The Runner 1/21/2020

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California State University, Bakersfield

therunneronline.com January 21, 2020

Vol. 45, No. 9

Sushi rolls into Runner Café

By Sam Underwood Editor-in-Chief Changes are coming to the Runner Café with the beginnig of the new semester, including sushi, music, and a new executive chef to provide meals to the campus community.

The Runner Café has multiple meal stations to choose from, including a salad bar, a burger grill, and a pizza bar. A new addition, Bento Sushi, will be open in the Café starting Jan 21, which will add to the culinary diversity on campus. The Bento Sushi station will replace the sandwich bar that occupied the corner station last spring 2019.

Music will be playing throughout the Runner Café this semester, according to Wayne Narine, director of campus dining experience, through a sound system installed over winter break.

“We want students to feel that the Café is a warm and inviting place. We want students to feel that they are at home,” said Narine.

The music stations have not yet been selected, but Narine wants to play music that is relatable to the students and up to date with

Ruuna Morisawa/The Runner

Students eating in the Runner Café during the fall 2019 semester. Runner Café is one of many dining options available on campus.

current trends.

This semester will also see the addition of an executive chef to the Runner Café. Narine confirmed that chef Angie Gargano was hired to fill the empty position and will be taking the lead at the Runner Café.

Besides the Runner Café, there are numerous other locations on campus which provide food services to CSUB students:

Starbucks is located at the south end of the Student Union building, accessible through the book store. This is a full-service location that has coffee, drinks, and food to get you through the day.

Panda Express is at the north end of the Student Union building, just as you enter the main doors. This location has all the same options as a Panda Express

may have outside of campus.

There is also a patio for enjoying the fresh air, and various gaming tables in the dining area to relax and unwind with friends.

Runner Express is located on the red brick road across from Science I and is ideal for quick snacks, drinks, and coffee. There is a selection of sandwiches and snacks available. This semester, the Runner Express will be ex-

perimenting with extended hours.

Monday through Friday they will be open until 10 p.m. and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays for a trial basis.

Walter’s Cofffee and Snack Bar is located in the main lobby of the Walter Steirn Library and, much like the Runner Express, has a selection of beverages, snacks, and coffee.

Which Wich is a sandwich and salad shop located along the red brick road at the west end of Science III. Which Wich has a variety of sandwiches and salads as well as a “build your own” option.

The Curbside Kitchen is a food truck located just south east of the Arts and Humanities building that offers many different food truck styles; everything from breakfast burritos, to burgers, to carne asada fries.

Fit & Grub is another food truck located on the south side of Science II near the University Police Department. FIt & Grub focuses on keto and vegan options for those students that are looking for something a little healthier.

Tips for the spring semester: Stay on top

By Jovana Espinoza Reporter After a relaxing and well-deserved winter break, we are back and ready to begin a new semester. The fall 2019 semester was my first at CSU Bakersfield, and as a transfer student, I was not entirely sure what to expect.

My first semester taught me a lot, and there are three pieces of advice I would like to share with incoming freshmen, transfer students, and international students to make their transition a little easier.

First, planning is everything. A college student’s life is often portrayed as stressful and hectic. It can be, but that doesn’t necessarily mean college students should accept this and expect it to be the reality of their entire college experience.

“Only 1.6 percent of undergraduates reported that they felt no stress in the last 12 months,”

@csub_runner

according to the article “Stress in College for 2019: How to Cope” on the Western Governors University website.

Speaking for myself, I do not enjoy living in a constant state of stress and anxiety, and I managed to avoid it for the most part last semester. I quickly saw what worked and what wouldn’t. My first week at CSUB, I felt overwhelmed with the amount of assignments, the fast-approaching due dates, and all the readings that I needed to get done for all my classes. I have never been an organized person, but this would no longer work for me. I realized that I had to get organized.

“Take your first year seriously.

