Tonight, Ken Schmidt, brand visionary and communications strategist for Harley-Davidson Motor Company, will speak in Evansville. The Institute for Global Enterprise Institute Speaker Series is pleased to sponsor Mr. Schmidt’s presentation “Going Global:  Succeeding in an International Marketplace” in both Indianapolis and Evansville. As the former director of communications for Harley-Davidson, Mr. Schmidt played an active role in one of the most celebrated turnarounds in corporate history - and got paid to ride motorcycles.  

The Evansville lecture, slated to begin at 6:00 p.m. in Aiken Theatre at the Centre, is free and open to the public. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. 

For more information, call 812-488-2455 or e-mail globalindiana@evansville.edu.

Dr. Margaret Stevenson will be attending the CNS meeting to discuss her newest research project, The Complex Effects of Race in Juvenile Rape Cases: Classic Black Victim Devaluation, Novel Defendant Race Effects. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 12, at 6:00 p.m. in Hyde Hall 204.  Bring your dinner and hear about Dr. Stevenson's research!

The University of Evansville's International Club would like to invite everyone to its 37th Annual International Banquet & Variety Show. Don't miss the opportunity to try international food and enjoy a variety of performances. So mark your calendars and come to Eykamp Hall in the Ridgway University Center on Saturday, March 23, from 5:30-8:00 p.m. Tickets are $5 for students in advance and $8 at the door. Adult tickets are $12 for singles, $20 for couples and free for children under the age of 8! Semi-formal attire is recommended and profits go to charity. Tickets are available now at the International Office, Ridgway 2nd Floor. You can also purchase your ticket at Ridgway Lobby on the following dates;

Tuesday, March 19 - 11:00 am-2:00 pm
Thursday, March 21 - 11:00 am-2:00 pm
Friday, March 22 - 12:00 pm-2:00 pm

Hurry and get your ticket before they are sold out!

 

As elections are approaching, RSA Executive Board nominations for the 2013-14 academic year will take place March 12 in Schroeder Residence Hall (east wing) at the RSA General Assembly meeting.  The meeting begins at 9:00 pm.  Students that have experience as a hall council executive or General Assembly representative are especially encouraged to seek nomination.  Available executive board positions include:

•         President
•         Vice President of Area Council Relations
•         Vice President of Special Events
•         Secretary
•         Treasurer

All potential candidates must be present at the RSA General Assembly meeting, unless the RSA President is notified prior to the meeting by e-mailing gb74@evansville.edu.  Nominations prior to the meeting may be sent via e-mail to Sierra Burtis at sb269@evansville.edu.  Any general questions regarding the nominations process or inquiries regarding specific duties/requirements can be directed to Sierra as well. 

For more information about Resident Students Association (RSA), visit rsa.evansville.edu.  Elections for each of the above positions will take place March 25-27, 2013 via AceLink. 

Professor of English Arthur Brown will be reading from his new book of poetry, Duration and the Second Hand, this Thursday at 4 p.m. in Room 272 in Schroeder Family School of Business Building. He will also have copies of his book available and will be happy to sign one personally for you!

All members of the campus and local community are encouraged to attend I-House: Malaysia. Attendees will learn about another culture, lifestyle, food, and so much more. Bring your friends to enjoy the presentation and complimentary cookies this Wednesday at 7 pm. on the second floor of Ridgway University Center in the Class of 1959 Gallery.

The University of Evansville is sponsoring a team for the Walk for Juvenile Diabetes on May 18 at Holiday World. Our team would like to honor UE students, employees, and family members who have type 1 diabetes. Please let us know if you or a family member has type 1 diabetes. Also let us know if you would like to walk or help support our team. Email Lynn Penland at lp22@evansville.edu or Amy Hall at ah169@evansville.edu.

Each March, Disability Awareness Month is celebrated throughout Indiana. The goal of Disability Awareness Month is to increase awareness and promote independence, integration and inclusion of all people with disabilities.

This year's campaign theme is “Community Connections.” This year's theme represents a fully connected, livable community with appropriate housing, supportive and accessible community services, and physical and environmental features that allow everyone to live independently.

