For tonight's Dinner & Discussion at the Newman Catholic Student Center, Newman peer ministers will be leading discussion on purity and pornography. Dinner is served at 5:30, with the discussion going from 6:00-7:00. Contact Mike Roesch at mr201 with any questions.

This week’s Tuesday evening faculty recital will feature Associate Professor of Piano Garnet Ungar and Eykamp String Quartet violinist Alicia Choi in a program of works from the latter nineteenth century and the Modern era. The duo will first perform Olivier Messiaen’s Fantasie, a work composed in 1933 but left unpublished during the composer’s lifetime. Choi will then perform Béla Bartók’s Sonata for Solo Violin, one of the composer’s last works to be completed. The concert will conclude with the duo performing Richard Strauss’s Sonata in Eb Major, Op. 18. The recital will take place in Wheeler Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

The University of Evansville Music Therapy Association welcomes Courtney Belt, MA MT-BC, to our campus. Ms. Belt will be giving a presentation on the importance of self-care for music therapy students. Her presentation will take place on Wednesday, November 19, from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in Krannert Hall Room 142. Ms. Belt received her undergraduate degree in music therapy from the University of Dayton and recently completed her master’s degree in music therapy at St. Mary-of-the-Woods.

The senior showcase art exhibit titled "Kaleidoscope" will open in Krannert Gallery on Wednesday, November 19 and run through Friday, December 5. An opening reception with refreshments will be held from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 19. The exhibit will feature a variety of work from different art disciplines and mediums. Those students displaying their work in the exhibition include: Erin Cary, Christina Lewis, Madeline Satkamp, Matt Thomas and Samantha Marksberry. The campus community is invited to attend the opening or stop by the gallery at any time to enjoy the exhibition. 

A Writing Center Boot Camp: APA Style is planned for Wednesday, November 19, 5 p.m., in the Writing Center. If you have an APA paper coming up, this workshop will cover how to format and cite papers according to the APA style manual, including the cover page and reference page, internal citations, and running heads. Join us for this useful session. 

UE employees are invited to attend one of the informational workshops presented by Emeriti Retirement Health Solutions on Tuesday, November 18 in Room 252, Eykamp Hall, Ridgway University Center.
The workshops are scheduled for:
• 9:00 am – 10:00 am for retirees
• 11:00 am – 12:00 pm for active employees considering retirement
• 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm for retirees

For more information about these workshops, please visit: https://acelink.evansville.edu/Areas/HR/Files/EmeritiWorkshops-November18.pdf
The Emeriti program provides important benefits such as:
• A tax-advantaged way for you to invest and accumulate assets for your future retiree medical expenses.
• A retiree health insurance program for you and your eligible dependents that builds on the foundation of Medicare.
• A tax-free way for you to pay for other qualified out-of-pocket medical expenses in retirement.

A representative from Emeriti and Aetna health insurance will be on campus to provide information about Emeriti and what you need to do to take full advantage of the program. The meetings will cover such topics as why you need to save for retiree health care, the unique tax advantages of the Emeriti Program, and your options available under the program.
For more information about the Emeriti program, please visit: http://www.emeritihealth.org/

The UE Bookstore will have a Moonlight Madness event on Tuesday, November 18 from 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. (and maybe even later!)  Special promotions during the night. Check out the Bookstore Facebook page for full details or just stop in that night. 

Beginning Monday, November 17, Graves Hall will again collect women’s and children’s hats, gloves, scarves and socks this Christmas season to be donated to the Albion Fellows Bacon Center. We are also asking for $5.00 or $10.00 gift cards from Target and Walmart. Monetary donations will also be accepted!

Until the Christmas tree is set up in the lobby of Graves Hall to hang the items on, please put your donations (hat, gloves, etc.) in the wrapped box in the lobby. If you are donating money or gift cards, please bring them to Pam Young, Karen Doss, Cindy Felts, Jeannette Oakley, Lisa Toelle or Jane Woods in Graves Hall. Thank you!
 

The annual Exercise Science Non-Direct Entry Forum for pre-physical therapy students will take place on Tuesday, November 18 in Koch 101 from 6 to 7 pm. Undergraduate students will have the opportunity to ask questions to a panel of current PT faculty and staff as well as current DPT students regarding the preparation and application to graduate schools for physical therapy. The forum is open to all undergraduate students considering physical therapy. Please contact Taylor at td100 with any questions. 

