K A N S A S
S TAT E vol. 126, issue 21 friday, jan. 29, 2021
kstatecollegian.com
STUDENT LIFE
University carries fall COVID-19 campus policies into spring semester, expands testing capacity JULIE FREIJAT managing editor
Kansas State remains steadfast in the policies it introduced during the fall semester to curb the spread of COVID-19 on campus. Thomas Lane, vice president of student life and dean of students, said in terms of policies, the university is staying with what it knows works. Administration also wants to encourage community members to engage in disease mitigating behaviors, Lane said. “So, wearing a mask, social distancing, avoiding large indoor gatherings, monitoring symptoms, not coming to campus if you’re experiencing COVID-like symptoms,” Lane said. “All those are really important and so we’ll continue to promote our Every Wildcat a Wellcat campaign through Lafene.” Indoor dining in dining centers is available this semester, The dining centers will see indoor dining this semester, a change from the fall, Lane said. Seating is limited to four people per table. K-State will continue to take an educational approach to enforce the policies, Lane said, which means they expect and encourage campus community members to demonstrate responsibility. “Now, if we are made aware of students who, for example, violated a mask policy, there’ll be a conversation that will occur through the Office of Student Life with typically an assistant dean ... and we will
WONDER Eight wonders of Kansas provide closer look into diversity of Sunflower State
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COVID-19 forces cancelation of 65th annual K-State Rodeo
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Photo by Kaylie McLaughlin | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Overnight, snow fell in Manhattan leaving K-State’s main campus covered in a white blanket of frosty precipitation on Jan. 27, 2021. However, the COVID-19 prevention plan kept most students online-only for the first two weeks of the semester, leaving the winter wonderland largely undisturbed. reiterate the policy and why it’s important. And if we see continued violations of the policy, then we’ll follow up as appropriate to the student code of conduct,” Lane said. Certain parameters, such as nationwide COVID-19 spread, Lane said, will guide the university’s decision making in terms of whether or not to revert back to online learning. “We also take a look at the number of quarantine and isolation spaces that we have available for use,” Lane said. “We
take a look at the ICU capacity within our hospital system and how our hospital systems might be — or medical systems within Manhattan — may be stressed.” Students will hear about any changes via email, K-State Today and the university’s social media accounts, Lane said. “We’re going to monitor all of the factors that we’ve been monitoring since the start of the pandemic,” Lane said. “And what’s going to guide our decision-making is the health and safety of our campus. That’s
going to be first and foremost in our thinking.” Students should look at K-State’s website or reach out to Lafene Health Center for any concerns related to the pandemic. Lane said one of the biggest differences between the fall and spring semesters was the introduction of asymptomatic testing. At the start of the fall semester, testing was only available in certain cases. Since then, the availability expanded. “The major change this
semester will be that we are providing remote testing sites on campus four days a week this semester to make access to testing more convenient,” Dr. Kyle Goerl, medical director at Lafene Health Center, said via email. “We begin with testing at Kramer Dining Center on Tuesday. We will still be doing testing daily at Lafene Health Center for both asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals.” Remote testing sites are available Tuesday through Friday.
K-State will distribute vaccines, but timeline remains uncertain
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K-State’s seventh-straight loss only scratches surface of team’s problems
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02
NEWS
friday, january 29, 2021
Some entities remain operational during two-week online session SEAN SCHAPER news editor
Many student services including the Student Union, Peters Recreation Complex, Lafene Health Center and the first floor of Hale Library will continue operations while classes are online for the first two weeks of the semester. These entities will follow similar safety protocols as the fall semester — social distancing and face coverings — and adjusted hours of operation
HALE LIBRARY HOURS
Photo by Bailey Britton | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
White shelves on the fifth floor of Hale Library stand empty, but books will soon return to fill the Special Collections section.
EDITORIAL BOARD Bailey Britton Editor-in-Chief
Lori Leiszler Asst. Culture Editor
Julie Freijat Managing Editor
Cameron Bradley Sports Editor
Sean Schaper News Editor
Marshall Sunner Asst. Sports Editor
Josie Whitaker Asst. News Editor
Nathan Enserro Asst. Sports Editor
Jared Shuff Culture Editor
Dalton Wainscott Multimedia Editor
Dylan Connell Deputy Multimedia Editor Gabby Farris Design Lead
Jason Coleman, head of the library user services department and associate professor, said Hale Library’s hours after the first two weeks of the semester will remain the same as during the first two weeks. Only the first floor is open at this time. • Monday to Thursday: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. • Friday: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. • Saturday: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
•
Sunday: 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.
STUDENT UNION TEMPORARY HOURS
As for the Union, it will have dining, shopping and events along with other services during K-State's two-week online start. • Monday: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. • Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. • Thursday: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. • Saturday and Sunday: Noon to 9 p.m. Hours for entities within the Union can be found on the K-State Student Union webpage.
PETERS RECREATION COMPLEX HOURS
Clint Hafliger, associate director of recreational service facilities, said the recreation complex utilization will be evaluated to follow campus regulation. "The goal is to hopefully — once vaccinations start to become more rapid around the community — get closer to back to normal," he said. • Monday to Friday: 5:30
a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday: Noon to 8 p.m. "Moving forward, if things change on campus — the climate changes or things like that — we may evaluate those hours ... we probably won't evaluate that until probably closer to March," Hafliger said. Indoor basketball courts along with the outdoor tennis and basketball courts are still closed until further notice. • •
LAFENE HEALTH CENTER
Lafene is continuing testing those with COVID-like symptoms along with asymptomatic and symptomatic close contacts of a positive COVID-19 case. • Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. • Closed Saturday, Sunday and on university holidays Additionally, K-State offers voluntary asymptomatic testing at no cost at Lafene for students, faculty and staff.
ON THE COVER Photo Illustration by Julie Freijat COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Blake Hachen Designer Sarah Unruh Designer Rachel Seiffert Marketing
The Mission of the Collegian Media Group is to use best practices of journalism to cover and document life at Kansas State University from a diverse set of voices to inform and engage the K-State community. The Collegian welcomes your letters. We reserve the right to edit submitted letters for length and style. A letter intended for publication should be no longer than 600 words and must be relevant to the student body of K-State. It must include the author’s first and last name, year in school and major. If you are a graduate of K-State, the letter should include your year(s) of graduation and must include the city and state where you live. For a letter to be considered, it must include a phone number where you can be contacted. The number will not be published. Letters can be sent to letters@kstatecollegian.com or submitted through an online form at kstatecollegian.com. Letters may be rejected if they contain abusive content, lack timeliness, contain vulgarity, profanity or falsehood, promote personal and commercial announcements, repeat comments of letters printed in other issues or contain attachments. The Collegian does not publish open letters, third-party letters or letters that have been sent to other publications or people.
