EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Soccer sophomore defender Charli Grafton (Sunriver, Oregon) and redshirt freshman goalkeeper Anna Markland (Hoover, Alabama) received Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week honors on Tuesday.
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Grafton captured OVC Defensive Player of the Week laurels for the second time this season, and Markland garnered OVC Goalkeeper of the Week accolades for the third time in 2023. USI Women’s Soccer has claimed six OVC weekly awards this season.
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Last week, Grafton and Markland helped lead USI to a 0-0-2 record, as the Screaming Eagles recorded a 0-0 tie at home last Thursday against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and a 1-1 tie on the road on Sunday at the University of Tennessee at Martin. Southern Indiana is 4-6-6 overall with a 3-1-3 conference record, sitting in a tie for third place with 12 points. USI clinched its OVC postseason berth for the second consecutive season with the tie at UT Martin.
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Additionally, with Grafton and Markland leading USI’s defensive unit, the Eagles have earned a result in nine of the last 10 matches. Before UT Martin’s goal in the 10th minute on Sunday, the Screaming Eagles’ defense had not been scored on in the previous three full matches and 290 minutes. USI is also 3-0-2 in the last five home matches after the scoreless tie with SIUE last Thursday. USI Women’s Soccer is also enjoying a season-best unbeaten streak of five matches.
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Individually, Grafton had another strong week leading Southern Indiana’s defense in the centerback position, playing every minute between the two matches. Grafton guided Southern Indiana to another shutout against SIUE and held the Cougars to only eight shots. After the early goal by UT Martin on Sunday, Grafton and USI’s defense held the Skyhawks scoreless the rest of the way which allowed USI to come back and tie the game in the second half.
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In goal, Markland continued her solid stretch of goalkeeping in recent weeks, recording the fifth clean sheet of the season against SIUE. In the two tough matchups last week, Markland totaled 10 saves, grabbing five in each match. In the latter minutes of Thursday’s contest, Markland made four big saves within a minute after quick shots by the Cougars. Markland’s stout goalkeeping led USI to Sunday’s tie despite facing 20 shots from the Skyhawks.
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On the season, Grafton has started every match and played every minute in 15 matches. Markland has also started every match, posting a 1.12 GAA with 62 saves. She ranks third in the OVC in GAA and fourth in saves. Her five shutouts are tied for second in the conference.
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Grafton, Markland and the Eagles conclude the regular season this week with a home matchup Thursday at 7 p.m. against Southeast Missouri State University and a road contest at Eastern Illinois University at 1 p.m.
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Both matchups this weekend can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+. Additional coverage links are on the USI Women’s Soccer schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com.
Grafton and Markland receive OVC weekly honors
USI forecast 9th in OVC
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball team is predicted to place ninth in the Ohio Valley Conference, as voted by the league’s 11 head coaches and athletic communications directors in a poll released today. The Screaming Eagles, who had 63 points in the OVC poll, also have been picked fifth by Blue Ribbon Magazine.
The Eagles are entering their second season as an NCAA Division I program after posting a 16-17 overall record, 9-9 in the OVC. USI, which appeared in the OVC Championship and the College Basketball Invitational in 2023, also completed the regular season with a .500 or better record for the 31st-straight year.
Morehead State University is predicted to win the conference for the second-straight year, earning 200 points and 20 first place votes. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville followed with 162 points, while Tennessee State rounded out the top three with 153 points and two first place votes.
Prior to making the jump to Division I, the Eagles spent 50 years in Division II and 43 years in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC). USI finished its run in Division II with a national championship (1995), four regional championships (1994, 1995, 2004, 2019), and 12 GLVC titles.
2023-24 OVC Men’s Basketball Predicted Order of Finish                       Â
(Selected by OVC Head Basketball Coaches and Communication Directors)
Order of Finish (1st Place Vote) Points
|  1.   Morehead State (20) | 200 |
|  2.   SIU Edwardsville | 162 |
|  3.   Tennessee State (2) | 153 |
|  4.   UT Martin                        |
149 |
|  5.   Southeast Missouri | 124 |
|  6.   Tennessee Tech | 120 |
|  7.   Little Rock |  85 |
|  8.   Western Illinois |  80 |
|  9.   Southern Indiana          |  63 |
| 10.   Lindenwood |  40 |
| 11.   Eastern Illinois |  34 |
USI Women’s Basketball picked 6th in OVC
Shafford and Raley selected for the preseason All-OVC squad
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball is projected to place sixth in the Ohio Valley Conference in a vote submitted by the league’s head coaches and communication directors.
