The Optimist - Feb. 18, 2009

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Pg. 8 Wildcats swing sweep in Oklahoma over weekend

Wednesday, February 18, 2009 :: Vol. 97, No. 37 :: 1 section, 8 pages :: www.acuoptimist.com

Inside This Issue:

Pg. 3

ACU puts world flags on display around Lunsford Trail

Pg. 3

Coffee shop plugs in discounts for Abilene college students

Pg. 5

The Bob behind the Center: Hunter devotes life to ACU

Sickness spreads throughout ACU

By Lezlee Gutierrez Broadcast Assistant

Zak Zeinert:: chief photographer Tiffany Lutz, freshman animal science major from Zelienople, Penn., leaves the Health Clinic after getting checked out Jan. 29.

Professors have seen an increase in the number of ill students on campus this semester, but according to the Health Clinic staff, this is not a rare situation for this time of year.

“It is a combination of the fluctuation of the weather

lately, as well as the preparation for Sing Song,” said Kathy Stokes, Health Clinic office manager. “Students are staying up later than usual, and along with the stress increase, they are getting sick from the other students they are around.”

Students tend to make their way to the Health Clinic every year around

this time. The medical clinic had more than 1,000 visits last semester, and about the same amount of students already has used the Health Clinic so far.

In the past week, medical staff referred 40 students to the emergency room and the walk-in clinic. Fewer students were treated in the Health Clinic this semester

because of a lack of physicians, but ACU will be getting a new physician the last week of February.

“I had strep throat in December and then I got sick with a sinus infection just recently,” said Andrea Reed, junior education major from Abilene. “I am glad I did not See

Sick page 4

School officials consider challenging NCAA ACU appeal window to close on Feb. 27

By Grant Abston Sports Editor

Almost a week after the NCAA penalized the ACU track and field and football programs for several violations, the ACU administration is still deciding what actions to take in the appeal process.

The clock is ticking — ACU has 15 days to decide if it will appeal any of the violations and an additional 30 days to file its protest if it chooses to appeal. A decision to appeal must be made by Feb. 27, and the university is still considering that decision.

“We’re still in the process of deciding our course of action and what we’re going to appeal and if we’re going to appeal,” said Jared Mosley, director of athletics and compliance coordinator. “I feel very certain that we’re going to move forward in that direction, but it will probably be close to the end of the 15-day window.”

The NCAA forced the football team to vacate all its wins in the 2007 season in which the team finished 10-3. The ruling came after two prospective student-athletes received academic assistance by members of the football coaching staff in order to help them attain academic eligibility at the university. In addition to the vacation of the wins, sanctions could eliminate team and individual records and statistics from games won by ACU in 2007.

ACU alumnus Corey Jordan, who led the team in interceptions while playing defensive end for the Wildcats in 2007, said he thought the punish-

“

What I’m very sure of is even if all this happens, ACU will continue to succeed as the best, and we only have more championships to come.

”

::Nicodemus Naimadu, ACU alum-

nus who won 12 NCAA national titles while running at ACU

Zak Zeinert :: chief photographer

ments were unfair and did not see what the ACU coaches did as any kind of violation.

“I was a little disappointed that all the records and wins would be taken away,” Jordan said. “Everyone worked hard on that team, and I don’t understand why the team was penalized for someone receiving help. Our coaches were guys that drilled academics more than football, and for that penalty to come down on them is very misleading.”

In order to appeal, ACU would appear before a subcommittee of the NCAA Division II Management Council, different from the NCAA Division II Committee on Infractions that heard the initial case. The council is comprised of athletic directors and administrators from universities all over the country.

See

Appeal page 4

Head football coach Chris Thomsen talks to a group of ACU players huddled around him during an afternoon practice Aug. 21, 2008.

Multitude of records ripped from season

By Daniel Johnson-Kim Editor in Chief

Zak Zeinert :: chief photographer Head track and field coach Don Hood watches ACU athletes practice at Elmer Gray Stadium on Tuesday. Hood was accused of breaking NCAA rules.

Crews prepare Moody for Sing Song ’09

By Liz Spano Student Reporter

Set-up crews spent both Saturday and Sunday preparing Moody Coliseum for the 53rd annual Sing Song production, Believe.

A team of about 50 people worked from Saturday

at 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday night to transform Moody into a concert venue, said Tom Craig, director of Student Productions.

He said the preperation included everything from covering the floor to setting the stage and installing concert quality lights and sound systems.

ACU WeAtHeR Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

High: 72 Low: 31

High: 58 Low: 33

High: 70 Low: 38

The stage will remain in Moody until after the performances this weekend.

“I think it’s going to be one of the best shows we’ve ever seen,” Craig said. “We have a great team and place this year to make Sing Song happen.”

More than 1,500 students are involved in this year’s

production, Craig said. That list includes people in both upstage and downstage acts, as well as in the student production staff. Craig said more people are participating than any past Sing Song shows.

Fifteen class and social

COMING FRIDAY

See

Prepare page 4

With the stroke of a few computer keys, one of the most successful seasons in the history of the ACU football team and the host of records several Wildcats broke during it may be deleted forever.

The NCAA announced Thursday that two prospective student-athletes were provided academic assistance by members of the football coaching staff in order to help them attain NCAA academic eligibility at the university, according to the NCAA. The athletes allegedly used the coach-

See

Records page 4

SA Update Appropriations Committee: Granted $1,000 to Wishing Well for the purchase of T-shirts to use in a fundraiser.

Of the $10,205 allotted to the Appropriations Committee from the SA spring 2009 budget, $5,637.80 remains in the committee’s funds.

Student Request Fund: Of the $13,975.84 allotted to the SA Congress Student Request Fund in the spring 2009 budget, $7,995.84 remains.

Four more groups will request funds for student trips within the next few weeks.

Online Poll :

The Optimist will print a special Sing Song that will cover Log ontoissue www.acuoptimist.com or every www.youtube. aspect of the 53rd annual Song, com/acuvideo to see weekly News Sing casts and Sports castsSing from the JMCrelated Network videos, News Team Believe.

Song and videos profiling various events andfound stories Podcasts and stories can be around campus and Abilene. at www.acu.optimist.com on Friday

Department of Journalism and Mass Communication ::

ing staff’s office computers to complete assignments and mail in coursework to the outside institution to be graded.

Due to those violations, the football team will vacate all wins and the records that were broken during those wins after the time in which the studentathletes competed, beginning when the athletes academically became ineligible in the summer of 2007.

ACU has yet to decide if it will appeal the violations, said Jared Mosley, director of athletics and compliance coordinator.

Read coverage of Wednesday’s Students’ Association Congress meeting online at www.acuoptimist.com and in Friday’s edition of the Optimist.

How ill have you been this semester?

a. I’ve avoided becoming ill. b. Just a minor cold. c. I’ve already used all my sick days. d. Can you overdose on NyQuil?

acuoptimist.com Abilene Christian University

::

Serving the ACU community since 1912

2

Campus Day Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Calendar and Events

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11:30 a.m.

The “Go Red Luncheon for Women,” sponsored by the American Heart Association, will take place at the Civic Center.

Tickets cost $25 per person. For more information, call 627-0070.

4-7 p.m.

The Big Country Immunization Coalition will give free immunizations at Medical Care Missions. For more information, go to www.carevan.org.

Wednesday

Thursday

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Friday

7:30-10 p.m.

The Department of Theatre will present Little Women in Fulks Theatre. To purchase tickets, call 6742787 or go to www.acu.edu/theatre.

8-10 p.m.

Sing Song: Believe will take place in Moody Coliseum.

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Saturday

2-4 p.m.

Sing Song: Believe will take place in Moody Coliseum 7:30-10 p.m.

The Department of Theatre will present Little Women in Fulks Theatre. To purchase tickets, call 6742787 or go to www.acu.edu/theatre.

8-10 p.m.

Sing Song: Believe will take place in Moody Coliseum

Online News Cast

acuoptimist.com

Watch videos to see highlights from tennis, softball, baseball and basketball games last weekend.

Webcast Log on to www.youtube.com/ acuvideo to see videos of what is going on around campus.

Volunteer Opportunities Communities in Schools at Fannin Elementary School needs volunteers for one to two hours at 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Volunteers will give extra help to students in an after-school tutoring class. Come by the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center downstairs in the Campus Center for more information.

Noah Project, a center for victims of family violence, needs volunteers to answer its hotline from 6-10 p.m.

Training will be provided, and after completing training, volunteers can sign up for time slots. Volunteers can sign up as often as needed.

