The Daily Mississippian April 13, 2023

Months after decision, debate over Dobbs persists

Last year, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the state of Mississippi in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the decision dismantled 50 years of constitutional protection of abortion rights under Roe v. Wade and returned to individual states the power to regulate any aspect of abortion not protected by federal law.

Mississippi was one of the 13 states with trigger laws in place that almost immediately banned or restricted abortion when Roe v. Wade was overturned.

“Because there is a lack of a federal standard, each state is addressing the issues differently and in Mississippi specifically, women are being deprived of this right on almost all fronts,” vice president of UM College Democrats Frances Madden said. “A lot of women that need this healthcare are banned from going to other states or they don’t have legal rights to go to other states and receive healthcare.”

Sociology and anthropology professor Ana Milenova Velitchkova said that preg -

nant people have lost adequate health care following the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

“Pregnant people have lost the right to benefit from and their health providers have lost the right to provide the best health care possible,” Velitchkova said. “This is certainly going to lead to negative health outcomes and even death for pregnant people.”

There are some people that think overturning Roe v. Wade and giving power back to the states comes with benefits.

“I think the benefits of the overturn are allowing the power to go back to the states. It’s more likely that a larger range of voices will be heard when we give power to the courts with the most direct representation,” Reagan Kurtz, sophomore hospitality management major, said. “I think it allows voters to feel more included in the law making and passing process, which is a big step in a world where everyone wants their voice heard.”

Velitchkova said the willingness of the Supreme Court

Greek Life chaplains praise spiritual opportunities

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Oxford is flooded with places of worship. On nearly every street, there is either a place of worship or a campus ministry that provides a setting for the University of Mississippi’s Christian students to form community. Greek life organizations also have a position related to faith — the chapter chaplain.

The chaplain is a Christian leader that aims to be a voice for the fraternity or sorority’s religious community. In practice, this often looks like leading Bible studies and acting as a spiritual counselor.

Among this group of leaders is freshman Leeana Bock, one of Alpha Omicron Pi’s three chaplains.

Bock grew up in a strong Christian environment, where she attended church services on Sundays

and church camp in the summer.

When she became a student at the University of Mississippi, those traditions evolved into Sunday worship at Pinelake Church and a campus ministry home in Cru.

She shares her faith with her sorority big, Eva Richardson, who served as the most recent chaplain and encouraged Bock to apply when the position opened.

“We talked it out and she was ready to pass on the position to somebody else,” Bock said. “I felt like it was God’s calling to me that she was my big, I was her little.”

Despite her blossoming faith, Bock confesses that there are spiritual struggles that are naturally inherent in being a college student. For example, she cites a busy schedule as one of the biggest

SEDLEY NORMAND / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN

CLAY HALE

Sophomore Leeana Bock serves as one of Alpha Omicron Pi’s three chaplains.

PHOTO COURTESY: EVA RICHARDSON

UM hosts inaugural Earth Month celebration

The University of Mississippi is hosting its first Earth Month celebration in April.

Starting in 2009, Green Week is a partnership between UM’s Office of Sustainability and the Oxford Office of Sustainability. Since then, they have partnered with community and campus organizations to promote sustainability.

“By expanding (Green Week) to the entire month, we could alleviate some of the pressure that we had before, performing all in one week. (It will also) give more time for people to actually make sustainable action throughout the month,” Kathryn Kidd, project manager for the office of sustainability, said. “We’re hoping that with a whole month, we can really get some intentional changes happening.”

Today, the Egg Bowl Glass Recycling Drive will be held from 2-6 p.m. This year, UM and Mississippi State University will hold a glass recycling competition in partnership with Door2Door Recycling. People can donate their recycling in the Jackson Avenue Center’s parking lot.

“People can bring us any of their glass and we’ll recycle that with Door2Door. We’re going to choose the winner based on who donates the most glass,” freshman biology and anthropology major and Earth Month coordinator Hailey Smith said.

The Oxford Community Market will be on campus 10 a.m.-2 p.m. April 20 in the Galtney-Lott Plaza. The OXCM will promote local and sustainable food to students, faculty and staff.

“The Oxford Community Market is going to be coming to the UM campus. We’ll have a bunch of vendors set up with different products and pro -

duce,” Smith said. “Students, who might not get the chance to go to the Community Mar -

ket as much, they’ll have the opportunity to shop around, connect with our community

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and also learn how shopping locally, which is a good resource and better for the environment compared to shopping (from) chain brands.”

The OXCM Low Carbon Shopping Night will be held at the Old Armory Pavillion 2-6 p.m. April 25.. Resources about the impact you make when you buy local produce will be provided by the office of sustainability.