USI heads into its second season in the Ohio Valley Conference after going 12-17 overall and 6-12 in conference play in 2022-23.
The 11-team OVC will feature a schedule with each team playing each other at least once for an 18-game schedule. For each team, two opponents will only face off once while the other eight will match up twice in a home-and-home split. The conference schedule will occur from December 29, 2023, through March 2, 2024. The conference’s season concludes with the OVC Basketball Championship Tournament at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana March 6-9, 2023.
Tennessee Tech University topped the OVC preseason poll with 196 points and 16 first-place votes. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock was picked second with 184 points and five first-place votes. Eastern Illinois University also received a first-place vote and picked up 157 points for a third-place projection.
The University of Tennessee at Martin was picked fourth with 135 points, and Southeast Missouri State University was selected fifth with 125 points. USI was sixth with 104 points in front of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville with 89 points. Tennessee State University was picked eighth with 75 points while Morehead State University earned 64 points for ninth place. OVC-newcomer Western Illinois (49) and Lindenwood University (32) round out the poll.
As part of the OVC’s preseason announcement, Southern Indiana was represented by two players on the 2023-24 Preseason All-OVC Team. Senior forward Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana) and junior guard Vanessa Shafford (Linton, Indiana) were selected.
Coming off a strong junior season in 2022-23, Raley averaged 13.3 points per game, 4.6 rebounds per game, and shot 47.8% (133-278) from the floor. She also connected at the free throw line at an 80.6% (87-108) clip and recorded 2.1 assists per game. The Haubstadt, Indiana native won OVC Player of the Week honors twice during the 2022-23 season. Raley made 22 starts in 28 appearances last season.
Shafford made a huge jump in her sophomore season in 2022-23, starting all 29 games and leading the team in minutes played. Shafford posted 13.0 points per game and led the squad with 7.1 rebounds per contest, which was third in the OVC. She was second on the team with 2.2 assists and tied for a team-high 1.7 steals per outing. Shafford shot 44.2 percent (134-303) overall, and she ranked first in the OVC and fourth nationally in three-point percentage at 46.8 percent (66-141).
Entering the 2023-24 campaign, both players are inside the top-50 all-time in USI history for career points and rebounds. Raley has 804 points and 321 rebounds in her career. Shafford has tallied 559 career points and 301 boards.
The 2023-24 USI Women’s Basketball squad features eight returning players, including three starters, and six newcomers. USI Head Coach Rick Stein begins his 25th season at the helm with a 423-254 record. Stein led USI into new territory last year in the program’s first season at the NCAA Division I level.
USI gets the 2023-24 season rolling on November 6 at 7 p.m. against Wright State University from Screaming Eagles Arena, the first of three consecutive home games to begin the season for the Eagles. Southern Indiana will have three Power-5 opponents during the non-conference slate, including road games at the University of Missouri (November 20) and Purdue University (November 26) as well as a home contest against the University of Cincinnati (December 17). The first OVC matchup for USI is on December 29 when the Eagles visit Southeast Missouri.
2023-24 OVC Women’s Basketball Predicted Order of Finish
(as voted on by the league’s head coaches and communication directors)
1. Tennessee Tech (16 first-place votes) – 196 points
2. Little Rock (5 first-place votes) – 184
3. Eastern Illinois (1 first-place vote) – 157
4. UT Martin – 135
5. Southeast Missouri – 125
6. Southern Indiana – 104
7. SIUE – 89
8. Tennessee State – 75
9. Morehead State – 64
10. Western Illinois – 49
11. Lindenwood – 32
2023-24 Preseason All-OVC Team
Veronica Charles, Morehead State
Anna Deets, Western Illinois
Jaliyah Green, Southeast Missouri
Tia Harvey, Little Rock
Faith Lee, Little Rock
Shae Littleford, UT Martin
Macy McGlone, Eastern Illinois
Miah Monahan, Eastern Illinois
Maaliya Owens, Tennessee Tech*
Meredith Raley, Southern Indiana
Vanessa Shafford, Southern Indiana
KK Rodriguez, SIUE
Anna Walker, Tennessee Tech
*Preseason OVC Player of the Year
Giulia Cardona earns AVCA National Player of the Week honors
Award is first in program history
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Giulia Cardona has been named the AVCA GameChanger Division I National Player of the Week in an announcement by the American Volleyball Coaches Association on Tuesday.
This marks the first such honor in Purple Aces volleyball history and comes on the heels of Cardona earning her third Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week accolade on Monday.
