Fall 2014, Issue 2

Winner of the Society of Professional Journalists’ Mark of Excellence award

September 3, 2014

Fall, issue 2

Space legend visits campus

New learning management system wellaccepted Christopher Pangalos Staff Writer

Upon returning to classes this semester, you may have been surprised to find your courses displayed in a completely new manner online.

This is due to the implementation of Florida Tech’s new learning management system, Canvas. Canvas still has all the same general features as the previous LMS, ANGEL, along with a variety of new ones, but students and faculty accustomed to ANGEL may have difficulty getting used to it.

So why did FIT switch to Canvas? Instructional Programmer Eric Donath who worked to integrate Canvas explains, “ANGEL was reaching its product end of life cycle … there will be no new updates.”

Back in 2009, Blackboard set the ANGEL support end date for 2014. “We’ve been in the process to replace ANGEL since 2011,” said Donath. “There was a lot of work involved; the work was mostly choosing it.”

While Canvas itself is open-source, Florida Tech is contracted with them and pays for

photo Courtesy of Michelle Mock

NBC Correspondent gives talk on new book

Fumiko Shinkawa Staff Writer

The Hartley Room buzzed with excitement Friday, August 22, with preparations for the arrival of Jay Barbree, who covered every manned space mission from Alan Shepard’s first suborbital spaceflight in May 1961 to STS135’s final voyage in 2011 as an NBC veteran reporter.

The black-tie event, hosted by the Lifelong Scholar Society of Florida Tech, featured a book signing, during which Barbree chatted with enthusiasts, and a lecture celebrating the release of his newest book, Neil Armstrong – Life of Flight, to coincide with the 45th anniversary of America’s first manned moon landing in 1969.

In an interview, Barbree briefly described his inspiration for the book, revealed Neil Armstrong’s surprising shyness, and admitted that “after his passing, we decided to go ahead and write [the book] because […] we figured if we didn’t write it there won’t be nobody around that will.”

Barbree also described his humble beginnings in journalism, saying that “you need to get started anywhere that you can get your feet in the door.” He excitedly encouraged students to persevere and “get in any way you can.”

The event drew over 100 in attendance, including President Catanese and many other important players on campus, raising the question: what do these events do for Florida Tech? Tamara Murray, coordinator of “The View from Within the Spacesuit,” said that

community. We’re a little hidden gem in Brevard County [that] more people need to utilize.”

What followed the event was overwhelmingly positive, with audience members shaking hands with the staff on their way out, and comments such as, “what a crowd pleaser,” or that Barbree was, “so engaging.”

One enthusiastic student stated that, “to have so many legends of space […] even in the same room at the same time. It’s, you know, pride in the school, too. That’s a big thing.” Inspired by the advancements the space program caused, he said that his major would not exist if not for the program and that, “if it weren’t for those forerunners, [he] would be aimless.”

“The turnout for students in particular was incredible,” one attendee stated after the lecture.

Casey Doran, a software engineering student, said, “I’ve seen kids from all four years, I [saw] freshman in there that I have just met.

I’ve seen people who were with me in Robert Hall my freshman year and everyone in between.”

Overall, staff working the event agreed that it was a success and many attendees expressed appreciation for the visibility events like these bring Florida Tech. v

“you need to get started anywhere that you can get your feet in the door.”

-Jay Barbree the Lifelong Scholar Society helps expose students to “things they may not be quite aware of.”

Murray added that, while this event was a success, she had high hopes for the program and future events, stating that, “it’s going to be a great thing for our

photo Courtesy of Michelle Mock

To be or not to be Greek See greek page 3

additional functionality, such as 24/7 support.

Donath gave a rough estimate that Florida Tech saves about $50,000 annually by switching from ANGEL. Donath explained that Canvas has much more storage space and the ability to integrate many third-party apps.

“Canvas is a modern web appliance that uses many of the advances in the web 2.0 world,” said Donath.

Of course, some of this new technology can be difficult to use—particularly for professors who need it to manage their classes. “Good functionality, high learning curve,” said calculus professor William Girton. “It’s a bit painful, but we’ll get used to it.”

