ACUOPTIMIST.COM | Friday, January 24, 2020 | 1
Read about Men’s Basketball Head Coach Joe Golding’s journey to the clipboard
A student publication of Abilene Christian University since 1912
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BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Students and volunteers from the ACU community moved clothes to be donated to the AISD Homeless Education Program on Monday.
Directors prep for Sing Song shows BY ALLISON HARRELL EDITOR IN CHIEF
Sing Song 2020 will take place the weekend of Feb. 21-23. This year’s lineup is complete with 14 total acts, not including performances by hosts and hostesses. Directors of Sing Song 2020 acts in the women’s social club division are as follows: Bri Burns, directing Alpha Kai Omega; Allie Foster, directing Delta Theta; Hannah McIntyre, directing GATA; Abby
Ware, directing Ko Jo Kai; Jessica Overton, directing Sigma Theta Chi; Cassie Christian, directing Tri Kappa Gamma. Directors of Sing Song 2020 acts in the men’s social club division are as follows: Tyler Cepica, directing Frater Sodalis; Jax Pimentel, directing Galaxy; Mitchell Bradford, directing Gamma Sigma Phi; Theo McCracken, directing Pi Kappa. Directors of Sing Song 2020 acts in the class division are as follows: McKenzie Losher and Beaux
Brownlow, co-directing Freshman Candyland; Spencer Kasselman and Lucas Lanman co-directing Freshman Penguins; Jackson Scott, directing Sophomores; Sloan Palvado, directing Seniors. Tyler Cepica, senior biochemistry major from Lubbock and director of Frater Sodalis’s Sing Song act, said if he had to put a number on the hours he spends a week thinking about or directing his act, it would add up to around 14 hours. “Directing Sing Song
starts in the fall and takes hours and hours of hard work and dedication to put on a good act,” Cepica said. “The most challenging part of directing a Sing Song act so far, has been finding a balance between work and rest in rehearsals. There is a lot to do in such a short period of time before the first performance, so it’s important to be efficient in rehearsals but not so much so that it harms those participating whether it be their energy, health or even their voice.” Cepica said the most
“The most challenging part of directing a Sing Song act so far, has been finding a balance between work and rest in rehearsals.”
TYLER CEPICA SENIOR BIOCHEMISTRY MAJOR FROM LUBBOCK AND DIRECTOR OF FRATER SODALIS SING SONG ACT
rewarding part of directing his club Sing Song act, however, is the brotherhood. “I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t care about developing camaraderie and glorifying Christ by
Undergrad Research Fest deadline Jan. 24 BY DILLON DANIEL MANAGING EDITOR
Students must submit their abstracts for the Undergraduate Research Festival by 5 p.m. on Jan. 24. After the submissions are reviewed, students will be notified of their acceptance into the festival on Feb. 7. Students are expected to have a majority of the research for their topics completed so they can focus on registration and preparation for their presentations. Abstracts submitted should be clear and concise, proofread by mentor of the student or their Institution’s writing center and consist of 200-300 words, accord-
ing to the Undergraduate Research Festival website. This year’s festival is open to any undergraduate students from any degree background who wish to present their research, along with “a creative arts category for presentations focusing on digital, vocal, theatrical, and creative expression, including the Images of Aging Photography contest,” according the myACU event thumbnail. The festival is run by the Office of Undergraduate Research, whose website said they seek to get students to expand their knowledge and intellectual drive through research projects:
“Research is also a significant confidence booster. The more students are mentally stretched (wrestling with surprising results or unanswered questions or pertinence to previous studies), the greater their sense of accomplishment upon completion of the project.” Dr. Megan Roth, executive director of research, said this aspect, among others, is one of the great benefits students can receive when taking on an undergraduate research project. “Other than the professional opportunities this offers, like putting it on your resume, using it to get into a graduate program, the rela-
“Other than the professional opportunities this offers, like putting it on your resume, using it to get into a graduate program, the relationships you can build with a faculty person, studies show that students who participate in undergrad research do better in school.” DR. MEGAN ROTH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH
tionships you can build with a faculty mentor,” Roth said, “studies show that students who participate in undergrad research do better in school.”
Dr. Josh Brokaw, faculty director of undergraduate research, said he believes research allows the student to be more proactive in their own learning and willingly come across challenges the classroom may not offer. “The thing about research is that the stuff that’s said in the classroom needs to be questioned. You can’t just assume that it’s all true, you can’t assume that 20 years from now they’ll be saying the same thing,” Brokaw said. This year’s Undergraduate Research Festival will be held at the Hunter Welcome Center on April 7.
