Would you like to spend your summer in England?  Interested in learning about health care issues in the global arena?  Want to explore the British health care system, from the 17th century bubonic plague to the current National Health System? Curious as to what it is like to live in a 19th century English country manor?    Enrollment is still open for N395/PH499 Emerging Global Health Care Challenges offered this summer at Harlaxton College. This popular interdisciplinary course is for anyone (undergraduate and graduate) who has an interest in global health care issues; no clinical experience required.  Participate in weekly field trips around the U.K. to explore health care issues and solutions.  Applications due February 15th. Looking forward to seeing you at Harlaxton in July!

The February 2024 meetings of the University of Evansville Board of Trustees will be held on campus Friday, February 16, and Saturday, February 17, 2024. 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.

The Department of Archaeology and UE's Public Safety are collaborating on a pop-up exhibit of the UE ceremonial mace.  We see it twice a year at graduation and Convocation, but we never get the chance to look at it up close.  This is your chance.  Exhibit personnel will explain the little-known and surprising origins of the two creatures at the top of the mace and their connection to UE Archaeology.

This pop-up exhibit will last for a half an hour only!

Date:  Tuesday, February 20
Time:  12:30-1:00
Location:  The Archaeology Lab, Hyde Hall 22

Evansville native and UE alum, Matt Williams, is gearing up for his hometown book launch and signing event, and you're invited to join in the celebration.

Matt's book, "Glimpses: A Comedy Writer’s Take on Life, Love, and All That Spiritual Stuff," is set to be released next week, and what better way to commemorate this milestone than by gathering together at the Evansville Barnes & Noble?

During the event, Matt will be signing copies of his book, sharing excerpts, discussing how his Evansville upbringing and education influenced his career, and answering any questions you may have. As a proud UE alum, Matt specifically wanted to extend this invitation to our university community.

Event Details:

What: Glimpses Hometown Book Launch & Signing

Where: Evansville Barnes & Noble

Date: Saturday, February 17

Time: 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

See more details by visiting this link.

The 2024 UE Student Research and Honors Symposium is scheduled for Wednesday, April 17. This event will showcase the scholarly activities of students of diverse disciplines across UE’s campus, including the graduating seniors of the Honors Program.

All students are invited to apply to participate by submitting an abstract for their papers. For more information or to submit an abstract, please visit: https://www.evansville.edu/undergraduateresearch/student-research-symposium.cfm

The deadline for submitting an abstract is Friday, March 22.

Contact Jayme Williams at jw504@evansville.edu with any questions.

Calling all trivia nerds!

Team sign-ups are now open for this year’s Nerd Wars trivia competition, scheduled for Monday, March 25 at 6:00pm in Eykamp Hall. The Honors Program invites you to form your team of five competitors to battle in a competition of wits for prizes and bragging rights. Teams of students, faculty, administrators, and staff are welcome to register.

Both spectators and competitors can enjoy pizza and snacks at the event, as well as the nerdiest-dressed competition and the chance to receive giveaway prizes!

Register online now at this link: https://forms.gle/6iY2tgyLoVQMKb3F9

Registration is free for the event. Those who are unable to compose a team of five may still register and will be matched to form a team. The registration deadline is Friday, March 1.

Please contact Rafay at rk166 with any questions.

Join Venturing Crew on March 1-March 6 for a trip to remember in North Carolina for only $75!

We will have 2 spring break options!

Hanging out in a base camp exploring the mountains, waterfalls while in a cabin that is right on a mountain lake.

There will also be a second group, weather permitting that will be backpacking the Art Loeb Trail!

Email me at venturing@evansville.edu to ask more questions and sign up!

We will also have tables at the following dates and times if you want to learn more and sign up!

Feb 1 Thursday (12:30-2:30)

Feb 2 Friday (1-3)

Feb 9 Friday (12:30-2:30)

Feb 15 Thursday (4:30-6:30)

Feb 16 Friday (12:30-2:30)

Feb 22 Thursday (12:30-2:30)

It is no surprise how much UE loves Harlaxton.

That is why we are inviting you to celebrate with us on February 14 for a special "We Love Harlaxton Day!"

Wear your Harlaxton gear on campus on Valentine's Day and you might get a sweet treat from a patroller.

The University of Evansville SAA will be hosting a blood drive on February 14, 2024, in Eykamp. The drive will run from 6:00 am to 5:00 pm.

