Around USA Games: Team Indiana Heading Toward Finish Line

Entering the final day of the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota, Team Indiana only has four of its 10 sports competing Friday.

Two others will receive awards.

Here’s a recap of the last couple of days.

Basketball

The basketball team met Texas for the second time Thursday with a spot in the gold medal game on the line.

Texas eked out a 34-32 victory Tuesday and came out on top again Thursday, winning 48-41 to go for gold against Maryland on Friday. Maryland advanced with a 43-39 victory over Florida on Thursday.

Back-to-back 3-pointers to give Texas a 14-6 lead forced an Indiana timeout. Indiana pulled as close as two points late in the first half but wound up trailing 27-20 at the break.

Indiana made it a three-point game twice in the second half, but Texas had an answer each time.

John Wheeler led Indiana with 14 points, followed by Shane Hitch with 11, Chris Thompson and Alec Hurtubise with six each and Alex Jackson with two.

Indiana will face Florida on Friday with the winner earning a bronze medal. Indiana opened USA Games on Monday with a 47-41 win over Florida.

Bocce

Both bocce athletes from Jay County competed in singles competition.

On Wednesday, Michelle Hostetler went 3-0, defeating Montana 12-5, Michigan 6-4 and Maryland 8-5. In the playoff round, she lost 9-4 to Minnesota, giving her a silver medal.

On Thursday, Kurt Atkinson went 2-1, falling 12-6 to Idaho and defeating Ohio 7-2 and Minnesota 12-5. In the playoff round, he lost to Minnesota 10-0, finishing in fourth place.

Bowling

Unified female, male and mixed doubles action was Wednesday, and Unified team play took place Thursday.

For female doubles, Amy Korzekwa and Sheri Williamson of Washington Township won gold in their division, scoring 955.

Matthew Colley and Nick Tedesco of Allen County received silver in male doubles with 925.

In mixed doubles, Maria and Ted Segrist of Ripley-Ohio-Dearborn Counties earned silver with a score of 768.

Both Unified teams earned gold. Indiana 1, consisting of Kody Conrad of Vanderburgh County, Colley and Tedesco, won its division with 1,391, and Indiana 2, consisting of Korzekwa, Williamson and the Segrists, captured its division with a score of 1,593.

Cornhole

Cornhole wrapped up with singles Wednesday and Unified doubles Thursday.

For the women, Mallory Kemper of Delaware County dominated Oklahoma 21-0 and Florida 21-3 to earn gold in her division, and Martha Loper of Jay County posted two shutouts, 18-0 against Kansas and 19-0 against Wisconsin, for a gold medal.

For the men, Christian Huber of Lake County dominated two different Rhode Island athletes 21-0 and 21-2 to earn gold, Deven Lee of White County defeated Indiana teammate Richard Newton of Porter County 21-5 but lost to Florida 21-9 to take silver and Newton lost his other match to Florida 21-4 to finish with bronze.

In Unified doubles, Kemper and her mother, Mindy, took gold with wins of 21-9 against Minnesota and 17-11 against Oklahoma. Lee and Kevin Anderson defeated Loper and Troy Atkinson 21-9 and Minnesota 21-9 for gold, and Loper and Atkinson defeated Minnesota 21-5 for silver. Huber and his father, Tom, defeated Newton and his mother, Deanna Kucinski, 21-10 but lost to Rhode Island 21-3 for bronze, and Newton and Kucinski lost to Rhode Island 21-15 for fourth place.

Golf

Eli Hightshue of Johnson County carded solid rounds of 41 and 44 in singles play, while Charlotte Miller of Washington Township shot 77 and 78.

In Unified competition, Alise and Donna Hazelett of Allen County have posted rounds of 70, 68 and 67.

Awards will be presented Friday.