CORRECTIONS
If you see something that should be corrected, call editorin-chief Bailey Britton at 785-370-6356 or email collegian@ kstatecollegian.com The Collegian, a student newspaper at Kansas State University, is published by Collegian Media Group. It is published Fridays during the school year and on Wednesdays during the summer. Periodical postage is paid at Manhattan, KS. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 828 Mid-Campus Drive South, Kedzie 103, Manhattan, KS 665067167. First copy free, additional copies 25 cents. [USPS 291 020] © Collegian Media Group, 2020
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NEWS
friday, january 29, 2021
CANCELED
KAYLIE MCLAUGHLIN staff writer
Any other year, members of the Kansas State Rodeo Team and Club would make preparations for the annual event they host on-campus. But this isn't any other year — the 65th Annual K-State College Rodeo was canceled. As part of K-State's COVID-19 mitigation measures, campus gatherings are limited to 50 people, but over 400 people from across Kansas and Oklahoma participate in the rodeo annually. Additionally, thousands upon thousands of spectators come out for the weekend, piling into the stands of Weber Arena. Holding the event on campus was simply impossible, Casy Winn, Rodeo Team and Club coach and animal sciences instructor, said. There was a glimmer of hope
in the fall when, Winn said, the club planned to relocate the annual rodeo to Topeka, but that ultimately fell through after the arena's parent company Stormont Vail Hospital converted it to an overflow COVID-19 care clinic. “It stinks, but it is what it is. It’s affecting everyone else as well — not just us," Winn said. It's especially upsetting for seniors like Ryan Bertha, member of the Rodeo Team and senior in park management and conservation, who will miss their last ride in Weber Arena. Bertha joined the team last year, meaning he only got one opportunity to showcase his bull-riding skills on the home turf. "Not being able to compete in my last K-State Rodeo and knowing that this year was the last time I ever get to compete in Weber, it’s heartbreaking," Ber-
COVID-19 forces cancelation of 65th annual K-State Rodeo
tha said. "It’s an amazing crowd, an amazing atmosphere." Though he will probably get the chance to compete at the rodeos scheduled at other colleges in the Central Plains region throughout the spring — some rescheduled from original dates in the fall — it won't be the same. For one thing, having the rodeo on-campus meant his friends and family from K-State and his hometown could see him compete. Social chair and senior in animal sciences and industry Emily Atkinson said the annual rodeo is also a way to expose students to the culture who maybe never thought about going to such an event before coming to K-State. "The K-State Rodeo brought in a bunch of college students that I think otherwise wouldn’t have come to a rodeo event," she said. "They’d come to
the K-State Rodeo and it was just kind of a big unifying thing across campus that was just [something] everyone went to." Additionally, without the rodeo, the club and team lost their main source of cash. The money raised throughout the weekend of the rodeo is usually enough to cover the club's expenses — training stock, necessary feed, the team's tractor, facilities, maintenance — and then some. The lost revenue stream combined with other lost fundraising opportunities and the freeze on travel allocations to sports clubs from the Student Governing Association leaves the group relying on reserve funds.
HUMBOLDT HOUSTON PIERRE LARAMIE DENISON BLUEMONT ANDERSON POYNTZ CLAFLIN SUNSET MORO VATTIER KEARNEY THURSTON BERTRAND RATONE MCCAIN FAIRCHILD OSAGE LEAVENWORTH HUMBOLDT HOUSTON PIERRE LARAMIE DENISON BLUEMONT ANDERSON POYNTZ CLAFLIN SUNSET MORO VATTIER KEARNEY THURSTON BERTRAND RATONE MCCAIN FAIRCHILD OSAGE LEAVENWORTH HUMBOLDT HOUSTON PIERRE LARAMIE DENISON BLUEMONT ANDERSON POYNTZ K-State hosts its 64th Annual College Rodeo in CLAFLIN SUNSET MORO VATTIER KEARNEY THURSTON BERTRAND RATONE MCCAIN Weber Arena on Feb. 15, 2020. The rodeo brought over 500 contestants 19 colleges and univer- HUMBOLDT HOUSTON PIERRE LARAMIE DENISON BLUEMONT ANDERSON POYNTZ FAIRCHILD OSAGEfromLEAVENWORTH To read more, visit sities from the Central Plains Region over the weekkstatecollegian.com end. On the night of the 15th, 4,000 people were in the bleachers cheeringMORO on their favorite riders. CLAFLIN SUNSET VATTIER KEARNEY THURSTON BERTRAND RATONE MCCAIN FAIRCHILD OSAGE LEAVENWORTH HUMBOLDT HOUSTON PIERRE LARAMIE DENISON BLUEMONT ANDERSON POYNTZ CLAFLIN SUNSET LE MORO VATTIER KEARNEY THURSTON BERTRAND RATONE MCCAIN FAIRCHILD OSAGE LEAVENWORTH HUMBOLDT HOUSTON PIERRE LARAMIE DENISON BLUEMONT ANDERSON POYNTZ CLAFLIN SUNSET MORO VATTIER KEARNEY THURSTON BERTRAND RATONE MCCAIN FAIRCHILD OSAGE LEAVENWORTH HUMBOLDT HOUSTON PIERRE LARAMIE DENISON BLUEMONT ANDERSON POYNTZ CLAFLIN SUNSET MORO VATTIER KEARNEY THURSTON BERTRAND RATON MCCAIN FAIRCHILD OSAGE LEAVENWORTH HUMBOLDT HOUSTON PIERRE LARAMIE DENISON BLUEMONT ANDERSON POYNTZ CLAFLIN SUNSET MORO VATTIER KEARNEY THURSTON BERTRAND RATONE MCCAIN FAIRCHILD OSAGE LEAVENWORTH HUMBOLDT HOUSTON PIERRE LARAMIE DENISON BLUEMONT ANDERSON POYNTZ CLAFLIN SUNSET LE MORO VATTIER KEARNEY THURSTON BERTRAND RATONE MCCAIN FAIRCHILD OSAGE LEAVENWORTH HUMBOLDT HOUSTON PIERRE LARAMIE DENISON BLUEMONT ANDERSON POYNTZ CLAFLIN SUNSET MORO VATTIER KEARNEY THURSTON BERTRAND RATONE MCCAIN FAIRCHILD OSAGE LEAVENWORTH HUMBOLDT HOUSTON PIERRE LARAMIE DENISON BLUEMONT ANDERSON POYNTZ CLAFLIN SUNSET MORO VATTIER KEARNEY THURSTON BERTRAND RATON MCCAIN FAIRCHILD OSAGE LEAVENWORTH HUMBOLDT HOUSTON PIERRE LARAMIE DENISON BLUEMONT ANDERSON POYNTZ CLAFLIN SUNSET MORO VATTIER KEARNEY THURSTON BERTRAND RATONE MCCAIN FAIRCHILD OSAGE File photo by Logan Wassall COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
finally here at mhkhousing.com!
