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Purdue Edges out IU in Tiebreaker Year for Annual Food Drive Competition

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Purdue Edges out IU in Tiebreaker Year for Annual Food Drive Competition, Keeps Possession of the Evansville Oaken Bucket

MAY 11, 2023

The Purdue Alumni Club of Evansville (PACE) and Indiana University Alumni Association Chapter of Greater Evansville (IUAA) hosted their 7th annual Red and Black Give Back food drive competition at the six Schnucks locations in Evansville and Newburgh this past weekend, in partnership with Tri-State Food Bank. The winner was determined by which club collected the most food and monetary donations. The teams were not only competing for a worthy cause, but bragging rights and possession of the Evansville Oaken Bucket as well. They were neck-and-neck throughout this year’s Red & Black Give Back, with Purdue closely edging out IU to win the competition and maintain possession of the bucket.

“On behalf of the Purdue Alumni Club of Evansville, we are incredibly humbled by our alumni and friends in their support of the Tri-State Food Bank.”, says PACE representative Nate Hahn. “For the first time in the 7-year history of the Evansville Oaken bucket, one school will hold the bucket in back-to-back years.  We are proud it will be the Boilermakers.  We want to thank the IU Alumni Association of Greater Evansville for another great year, hard-fought, and incredibly close competition.  It is great to come together with our rivals for such a great cause.  As always, the real winners are those that the Tri-State Food Bank serves.”

Representing IUAA, Brad Colvert commented “It is a pleasure to serve the Tri-State Food Bank and our community! The IUAA Greater Evansville Chapter is humbled to volunteer alongside the Purdue Alumni Club of Evansville. A deep congratulations on their victory with the real winners being the Tri-State Food Bank. We look forward to taking back the bucket next year and raising the bar even higher from this year’s event. Go Hoosiers!”

The collaborative effort of the two alumni groups resulted in a record-breaking year for monetary donations for the fund drive – raising nearly $10,000, which is $3,000 more than the previous record set in 2019. In addition, over 1,400 pounds of food were collected during the drive. The Red & Black Give Back food drive is a partnership with Tri-State Food Bank, who in turn will be able to provide nearly 43,000 meals to Tri-State families and individuals who face hunger.

Over the course of its 7-year history, the amount of food collected now exceeds 12,000 pounds, and the money collected is over $35,000. Therefore, as an overall result of the Red & Black Give Back food drive, the equivalent of over 157,000 meals has been generated to help fight hunger throughout the Tri-State.

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About Tri-State Food Bank

Tri-State Food Bank was established in 1982 and is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to feeding the hungry by soliciting marketable surplus foods and distributing the foods to non-profit agencies, which serve the needy in a 33-county area of the Tri-State. It is also the Tri-State Food Bank’s mission to aid in assisting member agencies in the various programs they sponsor and overseeing their success by serving as a channel for donors to be assured of good warehousing practices, accountability and equitable distribution within the network of collaborating organizations that are served while educating the public about the problems of hunger. Visit www.tristatefoodbank.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

 

USI Softball captures first-ever OVC Tournament win Thursday against Tennessee State

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OXFORD, Ala. – Following an overnight suspension of play, University of Southern Indiana Softball began its Ohio Valley Conference Tournament journey with a 9-1 win against Tennessee State University Thursday morning, as the Screaming Eagles earned their first-ever OVC Tournament victory.
 
#3 Southern Indiana matched up against #6 Tennessee State after the Tigers defeated #7 Lindenwood University, 3-2, in 10 innings in the tournament’s opening game on Wednesday. USI and TSU started their game Wednesday afternoon before rain interrupted play.
 
Tennessee State scored in its first at-bats of the game, scoring on a sacrifice fly following a leadoff triple in the top of the first inning. The Screaming Eagles were unbothered, as senior designated player Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) crushed a two-run home run out of the ballpark to put USI ahead, 2-1, after one.
 
The Screaming Eagles’ offense continued to click in the bottom of the second inning, thanks to production from three of the seniors. Senior outfielder Emma Tucher (New Palestine, Indiana) reached with a single, and two batters later, senior infielder Jordan Rager (Fishers, Indiana) brought Tucher home with an RBI single. Then Rager scored all the way from first on Goodin’s second extra-base hit of the game, an RBI double. USI led 4-1 after four innings.
 
