LONG BEACH STATE | VOL. LXX, ISSUE 8 | SEPTEMBER 27, 2018
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TENSIONS over TIGER TEXT Page 4
2 NEWS
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2018 | DAILY49ER.COM | D49ERNEWS@GMAIL.COM
INSIDE
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NINER Long Beach State trims out remedial math courses page 3 Students prepare for 24 Hours Animation Competition page 7 Imani McDonald is a force on and off the pitch page 11
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ON THE COVER
Winston De Laurier, a leader in the ANSWER Coalition protest on Sept. 26, leads the group to rally outside of the Long Beach Police Department.
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GRANT HERMANNS | Daily 49er
Starting Sept. 27, The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor returns to Long Beach to provide a haunting and historical experience aboard the city’s famed ship. The experience was named one of the top 10 most haunted places by Time Magazine. Tickets start at $20 and the experience closes Nov. 2.
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For the third year in a row, Music Tastes Good brings a weekend of local food vendors and headliners such as New Order and James Blake. The fest kicks off Saturday at the Marina Green Park. Tickets for a weekend pass start at $150 and single day passes start at $80.
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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 email 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.
NEWS 3
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EDUCATION
Long Beach State says goodbye to remedial mathematics In line with an executive order from the chancellor’s office, the university has created a new mathematics curriculum. By Emma DiMaggio Assistant News Editor ekdimaggio
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kipping years of remedial coursework, incoming freshmen will soon be able to dive into college level mathematics courses during their first year at Long Beach State. Chancellor Timothy White issued Executive Order 1110, which called for a complete remodeling of remedial coursework and went into effect Aug. 2, 2017. The goal of the order was to help students begin credit-bearing courses in math and English in their first year of enrollment. “This represents a new chapter for the CSU,” said James Minor, CSU senior strategist for academic success and inclusive excellence. “All incoming students, including those who arrive in need of additional academic support, will now have the opportunity to complete college-level credit-bearing courses on day one.” CSUs had until fall 2018 to implement the new courses, and the LBSU math department was ready for the remedial classes adjustment. “We are actually way ahead,” said Krzysztof Slowinski, associate dean for academic programs in the College of Natural Sciences. “Before we even knew about the executive order, we started working with our faculty [on new courses]. Our faculty felt that there was a need to change the remedial education.” The group that dealt with the math requirement redesign consisted of faculty members in the department of mathematics and statistics. Faculty members in the departments of psychology, sociology and human development were also involved in the effort, as they offer statistics courses that count for the general education math requirement. “This was a very demoralizing situation, because you would tell students they were admitted to college and then you would force them to take courses, and pay for them, that actually don’t count towards their college degree,” Slowinski said. “Many folks felt that maybe they [didn’t] belong here. This was particularly true for first-generation students or otherwise underserved students.” Not all universities have completed the redesign of their course curriculum’s. At the Board of Trustees meeting Sept. 11, three CSU campuses were commended for completing testing of distinctly different course models over the summer: Fullerton, Los Angeles and Stanislaus State. Students who participated in the summer courses on these campuses were among those most likely to take remedial classes, according to Loren Blanchard, executive vice chancellor for academic and student affairs of CSUs. Cal State Los Angeles ran a three unit credit-bearing course with a two-unit supplemental course over a fiveweek period. At Cal State Fullerton, they conducted a bridge model, which is a formal partnership between two post-secondary institutions. At Stanislaus State, 82 percent of students enrolled over the new stretch math course passed. A stretch course spreads a single semester class over two semesters to allow for a slower pace and additional support. Of Stanislaus State students who took the course, 84 percent are enrolled in the fall portion of the course which, if completed, will earn them general education credit, accord-
Illustration by EMMA DIMAGGIO
ing to Blanchard. At LBSU, the new course model for algebra combines a stretch approach with supplemental instruction. The stretch algebra course includes Math 112A and Math 112B, the first of which has a concurrent two-hour support course called Math 92. For students who need additional support, this class can be taken in addition to algebra. What makes Long Beach’s program unique is that the first semester of stretch math is general education credit-bearing, which means students don’t have to take the second semester of algebra to get college credit. According to Slowinski, most students who enroll at LBSU and need math remediation do not graduate from STEM majors. Even if they start with a declared STEM major, most change their majors. The fact that the first semester of stretch math counts for general education is meant to cater to this trend. Rather than using a blanket method, each newly designed math course at LBSU uses a different method to combat remediation. These courses in mathematics and statistics were designed with the help of a committee that included 15 faculty members. Florence Newberger revised algebra, Jen-Mei Chang revised the early start program and Kagba Suaray revised statistics. Curriculum changes were also paired with adjustments in math-readiness evaluation methods.