My tip is: use a planner and look at the syllabi to fill in important dates,” Lisset De La Rosa, 20, liberal studies major, said.

If this is too much work, you can always do as I did and compile syllabi into an improvised booklet to use directly as a

planner. I printed all the syllabi, colored-coded each, and stapled them together to keep track of my assignments throughout the semester. Using this booklet as a guide, I felt less stressed about missing an assignment or not completing the reading.

The second thing to know is that time management is crucial.

You have to learn to use your time wisely if you intend to have a productive semester. This is more difficult than it sounds, but it can make the difference between passing and failing. Using your time productively doesn’t necessarily mean spending the entire day with our nose stuck in a book, however. Successful time management means prioritizing the most important and pressing tasks. When a professor gives extra time to complete an assignment, use that time to either complete the assignment or get ahead of the next one instead on browsing social media platforms.

But effective time management also means knowing when to take a break. If a break earlier is what you need to work productively later, scheduling some downtime into your regular routine can be time well-spent, too.

“Start everything early and take study breaks if needed. That’s how I retained my sanity,” Joy Gamble, 24, English major, said.

Finally, and probably the one most students have difficulty doing, be prepared to sacrifice your social life. Prioritize schoolwork over a social life. There is much more freedom in college. College students are adults, and you choose what you do with your time. Some professors might not even take attendance, so it seems easy to blow off a class and go hang out with friends, family, or a significant other.

“Don’t skip class because that’s everything. My friend and I took a class together and we did the same on the exams, but she got

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a higher overall grade because she would go to class,” Eunice Carcamo, 20, psychology major, said.

Professors do remember the people who show up to class consistently and notice who is putting in the effort even when they don’t take attendance regularly. Going to class is not very difficult to do, and can make a difference between a C and a B. Even if you think you’re doing poorly, just keep showing up. It really does make a difference.

Staying on top of our work ensures that we do not live in a constant state of stress. Although these tips have been given before, I reiterate them to emphasize their importance in surviving a semester (or eight) at CSUB. Ultimately, there are only 16 weeks in a semester—which is truly not much time—so giving our undivided attention and energy to every class at hand is not as difficult as it seems.

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Back to School January 21, 2020

The Runner

ASI president welcomes Keep from getting lost in the students back from break CSUB alphabet soup To all our students at California State University, Bakersfield:

By Sofia Martinez Reporter

I hope that you had a wonderful winter break and were able to replenish all your energy!

Whether you are a returning student or an incoming student, I am truly excited to see everyone on our campus. On behalf of the ASI Board of Directors, I would like to welcome you all back to our campus.

I want students to know that your voice matters, and that if you are facing issues, you want to create a new event or tradition at CSUB, or you just need someone to talk to, my team and I will always be here for you with open doors.

We have a lot in store for you this spring semester, and I encourage you to participate, as well as provide us your feedback. The ASI election is coming up soon, and we have a month of activities such as socials, forums, tabling events, and panels to inform you about the different positions and what they do in the board. I really encourage you to run for the positions, for they give great opportunities to expand your network and provide the ability to help many students on our campus and our community.

We are also approaching

New to CSU Bakersfield’s campus? Here is a little survival guide to help you with understanding the acronyms for buildings or organizations commonly used amongst students and faculty: Buildings

Mari Woodmansee/The Runner

Aaron Wan - ASI President 2019-2020

an exciting time, which is CSUB’s 50th anniversary year. Our ASI board, administration, and the staff are working on the planning process for the upcoming year. Big events such as the Runner Nights Concert, Rowdy Con and many others are coming up, so stay tuned for the latest updates.

During the winter break, we were also formulating plans to improve the student section with athletics, and to find ways to enhance school spirit.

If you have any ideas, you are more than welcome to contact us! Furthermore, Runner Spotlights, where we highlight students in our media pages, will be continued this semester.

you had a rough semester or a rough past year, I just wanted you to know that every one of you have the ability to change and better your life at any given day that you want.