Meanwhile, sophomore pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) was in solid form, inducing a good balance of groundouts and high popouts.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, senior infielder Rachel Martinez (Chicago, Illinois) joined the rest of her senior class on the offensive fun. With two runners in scoring position and one out, Martinez doubled home a run. The next batter, junior catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana), cashed in with a two-run home run. By the end of the fifth frame, Southern Indiana led 8-1.
 
Then Mother Nature intervened at the top of the sixth inning Wednesday evening. Heavy rainfall brought the game to a halt. As both teams waited out the weather, it was determined to suspend play and resume the game Thursday morning at 9 a.m.
 
In the resumption of play in the top of the sixth, sophomore Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) moved from third base into the pitching circle. Gotshall pitched around a couple of baserunners, which included inducing a double play. In the bottom of the sixth and with the bases loaded for USI, Gotshall ended the game with an RBI single, giving USI a 9-1 victory and its first-ever Ohio Valley Conference Tournament win.
 
At the plate, USI had two-hit games from Rager, Goodin, Gotshall, and junior first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana). Rager scored three runs, and Goodin tallied three RBIs.
 
Newman picked up her 16th win in the pitching decision. The right-hander went the first five innings with one run allowed and a pair of strikeouts.
 
Tennessee State’s freshman pitcher Holly Ayala suffered the loss after going 1.2 innings with four runs – three earned – surrendered. Sophomore pitcher Caitlyn Manus tossed the last 3.2 innings with five runs – four earned – allowed.
 
The Screaming Eagles will return to action at the OVC Championship Tournament Thursday at approximately 12:30 p.m. against the No. 2 seed Eastern Illinois from Choccolocco Park. Championship tournament coverage from Oxford, Alabama can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+.  USI Softball radio coverage can be heard on The Spin 95.7 FM. Additional coverage links are on the USI Softball schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com.

Gov. Beshear: Kentucky Counterdrug Program Helps Save 28.9 Million People from Fentanyl Overdose

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Partners work to destroy the supply of illicit drugs in the commonwealth; Governor signs the fiscal year 2024 counterdrug activities plan

FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 11, 2023) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear joined representatives of Kentucky’s Counterdrug Program to praise them for supporting the seizure of 142 pounds of fentanyl over seven months that could have caused almost certain death for more than 28.9 million people.

The Governor then moved to continue the team’s work of disrupting the supply of illicit drugs in the commonwealth by signing the fiscal year 2024 State Drug Interdiction and Counterdrug Activities Plan. Support is provided to multiple state, local and federal agencies in the plan’s team, including Kentucky State Police (KSP), Kentucky National Guard, Appalachian High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Homeland Security Investigations and Drug Enforcement Agency.

From Oct. 1, 2022, to May 1, 2023, the team also supported law enforcement in the seizure of 88,253 fentanyl pills, which is a significant increase from the 2022 fiscal year, when 5,100 fentanyl pills were seized. In 2023, the team also supported the seizure of 432 pounds of methamphetamine, 179 pounds of cocaine and 5.8 pounds of heroin.

“This team is out there on the front lines in our communities, taking drugs off the streets and saving lives. I am proud to support them each and every day for their lifesaving work,” Gov. Beshear said. “I also commend our Kentucky State Police officers who work with multiple agencies to remove dangerous drugs from our communities. One of those is the Kentucky National Guard, which is instrumental in supporting the counterdrug program here in Kentucky as well as supporting local law enforcement on our Southwest Border.”

The Governor added that in April, the Kentucky Counterdrug Program supported the disposal of 14,500 pounds of unneeded medication as part of the statewide Drug Takeback Day.

The Counterdrug Program is federally funded through the Secretary of Defense to states whose Governor submits a Drug Interdiction and Counterdrug Activities Plan.

The Governor said today’s news follows last month’s positive announcement that drug overdose deaths declined in 2022 by 5% compared with 2021, marking the first decline since 2018.

KSP Commissioner Phillip Burnett Jr. added that the federal Drug Enforcement Agency recently released a staggering statistic: Fentanyl is involved in more deaths of Americans under 50 than any cause of death, including heart disease, cancer, homicide, suicide or other accidents. Just 2 milligrams of fentanyl can cause sudden death. Statewide last year, KSP, local and federal partners seized 11,700 grams of fentanyl.