04
NEWS
COVID-19 KAYLIE MCLAUGHLIN
staff writer
Kansas State will eventually serve as a COVID-19 vaccine distribution center for students, faculty and staff following the state's prioritized distribution guidelines, but when vaccines will come and the amount that will come is unknown at this time. "It's still very ... up in the air because really we are dependent on what the state — what they get and how they distribute it," Abby King, director of nursing at Lafene Health Center, said. The state of Kansas recently announced it would begin Phase 2 vaccinations immediately, but that phase prior-
itizes individuals 65-years-old and older and some critical infrastructure employees. So far, the Riley County Health Department has administered at least 1,000 doses to people who fall into those categories. Across the state, something like one million individuals are eligible for Phase 2, Gov. Laura Kelly said, but Kansas only received 45,000 initial doses for that group. Supply remains an ongoing problem. "It’s just a trickling supply coming in that’s been a source of frustration," Dr. Lee Norman, the secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said at the University of Kansas Health System's regional COVID-19 briefing on Tuesday. King, however, remains
friday, january 29, 2021
K-State will distribute vaccines, but timeline remains uncertain
optimistic K-State could begin administering doses before the year is out. "We don't really know, but we're hoping the next couple of months we will get an allocation of the vaccine but we do not know for sure," King said. When distribution can begin on-campus, it will likely occur in bigger spaces around campus, King says, like the K-State Student Union Ballroom. Such spaces enable large quantities to be administered quickly, while providing space for the requisite 15-minute observation period post-dosage and physical distancing. K-State is a closed distribution site, meaning it will only be open to students, faculty, staff and others affiliated with the university.
Members of the general public will not be given vaccines on-campus. And when the time comes, King says she hopes everyone who is eligible will get the vaccine. "It is a another aspect to help decrease the spread of the COVID virus, and it's an a very important piece to help decrease the spread of the virus," King said. "It's going to be another piece that's going to be super helpful for us to move forward through this pandemic."
K-State expands on-campus COVID-19 testing for spring semester KAYLIE MCLAUGHLIN staff writer
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Photo Illustration by Julie Freijat | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Students now have more thanone location to get an asymptomatic test on campus. As the spring semester gets underway, Kansas State is making efforts to expand its on-campus testing to include locations across campus beyond the COVID-19 clinics at Lafene Health Center. "We want to increase the number of [COVID-19] tests that we're doing and so by doing that, we're hoping that going on campus and meeting individuals where they are might be more helpful," Abby King, director of nursing at Lafene, said. At the start of the fall semester, the only type of testing available to students on-campus was the disease diagnostic testing used to determine if a symptomatic person or a person with contact to a known positive individual has COVID-19. As the semester progressed, K-State rolled out targeted surveillance testing for students living in the residence halls and eventually provided asymptomatic testing to the whole student body
as well. This testing expansion, King says, is just another layer to the COVID-19 response that evolves with the needs of the campus and community. "This is just another cog to that wheel that will help identify cases as quickly as we can," King said.
NEW TESTING LOCATIONS AND TIMES
Asymptomatic testing at Lafene is still offered from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 4:40 p.m. every weekday on the southwest side of the building — by the Counseling Services entrance. Testing is available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday each week at the new rotating locations: • Tuesdays in the Kramer Dining Center Room 262 • Wednesdays in the Peters Recreation Complex Room 101H • Thursdays at the Derby Dining Center on the first floor • Fridays at the K-State Student Union Bluemont Room
TESTING CRITERIA
While students are not required to engage in regular testing on campus as part of the general COVID-19 prevention plan, it's highly encouraged, vice president for student life and dean of students Thomas Lane said previously. For the on-campus testing clinics, students can get a free test every twoweeks through an appointment-based system. To book an appointment for asymptomatic testing, visit your Lafene patient portal or call 785-532-6544. Students who are symptomatic or were exposed to another student should set up testing through the COVID-19 clinic at Lafene. Like the asymptomatic testing offered at Lafene in the fall semester, the new mobile clinics also use self-administered nasal swabs. Results are available in two to three business days. Positives will be communicated via phone call, while negative test results are shared through the Lafene patient portal lab work section.
D IN IN G C E N T E R S A D A P T T O F E E D S T U D E N T S D U R IN G PA N D E M IC COLIN SETTLE staff writer
For students on campus, getting food looked a little different last semester. In a normal year, Kansas State usually has three dining centers available. However, the Derby Complex’s closure and construction left only the Kramer and Van Zile complexes open this semester. At the beginning of the semester, meals were distributed from the halls in disposable takeout containers, until Housing and Dining Services began offering limited dine-in options on Oct. 19. Through it all, Kelly Whitehair, registered administrative dietitian for the Department of Housing and Dining Services, oversaw menu management and recipe development coordination. “I’m going to brag on us a little bit because we rock,” Whitehair said. “We have a lot of experience and when it comes to getting food. It’s all a guessing game in something that we call forecasting. We might think we have
05
NEWS
friday, january 29, 2021
it down, and then something big happens on campus and it really changes how people eat.” Whitehair said her staff tries to avoid food waste as much as possible and re-uses food as leftovers as much as they can. “We have very few food wastes on our end, we’re really good at reusing what we don’t use as leftovers,” Whitehair said. “If we have chili leftover, we’ll put it back on the grill and use it again the next day for chili dogs or chili fries and it works great.” Part of Whitehair’s job is predicting how much food the dining halls need to have for students. “I wouldn’t say it’s that difficult for me because it’s my job,” Whitehair said. “Because of COVID, we’re having to forecast two months ahead of time to make sure that our vendors have enough of what they want and to make sure that they have enough food in general.” However, the pandemic created factors beyond her control. “The supply chain has been
a mess,” Whitehair said. “Whether there are shortages of things, whether there are delays in shipments or the fact that food prices are insane at the moment, and so it’s really hard to determine when do you buy the food. Kind of like buying stocks in a way.” Whitehair said the hardest part of the job is dealing with issues out of their control, even before the pandemic. “There are so many factors that are out of our control,” Whitehair said. “Students get moody, students get stressed, things change and there are just so many factors that are out of our control that it makes it hard to predict exactly what is going to work all of the time.” Max Brenneman, junior in organizational management, used the dining centers throughout last semester and said he can see how anticipating demand can be a challenge. “It is just a hard problem to solve ... you never know how many students are going to eat certain food every meal,”
Brenneman said. “I think that COVID has contributed to the issue just because of their mindset
being people getting food delivered to them. Or they don’t feel comfortable just going to the places to get food.” In the past, the university worked to compost waste that can’t be prevented or saved with the help of the College of Agriculture. In 2019, nearly 97,000 lbs of food waste from the three dining halls was recycled to provide material for agricultural research.
