Ball State Daily News Vol. 103, Issue 25

Studying Abroad

Bench to Starter

Moving Forward

DNSports ISAIAH

DNLife

A Safe Space

Ball

Noah Keinath, a senior landscape architecture major poses on a railway bridge at one of the Cardinal Greenway entrances Feb. 20 in Muncie. Keinath was one of the students who helped design the rail trail network. ANDREW BERGER, DN

Did you miss it? Catch up on the news from March 6-16 and take a look at upcoming events...

BallStateDailyNews.com

Nikki Haley drops out of Presidential race House passes bill to ban TikTok

March 6: Nikki Haley suspended her presidential campaign March 6 following former president Donald Trump’s victories across the country on Super Tuesday. Haley’s suspension leaves Trump as the last major Republican candidate; she did not endorse him. Haley was the last remaining woman in the 2024 presidential race.

March 13: House Representatives to move forward with a bill that will require Chinese company ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a United States national ban. Republicans and Democrats alike agree the current ownership structure is a national security threat. The bill passed in the House with a vote of 352-65.

4-DAY WEATHER FORECAST

Noah Gordon, Weather forecaster, Benny Weather Group

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

THUNDERSTORMS

SHOWERS

Hi: 52º

SATURDAY PARTLY CLOUDY

MOSTLY SUNNY

SUNDAY

Basheer Jihad named All-MAC second team

Hi: 68º

Lo: 51º

Lo: 31º

Hi: 55º Lo: 39º

Hi: 46º Lo: 27º

The Ball State Daily News (USPS-144-360), the Ball State student newspaper, is published Thursdays during the academic year except for during semester and summer breaks. The Daily News is supported in part by an allocation from the General Fund of the university and is available free to students at various campus locations.

March 13: With the MidAmerican Conference (MAC) regular season officially over, Ball State junior Basheer Jihad was named to the All-Mac second team. This is his first appearance on the list in his collegiate career. The forward averaged 18.6 points per game, which was No. 4 in the league. He also grabbed 8.0 rebounds per game, fifth in the MAC.

VOL. 103 ISSUE: 25

CONTACT THE DN

Newsroom: 765-285-8245

Editor: 765-285-8249, editor@bsudailynews.com

EDITORIAL BOARD

Daniel Kehn, Editor-in-chief

Kyle Smedley, Print Managing Editor, Co-Sports Editor

Olivia Ground, Digital Managing Editor

Grayson Joslin, Director of Recruitment

Trinity Rea, Associate News Editor

Katherine Hill, Associate News Editor

Elijah Poe, Co-Sports Editor

Zach Carter, Associate Sports Editor

Hannah Amos, Lifestyles Editor

Ella Howell, Associate Lifestyles Editor and Copy Editor

Kate Farr, Opinion Editor Elaine Ulsh, Associate Opinion Editor

Jacob Boissy, Video Editor

Happy St. Patrick’s Day from the Ball State Daily News! To celebrate, our designers hid six four-leaf clovers in this issue. Once you think you’ve found them, take a photo, post it to your story and tag us @bsudailynews. Good luck!

THIS WEEK: A cool start to the week, with possible snow showers Monday, before a gradual warmup into the middle of the week back into the lows 50s.

START CHECKING, FROM DAY ONE.

BRENDEN ROWAN AND JESSICA BERGFORS, DN ILLUSTRATION

Oakley Myers, Social Media Editor

Mya Cataline, Photo Editor

Andrew Berger, Associate Photo Editor

Meghan Holt, Visual Editor

Jessica Bergfors, Visual Editor

Brenden Rowan, Visual Editor

Maria Nevins, Podcast Editor

Terry Heifetz, Interim Adviser

TO ADVERTISE

• (765) 285-8256 or dailynewsads@bsu.edu

• Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon-Fri.

• ballstatedaily.com/advertise

TO SUBSCRIBE

Call 765-285-8134 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Mon. -Fri.

Subscription rates: $45 for one year. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Daily News, AJ278, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306

JOIN THE DAILY NEWS

Stop by room 278 in the Art and Journalism Building.

All undergraduate majors accepted and no prior experience is necessary.

CORRECTION

In the Feb. 29 edition of the Daily News, there was a misspelling on page 02 in the weather section, the word “gibe” should be “give.” On page 05, it is the Multiultural Center website. On page 07, the photo was taken by Andrew Berger, not David Moore and Zach Carter is the associate sports editor, not associate news editor.

To submit a correction, email editor@bsudailynews.com.

Waking Up with Cardinal Weather is Ball State University’s first and only morning mobile show focused on getting your ready for the day through local news, weather and lifestyle trends. Waking Up with Cardinal Weather airs every Friday morning at 8 a.m. at @cardinalwx live on Facebook.

SEAN RAYFORD, TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY

ANDREW BERGER, DN

Cardinals Take Flight

Ball State’s study abroad office is offering more attainable traveling opportunities to students. 06

Active Shooter trainings to take place on campus

University Police will be hosting active shooter trainings at the L.A. Pittenger Student Center March 21 2-4 p.m. and April 4 11 a.m.Noon. Students can register online through the Ball State Comm Center Website.

Campus Local

Lee Ann Kwiatkowski to retire from MCS June 30

Muncie Community Schools (MCS) Director of Public Education and CEO Lee Ann Kwiatkowski is retiring at the end of the school year; her final day is June 30. In an MCS statement, Kwiatkowski said the decision was difficult, but she’s relocating closer to family. Charles (Chuck) Reynolds, a current district administrator, will succeed her.

Campus

2024-25 enrollment confirmation deadline extended

Ball State’s enrollment confirmation deadline has been extended from May 1 to June 1 for the 2024-25 academic year. The change follows an announcement by the U.S. Department of Education regarding a delay in institutions receiving student financial aid information via FAFSA, according to a March 12 press release from Ball State.

BRENDEN ROWAN, DN ILLUSTRATION

RYAN ROHE, ALBERT NAVARRO, AND ALI KHAN, GRAPHIC PROVIDED

Last fall, students designed a regional trail for the community of Union City Indiana/Ohio.

