Daily Titan | February 6, 2023

Delayed state grants finally paid to students

CSUF police chief to be named soon

MARIO LEAL Sta Writer

The selection committee in charge of the hiring process of the next Cal State Fullerton chief of police selected a finalist for the position and expects to announce the hiring within the next two weeks, said Alexander Porter, vice president for administration and finance.

Until the official announcement of the hiring is made, Capt. Scott Willey is acting as the interim chief of police.

“We do have a candidate in mind, and that’s where we focused our efforts,” Porter said. “I’m hoping that we will be able to make an announcement either this week or next week.”

the winter holiday season slowed the investigation.

“These things take time to basically interview everybody that’s involved and to make sure to talk to everyone that is a reference for our future chief,” Porter said.

The four top candidates considered for the position, out of a ten-candidate list, were invited to speak at an open forum held at CSUF in October of last year.

Amira Saleh Eppolito, a 26-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, said she wants to create a diverse police force.

Anthony Otero, the current La Mirada mayor, who also worked for the Los Angeles Police Department for 26 years, advocated for an inclusive and safe environment for students of color.

More than 17,000 Cal State Fullerton students eligible for financial assistance under California’s Middle Class Scholarship, a state grant that received increased funding and number of qualified students, are being paid out on Monday after months of delay.

CSUF Financial Aid awarded students that qualified for the state grant on Jan. 26 and the funds are set to be disbursed on Monday, said Jessica Barco, the director of financial aid.

Additionally, the grant is no longer limited to tuition, meaning the funds can be used for other expenses such as textbooks, food or other necessities.

Barco said delays of disbursement came after months of determining the

Men's basketball defeats UC Riverside, 64-58

overall record to 13-12 overall and 7-6 in Big West play.

amount each student was to be allotted. The delays began once the financial aid office was notified by the California Student Aid Commission in August of last year about increased student eligibility and funding.

As part of Gov. Gavin Newsom's 2022-2023 budget toward higher education, funding for the scholarship

SEE MONEY 3

The Daily Titan previously reported that a new chief of police would be announced on Nov. 1 when former interim chief of police Carl Jones was to retire, in the first week of January. However, Capt. Willey later clarified in an interview with the Daily Titan that those deadlines were never official. Capt. Willey also said that Jones officially retired on Dec. 16.

The hiring process was overseen by a selection committee consisting of members of Associated Students, faculty members, including Porter and staff

The final candidate is currently going through an extensive background check. The company Arroyo Background Investigations is in charge of conducting CSUF’s background checks. Porter said that

Anthony Frisbee, the current interim police chief at UC Riverside and former UC Irvine Lieutenant, said he wants to maintain transparency and believes that it is important for officers to partake in implicit bias training.

James Skelton, the current Houston Police Department commander of police with 21 years of experience in law enforcement, said he wants to keep the Titan community well-informed about police involvement on campus.

Porter said the selection committee was satisfied with the strengths of the four candidates.

SEE HIRE 3

Following a close loss to Long Beach State at home, the Cal State Fullerton men’s basketball team responded with a win, 64-58, against the UC Riverside Highlanders Saturday at Titan Gym.

This win moves the Titans’

CSUF guards Max Jones and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. led the Titans, both scoring a game-high 16 points and grabbing two steals. In addition, both players were efficient from the free

SEE DUNK 8

CSUF guard Max Jones tied for a game-high 16 points and grabbed two rebounds.

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Resource center invites students to partake in Asian traditions

Lunar New Year made its way to Cal State Fullerton at the Bounce to Prosperity event on Jan. 26 and Shaping Gold event held on Thursday at the Asian Pacific American Resource Center, where students made dumplings, paper lanterns, and embraced aspects of Asian culture.

The Bounce to Prosperity event hosted over 30 students and sta ff members at APARC in Pollak Library where guests made paper lanterns and ate mooncakes, White Rabbit candies and mandarin oranges.