Come join us on March 13 in Eykamp 251 and 252 in Ridgway University Center to create community connections of your own. The event will include a panel discussion, a Wheelchair Obstacle Course, Best Buddies, and much more!

Help us create a better community for EVERYONE!!
 

The Department of Music will present a Guest Artist Recital featuring flutist Mihoko Watanabe in Wheeler Concert Hall this Saturday, March 16, at 2:00 p.m.  A native of Japan, Watanabe received her Bachelor of Music from the Musashino Academia Musicae in Tokyo, her Master of Music and Performer's Certificate from the Eastman School of Music, and her Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Michigan. 

A celebrated and versatile international performer, she has won competitions sponsored by both the Japan Flute Association and the National Flute Association and has appeared in Japan, Israel, and Canada as a recitalist, chamber musician, and concerto soloist.  In her current position as Associate Professor of Flute at Ball State University, she performs as a member of the Musical Arts Quintet, a faculty ensemble that has received a number of awards, including the prestigious 2010 American Masterpieces: Chamber Music grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. 

She is also a founding member of Trio Piacere (flute, cello, piano), which has performed nationally and internationally, and a member of Duo Viva (two flutes), with which she recorded “Doppler Effect,” an album released in 2006 by Little Piper.  As an orchestral player, she has held several principal flute positions and performed with American and Canadian orchestras.  Watanabe is also a very active teacher and clinician, having presented masterclasses throughout the United States, Canada, and Japan, and she has a great interest in the field of ethnomusicology, particularly the traditional music of her native land. 

Watanabe’s UE performance will include works by her countrymen, Kazuo Fukushim and Joji Yuasa, as well as works by western composers ranging from C. P. E. Bach to Francis Poulenc.  Pianist Helen Reed will accompany Watanabe.  The recital is free and open to the public.

Department of Music students will offer three recitals this weekend.  Soprano Tyler Samuel and tenor Josh Kight will present a joint Junior Recital on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.  On Sunday, March 17, soprano Emily Naas will present her Junior Recital at 1:00 p.m., and baritone Alexander Henderson will present his Junior Recital at 2:30 p.m.  All three events will occur in Wheeler Concert Hall and are free and open to the public.
 

Dr. Furrakh Iqbal, World Bank senior economist, will be speaking to UE students via international video conferencing  at 8.00 a.m. in Smythe Lecture Hall (Room 170) in Schroeder Family School of Business Building on March 19. The title of his presentation is, "The Role of the World Bank in International Development ".  Dr. Iqbal received his bachelor's degree from Harvard University and his PhD from Yale University in economics. He has been associated with the World Bank (Washington DC)  for the last 30 years. Currently he is assigned to a project in the Middle East. Dr. Iqbal graciously accepted an invitation to speak to UE students from Walayet A. Khan, professor of finance. The event is open to public.

Adventist Campus Ministries will be having Bible study on Wednesday night from 7-8 p.m. in Room153 (Eades Music Room) in the McCurdy Wing of Schroeder Family School of Business Building.

Was Jesus a Democrat or a Republican? What does the Bible have to say about topics like the national debt, helping the poor, gun control, labor and management issues, abortion, etc.

"I think you will find Jesus was very much middle of the road," says Bible study member Alexandra Statham. "On certain topics he seems to lean towards the right while with other topics he leans towards the left."

Anyone is welcome to attend and you can contact: Alexandra Statham (as509@evansville.edu) for more details.

The next Andiron Lecture will begin at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13 in Eykamp 253, Ridgway University Center.  A social gathering with beverages begins at 3:45 p.m. (Please note that the location of this lecture has changed - it will now be in the room to the right of the one that was originally announced.)

The speaker will be Matt Rowe. He will discuss "Architectural Styles of Evansville’s Riverside Historic District."

Rowe has been the executive director of the Reitz Home Museum since February 2011. A Newburgh native, he holds a BFA in art history from the University of Southern Indiana. He is the president of the Evansville Museum Contemporaries, an auxiliary fund-raising organization of the Evansville Museum of Arts, History, and Science, where he sits on the Board of Trustees and serves on the Executive Committee. A resident of the historic district, he has served on the board of Alhambra Theatre Inc. and is the president-elect of the Friends of Willard Library. He is also a member of the Public Art Commission.