Kate Farr, Trinity Rea Opinion Editor, Associate News Editor

The National Trails System stretches more than 88,600 miles across the United States. From the rugged inclines that belt the Appalachian Trail to the sprawling farmlands throughout the Oregon National Historic Trail, the United States is home to numerous scenic, historic and recreational trails, according to the Pacific Crest Trail Association.

While the nearest major U.S. trail to Indiana — the North Country National Scenic Trail — veers around the state, Indiana has become home to its own expanse of nature trails.

According to Conservation Buffers, a “connected trail system offers a more pleasant, safe and continuous recreational experience” than trails that are unconnected from existing trail systems. Regional trails are often developed as the backbone of a trail system to which local trails can connect.

The Cardinal Greenway is the longest regional rail trail in Indiana. It was created from out-of-commission railroad track lines and spans 62 miles from Marion to Richmond, running through Muncie.

The trail didn’t come to fruition until 1993 when Cardinal Greenway, Inc. became an incorporated nonprofit. That same year, the corporation purchased miles of the former railroad corridor which became the trail.

Smaller trails have been proposed and created in the Muncie area, such as the White River Greenway, but few have been able to connect cities in East Central Indiana the way Cardinal Greenway has.

However, a proposal from Ball State University students in the College of Architecture and Planning sought to change that.

Last semester, in a fourth-year studio class on landscape architecture and regional planning, students were tasked with designing a trail

It’s hard for me, personally, to grasp just the impact. I’m here as a fourth-year student … and I’m already playing a part in helping a city grow.”

- NOAH KEINATHZ, Fourth-year landscape architecture student

network that would link the Ohio and Indiana sides of Union City, as well as connect with other cities in both states. The city has long been divided by the state line which runs through the center of the town. When approaching this project, bridging the gap between each half of Union City was crucial to the design of the regional trail.

Noah Keinath, a fourth-year landscape architecture student at Ball State, was one of the students who designed the rail trail network — named the Crossroads Regional Trail — for Union City. Keinath and his group were one of a few different groups to prototype and present a trail design in the immersive learning course.

“Regional trail design is important,” Keinath said. “[Union City] used to have a pretty storied history, just like the other towns around us: Richmond and Hartford City, even Muncie, because of the railroads. But obviously, as time has gone on, some of those railroads have been abandoned, so that connection has been lost. A regional trail system helps with reconnecting.”

Keinath’s group proposed for the trail to run through the center of both cities, with each side holding a unique landmark. The Indiana side of the trail will run under a bell tower while Ohio will house a clock tower.

The Crossroads Regional Trail project, which began in October 2023, has become more than an immersive in-class assignment, Keinath said. While the project was initially hypothetical, the increased interest and action from the Union City community might lead to the trail’s creation.

“I still don’t believe it,” Keinath said. “It’s hard for me, personally, to grasp the impact. I’m here as a fourth-year student … and I’m already playing a part in helping a city grow.”

Chad Spence, mayor of Union City, Indiana, worked closely with students in the immersive program with a goal in mind: to unite Union City on either side of the state line.

“Trail access has become a growing consideration where individuals and families choose to visit or live,” Spence said via email.

The trail would be a “critical component” in linking neighborhoods and parks, encouraging fitness and economic prosperity, as well as highlighting Union City’s “rich history,” Spence said.

While the trail designs weren’t initially meant to develop beyond the semester-long class, Spence said he could not be more thankful for the effort put in by students to execute an effective regional trail design that bridges the gap of the city.

“Their vision creates a vibrancy that will elevate our community,” Spence said via email.

Fellow fourth-year landscape architecture student Karissa Hall was also involved in the immersive class. Spence greatly supported the project and improved their experiences, Hall said.

“The mayor provided an optimistic, inclusive and open-minded perspective to collaborating with design students,” Hall said via email. “Additionally, the way he spoke of his vision of Union City showcased his passions for establishing a thriving community.”

Hall was part of a separate group from Keinath, one looking to emulate a similar goal with their trail design. She said being able to work in individual groups — while maintaining collaboration with other peers — taught her how to effectively communicate.

Additionally, she said the opportunity to design work for a realworld client, combined with in-studio collaboration, was beneficial in preparing her for the professional world.

“I enjoy being able to impact a community,” Hall said via email. “While in Union City on a site visit, my group had the opportunity to speak with local residents about their desires for local amenities, and it was heartwarming to connect our capabilities to their desires.”

Hanna Haven, a fourth-year landscape architecture student who

also participated in the immersion project, felt it was “awesome” to see a project made by architecture students have a chance to be put into place.

For Haven, her experience was impacted by the hands-on aspect of the immersion project, which required her group to travel to different small cities across Indiana and Ohio.

“We didn’t know how immensely different the cities were going to be and how big a trail system it was going to be until we actually got out there and looked at these towns,” Haven said. “It definitely gave me in-the-field experience because we haven’t had to do something like this before.”

Like Hall, Haven enjoyed the ability to create an impact on a place like Union City. The immersion project also helped her recognize regional trail design as something she wants to do in her future career, Haven said.

“Originally coming in, I was like, ‘I do not want to do large scale,’” Haven said. “But after working with it … it’s helped me understand this is definitely what I want to do and what I should do moving forward.”

While the process of creating this regional trail is still in the works, other local trails like Cardinal Greenway provide recreation, transportation and preservation of the natural landscape in cities like Muncie.

For more information on the immersion project and other immersion opportunities, head to the Ball State immersive learning website.

Contact Trinity Rea and Kate Farr with comments at trinity.rea@ bsu.edu, kate.farr@bsu.edu, or on X @thetrinityrea.

A mockup of the proposed regional trail design for Union City. This design is just one of many that was proposed by fourth-year Ball State students in the architecture program. NOAH KEINATH, RYAN ROHE, ALBERT NAVARRO AND ALI KHAN, GRAPHIC PROVIDED

A former rail bridge converted into a trail bridge for Cardinal Greenway Feb. 20 in Muncie. The trail’s purpose is to connect not only Indiana and Ohio, but also local neighborhoods and parks. ANDREW BERGER, DN

One of the former railway bridges that has been transformed into a trail for the Cardinal Greenway Feb. 20 in Muncie. The trail spans 62 miles from Marion to Richmond, Ind. ANDREW BERGER, DN

Fourth-year landscape architecture major Noah Keinath poses in front of one of many repurposed railroad bridges along the Cardinal Greenway Feb. 20 in Muncie. The Cardinal Greenway is the longest regional rail trail in Indiana. ANDREW BERGER, DN

A mockup of the proposed regional trail design for Union City. Fourth-year Noah Keinath worked on the design with fellow architecture students in an immersive learning course. NOAH KEINATH, RYAN ROHE, ALBERT NAVARRO AND ALI KHAN, GRAPHIC PROVIDED

Ball State students are beginning to study abroad again as traveling opportunities are made more attainable.

Katherine Hill Associate News Editor

Ball State University Director of Study Abroad

Ashley Coker has one mission: give Ball State students the opportunity to immerse themselves in different cultures.

“My favorite part of my job is helping students make the connections they need in order to have that experience,” Coker said.

During the 2024 summer semester, the opportunities to study abroad are abundant for the first time post-pandemic.

“We have students going on 35 different experiences this summer. 15 of those programs are Ball State faculty-led,” Coker said, highlighting The Miller College of Business’ upcoming trip to Italy will explore the different facets of international marketing.

“We have professors from every college at the university and many departments who are offering field studies,” Coker said.

Second-year French education major Lilly Miller is currently in Grenoble, France, through April 27 as part of an intensive language program trip offered by the university. Miller, who is currently teaching English in France, took up the study opportunity while earning her English as a second or foreign language certificate.

“They have a ton of programs on there — [from] year-long programs [to] semester-long programs or even shorter ones for over breaks,” Miller said.

Miller encouraged other students to utilize similar, upcoming opportunities this summer, calling it a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“You get to make new friends, [and] explore a new area while still completing a semester and getting credit for it,” she said.

Studying abroad was something Miller wanted to

do even before coming to Ball State. Now, actively pursuing the chance to do so, she said she has learned a lot, both personally and on a global scale.

She said her French has “improved exponentially” in only a matter of weeks.

First-year political science and legal studies double major Gracie Hamilton is excitedly awaiting her summer study abroad trip. As a part of her anthropology course, she will travel to Ireland, Bosnia and Croatia.

by them. Without their contribution, I wouldn’t be able to finance the trip,” Hamilton said.

The variety of available trips is only expanding, especially with the influx of student interest post-pandemic.

“All things considered, we have well over 300 students [in] the academic year who have studied abroad this year. That’s compared with last year, I think we sent fewer than 100 students out total the whole year,” Coker said.

However, those numbers only account for estimated student interest.

“When it comes to faculty participation, that [increase] really took me by surprise,” Coker said.

“College is a very special time in your life… It’s the one time in your life that you can spend significant time abroad without having to clear it with your employer, your romantic partner, kids at home, etc.”

- ASHLEY COKER, Ball State University’s Study Abroad Director

“I love to travel and hope to refine my resumé in political knowledge,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton is getting a head start in her studies abroad, hoping to implement what she learns into her future international politics career.

“My trip is in collaboration with the Virginia Ball Center. A significant part of the cost is covered

Last year, the study abroad office offered five or six faculty-led trips abroad. This year, Coker and her team saw an influx of 20 interested faculty members ready to lead a trip. While many are firsttimers abroad, most are returning travel veterans.

“I wasn’t prepared for how many different faculty members of the university would be so excited to again offer a study abroad program,” Coker said.

The opportunities make Ball State’s Study Abroad Advisor Annika Vinje, “excited for the students, but also jealous.”

Vinje stepped into her position in February and said passionate students like Miller are what excites her about the job.

Vinje also said she is seeing many — not just students— take advantage of the opportunity to travel abroad largely on impulse.

Even if the timing doesn’t seem right, Coker’s ultimate advice is not to wait.

Coker and her team are committed to eliminating any financial barriers students might face to prevent such experiences from becoming a reality. To make trips more affordable, the study abroad office creates low-cost programs by partnering with different providers to develop cost-effective itineraries.

“It’s a big group project, and it’s something I think the study abroad office is thrilled to be spearheading, but we are certainly not doing it alone,” Coker said.

Those interested in learning more about Ball State’s study abroad opportunities can visit the program’s website or visit its office in the Student Center, room 102, to meet with a peer ambassador.

Contact Katherine Hill with comments at katherine.hill@bsu.edu.

Ball State students in Ecuador in summer 2022. Students will be going on 35 different trips in the summer of 2024. ASHLEY COKER, PHOTO PROVIDED

Ashley Coker, faculty leader of the Communication and Culture Ecuador trip, enjoying a skyview in summer 2022. Cokers said more than 300 students studied abroad this academic year. ASHLEY COKER, PHOTO PROVIDED

Ball State students jumping on the Communication and Culture Ecuador trip in summer 2022. Of the 35 study abroad trips this summer, 15 are faculty-led. ASHLEY COKER, PHOTO PROVIDED

FROM THE DAWG POUND TO THE NEST DAWG POUND NEST

Women’s basketball

Four players listed in MAC season awards

As the Mid-American Conference (MAC) regular season has come to a close, four Ball State Cardinals were honored with awards. Junior Nyla Hampton won MAC Defensive Player of the Year and was listed as the All-MAC second team and All-MAC defensive team. Junior Ally Becki was listed on the All-MAC first team and on the All-Defensive team. Senior Annie Rauch won the Sixth Player of the Year award. Junior Madelyn Bischoff made the All-MAC third team.

Track and Field

Rogers honored as All-American

Coming off of her second-place performance at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, senior Jenelle Rogers was named an All-American. Rogers took the silver in the pentathlon. The NCAA Championships were Rogers’s second appearance at the championships. In her first appearance, she took fifth in the heptathlon.

Baseball

Ball State to face Falcons at home

Ball State baseball will host MidAmerican Conference (MAC) Bowling Green March 15-17. The Falcons are the second MAC opponent the Cardinals will face this season. Ball State went 1-2 in their previous MAC opponent, Eastern Michigan March 8-11. The March 15 game will take place at 3 p.m., and the previous games on the 16-17 will be at 1 p.m.

Junior Alex Richard’s impact on Ball State women’s basketball in year two.

Junior Alex Richard looks for a pass Jan. 13 against Bowling Green at Worthen Arena. Richard had three points in the 76-61 victory over the Falcons. ANDREW BERGER, DN

Former Butler Bulldog is now excelling in year two as a Ball State Cardinal.

Elijah Poe Co-Sports Editor

Before starting for Ball State women’s basketball, before standing out at Avon High School or even before playing highly competitive AAU ball, Alex Richard picked up a basketball at the age of four.

Now in her second season at Ball State, Richard, a transfer from Butler, is a starter with a key impact on the Cardinals’ success.

“Everyone loves Alex on the team,” assistant coach Casey Morrissette said. “You want her on your team side. She will have your back, and you do not have to second guess that. She is a very loyal and passionate teammate. She brings us energy and gives us a good laugh at times as well. Everybody would want an Alex Richard on their team.”

It was in her youth and high school that she met her current teammates — playing with junior Madelyn Bischoff and against junior Ally Becki.

Richard first played in the Indy Girls Hoops League (IGHL), where she met Becki. From IGHL, she made the jump to AAU basketball, where she played for Indiana Elite’s Prime team. During her time in AAU, she played with Bischoff throughout high school.

When it was time to pick where she wanted to go to college, Richard committed to Butler University during her sophomore year due to what she called the “stressful and complicated nature” of the recruiting process.

In her first year, the Bulldogs were 1-27 and 0-18 in the Big East. After her freshman year, she decided to enter her name into the transfer portal.

“It is hard when you are not winning,” Richard said. “Nothing against the coaches and staff, I still talk to my old teammates, I just knew it was time for me to go. I did not love the environment and culture.”

Bulldog to Cardinal. First year at Ball State

“Alex is an Indiana kid, and we love Indiana kids,” Morrissette said. “When she was at Butler, we watched her career there. As soon as we saw her enter the portal we jumped on her and got her to campus.”

When being recruited, Richard said the consistency of the coaching staff made her feel

CARDINAL

Continued from Page 9

Richard and Bischoff have known each other for so long that Richard said even their families are close to each other. Bischoff stayed in contact with Richard during the recruiting process and said she was trying her best to get Richard in the red and white.

“We call each other sister. We have a sister relationship,” Richard said. “She is a majority of the reason why I am here at Ball State.”

Bischoff said some of the best memories between her and Richard are traveling and being in the “family” atmosphere that was AAU basketball, and yet their friendship has strengthened at Ball State.

“I see [the Richard family] as my family too,” Bischoff said. “We love each other. I know I’ll always be there for her, and she will always be there for me.”

Bench to starter

Compared to her first season, Richard said she has improved on running the floor, being versatile at the rim and shooting from 15 feet out for the 2023-24 campaign. Richard started 29 of 31 games this season.

Morrissette said Richard has trusted the program and gained confidence in herself. That confidence is not only seen by coaches but by players as well.

in Richard as she has adjusted to Ball State in her second season as a Cardinal. Bischoff said Richard’s aggressive play and drive to win have played a large role in the success of the team.

“She works really well in our offense in trying to get to the post,” Bischoff said. “She has adjusted super well.”

For this year’s Cardinal team, Richard said she has never been on a team with so much camaraderie. She said each of her teammates is like a sister, and she would be willing to take a bullet for each one of them.

Having respect and trust in each teammate has played a major role in the team’s success this year, Richard said. She also said the humor of her teammates and making the most out of everything has been a blast for her. Trust, humor and confidence, Richard said, helps the Cardinals’ common goal: to win.

After a first round win in the MAC Tournament, the Cardinals moved to 28-4 on the season. With the will to win, Richard said everyone is totally bought into the Ball State program.

“I take a lot of pride in the program and the team,” Richard said. “I am proud to be a part of this basketball team and to be a future Ball State alumni when everything is done. I love the team, I love the coaches, I love the culture that we have created. It is honoring, humbling, and I take a lot of pride in it.”

Contact Elijah Poe via email at elijah.poe@bsu. edu or on X @ElijahPoe4.

DISAPPOINTED YET OPTIMISTIC

Members of Ball State men’s basketball reflect on the season and the future of the program.

Print Managing Editor and Co-Sports Editor

Trent Middleton Jr. looked at the ground, but a smile crept across his face. Sitting in a chair in a corner tunnel, his back was turned to the main court and bleachers at Worthen Arena.

He turned and looked over his left shoulder at the jumbotron hanging high above the hardwood.

The freshman guard thought back to Saturday, Feb. 6, a 2 p.m. Mid-American Conference (MAC) contest against Ohio. Although it was Middleton’s fourth collegiate start, it was his first in front of the Muncie, Indiana, crowd.

“Hearing the fans cheer for me and to see my picture up there, that motivates me to go hard,” Middleton said. “All my life, just to get here — and then on top of that to start — it’s just a dream

Middleton estimated that he has been playing basketball since he was 3 or 4 years old. Now, at 20, he’s ended his first season of Division I basketball with seven starts in 27 games played. He said there isn’t a day that goes by without the involvement of basketball.

“I’m a gym rat,” Middleton said. “Even if we technically have an off day, I’m still here getting shots or doing some type of stuff that helps my game.”

Freshman guard Trent Middleton Jr. goes airborne after a foul under the basket against Miami Feb. 17 at Millett Hall. Middelton had two successful field goals in 34 minutes played. ANDREW BERGER, DN

Freshman Alex Richards defends against Marquette Jan. 23, 2022 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indapolis. Richards played 26 games for the Bulldogs her freshman year. ZACH BOLINGER/ICON SPORTSWIRE, PHOTO

PRESENTED BY THE BALL STATE DAILY, SPONSORED BY THE HAVEN

CELEBRATE ST. PATRICK’S DAY IN Style

LEARN HOW TO WIN THESE PRIZES FOR YOURSELF AND ALL YOUR FRIENDS BY SCANNING HERE!

