The Florida Tech Crimson Fall 2019 Issue 2

Check out our comics on Pages 4-5!

RIMSON The Florida Tech

The Official Student-Run Newspaper•since

Issue 2

1967

INDEX

Campus Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-5 Review. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .6-7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

FALL

Residence communities make dreams come true

MARC KANNEH \\ staff writer

Florida Tech students are making their dreams become reality as they now have the opportunity to be more immersed in the world of aeronautics and aerospace engineering.

“I was talking to somebody in the Residence Life department at the time, mentioning that I would like to stay involved in the department somehow even though I was moving over to the College of Aeronautics,” said Warren Pittorie, an instructor in the College of Aeronautics and a former resident director. “I didn’t hear from the department for a few weeks, then somebody came up with the idea to start another living-learning community.”

The aviation living community—Let’s Fly—was established on the second floor of Brownlie Hall and took in freshmen aviation and aerospace engineering students this fall.

Pittorie explained that an LLC is where students are placed together on a floor or within a building based on

a common majors, common interests or common program affiliations.

The Let’s Fly LLC is the third LLC on campus, joining the Women in STEM and the Honors College LLC. Keeping with the theme of aviation, Pittorie reached out to College of Aeronautics alumni and asked for donations to decorate the hall.

“Those that did reach out had a lot of stuff to donate,” Pittorie said. “We have a bookshelf with a couple aviation books, and we put a lot of study tables up there as well, rather than a lounge to hang out and watch tv.”

Both RA’s in Brownlie hall, Kerrington Witherspoon and Michaela Salazar, are aviation students.

Witherspoon, a sophomore, said, “I have the same responsibilities as other RA’s.

We’re trying to plan trips to

Students chat in their LLC lounge with a plane of Gemini on the table. get students to Melbourne airport, down to Vero Beach to the Piper manufacturing facility, Cape Canaveral and guest speakers.”

Pittorie explained that although the events are targeted towards the LLC students, others would also be able to participate.

Roberts Hall shuts down for rennovations CHRISTIAN MARTINEZ \\ staff writer

For the entirety of the 2019 – 2020 academic year Roberts Hall will be closed for the replacement of the heating, venting and air conditioning systems.

Since it opened in 1972, Roberts Hall has never closed down for a situation like this, according to Greg Graham, assistant VP for business and retail operations at Florida Tech whose job duties include housing.

Roberts Hall officially shut down on July 14 for the replacement of the HVAC system.

The air conditioning unit would repeatedly stop working for hours over the course of the previous school year, according to numerous students.

“The University Housing depart-

ment did not offer Roberts Hall as a housing option this year with the knowledge that the building would be closed,” Graham said.

Graham also said that on average, Roberts Hall would typically house 210 residents each semester out of the university’s 1,690 total residents.

The seven-story dorm accounts for approximately 12.4 percent of campus residents.

“The housing census this semester is consistent with the same number of students residing on campus as in past fall semesters,” Graham said. “A dorm like Roberts being shut down must have put other dorms to full capacity and beyond.”

Graham also mentioned that the classes that would’ve been held in Roberts Hall’s annex were relocated to

ROBERTS on page 3 Roberts Hall stands tall while it gets rennovated.

Photo // Christian Martinez

@FTCrimson @FTCrimson crimson@fit.edu

Photo // Franceso Isaza

Witherspoon said that so far the residents are enjoying the LLC and utilizing the common area to hang out and study.

Thus, the newly added LLC on campus has connected more students in a comfortable living space where they can achieve success above and beyond.

Tinder profits off fraternities OLIVIA MCKELVEY \\ COPY EDITOR

Instead of a student ID or campus activity apps like CORQ, new entry methods for college fraternity parties are rising in popularity: the latest, a Tinder profile.

The real question — will partygoers be seeing the “no app, no entry” Tinder policy making its way to Florida Tech’s campus?

The idea of Tinder partnering with college fraternities created buzz earlier this month when University of Texas fraternities signed exclusive contracts with the online dating app that has over 4.1 billion users according to data from The Business of Apps.