In this lecture, Rowe, chair of the City of Evansville Historic Preservation Commission, will lead the audience through a virtual tour of his neighborhood, Evansville’s Riverside Historic District.  He will discuss the characteristics of various styles of nineteenth-century residential architecture, using examples from the downtown Evansville neighborhood where he lives and works.

For further information, call the series coordinator M. Christine Mohn at 812-488-2585 or the College of Arts and Sciences at 812-488-2589.

This year’s History Department Spring Lecture will feature Dr. David Green, Lecturer in History and British Studies at Harlaxton College. The event is free and open to the public, and faculty, staff, students and the campus community are invited to attend. The lecture, titled "The English Empire in the Later Middle Ages," will take place from 4-5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 21 in Eykamp Hall, Room 251A. 

This speaking engagement represents in integral part of Dr. Green’s on-going research program which explores ‘colonial’ practices and attitudes at work in the dominions of the later medieval English monarchy (England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Gascony, and Normandy).

By March 2013 Dr. Green will have published four articles in international peer-reviewed journals and essay collections, including the Journal of British Studies and the Journal of Historical Sociology. Another important element in this project is a major international conference (the Harlaxton Medieval Symposium) which Dr. Green will convene alongside colleagues from the universities of York and East Anglia (both in the U.K.). Together these scholarly activities form an innovative research program which examines, through a comparative and interdisciplinary approach, a period of fundamental change in the construction of the English nation.

Dr. Green’s research trajectory and findings have been shaped, in part, by the core course in British Studies required of all students at Harlaxton College with its focus on the construction of the British nation, its identity, and the relationships between its component parts. Accordingly, research from this program will be used to inform the teaching of this course, particularly the recently developed Honors section, which will sustain and enrich the curricular and co-curricular experience of UE students at Harlaxton in accordance with the university’s Strategic Plan Core Goal 1.

The 15th Annual Darwin Day lecture will be held on Thursday, March 14. Professor of Philosophy Dick Connolly will give a lecture at 4:00 p.m. in Koch Center 100. Connolly’s lecture “Does Evolution Threaten Ethics?” will argue that evolution has much to contribute to the study of ethics, but that fears that somehow evolution threatens ethical values or that biology will take over moral philosophy are unfounded. The lecture should be of interest to faculty and students across disciplines.

Connolly earned his Ph.D. from Michigan State University.  He is a broadly trained philosopher who has published articles ranging from the philosophy of religion to issues in applied ethics. Connolly has taught a broad array of courses at UE, including introduction to philosophy, philosophy of science, bioethics, and philosophy of law.

For more information contact Dale Edwards (de3@evansville.edu) in the University’s Biology department.

Are you interested in exploring Asian history, culture, art, music, media, economy, and politics this summer? UE offers an affordable four-week summer Asian program in Korea from July 1-27. If you would like further information about the program such as costs, detailed schedules, site visits, scholarship, etc., please contact with Dr. Young Kim by email at yk28@evansville.edu or by going to Room 53 in Schroeder Family School of Business Building ASAP.  Applications of the summer program and scholarship are available in the Study Abroad Office, SB 261. The final deadline for applications and $500 deposit is Friday, March 15.

Each year, UE students "give back" in service to their community during UE Gives Back. The Office of Community Service matches students and student organizations with local service agencies and community projects for two hours of service. This year UE Gives Back will be held on Saturday April 6, from 10 am to 12 pm.  Please visit our website to download the excel file and register yourself and/or your student organization.

All registration forms must be completed and submitted to csi@evansville.edu by March 22!
 

This is a reminder to all May graduates that if you still need a cap and gown and/or graduation announcements you should stop by the UE Bookstore at your earliest convenience.

If you are a Masters or Doctoral graduate it is especially important that you contact the Bookstore if you have not already ordered your Cap, Gown and Hood.  Masters and Doctoral garments have to be ordered custom for each person and take longer to receive.  Bachelor cap and gowns are usually in stock in the Bookstore but Bachelor graduates should purchase their cap and gown soon to insure that the appropriate size is available. 

Graduation Announcements should be ordered at least one month prior to graduation to insure graduates have enough time to get them mailed. 

If you have any questions please contact the UE Bookstore.   