There will be an open house to learn more about the Master of Science in Athletic Training on Saturday, December 6, 2014 from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. in Wallace Graves Hall, Room 315. Register at jt3@evansville.edu.

The University of Evansville MASTER'S IN ATHLETIC TRAINING program is open to students who do not possess a bachelor's degree in athletic training. This two-year program includes didactic course work, clinical skill development, and practical experience. The clinical education component is fulfilled primarily while working with affiliated universities and high schools. Students gain valuable experience working with athletes under close supervision of the head and assistant athletic trainers, who serve as preceptors for the program. Plan to attend the informational session on December 6!
 

On Wednesday, Nov 19 at 6 pm, in Room 102, Koch Center, we will again have two speakers coming to UE to talk about science and math careers. Both speakers are from Mead Johnson Nutrition. Bernard Schmitt, a 1998 UE chemistry graduate, is the associate manager for North America Regulatory Science, and Robert Kalt is the associate director for forecasting and syndicated services. They will talk about global careers focused solely on developing high-quality, innovating nutritional products for infants and children. This informal event will also include time for a question-answer session.

The SAMS career colloquium series is designed to highlight the variety of available job opportunities for anyone interested in a science or math career. All are welcome.

This series is sponsored by the NSF-supported SAMS program, the Center for Career Development, and the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations. 

International students - come to the International office and write a wish on the star that will be used as decorations and placed in Ridgway University Center. Help us to represent all of the many international students we have here at UE 

The UE Office Staff Association is holding their annual soup fundraiser on Wednesday, November 19, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm in the lobby of Graves Hall. The meal includes a bowl of soup, dessert and water...all for only $5.00. There will be seating in Graves Hall for you to enjoy your lunch or use to-go containers and trays for easy pick-up for the entire department or your roommates.

Choose from 14 different kinds of homemade soups and more than 10 different homemade desserts. Soups: Chicken Barley Chili, Chicken Corn Chili, Tortellini, Southwest Chicken, Cheesy Potato, Beef Vegetable, Chicken Noodle, Chicken Enchilada, Vegetarian, Beef Barley, Tomato Basil Artichoke, Broccoli Cheese, Potato, and Beef Taco

Proceeds help support scholarships for our students.

On Wednesday, November 19 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. in Eykamp 253-255, Ridgway University Center, the UE community is invited to stop by for one or more 20-min. language mini-lesson. Portuguese, Wolof, Persian, Spanish and more! Detailed schedule at www.evansville.edu/iew or contact studyabroad@evansville.edu 

On Tuesday, Nov 18 from 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Ekyamp 253-254, Ridgway University Center, UE students Gretchen Kohl, Raeanna Wood, Charlotte Muscroft, Ashley Leroy, Rebecca Calahan, Samantha Horton and the Model UN delegation will discuss their study, research, internships, and experiential engagement abroad. Full schedule at Evansville.edu/iew or contact studyabroad@evansivlle.edu 

On Tuesday November 18 two panel discussions for International Education Week. Afternoon Panel: "Jews, Christians, and Muslims: Can We Know Peace?" at 12:15 p.m. in Room 170 (Smythe Lecture Hall, Schroeder School of Business Building; Evening Panel :CoCoDA Community to Comunidad at 7:00 p.m. in Eykamp 253, Ridgway University Center. For more details visit www.evansville.edu/iew or email studyabroad@evansville.edu 

CoCoDA is a non-profit with ties linking groups in the Evansville community (e.g. Patchwork, Rotary) to communities in El Salvador. Through a panel discussion (Tuesday, November 18, 7:00 p.m., Eykamp 252, Ridgway University Center), and I-House (Wednesday, November 18, 7:00 p.m., Class of 59 Gallery, Ridgway University Center) UE students, faculty, and staff will learn more about proposed opportunities for joining these community to communidad efforts. 

From 11 a.m. -1 p.m., in Ridgway University Center, on Monday, November 17, information will be available about all of UE's opportunities abroad. This will be a great chance for students to meet with faculty planning courses abroad in Spring and Summer 2015 and for all Harlaxton programs. For more info contact studyabroad@evansville.edu or visit www.evansville.edu/iew

"Religion and Politics in US and Abroad" is the title of Ossama Bahloul's lecture for International Education Week. Monday, November 17 at 7:00 p.m. in Eykamp 251. Ridgway University Center. Bahloul is Imam of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro, Tenn., which was at the center of national controversy prior to its opening in 2012.  For more information, go to www.evansville.edu/iew

November is National Novel Writing Month. Everyone is welcome at the write-in Wednesday nights in November (November 5, 12 and 19), from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Room 203, the Boardroom, in the Library.  Come join your fellow writers and write your story!  Contact Danielle (dw56) or go to www.nanowrimo.org for more information.

