CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH
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JPR students mingled with potential employers in the USU to celebrate Journalism and Public Relations Day. See page 3.
VOL. LXVIX, ISSUE 74 | APRIL 26, 2018
PROFILE
So long, Sanfilippo David Sanfilippo spent his 40 years at Cal State Long Beach working with differently-abled students at Disabled Student Services. By Medina Kabir
Contributing Writer
gym, and I was looking forward to this event,” Chang said. “It’s so fun to come every year, because you’re coming with your friends and you’ve helped each other workout and get fit, so we might as well get a shot at making money and winning prizes.” Owen’s Condition for Tuition was founded in 2011 by Joshua
David Sanfilippo started working with disabled students when he was 16 years old. In his job as a teacher’s aide at his high school, he helped his differently-abled peers tie their shoes and feed themselves. This was when he realized his calling to help those with different needs “I can’t help but enjoy what I’ve done,” Sanfilippo said. After working at Cal State Long Beach for 40 years, he will retire from his role as the director of Disabled Student Services in June to finish working on his book “Where I Sit.” He has helped students who struggle with both physical and mental disabilities. “You may think, ‘I’m not on a wheelchair, nor blind, nor deaf, I don’t have a real disability,’” Sanfilippo said. “That’s not true. It can be [just] as debilitating if you have a learning disability.” One of the students Sanfilippo helped during his career was the university’s former football player, Mark Seay in 1989. After suffering from major injuries in a drive-by shooting where a bullet pierced through his pelvis, the university declared that Seay would not be be able to play football anymore. This seemingly put an end to his college career. According to Sanfilippo, no one could believe it when Seay moved on to play for the NFL years later, except him. “After having gone through the trauma of being shot, he realized the mental games they try to play in the NFL didn’t break him down,” Sanfilippo said. “What people perceived as difficult or tragic can be used to determine who we are, depending on how we go about it.” Seay is one of many students Sanfilippo has helped rehabilitate in his lengthy career at the university. One of Disabled Student Services’ first efforts under Sanfilippo was to make the campus accessible
see TUITION, page 3
see RETIRE, page 2
Photos by Hunter Lee | Daily 49er
Third year undeclared student Josh Arizmendi beams with excitement after winning the Owen’s Condition for Tuition scholarship. Founded in 2011, the Owen Family started the event to inspire students to live healthy and active lives.
O-WINNING CONTEST
Nearly 1,000 students competed in Owen’s Condition for Tuition, which revealed its tuition winner Wednesday. By Sarah Amaral and Sarah Vehrs Staff Writers
Josh Arizmendi was stunned to learn Wednesday that his fall semester tuition would be covered, thanks to the annual Owen’s Condition for Tuition hosted by the Student Recreation and Wellness Center. “I feel awesome, I feel like crying,” said Arizmendi, a third year undeclared student. “I just showed up today expecting to have some fun and maybe win one small prize. I can’t believe it.” Hundreds of fitness junkies gathered in front of the student rec center, awash with anticipation and lactic acid, hoping to win the coveted raffle prize that would pay their tuition for next semester. The center awarded several
Arizmendi poses with the Owen family after winning a tuition scholarship thanks to the Owen’s Condition for Tuition. Arizmendi was one of 998 students to attend the Student Recreation and Wellness Center over 50 times throughout the 2017-2018 school year.