Meals on Wheels is looking for volunteers to deliver meals to some of the homebound members of the community. The commitment is

once a week. Volunteers will pick up the meals from the Meals on Wheels building and deliver them to people around Abilene. It takes one hour each week. Call Mitzi McAndrew at 672-5050 to volunteer. Remember that this project is approved as a Faith in Action Chapel exemption project.

HERO, Hendrick Equine Rehabilitation Opportunities, needs volunteers for its next program from March 17 through April 30.

Volunteers will assist the rider with tasks and are needed Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 1:30–5 p.m. All volunteers must attend a training session the week before the program begins.

The National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature

needs volunteers to greet patrons, assist with art activities, sell books and make visitors feel welcome. Volunteers are needed Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 1-3 p.m. For more information, contact Debby Lillick at 673-4586.

Abilene Hope Haven needs volunteers to provide childcare while parents are in a class. Volunteers are needed Monday through Thursday from 6:45-8:15 p.m. For more information, contact Christine Spillers at 437-0611.

The Grace Museum is always in need of volunteers. Volunteers play a vital role in the daily operation of the museum. The minute visitors walk through the door, the experience in the mu-

seum relies on capable and trained volunteers. For more information about volunteer opportunities at The Grace Museum, call 673-4587.

Pregnancy Counseling Services of Abilene needs volunteers to counsel women in crisis pregnancy.

In addition to mandatory training, volunteers will keep a donation room clean, enter data from client intake sheets, market the center and help with mailouts.

Find more volunteer opportunities by visiting the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center’s Web site at www.acu.edu/vslc and clicking on Volunteer Opportunities. For more information or to sign up to help, contact the Volunteer and ServiceLearning Center in the Bean Sprout.

Service Saturday is on Feb. 28.

Join other ACU students working in a variety of sights, including Habitat for Humanity, Abilene Hope Haven, Eternal Threads, The House that Kerry Built and more. Volunteers will play with children, perform manual labor and visit with adults.

Any students interested can sign up in the Campus Center Feb. 24-27.

Wildcat Premier Weekend will take place this weekend. This is an opportunity for high school students, transfer students and their parents to visit and experience the ACU tradition of Sing Song, while participating in campus tours, athletic visits, Study Abroad sessions, class visits and admissions and financial aid meetings.

All freshman residence halls will offer free tutoring Sunday through Thursday from 9-11 p.m. To find out the location in each hall, log in to myACU or call 674-2723.

Applications for Summer II in Leipzig, Germany, with the College of Business Administration are available in the Study Abroad office.

For more information, call 674-2429.

University Park will sponsor an open house in the UP Clubhouse on Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Current residents will receive a $150 referral reward if they bring a prospective who signs a lease. Staff members will be available to answer questions or establish leases. For more

The Optimist maintains this calendar for the ACU community to keep track of local social, academic and service opportunities.

Groups may send announcements directly to jmcnetwork@acu.edu or to the Page 2 Editor at sar06g@acu.edu.

information, e-mail acuhousing@ campushousing.com or call 738-4300.

Summer 2009 registration dates have been changed to Feb. 25. All classifications will begin registering for classes at 3 p.m.

The advising release codes will be the same ones used for spring registration. Talk to your adviser for more information or go to the Registrar’s Web site: http://www. acu.edu/campusoffices/registrar/ schedulebulletin/index.html.

Dance Discovery Studios is always looking for dancers who are interested in learning tap, jazz, ballet, hip-hop, step, TJT combo and contemporary. The studio is located at South 2nd and Willis street. For more information, call Teri Wilkerson at 677-0022.

To ensure that an item will appear on time, the announcement should be sent at least 10 days before. The Optimist may edit items for space and style.

Corrections and clarifications of published news articles will be printed in this space in a timely manner.

ACU Police Tip of the Week The campus will be congested Thursday through Saturday because of Sing Song, President’s Circle Dinner and Board of Trustees meetings. Expect traffic, allow more time to get around campus and expect to walk farther.

Police Log Edited for space

Monday, Feb. 9

Thursday, Feb. 12

4:02 p.m. Someone reported a theft at Mabee Hall.

4:55 p.m. The ACU Police unlocked a vehicle at the Williams Performing Arts Center parking lot.

6:18 p.m. The ACU Police assisted a stranded motorist in the Smith Adams Hall parking lot.

9:51 p.m. The ACU Police responded to a report of a subject with a dog in the Hilton Food Court and asked the subject to leave.

11:53 p.m. The ACU Police responded to a medical emergency at Mabee Hall, but the subject refused assistance.

2:15 p.m. Someone reported loud music on Campus Court, but the ACU Police were unable to find the source.

7:55 p.m. The ACU Police assisted the Abilene police with a forgery suspect at Wal-Mart.

7:56 p.m. The ACU Police returned keys to the owner at the Station.

Tuesday, Feb. 10 10 a.m. The ACU Police cut the lock off a freezer at the Campus Center.

4:15 p.m. The ACU Police issued a traffic stop for reckless driving near campus.

6:32 p.m. The ACU Police responded to a misdialed 911 call at Zellner Hall.

7:42 p.m. Someone reported two subjects soliciting money near campus, but the ACU Police were unable to locate them.

Wednesday, Feb. 11

Announcements ACU’s 53rd annual Sing Song, titled Believe, will take place in Moody Coliseum this weekend.

Performances will be on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Saturday at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $14-$22 and can be purchased at the box office located on the north side of Moody Coliseum. Tickets will be on sale Monday though Saturday from 11 a.m.-5:15 p.m. For more information, call 674-2069.

About This Page

4 p.m. The ACU Police directed traffic on I-20 because of a vehicle accident.

4:05 p.m. The ACU Police notified Animal Control in reference to a dead skunk between Mabee Business Building and Gardner Hall.

4:38 p.m. The ACU Police arrested an employee at Central Plant.

7:19 p.m. The ACU Police issued a traffic stop at the intersection of Campus Court and Ambler Avenue because a driver failed to yield to an ambulance on an emergency call.

Friday, Feb. 13 2:10 p.m. The ACU Police assisted the Abilene police with a report about a subject with disturbed and mental behavior near campus.

4:05 p.m. The ACU Police issued a traffic stop on College Drive because a subject was driving without a driver’s license.

4:30 p.m. The ACU Police assisted a subject who ran out of gas on Ambler Avenue.

7:12 p.m. The ACU Police placed two raccoon carcasses on Oliver Jackson Boulevard for pick up by Animal Control.

Saturday, Feb. 14 11:59 p.m. Someone reported a loud party near campus; the ACU Police advised the resident to end the party, and the resident complied.

Sunday, Feb. 15 1:24 p.m. The ACU Police responded to a medical emergency at Nelson Hall.

11:15 p.m. Someone reported a suspicious vehicle in the Edwards Hall parking lot, but the ACU Police were unable to locate the subject.

Always report suspicious activity to ACUPD at 674-2305 or 674-2911.

Chapel Checkup Credited Chapels to date:

28

Credited Chapels remaining:

45

CAMPUS NEWS

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Page 3

Flags fly on Lunsford Trail Shop brews student discounts

By Chelsea Hackney

By Kimberly Wolford

Student Reporter

Student Reporter

Physical Resources mounted 108 flags representing students’ home countries and states on 122 light poles lining the Lunsford Foundation Trail on Thursday.

The flags displayed symbolize over 100 countries, U.S. states and territories.

“For visitors, these flags are a powerful message of the global integration they’ll experience at ACU, perhaps something they wouldn’t experience at other universities,” said Jason Groves, associate vice president for marketing.

The project, which has been in the works since last summer, is intended to reflect the diversity of the ACU community.

The flags mirror the Parade of Flags performed at Opening Day Ceremonies every year, said Kevin Roberts, associate vice president of operations.

Each academic year, flags will be added or removed to reflect the current student body.

Groves said this might seem like a marketing gimmick to attract prospective students and alumni, but the flags have value for current students as well.

“The flags give students an understanding of who they are as a body,” he said.

It shows in a clear way the great opportunities students have to learn from each other, he said.

The flags’ presence also serves to emphasize students’ citizenship in the global village.

“We’re citizens of a broader community, and these flags are a great visual reminder of that,” Roberts said. “We hope that as someone is jogging around the track, they’ll look up and realize just how far we reach. ACU is so close, that we forget that.”

Abilene’s newest coffee shop is brewing up an easier way for ACU students to pay for their beverages and food items. The Brew.net is the first Abilene business to allow students to use their student IDs and student accounts to purchase goodies from its store.

