2006 09 01

The Vol. 95, No. 3

IN THIS ISSUE CAMPUS

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Opinion Editor

You’re SAFE

A new program called SAFE that trains faculty and staff to be counselors and mentors to students will begin this semester, page 5

September 1, 2006

Colleen Durrington, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, announced her retirement Aug. 24 after a 21-year career at ACU. “It has been wonderful,” Durrington said. “I

have thoroughly enjoyed being the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.”

Eleven of Durrington’s y e a r s on campus have b e e n spent as dean of Durrington College of Arts and Sciences. Before this position, Durrington was the dean of

the College of Professional Studies before it was combined with two other colleges to form the College of Arts and Sciences. She came to ACU as an education professor and director of the Reading Clinic.

To give the Provost‘s Office adequate time to search for a replacement, Durrington announced her retirement early in the school year.

The Provost’s Office will appoint a search

committee, develop a job description and choose a replacement from a group of applicants.

Durrington said it’s as important for the university to look within its faculty for a replacement as it is to find someone not from the university.

“In the last 10 to 12 years, we have done more comprehensive See

DURRINGTON page 8

Social club bash

The Wildcats football team begins its season Sept. 7 against the University of Central Oklahoma at Shotwell Stadium, page 12

By NATHAN STRAUS Staff Writer

ONLINE Opening day

Watch an online video of the Opening Chapel ceremonies that took place on Monday at www.acuoptimist.com

WEATHER WEEKEND FORECAST Friday

HIGH 91

LOW 68

Sunday scattered t-storms

HIGH 89

LOW 65

SADLER page 8

n Gas stations across Abilene dropped below $2.50 this week after climbing past $3 a month ago, and prices are expected to continue dropping, said Fred Rozell, gasoline analyst, in ‘USA Today.’

The Theatre Department kicked off its first play and dinner theatre of the semester with Brighton Beach Memoirs on Aug. 24, page 10

isolated t-storms

Dr. Mike Sadler knows the odds are stacked against him, but he’s running anyway.

“I’ve had a growing sense of frustration with partisan politics for years,” Sadler said. “I decided it was time to do something about it.”

Sadler, professor of physics at ACU, filled the requirements to run as a write-in candidate for the 19th Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Because of his late entry in the race, his name will not appear on the ballot, but voters can write in his name when they go to the polls.

Sadler began thinking about running in January but decided not to participate in any of the party primaries because of his distaste for the way political parties have handled their positions in recent years.

“The No. 1 issue as I see it is the incivility caused by the current partisan

Gas prices drop to record low

Magnificent memoirs

Saturday

n Dr. Mike Sadler, professor of physics, turned in a petition early last week with more than the required 500 signatures, making him eligible to run as a write-in candidate in the November election.

See

ARTS

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professor to run for state office Student Reporter

Stepping onto the field

HIGH 94

www.acuoptimist.com

By JEREMY POND

SPORTS

sunny

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Durrington to retire in 2007 Physics

By LAUREN SUTTON

The Lunsford Foundation Trail construction ended with the completion of pillars with Bible verses, page 4

FRIDAY

1 section, 12 pages

n The Provost’s Office will replace dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Colleen Durrington after her 21-year career at the university.

Construction complete

OPTIMIST

brian schmidt CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

David Sterling, sophomore financial management major from Austin, takes aggression out on top of a car during Galaxy’s Car Bash Rush on Monday on the old intramural fields. Club rushes started the first day of classes.

n Because school began a week later than normal, rushes started the first week of classes in order for the pledging process to end by Homecoming on Oct. 14.

By MITCH HOLT Copy Editor

Despite an earlier rushing period this year than past years, ACU social club presidents haven’t noticed a decrease in prospective pledges’ participation, but advertising for rushes has been more difficult during the first week of school, which is the last week of open rushes.

Jordan Gay, president of

Department of Journalism and Mass Communication

Gamma Sigma Phi and senior psychology major from Austin, said having a rush on the first day of school was a challenge because the club had minimal time to advertise its first-day-of-school event.

“It’s a little harder to get the word out, especially having a rush on the first day of school,” Gay said. “It makes things a bit more difficult as far as getting your club out there and being able to advertise. But I think it’s gone pretty well.”

Monday’s GSP rush went well despite losing an entire week of advertising, but Gay said it’s a different story with

women’s clubs.

He said it’s vital for prospective female pledges to make every event than it is for prospective male pledges because their pledging process is a bit more sensitive.

Ko Jo Kai social club had its first tea on Sunday, and Shelbi Watten, president of the club and senior broadcast journalism major from Coppel, said members were forced to be a bit more lenient on attendance than in the past because of the new rushing schedule.

“The hard part was that we were really nervous about See

RUSHING page 8

Abilene Christian University

Gas prices have dropped significantly in the past week, and analysts expect them to continue dropping this fall.

Fred Rozell, gasoline analyst for Oil Price Information Service said Wednesday in an article in USA Today that gas prices can only drop this fall, and he expects price will drop to about $2 by Thanksgiving, In many places in Abilene, gas has dropped to $2.44 per gallon, a $0.30 difference from last week, according to www.texasgasprices.com.

The gas price plummet is welcome relief after prices neared a record-high climbing past $3, just a month ago, according to AAA.com.

The price fluctuation simply depends on supply and demand, and there is more to the cost of gas than the prices at the pump.

Byron Brookes, financial adviser for See

GAS page 8

Gas Prices in abilene Local gas stations in Abilene have prices that vary: n $2.49 - Shell Station, at Judge Ely Boulevard and East North Tenth n $2.47 - Skinny’s FINA at Treadaway and Ambler n $2.58 - CITGO, on Highway 80 n $2.59 - Skinny’s FINA, on Judge Ely Boulevard n $2.39 - Wal-Mart gas station, in the southwest corner of Wal-Mart’s parking lot

Serving the ACU community since 1912

Chapel Checkup Credited Chapels to date: Credited Chapels remaining:

Wednesday, March 29, 2006 Friday, September 1, 2006

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Calendar & Events Friday

8 p.m.

Fall Dinner Theatre - ‘Brighton Beach Memoirs’ The story of Eugene, a Jewish teenager growing up with his family in Brooklyn. Written by Neil Simon and directed by Adam Hester.

12 p.m.

Social Club registration Students wishing to register for a social club must register by noon.

02

Saturday

8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Higher Ground Student Leadership Conference Annual leadership conference to help equip various student leaders on campus.

8 p.m.

Fall Dinner Theatre - ‘Brighton Beach Memoirs’

Announcements Volunteers are needed to work four hour shifts for childcare during Lectureship. Sunday Sept. 17 to Wednesday Sept. 20 from 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., 1:30 to 5 p.m. or 6:30 to 9 p.m. For more information please contact Dianna Evatt at 325- 675-5642.

Meals on Wheels - Drivers are needed as soon as possible one day a week to deliver hot meals to

seniors and adults with disabilities.

For more information please contact Mitzi McAndrew at 325-672-5050.