“I am so proud of Giulia, she keeps impressing us every week. When we think she played her best volleyball she comes back and have a better week,†UE head volleyball coach Fernando Morales said. “This is just evidence of the hard works she puts in and how much she cares about the team the program and winning. I can’t even express how proud of her I am and of her teammates that helped her be in this position.â€
Highlighting the week for Cardona was one of the best offensive performances in MVC history and the top efforts collegiate volleyball has seen in close to four years. In Friday’s win over UIC, Cardona tied the MVC single match kills record with 40. She became the first player in the national to record 40 kills since 2019 when it happened on three occasions.
The last instance came when Khalia Lanier of USC had 40 against Utah on Nov. 7, 2019. Earlier that season, Jordan Thompson of Cincinnati did so on two occasions. Both went on to spent time playing for the US National Team.
Cardona’s 40-kill contest against UIC tied the league record of Bobbi Becker (Petersen) with 40 kills in what was the longest match in NCAA history. UE and UIC battled for 3 hours and 44 minutes, topping the longest match ever by six minutes. Hawaii and BYU played a 3 hour and 38-minute game in 1998.
She opened the week with 27 kills against Indiana State while hitting .396. She added nine digs, two blocks and an ace. Her efforts against the Flames included 94 attempts, tying her for the second-highest total in Valley history. On top of that, she posted 16 digs, a block, ace and assist. The weekend finale saw her add 19 kills, 11 digs, four total blocks and three aces against Valpo. For the week, she tallied 6.62 kills per set, totaling 86 in 13 sets. Cardona averaged 2.77 digs, 0.54 blocks and 0.38 aces per frame.
Cardona becomes the first MVC player to earn the honor since Lily Johnson of Missouri State did so in 2017.
Two Halloween-Related Events Planned for the Community at Ivy Tech Â
Evansville, IN – Ivy Tech Community College has planned its annual Halloween party and Trick or Treating events. The two events will be free and open to the public.
Oct. 27: “Hollyween†– a Student Life sponsored free, family-friendly event, will be from 5:30-7 p.m., in the Koch Student Center. Enter through the Colonial Avenue, Entrance C side of the building. Families can come dressed as their favorite Hollywood character with a spooky twist and enjoy a bouncy house, games, Escape Room, and candy.
Oct. 30: Community Trick or Treat, 3-5 p.m., throughout the Evansville Main Campus, first floor. Children can enjoy trick or treating to a variety of offices who will have sweet treats and prizes available! Families may enter through Entrance B on the front of the building. The event is free and open to the public and is sponsored by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Belonging.
USI’s Biometrix Discovery Lab collaborates with The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis on wayfinding project
When visitors first enter The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, they’re greeted by Bumblebee—the 17-foot, 2,000-pound robot prop that was used in the Transformers movie series.
The statue is an attention grabber and practically impossible to miss as you pass by the Museum’s Welcome Center. But after looking at it, where do the visitors’ eyes go next? That was something Susan Foutz and the team at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis wanted to find out. This summer, the University of Southern Indiana’s Biometrix Discovery Lab partnered with The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis on a wayfinding study. With the lab’s eye-tracking glasses and technology, the goal of this partnership was to provide the museum with insights that could help them evaluate their current wayfinding efforts and signage at various places throughout the Museum.
“The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis staff are always looking for ways to learn more about our constituents, including how they move through our educational experiences,†said Foutz, Director of Research and Evaluation at the Museum. “This was an opportunity to look at a different aspect of their visit—the entry and lobbies that are among the first areas families see when they arrive. We wanted to understand how first-time visitors to the Museum experienced the combination of wayfinding signage, marketing and membership messaging, and the showstoppers they see near our box office.â€
Dr. Chad Milewicz, Coordinator of the Biometrix Discovery Lab and Chair of the Economics and Marketing Department in USI’s Romain College of Business, was put in contact with The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis through Dr. Sudesh Mujumdar, Dean of the Romain College of Business. After an initial Zoom call about the technology, Milewicz visited the Museum and gave staff members in the marketing and public relations division a demonstration of the technology.
Once they saw the technology in action, they realized just how helpful the information they received from the research could be. With the data gathered from these wayfinding studies by using eye-tracking glasses, The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis team was able to get a whole new look at how guests truly navigate their Museum.
“The data we received from the eye tracking technology is something we would have been hard pressed to collect any other way,†Foutz said. “We walk by these areas and signs every day, so it’s difficult for us to put ourselves in the shoes of a new visitor to the Museum. Combining the visitors’ viewpoints and the analysis Chad (Milewicz) provided with our own understanding of how people move in the space and what we are trying to communicate, we were able to take a step back and reconsider our approach.â€
This is the latest partnership for the Biometrix Discovery Lab. In the past, the Lab has collaborated with Berry Global’s Blue Clover Studios, Midwestern Pet Foods and Learn More Indiana—an initiative of the Indiana Commission for Higher Education.
