LONG BEACH STATE UNIVERSITY | VOL. LXX, ISSUE 44 | APRIL 18, 2019
Shared pain shared healing The Long Beach Cambodian community hosts the 2019 Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Day at the Long Beach Fire Union Hall.
Page 9
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INSIDE
ON THE COVER
THE
NINER ASI addresses inequality in public education page 4
Chilynna Lo shares her experiences growing up during the Khmer Rouge. At 11 years old, she was forced to work 16-hour days at a labor camp. JAMES CHOW Daily 49er
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Netflix documentary highlights Beyonce’s performance at Coachella 2018 page 6 Photo story: Cambodian community remembers Khmer Rouge page 9
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NEWS 3
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NIKKI NELSON | Daily 49er
Community members address Long Beach City Council Tuesday about the economic impact Latinos have on the city.
By Nikki Nelson
CITY COUNCIL
Staff Writer
L
eaders from Centro CHA, Inc., the Long Beach Economic Development department and Long Beach State economics department presented a report to City Council that showcased discrepancies in the Latino populations economic status Tuesday. “We have misconceptions that Latino immigrants are taking jobs when in fact the data supporting is that they are creating jobs,” said Megan Ayana, a LBSU economics major. The three groups researched this topic to provide more information about how Latino communities and their economic status impacts Long Beach. “For years we have been telling the story of the needs of the Latino community, but we needed to be able to have data and a roadmap to help guide some of the decisions with our families and youth and children here in the city of Long Beach,” said Centro CHA employee Jessica Quintana. The goal of the research conducted was to analyze and address economic status, education and healthcare rates for Latinos in the
Latinos contribute heavily to Long Beach economy, study finds LBSU students and other organizations showcase findings on the communities economic development. city. The objectives of the project were to share the report with the community and to spark conversation among key policy consider-
ations in the city. The goal was also to serve as a source to promote ongoing work and updates and to inform future research and decision making for the Latino community.
According to their findings, Latinos make 14.7% less money than other races based on median household incomes, yet the immigrant community in Long Beach contributes to job development. The study found that 52,000 Latinos in Long Beach have jobs and bring a total of $16.8 billion to the economy. Latinos also account for 20.6% of Long Beach’s total economic impact on the region. The study also found 43% of the city’s population is Latino, yet Latinos make up 50% of the workforce in Long Beach. According to LBSU economics professor Seiji Steinmetz, Latinos still make a lower household income than any ethnic group in the city. The study reported the poverty rate among Latino families, is 16.4%, with 1 in 6 Long Beach Latino families living below the poverty line in comparison to the 9.8% of all other families living in poverty. The research group urged the council to address these economic discrepancies. “Moral of the story, Latinos work more than anybody else...and Latino immigrants generate a huge impact into our regional economy,” Benitez said. Long Beach City Council will meet Tuesday, April 23 at 4 p.m. at Long Beach City Hall.
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By Ralston Dacanay Staff Writer
As a kindergarten teacher of a struggling South Los Angeles public school largely consisting of Black and Hispanic foster kids, Martha Avila supported the week-long Los Angeles Unified School District strike in January. The dispute was sparked by the lack of teacher assistants, nurses and therapists as well as the excessively high salaries of district executives. Avila was upset by the lack of input low income community members had on education. “That’s where the gap is for me,” Avila said. “Who are these people in power that are rich, never been poor, but are making decisions for the poor people?” Hosted by Associated Students Inc., Avila was one of a diverse panel of educators discussing public education issues during Tuesday’s Unpacking Inequality in Public Education event. The panel spoke about how public education topics in the Greater Los Angeles area affect those who are economically disadvantaged. Among other primary and secondary education topics discussed was the schoolto-prison pipeline environment that exists
RALSTON DACANAY | Daily 49er
SI SJEC Vice Chair Alex Ceja poses a question to the panelists about public schools sharing resources with charter schools.
SENATE
ASI hosts panel to address inequality in public education within low-socioeconomic areas. Frances Canales, the ASI senator for the College of Education, said she experiences this issue firsthand while working as a college advisor at Compton High School.