Students used to take a placement test called the Entry-Level Mathematics Exam. Instead of taking the online fixed-number test, the chancellor’s office has developed a new placement standard. The eligibility index uses high school GPA, SAT scores and certain combinations of high school courses to evaluate readiness. With this new standard, about 600 to 700 students are still designated as not fully ready for baccalaureate mathematics courses, according to Slowinski. LBSU has been using a supplementary program called ALEKS PPL to evaluate incoming students for math readiness. The program is intended to give students more practice in their perceived deficiencies. In supplementary corequisite courses, half of the course is in-person and the other half is online practice with ALEKS PPL. In the past few years, when the school was still requiring an early start program for remedial math, the pass rate of their one-week long program was 5 percent. The new program, which takes place over the course of four weeks, meeting once per week with a supplementary ALEKS PPL approach, has increased completion rates to 40 percent. “[Math in the United States] is taught in a fashion that discourages discovery, making mistakes and all those things that are associated with a growth mindset,” Slowinski said. “We need to make broader changes.”
4 NEWS
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2018 | DAILY49ER.COM | D49ERNEWS@GMAIL.COM
PROTEST
GRANT HERMANNS | Daily 49er
Rosa Moreno, mother of Cesar Rodriguez, who was killed in an incident involving a Long Beach Police officer, fights back tears as she describes her family’s story.
Community calls for justice from the LBPD By Grant Hermanns Opinions Editor grantheftautho
About 20 people gathered outside of Long Beach City Hall Tuesday evening chattering among themselves when one amplified voice broke through the conversations. “What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now,” Winston De Laurier, one of the leaders present at the ANSWER Coalition’s protest, cried out over his megaphone to those inside the building and people passing. He called for the firing of chief Robert Luna, and asked police to look back into potential false convictions and end any cover-ups. The crowd surrounding De Laurier was made up of members from organizations such as People of Long Beach, a local Black Lives Matter chapter and the Long Beach Reform Coalition. The protest was fueled by what they believe to be a series of scandals surrounding the Long Beach Police Department, along with a recent report from Al Jazeera in which unnamed current and former officers claimed that the department was using self-deleting messaging app Tiger Text to conceal communications and evidence among themselves. “[The] ANSWER Coalition called this rally in the hopes that community members and other organizations would come out to take a stand against LBPD,” Doug Kauffman, rally organizer from the ANSWER Coalition, said. “[To stand
against] the recent scandal that’s made international news, that they’ve been destroying evidence from 2014 to now and willfully so.” Kauffman said he found the city’s lack of knowledge on the subject was a sign of its ignorance and raised the question of the “legitimacy” of the city government, including elected officials. “It’s really important that they do have better working knowledge of what they’re doing, because Long Beach police are one of the most violent and brutal in the country,” Kauffman said. “An incident report from the Metro shows that [the LBPD] has been working on the trains for only a year, and yet they account for over 72 percent of all the arrests in the entire Metro system of L.A. County.” In addition to the Tiger Text report, family members of those who lost their lives in incidents involving the LBPD were present, including Pamela Fields, whose son Donte Jordan was murdered in an officer-involved shooting in November 2013. “[My goal] is bringing awareness and letting them know that I have not forgotten about my son,” Fields said. “None of these other family members [have forgotten either]. I’ve been coming for five years now, whenever somebody is killed, I’m probably one of the first ones on the scene, because I know what it feels like, especially as a family and as a mother.” Fields was also joined by another mother, Rosa Moreno, whose son allegedly lost his life at the hands of the LBPD. “We’re here because on August 29, 2017, at the Metro sta-