I challenge you to get out of your comfort zone and to try the things that you have always wanted to do in life. Keep learning, keep growing, and keep exploring the world. There is great potential in each one of us, and we are the determiner of our own limitations. Continue to inspire the world, and I hope that you have an amazing spring semester.

Your ASI President, Aaron Wan

Lastly, it is a new year! If

Do you have feedback about this article? Contact The Runner via email at runner@ csub.edu or you can email Aaron Wan directly at asi-president@csub.edu ASI Board of Directors meets every Friday from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in ITV Studio Center C on the basement level of the Walter Steirn Library.

Calling for all submissions: The Runner is inviting any individual, club, group, organization, or faculty and administration, to write a guest column for our media platforms. Please contact us by email: runner@csub.edu or the editor-in-chief at sunderwood6@csub.edu

BDC: There are five buildings in the Business Development Center.

Building A is where administrative and faculty offices are. Building B is classrooms. Building C is Extended University.

Building D is the Dezember Leadership Development Center, and Building E is the office of CSUB’s president, Dr. Lynnette Zelezny. The BDC courtyard is where Dr. Zelezny begins her “Runner Walk & Talks,” where she asks students to give her feedback on how they feel about CSUB.

DDH: According to the CSUB self-guided tour, the Dorothy Donahoe Hall “building holds banners on its walls that represent over 100 clubs and organizations at CSUB. Also, inside are faculty offices and classrooms for courses in Anthropology, Criminal Justice, Liberal Arts, Psychology, Social Work, Sociology, and Modern Languages.”

SRC: The Student Recreation Center is a place where students can develop healthy lifestyle activities by working out with the gym equipment or run the track that’s above the basketball court. There’s also personal training, rock climbing competitions, Group X classes that contain various activities such as cycling, kickboxing, yoga, and Zumba.

SU: The Student Union has various offices, including student government (ASI), the Student Involvement office, and Campus Programming.

The Student Union has the Runner Bookstore, where students can rent or buy their textbooks, pencils, Scantrons, and blue books.

The Student Union also has a Panda Express and a Starbucks inside.

WSL: The Walter Stiern Library consists of group

study rooms, individual study desks, computers, laptops to rent, and Walter’s for coffee or snacks to munch on while studying.

Each level has signs posted to indicate the acceptable noise on that level, from silent to collaborative conversation.

ITV: The Instructional Television classrooms allow CSUB professors in Bakersfield to teach for

UPD: The University Police Department is located on the east side of campus near the Science buildings. A fully empowered state police post, UPD is available 24 hours a day to assist students, resolve problems, and investigate criminal activity on campus.

VPSA: A common acronym on university emails about campus events, the

A-B-C’s of CSUB Buildings: BDC: Business Development Center DDH: Dorothy Donahoe Hall SRC: Student Recreation Center SU: Student Center WSL: Walter Stiern Library HOB: Humanities Office Building ITV: Instructional Television (classrooms) Organizations: ASI: Associated Students Incorporated UPD: University Police Department VPSA: Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs CECE: Career Education and Community Engagement

students both here and on the Antelope Valley campus simultaneously via live streaming video. The ITV classrooms are in the basement of the Walter Stiern Library, accessible from the east side entrance.

Organizations

ASI: Associated Students Incorporated is CSUB’s student government organization. Each major has its own ASI representative, and for students looking to get involved with campus development, speaking to their ASI representative is a good first start. The ASI office is located inside the Student Union building, and holds meetings every Frday from 3 to 5 p.m. in the ITU-C.

office of the Vice President for Student Affairs is the campus hub for student organizations and activities. Emails from VPSA tell students about events and activities, available resources, and involvement opportunities on campus.

CECE: The Career Education and Community Engagement office is located next to the Runner Café, and it’s the students’ one stop shop for employment, both on campus and beyond. CECE hosts job postings, resume seminars, skill-building opportunities, and more. CECE also administers the Handshake. com website, CSUB’s online job listing tool.