“Students can take a trip to the Community Market and engage with our community again and try to make recipes with our locally sourced ingredients that are better for the environment,” Smith said.

Earth Month is a way for students to practice sustainability and encourage conscious behavior.

“College kids are in a very interesting period of our lives where we’re still trying to figure out where we fit into the world and what’s important to us. These events are a great opportunity to promote sustainability and encourage conscious behavior with our peers, as well as other members of our community,” Smith said.

Earth Month is also for bringing the community together.

“There’s two sides of the coin on Earth Month. We’re speaking to an audience of people that we’re trying to bring into sustainability and encourage sustainable action. Then there’s the other side, which is people like us who are in the field constantly.” Kidd said. “For us, Earth Month is really important because climate change and things like that can be really overwhelming. I think that Earth Month for people that are already in sustainability is a time to celebrate what is going right.”

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Students rally to Take Back the Night

The Ole Miss community rallied Tuesday on the student union plaza for the annual Take Back the Night event, a rally and march that raises awareness for students and the community impacted by sexual assault, intimate partner violence and stalking.

Violence Intervention and Prevention Services, Rallying Against Sexual Assault and the Sarah Isom Center for Women and Gender studies hosted Tuesday’s event. Donte’ S. Ferrell, social responsibility and engagement counselor for the athletics department, emceed.

The rally began with an opening address from Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Brent Marsh, speeches given by representatives from UM campus organizations and a keynote address from Tess Lefmann, an assistant professor in the social work department.

The annual event included a march around campus during which UM organization members and event attendees could break the silence of gender-based violence by using their voices, signs and support for survivors.

“It really is powerful for me to see everyone come together, especially as a lot of speakers have said tonight this is something a lot of people find taboo,” senior elementary

education major and RASA co-president Olivia Dolan said.

Dolan also said that it felt good to break the taboo.

“I think it’s really awesome that we are breaking the silence and coming together to discuss this and show each oth -

er support and show the survivors support,” Dolan said.

The rally also included a resource fair where several campus organizations hosted tables to provide their services to students. VIP: Survivor Support and RASA held

a raffle with proceeds going to campus survivors who visit the VIP center and may need emergency funding.

Bhakti Patel, second-year graduate student for VIP: Survivor Support, believes that Take Back the

Night empowers students.

“I think this event just brings community for students and makes them understand that they’re not alone in their healing journey — that people are holding hope for them,” Patel said.

TANISSA RINGO

Ole Miss students walk through campus during the Take Back the Night march organized by Rallying Against Sexual Assault on April 11.

TANISSA RINGO / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN

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to overturn Roe v. Wade could also affect LGBTQIA+ rights. In a concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that “we should reconsider all of this Court’s substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell.”

Obergefell v. Hodges legalized same-sex marriage, Griswold v. Connecticut gave married people the right to obtain contraceptives and Lawrence v. Texas invalidated sodomy laws.

“What happens with LGBTQIA+ rights at the Supreme Court level will de -

pend on conservative justices’ calculus regarding these conflicting interests. If they decide to continue pursuing their extreme political agenda no matter the cost, their decisions will cause a lot of suffering,” Velitchkova said.

In the future, Velitchkova said that there will be mobilizing around reproductive rights as well as other issues.

“The overturning of Roe v. Wade shows that no right is given. If we want certain rights, we must defend them,” Velitchkova said. “Mobilizing around reproductive rights will highlight other important issues affecting pregnant people too. These include access to healthcare, access to childcare, and the elimination of child poverty among others.”

Arts&Culture

Maria Rodriguez: passionate about El Colibri

knew that the community would appreciate it,” Rodriguez said.

Maria Rodriguez, chef and owner of the popular food truck, El Colibri, wants her regulars to taste the culture of her native Guanajato, Mexico. Through the window of the bright red food truck, which sits in a plaza on North Lamar Boulevard, Maria serves tacos, tortas, quesadillas and more to lines of hungry regulars.

Rodriguez knew she wanted to start a food truck about two years ago, but the idea didn’t come into fruition until Sept. 25, 2022.

“Me and my boyfriend had the idea because whenever we wanted decent Mexican food we had to go all the way to Memphis,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez lived in Mexico until she was eight, when her family moved to the United States. She moved to Oxford in 2012 and has been in the restaurant business since, including positions at City Grocery, Oxford Grillehouse and Ravine.

Rodriguez says her time at Ravine taught her the most about food and helped inspire her when deciding to start her own business. Her main inspirations were her love for her culture, her family and her craving for authenticity.

“Growing up Mexican, you get involved in cooking with family, always helping out, and that’s where my background in cooking comes from — through family recipes,” Rodriguez said.