tion, the police threw my son in front of an oncoming train,” Moreno said. “Ever since then, my family has been devastated. He was my only son, the only son I’ve ever had.” Moreno, whose daughter Evelia Granados helped translate, was the mother of Cesar Rodriguez, a man who was reportedly thrown in front of a Metro train by an LBPD officer last year. The officer is still employed by the city and working for the police department, according to a report from CBS News. De Laurier and the other protesters called out for justice for the lives of various family members, shouting their names multiple times before moving to the next name. After about an hour of protesting in front of City Hall, the group headed toward the Long Beach Police Department in Downtown Long Beach, attracting the attention of drivers who honked in response to the group’s message of exposing corruption and scandal in the department. “We don’t get no justice, you don’t get no peace!” the group cried out in unison to the department. “Jail killer cops! Lock them up!” The protest outside continued and attracted the attention of a few of the police officers inside. One black officer had racial and anti-police slurs shouted toward him as he headed to his car, smiling and ignoring the words said at him. Vincent Pina, a local supporter, called out to the apartments and businesses across the street, asking them to open their eyes to the fact that their “neighbors are killers,” with one neighbor responding, “power to the people.”
NEWS 5
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DEMONSTRATION
government to take accountabiity and be “ We want the [Mexican] punished for what they’ve done. ” Asia Gonzalez
Students carry posters with the names of the 43 Ayotzinapa who disappeared in 2014. SABRINA FLORES | Daily 49er
La Raza demands answers to 43 missing students Demonstrators hold signs calling for the Mexican government to explain what happened to the missing students. By Emma DiMaggio
Assistant News Editor ekdimaggio
The names of 43 missing students projected through a megaphone, their faces prominently printed in black and white on posters that sprawled across the University Bookstore Lawn. The La Raza Student Association held a demonstration Wednesday for the four-year anniversary of the disappearance of 43 Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers’ College students in the town of Iguala, Mexico. La Raza Student Association is a socio-political cultural organization on campus. It hold several demonstrations per year, and this is their fourth year rallying for the dis-
appearance of the Ayotzinapa students. According to Asia Gonzalez, senior political science major and leader of the demonstration, hundreds of Mexican students were on their way to join a protest commemorating the 1968 Tlatelolco massacre, a killing of Mexican students and civilians by police and military members. On their way to Mexico City, police stopped their bus and opened fire on them. The officers took 43 students into their police cars and were never seen again. Rumors surround their disappearance, and though most are presumed dead, people are still calling for an explanation from the Mexican government. “We want the government to take accountability and be punished for what they’ve done,” Gonzalez said. “To this day, we’re still
demanding [an] answer about what actually happened.” Their photos were surrounded by red handprints and listed hashtags like #NosFaltan43 and #JusticiaParaAyotzinapa. “Those students [were] protesting against a government and using their right of free speech,” Nathan Carbajal, member of Students for Quality Education, said. “As long as we keep their memory alive, their fight and soul will keep going.” Gonzalez, with a megaphone in hand, called out each of the student’s names as their corresponding posters were placed on the ground. “Demonstrating in particular, for events such as state violence against students or state violence against any sort of minority group, is important on campus because
it brings light to [these] issues,” Jennifer Benitez, demonstrator and La Raza member, said. “We [as students] are subject to varying degrees, and in very nuanced ways, similar forms of oppression. That’s not just the state. That’s also capitalism. That’s also patriarchy.” Although the main purpose of the demonstration was to call attention to the corrupt actions of the Mexican government, the underlying theme was systematic oppression of minorities. “I think that all these different systems [of oppression] intertwine,” Benitez said. “Therefore we must see that our liberation as students, as ethnic minorities, as gender minorities, are tied inherently to [people] that are outside of these borders.”
