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Wedding 101: A guide to the wedding season inside this issue
Friday, April 24, 2009 :: Vol. 97, No. 52 :: 2 sections, 14 pages :: www.acuoptimist.com
Inside This Issue:
Pg. 3
Debate team advances to national competition
Pg. 5
Pg. 8
‘Steel’-ing the show: Students rock audience with steel drums
Draft dreams: Former ACU football players hope to join NFL
Kittley resigns in reorganization of intramurals By Kelline Linton Chief Copy Editor
Danny Kittley has resigned from the university after 11 years as director of intramural sports and 23 years with the university. “I just retired,” said Kittley, whose final day was Monday. He declined further comment.
Dr. Jean-Noel Thompson, vice president and dean for Student Life, said Kittley’s departure will not affect the students’ intramural experience. “The biggest piece for folks to know is these things happen, people leave, but we are committed to not letting the program suffer,” he said. “On the contrary, we want to use this to grow.”
Thompson said he and Dr. Jeff Arrington, associate dean of Student Life, will begin the search for a new intramurals director as soon as possible and hope to have someone in the position by the summer. He said they would choose the new director through a standard selection process that includes interviews of the top candidates by a committee
that consists of Thompson, Arrington, members of the Student Life staff and students involved in intramural groups. He also said he wants to post the open intramurals director position on the ACU Web site. Thompson began to oversee the intramurals office, which supervises Champ and Rec leagues, when it was moved under Student Life in January.
Handing it Over
Before the change, the intramurals office answered to the Department of Athletics and Athletic Director Jared Mosely. Thompson said the shift to Student Life was made for two reasons. “Since the primary goal is to focus on student recreation, it made a lot of sense to pull the intramural program under the Student Life model,” he said.
Arts Editor
Heather Leiphart :: staff photographer Former SA President Sarah Pulis, senior political science major from Longview, hands a gavel to SA President Charles Gaines, junior social justice major from Cedar Hill, at the traditional Changing of the Guard ceremony.
Gaines, cabinet accept transition of power Managing Editor
Students’ Association Congress members shared feelings of bittersweet memories, hope for the future and satisfaction from servings of glazed cheesecake at the Changing of the Guard ceremony Tuesday night. The ceremony in The Grace Museum courtyard, marked the last formal SA Congress function this semester and the official transition of power to the newly elected Cabinet.
“It’s bittersweet because I’ve put my heart into this organization for four years,” said former SA President Sarah Pulis. “I’m so proud of my time here and feel so blessed by the members of Congress. It’s sad to go, but I know that I’m leaving Congress to very capable, very respectable, outstanding people. So I have full confidence in them and I look forward to seeing what will happen in the Gaines’ administration. I think great things are going to happen.”
Numerous awards were given out after SA Congress members and other prominent ACU leaders savored a meal of grilled chicken, pasta, green beans and dessert catered by Johnny Carino’s Italian Restaurant. The SA Congress awarded the Milonga Latin Dance with the Student Group of the Year award and Edwards Hall Rep. Jared Elk with the Congressperson of the Year award. The SA executive officers also gave awards to people who significantly helped
See
Kittley page 4
Rushing allows clubs to advertise, expand By Lydia Melby
By Michael Freeman
“The goal is to make this a student-centered program.” The move also allowed Mosely more time to focus on the 16 NCAA sports teams he oversees, Thompson said. “We want to focus more on intramurals and do all we can to bring about the most exciting student-centered IM
and inspired them. Pulis awarded Dr. Caron Gentry, assistant professor of Honors Studies and political science, with the executive president’s award, while former secretary Brianna Allen gave her secretary’s award to Dr. John Willis, Burton Coffman Chair of Biblical Studies and professor of Old Testament. Former treasurer Spencer Hemphill gave his treasurer’s award to his father, Steve. See
Transition page 4
Spring rushing has once again come and gone, and after this preview for next fall rush’s season, many social club members are looking forward to the upcoming pledging process. Spring rushes, which are not required for pledging like fall rushes, are a series of events organized by the various social clubs to advertise their clubs to potential pledges. The events began with the All Club Rush on April 6 and wrapped up Thursday night with the last three spring rushes from GATA, Galaxy and Trojans. “Spring rushing is really important in that it isn’t mandatory, so that makes it really fun because the people that come are people that are just interested to find out more about the different clubs,” said Christina Perkins, president of Alpha Kai Omega and junior psychology major from Conroe. “It’s really important to go out there and meet as many people as you can, that way you get a taste of the different clubs and what they’re about, so you can think about it over the summer and make your decision.” Levi Mawhirter, president of Pi Kappa and junior youth and family ministry major from Waco, also said spring rushing was a fun but important way for clubs to advertise their organizations. “We’re a pretty new club, so we aren’t that well known to the student body, and spring rushing gets our name out there with some of
“
It’s really important to go out there and meet as many people as you can, that way you get a taste of the different clubs…
”
:: Alpha Kai president Chris-
tina Perkins, junior psychology major from Conroe
the bigger clubs,” Mawhirter said. “Everybody loves to get free food, so spring rushing is a great time to just give out free food, be friendly and laid-back and just have a good time with people.” Pi Kappa is one of the lesser-known social clubs on campus, and Mawhirter called it “the social club for the non-social club guy, who doesn’t really care about social clubs or maybe think they even serve a purpose.” He said besides the smaller size of Pi Kappa, what sets it apart is its focus on two things: accountability and service in the community. “Pi kappa is just another option,” Mawhirter said. “It’s not really a traditional club, and I guess different than some of the bigger clubs… [service] is a good way to get outside the ACU bubble and meet the people around our campus and around Abilene.” See
Rushing page 3
Stray cats on campus prompt administrative action By Erin Mangold Student Reporter
Students may have seen wild cats roaming the campus, not Willie the Wildcat, but actual stray cats. Some have spotted these cats running across the university’s lawns or searching the trash bins for food; others have endured their biting or scratching when getting to close to the toms and felines. Physical Resources recently began placing traps around campus in attempt to control the cat epidemic. An announcement on the myACU homepage warned students, faculty and staff to
not let the trapped cats loose because they were a risk to everyone on campus. Stray cats on campus have been a problem for a long time, said Scot Colley, associate director of Physical Resources. “We have been dealing with them for seven years, that I know,” Colley said. “We just occasionally put out traps and City of Abilene Animal Control picks them up.” David Williams, an air conditioner technician by day and kitchen supervisor by night, has been a member of the ACU staff for six years. He said the university has never fully resolved the stray cat problem. “One time, they started trapping them,
and the population went down,” Williams said. “But after a while, they came back and they’re still everywhere.” He and several ACU employees from the kitchen staff decided to take matters into their own hands. “We trapped one of the tom cats, pitched in money, had it neutered and released it, “ Williams said. “Hopefully that will help the problem a little.”
E-mail Mangold at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Zak Zeinert :: chief photographer A cat stands outside the Brown Library on Wednesday.
ACU WEATHER
Online Poll :
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
High: 84 Low: 66
High: 84 Low: 66
High: 80 Low: 66
a. Adopt them as department mascots. b. They’re doing the right thing. c. Nothing. I like having them around. d. I’ve never seen a cat on campus.
Videos :: Podcasts :: Slideshows Department of Journalism and Mass Communication ::
Abilene Christian University
What should ACU do about all the cats?
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Campus Day Friday, April 24, 2009
Calendar and Events
24
Friday
7 p.m. Jazz at the Center will take place at the Center for Contemporary Arts. The event costs $10. For more information, call 677-8389. 7 p.m. Relay for Life, sponsored by the American Cancer Society, will begin at the Elmer Gray Stadium. For more information, call 691-1519 or go to www.relayforlife.org/abilenetx.
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Saturday
9:30 a.m. March of Dimes: March for Babies will begin at Redbud Park. For more information, call 672-0566. 7-9 p.m. The Springboard Ideas Challenge Awards Dinner will take place in the Hunter Welcome Center. For more information, go to www. springboardchallenge.com/index. php/awards-dinner/.
