ACUOPTIMIST.COM | Monday, August 26, 2019 | 1
A student publication of Abilene Christian University since 1912
The bulldozers have arrived PAGE 2
NEXT Lab gains national recognition BY ALLISON HARRELL EDITOR IN CHIEF
The Nuclear Energy eXperimental Testing (NEXT) Lab has established a consortium with the University of Texas at Austin, Georgia Tech University and Texas A&M University, in pursuit of building the first university-based molten salt reactor in the U.S. Dr. Rusty Towell, professor of engineering and
physics and director of the NEXT Lab, said about 30 universities in the country have research reactors, but none have a molten salt reactor. “We’d be the very first,” Towell said. “So we would be literally a facility that people would come from around the world to use.” In July, the Associated Press, a national news agency company, published an article about ACU’s NEXT Lab.
The NEXT Lab, consisting of about thirty members of faculty, staff, students and full-time researchers, plans to create a molten salt reactor, through both engineering and design, that aims to provide a solution to the main argument against nuclear energy: the harmful, nuclear waste. “Several pieces of legislation [are] specifically saying, ‘We want to reinvigorate the nuclear
industry because it is so clean, because it is so inexpensive and it can be done safely. We would like to empower advance reactors that have those qualities,’” Towell said. “So hopefully, as the national attitude shifts and our politicians are really, really excited about striving for safe energy and clean energy, they are going to be looking more and more to nuclear.” By using energy stored
inside a nucleus, the amount of fuel needed to produce enough energy needed for daily usage decreases by a large factor in comparison to all other forms of energy. “So you need super-tankers full of oil or railroad cars full of coal to produce a significant amount of electricity,” Towell said. “But you can produce significant amounts of energy or electricity from literally a
handful of material if using the nuclear force.” The small amount of waste generated in the molten salt reactor will be captured in a solid form, rather than a liquid or gas form, that will ultimately protect the air and groundwater from harmful chemicals returning to the atmosphere. “But it’s actually even better than that, because that handful of waste acSEE NEXT AT PAGE 2
BY RILEY FISHER | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Johnnyswim performs in the Circle Drive to close out Wildcat Week 2019. For more photos, see page 4.
Residence Life expands in UP BY ANDREW NORSWORTHY STAFF WRITER
BY DILLON DANIEL | MANAGING EDITOR
The Faculty Fellows participated in Adobe workshop with Innovation Foundry and Learning Studio. Left to right: Amos Gutierrez, Dr. Jim Carpenter, Adam Hester, Andres Saucedo.
Campus earns accolades from Adobe for creativity BY DILLON DANIEL MANAGING EDITOR
ACU became the first university in Texas to be named an Adobe Creative Campus last spring. “ACU has been recognized by Adobe as an ‘innovative, forward-thinking institution of higher education incorporating creative problem solving into its curricula and fostering twenty-first-century methods of teaching and learning,’” said Dr. John Weaver, dean of Brown Library. With gaining this recognition, ACU joins the company of other creative campuses such as Penn State, Boston University and Austin Community College. The university has worked with Adobe for the past three years to offer students, as well as faculty and staff free access to the Creative Cloud. “For the past few years, ACU has been partici-
pating in Adobe Creative Campus Collaborations, events that present ideas and best practices in digital literacy and education,” Amos Gutierrez, the on-campus Adobe Ambassador and Learning Technology Specialist, said. Adobe’s description of the program describes various ways both the school and its students can benefit from this program, such as leadership opportunities, increased educational opportunities and access to Adobe creative programs. “ACU faculty are nationally recognized as leaders in digital literacy, collaborating and sharing best practices with other universities,” Weaver said. Gutierrez said even though some students are naturally more creative than others, use of Adobe programs allows for a more level playing field that helps and expands everyone’s creativity. He believes that the imple-
mentation of creative assignments using Adobe programs gives students opportunities to develop their digital and creative skills. “Creative assignments continue to place importance on traditional research methods, but allow students to engage in the creative process, which includes learning something new, taking risks and not being afraid of failure. “It’s okay if a student’s submission lacks in visual appeal. While this might be seen as a failure, it is the beginning stages of fostering creativity within students. Students that continue to engage the creative process will then be able to think more creatively,” Gutierrez said. Any faculty, staff or students with questions about Adobe Creative Cloud can email adobe@acu.edu, visit the office located in the Innovation Foundry or visit acu.edu/adobe.
