September 28, 2021

NEW RSU NEARS FALL 2022 OPENING Fresno State’s Award-Winning Newspaper

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Tuesday, September 28, 2021

VACCINATIONS LOWER THAN STUDENTS 68% of Fresno State employees (excluding auxillaries) are vaccinated as of Sept. 22 Page 2 Edward Lopez • The Collegian

The Rise of Wheatfall

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ClovisFest Returns

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NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2021

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86% of students vaccinated, ASI president says at meeting

By Edward Lopez Reporter

provide their own proof of vaccination.

Contact Tracing Protocols

Fresno State Associated Students Inc. (ASI) President D’Aungillique Jackson said 86% of students are vaccinated at a meeting where senators also elected a new executive vice president.

This percentage is higher than the number of vaccinated employees. As of Sept. 22, about 68% (1,749 out of 2,568) of Fresno State employees have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. These numbers do not take into account auxiliary employees.

At the meeting, senators discussed the student government’s plans to address the COVID-19 pandemic for this fall semester and the upcoming spring semester. The senate also elected Jose Medina III to the position of executive vice president.

ASI President D’Aungillique Jackson briefed the senators on the most recent statistics surrounding the student and employee vaccination efforts on campus as she was last informed by the administration.

Jackson said 65% of faculty have certified their vaccinations in the latest information she received.

“Approximately 86% of our students are either fully or partially vaccinated, and that equates to about 21,000 students, and roughly 10% of students have claimed some type of exemption,” Jackson said. “And that comes out to about 2,200 students: 249 have claimed in medical while roughly 1900 have claimed religious [exemptions].”

Jackson noted that 590 students still need to complete the self-certification processes by the Sept. 30 due date set by the university.

As of Sept. 22, Fresno State spokesperson Lisa Boyles Bell confirmed the numbers Jackson presented at the meeting. Additionally, 1.03% of students requested a medical exemption while 8.12% requested a religious exemption.

Out of all students currently enrolled at Fresno State, 4.86% will not be attending in-person classes. Approximately 477 students enrolled in in-person classes have not completed the self certification forms.

Fresno State expects to administer approximately 4,000 weekly tests to its 1,300 employees and 2,700 students. During the week of Sept. 6, the university conducted 1,300 tests.

Fresno State spokesperson Lisa Boyles Bell clarified in an email correspondence that, unlike students, university employee vaccinations are voluntary and self-certified. They also must

Jackson addressed the issue of transparency regarding COVID-19 protocols and discrepancies surrounding contact tracing of people who were potentially exposed to COVID-19.

Jackson acknowledged that university President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval and herself initially believed that officials informed all people within the classroom of a potential exposure when only unvaccinated students were informed.

“Originally myself and the university president were under the impression that everybody in the classroom was being made aware, and we sent out official communication stating that,” Jackson said.

Upon discovering that only unvaccinated students were only being notified of COVID-19 exposures, Jackson and Jiménez-Sandoval condoned the practice.

To resolve the issue Jackson and Jiménez-Sandoval authorized a third party call center to help the Environmental Health and Safety and Risk Management Department to help augment the department’s ability to contact tracing Senator of Sustainability Kristine Kemmer expressed concerns about the panicked nature of her fellow students with whom she discussed the COVID-19 pandemic and the potential shutdown.

A large concern Kemmer relayed to the senate was about the lack of enforcement of daily COVID-19 screenings mandated by the university in high population areas such as the Henry Madden Library as well as classrooms.

“Students say that we should be required to wear masks in this area over by the USU, even outside because that’s a large group of people.

And the student said that, especially when clubs are out there, they should be required to wear masks because they’re interacting with so many people,” Kemmer said.

Kemmer noted that the discussion surrounding the potential shutdown of the university after Thanksgiving caused quite a scare amongst students.

In a previous interview with The Collegian, Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Xuanning Fu confirmed that the university was open to the possibility of transitioning to a virtual environment by Thanksgiving break; however, nothing is set in stone.

