2024.04.10

THERE GOES THE SUN

By Cam’ron Hardy News Editor | @cahardy@eiu.edu

The extraordinary solar eclipse brought out roughly 100 people to Eastern’s observatory Monday.

The once in a lifetime phenomenon, twice for some, drew in several people in the Charleston community to watch the eclipse. There was 99% totality in Charleston, meaning that 99% of the sun was covered by the moon.

When it happened, the sky darkened and the temperature noticeably decreased.

The chair of the physics department, Steven Daniels, helped conduct the event.

Daniels said that Illinois residents are lucky to be able to view it twice in seven years.

“[The eclipse doesn’t] come through any particular place very often,” Daniels said.

He said that he and other departments in Eastern have worked together to have an event.

With the help of the Doudna Fine Arts Center, he was able to acquire a tent, and the astronomy program provided telescopes for people to look out of.

There were also seven presentations over the course of seven weeks giving information on the eclipse.

(See CHARLESTON PG 2)

Solar eclipse assembles community, builds friendships

BY ROB LE CATES | THE DAILY EASTERN NEWS

From right, Shay Edmond, a senior sociology major, and Brianna Hull-Dennis, a senior political science major, watch the solar eclipse with friends Monday afternoon at the campus observatory. Edmond said the turnout made the viewing much more exciting.

BY ALEXIS MOORE-JONES | THE DAILY EASTERN NEWS

From left, Lois Dickerson, Roxanna Frey and Wanda Johnson observe the eclipse taking place outside of the Eastern’s observatory Monday.

BY ROB LE CATES | THE DAILY EASTERN NEWS

Micah Cherry, a junior criminology/criminal justice major, tests his solar eclipse glasses ten minutes before the eclipse Monday afternoon at the campus observatory.

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Monday afternoon at the campus observatory. The two weren’t too excited beforehand, but after seeing the

CHARLESTON CONTINUED FROM PG 1 >>

“Since the summer, we’ve been trying to put this together,” Daniels said. “We spent a lot of time working with the people in Doudna, [the office of] student life has been very helpful and we’ve worked with the library.”

Daniels said he sent a group of 20-25 his students to Robinson High School to view the eclipse.

He said that he was very pleased with the outcome.

“I was pleased with the support that I’ve gotten from the university in the various areas,” Daniels said.

Sophomore and computer information technology major Kenny Warner attended the event with a few of his friends.

He said he was happy to spend this rare event with his friends.

With all of the coverage from various news sources, Warner said he just wanted to come out and experience it for himself.

He also has found the concept of outer space interesting.

“It was just super fun, and experiencing it with all our friends and just like people I don’t even know, it’s cool to experience something as a group and just a sense of community,” Warner said.

Additionally, he was grateful for everything that the university put together for everyone to see it.

Xiana Pettis, a sophomore biological science major, said she found the once-in-alifetime event cool. The next time Illinois will

see a solar eclipse will be in 2099, according to NASA.

She said that it scared her because of how much was happening in the span of 10 minutes.

Even though she attended by herself, she was able to meet new friends, which she said was heartfelt.

“I didn’t come here planning on making friends and like actually seeing it with my friends,” Pettis said. “I came here by myself and then found some people to sit with, but it’s good to experience [the eclipse] with people of my age and just other people that can say they’ve seen it.”

Cam’ron Hardy can be reached at 581-2812 or cahardy@eiu.edu.

address changes to: The Daily Eastern News

1802 Buzzard Hall Eastern Illinois University

FRONT PAGE COVER BY ROB LE CATES

BY ROB LE CATES | THE DAILY EASTERN NEWS

Front left to right, Rori Valentine, a senior criminology/criminal justice major, and Ashley Mickens, a senior human services major, watch the solar eclipse with friends

turnout, they said the energy rose.

Nearby towns admire solar eclipse

By News Staff Reporter | @dennewsdesk@gmail.com

While Charleston saw around a 99% solar eclipse, many people travelled south to experience totality.

Carbondale

The eclipse celebrations have officially ended in Carbondale, one of the major hotspots for the total solar eclipse.

Carbondale has been in the direct path of totality for both the August 2017 and April 2024 solar eclipses. Its residents and the thousands of people who visited have officially seen a once, or twice, in a lifetime experience.