Douglas Reed, professor emeritus of music, performed with the American Brass Quintet on the inaugural season of the Concerts by the Pond series at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, on November 16. Dr. Reed played the new Casavant organ on music for organ and brass by Justin Dello Joio, Giovanni Gabrieli, and Sigfrid Karg-Elert. Recognized as one of the premiere chamber music ensembles of our time, The American Brass Quintet has been in residence at the Juilliard School of Music since 1987 and at the Aspen Music Festival since 1970. 

The Vanderburgh County Health Department, Mayor’s office, Police Department, EMS, Fire Department, and area hospitals have drafted a response plan in the case of a possible diagnosis in the city. Various offices across campus recently met with city officials about appropriate protocols should there be a possible diagnosis of Ebola on campus. If there is a possible diagnosis on campus, these agencies will take charge of the scene, and the University will provide support as appropriate. Specific protocols have been provided to the campus should there be an individual who meets the criteria identified by the CDC for possible Ebola. If the virus evolves, the CDC will provide us with information as to any changes made to the screening process.

Travel: With respect to international travel, please be aware that the protocols determined by the CDC could change at any time depending on new outbreaks across the globe. It may be challenging for individuals in the suspect countries of Guinea, Liberia or Sierra Leone to return to the United States. If additional countries are identified as suspect, the CDC and Department of Homeland Security will issue protocols for reentry to the United States. Last, we have no current UE students studying abroad this semester, or scheduled to study abroad in the spring, in the suspect countries.

With respect to Ebola, the University will follow the directives provided by the governmental agencies charged with protecting individuals in the United States. A university “Ebola Task Force” has been identified and is prepared to distribute timely information and implement appropriate measures should there be a diagnosis on our campus.

More information about Ebola can be found at the Centers for Disease Control website, www.cdc.gov or by contacting the Vanderburgh County Health Department.
 

Students in the Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship class are conducting research about opening a new space on campus. Please take the following survey as it will allow them to move forward with the possible design and plan for this new space. This survey will take less than 2 minutes of your time.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SNWZYBW

UE PRIDE's annual drag show, Dungeons and Drag Queens, is looking for student performers for December 6 at 7 pm. Individuals, duets, or groups of any size may perform. You may participate in multiple groups. Anyone may participate!
Contact uepride@gmail.com with performance name, or any questions you may have. 

The University of Evansville, in the pursuit of excellence in service, wishes to recognize a non-faculty employee displaying records of achievement as a leader. Leadership may be demonstrated in any of the following categories: service to the University, service to students, job performance and attitude toward fellow employees. To be eligible, an employee must be a full-time member of administration or staff. Nominations for the December 2014 IMPACT Employee of the Month are due no later than Wednesday, November 19. To nominate someone, please go to http://acelink.evansville.edu/tools/employeeaward. 

The residence halls will be closed for winter break from noon on December 18 to 3 p.m. on January 9. Students participating in official University functions or other approved activities have the opportunity to apply for Winter Housing. Simply submit an Online Winter Request Form (hyper link this link https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WinterHousing) by noon on Reading & Study Day to be considered. For more information about Winter Housing, contact the office of residence life. 

If you have earned a military honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions, are on active duty, or in active drilling status, please notify the Cherie Leonhardt in the Office of Veterans Affairs at cl29@evansville.edu or call 488-2141 ASAP. The Office of Veterans Affairs and UE VETS has a special graduation gift for you! 

Four University of Evansville women’s basketball players scored in double figures as the Purple Aces defeated the Austin Peay Lady Govs 72-68 in the 2014-15 regular season opener at the Ford Center.

Sophomore guard Sara Dickey led all Lady Aces with 20 points as sophomore forward Sasha Robinson netted nine points and a career-high 16 rebounds in the victory. Senior forward Mallory Ladd notched her 16th career double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Senior guard Khristian Hart also provided 13 points off the bench, a last minute steal and a pair of final second free throws in the Aces narrow win.

With nine seconds left in the second half and UE holding a 70-68 lead, Hart stole the ball from center Tearra Banks and created a turnover. Hart was then fouled on the inbound, making back to back free throws to seal the Evansville four point victory.

