The Daily Northwestern — May 18, 2016

Page 1

SPORTS The Sideline Storniolo takes on Big Ten as youngest coach » PAGE 8

NEWS On Campus Panel of professors discusses Asian-American identity » PAGE 3

OPINION Balk NU misfires on its ‘AND is in our DNA’ ad slogan » PAGE 4

High 55 Low 43

The Daily Northwestern Wednesday, May 18, 2016

DAILYNORTHWESTERN.COM

Find us online @thedailynu

Security upped after intrusion Battery of student at dorm leads University to increase staff, hours By KELLI NGUYEN

the daily northwestern @kellipnguyen

Residential Services has increased security staff and added additional security desk hours to residential buildings following the intruder incident at Allison Hall last Thursday. Additional officers will patrol the perimeter of residential buildings and security personnel will staff residential facility front desks two hours earlier for the duration of Spring Quarter. The enhanced security follows an incident last week in which a student was verbally threatened and physically battered by an unknown male who gained entrance to Allison, Executive Director of Residential Services Paul Riel said in an email to students who live on

campus. University spokesman Bob Rowley said University Police are investigating the incident with assistance from the Evanston Police Department. He said UP is following a number of leads but has not yet found the suspect. “Various departments, including University Police, are working really had to figure out what happened in this incident,” Rowley said. “We work really hard to make sure that we do everything we can to make sure students are safe. … The University is doing everything it can do to make sure that we guard against these kinds of incidents.” Riel could not be reach for comment Tuesday. Medill freshman Priyanka Godbole lives on the second floor of Allison, where the altercations began. She said she was in the building when the incident occurred. She said she didn’t immediately realize the severity of the situation. » See SECURITY, page 6

Daniel Tian/Daily Senior Staffer

PARK PLAYTIME Penny Park’s playground is set to begin reconstruction after Labor Day. City officials said the new structure will comply with Americans with Disabilities Act and federal playground safety standards.

Penny Park updates planned By RISHIKA DUGYALA

the daily northwestern @rdugyala922

Daily file photo by Lauren Duquette

ALERT AT ALLISON Police congregate outside Allison Hall to respond to reports of an intrusion and altercations. Residential Services has increased security across campus following the incident.

The demolition and reconstruction of Penny Park’s playground will begin after Labor Day, but city officials stressed the new structure would match the original’s wood design as much as possible, addressing resident concerns that the new park would lose its trademark style. “The plan is to rebuild Penny Park just like it is right now, with there being current 2016 codes,” said Dave

Stoneback, the city’s Public Works Agency director, at a 2nd Ward meeting last Thursday. At the meeting, held in the Joseph E. Hill Education Center at 1500 McDaniel Ave., Ald. Peter Braithwaite (2nd) asked Stoneback to discuss summer plans that could impact the ward, including the Penny Park renovations, which are planned to kick off after Sept. 5. The park, located at 1500 Lake St. in the 2nd Ward, was originally constructed in 1990 through a community build process, according to city documents. However, the existing

playground’s lumber structure is now deteriorating and the playground does not follow current Americans with Disabilities Act requirements or playground safety standards from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the American Society for Testing and Materials, according to the documents. Last monday, City Council approved a $478,400 contract with the Elanar Construction Company to rebuild the park under the new codes. Stoneback said one minor difference » See PENNY PARK, page 6

Play based on vandalism debuts WNUR second stage Performance interprets Alice Millar incident By FATHMA RAHMAN

the daily northwestern @fathma_rahman

Former School of Communication lecturer and playwright Elaine Romero wrote a short play based on the vandalism incident at Alice Millar Chapel. The show was performed Tuesday night at a Chicago theater. The seven-minute play, titled “Swastika,” is a jailhouse scene between a mother and her son — who was imprisoned for an act of vandalism — in which she confronts him for his actions. The performance was part of the American Blues Theater’s “Ripped: The Living Newspaper Festival.” “Plays always raise certain questions,” Romero said. “What if you were raised with certain values, but then you did something that is so ugly and hideous and your parent, who raised you not to be that way, came to jail and saw you?”

T h e n - We i nb e rg f re s h m e n Anthony Morales and Matthew Kafker were charged with felony vandalism in connection with graffiti found in Alice Millar Chapel in March. As of last month, the two students are no longer enrolled at Northwestern.

I didn’t know before doing this piece that this actually happened. Roberto Jonson, actor

Romero said she was not retelling the event in her play, but instead “trying to get underneath the psychology of what it takes for somebody to do that.” Although her play doesn’t specify that it is derived from the incident at NU, she said it is made clear by the details in the scene. Roberto Jonson plays the role

Serving the University and Evanston since 1881

of the troubled son who draws a swastika inside a chapel and goes to prison for it. “I didn’t know before doing this piece that this actually happened,” Jonson said. “(Romero) dissected the true events behind the story at one rehearsal and explained it to us. It was very shocking.” More than anything, Jonson said he hopes people walk away feeling more aware about the news element of the play and acknowledge how these kinds of decisions can impact families. Carmen Roman, who plays the parent, said she hopes the audience finds a way to empathize with both the mother and son. Roman said she also thought about what role Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump played in the Alice Millar incident. In addition to a swastika and male genitalia, the two former students also painted the word » See PLAY, page 6

artists announced By EMILY CHIN

daily senior staffer @emchin24

WNUR announced Tuesday night its lineup for Dillo Day’s second stage, featuring DJ Derrick Carter and singer Colleen Green. The lineup also includes Akenya, a singer and pianist, and rappers Mister Wallace and Smino. The student-run radio station and Mayfest first partnered three years ago to include another stage at Dillo Day to add a new dimension to the festival, said Maddie Higgins, general manager of WNUR. WNUR aims to expose students to up-and-coming artists, with an emphasis on local artists, the Weinberg senior said. “It’s great because it allows for a style of music that draws a different type of Northwestern student,” she said. “There’s definitely a group of students at Northwestern who are more into underrepresented or underground sound. It

accesses a different part of the Northwestern community than is normally accessed by the main stage.” This year, WNUR collaborated with Studio 22, a student-run production company, to produce the second stage. In the past, they have worked with IndieU and Freshii. Although Studio 22 was not involved in the selection of artists for the second stage, they sponsored one-third of the booking budget, Higgins said. “We partnered with Studio 22 because it seems like the perfect pairing in our minds,” Higgins said. “RTVF is all in one title, so this seems like a perfect marriage of communications groups.” This year, WNUR is putting emphasis on bringing artists from Chicago or artists who are particularly popular in the city, said Weinberg senior Joe Greenbaum, music director for Streetbeat. WNUR also tries to bring artists that are representative of the station as a whole, Greenbaum said. » See WNUR, page 6

INSIDE Around Town 2 | On Campus 3 | Opinion 4 | Classifieds & Puzzles 6 | Sports 8


2 NEWS | THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2016

Around Town Illinois IDs to get security upgrade By ROBIN OPSAHL

daily senior staffer @robinlopsahl

Illinois IDs will be upgraded with anti-counterfeiting and identity theft features starting in July, but the cards will still not be compliant with federal standards. The issue has prevented Illinois residents from using their IDs to enter federal buildings and military bases since January. On Tuesday, the Illinois Secretary of State announced that state identification cards and driver’s licenses would be upgraded to improve security features, including the use of facial recognition technology. The new system will cost the state $6 million in implementation and between $6 million and $10 million a year in expenses, David Druker, spokesman for the Illinois Secretary of State said. However, bringing the state into full compliance with the REAL ID act, which was implemented in 2005 would cost up to $60 million over two or three years, he said. “In retrospect, this estimate may be high, but we’re further down the road,” he said. Starting in July, residents applying and renewing their licenses and IDs at Driver Services facilities will leave with a temporary paper replacement instead of a new ID, which will be sent by mail within 15 days. The delay is time for state officials to send in the information to an off-site facility, which will run fraud checks and make the cards with new anti-counterfeit

Police Blotter Gang member arrested in connection with handgun possession

A 19-year-old known gang member from Skokie was arrested in south Evanston on Monday evening, police said. At about 7 p.m., officers in the 700 block of Howard Street recognized the man from previous encounters and saw that he had a large, bulky item underneath his shirt and near his waistband, said Evanston police Cmdr. Joseph Dugan. The man also had under 2.5 grams of marijuana as

security measures which officials said “over-thecounter technology simply cannot produce.” The new process is an effort for the state to fulfill mandates outlined in the REAL ID act, which Illinois was supposed to be in compliance with by 2009. The state was denied an extension on meeting the standards of the law in January, when Illinois licenses and state IDs could no longer be used to enter federal buildings, such as military bases. Although the changes being implemented over the next summer will bring Illinois closer to federal standards, it is still only 84 percent compliant with the federal mandate, Secretary of State Jesse White said in a statement. In addition to meeting federal standards, the new system also works towards better preventing fraud and identity theft for state residents. “Becoming REAL ID compliant is a step-by-step process,” White said in the statement. “The upgraded driver’s license and ID card contain a variety of enhanced security features that take advantage of new developments in technology.” Druker said further costs of meeting the REAL ID standards include verifying citizens’ birth certificates, and checking immigration and social security records. However, both current and upgraded IDs can continue to be accepted as primary forms of identification to board commercial airplanes for domestic travel until Jan. 22, 2018, he said. To meet all the REAL ID requirements, some changes will have to originate in the state legislature, such as a law prohibiting people to have both a license well as a pipe on him. The man was charged with two counts of unlawful use of a weapon by felon, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon by a street gang member, one count of defacing identification marks of a firearm and two counts of no valid firearm owner’s identification card. He was also charged with one count of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, one count of unlawful possession of cannabis and one count of disobedience to police, Dugan said. ­— Evelyn Metric

and a state ID as well as limiting the maximum duration of a license to eight years. Even without meeting the federal standards, having Driver’s License and State ID production in one location instead of on-site at Driver Services facilities brings Illinois closer to the security levels of other states. According to a news release, 39 other states — including larger states like California and Texas — have already moved to the centralized ID production system that Illinois plans to implement. Illinois is one of four states — as well as the American Samoa territory — still not compliant with the REAL ID act, according to a Department of Homeland Security news release. The other states in violation of the law are Minnesota, Missouri and Washington. Additionally, New Hampshire and two territories were given extensions until 2016 to meet the act’s standards. In an interview with The Daily in January, the DHS officials said it was unlikely the state would receive an extension unless new information was provided explaining its inability to comply. Druker said the state will be working with the DHS to consider getting an extension in light of the new efforts. “There are other things we’re doing that will be perceived positively by homeland security,” Druker said. “We’re optimistic that we’re going to be able to make things work. It’s a positive step.” robinopsahl2018@u.northwestern.edu

Setting the record straight An article published in Tuesday’s paper titled “IFC emphasizes member values” mischaracterized IFC’s new four-year education curriculum. A series of programs are planned to replace its annual Winter Education Conference. The Daily regrets the error.

The Daily Northwestern www.dailynorthwestern.com Editor in Chief Tyler Pager

eic@dailynorthwestern.com

General Manager Stacia Campbell

stacia@dailynorthwestern.com

Holly and John Madigan Newsroom Phone | 847.491.3222 Campus desk

campus@dailynorthwestern.com

City desk

city@dailynorthwestern.com

Sports desk

sports@dailynorthwestern.com

Ad Office | 847.491.7206

spc-compshop@northwestern.edu

The Daily Northwestern is published Monday through Friday during the academic year, except vacation periods and two weeks preceding them and once during August, by Students Publishing Co., Inc. of Northwestern University, 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208; 847-4917206. First copy of The Daily is free, additional copies are 50 cents. All material published herein, except advertising or where indicated otherwise, is Copyright 2016 The Daily Northwestern and protected under the “work made for hire” and “periodical publication” clauses of copyright law. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Daily Northwestern, 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208. Subscriptions are $175 for the academic year. The Daily Northwestern is not responsible for more than one incorrect ad insertion. All display ad corrections must be received by 3 p.m. one day prior to when the ad is run.

Check out DAILYNORTHWESTERN.COM for breaking news

OPEN 8AM–8PM DILLO DAY

HUGE DILLO DAY LIQUOR SALE

D&D DOGS OPEN 8AM–8PM ON DILLO DAY!


THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN | NEWS 3

WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2016

On Campus Panel of professors talks Asian-American identity By MARK DUANMU

the daily northwestern @mduanmu

A panel of three professors discussed racial identity at an event on Tuesday sponsored by more than a dozen Asian-interest student groups, encouraging greater dialogue between subgroups within the Asian-American community. More than 150 people attended the event, titled “But Where Are You REALLY From?,” which coincided with Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month. Much of the discussion revolved around the question of what it means to be Asian American, which panelists agreed is a complicated identity, as many people identify more with their specific

ethnicity and culture rather than race. “We need to recognize that segregation within the AAPI community is very real,” Asian American Studies Prof. Nitasha Sharma said. “We have Korean groups, Chinese groups, Indian groups. But I would caution us to see that segregation is not just something that minorities do to themselves, but that white students also do, such as in the form of fraternities and sororities.” Asian American Studies Prof. Ji-Yeon Yuh, one of the panelists, said Asians suffered under decades of discriminatory laws preventing them from becoming full citizens in the United States. These laws, she said, are one of the main reasons Asian Americans continue to be seen as outsiders and “perpetual foreigners.” The panelists — Sharma, Yuh and fellow Asian American Studies Prof. Shalini Shankar

— comprise the tenured faculty of the Asian American Studies program. McCormick senior Justice Pettigrew, who helped organize the event, said the panel was especially timely due to the recent news that Weinberg will add an AsianAmerican Studies major. The event was sponsored by 12 Asian-interest student groups. “We wanted this event to be accessible to all Asian Americans and even non-Asians, so we took a general approach instead of focusing on any one specific issue,” Weinberg freshman Anna Li, one of the event’s organizers, told The Daily. “Hopefully, this will increase the social-academic dialogue among students on campus and lead to more events like this in the future.” Bienen freshman Johnathan Orr said although it’s important to have pride in one’s own

individual culture, understanding what unites all Asian Americans is also important. “I’m part of Asian Intervarsity, and right now we’re primarily Korean and Chinese, so the discussion about bringing other kinds of Asians to the table was interesting to me,” Orr told The Daily. “It made me think about how our group could be more inclusive.” Pettigrew said students are often unaware of how race plays a role in their daily lives, and she said she hoped the event prompted students to think more about that. “Our goal wasn’t for people to have all their questions answered,” Pettigrew told The Daily, “but for people to leave with even more questions.” markduanmu@u.northwestern.edu

Students ask for more creative sexual wellness outreach By SHANE MCKEON

daily senior staffer @shane_mckeon

The Campus Coalition on Sexual Violence met for its Spring Quarter meeting Tuesday, with its student advisory board asking the administrators present to experiment with new forms of outreach to students. Weinberg junior Willow Pastard, who helped present the recommendations to the room of mostly administrators, suggested ways Northwestern could augment its communication with students. Pastard drew on examples from other schools, such as the University of California schools’ sexual wellness campaign, which printed its definition of consent on cardboard coffee sleeves for students. Pastard said outreach like this makes students more aware of what the coalition is working on.

“It’s about getting them interested in little ways,” Pastard said. “It gets them in the door. These are facts that will accumulate over time, start conversations and create a gradual culture change.” The coalition, which meets quarterly, comprises staff, faculty, students and community members. Its members include the Center for Awareness, Response and Education staff; Sexual Health and Assault Peer Educators; the University’s Title IX staff and various other University staff and student groups. Another example of creative outreach Pastard pointed to was posting flyers and hand-outs about sexual wellness in bathroom stalls, something she said her sorority currently does. Even if they’re unorthodox, Pastard said administrators should embrace these sorts of techniques. In addition, she said more subtle outreach would be useful at NU, where students don’t often make time to attend lengthy programming when

it’s optional. “We’re busy students,” Pastard said. “I’m not necessarily going to go to a Title IX class, even if I’m interested.” Weinberg freshman Elise Wu, who also presented the student advisory board’s recommendations, showed a flowchart from Wesleyan University that guided a student through possible options when reporting a sexual assault. She suggested administrators post a similar flowchart in residence halls so students understand the full range of sexual wellness resources the University provides. Pastard, who serves as Panhellenic Association’s vice president of community wellness, said a recent PHA forum reminded her of how important a topic sexual assault is on campus. The forum — organized after the Interfraternity Council was criticized for banners it created for Sexual Assault Awareness Month — had only about 15 students in attendance, Pastard said.

But she added students are busy and not always able to make such events. “Everyone in PHA does take sexual assault seriously,” Pastard told The Daily. “It’s hard to be a woman at Northwestern and not take this seriously.” Earlier this month, IFC faced criticism for banners created for Sexual Assault Awareness Month after some students said the banners were in poor taste due to the prevalence of sexual violence in fraternities. In addition, in April, University Police received four reports of sexual assault in nine days. The meeting also let the various groups present give updates on current projects and initiatives. Erin Clark, CARE’s assistant director, led the meeting and said her office plans to provide a training for staff members in June focused on stalking. shanem@u.northwestern.edu

Texas-style breakfast tacos available all day. beep

beep!

amanecert

acos.com

FOLLOW FOR DAIL Y LOCATIO NS 1555 Sherman Ave #155 Evanston, IL 60202

Track our food truck locations, and find us this week at Spoonfest and Dillo Day! amanecertacos.com

NINETEENTH CENTURY ART 1:

EUROPEAN ART AND ARCHITECTURE, 1785–1851 HOLLIS CLAYSON, STEPHEN EISENMAN, DAVID VAN ZANTEN

This course, team-taught by leading scholars in the field, studies the art, architecture and urbanism of “The Age of Revolution” with emphasis upon artistic and political developments in Western Europe. Major themes include the rise of an art for the public, art and revolution, art and empire, the invention of Orientalism and Romanticism, caricature and the press, new image technologies (including photography), and the rise of landscape painting, portraiture, and city-painting/city-making. The course subtitle may as well be: Sex, Violence, Politics, Big Cities, and the Land.

Provide Exceptional Administrative Executive Support There is only one hospital in all of Chicago solely dedicated to caring for children with chronic illness and disabilities as well as those suffering from abuse/trauma. That hospital is La Rabida. Right now, our progressive facility seeks the following highly proficient and energetic professional to provide wide ranging administrative support to our senior leadership team:

ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT & CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER Managing an extremely active calendar, this highly organized Executive Assistant will compose/prepare correspondence, arrange complex agendas, coordinate meetings and ensure smooth flow of communications. Demonstrating effective judgment, leadership and relationship building skills, qualified candidates must possess Bachelor’s Degree with at least 5 years experience as administrative assistant to senior executive. In return for your commitment and expertise, La Rabida offers attractive compensation and many excellent benefits! Plus, you’ll appreciate the beauty of our convenient location on the shores of Lake Michigan, just minutes from downtown! For immediate consideration, please apply online at:

95526 5.0625” x 5.125”

LaRabida.jobs

FALL 2016 — MONDAY/WEDNESDAY 12:30–1:50

EOE m/f/d/v


OPINION

Join the online conversation at www.dailynorthwestern.com

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

PAGE 4

NU misfires on its ‘AND is in our DNA’ ad slogan TIM BALK

DAILY COLUMNIST

With its current advertising campaign featuring the catchy transpositional slogan “AND is in our DNA,” Northwestern is publicly peddling an NU student stereotype of dynamic, overachieving multitaskers. The advertisements are visually beautiful. But they also send a questionable message. One iteration depicts the talented trio of Austin Carr, Caroline Niedospial and Tre Demps, all student-athletes, pursuing their passions on and off the field. Carr is a vocalist, Niedospial a student journalist and Demps an artist, and the advertisement suggests the three exceptional student-athletes are the norm at NU. There’s a lot of truth in what is depicted. More than 60 percent of us graduate with a

second major, minor or certificate, NU studentathletes graduate at among the highest rates in the nation and it seems nearly everyone on campus is in multiple clubs or activities. NU students’ dynamism and drive is, generally speaking, something to celebrate. Carr, Niedospial and Demps are all people worthy of reverence. But there’s a darker underside to all this doubling up. There is a pervasive, pernicious pressure to overcommit and overextend at NU. NU students all too often feel the need to double or even triple major, to join or attain leadership positions in numerous clubs, to take endless classes (why take four when you can five?) and to fill every waking second with social, academic and professional advancement. At NU, this Renaissance attitude often becomes distorted into a rat race to exhaustion. As great as it is to excel in multiple areas — and it truly is great — depicting the Austin Carrs of the world as the norm is to set all NU students up against an unrealistic benchmark. NU

students should not feel the need to be doing numerous things at high levels simultaneously. One extracurricular activity, or just a few, is enough. School matters too, and what happens in the classroom is not always a breeze. The “AND is in our DNA” slogan perpetuates an unhealthy message of excess in expertise. It’s truly not the message that should be sent to students or prospective students. Particularly at a school where overinvolvement and mental health issues are pervasive. NU students are certainly impressive, but we are also frequently under-rested and overworked. We too rarely slow down to savor and reflect upon this critical period of our lives. Ours is a vibrant community filled with people with diverse talents. This should be advertised. Not the many of talents of individuals themselves. Particularly if such a diversity is presented as the norm. AND is not necessarily in our DNA. For many of us, OR is in our DNA. NU students are fantastic musicians or gifted

actors or leaders or mathematicians. Often we are more than just that, excelling in numerous fields. But we shouldn’t feel the need to expand our resume to include skill upon skill upon skill. Specialization is valuable too. So is sleep. Happy and healthy are ANDs that matter too. NU’s advertising generally is extremely well done. But the “AND is in our DNA” campaign is a misfire. The goal at our school should not be to do the most. It should be to do our best, and to enjoy what we are doing. More than overachievement and overcommitment binds the NU community together. We can find better aspects of our school to advertise and better ways to frame our advertisements. Tim Balk is a Medill sophomore. He can be contacted at timothybalk2018@u.northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this column, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.

Activism should be more than campaigns, protests ALEXI STOCKER

DAILY COLUMNIST

Northwestern’s activist community inspires me. Through my roughly two-year engagement with Real Food at NU, I learned a great deal not only about that organization’s objectives but also the incredible commitment of our campus’ activist leaders. NU’s activists work long hours, often thanklessly, for causes that benefit us all. From changing our food system, to combatting climate change, to campaigning for racial justice and human rights, NU’s activist community engages with some of the most critical issues of our generation. Protesting outside board of trustees meetings is a powerful public statement about one’s commitment to a movement. Interrupting a groundbreaking ceremony for a new athletic complex gets the attention of NU’s administration and can garner national news attention via sports networks. Protests are inspiring and often effective, effecting change here at NU and in the world at large. They are exciting for their participants, and are intense

moments that bring together a community of like-minded individuals in the name of a common cause. Activism should, however, be more than campaigns and protests. To truly change the world, to change our economy and change our communities, we need to live the values in which we believe and advocate. Our consumer choices, whether we realize it or not, can play just as much a part in our efforts to create change. Ignoring the social, political, economic and environmental consequences of our consumer choices constitutes complicity in the very systems we seek to upend. It also reveals a startlingly hypocritical side to our identities. Our protests, social media posts and campus movements mean little if our daily actions don’t reflect the values we profess. Calling for divestment from fossil fuels means little if we do the bare minimum to improve our own sustainability. Recycling, using reusable water bottles and buying organic produce are only the beginning. We need to think critically about the other consumer choices we make, from Uber rides into the city to how often we eat out. Claiming to fight for marginalized people and against oppressive systems means little if we are complicit in their oppression through our purchases. When making consumer choices, consider the commercial candy

industry’s role in slave labor in West Africa, or the abusive conditions faced by migrant workers picking produce in the U.S. Sunbelt. Consider the environmental effects of tobacco growing and cigarette production and consumption. Think about the environmental impact and inhumane conditions of the factory farms that deliver chicken, beef, and pork to so many restaurants in Evanston and across the US. Living our values means making lifestyle changes, shifting our consumption toward more ethical choices and rethinking how we live. Living our values necessitates giving up many of life’s hedonic pleasures in the name of something greater than ourselves. These lifestyle changes can and should be our starting point. Not everybody has the time or resources to devote their lives to activism. Career ambitions, personal finances and familial responsibilities send us all down our own unique professional paths. However, all of us can make an impact through our consumer choices. It is an accessible and meaningful way for anybody to make a positive impact. We should, moreover, expect our campus activists and leaders to live the values they espouse. Many do, and I respect their commitment greatly. The hypocrisy of those that do not threatens to undermine not only their own credibility, but

Online harassment is a form of censorship ALANI VARGAS

DAILY COLUMNIST

As someone who loves social media and is constantly on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, I’ve come across my fair share of online trolls.The threat of online harassment has often stopped me from posting certain articles or opinions because fighting with someone hiding behind their computer screen is usually a losing battle. I remember the first time I was harassed online. I had just written a column for The Daily about feminism and how I have personally been empowered by such an important movement in our society. The day that I tweeted about my column I learned the easiest way to attract trolls and harassment to your feed is by including “#feminism.” I tend to become intensely anxious when I receive negative and unfounded comments online. It’s not that I hate it when people disagree with me. I enjoy discussions with people of varying opinions, even when they are a little aggressive. However, when I experience name calling and intentionally hurtful language from people I don’t know, the comments cross the line from critical statements to personal attacks. Everyone is subject to criticism and negative comments on the Internet, especially if posting about topics that may induce a lot of opposition. But in my personal experience and from what I’ve witnessed, women get