“That was the coolest thing I have ever seen in my life,” said Chantel Morrigan, who was moved to tears during totality.

Those who traveled to Carbondale saw four minutes and nine seconds of totality. Its college, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, hosted the Crossroads Eclipse Festival partnered with NASA EDGE and the Adler Planetarium.

Several people were doing solar eclipse activities at the festival including racing solar powered cars, listening to talks from NASA scientists, getting free eclipse glasses and taking photos in front of diagrams.

The official solar eclipse viewing was at the SIUC stadium.

The stadium had its seventh biggest astronomy event and was also open for grass seating outside. NASA provided footage of the eclipse moving in real time as well.

The festival hosted several vendors to sell their products.

Larry and Debbie Drake were invited to sell their handmade jewelry from Nashville, Tennessee. They got a decent number of sales from this event, said Debbie Drake.

Some volunteers even drove for several hours to help with the event including Jennifer McKercher, who drove 10 hours from Solon Springs, Wisconsin.

“I would do this again in a heartbeat,” said McKercher.

Lawrenceville

The small, local airport between Lawrenceville and Vincennes, Indiana hosted a special event for the total solar eclipse on April 8.

The Mid-American Air Center is normally used for farming planes, but today it hosted more than 1,000 people to enjoy live music, food trucks, family games, a beer tent and more, said Ginger Shick, a Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce event coordinator.

This area had one of the longest times in totality, with a total viewing time of four minutes and five seconds.

Dancing in the Dark lasted from April 7 at noon to April 9 at noon.

The event also hosted fly-in, drive-in and camping opportunities, with an estimated 1,500 attendants.

The workers parked around 200 cars, and over 70 planes flew in from all across,the United States, said Lawrenceville Chamber of Commerce event coordinator Grant McDonald.

“We have anywhere from single engines to planes to big private jets and even a helicopter here,” said Shick. “One jet was even confirmed to cost $4,000,000, and another flew in from San Francisco.”

Knox County Fire Captain Aaron Stolting said the turnout was slightly smaller than they planned, but the city prepared for any-

BY OLIVIA BENNETT

thing.

“So far today, we have seen several visitors from out of town. The campground is full, and there are even some campers in the Walmart parking lot,” Stolting said.

Multiple families from all over the state decided to come to the event for the family activities that were advertised.

Many small business owners were present at the event with merchandise tables. Most products were either eclipse or Vincennes/Lawrenceville themed. While this was one of the biggest events, there were other events going on throughout Vincennes and Lawrenceville.

The crowd sizes were a little disappointing, said the mayor of Vincennes, Jo Yochum, but the local citizens did a great job at showing up and helping with the activities going on around town.

Martinsville

Around 400 residents and guests of Martinsville used the eclipse as an opportunity to make connections.

Several science-centered organizations, including the University of Illinois astronomical society, the Illinois space society and the outdoor adventure society visited Martinsville Monday morning for the eclipse, said the president of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign astronomical society, Yash Ejjagiri.

UIUC supplied the organization with $2,000 in funding to attend the event with demonstrations, eclipse glasses and vehicles, said treasurer Lisa Leung.

Between 130 and 140 people from the university attended the event, Ejjagiri said.

The UIAS brought demonstrations with them to the fairgrounds in hopes to educate viewers on not only the total solar eclipse but other space phenomenon’s, Ejjagiri said. These demonstrations ranged from models of the moon’s surface to a 128-yearold telescope.

The UIAS was on a time crunch to finish their models before the University of Illi-

nois engineering open house on Friday and Saturday, where students could display the demonstrations. In order to complete the models, members worked until 2 or 3 on Friday morning, Ejjagiri said.

The ensemble of demonstrations won the outstanding freshman exhibit award during the open house. This was the society’s first win in seven years.

In 2017, the organization placed third for outstanding registered student organization, Ejjagiri said. But during the pandemic, the organization crumbled and had to be rebuilt from scratch, he said.

“Now, we’re better than ever,” he said.

Students like Allen Chang and Lisa Wang attended Martinsville’s viewing party in hopes it would be less crowded.

The pair drove an hour and a half to view the eclipse, Wang said.

“It’s just exciting because it’s rare,” Chang said.

Martinsville students Amanda Hammond, Camryn Remlinger, Landry Price and Finn Pleij worked concessions alongside their families for the day.

“I feel like it was a really good idea to have it today because we got a lot more people than we would have any other time,” Hammond said.

Hannah Hayes, Elsie Svika and Olivia Bennett contributed to this article

The News Staff can be reached 581-2812 or dennewsdesk@gmail. com.

| THE DAILY EASTERN NEWS Viewers in Martinsville stare up at the solar eclipse Monday afternoon.

COLUMN

‘Waves’ floods audience with emotions

By Cam’ron Hardy News Editor

The 2019 film “Waves” utilized a wide range of emotions and colors to better further the moving narrative.

The film is split into two parts.

The first part of the film shows us the drastic life changes of high schooler Tyler Williams (Kelvin Harrison Jr.).

He is the typical high school senior;. He parties and spends time with his girlfriend named Alexis Lopez (Alexa Demie).

He is also a part of the wrestling team, pushed on by his firm and strict father Ronald Williams (Sterling K. Brown).

While wrestling, he is develops a severe injury in his shoulder, causing his season to end early.

During this time, he abuses drugs and alcohol and impregnates his girlfriend, which causes his life to spiral downward.

With the film being distributed by A24, I already knew prior to watching that this was going to have eye catching cinematography.

With the works of cinematographer Drew Daniels, “Waves” exhibits an ar -

ray of colors which are utilized in an uncommon way.

But the way that they are used just seems fitting.

I love when films have a large range of colors.

These colors always add something to the film that is more than a simple plot, and A24 specializes in this area of production.

There were times when it was blatant about the colors shown, and other times the it was a minor detail such as the neon finger nails of Lopez’s character, which contrasted the harsh blue lighting.

The aspect ratio changes several times when something drastic happens on screen.

Some scenes were serious and harsh, and the claustrophobic feeling of the 1.33:1 aspect ratio helps to make viewers feel these range of emotions.

The camera movements were low key as well.

One of the first scenes that invites us into the film is a 360 degree camera shot from the inside of a car.

While not outstanding, the limited space made for a difficult filming space.

The acting was convincing as well, especially by Brown.

There was a specific scene between characters Tyler Williams and Ronald Williams that started off strict but transitioned into a valuable teaching moment.

Just seeing how Brown was able to

change his emotion smoothly was interesting.

Growing up in the suburbs, the Williams have a nice house and live in a nice neighborhood, but the lifestyle that Tyler Williams succumbs to after his injury is devastating.

His parents worked hard to get them there, and for him to throw it all away is disappointing.

When Tyler Williams found out that his girlfriend was pregnant, I feel like the acting was really realistic up until the his character snaps.

The multitude of emotions displayed by him was captivating, and the scene where they were arguing in the car is definitely realistic.

Tyler Williams’ demise was expected, but I didn’t feel sorry for him for a single second.

The second part of the film focuses on his younger sister, Emily Williams (Taylor Russell), and it follows the timeline seamlessly of how her brother’s story ends.

Her parents’ dynamic starts to change ,which impacts her. She finds a boyfriend named Luke (Lucas Hedges).

We are able to see the passion amongst the family, and we are allowed into a very intimate scene between Emily and Ronald.

Emily Williams’ aspect ratios change as well, which fits the atmosphere of the movie at any given time-- the ending scene especially with its ultra-wide 1:85:1 ratio.

Throughout the entire film, there are three aspect ratios that are used: 1:85:1, 2:66:1 and 1:33:1.

We are introduced to them in the order as they were listed.

When the second part of Emily Williams’ story begins, they are told inversely but still representing the emotions of the characters.

I really think this is brilliant.

While Tyler Williams’ story beings happily and comes to a depressing ending, Emily Williams’ story begins miserably and ends seemingly resolved, leaving her feeling free and clear.

She embarks on spontaneous adventures with Luke, which are kind of extreme, but maybe normal for them, especially since they are teenagers.

A24 has unique movies with sometimes extreme plots.

With that said, this was probably one of the most ordinary film I’ve seen by them.

That is not to say there’s anything wrong with either collection of the films, since I love most of the films produced by them.

I praise it so much because of how personal “Waves” is and the relatability factor.

There are times when it feels that as a viewer I was intruding.

Rate: 4.5/5

Cam’ron Hardy can be reached at 581-2812 or at cahardy@eiu.edu.