Patience Broyles, shift manager at The Brew.net, said many students come in asking to use their student ID. And now they can with a program available both to ACU and Hardin-Simmons University students. The Brew.net is working on setting up the program for students at McMurry University.

“Students can come in and use their student ID to purchase a gift card for themselves,” Broyles said. “The purchase will go directly on

Jozie Sands:: staff photographer

A host of joggers and walkers pass by country and state flags on Lunsford Trail. The flags represent the diversity seen around campus every day.

“

The flags give students an understanding of who they are as a body. :: Patience Broyles, shift manager at The Brews.net in Abilene

The project was the result of collaboration by several departments on campus, said Mary Reyes, assistant to the executive vice president and the special projects coordinator.

The final cost of the project was about $25,000, Reyes said. These funds were set aside for investments in the 21st Century

“

Students can come in and use their student ID to purchase a gift card for themselves. :: Patience Broyles, shift manager at The Brews.net in Abilene

to their student account.”

The program began in October, when the shop first opened its doors. Broyles said she has seen an increase in the amount of students using their ID cards in the past two months.

Students who purchase a gift card valuing $20 or more receive a discount of five percent on the card.

Gift cards can purchase any item in the shop. The Brew.net sells coffee, lunch, sandwiches and T-shirts.

“The Internet access is free for anyone who comes in,” Broyles said. “If some-

”

one just wants to escape campus, they can come here and study.”

Broyles also said a few professors have class at The Brew.net.

The Brew.net sends 25 percent of all its profits to an orphanage in Brazil, and the owners visit the children several times a year. Broyles said the photos around The Brew.net are all of the children and the owners.

E-mail Wolford at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Here’s jogging with you, kids

”

Vision of the university, a vision founded solidly on a global Christian mindset.

“As Christians, we share a faith, and these flags bring that to life,” Groves said.

“They remind me of all of my brothers and sisters around the world.”

Zak Zeinert :: chief photographer E-mail Hackney at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Three exercise science students pass by the Bob and Shirley Hunter Welcome Center as they continue their jogging trek on Lunsford Trail.

FROM THE FRONT

Page 4

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Appeal: Past athletes say NCAA punishment unwarranted Continued from page 1 The initial committee had members whose universities did not all include football and track programs; however, Mosley said he thought their decision was not biased.

“I would say that it may be difficult for that committee to understand the difficult and unique challenges to institutions that offer football and track and field, two sports in which the landscape and dynamic of the recruitment process and the nature of going about it is a different challenge then what you see in other sports,” Mosley said.

In addition to the vacation of records and statistics, the football team will be limited to no more than 60 official paid visits during the 200910 and 2010-11 academic years. Select members of the football coaching staff will join members of the track

Records: Scott loses statistics before NFL Combine Continued from page 1 Dr. Royce Money, president of the university, said he was “shocked” at the football sanctions and the university planned to appeal when the news broke Thursday. Money said he did not think the alleged violations gave ACU a competitive advantage.

If ACU does not appeal or loses an appeal, ACU’s 10-3 record in 2007 will be changed to 0-3 in the history books. In addition to losing its wins, more than 15 other individual and team records set during the 2007 season were also removed from the record books.

Leading the pack of ACU players whose records might be erased is running back Bernard Scott, who is participating in the NFL Combine beginning Thursday and could not be reached for a comment. In 2007, Scott broke the Lone Star Conference and ACU single-season rushing records after running for 2,165 yards during his first season at ACU. Scott broke the Division II records for touchdowns (39) and points (254).

Scott became ACU’s alltime leading rusher in just two seasons at ACU, and if the punishments stand, he will lose the 2,095 yards and 32 rushing touchdowns he scored in 2007. The 35 catches for 441 yards and

and field program to attend a required NCAA Regional Rules Seminar within the first year of probation.

In addition to the penalties imposed on the football program, the track and field team received multiple punishments, including a limit of five international student-athletes on the roster during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 academic years. This penalty will apply to all athletic teams; however, it could significantly affect the track and field program. The roster will be trimmed to five international student-athletes through graduation, transfers and other natural means, Mosley said.

“Track historically has had up to eight or nine [international student-athletes] some years, but also has had some years where there are four or five, so we tried to sit down and look at the challenges that surround international athletes and

find a number that we could manage,” Mosley said.

Head track and field coach Don Hood organized and attended holiday parties where 15 enrolled international student-athletes received gifts from representatives of the university’s athletic interests and other members of the local community.

Initially, two prospective student-athletes who were seeking admission at ACU were given running shoes prior to their enrollment. ACU saw the prospective student-athletes wearing the shoes and immediately returned them and began an internal investigation. After the investigation, the university finalized a secondary infraction report and submitted it to the Lone Star Conference office that then gave it to the NCAA. Twelve-time NCAA national champion Nicodemus Naimadu, who graduated in December 2008, said he could not

believe ACU was punished for the holiday parties that Hood organized and attended. He said the gifts were not to entice international students to remain at ACU, but to help with the pain of being so far away from home.

“I’m going to ask you to put yourself in my shoes,” said Naimadu, who is the only person in the history of the NCAA to win four consecutive national championships in cross county. “I personally haven’t been home for the last four and half years since I came here.”

Naimadu said the limitation of the number of international students would not hurt ACU’s chances of maintaining its prominence and success in the Division II track and field arena, but it may hurt the international students who come to ACU. Naimadu said while he was at ACU his biggest support was the international students

Hood made such an impression that Naimadu decided to stick with the school that he left his hometown of Narok, Kenya, to attend. He knew Hood was a person who not only knew track and field, but also was a good man.

“I don’t think at all he was doing this to hurt other people in an inappropriate way,” Naimadu said. “He was doing that with a loving heart. “ While the university is still reviewing its options in the appeal process, Mosley said no further actions would be taken against the coaches involved in the violations.

“At this point, we fully support the coaches involved and continue to monitor their activities moving forward,” Mosley said.

Daniel Johnson-Kim contributed to this story.

E-mail Abston at: gda04b@acu.edu

Sick: Caffeine affects wellness

records No More?

Continued from page 1 In addition to the football team losing all of its wins from the 2007 season, several ACU players will lose records they set while playing for the Wildcats.

Running back Bernard Scott: n Lone Star Conference single-season record with 2,165 yards rushing n NCAA Division II single-season records for touchdowns (39) and points (234) n Could lose 2,095 total yards and 32 touchdowns from 2007.

Quarterback Billy Malone: n LSC’s all-time leading passer with 3,914 yards and 37 touchdowns n Could lose 2,850 passing yards and 29 touchdowns from the season n Dropping Malone’s career numbers to 9,062 yards and 85 touchdowns Wide receiver Jerale Badon: n Career pass receptions (235) n Career receiving yards (3,311) n Career receiving touchdowns (19) Wide receiver Johnny Knox: n ACU record for touchdown catches (17) n Catches (62) n Total yards (1,158) Place kicker Matt Adams: n LSC single-season records for PATs (82), PAT attempts (86) and kicking points (115)

have to miss class, but I made sure I got antibiotics as soon as I started feeling bad.”

The most common illness among students has been strep throat, followed by sinus infections and the flu. The Health Clinic recommends all students who have not been ill in the last week to get a flu shot. The medical staff administered 350 flu shots last year and less than that this year. The flu shots normally cost $20, but the Health Clinic will offer a $5 discount to students who come in for their flu shot before Sing Song.

Flu-like symptoms include body aches, sore throat, fever and congestion. The medical staff urges students to seek medical attention within the

his spot as the ACU leader in catches and receiving yards (3,311) also were negated due to the NCAA punishments.

“Jerale Badon is still the record-holder in my book,” said former ACU defensive back Corey Jordan, who led the team in interceptions during 2007.

Grant Abston and Chandler Harris contributed to this story.

E-mail Johnson-Kim at: djj04a@acu.edu

“

Anyone who gets sick and does not get treated…will most likely be stuck with the flu… :: Kathy Stokes, Health Clinic office manager

first 24 hours of exhibiting these symptoms to avoid prolonging the flu.

“Anyone who gets sick and does not get treated within the first 24-48 hours will most likely be stuck with the flu and will need to rest and recover for 7-10 days,” Stokes said. “This also includes missing class and other activities to avoid spreading the virus.”

The medical staff also warns students to avoid caffeinated drinks when they are ill because of the large amounts of sugar they contain.

”

The medical staff suggests students get plenty of rest, keep awy from frequently visited areas such as restrooms and desks, avoid drinking after other people and washingn your hands frequently throughout the day.

