Presenting a new class UIndy football announces the new 2023 recruiting class

By Connor Mahoney SPORTS EDITOR

Putting pen to paper, the University of Indianapolis football program announced their recruiting class for National Signing Day 2023 on Feb. 1, according to UIndy Athletics. UIndy Football Head Coach Chris Keevers said he is excited about this incoming class and what they can bring to the program.

“Every class, the number one thing you want to do is find UIndy fits [players that fit the program]; you’ve got to find people that fit our school and fit our program…,” Keevers said. “We want great students and great players and great people…. We brought in a bunch of UIndy fits and we brought in a bunch of guys that are really good students and good people [that] should make our football team better.”

The Greyhounds are welcoming 54 new players who will suit up this coming fall for the 2023 season, according to UIndy Athletics. This includes players on offense, defense and special teams. UIndy Football Offensive Coordinator Brad Wilson said that many of the players are coming from good programs.

“We’ve got a bunch of quality human beings that are coming into the program,” Wilson said. “A lot of them played multiple sports, which I think is valuable, some explosive players in that class to add to our offense. The transition from high school to college is always a challenge but getting guys from quality programs that can come in here and compete [is important]. [I] really like how the class ended up.”

In addition to the new recruits bringing their talents to the program, the team hopes to continue to build its culture, according to Keevers and Wilson.

“For our kids that we attract to our program and bring into our program, they have to have a mentality of, ‘We’re going

With the new players coming into the program, the hope is they can learn from this Greyhound football culture, according to Keevers. For the next class, he said the recruiting has already started and will kick into high gear after the spring ball game.

“We started [recruiting] on Monday; it’s an evaluation period that really gets going after spring ball,” Keevers said. “We go out in April and hit schools and watch tape[s] and start making lists of guys we want to recruit. Then, we go during the summer, and then we hit camps. We all go out to camps all over the Midwest and watch kids and find players.” to come in and we’re going to work’… and [an] understanding [of] our culture from a workman standpoint [involves] working on the details and making sure we’re working together…,” Wilson said.

Along with the announcements of the new recruiting class, the spring ball game has been confirmed for April 22 at Key Stadium, according to UIndy Athletics. Keevers said it’s an opportunity for the team to improve.

“There’s a lot of work that goes into it but you got to enjoy the time, the four or five years that you’re on campus. We have a strong program coming back; we feel really good about the kids returning.

So it’s all about adding new people [players] to that culture and continuing for that to grow.”

“[The spring ball game] is a chance to make our team better and our team [to] develop and get closer,” Keevers said. “It’s [a] really good time to improve. We have fun with [it].” match. And I think we managed well to keep going in [the] tournament and stay focused on the process.”

Wilson said he sees a major opportunity to improve the two weeks before the spring ball game in practices, runs and lifting. The spring ball game will be held at 1 p.m. at Key Stadium with an alumni tailgate beforehand. Keevers said the game is an opportunity for the players to enjoy playing together along with fans and come out and enjoy watching the game, too.

Destouet stated the men’s team was nervous but despite the nerves there was an overall feeling of having nothing to lose and energy was high. According to sophomore tennis player Louis Picaud, going in he knew the team was prepared and knew they would play well.

“I did expect we would play very well, but I didn’t expect to destroy them like that. I think mentally we were way more motivated than them. We saw it on the court; we shoot for each other,” Picaud said. “I think it was a logical result. We really show[ed] them we were here on the court. And we were fighter[s], then after, against Wayne State, we kept the energy.”

“I think it was a good experience for the freshmen, and they [hadn’t seen] the national level because before this, we didn’t play that many matches against top teams. And also it was the first time that we played until clinch, so every match counts,” Novikova said. “And I think it really helped us to actually understand that it’s not [an] individual sport anymore. We’re playing as a team. It was a big learning process for all of us. Even though I’m [doing] my fifth season, every season you learn new things, and I think also we learn how to adapt to each other, how to support each other and we understand each other better now and then.”

Tabet stated he feels good about the overall state of both the men’s and women’s tennis teams and the program as a whole and being among the top ten teams in the nation is an accomplishment. According to UIndy Athletics, both the men’s and women’s teams will compete in Florida from March 15-19.

“I would like to thank everybody who came to support us, and also our coach and our assistant coaches,” Destouet said. “They were super. They tried to help us a lot, and obviously, it works.”