—I received a few voicemails this week upon announcements that UE would add another pair of guards — Christian Benzon and Tyler Ptacek — to a recruiting class that already had two point guards and a small forward. But that’s essentially what Aces coaches had to replace with both its starting guards and small forward graduating, plus 6-foot-4 Lews Jones who often started at the four spot. Also remember David Howard will also start this fall as a redshirt freshman. There’s a lingering notion that UE can’t sign size, but the Aces have all they need for now. Coach Marty Simmons needed guards.

—UE’s baseball team starts its Missouri Valley Conference tournament run at 4 p.m. Tuesday against Missouri State, which took a series 2-1 against the Aces earlier this season. Look for more in the coming days advancing UE’s draw and chances. For now, check out a tournament lowdown (and bracket) here.

—The MVC’s decision to play its 2014 baseball tournament at Indiana State raised eyebrows this week. The Sycamores have renovated their facilities recently, though what’s in Terre Haute still can’t match Wichita State. And that has the Shockers’ athletic director saying the league needs to reevaluate its standards.

—The major high school all-star events have yet to be played — mainly the Kentucky-Indiana All-Star games in June that will feature both a men’s and women’s UE signee — but four of them will compete the week before in a gym known for its role in the movie “Hoosiers.”

—Rising sophomore Egidijus Mockevicius, a fan favorite and all-MVC freshman teamer last season, will spend his summer in Evansville rather than his native Lithuania. Mockevicius is working for the Evansville Otters baseball organization, performing a number of jobs. On Friday — opening night — he served as an usher. Look for the tall guy in a white shirt out at Bosse Field.

—Former UE shortstop Eric Stamets, now playing for the Class A Inland Empire 66ers in California, earned honors as the Los Angeles Angels system’s defensive player of the month, the Angels announced this week. ”It’s an honor,” said Stamets, who recorded 83 assists in the month and a .976 fielding percentage in April. “I love it that the stuff that doesn’t normally show up in the stat sheet is getting recognized.” Stamets’ manager, Bill Haselman, said, “He might win it every month.”

—The Missouri Valley Conference on Thursday announced that the 2013 women’s soccer tournament will take place at UE’s Arad McCutchan Stadium from Nov. 8-10. UE last served as host in 2007 and last hosted an MVC championship in 2010, when the league played its women’s golf tournament at Rolling Hills. The MVC also used McCutchan Stadium for its men’s soccer tournament in 2008. UE’s women’s soccer team shocked the MVC in 2012 when, after being picked last in the preseason poll, it won the regular-season title.

—All other MVC championship sites for the 2013-2014 year were announced as well Thursday morning. There were no major surprises, though Indiana State’s selection to host the baseball tournament drew some ire. Missouri State’s Hammons Field will be unavailable, and Omaha is no longer an option with Creighton off to the Big East Conference. But Wichita State, which hasn’t hosted since 2010, would have made a better option. “Decisions like that help Creighton look back on the MVC with no regret,” tweeted Shockers beat writer Paul Suellentrop. “From TD Ameritrade Park (in Omaha) in 2011 to Indiana State 3 years later.”

—UE’s baseball team closed its regular season with its widest margin of victory all season, routing SIU Edwardsville 16-0 in a road game Wednesday night. The Aces scored runs in seven innings, led by two homers and six RBIs by sophomore Kyle Pollock. On the mound, starting pitcher Josh Biggs allowed just one hit over six innings. The Aces finished 22-32.

—UE will start play at the MVC tournament in Normal, Ill., on Tuesday as the No. 5 seed against an opponent that’s yet to be determined. While the Aces are done with MVC play having gone 10-10, there are still series left this weekend that will determine the bracket in the double-elimination tournament.

—Expect UE to announce The Rock (Fla.) School guard Christian Benzon’s signing today, meaning coach Marty Simmons will speak for the first time on his new commitment. I spoke with Benzon earlier this week and posted his comments here. The Aces’ other signee, Padua Franciscan (Ohio) High School guard Tyler Ptacek, is still having paperwork processed (he originally signed with UNC Wilmington) and will be announced separately.

