Are you a UE employee in need of a headshot? Whether you're a new employee with no photo or just needing an updated image, photographer Chris Berneking will be on campus Wednesday, March 27, at 8:30 a.m.

Headshots will be taken near the southwest corner of the front oval lawn. In the event of rain, they will be moved indoors to the SOBA atrium. If you plan to stop by for a photo, please email Julie Beer (jb855) so she can add you to the list.

President Christopher Pietruszkiewicz is slated to present a keynote address to the NAACP Evansville Branch on Thursday, March 28, from 6 to 8 p.m. in Eykamp Hall.

The Evansville Freedom Fund Banquet, themed "Thriving Together," serves as the key fundraising initiative to bolster programs, activism, and outreach efforts of the organization. For registration, kindly visit the provided link.

Need service hours???? Want to help make a difference? Please join Alumni and Engagement for our annual purple Pep and Vim flag distribution. Snacks and drinks provided.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0D4EACAC22A4FA7-47992890-pepand#/

We hope you can join us for a fun-filled week beginning April 7 with UEclipse activities. Help us welcome our alumni back to campus, celebrate our Alumni Awards recipients, play in our kickball tournament, and stop in for our alumni reunions!

For a full list of Reunion Weekend events, visit www.uealumnionline.com/2024Reunion.

Schedule of Events

Sunday, April 7, 2024

Presentation by Astrophysicist and UE Alumna Maria Weber ’08 PhD

Monday, April 8, 2024

Pep and Vim Virtual 5K (All week)
UEclipse

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Patricia H. Snyder Concert and Lecture Series presents Sarah Frey

Thursday, April 11, 2024

Campus Kickball Tournament
Creative Writing Coffee Hour
English & Creative Writing LitFest Banquet

Friday, April 12, 2024

Pep and Vim, UE’s Annual Day of Giving

Harlaxton Society Board Meeting
Board of Visitors Meeting
UEAAA Annual Meeting
Baseball vs. Illinois State
Class of 1974 Cocktail Hour
UET Production: Waiting for Lefty
English & Creative Writing Hemminger-Brown Lecture
Environmental Science
Earth Day Celebration, Natural Sciences Poster Session, Guy Banta Distinguished Lecture Series featuring ES Alumnus Dr. Zac Cheviron ’00, ES Alumni Panel Discussion, ES Mixer

Saturday, April 13, 2024

Music Reunion Breakfast
Giving Event with Pat Barner
Bike Race
50th Reunion Lunch - Class of 1974
UEAAA Zerah Priestly Carter Scholarship Luncheon
Football Alumni Golf Outing
Class of 1974 House Tour
Class of 1974 Campus Tour
Baseball vs. Illinois State
Class of 1974 Emily M. Young Assessment Center Tour
Alumni Awards Cocktail Hour
Alumni Awards Dinner  
UET Production: Waiting for Lefty
English & Creative Writing Student Literary Conference with student panels

Sunday, April 14, 2024

Alumni Breakfast
Campus Tour
Baseball vs. Illinois State

Active and retired employees (staff, administrators, and faculty) as well as trustees are invited to submit their work for the Hanns Pieper UE Photo Exhibition. The exhibit is open from Wednesday April 10 through Wednesday May 15 in the Krannert Gallery.

Items will be accepted between now and Thursday April 4 in the Department of Art office (FA 212).

Requirements for submission are:

• Photos should be matted, framed, and suitable for hanging in the Krannert Gallery.
• Photos may be no larger than 16 x 20”.
• Provide your name, current/former department, email address, and a title for your image (date and location if appropriate) on the back of each submission.
• Must be work not previously submitted.

The campus and local community are invited to join us at a reception on Thursday, April 11 at 4:30 PM in the Krannert Gallery.

If you have questions, please contact Carol McCraney at cm177@evansville.edu.

The Vanderburgh Co. Health Department mobile testing unit will be on campus, April 16th from 10-2 outside of the health center for free STI testing! Education, incentives, and condoms available!

