ACUOPTIMIST.COM | Friday, February 7, 2020 | 1
Students get creative with ways to enjoy the rare Snow Day on Wednesday
A student publication of Abilene Christian University since 1912
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BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Sing Song practices in full-swing across campus. Freshmen class act rehearses for performance.
Search for OMA director narrows decisions BY SYDNEY VARNER STAFF WRITER
The Office of Multicultural Affairs has recently begun deciding between three finalists for the director position that has been open since last semester. A committee of 12 members, including students and faculty are conducting on-campus interviews as well as listening to each finalists presentation on their vision for the office. Dr. Steven Moore, McNair Scholars program director and associate
professor of language and literature, has been serving on the committee in search of the new director since its inception last semester and has enjoyed the experience. “It’s been an exciting process for me and I think for many of us on the committee,” Moore said. “I think it’s just great for us to meet individuals who are excited about this position and see what their visions are, what their goals are and for us to go through the process to which candidate will be ex-
cellent in carrying out the vision for OMA.” The committee has been holding multiple meetings and conversations to align their visions for where they want the OMA to go. “We’ve had plenty of time and several meetings and several opportunities to just meditate and pray,” Moore said. “We’ve been in prayer throughout the entire process just to make sure we have the right person for the job.” In addition to the committee members sitting in on presentations, interns
from the OMA office have also been present to provide their feedback and ask questions. With the lack of a director in place, the office has been run for the most part by the 10 interns and they are excited to find a director that sticks. “I’ve been with OMA since my freshman year since I was desperately trying to find somewhere that was a safe space,” OMA intern Priscilla Hernandez said. “With this process, it’s been stressful because we’ve had, in my years here,
two directors and an interim director. We haven’t had that consistency. We understand that it takes time to make change but no one has been here long enough to make that change.” Multiple facets of change such as representation and intercultural connection are being actively sought out by students through this process of searching for a long term director. “OMA is an office at ACU but we are treated like a small organization,” said Hernandez, junior child and family services
Lecture series promotes eduction of Black History BY ALLISON HARRELL EDITOR IN CHIEF
Two students will be conducting the Carter G. Woodson Black History Month Student Lecture Series, hosted by the Carl Spain Center, from 6:308:30 p.m. on Feb. 27 at the Walling Lecture Hall. For the celebration of Black History Month, the student-led lecture event will honor Carter G. Woodson, who began Negro History Week in 1915 which evolved into what is now celebrated as Black History Month. A committee of faculty and staff under the Carl Spain Center selected students Jeremiah Taylor and Jalen Garrett to speak on Wood-
“Any person that I talk to that has read the book, said that it has opened up their minds and given them a new perspective on seeing the world, seeing where we are right now and the implications for the future.” TRYCE PRINCE EXECUTIVE COORDINATOR OF THE CARL SPAIN CENTER
son’s two most classic works titled “The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861” and “The Mis-Education of the Negro.” Tryce Prince, executive coordinator of the Carl Spain Center, said Dr. Jerry Taylor, associate professor of Bible, missions and ministry and director of
the Carl Spain Center, had the vision for the event. “Dr. Jerry Taylor had a vision to encourage students to participate in research about black history and black literature, but also to encourage them to equip the people and students around them,” Prince said. To be selected for the lectureship, students were required to submit an application, complete the two assigned readings and submit an eight page essay over the readings. “We felt like this was the next step to getting more student involvement with education and encouraging students to not only educate themselves but educate their peers,” Prince said. “We feel like if we
can establish a constant rhythm of building up and equipping students to build up and equip their peers on matters of race and race studies then we will benefit campus greatly.” The students will give a 30-minute lecture on Woodson’s works which chronicle the systems of teaching, educationally and societally, in place for individuals of the black community. “Any person that I talk to that has read the book, said that it has opened up their minds and given them a new perspective on seeing the world, seeing where we are right now and the implications for the future,” Prince said. “And I think both of the students presenting will have similar
responses as well.” Each student presenting will receive a $500 scholarship. The event will include additional performances, as well as an interview with former students who attended the Carter G. Woodson school, Abilene’s first public school for African Americans. The event is open and free to the public. No registration is required to attend. “We just ask that people show up with an open mind to learn about history,” Prince said. “But also with their notepads and notes to discuss after how they can apply practically some of the principles and themes that these students will be talking about.”
