2006 10 04

The Vol. 95, No. 12

IN THIS ISSUE CAMPUS

Foreign soil

The Study Abroad program wants to attract more men into its programs in Oxford, England, and Montevideo, Uruguay, page 4

Better yourself

This week the Counseling Center is promoting Wellness Week with seminars, booths and Unstressed Day on Friday, page 3

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OPTIMIST

1 section, 8 pages

WEDNESDAY

October 4, 2006

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www.acuoptimist.com

Former student killed Sunday Brown n Zach Robinson and Bryce Kennedy were killed in a carwreck early Sunday morning after the driver lost control of the vehicle and struck a tree.

By JARED FIELDS Managing Editor

Former ACU student and Cooper High School graduate Zachary Pierce Robinson was killed in a car-wreck early Sunday morning at Capitol Avenue and North Clack Street.

Robinson, 20, was transported to Hendrick Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 2:55 a.m.

A friend and fellow Cooper graduate, Bryce Kennedy, was also killed in the accident. The

driver of the truck, 19-yearold Taylor Jones, is listed in critical condition at Hendrick.

According to an accident report filed by the Abilene Police Department, Jones’ truck was speeding southbound on Highway 83/84.

Jones brushed against another car while passing it and lost control. The truck went off the road, across an on-ramp and an embankment before hitting a tree in front of a house.

The three were not wearing seat belts, and the police report said the influence of alcohol or drugs may have contributed to the accident.

However, toxicology reports on the three were not available at press time. Also, no

charges were filed at the time of the report.

Funeral services for Robinson will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church; a burial service will follow at Elmwood Memorial Park.

Kennedy’s funeral service is scheduled for Thursday at First Christian Church at 2:30 p.m.; a burial service will follow at the Elliott-Hamil Garden of Memories.

Robinson, who was an undecided major from Abilene, first enrolled at the university in the fall of 2004. He attended until last spring, but did not enroll this fall.

Library pioneer dies at age 87

Crash stats n The accident occurred at North Clack and Capitol Ave. off Highway 83/84 S at 12:24 a.m. Sunday. n Taylor Jones, driver, 19 years old, listed in critical condition at Hendrick Medical Center. n Zachary Pierce Robinson, passenger, 20 years old, killed in accident.

n Dr. Callie Faye Milliken, a 33-year employee with Brown Library, died Saturday. She improved the library and special collections while she worked and volunteered on campus

n Bryce Kennedy, passenger, 19 years old, killed in accident.

E-mail Fields at: jrf03b@acu.edu

By MALLORY SCHLABACH Editor in Chief

Punk’d out

Dr. Callie Faye Milliken (’38), former director of the Brown Library, died Saturday in a Longview nursing home at age 87. She had recently suffered a stroke.

For more than 30 years, Milliken served the university as director of the library, director of special collections and part-time volunteer. In 1997, she moved to Longview to be close to her sister Nelda Jean Stewart.

Milliken joined the ACU staff

Christian power pop/ punk band Hawk Nelson from Canada will perform in Cullen Auditorium on Friday, page 3

FEATURE

See

Taking the stage

Freshmen participated in five performances during Freshman Follies last weekend, page 5 brian schmidt CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

SPORTS

The women of Gardner Third West perform “Weather Wonders of West Texas” during the Freshman Follies dress rehearsal on Thursday.

By MICHELLE JIMENEZ

Raising the stakes

The Wildcats’ football team jumped to 4-0 on Saturday after the team shut out the best rushing offense in the LSC, Eastern New Mexico University, page 8

SPEED READS

Arts Editor

BRIAN SCHMIDT Chief Photographer

Alex Howard, freshman youth and family ministry major from Henderson, performs “Always Forever” as the last act of Freshman Follies during the dress rehearsal on Thursday in Cullen Auditorium.

Attendance for this year’s Freshman Follies decreased from last year, but students were still enthusiastic about performing.

Kendall Massey, director of student productions and Freshman Follies, said he couldn’t give a specific reason for the drop in attendance, but it could have been because of the other events taking place this semester.

Regardless, planners, partici-

By MALLORY SCHLABACH Editor in Chief

pants and attendees said the show went well.

At the 7 p.m. Friday show, an entire men’s residence hall floor act was asked to exit the stage.

Brandon Gurley, business marketing major from Plano, was on stage for his performance with Mabee First North when the curtain dropped.

“When we went out to perform, they dropped the curtain in my face and told us to get off the stage for some reason,” Gurley said.

But Gurley said he doesn’t hold the incident against anyone and t understands it was all a matter of miscommunication among the See

FOLLIES page 7

Workers to finish pond by late fall n Construction crews need to finish the rock ledge, put in piping and begin landscaping around the pond for it to be complete this semester.

An exact finish date is not yet set.

Attendance declines for Freshman Follies n Despite lower attendance numbers, the five Freshman Follies performances went well this weekend, said Kendall Massey, director of student productions.

DEATH page 7

Attention to other construction projects on campus has postponed the completion of the 2.3 acre pond that is going in next to University Park Apartments. The pond is expected to be finished by late fall, Kevin Watson, associate vice president for administrative services, wrote in an e-mail.

Construction crews broke ground in early summer on the pond, which has been in the planning stages for more than a year.

“We have yet to put in the remainder of the rock ledge and to complete the installation of the pipe,” Watson said. “Once these See

POND page 7

Study guides on the go

Students can purchase audio study notes for Pearson textbooks on VangoNotes.com, which can be downloaded to MP3 players. In response to students’ busy lives and love for technology, VangoNotes has created study guides that can be purchased online and downloaded by chapters or by book, depending on student needs. The Campus Store in the Campus Center sells Pearson books. Students can see if books they use for classes this semester offer study guides on VangoNotes.com.

-UWIRE

Garretts win ‘Parent’ award n Don and Donna Garrett were awarded Friday as Parents of the Year by the Alumni Association after their son, John, wrote an essay nominating them.

By JEREMY POND Student Reporter

ACU honored two parents as the 2006 Parents of the Year in Chapel Friday.

Dan Garrett, vice chancellor and president of the ACU Foundation, and wife Donna received this year’s award.

Dr. Michelle Morris, vice president for university relations, made the presentation

Department of Journalism and Mass Communication

in place of Dr. Royce Money, who was attending Byron Nelson’s funeral.

The Garretts have three children, two of which, Grant and Mack, are ACU alumni.

The Garretts’ youngest son, John, senior marketing major from Abilene, nominated them for the award.

Samantha Adkins, Alumni Program coordinator, said the Garretts were recognized for their lifetime of service to ACU and the ACU student body.

“They have been so involved with college students, especially in their own home,”

Adkins said. “They’re always doing something, whether it’s having students over for a meal, mentoring or premarital counseling.”