“I have my seniors coming in complaining about the circumstances they have to get an education in,” Canales said. “Having police on campus, getting talked to like they’re criminals even though they’re just trying to
come to school.” LBSU sociology assistant professor Esa Syeed described the situation. “While this is happening in schools, it’s a reflection of criminalization and policing in communities of color in particular,” Syeed said. Sociology faculty member Eduardo Lara said the path to long-term social justice in public education starts with changes in communities first. “The paradigm is upside-down,” Lara said. “It’s not the schools filtering into communities. It’s what can we do within the community so we can see those changes mirrored within the school.” Lara also discerned the difference between equality and equity in the narratives for social justice. According to Lara, while equality is creating initiatives that force everyone to have the same resources, equity is designing policy and curriculums to communities based on their needs. Senior community health education student Josh Hader attended the event to ask a question for his app, PeriDeals, which aims to address food insecurity among students once fully developed. “What I saw was just passionate educators who altruistically are pursuing change,” Hader said. “It’s really just bunch of people that are interested in students that want to help students. That’s something I respect.”
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Parkwood Entertainment via Netflix
Beyonce directed a documentary about her ground breaking 2018 Coachella performance.
REVIEW
‘Homecoming’ celebrates black womanhood and the HBCU experience Beyonce releases documentary and accompanying album on the anniversary of her iconic Coachella performance. By Jeremy Porr Staff Writer
P
erfection is what we’ve come to expect from Beyoncé everytime she hits the stage; not a hair out of place, not a single note sung offkey, not a single dancer off-beat. Last year, Beyoncé made history as the first Black woman to headline Coachella since the festival’s debut in 1999. As the singer famously said during her career-defining set: “ain’t that bout a bitch?” Beyoncé provided festival goers with a two-hour long show dedicated to the preservation
and celebration of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. A documentary about the historic performance titled “Homecoming,” debuted on Netflix early Wednesday morning. Immediately following the documentary debut, Beyoncé generously provided fans with an accompanying live album of the same name, available across all major streaming platforms. At its core, “Homecoming” is a concert film, but it also explores Beyoncé’s personal life. At one point, Beyoncé discussed the difficulties surrounding the birth of her twins, Sir and Rumi Carter. She also addressed her struggles as a Black woman in the mu-
sic industry, and highlighted the experiences of the cast of dancers and band members that performed alongside her in the show. The singer is notoriously private, so seeing her more vulnerable side is humbling and necessary for fans that view her as “Flawless.” Similar to “Lemonade,” Beyoncé puts herself in conversation with various Black luminaries including Maya Angelou, Audre Lorde and Toni Morrison. Inspirational quotes from all three women are interwoven among the rehearsal and performance footage. The first and second weekends of her Coachella set are featured, and are edited together with concise precision. Throughout the documentary, everyone’s stage outfits seamlessly shift from all yellow during the first weekend of the music festival to all pink in the second weekend. If there’s one thing this performance established, it’s that Beyoncé is the queen of transitions. In the documentary, Beyoncé glides through a long list of her hits with ease. During the performance she also includes voiceovers from activist Malcolm X and highlights songs of the civil rights era including Nina Simone’s cover of “Strange Fruit.” Her greatest hits are impeccably adapted by a live marching band that accompanies her on stage. A booming drumline and flashy brass section make older songs sound new. Classics like “Deja Vu” and “Green Light,” which feature band-like qualities in their original versions sound transcendent with the new arrangements.
“Homecoming” adds depth to what was already a very clear and concise vision from Beyoncé. It’s an important meditation on the HBCU experience, it’s a celebration of black womanhood and it’s a masterclass on the importance of a good work ethic. “Every tiny detail has an intention,” Beyoncé said, during rehearsals. “No matter how many times we go through it, there are notes every time, because there is always something we can improve on.” Footage of the vigorous eight month long rehearsal period is fascinating. Beyoncé described the process as a “return to herself” following a difficult pregnancy and an emergency cesarean-section. “There were days I thought I’d never be the same,” she said. “I’d never be the same physically, my strength and endurance would never be the same.” Despite her struggles, she continued to work tirelessly to deliver a performance that she was proud of. In addition to her wide array of dancers, musicians, step team members and baton twirlers, Beyoncé also enlisted a few special guests to help her wrap things up. Jay-Z, Solange and Destiny’s Child members, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams all accompanied Beyoncé both on stage and off. “Homecoming” is a much needed reprieve from a world where it feels as though there is a groundswell of support for white supremacist ideals on a national and global scale. Overall, the film and the performance itself offer up a brilliant display of black joy and resiliency, and a welcome escape from the harsh reality of today’s world.