For further information, or to schedule an appointment, contact the Health Clinic at 674-2625 or visit the clinic in McKinzie Hall Room 101.

E-mail Guitierrez at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Sing Song: Preview Thursday Continued from page 1

three touchdowns also will be eliminated, along with 1,654 rushing yards and 29 rushing TDs he recorded in the regular season.

Quarterback Billy Malone will lose the title as the LSC’s all-time leading passer. In Malone’s junior season, he threw for 3,914 yards and 37 touchdowns. All but 964 yards and eight touchdowns recorded during 2007 could vanish and drop Malone’s career total to 9,062 yards and 85 touchdowns.

Wide receiver Johnny Knox’s school record of 17 touchdown catches in 2007 and fellow receiver Jerale Badon’s LSC career pass receptions record (235) and

who filled the roster. He said the coaches at his alma mater are good recruiters and the restrictions would only mean they would have to look for the talent necessary to carry on the tradition closer to Abilene.

“What I’m very sure of is even if all this happens ACU will continue to succeed as the best and we only have more championships to come. “ As for Hood, Naimadu said he was one of the kindest men he had ever met and knew in his heart he did not do anything to give ACU a competitive advantage. Before Naimadu went on to win several individual titles on the national stage, he said he was contemplating transferring to another school from ACU when Hood took over the program during his freshman year in 2006.

“He personally came and talked to me and he wanted me to stay,” Naimadu said.

Fifteen class and social club acts will take the stage, and four student dance teams will perform, including SHADES, Swing Cats, Milonga and Virtuous African Heritage Sisterhood.

Craig said he has seen more talent than ever before in this year’s cast, and he anticipates “wowing” the crowd with the talent in this year’s Sing Song. He said the set-up crew did not encounter any setbacks while preparing for the production, but it is a challenge to work with more than 1,000 students and keep them healthy, while many students on campus are becoming ill.

Brooke Braddock, sophomore broadcast journalism major from Houston who is participating in the sophomore class act, agreed that

preparation for Sing Song has worn her down.

“Sing Song definitely has been time-consuming and sometimes really tiring,” Braddock said.

She said she and other students have been practicing regularly for the past three weeks and will be preparing every night this week for the shows Friday and Saturday.

“Although it’s been a big commitment, I have made so many friends, and the leaders are very encouraging,” Braddock said. “I really think this is going to be the best Sing Song yet."

Sing Song festivities will begin Wednesday with a host and hostess preview in Chapel. Performances begin Thursday at 7 p.m. with the preview show. The doors will open at 6 p.m. and general admission tickets can be purchased at the door for $10.

Ticket Booth Tickets for the 53rd annual Sing Song, Believe, are not yet sold out. Tickets can be purchased three ways: n Online at www.acu.edu/ events/singsong n By calling 674-4864 n Going in person to the ticket booth in Moody Coliseum from 11 a.m. 5:15 p.m.

Source: www.acu.edu

Weekend performances are Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m., and the final show will be at 8 p.m. Craig said none of the weekend shows have sold out, but the better seats are running out.

E-mail Spano at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

FocusWednesday

February 18, 2009

Page 5

A Hero’s Welcome In honor of two alumni’s dedication to Abilene Christian University, the administration will unveil the Bob and Shirley Hunter Welcome Center on Saturday. Over the past 60 years, Bob Hunter left his mark on Texas’ capitol, on ACU’s campus and everywhere in between.

Story by: Grant Abston, Sports Editor

D

r. Royce Money surveyed the room, and offered Bob Hunter a challenge: name every person in the room. Hunter and Money were in Austin for a conference and were surrounded by 30 people connected to higher education. Hunter stood up, scanned the room and proceeded to name every person present.

“He stumbled on one and then got it right,” said Money, president of ACU. “These were people who did not necessarily have an ACU connection.

They were educational leaders from all over the state, and he knew every one of them, it’s a gift of God.” After nearly a 60-year relationship with ACU, Dr. Bob Hunter is easily one of the most recognizable faces on campus, known by faculty, students and thousands of alumni.

Not only has Hunter had a tremendous impact on ACU, the university has meant as much to Hunter as he has to the Abilene Christian community. As a tribute to Hunter, ACU will name its new welcome center the Bob and Shirley Hunter Welcome Center.

The center will greet thousands of prospective students and their families, ACU alumni and other friends each year, as well as provide meeting spaces for campus groups and the Abilene community.

“Not only does he know everybody’s name, but he knows where they live and where they are from,” said Charlene Rickets, Hunter’s administrative secretary for 36 years.

“If he can’t think of their name, he tells me all about the person.”

From California to Texas Hunter was born in Dodge City, Kan., the 10th of 12 children. Hunter and his family moved to California, where he graduated from San Mateo High School. After graduating high school, Hunter’s future took a turn after he heard former ACC president Jesse P. Sewell preach at the 17th Street Church of Christ in San Francisco in 1946. Hunter had $1,000 saved and had no intentions of attending college, but after hearing Sewell talk about ACC, Hunter and two friends decided to attend the university.

Hunter’s dad worked for the Santa Fe Railroad Company and got Hunter a ticket for Abilene.

“It was early in the morning, around 5 o’ clock, and I went a couple of blocks to grab some breakfast, and someone greeted me,” Hunter said upon his arrival to Abilene. “I thought they were talking to someone behind me, and I was amazed that they were talking to me; it showed me how friendly Texas was.”

Hunter enrolled in Abilene Christian College in 1948 and jumped right in, becoming vice president of the freshman class, singing in the A Cappella chorus and immediately beginning to develop friendships.

Hunter had such a great time his freshman year, he decided to come back, joining the student council, and becoming president of Frater Sodalis, president of the California Club, president of the men’s A Club and vice president of the student body before graduating in 1952.

Photo courtesy of :: ACU Creative Services Hunter stands on the floor of the Texas Senate next to a hand-written sign. “Sine die,” literally translated from Latin, means “without day” or “indefinitely.”

After graduating, Hunter attended the University of Texas Law School, but his draft number came up after his first year of law school, sending him to the U.S. Naval Officers Candidate School in Rhode Island. After training, Hunter was sent to Japan and became an aide to two different admirals aboard two different aircraft carriers, the USS Midway and the USS Oriskny. While traveling throughout the Pacific, Hunter landed in Thailand where he met up with Wayne Long. Long, a professor at Kings University and an elder at the University Church of Christ in Austin, had a daughter named Shirley whom Hunter had met at the University of Texas. After graduation, Shirley came to Thailand to be with her parents, but Hunter took advantage of Shirley’s arrival and asked her to marry him in 1954.

“We were married in Bangkok, Thailand, but there was no Church of Christ,” Hunter said. “We were married at a Presbyterian church, and the commanding general and all the military force came to the wedding in addition to our Thai friends.”

Red, White, (Purple) and Blue After his tour of duty, Hunter returned to Washington D.C. to serve with the Naval Security Office where he performed security briefings at the Pentagon. But despite his obligations to the military, ACC came calling in 1955. Don H. Morris, president of the university, asked Hunter to arrange an alumni party in D.C. At the party, Morris and John Stevens asked Hunter to come back to ACC to serve as the college’s director of special events. Hunter accepted the invite and returned to the university in September of 1956, where he im-

mediately began to make his imprint on the university.

In 1957, Hunter organized the first Sing Song, assuming the role as sponsor and coordinator for the first six years. Because of the lack of space, Sing Song moved from Sewell Theatre to Abilene High School, then to the Civic Center before landing in Moody Coliseum after it was completed in 1968. In addition to starting Sing Song, Hunter also was the founder of the first Homecoming Musical, the Wizard of Oz, directed

by Lewis Fulks. He coordinated the event for the first six years. “[Sing Song] became a great tradition, and I’ve been very, very grateful that students wanted to keep it going because it meant so much to them,” Hunter said.

Hunter went on to establish some other well-known traditions at ACU before serving the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas (ICUT) as executive vice-president and creating the Golden Anniversary Club, Freshman Follies and the Homecoming Parade. He helped reorganize Trojans and Phi Delta Psi, sponsored and helped start Galaxy and Kinsmen, planted the idea for summer camps, helped establish the President’s Circle, as well as organized the Parade of Flags.

However in 1986, Hunter was asked by the local Republican partygroup to run for a seat in the House of Representatives, becoming the first Republican ever to serve from Taylor County; he would serve for the next 20 years.