—Welcome to big-time college hoops, Wichita State. Off a Final Four run, the Shockers are now hosting guarantee games — they pay opponents to play at Koch Arena with no return game — to fill out the schedule. Next year’s guarantee games include contests against Western Kentucky and Oral Roberts. At least for the WKU game, Wichita State will dole out a reported $100,000 and get the game on an ESPN network.

—UE men’s golfer Quinn Vilneff, a junior from Ontario, made the MVC’s scholar-athlete team to extend quite a streak: the Aces have had representation on the team in each of the last nine years. Vilneff has a 3.941 grade-point average as a sports management major — the highest GPA of the nine MVC honorees — and he made all-conference as well after finishing sixth at the MVC championship earlier this month.

—Recruiting is a funny thing. Forty-eight hours ago, UE’s men’s basketball team had two scholarships open with the NCAA’s signing period running down. The Aces’ staff needed guards — one a shooter and one a slasher — but a number of options had committed elsewhere. All those problems solved themselves when The Rock (Fla.) School’s Christian Benzon and Padua Franciscan (Ohio) High School’s Tyler Ptacek both committed on Tuesday.

—The signing period does end today. Benzon confirmed with me that he’ll sign and send his binding letter of intent to UE (look for an interview with him here later). No word yet from Ptacek, but you can assume the same. After all paperwork is processed, coach Marty Simmons can announce the new recruits and discuss them with the media. That may happen today or later this week.

—The two additions give Simmons a full 13 scholarship players heading into a season for the second year in a row, assuming there will be no transfers. He accomplished it for the first time in his tenure at UE when the Aces added Egidijus Mockevicius in August 2012, and the team stayed in place until forward Jordan Jahr transferred midseason. There is only one walk-on back from last year’s team — rising sophomore Mike Leazer — so the Aces could add there as well.

—UE’s baseball team dropped its home finale and second game this season to Western Kentucky by a 7-6 score Tuesday night at Braun Stadium. The Aces led by five runs before the Hilltoppers rallied in their half of the sixth inning, which started with four straight singles and a sacrifice bunt before UE coach Wes Carroll lifted starting pitcher Cole Isom. The bullpen was good from there, allowing just one more run after the sixth, but the Aces’ offense couldn’t put together a comeback of its own.

—UE wraps up the regular season at 6 p.m. today with a road game against SIU Edwardsville. The Aces are done with Missouri Valley Conference play, and at 10-10 in the league, won’t be affected by the last round of weekend series left before they go into next week’s double-elimination tournament as the No. 5 seed.

—The Indianapolis Star’s Mark Ambrogi published another intriguing story — this one the enterprise look — at what area seventh grader Katlyn Gilbert’s commitment to the UE women’s basketball team means. Essentially, Gilbert doesn’t have to fret over finding another scholarship offer. She’s committed to UE’s staff — coach Oties Epps in particular — and should Epps leave UE before Gilbert heads to college, she would follow with her commitment to the next stop.

—UE’s baseball team closes the regular season this week, first with a 6 p.m. meeting today against Western Kentucky at Braun Stadium before a 6 p.m. Wednesday road game at SIU Edwardsville. The Aces are 21-31 overall and 10-10 in Missouri Valley Conference play. They’re locked into next week’s double-elimination MVC tournament as the No. 5 seed.

—The NCAA’s current signing period ends Wednesday, and though the men’s basketball staff has a pair of scholarships open, there have been no reports of commitments from available players this spring. Look for an update today or tomorrow from coach Marty Simmons on whether the Aces plan to fill either of those spots.

—UE athletic director John Stanley reflected last week on his teams’ performances during the 2012-2013 academic year and explained what comes next for the Aces this summer in a Q&A with the Courier & Press.

—There are still four days left to take the athletic department’s survey regarding men’s basketball game day experiences. After attendance at the Ford Center dipped significantly from year one to year two, I wrote last weekend how UE plans to use those results.

—The newest trend in social media is Vine, a mobile-based app that allows users to upload quick video clips — for instance, UE signee Jaylon Brown throwing down some one-handed dunks or the Aces women’s basketball team during summer workouts that started last week.

