E AGLE N E W S The official student media group at Florida Gulf Coast University since 1997
VOLUME 17, ISSUE 31
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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2019
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Cystic Fibrosis Foundation hosts ‘Great Stride’ walk By William Ward Contributing Writer A national organization is leading the fight against cystic fibrosis (CF) and is less than a year away from a cure. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is a nonprofit that uses donations from sponsored charity walks, or “Great Stride” events, to do research and drug development for a CF cure. According to Medical News Today, CF is a hereditary disease that affects the lungs and digestive system. CF can be life-threatening, and people with the condition tend to have a shorter-than-normal life span. Ryan Reid, the executive director of the Florida chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation said, “If we go back seven years to 2012, a drug called ‘Kalydeco’ was approved by the FDA and it helped about five percent of the population with CF.” “Three years later, ‘Orkambi’ comes online and that takes us up to about 50 percent coverage,” Reid said, “a year later, ‘Symdeko’ brings us up to about 65 percent.” “By 2020, we are going to have a triple drug combo approved by the FDA that will get us north of 92 percent coverage for the CF population,” Reid said. Alicia Howard, 38, a CF fighter and adult ambassador of the Florida chapter of the CF Foundation said she was diagnosed when she was 3 months old. “I just had my last appointment yesterday and I had my best PFTs [pulmonary function testing] in the last three or four years,” Howard said. “We’ve raised so much money that we give to the [CF] foundation so they can develop all these new drugs and treatments and eventually I hope there is a cure for CF,” Howard said. The CF Foundation holds 400 great stride events annually throughout the United States to raise money. This year, they plan to raise about $40 million. The CF Foundation also offers copay assistance, health insurance navigation, legal resources and specialized care to people diagnosed with CF. The programs, funding and staff helping CF patients have doubled in the last two years. There are 70 chapters of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation across the country.
FGCU student aims to restore mobility By Victoria Alvarez Gulf Coast News Wire Cesar Hernandez kept his head so low that his face was nearly parallel to the table. His emptied backpack occupied the seat next to him, and various notebooks and textbooks were strewn all over the table where he was working on his homework. His hand dropped a pencil he was using to design a device, and switched to grip the computer mouse. The cursor flew over the screen that displayed his current class project. The bioengineering student is in the preliminary stages of designing a mobility device for people who have lower limb mobility issues. The frame of the device twisted on the screen as he moved the cursor over it. With a limited budget, he hopes to make a hybrid of a walker and wheelchair that can be manipulated by the user to be suitable for his or her needs. He has been through this Photo by Victoria Alvarez / Gulf Coast News Wire
MOBILITY>> Continued on A4 Cesar Hernandez sketches his design of a mobility device.
Eagle Media Week showcases talents
Photos by Julia Bonavita Jhasmine Alder tells a joke during “Wild ‘n Out” during Eagle Media Week.
Two teams battle it out on the court at the basketall tournament duringMedia Week.
A student performs at the Eagle Radio Music Festival during Media Week.
INSIDE
TRANSGENDER PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ENLIST
2019 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE FINALISTS ANNOUNCED
MEN’S TENNIS FINISHES SEASON AS CHAMPS
GAME OF THRONES REUNITES FAN FAVORITES
When certain groups of people are not allowed to serve, militaries add to the stigma of those groups being inferior. See more on A5
Women’s soccer’s Holly Fritz became FGCU’s first-ever First Team Academic All-American due to her 3.98 GPA. See more on B1
The FGCU men’s tennis team finishes the regular season as the No. 1 seed going into the ASUN championship. See more on B3
About 17.4 million Americans watched the first episode of the final season of “Game of Thrones,” an audience record. See more on B5
EDITOR: ALEXANDRA FIGARES | NEWS@EAGLENEWS.ORG
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Complainant advised units
Complainant advised
While on foot patrol, an
Complainant stated there
that it looked like some
of group of students who had
there was a gator in lot
officer caught subject on
was a racoon in the
baby birds may have
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on campus. The gator
6th floor of garage sitting
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in vehicle smoking mar-
animal was hit by a car
ket on campus and are
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ijuana. Officer searched
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injured. Units arrived at
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back into the water by
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A4 | NEWS | EAGLE NEWS | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17
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Nationwide closure has local impact By Hayley Daughma Gulf Coast News Wire Where fashionably dressed mannequins once stood, flashy black and yellow signs shout that “everything must go.” Everything — clothes, jewelry, shoes, even the fixtures and racks — must go. Shelves are halfway barren, there are markdown stickers on everything in sight, signs list regular price versus price after discounts for the shoppers’ quick calculation. The mannequins stand in a line, naked, in the back corner of the store. That is the scene at the Charlotte Russe store in Gulf Coast Town Center, and most likely at the other 415 stores across the nation that all face the same fate. The clothing store chain, which opened in San Diego, California, in 1975, announced earlier this month that it would close its doors after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy back in February. The store was popular with teenage girls and young women, and considered by many as competition to Forever 21. While the closure of Charlotte Russe eliminates a shopping destination for its target demographic, it also means that hundreds of its employees will be out of work once the store closes. Emma Blackburn, an 18-year-old freshman at Florida Gulf Coast University, has worked as a supervisor at Charlotte Russe since
MOBILITY >> From A1 process multiple times as a bioengineering student at FGCU. He has been tasked to build numerous class projects, but the knowledge he gains in his courses is useful to him outside his classes. “It’s okay if this doesn’t work, but in the real world it has to work,” Hernandez said. His notebook revealed where he had labored over designing the best prototype he could create. Pencil lines had been retraced, accidents had been erased and multiple arrows marked degrees and lengths. H e r n a n d e z ’ s instructors assign him and other bioengineering students ambitious projects, but with a limited budget for materials and research, he tries to get the most of what’s available. “If our lab fees were more expensive, we would have better projects,” Hernandez said. As part of the Honors College at Florida Gulf Coast University, Hernandez can benefit from scholastic funds.