Instructional designer Jason Griggs, who does much of the faculty training for Canvas, said he’s trained roughly 160 faculty, and that doesn’t seem unusually high. “It seems natural, not overwhelming,” said Griggs.

“Something as simple as a naming convention can cause minor confusion.”

He explained that he has had an overall positive

Story continues on page 7

photo Courtesy of Michelle Mock

Raw Food Educator to Screen documentary at Florida Tech See FooD, page 5

Fall 2014 Sports Preview See sports, back page

OPINIONS....................... 2 campus life................. 5 sci/tech...................... 7

OPINIONS

2 - September 3, 2014

the Florida tech crimson

CAPS PSA: Tips and tricks to organization Sticky note wall This option will involve a lot of sticky notes! Simply clear a space on your wall and stick sticky notes there. You can make a sticky note section for upcoming tests, assignments, meetings, and whatever else you like. Then when the assignment passes, or the party, you can just throw the sticky note away and replace it with a new one. You can make each section a different color, or just have a big mixture of colors for everything.

Photo credits to jenhewett.com

Kendra Bartel CAPS Outreach Columnist You did it! You survived your first few weeks back to college. Or you survived your first few weeks of your first year. However, you may be wondering what are some ways you can better adjust to this new life, or ways you can make the college lifestyle easier for you? It’s likely that these first few weeks have been stressful, challenging and full of all kinds of events. From parties to new classes, it’s likely that you may already be feeling worn out. You’re starting to realize that a clean up is in order, or you may be realizing you need some tips and tricks to keeping yourself organized during this sometimes overwhelming college life. Here we will be discussing just that!

What if organization isn’t what you are struggling with so far? What if homesickness, making new friends, succeeding in classes or simply coping with the huge change of college is troubling you? Then make sure to stop by the CAPS student event on Thursday, September 4 from 7-8 p.m. in Evans Hall, room 202 for Home Away from Home: How to adjust and succeed in your new life! Here there will be giveaways and information on how to ease into the school year academically, socially and personally. You can also check out CAPS group event Why Worry?, starting September 9 and meeting through October 1 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 11 a.m. – Noon in the Crawford building, seventh floor. Here you can learn better time management skills and anxiety reduction techniques that will help with the stress of college. We hope to see you there!

Tips and tricks: how to stay organized!

Invest in a planner You can buy a planner at our school’s bookstore, as well as Walmart, Target, Barnes and Noble or Amazon to name a few places. Here you can write down the times your classes start, when assignments are due, and when any meetings or get-togethers you have are happening. Planners come in all sizes, so whether you need a notebook size to help you fit everything in, or a small size to have on-the-go in your pocket, you can get it! Planners often have a month view and a week view. Some have the days split into times as well.

No matter which one you choose you can write down everything you need to remember. You can even color coordinate different classes or events. That way you know what assignment is for what class, and the vibrant colors will capture your attention so you don’t forget!

Computer calendars What if writing everything down in a paper planner isn’t for you? Good news is, there are also calendar options through your Florida Tech email account. Gmail offers a calendar that you can have directly on your computer (Canvas also offers a calendar option). So if you are more into computers, these calendar options may be more user-friendly for you. When using the Gmail calendar offered through your Florida Tech email, you can also sync it to your smart phone. That way you have all your due dates right on your phone! The color coordinating option is also

possible through both Gmail and Canvas, so have no fear, you won’t be looking at a bunch of boring, colorless due dates that all mesh together. Another big help is you can set up customized reminders.

This way you will get a reminder email or notification directly to your phone, so no matter where you are, you won’t forget! Also it’s FREE! Dry erase board or cork board A dry erase board can easily be made in to a reminder center or a place where you can write down different information you may need throughout the week or month. You can even make it a place where you and your roommates can communicate about different events. Just simply draw different sections pertaining to whatever you need to remember or whatever you would like to say. You can even have a space for inspiring quotes to keep yourself motivated. With a corkboard, just simply write down notes and pin them to it. It can be placed anywhere, so you can see it and remember whatever you need.

You can also customize it how you would like and make it all about you.

Mirror writing This option may have you a bit stumped. But did you know you could write on a mirror with dry erase markers? This option is also pretty easy on the wallet, because all you need are markers, some Windex, and paper towels.

