Andrew Charles Benes is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), most prominently as a member of the San Diego Padres, who selected Benes as the first overall pick in the 1988 MLB draft. With the Padres, he was named to the National League (NL) All-Star team in 1993 and led the league in strikeouts in 1994. He also played for the Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, and Arizona Diamondbacks.
Scott Richard Haffner is an American former professional basketball player. Haffner, a 6'3" and 180 lb point guard, played two years in the National Basketball Association (NBA), for the Miami Heat during the 1989–90 season and for the Charlotte Hornets during the 1990–91 season. His best year as a pro came during his rookie year as a member of the Heat, appearing in 43 games and averaging 4.6 ppg. Haffner played collegiately at the University of Illinois and the University of Evansville. Haffner graduated from Noblesville High School in Indiana and was selected by the Heat in the second round of the 1989 NBA draft.
Martin Ray Simmons is an American basketball coach and former player. He is the head men's basketball coach at Eastern Illinois University, a position he has held since 2021. Simmons served as the head men's basketball coach at Wartburg College from 1996 to 1997, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville from 2002 to 2007, and the University of Evansville from 2007 to 2018. As a high school player, Simmons was named Illinois Mr. Basketball in 1983. He played college basketball at Indiana University Bloomington and Evansville.
The Vanderbilt Commodores baseball team is an American National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) college baseball team from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. The team participates in the Eastern division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and plays its home games on campus at Hawkins Field. The Commodores are coached by three-time National Coach of the Year and three-time SEC Coach of the Year, Tim Corbin. During Corbin's tenure as head coach, Vanderbilt has become one of the premier college baseball programs in the United States, responsible for 19 first-round picks in the MLB draft.
The Evansville Purple Aces are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of the University of Evansville, located in Evansville, Indiana. The Aces athletic program is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference and competes at the NCAA's Division I level. Evansville's mascot is Ace Purple, and the school colors are purple, white and orange.
Evansville, Indiana is the home to two minor league professional sports teams and one amateur sports team. The city is also the home to two NCAA collegiate teams, and nine high schools that participate in the Indiana High School Athletic Association. Evansville is also the host to the annual Hoosier Nationals and Demolition City Roller Derby.
The Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team represents the Purple Aces of the University of Evansville, located in Evansville, Indiana, in NCAA Division I basketball competition. They play their home games at the Ford Center. Evansville's athletics teams were originally known as the Pioneers in the early part of the 1900s. In the 1920s, the name Aces arose after a local sports writer wrote in a game story of the men's basketball team, "They played like Aces." The team has been known as the Aces and/or Purple Aces ever since. Evansville has won five Division II national championships.
The Indiana Collegiate Conference (ICC) was a men's college athletic conference in the United States, in existence from 1950 to 1978. It consisted solely of schools in Indiana.
The Evansville Purple Aces baseball team represents the University of Evansville in NCAA Division I college baseball. The Purple Aces have competed in the Missouri Valley Conference since 1995. The Purple Aces play all home games on German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium. The team competed in two NCAA Division II baseball tournaments before they started competing in Division I in 1995. Since then they have competed in four NCAA Division I baseball tournaments and have won one regional championship.
The Evansville Purple Aces men's soccer team represents the University of Evansville in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) of NCAA Division I soccer. The Purple Aces play their home matches on Black Beauty Field at Arad McCutchan Stadium on the north end of the university's campus in Evansville, Indiana. The team is currently coached by Marshall Ray.
Ryan Brownlee in an American college baseball coach and former professional second baseman.
Fred Schmalz is a retired American soccer coach. He coached at the collegiate level for 33 years. He was a National Coach of the Year and has been named to six Halls of Fame for his play and his coaching successes.
Wesley Clint Carroll is an American college baseball coach, currently serving as head coach of the Evansville Purple Aces baseball team. He has held that position since the 2009 season. He played at Evansville, becoming the Purple Aces' first ever Freshman All-American. He then went on to a minor league career, reaching Triple-A and playing in spring training games with his brother Jamey Carroll. He then became an assistant coach with the Purple Aces for three seasons before ascending to the top job.
The 1988–89 Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team represented the University of Evansville in the 1988–89 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Their head coach was Jim Crews and they played their home games at the Ford Center as members of the Midwestern Collegiate Conference. After winning the MCC regular season championship, the Purple Aces received an at-large bid to the 1989 NCAA tournament. They defeated Oregon State in the opening round before losing to the eventual National runner-up, Seton Hall, in the second round.
Brad Leaf is an American-Israeli basketball coach and former player. He played 17 years of professional basketball in Israel, first for Hapoel Galil Elyon and later for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israel Premier League and Euroleague. He won the Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP award in 1989-90. He played college basketball for the Evansville Purple Aces from 1979 to 1982, and was the school's first All-American in NCAA Division I.
The 1991–92 Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team represented the University of Evansville in the 1991–92 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Their head coach was Jim Crews and they played their home games at Roberts Municipal Stadium as members of the Midwestern Collegiate Conference. After winning the MCC regular season championship, the Purple Aces won the MCC tournament to receive an automatic bid to the 1992 NCAA tournament. They were defeated by UTEP in the opening round and finished 24–6.
Edgar Malcolm Smallwood was an American basketball player. He was known for his college career for Evansville College, where he led the program to two NCAA College Division national championships. Smallwood also represented the United States in the 1963 Pan American Games where the team won the gold medal.
The 1992–93 Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team represented the University of Evansville in the 1992–93 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Their head coach was Jim Crews and they played their home games at Roberts Municipal Stadium as members of the Midwestern Collegiate Conference. After finishing in a tie for the MCC regular season championship, the Purple Aces won the MCC tournament to receive an automatic bid to the 1993 NCAA tournament. They were defeated by Florida State in the opening round and finished 23–7.
The 2024 Evansville Purple Aces baseball team represented the University of Evansville as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference during the 2024 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Purple Aces played their home games at Charles H. Braun Stadium.
