CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH
VOL. LXVIX, ISSUE 71 | APRIL 19, 2018
49er
D CONTEST
A hotter alma mater Meet the men behind Cal State Long Beach’s new alma mater song. By Samantha Diaz Photos by Shyanne Riberal-Norton | Daily 49er
Arts & Life Editor
Students march across campus as part of the Take Back the Night event Wednesday night. Beginning in 1976, the event has been aimed at raising awareness for gender equity.
PROTEST
Taking back the fight Women’s and Gender and Gender Equity Center bring survivors out to promote sexual harassment and inequality awareness. By Shyanne Riberal-Norton Assistant Arts & Life Editor
A small, but mighty congregation commanded the attention of the campus Wednesday with loud chants and neon signs as they marched across campus to Take Back the Night. The international event has been fighting for equality and raising awareness of sexual harassment since 1976. This year’s annual event was hosted by the Women’s and Gender Equity Center at Cal State Long Beach. Around 50 participants visited tables and listened to speakers talk about their experience with inequality and sexual assault. The center invited Cindy De La CruzBrown, alumna of Cal State Long Beach, to speak about why spreading awareness about sexual harassment is such an important issue. She is also a Community Organizer at the Long Beach chapter of Building Healthy Communities. De La Cruz-Brown said when women come forward about being harassed or abused, the common response is to ask what was wearing when it happened. “The fact that is even a response is problematic to me,” De La Cruz-Brown said. “I don’t co-sign on something like that. It validates the objectification of women but also affirms how a woman’s word is commonly devalued.”
Members of the Women’s Gender and Equity Center prepare to march across campus along with almost 50 students. The event ended with a safe safe, allowing survivors of sexual assault to comfortably share their stories.
The night started with information tabling on subjects such as Denim Day, the Peace Corps and a sign-making booth for participants. After introductions and speeches by De La Cruz-Brown, her colleagues joined students in a march from the Maxson Plaza next to Brotman Hall to the Anatol Center. Once reaching the center, participants watched a sexual harassment awareness interACT performance. InterACT is a social justice awareness group of performers from Cal State Long Beach who encourage audience participation in their reenactments of sexual assault
scenarios. The night concluded with a safe space, where sexual assault survivors and those personally affected spoke to audience members to share their stories. Jorge Sandoval, psychology senior, was one of the only men to attend the march. He said he feels that this is not only a women’s issue. “We have to stand in solidarity, and change the culture.” Sandoval said. “Just the simple act of walking alone at night can be so tasking on a woman. It’s important for guys to support so [women] can get their night back.”
There are few things more rewarding than having your own words and music forever tied to your school’s history — actually, there are about 5,000 things. Two students have been chosen as the winners for the alma mater song contest that President Jane Close Conoley announced via mass email in late December, cementing their legacy at the school and winning a generous monetary prize of $5,000 each. “The President came up with the idea for a new alma mater as the old one wasn’t very memorable,” said Carolyn Bremer, the associate director for the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music. After receiving roughly 150 submissions for both the lyrics and music for the song, a panel of students, faculty, staff, alumni, athletes and members of the community selected one set of lyrics and one melody. While typically words and music work in tandem, for this project the contestants worked on their own to create one or the other and submit them separately. Third year jazz major Christian Valdez won the lyrics portion of the contest, while vocal performance major Kyle Gabriel was chosen for his music entry. According to Bremer, Conoley directed the panel to choose a song that “represents the values of our Beach Family and illustrates diversity, innovation, academic rigor, sustainability, justice, public good and community.” The panel chose the lyrics for the alma mater first, then sent out another email with the new lyrics, stating they only were deliberating on the music. The new lyrics are more modern than its predecessors, free of “thous” and “thees,” instead with key words such as “dreamers” and “black and gold.” “I feel silly when I say something see MUSIC, page 4
2 NEWS
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2018 DAILY49ER.COM | CITYD49ER@GMAIL.COM
FORUM
The do’s and don’ts of dope Cannabis talk brought students together as guest speakers dished out the “4-1-1 on 4/20.” By Sabrina Flores
Assistant Photo Editor
All perspectives on the longstanding cannabis debate converged Wednesday as experts and advocates came together to discuss the green debacle. The event took place in Room 303 of the University Student Union for this week’s Wellness Wednesday, “What’s the 4-1-1 on 4/20: It’s legal, what now?” This week’s session took a broadly informative approach to tackle the haze surrounding cannabis, address issues including legality, medicinal uses and chemical composure. Megan Venter, marijuana education program coordinator for Long Beach, took the opportunity to address the city’s response to the legalization of recreational
marijuana. “My role is to make sure that everyone in Long Beach has the information they need to make safe, healthy and legal decisions about cannabis use, whatever it may be,” Venter said. “So our role is to make sure that we’re providing accurate information that we can back up with scientific evidence.” Also present at the information session was Pam Chotiswatdi, a weed advocacy blogger with a master’s in public health who is fighting the stigma surrounding marijuana. According to Chotiswatdi, the only two chemicals that have a direct effect on consumers are THC and cannabidiol, the remaining compounds being comparable to “taking vitamins.” “We’re actually in a cool place in history in looking at cannabis because we’re looking at it so close right now,” Chotiswatdi said. “Before prohibition, we Americans used cannabis in our house, we’d go to a pharmacy and tell them we have a stomach ache and they would make us a concoction and usually it had cannabis in it.”