Senator of University Innovations David Klein expressed concerns about the accessibil-

Edward Lopez • The Collegian

ASI executives addressed student concerns about COVID-19 vaccination rates and tracing policies. ity of classes to students and proposed the university pursue additional hybrid class options for students, especially immunocompromised individuals.

Klein noted that having more hybrid classes would assist students who would otherwise miss out on in-person classes due to the current COVID-19 self-quarantine period.

Senator for Craig School of Business Nigel Vigan also supported the expansion of hybrid classes as well as distributing additional supplies of personal protection equipment (PPE) like masks and hand sanitizer bottles to all of the colleges.

Executive Vice President Selection ASI conducted a roll call vote to elect a new Executive Vice President at the meeting.

The senate elected Medina III, former senator of student affairs and engagement, to the position of executive vice president of ASI in a roll call vote, beating candidates Klein and Kemmer.

Medina III received all but one vote from the ASI senators participating in the roll call vote. Senators who expressed interest for the position of executive vice president were interviewed by the current executive committee prior to running for office.

“I’m super excited to serve the Senate, I was elected to serve as a voice for the students.

This position will allow me to not only serve as a voice for the students but also as our elected senators,” Medina III said.

Edward Lopez • The Collegian

Kristine Kemmer (left) and David Klein (right) also ran for executive vice president.

Medina III served as interim executive vice president for the first two ASI senate meetings following the vacancy left after the resignation of former Executive Vice President Brianna Aguilar.

“It was really hitting the ground running for the two weeks getting to know the role, getting to work closely with President Jackson and also working with the senators to make sure that I’m prepared and that they’re prepared to serve our students,” Medina III said.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2021

THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS

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Resnick Student Union set to open fall 2022 with new amenities

By Adam Solis Reporter Developers have constructed most of the exterior of the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Student Union (RSU) as university officials plan to open the building by fall 2022.

The 84,000-square-foot building will feature amenities such as a ballroom and 24/7 student access rooms.

Colin Stewart, associate dean of student involvement, said the RSU will provide unique services not previously offered on campus by the current University Student Union.

Stewart highlighted amenities such as a lactation room, a cafe and three new dining options.

“I truly believe this will change and enhance the student experience in such a significant way from how students engage with one another, how they engage with the campus, I see this building as a beacon, I see this building as a space to draw students in,” Stewart said.

The RSU will also include a third floor that is over 3,000 square feet, which will offer a workspace for leadership, clubs and other organizations, according to Stewart.

Anissa Romero, a sophomore majoring in language pathology, said the inclusion of these amenities in the RSU has interested her in joining a student organization to help get the full student experience.

“I actually have been thinking about it and

just knowing that there’s a lot more open spaces for people to be around. I mean that’s what it really comes down to, for me, to where it makes me think a little bit more of whether I would or wouldn’t. But as of right now, it’s kind of more on the would side,” Romero said.

Kaden Sherrell, a sophomore majoring in agriculture business, said that having the 24/7 student access area would be a tool that would be beneficial to students who are in-person and will have to study for finals.

“I think that’s a surprise that there’s nothing here that’s 24/7, especially during finals week or just in general... A place to come to 24/7 would be beneficial to everybody,” Sherrel said.

The RSU will also feature a multipurpose ballroom space that people can partition into three individual spaces for events along with a three-tiered amphitheater.

Outdoor movies and other outside events can be held at the RSU with the addition of a grand staircase.

Giovanni Aguayo, a sophomore graphic design major, noted that the new additions could be a way for the campus community to come together and demonstrate what students are doing at the university.

“I think it’s a good idea... I feel like we should do different movies here and there that people enjoy and maybe they can show like the little documentary films that students are making so people can have a better idea of what students are doing on campus,” Aguayo said.

Jannah Geraldo • The Collegian

McCarthy Building Companies, general contractor for the Resnick Student Union, makes progress on the building on Monday, Sept. 27, 2021.

Students will have over 40 unique spots to use as study areas and over 10 meeting rooms, including a rooftop lounge.

The RSU will also be solar powered and incorporate LEED Gold equivalent standards to promote sustainability and help keep the building ‘green.’

“When it comes to sustainability that’s what we’re excited about,” Stewart said.

“What, as users of the building, can we do?