SGA partners with Grigg for Improve ACU BY ANDREW NORSWORTHY STAFF WRITER
The Student Government Association has partnered with the Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy to allow students to communicate changes they want to be implemented in order to improve life on campus. The Improve ACU competition will conclude this spring, and a winner will be selected. Alongside Griggs Center, SGA will select a winner based upon how well thought out, thoroughly developed, and feasible that idea is. That winner will
“We definitely want the focus of our office to be the students, what our students are wanting.” LAUREN WASSON SENIOR SGA PRESIDENT
receive $500 and depending on how feasible that selected idea is, SGA will help the winner implement the idea. “We definitely want the focus of our office to be the students, what our students are wanting,” Lauren Wasson, SGA president, said. This event will be re-
curring in the future every spring. This is one of SGA’s methods of continually renewing its commitment to the students of ACU. “We want to hear your voice. We want to hear what your concerns are,” Travis Mack, marketing director of SGA, said. Later in the semester, SGA plans to introduce a new, week-long program for spring of 2020 simply known as Wellness Week. Normally this event was separated into Green Week and Wellness Week respectively. However, this new initiative will center around the men-
“We want to hear your voice. We want to hear what your concerns are.” TRAVIS MACK SENIOR MARKETING DIRECTOR OF SGA
tal and physical health of individuals on campus as well as the environment and sustainability, combining the two into one program. It will feature a number of events and giveaways of succulents and self-care canvas packages. Students will have the opportunity to engage with profession-
als to talk about mental health, learn, be provided resources, as well as being provided a venue to express their voices. “Every idea that’s big or small deserves to be heard and a lot of the time there are really good ones in all of the categories,” Wasson said. In addition, SGA will be introducing new solar charging stations across campus. These stations will be set on the intramural fields and one nearby Brown Library. They will have the capability of powering mobile devices, speakers, and other such devices.
engaging in fellowship,” Cepica said. “There is a natural progression of hospitality that turns strangers to friends and friends to family. Watching this enact itself from the perspective of a director in the context of Sing Song is just amazing.” Sing Song 2020 will not have an over-arching theme this year. Kasey Birchfield, senior musical theatre and business management major from Lubbock and hostess of Sing Song 2020, SEE SING SONG PAGE 2
NEWS
ACU employee, Anthony Williams runs second term PAGE 2
SPORTS
Get updates on men and women’s basketball PAGE 6
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2 | Friday, January 24, 2020 | NEWS
Mayor Williams campaigns for reelection BY ALLISON HARRELL EDITOR IN CHIEF
ACU advancement and executive community services officer Anthony Williams will seek a second term as mayor of Abilene. Williams conducted an official campaign kickoff Thursday at The Front Porch Coffee and Bakery, during which he recognized family and friends that have supported him throughout his time as mayor and his decision to run for a second three-year term. Williams was fi rst elected mayor in 2017 in a runoff against Abilene businessman Robert Briley. Williams had previously served 16 years on the city council before his fi rst election as mayor. Williams said he recounts walking 20,000 doors in his fi rst election campaign. “I said three years ago, that if you gave me an opportunity to be your mayor, that we would address our streets,” Williams
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Anthony Williams, mayor of Abilene, enjoys conversation with citizens of Abilene. said. “This next year, this community, we’re going to spend around 30 million dollars on our streets. We decided to forego any sort of debt and to put before you the idea of paying as we go, and you voted for that. So we have a way to address our streets and do so without any debt at all. We are going to fi x our
streets.” Williams said he has a lot of unfi nished business. “We’ve accomplished so many goals and I think we’ve had a lot of success,” Williams said. “There are some things that we haven’t completed yet and I want to see that to the end.” Williams also spoke of addressing the issue of wa-
ter in the streets of Abilene during his campaign kickoff, while a downpour continued to raise water in the streets outside. “Water has always been an issue,” Williams said. “In semi-arid West Texas, it will always be an issue. But I think you will hear, in the upcoming weeks, that we have an opportunity
to solve water in our lifetime, for the next 50 years. Now those of you who are knowledgeable, this is an ongoing conversation that we’ve had for decades, but we’re going to have an opportunity to address it. Working with the cities of Midland and San Angelo, working to bring a solution for the water.”
Williams said he wants to continue economic investment in the community of Abilene. “You know if you look, our economy has grown in a significant way, the amount of money that we’ve added in new development to the tax roll, the decrease in unemployment, I think we’re going to have an opportunity to see even greater success moving forward than we’ve seen in recent years,” Williams said. “And that thrills me.” Williams said when looking at the history of Abilene, the only time the community has seen such significant development that compares to where we are now took place in 1968 during the period when the Abilene Convention Center and City Hall were built. “I don’t know if I’m going to have an opponent,” Williams said. “But the water is warm. Anybody can jump in. I am ready to work.” Deadline to fi le a ballot
Sanctify hip hop to conduct bi-annual auditions BY SYDNEY VARNER STAFF WRITER
Sanctify, a hip hop dance company, will conduct auditions Saturday in the SWRC. Sanctify participates in multiple events each semester, such as the Homecoming Parade and the Ethnos production presented by International Student Association. The group has about
15 to 20 members and is still expanding with auditions every semester. “We don’t look for perfection in auditions, we look for rhythm, movement, focus and determination. We just want to see personality,” said Maggie Moody, senior nursing major from Pittsfield, MA, and Sanctify co-captain. “There have been times when we’ve had
as little as 10 members and times where we’ve had over 20. It really depends on what kind of talent we see.” Sanctify was started in 2010 by local dance studio owner Teri Wilkerson and her daughter, who was attending ACU at the time. This year they are celebrating their 10-year anniversary. “Sanctify has been like a
home,” said co-captain NG Okorie, junior psychology major from Murphy. “It’s a place where you challenge yourself and have great shared experiences.” As the only hip hop dance company on campus, Okorie said the group works hard on their performances as well as to create a Christlike community among its members.