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Sunday
Noon-5 p.m. The Weekend Fling will take place at the Taylor County Expo Center. Admission is free. For more information, call 665-5358.
27
Monday
8-9 p.m. The ACU MUSIC Voice and Guitar Recital will take place in the Williams Performing Arts Center. For more information, call 672-2199.
7-9 p.m. A Spring Gospel Revival will take place at Minda Street Church of Christ. Transportation is available. For more information, call 676-2151.
Seniors to be recognized as servant leaders By Heather Leiphart Staff Photographer
The university will recognize 100 graduating seniors as servant leaders at a special ceremony in Chapel on the Hill on Friday. Dr. Dwayne VanRheenen, Provost, initiated the event 10 years ago and will preside over the ceremony for the last time in light of his pending retirement. “A servant leader is a student who intentionally seeks out opportunities to help other people,” VanRheenen said. “It’s not to brag on them; it’s to say that you’ve been a model, and we really appreciate you.” He likened the students’ service activities to Jesus washing his disciples’ feet, both being great examples of humility and service, he said. “I think that a Christian university ought to think not
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It’s not to brag on them; it’s to say that you’ve been a model, and we really appreciate you. :: Dr. Dwayne VanRheenen, Provost
only about the development of the head and the mind, but also the whole person,” VanRheenen said. “Here at ACU, we want servant leaders as well as students gifted intellectually. We celebrate a lot in the institution about minds, and we want those minds to also have hearts and hands that serve.” Rita Harrell, Volunteer and Service-Learning Center Administrator, said many of the nominated students work “quietly behind the scenes, interacting in students’ lives and encour-
”
aging them,” and may not be the names that one always hears around campus. Servant-leadership involves more than traditional volunteering, she said. “It’s not just about doing acts of service, but also about being an example, so that by your acts of service you’re actually leading others to a life of service as well,” Harrell said. “There’s a whole A to Z range of what students will be highlighted for, such as Meals on Wheels and volunteering for the Special Olympics.”
Every graduating senior nominated online for the recognition will receive a certificate, barring disciplinary reasons, Harrell said. Dr. Royce Money, president of the university, will deliver the key address, and students Abby Trejo Rice, senior biology major from Ulysses, Kan., and Jeremy Tatum, senior social work major from Abilene, also will speak. Following the service, a reception will take place in the rotunda outside the Chapel where light refreshments will be served. Space is limited, but nominated students are encouraged to bring a faculty or staff mentor, friend or family member.
E-mail Leiphart at: hal08a@acu.edu
Announcements The All Club Devotional will take place in the Beauchamp Amphitheatre on Tuesday from 9-10 p.m. The 60th Annual Kiwanis Club of Abilene Pancake Day will take place at the Civic Center on Saturday from 4-7 p.m. The event costs $5. For more information, call Ricki Brown at 676-6211.
Student organization annual update forms are due in the Student Organizations office by May 4 at 5 p.m. The form is mandatory for student organizations to be recognized during the 2009-10 school year. DirectFest 2009, one-act plays directed by students from HardinSimmons University, will take place in the Val Ellis Theatre at Hardin-
Simmons on Thursday from 8-10 p.m. For more information, call 670-1405.
Hunter Welcome Center on Friday at noon. For more information, call 674-2622.
The Wildcat Willie applications are available in the Teague Athletic Office. Applications will be due and try-outs will take place Friday.
The College of Arts and Sciences Reception will take place at the T&P Event Center on Saturday from 6:30-8:30 p.m. For more information, call Elaine Wegner at 674-2850.
Peace and Social Justice Studies will be offered as a new minor in the fall of 2009. For more information, call David Dillman at 674-2095 or e-mail him at dillmand@acu.edu. The Golden Anniversary Luncheon will take place in the
Career Center Assistance will be available to students in the Hunter Welcome Center on Tuesday from noon-2 p.m. For more information, go to www.acu.edu/careercenter.
Protect yourself from motor vehicle burglaries by always locking your car and keeping all valuables out of sight or in the trunk.
Always report suspicious activity to ACUPD at 674-2305 or 674-2911.
Chapel Checkup Credited Chapels to date:
68
Credited Chapels remaining:
05
Volunteer Opportunities 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 Wheel’s building and deliver them to people around Abilene. It takes one hour each week. Call Mitzi McAndrew at 672-5050 to volunteer. The Christian Service Center needs volunteers to file requests in the donation center, sort and organize donations and occasionally pick up donated items. Volunteers are needed Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to noon or from 2-4 p.m. For more information, call Roberta Brown at 673-7531 or go to www.uccabilene.org/ministries/csc.htm. The Center for Contemporary Arts needs volunteers to give free art lessons to kids, while providing the opportunity to learn about art through the ArtReach program. Volunteers do not have to be artists and are needed Monday through Friday from 1-5 p.m. For more information, call Katherine Trotter at 677-8389 or e-mail katherine@center-arts.com 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. The Salvation Army needs volunteers Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to sort and hang clothes, take donations, organize shelves and mark items. Open-toe shoes are restricted. For more information, contact Cecilia Barahona at 677-1408 or send an e-mail to cecilia_barahona@uss.salvationarmy.org. The Ben Richey Boys Ranch needs volunteers for its Clay Break Classic at Abilene Clay Sports on May 2 from
12:45-3:15 p.m. or 2:45-5:15 p.m. Volunteers will set up shoot stations and organize the dinner and auction. For more information, call Jama Stacy at 338-3547. St. John’s Episcopal School needs volunteers to help with its carnival fundraiser Saturday from 4-7:30 p.m. Volunteers will serve food and organize game booths. For more information, go to the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center’s Web site at www.acu.edu/vslc. 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. to 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 Holliday Hills Neighborhood needs volunteers for its cleanup day Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in West Abilene. For more information, contact Robert Lily at 864-8439. Global Samaritan Resources needs volunteers to sort through clothing and repack boxes. Volunteers are needed any time Monday through Thursday. For more information, contact David Catalina at 676-9991. Find out volunteer opportunities by visiting the Volunteer and ServiceLearning 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 Service-Learning Center in the Bean Sprout.
Corrections/Clarifications n In the April 17 issue of the
Optimist, Dr. Jonathan Stewart was identified as an associate professor, but his actual title is
professor. In the same story, a quote was attributed to Mike Winegeart, but the actual source was Stewart.
acuoptimist.com n Students unite for Service Saturday
CAMPUS NEWS
Friday, April 24, 2009
Page 3
New members prove successful for reconstructed debate team By Lezlee Gutierrez Student Reporter
The debate team reached the national tournament this semester after rebuilding from scratch. The team members have had a successful year despite the challenges they had to face. The team had no returning members from last year, and it had to construct a new team consisting mainly of freshmen and a few sophomores.
“The debate team was nationally recognized last year, so we had to try our hardest to do the best we could with a completely new team, but we did well despite all obstacles,” said Jason Allen, co-coach and communication graduate student. The team consists of eight members divided into teams of two. Each team was given a topic that is either policyoriented or value-oriented 15 minutes before the de-
bate. ACU was able to compete in 10 tournaments this year in areas including Houston, Lubbock, Nebraska, Mississippi, Louisiana and California. “Our main goal this year was to rebuild our team and put the community back into the program,” said Jeff Craig, freshman print journalism major from Granbury. Craig partnered with Keri Gray to compete in the parliamentary debate in Stockton, Calif., where they placed second.