Need to practice your skills and build your portfolio? Want academic credit for the work you do? Enjoy working with really great people?  Then be a part of the Crescent Magazine or LinC staff for 2013-14. Applications for all positions (sales, editing, writing, photography and design) with the magazine and yearbook are now being accepted.  Visit www.facebook.com/uecrescent or www.facebook.com/uelinc to download an application and learn more about the available positions. Deadline for applications is Friday, March 15. For more information, contact tm2@evansville.edu.

The Institute for Global Enterprise has announced the 2013-14 recipients of the UE Global Scholar Award. As a UE Global Scholar, the recipients of this award will engage in scholarship, curriculum development, travel and/or research activities related to the impact of globalization on our learning environment.

Dr. James Doane, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, will continue his collaboration with faculty at Mercer University for their Mercer on Mission project to Vietnam.  This project is an initiative to provide amputees with low-cost prosthetics that can be individually fitted without having to be fully customized. Amputees in developing countries cannot afford expensive customized prosthetics. To keep these individuals from going without prosthetics, the Mercer on Mission team designs and builds low cost prosthetics. The team spends three weeks during the summer in Vietnam fitting and distributing Mercer designed prosthetic legs.  This project is addressing a worldwide problem, which is particularly acute in Vietnam.  Dr. Doane will participate in this project with an eye toward the future development of a UE summer course allowing Engineering and other students to learn about designing and fitting prosthetic limbs.

Dr. Cris Hochwender, associate professor of biology, will initiate research projects at Reserva Ecológica
Bijagual (REBS).  REBS is a 286-hectare private reserve located in the Sarapiquí River watershed of the Atlantic plain in Costa Rica. His central project will center on management practices for tree plantations.  In addition, he will collaborate with the director of REBS on another research project such as the influence of leaf-cutting ants on forest restoration efforts; physiological diversity among tree species to light environment and tolerance to damage; or land use impacts on stream quality and invertebrate diversity.  These projects will allow Dr. Hochwender to greatly expand the global perspective that he brings to his ecology and environmental courses at UE. 

Dr. Alan Kaiser, associate professor of archaeology, will travel to Israel and Jordan during the coming summer to accomplish three curricular and research goals that will help him spread a greater understanding of global issues related to the Romans in the Middle East to students on the UE campus and beyond.  First, he will collaborate with the Jezreel expedition by lending his expertise in GIS techniques and Roman material culture to help interpret the artifacts and features the students will uncover, as well as to lead weekend tours of some of the local Roman sites.  Second,  he will travel around Israel and Jordan to conduct further research for his developing textbook on Roman archaeology.  Third,  he will use his findings to make the ARCH 106 (Introduction to Roman Archaeology)  course more appealing  to Middle Eastern students.

Dr. Matthew Knoester, assistant professor of education, will travel to Finland and England to enhance his understanding of the highly-rated Finnish educational system for classroom and scholarly use as well as build relationships in Finland to discuss international education issues, possibly leading to the development of a study abroad program at UE.  The world for which teachers and students in K-12 schools are preparing is increasingly interconnected and competitive. Today, a single corporation could manufacture different parts of one product in dozens of countries, market and sell to customers located around the world, and interact with customers electronically from a location distant from the corporation’s headquarters. We live in, what Thomas Friedman famously called a “Flat World.” Likewise, families and individuals from many parts of the world may relocate to find a better opportunity for their families.  Educators must recognize the global landscape in which their students live and operate and prepare them to be competitive and skillful in negotiating the challenges presented, while developing the tools necessary to build relationships with people who have different cultural understandings and ways of communicating.

Dr. Valerie Stein, associate professor of religion, will continue development of global focus in both her teaching and scholarship by examining biblical interpretation from diverse perspectives as well as by analyzing the impact of western biblical interpretation in a pluralist world. Traditionally, biblical scholarship has privileged the perspective of the Euro-American academy.   However, that perspective alone is insufficient in addressing religion's role in vital issues our global community is facing. To begin addressing this concern, she has redesigned REL  140 ( Reading the Old Testament ), a general education course, to introduce a global component  rather than only incorporating western Christian readings.  She will now also critically engage biblical interpretation from African, Asian, and Latin American perspectives as well as Jewish and Islamic ones.