“We really strive to express our love for Christ through our passion for dance,” Moody said. “Dance to us is our voice, it’s how we express our emotions and how we tell our stories. It’s a good escape and a way to express ourselves on stage.” In addition to several ACU-related performances, Sanctify plans to perform around Abilene as well as
put on their own show for students across campus. “We had a really good show last year and hope that even more people come this year,” Moody said. “We try to make it very affordable for the students as well, last year tickets were only $3.” Though the group is waiting to reveal the show’s theme, the spring show will take place April 15-16.
SING SONG: Tickets now available for purchase CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
said perhaps having no overall theme marks a motion into a new era of Sing Song. “The first time I saw sing-song was back in 2015 and I was in absolute awe,” Birchfield said. “Ever since then It has been my dream to be a hostess. I am just excited because I am seeing a
dream come true. It’s truly surreal. I am soaking in the experience since this is my last spring semester at ACU. Getting to be a part of this huge tradition is just amazing.” Birchfield hinted at a hosts and hostesses performance of a Beatles medley. Performances will be Feb. 21 at 8 p.m. and Feb.
22 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. in Moody Coliseum. Prices vary upon date and time. Tickets can be purchased in advance downstairs of the Campus Center, Student Productions Center or online at https://www.acustupro. com/singsong. Tickets can be purchased in person at the box office the weekend of Sing Song. OPTIMIST FILE PHOTO
Directors lead students in preparation for Sing Song act.
WHAT’S HAPPENING? MON., JAN. 27
TUES., JAN. 28
WED., JAN. 29
6 p.m.- Sundaes on Mondays
11 a.m.- Avanzar Interior Technologies at ACU 5 p.m.- Student Nursing Association Meeting 9 p.m.- Capture the Flag with the Trojans
10 a.m.- Exhibition at the Grace Museum-Hung Liu
THURS., JAN. 30 6 p.m.- Chinese New Year Celebration
FRI., JAN. 31 Tennis at UTEP Invite
police log SELECTED ACUPD CALLS FOR THE WEEK: •
Officers assisted a student removing his bicycle lock after he was unable to unlock it. 01/14/2020 8:05 p.m.
•
ACU staff member reported the theft of his personal Dell Latitude computer from his office. Investigation Open. 01/15/2020 4:00 p.m.
•
A resident reported her bicycle was stolen from outside of her apartment at UP. Investigation Open. 01/16/2020 7:55 a.m.
•
ACUPD responded to a call from UCC security team members reporting that a suspicious male entered the church under unusual circumstances. Subject was known to the officer and left without incident after church services. 01/19/2020 5:30 p.m.
911 Call Abandoned vehicle Administrative activity Advice Alarm Alcohol incident Animal call Assault Assist Attempt to locate Barricades Bicycle/skateboard call Building lock/unlock Burglary (vehicle) Burglary (residence) Cart patrol
1 1 35 1 4 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 10 0 1 6
Check building 312 Citation issuance 0 Clery 8 Criminal trespass 0 Disturbance 1 Domestic disturbance 0 Escort 3 Event support 0 Foot patrol 2 Found property 6 Hit and run 1 Information report 1 Investigation follow up 17 Lost Property 0 Maintenance: univ assets: cctv 29 Maintenance: univ assets 5
MESSAGE FROM POLICE CHIEF ELLISON:
Medical emergency Missing person Monitor facility/lot Motorist assist: inflate tire. Motorist assist: jumpstart Motorist assist: other Motorist assist: unlock Other Parking lot patrol Parking violation Patrol vehicle: maintenance Patrol vehicle: refuel Prowler Public service Random patrol Reckless driving
0 0 21 0 5 0 4 5 17 2 8 7 0 1 23 1
Report writing Report writing (follow up) Suspicious activity Suspicious person Suspicious vehicle Theft Training Traffic stop Vehicle Collision Welfare check Total
16 1 2 2 3 2 4 3 2 2 582
*List of selected statistics of this week’s ACUPD activity report.
“Don’t miss out on important/urgent info from ACUPD. Is your ACU ALERT registration current? Go to acu.edu/acualert to log-in or register..”
SAT., FEB. 1 Tennis at UTEP Invite 8 a.m.- Lifeguard Training
PHOTO GALLERY | Friday, January 24, 2020 | 3
A MARCH FOR UNITY
Abilene community members walk to remember the life of Martin Luther King Jr. BY MADI MILLER GUEST WRITER
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
A citizen of Abilene holds a sign quoting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Abilene’s annual MLK march brought hundreds together to walk across the MLK bridge on Monday. For the last three decades the Royals family has organized this event so that people from all over Abilene can unite to celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and what he stood for. Before the walk began, attendees heard from Michael T. Royals and Anthony Williams, the mayor of Abilene. Both thanked everyone for coming and shared reasons as to why it was so important for the community to come to-
gether to stand for something that was bigger than any one individual. “You look at all who make up the march today. A very diverse group of people, old and young. It symbolizes and articulates the things that Dr. King expressed,” Williams said. Royals and Williams said they were happy at the turnout they had for the march. In the large scheme of things they knew that was what the whole day was about. “Can we all work together? For the betterment of each other to move our world forward. That’s what this march is about and that is why this day was a
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Abilene citizens begin the march over the Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial Bridge.
