November 7, 2018 by FresnoStateCollegian

WINNERS AND LOSERS IN LOCAL, STATE, NATIONAL ELECTIONS Fresno State’s Award-Winning Newspaper Wednesday, November 7, 2018

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VOTE 2018

AMERICA VOTES

Page 2-3 Leila Navidi • Minneapolis Star Tribune/TNS

Christine Giroux exits the voting booth at Transit Town Hall Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018 in Sibley County, Minn. The curtains, an ode to the American flag, were sewn by a past election official.

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NEWS Campus ballot drop-off encourages voting By Cresencio RodriguezDelgado Editor in Chief

While there wasn’t an official voting booth on campus this year, students from the Fresno State social work department decided to host a ballot drop-off to make sure all votes get counted. James Borunda, who coordinated the “Bring Your Own Ballot” event, considers voting to be about accountability. He also said the campus’ distinction as a Hispanic-Serving Institution means it’s important to get the Hispanic community to vote. He cited U.S. Census numbers that portrayed a low voter turnout among Hispanics. “I want to be part of that change,” Borunda said. Ricardo Franco, a former candidate for the U.S. District 22 seat, attended the ballot dropoff location on the balcony of the University Student Union and said he appreciated that social work students were taking the lead in the voting effort. Franco touted two new changes in California law that allow voters to have someone other than them to turn in their ballots and one that allows for pictures to be taken of ballots. Both laws, Franco said, make voting easier. “People just don’t know how (to vote). That’s the hardest part in all of this,” Franco said. “Once you create a safe space for people to actually vote … they realize it’s not that hard.” Ballots dropped off by 5 p.m. Tuesday would be delivered to the county registrar’s office, according to Borunda. Elsewhere on campus, students said they voted because they understood the impact of it. Senior biology major Erik Sanchez said he voted this year because it was an especially important election for him. “It’s a breaking point because it’s a midterm election. Of course, California is already blue but it’s a determining state for future presidents,” Sanchez said. Collegian Sports Editor Micheal Ford contributed to this story.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018

GOT TIPS? We want to hear them. COLLEGIAN@CSUFRESNO.EDU

COVER STORY

Democrats gain House seats, Republicans hold onto Senate By Mark Z. Barabak Los Angeles Times

emocrats seized control of House while Republicans fortified their hold on the Senate as voters stormed the polls Tuesday to render the first electoral judgment on the tumultuous presidency of Donald Trump. Riding a wave of discontent that drew hordes of first-time voters, Democrats picked up House seats in blue states, red and purple ones – from New York to Oklahoma, New Jersey to Colorado, Florida to Minnesota and Texas. Democrats had claimed at least 23 of the seats needed to seize control of the chamber even before results came in from California, which had a half dozen contests considered too close to call. The takeover marked the third time in 12 years that the chamber traded partisan hands, a level of volatility unmatched since the years after World War II. The party also picked up governorships in Illinois, Kansas and Michigan. The Senate presented a contrasting picture, reflecting the different political battlefields – mostly rural versus mostly urban – of Tuesday’s congressional contests. The GOP beefed up its narrow 51-49 Senate majority with victories in North Dakota, where Rep. Kevin Cramer defeated freshman Democrat Heidi Heitkamp, and Indiana, where businessman and former state lawmaker Mike Braun beat first-term incumbent Joe Donnelly. In Tennessee, Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn defeated the state’s former governor, moderate Democrat Phil Bredesen, to hang onto the seat of the retiring GOP incumbent, Bob Corker. All three Republicans ran as unswerving supporters of the president, who carried each of their heavily rural states by comfortable margins. In West Virginia, Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin III, a prime target in a state Trump won by 40 percentage points, defeated Republican Attorney General Patrick Morrisey to win his second full term. Democratic incumbents also held on in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wis-

