Cutting-edge Collaborative Robotics Training Lab opens at Vincennes University Jasper
Softball unveils 2022 schedule
Aces ready for competitive slate in the spring
 EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Competitive games across the board, including a tournament hosted by a 2021 Women’s College World Series participant, comprise the 2022 schedule for the University of Evansville softball team.
A balanced, competitive slate will give the Purple Aces valuable experience over the course of the season while preparing the squad for the ultra-competitive Missouri Valley Conference schedule, which saw two programs represent the league in the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
“I am thrilled to be able to release our spring schedule. Aces fans will love to see all of the great opponents we will be playing this season,†UE head softball coach Mat Mundell exclaimed. “Our schedule is going to be tough, but we did this intentionally to get our team ready for MVC play.â€
UE will hit the ground running when it opens the season on February 11 at the Best on the Bayou Classic. Hosted by Louisiana Monroe, the events begins with a matchup versus Stephen F. Austin, who went 35-12 a season ago. The Aces will also face Morehead State, Southern, Mississippi Valley State and SIU Edwardsville in the first weekend of the season.
In what may be one of the most competitive events in program history, Evansville makes the trek to the Easton Bama Bash, which will be held on the University of Alabama campus in Tuscaloosa. UE opens on Feb. 18 against Middle Tennessee State, who won 26 games last year while going 11-8 in Conference USA. The day continues against the Crimson Tide, who won 52 games last season on their way to a berth in the Women’s College World Series. Alabama also won the SEC Championship and earned a #2 preseason ranking by D1softball.com.
An exciting weekend continues on the 19th with a morning game against Virginia Tech, who is 11th in the 2022 D1softball.compreseason poll. The Hokies were 37-15 in 2021 while earning 23 ACC wins. An at-large team in the NCAA Tournament, Virginia Tech won the Tempe Regional before picking up a win in the opening game of the Super Regional at UCLA. UE faces MTSU and VT twice during the tournament. The month of February comes to a close at the Hub City Challenge in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The Aces face SIU Edwardsville and Southern Miss in two contests each with the fifth game coming against Alcorn State.
March gets underway with a home tournament March 4-6. A competitive field includes Oakland, Green Bay, Morehead State, Creighton and Bowling Green. Oakland went 26-16 last year on their way to the Horizon League Championship game. The Phoenix of Green Bay were also one of the top squads in the Horizon, winning 23 games. The Blue Jays and Falcons were both .500 in 2021.
Following a midweek game on March 9 at UT Martin, the Aces trek to Murray, Kentucky for their final non-conference tournament. The Racer Classic will feature two games apiece versus St. Thomas and Western Illinois along with a single game versus Murray State. St. Thomas is set for its first Division I campaign, but was extremely successful at the Division III level, going 33-10 last year while finishing with a 5th-place ranking nationally.
Evansville welcomes Tennessee Tech for a March 16 doubleheader before opening Missouri Valley Conference action at home on the 19th against Drake. The homestand continues on 3/26-3/27 with a series against UNI. The Panthers won 32 games last season on their way to an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament. Playing in the Columbia Regional, UNI picked up a win over Iowa State.
April begins with a 3-game set at Loyola on April 2-3. Following a home doubleheader versus Bellarmine on the 6th, UE travels to Normal, Ill. to take on Illinois State on the 9th and 10th of April. Evansville returns to Cooper Stadium on April 15-16 to face Missouri State, who was 26-17 overall last year, but kicked it into gear in Valley play, finishing at 16-6. A 5-game road stretch includes at doubleheader at Indiana State on April 20 before three games at Bradley that weekend.
Home play for the season wraps up as April comes to a close. The Aces welcome Indiana State for a single game on April 27 before defending MVC Champion Southern Illinois comes to town for three games on April 30 and May 1. A trip to Valparaiso on May 6-7 completes the regular season. Missouri State will host the 2022 MVC Softball Championship in Springfield, Mo. It runs from May 11 through the 14th.
Gov. Holcomb Announces New Executive Director For The Office of Energy Development
INDIANAPOLIS – Gov. Eric J. Holcomb today announced that Ryan Hadley is the new executive director for the Indiana Office of Energy Development.
“Ryan Hadley is committed to finding affordable and stable energy for all Hoosiers,†Gov. Holcomb said. “He is driven to continuously improve our state’s energy economy by finding reliable and innovative solutions.â€
Hadley most recently served as the executive director of external affairs for the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) where he oversaw the agency’s legislative, media, and stakeholder management strategies, as well as the Consumer Affairs Division. He will continue to provide legislative assistance to the IURC through the conclusion of the current General Assembly session. Prior to that position, he worked as the deputy director of legislative and external affairs for the agency.