proud moment, not just for Abilene, but this is an example for our entire nation,” Williams said. Among the many people that showed up to march, Dr. Douglas Foster, professor emeritus of church history, had a few words to describe what the bigger meaning of this march meant to this community. “What Martin Luther King stood for is a universal need to see people as God sees them. The bottom line is a system of white supremacy has existed in this nation from the beginning and continues even in times past the Civil Rights movement,” Foster said. “For a community of the number of people that came together today, to march shoulder to shoulder, side by side, was a statement that we are committed to try to do what God would have us to do. And that is to see each other as he sees us,” Foster said. Once the march concluded the crowd gathered for some final words from a few people that made all of it possible. “This is not just a march. It is a walk for community. But as you walk, know that you are standing for unity,” Dr. Kelvin J. Kelley, associate professor of practical theology at HSU, said. Right as people were about to be sent on their way everyone was left with some powerful words. “There may be many colors out here. But if I cut you open, we will all bleed red,” Royals said.
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Abilene citizens wave flags during the march.
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Anthony Williams, mayor of Abilene, delivers message.
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Citizens of Abilene listen to a message delivered by Anthony Williams.
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Participants bow in prayer.
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Members of the HSU Basketball team lead the march.
4 | Friday, January 24, 2020 | OPINIONS
The horrors of the Australian bushfires EDITORIAL BOARD
In the southeastern region of Australia, immense bushfires are ripping thousands of miles of vegetation and its inhabitants to plume and char. The issue feels distant as the effects of the fires on the average American are minimal and the call to “grab a bucket and help” has an irony that needs no explaining. However, the warrant to help could not be more proximate and such a crisis demands nothing less. It is uncertain how the fires were first started, whether by lightning strike or a mistake caused by humans but it was inarguably brought in tandem by one of the hottest and driest summers Australia has ever seen. In December 2019, the national average temperature was broken twice with its most recent record now being 107º F throughout Australia, a country that rivals the size
of the United States. The fires that only began getting out of control at the beginning of December have now burned an area bigger than the country of Denmark; the damage is estimated to be 27 million acres, or about 100,000 square miles as of Jan. 13. Areas near the capital in New South Wales have been hit the hardest. The fortunate gift of rain that came last week has been an asset unlike any other to the fires combatants. Unfortunately, this coming week is forecasted to bring more heat and more wind. Even with the partial subsidization of the fire, the urban areas in the Southeast have seen over 2000 homes ruined with the people displaced reaching a number much higher. According to AirVisual, New South Wales now has the third worst air quality of all major cities in the world.
It would seem that one of the biggest assets to the trifled ecosystem is the spread of awareness through social media in the U.S. While the world witnesses the worst fires seen in years, it’s hard to avoid heart-breaking images of the blackened earth and wounded animals that make the crisis feel more real than ever, despite the distance. Luckily, through this, organizations like The Red Cross, Salvation Army, and Greening Australia allow simple ways of helping support Australia’s recovery by way of donation. To donate to these organizations is to allow firefighters a day off, to save Australia’s wildlife, to show the godly love that we are so obligated to extend. For information on how to help control these fires, visit goodneighbors.org.au, redcross.org.au, or greeningaustralia.org.au
BY ERNIE GUAJARDO | CARTOONIST
An overdue thank you to professors across campus
BY ALLISON HARRELL EDITOR IN CHIEF
Professors are most often seen as “the bad guys.” Professors give too much homework, assign too many research papers and are ruthless when it comes to assigned textbook reading over holiday breaks. But if we took the time to notice all the help, encouragement and hospitality our profes-
sors show on a daily basis, we will begin to see their indispensable value and hopefully give them the credit they deserve, especially those at ACU. One reason I chose ACU instead of a state school like the University of Texas or Texas A&M was because I felt known and seen at ACU. At Texas A&M I felt like just a number in an auditorium that seats hundreds of students. Professors play a big role in making students feel known and seen at ACU. In each class, ACU professors make special effort to know each student’s name. Moreover, they make special effort to know each student’s character, personality and work ethic. By the end of
the semester, professors most likely will be able to write a detailed recommendation for each student, whether good or bad. I count this as a huge advantage for ACU students. Future careers and jobs require recommendation letters from a variety of sources, but a good recommendation from a university professor speaks volumes. Most professors are also willing to meet oneon-one with students during office hours, for which there are many available throughout the week. Professors are required by the university to establish very open communication between students. On syllabuses you may have noticed profes-
sors cite their cell phone numbers, emails and even mailing addresses. This open communication relieves much of the stress for college students, knowing that they can go get help or ask questions whenever needed. This lets students know that someone is available to listen and give them advice on how to move forward with any difficult assignment or project. Professors also provide connections to future job opportunities, whether they offer a personal reference letters or recommendations by word of mouth. They have the abilities to connect you with employers and businesses. Professors also provide
well-rounded career advice, having experiences different career paths previously, each professor has wisdom to pass along. By showing personal support into a student’s future and career, professors do more than just teach and exchange knowledge. They encourage and inspire students on a much deeper level. By giving students a personal connection to their learning and studies, they provide greater encouragement and motivation for students to continue their journey towards a degree. Professors at ACU go above and beyond the regular professor. Whether professors invite you into their homes and cook
a meal for the class, bring a meal to class or spends class time leading the class in prayer, they are exemplifying the image of Christ in hospitality and conduct. That is something I beg students not to overlook. To our professors: We are thankful for the countless hours and time you spend pouring into our lives now and for representing Christ daily. Thank you for being present with us in class and nurturing our minds and wisdom that we may have successful futures. Thank you for caring so much to make us feel known and seen. Thank you for teaching us to strive for better and work hard to achieve great things.