Alzheimer’s Association needs volunteers to help with set-up and tear-down of Memory Walk on Saturday, Sept. 30 from 6 a.m. to noon at Nelson Park. For more information please contact Libby Connally at 325-672-5839.

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Monday

Labor Day School still in session

05

Tuesday

10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Service Expo Local volunteer agencies will have displays in the Campus Center.

Volunteer Opportunities Volunteers are needed at Lee Elementary School on Thursday afternoons from 3:15 to 4 p.m. to help with the Scrabble Club.

Third, fourth and fifth graders use their spelling words to play the game of Scrabble, and volunteers will assist them. For additional information contact the Volunteer Center in the Bean Sprout.

The Old Town Abilene Neighborhood Association needs volunteers on Saturday, Sept. 9, beginning in the morning to help with its second annual neighborhood clean-up. There will be a variety of clean-up tasks, and some residents may need assistance with their property. If you

are interested in helping with this opportunity, contact the Volunteer Center in the Bean Sprout.

There is an immediate need for a trans-typist to assist a hearing impaired student. This will involve attending class with her and taking notes on her laptop. If you can assist with this need please contact Mattia Bray at 325674-2554 as soon as possible.

The Key City Kiwanis Club will have their annual fish fry on Saturday, Sept. 30 and volunteers are needed. Shifts are from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Please contact the Volunteer Center in the Bean Sprout for more information.

About This Page 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 optimist@acu.edu or to the Page 2 Editor at jdj03e@acu.edu.

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.

Friday, September 1, 2006

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Friday, September 1, 2006

CAMPUS NEWS

SAFE serves as new way to seek encouragement n A new student-initiated program, Staff and Faculty Emissary, begins “to provide a safe home” for students who are in trouble this semester.

By KELSI PEACE Features Editor

Staff and Faculty Emissary, a program beginning this year, now provides students with emotional support through a program represented by a symbol that indicates emissaries willing to listen to students who need help on campus.

The logo, designed by Greg Golden of Creative Services, features a home plate and represents the goal of the organization: “to provide a safe ‘home’ for students who are in trouble,” according to the Web site.

Students can seek out an emissary by looking for the SAFE logo in campus offices.

Dr. Wayne Barnard, university dean of Spiritual Formation, said it is a student-initiated program rather than an intervention program.

If a student is uncomfortable approaching an emissary Barnard in person, they are also welcome to email them, Barnard said.

“We’ve always wanted an opportunity to create more touch points, if you will— points of connection where students and faculty can intersect,” Barnard said.

SAFE can foster these

types of relationships more formally than those that occur naturally but less formally than those that occur in counseling, and it is different from Save Our Students (SOS) Barnard said, because it is student initiated.

Barnard said an emissary may refer a student to a counselor, but even then will continue to mentor and encourage the student, accompanying them to counseling or encouraging them with an e-mail. In keeping with the baseball theme, Barnard described the emissary as a third base coach who cheers his mentee to “home.”

SAFE seeks a discipleship rather than a disciplinary role, as is expressed by the use of the term “emissary,” Barnard said.

Barnard said sometime this

“We were not wired by God to keep these things piled up inside; we were called to community.”

Mark Lewis, Spiritual Life Department

week faculty and staff members will receive an e-mail inviting them to attend two 30minute interest sessions.

If interested, faculty and staff will agree to have their names and contact information posted on the SAFE Web site and agree to display a SAFE logo in their office.

A one-hour training session will prepare emissaries to listen to students’ struggles with child abuse, divorce, death, alcohol, sex and any other problems they may face.

“I would see SAFE as a place that will probably serve

as a place where people will refer to us,” Steve Rowlands, director of the ACU Counseling Center, said.

Not all problems require the intensity of counseling, and SAFE can provide a place to help students who do not need counseling but need a mentor, Rowlands said.

“I think at times [these relationships] happen very naturally at ACU anyway,” Rowlands said. “But this is a way of providing greater structure.”

The idea for SAFE began three or four years ago when a guest speaker came

to campus to speak about his research on homosexual attraction, said Mark Lewis, director of spiritual life. The idea didn’t take shape until this summer.

“Listening is an important part of this because, in our culture, we place a lot of emphasis on getting your point across,” Lewis said. “We were not wired by God to keep things piled up inside; we were called to community.”

The speech sparked a conversation that eventually led to the initial idea to create a place for students to share their struggles.

For more information on SAFE, students can visit the Spiritual Formation web site or look for SAFE logos around campus.

E-mail Peace at: knp04a@acu.edu

Lunsford Trail to be complete by mid-September n The jogging trail circles the campus nine months after construction began and will be completely finished by the middle of September.

By ATSUMI SHIBATA Page Designer

Megan lowe STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Nine months after construction began, students, faculty and the community use the Lusford Foundation Jogging Trail as it nears completion.

The Lunsford Foundation Jogging Trail is now intact, and landscaping will soon be complete.

Construction of the trail began in November 2005 on the strip of Campus Court near Brown Library. Nine months later, the construction is complete.

Before the jogging track encircled the campus, students and faculty walked on rough terrain close to Judge Ely Boulevard, and they walked in the dark because there was no lighting.

“It was a lot harder to run,” said Laza Razafimanjato, junior art major from Madagascar.

He said the jogging track makes it much more physically comfortable to run around the campus.

Now, this new jogging track has a well-maintained path, effectively spaced lights and emergency phone pedestals.

“It has opened campus to the community,” said Kevin Watson, associate vice president of administrative services in an e-mail. “It has created a safe place for students and local community to walk, jog and exercise.”

As well being a safe place to exercise, it also reflects ACU’s Christian-oriented mission statement.

There are 11 limestone insets in the trail, engraved with scriptures at various locations along the path, along with eight limestone pillars located at each trailhead, also engraved with scriptures.

These elements of the trail have already been completed, Watson said.

Landscaping and trail heads will soon be complete, probably by the middle of September, Watson said

E-mail Shibata at: axs03d@acu.edu

Westbrook to oversee student organizations n Mauri Westbrook, ACU alumni will take over the coordinator of Student Organization and Activities position, dealing primarily with the Campus Activities Board.

By MICHELLE JIMENEZ Arts Editor

The university has named Mauri Westbrook its new coordinator of Student Organizations and Activities. She deals primarily with the Campus Activities Board, social clubs and Sing Song staff.

Her new position requires that she take over for Amanda Spell as adviser for CAB, and Mike Spell’s social clubs adviser position.

“I am now able to focus my time in the area of judicial affairs and not be torn between two major competing areas,”

Spell said in an e-mail.

His role with social clubs will be more indirect as he dedicates more time to interacting with and holding students accountable to the community standards, he said.

Westbrook’s contact with student organizations is more broad but limited to only approve new organizations, find advisors and keep constitutions and paperwork on file.

Westbrook is an ACU alumnus and a member of Ko Jo Kai social club.