The University of Evansville Theatre commences its Spring 2024 season with Samuel D. Hunter’s A BRIGHT NEW BOISE. This production opens at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 15, in the May Studio Theatre. Additional performances are at 7:30 p.m., on Feb. 16, 17, and at 2:00 p.m. on Feb. 17 and 18. Winner of the 2011 Obie Award for Best Playwriting, this tragi-comedic play explores the intricacies of faith and the power of forgiveness.  Set in the dismal break room of a Hobby Lobby, these low-wage earners struggle with both mundane daily routines and larger questions posed by the havoc that can be wreaked by blind faith.  No respite from a scintillating scrapbook section can be found here though, as group politics dissolve into utter pandemonium!

A BRIGHT NEW BOISE is directed by Bradley Baumhover, a senior theatre management major, from Joplin, Mo. Maya Barry, a junior stage management major from Marietta, Ga., serves as the scenic designer; Kylee Hassell, a senior design and technology major from Portland, Tenn., is the costume designer; Jamey Pearson, a senior design and technology major from Moody, Texas, is the lighting designer; Bailey Piontkowski, a first-year design and technology major from Fort Worth, Texas, serves as the sound designer; Claire Londenberg, a first-year theatre management major from Sabine Pass, Texas, serves as video designer; Marguerite Winzinger, a first-year directing and dramaturgy major from Bordentown, N.J., is the dramaturg; Katie Lawhorn, a junior stage management major from Louisville, Ky., is the stage manager, and Visiting Assistant Professor Scott Carpenter ‘05 serves as the technical director.

The cast features Kurt Sparks, a first-year performance major from Millville, N.J., as Will; Daphne Wheeler, a first-year performance major from Star, Idaho, as Anna; Guldana Karman, a first-year performance major from Katy, Texas, as Pauline; Matthew Manders, a first-year performance major from Houston, Texas, as Alex, and Adam Techmanski, a junior performance major from Richmond, Texas, as Leroy.

Seating is limited, and general admission tickets are $12. UE students may obtain one free student rush ticket beginning at noon on the day of the performance they wish to attend. Single tickets may be purchased online at theatre.evansville.edu or by calling the ticket office at 812.488.2031.

Join the Center for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion along with UE panelist for a discussion on their FREEdom of their hair in showing up in higher education settings.

Lunch will be provided and registration is required (scan the QR code to register) OR click to register.

The Department of Art is pleased to welcome the spring 2024 Efroymson Artist in Residence, Shannon Bourn. Her exhibit, "I SEE YOU", will be open from January 22 - February 24, 2024 in the Melvin Peterson Gallery. Ms. Bourn will lead a student lecture and several student workshops during her residency in the Melvin Peterson Gallery. These events are supported by the Efroymson Family Fund.

Please plan to attend the public reception and lecture in the Melvin Peterson Gallery on Thursday, February 15 at 6:30 pm.

The Center for Innovation & Change is happy to announce applications once again are open for the Global Scholars program. This will be the 18th cycle of funding for our incredibly innovative faculty, made possible by John H. Schroeder Global Scholar Endowed Fund. Details at https://www.evansville.edu/centerforinnovation/scholars.cfm.

Any faculty member can apply (cross-curricular collaborations are encouraged!) to receive funding for travel and research abroad. While all proposals are considered, priority is given to work that involves changemaking, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, or work that can be applied in a beneficial way for the world upon return. If someone wants to get feedback on a potential idea, they can contact Executive Director Erin Lewis (EL131@evansville.edu or ext. 5002, text is best at 812-449-1044) or Director of Field Innovation Derek Jones (dj3@evansville.edu) directly to help develop proposals.

Deadline to submit a proposal is March 31. Awards will be notified shortly after that, and all details on proposal specifics are at https://www.evansville.edu/centerforinnovation/scholars.cfm. The page includes all past recipients if you would like to see the kinds of proposals that have been funded previously.

February is a short month full of many celebrations: Black History Month, Valentine's Day, American Heart Month, and Financial Aid Awareness Month! This year, Student Financial Services has organized a "FUN-ancial" aid scavenger hunt. From February 14th-February 16th, visit each office listed on your game sheet and answer a question about financial aid. The office will stamp your game sheet (so make sure you print off a copy or stop by Student Financial Services, Olmsted rm. 105 to pick one up). Turn in your completed board to Student Financial Services by February 19th to be entered in a drawing for fun prizes!

Student Media has produced a brand new internet radio station, Fireside Aces Radio. The station is life with limited, but growing progaming. Enjoy sports, news, music, podcasts, and more. Current programming includes...

The Monday and Friday Nerve hosted by Beverley Buchanan, senior at UE, every Monday from 11am-1:30pm.  This show is centered around the band Nirvana, their personal music inspirations from the 70s-90s, and current music that came after them- inspired and molded by their sound.  The Friday Nerve is also hosted by Bev, every Friday from 11am-2pm.  Since Kurt Cobain was an all-around feminist, this show is reserved for the exploration of all female punk, folk, independent, and alternative rock from the 70s to today.

