Guy, Hodges, Roberts named top USI athletes
Durham & Woodford recognized with “Eagle Pride” awards
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – In an evening that celebrates the accomplishments of the University of Southern Indiana student athletes during the 2015-16 year, junior Haley Hodges (softball), sophomore Emily Roberts (Fredericktown, Ohio), senior Johnnie Guy (men’s cross country/track & field), senior McKinsey Durham (women’s soccer), and senior Lucas Woodford (men’s soccer) were recognized as the top student athletes at the 14th annual USI All-Sports Banquet sponsored by Old National Bank Monday evening.
For the first time in the history of the award, a co-ONB/USI Female Student Athlete of the Year was given to Hodges and Roberts.
Hodges has made her mark on the softball the field in 2016. She has set single-season school records for home runs and RBIs and is among the national leaders in both categories. The computer science major has earned GLVC Player of the Week honors twice this year and is in the midst of one of the greatest statistical years in school history.
USI’s softball team, currently, is ranked fifth in the NCAA Division II Midwest Region and third in the GLVC standings with a 32-14 overall record and a 20-6 mark in league play.
Roberts also has made her mark this spring, only on the cross country course and track throughout the 2015-16. She finished fifth in the nation at the NCAA Division Two Cross Country Championships to earn All-America honors and was the GLVC Scholar Athlete of the Year. She has set school records in both the 5,000 meters and the 10,000 meters in outdoor track this spring and will compete for a national title next month.
Previous winners of the award were Shannon Wells (2003, volleyball), Jenny Farmer (2004; cross country/track), Heather Cooksey (2005; cross country/track), Laura Ellerbusch (2006; volleyball),Allison Shafer (2007; cross country/track), Kristin Eickholt (2008; softball), Mary Ballinger (2009, 2010; cross country/track), Danielle LaGrange (2011, 2012; volleyball), Susan Ellsperman (2013; women’s soccer), Anna Hackert (2014; women’s basketball), and MacKenzie Dorsam (2015; softball).
A two-time ONB/USI Male Student Athlete of the Year, Guy exemplifies the true meaning of student-athlete as he excels both in his sport and in the class room. The engineering major is a two-time Academic All-American, a 14-time All-American, and in the past year has earned two GLVC Scholar Athlete of the Year awards, the GLVC Runner of the Year honor, and five All-America accolades.
The USI men’s cross country team placed 10th at the NCAA Division II National Championships this past fall and 26th at the NCAA II Indoor Track & Field National Championships in March.
Previous winners of the award were Duncan Bray (2003, 2004; soccer), Matt Keener (2005; baseball),Chris Thompson (2006; men’s basketball), Melvin Hall (2007; men’s basketball), Paul Jellema (2008; men’s cross country/track), Shaun Larsen (2009; baseball), Jamar Smith (2010; men’s basketball),Trevor Leach (2011; baseball), Dustin Emerick (2012; men’s cross country & track), Michael Jordan(2013; men’s cross country & track), Johnnie Guy (2014; men’s cross country & track), and Tyler Pence(2015, men’s cross country & track).
Durham and Woodford were named the female and male recipients the ONB/USI Screaming Eagles Pride Award. The award winners, who have been role models on the men’s and women’s soccer teams and in the department, were selected in a vote by the Athletics staff.
Durham, a four-year member of the women’s soccer team and a major in kinesiology, helped lead the USI student athletes as the co-president of the USI SAAC. The three-time Academic All-GLVC performer finished her career this year after playing in 65 matches over four seasons, making 56 starts as an Eagle.
Also a three-time Academic All-GLVC performer, Woodford helped lead the Eagles to the GLVC Tournament this past year and concluded his USI career by making 70 starts in the men’s soccer defensive third. The sport management major also has a tremendous impact on the community by organizing trips by the team over the last four years to the Evansville Rescue Mission to help out the less fortunate among us.
Previous winners of the Pride Award were Ginnie Roberts (softball) 2003; Mike Arnold (men’s basketball) 2004; Brian Kendall (men’s cross country/track) 2005; Angie Davis (softball) 2006; Geoff Van Winkle (men’s basketball) 2007; Kathy Wood (softball) 2008;  Austin Inge (men’s track) and Brittany Neuman (women’s basketball) 2009; Jeron Lewis (men’s basketball) and Sara Loete(softball) 2010; Lauren Meneghetti (women’s basketball) and Mohamed Ntumba (men’s basketball) 2011; Susan Ellsperman (women’s soccer) and Brendan Devine (men’s cross country/track) 2012;Ellena Stumpf (women’s tennis) and Scott Ernstberger (baseball) 2013; Stephanie Carpenter(women’s basketball) and Jeff Neidlinger (men’s soccer) 2014; and senior Austin Davis (men’s basketball), and senior Mary O’Keefe (women’s basketball) 2015.
Dr. Brandon Field, an associate professor of engineering, was presented the Dr. Jane Davis Brezette Faculty Excellence Award. The award is presented to a USI faculty member, who has contributed to the success of USI Athletics by mentoring student athletes and helping them to achieve their goals in the classroom and beyond. Previous winners of award were Dr. Jane Davis-Brezette, the former chair of Kinesiology and Sport and instructor in the Pott College of Science, Engineering and Education (2008); Tim Mahoney, an instructor in the Romain College of Business (2009); Patti Marcum, an instructor in the Pott College of Science Engineering, and Education (2011); Dr. Lacie Rogers, an instructor in the Romain College of Business (2012); Dr. Darrin Sorrells, an instructor and learning specialist in Academic Skills (2013); Chris Croft, an instructor in Pott College of Science Engineering, and Education (2014); and Timothy Bryan, an instructor in accounting (2015).
The USI Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) recognized women’s cross country with the Team GPA Award (3.48), while baseball was presented with the Team Spirit Award.
Women’s cross country has twice earned the Team GPA Award (2016 and 2013), tying softball (2014 and 2012) for second, and following  volleyball, which has won the award five times (2015, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007) since the creation of the award in 2006. Women’s soccer (2006) and women’s basketball (2011) have each earned the honor once.
The Team Spirit Award, which is selected in a vote by the SAAC and created in 2005, is the first for baseball. Men’s cross country/track & field (2005, 2009, 2011) and men’s soccer (2012, 2013, 2014) has been honored three times, while softball (2014, 2015) and men’s tennis (2007, 2008) have been chosen twice. Men’s basketball (2010), women’s soccer (2012), and women’s cross country/track & field (2006) have been selected for the award once.