“Not only is fentanyl a danger to our fellow citizens, but it is a threat to our fellow law enforcement officers, their K-9 counterparts and other first responders,” Commissioner Burnett said. “That is why we are working to keep fentanyl off our streets as well as having all our troopers and officers carry naloxone, a medication designed to reverse an opioid overdose rapidly.”

Last year, KSP also seized 18,600 grams of methamphetamine – and since 2018, their efforts accounted for 1,612 drug seizures along the Interstate Highway 75 corridor.

The Kentucky National Guard plays a key role in defeating the demand and destroying the supply of illicit drugs in the commonwealth by providing support to federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. As part of the Kentucky Counterdrug Program, the National Guard provides personnel, assets and capabilities as part of their unique military support.

The Kentucky National Guard also supports Customs Border Patrol along the Southwest Border. Last year, the 149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade provided operational detection and monitoring support and was in command of Task Force Legion, which included 2,500 National Guardsmen mobilized in a Title 10 federal status from 16 states and territories. Currently, 125 Kentucky National Guardsmen are deployed to the border.

“I am incredibly proud of the men and women who serve in the Kentucky National Guard, especially those who support the Counterdrug Program here in Kentucky. They work alongside local law enforcement and play a key role in defeating the demand and destroying the supply of illicit drugs in our commonwealth,” Brig. Gen. Brian Wertzler said.

In March, Gov. Beshear announced that Kentucky is also leading the way in providing treatment services to Kentuckians through the state’s Treatment Access Program, which allows those without health insurance to enter residential treatment, and by creating Recovery Ready Communities, expanding health care coverage and increasing treatment beds.

The state has also increased the number of treatment beds by 50% since the Governor took office in 2019. The administration is also in the process of seeking support and oversight of mobile crisis intervention service providers across the state, which further supports those facing addiction as well as those in need of suicide and crisis intervention.

This year, the Governor also signed legislation supporting recovery housing by setting requirements for certification, operation and oversight of these residences and legislation that ensures direct payments from health insurance to the facilities providing care.

Last year, Gov. Beshear announced a new searchable website to help people in recovery find housing, FindRecoveryHousingNowKY.org. There are currently 185 houses listed on the site.

Under the Governor’s leadership, more than $80.6 million is expected to be awarded by the state’s Office of Drug Control Policy to help support addiction treatment and prevention efforts across the commonwealth.

The Governor has continued to fight the state’s drug epidemic from his time as attorney general, when he led the nation in the number of individual opioid lawsuits filed by an attorney general.

He brought a total of nine lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies for allegedly flooding Kentucky communities with addictive prescription drugs. The lawsuit defendants include: Endo Pharmaceuticals; McKesson Corp.; Cardinal Health; AmerisourceBergen; Janssen Pharmaceuticals; Walgreens; Mallinckrodt; Teva Pharmaceuticals and Insys Therapeutics. Now, Gov. Beshear has made sure the hundreds of millions of dollars in settlement funds go to treatment and the communities impacted.

Treatment Resources 
Call the KY Help Call Center at 833-8KY-HELP (833-859-4357) to speak one-on-one with a specialist who can connect Kentuckians to treatment. Visit findhelpnowky.org to find information about available space in treatment programs and providers based on location, facility type and category of treatment needed.

Visit the KSP website to find one of KSP’s 16 posts where those suffering from addiction can be paired with a local officer who will assist with locating an appropriate treatment program. The Angel Initiative is completely voluntary, and individuals will not be arrested or charged with any violations if they agree to participate in treatment.

For a video from Gov. Beshear on available treatment and resources, and the importance of knowing how to respond to an overdose, click here.

House Bill 115
To further support law enforcement, on Thursday, the Governor ceremonially signed House Bill 115, sponsored by Rep. Bill Wesley of Ravenna, which adds the definition of “electronic detection dog” and “police dog” and adds them to the statute for assault on a service animal which is a Class D felony.