ARTS & LIFE 7
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MENTAL HEALTH
Project OCEAN shares a wave of support The organization promotes resilience at their ninth annual event.
SABRINA MESSAOUDI | Daily 49er
LBSU student and volunteer for Live Your Life Day Valerie Valerio, 24, blows in the wind at the bubble blowing stand.
By Alberto Nunez, Tianna Hampton, Sol Mendez Staff Writers
Big smiles, bubbles and bright colors filled the central quad Tuesday morning at the ninth annual Live Your Life Day. The On-Campus Emergency Assistance Network, a suicide prevention group affiliated with Counseling and Psychological Services, invited students to join in and explore the importance of mental wellness from almost 50 different resources. The event, hosted by Project OCEAN, was a “celebration of life and mental wellness” according to their website. Students gained resources, enjoyed fun activities and connected with other students to promote mental health. While this years theme was resilience, Live Your Life Day also focused on connection and growth. “What I love about Live Your Life Day is that it was generated by students. Each year, students contribute to the ideas,” said CAPS psychologist, Lauren Jensen. “My biggest hope is that students have a day where they can do something fun and light, and pop the bubble of the everyday routine by getting into the moment and out of the other worries in the day.” For those who wanted to tap into their artsy side, students
could paint, color or add a personal butterfly note to the transformation tree. Hammocks, a lounge area and therapy dogs were also available for students that wanted to do something a little more relaxed. Mlou Aquino, a first-time volunteer at the event, invited students to paint to de-stress and encourage them to think about the event’s theme of resilience when painting. “It’s good to show support for the mental health community, and it’s good to show that there are resources on campus and there are people that care,” Aquino said. One organization present at the event was Active Minds, a non-profit group that provides education, research, and opens up the conversation about mental health. The goal of Active Minds was to focus on fighting the stigma of students talking about their mental health problems. “I have my own story on my mental health journey and even though I am okay now, there are a lot of people that don’t know where to get help,” said Sophie Pung, a senior health science major and president of Active Minds. “Our resources here are very comprehensive from the gym, to acupuncture, to CAPS, and all the clubs here.” Power 4 Youth, another local non-profit group, set up a table to recruit mentors for teenagers and youthw. Sanana Budhathoki, a spokesperson for the organization, said an academic mentoring program for youth could help develop healthy mental habits at a young age. “Most of the time it’s more about the behind the scenes
issues that are keeping them from doing good in school,” Budhathoki said. LBSU makes an effort to have a wide variety of programs for students to seek assistance for their mental health, especially for students that are hesitant to open up about their problems and are afraid to admit they struggle with mental wellness. Live your Life Day aims to normalize the conversation. “The school itself is insane with what it offers and that was one of the reasons why I came here,” said Riel Stephenson a junior sociology student. “I’ve been in therapy since I was 13, so I am very much in the stigma fighting concept of it all.” Strings of origami cranes created with the help of volunteers hung from tents as students walked through the central quad. Many students lined up to get a balloon animal or snap a picture with friends in the photo booth while other students explored essential oils, meditated and grabbed snacks. Participants were also able to win prizes and collect stickers that they could exchange for a free lunch or for time at the photo booth. Javier Gonzales volunteered at the prize-giving booth where students could win anything from a tote bag to an LBSU engraved cup. “It’s great to take some time to relax and enjoy your day especially at this time because we’re getting real close to finals and a lot of students are getting stressed out,” he said.