Jacek Knaur, a research analyst with S&P Global, will speak to UE students via Zoom at 12.15 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26. He graduated in 2021 and represented UE in the CFA Investment Challenge competition. He began working at Franklin Templeton, one of the largest mutual funds in the world, in his final semester of college. Now he works for S&P Global as a Private Equity Research Analyst. His responsibilities include analysis of prospect investments, investment thesis creation, and portfolio companies support. Please contact Dr. Walayet A. Khan at wk3@evansville.edu for an invitation and further information.

The Honors Activity Board invites you to attend Nerd Wars on Monday, March 25 at 6:00pm in Eykamp Hall. Don’t miss your chance to watch teams of students, faculty, administrators, and staff battle it out in a trivia competition for prizes and bragging rights. Spectators can enjoy pizza at the event, as well as the opportunity to join in the trivia fun and win prizes.

We hope to see you there!

UE's Sigma Tau Delta Chapter will host a T-shirt fundraiser next week (March 25-27). Online sales will be open from Monday to Wednesday and in-person sales will be available in Ridgeway on Tuesday from 11am-1pm.

All proceeds support four students who will represent UE at Sigma Tau Delta's National Centennial Convention in St. Louis, Missouri this April.

The T-shirt includes a quote from Florence Nightingale’s Cassandra. The price will be $15.

Please consider supporting our students by purchasing a T-shirt next week!

Aces, get ready for a night of space-filled fun! Mark your calendars for April 12th from 5-8pm. Free to all UE students, please bring ID. $5 to non-UE students.

Senior theatre performance major, Christina Tinde Jesenski, from Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., makes her playwriting debut with a staged reading of her new play, GLOSSOLALIA, in the John David Lutz Theatre Lab. GLOSSOLALIA is being presented in conjunction with the UE Honors Program as Jesenski’s Honors Project. This staged reading opens at 7:30 p.m., Friday, March 22. Additional readings are at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 23.

Somewhere in rural Kansas, sometime after the overturn of Roe v. Wade, two charismatic Christians face emotional and spiritual reckoning after having sex outside of marriage. Isaac, a convert called to preach, is nine years older than Evangeline, a sixteen-year-old pastor’s daughter raised in the faith. Faced with irreparable consequences in the aftermath of their tryst, Isaac and Evangeline struggle to reach moral common ground, craving redemption as deeply as they crave each other.

A fiery two-person play, GLOSSOLALIA bites down on age of consent laws, abortion legislation, and purity culture while questioning the lines between personal faith and organized religion, church and state, love and lust, and truth and lies.

GLOSSOLALIA is directed by Portia Krieger, an NYC-based guest artist and director of 
new plays and musicals. She has directed and developed work with Clubbed Thumb, Second Stage Theatre, the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center, Playwrights Horizons, Roundabout Theatre Company, New York Stage & Film, Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre, Page 73, Ars Nova, Lark Theater, the Juilliard School, New York Music Festival, and others. Portia has been an O’Neill/National New Play Network National Director Fellow, a two-time New Georges Audrey Resident, a participant in the Drama League Directors Project, and an Ars Nova Director-in-Residence. She is a Clubbed Thumb Affiliated Artist, a company member of ColtCoeur and Lesser America, Co-founder of the New Georges Jam, and Associate Director of Broadway’s FUN HOME and SEMINAR, and ALMOST FAMOUS.

Emily Baggarly, an actress, dancer, singer, choreographer, and educator based in NYC, serves as the guest Intimacy Director. After graduating summa cum laude from Otterbein University with a BFA in Musical Theatre and a minor in Dance, Emily joined the Verdon Fosse Legacy by completing their Professional Training Program 1 and 2.

Jonah Charpie, a first-year design and technology major from Noblesville, Ind., Bailey Piontkowski, a first-year design and technology major from Fort Worth, Texas, and Jess Simmons, a first-year design and technology major from Indianapolis, Ind. serve as the lighting designers. Beverly Buchanan, a senior performance major from Tomball, Texas, serves as the sound designer; Katie Lawhorn, a junior stage management major from Louisville, Ky., is the stage manager, and Marguerite Winzinger, a first-year directing and dramaturgy major from Bordentown, N.J., is the dramaturg.