Musical Madness is hosted by Andrea Lenser, who is a sophomore at UE. This show airs from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM every Saturday and features show tunes from a variety of stage and movie musicals, such as Hamilton, Beetlejuice, Dear Evan Hansen, Six, Tick Tick Boom, In the Heights, and many more.
Caution: strong language and mature themes may appear in the songs during this show, so it is recommended for teens and up.

Listening Local is hosted by Bev Rowley, a junior at UE. This show features locally signed bands and artists such as The Chugs, Ghost Prom, The Strangers, Swamp Eyes, and more. Most bands are signed by Wally Opus, a local record label here in Evansville, Indiana.

Soulsync Spectrum is hosted by Noah Watters, a senior at UE. This show typically airs every Tuesday and Thursday from 7-9pm CT. If you’re able to catch one of my shows, you’ll typically hear me playing relaxing RnB music that’ll really hit you, such as: Frank Ocean, Brent Faiyaz, Daniel Caesar and more!

And there is a lot more with a lot more to come.

Listen here... https://fireside.evansville.edu

Activities are being planned for Monday, April 8, beginning at 11:00 a.m. as the eclipse approaches totality at 2:02 p.m. If you or your student organization is interested in providing an activity, please contact Kelsey Rowland at kr286@evansville.edu and copy Paula Heldt at ph28@evansville.edu by March 1.

Learn more about the eclipse by visiting, https://www.evansville.edu/ueclipse/

It’s Time to Nominate a Deserving Senior for the Outstanding Senior Service Award

Do you know a senior deserving of the highest award given by UE? Ten finalists will be selected, and one student will be presented this award at Commencement. Selection is based on academic achievement, demonstrated leadership, and community and campus engagement.

The Guthrie May and Mabel Dillingham Nenneker Outstanding Senior Service Award nominations will be accepted February 19 – March 15, 2024.?Students nominated must accept their nomination by 5:00 p.m. on March 22nd, 2024.

You can nominate deserving seniors by completing the form below. Once you submit a nomination, students will receive an automatic email giving them the opportunity to accept the award.

https://www.jotform.com/220724520906046

Please contact Alyson Roblero Executive Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs/ Dean of Students (ar564@evansville.edu) with any questions.

The Story of Service was first published in 2023 on the ww1centennial.org website, and it was published at the end of January 2024 in doughboy.org. The goal of the organizations is to recognize the contributions of military service for all soldiers; family members of underrepresented populations are encouraged to share the human aspect of those who fought for the freedom of all Americans.

My grandfather, Willie Richardson, was a veteran of World War I, and his experiences symbolize the service and family life of many African American soldiers. Unfortunately, their military service occurred during a period of “nots.” They could not eat in certain businesses; they could not live in certain neighborhoods; their service was often overlooked or devalued.

Yet, my grandfather and those soldiers defended the world and prospered within limitations.

Yet, the invisibility of my grandfather’s service seemed invisible in 2018 as I viewed a pictorial display of World War I soldiers in an Arkansas Welcome Center. None of the soldiers in the display looked like my grandfather. Therefore, I contacted the Arkansas visitor’s bureau to express that soldiers of color should be commemorated too. The communication exchange was informative and productive as I learned of efforts to find and preserve the service of Arkansas’ soldiers of color during World War I.

Continue reading about Willie Richardson.

The General Board of Higher Education & Ministry awards scholarships to United Methodist college students in the United States. The Fall 2024 deadline to apply for these scholarships is March 13th. To apply or get more information about the application process, visit GBHEM.org.

Freshman forward Nevaeh Thomas earned her first collegiate weekly honor on Tuesday morning.

After helping lead the Purple Aces to their first Missouri Valley Conference win of the season, forward Nevaeh Thomas has been named the MVC Freshman of the Week. Thomas is the third UE player to earn a weekly honor this season along with fellow freshman forward Maggie Hartwig and center Barbora Tomancova. Thomas is the first Evansville player to earn a weekly honor from the Valley during conference play after her performances on the road at UIC and Valparaiso.

Thomas was the Aces leader on both sides of the ball as the team picked up its first Valley win this weekend. Thomas was a force in the paint for the Aces, particularly against Valparaiso with 10 field goals matching up with the Beacons. The freshman also set a new career rebounding record on Sunday, pulling down 14 boards in 34 minutes of action.

Thomas picked up two double-doubles during UE's road trip with 15 points and 11 rebounds against UIC and 23 points and 14 rebounds at Valpo. Thomas is now first in the Valley in rebounds per game, averaging 12.0 boards through 13 games this season. Overall, Thomas averaged 19 points, 12.5 rebounds, and two blocks for her career weekend.