So whether you want to write a to-do list, or positive, uplifting statements when you wake up for an early class, you can. When you need to write something new, just simply spray the mirror and wipe it all away. You also keep your mirror nice and clean at the same time!

Binders and folders Having one large binder that holds all of your classes can be one of the easiest ways to keep your syllabi, class notes, and assignments in one place. That way you know exactly where to look when you need something. Also, then you don’t spend hours frantically running around your room trying to find one piece of paper from a week ago that you discovered you now need for an exam. You can utilize dividers, which will allow you to have different sections for each class. You can also use dividers to make divisions within each class section. For example, you have your statistics divider, then dividers for your notes, homework and test materials following. If having one big binder isn’t your style, you can utilize one small binder for each class, or you can have one binder for Monday/ Wednesday/Friday classes, and Tuesday/Thursday classes. Either way, having all of that information in one place is the key to staying on top of things!

Computer folders Most classes now require written papers, and involve PowerPoint slides. Utilizing the folder option on your computer will help keep you super organized. Here’s an example for fall semester: title a folder “Fall 2014.” Then inside this folder, make more folders (one for each class). Within these folders you can then put all the information for that specific class.

You could even add folders labeled “notes,” “study guides,” etc. within your class folder. That way, when you log on to your computer, it’s all right there for you!

With all of these options, remember, timing is key! At the beginning of every semester, write down all important dates and things you will need to remember.

It is better to get it all written down before you forget! Taking time out to do this will save you a lot of time in the future. It’s also important to remember that no matter how you plan to stay organized, it needs to work for you. Everyone is different, so everyone may organize themselves differently. You may even find you

need to try a few options before you find one that really works for you. This is all totally okay! The important thing to remember is that you express yourself, and are happy with what you have chosen.

Staying organized shouldn’t be a task, so make it something fun and creative. Either way, staying organized in college is important and will make you feel much less stressed!

Hopefully this information has been beneficial for you to set yourself up for success! However, if you find yourself still struggling, CAPS is available to help!

We are here on campus to offer assistance for many challenges college students face. To make an appointment with a mental health counselor, call CAPS (321) 6748050 or walk into the center. We are located beside the Health Center, at the corner of Country Club Road and University Boulevard.

Our website (www.fit.edu/caps) also offers additional information regarding our services, groups and events, as well as self-help resources and brief screenings for depression, anxiety, stress, eating disorders and alcohol use. We realize it can be uncomfortable to reach out for help for the first time, but we hope you do contact us when you need us. CAPS is just one of many resources at Florida Tech that supports maintaining a happy and healthy you! v

Check us out at: crimson.fit.edu

opinions

3 - September 3, 2014

The Florida tech crimson

To be or not to be Greek

Alex Salter Staff Writer Κα λ ώ ς ή λ θ α τ ε σ τ η ν ελληνική ζωή, or should I say, welcome to Greek Life. Greek Life at colleges has been a huge and popular tradition for centuries. What is Greek Life? Greeks are the people you usually see on television or in movies; they’re the fraternities and sororities that make college a bit more interesting. However, the way Greek Life is portrayed in films isn’t exactly

accurate. Usually when people think of fraternities or sororities, “Project X” parties come to mind.

Stereotypes like that have tainted the image of a culture that has been a part of the college experience throughout history. Therefore, it is crucial that people get a better understanding of what Greek Life actually is.

Florida Tech is home of several fraternities and sororities.

What puts aside Florida Tech from other large universities is the fact that they hold an event called “rush week.” During rush week, fraternities hold events, both formal and informal, to show students what they’re all about. Each fraternity is unique as each hold their own

values that they take very seriously. That is why, fraternities especially since there’s eight of them on campus, encourage their potential recruits to attend events from all fraternities to see where they fit in best. Becoming Greek is a huge commitment so it is important that, if a student is interested, they find the one fraternity that is best suited for their personalities and values because that choice will stay with them for the rest of their life.

Each fraternity expresses their values to students so that the students can decide whether their values line up with one of the fraternities. However, that decision can be difficult when there

are misconceptions astray. For example, when asked about recruitment tactics, freshman Khalil Harrison had this to say: “I think they will say anything to draw you in because that’s what they’re supposed to do. Even though you don’t know if they’re telling the truth or not, you have no choice but to believe them. They all say they have the highest gpa, but how do new students know that for sure?”