Director of Student Engagement Geoff Edwards and his wife Christina announce the birth of a son, Benjamin Robert Edwards. Benjamin was born on March 11 at 6:27 a.m. and weighed seven pounds, 12.5 ounces and was 21 and ¾ inches long.

Assistant Professor of Finance Yasser Alhenawi has a journal article titled “A Pedagogical Framework for Capital Structure: Incorporating Non-tax Advantages of Leverage,” that has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Economics and Finance Education.

The paper is a pedagogical tool suitable for advanced master-level courses or introductory PhD-level courses. College textbooks present a framework of capital structure that incorporates tax-driven theories but often excludes the non-tax advantages of debt. Some textbooks discuss the non-tax-driven advantages of debt but they are never reflected back into the original framework – a void that this paper attempts to fill. In this paper, he presents a comprehensive framework that illustrates the fact that leveraged firms gain additional value beyond tax-deductibility.

Congratulations to Associate Professor of Creative Writing Rob Griffith who just returned from Lacoste in Provence, France, where he spent a week as the guest Writer-in-Residence for the Savannah College of Art and Design.  As well as having time to work on his own projects, he gave a reading, conducted several workshops, and judged their annual poetry contest.

OTS Manager of Infrastructure Robert Birkle and his wife Courtney announce the birth of a son, Noah Robert Birkle. Noah was born on March 6 at 1:29 p.m. and weighed eight pounds and 14 ounces and was 21 inches long.
 

Senior Samantha Heck was named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week for the first time in her four-year career Monday afternoon in an announcement made by the league office.  Heck averaged 20.0 points and 10.5 rebounds in Evansville’s final two regular-season games at Creighton and Drake last weekend.

Heck recorded her fifth double-double of the season in UE’s, 74-69, overtime loss at Creighton by scoring 21 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in her 43 minutes on the court.  The Auxvasse, Mo., native went 8-for-12 from the floor against the Bluejays, sank all four of her free throw opportunities and dished out a season-high six assists.

Despite being limited to just 27 minutes on the floor due to foul trouble, Heck scored 19 points and hauled in eight boards in Evansville’s 70-59 win over Drake in its regular-season finale.  She drained five of her eight field goal attempts and went 7-for-8 from the charity stripe.

Heck’s MVC Player of the Week honor is just the second by an Aces’ player this season, as sophomore Mallory Ladd received the same recognition back on Jan. 7.

UE will open MVC Tournament play as the No. 7 seed and will take on No. 10 seed Southern Illinois at 7:07 p.m., Thursday, March 14, at The Family Arena in St. Charles, Mo.

Senior pitcher Kyle Lloyd was named the Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week following his outings against Milwaukee and Kennesaw State last week in an announcement made by the league office Monday afternoon.

Lloyd was masterful on the mound in both starts that he made for Evansville, notching victories in both and allowing just two earned runs, while striking out 16 in 14.0 innings of work.  The senior righty opened the week by earning the win in the Purple Aces’ 7-3 triumph over Milwaukee, allowing three runs, two earned, on eight hits in 6.0 innings.  Lloyd struck out seven Panthers, while walking just two. 

The Carmel, Ind., native closed the week by spinning a gem in UE’s win at Kennesaw State, tossing 8.0 scoreless innings and tallying nine strikeouts without issuing a free pass.  Lloyd scattered five hits, all singles, in the victory and allowed just one runner to advance beyond second base.

Evansville will open a six-game homestand tomorrow at 5 p.m. against Eastern Illinois.

The University of Evansville men’s golf team rebounded from a tough start in its opener at Samford to stand in sixth place entering the final day of the Benbow Invitational at Jacksonville Beach Golf Club.

Leading the way for the Aces was freshman Alex Turner, who posted a 1-over 72 to stand in a tie for third place.  It marked the lowest round of Turner’s collegiate career.  Just a stroke behind him was Quinn Vilneff, who tallied a 73. 

Just behind him was Parker Hensley, who carded a 75 as Rick Voyvodic and Will Knights each registered a 76.  The team effort has the Aces within shouting distance of the win entering Tuesday’s action.