Whitehair said we need to “work together to keep everyone fed.” “We need to keep everyone safe, and we need to keep everyone healthy,” Whitehair said. “It doesn’t need to just be during COVID. It needs to continue whenever this COVID thing ends.”
Photo by Macey Franko | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Three food trucks were brought onto campus for students to compensate for the ongoing construction of the Derby Dining Center. Students can use their meal plan swipes toward a meal. Monday through Thursday, the trucks were located at Van Zile Dining Center, and on Friday they were at the Kramer Dining Center.
PARK AND RIDE, ATA SHUTTLES DISCONTINUED ON CAMPUS FOR SPRING SEMESTER BEN SHIELDS staff writer
Kansas State Parking Services discontinued its Park and Ride and Union Express shuttles for the spring 2021 semester. Director of parking and transport Jeff Barnes said this decision comes as the result of reduced ridership and budget reductions. “With the pandemic reducing the number of peo-
ple on campus, ridership was down to less than 25 percent of what the numbers were for the same time period in 2019,” Barnes said. Jardine residents utilizing the shuttles to get to class were the programs’ largest users, Barnes said. In the spring, these residents will need to find other ways to get to campus. “I think the biggest change is for the Jardine residents that rode the shuttle to
campus,” Barnes said. “That option won’t be there, so if they own a vehicle and permit, they will be allowed to drive down and park in the O and T lots as well as their normal J and Z lots during this period.” With the exception of Jardine residents, Barnes said the lack of shuttle services likely won’t be a big deal for most students. “I believe that with the reduced campus population,
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it shouldn’t have much of an impact,” Barnes said. “With fewer students on campus currently, this change does not seem that it will have a significant impact.” Jake Schwartzkopf, sophomore in mechanical engineering, said he isn’t so sure the impact will be as minimal as Barnes thinks. “Without the shuttles, it will require more people to find alternative methods for those without current permits
GET A JOB FIND YOUR MOJO LEASING AND RENTING SELL YOUR LITTLE BROTHER LEAK THE KRABBY PATTY FORMULA
and make it slightly more difficult for some to get to campus,” Schwartzkopf said. Barnes said without outside funding, Parking Services struggled to pay for the shuttles and Park and Ride this semester. “Parking Services receives no revenue from tuition, student fees or state funding,” Barnes said. “We generate our revenue through permit sales, citation revenue and meter and timed stall revenue. We have been paying Riley County ATA Bus for the cost of the Park and Ride as well as contributing to allow students, faculty and staff to ride the city routes for free. We just couldn’t afford to do that
this semester.” Gavin Kirchmer, freshman in business, said the lack of shuttles this spring could put some students in a tough spot. “It is not a great situation to be in, especially for those who relied on the shuttles to get to campus,” Kirchmer said. “But with them allowing those with permits to begin parking in other areas, it does help improve the issue.” Despite the lack of shuttles on campus, the ATA Bus will still stop at Tunstall Circle. As of now, Parking Services plans to withhold its shuttle services only for the spring semester and bring them back next fall.
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KANSAS DAY
WONDER
friday, january 29, 2021
Eight wonders of Kansas provide closer look into diversity of sunflower state
JULIE FREIJAT
MANAGING EDITOR
K
ansas may be best known for the Wizard of Oz, tornadoes and wheat, but the Sunflower State gives up a lot more than meets the eye. Whether it be
rolling plains full of incredible ecological diversity or a huge, winding underground salt mine or even a museum that boasts an incredible collection of space artifacts, Kansas has a diverse selection of sites to offer. Just like there are eight
TALLGRASS PRAIRIE NATIONAL PRESERVE & THE FLINT HILLS
— otherwise known as the Cathedral of the Plains. Finished in the early 1900s, the church can seat 1,100 and is built in the shape of a cross. When is was built, it was the largest church west of the Mississippi. It is also the 78th basilica in the U.S. and the first in Kansas.
A
wonder that represents Kansas’s most notable feature: the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve and the Flint Hills. Even though Kansas is known for rolling fields of grass with complex ecological systems, less than 4 percent now remains. Much of the prairie was converted into farmland, which explains why so much of it is gone now. The preserve includes almost 11,000 acres. The preserve includes exhibits, a bookstore, historic ranch buildings and nature and hiking trails.
ST. FIDELIS CATHOLIC CHURCH
V
ictoria, Kansas, boasts a beautiful example of architecture in the St. Fidelis Catholic Church
STRATACA
I
t’s easy to see what makes up the sunflower state above the ground, but what about below? Strataca, formerly the Kansas Underground Salt Museum, can provide some insight. An attraction in Hutchinson, Kansas, the salt museum is the only salt mine in the U.S. that is open to tourists. Inside the museum, 650 feet down, visitors can look at formations and artifacts and explore exhibits about salt mining. The museum also holds a 5K, where visitors can run the race over 600 feet below the ground. Additionally, the museum offers a 10K and bike ride.
wonders of the world, Kansas has its own eight wonders. The Kansas Sampler Foundation established a list, and in no particular order, we’ve run through them below.
CHEYENNE BOTTOMS/ QUIVIRA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
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t 41,000 acres, these special spots bring the ocean to the prairie. The area is significant because they happen to be a migratory stop for North American shorebirds, according to the Kansas Sampler Foundation. The website also says the area attracts 45 to 90 percent of the North American shorebird population during spring migration.
MONUMENT ROCKS & CASTLE ROCK
L
ocated in the heart of northwest Kansas, Monument Rocks and Castle Rock are two ancient chalk beds that sit stacked in peculiar shapes in west and east Gove County, respectively. Monument Rocks is even a designated National Natural
BIG WELL
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Landmark. According to the Kansas Sampler Foundation, the chalk was deposited 80 million years ago when much of the central U.S. was covered in water. Because of the origins, many fossils are often produced by these rocks.
DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY & MUSEUM
M
arvel in the story of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower in his hometown of Abilene, Kansas. The museum boasts five galleries that together illustrate the story of Eisenhower and former First Lady Mamie Eisenhower. You can also tour his house and the family’s final resting place.
t might seem odd to include a giant well on the list of the eight wonders of Kansas, but this well happens to be the world’s largest handdug well at 32 feet wide and 109 feet deep — yes, it
is hand-dug. It was formed in the late 1800s by Jack Wheeler and a crew of men. The effort took nearly two years. The well is located in Greensburg, Kansas, and supplied the town with water until the 1930s. A large spiral staircase takes visitors down the well.