It’s interesting to point out the statement about all fraternities saying they have the highest gpa.

Is that a strategy to get academic driven students recruited?

Something else that fraternities talk about is how close they are with each other. You can feel the love and respect between fraternities. However, it’s interesting to point out how it seems as though some fraternities go further than others during their rush week events. Pi Kappa Alpha picked up their potential recruits in limos while other fraternities had barbeques or recreational events.

What impressionable student wouldn’t want a free ride in a limo? Is that just an honest attempt to show students what Pi Kappa Alpha is all about, or is there a little competition in the air?

When asked if there was any competition between fraternities during recruitment, Greek life director Cassandra McGuire Carnley stated, “Absolutely, there is! A very strong but healthy competition that allows each organization the opportunity to explain and show their fraternal values to potential members. Although recruitment competition is apparent, I find on our campus most of the competition is for nobler purposes, such as the highest volunteer hours, most dollars raised, etc.”

When asked if some fraternities try to hold better events during rush week, she said, “I think that chapters work within the budgets they have to produce the most engaging and fun events for our students.”

To get a better understanding of what Greek Life is like for actual members, Alpha Tau Omega member Corin Lobo spoke about his Greek experience so far, “Being a part of a fraternity helps you physically as you train for intramurals and also psychologically because you have your brothers to help you. You learn time management which is really beneficial. Five days before I joined Greek Life, I came from a different country and didn’t know what Greek life was. ATO explained what it was. Two major reasons I joined was because of the brotherhood and social services.

I wanted the family away from home and I wanted an opportunity to help people. Once you’re a part of Greek Life, you never want to leave and you want more people to have that experience. That’s why there’s a lot of recruiting because they want people to experience this.”

So, despite all the stereotypes and misconceptions that members of Greek Life struggle to overcome, there are a lot of benefits to going Greek. Therefore, before you decide to make the commitment, be informed on everything Greek Life can do for not only yourself, but for your school and community as well.

Cassandra says, “Fraternity and sorority members lead the campus in scholarship, philanthropic donations, community service involvement, and leadership development.

Members of Greek Life typically achieve higher academically than their peers and are members or leaders of many campus organizations. Additionally, they tend to be more engaged in the university both as students and after graduation as alumni.” If you want to become involved in your college, going Greek might be the right choice. However, there’s nothing wrong with choosing the opposite path and there will never be any pressure put on someone to become Greek. So, the question is, is Greek Life for you? v

CAMPUS LIFE

5 -September 3, 2014

The Florida tech crimson

Raw Food Educator to Screen Documentary at Florida Tech Jenna Norwood Was Transformed by Her Shift to Healthier Living Press Release Florida Institute of Technology is bringing raw food educator Jenna Norwood and her documentary, “Supercharge Me! 30 Days Raw,” to Gleason Performing Arts Center on Sept. 5 as part of the university’s commitment to the health of its employees, students and the community at large.

The event, sponsored by a health education grant from the Independent Colleges and Universities Benefits Association, runs from 5-8 p.m. It is free to attend but a recommended donation of $5 at the door is suggested. All proceeds from donations and a raffle held at the end of the night featuring health-related prizes will go to the United Way of Brevard.

The event opens with Healthy Happy Hour, a reception from 5-6 p.m. at Gleason featuring organic and raw foods, such as wheat grass shots, juice elixirs, and fruits and vegetables. Norwood will mingle, and her book and DVD will be available for sale and signing.

The movie begins at 6 p.m.

The 75-minute “rawcumentary,” as it has been called, centers on Norwood and her decision to consume only fresh, raw, organic food for 30 days. Her original inspiration was weight loss, but the results went beyond that for the former public relations consultant and included lower cholesterol and blood sugar, the elimination of chronic pain, improved mental clarity and a happier disposition.

The often humorous movie captures Norwood’s odyssey from Sarasota to San Diego, Calif., where she enrolled in a 30-day raw food detox program and ate only uncooked “living” foods such as organic fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, sprouted grains, blended soups, smoothies and juices. It also includes interviews with doctors, raw food experts, and celebrity practitioners such as dancer Ben Vereen.

