Evansville Purple Aces

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Evansville Purple Aces
Evansville Athletics logo.svg
University University of Evansville
Conference Missouri Valley Conference
NCAA Division I
Athletic directorDr. Kenneth "Ziggy" Siegfried
Location Evansville, Indiana
Varsity teams18
Basketball arena Ford Center (men)
Meeks Family Fieldhouse (women)
Baseball stadium Charles H. Braun Stadium
Soccer stadium Arad McCutchan Stadium
MascotAce Purple
NicknameAces
ColorsPurple, white, and orange [1]
     
Website www.gopurpleaces.com
Missouri Valley Conference in Evansville Purple Aces colors.svg

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 [2] and competes at the NCAA's Division I level. [3] Evansville's mascot is Ace Purple, and the school colors are purple, white and orange.

Contents

Prior to joining Division I in 1977, the Aces were in the Division II men's basketball championship tournaments 15 of 20 years and won the title in 1959, '60, '64, '65, and '71. [4]

Sports sponsored

Men's sportsWomen's sports
Baseball Basketball
Basketball Cross country
Cross countryGolf
GolfSoccer
Soccer Softball
Swimming and divingSwimming and diving
Track and field†Track and field†
Volleyball
† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor

Moores Hill College moved to Evansville and became Evansville College in 1919. The athletics program was begun with the opening of the new campus.

A member of the Missouri Valley Conference, the University of Evansville sponsors teams in seven men's and nine women's NCAA sanctioned sports.

Baseball

Evansville first baseman John Day holds an Arkansas runner on first base in Baum Stadium Evansville at Arkansas baseball, 2013 002.jpg
Evansville first baseman John Day holds an Arkansas runner on first base in Baum Stadium

Five players from the Purple Aces baseball team have appeared in Major League Baseball: Andy Benes, Sal Fasano, Jamey Carroll, Kyle Freeland, and Rob Maurer.

Men's basketball

The memorial display case at the Ford Center honoring UE's championship tradition UE awards.jpg
The memorial display case at the Ford Center honoring UE's championship tradition

The University of Evansville athletics department was built upon a foundation of success in men's basketball. In the early years of the men's basketball program the Purple Aces appeared in the NAIA national tournament. The Purple Aces appeared 4 times in the NAIA Tournament (1941, 1942, 1951, and 1955). The Purple Aces had a NAIA tournament record of 3–4. The furthest distance Evansville got in the NAIA tournaments was in third round (NAIA Quarterfinals) in 1951, only to lose to Regis University (Colo.) 70–68. [5]

Shortly after the 1955 season the Purple Aces would move up to the NCAA College Division, now called NCAA Division II. The Evansville Purple Aces won five national championships in the NCAA College Division: 1959, 1960, 1964, 1965 (29–0 record) and 1971. This ranks second all-time.

In 1977 UE began playing in NCAA Division I athletics. That same year on December 13, a chartered DC-3 carrying the entire UE basketball team crashed in a field near the Evansville Regional Airport en route to a game against Middle Tennessee State. Every member of the team and coaching staff on the plane was killed. Legendary Aces coach Arad McCutchan, had retired after the previous season and was not on the plane. McCutchan was the first NCAA College Division coach selected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. [6] One player was not able to attend the game and thus was not on the plane; not long after the plane crash, however, the player who was not on the plane was killed in a car accident along with his younger brother.

Tremendous community support brought back the basketball program the next year. Brad Leaf played for the Evansville Purple Aces from 1979 to 1982, and was a co-captain in his last year. [7] [8] [9] As a sophomore, he set the then-Evansville season free throw percentage record at 81.1%. [10] In 1981–82, he led the school to its first NCAA Division I tournament. [11] [12] [9] He was the school's first All-American in NCAA Division I. [13] [11] Leaf was 5th in school history in field goals (621), 6th in field goal percentage (52.2%), 7th in points (1,605), and 9th in free throws (363). [13]

Evansville was a charter member of the Midwest Collegiate Conference, now known as the Horizon League. The Aces won or shared the MCC regular season title in 1982, 1987, 1989, 1992, and 1993. They also won the conference tournament title in 1982, 1992, and 1993. The Aces are now a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, and won the 1999 regular season title.