In 2021, KSP added the agency’s first electronic storage device detection K-9 and the second ESD K-9 was added in August 2022. The Governor was joined by Sgt. Leslie Strong and electronic detection K-9 May. Detective John Sims and K-9 Cam were out of town working today.

The Governor said May and Cam are among only 85 electronic storage device K-9s in the country. They work with police agencies and Internet Crimes Against Children task forces to assist with locating hidden electronic storage devices such as hard drives, USB drives and cell phones that may contain child sexual abuse material or other criminal activity. They assist with search warrants locating key pieces of electronic evidence.

Sadly, of the eight law enforcement K-9s shot or stabbed to death in the U.S. so far this year, two were in service to Kentucky law enforcement agencies.

“This is very much needed legislation, and I am proud to sign it today,” Gov. Beshear said. “Thank you to Sgt. Strong, May and Detective Sims and Cam for helping to protect our children and keep our street safe.”

“Over the past few years, we’ve been working with local law enforcement and our K-9 units and this one is very dear to me because it protects our children,” said Rep. Wesley. “We only have two dogs in the state of Kentucky that specialize in this. I am grateful for the service and the work that they do.”

“I was studying for the Sergeant’s exam when I noticed in the definition of service animal, our electronic detection K-9s weren’t included in that,” said Sgt. Leslie Strong. “These dogs protect our most vulnerable citizens of the commonwealth, which are our children. Personally, I am a little biased, but we I think we need as many of these dogs as we can get because they do very important work.”

Dodie Dunson named UE Women’s Basketball Associate Head Coach

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UAB vs. FIU Women's Basketball,Jan.16,2020 at Bartow Arena,Birmingham, Al. (Jimmie Mitchell)

Dunson brings a wealth of experience to Purple Aces

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Evansville Head women’s basketball Coach Robyn Scherr-Wells has announced the hiring of Dodie Dunson as Associate Head Coach of the Purple Aces.  Dunson officially joins the staff on May 11, 2023.

“I am ecstatic for Dodie Dunson to join our staff as our Associate Head Coach. I have admired Dodie and his work ethic since he was a young assistant at SIUE,” Scherr-Wells exclaimed.  “Dodie has a warmth and energy about him that lights up a room. He is relationship driven and I know he will build strong connections with our student-athletes, within the Evansville community, and with our recruits.”

“Beyond that, he has gained great basketball experience throughout his career and his experience within our conference this past season will help him hit the ground running,” she continued.  “I know our program will continue to make great strides with his addition to our staff!”

Dunson joins the Aces following a season as an assistant coach at UIC where he helped the Flames navigate the transition to the Missouri Valley Conference.  His work at UIC came after a successful season as an assistant at Tulsa that saw the Golden Hurricane record two postseason victories along with an appearance in the second round of the WNIT.

From 2018-21, Dunson enjoyed a successful 3-year tenure on the staff at UAB.  During his three seasons with the squad, the Blazers recorded 56 wins, including back-to-back 20+ win campaigns in his first two years.  The 2018-19 season saw UAB post the second-highest win total in school history, going 26-7 on the way to an appearance in the WNIT Second Round.  During his three seasons, UAB had six all-conference honorees.

“I am very excited and grateful to join Robyn Scherr-Wells’ staff. Coach Scherr-Wells is a proven winner and highly respected in our profession with limitless potential,” Dunson said.  “I am a huge believer in the power of true relationships. I am excited and honored to have the privilege to serve alongside her helping to positively impact lives and elevate the Purple Aces women’s basketball program.”

Prior to UAB, Dunson had a major footprint in the Midwest.  From 2016 through 2018, he was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at SIU-Edwardsville where he helped the Cougars earn 31 wins, make back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference tournament appearances and play in the 2018 Women’s Basketball Invitational. Dunson was also instrumental in coaching three all-conference selections.

Previously, Dunson served as the director of basketball operations for both the men’s and women’s teams at Western Illinois (2014-16), as the associate head coach at Wabash Valley College (2013-14), as the Bloomington High School boys varsity coach (2011-13) and as Team Illinois Educational AAU U16 boys associate director (2009-13).

