Please join PRIDE for our welcome meeting on Friday 9/17 @7pm in Eykamp 251. There will be Food, Drinks, and Gaymes! You can find our event on UEngage.

Calling all Aces! We need your help! On Wednesday, September 22, 2021 The College Tour will be filming downtown on the Riverfront Greenway. If you want to be an extra, join us on the Riverfront from 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Bring you, your roommate and/or include your entire family. Just feel free to walk the Riverfront Greenway and wear your UE purple swag! Let’s purple-up the downtown on Wednesday night.

In addition to Wednesday night, The College Tour starts filming next Monday, September 20, 2021. Don’t be shy of the cameras - join in! We need extras in shots and we welcome participation. If you see cameras on campus and want to get involved, just let us know. If you’d like to see what The College Tour is all about, visit www.thecollegetour.com.

The University of Evansville (UE) Department of Theatre proudly presents the Fall 2021 Shanklin Theatre season. After more than a year’s absence from live performances on campus, UE Theatre is ready to welcome patrons back with an extraordinary line-up of plays which includes a humorous interpretation of everyday life, a dashing story of self-willed sisters, and a fascinating cabaret about life and the way people interact with possessions.

The season kicks off with EVERYBODY, written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and directed by Visiting Assistant Professor Stacey Yen. EVERYBODY opens on Fri., Sept. 24, at 7:30 p.m., in Shanklin Theatre. Additional performances are at 7:30 p.m., on Sept. 2–5, 30, Oct. 1, 2, and at 2:00 p.m., on Oct. 3.

A finalist for the 2018 Pulitzer Prize in Drama, this innovative play is an immersive and inclusive experience for the cast and audience—as actors draw lots onstage to discover which role they will play at each performance. This brilliant, award-winning playwright gives us a modern take on EVERYMAN, a 15th-century morality play. His inventive interpretation is a provocative and joyful romp about love and death, a whimsical look into the unknown, and, ultimately, an exploration of the ties that bind us on this wondrous journey called life. Who knew that death could be so fun? And absurdly funny!

Next in the repertory line-up is THREE SISTERS from the iconic playwright Anton Chekhov, written in a new version, by Sarah Ruhl. The production is directed by Professor Diane Brewer and opens Fri., Nov. 12, at 7:30 p.m. Additional performances are at 7:30 p.m., on Nov. 19, 20, Dec. 2, and at 2:00 p.m., on Nov. 13 and Dec. 5.

This playwright’s modern voice has garnered her a Tony Award nomination, a MacArthur Fellowship, and she was twice named a Pulitzer Prize finalist. Her version of one of Chekhov’s most famous plays exposes the timely struggles of a family living in a small town in Russia and facing gambling debts, a house in foreclosure, and fears of a war on the horizon. These sisters defy despair, celebrate milestones, fall hopelessly in love, and rival as only siblings can. With unyielding resilience and acerbic humor, these women throw themselves into the distance between their dreams and reality and inspire us all to brave our own “new normal.”

The inventive play GONE MISSING, devised by the groundbreaking theatre troupe, The Civilians, is directed by Wes Grantom ’03 and opens Sat., Nov. 13, at 7:30 p.m. Additional performances are at 7:30 p.m., on Nov. 18, Dec. 3, 4, and at 2:00 p.m., on Nov. 20, 21.

This charming show combines real-life interviews about the nature of memory with a scintillating score that effortlessly swings between salsa, ballads, jazzy numbers, and tuneful pop songs. An ensemble of eccentric characters seamlessly intertwines tales of lost objects with fascinating stories of seekers and finders and examines our tendency to place heightened significance on everyday items. While a global pandemic may be the most opportune time to explore this “cabaret of loss,” it is the communal experience of shared joy that is sure to resonate and linger in hearts and minds long after the show ends.

In following industry standards, as established by the Broadway League, all audience members must show proof of COVID–19 vaccination or a negative test result

taken within 72-hours of the date on their ticket. Upon arrival at Shanklin Theatre, proof of vaccination/negative test result and an ID will be checked before each performance. In compliance with the UE Coronavirus Task Force guidelines, all audience members must remain masked when indoors on campus. Additionally, Shanklin Theatre will be seated at no more than 50% capacity.