So there is a lot of justification in regards to health, where people are using cannabis to treat things rather than to just get high.”
“
Megan Venter, Marijuana education program coordinator According to both Chotiswatdi and Venter, accumulating accurate and reliable information on the topic is difficult because it is still illegal at the federal level, but students were briefed on the various methods to consume cannabis and the range of effects on the body. This then segued into the demographics of reported use in Long Beach, which included the percentages of users per age group among other things. Venter compared the percentages of individuals consuming the drug in Long Beach to users in all of Los Angeles County and found that the city itself shows a
higher number of reported users than the county. Many users commonly claim they use the active chemicals in the plant, which are THC and CBD, to help treat disorders such as depression, anxiety and insomnia. “So there is a lot of justification in regards to health, where people are using cannabis to treat things rather than to just get high,” Venter said. Danica Cruz, intern at Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services, also touched on both the long-term and shortterm effects of cannabis use such as memory loss, a delay in brain development and lung diseases. Another subject covered at the workshop was marijuana DUIs, including the fact that blood tests can be conducted on those who are suspected to be under the influence. According to Cruz, cannabis can stay in the blood for about two weeks, which can ultimately lead to individuals who haven’t been smoking and driving still being charged with a DUI. Chotiswatdi also warned students on the dangers of “greening out,” or overloading cannabinoid
receptors in the brain by consuming too much cannabis. While it is nearly impossible to overdose on cannabis unless over 40,000 milligrams of THC is consumed, it is entirely possible to “over-do” the drug. “The way to avoid a green-out is to know your dose, not only the amount you’re dosing but what you’re dosing,” Chotiswatdi said. “People don’t have to get so baked; they don’t have to smoke the whole joint; they don’t have to eat the whole cookie.” Students participated by engaging the speakers in a question and answer throughout the duration of the forum . “It’s interesting because it is so relevant with what’s going on right now,” said Nicole Lunde, a junior majoring in Health Science. “I appreciate that the school would have a workshop on a topic that has debate. I love that they did the workshop and specifically highlighted some of those differences [between federal and state law] to inform us because you don’t want to get in trouble for something you don’t even know you’re doing wrong.”
ASI
Senate addresses racism at Cal Poly SLO Senators plan to write a letter to denounce racist behavior in San Luis Obispo. By Lorraine Debbas Staff Writer
Hunter Lee | Daily 49er
Destiny Bell, a junior English education major and Alexis Wolfe, a sophomore English education major, attempt to take selfies while jumping onto the bounce house’s velcro wall.
A
Don’t kid yourself
bounce house covered the lawn in the quad as part of the Communications 337 Professional Event Planning class’ Kidulting event Wednesday. Partnered with Operation Jump Start, an organization aimed at providing low-income, high-potential students the opportunity for a college education, the event allowed students to destress and “feel like a kid again,” while raising awareness for the organization.