the brunt of online harassment. Although men are more likely to encounter name calling and physical threats online, the Pew Research Center reported women are more likely to experience “severe forms of online harassment.” According to Pew, 26 percent of women ages 18-24 have been stalked and 25 percent of them have been sexually harassed, an occurrence that can come in the form of rape threats. The anonymity of the comments section on any YouTube video or popular Facebook post often brings out the worst in people. This issue has become even more relevant to me in the past couple weeks because of the column Jessica Schwalb wrote in the The Daily earlier this month about the banner controversy. Her column tackled the issue of the continuing lack of tangible efforts to address sexual assault in fraternities and elsewhere campus. However, the comments section turned into a forum for men and women alike to throw around insults and condescending remarks, without engaging in any productive criticism. For example, one commentator wrote, “a failed generation. Once 18 year olds stormed the beaches of Normandy facing death. Now they are looking for their safe space.” These comments fail to generate constructive criticism, as they do not provide a substantial counterargument or an understanding of the author’s original opinion. Men are also victims of online harassment, of course. 40 percent of all Internet users have suffered from online abuse, with the rate increasing to 70 percent when focusing on users aged 18 to 24. The fear of being attacked online definitely hinders some

some users from sharing important ideas and posting more controversial opinions on social media and Internet sites. Pew found that from 2000 to 2005, the percentage of Internet users who participate in online chats and discussion groups dropped from 28 percent to 17 percent. Moreover, a survey of more than 3,100 college women found that about 19 percent of respondents said they were deterred from sharing their views on feminism because of the backlash they could receive. Harassment is a mechanism used to silence people. I believe women as a group have been silenced throughout history, and this continues to play out online. And there are certain topics, such as sports, that people think women do not have the authority to speak on. Women journalists and sports journalists in particular encounter a lot of judgement for just doing their jobs. I appreciate criticism, maybe even more so because I am a writer. But when the worth of my ideas is being questioned because of my gender, or when I start to feel unsafe because of slurs hurled at me online, that’s when it becomes harassment and that’s where it needs to end. The sooner we understand that hateful speech hinders real dialogue, the sooner we can have a productive online conversation. Alani Vargas is a Medill sophomore. She can be contacted at alanivargas2018@u.northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this column, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.

also that of the movements they lead. Living our values is absolutely essential if we are in positions of power or authority; leadership is largely about setting an example for others. Living our values isn’t glamorous. Living our values isn’t exciting or especially inspiring. Living our values isn’t always something we can Instagram or post on Facebook. Therein lies the beauty. Living our values means making prosaic sacrifices, day-to-day choices seemingly small and insignificant that build in impact over time. Words can inspire and mobilize people, but our daily actions — because they are just that: daily — determine our overall impact. As students and global leaders, our political actions and statements only have meaning if they are backed up by a sincere personal commitment to change the world, beginning with ourselves. To live our values is to act on what we believe in on a daily basis and to fully integrate our convictions into our identities, creating change from the ground up. Alexi Stocker is a Weinberg senior. He can be contacted at alexistocker2016@u.northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this column, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.

The Daily Northwestern Volume 136, Issue 127 Editor in Chief Tyler Pager Managing Editors Julia Jacobs Tori Latham Khadrice Rollins

Opinion Editors Tim Balk Angela Lin Assistant Opinion Editor Nicole Kempis

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR may be sent to 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208, via fax at 847-491-9905, via e-mail to opinion@ dailynorthwestern.com or by dropping a letter in the box outside THE DAILY office. Letters have the following requirements: • Should be typed and double-spaced • Should include the author’s name, signature, school, class and phone number. • Should be fewer than 300 words They will be checked for authenticity and may be edited for length, clarity, style and grammar. Letters, columns and cartoons contain the opinion of the authors, not Students Publishing Co. Inc. Submissions signed by more than three people must include at least one and no more than three names designated to represent the group. Editorials reflect the majority opinion of T HE D AILY’s student editorial board and not the opinions of either Northwestern University or Students Publishing Co. Inc.


r E m M Su SsiOn Se 2016

in g e b s e C la s s 0 2 E N JU

e t s e w h nor t

me m u s / u rn.ed

r


6 NEWS | THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2016

Security

Play

From page 1

From page 1

“It’s unnerving because you think you’d be safe in a dorm when you have key cards you have to swipe to get in,” Godbole said. She and other Allison residents said they noticed increased security later that day following the event. Despite the intruder, residents agreed they still feel safe in Allison. “It seems to me that it was an isolated incident,” said Weinberg sophomore Troy Xu, who lives in Allison and serves on its programming board. “A lot of people will just hold the door for the next person, and you never know if they actually live there or not. Other than that, I don’t feel unsafe or anything. I think it’s still a safe environment.” Weinberg freshman Megan Culligan said that since Thursday’s events, things have returned to normal, just with more security. “It happened, but I feel safer that there’s more security,” Culligan said. “If I lived off campus, I wouldn’t have a security guard necessarily at the door.”

“Trump” inside the chapel. “I was interested in this incident and how this energy and ideas around Donald Trump have unleashed a lot of negative things such

WNUR

From page 1 “No one knows local Chicago artists better than WNUR does,” said Medill sophomore Isabel Schwartz, a member of the Mayfest productions committee who worked with WNUR on organizing the stage. “They add a lot of range to the artists for Dillo.”

as racism, anti-semitism and homophobia,” Roman said. Romero said that she found herself devoting a lot of time to writing the play because it reflected something important to her personally. “Short plays can really pack a punch,”

Romero said. “They quickly deliver what you want to say and I think that because they’re so distilled, they’re a very powerful form of theater if you choose to talk about something you care about.”

WNUR also aims to bring a diverse range of sounds and different types of artists to the second stage, Higgins said. The music will range from dance music to jazz to techno. “Each artist has a completely unique style,” she said. “We hope that all of them will fit the overall vibe of Dillo Day and get everyone excited.” The second stage artists will perform during

breaks between main stage performers, Higgins said, “It keeps the music going so there’s never a dull moment,” Higgins said. “It keeps people on the Lakefill. It gives people the opportunity to see something they haven’t seen before.” Dillo Day will take place Saturday.

fathma@u.northwestern.edu

emilychin2018@u.northwestern.edu

kellinguyen2019@u.northwestern.edu

Penny Park From page 1

will be adding more playground elements at ground level, so people in wheelchairs can now access them, Stoneback said. This change is part of the current ADA requirements to which the park will have to fulfill. “It’s not like we’re trying to build a whole new thing,” Stoneback said. “The design is there.” Maintaining the current design became a priority for city officials when in 2014, the city asked the original playground designers to create a new layout for the park. “A public unveiling of that design revealed that the community was passionate about the existing playground equipment and wanted to maintain it in its current form rather than replace it with new play structures,” council documents said. The city then terminated its contract with the original designers and worked to ensure the preservation of the park’s wood playground structure, appearance and “character,” documents said. Stoneback said although a formal contract has yet to be created, officials were in agreement over the park plans discussed so far. Over the summer, there will be more neighborhood meetings to collect community feedback on proposed modifications as the project proceeds, Stoneback said. Officials hope to complete the playground’s reconstruction by the middle of November, he said. rishikadugyala2019@u.northwestern.edu

Source: Artists’ Facebook Pages

Clockwise from top left: Smino, Derrick Carter, Colleen Green, Akenya and Mister Wallace.