prizes to students who have partaken in Owen’s Condition for Tuition in the 2017-2018 academic year. The challenge encouraged students to “attain new fitness goals and achieve a healthy lifestyle,” and required students to go to the rec center 50 times during the academic year, Associated Students Inc. said in a statement Tuesday. The event had Raffle prizes,
such as free summer rec membership, bikes, $50 Amazon, gas and Trader Joe gift cards and more were awarded as students enjoyed free tacos and games. With nearly 6,500 student participants, 998 completed the program, which makes this year the largest finale yet. Justine Chang, a senior kinesiology major, has taken part in the event for the past four years. “I finished my 50 days in the
2 NEWS
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CAMPUS EVENT
‘Fair’ thee well The last job fair of the school year will host over 30 employers looking for new hires. By Sarah Vehrs
Assistant News Editor
Suit up, make up and prepare to meet employers at the last job fair of the academic year. Dozens of employers will come to Cal State Long Beach to recruit students Friday, April 27. There will be over 30 employers from several different industries searching for students interested in part-time, seasonal and paid internships. The event will take place from noon to 3 p.m. in the University Student Union ballrooms. “The point of the job fair is to bring employers who need to hire people,” said Peggy Murphy, the program coordinator for job fairs and on-campus interviews. Some of the employers that will be present are from organizations such as Advanced Be-
FAST FACTS
PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS • American Technologies, Inc. • Bobit Business Media • City of Torrance • Hyatt Hotels • Knott’s Berry Farm • LBS Financial Credit Union • Robert Half • Roller Bearing Company • Switzer Learning Center • Westlake Financial Services
havioral Health, ATI-American Technologies Inc., Knott’s Berry Farm and Children’s Learning Connection. The complete list of participants that will attend are listed on the Career Development Center’s website. According to career counselor Rosa Trujillo, a workshop will be held the day before the job fair in order to help students prepare for the event. This will be held Thursday in
Daily 49er File Photo
Business economy major, Camron Kiani, connects with a Lincoln Financial Group representative at the spring 2017 job fair.
Brotman Hall 250 from noon to 1 p.m. Trujillo said that in the past, students have come to the job fair unprepared and dressed unprofessionally, and she hopes the workshop will change that.
“Basically, in order to help our students, I’m going to do a ‘Dos and Don’ts,’” Trujillo said. “We’re really gonna focus on quick tips: how to do research for what companies are going to be there and how to dress professionally.”
RETIRE
continued from page 1
Scott Varley | Daily Breeze
Disabled Student Services director David Sanfilippo takes CSULB’s new mobility scooters for a test ride after presenting them to the school Oct. 21, 2015. CSULB acquired six mobility scooters to check out to students who have temporary disabilities due to injuries, illness or surgery. Two scooters will be used by health services and four will be used by Disabled Student Services.
for disabled students by making renovations in the parking lots and classrooms in the late 1970s. “His job is to remove barriers associated with many disabilities so our students can succeed,” said President Jane Close Conoley. “He helps with every aspect of accommodations for learning disabilities, visual issues and wheelchair access.” One of the major accomplishments of Sanfilippo’s program was installing ramps for the commencement ceremony, so students with wheelchairs could access the stage. Due to the change in location for the spring commencement ceremony, one of Sanfilippo’s last efforts will be to make the intramural fields a more accessible zone for graduating students and their families. “We are asking them to put pathways, so that people in wheelchairs can access the stage safer and easier on the grassy field,” Sanfilippo said. He stated that the disability center is a safe place for anyone dealing with an issue, regardless of how minor it may appear. “Walking inside our office is the hardest part [for students],” Sanfilippo said. “Faculty members are the most important when it comes to noticing a student with disabilities. If they notice student[s] struggling or depressed, [faculty bring them] into the program to get the help they need.” He said there are many developed components to his program, such as providing sign language interpreters for deaf students and accessible materials for blind students. This year, Disabled Student Services is celebrating its 45th anniversary with the Night of 10,000 Stars.
Trujillo added that students should know which employers they are going to speak to, and to be able to make a good first impression. Students can RSVP on CareerLINK.
The event is named after the number of students who have taken part in Sanfilippo’s program and graduated. “I [help] students right now that have cancer, [are] waiting for kidney transplants or liver transplants and are going to school,” he said. “I don’t like to use the word inspiration, I prefer to use the term grit. Grit is the ability to push through things and a majority of my students have grit.” Christiana Koch, commissioner of disability affairs, praised Sanfilippo for his work with Disabled Student Services. You may “Dave has a reputation for think, talking a lot, but ‘I’m not that is because on a wheelchair, he has so much nor blind, nor deaf, to say!” Koch I don’t have a real said. “His stories are rarely disability. That’s not about him, but true. It can be [just] mostly about as debilitating if you students that he have a learning disis proud of who have passed ability.” through DSS and onto great David Sanfilippo, professional DSS director achievements.” Writing and finishing his book is one of Sanfilippo’s goals after he retires. The book will cover topics about disabilities and the “grit” that is cultivated through them. It will include stories of students he’s helped to graduate and moved on to be lawyers, doctors and nurses. Sanfilippo wants to be remembered as a man who served his students well and helped them be recognized for their abilities rather than their disabilities.
