Evansville Purple Aces basketball

Evansville Purple Aces basketball history

University of Evansville (Evansville, IN)
Ford Center
Missouri Valley Conference (MVC)

Current head coach: David Ragland (2022-)

  • Assoc. HC: Craig Snow (2022-)
  • Asst: George Swanson (2022-)
  • Asst: Roosevelt Jones (2022-)
  • Asst/Chief of Staff: Peter Funk (2023-)
  • DPD: DJ Balentine (2023-)

Post-Season:

  • National Championships:  0
  • Final Four Appearances:  0
  • Sweet Sixteen Appearances:  0
  • NCAA Tournament Appearances:  5  (1982, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1999)
  • NCAAT Overall Record:  1-5
  • NIT Championships:  0
  • NIT Appearances:  2  (1988, 1994)
  • NIT Overall Record:  1-2
  • CBI Appearances:  3  (2011, 2012, 2024)
  • CBI Overall Record:  2-3
  • CIT Championships:  1  (2015)
  • CIT Appearances:  3  (2009, 2013, 2015)
  • CIT Overall Record:  8-2
  • NCAA Division II National Championships:  5  (1959, 1960, 1964, 1965, 1971)   
  • NCAA Division II Tournament Appearances:  15  (1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1976)
  • NCAA Division II Tournament Final Four:  6  (1958, 1959, 1960, 1964, 1965, 1971)
  • NCAA Division II Tournament Overall Record:  40-10
  • NAIA Tournament Appearances:  4  (1941, 1942, 1951, 1955)
  • NAIA Tournament Overall Record:  3-4

Conference Titles (Indiana Collegiate, Horizon League, Missouri Valley):

Award Winners:




Evansville head coaches:

Coach Tenure Record Conf. Titles NCAA Apps. Nat. Champ
David Ragland 2022-Pres 22-45 0 0 0
Todd Lickliter 2020-22 15-53 0 0 0
Bennie Seltzer (int.) 2019-20 0-6
Walter McCarty 2018-19 20-25 0 0 0
Marty Simmons 2007-18 184-175 0 0 0
Steve Merfeld 2002-07 54-91 0 0 0
Jim Crews 1985-2002 294-209 5 4 0
Dick Walters 1978-85 114-87 1 1 0
Bobby Watson 1977-78 1-3 0 0 0
Arad McCutchan 1946-77 514-314 9^ 17^ 5^
Emerson Henke 1943-46 29-22 0 0 0
Bill Slyker 1930-43 121-96 0 2^ 0
John Harmon 1923-30 59-50
Charles Holton 1922-23 2-8
Harlan Miller 1921-22 2-9
Clem McGinness 1920-21 2-8
G. B. Schnurr 1919-20 1-3

Key: Conf. Titles= Regular Season only, NCAA Apps= NCAA Tournament Appearances, Nat. Champ= NCAA Tournament Champions

^ These conference titles, tournament appearances and national championships came when the Evansville program was at the NAIA or NCAA Division II level; Evansville moved up to Division I prior to the 1977-78 season

NOTE: Overall program records on this page do not include anything later vacated by the NCAA.