The Runner

Back to School

The Runner: Your voice Amy Pachla Copy Chief

Ethicist and former director of the Kegley Institute of Ethics Christopher Meyers defines the profession of journalism as reflection with meaning and expression with purpose. Good journalism does more than compile statistics and recount events.

A computer could do that. A journalist is trained to approach those statistics and events with the mind and concerns of the community they serve.

As a reporter, my job isn’t to tell you what to think about what happens, but how it fits into the flow of history and how it impacts you, your family, your friends, and your future. My job isn’t just to tell you things. You tell me the things you want to know. My goal as a journalist is to keep you informed about them.

Almost every college and university has a regular campus news organization. If you transferred from Bakersfield College, you remember The Rip. Maybe your high school had a newspaper or launched a student podcast. At CSU Bakersfield, our news organization is The Runner.

It may be surprising to some, but these student news outlets are just as vital to journalism, both as a practice and a product, as the LA Times, San Francisco Chronicle, or Sacramento Bee.

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January 21, 2020

We aren’t “just student journalno different. We make those calls ists.” When we act as journalists, every week knowing full well we are journalists. that all it’ll take is someone havThat’s what we do here at The ing a bad attitude and something Runner. As students, you are the to hide to get one of us, maybe blood in the heart and the breath even all of us, put on probation, in the soul of this campus, and suspended, expelled, or worse. keeping you informed is why Every year, reports of clashes we exist. As students ourselves, between university adminiswe share your trations and concerns and their respective want to know campus news what you find organizations important. This blow up in the isn’t just another national press. way the school The Southern tells students Poverty Law what’s up. This Center tracked paper is for you hundreds of to tell the school instances of how it’s going student press to go down. censorship and Over the years, retaliation by The Runner has administrators investigated and faculty in Arthur Miller, the misuse of 2018. Prostudent funds, fessors have playwright uncovered blind stolen campus spots in campus newspapers crime reportfrom racks for ing, and illuminated problems reporting on their wrongdoings. in campus procedures affecting Administrations have cut funding both students and staff. to journalism programs in order And believe me, when we act as to limit the amount of reporting journalists, when we serve the they can do in the first place. public interest, people who don’t Some high schools and private want that light put on them abso- colleges have even shut down lutely treat us accordingly. The their student news organizations students on school newspapers entirely to keep their activities face threats of insubordination out of the students’ awareness. and improper student conduct all There is very little we as the the time, and The Runner staff is newspaper staff can do about

“A good newspaper is a nation talking to itself.”

that, either. In 1988, the Supreme Court ruled in Hazelwood v.

Kuhlmeier that elementary and high school administrations have what’s known as “prior restraint” over what their students are allowed to publish in their newspapers. In 2005, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin) extended that prior restraint to colleges and universities. Shortly put, if the administration here doesn’t want us reporting on things, they’re within their legal rights to simply padlock our office door, declare the news over, and dare us to take them to court.

Fortunately for us, CSUB President Lynnette Zelezny has expressed nothing but support, confidence, and pride for The Runner and what we do. Dr. Zelezny understands, just like you do, that the purpose of journalism is to make people’s lives better.

We don’t report on things just to throw mud or make a splash.

The Runner exists to make this campus the best possible iteration of itself, not just for students and staff, but for Bakersfield, for California, and for the world.

This is our goal and our mission, and to support us is to believe in you. We’re not just here for you.

We’re here because of you. We are you.

You are The Runner.