Rushing: Students race for exam Students meet and greet club members By Heather Leiphart Staff Photographer
Continued from page 1 Kason Hart, president of Galaxy and junior electronic media major from Houston, said Galaxy’s spring rushing went well and the turnout to the events had him looking forward to the fall rushing and pledging season. “Spring rushing is…a good opportunity for our guys in club to meet and get to know the people that might pledge,” Hart said. “We’re excited about pledging for next year, and I’ve already met a bunch of really great freshman guys and I look forward to seeing who comes out and decides to pledge.” Frater Sodalis’ president Sean Smith said spring rushing is a vital part of the pledging process because it is important for students to know in advance what clubs they are interested in, and which they think would be a good fit. “You go into the fall semester not knowing a lot about the different clubs, and after just a few rushes, you have to decide,” said Smith, junior accounting major from Spring. “Spring rushing is just another chance to get to know the different clubs you’re looking into.” Students who missed spring rushing and would like to know more about the social clubs on campus can find the social clubs’ link on the ACU Web site under the “Student Life” tab, or can search for the social clubs by name on Facebook. “The potential pledges and the club members seemed to have a ton of fun with the rushes,” Perkins said. “With all the excitement that’s been going on with spring rushing, I feel like it’s going to be even better next year.” All students must be registered by 5 p.m. on Sep. 4, 2009, to pledge in the fall.
E-mail Melby at: lgm05e@acu.edu
Swimming, biking and a jog outdoors may sound like just another lovely afternoon, but for 10 students it is a grade. This semester’s triathlon class has trained all semester in preparation for the first Caveman Triathlon on Saturday in Flower Mound. The triathlon is the class final for the semester. The Caveman Triathlon, presented by Dallas Athletes Racing, includes a 275-yard swim, an 11mile bike ride and a 5K run, which participants will compete inside the Community Athletic Center at Flower Mound. The students will check-in Saturday afternoon, spend the night in the Dallas area, then wake up hours before sunrise Sunday morning for the 7 a.m. race. USA Triathlon has sanctioned the race, and students will need to buy a $10 oneday membership to compete in the sold out event. Laura Dillman, instructor of exercise science and
Student Reporter
Hot entertainment and cool refreshments await the ACU community when ResLife throws the Backyard Bash behind Smith-Adams Hall from 2-5 p.m. on Saturday. This free event will feature a 150-foot waterslide, dunking tank, water balloons, hamburgers, hot dogs and live music. It also will have Cajun Cones and Henna tattoos at reduced prices. The tattoos will vary in price; they will cost between $5 and $10, and all the money they raise will go to an orphanage in India. The waterslide, a tradition at the Backyard Bash, is a water-drenched tarp that will allow students to run and slide down a grassy slope into a water pit at the bottom of the hill. This event, although popular in the past, last made its appearance on campus in 2007.
traveling with the team, attending meetings, as well as judging rounds. The team is currently in transition from reaping the rewards to making sure next year’s team is even better, Craig said. “Next semester we hope to build from the foundation we have set this year and gain success with our original goals in mind,” Craig said. The team is working on recruiting members for next
semester so it may have a variety of talents in each division, Craig said. “It is more difficult for a smaller university to have such a successful program,” Allen said. “It is more important for us to focus on the quality of the new members, not just the quantity.”
E-mail Gutierrez at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Strum Up The Volume
Jogging around
Caveman Triathlon events at Flower Mound:
n Starting time of race - 7 a.m. n 275-yard swim n 11-mile bike ride n 5K run
health, said she anticipates good results from the class. “Whatever was their worst event, that’s where they’ve put their emphasis training all semester,” she said. “We just did a posttest Wednesday, and several of them have improved by two minutes on their mile time. Many of them have improved in the pool, which is typically most people’s worst event, and they’ve gotten better on the bikes.” Thunderstorms recently have been forecasted for the Dallas area over the weekend, which may threaten to postpone the competition. In the event of fair weather, results will be posted on the event’s Web site, www.cavemantriathlon.com. E-mail Leiphart at: hal08a@acu.edu
Backyard bash features food, fun at Smith-Adams By Katie Hoffman
It is rare for sophomores or freshmen to reach nationals, which is comprised of more than 200 teams. Jeff and Keri were not phased by this fact and placed 80th in the nation. This was Dena Counts’ first time to coach, as well as Jason Allen’s first time to co-coach, but given the situation, they said they are proud of the goals they have accomplished. Some of Allen’s responsibilities as co-coach included
Amanda Swan, resident assistant for Smith-Adams Hall, said she did not know why the Backyard Bash fell to the wayside, but the scope and expense might have been contributing factors. “It used to be a pretty big thing with about 400 students coming out; we wanted to bring it back,” said Chris Windsor, residence director of SmithAdams Hall. While Windsor said he is excited about the forecast of good weather, Swan said, “It will be an active event with water sports, so being covered will be important.” Windsor said he hopes the Saturday event draws a large crowd, including faculty and staff participants. “Whether you are a freshman or a sophomore, if you’re a junior, if you’re a fifth-year senior, if you’re a graduate student or if you’re an alumni, just come on out,” he said. E-mail Hoffman at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Jozie Sands :: staff photographer
Andrew Duge, senior marketing major from Corpus Christi, plays guitar for the crowd at the Beach Bash in the Mall area Friday.
FROM THE FRONT
Page 4
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Non-Christian: Atheist students face fear, judgment from Christians Continued from page 1 “Most people are atheist in China; I have been an atheist in the past 34 years,” said Wei, who is unsure of his beliefs. “In Shanghai, people don’t trust other people very much. You can’t tell who is good. Here, it is completely different. People tend to trust you.” Still, the fear of being rejected does exist among international and even American students. Some keep their religious beliefs to their families. Others, like a Muslim student who asked his name not be used, tells only his close friends about his faith because he worries about his physical safety and fears the stereotypes Americans have toward Muslims. However, he said he feels comfortable at ACU because he knew what to expect; he even enjoys Chapel and Bible classes. The judgment of others does not matter as much for Robinson, who talks openly about his religious opinions. Robinson’s parents are both Christian, and he said his Christian beliefs were so strong during his freshman year he would argue with atheists about religion. But, he began to question his faith during his sophomore year and faced a lot of problems during his transition from Christian to atheist. “It started my sophomore year, and I admitted it my junior year,” Robinson said. “At first, it makes you feel hopeless and meaningless. When I talk to Christians, they say ‘I would not want to live in a world without God.’” Robinson said it took courage to accept his new beliefs, but he felt supported by his friends and only faced a few hostile reactions. “Sure, I have been called a couple of words,” Robinson
said. “I hate how Christians here group atheists together.” After becoming an atheist, Robinson did not transfer because he wanted to stay with his friends. However, he thought about creating a support group for atheists because he knew atheists at ACU who were afraid to tell people they were not Christians. Dr. Stephen Allison, associate professor of psychology and Robert and Mary Ann Hall, chair of psychology and intercultural studies, said it is common for students coming from conservative, Christian backgrounds to struggle with their faith during college and even become cynical about religion. “Between 18 and 30 [is] a time of a lot of inquiry,” Allison said. He said several factors can influence a change of faith, such as being away from home for the first time or interacting with students from diverse backgrounds. Allison, who directed the University Counseling Center for 18 years, said students also begin questioning their faith when they experience a family disruption, such as the divorce of their parents. However, it is common for people who experience a change of faith to become believers again; it can happen when they become parents themselves because the idea of not allowing their children to know about Christianity bothers them, he said. “They don’t necessarily go all the way back; they are usually not as conservative as before,” Allison said. “But most people heal from their experiences, and they come back around.” Regardless of backgrounds and experiences, non-Christian students still have to deal
with the requirements of a Christian university. Chapel, Bible classes and class prayers may cause struggles, especially for those who have no religious experience. Gist said he tells international recruits early in the recruiting process that they have to attend Chapel almost every day and take 15 hours of Bible classes — only six hours for most transfers. “It is a very important part of the conversation with prospective students,” Gist said. “I am very upfront about the Christian requirements. I try to give a picture to the best that I can. At some point, no matter how I share, some people don’t know what it’s like.” He said some international students come from such different backgrounds that the culture shock is inevitable. “Some students come, and they are like, ‘Wow, this is really a Christian place,’” Gist said. “For some non-Christian students, it is so foreign, so strange that they feel really uncomfortable.” He said students have two choices: either explore Christianity and reconcile or withdraw and completely reject it. “I haven’t seen very many people rejecting it, but I do see many people shocked,” Gist said. Dr. Rodney Ashlock, assistant professor of Bible, ministry and missions, said two years ago, a Japanese student approached him at the end of his Old Testament class and told him she was not Christian. He said they talked a lot, and he tried to answer all of her questions about Christianity, beginning with the basics. “What we take for granted was a strange world to her,” Ashlock said. He said when some students approach him, his goal is not to convert them but to explain to them the story of Christianity.