Dunson played his freshman season at Iowa State (2006-07), where he played in all 31 games and averaged 5.2 points, scored 30 three-pointers, the fourth most for a Cyclone rookie, and shot 81.6-percent from the free throw line. Dunson transferred to Vincennes University for one season, helping the Trailblazers to a 28-6 record, and was named as the MVP of the National Junior College Association of American (NJCAA) District 3 Tournament.  Dunson finished his career at Bradley University, playing the 2008-09 and 2010-11 seasons, after missing all but two games of the 2009-10 season due to injury. He tallied 692 points in 68 games for 10.1 points per game and was named a 2011 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award finalist.

He established the Dodie Dunson II Foundation in 2019, which was created to inspire, motivate and provide resources for people in at risk youth communities.  Dunson graduated from Bradley with a degree in social work in 2011 and earned his master’s degree in physical education and coaching pedagogy from SIUE in 2017.

EPA Announces Phase 2 Winners of the Environmental Justice Video Challenge for Students

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WASHINGTON (May 9, 2023) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its co-sponsors, American Public Health Association, the Educational Partnerships for Innovation in Communities – Network (EPIC-N), Environmental Defense Fund, Environmental Justice journal, and Groundwork USA, announced the Phase 2 winners of the Environmental Justice (EJ) Video Challenge for Students. The winning teams, which consisted of college students and local community organizations, worked together to develop community capacity building strategies to address an environmental justice issue important to a local community.

“This challenge showcases how collaboration between the next generation of environmental justice advocates and community organizations can produce truly innovative ideas to address environmental and public health issues affecting communities,” said Chris Frey, Assistant Administrator of EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “We are encouraged by each team’s exceptional efforts and look forward to creating pathways for continued community capacity building that will help us to achieve our mission to protect human health and the environment.”

In Phase 1, college students created videos demonstrating innovative approaches to identify and characterize an environmental justice issue in a community using data and publicly available tools. In Phase 2, students worked collaboratively with local community organizations to develop a community capacity building strategy and an accompanying video that demonstrates effective community engagement and advocacy to address the environmental justice issue identified in Phase 1.

Phase 2 winners are listed below:

  • First Place ($60,000):Civic Bioremediation: Building a Network of Soil Practitioners – University of California, Irvine
    • Community Organization Partner ($50,000): Orange County Environmental Justice
    • Student Team Members ($10,000): Annika Hjelmstad, Ariane Jong-Levinger, Ashley Green, Alexis Guerra, Caroline Nguyen, David Christopher Banuelas, Tim Schütz
  • Second Place ($50,000):Making Eastwick Whole – University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University
    • Community Organization Partner ($42,000): Eastwick United Community Development Corporation
    • Student Team Members ($8,000): Aminah McNulty, Allison Nkwocha, Jackson Plumlee, Nina Valentine
  • Third Place ($40,000):Pollution to Prosperity: Tackling Landfill Impacts for a Thriving Future – University of Richmond
    • Community Organization Partner ($34,000): Concerned Citizens of Charles City County
    • Student Team Members ($6,000): Megan Salters, McKenna Dunbar, Sarah Murtaugh
  • Honorable Mention ($12,500):Addressing Environmental Issues Identified in Martinsville, IN – Purdue University
    • Community Organization Partner ($10,000): Martinsville Indiana Superfund Site Association (MISSA)
    • Student Team Members ($2,500): Alaina Bryant, Kaleigh Karageorge, Jung Hyun Lee, Shaquila Rolle, Seohyung Kim, Kayla Young
  • Honorable Mention ($12,500):DRIVERS4EJ – Western Washington University, University of Washington
    • Community Organization Partner ($10,000): Duwamish Valley Youth Corps
    • Student Team Members ($2,500): Drew Slaney, Jenny Meyer, Rudi Mondragon, Isebella Bergsma, Cianna Bergsma-Galarosa, Christopher Castro, AJ Cooper, Guadalupe Sanchez, Alexis Sorm, Randall Thall, Wala Abdin, Montana Siddle, Nicole Araya, Naythan Ramos, Issaiah Cummins

Attention businesses, local government, solid waste management districts, and nonprofit organizations!

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indiana department of environmental management

Attention businesses, local government, solid waste management districts, and nonprofit organizations!

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) announced the availability of grant funding for recycling projects from the Recycling Market Development Program. Eligible candidates may seek a grant ranging from $50,000 to $500,000. Proposals are being accepted now through June 21, 2023.