consin – states that were key to the president’s 2016 victory. Although Trump was not on the ballot, he loomed large on Tuesday – the way presidents historically have in midterm elections – and many voters seized the opportunity to make their feelings known. About two-thirds of those interviewed in exit polling said Trump was a major factor in their vote, with 40 percent of those saying they cast their ballots in opposition to the president and 25 percent expressing support. For Republicans such as Charles Cooke, who cast his ballot in McAllen, Texas, it was a chance to deliver a big thumbs-up for the kind of non-politician he said the country needs. “The things that have happened in the past two years are good,” Cooke said outside the Fireman’s Pumphouse polling station in Fireman’s Park. “The jobs, the economy is better

than ever, a lot of manufacturing, companies are coming back to the United States.” Many, however, looked past the strong economy. Even though two-thirds of those interviewed said the economy was in good shape, according to an Associated Press exit poll, 6-in10 said the country was nevertheless headed in the wrong direction – suggesting they weighed other factors apart from their pocketbook. For the most part, the election went off with no major glitches. There were reports nationwide of broken voting machines and confusion at polling places. But nothing out of the ordinary for Election Day, and many of the problems stemmed from unusually long lines, which pointed to a higher-than-usual turnout for a midterm election. Weather also played a part. In portions of the Deep South storm-related blackouts, including one in Knox County, Tenn., left several polling places without electricity, forcing voters there to resort to paper ballots. Contrary to Trump’s warnings of possible nefarious acts, elections officials did not report any widespread voter fraud or irregularities. Tuesday’s balloting culminated two years of anger and political agitation, which began virtually the moment Trump took office. Protesters flooded the streets in nationwide demonstrations the first weekend after his swearing-in, forging an army of dissenters who swelled the ranks of Democratic candidates and volunteers and filled the party’s coffers with a flood of campaign cash. Republicans responded by rallying fiercely behind the president, overcoming any qualms about his tweets and temperament to battle critics and fight the so-called Democratic resistance. The result was a midterm campaign that consumed and convulsed the nation like few non-presidential elections have in recent times. “A great deal is at stake,” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, the California Democrat who could be restored as House speaker, told reporters during a swing last month through Florida, a perennial political battleground. “Our fundamental belief in our Constitution. The great respect we should command for everyone in our community. Fairness.”

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018

Nunes, Costa hold onto House seats

District 22 In the race for Congressional District 22, Republican incumbent Devin Nunes held a strong lead as of 11 p.m. on Tuesday night. He had been locked in a campaign battle against Democratic challenger Andrew Janz. Nunes, who had a 57 percent lead over Janz’s 47 percent, has served as the district’s representative since 2013, prior to which he represented District 21 from 2003 until redistricting redefined District 21 as District 22. Janz is a Fresno County prosecutor who gained a local following through his grassroots campaign. The race gained national attention due in part to Nunes’ high profile as a close affiliate of President Donald Trump. It is also one of the most

expensive congressional races in history with a sum of nearly $17 million spent between the two candidates, according to opensecrets.org. At Nunes’ election party on Tuesday night in Hanford, attendees waited eagerly for results to pour in. As the night moved on and early numbers favored Nunes, the crowd became more relaxed. Nunes made brief remarks but did not speak to the press. At Janz’s election party in Fresno, Heather Greven, campaign manager, was optimistic about the results throughout the night. “If Andrew becomes a new member of Congress, I think you’re going to see him holding a lot of town hall meetings.” Reporting contributed by Fresno State Focus reporters Scott Gruenwald and Clayton Jones. District 16 The race for Congressional District 16 between Democratic incumbent Jim Costa and Republican challenger Elizabeth Heng gained attention leading up to Tuesday’s election and remained close. In the end, Costa had a comfortable lead with 53 percent of the vote. Costa has served as representative of the

district since 2013, before which he had served as representative of District 20 since 2005. The two candidates met in live debates on both CW59 and KSEE24 over the past few weeks. Heng questioned Costa’s effectiveness during his 14 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, while Costa addressed his challenger’s eight-year absence from the Valley. At Tuesday’s campaign party in downtown Fresno, Heng said she was excited to have run her campaign against Costa, whom she sought to replace mostly due to what she called lack of leadership. “We’ve been talking about the same problems for far too long. I hope that message resonated with our community,” Heng said. Costa did not seem fazed by Heng’s challenge. He confidently said at his central Fresno campaign party. “The results in Fresno are as they’ve been in the past. Madera’s always been a bit of a challenge. Good folks there. And I think we’re ultimately going to win the Merced county.” Reporting contributed by Collegian Opinion Editor Christina Tran and reporter Jorge Rodriguez.