This partnership has had a positive impact for everyone involved. While the research has elicited new information for The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, this collaboration has also created even more visibility for the Biometrix Discovery Lab, Romain College of Business and USI as a whole.
“Partnering with the largest children’s museum in the United States absolutely helps the visibility and reputation of the lab,†Milewicz said. “Whether it is a potential student or a potential organizational partner, when someone sees or hears we are partnering with The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, it catches their attention.â€
This study has already helped pique the Museum staff’s interest in potentially doing more biometric research in the future. They’ve already pinpointed a few different areas such as different locations in the Museum, marketing studies and educational studies as other areas where similar research studies could prove beneficial.
“I conduct a lot of visitor studies in the Museum, and this one, more than most, has really energized the staff. I think that’s because of the ’cool factor’ of the tech, but also because you are seeing the visitor’s point of view,†Foutz said. “With staff buy-in and useful data, I think we will use the results to make changes to the look of our entry environment.â€
Milewicz is hopeful students will also take note of these studies and want to discover similar insights themselves. With a variety of opportunities to use the Biometrix Discovery Lab in both classroom and experiential learning, he wants them to be aware of the different possibilities this facility has to offer.
“As students, faculty, and organizations around our community learn about this project, I hope it sparks their curiosity in applying biometric research in their work or area of study,†said Milewicz. “Our lab is an excellent resource for USI and our region. I look forward to starting additional projects with people across campus and organizations throughout our region.â€
Gov. Holcomb celebrates Next Level Trails expansion of Vandalia Trail in Plainfield
Trail connects to Plainfield’s new Hobbs Station development
PLAINFIELD, IN – Governor Eric J. Holcomb today joined the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the town of Plainfield, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), and New City Development to celebrate the official opening of the recently completed Vandalia Trail extension and to mark the start of a new chapter for Hobbs Station.
“Powered by partnerships, and blazing new trails, Next Level Trails continues to help Indiana connect communities and one another,†said Gov. Holcomb. “I’m excited to see the private sector, local and state government partners all come together to set a new national standard. The Vandalia Trail connection to Plainfield’s new Hobbs Station development perfectly represents our statewide momentum and will draw Hoosiers across the region for years to come.â€
The 2.32-mile asphalt multi-use trail was designed and constructed by the town of Plainfield. The project received support from a $1,712,000 Next Level Trails (NLT) grant that was announced by Gov. Holcomb in March 2021 as part of the second grant round of NLT.
Hobbs Station, which is set to open the first phase of development in 2024, is being supported by an investment from the IEDC’s regional development tax credit, which provides an incentive for companies to invest in redevelopment and revitalization, improving the quality of place within Indiana.
New City Development, a major contributor to the project, played a pivotal role by constructing more than half a mile of the new trail segment within the Hobbs Station development. Hobbs Station, a visionary $300 million mixed-use community project currently under construction, will offer a mix of residential, retail, office, senior housing, and industrial spaces, seamlessly integrated with access to the Vandalia Trail. Spanning 125 acres off U.S. 40 (Main Street) and North Perry Road, Hobbs Station represents a forward-thinking approach to community development that respects Plainfield’s history while embracing its future.
As part of Gov. Holcomb’s Next Level Connections initiative, NLT is the largest-ever infusion of trail funding in Indiana’s history. With a current allocation of $180 million, this program, administered by the DNR, is committed to establishing critical trail connections within and between Hoosier communities. To date, NLT has awarded $150 million to 75 projects across the state, with an additional $30 million set to be awarded in the upcoming fourth round of the program in December.
Of the 75 NLT projects, 26 are already completed, contributing more than 84 miles of trail since the program’s inception. An additional 13 projects are presently under construction, with several more scheduled to break ground later this year.
Trailblazers begin three-game Region 24 week with sweep at Lake Land
MATTOON, Ill. – The Vincennes University volleyball team has entered the final week of the 2023 regular season and began with the first of three Region 24 matches in five days.
The Trailblazers traveled to Mattoon, Ill. to face-off against Lake Land College in VU’s final road game of the regular season Tuesday night and came away with a very solid three-set sweep over the host Lakers.
Vincennes got off to a bit of a slow start in set one, quickly falling behind to Lake Land 6-3 before battling back to take their first lead of the match at 9-8.
VU would keep their foot on the gas in the first set, building a 17-13 advantage, before Lake Land got back within one of the Blazers.
This would be as close as the Lakers would get to retaking the lead however as VU pulled away late to take the opening set 25-20 and earn a 1-0 match lead.