Public and private businesses, local governments, solid waste management districts, and nonprofit organizations located and doing business in Indiana are eligible to submit proposals for funding. Proposals must show a need, an increase in recyclable material collection or consumption, a reduction in municipal solid waste shipped for final disposal, or improved partnerships with communities, including economic impacts and increased public awareness of recycling opportunities through tangible outreach and education efforts.

Projects should demonstrate sustainability and an understanding of the changing economy for recyclers and look at where monies can be used most effectively to increase statewide recycling.

Final funding determinations will be made this fall. To apply, visit idem.IN.gov/recycle/2358.htm. For additional information, please contact 800-988-7901 or RMDPGrants@idem.IN.gov.

About the Recycling Market Development Program
The Recycling Market Development Program operates under the Recycling Market Development Board as established by IC 4-23-5.5. The grant money for the program comes from the Recycling Promotion and Assistance Fund, an account generated by a per-ton fee on solid waste disposed at Indiana landfills. The fund supports source reduction, reuse, recycling and composting to prevent solid waste from permanent disposal.

McCorkle selected to CSC Academic All-District Team

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EVANSVILLE, Ind. – College Sports Communicators announced Tuesday afternoon that University of Southern Indiana Women’s Tennis junior Rachel McCorkle (Tulsa, Oklahoma) was named to the Academic All-District Team. This is the first CSC Academic All-District honor for McCorkle, the second all-time in program history, and the first for the Screaming Eagles in the NCAA Division I era.

To be eligible for the CSC Academic All-District Award, the student-athlete must be a starter or an important reserve with legitimate athletic credentials and at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (4.0 scale). They must have reached a sophomore athletic and academic standing at the institution and must have completed at least one full academic year at the institution. McCorkle will be eligible to receive votes in the national ballot.

The mechanical engineering major tallied the most singles wins for the second-straight season after posting seven wins at numbers one and two. McCorkle garnered Ohio Valley Conference Doubles Team of the Week in February and combined for seven doubles victories. The two-time Academic All-Great Lakes Valley Conference winner has earned 26 career singles wins and has been a part of 25 doubles victories in her three-year stint as an Eagle.

USI finished the 2022-23 season 4-15 overall and 0-5 in OVC play while qualifying for the OVC Championship as the sixth seed.

Columbus North High School Student Named Poetry Out Loud National Champion

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(INDIANAPOLIS) Sreepadaarchana Munjuluri, a junior at Columbus North High School, has been named the 2023 Poetry Out Loud National Champion. Munjuluri, the Indiana State Champion, represented the Hoosier State at the National Finals in Washington D.C. She competed in a field of 54 state and jurisdictional champions over two days on May 9 and May 10, reciting poems by Emily Jungmin Yoon, Emma Lazarus, and Garrett Hongo.  

This is Munjuluri’s second year participating in Poetry Out Loud. Munjuluri loves exploring literature, not just in English but also in her native language Telugu, and Sanskrit. In her free time, she plays the violin and practices the Bharatanatyam dance. In the future, she hopes to be a global health advocate and believes that communication through various mediums (such as poetry) is the key to solving the world’s problems and is the most beautiful aspect of the human experience.

The Indiana Arts Commission serves as the coordinator for Indiana’s Poetry Out Loud competition. The Indiana State Finals were held at the Indiana Government Center Auditorium on March 4, 2023, where Munjuluri was named State Champion amid a field of 14 State Finalists. Over 1,000 students participated across Indiana in 2023.

Munjuluri participated in Poetry Out Loud as part of the Indiana Humanities statewide outreach program and was coached by Indiana poet Adam Henze, Ph.D.

“Indiana Humanities is delighted to congratulate Sreepadaarchana on her accomplishment. She was diligent in her work and selected poems that spoke to her. We’re grateful to Dr. Adam Henze for his guidance in preparing her for this competition,” said Megan Telligman, director of programs at Indiana Humanities.

Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school students across the country. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life. Poetry Out Loud is a partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts, the Poetry Foundation, and the state and jurisdictional arts agencies. In 2023, more than 158,000 students participated nationwide.