Her grandmother, from Chihuahua, Mexico, inspired many of the flavors and recipes that Rodriguez uses day to day at the food truck.

Authenticity is a big piece of the puzzle for Rodriguez and El Colibri. Being part of the Hispanic community in Oxford, Rodriguez struggled to find the kind of authentic food that felt familiar to her.

“The idea (for El Colibri) was things that you would find in the streets of Mexico. You go to every corner and there are ladies selling gorditas, sopes, enchiladas … so that’s how we came up with the menu, and we

From the time Rodriguez was eight until she graduated from high school, she and her mother would travel back to Mexico twice a year. Family remains important to Rodriguez, and she takes pride in her family and the food they share.

“I take a lot of pride in Mexican cuisine in general because it is so rich in culture. I think it’s one of the best worldwide because there are so many ingredients, so many things that go into it,” Rodriguez said. “In Mexico, if you go into the rural community they get everything from their gardens, everything from their fields.”

Rodriguez’s first aim was to serve the Hispanic community of Oxford and bring people together.

Lunch is the busiest time for El Colibri. Rodriguez sees a lot of familiar faces daily, as the food truck has attracted a lot of regular customers.

“These are the best tacos I have ever had,” University of Mississippi junior Megan Harr said. “This is my first time here but I am definitely coming back.”

According to Rodriguez, the most popular menu item is the Tacos Al Pastor. These tacos are unique because the pork on a vertical spinner is sliced off when the tacos are ordered.

Rodriguez’s personal favorite food is carnitas, while her three children prefer the chicken quesadilla. Before going to work as head of the truck, she starts her day as head of the family.

“My day starts very early. I wake up around 6:00 a.m. … have to get the kids ready and take them to school, come to the truck and help with the preparation of everything,” Rodriguez said. “We have to get through the lunch rush, then pick up the kids from school, feed them, come back to the truck for dinner until everything is cleaned up, then go home, tend to the kids and start getting ready for the next day.”

Rodriguez tries to foster this familial environment in the workplace, as well, with her loyal set of employees. An-

gelica Garcia has worked at El Colibri for five months and loves the food that they make.

“My favorite thing about working at the truck is trying all the different foods here. The best thing would have to be the chicken torta,” Garcia said.

The success of Rodriguez and El Colibri has even brought some outside collaborations and opportunities. Their first collaboration event was with the arts council last month where they made mole and tamales — a staple for Rodriguez and her family.

Their most recent pop-up collaboration was with Bar Muse at The Lyric for its Sunday Supper Club. Rodriguez wanted to curate a menu that went well with mezcal and tequila cocktails.

Rodriguez is excited to continue with these specially curated collaborations, as well as run the food truck for the foreseeable future.

“At some point I would love to open a restaurant, but we would also love to keep the food truck,” Rodriguez said. More information on El Colibri can be found on its Facebook.

El Colibri welcomes many repeat customers, from university students to local construction workers.

PHOTO COURTESY: KAITLYN STEINROEDER

The Tacos Al Pastor are an El Colibri favorite among customers.

