VINCENNES, Ind. – The two-time defending Region 24 Champion Vincennes University volleyball program is proud to announce another sophomore signing with setter Josephine Mulligan (Saint John, Ind.) signing with NAIA Keiser University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“I chose Keiser University to continue my volleyball career because the program is a winning team and hard working in every practice,” Mulligan said. “I feel that I will end my volleyball career reaching my potential.”

“Joie is a long, athletic player with good individual skills,” VUVB Head Coach Gary Sien said. “We generally like to recruit tall setters who can play in the front row if needed for a 5-1 offense. Joie has played some front row for two years and can hold her own at the net. She has developed her blocking skills, which she was never coached with before coming here. She is also left-handed, so she can hit the ball on the second contact when she is in the front row.”

“I find Joie extremely coachable as a setter in our offense,” Sien added. “The main idea here is to make the best choice to put the hitter in the best position to get a kill and she has developed a great sense for that.”

Mulligan split time as setter for the Trailblazers but was still able to finish with a very impressive 842 set assists in her two years in the Blue and Gold.

Mulligan also recorded 354 digs, 57 aces and 23 kills during her time at VU, while also finishing with seven double-doubles last season.

“Joie had a very good season this year,” Sien said. “She did have a setback when she was out for two weeks early in the season. I give her a lot of credit for coming back strong. The toughest position to return to after an extended absence is setting. It is literally like starting all over again.”

Mulligan was one of five VUVB sophomores who closed out their Trailblazer career’s this past November with a combined record of 51-13 overall, including an outstanding 24-0 record against Region 24 opponents.

Mulligan, along with sophomores Lara Gomes de Castro (Sao Paulo, Brazil), who signed to play at Union College, Kaley Roush (Shoals, Ind.) and Hannah Graber (Montgomery, Ind.), who are returning to VU in the fall to continue pursuing their nursing degrees and Malgorzata Banasiak (Gdynia, Poland), who is still looking at various options for next year, were part of the first Trailblazer volleyball squad to win a Region Championship since making the jump to NJCAA Division I in 2016 and winning VU’s first Region Championship since 2006 in 2021.

“What it means to be a part of this is everything to me and more,” Mulligan added. “I started my freshman year not knowing if I was going to even play and I ended up being a huge part of the team and was able to help lead two successful seasons with talented girls who I loved on and off the court. I could not be happier with how my volleyball career at VU ended.”

“My favorite memory at VU is winning Region this year,” Mulligan said. “Since it was the second time and being able to do it with my favorite people again and with more confidence this time was so exciting. I’m going to miss my friends at VU the most.”

“Vincennes University was a great transition from high school to college for me because I got the undivided attention I needed in the classroom starting college,” Mulligan added. “Learning how to maintain my grades and becoming a leader on the court.”

“This group of sophomores is such an excellent group to work with,” Sien said. “I have said this in the past, you can always replace the position, but you can never replace the person. They will all be missed. Of course, this class has the back-to-back Region titles, a first in program history. We all know about athletics at Vincennes University, every program has had great success. Though the volleyball program has had that type of success in the past, this class helped bring the program closer to excelling with higher expectations on a consistent basis. This is the legacy they leave for future teams.”

Mulligan is joining a very talented Seahawks team that finished last season with a 32-8 record and reached the Championship game of the Sun Conference Tournament under Head Coach James Rogers.

“Keiser has been a successful program in the past five years or so,” Sien said. “Joie will have an opportunity to run another high-level offense. They are in a tough conference with quite a bit of traveling for competition. Again, our schedule, as we do the most traveling in the Region, equips our students on how to handle life on the road.”

“This is the furthest south we have had anyone sign since I have been at VU,” Sien added. “Four-year schools in Florida typically get transfers from states closer, so this could potentially open up a whole new region of the country that we can get our kids to with Joie’s signing.”

The Vincennes University Athletic Department would like to congratulate Josephine Mulligan on her signing with Keiser University and wishes her good luck as she continues her volleyball career in the fall.

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball suffered a tough loss to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 4-3, to open a three-game series at the USI Baseball Field. USI watched its record go to 15-31 overall and 6-13 in the Ohio Valley Conference, while Little Rock is 26-17 overall, 11-5 OVC.
 
A pitcher’s duel through the first three-and-a-half frames before the Screaming Eagles put up the first run of the game in the fourth on a RBI-single freshman third baseman Caleb Niehaus (Newburgh, Indiana). USI upped the margin to 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth when senior centerfielder Evan Kahre (Evansville, Indiana) scored from second when sophomore shortstop Ricardo Van Grieken (Venezuela) reached on an error up the middle.
 
The Trojans battled back to tie the score 2-2 with a pair of runs in the sixth before the Eagles regained the lead, 3-2, in the seventh. USI junior pinch runner/leftfielder Steven Molinet (Elberfeld, Indiana) scored the Eagles’ third tally of the game when junior first baseman Tucker Ebest  (Austin, Texas) hit into a double play with the bases loaded.
 
After USI got through a second-and-third jam the Little Rock eighth, the Trojans broke through to take the 4-3 lead in the top of the ninth. The Eagles tried to rally and tie the game in the bottom of the ninth, putting runners on the corners with one, only to see Little Rock shut the door on the 4-3 final.
 
On the mound, junior right-hander Carter Stamm (Jasper, Indiana) took the loss in relief. Stamm (2-2) allowed two runs on three hits and a walk, while striking out three batters.
 
USI junior right-hander Trent Robinson (Louisville, Kentucky) started and got a tough no-decision. Robinson, who threw a season-high six innings, allowed two runs on six hits and four walks. He also struck out two in the six frames and 105 pitches.
 
Up Next for the Eagles:  
The USI-Little Rock three-game series continues Saturday with a 2 p.m. first pitch. The series is set to conclude Sunday with USI’s Senior Day and a noon start. USI’s nine seniors will be honored at 11:30 a.m. with an on-field ceremony.