Before his election, Hunter served on the Abilene City Council from 1970-73. During his term, Hunter worked to increase funding and get tuition equalization grants so that

any student attending a private university in Texas could apply for and benefit from grants. While working with ICUT, Hunter became the father of that grant, coordinating the initial passage of the Texas Tuition Equalization Grant in 1971. For the fiscal year of 2007, ACU received $3,595,455 out of the $105.9 million appropriated by Legislature for the TEG program. To this day, the TEG has awarded several billion dollars to families who qualify for financial aid and helped more than 25,000 low and middle-income students attend independent colleges and universities in Texas every year.

“People knew that if they did not vote for the TEG, they would have to give Dr. Hunter a good reason,” said Sherri Statler, president of Christian Homes and Family Services in Abilene and coordinator for Hunter’s state legislature campaigns. “I love the fact that he was a champion at that, and that was one thing that I truly appreciated about him.”

Hunter was re-elected in ten succeeding general elections while running against three different opponents. He worked on the Joint Selection Committee of the House and Senate to study higher education issues in Texas in 1992. Hunter also served as the chair of the House Committee on State, Federal and International Relations from 1993-2003 and co-chaired the Special House Select Committee on NAFTA and GATT (General Agreements on Tariffs and Trades). In 1998, Hunter was named president emeritus of ICUT and in 2006, Hunter completed his 10th term as State Representative, serving as chair of the House Research Organization, vice chair of the House Committee for Regulated Industries and a member of the House Committee on Government Reform.

The Smiling Servant

Photo courtesy of :: ACU Creative Services

Above: Bob and Shirley Hunter pose for a wedding photograph, taken in 1954. Right: The Bob and Shirley Hunter Welcome Center can be seen from Judge Ely Boulevard, between University Park and Teague Boulevard.

Zak Zeinert :: Chief Photographer

After nearly 52 years of service to ACU, Hunter now serves as the Vice President Emeritus and the Special Assistant to the President, assisting Money in any way possible and representing ACU in different ceremonies and events when Money is unable to be present. Despite his devotion to ACU, Hunter’s efforts on behalf of private higher education throughout Texas have not gone unnoticed, especially his work for the TEG. He has received seven honorary doctorate degrees from ACU, Pepperdine Uni-

versity, Texas Wesleyan University, St. Thomas University, McMurry University, Hardin-Simmons University and Austin College, earning him the name Dr. Bob Hunter.

“When I came back from Pepperdine, John Stevens declared that I would be Dr. Bob Hunter, so I haven’t been able to escape the title since,” Hunter said.

While Hunter’s efforts in higher education and contributions to ACU can hardly be put in words, his friendship and leadership have defined him.

“He’s incredibly generous as a mentor and so much of what I know of fundraising and friend making I learned from Dr. Hunter,” Statler said. “He has really dedicated his life to making friends for the university.”

Hunter’s dedication will be recognized by the university with the naming of the new welcome center.

“As Bob neared his retirement, we were looking for something to honor Bob and the building emerged at the same time,” Money said. “This honoring of Bob and Shirley has been very popular among community leaders in Abilene.”

Not only is the honor appropriate, Ricketts sees the irony in the honor.

“He’s been very humble about it, and he keeps saying that they should have named it after somebody else, but I think he was really surprised when they announced it,” Ricketts said. “He is deserving because he is the ultimate welcomer.”

While Hunter nears retirement, his imprint on ACU is clear. Not only has Hunter contributed many of the ideas that have helped define ACU, he has established lifelong friendships with anyone that comes into contact with him.

Many agree with legendary golfer Byron Nelson who spoke of Hunter, while thanking all who had participated in organizing a tribute dinner for him and his wife Louise to raise funds for the Byron and Louise Nelson golf Endowment Fund at ACU in May of 1984.

“I walked into a church once when I was visiting in New York City, and lo and behold, there’s Bob sitting there,” Nelson said. “I thought to myself, ‘No matter where you go, you just can’t get away from Bob Hunter.’”

E-mail Abston at: gda04b@acu.edu

ViewsWednesday

Page 6

February 18, 2009

SA meeting closure shows blatant disregard for students’ rights

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r. Royce Money’s announcement at Friday’s Chapel clearly demonstrated how ACU leaders are being painfully honest and accessible in this recent NCAA mess, regardless of the cost of that transparency. The university’s self-reporting was a brave and ethical move, especially in light of the consequences that vacated numerous wins from the football team, reduced track and field scholarships and limited the roster of any athletic team to five international student-athletes.

Money, president of the university, told students Friday to talk to reporters if they desired. He even said the administration had bent over backwards to be open about the NCAA situation.

Although the NCAA’s penalization of the ACU track and field and football programs is embarrassing for the university, Money’s policy of honest communication at a private, Christian university is an outstanding witness to other institutions of higher learning across the country.

This praiseworthy stand contrasts sharply with the recent actions of the Students’ Association Congress, where members voted to

“

But what students can and cannot hear on the recording is not the issue. The problem is that Congress limited the First Amendment rights of the students on this campus.

close Wednesday’s meeting to all “outsiders” because of a perceived threat to their personal privacy. The threat?

A reporter’s tape recorder.

Such a flimsy excuse to limit students’ access to important proceedings by their student leaders confirms that many members of SA Congress need to grow up before they will be ready to walk in Money’s shoes.

Ironically, Sophomore Sen. Tony Godfrey, who moved to close the meeting, said Congress was open to its meetings being recorded. The biggest worry for Congress members involved a rumor that the recorder was powerful enough to pick up private conversations more than 30 feet away from its location.

The recording, made before the meeting was closed, was posted on the Optimist Web site and actually featured no private conversa-

”

tions from such a distance.

On several occasions, listeners may be able to hear students sitting directly in front of the recorder and a constant buzz from other areas of the room, but they must strain to catch the questions and debates of Congress members, as they discuss motions and amendments, which begs the question: why are our leaders having these private conversations in the middle of an official meeting?

But what students can and cannot hear on the recording is not the issue. The problem is how Congress limited the First Amendment rights of the students on this campus.

The recording was to be the first of many Podcasts of the SA Congress meetings found on the Optimist Web site. These audio recordings would allow students who could not attend the Wednesday night meetings to stay

informed about the decisions of our student government.

Audio and television recordings of open U.S. Congress meetings are available to the public through CSPAN. In the same way, our SA Congress meetings should be available to the student body. Podcasts of Congress meetings in their entirety give students a complete recording of the proceedings and act as a supplement to the Optimist articles that only report the main points of the meetings.

When the 2006-07 SA Congress passed the Freedom of Information Act, its actions deserved a standing ovation.

The act created a system of accountability for SA Congress.

Through the act, students had access to the minutes of all public Congress meetings and any committees formed, information about student organizations, internal policy statements, Congress’ budgets and day-to-day expenditures of student organizations that received funding from student activity fees, according to the Nov. 17, 2006, issue of the Optimist.

Maher Saab, president of 2006-07 SA Congress, said the act was a way to keep Congress members accountable

The issue:

Concerns about a reporter’s recorder led the SA Congress to close its meeting Wednesday night.

Our view:

The closure represents a disregard for students’ rights.

The solution:

Congress should behave with maturity befitting its leadership role.

and let students know they had an open-door policy.

“Every student has a right to know where their fee is going, at least the SA portion of it,” Saab said in a 2006 Optimist interview.

It is still important for students to know how Congress is using their money, especially since Congress’ main influence on campus stems from the choices it makes when spending, allocating and dividing a large percentage of our student activity fees.

When SA Congress closes a meeting under Robert’s Rules of Order, students are kicked out of the meeting, the secretary does not keep minutes of the meeting and all the meeting’s proceedings are kept secret from the student body.

Wednesday’s closed-door Congress meeting was contemptible because it dem-

onstrated a lack of respect for the student body. Members limited students’ rights with an extreme move based merely on a rumor without first trying alternate channels such as consulting the reporter or discussing the concerns about the recording.

If SA Congress’ main goal is to serve the students it represents, it needs to be transparent with its actions, think before it proceeds and, above all, keep itself accountable to its constituents. Following such suggestions, Congress can achieve an atmosphere of openness and find itself walking the same high road recently blazed by Money.

E-mail the Optimist at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

iPhones present new challenges, addictions Hello, my name is Ryan Self, and it has been 14 minutes since I last used my iPod touch. I suffer from ISAS or iPod Separation Anxiety Syndrome, which is characterized by the incessant need to interact with an iPhone or iPod touch, Self regardless of Examination setting, for extended peBy Ryan riods of time.

Self I know I am not alone in my suffering. I have witnessed the signs and symptoms all across campus while with my friends and peers.

