VINCENNES, Ind. – Vincennes University women’s basketball freshman Karina Scott (Noblesville, Ind.) announced earlier this week that she has committed to continuing her basketball and academic careers next year at NCAA Division II Winston Salem State University in North Carolina.

“I chose Winston Salem State because they have a great broadcasting program,” Scott said. “Stephen A. Smith from ESPN went there and he gives back and helps out broadcasting students. So I feel there will be great opportunities there for me to thrive in.”

“The Head Coach is amazing,” Scott added. “What she values and how she coaches her players is amazing. The campus is very lively and has lots of interaction, engaging and activities to do outside of school and sports. Also the area is beautiful.”

Scott was a frequent member of the Lady Trailblazers starting lineup this past season, being one of only two Lady Blazers to play in all 30 games this past season, along with sophomore Brie Miller (Bainbridge, Ind.).

Scott proved to be a big time option for the Lady Blazers from three-point range, leading the team with 73 three-point makes this past season, while shooting 35.6 percent from behind the three-point arc.

Scott really began to make a name for herself in the Blue and Gold early in the season when she had a stretch of six straight games where she scored in double figures.

Scott’s best game with the Lady Trailblazers came in February when she hit a career-high eight three-pointers to set a new career high with 28 points in VU’s 138-56 win over Shawnee.

Scott closed out her lone season at Vincennes University with 281 points, 93 assists, 71 rebounds and 45 steals, averaging 9.4 points per game.

Scott helped guide the Lady Trailblazers to a 19-11 record this past season, which saw the Lady Blazers reach the 2024 Midwest District Championship game for the second year in a row.

“My favorite memory from this past year would probably be when I started in my first college game on our home court,” Scott said. “And also my first time anchoring the news for Vincennes PBS.”

Scott joins Lady Blazers All-American Destinee Hooks (Indianapolis, Ind.) as the first two VU women’s basketball players to announce their plans for the upcoming season, with Hooks announcing last month that she will be attending the University of New Mexico.

“Academically, Vincennes University has given me a lot of hands on experience with broadcasting both in front of the camera and behind the scenes,” Scott said. Athletically, I was able to adjust to the speed and physicality of the collegiate level for the first time and understanding more leadership skills and quick playmaking decisions as everyone around me is quicker, smarter and more skilled than those at the high school level.”

Scott is set to join a Rams squad coming off of a 9-21 season, with a 2-16 record in Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) play under Head Coach L’Tona Lamonte.

The Vincennes University Athletic Department would like to congratulate Karina Scott on her commitment to Winston Salem State University and wishes her good luck as she continues her basketball and academic career next season.

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Basketball announced the addition of three walk-ons for the 2024-25 season. Joining the Screaming Eagles to complete the 2024-25 roster are freshman guard Josiah Dunham (Evansville, Indiana), forward Luke Davis (Newburgh, Indiana), and Cayden Gehlhausen (Evansville, Indiana).

“We welcome three high-character local freshman, who will grow within our program over the coming years to become quality OVC student-athletes,” said USI Head Coach Stan Gouard. 

The Evansville Courier & Press Metro Player of the Year, Dunham joins USI after a record-setting career at Evansville Christian School. He averaged 24.2 points, 5.1 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.5 steals as a senior, earning Small School All-State selection.

The 6-foot-0 guard finished his career with 2,373 career points, ranking 18^th all-time in the state of Indiana. He also named 2024 Hoosier Gym All-Star and first-team Hoosier Basketball All-State after leading ECS to regional and sectional championships.

“Josiah is someone that we followed and saw how much better he’s gotten,” said Gouard. “One of the things we try to look at when we recruit, obviously talent, but we really try to look at upside and how much better can they get along the way.  I think as long as a kid is willing to work, I think we’ve shown that we can help him get better, and Josiah is a worker.”

The Eagles add a pair of freshman forwards to the front court in Davis and Gehlhausen.

Davis, a 6-foot-8 forward, played alongside Dunham on the ECS championship teams, averaging a prep career-high 7.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assist per game. During his four seasons at the ECS, Davis posted 5.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest.

Gehlhausen comes to USI from North High School where he was a three-sport athlete, earning letters in basketball, baseball, and track & field. The 6-foot-6 forward posted a three-year high 15.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game last season.

During his career, Gehlhausen averaged 12.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest for North, playing 57 games for the Huskies.

The Screaming Eagles reached the Ohio Valley Conference Championship post-season in 2023-24 marking the second-straight season since USI made the transition to NCAA Division I. USI appeared in the 2023 College Basketball Invitational during its first transition year.

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Softball senior outfielder Ren Tachioka (Japan), senior third baseman Ricardo Van Grieken (Venezuela), junior pitcher Gavin Seebold (Jeffersonville, Indiana), junior pitcher Carson Seeman (Auburn, California), and junior pitcher Tyler Hutson (Villa Hills, Kentucky) were named College Sports Communicators Academic All-District for NCAA Division I. The honor is the second for Tachioka, who also earned the honor in 2023.
 
To be eligible for the CSC Academic All-District Award, the student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with legitimate athletic credentials and at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point average (4.0 scale). They must have reached a sophomore athletic and academic standing at the institution and must have completed at least one full academic year at the institution.
 
Tachioka, a master’s candidate in business administration and a 2023 USI graduate with a bachelor’s degree in sport management, was named second-team All-OVC after batting a career-high and team-best .363 in 49 games and starts as a senior. He scored 43 runs and drove in 23 RBIs, while stealing a team-best 17 stolen bases The senior also batted .396 in OVC games with 11 stolen bases and 28 runs scored
 
The native of Saitama, Japan, finished his career ranked 21st in total bases (229); 30th in games played (152); 22nd in games started (152); 20th in hits (184); 11th in stolen bases (53); and tied for 10th in being hit by a pitch (26).
 
Van Grieken, a sport management major, hit .219 with 34 runs scored, 26 RBIs, and two home runs. He had a career-high four hits, three doubles, four RBIs versus Eastern Illinois University.
 
The native of Merida, Venezuela, finished his career ranked fifth all-time at USI in being hit by a pitch (35). He also concluded his career with a .244 batting average in 104 games, 101 starts, with 69 runs scored, 39 RBIs, three home runs, and 15 doubles.
 
Seebold, an individualized studies major, was named second-team All-OVC after posting a team-best 7-2 record in 16 games and 10 starts. He had a 3.93 ERA in 71.0 innings of work, striking out 58 batters. The Jeffersonville, Indiana, native threw a season-best 8.0 innings versus the University of Tennessee at Martin in the OVC Baseball Championship and helped USI to its first Division I post-season win.
 
Seeman, a business administration major, posted a 4-2 record and a 5.09 ERA in 21 games and five starts during his first season. He posted two saves with the second preserving the 2-0 win over top-seeded University of Arkansas at Little Rock in the OVC Baseball Championship. The Auburn, California, native struck out 34 batters in 46.0 innings of work.
 
Hutson, an engineering major, was named to the OVC Baseball Championship All-Tournament team after throwing seven scoreless innings to post a win over top-seeded University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He had a 1-4 record and a 4.40 ERA in 25 games and four starts, striking out a career-high 54 batters in 47 innings of work. The Villa Hills, Kentucky, native led USI with five saves out of the bullpen.
 
USI concluded the season with a 27-32 overall record and placed fourth in the OVC regular season with a 14-13 mark. The Eagles earned the fourth seed in the OVC Baseball championship, won their first Division I post-season game, and advanced to the semifinals with a win over the top-seed in the tournament.