Reports from Vox and The Houston Chronicle cite a UT fraternity member describing the partnership as “mutually beneficial.”

The deal consists of a contracted fraternity house receiving a specific amount of money, with the potential for cash bonuses depending on the number of app downloads linked to a hosted event.

In return, the fraternity requires Tinder profiles to be shown as ID for party entry.

In addition, the online dating app provides the fraternity house with merchandise, memorabilia and other Tinder “swag” for promotional purposes.

University of Texas is not the only college where Tinder is tapping into a potential market, specifically those that fall into the 18-22 age bracket.

Find Hurricane Dorian Memes on Pages 4-5

Fraternities from Northwestern University, Tulane University and the University of Oklahoma have also stated that they have participated in similar contracts with Tinder.

While the Tinder/fraternity partnership has yet to reach Florida Tech, there are mixed emotions among students about how the contracts would work and how well it would be received among partygoers.

“I love the idea of chapters making money and being more accountable at the same time,” said Adam Bettencourt, treasurer of Florida Tech’s Chi Phi chapter. “However, there are obviously concerns about the fallacies of meeting up with a stranger that is often associated with Tinder.”

He also questioned how it would look to download Tinder when an individual may be in a committed relationship.

As a senior majoring in mechanical engineering, Bettencourt said he views the situation as a way to hold accountability for those attending parties at Chi Phi. Currently, the chapter is using CORQ to keep track of their guest lists, which they submit to Cat Nanney, Greek Life advisor at Florida Tech.

So far, CORQ has made Chi Phi’s job easier when it comes to keeping track of who is at a party, Bettencourt said. CORQ does not provide any incentive or financial benefit for checking people in, whereas the Tinder

TINDER on page 5

Our Mission: Live, discover and report the truth.

2 CAPS ISSUE 2

SEPTEMBER 6

CAPS Presents: Health and You

ERIKA POBEE-MENSAH \\ CAPS Outreach Columnist

Nowadays, many people talk about self-care. But what does “taking care of yourself” actually mean? Taking medicine when you feel sick?

Eating ice cream because you are sad? Making your own doctor appointments?

Maintaining good health and caring for yourself includes many moving parts.

At times it can feel overwhelming to know where to start, or even whether you need to do anything to maintain your health.

Afterall, if you feel more or less okay, that means you are

fine, right? Not necessarily.

Generally, it is good for everyone to see their primary care doctor once per year for a check-up to screen for and prevent illness.

Dental cleanings are generally recommended every six months to prevent gum disease and cavities.

Regular exercise coupled with healthy, balanced eating habits can help to prevent heart disease, type II diabetes and obesity.

And if you are aware that you have a chronic illness, such as diabetes, hypothyroidism or bipolar disorder, it is good to keep your regularly

scheduled appointments with your provider.

Sometimes managing your health can be stressful and overwhelming, especially if this is your first time dealing with a condition without significant help from relatives.

The first step is to talk to someone who might be able to help you better understand your body and mind so that you can reach your personal, academic and career goals here at Florida Tech.

Afterall, knowledge is power.

Holzer Health Center – provides a variety of health and wellness services.

Website: www.fit.edu/health Phone #:321-674-8078 Location: beside CAPS (at the corner of Country Club Road and University Boulevard) Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) provides a variety of mental health and wellness services.

Website: www.fit.edu/ counseling-and-psychological-services Phone#: (321) 674-8050 Location: beside the Holzer Health Center (at the corner of Country Club Road and University Boulevard) Want more information

and resources about how you can maintain your own health?

Come to the Florida Tech Health & Fitness Expo on Wednesday, Sept. 11 from 10:00-2:00 at the Clemente Center!

There will be raffles, prizes and samples as well as several tables with plenty of information on health, fitness and wellness.

Be sure to also stop by the Holzer Health Center and CAPS tables for helpful resources and information about maintaining a healthy mind and body!

CAPS is open on Monday to Thursday from 8:30am to 12pm and 1pm to 5pm, and Fridays from 8:30am to 4pm.

