In preparation for the University Advancement event, Walnut Street will be closed to thru traffic from Thursday April 21- Sunday April 24. Official University owned vehicles and approved delivery service vehicles will have access to Ridgway Drive. Entry and exit from Ridgway will be in the eastbound lane of Walnut.

Commencement

Everyone is invited to attend the 164th Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 7 to honor the class of 2022. The ceremony will begin at 1:30 p.m. at the Ford Center. No tickets are required. For those who cannot attend in-person, the ceremony can also be live streamed at evansville.edu/live.

Cap and gown orders will be available from the bookstore beginning April 25 through May 6. Seniors should also complete the 2022 Graduation Survey.

Baccalaureate Service

The Interfaith Baccalaureate Service will be held Saturday, May 7 at 9:00 a.m. in Neu Chapel. This is a religious service that honors the graduating class. All graduates and their families are invited to attend. The service provides time to reflect and give thanks to God in the context of high University ceremony.

Baccalaureate will include music, prayer, and readings. Music will be provided by the UE Music Conservatory and University Choir.

If you are a senior in need of information for Commencement, Baccalaureate, regalia pick-up, arrival information, and more, please visit Commencement Central.

The Tenth Annual Student Literary Conference will take place on Saturday, April 22. All are welcome to attend the student panels, which are scheduled for 9:30 AM, 10:45 AM, and at noon in the Schroeder School of Business Building, Rooms 271 and 272.

The Virginia Grabill and the George Klinger Memorial Writing Prizes will be announced during the last panel session of the conference.

The Department of English and Creative Writing will host the Hemminger-Brown Lecture at the Melvin M. Peterson Literary Forum on Friday, April 22 at 7:00 PM in Smythe Lecture Hall, Room 170 of the Schroeder School of Business Building. Guest speaker Larry Caldwell, Professor Emeritus of English at the University of Evansville, will give a talk on John Keats entitled “The Truth in the Trope: Keats, Youth and the Mists of Autumn.”

Dr. Caldwell is Professor served in the English Department for thirty years, teaching general humanities, Medieval literature, and the Romantic Poets, among numerous other courses. He received his B.A. in English and German from Central College in Pella, Iowa, spending his junior year as a participant in that institution’s study abroad program in Germany and Austria. A regular attendee of the Vienna State Opera during that period (Standing Room Only), he encountered Wagner’s Ring Cycle and through it his first acquaintance with Norse mythology, medieval literature, and the Romantic Movement.

Dr. Caldwell earned a Master’s Degree in English and Germanic Languages at the University of Nebraska, where he subsequently also received his Ph.D. in English, with a focus on Anglo-Saxon poetry.

Join us for an academic conversation about the history, usage, and modern implications of pronouns! The presentation is in Koch 100 from 5-6 PM on Friday, April 22nd.

The University of Evansville Theatre closes their spring 2022 season with Will Arbery’s HEROES OF THE FOURTH TURNING. To celebrate the season finale of their “Welcome Back To Shanklin Theatre” campaign, they are offering two FREE tickets to every University of Evansville employee for this production, playing at 7:30 pm, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and at 2:00 pm, on Sunday. Free tickets for university employees are available for any date.

HEROES OF THE FOURTH TURNING, a 2020 Pulitzer Prize Finalist in Drama, is a meticulously crafted story centering on four alumni of a conservative college whose reunion spirals into chaos over spirituality, politics, and a nearly fanatical desire to be understood.

University of Evansville employees may obtain their two free tickets by calling extension 2031, or by going to the Shanklin Theatre Ticket Office, located in the Matt Williams Lobby in Hyde Hall, Monday through Friday, 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. UE students may also claim their free ticket by coming to the Shanklin Theatre Ticket Office on the day of the show they wish to attend.

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 48-hours of the date on their ticket, and remain masked during the performance. It is our hope that these restrictions will allow the student actors to safely perform unmasked.