PHOTO COURTESY: AVA JAHNER

College of Liberal Arts

Elsa Allmendinger

Christian Boudreaux

Grace E. Brian

Davis W. Bunn

Sarah B. Burns

Abby Carroll

Elizabeth Eckard

Caroline Franco

Aden J. Hammond

Edward G. Heinen

Rebekah A. Heintz

Shaelen P. Hudson

Emma J. Hughey

Mathews S. Hyre

Sarah E. Long

Peyton G. Miller

Alexander J. Mobley

Cole M. Morse

Sydney E. Smith

Sarah Spencer

John H. Amburgy

Laney G. Etheridge

Emma K. Jones

Kumali Schoen

Allie G. Holland

Graduate School

Leslie S. Allen

Somayeh Faal

Mary George

Emily Goodwin

Taylor-Claire C. Groves

Hailey K. Hagemann

Alexa L. Hillis

Nate Juda

Tammy S. Maxey

Lilian J. Null

Lauren E. Saltzman

Tequila S. Shumpert

Sloan L. Weeden

SPRING 2023 INITIATES

Ashley S. Bridges

Emily Iupe

Anne E. Pillow

Elizabeth A. Scott

Nicholas A. Bosley

Kerianne M. Lea

Kathyleen M. Legnon

Noah R. Wyrosdick

General Studies

Keely A. Hall

Catherine S. Bryan

Sarah E. McFadden

Emily R. Williams

School of Law

Michael J.C. Ambrose

Joel Baldwin

Madeleine O. Lamb

Mary C. Newman

Margaret Pitts

Ronald Richard Robinson

Caleb D. Stephenson

Michael J. Stokes

Patterson School of Accountancy

Cali Chance

James C. Estes

John W. Howald

Miles W. McCuller

Shafiq Pabani

John H. Reichle

Evangeline Reynolds

Lauren P. Sit

Jordyn Smith

Lauren L. Willis

School of Applied Sciences

Canaday Baker

Madeline L. Belleau

Abigail E. Browning

Madison M. Cotten

Erin Crawford

Mary E. DeMetz

Allison Haire

Grace C. Hazelhoff

Douglas C. Hubner

Sally P. Hubner

Anna Kang

Emory L. Layne

Joseph W. Pearson

Evelyn R. Shuler

Avery Tollison

Amy K. Winter

Ann G. Yoste

Kate Millis

Briana Reaser

School of Business Administration

Jack Tyler Baker

Grace Thaxton Barrett

Benjamin P. Conradt

Caleb C. Gorton

Alia H. Graham

Bailey S. Jarvis

Lydia J. Snopek

Caleb R. White

Bowen C. Williams

Eric C. Badger

Kathryn G. Hall

Jessica Kramp

Davis A. Lane

Lukas H. Jaeger

Alexandria C. Blissard

Alexander T. Dyer

School of Education

Abigail A. Norton

Reagan O. Sanders

Riley A. Egger

Libbie-Claire B. Jones

Mary S. Shockley

Hannah E. Watts

School of Engineering

Amber S. Cecil

Joseph E. Crain

Nicole Goulet

Abigail E. Hogue

Olivia R. Marque

Denver T. Tidwell

School of Journalism and New Media

Olivia F. Smith

Margaret Cleeland

Frances Sykes Connell

Phoebe Goodwin

Meredith Heuring

Ellin A. Price

Courtland C. St Paul

Lissy T. Sturges

Ann R. Berry

Aaron Braddy

Clara J. Granberry

Emma Harrington

Ragan Lessley

Elyse Littleton

Abigail S. Maschhoff

Kenlee F. McDaniel

Sullivan B. Rakow

Meghan L. Thrash

Chandler M. Tucker

Mollie M. Warrington

Kharley Redmon

School of Pharmacy

Nicholas T. Dean

Mengwen Li

Carissa A. Strum

Elizabeth F. Doucet

CHAPLAINS

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challenges to her faith.

“You’re completely accountable for yourself, which can be difficult — especially with the amount of schoolwork or the different activities or things that people do around you,” Bock said. “It’s definitely something that I feel like I have to work on, and every college student or person leaving their home for the first time has to make sure that they’re staying on top of.”

When she does navigate her way through the sea of collegiate distractions, Bock focuses on eliminating the negative perception of talking to people about faith. She believes that when the chaplain’s role is to be a spiritual leader, there is no room to miss opportunities for discussion.

“Whether you’re sitting in the (sorority) house or all the different places, I feel like it’s important to just start talking about God because that sparks conversation and it plants a seed,” Bock said. “I think the chaplain is basically a peer who is welcome to talking about Christ and leading the members of their chapter to Christ. I think it’s cool (that) we’re just the same as everybody else — like we’re equals.”

Knowing what a chaplain does is crucial to Greek life, in Bock’s point of view. It is a position that she, herself, was unsure of until she experienced it first-hand at the university.

“I think it’s important for people to know what a chaplain is because I, definitely before I came to college, did not know what a chaplain

was. And I did not know the importance of it,” Bock said. “And we’re just people who want to point you to God, but we’re not going to judge you or shame you — we want to do the opposite, actually.”

Delta Psi Chaplain Ryan Cummings is looking to eradicate the unawareness that Bock referenced.

During his sophomore year, Cummings helped create a chapter bylaw that made it possible for each pledge class following freshman year to have a chaplain represent them. To avoid it becoming just another resume position, the role is cemented for each of the chaplains throughout their four-year education, unless they decide they want to step down from their duties.

Cummings, now the junior chaplain, grew up similarly to Bock, though he struggled with vocal opposing faiths when he came to UM. As someone who grew up in a consistently Christian culture, this became new territory for Cummings. However, he confesses that the experiences were beneficial to his personal faith.

“I think that it helped me,” Cummings said. “I thought it was the worst thing ever and it was really hard, but being challenged, I was able to really determine what I believe and why I believe those things.”

In synchronization with Bock, Cummings believes that finding a like-minded faith-based community is important, although he found his in a different place.

