Ball State Daily News Vol. 103 Issue: 4

Did you miss it? Catch up on news from Aug. 31-Sept.6 and take a look at upcoming events...

BallStateDailyNews.com

Former Proud Boys leader sentenced

Enrique Tarrio, former Proud Boys leader, was sentenced to 22 years in prison for his part in the Jan. 6th riot. His is longer than the 18-year sentences of Stewart Rhodes, Oath Keepers founder, and Ethan Nordean, one-time Proud Boys leader, for seditious conspiracy and convictions related to the riot.

Men’s Golf hosting lone home meet of 2023 season

Sept. 9-10: Ball State will host the Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational at the Delaware County Country Club. With just 11 guaranteed dates on the 2023-24 schedule, this is Ball State’s only home meet of the season. In their first meet of the season, the Cardinals finished 4th in their first tournament of the season.

Non-credit Sign Language course offered in person

Sept. 6: E.B. and Bertha C. Ball Center is offering a non-credit sign language course on American Sign Language, where attendees can learn finger spelling and basic conversation. The class is limited to 24 students and people can sign up for $95 at https://commerce. cashnet.com/BALL_EMS057.

Soccer returns to Muncie after fourgame road trip

Sept. 10: The Cardinals have competed on an unsuccessful road trip against Notre Dame, Texas Tech and Loyola-Chicago. After Ball State’s away game against Vanderbilt Sept. 7, the Cardinals compete in a Senior Day match vs. Austin Peay at 1 p.m Sunday.

4-DAY WEATHER FORECAST

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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.

VOL. 103 ISSUE: 4

CONTACT THE DN

Newsroom: 765-285-8245

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

EDITORIAL BOARD

Grayson Joslin, Editor-in-chief

Daniel Kehn, Print Managing

Editor

Olivia Ground, Digital Managing

Editor

Abigail Denault, News Editor

Kyle Smedley, Sports Editor

Elijah Poe, 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

Brissa Porter, Associate Video Editor

Emma Plank, Associate Social Media Editor

Jacy Bradley, Photo Editor

Mya Cataline, Associate Photo

Editor

Meghan Holt, Visual Editor

Jessica Bergfors, Visual Editor Lisa Renze-Rhodes, Adviser

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OVERCAST

Hi: 72º

Lo: 61º

CORRECTION

In the Aug. 31 edition of the Daily News, the story “The End of an Era” did not jump correctly and cut out a quote on page 3. On page 7, the story “Muncie’s Clark Kent” referred to the wrong jump page.

See CORRECTIONS, 14 To submit a correction, email editor@bsudailynews.com.

MOSTLY CLOUDY

Hi: 69º

Lo: 58º

PARTLY CLOUDY

Hi: 75º

Lo: 56º

MOSTLY CLOUDY

Hi: 79º

Lo: 56º

THIS WEEK: Much more seasonable and comfortable conditions persist throughout the week, with high temperatures reaching into the low 80s under mostly cloudy skies.

START CHECKING, FROM DAY ONE.

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.

PEDRO PORTAL, TNS

ELI HOUSER, DN FILE

Noah Gordon, Weather forecaster, Benny Weather Group

Joining Forces

Counseling Center offers new online selfcare program

The Counseling Center is offering a new self-care program in Canvas called “Self-Care 101,” which is a free resource for all Ball State students. Students can go to https://bsu.instructure.com/ enroll/949L66 to enroll in the course, which includes information, resources and tools to improve the way students practice self-care.

Indiana ACLU and NILC file lawsuit against H.E.A. 1050

Women’s and Gender Studies program combines with African American Studies

This semester, room 108 in the Burkhardt Building finds itself busy with the pace of purpose.

The Women’s and Gender Studies and African American Studies programs have joined together to create a new department, welcoming a host of fresh and familiar faces to the program. Yet as the year begins in earnest, there is already reflection on the nature of the merge.

Sharon Jones, chair of the Department of Women’s, Gender, and African American Studies, is a scholar of intersectionality — a study that remains core to the program’s curriculum.

“I think there are great opportunities for the intersection of these fields of study,” she said via email. “As the new brochure for the Ball State University Department of Women’s, Gender, and African American Studies states, ‘Women’s and Gender Studies and African American Studies

are holistic, rapidly-growing fields of knowledge in demand by employers and businesses. These interdisciplinary fields address the pressing issues of how gender affects our lives, the experiences of Black people, social justice and intersectionality.’”

Many students share the concern of how this program merger could polarize residents of conservative states like Indiana.

“Don’t get me wrong: I think the courses are already set up to where the curriculum itself has a lot of overlap between the two,” fourth-year student, and Women and Gender Studies and African American Studies double minor Makenna Poindexter said. “But I think that there could be a lot of political pushback with a lot of conservatives that are already very against any sort of identitybased curriculum, like in Florida with the AP African American history class being banned.”

Despite these fears, there remains a sense of optimism and expectations of future expansion.

Extracurricular organizations like the Black Feminist Reading Group and Feminists for Action provide students the chance to engage with foundational material and concepts outside of class. Fourth-year Women and Gender Studies major Brianna Gallagher said that the turn-out for the first meeting for the Feminists for Action club was so large they had to move rooms.

4See FORCES, 14

A lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana and the National Immigration Law Center claims that new legislation, H.E.A. 1050, discriminates based on national origin. The bill creates a pathway for only Ukrainian individuals on humanitarian parole to obtain Indiana driver’s licenses or identification cards.