What practices can we use when we put in that will allow us to keep the building as green as possible?”

The architecture of the RSU includes con-

crete fins on the exterior of the building to help prevent any direct sunlight from hitting the inside of the building during the hottest part of the day.

Due to the pandemic, the RSU faced supply chain issues and labor shortages causing delays.

Additionally, waiting on approval from the State Fire Marshal’s Office made officials push back the projected opening date to fall 2022.

A majority of construction will focus on interior building systems such as electrical, Fresno State public information officer Lisa Boyles Bell said.

Academic Senate relaxes policies for students due to pandemic

By Jannah Geraldo News Editor The Academic Senate approved the relaxation of policies involving virtual courses, documented absences and an incomplete grade criteria during its Sept. 13 meeting.

“The pandemic presents unique challenges in understanding academic impacts in that the changes have been abrupt and unprecedented since spring of 2020,” Academic Senate Chair Raymond Hall said.

Composed of faculty from various departments and programs at Fresno State, the Academic Senate works to “formulate, review, revise and adopt all policies regarding the university’s educational mission,” the senate website outlines.

In March 2020, university officials first signed off on a more flexible interpretation of some Academic Policy Manuals (APM) due to closure of campus during the beginning of the

COVID-19 pandemic.

The senate authorized the flexible interpretation of APM 206 into spring 2022, a policy describing the requirements for teaching synchronously and asynchronously online.

“Given the uncertainty that we cannot yet know when this pandemic crisis will be over, the senate extended the ability to offer courses the way we have for this fall, allowing the possibility of courses being offered in the so-called “virtual mode” we are all now familiar with,” Hall said.

Additionally, the senate relaxed APM 232, allowing accommodations for students who experience unforeseen circumstances from a one-week period to a three-week period with documented, compelling reasons. This period takes into consideration the extent of time a student may quarantine in the case of testing positive to COVID-19.

“If a student must quarantine once during the semester, the faculty wanted to ensure that

such students would have the opportunity to make up work for that period of time,” Hall said.

Amber Crowell, senate member and sociology professor, expressed her support for the relaxation of the policy during the meeting, noting that accommodations are also made for student parents who are unable to attend class.

“It’s because I have heard of at least two cases of students with children who have had to quarantine their kids at home after getting exposed at school or having symptoms. And for me, what I think of is how we accommodate pregnant students with Title IX, we have to accommodate them when they give birth,” Crowell said. “[I] think it’s a good idea to allow that extended time and also accommodate them as much as we can… So I support it and think we can work around it, we can work through it.”

The criteria for an incomplete grade was also adjusted with the relaxation of APM 246.

Typically, professors can only assign an incomplete grade if a student completes twothirds of a course with a grade of C or better.

The relaxation changes this requirement to a completion of one half of the course with a grade of C or better.

Hall said this change recognizes that recovery from COVID-19 may take longer than a few weeks.

“Ideally, if a student completes the work for the course in the designated time period on the incomplete form contract, the incomplete grade is replaced with the grade earned, and this is true even if there is no pandemic,” Hall said.

He said that the Academic Senate will make note of any changes as time progresses.

“Our ability to continue to teach in classrooms ultimately depends on all of us strictly adhering to vaccination, masking and testing requirements, to ensure we all remain safe, healthy and academically prosperous,” Hall said.

A&E

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2021

COLLEGIAN.CSUFRESNO.EDU

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ClovisFest celebrates culture and local entrepreneurs

By Ashley Flowers A&E Editor

After being canceled due to COVID-19 in 2020, ClovisFest was back for its 46th year over the weekend.

The Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino ClovisFest began with the Noble Credit Union Hot Air Balloon Fun Fly. Hundreds gathered Saturday and Sunday morning before sunrise to watch the hot air balloons set up, inflate and lift off.

ClovisFest ran from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. after the hot air balloon take-off, covering 12 city blocks that contained over 250 craft and commercial vendor booths.

Numerous family friendly activities packed the blocks, including carnival rides, inflatable attractions, a petting zoo, mini horse rides, train rides and a rock climbing wall.