Season tickets are available now at $45 for adults and $40 for senior adults, students, and UE faculty and staff. Single ticket prices for EVERYBODY, THREE SISTERS, and GONE MISSING are $20 for adults and $18 for senior adults, students, and UE faculty and staff. UE students may obtain one free student rush ticket beginning at 12:00 p.m. on the day of the performance they wish to attend. Tickets may be purchased by calling (812) 488–2031, Monday through Friday, 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Join the Venturing Crew as we travel to St Louis to visit the City Museum for a day of exploring the unexpected. City Museum is a hundred-year-old warehouse in downtown St. Louis in which artists have repurposed the pieces of old cities to build miles of tunnels, slides, climbers, bridges, and castles. There are secret passages and grand galleries. Playgrounds and ball pits. A circus and a train. A rooftop school bus and a Ferris wheel.

We will then travel to Two Rivers Campground where the crystal clear Current River meets the Jacks Fork and flows past the campground.

We will spend a day canoeing each river and sit around the camp fire at night playing games "Mafia", eating extreme S'mores and telling stories.

On the last day we break camp and head for home but not before stopping at Lambert's Cafe, the home of the flying rolls where we will eat a hearty brunch and try not to get hit with a hot buttery roll.

We will leave campus Friday October 8th around 6pm and return Tuesday October 12 around 3pm.

Sign up tables will be in Ridgway starting Tuesday Sept 28th and the cost will be $75

https://uengage.evansville.edu/event/7256253

Please stop by Dining Services to receive your free starter OZZI token by September 27th at 11am. After that time, all token will be $5/token. Thank you.

Papa Johns has confirmed that they are ready to start taking Ace Bucks as payment for pizza orders. If you have any issues, please reach out to Chattback at 812-213-2199 to report it to Dining Services.

Chick Fil A apologizes for the inconvenience experience today with out technical difficulties. We are back up and ready to serve you. Thank you for your patience.

Is it time to transform your schedule? Don't wait - act now!

Come by the Solution Station table in Ridgway this Wednesday from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM and get a FREE UE planner! Stay organized this year and finally get your time working for YOU by using a planner.

Do you need help with something and you're not sure who to ask on campus? If we don't know the answer, we'll know who does! We're here to help you find solutions to the issues you're facing. Let us help - come to the Solution Station!

Contact: Chad Hart (ch299@evansville.edu)

Info: Ace CARE, UE's pro bono, student run organization that offers free physical therapy services to the Evansville community, is searching for volunteers to drive our van to transport participants between their homes and services on UE's campus.
Who can volunteer as a driver: Any full-time UE employee over 30 years old that meets UE Driver requirements (A valid U.S driver’s license; clear background screening, clear Motor Vehicle Record; and completion of two (2) transportation training modules assignable to UE employees)
What you will do: Drive! Drivers will always be accompanied by 1-2 students, so you will never be alone with participants. The students will be responsible for performing transfers, if necessary. Most of our participants are independent with ambulation/walking and only need assistive devices like walkers or canes (and students would be responsible for handling all equipment).
When: Tuesday or Thursday evenings from ~4:30-7:30. We can schedule you on dates that are best for your schedule. You can volunteer as much as you want, though we ask that you drive at least two times a semester.
If you are interested in volunteering, or require additional information, please reach out to Kate Schwartzkopf-Phifer (ks148).

Did you know?: Methodist Temple's Lead Pastor Andy Payton also doubles as UE's Chaplain. Swing by lower Ridgway on Wednesdays between 10:00 am -1:00 pm for a bit of conversation. No topic is off limits. 

The Writing Center will officially open to students on Friday, September 17. Due to demand, we will have tutors both in person and online, though not always at the same time. Hours are, tentatively, 10-6 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 10-4 on Wednesday, and 12-4 on Sundays. We do not have tutors to cover every hour listed at this time, but if you are interested in the job, please email kd60@evansville.edu to set up an interview. It requires critical thought, great listening, use of logic and fact-based evidence, and compassion: I know UE students exemplify these traits and I look forward to meeting more of you!