National

Tropical Storm Lee strengthens into hurricane

Tropical Storm Lee has gained strength as it goes through the Atlantic, causing it to be declared a hurricane on Wednesday. The current projected flight path for the hurricane shows it not making landfall but passing just northeast of the British Virgin Islands, which is still recovering from the 2017 hurricanes Maria and Irma.

Colin Brown Reporter

Sharon Jones, chairwoman of the department of Women’s, Gender, and African American Studies and professor of English poses for a portrait in the Burkhardt Building Sept. 1. The department of Women’s, Gender, and African American Studies are now located in room 108 of the Burkhardt Building. OLIVIA GROUND, DN

It’s not a change in teaching philosophy. It’s a college initiative to build up a space that supports exciting teaching and research on these subjects, and to create a more robust home for students and faculty who are committed to this work.”

- SHARON JONES, Chair of the Department of Women’s, Gender, and African American Studies

Breaking Period Taboos

New menstruation stations added around campus provide free aid to students

Meghan Braddy Reporter

Imagine you’re a college student currently going through your period. You knew it was coming because it happens every month, yet you forgot to put a pad or a tampon in your backpack.

Now, you’re walking to class, fearing that you’ll soon become the laughingstock on campus if they notice you’ve leaked through your pants.

So, what do you do? Where do you go? Do you ask someone to borrow one? Do you go to the bathroom and try to make a bad situation worse with an incessant amount of toilet paper?

The Health Promotion and Advocacy Office’s new menstruation stations aim to provide free aid to students who have forgotten their menstrual hygiene products and provide informational resources to students with periods.

The Menstruation Station initiative was created when students asked why Ball State’s campus has multiple sexual health resources but no menstrual health resources.

Since menstruation is a basic human function, menstruation stations were introduced to some of the health buildings on Ball State’s campus. The central location is on the second floor of the Health Center in the Health Promotion and Advocacy section, with smaller stations at the Healthy Lifestyle Center in the Health Professions Building and in the Counseling Center in Lucina Hall.

How People Are Affected by Menstrual Inequity

64% 21% Menstruators who reported having difficulty affording menstrual products, such as pads, tampons, or reusable products like menstrual cups.

Menstruators who said that they could not afford these products every month.

Source: Harvard Health

Destiny Cherry, health and wellness coordinator for the Health Promotion and Advocacy Office (HPA), said that the station provides liners, pads and tampons for students and is an educational resource for information on menstrual health.

“The menstruation information provided allows students to choose the best menstrual product for themselves and receive information on basic resources on campus and in the Muncie community,” Cherry said via email. “We are incredibly excited to provide these resources to Ball State students and aid in their health and wellness.”

The HPA introduced these stations due to the consequences that could arise for students based on lack of access to menstrual health resources. Cherry said that neglecting one’s menstrual health due to this lack of access can result in various challenges, including damage to reproductive organs, overuse of menstrual resources that can lead to toxic shock syndrome, infections from poor menstrual hygiene and much more.

A signifi cant reason why this happens is due to menstrual inequity in the United States. Temple University defi nes this as “unequal access to menstrual products, education, and reproductive care.”

“Despite roughly half of the world’s population experiencing menstruation, it continues as a taboo topic,” Cherry said.

Cherry noted this as a significant problem in the United States because, until recently, menstrual equity has been given little consideration in policies, laws and conversations concerning reproductive health.

“Not all students have the time and money to leave campus to get these resources. Also, since students can’t control when their menstruation happens, they may not be prepared to have the necessary products to get through the day,” Medel said.

Period inequity is a significant problem in the United States, primarily due to the taxation of menstrual health products. This taxation makes it more difficult for people to take care of their menstrual health due to an inability to afford the menstrual health products that are best suited for them. According to a 2021 study by THINX & Period, “23% of students have struggled to afford period products, and 16% have chosen to buy period products over food or clothes due to the pandemic.”

The taxation of period products is debated mainly because menstrual cycles are unavoidable and natural for many people. Harvard Medical School says, “Menstruating is a basic fact of human existence. Menstrual hygiene products are necessities, not luxuries, and should be treated as such.”

Junior psychology major Amalia Ferreyra agreed with this statement that taxes should not be imposed on products considered “necessities.” She

Despite roughly half of the world’s population experiencing menstruation, it continues as a taboo topic,”

Health and wellness coordinator for the Ball State Health Promotion and Advocacy Office

also pointed out that public places should provide better access to menstrual products.

“The menstruation stations are important because many students are living off a budget right now and may have to rationalize supplies because they can’t afford them,” Ferreyra said. “Along with some students not always being prepared for their cycles, lack of access on top of paying a sales tax for pads and tampons is wrong because periods are natural. Dirt is also natural, yet public places provide soap to wash it off. They should be providing menstrual products, as well.”

The taxation of menstrual products leads to the growing issue of period poverty, which Harvard Public Health defines as “the inability to afford period supplies.” Introducing the menstruation stations to Ball State’s campus makes it so students can first consider their menstrual health before worrying about if and when they can obtain more menstrual products.

Currently, there are no plans to expand the stations to other locations on campus. However, Cherry said anything is possible as they piloted the menstruation station in the Health Center in March.

“We’re currently collecting data on usage and feedback from students before we do anything else,” Cherry said. “The culture surrounding periods and menstrual health is changing, but there is still more work to be done.”