DAILY CLASSIFIEDS Place a Classified Ad

Daily Policies

CLASSIFIED ADS in The Daily Northwestern are $5 per line/per day (or $4 per line/per day if ad runs unchanged for 5 OR MORE consecutive days). Add $1/day to also run online. For a Classified Ad Form, go to: dailynorthwestern. com/classifieds FAX completed form with payment information to: 847-491-9905. MAIL or deliver to: Students Publishing Company 1999 Campus Dr., Norris-3rd Floor Evanston, IL 60208. Payments in advance are required. Deadline: 10am on the day before ad is to run. Office Hours: Mon-Thurs 9-5; Fri 9-4. Phone: 847-491-7206.

It is the policy of The Daily Northwestern to accept housing advertising only from those whose housing is available without discrimination with respect to sexual orientation, race, creed or national origin. The presumption is therefore, that any housing listing appearing here is non-discriminatory.

HELP WANTED ADS are accepted only from advertisers who are equal opportunity employers. The presumption, therefore, is that all positions offered here are available to qualified persons without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, handicap, or veteran status.

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN is not responsible for more than one incorrect insertion of an ad. Corrections must be received by 10am on the day before ad runs again, call 847-4917206. All Classifieds must be paid in advance and are not accepted over the phone. To run online, ad must run in print on same day. The Daily does not knowingly accept misleading or false ads and does not guarantee any ad or claim, or endorse any advertised product or service. Please use caution when answering ads, especially when sending money.

FOSTER & MAPLE 4-3-2-1 BDRMS Large Apts. Parking Avail. Also Roommates to Share 847-869-1444 evanstonapartments.com

Join the yearbook team!

DAILY CROSSWORD Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

DO IT

YOURSELF. Post a Classified!

We create the printed

Now anyone can post and manage a classified ad.

year at Northwestern. No

Go to: DailyNorthwestern. com/classifieds

necessary. Interested?

Questions? Call 847-491-7206

volume that chronicles a yearbook experience

Email: syllabus@northwestern.edu

DAILY SUDOKU

Need someoNe to Complete the grid so each ROW, COLUMN and 3-by-3 BOX (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk SOLUTION TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE

sublet your place for the summer?

place an ad

In tHe daIly! Download a form at

dailynorthwestern.com/classifieds 05/18/16

Level: 1 2 3 4

© 2016 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved.

or stop by The Daily Ad Office (Norris/3rd floor) Questions? Call 847-491-7206


THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN | SPORTS 7

WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2016

Storniolo From page 8

However, what truly separated him from the experienced Cats’ coaching staff was his age — he was only 25 years old. “I don’t see him as a young coach,” Martin said. “If you don’t know how to do it by now then we all have issues. He better know what he’s doing, he should know what he’s doing after two years.”

Off the mat

After Storniolo hopped onto NU’s coaching staff, he quickly became a mentor for former Cats stars Pierce Harger and Andrew Nadhir. Storniolo was hired the year before Harger enrolled, and was the wrestler’s main contact during his recruiting process. Harger said although Storniolo worked to establish a close, friendly rapport with his players, he didn’t lose sight of his role as a motivator to help the wrestlers achieve their competitive goals. “I was in the semis and I was up big on this guy and I ended up losing the match at the last second and after the match he kind of grabbed my stuff off the chair — didn’t let me pick up any of my clothes — and said ‘you’ve got some sprints to do,’” Harger said. “I was gassed after the match and that was kind of his tough love, no give up attitude. I don’t think he’s still ever been as mad as he was that day.” Storniolo said he goes out of his way to try to relate to the wrestlers. Using his experience as a former collegiate wrestler, he said he understands the difficulty in balancing cutting weight and

Softball

From page 8 errors to a minimum throughout the weekend, as well as making sure their defense is at its best on the field. Johnson: For the Cats, it will really be about which team shows up. NU has been up and down with its consistency on both sides of the ball this season and as a result, it ranks in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten in most statistical categories. That being said, the most glaring problem for the Cats is their fielding. NU was fifth in the Big Ten in errors this season with 65 and 10th in fielding percentage with a .957 mark. When the Cats committed an error, they were 17-17 on the year and when they didn’t, they were 10-5. On the flip side, NU did turn the most double

maintaining grades. But Storniolo also said his laid-back personality is conducive to getting his point across when he does have to become the disciplinarian. “I try to be laid back when I feel it’s appropriate but if there’s a time that I need to flip the switch and take on a little more of a fiery personality, I don’t have an issue doing that,” Storniolo said. “It actually means a little bit more when I do flip that switch because the guys know that that’s not my typical demeanor.” Before Storniolo’s arrival, Nadhir finished his sophomore season with a 14-12 record. After two years of working with the new assistant, Nadhir finished the year 34-8, placed sixth in his weight class at the NCAA Championships and became a first-time All-American. “It’s one of those things where you are going to always say ‘of course I would have gotten to where I wanted to be because I was going to work hard and bust my butt,’” Nadhir said. “But the bottom line is that Matt stepping in when he did was so huge for me. I got to wrestle with this guy, who would kick the crap out of me every single day and make me better.” Nadhir said without Storniolo’s help he wouldn’t have been able to contend for a national title. Nadhir wanted to work out with the new coach at every opportunity and said he “begged for (Storniolo’s) time, and he was always available.” Before Nadhir’s final Ken Kraft Midlands, NU’s annual wrestling tournament, he wanted to get one last workout in with Storniolo. However, his assistant coach was away visiting family for the

holidays and his flight back had been delayed. Nadhir, who had already gotten back to campus, called his coach and asked him to come work out with him. Storniolo took a cab straight from the airport to the wrestling room, where the two battled with each other starting at 8 p.m. and ending late in the night.

