BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana University men’s and women’s diving teams had a great first day at the NCAA Zone C Diving Championships on Thursday afternoon at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center in Bloomington, Ind.

In the men’s 1-meter, Michael Hixon was incredibly impressive, leading almost the entire way to earn his spot in the event at the NCAA Championships with a score of 831.80. Also earning a spot in the 1-meter dive at NCAA’s was James Connor, who placed fourth overall with a total of 797.10.

Cody Coldren placed 11^th overall in the 1-meter final with a total score of 617.45. By finishing in the top-12, Coldren is eligible to dive in the event at the NCAA Championships if he finishes in the top-seven in either the 3-meter dive or platform dive.

Only the top-five finishers on Thursday earned an auto-bid to the event at NCAA Championships. Once a diver posts an auto-qualifying finish in an event, he or she only has to be among the top 12 to earn the NCAA Championships berth in the other events.

In the women’s 3-meter dive, both Jessica Parratto and Michal Bower earned places in the event at the NCAA Championships next week by finishing in the top-nine. Parratto took second place with a score of 713.05, while Bower finished third overall with a total of 649.80.

With both Parratto and Bower earning auto-qualifier spots in the 3-meter, each just needs to finish in the top-12 of the 1-meter and platform dives to earn a place in those events at the NCAA Championships.

The NCAA Zone C Diving Championships will continue on Friday with the women’s 1-meter and the men’s 3-meter dives. The action gets underway at 1:00 p.m. ET at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center in Bloomington, Ind.

Men’s 1-Meter Dive

1. Michael Hixon – 831.80 (Auto-Qualifier to NCAA Championships)
2. James Connor – 797.10 (Auto-Qualifier to NCAA Championships)
3. Cody Coldren – 617.45

Women’s 3-Meter Dive

2. Jessica Parratto – 713.05 (Auto-Qualifier to NCAA Championships)
3. Michal Bower – 649.80 (Auto-Qualifier to NCAA Championships)

Aces to play in final weekend tournament

Just one more non-conference tournament is on the schedule for the University of Evansville softball team as they head to Lexington, Ky. this weekend for the John Cropp Classic.

Evansville, who starts the weekend with a record of 5-10, open up on Friday at 10 a.m. versus #19 Kentucky.  Later in the day, the Purple Aces face off against 8-7 Dayton at noon.  Saturday’s action begins with a matchup versus 17^th-ranked Michigan at 10 a.m. before taking on Kent State at 2 p.m.  The Golden Flashes are 7-7.  The event wraps up on Sunday against Drexel, who is 2-0 coming into the tournament.

Last week, the Aces played at the Courtyard Marriott Classic in Norman, Okla. before facing Oklahoma State in a single game on Tuesday.  UE went 1-5 on the trip, earning an 8-7 win on Sunday against Northwestern State.  The tenacious UE squad played well, especially against #9 Oklahoma as they scored 7 of the 8 runs allowed by the Sooners over the weekend.

Hayli Scott batted .625 with 5 hits in 8 trips to the plate at the weekend tournament in Oklahoma and finished the week at .600. She had a home run and 5 RBI on the weekend and got it started with a pinch hit RBI on Friday versus WKU. Saturday against Northwestern State, she had another big pinch hit, knocking in 2 runs. The Saturday finale saw her come through late with another pinch hit – a 2-run homer as UE rallied against Oklahoma. Scott went 2-3 on Sunday versus NSU.  For the season, Scott leads the squad with a .375 average.

Chandra Parr batted .250 in six games last week, but added two home runs to her tally as she stands at 28 in her career.  The 2-time All-MVC First Team player is just two away from tying the program mark of 30, which was set by Krista Price.  Price played for the Purple Aces from 2007 through 2010.

Sophomore Morgan Florey has thrown a team-high 42.0 innings this season and leads the squad with a 2.83 ERA.  She has struck out 45 batters while earning three wins on the season.  At the plate, she continues to be a force, checking in with a .325 average as she leads the team with 10 RBIs.  Florey hit a pair of home runs last weekend, both coming against the host Sooners.

Junior Brittany Hay batted .364 with two home runs at the Courtyard Marriott Tournament.  Hay had 4 hits in 11 at-bats.  She recorded a hit on Friday against the #9 Sooners before hitting a pinch hit homer on Saturday versus Northwestern State.  She finished off the weekend in style against NSU going 2-3 with a walk-off solo home run to lead the inning off and clinch the win.

Senior earns tie for 6th 

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Improving by four strokes in the final day, University of Evansville senior Kayla Katterhenry jumped to a tie for 6^th place as the Purple Aces women’s golf team wrapped up the Bulldog Florida Invitational at Windsor Parke.

Katterhenry finished the tournament with a 156, tying for 6^th.  She registered a 76 on Thursday, improving by four shots from Wednesday’s total.  Next up for UE was Lexie Sollman.  She followed up a first round of 88 with a 79 on Thursday to tie for 28^th with a 167.

One behind her was Maria Pickens, who tied for 31^st with rounds of 85 and 73.  Giulia Mallmann also tied for the 31^stposition.  Her rounds finished at 88 and 70.  Both had total scores of 168.  Madison Chaney was next with a 170 while Carly Waggoner finished with a 185.

Stetson’s Eilidh Watson was the medalist.  Her scores of 75 and 72 gave her a 147 for the event, defeating the competition by five shots.

As a team, the Aces finished in seventh place with a score of 658.  Taking the win was Stetson, whose score of 616 was 14 better than second-place High Point.

Next up for the squad is a trip to Sevierville, Tenn. for the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate from March 19-21.

Aces come home in second place

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – University of Evansville golfer Tyler Gray shot an even 72 on Thursday to tie for second place at the Bulldog Florida Invitational at Windsor Parke.

Gray, who finished with a 74 on Wednesday, completed the event with a 146, just one behind medalist Kyle Gaines.  His efforts also helped the Purple Aces come home in second place in the team standings.  The Aces finished with a 602, six strokes behind Butler.

Second for UE was Matthew Ladd.  He tied for 8^th place with a 150.  His scores finished at 76 and 74.  Wil Pahud had identical rounds of 76 on his way to a tie for 12^th.  The top three for Evansville all finished in the top 12.

Jon Pick was next for UE.  After a 75 in the opening round, Pick fired off an 83 to finish in 26^th with a 158.  He was one ahead of Cameron Weyer, who tied for 27^th with a 159.  After posting an 84 in day one, Weyer jumped to a 75 today.

Zac Turi carded rounds of 80 and 82 to take 33^rd place with a 162.  Noah Reese registered a 166 (87-79) while Austin Carmack checked in at a 170.  Robert Waggoner rounded out the contingent with a 185.

Next up for the squad is a trip to Sevierville, Tenn. for the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate from