Aug 29, 2016 by FresnoStateCollegian

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Khone Saysamongdy • The Collegian

Gwen Stefani performs at the Save Mart Center on Aug. 27, 2016. The crowd erupted as she returned from intermission to perform songs such as, “Red Flag,” “Wind It Up,” and “Baby Don’t Lie,” to name a few.

HMONG

FUNDRAISER

GoFundMe saves professor after life stolen By Marcus Karby @MKarby

Darlene Wendels • Collegian file photo

John Vue, right, shows Mai Vee Vang, middle, and Keng Vang, left, how to sew a traditional pleated Hmong skirt May 3, 2016. Enrollment rate for Hmong students at Fresno State has doubled since 2011.

A glimpse into the newest minor on campus By Chueyee Yang @chueyee15

A Fresno State graduate said she would have minored in

Hmong if she’d had the opportunity. Monique Vang graduated in spring 2016 with a bachelor’s in mass communication and journalism and only took three

Hmong courses while at the university – Hmong 1B, 4 and 101. When Monique first heard about the possibility of Fresno

See HMONG, Page 6

Imagine you’ve gotten a new job in a different state. You and your spouse pack all of your belongings into a U-Haul, hitch your car to the back and set off. Halfway there, in the middle of the night, the U-Haul is stolen along with your car. Everything you own is gone. What now? This is the situation that Amber Crowell, a new assistant professor for Fresno State’s department of sociology, and her husband Zach found themselves in July. The U-Haul was found the next day, but most of their furniture was destroyed and their car, electronics and anything valuable, was gone. This is also when they found out that their insurance through U-Haul didn’t cover theft, and there was only liability insurance on their car. To top off their mis-

fortune, they had canceled their renters insurance when they left their old place. Bottom Line — just about nothing was insured. The morning after the theft, Crowell took to Facebook to ask for advice on how she could handle their situation. Little did she know that this would cause an avalanche of support from her new peers at Fresno State. Cristina Herrera, chair for the department of Chicano and Latin American studies; Larissa Mercado-Lopez, an associate professor for the department of women’s studies; and Rosa Toro, assistant professor for the department of psychology, started a GoFundMe page for Amber and Zach. It asked for help and set a goal for $10,000. Within a month, the amount of donations surpassed the goal and currently sits at $11,935. “I was just asking for advice,

See GOFUNDME, Page 3

OPINION

GOT OPINIONS? We want to hear them. COLLEGIAN-OPINION@CSUFRESNO.EDU MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016

SLUMLORDS

Slums exist and Fresno State students can help By Amy Vasconcellos @TheCollegian

Fresno has a century-old intolerable problem: slumlord housing, predominantly in West Fresno. Slumlords are landlords out for profit who neglect the health and safety of their vulnerable residents. There are housing codes and regulations that are supposed to be upheld. Codes and regulations have been continuously ignored by slumlords and housing authorities. Even more important than housing codes and regulations is the code of being humane. There are helpless people, including our most vulnerable, children, living in our very own West Fresno who live in extremely unsafe and unhealthy conditions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explain that “safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments are essential to prevent child maltreatment (CM) and to assure that children reach their full potential.” It is a human right to have access to the basic needs of life. One of those rights is to live in a warm and safe home.

Child advocate Rahima Baldwin Dancy writes, “The consequences of not being warm enough comes down to three separate things: one is the fact that the energy is diverted away from development of the inner organs and brain; the second one is that warmth is a gateway to the higher senses of the 12 senses and could possibly be related to the explosion of sensory processing disorders we are seeing in this generation of children; and the third thing is that lack of warmth (both physical AND emotional –always remember that warmth is about emotional warmth as well as the physical warmth) can lead to a literal freezing of creativity and lack of enthusiasm…” While discussing slumlord housing with a friend, as we sat in our privilege drinking fancy coffee at a North Fresno coffee establishment, I realized a strong, possible reason why slumlords exist in Fresno. There are people in Fresno who have never been to West Fresno, and there are people in Fresno who have no idea that Fresno’s concentrated poverty rate is one of the worst in the country, rivaling that of Third World countries. Fresno needs more people to advocate