I have been in a room with a small group of people before where the only sound to be heard is the occasional brushing of the touch screen because everyone is on their iPhones. I confess, I am the chief abuser, since rather than talk to the person directly beside me, I’d rather Facebook chat someone somewhere else.

Some have claimed that Generation Y, those born between 1976 and the mid90s, lack interpersonal skills compared to the preceding generation. I certainly prefer to text someone rather than call him or her, even though a two-minute phone call would make more sense. I don’t believe our generation communicates less effectively; actually, we probably communicate more. The difference 20 years and the introduction of new technology makes is that conversation now flows not from person to person, but from iPhone to iPhone.

The introduction of the iPhone to ACU’s campus has been an exciting and welcome addition, yet although it brings many benefits, it also brings many distractions. It’s interesting to sit in Chapel or church, and in order to read

Unfortunate events reveal caring community Mondays are not good days for me. Maybe Mondays are bad for everyone. They always come as a slap in the face — after a weekend of enjoyment, the sharp reminder that the fun only lasted two days, three with luck, and we’ll have to wait Conscientious another five Conjecture before relaxing again.

By Laura All in all, Acuff I don’t suppose many people enjoy Mondays, but lately, I’ve begun to wonder if Monday has me on a reservation list for miserable.

Two weeks ago, on Monday, I fell off a horse. Playing red-light-green-light with some other riders, I do believe I came to the most complete stop.

Aside from decidedly winning the game (I think), I also dislocated my elbow in the process.

A benevolent classmate rushed me to the ER, where

about an hour passed from the time I hit the ground until the time the doctors popped my elbow back into place — a process I actually witnessed briefly when the pain momentarily woke me from my drug-induced sleep, as they manhandled my arm.

I spent the next week desperately trying not to twitch muscles in my arm, since any movement sparked pain, and learning how to function with only one arm and hand.

But the fun didn’t stop there.

Last Monday, what I had thought were the beginnings of a cold was diagnosed as the flu, and I spent the rest of the week alternately trying to go to class one day and then staying in bed the next to make up for overdoing it the previous day.

As I write this, it’s Sunday, and truthfully, I’m a bit nervous about what tomorrow might bring. As the saying goes: “Trouble comes in threes.”

However, while someone recently suggested I quit Mon-

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days altogether, I guess I’ll keep plodding along. Throughout the last couple of weeks, a scripture reminded me, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” And perhaps the most lasting impression my ordeals have left on me is that of the comforting presence of God. Truly, the last two weeks have gone incredibly smoothly, all things considered.

While one nurse in the ER seemed to think I might need to be wheeled straight from the ER to the OR for surgery on damaged tendons that first Monday and another doctor told me I might need a cast, it’s now been two weeks.

I haven’t needed surgery or a cast. In fact, I only continue to wear my splint and sling outside my dorm room on doctor’s orders, which I guess I understand — given my luck.

While I’m still trying to regain mobility in my injured arm, the prognosis remains surprisingly good.

And as far as the flu goes, the doctor informed me it was

a mild case. While I may have overdone it trying to go to class a few times, I successfully made it to several instead of being on sick leave the entire week.

The most uplifting aspect of the last few weeks, however, was the support I received from my roommates, my RA, friends, coworkers and even complete strangers trying to make the transition easier.

I hate asking for help. But although I could wash and blowdry my hair independently, pulling it back into a ponytail required assistance. I couldn’t open bottles. I was forced to dictate typed homework assignments to willing friends. I couldn’t drive or even tear off a piece of foil on my own.

The past two weeks rendered me more helpless than I’ve ever been in my entire life.

But I’ve never felt more loved.

Truly, if you have to dislocate an elbow and contract the flu, this is the way to do it.

E-mail Acuff at: lka06a@acu.edu

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Scripture, see everyone pull out not Bibles, but iPhones to read from the Bible verse applications. The temptation, however, easily becomes to switch from the Bible verse application to Checkers, Cube Runner or Tap Tap Revenge.

If you sit near the top seats of Moody Coliseum, you have a full view of the hundreds of screens displaying everything but the worship lyrics.

Not to say that these electronics aren’t immensely helpful and sometimes very necessary. One of President Obama’s biggest battles upon taking office was not with Congress, but with his security staff over his need to keep a Blackberry on hand at all times. However, Barack Obama’s daily life and information needs are significantly greater than my need to check my Facebook notifications every 15 minutes.

When this year’s freshmen become seniors, there will be an iPhone or iPod touch in the hands of nearly every person on campus. I can’t help but worry that ACU’s campus will resemble the scenes from Disney’s Wall-E, where everyone is so focused on the computer screens in front of them that they are unaware of anything and anyone else around them.

For those who suffer from ISAS, which I believe is a large number of people on campus, there is hope. It remains simply a matter of keeping the iPod or iPhone away from view during Chapel or while with other people (unless there is an amazing YouTube video to show people, then that’s completely understandable). This new technology should enhance, not distract from, our daily lives.

Sometimes that may mean stifling the need to beat your top time at Super Monkey Ball and simply enjoy the simple pleasures all around you.

Sent from my iPod.

E-mail Self at: rcs06g@acu.edu

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SPORT JUMPS

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Page 7

Tennis: Men defeat three nationally ranked opponents Continued from page 8 and Jaclyn Walker won the only match for the Wildcats against BYU-Hawaii in the No. 1 doubles match, edging out a 9-8 victory. Squillaci won all her matches with the exception of her No. 1 singles match against BYU-Hawaii; she dropped that match in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4.

“I think we played pretty well, but I know we could have played much better than we did,” Squillaci said.

Despite the loss to BYUHawaii, ACU finished the weekend strong, dominating its final four opponents. The team recorded their fifth and

sixth shutouts of the season against Dixie State and CSUPueblo. The women used 10 players in their five matches, which is why head coach Hutton Jones said they get to play so many.

“We are so deep; even if we have to go to plan B, it’s still a pretty good plan,” Jones said.

The women will play again in two weeks when they travel to Stillwater, Okla., to take on No. 73 Oklahoma State University — the third Division I opponent for the women this year.

While the women were busy winning four of their five matches, the men did even better by winning all five of their matches.

“

We are so deep; even if we have to go to plan B, it’s still a pretty good plan.

”

:: ACU head tennis coach Hutton Jones The men beat three nationally ranked opponents: No. 18 UC-San Diego, No. 27 BYU-Hawaii and No. 29. Hawaii-Hilo.

ACU beat UC-San Diego, Hawaii-Hilo and Sonoma State all by the score of 7-2, while dispatching BYU-Hawaii 6-3 and Western New Mexico 8-1.

“We knew when we left it would be an intense weekend where we played a lot of matches, but it all just kind of clicked

for us,” Juan Nuñez said.

With the 7-2 win, the Wildcats got revenge for a loss to UC-San Diego last year at the same competition, when they dropped a 6-3 decision to the Tritons. The Wildcats were 3-0 after a tough doubles round and continued to battle after a close match in singles play. The Wildcats won at the No. 1, 2, 3 and 5 singles matches and dropped

the No. 4 and 6 singles, both in three sets.

“Last year, we were just a few match points away from taking the match, and we really felt like we had that one,” Jones said.

The rest of the weekend matches were more of the same, and the final score looked a lot easier than the individual matches themselves.

Eight of the Wildcats’ singles matches ended up going three sets. The Wildcats walked away with three of those matches in the win column.

“The matches were all pretty hard-fought even though the final score makes it look so easy,” Jones said.

The men get back into match play next week when they take on five teams in three days.

On Feb. 26, the Wildcats will face Austin Peay and Lipscomb when they travel to Nashville, Tenn., and travel to Kentucky to play against Eastern Kentucky, Western Kentucky and Northern Kentucky the next two days.

Jones said he thinks his teams are well on their way to competing at the level he feels could put them at the top of the national rankings.

“I am very happy with where we are right now heading into the off week,” he said.

E-mail Tripp at: bjt07a@acu.edu

Softball: Wildcats leave home 5-4 Baseball: Team destroys SW Okla. St. Continued from page 8 scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth to tie the score.

ACU fell behind 9-8 in the top of the fifth before scoring five runs in the bottom half of the inning to close out the game.

Center fielder Caitlin Nabors went 2-3 with one RBI, while catcher Jessica Shiery went 1-2 with four RBI after hitting a three-run home run in the third inning and adding another RBI off a bases-loaded walk in the fifth. Pitcher Kim White earned the win after pitching three innings, giving up five runs while striking out three.