Hayley Daughma / JGulf Coast News Wire The Charlotte Russe in Fort Myers has a going-out-of-business sale. Charlotte Russe announced earlier this month that it would close its doors after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy back in February. receive a specific date in the company email announcing the closure of Charlotte Russe. While the prospect of losing her job looms, Blackburn said that her close-knit team is what she’ll miss the most. She doesn’t currently have a job lined up and says her
future is uncertain. “I’m planning on staying here until we do close, which would be until we have all the fixtures and everything sold,” Blackburn said. “I’ll probably go into another retail position, but I’m not sure right now.”
the end of September 2018. She said that while the news of the closure was disappointing, she and her colleagues weren’t blindsided by it. “We found out about, like, two months ago that they were going to shut down a section of stores,” Blackburn
said. “Then about eight days ago, they told us officially that we were going under.” Blackburn said that once the news went public, traffic into the store ramped up considerably. Employees have had to come in earlier and leave work
later than usual in order to clean up fallen clothes and overturned shoes and make the store presentable for the next wave of shoppers. Most stores will close for good on April 30, but some may close earlier than that. Blackburn said that she did not
He was recently awarded a scholarship grant for independent research he is doing with colleagues, which will help get them the money they need to create their passion project. His area of interest is the sweet spot where mechanical and robotic engineering worlds collide. Some examples of machines that are birthed from this crosssection are exosuits – which he likened to the suit that the fictional character Iron Man wears – and prosthetics. At the core of Hernandez’s passion for his studies is a simple fact from his childhood: He had very little to play with as a young boy. What started as making toys with aluminum cans in a town near Mexico City, turned into tricking out his bicycle as a teen. Then he formed a passion for working on cars and figuring out how engines worked. He ended up at FGCU after his family immigrated from Hidalgo, Mexico to Immokalee, Florida. Hernandez is a
“Dreamer” under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a program implemented by the former president’s administration that allowed young immigrants who were brought to the United States illegally to remain. Hernandez perseveres through his workload because he wants to be as equipped as he can be for employment, but to also be influential in his career. “I just want to make the world a better place,” Hernandez said. His friend and colleague, Nicholas Metro, echoed the same sentiment. He’s a bioengineering major taking similar courses to Hernandez, but he has a passion for cell development. “We’re both working towards that same end goal of regenerative medicines and getting people back to full functionality,” Metro said. Both men plan to continue working together where they will combine mechanical and chemical efforts to achieve their goals.
Victoria Alvarez / Gulf Coast News Wire Cesar Hernandez’s sketch of his current project.
EDITOR: LEAH SANKEY | OPINION@EAGLENEWS.ORG
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17 | EAGLE NEWS | OPINION | A5
OPIN ION
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Transgender people should be able to serve in the military By Lauren Miceli
Contributing Writer @FGCUEagleNews President Donald Trump’s transgender military ban went into effect Friday. The president is notorious for his Twitter usage, but his 2017 tweet about transgender people serving in the military was unexpected. A section of the post stated, “The United States Government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. military.” Since then, the Trump administration fought for that policy to be enforced. Trump’s first proposition to ban all transgender people from the military fell short. The policy went through revisions, and the final version focused on gender dysphoria. People diagnosed with gender dysphoria experience substantial stress and discomfort because they do not associate themselves with the gender they were assigned at birth. As a person who considered enlisting in the military after high school and struggled with my gender identity, to me this new rule is, as ACLU’s Staff Attorney Joshua Block so eloquently put it, “transphobia masquerading as policy.” Members from the Department of Defense might portray this policy as something that strengthens the military and saves the government money, but it was founded on intolerance and discrimination.
This policy is not about money like Trump originally said. According to data released by the DoD, it has spent $8 million on transgender care since 2016. AP News reported that the military receives about $50 billion annually for health care, so transgender care does not even account for 1 percent of the budget. The United States as a country is supposed to focus on what people can do instead of who they are. This policy is the exact opposite of that principle. It will not strengthen the military like Trump believes. It segregates service members and weakens the armed forces by pushing them to become one person at home and another at work. In February, ABC News covered active-duty transgender service members testifying before Congress about the ban. Army Capt. Alivia Stehlik explained how soldiers opened up to her after she transitioned because of her authenticity and courage to be herself. When certain groups of people are not allowed to serve, militaries add to the stigma of those groups being inferior. In a recent Human Rights Campaign video, more transgender troops talked about being judged in the military by how well they performed their duties, not on their gender or appearance. As long as they did their jobs, they were accepted.