Hathiya Chea, the coordinator of the APARC, said it was important to celebrate Lunar New Year to help

Asian American and Pacific Islander students feel represented on campus.

“It helps provide a sense of home and visibility, representation and also feeling like your holidays matter,” Chea said.

Asian American and Pacific Islander students made up nearly 22% of CSUF students in the fall 2021 semester.

Chea said the event was also meant to educate guests about the traditions that are celebrated on Lunar New Year. For example, making paper lanterns represents lighting the way in the new year. Mandarin oranges are eaten in hopes of attracting luck and prosperity.

Paula Vo, a master's student of higher education, said that it was nice being surrounded by fellow students and learning about what

other Asian cultures do to celebrate Lunar New Year.

“It’s cool that it’s known as Lunar New Year now, because, growing up, it was more of a Chinese New Year,” Vo said. “But now encompassing di fferent cultures and making it known as something that’s subtly di fferent across di fferent cultures and people is really nice.”

Kathya Rodriguez, a student in the master’s of public health program, said that it was a good experience being surrounded by people who either celebrated Lunar New Year or not.

“Sometimes, myself, I am scared of exploring new cultures because I don’t want to offend anyone because I don’t know exactly what they do, so it’s cool to have these spaces to explore other cultures,” Rodriguez said.

At the dumpling-making event on Feb. 2, almost 30 people helped chop vegetables and knead the dough while others stayed to watch. The attendees prepared both vegetarian and turkey dumplings. There was also a Zoom option for people who could not attend the event in person.

A presentation also explained the cultural significance of dumplings, stating that their shape looked like silver and gold pieces and led to their association with wealth and prosperity.

Jennifer Langenwalter, a health educator at TitanWell, said that this event was part of a goal to partner with different groups on campus, learn more about different cultures and expose more people to cooking.

Perla Falcon, a fourth-year biology major, said that making dumplings

was an eye-opening experience to see how similar Mexican culture was to Asian cultures.

“Rolling out the dough, it reminded me a lot of making tortillas, or even folding the dumplings reminded me a lot of making empanadas,” Falcon said. “So I found it very eye-opening of how similar our cultures can be.”

Chea also said she appreciated the support of the CSUF community during the lantern-making event.

“APARC is definitely the smallest center in all of the DIRC spaces and so, most of our programs, there’s not a lot of people that come by,” Chea said. “And it’s such a great surprise to see people came and support us, so that was really an exciting thing to see.”

NOLLYANNE DELACRUZ Editor

Cal State Fullerton students (from left to right) Isabel Salto, Paula Vo and Sylvia Vo make lanterns to celebrate Lunar New Year at the Bounce to Prosperity event in the Asian Paci c American Resource Center on Jan. 26.

NOLLYANNE DELACRUZ / DAILY TITAN

Water conservation kits distributed in Fullerton

Money: Late deposits cause panic

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increased by $515 million, totaling $632 million from $117 million the year prior. “Because the number of potentially eligible students was going from 4,000 to up to 17,000 students, there was a lot of room for error to award students we were not sure were eligible, and we didn’t want to award and then have to bill if incorrect,” Barco said.

The disbursement comes nearly four weeks after the first financial aid disbursement of the semester on Jan. 11.

The CSUF’s financial aid department’s website uploaded a Frequently Asked Questions sheet detailing eligibility for the state grant and reasoning behind the late-January disbursement window despite the award taking effect in August of 2022.

California residential students must apply for a Free Application for Federal Student Aid or California Dream Act application by March 2 to be considered eligible for the award.

Showerheads, shower

RYANN KIRK

Sta Writer

In a statewide effort to handle California’s level two drought, the city of Fullerton is giving out water conservation kits to its residents until the end of February.

Despite the recent rain, Orange County, and most of California, is still in a moderate drought. In March 2022, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a plan to put California into a level two water shortage contingency plan, an order that has extended to 2024.