University Park Apartments welcomed resident advisers on its property for the first time this year, in partnership with ACU Resident Life. University Park Apartments are owned by Campus Living Villages. The new resident advisers will have the responsibility of programming and coordinating community events and bettering community life. Scott Busby, assistant resident director of Resident Life on University Park property, plans to bring four ACU resident advisers to manage University Park for this coming year and foreseeable future. Summer Thompson, leasing assistant of University Park, said this change is because of the initiative to have ACU Resident Life indicate a “new direction” in their current partnership with Campus Living Villages. “We felt that having a partnership with ACU Resident Life will better our resident community here by having actual ACU R.A.’s because the majority of our residents are ACU students,” Thompson said. Victoria Matuszewki, director of leasing at University Park, said the purpose of this partnership is to bring the community closer together and create a better atmosphere by implementing a great resident life program. “I think the easiest way to lease is to have a great com-
munity built,” Matuszewki said. Campus Living Villages divides the Resident Life program into three different categories: live, learn and grow. The new resident advisers will have the re“I think the easiest way to lease is to have a great community built.” VICTORIA MATUSZEWKI DIRECTOR OF LEASING AT UNIVERSITY PARK APARTMENTS
sponsibility of implementing programs that meet those categories. This is the only responsibility that ACU resident advisers have at University Park. This is a departure from the responsibilities of the previous year as there will no longer be a requirement of office hours. “[It will] help us better with our programming, create more cohesion with [Campus Living Villages] staff and with our residents,” Thompson said. This change in staff will not affect any existing student residents any more than the previous year or any residents who are not students of ACU. These changes serve to build a better and more cohesive community for all guests of University Park. In the past, events such as movies on the pavilion at University Park have been scheduled for residents. Future events set up by the resident advisers have not yet been scheduled.
SPORTS
Meet the new softball coach PAGE 6
PHOTOS
Take a look back at Wildcat Week 2019
PAGE 5
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2 | Monday, August 26, 2019 | NEWS
After 8 years, library dean takes Florida College post BY ALLISON HARRELL EDITOR IN CHIEF
BY ALLISON HARRELL | EDITOR IN CHIEF
Construction begins at Allen Ridge.
Construction begins on Allen Ridge project Development to include restaurant, retail BY ALLISON HARRELL EDITOR IN CHIEF
Construction has begun on retail and restaurant development on the north side of campus that has been more than a decade in planning. Set in motion by ACU endowment funds, the 5-acre development, Allen Ridge, will undergo construction at the corner between Ambler Avenue and Judge Ely Boulevard, near a natural pond. Encircling the perimeter of the pond, developers plan to add a trail for running, hiking and biking. The trail will eventually expand around other areas of development and connect with the Lunsford Trail around campus. Restaurants expected to open at Allen Ridge include The Biscuit Bar, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, Blue Jean Cafe and Phoenix Pho Vietnamese Restaurant. Kelly Young, vice president of investment management, said in addition to the restaurants, which anchor the place, they hope to attract other services and have added Nails One, a nail salon and Hotworx Yoga, a yoga studio, into the development. “Our first goal for this is to really improve the neighborhood around campus for students and the ACU community,” Young said. “We don’t think there’s really anything else like it in West Texas.” Young said the idea for the development project near campus first occurred to him about 15 years ago when he returned to ACU, his alma-mater, from a job at Pepperdine University in
Southern California and noticed that the university itself had improved significantly but the surrounding area had yet to follow in development. After taking an outline of his idea to Dr. Phil Schubert, president of the university, they dis“We are providing a space that will be unique in Abilene, that will enhance the user experience as a place to dine and visit.” JACK RICH PRESIDENT OF ACIMCO AND CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICE
cussed it off and on at annual reviews for over a ten-year-period. However, Young’s job at the time did not allow him the flexibility to make any significant advancement on the project. In 2013, Young was ready to make a job change and met with Schubert and Jack Rich, president of ACIMCO and chief investment officer who manages the endowment, to begin taking action on the idea. Surprisingly, Jack had done some initial planning on development around campus 20 years prior. “I think this development provides significant benefits for students, ACU employees and citizens of Abilene as a whole,” Rich said. “We are providing a space that will be unique in Abilene, that will enhance the user experience as a place to dine and visit.” Although the project only began official planning about six years ago, plans were found revealing a similarly designed idea for on-campus development dating back to the 1980s.