32-hour work weeks should be the standard

By Jacob Hamm Reporter

The idea of a 32hour work week has garnered attention recently. Many companies in both Europe and the United States instituting this policy.

Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont recently introduced legislation that would make a 32-hour work week the standard across the country.

I am an enthusiastic supporter.

A 2022 study from the United Kingdom showed that adopting a 32-hour work week improves employee productivity and retention.

Employees with companies that par -

ticipated in the study saw improvements in mental health and a greater work-life balance.

Prior to implementation, employees who were surveyed ranked their mental health at 2.89 on a five-point scale.

One year after the policy change, the same figure rose to 3.34.

Out of the 294 staff members that were surveyed, 53% said that their personal well-being improved, and 41% said that their stress levels were reduced because of the change.

Of the 61 organizations participating in the study, 54 of them were practicing four-day work weeks one year later.

31 of these companies made the policy permanent. Only 8% of companies that were a part of the study discontinued.

Man for reasons such as lack of commitment from management.

Pro-business special interest groups

and politicians have lobbied against the measure despite the idea’s overall success and popularity.

I am here to say don’t listen to them.

It wasn’t too long ago in our country’s history that the same groups opposed child labor laws and a 40-hour work week during the time of the Great Depression.

Many of the public and private sector unions have begun demanding a fourday work week as part of their negotiations.

The average American adult works approximately 8.01 hours per day, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics study.

The proposal would not reduce the daily hours worked, but simply give employees another day off.

On a personal note, I know many people that would benefit from this policy change.

Many people I know struggle with a work-life balance, struggling to find time to complete tasks such as errands and even relax.

Having an extra day off can make a huge difference for many.

While the legislation is unlikely to pass in this congressional session, the idea needs to be continuously brought up in terms of public policy and job negotiations.

If more people start demanding a four-day work week, more companies may institute the policy on their own accord.

As the idea becomes more normalized, the private sector begins to catch up with the market demand.

This idea needs to become the reality in our country.

Red Hot Chilli Pipers spice up Doudna

By Alexis Moore-Jones Reporter | @admoorejones@eiu.edu

Starting off with a bang and ending with an encore that brought the whole crowd to its feet, the Red Hot Chilli Pipers left scorch marks on the minds of all who attended Saturday’s performance.

Caiden Webb and Logan Brinkman went out to the concert to celebrate their friend Becky Lawson’s birthday, leaving the group with memories they said will last a lifetime.

“I already have an interest in more niche instruments, so to see a concert that’s centered around instruments such as a bagpipe, it really is exciting,” Brinkman said.

Webb was happy about the fact that a group like the Red Hot Chilli Pipers came to a small town like Charleston.

“I think anything the press can do to encourage EIU to continue bringing groups like this, especially different types of cultures, in for people in east central Illinois to see is a really, really big deal,” said Webb. “There are a lot of folks who just have no idea what exists outside of here, and to have people come in, that’s really amazing.”

Lawson was overjoyed to find out the Pipers were coming to Charleston because it saved her a six-hour drive to Indiana to see them.

“I found out they were gonna be here, and I’m like, ‘Heck yeah. Go EIU,’” said

MUSIC

ALEXIS MOORE-JONES | THE DAILY EASTERN NEWS

From left, bagpipers Ross Miller and Willie Armstrong play together during the Red Hot Chilli Pipers performance held in the Dvorak Concert Hall Saturday.

Lawson.

A thick fog set the scene for audience members as they made their way to their seats. One after another, people filed into the Dvorak Concert Hall.

As the room began to fill up and the lights began to dim, a bright red light shot out from the stage introducing the performers for the night.

To end the 15-year anniversary celebration at the Doudna Fine Art Center, the Red Hot Chilli Pipers were able to take the stage with their unique sound known as bagrock. They invented the style by fusing pop, rock and traditional Scottish music. The electrifying, spicy concert con -

sisted of a tap-dancing ensemble by the twin Red Hot Chilli dancers, powerful vocals provided by lead singer Chris Judge and musical assistance from the drummer, pianist and two guitarists.

The band was spearheaded by the main attraction: the three bagpipers Andrew Brodlie, Ross Miller and the oldest member of the band Willie Armstrong.

Performing hits like “Take on Me” by A-ha, “Higher Ground” by Stevie Wonder and “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon, the Pipers took the night by storm and turned Saturday night into party night.