The kit includes seven things: one 1.5 gallon per minute showerhead, two 1.0 gallon per minute faucet aerators, one 1.5 gallon per minute swivel kitchen aerator, a toilet tank bank, a shower timer, two toilet dye tablets and a seven pattern hose nozzle.

items are provided to Fullerton residents for free to help conserve water.

Each item is designed to hinder the overuse of water and prevent leaks.

The kit also comes with instructions on how to install it.

Fullerton Mayor Fred Jung said these kits serve as a way to not only help the drought, but as a way to inform others about water conservation efforts.

“Most importantly, what these kits do, it gives the public tools and information,” Jung said. “Our approach as a city is not to tell you as a resident what to do. We want to give you all of the information and the tools necessary, and then you make a choice, right? What's best for your home, what’s best for you.”

Delaney Felix, the water quality specialist for Fullerton, said the city has been asking its citizens to lessen water usage since June 2022.

“Since then, we've been trying

Hire: CSUF awaits new police chief

to do more outreach to our customers and to residents and just let them know that although Orange County is in kind of a good place, conservation-wise, we still all need to remember to kind of continue with saving water,” Felix said.

Over the years, California has been a part of many multi-year droughts that have steadily gotten longer. Jung said that it is important for people living in Southern California to recognize the importance of water use and to not overly depend on traditional water resources.

Jung said while the kits are useful, it is less about stopping the drought and more so encouraging less wasteful living habits and providing people with tools to do their part.

To receive a kit, residents can contact the Fullerton Water Conservation Department.

While the California Student Aid Commission initiated the changes for the grant during the fall 2022 semester, they notified the CSU Chancellor’s Office that it was up to all individual financial aid departments across the CSU and UC system to regulate funds for their students, Barco said.

Under the current modeling of the program, students with family income and assets up to $210,000 may be eligible. The number of recipients for the grant is estimated to increase from 60,000 to 360,000 people across California, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office.

Before the 2022-2023 school year, undergraduate students with a household income of $191,000 or less could be eligible for a scholarship that covered from 10% to 35% of tuition and fees at CSUF.

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Barco said she also sent an email to students regarding their scholarship in December of last year informing students about their delayed disbursement.

Typically, the California Student Aid Commission sends a roster of students eligible for state grants. However, new revisions to the Middle Class Scholarship program caused a hold up in disbursements. Some departments were left to determine the amount of aid allotted to an increased pool of applicants.

All of the eligible students for the state grant are expected to receive their aid disbursements on Monday, Barco said.

Despite concerns from students who did not receive their funds during the fall semester, Barco said financial aid continued to communicate and reassure eligible students that any holds to their account would not cause a disenrollment of courses.

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Capt. Scot Willey is currently serving as the interim chief of police for CSUF. CSUF POLICE DEPARTMENT

CONTINUED FROM 1

“We had a rich selection of candidates that we can choose from. All brought something to the table; some of them had things that others didn’t and vice versa,” Porter said. “It was a very difficult decision for the committee to make regarding their finalist selection.”

Besides the selection committee, the CSUF Police Department also

interviewed all the candidates directly. Capt. Willey believes that the right candidate must understand the campus culture and community.

“We have a very hands-on community that likes to get involved in everything we are doing,” Capt. Willey said. “We have a close commitment with a very diverse population, and we have to know about each of one of them as well as being empathetic with all the issues happening around our country.”

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timers and other

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Let your fashion bloom with these style tips

CRYSTAL BENDER Sta Writer

For students looking to switch up their spring wardrobe, Fullerton’s Fashion Association club provides style tips by sharing their fashion knowledge and their observations of popular trends to develop a spring style guide.

Logan Shust, the president of the club, expressed his take on the meaning of spring fashion.

“Spring fashion is kind of the beginning of the year, a new set of trends and it also shows a lot of what you have in your wardrobe, what you’ve been waiting to wear, and it’s time to bring the colors back,” Shust said.