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NEWS 3
THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2018 DAILY49ER.COM | CITYD49ER@GMAIL.COM
Students apart of the Journalism and Public Relations Department at Cal State Long Beach were welcomed to conference one-on-one with professionals, such as Marcello Sawyer from American Public Media Group, currently working in the industry.
JPR gets its own day, too
Journalism and Public Relations students, staff and faculty enjoyed snacks and refreshments before the 12:30 p.m. awards ceremony, where students received department recognition and scholarships.
S
tudents of Journalism and Public Relations were invited to celebrate their accomplishments for Journalism and Public Relations Day, which took place in the University Student Ballrooms Wednesday. Guest speakers included NBC4 Southern California reporter Hetty Chang and Cassandra Reynoso, a global public relations coordinator for Blizzard Entertainment. Networking sessions were also held in the Alamitos Bay Room, where students were able to schedule sit-down appointments with professionals in the journalism and public relations field. To end the event, a ceremony was held where students were awarded over $15,000 worth of scholarships. Other student media certificates for Dig Magazine, 22 West Media, Public Relations Student Society of America and the Daily 49er were awarded to members of each organization. The department concluded the event by releasing its new logo created by senior journalism and public relations student Dominique Marek.
Photos by Hunter Lee Daily 49er
TUITION
continued from page 1
and Tessa Owen and their family to encourage students to live healthy and active lives. Joshua died in his sleep in the summer of 2015 at the age of 43 and his family honors his mem-
ory by supporting students at Long Beach State through the program. “Josh Owen was a member of the facility here [and] loved the rec center,” said Maureen MacRae, fitness coordinator for the SWRC. “He...wanted to encourage more students to take advantage of this beautiful facility, because he loved coming in here in the mornings to work out.”
Since the program began in 2011, students have provided feedback on the program, adding that it positively impacted their health. “[Some students] didn’t realize what a difference working out could make on their lifestyle,” MacRae said. “It really did encourage more people to come into the door and create a regular fitness routine.”
The theme of the celebration was Luau-style which included a DJ, Hawaiian dancers, prizes and free food. Additional activities at the event were push-up contests, photo booths, caricature and balloon artists, and reps from Salud juice and KIND Bar serving free samples. Only present participants won prizes, and those who completed
the full program received a custom cooling towel. “I like all the free stuff,” said Emma Dodson, a freshman accounting major. “It’s kind of like a reward for all the hard work we put in going to the gym. I didn’t expect it to look this big, and I didn’t know there were going to be so many activities going on. I’m [definitely] going to do it next year.”
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4 ARTS & LIFE
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PROFILE
Creativity meets comfort (food) Metals and jewelry lecturer Rachel Shimpock creates unique artwork showcasing her “fat childhood” memories. By Kristi Alarcon Staff Writer
If you would have asked 13-yearold Rachel Shimpock what profession she wanted when she grew up, chances are her answer wouldn’t have been that far off from what she does now. Since childhood, Shimpock knew her creativity was going to have a lasting impact on her life, and it has lasted through her career at Cal State Long Beach. “I always drew when I was small,” Shimpock said. “My mom gave me a sketchbook and told me it was a nothing book and it was my job to make it a something book.” Shimpock’s parents were both high school teachers who encouraged the creativity they saw in their daughter. As a curious child, Shimpock quickly discovered a new passion: cooking. She began to mesh her knowledge of art into cooking. With her mom teaching her the ropes by her side, Shimpock quickly grew to love the hobby. “My first memory of food was my mom letting me stand on a chair to reach the counter to punch down the bread dough,” Shimpock recalled. “Cooking was my second art and my mom taught me well. From a young age, I was cooking, and presentation was always important.” Fast forward a few years, and Shimpock had learned how to make jewelry from various family members, even getting payed for her work on occasion. Shimpock started her own jewelry company named Rachel’s Jewelry. She used plumbers solder, an alloy for joining two metal surfaces by melting the alloy to then create modern fashion rings. Shimpock’s first official job in jewel-
Kristi Alarcon | Daily 49er
Cal State Long Beach lecturer Rachel Shimpock created food-themed jewelry connected to her childhood memories.