and speak out about slumlords. Fresno needs people who do have safe, warm homes to help speak up and out for those who don’t and those who do not have the influence to advocate for themselves. It has been said that when we know better, we do better. The revelation of slumlord housing in Fresno has been made. Slumlord housing is affecting our community’s health, which means slumlord housing is affecting us. Fresno State students are in a unique setting with many educational opportunities that can make differences in the lives of others. Students can enlist in community service classes or projects that focus on advocating for residents in the West Fresno community. They can embark on research to help find and solve the underlying cause of slumlord housing in Fresno. Fresno State students can help those children in West Fresno who lie awake at night, freezing, because their family has gone without heat for days. Those children deserve to be “warm enough” to be thinking about their ABCs and 1-2-3s. Fresno State students can spread the word!

A poem by Angela Graham

The wheels of my car roll into the parking lot. My search begins before my 9 o’clock class. Passing full rows, experience whispers to me so my feet won’t hear. “Go straight to the back.” But there are no spaces there, either. Around and around we drive – our cars like a chain of ants throughout the lot, each of us looking for that space.

Yaks of the Week From the bowels of the anonymous app Yik Yak – a five mile radius from Fresno State.

Why do these classes have to be so awkwardly quiet… A fly could fart and everyone would hear it. Is tinder still a thing? Does anyone have a mop I can borrow @palazzos

CAMPUS COLUMN

The Parking Lot

We inadvertently follow one another, our minds filled with our own dreams and worries, but all with the same hopeful question. I drive down a row where a space would be convenient. The row is full. Those who had inconvenienced themselves much earlier have taken those spots. I concede to them and drive to the next lot with the rest. There are more of us ants here too. The sooner the feet are moving, the better. I drive to the Save Mart Center parking lot. I get the space with the direct view of the fence. Step by step.

Like ants looking for the forgotten piece of pizza, our steps converge on the campus. From Clovis to Calwa and beyond Fresno; from Dinuba, Delano, Parlier, Porterville, Oakhurst, Mendota, Sanger, Selma, Tranquillity and more, our steps converge on campus. We come for our small piece of pizza (The Pie) to be enriched with the knowledge we didn’t have before. We take it all back to our homes, our towns, our villages and our families for the betterment of ourselves and those we love. We put it all together throughout many other days. But now it is the first day of class.

*approaches hot blonde at grocery store* “excuse me but has anyone ever told you that you’re blocking the lunchables.” Anyone want to go Pokemon hunting on campus? I’m bored Wouldn’t it be cool if you could see where the buses are, Uber style? Vote online! The winner will appear on the front page of next Monday’s Collegian!

Kaitlyn Lancaster • The Collegian

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Renters insurance was canceled because of the move GOFUNDME from Page 1 but it got to these three here at Fresno State and they started the GoFundMe and sent it out all over Fresno State,” Crowell said. “People here rose up and mobilized so a lot of the donations came from Fresno State. And it spread around the community of Fresno so people connected to faculty here started donating.” As of Aug. 27, 232 donors have contributed to the campaign. “We are really appreciative that so many people helped us,” Crowell said. According to the GoFundMe website, the campaign was shared over 820 times. “It’s hard to believe that it was shared that many times,” Crowell said. “It was hard to accept that we needed help because you want to say that you can get through something on your own. We let people go ahead and set it up for us and we realized that we could not have gotten

through what we went through without all that support. I think they are great.” Crowell has considered this series of events from a sociological perspective. “We call it Gemeinschaft. When you have a society that is more in style of Gemeinschaft, there is a strong sense of community, and there are more empathetic connections,” Crowell said. She explained that Gemeinschaft is a sociological concept where individuals value the community as much as they do themselves. “I think Fresno State definitely has that. My sense of this university is that the faculty are all very supportive of one another,” Crowell said. “So knowing that I was joining their family, so to speak, I think that they didn’t even think twice about helping. I am not a social theorist when it comes to altruism and donations, but I would say that it is probably the sense of community here that creates a sense of empathy for each other.”