Thomas has steadily improved her performance under the glass since returning from injury in mid-January leading the team in rebounding over the weekend. Thomas now has three double-doubles on the season to lead the Valley along with UNI's Grace Boffeli and Drake's Anna Miller.

For the second game in a row, the University of Evansville men’s basketball team made a late comeback before a 3-pointer at the buzzer halted those efforts.  On Tuesday, it was Drake hitting the triple to pick up a 78-75 win at the Ford Center.

Five Purple Aces reached double figures with Ben Humrichous recording a team-high 18 points.  Kenny Strawbridge Jr. scored 12 while Chuck Bailey III and Josh Hughes posted 11 each.  Yacine Toumi finished the night with 10.  Atin Wright led Drake with 26 points.

Gage Bobe gave the Purple Aces a 3-0 lead out of the gate before the Bulldogs scored seven in a row to take their first lead.  Ben Humrichous brought the Aces back, giving UE the lead with a 3-pointer.  Kenny Strawbridge Jr. was key to the play, grabbing the ball out of a Drake players hands before dishing it off to Humrichous to put the Aces up 10-9 at the 12:55 mark.

Drake regained control over the next sequence, embarking on a 14-5 run over the next 2+ minutes to take their largest advantage of the period at 23-15.  A tenacious Aces squad did not relent, cutting that back to just a 1-point deficit in less than two minutes.  Following a Cam Haffner jumper, Chuck Bailey III reeled off five in a row, including a 3-point play to make it a 23-22 score.

After the Bulldogs retook a 5-point edge at 27-22 Evansville fought back once again.  Two triples from Strawbridge were followed by a Yacine Toumi jump shot that gave UE a 33-32 edge inside of the 4-minute mark.  Drake posted the next five before field goals from Humrichous and Toumi knotted the game at 37-37 at halftime.

Evansville converted the first two baskets of the second half to jump in front at 41-37.  UE forced two misses and a pair of turnovers by Drake to open the period.  After DU retook a 46-43 advantage, it was another Strawbridge 3-pointer that tied it up as Toumi would follow with consecutive field goals to give the Aces the lead.

With the game entering its final ten minutes, it was the Bulldogs jumping in front as a pair of Atin Wright buckets both gave DU a 2-point lead.  Drake would slowly add to that lead, extending it to a 73-66 score going into the last three minutes.  A handful of free throws by the Aces cut the deficit to four, but with the shot clock turned off, Evansville had one more trick up its sleeve.

Tanner Cuff drained a long triple inside of 20 seconds remaining to cut the DU lead to 75-72.  On the ensuing inbound play, Evansville forced a turnover to get the ball right back.  Humrichous drained a 3-pointer with 4 seconds left to complete the comeback and tie it up.  With one more chance, the Bulldogs struck with a three at the buzzer to grab the win.

UE shot 50% on the night with Drake finishing at 49.1%.  The Bulldogs finished with a slight 30-29 edge on the boards.  The next two games will take place on the road beginning on Sunday with a trip to Illinois State.

Using its experience in late-game situations, the University of Evansville women’s basketball team came away with a 71-68 win in Valparaiso against the Beacons.

The Purple Aces dominated in the paint on Sunday afternoon, a key factor in earning their first MVC win of the season. Freshman forward Nevaeh Thomas added another double-double to her resume leading UE with 23 points, coming one shy of her career high with 14 rebounds. Sophomore Kynidi Mason Striverson and forward Maggie Hartwig also had double-digit games.

Hartwig hit a three to start the game and set the tone for a fast-paced battle in Valparaiso. The Aces were able to use consistent offensive pressure to keep the lead for all but 30 seconds over the first 10 minutes. UE was helped by early fouls from the Beacons, going to the line on four separate occasions and making all but one shot. Evansville ended the quarter with two at the stripe from Thomas to hold a 14-10 lead going into the second quarter.

The Aces kept up their breakneck offense with a four-point run to take their largest lead of the game ahead by eight. Valpo responded quickly but an and-1 opportunity from Thomas put UE back ahead by seven. Thomas kept Evansville in the lead for the next minute and a half. But at the halfway point of the quarter, the Beacons had their first lead. It turned into a back-and-forth affair heading into the second half until the final minute. The Aces made back-to-back layups to end the first half with a three-point lead.