As the Poetry Out Loud National Champion, Munjuluri will receive $20,000 and Indiana Humanities will receive $500 for the purchase of poetry materials.

“The Indiana Arts Commission is immensely proud of Sreepadaarchana and the hard work and dedication that has led to this moment for her,” said Stephanie Haines, Poetry Out Loud coordinator with the Indiana Arts Commission. “Indiana has a rich history of poetry at all ages, and Sreepadaarchana’s success demonstrates the power of creativity in classrooms. Indiana could not ask for a better student to represent our state.”

Eagles make non-conference visit to #16 ORU

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EVANSVILLE, Ind. — University of Southern Indiana Baseball takes a break from Ohio Valley Conference action this weekend when it makes a visit to 16th-ranked Oral Roberts University for a three-game series in Tulsa, Oklahoma. First pitch of the series at J.L. Johnson Stadium is Friday at 6 p.m. before continuing Saturday at 2 p.m. and concluding Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
Links to follow all of the action during the homestand can be found on the Eagles’ baseball schedule at USIScreamingEagles.com.

USI Baseball Notes:
USI has rough week to start May: The USI Screaming Eagles (15-32) started May with an 0-4 record, falling 14-3 to Southern Illinois University; 12-2 to Miami (OH) University; and a pair, 4-3 and 14-10 to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Senior centerfielder Evan Kahre led the USI hitters with a .412 average, four runs scored, and two RBIs, while senior catcher/second baseman Lucas McNew had a team-best five RBIs.
 
USI’s offense surges: USI has the offense going, averaging 8.1 runs per game in the last 10 games and reaching double-digits in seven of the last 11 games. Junior first baseman Tucker Ebest has a .429 average over the last 10 games with four home runs and 18 RBIs. Senior infielder/catcher Lucas McNew follows with 17 RBIs in the last 10.
 
Eagles in the OVC standings: The Eagles are ninth in the OVC standings by percentage points with a 6-14 record and a .300 winning percentage. USI, which is .033 away from an OVC Tournament spot, has three conference games left and must finish amongst the top eight to earn a trip to the OVC Tournament May 24-26.
 
Leading hitters: Junior first baseman Tucker Ebest leads the Eagles with a .329 average, 11 home runs, and 49 RBIs. Ebest is followed by junior catcher Parker Stroh, who has a .328 batting average, while senior catcher/second baseman Lucas McNew is second to Ebest with 43 RBIs and has a team-high 11 doubles.   
 
Versus the OVC: Junior first baseman Tucker Ebest has a team-best .397 batting average and five RBIs in OVC play. Senior catcher/second baseman Lucas McNew leads the squad in OVC action with 21 RBIs.
 
Among the OVC leaders: Junior first baseman Tucker Ebest is tied for first in the OVC in RBIs (49), while sophomore shortstop Ricardo Van Grieken is the OVC leader in on-base percentage (.500). Senior centerfielder Evan Kahre is fourth in triples (3), sixth in runs scored (36), and seventh in hits (47) and stolen bases (12).
 
Van Grieken gets hit for record. Sophomore shortstop Ricardo Van Grieken has been hit by a pitch in a season more than any other Eagle, getting hit 23 times this season. The mark of 20 was previously held by Wes Fink (2008) and Nick Gobert (2018).  
 
McNew climbing the USI All-Time charts: Senior catcher/infielder Lucas McNew is fifth all-time at USI in home runs (24); fifth in RBIs (169) and sixth in doubles (51).
 
Oral Roberts this spring: The #16 Golden Eagles of Oral Roberts enter the three-game series with a 37-11 overall record after a 4-1 road win at Wichita State University Tuesday. Oral Roberts also has won their last nine games and 17 of the last 18 contests. USI and Oral Roberts will be meeting for the first time in baseball.  
 
OVC Ranked Wins: OVC teams have had a trio of wins over nationally ranked teams this season and have 26 victories over ranked teams since 2018. This season’s OVC wins over ranked opponents are:
 
   Feb. 26 – Eastern Illinois 12, #3 Arkansas
   Apr. 12 – Little Rock 11, #5 Arkansas 4
Apr. 18 – Tennessee Tech 12, #19 Tennessee 5

Eagles Add Twelve to Fall Roster

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EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Soccer adds twelve players to their 2023 roster for their second season at the Division I level since 1994 and first in the Ohio Valley Conference. The additions consist of seven freshmen and five transfers including two goalkeepers, four defenders and midfielders, and two forwards.
 