The volunteer survey is open for volunteers to select their project for UE Gives Back on Friday, October 8. With the approval of immediate supervisors and as schedules permit, employees may choose to volunteer on UE’s campus without scheduling a day of vacation.

Projects this year include:

• Clifford Circle Benches – Pressure Washing
• Front Oval Refresh – Painting of Front Oval Curbs
• John Street Community Garden Cleanup – Seasonal Cleaning Up of Vines and Plants, Raking Leaves
• Krannert Hall Art Department - Inspecting and Registering Permanent Collections
• Native Plant Garden – Planting
• Raised Planters Across Campus – Planting Fall Annuals
• Peters-Margedant House – Cleaning and Painting Exterior Walls, Outdoor Landscaping
• SOBA Landscaping – Removal of Overgrown Hedges, Raking Mulch, Adding Decorative Rock

Sign up today by filling out this UE Gives Back Survey by October 4. The safety of all employees is critically important to the success of this event. Volunteers are asked to watch this safety video and initial the final page of the survey document. Safety Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NWDbd2D6b8

Contact Alex Amick at aa308@evansville.edu with any questions.

Milan, Italy: The Center for Innovation & Change had two joint paper abstracts accepted to the 13th annual International Social Innovation Research Conference (ISIRC) in Milan, 9/8-10. Executive Director Erin Lewis & Associate Director Brooksie Smith remotely presented on the abstracts. The conference hosted hundreds of faculty and program officers from universities all over the world.

September 8: Brooksie's presentation, 'The Potential for Hybrid Organization in Addressing Social Problems in a Community on Campus' examined how ChangeLab as a model can help cities and universities partner together across sectors to solve problems. Over time, ChangeLab has evolved from a consulting service for a few dozen students, to a city-wide resource with dozens of faculty and hundreds of students each year engaged in local problem solving each year across many disciplines. This presentation clarified how the core of the program's hybrid model is a commitment to making positive social, environmental, and commercial impacts, and being intentional in how we find ways to connect the academic experience to our community.

September 9: Erin's presentation, 'Social Innovation Reimagined in the Pandemic Era: A Case Study of How ChangeLab Was Ready to Adapt', told the story of the spring 2020 shutdown and how our faculty and students innovated to still conduct 14 social innovation projects. The case study highlighted projects like Dr. Anne Powell's (Biology) Horticulture ChangeLab, which designed and planted a memorial garden for a cemetery, and Dr. Jeff Braun's (Physics) ChangeLab, which worked with an independent study student to identify potential capstone projects in our community. The history of ChangeLab was explored, from its inception as GAP, to the 2015 Propose Your Own programmatic change that led to an explosion of ideas from faculty and students. The potential for this new phase of larger interdisciplinary partnerships was also examined, with a discussion of projects like COVID Between the Coasts, Trinity Storm Waterpark, and the Harper Air Filter project.

The Fitness Center is looking for students that are certified and up to date with their lifeguarding credentials to lifeguard the pool inside Carson Center. Starting pay is $9/hr. Contact Drew @ah519 for more information.

The University of Evansville Leadership Academy (UELA) seeks to enrich the student organizations on campus by developing, training, and nurturing student leaders. Members of this organization will develop leadership skills and techniques through informative lectures, leadership workshops, and practical leadership experience. UELA is now accepting new applications from Freshman, Sophomores, and Juniors who are interested in becoming members for the Fall 2021 semester! Once applications close there will be a formal interview session with UELA's Advisory Council and then emails will be sent out to accepted members. Applications can be found on UEngage!

On behalf of the fraternity of Lambda Chi Alpha, I would like to invite you to our fall philanthropy, Watermelon Bust. Watermelon Bust is an Olympic style event, where teams of five compete against each other with a common goal of smashing, passing, tossing, carving, eating, and dunking as many watermelons as they can. 100% of the combined raised funds go to The Arc of Evansville, which works to empower individuals with disabilities to build relationships, gain independence, and achieve their full potential. The event will start at 5 at the Lambda Chi House, 213 S. Weinbach Ave. It will cost $25 to enter one team of five people and it is free for all students who are not participating on a team. You can sign your team up at our tabling hours in Ridgeway from 9/14-9/16 from 11-1. You can also email your teams or any questions you have to kb484@evansville.edu.

