After locking up three new players for the 2016 season in December, University of Evansville head coach Marshall Ray announced the addition of four more for his second campaign at the helm of the men’s soccer program.

“We are pleased to announce four more members of our 2016 class,” Ray said. “Coach Henry and the rest of our staff have worked tirelessly to bring in student-athletes who will help the continued development of this program.”

The signing class features yet another Danish product in Simon Waever as well as Ben Weber of Weldon Springs, Mo., Atlanta native Nicky Kodua and Jasper’s Caleb Williams.

Waever, who starred for Lyngby BK of the U19 Danish Superliga, was a regular starter for one of the nation’s top clubs, and he’ll be joining fellow Dane Frederik Reimer in the 2016 class. Currently, the defender in his final season with Lyngby has been involved in 19% of the team’s goals and earned a senior team call-up against Aalborg in the Danish Cup last fall. He was also a member of the International Carlsberg Sport Cup-winning side in 2015.

Scholastically, Waever graduated first in his class and was the MVP and captain for Skovlyskolen twice, setting a program record for the most wins while captaining a side at Denmarks’s largest school tournament.

“Simon is an athletic defender who has the ability to get forward out of the back,” Ray explained. “We expect Simon to add a level of maturity to our young group due to his development at Lyngby and Skovlyskolen. Coach Henry identified Simon early in the process and was able to track his season with Lyngby, while developing a relationship with his family. Simon fits the mold of a Purple Aces student athlete.”

Kodua comes to Evansville after an impressive club career with United Futbol Academy in Norcross, Ga. and Georgia United of the United States Soccer Development Academy (USSDA).  Some of his many highlights during his club career included the 2013 Disney title as well as runner-up finishes in both 2014 and 2015. He was also heavily involved in the Georgia Olympic Development Program, earning a trip to the U.S. National Training Center as well as playing and training with academy sides from Stoke City, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Manchester City and West Ham United.

“Nicky is a technically sound defender who will add depth to our team and push for time across our back line or in midfield,” Ray said. “He could also be used up front, and he has been on a scoring run for his high school team in the last couple of weeks. Nicky is the type of player who enjoys the game and wants to compete every chance he gets. He will improve our training environment and helps us on match day.”

Weber, who starred for both St. Louis Scott Gallagher Academy from the USSDA and Chaminade College Prep, also put together a decorated career. During his club playing days, he helped his team to the playoffs twice, upending an academy side from the New York Red Bulls organization before transitioning into playing high school soccer. An All-Catholic Conference first-teamer, Weber only played one season with Chaminade, and it was a memorable campaign as he helped the school to a national top-10 ranking, finishing as the school’s leading scorer with 18 goals.

“Ben continues a long line of players from the St. Louis metropolitan area,” Ray said. “He attended our Winter ID camp where he made an impression on our coaching staff.  Coach Henry has been following Ben’s progression as a player since his time on the SLSG coaching staff. Ben is a target forward who is very clean with the ball in tight areas and has a heavy shot. He can also operate from a wide position up top.”

Williams, who is slated to become another in a long tradition of local products to play at UE, was a two-time all-state honoree for Jasper High School, scoring a career-best 47 goals to go along with 20 assists. He also played for Ray at Evansville Soccer Club, competing in multiple state cup championships in the process.

“Caleb is a player I wanted to join our program after his impressive high school career at Jasper, and I am happy he choose to pursue his dream of playing Division I soccer this spring,” Ray said. “Caleb is a crafty attacking player who can play anywhere in an advanced role.  He sees the game early and has the ability to get himself and his teammates forward.  Only time will tell if he can make an impact with us, but it has been a productive spring for him.”

“Each one of these student-athletes will add to our program and most importantly they will be great additions to our campus community,” Ray continued. “It is my hope and the hope of our staff that we are recruiting players who have a vision focused on the big picture of college athletics. We want to compete with the best in the country while providing our players the opportunity to better themselves in preparation for their lives after college.”

While the four signees will step on campus during the fall, fans will still have a chance to catch the Aces this week when they conclude the 2016 spring campaign on Thursday in a Mayor’s Cup showdown with USI at Arad McCutchan Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.

The University of Southern Indiana baseball team concludes its weather-shortened five-game road swing this weekend when it travels to play a pair of doubleheaders at McKendree University Friday and Saturday in Lebanon, Illinois. The GLVC four-game series is scheduled for a noon first pitch each day. Live coverage of the Screaming Eagles and the Bearcats can be found on GoUSIEagles.com.

SCREAMING EAGLES BASEBALL NOTES:

Eagles have rough start to the week. USI lost the first game of the five-game road swing, dropping a 13-7 contest at Kentucky Wesleyan College. The Panther took control early, scoring seven times in the first two innings.