6 NEWS
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 2018 | DAILY49ER.COM | D49ERNEWS@GMAIL.COM
PAULA KILEY | Daily 49er
Cyrus Parker-Jeannette (left) and Maria Coltharp (right) lead a discussion related to the firing of former University Art Museum Director Kimberli Meyer.
DISCUSSION
Public forum addresses Kimberli Meyer’s dismissal The session provides no new details in relation to her termination.
By Paula Kiley
Multimedia Assistant paulakileyy
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tudents and faculty were left with more questions than answers after a public forum to address “American MONUMENT,” and the firing of University Art Museum Director Kimberli Meyer provided no new revelations for attendees. Around 40 people attended the session Tuesday which was led by Cyrus Parker-Jeannette, dean of the College of the Arts and Maria Coltharp, UAM registrar and curator of the permanent collection. It was
held in response to concerns raised by students and faculty after the firing of Meyer on Sept. 11, five days before the opening of Lauren Woods’ “American MONUMENT.” Parker-Jeannette and Coltharp did not provide new details about the nature of Meyer’s dismissal due to privacy issues. “It’s been a really weird few weeks,” Coltharp said. “It’s really hard to read the stories [about Kimberli’s firing] and to be muzzled. [The UAM staff] is so emotional and raw right now.” Parker-Jeannette reiterated statements previously made by the university, emphasizing that there was no connection between Meyer’s dismissal and the contents of the exhibit.
Art history graduate student Ariana Rizo expressed her disappointment with the lack of new information presented at the Q&A session. “I think part of the frustration of what’s been going on is the lack of transparency,” Rizo said. “People don’t even know how to approach this when nothing has really been said.” During the discussion, students and faculty suggested that the lack of information provided by the university allowed for speculation that Meyer’s dismissal is tied to the nature of “American MONUMENT.” Todd Gray, art professor at the university, was concerned that the timing of Meyer’s firing may convey a message to the public that
the university supports white supremacy. “There needs to be a dialogue when a move of that dimension is made, because we are sensitive to how it will be perceived,” Gray said. “It can lead to a lot of misperception.” Aubry Mintz, director of the School of Art, commended Parker-Jeannette’s proactive measure to hold the Q&A session and told attendees to keep open ears and minds on details that may arise. “What I’m seeing here in front of us with Maria — the words she’s using and the way she’s sitting — and some comments reflected from people that have worked with the UAM staff, there’s probably another side to the story as well,” Mintz said.
ARTS & LIFE 7
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CONTEST
Non-stop animation across the nation The 16th annual 24 Hours Animation Competition for Students welcomes artists to prove their art skills. By Cristal Gomez
Assistant Arts and Life Editor gomezcristal98
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nimation students around the world anxiously wait for Aubry Mintz, director of the School of Arts’ instructions for the 16th annual 24 Hours Animation Contest for Students and mentally prepare themselves for the stressful moments later on that night. Students are given the challenge to get into groups and create a 30-second short film within the time span of 24 hours, all within a given theme sent out by Mintz the night of the contest. Dating back to 2002, the competition first began at Laguna College of the Arts and Design, where Mintz was teaching at the time. Shortly after Mintz started at LBSU in 2007, he brought the competition with him. The event slowly began to flourish from that point on, bringing with it the attention of students interested in animation from various colleges and universities around the country. “In order to deal with animation, you have to be a hard worker. When I was working at Laguna Beach I had noticed the students weren’t working very hard,” Mintz said. “I had challenged them on a Friday night, I said ‘Look guys, I won’t leave this classroom until the last person leaves.’” Mintz saw something spark in the students that night in response to the unique challenge. “It was a test to see who would stay, only five students had decided to stay. They completed more work in that 18 hour time period than they ever did.” From that day forward, he continued to bring this challenge to students so they could get a small taste of the animation industry and the challenges that arise within it. This year, Mintz is expecting to have a little over 1,000 students from around the world compete for the first place title. In last year’s competition, there were 915 students from seven different countries. “I think students like the challenge of doing something creative in a certain amount of time,” Mintz said “They like the fact that you have to work in a team. It’s rare in animation to do a film alone, even if it’s a 30-second short.” Various production companies have also begun sponsoring the competition. Some