Adkins also noted the Garretts seemed to touch everything and everyone around them.

“They’re wonderful people,” Adkins said. “They’re so deeply caring and just a joy to be around.”

To be eligible for the award, students must nominate their parents by writing a two-page essay outlining why they beSee

PARENTS page 7

brian schmidt CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Dr. Michelle Morris, vice president for university relations, recognizes Don and Donna Garrett as Parents of the Year in Chapel on Friday.

Abilene Christian University

Serving the ACU community since 1912

Chapel Checkup Credited Chapels to date:

Wednesday, March 29, 2006 Wednesday, October 4, 2006

04

Calendar & Events Wednesday

Wellness Week Spiritual/Emotional Wellness: Pursuing Wholeness, Hope and Peace.

05

Thursday

Wellness Week Physical Day: Pursuing a Lifestyle of Wellness.

8 p.m.

Pianist John David, former ACU professor, will perform a free concert in the WPAC.

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.

Volunteer Opportunities The Salvation Army needs volunteers to interview clients for Christmas assistance, verify proper documentation and determine qualification. It begins Oct. 9 and ends Nov. 10., Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The Salvation Army is located at 1226 Butternut St. For more information, please contact Cecilia Barahona at 677-1408.

KGNZ needs volunteers to help during the day with its “Friend-raiser.” It starts Oct. 17 and ends Oct. 19, 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 542 Butternut (KGNZ Studios). For more information, con-

tact George Sweatt at 673-8801.

Lee Elementary needs volunteers to play Scrabble with third, fourth and fifth graders every Thursday from 3:15 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the cafeteria For more information, contact Jennifer Clapp or Andy Blessing at 671-4895.

Beltway Park Baptist Church needs volunteers for setting up tables, booths and staging for a ministry fair on Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Oct. 7 in the afternoon and Oct. 9 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. For more information, contact Marilyn Smith at 692-6540.

06

Friday

Wellness Week Unstressed Day: Relax and Enjoy the Fun. 7 p.m.

Hawk Nelson and Run Kid Run will perform in Cullen Auditorium.

Tickets are $10 for students.

07

Saturday

Service Saturday Various service projects across Abilene. Sign up in the Campus Center.

Volunteer agency seeks student help n Big Brothers and Big Sisters is looking to reach more of the Abilene community with assistance of volunteers from local universities.

By ZACH CUNNINGHAM STUDENT REPORTER

Announcements What do Tupac Shakur, Lauryn Hill and Kanye West have to do with Jesus? Come find out Thursday evenings. “Jesus and the Hip-Hop Prophets” will take place at 8:30 p.m. in Bible Room 128. For more information, contact Matt Worthington at mrw03b@acu.edu.

Meals on Wheels needs volunteers to deliver lunch to those in need. This is a great way to serve in the Abilene community and you can get credit if your delivery time conflicts with Chapel. For more information, stop by the Volunteer Center in the Bean Sprout.

Students in Free Interprise (SIFE) - Meet Wednesdays at 5 p.m. in COBA Room 315. If you are interested in sharpening your business skills, entrepreneurial and leadership skills and want to be of service to the community at the same time.

The FilmFest Lab is now open. It is located in the Mabee Library Auditorium, which is by the old entrance to the Library.

Hours are Monday to Friday, 5 p.m. to 12 a.m., and Satur-

Credited Chapels remaining:

25 43

day, noon to 12 a.m. Hours to be extended as demand merits. The lab is open to anyone interested in gaining knowledge about video editing or in need of video resources. For more information, contact Matt Maxwell at mam02j@acu.edu.

Habitat for Humanity is bringing an ice skating rink to Abilene for the holiday season. Volunteers are needed to work the front gate, ice skate rentals and concessions.

Also, anyone who would like to help build a house front with a fence to be used as the entrance, contact them ASAP. The ice skating rink will be open from Nov. 17 to Jan. 13. For more information, contact Karen Mendoza at 201-0250.

Girl Scout Troop #1550 needs young women who want to make a difference in young girls’ lives through Girl Scouting are needed.

The girls are from underprivileged homes, and they need positive Christian influences in their lives. Meetings are every Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m..

This program will end in May. For more information, please contact Diltzie Andrews at 673-6379.

Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Abilene presented in Chapel last week to garner more student interest.

They are trying to reach their goal of 580 community volunteers for the fall semester.

“We had around 47 or 48 sign up in August,” said Jamie Bearden, public relations coordinator for Abilene BBBS. “We had about 96 at the service fair in September and about 180 at the Chapel service we just came to last month.”

BBBS is still about 200 volunteers short of its goal for the fall semester. The organization has been trying many different forms of outreach, including speaking at luncheons for local businesses and working with local churches in ministry outreach.

“We recently launched a ministry through mentoring campaign that stretches through all of Abilene,” Bearden said. “We are also involved at McMurry and Hardin-Simmons universities, but ACU is by far our biggest source of college-student volunteers.”

The number of volunteers at ACU is especially unique, Bearden said.

“We love college students

and those volunteers at ACU aren’t just college students, but they’re a faith-based outreach,” Bearden said. “That’s important to have.”

BBBS is looking for any form of volunteers it can get which includes social clubs or parttime student volunteers.

A big event on the BBBS calendar that organization coordinators hope will make a splash in the volunteer pool is the Bowl for Kids’ Sake event.

“We’re looking to raise about $14,000 this year,” said Jennifer Walker, coordinator of the event. “We want to have about 52 teams of around 4 to 6 players each. Each entrant would be donating a minimum of 50 dollars to reach the goal.”

In the past, social clubs like Frater Sodalis, Sigma Theta Chi and Delta Theta have been among the biggest contributors, Walker said.

“They usually participate as a group and help us to reach our goals,” she said.

The event will take place Nov. 4 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. to midnight at Abilene Bowling Lanes. All participants will receive free T-shirts, free food and free bowling in two-hour increments. Door prizes will also be given out.

Anyone interested in participating in Bowl for Kids’ Sake or becoming a volunteer for BBBS, contact either Jamie Bearden or Jennifer Walker at 677-7839.

E-mail Cunningham at: optimst@acu.edu

CAMPUS NEWS

Wednesday, October 4, 2006

All aglow

Page 3

Hawk Nelson to perform Friday n Christian punk band Hawk Nelson, known for its hit song “California,” will entertain the Abilene crowd Friday in Cullen Auditorium at 7 p.m.

By MITCH HOLT Copy Editor

RACHEL Lau STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Hot air balloons light up the night sky at Red Bud Park during Saturday’s Balloon Glow as part of the 12th Annual Big Country Balloon Fest.