Evansville stands in third place with a 296.  Ahead of them is leader Florida Atlantic with a 289 while Bethune-Cookman stands in second with a 295.  Behind UE, Savannah State has a 297 while Cleveland State stands in fifth with a 298.  A tie for 6th place has IUPUI and Northern Kentucky with a 302.

Full results will be posted as soon as they are available.

The University of Evansville baseball team will kick off a six-game homestand with a pair of midweek games at Braun Stadium against Eastern Illinois and Oakland City.  The Purple Aces will host the Panthers Tuesday at 5 p.m., before welcoming the Mighty Oaks for a 6 p.m. contest on Wednesday.

Evansville (4-9) dropped two of three games to Kennesaw State last weekend in Kennesaw, Ga., winning the series finale behind a gem from senior starter Kyle Lloyd, who was named the Missouri Valley Conference pitcher of the Week.  The Owls defeated UE, 4-3, in the opener and 6-3 in game two, before Evansville rebounded with an 8-3 victory Sunday afternoon.  Redshirt junior Johnny Day led the Aces offensively by going 5-for-10 in the series with a double and five RBI.

UE enters the midweek contests hitting .261 as a team with 13 doubles, three triples and three home runs.  Evansville has posted a .328 slugging percentage, .358 on-base percentage and has stolen 10 bases on 13 chances.  Defensively, the Aces boast a .967 fielding percentage.

Offensively, Day leads UE with a .348 batting average and .446 on-base percentage, and shares the team-lead with 10 RBI.  Redshirt sophomore Kevin Kaczmarski ranks second on the squad with a .327 average and leads Evansville with 10 runs scored, five doubles, three stolen bases and a .469 slugging percentage.  Senior Chris Pearson is hitting just under the .300 mark at .298 and fellow senior Jason Hockemeyer has driven in 10 runs and is getting on base at a .404 clip.

On the mound, Lloyd leads the staff with a 2-1 record and a 2.16 ERA.  The senior righty has allowed just six earned runs in 25.0 innings of work, notching 29 strikeouts around just five walks.  Sophomore Kyle Freeland is 2-2 in his four starts with a 3.00 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 27.0 innings.  Redshirt junior Sam Johns, who is slated to start Tuesday against Eastern Illinois, has a 0-1 record in three starts with a 4.30 ERA and seven strikeouts in 14.2 innings.

Eastern Illinois (3-11) will be looking to snap a six-game losing streak Tuesday against the Aces, as the Panthers were swept in their Ohio Valley Conference-opening series last weekend at SIU Edwardsville.

EIU is hitting .245 as a team with 18 doubles, a triple and a pair of homers.  Eastern Illinois brings a .299 slugging percentage into Tuesday’s game and is reaching base at a .325 clip.  The Panthers have committed 22 errors in their 14 games this season and are fielding .959.

Caleb Howell, who is currently on a 12-game hit streak, leads EIU with a .354 batting average and a .483 on-base percentage.  Brant Valach ranks third on the team with a .291 average and has been Eastern Illinois’ top power bat, legging out five doubles and driving in a team-high 11 runs.

The Panthers have posted a staff ERA of 5.17 this season and is led by Joe Greenfield, who is 1-1 in four starts with a 3.24 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 25.0 innings on the mound.  Matt Borens and Andrew Grahn have also started four games each for EIU and have identical 0-2 records.  Borens has a 5.23 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 20.2 innings, while Grahn sports a 5.29 ERA and has fanned six opposing hitters in his 17.0 innings of work.  Jake Johansmeier is slated to make his first start of the year against Evansville and enters Tuesday’s game with a 0-0 record, 5.14 ERA and a pair of strikeouts in 7.0 innings.

Oakland City (4-9) will be looking to reverse a five-game losing streak when it hosts IU Southeast on Tuesday, before making the trip to Braun Stadium Wednesday night.  The Mighty Oaks went 1-5 on their Spring Break strip to Clearwater, Florida last week earning a win over Cedarville, before dropping contests to Findlay, Saginaw Valley State and Walsh. 

OCU boasts a .319 batting average with 14 doubles, a pair of triples and a home run.  Oakland City is slugging .370 as a team with a .430 on-base percentage.  The Oaks have stolen seven bases in 10 attempts and have committed 31 errors for a .932 fielding percentage.

