Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles

The Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles are the athletic teams that represent the University of Southern Indiana, located outside Evansville in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, in NCAA Division II intercollegiate sports. The Screaming Eagles compete as members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference for all 15 varsity sports. Southern Indiana has been a member of the GLVC since 1978.

Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles
UniversityUniversity of Southern Indiana
ConferenceGreat Lakes Valley Conference
NCAADivision II
Athletic directorJon Mark Hall
LocationVanderburgh County, Indiana
Varsity teams15
Basketball arenaScreaming Eagles Arena
Baseball stadiumThe USI Baseball Field
Soccer stadiumStrassweg Field
MascotArchibald T. Eagle
NicknameScreaming Eagles
ColorsRed, Navy, and White
     
Websitegousieagles.com

Championships

NCAA

USI has won four NCAA national championships (men's basketball, 1995; baseball, 2010 and 2014, women's softball 2018), finished three times as the national finalist (men's basketball, 1994 and 2004; and women's basketball 1997), and earned two third-place finishes (men's cross country, 1982; baseball, 2007). The men's and women's cross country/track teams have produced five individual national championships since 1997.

Association Division Sport Year Opponent Score
NCAA Division II Men's Basketball[1] 1995 UC Riverside 71–63
NCAA Division II Baseball[2] 2010 UC San Diego 6–4
2014 Colorado Mesa 3–2
NCAA Division II Softball[3] 2018 Saint Anslem 4–0; 8–3

Great Lakes Valley Conference

The Screaming Eagles won the 2003-04 GLVC All-Sports Trophy by nine points, the largest margin of victory since Lewis University edged USI by 9.5 points in 1986–87. In the 25-year history of the trophy, USI has finished first three times (2003–04, 1993–94, 1982–83); second nine times; third twice; and fourth three times.

Varsity teams
Screaming Eagles Arena
USI's Physical Activities Center, former home of the Screaming Eagles men's and women's basketball team
Display case at the Ford Center in Downtown Evansville, honoring USI's national championship in basketball

List of teams

Individual sports

Basketball

Men's basketball has been a part of USI's athletic department since the 1970–71 season. The Screaming Eagles are currently one of the most successful basketball programs in Division II athletics. In 1994 USI finished runner-up at the Division II championship and the following year, in 1995, won the national championship. Overall USI has made 23 NCAA tournament appearances and won the GLVC tournament in 2005, 2007, 2012 and 2014.

USI's success in basketball is due in part to the coaching leadership and legacy of Bruce Pearl, who coached the team from 1992 to 2001. During this nine-year span USI went to nine straight NCAA D-II tournaments, won four GLVC regular season titles, and compiled a record of 231–46. Pearl's successor, Rick Herdes, led the team to a second-place finish at the 2004 Division II national championship and posted a record of 200–59. However, in 2009, USI submitted to the NCAA a list of NCAA rules violations committed by the men's basketball coaching staff, including Herdes. Three of the violations are related to extra benefits concerning transportation, one concerning academics, and the last concerning improper communication with a prospective student athlete.[4] When the announcement was made Herdes promptly resigned and was replaced by Rodney Watson.

Despite a one-year probation on postseason play imposed by the GLVC and the NCAA, Watson led USI to a 23–0 start and a #2 ranking in the NABC Division II Top 25 Poll, making it the best start for a first-year coach at USI. In his 8 seasons as coach, USI has a 183-54 overall record and a 104–40 record within the conference.[5]

Baseball

Men's baseball began at USI in 1971. Recently USI has established itself as a top competitor nationally in Division II. In 2010 the school won the NCAA DII National Championship and won their second NCAA title in 2014, defeating Colorado Mesa by a final score of 3–2 in 12 innings. The team also earned a third-place finish in 2007 under head coach Tracy Archuleta.

Softball

The USI Softball team was started in 1977 and has been under the direction of coach Sue Kunkle for 16 seasons. The team made its first trip to the NCAA Division II Softball Championship in 2017, losing to West Florida in the opening rounds. In 2018, the Screaming Eagles returned to the tournament as an 8-seed and went undefeated in the tournament to capture their first, and the University's first women's national championship, defeating Saint Anslem 4–0 and 8–3 in consecutive games in the final.[6] Sophomore pitcher Jennifer Leonhardt started all five games in the NCAA tournament, including a complete-game no-hitter in her second game against Angelo State.[7]

References
  1. "Division II Baseball Championship Results" (PDF). Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  2. "Division II Baseball Championship Results" (PDF). NCAA. NCAA.org. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  3. "2018 DII Softball Championship: Southern Indiana sweeps championship series to win first title". Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  4. "USI Violations". University of Southern Indiana. Retrieved 2009-05-13.
  5. "Men's Basketball Quick Facts". Retrieved 2018-05-25.
  6. "2018 DII Softball Championship: Southern Indiana sweeps championship series to win first title". NCAA.com. 2018-05-28. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
  7. "Angelo State vs Southern Ind. - Div II Softball". NCAA.com. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
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