Fan favorite festival foods like cotton candy, kettle korn and cinnamon rolls were available, and popular food trucks such as Twisted Masala and Hot Dog on a Stick showed up as well.

There was a beer garden for visitors 21 and older.

Richard Woods, a Fresno State graduate, attended the festival and welcomed the opportunity to go out with his family.

“Over the past year there just hasn’t been that much to do, being locked up with quarantine all the time, you know? The kids get rowdy, me and my wife get tired of being inside all the time. It’s nice to get out around other people and do something different,” Woods said.

ClovisFest once again celebrated various cultures with its International Village, which

included a passport handout encouraging attendees to visit each participating cultural booth to collect stamps for a prize.

The International Village included performances from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a different group taking the stage each half hour.

The Celtic Motion Dance Company kicked off the performances for 2021. Ben Anderson said their company was a regular at ClovisFest.

Anderson, a son of Fresno State alumni and potential future Bulldog himself, drummed, sang and danced for the performance.

Anderson’s sister, the director of the Celtic Motion Dance Company, had joined the team at only seven years old, and he’d been helping out since.

Anderson enjoyed the opportunity to perform traditional Celtic pieces with other cultural performers.

“It’s usually a variety of cultures, it’s always great,” he said.

Other performers included the Fresno Danish Dancers & Kingsburg Coffee Pot Dancers, Clovis Heiwa Taiko, Sikh Women’s Organization, Ntxhais Ntxhee Yeer, Danzantes Yoztaltepetl, Halau Hula I Ka La, Bollywood/Indian Dancers, Nangfa Studio Dancer, and the Brazen Tassley & Eastern Sun Dance Co. New to ClovisFest this year was the Made in Clovis section, with over 50 local vendors showcasing their unique skills to the public.

During this event local leaders and mentors appraised locally made products to choose winners to receive follow-up training and advice to expand their innovation.

The Children’s Business Fair, another newcomer to ClovisFest, presented the next genera-

Kameron Thorn • The Collegian

Visitors filled the streets of Old Town Clovis to visit craft and vendor booths, food stands and more.

Ashley Flowers • The Collegian

Hundreds gathered beginning around 6 a.m. to see the Noble Credit Union Hot Air Balloon Fun Fly. tion of entrepreneurs.

Elementary student Maikaya Bunton used the opportunity to sell her handmade lip glosses. After struggling with candles, Bunton found her footing with lip gloss, which she’d been working on for a year.

“The process really is fun,” said Bunton, whose lip glosses are available for order on Instagram, @m.ks_glosses.

Her family, a group of Fresno State football

fans, came out to support Bunton’s entrepreneurship after seeing the opportunity advertised on social media. Her mother called it “a good opportunity to network.”

ClovisFest posted several COVID-19 regulations for entrance, including specifications for physical distancing and mask requirements.

However, the majority of attendees were not seen complying with these regulations. There was no visible enforcement of the regulations.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2021

THE COLLEGIAN • A&E

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Creative Writing Prize Showcase honors student writers

By Miranda Adams Reporter Fresno State’s Master of Fine Arts program in creative writing presented its first Creative Writing Prize Showcase on Saturday, Sept. 25 to recognize this year’s award-winning writers.

The showcase featured the works of 10 Fresno State students who explored themes of identity, loss and belonging through poetry, fiction and nonfiction.

“We wanted to give students a platform to share and celebrate their powerful and amazing work,” said Brynn Saito, Fresno State English professor and host of event.

“We also wanted to give audience members, our community, their friends and family, an opportunity to hear these very moving, important and intimate stories.”

Hermelinda “Ceci” Hernandez Monjaras gained the attention of judges and guests with her works about the plight of being a Latin immigrant in the United States.

Her poem “Roma / City Limit / Pop 9765” won the undergraduate Mireyda Barraza Martinez Prize for Social Justice Writing.

The aforementioned prize is awarded annually to students who use their talent to be advocates for equality.

The prize is named after Mireyda “Mia” Barraza Martinez, the late Fresno State alumna, teacher, poet and activist.

Hernandez Monjaras was also recognized for her personal story that left listeners tearyeyed.