“So someone since at least the ‘80s has been thinking about it, but it was just kind of the right time and the right place as the three of us got together and started talking about what we might be able to do,” Young said. ACU owns a total of 80-acres, given to the university in the 1940s, that the team ultimately plans to develop. Young said they would like to eventually add a hotel and upscale apartment living. “We’re really in no hurry,” Young said. “We can take our time, try to do what we want to do, try to find the right partners, see when the market’s ready and then we can kick off other phases.” In May 2015, ACU initially announced plans for the development and the project received zoning approval from the city of Abilene in September of 2016. In February 2018, the ACIMCO Board of Trustees approved plans to commence the first phase of the development, which included a hotel and apartment complex. The project is being implemented under the university’s permanent endowment funds, not student dollars or tuition. Rich said the investment in the project is driven by both financial and community enhancements. “This project is an investment in the community,” Rich said. “Financially, we expect this project to meet long term investment objectives.” First tenants are expected to begin operating late spring of 2020.
Dr. John Weaver, dean of library services and educational technology, has taken a new job at Florida College as academic dean. Since 2011, Weaver has served as dean of library services and educational technology. “It was a moment in which all of the units that supported the learning management system and other technology support for academics came under the library and really became a 21st century library,” Weaver said. Under Weaver’s oversight, the university has been recognized as an Apple Distinguished School for its mobile learning innovation, and an Adobe Creative Campus, due to digital creativity across campus curriculum. He also assisted in the creation of the Master Teachers Program in the Adams Center for faculty development and a new faculty program for spiritual formation. During his time at Brown Library, Weaver and his colleagues launched a number of new centers for creative inquiry in the library, including the Maker Lab, the ACU Press, the Center for Heritage and Renewal in Spirituality, the Innovation Foundry, the Scholars Lab, and the Reading Commons. Weaver also influenced the recent renovation in the library, made possible by relocation of most of the print
collection into new compact movable shelving on the lower level. This multistage refurbishment of the library will be completed this summer with the completion of the Packer Forum, a multi-functional event venue and collaboration space on the top floor of the Weaver library overlooking the center of campus. For seven of his eight years at ACU, Weaver worked closely with the Provost of ACU, Dr. Robert Rhodes. “I’m most grateful for the excellent leadership of Provost Rhodes, who has always supported the library as a center for student learning and faculty scholarship,” Weaver said. “The faculty and staff of ACU Library are second to none, and I’m continually amazed at their dedication and the excellence they bring to their work. I’ll miss very much the extraordinary team here at the Brown Library.” In December 2019, Weaver will leave ACU for Temple Terrace, Florida, to step into the role of academic dean at Florida College, a faith-based liberal arts college. As Florida College’s academic dean, he will have the responsibility of leading
faculty and academic programs, ensuring excellence of existing programs and developing new programs, overseeing the library, registrar and advising services. “It’s a change for me because I go from library and educational technology, which is academic support, supporting faculty, to leading the teaching faculty within the college,” Weaver said. Weaver said he is excited about the future of online and hybrid education, something he believes ACU has had good success with in recent years, but something Florida College is only beginning to explore. “I love ACU and believe in what we’re doing here, but for me, it was an opportunity to help lead a Christian college into the future for success and I felt like it was a good time for me to do that,” Weaver said. Weaver laughed and said the thing it really comes down to, however, is that his oldest daughter is sixteen and plans to attend Florida College. “So it was a real draw for me to be around her and for us to be able, as a family, to have that adventure together,” he said. “So family, but also faith led me there. I see it as a continuation of what I’ve done here and really my work with great colleagues at a great university, at ACU, has helped prepare me for that.”
NEXT: Physics creates consortium CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
opment Corporation of Abilene in August of 2018 and funding from the Robison Excelsior Foundation in November of 2018. Since then, the project has received federal grants and subcontracts, as well as other foundational donations. The NEXT Lab is now in communication with the U.S. Department of Energy to supply the fuel needed for the reactor. The team will have to gain the approval and license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to begin the construction of the reactor. “From the time the Department of Energy says, ‘We will supply you the fuel when the time’s right,’ we’re not saying until we get our hands on the fuel, we don’t need it immediately, but when they tell us, ‘Yes, we will deliver it,’ that’ll start a five-year clock,” Towell said. “And we will raise the funds, and build the reactor, and accept the fuel and go critical in five years. It’s pretty amazing.” Towell said the average time it takes to build a commercial reactor is 10-years.