Combo Meal’s Youtube
Under the moniker of Team Combo Meal, this animation was one of 167 entered into last year’s 24 Hours Animation Contest for Students. sponsors this year include California State University Summer Arts, ASIFA Hollywood and Blue Sky. The winners will receive a variety of prizes according to the placement they get. Each year the rewards change based on the sponsors. Last year one of the winning groups won prizes from various shows from Cartoon Network along with art supplies. Each competition has a different theme introduced by Mintz at the start of the event. Last year the theme was “one of these things is not like the others.” Students approached the theme differently while creating their 30-second animations; some competitors connected it to politics, life and even food. Trilina Mai and Alex Tasker, fourth-year Bachelor of Fine Arts animation majors, have both competed in the competition before, Mai twice and Tasker once. They are helping
Mintz this year by answering questions students might have about the contest. “Usually, it is at the 2 a.m. mark where all the best work comes out from students,” Tasker said. “It’s like one of the weirdest camping trips … A lot of students think, ‘I have stayed up studying this should be easy.’ It isn’t since you are in a time crunch.” Mai interned at Pixar over the summer and was able to practice everything she has learned at LBSU. “Doing the 24 Hour Animation Competition is honestly something that helps you prepare for the real world,” Mai said. “If you are simply focused on having the best film you’re not going to get anywhere, you’ll get a decent story but the main thing is to have fun with it.” Mintz added that the work students do during this competition typically can take
three months in the real world. Students have begun turning in their work colored in recent years, which is another difficult task they take up during this event. The competition begins at 3 p.m. Friday, October 5 and finish at 3 p.m. Saturday, October 6. Every school that is participating will log onto a Google Hangouts or a live stream on YouTube where Mintz will announce the rules and the theme for this year’s competition. Students can still submit their applications to join the event, the deadline is Monday, Oct. 3. Each group must have five members, six is the maximum and must have an advisor present the day of the competition. For more information regarding the 24 Hours Animation Competition for Students visit their page on Facebook.
8 ARTS & LIFE
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EXHIBIT
‘Race and Othered’ provides a community for minority art students Twelve student artists from different backgrounds unite into one collective gallery. By Brenna Enos Staff Writer brennasenos
“It’s an awkward conversation but the fact of the matter is, our institutions tend to be very white,” said Álvaro D. Marquez, Long Beach State graduate student and co-curator of the latest School of Art Gallery, when discussing his motivation for creating a minority-focused gallery. “We felt that it was important to create a space for students of color,” Marquez said. Together with co-curator and graduate student Alan Vidali, a gallery featuring artwork from 12 LBSU students of color has come to fruition in “Race and Othered.” With a goal to bring different artists together, the exhibit showcases everything from cartoons to sculptures. One of the galleries contributors currently working toward his Master of Fine Arts degree at LBSU, Benjamin Lin shared his cultural experiences within his art. After visiting a museum in his home country, Taiwan, Lin drew ideas from ancient bronze artwork and Chinese folklore to create his relief print “Carp Jumps Over Dragon Gate.” The carp fish jumping over a dragon in his print is drawn from Chinese legends. He, along with other artists in the gallery, all shared the desire to shed light on their “
