Sports - The Echo

The Pacers have a star power shortage in a league built on stars

By Will Riddell · Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023

The Lakers have LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The Bucks have Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. The Suns have Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. The Celtics have Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. And the Nuggets — who also happen to be the defending champs — have Nikola Jokić, who won back-to-back MVPs in 2021 and 2022. The Pacers have Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner? Yeah, that’s not going to cut it.

Terry's Takes: CFB fanbases are upset again

By Caleb Terry · Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023

College football is home to some of the most passionate fan bases in all of sports. This kind of deep-rooted emotion comes out either in excitement or heartbreak. A few contenders have been knocked out, but not every team’s destiny is determined just yet, so not every fanbase is up in arms. Let’s take a look at who is.

Smith plans, designs first-ever Taylor disc golf course

By Stephen Wisnewski · Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023

After much back and forth with administration, senior Frank Smith was finally able to act on his dream of creating a disc golf course on Taylor University’s campus this year.

Taylor winter sports are at the starting line for 2023-24 season

By Conrad Otto · Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023

Apart from the cold temperatures, this upcoming 2023-24 winter season of Taylor sports looks to be a dominant time for Trojan athletics. Three different sports – basketball, competitive cheer and track and field – look to either start their season off on a high note or continue the dominance they’ve already established.

Henson: on the court, behind the lens

By Marco Aguirre · Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023

Sometimes, the best shots at a sports event don’t go into a net or a hoop — they come from a camera.

Freshman Nathan 'Burns' the competition

By Alex Boothby · Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023

Nathan Burns is an exciting addition to the Taylor University men’s cross-country team, as he has exploded into stride taking the number one position on the team and breaking course records. As a talented runner who has dominated throughout high school, what led him to Taylor?

Trojans cross-country runs straight in the eye of the Blazing Tiger

By Elise Hoylman · Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023

Omaha, Nebraska, heard Taylor cross-country roar on Saturday, Oct. 21. Taylor’s cross-country teams competed in the Blazing Tiger NAIA Classic against 23 teams. Taylor women’s cross country team finished third at the meet behind College of Idaho, and Saint Mary (Kan.) ranked No. 3 and No. 4, respectively. The men’s team finished in an outstanding fourth place ahead of several ranked NAIA teams including Oklahoma City, Southern Oregon and Kansas Wesleyan. The Trojans have since moved up in ranking to No. 12.

Taylor football back in the win column with homecoming victory

By Dalton Keay · Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023

A fun-filled homecoming weekend was capped off with a convincing Taylor football victory on Oct. 28. With almost 5,000 fans in attendance, the Taylor Trojans trounced the Madonna Crusaders 54-14 in a game that never felt close.

Taylor men's and women's golf close out fall seasons in the top 15

By Conrad Otto · Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023

Both the men’s and women’s golf teams swung into action in the last tournaments of their fall seasons. The women’s team took a pair of first-place finishes across the two days of the Delaware CC Fall Invitational. Meanwhile, the men’s side traveled to the Whistling Straits Intercollegiate in Sheboygan, WI, finishing second on day one and fourth place on day two.

Terry’s Takes: How will the College Football Playoff be shaken up?

By Caleb Terry · Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023

On Halloween night, the first round of the College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings were revealed. The Ohio State Buckeyes sit at No. 1, the back-to-back reigning champion Georgia Bulldogs are No. 2, the Michigan Wolverines are No. 3 and the Florida State Seminoles have taken the No. 4 spot.

Mindset Matters: Women's soccer prepares for CL Tournament

By Mallory Dotson · Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023

The No. 25 Trojans women’s soccer team clinched the third seed in the Crossroads League Tournament following their 6-2 win against Goshen on Saturday, Oct. 28.

TU Crossroads League Tournament debrief

By Caleb Joshua Heffron · Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023

With November arriving, snow flying through the air and “Charlie Brown” television specials airing on ABC, that means only one thing: The World Series … and the first College Football Playoff Rankings … and also James Harden making his yearly trade request. So maybe the end of October brings more than a few bells and whistles with it, but the main event for the 10 colleges of the Crossroads League (CL) will be the volleyball and men’s and women’s soccer tournaments and the men’s and women’s cross-country championships.

Terry's Takes: Breaking down the top teams in college football

By Caleb Terry · Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023

The 2023 college football season is the last year where the College Football Playoff will only feature four teams. In 2024, along with conference realignment, the playoff will expand, allowing 12 teams to have a shot at the national title. But this year – the final season with a four-team playoff structure – there has not been a tighter race for the college football playoff.

Q&A with commentator Robbie Hummel

By Will Riddell · Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023

With Nov. 6 and the start of the college basketball season rapidly approaching, I needed answers. Because Matthew Mayer is no longer playing at the college level, who is the next player to get caffeine poisoning from five Monster energy drinks and a night of gaming? Okay, maybe we didn’t talk about that (missed opportunity). But no sport is more unpredictable than college hoops. With the season on the horizon, I hopped on the phone with FOX/NBC commentator Robbie Hummel to talk about the Big 10 and beyond.

Taylor eSports creates new ways to build community

By Caleb Joshua Heffron · Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023

Video games. Frequently called the most popular form of entertainment, gamers across the globe have found ways to virtually clash swords, hit home runs and save universes. The 2020s have been a revolutionary time in game development and video games have become more popular than ever. Rather than just single-player experiences, online games have taken front and center stage as one of the most popular pastimes in the world. At Taylor University, the eSports and Gaming Club has taken full advantage. With over 200 members, the team features both competitive and non-competitive games and is constantly looking for new members.

Taylor University equestrian team gallops onto campus

By Conrad Otto · Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023

When it comes to sports teams on Taylor University’s campus, rarely does riding horses cross anyone’s mind. However, just off campus at Rope This Ranch, the Taylor equestrian team looks to ride its way to victory throughout the school year.

TU soccer finds brothers on and off the field

By Dalton Keay · Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023

Junior goalkeeper Samuel Spiegel and junior centre back Collin Maris are roommates, but they’ve found themselves to be so much more than that.

PSA from CJH: WNBA's greatest season shows it deserves respect

By Caleb Joshua Heffron · Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023

Few sports leagues have been maligned like the Women’s National Basketball Association. It takes years, often decades, for leagues to find their proper footing. They need dedicated ownership, team superstars, style and culture; but the WNBA hasn’t been given the same opportunity by fans to make that leap, unlike its brother league.

Men's cross-country gathers steam approaching late season meets

By Alex Boothby · Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023

In a field stacked full of NCAA Division I teams, as well as multiple ranked NAIA squads, the Taylor men’s cross-country team took 19th at the Louisville Cross Country Classic on September 30. Freshman Nathan Burns led the team taking 19th place on the individual front, while senior Zane Callison finished first out of the team's top five.

To the finish: Maddawgs make a statement

By Elise Hoylman · Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023

The No. 1 Taylor women’s cross-country team toed the line on Saturday, Sept. 30, after traveling to Kentucky to compete at the Louisville Cross Country Classic. Among 41 teams from across the NAIA, NCAA Division I and II, Taylor placed third.