The cast features Aiblinn Rose .23, a guest artist from Clackamas, Ore., as Evangeline and Garrett Hale, a senior performance major from Haslet, Texas, as Isaac. Tickets are free to the public and seating is general admission. Tickets may be reserved by calling the ticket office at 812.488.2031.

Active and retired employees (staff, administrators, and faculty) as well as trustees are invited to submit their work for the 2024 UE Employee Photography Exhibition. The show opens on Monday, April 8 in the Krannert Gallery.

Items will be accepted between April 1 – April 5 in the Department of Art office (FA 212).

Requirements for submission are:

• Photos should be matted, framed, and suitable for hanging in the Krannert Gallery.
• Photos may be no larger than 16 x 20”.
• Provide your name, current/former department, email address, and a title for your image (date and location if appropriate) on the back of each submission.
• Must be work not previously submitted.

The campus and local community are invited to join us at a reception on Thursday, April 11 at 4:30 PM in the Krannert Gallery.

If you have questions, please contact Carol McCraney at cm177@evansville.edu.

The Snyder Concert and Lecture Series presents: Sarah Frey
Wednesday, April 10
7:00 - 8:00 p.m. (Meet and greet/reception after)
Eykamp Hall

This event is free and open to both the UE campus and public!

Prior to the 7:00 p.m. event, Sarah will speak and hold a Q&A session with Schroeder School of Business students at 4:00 p.m. in SOBA 170 (Smythe Lecture Hall). Schroeder students should contact Megan Conapinski at mt263@evansville.edu to register.

Sarah Frey is the founder and CEO of Frey Farms, a Certified Woman-Owned Agribusiness headquartered in southern Illinois. Frey Farms is a leading US grower, shipper and marketer of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Sarah has been described by the New York Times as America’s Pumpkin Queen. Frey Farms is best known as being America’s largest producer of fresh pumpkins; but watermelons are, in fact, their top commodity. Sarah founded Tsamma (sah-mah) watermelon juice, which was the first watermelon juice distributed nationally.

She is also the author of the best-selling book, The Growing Season: How I Built a New Life – and Saved an American Farm. Guests are invited to bring their copy to have signed after the event. Sarah will also have 25 copies of her book for free, available on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Sarah’s entrepreneurial spirit was nurtured at the young age of eight, while accompanying her mother on a summer produce route selling direct to grocery retailers in southern Illinois. The summer she turned 16, Sarah took over the produce route and expanded it from 12 independent grocery stores to over 150 - then purchased her family’s small 100-acre farm. She ran her full-time business while attending high school and college simultaneously. At 19, Sarah negotiated with Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest retailer, turning her vision into reality with an expansive growth into retail grocery that enabled her to bring her four older brothers back to the family farm and into a now-flourishing business.

All are invited to the 31st Annual Leadership Awards and Reception. Leadership Awards celebrate the dedication and contributions that students provide on a daily basis to the UE community. Awards are presented from multiple offices across campus including but not limited to the Center for Student Engagement, Center for Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Office of Admissions, Dean of Students, Fitness Center and Intramurals, Presidents Office, and many more.

Come and celebrate you and your peers achievements with us during the 31st Annual Leadership Awards and Reception

Monday, April 22, 2024

Eykamp Hall

6:30pm

For any questions, please reach out to the Center for Student Engagement at cse@evansville.edu

All graduating seniors in good standing at UE are eligible to be considered for the Senior Keynote.

To receive consideration from the Selection Committee, the following must be completed on or before March 25:

• An online application including the name of a faculty reference available at https://www.evansville.edu/commencement/keynote.cfm
• Written draft of Commencement speech - 1000 - 1500 words, or a duration of 8-10 minutes. This speech may have any theme you choose, but should include a reflection on your experiences at the University of Evansville.

A limited number of finalists will be asked to present their speeches before the Selection Committee in April.  The final selection for the Senior Keynote Commencement Speaker will be announced at the University of Evansville Leadership Awards Program on Monday, April 22.