“I want to thank Governor Holcomb for the opportunity to serve in this role,†Hadley said. “I look forward to helping Indiana navigate the changing and evolving energy landscape and continue Indiana’s strong legacy of safe, reliable, and affordable energy services that are essential for Hoosiers.â€
Hadley earned an undergraduate degree from University of Southern Indiana. Hadley begins his tenure on Jan. 24.
In Indiana, the Office of Energy Development was established to shepherd energy planning and policy development. OED focuses on the development and implementation of comprehensive energy planning for the state that utilizes all of Indiana’s energy resources and supports a strong, dynamic and growing economy.
National Endowment for the Arts Supports the Arts in Indiana with $254,000 in Awards in First Round of FY2022 Funding
(Indianapolis, Indiana) Last week, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announced the awarding of 15 grants totaling $254,000 to Indiana nonprofit arts organizations and cultural programming providers during the first round of grants for fiscal year 2022. Â
“These National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants underscore the resilience of our nation’s artists and arts organizations, will support efforts to provide access to the arts, and rebuild the creative economy,†said NEA Acting Chair Ann Eilers. “The supported projects demonstrate how the arts are a source of strength and well-being for communities and individuals, and can open doors to conversations that address complex issues of our time.â€
Indiana grant recipients include:
American Cello Institute, Inc., Bloomington, INÂ
Grants for Arts Projects – Music ($10,000)Â
Lotus Education and Arts Foundation, Inc., Bloomington, IN
Grants for Arts Projects – Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works ($25,000)Â
Arts United of Greater Fort Wayne, Inc., Fort Wayne, INÂ
Grants for Arts Projects – Folk & Traditional Arts ($10,000)Â
Audiences Unlimited, Inc., Fort Wayne, INÂ
Challenge America ($10,000)Â
Decay Devils, Incorporated, Gary, INÂ
Challenge America ($10,000)Â
Eiteljorg Museum of American Indian and Western Art, Inc., Indianapolis, INÂ
Grants for Arts Projects – Folk & Traditional Arts ($15,000)Â
Groundwork Indy Inc, Indianapolis, INÂ
Challenge America ($10,000)Â
Harrison Center for the Arts, Indianapolis, INÂ
Grants for Arts Projects – Artist Communities ($19,000)Â
Heartland Film, Inc., Indianapolis, INÂ
Grants for Arts Projects – Media Arts ($20,000)Â
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis, INÂ
Grants for Arts Projects – Music ($20,000)Â
Indianapolis Art Center, Indianapolis, INÂ
Grants for Arts Projects – Visual Arts ($20,000)Â
Percussive Arts Society, Indianapolis, INÂ
Grants for Arts Projects – Music ($10,000)Â
Muncie Arts and Culture Council Inc, Muncie, INÂ
Grants for Arts Projects – Local Arts Agencies ($30,000)Â
Arts Alliance of Southern Indiana (AASI), New Albany, IN
Grants for Arts Projects – Local Arts Agencies ($10,000)Â
Art Spaces, Inc., Terre Haute, INÂ
Grants for Arts Projects – Visual Arts ($35,000)
The Grants for Arts Projects program supports public engagement with, and access to, various forms of art across the nation, the creation of art, learning in the arts at all stages of life, and the integration of the arts into the fabric of community life. The next Grants for Arts Projects application deadlines are Thursday, February 10, 2022, and Thursday, July 7, 2022.Â
Challenge America grants offer support primarily to small and mid-sized organizations for projects that extend the reach of the arts to populations that have limited access to the arts due to geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability. The next Challenge America application deadline is Thursday, April 21, 2022.Â
Visit arts.gov/grants to learn more about these opportunities and the other funding opportunities offered by the NEA. Â
O’Brien’s Bill Ensuring Public Comment At School Board Meetings Clears House Committee
STATEHOUSE (Jan. 19, 2022) – The House Government and Regulatory Reform Committee voted unanimously today to advance legislation authored by State Rep. Tim O’Brien (R-Evansville) to require time for public comment at school board meetings.
O’Brien said House Bill 1130, which now goes to the full House for consideration, would ensure Hoosiers’ voices are heard. While not an issue in the district he represents, O’Brien said this is a growing concern as school boards across Indiana recently shut down any public comment time.
“Hoosiers deserve to have a say in their children’s education and school boards should always listen to all stakeholders,” O’Brien said. “Increased collaboration between elected officials, parents and the community will mean better outcomes for students.”
O’Brien’s bill would require school boards to allow for oral testimony from members of the public physically present at a meeting. He said school boards could set time limits and take reasonable steps to maintain order in meetings, like removing a disruptive person.
To learn more and watch legislative proceedings, visit iga.in.gov.
GOVERNOR’S PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION TO MEET VIRTUALLY JAN. 20
GOVERNOR’S PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION TO MEET VIRTUALLY JAN. 20
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