The gender wage gap in sports unlikely to change in the future
BY OWEN SIMPSON SPORTS DIRECTOR
It’s been an ongoing debate that has caught fire in recent years. There have been gender pay gaps in almost every area of the industry and sports is no different. However, there are specific reasons as to why this is the case in sports. Forbes released the top 100 highest-paid athletes
of 2019, and all but one are male athletes. Tennis player Serena Williams was the only female, coming in at No. 63. So why is this the case? First, media coverage plays a significant role in a sports’ popularity. Male sports have consistently had higher production value. However, the WNBA recently added a multiyear partnership with CBS Sports Network to air 40 games this season. More television exposure for the players will lead to more visibility, and more visibility could lead to major deals with endorsers in the future. However, there is another problem. Economic returns also become a factor in paying athletes. Concluding
the 2019 WNBA season in September, the league said an average of 6,535 fans attended each game, down 3.5% from the previous season and more than 10,000 less than the NBA games. Despite more television exposure, attendance and popularity was down. Another reason for a gender wage gap is biological differences between the sexes. Female athletes do not have the same level of athletic performance as male athletes. Studies have shown that males have up to 30% have more muscle, higher blood volume and more red blood cells. Therefore, males have better world records than women. “Men are generally better at sports than women
because they have different muscular builds than women,” editor-in-chief of The Daily Wire Ben Shapiro said. “In the same way that a little league baseball game is not the same as a major league baseball game, female and male sports are different.” In 1998, Karsten Braasch, a male tennis player who ranked No. 203 in the world, beat Serena Williams 6-1 and Venus Williams 6-2 after the Williams sisters claimed they could beat any male tennis player outside the top 200. They were wrong. “I didn’t know it would be that difficult,” Serena said. “I played shots that would have been winners on the women’s circuit, and he got to them very easily.” Pretending that different
genders do not have specific differences in physical capabilities has been ongoing theme, which believes that equal pay must be guaranteed regardless of entertainment value and product revenue. But wishes do not shape reality, and making Americans believe in mythology is counterproductive. An event that also caught the world’s attention was the outcry of “equal pay” from the U.S. World Cup soccer team. After winning the 2019 World Cup, the entire team demanded equal pay to its male counterparts. But looking at the value each World Cup inherits tells a complete opposite story. According to the Washington Post, the men’s 2018 World Cup brought in $6
billion. The participants split $400 million, or seven percent of the total revenue. Meanwhile the women’s 2019 World Cup generated $131 million, while the participants are splitting $30 million, or nearly 23% of total revenue. In this case, the women, while receiving smaller paychecks, are better compensated. With all that said, there’s a reason the average WNBA salary is $130,000, while the NBA is $7.7 million. It has a lot to do with television exposure, economic return and biological differences. There are instances of gender pay discrimination, but the vast majority are simple ones and zeros. Male sports have been far more popular than female sports across the spectrum.
THE OPTIMIST STAFF ALLISON HARRELL
ASHLEY LANG
CARRIE JOHNSTON
KENNETH PYBUS
DILLON DANIEL
DEVON HILLARY
DAVID MITCHELL
CADE WHITE
OWEN SIMPSON
EMILY PERRYMAN
MEGHAN LONG
CELESTE KINKADE
TAVIAN MILES
WILLIAM HEYEN
EMILY SHAFER
ABBEY LEE
ANDREW NORSWORTHY
KAUY OSTLIEN
RILEY FISHER
ALYSSA HIGH
HENRY ERICKSON
SYDNEY VARNER
ERNIE GUAJARDO
AVERY JACKSON
LEAH FIKES
JALEN GARRETT
RACHEL CROSSNOE
TYLER HENDERSON
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SPORTS | Friday, January 24, 2020 | 5
BY RILEY FISHER | PHOTOGRAPHER
Head Coach Joe Golding talks to Associate Head Coach Brette Tanner.