ry was at the age of 13, when her mom botched the age description on her work permit so she could start working. She then learned basic jewelry making, which never left her. Continuing that job until she was 21-years old, she decided to go back to school and study jewelry. She received a BFA in metals and jewelry from Cal State Long Beach and an MFA in metals and jewelry at San Diego State University. A few years after graduating, Shimpock found herself homeless, living in her car for six months following a
rough divorce. During this time the comfort she craved the most was her mother’s cooking. In particular, she desired a piece of toast made by her mom. “I at least wanted to be able to see the toast,” Shimpock said. “Why couldn’t I make a permanent momento? I figured since I was a metalsmith I could figure out something. I thought...we bronze baby shoes, we have medals for sports and accomplishments why not food?” Once the metal toast was created, it became a medal of honor of food and a comforting memory that would soon inspire her future artwork. Shortly af-
ter, Shimpock landed a job as a lecturer at CSULB teaching courses such as introduction to metals and jewelry casting and special studies in metalsmith and jewelry forming. Most recently, Shimpock has landed her first art show, with her work currently displayed at the Manhattan Beach Art Center. Shimpock was jubilant when she was one of the fifty applicants selected for the Los Angeles center. The exhibition, “HOT STUFF” featured three women: Jill Baker, Jessica Calderwood and Shimpock. “The artists represented different ways to take a look at jewelry and different objects that were drawn to them,” said Manhattan Beach recreation supervisor Ellen Stewarts. “They all worked with traditional materials and techniques that we don’t normally see everyday.” Shimpock’s work in particular is eye-catching because all the pieces are replicates of food items, with a special connection to her childhood. All 14 pieces represented an array of healthy and unhealthy foods that she indulged in as a child creating a “fat childhood” theme, as Shimpock lovingly called it. “My work is a memento of a moment of comfort and I don’t think anyone in my field is doing quite what I am doing,” Shimpock said. Shimpock said nothing is more rewarding than when someone thinks her artwork is real food, making the endless hours of hard work and precision all worth her while. Shimpock offered advice for students who may be struggling finding a career in the field of art. “I’m a hustler, artists are hustlers,” Shimpock said. “You must keep the ball rolling even without rules, security or knowing what’s on the other end. It’s a risk...but once I followed my heart to the ping of hammer on anvil I never looked back.” The exhibition “HOT STUFF” will be on display at the Manhattan Beach Art Center through May 17. Viewing is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.
ARTS & LIFE 5
THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2018 DAILY49ER.COM | ARTSNLIFED49ER@GMAIL.COM LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Saturday night light of my life Why the Daily 49er was wrong to attack “SNL.” By Jason Enns
Contributing Writer
As a fan of both the Arts & Life section of the Daily 49er, and “Saturday Night Live,” it hurts me to see them not in harmony with one another. This is a response to the April 18 article, “Still live but barely breathing.” Where to begin? As far as I can tell the writer of the article mentioned had the following issues with “SNL:” The show is too dependent on billing a “big name” celebrity, its political sketches are redundant, the current issues are presented insensitively and there aren’t enough weed skits. I write this last bit because the author of the original article claimed that the jokes have fallen flat, and ended her article stating they’d gain her viewership with more skits about pot, dating or work. As someone who watches this show every Sunday — because I have Hulu, not cable — For anyone reading who is unfamiliar with the show, virtually every skit revolves around dating or the workplace. As for the comments about skits that poke at current issues being insensitive, I would say that you clearly don’t understand parody. I’m not saying this in defense of the comedic elements, I’m talking about the
Will Heath | NBC
“Saturday Night Live” continues to push boundaries with iconically humorous skits and big name celebrity guests, which have both helped make a name for the show.