Corrections Originally in the article "Venezuelan immigrants' impact on Trinidad", we stated that there were 16 murders in one week. The correction is there have been 16 murders in Tunapuna and four of those murders took place in one week.

ISSUE 2

SEPTEMBER 6

CAMPUS LIFE

3

BEHIND THe SCENES: SECURITY IN DOWNTOWN MELBOURNE Isabel Cordero \\ staff writer

Downtown Melbourne — a favorite spot among many Florida Tech students — is generally seen as a safe place to go out on a Friday night by students like Zachary Shelton.

Some bars in downtown Melbourne don’t have much security, but that’s because they don’t seem to need any, according to both bar owners and the students who go to their bars.

One bar, Iron Oak Post, is located in downtown Melbourne and doesn’t prevent anyone from entering since the establishment is not 21 and up.

Anne Fears co-owns Iron Oak Post with her husband Mike.

Fears said their bar and several others don’t have security, and she doesn’t see security within the bar as an issue since they don’t have many incidents.

Shelton has only had one poor experience at a bar where a bouncer checked his ID and let him in, but asked him to leave immediately due to full capacity.

“I was very sad,” Shelton said, “and drunk.”

However, having no security isn’t the case for all of the bars downtown.

ROBERTS continued have put other dorms to full capacity and beyond.”

Graham also mentioned that the classes that would’ve been held in Roberts Hall’s annex were relocated to other university facilities.

Graham went on to say that all students that requested single rooms were notified that this would no longer be an option offered.

Some students who applied for single rooms in the spring semester were emailed that they would have a new room with a roommate in July.

“Some places have their own security,” Fears said. “It is dependent on the atmosphere of the place, it seems.”

Shelton, a senior at Florida Tech, lists Iron Oak Post as one of his top three favorite bars.

“It’s a nice bar,” Shelton said. “It’s quiet. Usually there are college students there.

People from my class like to go there.”

Fears said downtown Melbourne requires extra security and police for publicized events in order to ensure that everyone stays safe.

On rare occasions, concert promoters may bring their own security for smaller events involving one bar rather than the entirety of downtown.

So far this year, there have been 46 incidents resulting in police offenses or arrests, according to Melbourne Police records. These vary from aggravated assault to trespassing, with drunk driving, liquor law violations and assault occurring most frequently.

However, Fears doesn’t see an issue since these offenses are handled and don’t affect the establishments. “At this point, security seems fairly good outside,” Fears said.

Yet, the bar owner would like to see improvements to As of Aug. 29, Dewey Yeatts, director of facilities management, said that Facilities was preparing Roberts Hall for Hurricane Dorian.

They placed multiple sandbags outside the building..

Joshua Quinto, a computer science major and previous resident of Roberts Hall last school year, said that he wasn’t informed that the hall would be closing until he returned for the current school year.

“I wish they’d have repaired the AC unit sooner,” Quinto said. “It kept going out and my room kept getting hot.”

Sandbags were placed outside of Roberts Hall but no shutters were put up last week.

Photo // Christian Martinez

Iron Oaks is a popular bar in downtown Melbourne. security, such as an information system in place that links all of the nightlife establishments for the incidents that do occur.

The system could report real-time security concerns like excessively drunk groups, people walking out on bar tabs, fights, thieves and predator alerts—which are Fears’ main concerns.

“I think if the police and bars worked together, and a normal system was in place, it could benefit,” Fears said.

Shelton also thinks down-

town is safe, but acknowledges that not everyone may feel that way. “Personally, yes, but I don’t think women do,” Shelton said.

According to Shelton, downtown has evolved to include more police presence and public awareness. “There are less creepy old people,” Shelton said. “I guess they just don’t hang around there as much.”

Shelton agrees that downtown could still improve, such as only allowing ride-shares and taxis down Main Street,

Photo // Iron Oaks Facebook Page ultimately making it safer by preventing drunk driving.

“Luckily, downtown is safe 99 percent of the time, but as the population grows we may see an increase in problems,” Fears said.

