BASKETBALL

The Crossroads League national office released its 2020-21 basketball preseason polls and among the list of honorees included Sam (Hammel) Vaughn and Caleb Middlesworth.

Vaughn enters her senior season as HU’s top returning leading scorer and rebounder having averaged 11.3 points and 6.5 rebounds a year ago. She also posted a conference-best 2.6 steals per night to go along with a team-leading 5.2 assists which proved the second best average among her league peers.

The 5-7 point guard earned the respect of the league coaches by being voted a Third Team All-Conference pick a year ago and a preseason First Team pick this fall.

As a team, the Forester women’s club is picked to finish seventh in the league standings with Marian the unanimous preseason favorite to win the Crossroads League Championships once again after claiming the CL regular season and tourney crowns last season.

Culler and crew kick of their season with a road trip to Indiana Tech on October 27.

Middlesworth topped Huntington in scoring last year by dropping in 19.3 points per outing, the fourth highest in the league, which included canning 2.6 threes per game to rank fifth in the CL in made 3-pointers. The 6-8 junior forward also pulled down 4.9 rebounds and dished out 1.4 assists per night.

A Second Team pick last winter, Middlesworth was one of ten players to be tabbed a First Team preseason selection this year.

As voted on by the league coaches, Alford’s men’s squad slid in at the No. 8 spot with Indiana Wesleyan selected to repeat as the Conference League Champions.

The Foresters open their season with a four-game home stand with an October 28 start against Governors State University.