Even though this policy allows current transgender troops to continue serving, it is likely those who haven’t transitioned will have to serve as their assigned gender at birth. Being a part of the LGBT+ community exposed me to the emotional trauma that comes with being forced to be someone I’m not. This requirement of the policy is disrespectful and cruel. The American Academy of Pediatrics has conducted studies that show transgender people’s mental health at an early age is negatively impacted when they stay as the gender they do not identify with. The military revolves around unity and cohesiveness as a group. When service members are categorized in a way they don’t agree with, that unity can fail. Also, pushing them to remain in the closet inhibits their abilities to succeed. According to AP News, transgender troops reported that transitioning made them better soldiers. It’s 2019. This policy should not exist to be debated. Responding to the ban, Hillary Clinton said, “Every American should be able to serve their country.” She was right. If a transgender person is willing to enlist in the military when others won’t, why should they be denied that right? Former President Barack Obama allowed transgender people to serve openly and enlist in the military in 2016, and it should have stayed that way.
x
Joy Asico / AP Images for Human Rights Campaign U.S. Representative Anthony G. Brown (D-MD 4th District) speaks at the Fight the Ban: A Rally to Support Transgender Troops on Wednesday, April 10, 2019 in Washington.
Forced vaccinations are not unethical By Karina Cashman Staff Writer @FGCUEagleNews The movement against vaccinating children (anti-vax) is one so unfounded in validity that it could be covered in its own article. In this article, I’m hoping to discuss the developing issue taking place in New York. The cases of measles have sky-rocketed to the point that vaccinations are being made mandatory due to the epidemic being declared a public health emergency. This brings up a larger discussion of how the anti-vax movement is being handled and whether this is a case in which forced vaccinations are acceptable. The anti-vax movement is based upon misinformation with which discredited doctor Andrew Wakefield claimed there
was a correlation between vaccines and autism. His findings were proven to be based upon cut corners and false information, and multitudes of studies have since come out ensuring that vaccines do not cause autism. As much as I’d love to go on regarding what this says about anti-vax supporters preferring a dead child over an autistic one, I digress. I’m here to talk about the concept of forced vaccinations. Are they acceptable at all, in certain circumstances or never? I would argue that in cases of a public health emergency, officials should have clearance to authorize a number of things from quarantine to, yes you guessed it, forced vaccination. Given that there is no credible research backing up the correlation (and I do stress the word correlation
over causation –there is a difference) between vaccines and autism, I don’t see an issue with the state of New York’s decision put mandatory vaccines into effect. When public safety becomes a concern, many things that normally wouldn’t be controlled, enforced or restricted have to go out the window. Those who refuse to vaccinate when mandated “face a misdemeanor charge and could be fined up to $1,000,” according to The Washington Post. It is worth noting that not everywhere in New York is faced with this vaccination requirement. This rule is only affecting certain areas in Brooklyn, and “persistent refusals would be handled on a ‘caseby-case basis’ with legal counsel,” according to The New York Times. While the enforcement of vaccinations isn’t as wide-spread as head-
lines may lead you to believe, it’s still a particularly hot-button issue. Some articles on the subject hint at a fear that this could spread to other states or inflict discord. I would argue that those resisting are most likely doing so based on the false information that the anti-vax movement was founded upon. As long as the vaccines being mandated are passing all standard requirements for safety, storage and sanitation that are practiced by health officials across the board, then the enforcement is a rare but understandable move on the part of New York officials. With eradicated diseases making a comeback and the prominence of the anti-vax movement not seeming to dwindle in any substantial capacity, it is fair to wonder just how popular this practice may come to be.
Seth Wenig / AP Photo In this March 27, 2019, file photo, a woman receives a measles, mumps and rubella vaccine at the Rockland County Health Department in Pomona, N.Y. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that U.S. measles cases have surged this year, and at this pace will set a record for most illnesses in 25 years.
EDITOR: LEAH SANKEY | OPINION@EAGLENEWS.ORG
A6 | OPINION | EAGLE NEWS | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17
OPIN ION
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MARKETPULSE
MarketPulse is a section designed to capture the thoughts and opinions of students on FGCU’s campus. To be featured in MarketPulse, be sure to hang around campus and stay up to-date with durrent events. This is your university; so don’t be afraid to lead the discussion about important issues. By Leah Sankey | Opinion Editor | @FGCUEagleNews
Who would you like to see headline at next year’s Nest Fest?