It was a slow start to the second half for UE as its first basket took over two minutes to make. Valparaiso took the lead back for the first half of the quarter as Evansville struggled to finish its shots. But a three-pointer from guard Julia Palomo spurred a seven-point run for the Aces to grab a five-point lead. The Beacons responded in kind, making it just a one-point lead. A trey from Tené Smith gave UE a four-point lead which they held onto until the final minute. Valpo ended the third on a six-point run putting Evansville back by two.

The Aces tied the game back up in the fourth at the line after both teams struggled to make shots in the first minute and a half. The Beacons hit a layup to take the lead back, but a successful three-point play for Hartwig gave UE a slim one-point lead. Guard Lexie Sinclair had an and-1 opportunity of her own right after, putting Evansville back up by four with 6:05 remaining.

It was back-and-forth free throw opportunities over the next two minutes as neither team made a field goal. Thomas broke the pattern with a layup to give the Aces another four-point lead. The game quickly went back to free throws as another field goal wasn’t made until the 1:47 mark. Valpo was able to tie the game up with back-to-back free throw opportunities, making all four. But UE was able to close out the game with second-chance layups from Hartwig and Thomas. Sinclair sealed the win for Evansville with a steal in the final 10 seconds while making one of two free throws after drawing a foul on the steal for the 71-68 final score.

Thomas led the Aces on both sides of the ball with 23 points, 14 rebounds, and a career-high 3 blocks. Mason Striverson added 16 points and five assists while Hartwig had 10 points along with nine rebounds.  Guard Madlena Gerke also added a season-high three steals against in UE’s win against the Beacons.

Evansville returns home to Meeks Family Fieldhouse for two games next week. The Aces will first welcome Southern Illinois to town on Thursday, Feb. 15. Tip-off against the Salukis is set for 6 p.m.

Taking on another one of the top Missouri Valley Conference squads, the University of Evansville men’s basketball team welcomes Drake on Tuesday night.  Tip is set for 7 p.m. CT with ESPN+ and the Purple Aces Radio Network on the call.

Last Time Out

- Tanner Cuff scored a team-high 15 points as the Purple Aces dropped a 73-70 game at Murray State

- Trailing by as many as nine points, UE fought back to tie the game late before a three at the buzzer gave the Racers the win

- Kenny Strawbridge Jr. finished with 14 points, 10 boards and 6 assists while Ben Humrichous scored 14 points

On the Verge of History

- Recording 14 points, 10 boards and 6 assists at Murray State, Kenny Strawbridge Jr. knocked on the door of the third triple double in program history

- On the defensive side of the floor, he has posted 19 steals over the last 8 games, an average of 2.4 per game; he has multiple swipes in 7 of the last 8

- His season average continues to rise and he is second in the league with 1.83/game

- Offensively, he led UE at Valpo with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting and is third on the team with 9.6 PPG on the season

Still Going Strong

- Leading the Purple Aces with 15 points at Murray State, Tanner Cuff continued his recent success

- Cuff has 9+ points in 5 of the last 6 games while averaging 11.5 PPG (69 points) over that span

- His average of 7.9 PPG is the highest since the second game of the season

- In the home win over UIC, he recorded a career-high 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting

Scouting the Opponent

- Drake holds a 20-5 overall record while sitting at 11-3 in the Missouri Valley Conference

- The Bulldogs have solidified a strong grip of second in the league standings

- Over the last week, Drake earned a 92-88 home overtime win over Southern Illinois before taking a 74-67 road win at Bradley

- Tucker DeVries continues to pace the Bulldogs with 20.9 points per game while sitting second on the team with 6.5 rebounds

- Atin Wright holds a 13.7 PPG average while Darnell Brodie checks in with 12.3 PPG and a team-high 8.6 caroms per contest

Four more program records fell on the track and in the field over the weekend for the University of Evansville track and field teams.

The Purple Aces split their time and team this weekend at two different meets, the Music City Challenge in Nashville hosted by Vanderbilt, and the DePauw Indoor Invitational in Greencastle. Two program records fell at each meet, with both track records happening in Nashville and both field records at DePauw.  In total, UE competed in 16 events across two days at both meets.

Music City Challenge – Day 1

Evansville began its weekend with the field events at the Music City Challenge on Friday morning. Jaden Hayes (Huntingburg, Ind. / Southridge HS) and Zach Dove (Princeton, Ind. / Princeton Community HS) participated in the weight throw in the morning where Hayes threw a PR of 17.22 meters. The Aces then had the rest of the morning off until the track events in the late afternoon.

UE started on the track with the mile race for both the women and men. On the women’s side, Kalina Urbaniak (Suchy Las, Poland) had the fastest finish at 5:02.39 followed by Nicole Prauchner (Neuhofen an der Ybbs, Austria) at 5:03.12 and Nayla Martin (Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec, Canada) at 5:05.14. On the men’s side, freshman Rafael Rodriguez (Segovia, Spain) set a new program record in the mile at 4:14.58. Adam Ouglout (St. Paul, Minn. / Central HS) finished with a time of 4:26.17.