Shust said his idea of spring fashion is flannels, button-ups, cardigans, acid wash and cool colors.

“It’s kind of showing this new set of you,” Shust said. “New year, new you.”

Grace Tran, the social media manager for the fashion club’s Instagram page said her idea of spring fashion includes being colorful, wearing colors like pink and layering to combat the weather changes.

Tran said that spring fashion is expressing yourself through clothing that makes you feel comfortable, but also makes you feel good.

Franchesca Palomar, the club’s secretary, said that spring fashion makes her think of colors, floral patterns and feminine aesthetics.

“Spring fashion means to me is everything pastel. Blooming and transitioning from the winter into more like faller colors, so like replacing your old colors, your darker colors, into more vibrant colors,” said Xzachary Rositas, the club’s social media coordinator.

Rositas said flowy items, layers, white and

beige clothing, crop tops and miniskirts are perfect for spring.

Button-ups are always in season, Shust said.

He said wool wear and cotton with a lot of earth tones like browns, tans and dark greens are in-season whether it's striped, full-color or other prints.

Palomar said that long skirts are in season this spring. They mentioned that Doc Martens, parachute pants, long denim shorts and vests are all in-season.

Layering is also useful in spring months, Tran

said as she mentioned seeing clothing articles such as turtlenecks, vests and cardigans being used often when layering items.

Tran’s wardrobe recommendations for students' spring wardrobe included cardigans for women, which she said feels useful in adjusting to different temperatures throughout the day.

Rositas recommends that men have jackets, cargo, sneakers, sunglasses and hats available in their wardrobes this season.

Palomar said the top trend she would recommend for spring is headphone accessories, while

Rositas said to incorporate styled phone cases as an accessory to accent your outfit is the main trend students should invest in.

"As long as you're comfortable and you feel good, totally go for it. Fashion is different for everyone, the definition is different for everyone," Tran said. "Like, my type of fashion isn't the same as someone else's fashion and we may not agree on some of the things I just said, but I feel like it brings people together. And spring is coming, so just wear whatever you want."

Campus eateries: What's cool around school?

cuisine or popular American franchises there's something for everyone in this vibrant college city. So next time you're in the area, check out these top-rated food spots and treat your taste buds to something delicious.

Shops

From American and Asian eateries to bookstores and art supply stores, there is something for everyone in Fullerton.

Picture This is a custom framing shop that offers a wide range of framing options for art and photographs. With a focus on quality and creativity, the friendly and knowledgeable staff are always on hand to help you choose the perfect frame for your treasured pieces. Whether you are looking for a traditional wooden frame, a sleek metal frame or something more unique, Picture This has you covered.

Half Off Books Record Films is an independent bookstore specializing in rare and used books. With a large selection of books spanning a wide range of genres, this store is a true paradise for book lovers. Whether searching for a rare first edition, an out-of-print title, or a good read, you'll find it at Half Off Books Record Films..

Students visit the Titan Student Union to nd a place to eat and relax between classes.

CONLAN MCKENZIE Sta Writer

With the start of the new semester, students are searching for delicious places to eat around Fullerton. Whether you need a quick snack, a spot to hang out, or a short activity, here are some spots that could satisfy your needs.

Food Options

Cal State Fullerton is home to many restaurants and food options, making it easy to find something delicious no

matter what you’re craving.

The Titan Student Union food court has many different food choices and provides a great environment to hang out in-between classes. There is a wide variety of food choices at the student union like Panda Express, Starbucks, Hibachi San, Juice It Up, Togo’s, Pieology and Baja Fresh. The TSU is located on the west side of campus, right next to the Titan Shops. Food trucks are also available in the Humanities Plaza. Students can enjoy a variety of food trucks on campus, which vary from day to day. Juice It

Up also has a food truck located in the Humanities Plaza. Aloha Java, a small

coffee kiosk in the plaza, is another excellent option for coffee and tea. Some favorite healthy food truck options are Barcelona OnTheGO Sirloin Tacos and Spudrunners Pesto Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich

If you're in the mood for Asian cuisine, there are plenty of top-rated spots around Fullerton.

