The state of Indiana is home to two major professional sport franchises, and a number of college sports teams. Indiana is also prominent in auto racing.
Indiana has a rich basketball heritage that reaches back to the formative years of the sport itself. Although Canadian educator and inventor James Naismith developed basketball in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1891, Indiana is where high school basketball was born. In 1925, Naismith visited an Indiana basketball state finals game along with 15,000 screaming fans and later wrote "Basketball really had its origin in Indiana, which remains the center of the sport." The 1986 film Hoosiers is inspired by the story of the 1954 Indiana state champions Milan High School.
As of 2013 [update] Indiana has produced more National Basketball Association (NBA) players per capita than any other state. Muncie has produced the most per capita of any American city, with two other Indiana cities in the top ten. [1] Professional basketball player Larry Bird was born in West Baden Springs and was raised in French Lick. He went on to lead the Boston Celtics to the NBA championship in 1981, 1984, and 1986. [2]
The Indiana Pacers of the NBA play their home games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse; they began play in 1967 in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and joined the NBA when the leagues merged in 1976.
Indianapolis is home to the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference. The Colts have roots back to 1913 as the Dayton Triangles. They became an official team after moving to Baltimore, MD, in 1953. In 1984, the Colts relocated to Indianapolis, leading to an eventual rivalry with the Baltimore Ravens. After calling the RCA Dome home for 25 years, the Colts currently play their home games at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. While in Baltimore, the Colts won the 1970 Super Bowl. In Indianapolis, the Colts won Super Bowl XLI, bringing the franchise total to two. In recent years the Colts have regularly competed in the NFL playoffs.
Club | Sport | Established | League | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|
Indiana Fever | Basketball | 2000 | Women's National Basketball Association | Gainbridge Fieldhouse |
Indiana Pacers | Basketball | 1967 | National Basketball Association | Gainbridge Fieldhouse |
Indianapolis Colts | Football | 1953/1984 | National Football League | Lucas Oil Stadium |
USL Super League Indianapolis [3] | Soccer | 2024 | USL Super League | Eleven Park (planned) |
Club | Sport | Established | League | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|
1927 SC | Soccer | 1927 | Midwest Premier League | |
Crestwood Panthers | Collegiate summer baseball | 2017 | Northern League | |
Dubois County Bombers | Collegiate summer baseball | 1998 | Prospect League | League Stadium |
Elkhart County Miracle | Collegiate summer baseball | 2023 | Northern League | |
Fort Wayne FC | Soccer | 2019 | USL League 2 | Shields Field |
Fort Wayne Spacemen | Junior ice hockey | 2012 | United States Premier Hockey League | |
Griffith Generals | Collegiate summer baseball | 2014 | Northern League | |
Indy Eleven (Women) | Soccer | 2021 | USL W League | Grand Park |
Indianapolis Impalas | Rugby | 1980 | USA Rugby | Indianapolis World Sports Park |
Kokomo Jackrabbits | Collegiate summer baseball | 2014 | Northwoods League | |
Lafayette Aviators | Collegiate summer baseball | 2015 | Prospect League | Loeb Stadium |
Lake County Corn Dogs | Collegiate summer baseball | 2022 | Northern League | |
Northwest Indiana Oilmen | Collegiate summer baseball | 2012 | Northern League | |
Richmond Jazz | Collegiate summer baseball | 2016 | Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League | |
Southland Vikings | Collegiate summer baseball | 2011 | Northern League | |
South Bend Lions | Soccer | 2019 | USL League 2 | TCU School Field |
Terre Haute Rex | Collegiate summer baseball | 2010 | Prospect League | Bob Warn Field |
Club | Sport | Years | League |
---|---|---|---|
Fort Wayne Kekiongas | Baseball | 1866–1871 | National Association of Professional Base Ball Players, National Association of Base Ball Players |
Hammond Pros | Football | 1920–26 | National Football League |
Indianapolis Blues | Baseball | 1878 | National League |
Indianapolis Hoosiers | Baseball | 1884 | American Association |
Indianapolis Hoosiers | Baseball | 1887–1889 | National League |
Indianapolis Racers | Ice hockey | 1974–1978 | World Hockey Association |
Club | Sport | Years | League |
---|---|---|---|
Chi-Town Shooters | Ice hockey | 2008–11 | All American Hockey League |
Elkhart Express | Basketball | 2006–09 | International Basketball League |
Evansville Crush | Indoor Soccer | 2010–13 | Premier Arena Soccer League |
Evansville IceMen | Ice hockey | 2008–10 | All American Hockey League |
Evansville IceMen | Ice hockey | 2010–2016 | ECHL |