Are you looking to make some money, but don't want to get a job off campus? You're in luck! The Bookstore is looking to hire morning student workers!

We need folks who are available 2-3 days a week, Monday-Friday, 9am to about 1 pm.

If you're interested, please submit your schedule to us at bookstore@evansville.edu, along with a resume, and we'll reach out.

The oval lot, which includes Lot B and visitor parking, will be closed the full week of September 20-24 for filming purposes. It will reopen on Saturday, September 25. Please make plans to park in an alternate lot during this time. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause, but we appreciate your patience during this time!

As fall approaches slips, trips, and falls are a major cause of injury that occurs to both visitors and employees. They can occur in any business, but are of particular concern to businesses with considerable public and employee foot traffic such as those in retail, higher education, medical, and service industries.

What can you do to make a positive impact?

1) Be aware of your immediate surroundings
2) Wear comfortable, properly fitting non-slip shoes
3) Be aware of the type of surface you are walking on and its condition
4) Adjust to environmental and walking surface conditions
5) Pay attention to “Wet Floor” warning signs to warn of known hazards
6) Practice Good Housekeeping
7) Keep walkways and hallways free of debris, clutter and obstacles
8) Only carry items that allow you to see clearly where you are going
9) Use handrails when going up or down stairs and not skip steps
10) Eliminate or minimize distractions while walking, such as looking at your cell phone

Report unsafe conditions to Office of Public Safety at 812-488-2051.

Be Safe With Each Step!

The University of Evansville is doing their part to try to help bolster COVID-19 vaccination rates, especially those in the Latinx community.

"I am extremely proud of the ChangeLab students who have put in so much time and dedication to making the vaccination clinic we had in the spring and the upcoming vaccination clinic successful. They are doing a tremendous service for our community and very likely saving lives. These UE students are an inspiration to me and to so many others who hear about their work." -Prof Cindy Crowe

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Like many public health and nonprofit entities across the Tri-state, the University of Evansville is doing its part to try to help bolster COVID-19 vaccination rates, especially those in the Latinx community. The university is using its ChangeLab — a semester course dedicated to helping students make a positive change where students join projects in an area of choice that will help them make a change in the community — to help native-Spanish speaker be informed about the vaccine.

Lucinda Crowe, assistant professor emeritus of Spanish, is the coach for the Latino Community Health course. Her ChangeLab course is dedicated to using the knowledge students gained in her medical Spanish course or other students who have a Spanish background to interpret and transcribe medical materials from English to Spanish. The main goal is to speak with community members and understand their healthcare needs.

'I hope that we can actually take the information and the data that we have regarding the perceived healthcare needs of the community, and actually do something with it to help with the health care needs of the Latino population,' Crowe said.

The course, which started in spring, allowed for students to create a pamphlet in Spanish helping people be more informed about CDC guidelines and where to get vaccinated in Evansville. For Imelda Salgado, a University of Evansville student majoring in nursing and minoring in medical Spanish, she joined the course to help people in her community and spread more awareness. Salgado, who met Crowe through a group called Good Trouble dedicated to spreading awareness about racial inequality and diversity issues, thought the course would be an interesting way to spread awareness and gain skills for her career. She also thought it was important to be a part of stopping the spread of misinformation. 'If someone actually talked to them like a nurse or a doctor or physician, I’m sure that before the actual benefit of getting the vaccine, they’d get it themselves,' she said.