For more information, please call the Florida Tech Department of Human Resources at 321-674-8100 or email hr@fit.edu.

photo Credits to ferrumfitness.wordpress.com

New learning management system well-accepted

we want you!

The Florida Tech Crimson is looking for staff writers, photographers, graphic designers, cartoonists and more to join our staff !

The Crimson is a great opportunity to build a portfolio of your work, while also making a difference on campus.

Interested?

Story continued From page1 response from faculty. “I think that once the initial learning curve is overcome, it will be a very positive experience.”

On a side-by-side comparison, Canvas seems bit more cluttered than ANGEL. Instead of selecting a course from a home menu, you select it from a dropdown menu and different sections

are grouped in a panel on the left.

In particular, the home option on Canvas can be annoying if you’re used to ANGEL, since it goes to the specific course home rather than a general home page. From a visual standpoint, Canvas by default seems more gray and dull than angel and the text can seem stuffy.

Aesthetics aside, Canvas seems to have much more functionality and a lot of interesting features. One new feature is the ability to send text alerts as well

as emails when new grades are posted, but you can also opt out of these if you don’t want them.

There’s also the addition of class chat rooms and the ability to post and search course videos. Another useful feature is collaborations, which can be used to share documents more easily with classmates through GoogleDocs or Etherpad.

Overall, Canvas may not look as nice as ANGEL but if you know how to use it, you can do a lot more. v

Email us at crimson@fit.edu or email the editor-in-chief at rduntz2012@my.fit.edu.

Our meetings are every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Crimson office at the back of Grissom Hall. Join us! There is free food!

Campus life

6 -September 3, 2014

College of Science’s McMichael Awarded $172K NASA Grant

The Florida tech crimson

Scott Center Convenes Weekly Discussion Groups Starting Sept. 11, Free, HourLong Sessions to Focus on Adult Social Skills Press Release

Research Associate to Use Funds for Maize Agriculture Study Press Release Florida Institute of Technology Research Associate Crystal McMichael was awarded a $172,000 grant by NASA for her research, “Mounds, Microclimates, and Maize: Understanding the influence of inland lakes on maize agriculture in pre-Contact indigenous societies using remotely sensed data.”

This project, which started in 2013 and is expected to continue through 2016, is in collaboration with researchers at the University of New Hampshire, where McMichael served as a postdoctoral associate after completing her doctorate in ecology at Florida Tech.

The funding came through NASA’s Space Archaeology

program because much of McMichael’s work involves using remotely-sensed data collected by satellites to predict archaeological features in the landscape.

The study centers on tracing the spread of maize throughout the Great Lakes region of the U.S. and identifying microclimates that may have been preferable for maize agriculture using remote sensing, archeological surveys and paleoecological reconstructions.

McMichael specifically focuses on analyzing pollen and charcoal found in the lake sediment cores, which allows her to trace the movement of people and associated maize agriculture throughout the region.

The grant will be used primarily to core additional lakes in the region and analyze additional sediment samples. v

Community members age 18-28 with Autism Spectrum Disorders, learning differences or other social or communication challenges are invited to attend Get in the Game, the weekly group sessions sponsored by Florida Institute of Technology’s Scott Center for Autism Treatment.

The free sessions are held from 5-6 p.m. every Thursday starting Sept. 11 in the secondfloor seminar room at the Scott Center, 150 W. University Blvd. on the Florida Tech campus. The sessions will continue through Dec. 11.

Sponsored by the center’s Community Psychology Services, the sessions will feature discussions about managing stress, communication, perspective-taking, relationship issues and more.

“The adult social skills group at The Scott Center for Autism Treatment is a unique program in the community because it focuses on common topics that affect young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders, such as improving social thinking, dating, maintaining friendships, and interviewing for a job,” said Tammi Pawich, a staff psychologist and board-certified behavior analyst who will be conducting the group sessions.

She continued, “Our program utilizes behavioral techniques to allow participants to practice skills in small groups and receive immediate feedback, so that they can be successful in using these skills in community settings during group social events.”