“I feel really blessed to be back home at ACU in a job that I love and care about,” Westbrook said in an e-mail. “It’s such blessing to be able to work with students on things they are passionate about.”

E-mail Jimenez at: mmj04b@acu.edu

ACU, Phillips Productions win national film award n ACU and Phillips Production received a national film honor for “Throughout the World” in the 27th annual Telly Awards competition.

By MITCH HOLT Copy Editor

ACU received a national film honor for “Throughout the World,” a 2005 film about the international implications of the university’s mission statement, in the 27th annual Telly Awards competition.

The honor was the fourth Telly Award presented to the university in the past nine years, and it represents 2005’s best non-network, cable TV, film and video production work.

This year, the competition

received more than 12,000 entries from 50 states and five continents.

ACU’s film, a 31-minute high definition production, was directed by Martin Perry, production manager and director of corporate production at Phillips Production Inc. in Irving, and produced by Ron Hadfield, director of Creative Services for the university.

Perry traveled to Antananarivo, Madagascar, to film much of the project, which is about the work of 2006 graduate Evans Lartey of Ghana, Chineseborn biology professor Dr. Junhui Bian and the Madagascar Presidential Scholars Program to recruit international students to ACU. E-mail Holt at: mah02f@acu.edu

Friday, September 1, 2006

CAMPUS NEWS

We’ve got talent, how about you?

brian schmidt CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Kelsey Young, freshman biology major from Tafuna, American Samoa, performs a dance routine to the song “Trashin’ the Camp” during the Welcome Week talent show Saturday in Moody Coliseum.

SATV to undergo changes n Students’ Association plans to renovate SATV, the university’s student-run television station, hoping for more student involvement in this fall.

By MITCH HOLT Copy Editor

The Students’ Association plans to promote the university’s student-run television station, SATV, this fall from its longtime dormant state into a forum of discussion, programs and announcements, all by students.

Maher Saab, president of SA, said he’s excited about the plethora of ideas being tossed around, and he hopes to have SATV channel 55 up and running sometime during the fall semester. “[SATV] is a fun way to gets the student body involved in student-run TV shows,” Saab said. “If someone has an idea for a show, this is a venue for them to put one together and bring the idea to us.”

During SATV’s history, it has

changed from several times.

In 2003, former SA president Layne Rouse envisioned the station taking the place of Chapel announcements.

It was supposed to become a 24-hour, student-run station with shows, news and announcements.

However, after Rouse’s term in office, his vision was lost between Congresses.

The next year, SATV became a forum for news and announcements using a software program the university purchased, but the program was thwarted because it didn’t meet the expectations of station producers.

Last year, SATV—at that time airing on channel 24— was used to exhibit FilmFest entries. The entries were aired for months in a row until SATV was eventually moved to channel 55.

Saab said the key for keeping his vision of SATV alive from year to year is grooming the younger students and getting them excited about the vision for

the station.

He said “We’ll need to be sure to train to people who come after us so that when we leave the idea won’t just end.”

Chris Faulkner, multimedia specialist at ACU and adviser for the TV station, said he wants the student body to be more involved with the station this year than it has in the past.

Faulkner is teaming up with SA this school year to figure out productive uses for the channel.

Faulkner is pleased to help SA and the student body renovate SATV, but it’s going to take some work, he said.

“I hope for SA to be self-efficient to where they would be able to run the show themselves,” Faulkner said. “I’m more of an adviser of their capabilities with the station, but it’s up to them to provide the manpower.”

E-mail Holt at: mah02f@acu.edu

Lectureship to offer outside concerts n Lectureship’s September date provides favorable weather this year for participants to enjoy outside concerts by student bands and musicians.

By KELSI PEACE Features Editor

An assortment of performance locations were made available for bands when ACU’s Annual Bible Lectureship was moved to September, and this is the first year planners scheduled musicians for afternoons concerts.

Unlike previous years when the chilly February weather often kept attendees indoors, this year’s participants can enjoy outdoor concerts at Lectureship.

Dr. Mark Love, director of Ministry Events, said student bands Streets of Simon Lee and Homer Hiccolm & the Rocketboys have both been confirmed to play at the event.

Streets of Simon Lee has not played at Lectureship in the past.

Homer Hiccolm will return to the stage for its second Lectureship.

“They just knocked it out of the park [last year], and I definitely wanted them back,” Love said.

Jerry Wise, Nashville musician and ACU alumnus, is another Lectureship performer.

Wise requested to perform in past years, but Love said because of space availability it was difficult to decide when and where to schedule musicians. Wise was not able to perform at Lectureship.

Because of new performance space, he’s been contacted to perform this year.

Love is eager to utilize the new options available in the fall and offer more music.

“There are a lot of great outdoor venues on campus we want to take advantage of,” he said.

The Hardwood Café, located in the area outside Reservations Only, will host dinner concerts Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday

from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. at Lectureship.

Homer Hiccolm will perform the first evening.

The amphitheater also presents an arena for bands and may be used as well.

On Sept. 17, the first night of Lectureship, Michael Card will perform in Cullen Auditorium, followed by a prayer walk around campus and Fajita Feed at Jesse’s Corner, which will possibly provide an opportunity for more bands to play.

Kendall Massey is working on scheduling bands for the event.

Love said he is optimistic about the change in Lectureship, and he feels this year’s attendees will see a more accurate picture of ACU because bands will offer “more of an expression of student culture at lectureship” instead of merely reflecting the culture of Lectureship attendees.

E-mail Peace at: knp04a@acu.edu

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Friday, September 1, 2006

Full calendar stirs September excitement The Issue:

ACU’s September calendar, filled with worthwhile events, is geared toward all walks of life. September is an exciting month on campus.

Our view:

Students should be actively involved in events taking place in September because the university doesn’t work without student involvement.

The solution:

Enjoy the September festivities taking place, get involved and attend events this month. Your university needs your support.

September hasn’t seen this much action at ACU in years.

This month’s calendar is full of events for students, faculty, alumni and members of the ACU community.

Several huge events will take over the campus in September, bringing many alumni and out-of-town visitors to the university.

Highlights for the month include the Theatre Department’s dinner theatre production “Brighton Beach Memoirs;” the university’s 89th Annual Bible Lectureship, making its September debut; the Centennial Birthday Celebration, a weekend kicking off ACU’s second century of Christian higher education; and Freshman

Choose Abilene as second home People who have been And now, two years later, around ACU for any extended I feel anxious to get back amount of time are familiar to Abilene after being gone with the weekend each year for long periods of time. No, when hun- Abilene isn’t the most exciting dreds of in- place in the world, but runcoming fresh- ning into friends in the Cammen flood pus Center, catching a movie the rooms at the Paramount or enjoying of residence a bowl of curry at Ann Thai halls.

Kitchen make me feel more at E m p t y home than anywhere else I’ve rooms are lived.