“It was an exciting win,” said first baseman Katie Cornelison.

“It was the first time we defeated St. Mary’s in years.”

In game one of the doubleheader Friday, No. 25 Emporia State scored six runs over the final two innings to win 8-2, taking advantage of five Wildcat errors. The Lady Hornets led 2-1 going into the sixth

but scored four runs with two outs to take a 6-1 lead. Emporia State tacked on two more runs in the seventh after two ACU errors to close out the game and inflicted ACU its first home loss of the season.

In the second game Friday, ACU scored two runs in the third and fourth inning and four in the fifth to take an 8-1 lead against Northeastern Oklahoma State and send the RiverHawks to their seventh consecutive loss. Starting pitcher Jacque Gregoire earned her fourth win of the season after pitching a complete game, giving up one run over six innings, while striking out seven.

Shiery led the Wildcats, going 4-4 with one RBI, while third baseman Nancy Sawyers went 1-2 with two RBI. Cornelison hit a pinch-hit, two-run home run in the fifth inning in the Wildcats 9-1 win.

In the final game Saturday, two Southeastern Oklahoma State pitchers combined to

no-hit the Wildcats in a 3-0 loss to drop the Wildcats to 5-4. A three-run home run in the eighth inning was enough to push the eighth-ranked Savage Storm to 10-1. Despite six walks, the Wildcats could not manage any runs after Southeastern struck out 10 Wildcats and gave up no hits in eight innings.

Gregoire pitched all eight innings for the Wildcats, giving up two earned runs, while striking out three batters in her second loss of the season.

“Overall, we played really well against our competition,” said head coach Chantiel Wilson. “I’d say our biggest improvement is the need to be ready to play every game every inning.”

The Wildcats’ first game in the South Central Shootout will be Friday at 2 p.m. against Washburn in Durant, Okla.

Continued from page 8

E-mail Harris at: tch05f@acu.edu

Continued from page 8

Basketball: Loss proves to be mental test Continued from page 8 our element, and we weren’t able to respond.”

The loss dropped the Wildcats to 15-8 overall, while their Lone Star Conference South record now stands at 6-2. Meanwhile, ASU improved to 14-9 on the year and 5-3 in LSC South play. West Texas A&M leads the pack in the South Division with a 21-3 record overall and a perfect 9-0 mark in conference play.

Rambelles guard Camille Perkins led all scorers in the game with 20 points, and center Audrey Maxwell-Live-

ly led the Wildcats with 19 points. Guard Kat Kundmueller had a good all-around game by grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out five assists, both game-highs.

The Wildcats dominated the Rambelles in the first half; the Rambelles shot just 23.5 percent from the field in the first frame, while the Wildcats shot 52 percent from the floor. However, the Wildcats shot just 24 percent in the second half.

In the extra frame, Angelo State came out on fire, knocking down 60 percent of the shots, while ACU shot just 11.1 percent in

overtime, scoring just one of nine from the field.

“We missed some easy 3to 4-foot jumpers, and Angelo played some good defense,” Lavender said. “Mentally, we just took ourselves out of the game in overtime.”

The Wildcats will play Tarleton State on Wednesday in Stephenville.

“We have to realize that losing at Angelo State is not the end of the world. This is a good mental test if we can bounce back from the loss,” Lavender said.

E-mail Craig at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

and third with one out. First baseman Brett Bochsler was intentionally walked, and outfielder David Page was hit by a pitch on the next at bat to score the winning run. Uechi and Watten led ACU with two hits apiece.

“I thought we did well,” Sullivan said. “Anytime you can get off to 4-0 start in conference is a good thing, and we finally got our bats rolling the last game.”

In Saturday’s finale, the Wildcats exploded for a season-high 15 runs on 14 hits to give the Wildcats a 15-5 win.

Southwestern Oklahoma tied the game at five in the top of the fifth, but the Wildcats scored 10 runs in the final

three innings to get the runrule victory.

Bumpass and Watten led the team with three hits, while right fielder Cameron Bankston, Hall and Uechi each had multi-hit games. Watten had a game-high three RBI, while Bumpass and Bankston each had two. Starting pitcher Cooper Paige earned a no-decision after pitching 4 2/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on nine hits. Relief pitcher Kevin Justice got the win after pitching the remaining 2 1/3 innings, giving up just one hit and no runs.

“On Saturday, our hitters woke up and did a good job of working the other way and hitting to right field,” Bonneau said. “We had a lot more hits in the game, a lot more runs in

Runs Runneth Over Saturday’s game marked the first win by 10 runs or more this season for ACU. The Wildcats have accomplished this feat multiple times during the past four seasons: n 2008 season: 10 times n 2007 season: 10 times n 2006 season: 10 times n 2005 season: 9 times

the game and hit the ball hard on the ground and started using the right centerfield gap and finally made some adjustment after three games.”

The Wildcats will travel to play Central Oklahoma (4-3, 2-2) this weekend.

E-mail Abston at: gda04b@acu.edu

Track: Clements’ shot put leads NCAA chance to run in more events than normal.

On the men’s side, Cory Altenberg placed third in the pole vault with a career-best performance of 16 feet 8.75 inches. Nick Jones placed fourth in the shot put with a throw of 53-02.25, his best throw in college.

Ramon Sparks placed second in the triple jump with a mark of 49-05.5 and third in the long jump with a seasonbest leap of 23-07.5. Julius Nyango won the mile and claimed an automatic qualifying berth to the national meet with a time of 4:18.55.

Amos Sang won the 5,000-meter with a time of 15:25.02, good enough for

a provisional qualifying mark. The men’s mile relay also won its event and by more than two seconds.

“The men’s relay team winning going away was a great way to end the meet,” Hood said.

The women also had a strong showing led by Wanda Hutson, who won the 60-meter in 7.34 seconds and improved upon her personal best time.

“She didn’t just win it; she blew them out,” Hood said “She was taking her spikes off and putting her shoes on while the others were crossing the finish line.”

Kim Prather won the 400meter with a personal best and automatic qualifying time of 55.56 seconds.

“It was very exciting to see her run that well,” Hood said. “This is the first year she has run the quarter-mile, and you wouldn’t know it by watching her.

She did a great job.”

Kelli Clements improved in the shot put with an automatic mark of 47-11.25, which now leads all of NCAA Division II. On Friday, the distance runners on the team will compete at the University of Nebraska for the Nebraska Tune-Up meet. On Saturday, Hood said he plans to take 25 athletes to the University of Oklahoma for the Sooners Open meet.

E-mail Harris at: tch05f@acu.edu

Wildcats: Sencanski scores season-high 28 points; Tarleton State rematch awaits Continued from page 8 a layup, while trying to draw a foul for a three-point play.

ASU grabbed the rebound, and Brown was fouled with 5.5 seconds left. He made both free throws to secure the win.

Sencanski tied his seasonhigh in scoring with 28 points for the night after missing most of the last two games with an injury. Forward Milos Kilmovic added 15 points, and forward Cameron Holson finished with 12.

The first half went back and forth, but after the game was tied at 29, the Rams went on an 18-8 run to close out the half.

This run proved to be the difference in the 5-point loss. The struggling Wildcats dropped to 2-6 in conference and 8-14 for

the season. The Rams moved to 6-2 in conference and 18-5 for the season.

The Wildcats will try to bounce back Wednesday at 8 p.m. in Stephenville against Tarleton State. The Texans enter the matchup 16-8 over-

all and 4-5 in conference.

They are led by forward Eric Williams, who is averaging 12.5 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. The Wildcats will be looking to replicate a 7370 victory earlier this season against the Texans.

“It will be a tough game,” Copeland said. “Tarleton State always has a good home-court advantage, and we expect a tough game.”

E-mail Cantrell at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

SportsWednesday

Page 8

SCOREBOARD Standings Men’s Basketball Team

Div. 7-2 6-2 6-2 5-4 4-5 2-6 0-9

MSU Angelo St. TAMU-K WTAMU Tarleton St. ACU ENMU

Overall 18-6 18-5 16-7 15-9 16-8 8-14 4-20

Women’s Basketball Team

Div. 9-0 6-2 5-3 4-5 3-5 3-6 0-9

WTAMU ACU Angelo St. Tarleton St. TAMU-K MSU ENMU

Overall 21-3 15-8 14-9 13-11 13-10 8-15 9-18

Women’s basketball streak ends at six

By Jeff Craig The women’s basketball team’s streak of six consecutive victories came to an end Saturday as the Wildcats fell to the Angelo State Rambelles 64-59 in San Angelo.