Evansville never trailed in the first half, leading by as much as 13 points on a pair of Dickey free throws with 9:53 left.

Down 20-7, the Lady Govs rallied back to finish the opening half on a 14-6 run and only trail UE by two points entering the second half. Dickey had 11 points in the first half as Robinson already held 11 rebounds at that point in the game.

The contest featured eight ties and six lead changes, all in the second half. Austin Peay evened up the score with a Kristen Stainback jumper just 29 seconds after halftime.

Both teams jockeyed back and forth for a bit until Evansville broke away from a 44-43 lead by scoring 10 of the next 12 points. Losing 54-45, Austin Peay then raced back on a 9-0 run including five in a row from Madison Rich, who had a game-high 21 points off the bench.

Evansville responded by taking a five point lead on two Khristian Hart free throws with 5:04 to go in regulation. Trailing 59-54, Austin Peay scored five of the next six points to tie the game again at 62. The Lady Govs went ahead 66-65 on a jumper by Beth Rates with 1:51 on the clock.

Evansville ended the afternoon contest by scoring seven of the last eight points including three points from Dickey and two free throws from both Hart and Ladd.

This is the third consecutive season-opening win for Evansville. Despite being outscored 29-13 off the bench, UE won the rebounding edge 47-44. The Purple Aces shot 39% from the floor compared to 35% for Austin Peay.

Evansville’s next five games will be on the road. The Aces next contest is at Ball State on Wednesday, November 19 at 6:00 p.m.

UE’s next home game will be on Saturday, December 6 against Miami (Ohio) for a 4:00 p.m. tip at the Ford Center.

Fans can purchase tickets over the phone at 812-488-ACES (2237), in person at either the Carson Center or Ford Center ticket office, or online via Ticketmaster.com.

Senior Ashley Ring had a team-best eight kills as the University of Evansville volleyball team lost by a 3-0 score at Missouri State on Saturday evening.

Ring also led the way defensively for UE (8-21, 4-13 MVC) with nine digs.  Cathy Schreiber posted three kills while hitting .286.  Genesis Miranda had a team-best 13 assists as the Purple Aces were once again playing with just seven healthy players.

The Bears (18-10, 11-5 MVC) had a pair of players with double-digit kills as Olivia Brand (14) and Lily Johnson (11) accomplished the feat.  Kinsey McCarter led everyone with 40 assists while Maddy Hogan chipped in 16 digs.

MSU took a 3-1 lead in the first set before the Aces closed to 4-3 on a Meahgan Holmes kill.  The Bears opened the advantage back up before making their move midway through the frame.  Up 12-7, MSU scored eight of the next 11 points en route to a 20-10 lead.  A Tathianna Cordero kill ended the run before the Bears came back to earn a 25-11 win.

A 6-0 run to open the second frame helped Missouri State earn another 25-11 victory.  Their lead quickly reached 12-3 before Schreiber posted a kill to end run.  A pair of Lily Johnson service aces helped MSU go up by 10 at 18-8 before Holmes served UE back into it as the Aces scored three in a row. 

After UE’s run, the Bears finished with one of their own, scoring the final six to take another 25-11 triumph.

In the third frame, Evansville held strong in the early going, allowing the Bears to scoot out to just a 4-3 lead.  With the Aces down 8-4, a Stephanie Cerino kill helped the team rally back within two at 8-6.  A pair of MSU errors helped UE get within a pair once again at 10-8, but that is where the Bears took over.  Nine points in a row with Johnson serving put the game out of reach as the Bears went up 19-8.  They would cruise to a 25-13 win.

This Friday, the Purple Aces will honor two mainstays for the program as seniors Meaghan Holmes and Ashley Ring will wrap up their UE careers.  Fans are invited to the 7 p.m. against Southern Illinois to honor the two who have given so much to the program!

The 2014-15 season began in an historic way as the University of Evansville men’s basketball team earned a 116-45 victory over Earlham at the Ford Center.

Evansville’s 71-point margin of victory was the most in school history, surpassing the 62-point margin in a 116-54 victory over Chicago State on Jan. 25, 1993.

“We're just trying to get better,” Aces head coach Marty Simmons said. “We played three games now and are trying to learn from each one. Now we have to get on to Miami, it is a big game for us.”

Two players finished with 20 or more tallies, led by D.J. Balentine. The junior began his season with a game-high 22 points while tying his career mark with six rebounds. Balentine also posted five assists as the Purple Aces were credited with 34 helpers on 50 makes.

