Drew Sanders
Sports Reporter
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Drew Sanders is a South Bend native with longtime passion for sports journalism.
He earned a degree in journalism with a news concentration from Ball State University before coming home to join the WNDU team as a show producer. After donning that hat for two years, he transitioned roles within the station and became a digital producer. Months later, he took on his current role of sports reporter.
Off-days for Drew consist of watching sports, reading, playing video games and hunting for new music/podcasts to listen to.
He's thrilled to be able to share the stories of Michiana's athletes -- if you'd like to share a story idea, you can reach him via email at andrew.sanders@wndu.com
Updated: 19 hours ago
|By Drew Sanders, 16 News Now and The Associated Press
Notre Dame defeated Duke 13-9 on Monday afternoon in Philadelphia to claim its first-ever national championship.
Updated: May. 28, 2023 at 11:03 AM EDT
|By Drew Sanders
The Notre Dame men’s lacrosse team is headed for the 2023 national championship after eking out a 13-12 overtime win in their semifinal game versus Virginia on Saturday.
Updated: May. 28, 2023 at 12:07 AM EDT
|By Drew Sanders
The South Bend Lions Football Club will host six matches at home this season, and the first one is now officially in the books.
Updated: May. 22, 2023 at 8:59 AM EDT
|By 16 News Now and Drew Sanders
The No. 3 Irish defeated No. 6 Johns Hopkins by a final score of 12-9 on Sunday afternoon to advance to the Final Four for the sixth time in program history.
Updated: May. 21, 2023 at 11:23 AM EDT
|By 16 News Now and Drew Sanders
The Notre Dame softball team’s 2023 season came to an end late Saturday night after the Irish were eliminated from the NCAA Fayetteville Regional.
Updated: May. 18, 2023 at 11:52 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders and 16 News Now
Pending school board approval, the Penn Kingsmen are set to hire Valparaiso’s Barak Coolman as the next boys basketball head coach, replacing retiring hall of famer Al Rhodes.
Updated: May. 17, 2023 at 5:41 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders and 16 News Now
After a record-breaking performance at home in the NCAA Championships’ opening round, the Notre Dame men’s lacrosse team packs their bags for the quarterfinals this weekend.
Updated: May. 15, 2023 at 11:44 AM EDT
|By Drew Sanders and 16 News Now
The Fighting Irish will head to Fayetteville, Ark., for the NCAA Fayetteville Regional as part of a double-elimination field with Oregon, Harvard, and the host Arkansas.
Updated: May. 13, 2023 at 11:52 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders
The tournament is especially close to the heart for Clay Head Coach Katie Rodriguez, who initially started it.
Updated: May. 13, 2023 at 11:52 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders
Both the Notre Dame men’s and women’s lacrosse teams breezed past their opening round matchups in the NCAA Championships this weekend.
Updated: May. 12, 2023 at 11:20 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders
A 13-year conference title drought came to an end for the Mishawaka softball team on Friday night.
Updated: May. 11, 2023 at 11:10 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders and 16 News Now
The Cavemen have a chance to clinch it outright this weekend against NorthWood.
Updated: May. 8, 2023 at 12:08 AM EDT
|By Drew Sanders
The University of Notre Dame softball team will open conference tournament play this week as a 7-seed against Georgia Tech.
Updated: May. 7, 2023 at 11:55 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders
Both the Notre Dame men’s and women’s lacrosse teams earned their way into the 2023 NCAA Championship tournament this year, and on Sunday both teams learned their first assignment.
Updated: May. 6, 2023 at 11:31 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders and 16 News Now
A major leaguer who had a short stint with the South Bend Cubs made a return to Michiana on Saturday.
Updated: May. 1, 2023 at 1:01 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders and 16 News Now
Styles was in the midst of a transition from receiver to defensive back prior to announcing his departure from South Bend. He will likely continue that transition in Columbus.
Updated: May. 1, 2023 at 12:03 AM EDT
|By Drew Sanders
2023 sectional pairings for Michiana-area baseball and softball teams have arrived! Check them out here.
Updated: Apr. 30, 2023 at 12:56 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders
While Michael Mayer, Isaiah Foskey, and Jarrett Patterson were the only ones to hear their names called this weekend, there’s a handful of other former Notre Dame players who are still headed to new homes.
Updated: Apr. 30, 2023 at 12:15 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders
Patterson didn’t allow a single sack over the course of his college career.
Updated: Apr. 25, 2023 at 7:02 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders
This past season was undoubtedly his most successful, as he led the Falcons to a Class 3A state championship win for the school’s first state title ever.
Updated: Apr. 24, 2023 at 6:00 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders
Kollie was looking at an uphill climb for playing time on defense, with all of Notre Dame’s upperclassmen linebackers returning this year.
Updated: Apr. 20, 2023 at 7:29 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders and 16 News Now
Draft rounds were split by position just like last year, but quarterbacks Sam Hartman and Tyler Buchner were pre-assigned to ensure they'd go head-to-head on Saturday.
Updated: Apr. 20, 2023 at 7:10 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders and 16 News Now
Her addition will hopefully help to offset the loss of fifth-year 3-point specialist Dara Mabrey.
Updated: Apr. 20, 2023 at 7:04 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders and 16 News Now
During his four years at Washington, the Panthers went 14-24.