HEROES OF THE FOURTH TURNING is guest-directed by Dylan Frederick, a 2014 alumnus of UE. Joy Weidenhamer, a senior theatre studies major from Omaha, Neb., serves as the associate director; Robert Tintoc, a 2006 alumnus, serves as the guest scenic designer; Assistant Professor Sarah J. Smith is the costume designer; Associate Professor Stephen Boulmetis is the lighting designer; Araceli Ramirez serves as the guest sound designer; Professor Diane Brewer is the dramaturg; Moira Cassiday, a senior stage management major from Nashville, Ind., is the stage manager, and Assistant Professor Mitchell L. Critel serves as the technical director.

The cast features Delaney Ross, a first-year performance major from Keller, Texas; Gabriel Smothers, a junior performance major from Casper, Wyo.; Becky Rusch, a senior performance major from Newark, Del.; McAllister Reed Stowell, a junior performance major from Lakewood, Colo.; and Delanie Kitzman, a senior performance major from Tomball, Texas.

UE Theatre’s Department Chair, Sharla Cowden, says, “We are truly grateful to our campus community for their continued support of our efforts to produce a full season of in-person productions this year. We hope many of you will take up us on our offer to be our guest for this season finale production, and we look forward to greeting each of you personally. Indeed, Welcome back to Shanklin Theatre.”

The Department of Art is having a Spring Art Sale. They will have Paintings, Drawings, Ceramics, Prints, and more. Come support the Department of Art and the Art Students. This event is rain or shine either inside Ridgeway Center or on the East Terrace Lawn. See flier for more details. Cash, check, or charge accepted.

The Department of Art is pleased to present the Senior Exhibition 2022 in the Melvin Peterson Gallery starting, April 21- May 6, 2022. Please come see the artwork of Hannah Girten, Ashley Gray, Greg King, Paige Kirkey, Bailey Korschgen, Autumn Owens, Makayla Stewart, and Jane Tafolla. The gallery hours are Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday 12-3 pm and Wednesday and Thursday 12-6 pm. A closing reception is on May 6, 5-6:30 pm.

Free off-site paper shredding by Piranha Mobile Shredding will return to campus once again April 28 (Reading Study Day) from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00p.m. All UE students, faculty, staff, and alumni can take advantage of this free service by bringing paper to the Piranha truck in Koch Center for Engineering and Science parking lot. Paper will be shredded off-site. We will place bins along the parking lot to allow each person to empty their own material for a no contact approach.

So, if mounds of paper are taking over your office, home, or room, this is the time to gather those old files, receipts, cancelled checks, tax forms, etc. No need to take out the staples or paper clips. Avoid identity theft by having confidential information permanently destroyed.

Please - no telephone books, magazines, or newspapers. Also, please note that there is a 100-pound paper limit per visit (number of visits is not limited).

The Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the Fitness Center invites you to attend Self-Defense training. Fitness Center Director Jeff Chestnut, who is certified in Rape Aggression Defense will be holding two, one-hour sessions at 12 pm on Wednesday, April 20th, and 3 pm on Thursday, April 21st in the Fitness Center.

Please reach out to CDEI with any questions at center4dei@evansville.edu.

Several big events take place in the UE Music Conservatory this week:

On Tuesday, April 19 at 7:30 p.m. the combined UE University Choir and Choral Society along with faculty/professional chamber orchestra will perform W.A. Mozart’s Solemn Vespers K 339. Also on the program are works by Charles Villiers Stanford, Alan Hovhaness, Ola Gjeilo, and Charles Ives. The concert takes place in Neu Chapel on the UE campus and is free admission. Come support UE’s Choral program and hear one the great classics of choral repertoire!

Then, on Thursday, April 21, the UE Community Band will present a concert at 7:30 p.m., in Neu Chapel. The ensemble, which includes both UE students and area community members will perform a variety of audience favorites for concert band. Our small ensembles will also be performing this coming weekend. First, on Friday, April 22, 2022, the Brass and Percussion and Percussion Ensemble will present a concert at 7:30 p.m. in Krannert room 110. Secondly, the Woodwind and String ensembles will be performing at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 24 in Neu Chapel.