cultural heritage and experiences.” “I love folk art, folklore and history,” Lin said. “It’s a window into my culture.” Also drawing from native folklore in her pieces “Her” and “Close-Up,” MFA student Sara Hassan Khani exhibits her Iranian culture with a focus on women. Khani’s two black-and-white paintings depict female characters from a famous Persian folk tale “Shahnameh,” through which Khani aimed to emphasize their individuality and expression. “I have always been inspired by Iranian folktales and legends in my artworks,” Khani said. “I presented these works in this show to convey how it feels to be a woman from the Middle East and a person of color in this society.” Also a contributor of the gallery, MFA student artist Rodolfo Montalvo unintentionally displays his Mexican culture through his cartoon piece, “Untitled.” Having curated artwork for several children books, “Untitled” was not created to “speak directly to the show’s theme” according to Montalvo, as he had intended for it to be a future piece for a book. The cartoon piece features an old man and a donkey and still fits into the “Race and Othered” theme, as it shows aspects of his Mexican heritage. Other student artists featured in the gallery include
Suspended from the ceiling in the middle of the gallery (left), Jillian Thompson’s “Look, but don’t touch” features various colored materials that hang down to the floor. “Timeline 02” by Alan Vidali (above) hangs in the School of Art Gallery as a part of “Race and Othered.” BRENNA ENOS Daily 49er
Alan Vidali, Briana Miyoko Stanley, Steven Dupus, Jennie Jieun Lee, Jillian Thompson, Gary Musgrave and Shima Taj Baksh. Marquez said he hopes that this exhibit will address the lack of diversity in many art institutions, including the LBSU School of Art. “I have a deep appreciation for this institution and I just want to make it better,” Marquez said. “Race and Others” is featured at the School of Art galleries in the Fine Arts Buildings between FA3 and FA4. This gallery, among four other student galleries can be viewed from noon to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and from noon to 7 p.m. Wednesday.
OPINIONS 9
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LAW ENFORCEMENT
Deleted by the thin blue line The Long Beach Police Department needs to do more than apologize for its use of the Tiger Text app. Winston De Laurier calls out for justice and the end of reported police cover-ups during Tuesday’s protest outside of City Hall. GRANT HERMANNS Daily 49er
By Carlos Villicana City Editor broletariatx
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he Long Beach Police Department got caught using a service that permanently deletes text messages, and its apology was nowhere near sufficient. Al Jazeera published an article Sept. 18, revealing that, since at least 2014, the LBPD used Tiger Text – an application which deletes messages shortly after they are seen. Multiple unnamed police officers who spoke with the news organization claim that the department used the app “to share sensitive and potentially incriminating information that they wouldn’t want to be disclosed to a court.” The article states that Tiger Text deletes messages after a short amount of time, and unlike social media apps such as Snapchat, these are not recoverable. Thus any information about a case or departmental affairs that officers share through the app will be gone after the recipient views it. Multiple officers who spoke with Al Jazeera claimed that they were instructed to use Tiger Text. If the LBPD truly had nothing to hide, then I see no reason for using this service. In a possible sign of bad communication, LBPD contradicted a statement they released about police
departments using Tiger Text. On Tuesday, it claimed to be the only department using the application, but officials stated a day later that they knew of other police departments using the messaging system, but chose to not share which ones those were. While it is possible that Long Beach police learned about other departments using Tiger Text within the two days, what is not disputable is that the organization has chosen to protect those who may be doing something illegal by using the app. “If you see something, say something,” is the call any public transit user will hear Police Chief Robert Luna say. It’s clear that he and most of his department are failing to do so. The LBPD denies the anonymous officers’ claims that the app was used for hiding evidence which could be useful in court. Regardless of whether or not they were hiding anything, the fact that it is possible to do so should be concerning. Police told the Long Beach Post that the system had “a side-effect of deleting messages,” which clearly shows that they knew the app did this. The use of Tiger Text has been exposed, there is no returning from that. According to Chief Luna, the department has stopped using the app. It has also begun a review of its own communication and records retainment protocols and agreed to cooperate in a review of LBPD’s use of the app, conducted by a firm which the city hired.