OPTIMISTIC

Continued from Page 10

Middleton highlighted his mother, Tonya, and his father, Trent, as the reason for his drive on and off the court. After being offered a spot at Ball State in late August 2023, Middleton quickly worked to prove he deserved a spot in the rotation.

Tonya and Trent Sr. weren’t able to attend a game until Saturday, March 2, but supported him throughout the season from Philadelphia.

“It’s been crazy. They still can’t believe it,” he said. “They’re just making sure they push me every single day, making sure I don’t take advantage of an opportunity and thank God.”

Trent wasn’t the only Cardinal who experienced growth throughout the season’s ups and downs.

‘The real grind’

Despite finishing 8-5 in non-conference play and winning eight of the first 10 games of the season, Ball State endured a six-game losing streak, dropping five of its first six MAC games. The Cardinals went on to finish with a 7-11 record in the MAC.

This was Mickey Pearson Jr.’s third season at Ball State after transferring from TCU, where he spent one season. The Horned Frogs didn’t make the NCAA Tournament in 2020-21, but Pearson saw limited action in the first round of the Big XII Tournament.

At Ball State, he has played in both of the

Cardinals’ first-round MAC Tournament games. Ball State was a No. 6 seed and a No. 4 seed, respectively, in Pearson’s two appearances. Chasing a tournament bid late in the season was unfamiliar to Pearson.

He said he drew back on his “big game experience” to try to help lead the Cardinals to a spot in the conference tournament this season.

Along with Pearson, junior forward Basheer Jihad is perhaps the biggest leader on the roster. Jihad said he used his role during the closing stretch of the season to help young Cardinals who hadn’t played in high-pressure situations keep their confidence high.

He acknowledged the curveballs thrown Ball State’s way in the form of three season-ending injuries and late transfers away from the program during the offseason, but he didn’t use either of those as an excuse for the Cardinals’ eight losses by six points or less.

He described those defeats as feeling like he had something in the palm of his hands before someone “snatched it away.”

“It’s been up and down, but I feel like, for the most part, we competed every night,” Jihad said. “It’s just making those winning plays and doing those winning things that could have turned this season from where it is now to being a top four or five seed.”

Jihad said during the closing stretch of the season, the two plastic bands on his left wrist carried an extra meaning. One reads “Be scared, and do it anyway,” while the other reads “Impossible.”

“These are two good messages I can relate to,” Jihad said. “It’s a beautiful game. You can go out there, and you can make an impact in every which way, not just scoring.”

After the dust settled, Ball State finished the final three games with a 1-2 record, losing on a buzzer-beater in overtime to Western Michigan, taking care of business at home against the Golden Flashes and ending the regular season on a losing note at Bowling Green.

“All the ups and downs this year taught us how to win,” Jihad said. “I think that’s the most important part.”

Despite missing the MAC Tournament for the first time since the format changed to an eight-team tournament in the 2020-21 season, junior guard Jalin Anderson seems optimistic for next season. Anderson said that if most Cardinals choose to return to the program, there’s a “potential nucleus” of young and experienced players to build around.

“We’re good. We’re really good,” Anderson said. “We have a legitimate chance to do a lot of things — we could play in the postseason. If we keep this core together, we could do a lot of damage.”

Moving forward

Head coach Michael Lewis knew the situation Ball State was in to start the season, and he tried his best to never use it as an excuse for the Cardinals’ lack of depth or experience. While he wasn’t expecting a departure as late or as impactful as Jerron ‘Boogie’ Coleman’s was on the final day of the transfer portal’s opening, Lewis knew he still

had three months to prepare those on the roster for the upcoming season.

“I’m pissed at myself for the amount of time and energy and thought that I allowed some of the things outside of what we can control as a team [to] affect how I coached,” Lewis said. “I came here for a reason. I came here to build a solid program.”

Lewis is the fifth head coach in the last 25 years for Ball State, a program that hasn’t won the MAC or made the NCAA Tournament since 2000. While Lewis is glad to have his first head coaching opportunity come for the Cardinals, he understands the spot the program has been stuck in for a quarter of a century.

While the offseason for Ball State has only just begun, the MAC announced Feb. 29, that the University of Massachusetts (UMass) is set to join the conference in all sports beginning in the 202526 season.

“You got to peel back those layers a little bit and take a deep dive into what has transpired and ask, ‘Why are we not experiencing the success Ball State has had in the past?’ I’m excited about being a part of those conversations and being a part of the solution,” Lewis said. “You add a monster like UMass, and the sirens start going off. Some issues that have been ignored for 20 years, now they’re front and center.

“There’s no reason why Ball State doesn’t have a really good basketball program.”

Contact Kyle Smedley with comments via email at kyle.smedley@bsu.edu or on X @KyleSmedley_.

Freshman guard Tent Middleton Jr. breaks through the defense in a game against Bowling Green Jan. 30 at Worthen Arena. Middleton had one rebound and scored 14 points during the game. ANDREW BERGER, DN

DNLife

Brenda Ragland started Brenda’s Closet in 2017 as a way to help those in need.

Brenda started the service “Brenda’s Closet” for those in need in her community.

ELLA HOWELL, DN

Hannah Amos Lifestyles Editor

The smell of freshly ground coffee. A pulpit with no pews but booths instead.

A unique history makes up Gaston Community Church.

The church, converted from a former restaurant and bar, is described to be a spiritual “M.A.S.H. Unit” (Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals). A description Pastor Michael “Chap” Osborne feels is perfect for the small church.

“Over the last 14-15 years, we’ve had people come in that were bleeding and bruised all over, emotionally and spiritually,” Osborne said. “They get fed, they get healed up just like a M.A.S.H Unit.”