Please join us for these events!

The #uelitfest kicks off with the Senior Reading at the Mel Peterson Gallery on Thursday, April 21st at 4 PM. Seniors will be reading from the work they’ve done over the years, and the winners of the Virginia Grabill Awards will be announced. Come support our seniors as they transition from student writers to professionals!

The annual Spring History Lecture will take place on Thursday April 21, at 4pm in SOBA 162. The speaker is historian Dr Ann Flesor Beck, and her subject is "Sweet Greeks: American Immigration 1880-1930". Ann Flesor Beck, Ph.D. is an independent scholar with focus on American immigration history. She is the author of Sweet Greeks: First-Generation Immigrant Confectioners in the Heartland (University of Illinois Press, 2020). Dr Beck is a third-generation Greek confectioner and, with her sister, she co-owns and operates Flesor's Candy Kitchen in Tuscola, Illinois.

The UE campus community (and guests) are invited to a reception in the Krannert Gallery on Thursday, April 21 at 4:30 p.m. Please plan to join us to celebrate the 2022 UE Employee Photography Exhibit.  The exhibit will be open through Sunday, May 8 in the Krannert Gallery.

Co-workers and UE retirees participating include:
Melissa Gust, Center for the Advancement of Learning
Tonya Albright, School of Engineering and Computer Science
Donnie Dunville, Retiree Physical Plant/Maintenance
Lynn R. Penland, Dean Emerita
Keith Gehlhausen, Human Resources and Institutional Equity
Mari Plikuhn, Sociology Programs
Lois Patton, Professor Emerita
Hanns G Pieper, Professor Emeritus
Nancy Lockyear, Department of Art
Todd Matteson, Department of Art
Kevin Gray, Criminal Justice
Joe Flauto, Professor Emeritus
John Metelko, Track and Field/Cross County
Corliss Chastain, Department of Art

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, also known as SAAM. The Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion & Office of Institutional Equity have brought forth activities to bring awareness, education, and support in this time.

April 5th at 7:00 PM Sexual Assault Awareness Panel via Zoom.
The Panel consists of Counseling Services, Public Safety, Institutional Equity, EPD, Albion Fellows Bacon Center, Deaconess, and the Prosecutor’s Office.

Tuesday, April 13th at 7:00 PM in Eykamp: Not Someone Like Us: a collaboration between the CDEI and Evansville Civic Theatre. It is a play about sexual assault based on true stories. The Consent Pledge will take place before the play. The Center will also be hosting a talk back session after the play.

Monday, April 19th at 6:00 PM Bystander Intervention Training via Zoom.
Learn how to safely act when others may be in dangerous situations.

The following faculty members will be honored at the Faculty Retirement Tree Planting Ceremony that will take place on Sunday, April 24:

• Sharon Gieselmann- Associate Professor of Education/Chair
• Donald Rodd- Professor of Exercise Science and Physical Therapy
• David Unger- Professor of Mechanical and Civil Engineering

The UE community is welcome to attend this event which will begin at 1:00 p.m. on the lawn south of the Schroeder Family School of Business Administration building.

The Office of Public Safety, in partnership with University Advancement, will close Lot “H” to all student parking on Saturday, April 23.

We kindly ask that all student vehicles be removed from the lot by 6:00 p.m. on Friday, April 22.

Alternative parking is available in all university owned parking lots for the weekend, except for the Front Oval parking spots. As always, a university issued parking permit must be displayed on the rearview mirror while parked on campus.

Lot “H” will reopen on Sunday, April 24.

Schedule assistance needed? Pop into Academic Services in Olmsted 116 for assistance with your fall schedule before the semester ends and grab a bag of popcorn on your way!

The University of Evansville Board of Trustees will be on campus for April 2022 Board meetings on Friday, April 22, and Saturday, April 23. Parking in front of Olmsted Administration Hall and the Schroeder Family School of Business Administration will be reserved for University Trustees. Employee parking on the front oval will be limited on both days.