“21 Savage”
“Ariana Grande”
“Kodak Black”
- Vakeria Hallback, Junior
- Deadrian Mcduffie, Junior
- Shuntell Robinson, Junior
Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the Opinion section of Eagle News belong solely to the author, and do not reflect any official position, view or opinion of the paper, website or its editors. All views and opinions of students are respected and encouraged.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17 | EAGLE NEWS | SPORTS | B1
SPORTS
EDITOR: JORDYN MATEZ | SPORTS@EAGLENEWS.ORG
MEN’S TENNIS FINISHES REGULAR SEASON ON TOP The FGCU men’s tennis team finised off their regular conference season last week as regular season conference champions. See more on B3
2019 Eagle Scholar-Athlete finalists announced By Jordyn Matez Sports Editor @JordynMatez
What is baseball’s record against Jacksonville? A.) 20-16 B.) 16-20 C.) 18-18 What is softball’s record against UNF? A.) 25-8 B.) 20-13 C.) 13-20 How many ASUN championships has men’s tennis won? A.) 4 B.) 3
Photo courtesy of Bret Munson
Holly Fritz of FGCU women’s soccer celebrates a successful play during a winning game against Michigan in the 2018 soccer season. Fritz is one of five finalists nominated for FGCU Athletics’ most prestigious award. top-10 percent of Outstanding Female Senior three-time member of the the All-ASUN First Team and undergraduate students at in the CCSA in 2017 and was placed on the All-ASUN AACSB accredited business holds the school record for Doubles Second Team schools, as well as being a the 200 butterfly. Women’s soccer’s Holly once, also receiving ASUN three-time CSCAA Scholar Fritz became FGCU’s firstPlayer of the Week honors All-American. Elmgreen made school ever First Team Academic three times. Elmgreen, a swimmer history by becoming the All-American due to her and honors college student, first FGCU swimmer to 3.98 GPA in economics. Fritz’s GPA also carried carries a 3.87 GPA in medal in every career race competed, five gold medals her to receiving the 2018 finance. ASUN Women’s Soccer She is a member of included in this feat. Additionally, Elmgreen Scholar-Athlete of the Year Beta Gamma Sigma, a society that recognizes was recognized as the Most >> Continued to B3
C.) 2 How many ASUN championships has women’s tennis won? A.) 0 B.) 2 C.) 4
Answers: 1. A 2. B 3. C 4. A
The FGCU Department of Athletics announced on Monday its five finalists for the 2019 Eagle ScholarAthlete Award. The 2019 finalists include: Julia Ascua of women’s tennis, Christina Kaas Elmgreen of swim, Holly Fritz of women’s soccer, Riley Randolph of softball and Maggie Rick of volleyball. The Eagle ScholarAthlete Award is described by FGCU Athletics as the highest honor FGCU bestows on a graduating senior and recognizes the ability of the winner to combine athletic and academic success, along with community service. The first finalist, Ascua, holds a 3.93 GPA in accounting with a minor in economics in addition to upholding her position on the women’s tennis team. She’s been a mainstay on the President’s List since 2015, is a three-time ITA Scholar-Athlete and has been honored with ASUN All-Academic accolades twice. Athletically, Ascua is a
THIS WEEK IN ATHLETICS By Jordyn Matez Sports Editor @JordynMatez
BEACH VOLLEYBALL ASUN CHAMPIONSHIP
The FGCU beach volleyball team will travel to Deland, Fla. to begin the fight for a 2019 ASUN championship win on Thursday, Apr. 18 at 10:30 a.m.
By Jordyn Matez Sports Editor @JordynMatez
MEN’S TENNIS ASUN CHAMPIONSHIP
The FGCU men’s tennis team will travel to Deland, Fla. to compete in the 2019 ASUN men’s tennis championship on Friday, Apr. 19 at 2:30 p.m. The Eagles, who will enter the tournament
The No. 3 seeded Eagles are set to play North Alabama in the quarterfinals. Should they win, the team will continue on to the semifinals, which will be played on Friday, Apr. 19. FGCU is currently 4-4 in ASUN play and did not face North Alabama in the regular season. Most recently, the Eagles defeated Jacksonville twice in a double-header match.
as the No. 1 seed, will face the winner of No. 4 Kennesaw State vs. No. 5 Stetson. Should they win this round, the team will continue onto the finals, which will be played on Saturday, Apr. 20. FGCU most recently defeated Kennesaw State 4-1 to claim a regular season championship title and will look for a third championship title this weekend.
By Jordyn Matez Sports Editor @JordynMatez
WOMEN’S GOLF
ASUN CHAMPIONSHIP
The tournament will consist of three rounds and play host to all seven ASUN conference golf teams. Currently, FGCU stands third in the conference behind KSU and UNF, according to national GolfStat rankings. The FGCU women’s golf team is set to travel The Eagles are coming off a recent T-12th to Braselton, Georgia to compete in the ASUN place finish in the annual Brickyard Collegiate. championship tournament beginning on Should they place in the ASUN, FGCU will Sunday, Apr. 21 and continuing to Tuesday, Apr. continue on to the NCAA Regionals from 23. Monday, May 6 to Wednesday, May 8.