Updated: Apr. 19, 2023 at 7:39 PM EDT
|By 16 News Now and Drew Sanders
Chris Tyree, Notre Dame's third-leading rusher last season, has been working more with the wideouts this spring as opposed to the tailbacks.
Updated: Apr. 19, 2023 at 11:20 AM EDT
|By Drew Sanders and 16 News Now
Roper has two seasons of eligibility remaining after being a key bench piece for the Wildcats last season.
Updated: Apr. 16, 2023 at 1:01 PM EDT
|By 16 News Now and Drew Sanders
Notre Dame is now 27-12-1 on the season and 9-8-1 in ACC play.
Updated: Apr. 16, 2023 at 12:23 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders and 16 News Now
Head Coach Marcus Freeman gave us a bit of an indication of what his staff was looking for and how the day went for his players.
Updated: Apr. 14, 2023 at 7:19 PM EDT
|By Matt Loch and Drew Sanders
The Irish are going through a transition this year after legendary offensive line coach Harry Hiestand decided to call it quits after this past season.
Updated: Apr. 14, 2023 at 11:38 AM EDT
|By Matt Loch and Drew Sanders
The Irish lost their all-time leader in quarterback sacks this offseason, as Isaiah Foskey prepares to enter this year’s NFL Draft. Foskey filled the team’s coveted vyper position last season.
Updated: Apr. 12, 2023 at 6:50 PM EDT
|By Matt Loch and Drew Sanders
Despite losing Isaiah Foskey and the Ademilola brothers, defensive line coach Al Washington is confident in the group he still has.
Updated: Apr. 6, 2023 at 6:36 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders
Under position coach Deland McCullough, Irish running backs combined for nearly 2,500 yards on the ground last season.
Updated: Apr. 5, 2023 at 7:02 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders
A major strength of Notre Dame’s team last year was its defensive line, and a lot of the key contributors from that unit are moving on to the next level.
Updated: Mar. 27, 2023 at 6:41 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders and 16 News Now
The Wa-Nee community was out in full force on Monday evening to celebrate its new state champions!
Updated: Mar. 25, 2023 at 11:45 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders
Saturday marked another day of spring practice for the Notre Dame football team as they ramp up to next month’s Blue-Gold game.On the offensive side of the ball, tight ends coach Gerad Parker is stepping into the offensive coordinator role this season.
Updated: Mar. 24, 2023 at 5:55 PM EDT
|By Matt Loch and Drew Sanders
With a solid performance, former Irish footballers could improve their draft stock.
Updated: Mar. 23, 2023 at 4:36 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders
Their matchup isn’t until Saturday, but with the team traveling down to South Carolina on Thursday, they’re getting their game faces on early.
Updated: Mar. 22, 2023 at 2:21 PM EDT
|By Matt Loch, Drew Sanders and 16 News Now
The Irish were up bright and early Wednesday morning for the first practice of spring ball, as the annual Blue-Gold Game is only a month away.
Updated: Mar. 16, 2023 at 6:42 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders, Matt Loch and 16 News Now
Rest assured, the Irish are not just throwing in the towel without her.
Updated: Mar. 14, 2023 at 7:03 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders
The senior posted the highest number of saves in the country and was second nationally in save percentage.
Updated: Mar. 14, 2023 at 6:54 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders
Rashunda Jones and Amiyah Reynolds of Washington were named to this year’s collection of the top seniors in the state.
Updated: Mar. 14, 2023 at 6:46 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders
The team’s fourth-leading scorer wasted no time jumping into the portal after the Irish finished second-to-last in the ACC and parted ways with longtime head coach Mike Brey.
Updated: Mar. 14, 2023 at 12:22 AM EDT
|By Drew Sanders
The top-ranked team in Indiana’s Class 3A, the NorthWood Panthers are coming off of a big win in the regional round.
Updated: Mar. 13, 2023 at 6:42 PM EDT
|By Drew Sanders
Starling says he’s on the way out along with freshman forward Dom Campbell and graduate senior guard Robby Carmody.
Updated: Mar. 9, 2023 at 7:06 PM EST
|By Matt Loch and Drew Sanders
16 Sports heard from the new “man in charge” in the QB room and got his initial thoughts on the team’s quarterback situation.
Updated: Mar. 9, 2023 at 7:00 PM EST
|By Matt Loch and Drew Sanders
Penn will look to avenge last season’s Regional championship loss to Chesterton on Saturday in Michigan City.
Updated: Mar. 9, 2023 at 6:50 PM EST
|By Matt Loch and Drew Sanders
Washington seniors Rashunda Jones and Amiyah Reynolds are both ranked among the top 100 players nationally and will both go off to play Big Ten basketball next season.
Updated: Mar. 8, 2023 at 11:53 PM EST
|By Drew Sanders
Wednesday marked the long-awaited introduction of the Notre Dame football offensive newcomers, including transfer quarterback Sam Hartman,
Updated: Mar. 5, 2023 at 12:51 AM EST
|By Drew Sanders
It’ll be the first pro gig for Mason, who spent the last 15 years coaching at the college level.
Updated: Mar. 5, 2023 at 12:25 AM EST
|By Drew Sanders
Notre Dame struck first, but Michigan State laughed last on Saturday as the Spartans rattled off four unanswered goals to bury the Irish in their own building by a final score of 4-2.
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