FOOTNOTE: EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.
Hooks named Player of the Year, Baseyila earns All-Region honors
VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University Lady Trailblazers picked up a pair of big season honors with freshman Destinee Hooks (Indianapolis, Ind.) earning 2024 Region 24 Player of the Year honors, as well as being named Freshman of the Year in Region 24, while sophomore Elikya Baseyila (Paris, France) earned All-Region 24 honors for the second time.
Hooks burst onto the college basketball scene after missing nine of VU’s first 10 games by putting together a 21-point, six assist game to lead the Lady Blazers to a win over Parkland College.
Hooks earned her first of four double doubles this season with 24 points and 10 rebounds against Jefferson College.
Hooks would also earn NJCAA Player of the Week honors in February after posting 35 points and 13 rebounds against Wabash Valley and 37 points and 11 rebounds against John A. Logan.
Hooks closed out the season as VU’s leading scorer, averaging 21.1 points, currently sixth in the NJCAA, 6.5 rebounds and five assists per game, currently 17th in the NJCAA, while also averaging 2.9 steals per game, currently 32nd in the NJCAA, for the Lady Blazers.
“It truly means a lot to me to be named Region Player of the Year,” Hooks said. “Especially with missing my first 10 games with a broken hand. It shows the hard work and dedication that I put in to deserve this. It is truly a blessing from god to have this recognition. I just feel so blessed and honored and I am so happy to get to share this moment with my family, friends and team.”
“My favorite memory from this season is doing some of our team bonding activities,” Hooks added. “We would all go paint canvases and walk to the bridge and have some fun outside.”
“Some advice I have to give is to just put in the extra hours and work on your craft every day,” Hooks said. “Perfect the things you do really well and work on the moves that aren’t so down pat.”
VU sophomore Elikya Baseyila successfully defended her All-Region 24 status from last season by earning the honor again after averaging 11.7 points and 10.6 rebounds per game.
Baseyila ended the season with 12 double doubles and scored in double figures 20 times this past season, including scoring 10 or more points in VU’s last 11 games.
Baseyila closed out her VU career strong after finishing with 19 points and 18 rebounds in the Region 24 Championship game.
Baseyila is currently ranked 23rd in the country in rebounds per game and 15th in the NJCAA with an average of 4.9 offensive rebounds per game.
Baseyila closed out her two-year Lady Trailblazers career with a total of 664 points and 593 rebounds, which is third all-time in Lady Blazers history and 76 blocks, which is 10th all-time in VU women’s basketball history.
HOT JOBS
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Easily applyRalston’s career night leads USI to first WNIT win; Eagles host Wisconsin Monday
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball extended its winning streak to a season-best 11 games in dramatic fashion Thursday night at Screaming Eagles Arena, capturing the program’s first-ever Division I victory in a national postseason tournament with a 69-64 win against the University of Illinois Chicago in the first round of the 2024 Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT).
The Ohio Valley Conference champion Screaming Eagles (25-6) went back and forth against the Missouri Valley Conference’s UIC Flames (18-16) in front of over 1,700 fans in attendance. Each side led by as many as nine within the game, but the contest remained a battle inside the final minutes. With the historical first WNIT win for USI on Thursday, Southern Indiana advanced to the second round and was rewarded with the opportunity to host the University of Wisconsin (13-16) at Screaming Eagles Arena on Monday at 7 p.m. CT.
Thursday’s game started at a high tempo early. UIC knocked down two three-pointers within the first two and a half minutes despite shooting below 30 percent from long range this season. However, senior forward Madi Webb (Bedford, Indiana) provided the answer for Southern Indiana by scoring the Screaming Eagles’ first eight points. USI led by five, 13-8, near the midway point of the opening quarter. At the three-minute mark freshman guard Triniti Ralston (Louisville, Kentucky) converted a three-point play to put USI up 16-10. Southern Indiana carried an 18-14 lead to the second period.
Ralston began the second quarter for Southern Indiana with another three-point play. A few minutes later, Webb continued her hot start. The senior crossed into double figures and helped build USI’s lead up to nine, 27-18, with nearly seven minutes left in the first half. UIC ended the first half on a 12-4 run to cut Southern Indiana’s advantage down to one at halftime, 31-30.
Out of the break, the Flames went on another run to take the lead, which eventually reached a nine-point advantage, 42-33, before Ralston cashed in on another three-point play for Southern Indiana. The conversion put Ralston into double-digit scoring for the game. Ralston helped USI chip away, surpassing her career-high 14 points that she set in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament championship game. With Screaming Eagles Arena buzzing after strong defensive stops, USI jumped back in front, 46-45, with three minutes left in the third quarter. A last-second layup by Webb gave USI a 50-46 lead heading to the fourth frame.