USI took three of four from UW-Parkside. USI took three of four from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside over the weekend in a four game series that was moved from Kenosha, Wisconsin, to Evansville due to the weather. Senior centerfielder Hamilton Carr (Evansville, Indiana) led the Eagles by hitting .500 (8-16), while junior right-hander Devin Williams (Evansville, Indiana) had USI’s best start on the mound when he shutout the Rangers in a seven-inning complete shutout.

Record setting Game 4 versus UW-Parkside. USI set a single-game school record by stealing 12 bases in the 10-8 win over UW-Parkside, while sophomore second baseman Sam Griggs (Evansville, Indiana) tied a single-game mark with four thefts.

USI season leaders. Senior rightfielder Kyle Kempf (Evansville, Indiana) leads the Eagles with a .346 batting average, while senior shortstop Kyle Niemeier (Evansville, Indiana) is second at .343. Senior catcher Ryan Bertram (Zionsville, Indiana) and sophomore second baseman Sam Griggs are tied for the team lead with 25 RBIs, while Griggs has a team-high three round trippers.

Leaders in the last 10 games. Senior shortstop Kyle Niemeier has led the way over the last 10 games, posting a .417 average with a team-best eight-game hitting streak. Senior third baseman Trent Gunn(Tell City, Indiana), who has raised his 2016 batting average 75 points over the last two weeks, has driven in a team-high 11 RBIs in the last 10 contests. Junior right-hander Devin Williams has been the Eagles top hurler, going 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA in two starts.

Leading the GLVC in pitching. USI leads the GLVC and ranks 12^th nationally in pitching with a 3.52 ERA.

Kempf chasing records. USI senior rightfielder Kyle Kempf (Evansville, Indiana) is chasing several school records this spring. Kempf, currently, is third all-time with 258 hits (record 270); tied for fourth with 50 doubles (record 63); eighth with 150 runs scored (record 183); and 11^th with 189 games played (record 213).

Carr hoping to steal a record. USI senior centerfielder Hamilton Carr is closing on the Eagles’ stolen base record with 70 career thefts (record 86).

Archuleta at USI. USI Head Coach Tracy Archuleta reached 500 all-time victories and became the Eagles’ all-time winningest coach in program history. Archuleta has a USI record of 359-184 (.661) in eight-plus seasons and is 507-308 (.622) in 13-plus seasons as the head coach. He has been named the ABCA Division II Coach of the Year twice (2010 and 2014) after leading the Screaming Eagles to a pair of national championships. Archuleta also has earned a pair of GLVC Coach of the Year awards (2011 and 2014) at USI.

USI vs. McKendree. USI leads the all-time series with McKendree, 26-11, after sweeping a four-game series last year at the USI Baseball Field.

McKendree in 2016. The Bearcats are 12-20 in 2016, 4-8 in the GLVC. McKendree has lost its last two games and seven of the last nine games.

Aces Have Two Weeks To Prepare For MVC Championship

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Sophomore Tyler Gray was the low shooter of the day for the University of Evansville men’s golf team as they took seventh place in the Big Blue Invitational at Hermitage Golf Club.

Gray recorded a 74 in the final round to come home in a tie for 22^nd place overall.  His final score was a 149.  Rick Voyvodic was the top finisher for the Purple Aces.  After carding a 73 on Monday, he came back with a 75 in round two.  He tied for 17^th with his final score of 148.

Tying for 31^st was Wil Pahud.  He notched a 77 in the final round to finish the tournament with a 151.  Following him was Will Knights.  The senior tied for 38^th on the charts with his score of 153.  His rounds finished at 75 and 78.  Austin Carmack had a great improvement in round two, improving by 15 strokes.  He recorded an 81 after his opening-round total of 96.

Individuals Noah Reese and Jon Pick finished in a tie for 73^rd.  Reese posted rounds of 81 and 83 while Pick had two rounds of 82.

Belmont hung on to take the team championship.  The Bruins defeated Murray State by one shot, finishing with a 580 to MSU’s 581.  Ashton Van Horne was the medalist.  After blazing the course with a 67 on Monday, he finished with a 71 on Tuesday to score a 138.  He defeated the Racers’ Jared Gosser by four strokes.

Evansville completes the season on April 25-26 at the Missouri Valley Conference Championship at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kan.

OWENSBORO, Ky. – The University of Southern Indiana baseball team could not overcome an early deficit and lost to Kentucky Wesleyan College, 13-7, Tuesday afternoon in Owensboro, Kentucky. USI saw its record go to 19-13 overall, while KWC ends the day with a 21-10 mark.