Of the incidents listed in police records, only one occurred this August. Hence, while the police have seemingly handled the incidents swiftly, safety is always a priority.

4

ISSUE 2

SEPTEMBER 6

CAMPUS LIFE Florida Tech professor weighs in on Dorian

Hurrican Dorian developed into a major category five hurricane on the morning of Sunday, Sept. 1 Photo // NBC4I.com

Isabel Cordero \\ staff writer

Despite not knowing exactly where Hurricane Dorian would hit, Florida Tech’s Steven Lazarus recommended everyone prepare even though it was too early to know exactly where the storm would hit.

Lazarus is a meteorologist and on had already begun preparing on Wednesday, Aug. 31, buying non-perishable foods and twist ties in

preparation.

He said students have some choices for what they can do when preparing for a hurricane.

“They have the prerogative to leave if they choose,” Lazarus said. “They will have the option to go to a shelter and the university will provide them with that option.”

Even with all the preparations, he couldn’t predict

SONJA MICHAELS \\ "HURRICANE TIPS"

where the storm would go and when it would actually make landfall if it would at all.

“I’m not committal,” Lazarus said. “I’m not convinced yet that the storm will make landfall in Florida.

The storm is expected to stall for a bit and make its way north.”

The storm was predicted to make landfall on Tuesday, and that was still too far away

to make predictions, according to Lazarus.

“That’s an eternity for a meteorological forecast,” he said. “We don’t have the precision.”

He wanted everyone to prepare as best as they could despite the uncertainty. He said that despite the hype surrounding a hurricane, the reality could be quite different.

“There is a lot of hype around this, but it is a dangerous storm,” Lazarus said.

“Prepare for the worst. The worst is not a category one but possibly a four or even a category five. It’s still up in the air.”

ISSUE 2

SEPTEMBER 6

CAMPUS LIFE TINDER continued partnership allocates an unspecified amount of money through these newly introduced exclusive contracts.

“If per se we did move forward with a contract via Tinder, the one thing I would do with the extra inflow of cash would be to decrease dues for membership,” Bettencourt said.

The other dilemma the business deal raises is if the Interfraternity Council chapter at Florida Tech would even allow this type of partnership.

According to senior, Mitchell Spalding — the vice president of recruitment and expansion for Florida Tech’s IFC chapter as well as the

total member educator and philanthropy chair of Chi Phi — stated that the IFC executive board on campus has not specifically looked into any type of contracts with Tinder.

Spalding stated that fraternities could participate in something like this, but in his eyes, it is highly unlikely.

“I feel if we partnered with Tinder, it is tough to create a welcoming atmosphere at Greek Life events,” said Spalding. “CORQ is neutral and we have loved using it so far.

It is not just used for fraternity events. It’s for sporting events and other organizations as well and it just makes everything more streamlined and navigable.”

Pat Spangler is the high epsilon for Lambda Chi Alpha,

meaning that his responsibilities include party planning and security for events.

“I could see the contract being useful because a lot of students on campus probably already have Tinder, so showing it wouldn’t be that big of a deal,” Spangler said. “But then you still have maybe freshman, or those in a relationship or other outliers who do not have it, and targeting those people to force them to download an app isn't right.”

Financially, the Lambda Chi Alpha high epsilon said he could see it being beneficial to supplement party expenditures, but overall doesn’t see his own fraternity participating in any type of future business ventures with Tinder.

In terms of the student

Don't Kill Flori'an, DAVID THOMPSON \\ a limerick staff writer We all think the weathermen lie Despite them all showing the eye Oh please ole Dorian Don’t kill Flori’an We are all not ready to die.

STEPHEN PICKROM \\ "PEEWEE""

body’s opinions on the trending party entry debate, some said they weren’t too bothered by it, while others deemed it as a “dumb rule.”

“I probably would show my profile just because I already have one so I don’t mind, but for those that don’t have it I would say it’s pretty unfair and an inappropriate form of targeting customers,” said junior Sigurd Ozols, a construction management major.