“Then it’s their decision,” Ashlock said. “If I don’t have a huge class, I try to get to know every student. But [nonChristian students] don’t typically advertise.” Vibulano Hun, junior premed major from Sihanoukville, Cambodia, said people do not ask him about his religious beliefs because they assume international students like him are not necessarily Christian. Hun, a Catholic who still sees American Christianity as foreign, said he likes Bible classes but does not always understand the purpose of Chapel. “Chapel sometimes does not make sense to me,” Hun said. “I know it’s mandatory, but what you believe is in your heart.” Gist said during the four years he has worked with international students, he witnessed only two to three transfers because they did not want to attend Chapel. The accommodation to the Christian environment depends on the maturity of students, he said. “Fundamentally, it is about crossing culture and learning about other cultures,” Gist said. Raised in a Christian, conservative background, Gist experienced cross-cultural challenges himself by pursuing a master’s degree at the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vt., a “very liberal, secular” institution. “It was a great experience for me to see different perspectives,” said Gist, who also studied in Belgium for eight months and lived in Japan from 1998 to 2001. “There are stereotypes on both sides,” he said. Gist said he does not talk to all incoming international students because some, like student-athletes, are recruited by other departments. Linda Brivule, junior management major from Riga, Latvia, came to ACU in the spring
of 2008 on a track and field scholarship. Brivule, 25, is not a Christian, and does not have to attend Chapel because students 25 years and older are exempt. However, she does have to take Bible classes. “I knew I had to take [Bible classes],” she said. “It’s not a big deal. At first I was very confused, but I spoke personally with the teacher. I told him I was not Christian; his reaction was positive. He explained me the basics.” Brivule said she went to Chapel 12 times before she turned 25 years old. She said she was shocked to see the other students not paying attention in Chapel and instead playing games on their cell phones. It would make more sense if students had the choice between going to Chapel and taking Bible classes, she said. Brivule, a former world junior champion and the NCAA Division II 2008 national champion in the javelin throw, said she did not experience a culture shock in Abilene because she has traveled around the world for track and field meets. She said she fits well in the Christian environment and has good relations with other students. She said she does not waste time worrying about what other students think of her beliefs; she said her focus is on track, school and her future. “I came here to change my life, to study what I want,” she said. Jared Mosley, director of athletics, said although international student-athletes often do not have the opportunity to visit the campus, head coaches inform them of the school’s religious requirements when they are recruited. “We highly encourage that there is no surprise,” Mosley said. “We encourage the coaches to let [student-athletes] know early in the process.”
He said he hopes all student-athletes take something productive out of Chapel and Bible classes. He also said the presence of non-Christian students is valuable to ACU and he would not want the school to be for Christians only. “That’s life; wherever you go, there are people from different backgrounds,” Mosley said. “It shapes who we are, what we believe. It’s beneficial and adds to the process.” Robinson took one year of Biblical Hebrew and two of Biblical Greek. He said he reads Bible verses regularly, and Isaiah is his favorite book of the Bible. “I am a philosophical ‘Jesusist,’” Robinson said. “[Jesus’] teaching and person are phenomenal; he is the most forward thinker ever.” But as much as he has enjoyed his Bible classes, Robinson said he dislikes Chapel. “As somebody who used to be a Christian, I hate [Chapel],” Robinson said. “Because I grew up Christian, I still respect what they talk about, but when you force someone to attend, it takes everything out of it. It’s not a personal thing anymore.” Despite his admiration for Jesus, Robinson rejects Christianity and religion. “Religion is one of the most powerful things on Earth,” Robinson said. “It can unite but also create a lot of division.” He said his father is one of the most inspirational people in his life, but he has not told him he is no longer a Christian. “I told my mom,” Robinson said. “She says it’s just a phase.” Robinson said the people he grew up with at the Manhattan Church of Christ do not know either, and he hopes they will not react negatively. “I’d like to think that they will still accept me,” he said. E-mail Vandendriessche at: cxv06a@acu.edu
ArtsFriday
April 24, 2009
Open mic night celebrates magazine release By Hannah Barnes Student Reporter
The Black Tulip poetry reading will be at 8 p.m. on Thursday at the Shore Art Gallery. Staff members of the Shinnery Review are sponsoring the event, which allows students to share their artistic abilities with one another. They also have an opportunity to attend an evening full of entertainment, refreshments and free copies of this year’s edition of the Shinnery Review. Dr. Steven Moore, the faculty adviser of the Shinnery Review and associate professor of English, said the event will have a great atmosphere open to all students. “There will be live entertainment and desserts,” he said. “It is an evening to
highlight student’s poetry and an opportunity to share poetry. It will be amazing.” Mary Hardegree, junior English major from Abilene, serves as the advertising publication editor for the Shinnery Review. “The Black Tulip poetry reading is a great way to support fellow colleagues,” Hardegree said. “It’s a great way to show appreciation and interest.” The Black Tulip also will serve as the release party of the Shinnery Review, which is an annual literary magazine containing work from students of all majors. “There is a diverse group of majors involved, which is the cool thing about it,” Moore said. The Shinnery Review is a compilation of artwork,
poetry and short stories. Throughout the year, students submit their pieces to a review board; from there, the editors and staff members on the review board decide what will or will not go into the magazine. Moore said he was pleased with the staff and editors and thought this year’s Shinnery Review was exceptional. “It contains exceptional poetry, artwork that is enchanting and stories that are captivating,” he said. “This is art at its finest. I am very pleased with the outcome.” The staff of the literary magazine made a few changes to it this year, including formatting it in a magazine style instead of a small book. Besides the change in appearance, the
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Students Get Crafty
Shinnery also will be free this year, as opposed to prior years. Although the magazine will be free, each student or faculty member is limited to one copy each. The expected attendance at the Black Tulip poetry reading is 50-100 people, all of whom will be able to grab their free copies of the Shinnery Review, or purchase T-shirts designed by Lydia Melby, assistant editor for the Shinnery Review and junior English major from San Antonio. The Black Tulip also will feature live music performances from Andrew Duge and Lucas Wright, and others. Admission is free. Zak Zeinert :: chief photographer E-mail Barnes at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Rebecca Hull makes stationary and sells jewelry at the art fair in the Bean Sprout on Friday.
Percussion performance provides glimpse of ‘Africa’ By Paul Knettel Student Writer
The ACU Percussion Ensemble performed a concert in Cullen Auditorium on Monday, implementing several different styles of percussive literature and playing some impressive and enjoyable music. The ensemble, directed by Dr. Allen Teel, professor of music, began the concert with two West African pieces, Kassa and Dansa, played on traditional African percussive instruments such as the Djembe. Afterward, the Vocal Jazz Ensemble, under the direc-
tion of Kristin Ward, adjunct professor of music, joined the Percussion Ensemble on stage. They sang along with another traditional African piece, titled Abibigromma, which exhibited the call-andresponse method commonly found in African song. This method consists of a song leader singing a phrase and the rest of the ensemble responding in kind. Jasmin Richardson, senior theatre major from Houston, sang the lead part in the song, and I could tell by the smiles on the ensemble members’ faces that they seemed to enjoy singing this piece.