The Health Promotion and Advocacy Office hopes that the menstruation stations will continue to support students’ needs, increase accessibility, decrease stigma around menstruation and educate students on the options available to make the best decisions for themselves.

If you’re interested in furthering menstrual equity or requesting educational materials or programs on menstrual equity, you can call 765285-3775 or email hpa@bsu.edu.

Contact Meghan Braddy with comments via email at meghan.braddy@bsu.edu or on X @meghan_ braddy.

Locations of Menstruation Stations

A: Health Promotion and Advocacy Office in the Health Center (second floor)

B: Healthy Lifestyle Center in the Health Professions Building

C: Counseling Center in Lucina Hall

- DESTINY CHERRY,

Pride in the Community

Muncie OUTreach held the second Muncie Pride on Sept. 2

National Musician Jimmy Buffet dies at age 76

Buffet died from a rare form of skin cancer, Merkel cell carcinoma, in his Sag Harbor, New York, home. He had battled cancer for four years, while continuing to perform. Buffet sang “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes” and “Margaritaville.” The latter he made into a restaurant franchise.

Community The Fierce to perform at the Hitching Post, local bar and grill

On Sept. 15 from 8-11 p.m., the multi-genre indie band will perform live at the American chain bar. The event is for people 21 and up with a $3 cover. The central Indiana band specializes in original music.

Campus Brown Family Amphitheater to host grand opening

The amphitheater will have a Jazz concert Sept. 19, performed by the Ball State Jazz Ensemble and vocalist Tatum Langley, a 2021 Ball State graduate. Food trucks and the Hershey’s Ice Cream Shop in the Multicultural Center will serve food. The event is free with backstage tours from 6-6:30 p.m. and a ribbon cutting ceremony at 7 p.m. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Attendees will need to bring their own chairs and blankets.

Drag performer Nexus performs at Muncie Pride in Canan Commons on Sept. 2. Muncie Pride is hosted by Muncie OUTreach. OLIVIA GROUND, DN

Event attendees enjoy the music at Muncie Pride in Canan Commons on Sept. 2. This is the second year Munice OUTreach has held the event.

Drag performer Ava Morningstar performs at Muncie Pride in Canan Commons on Sept. 2. Ava was crowned Mx. Indy Pride 2023. OLIVIA GROUND, DN

Musicians Annalise & Ali perform at Muncie Pride in Canan Commons on Sept. 2. The musicians are from Mooresville, IN. OLIVIA GROUND, DN

PositiviTea in the Community

A new boba shop focuses on creating a welcoming environment and authentic Filipino drinks

Scarlet Gallagher Reporter

Wanting to share their love for boba tea and provide more authentic, personalized drinks to the Muncie community, husband and wife duo Maria and Jay R. Cabasag opened PositiviTea, a familyowned business, in May.

“Boba tea was always our favorite, so we decided to make a boba tea store,” their son Ernest Cabasag said.

The Cabasags aim to be different from other tea shops by making the experience more individualized and friendly, citing personal encounters on the customer side as having been very transactional.

“Everyone of any age is welcome,” Maria said. “We are willing to help them or walk them through the menu, and we can explain everything to them since we created the menu.”

They have had a variety of customers in the Muncie community, including a few Ball State University professors, Maria said.

“It’s really nice to meet people from different walks of life,” Jay R. said.

In the Philippines, where Maria and Jay R. grew up, there was a boba shop on practically every street. Their experience with boba contributed to their decision to open PositiviTea, wanting to provide an option with more flavors locally.

Maria and Jay R. originally both had full-time jobs on top of being new business owners when they started their entrepreneurial endeavors, but they quit those jobs a month after opening in order to focus on the store full-time. The shop, located on McGalliard Road between Vindictive Motorsports and Valvoline Instant Oil Change, was first opened May 8.

The Cabasag family worked together to transform the former tattoo shop into a boba tea shop. They did the decorations themselves. The

seating area has string lights and small shelves of potted plants adorning the walls, with paintings by local artist Imelda Morris hanging on either side of the television. These paintings are for sale and can be purchased by customers using a QR code system on the wall next to the art.

On the counter, a screen displays the colorful menu of drinks available, designed by Maria. PositiviTea offers a very wide variety of drinks, including a selection of boba teas, milk teas, iced teas and ice blended drinks, and customers are able to request flavors.

The addition of coffee to the menu is planned for mid-September. There are vegan and allergyfriendly options with the majority of drinks being non-dairy, except the Thai milk tea. Jay R. is lactose intolerant himself, and always tries all the drinks he creates.

“I have yet to have a bad drink there.” Michael Prater, associate professor of art education, who frequents PositiviTea, said. “Everything they make is made fresh and because they control the amount of sweetness that you can have – that’s usually what will put somebody off of a flavor in boba … they allow you to choose the sweetness of a drink; it gives you a lot of control, so everything tends to be good.”

and popping strawberry boba. His entire family loves to visit the shop for drinks too.

“It’s as good as a boba tea place could be,” Prater said.

With boba tea and Filipino options lacking in Muncie, Maria said that many people who visit have questions about the drinks and pre-packaged Filipino snacks.

“Sometimes, people you’re introducing something to ... it’s kind of weird for them,” Maria said. “There’ll be a lot of questions. One person came in and asked me if we were selling collagen drinks, and if that was the Filipino way of selling boba tea.”