California Senate District 8 Republican Andreas Borgeas and Democrat Paulina Miranda battled for the Senate 8 seat, but as of 11 p.m. Tuesday Borgeas appeared a winner with 62 percent of the votes. Borgeas and Miranda defeated Democrat Tom Pratt and Independent Mark Belden in the June 5 primary elections. In that election, Borgeas got 59 percent of the vote and Miranda followed with 21 percent. Miranda previously ran for California State Senate District 8 in 2014 and District 16 in 2013. She became an ex-officio member of the Fresno County Democratic Central Committee in 2014. Borgeas is the District 2 representative on the Fresno County Board of Supervisors, first elected in 2012 and re-elected in 2016. Borgeas hosted a campaign party Tuesday at the Elbow Room in the Fig Garden Shopping Center at 7 p.m. Borgeas will be the first State

Senator from Fresno County in more than 12 years. California’s 8th Senate district spreads over Amador, Calaveras, Inyo, Mariposa, Mono and Tuolumne counties and parts of Fresno, Madera, Sacramento, Stanislaus and Tulare counties. California Assembly 23 Republican candidate for California’s Assembly District 23 Jim Patterson appeared to retain his seat with 63 percent of the vote as off 11 p.m. Tuesday night. Patterson previously served as Mayor of Fresno from 1993-2001. He has spent most of his career as a business owner and broadcast executive, owning and operating radio stations in California and Idaho. Patterson has a Bachelors of Political Science from Fresno State. He is co-chair of the California House Committee on Legislative Ethics and vice chair of Utilities and Commerce. Patterson has been endorsed by the Nation-

al Rifle Association, Gun Owners of California, California Pro-Life Council and Crime Victims United of California. Challenging Patterson in the midterm elections was Democrat Aileen Rizo, who is in the process of earning a doctoral degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Texas Tech University. Rizo has a master’s degree in mathematics education from Fresno Pacific University and a master’s in Educational/Instructional Technology from Northern Arizona University. She is currently an adjunct professor at Fresno Pacific and has served as a math instructor in multiple school districts, including Phoenix, Arizona. In 2018, Rizo won a Supreme Court case that paved the way for equal pay for men and women.

By Seth Casey, Samantha Domingo, Michael Ford, Marilyn Castaneda, Christina Tran and Cresencio Rodriguez Collegian Staff

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THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS

RESULTS AS OF 1:30 A.M.

CA GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM:.......58% JOHN COX: ..................42% U.S. DISTRICT 22 DEVIN NUNES:............56% ANDREW JANZ:..........44% U.S. DISTRICT 16 JIM COSTA:...................54% ELIZABETH HENG:.....46% CA SENATE 8 ANDREAS BORGEAS:...61%

PAULINA MIRANDA:..39% CA ASSEMBLY 23 JIM PATTERSON:........62% AILEEN RIZO:...............38% PROPOSITIONS 1............................YES - 53% 2...........................YES - 60% 3.............................NO - 53% 4...........................YES - 59% 5.............................NO - 58% 6.............................NO - 55% 7...........................YES - 60% 8.............................NO - 62% 10...........................NO - 63% 11..........................YES - 61% 12..........................YES - 60% MEASURES A...........................YES - 70% O.............................NO - 50% P..............................NO - 51% Q...........................YES - 81% SOURCES: CALIFORNIA SECRETARY OF STATE AND FRESNO COUNTY CLERK’S OFFICE

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THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018

Veterans week events By Jorge Rodriguez Reporter

Kelsey T. Schulteis Psychology Major, Fresno State Juris Doctor Candidate

“If you are contemplating what to do with your bachelor’s degree in Psychology consider law school. A bachelor’s degree in any major fulfills the educational prerequisites for law school.”

