Great Lakes Valley Conference volleyball coaches’ predicted a fifth-place finish in the East Division for University of Southern Indiana Volleyball in 2017.

With the closure of former GLVC member Saint Joseph’s College, the GLVC will feature three five-team divisions—East, West and Central—in 2017.

Lewis University was picked to win the East, while the University of Indianapolis (second), Bellarmine University (third) and the University of Wisconsin-Parkside (fourth) were predicted to finish ahead of the Screaming Eagles.

USI is looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2016 campaign that saw it post a 9-21 overall record and a 3-15 mark in GLVC play. The Eagles finished the year on a 10-game slide after winning four straight matches to begin the season.

Senior libero Shannon Farrell (Munster, Indiana) returns to lead the Eagles’ back row after becoming the first player in program history to record back-to-back 500-dig seasons. Farrell, who ranks third all-time at USI with 1,359 career digs, set the single-season school record with 5.41 digs per set in 2016.

Play at the net will be huge for USI in 2017 as senior middle hitter Te’Ayla Whitfield (Fort Wayne, Indiana) returns to pace the Eagles’ block. Whitfield averaged a team-high 0.82 blocks per set as a junior after amassing 0.92 blocks per frame as a sophomore in 2015.

The connection between junior setter Erika Peoples (Bloomington, Illinois) and sophomore outside hitter Mikaila Humphrey (Floyd Knobs, Indiana) also figures to be a key component for the Eagles in 2017. Peoples was fifth in the GLVC with a team-best 9.06 assists per set a year ago, while Humphrey was USI’s leader with 2.61 kills per frame during her rookie season.

In addition to the East Division, McKendree University was the coaches’ pick to win the Central, while Rockhurst University was a unanimous choice in the West. The University of Missouri-St. Louis, Quincy University, the University of Illinois Springfield and Maryville University rounded out the coaches’ predictions in the Central; while Truman State University, Drury University, Missouri S&T and William Jewell College concluded the coaches’ forecast in the West.

USI begins the season September 1-2 when it competes at the University of West Florida Hampton Inn-vitational in Pensacola, Florida. The Eagles host the Dunn Hospitality Invitational September 8-9 before opening GLVC play September 14 against Maryville University.

2017 GLVC Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll

Luc Rennie pitched eight scoreless innings as the Evansville Otters beat the Normal Cornbelters 7-0 Wednesday in front of 1,151 at Bosse Field.

In his outing, Rennie struck out four and gave up just four hits and two walks. For Rennie, it’s his second consecutive win and seventh overall on the season.

Offensively, both teams had a slow start through the first two innings but the Otters broke through in the third when Ryan Long scored on a Dane Phillips RBI double.

Evansville made it 2-0 in the fourth on a Christopher Riopedre sacrifice fly, which allowed John Schultz to score.

The Otters put the game away in the seventh with a four-run inning.

Long scored his second run of the game after an RBI single from Jeff Gardner. Later in the inning, Alejandro Segovia hit an RBI single that scored Phillips.

Gardner would score on an RBI single by Brandon Soat and a misplay by Normal’s Jesus Solorzano in left field also allowed Segovia to score, making the score 6-0.

In the eighth, Josh Allen pinch hit and made it 7-0 with an RBI ground out.

Charlie Gillies took the loss for Normal, allowing four runs in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out six and walked three.

Connor Little pitched the ninth for Evansville, striking out two.

The Otters go for the series win against the Cornbelters at Bosse Field on Thursday with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m.

On Thursday, it’s Chipotle College Night and students will receive a discounted $4 ticket for general admission seating. There will also be college fight song music played over the sound system and the Otters invite all fans to wear their favorite college team or school apparel.

Evansville Otters-themed koozies will be given to the first 500 fans through the gates and fans will also have the opportunity to win special prizes. Plus, a limited number of BBQ wings will be sold at concessions.

Fans can listen live to the game on 91.5 FM WUEV and watch on the Otters Digital Network. Lucas Corley (play-by-play) and Bill McKeon (analysis) will provide coverage.

Tickets for Thursday are still available by going to evansvilleotters.com or calling 812-435-8686.

The Evansville Otters became the first Frontier League franchise to win 1,000 games after a 6-5 victory over the Normal Cornbelters Tuesday at Bosse Field.

The milestone win came in game one of a doubleheader, forced by the suspension of a game between Evansville and Normal Aug. 3 at The Corn Crib.

Play resumed in the top of the second inning with the Cornbelters leading 3-0 and the Normal offense picked up where it left off with a sacrifice fly and an RBI single in the inning.

Down 5-0, Evansville began a rally in the fifth. A Josh Allen RBI single scored Kolten Yamaguchi and Allen would later score on a Jeff Gardner RBI double.

In the sixth, Evansville added two more runs. Following a single by Christopher Riopedre and Yamaguchi getting hit by a pitch, Ryan Long hit a two-run RBI triple to make the score 5-4.

Evansville would cap the comeback in the ninth. With the bases loaded and nobody out, John Schultz grounded into a double play, scoring Nick Walker to tie the game at 5-5.

Alejandro Segovia hit the go-ahead RBI single that scored Dane Phillips.

Brandon Cook picked up the win for Evansville as he tossed two scoreless innings in relief. Randy McCurry pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his 15^th save of the season.

Evansville will celebrate the 1,000^th victory in a special ceremony Aug. 31 on Fan Appreciation Night at the ballpark. Pam Miller, the first Assistant General Manager of the Otters, will be in attendance along with Evansville’s first signee in 1995, Jeff Leystra.

Leystra played for the Otters from 1995-98 and served as the pitching coach under former manager Greg Tagert from 1997-00. He was a Frontier League All-Star selection and later was a pitching coach at his alma mater, the University of Evansville.

Frontier League Deputy Commissioner Steve Tahsler will also be in attendance.

In the regularly scheduled game, Normal beat Evansville 3-2.

After a scoreless first, a Diego Cedeno RBI ground out made it 1-0 and a wild pitch later in the inning doubled the advantage to 2-0 in the second.

Zach Welz hit his first home run with Evansville in the bottom half of the inning, a two-run shot that tied the game at 2-2.

The Cornbelters reclaimed the lead for good in the fifth as Diego Cedeno scored on an RBI single from Yeixon Ruiz.

Edgar De La Rosa was awarded the win and Evansville’s Ryan Etsell took the loss. Etsell allowed three runs-two earned-off four hits while accumulating five strikeouts in six innings.

The Otters and Cornbelters continue the series from Bosse Field on Wednesday with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m.

On Wednesday, it’s First Responders Night at Bosse Field. The game also includes a 1910s and 2010s poster giveaway for early arriving fans in attendance. The posters are part of a season-long series of poster giveaways that highlight the history of Bosse Field.

Fans can listen live to the game on 91.5 FM WUEV and watch on the Otters Digital Network. Lucas Corley (play-by-play) and Bill McKeon (analysis) will provide coverage.

Tickets for Wednesday are still available by going to evansvilleotters.com or calling 812-435-8686.