Ehlman recognized with Faculty Excellence Award
 
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – In an evening that celebrates the accomplishments of the University of Southern Indiana student athletes during the 2018-19 year, senior Alex Stein (men's basketball) and senior Claire Johnson (softball) were honored with Screaming Eagle Pride Awards at the inaugural USI Archie Awards sponsored by Old National Bank Monday evening.

The ONB/USI Screaming Eagles Pride Award winners, who have been role models on the men's basketball and softball teams and in Athletics, were selected in a vote by the Athletics staff.
 
Johnson, a four-year starter on the softball team and a major in exercise science and kinesiology, helped lead the USI student athletes as co-president of the USI Student Athlete Advisory Committee in 2018-19. The 2018 CoSIDA Academic All-District IV and three time Academic All-GLVC performer was a member of the Eagles first NCAA Division II national championship team in 2018 and both of the programs NCAA II Midwest Region titles (2017, 2018).  
 
Johnson, who earned a GLVC Player of the Week award this spring and ranks in the USI top five all-time in triples and top 20 all-time in home runs, has a team-best .403 batting average this season, in addition to tying for first in RBIs (30) and second in home runs (4). She earned All-Tournament honors at the 2018 NCAA II Softball Championship.
 
A USI graduate with a bachelor's degree in business administration and graduate student, Stein had been a leader on and off the court during his four years on the men's basketball team. The three-time honorable mention All-American propelled the Eagles to their fourth NCAA II Midwest Region championship and an appearance in the NCAA II Elite Eight by setting the USI all-time (2,219 career points) and single season (732 points) records for scoring.
 
Stein, who was named honorable mention All-America by a pair of organizations in 2019, also earned first-team D2CCA All-Midwest Region and NABC All-Midwest District; NCAA II Elite Eight All-Tournament; NCAA II Midwest Regional Most Outstanding Player; GLVC All-Tournament; and first-team All-GLVC.
 
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; Austin Davis (men's basketball); and Mary O'Keefe (women's basketball) 2015; McKinsey Durham (women's soccer) and Lucas Woodford (men's soccer) 2016; and Kendyl Dearing (women's basketball) and Bobo Drummond (men's basketball) 2017; Olivia Clark-Kittleson (softball) and Adam Zehme (men's soccer) 2018.
 
Dr. M. Catherine (Katie) Ehlman, an associate professor of gerontology/director, Center for Healthy Aging and Wellness, 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); Timothy Bryan, an instructor in accounting (2015);  Dr. Brandon Field, an associate professor of engineering (2016); Jamie Seitz, an associate professor of accounting (2017); and Dr. Kimberly Delaney, an assistant professor of biology (2018).

Women's soccer was recognized by the USI SAAC with the Team GPA Award (3.675), earning the award for the first time since taking the inaugural award in 2006. Volleyball has won the GPA award a record five times (2015, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007), followed by women's cross country, which has taken home the honor three times (2017, 2016, 2013). Softball (2012, 2014) and women's soccer (2006, 2018) have won the award twice, while women's basketball (2011) earned the honor once.