Seniors, as long as you have previously ordered your cap and gown, pick-up in the bookstore starts Monday, April 25th and runs through Friday, April 29th. Please come in during normal business hours with you I.D. and a valid form of payment. There will be a designated pick-up area before you head to the register to pay.

Check out the Multicultural Student Commons for relationship red flags and green flags.

Sexual Assault Awareness is critical for many reasons. Around 20% of women will be sexually assaulted in college while 4% of men will. Most victims are assaulted by someone they know and 42% of women expect to be raped again. Nearly another 42% of college women raped will end up telling no one; only 5% of overall college sexual assaults are reported. These assaults can lead to serious problems. 4 out of 5 victims suffer from chronic physical and psychological conditions. Rape results in about 32,000 pregnancies a year and 40% of the survivors develop a sexually transmitted disease. Even more tragic, survivors are 13% more likely to attempt suicide compared to those who have not. These, and many more, reasons are why Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) should be important to you for more than just the month of April.

HS205 will be offered Summer Session 1 2022. This will be an online, asynchronous class.

Family, friends and loved ones of the late Dr. Marvin E. Hartig are pleased to announce the application process for the Dr. Marvin E. Hartig Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is dedicated to the loving memory of Dr. Hartig, Dean of Evansville College’s Evening College in 1967, and administrator for the Center for Advanced Study, director of the Evansville chapter of the American Institute of Banking (AIB), and the international student advisor. In 1974, Dr. Hartig was appointed Dean of Academic Services. He retired in 1984 after serving his alma mater for thirty-five years and passed away in 2007.

This scholarship will be awarded annually to a deserving sophomore student. Preference will be given to a student working while being enrolled as a full-time student. International students are encouraged to apply.

Eligible students for the 2022-2023 Hartig Memorial Scholarship will be sophomores in the 2022-2023 academic year.

Apply for the 2022-2023 Hartig Memorial Scholarship

Deadline: Please return all materials to the Office of Student Financial Services by April 22, 2022. The decision will be announced by May 27, 2022.

Questions: Amber Chandler, Administrative Assistant to the Office of Student Financial Services, at ac547@evansville.edu or 812-488-2364

The Sociology Programs announced the winners of their annual awards on Tuesday, April 12. This year saw the debut of two new awards to recognize student service and involvement, as well as the 10th anniversary of their senior research award. Each of these awards are named for UE emeriti faculty who were committed to improving the experiences and opportunities of our students.

The James Berry Outstanding Junior Award is given to a junior Criminal Justice or Sociology major for achievement on their Research Methods proposal, their campus or community involvement, and their program commitment. The 2022 winner of the Berry Outstanding Junior Award is Kaitlyn Collins '23 (Criminal Justice).

The Mary Rode and Ludwig Petkovsek Outstanding Service Award is given to a Criminal Justice or Sociology major of any academic year for significant achievement in campus and community involvement, internship, and program commitment. The 2022 winner of the Petkovsek Outstanding Service Award is Destiny Ogburn '22 (Criminal Justice/Sociology).

The Hanns G. Pieper Sociology and Criminal Justice Senior Research Award is given to a Criminal Justice or Sociology senior for their outstanding Senior Seminar research project, presentation, and paper. The 2022 winner of the Pieper Senior Research Award is Natasha Wolf '22 (Criminal Justice).

Posters on the Hill is the signature student advocacy event for the Council on Undergraduate Research. Each year, 60 research presentations are selected from approximately 300 applications. Students are invited from all over the country and Puerto Rico to learn about how to advocate for undergraduate research with members of Congress, present their research, and discuss the impact undergraduate research has had on their college experience and future educational and career goals.