—UE softball players and coaches preached all season that they had the type of team that could make some noise in the postseason. The Aces (23-30) did in their run to the Missouri Valley Conference tournament title game last weekend, where they led Northern Iowa 1-0 on Saturday before the Panthers rallied with two runs in the sixth inning to take the MVC’s automatic NCAA bid. UE’s three MVC tournament victories this year were the first under coach Mark Redburn as well as the program’s first since 2004.

—UE’s softball team survived day one of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament by knocking off Missouri State 4-2 in extra innings Thursday before a late night 5-3 victory over Illinois State. Next for the Aces is a 2:35 p.m. meeting against second-seeded Drake in the tournament’s semifinals in Omaha (steamed online at Valley Live and WUEV.org). Before Thursday, UE’s program hadn’t won an MVC tournament game since 2004.

—Coach Wes Carroll’s UE baseball team wraps up MVC play this weekend with a three-game set at Illinois State. Game times between the Aces (20-29, 9-8 MVC) and Redbirds (31-17, 11-4 MVC) are 6 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. Depending on the weekend’s results, UE could finish anywhere from second in the league to sixth. It’ll take victories against Illinois State, a winner in 17 of its last 20 games, to improve the Aces’ current fifth-place standing.

—The Cleveland Plain Dealer, after UE signee Duane Gibson’s state championship season at Villa Angela-St. Joseph’s High School, named him the paper’s Boys’ Player of the Year to headline all-star teams. Gibson averaged 11.9 points, 8.9 assists 6.4 rebounds and 3.9 steals per game as a senior.

—The Aces will need help in each of those statistical categories — mainly points and assists — next season now that Colt Ryan has graduated. UE’s all-time leading scorer is still training in hopes of signing a professional contract this summer. Keep up with Ryan on his Twitter page (@cryan_11).

—Another former UE basketball player working on the future is Samantha Heck, a recently graduated senior playing in China for a United States all-star team. Heck is two-thirds through the foreign tour in which many players go on to play professionally, mainly in Europe having been seen by scouts.

—A number of news outlets, headlined by CBS Sports, reported Thursday that the NCAA will likely keep its shot clock at 35 seconds next season but will look at other rules, particularly block/charge calls and defending that prevents a player’s freedom of motion.

—Now that UE has hired Manolo Concepcion to replace Mike Swan as head volleyball coach, the Aces’ athletic department is seeking an assistant. UE’s support staff last season was made up of assistant coach Dean Torgerson, graduate assistant Stephanie Budde and volunteer coach Nathan Antoine.

—UE’s softball team opens play today at the Missouri Valley Conference tournament. It’s win or go home for the seventh-seeded Aces, who face sixth-seeded Missouri State in a first round game at 1:35 p.m. in Omaha, Neb. The MVC will stream the game on its “Valley Live” web channel, and live stats are available here.

—The UE baseball team held off SIU Edwardsville on Wednesday at Braun Stadium, winning 11-7 to take its fourth straight game. The Aces (20-29) are on a roll at the right time with one MVC series left to play this weekend at Illinois State. Then come non-conference return games with Western Kentucky and SIU-E before the league tournament starts May 21.

—With now less than a week left in the NCAA’s spring signing period, a new men’s basketball recruit appeared Wednesday on UE’s radar. Former North Carolina Wilmington signee Tyler Ptacek has the Aces in his top two schools along with NCAA tournament Cinderella Florida Gulf Coast. Ptacek, a senior from the Cleveland area, is a two-star prospect by Rivals and ESPN.

—UE senior Samantha Heck, the women’s basketball team’s top scorer last season, is coming into her own while representing the United States in China. Heck scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds Wednesday in an 85-47 win over Brazil’s team, which moved the U.S. to 4-1 so far overseas.

—In other recruiting news, it doesn’t seem UE is recruiting Indiana transfer and Louisville native Remy Abell. The Indianapolis Star reported Tuesday that Abell will move on to play at either St. Mary’s, Xavier or Saint Louis after growing unhappy about his role for the Hoosiers. The Indy Star also reported Wednesday that Evan Gordon, brother of Eric Gordon, will transfer from Arizona State to play closer to home.