Power pop/punk Tooth and Nail Records foursome Hawk Nelson will bring the rock to Cullen Auditorium Friday at 7 p.m. with fellow touring bands Run Kid Run and Mainstay.

The three bands’ stop in Abilene is part of a Tooth and Nail Records tour that will last through Nov. 19 and bring them to many states across the country.

Jordan Williams, Students’ Association executive vice president, said Hawk Nelson originally planned to come through Abilene and play at Beltway Park Baptist Church but will end up playing at ACU because of something else going on at the church.

So Beltway planners

called Maher Saab, SA president, with the idea, and he passed the idea along to Williams, who has been booking bands at the university for the past two years.

He said planners are excited about the concert because of Hawk Nelson’s growing popularity and the other bands’ increasing popularity in the Christian music industry.

“They’re an awesome band and they’re starting to make headway in the public music realm,” Williams said. “Run Kid Run is pretty awesome as well. They’re just now starting to get out there. Three Tooth and Nail bands in Abilene is a great opportunity.”

Williams was granted a $4,000 budget for the concert—$2,000 from the Campus Activities Board and $2,000 from SA—and he hopes to recoup the investment to at least cover expenses.

Cullen doesn’t have ad-

equate sound equipment for a concert like this, Williams said so he is bringing in quality equipment from an outside source.

According to a search on Facebook.com, 86 ACU students have Hawk Nelson on their favorite bands list, and Williams said he’s optimistic about the ACU fanbase, radio advertising and promotion at stores in the mall contributing to an increased number of attendees.

Planners encourage members of the Abilene community and students not involved in social club grubs to attend the concert for several reasons.

“It’s something to do on a Friday night,” Williams said. “Hawk Nelson is taking off, and this is a great chance to see them before it’s more difficult. They probably won’t be swinging

by Abilene anytime soon after Friday.”

E-mail Holt at: mah02f@acu.edu

Wellness Week provides activities to ‘unstress’ n A dunk tank, rock wall, Twister games and bungee run are a few of the activities students can participate in to relieve stress during Wellness Week.

By RACHEL DAVIS Student Reporter

Tests, papers and loss of sleep have ignited what seems to be a campus-wide epidemic of stress and anxiety.

October is one of the most stressful months of the semester, said Steve Rowlands, director of the Counseling Center.

However, relief is on the way.

This week is Wellness

Week, and the Counseling Center, along with other sponsors, hope its efforts will relieve some of the stress and anxiety.

Wednesday is geared toward mental and spiritual health; Thursday’s events emphasize better physical health; and Friday is Unstressed Day, a day for students to relax and “just learn to have some fun,” Rowlands said.

Rowlands said he and others on campus decided to make the first week in October Wellness Week because the Counseling Center was seeing stressed out students in its offices.

“We see so many students in October just struggling,” Rowlands said. “We want to inform them about stress and other struggles, to help them do some kind of assessment to see how they’re doing in other areas of their lives and to provide resources about stress, anxiety, managing depression, better nutrition and sleeping habits.”

Favi Rietti, sophomore interior design major from Honduras, said she is already feeling the pressure of the semester.

“I’m so stressed out during the middle of the semester,” Rietti said. “I

Committee to choose SBC leaders n Interviews were conducted to determine this year’s Spring Break Campaign leaders. A committee will decide this week who will lead Spring Break Campaigns.

By LAURA SMITH Student Reporter

Leaders for Spring Break Campaigns have filled out applications and engaged in the interviewing process.

This week, prospective leaders will find out who their co-leaders are and what their destination is.

Applications were due for prospective Spring Break campaign leaders on Sept.

27, and the selection committee wrapped up interviews Friday.

The opportunity to combine leadership skills and spiritual outreach is a unique chance for ACU students to put to use what they’ve learned in the class-

room, said Mark Lewis, campus advisor for Spring Break Campaigns; it’s a studentfocused ministry with little faculty involvement.

“It’s not my deal,” Lewis said. “This is owned by the students—a studentled ministry.”

Lewis, who began at ACU as the director of the spiritual life committee, transitioned into his new position in the spring of 1999. His primary job is to participate with the Spring Break Campaign committee, a five-student tribunal that provides support and guidance for the campaign groups and leaders.

The committee meets each week in the “War Room” to communicate what is going on with campaigns and guide the ultimate vision of Spring Break Campaigns.

Destinations are select-

ed by observing certain needs in various locations by word of mouth, said Mathis Kennington, senior Bible major from San Antonio and co-chair of the campaign committee.

Planning meetings begin next week and will continue throughout October.

Leaders will begin to form itineraries, budgets and logistics in anticipation for the Spring Break Campaign information fair and participant sign-ups Oct. 31 through Nov. 2.

Participants will choose their top three location choices, teams will be put together, fundraising will begin and the leaders embark with the their team members for the destination in March.

E-mail Smith at: lrs02a@acu.edu

think Wellness Week will be very helpful for me.”

The sponsors organized a full week of activities.

Monday and Tuesday, Chapel speakers Dr. Mimi Barnard and Dr. Jerry Taylor addressed issues about spiritual wellness.

Also, guest speaker Larry Evans spoke in a special luncheon Tuesday about physical health and living with a disability.

Each of these days, students will have the opportunity to enter in a drawing for several prizes. Among these prizes are two bikes and several gift certificates to Wal-Mart and Target.

Friday is Unstressed Day. The Counseling Center partnered with the Campus Activities Board to create a time for students to relax and forget about stress.

After Chapel on Friday, there will be a wheelchair basketball game in Gibson.

The main activities will be in the mall area.

Inflatables, a rock wall, bouncing boxing, Twister, a bungee run, a Velcro wall and an obstacle course are just some of the activities students can participate in. There will also be a dunk tank.

Dr. Wayne Barnard and

ACU Police Chief Jimmy Ellison are among the ACU faculty and staff members students can try to dunk.

Rowlands said he thinks Wellness Week has been great for students.

“We want students to come see us in the Counseling Center, but we want to try and be proactive and keep students from getting to the point where they actually really need to see somebody because they’re so far behind,” Rowlands said.

E-mail Davis at: red04a@acu.edu

CAMPUS NEWS

Page 4

Study abroad seeks male interest n The Study Abroad program will encourage more male students to participate in the Oxford and Montevideo programs next semester.

By SARA POTTER Student Reporter

The Study Abroad program wants to market itself to more students interested in participating in either the Oxford or Montevideo fall or summer 2007 or spring 2008 programs.

Most spots are filled for the Montevideo spring 2007 semester, but male applicants are encouraged to increase the 1 to 5.5 male to female ratio in next semester’s group, said Lauren Graham, Study Abroad coordinator.

“We need to figure out how to get the guys to go,” Graham said.

Plans for Study Abroad events in the boys dorm lobbies are being discussed, but permission is needed from resident directors for such interest meetings.