THE COSMOSPHERE
I
f you love space, or enjoy indulging yourself with the story of humankind’s mission to the moon, there’s a spot in Kansas just for you.
A center for space education and located in Hutchinson, Kansas, the Cosmosphere provides visitors with a large collection of U.S. and Russian space artifacts. According to the Kansas Sampler Foundation, the museum is one of only three in the world to display flown spacecraft from Mercury, Gemini and Apollo — three early-manned space programs. In addition to a planetarium, the cosmosphere also boasts an astronaut training camp for all ages.
KANSAS DAY
friday, january 29, 2021
OPINION Kansas has a lot to offer, isn’t as bad as some people think
BAILEY BRITTON editor-in-chief
On this day 160 years ago, Kansas became the 34th state to join the United States. After years of bloodshed and settlement, Kansas entered as a free state. It wasn’t easy — pro-slavery Missourians often crossed the border to vote in Kansas elections, cause havoc and instill fear in Kansas settlers. However, abolitionists, like John Brown, fought those border ruffians. Free-staters were often called Jayhawkers, wearing blue like the Union soldiers. As a Wildcat, I hate to give credit to some Jayhawks, but it helped make the state I love into what it is today. However, we can’t ignore the harsh removal of indigenous peoples in the creation of our state. We also can’t ignore the fact that Kansas State sits on land stolen from indigenous tribes such as the Kaw, Osage and the Pawnee. Kansas history didn’t begin when it was settled by white people. That makes me question my love for the state — what do I love about Kansas? I love our state motto, ad astra per aspera, so much so I have it tattooed on my body to remind me no matter how tough things get, I can still achieve great things. I love the wide-open spaces where I can look at the rolling fields of corn and wheat for miles. The golden waves of grain remind me of hope. I love the strong, bright sunflowers, which I love for their beauty but also because they remind me of my nana, who passed away in 2019. I love that I came from a small town where I could walk a few blocks to see my family, go to the store and find a parking place without a hassle and then see a cashier who knew my parents’ names. However, even though I love these things now, it hasn’t
always been this way. I came into adulthood wanting to get out of Kansas. I still would like to see the world and possibly live somewhere else someday, but I now appreciate Kansas and I’m not embarrassed to say so. Kansas is a good place to learn about life. This includes learning where your food is grown and raised. Not everyone is a farmer or rancher, but I am sure they have seen a farm or a feedlot. Kansas is a good place to learn about politics. Sure, the state is a red state, but it has a history of electing Democratic governors, like Gov. Laura Kelly. Kansas gave women the right to vote in 1912, eight years before the 19th Amendment gave all women the right to vote. The court case Brown v. Board of Education has roots in Kansas. The case led the United States Supreme Court to declare that “separate but equal” education is not equal, pushing forward the desegregation of schools. However, education in Kansas hasn’t always been great — arguments about how to adequately fund public schools date back to 2010. But, some schools are considered top public schools in the nation. I am a product of public education in Kansas and I have seen the good and bad of budget cuts. I saw arts, sciences and hu-
manities programs get pushed to the side so sports can have new jerseys and equipment. I saw teachers split their time between multiple buildings and classes because there weren’t enough funds to hire a new teacher. I also saw people drop out because they didn’t feel like the classes would help them in life. Now, on this Kansas Day, I think of how the state is changing and how my views of it changed. I remember sitting in class on Kansas Day in grade school, shaking a baby food jar of heavy whipping cream to make butter, while learning about the state. I remember a friend’s dad bringing a wooden sawhorse in to show us how to rope cattle. I remember eating freshly baked bread to learn about farming wheat. To me back then, Kansas was about the little things. Now, I know it is more complicated and not everyone lives in a small town where they experience those things. I have friends from Johnson County who think Manhattan is small, while to me Manhattan is a big town. Some people pick on me for saying “supper” instead of “dinner” and “crick” instead of “creek.” Even some of my childhood memories, like playing on a pile of horse manure and jumping on hay bales, seem foreign to them. Kansas may be flyover country to some, but it’s where I was raised. I have memories associated with the highways and interstate. I can see a combine and remember sitting on my great-grandpa’s lap while he let me “drive.” I can look for miles in any direction and see a storm roll in on a humid, summer evening. Even hearing the sound of a tornado siren brings me good memories.
Photo by Bailey Britton | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Monument Rocks is located in Gove County, south of Oakley, Kansas.
If you want to learn more about Kansas, the Kansas Historical Society maintains a website about Kansas history. Also, the history department often offers a Kansas history class, which is informative even for people born and raised in the state. Personally, I love Sarah Smarsh’s book “Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth.” This shows the vast inequality in the state and puts a human face to the problem. Bailey Britton is the Collegian editor-in-chief and a junior in mass communications.The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Collegian. Please send comments to opinion@ kstatecollegian.com. Photo by Bailey Britton COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
The Konza Prairie Biological Station is a nature preserve in Riley County.
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MADDY DANIELS staff writer
Dating can be a strenuous endeavor, whether searching for a lifetime partnership or a casual fling, and COVID-19 has added another level of difficulty to the game of love. With Valentine’s Day coming up, singles thinking of how to cure their loneliness should consider health safety, too. Pre-pandemic, many singles just looked forward to making a
IT’S A MATCH!
good impression and having an enjoyable time on their dates. Singles now, however, have to worry about whether their date wears a mask, socially distances, quarantines or has been around others who have tested positive recently. Many students envision finding their significant other in college, meeting at a party or sitting next to them in class; but with few to no in-person classes, it’s a challenge to make friends, let alone find someone to flirt with. Social media and online dating services, however, make
it easy to connect with people of interest. Singles can diminish their loneliness by joining Tinder, Hinge, Bumble or simply direct messaging others on social media platforms. Many options in many styles exist to help people looking for love while they avoid spreading COVID. Getting to know people online is a safe direction to head, to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Not knowing someone in person beforehand can be scary, with thoughts of getting catfished or putting trust in someone who could be lying running through the back of user’s minds, but the pandemic may prove to be, in this case, a solution. The days of meeting in person don’t seem in sight, so keeping a relationship strictly virtual could lead to confidence, trust and building a solid foundation of friendship before moving further. Long text conversations at 3 a.m. and phone or video calls can greatly benefit a relationship and center it around quality, before physical attraction or hooking up. If you don’t want casual one-night stands, online dating creates a space where that isn’t something to have anxiety about. With all the opportunities the internet has to offer, the pandemic shouldn’t get in the way of finding romance. If connecting with someone on a dating platform does lead to wanting to meet face to face, take some important steps to ensure the good health of everyone involved. Make your needs and concerns known before the date.