IN BRIEF Fresno State president honored by Stanford Fresno State President Dr. Joseph Castro is one of three chosen to receive an award from the Stanford Graduate School of Education. The 2016 Alumni Excellence in Education Award was created by a group of Stanford graduates and recognizes graduates who demonstrate excellence in research, education and more. Other winners include Piya Sorcar, the founder of nonprofit TeachAIDS, and Haydee Rodriguez, a teacher at Central Union High School in El Centro. The awards will be presented by Daniel Schwartz, dean of the Stanford Graduate School of Education, at Stanford on Oct. 20. Lecture series to shine light on Armenian genocide and resilience Throughout the fall semester, Dr. Khatchig Mouradian will give three free public lectures at Fresno State about “Genocide and Resilience.” Mouradian is the newly appointed 13th Henry K. Khanzadian Kazan Visiting Professor of Armenian Studies at Fresno State. The first lecture, “Genocide and Humanitarian Resistance in Ottoman Syria, 1915-1917,” will be in the University Business Center, Alice Peters Auditorium in Room 191 on Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m. The second lecture, “‘Don’t Fall off the Earth’: The Armenian Communities in China from the 1880s to 1950s,” will be on Oct. 20. The third lecture, “The Tale of Two Midwives: The Notebooks of Siphora and Nuritza Shnorhokian of Aintab, 1890-1930,” will be on Nov. 30. College of Arts and Humanities department to host convocation Students in the Fresno State College of Arts and Humanities will have the opportunity to meet the department’s

chair, faculty, counselor and more at a convocation on Aug. 31. At the convocation, the department will announce new ambassadors and more. The event will start with a light lunch at 11:45 a.m. and follow with a program at noon in the Satellite Student Union. Fresno State student researches virus during internship Rachel Nieto researched the cellular export of influenza virus and it all started with an internship. The Fresno State senior who is majoring in biology participated in a prestigious internship over the summer at the University of Münster through the German Academic Exchange Service RISE program. The program allowed her to work with a doctoral student at the Institute of Molecular Virology where she researched the virus. Internships for the program are located in Germany and are provided for 300 students from the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom. Retired executive vice president to receive highest honor as 2016 Top Dog James E. Brumm, a retired executive vice president and general counsel of Mitsubishi, will receive the Distinguished Alumnus Award for his accomplishments in international law and business. Brumm will be recognized at the Fresno State Alumni Association’s Top Dog Alumni Awards Gala at the Save Mart Center on Oct. 15. The award is based on scholarship, leadership and services provided to Fresno State, making this the highest alumni honor. Brumm graduated magna cum laude from Fresno State in 1965 with a bachelor’s degree in political science before earning his law degree from Columbia University.

Leila Alamri-Kassim B.A., Political Science/ Women’s Studies Fresno State

“I knew a J.D. would provide me with the tools I need to represent my community. I chose SJCL because it allowed me to stay active and connected to my local community while pursuing my degree.”

Law School 101

Wednesday, August 31, 7-9pm You’re invited to this free program to learn more about the legal profession and what a law degree can do for you! At this forum you will be introduced to law school, from courses offered to admission requirements. Register at: www.sjcl.edu or 559/323-2100

A Degree in any Major Qualifies you to Apply to Law School. SJCL admitS StudentS of any raCe, CoLor, and nationaL or ethniC origin.

Application fee waived through December 31, 2016

A&E

MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016

Gwen Stefani hollas back last!” she said. The 46-year-old alt-pop star had no trouble keeping the crowd dancing from beginning to end. Mothers, daughters, men and women joined in unison to sing along to her best hits like “Hollaback Girl.” Nineties hip-hop star Eve joined Stefani on her tour as the opening act. Eve did a great job hyping the crowd up for Stefani’s arrival. However, her time to shine didn’t come until Stefani invited her on stage to perform the duo’s hit “Let Me Blow Ya Mind” that they recorded in 2001. The crowd erupted in applause at the sight of the two stars on stage. Stefani reiterated how much she loved Eve and how crazy it is that they were back together. “You better still be my friend when this is over,” Stefani said. Stefani kept engaging the crowd, saying how unforgettable Fresno always is, labeling the city as part of her top five favorite stops on her tour thus far. Stefani said, “Fresno, you guys have got such a good reputation. I always remember you guys.” At one point, she even invited a member of the crowd onto the stage because his poster said that it was his birthday. She grabbed his phone and took a selfie with him and gave him a warm embrace. Stefani’s gratitude for her fans exuded each time she thanked the crowd for following her throughout her career. “Honestly, I have no idea where I would

Khone Saysamongdy • The Collegian

By Samantha Mehrtash @Sam_mehrtash

Gwen Stefani blew away the audience at the Save Mart Center Saturday night on her “This Is What The Truth Feels Like” tour.

