Midnight Madness information finalized
“Nearly Midnight Madness” is set for Oct. 16, according to a release from by the Southern Indiana Student Government Association and Red Zone. The event will mark the official tip-off on campus for the Eagles 2013-14 basketball campaign.
Doors will open at 8 p.m. that night, and will include performances from the USI cheer and dance teams, followed by team introductions for all athletic sports, and special introductions for both the men’s and women’s basketball teams.
In addition, both the men and women will participate in inter-squad scrimmages and will also take part in three-point and dunking contests. The event will also include free food to attendees, along with carnival-style games. Students will have a chance to participate in a half-court shooting contest.
USI opens its exhibition schedule Oct. 26 at Indiana University, followed by another exhibition matchup against the University of Tennessee Nov. 7. The Eagles open the regular-season against former Great Lakes Valley Conference foe Kentucky Wesleyan in Owensboro on Nov. 19.
Rodney Watson enters his fifth season as head coach, and returns three starters from last season’s team that went 23-8 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
The Eagles will welcome Lake Erie Nov. 23 to open the home schedule.
Heldman breaks all-time digs record
Southern Indiana senior Libero Kayla Heldman broke the school’s all-time digs record in the Eagles’ 3-2 road loss to the University of Indianapolis.
The record-breaking dig was Heldman’s tenth of the game, and happened in the third set of the match. Heldman passed previous record-holder Amanda Probst with a digs total of 1,491.
Heldman would add 11 more digs in the remaining two sets to improve her all-time mark to 1,502, but it wasn’t enough for the Eagles, who fell to 10-4 overall and 4-2 in Great Lakes Valley Conference action.
Indianapolis jumped on top early, taking the first set against the Eagles by a tally of 25-23. The Greyhounds (9-5, 5-1 GLVC) totaled 22 kills, while USI accumulated 16. USI battled back in the second set, taking it 25-20, before Indianapolis rallied to win set three 26-24.
USI responded in the fourth set by winning 25-20, but fell in the decisive fifth set by a final of 15-11.
The Eagles continue their long road trip this weekend, visiting Lewis on Friday, before traveling to Wisconsin-Parkside on Saturday. USI returns to the Physical Activities Center Tuesday, when it welcomes longtime rival Kentucky Wesleyan. The match is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.