Evansville Jr. Thunderbolts | Junior ice hockey | 2015–2019 | North American 3 Hockey League |
Evansville Kings | Indoor Soccer | 2013–14 | Premier Arena Soccer League |
Fort Wayne Fever | Soccer | 2003–09 | USL Premier Development League |
Gary Steelheads | Basketball | 2000–08 | International Basketball League |
Illiana Blackbirds | Junior ice hockey | 2012–2016 | MnJHL/USPHL |
Indiana Blizzard | Ice hockey | 2010 | All American Hockey League |
Indiana Ice | Junior ice hockey | 2004–2014 | United States Hockey League |
Indiana Invaders | Soccer | 1998–2011 | USL Premier Development League |
Indiana has had great sports success at the collegiate level. NCAA Division I athletic programs in the state are:
Team | City | Type | Conferences |
---|---|---|---|
Ball State Cardinals | Muncie | State | Mid-American Conference (FBS) |
Butler Bulldogs | Indianapolis | Private / non-sectarian | Big East Conference / Pioneer Football League (FCS) |
Evansville Purple Aces | Evansville | Private / Methodist | Missouri Valley Conference (non-football) |
Indiana Hoosiers | Bloomington | State | Big Ten Conference (FBS) |
Indiana State Sycamores | Terre Haute | State | Missouri Valley Conference / Missouri Valley Football Conference (FCS) |
IU Indy Jaguars [lower-alpha 1] | Indianapolis | State | Horizon League (non-football) |
Notre Dame Fighting Irish | South Bend | Private / Catholic | Atlantic Coast Conference / FBS independent |
Purdue Boilermakers | West Lafayette | State | Big Ten Conference (FBS) |
Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons | Fort Wayne | State | Horizon League (non-football) |
Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles | Evansville [lower-alpha 2] | State | Ohio Valley Conference (non-football) |
Valparaiso Beacons | Valparaiso | Private / Lutheran | Missouri Valley Conference / Pioneer Football League (FCS) |
NCAA Division II athletic programs in the state are:
Team | City | Type | Conferences |
---|---|---|---|
Indianapolis Greyhounds | Indianapolis | State | Great Lakes Valley Conference |
Purdue Northwest Pride | Hammond | State | Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (non-football) |
NCAA Division III athletic programs in the state are:
Team | City | Type | Conferences |
---|---|---|---|
Anderson Ravens | Anderson | Private | HCAC |
DePauw Tigers | Greencastle | Private | North Coast |
Earlham Hustlin' Quakers | Richmond | Private | HCAC |
Franklin Grizzlies | Franklin | Private | HCAC |
Hanover Panthers | Hanover | Private | HCAC |
Manchester Spartans | North Manchester | Private | HCAC |
Rose-Hulman Fightin' Engineers | Terre Haute | Private | HCAC |
St. Mary's Belles | Notre Dame | Private | Michigan |
Trine Thunder | Angola | Private | Michigan |
Wabash Little Giants | Crawfordsville | Private | North Coast |
NAIA athletic programs in the state are:
Team | City | Type | Conferences |
---|---|---|---|
Bethel Pilots | Mishawaka | Private | Crossroads |
CCSJ Crimson Wave | Whiting | Private | Chicagoland |
Goshen Maple Leafs | Goshen | Private | Crossroads |
Grace Lancers | Winona Lake | Private | Crossroads |
Holy Cross Saints | Notre Dame | Private | Chicagoland |
Huntington Foresters | Huntington | Private | Crossroads |
Indiana Tech Warriors | Fort Wayne | Private | Wolverine–Hoosier |
Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats | Marion | Private | Crossroads |
IU Columbus Crimson Pride [lower-alpha 1] | Columbus | State | River States |
IU East Red Wolves | Richmond | State | River States |
IU Kokomo Cougars | Kokomo | State | River States |
IU Northwest Redhawks | Gary | State | Chicagoland |
IU South Bend Titans | South Bend | State | Chicagoland |
IU Southeast Grenadiers | New Albany | State | River States |
Marian Knights | Indianapolis | Private | Crossroads |
Oakland City Mighty Oaks | Oakland City | Private | River States |
Saint Francis Cougars | Fort Wayne | Private | Crossroads |
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods Pomeroys | St. Mary's | Private | River States |
Taylor Trojans | Upland | Private | Crossroads |
NJCAA athletic programs in the state are:
Team | City | Type | Conferences |
---|---|---|---|
Ancilla Chargers | Donaldson | Private | MCCAA |
Ivy Tech Titans | Fort Wayne | State | OCCAC |
Vincennes Trailblazers | Vincennes | State | MWAC |
Indiana has an extensive history with motorsport. Indianapolis hosts the Indianapolis 500 mile race over Memorial Day weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway every May since 1911. The name of the race is usually shortened to "Indy 500" and also goes by the nickname "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing." The race attracts over 250,000 people every year, making it the largest single day sporting event in the world. The track also hosts the Brickyard 400 of the NASCAR Cup Series since 1994. From 2000 to 2007, it hosted the United States Grand Prix (Formula One). From 2008 to 2015, it hosted the Indianapolis motorcycle Grand Prix.
