NCAA Division II Varsity teams 15 | Athletic director Jon Mark Hall | |
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University University of Southern Indiana Conference Great Lakes Valley Conference Location Vanderburgh County, Indiana | ||
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.
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NCAA
The school has won three NCAA national championships (men's basketball, 1995; baseball, 2010 and 2014), 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.
GLVC
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.
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 1992–2001. 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. When the announcement was made Herdes promptly resigned.
Currently the team is coached 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.
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.