A State of soon filled I have two great years at with the hipACU ahead of me, but eventuMind pest new ally leaving is a hard thought Lauren dorm accou- to entertain. What will life be Sutton t r e m e n t s . like without having the dearest C o u n t l e s s people I know within a threeboxes clutter the hallways and mile radius? Seeing freshman dumpsters. RAs welcome new on campus, I often envy the residents with wide smiles and four years of memories that much enthusiasm for the com- lie ahead of them. ing semester. Parents linger in Abilene and, more specifitheir freshman’s room only to cally, the ACU community can postpone the be a great home inevitable refor students ality of leaving who choose to town with a make it that. carload and a Abilene, and more While Abilene child less than not have specifically the ACU may when they aras many attraccommunity, can be tions as places, rived.

This moprofessors, a great home m e n t o u s peers and genfor students. w e e k e n d erous people marks the end around town of one life and all contribute the beginning of the next. to a community that beckons Leaving the familiarity of students to stick around for their hometowns, families and a while and enjoy living here friends, freshmen students more than they thought posbegin the process of making a sible. new home in Abilene as part It’s easy to complain about of the ACU community. what Abilene doesn’t have to Visiting a friend as she offer, but don’t fall into this moved into Gardner Hall, I ob- trap. served the same nervous exInstead, take advantage citement in the people around of the university, the many me that I felt when I moved to churches and numerous local Abilene two years ago. establishments across Abilene Standing on the curb of that want to welcome and Gardner lawn, I hugged my make you feel comfortable in mom goodbye, turned away their town. and, choking back tears, tried So, to all the new freshto convince myself I was in- men who arrived at ACU, dependent. Abilene was now enjoy your next four years in where I went to school, but Abilene, and welcome home. in my mind, Denton would alE-mail Sutton at: les03c@acu.edu ways be home.

Follies, a veiling of This month’s calendar is full of events for students, studentthe Jacob’s run pro- faculty, alumni and members of the ACU community. D r e a m duction sculpture. that features the talents of Neil Simon and directed by For more information on this year’s freshman class.

Adam Hester, chair of the the celebration, visit http:// The month of September Theatre Department, “Brigh- www.acu.edu/centennial/ has something for everyone. ton Beach Memoirs” tells the e v e n t s / b i r t h d a y _ c e l e b r a Open your minds to some- story of young Eugene grow- tion.html. thing other than world of ing up in Brooklyn, with his •Sept. 17-20: 89th Annual War Craft, Victoria’s Secret family. For tickets and de- Bible Lectureship or pre-season NFL. Broaden tailed information, contact This annual, four-day your horizons and take ad- the Box Office at 674-2787. event’s theme is ‘The Truth vantage of the cultural, his•Sept. 8, 9 and 10: ACU Cen- Shall Make You Free,’ and it torical and spiritual oppor- tennial Birthday Celebration will explore messages from tunities provided for you This event will celebrate the Gospel of John. Speakthis month on campus. the start of ACU’s second ers, concerts, coffee houses, •Sept. 1, 2, 8 and 9: century of Christian higher multimedia presentations ‘Brighton Beach Memoirs’ education and Abilene’s and many other activities Catch one of the four Sep- 125th birthday. Various ac- will make the event’s first tember showings of the fall tivities will be offered across September appearance a dinner theatre production the city, including a concert successful one. Many of this in the Williams Perform- by popular Christian band year’s Lectureship elements ing Arts Center. Written by Caedmon’s Call and the un- are aimed at the student

body, including afternoon concerts from ACU student bands and traveling artists and the third-annual FilmFest. Visit http://www.acu. edu/events/lectureship.html for more information about Lectureship.

•Sept. 29: Freshman Follies This freshman presentation entertains audiences year after year, acquainting members of the freshman class with each other and much of the student body.

Freshmen, don’t let this year end without participating in this bond-building, talent-showcasing event.

For tryout information, contact Kendall Massey at 6742767.

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

Lebensgefahr

Alex York

More to life than making the grade I was so naive.

I started my studies at ACU two years ago. When I arrived, I was sure I had the whole college thing down.

It’s all about classes, studying and focusing entirely on your A Ripple in chosen field so you can the Pond graduate Jeremy with that pristine 4.0, Pond right?

Pity the young fool.

Ask anyone who knew me my first year, and they would all have told you the same thing.

“This kid needs to lighten up.”

I nearly drove myself

worth it.

By all means, study seriously. Someone is paying an ungodly sum for you to be here, so learn a skill or study something you enjoy.

But know this; when all is said and done your life will not be defined by what some transcript says about you.

So, let me encourage you as some of you embark on this adventure and others press on to the finish.

Don’t ever take this college thing too seriously. Learn from those that have been there, and save yourself some time and heartache.

Give your classes their due attention, but devote yourself to life.

College is not about living to learn, as I once thought. It’s about learning to live. insane that first year trying to maintain the perfect GPA. I skipped out on events and good times for the sake of getting just two more points on the exam.

I fretted constantly about scores and percentiles. I started to unwittingly drive people away.

Then one day a dear friend and mentor forced me to realize the obvious. I had no life. Worse, I wouldn’t have known how to live one even if I did.

I tried to ignore it, but slowly I began to realize why it is we come to college. College is not about living to learn. It’s about learning to live.

The world values titles.

That’s why ACU confers one on us when we finally walk across that stage. Far more important, however, will be whether or not we have learned to look life straight in the face and take everything it throws at us like the adults we are. In the grand scheme of eternity, degrees are not nearly so important as we often think.

After all, rectal thermometers have degrees, and you know what we do with those.

If we learn nothing else while here but how to live our lives, every dime (and I guarantee you, ACU will take a lot of them) will be

E-mail Pond at: jlp04b@acu.edu, optimist@acu.edu

Fields’ column evokes strong response from Alumni Relations In reference to Jared Fields’ column bashing Graduation Celebration, the event planners are the first to admit the laser show wasn’t as exciting as fireworks, which, incidentally, had been planned for the Birthday Celebration since the beginning. However, if you’ll recall, at the time, Taylor County was under a burn ban;

Letter to the Editor Staff member argues Graduation Celebration was not overdone but a thoughtful and memorable experience for graduates.

fireworks were not allowed.

The laser show was an option suggested by the company that provided the staging and sound. We wouldn’t choose that option again, but we gave it a shot in an effort to make graduation for the Centennial class unique and memorable.

For those who remember the entire four-hour event, we ab-

solutely succeeded, with or without the laser show.

In fact, response from the 2,500 attendees—including students, family, faculty and staff—was overwhelmingly positive. They enjoyed the free meal, loved the fun atmosphere, appreciated the comments of the speakers and felt like this was an event worthy

of the occasion. They even loved the confetti, which, by the way, was entirely cleaned up by Monday. What didn’t dissolve (it was water soluble) was vacuumed up by personnel from Physical Resources.

So, for those of you who choose to judge the entire event based on five or six minutes, may you be accorded the

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.

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Page 7

Page 8

Friday, September 1, 2006

FROM THE FRONT PAGE

Rushing: Club activities start early Continued from page 1 attendance to our first tea,” Watten said. “Hopefully we got everyone that wanted to pledge to come.”