2024 Student Commencement Speaker Selection Committee

James MacLeod, 2024 Committee Chair, Professor, History

Jennifer Calderone, Senior Director, Alumni and Engagement

Kristina Hochwender, Professor, English

Melissa Morehead Moore, Programming Coordinator for the CDEI

Rania Mousa, Professor, Accounting and Business Administration

Katie Mullins, Associate Professor, Creative Writing

Abby Murphy, Executive Administrator, Office of the President

Grace Reisinger, Student Representative

In celebration of Disability Awareness Month, the Office of Counseling & Disability Services and CDEI invite the campus community to attend Josh Rivedal's presentation "Behind the Masks We Wear".  Josh will use a mix of comedy and stroytelling to discuss the importance of living and leading with vulnerability and purpose to move closer to being our best selves.  Prize giveaway and free t-shirts while supplies last!

You are invited to join us for our Alumni Awards Dinner and Celebration on Saturday, April 13, 2024!

Our award recipients:

The Distinguished Alumnae Award -
Linda E. White ’76, M’83

The Young Alumnus Award -
Bryce Weiler ’14

Edie Bates Volunteer Service Award -
Promise Neighborhood Core Team

Samuel Orr Honorary Alumni -
Dr. Mark and Mrs. Jennifer Browning

To learn more about our award recipients and register for the event, visit www.evansville.edu/AlumniAwards.

Trivia Night is a fundraising event to help raise money for Ace CARE in hopes to bring money into our organization to allow us to continue to provide our treatments. The event is planned to run 6:00-9:00pm with teams of 6 (max) competing in trivia rounds and small mini games in between. We hope this event will be a fun and active evening while raising money for our amazing organization!

Scan the QR code or follow this link to sign your team up!

https://www.uealumnionline.com/s/1096/bp20/interior.aspx?sid=1096&gid=1&pgid=4148&cid=7135&ecid=7135

Did you know that tatooing is one of the greatest (and oldest) human artistic expressions?

The current exhibit in the Krannert Gallery, "SKIN DEEP", features the tatoo work and paintings of six local artists.  The Gallery is open Mon - Sat 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., and Sun. from noon - 8:00 p.m.

Please join us for a reception in Krannert Gallery on Thursday March 14 at 6:30 p.m.

Welcome to Bracket Busters Team Step Challenge! Here’s how it works:

- Create your own teams (teams of 4 please!). This is not an individual challenge.

• Each team should designate a team leader & choose a team name.

• Each participant is required to sign up!

• Team leaders are responsible for submitting their team’s total weekly steps (a separate link will be provided at the start of the challenge)

- Each participant should track their steps (Monday-Sunday) and submit to their team leader by the following Monday.

• Track your steps using your favorite step counter such as an Apple Watch, Fitbit, or pedometer

• Each team’s total steps are due by the end of the day every Monday. An updated bracket with each team’s steps will be sent out every Tuesday!

• The number of rounds and eliminations will depend on the number of teams that participate.

The teams with the highest weekly steps will move on to the next round! We will have 4 x $50 gift cards for the overall team!!

SIGN UP HERE: https://forms.gle/cVVkJZRECqXuw5Cb9

The University of Evansville's Counselling Services and senior nursing students are collaborating to develop a guide for recognizing, responding to, and referring students with mental health needs. The guide will be a resource for faculty and staff in aiding students in need of mental health services. Please join the senior nursing students as they introduce the purple folder, discuss mental health resources within the university, and give faculty the tools they need to help students. The event will be held on March 27th, 2024 at 7 pm and located in Eykamp.

Deadline for the Outstanding Senior Service Award applications is coming up quick. Seniors should have their application in by March 22 by 5:00 PM.

Call for Nominations: Dean of Students Leadership Awards

Nominations are now being accepted for consideration of The Howard S. Rosenblatt “Dean of Students Leadership Awards.”  These awards will be presented at the 31st Annual Leadership Awards Reception scheduled for Monday, April 22, 2024.  Invitations will be prepared by the Center for Student Engagement.

Awards from the Dean of Students Office are presented in the following categories:

• Student Organization Advisor of the Year
• Student Organization of the Year
• Student Leader of the Year

Our student organizations are successful because of the commitment of the student leaders and the advisors who give freely of their time and support.  The recipients of these awards are selected based on their commitment to the University of Evansville as well as the development and success of their efforts within their chosen student organization.