Students were outraged at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo two weeks ago when a fraternity was exposed for racist behavior at a party. This week, flyers were found by a SLO professor targeting African-American students, creating more controversy for the campus. This situation did not go unnoticed at this week’s Associated Students Inc. senate meeting as senator of health and human services Courtney Yamagiwa led a discussion about the behavior. Yamagiwa suggested the senate show solidarity and support for the student government in SLO. “There have been student organizations on Cal Poly’s campus that have come together and try to make action happen to...stop this behavior,” Yamagiwa said. “I thought it would be really nice of us as a board to show support of those student activists. We need to let our student body know that we don’t want anything like that happening on our campus.” see SLO, page 3
NEWS 3
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2018 DAILY49ER.COM | CITYD49ER@GMAIL.COM
EVENT
Thinking outside the bars ASI will host an event where former prison inmates will talk to the student body about life after prison. By Wayne Camp Staff Writer
Before actor Danny Trejo was “Machete,” he was a foreman who spent the better part of a decade in and out of jail. On April 23, he and two other keynote speakers will tell the stories of their lives as formerly incarcerated individuals to an auditorium of students. Associated Students Inc., Rising Scholars and the School of Criminology, Criminal Justice and Emergency Management will host the event called “From Death to Life.” The event is free to students and will have limited seating. It will take place in the University Student Union Ballrooms from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Speakers will include Trejo, who has starred in “Machete” and “Spy Kids,” Scott Budnick, who produced the first
Courtesy of ReelBugs
Danny Trejo, along with Scott Budnick and Gary Tyler, will be featured as keynote speakers for the “From Death to Life” panel.
two films of “The Hangover” series and former prisoner Gary Tyler, who was convicted for first degree murder at the age of 17. This event is to give students, especially those studying criminal justice, a chance to understand what people go
through after being sent to jail or prison. Due to the stigma that often comes along with being imprisoned, many former convicts struggle in society after being released. “Once I heard about this event, I thought to myself that I have to go, because as someone who is Hispanic, it is been a tough road trying to recover from my past,” said Robert Hernandez, a senior studying political science. “I did a lot of dumb stuff when I was younger and I would love to hear the stories of people who have walked in shoes similar to mine, especially minorities.” Trejo has been a strong advocate for giving formerly incarcerated people a second chance after being incarcerated many times throughout the ‘50s and ‘60s. He has been sober from drug use for over 40 years. “I’m a big fan of Danny Trejo because of the Mexican representation he offers in Hollywood,” said Edward Sanchez, a senior studying communication studies. “My parents are big fans of him as well. He has literally turned himself from a negative to a positive, so how can we not love him? I am going to go to this.”
SLO
continued from page 2 Yamagiwa brought up the concern to senator at-large Thulani Ngazimbi this week and the two of them suggested to the senate writing a letter of support and sending it to the student government at Cal Poly. “The most important thing about this case is that the president of SLO has gone on the record and said that there is no indication that racism is a problem in the United States and he has also said that there is no indication of racism at SLO,” Ngazimbi said. “That level of ignorance is so astounding.” The senate has spent a year trying to pass a resolution that deals with the problem of hate speech and racism at Cal State Long Beach. With last week’s success of passing the resolution “ASI Against White Supremacy,” the senators were quick to address racism in the Cal State system. “As far as we are over here, we still care about these things and are still in support of the student activists,” said senator of the college of liberal arts Melissa Mejia. A draft of the letter will be written this week and presented to the senate at next’s weeks meeting before being sent out.
Journalism and Public Relations Day Navigating Borders: Careers, Cultures and Countries
USU Ballrooms Wednesday, April 25 Coffee and Refreshments 8:30 - 9:30 a.m.
Panel: Navigating Careers 9:30 - 10:45 a.m.