Osborne aimed to make a relatable church

and gain the attention of those who don’t feel comfortable in a “traditional” church. There is no dress code, just an ask to come as you are.

“I am a recovering alcoholic and drug addict with 33 years under my belt, and I wanted to see a church that didn’t just go out to, ‘If you smell good and you have a nice smile and you dress well, please come to my church,’” he said. “I wanted to hang out with the same people that Jesus hung out with.”

The nondenominational church holds services beginning at 10:30 a.m. Sundays.

Nestled in the “M.A.S.H. Unit” of a church behind the restaurant-style sanctuary is Brenda’s Closet, a clothing bank run solely by Brenda Ragland, a congregation member of the church.

The bank started in 2017, but before Brenda could finish it, she got sick with bacterial meningitis

and suffered a stroke in January 2017. She wasn’t able to return to the closet until 2018.

Expecting to have to get back to work and organize, she instead returned to clothes hung up and the closet put together. The congregation had sorted it for her when she returned along with providing a cake with “Happy Brenda Day” on it.

“I almost croaked when I walked in there and saw it all,” she said.

Since then, Brenda has been working on the closet herself. She goes through every donation from clothes to diapers. If the clothes need to be cleaned, she’ll take them to her home and wash them. She estimated roughly two-thirds of what gets donated, she has to wash.

When she has too many donations, she’ll give them to Muncie Mission.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade Farm Festival at fairgrounds

A parade will make its way through downtown Muncie March 16 beginning at 6 p.m. The parade will start at Muncie City Hall and travel south on Walnut St. before it returns to City Hall on Mulberry St. Community groups, businesses and individuals are all invited to participate in the parade. Those walking in the parade will begin to line up at 4:30 p.m. in the Muncie City Hall parking lot.

For free on March 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and March 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. the Delaware County Fairgrounds will have the annual festival that teaches about farming and agriculture. There will be free parking to attend the event, but food costs money unless bought from farm-related vendors or you attend the auction.

Community Community Campus

Shadow puppet show in Student Center

The Department of Modern Languages and Classics with the Dragoncillo Puppet Troupe, a group of university scholars specializing in Golden Age Theatre, will present “¡Quijóteres!” The performance is a shadow puppet adaptation of Miguel de Cervantes’ “Don Quijote de La Mancha.” It will be performed March 28 from 6-6:45 p.m. in the L.A. Pittenger Student Center Cardinal Hall A for free.

A basket of children’s shoes sits on top of a rack of clothing Feb. 22 at Gaston Unity Church in Gaston, Indiana.

A Sacred Space

Lily Jones Reporter

Yoga has been a way for people to feel more relaxed, both for their body and their mind. It can give people a sense of calmness that can help them get away from day-to-day life.

According to the Mayo Clinic, doing a relaxing activity can help reduce stress levels and can improve physical and mental health.

Sacred Steps Yoga Studio opened in Muncie, Indiana, July 15, 2023. Studio owner and teacher Laura Mickler was a mortgage lender for several years but wanted to leave because of the stress.

In 2015, Mickler underwent surgery and needed to stretch to help the recovery. This led her to try yoga and discover her love and passion for it. Eventually, she had the opportunity to open up her own studio.

“I started Sacred Steps as a place of rest and relaxation for busy people (specifically women),” Mickler said via email. “I also wanted to create a space for people who wanted to explore the mental and metaphysical properties of yoga in addition to the physical practice.”

Sacred Steps teaches three types of yoga. The first type is vinyasa yoga, which focuses on getting breathing to match movements. During vinyasa yoga, infrared panels heat the room to help sweat out any toxins in the body. Sacred Steps is not designed to be a studio with heat, so it does not include infrared panels in vinyasa yoga.

Yin yoga allows the body to stretch for a longer period. Restorative yoga uses props, such as pillows, blankets and blocks to help the body feel supported.

Mickler enjoys practicing restorative yoga to feel calm and relaxed. She likes to teach restorative yoga, but she really enjoys teaching Vinyasa yoga because of the movement and the cleansing experience the body goes through.

Yoga for beginners

Source: Mayo Clinic and Laura Mickler

MEGHAN HOLT, DN DESIGN

The mental benefits of mindfulness are fantastic for our overstimulated everyday lives.”

- LAURA MICKLER, Studio owner and teacher

“The breath work and movement of yoga can help to regulate our nervous systems, which can be overwhelmed by our everyday lives,” Mickler said via email. “Yoga also builds strength in our muscles, joints and bones, which is especially important as we age. The mental benefits of mindfulness are fantastic for our overstimulated everyday lives.”

Studio manager and teacher Martina Richter has been teaching classes at Sacred Steps since January.

“Yoga has been an adventure for me that helped me learn patience, peace, relaxation and overall body health. I hope I help spread as much love and joy through yoga that it has brought to me,” Richter said via email.

Richter said she likes to practice restorative yoga, but she likes to teach Vinyasa yoga.

“I love the meditation aspect and slow flow of restorative, but I love the sense of accomplishment I have after a vinyasa flow class,” Richter said via email. “You feel the workout, sweat and faster pace, then have this beautiful savasana at the end that heals your soul. It’s an incredible mind-body connection.”

Cheyenne Reed has been taking classes at Sacred Steps since August 2023. She first heard about the studio from Mickler, who is also her friend. Reed enjoys the restorative yoga classes to help relax her mind and control her breathing.

Sacred Steps Yoga Studio is a place to practice yoga and meet others with the same interest.

Wednesday at 6 p.m. is when the Woo Crew meets, which is when a group of people meet to talk and learn about things such as crystals, tarot and meditation.

If interested in restorative yoga, classes are Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 10 a.m. Teens can practice yoga Thursdays at 6 p.m. For those wanting to try Yin yoga, classes are available Fridays at noon.

“Yoga can be intimidating for a lot of people,” Reed said. “Knowing they have a place to go to that is welcoming to everyone, no matter what level, is what sets [Sacred Steps] apart.”