When she came on the stage, followed by four dancers and the full band, the crowd went wild. As her last show until October, Stefani promised to make this a stop to remember. “Fresno, I guess we’re saving the best for

Fresno Escape Room is a fun, challenging, immersive game experience taking place every day! Visit us at: www.fresnoescaperoom.com

be without you guys,” Stefani said. Stefani stayed true to her former band No Doubt’s roots. She asked the crowd, “Fresno are you guys ready to take it up a notch? I’m talking some serious rocking out,” and proceeded to perform the former group’s hit “Hella Good.” For the duration of that song the crowd was jumping on it’s feet, heads were banging and the risers were shaking. Even her opening outfit was an ode to her No Doubt era, and Stefani came out wearing a two- piece outfit consisting of ripped, red plaid pants with a red blinged-out top that accentuated the star’s flawless abs. She changed looks three times throughout the night, each look sparklier than the last. Even the dancers had outfit changes that co-ordinated with each look’s theme. Her softer side shone through toward the end when she played “Used to Love You” from her new album. The song references the split of her 14-year marriage with Gavin Rossdale earlier this year. Behind Stefani, a video played of the star staring at the camera fighting back tears. Stefani closed out the night with “Sweet Escape.” The crowd helped sing the hit’s chorus as Stefani pointed the mic into the audience. She and the arena echoed together. Before exiting the stage for good, Stefani took the time to thank her dancers and each member of the band. They all joined hands in a line, Broadway style and bowed together as a team.

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THE COLLEGIAN • A&E

MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016

PAGE 5

Local artist spotlight: Days Under Authority By Jessica Johnson @iamjesslj

At one point, we were all in high school. We went to the prom. We went to football games. We even went to the school library once in a while. But, did you record an album in high school? Odds are, most people haven’t. Local band Days Under Authority is an exception to the rule. Days Under Authority consists of Anthony Yanez on lead guitar and backup vocals; Brenden Bonsel on drums and backup vocals; Dom Cassinerio on bass guitar and backup vocals; and Zach Corsi on lead vocals. Many would be impressed to hear of their early accomplishment. However, their young age didn’t always impress people, and age sometimes hindered their ability to grow as a band. “We were trying to get a show for the longest time and people kept saying, ‘Oh, you’re just a bunch of kids. I don’t want to book you guys,’” Yanez said. The band formed in 2010 when Yanez and Corsi were 14 years old and drummer Bonsel was 12. Cassinerio joined as a bassist in 2014 at the age of 22. Cassinerio is the band’s senior bass player. Finding a good bassist has been the most crucial part of the band’s journey, said Corsi. “The main struggle in Fresno: it seems like there’s no bass players — everyone plays guitar,” Yanez added. Once it found itself on solid ground with Cassinerio, the band was able to commit to opening shows for some big-name artists such as Escape the Fate and We Are Harlot. Opening for We Are Harlot was the first sold-out show for Days Under Authority. “We never played a show of that capacity before,” Yanez said. Bonsel: “No one knew we were from Fresno. They thought we were on tour with those big bands. So we’re famous to them.” Corsi: “We didn’t have to ask the crowd to get up to the stage. They were already there. They were already singing along.”

Khone Saysamongdy • The Collegian

The band Days Under Authority poses for the camera after their performance at Fulton 55 in Downtown Fresno Aug. 24, 2016. From left to right: Anthony Yanez (lead guitar), Zach Corsi (main vocals), Brenden Bonsel (drums) and Dom Cassinerio (bass guitar).

Yanez: “I walked out into the crowd. I was going to the merch booth like I normally do and everyone just ‘Waaaaa!’--they were like look, look who that is!.” Cassinero: “We were off stage, and I got the biggest rush I’ve ever had. Still, I don’t think any of us have topped it to this day. We were just walking out and everybody immediately erupted. I was like oh my god, there are a lot of people in here.” Yanez: “We had people ask, ‘When are you guys coming back to Fresno?’ We’re from Fresno.” Although the band has performed at the iconic Whiskey a Go Go in Hollywood, it prefers performing at Strummer’s in Fresno’s Tower District over any other venue.