The Cabasags said they have learned a lot from running PositiviTea. Unlike having an eight-to-five job, where there is a certain time work is finished for the day, running a business has work to be done outside of a strict schedule, and there are a lot of things that go into it.

PositiviTea offers both takeout and dine-in, along with a delivery option. Their store is also dog-friendly, Maria said.

In the months since opening, PositiviTea has already started to accumulate regulars and is consistently rated five stars across several popular sites including DoorDash and Google Reviews.

“My favorite part of the shop is the owners — a husband-and-wife team — and they have so much enthusiasm and energy, and they are so committed to having a successful business, and to developing a customer base and providing a quality product,” Prater said. “The name of the business; they absolutely embody it.”

Contact Scarlet Gallager with comments at

Source:

PositiviTea allows customers to select from multiple lists of options and create their own combinations to meet their preferences, Prater said. A self-proclaimed big fan of boba tea, he recommends the tiger brown sugar drink, which he dubbed a crowd pleaser, and the coconut milk tea with traditional boba. His current favorite, however, is the frozen peach with traditional

“It’s not only the drink making, but also the paperwork, how you market yourself and all, and you don’t know what the future holds,” Maria said. “Because for your eight-to-five job, you expect every two weeks to get paid the amount of money that you work for. But for this one, it’s a gamble.”

Several additions for PositiviTea are in the works, the Cabasags shared.

They currently do not cook food on-site, but they hope to branch out and serve authentic Filipino food made fresh by a cook in the future.

A website is in progress, which Maria is currently creating. It is expected to be completed and available in roughly a month or two. The store currently doesn’t have any social media.

PositiviTea owners Maria and Jay R. Cabasag pose with their son Ernest in front of a light up sign bearing their store’s name inside their shop Aug. 27. They set up all of the decorations for PositiviTea themselves. SCARLET GALLAGHER, DN

The seating area of the bubble tea shop, PositiviTea, is pictured Aug. 27. The shop serves many different types of boba tea. SCARLET GALLAGHER, DN

The name of the business; they absolutely embody it.”

- MICHAEL PRATER, associate professor of art education

What’s milk tea boba made of?

Milk tea boba is made of a tea base that’s combined with milk, creamer, sugar and tapioca pearls.

JESSICA BERGFORS, DN DESIGN

eatingwell.com

DNSports

‘Bumps and

While injuries are an unfortunate normality in football, is the risk higher when a mid-major program goes against a Power Five?

Kyle Smedley Sports Editor

With a little more than seven minutes left in the second quarter of Ball State’s week one matchup against Kentucky, Tanner Koziol caught a short pass from graduate student quarterback Layne Hatcher. Almost as soon as the sophomore tight end turned and started to run upfield, Kentucky sophomore linebacker Alex Afari Jr. laid a hit on Koziol that caused those at Kroger Field to gasp. The sound of Afari Jr. and Koziol’s helmets connecting could be heard from the top of the stadium. The ball was knocked loose from Koziol’s hands, recovered by Wildcats senior defensive back Jalen Geiger and returned for a touchdown. Worse than that, the back of Koziol’s head slammed against the turf after the hit.

Women’s Volleyball looks to bounce back in Dayton Tournament

After going 0-3 in the Creightonhosted Bluejay Invitational, Ball State will participate in the Dayton Tournament in Ohio Friday and Saturday. The Cardinals will face Wright State at 5 p.m. Sept.8 before their two matchups Sept. 9. Ball State is set to square off against the University of Illinois Chicago at 11 a.m. and Dayton later that night at 7 p.m.

Volleyball Field Hockey

Field Hockey continues seasonopening road trip

Coming off of four straight losses, Ball State will face Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania, Friday at 1 p.m. in the fifth contest in its season-opening seven-game road trip. Sunday, the Cardinals stay in Pennsylvania when they face Lock Haven at Noon. Three of Ball State’s four losses on the season have been one-point matches.

Tennis

U.S. Open quarterfinals includes four Black Americans

Frances Tiafoe, Coco Gauff, Ben Shelton and Madison Keys all have advanced to the U.S. Open quarterfinals, a history-making feat for Black Americans in tennis. Gauff moved on to the semifinals with a 3-0 win, and Shelton defeated Tiafoe 3-1 to advance to the semifinals. Keys will face the Czech Republic’s Markéta Vondroušová at 7 p.m. Sept. 6 in her quarterfinal matchup.

There’s a lot of bumps and bruises, but it’s a physical game. It ain’t nothing that we ain’t been through before. It ain’t nothing that we ain’t felt before.”

- TYLER ‘RED’ POTTS, Senior defensive back

Redshirt sophomore running back Vaughn Pemperton gets tackled during a rushing attempt against Kentucky Sept. 2 at Kroger Field in Lexington, Ky. Pemperton would be helped off the field immediately following the play and would

not

return for the remainder of Ball State’s 44-14 loss to the Wildcats. DANIEL KEHN, DN

BRUISES

Continued from Page 07

Per head coach Mike Neu, Koziol was immediately taken into the Cardinals’ medical tent and put through Ball State’s concussion protocol. Once he passed the test and was deemed healthy, Koziol played the entire second half of the Cardinals’ 44-14 loss to Kentucky.