LSAT Night

Monday, November 12, 7-9pm Join us for a free session on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) led by SJCL Dean Jan Pearson to develop strategies to approach the analytical thinking questions on the LSAT. You will also receive registration assistance for the LSAT, see sample LSAT questions, and receive information about LSAT prep courses.

A Degree in any Major Qualifies you to Apply to Law School. SJCL admitS StudentS of any raCe/ CoLor, reLigiouS Creed, nationaL origin/anCeStry, age, gender, mentaL or phySiCaL diSabiLity, mediCaL Condition, maritaL StatuS, or SexuaL orientation.

Next Law School 101 is Thursday, January 24, 2019

This November is Veterans month, and Fresno State Veterans Services is gearing up to commemorate Veterans Day with several events. The events, which are sponsored by Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Office, will take place from Nov. 2 through Nov. 17 around campus. Thursday, Nov. 8 Veterans Day Ceremony, from 10 - 11:30 a.m. at the Fresno State’s Veterans Memorial next to Thomas Administration building. Thursday, Nov. 8 to Tuesday, Nov. 13. “Remembering Our Fallen Heroes” traveling exhibit, during library office hours at the Library Ellipse Gallery, second floor. Monday, Nov. 12 Veterans Day Parade, starts at 11:11 a.m. in downtown Fresno, Fresno Street and Van Ness Avenue. Thursday, Nov. 15

Bowling and Billiards for Veterans, from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at the Bulldog Bowl. Saturday, Nov. 17 Veterans Football Tailgate, begins at 4 p.m. on the ASI Red Lot 58, Bulldog Stadium. Veterans Tribute Football Game, begins at 7 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium. The Veteran Services coordinator Robyn Gutierrez mentioned that everyone in the community is encouraged to attend all of the events. Also, Gutierrez would like everyone to visit the the Veterans Service office, which is located in the McLane Hall Annex 20-24, and get to know veteran students. “We have over 300 veteran students here at Fresno State who have served our country and this type of event is just a way to show that we support them,” Gutierrez said. For assistance or special accommodation for any events, contact Veterans Services at 559-279-6030 and for more information, visit www.fresnostate.edu/veterans.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018

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THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS

Police brutality takes center stage with ‘Hate U Give’

IF YOU GO: WHERE: VINTAGE ROOM WHEN: 5 P.M. NOV. 7

By Olivia Hayes

Entertainment Editor

Contributed

free movie showing and student talkback of “The Hate U Give” held at Maya Cinemas brought forth conversation on police

brutality. The Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, the Henry Madden Library and the Cross Cultural and Gender Center worked collectively to provide students at Fresno State with a chance to see the new movie, which first released in theaters on Oct. 5. Sophie Karas from Student Involvement and Renee Cromer from Student Affairs and Enrollment Management were partners in planning all the details of the event. The event was sponsored by Dean Delritta Hornbuckle of Library Services and Dr. Francine Oputa who rented the theatre. Dr. Carolyn Coon, the dean of students, bought tickets, and Deborah Adishian-Astone, vice president for administration and CFO, covered all the free concessions. The film was about a young black girl named Starr who struggled to balance her two different worlds at a wealthy, mostly white prep school, and a poor, mostly black neighboorhood when she witnessed her childhood best friend get shot and killed by a police officer. Starr had to take on the burden of how both communities viewed the situation but ultimately had to voice her opinion and stand up for what is right. Members who helped with the event handed out pens and paper to the audience and told them to write down questions or feelings they had about the movie. These questions were addressed after the movie in a student talkback.

Several Fresno State groups worked together to put on a movie screening of ‘Hate U Give.’ The film became a discussion of police brutality. A second showing is scheduled for Nov. 7, 2018 in the Vintage Room at 5 p.m. Boxes of tissues were also handed out, and the audience was warned that some of the scenes may be too emotional and intense for some viewers. Because of this Dr. Travis Scott, a social work professor, was at the movie to aid anyone who needed someone to talk to at any point. During the student talkback, many faculty and students were members of the panel. There were multiple students on the panel who represented different organizations, such as: Phi Beta Sigma, Alpha Phi Alpha, the Black Student Union, NAACP, Money Management and Onyx. Law enforcement Sgt. Justin Bell from the Fresno Police Department was present on the panel and was the target of most of the students’ questions. The film supported many themes, such as community, belonging, bravery and family, but most of all the injustice of police brutality toward black communities. Many of these subjects are what spurred the Black Lives Matter movement. The students started the discussion right after the movie, and the conversation led straight to police brutality and how black members and races of darker skin color in the community are being treated. Bell was asked by Josiah Wilson, “What should we be doing now so that our children don’t have to fear authority figures, such as law enforcement when they are older?” Bell replied by saying that black families