Mr. BBQ is a great choice if you're a hearty eater. This Korean BBQ restaurant is known for its delicious and authentic options, with a wide variety of meats and vegetables. The staff is attentive and friendly, with a warm and inviting atmosphere and high-quality ingredients, the

restaurant has received many positive reviews for its delicious options.

Fraise Cafe is a must-visit spot. This cafe and bakery is a popular spot for coffee, crepes and pastries, with a wide variety of breakfast options.

Customers rave about the delicious breakfast and pastries, and the staff is friendly and helpful.

Noodle Street is a popular spot for those who love delicious noodle dishes, with a menu including lo mein and udon, as well as other Asian specialties such as dumplings.

These are just a few of the best dinein and takeout options near CSUF. Whether you're in the mood for Asian

Blick Art Materials is an art supply store that offers a wide range of materials for artists of all levels. You'll find everything you need, from paints and canvases to brushes and sketch pads, to create your next masterpiece. With knowledgeable sta ff to answer questions, this store is the perfect place to explore your creative side.

Fullerton is home to a wide variety of businesses, each offering unique products and services. Whether you are looking for a custom frame, a good book or art supplies, you'll find it all in this lively city.. So next time you are in Fullerton, check out some of these fantastic businesses and support your local community.

CONLAN MCKENZIE / DAILY TITAN

As the spring approaches, department stores have started to prepare for the new season's style.

CRYSTAL BENDER / DAILY TITAN

Students drown in unnecessary campus fees

Sai Siva Pavan Paruchuri, a computer science graduate student, ran into one of these roadblocks this semester. Paruchuri registered for nine credits and paid his tuition fees. He later decided to add another class, thinking this would be at no additional cost with the way tuition fees are structured.

Later, he was informed there was a hold on his account. He would either have to pay a fee for the additional class or drop the class entirely.

CSUF students who have holds on their accounts are unable to register for future classes until the holds are resolved.

“During finals, it’s very important to not have any holds on your account. It’s better to solve it as soon as possible because you will not be registering to any other classes,” Paruchuri said.

ROSEMARY MONTALVO Editor

Between all the stress-inducing costs students face, Cal State Fullerton students are hit with numerous additional costs for their education— many of which feel extensive and unnecessary.

According to CollegeCalc, CSUF is known to be one of the more affordable universities in California. Although tuition has not changed much over the years, mandatory fees have increased and the list of fees, from an orientation fee to graduation

fee, seems endless.

According to a report from Think Impact, the biggest reason students drop out is due to financial reasons.

Over two-thirds of students drop out of college, while 79% of students delay their graduations due to financial hardships. The university should remove extra fees altogether because it would show that it cares more about students than revenue.

Students who can’t a fford to pay their tuition up-front can enroll in the Tuition Installment Payment Plan. While this payment plan sounds helpful, it adds a non-refundable charge of $33 for in-state resident students. Non-resident students

are charged an additional 9% of non-resident tuition when enrolling in TIPP. Adding an extra fee on top of their tuition when they are already struggling is unfair.

According to a 2022 report by National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, 34% of 18 to 24 yearolds who were interviewed were not enrolled in college due to finances.

Tuition fees are decided at CSUF based on the number of units they take.

According to CSUF’s spring 2023 Registration and Tuition Fees, taking zero to six units is one fixed price for tuition and enrolling in seven or more units is a different set price. On top of tuition, additional fees are then added on.

