Southwest Indiana representatives honor girls basketball champions

STATEHOUSE – Several state representatives from southwest Indiana offered a resolution Tuesday congratulating the Evansville Mater Dei girls’ basketball team on their Class 2A State Championship. State Representative Ron Bacon (R-Chandler) was joined on the resolution in the House by Representatives Suzanne Crouch (R-Evansville), Wendy McNamara (R-Mount Vernon) and Tom Washburne (R-Evansville).

“I am very pleased that we were able to recognize the girls’ basketball team for their accomplishments, particularly because Mater Dei is my alma mater,” said Rep. Bacon. “I coached girls’ softball for 24 years and know firsthand the amount of hard work it takes for the girls, their families and the coaches to accomplish their goal of winning a state title, for any high school sport. It was great to recognize their success at the Statehouse.”

The Evansville Mater Dei girls’ basketball team defeated Eastern (Greentown) 62 to 42 to win the Class 2A state championship for the second consecutive year.

“I am incredibly proud of these young student athletes,” said Rep. Crouch. “Their success on and off the court is commendable. Participating in high school athletics is an excellent way to learn the beneficial values of hard work, determination and time management.”

This second consecutive state title for the Mater Dei girls’ team marks the first time an Evansville team has won back-to-back state basketball titles since the Benjamin Bosse High School boys’ team won in 1944 and 1945.

“This success is also a testament to the time and effort put into skill development by the parochial schools preparing students for Mater Dei,” said Rep. Washburne. “We are proud of these young women and look forward to hearing about future accomplishments.”

Since they have won the championship two years in a row, the team will now move up a class, to 3A.

“Winning a state championship is an incredible accomplishment that these young ladies will remember for the rest of their lives,” said Rep. McNamara. “More importantly than receiving trophies and recognition, these girls display the type of grace, dignity and class that will serve them well in the future.”

The team was led by head coach Steve Goans and assistant coaches Terry Muensterman, Joel Bueltel, Aubrey Goebel, Micah Konkler and Sister Mary Francis.