8 ARTS & LIFE
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EVENT
Students test their wits for prizes at LBSU Trivia Night By Alex Lucio Jr. Staff Writer
Nine teams battled it out Tuesday evening in the University Student Union Sunset Lounge for gift cards to Amazon, AMC and Target at the Beach Pride Trivia Night. The teams competed in five rounds with eight questions each. The different categories ranged from Disney movies, 2000’s music quiz, pop culture to “Are you smarter than a college student?” Some questions that the contestants were asked were: where does Mufasa live? What was the name of the paper company from “The Office?” What is one of three countries completely within another country? When Cory Coogan, senior marketing major, found out about the trivia night he said “We came last year so let’s get the team back
together,” and contacted Celeste Marquez and Javey Garcia who competed in last year’s tournament where they placed top three. The competing teams created funny names such as “Eggs,” “Zooey and the 101’s,” and “Approximately Normal.” Virgilio Manalo, senior information management major from team “Aight, I’m Stupid” said that having a drink at The Nugget Grill and Pub before Trivia Night gave him the competitive edge to beat the other teams and claim second place. Winning first place was “Nice Pants,” second was “Aight, I’m Stupid” and third was “Yeet-Haw.” Each member in “Nice Pants” won a $50 gift card to Amazon. The second place team won $25 gift cards to AMC Theaters and the third place team received $15 gift cards to Target. “We played off the letters A.I.S. from our student organization, Association for Infor-
mation Systems,” said Jeimy Rodriguez, a sophomore accounting and information systems major and member of “Aight, I’m Stupid.” Beach Pride Events Program Assistant Karen Jimenez said it was a successful event because nine out of ten teams attended the event which gives her motivation to host the event again next year. “I love Disney and when [the MC] mentioned Disney everyone got really happy and excited, so that’s definitely a round we should keep,” Jimenez said. All participants received free Panda Express and leftovers were offered to students studying in the USU hallways. Mocktails were also served to wash down the chow mein, orange chicken and broccoli beef. There will be another trivia tournament at The Nugget on April 25th from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
ALEX LUCIO JR. | Daily 49er
Beachpride Program Assistant Karen Jimenez shuffles raffle tickets to select the winner of a gift card.
that is Earth Week themed. That event will be hosted by Sustainable Transportation, CSULB Sustainability, Sustain U, Beach Pride Events, Ride CSULB, CSULB SSC and the 49er Shops.
CALFRESH OUTREACH DAY APRIL 25, 2019 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM SPACES A & B (FRONT OF UNIVERSITY BOOKSTORE)
CalFresh@csulb.edu (562) 985-1716 Funded by USDA SNAP, known in California as CalFresh, an equal opportunity provider and employer, and the California Department of Social Services. Revised on 11/28/16
ARTS & LIFE 9
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MEMORIAL
Long Beach honors victims of Cambodian genocide Survivors of the Khmer Rouge tearfully shared their stories growing up during Cambodian nationalist Pol Pot’s regime, which claimed the lives of almost two million people. April 17, 2019 marked the 44th anniversary of the fall of Phnom Penh to the Khmer Rouge guerrillas. The Long Beach Cambodian community hosted Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Day Wednesday to honor those affected by one of the worst mass atrocities of the 20th century. The event featured traditional song, prayer and a panel discussion with people who were directly affected by Pol Pot’s regime.
Clockwise from left to right. Huoy Lor, board member of Cambodia Town Inc., prays during a traditional Cambodian Buddhist ‘Bang Skol’ ceremony. Flower wreaths were decorated with ribbons reading Long Beach officials’ names and the phrase, “We Remember 1975-1979” to commemorate the 44th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge. Soup Pha sings a Cambodian ballad called ‘Pong Savada Khmer.’
Photos by James Chow | Daily 49er
10 OPINIONS
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POLITICS
The 2020 election candidates bring diversity to table Twenty-one unique candidates will be competing to win the presidential race.
ILLUSTRATION BY RYAN GUITARE | Daily 49er
The 2020 presidential election has a wide verity of candidates from all walks of life.