Runner Staff Volume 45, Issue 9

The Runner California State University, Bakersfield 9001 Stockdale Hwy. Bakersfield, CA 93311-1099 661-654-2165 runner@csub.edu ADVISER Jennifer Burger jburger1@csub.edu EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sam Underwood sunderwood6@csub.edu DESIGN DIRECTOR Carlos Hernandez chernandez16@csub.edu PHOTO EDITOR Mari Woodmansee mwoodmansee@csub.edu PODCAST EDITOR Damian Lopez dlopez57@csub.edu FEATURES EDITOR Lauren Hill lhill17@csub.edu SPORTS EDITOR Chris Burdick cburdick@csub.edu SPORTS EDITOR Elisa Fuentes efuentes18@csub.edu COPY CHIEF Amy Pachla apachla@csub.edu LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Send letters to therunner.online@ gmail.com. All letters must be signed, verified, and be no more than 300 words in length. Letters may be edited for clarity and length.

ABOUT US The Runner is a laboratory newspaper published biweekly, in conjunction with the Communications Department at California State University, Bakersfield.

DISCLAIMERS Views and opinions expressed in The Runner are not necessarily those of the editors, staff or the Communications Department. The staff of The Runner reserve the right to refuse or omit any advertising or material which advocates illegal activity, or which may be considered libelous, irresponsible or tasteless.

COPYRIGHT Copyright belongs to the Communications Department at California State University, Bakersfield.

Back to School

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January 21, 2020

The Runner

Four basic tips for students of any major

By Ashley Balcaceres

showers, and rooms available for all the students’ fitness needs.

There is also the Food Pantry where students, faculty, and staff can get free food, including the Pop-Up Produce Pantry, every week. The Student Union also has some hidden gems, like the arts and crafts rooms for making organization posters, event fliers, or other decoration ideas.

These are just a few of the many resources available to CSUB students.

Reporter

When students first begin college, they usually attend an orientation at the university they have chosen. At orientation, students are told where everything is, the names of all the main buildings, the locations of student study areas, restaurants and other places to buy food, and many other details. However, orientation can be overwhelming with the amount of information that is given in a short period of time. The Runner has compiled a list of four basic tips every student attending CSU Bakersfield needs to know.

4. Remember to breathe.

Illustration by Carlos Hernandez/The Runner

1. Keep all your syllabi.

Many CSUB seniors are surprised to learn in their major’s capstone classes that they should have been saving their course syllabi. Many majors have a Senior Seminar class, where students are required to assemble a Senior Portfolio. The portfolio will be an overview of all the courses taken by the student during their time at the university, as well as a personal statement, examples of work, and a

resume. Many students enroll in their capstone classes as seniors not realizing that they needed to be saving their class documents all along, so The Runner is telling you now: Keep all your syllabi.

2. Join a student organization.

Joining an organization not only helps students make connections throughout their university ca-

reers, but also lets them experience fun, new things with the friends they make here. Students can get involved by joining a club, pledging a fraternity or sorority, or even by getting a job on campus. Student activities also look good on a resume to potential employers. CSUB has a lot to offer for clubs, organizations, and activities, and they’re always happy to see new faces

(even The Runner, no matter your major).

3. Make use of all resources avilable.

CSUB has a lot of resources available at no extra cost to all enrolled students, people just have to know where to get them.

The Student Recreation Center has a gym, exercise classes, personal trainers, a basketball court,

The university life is not just about completing school and getting a degree. It’s also about making connections and having the time of our lives. It is about finding what we want out of our lives. Many times, it’s about learning what we don’t want, too.

You’ll be okay. You’ll pass that class (or take another). You’ll pass at life. Don’t worry, it’s going to be alright. Making mistakes is not the end of the world, and you’re here to learn that by making them. Just live your life, do your best, and remember to breathe.

New students welcomed at CSUB with advice

The Runner

Back to School January 21, 2020

How to reduce stress with mindfulness

By Cecilia Torres Opinion Writer

Syllabi need to be printed, books and parking passes need to be bought, finding parking is a challenge, and financial aid troubles need to be fixed as soon as possible. The beginning of the semester is always busy, so busy that it’s easy to forget things that need to get done.

“Mindfulness is the practice of purposely focusing your attention on the present moment – and accepting it without judgment.