Set two began as another back-and-forth battle in what could potentially be a preview of the Region 24 semi-finals, with Lake Land again holding an early lead at 11-10.
VU would again answer back and this time the Blazers completely shifted the momentum of the game, outscoring the Lakers 11-1 to build a commanding 21-12 lead.
Lake Land could attempt to battle back into the set but were unable to put together a scoring run of their own as VU grabbed set two 25-15 and earned a 2-0 match lead.
Riding the momentum from set two and looking to finish off another Region 24 sweep, Vincennes came out of the gates firing in set three, jumping out to an early 8-1 advantage.
Lake Land would attempt to battle back once more on their home floor but were only able to cut the VU lead down to four.
Vincennes would again pull away late, scoring the final four points of the match to take set three 25-13 and complete the three-set sweep over the Lakers.
“We had a somewhat long break since Saturday, so it took that first set to get us acclimated back to playing after the weekend,†VUVB Head Coach Gary Sien said. “Yes, we had a slow start, but we made up for it with quickly finished sets in two and three.â€
The VU offense was led by sophomore Paige Parlanti (Las Vegas, Nev.) who recorded her 17th double-double of the season and sixth double-double in the last seven matches with 18 kills, 18 digs, three blocks and one ace.
Freshman Laura Tavares (Merida, Venezuela) was next on the kills list, just missing out on double-digits with nine kills, four blocks and one dig.
Freshman Elisa Dalla Pozza (Vincenza, Italy) ended her night with five kills, six digs, four blocks and one set assist.
Sophomore Audrey Buis (Franklin, Ind.) added four blocks, seven digs and one block to her totals and sophomore Kennedy Sowell (Effingham, Ill.) and freshman Isadora Dias (Rio Grande de Norte, Brazil) rounded out the VU offense with two kills each.
Sowell also led the Blazers with five blocks and one dig on the night.
The Vincennes offense was run by sophomore setter Maecy Johnson (Chrisman, Ill.) who finished the match with 29 set assists, two digs and two blocks.
Sophomore libero Morgan Netcott (Montague, Mich.) controlled the VU back row defense with 14 digs, while freshmen Dylan DeCoursey (Montgomery, Ind.) and Grace Flexter (Oblong, Ill.) entered the game in the third set to record three digs for DeCoursey and two digs for Flexter.
Fellow freshmen Allison Czyzewski (Louisville, Ill.) and Libby Mehringer (Jasper, Ind.) also checked into the game in the third set, with Czyzewski recording one dig and Mehringer ending with one block.
Freshman Ellie Reed (Washington, Ind.) also checked into the match in the third set, heading to the service line to close out the final four points of the match, but did not record a stat in the game.
“We always try to get everybody into as many matches as possible, but it is very difficult,†Sien added. “The sets are medium length at 25 points per set. I preferred when the sets were 30 points per set when rally scoring first began. I think everyone wants more, not less volleyball.â€
“It is difficult, we cannot practice every situation that can occur when people are out,†Sien said. “We just put them out there and tell them to play this position and while they might not have played it at VU, I know they have in the past.â€
The Trailblazers will return home to the Physical Education Complex floor for the final two games of the 2023 regular season, beginning Thursday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. eastern when VU hosts John A. Logan College.
VU will then close out the regular season on Saturday, Oct. 21 when the Blazers host Kaskaskia College at 12 p.m. eastern on Sophomore Recognition Day.
“We have to get back to our total game since we have everyone back now,†Sien said. “There’s not much time left in the season and careers are nearing an end. We have to sense the urgency and these last couple of matches will let us know how much more we need to do to get there.â€
BOX SCORE
VUVB (27-6, 10-0) – 25   25  25  x  x
Lake Land – 20   15  13  x  x
VINCENNES STATS
Grace Flexter – 2 digs
Audrey Buis – 5 points, 4 kills, 1 solo block, 7 digs
Dylan DeCoursey – 3 digs
Morgan Netcott – 14 digs
Paige Parlanti – 20.5 points, 1 ace, 18 kills, 3 block assists, 18 digs
Isadora Dias – 2 points, 2 kills
Allison Czyzewski – 1 dig
Maecy Johnson – 1 points, 2 block assists, 2 digs, 29 set assists
Kennedy Sowell – 4.5 points, 2 kills, 5 block assists, 1 dig
Elisa Dalla Pozza – 7 points, 5 kills, 4 block assists, 6 digs, 1 set assist
Laura Tavares – 11 points, 9 kills, 4 block assists, 1 dig
Libby Mehringer – 0.5 points, 1 block assist