“Mujeres de las Nubes,” which won the undergraduate Fresno Nonfiction Prize, follows Ceci and her abuela from Oaxaca to the U.S. and explores the heartache of deportation.

Amber L. Carpenter was awarded the graduate level prize for her essay “The Cartography of Shame and Womanhood.”

In this essay she explores the parallels that

can both bond and divide mothers and daughters.

Caleigh Camara also wrote about the emotional weight of love in her story “Ugly-Shaped Tomatoes.” This undergraduate Fresno Fiction Prize winner explores the quirks of grieving, and leaves the reader grappling with the diverse and dynamic emotions of sentimentality.

“When I see those lumpy tomatoes on my coffee table… I feel her comforting presence, like she’s there beside me, reliving the summer days of my youth,” Camara wrote.

Camara also received the Larry Levis Poetry Prize for her poem “A Story from My Father, Age 16, as Told While Sitting in the Hot Tub Drinking Coffee.”

Steven Kleinman, the winner of the 2019 Philip Levine Prize for Poetry, judged the award.

Levine was a U.S. Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize recipient who taught English at Fresno State. Award-winning poets Larry Levis and Ernesto Trejo were among his students.

Like Levis, Trejo also had a prize dedicated to his name this year.

Aidan Castro won for his poem, “I anesthetic back from ten.”

Castro also received the graduate Mireyda Barraza Martinez Prize for Social Justice Writing for the poem “The Revision of Section 1557.”

This piece explores the dehumanization that is transphobia.

Following in the footsteps of Levine, Levis and Trejo, Soul Vang was also a Fresno State student and influential poet.

His annual prize is dedicated to poets that reflect on the Hmong or Asian American cultural experience.

Gaoyong Yang-Vang received this year’s prize for her poem “My Will,” which explores how she translates and makes sense of her Hmong ancestral traditions.

“Do not sacrifice an animal / to give me a

Vendila Yang • The Collegian

The Writing Center is located in the Kremen Education Building for Fresno State students. spirit guide… Let me hear sounds of poetry,” Yang-Vang wrote.

Yang-Vang said she began to contemplate her own spiritual identity after a family friend and poet passed away. “[Pos Moua] didn’t do the typical Hmong funeral. He asked to be cremated and to have his ashes spread across like waterfalls,” she said. “[Like him], I’ll establish my own path.”

Mialise Carney also touched upon themes of forging one’s own path in her story, “The Hydrangea Fairy.”

The fairy in this graduate Fresno Fiction Prize winner’s tale personifies the extensional dread that can come when confronting the monotonous day-in-and-day-out routine of working in corporate America.

“I came up with this piece when I was working in customer service,” Carney said. “I had this sort of conflict between value and labor.

So I started thinking about the value of work

and whether we don’t work, what are we really worth?”

Saito has taught many of these student writers in her classes. However, she says she is often herself the student, learning from her pupils.

“As I get older, I feel like I think too much and self-censor a little more, but when I was younger and writing in my twenties, like my students, there was just this kind of rush of feeling and memory and insight,” Saito said.

“I think my students have really taught me to stay true to that part of myself that is open to that kind of vulnerability and bravery in writing.”

Tony Vang was runner up for the Larry Levis Poetry Prize.

Michelle Ferrer Alvarez, Sadie Gleason and James Thomas Morrison all received honorable mentions.

A recording of the event will be made available on the Fresno State MFA YouTube account.

Courtesy of Ceci Hernandez Monjaras

Courtesy of Caleigh Camara

Courtesy of Gaoyang Yang-Vang

Courtesy of Mialise Carney

Mireya Barraza Martinez Prize for Social Justice Writing winner Ceci.

Fresno Fiction Prize winner Caleigh Camara.

Gaoyang Yang-Vang’s poem “My Will” was a winner this year.

Fresno Fiction Prize winner Mialise Carney.

OPINION

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2021

Students should utilize mental health services on campus

By Ashley Flowers A&E Editor According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “three out of four Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 report poor mental health tied to the pandemic.”

The CDC found that 1 in 4 of that same sample had seriously considered suicide in the 30 days prior to being asked.