plays in the conference with 29, so it’s not as if the team can’t play at a high level in the field. Something that will take pressure off the Cats’ defense is their pitching — their main strength. Wood, despite being hurt for much of the season, ranked fourth in the Big Ten in ERA at 2.12 and Letourneau posted a strong ERA of 3.00. If the potent duo pitches as well as it did against Purdue two weekends ago, NU will be in good shape. 4. How does NU stack up against the Cowgirls? Johnson: It’s all about the offense for Oklahoma State (29-24, 6-11 Big XII). Despite having a winning record, the Cowgirls finished fifth in the Big XII due to their poor conference mark. But as a team, they hit a robust .305 — good enough for third in the conference. Oklahoma State’s average can partially be attributed to

second baseman Vanessa Shippey. Shippey was the best hitter in the conference this year and was named Co-Big XII Player of the Year. But the Cowgirls depth extends far beyond just Shippey. Oklahoma State has four other players that are hitting above .300. Wood and Letourneau will have their hands full with their opponent’s batters. The good thing is that the Cowgirls pitching staff struggled all year long, with a pedestrian ERA of 4.89, while opposing hitters scorched the staff for a .296 average. As long as the Cats pitching can keep the potent bats of the Cowgirls in check, NU’s offense should be able to do some damage against Oklahoma State’s hittable pitching. Haniff: Although the Cowgirls currently have a 29-24 record, their season in many ways

Murphy’s Law

Storniolo took over for Pariano on short notice and had to prepare an injury-riddled team for one of the toughest seasons in school history. During the 2015-16 season, the team lost two of its standout redshirt-freshmen in Bryce Brill and Johnny Sebastian after they both underwent season-ending surgeries. Additionally, back-toback conference champion Jason Tsirtsis was dealing with family matters. “It was a bit of a whirlwind at the beginning,” Storniolo said. “Nobody was really prepared for the situation we found ourselves in at the end of last October. It was an uphill battle all year. It seemed like anything that could’ve went wrong did go wrong.” But Storniolo said he consistently reminds himself, and his wrestlers, that if the team could make it through this season — the team finished 2-13 and with its worst record since the 2001-02 season — then it could make it through anything. “We’ve had a lot of success here over the last seven years and I along with the other coaches on the staff have our fingerprints on that success,” Storniolo said. “It’s not like we came into year

YEA

ARE

FRIDAY 5/13 at The Rock 10am–2pm MONDAY-FRIDAY 5/16–5/27 at Norris 10am–3pm

one and things fell apart and that’s indicative of the staff we have here or the guys on the team.” It isn’t common for a then-31-year-old coach to take over a major program. Storniolo is the youngest coach in the Big Ten and even his college coach was surprised by Storniolo’s quick rise up the coaching ladder. Spates said he was amazed that his former wrestler already has a position as a head coach in a major conference. And even though the team only recorded two wins this year, Spates said he is confident that Storniolo will be able to turn the program around. “It’s kind of surprising, it’s not easy to land a head Division I coaching position and that’s a tribute to him,” Spates said. “ And to have the adversity he had this year and yet have an administration that can see past that — that shows they have a lot of confidence in the person and so do I. If I could buy stock in Matt Storniolo, I would do it.” Storniolo said will spend the offseason rebuilding the team and working in the new recruits to the program. He said having this season out of the way is a tremendous relief. And now that the season is over, the freshfaced coach said he never would have anticipated his swift rise to the top of a Big Ten program. “I thought that there was a chance I’d be in a head coaching position by this time, but to be perfectly honest, no, I didn’t think it would be in a Big Ten institution,” Storniolo said. “But I’m not complaining about that.” danielwaldman2019@u.northwestern.edu mirrors the Cats’ season: losses to begin the year, a solid stretch down the middle and big wins in conference play. Plus, the Cowgirls have similar power and speed at the plate. However, NU’s advantage will really come from its core pitching staff of Letourneau, Wood, junior Nicole Bond and freshmen Kenzie Ellis and Kaley Winegarner. The five-pitcher rotation has been phenomenal this season with a combined ERA of 3.91 — lower than the ERA of Oklahoma State’s best pitcher. The staff has often been the difference maker against tough offensive teams like Michigan and Minnesota, and the Cats will be looking to capitalize on their depth on the mound against their opponents in Athens and beyond. melissahaniff2016@u.northwestern.edu martinjohnson2019@u.northwestern.edu

RBO

OKS

HER

E

NUsyllabus.com


SPORTS

ON DECK Baseball 19 NU at Rutgers, 12 p.m. Thursday MAY

ON THE RECORD

If I cold buy stock in Matt Storniolo, I would. — Jack Spates, former Oklahoma wrestling coach

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

@DailyNU_Sports

Storniolo takes on Big Ten as youngest coach By DAN WALDMAN

the daily northwestern @dan_waldman

When Matt Storniolo took over for Drew Pariano at the beginning of the 2015-16 season, the then-interim coach paired his slicked back mullet with a waxed handlebar mustache. He showed up to duals looking professional in his gray lanky suit, but he often left the top button open, missing a tie — almost symbolic of his rapid transition from youthful college wrestler to Big Ten head coach. Pariano, who left the program at the beginning of last season, said Storniolo learned quickly how to work with student-athletes and developed a skillset that is important for college coaching. “He was the guy that was preparing himself to be a head coach, which is always what you want,” Pariano said. “He served six, seven years as an assistant coach and he learned a great deal in that time and you learn how to deal with the particular student athlete at Northwestern. You pick up on what motivates them and how to manage them through the academic rigors.” However, Pariano said Storniolo possessed a creative ability that the former coach sometimes lacked during his coaching stay at NU, and said he devised ideas like bringing the team outside to do workouts on the Lakefill. Pariano said Storniolo takes on more of a friendship role with the team, as a guy who can relate with the wrestlers. He said Storniolo took on more of a “player’s coach” role while he had to be more of an “enforcer.” “I think there are a lot of differences, I’d rather let other people say them than myself,” Storniolo said. “But there’s more than one way to skin a cat.”