The student researchers selected from UE include Jackson Smith (Team Lead), Alek Dunkelberger, and Edward Friesel, all mechanical engineering seniors set to graduate this spring. The presentation portion of the conference will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, between 1:00 and 2:40 p.m. CST. The student’s poster presentation is titled The Investigation into the Existence of Local Minimum and Maximum Locations in Thermosiphon System Efficiency. Their research involves work on a passive thermosiphon, which can be used to provide domestic hot water or supplement domestic heating. It is a green solar energy driven system without any moving parts. Dr. Douglas Stamps is their faculty research advisor.

The presentation is free and open for all to attend virtually. Information can be found at

https://www.cur.org/what/events/students/POH__meet_the_researchers_2022/.

Click on “RVSP to Support Researchers” to register to attend. The UE team will be in Zoom room 7. Attendees can come and go throughout the hour and 40 minutes period.

Congratulations to Jackson, Alek, and Edward!

Congratulations to those students who completed the ACE Pathway earning the ACE Certificate!

Falicity Atkins, Chloe Bontrager, Claire Brown, Kate Dowell, Merris Egloff, Michael Furman, Baylee Geng, Dani Hurwitz, Ava Kelly, Samantha Kinnevan, Mandipalli Kausalya, Alexa Markl, Alec McAlister, Grace McGuire, Autumn Owens, Ariana Paredes Medina, NaTaya Partee, Sue Prasad, Tyla Rasche, Anna Schindler, John Sutter. Michaela Till, Amanda Ward, Majestica Weatherford, Paige Webster, Casey Winters, and Haley Worland

The ACE Certificate is awarded to students completing each element in the categories of the ACE Pathway, including self-evaluation, communication/professional image development, and engagement/connection. This program offers students the opportunity to gain the skills needed to easily communicate their professionalism, accomplishments, and career focus to potential employers or graduate schools.

All the ACE Certificate recipients will be recognized at the 2022 Leadership Awards Ceremony Wednesday, April 20, 2022!

If you are not currently on the ACE Pathway and would like to become career ready, please contact the Center for Career Development at 812-488-1083 or career@evansville.edu to get started!

On Tuesday, April 12, students from across campus participated in the 3rd annual Research in Gerontology Symposium, hosted by the University of Evansville's Gerontology Center. This year's symposium featured poster presentations from the following students on the following topics:

• Sydney Bachman (Public Health)- “Elder Abuse in Long-Term Care Facilities”
• Paige Beard (Sociology)- “Sexual (Re-)Education for Elders: Becoming Reacquainted with New Norms, Expectations, and Knowledge”
• Brandi Borchers (Theatre Technology and Design)- “The Health Impact of Financials on Older Adults”
• Megan Buechler (Public Health)- “Characteristics of Purpose-Built Elder Communities”
• Corey Cagle (Theatre: Stage Management)- “The Effects of Intergenerational Trauma on the Parent-Child Relationship”
• Rebecca Crow (Public Health Policy)- “Elders' Struggles with Occupational Self-Efficacy”
• Baylee Geng (Sociology and Psychology)- “Prescription Drug Misuse Among Older Adults”
• Shelby Jones (Public Health- Nutrition)- “Strategies for Reducing Rehospitalization Among Older Adults”
• Destiny Ogburn (Criminal Justice and Sociology)- “The Health Disparities Among Elder Black Women in the US”
• Lindsey Phillips (Literature)- “Influence of Pets on Elder Well-Being”
• Brynn Radak (Sociology and Ethics and Social Change)- “The Influence of Moving to Nursing Homes on Elder Well-Being”
• Taylor Rapp (Public Health)- “Advantages and Challenges of Healthcare Technology for Elders”
• Becky Riggs (Criminal Justice and Sociology) and Kira Ulrich (Criminal Justice and Sociology)- “Elder Use of Technology in Maintaining Social Connections”
• Sophia Rodil (Public Health)- “Effects of Caregiving for Older Adults with Dementia”
• Kirby Swails (BS/MS Health Services Administration)- “Changing Expectations of Retirement for Older Adults”
• Majestica Weatherford (Psychology and Sociology)- “Mental Health in the Older Population”

Harlaxton College is delighted to host our first archaeological excavation on the grounds of the breath-taking Harlaxton Manor. Open to all, from beginners to experienced archaeologists, we are aiming to provide the most inclusive and accessible archaeological field school in Britain. We will be hosting both American and British students, expecting daily visits from members of the local community, and receiving expert input from the Ministry of Defense's award-winning archaeology program, Operation Nightingale. With evidence from the Iron Age to the present, we will be investigating three key areas of the grounds: a suspect iron age enclosure, the 'thunder house' of the early Victorian walled garden complex, and the training trenches from WWI.