Watten said Mauri Westbrook, coordinator of Student Organizations and Activities, did a solid job advertising rushes and teas and putting up fliers for each event. She said Westbrook helped with advertising tasks that club members couldn’t have gotten done.

This week is the last week of open rushes for all ACU social clubs, and next week’s events will be invitation-only.

Attendance to invitation-only rushes depends on the impression each prospective pledge left during first week rushes. If an individual left a good impression, he or she will be invited to the invitation-only rushes.

Elliott Wood, president of Galaxy and senior psychology major from Nashville, Tenn., said pledging a social club

isn’t necessarily for everyone but that it opened a lot of doors to things he wouldn’t have been able to do had he not pledged.

“Club gives you a lot of opportunities as far as events are concerned,” Wood said. “But pledging has made it easier for me to have events to go to and build relationships.”

Galaxy’s last open rush was Thursday at Playfaire Park, a miniature golf park located on North First Street.

Prospective pledges were paired with club members for 18 holes of miniature golf.

Wood said he didn’t notice any decrease in attendance to this year’s open rushes than in past years.

All three club presidents said the number of pledges the club can take depends on the voting process, but the final number each club takes will be relatively close to acceptance numbers in previous years of pledging.

E-mail Holt at: mah02f@acu.edu

brian schmidt CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Tri Kappa Gamma president Brittany Groves, senior graphic design major from Oklahoma City; Sarah Thomas, junior elementary education major from Abilene; and TKG historian Megan Nuncio, senior youth and family ministry major from Alvin, enjoy corn on the cob during TKG’s rush Wednesday night.

Gas: Prices begin to drop Durrington: Stepping down amidst fluctuating market Continued from page 1

Continued from page 1 Merrill Lynch, said there are many elements determining the price of gas and oil.

“It’s a very complicated industry,” Brookes said.

“Oil prices can be up while gas prices are down.”

Brookes said the industry is unpredictable as well. The inner workings of the price of gas can be compared to a cereal company. A company can buy

an amount of sugar at one time for a certain price and buy more sugar later for the same price, unless the price of sugar drops. This ensures a profit on the sugar bought with a contract.

However, not all sugar can be bought with a contract, just as not all gasoline can be bought with a contract. The factors are supply and demand.

Drew Dittemore, freshman youth and family ministry major from Seattle,

said he owns a 1985 Honda Prelude.

“It has about an 11-or 12-gallon tank,” Dittemore said. “I usually gas it up once a week.”

Dittemore also said gas is much cheaper in Texas than it is in Washington probably because Texans have access to a more ready supply.

Mallory Schlabach contributed to this story.

E-mail Straus at: nrs02a@acu.edu

searches,” Durrington said.

“That is where we have looked both internally and externally.”

Jeff Haseltine, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said the college will look much different when Durrington leaves.

“The typical candidate pool would be people who have had experience as department chairs,” Haseltine said. “I suspect that a pretty good handful of those will apply for the job. If somebody comes from a different university, there will be a big learning curve

for that person, and that will impact this office.”

Durrington said she will miss working with ACU faculty, staff and students after she retires.

The retiree will be on campus next year, she said. Durrington will assume the role as president of Women for ACU, and she will have an office in the new education building.

The ACU veteran said she looks forward to having more time to travel and spend time with her grandchildren.

Durrington’s Profile In December Colleen Durrington, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, will step down from her position after 21 years at ACU.

n Eleven of Durrington’s years on campus have been spent as dean of College of Arts and Sciences. n Before this position, Durrington was the dean of the College of Professional Studies. n She came to ACU as an education professor and director of the Reading Clinic. n Durrington will assume the role as president of Women for ACU.

E-mail Sutton at: les03c@acu.edu

Sadler: Professor faces difficult battle for seat Continued from page 1 bickering in the government,” he said. “All we can do is deal with short-term calamities. No long-term planning is taking place.”

In the coming months, Sadler has some ground to make up in the race, but he said he wants to avoid the mud-slinging often characteristic of elections.

“I want to run a clean race,” he said. “I may disagree with my opponents’ positions, but I can still present my opinions as a decent human being.”

Also high on Sadler’s list of priorities is the creation of viable energy policy.

“We have a serious prob-

lem with the current state of our fossil fuel consumption. Something needs to be done now or we’re not going to have an end game when these resources run out,” he said.

Come the general election on Nov. 7, Sadler will Sadler face GOP incumbent Randy Neugebauer, Democrat Robert Ricketts of Lubbock and Libertarian Fred Jones of Abilene.

Despite the competition, Sadler said he is not just running to bring up certain issues.

“If you’re going to do something, you have to believe in it,” he said. “I’m in this to win.”

Dr. Donald Robbins, former adjunct professor of physics, said despite Sadler’s lack of political experience, he is eminently qualified for the position.

“He’s a good man—a brilliant man,” Robbins said.

“This is something he has a heart for.”

Robbins also praised what he saw as Sadler’s grasp of the important issues.

“He knows the issues, and he takes those issues seriously.”

E-mail Pond at: jlp04a@acu.edu

Friday, September 1, 2006

Page 9

CAMPUS NEWS

New faculty members join ACU n New faculty members said they are looking forward to working with ACU students in the academic arena as well as in the spiritual environment.

By DENTON JOSEY Page 2 Editor

ACU added 19 new faculty members since May—six men and 13 women—after three faculty retirements and five faculty departures.

Derran Reese, instructor of Bible, missions and ministry, is one of 19 new faculty members. Reese and his wife spent two years in Thailand after he graduated from ACU. He then returned to finish his master’s degree and completed it in 2006.

“When I was here, there were a few professors that shaped me just as much outside the class as inside,” he said.

He took a position at ACU, he said, because it is a great place for team training, and two of the professors are former missionaries to Thailand.

He and his wife hope to return to Thailand to do mission work some day.

“I think this is a great place to teach,” Reese said.

“I love what ACU stands for and what the university is trying to teach.”

One of the incentives for

and he wants to be part of their personal lives.

Another new faculty member is Dr. Karen Maxwell, assistant professor of education in graduate studies.

Maxwell received her B.A. from ACU, her master’s de-

Faculty changes

nNew Faculty: Paul Ammons (Social Work) Stephanie Akins (Nursing) Tanya Brice (Social Work) Orneita Burton (Management Sciences) Amanda Carroll (Sociology) Melanie Castleberg (Political Science) Kimberly Cooper (Nursing) Brad Crisp (Management Sciences) Mikee Delony (English) Laura Dillman (Exercise Science and Health) Julie Douthit (Education) Steven Gaines (Communication) LeAnna Hale (Education) Karen Maxwell (Education)

working at ACU, Reese said, is the spiritual environment.

The university is concerned with the whole person, not just the teacher, he said.