After the game, Koziol seemed normal and even said he felt good, calling Afari Jr.’s hit “just a shock.” While Koziol is a consistent starter for Ball State, his fellow starting tight end, redshirt sophomore Brady Hunt, missed week one with an injury. Although he is now out of his walking boot, Hunt has been declared out against the Bulldogs.

Although Koziol avoided serious injury despite the hard contact, the same can’t be said for two of his teammates. Just a short time later in the second quarter, redshirt sophomore running back Vaughn Pemberton was nearly folded in half and needed help off the field with an apparent knee injury.

He didn’t return to the field and the severity of his injury is still unknown, although Neu said Pemberton will not play against Georgia and hopes his injury is a short-term one.

In perhaps the most grim scene of the day, graduate student linebacker Clayton Coll seemed to make a routine tackle near the end of the first half, but those in Lexington soon realized it was anything but. Tears were shed by Coll, Neu and more as the “voice of the team” was carted off Kroger Field with an apparent leg injury. His leg was almost immediately put in a protective air stint, and the severity of his injury is still unknown, but he remains in a walking boot and is using crutches.

And about halfway through the third quarter, graduate student defensive back Damion Charity limped off the field and into the Cardinals’ medical tent with an apparent leg issue. However, Neu said he was just dealing with cramps and should be ready to go against the Bulldogs.

Common Injuries in Football

• Ankle sprain

• Knee ligament injuries

• Hamstring strain

• Groin strain

• Thigh contusion

• Head injuries (primarily concussion)

• Neck pain

• Shoulder dislocation

Source: Fittoplay.org

Although two Ball State athletes that left with injury against Kentucky will suit up a week later, the number of players for both the Wildcats and Cardinals that left with injury felt abnormal. Perhaps it comes with the territory of playing against a Southeastern Conference (SEC) opponent; both players and coaches called it the best conference in college football.

Senior defensive back Tyler ‘Red’ Potts doesn’t think so.

“There’s a lot of bumps and bruises, but it’s a physical game,” Potts said. “It ain’t nothing that we ain’t been through before. It ain’t nothing that we ain’t felt before.”

Neither does Hatcher.

“Whatever conference you’re in, from the lowest levels of college football to the highest levels of college football, everybody hits hard [and] everybody runs fast,” Hatcher said. “It’s usually gonna hurt when you get tackled [and] it’s gonna feel good when you make a guy miss.”

And even after watching his best friend get carted off the field against Kentucky, neither does Cole Pearce.

“Football is football, man,” the senior linebacker said. “You’re gonna be sore every week, some weeks you’re less sore than others. I don’t really see any difference.”

Pearce thought back to Ball State’s week one matchup against the SEC’s Tennessee last season and said he doesn’t remember being more sore than normal afterward, although he did acknowledge that it was a more challenging recovery because of the total time spent on the field in the Cardinals’ 55-10 loss.

He said the recovery and preparation process for a Power Five opponent is the same as it is for any other foe. And while the eighth-year head coach empathized with the Cardinals injured at the hands of the Wildcats, he too agreed with the sentiments shared by his players.

“Injuries are part of the game,” Neu said. “I hate to see it… but it’s also a message to our young players, ‘Be ready.’”

Who knows how many of those young players may have new roles to fill once 60 minutes of the game clock have expired at the end of Ball State’s trip to Athens.

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

Football is football, man. You’re gonna be sore every week, some weeks you’re less sore than others. I don’t really see any difference.”

- COLE PEARCE, Senior linebacker

Graduate student quarterback Layne Hatcher gets sacked against Kentucky Sept. 2 at Kroger Field in Lexington, Ky. Hatcher was sacked two times in the game. MYA CATALINE, DN

Graduate student defensive back Damion Charity tackles a Kentucky player Sept. 2 at Kroger Field in Lexington, Ky. The Cardinals fell 44-14 to the Wildcats. DANIEL KEHN, DN

Big Game Purpose

Ball State football to “learn from lessons” through big game experiences

Kyle Smedley Sports Editor

On Layne Hatcher’s Instagram, a photo can be found of the former Alabama quarterback celebrating the Crimson Tide’s Orange Bowl victory at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. In the midst of the celebration, Hatcher held up a local newspaper proclaiming victory as he stood between former Alabama offensive lineman and current New England Patriots starting quarterback Mac Jones.

Although Hatcher never saw in-game action during his lone, redshirt season in Tuscaloosa, he was fully immersed in the day-to-day of one of college football’s most prestigious programs. To him, being in the same quarterback group as three future NFL starters, including Jones, Dolphins starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Eagles Pro Bowl quarterback Jalen Hurts, was just another day.

Five years later, he is a leader for the Cardinals in their charge against the No. 1 team in the country. But given his experience, facing back-to-back national champion Georgia is just another game.

“I think once you see that side of it, that they’re just normal guys who go through the same struggles and feelings as everybody else, it helps a lot,” Hatcher said.

The senior put an end to any speculation of a Power Five opponent approaching games against mid-major opponents as a “warm-up,” saying Alabama approached every foe the same in their preparation and training, no matter if it was the Citadel or Oklahoma. Having played against three ranked non-Power Five opponents and four Power Five programs during his combined time at Arkansas State and Texas State, including a victory over the Big-12’s Kansas State in 2020 with the Red Wolves, he developed a mindset to thrive during high-pressure situations.

In fact, he said he prefers to be uncomfortable when under center.