COVID-19 adds new layer to online dating, safety measures should be taken Wearing a mask, taking your temperature before leaving, getting tested and quarantining — if possible — could vastly reduce your chances of spreading the virus. If your date doesn’t want to comply, don’t go; it’s not worth the risk. Thoughtfully choosing where to go is also essential. If dinner dates or coffee shops are your go-to, research restaurants that have made changes to accommodate the current state and that offer outdoor seating. Because it is winter, dress warmly with a coat, gloves, a hat and — of
course — a mask to make the experience more enjoyable. And, of course, the awkward kiss — or not to kiss — at the end of the night that causes anxiety in normal times can be avoided now, but it should definitely be discussed beforehand. Maddy Daniels is a staff writer and a sophomore in journalism and mass communications.The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Collegian. Please send comments to opinion@kstatecollegian.com.
Check out our website at
kstatecollegian.com Keep an eye out for new features and content. By Dave Green
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2021 Conceptis Puzzles, Dist. by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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Beach Museum adapts to pandemic, offers virtual exhibitions and ‘Inside Out’ walking tour LORI LEISZLER assistant culture editor
As winter sets in on the university, a trip to the museum has never been easier, and leaving the dorm is not required. The inside of the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art is closed because of the pandemic, but Kansas State students and staff can unwind after a busy first week of classes with views of art through “Inside Out” — a walking tour outside the building — or through the museum’s new virtual exhibits. The eye-catching lighted display of the walking gallery is best viewed in person around twilight. Museum staff encourages visitors to bring binoculars and download the Smartify app (available on Google Play and in the App Store) to see and hear more details about the art. Linda Duke, Beach Museum director, said planning for the walking exhibition began last March, soon after the building closed. “One of the staff members had a great idea, ‘What if we use the building itself as an exhibition?’” Duke said. Lindsay Smith, exhibition designer and building systems lead, spearheaded the creation of the walking gallery, experimenting with lights and placement of piec-
es that were already part of the museum’s collection. Smith said he and his team considered the risk of sunlight exposure and changing temperatures when determining where to place the pieces. They wanted to ensure the artwork would be visible during the day, as well as night time, without harming the artwork. In addition to the in-person exhibit, museum staff expanded the museum’s online presence with free virtual exhibitions, Zoom discussions, a film club, Facebook posts and more. Smith said in many ways, the online resources helped the museum reach a new audience of tech-savvy art-lovers. Luke Dempsey, exhibitions designer and museum technology lead, said he hopes his involvement with the museum will help him share the parallels and intersections between art and technology with the community. "We want to reach as many people as we can, and creating digital content is one of the best ways to expand our audience," Dempsey said. "Our curators and content creators have so many important and relevant ideas to communicate with the public." Dempsey said he wants to continue giving Kansans a voice in the global arts and cultural arena.
‘ WandaVision’ explores Wanda Maximoff ’s trauma response, powerful abilities JARED SHUFF culture editor
Wanda Maximoff, also known as Scarlet Witch, faced her fair share of trauma within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Losing your entire family, sacrificing your lover just to see him resurrected and killed again, then being snapped out of existence for five years would harm anyone’s mental health.
The staff members hope to make the virtual programs and exhibitions a permanent feature of the museum in addition to future in-person events when the museum reopens to the public. Duke said the museum is still looking for ways to safely let visitors — and fresh air — back in the museum without damaging the art, which must be kept at a certain humidity. In the meantime, however, the museum staff is planning some events for the next school year. Duke said the museum curators are looking forward to showing the public an exhibition called "Gordon Parks: Homeward to the Prairie I Come," as well as a smaller exhibition over works from Doug Barrett. "In conjunction with both of those," Duke said, "we're actually working on a partnership with McCain, students and other parts of the university to bring an A-list jazz musician — Terence Blanchard — to do an artistic and educational residency early next April in 2022." Smith said art is a great way to express feelings that people don't always have the words to describe. "You’re not in it for the money or the glory, you just enjoy making art and handling it, and that's why I think
Photo by Jared Shuff | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
The Beach Museum adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic by offering virtual tours and moving exhibits to windows for passersby to see. doing these exhibitions is so great," Smith said. The country is wracked by some big division of people see-
REVIEW
Given these traumatic events, she created an alternate reality to live in peace with the man — well, robot — of her dreams. The Disney+ original series “WandaVision” alludes to early sitcoms like “Bewitched” and “I Love Lucy,” with Wanda and Vision cast as the odd couple in suburban Westview. Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany reprise their roles, respectively. Starting in the 1950s, each episode
jumps further into the future, transitioning from black-andwhite into full color. As expected from a family sitcom, the episodes are filled with cheesy puns, suburban mishaps and nosy neighbors. However, an air of danger and uncertainty looms over the town. From the first episode, Wanda has some control over the residents of Westview, including Vision. What’s
uncertain is whether or not she understands the control she has over them. Every time she starts questioning her reality, she forces herself back into the illusion. If anyone threatens her imagined suburban life, she simply “evicts” them from this reality. Sprinkled throughout the series are references to other moments and characters in the MCU. For instance, the first episode refers to Vision’s
ing things differently, Duke said. "There's a lot of anger and frustration and people not listening to each other or judg-
ing each other really harshly," Duke said. "And I think the arts are a really good place to heal some of that."
“indestructible” head, a somewhat cruel joke given his unfortunate demise in “Avengers: Infinity War.” FBI Agent Jimmy Woo, first introduced in “Ant-Man and the Wasp,” is heard over a phone trying to reach Wanda. Her friend Geraldine is actually Monica Rambeau, the grown-up daughter of Maria Rambeau, Carol Danvers’ best friend in “Captain Marvel.” These references show Wanda somehow influencing her reality, possibly creating a completely new one. She even impregnates herself just to keep the illusion from falling apart. Whatever the case, she clearly uses this world as a
response to her trauma. New episodes of “WandaVision” come out every Friday. As the series progresses, we’ll see how much control Wanda has, and what consequences may come from the creation of this alternate reality. Until then, viewers are left with more questions than answers. Jared Shuff is the Collegian culture editor and a junior in secondary education. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Collegian. Please send comments to opinion@kstatecollegian.com.