He also said professors are interested in students’ lives outside the classroom

Valerie Miller (Nursing) Derran Reese (Bible, Missions and Ministry) Michelle Sanders (English) Steven Ward (Music) Joshua Willis (Physics) n No longer at ACU: Jonne Akens (English) Jerry Whitworth (Education) Gary Willis (English) Hilary Walton (English) Eric Wilson (Music) nRetired: John Barton (Computer Science) Curt Dickson (Exercise Science and Health) Marion Cawood (Music)

gree from Texas A&M and her Ph.D., from Nova Southeastern University.

She has been a teacher for elementary, middle and high school levels and principal for high school and elementary levels. She

also taught adult education and teacher administration preparation for 14 years.

She said she came to ACU after retiring from a career in public education because it was always in her plan.

“My parents were on the faculty here,” Maxwell said.

“It’s always been our plan that when I retired from public education I’d come here. This is my second career.”

Both Reese and Maxwell are excited to work with the students at ACU. “I hope that I’ll be able to interact with students in a different way,” Maxwell said.

“I’m looking forward to a new setting in a Christian atmosphere. [Students] come in with a lot of energy and expectations,” Reese said. “They are enjoying their freedom and being away from home. I’m excited to be a part of this exciting time in their lives.”

E-mail Josey at: jdj03e@acu.edu

‘Prickly Pear’ to deliver directly n In honor of the university’s Centennial, the ‘Prickly Pear’ includes photographs from the past 100 years and added a section about ACU history.

By DENTON JOSEY Page 2 Editor

In the weeks to come, the Prickly Pear will be mailed from the publisher, but they won’t be sent to the university as they have in the past.

Cade White, instructor of journalism and mass communication and adviser to the Prickly Pear, said the yearbook arrival isn’t the spectacle it used to be because the book isn’t as visible now.

“The books are mailed directly to the recipient,” White said. “Everyone who ordered one will receive one in the mail at whichever address they specified.”

With each book costing $101.70, not everyone buys a yearbook.

Approximately 960 books were ordered last year and, unlike years

past, there won’t be extras sold in the Campus Center.

Elizabeth Newman, senior integrated marketing communication major from Tyler and editor in chief of the 2006 Prickly Pear, said in an email more orders for yearbooks came in last year than in years past.

“Last year we publicized the yearbook and DVD mostly through posters around campus and emails to students,” Newman said. “More students purchased White yearbooks last year than in the previous year, so I think it was well received.”

The books are finished being printed and are only waiting for DVD inserts before they are sent out in the next couple of weeks.

“For the university’s

“A lot of people, when they took the pictures, didn’t anticipate it going in the yearbook.”

Cade White, ‘Prickly Pear’ advisor

Centennial year, we included an extra section about the school’s history, and we used photos from the past 100 years throughout the 2006 Prickly Pear,” Newman said.

White said in a time when some universities are dropping yearbooks all together, he thinks the Prickly Pear still has several years of life left in it.

“We hope the students continue to find it of value,” White said. “It’s the only single volume of annual university history at ACU.” The new yearbooks feature full color, minus the student photo pages, and every full time student is pictured except those who did not want to have their picture in the yearbook.

White said he thinks

yearbooks have more to offer with more student photos in them. However, by using ID pictures as yearbook pictures, some drawbacks appear.

“Many of the pictures are several years old and should be retaken,” White said. “A lot of people, when they took the pictures, didn’t anticipate it going in the yearbook.”

Students can change their ID photos for free and the new photo will go in next year’s yearbook, as well as on teacher role sheets. A new student ID card, however, is not free.

When the yearbooks arrive, a planned ceremony for the annual presentation of the yearbook to Dr. Royce Money will take place in Chapel.

E-mail Josey at: jdj03e@acu.edu

Brian Schmidt FILE PHOTO

The all-weather entrance to University Church is only one feature of the church’s summer remodeling project.

University Church remodels building n A new activity center at University Church will serve as a gym, meeting facility and dining room for both church and community members.

By NATHAN STRAUS Staff Writer

University Church of Christ underwent an extreme makeover during the summer, spending $4 million on the construction and landscaping of the building’s new activity center, gymnasium and parking lot, renovations costing $5,000 in utilities each month.

Ed Sharp, pulpit minister at University Church of Christ and adjunct instructor of Bible, said these additions will help better prepare the church to serve the community.

“The all-weather entrance turned out to be more than an umbrella on a stick,” Sharp said.

“The activity center turned out to be more than a basketball goal on the street.”

The activity center is a

basketball court that doubles as a family and friends meeting place where the church’s Wednesday dinners take place. A kitchen equipped with a conventional and convectional oven is also in the building.

Charles Ezzell, an elder at the church, said plans for construction on the building date back to the eighties.

Sharp said in addition to the activity center and the all-weather entrance, the church had the western entrance’s steps refurbished. The courtyard of the church also underwent significant landscaping improvements.

“The new center is like a Swiss army knife tool for ministry,” Sharp said. The gym is open weekdays from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and anyone from the community is welcome to use the facility.

E-mail Straus at: nrs02a@acu.edu

Page 10

September 1, 2006

‘Brighton Beach’ tackles teen angst with enthusiasm n Neil Simon brings laughter into the world of adolescence through the trials of Eugene Morris Jerome in the play ‘Brighton Beach Memoirs.’

By DEE TRAVIS

Contributing Writer

Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs succeeds as one of the most accurate portrayals of puberty ever written.

Our protagonist, Eugene Morris Jerome, finds himself in that most awkward of transitions, caught between the worlds of adolescence and adulthood. On the one hand, he still has innocent dreams of joining the New York Yankees. On the other hand, he’s starting to notice girls, and his newfound sexuality leaves him both happy and confused as all logic begins to fade.

Eugene admits to the audience that if he had to choose between a tryout with the Yankees and seeing a girl naked for two-and-ahalf seconds, he would have some serious thinking to do.

The story takes place in

brian schmidt CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Lindsey Lehrmann as Nora tells the family, Laurel Stowe as Laurie, Kate Eason as Blanche, Donna Hester as Kate, Jay Reese as Eugene, about her new Broadway aspirations after being offered a chance to audition for a broadway show, during the Aug. 22 dress rehearsal in Fulks Theatre.

Brighton Beach, N.Y., in 1937. Eugene lives in a small house with his parents, his brother, his aunt and two cousins. Stress lies at every corner as multiple problems emerge at once. Eugene’s cousin Nora wants to quit school and become an actress. His brother, Stanley,

wants to quit his job. His father was recently fired from his job and, in a world where there’s no money to spare, everyone finds themselves somewhat responsible for the madness.

As for Eugene, he just wants to grow up peacefully, but comes to realize that a peaceful transition into adulthood probably isn’t in the cards.

This production of Brighton Beach Memoirs strikes and maintains the perfect tone. The performers are all solid, most notably Jay Reese as the lead character Eugene. He achieves the level of contagious energy that the part demands, making his character instantly likable.

He does a great job conjuring up both the delights and angst of adolescence. All contributors to the small cast seem to fit their parts like a glove so that the play needs almost no introduction; the audience is on board from the start.

