University of Southern Indiana begins Division I era

By On Jul 2, 2022

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — A new era begins Friday for the University of Southern Indiana.

The Screaming Eagles have officially joined the NCAA Division I Ohio Valley Conference after spending the past 44 years as a founding member of the D-II Great Lakes Valley Conference. One of the biggest moves in the university’s history has finally taken effect with the calendar turning to July.

These past four and a half months since USI announced its decision to move up have been full of anticipation and hard work behind the scenes.

USI Screaming Eagles:What to know about USI moving to NCAA Division I sports

“It’s been a really exciting and really busy time,” said Jon Mark Hall, USI’s Director of Athletics. “I’m anxious to get to the fall so we can get competing again. That’s when things will hopefully, knock on wood, settle down a bit for us.”

Here’s a refresher on what’s transpired since USI announced it would transition to D-I athletics.

The University of Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles hosts the Rockhurst Hawks at Screaming Eagles Arena in Evansville, Friday afternoon, Feb. 4, 2022. USI trustees are set to make a decision about changing to Division I on Monday.

What other schools are in the new-look Ohio Valley Conference?

USI is one of ten members in the ever-changing OVC, joining Little Rock and former D-II Great Lakes Valley Conference foe Lindenwood as newcomers for 2022-23. Austin Peay (Atlantic Sun), Belmont (Missouri Valley) and Murray State (Missouri Valley) officially departed on Friday.

The other seven OVC schools are Eastern Illinois, Morehead State, Southeast Missouri State, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech and Tennessee-Martin.

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Will USI compete in the OVC for all sports?

For the most part.

USI will compete in the OVC in six men’s sports (baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, tennis, track and field) and eight women’s sports (basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, volleyball).

It also will be an affiliate member of the Summit League for men’s and women’s swimming and diving, as well as men’s soccer, because the OVC doesn’t sponsor championships in those sports.

What will USI’s Division I non-conference schedules look like?

Fans seemingly have been most excited about the opportunity to see their beloved Screaming Eagles play some of the most well-known schools at the next level.

Some of those opponents are starting to become known.

USI men’s basketball is slated to participate in the Gotham Classic, a multi-team event in late November also featuring Notre Dame, St. Bonaventure and Bowling Green, according to Stadium.
Indiana State will come to Screaming Eagles Arena on Dec. 11 in what will be USI’s only home non-conference men’s basketball game against a D-I opponent, coach Stan Gouard confirmed with the Courier & Press.
Men’s soccer will spark the crosstown rivalry with Evansville on Sept. 10.

USI men’s basketball:Summer practices feature new faces, Division I excitement

As expected, USI won’t have many home contests against D-I opponents early into this transition. Swimming and diving will host two home meets against D-I foes (Valparaiso, Southern Illinois) while women’s soccer has two home games against Division I, non-OVC opponents (Chicago State, IUPUI).

“It’s definitely a challenge to try and figure out what does it take to pull off a contest in whatever sport it is,” Hall said. “Is it going to be a home-and-home exchange? Is there going to be a financial exchange? Just trying to learn the ropes in that a bit. I think that will get easier for us over time.”

What upgrades has USI made since announcing it would move up?

USI has been adding staffing positions in compliance, athletic training, and strength and conditioning. Several sports already have added an extra person to their coaching staff. Expect more positions to be filled before the fall.

Next, the challenge lies in finding office space for new hires. Most of USI’s athletic offices are located in the recently completed Screaming Eagles Complex.

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“When we built this facility, we were looking to the future but I think Division I opportunities came sooner than we thought,” Hall said. “We’re working on creating some of the space (in the building) into work and office space. Exciting for us but also a bit challenging.”

USI has also begun to work on updating the branding across all of its athletic venues. The OVC logo can already be seen on the basketball court. Others will soon follow suit.

What changes are still to come?

USI will see a majority of its home games in several sports streamed on ESPN-plus, which will offer greater exposure than the GLVC Sports Network. But from securing equipment to finding people to run the broadcast, the university is in the process of preparing for this upgrade.

More changes will be needed down the road, according to the feasibility study released by The PICTOR Group shortly after the move to D-I was approved. Facilities for some programs — such as track and field, tennis and soccer — need modifications to “provide the necessary training and competitive needs,” consultants wrote.

Enhanced ticket sales, sponsorships and licensing, as well as a comprehensive fundraising plan, were other areas of focus moving forward. These all are part of creating a positive fan experience.

“Just like anything we do, we have to up the ante,” Hall said. “We have to give our spectators and fans a really good experience. I mean that across the board.”

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