Luna told the Long Beach Post that the department is taking these actions to eliminate the idea that they are trying to hide information. But there is more that needs to be done if Luna really wants people to believe that his officers never intended to do hide evidence. It’s obvious that the LBPD has communication issues. They say they do not know who suggested or approved the decision to use Tiger Text on over 100 phones issued by the department, and officers told the Long Beach Post that the department lacked specific guidelines for using the app. In an attempt to explain the use of Tiger Text, Luna said facts that pertain to a case would be included in a report. Anything not relevant to the case becomes “discarded.” Luna referred to this as a common practice, but I don’t think it should be. Leaving what is deemed worthy of being evidence up to an individual can lead to important facts going unreported. Law enforcement should strive for complete transparency, and this means not being selective with what information is shared with the public. If Luna and the LBPD do not want people to think that they are hiding something, they need to be honest about what they know and turn over information which could help any court cases, even if it means that one of their own is going to take a hit. “Actions have consequences” should apply to everyone, not just those who don’t have a badge.
10 SPORTS
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WOMEN’S SOCCER
49ers head to Fullerton for Big West opener By Sierra Martinez Staff Writer mistjournalist
Two spots away from the top 25 in the United Soccer Coaches poll, the Long Beach State women’s soccer team is expected to make a substantial impact in the Big West this year. Despite losses to ranked teams in non-conference play, the 49ers proved they are able to compete with the best with their non-stop effort and energy. Long Beach heads into its first Big West conference match at 7 p.m. Thursday against its rivals Cal State Fullerton at Titan Stadium. It was a rough start for Long Beach (5-41), suffering a loss in the first game of the season. The team fell 1-0 to No. 2 UCLA with a goal scored in the last seconds of the game.
Learning from their mistakes, the 49ers bounced back with a three-game win streak at home. “The team has grown with every game,” head coach Mauricio Ingrassia said. “We’re ready to play.” Currently leading the team in goals scored is senior forward Ashley Gonzales with four, followed by senior forward Dana Fujikuni with three. While the offense is putting up big numbers, the defense has been the strongest point of the team thus far. Sophomore defender Sarah Pilster and junior defender Chloe Froment stand out on the defensive end, and senior goalkeeper Imani McDonald heads into conference play with 43 saves and 10 goals against. The last time Long Beach saw the NCAA tournament was in 2016. With Gonzales back on the field after recovering from a season-ending injury last year, the 49ers may advance for the sixth time in school history.
“We are so different from past teams,” Gonzales said. “We are more of a team and more of a family. I think we’re ready.” Long Beach had the most players selected to the Big West preseason All-Conference team including Gonzales and Froment, as well as junior forward Katie Pingel. Defeating every unranked team on their schedule, the 49ers go into conference play with a 5-4-1 record. With the noticeable improvement over last year, the team was predicted to place second in the Big West preseason coaches poll, following the reigning conference champion UC Irvine by only two points. Threats in the Big West include UC Riverside and UC Santa Barbara. Riverside (9-0-1) falls at number 51 in the NCAA RPI rankings, just two spots behind Long Beach. Currently in second place in the Big West, Santa Barbara (7-4) held a five-game win streak at the beginning of the season.
AUSTIN BRUMBLAY | Daily 49er
Long Beach State sophomore forward Rola Badawiya goes for the ball.
“We are so ready. We open with Fullerton and I could not be more excited,” McDonald said.