“We’re all human,” Hatcher said. “So as long as you don’t let it get bigger than it really is, I think you’re going to be in a good spot.”

Hatcher realized it’s not easy to have that mindset the first time going up against a Power Five program, but with experience, it becomes less and less of a big deal.

Cole Pearce can attest to that.

The senior linebacker reflected on how his role with Ball State has changed over his four previous seasons with the program, evolving from a special teams player to a rotational player to a constant starter. Along with that progression, Pearce said he went from being uncomfortable under the bright lights to approaching big games like a regular Saturday.

“It’s just a trial and error thing, [and you] learn from lessons throughout the season and throughout your past experiences and just go from there,” Pearce said.

Those guys are at those Power Five schools for a reason, and they’re gonna bring a fight for sure. You’re going against someone who’s possibly a first round [NFL] draft pick on those guys’

Pearce said many young Cardinal players have approached him ahead of these Power Five contests, asking for advice on how to approach the game and how to get in a neutral mindset. Having played against the B1GTEN’s Penn State and the Southeastern Conference’s (SEC) Tennessee, he has a lot of advice to give.

As does junior center Ethan Crowe, who played those same Power Five opponents Pearce squared up against. The 2022 All-Mid-American Conference (MAC) Second Team honoree claimed football is football no matter how you match up, but he recognized the physicality Power Five opponents bring.

“Those guys are at those Power Five schools for a reason, and they’re gonna bring a fight for sure,” Crowe said. “You’re going against someone who’s possibly a first round [NFL] draft pick on those guys’ teams.”

Pearce thought back to Ball State’s 59-10 loss against the Volunteers in week one of the 2022 season, calling Tennessee’s offense the most explosive he’s ever gone up against. With two SEC programs going up against the Cardinals in weeks one and two this season, Pearce spoke on the caliber of opponents Ball State is facing.

“Some say it’s the best conference in college football,” Pearce said. “That inspires me to get something out of this game to see how the best players really do it. I like the big atmosphere.”

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Kiael Kelly looks at a replay in a game against Tennessee Sept. 1, 2022, at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. Kelly had 21 rushing yards in a 44-14 loss against Kentucky Sept. 2 at Kroger Field in Lexington, Ky. JACY BRADLEY, DN

- ETHAN CROWE, Junior offensive lineman

GAME

Continued from Page 09

Junior running back Marquez Cooper not only has experience squaring off against multiple Power Five opponents, including the B1GTEN’s Iowa and Maryland and the SEC’s Texas A&M in 2021, but he knows what it’s like to walk into Sanford Stadium in Athens.

“You’re playing against the best of the best, so it’s not going to be like anything you’ve ever seen,” Cooper said.

The Kent State transfer rushed for 90 yards and one touchdown against Georgia last season, and should provide another level head to Ball State’s offense against the Bulldogs. While Cooper has faced multiple Power Five programs in the same season, most of the Cardinal roster hasn’t.

When asked how this stiff competition can prepare Ball State for MAC play and set the Cardinals up for success late in the season, Pearce found himself wondering the same thing.

“It’s going to be very interesting to see how we adapt to that and how that affects the rest of the season,” Pearce said. “But to be completely honest, I don’t know how that’s gonna go, and we’ll just have to wait and see.”

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

Associate Sports Editor

Just around an hour and a half from Athens, Georgia, home of the University of Georgia, the Sibblis family lives in Cummings.

In just two days, graduate student defensive lineman, Mikhari Sibblis, will get the opportunity to once again play football in his home state with family and friends cheering him on when the Cardinals face the University of Georgia.

“We’re really excited to be a part of that moment with him, and we are just really looking forward to it,” his mother, Litisha Sibblis, said.

People have been reaching out to say they are looking forward to seeing Mikhari play in his home state against other alumni from West Forsyth High School, Litisha said.

Mikhari knows previous West Forsyth alumni playing at Georgia. He knows redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Dylan Fairchild, tight end sophomore Oscar Delp and tight end redshirt freshmen Cooper Johnson. Even though Mikhari was a senior when they were freshmen and sophomores, he still said he was close with them.

Litisha said anytime Mikhari got the chance to support his friends who made the team for Georgia, he would go to games to support them.

When Mikhari comes to Georgia, it might be hard to spot his family in a capacity crowd of more than 92,000, including a small sea of cardinal red representing Ball State, but the Sibblis family will be repping No. 2 with Sibblis across their backs.

“I have watched an amazing young man grow up into the person who he was really meant to be,” Litisha said. “I am so inspired by him; by his passion and his tenacity.”

Litisha said, as a mom, she always made sure Mikhari’s path in life would not be too difficult. Instead, Mikhari was always in advanced classes in school and playing basketball and football.

“I would just always encourage him that you don’t always have to take the high road, or you don’t always have to take the most difficult path, and he just never backed down,” Litisha said. “He never backed down from a challenge no matter how much I would try to soften the blow. He always went for the difficult one. I think it just spoke more to his character.”

Cardinals defensive lineman Mikhari Sibblis returns to his home state for Ball State’s clash against Georgia

‘He ran so they could walk’

Graduate student defensive line Mikhari Sibblis runs as the ball is snapped against Kentucky Sept. 2 at Kroger Field in Lexington, Ky. Sibblis had one tackle and two assisted tackles in the 44-14 loss. MYA CATALINE, DN

Some say it’s the best conference in college football. That inspires me to get something out of this game to see how the best players really do it. I like the big atmosphere.”