Theatre department plans production packed with mystery BY DILLON DANIEL MANAGING EDITOR
The Department of Theatre will host the spy thriller Pack of Lies as its winter production. The production by Hugh Whitemore is based on a true story and will be directed by Adam Hester, professor of theatre. Mirroring the show, The Americans, Pack of Lies is “a little bit different. It focuses on the neighbors who are a British couple in 1960,” Hester said. He said that the production focuses on the couple’s relationship with their neighbors, their best friends, and how Scotland
Yard tells them they need to use their house to spy on the neighbors due to suspicions that they may be communists. “The play has several twists and turns in it. It’s meant to have surprises throughout, kind of a mystery, and it will be a thriller in the sense that [the audience] will feel unnerved,” Hester said. Because the setting of the play is in Cold War Britain, Hester said that there will be historical events and figures mentioned throughout such as the Rosenbergs, an American couple convicted of spying on behalf of the Soviet Union. Hester also said he be-
lieves the play brings up themes that mirror current American beliefs of Russian influence on our own politics. “There’s a character that is talked about, a Russian KGB officer. Even though Putin was not in power when this play was written, sometime in the 1980’s, it feels very much like an echo that that could be Putin when he was a KGB officer.” Landon Holub, freshman theatre major from Victoria, plays Bob Jackson, the husband of Barbara and father of Julie, who are neighbors to the suspected communists, the Krogers. Holub said that a big theme in this production is
“The play has several twists and turns in it. It’s meant to have surprises throughout, kind of a mystery, and it will be a thriller in the sense that [the audience] will feel unnerved.” ADAM HESTER PROFESSOR OF THEATRE AND DIRECTOR OF PACK OF LIES
that of the “dirty little secret” on the Jacksons’ side, not just the Krogers’, especially between father and mother to their daughter and to best friends. “Our character’s world starts slowly unraveling as the play goes on.” Holub also said he noticed a theme throughout
the rehearsals that everyone we know has an impact on how we react to situations. “If Barbara and Bob weren’t married, the decisions they would have made separately would have been so different.” Pack of Lies will be at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 13-15 and 20-22 and will be held at the Culp Theatre in the Williams Performing Arts Center. Tickets are available at acu.edu/theatre-tickets or at the ACU Theatre Box Office in the Williams Performing Arts Center. Box Office hours are 1-5 p.m. Monday-Friday or by calling 325-674-ARTS (2787).
major from Irving. “We have an event called Underground and we kind of joke about it because we feel like we are almost underground. Because of the constant changes these past four years, the interns get fatigued and irritated and that creates the idea that nothing ever gets done. We need more people like faculty working for the office.” Though the finalists are chosen, the timeline is still slightly unclear as to when a director will be chosen for OMA.
