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That list includes sophomore transfer Cordelia Hoover as well as incoming freshmen Adara Austin, Alyssa Beyer, Lilyanna Blais, Isabella Fuentes, Charlee Gibson, Ava Rau, Zoe Roberts, Vanessa Teel and Mackenzi Thomas.
“We had a lot of work to do to fill roster spots that were vacated via graduation by some very talented student athletes, and we are very pleased with the outcome,” Hillyard said. “There is a load of talent in this class, and we expect that a few of them will make big contributions right away.
“Long term, this group has the potential to produce multiple regional qualifiers in future years,” Hillyard concluded.
Cordelia Hoover (Evansville, Indiana) transfers from Ohio Valley Conference member Southeast Missouri State University, where she finished 57th at the OVC Cross Country Championships as a freshman in 2024. She also was 21st in the 5,000 meters at the OVC Indoor Track & Field Championships as well as 18th in the 5,000 meters at the OVC Outdoor Championships.
A graduate of Reitz High School, Hoover was a two-time state qualifier on the grass as well as a two-time Indiana Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches (IATCCC) honorable mention All-State honoree. Hoover also was a two-time state qualifier on the track and was a USA Track & Field Junior Olympics Indoor All-American in the 3,000 meters as well as the cross country course in 2023.
Adara Austin (West Lebanon, Indiana) is a graduate of Seeger High School and the younger sister of USI sophomore standout Hadessah Austin. Adara Austin posted top-five finishes in the 1,600 meters and the 3,200 meters at the IHSAA Sectional 15 Championships as a senior in 2025 after finishing second in the 3,200 meters at the IHSAA Section 9 Championships as a junior in 2024.
Alyssa Beyer (Evansville, Indiana) comes to USI after graduating from Reitz High School, where she competed in the 100-meter hurdles, 4×100-meter relay and 4×400-meter relay as a senior in 2025. She was third in the 100-meter hurdles at the IHSAA Sectional 32 Championships before finishing 10th at the IHSAA Regional 8 Championships.
Lilyanna Blais (Bloomfield, Indiana) graduated from Eastern Green High School, where she was a two-time state qualifier on the grass as well as a state qualifier in the 1,600 meters on the track. Blais finished 14th in the 1,600 meters at the 2025 IHSAA Track & Field Championships and was a three-time IATCCC Class 2A All-State honoree in cross country, earning first-team honors as a senior in 2024.
Isabella Fuentes (Whiteland, Indiana) is a graduate of Whiteland High School, where she was a two-time state qualifier in the 4×800-meter relay as well as two-time semi-state and four-time regional qualifier on the cross country course. She earned All-State honors in the 4×800-meter relay after helping WHS to a seventh-place finish at the IHSAA Championships.
Charlee Gibson (New Castle, Indiana) comes to USI after graduating from Blue River Valley High School, where she was a two-time state qualifier and four-time IATCCC Class 1A first-team All-State honoree on the grass.
On the track, Gibson was the Mid-Eastern Conference and Pendleton Sectional champion in the 800 meters as well as the Henry County champion in the 1,600 meters as a senior in 2025. Gibson also was a state qualifier in the 800 meters as a sophomore in 2023.
Ava Rau (Waterloo, Illinois) graduated from Waterloo High School, where she was a four-time IHSA Class 2A state qualifier on the grass. Rau also finished ninth in the 3,200 meters at the 2024 IHSAA Class 2A Track & Field Championships while helping WHS’s 4×800-meter relay to respective finishes of sixth and 12th at the 2024 and 2023 state meets.
Zoe Roberts (Elkhart, Indiana) is a graduate of Concord High School, where she was a state qualifier on the grass as a senior in 2024. Roberts finished 88th at the IHSAA Cross Country Championships and was named the CHS Female Athlete of the Year in 2024-25 after becoming the school’s first female cross country state qualifier since 1995.
Vanessa Teel (Pinckneyville, Illinois) comes to USI after graduating from Pinckneyville High School, where she was a four-time IHSA Class 1A state qualifier on the cross country course.
On the track, Teel was a six-time state qualifier, competing most-recently in the 800 meters at the 2025 IHSA Class 2A Track & Field Championships. Teel is a two-time state-qualifier in the 400 meters (2022, 2023) and the 4×800-meter relay (2022, 2023) as well as a one-time state qualifier in the 4×400-meter relay (2023).
Mackenzi Thomas (Olney, Illinois) graduated from Olney (Richland County) High School, where she was an IHSA Class 2A Cross Country state qualifier as a senior in 2024.
On the track, Thomas was a two-time IHSA Class 2A state qualifier in the 800 meters, finishing eighth as a junior in 2024. She also helped OHS to seventh-place finish in the 4×800-meter relay at the 2025 IHSA state meet and to a 15th-place finish in the 4×400-meter relay at the 2023 IHSA Class 2A Championships.
This group joins a Screaming Eagles team that won the 2024 OVC Cross Country title before finishing fourth at the 2025 OVC Indoor Track & Field Championships.
Feeding Indiana’s Hungry announced its extreme displeasure with the passage of House Resolution 1 (HR1). The cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in HR1 will reduce critical SNAP support by up to 6 billion meals to as much as 9 billion meals each year*.
The following statement may be attributed to Emily Bryant, Executive Director of Feeding Indiana’s Hungry:
“Today’s passage of the budget reconciliation is undisputedly the most damaging federal policy targeting hungry Hoosiers that modern America has ever seen,” said Emily Bryant, Executive Director of Feeding Indiana’s Hungry. “Feeding Indiana’s Hungry network of food banks will continue serving hungry Hoosiers, thanks to our partners dedicated to feeding our neighbors in need—we are always in need of additional allies—please consider joining our efforts.”