- COLE PEARCE, Senior linebacker

I have watched an amazing young man grow up into the person who he was really meant to be. I am so inspired by him; by his passion and his tenacity.”

- LITISHA SIBBLIS, Mikhari’s mother

Junior defensive back Jordan Riley gets tackled during a play against Kentucky Sept. 2 at Kroger Field in Lexington, Ky. Riley had four tackles and one assisted tackled in the 44-14 loss. MYA CATALINE, DN

Not only did Litisha say she was inspired by Mikhari and his actions, but she said it has also inspired his two younger brothers, and even his older brother, who is in the United States Air Force.

Mikhari said he is most excited to play in front of his brothers. He would like to think he is a good role model for them and that they try to follow in his footsteps, walk like him and talk like him.

“Them [his brothers] being able to be there and have them see the game while they’re also in the middle of their [football] season, is huge,” Mikhari said.

His youngest brother, Mikeenen, wears the same No. 2 that Mikhari does for his eighth-grade football team. Litisha said Mikeenen wears it as a badge of honor.

“He really turned me to football and taught me how to play,” Mikeenen said. “He’s been my passion growing up, sports wise.”

His other younger brother, Mikaeden, plays the same position as Mikhari in his sophomore football season in high school.

“I’ve seen him as a model for all my life,” Mikaeden said.

Mikaeden said when he was four or five years old, Mikhari always pushed him to be the best he could possibly be in sports at such a young age. He said Mikhari has also taught him a lot about the defensive line position and how to be better at the line.

Both brothers said they are ecstatic to see their brother play in the Sibblis family’s home state and have been looking forward to the Cardinals’ clash against the Bulldogs.

“ [Mikhari] ran so they can walk,” Litisha said. “He’s just setting that path in front of them to dream big, and nothing is impossible. That’s the same way they’ve looked up and tried to follow in those footsteps.”

No matter the outcome of Saturday’s game, Litisha said she is proud of who Mikhari is and the amazing character he shows.

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

Mikhari Sibblis with his two brothers, mother and father at West Forsyth High School. Sibblis went on to play at Lehigh University before Ball State.

Mikhari Sibblis poses for a little league football photo. Sibblis is now at Ball State playing defensive line. LITISHA SLIBBLIS, PHOTO PROVIDED

Graduate student defensive line Mikhari Sibblis stands on the sidelines against Kentucky Sept. 2 at Kroger Field in Lexington, Ky. Sibblis had one tackle and two assisted tackles in the 44-14 loss. MYA CATALINE, DN

[My brothers] being able to be there and have them see the game while they’re also in the middle of their [football] season is huge,”

- MIKHARI SIBBLIS, Graduate student defensive lineman

I’M SORRY

Why we should stop apologizing so much

Elaine Ulsh is a second-year computer science and physics major and writes “The Occasional Observer” for the Daily News. Her views do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper.

“I’m sorry.”

These are words that I have been saying my whole life.

But why?

Am I scared of what people will say if I am completely confident in myself? Am I scared that I will come off too strong? Am I scared that it will make me seem like an irredeemable meanie head? Or am I just used to it?

I have apologized for many things. Things I had absolutely nothing to do with. And if I had a nickel for every time? I’d absolutely be rich. There is a tendency to apologize for things that we have no control over. And I want it to end, or at least for the narrative to change. Not just for my sake, but for the sake of others.

I often find that I am expected to — and do — apologize for things that I shouldn’t as a woman. My parents were very “girlboss” my entire childhood, which leads me to believe that it didn’t have anything to do with my upbringing, but rather something people seem to just expect from me. Trust me when I say I feel the pressure.

If I’m late to something, I immediately apologize: “I’m so sorry that I’m late, blah blah blah came up…”

If I take charge of a project, which I tend to do, I end up apologizing: “Sorry, if I’m making this difficult…”

In comparison, I have noticed that a male counterpart could be late, not apologize and simply not care. Not only does that seem rude, but also like a double standard — a bias. And I especially can’t remember ever hearing a guy apologize for being bossy. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. Guys can be overapologetic — it just doesn’t seem to be as common in guys as it is in girls.

According to a study by the Child Mind Institute, it’s common for girls to use “qualifying language” to avoid being viewed in a negative light. Qualifying language includes over-apologizing, starting sentences with “sorry” or hedging.

To clarify, hedging means to limit or qualify something by conditions or expectations. In this case, that would mean saying “I might be wrong, but…”

In essence, the study found that girls apologize too much, being they are conditioned to pay attention to how their behavior affects others.

Saying “sorry” is a very vulnerable thing. We all feel it. But I’m at a point where I say it without realizing it.

On the flip side, when I catch other people apologizing when it’s really not necessary, I call them out on it. I had someone say “I’m sorry that your head hurts” the other day. They didn’t cause my headache (that I know of), so why would they be sorry about it?

I said “you don’t need to be sorry about that, you didn’t do it” and I meant it. But if it was the other way around, I would have apologized in a second and meant it too.

Saying “sorry” has major impacts. Not just to you, but to those around you as well.

Many people feel that over-apologizing lessens the impact of future apologies as you can get used to something if it is said too much. It can also make people lose respect for you and lower your own self-esteem according to psychotherapist

Beverly Engel’s book “The Power of Apology.”

So, if it has all these bad characteristics, what’s the point of over-apologizing?