should be teaching their children at young ages on how to act around authority so that they can protect themselves. This safety tactic was exhibited in the movie, but that led the discussion to multiple students asking what they need to be doing, or rather what needs to be done so that black families don’t have to fear and have to teach their children ways to stay protected from authority figures. The night ended after the talkback with the question being what needs to be done to make a change in the world so that people of darker skin color don’t have a disadvantage. Oputa will be purchasing books for students to read together as a book club in the Harambee Room in the Cross Cultural and Gender Center, and there will be a continued movie discussion Wednesday, Nov. 7, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Vintage Room.

*Must show ID when purchasing passes and boarding V-LINE

OPINION

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018

GOT OPINIONS? We want to hear them. COLLEGIAN@CSUFRESNO.EDU

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Fresno colleges are unsafe By Angel Gonzalez Fresno State student

Dear editors of The Collegian, I would like to discuss a rising issue involving the wilding of students in universities. For the past few years, there has been a massive spike of crimes throughout universities, and it seems that people have become extremely desensitized to these situations. Many of the most common crimes include: rape, domestic/aggravated assault, possession of contraband, stalking and robbery. Fresno is already considered one of the most dangerous cities in California, sitting at a crime rate of 51 percent and 59 percent higher than the national average (areavibes.com). In addition, Fresno State also follows as one of the most dangerous colleges in America. In the years of 2008 to 2012, ABC News recorded an average of 12 reported violent crimes and 413 property crimes. Just last year, there have been a reported

American dream of equality

142 reported crimes, with 30 of these being “major crimes,” such as murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault and arson. These crimes have been rising, especially with contraband and alcoholism. As Charles Derber, an American professor of sociology at Boston College and author of “The Wilding of America” (2015) stated, “Campuses are no longer ivy-walled sanctuaries but are increasingly becoming sites of shootings, theft, sexual assault, property damage and other crimes.” Moreover, Fresno State is not the only college in Fresno with violence. In November of last year, there was a Fresno City College woman walking to her car one night after class who was dragged into another vehicle, where she was sexually assaulted (Fresno Bee, 2017). With all this being said, how does this make Fresno State a safe community for its students if there is violence constantly happening on and off campus?

Kindness on campus By Angelina Chastain | Fresno State student

I just simply wish to convey my thank you to the students who say “please and thank you,” and the ones who clean up after themselves at the University Dining Hall. Thank you very much and a job well done to your parents! Tribune News Service

The Collegian is a studentrun publication that serves the Fresno State community. Views expressed in The Collegian do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or university.

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By Katelin Noyer Fresno State student

Since moving to the United States of America, I have come across many things while attending college, and one specific thing that caught my interest was the idea of the American dream. Before moving from New Zealand to America, I had an idea about the American dream, consisting of a house with a white picket fence, a good job with good income and a loving family to come home to every day. Simple necessities. However, as an international student, I didn’t know the other aspects that are involved with the American dream that I have now learned by beginning my sociology degree at Fresno State.

Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado Seth Casey Olivia Hayes Michael Ford Samantha Domingo Christina Tran Jose Romo Jorge Rodriguez Marilyn Castaneda

General Sales Manager National Sales Manager Special Projects Manager Art Director Assistant Art Director Distributor General Manager Financial Manager Advertising Faculty Adviser Editorial Faculty Adviser MCJ Department Chair

All around the world, America is portrayed as the “land of the free,” and somewhere that opportunities come around every corner. Yet this is not the case for everyone living here. The biggest aspect of the American dream, in my eyes, is the idea of equal opportunity. It is well known that in the past there were many instances of inequality between ethnic groups, including voting rights or segregation, which affected many people and their fulfillment of their own American dreams. Though certain laws and regulations have been abolished, I believe discrimination and the inequality and discrimination toward certain groups continue to happen now. Even though these rights have improved over time, I still believe America can increase the rates of individuals fulfilling their own American dreams by changing the way they treat all ethnic groups -- fairly and equally.