On-campus, the NEXT Lab is working on a molten salt test loop, building instruments to measure flow-rate, pressure and levels of the salt and the over-all design of the reactor. Chemists are working to understand and monitor the composition of the salt as it changes and how to extract the medical isotopes produced inside the reactor. Keaton Brewster, junior physics and math major from Malibu, California, and student worker in the NEXT Lab, works on instrumentation research and development within the lab and originally got involved by asking his professors about the project. “It’s important because I think creating clean energy is probably the biggest problem with our society right now,” Brewster said. “I think this is a really big stepping stone into moving in the right direction towards different kinds of energy that are cheaper and a lot better for our planet.” Towell says as classes begin across campus, the team will look to hire more students.
THURS., AUGUST 29
FRI., AUGUST 30
SAT., AUGUST 31
11:30 a.m.- Lunch and Learn: Why Courage Matters with Dr. Jerry Taylor 9 p.m.- Freshman Follies Launch Party
7 p.m.- Soccer vs. Southwest
-tually has stuff in it that’s life-saving medical isotopes,” Towell said. The molten salt reactor will also be able to extract useful medical isotopes from the by-products, to provide them to doctors and hospitals to treat and cure cancer. “So if you can have energy that’s safe, and clean, and abundant, and dependable and it produces medical isotopes, then you can bless the world and change the world,” Towell said. Dr. Charles Ivy, on the NEXT Lab advisory board at ACU, originally convinced Towell to begin looking into molten salt reactors at ACU. Towell was formerly an instructor at the U.S. Navy’s Nuclear Power School and has prior years of experience working with nuclear power and pressurized water reactors. Towell said he was initially hesitant in the project because of the challenge of using heated, liquid salt to cool the reactor, opposed to water. The NEXT Lab received funding from the Devel-
WHAT’S HAPPENING? MON., AUGUST 26
TUES., AUGUST 27
CLASSES BEGIN 11 a.m.- Opening Chapel
11:30 a.m.- Wildcat Kickoff 5 p.m.- Freshman Follies Leadership Team Interviews
WED., AUGUST 28 5 p.m.- Freshman Follies Leadership Team Interviews
6 p.m.- Football @UNT
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FEATURES | Monday, August 26, 2019 | 3
Meet the Freshmen C
BY SARAH BLANKENSHIP | COPY EDITOR
Catherine Shewmaker poses with her laundry hamper after moving into Gardner Hall.
M
Catherine Shewmaker
atherine Shewmaker, a freshman business management and history major from Abilene, started her semester by moving into Gardner Hall on Tuesday morning. “I heard [Gardner] was the best dorm to choose if you wanted to get social,” Shewmaker said. “I heard the doors were always open and people would go between rooms and introduce themselves. I really wanted that social experience.” Shewmaker officially committed to attending ACU last spring. For Shewmaker, ACU offered her several opportunities she could not find at other universities. The COBA program appealed to her primarily for internships which she hopes to pursue in the upcoming years. “I really connected to
[ACU],” Shewmaker said. “I felt like it had a lot of opportunities and it wasn’t too far from home. The business program was especially appealing to me.” When describing her goals for the semester, Shewmaker says she hopes to find her place on campus and make new connections with students and faculty. She is looking forward to getting to know her fellow classmates during this year’s Wildcat Week. The activity she is most excited for is the Abilene City Limits concert. “[I’m excited about] meeting a lot of people, getting myself out there, and knowing we’re all in the same situation,” Shewmaker said. Shewmaker’s mother, Jennifer, and her father, Stephen, both work for ACU. When asked what
she’ll miss most about home, Shewmaker said her dog, Rascal, and her younger sister. She also plans to go home occasionally especially on holiday breaks. “Since I live in town, I want to make [college] a new experience for myself,” Shewmaker said. Shewmaker met her roommate when visiting her grandparents’ church last summer. In December 2018, both women discovered they would be possibly be attending ACU and agreed to room with each other. Shewmaker’s favorite item in their dorm room is her laundry hamper. In her free time, Catherine enjoys watching Netflix, reading, and being with her younger sister. Her favorite show to watch on Netflix is Derry Girls. Sarah Blankenship
eet a few freshmen students and find out what brought them to Abilene Christian University. Each has a unique story and each will take a different path throughout their college journey. The one thing that unites them is that they are now Wildcats. Whether you are a freshman or a senior, we are all Wildcats. We would like to welcome you to the family ACU’23.