Thirty-six spots are available for the Oxford spring program, and 36 students completed applications, “but sometimes we have students drop out, so we are allowing students to apply for a wait list,” Graham said.

For those interested but not sure about studying abroad, the best thing to do is talk to Study Abroad alumni.

“If you just ask some-

one, ‘Was it fun?’ it doesn’t give Study Abroad alumni a chance to elaborate on their trip,” Graham said. “When you ask open-ended questions, it gives these students the chance to talk about their experiences abroad.”

Graham also said the dialogue between Study Abroad alumni and those who haven’t spent a semester abroad is good because it sparks interest among those who haven’t participated.

Amy Simpson, senior theatre major from Denver, said her favorite thing about her spring 2005 trip to Oxford was the slow pace of life.

“Theirs is slower and more peaceful,” she said.

“They have a reverence for history and wisdom which encourages that peace.”

In Montevideo, residents meet ACU students, and they are just as excited every semester as the students are to get acquainted, Graham said.

To participate in Study Abroad, students need at least 30 credit hours on campus and a GPA of 2.5 by the date of application, according to the Study Abroad handbook.

For more information, contact the Study Abroad office in the Hardin Administration Building.

E-mail Potter at: optimist@acu.edu

Voter registration deadline approaching n Voters need to register for upcoming city elections, and registration is available for students in the Political Science Department until Tuesday.

By DENTON JOSEY Page 2 Editor

By Tuesday, only registered voters will be able to determine the outcome of the upcoming elections.

Barbara Pinkston, clerk for the Taylor County Elections Office, said the deadline to register for voting in the Nov. 7 elections in Taylor County is Tuesday. Registration forms are available at the Taylor County Elections Office, both public libraries, both post offices and on campus in the Political Science Department office, Room 220 of the Administration Building.

Pinkston said the elections office has run advertisements notifying

the public about registration in the newspaper, on the radio and all three news stations.

Pinkston said she thinks the amount of voters every year is low in comparison to the population because “people are not aware of what a privilege it is to vote,” she said. “It’s just a lack of concern, I think.”

One of the effects of low voter participation, Pinkston said, is that a few people decide how to run this country. Last city election, only 10 percent of voters turned out, she said.

In the upcoming election, a number of positions will be voted upon. In addition to different state representatives, numerous judge seats and the position of attorney general, voters in Abilene will determine whether or not a smoking ban will go into effect in all

public places in Abilene.

Bonnie Coley, junior exercise science and special education major from Abilene, is registered and plans to vote. While she is not very interested in politics, she said she thinks voting is a good way to “put your voice out there,” even if you don’t have strong opinions.

Dr. Neal Coates, professor of political science, said there are several reasons students may be interested in voting. This year a new governor will be elected and an ACU professor is on the ballot.

Coates said students from out of state may register to vote in Taylor County but would not be allowed to then also vote in their home state.

“You cannot vote in multiple states in multiple elections,” he said. “A per-

son has to decide where they want to vote.”

There are two main reasons to vote, Coates said.

“First of all, a vote is a vote. College students should vote. Second of all, because the overall vote for persons eligible to vote is not high, college students’ votes count more.”

The average collegeage person doesn’t vote, Coates said, so in a sense the people that do vote have more say.

“In other words, you have less competition—you ought to have your voice heard,” he said.

Voting is a good, lifelong habit that involves people in community and the decisions society makes, Coates said.

“Start the good habit of voting now.”

E-mail Josey at: jdj03e@acu.edu

Wednesday, October 4, 2006

Swing Cats doubles membership this fall n An on-campus swing dancing club, Swing Cats, is made up of more than 100 members, and officers seek a better way to organize the group.

By KATIE GAGER Student Reporter

Words such as “Lindy Hop” and “Jitterbug” are emerging in students’ daily vocabulary, terms that describe styles of dance from the swing era of the 1940s and 1950s.

“It’s so far into the past, and we are dragging it back up and are able to teach people something that is dead,” said Swing Cats vice president Jarrod King, senior youth and family ministry major from Argyle.

With the growth in popularity of swing dancing, the ACU Swing Cats, a swing dancing club on campus, almost doubled in membership this fall.

Swing Cats began with 40 members in 2002 as a club that wanted “to promote and sustain the pre1950s social swing culture, including music and dance,” said adviser Cole Bennett, assistant professor of English and Writing Center director.

In years past, only about 30 or 40 of the members attended every meeting until the very end.

“I’d like to see people stick with it because so many people drop out because they get busy,” said Swing Cats secretary Jessica Johnson, sophomore education major from The Colony.

This fall Swing Cats has grown into 120 to 150 duespaying members. It was only last year that Swing Cats allowed freshmen to join, which contributed to

this year’s growth.

Though Swing Cats has performed in Sing Song and Ethnos, they do not want to be labeled as a performance club.

“One of the biggest misconceptions is that you have to try out,” said president Julia Armke, senior education major from Austin. “You don’t have to know anything; we start from scratch.”

“We want to be known as a group that teaches the swing culture,” King said.

In addition to performances at ACU, Swing Cats goes to local nursing homes and assisted living communities to entertain and minister to the elderly.

“They are the ones that grew up in the swing culture. We get to dance and be taught by them,” King said.

Last year during spring break, Swing Cats attended “Lindy Fest,” a swing dancing convention taught by some of the greatest swing dance teachers in the world, Armke said.

“Swing dance is about expressing yourself with movement to some of the best music ever made in America,” Bennett said.

With the increase in membership, Armke said she wants the club to become more organized by finding better ways to accommodate the number of people. Plans for the future include relocating in order to save space.

This year the club meets every Sunday at 7 p.m. in the single gym in Gibson Health and P.E. Center. These meetings are open only to members who joined in the first two weeks of the semester.

E-mail Gager at: optimist@acu.edu

Page 5

Wednesday, October 4, 2006

Freshmen wonder “What’s Next?”

Members of the dance troupe perform to “Missing.”

The Dance Troupe also did “Always on the Run.”

Photographs by Brian Schmidt

Men in the McKinzie Residence Hall act sword fight during their act at Freshman Follies dress rehearsal Thursday.

To the members of the 2006 Large Chorus, “The Future’s So Bright.” This year’s acts looked toward the university’s future and wondered what it will be like to be a student in the coming years.

“You Don’t Own Me,” Gardner Third West declares to the men. The act depicted the actress’ reaction to what she thought was a marriage proposal; he was just tying his shoe.

Mabee Second sings a tribute to ACU’s president in “God Bless Dr. Money.” The Mabee First act mourned the death of the Discovery Channel’s Steve Irwin in “A Tribute to Steve Irwin” and Mabee Third performed “Geezers.”