Panel: Reporting on Borders and Cultures 11 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Lunch and Awards Ceremony 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Networking and Mentoring Fair 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Featuring Professionals:
Stephanie Mendez ABC7
Jimmy Szczepanek Porter Novelli
Tracy Boucher Los Angeles Times
Marcello Sawyer American Public Media Group
Kara Bautch Make-A-Wish
4 ARTS & LIFE
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2018 DAILY49ER.COM | ARTSNLIFED49ER@GMAIL.COM
EARTH WEEK
Planting the seed of sustainability CSULB wants its students to be aware of the current environment conditions by participating in an arts and crafts event. By Wayne Camp Staff Writer
The Southwest Terrace became a sea of green as students created their own succulent pots, flower crowns and containers of compost at the Eco Crafts Fair. Cal State Long Beach hosted the fair in celebration of Earth Week, and the event promoted students transitioning into more green-friendly habits. Booths were set up with activities ranging from trivia questions, cornhole and flower planting. Many students were spreading information about things that hurt the planet, from threats to the ozone layer all the way to issues going on in Long Beach. “We are one of the most sustainable campuses in the entire CSU system and we just want to spread awareness about things that are going on in our own backyard,” said Melissa Sanchez, a junior studying graphic design. “I believe if more people know about these issues, the higher the chances are of making progress.” Most students tried to acquire one of the earth-friendly backpacks made with recycled materials that read “Earth Week 2018.” The backpacks were free for students who went through all of the booths. Students happily left the event while stuffing their packs of soil and flower seeds into their new bags. “I love Earth Week and this is something that I think a lot of students should just come and check out, know exactly what is going on with their planet,” fourth year political science major Maddy Braverman said. “I think that once someone does research on these things, they would easily be compelled to make changes in their lives.”
MUSIC
continued from page 1 like ‘thous and thyes,’” Valdez said. “I wanted to write something that didn’t feel silly to say out loud, but also had that timeless feel to it …. Something that captured the appreciation I feel for this place and the memories I associate with it.” After hearing about the competition through the email blasts, Valdez sat down during winter break and researched other school’s anthems, then came up with the lyrics in one sitting. A few weeks passed, and Valdez heard nothing — until he was playing video games with his friend and got an email from Conoley with the subject line: “You are the winner!” “I was just taken aback by it,” Valdez said. “It feels pretty surreal, it’s incredibly flattering and validating. You’re always scared [that] you’re not good at [songwriting] and that art is not something serious to pursue, so it always feels good to get recognition
and think, ‘Maybe this is something I can do.’” Once the lyrics were chosen, all that was needed were the music and melodies. Kyle Gabriel heard about the contest through his vocal jazz group, Pacific Standard Time. Gabriel used a combination of woodwinds such as the flute, oboe and bassoon to create a computer-generated melody, which he felt went well with Valdez’s lyrics. “I’m proud I won, and I consider it a huge honor, knowing that I had even the smallest hand in Cal State Long Beach history,” Gabriel said. While creating a piece of Long Beach history and winning money are certainly perks of being chosen, Gabriel is hoping the contest will help him be accepted into the vocal performance major, as he is currently waiting to hear back on his transferring majors. Gabriel was at home when he received a text from his mother with the news, just one minute after the school sent the email out. “I was ecstatic, which is weird because I’m not super emotional,”
Photos by Sabrina Flores | Daily 49er
Brandon Amaya, above, a sophomore majoring in health science, directed visitors toward games attached to the Breathe campaign booth at this year’s Ecofair. Students were invited to participate in a multitude of eco-friendly arts and crafts activities, left, such as making totes and potting their very own succulents.
OLD
NEW
LONG BEACH STATE ALMA MATER
CAL STATE LONG BEACH ALMA MATER
Alma Mater Hail to Thee And We Pledge Our Loyalty To the College of Our Choice Thee We Serve With Hand and Voice
Home to scholars, artists, dreamers All are welcome here Maker of tomorrow’s leaders Now and through the years
Now and in the Future Bright Citadel of Truth and Right Honor, Glory and Renown All are Thine Dear Gold and Brown
Love for all that came before us In our hearts we hold, Always honor, truth, and justice Always black and gold Rise and innovate forever Ever higher reach, All our lives we shall remember Beautiful Long Beach Photo Illustration by Drew Mametsuka | Daily 49er
The old alma mater lyrics were deemed outdated, with “thees” and “thines” gracing the stanzas. Two students came up with a more modern version of the song, which will be introduced with the music at this year’s commencement.
Gabriel said. “In one sense it is just another gig, but it’s relevant to my life and it’s more special.”
While the lyrics have been released to the school, the new alma mater will premiere for the
first time during spring commencement, which both men are attending.