“Hands down, you can ask any one of these guys.” Corsi said. “Strummer’s has basically become our home.” When asked about what they appreciate most about being in a band, camaraderie and family were recurring themes. However, Yanez explained that being in a band and creating music to help those going through a hard time are special to him. “What makes me feel the best is when music helps people. Because I’ve had some fans come up to me or message us on Facebook, saying, ‘Hey, my mom has this disease. Someone passed away. I’m depressed and this song helped me through— it let me be free,’” he said. What advice does Days Under Authority

have for up-and-coming artists? Yanez said, “Practice, don’t rush the stage and have fun.” Cassinerio: “Be the best you can possibly be at your craft. There’s only one of you.” Bonsel said: “If any band is trying to do this as a career, don’t treat it as a joke. Care about it.” Corsi: “Take criticism, but always have an ego. And also appreciate your own music. If you don’t appreciate what your music sounds like, then the crowd won’t either.” Days Under Authority plans to have an album recorded within the next year and is excited to see where the members’ talents take them in the music industry.

This week’s highlights Tuesday Aug. 30

Turnt Up Tuesday Fresno State’s Student Recreation Center is hosting Turnt Up Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Satellite Student Union (SSU). The free, all-ages event will have a disc jockey (DJ), free T-shirts, prizes and other activities. $5 Tuesdays at Maya Theater Head over to Campus Pointe’s Maya Cinemas Fresno for $5 movies all day long. Check out this week’s newest release, the thriller “Don’t Breathe.”

Thursday Sept. 1

Friday Sept. 2

ArtHop The Tower District is holding its monthly ArtHop Thursday evening in which local bars like Frank’s Place will be holding live music, and galleries such as Arthouse will be open featuring several of Fresno’s best artists’ work. The galleries have no entry fee, and it is an opportunity to see some of Fresno’s talent. Not to mention, food trucks are always present.

New Rock 104.1 Low Dough Show with Beware of Darkness Teezzy Radio is hosting an 18 and over back to school bash at Strummer’s featuring over seven different radio DJ’s from the Central Valley. The event starts at 8 p.m.

Headphone Disco The Satellite Student Union (SSU) is holding a silent disco at 8 p.m. where everyone gets to choose the song they’re jamming out to while dancing together. All ages are welcome to try out the new fad for free.

Fresno State’s Cineculture fall lineup begins “Ocean Heaven (Hai yang tian tang)” will be kicking off Cineculture’s fall series. The screening will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the Peters Education Center auditorium in the Student Recreation Center. Dr. Ed Emanuel, Fresno State theatre arts professor emeritus, will be discussing the film. The event is free, and all ages are welcome.

Saturday Sept. 3

Nirvanish— A tribute to Nirvana For all Nirvana fans: The Tower District’s Strummer’s is holding tribute band Nirvanish Saturday at 8 p.m. The event is all ages, and if you buy your tickets in advance they are $8 or $10 at the door.

NEWS

MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016

GREEK FEST

Marina McElwee • The Collegian

Professional dancers perform traditional Greek dances in effort to share their culture at Greek Fest at Clinton Avenue and First Street on Saturday.

Fresno Greek Fest celebrates its 56th year By Marina McElwee @MarinaMashelle

“It’s all Greek to me,” was more than just a figure of speech in Fresno this weekend. St. George Greek Orthodox Church hosted its 56th annual Fresno Greek Fest. With more than 25,000 attendees, Greek Fest was a cultural extravaganza featuring traditional Greek dancing, music, food, and even cooking and religious demonstrations. The first stop at Greek Fest is the church itself — the same church Fresno State senior Chrysanthe Pappas grew up in. Pappas’ father is the priest at St. George Greek