The deadline for nominations is March 22, 2024.  Click on this link to submit your nomination:

https://forms.office.com/r/hzQ0FqBMQT

If you have any questions, please contact the Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students office at 812-488-2500 or by e-mail via ar564@evansville.edu

Thank you in advance for celebrating our student leaders’ achievements!

Dr. William Stroube, Professor of Health Service Administration, and Dr. Erik Brown, Assistant Professor of Health Science, were recently in India presenting to faculty and students at various institutions (Jaipur National University, Jaipuria Institute of Management, IIHMR, Jagan Institute of Management Studies, etc.) on numerous healthcare topics along with faculty development workshops. Erik also held a distinguished lecture on concussion management at Sharda University in Agra.

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.

In conjunction with the Office of Public Safety, the University of Evansville was able to donate a dozen abadoned bicycles to Patchwork Central. Patchwork is a non-profit that is dedicated to repairing and servicing bikes in an effort to give bikes to people in need across the Tri-state.

Patchwork Central provides free servicing for students. If you have a bike and would like for it to be repaired, please visit their shop on Tuesday or Thursday between 8am and 10:30am to drop off your bike. Their building is located at 100 Washington Ave, Evansville, IN.

Grab a friend and join us for a whimsical weekend brunch because Dr. Seuss is taking over the Eatery on Saturday, March 23! Featuring fun foods and vivacious vibes!

Summer housing applications are available.  If you will be staying in Evansville for the summer for classes, work, research, or other reasons, you can live in a townhouse.  Additional information and applications are available on the Residence Life website and are due April 19.

https://www.evansville.edu/residencelife/campushousing/summerhousing.cfm

UE students seeking financial aid or intending to use loan funds for summer courses at UE should complete a Summer Financial Aid Application and return it to the Office of Student Financial Services (Olmsted 105) however is most convenient by April 25, 2024. The application will allow our office to assess your financial aid and loan eligibility.

Work-Study:

On-campus jobs are available for continuing UE students during the summer. You do not need to be eligible for need-based Federal Work-Study during the academic year in order to apply. You may also apply regardless of your enrollment in summer courses. Applications will be available within the Student Employment area of Self-Service.

Dr. Hector Will, Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering has had his most recent paper accepted for publication in Computer Applications in Engineering Education published by Wiley Periodicals.  The article "Undergraduate and graduate students' conceptual understanding of model classification outcomes under the lens of scientific argumentation" can be read here:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/cae.2273

The School of Engineering and Computer Science would like to congratulate Dr. Will on this accompishment!

Please join the Offices of Human Resources and Institutional Equity in congratulating Human Resource Talent Specialist Brooke Weaver for completing her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Human Resource Management at Western Governors University! Way to go and con"grad"ulations, Brooke!

This research study aims to investigate and understand the efficacy of wellness and mental health practices within colleges and universities.  We are inviting students attending the University of Evansville to participate in this research study through a focus group session.

NOTE: Participation in this focus group session is completely voluntary.  Your contact information and any details you provide to share in the availability form and during the focus group session will remain confidential. Responses shared within the session will only be accessible to the student researcher and faculty sponsor. The session will be approximately 60 minutes long.

To provide your availability regarding the upcoming session, please click here.

After providing your availability using the above link, the research team will contact you via email to provide more information regarding the session and your involvement. There is no cost for participating in this survey. All data information obtained will be securely stored and will only be accessible to the student researcher and faculty sponsor.    There are minimal risks to participating. If at anytime you experience discomfort, harm, or you no longer desire to participate, you may withdraw from the study. No compensation is involved in this study due to confidentiality and anonymity purposes. However, your involvement in this study will help determine effective strategies that your university could implement which will positively impact the campus community and better support students struggling with mental health and wellness.    If you agree to participate, you will be asked to do the following:

-          Provide consent (written, verbal, and online)

-          Be asked to share your experiences briefly and privately about mental health and wellness and your thoughts on the effectiveness of these practices and interventions at your university with peers.

Questions regarding this study should be directed to:

Student Researcher: Leairra Carter (lc213@evansville.edu)

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Patel-Dovlatabadi (pp42@evansville.edu)

Questions regarding your rights/complaints or problems:

University of Evansville

Academic Affairs

Dr. Kate Schwartzkopf-Phifer, IRB Administrator and Institutional Review Board-Chair

812-488-2453| IRB@evansville.edu

We appreciate your participation.