Finishing with 21 points and 11 rebounds in his Evansville debut was redshirt sophomore Mislav Brzoja. He drained 10 of his 12 shots while posting four assists and three steals. Egidijus Mockevicius was 7-for-9 from the field to finish with 16 while David Howard notched the first double-digit game in his collegiate career, finishing with 13.

Duane Gibson had a 4-6 day from the floor while leading everyone with five steals. Adam Wing rounded out the scoring leaders with his 10.

The Purple Aces began the contest on a 15-0 run as the Quakers missed their first nine shots while turning the ball over six times. Despite the fast start, the Aces hit just six of their first 15 attempts. That all would change for the remainder of the game as the Aces were 44-for 65 the rest of the way. Evansville shot 62.5% for the game, but over the final 32 minutes, UE shot 67%.

UE extended its lead to 21-2 at the 11:20 mark of the first half before holding a 30-point advantage (54-24) at the break. In the second half, it was all Aces as they outscored Earlham by a 62-21 margin to finish with the 116-45 win.

Earlham was led by Taylen Alexander, who notched 18 points and 5 rebounds. He was 7-for-13 on the day while blocking the lone shot of the day for the Quakers. They connected on six treys in the game while UE knocked down three.

“We played well for the most part, it was a good overall team effort,” Balentine said. “Coach did a great job in the locker room of having us compete against ourselves.”

Turnovers favored the Aces as they forced 27 while committing just seven of their own. It marked the first time UE forced 25 or more since Oakland City had 28 on Dec. 18, 2011. Evansville recorded 30+ assists as a team for the first time since recording 31 at Bradley on Feb. 1, 2012. The Aces had 34 against the Quakers as five players were credited with five apiece.

One of the largest disparities came in the paint. Ninety of Evansville’s 116 tallies came down low. The Aces outscored Earlham in the paint by a 90-14 margin. UE also finished with a 42-4 advantage in points off turnovers and did not give up any fast break points while scoring 32 of their own. Lastly – 54 points came off the bench for UE.

With a successful opener in the books, UE has its sights set on Wednesday’s road trip to Miami Ohio.

“We got off to a good start and are starting to concentrate on Miami Ohio,” Mislav Brzoja said. “We know we have to rebound better against them as we gave up a lot of offensive rebounds to these guys.”

Coach Simmons echoed those sentiments.

“We will watch the tape and get some things off of it, but our attention now is on Miami,” he said. “This will be a huge road contest for us. We need three sharp days of practice to get prepared.”

That road trip takes place on Wednesday as UE makes the trek to Oxford, Ohio for a 7 p.m. ET contest.

Down to just seven healthy players, the Purple Aces volleyball team put up a fight at Wichita State before falling by a 3-0 final to the Shockers on Friday evening.

Leading the way for the University of Evansville (8-20, 4-12 MVC) was senior Ashley Ring.  She posted six kills on the night.  Behind her was the duo of Stephanie Cerino and Tathianna Cordero, who registered five apiece.  Playing as the setter once again, freshman Genesis Miranda posted 11 assists.

Abbie Lehman tallied a game-high 16 kills and hit an unbelievable .727 over that span to lead the Shockers (17-8, 11-4 MVC).  As a team, WSU hit .553 as MaryAshton Floyd checked in with 10 kills of her own.

A 9-2 run to begin the opening frame set an early tone as the shorthanded did their best to come back.  Evansville mustered up a run to cut the gap to four points at 11-7 as Cerino and Cordero notched back-to-back kills.  With the Shocker lead at 14-9, that is where the made their move, scoring the next seven points before taking a 25-10 win.

Evansville played much better to begin the second game as a Miranda service ace gave UE an early 3-1 advantage.  Wichita State quickly tied it up at 3-3 before taking their first edge at 4-3.  The Aces continued to battle as a Cordero tally made it 9-8 in favor of the Shockers.

The big run for WSU came after that point as they finished the set on a 16-5 run to go up 2-0 in the series.  Lehman chipped in four more kills in the frame.

Game three looked to be starting off on the right track once again for UE as they battled the Shockers to a 6-6 tie on another Cerino kill.  Following the point, Wichita reeled off seven in a row to go up 13-6.  Another run – this one a 10-0 stretch – put the night out of reach as the Shockers took another 25-10 win.