For more information, contact the Scott Center at 321-6748106 or visit www.thescottcenter. org. To register, email David Alexander at dalexander2012@ my.fit.edu. v

7 -September 3, 2014

SCI/TECH

The Florida tech crimson

Gadget Corner Joseph Stoltz Staff Writer

Kisai Seven Wristwatch

images property of tokyoflash.com

This week for the gadget corner, I’m actually bringing you gadgets that are affordable and not completely pointless. I know, you’re in awe at this moment.

Both of the gadgets this week come from Tokyoflash Japan, a company that has created some of the most interesting wristwatches I have ever seen, which also includes some of the most headache- and epileptic-inducing wristwatches I have ever seen.

The first watch I’ll introduce you to is one that was actually a fan concept brought to life after Tokyflash opened its Design Studio Blog and the design was voted one of the most popular designs on the blog by other fans. This watch was dubbed as the Kisai Seven.

The Kisai Seven is a very unique watch because it has no hands, nor any digital numbers being displayed. Instead, the watch has two LED lit pulsating rings of light and a lit bar to display the time on the black body of the watch. While this may sound quite odd, the whole design is meant to be reminiscent of the Light Disks from the movie TRON, and to be frank, all of the elements work quite well together to create a sleek watch that looks like it came from the movie.

You may still be wondering how to even read the watch; it’s actually quite simple. Each pulsating ring has a shadowed section that changes in the usual clock increments. The center ring displays the hour, the outer ring displays the minutes in increments of five, and the bar lights up in quarter sections denoting one through four minutes.

If you would like your own Kisai Seven, there are three light colors to choose from: blue, white, and red. The watch is charged by the included USB cable, and will last about a month when set on normal illumination mode. Sadly the price is a bit high for college students, which is $139.

Kisai Night vision Wood WristWatch

images property of tokyoflash.com The second watch is called the Kisai Night Vision Wood, and it’s actually made out of wood. This watch has a thin laminate of wood as its face, and when a button is pressed, the time lights up on the wooden face. The whole watch is made entirely of wood, excluding the electronic components and buttons, and it is coated with a clear protective coating. This watch is a great choice for any nature lover, except for the little fact that it’s made of sandalwood. Sandalwood has been over-harvested for its scent properties for a very long time, and some species are endangered; so this watch also doubles as the perfect gift to make your favorite nature lover feel guilty, too.

Currently the only type of wood in stock is dark sandalwood, with a choice of either blue or green LED lighting for $149.00. Just like the Kisai Seven, this watch has a rechargeable battery via USB, and the batteries are replaceable.

Join us at our meetings every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.! There’s free food for everyone!

Check us out at crimson.fit.edu

Have a response to this or any article? email it to us at crimson@fit. edu, and you may see it on this page next issue!

SPORTS the Florida tech crimson

September 3, 2014

Fall Sports Preview Game Schedule Ashley Montion Sports Writer The start of a new season always has a different feeling in the air. It’s a new year, a new team, a clean slate, and each team’s record is 0-0 overall.

For the Florida Tech Panthers, the feeling in the air is optimism. Four sports return this fall and every team is anticipating an exciting 2014 season: Men’s and Women’s Cross Country, Football, Women’s Soccer, Men’s Soccer and Volleyball.

Here’s a preview for the upcoming season, a glance at what the coaches and players had to say about their expectations for the new year and a glimpse of what’s to come this fall.

Men’s & Women’s Cross Country

Men’s football Soccer Head coach Robin Chan welcomed 25 players for the fall season. Overall, him and the team are looking to build on their 2013 season.

“We’re expecting to have a better season this year, and our main goal is to qualify for the national championship,” forward Adin Kavara said. “We have four to five potential starters that just came in and could really be the difference in a winning season.”

Preseason holds promise for Florida Tech. In a game against Stetson University, the Panthers defeated the NCAA Division I Hatters 1-0 on a second-half goal.

They will begin the regular season at Rick Stottler Field on Sept. 4, hosting St. Thomas University at 7 p.m.

WoMen’s Soccer

It may be hard to believe, but the cross country team trains for its season by running 6-14 miles a day and puts in up to 20 hours of practice each week.