Harvard Health’s

Benefits of Mindfulness

That’s where practicing mindfulness comes in.

Mindfulness can help with the overwhelming stress of a busy semester as well as all the other little stressors in your everyday life.

“Mindfulness is the practice of purposely focusing your attention on the present moment – and accepting it without judgment.

Mindfulness is now being examined scientifically and has been found to be a key element in stress reduction and overall happiness” according to the Harvard Health article “Benefits of Mindfulness.”

For students, no matter their age grade level or grade point average, mindfulness can be one of the best tools for success.

We are often told to make conscious decisions about maintaining the physical health of our bodies, whether this be making better nutritional choices or finding new ways to stay active. It only makes sense

ican 15 to 24-year-olds has risen 51% over the past 10 years, attributed to rising levels of depression and anxiety among this age demographic” wrote Garen Staglin for his Forbes article, “Addressing Mental Health Challenges on College Campuses.”

It comes as no surprise that poor mental health affects student performance. There is only so much “pushing through it” and pretending nothing is wrong can do.

Illustration by Lauren Hill/The Runner

that we also take care of our mental health.

Mindfulness can be anything from simply journaling or observing your thoughts and feelings, to the more extensive practices such as meditation and talk therapy.

Jenna Cho writes in her article “6 Scientifically proven benefits of mindfulness and meditation,”

CSUB Theatre Department sets up for a rockin’ semester

By Lauren Hill Features Editor It’s officially the Spring 2020 semester, and the performance schedule for the CSU Bakersfield Theatre Department is sure to guarantee an exciting season.

In March, the Theater Department will debut this year’s spring musical, The Who’s classic rock opera, “Tommy.” With music written by legend Pete Townshend, “Tommy” tells the story of a traumatized child who finds salvation and glory in LSD and pinball wizardry.

According to the CSUB website’s Theatre page, “after witnessing a terrible incident, young Tommy is traumatized into catatonia and as he grows, he suffers abuse at the hands of his sadistic relatives and neighbors. As an adolescent, he’s found to have an uncanny knack for playing pinball and when his mother finally breaks throug his catatonia, he becomes an international pinball superstar who is worshipped and adored.”

The production will run on Mar. 5, 6, 7, 13, and 14, with curtain at 8 p.m. each

Stephanie Williams/The Runner

The cast for CSUB’s Fall 2019 performance of Antigone take a final bow in the Dore Theatre on Oct 26, 2019

evening, and one Sunday matinee on Mar. 15 at 2 p.m. All performances will be in the CSUB Dore Theatre. Tickets are 15 dollars for general admission, 10 dollars for seniors and CSUB Staff and Faculty, and seven dollars for students with identification.

The next production by the Theatre Department will be the Theatre of New Voices, in which students will write, direct, and perform in one-act shows.

According to CSUB’s theater web page, six short plays were selected in a competition in the Spring of 2019 for the New Voices performance.

The Theatre of New Voices will run on April 2, 3, and 4 at 8 p.m., as well as April 4 and 5 at 2 p.m. in the Dore Theatre. Pricing will be the same as the spring musical.

To close out the year, all spring 2020 graduating seniors in the theatre major will present projects that are representative of their education. The Spring Theatre Senior Projects will show one night only, Tuesday, May 12 at 7 p.m., with first-come-first-serve seating for free in the Dore Theatre.

that mindfulness has been proven to do things such as reduce anxiety, prevent and treat depression and help the brain reduce distractions, to name a few.

On a college campus, there is no shortage of anxiety, depression and other mental health issues among the students.

“According to CDC data, suicide rates among Amer-

“Mental health problems can affect student’s energy level, concentration, dependability, mental ability, and optimism, hindering performance,” according to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center. “Research suggests that depression is associated with lower grade point averages, and that co-occurring depression and anxiety can increase this association.

Depression has also been linked to dropping out of

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school.”