College students are already susceptible to stress, anxiety and depression due to the changes they experience in these years.

Luckily for Fresno State students, there are many mental health services available on campus.

One-on-one, relationship, and group counseling services are available, as well as further individualized care programs such as Project Hope.

Fresno State students pay a mandatory $143 health fee each semester as part of their Fresno State tuition that goes to funding the Student Health and Counseling Center.

Students are helping to fund these health services, but many aren’t even using them.

Why? In an interview with Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, he suggested one reason may be the negative stigma associated with mental health issues and seeking help for them.

Jiménez-Sandoval said the goal for his Alegría Mental Health Task Force this semester would be to “begin to chip away and destigmatize the negative association people usually have with mental health, or with requesting mental health [help] or going to gather mental health resources, or just going to a mental health specialist.”

I agree that this is a crucial first step because I’ve been one of those students hesitant to seek help for mental health struggles.

Throughout my time pursuing my undergraduate degree at Fresno State, I only started seeking counseling services and resources at

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

Vendila Yang • The Collegian

Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval said the goal for the Alegría Mental Health Task Force is to begin to chip away and destigmatize the negative association people usually have with mental health. the Student Health and Counseling Center in my very last semester.

It helped a lot at a time when I was incredibly stressed about what the rest of my life was going to look like post-college.

The counselors helped me learn how to cope with the changes and doubts I was experiencing in my life.

Now that I’m back on campus pursuing my master’s, I want to take advantage of all of the resources I can, and I want the same for my fellow Bulldogs.

I don’t think students should look at counseling services or other mental health resources as the last resort after a rough semester.

The counselors that work here and the resources that are available are here for you – and you’re paying for them!

So use them.

You can call the Student Health and Coun-

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seling Center at (559) 278-2734, or complete an interest form online, to set up your first appointment.

It’s just like going to a doctor for the first time.

You fill out some paperwork about your mental health status and history.

You talk about what’s been giving you a tough time lately and then you get the options for what to do next.

It might be one-on-one, individual counseling, or it could be group counseling, or something else.

They’ll find the best fit for you, and you’ll be able to give feedback on what you are or aren’t comfortable with.

The Student Health and Counseling Center can also connect you with off-campus resources that may better serve whatever you’re going through.

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They can connect you with specific resources, for instance, for grief/loss, LGBTQ+ information and support, addiction, advocacy and more.

When describing the opportunities on campus, mental health resources can provide to students, Jiménez-Sandoval said “when you seek out a mental health specialist it opens doors of opportunity for you to get to know yourself more and to really chart out what comes after.”

Exploring the options available on campus doesn’t have to be something you do just because you’re depressed, or anxious, or angry or whatever else.

It can be for all those things! But it doesn’t have to be.

Use these resources just to get to know yourself better and help determine what you want to do after you graduate.

After all, you already paid for them.

Edward Lopez Sydney Morgan Melina Kazanjian Lexee Padrick Hannah Heiber Edward Lopez Richard Marshall Kevin Fries Jan Edwards Timothy Drachlis 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 © 2021 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.

SPORTS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2021

COLLEGIAN.CSUFRESNO.EDU

PAGE 7

Men’s rugby says it’s frustrated with lack of support

By Manuel Hernandez Sports Editor At Rotary West Park, flies, mosquitos and red ants hover around people’s legs and infest whatever personal items are left on the ground.

It is not the worst-looking park in the world, but there are not many good qualities that can reject that argument. There’s a large hole that can injure any kid because rain or a leaky sprinkler floods the park.

This environment may not be suitable for anyone in the community; nevertheless, a nationally ranked men’s rugby team.

“We have issues, a lot of times, in practice because you get a lot of cars broken into - where we train,” head coach Patrick Quan said. “Last season, the Fresno State Police Department was kindly coming by and going through the parking lot to double check because it became such an issue.”

They have to pay to play in that very field.

Since they are a club sport, it is out of their own pockets. The men’s rugby team are only allowed to practice in the kinesiology field twice a month, if they’re lucky.

Subsequently, they make contracts with the City of Fresno to reserve fields wherever they can play, including the Rotary West Park.