People tire of political sketches on “SNL” for the same reason they tire of the news, but are we just supposed to not talk about what’s happening?
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need for parody, and what it draws from an audience. It’s true, parody often makes light of situations that are in fact very dire, but in doing so it makes topics that are hard to discuss, approachable. A good example of this is another sketch comedy show, “Key & Peele,”
which the author of “Still live but barely breathing,” praised in comparison to “SNL.” “Key & Peele” is a wonderful show, and here’s why: Keegan Michael Key and Jordan Peele are both incredibly talented comedy writers and actors, and were both raised by a white mother and Black father. Their unique perspective on race relations and ability to find the funny provided viewers with five seasons of hilarious and sometimes thought provoking skits. Only they weren’t exactly “eye-opening,” parody is just a tool to open dialogue about the things we all see but are too
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afraid to talk about. This is why it’s problematic to attack a sketch comedy show for being insensitive regarding certain issues. Turning a sensitive topic into a performance people can share a chuckle over is risky. Don’t take the risk and you’ll never offend anyone, but you’ll never know how many successes you could’ve had. As for the political content, I can’t fully negate that most are not fun to watch. There have been a few hits among the misses like when Kate McKinnon as Robert Muller broke “The Bachelorette’s” heart by saying he wasn’t ready to commit to
collusion. But the truth is, under the Trump administration, reality itself has become a joke. Week after week there is something more ridiculous in the headlines. People tire of political sketches on “SNL” for the same reason they tire of the news, but are we just supposed to not talk about what’s happening? The last complaint that should be addressed is that there are too many mainstream actors invited onto the show, not enough “relatable” hosts. Again, I’m not so sure the author of that article actually watches “SNL.” Let’s go through some of the current season’s hosts. Just last week was John Mulaney, known in show business almost exclusively as a former writer for “SNL.” Other than that he has a couple of stand-up comedy specials and a failed sitcom, but maybe he’s too famous. The week before that was Chadwick Boseman, who, before becoming Black Panther, primarily worked on biopics of prominent Black figures of history. In conclusion, criticizing “SNL” is less original, and more redundant than their Trump skits. The show’s been getting bad reviews for decades, yet it’s in its 43rd season. It’s a staple of television. Performers each week come out from behind their carefully edited products to take the risk of screwing up in front of millions. I guess it’s easy to attack someone who puts themself out there, and nobody does that better than the cast of “SNL.”
Join our team! The Daily 49er is hiring a Finance & Business Associate The Journalism and Public Relations Department is looking for one student finance and business associate to assist in overseeing the financial operations for 49er Student Media, home of the Daily 49er newspaper and DIG Magazine. The student will be self-motivated, detail oriented and will ensure proper accounting and financial oversight of the Daily 49er and DIG MAG publications, supporting the Department of Journalism and Public Relations’ student media efforts from a business perspective. Qualifications: • Must be a full-time CSULB student, enrolled in 12 units or more. Open to all majors. • Proficient in Microsoft Office, Excel and QuickBooks • Strong knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles • Extensive experience with data entry, record keeping and computer operation • Knowledge of the Daily 49er and DIG Mag a plus To apply: • Send resume and cover letter • Fill out an availability form • Submit all information requested above to Jennifer Newton, jennifer.newton@csulb.edu, with the • subject line “Student Finance & Business Associate Application” • Applications are due by May 4
6 OPINIONS
THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2018 DAILY49ER.COM | OPEDD49ER@GMAIL.COM
ENTERTAINMENT
Crowning the voice of the next generation Kendrick Lamar becomes the first hiphop artist to ever win the prestigious award, opening doors for future artists. By Wayne Camp Staff Writer
O
n April 16, Kendrick Lamar accomplished an amazing feat by winning the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Music for his April 2017 album, “DAMN.” This marks the first time the award has been given to an artist outside of the classical or jazz music genres. When you stand back and look at the bigger picture, this isn’t just a win for Lamar — but for the hip-hop community at large. The buzz surrounding the award may not drastically increase his riches, or propel his career to new heights; however, what it does bring is an overdue respect and recognition to the genre of hip-hop, which is often overlooked. While hip-hop has been around for nearly four decades, people often do not hold the genre in the same tier as the more “traditional” classical or jazz genre. We have seen the start of an effort to change this recently, with the induction of N.W.A. into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016, and Jay-Z being the first rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2017. After the release of “DAMN.” Kendrick headlined both weekends of 2017’s Coachella and took home six MTV awards and five Grammy awards. He also won numerous NAACP Image
Brian van der Brug | Los Angeles Times
Kendrick Lamar, on stage at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif., on April 23, 2017. Lamar won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for music for his album “Damn.”