Crowd interaction, stage presence and impromptu dance breaks result -

ed in audience members getting up and dancing in the aisle of the concert hall.

Getting their start in Scotland in 2002, The Pipers have made a name for themselves as “the most famous bagpipe band on the planet,” according to the band’s website.

Also according to their website, a list of their most notable fans consists of Ewan McGregor, Paul McCartney, Alex Ferguson, Gary Player, the Scottish rugby team and Samuel L. Jackson.

Having sold out tours in China, India, Ukraine, Barbados and America, the Pipers have shared their unique style of music with newcomers and fans alike all around the world.

Amplifying their craft over the years by performing at events such as the Olympics, the 2015 Rugby World Cup or BBC Proms, the group has become an unstoppable force of creativity showcasing an uncommon talent in America.

The director of programming, publicity and promotion at Doudna, Dennis Malak, helped bring the Red Hot Chilli Peppers to Charleston.

“A patron actually recommended me to look into them, so I did,” Malak said. “I thought that would be just a really fun, unique way to end the season.”

Alexis Moore-Jones can be reached at 581-2812 or at admoorejones@eiu. edu.

Rigorous courses prepare music student

By Drew Coffey Reporter | @akcoffey@eiu.edu

In music, you have to love it to do it.

That is what Jemma Allen, a thirdyear vocal performance and vocal music education major at Eastern said when asked what it takes to be successful within the program.

Allen attended Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, North Carolina, before deciding to come to Eastern where they auditioned for the music bachelor program.

Collegiate music programs are known for being overwhelming and extremely time-consuming, Allen said.

Allen said they are required to do four credits worth of work for their onehour-a-week voice lessons, being expected to practice for three to four additional hours during the week.

“Physically, it can just get exhausting because on top of that, you have all your other classes, and you have all your other homework,” they said.

However, coursework is crucial to preparing students for a career after graduation, Allen said.

The education classes are fairly demanding, they said, requiring much time, effort and thought to get assignments done well.

“It’s not necessarily the assignments themselves are difficult or something that’s out of their realm of possibility

ROB LE CATES | THE DAILY EASTERN NEWS

essarily mean that that opportunity is gone for you because realistically there are so many jobs, and there’s so many gigs that we don’t need to fight each other.”

Outside of class, Allen won one of two spots in the Eastern Symphony Orchestra concerto competition and is the secretary of the Illinois Music Educators Association where they have speakers talk about different topics in music education five to six times a semester. Allen is most looking forward to student teaching.

“Being in the classroom with actual students and having the opportunity to be next to a cooperating teacher who has more experience than me is definitely going to be one where I can learn way more than I can in a classroom setting,” Allen said.

But the artistic expression that comes with music is something that lives within the small moments of a performance, and Allen said that is the best part.

that we can do, there’s just quite a few of them because they’re trying to prepare you to become a teacher so you don’t get thrown into the deep end,” Allen said

Allen said they credit their professors for being understanding and flexible with students.

“There’s always somebody that’s

around to give you help, give you an extension and explain the concept better to you,” Allen said.

According to Allen, the department and classmates have been supportive. “We’re all very supportive, and we know that a win for one of us is a win for all of us,” Allen said. “Just because someone wanted something that doesn’t nec-

“Music is a transcendent art,” Allen said. “While we can record it, we can never actually like recreate it and re-experience it the way that it was in that moment. I think it’s really cool to bring joy and happiness or bring emotions of sadness whatever you’re conveying on the stage to the people in the audience.”

Drew Coffey can be reached at 581-2812 or at akcoffey@eiu.edu.

Jemma Allen instructs a student at Carl Sandburg Elementary School on which notes to play on the piano in a practice room in the basement of the Doudna Fine Arts Center Thursday.

ATHLETICS

Putting the ‘student’ in student athlete

By Chloe Proffitt Sports Reporter | @cgproffitt@eiu.edu

What does it mean to be a student athlete?

A student athlete is an individual who adventures into finding the perfect balance of what many say feels like two full-time jobs: school and their sport.

For some student athletes, the “student” part is surprisingly the hardest.

“The biggest challenge for me is not being present in class, so I have to teach myself the material instead of a professor explaining the content,” senior pitcher Jonathan Hanscom said. “To prepare, I make sure to communicate with professors and plan out when I will have time to complete assignments including tests, quizzes and labs.”

