Former IndyStar sports writer Terry Hutchens inducted into USBWA's Hall of Fame
Former IndyStar sports reporter Terry Hutchens was inducted into the United States Basketball Writers Association's Hall of Fame during the NCAA men's Final Four last weekend. Bob Baptist of the Columbus Dispatch, Donna Ditota of the Syracuse Post-Standard and Chris Dortch of the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook were also inducted.
“The year’s Hall of Fame class is a celebration of careers truly dedicated to coverage of college basketball,” USBWA president Brendan Quinn said in a news release. “In their own unique ways, Bob, Chris, Donna and Terry have all provided readers and fans with the two things they want most — information and perspective. Congratulations to our inductees and their families.”
Hutchens started his career in Indiana with the Indianapolis News in July 1986 and then worked for IndyStar until 2013, spending nearly 28 years total in the city. He covered Indiana University sports for 15. He was the IU beat writer for CNHI Sports Indiana until his death at the age 60 in a car accident in 2018. Hutchens was best known for his IU coverage, writing 11 books and teaching journalism at IU. He was named Indiana Sportswriter of the Year five times. He was well-known for his work with younger reporters.
Hutchens started as a general assignment reporter, but always gravitated to sports, covering the White River Park State Games, high school sports, racing and the Pan Am Games. He covered Wrestlemania VIII in 1992, an event that was a huge deal for the city at the time.
In 1991, he took over the Colts beat and then seven years later became IndyStar's IU beat writer. Hutchens chronicled the end of the Bob Knight era in 2000 and the late IU football coach Terry Hoeppner's battle with brain cancer. He left IndyStar in 2013 to work for Scout.com.
Hutchens grew up in southern California, a young boy who became enamored with UCLA basketball legends John Wooden and Bill Walton. By middle school, he knew he wanted to be a sportswriter. After graduating from high school in Yorba Linda, he studied journalism at California State University, Fullerton. While in college, he covered high school sports for the Fullerton Daily News Tribune. When he was 28, Hutchens came to Indiana, starting on the path that would lead to a hall of fame career centered around his coverage of the Hoosiers.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IndyStar sports writer Terry Hutchens inducted into USBWA's Hall of Fame