WWW.DAILY49ER.COM
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2018
Sau Yu Tang Animation
5
6 OPINIONS
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2018 DAILY49ER.COM | OPEDD49ER@GMAIL.COM
POLITICS
Don’t memorialize your heroes As the debate over historic statues continues, we should be honest about their complicated legacies. By Daniel Green Opinions Editor
T
he contentious debate over the legacies of historical figures continued this week as the movement to demolish controversial statues heard an argument from both sides. On Monday, a board in New York City voted to remove a statue of a controversial 19th century doctor. Wednesday, Tennessee punished Memphis by stripping the city of $250,000 in state funds, a direct response to Memphis removing two Confederate statues last December. Overall, the two sides disagree over how to properly remember historical figures with complicated pasts. Should we honor them despite their flaws or are we whitewashing history? What we shouldn’t do is ignore the issue in an attempt to respect history or legacy. Sometimes people who do great things also commit horrible acts. What matters most is how we frame them and remember their legacy. Building a memorial doesn’t do this. A statue of a man posed in a position of strength and dignity doesn’t provide context or give the audience a true history of the person. Over the last year, the battle over monuments and the history of the people who influence them has been a constant debate. As we look back and reflect on the actions of these individuals, some have reconsidered whether or not they deserve to be honored. The most recent argument came up this week as New York City’s Public Design Commission voted to remove the statue of J. Marion Sims. Sims is acknowledged as the father of modern
Marcus Santos | New York Daily News
NYC Parks department employees remove the monument to Dr. James Marion Sims on Tuesday, April 17, at New York’s landmark Central Park. Dr. James Marion Sims (18131883) was a noted obstetrician and gynecologist whose medical advances were achieved through practice of surgical techniques on enslaved Black women.
gynecology, but his history is much darker than his statue suggests. Much of Sims’ findings came from experiments done on women who were slaves, and many times these experiments were done without any anesthesia. While his experiments were influential in creating procedures that have since helped many women, some rightfully have brought up the women who suffered through his research. Considering this part of his history, it seems extremely disrespectful to portray him as a gentle figure. This essentially erases the pain of the women upon whom he built his legacy. One of the common arguments is that removing a statue like Sims’ obscures them from history and some have even claimed that it is a form of censorship. That was one of the main arguments made last year when the statues of
Daily 49er Miranda Andrade-Ceja Editor-in-Chief eicd49er@gmail.com
Editorial Office Phone (562) 985-8000 Fax (562) 985-7994
1250 Bellflower Blvd., LA4-201 Long Beach, CA 90840-4601
News Editor Kat Schuster cityd49er@gmail.com
By taking down these statues we are not forgetting these figures, we are only removing them from a place of respect. There is a difference between remembering and celebrating someone.
“
Confederate leaders were protested across the country. However, this idea seems odd considering the fact that the vast majority of historical figures do not have monuments in their honor. If a statue is the only way to remember someone, why don’t we have more of them? Why don’t the women Sims worked on have statues depicting them? This argument seems especially disingenuous considering many of the
Confederate memorials were erected in the same century as the Civil Rights Movement, a response some believe was a direct message of intimidation to African Americans. If critics are worried about controversial people being erased, they can relax. Books will still exist and the fact is that these figures will not be forgotten, because they can’t be. If someone wants to understand the politics of the Civil War they need to study not only Abraham Lincoln, but the Confederate president Jefferson Davis. We can’t examine the lead up to World War II without acknowledging the rise of Adolf Hitler. To understand history we have to study every angle, even the ones we would rather forget. There is very little chance they will be forgotten if their tributes are removed. By taking down these statues we are not forgetting these figures, we are only removing them from a place of respect. There is a difference between remembering and celebrating someone. Symbols matter to a society and by creating these tributes we are honoring their memory. Unfortunately, some figures are too complicated to be remembered this way. Someone like Sims will be remembered by medical students and historians. They will be able to see how he shaped the field while still understanding the atrocities he committed. But should he be given a special place of honor by himself, while the women he hurt are forgotten? I’m not saying our idols need to be perfect (no one is), but we have to be careful in how we portray them. As a society we need to be more careful with who we place on a pedestal. As time moves on we need to be honest with ourselves about some of the memorials that have been erected. We should be able to look at them objectively and decide if they still deserve their place of respect. Sometimes heroes fall. Maybe some of their statues should, too.