As student athletes put in effort on the track, field or court, they then turn around and must put in additional effort into school.

“It was difficult for me at first, but the teachers and faculty here know it gets hard balancing practice times, games and traveling,” freshman guard Isaiah Griffin said.

Coming home from a long, difficult practice to turn around and do two plus hours of homework, already drained, physically and mentally, can be exhausting for student athletes.

Squeezing in any extra time to study between practice and class and arranging time with professors to work around traveling are daily aspects that most, if not all student athletes have to face while their sport is in season.

For freshman libero Masyn Navarro, communication with professors and planning ahead have been extremely helpful.

“To prepare when I know we’re traveling, I make it a point to get all my work done and communicate,” Navarro said. “I must communicate with my teach -

MEET THE COACHES

For student athletes, arranging time to meet with professors for homework

ers so that I don’t miss much work, and they are very flexible when you communicate early rather than the night before you leave.”

So, what is the most important part about being a student athlete when it comes to traveling?

Hanscom, Griffin and Navarro all said communication is most important when traveling.

“I would say the most important part

very

to staying on track with my academics while traveling so often and missing so much class is making sure I go over material and study with classmates when I’m around and setting time aside for me to complete my work whether that’s on the bus, late at night after a game or waking up extra early before classes.”

Hanscom said.

“Having everyone on the same page makes everything more manageable,”

Griffin said. “The group of teachers I had during the first and second semester have helped me out a lot with the communication I have with them.”

“As long as you advocate for yourself and establish a relationship with your professors, your academic life will be 10 times easier,” Navarro said.

Chloe Proffitt can be reached at 581-2812 or at cgproffitt@eiu.edu.

Meet the coaches: Jason Anderson

By Gabe Newman Sports Reporter | @ghnewman@eiu.edu

Meet Jason Anderson, a former MLB pitcher and current head coach of Eastern’s baseball team.

Growing up in the small town of Veedersburg, Indiana, Anderson had to get creative when playing baseball as a kid.

With nobody his age around, one day he decided to pick up a baseball and start throwing it at a brick wall. It was then that his love for the game was sparked.

Anderson would continue to do that for four to five hours per day from 6 to 10 years old.

“I didn’t have a ton of athletes in my family, so it wasn’t like my goal was to make it to the major leagues,” Anderson said. “I just loved playing baseball.

I loved throwing a baseball as hard as I could. It was a little bit of an outlet for me.”

By his senior year at Danville High School, Anderson was one of the top pitchers in the state of Illinois.

Anderson recorded a 14-1 record and six consecutive shutouts, which is still a school record today and is tied for the state record.

Anderson attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign before being drafted in 2000 by the New York Yankees.

While at U of I, Anderson accumulated many accolades and was named the 2000 Big 10 pitcher of the year.

In the MLB, Anderson made 22 appearances for the Yankees before being traded to the New York Mets in his rookie season, where he would make six more appearances to close out the 2003 MLB season.

In total, Anderson pitched 38 innings at the major league level with the Yan -

kees and Mets as well as one inning of work with the Cleaveland Indians.

Anderson pitched at the professional level for 12 years, bouncing around the minor league affiliates of the San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies.

Anderson retired from professional baseball on July 19, 2011, and became a dad one week later.

Hanging up the spikes on his playing career, Anderson focused on parenthood and finishing his degree, but he didn’t give up baseball forever.

“I transitioned to being a dad and a student, and then I volunteered to be a coach at Illinois and that’s kinda where it got started of ‘Hey, this is something I think I could really enjoy,’” Anderson said.

Despite the hour-long commute every day, Anderson stuck it out and continued to volunteer for his alma mater.

“It was really a challenge, but you really start to get to know the players on a

different level as a coach, and that was what was starting to excite me,” Anderson said.

As soon as Anderson completed his degree in 2012, he was offered the pitching coach job at Eastern.

After three seasons, Anderson was promoted to head coach following the firing of longtime head coach and manager Jim Schmitz.

Once Anderson took over in 2016, the Eastern baseball program began a steady incline from a 15-39 record in his first season to a school record in the win column, a 38-21 record, and an Ohio Valley Conference championship last season.

Anderson has settled in fully now as the manager and head coach of Eastern’s baseball team.