Orthodox Church. “I was actually born on Greek Fest weekend,” Pappas said. “It’s a huge part of our lives, and we plan for all of the food and pastries months in advance.” There were lines of people for hours just to get a taste of a classic gyro sandwich or a Mythos Greek beer. Pappas said that hundreds of student volunteers make the festival possible. Volunteers sell and prepare food, set up and clean up the event and even control the parking lots. “We reach out to high school and college programs to volunteer,” Pappas said. “Even the Smittcamp Family Honors College comes out to help.” Pappas, 23, still enjoys the time she

spends at Greek Fest each year, and said it makes her happy to volunteer her time. “It’s fun watching people come in, no matter if it’s their first time or if they are returning,” Pappas said. “It’s not something you see every day where so many people can come together to enjoy a different culture.” While volunteers gave tours of the church and memorial garden, vendors sold traditional Greek apparel, art and jewelry near the dining area behind the church. But it’s more than Greek Fest that makes this church so interesting. Pappas said the demand for a Greek Orthodox Church in the Central Valley brings in over 450 Greek

families to church each week. “Our church is very interesting because we have the only Greek Orthodox church within two hours north and south of Fresno,” Pappas said. “I’ll even go out of town and people will know who I am because my dad is the closest Greek Orthodox priest.” Throughout the evening, many traditional Greek dances were taught and performed. Guests, young and old, got out of their seats to learn the steps and dance the night away. Pappas said these moments are what make Greek Fest so special “At Greek Fest, you get to be Greek for a weekend,” Pappas said. “It’s a good place for camaraderie, and if you live in Fresno, you have to experience it at least once.”

‘We just wanted to promote the Hmong language here on campus’ HMONG from Page 1 State offering Hmong as a minor, it was still pending approval. “That’s why I didn’t take all of the Hmong courses that I needed to ahead of time because I actually didn’t know when they were going to be able to create this minor completely,” Monique said. Students now have that opportunity. The minor was approved on April 22. Approximately 80 students were enrolled in Hmong courses, and 69 were interested in minoring in Hmong. This semester, some 120 students are enrolled in Hmong courses and about 75

students are minoring in Hmong, said Dr. Kao-Ly Yang, Hmong minor coordinator and adviser. “What I really want to see is that the students will get an overview of the Hmong culture,” Yang said. Students have to complete 20 units which include five language courses and one cultural course. Hmong Language Club president Keng Vang, who is minoring in Hmong, said “[Learning Hmong] helps people connect to the community because here in the community, there’s a lot of Hmong people and also, if you’re Hmong, then it helps you connect to the elders.” Last semester, the club provided Hmong

tutoring sessions for students Monday through Thursday, and this semester, it will start by hosting tutoring sessions once a week and gradually add more days if needed. “We just wanted to promote the Hmong language here on campus so that’s why we started the tutoring sessions,” Keng said. Soon, Hmong minor students will be able to apply for a Hmong Language Studies Scholarship. The scholarship offers student and program assistance, said Moon-ja Yunouye, director of development for the College of Arts and Humanities. “So if students want to pursue a Hmong minor, but they have some financial need,

it would benefit them that way,” Yunouye said. “They can apply for the Hmong minor scholarship to help with their financial needs.” Yunouye said the scholarship is still being developed. However, she hopes there will be an award in spring 2017. “I think [the scholarship] would encourage a lot of Hmong students here in the Central Valley to continue going to school and actually reach out to education and continue your education,” Monique said.

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Latin-American music legend Juan Gabriel dies in the midst of his tour By Samantha Mehrtash @Sam_mehrtash

Latin-American star Juan Gabriel, scheduled to play at Fresno’s Save Mart Center in September, has died at the age of 66. The singer-songwriter was well known in the Latin-American community for his unique style. The star was pronounced dead at his home in Santa Monica on Sunday afternoon according to his publicist. Gabriel

passed away due to natural causes, Los Angeles County Coroner spokeswoman Selena Barros said. The six-time Grammy nominee was considered Mexico’s top-selling artist with over 100 million album sales. His largest hit was “¿Por Que Me Haces Llorar?” which translates to “Why Do You Make Me Cry?” His music style ranged from mariachi and pop to rock and disco which is why his fan base grew so large. He even had experience in the film industry, where he made his acting debut in the 1975 film, “Rural Chivalry.”