The intensity and physicality of the contest increased even more so in the fourth period. Senior forward Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana) made a tough layup at the 6:26 mark to maintain USI’s four-point lead, giving Raley 10 points in the game. At the halfway point of the fourth, Ralston continued to put her head down and get to the hoop, reaching the 20-point threshold for the first time in a USI uniform. Later in the quarter, UIC grabbed a 59-58 lead with just over two minutes left in the fourth. Ralston had the response once again for the Screaming Eagles. The guard scored a layup and a triple to generate the final momentum push needed to put USI in front for good, as Southern Indiana iced the game at the foul line.
Southern Indiana shot nearly 42 percent (23-55) in the game, hitting a pair of treys and also going 21-24 for 87.5 percent at the free-throw stripe. USI forced UIC into 23 turnovers, outscored the Flames 22-10 in transition, and was plus-eight in the paint. Ralston posted a game-high and career-high 25 points on 8-12 shooting with two threes and a 7-7 night at the charity stripe. The freshman also had four steals. Webb finished with 14 points, while Raley tallied 12 points.
UIC was held to just under 34 percent from the floor (20-59) with five three-pointers. The Flames were 19-25 for 76 percent at the foul line. UIC had 43 rebounds compared to USI’s 33. Junior forward Makiya Williams led three UIC players in double figures with 17 points.
Monday’s game against Wisconsin can be seen live with a subscription to ESPN+. 95.7 FM The Spin and 97.7 FM WREF will have radio coverage.
Detailed ticket information will be released soon. Inquiries can be directed to the USI Ticket Office at 812-465-1190. USI students receive free admission.
Aces track and field begins outdoor season at Margaret Simmons Invitational
The Purple Aces were picked 10th in the preseason MVC poll
MURRAY, Ky. — UE track and field will compete in its first meet of the outdoor season at a conference opponent’s meet.
The Purple Aces outdoor season begins with the Margaret Simmons Invitational hosted by the Murray State Races on Friday, March 22, and Saturday, March, 23. UE will also race against fellow MVC squad Southern Illinois, Division I teams Purdue Fort Wayne, Lindenwood, UT Martin, Ball State, Saint Louis, and NAIA teams Bethel (Tenn.), Freed-Hardeman, Olivet, and Oakland City. Evansville’s first event will be the women’s hammer throw at 12 p.m. on Friday.
At the end of the 2023 outdoor track and field season, Evansville broke almost all of its program field records. The Purple Aces saw records fall in the discus, shot put, and hammer throw events at the 2023 MVC Outdoor Championships, including two records broken by returners Zach Dove (Princeton, Ind. / Princeton Community HS) and Jaden Hayes (Huntingburg, Ind./Southridge).
Dove and Hayes also had a successful 2024 indoor season as graduate throwers, setting program records in the weight throw and shot put. Hayes broke the men’s indoor weight throw record at the MVC Indoor Championships in Chicago in February with a throw of 18.02 meters. Dove broke the men’s shot put record earlier in the indoor season at the Indiana Invitational with a throw of 15.53 meters. For the women’s side in the field, returning sophomore thrower Gwen Darrah (Cleveland, Ohio / Orange HS) broke the program weight throw record at the Blue-White Classic in Terre Haute with a throw of 14.45 meters.
On the track, UE saw several freshmen runners break out during the 2024 indoor season. Freshman Nicole Prauchner (Neuhofen an der Ybbs, Austria) was the Aces only runner to qualify for an individual final race at MVC Indoor Championships. Prauchner broke the program record for the 800-meter race in the qualifying heats with a time of 2:12.93 to qualify fourth.
On the men’s side of the track, Evansville had a standout newcomer in all three distances. In the sprints, freshman Raymond Felton III (Houston / Clear Brook HS) set records in the 200- and 300-meter races early in the indoor season. At the mid-distance level, freshman Rafael Rodriguez (Segovia, Spain) had program records in the 1,000-meter and mile races, including resetting the mile record at MVC Indoors with a time of 4:13.89. While in the distance races, Samuel Lea (Worchester, England) was the program record setter with new records in the 5,000-meter and 3,000-meter races.
Heading into the 2024 outdoor season, the Aces will look to improve on their indoor season finishes of 10th place. In the preseason poll from league coaches, UE was picked to finish 10th on both the women’s and the men’s side.
HOT JOBS
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
Responsive employerPeplowski Makes 500 Free History as IU Sends Four to Thursday Scoring Session
ATHENS, Ga. – Junior Anna Peplowski broke her third program record in the last 24 hours to highlight Indiana’s Thursday (March 21) morning at the 2024 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships inside the Gabrielsen Natatorium on the campus of the University of Georgia.