BY RACHEL CROSSNOE | COPY EDITOR
Kristen McKinney outside her dorm room in Gardner Hall.
K BY LEAH FIKES | COPY EDITOR
Marco Perez smiles for a photo.
D
Marco Perez
riving seven and a half hours to go to college can be a daunting task for any student, but freshman musical theater major Marco Perez from McAllen enjoyed ACU on his first tour over a year ago. “The first time I came here I fell in love with Jacob’s Dream,” Perez said. “That’s my favorite thing about ACU.” Perez said he felt comfortable at ACU almost immediately. He heard about ACU through a meet and greet at a church where some students talked to him about the university. Now Perez is starting college this year and living in Mabee Hall. He said he doesn’t like to decorate, so instead of decoration he collects knickknacks like: coffee mugs, playbills, and other unique items. “I love having stuff on my desk,” Perez said. “I love having stuff on shelves.” Perez loves coffee and seeing Broadway shows. So far, he has seen The Book Of Mormon, Little Shop Of Horrors, Anastasia, The Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, The Lion King and Chicago. He said his favorite shows were Dear Evan Hansen and Little Shop Of Horrors. He also wants to eventually be able to play the leads of Seymour and
Evan in both of them. “Dear Evan Hansen, I think it’s a beautiful play that shows a lot like you have to be careful about what you say,” Perez said. “You have to be careful about who you are, and you just need to be yourself.” He finds Broadway teaches life lessons. Little Shop Of Horrors is one of his favorites because it is about not being afraid to be who you are. “Even when the masses
get huge and you have a lot of people to impress, you’ll always go back to your roots and to who you want to be,” Perez said. Perez loves music. His favorite song is “Morning” by Mark E. Bassy. He plays the guitar and has an album with a friend called Oceanography. Beyond the stage, Perez is most looking forward making friends and the lifelong friendships that he will create at ACU. Leah Fikes
Kristen McKinney
risten McKinney, an accounting major from Garland, is one of the many freshmen who moved onto campus Tuesday morning. She heard about ACU through her father who is an alumnus. Upon visiting ACU, McKinney was interested in the many opportunities the school provides. “I’m looking forward to opportunities that are available to ACU students and different student groups,” McKinney said. McKinney puts a lot of dedication and work into her studies; however, she also enjoys socializing and spending time with friends. One of McKinney’s biggest areas of interest is missions. Although she chose to be an account-
ing major, she wants to use her education for ministry. “I feel called to work with a ministry and some areas I noticed I am gifted in is the business of it all,” McKinney said. “I’m interested in entrepreneurship with ministry. So, right now accounting is a good base for me to kind of figure out how business will work with ministry.” McKinney, like most new college students, is still trying to figure out where life and her degree will lead. She hopes to end up working with a ministry or non-profit organization but is willing to follow wherever God leads. McKinney has three younger siblings and as the oldest, she is the first to enter college. When asked how she
felt starting college, McKinney said she was anxious. “[I have] a little bit of nerves just because I don’t necessarily know what to expect,” McKinney said. “But, I’m really excited to start this new journey and season of life.” Abilene is a far cry from McKinney’s hometown of Garland, a suburb of Dallas. McKinney said in Abilene it is much faster to get from one side of town to the other. When asked about home, McKinney said she will miss her family, particularly her siblings. McKinney has taken up residence in Gardner Hall so be sure to stop by and say hello as you get acquainted, or reacquainted, with ACU. Rachel Crossnoe
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SORROW, HOPE AND JOY Life in the Mountains and Valleys of the Psalms
September 15-18, 2019 Abilene Christian University acu.edu/summit
4 | Monday, August 26, 2019 | PHOTOS
WELCOME WILDCATS
The Class of ‘23 moves onto campus and is introduced to many Wildcat traditions like Candlelight Devotional, the annual Block Party, the Group Olympic Games and more.
BY CLAIRE SHIPLEY | PHOTOGRAPHER
Wildcat Week staff help each other grab items from cars outside of Gardner Hall on Tuesday.
BY CLAIRE SHIPLEY | PHOTOGRAPHER
Wilcat Week staff and incoming freshman wait for the doors to open outside the Paramount Theater Wednesday.