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K-State’s seventh-straight loss only scratches surface of team’s problems MARSHALL SUNNER assistant sports editor
The men's basketball team (5-12, 1-8) lost to No. 2 Baylor (15-0, 8-0) on Wednesday, 107-59, making it the worst loss margin the program has ever seen — as well as the seventh-widest point spread in Big 12 Conference history. The loss was also the seventh-consecutive by the team, which hasn't won a game since Dec. 29. If the scoreboard wasn't enough of a clobbering, the team also got major national attention on Twitter because of the blowout. The commentators on ESPN questioned the players' pride when the Wildcats were down 41-7. "C'mon Kansas State,
ANALYSI S
have a little pride here man." Head coach Bruce Weber gave the opponent their props and moved on to what the team can do moving forward in the post-game conference. "There’s not much I can say. They kicked our butt again, obviously," Weber said. "They’re really good. They have a special group. They’re undefeated for a reason. We tried a little something different on defense. They’re just so good, read it and they make the right plays and right passes.” Yes, Baylor is good — very good. But that doesn't always add up for historic losses like these. Iowa State (2-8), who is last in the Big 12 standings, even flirted with upsetting Baylor in Waco, Texas, before losing by 11. At the end of the day, Bay-
lor isn't unbeatable. Weber mentioned the uncommon amount of three-pointers the Bears knocked-down against them. In the game, Baylor hit 17 attempts from deep on a 60 percent clip. In the season series, the Bears made 32 threes. "They made threes. They make threes against everybody, but against us, it seems like a lot more than that," Weber said. "Seventeen threes. They share the ball. They had 23 assists." In their two games against the Wildcats, Baylor made threes 53.5 percent of the time on 60 attempts. Even if it is an uncommon amount, like Weber implied, it's the percentage Baylor is shooting that stands out. Why? Because there's a reason for it: K-State simply can't
guard effectively. Unlike K-State teams of old, this team is poor on defense, allowing teams to shoot nearly 50 percent from the field on the year and allowing opponents to score on 44.4 percent of possessions — whether that's from a basket or free throw. In Big 12 play alone, the Wildcats allow teams to shoot 50.2 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc. As if it could get worse, it has. All regards for defense seemingly went out the window since the team looked promising in a close game at Texas Tech on Jan. 5. Since then, the Wildcats allow teams to shoot 51.2 percent and over 40 percent from three. That's baffling. Throughout the downward spiral of the season, fans
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and media continue to wonder when the promise will come out in this K-State team and how Weber can still make something out of this year. The recent stretch is hindered by the team's injury history and COVID-19 protocols, something Weber referred to as "the worst storm." "I’m not making an excuse. I’m just telling you what it is," Weber said. "And probably the worst thing is that we put a really young team, a new team in a really, really good league against some of the best elite teams in the country, and you’ve had to take your lumps.” As usual, the Wildcats will try to move on and improve after watching film. Weber even noted Saturday's game against Texas A&M is the most important game of the season — a game where the public will see how this team is going to finish the season, and even if they're willing to fight for pride at the end of the night. He also called the game against the Aggies an opportunity for a "new start."
"This last 10 is what you are going to be about. We have had all the stuff, everything goes against us," Weber said. "Now this is what you're about. What are you going to do here in the last 10?" The Wildcats' schedule doesn't get easier, either. Ranked match-ups with No. 5 Texas, No. 11 West Virginia, No. 15 Kansas and No. 24 Oklahoma still loom. Weber continues to have hope, even if the team has regressed as of late. Weber finally has a full roster with the exception of sophomore forward Montavious Murphy who's out for the year. Games against Iowa State, TCU and Oklahoma State are winnable if the pieces of the game all come together. The effort continues to be there according to Weber. Questions still remain. What will the team accomplish to finish the year? Only time will tell. see page
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Mike McGuirl embraces role as lone senior on young Wildcat squad ADAM MEYER staff writer
The men’s basketball program is known for its player development, producing many athletes that found success from their freshman to senior seasons. The Wildcats have that this year. The 2020-2021 men's squad is very young, consisting of 11 freshmen and sophomores and two juniors. There's just one senior — guard Mike McGuirl. McGuirl was a redshirt for most of his freshman season in 2017, but it was burned by head coach Bruce Weber late in the season when then-starting point guard Kamau Stokes went down with an injury. McGuirl told Weber he wanted to play to help the team instead of watching from the sideline and preserving his redshirt. McGuirl ended up playing in 12 games in 2017 – scoring in eight of those games and averaging 12.5 minutes per game. McGuirl was also a key contributor in the Wildcats’ Elite Eight run in the NCAA tournament that year, scoring 17 points against the Creighton Blue Jays in the round of 64. That is when the Connecticut-native showcased his potential. He has seen action in almost every game since his freshman season, and he is now the last player left on the Wildcat’s roster from the Elite Eight run in 2017 and Big 12 Conference championship in 2018. “This wasn’t something I could have seen coming,”
McGuirl said in a Zoom interview in May. “I am happy to be [a Wildcat]. Everybody had to make their own personal decisions with their lives. I am happy I get one more year to be a Wildcat, and I am going to go out the right way.” In a year where the team is in a rebuilding phase, McGuirl's leadership is vital to the team. With plenty of speed bumps this season, McGuirl tries to keep this team together. “He has shown [his leadership] so far in practice,” Weber said. “He has definitely led by example. Another aspect of leadership is gaining the respect of the younger players and being there to help them.” Junior guard Rudi Williams, a transfer from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, is one of the older players with McGuirl and became one of the leaders on the team as well. But Williams says he still looks up to McGuirl. “He leads by example,” Williams said. “He makes sure everyone stays in the gym and works out in our group chats. He was the first one in the gym and he stayed the latest. Nobody needs to tell Mike to watch film and to be at practice on time. He is an example kind of guy. He sets the standard. When I first arrived, I looked at him to see how things are done around here.” McGuirl is not the biggest talker. Williams says he is a man of few words, but by his actions, he demands the respect of his teammates. “He is a good leader,” Williams said. “He is not going to say much, and he is not going to yell — I have only
seen him yell like once or twice — he is going to just do it and you are going to follow him because he is doing it the right way.” Six games into the 2020 season, McGuirl led the team in scoring, averaging 14.5 points per game, along with 17 total assists. He also scored 22 points in two of the Wildcat's losses this year — against Drake and Fort Hays State. Going from 12.5 minutes per game his freshman year to playing at least 31 minutes per game this season, McGuirl has come a long way since 2017. “It means a lot to [McGuirl],” Weber said in his press conference Monday morning. “He has worked very hard to get to this point. [McGuirl] and DaJuan [Gordon] came back early [this season] even though they could not get into the facility for almost two months. [McGuirl] wants to have a really successful season for our team and for himself.” From an Elite Eight run to a Big 12 Championship, McGuirl has accomplished a lot in his years at Kansas State — and he's not finished yet. “For him, this year is an opportunity for him to really become the player we all hoped for and have great success," Weber said. "This is a totally new role for him, and he has also got to figure that out. I am pleased with what he has done. Let the offense come. Take what the defense gives you and help lead our team. If he does that, he is going to be successful and it will give us a chance to be successful.”
File Photo by Logan Wassall | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Junior guard Mike McGuirl charges the basket during K-State’s Senior Day Saturday game against Iowa State in Bramlage Coliseum on March 7, 2020. The Wildcats took the Cyclones 79-63.