“I think finding a Christian community here is really important,” Cummings said. “I don’t attend (a campus ministry) right now, but I think I

REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE

found community within my fraternity. I definitely need to expand that, but there’s about 10 to 12 guys who are really strong Christians that come to Bible study each week.”

Cummings described weekly Bible studies, collaborative spiritual events with sororities and being an unofficial spiritual counselor as a few of his chaplain responsibilities.

He recalls the period of time when he was the only chaplain and describes some of those challenges as time-consuming.

“When it was just me, it was very hard,” Cummings said. “But now that I have others helping me, it doesn’t all fall on me. The way that we have it structured is we’ll take turns leading each week — I’ll lead one week, the next week the senior will do it, the sophomore will, and so on.”

Bock and Cummings concluded that even though it takes a lot of preparation and time, being a chaplain is worth it because they have the chance to spread their faith within their respective communities.

They agree that their everyday decisions are informed by their faith; Bock shares her personal testimony to how prayer has worked in her chaplain endeavors.

“I feel like prayer is super important to me and super important to my beliefs, and I feel like it really does make a difference — being able to pray for our chapter and pray for a revival in our chapter and pray for conversations to be sparked,” Bock said. “It really has an impact more than like all the little things because if it’s not led by Christ, then I don’t know what it’s for.”

Ryan Cummings serves as Delta Psi junior chaplain. PHOTO COURTESY: LUKE PRICE

Sophomore Leeana Bock serves as one of Alpha Omicron Pi’s three chaplains.

PHOTO COURTESY: NATALEY MEDINA

‘Little Shop of Horrors’ opens as spring musical

CAROLINE MCCUTCHEN

thedmfeatures@gmail.com

University of Mississippi Theatre and Film will debut its spring musical, “Little Shop of Horrors,” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 18, in Fulton Chapel with additional performances to follow April 19-21.

One of off-Broadway’s longest running shows, “Little Shop of Horrors” follows Seymour Krelborn, a florist employee, as he discovers an exotic plant species he affectionately names “Audrey II” after his coworker crush. The foul-mouthed, R&B-singing carnivore promises unending fame and fortune to Krelborn as long as he continues feeding the plant blood, leading to a series of misadventures.

Created by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, the artistic minds behind Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin” and “Beauty and the Beast,” the scifi musical has delighted audiences for more than 30 years.

UM Theatre’s adaptation of “Little Shop of Horrors” seeks to step away from the stereotypical story and its creative bounds. One way in which the production accomplishes this is by diversifying the traditional trio into a septet that guides the audience through the musical.

BARROW

“Our production is special because instead of the normal three-person Urchins, we have seven strong and beautiful Black women as a Greek chorus,” Kayla Mariah Fifer, a freshman in the B.F.A. program for Acting for the Stage and Screen, said. “Along with that, we have a Black woman voicing Audrey II, the plant, and myself, a Black woman playing Audrey.”

Fifer’s favorite part of portraying Audrey has been her ability to play into an intentional melodramatic style.

“Our production isn’t afraid to take risks and change things up,” Fifer said.

Playing the role of Seymour Krelborn is Maxwell Glasser, a sophomore in the B.F.A. program for Acting for the Stage and Screen.

Glasser described the role of Seymour as a childhood dream, particularly at the end of the “Suddenly Seymour” number, where Seymour grows into a full bloom hero.

“We had an incredibly short rehearsal process that did produce some challenges,” Glasser said, “However, everyone in the cast and on the creative team have really put their blood, sweat and tears into bringing this show to life.”

John R.C. Carden, director and assistant professor of Musi-

cal Theatre, shared insights into the actors’ creative inputs and the show’s heartfelt and comedic tone.

“All our actors arrived at the first rehearsal off-book, word and note perfect. This allowed a greater sense of security and allowed us to go deeper into the process,” Carden said. “Our wonderful choreographer Joe Jackson has

incorporated dance and movement to become a bigger part of the story telling mechanism.

Carden noted the pride he has in this production.

“I am inspired daily by our actors. It has been an absolute joy to work with them and watch them grow,” Carden said. “It truly takes a village and our pro-

duction team has worked endless hours to bring this show to life. I am filled with such joy and pride in their achievements.”

To purchase tickets for UM Theatre’s “Little Shop of Horrors,” you can visit their website or the UM Box Office.

‘Super Mario’ lights up the silver screen

The world of video game adaptations has been fairly eventful as of late. Paramount’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” film was highly successful as was its sequel. HBO’s recent television adaptation of “The Last of Us” was also widely well received by passionate fans of the source material as well as general audience members.

This current revitalization of video game adaptations has had many questioning why the Super Mario Bros. world has yet to have its chance in the theatrical spotlight.