After leading off IU’s program-record 800-yard freestyle relay (6:54.03) in 1:41.16 Wednesday night, Peplowski used her momentum to go 4:43.72 in the 500-yard freestyle preliminary. The junior broke Haley Lips’ 2016 mark of 4:34.86 that was fourth at the NCAA meet and now owns individual school records in the 100, 200 and 500-yard freestyles.
Peplowski, who had not swum the 500 free at any championships prior to this season, trimmed nearly three seconds off her seed time of 4:37.72 that finished runner-up at the Big Ten Championships. She’ll be the No. 2 seed and will swim in lane five next to Florida star freshman Bella Sims (4:34.32) – the pair had the two best splits in the 800 freestyle relay.
Indiana swimmers essentially matched their Thursday morning at the 2023 national championships, sending one to the 500 free championship final along with three consolation finalists in other events. The Hoosiers also have the No. 6-seeded 200-yard freestyle relay to end the evening session.
Sophomore Kristina Paegle and fifth-year senior Ashley Turak will swim in the 50 free B final for a second-straight season, finishing 13th and 15th respectively in the morning.
Paegle set the program’s third-best time in 21.83, while Turak went 21.91 – her third-career time under 22 seconds. The pair are the two fastest women in school history, owning the program’s six best times and nine of the top-10 marks. Paegle went a record 21.76 at midseason, knocking down Turak’s 21.81 set in the NCAA final last season.
Senior Anne Fowler is an All-American on the 1-meter springboard for the third time in her career, earning second-team honors with her qualification into Thursday night’s consolation final. Fowler finished 10th in the prelim with a score of 281.80.
RESULTS (PRELIMS)
500 FREESTYLE
2. Anna Peplowski – 4:34.72 (Championship Final, Program Record, Career Best)
- Ching Hwee Gan – 4:40.28
- Elyse Heiser – 4:40.57 (Career Best)
- Mariah Denigan – 4:40.93200 IM
45. Anna Freed – 1:58.13 (Career Best)
50 FREESTYLE
- Kristina Paegle – 21.83 (Consolation Final)
- Ashley Turak – 21.91 (Consolation Final)
1-METER DIVING
- Anne Fowler – 281.80 (Consolation Final)
- Ella Roselli – 262.30
- Skyler Liu – 259.70
- Lily Witte – 215.7
HOOSIER ALL-AMERICANS
Brearna Crawford (200 medley relay*)
Ching Hwee Gan (800 freestyle relay)
Anne Fowler (1-meter*)
Kacey McKenna (200 medley relay*)
Kristina Paegle (200 medley relay*, 800 freestyle relay, 50 freestyle*)
Anna Peplowski (800 freestyle relay, 500 freestyle)
Ella Ristic (800 freestyle relay)
Chiok Sze Yeo (200 medley relay*)
Ashley Turak (50 freestyle*
MARCH 22, 2024 BRAUN, CASSIDY, MANCHIN LEAD LEGISLATION TO PROTECT SOCIAL SECURITY
BRAUN, CASSIDY, MANCHIN LEAD LEGISLATION TO PROTECT SOCIAL SECURITY
MARCH 23 2024
WASHINGTON –U.S. Senators Mike Braun (R-IN), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), and Joe Manchin (D-WV) have introduced the Save Our Seniors Act, which would help protect the long-term solvency of Social Security by requiring the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to include the honest projection of its financial health in its annual ten-year economic outlook.
“Every American needs to know the facts about our nation’s dire financial situation. Social Security trust fund is on the way to going bust, and if we’re going to protect Social Security for seniors who rely on it we can’t bury our heads in the sand.” — Senator Mike Braun
“In eight years Social Security trust fund will be broken. The American people deserve to know this. The Save Our Seniors Act puts a spotlight on something that every Social Security recipient now, or in the future, has the right to know.” — Senator Bill Cassidy
“I am committed to protecting our seniors by making good on the promises we’ve made to them, and our bipartisan Save Our Seniors Act is proof of that. Transparency is vital when it comes to the future of Social Security, and our legislation prioritizes the long-term solvency of the program while also highlighting critical information on its fiscal stability. I’m proud to introduce this commonsense bill with Senators Cassidy and Braun and I will continue working to get it across the finish line.”— Senator Joe Manchin
The Save Our Seniors Act would ensure that a simple and easy-to-understand graph depicting the actual outlook for the Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) Trust Fund is included in the CBO’s ten-year economic outlook. Similar graphs exist in other Social Security-related reports, like the Trustees Reports, but not in a document as widely viewed as the CBO’s outlook, which is used by members of Congress and economists to get a detailed look at the health of our nation’s economy and the federal budget.