University of Southern Indiana senior guard/forward Jeril Taylor (Louisville, Kentucky) was named Division II Conference Commissioners Association first-team All-Midwest Region in a vote by the Division II Sports Information Directors Association (D2SIDA). The All-Region award is the first for Taylor and the 36^th in the history of the USI men’s basketball program.

Taylor, who also was named Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Year and first-team All-GLVC this year, has shined for the Eagles in 2016-17. He has led the team for the second-straight season in scoring and rebounding, averaging 19.6 points and 8.3 rebounds per contest. The senior also set a USI single game record for scoring with 50 points in the road win at Truman State University and became the 19^th USI player to reach 1,000 career points.

In addition to the post-season conference awards, Taylor was named the Division II Bulletin Player of the Month (January), the GLVC Player of the Week four times, and the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic Most Valuable Player.

USI and Taylor finished the 2016-17 campaign with a 25-5 overall record and ranked 16^th nationally after bowing out of the NCAA Division II Tournament in the Midwest Regional. The Eagles also finished second in the GLVC East Division with a 15-3 conference mark.

Event returns to campus once again in March

 EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Men’s basketball legend Andy Elkins highlights the 2017 Lunch with the Aces event, which will take place on Friday, March 31, 2017 at the Meeks Gym inside the Carson Center on the University of Evansville campus.

Elkins, who graduated from UE in 1995, led the men’s basketball team to two NCAA Tournament appearances and one NIT berth in his four years with the program.  He ranks sixth in program history with 1,761 points in his career.

A record crowd of over 400 was on hand for the 2016 event and this year’s lunch also promises to be a memorable one.  The full lunch runs from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. with the program beginning at 12:30 p.m.

Early registration for your spot at the lunch is just $30.  The cost will be $35 after 5 p.m. on March 27 and at the door.  A Spring Break Special features $15 tickets for those 15 and under.  Another new opportunity is available as you can now sponsor a UE student-athlete for just $10.

The meal will be provided by Marx BBQ while a video presentation will be shown at the program.  A half pot and silent auction will also be on hand.  A Purple Aces student-athlete will be seated at each table and the latest Student-Athletes of the Year will be recognized at the lunch.

“Bringing this event to campus last year took it to a whole new level,” UE Director of Athletics Mark Spencer said.  “We had a record attendance and are excited to continue to build upon its success.”

Corporate tables are available for $350 and come with several unique perks.  You receive a table at the front of the room, logo on the video screen, logo in the program, recognition by the emcee and two student-athletes seated at each table.  Each corporate table has 8 seats.

To register, click on the link above or print off the registration brochure.  All proceeds directly support UE Student-Athletes.  For more information, contact Shelbie Weaver at 812-488-1024 or at sw260@evansville.edu.

University of Southern Indiana senior shortstop Lexi Reese (Lebanon, Indiana) has been named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Week for softball after helping the No. 16 Screaming Eagles navigate through their eight-game slate at The Spring Games with an unblemished record a week ago.

Reese hit .455 with a pair of doubles, two home runs and six RBIs as the Eagles improved to 17-3 on the season.

In USI’s 9-0 win over the University of Sioux Falls Friday, Reese hit a three-run, walk-off home run to end the game in six innings. She also had a home run in USI’s 2-0 win over Southwest Minnesota State University Thursday.

For the week, Reese had a .818 slugging percentage and a .586 on-base percentage. She is currently second on the team with a .397 batting average and three home runs, and is third with 16 RBIs.

USI returns to action Saturday at noon when it begins its 2017 home schedule with its GLVC-opener against William Jewell College.

#34 Southern Indiana 5, #43 Missouri-St. Louis 1
Mar 12, 2017 at Evansville, Indiana (Evansville Tennis Center)

 

 

Purple Aces welcome Northern Illinois

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – With the first 19 games being played away from home, the University of Evansville softball team will finally be at the friendly confines of Cooper Stadium on Tuesday as the Purple Aces welcome Northern Illinois for a doubleheader.  Game one is set for a 3 p.m. start with the second match-up beginning at approximately 5 p.m.

Live stats will be available for both games.

Evansville begins its home schedule with a 7-12 mark playing one of the toughest schedules in program history.  Over the weekend, the Aces faced a pair of top 19 squads, going 2-2 in the John Cropp Classic in Lexington, Ky.  The Aces picked up victories over Dayton and Drexel while the lone losses came to #19 Kentucky and #17 Michigan.

Hayli Scott leads the way for UE with a .367 batting average.  One of the top clutch hitters on the team has notched several big hits thus far and has been rewarded with 9 RBIs for her work.

Sophomore Morgan Florey has done it all in the circle and at the plate.  Florey has batted .306 with two home runs and a team-high 10 RBIs.  She has pitched in 57.2 innings while striking out 74 batters.  Florey’s ERA stands at 2.31 while she has won five games on the season.

Senior Chandra Parr continues to chase history as she currently has 28 home runs in her UE career.  She is just two away from tying the all-time program mark of 30, which was set by Krista Price in 2010.

Northern Illinois is an even 9-9 on the season and is coming off of a 1-3 showing at the Murray State Tournament as they split a pair of games against Austin Peay while dropping both match-ups against the host Racers.

Kayti Grable and Jessica Rio lead NIU with a .380 average.  Grable is a strong power hitter who leads the team with three home runs and 12 RBI.  Rio has gotten the job done when getting on base, pacing the Huskies with 13 runs scored.