Indiana features the world's largest and most prestigious drag race, the NHRA's U.S. Nationals, held each Labor Day weekend at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Clermont, Indiana.
The United States Auto Club is headquartered next to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and sanctions the Indiana Midget Week in June and the Indiana Sprint Week in July. Notable short ovals in Indiana include Indianapolis Raceway Park (NASCAR Trucks and USAC Silver Crown), Anderson Speedway (Little 500 and ARCA/CRA Redbud 400), Salem Speedway (ARCA, USAC Silver Crown), Terre Haute Action Track (USAC Silver Crown Sumar Classic, Hut Hundred, Hulman Classic), and Winchester Speedway (USAC Silver Crown and ARCA/CRA Winchester 400). The Indiana State Fairgrounds used to host the USAC Silver Crown Hoosier Hundred from 1953 to 2020.
Ironman Raceway hosts annual rounds of the Grand National Cross Country since 1995 and the AMA Motocross Championship since 2014. In addition, the AMA Supercross Championship visited the RCA Dome from 1998 to 2008, and the Lucas Oil Stadium has hosted a round since 2009.
Indiana is also host to a major unlimited hydroplane racing power boat race circuits in the major H1 Unlimited league, the Madison Regatta (Madison).
Sport | Event | League | Facility | Location | Year established |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Auto racing | Indianapolis 500 | IndyCar Series | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Speedway | 1911 |
GMR Grand Prix | 2014 | ||||
Gallagher Grand Prix | 2020 | ||||
Verizon 200 at the Brickyard | NASCAR Cup Series | 2021 | |||
Pennzoil 150 | NASCAR Xfinity Series | 2012 | |||
Battle on the Bricks | IMSA SportsCar Championship | 2014/2023 | |||
Dodge//SRT NHRA U.S. Nationals | NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series | Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park | Brownsburg | 1961 | |
TSport 200 | NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | 1995/2022 | |||
Reese's 200 | ARCA Menards Series | 1983/2022 | |||
Hoosier Hundred | USAC Silver Crown Series | 1946/2023 |
Pari-mutuel betting was legalized in 1989. Hoosier Park opened in Anderson in 1994, and off-track betting parlors opened in the state in 1995. Indiana Downs opened in Shelbyville in 2002. Hoosier Park became a racino on 2008 and Indiana Downs did the same in 2009.
Team | League | Total | Season |
---|---|---|---|
Gary SouthShore RailCats | American Association of Professional Baseball | 3 | 2005, 2007, 2013 |
Indiana Fever | WNBA | 1 | 2012 |
Indiana Mad Ants | G League | 1 | 2013–14 |
Indiana Pacers | ABA | 3 | 1969–70, 1971–72, 1972–73 |
Indianapolis Colts | NFL | 1 | 2006 |
Indy Eleven | USL W League | 1 | 2023 |
Evansville Otters | Frontier League | 2 | 2006, 2016 |
Hoosier hysteria is the state of excitement surrounding basketball in Indiana or, more specifically, the Indiana high school basketball tournament. The most famous example occurred in 1954, when Milan defeated Muncie Central to win the state title.
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) was a public research university in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It was a collaboration between Indiana University and Purdue University that offered undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees from both universities. Administered primarily through Indiana University as a core campus and secondarily through Purdue University as a regional campus, it was Indiana's primary urban research and academic health sciences institution. IUPUI was located in downtown Indianapolis along the White River and Fall Creek.
Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park is an auto racing facility in Brownsburg, Indiana, about 10 miles (16 km) northwest of downtown Indianapolis. It includes a 0.686 mi (1.104 km) oval track, a 2.500 mi (4.023 km) road course, and a 4,400-foot (1,300 m) drag strip which is among the premier drag racing venues in the world. The complex receives about 500,000 visitors annually.
The Hoosier Dome was a domed stadium in Indianapolis. It was the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons (1984–2007).
The Indiana Hoosiers are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of Indiana University Bloomington, named after the demonym for people from the state of Indiana. The Hoosiers participate in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in 24 sports and became a member of the Big Ten Conference on December 1, 1899. The school's official colors are cream and crimson.
The Purdue University system is a public university system in the U.S. state of Indiana. A land-grant university with nearly 75,000 students across three institutions comprising five physical campuses, a statewide technology program, extension centers in each of Indiana's 92 counties, and continuing education programs. Additionally, there are another ~44,000 students enrolled in an online university. Each university in the system maintains its own faculty and admissions policies which are overseen by the Purdue University Board of Trustees. Purdue's main campus in West Lafayette is the best-known, noted for its highly regarded programs in engineering and adjacent subjects.