By Jordyn Matez Sports Editor @JordynMatez
MEN’S GOLF ASUN CHAMPIONSHIP
to Tuesday, Apr. 23. Currently, the Eagles rank fifth of eight in the ASUN conference according to national GolfStat rankings. This ranking comes following a match hosted The FGCU men’s golf team will play alongside by ASUN rival Lipscomb, where they placed the women’s golf team in Braselton, Georgia 12th of 16 overall. in their ASUN conference championships beginning on Sunday, Apr. 21 and continuing
Joe Kinker .333 avg. 5 HR 40 hits Jay Hayes .357 avg. 8 HR 39 RBI Alex Brait .333 avg. 53 hits 25 RBI
Racquel Fournet .313 avg. 24 RBI Reedy Davenport .289 avg. 4 HR 33 hits Kelly Kate .373 avg. 44 hits
Snowy Burnam Kayla Whetstone 19 wins Katherine Puisis Karissa Rhoades 17 wins
EDITOR: JORDYN MATEZ | SPORTS@EAGLENEWS.ORG
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EDITOR: JORDYN MATEZ | SPORTS@EAGLENEWS.ORG
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17 | EAGLE NEWS | SPORTS | B3
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Men’s tennis finishes regular season as conference champs By Kyle Grosskopf Assistant Sports Editor @Kyle_Grosskopf The FGCU men’s te nnis team finishes the regular season as the No. 1 seed going into the ASUN championship. The team finished with an overall record of 12-8 and it went 7-0 in the ASUN conference. The team’s last loss came against Georgia State on March 20. In double’s competition, the Eagles earned the double’s point in every ASUN match they played in. The pairs of Felipe Escobar/Mateo Ruiz and Felipe Ramirez/Feliksas Sakalauskas both won nine matches. “I love this team and we’re having a lot of fun right now,” said FGCU Head Coach CJ Weber. “We won a big match today and it’s fun to be able to celebrate that. I’m really proud of this team overall.” In single’s competition, three Eagles won double-digit matches. Sakalauskas and Javier Fernandez both won 12 matches. Marcelo Tebet won 11. Fernandez and Sakalauskas were the only FGCU players to go undefeated in conference play, as well.
Photo courtesy of Brrad Young
Feliksas Sakalauskas and Felipe Ramirez meet on the court following a set win in an early conference game against UNF. The duo won nine matches over the course of the 2018-19 regular season.
Fernandez has been on a winning streak of nine matches and Tebet, a seven-match streak. Both players have won ASUN Player of
the Week awards this season. Most recently, Sakalauskas won for his performances in the past week against LIberty and Kennesaw
Player of the Week STUDSTILL N O S A M
BASEBALL
State where he helped the Eagles secure sole ownership the first seed. In the beginning of April, Fernandez won ASUN Player of the
week after he defeated Ivy League opponent Brown and ASUN opponent Stetson. Heading into the ASUN tournament, the
>> Continued from B1 and a place on the ASUN All-Academic Team. Her two years with the Eagles were historic, earning her a spot on the 2017 United Soccer Coaches Association Southeast Region Second Team after finishing in the top 10 in the nation in assists. Fritz was also named to the All-ASUN First Team both years and finished her career ranked in the FGCU top-10 in seven different categories. Pitcher Riley Randolph has been named to the Dean’s List every semester since fall 2016 due to her 3.41 GPA in communication. She is a 2018-19 ASUN SAAC representative, leading her to attend the summer and winter ASUN Conference meetings. In the circle, Randolph’s performance has garnered nine ASUN Pitcher of the Week honors and Pitcher and Freshman of the Year accolades. She currently holds the school records for career starts and innings pitched and is on track to finish her career in the top-3 in school history in every significant pitching statistic. Finally, Maggie Rick of FGCU volleyball was nominated for her 3.90 GPA in economics with a minor in management. She’s been named to the Athletics Director Honor Roll seven times, the Dean’s List five times, and the President’s List twice. A member of the Honors College, Rick ranks among the top 10 percent of students in the Lutgert College of Business. On the court, Rick finished her career as FGCU’s all-time leader in assists and matches played. She was named the 2016 ASUN Setter of the Year and is the first four-
Eagles will either face No. 4 Kennesaw State or No. 5 Stetson on Fri., April 19 in the semifinal after earning a firstround bye.
time all-conference and three-time allacademic team selection in program history. “Each of these outstanding women personify the definition of the term Scholar-Athlete and what being a leader and ultimate Eagle represents,” FGCU Director of Athletics Ken Kavanagh said. “We thank them for their countless collective sacrifices, efforts and significant contributions to FGCU Athletics in general and to the University as a whole.” The winner of the Eagle ScholarAthlete award will be announced on Thursday, Apr. 25 during the annual Nesties Senior Send-Off event.
Photo courtesy of Bret Munson
Maggie Rick stands as she is honored at FGCU volleyball’s senior night. Rick is one of five finalists nominated for FGCU’s Eagle Scholar-Athlete award.
