David Ragland
David Ragland (born April 28, 1981) is an American college basketball coach and former player from Evansville, Indiana. He is the head men’s basketball coach at the University of Evansville, returning to his hometown to take over the Purple Aces program in 2022. Ragland previously starred at Harrison High School and played college basketball at […]
William Wesley Peters
William Wesley Peters (June 12, 1912 – July 17, 1991) was a noted architect and engineer, apprentice to and protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright. Born in Terre Haute, Indiana, Peters was educated at Evansville College (now the University of Evansville) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He then became Wright’s first apprentice, joining the Taliesin […]
Archie Owen
Archie Owen Archie Owen was an American football player, coach and educator who became one of the most successful high school football coaches in Evansville, Indiana history. He is best known for his 23 seasons as head football coach at Benjamin Bosse High School, where he established a school record with 111 victories. Reitz High […]
Arad McCutchan
Arad A. McCutchan (July 4, 1912 – June 16, 1993) was an American basketball coach, educator and athletic director from Evansville, Indiana, best known for building the University of Evansville men’s basketball program into a national powerhouse. Known throughout Evansville as “Coach Mac,” McCutchan coached the Purple Aces for 31 seasons from 1946 to 1977, […]
Karl Kae Knecht
Karl Kae Knecht (December 4, 1883 – July 28, 1972) was an American artist who was the cartoonist for the Evansville Courier (now Evansville Courier & Press) from 1906 to 1960 and was instrumental in the founding of Evansville’s Mesker Park Zoo. His work was the subject of a book, The World of Karl Kae Knecht […]
Bettye Lou Jerrel
Bettye Lou Jerrel graduated from Bosse High School and the University of Evansville. In addition to teaching at Washington School, she became a Republican precinct committeewoman at age 20, when the legal voting age was 21. Mrs. Jerrel was the first female Republican county chairperson and served as vice chair for five different chairmen. Her […]
Shirley James
Shirley James (died 2007) was an Evansville community activist and environmental advocate best known for her work to improve the city’s West Side and develop the Pigeon Creek Greenway Passage. Originally from Montana and raised in Washington state, James moved to Evansville, Indiana, in 1963 and attended the University of Evansville. In 1976, she helped […]
Clinton Keown
Clinton Wayne “Clint” Keown (February 25, 1980 – September 22, 2024) was an American basketball and baseball player and one of the most accomplished multi-sport athletes from Evansville, Indiana. Reitz Memorial High School Keown attended Reitz Memorial High School, where he excelled in basketball, baseball and football. On the basketball court, Keown scored 1,766 career […]
Larry Humes
Larry Humes (born April 24, 1944) is a former American basketball player and one of the greatest players in University of Evansville history. A native of Madison, Indiana, Humes came to Evansville after being named Indiana Mr. Basketball in 1962. University of Evansville Humes starred for coach Arad McCutchan and the Purple Aces from 1963 […]
Vance Hartke
Rupert Vance Hartke (May 31, 1919 – July 27, 2003) was a Democratic United States Senator from Indiana from 1959 until 1977. In 1994, he was indicted by a grand jury in Indiana for polling violations. As part of a plea agreement, Hartke received a six-month suspended sentence. Early life, education, military service Born in Stendal, […]