FROM PLAYER TO COACH
Golding’s rise to prominence that was nearly cut short BY OWEN SIMPSON SPORTS DIRECTOR
Men’s basketball Head Coach Joe Golding made a name for himself last March after the program’s first-ever Southland Conference Championship and an NCAA Tournament berth. But his journey to ACU was one that was almost cut short years before playing Kentucky in 2019’s March Madness. “I’m really fortunate that the administration here stuck with me and gave me time to not only learn how to be a head coach, but also build a program the right way,” Golding said. “I think now we’re reaping the benefits of that.” In the 2014-15 season, the Wildcats went 10-21. The defending Southland Conference Coach of the Year admit that he was unsure if he would finish the year as the head coach. Before becoming a coach, Golding accepted a full-ride scholarship to play for ACU, which was a Div. II program at the time. He played all 108 games through 1994-98. “I wanted to get away from home and experience college, so ACU made a lot of sense to me,” Golding said. Despite playing in every game of his career, his senior season, he was stripped of his full-ride scholarship and had to take out loans for the last year of college. Golding finally paid off all his loans 22 years later this January. “My senior year, they brought in a lot of guys to
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take my spot, so I had to learn to compete,” Golding said. “There’s two ways to go right there, you can either make excuses and give up, or you can compete. That was probably the most proud year I had and ended up starting over half the games.” Golding said those years as a player helped him prepare for coaching later down the road in the future. “I learned about not putting my chin down and competing and handling adversity,” Golding said. “Tough times pass and tough people last. I also learned a lot about myself by not quitting, and I was able to come through on the other side.” Junior guard Paul Hiepler said Golding sees his players as individuals before athletes. “I would best describe him as a flaming ball of constant energy,” Hiepler said. “You’ll never see him down or being a ‘drain sucker’. I truly believe he doesn’t see us as players first, he sees us as young men who are trying to get the most out of life, and I think that’s great.” Upon graduating college with a bachelor’s degree in exercise and sports science, Golding accepted a job as the varsity assistant at South Garland High School. “I got the opportunity to coach at South Garland, which at that time happened to pay $30,000, but seemed like a million bucks,” Golding said. “My first job there was the freshman boys B-team coach. I learned the work ethic there and to
appreciate things about the business.” After his early years moving around as a high school coach, he received a call back to ACU as an assistant coach. “I had been married for four months, and I don’t recommend this as a married man, but I quit my job as a head coach at Sachse high school,” Golding said. “My wife probably thought I was crazy, but right after that, a job opportunity opened up here, and I took it.” Three years after returning to ACU in 2005, the Wildcats posted their first 20-win season in over seven years. Sophomore forward Joe Pleasant said Golding motivates him and the team to be better than its competition and aim for greatness. “Coach has really emphasized not being average. He said average teams will win “Coach has really emphasized not being average. He said average teams will win one or two in a row, but great ones make championship plays.” JOE PLEASANT SOPHOMORE FORWARD FOR MEN’S BASKETBALL
one or two in a row, but great ones make championship plays,” Pleasant said. “So he’s just emphasized being great and getting better every game.” Despite early success at his former college, he decided to accept an assistant job at Arkansas-Little Rock. He helped the Trojans to
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the Sun Belt Conference title and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. However, he still happened to find his way back to ACU. But this time as a head coach. “Crazy story about that, it was my first day on the job,” Golding said. “I filled out the paperwork and on the religion part, I put Episcopalian. Back then if you weren’t Church of Christ, they weren’t hiring you, but networking was really what helped me get the job.” In his first three years as the head coach, Golding went 33-57 as ACU made the transition from Div. II to Div. I. “I remember our first year in division one, and we made half-a-million dollars in guarantees in games and got absolutely drilled all over the country,” Golding said. “One time, I was thinking ‘are we ever going to succeed here, or am I just going to get fired like most people through the transition.’” Golding realized in time that to be a successful coach, he had to be himself and not someone else. “In my position, you try to be the people you work for, and I wasn’t trying to be Joe Golding,” he said. “And I knew for a long time in my gut that to win here, you had to sign high school kids. I always thought that was the way to get things done here.” His hard-work finally paid off in 2019. The Wildcats finished the season with a program best 27-7 record in rout to a conference championship and an NCAA Tournament berth. The
program’s first taste of tournament play was led by an experienced veteran group, recruited out of high school. “We have a culture now and an identity we’re set to,” Golding said. “I think this program will continue to compete for championships. A long time ago, that seemed like a pipe dream.” Golding credits a lot of success elsewhere toward the coaching staff and associate coach Brette Tanner. “Coach Tanner has been a guy with me from the getgo. I trust him. He’s been in these league for a long time and he knows what works and what doesn’t.” Tanner even admits that while he and Golding don’t always agree, they believe in each other’s coaching abilities. “We will fight and disagree, but we have trust in one another and will always have each other’s back,” Tanner said. “We know and understand each other’s strengths and compliment each other really well. I think we have both really grown as coaches over the past few years.” Golding has been married to Amanda for 14 years. They have two sons, Cason, 13, Chase, 10. He said he wouldn’t be where he is today without them. “They’ve been everything because there were some long nights and days where you start to doubt yourself, and they were able to support me. I don’t get to see a lot of my sons’ games, but the one thing I’ve been able to do a lot with them is
coach little league baseball in the spring.” He also credits his wife for sticking through the process at ACU. They both just bought their first home six months ago. “I think I’ve lived in eight different houses since coming back in Abilene,” “The first step of this process was get to the NCAA Tournament. The next goal is to be consistent and build the best program in the Southland for years to come.”
JOE GOLDING HEAD MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH
Golding said. “So my wife has definitely been a big supporter of this, and she’s basically sacrificed her life to follow me around and to be a coach’s wife. She’s the best coach’s wife you could ever have.” Tanner and Golding have both emphasized family first and promised to be involved with their kids’ lives and sporting events when they came of age. That promise continues to be fulfilled today. The Wildcats continue their stretch of conference play this season as they look to defend the Southland Conference Championship from a year ago. “The first step of this process was get to the NCAA Tournament,” Golding said. “The next goal is to be consistent and build the best program in the Southland for years to come.”