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A team that is "so good" shouldn't be an excuse from here on out. Practice is there to make up for mistakes and issues — even if there's a lot
of them at hand. With A&M on the mind, Weber wants improvement for the team. He wants to see a step forward after seeing many steps backwards. "I want this for these guys to take a step [forward]," Weber said.
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I CYMI
Basketball makes histor y, Thompson returns to football over break
File photo by Dalton Wainscott | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
After adding 15 new commitments back in November, the K-State rowing team announced 11 new commitments to the 2021 roster on Jan. 26.
CAMERON BRADLEY sports editor
After a long winter break, there is a lot of news to digest in Kansas State sports. Below is everything you might have missed over the break.
MEN'S BASKETBALL IS MAKING HISTORY — IN THE WORST WAY
The 2020-21 season for K-State is going just about as poorly as it possibly could. After finishing December strong, winning four out of their last five games including a last-second winner against Omaha on Dec. 29., the Wildcats are helpless. Currently on a seven-game losing streak, the Wildcats lost every single game they’ve played in January, with one more to go. Sitting at a record of 5-12, K-State is coming off of their worst loss in school history, a 107-59 loss at No. 2 Baylor. The coaching and youth can’t take all the blame. K-State is dealing with COVID-19 and
injuries throughout the month and were down to the minimum number of players allowed in a game during the team’s Jan. 9 loss to Oklahoma State. The next game on Jan. 13 against Iowa State was postponed because K-State could not field enough players. Since then, K-State slowly built its roster back up to full strength. However, with sophomore forward Montavious Murphy most likely out for the season because of knee surgery, the Wildcats has one less key player for the rest of the year.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL STRUGGLES WITH COVID-19
As far as postponed games, the women’s basketball team was hit the worst through winter break. Since the start of the new year, the Wildcats postponed five games. After finishing December with a lackluster 4-4 mark throughout the month, including a 62-52 loss to No. 22 Texas
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to cap it off, K-State looked forward to starting 2021 fresh with a Jan. 2 meeting at Oklahoma. But that never happened. The entire program paused on Dec. 30 following the most recent COVID-19 tests and contact tracing protocols. The Big 12 Conference stipulates a team needs to field at least six players in order for teams to compete. With a roster of 13 players competing this year, that means that at least eight players were out until the Wildcats finally got back onto the court on Jan. 20. Things haven’t been exactly pretty since returning to the court. With four straight losses, the Wildcats blew leads in three of those games, including a 12-point lead to West Virginia in the final three minutes.
TRACK AND FIELD RACKS UP WINS IN JANUARY
Starting its season in December, the track and field team catapulted into the No.
20 spot in the first U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association poll. The Wildcats dominated in January, racking up a total of 34 wins in three combined meets. The majority of those victories came in their first two meets in January, taking home 14 victories in the Wildcat Invitational on Jan. 9. Freshman Kyle Gale broke a nine-year meet record at the Wildcat Invitational with a time of 34.32 seconds in the men’s 300-meter race. K-State upped its win total to 17 victories in the KU-KSU-WSU Triangular a week later, winning the triangular with 261 points, 58 more than the runner up Wichita State. Senior Tejaswin Shankar earned 25 points in his five events throughout the meet, earning the meet’s “High Point Scorer” award.
TENNIS EARNS 14 VICTORIES IN ARLINGTON, TEXAS
In the fall, the K-State tennis team recorded 13 victories and tied a team record for the most wins in a home tournament at the K-State Fall Invite. On Jan. 13, K-State finished its first tournament of the spring season with 14 wins at the Big 12/Pac-12 Dual in Arlington Texas. Senior Lilla Barzó completed the three-day event undefeated, going 3-0 in Texas. Freshman Manami Ukita continues to dominate with the Wildcats and is a very solid surprise in the 2020-21 season as she is already 11-3 in her career with K-State. While the team performed well in singles action, the junior tandem of Maria Linares and Karine-Marion Job dominated together in doubles play. The duo climbed inside the ITA Tennis top 60 national doubles poll; they currently sit
at No. 46 in the nation.
FOOTBALL SIGNS 14 PLAYERS AND SKYLAR THOMPSON ANNOUNCES HIS RETURN
On early national signing day on Dec. 16, the K-State football team inked 14 new players for its 202122 roster. The 14 man early recruitment class ranked inside the top 50 of Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN recruitment rankings. One of the biggest signees was four-star quarterback Jake Rubley out of Highland Ranch, Colorado. Rubley is rated as the 25th-best overall prospect in the nation and is the No. 3 pocket passer in the nation according to ESPN. On that same day, the K-State football team announced a pause on all team activities following its most recent rounds of COVID-19 testing and contact tracing. The decision made K-State the first Big 12 school to publicly opt-out of a bowl game. Also, senior quarterback Skylar Thompson announced his return for the 2021 season. After sitting out for most of the 2020 season because of an upper-body injury sustained in early October, Thompson decided to use his extra year of eligibility granted to him by the NCAA because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
JORDAN WICKS EARNS MULTIPLE PRESEASON HONORS FOR BASEBALL TEAM
It was a fairly quiet winter break for everyone on the baseball team. Well, everybody but sophomore pitcher Jordan Wicks, who racked up three preseason honors in December and January. The 6-foot-3, 220 pitcher out of Conway, Arkansas, was tabbed as the Big 12 Preseason
Pitcher of the Year on Jan. 27. This was the third of his preseason awards as Wicks was also named to D1Baseball’s preseason All-America Second Team and Collegiate Baseball’s Preseason All-America Third Team. The Big 12 Conference announced the baseball schedule on Jan. 22, shedding light on what the 2021 season would look like for the Wildcats. K-State will open its Big 12 slate on March 26 against Oklahoma State in a threeday series.
BROOKELYNN ENTZ ANNOUNCES RETURN TO SOCCER TEAM
It was an interesting winter break for senior midfielder Entz. After leading the team to its best Big 12 finish in school history this year, she faced the same decision as Thompson — should she stay? Granted an extra year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the senior decided to return for the 2021 season — a massive announcement for the soccer team. Only a few weeks later, Entz was selected by Kansas City as the 38th overall pick in the 2021 NWSL draft. Entz joins former K-State defender Silke Bonnen as the second player to join a professional team this year as Bonnen signed with Danish soccer team HB Koge earlier in December. Entz will still finish her 2021 season with K-State while Kansas City holds onto her draft rights.
ROWING SIGNS 11 NEW COMMITMENTS
After adding 15 new commitments back in November, the K-State rowing team announced 11 new commitments to the 2021 roster on Jan. 26. The additions brings the total number of commitments for the 2021 season up to 26 athletes. Of the 11 new commits, eight are from the state of Kansas, one is from Colorado and two are from Lee’s Summit, Missouri.