The next musical piece the ensemble played was Capoeira Angola, a traditional Brazilian song, that featured Teel and guest performer James Vokes, junior art major from Atlanta, playing the berimbaus, a single-stringed, bow-shaped percussion instrument with a gourd on the bottom. The piece also included singing, led by Vokes. Following Capoeira Angola, two members of the ensemble, joined by Teel and Keith Lloyd, percussion instructor at McMurry University, played a piece for four marimbas, called
Hester directs Atlanta production By Kimberly Wolford Student Reporter
Adam Hester has not been to class recently. Instead, Hester, chair of the Department of Theatre and professor of theatre, has been in the Atlanta area directing John and Jen, a musical written by Andrew Lippa and Tom Greenwald. John and Jen follows a brother and sister through a changing era, from the 1950s to the 1990s. The musical “takes a look at the complexities of relationships between brothers and sisters and parents and children,” according to the Music Theatre International Web site. Mark Smith (’97) asked Hester to direct the play for Legacy Theatre in Tyrone, Ga. “They don’t normally hire directors outside their company,” Hester said in
“
I’m really grateful to them for this opportunity... It’s a great way to get ACU’s name and recognition out there. :: Adam Hester, chair of the Department of Theatre
an e-mail. “But he felt this was a special situation and wanted to find the right person to direct the show.” Colleagues at ACU and Dr. Jeanine Varner, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, encouraged Hester to take the opportunity, he said. “To accommodate my classes while I was gone, we brought in our former colleague, Dawne Swearingen Churchville,” Hester said. This is Hester’s first time to direct John and Jen; however, he has used scenes from the musical in his classes at ACU.
”
“I’m really grateful to them for this opportunity and especially to my ACU theatre faculty, staff and students for their generosity to cover so many things while I’m gone,” he said. John and Jen opened at the Legacy Theatre on April 18 and will run until May 3. “It’s a great way to get ACU’s name and recognition out there, while making it possible for us to have professional experiences even though Abilene is not in a metropolitan area,” Hester said. E-mail Wolford at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Omphalo Centric Lecture. This song by Nigel Westlake borrows its name from a painting by Paul Klee and involves a minimalistic influence and an invigorating, fast-paced drive of nearly constant sixteenth notes layered upon each other in polyrhythm. Finally, the group played Cricket City, which featured David Degge, junior music major, on solo steel drum and Chris Coltman, senior music major at Hardin-Simmons University, on solo marimba. After a short set-up change, the steel drum band came out on stage, and
things began to groove. The group played four steel drum pieces, including Pyxis and Clearing by CJ Menge, and I Say So by Chris Tanner. The highlight of this section of the performance was an arrangement of Toto’s 1982 sensation Africa, arranged for steel drum band by Tony McCutchen. This was a fun take on a favorite ’80s tune, and I enjoyed watching the musicians have a good time playing the piece. The concert was enjoyable, for both the ensembles and the attendees, and I look forward to the department’s next concert.
If you missed this concert, be sure to look out for upcoming events from the music department: Friday at 8 p.m. in the Recital Hall will be Micah Bland’s senior recital, and Tuesday and Thursday, the ACU Opera will perform Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutte in Cullen Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the opera are on sale in the music department’s box office in the Williams Performing Arts Center. They cost $10 for adults and $4 for students.
E-mail Knettel at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu
ViewsFriday
Page 6
April 24, 2009
Pensive preparation bolsters marital commitments’ strength
W
hile a ring by spring may be a charming idea for a Freshman Follies’ act, it is not so appealing when applied to real life. A quick engagement and subsequent marriage may appear attractive from a distance, but a closer inspection of the two reveals disheartening facts. Everyone knows the ACU marriage jokes. This campus is a “marriage factory,” where students rush into marriage. Bible majors are looking for two things: a wife and a preaching job. Freshman women reserve Chapel on the Hill in anticipation of
getting their “Mrs. Degrees.” But marriage is no joke. And neither is the lack of successful marriages in this country. Roughly 60 percent of marriages in the U.S. end in divorce, and about 80 percent of second or third marriages also result in divorce. Christians are not exempt; 32 percent of Christian couples who attend church regularly will get a divorce, according to the General Social Survey — one of the best known sources of sociological data. Marriage is for love, not fashion. Although you may feel wonderful when celebrating an engagement with your friends and club sisters, this happi-
ness is fleeting. Marriage is a lifelong commitment in God’s eyes, and a “happily ever after” is not feasible without the occasional fight and disheartening obstacle. So take the time to ensure you and your boyfriend or fiancé are prepared for the next big step in your relationship, whether mentally, emotionally or financially. Attending counseling at your church or the ACU Counseling Center will help both you and your future spouse understand the differences between each other before marriage surprises the worst out of you. Seek advice from your friends, co-workers and family.
The people who know and love you the best usually can see whether you and your fiancé are compatible together, and although love is not all logic, it also cannot be all feeling. Marrying based on lust, desire and a craving for sex will result in ruin for both of you. Once the initial “fires” burn out, a lack of a more concrete foundation will leave you cold and empty. But if you think you are ready for marriage after seeking counseling and advice, do not let the stress of planning a marriage detract from your relationship. Take the time to breathe and continually enjoy each other, even as hectic phone calls and
Lebensgefahr
Editorial and letter policy Unsigned editorials are the opinions of the Optimist and may not necessarily reflect the views of the university or its administration. Signed columns, cartoons and letters are the opinions of their creators and may not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the Optimist or the university. The Optimist encourages reader response through letters to the editor but reserves the right to limit frequent contributors or to refuse to print letters containing personal attacks, obscenity, defamation, erroneous
information or invasion of privacy. Please limit letters to 350 words or fewer. A name and phone number must be included for verification purposes. Phone numbers will not be published. Address letters to: ACU Box 27892 Abilene, TX 79699 E-mail letters to: jmcnetwork@acu.edu
After the pageant, PreJean said she understood where Hilton, who is a homosexual, was coming from when he asked such a question. She said she was also aware that the pageant judges and audience might have preferred a more politically correct answer. “I was raised in a way that you can never compromise your beliefs and your opinions for anything,” PreJean said in defense of her answer. PreJean had the guts to defend what she believed, even if it may have cost her a national title. And instead of focusing on the fact that she is exactly what the Miss USA system needs — a confident woman who knows what she believes and is willing to hold her ground on it — the focus is on how she was so “insensitive” to the gay community. In an interview with Larry King, Hilton said he did not disagree with her view that a marriage should be between a man and a woman; he disagreed with her because he thinks Miss USA should be all-inclusive. Hilton said, “She should be my Miss USA, and when she answered that question that way, it was instantly divisive and alienating to gays and lesbians and friends and supporters.” Since when did the Miss USA Pageant system become a platform for representing the gay community?
Hilton’s tactic in asking such a question was malicious. He simply was trying to weed out the conservative, cause drama (which he is known for doing) and find approval from someone on his own lifestyle. Why does it matter whether Miss USA supports his lifestyle? Miss USA is supposed to represent the USA as a whole. And as a whole, the U.S. is not made up of homosexuals, nor is it 100 percent in favor of gay marriage. PreJean is exactly what the pageant system needs to revamp its negative image, one that has been carved out by women more interested in partying than being role models to the youth who admire them. Shouldn’t a beauty queen represent the majority and not the minority? It is impossible to represent everyone, while being “all-inclusive.” There was no way she could answer it without it being divisive because the question was divisive. So, Perez Hilton may think his question was clever and relevant and something Miss USA should be concerned with, but really, Miss USA should be more concerned with representing the youth, and I don’t know about you, but I would prefer my children look up to a beauty queen who believes in the sanctity of the family structure.
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Regardless of ACU’s image, students should seriously consider the challenges and issues facing married couples before entering marital union.
The solution:
Engaged students should utilize church and campus counseling opportunities to ensure preparedness and enjoy the journey.
scheduling changes fill the months and weeks before your big day. And when your day finally arrives, continue to love one another through the catering mishaps, sound issues and lopsided cake. Because you will
be celebrating the first of many days in a marriage based on true happiness and bliss.
E-mail the Optimist at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu
In Your Words acuoptimist.com View videos of student responses for the “In Your Words” questions online at www.acuoptimist.com.