NEWS
BSU plans events to celebrate Black History Month PAGE 2
SPORTS
Men’s tennis recap PAGE 5
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2 | Friday, February 7, 2020 | NEWS
BSU celebrates Black History Month BY KAYLA MONTANO GUEST WRITER
The Black Student Union has planned events each week leading up to and throughout Black History Month. Black History Month began early this year, with an event for each week, beginning Jan. 31 and ending Feb. 29. The fi rst event put on by BSU was Black Out Skate Night on Jan. 31 at the Skating Place. All were welcomed to participate in fellowship on skates and snap pictures at the photo booth provided by BSU. The event was from 10:45 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Students were asked to wear blackout attire. The February Madness event will be on Saturday. Presented by BSU and social club Nu Kappa Psi. All are welcomed to participate in a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, taking place from 1-3 p.m. at the Wellness Center in gym’s A and B. Sign-ups to compete
OPTIMIST FILE PHOTO
Members of the Black Student Union are planning events in celebration of Black History Month for all students to participate in. closed Thursday. For active BSU participants there will be a showing of the movie The Photograph. A production of Black love, showing will be at cinemark and doors open at 6:30 p.m. It will be fi rst come fi rst serve;
details to reserve a ticket can be found on the BSU Instagram (@acubsu). Another event for active BSU participants will be the “Black Is” photoshoot. The attire is white shirt and blue jeans. The event will serve to capture Black
essence and beauty on camera and will be from 1-3 p.m. at the Office of Multicultural Affairs. Ending Black History Month, the fi nal event is the Afram Festival, short for African American Festival, and will take place at
6 p.m. on Feb. 29 at The Well. Tickets to the event will go on presale on Feb. 19 in the Campus Center. If interested in performing, contact BSU (acubsu@acu.edu) by Feb. 14. In the past, BSU has put on and performed a play
for Black History Month, but this year they have chosen to create a different event students can participate in for each week of the month. Marilyn Allen, sophomore speech pathology major from Hillsborough, NC and president of the BSU, said she hopes the celebratory month goes well. “We are extremely excited to see ACU’s reaction to it and we’re especially excited for our big event at the end of the month, Afram Fest,” Allen said. Allen said students are encouraged to join BSU during these events to celebrate the importance of Black History Month. “Black History Month is a time to put a spotlight on the achievements of Black Americans,” Allen said. “I think this is important to celebrate because it puts a positive outlook on our history despite what our ancestors have been through.”
FCA offers cross-town campus life group for all university students BY TYLER HENDERSON SPORTS WRITER
The Abilene branch of Fellowship of Christian Athletes began hosting in-depth Bible studies across all three major universities while offering food and games to those who could attend. Fliers began showing up across campus early this semester promoting the local chapter of FCA’s Bible study, one of which is hosted on campus. These Bible studies range across the three local universities, promoting growth and unity across the Abilene area. Each university holds their own Bible study, but come together to form the Abilene Tri-College FCA. “It’s really cool getting to know other Christians on the Hardin-Simmons and McMurry campuses and being able to build community with them,” said Payten Ricks, senior marketing major from Abilene. “I’m encouraged to know that there are faithful gospel-preaching Christians on those cam-
PHOTO COURTESY OF ALEAH DILLARD
ACU student athletes and others get together for Fellowship of Christian Athletes Bible study. puses to lead people to Christ.” Each college meets once a week for their Bible studies. McMurry meets on Mondays, ACU meets on Tuesdays and Hardin Simmons meets on Wednesdays. A typical Bible study begins with an interactive game, two worship songs, a short lesson and then the group will split between men and women to discuss the sermon. Once a month, the leaders arrange a Tri-College meeting, where the three schools have time to fellowship together.
“The body is built up of many different parts, and that is what helps in function as well as it can.” Mackenzie West, senior nutrition major from Portland, Oregon, said. The ACU branch is led by student athletes covering all sports on campus. Ricks and Hayden Howell, senior organizational development major from Oklahoma City, Okla., represent men’s basketball. Kade Parmelly, junior kinesiology major from Abilene, represents football. West is one of the representa-
tives from track and field and there are also representatives present from beach volleyball and baseball. West said that about half of the other leaders are non-athletes. Ricks and Howell said FCA changed their lives when they first joined. Ricks first joined FCA as a sophomore, and became a leader the following year. “I first heard the gospel in an FCA Bible study and the Lord softened my heart, I then responded in repentance of my sins and belief in Jesus