The Purple Aces have made five trips to the NCAA Men's basketball tournament (1982, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1999), [14] two trips to the NIT (1988, 1994), [15] three trips to the CollegeInsider.com (CIT) tournament (2009, 2013, and Champions in 2015), [16] and two trips to the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) tournament (2011 and 2012). [17]

On November 12, 2019, the Evansville team took down the #1 ranked University of Kentucky basketball team in UK's home of Rupp Arena, gaining national and global prestige for the upset.

Women's basketball

The University of Evansville women's basketball team (historically the Lady Aces, though now also known as Purple Aces) have made two trips to the NCAA basketball tournament (1999, 2009). [18]

Football

The University of Evansville first fielded a football team in 1898. Known early on as the 49ers, Evansville played in the NCAA College Division through 1975, after which they played as an NCAA Division III non-scholarship program. They were champions of the Ohio Valley Conference in 1948 (shared with Morehead State) with a 6–3 (3–1 OVC) record and 1949 with an 8–2–1 (3–1–1 OVC) mark.

Following new NCAA regulations requiring university football and basketball teams to compete at the same division, Evansville became a charter member of the Pioneer Football League (PFL), an NCAA Division I non-scholarship league. They remained PFL members until their shut down following the 1997 season. Citing financial difficulties and a belief that the PFL was not sustainable, the Purple Aces closed the doors on their football program after almost a century on the gridiron. Evansville's all-time record stands at 268–381–26.

Talk has existed since about 2007 about upgrading football again to a fully funded NCAA Division I team, but, after a year of investigation, the board of trustees voted against this in October 2012 as being too expensive. [19]

Postseason games

SeasonGameOpponentResult
1948 Refrigerator Bowl Missouri Valley W 13–7
1949 Refrigerator Bowl Hillsdale W 22–7
1974NCAA Division III semifinal Central (IA) L 16–17

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball</span> American college basketball team

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.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evansville Purple Aces women's basketball</span>

The Evansville Purple Aces women's basketball team represents the Purple Aces of the University of Evansville, located in Evansville, Indiana, in NCAA Division I basketball competition. They play in the Missouri Valley Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evansville Purple Aces men's soccer</span> American college soccer team

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014–15 Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2014–15 Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team represented the University of Evansville during the 2014–15 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Purple Aces, led by eighth year head coach Marty Simmons, played their home games at the Ford Center and were members of the Missouri Valley Conference. They finished the season 24–12, 9–9 in MVC play to finish in fifth place. They lost in the quarterfinals of the Missouri Valley tournament to Illinois State. They were invited to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament where they defeated IPFW, Eastern Illinois, Louisiana–Lafayette, UT Martin, and Northern Arizona to become CIT champions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015–16 Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2015–16 Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team represented the University of Evansville during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Purple Aces, led by ninth year head coach Marty Simmons, played their home games at the Ford Center and were members of the Missouri Valley Conference. They finished the season 25–9, 12–6 in Missouri Valley play to finish in a tie for second place. They defeated Missouri State and Indiana State in the Missouri Valley tournament to advance to the championship game where they lost to Northern Iowa. Despite having 25 wins, they did not participate in a postseason tournament.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015–16 Evansville Purple Aces women's basketball team</span> Intercollegiate basketball season

The 2015–16 Evansville Purple Aces women's basketball team represents the University of Evansville during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Purple Aces, led by fifth year head coach Oties Epps, play their home games at the Ford Center and are members of the Missouri Valley Conference. They finished the season 3–28, 1–17 in MVC play to finish in last place. They advanced to the quarterfinals of the Missouri Valley women's tournament where they lost to Drake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016–17 Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2016–17 Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team represented the University of Evansville during the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Purple Aces, led by 10th-year head coach Marty Simmons, played their home games at the Ford Center as members of the Missouri Valley Conference. They finished the season 16–17, 6–12 to finish in eighth place in MVC play. They defeated Indiana State in the MVC tournament before losing to Illinois State in the quarterfinals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016–17 Evansville Purple Aces women's basketball team</span> Intercollegiate basketball season