Advertising and Public Relations Adviser Jennifer Newton (562) 985-5736
Design Adviser Gary Metzker Content Adviser Barbara Kingsley-Wilson
Multimedia Managing Editor Photo Editor Design Editor Arts and Life Editor Samantha Diaz Social Media Editor artsnlifed49er@gmail.com Copy Editor Exec. Video Editor Sports Editor Christian Gonzales Special Projects Editor sportsd49er@gmail.com
Robert Yagake Hunter Lee Jade Inglada Amanda Recio Nicole Fish Adriana Ramirez Carlos Villicana
Business Office
Phone (562) 985-8001 Fax (562) 985-1740 1250 Bellflower Blvd., LA4-203A Long Beach, CA 90840-4601
Senior News Assistant Assistant News Editor Assistant Arts & Life Editor Assistant Photo Editor Assistant Design Editor Assistant Sports Editor Assistant Sports Editor
James Chow Sarah Verhs Shyanne Riberal-Norton Sabrina Flores Drew Mametsuka Luke Ramirez Kevin Colindres
Opinions Editor Daniel Green opedd49er@gmail.com
Editorials: All opinions expressed in the columns, letters and cartoons in this issue are those of the writers or artists. The opinions of the Daily 49er are expressed only in unsigned editorials and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the journalism department or the views of all staff members. All such editorials are written by the editorial board of the Daily 49er.
Letters Policy: All letters and e-mail must bear the phone number of the writer and must be no more than 300 words. The Daily 49er reserves the right to edit letters for publication in regard to space.
SPORTS 7
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2018 DAILY49ER.COM | SPORTSD49ER@GMAIL.COM MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Big West Tournament breakdown By Zackery Handy Staff Writer
T
he Big West men’s volleyball programs have been competing in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation since 1992. But the Big West Conference did not recognize volleyball as a conference sport until May 31 2016, when Big West commissioner Dennis Farrell announced that men’s volleyball would become the 18th sponsored sport starting in the 2018 season. The inaugural Big West season has been highlighted by Long Beach State, which pulled off a nearly perfect season going 24-1, losing the final match of the regular season to Hawaii. It is fitting that the 49ers would have such an impressive season, as they were chosen to host the tournament in their home gym at the Walter Pyramid. Fans can purchase tickets now at the Pyramid’s ticketing office or online at longbeachstate.com. Single session tickets start at $5 for students, children 12 and under as well as seniors can get tickets for $12 and adults can find tickets for $15 a person. All session tickets start at $12 for students, children under 12 and seniors are on sale at $27 and adult all session tickets are at $35 a person. The tournament kicks off Thursday at 5 p.m. and the Daily 49er will be present for all the action over the weekend. Here is guide of every team in the Big West Tournament and what to expect from the programs.
Record: (208, 6-4 Big West) National rank: 3rd
Record: (24-1, 9-1 Big West) National rank: 1st
L
ong Beach State fell one game shy of a perfect regular season, going 24-1. The 49ers dominated league play going 9-1, with their lone defeat coming at the hands of Hawaii inside the Stan Sheriff Center on April 14. Long Beach plays all aspects of its game at an elite level. The team is able to stress opponents from behind the service line better than any other team in the Big West Conference, leading the league in service aces with 148. The 49ers offense is anchored by Josh Tuaniga, with his 10.55 assists per set, ranking him third in the conference. The majority of those assists are going to TJ DeFalco and Kyle Ensing. The two combined for over 600 kills on the season, with each of them finishing in the top seven of the Big West kills list. Though UC Irvine and Hawaii provide comparable competition, the 49ers are the favorites to lift the trophy Saturday night. Long Beach earned a first round bye and will play its first match Friday at 7:30 p.m.