A single class is $12. A monthly pass for Scared Steps classes is $40 and a 10-class pass is $100. For clothing, it is recommended to wear something that is comfortable and easy to move in. People are allowed to bring their own mat and water, but Scared Steps has extra mats for those who may need one. For any questions, contact Sacred Steps on their website.

Richter said the people who walk through the door are what make Sacred Steps Yoga Studio different from others.

“We all kind of get to make friends,” Reed said. “You meet people you would not normally get to meet. I really like that the environment allows for that.”

Sacred Steps sells vials of different crystals to bring feelings like peace and protection. They also sell bracelets, enamel pins, stickers and pictures of maps representing different cities in Indiana.

Recently, Sacred Steps introduced the Milestone Mat Club. Every time a customer reaches 25 classes attended, they can sign the yoga mat, along with the number of classes they have been to.

The studio’s classes are constantly changing, but for now, Sacred Steps has classes Tuesdays through Saturdays. Vinyasa yoga is taught Tuesdays at noon and 6 p.m.

“What makes Sacred Steps so unique and special is the connection that we all have here,” Richter said via email. “When you come to our studio you are part of something so personal. We all care so much about one another, and there’s never a fear of judgment.”

If interested in yoga, Mickler suggests going to a beginner’s yoga class to learn each step of the poses and to not be nervous.

“No one is looking at you when you go to a yoga class,” Mickler said. “Everyone is so in their own space. If you can pluck up enough courage to get yourself in the room, the teacher will guide you where you need to go.”

Contact Lily Jones with comments at lkjones3@ bsu.edu.

Owner of Sacred Steps Laura Mickler holds a final pose at the end of a session Feb. 20 at Sacred Steps. Mickler began the studio because of her need to find relaxation after a surgery. ANDREW BERGER, DN

Mountain Pose Helps with balance and breathing

Here are some yoga poses you can do in the comfort of your own dorm.

Downward Dog Stretches shoulders, back and legs

Child’s Pose Helps body relax and stretches back and hip muscles

Forward Fold Stretches front and back of the body at the same time

Cat or Cow Pose Stretches torso and helps with flexibility of the spine

BMI BLOWS

The Body Mass Index (BMI) system is flawed all over.

Daniel Kehn

Editor- In-Chief, “A Kehn Perspective”

strides in the right direction and prioritize my physical and mental health, I felt the improvements — I had pride in my health again — but a BMI score on a chart wouldn’t say that.

Daniel Kehn is a third-year journalism and telecommunications major and writes “A Kehn Perspective” for the Daily News. His views do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper.

I have been athletic my entire life. First on the swim team, then baseball, then gymnastics and, most notably, almost a decade of soccer. At the present moment, I consider my diet to be healthy and reasonable with a natural amount of splurging.

I run upwards of 21 miles per week, and I recently ran my first half-marathon. I plan to complete a full marathon this fall.

I am 5-foot-8 and weigh 210 pounds. Despite my diet and activity, this margin classifies me as obese according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Adult Body Mass Index (BMI) calculator.

For reference, the CDC lists any score over 30 as obese, between 25.0 and 29.9 as overweight, 18.5 and 25.9 as a healthy weight, and anything below 18.5 as underweight.

The organization notes that “BMI screens for weight categories that may lead to health problems, but it does not diagnose the body fatness or health of an individual.”

BMI doesn’t adjust based on gender, race or ethnicity. So why would we use this as a universal standard for weight and health if we aren’t going to adjust it universally as well?

Weight became a conversation in my life when I was in middle school. I wasn’t a thin kid, but I only really took note of that when other people started pointing it out. School uniform shopping quickly became my least favorite time of year because it ended with looking for pants and selecting my size with “Husky” as the classifier.

As I grew up, I evened out, but there was still a major nag whenever I wanted to check my progress. That nag was an obese BMI score.

Since turning 18, I have yet to have a weight that isn’t considered obese or on the highest end of overweight according to the arbitrary standards of BMI.

When I did “let myself go,” it was not strictly about weight — it was about a decrease in a health-consious diet, exercise and mental health related to my overall health and wellbeing. When I began to take

That score doesn’t just impact how my health is viewed, but it impacts how I view myself. I have lost 50 pounds since June 2023, but every time I look in the mirror, I can only see the stretch marks and the chubby kid from middle school.

Our viewpoint on physical health is so negative without enough focus on solutions or steps forward, and nowhere is this more prevalent than the Body Mass Index.

BMI only measures body mass without without taking into account bone or muscle

for his company by inflating coverage prices for overweight and obese policyholders. Most insurance companies are still using BMI in their assessments of policyholders and will charge higher premiums for those in the obese category.

The National Library of Medicine gives credit to Ancel Keys, a physiologist, for taking the Quetelet Index and creating the “Body Mass Index.” Keys analyzed 12 samples of 7,426 “healthy” men in 1972 which led to the creation of the BMI. In his study, Keys emphasized “the convenience and ease of using BMI in population studies to analyze data.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) formally recognized obesity as a global epidemic in 1997, according to the National Library of Medicine.

I’m not saying that obesity isn’t an issue. However, I would like to highlight that, of all three individuals who advanced the work of this widely-used medical measurement tool, none were medical professionals or doctors.

How BMI is calculated

It’s easier for us to plug in a formula and get a quick answer, but our health can’t be decided by decimal points at the end of the solution.”

So, why are we still using this 200-yearold “hack” created by a mathematician and progressed by non-medical doctors? Convenience.

It’s easier for us to plug in a formula and get a quick answer, but our health can’t be decided by decimal points at the end of the solution.

According to the British Heart Foundation, there are several ways to measure body fat without using the BMI method — most notably the waist circumference method.

in overall weight. For example, a welltoned football player with an above-average muscle mass — which is twice as dense as fat — would see themselves in the BMI’s overweight or even obese category.

The man who invented the original formula for BMI, Adolphe Quetelet — a statistician, mathematician and astronomer — established the Quetelet Index. It was used to define what the “normal man” was, according to an article from the National Library of Medicine in November 2023 titled “The History and Faulys of the Body Mass Index and Where to Look Next: A Literature Review.”