CSUF divides the fees into six categories. Categories one through three are recurring mandatory fees that fund student programs, like Associated Students. According to CSUF’s List of Student Fees for the 2022-2023 academic year, category two’s mandatory fees have students paying about $633.25 per semester. These campus-based fees include the health center, student success and campus union fees. Most of these have short and broad descriptions of what they’re for, so students don’t know exactly where their money is going. The $93 health center fee should not be considered a mandatory fee for students. Instead, students should have the option to opt-out of paying this fee since some students already have their own medical insurance. Other universities such as UC Berkeley and UCLA offer university-based health insurance plan waivers to

their students, so they’re able to optout as long as their health insurance meets certain criteria.

Category four includes fees like the installment payment plans, major and minor changes, orientation and graduation fees.

CSUF charges students a $10 fee each time they change their major or minor. Switching majors can already be a tough decision to make due to spending thousands in tuition fees on classes that may not be usable towards a different major. Changing majors is a common occurrence and it is estimated that a third of undergraduates change their major, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Students are required to pay $100 for orientation, yet before being accepted, students pay a $70 application fee and a $250 enrollment deposit fee. Those fees should be more than enough to cover orientation.

By the time students graduate, students who paid in-state tuition have already paid CSUF over $28,000 and students from out-of-state have paid well over $75,000 they should not be required to pay a $115 graduation fee.

These extra fees are not comparable to the high cost of tuition and student housing fees, but they can be unexpected. When they come unexpectedly or are piled on, they can add tremendous stress to students, especially during pivotal times in a semester.

Unplanned fees only benefit the pockets of the university and add unnecessary financial worries to already stressed students. It is time to see students as students first and not as a pool of potential extra revenue.

David Nuñez contributed to this story

SYDNEY CARROLL / DAILY TITAN

Water polo defeats Chapman in home opener

GOTTIE CHAVEZ Editor

Making their inaugural home debut at the Titan Aquatic Center on Saturday, Cal State Fullerton women’s water polo team finished with a win, 12-8, against the Division III Chapman University Panthers.

With this win the Titans now hold a season record of 4-4.

Offensively, the Titans were led by freshman Mia Solorzano who scored four goals. Following Solorzano was freshman Delaney Wilder who contributed three goals and one assist.

Solorzano’s season goal total now moves to 25 as she sits third in the Big West in goals.

Goalkeeper Haden Skye Bates made seven goals and recorded 6 saves. Bates also sits in third in the Big West in saves with 64.

This match featured two strong offensive performances, with the Titans creating just one more shot attempt than the Panthers, 28-27. CSUF was the more efficient team converting 42.9% of their shot opportunities compared to Chapman's 29.6%.

The first period saw the two teams go back and forth in their scoring with Titans Kieran Scout Bates making a late goal to level the score, 3-3 heading into the second period.

Solorzano kicked off the second quarter with an early goal. Following this, the two defenses clamped down only allowing either team to score one more goal to keep the score 5-4 entering the half.

Returning from the half, the Titans offense took control immediately scoring five unanswered goals, before the Panthers Riley Eaves scored a last

minute goal to bring the score to 10-5 to close the third quarter. Entering the final quarter Chapman kicked off the scoring in an attempt

to make a comeback, but Solorzano landed two penalty shots ultimately sealing the Titans’ victory. The Titans will travel to the

University of Redlands on Feb. 18 to take on a double header against Redlands and Concordia University.

Women's basketball drops game at UC Riverside

EMILY WILSON

Deputy Editor

In a close match that went into overtime, Cal State Fullerton women’s basketball team fell to the UC Riverside Highlanders, 66-63, Saturday night at SRC Arena.

With this loss, the Titans fall to 1012 on the season and remain seventh in the Big West conference standings with a record of 5-8.

The Titans continue to struggle on the road where they hold a season record of 3-9.

Despite the win, UC Riverside stays tied for last in the Big West, having lost six of their last seven games.

CSUF guard Una Jovanovic tied for a game-high 21 points on 10-20 shooting, five rebounds and five assists.