And if you say Obama has had months to turn the economy around, well it took more than several months for people to deteriorate our economy. It will take some time for it to get back on track; this would be true if the president was Democratic or Republican. My suggestion is after Obama’s term, the American people choose their favorite presidents; these two or more presidents that receive the most votes then will be cloned into a super president. I think a George Washington Taft Reagan Jr. could do wonders for us. Or we could bring back the Whig party. Problem 3: CEO’s and their multi-million-dollar severance packages Option: Another item becoming old quickly is seeing CEO’s of major companies that have been bailed out by the government treating themselves to millions of dollars in severance packages. These selfish whitecollar thieves do not even have the common courtesy to rob the American people while wearing masks. So if these CEO’s find themselves worthy of this pay grade, they should find a solution to our slumping economy. If they do not solve the problem, we should put all of these offenders on an island in the middle of nowhere with one single crisp dollar bill and watch them fight to the death for it. Or if you do not believe in capital punishment, we can seal them off in a room separated from the rest of humanity and let them play the board game Monopoly for the rest of their days. At least they will have fun. Now these options may not seem “logical,” but people thought the same way about Isaac Newton and his “theories.” So years later, when the days of high priced gasoline and depressing economy are just a distant memory, do not be surprised if you are thanking George Washington Taft Reagan Jr. and chanting, “Four more years.” E-mail Anderson at: tsa04a@acu.edu
What do you think of ACU’s “ring by spring” reputation?
E-mail Simser at: sas04d@acu.edu
Optimist the
Our view:
Some president famously once said, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” Well, my fellow Wildcats, after months of pontificating and weeks of scouring People Say I through Talk Too Much dictionarBy Tanner ies to find out what Anderson the word pontificating even means, here are some options that will hopefully do some good for our country. Problem 1: Price of oil and gasoline Option: Since filling up an entire tank of gas still is economically painful, let us save by using public transportation. Now some of you might say there is no way you ever will travel on a bus or dart rail. Well that is fine, but I bet you would use public transportation if it were the most ridiculous roller coaster you have ever seen in your entire life. Instead of having buses and dart rails, let us make a gigantic roller coaster, which drops the public off to their desired location. This means an improvement in punctuality, whether it is getting to school, work or any other important function. I mean, who would want to miss a ride on a roller coaster; besides women who are pregnant and people who have heart conditions? Problem 2: Obama nay-sayers and Obama evangelists Option: It is becoming old hearing about both Obama nay-sayers and Obama evangelists. One side screams socialism and the destruction of our democracy, while the other side screams stimulus salvation. This is before any type of economic “change” has a chance to sprout from the ground. Let something happen first before you jump on one side of the teeter-totter; sheesh.
Miss USA should represent majority values Caitlin Upton, representing South Carolina, was asked in the final round of the Miss Teen USA Pageant why she thought one fifth of Americans could not locate the U.S. on a world map. Upton’s infamous, gibberish response has since become a reference point in mocking beauty queens, and its recorded footage has received millions of hits on YouTube. It seems Miss USA’s reputation of making the news has not ended after last weekend’s controversial pageant, but this time it had nothing to do with an unintelligent answer or a misbehaving beauty queen. Instead, the media circus is surrounding one contestant’s adamant, conservative stance. Carrie PreJean, Miss California USA, currently is being criticized for her response to a question after making the top five in the pageant. Perez Hilton, a wellknown celebrity blogger and judge for this past weekend’s Miss USA Pageant, asked PreJean if she thought every state should legalize gay marriage. PreJean responded to the question by saying, “In my country and in my family, I think that a marriage should be between a man and a woman.” After the scores from the final question were calculated, PreJean placed first runner-up in the pageant.
ACU’s “marriage factory” reputation faces the approximately 60 percent of marriages in the U.S. that end in divorce.
Life’s problems require unorthodox thinking
By Alex York
A beauty queen has been, for the most part, regarded as a woman of character, intelligence and confidence, not to mention stunningly beautiful inside and out. But that image is slowly disappearLove and the ing because University of the foBy Sommerly cus of one of today’s Simser most popular pageant systems. During the past five years, the judges of the Miss USA Pageant have awarded numerous crowns to women that have no brains or moral compasses to back up their outside beauty. Tara Conner, Miss USA 2006, almost was stripped of her title because of her party lifestyle that included alcohol and drugs. At the same time, Katie Rees, Miss Nevada USA, lost her title after provocative photos of her surfaced. Both instances created a media circus across the nation, leaving many to question whether or not beauty queens were positive role models for younger generations. In 2007 at the Miss Teen USA Pageant, the credibility of the USA pageant system and the women who represent it was once again splashed across the media.
The issue:
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SPORTS JUMPS
Friday, April 24, 2009
Page 7
Draft: Players keep NFL hopes in perspective Softball: Tournament Continued from page 8 “My dream team is the Texans because I’m from Houston, but everyone’s dream is to get drafted, and I would go to any team when it comes to the NFL.” Running back Bernard Scott, ACU’s all-time leading rusher after just two seasons, was another NFL Combine invite who turned in solid times and is expected to go anywhere from the fifth round to being a priority free agent. Scott capped off his ACU career winning the Harlon Hill Trophy, the Division II equivalent of the Heisman Trophy, after rushing for 2,156 yards and 28 touchdowns and catching 47 passes for 826 yards and six touchdowns. Scott also was a first-team D2Football.com allAmerica selection and earned first team all-LSC honors. Scott, a transfer from Blinn College, turned in the eighth-best 40yard dash time at the Combine for running backs (4.56) and ranked high in several other categories. Quarterback Billy Malone finished his ACU career as the all-time ACU and LSC record holder in numerous categories, including yards and touchdowns, and is projected to be a late round to free-agent pickup. He finished his senior season as a first team all-LSC selection and second-team D2Football. com all-America selection. Joining Malone as a likely free agent will be offensive guard Joseph Thompson. Thompson, a four-year starter, earned first-team all-LSC honors last season and was contacted by
scouts throughout his senior season. In addition to working out after the season, Thompson hired an agent and participated in different events to improve his status. “I’m looking at free agency and more than likely will be a free agent guy,” Thompson said. “I didn’t run as well as I wanted too, but all in all, I’m looking forward to draft day and not looking to do a whole lot.” While Thompson looks forward to his future, he recognizes the impact ACU has had on his football career, as well as the influence it has had on his life. “My time here made me more relational than I already was, and my quest to be a better man was facilitated very well in this place with the coaches, professors and other people,” Thompson said. “It was a very diverse and exciting experience for me.” Safety Nick Fellows, another likely free-agent pickup, leaves as a two-year starter after transferring from Baylor University. Fellows earned second-team all-LSC honors last season after recording 64 tackles, two interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. After meeting with different NFL scouts throughout last season, Fellows performed well during ACU’s pro day and was invited to a second pro day by the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington. If not drafted over the weekend, Fellows believes he will receive a phone call
Continued from page 8
just under eight runs a game and are led by designated hitter Keith Peacock (.374), left fielder Austin Evans (.368) and first baseman Chris Casazza (.367). Casazza ranks first on the team in homeruns (10) and RBI (47), while Peacock leads the team with 65 hits. On the mound, the Texans will rely on starting pitchers Danny Morris (5-5, 6.05 ERA) and P.J. Burns (3-5, 6.12 ERA). Relief pitcher Brent Lewis leads the team with a 5-1 record, 3.03 ERA and three saves. ACU enters the series still leading the LSC with a .349 team batting average, led by short stop Willie Uechi (.411), centerfielder Thomas Bumpass (.411), catcher Jordan Schmitt (.394) and second baseman Chris Hall (.388). Uechi, Schmitt and Bumpass
begins Friday at home Continued from page 8
Zak Zeinert :: chief photographer
Wide receiver Johnny Knox could be the first Wildcat taken Saturday. and be invited to a training camp after Philadelphia, Dallas, Houston and Green Bay all expressed interest. “I will just be laying back watching the draft with a few close friends, my girlfriend and some other guys and I’m going to be praying it up and keep my phone on,” Fellows said. While Fellows does not know where he will end up, he said he will rely on his faith, and he believes God has a plan whatever the outcome. “Right now my faith level is up 100 percent,” Fellows said. “I would like to get drafted and that’s what I’m hoping for, but if not, I will be satisfied with the opportunity to play for an NFL team.” Another player who scouts have expressed interest in is tight end Kendrick Holloway.