House Resolution 1, the budget reconciliation legislation, now heads to President Donald J. Trump for further action.
Evansville, Ind. – Ivy Tech Community College Evansville has been awarded the inaugural Collegiate Purple Star of Indiana (CPSI) designation, which recognizes Indiana postsecondary institutions that provide outstanding support to U.S. military-affiliated students, including veterans, active-duty service members and their families.
The CPSI designation, awarded by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE) and the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA), recognizes institutions that excel in creating a supportive environment for military-connected students throughout their educational journey.
“We are honored to receive the Collegiate Purple Star designation,” said Daniela Vidal, chancellor of Ivy Tech Evansville. “Our commitment to military-affiliated students is embedded in our mission, and this recognition affirms our ongoing efforts to ensure their academic success and career readiness.”
The CPSI designation is awarded across three achievement tiers based on 37 standards across eight key categories: core institutional policies, admissions and enrollment practices, financial and student support services, institutional infrastructure, student engagement, and career/community engagement. Ivy Tech Evansville was recognized at the Tier 3 level, reflecting its high achievement in these areas.
The CPSI program was established by Senate Enrolled Act 384-2023. Designations are valid for three years and signify an institution’s readiness to support the unique needs of military-connected students.
Attorney General Todd Rokita ignites Hoosiers to spark up their Independence Day on IndianaUnclaimed.gov
As Indiana residents prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks and freedom, Attorney General Todd Rokita invites Hoosiers to ignite their holiday by visiting IndianaUnclaimed.gov to discover unclaimed property that could add a spark to their celebrations.
“Hoosiers deserve to celebrate this Independence Day with a bang,” Attorney General Todd Rokita said. “There’s nothing more patriotic than reclaiming what’s rightfully yours. Let’s fire up the festivities by checking IndianaUnclaimed.gov for unclaimed treasures waiting to burst back into your wallet.”
Here are the types of property that might go unclaimed this Fourth of July that are an even bigger bang than fireworks:
Here’s how to make sure your property doesn’t go unclaimed:
Passed the Senate, returns to the House for further consideration
INDIANAPOLIS – State Rep. Alex Burton (D-Evansville) released the following statement ahead of the U.S. House of Representatives’ vote on the ‘Big, Beautiful Bill.’
“While I understand the goal of reducing Medicaid costs, the current Republican approach is misguided. What’s being proposed lacks a long-term strategy, reduces access to care and harms the most vulnerable Americans – including thousands of Hoosiers.
“Instead of cutting support, Congress should be working to reduce the number of persons under 40 on Medicaid by investing in policies that encourage meaningful employment, provide bridge services for families to stabilize and support a workforce that maintains private health coverage through employment.
“Hoosier families deserve policies that serve the majority, not just the privileged few. The health and well-being of our state is at risk when our most vulnerable neighbors lose critical resources, the average family pays more for care and the wealthiest continue to benefit from tax breaks. This bill moves us further away from ‘Making Hoosiers Healthy Again.’
“Even if the intent was to root out bad actors in the system, the reality is real people will suffer. Congress had an opportunity to lead with compassion and foresight. Instead, they chose irrational and self-serving executive demands over people and families. Unfortunately, Hoosiers will feel the consequences.”
FOOTNOTE: EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The Evansville Otters (21-25) couldn’t find enough offense Wednesday as they fell to the Mississippi Mud Monsters (21-25) by a score of 5-1.
The Otters sent out Garret Simpson to start his third game this season. He went a strong first three innings, striking out three and not allowing a hit.
Mississippi was able to score in the fourth after a two-RBI double and a sacrifice fly to make it a 3-0 ballgame. They extended their lead in their half of the sixth to 5-0.
Jon Beymer came in for relief in the sixth and forced a clutch double play and timely ground out to escape the inning without further damage.
The Otters did show some fight in their half of that sixth inning. LJ Jones unloaded on a ball to left center field to put Evansville on the board for the first time. The solo home run went 425 feet and was a scorching 109 mph off of the bat.
The Mud Monsters closed it down after that and ended up with the 5-1 win.
The Otters bullpen was solid in the loss. They pitched four innings, not allowing a run and striking out four in total.
The Otters are back for the series finale tomorrow at 6:35 p.m. CT for Red, White and Blue night. There will be postgame fireworks as well as Thirsty Thursday deals around the park.
INDIANAPOLIS – Today, Governor Mike Braun and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management released a report identifying regulations to be changed or rescinded to “support business development, job creation, and economic growth, while also striving to ensure responsible environmental protection and stewardship.”
“Government naturally drifts toward over-regulation, and it’s important to go through these regulations to make sure they aren’t stifling innovation an raising the cost of living for no benefit. My agencies have been directed to identify regulations that are raising the cost of living without benefiting our environment so they can be changed or rescinded; we can grow our economy while also safeguarding Hoosiers’ health and preserving our natural resources.” – Governor Mike Braun
On March 12, Governor Braun signed an executive order focused on growing our economy while preserving our natural resources by limiting environmental regulations to the robust federal standards.
Part of this executive order was a directive to state agencies involved with environmental regulation to identify “state environmental regulations that are unduly burdensome, significantly raise the cost of living for Hoosiers, are not supported by current law and the best available science, or do not benefit Indiana’s environment” and report them to the Governor to be revisited or rescinded.
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management issued this report today on regulations that may be “unduly burdensome, significantly raise the cost of living for Hoosiers, not supported by current law and the best available science, or do not benefit Indiana’s environment.”
The report identifies 10 regulations for consideration to be changed or rescinded.
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management also solicited public feedback on regulations and received ideas from farmers, small business owners, and local government on regulations and practices they view as outdated, overly burdensome, or could be improved to work better for its intended purpose.