For Salgado, this information had to be spread in the community and at home. Her family, which identifies as Mexican-American, were hesitant at first to get the vaccine. But after listening to the information from Crowe and their stakeholder at St. Vincent’s, she was able to present the information to her family, which eventually decided to get vaccinated. Small changes like these are what lead to the team to wanting to have a greater impact. After discovering the steps needed to get vaccinated, the team needed ways to get people vaccinated. Following long meetings between their stakeholders, students and community members, they came up with a solution: hosting a vaccination clinic at a local church that doesn’t require identification. Holy Rosary Catholic Church, which offers mass in Spanish on Wednesdays and Sundays became the perfect place to reach people. After speaking with Father Martin Estrada, during the spring, Crowe and her team were able to host a vaccination clinic where students translated the intake forms, revised the pamphlet to let people know they didn’t need an ID and interviewed people at the clinic on what their needs were.

'We’re trying to offer people the opportunity, especially Latinos, to get the vaccine,'
Estrada said. 'I think by offering it here, people feel more comfortable, because they know the church already and comfortably know where they can go.'

That day, more than 100 were vaccinated. Through their interviews, the biggest findings they discovered were lack of insurance, cultural differences and language barriers. These findings have lead to two projects that the fall ChangeLab is looking to work on: hosting another vaccination clinic and creating a cultural sensitivity workshop for health care providers. This vaccination clinic is focused on reaching younger people, specifically those 12 and up, which is now the youngest age people are able to be vaccinated. As the church and program are trying to reach out for more Latino people to get vaccinated, the clinic is open to everyone. The clinic will be held following mass on Sept. 26 for the first dose and Oct. 17 for the second dose. At the clinic for the second dose, there will be a lottery that Latinx students can enter after receiving both doses of the vaccine. One selected student will receive a four-year scholarship to the University of Evansville that will cover full-time tuition for both fall and spring semesters.

'I’m just so excited,' said Crowe on hosting the clinic again. 'I’m just thrilled about the opportunity that not only are we helping the entire community, because the more people we get vaccinated, the quicker this thing is going to go away. '

'If someone actually talked to them like a nurse or a doctor or physician, I’m sure that before the actual benefit of getting the vaccine, they’d get it themselves.' Imelda Salgado University of Evansville student.

The University of Evansville is doing their part to try to help bolster COVID-19 vaccination rates, especially those in the Latinx community.

Tiffany Griffith has put together a primer for collegiate writing. “An Introduction to College Writing” (Kendall Hunt Publishing) is forthcoming and described as such: “[It] is designed to address the essential foundations for college writing, including reading and writing critically, the writing process, paragraph development, essay structure, and modes of exposition, to provide an approachable, comprehensive introduction to the basics of writing for college. The chapters are excerpted from Linda Dawn Lukas’s College Composition and Reading: Information and Strategies and also include a chapter on the major modes of exposition from George Searles’ College English: The Basics.” 

The University of Evansville has been recognized as a gold-level COVID Stops Here workplace for achieving a 94% vaccination rate among employees.

The COVID Stops Here campaign was created jointly by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and Wellness Council of Indiana to recognize Indiana workplaces that are becoming vaccinated against COVID-19. Organizations with at least a 70% vaccination rate are eligible for designation. Gold-level status is awarded to those with at least a 90% vaccination rate among employees.

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce and Wellness Council of Indiana are promoting the campaign to celebrate workplaces leading the fight to stop the spread of COVID-19, and they encourage more organizations to join the ranks.

Way to go, faculty, staff, and administration!

If you'd like to add the gold-level badge to your email signature, you can save the image below.

Our sympathy goes out to Cheryl Shafer, School of Health Sciences, in the passing of her brother last week due to COVID. Michael Knies, was 49 years old from Ferdinand, Indiana. He leaves behind his wife, Beth, and children Alex, Madison and Connor and two grandchildren. 

In its final tune-up before opening its home schedule on Friday, the University of Evansville volleyball team picked up a big 3-0 road win over previously undefeated Tennessee State on Tuesday evening.

Evansville, who improved to 8-1 with the win, faced deficits of 5+ points in the opening two sets before rallying to win both.  The Purple Aces overcame a Tiger rally in the third frame to earn the 3-0 sweep.  Alondra Vazquez recorded a team-best 12 digs to go along with 11 kills in the win.  Melanie Feliciano had the top kill tally with 12 while Giulia Cardona added 11.  Cardona and fellow freshman Taya Haffner added three service aces apiece.  Haffner also recorded 29 assists.