Another factor contributing to the overall believability

is Travis Eason’s wonderful set design. The set almost functions as a character itself. The interior of the twostory house seems so real that it almost goes unnoticed, and I occasionally found myself forgetting that I wasn’t sitting in on a real family.

The beautiful structure helps enormously in captivating the audience, and the intimate nature of the Fulks Theatre really lends itself to a household setting.

All of Neil Simon’s plays demonstrate a masterful understanding of the subtleties that make life funny.

Eugene talks openly with the audience throughout the play, and we get the sense that he can’t quite grasp why his situation is fodder for comedy. Almost everything he says merits a big laugh, but it’s only because we’ve all been there.

We remember what the world looked like through that distorted pubescent lens. While humor abounds, there are

also some extremely serious themes at work, and there’s much less to laugh at during the second act.

Still, even the heaviness of the drama has a real heart, and we find ourselves smiling during even the most serious moments. Whenever someone uses the old adage, “I guess you had to be there,” they generally mean there’s truth and value in the little things— those moments that can’t be described. Neil Simon knows exactly how to describe them.

It’s no coincidence this play is set on the eve of World War II. Brighton Beach Memoirs is the first of a semi-autobiographical trilogy, so the setting fits within Neil Simon’s own life story, but the date holds more significance than that.

In 1937, everything was uncertain. The world was preparing to fight its second major war within a single generation, and it wasn’t an easy time to be a struggling Jewish family.

The future looked enormously bleak, yet there were still things to laugh about.

Kids still had dreams and parents still had hopes for their children. The whole world seemed to be crumbling, and while the War certainly had great significance, the battles fought within our own homes are the ones that ultimately make life worth living.

When Stanley approaches his father to tell him of his desire to quit his job, he catches his father listening to the evening news on the radio. “Can I talk to you a minute, Pop?” he asks. “It’s something really important.”

His father seems agitated. “More important than what’s going on in Europe?”

“It’s not more important,” Stanley responds.

“It’s just coming up sooner.”

broadway listings Gross statistics for Broadway shows for the week of Aug. 21-27, based on attendance percentage and provided by playbill.com.

Attendance percentage in parenthesis. n The History Boys: $707,204 (100.9%) n Jersey Boys: $1,118,583 (100.7%) n Wicked: $1,424,998 (100.0%) n The Color Purple: $1,128,988 (99.4%) n Mamma Mia!: $915,356 (99.2%) n Avenue Q: $413,985 (97.1%) n The Lion King: $1,188,417 (96.5%) n Chicago: $747,331 94.8%) n Spamalot: $923,503 (90.7%) n The Phantom of the Opera: $763,752 (88.9%) n The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee: $287,569 (86.8%) n Beauty and Beast: $615,205 (83.8%) Purchase tickets by calling 325-674-ARTS (ext. 2787) Monday through Friday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The production plays Sept. 1-2, 8-9, in the Fulks Theatre. Dinner/Show is $25; Performance-only is $13.

Tickets may be charged to your ACU account. Student Rush provides half-priced tickets (performance-only) on the day of the show after 6 p.m. for ACU students with a valid ID.

E-mail Travis at: dxt02a@acu.edu

SPORTS JUMPS

Friday, September 1, 2006

Classic: ACU hosts meet

Volleyball: Challenge at Denver Continued from page 12

brian schmidt FILE PHOTO

ACU cross country runners Lucky Hadebe, Serge Gasore, Laurent Ngirakamaro (unattached), Nicodemus Naimadu and Martin Okello lead the pack at the ACU Classic on Sept. 9, 2005, at Sherrod Residential Park.

Continued from page 12 a sophomore and has even greater expectations as an individual this year. Naimadu’s main goal for himself is “to defend my title for the third time and become the first student athlete in Division II history to win 3 consecutive individual cross country championships.”

Although Naimadu finished the 10-kilometer course at the 2006 nationals in a record-breaking 30:18, he is continually focusing on “making sure that I am in my best shape as early as possible before our first major meet.”

Hood hopes that both cross country teams will repeat as conference champions for a continuation of last season.

He is working hard with the

teams to accomplish certain goals they set to have “both squads also be national qualifiers.”

In order to make this happen, the group must place in the top two spots at the regional championship. Hood anticipates the men finishing top three in the nation.

E-mail Moore at: aem03e@acu.edu

Page 11

are bigger and possibly more talented than us to challenge us to play bigger, better and older than we are.”

The Wildcats began their preseason challenges last weekend in a loss to No. 5 Minnesota-Duluth at the Northern Michigan Invitational and may see similar competition this weekend.

Duluth and ACU are two of the 11 teams in the Premier that are either ranked on the American Volleyball Coaches’ Association top 25 Division II pre-season poll or received votes.

The only unranked team

is no stranger to ACU—conference rivals West Texas A&M. Although WTAMU is not nationally ranked, they are picked to win the LSC conference in the 2006 preseason poll. If both teams were to advance it could foreshadow a future showdown between the two teams.

But before anything else can happen, ACU must defeat their first two opponents Washburn and Metro State.

Both teams are ranked in the national top 30, and Metro State is co-host of the tournament. The last time the Wildcats faced Metro State was in 2005

when ACU knocked them out of the regional tournament.

Regardless of which team the Wildcats will face or what the end result will be, Mock is not affected by the hype.

“All that matters is can we pass the ball, can we block the ball, can we hit the ball, can we serve the ball and can we have less errors than the other team,” she said. “It doesn’t matter who’s on the other side or what they’re ranked—it’s who is going to make the less errors that day.”

E-mail Johnson at: djj04a@acu.edu

Friday, September 1, 2006

Sports Friday

Page 12

Second-year coach makes confidence priority n The ACU football team, under direction of second year coach Chris Thomsen, used the offseason to build confidence and work on fundamentals.

The ACU offense finished 9th (30 TD, 15 FG) in scoring in the LSC last season and 7th in total offense with 3,768 yards and 376.8 yards per game.

Defense lead by experience

By DANIEL JOHNSON Sports Editor

Head coach Chris ThomseHead football coach Chris Thomsen spent his second offseason under the Texas sun with one thing on his mind: every missed opportunity and close loss that defined last season.

ACU finished last season tied for last place in the conference and a handful of mistakes away from making the playoffs. With a 4-6 record (2-6 in conference), the Wildcat football team’s season was written off as a building season.

2005 was head coach Chris Thomsen’s first season at the helm, and the growing pains of the team’s transition phase were seen through the close losses forced by little mistakes.

During Thomsen’s first season, half the team’s losses were by one touchdown or less, including a three-point loss to rivals Angelo State University.

Last season’s star was safety and return specialist Danieal Manning, who is now a starting safety for the Chicago Bears.

But even with Manning’s impact, the one thing standing in the way of a successful season last year wasn’t a lack of talented players or hard work—it was a lack of confidence.

This offseason, Thomsen is fixing that problem by working with his team to become more confident in its ability as individuals and as a team.

