INDIANAPOLIS (January 7, 2026) – The Horizon League and our member institutions will celebrate our new partnership with
24 Hours Nothing But Net, Debbie Antonelli's nonprofit which supports Special Olympics, January 11 through January 17.
The Horizon League's
24 Hours Nothing But Net Week will be recognized in-venue and on broadcasts and be supported by each institution's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and regional Special Olympics offices throughout the League's six-state footprint. The goal is to raise awareness for Special Olympics athletes and to generate funding that supports Special Olympics programming.
Dig Deeper:
- Debbie Antonelli, a college basketball analyst and passionate advocate for the Special Olympics, founded 24 Hours Nothing But Net, a 24-hour free-throw shooting marathon where she shoots 100 free throws every hour for 24 consecutive hours, 2400 total shots. She has raised over $1.4 million dollars for Special Olympics. Antonelli's motivation for launching the event is deeply personal. Her son, Frankie, is a Special Olympics athlete.
- Visit the Horizon League's Nothing But Net Landing Page.
- At the 2025 Barbasol Horizon League Basketball Championships and this fall's Horizon League Celebration, the League partnered with Antonelli and local Special Olympics chapters to champion inclusion and advocate for individuals with disabilities, reinforcing the message that sports are for everyone.
- Each Campus SAAC will be hosting an event with Special Olympics throughout the academic year.
- Individuals are encouraged to get involved with their local Special Olympics chapters by visiting their local Special Olympics web page.
- Gregg Doyel IndyStar article featuring Debbie Antonelli and John Wheeler who met at the 2025 Horizon League Basketball Championships
- Indiana Sports Corp announced recently that Debbie Antonelli was awarded its Inspiring Sports Storyteller Award this fall.
- The Inspiring Sports Storyteller Award is given to journalists who share stories that showcase how the power of sports can inspire people to take action and invest in their community. Previous recipients include Gregg Doyel, Malcom Moran, Sage Steele, Rowdy Gaines, and Anne Marie Tiernon.
- Special Olympics is a global sports movement that unleashes the human spirit every day around the world through the transformative power and joy of sport. Through programming in sports, health, education and community building, Special Olympics is tackling the inactivity, stigma, isolation, and injustice that people with intellectual disabilities (ID) face.
- The Horizon League is an NCAA Division I athletics conference comprised of 11 member institutions headquartered in Indianapolis. The League and our member schools develop nearly 4,000 student-athletes for life. Through unique opportunities in major metropolitan cities, their athletic, academic and personal aspirations can be achieved. Because what they learn today will inspire who they become tomorrow. For more information, visit HorizonLeague.com.