EDITOR: JORDYN MATEZ | SPORTS@EAGLENEWS.ORG
B4 | SPORTS | EAGLE NEWS | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17
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A week in review: Tennis, baseball Women’s tennis receive Player of earns conference win the Week honors By Jordyn Matez Sports Editor @JordynMatez Two FGCU athletes were honored with ASUN Player of the Week accolades this week. Feliksas Sakalauskas of men’s tennis and Eric Gonzalez of baseball both received the honor due to their outstanding performances in matches last week. Sakalauskas earns his first Player of the Week award after scoring a perfect 3-0 in last week’s tennis matches against Liberty and Kennesaw State, with one of the wins clinching a match for the Eagles against the Owls. The Lithuania native is one of just two tennis players with an undefeated record in conference singles play, wrapping up the regular season with a 7-0 record. “Feliksas has had an unbelievable year from the start of the fall through the conference season,” said men’s tennis head coach CJ Weber. “For him to clinch the regular season title for us was really fitting, as well as capping
off the ASUN regular season undefeated. He’s an incredibly hard worker and I’m very happy and proud of him. I know he’s hungry for more.” The second Player of the Week honoree, Gonzalez, received the award due to his leading performance in FGCU’s series win against Kennesaw last weekend. Gonzalez batted .455 over the weekend, logging two home runs and a team-high six RBIs. Additionally, Gonzalez reached base in all five games played last week, scoring runs and being credited with a team-high 14 bases. Overall, he bats .283 on the season with four home runs, 25 RBIs and 24 runs. “We’re really excited for Eric. He’s worked really hard,” baseball head coach Dave Tollett said. “He’s totally committed to the team and he has spent a lot of time over the past 1215 days watching film and learning about his swing, which has resulted in him making some good adjustments. He had some big hits for us in the last week and we hope he continues to keep learning and keep getting better, but we’re really pleased with him.”
Photo courtesy of Brad Young
Julia Ascua of the FGCU women’s tennis team celebrates after winning a set during a match against Wisonson. Ascua earned the first point for the Eagles in singles competition this past weekend. Men’s tennis The FGCU men’s tennis team defeated ASUN opponent Liberty 6-1 on April 11 bringing its record to 11-8. In double’s competition Feliksas Sakalauskas and Felipe Ramirez won 6-4. Marcelo Tebet and Juan Montes rounded out doubles play winning 6-4 to earn the doubles point for the sixth straight game match. In single’s competition, Tebet won both his sets 6-1 to start the Eagles winning all but one match. Javier Fernandez won his sets 6-1, 6-4, and Escobar won his sets 6-1, 6-4, as well. Sakaluaskas won both his sets 6-4. Ramirez had to take his game to the third set to win, but he would win his point after going 6-3, 6-4 and 1-0. On April 13, the Eagles battled Kennesaw State and beat the Owls 4-1, bringing their record to 12-8. With the win, the Eagles clinched sole possession of the ASUN regular season champions going a perfect 7-0. In double’s competition, the pair of Felipe Escobar and Mateo Ruiz won the first game 6-3. Marcelo Tebet and Juan Montes secured the doubles point winning 6-3. In single’s competition, Ruiz continued winning going 6-0, 6-1. Javier Fernandez and Feliksas Sakalauskas both had to go into third sets, but both came away with victories to secure the team victory. Women’s tennis The FGCU women’s tennis team beat ASUN opponent Kennesaw State 4-0 on April 13, bringing their record to 9-9. In double’s competition, FGCU earned the point after Maja Ornberg and Julia Ascua got the day started
EN Photo / Julia Bonavita
Eric Gonzalez of FGCU baseball follows through on a swing. Gonzalez was awarded with the ASUN Player of the Week award for the week of Monday, Apr. 15.
winning 6-0. Sara Kelly and Patricia Villar secured the point after winning 6-2. In single’s competition, Ascua earned the first point after winning both her sets 6-1. Kelly came behind her after beating her opponent 6-0, twice. Bridget Forster earned the last point for the Eagles winning her sets 6-3, 6-0. Baseball On Fri. April 12 , the FGCU baseball team played ASUN opponent Kennesaw State, beating them twice out of a three-game series. In the first game, the Eagles won 8-4 after Richie Garcia hit a homerun, and Eric Gonzalez hit a two-run homerun. In the second game, FGCU won 6-4 after Gonzalez hit his second home run of the series. In the third game, FGCU lost 4-0 after allowing a home run in the third inning and bases-clearing double. Softball On Fri., April 13 and Sat., April 14, the FGCU softball team played Jacksonville, sweeping them in a three-game series. In the first game, FGCU won 3-1 after Riley Randolph pitched a complete game only giving up three hits and striking out eight. In the second game, FGCU won 7-1 after Marrisa Mesiemore pitched a complete game only giving up one run and striking out seven. In the third game, FGCU won 7-2 after Randolph pitched her second complete game of the series striking out 10 batters. This was Randolph’s 15th victory of the season.
Mason Studstill Junior 6 feet 2 inches Hometown: Titusville, Florida Mason Studstill has been solid for FGCU on the mound, most recently in his last three starts. In his last three games, he has pitched an average of 7.1 innings only giving up a total of four runs. Studstill’s 1.45 ERA is good enough to land him in the top-25 in the country (21) and second in the ASUN. His season total of 72 strikeouts has earned him in the top-25 in the nation (T-15) and first in the ASUN. Studstill has only pitched less than five innings once this season after nine appearances.