The final event of the first day of the Music City Challenge for Evansville was the 200-meter sprint. The Aces only had one runner compete in Raymond Felton III (Houston, Clear Brook HS). Felton III finished 24th overall with a time of 22.15 seconds.

Music City Challenge – Day 2

It was all track events on the second day of the Music City Challenge for UE. Another track record fell on Saturday morning in the second event of the day as freshman Samuel Lea (Worchester, England) ran the 3000-meter race in 8:23.82, besting his former record by almost eight seconds. Evansville also had two women run the 3000-meter race as Sonja Inzinger (Mautern an der Donau, Austria) placed ninth in a time of 9:55.88, and Sarah Vanderhoof-Dossett finished in 10:34.01.

The Aces had a handful of runners compete in the 800-meter race on both sides. The women ran first as Prauchner led the pack in 18th with a time of 2:14.45 followed by Martin with a time of 2:17.33. On the men’s side, Cedrik Flipo (Beloil, Quebec Canda) finished 20th in a time of 1:53.30, followed closely by Alvaro Monfort (Castile Y Leon, Spain) in 30th with a time of 1:54.88. Rodriguez rounded out the 800-meter race with a time of 1:55.46.

Sprints ended the day for UE as Felton III finished 33rd in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.13. Evansville’s final event in Nashville was the men’s 4x400-meter relay. The Aces finished middle of the pack at 12th with a time of 3:20.05 to end the Music City Challenge.

DePauw Indoor Invitational

Meanwhile in Greencastle on Saturday, UE had a small group compete at DePauw. Evansville only had finishes from its field entries as its three runners DNF’d. The Aces got their first program record at DePauw early as sophomore Kate Walke (Batesville, Ind. / Oldenburg Academy) beat her record from the week before in the 60-meter hurdles. Walke completed the event in 9.47 seconds to take third place in the finals.

UE had more podium finishes in the men’s shot put as Dove and Hayes placed second and third with throws of 14.87 meters and 14.78 meters. Hayes's throw of 14.78 was a personal best by .38 meters.  In the women’s shot put, freshman Jillian Harris (Boonville, Ind. / Boonville HS) set a PR with a throw 9.19 meters for 10th. Kaitlyn Sansone (Fairfield, Ohio / Mercy McAuley HS) and Brooke Springer (Henderson, Ky. / Henderson Community HS) also threw in the event at 8.80 meters and 8.66 meters.

Evansville wrapped up its day in Greencastle with the men’s and women’s weight throw. The Aces picked up their second field program record of the weekend from Dove in the weight throw. Dove broke his former record from 2023 by 15 centimeters at 17.83 meters to take the top spot in the event. Hayes finished right behind in second with a throw of 17.75 meters.

On the women’s side, sophomore Gwen Darrah (Cleveland, Ohio / Orange HS) earned a podium finish in third with a throw of 13.17 meters. Senior Hannah Bryan (Evansville, Ind. / Reitz HS) threw a PR in the event with a throw of 11.18 meters for eighth. Harris rounded out the event with a throw of 9.38 meters.

The Aces will wrap up the indoor season at a Valley opponent meet next week. UE will participate in the Indiana State Open on Saturday, February 17th before the MVC Indoor Championships in Chicago.

Day two of the Elon Softball Classic saw the University of Evansville softball team put up a fight in a pair of games against Kent State and Elon.

Game 1 – Kent State 5, UE 4

Evansville had the upper hand in the early innings posting single runs in the second through fourth innings.  Brooke Voss and Alexa Davis singled to lead off the frame with both advancing on a sacrifice from Hannah Hood.  Taylor Howe followed with a sacrifice fly to bring in Voss for the first run of the game.

Marah Wood led off the third with a solo homer to double the lead before Alexa Davis made it a 3-0 game in the top half of the fourth.  She hit a 1-out triple before scoring on a wild pitch.  After building the advantage, UE saw the tides turn in an instance.  In the bottom of the fourth, KSU plated three runs with Megan Claerhout notching a 2-run single to tie the game.  The Golden Flashes added another run to take a 4-3 lead in the fifth.

It was Davis picking up the tying hit in the sixth.  Her 2-out single plated Jenna Nink, who doubled earlier in the inning.  Things remained tied until the bottom of the 7th.  An RBI single with two outs sealed the win for Kent State.