Four of the five Titan starters scored in double figures. Guard Gabi Vidmar scored 15, center Ashlee Lewis had 14 and guard Fujika Nimmo had 13 but no one else was able to score for the team.

Nimmo also tied a season-high in steals with five.

Conversely, the Highlanders

had all nine of their rotation players score. They were led by forward Anna Blount’s 21 points as well as guard Zoe Tillery’s career-high 17 points off the bench.

The Highlanders bench was pivotal in the team’s success, as they outscored the Titans bench 27-0.

In addition to bench points the Highlander’s took advantage of the opportunities created by their defense. The Titans’ 19 turnovers contributed to 13 Highlanders points, while UC Riverside turned the ball over 14 times for eight CSUF points.

In the fourth quarter, Vidmar drained one of the Titans’ only three-pointers of the night to tie the score at 41.

Throughout the quarter, CSUF held on to a close lead, peaking at six points with 4:45 remaining.

The Highlanders then went on a 9-3 run to tie the game at 55 and ultimately sent the game into overtime.

In overtime, the Titans scored six unanswered points with 2:16 remaining, with baskets by Lewis and Jovanovic and a pair of free throws by Nimmo.

Afterwards, CSUF allowed UC

Riverside right back into the game and the Highlanders rallied a 7-0 run of their own, leaving the score 66-63 and handing the Titans the loss.

The Titans had opportunities to win the game, but ultimately poor shooting down the stretch proved to be their downfall. CSUF shot 31% in the fourth quarter and overtime compared to the Highlanders’ 39%, including going 3-5 from the field in overtime.

The Titans will look to bounce back against the University of Hawai’i Saturday at Titan Gym. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.

Gabrielle Zaretskiy scored two goals and recorded one assist in Saturday's victory against Chapman University. The match marks the rst home win in program history.

NAVTEJ HUNDAL / DAILY TITAN

Sponsored by

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Women’s College Club Baseball

VIRGO Your analytical skills will be heightened this week, Virgo. Use this time to solve any problems and make important decisions. Trust your instincts and take a leap of faith if you are uncertain.

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Cal State University, Fullerton is now home to the country’s newest Women’s College Club Baseball team—the first in Fullerton’s nearly 70-year history. We join a growing roster of women’s club teams that are being formed at universities across the United States, and are expecting to compete against many of them at this year’s BFA Women’s College Club Championships at the MLB Academy in Los Angeles. If you have ever played baseball, softball, have a love for the game, or just want to try something new, we are the club team for you! Students of all skill levels are welcome to join and have fun. For more information contact club President, Patsy Lane, on Instagram @csufwomensclubbaseball

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1. Which of these EU countries does not use the euro as its currency?

a.) Poland

b.) Denmark

c.) Sweden

d.) All of the above

2. Where is recognized as the location of the hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth?

a.) Mitribah, Kuwait

b.) Death Valley, California

c.) Yuma, Arizona

d.) Key West, Florida

SAGITTARIUS Your adventurous spirit will be strong this week, Sagittarius. You have a lot of momentum going into this week. With the New Moon, it's a great time to help in your community.

CAPRICORN You will experience success in your personal and professional life, Capricorn. Trust that hard work pays off, and don't be afraid to take risks. You may feel extra busy, but remember that all this work will pay off.

AQUARIUS Aquarius, it is time for you to restart with a clean slate. With the new month occurring, you have time to reinvent yourself. Embrace your individuality, and don't be afraid to stand out.

PISCES Don’t forget to rest and relax, Pisces. You put a lot of pressure on yourself and make it hard to deepen personal connections. Make sure you make time for your friends and family.

Softball returns with battle-tested squad

Ford said.

On Feb. 3 the inaugural Big West Softball pre-season coaches’ team was announced and included five Titans: catcher Jessica Alcala, infielder Hannah Becerra, outfielder Megan Delgadillo, infielder Daisy Munoz and pitcher Myka Sutherlin — out of 11 total spots.