—Speedway High School shooting guard Anthony Jones, a class of 2015 prospect, tweeted Wednesday that he had a discussion with UE assistant Jimmy Elgas. The Indiana Recruiting Guide rates Jones as the state’s 20th-best sophomore recruit and a “good all-around player who can fill it up.” Shy Ely also played at Speedway before going on to a big scoring career both collegiately at UE as well as professionally in the NBA D-League and overseas.

—The Horizon League moved quickly in replacing the University of Loyola Chicago, adding former Summit League member Oakland this week. Loyola, of course, announced plans to join the Missouri Valley Conference last month and enters the league next season.

—UE celebrated commencement over the weekend, when a number of student-athletes graduated including all six of the men’s basketball team’s seniors. It continues a streak that I wrote about last fall: 77 four-year players in a row have graduated in a streak that dates back to 1989.

—Other graduates Saturday included Kristen Davis from the women’s soccer team. Her newscasting uncle, Al Roker, and aunt, Deborah Roberts, attended the ceremony at the Ford Center.

—Since Cowley County (Kansas) Community College guard Ben Vozzola announced Saturday that he’ll attend Cal State Northridge and play for new coach Reggie Theus, no new names have popped up online on UE’s recruiting radar. Still in the mix is Virginia native Travis Hester, a prep school guard also offered by Theus.

—UE’s baseball team swept a two-game, rain-shortened series at Indiana State and enters the regular season’s final stretch fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference standings behind the Sycamores, Southern Illinois and Bradley. Up next is a mid-week home game against SIU Edwardsville at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

—The Aces’ softball team, which finished the regular season 20-29 after rain washed out its series with Illinois State over the weekend, heads into the MVC tournament in Omaha, Neb., as the seventh seed. UE plays sixth-seeded Missouri State at 1:35 p.m. Thursday. The MVC will broadcast all tournament games online.

—Basketball website “Scouting the Mid-Majors” recently wrote about UE senior Colt Ryan’s professional aspirations. Ryan, the Aces’ all-time leading scorer, is still training out of town as he searches for the right fit but did make it back to Evansville for graduation.

—UE women’s basketball coach Oties Epps tweeted some impressive academic numbers for his team: a 3.463 grade-point average during the spring semester and 3.4 for the year.

—UE is surveying fans on the men’s basketball experience — everything from in-game promotions to media coverage. Let them know you like the newspaper guy.

—A pair of UE cross country runners competed in the country’s largest mini marathon over the weekend, the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon in Indianapolis. Among women’s runners, junior Kelby Jenkins finished ninth overall with a time of 1:23:24. Fellow junior Nicole Kruzman ended up 15^th with a time of 1:26:07.

—Diamond Taylor, a rising senior guard at Southern Illinois, plans to transfer following a season marred by his off-the-court legal issues. Taylor, who was in his fourth year of college basketball after another transfer from Wisconsin, averaged fewer than a point and a rebound a game for the Salukis last season.

Folks,

Barring some breaking news, this will be a quiet place through the weekend as I cover the 139th Kentucky Derby for the Courier & Press. Check back on Monday for a look back at the weekend in spring sports as well as an update on basketball recruiting as the spring signing period runs down.

And if you’re into Derby festivities, you can find my stories from Churchill Downs here.

-Jonathan

—UE and crosstown rival Southern Indiana continue their “Battle at the Braun” baseball series — the renewed version brought about by Aces coach Wes Carroll and the Screaming Eagles’ Tracy Archuleta — at 6 p.m. today. With both teams preparing for their respective postseasons, there’s much to gain even with a midweek contest that pits Division I and East Side against Division II and West Side.

—Aces basketball coaches focused on filling their shooting void last weekend when they invited a pair of 3-point specialists to campus. Both junior college guard Ben Vozzola and prep school star Travis Hester, a former Hofstra commit, hit from beyond the arc at a high rate. Neither player reportedly has a scholarship offer, but there’s plenty of time left in the spring signing period that runs through May 15.