University of Evansville head baseball coach Wes Carroll announced the signing of seven student-athletes to National Letters of Intent (NLI) Friday afternoon to continue their athletic and academic careers at UE. The Purple Aces’ signing class includes four pitchers and three position players who will join the Evansville baseball team for the 2016 season.

“I would like to thank assistant coaches Andy Pascoe and Cody Fick on putting together a great recruiting class,” said Carroll. “They worked extremely hard to bring in well-rounded student-athletes to this University. I feel very confident that we have signed an outstanding class of student-athletes both on and off the field to build upon the success of our championship season last year. We look forward to all of these young men to step on campus next fall.”

The 2016 UE baseball signing class includes: Austin Allinger (West Chester, Ohio/ Lakota West), Brandon Gomer (Lenexa, Ga./ Shawnee Mission Northwest), Trey Hair (Firth, Neb./ Fort Scott Community College), Jonathan Kruppe (Naperville, Ill./ Benet Academy), Cody Mobley (Mount Vernon, Indiana/ Mount Vernon) Nathan Reeder (Shawnee, Kan./ Shawnee Mission Northwest), and Alex Weigand (Bourbonnais, Ill./ Bradley Bourbonnais).

AUSTIN ALLINGER, 6-0, PITCHER/INFIELDER, R/R
WEST CHESTER, OHIO (LAKOTA WEST)

Notable: Was 7-0 in spring of 2014 with a 0.84 earned run average and a 0.92 WHIP. His ERA last season set the mark for lowest single season ERA at Lakota West. Also hit .396 at the plate and had a .477 on base percentage. First ever in Lakota history to make and start on the varsity team as a freshman…won the Golden Glove Award, Rookie of the Year Award, Cy Young Award and team Most Valuable Player Honors in addition to a Louisville Slugger Award…named All-Conference twice, and second team All-State once…he threw a perfect game against the Indiana Bulls in Summer ball in 2013….high school team won the Conference once, districts twice, and regional once….

Coach Fick on Allinger: “We are thrilled to bring Austin into the Aces Baseball family. He is a very talented RHP and has potential to be a 2-way player here. Austin flashes a fastball into the low 90’s and also has polished off speed pitches that are swing and miss. I look forward to working with him next year as I believe he will have tremendous success in the Missouri Valley Conference.”

BRANDON GOMER, 6-4, PITCHER, R/R
LENEXA, GA. (SHAWNEE MISSION NORTHWEST)

Notable: Was 0-2 this spring with a 2.21 earned run average, lowest on the team. Pitched 25.2 innings, yielding just five walks and recording 20 strikeouts...was a high school teammate of UE recruit and fellow signee Nathan Reeder.

Coach Fick on Gomer: “A projectable RHP that is already in the upper 80’s with his fastball. Brandon has a high ceiling on the mound and will thrive on our pitching staff. I look forward to working with him in the years to come.”

TREY HAIR, 5-10, INFIELDER, L/R
FIRTH, NEB. (FORT SCOTT COMMUNITY COLLEGE)

Notable: Played 23 games, making 10 starts in 2013 for Missouri State before transferring to Fort Scott Community College… Lettered three years in football and four in baseball at Norris High School…Was 2012 and 2013 All District Honorable Mention in Football and 2013 All Conference Honorable Mention in Baseball…In 2013, he led the state in average at .495, runs with 40 and hits with 47…In 2014, he was recognized by Baseball America as the #8 Prospect on the Mink League Top 10 Prospects List.

Coach Carroll on Hair: “It was important for us to bring in a middle infielder for next year and we landed a great one with Trey. He has experience in the Missouri Valley Conference and has a chance to be a great hitter in this league. Trey played with a couple of our players last summer and they raved about him as a player and person. He is a great fit for our program and I look forward to him playing in an Aces uniform.”

JONATHAN KRUPPE, 6-5, CATCHER/PITCHER, R/R
NAPERVILLE, ILL. (BENET ACADEMY)

Notable: Hit .330 as a junior with two home runs, 11 doubles and 29 runs batted in…Named All-Area Honorable Mention by Naperville Sun…was 3-1 on the mound as a sophomore with a 2.70 earned run average…high school team won back to back conference championships during his sophomore and junior years, which is first in program history…went 5-for-5 in one of his biggest games against Wheaton North with two doubles.