EDITOR: BRUNO HALPERN | ENTERTAINMENT@EAGLENEWS.ORG
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17 | EAGLE NEWS | ENTERTAINMENT | B5
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TOP EVENTS OF THE WEEK THU
18 11 am - 2 pm
Intercultural Festival Library Lawn
FREE STUFF; FREE FOOD Programming Board presents the Intercultural Festival. The main theme is Wide World of Sports.
THU
3rd Annual Improvaganza
7 pm - 9 pm
FREE STUFF; FREE FOOD A free comedy show. Donations are appreciated. Special guests: Bonita City Improv and Improv at USF.
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Cohen Center Ballroom
MON
22 7 pm - 9 pm
Ice Cream Social Veteran’s Pavillion
FREE FOOD A study break event opportunity for students during finals week. Come play games and create your own ice cream sundaes.
Game of Thrones reunites fan favorites before final showdown
Helen Sloan/HBO via AP This image released by HBO shows Maisie Williams, left, and Kit Harington in a scene from “Game of Thrones,” that premiered on Sunday, April 14. The first episode of the final season of “Game of Thrones” was a record-breaker for the series and HBO.
By Bruno Halpern E&L Editor @fgcueaglenews About 17.4 million Americans watched the first episode of the final season of “Game of Thrones,” an audience record for the medieval fantasy series, HBO said on Monday. HBO said that the sum of the TV audience and viewership in the HBO GO and HBO NOW applications overcame the previous record of the 16.9 million viewers hit in the final episode of the seventh season two years ago. On social networks, Sunday’s episode was also the most talk-
ed about on Twitter, with more than 5 million tweets and 11 million hits over the weekend, HBO said in a statement. All 10 top Twitter topics on Sunday night were about the episode. The series, set in Westeros -- a fictional realm -- started in 2011 and became HBO’s biggest hit. The seventh season averaged 32.8 million viewers per episode in the United States in later counts, and HBO said it hoped that in season eight that would “grow considerably.” “Game of Thrones” is avail-
able in more than 150 countries, but HBO said audience data are not easy to recover in many of these markets, making it impossible to calculate a global estimate. Another reason for that is because many people watch it through illegal torrent websites. Different than many expected, the first episode of the eighth season almost did not address the White Walkers. The only reference was quite chilling, though. Tormund and other characters found a symbol that the icy creatures have been reproducing for many seasons now.
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However, the focus of the plot was Winterfell. There, there was a great gathering of the different nuclei of characters takes place for the preparation of the war against the White Walkers. Although it was enough to welcome the fans again, after almost two years of waiting since the last episode of the show, the chapter was very quiet, far from the widespread slaughter previously shown in the plot of Game Of Thrones. The high point of the episode was almost at the end, when Sam Tarly tells the truth to Jon Snow about him being
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the legitimate king of the Seven Kingdoms, as the son of Rhaegar Targaryen with Lyanna Stark (spoiler alert). In a way, it was even expected that the early episodes of Game Of Thrones’s eighth season would start a little slower before the series reached its climax with the long-awaited war against the White Walkers. In addition, it was a well-flowed episode that certainly left a feeling of “I want more” for what comes next. The last episode of “Game of Thrones” will be released on May 19th.
B6 | ENTERTAINMENT | EAGLE NEWS | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17
EDITOR: BRUNO HALPERN | ENTERTAINMENT@EAGLENEWS.ORG
E N TER TA IN M EN T & LIFESTYLE
HeadPinz hosts Programming Board’s Strike Night
Roughly 350 students went to HeadPinz to attend the Programming Board’s Strike Night.
By Nina Mendes Assistant E&L Editor @fgcueaglenews HeadPinz Entertainment Center was rented out exclusively for FGCU students on Thursday, April 11 for an event hosted by Programming Board (PB) billed, ‘Strike Night. Around 350 students participated and took advantage of the free bowling, unlimited arcade cards & laser tag, and the mini ropes course. As finals week continues to creep closer, PB was mindful
ACROSS 1 Pet protection org. 6 Reeds’ environment 11 “ASAP!” 15 High-five sound 19 Professorial jacket material 20 Nebraska’s largest city 21 Upside-down U shape 22 Vegas ball game 23 Welsh singer whose name becomes 70-Down if you rearrange the syllables 25 Weakening processes 27 Web image descriptor whose first word is a PC key 28 Baby buggy in Bath 30 Hunting garb, for short 31 Some undergrad degrees 32 Get misty-eyed 33 “The Talk” star whose name becomes 72-Across if you rearrange the syllables 36 Pizarro’s treasure 38 Lesser of two ___ 39 Important period 40 Startup’s NASDAQ goal, often 42 Moonfish or sunfish 45 “Many years ___ ...” 46 Bamboo devourers 49 Started playing for money 53 Heists 56 “Dios ___!” 57 Maryland bird 58 Happen to 59 Terra firma 61 Veto trendy grain charge? 63 Lunchroom, slangily 64 Sculpture and others
while planning this event and aimed to lessen the end-ofyear stress students often feel pressured with. “I wanted to have an event that would be fun for a lot of students for the end of the semester and go out with a bang,” PB Director of Late Night, Vanessa Kraft said. “The planning process was very smooth. [HeadPinz] was easy to work with and were willing to work with us as well. I wouldn’t change anything about the event because it went perfectly.”