By Nikki Nelson & Sabrina Flores Staff Writers
The presidential election of 2020 is set to showcase a multitude of diverse candidates, opening the race up to a new sense of progressiveness that has never been seen before. The emergence of diversity hints at a wave of change for the White House that may be much needed, especially following a president who is infamously known for being unsupportive of racial diversity. Five women, two African Americans, one LGBTQ member, one independent party, one Asian American and others stemming from diverse backgrounds have announced plans to compete. The final bid was submitted by Peter Buttigieg on April 14. The unusual composition of next year’s lineup has the potential to give President Trump, who is also in the running for re-election, a tough run for his throne. This reality is even more tangibile due to the fact that nearly every candidate has prior political experience and served their community in some way. Previous experience
and knowledge is something many Americans find comforting in candidates, unlike our current president. These attributes help ensure that the future president will understand the political hardships and expectations of occupying a position of authoritative power. An arsenal of experience, be it small or large, also alludes at a better understanding of public policy and how things should function within the government, which is unlike our current president’s disregard for the rules. Those looking to run against President Trump include Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Tulsi Gabbard, Miriam Williamson, Kirsten Gillibrand and Amy Klobuchar, who are all women claiming a spot in the 2020 presidential election. This is the largest amount of women in the running ever. A poll conducted by NBC News and the Wall Street Journal Survey said 85 percent of Americans said they were enthusiastic about or comfortable with a female candidate. A woman in the White House would also be something I would be comfortable with as a fellow woman. Not only do I approve, but I would be a landmark for women, who only
received the right to vote in 1920. Nearly 100 years later, the reality of a woman president may actually happen. While diversity is important, it is also essential that voters do their research on the backgrounds of the contenders in order to make a more educated decision. For example, Harris is the first with Jamaican and Indian ancestry to run for the presidential bid. However, there are claims Harris violated the constitution for multiple drug defendants, leading to their cases being dismissed. This is why it is essential that anyone intending to visit the polls next year does some background research on the candidates to make a difference and cast an educated vote. Despite there being a record amount of women running, there are also multiple candidates with diverse backgrounds, a welcome change to those who are exhausted of having to choose between two white, heterosexual men. Corey Brooker is a Black candidate who is running, following Barack Obama who was elected as the first Black president in 2008. Sexuality has also become a point of consideration for United States citizens as Butt-
igieg is the first openly gay politician in the presidential running. While the topic of LGBTQ rights is still a controversial subject, Buttigieg has received voter support. Based on a poll from the NBCWall Street Journal 70% of people are accepting of the openly gay candidate. Having an openly gay president is something the U.S. has never experienced but it’s something I would support, given that the candidate performs adequately. While there is more diversity present that before, there are still Caucasian Americans in the running, such as Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. Although this positions of power have historically lied in the hands of affluent white males, those capable of voting must realize that the U.S. is a very diverse nation. Therefore, any presidential figure should represent this regardless of their ethical, cultural or sexual background. The 2020 election will be an interesting race to follow as we watch it all unfold. Change and diversity could be good for the American people, the public just needs be open to it.
SPORTS 11
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SOFTBALL
49ers host Gauchos By Sierra Martinez
Assistant Sports Editor MistJournalist
Long Beach State softball will see a bit of pressure lifted off its shoulders as it continues Big West Conference play against UC Santa Barbara in a double header 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Friday at the Softball Complex. Santa Barbara (7-33, 1-8 Big West) currently sits at the bottom of the Big West Conference standings, the same position the team held at the end of the 2018 season. “We go into each game with the same mindset as if we’re playing the number one team in the nation,” senior utility Jamie Wren said. “We always want to play at our best.” Santa Barbara’s single Big West victory came against third place UC Davis, where the game ended 3-1 due to multiple errors by the Aggies’ defense. Although the Gauchos may not have a promising record, there are a few key players that help the team stay competitive with
their Big West opponents. A power hitter to look out for is sophomore outfielder Sammy Fabian, who holds a batting average of .420, the second-best in the Big West and second-highest in the history of the softball program at Santa Barbara. Fabian leads the team with 50 hits and 14 runs scored. A second standout is junior infielder Genesis Ramirez, who has scored the most runs on the team with 15 and has racked up 10 RBIs in 24 hits. Despite sitting in fifth place in the Big West, Long Beach State has produced at least one run in every Big West match this season. As a team, the 49ers hold the highest batting average in the Big West at .290. Long Beach has no problem showing up on the offensive end, but has lost important games due to defensive errors. “We’re doing a lot of good things in practice like relays, throwouts at the plate and defense. We just have to find a way to put it all together and get some better results,” head coach Kim Sowder said. A key factor to the team’s batting average is Wren, who leads the team in batting aver-
AUSTIN BRUMBLAY | Daily 49er
Senior Taylor Jarique tags a runner at home plate to record an out for the 49ers Sunday against Fullerton. age since the start of Big West play. Wren is batting .359 and has accumulated nine doubles, two triples and six home runs to put forward a slugging percentage of .602. She has also brought in the most runs on the team with 37, putting her in third place for most RBIs in the Big West. Another powerhouse is sophomore infielder Alyssa Gonzales, who has blasted
nine doubles, one triple and five home runs, all while wrangling in 33 RBIs. “Continuing to fight and finding a way,” Sowder said about her hopes for the team this weekend. “Finding a way to finish the game strong and trying to find that winning mindset. Finding a way to pick each other up and continue to fight with everything we have.”