Coach Pascoe on Kruppe: “Jon comes to campus with tremendous versatility. He is a very physical athlete that can play behind the plate or at 1B but can also get on the mound showcasing an upper 80’s fastball. Jon is projected to be a middle of the order hitter and we are very excited to get him on campus next fall”

CODY MOBLEY, 6-3, PITCHER, R/R
MOUNT VERNON, IND. (MOUNT VERNON)

Notable: An All Big Eight Conference and All Southwest Indiana All Star in 2014…Was 6-1 with a save and 61 strikeouts in 33.2 innings this spring. Had an ERA of 1.66 and a 1.04 WHIP…tossed 6.0 innings, yielding just four hits and striking out six in 2014 Section vs. Gibson Southern…Won 2011 BPA World Series Championship.

Coach Carroll on Mobley: “I am very excited to add a local player in Cody to our recruiting class. He has tremendous upside with a low 90’s fastball and wipeout slider. He has the potential to be a power arm on our staff. It is always great to put a local player into an Aces uniform.”

NATHAN REEDER, 5-10, OUTFIELDER, L/L
SHAWNEE, KAN. (SHAWNEE MISSION NORTHWEST)

Notable: 2nd Team All State and 1st Team All Sunflower Conference…hit .417 with a .632 on base percentage… had 15 stolen bases in 16 attempts with only two strikeouts this spring... was a high school teammate of UE recruit and fellow signee Nathan Reeder.

Coach Pascoe on Reeder: “We saw Nate at our Prospect Camp and really liked what we saw. He has a great approach at the plate and I really like his bat path. He’s a scrappy hardnosed player that our program covets. His skills will showcase well in our system.”

ALEX WEIGAND, 6-2, PITCHER, R/L
BOURBONNAIS, ILL. (BRADLEY BOURBONNAIS)

Notable: Was named to the All-area team…had an earned run average of 1.20..posted 69 strikeouts this season…lettered three years in baseball…played two years of football in high school.

Coach Fick on Weigand: “Alex is a projectable LHP who showcases a plus curveball. He has a quick arm and as he continues to get stronger, Alex could be a large contributor to our pitching staff. I look forward to his arrival next fall.”
 

The 96th season of Purple Aces basketball will commence on Saturday as the University of Evansville plays host to Earlham at the Ford Center. Tip is set for 2:05 p.m.

Tickets are still available at 812-488-ACES and can be bought prior to the game at the Ford Center. For those out of town, you can watch the live stream at GoPurpleAces.com or listen live at www.wuev.org.

D.J. Balentine has picked up right where he left off after the 2013-14 season, averaging 23.0 points per game in UE’s two exhibition contests. Balentine notched 24 in the opener against
McKendree before draining 22 versus Wabash. Over the course of the two games, Balentine shot an efficient 16-of-26 (61.5%) overall while hitting 3 of his 7 long-range attempts.

You can easily say that Adam Wing endured the dreaded sophomore slump over the final 21 games of the 2013-14 season. Over that span, Wing was just 3-for-26 from 3-point range and did not hit double figures in scoring in the last 15 games of the season. His work and dedication in the offseason has paid dividends and it showed against Wabash as he was 3-3 from outside on his way to 16 points. Wing’s great all-around game saw him go 6-8 from the field while posting a pair of steals and assists.

Evansville was voted 19th in the Preseason Mid-Major Top 25 poll by CollegeInsider.com. The Aces are one of five Missouri Valley Conference teams to make the list joining Wichita State (1st), UNI (5th), Illinois State (20th) and Missouri State (21st). Other UE opponents in the rankings include Belmont, who is 8th and Murray State, which comes in at 12th. Potential Gulf Coast Showcase opponents Green Bay and Florida Gulf Coast are ranked 9th and 23rd, respectively.

Evansville’s three newcomers have settled in well over the course of the exhibition season with each getting a large amount of playing time. Mislav Brzoja had a stellar outing against Wabash, finishing with 11 points and 7 rebounds in 16 minutes of play. Brzoja averaged 6.5 points and 5.5 boards while hitting 6 of his 7 free throws in the preseason; his 5.5 rebounds per game was second on the team in exhibition action behind only Mockevicius.

Taylor Stafford saw action in 33 minutes in two games, posting five points while hitting
3 of his 8 shot attempts. Willie Wiley was on the floor for 22 minutes total with his best performance coming against Wabash where he notched 7 points and 3 rebounds.

Earlham loses its top eight scorers from last season’s 5-20 squad. A young team, the Quakers feature four freshmen and five sophomores. Transfer Taylen Alexander and freshman Elijah
Wilson-Thomas were named Preseason Players to Watch by the Heartland Conference.
 