BY CLAIRE SHIPLEY | PHOTOGRAPHER
ACU ‘23 hold candles and listen as Dr. Laura Carroll leads Candlelight Devotional Tuesday.
BY RILEY FISHER | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Students cut loose at the Nifty Thrifty dance Saturday.
BY DAVID MITCHELL | PHOTOGRAPHER
Redeemer Church of Abilene members greet students at the church fair Wednesday.
BY DAVID MITCHELL | PHOTOGRAPHER
Group members jump in excitement after answering a trivia question correctly during group olympics Thursday.
PHOTOS | Monday, August 26, 2019 | 5
BY DAVID MITCHELL | PHOTOGRAPHER
Teammates push each other across the court in a game of Hungry Hungry Hippos at Group Olympics on Thursday.
BY RILEY FISHER | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Johnnyswim watches Abilene sunset as they perform to ACU fans Saturday night.
BY SARAH BLANKENSHIP | COPY EDITOR
A student receives coffee provided by Beltway Coffee Co. at the Abilene Grounds event Thursday night.
BY DAVID MITCHELL | PHOTOGRAPHER
Defenders try to keep the ball out of their goal in Foosball Group Olympic game on Thursday.
BY RILEY FISHER | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Students sing along to Johnnyswim as they perform in Circle Drive on Saturday night.
BY CLAIRE SHIPLEY | PHOTOGRAPHER
Incoming freshmen sing praises together in the Ampitheater Tuesday night.
BY DAVID MITCHELL | PHOTOGRAPHER
An eager Wildcat Week volunteer receives his food from Stillwater Barbeque at the Block Party on Wednesday.
6 | Monday, August 26, 2019 | SPORTS
Soccer shines in season opener over NMSU BY RACHEL POE SPORTS WRITER
ACU had its first official game against the New Mexico State Aggies on Friday. The Wildcats are off to a great start after beating the Aggies 3-1, scoring two goals in the first half. It’s their first season opener victory since 2016. The first goal of the 2019 season came from senior midfielder Michelle Mulrooney off of a penalty kick in the 19th minute. In the 27th minute, ju-
nior forward Christina Arteaga received a pass from redshirt sophomore forward Emily Heidman and put the second goal in the back of the net, her first of the season. The Aggies were unable to get a goal until later in the second half. Meanwhile, senior midfielder Shay Johnson from adding the final goal in the 65th minute off an assist from sophomore midfielder Ashley Stamps. Coach Wilson was pleased with Friday Night’s win against the New Mexi-
co State Aggies. “It is always good to get off on the right foot and it builds confidence, winning the first game,” Coach Wilson said. “Having a good performance, you can build off of that onto Sunday’s game, especially while playing on the road.” After Friday night’s win, the Wildcats improve to 2-0 over the New Mexico State Aggies all-time. Coach Wilson said New Mexico State was a good team that improved from last year. He expects them
“We are providing a space that will be unique in Abilene, that will enhance the user experience as a place to dine and visit.” JACK RICH PRESIDENT OF ACIMCO AND CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICE
to be a solid team going forward in the Western Athletic Conference. The Wildcats have 23 players returning from last year’s championship, including 16 Wildcats, who played a very important and crucial minutes
last year. After being Southland Conference’s returning champions and being ranked number one for this upcoming 2019 season in the conference, the team has a lot to build off of. The Wildcats will be back at it Sunday afternoon against the University of Texas at El Paso to match up with the Miners. Coach Wilson expects the game to be hot and both teams to be warmedup after already playing prior to this match.
STANDINGS Football Team McNeese Nicholls ACU Lamar SELU UCA SHSU NWSU SFA HBU UIW TAMU-CC
Ovrl. 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Conf. 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Soccer Team McNeese Nicholls ACU Lamar SELU UCA SHSU NWSU SFA HBU UIW TAMU-CC
Ovrl. 1-0 1-0-1 1-0 0-1 0-1 0-0 0-1 0-1 0-1 1-0 0-1 0-1
Conf. 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
SCHEDULE Football Week 1 ACU v Jack. St. v NWSU v Southern U. v UCA v UIW v Nicholls v Bethel U. v HBU v SFA v SHSU v
UNT SELU UT Martin McNeese WKU UTSA Kansas St. Lamar UTEP Baylor New Mexico
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Soccer BY DAVID MITCHELL | PHOTOGRAPHER
Wildcat defense tries to hold the line at Saturday’s scrimmage.