Set 1
After jumping out to a 5-1 advantage, Tennessee State extended its lead to 15-8.  That is when Evansville kicked it into high gear, scoring the next nine points to take a 16-15 lead.  Vazquez did the job with her serving while Cardona added three kills in the rally.  The Tigers fended off the challenge to go in front at 19-17 before a Feliciano kill and Cardona ace tied it right back up.  A pair of Tiger errors put Evansville back in the lead before a pair of late Vazquez kills finished off a 25-22 decision and a 1-0 UE lead.

Set 2
Another big time start by TSU put them in front by an 8-2 tally to open game two.  Aleksandra Rojecka picked up three consecutive kills to cap off the early stretch.  The Aces closed the gap one point at a time before back-to-back aces from Laura Ruiz tied it up at 12-12.  Cardona went on to record consecutive kills that put her team on top for good.  Her offense broke a 13-13 tie and helped UE pull away for a 25-17 win.  She added another ace that extended the lead to 21-16 before Madisyn Steele and Vazquez capped of the set.

Set 3
Evansville had the upper hand to open the third set, turning a 7-6 lead into a 14-7 advantage with a 7-1 run.  Vazquez added two more kills to her total while Taya Haffner finished the rally with a pair of aces to cement the lead.  Tennessee State did not give up and inched its way back, getting within two (23-21) on a UE error.  Cardona’s 11th kill of the evening brought up match point before a Tiger error gave the Aces a 25-21 victory and a 3-0 sweep.

With three non-conference tournaments and nine matches in the books, the Aces are set to open the home schedule on Friday with the Dunn Hospitality Tournament.  UE faces Liberty at 1 p.m. on Friday before hosting Cleveland State at 7 p.m.  On Saturday, the Aces will take on Murray State in a 3 p.m. match.

A strong team performance across the board saw the University of Evansville women’s golf team earn a tie for fourth place at the season-opening Roseann Schwartz Invite in Boardman, Ohio.

Leading the way for the Purple Aces was Alyssa McMinn, who came home in a tie for the 10th spot.  She followed up Monday’s opening round 76 with a 2-over 74 to complete the tournament with a 150.  Finishing second for Evansville and tied for 18th overall was sophomore Mallory Russell.  Her 79 on Tuesday, coupled with Monday’s team-low 75, saw her begin the season with a top 20 performance.

Two behind her was Allison Enchelmayer.  The junior recorded a tie for 28th place with a 2-round tally of 156.  She opened with a 76 before scoring an 80 over the final 18 holes.  Caitlin O’Donnell had the top turnaround for the Aces.  O’Donnell scored an 82 in the opening round before rebounding with a 5-over 77 to finish the event.  Her 159 tied her for 37th.

Wrapping up her first collegiate event, freshman Lucia Pantigozo also lowered her score in the second day.  Tuesday’s round of 80, coupled with an 83 to open play, earned her a tie for 46th.  Carly Frazier had a consistent outing, picking up a tie for 52nd with a 165.  Her rounds finished at 81 and 84.

Akron won the team championship with a score of 590.  The Zips came home eight strokes in front of Youngstown State and 17 on top of Cleveland State.  Evansville and Detroit Mercy tied for fourth place with scores of 618.  Jenn David of Akron was the medalist.  She along with teammate Abbie Pearce and Youngstown State’s Danae Rugola tied for the top spot with scores of 146.  David took the win following a playoff.

In two weeks, the Aces will be back on the course at the UIC Invitational.  Briar Ridge Golf Club in Dyer, Indiana will host the tournament on Sept. 26 and 27.
 

In the final round of the Golfweek Fall Challenge, it was Carson Parker leading the way with a 1-under 71 with the University of Evansville men’s golf team finishing in a tie for 17th place.

Parker improved in each round of the event, lowering his scores from 83 to 75 before his 1-under on Tuesday.  He tied for 83rd place.  Leading the Aces in the final standings was Isaac Rohleder.  He carded a 76 in Tuesday’s final 18 to finish with a 221 and tie for 53rd.