Holloway earned first-team allLSC honors last season after catching 21 passes for 213 yards and five touchdowns. Holloway also caught scouts attention with a good showing at ACU’s pro day and possibly could get an invite to training camp. The NFL Draft begins Saturday and Sunday at Radio City Music Hall in New York, and Thomsen is excited that such a large group of Wildcats will be representing ACU and have drawn so much interest. “Johnny and Bernard’s combine brought some interest,” Thomsen said. “Hopefully all those guys get an opportunity, and it’s a great group with great leadership, and it was a lot of fun to coach them.”
rank one, two and three in the LSC in hits, while Schmitt ranks first on the team with 10 homeruns. Schmitt comes into the series leading the LSC with 81 RBI and needs just 6 RBI to break former Wildcat Mike Elkerson’s single-season RBI record. Outfielder Travis Latz, who ranks second on the team with 10 homeruns and 40 RBI, has come on strong toward the end of the season and also will be important to the Wildcats’ success. The ACU pitching staff comes into the weekend ranking second in the LSC with a 5.02 team ERA. Starting pitcher Cameron Aspaas (7-2) ranks fifth in the LSC with a 4.12 ERA and is second on the team in wins. He will join starters Preston Vancil (2-4, 4.35 ERA), who leads the LSC with 83 strike-
outs, and Cooper Page (2-1, 5.51 ERA), while relief pitcher Kevin Justice (7-1, 3.75 ERA) and closer Brad Rutherford (9-3, 3.09 ERA) will be key to the Wildcats’ success on the mound. Rutherford ranks second in the LSC in wins and first with nine saves. “We have to get our starters deep in the ball game, and that’s the only way to win the conference tournament,” Bonneau said. “We will try some new pitchers out and try to find one to two starters going into the [LSC tournament] to piggy back Aspaas and Vancil.” The series will begin with a doubleheader Friday at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. and will conclude Saturday with a doubleheader at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
This season ACU has split four games with the Midwestern State Mustangs. ACU won the first matchup against the Mustangs 4-1 in the fifth game of season. The Wildcats then dropped a doubleheader against MSU at the beginning of March. Since those losses, ACU has gone 23-2 with both losses coming against Angelo State. One of those 23 wins came against Midwestern State to even up the season’s series at 2-2. The Wildcats dominated them 7-1 in that game, which was never really in doubt. ACU has fared well against the other two teams in the Abilene bracket. ACU’s most likely second-round opponent, if the seeds hold true, will be Central Oklahoma. Against the Bronchos, ACU won its only matchup by a score of 4-2. With West Texas A&M being a division rival, the Wildcats met them three times this season and took two of three. Look for the Wildcat pitching to continue its dominance this weekend. Starters Jacque Gregoire and Kim Partin probably will be on the mound most of the weekend. Wilson said Gre-
goire will most likely get the start Friday. Partin is ranked third in the LSC in ERA this year, while Gregoire leads the Wildcats in wins with 19. “We will look to keep them off balance by throwing some off-speed stuff low and away,” Wilson said. “We don’t have to get a strikeout every time; we can let the defense do the work.” ACU ranks fourth in the LSC in hitting and is batting .324 as a team. Throughout the season, the Wildcats’ hitting has gotten consistently better. Over the last five games in the regular season, ACU scored at least eight runs in every game. “We have been more aggressive lately with some hit- and-runs and we will need to keep that up this weekend,” Wilson said. “If we stay relaxed at the plate and have fun, we will continue hitting well.” The tournament begins Friday and will go until Sunday with the winner advancing to the championship series May 1-3. Friday’s game will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Poly Wells Field.
E-mail Gwin at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Golf: Cats await Baseball: Regular season title in sight regional invite Tarleton State (23-26-1, 2019-1). “[Tarleton State] has some good arms, a good defense and have scrappy hitters; they get in there and compete,” head coach Britt Bonneau said. “They have kind of turned their season around at the end and are playing very well. They are coming off three of four wins against Southwestern, so you know it’s going to be tough.” The Texans come into the series after winning three of four from Southwestern Oklahoma last weekend before losing a non-conference matchup to Incarnate Word on Tuesday. Tarleton ranks ninth in the LSC with a .312 team batting average and seventh with a 6.50 team ERA. The Texans average
E-mail Abston at: gda04b@acu.edu
E-mail Abston at: gda04b@acu.edu
Tennis: Women grab No. 1 seed, looking to repeat Continued from page 8 over the past weekend. ACU is hoping to have its No. 1 player Juan Nuñez return to the court after suffering an injury in the Wildcats’ match against Cameron.
The women head into the tournament with the conference’s top seeding and as the favorite to repeat as tournament champions. The women will begin their tournament against Southeastern Oklahoma State, a team
they shut out in the first weekend of the season. The Wildcats’ likely opponent in the finals would appear to be Northeastern State, whose only loss in conference was at the hands of ACU.
“We are here to win it,” Jones said. “I expect to upset Cameron on the boys’ side and I, expect to take it on the girls side.”
E-mail Tripp at: bjt07a@acu.edu
Continued from page 8 to play the ball up, meaning they could lift their ball, clean it and place it in a good lie. Campbell said this leveled the playing field and helped other schools more than the Wildcats. “That was the way the course was; we did the best we could, and our scores weren’t too bad,” Campbell said. “I was a little disappointed in our place finishing. Because the weather was awesome, warm and not much wind, the scores were pretty low. We just didn’t make quite as many birdies as the other teams.” The Wildcats finished with a composite score of 869, 44 shots back of Northeastern State which won the tournament with a score of 825. Central Oklahoma finished second with an 835, and Midwestern State finished third with an 840. Cyril Bouniol fired the top score for the Wildcats, tying for 14th place with a 213 (6874-71). Hilton Funk finished in 17th with a 214 (72-70-72) and Patrick Hanuer finished 33rd with a four-over 220
(74-73-73). Zach Sadau (7374-75) and Jose Gutierrez (74-74-75) finished in 37th and 39th, respectively. The official bids for the NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament go out Friday, but Campbell is confident the Wildcats will receive an invite. Campbell plans to take the same five golfers to the regional tournament. The tournament will be at The Meadows Golf Club at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich. The Wildcats played at The Meadows two years ago in the 2007 National Championship Tournament. “We are excited about going back there,” Campbell said. “We know it is a difficult course, but it sets up well for us, so I think we have a good shot.” The tournament will have 10 teams from both the South Central and Midwest regions. The top five finishers in the tournament will go on to the NCAA Division II National Championship Tournament on May 19-22 in Blaine, Wash. E-mail Harris at: tch05f@acu.edu
SportsFriday
Page 8
SCOREBOARD
Top-seeded softball team to play Midwestern St. Wildcats
Standings
By Austin Gwin
Div. 28-12 28-12 27-13 21-19 20-19 Tarleton St. 20-19-1 ENMU 20-20 Central Okla. 19-21 NE State 15-23-1 TAMU-K 15-25 WTAMU 12-26 East Central 12-28 Cameron ACU Angelo St. SW Okla. SE Okla.
Overall 37-13 37-15 36-16 28-21 24-23 23-26-1 25-25 24-27 20-28-1 19-31 19-30 13-35
Softball Team
Div. 15-3 14-4 9-8 8-10 8-10 TX Woman’s 6-12 ENMU 2-15 ACU Angelo St. WTAMU TAMU-K Tarleton St.