Awards, a Brit Award, a Juno award, a BET Award, a Clio award and saw the album reach double platinum status. Part of why Lamar boasts such a strong following has to do with his lyrical subject matter and his status as a socially conscious rapper. Lamar’s music has always been considered socially conscious or “conscious rap.” This is mainly due to the fact that he paints a picture for the listener of what goes on in the everyday lives of African-Americans, rapping about what issues are currently affecting the people in these communities. Take a listen to his highly acclaimed “To Pimp A Butterfly,” or even what the Pulitzer Board of Directors had to say about the album “DAMN.”
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“A virtuosic song collection,” the Pulitzer board wrote of DAMN. “Unified by its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism that offers affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African-American life.” The hit song “Alright” from 2015’s “To Pimp A Butterfly” is a clear example of Lamar’s ability to speak for the masses. As tensions rose and protests became normal after the killings of Black Americans Laquan McDonald, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray and Sandra Bland (to name only a few), the country needed a rallying cry to bring everyone back together, and that is exactly what this song did. You could hear it playing everywhere you went, sung by people from all races and ages.
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Lamar has continued to spark conversations on race and promote the culture of Black excellence with the critically acclaimed “Black Panther” soundtrack. From the hit singles, “King’s Dead” and “Pray For Me” all the way to less popular songs such as “Big Shot” and “Bloody Waters,” this is another empowering album that gives the listener mental images of African-Americans going through the systemic challenges in America from the inception of the country. Lamar winning this award will only continue to increase the respect for hip-hop and its culture. Hip-hop has overcome many stigmas throughout the years and has transformed into an industry that generates over $10 billion a year.
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The buzz surrounding the award may not drastically increase his riches, or propel his career to new heights; however, what it does bring is an overdue respect and recognition to the genre of hip-hop, which is often overlooked.”
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What was once an exclusive category is now an open field that can acknowledge other deserving musicians. Who’s to say that one day we won’t see Beyonce, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne or other notable African-American artists win the Pulitzer Prize?
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SPORTS 7
THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2018 DAILY49ER.COM | SPORTSD49ER@GMAIL.COM MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Tuaniga and Ensing earn nation’s best award Off The Block awards Long Beach duo with top player honors. By Zackery Handy Staff Writer
A week after being honored with the All-Big West Team awards, juniors Kyle Ensing and Josh Tuaniga added two more trophies to their mantles. Off The Block awarded Ensing with the Bryan Ivie Award, which is given to the best opposite in the nation, while Tuaniga received the Lloy Ball Award for the nation’s top setter. “I think this comes down to what we do in the gym here,” Ensing said. “[The team] push me to be my best, and I push them to be their best...It all just comes back to Josh setting the ball for us.” Ensing helped lead Long Beach through a season full of achievements, including a record 24game win streak, with 19 threeset sweeps. Long Beach went on a 26-1 record and a number one overall seed in the NCAA tournament. Ensing led the 49ers in kills in 15 of the team’s 27 matches this season, more than any other player on the team. His .357 hitting percentage puts him among the top 15 in the nation. Ensing’s ability to impact play all over the court allowed him to stand out for the award. His 53 first place votes were more than the next four student-athletes
Photos by Sabrina Flores | Daily 49er
Long Beach State men’s volleyball juniors Kyle Ensing, left, and Josh Tuaniga have been given awards from Off The Block for being the best in their respective positions.