While you can take your own approach towards learning to adopt mindfulness practices, such as researching online how to start mindful journaling, eating, or meditation. You can also count on resources here at the CSU Bakersfield campus.

Our Student Health Center here at CSUB offers individual therapy, group therapy and workshops.

Also, there is a crisis counselor you can call by dialing the Counseling Center’s phone number (661-654-3366) and pressing two. They will help you find resources as well as assist you with urgent mental health concerns.

It is never too late to learn about mindfulness. I think all students should practice some form of mindfulness so that they can enjoy the college experience.

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Back to School January 21, 2020

The Runner

CSUB grads celebrate success at fall commencement Photos by Mari Woodmansee Mari Woodmansee/The Runner

Communication graduate Angel waves to his family after receiving his diploma during CSUB fall graduation ceremony at Mechanics Bank Arena on Wedenday, Dec. 11.

Mari Woodmansee/The Runner

Former students celebrate after CSUB fall graduation ceremony at the Mechanics Bank Arena on Wednesday, Dec. 11.

Mari Woodmanseet/The Runner

Mari Woodmansee/The Runner

A Master’s student wipes away tears after receiving her diploma during CSUB fall graduation ceremony at Mechanics Bank Arena on Wednesday, Dec. 11.

Mari Woodmanseet/The Runner

Sabrina Heise shares a kiss with her fiance after graduating from CSUB at the Mechanics Bank Arena on Wedneaday, Dec. 11.

Balloons are dropped to celebrate the CSUB Fall 2019 graduates at the Mechanics Bank Arena on Wedneaday, Dec. 11.

The Runner

Sports January 21, 2020

Basketball winter highlights:

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Roadrunners prepare for conference tournament

By Chris Burdick Sports Co-Editor

While some of us were relaxing over the holiday break with our families and friends, the CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners were busy preparing for their final run in the Western Athletic Conference by taking on some of the nation’s toughest competition.

The CSUB men’s basketball team came into the break with a less than stellar 4-8 record but were able to get things rolling during the start of the winter break with two hard-fought wins.

The Roadrunners’ first road victory of the season came on Dec. 21 against future Big West conference rival Cal Poly University, beating the Mustangs easily with a final score of 72-50.

CSUB returned to the court on Dec. 29 with the hopes of continuing their win streak in their final game of non-conference play against the No. 22 ranked Texas Tech University Red Raiders. The Roadrunners showed their ability to be a presence in the paint by out rebounding the Red Raiders 36-29 and outscoring them close to the basket 22-20. But the Red Raiders were able to pull away behind a solid second half of shooting offensively,

Mari Woodmansee/The Runner Ronne Readus and Greg Lee celebrating after basket against Cal Baptist on Wednesday, Jan. 8 in the Icardo Center.

By: Dustin Tompkins Sports Reporter Track and field, men’s baseball, women’s softball, and women’s beach volleyball will all be getting ready for another exciting season of competition, while swimming and diving and wrestling will be continuing their season this spring.

The ‘Runner’s track and field is set to return this semester. Unfortunately, there are no home events to attend this season for outdoor track and field. The team will be traveling to four different states for their first four meets, with competitions in Flagstaff, AZ, Albuquerque, NM, Norman, OK, and Boise, ID. Director of Track and Field Marcia Mansur-Wentworth and her staff look to have a successful season as the ‘Runners approach their first meet. The women’s indoor team is set to compete on Jan. 10 in Flagstaff, AZ against Northern Arizona University. For those who don’t mind

winning the game with a final score of 72-50.

CSUB has sense begun its final season of WAC conference play with a record of 1-1. Securing an exciting win against the Grand Canyon University Lopes (69-62) on Jan. 4 and picking up a loss at home on Jan. 8 against the California Baptist University Lancers with a final score of 83-75.

The biggest question for this team going forward this season is how the team plans to improve their play while the road where they are being outscored by a margin of 12-points. The Roadrunners’ struggles to find their stride offensively while away from the Icardo Center have led to a road record of 1-6.