“I love everything about it,” Anderson said. “This is home to me.”

Gabe Newman can be reached at 581-2812 or at ghnewman@eiu.edu.

FILE PHOTO | THE DAILY EASTERN NEWS

is

beneficial in maintaining a balance between school and their sport.

Infielder transfer answers why Eastern

By Zaria Flippin Sports Editor | zhflippin@eiu.edu

Redshirt senior infielder Robby Taul talked about his reasoning from transferring from Winthrop University, located in Rock Hill, South Carolina, to Eastern and his favorite memories.

Q: When did you first start playing baseball?

A: “I think right around kindergarten. Around 5 or 6 years old, I started playing tee ball, and I just never stopped.”

Q: What’s your favorite meal before a game?

A: “The Jersey Mike’s subs are good. I usually have any leftovers I have, like pasta with some sort of meat in it.”

Q: How did you like your time at John A. Logan College?

A: “It was good. I loved my two years there. It was a good stepping stool for where I was at in baseball to get better.”

Q: Apple juice or orange juice?

A: “Apple juice.”

Q: Do you think the Earth is round or flat?

A: “I think it’s round, but I can see why people think it’s flat.”

Q: What made you transfer from your junior college to Winthrop?

A: “They’re the only team that reached out to me at the Division I level. I had a couple Division II offers that were around the area, but I just wanted to play the best level of baseball I could, so I went down to South Carolina.”

Q: What made you transfer from Winthrop to Eastern?

A: “I really wanted to be closer to home and have family and friends come to watch me play. I love the coaches here, and it seemed like a great fit.”

Q: What is your favorite flavor of sunflower seeds?

A: “The dill pickle [flavor].”

Q: What do you think the hardest position in baseball is?

A: “I think [the] catcher because you have to block the balls, you have to let it hit you and you’re in every single play

of the game.”

Q: Who would you give the aux to before a game?

A: “Grant Lashure has a variety of music. You never know what you’re going to get.”

Q: How do you like your steak cooked?

A: “Medium well.”

Q: What’s the best type of water?

A: “Anything besides Dasani.”

Q: What is your favorite memory of being on this team?

A: “From this year, just going to practice every day with [the team]. I think the OVC challenge was fun in the fall because we were all together every day, and it brought everyone closer. Last year, it was winning the OVC Tournament.”

Q: What’s your favorite post-game meal?

A: “I like having pizza because it’s a lot of food, but whenever we played in

Louisiana, they all cooked for us. That was really good.”

Q: Do you have any superstitions before a game?

A: “I don’t touch the lines before a game, and I always take my bat out of my bag first when I unpack.”

Q: Who’s the funniest person on the team?

A: “Cade Zalewski.”

Q: Pancakes or waffles?

A: “Waffles because they always have them at the hotels, and they never have pancakes.”

Q: Do you put anything on your waffles?

A: “Just syrup. I feel like whenever I put butter, it takes too long, and it doesn’t taste too well.”

Q: What’s your favorite weird smell?

A: “Fresh cut grass.”

Q: What sport would you play other

Panthers of the Week

ADDISON BROWN

The female Panther of the Week is Addison Brown from the tennis team.

The senior from Evansville, Indiana, was honored during senior day against Tennessee State University.

Brown won her singles match between TSU’s Warona Mdlulwa in two sets (6-1, 6-4).

This was Brown’s second singles match win this season.

than baseball?

A: “I was really good in track when I was in middle school, but I don’t think I got it like that anymore.”

Q: What song do you have to listen to before a game?

A: “I’ve been listening to a lot of reggae because I don’t know the words, so I just listen to it without thinking too much. I listen to Bob Marley, but I also look up playlists, so it just plays.”

Q: What’s your walkout song(s)?

A: “One is ‘Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked’ (Cage The Elephant) and ‘You Make My Dreams Come True’ (Daryl Hall & John Oates).”

Q: Knowing everything that you know now, what would you tell 10-year-old you?

A: “Continue to have fun through the highs and lows of any part of life, and just enjoy the ride because you never know what’s coming next.”

Zaria Flippin can be reached at 581-2812 or zhflippin@eiu.edu.

The male Panther of the Week is Grant Lashure from the baseball team.

The senior catcher from Fort Wayne, Indiana, recorded his first home run this season against the Western Illinois University Leathernecks on Saturday afternoon.