“I feel like if we play at the highest level we can play each week as a team, everything else will take care of itself,” Thomsen said.

Thomsen said the highest level includes a well-rounded football team that protects the ball and does all the little things right, from the kick return to extra points. Although the Wildcats are picked to finish sixth in the seven-team LSC, they couldn’t be more ready to take the first snap.

This offseason built the confidence absent in 2005 and formed them into a team that pays attention to detail.

Renewed sense of commitment Offensive coordinator Ken Collums wants one thing from the Wildcats: a commitment to

brian schmidt CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

ACU starting running back Taber Minner runs through the ACU defense during practice on Aug. 30. Minner is returning for his second season as a Wildcat’s running back and finished 2005 with 577 total rushing yards and averaged 57.7 yards per game.

Despite losing Manning and all-American defensive end Clayton Farrell’s impact on defense, defensive coordinator Jason Johns is confident the new 3-4 defense will be more than effective in 2006.

“We’re doing a lot of the same coverages and fronts that we were doing in the past under the 4-3 system, and our players work hard and want to succeed this season,” Johns said.

The secondary is bringing back cornerbacks Corey Jordan and Mark Gaines and free safety Landon Kinchen who will play next to transfer Bobby Tatum. Linebackers Marcus Brown, Cody Stutts and Travis Carpenter will start under Johns in new 3-4 set.

Kinchen, who played next to Manning in 2005, has used the NFL draft pick’s example on and off the field to inspire his own progress in the offseason.

“Our goal is to play at the highest level possible,” Kinchen said. “I really want to play at the top of my ability.”

The more speed, the better

brian schmidt CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Special teams coordinator Nathan Headrick discusses positioning with returning starting safety Landon Kinchen. Kinchen, a transfer last season, played next to Chicago Bears safety and former all-American Danieal Manning in the 2005 season.

Football the vision of the coaching staff and the program.

“Overall, the commitment level is the biggest thing that has changed,” Collums said.

“We ask them to do so much, and last year some of them weren’t ready for that.”

In the offensive huddle,

second-year quarterback Billy Malone will return to the starting position after familiarizing himself with the Thomsen offensive scheme. Malone threw for 1,749 yards last season while averaging 204.3 yards per game and used the off-season to prepare.

“Last year [Malone] wasn’t doing enough to prepare him-

self,” Collums said. “But now he looks how a quarterback should look at this point.”

Malone will have returning junior wide receiver Jarale Badon to throw to again this season, along with transfer receiver Turtle Conner and transfer tight end Trey Simeone.

In the backfield, returning starting running back Taber

brian schmidt CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Quarterback Billy Malone throws a pass during practice on Aug. 30.

Minner will receive handoffs after returning from the offseason with a renewed sense of focus and a desire to progress.

“I was more committed this off-season.” said Minner. “Our success starts with the first team, and if they do their job right, everyone else will follow from there.”

After being last in the conference in kickoff coverage, special teams coordinator Nathan Headrick has been spending the offseason returning to fundamentals.

“We want to be a more fundamental special teams and want to spend more time planning than anybody else we’re playing,” Headrick said.

Headrick shifted the scheme of the special teams to emphasize speed rather than size to fit the players on the depth chart.

Kickers Matt Adams and Corey O’Neill are both vying for the starting place-kicker spot, and Brock Pierce will replace four-year starter Chase Fishback as the starting punter for the Wildcats.

ACU’s newly found confidence with Thomsen will be tested at Shotwell Stadium, first against University of Central Oklahoma on Sep 7. If ACU is to play at the highest level this season like Thomsen desires, it could result in the school’s first winning record since 2003.

E-mail Johnson at: djj04a@acu.edu

Season begins with a Classic n The ACU cross country team will kick off its 2006 season Saturday at the ACU Cross Country Classic. This season will be head coach Derek Hood’s second at ACU.

By ASHLEY MOORE Sports Writer

brian schmidt CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Junior libero LIz Snoddy stretches for a ball during practice on Aug 22. Snoddy has 790 career digs in two seasons and is on pace to finish as the school’s all-time leader in the category. Snoddy is one of six returning players from last year’s team that will defend last year’s tournament title at the Colorado Premier Challenge Friday.

Volleyball to defend Premier title n The 2-2, No. 20 Wildcat Volleyball team will defend last year’s championship at the Premier Challenge in Denver, Colo., Friday.

By DANIEL JOHNSON Sports Editor

The No. 20 ACU volleyball team will return to Denver, Colo., this weekend to defend last season’s first place finish in the Colorado Premier Challenge.

The last time the Wildcats played in the tournament, ACU went on a stun-

Volleyball ning 4-0 run in 2005 to win the tournament title. ACU was the only team to make it through the tournament undefeated and did so at the expense of top ranked Concordia St. Paul and Central Missouri State. Former all-Americans Amanda Slate and Michelle Bernhardt both made the all-tournament team, and the tournament was the beginning of the Wildcats’ school record 31 game winning streak.

But this year’s team is

not the same team that won in Denver last fall.

After graduating three all-Americans—Slate, Bernhardt and Lindsey Martin— and without the program’s most successful head coach Brek Horn, the Wildcats are a fresh-faced team with a large target on their backs.

“We are a very young team,” said junior libero Liz Snoddy. “We do have leadership and we do have veterans, but we need to include the freshmen and new girls so we can learn to play.”

Nine of the 14 players on

this year’s roster are new to the LSC and only two of last year’s six starters are returning for the Wildcats.

But regardless of the college experience of her team, new head coach Kellen Mock is optimistic about the benefits their preseason schedule will bring.

“I think we have some growing to do,” Mock said.

“But we are preparing ourselves through these tournaments to face people that See

VOLLEYBALL page 11

Both the men’s and women’s cross country teams are already looking ahead to making even greater strides in their programs this year.

After placing eighth in the national meet in Pomona, Calif., coach Don Hood said the men “hope to finish top three in the nation.”

The first cross country meet will be Saturday, Sept. 2, at 11 a.m. The ACU Jon Murray Invitational will take place Sept. 15 at 6 p.m. Both meets will be at Sherrod Residential Park and will be a good chance for the Abilene community to support its local cross country teams.

Despite losing four of his top runners, Hood recruited three new women athletes, including the wife of ACU head track and field coach.

Rachel Hood, who has

Cross Country three children, had some eligibility left from her running days in college so Coach Hood decided she would definitely be a positive asset to the team.

Naimadu A l s o competing at ACU for the first time are Loice Cheboi from Kenya and Jessica Torres from Decatur.

Chris Herrington from Abilene, Johnny Kimani from Kenya and Julius Nyango from Kenya are newcomers for the men.

Nyango will arrive to the country this weekend and begin classes on Monday.

Junior Nicodemus Naimadu will return for a third season. Naimadu won his second straight NCAA Division II National Cross Country Championship in the 2005 season. He was the first Wildcat to win the title as both a freshman and See CLASSIC page 11