Bailey Margosian Kassandra Lopez Ugne Mazutaityte Casey Supple Jeff Vinogradoff Crystal Reyes Richard Marshall Kevin Fries Jan Edwards Bradley Hart Betsy Hays

The Collegian carries four different ethnic supplements inserted several times throughout each semester into its print publication. Each supplement is produced by its own staff and advisers and is separate from The Collegian. The news stories or opinions in the supplements do not reflect those of The Collegian.

Each member of the campus community is permitted a copy of The Collegian. Subscriptions are available for $25, on a semester basis. Staff positions at The Collegian are open to students of all majors. All content Copyright © 2018 The Collegian. Letters to the Editor (collegian@csufresno.edu): All letters submitted to The Collegian should be between 250-500 words in length, must be type-written, and must be accompanied by a full name and phone number to verify content. The Collegian reserves the right to edit all material for length, content, spelling and grammar, as well as the right to refuse publication of any material submitted. All material submitted to The Collegian becomes property of The Collegian.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018

THE COLLEGIAN • SPORTS

PAGE 7

Women’s basketball enters season with high expectations By Jorge Rodriguez Reporter

Autumn doesn’t just bring cold weather and longer nights, it also brings basketball season. For the Fresno State women’s basketball team, it spawns hope for a season that can take it on a championship run. Coming off of a season that saw the team go 17-15 overall and 11-7 in Mountain West Conference play, the Bulldogs have prepared for this season since the summer when they played several games in Europe. Fresno State won all three games against Zkk Radnicki from Serbia, Lion De Carouge from Switzerland and Paris All-Stars from France. With most players from last season returning, the Bulldogs are confident that with a veteran squad they will be able to make a deep postseason run. The ‘Dogs will rely on sophomores Ali Gamez and Maddi Utti, who after a good freshman season will be looking to take more of a leading role on the team. But the Bulldogs are most excited about the return of their best player from last season, senior Candice White. The Modesto native will be looking to make her last season as a Bulldog a special one with hopes of a postseason run. In her final season as a Bulldog, she is looking to cement herself as one of the leaders of the team and help it achieve postseason success. “I want to be mentally strong throughout the season. It’s a long season and having gone to Europe, it seems like we started a long, long time ago,” White said. “I want to develop more as a player this season. I feel like there is a lot more I can learn and a lot more things I can fine-tune.” White is coming off a season that saw her named to the All-Mountain West team after a 2017-18 season where she broke the 1,000 point mark for her career. She also led the team in rebounds with an average of 6.3 per game and points with an average of 18.9 per game. Head coach Jaime White said that she is excited for this season and that the additions Jorge Rodriguez • The Collegian of players like freshman Gabby Standifer and Senior Bulldog guard Candice White practices her dribbling around defenders junior college transfer Lydia Friberg have during practice, Oct. 30, 2018

MEN’S BASKETBALL The men beat University of Alaska-Anchorage 91-63 at the Save Mart Center on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018.