David Degge plays a dulcimer solo to “Blue Haven Storm.”

Five soloists performed at Freshman Follies this year.

October 4, 2006

Page 6 The issue:

Sunday is the deadline for Texas voting registration, and college students are generally the least represented group in voting polls.

Our view:

Voting is a good way fo to make a difference in the community and voice opinions to politicians. Students must participate

The solution:

Research local candidates, register in Abilene or in your hometown and get in the habit of casting your vote in local elections.

Research, register and remember to vote Voting is essential to democracy and expressing our beliefs about our government. We all know this, but we often don’t follow it.

The deadline for registering to vote in the state of Texas is quickly approaching; registration applications must be postmarked

by Sunday, something that everyone should be paying attention to. We strongly believe it is important that students research and participate in voting.

Voting is a right­— one that people, especially college students, don’t regularly exercise. In the 2004 presidential election, only 47 percent of people between the ages of 18 and

25 voted, our region in the College students can have a profound by far state House of Repeffect on the issues debated the lowresentatives.

Reand decided by the democratic system. est pargardless of reasons, ticipating voting is something age group. lar place. Age and location worth engaging in and a That was on a good year have no effect on what kind good way to get involved in when voting was up nation- of a difference you can the political process. wide. make through voting and When young adults don’t The stats are almost participating in the politi- vote, they are making a sialways like that; young cal process. lent declaration that they adults and college students Secondly, politicians, don’t care. College students are at the bottom of the especially state and local, can have a profound effect voting barrel. Most don’t make decisions that can on the issues debated and know why they should vote and do greatly affect col- decided by the democratic and what purpose it really lege students from loan system. If college students serves, especially when and money issues to local continue to show they they are attending college housing regulations. don’t care, politicians will away from home.

Through voting, you ex- not even consider decisions First, American citizens press your interest in these college students deem imcan make a difference no things, especially in a year portant. matter where or for how like this where we are choosOne disagreement among long they live in a particu- ing a new representative for the editorial board is where

Let Loose

Cole Williams

Search for truth in Christian tradition You know the place.

We’ve all been there. You’re standing in Chapel, we’ve just finished singing three or four rousing tunes, Dr. Barnard has stared down the student body to get everyone to shut up and we’re A Ripple in all prepped the Pond to sit down and listen Jeremy to the day’s Pond speaker.

Then the next presenter says, “Please remain standing for prayer and for the reading of the word.”

This confuses me. Why is it so important that we stand up for someone to read the Bible? Does God really care

Doing the right thing for the wrong reason is not going to cut it. about whether we’re standing up or sitting down?

As I thought about this, it begged more questions.

What about all of the other actions that go along with our faith? Christians often maintain that they don’t have a religion. They have a relationship. If that’s true, then why do we feel it is necessary to perform certain actions that appear “religious” to many?

The tragic truth may be that what it means to be a Christian has been largely lost beneath a mountain of “burnt offerings.”

In the Old Testament, these offerings were meant to serve an important pur-

pose in the law, but they were not meant to be the driving point of the Hebrew faith. Similarly, there are important aspects of our faith, such as church attendance, regular scripture reading and even just being compassionate to others that have buried what it means to have faith.

My friend suggested that I check my motives for why I do certain things the other day. He was right; and I think it’s time for the entire church to do the same.

It’s like singing those songs I mentioned earlier.

When we sing them, do we just sing because that’s the thing to do, or do we sing

out of love and adoration for the creator?

That question needs to be asked about everything we do as Christians. Why are we doing it? Doing the right thing for the wrong reason is not going to cut it.

In matters related to our faith, there will only ever be one place to turn. The answers won’t be found in church-constructed dogma or in traditions of those separated from us by time and space. The only place you’ll find out what God truly wants from us is scripture.

If you want to know what God thinks, open the word and dig in.

And yeah, you can sit down when you do.

E-mail Pond at: jlp03b@acu.edu or optimist@acu.edu

a student is responsible to vote, whether a hometown or college town. It’s your choice.

Regardless, you must vote.

Students must do their research. You must know who you are voting for and why. College students are probably the worst about researching candidates and the issues, but it is something that is a problem for many voters today.

Vote and know why you are voting. Know the issues.

America doesn’t need any more uninformed voters casting essentially meaningless votes.

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

Vacation to the moon and back I could fly to the moon in awe I feel for space travel the near future for less than when I realize that, yes, I too $20 million. could be in space one day.

As the space tourist proWho knows what’s comgram gains ing in the future. By the time popularity, I have children, we could be particularly taking a graduation trip to in the West- the moon or watching the ern part of sky littered with flashing the world, Motel 6 signs next to the Big new pro- Dipper. grams have At least six teams are developed building private space ships Face the to put more to carry individuals into Facts civilians in space. One director of a team Mallory space. estimated tickets could go on Schlabach One pro- sale for private space travel gram is the by 2009. Virgin Galactic, Journalist in Space one such comprogram that pany, is already NASA discussed selling tickets several years ago at $200,000 a I like with journalist piece. the mystery Walter Cronkite at Will there be in the the top of the list. an end to man’s Although no foringenious disuniverse. mal program has coveries?

Call been created, it is me old-fasha possibility. ioned, but I like Much like the possibility the mystery in the universe. that civilians, without much I don’t want to know if life training, could travel to exists on other planets. I’m space for vacations and stay quite content to see a sky full in orbiting hotels as early as of twinkling stars on a clear 2010, projections said. night and know nothing Last week a Russian Soyuz more than that God placed capsule landed in Archly, each star where he wanted Kazakhstan, with a U.S. as- it to be. tronaut, a Russian cosmoWhat is the point of prinaut and a space tourist, vate space travel? Who will who paid $20 million for her grow up to be astronauts if week-long trip into space, on anyone with a checkbook board. can be one? Is the view worth Anousheh Ansari was the $20 million? first woman and the fourth I want my children to person to pay her way into dream of walking on the space. moon, not take a field trip This idea of civilians trav- there. And to be honest, my eling to space for millions of view of earth is quite breathdollars or one day traveling taking, even from Abilene. and staying in a hotel in orbiting earth disturbs me. It E-mail Schlabach at: mes02eacu.edu or optimist@acu.edu diminishes the sense of the

Cutting down social clubs places accuser at fault It always makes me smile when I read or hear about pledging related topics.

Every year we see articles and hear students talking about social clubs.

A lot of these opinions refer to these clubs as buying friends, needless activity, unnecessary expense, and not following the mission that they claim to be following. Often these people put down those

that are pledging right to their face. They feel (or give the impression) as if

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

In response to Jared Fields’ column in the Sept. 29 issue of the Optimist.

they are above and beyond the pledging experience and that they are better

people for not pledging.