One graduate student in applied behavior analysis, Natalia Arasa Bonavila, took a similar stance.

“I don’t currently have Tinder, but if I had to download it to get into a party, I would,” Arasa Bonavila said.

The Spanish native also

5

pointed out that she could easily just delete the app after she got into the party, hence the loophole within the system.

Some students seem unbothered by the possibility of Tinder app entry for their weekend festivities.

However, it is unlikely there will be any signage of contracts due to regulations that could later be enforced by the Florida Tech’s IFC executive board as well as a sense of hesitation from some fraternities on campus.

6

ISSUE 2

SEPTEMBER 6

REVIEW

The Lion King 2019 Review: The Pride of the Pack

STEPHEN PICKROM \\ staff writer

The latest addition to Disney’s collection of remakes is sure to leave viewers with no worries.

“The Lion King” roared into theaters on July 19, 2019, 25 years after the animated classic’s release in 1994.

Furthermore, the film earned over $1.4 billion in the box office, but scored low with critics, with its highest score of 7.1/10 coming from IMBd. The story features Simba, a young lion who learns that he will eventually grow to rule the fictional African kingdom known as the Pride Lands.

His uncle, Scar, is jealous of the prince and his brother, Mufasa.

He attempts to have the future king and the prince’s betrothed exterminated by hyenas.

Scar assumes the throne after assassinating Mufasa and exiling Simba, permitting

hyenas to mingle in the Pride Lands with the lions and all the other animals.

Growing up in a large desert oasis with adoptive “uncles” Timon and Pumbaa, Simba must remember his true place in the world and take a stand against those who don’t belong.

In my eyes, the cast did an exceptional job recreating some of the emotion that was lost in the transformation to realism from 2D cartoon animation.

This loss of theatrics marks the main complaint of multiple critics. James Earl Jones performed an even better Mufasa than he did in 1994.

JD McCrary and Shahadi Wright Joseph played their roles of Young Simba and Nala quite well, and the same goes for Donald Glover and Beyoncé claiming Adult Simba and Nala, respectively.

The rest of the actors also

did very well, with only one real exception being Chiwetel Ejiofor.

I do miss Jeremy Irons’ Scar. Ejiofor just didn’t evoke the same slippery, manipulative tones that Irons did in 1994.

I loved that some scenes were enhanced and new ones were included, such as Nala sneaking away from Pride Rock, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and especially the ending of the film when the hyenas change alliances.

The hyena trio played the comic relief role much better than they did in 1994, using a running gag over plain and simple slapstick, especially since slapstick isn’t exactly accomplishable using photorealistic animals, as well as being a much more threatening presence due to the realism.

One thing that bothered me severely was the absolute butchering of “Be Prepared.”

As my second favorite number from the original, it felt like an insult that Disney treated the song the way that they did.

However, I will note that the 2019 version does have a much more menacing tone to it than the original.

Once I got over the shock of how different it was, the low, repetitive beats, the crescendo of the hyena’s chants, and Scar’s deeper, booming voice gave me goosebumps.

Overall, the film was pleasantly surprising in that it’s not as much of a disappointment as it could have been, like other live-action remakes by Disney.

For example, “Dumbo” from earlier this year deviated greatly from the plot of the original, adding many prominent human characters that did not exist in the film’s 1945 release.

Unlike that film, 2019’s

Official movie poster

Photo // Disney

“Lion King” reimagined a beloved story without relying on a new plot while giving the Disney classic a makeover.

At the end of the day, the movie told the story that it was supposed to and did the job fantastically.

I can only hope that future Disney live-action remakes can keep the same standard.

An Experiment in Metal: King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard’s Infest the Rats’ Nest Album Review SONJA MICHAELS \\ COPY EDITOR

Australian rock band King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard released their fifteenth studio album, “Infest the Rats’ Nest,” on Aug. 16 as an experimental look back upon old school metal and psychedelic rock.

The album’s style is pleasantly cluttered.

There is a lot going on in the sound space, and not a single instrument is left unattended to.