“This is a talented group both on and off the field.” Said USI Head Coach Mat Santoro “I expect them to do great things here, and we look forward to getting to work with them.”
 
Signing with the Eagles for their first season in the OVC this fall are:
 
Michael Bolognone | So. | D | Medford Lakes, New Jersey
Bolognone, the 6’2 185-pound defender, transferred to USI after one season at Gardner-Webb University where he did not see action during the 2022 season when the Bulldogs went 7-5-4 and 2-2-4 in the Big South.
 
Arijan Coralic | Fr. | D | Chicago, Illinois
Coralic, the 6’3 185-pound defender, comes to USI from Maine East High School (Chicago, Illinois). He also was a part of the FC United MLS NEXT Academy.
 
Jaron Frye | Jr. | F | Tulsa, Oklahoma
Frye, the 5’8 160 pound forward, transferred to USI after two seasons at Northern Oklahoma College. During his career with the Mavericks, Frye played in 27 games while starting 22, scoring 11 goals and recording three assists. His five goals during his sophomore season would lead the Mavericks.
 
Josh Jones | Fr. | GK | Chatham, Illinois
Jones, the 6’6 205-pound goalkeeper, comes to USI from Chatham High School (Chatham, Illinois) where he was a two-time All-Conference member as a junior and senior as well as being named to the All-Sectional and All-State Semi Final teams as a senior. During his senior year, Jones would help lead Chatham to a Boys Soccer Class 2A State Runner Up finish. Jones was also named All-Conference in basketball during his senior year at Chatham. He also spent time in the Springfield FC academy in the UPSL.
 
Pablo Juan | Fr. | M | St. Louis, Missouri
Juan, the 5’9 160-pound midfielder, comes to USI from St. John Vianney High School (St. Louis, Missouri). During his junior and senior seasons, Juan would score nine goals to help lead his team. He also spent time in the Lou Fisz Athletic 04 Williams academy.
 
Andrew Klott | Fr. | GK | St. Charles, Missouri
Klott, the 6’5 210-pound goalkeeper, comes to USI from Francis Howell high School (St. Charles, Missouri). During his time at Francis Howell, Klott was named the GAC South Player of the Year as well as earning his team MVP Award and being named a First-Team All-State member. Klott spent his time in the Lou Fusz Phillips academy.
 
Daniel Marynevych | Fr. | F | Chicago, Illinois
Marynevych, the 5’10 165-pound forward, comes to USI from Grayslake Central High School (Chicago, Illinois).
 
Andrew Miranda | Fr. | D | Chicago, Illinois
Miranda, the 5’10 160-pound defender, comes to USI from IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida). He was also a part of the MLS Next academy.
 
Ezekiel Ortiz | Fr. | M | Dalton, Georgia
Ortiz, the 5’6 150-pound midfielder, comes to USI from Dalton High School (Dalton, Georgia). He was also a part of the Chattanooga Red Wolves USL Academy squad.
 
Devin Reiminger | Jr. | D | Jackson, Missouri
Reiminger, the 6’3 185-pound defender, transferred to USI after two seasons at Mineral Area Junior College. During his time with the Cardinals, Reiminger would play in 22 games while making seven starts. He was also named a 2021 and 2022 NJCAA Academic All-American.
 
Fabrice Remy | Jr. | M | Coral Springs, Florida
Remy, 6’0 175-pound midfielder, transferred to USI after spending time at the University of Central Arkansas. Remy previously played his club ball for Team Boca while also playing for Coral Springs High School where they were district champions in 2019.
 
Nolan Ross | Jr. | M | Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Ross, the 5’10 160-pound midfielder, transferred to USI after two seasons at the University of Charleston. During his time, he would play in 11 matches while recording two assists. In 2021 Ross and the Golden Eagles were Mountain East Conference spring regular season and tournament champions while also winning the fall conference tournament and making it to the NCAA Division II National Championships where they would fall to California State University, Los Angeles in the final. They would also go on to win the MEC regular season and tournament in 2022 and were runner-up’s in the regional.

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