KSU had 10 hits in the game with Emily Lippe posting three.  Davis was a perfect 3-for-3 for the Aces as they tallied eight hits in the contest.  Elle Jarrett made the start, allowing three runs in 3 1/3 innings.  Megan Brenton suffered the loss, giving up two runs in 3 1/3 frames.  Megan Nuechterlein earned the win, allowing one run on three hits in the final three innings.

Game 2 – Elon 5, UE 4

Just as they had done in Saturday’s opener, Evansville grabbed the early lead.  A single from Wood and walks from Zoe Frossard and Brooke Voss loaded the bases for Jess Willsey, who singled to right to open the scoring.

Frossard doubled the lead in the second, singling down the left field line to bring in Keghan Pye, who walked with one out.  Elon posted single runs in the bottom of the second and third and the game remained tied until the top of the 6th.  Voss came through with a 2-out RBI single to put UE back in front.

That lead was short-lived as the Phoenix countered with a run in the bottom of the frame.  The game went into extra innings with UE breaking through first.  In the top half of the 8th, Frossard hit a sacrifice fly to score Hannah Hood.  Unfortunately, Elon came back once again as a Allee Seering 2-run home run clinched a 5-4 win for the Phoenix.  Seering had three of Elon’s seven hits while Wood, Frossard and Jess Willsey registered two hits apiece for Evansville.

Mikayla Jolly made the start, tossing six innings with three runs, two earned, crossing the plate.  Gracie Hollingsworth threw the final frame and suffered the loss.  McKenna McCard picked up the win, throwing a scoreless 2/3 of an inning.

The Aces wrap up the opening weekend on Sunday with an 11 a.m. CT game versus Miami Ohio.

With the score tied at 70-70 in the final seconds, Murray State hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to clinch a 73-70 victory over the University of Evansville men’s basketball team inside the CFSB Center.

“I’m proud of the way our guys fought today in a hostile environment.  We kept clawing away at the deficit and gave ourselves a chance to win,” UE head coach David Ragland said.  “Unfortunately, Murray State made one more play at the end than we did.  We will learn from today and be ready for Drake on Tuesday.”

Four Purple Aces finished in double figures with Tanner Cuff leading the way with 15.  He was 4-for-5 from the field.  Kenny Strawbridge Jr. and Ben Humrichous recorded 14 apiece.  Strawbridge added 10 boards on the way to a double-double.  Chuck Bailey III scored 10.

Ben Humrichous gave UE the perfect start, hitting a triple on the first possession.  Murray State countered with nine in a row to take their first lead before Evansville stormed back with a rally of its own.  Josh Hughes hit a jumper before Gage Bobe converted a 3-pointer.  Kenny Strawbridge capped the run with a field goal to make it a 10-9 game at the 14:55 mark.

MSU quickly retook the lead on a triple and the squads would swap the lead numerous times in the ensuing minutes.  With the game knotted at 16-16, the Racers went on an 11-2 run to take their largest advantage at 27-18 approaching the final six minutes.  The lead for Murray remained between five and eight points over the remainder of the half.

With the seconds winding down, Kenny Strawbridge Jr. connected on a triple at the buzzer to make it a 32-27 game at the break. 

Humrichous got things going right out of the gate.  Following a Racers basket, he drained consecutive triples to cut the deficit to just one at 34-33.  Murray State retook control over the next four minutes, retaking a 9-point lead at 46-37.  Evansville continued to chip away as a Tanner Cuff 3-pointer got UE within a possession at 48-45 with 11:25 remaining.

Evansville got back within four on a few occasions but was finally able to get closer entering the final three minutes.  Another three by Humrichous made it a 68-65 game and a Cuff free throw made it a 2-point game.  With 2:05 left, Yacine Toumi drained a pair of free throws to cut the Racer lead to one at 69-68.

It was Toumi coming through once again less than a minute later as his second-chance basket tied the game at 70-70.  Unfortunately, MSU came through with a triple at the buzzer to take the win.  The Racers shot 49.2% on the day with UE finishing at 45.8%. 

On Tuesday, the Aces return to the Ford Center to face Drake at 7 p.m.

A cold fourth quarter kept the University of Evansville women’s basketball team from capitalizing on a late lead in its 65-57 loss to the UIC Flames.

The Purple Aces led going into the final frame of Friday night’s game at Credit Union 1 Arena. But an almost four-minute scoreless streak put the Flames ahead to take the season series. Despite struggling with foul trouble down the stretch, UE had three players in double-figures while freshman forward Nevaeh Thomas picked up her second double-double of the season.

Evansville played from behind to start Friday’s contest. Facing a seven-point deficit only four minutes into the game, the Aces rallied behind point guards Kynidi Mason Striverson and Tené Smith to get within one at the 4:14 mark. The two teams traded shots until the final minute of the first quarter. Five straight points for UIC made it 24-19 going into the second frame.