Gabriel began his career at age 21 when he signed a recording contract with RCA Records. His fame grew over time as he released 15 albums and recorded over 1,500 songs over the course of 45 years. Gabriel’s death caused a media storm, and his name was trending on Twitter Sunday evening. His fans shared kind words about how the star influenced their lives. Gabriel left such a stamp on Latin culture that Mexico’s President Enrique Peña Nieto tweeted his condolences, calling him one of the country’s “greatest musical icons”

“Una voz y un talento que representaban a México. Su música, un legado para el mundo. Se ha ido muy pronto. Que descanse en Paz,” Nieto wrote. The Tweet translates to “One voice and one talent who represents Mexico. His music, a legacy for the world. He has left too soon. Rest in peace.” Gabriel was in the midst of his MeXXico Es Todos tour. It consisted of over 20 dates, and it was scheduled to run through December. There’s been no announcement concerning tickets sold for future tours.

THE COLLEGIAN • SPORTS

MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016

PAGE 7

Terry on the upcoming season MEN’S BASKETBALL

David Chavez • The Collegian

Fresno State men’s basketball head coach Rodney Terry speaks with the media about the upcoming season on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016.

By David Chavez @d23chavez

The Fresno State men’s basketball team, after a 15-year drought, advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2016. Bulldogs’ head coach Rodney Terry is looking to return to the “big dance.”

Terry spoke with the media on Thursday and touched on where the team will look for leadership now that Marvelle Harris, Cezar Guerrero and Julien Lewis are gone. Terry pointed to seniors Paul Watson, Karachi Edo and Cullen Russo as candidates. “That’s going to be measured day-today,” Terry said. “Being consistent every day and showing those types of characteris-

tics that it takes to be a leader will identify those.” Terry praised Watson, Edo and Russo for their approach to getting better throughout the spring and summer. Terry said he believes that commitment will carry into the fall and will reflect on the court. Terry said Edo can take the next step in his development if he continues to work

on his dribbling and passing skills. He said Edo has come a long way since his freshman year. Terry likes what he has seen of Watson’s approach and attitude thus far and said his demeanor is the best it’s ever been. Terry added that a sense of urgency will serve Watson well in his senior year and will allow him to showcase his talent at a higher level. Russo can take his game to another level, Terry said. Russo made a lot of strides in the spring and summer and has committed to being consistent on a daily basis, Terry said. Five-star recruit William McDowell-White is expected to contribute to the Bulldogs, but will not join the team until the beginning of the spring semester. McDowell-White will need to pass many courses in order to become eligible to attend the university and ultimately play for Fresno State. “It was a process of obviously gathering all his information, getting it sent to where we needed to get it sent to. Then just trying to see where it all kind of fell out in terms of what he still needed,” Terry said. “He’s got a few courses that he’s got to overcome right now. We fully anticipate him being here with us this season.” Terry preaches versatility. He said the Bulldogs have never been a point guard-centric team. He identified the team as a rebound-and-go team with multiple ball-handlers initiating the offense. The Bulldogs open the season at home Nov. 11 against University of Texas, San Antonio and begin Mountain West conference play at New Mexico on Dec. 28.

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FRESNO STATE FOOTBALL

Bulldogs welcome new offensive coordinator By Daniel Gligich | @TheCollegian

Fresno State Athletics • The Collegian

During a recent practice, assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau acclimates himself with using a headset.

New Fresno State offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau joins the program looking to improve from a tough 2015 season. He brings years of experience with successful schools throughout the country. Kiesau spent the 2015 season as an offensive analyst for the University of Alabama under famed coach Nick Saban. With Kiesau’s help, Alabama’s offense ranked near the top in the Southeastern Conference. Fresno State’s regional popularity is partly what drew Kiesau to this job. “I love the Valley,” he said. “The city of Fresno and the fans are so awesome, and they’re so fired up about Fresno State football.” Kiesau compared Fresno to the Bay Area and Southern California-both of which have professional teams. “Here in Fresno, this is your professional team,” Kiesau said. “This is it. That’s one of the things that excited me about Fres-