The archaeological excavation will take place June 1-30, and there are opportunities for participation for 2, 3, or 4 weeks and for academic credit or just experience. The deadline to apply and make an initial deposit is May 2, so check out the details and register now here: https://harlaxton.evansville.edu/accepted/archaeology-field-school.cfm

Please contact the program director, Dr. Emily Stammitti, at estammitti@harlaxton.ac.uk with any questions about the program details or Kaylynn McCalister in the UE Harlaxton office at kc205@evansville.edu with any questions about the registration process!

There are still spaces available for Harlaxton Spring 2023, but we are filling fast! If you have an interest in going to Harlaxton next spring, be sure to talk with your advisor and get your application in by the end of this semester if possible! You can find the course information and application on the Harlaxton website here: https://harlaxton.evansville.edu/accepted/semester.cfm. Feel free to reach out to the Harlaxton team with questions at harlaxton@evansville.edu!

Turning the page into a new era of Purple Aces athletics, University of Evansville President Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz announced the hiring of Dr. Kenneth “Ziggy” Siegfried as the new Director of Athletics. Siegfried will officially be introduced today at a 2:00 p.m. press conference inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse.

Siegfried joins the University of Evansville from California State University Bakersfield (CSUB) where he has served as the Director of Athletics and Associate Vice President for Student Affairs since August of 2015. In his role at CSUB, Siegfried has successfully led an athletic program that is comprised of 16 varsity sports programs with over 300 student-athletes and 90 employees. One of the highlights of his tenure at CSUB was when he succeeded in securing an invitation for CSUB to join the Big West Conference.

Siegfried transformed the athletic department during his tenure at CSUB through the development of a new strategic plan, the creation of a comprehensive master facilities plan, and the commencement of a variety of major construction projects. Under his direction, CSUB generated the largest amount of revenue in the history of the department while achieving high ticket sales and securing significant donations and corporate sponsorships.

Putting an emphasis on academics is a pivotal part of Siegfried’s blueprint. During his tenure, CSUB set records in Graduation Success Rates (GSR), departmental GPAs, and Academic Progress Rates (APR). Siegfried has also been active at the university, conference, and national level throughout his career. On a national level, he serves on the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association (MOAA) Board and is in his third year serving on the NCAA Accelerating Academic Success Program Committee.

At the conference level, he serves on the Big West Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, the D1-AAA Athletics Directors Association Scholar-Athlete Team Committee and has served on the conference championships committee for both the Western Athletic Conference and the Big West Conference.

Prior to his arrival in Bakersfield, Siegfried worked at the University of Memphis for eight years on the Senior Staff within the Athletics Department while serving on the University fundraising leadership team during a successful $250 million campaign. During his time at U of M, Siegfried helped to raise $16 million that went into the transformation of the athletic facilities.

Siegfried attended the University of Memphis where he earned a bachelor’s degree in education and sports management in 2003. He earned his Master of Science in sports administration from Middle Tennessee State University in 2004 and completed his Doctor of Education from the University of Memphis in 2019. A native of Memphis, Siegfried and his wife, Karen, have five children: William, Samuel, Caroline, Miriam, and their late sister Delilah.

Sophomore Alexa Davis came through with a 2-run game-winning home run to help the University of Evansville softball team earn a doubleheader split at Indiana State.  The Sycamores opened the day with a 16-3 win before Evansville rallied for a 3-2 triumph in game two on Wednesday at Price Field.