It was all defense for UE in the second quarter as they kept the Flames to a lone field goal. But foul trouble began for the Aces with its starting forwards Maggie Hartwig and Thomas picking up one each. The free throws put UIC ahead by 11 but spurred a six-point run from Evansville. UE’s last basket of the first half came with under three minutes leading to a nine-point deficit to start the second half.

The Aces had their best quarter of the night in the third, shooting 61.5% from the floor. It was a back-and-forth start to the second half including two runs for either team. Evansville gained momentum in the final five minutes of the quarter. The Aces didn’t allow a shot to be made by the Flames in that stretch while going a hot four of six. A three from Hartwig with 39 seconds left in the third gave UE its only lead of the game at 47-46.

But UIC responded early in the fourth quarter, drawing two quick fouls to retake the lead. Evansville didn’t find the basket again until almost four minutes into the quarter thanks to a foul drawn by guard Julia Palomo. Over the next four and a half minutes, the Aces got it back within three on a Hartwig trey and a free throw from guard Lexie Sinclair. But the Flames closed out the game on a six-to-one run while drawing fouls that took Mason Striverson, Hartwig, and Smith out of the game for the 65-57 loss.

Thomas led the team on defense with 10 rebounds and added her double-double with 15 points on the floor. Mason Striverson led the team on offense with 17 while Hartwig also made it into double-digits with 11 points. Three players recorded a steal each while Thomas and guard Madline Gerke picked up the two blocks of the game.

The Aces head to Valparaiso for a Sunday afternoon clash at the ARC. Tip-off against the Beacons is set for 1 p.m.

Opening the 2024 season, the University of Evansville softball team faced Miami Ohio and Kent State at the Elon Softball Classic.

Game 1 – Miami Ohio 12, UE 0

Belting three home runs in the first two innings, Miami Ohio pulled away to take a 12-0 victory in Friday’s season opener.

Miami jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top half of the first with back-to-back solo shots.  In Evansville’s half of the first, Zoe Frossard drew a 1-out walk but was stranded at first as the game headed into the second.  The RedHawks wasted little time in adding to their lead as Jenna Golembiewski sent the first pitch she saw out of the park to make it a 3-0 game.  The RedHawks tacked on two more runs to extend the lead to 5-0.

Evansville had its first scoring opportunity in the bottom of the second, loading the bases with two outs.  Hannah Hood and Taylor Howe reached on walks while Brooke McCorkle reached on an error.  A foul out ended the threat.  UE had another opportunity in the bottom of the sixth when Marah Wood drew a 1-out walk before Jess Willsey followed with a single.  Unfortunately, a strikeout and foul out kept the Aces off the board.

In the seventh, Miami broke through with seven runs to put the game out of reach.  Maddi Banks led MU with three RBI as the RedHawks erupted for 10 hits.  Addy Jarvis earned the win, tossing a complete game, 2-hit shutout.  Gracie Hollingsworth made the start, allowing three runs on five hits in 1 1/3 frames.  Elle Jarrett threw the final 5 2/3 innings of relief; the first 4 2/3 frames saw her hold MU scoreless.  In the seventh, Miami scored seven runs, however, none of those were earned.

Game 2 – Kent State 10, UE 1

Scoring five runs in the second and five more in the sixth, Kent State took a 10-1 win in Friday’s second game.  Evansville broke through in the bottom of the first with Alexa Davis doing a perfect job on the basepaths.  After reaching on a leadoff walk, Davis stole second, advanced to third on a sacrifice by Zoe Frossard, and crossed the plate when Marah Wood singled to center.

The Golden Flashes countered with a 5-run second that saw Julia Mazanec hit a 3-run home run to get KSU on the board.  Savannah Wing added a 2-run single to cap the inning.

UE had a few chances in the middle innings.  Brooke Voss reached on a single in the second while Jenna Nink and Frossard walks in the fourth.  Keghan Pye reached base on a bunt single in the 5th, but the Aces could not push any of those runs across the plate.  Kent State put the finishing touch on the game with a 5-run sixth as they finished with the 10-1 victory.

Four different players recorded the hits for UE while Kent State erupted for 10 hits, three coming off the bat of Alexandria Whitmore.  Macy Irelan three four innings to earn the win for KSU.  She gave up one run on four hits.  Mikayla Jolly went five innings and allowed five runs, three earned.  Megan Brenton threw in the sixth innings and saw five runs score, four of those being earned.

On Saturday, UE opens with a rematch against Kent State at 8:30 a.m. CT before facing Elon at 11 a.m. CT.