Effects are used tastefully to create a balance of clarity and distortion.

Some of the more refined sounds call back to psychedelic rock, adding a trippy flair to familiar metal roots.

Powerful bass lines from Joey Walker blend with full, thrash-inspired guitars, driven by consistent all-out drumming from Michael Cavanagh.

The second track, “Mars

Official album art

For The Rich,” is a standout.

For four and a half minutes, it is impossible not to at least nod along to the groove, and the last minute or so of the track is likely to get you drumming on the nearest surface.

Though the album is categorized as metal on iTunes and other music platforms, there are many genres providing influence.

While metal fans will undoubtedly enjoy thrashing guitar tracks and frontman Stu Mackenzie’s gritty vocals, there are experimental elements at play that could certainly draw in fans of psychedelic rock, punk, surf rock and experimental music as a whole.

Each guitar track calls back to metal bands like Motörhead and Black Sabbath, with guitar credited to Mackenzie, Walker and Cook Craig in the album

Photo // ATO

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard performing at Brookyln Steel. notes.

The metal mentality of this album shines through on tracks like “Organ Farmer” and “Perihelion,” that sound is contrasted by the slower pace of “Superbug.”

This lengthy track provides a rest in the middle of the album; there are frequent instrumental breaks, with an outstanding one coming in at 2:20. “Superbug” is a perfectly timed change of pace from fast-paced vocals and driving instrumentals, readying the listener’s palette to dive right back into five more tight tracks.

It is followed up with “Venusian 1,” a heavy metal blitz with a quick enough pace and feeling to give any ‘70s punk track a run for its money.

“Perihelion” feels like a natural continuation from “Venusian 1.”

Its intro might lead you to believe that the song is not going to impress, but it is saved by some interesting

backing vocals that come in right in time to save the song and push things forward into the closing tracks.

“Infest the Rats’ Nest” serves as a tribute to the metal of yesteryear, but with crystal clear production and experimental influences from a range of genres.

The music refuses to pull at your emotions or sympa-

Photo // Andrew Blackstein thize with you at all, but that is not its purpose; it is an energetic, down-and-dirty collection ready for you to lock your door, pile on your darkest makeup or most studded clothing and rock out for a little over 34 minutes.

The Aftermath, a limerick DAVID THOMPSON \\ staff writer

Oh wow — that was quite a scare Dorian ended up fair Pray for the affected Not all were protected Some were even left bare.

ISSUE 2

SEPTEMBER 6

REVIEW

A Casual Review

7

Xiao Liang

REMNANT: FROM THE ASHES

Souls-like with a unique twist of flavor

“Remnant: From the Ashes” is a game that focuses on being fun and engaging instead of making everything complicated and irrelevant.

Developed by Gunfire Games, the studio that is best known for its Darksider franchise, “Remnant” is a third-person shooter action game which takes place in the post-apocalyptic Earth.

It is also categorized as a “Souls-like” game by many players and reviewers, meaning it features similar mechanics to FromSoftware’s Souls series, notably the Dark Souls trilogy.

These games are known for their limited check points, dark settings, hidden stories and challenging difficulty.

While “Remnant” certainly took inspiration from the Souls series, it is still very different from most games that fall within the same category.

The player begins on ruined Earth, progressing to

three other worlds as they navigate the game.

Each world has its own unique environment and enemies, which makes it very interesting to explore.

Gameplay wise, “Remnant” feels like most third-person shooter games, and the player also gets to use a melee weapon if they prefer.

However, most parts of the game play revolve around shooting.

The world of “Remnant” is procedurally generated when the player starts a new game, so each player’s world can be a little different from one another.

This also means that the players may face different bosses and get different rewards every run.

The difficulty of the game is not too challenging, but hard enough to make it feel exciting and action packed.

There are roughly 120 different enemy types in the game; each have their own

Official game poster

Photo // Gunfire Games

strengths and weaknesses, making it important for the player to learn and remember the enemies’ patterns.