65 Producer of college rankings, informally 66 Seacrest, to Ripa 68 $100 per hour, say 71 “___ Kapital” 72 “Believe” singer, if she were from the Emerald City? 78 Fridge drawer 80 “___ the beef?” 81 Dealer’s workplace 82 Opposite of max. 83 Fixes, as a tennis racket 85 Lower shaving target 86 Treat, at a restaurant 88 Had a campaign 89 Apt name for an Uber driver? 91 K-12 grp. 92 Naughty 93 Cousin of a croc 95 Coach’s “Hurry up!” 99 “Her” actor whose name becomes 61-Across if you rearrange the syllables 104 Sounds from chicks 107 Often-torn body part, for short 108 Clip’s partner 109 Dodge Aries, e.g. 110 Protective wall on a castle 111 9-to-5 worker 114 WWII general whose name becomes 16-Down if you rearrange the syllables 116 Circus insect 117 Russell of “The Americans” 118 Scare off 119 “Widows” director McQueen 120 Like a good souffle 121 Canadian gas station 122 Perfect places 123 Tubes that may have kinks
DOWN 1 Up, in baseball 2 Really muscular, slangily 3 A cappella group with three Grammys 4 Middle, in Manitoba 5 French goodbyes 6 Applesauce eponym 7 Tan who wrote “The Joy Luck Club” 8 “___ Breaks the Internet” (2018 film) 9 He-Man’s twin sister 10 Capital of Zimbabwe 11 Just pathetic 12 French flag, e.g. 13 Compact Mercedes-Benz 14 Hitchhiker’s digit 15 Do slaloms, say 16 “DiCaprio, Pitt, deface something!” 17 Former U.N. head Kofi 18 Sheriff’s squad 24 Event with booths 26 Simple to a fault 29 Not fixed 33 Soak (up) 34 Bruce or Farage 35 Caterer’s coffee container 37 Aussie animal 40 Triumphant cry 41 Prefix with scope or meter 43 Geometry calculations 44 “Baywatch” star David’s nickname, with “the” 46 Necessarily, quaintly 47 “It ___ over till the fat lady sings” 48 Rolls out a lawn 50 Culinary school hats 51 + 52 Dancer, for one 54 Sweetie, slangily
While students were waiting for available lanes in the alley, they could also play complementary ping-pong or games of billiards for $1 each. The event ran from 9 pm to midnight, and the venue remained packed from the moment students arrived until staff gradually ushered attendants towards the front door at the end of the night. “I bowled two games with a few friends and my girlfriend, and this has to be one of my favorite events that Programming Board has hosted this
55 State known for taters 58 Deferential greetings 60 Running a bit behind 62 Zeroes in on 63 Inner ears? 66 Colgate competitor 67 Unexpected problem 68 The Mounties, for short 69 Solo for Maria Callas 70 Athlete who must really jump to dunk? 72 Pacific salmon 73 Layer on a farm? 74 Thus 75 She played Pam Fields on “Pretty Little Liars” 76 Doing the job 77 Author ___ Neale Hurston 79 Infomercial subject 80 Sinful anger 84 They seek hides 85 “Skip to My ___” 87 Helpful webpage initials 90 Texter’s word of gratitude 93 Kitschy garden ornaments 94 Modify a computer program 96 Wound mark 97 Defeat in a rout 98 Bring about 99 Israeli port with a namesake orange 100 Eye-shaped openings 101 “Very nice!” 102 Having a handle? 103 Really ticked off 105 Really tick off 106 Eye afflictions 110 Hipster beers, briefly 112 Install, as bricks 113 2016 Olympics host 115 Kylo ___ (“Star Wars” villain)
Photo courtesy of Programming Board
school year. It’s not very often you get to play laser tag and arcade games for free, so I’m glad I took advantage of the opportunity,” freshman, Jack Donnelly said. “My favorite part of the night was the unlimited laser tag because my buddies and I all were able to play at the same time and it got really competitive.” Food was also available for purchase at HeadPinz along with alcoholic beverages for students twenty-one and up. While the spring 2019 semester draws to a close, PB
and several other FGCU organizations/programs will host events designed to take students’ minds off the studying and demanding deadlines approaching within the next few weeks. ‘Strike Night’ is only one example of the types of organized events dedicated to the University’s student body. Students should be on the lookout for more programs like this one to reduce the anxiety of upcoming assignments and end the semester on a high note.
UNIVERSAL CROSSWORD SOUND MIXING By Will Nediger, edited by David Steinberg
2019 Andrews McMeel Syndication *THE FIRST THREE STUDENTS TO BRING THEIR©COMPLETED CROSSWORD PUZZLES TO THE 1/27 EAGLE NEWS ROOM IN MCTARNAGHAN #201 WILL RECEIVE FREE EAGLE NEWS SWAG*
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