This research study aims to investigate and understand the efficacy of wellness and mental health practices within colleges and universities.  We are inviting students attending the University of Evansville to participate in this research study through a focus group session.  Participation in this focus group session is completely voluntary.

There is no cost for participating in this survey. All data information obtained will be securely stored and will only be accessible to the student researcher and faculty sponsor.    There are minimal risks to participating. If at anytime you experience discomfort, harm, or you no longer desire to participate, you may withdraw from the study. No compensation is involved in this study due to confidentiality and anonymity purposes. However, your involvement in this study will help determine effective strategies that your university could implement which will positively impact the campus community and better support students struggling with mental health and wellness.    NOTE: BY COMPLETING THE SURVEY AND CLICKING SUBMIT, YOU ARE CONSENTING TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS STUDY. Link to Student Survey: UE Student Research Survey

Questions regarding this study should be directed to:

Student Researcher: Leairra Carter (lc213@evansville.edu)

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Patel-Dovlatabadi (pp42@evansville.edu)

Questions regarding your rights/complaints or problems:

University of Evansville

Academic Affairs

Dr. Kate Schwartzkopf-Phifer, IRB Administrator and Institutional Review Board-Chair

812-488-2453| IRB@evansville.edu

We appreciate your participation.

UE is excited to announce Purple Pack, a new course material delivery program that provides undergraduate students access to your required course materials in a convenient package before the first day of class. With this new program, your course materials are included in a flat-rate fee at a savings of 35-50%, compared to traditional book purchases. This program will begin with the Fall 2024 term.

For more information about the program and semester cost visit Evansville.edu/PurplePack

UE track and field will compete in its first meet of the outdoor season at a conference opponent's meet.

The Purple Aces outdoor season begins with the Margaret Simmons Invitational hosted by the Murray State Races on Friday, March 22, and Saturday, March, 23. UE will also race against fellow MVC squad Southern Illinois, Division I teams Purdue Fort Wayne, Lindenwood, UT Martin, Ball State, Saint Louis, and NAIA teams Bethel (Tenn.), Freed-Hardeman, Olivet, and Oakland City. Evansville's first event will be the women's hammer throw at 12 p.m. on Friday.

At the end of the 2023 outdoor track and field season, Evansville broke almost all of its program field records. The Purple Aces saw records fall in the discus, shot put, and hammer throw events at the 2023 MVC Outdoor Championships, including two records broken by returners Zach Dove (Princeton, Ind. / Princeton Community HS) and Jaden Hayes (Huntingburg, Ind./Southridge). 

Dove and Hayes also had a successful 2024 indoor season as graduate throwers, setting program records in the weight throw and shot put. Hayes broke the men's indoor weight throw record at the MVC Indoor Championships in Chicago in February with a throw of 18.02 meters. Dove broke the men's shot put record earlier in the indoor season at the Indiana Invitational with a throw of 15.53 meters. For the women's side in the field, returning sophomore thrower Gwen Darrah (Cleveland, Ohio / Orange HS) broke the program weight throw record at the Blue-White Classic in Terre Haute with a throw of 14.45 meters. 

On the track, UE saw several freshmen runners break out during the 2024 indoor season. Freshman Nicole Prauchner (Neuhofen an der Ybbs, Austria) was the Aces only runner to qualify for an individual final race at MVC Indoor Championships. Prauchner broke the program record for the 800-meter race in the qualifying heats with a time of 2:12.93 to qualify fourth. 

On the men's side of the track, Evansville had a standout newcomer in all three distances. In the sprints, freshman Raymond Felton III (Houston / Clear Brook HS) set records in the 200- and 300-meter races early in the indoor season. At the mid-distance level, freshman Rafael Rodriguez (Segovia, Spain) had program records in the 1,000-meter and mile races, including resetting the mile record at MVC Indoors with a time of 4:13.89. While in the distance races, Samuel Lea (Worchester, England) was the program record setter with new records in the 5,000-meter and 3,000-meter races. 