Arteaga Junior Forward Christina Arteaga played a total of 55 minutes resulting in two shots on goal and contributed to one of the three goals scored by ACU. In the season opener, Arteaga scored in the 27th minute as The Wildcats defeated the Aggies 3-1.
Soccer
BY DAVID MITCHELL | PHOTOGRAPHER
Offensive linemen defend quarterback Luke Anthony from an oncoming blitz.
BY DAVID MITCHELL | PHOTOGRAPHER
Senior safety Brandon Richmond intercepts a pass near the goal line.
A COMBINED VISION
Former Coach of the Year Farler brings new approach to softball BY TYLER HENDERSON SPORTS WRITER
Former Marshall University standout pitcher and Cascade Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year Abigail Farler will embrace the role as ACU’s new softball coach. Following the resignation of former head coach Bobby Reeves, Director of Athletics Allen Ward made aware to the public of the hiring of Farler in June to lead the Wildcats’ softball team. Farler came to ACU from Salem, Oregon at Corban University, where she was the head coach for the Warriors for three seasons. Coach Farler comes into the program with a successful and extensive background in the sport. During her three year tenure, from 2017-2019, as Corban’s head coach, Farler went 120-44 (.731). In 2017, she won a school record 46 games and qualified for the NAIA National Tournament in 2018 and 2019. She was also a key component of Marshall’s pro-
gram from 2004-07, winning 52 games, with a 2.71 ERA and striking out 363 batters in college. Later in her career, she played professionally in the Netherlands before movFarler ing back to the states to pursue coaching. When Farler got the offer, she knew that ACU was a perfect fit for her in this stage of her career. “The culture of the university and the vision of the athletic department are exactly in line with my vision for running a softball program and the exact type of university that I really want to work for at this point in my life,” Farler said. Working at the highest level is a key component in Farler’s career but it’s not as important as discipling and mentoring her players on and off the diamond. “Being able to do both of
those things is the perfect career for me,” Farler said. Farler intends to do just that and envision the team as a family. Her vision for the upcoming season is allowing the team to become one cohesive unit where the love they share for each other will translate on and off the field. “It’s critical to me that our culture is healthy and I think that is the key to success,” Farler said. “You can have all the talent in the world, but if the girls don’t genuinely love each other, they are not going to fight hard for each other.” She envisions the team taking an aggressive, hardnosed approach on the field. She is confident the team will excel being more aggressive on the base paths and making it a game within the game. She wants her team to be confident, creative and problem solving which will benefit the team in the long run and make the games more enjoyable and exciting for fans.
“It’s critical to me that our culture is healthy and I think that is the key to success. You can have all the talent in the world, but if the girls don’t genuinely love each other, they are not going to fight hard for each other.” ABIGAIL FARLER HEAD SOFTBALL COACH
“When you’re going for the web gem, instead of trying not to make the error,” Farler said, “it becomes so much more exciting.” Coach Farler is passionate about the team and its success, but most importantly how they grow individually and as a unit. She believes being at a university like ACU gives the team a distinct advantage when it comes to the chemistry between them. “Being at a Christian university, they have a different foundation for loving one another,” Farler said. “As well as a different expectation than you would
at just an average school.” Recovering from the previous year, Farler believes the addition of two new coaches, as well as herself, will be a nice refresher for the program which suffered its worst season in Div. I history. “I believe that it’s healthy that the girls come out on Day One with no history with us,” Farler said. “They get to learn and figure them all out as they go.” She said that with the coaching staff she has in place, and the complementary personalities they possess, the team will be under great leadership. Farler is confident in future of the Wildcats with a wide net of recruiting from all three coaches. Practice begins Sept. 1, when the team plays in a scrimmage to start the year. Other scrimmages will be Sept. 27, Oct. 1 and Oct. 12-13. Every scrimmage will be open to the public in preparation for the upcoming season.
Johnson Senior midfielder Shay Johnson played for a total of 51 minutes in the season opener win over NMSU. Due to an assist from Freshman forward Ashley Stamps, Shay scored her first goal of the regular season in the 65th minute of the game.
Football
Perry Sophomore running back Conrad Perry led both offenses in rushing yards and yards per carry on Saturday. Perry ended with five carries and 81 yards during the practice scrimmage. The Wildcats will travel Saturday to UNT in Denton.
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