“Those kids are selfless athletes,” head coach Pete Mazzone said. “You don’t see or hear about them … you just know that they’re out there.”

The Panthers approach their season with high expectations. The team has three meets in the month of September, starting with the South Florida Invitational in Tampa, Fla. on Sept. 5.

“Our goal is to peak by the Regional Championship,” Mazzone said. “We certainly want to qualify a team or individuals for nationals.”

Florida Tech welcomes back 35 players for 2014. The regular season begins on Sept. 4 when they travel to Oahu, Hawaii!

“We are extremely excited to go to Hawaii. I’d like to give a big thanks to our administration and to our Athletics Director Bill Jurgens,” head coach Fidgi Haig said. “The trip is definitely a huge bonding tool to be cohesive as a team for the rest of the season.”

After the trip, the Panthers will return to host North Georgia and Valdosta State in the second week of September.

Key runners:

Key players:

(W) Ellyn Willse (M) Justin McMaster Ezekiel Zauner Jacob Jansen.

Keep an eye on: Freshmen on men’s and women’s teams.

vollyball

Eva Banton Katie O’Regan Courtney Hueston Elin Svensson

Keep an eye on: Heather Williams

The Panthers begin the 2014 season by traveling to compete at the East West Challenge in the cities of Honolulu and Laie in Hawaii!

“It doesn’t even feel real yet, and I don’t think it will until we get there,” outside hitter Jenna Goodroe said. “We’ve been working really hard to prepare for this

With immense hope for an excellent season, the Panthers begin the year with a strong motto – ‘the most important day is today.’

“A big goal of ours is to compete near the top of the Gulf South Conference,” head coach Steve Englehart said. “Our guys are really working hard towards that. And really, our focus isn’t on that end goal. Our focus day to day is to continue to improve.

Ultimately, we’d like for that to end in a winning season.”

The second-year program welcomes 77 returners and 36 newcomers.

One of the most talked about games this season takes place in late September when the Panthers travel to the Lone Star Football Festival at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, to play Tarleton State.

“We’re excited to have the opportunity to play in Arlington,” Englehart said. “At the same time, it’s still about performing, executing and hopefully coming away with a win.”

Englehart said he hopes the program continues to add to the school’s spirit and its Panther Pride.

“Along with the other sports, hopefully we can add to school spirit,” he said. “If a high percentage of students attend games, I think they’ll realize it’s a fun experience and a good time.”

September 4 Men’s Soccer

Home - vs. St. Thomas - 7 p.m.

Women’s Soccer at BYU Hawaii - Laie, Hawaii - 9:00 p.m.

Volleyball vs. Daemen - Honolulu, Hawaii - 10:30 p.m.

September 5 Men’s Cross Country at South Florida Invitational - Tampa, Fla. - 5:00 p.m.

Women’s Cross Country at South Florida Invitational - Tampa, Fla. - 5:30 p.m.

September 6 Volleyball at Chaminade - Honolulu, Hawaii - 1:00 a.m.

Volleyball vs. Hawaii-Hilo - Laie, Hawaii - 5:00 p.m.

Key players: Wide receiver Xavier Milton Linebacker Justin Arcune Defensive lineman Skylar Sheffield Tight end Gabe Hughes Offensive lineman Ramsey Sellers Linebacker Chris Stapleton Defensive back Manny Abad.

Keep an eye on: Wide receiver Aaron George Fullback Trevor Sand Quarterback Mark Cato.

tournament and the season.”

The Panthers will play in one more road tournament after they return from Hawaii. They open their home schedule on Sept. 26 against Nova Southeastern and are expecting a great year.

“Our main goal is to make it to the NCAA tournament this year,” Goodroe said.

Men’s Soccer at Coker - Hartsville, S.C. - 7:00 p.m.

Football at Stetson - DeLand, Fla. - 7:00 p.m.

Women’s Soccer at Hawaii-Pacific - Kaneohe, Hawaii - 9:00 p.m.

Volleyball at BYU, Hawaii - Laie, Hawaii - 11:30 p.m.

September 9 Men’s Soccer at Palm Beach Atlantic - West Palm Beach, Fla. - 7:00 p.m.