But despite having a contract, the team often negotiates with people around the neighborhood who do not understand they have the area reserved. It is also not practical to train in different parks and fields.

Quan shared his frustration with constantly moving equipment and the difficulties of transportations because his players must go away from Fresno State.

“I feel sorry for the players,” Quan said.

“You know, the effort that a kid puts in as an athlete is no different if you’re playing rugby or any other sport.”

The rugby team always explains to other people that they are a competitive sport that represents Fresno State. Being called a club sport has negative connotations because it is not supported by the athletic department.

Also, the popularity of rugby in America is far less than in other countries.

“Yeah, it’s not super popularized in the United States, but the community is pretty awesome. It’s like no other community,” said Josh Jacobson, in his fourth year on the team. “Some people don’t actually realize we’re a team that plays against other teams. People ask ‘you play against Stanford?’ Yeah, of course, we do.”

In Quan’s fifth year of coaching, the team’s season started great in a victory over No. 4

Jesús Cano • The Collegian

Rugby player Travis Hansen passes the ball in practice (top photo). The rugby team practices running drills on Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021, at Rotary West Park (bottom photo).

Chico State. The win got them serious traction because it was their first time beating a ranked opponent, and then, it was the first time they went undefeated into the playoffs.

Unfortunately, their best year got cut short because the pandemic canceled the rest of their season and paused all games for over a year and a half. Many returning players are looking to repeat the success they had before the pandemic, but they struggle with school support because of their classification as a club sport.

“These guys are truly Fresno State athletes

in every single way,” Quan said. “You got to be a full-time student, in good standing, to play rugby in college… it’s not an open door. Not everybody can play. You have to meet all these criteria.”

The rugby team represents Fresno State, but the name seems to be the only thing they get from the school.

Quan is grateful the school is giving them more stuff this year like some jerseys and, especially, the kinesiology field for games. Before, they had to play their games in a middle school

field, and visiting teams would ask if the middle school was the Fresno State campus.

Quan pointed out that this is a problem solely for Fresno State’s team, comparing them to Stanford’s rugby team. Stanford has played rugby since 1891 and has a multi-million dollar rugby field. They have a lot of funding and high-paying coaching jobs - they’re also a club sport. In their last season, Fresno State defeated Stanford by 50 points.

Quan is not even considered a sports coach because it’s a club sport; he’s considered a volunteer with no payment.

“This is not a career. Coaching rugby could be, but coaching Fresno State is not,” Quan said. “For me, this is a labor love… my goal coming into Fresno State was to make them a nationally recognized program.”

When the rugby season was canceled in 2020, Fresno State was ranked No. 11 in the nation.

The team is not asking for a multi-million dollar field, but something better than a muddy park that closes whenever it rains.

The team has a lot of promising players. Isaia Kruse, who’s been practicing with the team since his junior year of high school, played in the Pan-American rugby league and for Team USA in the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics.

Joe Kryger, a Fresno State master’s student in his fourth year on the team, made the USA’s All-American camp and has practiced with veteran players from other countries like South Africa. Quan believes Kryger can make it to a professional league.

The team invite others to try out. Although it is hard and underappreciated, the community and comaraderie are what make them stay.

From teammates who are Olympians to those who never heard of the sport, they treat everyone like family.

Quan said it’s not fair for the students who put in the effort for their teams but receive no attention in return. His team must coordinate around school, work and any other obstacles life throw at them like a pandemic.

“They have to do more with less.” Quan said.

“The struggles that maybe a club sport has is not unique to the rugby team.”

Still, they remain diligent and enthusiastic to go out to a city park to train with their newfound brothers because they know they can play at a high level with little resources.

“These practices are hard, and we’ll work them hard… We’re out here training wherever we can. We’re playing games all over the place.”

Quan said. “They’re a lot of sacrifices they make to play. I think that should be acknowledged.”

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2021

THE COLLEGIAN • SPORTS

PAGE 8

Bulldogs reciever brings heart of Texas to the Valley

By Manuel Hernandez | Sports Editor

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•

In Brenham, Texas, Keric Wheatfall and his family would go to their grandmother’s house out in the countryside with a wide-open field that’s 300 yards of grass and rocks.