Game One – Indiana State 16, UE 3
An 8-run first inning by Indiana State set the tone before they finished with a 16-3 win in five innings.  Home runs by Amanda Guercio and Annie Tokarek contributed to the big start.  The Sycamores chased Purple Aces starter Izzy Vetter from the game after just 2/3 of an inning.  She allowed eight earned runs on seven hits.

ISU continued to add to the lead, plating two in the second, four in the third and two more to cap off the fourth.  Despite the large deficit, the Aces finished strong, scoring three runs in the top half of the fifth.  Jenna Nink got things going, hitting a leadoff double and with two outs, Haley Woolf picked up a 2-RBI single to put Evansville on the board.  Alexa Davis followed with an RBI double to plate the third run.  A pair of walks loaded the bases before ISU was able to record the final out to seal the win.

Game Two – UE 3, Indiana State 2
After Indiana State scored the opening run in the first, Evansville plated the tying run in the top of the third with some small ball.  Mackenzie McFeron singled to lead off before stealing second.  After advancing to third on a flyout to center field, she scored on an RBI groundout from Marah Wood.  The game did not remain tied for long as ISU retook the lead at 2-1 in the bottom of the inning.

With two outs and her team trailing by a 2-1 score in the fifth, Alexa Davis came through with one of the biggest plays of the season.  A 2-run blast to center field put Evansville in front for the first time at 3-2.  Sydney Weatherford kept the Sycamores off the board from there as the Aces fended off a late challenge to win by a 3-2 final.

Weatherford allowed two runs, one earned, on eight hits.  She recorded her 6th win of the season.  UE completed the game with seven hits with Davis and Hannah Hood picking up two apiece.  McFeron scored two of UE’s three runs.  Evansville will be back on the road this weekend with a 3-game series at Bradley.  A noon doubleheader on Saturday opens the weekend.

After a week off from competition, the University of Evansville track and field program will return to action this weekend beginning on Thursday, as the Purple Aces will take part in the Gibson Invitational hosted by Indiana State University in Terre Haute.

The three-day meet will begin with the first half of the multi-event competitions on Thursday morning at 9 a.m. central time. It will continue on Friday with the conclusion of the multi-events, along with both the javelin and hammer throw competitions, as well as the 5,000-meter event for both genders. The Gibson Invitational will conclude on Saturday with the remaining field events, as well as a full slate of track events beginning at 10 a.m. central time.

Evansville last competed at the Jim Vargo Invitational in Louisville, Kentucky on April 8-9. The Purple Aces set 15 personal-best marks at the two-day meet, including a school-record throw in the hammer throw by junior Zach Dove (Princeton, Ind./Princeton Community) despite competing in cold and blustery conditions. This weekend should be Evansville’s first warm meet of the spring, as temperatures on Saturday are expected to be in the low 80s under sunny skies.

“Hopefully, the weather forecast holds, because it will be nice to be able to get out and compete under nice weather for once this spring,” said UE head coach Don Walters. “That should allow us to post some really fast times on the track and some good distances in the field events to help us continue our pursuit of not only personal-best times, but also school records.”

So far this year, Evansville has broken a school record 12 different times in both indoor and outdoor track and field.

Following her tie for 4th place at the Missouri Valley Conference Championship, University of Evansville sophomore Mallory Russell was named to the All-Tournament Team.

The team consists of the top five finishers in the tournament, including tie scores.  Russell had an exceptional championship at Greenbriar Hills Country Club.  In three rounds, she finished with a score of 228.  Her final tally was just three strokes off of the medalist.

Russell was at or near the top of the standings for the duration of the tournament.  The Evansville native opened the tournament on Sunday with a 2-over 73 before carding a 79 in Monday’s second round.  Her 76 on Tuesday clinched the top five finish.

Her efforts, combined with strong performances from the entire team, helped the Purple Aces jump to fifth in the final standings.  It was the second-best team finish in program history behind only the 2021 championship squad.