Many, myself included, have no qualms with blaming

the 1993 live-action adaptation for this delay of a proper adaptation, as that film was a critical failure in every sense of the phrase. However, after thirty years of waiting, a new reimagining of the Super Mario Bros. franchise has made its way to the big screen.

Despite the initial backlash to the film’s controversial voice cast announced in late 2021, including Chris Pratt in the lead role, the film has garnered an exceptional amount of anticipation from fans of all ages in the months leading up to its release.

I, too, was skeptical as to whether the film would be a faithful adaptation of the now-iconic video game series or if it would remain compla -

cent in its popularity by pandering to general moviegoers with its celebrity voice cast.

Thankfully, the film successfully captures the spirit of the games in a way that feels incredibly genuine. The filmmakers clearly had a great appreciation for the source material as there is no stone left unturned in regards to easter eggs and references.

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” is a consistent feast for the eyes and ears. Brian Tyler’s score ]combines his talents with the iconic musical cues that fans have grown to associate with the games.

The vocal performances were the area where many fans were worried the film would falter, yet I was pleasantly

surprised with what these actors were able to accomplish.

Chris Pratt gives a valiant attempt at the iconic voice of Mario. While I still believe that he was a peculiar casting choice, the film does a decent job of working around it. Charlie Day and Anya-Taylor Joy give solid performances as Luigi and Princess Peach, however, Jack Black’s Bowser is the clear standout of the film. Black provides an incredible comic presence throughout that completely overshadows the rest of the film’s comedic chops.

Despite successfully capturing the magic of the source material, the film could have benefited from a longer runtime in order

to allow for a stronger plot and deeper characterization.

Much like the games on which the film is based, the plot is almost nonexistent. The film is much more concerned with racing to its conclusion than it is with allowing for deeper themes to shine through.

In short, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” succeeds in many ways that I believe will leave most fans satisfied. It is by no means a groundbreaking motion picture, but it is one that I had a super time experiencing, and I don’t imagine I will be the only one.

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” is in theaters now.

Actors Maxwell Glasser and Kayla Mariah Fifer star as Seymour and Audrey in “Little Shop of Horrors.”

PHOTO COURTESY: THOMAS GRANING/OLE MISS DIGITAL IMAGING SERVICES

The Ole Miss women’s basketball team capped its best season in more than a decade with a loss in the Sweet 16 to Louisville.

Many people see reaching this point as a huge milestone for the program, and head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin acknowledges this accomplishment, but she also sees it as the new standard rather than a one-off occurrence.

McPhee-McCuin is now tasked with retooling her roster to try and replicate the success her team found this season, and she has already been busy in the transfer portal and on the recruiting trail.

She wasted no time after the season ended as she received a commitment from former North Carolina guard Kennedy Todd-Williams almost as soon as the portal opened.

With the departures of leading scorer Angel Baker and starting guard Myah Taylor, Ole Miss was in the market for suitable replacements, and Todd-Williams certainly fits the mold of an Ole Miss Lady Rebel.

Baker signed a training camp contract with the Chicago Sky, a team in the WNBA, after a standout season averaging 14.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.

McPhee-McCuin said in her post on Twitter, “Kennedy is a 2-way player that will immediately impact our roster. From our first conversation I knew that our visions aligned and she would be a great fit! I look for

Sports Coach Yo retools Rebel lineup

ward to the Oxford community embracing ‘Toddy’ and helping her accomplish all of her goals while being here in the Sip!”

If the approval of McPhee-McCuin is not enough, let the numbers speak for themselves.

Todd-Williams averaged 13.5 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game on a Tar Heel team that was ranked for the majority of the year. She was a consistent factor for UNC both offensively and defensively, and she will look to wreak havoc on the SEC next season.

In addition to Todd-Williams, McPhee-McCuin got a commitment from Florida’s leading scorer, KK Deans. Deans, a 5-foot-8 point guard, averaged 14.1 points per game, 3.9 rebounds per game and 3.7 assists per game for the Lady Gators. If those numbers look familiar, it is because they are almost identical to Baker’s.

Deans will serve as the replacement for Baker, and McPhee-McCuin will look to use her in a way similar to the former Rebel floor general.

McPhee-McCuin said in her Twitter post about Deans, “KK is an absolutely huge pick up for us. She is a three level scorer and a competitor that will play the PG position. There is no doubt in my mind that the Oxford community will embrace Kirsten.”

Ole Miss could have stopped at Todd-Williams and Deans, but McPhee-McCuin saw her team’s rebounding woes and sought out a potential solution. She reached out to Auburn’s Kharyssa Richardson, and it quickly be-

came a match made in heaven.