I notice this behavior in others when they are trying to be polite. “I’m sorry” just feels like a nice thing to say — a polite thing.

In this day and age, people — specifically women — are expected to be on their best behavior every second of every day. This is not inherently bad. People should be on their best behavior. In fact, many people are raised to show respect through politeness. However, it is how we do so that can cause issues.

According to PsychCentral, “Apologizing

excessively can be the result of a genuine desire to demonstrate respect.” But if there’s no reason to apologize, don’t do it. With all the drawbacks, all that apologizing is going to do is make both you and other people feel worse about yourself.

There are other ways to be polite than simply apologizing. The PsychCentral article also states that one way in which you can stop your overapologizing habit is to pay attention to when you’re apologizing and examine if there’s a better way to respond to it. Many times, there will be.

In tackling my own over-apologizing habit, I have found very creative ways to respond to a situation without undermining myself. Getting rid of the habit has genuinely changed the way I communicate with others.

Instead of saying “I’m sorry, can I ask…?”, I just ask the question. Instead of saying “Sorry if I’m being a lot with all of this,” I have said “I know the work is a lot.” That way, I’m not undercutting myself with qualifying language or over-apologizing when there’s really no need.

I do want to clarify that this issue is not girl-exclusive. Anyone of any gender could struggle with over-apologizing. To say that this only happens to one group of people is simply ignorant. I have known many people who overapologize, and it was not gender-specific.

A study by the University of Waterloo tested whether men do in fact apologize less frequently than women do. It found that when asked to track the number of offenses that could warrant an apology, women recorded 267 offenses with 217 apologies, while men only recorded 196 offenses with 158 apologies.

This further backs up the fact that women are more alert to how their behavior affects others. The study includes factors such as men not noticing offenses that should be apologized for.

The concept of over-apologizing is not a gender-associated thing. Many people apologize unnecessarily for factors that have nothing to do with gender, such as childhood trauma, mental illness and much more.

Apologizing is not a bad thing. I want to be clear on that. However, there are times when we apologize when it is unnecessary.

I think there needs to be a push for us as a society to work on ways to be polite other than undermining ourselves by over-apologizing. And in doing so, perhaps we can gain a level of self-assurance.

If we aren’t as focused with our own lives, maybe, just maybe, we can pour some of our attention into improving the many flaws of our society.

Contact Elaine Ulsh with comments at elaine. ulsh@bsu.edu.

Apologies by the Numbers

46.94% Of apologies are directed at friends

20.71% Of apologies are directed at strangers

Source: Uniersity of Waterloo

Apology Aftereffects

• Excuses the other person’s accountability

• Makes you seem and feel less confident

• Makes apologies less genuine

• Increased feelings of guilt

• Lowers self-esteem

Source: Maja Jovanovic, Proffesor at McMaster University and Mohawk College

I have apologized for many things. Things I had absolutely nothing to do with. And if I had a nickel for every time? I’d absolutely be rich.

Associate Opinion Editor, “The Occasional Observer”

Elaine Ulsh

Saying “sorry” is a very vulnerable thing. We all feel it. But I’m at a point where I say it without realizing it.

Cross Country Starts Fall 2023 Season

Cardinals defeat Lindenwood and Austin Peay in We Fly Ball State Invitational

CORRECTION

Continued from Page 02

On page 14, the 22% on the Supreme Court Religious Affiliations pie chart was supposed to represent non-Christian religions, and not unaffiliated religions. On page 3, the words “Australian” and “neurosurgeon” were misspelled.

On page 12, the caption

“I am extremely hopeful for the future of WGAS,” Gallagher said. “While not everyone who studies WGAS is a feminist, it gives me hope that more people are becoming interested in the issues that people are facing and want to learn more. I hope that more people sign up for WGAS classes and see that they have a place

The hope is shared by Jones, who hopes the expansion only leads to improvements in the

“I am pleased about the possibilities for expansion in terms of curriculum, engagement, programs, research, and scholarship. It’s not a change in teaching philosophy. It’s a college initiative to build up a space that supports exciting teaching and research on these subjects, and to create a more robust home for students and faculty who are committed to this work.” Contact Colin Brown with comments via email at colin.brown@bsu.edu.

(Above) Cardinal runners starting the 5k race of the We Fly Ball State Invitational Sept. 1. Ball State defeated Lindenwood and Austin Peay in the 5k women’s race. (Right) Sophomore Ella Fullmer running through the water station during the 5k race at the We Fly Ball State Invitational Sept. 1. Fullmer finished 10th with a 20:30.4 time. DANIEL KEHN, DN

Junior Jessica Velez running during her 5k at the We Fly Ball State Invitational Sept. 1. Velez finished fourth with a 19:30.0 time. DANIEL KEHN, DN

Senior Ashley Craycraft being cooled off after finishing the 5k run at the We Fly Ball State Invitational Sept. 1. Craycraft finished with a 23:59.3 time. DANIEL KEHN, DN

Junior Jessica Velez talks with her teammates after finishing her 5k at the We Fly Ball State Invitational Sept. 1. Velez finished fourth with a 19:30.0 time. DANIEL KEHN, DN

While not everyone who studies WGAS is a feminist, it gives me hope that more people are becoming interested in the issues that people are facing and want to learn more.”

- BRIANNA GALLAGHER, Fourth-

year

Women

and Gender Studies major

Crossword & Sudoku

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