Louis I. Dublin, a statistician, used Quetlet’s concept in the 1950s while he was vice president of Metropolitan Insurance Company (now MetLife, Inc.) to categorize “normal” weights. By categorizing normal weights, the company could get out of covering as much for obese people.

Dublin utilized the formula to save money

Additionally, hydrostatic weighing (underwater weighing), air displacement (underwater weighing but uses air instead of water) and Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA, measures bone mineral density using spectral imaging) are all effective methods of measuring body fat.

Of these methods, DEXA and hydrostatic weighing are the most accurate. However, they are also the most expensive. The waist circumference method is the most feasible for the average person, but it should be noted that this is not a general measurement of body composition — it’s only an indicator of excess body fat.

We shouldn’t be minimized to measurements — to numbers that don’t really measure individual health.

There is no “one size fits all” option in health, and adding mathematical formulas to the conversation doesn’t help anyone at all.

Contact Daniel Kehn with comments at daniel.kehn@bsu.edu or on X @daniel_ kehn.

BMI is calculated by taking the individual’s weight (in kilograms) and dividing it by their height squared (BMI = weight (kg)/ height^2).

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC)

Healthier methods of measuring body fat

• Waist circumference

• Hydrostatic weighing (underwater weighing)

• Air displacement (underwater weighing but uses air instead of water)

• Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA)

Source: British Heart Foundation

HOPE

Continued from Page 13

The closet provides support for many different needs, from families who have lost everything to people leaving abusive situations. The closet has also provided clothes for the mortician to use to bury those who have no one giving them comfort in death.

“We’ll find clothes to bury them in. You wouldn’t think of that, but we even have afforded clothes to the dead,” Osborne said.

Osborne said Brenda’s Closet is important in a community like Gaston, Indiana, due to factories closing down and jobs leaving in the past 30 years causing an economic recession and making it a poorer community.

“We know what happens to a community when somebody has a fire in their home, and they get out of there with the clothes on their back, and that’s it,” Osborne said. “We know how the insurance games are played. They’re like silly reindeer games, and you need stuff now.”

Osborne remembered one woman who came to Brenda’s Closet barefoot in pajamas. The closet dressed her and gave her some things to take with her.

Brenda doesn’t have set hours for the closet, instead, people contact her over the Brenda’s Closet Facebook page when they want to use the closet or donate.

Along with running the closet regularly, Brenda does a pre-Christmas giveaway event held around the second week of December at the church. At this event, Brenda has coats, other clothing items and toys.

Brenda’s husband, Ron, said she helped more than 100 children at the giveaway in December

That’s just Brenda. She doesn’t know how to say no. If somebody asked her to do something, she’ll do it that’s just the way she is. She always has been,”

- RON RAGLAND, Brenda Ragland’s husband

2023. What motivates her to keep doing Brenda’s Closet and her other volunteering activities is her childhood. Her mother was hospitalized a lot, and she grew up with an abusive father.

“I don’t want other people to feel like that,” she said.

She started volunteering at 13 as a Candy Striper at Ball Memorial Hospital. Currently, Brenda works as a real estate agent, and she is a member of A Better Life-Brianna’s Hope — a faithbased support and recovery group for those with substance abuse disorder — the Delaware County Regional Wastewater Board and the Harrison Township Board.

“That’s just Brenda,” Ron said. “She doesn’t know how to say no. If somebody asks her to do something, she’ll do it, that’s just the way she is. She always has been.”

Contact Hannah Amos via email at hannah. amos@bsu.edu or on X @Hannah_Amos_394.

Stacks of newborn clothing rest on a shelf inside the doorway of the room storing kids clothes Feb. 22 at Gaston Community Church in Gaston, Ind. Brenda’s Closet is located inside of a church renovated from a bar.

Crossword & Sudoku

ACROSS

1 British pop singer Lewis

6 Stuff in a trough

10 Sea blue

14 Winter X Games host city

15 Word before or after man

16 Reynolds of “Boogie Nights”

17 *Manga series also known as “Mach GoGoGo”

19 Latvia’s capital

20 Condensed, for short: Abbr.

21 Measuring stick

22 Nodded

23 Trusty mount

25 “Loki” voice actress Strong

27 Team on a movie set

29 *Captain Morgan product

34 __ Fables

37 “Cornflake Girl” singer Tori

38 United

39 Molecule in some vaccines

40 Ceiling beams, or a threeword hint for the answers to the starred clues

42 Hullabaloo

43 AOC, for one

44 Bassoon cousin

45 MLB team with Mr. and Mrs. mascots

47 *Iced bun, e.g.

50 “Alita: Battle Angel” star Salazar

51 Having no loose ends?

52 “To reiterate ... “

55 Malfunction, as a copier

58 Guilty and not guilty

60 Relieved (of)

63 Suitable for cacti

64 *Yuletide excursion

66 “You can’t have it!”

67 Normandy city

68 Rainwater diverters

69 Cricket clubs

70 Calligrapher’s collection

71 Give an address

DOWN

1 Gal

2 Glimpse

3 Ali Baba’s magic words

4 Family tree word

5 Actor Braugher

6 Spills the tea, maybe

7 Garter trim

8 Paycheck fattener

9 __ capita

10 Using one’s passport, say

11 Pop __

12 Hard-to-resist impulse

13 Just slightly

SOLUTIONS FOR FEBRUARY 29

18 Have regrets

22 Black tie optional, say

24 Only even prime number

26 Oak nut

27 Swiped items

28 Extend, in a way

30 Dev of “Slumdog Millionaire”

31 Beverly Hills shopping destination

32 Storage rentals

33 High-minded org.?

35 Expert advice

36 Buffalo hockey pro

41 Meal regimen

46 Med scan

48 Technique-building piano pieces

49 Supine protests

53 __-AFTRA

54 Lenten symbol

55 Door part

56 Opera highlight

57 Money maker

59 Chive kin

61 Lightbulb, metaphorically

62 Help __

64 School subj.

65 Jay-Z genre