combined. He averaged an impressive 1.48 digs per set while his 31 assists were second among all opposites in the Big West Conference. The junior opposite also became the 22nd player in Long Beach State history to reach the 1,000 kill mark. Tuaniga continued his junior season full of accomplishments by taking home the Lloy Ball award for the second straight season. “It’s exciting, the one thing I
would say is the the reason I got this award is because of my team,” Tuaniga said. He ran the offense for a 49ers team that ranked first in the nation in attacking percentage, hitting .379 as a team and over .400 12 times this season. Tuaniga’s ability to facilitate an offense which involves all players on the court, and being an offensive weapon himself, made the recognition a no-brainer. His 26 service aces ranked him 10th in the Big West Conference,
while he also added 51 kills on the season on a .482 hitting percentage. “His serving is off the charts,” head coach Alan Knipe said. “It’s something that he has been working on since he was a junior in high school to really become a better server.” The setter exceeded with most of the votes, receiving 55 first place votes and beating the next setter by 21 votes. Tuaniga’s leadership on and off the court was a key to him win-
ning the award. He’s asked to participate in nearly every press conference for the team, regardless of its performance. “One thing people don’t see about Josh is how great of a person he is,” Knipe said. “He is such a great teammate, he makes everyone better out there and shoulders a lot of the emotion and responsibility of the players.” Next up for Long Beach’s dynamic duo is a semifinal matchup in the NCAA tournament Thursday May 3 at Pauley Pavilion.
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
LBSU travels across the Pacific for postseason The 49ers head to Hawaii for the Big West Tournament. By Samantha Diaz, Kevin Colindres and Christian Gonzales Staff Writers
The Big West beach volleyball tournament this weekend will feature three teams ranked top 10 in the nation. No. 3 Hawaii, No. 4 Cal Poly and No. 6 Long Beach State will battle for the Big West Conference Championship trophy and an opportunity to make the NCAA tournament. The tournament will begin at 1 p.m. Friday, when the fourth seeded CSUN takes on fifth seed CSU Bakersfield. Long Beach State earned the third seed and will face against six seed Sacramento State at 2 p.m. in the double-elimination team competition. “We have to just play loose, because there’s nothing to lose,” Sasha Karelov said. “We’re so nervous all the time for every big
Samantha Diaz | Daily 49er
Number one seniors Sasha Karelov, left, and Nele Barber, right, will lead No. 6 Long Beach State in this weekend’s Big West Tournament, facing Sacramento State.
game, let’s just go out and relax because everyone wants us to fail anyways... So let’s just prove them wrong, you know?” The team is going into the tournament battling multiple injuries,
with sophomore Hailey Harward recovering from a right shoulder injury, junior Anete Brinke suffering a concussion and junior Emma Kirst facing back injuries. Through her recovery, Harward
has played both against UCLA and in the LBSU Tournament. Along with the regular team conference, the Big West Tournament has introduced a Pairs Championship, with 16 teams
selected for a single-elimination tournament. Nele Barber and Karelov were chosen as the fourth seed, Megan Kruidhof and Rachel Nieto were placed as the sixth seed and Harward and Kristyna Adamcikova were picked as the 10 seed. Adamcikova/Harward will play first at 1 p.m., facing Kan/Weaver of Hawaii. Kruidhof/Nieto will play in the second wave of matches at 2 p.m. against Hansen/Haynes of CSUB, while Barber/Karelov will also play at 2 p.m. against the 13 seed, Brown/Nocetti of Sacramento State. The winner of Long Beach and Sacramento will play Cal Poly, while the loser will play in the consolation bracket. Top seed Hawaii and second seed Cal Poly will have an extra day to prepare after locking in a first-round bye. In the regular season, Long Beach was swept by Hawaii and fell to Cal Poly 3-2. It will be a testament of the 49ers’ progression this season if they can rally for a victory against both of these teams.
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THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2018
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