Senior Kirsten Perrey ran the top 6K time of her career as the University of Evansville cross country teams ran in the NCAA Great Lakes Regional on Friday afternoon at the University of Wisconsin.

Perrey was the top finisher for the ladies, maneuvering the course in a time of 23:10. It eclipsed her previous top time from last year where she finished in 23:33. Her effort put her in 163rd out of 219 runners. The race completes a solid year for Perrey, who had her best season with her fastest 5K time coming at the home UE Invitational where she ran an 18:36.5.

Next up for the Aces was Elizabeth Kingshott. The junior circled the course in 23:27 as she completed what was a bounce back year. After struggling through her sophomore campaign, Kingshott regrouped and ran strong in each race this season.

One of UE’s most consistent runners this season was Laurel Wolfe, who checked in with a 23:36. While her NCAA time was a tad bit slower than her PR from last season, Wolfe had a strong campaign this year, led off by her top time at the Greater Louisville Classic.

Loren Oboikovitz was fourth for the Aces as she recorded a 23:57. The run on Friday was 2:18 better than her previous best in the 2012 NCAA Regional. The senior emerged as one of the team’s top threats with each race this season being better than her PR entering the season.

Anna Loef and Michelle Karp wrapped up the contingent. Each running their first NCAA races, Loef finished in a time of 24:56 while Karp came home in 25:17.

The men battled through injuries all season, but were able to remain competitive up to the end. Josh Genet led the way once again, tackling the 10K course in 33:52. Genet has been hit particularly hard by the injury bug, but performed admirably in what was his final event for UE. The senior has been the top finisher for the men in each event over the last two seasons. He took 177th out of 277 racers.

Ross Frondorf was second for UE. He toured the course in 35:31 to finish behind Genet. Jon Ashby was third for the guys. The junior completed the 10K in 37:50. Racing their first NCAA 10K races were Benjamin Johnson and Isaiah Frey.

Johnson posted a 39:20 in his first NCAA event while Frey finished at 40:00.

One of the top players in the Indianapolis area has signed a National Letter of Intent to join the University of Evansville men’s basketball team next season as Harris Brown officially signed with the school on Friday.

The high-scoring guard is coming off of a junior campaign at Howe where he averaged 27 points per game while scoring 50 and 51 in consecutive outings.

“Harris is an explosive scorer that we are excited to add to our roster,” UE head coach Marty Simmons said. “He can score with the ball in his hands or he can also score cutting off screens. He brings us great versatility as a combo guard.”

“He has such a competitive nature and just wants to win. We know he will be a great fit with the guys we have coming back.”

Earlier this month, Brown was named to the Preseason First Team by the Indianapolis Boys City Coaches Association as one of the top players in the city. Brown’s versatility was shown in a December win last season where he fell just one assist shy of a quadruple double. He scored 50 points while recording 12 steals, 10 rebounds and nine assists.

University of Evansville women’s soccer player Emily Griebel received a rare honor this week when she named the Missouri Valley Conference Elite 18 Award recipient at the Women’s Soccer Tournament Championship.

Griebel, a sophomore midfielder from Peoria, Illinois, is only the fourth Purple Ace to ever earn the prestigious distinction (Swimmer Christina Schmidgall – 2011, Golfer Quinn Vilneff – 2013, Swimmer Abby Smith – 2014).

“Emily is a tremendous young woman, and she has the highest character values one could have,” said Emily’s head coach Krista McKendree. “I am thrilled for her to be recognized in this fashion. It is remarkable what some of these young student-athletes are able to do with the demands placed upon them. Emily is someone who will be successful in anything she does and I am happy she is a part of our program.”

The Elite 18 Award was modelled after the NCAA Elite 88 Academic Recognition Award Program and was installed in the MVC in the fall of 2010. The Elite 18 Award honors the highest achievement in academics and athletics by a student-athlete in each MVC-sponsored sport. The award is bestowed to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average while competing at the finals at each of the MVC’s 18 team championships.

Emily has a perfect 4.0 cumulative GPA in exercise science and desires to become a physical therapist. Griebel played in nine matches this year for UE and took five shots (one on goal). This one honor is something that Emily is very thankful for.

“It means a lot to represent UE, the women’s soccer program and my other teammates the best I can,” said Griebel. “I couldn’t have success without the support of my teammates and coaches, both on and off the field.”