In the second inning, Lashure hit a home run to give the Panthers an early lead, as the Panthers went on to win the game 14-5.

This was Lashure’s fifth home run as a Panther.

FILE | THE DAILY EASTERN NEWS

Robby Taul, a senior infielder, approaches several of his personal records for fielding and hitting. This season he has four home runs and is four away from meeting his 31 put out standing. He also has passed his previous RBI record going from seven to eight. He currently has 37 assists, approaching to his previous record of 67.

Three players enter D1 transfer portal

Miah Monahan, Julia Bengtson, Taris Thornton to depart from EIU

By Zaria Flippin Sports Editor | zhflippin@eiu.edu

The transfer portal for men’s and women’s NCAA Division I basketball opened on March 18.

Since then, three Panthers from the women’s team have put their names in the transfer portal:

Miah Monahan

The junior guard from Silver Lake, Minnesota, has played at Eastern since her freshman year back in the 2021-2022 season.

During the 2023-2024 season, Monahan recorded 370 points, averaging 11.2 points per game. Monahan also recorded 169 assists, 119 rebounds and 43 steals.

Monahan was also named 2023-2024 Second Team All-OVC.

Throughout her three years at Eastern, Monahan recorded a total of 736 points, 349 assists, 307 rebounds and 108 steals. Monahan entered the transfer portal after the 2023-2024 season and committed to South Dakota University.

Julia Bengtson

The junior guard from Becker, Minnesota, has played for Eastern since her freshman year back in the 2021-2022 season. During the 2023-2024 season, Bengtson recorded 43 points, averaging 1.5 per game. Bengtson also recorded 18 rebounds, 18 assists and 12 steals.

Throughout her three years at Eastern, Bengtson recorded a total of 353 points, 137 rebounds, 84 assists and 59 steals.

As of Sunday, Bengtson has not committed to a new school since putting her name in the transfer portal.

Taris Thornton

The junior guard from Chicago has played for Eastern since her freshman year back in the 2021-2022 season.

During the 2023-2024 season, Thornton recorded 174 points, averaging 8.7 per game. Thornton also recorded 102 rebounds, 24 steals, 17 blocks and 15 assists.

Throughout her three years at Eastern, Thornton recorded a total of 505 points, 275 rebounds, 66 steals, 53 assists and 40 blocks.

As of Sunday, Thornton has not committed to a new school since putting her name in the transfer portal.

Monahan, Bengtson and Thornton helped the 2023-2024 team finish the season with a 15-18 record and make it to the semifinals in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament.

As of Sunday, 40 players from the OVC have entered the transfer portal.

Morehead State University has the most players entering the transfers portal with 10 as University of Arkansas at Little Rock (7) and Southeast Missouri State University (5) follow behind.

University of Tennessee at Martin has four players entering the transfer portal, while Eastern, Lindenwood University and Tennessee Tech University have three play-

Junior guard Taris Thornton (25) will leave Eastern after playing since

ers that put their names in the portal.

Western Illinois University and Tennessee State University both have two players from their respective programs entering the transfer portal.

The reigning OVC regular season and tournament champion, University of Southern Indiana, have only one player entering the transfer portal.

Besides Monahan, the only other player committed to a new school is freshman guard Daejah Richmond.

Richmond, originally at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has committed to play for the UT Martin Skyhawks.

At the end of the 2022-2023 season, the OVC had 49 female basketball players transfer out of their respective programs.

SEMO led with nine players putting their names into the transfer portal.

Morehead State was right behind with eight players putting their name into the transfer portal.

Tennessee State (7), SEMO (6) and Lindenwood (6) also had more than five players enter the transfer portal.

Tennessee Tech had four players leave their program after entering their names in the transfer portal, and UT Martin had three players leave.

Eastern had only one player transfer out of the program that year, junior guard Haley Cameron.

Because collegiate basketball is considered a winter sport in the NCAA, athletes that play a winter sport that enter the transfer portal have a 60-day transfer window, as it begins with the given sport’s championship selection.

The transfer portal closes May 1.

Zaria Flippin can be reached at 5812812 or zhflippin@eiu.edu.

FILE PHOTO | THE DAILY EASTERN NEWS

her freshman year. Throughout her time at Eastern, she recorded a total of 505 points.

ZARIA FLIPPIN

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