Mater Dei Welcomes Public To New Athletic Facilities
Mater Dei High School on Evansville’s West Side welcomed a large crowd to its Oct. 24 open house for its athletics improvement. Everyone who attended had a chance to tour all the new facilities and participate in their blessing, which was led by Father Ed Schnur, Pastor of Saint Wendel Parish in Saint Wendel and Priest Delegate to the Mater Dei Board.
“It is important to recognize our athletics successes as we showcase these new facilities,” Mater Dei President Dr. Tad Dickel told the crowd as he welcomed them to campus. “Of course, our most recent success is the girl's soccer team, which won the (Class 1A) state title, Mater Dei’s 19th state championship. Our girl's teams have won four state titles since 2012,
“Our marching band makes its eighth consecutive trip to the state finals (in early November),” Dickel continued. “And it is significant to note that Mater Dei ranked 28th among 500 high schools in state test scores, and we are the best in the SIAC.”
Dickel then introduced Father Schnur, who led the blessing of the new facilities with assistance from Mater Dei student-athletes. The new facilities include the Alles Athletic Center. It houses a new wrestling room, handicap accessible restrooms, hallway connecting the main gym and auxiliary gym, training room, new locker rooms, coaches offices and concessions. And for the first time since its inception two decades ago, Mater Dei’s internationally-renowned Supermileage Team has an on-campus “garage” to serve as its headquarters.
The Alles Athletic Center is named in honor of the Alles Family, including Charles and Jackie, Charles Jack (Mater Dei Class of 1971) and Marcia, Mary Jane Alles (Mater Dei Class of 1972), Gary (Mater Dei Class of 1976) and Kim Alles, Ashley (Mater Dei Class of 2004), Charles William, and Greg (Mater Dei Class of 2009).
A new scoreboard was recently installed to identify the Evansville Teachers Federal Credit Union Baseball Field. The Baseball Field is named to recognize the outstanding support from the Evansville Teachers Federal Credit Union for Mater Dei High School and the surrounding community.