—Tickets are on sale now for the Kentucky-Indiana All-Star game June 14 in Louisville’s Freedom Hall, per Dave Satterly of the Kentucky All-Stars. The boys’ game will feature Castle High School’s Blake Simmons, and Hamilton Heights High School’s Dakota Weatherford will play for the girls. Both are UE signees.

—Led by junior Quinn Vilneff’s all-conference performance, UE’s men’s golf team finished sixth of nine teams Tuesday at the Missouri Valley Conference Championship at Dalhousie Country Club in Missouri. Vilneff carded a 4-under 68 on day two of the tournament to finish sixth in the individual scoring, one stroke off a three-way tie for third. He also won the MVC’s Elite 18 award given to the player in the top 18 finishers with the best grade-point average. Wichita State took top honors in the team and individual scoring.

—With golf finished for the year, there are just three MVC championships left to settle: baseball, softball and track and field, the latter of which the Aces don’t compete in. The softball tournament runs May 9-11 in at Creighton and baseball May 21-25 at Illinois State.

—UE’s final nonconference home softball game, against Western Kentucky at 6 p.m. today, will serve as a fundraiser for Breast Cancer awareness. In conjunction with Zeta Tau Alpha, the Aces will donate $1 from every ticket sold to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for youths. Breast Cancer survivors receive free admission and will be honored during the game.

—ESPN lists Wichita State’s Cleanthony Early as an early second-team all-American on its preseason listing, quite an honor for a guy who didn’t start most of the Shockers’ season and disappeared at times on the court. But when Early was on, he was the best player in the MVC.

—Remember Ernie Duncan? The former UE commit is now fielding phone calls from a number of mid- and high-major schools, among them Tennessee and Boston College. He most recently picked up a scholarship offer from Vermont. Duncan, a class of 2014 guard, broke his commitment to UE and re-opened his recruitment last fall. UE has not reportedly expressed interest since then.

—UE hosted a special graduation Monday for its baseball and softball seniors, both of which will be in action this weekend when actual ceremonies are under way. The UE Athletics Twitter account posted this picture, noting the players as the university’s first members of the class of 2013.

—Oblong (Ill.) High School guard Anthony Johnson, who recently visited UE, committed to Eastern Illinois on Monday. Johnson never reportedly received an Aces scholarship offer, but he had one from Eastern Illinois all along.

—Missouri Valley Conference commissioner Doug Elgin recapped the league’s men’s basketball season in his latest “Commissioner’s Corner” video segment. He called it one of the best year’s in the 100-year-old conference’s history with Wichita State making the Final Four and also discussed new member Loyola University Chicago.

—UE formally announced new head volleyball coach Manolo Concepcion at a news conference Monday. Concepcion, a former Aces assistant, has head coaching experience and has worked with both men’s and women’s players at all levels.

—The MVC named UE senior Kyle Lloyd its pitcher of the week following Lloyd’s performance Saturday in a 2-1 Aces win over Missouri State. The right-hander struck out a career-high 12 batters on his senior day, walking just two during the complete-game performance.

—UE dropped the series to Missouri State overall, losing Friday and Sunday, and continues play Wednesday against the University of Southern Indiana at Braun Stadium. First pitch it set for 6 p.m.

—After day one of the MVC’s men’s golf championships — 36 holes – the Aces are sixth of nine in team scoring and have two players in the top 10. Freshman Rick Voyvodic and junior Quinn Vilneff are tied for 10th entering Tuesday’s final round at Dalhousie Country Club in Missouri.

—UE’s softball team dropped its series finale Sunday at Indiana State and enters Wednesday’s 6 p.m. home game against Western Kentucky 20-28 overall and 11-12 in MVC play.

—UE senior Samantha Heck left Monday for her foreign all-stars tour, representing the United States in China starting this weekend. Heck’s progress will be updated on the NetScouts All-Stars blog.