Every year I hear or read this I think the same thing.

Who cares?

I do not know why so many people feel like it is their mission to put down social clubs. It is shocking to them that other people do not have the same views.

Has anyone considered why people continue to pledge social clubs even though

so much negative things are written and said about them? It is because people are different and have different views.

If you choose not to pledge, that is your choice. My respect for a person does not change if a person decides to pledge or not pledge.

I could care less about their club affiliation.

What I do not respect

are people that put down pledges because they decided to take on a personal challenge. These people claim to be Christians, but they will not support those around them in what they decide to do. Some will not even offer words of encouragement knowing that the pledge process is a hard commitment. They put down their fellow Chris-

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: optimist@acu.edu

tians, make them feel like they are inferior, and then walk away feeling superior. That to me is less Christian than a club not glorifying the Lord in public. Leave the pledges and members alone and worry about something else.

Richard Keker senior accounting major from Sugar Land rjk02a@acu.edu

Editorial and Management Board Mallory Schlabach

Published by the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication Newsroom: (325) 674-2439

Sports desk: (325) 674-2684

Lauren Sutton

Editor in Chief

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Online: www.acuoptimist.com

Wednesday, October 4, 2006

Page 7

FROM THE FRONT/SPORTS

Death: Milliken improved library Pond: Projects Continued from page 1 in 1953 as an assistant professor and director of the library.

In 1956 she was promoted to associate professor and received full professorship in 1977. While working on campus, Milliken helped to create many new programs to benefit the library.

“She was an interesting woman with a lot of personality,” said Dr. Marsha Harper, former director of Brown Library until 2003. “She had strong opinions and good ideas; she was very visionary.”

Harper, who worked with Milliken for more than 15 years, said Milliken helped the university create its audio-visual and microforms collections while she was here.

“Very few academic institutions buy audio visual collections,” Harper said. “Dr. Milliken collected long-play

records, audio cassettes and video cassettes for the university, which were heavily used by faculty and students in the 1970s.

“She didn’t share the academic librarian’s disdain for anything not in print,” she said. “She saw the importance of these collections and brought them into the library.”

Besides improving what the university’s library offered, Milliken was also instrumental in the planning and directing of the Brown Library, said Erma Jean Loveland, a librarian who interned with Milliken before she retired.

“She was a very dedicated librarian,” Loveland said.

“When she first started working here, the library was only on one floor in Chambers, and the cafeteria was on the third floor. She helped move it to all three floors and then into its own building, the Brown

Library.”

Loveland said Milliken wanted the best for the students and wanted to be able to provide them with the resources they needed to excel.

While at ACU, Milliken founded Friends of ACU Library, an organization that still exists today that honors students, faculty and those who support the library through special projects and funding. Milliken received the first Friend for a Day award.

Harper said Milliken realized before most people that computers could do a better job indexing and cataloging books than typewriters and copy machines could. Milliken also convinced the administration to fund ACU’s membership into OCLC, a computer-based service that finds books and research in the collections of libraries worldwide, which students can find on the library’s Web site at

FirstSearch, Harper said.

Milliken, who never married, was not gregarious, Harper said, but she loved to entertain. She said most people will not know Milliken for her personality, but for the great works she left behind.

In 1986, Milliken retired after 33 years of working at the library and volunteered parttime for several more years.

After her retirement, the special collections section of the library was named after her, Loveland said. She was the first director of special collections.

“After 33 years, we owe a great debt of gratitude to her for the library we have now. She laid the foundation,” Loveland said.

Milliken’s funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Rader Funeral Home in Longview.

E-mail Schlabach at: mes02e@acu.edu

Parents: Garrett’s honored by son Continued from page 1 lieve their parents should be recognized. Criteria include what the family has done for ACU, focusing especially on their involvement with the student body as well as their own children.

A committee then reviews the essays and makes its decision based on perceived impact.

Dan Garrett, who has been

involved with the university in multiple positions since 1973, said he was shocked upon learning that he and his wife had been selected for this recognition.

“It’s very humbling,” he said. “For any parent, for their children to think they are special and then to do something about it, is really neat.”

John Garrett said he first learned about the award

while studying abroad. He saw the link online one day and decided it would be a great opportunity to bless his parents.

“They have done so much for me in terms of support, both financial and spiritual,” Garrett said. “When I learned about this I thought it’d be a cool way to honor them.”

Garrett emphasized the impact his parents had on his life, both personally and

professionally.

“Their involvement in the university and in my life has helped me make so many connections during my time as a student,” he said. “And my mom would do anything for me. No matter what the problem, I know she would drop whatever she was doing if I needed help.”

E-mail Pond at: optimist@acu.edu

delay construction Continued from page 1 have been completed we will be able to put in some of the landscaping around the lake.”

Watson would not describe the landscaping or other dimensions of the lake and the timetable for completion of parts Watson of the project. Scot Colley, project manager, could not be reached.

Crews have been transporting rock for the ledge of the pond from Leuders Limestone. Crews will work throughout the fall semester to complete the pond, he said.

Dr. John Tyson, director of development, said the pond was created for run-off purposes, but that it was turned into a decorative aspect of campus. Men of Galaxy social club has raised money to build a bridge across the pond.

E-mail Schlabach at: mes02e@acu.edu

Tennis: Jones ‘excited’ about team’s potential Continued from page 1 Dina Pavlin captured the consolation title by routing a freshman player from Air Force 6-1, 6-1 in the final.

And Drummond and Lana Pavlin fought to the finals of the main draw and were set to face each other. However, head coach Hutton Jones called the final match a draw and took the triumphant team back to Abilene.

“We’ve never done this well at this tournament,” Jones said. “To win three of the five flights, I’m just pretty excited about this year’s team and its potential.”

Both of the Wildcat tennis teams will be in action Friday

at the Lone Star Conference Fall Individual Championships in Wichita Falls. Last year in the LSC tournament, the doubles team of Casper Steenkamp and George Carstens won the No. 1 doubles title for the men.

Carstens also took the No. 2 singles championship.

For the women, duo Meagan Brown and Holly Lindloff captured the No. 1 doubles title, and Brown seized the No. 2 singles title as well.

Most of last year’s winning players are back and looking to do well this weekend.

E-mail Freeman at: mxf04b@acu.edu

Football: Badon moves to fifth on list Continued from page 1

brian schmidt CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Freshman performed in Freshman Follies this weekend with five performances during two days in Cullen Auditorium.

Follies: Changes possible next year Continued from page 1 administrators of Freshman Follies.

“Some issues weren’t necessarily clear. We thought something was going on that wasn’t supposed to,” Massey said.

But Massey was quick to say it wasn’t the group’s fault.