Daily file photo by Daniel Tian

Big man on campus

Storniolo started his wrestling career in 2003 with Penn State, when he was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and advanced to the conference final. But following his standout season, Storniolo transferred to Oklahoma after attending several camps run by then-Sooners’ coach Jack Spates, where he became acquainted with Spates and his sons. During his three years at Oklahoma, Storniolo made his way to the Big XII finals every season, winning the conference championship as a senior. He qualified for the NCAA Championships every year during his collegiate career, and during his senior season he went into the championships ranked No. 2 in the country in his weight class. Storniolo finished his college career with two All-American honors, dominating his weight class for four years and even defeating Nebraska’s four-time world champion Jordan Burroughs. “He didn’t lose to too many guys who weren’t monsters,” Spates said. “In fact if you’ve read about Jordan Burroughs, who is going for his fifth world championship this year if you count the Olympics, Matt Storniolo may have been his last college loss.” Despite Storniolo’s dominance, Spates said he kept a calm, laid-back demeanor in the locker room. But when the 149-pounder stepped on the mat, he flipped a switch. In 2004, Oklahoma took on Army in a dual where Storniolo was shut out 5-0. Spates was concerned about Storniolo going into his next match against Cornell’s defending AllAmerican Dustin Manotti, but he said what happened next was one of the defining moments of his wrestler’s college career. “He just came out and put a whooping on him,” Spates said. “He was the guy who handled adversity and defeat well, he would bounce back and if he didn’t win one match he was going to win the next.” After graduating at 23, Storniolo Storniolo joined the Monarchs in 2007, when Old Dominion had an urgent need to improve its scrambling ability — a skill Storniolo was known for.

Age is just a number

Storniolo joined the Monarchs in 2007, when Old Dominion had an

urgent need to improve its scrambling ability — a skill Storniolo was known for. However, Storniolo said his coaching style isn’t restricted to just his scrambling expertise. “The things that I was good at as a wrestler I don’t feel like I’m limited to in what I can bring to the table in terms of teaching the guys,” Storniolo said. “Other guys that are more of solid technique or cookie-cutter wrestlers, it’s not something we try to force onto them.” Martin said Storniolo formed bonds easily with the wrestlers and was an all around great technician, especially with his work coaching former NCAA Championships finalist Ryan Williams. Williams, a No. 8 seed in the championships pulled off four consecutive wins before making his way into the finals match. “When Ryan Williams made the national finals, it was obvious Matt made a big impact on him,” Martin said. “The first year Storny was here, Ryan didn’t do great at the NCAA Tournament. He was hurt, and then Storny spent the whole summer with him and the kid got a lot of confidence, got on a roll and made it to the finals.” In 2009, Williams defied all odds and made his way to the NCAA finals. Prior to Storniolo’s arrival, Williams finished his sophomore season with a 30-9 record. During his senior year, Storniolo’s last with the program, his record improved to 39-4 with a 22-1 mark in dual matches. After the NCAA Championships, the blossoming assistant coach attracted the attention of other college coaches. Among those he impressed: Pariano. “What really caught my eye at Old Dominion was that he worked with Ryan Williams at 141 and got him into the national final,” Pariano said. “When you do something like that — and Matt was an integral part of that — it’s very telling of what you can do with your future. It doesn’t matter that you’re only 23, 24 or 25, which is about the age he was.” When the Wildcats offered Storniolo a coaching spot, he told Martin that he couldn’t turn down the opportunity to coach in the Big Ten. Storniolo joined NU as the team’s newest assistant later that year. » See STORNIOLO, page 7

Softball

Writers discuss Wildcats’ NCAA Tournament hopes By MELISSA HANIFF and MARTY JOHNSON the daily northwestern @melissahaniff, @rick_and_marty

Northwestern faced a difficult schedule this season, and after falling below .500 early in the year, the team rebounded to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Now, the Wildcats will have a chance to avenge their early exit from last year’s tournament. Our writers discuss NU’s prospects going into the tournament. 1. The team has had an unquestionably difficult schedule. In 2012, a similarly stacked Northwestern softball team went 27-27 and made it to the NCAA Regionals final where it lost to a tough then-No. 6 Texas team. What will the team have to do this year to advance past the regional bracket? Melissa Haniff: Coach Kate Drohan and the team have built success for themselves through their one pitch,

one inning, one game philosophy — and they won’t be changing that anytime soon. Amy Letourneau, the only remaining member of that 2012 squad — who also pitched against Texas — will be a key factor in terms of both her play and leadership. For the Cats, it’s less about worrying what the other team will do, and more about focusing on their own play. In this situation, that means playing gritty defense and preventing big innings. NU is prepared for non-conference opponents, especially because it played some of the toughest teams in the nation to begin its season. For the Cats, it’s going to be about focusing on the fundamentals, staying confident and finishing out seventh innings. Marty Johnson: For NU to make a deep run into the tournament, it needs it’s senior core of pitcher Kristen Wood, pitcher Amy Letourneau and shortstop Andrea Filler to step up. Not only do the three seniors have experience in the postseason, but they

also are some of the Cats best players. Wood has been lights out since returning from her injury, while Letourneau has led the team with 14 wins and pitched over 160 innings. Letourneau is also a huge part of NU’s offense, as she is second on the team in batting average (.329), home runs (14) and RBIs (53). And Filler has been even better. She has a team-high 16 home runs and 58 RBIs. Together, Letourneau and Filler accounted for 44 percent of the Cats’ RBIs. Needless to say, if the duo doesn’t produce at the plate, NU will struggle to put runs on the board. 2. Do the Cats have momentum going into the NCAA Regionals despite falling in the Big Ten Tournament? How far can they go in NCAA Tournament play? Johnson: Despite losing to the eventual Big Ten champion, Minnesota, in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament, the Cats do have momentum going into Friday’s game. Don’t forget, after being swept by

Nebraska at home a month ago, the Cats were sitting at 16-23 and their tournament chances were on life support. But the team rallied in the last weeks of the season, going 9-2 to finish with a .500 record. NU was then able to beat a very good tournament bound team in Ohio State in the quarterfinals. Additionally, the Cats have shown when they stick to their gameplan, they can compete with the best teams in the country (see: Michigan game). A trip to super regionals is definitely attainable for the Cats. Haniff: Absolutely. You’re looking at a team that played hard against a Minnesota squad that would end up beating top-seeded Michigan for the conference title. The momentum is there because the Cats know they can compete against some of the toughest teams in the nation after wins against Michigan, Minnesota and UCLA. Plus, they’ll be looking for blood after losing a close one to then-No. 8 Georgia early this season. In terms of how far they can go, it really depends on

the bracket. Once competition gets stronger and stronger, there’s no telling what will happen. But for the Cats to go far, their seven seniors will have to step up at the plate, and Letourneau and ace Kristen Wood will have to be at the top of their game on the mound. 3. What is the biggest question mark for the Wildcats going into Friday’s game against Oklahoma State? Haniff: Right now, it’s looking like the biggest question mark for the Cats will be preparation. Although the Cats may not have been consistent on both sides of the ball throughout the season, they are extremely consistent when they need to be, especially in conference play and the postseason. However, NU will be facing an Oklahoma State team they aren’t super familiar with, which will require immense preparation especially as the team shores up aspects of its game in practice this week. It will be imperative for the Cats to keep committing » See SOFTBALL, page 7


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.