Richardson already comes in as one of the tallest players on the roster, standing at 6-foot-2, and in limited minutes for the Lady Tigers, she posted 7.2 points per game and 4.7 rebounds per game. With a potentially expanded role on the horizon for Richardson, she could be of great value to the Lady Rebels.

Everyone knows that McPhee-McCuin is a massive proponent of the transfer portal, some even call her the portal queen, but many overlook her ability to recruit from the high school level.

Ole Miss’ 2023 recruiting class is headlined by two ESPN Top100 recruits that have the potential to make an immediate impact.

Four-stars Zakiyah Stephenson and J’Adore Young stand firm in their commitments to McPhee-McCuin’s program, and each will have an opportunity to make an immediate impact.

Former backup point guard Destiny Salary put her name into the transfer portal, so that is yet another position that needs filling, presumably by Stephenson.

As previously stated, rebounding was a pain point for

the Lady Rebels, so McPhee-McCuin recruited Young, a 6-foot-4 forward who averages 14 rebounds per game.

McPhee-McCuin has something brewing in Oxford. The combination of returning players, transfer portal additions and the 2023 recruiting class makes for a recipe for success.

The Sweet 16 is the new standard for this program, and so far, McPhee-McCuin has done her best work to retool this roster to match or even surpass last season’s success.

Grove Bowl showcases new players

Ole Miss will play in the Grove Bowl on Saturday. The Grove Bowl, the football team’s spring game, will be the first time that recent transfer portal additions and early enrollees take the field for an organized game. With a lot of roster and coaching staff turnover on the team, Saturday looks to be an exciting day from top to bottom.

Early Enrollees

Jayvontay Conner, TE: With a relatively small amount of football experience, Conner could be a steal. Though he was just a three-star, he boasted 45 offers from schools such as Oregon, Miami, FSU and Penn State. Conner is more of a power-slot right now but could develop into a true Y tight end.

AJ Brown, S: Namesake aside, Brown has a chance to make his own legacy in the powder blue. After this season, Ole Miss will be very light at safety and Brown could be a starter in just his sophomore season. He should play as a traditional deep safety. Specifically keep an eye on how well he comes up and tackles.

Cayden Lee, WR: Lee was another three-star whose offer sheet overshadowed his rankings. Ayden Williams is obvi-

ously the big fish WR pull from 2023, but I love Lee’s game. He could end up being a steal and playing a really strong complementary role in the next few seasons as Williams and Marshall look to become high draft picks.

Braxton Myers, DB: Myers has the chance to play either safety or cornerback in college. He has a naturally long and strong build, which can allow him to excel as the longer and more physical style of CB that defensive coordinator Pete Golding likes to have. He could fight for time as a true freshman.

Brycen Sanders, OL: The most vocal member of the 2023 class, Sanders is about as safe a prospect as they come. It’s rare for offensive lineman to play as a freshman, but I expect Sanders to develop into a multi-year starter. His only path to early playing time is as a true center, which the Rebels did not have last year.

What to Look for

Center?

As briefly mentioned above, Ole Miss does not really have a guaranteed center. Last year, Ole Miss tried a couple guys at the position but failed to get consistently placed snaps. This may not seem like a critical issue, but low/high snaps hurt an offense’s ability to run

jet sweeps and similar motions. If that issue persists on Saturday, I would like to see Ole Miss target whoever ends up transferring from Michigan. (They’ve probably got seven interior offensive lineman who would start at Ole Miss.)

Who emerges at cornerback?

Deantre Prince is the incumbent starter, but mid-year enrollees Zamari Walton, John Saunders and Myers will look to compete for a starting spot. All four should be able to see significant time, and it will be a huge point of emphasis in determining who has picked up

the playbook and developed well. Who’s looking good at QB? I have always been a Jaxson Dart fan. I think (and hope) that he beats out Spencer Sanders at some point this offseason. Sanders is obviously the known commodity, but his ceiling has consistently been pretty low. Dart offers an elite skill set, a lot of heart and, according to sources in the program, a lot of progression from last year. Walker Howard is just eye-candy this year, but it will be nice to see what he can do in the early showcase.

Please Don’t Overreact

This is the spring game.

Not Week 1, not an SEC game. The spring game. It’s a showcase to get some chemistry between the new guys … that’s mostly it. The only things that can really be taken away from this is individual performances.

Both sides of the ball will be using seriously limited playbooks, so expect a very vanilla coaching performance. If the offense struggles to move the ball, that’s probably because the defense has seen all the plays about 6,000 times in the last few weeks.

The Grove Bowl will take place on Saturday, April 15, at 2 p.m. CDT.