Delgadillo, last season’s Big West Field Player of the Year, was named as one of the top 25 outfielders in the country by D1 Softball.

“Every team wants to get Megan Delgadillo out,” Ford said. “She has an aura about her that attracts people’s attention.”

In addition to established hitters, the Titans took steps in the off-season to add depth to their pitching rotation.

Dunk: Titans improve home record to 10-2

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throw line with Wrightsell Jr. shooting 7-7 and Jones shooting 5-6.

EMILY WILSON Deputy Editor

Coming off of a season winning their fifth Big West championship since 2016, the Cal State Fullerton women’s softball team will look to add another title as pre-season favorites to win the Big West.

On Feb. 3, CSUF was voted as favorites to win the Big West conference in the conference's pre season coaches poll, where they garnered eight out of nine first-place votes.

CSUF head coach Kelly Ford said this year the team will embrace the target on their back in preparation of tough conference opponents.

“Every team we play in our conference is going to bring their A-game to us,” Ford said. “So I'm hoping that our

pre conference schedule prepares us tremendously for our conference.”

The Titans’ pre-season schedule will see them face some of the top programs in the nation, including the reigning NCAA champions, the No.1 ranked University of Oklahoma Sooners and No. 2 ranked UCLA Bruins, the latter being the Titans’ first opponent this season.

Ford said playing nationally ranked teams is essential in order for CSUF to see how they measure up to top-level talent and prepare them for meeting their season goal: to make it deep into the NCAA tournament.

Last season, the Titans qualified for the national tournament, but were sent home after early losses to Arizona State University and San Diego State University in the first round of the Tempe regional.

Eight of the nine Titan starters in 2022 will be returning this season,

After both finishing in the top 10 in the Big West for ERA last season, Sutherlin and Raci Miranda are set to lead the Titans again in 2023.

Bolstering the rotation is right-handed pitcher Haley Rainey, who transferred in this season from Idaho State University after being named the Big Sky Conference Freshman Player of the Year.

Although there are plenty of expectations for the team this season the Titans still plan on taking it one game at a time.

“Our toughest game of the season is always the next game,” Ford said. “So that’s kind of our mentality we want our athletes to have; just be present with the task at hand and compete every pitch and the season will take care of itself.”

CSUF is slated to open the season against No. 2 UCLA, Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Easton Stadium.

Offensively, the Highlanders were led by forward Lachlan Olbrich who scored a team-high 10 points and grabbed four rebounds.

Despite Olbrich being the only player from UC Riverside to score double-digit points, the Highlanders stayed in the game with the help of efficient bench play.

The Highlanders bench contributed 24 points compared to the Titans’ six points, allowing them to stay competitive throughout the game.

Despite the lack of bench production, the Titans’ defense stepped up to limit a Highlanders’ offense that averages 71.8 points per game. This was due to 15 Titans turnovers and the Highlanders’ lack of efficiency from the field.

In a season where they are

averaging a 43.9% field goal percentage, UC Riverside’s offense had a lackluster night shooting only 19-56 from the field for a measly 33.9% make percentage.

However despite the Highlanders poor shooting, they returned from the half down 31-26 and the depth of their bench helped them retake the lead. UC Riverside went on a 16-5 scoring run to take the lead deep into the second half.

From this point forward the two teams went back and forth until Jones sank both his free throw opportunities to regain the lead for the Titans’ 49-48. This kicked off a 6-0 scoring run to extend the Titans’ lead.

The rest of the half saw the Highlanders attempt to make a comeback, but the deficit was too large. Once again, Jones knocked in a pair of free throws with less than a second left in the game to solidify the win at 64-58.

The Titans will travel to face the University of Hawai’i Saturday at 9 p.m.

Megan Delgadillo was named as the top 25 out elders in the country by D1 softball.

MARISA PALMERIN - FLORES / DAILY TITAN