helped the team a lot. Standifer, who was a highly coveted threestar recruit and a three-time state all-star in her native Texas, said she feels at home at Fresno State. “I like Fresno. It kind of reminds me of back home ... It’s kind of like a smaller town. Everyone is close. They support each other, and that’s what I like about it,” Standifer said. “I think as we practice, we’ve gotten better and our relationship has built as a team.” There are big expectations for the Bulldogs’ season, knowing that much of the talent from last season stayed and that they had a productive summer session. Coach White believes that some of their toughest opponents will be Colorado State University, Boise State University, University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the University of New Mexico. White also said that her team might be somewhat undersized, but that it has great shooters who can get up and down the court fast. “The goal is always to win the conference, and as we get close to that goal, we want to win the championship and advance beyond the first round of the NCAA Tournament,” White said. “We’re excited for the year. We’re excited to get back in the Save Mart Center and excited to see all our fans in the stands.” The ‘Dogs lost to Northern Arizona University on Tuesday, 86-73 to start the season. Sophomore Maddi Utti led the team in scoring with a career-high 25 points on 11-16 shooting, along with grabbing seven rebounds, three steals and three assists. White was second on the team in scoring with 18 points on 7-16 shooting with four rebounds, four assists and four steals in 30 minutes played. The ‘Dogs will be back in action on Nov. 14 when they take on Cal Poly at home in the season home opener. Fresno State did not play Cal Poly last season but the Mustangs did finish with a record of 17-12, good enough for 6th in the Big West Conference.

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018

COLLEGIAN.CSUFRESNO.EDU

Keith Kountz • Fresno State Athletics

Bulldogs tennis player Alessia Dario practices her forehand at the Spalding G. Wathen Tennis Center at Fresno State. Dario is in her sophomore season. Dec. 14, 2017.

Italian finds a place in tennis By Paige Gibbs Reporter

lessia Dario, 20, hasn’t always been a top-notch tennis player. When Dario was 11, she lost her interest in gymnastics. Meanwhile, her father picked up a tennis racket after 20 years and started playing again with his friends. She went with her dad and told him: “OK, I’ll come with you, watch and see if I like it.’ So I tried it, and I loved it,” Dario said. Now nine years later, her love of the game has brought her all the way to Fresno State. Dario is from Francenigo, Italy, a small village near Venice. Living in the U.S. is very different from what she is accustomed. “Everyone knows pretty much everyone [in Francenigo],” Dario said. “It’s very small.” Dario is an only child. All of her family and friends are still in Italy. She is the first to play

sports and move to the U.S., she said. When she was recruited, the Bulldogs’ previous head coach showed her videos of the facility. After watching and getting a feel for the atmosphere of the program, she was ready to represent Fresno State. “I came to visit, and I really liked it,” Dario said. “I thought that’s a good place for me.” The biggest challenge for Dario when she moved to Fresno was learning to take care of herself. Like most college students, it’s a challenge to cook, clean and manage her time and finances on her own. As a freshman, Dario appeared in 16 matches, boasting a 17-19 singles record and a 14-6 record in tournament play. She was named to the spring Academic All-Mountain West team and earned 2017-18 Mountain West Scholar-Athlete honors. This 2018-2019 season has brought a whole new team with a new coach, Dario said. Coach Ric Mortera joined the Bulldogs in August of this year after three years as associate

head coach of Texas Tech’s women’s tennis program. Mortera said his main priority right now is getting the athletes together and bonded like a family leading up to the spring. The team is looking forward to the spring when team events begin, as opposed to individual play. Dario said the team gets along really well. They have weekly team dinners, sometimes with the coaches, and study together in the evenings. Last year, Dario was the only freshman. This year, as a sophomore, she is one of the oldest on the team. Dario said the freshmen are energetic and have been a positive influence on the team. Dario begins her day promptly at 6:30 a.m. to start practice by 8 a.m. She is inspired by Roger Federer, she said without hesitation. Federer is a Swiss professional tennis player currently ranked No. 3 in the world in men’s singles tennis by the Association of Tennis Professionals. “When he plays he is perfect -- his technique

and everything,” Dario said. “He is so relaxed, and he is so confident. He doesn’t show his emotion too much. That’s a good thing in tennis. He’s really good.” When she’s not practicing or conditioning, Dario is studying business with hopes of pursuing either marketing or business management. “I think [school] here is easier,” Dario said. “I didn’t go to the university [in Italy], of course. But compared to what my friends are doing, I think it’s easier.” Mortera had many positive things to say about Dario’s future at Fresno State. “She’s been such a positive influence on the younger ones,” Mortera said. “She’s an excellent role model. She has this great bar of excellence that she strives to do both on the court and in the classroom. She’s been a really great representation of what we’re hoping to build the program about.”