But CSUB currently shows plenty of signs of hope for the remainder of conference play. Currently the Roadrunners sit strongly in second place in the WAC in rebounds per game (38.6), third place in points per game this season (72.6), and first place in the WAC and No. 12 nationally in offensive rebounds per game with an average of 13.7.

If the team continues to hold their current rebounding margin against opponents (8.6) there should be no problem turning those extra possessions into easy scoring opportunities going forward.

The CSUB women’s basketball team came into the holiday break with a record of 8-3 and hold an impressive 8-0 record at home. Winter break introduced a new challenge to face for CSUB in the form of a four-game road trip.

The first stop of this four-game road trip for the Roadrunners shaped up to probably be the toughest battle they would have all year, as they on Dec. 29 to take on the No. 3 ranked Oregon State University Beavers.

CSUB came out strong in the first period to hold the lead twice against the Beavers, before OSU’s stunning defense shut CSUB down in the second period. Sophomore forward Jayden Eggleston led the Roadrunners with 15 points in the game and sophomore point guard Ashley Austin contributed as well with a solid 10 point and 4 steal performance, but they fell short to the Beavers with a final score of 69-50.

The Roadrunners attempted to rally in their final non-conference game of the season against the University of California, Riverside Highlanders on New Year’s Eve. Where a last second miss from the free throw line sealed the Roadrunners fate as they fell to UCR 53-52.

traveling, there are several events a few hours out of town. The first is in Long Beach, CA on Friday, Mar. 6 through Saturday, Mar. 7.

Men’s baseball will have a new look this season as head coach Jeremy Beard adds many new faces to the team this year. The signing of former MLB player and new assistant coach Mike Kinkade will help boost the Runners as they hope to have a successful season The first home game will be on Friday, Feb. 14 at 6 p.m. against Washington State at Hardt Field. The two teams will compete three times in three days with matchups on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 1 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 16 at noon.

Women’s softball is set to begin in the spring as well.

Led by head coach Crissy Buck-Ziegler, the Roadrunners look to reestablish themselves this season as WAC conference contenders. After losing a close game last year to Grand Canyon University in the conference championships, they have their sights set on returning to win.

Senior infielder Cydney Curran ended the season with

Mari Woodmansee/The Runner Jayden Eggleston takes on North Texas defenders for a basket on Nov. 26 in the Icardo Center.

CSUB has since been able to turn things around to begin WAC conference play with two solid wins against rivals GCU (59-54) and CBU (66-61) currently sitting them in first place in the WAC. The question for this team is how they can continue their great defensive play and keep this home winning streak going.

The Roadrunners currently sit first in the WAC in steals per game (10.1), second in caused turnovers (18.3), and third in points scored per game (68.3) and points scored against (65.5), establishing themselves as a consistent headache for offenses to deal with.

We know that Head Coach Greg McCall preaches activity on the defensive side of the ball, so if the team continues this trend of tough defense then there is no doubt that they will find themselves towards the top of the standings come tournament time.

With the beginning of the final WAC conference run for both of these squads starting up, the hope from fans is that the CSUB Roadrunners can create some sort of magical championship send-off before it’s too late.

memorable moments. The Hawaii native is ranked second in the nation in triples per game. She also leads the NCAA Division 1 in doubles per game. Softball’s schedule has not been released yet.

Finally, the women’s beach volleyball team will be starting their new season in the spring. Led by head coach Cesar Benatti, they look to notch their first winning record since the 2014 season. Beach volleyball has not released their schedule as well.

The ‘Runner athletic programs are making the transition to the Big West Conference next fall, but the beach volleyball program has not played in WAC, and has been in the Big West. They were eliminated from the NCAA championships last year, but look to improve upon last year’s mark. Standout players from last season are redshirt sophomore Brooke Boiseau and redshirt senior setter Sidney Wicks, who not only play beach volleyball, but indoor volleyball as well.