Heading into the 2024 outdoor season, the Aces will look to improve on their indoor season finishes of 10th place. In the preseason poll from league coaches, UE was picked to finish 10th on both the women's and the men's side.

The University of Evansville baseball team will open up Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend by hosting the red-hot Murray State Racers in a three-game series at UE’s German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium beginning on Friday night at 6 p.m.  The series will continue on Saturday at 2 p.m. and conclude on Sunday at 1, with all three games being seen live on ESPN+.

Evansville enters MVC play at 9-11 overall after dropping an 11-3 decision at #21 Kentucky on Tuesday night.  The nationally-ranked Wildcats used a seven-run sixth inning to blow open a tied game and power past the Purple Aces.  Tuesday’s game capped a stretch of seven out of eight games against Power Five competition for UE.

UE will enter MVC play with a .304 team batting average, led by graduate outfielder Mark Shallenberger’s .403 batting average.  Shallenberger has reached base safely in 36-straight games dating back to last year, and he ranks 16th in the country in on-base percentage at .561.  Junior second baseman Cal McGinnis (.355) and junior outfielder Ty Rumsey (.351) both hit above .350 as well this season for UE, while senior infielder/outfielder Kip Fougerousse and graduate third baseman Brent Widder will bring .333 batting averages into this weekend’s series.  Widder currently leads the team with six home runs and 20 RBI.

Murray State, meanwhile, will bring a 14-6 overall record into Valley play after sweeping Little Rock in a three-game series at home last weekend.  The Racers are a perfect 11-0 at home so far this year, and that has helped MSU rank 37th in the RPI entering the weekend.  Murray State is hitting .298 as a team, led by junior infielder Drew Vogel’s .383 batting average.  The Racers currently lead the MVC in home runs with 36, and junior infielder Carson Garner leads the league with nine home runs already this season.

Evansville leads the all-time series against Murray State, 44-22.  Last year, Evansville won three out of four meetings against Murray State, including posting a 3-2 victory over MSU in the MVC Tournament.  Evansville will send senior RHP Nick Smith (0-3, 11.50 ERA) to the mound on Friday to begin the series.  Murray State is expected to counter with right-hander Cade Vernon (3-1, 4.08 ERA).

With a 4-1 start to the Missouri Valley Conference slate under their belts, the University of Evansville softball team takes to the road for the first time in league play with a 3-game weekend series at Belmont.  ESPN+ will have the live coverage of the games on Friday and Sunday.

Last Time Out

- UE has won its last five games, including a 10-0 shutout win over SIUE on Tuesday

- Jenna Nink got things rolling in the first inning with a grand slam while Megan Brenton got the job done in the circle, tossing a 3-hit shutout in 5 innings

- Last weekend, the Purple Aces swept a 3-game series against Valparaiso as they won by scores of 8-0, 9-7 and 2-1

Turning the Corner

- After opening the season with 17 consecutive losses, the Purple Aces have turned things around going 9-2 in their last 11 games

- In its 6-game homestand, the Aces went 5-1 as they split two games against Indiana State before defeating the Beacons in three games and midweek versus the Cougars

Player of the Week

- Evansville notched its second consecutive MVC Player of the Week award on Tuesday as Lacy Smith earned the honor

- Smith batted .500 last week while picking up several huge hits for her squad

- The 3/13 win over ISU saw her record the game-tying and game-winning hits while picking up three RBI

- Sunday’s series finale against Valpo saw her add another game-winning walk-off hit in the 2-1 victory as she went a perfect 3-for-3

Hitting Her Stride

- Sydney Weatherford has been masterful in the circle since making her season debut on March 9 - in 20 2/3 innings, she has accumulated a 2.71 ERA

- Weatherford was at her best in the series against Valparaiso as she allowed one unearned run in 12 innings of work on her way to a pair of victories

All She Does is Win

- Picking up five wins in her last seven appearances, Megan Brenton has played a pivotal role in the latest success for UE

- Brenton was credited with the win in Evansville’s first victory of the year against Lindenwood before adding two wins at Bellarmine

- Her 5th win of 2024 came against SIUE on Tuesday as she tossed a 3-hit shutout against SIUE