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6 | Friday, January 24, 2020 | SPORTS
Wright, Wildcats snap Bearkats win streak BY JALEN GARRETT SPORTS WRITER
The Wildcats defeated the Sam Houston State Bearkats in a road win, its first conference loss of the season. They were led by senior guard Breanna Wright, who dropped 29 points while shooting 8-for-12 from the field and making three three-pointers. Senior guard Dominique Golightly was also productive, dropping 24 points while shooting 9-for14 from the field. “We knew this game was going to be a tough one, and I loved how we pushed through to get the win,” coach Julie Goodenough said. “The fact that we beat the number one seed gives us huge confidence and proves how together of a team we are.” The Wildcats had its seventh game shooting 50% or higher from the field in a game. Gaining its sixth conference win, the Wildcats are one game behind first place with a 14-2 record. They’re number one in scoring offense, scoring margin, field
Sam Houston State bested ACU, 82-76, in overtime despite its second half comeback. Freshman forward Airion Simmons missed a game-winning jump shot behind the free throw line as time expired. In overtime, Sam Houston State (14-6, 7-2 SLC) outscored the Wildcats, 14-8. Senior forward Kai Mitchell led the way for the Bearkats with 27 points on 8-12 shooting and three blocks. ACU (10-8, 5-2 SLC) got off to a quick start
This past weekend the wildcats track team traveled to Texas A&M for the Ted Nelson Invitational. The men placed sixth in men’s and our women placed fifth. “The team went in to compete well and have good focus. With this mindset, we came out breaking multiple records,” Head track coach
Ovrl. 16-3 14-6 13-7 10-8 10-9 7-10 5-14 10-10 8-12 5-14 6-13 4-14 1-15
Conf. 7-1 7-2 7-2 5-2 5-3 4-4 4-4 4-5 4-5 2-6 2-7 1-6 1-6
Women’s Basketball
BY DAVID MITCHELL | PHOTOGRAPHER
Junior forward Alyssa Adams blocks an opponent’s shot. goal percentage and threepoint field goal percentage. “We just stuck together and came out with a gritty win,” Wright said. “Sam Houston is one of the best teams in the conference and to beat them feels really good. I’m so proud of our team.”
Wright has been the Wildcat’s number one scoring option, and her efficiency has proving to be so. This season, Wright is averaging 15.9 points per game and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 49% from the field and 43% from three-point range. She leads the team in scor-
ing, assists, three pointers made and steals. She is also a part of the 1,000th point club along with fellow teammate Golightly. “My teammates is who I give the most credit to,” Wright said. “I was feeling good out there and my teammates were giving me a lot
of confidence to play hard. I’m just grateful we came out with a win.” The Wildcat’s second road game will be against the Central Arkansas Bears on Saturday. The Wildcats head back to Moody Coliseum on Feb. 1 to host the Incarnate Word Cardinals.
outscoring Sam Houston State, 10-3 in the first five minutes. It wasn’t until 4:18 left in the first half when the Bearkats grabbed its first lead of the game. They would go on a 22-8 run to close the half with a 39-35 advantage. Junior guard Coryon Mason finished with a career-high 19 points, four rebounds and four assists for the Wildcats. Working from behind, ACU found themselves in an nine-point deficit. Throughout the second half, the Wildcats inched its way back into the game, tying the game 67-67 with
1:42 remaining. In overtime, the Bearkats never trailed, connecting on all three shot attempts. Meanwhile, the Wildcats went 1-6 and turned the ball over twice. The Optimist was unable to interview the team for quotes. Up next, the Wildcats continue its long road trip. They travel to Conway, Arkansas to face Central Arkansas (5-14, 4-4 SLC) Saturday at 3 p.m. Meanwhile, Sam Houston State gets a week off until next Wednesday. They’ll host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (812, 4-5 SLC).
Lance Bingham said. One, in particular, was the record broken by junior, Annina Brandenburg, from Dusseldorf, Germany. Brandenburg broke the previous shot put record set by Marlene Lewis in 1987. Brandenburg broke the previous record of 15.46m with a 15.94m throw. This was her second school record, the first had occurred last season when she broke
the record for discus hitting a distance of 56.86m. “Our distance runners have not hit their peak yet so they will continue to improve as the season goes on,” Bingham said. Another shining star was Junior Briahna Gerlach, from Gakona, Alaska. Gerlach had a personal record and fourth all-time for ACU in the Women 3,000m clocking in at 9:53:10. Gerlach led the 2019
Team SHSU SFA ACU TXAM-CC UNO UIW UCA Lamar SELU NWSU Nicholls McNeese HBU
Ovrl. 13-5 14-3 14-2 12-6 9-8 8-8 8-9 8-10 6-11 5-12 5-13 4-13 4-12
Conf. 8-1 7-1 6-1 6-2 5-3 4-3 4-4 4-5 3-5 2-6 2-7 1-7 0-7
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Women’s Basketball
ADAMS
BY RILEY FISHER | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Sophomore forward Clay Gayman navigates traffic.
