The Columbus East team gives a thumbs up while posing with the Girls Wrestling State Championship trophy Jan. 17 at the Corteva Coliseum in Indianapolis.
Rob Baker | For The Republic
It was a year of firsts for local teams and individuals.
Here is a look at The Republic’s Top 10 sports stories for 2025:
1. (tie) Columbus East girls wrestling and Columbus North boys cross-country win state titles
The IHSAA sanctioned girls wrestling for the first time last year, and Columbus East came away with the team championship. Led by Monica McMahon’s individual title at 190 pounds, the Olympians became the sports first team champs in January.
The Columbus North boys ran away with the cross-country state title in November. The Bull Dogs then won the Nike Midwest Regional to qualify for the Nike Cross Nationals, where they finished eighth against the nation’s best teams.
Columbus North boys runners leap to their feet and get ready to approach the awards podium after being announced as state champions Nov. 1 at at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute.
Nicholas Shaw | For The Republic
3. Columbus gets first pro hockey team as Indiana Sentinels make debut
The Indiana Sentinels announced plans in January to play their inaugural season in Columbus. They made their debut in October at Hamilton Community Center and Ice Arena.
Indiana Sentinels hockey players take the ice to take on the Topeka Scarecrows to kick off their inaugural hockey season Oct. 10 at Hamilton Center and Ice Arena.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
4. Conference Indiana falls apart
With Bloomington North leaving for the Mid-State Conference and Terre Haute North and Terre Haute South headed to the Sagamore Conference, Conference Indiana was left with just three teams — Columbus North, Bloomington South and Southport. The Bull Dogs are facing the prospect of playing as an independent for the 2026-27 school year.
5. Harrison Lake lands LPGA Legends event
Harrison Lake Country Club was awarded one of the four major events on the LPGA Legends Tour, the women’s golf senior tour, for 2026. The event will be Aug. 13-15. Harrison Lake also will host a Ladies National Golf Association event June 20-23.
6. IHSAA passes new rule allowing eligibility for first-time transfers
After years of a rigid transfer policy that limited eligibility for transfers that were for athletic reasons, the IHSAA relaxed that rule this summer. First-time transfers before the end of their junior year now are allowed eligibility at their new school.
7. Tony Stewart wins first NHRA Top Fuel race, wife Leah Pruett announces return to NHRA for 2026
Tony Stewart broke through with his first two NHRA Top Fuel wins this season. His wife Leah Pruett announced in September that she will return to Top Fuel in 2026, creating the possibility that they will compete against each other. Meanwhile, one of Stewart’s protegees, Gunnar Setser, won the USAC Rookie of the Year title in the closest points race in series history. Setser had two top-five finishes and finished 10th in the overall standings.
8. IUC softball, volleyball teams make conference tournaments
IU Columbus qualified for the River States Conference Tournaments in their third year as a softball program and third year as a volleyball program. The softball team finished third in the conference.
9. Hauser ends long postseason droughts
The Hauser boys basketball team won its first boys basketball sectional title since 2017 and its first regional since 2006 before falling to eventual Class A state champion Orleans in the semistate. In the spring, the Jets won their first baseball sectional since 2018, and then-freshman Addyson Russell became the school’s first-ever girls track state qualifier.
10. Eddie Vogel steps down, Tyler Campbell hired as Columbus East football coach
Vogel resigned after leading the Columbus East football team the past five seasons. The longtime defensive coordinator under Bob Gaddis had taken over for the Hall of Fame coach in 2020. Earlier this month, the Olympians hired his replacement in former Covington and Maconaquah head coach and Ben Davis offensive coordinator Tyler Campbell.