“I don’t want the audience looking at that group and thinking, ‘man, that’s

a bad group,’” Massey said.

He said all the acts did a great job.

David Ayres, Christian ministry major from Irving who was part of the Large Chorus, said Follies was a great chance to meet new people.

“You spend a lot of time with them, practicing and getting ready for shows.

You can’t help not being around them and talking to them,” Ayres said.

Rachel Whitmire, nursing major from Edmond, Okla., who performed with Gardner Second West, said she joined Follies because she wanted to get involved with something different at ACU. “I loved it; I think it’s fun,” she said. “I think that all freshman should give it a chance because you do meet new people and it’s fun and it builds relationships.”

Next year, a few minor adjustments may be made to the event to make the lives of freshmen easier, Massey said. Instead of five shows in one weekend, Massey said there might only be four: one on Thursday, one on Friday, and two on Saturday. But nothing has been made official.

E-mail Jimenez at: optimist@acu.edu

on a 78 yard drive late in the first half. Malone, who was 19 of 29 for 255 yards, connected with wide receiver Jarale Badon twice for 37 yards and once with wide receiver Chris Morris for a 21-yard catch one yard away from the end zone. Running back Chancy Campbell completed the drive by plummeting through the line for a one-yard touchdown and extending the Wildcats lead to 14-0.

Malone and Badon connected for another big drive for the Wildcats’ final score. On third and 29, Malone found Badon wide open in the middle of the field for a 37-yard catch and he

was tackled on the two-yard line. Campbell finished the drive three plays later with another touchdown.

Badon finished the night with seven catches for 148 yards to push him to fifth place on the ACU all-time receptions list with 122 catches.

“Jarale has great preparation in and out of season,” said head coach Chris Thomsen.

“He’s the hardest worker I’ve ever coached, and all his results come from his work ethic.”

The Wildcats will travel to Tahlequah, Okla.., on Oct. 7 for their second straight road game, this time against Northeastern Oklahoma State.

E-mail Johnson at: djj04a@acu.edu

Meet: Two women place Continued from page 1 The ACU women did not send enough runners to compete in the final standings, but they did have two runners finish in the top 25 overall. Freshman Loice Cheboi from Kenya ran an 18:37 finishing 21st overall, and Olha Kryy’yak finished in 18:42 and placed 23rd overall in the

5,000-meter.

“I fully expected those two to battle for our first spot,” Hood said. “I’m very impressed with both of their strong performances.”

The Wildcats’ next meet will be in Fayetteville, Ark., on Oct. 14 at the Chile Pepper Invitational.

E-mail Harris at: jhh03c@acu.edu

Wednesday, October 4, 2006

ScoreBoard Standings FOOTBALL

Team

Div. 1-0 1-0 1-0 0-1 0-0 0-1 0-1

MSU WTAMU ACU TAMU-K Tarleton Angelo St. ENMU

Team

Overall 5-0 5-0 4-0 2-3 1-3 1-3 1-3

VOLLEYBALL Div. 4-0 4-1 3-2 1-2 1-4 0-4

WTAM ACU Tarelton St. ENMU Angelo St. TAMU-K

Overall 17-3 10-8 7-8 6-13 3-14 3-15

Scores Saturday VOLLEYBALL ACU 0, West Texas A&M 3

FOOTBALL ACU 21, Eastern New Mexico 0

Upcoming Friday

VOLLEYBALL

ACU vs. Midwestern State at LSC Crossover Tournament, Kingsville, 2 p.m.

ACU vs. SW Oklahoma State at LSC Crossover Tournament, Kingsville, 2 p.m.

Saturday FOOTBALL ACU at NE Oklahoma State, Tahlequah, Okla., 2 p.m.

VOLLEYBALL ACU vs. Texas Woman’s at LSC Crossover Tournament, Kingsville, 9 a.m.

n Home games listed in Italics

SportsWednesday

ACU posts second straight shutout n ACU’s defense shut down the leading rusher in the LSC to extend the team’s record to 4-0 and pitch a second straight shutout for the first time since 1976.

By DANIEL JOHNSON Sports Editor

Before playing the Wildcats, Eastern New Mexico quarterback Michael Benton led the LSC in rushing with 162.7 yards-pergame and 7.1 yards-per-carry.

Against ACU, he rushed for -4 yards.

The No. 23 ACU football team is 4-0 for the first time since 1983 after shutting out an opponent for the second week in a row in its 21-0 win over Eastern New Mexico University.

The Wildcat defense pitched its second straight shutout for the first time since 1976 and hasn’t been scored against in 10 quarters. The Wildcats are 73-0 in their last 10 quarters since shutting out Southeastern Oklahoma State in the second half of their 55-14 win on Sept. 16.

“We put together a package and adapted our play to what they did,” said defensive coordinator Jason Johns.

The biggest threat the Wildcat defense adapted to was the rushing attack of Benton. The Wildcats held Benton to less than 100 yards on the ground, a feat that has only happened three times in his last 14 games.

ACU’s defense held Benton and the Greyhounds to 181 yards of offense and forced three fumbles in the win and both linebackers Cody Stutts and Marcus Brown recorded

brian schmidt CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Above: Free safety Landon Kinchen, linebacker Jody Walker and defensive end Quitin Wilson converge on Southwestern wide receiver Patrick Weaver during ACU’s 31-0 victory on Sept. 23. Below: Middle linebacker Cody Stutts celebrates after making a defensive stop in ACU’s 55-14 blowout of Southeastern Oklahoma State on Sept. 14. Stutts leads the team in tackles and was named LSC South Defensive Player of the Week.

Football two sacks.

ENMU’s biggest opportunity to score came through a lastminute second quarter 79-yard drive. Benton drove his offense down the field only to be intercepted inches away from the end zone by defensive back Tony Harp. Harp’s interception thwarted one of the Greyhounds’ only chances to make it on the scoreboard and help protect the Wildcats’ scoreless streak.

Stutts led the defense with 15 tackles and was named LSC South defensive player of the week for his performance.

Although Stutts and Brown

Stutts named Defensive Player of the Week.

Linebacker Cody Stutts earned player of the week honors after recording 15 tackles, two sacks and one forced fumble in ACU’s 21-0 shutout victory over Eastern New Mexico on Saturday.

Stutts helped the Wildcats pitch back-toback shutouts and extend their scoreless streak to 10 straight quarters.

Lowry, Dickenson recieve LSC South honors.

Outside hitter Abbie Lowry was named LSC South Offensive Player of the Week and Setter Erica Dickenson was named LSC South Setter of the Week after going 2-1 last week. Lowry recorded 50 kills while Dickenson posted 130 assists.

Intramural Round-up Upcoming n The intramural schedule seen on the Optimist Sports Page is not final and is subject to change. Any last-minute changes can be viewed on the intramural bulletin board in Moody Coliseum.