12 SPORTS
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MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Long Beach aims for Big West championship The 49ers will be the top seed in the tournment for the second year in a row. By Bryan Aparicio
Assistant Sports Editor BryanAparcio_
The regular season has ended for the Long Beach State men’s volleyball team, but now it’s the beginning of the quest for a national championship. After finishing the season with back-toback wins inside the Walter Pyramid, Long Beach (25-1, 10-0 Big West) will head into the Big West tournament as the top seed. The tournament kicks off Thursday 8 p.m. in the Stan Sheriff Center in Hawaii with four teams competing in the quarterfinals. Both Long Beach and Hawai’i will have a bye and face the winners of the matches played Thursday. Here are the matchups for Thursday’s games: No. 3 UC Irvine will square off against No. 6 UC San Diego 5 p.m. and the winner will face No. 2 Hawai’i 10:30 p.m Friday. No. 4 UC Santa Barbara will battle with No. 5 CSUN 7:30 Thursday, with the winner facing No. 1 Long Beach State 8 p.m. Friday. Saturday’s championship match will kick off 11 p.m., with the winner receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament hosted in the Walter Pyramid. Head coach Alan Knipe described the difficulty and intensity the 49ers need to have now that the postseason is here. “The margins get thinner now,” Knipe
said. “You’re no longer seeing any teams that aren’t going to be able stress you in certain areas and perform and have some balance to what they can do on the court.” Long Beach lead with its high-powered offense, ranking No. 2 in the nation at .414. The 49ers will receive an extra offensive weapon with sophomore outside hitter Ethan Siegfried inserted into the starting lineup. After being inserted into the lineup for senior outside hitter Louis Richard in Saturday’s matchup, Siegfried responded to the call with a 16 kill, 10 dig and four block performance, which earned him Big West defensive player of the week. “It would be wrong for me not to address the fact that Ethan played tremendous in a big moment and brought a really good spark to our team and gave us a different look,” Knipe said. “I feel like I’m in a great situation that I’ve got two guys ready for that spot.” Carrying the Big West Player of the Year in senior opposite Kyle Ensing, along with three other first-team all-conference players in seniors TJ DeFalco, Josh Tuaniga and Nick Amado, the 49ers will have plenty of momentum going into the tournament. “It’s just kind of a flip of the switch,” Ensing said. “Now it’s playoff time, it’s time to go and time to show the world that we can do it.” Long Beach will play the winner of UCSB vs. CSUN 8 p.m. Friday in the Stan Sheriff Center.
BIG WEST TOURNAMENT BRACKET FRIDAY 7:30
FRIDAY 5:30
NO. 4 SANTA BARBARA
NO. 3 UC IRVINE WINNER TAKES ON NO. 1 LONG BEACH
NO. 5 NORTHRIDGE
WINNER TAKES ON NO. 2 HAWAI’I NO. 6 SAN DIEGO
All games will be held at the Stan Sheriff Center in Hawai’i. All matches will be streamed on BigWest.TV and available via Spectrum Sports on the islands.
AUSTIN BRUMBLAY | Daily 49er
Redshirt senior middle blocker Nick Amado spikes the ball against Hawai’i Saturday in the Walter Pyramid.