Winchester Speedway is a half-mile paved oval motor racetrack in White River Township, Randolph County, just outside Winchester, Indiana, approximately 90 miles (145 km) northeast of Indianapolis. It seats 5,000 spectators. It is also known as the "World's Fastest 1/2 mile".
The IU Indy Jaguars are the 18 intercollegiate teams that represent Indiana University Indianapolis, in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. They compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. The teams were established by Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). The Jaguars were originally known as the IUPUI Metros.
The IU Indy Jaguars men's basketball team is the men's basketball team that represents Indiana University Indianapolis in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. IU Indy assumed its current identity on July 1, 2024, when the Indiana University and Purdue University systems dissolved the former Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). The vast majority of IUPUI academic programs, plus the IUPUI athletic program, were transferred to the new IU campus. The school's team currently competes in the Horizon League. The Jaguars made their first and to date only appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2003 when they won the Summit League Conference Championship.
Sports in Indianapolis include major league franchises, collegiate athletics, and a variety of other club and individual sporting events that have taken place in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Indianapolis is the home to 11 professional sports teams. The city is also home to three National Collegiate Athletic Association collegiate teams. Two teams from the four major American leagues, the Indianapolis Colts and Indiana Pacers, are located in Indianapolis. The Indiana Fever Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) started play in 2000, and are under the same ownership as the Pacers NBA team.
There has been auto racing in Illinois for almost as long as there have been automobiles. Almost every type of motorsport found in the United States can be found in Illinois. Both modern and historic tracks exist in Illinois, including NASCAR's Chicagoland Speedway and Gateway International Speedway. Notable drivers from Illinois include Danica Patrick, Tony Bettenhausen, and Fred Lorenzen.
The Dave Steele Carb Night Classic is a United States Auto Club dirt track car race held near Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, which takes place in late May before the Indianapolis 500 at the nearby Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Over its history, the event has been held at several different short tracks in Indiana, but since 1980, it has permanently been hosted at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Brownsburg, Indiana. The event has long been considered one of the Indianapolis 500 traditions, along with the Hoosier Hundred and Little 500, which are also held over the same weekend at different venues in Indiana. Over the course of its history, numerous Indy 500 drivers have competed in the Night Before the 500, some winning.
The 1981–82 USAC Championship Car season consisted of six races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana, on May 24, 1981, and concluding at the same location on May 30, 1982. The USAC National Champion was George Snider. The season included two Indianapolis 500 races. The 1981 winner was Bobby Unser, while the 1982 winner was Gordon Johncock. The schedule included dirt courses for the first time since 1970.
The Indiana Intercollegiate Conference (IIC) was an American college athletic conference formed in 1922 to govern intercollegiate competition in male sports in the state of Indiana.
Dakoda Armstrong is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 28 Toyota Camry for JGL Racing.
The Hoosier Hundred is a USAC Silver Crown Series race scheduled for Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park as of 2023. It is a revival of the original race held from 1953-2020 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Speedway, a one-mile dirt oval in Indianapolis, Indiana. The race was first held in 1953, and through 1970 was part of the National Championship.
The 2021 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament was a single-elimination tournament of 68 teams to determine the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's college basketball national champion for the 2020–21 season. The 82nd edition of the tournament began play on March 18, 2021, in sites around the state of Indiana, and concluded with the championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on April 5, with the Baylor Bears defeating the previously undefeated Gonzaga Bulldogs 86–70 to earn the team's first ever title.
The 2018 USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series is the 47th season of Silver Crown racing under the USAC banner. The series will begin with the Phoenix Copper Cup at ISM Raceway on April 7, and will end with the 4 Crown Nationals at Eldora Speedway on September 22. Kody Swanson entered the 2018 season as the defending champion. Swanson won the 2018 season title, becoming a 4-time series champion. Swanson also joined Al Unser as one of the only two drivers in history to win four consecutive Hoosier Hundred races in a row in 2018. Swanson also became the all-time wins leader in Silver Crown at Salem with 24 wins.
Kody Mykel Swanson is an American professional sprint car racing driver. Swanson holds the record for most championship victories in USAC national series, with eight championships in the USAC Silver Crown Series, coming in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2024. He was also taken three victories in the Little 500 pavement sprint car race. Swanson is currently the all-time wins leader in Silver Crown with 45.
The IU Indy Jaguars men's basketball statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the IU Indy Jaguars men's basketball program in various categories, including points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. Within those areas, the lists identify single-game, single-season, and career leaders. As of the next college basketball season in 2024–25, the Jaguars represent Indiana University Indianapolis in the NCAA Division I Horizon League. This followed the dissolution of Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis by the Indiana University and Purdue University systems at the end of the 2023–24 academic year and the establishment of separate IU- and Purdue-affiliated institutions. Shortly before the split became official, the athletic program's official website adopted a branding as IU Indy.