Records broken at Ted Nelson Invitational track meet BY AVERY JACKSON SPORTS WRITER
Men’s Basketball Team SFA SHSU Nicholls ACU McNeese NWSU UCA Lamar TXAM-CC SELU UNO UIW HBU
Bearkats claw Wildcats in overtime game, 82-76 BY OWEN SIMPSON SPORTS DIRECTOR
STANDINGS
cross-country team all season. Freshman Irene Rono, from Eldama Ravine, Kenya also had a top ten for ACU. Rono had a personal record in the Women 3,000m clocking in at 10:22:29 giving her the tenth best all-time at ACU. “A lot of kids are really embracing the process and blending well,” Bingham said. Two freshmen who made it in the top ten best of all-
time were Jeremy King, from Lancaster, Texas, and Jacob Mechler, from Andrews, Texas. King got tenth best of alltime in Men 60m hurdles finals with an 8.28 second time. Mechler got tenth best of all-time in Men weight throw with a 17.45m throw. The next meet for the Wildcats will be in Lubbock on the weekend of Jan. 30 for the Texas Tech Invitational.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL MATCHUP
Junior forward Alyssa Adams was instrumental in the injury-ridden Wildcats’ two wins this week. In her first start during conference play this season, Adams achieved a career-high 22 points in 39 minutes, lifting the Wildcats over the Southeastern Louisiana Lady Lions, 6153. Though only scoring 8 points in 18 minutes Wednesday night, Adams made many contributions defensively to help take down the number one seed, Sam Houston State, 81-73. The Lady Wildcats will finish this month on the road against Central Arkansas on Saturday and Stephen F. Austin on Wednesday.
Men’s Basketball
2020 SEASON 82.8
POINTS PER GAME
55.6
61.6
POINTS AGAINST
56.4
49.2
FIELD GOAL %
39.8
38.4
REB/GAME
39.1
ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSIT Y (14-2)
Owen Simpson SPORTS DIRECTOR
ACU is riding a two-game win streak after a big win against Sam Houston Wednesday night. The Wildcats have been short-handed recently, but they’ll have to be ready for another tough test. Central Arkansas has struggled as of late, losing three out of its last four. They’ve also failed to score over 53 points in the past four games. Meanwhile, ACU and senior guard Breanna Wright have caught fire shooting the ball. Wright led the way Wednesday night with 29 points on 8-12 shooting, including three three-pointers. ACU is just one game behind from first place in the conference, and I’d expect them to come out blazing against Central Arkansas. The ongoing question will be on the overall health of this time. We’ll find out soon. ACU wins this one big on the road. FINAL SCORE: ACU 86 UCA 56
MASON
CENTRAL ARKANSAS UNIVERSIT Y (8-9)
Tavian Miles
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Tyler Henderson SPORTS REPORTER
The Wildcats are on a roll here in conference play coming off big wins against Southeastern Louisiana at home and on the road against the Sam Houston State Bearkats. This Saturday they take on a streaky Central Arkansas team on the road in Conway, Arkansas. Central Arkansas currently sits at 4-4 in the conference. Now when I say streaky, I really do mean streaky. Central Arkansas has won games by 20 plus or have lost games by 40 plus. Central Arkansas currently struggles on the defensive side, giving up 56.4 ppg, and on offense they average 17.5 turnovers per game. We all know the Wildcats like to keep the ball in its playmakers hands, and that’ll be a big factor going into this game. The Wildcats might have to rely on more bench depth because of some foul trouble that took place in the Sam Houston State game, but I expect them to be disciplined on the road and take care of business. Wildcats win big here due to Central Arkansas struggles.
Central Arkansas is 5-14 overall this season, sitting at 4-4 in the conference. UCA is coming off of two tough losses, the first to SFA and the second against Nicholls. Although the Bears sit at 4-4, they are a team that can score quick and score early. In the first half of its game against Nicholls, UCA hit 53.6% of its shots from the field, with junior guard DeAndre Jones adding 26 points on the night. For ACU, they are coming off of an overtime loss to Sam Houston State. The Wildcats were led by junior guard Coryon Mason, who put up 19 on the night, followed by the offensive unit in sophomore guard Damien Daniels, who added 11. For ACU to pick up a needed win, they need to get its defense rolling early. If the Wildcats can set the tone on defense early, the offense will put up big numbers. Junior Kolton Kohl and sophomore Joe Pleasant have led the charge and should have no trouble under the basket. I believe the Wildcats’ defense comes out firing on all cylinders on the road, and they win big.
FINAL SCORE: ACU 83 UCA 55
FINAL SCORE: ACU 83 UCA 57
Jalen Garrett SPORTS REPORTER
The Wildcats face off against the Central Arkansas Bears this Saturday as its second game on the road. The Wildcats currently sit in third place in the South Conference after defeating Sam Houston State in a huge road win. Remaining consistent as a team, the Wildcats are top five in scoring offense and defense, scoring margin and three-point field goal percentage in the Southland Conference. The Bears are in seventh place in the conference and doesn’t have any playmakers that could make a huge difference in games. However, the Bears are third in field goal percentage defense. But offensively, I don’t know how they’re going to create shots. Each player on their roster is averaging less than 10 points per game and they’re dead last in scoring offense. I can’t see Central Arkansas stopping the Wildcat offense. The Wildcats will win this matchup. FINAL SCORE: ACU 80 UCA 50
Junior guard Coryon Mason contributed in many ways to the Wildcats 76-55 victory over Southeastern Louisiana. In 18 minutes, Mason scored seven points but also had two assists, blocks and steals. As for Wednesday’s matchup, Mason played an efficient game, scoring a seasonhigh 19 points in 34 minutes. Despite these numbers, the Wildcats fell in overtime, 82-76 against the Sam Houston State Bearkats. The men’s next matchups is Central Arkansas Saturday and Stephen F. Austin on Jan. 29th.
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