The Wildcats entered the game riding a wave of momentum, having won six of their past seven games; they also ranked No. 10 in the NCAA South Central Region poll. The Rambelles entered the game on a hot streak of their own after winning four in a row and eight-straight at home.

Div. 4-0 3-1 3-1 3-1 3-1 WTAMU 2-2 Central Okla. 2-2 SE Okla.

1-3 NE State.

1-3 Tarleton St. 1-3 East Central 1-3 SW Okla.

0-4 ACU Cameron ENMU TAMU-K Angelo St.

ACU head coach Shawna Lavender thought her team drifted from the fundamentals that had been keys to its recent success.

“I thought that in the first half we came out and did a lot of the things we wanted to do against Angelo,” Lavender said. “I thought we executed well and played pretty good defense. In the second half, we didn’t do a very good job of making adjustments when we needed to do so. They took us out of See

Basketball page 7

Overall 7-2 8-2 7-3 4-2 7-4 6-3 4-3 4-3 5-5 4-7 1-5 4-6

Broadcast Assistant

Dick Schissler :: staff photographer Forward Jamie Meyer averages 14 points per game. She scored 10 on Saturday.

Softball Team Angelo St. WTAMU TAMU-K Tarleton St. TX Woman’s ACU ENMU

Div. 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

Overall 13-0 8-1 8-2 7-2 8-4 5-4 5-5

Photos courtesy of Eric Wallace

Above: Shortstop Willie Uechi slides safely into third base with a triple against Southwestern Okla. State. Below: Infielder Steve Camillucci throws in practice.

Scores Friday Softball Emporia State 8, ACU 2 ACU 9, Northeastern State 1

Baseball ACU 3, SW Okla. State 2 ACU 2, SW Okla. State 1

Saturday

Baseball team extends win streak with four LSC wins

By Grant Abston In their first Lone Star Conference series of the season, the Wildcats extended their winning streak to six by sweeping Southwestern Oklahoma State in a four-game home series, improving to 7-2 overall and 4-0 in the LSC.

Softball Southeastern Okla. 3, ACU 0

Baseball ACU 15, SW Okla. State 5

Women’s Basketball Angelo State 64, ACU 59 (OT)

Men’s Basketball Angelo State 82, ACU 77

Upcoming Wednesday Women’s Basketball ACU at Tarleton State, 6 p.m.

Men’s Basketball ACU at Tarleton State, 8 p.m.

Friday Track & Field ACU at Nebraska Tune-Up, 1 p.m.

Softball ACU vs. Washburn, 2 p.m.

ACU vs. Central Missouri, 4 p.m.

Baseball ACU at Central Oklahoma, 2 p.m.

Saturday Track & Field ACU at Sooner Open, TBA :: Home games listed in italics

Briefs n Former ACU wide receiver Johnny Knox and former running back Bernard Scott will travel to Indianapolis this week for the NFL Scouting Combine. The Combine begins Wednesday and will be broadcast daily on NFL Network until it ends Tuesday.

Baseball

Sports Editor

After a dominating 8-1 win Thursday, the Wildcats won two close games Friday 3-2 and 2-1 before finishing up Saturday with a 15-5 win. The Wildcats jumped from No. 24 to No. 15 in the Collegiate Baseball rankings and will travel to Edmund, Okla., to play a four-game series beginning Friday against Central Oklahoma.

“We had some good pitching performances this weekend, and you know it all started off with Matt Sullivan, who had eight strong innings and 11 strikeouts,” said head coach Britt Bonneau. “When you start a weekend off like that, it can help the momentum going into the doubleheaders on Saturday.”

Sullivan pitched the best game of

Wildcats capture nine of 10 in Phoenix

By Brandon Tripp

Series Sweep

Baseball Team

Basketball

Sports Writer

February 18, 2009

his ACU career Thursday, going eight innings and giving up just one run on four hits, while striking out 11. Sullivan improved to 1-0 on the season, dropping his ERA to 2.92. The Wildcats scored three runs over the first four innings before scoring five over the final four to win the series opener. Shortstop Willie Uechi led the Wildcats with a game-high four hits and added one RBI. Catcher Jordan Schmitt went 2-4 with two RBI, and second baseman Chris Hall, designated hitter Travis Latz and first baseman Cameron Watten each had two hits.

“It was a big confidence booster,” Sullivan said. “My career has kind of been up and down, but so far this year it has been up, so I’m trying to keep up the confidence.”

In the first game of the double-header Friday, the Wildcats fell behind 2-0 in the top of the first inning but scored three runs in the first three innings, led by a two-run third inning when Uechi singled home center fielder Thomas Bumpass and Schmitt doubled to score Uechi and take a 3-2 lead. It was all the offense ACU would need as start-

ing pitcher Cameron Aspaas recorded his second win of the season, pitching five innings and giving up two runs on hits, while striking out six.

Closing pitcher Brad Rutherford picked up his first save of the season after pitching the final two innings, giving up just two hits and allowing no runs.

Uechi and Schmitt led the team with two hits, while Schmitt had two RBI and Uechi recorded one.

In Friday’s second game, the Wildcats won another close one behind starting pitcher Preston Vancil’s first win of the season. Vancil went eight innings, allowing just one run on two hits and striking out career-high 13 batters. Vancil also struck out eight consecutive batters to close the game, coming close to the NCAA Division I record of consecutive strikeouts (10) set by Barry Zito in 1996.

In the bottom of the eighth, Latz walked with one out before Watten doubled to put runners on second See

Baseball page 7

The Wildcat tennis teams had a busy weekend at the Phoenix Duals, playing five matches apiece in just three days. They c a m e through in fine form with the men winning all five matchJones es, while the women dropped only one match, taking four out of five and shutting out two opponents.

The women came back from Arizona with a 4-1 record, dropping their only match to the No. 2 team in the country, BYU-Hawaii, 8-1.

The Seasiders are undefeated on the season and shut out every opponent they faced until they played ACU. The Wildcats beat three other teams over the weekend, taking down No. 23 Hawaii-Hilo and Western New Mexico 8-1 and defeating Dixie State and CSU-Pueblo in a pair of shutouts 9-0. The wins move the No. 7 Wildcats to 10-2 on the season heading into the bye week.

The Wildcats struggled out of the gate, taking on the second-ranked team in the country and dropping the match 8-1. Irene Squillaci See

Tennis page 7

Men finish first overall at Air Force Invitational

By Chandler Harris

Assistant Sports Editor

The men and women’s track and field teams traveled to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., over the weekend for the Air Force Invitational.

The men won the team competition, and the women finished in fourth.

“It was a team-scored meet, so it was a lot of fun to be in a meet that actually counted for something,” said head coach Don Hood. “There were a lot of good schools there, including BYU, Air Force and Colorado State.”

Hood said he enjoyed this team-meet format because athletes get the See

Track page 7

Late run not enough Cats split games in CBS Classic against Angelo State

By Sadie Barton Sports Writer

Basketball

By Ryan Cantrell Sports Writer

The Wildcats made a late push but could not complete the comeback, falling 82-77 to Angelo State on Saturday. Guard Lionel Brown made his free throws down the stretch and secured the victory for the Rams.

The Wildcats were trailing by 14 with 7:27 remaining in regulation, when they went on a 22-11 run to end the game but fell just short. The team had the lead down to two, 79-77, with 57.6 seconds left. The Rams ran down the clock for a shot, and Brown got fouled. After splitting the pair of free throws, the Wild-

cats possibly could have tied with a three-pointer.

“We let the game get away from us in the first half when we went from being up seven to down seven,” head coach Jason Copeland said. “We did a good job getting back into the game before Dante Adams fouled out at the end on a questionable call. I thought he had played good defense.

We are working hard; we just do not have a lot of depth, and that is hurting us down the stretch.”

Guard Riley Lambert drove the lane and missed See

Wildcats page 7

The Wildcat softball team finished 2-2 this weekend in the CBS Insurance Classic after defeating St. Mary’s and Northeastern Oklahoma State in games one and three and losing to Emporia State and Southeastern Oklahoma State in games two and four.

ACU improved to 5-4 on the season and will travel to Oklahoma on Friday to compete in the South Central Shootout, where the Wildcats will play six games in three days.

In game one on Thursday, the Wildcats earned a 13-11 come-from-behind win over St. Mary’s. St. Mary’s jumped to an 8-3 lead before the Wildcats See

Softball page 7

Jozie Sands :: staff photographer Infielder Genevie Ramirez makes a throw Thursday against St. Mary’s.