Ignoring the gravel and sticker bugs, everyone played football without pads and without worries. Keric’s older brother, Kerry Wheatfall Jr., said it best: if you’re going to play football in the country, “you gon’ play football” — aggressive and rough.

But that didn’t matter because it was fun being around family and friends. Kerry Jr. said that kind of experience doesn’t leave a person.

Playing in the country can be like playing at a stadium because the football team is like another family.

That mindset influenced Keric when he decided to take football seriously.

“Honestly, my family, that’s really the main thing because I’ve been through some ups and downs, a lot of downs, that I just want to, you know, walk away from things,” Keric said. “But talking to my family, calling my family and

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them just giving me advice… giving me motivation to just go out there and perform for them and my teammates.”

Wheatfall’s work ethic is like no others, and that is the number one quality people mention when describing him. He’s a hard worker. He had to be because people doubted him based on his rural background.

Throughout middle school and high school, people teased him because he was from the country, and they assumed he couldn’t play football in bigger cities. Wheatfall was stuck on B-teams throughout school, and at that point of his life, he described it as a “downhill spiral.”

He struggled in classes and involved himself in the wrong crowd. People counted Wheatfall out, but Michael Allen – his high school coach – didn’t.

Allen said it wasn’t Wheatfall’s work ethic that needed improvement. Instead, he required better focus on his goals in life.

“He knew what he wanted to be,” Allen said.

“Everything we do was going to be focused and driven toward that goal.”

That goal centered around football.

Once Allen told Wheatfall he can make it to the NFL, that motivated him to take the sport seriously. They started waking up at 5 a.m. to work out together and practice running routes to improve Wheatfall’s skills. “[Allen] honestly got me to the point to where I am today, so I’m thankful to ever have him come in my life,” Wheatfall said.

By sophomore year, Wheatfall moved up to varsity.

That same year, he landed on his back trying to catch a ball and broke his collarbone.

After suffering a devastating injury, he went into the locker room upset. But instead of going back into that downhill

Melina Kazanjian • The Collegian

Fresno State wide receiver Keric Wheatfall waits for the snap against the UNLV Rebels on Friday, Sept. 24, 2021, at Bulldog Stadium. spiral, he looked at his close friend and high school teammate Blake Rachal. They both just started laughing.

“That shows me that everything is gonna be okay. [Keric’s] in good spirits,” Rachal said.

“That’s just his personality. You know, he always tried to make somebody laugh. He always laughing.”

After high school, Wheatfall went to Blinn College in Brenham because he did not want to redshirt for a bigger school. He wanted to play and show the work he’s been doing. Although it was a tougher route, it paid off when he gained attention from Fresno State receiver coach Kirby Moore.

Moore teased Wheatfall about their first meeting because he overslept, so Moore waited three hours in the Blinn offices. Despite the rocky start, the interview went well, and Wheatfall started his journey as a Bulldog football player “It’s been awesome to have him here,” Moore said. “I think he’s really focused in terms of just some of the different hurdles that he’s gone through to get here.”

Now, in his third season here, Wheatfall is a starting wide receiver for No. 18 Fresno State,

and has already recorded one touchdown and 296 yards on 16 receptions this season.

His family loves seeing Wheatfall – or Manmans as his nickname – on TV. They text in a group chat specifically made for watching Wheatfall play.

Although it was tough being alone in a new state, Wheatfall was able to embrace Fresno State and make the town his new home.

“He’s not going to give up on Fresno. He loves Fresno, actually. That’s his place.” Kerry Jr. said.

Due to the pandemic and the far commute, many of his friends and family haven’t seen him play in-person. Despite the lack of presense in the stadium, Wheatfall knows his family is still watching.

Having five brothers, three older and two younger, his drive at Fresno State will always be fueled by his loved ones back at Texas.

He wents to set an example for them.

“When my little brothers , they see me succeed and they see me pushing through all this adversity because they play football as well,” Wheatfall said. “I feel like they’ll just drive themselves to become a better person than me.

You know, just watching me grow.”