Christ as my Lord and Savior,” Ricks said. “FCA has also connected me to a healthy church and taught me how to share the gospel.” Howell first began his journey in FCA during his middle school and high school years. He said he tried to go as much as he could his freshman and sophomore years of college, and became a leader his junior year. “Being able get together consistently with other people that are trying to follow Christ and digging into and chewing on the word has really filled me up spiritually and pushed me in a good way.” Howell said. Howell, Ricks and West all said that the FCA Bible study is for everyone who wants to be challenged in their faith and is seeking a community of believers. “Students can expect to be loved on and learn about who the God of the Bible is and His attributes,” Ricks said. “They can expect to be challenged in their faith as well which is always a good thing. They will
also be encouraged to find a healthy church in town to attend regularly. Lastly, they can expect to build community with other like-minded Christians.” Howell said it has challenged his faith and encourages anyone who has yet to come to try the Bible study at least once. He said he is reminded daily by FCA that he cannot outgrow the Gospel. “No matter if you are not a believer and have never ever heard the true gospel, or if you have been a Christian since you were in elements school,” Howell said, “we as Christians never outgrow the Gospel and need to be reminded of it.” The ACU branch of the FCA Bible study meets every Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Rec Center, room 260. “I encourage all students to give it a try because the Lord changed my life through using FCA and they have helped me grow,” Ricks said. “It’s truly been a tremendous impact in my walk with Christ.“
FRI., FEB. 14
SAT., FEB. 15
WHAT’S HAPPENING? MON., FEB. 10 6:30 p.m.- Let’s Taco bout Stress
TUES., FEB. 11
WED., FEB. 12
THURS., FEB. 13
11:30 a.m.- Steelband Pre-TMEA Performance 4:30 p.m.- Canyon High School Choir 7:30 p.m.- COA Concert
6:30 p.m.- Movie showing: The Photograph
police log SELECTED ACUPD CALLS FOR THE WEEK: •
ACUPD responeded to a suspicious male and determined that the male was wanted on outstanding warratns. Subject was arrested and transported to jail. 01/29/2020 6:50 a.m.
•
An employee reported that his wife received an unwanted Instagram message wile working out which alluded to her workout, which caused concern. 01/30/2020 8:20 a.m.
•
A student reported his knife was stolen from an unlocked locker in the men’s locker room. 02/03/2020 3:30 p.m.
911 Call Abandoned vehicle Administrative activity Advice Alarm Alcohol incident Animal call Assault Assist Attempt to locate Barricades Building lock/unlock Burglary (vehicle) Burglary (residence) Cart patrol Check building
0 0 43 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 11 0 0 5 335
Citation issuance Clery Disturbance Domestic Disturbance Escort Event support Fire Foot patrol Found property Hit and run Harrassment Information report Investigation follow up Lost Property Maintenance: univ assets: cctv Maintenance: univ assets
MESSAGE FROM POLICE CHIEF ELLISON:
0 2 1 1 2 0 0 3 5 0 2 2 12 2 10 0
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 29 0 10 0 2 7 36 3 2 9 0 0 20 0
Report writing Sex Offense Suspicious activity Suspicious person Suspicious vehicle Theft Training Trespasser Traffic stop Vehicle Collision Welfare check Total
14 1 2 2 2 1 9 2 1 1 3 596
*List of selected statistics of this week’s ACUPD activity report.
“Please remember that ALL CRIMES need to be reported to ACUPD immediately. Call 325-674-2911 to report crimes or suspicious activity.”
10:30 a.m.- Cabinet Succulent Bar
PHOTO GALLERY | Friday, February 7, 2020 | 3
‘SNOW’ SCHOOL
Students rejoice as classes were canceled because of snow fall BY ALLISON HARRELL EDITOR IN CHIEF
BY DAVID MITCHELL | PHOTOGRAPHER
Jacob’s Dream, an iconic ACU landmark covered in snow.
Classes were canceled all day by ACUPD due to snow and ice conditions affecting travel safety on Wednesday and a delayed start on Thursday. ACUPD sent out an email alerting faculty, staff and students of campus closure at 9:50 p.m. on Tuesday. The Bean remained open on normal hours on Wednesday, despite closure. The Brown Library and Starbucks remained open but with shorter hours and no Maker Lab
and Learning Studio access. The Royce and Pam Money Student Recreation and Wellness Center remained open but with shorter hours and no pool access. ACUPD remained available and operating. ACU Landscape and Grounds crews provided ice treatment to sidewalks, stairs and landings across campus. Temperatures dropped below freezing around 10 p.m. Tuesday. After heavy rain, thunderstorms and hail, snow began falling around 11 p.m. Tuesday. Snow continued falling until around 5 p.m. Wednes-
day. Total snowfall was estimated to be two to four inches. Temperatures remained below freezing until Thursday around 11 a.m. ACUPD sent an email alerting the ACU community of a delayed start Thursday at 6:10 p.m. on Wednesday. Due to continued icy road conditions, campus offices and facilities were postponed to open until 1 p.m. on Thursday and classes began at 1:30 p.m. With temperatures reaching above freezing around 11 a.m. on Thursday, snow and ice began to thaw.