Women’s Basketball Head Coach Yolette McPhee-McCuin celebrates during a game against Mississippi State on Jan. 26.

HG BIGGS / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN

Memphis stuns Ole Miss in ninth inning

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The Ole Miss baseball team (18-14) lost to Memphis (1816) 11-9 in a game that left fans stunned in the ninth inning.

The Rebels had freshman right-handed pitcher Grayson Saunier on the mound for the start. This is Saunier’s second-straight midweek start, and he had his worst game of the year.

Before fans could even settle into their seats, Memphis first baseman Anthony Hansen hit a leadoff home run to take an early 1-0 lead and begin what would be a long night for Saunier.

In just 2.1 innings of work, Saunier gave up five hits, six earned runs, two walks and struck-out three.

The walks continue to be Saunier’s biggest area of concern, and he needs to be better with controlling his command.

“Not good,” head coach Mike Bianco said about Saunier’s start after the game. “You gotta throw more balls into the strike zone. Just not good enough.”

Saunier’s ERA has ballooned up to 7.98 and his walk total is up to 20 on the season.

Right-handed reliever Cole Ketchum came in the top of the third inning to limit the damage and he pitched a solid few innings for the Rebels.

The freshman pitched 3.2 innings and allowed 4 hits, one earned run and struck-out a batter.

Looking at the offensive side, the Rebels had no trouble with the long ball.

In the bottom of the first inning, catcher Calvin Harris hit a solo home run that went 408 feet over the center field wall, tying the game at 1-1.

Harris ended up being a big part of the Rebels’ offense, going 4-for-5 with two RBIs including that home run in the first inning.

In the bottom of the fourth

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inning, right fielder Kemp Alderman hit a two-run moonshot that hit the scoreboard in left field. The projected distance was a whopping 480 feet.

Then in the bottom of the seventh inning with the score tied 7-7, first baseman Anthony Calarco hit a two-run home run over the right-center field wall that traveled 435 feet to give the Rebels a 9-7 lead.

Heading into the ninth inning, right-handed pitcher Mason Nichols was in to close the game for Ole Miss.

But things took a turn for the worst as Memphis hit a leadoff single and then mashed back-to-back-to-back home runs to take an 11-9 lead and ultimately capture the win.

Another heartbreaking defeat for this Ole Miss baseball squad. They certainly have the talent, but it all comes down to execution and that’s been a major problem this season.

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Grayson Saunier pitches during a game against Purdue on March 11.

HG BIGGS / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN

JUSTICE ROSE

thedmopinion@gmail.com

Since the spring equinox, the landscaping department has ramped up efforts to beautify campus. Grass is neatly trimmed, branches cut into perfect silhouettes, tulips planted, the whole nine yards.

Maintenance for spring begins months before the temperatures begin to rise again. This upkeep is not easy … or cheap. According

Opinion Policies:

OPINION Spring time, skip time

to the university-sanctioned 2022 financial summary, it cost $2.4 million to maintain the campus aesthetic last year. Pain (in the wallet) is beauty, I suppose.

The campus being pretty again contributes to the feelgood rejuvenation of spring. Unfortunately, spring coincides with the burnout brought by the close of the semester. A perfect storm, both equally discouraging students from enduring yet another lecture.

Literally a perfect storm,

too. I’ve been able to count on at least one building-shaking thunderstorm per week for the last month. These storms have been a weirdly unifying experience: “Did you hear that thunder last night?” “Why is it 40 degrees in the middle of April … in the Deep South?” “Revelations.”

In all seriousness, witnessing classes thin out as the semester progresses is not a phenomenon exclusive to spring. Fall might be worse, especially with two major breaks that

are practically consecutive. This year students have mailed it in more frequently than in other recent school years. Approximately 43% of students have 10 or more absences this semester, according to the UM Office of Information Technology, equal to nearly 8,000 students. That figure becomes even more alarming when you consider the three weeks that remain in the semester. Expect to see that 43% creep up closer to 50% as profes -

sors wind down courses. Spring skipping isn’t actually skipping; it’s students appreciating our nationally ranked campus during its most beautiful time of year, right? Or maybe it’s just practice for the summertime. They’ll be there for the final at least (hopefully).

Justice Rose is the opinion editor and a sophomore majoring in journalism from Madison, Miss.

Columns do not represent the views of The University of Mississippi or The Daily Mississippian. The Daily Mississippian welcomes letters to the editor, which should be emailed to thedmopinion@gmail.com. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. They may be edited for clarity, brevity and libel. Third-party letters and those with pseudonyms or no name will not be published. Letters are limited to one per individual per month. Letters should include contact information, including relationship to the university, if applicable.

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