Three behind Rohleder was Caleb Wassmer, who recorded a 74 on Tuesdsay to complete the tournament with a 224.  He tied for 69th.  Parker was third on the team with his 229 while Dallas Koth checked in with a 231.  Koth’s score on the final day finished at a 77.  Eli Rohleder finished the final day with an 81 for his lowest round of the weekend.

A huge rally in the final day by Delaware saw them overcome a 17-point deficit to defeat Mercer by one stroke.  The Fightin’ Blue Hens finished with a 270 on Tuesday, the lowest round of the entire event by any of the 18 teams.  The effort was enough to overcome the deficit and win the tournament by one stroke.  The medalist was Wofford’s Harry Jones.  Playing as an individual, Jones posted a 66 on Tuesday to finish with a 199.  He defeated Temple’s Conor McGrath by four strokes.

Next week, the Aces will be in action for the third week in a row, taking part in the Valparaiso Collegiate on Sept. 20-21.

One of the top turnarounds in Missouri Valley Conference history saw the University of Evansville men’s basketball team make a 7-game improvement last season while clinching one of the top six seeds.  The Purple Aces look for more as they head into the 2021-22 campaign.

On Tuesday, the MVC announced the league portion of the schedules.  Conference play opens for UE on Wednesday, December 1 with a contest against Southern Illinois inside the Ford Center.  It will mark the earliest MVC contest in program history, surpassing a Dec. 8 contest in 1999 at SIU.

After wrapping up its non-conference slate, the Aces open the New Year on January 2 with a visit to Northern Iowa.  The Panthers have had a solid mark against Evansville inside the McLeod Center, winning the last seven matchups with the Aces last win in the building coming on Jan. 9, 2013.  UE remains on the road to take on Indiana State on the 5th.  The Hulman Center is another facility where the Aces look to end a streak with the Sycamores winning the last 10 games in Terre Haute.

The first home game of the new year will see the Aces welcome Illinois State on 1/8.  In last year’s scheduling of back-to-back games, UE split a home series against the Redbirds.  A stretch of three out of four games on the road will conclude on Jan. 12 with a trip to Bradley. 

Following the trip to Peoria, UE will host the top two conference squads from last season – Drake and Loyola.  The Aces face the Bulldogs on the 15th inside the Ford Center before taking on Loyola three days later.  Drake made the NCAA Tournament last season with a 26-5 overall and 15-3 league mark.  Taking on former conference foe Wichita State in the tournament, the Bulldogs picked up a 53-52 win.  The Ramblers were 16-2 in the MVC while going 26-5 overall.  They advanced to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament with wins over Georgia Tech and Illinois.

UE returns to the road on the 23rd for a trip to Redbird Arena to face Illinois State before finishing the month at home against UNI (1/26) and on the road at Missouri State (1/29).  Evansville swept a 2-game series from the Panthers at the Ford Center in 2021 while splitting its series versus the Bears to complete the 2020-21 regular season.

February opens at Valparaiso on the 1st.  It will mark the first trip to Valparaiso since January of 2020 as Valpo was one of four trips (UNI, MSU, Illinois State being the others) that the team did not make last season due to the COVID scheduling.  Two home games follow with the Aces facing Bradley (2/5) and Indiana State (2/9) before the team travels to Southern Illinois on the 12th.  In the last trip to Carbondale to open the 2020-21 MVC schedule, the Aces halted a 19-game conference skid against the Salukis.  Four days later, the squad returns to Iowa to take on Drake.

Two of the final three regular-season games will take place at the Ford Center with the Aces playing host to Valpo on Feb. 19.  UE faced the Beacons in a pair of home games last year, taking both contests.  The road finale will see the Aces head to Gentile Arena on 2/23 to face Loyola before hosting Missouri State on Feb. 26 to close the regular season.

Season tickets for the 2021-22 season are on sale now and can be purchased by calling the UE Athletics Ticket Office at 812-488-2237.  Individual game tickets go on sale on Monday, October 11 and can be purchased at the Carson Center Ticket Office, Ford Center or on Ticketmaster.com.