BY DAVID MITCHELL | PHOTOGRAPHER
Two friends slide down the hill on an air mattress.
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Jalen Garrett, freshman journalism major from Garland, makes a snow ball.
BY RILEY FISHER | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
A group of friends throw snowballs at each other.
BY DAVID MITCHELL | PHOTOGRAPHER
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Ryan Farmer, freshman nursing major from Fort Worth, makes a snow angel.
Noah Henderson, sophomore marketing and management major from Denver, packs in snow to make a snow cube.
4 | Friday, February 7, 2020 | OPINIONS
Kobe and his lasting effect on ACU’s own EDITORIAL BOARD
On January 26, the game of basketball and every heart within it was wounded by the death of the legendary Kobe Bryant. With him was his daughter Gianna and seven others who all tragically passed in a helicopter accident. Kobe is universally considered to be one of the greatest players of all time. His death has cut deeply into our nationwide community of fans, players, and family. The past weeks have been testaments to just how affecting Kobe’s legacy was on the many who had the pleasure of playing with him and the countless others who were inspired by simply watching him across the world. Kobe’s life as one of the best was proven in his nonstop accomplishments. Bryant’s career started when he was 18 years old and lasted for 20 years, four times longer than the average NBA player. His longevity was justified by his incredible list of career accomplishments including five NBA championships, 15 all-star team selections, and two occasions of
leading the league in all time scoring, leaving no doubt as to why he was considered to be one of the best. Because of the extraordinary length of his career, Kobe’s influence has modeled multiple generations. Now, the ones who grew up admiring Kobe as kids are adults in their 20’s. Some even fill that same role of inspiration for a younger generation as collegiate and even professional players. Paul Hiepler, junior guard on the men’s basketball team, exemplifies this idea perfectly. Hiepler grew up in the 2000’s as a basketball fan in Southern California and was no stranger to Kobe’s infectious inspiration from a very young age. “It was impossible not to be inspired by Kobe Bryant,” Hiepler said. “I grew up in Staples Center. From the time my dad would hide me in a blanket to get into the games, to witnessing his last game at 18 years old, scoring 60 points.” That inspiration has excited Hiepler to reach the D1 level, reminding him of the drive he found in watching a player like Kobe in the years
leading up to this point in Hiepler’s career. “He inspired me to be the best player possible and to put your head down and work,” Hiepler said. “I remember when I was in the hospital my junior year after an emergency appendectomy, and I was done for the year because of that. Watching Kobe rehab through his torn Achilles is what gave me the motivation to push through to continue my dream to play D1 basketball.” Bryant’s terrible death continues to be painfully impactful for players like Hiepler. However, the inspiration Kobe brought continues to live in the players and in the game they love. Kobe’s death will always be a tragedy, but the lives he changed as a basketball player and as a man are proof that his life was lived with purpose. Hiepler highlights that within the remorse of Kobe’s death is a crucial lesson. “Seeing how quickly it can end, this is another reminder for us as Christians to always put our relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ above everything.”