SPORTS 11
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PROFILE
McDonald embodies Long Beach grit The senior goalkeeper leads by example on a local and international stage. By Alex Manfredi
Assistant Sports Editor alexmanfr3di
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n anchor on the defensive front. A leader in the community and the classroom. Imani McDonald defines the model student-athlete, and then some. The senior goalkeeper for the Long Beach State women’s soccer team has made her mark far beyond the box where she’s logged 2,593 career minutes. McDonald has done more than a serviceable job defending the net for the Long Beach State women’s soccer team (5-4-1) so far this season. With 43 saves, 10 goals given up and a .811 save percentage, she has battled and kept her team afloat in one of its toughest non-conference schedules to date. “The ones that don’t go into their net trickle into your net, and the reason they don’t is because we have some big time saves from Imani,” head coach Mauricio Ingrassia said. The 20-year-old is no stranger to the LBC, growing up in the Patterson Child Development Center, Minnie Gant Elementary and the historic “Funk House,” Long Beach Polytechnic High School. Playing a Division-I college sport in the city you grew up in isn’t too common anymore, since many athletes simply want a change in scenery. McDonald has developed a true connection and devotion to the city, and chokes up when she speaks about what the city means to her. “I have a love for Long Beach like no other, LB runs in my blood,” McDonald said. McDonald is not the average goalie on the pitch. She can be heard from all parts of George Allen Field encouraging, inspiring and shifting her teammates on the defensive side. After practice, she walks over with a busted lip and a dusty shirt, and talks about her commitment to her city. While her loyalty between both schools is up for grabs, there is no uncertainty that McDonald has kept a balance of excellence both on the field and in the classroom. This past summer, McDonald earned the Big West Service and Leadership award. Six Big West student-athletes were chosen for the award, and recipients were honored by being among “those who best engage with other student-athletes, and are involved with their campus community and the com-
munity surrounding their institution,” according to the Big West’s website. McDonald not only prides herself on being the head of the 49ers defense, but also someone who leads by example, locally and internationally. A nine-day trip to Panama in late May opened her eyes about how much of a passion she has for helping others and what she wants to do in the future. “I grew as a person, as a teammate. It made me so much more grateful for what we have here,” McDonald said. “I’m a middle class girl, never had a bunch of money, I want to be but these people were able to be that so willing.” McDonald went on to alum that’s talk about the generosfinancially able to give back ity of the Panamanian and supports her commu- locals, even while most live in what would be nity as much as her comconsidered severe povmunity supported her.” erty in the U.S. She got a glance into the local’s daily lives when she ran Imani McDonald out of clean clothes in the blistering tropics of Valle Rico, Panama. “I did laundry the Panamanian way and absolutely loved it. It was a lot more work, it wasn’t just throwing [stuff] in the washer,” McDonald said. Laundry the “Panamanian way” is much more rugged and gritty than what most people do in the U.S. The process includes soaking the clothes, scrubbing them with powder detergent on the concrete ground and rinsing. The hardest part
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JORGE VILLA | Daily 49er
With 43 saves so far in her last season at Long Beach, Imani McDonald hopes to lead the 49ers to the NCAA Tournament.
is the last step, as hang drying comes with the risk of garments being ruined by rain in the country’s humid, maritime climate. Like most people who’ve experienced trips around the world, new perspectives were opened up for McDonald. She came back to the Beach with new thoughts, ideas and reflections. but inspire her to give back more to the Long Beach community. “My only thing is that I want to make my community proud,” McDonald said. “I want to be able to be that alum that’s financially able to give back and supports her community as much as her community supported her.” McDonald is also an executive for the Student Athlete Advisory Committee on campus and an ASI senator, elected to represent student-athletes at the university level. Being involved on campus has allowed for McDonald to see connections between the real world and the soccer field. “I’ve always been a talker but I think [the SAAC and ASI] helped me on the organizational front,” McDonald said. “When I have to organize a defense it’s similar to organizing an event, even though it is a little more fast-paced.” As Big West conference play begins Thursday, McDonald hopes to lead the 49ers to the NCAA tournament during her last season. “I’ve been playing soccer for 17 years and it’s coming to an end,” McDonald said. “My biggest thing is going out with a bang, making sure I play for my other seniors and just making sure we’re all on the same page. Hopefully we’ll go dancing.” Whether or not Long Beach will be dancing into the NCAA Tournament, McDonald has left her mark on the women’s soccer program, the campus and the community.
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2018
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