Softball
Sports Writer
Baseball Team
April 24, 2009
Zak Zeinert :: chief photographer Shortstop Melissa Rodriguez throws to first April 10 against Tarleton State.
Overall 39-11 38-8 34-19 31-20 26-22 26-25 24-23
The Wildcats’ softball team will look to keep the magic this weekend as it plays host to the 2009 Lone Star Conference Softball Championship. With the help of an Angelo State loss and a sweep of Eastern New Mexico last weekend, ACU finished on top of the LSC South Division. Being first has its perks; one of which is hosting one of the two brackets in the LSC tournament. This is the second time the Wildcats have won the LSC South in ACU history.
Three teams will be joining ACU in Abilene for the first weekend of the tournament. The No. 3 seed in the south, West Texas A&M, will play the No. 2 seed from the north, Central Oklahoma. ACU will play the No. 4 seed from the North, Midwestern State. “We need to keep playing like we have been playing,” head softball coach Chantiel Wilson said. “Every game is the most important game of the season.” See
Softball page 7
Draft Day Dreams
Scores Friday Softball ACU 11, Eastern New Mexico 2 ACU 11, Eastern New Mexico 7
Saturday Softball ACU 8, Eastern New Mexico 0
Baseball Cameron 2, ACU 1 Cameron 14, ACU 2
Sunday Baseball Cameron 10, ACU 6 ACU 12, Cameron 2
Tuesday Baseball ACU 12, Texas-Permian Basin 2
Upcoming Friday Track & Field Penn Relays Carnival, 9 a.m.
Softball ACU vs. MSU, 6:30 p.m.
Baseball ACU at Tarleton State, 4 p.m. ACU at Tarleton State, 7 p.m.
Men’s Tennis ACU vs. TBA
Women’s Tennis ACU vs. TBA
Saturday Track & Field Sooner Invitational, 11 a.m. Penn Relays Carnival, 1 p.m.
Baseball ACU at Tarleton State, 3 p.m. ACU at Tarleton State, 6 p.m.
Softball ACU vs. TBA
Zak Zeinert :: chief photographer Former ACU quarterback Billy Malone (left) and running back Bernard Scott look to become one of the first players to be drafted since Danieal Manning in 2006.
Former standouts hope to hear names called at NFL Draft By Grant Abston
Football
Sports Editor
While the draft day memories of former all-American Danieal Manning still linger in the minds of ACU fans, this year could turn out even bigger, as a handful of former players look to make a name for themselves as well as their alma mater in the 74th NFL Draft. Wide receiver Johnny Knox, running back Bernard Scott, quarterback Billy Malone, offensive guard Joseph Thompson, safety Nick Fellows and tight end Kendrick Holloway have all received attention from
NFL scouts and hope to fulfill their NFL dream this weekend. Out of the six players, Knox has emerged as the top prospect and is expected to be the first Wildcat taken in the draft. “He has speed, hands, great productivity and tremendous character,” head football coach Chris Thomsen said. “He’s a great kid and is very consistent and has a strong work ethic. He also has great return skill, and there are a lot of different things people like about him.” Knox transferred to ACU after a two-year career at Ty-
ler Junior College and was a two-year starter, earning first team all-LSC honors in 2008, as well as a second-team selection on the D2Football.com all-American team. He also led the team with 56 catches for 1,069 yards and 13 touchdowns his senior season. After receiving an invite to the NFL Combine that took place Feb. 18-24, Knox took advantage of the opportunity by running the third-fastest time in the 40yard dash (4.34) and made a name for himself by turning in a solid all-around performance. In an interview posted on acusports.blogspot.
com, ESPN draft analysis Mel Kiper projected Knox to be a late fourth or early fifth round pick. “I’ve talked to almost every team and had a couple of private workouts, but we will see on Saturday or Sunday which team shows the most interest,” Knox said. While Knox, a Houstonnative, said he would love to be drafted by his hometown Texans, he would be happy wherever he is drafted and will treat draft day like any other day as he watches with his family in Houston. See
Draft page 7
set for LSC tournament By Brandon Tripp Broadcast Assistant
The Wildcat men’s tennis team wrapped up its regular season with a couple of big wins. The women had the weekend off, but the men defeated two conference opponents. The men took a 21-4 record into Jones the final weekend of the regular season against conference opponent Southeastern Oklahoma State University and nationally ranked conference foe No. 28 East Central Oklahoma University. ACU first faced Southeastern Oklahoma on Friday. The Wildcats got off to a solid start with two wins in doubles play, taking a 2-1 lead in the match into the singles matches. In singles, it was all ACU as the men swept the Savage Storm, dropping just one set to Southeastern to take the match 8-1. Eldad Campbell won at the No. 1 singles 6-3, 4-6, 6-0, filling in for injured senior Juan Nuñez. On Saturday, the men looked to improve to 3-1 in conference against the No. 28 team in the country, the East Central Oklahoma Tigers. ACU again took a stand in doubles play and took a commanding 3-0 lead into the round of singles. In singles play, Campbell dropped his No. 1 singles match in three tough sets 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. The Wildcats took the No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 singles matches in straight sets before winning a threeset match and dropping a three-set match. “It was a good warm up; now it’s time to win conference,” head coach Hutton Jones said. The men finished the regular season at 23-7 and 3-1 in conference, giving them a No. 2 finish in the conference. Both teams are preparing this week for the LSC Conference Tournament in Wichita Falls on Friday and Saturday. The men come into the tournament with the No. 2 seed in the conference behind Cameron, the only team the Wildcats lost to in conference play. The Wildcats need to finish in the top two this weekend to advance to the South Central Region Tournament and need to win the LSC Tournament to host a regional tournament as a No. 1 seed. The men will receive a first-round bye and will face East Central University, the team they defeated See
Tennis page 7
:: Home games listed in italics
Briefs n Juan Nuñez and Ryan Hudson earned LSC all-conference singles honors Tuesday, while Nunez Hudson and Bryan Joiner earned LSC all-conference doubles honors. Eldad Campbell earned co-Freshman of the Year honors, while Joiner, Campbell, Hutton Jones Jr. and Luke Hawk earned honorable mention honors. n Irene Squillaci and Sarah Drummond earned LSC allconference singles honors to headline the Wildcats’ all-LSC selections. Jaclyn Walker and Squillaci earned all-conference doubles honors, while Dina Pavlin was an honorable mention selection.
ACU places seventh Cats close regular season on road at LSC championship By Grant Abston Sports Editor
By Chandler Harris
Golf
Assistant Sports Editor
The golf team finished seventh at the Lone Star Conference Tournament on Tuesday at the Winstar Golf Course in Thackerville, Okla. Despite the seventh-place finish, the team still has a good chance of making it to the NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament on May 4-6. “As far as the way we played, we played,” head golf coach Mike Campbell said. “The course was pretty wide open, which means you can hit your drive anywhere, in the rough or fairway, and still be OK. We are better suited to play a course where you have to hit the ball off the tee box
LSC CHAMPIONSHIP n Northwestern State (-39) n Central Oklahoma (-29) n Midwestern State (-24) n Cameron University (-5) n West Texas A&M (E) n Texas A&M-Commerce (+2) n ACU (+5) n Southwestern Oklahoma (+6) n East Central (+12) n Southeastern Oklahoma (+14) straight and where you get penalized for errant shots.” Campbell said the course was undergoing aerification and the players were allowed See
Golf page 7
With one Lone Star Conference series remaining in the regular season, the baseball team will travel to Tarleton State this weekend with the hopes of capturing the LSC regular season championship. Despite losing three of four to Cameron University last weekend, the Wildcats (37-15, 28-12) are tied atop the LSC standings with Cameron and could win the regular season championship with one more win than the Aggies in the season’s final LSC series. Cameron, which holds the tiebreaker, will play Southwestern Oklahoma State, while ACU will be on the road against sixth-place See
Baseball page 7
Zak Zeinert :: chief photographer First baseman Bret Bochsler fields a ball against TAMU-Kingsville on Feb. 28.