—Senior Kyle Lloyd pitched a complete game Saturday, striking out a career-high 12 batters in his final start at Braun Stadium. It ended with a 2-1 Aces victory over Missouri State after junior Nick Hatchcoat delivered a two-out, walk-off single in the ninth to even the series with the Bears. The teams wrap up their three-game set at 1 p.m. Sunday — also senior day for UE.

—I featured UE sophomore Kevin Kaczmarski, who went 1 for 3 with a run scored Saturday, for a story in today’s paper. Teammates may think he’s a headcase, but coach Wes Carroll considers UE’s top offensive force just another superstitious baseball player. Whatever works. Kaczmarski leads the Aces in a number of statistical categories.

—UE will introduce new volleyball coach Manuel “Manolo” Concepcion, a former Aces assistant and Western Carolina head coach, at a 3:30 p.m. Monday news conference on campus. Former coach Mike Swan — a 10-year mainstay for UE’s program — had complimentary things to say about Concepcion, a Puerto Rican.

—Travis Hester, a 6-foot-3 guard out of Virginia, tweeted Saturday that he was taking in a visit to UE. Rivals.com has linked Hester and the Aces for some time, though the recruiting service doesn’t list any scholarship offers for him. Hester is coming out of The Miller School of Albemarle, a prep school, and will enter as a freshman in the fall wherever he chooses to play. UE’s other visitor this weekend is junior college guard Ben Vozzola. Read more about him here.

—The Aces’ softball team split its doubleheader Saturday at Indiana State, posting a 2-0 win (game one) and 8-4 loss (game two). It keeps UE (20-27, 11-11 Missouri Valley Conference) at the .500 mark in league play entering Sunday’s 11 a.m. series finale in Terre Haute.

—Look for more today on the blog and in Monday’s paper about senior Samantha Heck’s trip to China with a group of women’s basketball all-stars. Others on her team, which will represent the United States, include Northern Iowa’s Jacqui Kalin and Illinois State’s Jamie Russell.

—Missouri State’s ace pitcher, Nick Petree, battled through a rough start Friday night before showcasing why Perfect Game named him a preseason all-American. He retired the final 16 UE batters faced while leading the Bears to a 9-5 win at Braun Stadium in game one of the teams’ series. The Aces continue at 2 p.m. Saturday (weather permitting) and 1 p.m. Sunday against Missouri State, the Missouri Valley Conference’s No. 1 team.

—Redshirt junior Johnny Day, who has a history of shoulder problems, was out of UE’s lineup Friday and will be for an indefinite period of time moving forward. Day aggravated a shoulder again last weekend at Wichita State while sliding into second base. Said coach Wes Carroll of the starting infielder who has a 266 average and .388 on-base percentage: “We’ll see how it goes.”

—I reached Cowley County Community College assistant coach Donnie Jackson Friday, who informed me that sophomore Ben Vozzola is on a recruiting visit to UE this weekend. No formal offer for Vozzola yet, but with another junior college guard, Malcolm Brooks, off to Pepperdine, Vozzola seems a top option for Aces coaches during the spring signing period.

—Illinois State cruised to a 4-0 win over the UE women’s tennis team Friday morning, ending the Aces’ run at the Missouri Valley Conference team championships after one match. UE’s No. 1 singles and doubles player, sophomore Natasha James, didn’t even get through either of her matches before both points were clinched.

—The Sun Belt Conference reached out to Illinois State recently, but the Redbirds aren’t interested in switching leagues right now. It would have been a football-only move, and writer Jim Benson has the full story here. Missouri State is also rumored for such a move from the Missouri Valley Football Conference, possibly to Conference USA. Again, that’s assuming the Bears would stay in the MVC for all other sports.

—UE’s softball team starts its three-game series at Indiana State today with a noon first pitch. The Aces have won four consecutive series while reaching .500 in conference play. After Indiana State, they’re back at Cooper Stadium against Western Kentucky on Wednesday and Illinois State for a weekend series to finish the regular season.

—UE’s men’s golf program heads to Dalhousie Country Club in Cape Girardeau, Mo., on Monday and Tuesday for the MVC championships. MVC coaches tabbed the Aces seventh of nine teams in the league’s pre-championship poll. Southern Illinois is the host team this year, and admission is free.