EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Swimming and Diving embarks on the journey to Minneapolis, Minnesota today for the Summit League Championships. The event takes place at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center on the campus of the University of Minnesota, February 21-24. 
 
The championships are the culmination of the season’s efforts with an opportunity to win the conference for each squad. The conference is highly competitive featuring the University of Denver, Eastern Illinois University, Lindenwood University, University of Nebraska Omaha, University of South Dakota, South Dakota State University, St. Thomas University, and USI. The Screaming Eagles look make their mark after both squads finished eighth last year.
 
When asked about the team’s mentality going into the event, head coach Cameron Kainer said, “Our mentality is to not put so much pressure on ourselves going in and knowing that we are going to continue growing year to year and be better each time. I think having a group who have already competed at the meet last year, gives us a leg up on this year’s meet and the competition.”
 
Men
The men’s squad has steadily grown this season with wins over Valparaiso University twice, Eastern Illinois University, Rose-Hulman University, and a fourth-place finish at the Purdue University Indiana Intercollegiate meet. Freshman Cole Baker (Springville, Indiana) leads the Eagles with five season best events. Freshman Nathan Deputy (Evansville, Indiana) leads the diving team in the three-meter event with a score of 284.90, while sophomore Lane Pollock (Boonville, Indiana) looks to chase his school leading score of 264.75 in the one-meter event. 

Women
The women’s squad is entering the championships on the right foot. Season highlights include a fifth-place finish at the A3 Performance Invitational and wins against Valparaiso, Eastern Illinois twice, and Rose-Hulman. Freshman Hayden Shurtz (Ft. Wayne, Indiana) leads the Eagles with six total season best events. Freshman Maranda Uttke (Grafton, Wisconsin) has impressed all year for the diving squad leading in both the 1-meter (247.40) and 3-meter events (220.05).

Online Information
Championship Website and schedule of events: 2024 Swimming & Diving Championships – The Summit League
Live Stream: SLN – Midco Sports Plus (fee included)
Live Stats: Meet Results: 2023 Summit League Swimming & Diving Champs (sidearmstats.com), MeetMobile App, or DiveMeets.com
Online Championship Merchandise: Products – Summit League – Swimming & Diving 24 – Fox Promo (chipply.com)
Summit League social media on Instagram, facebook, and twitter: @thesummitleague or download the Summit League app.
 
Event Information
Each day is considered a session and doors will open for spectators 60 minutes prior to each session.
Concessions will be available. Outside food and drink are permitted. Glass bottles and other breakable containers are prohibited.

Ticket Prices

• All-Session Pass – $60 + applicable tax/fees
• Wednesday Single-Day Pass – $15 + applicable tax/fees
• Thursday/Friday/Saturday Single-Day Pass – $25 + applicable fees
• Children 2 years of age and under – Free

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – After a monster weekend at the plate to help power the University of Evansville baseball team to a series victory at #26 Oral Roberts, UE junior second baseman Cal McGinnis (Kimberly, Wis./Kimberly HS/Bradley Univ.) has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week.  McGinnis and the Purple Aces will be back in action on Tuesday by hosting Bellarmine at 3 p.m. at German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium for the 2024 home opener.

McGinnis posted a .462/1.000/.533 slash line for the Purple Aces in his first weekend at UE.  He had hits in all three games of the series, and opened his UE career just a double shy of the cycle, going 3-for-5 with a triple, a home run, three runs scored and four RBI in Friday’s season-opener.  He also knocked two doubles and drove in a run in UE’s 14-3 victory on Saturday, and had a hit and a run scored in UE’s 7-6 victory at #26 Oral Roberts on Sunday.  For the weekend, McGinnis led UE in hits (six), runs scored (five), RBI (five), extra-base hits (four) and total bases (13) in the three-game series against the 2023 College World Series participant.

Evansville will bring a 2-1 record into Tuesday’s home opener against Bellarmine.  Offensively, UE totaled 31 runs in the three-game series victory at Oral Roberts, while hitting .306 combined as a team.

Bellarmine, meanwhile, will bring a 1-2 overall record into Tuesday’s game after dropping the final two games a three-game set at Tennessee Tech over the weekend.  Junior designated hitter/catcher Matt Flaherty, a transfer from Abilene Christian, hit home runs in his first two at-bats as a Knight at Tennessee Tech and drove in four to lead Bellarmine to an 11-3 victory in the season-opener.  Flaherty leads Bellarmine with a .333 average, and the Knights boast three players hitting above .300 so far this year.

Sophomore right-hander Elias Hachem will get the start for UE on the mound on Tuesday.

The Purple Aces play seven games during their 2024 spring season

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville men’s soccer team begins its spring campaign next week with a handful of games across two months.

The Aces will play seven games starting next week until the end of April including five games at Arad McCutchan Stadium. “We are excited for the spring schedule,” says Head Coach Robbe Tarver. “It will give our group a great opportunity to play quality opponents. We will play 2 teams with tournament experience from last year, which will help us gain experience as well. I’m excited to see our new guys in action and to see our individual and collective growth throughout the spring.”

UE begins its spring season at Indiana on Saturday, Feb. 24 for a rematch from the fall season. IU finished the 2023 season in the NCAA Final Four in a penalty shootout loss to Notre Dame as the 2023 Big Ten Champions.