U
C Irvine enters the Big West Tournament finishing third in the conference, and being ranked third nationally. Irvine is talented as any team in the conference and led by Karl Apfelbach and Aaron Koubi. No player in the conference had more kills than Apfelbach this year (402), while teammate Koubi was also in the top 10 at seventh with 264. What makes Irvine most dangerous is the 7-foot-tall sophomore middle blocker Scott Stadick. His ability to stress teams on both sides of the net gives the Anteaters an edge that not many teams have. Stadick leads the league in solo blocks (28), total blocks (146) and blocks per set (1.34). He is an offensive weapon for Irvine, accumulating more kills (225) than any other middle blocker. Irvine’s innovative offensive scheme, along with Stadick in front of the net, makes it as dangerous as any team in the country. Irvine plays its first round matchup Thursday at 5 p.m. against UC San Diego.
Record: (1510, 5-5 Big West) National rank: 9th
C
SUN enters the Big West Tournament as possibly the most intriguing team. The Matadors have some impressive wins on the season, including back-to-back three set sweeps against Hawaii in The Matadome. Northridge also has questionable losses, such as a road loss to UC Santa Barbara. Northridge is led by two dynamic outside hitters, Arvis Greene and Dimitar Kalchev. Both rank in the top 10 in the conference in kills, with Greene (349) at third and Kalchev (250) at 10th. As a team, the Matadors are the most dangerous defensively at the net, where they are anchored by two middle blockers, Eric Chance and Josiah Byers. The Matadors will also stress their opponent from behind the service line, where they ranked second in the conference in service aces (139). The Matadors can be looked at as a dark horse as far as winning the tournament. Northridge will open play Thursday at 7:30 p.m. against UC Santa Barbara.
Record: (18-7, 6-4 Big West) National rank: 6th
H
awaii enters the tournament playing its best volleyball of the year. The Rainbow Warriors have won five of their last six matches, including a win against Long Beach State. Much like UC Irvine, Hawaii obtains as much talent on the court as any team in the country. The Rainbow Warriors are extremely balanced, led by a foursome of all conference players, one at every position. Patrick Gasman’s 93 blocks rank him second in the Big West. His teammate, Stijn van Tilburg, is ranked in the top five in the conference in kills (5th) and kills per set (3rd). Joe Worsley’s 11.06 assists per set put him first in the Big West, and Larry Tuileta’s 191 digs rank him second in the conference. Hawaii’s ability to be well-rounded in all facets of the game along with its recent streak of hot play makes it a dangerous team in this tournament. Hawaii is set to compete for the tournament title with a first round bye and will play at 5 p.m. Friday in the semifinals.
Record: (1112, 4-6 Big West) National rank: 12th
U
C Santa Barbara heads into the Big West Tournament in fifth place, losing seven of its last nine matches. The Gauchos looked to be one of the stronger teams in the conference for the first half of the season, putting together a five-game win streak heading into the bulk of their conference play. Since then, the Gauchos have not ranked in the top half of the conference in a single statistical category. As a team, the Gauchos are ranked last in five different categories including kills (1,022), assists (950) and blocks (194). UC Santa Barbara is led by junior outside hitter Corey Chavers. His 255 kills rank him first on his team and ninth in the conference. The Gauchos’ inability to play well on both sides of the net makes them primed for a first round exit in this tournament. UC Santa Barbara will play its first round matchup at 7:30 Thursday p.m.
Record: (918, 0-10 Big West) National rank: Unranked
U
C San Diego enters the Big West Tournament in last place, riding a nine-game losing streak and failing to win a single conference game. The San Diego team is young, with 12 freshmen, making it the second youngest team in the conference behind Northridge (13). The Triton team will be led by one of its few seniors, outside hitter Tanner Syftestad. He ranks second in the Big West in total kills (379) and kills per set (4.51). As a team, San Diego is better defensively than its record might indicate. The Tritons rank first in the conference in total digs (956) and second in digs per set (9.56) and total blocks (221). Even with the offensive prowess of Syftestad and the team’s ability to play solid defense, the Tritons will not be expected to compete for the championship. Instead, the young team will use the tournament as a learning experience for the abundance of freshmen it has returning next year. UC San Diego takes on UC Irvine in a first round matchup at 5 p.m. Thursday.
8 SPORTS
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2018 DAILY49ER.COM | SPORTSD49ER@GMAIL.COM
Photos by Luke Ramirez | Daily 49er
Tommy John surgery leaves a notorious scar on all players who undergo the procedure. Left to right, Conner Riley, Matt Fields and John Sheaks all had the operation prior to the 2018 season.
