, alongside a hatchet that can be sharpened at any time. Enemy attacks can be parried, and there are tons of bloody executions to finish enemies off. Whereas Grace was in constant fear and danger, Leon stands firm and steadfast.

Despite the lack of direct horror as Leon, death is still no little thing. Much of Leon's story takes place in the bombed-out ruins of Raccoon City. Here, emaciated zombies rise from the dust and debris like ghouls, a reminder of the tragedy Leon faced decades ago. The only downside here is that the drab browns and greys of the environment can get a little monotonous after a little while. Much of the gameplay is essentially a suped-up version of Leon's gameplay from the Resident Evil 4 remake, with even his HUD sharing several similarities. While Grace's sections harken back to the series' past subtextually with their essence, Leon's ties to the past are more apparent in the setting, characters, and gameplay. Blasting through zombies has never felt so rewarding.

Final Report

Resident Evil Requiem is yet another phenomenal entry in the series, delivering a wonderful mix of pulse-pounding horror and crowd-pleasing action. Both protagonists are a joy to play as and watch uncover the game's mystery, making it actually sad that there isn't more of either of them. That said, Requiem is sure to go down as one of the best survival horror games in recent memory.

Sources: Steam, Capcom, Capcom, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, Steam

Image: Capcom