Athletics

Ball State's “Cardinal Commitment: Developing Champions” campaign has a $20 million fundraising goal by December 2014, an amount of money that is expected to bring significant upgrades to the Ball State baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball, football and golf facilities.

James Whitford wrapped up his media interviews, and as he sat in the Ball State locker room Wednesday for a brief break before he rushed off to his next public speaking engagement, he took a moment to let what just unfolded sink in.

Ball State introduced the 41-year-old Whitford as its men’s basketball head coach in the Alumni Lounge at Worthen Arena roughly 45 minutes earlier, and his press conference generated a buzz as a lively crowd hung on his every word.

Rick Majerus, a former Ball State coach, who never headed the elite programs in college basketball but who became a leading coach, winning more than 500 major-college games, died on Saturday in Los Angeles. He was 64.