Another element that made “Remnant” a thrilling game is its three player co-op.

While it may be entertaining to play a game alone, it gets even better when there are two friends around.

Not only do the players get to progress faster with rewards and loot, but the rewards and loot are also shared among the players and are carried forward to each player’s own game.

In addition, the game

adjusts the difficulty level by the number of players in the game, so it will never feel too hard or too easy during a co-op session.

While the game is not that impressive on a technical level, it has a lot of character building customization choices and replay value.

The multiplayer element of the game also works well, which reinforced its replayability.

As always, here is a list of upcoming games that I recommend looking into:

8

ISSUE 2

SEPTEMBER 6

SPORTS Soccer Suffers Cancellations due to Dorian

DAVID THOMPSON \\ staff writer

Due to Hurricane Dorian, Florida Tech men’s soccer canceled a trip to Georgia for an exhibition game against Young Harris College scheduled for Friday, Aug. 30.

Senior midfielder Luca Campanini said the team was disappointed when they heard the trip to Georgia was canceled.

“We have been on trips

like these over the past couple of years, and they are always full of laughs and great team bonding,” Campanini said.

The men’s team is also missing out on another game that was scheduled for Sept.

5 at Rollins College against Wingate.

Campanini said the cancellations are “tough” but also feels that it is just a matter of how the team handles the situation.

“This transition period is gonna be very important and we need to stay fit during the time off,” Campanini said. “As soon as it’s passed we will get straight back to work.”

The women’s soccer team hasn’t had to cancel any games, but they are losing nearly a week of practice.

Senior midfielder Brittany Etrick said the storm is putting a curve on the team’s training plans.

“We tried to have a really

good practice Friday morning and our coach told us to maintain what we’ve been working for by doing abs and bodyweight exercises that we can do inside,” Etrick said.

The women’s team is scheduled for a game against Flagler on Sept. 7, but Etrick said they might not be able to practice before game time.

“It’s very important players try to maintain themselves during this time away,” Etrick said.

Despite the lack of practice, Etrick remains confident that she and the team will be ready for the game.

“It’s all about adapting to circumstances and this is just another circumstance we can’t control,” Etrick said. “So we are just gonna have to take initiative and adapt the best way we can and I know all of the girls will.”

Panthers prepare for football kick-off Julius Luchs \\ staff writer

Classes have begun, students have started to get into the groove of their academic rigor and fall sports are in full swing, meaning Saturday game days have finally arrived with the kickoff of college football.

The Panthers posted a solid eight-win season last year, with just four losses, and were awarded an NCAA play-

Football players take a breather.

Photo // Daniel Welch

off spot.

While they were defeated in their lone playoff game last year, this season Florida Tech look to uphold their spot within the top 25 for the Division II football rankings.

According to players, the team trained three hours a day; combining weightlifting, conditioning and studying the playbook to develop their style of play and to get stronger.

Based on performances from last year, the Panthers have an optimistic perspective for this upcoming season and are looking to improve.

“Our program has never won a playoff game, so our first step is to win a playoff game and see what we can do,” said Daniel Welch, defensive leader and captain.

Despite losing key players, such as J.T. Hassell, who was at the time recruited by the Cleveland Browns, Welch remains positive and confident that the defense can get the job done.

“We lost some key guys, but we have a lot of returners

and with the help of a new strength coach, we are ready to take the next step,” Welch said. “With every new season comes a new freshman class, hungry and ready to work at the next level of their athletic careers.”

Welch added that the freshman class looks “strong and promising” as the newbies study the playbook for future game day success.

On the offensive side, quarterback and captain Trenton Chmelik hopes to make the best out of his senior season and leave a legacy behind.

“As a captain of the team, I try to emphasize to the younger guys to play with passion and to make every opportunity count, and to complete every obstacle with tenacity and discipline,” Chmelik said.

The first home game for the Panthers is Saturday, Sept.

28, against West Georgia; this is one of five home games scheduled this season.

Florida Tech football team leaves the inflatable Panther to start the game.

Photo // Daniel Welch