Evansville hosts its first game of the spring season almost a month later on Saturday, March 23. The Aces will play two games that Saturday while also hosting a neutral site contest between Northern Kentucky and Belmont. UE begins its two-game day with NKU, a team it hasn’t played since 2016. The Norse finished 2023 at 4-10-3 in the Horizon League.  Evansville then ends the day against Belmont at 4 p.m. The Aces ended their 2023 season with a draw against the Bruins in Nashville for the team’s third straight regular-season draw against one another.

UE will host another three-game day on Friday, March 29 with another neutral site game in between Evansville’s own games. The Aces host Lincoln Trail Community College and Southern Indiana that Friday starting with a game against Lincoln Trail at 3 p.m. The Statesmen finished 2023 with a 10-3-4 record and a trip to the NJCAA District semifinals. Lincoln Trail will then play USI at 5 p.m. for a neutral site game before UE returns to the field at 7 p.m. against the Screaming Eagles. Evansville beat USI in 2023 in a 4-0 rout for the Mayor’s Cup after a scoreless draw the season prior.

The Aces final road game of the spring season will come on Saturday, April 6 at SIUE at 1 p.m. In their first season in the OVC, the Cougars had an undefeated regular season while securing the OVC’s first men’s soccer championship. SIUE’s season ended in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in a 2-1 loss to Memphis. The Cougars and UE last played one another in 2022 when SIUE was still in the MVC. Evansville took all three games in 2022 both at home and on the road in Edwardsville.

The final game of the spring season for the Aces will be at home on Saturday, April 20 against IUPUI. The Jaguars played UE in an exhibition game in 2023 where IUPUI came out on top 2-1. Over the season, the Jaguars finished 7-7-5 with a semi-final appearance in the Horizon League tournament. Evansville’s game against IUPUI is set for 3 p.m. on the 20^th.

UE heads to Monroe, La. next weekend

 EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Miami University recorded 13 runs on 12 hits to pick up a 13-0 win over the University of Evansville softball team on Monday at Tri-State Orthopaedics Field at James and Dorothy Cooper Stadium.

Miami Ohio wasted no time in getting on the board, plating two runs in the first on a home run by Karli Spaid.  In the second, MU added a second run when Jenna Golembiewski had an RBI double to right center.

Evansville had its first baserunner in the third when Keghan Pye was hit by a pitch.  Marah Wood reached on an infield single in the bottom of the fourth, but neither could cross the plate.

In the top half of the fifth, the RedHawks erupted for 10 runs to put the game out of reach.  MU pitcher Addy Jarvis held the Purple Aces to just one hit in the 5-inning shutout.  Mikayla Jolly took the loss.  She allowed three runs in two innings of work.

UE heads to Monroe, La. next weekend for the 2024 Best on the Bayou Tournament.  The Aces face Northwestern State, Syracuse, Sam Houston

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Sunday marked the first day of action at Tri-State Orthopaedics Field at James and Dorothy Cooper Stadium as the University of Evansville softball team dropped a pair of games to Miami Ohio and Austin Peay.

Game 1 – Miami Ohio 11, UE 5

Scoring seven runs in the final two innings, Miam Ohio took an 11-5 win over the Purple Aces on Sunday afternoon.

After scoring a single run in the second inning, Miami added two more on an Allie Cummins home run in the top of the third.  Evansville wasted little time in striking back, plating three runs in the bottom of the frame.

Taylor Howe led off with a single while Hannah Hood reached on a walk.  With one out, Marah Wood doubled down the left field line to score Howe.  Zoe Frossard followed with a 2-RBI single to tie the game.  The RedHawks retook the lead in the top of the fourth on a solo shot from Holly Blaska.

UE had a chance to tie it up in the bottom half of the 4^th, putting two runners on with two outs before a strikeout ended the threat.  One inning later, Evansville’s persistence paid off when sacrifice flies by Jess Willsey and Brooke Voss gave the Aces a 5-4 lead.  The inning saw UE put its first three runners on as Wood was hit by a pitch while Zoe Frossard and Nink followed with walks.

The dagger by the RedHawks came in the top of the 6^th when they plated five runs to take a commanding 9-5 lead.  They added two more runs to make the final score 11-5.  Taylor Howe went 2-3 with a run while Wood was 2-3 with a double, two runs and a RBI.  Mikayla Jolly was the starter for UE.  She tossed four innings and allowed four earned runs.  Megan Brenton went the final three frames and gave up seven runs, four being earned.

Madilyn Reeves threw four innings of relief to earn the win for MU.  She gave up two runs on two hits while walking four batters.

Game 2 – Austin Peay 7, UE 1

Scoring four runs in the sixth and three more in the seventh, Austin Peay rallied for a 7-1 win in Sunday’s finale.

After posting single hits in the first and second frames, UE erupted for a run in the third.  With two outs, Zoe Frossard doubled to center and Jenna Nink brought her home with a single through the right side.  The score remained 1-0 in favor of the Aces until the Governors came to life in the 6^th.

A 4-run frame gave APSU its first lead with Kendyl Weinzapfel picking up a 2-run single.  In the top of the seventh, Brie Howard hit a 3-run home run to extend the lead to 7-1. UE went down in order in the bottom half of the 7^th as APSU clinched the win.  The Governors picked up 16 hits in the game while holding the Aces to six.  Jordan Bennefiel threw the complete game for the Governors and earned her third win of the season.

Abby Bode and Jenna NInk registered two hits apiece to lead UE.  Elle Jarrett suffered the loss for Evansville.  She scattered four runs and 11 hits over 5 1/3 innings.  On Monday, the Aces complete the weekend tournament with a 12 p.m. contest against Miami Ohio.