The Screaming Eagles were down early as the Panthers built a 7-0 lead with three runs in the first and four more in the second inning. USI got its shot in the third inning, cutting the deficit to 7-4. Senior third baseman Trent Gunn (Tell City, Indiana) highlighted the four-run frame with a two-run double to left field.

The Panthers, however, responded with a tally in the bottom of the fourth, two more in the fifth, and one more in the sixth to build an 11-4 lead. The Eagles got one of the runs back in the top of the seventh when Gunn struck again, this time with an RBI-single up the middle to make the score 11-5.

After KWC bounced back to increase its lead to 13-5 in the bottom of the seventh, the Eagles continued to try and close the gap in the eighth. Sophomore designated hitter Drake McNamara (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) and Gunn singled and walked in a run, respectively, before the rally stalled and USI left the bases loaded to end its half of the eighth.

USI would mount another challenge in the ninth, loading the bases with one out, before KWC escaped with the win when senior catcher Ryan Bertram (Zionsville, Indiana) hit into a game-ending double play.

The offensive leaders for USI in the loss was Gunn, who ended the game with four RBIs, and sophomore second baseman Sam Griggs (Evansville, Indiana), who was three-for-three with two runs scored and an RBI. Senior shortstop Kyle Niemeier (Evansville, Indiana) extended his team-best hitting streak to eight games with a pair of hits.

On the mound, junior right-hander Mike Ringer (Springfield, Illinois) took the loss in his first start of the year. Ringer (2-2) allowed four runs on three hits and two walks in one-plus innings of work. He was followed by five more Eagle hurlers, who allowed the final nine earned runs in the non-conference setback.

USI remains on the road and returns to GLVC action this weekend when it travels to McKendree University for a four-game series. The Eagles and Bearcats are slated to play noon doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday.

 MURRAY, Ky. – University of Evansville head coach Wes Carroll has frequently expressed the importance of freshmen not pitching like freshmen this season, and for the third game in a row, that was certainly the case as Austin Allinger delivered in impressive fashion, leading the Purple Aces to a 2-1 victory over Murray State at Johnny Reagan Field.

Allinger, who moved to 4-2 on the mound this season, was locked into a pitching duel for much of the contest, and aside from giving up a run in the third, he was unflappable. The right-hander out of West Chester, Ohio, tossed a career-best eight innings on the night while setting a career high with seven strikeouts. He allowed just four hits.

“As a freshman pitching at the Division I level, for him to come out here and pitch the kind of game he did is going to be big for his confidence,” Carroll said. “He took command of the game, and he had a good mix of pitches going too. You can tell with these freshmen that they’re no longer freshmen. They’re making big leaps and bounds, and it’s huge for our program to be able to develop such quality arms early in their career.”

Allinger’s counterpart, Brad Boegel, was nearly as good in his time on the mound. A former weekend starter for the Racers last season, the senior struck out nine in six innings of work.

While Allinger may have been getting things done for UE on the mound, he received plenty of help from his battery mate in Boomer Synek. The senior catcher was excellent defensively, picking off a runner and catching another stealing, but his biggest moment of the game came in the top of the ninth with a two-out solo home run over the right field fence.

“I feel like I’m building more confidence with each inning,” Allinger said. “I knew that we’d eventually get the run we needed. I wasn’t worried about it, so I was just focused on trying to hang up goose eggs on the scoreboard each inning.”

A two-out rally from the Racers in the bottom of the third put the hosts ahead as a Cody Gilbert walk and back-to-back singles from Adam Bauer and Tyler Lawrence scratched across the game’s opening score.

From there, the Aces line-up was held relatively quiet as Boegel started to find his groove, but that would prove only temporary as Trey Hair hit a triple off the top of the right field fence to lead off the seventh inning, and Synek followed up with a sacrifice fly to bring things even.

Following Synek’s ninth-inning blast, Brent Jurceka stepped to the mound for UE, and he was overpowering, striking out the first two hitters before a single up the middle by MSU’s Caleb Hicks put the tying run on first base. The threat wouldn’t be there long though, as Jurceka turned and picked him off to bring the game to an end and pick up his fourth save of the season.

UE will be back in action this weekend as they return to Charles H. Braun Stadium for a three-game set with Missouri Valley foe Bradley.

NOTES: UE has hit 32 homers in 31 games this season, which is already the best single season total since 2010 … With 15 career saves, Jurceka is now tied for fifth all-time in UE history, equaling former Aces Matt Brinkmann and Sam Johns … Since 1978, UE is 29-10 against Murray State … Last season, the Aces won both meetings between the two teams, taking home a 15-2 decision in Evansville before grabbing an 11-10 victory Murray … The Aces are 113-86-2 against schools from the state of Kentucky, which includes a 3-2 mark this season … UE is also 6-2 versus opponents that hail from the Ohio Valley Conference this year.