Thursday WOMEN’S CHAMP FLAG FOOTBALL Bandits vs. The Mrs. Effect, Field 1, 9 p.m..

MEN’S CHAMP FLAG FOOTBALL GSP-C. Blair vs. Cobras, Field 1, 10 p.m.

OTP vs. Frat 1-B. Miles, Field 2, 10 p.m.

For complete intramural scores and schedules visit: w w w. a c u o p t i m i s t . c o m

Defensive Statistics

helped lead the way in the shutout, Johns attributed the defenses success to an overall consistent performance.

“Each defensive unit came up big,” Johns said. “There was no one player that we had to depend on to make plays.”

ACU’s first touchdown drive began after Jody Walker forced and recovered a fumble on ENMU’s first play of the game.

Quarterback Billy Malone connected with wide receiver Tyjuan Manning on a 13-yard fade pass to complete the 30yard drive.

The Wildcats scored again

See

FOOTBALL page 7

Team Statistics Rushing yards against n 96.5 yards per game Passing yards against n 116.5 yards per game Total offense against n 213.0 yards per game Defensive Leaders n Cody Stutts, 36 tackles n Marcus Brown, 30 tackles n Travis Carpenter, 4 sacks COURTESY OF MANNY FLOREs

n Corey Jordan, 2 interceptions

Wildcats drop to 4-1 Naimadu wins

Division I meet

n The ACU Volleyball team went 2-1 last week after defeating St. Edwards and Eastern New Mexico and losing to conference leader West Texas A&M.

n Defending national champion Nicodemus Naimadu finished first and broke the course record against Division I competition in Stillwater, Okla., on Saturday.

By DANIEL JOHNSON

Briefs

Page 8

Sports Editor

The ACU volleyball team dropped to second place in the LSC South after losing in three games to conference leaders West Texas A&M on Saturday.

“West Texas took advantage of our weaknesses,” said head coach Kellen Mock. “Anytime we were down defensively, they took advantage and we failed to do the same.”

ACU was unable to get rolling on offense throughout the match and lost 30-19, 30-24, 30-25 in Canyon. Outside hitter Abbie Lowry led the Wildcats with 12 kills and middle blocker Lauren Leone followed with 11 of her own, while setter Ericka Dickenson contributed 37 assists.

The Wildcats’ loss to the West Texas Lady Buffs dropped them to 4-1 in conference play and was their first since LSC play began. The Lady Buffs snapped ACU’s seven-match winning streak and 17-match LSC South Division winning streak that began in 2004. The win was WTAM’s first over ACU since the 2003 season, when they swept ACU

By HUTTON HARRIS Sports Writer

brian schmidt CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Middle Blocker Lauren Leone digs a ball during the Wildcats’ four-game victory over St. Edwards on Sept. 25.

Volleyball in three games.

“We played well but we can play better for the second half of the season,” Mock said.

The loss was the Wildcats’ third game of the week and second on the road after defeating St. Edwards in four games and dominating Southeastern New Mexico in three games in Portales, N.M. The Wildcats knocked off Eastern New Mexico 31-29, 30-19, 30-15 in their second straight road win over the Eastern New Mexico Zias. Prior to WTAM, the Zias were the last team to defeat the Wildcats on Oct. 21, 2004.

“Eastern New Mexico was the best match we played up to this point,” Mock said. “We

really didn’t have any standouts we just played good team volleyball.”

Despite losing Saturday, Lowry was named LSC South offensive player of the week after finishing with 50 kills and 37 digs in the Wildcats’ 21 week. Dickenson was named LSC South setter of the week after finishing with 130 assists in the Wildcats’ three matches.

ACU’s has a week of rest before returning to action on Oct. 6-7 in Kingsville at the LSC Crossover Tournament when it takes on three LSC North Division teams in two days.

E-mail Johnson at: djj04a@acu.edu

Tennis women succeed in Lubbock n The ACU women’s tennis team defeated Division I players in three of five flights at the Scarborough Specialties Open in Lubbock on Saturday.

By MICHAEL FREEMAN Online Editor

The ACU women’s tennis team returned Saturday from a successful outing at the Scarborough Specialties Open hosted by Texas Tech University. The Wildcats won both of the tournament’s doubles flights, one of the three singles flights and second in another

Tennis singles final.

Also competing in the tournament were Division-I players from Texas Tech University, Air Force, the University of North Texas, Texas State University, New Mexico State University and the University of TexasSan Antonio. Despite the stiff competition, the ACU women dominated the doubles play.

Sophomores Irene Squillaci and Aina Rafolomanantsiatosika captured the first flight title of doubles by storming through the draw and beating a New

Mexico State team in the finals 9-7. In the first flight consolation draw, the duo of seniors Holly Lindloff and Lana Pavlin crushed the competition, and won the final match 8-6. In the second flight of doubles, the team of Pavlin and sophomore Sarah Drummond cruised into the finals where they defeated a Texas State duo by the score of 8-2.

In singles, the Lady Wildcats smoked the field in the third flight. Freshman Dina

See

TENNIS page 7

Nicodemus Naimadu led the way for the Wildcat Cross County team Saturday at the Oklahoma State University Jamboree, winning his meet and helping ACU to a second-place finish behind the University of Arkansas.

Naimadu, who set a course record for the 8,000-meter run, finished in 23:53; he won by just two seconds ahead of John Kosgel of South Plains College. ACU finished the day 24 points behind Arkansas with 64 overall points.

Second- year coach Derek Hood said he was thrilled with the effort put forth by his team against some of the nation’s top runners.

“I was extremely pleased with our level of competitiveness this weekend,” Hood said.

“The biggest surprise

Cross Country of the day to me was how close we came to Arkansas in the final point standings,” he said.

Last year at the Jamboree, the Wildcats fell to the R a z o r backs by 64 points, 106- 42.

“Gaining 40 points Namaidu on them in one meet is a huge boost to our runners,” Hood said. “We took advantage of perfect weather conditions and closed the gap in the end.”

Naimadu, who remains undefeated this season with this win, found his stride early and never looked back in the 8,000meter.

“Nick had a very strong start,” Hood said. “He turned the run into a two-man race between him and Kosgel a mile into it. With three meters left, he distanced himself and took control.”

See

MEET page 7

Manning Tracker n Starting safety Danieal Manning recorded four tackles Sunday in the Chicago Bears’ 37-6 blowout of the defending NFC champion Seattle Seahawks. The Bears are one of three teams in the NFL that are undefeated at 4-0 and will return to action on Oct. 7 when they host the 2-2 Buffalo Bills.

The game against Buffalo will be Manning’s third start of the season.

COURTESY OF Chicago bears