PROFILE
A trio of ‘Tommy Johns’
The Dirtbags’ biggest setback is losing over 170 innings from key pitchers who have required Tommy John surgery. By Luke Ramirez
Assistant Sports Editor
Although Tommy John surgery has become almost a routine medical procedure for pitchers in high-level baseball, to have three cases affect a team in the same season is less commonl. That is what the Long Beach State Dirtbags have had to endure this year after a trio of arms were forced to sit out while recovering from the major impediment to their careers. “Losing three quality pitchers is most definitely a setback,” head coach Troy Buckley said. “We lost a total of 170 innings from last year, and that is difficult to replace.” Sophomores Connor Riley and Matt Fields and senior John Sheaks had their right arms cut into to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow within four months of each other. The procedure involves removing a similar ligament from another part of the body, sometimes the left wrist or even the hamstring, and uses it to reattach the UCL together. The recovery time varies from 12 to 16 months.
Three Long Beach State pitchers, Connor Riley, left, Matt Fields, center, and John Sheaks have undergone Tommy John surgery and are missing the 2018 season.
Connor Riley Surgery date: Oct. 18, 2017 In 2017, Riley made 25 appearances and was the Dirtbags’ hardest thrower with a fastball in the low 90 mph range. Following Long Beach’s playoff run, Riley found out the news that he had significant damage to his UCL and would need to have surgery. “When the team loses your spot and what you do, it sucks knowing that they are trying to replace that,” Riley said. It has been six months since his procedure and he is now just a few weeks away from beginning preliminary throwing. Primed to come back to the Dirtbags’ bullpen in 2019, Riley will be a welcomed returner to a very thin arsenal of relievers. “I’m getting stronger,” he said.
“It’s a long road and it’s tedious but I am starting to see some big strides now.” Matt Fields Surgery date: Oct. 25, 2017 Fields began last season as one of the three starting pitchers featured in the Dirtbags rotation. Over five games and 16 ⅓ innings, he posted a record of 2-0 with a 3.31 ERA. His season was cut short due to a lingering shoulder injury that made him unavailable for a major portion of the year. When Fields found out he also had an injury to his elbow requiring Tommy John, Long Beach aligned the surgery dates so that he and Riley would be on similar rehab schedules. Fields will also begin throwing in just a few weeks.
“It’s a hectic process so we’ve built a pretty good relationship having to go through it together,” Fields said. The right-hander from nearby Lakewood High School will be a front runner for a rotation spot should he stay on schedule with his return date. John Sheaks Surgery date: Feb. 21, 2018 Sheaks was perhaps the biggest loss to the Dirtbags’ roster, going down with injury just one week before the season was scheduled to start. He was set up to be the staff ’s ace pitcher after returning from a 2017 season, when he went 8-4 with a 4.09 ERA over 14 starts. “It was rough because my arm felt fine after the injury,” Sheaks said. “Then to find out that I had
fully torn it and to hear the doctor use the word ‘shredded’ wasn’t easy for me.” Seeing his senior season end before it began, he is in a much different situation than the younger pitchers affected by the injury. He will plead his case with the NCAA to be eligible to return for a sixth year. Because of the time of the injury, Sheaks will not be ready to pitch competitively until 2020. “I’ll be 23,” Sheaks said. “I think that’s kind of funny because when I think about it, I’ll be the team grandpa. I get along great with the younger guys and they’ll still be my teammates.” Buckley is confident that the issue does not reside in the throwing program that Long Beach implores. The Dirtbags’ coaching staff has taken the proper precautions to avoid overuse including limiting the workload on 2017 staff ace Darren McCaughan after he surpassed the 100 inning mark last year. “The thing about injuries and Tommy John specifically is that it’s a cumulative effect of things that have happened,” Buckley said. “The throwing program itself is not what hurts players. We feel really good about the job we do with [the pitchers].” As detrimental as an injury to the UCL is for a pitcher, Tommy John surgery typically yields positive results and impact on a players career. Barring any major setbacks, all three injured Dirtbags could potentially toe the slab for Long Beach again in the future.