The 2016–17 Evansville Purple Aces women's basketball team represented the University of Evansville during the 2016–17 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Purple Aces, led by interim head coach Matt Ruffing, played their home games at the Ford Center and are members of the Missouri Valley Conference. They finished the season 14–17, 8–10 in MVC play to finish in sixth place. They advanced to the semifinals of the Missouri Valley women's tournament where they lost to Northern Iowa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017–18 Evansville Purple Aces women's basketball team</span> Intercollegiate basketball season

The 2017–18 Evansville Purple Aces women's basketball team represents the University of Evansville during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Purple Aces, led by second year head coach Matt Ruffing, play their home games at Meeks Family Fieldhouse and were members of the Missouri Valley Conference. They finished the season 3–27, 0–18 in MVC play to finish in last place. They lost in the first round of the Missouri Valley women's tournament to Bradley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1977–78 Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 1977–78 Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team represented the University of Evansville during the 1977–78 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. They were coached by first-time head coach Bobby Watson after the departure of Arad McCutchan, who had spent the previous 31 years as coach of the program. Former Purple Aces player Jerry Sloan had previously accepted an offer to become the new head coach but left following five days with the team. The season was the Purple Aces' first time playing in NCAA Division I after years of success in NCAA Division II competition.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022–23 Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2022–23 Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team represented the University of Evansville in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Purple Aces, led by first-year head coach David Ragland, played their home games at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana as members of the Missouri Valley Conference. They finished the season 5–27, 1–19 in MVC play to finish in last place. They lost to Indiana State in the first round of the MVC tournament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010–11 Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2010–11 Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team represented the University of Evansville in the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Purple Aces, led by head coach Marty Simmons, played their home games at Roberts Municipal Stadium in Evansville, Indiana, as members of the Missouri Valley Conference. The Purple Aces finished sixth in the Missouri Valley during the regular season, and were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Missouri Valley tournament by eventual tournament champion Indiana State.

References

  1. ↑ Missouri Valley Conference Style Guide (PDF). August 29, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  2. ↑ "This is the Missouri Valley Conference". Missouri Valley Conference. Archived from the original on September 15, 2015. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
  3. ↑ "University of Evansville". NCAA. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Men's Basketball Championship History". NCAA. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
  5. ↑ NAIA Championship History Archived March 25, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ "NCAA.com – The Official Website of NCAA Championships". NCAA.com. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  7. ↑ "Leaf Happy to be "Home" in Indiana". Indiana Pacers. June 23, 2017. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  8. ↑ Jordan Littman (September 6, 2013). "Q & A: Brad Leaf discusses his son's visit to Indiana".
  9. 1 2 Alexander Wolff (November 30, 1981). "THE BEST OF THE REST". Sports Illustrated Vault. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  10. ↑ Knight, David (January 30, 1982). "Gambling Aces to face Butler; await DePaul". The Indianapolis Star . p. 23. Retrieved October 25, 2020– via Newspapers.com.
  11. 1 2 "2017-2018 Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). Evansville Purple Aces. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 12, 2019. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  12. ↑ "UE Aces Men's Basketball". www.uealumnionline.com. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  13. 1 2 "Brad Leaf". Purple Aces Hall of Fame. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  14. ↑ NCAA Basketball History
  15. ↑ "NIT Tournament Home". NCAA.com. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  16. ↑ "Postseason Tournament". CollegeInsider.com. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  17. ↑ "College Basketball Invitational". Gazelle Group, Inc. Archived from the original on May 11, 2015. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  18. ↑ NCAA Women's Basketball History
  19. ↑ "University of Evansville officially says no to football". Evansville Courier & Press. October 23, 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
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