Marc Rogier is one of five regular starters hitting over .350 for OCU and leads the team with a .458 batting average.  Rogier has collected a team-high 22 hits, has driven in six runs and is getting on base at a .574 clip.  Kingsley Alarcon is hitting .425 with a double and six RBI, while Chaz Ferguson is hitting .357 and leads the team with 17 RBI and a .524 slugging percentage.

Oakland City’s pitching staff has struggled this season and enters Tuesday’s game against IU Southeast with a 7.27 combined ERA.  Five Oaks have started multiple games this season, while Brandon Winschief posting the best ERA among them with a  4.82 mark in 9.1 innings.  Trent Benningfield, a sophomore lefty who has not made an appearance on the mound this season, is slated to start Wednesday’s game against Evansville.

Eastern Illinois owns a 29-15 advantage over Evansville in the all-time series and the two teams split a pair of games last season at the Dunn Hospitality Diamond Classic.  The Panthers earned a 9-3 win in the first meeting on March 3, before the Aces countered with a 5-1 victory in the March 4 tournament finale.

UE and Oakland City will meet for the 40th time in series history Wednesday.  The Aces lead the series, 32-7, over the Oaks and posted an 8-2 win over OCU in the last meeting in 2011.

PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (EVANSVILLE STARTER LISTED FIRST)
TUESDAY – RHP Sam Johns (0-1, 4.30 ERA) vs. RHP Jake Johansmeier (0-0, 5.14 ERA)
WEDNESDAY – RHP Ryan Billo (0-1, 14.40 ERA) vs. LHP Trent Benningfield (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Following his recognition as the Missouri Valley Conference Scholar Athlete of the Year, Evansville senior Colt Ryan was named to the Scholar Athlete First Team on Monday.

Ryan was one of six players named to the first team while six others earned a berth on the second team.  It marked the second year in a row that Ryan earned First Team honors and the Batesville, Ind. product also earned MVC Scholar Athlete of the Year honors in each of the last two seasons.

It is the 11th time an Evansville player has made the list and just the third time a player earned the honor on more than one occasion.  Clint Cuffle made the team in 2003 and 2004 while Jason Holsinger made it in 2007, 2008 and 2009 and is the only player for UE to ever receive recognition three times.

The criteria for the Missouri Valley Conference’s Scholar-Athlete Team voting parallels the CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) standards for Capital One Academic All-America voting. Nominees must be starters or important reserves with at least a 3.20 cumulative grade-point average (4.0 scale). Student-athletes must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at their institution (true freshmen and redshirt freshmen were not eligible) and must have completed at least one full academic year at their institution. He must have played in 75 percent of his team’s games, or played in the MVC Championship this past week.

2013 MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE FIRST TEAM
Jordan Clarke, Drake
Walt Lemon, Jr., Bradley
Ehimen Orukpe, Wichita State
Colt Ryan, Evansville
Nathan Scheer, Missouri State
Ethan Wragge, Creighton

2013 MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE SECOND TEAM
Jake Eastman, Bradley
Lucas Eitel, Indiana State
Jon Ekey, Illinois State
Justin Gant, Indiana State
Christian Kirk, Missouri State
Austin Pehl, UNI
Chip Rank, UNI

A successful opening day of its spring season has seen the Purple Aces women’s golf team stand in sixth place at the Benbow Invitational entering the final day of action at the Jacksonville Beach Golf Club on Tuesday.

Cathy Doyle, who finished the fall with a third at UE’s home tournament, paced the Aces on Monday, shooting an 81 to stand in a tie for ninth place.  One stroke behind her was Sydney Skiles, who carded an 82 en route to a tie for 11th.

Freshman Paige Crafton notched an 83 and stands in 15th.  She was followed by Dana Hayden, whose score of 91 puts her in 42nd and Kelly Lamarche, who finished with a 98.  As an individual, Rachel Marchi recorded a 51.

Appalachian State and Cleveland State sit atop the leaderboard after day one with a 327.  Bethune-Cookman is third with a 330 as Butler (332) and IUPUI (333) round out the top five.  Evansville is sixth with a 337, just ahead of Eastern Illinois’ total of 339.

Full results will be posted as soon as they are available.