no State.” He praised the Red Wave for its support of the team throughout the Central Valley and said he is excited to “get this place re-energized about football again.” Kiesau is overhauling a Fresno State offense that struggled in 2015. The Bulldogs were last in the conference in offensive yards per game and ranked 10th out of 12 teams in scoring offense. He feels the team is responding well to the coaching change and is making progress. “I think we’ve made a lot of strides from spring to summer to now fall camp,” Kiesau said. “We’ve got a good plan, a good setup and

the players are buying in.” At Alabama, Kiesau worked closely with offensive coordinator and Fresno State alumnus Lane Kiffin. Under their coaching, running back Derrick Henry won the Heisman Trophy, and the team beat Clemson to win the National Championship. Before his stint at Alabama, Kiesau served as offensive coordinator at Kansas during the latter part of the 2014 season and was in charge of Washington’s offense for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. He also coached for former Fresno State quarterback Jeff Tedford at the University of California from 2002-05 and in 2011.

SPORTS

MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016

MEET THE TEAM

Christian Ortuno • The Collegian

Fresno State football players sign posters during the Meet the Team event held at Campus Pointe.

Good turnout at Meet the Team event, Virgil named starting QB By David Chavez @d23chavez

Fans of Bulldog sports arrived in waves to show their support at a Meet the Team event on Thursday, Aug. 25, at Campus Pointe, hosted by Fresno State Athletics and 940 ESPN Radio. The Red Wave was greeted by coaches, players, cheerleaders, TimeOut and the Fresno State marching band. Athletes from the football, soccer, softball and cross country teams signed autographs for fans and played games with some of the young Bulldog faithful. During the event, freshman Chason Virgil was named the starting quarterback for the 2016 football season.

“There’s still a lot of work to do,” Virgil said. Virgil along with Tyquwan Glass, Aaron Peck and Jeff Camilli were elected as captains by their teammates. “I thank my teammates for voting for me. It means they think highly of me,” Virgil said. “At this point, you don’t want to let them down. You want to just go out there and let them know you’ve got their back.” Head coach Tim DeRuyter praised Virgil for his work during camp and said that the quarterback competition helped advance Virgil’s skillset to solidify him as the starter. “Coach Eric Kiesau does all of our stats. The longer it went, it became more and more apparent. Chason had over 400

throws, and I think he had 3 interceptions during camp, which is a terrific ratio,” DeRuyter said. “The other quarterbacks had about twice of what he had in not as many reps. I think when Quentin came and Zach came in the summertime, he realized he better step up because he saw some talent, and that’s when he kind of charged into another gear.” The Bulldogs will travel to Lincoln, Nebraska, to face the Cornhuskers on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 5 p.m. Also attending were former Bulldog players and even former Fresno State football head coach Pat Hill. “It’s great to be home. Put in a lot of years here, you know,” Hill said. “I’ve got a lot of good friends here. All my kids grew up here. We have so many close friends, so

many of our former players are here, so it’s a lot of fun. This is home for me.” Hill said the attitude for the Bulldogs has been great, so far, and added that their first game will say a lot about the team for this season. “They’ve been working hard,” Hill said. “We’ve got to see what happens when they run into another team and have to handle adversity. That’ll only make them stronger and hopefully we have a great year.” New softball head coach Linda Garza and her players were there and she said she was happy with what she saw. “It’s been great. It’s obviously neat to see the community support and just the enthusiasm everybody has for Bulldog athletics,” Garza said. “To be able to see that all the time is awesome.”

THIS WEEK IN SPORTS SPORT

DATE

TIME

Mon, Aug. 29

4:00p.m.

New Hampshire

Durham, New Hampshire

Fri, Sept. 2

10:30a.m.

Portland State

Fresno, California Save Mart Center

Soccer

Fri, Sept. 2

1:00p.m.

Portland State

Portland, Oregon

Volleyball Bulldog Showdown

Fri, Sept. 2

7:30p.m.

DePaul

Fresno, California Save Mart Center

Volleyball Boston College Invitational Volleyball Bulldog Showdown

OPPONENT

LOCATION

Cross Country Nevada Twilight

Fri, Sept. 2

Volleyball Bulldog Showdown

Sat, Sept. 3

12:30p.m.

Portland

Fresno, California Save Mart Center

Football

Sat, Sept. 3

5:00p.m.

Nebraska

Lincoln, Nebraska

Reno, Nevada