BY ERNIE GUAJARDO | CARTOONIST
The service industry deserves more of our gratitude
BY HENRY ERICKSON OPINIONS EDITOR
Every day, we enjoy cushioned benefits given to us from the hard work of dozens of members of the service industry. For college students, especially, these benefits only increase within the
day-to-day happenings of a university. Unfortunately, the busyness of a schedule can often greatly impede our ability to see the many benefits we enjoy, and more importantly, to thank the ones behind it. As someone who has spent five years in various facets of the service industry, I have seen and been the recipient of nearly every aspect of these jobs, the good, the bad and the ugly. To be a waiter, grocery clerk or a food vendor, is a job that requires much more from a person than what is just in the job description. The weight of frequent
mistreatment and abrasive language is something we rarely see from the defenseless members of this industry. There truly are fewer places to better test one’s patience than in these jobs; if you’re looking for a place to exercise some godly grace and forgiveness, just get a job in a grocery store. To be a part of this industry is an eye opening experience, and one that I believe everyone should have. The luxury of having someone clean the bathrooms or serve us our food often becomes so familiar that we forget
that this person has a name and a family. And the stress and frustration we project onto them is the last thing they deserve. If we think our lives are stressful, imagine having to deal with our hundreds of sour attitudes along with a job responsibility and a life outside of work. The unfortunate truth behind these workers’ mistreatment is that we feel entitled to a point where, in our minds, the service we receive comes before their due respect. This week’s snow day was a testament to this point. While students and professors enjoyed
the snow almost as much as the lack of responsibility, the school’s grounds crew spent hours shoveling, salting and scraping the ice and snow out of our paths so that we could safely walk from our comfortable dorms to our pre-cooked meals. This statement is not to assign guilt to anyone. Of course the students on campus have paid to be here. However, there is so much danger in thinking that these benefits are anything we “deserve” or are “entitled to.” We should all take time to realize how easy it is to misconstrue
Some things are more important than Sing Song
BY DILLON DANIEL MANAGING EDITOR
With Sing Song coming up in three weeks, the hype for the show continues to grow among many students and staff. However, there are many students who are growing in stress every time they attend a rehearsal over doing homework that night. Many students, especially those gifted in the
creative arts, take great joy in singing parodies of their favorite songs side-by-side with their brothers and sisters in club or in their class acts. Likewise, many students find stress in taking away time from their day for an event that may mean little-to-nothing for them when they could be studying or working at a job. These students may feel stuck, obligated to perform and rehearse because “it’s tradition,” “you have to do it at least once” or “you don’t have a choice, you will do it.” To the students who feel they have too much on their plate physically or emotionally and only go to rehearsals because of the reasons I just mentioned, let me tell
you one thing: it is okay to not do Sing Song. There are many who attend Sing Song when they already have a laundry list of responsibilities, so to those who think one more responsibility will break them, then I ask you get rid of weight you don’t need to carry. This isn’t to reject the work that those who enjoy Sing Song have put in. This allows these students to express their creativity, bond with close friends and be a part of the history of the university. As a side note, let me say that there are reasonable obligations. If your family has already bought tickets and hotel rooms or your involvement inspired and
helped a good friend, then I’d encourage you to stick it through; it’ll be over soon. However, this doesn’t mean I encourage putting away work. Attend rehearsals, but sit in the back and do homework until you’re ready to join in. In some cases, you’ll pick up the songs and choreography just by watching. But, if this is not possible, then take a break where one is needed. If you’re scared about what others may think of you, don’t be. No matter if it seems that way, your worth is not found in your director, your club or your class’ perception of you. Remember that God’s love for you engulfs all of this and that he calls us to rest.
the difference between a privilege and an entitlement. We should strive to avoid making any job harder for the ones cleaning up after us, we should always extend a genuine politeness and gratitude to the one waiting our tables, and at the absolute least, we should know the name of the one serving us. God looks on everyone with a favor and love that cannot be comprehended. With that in mind, we should all extend that love to everyone and look for an opportunity to be the servant ourselves.
Tweets Brittany Chapa @BrittanyJChapa Honestly, the flu sucks. you’re chillin, thinking you’re fine, (even though you stopped taking your tamiflu halfway through) and then BAM it’s like jk dummy, I’m still here. Owen Simpson @OSimpson00 The best ways I’ve seen people scrape ice off their car today. 1. A bucket of hot water 2. A cowboy boot 3. Not the defrost button Almost Christian University @ChristianAlmost If you can’t drive in the snow please stay inside!!! @siggies Natalie Chestnutt @n_chestnutt higher education works hard, but God works harder -Abilene Christian University @ACUedu SNOW DAY: The ACU Campus will be closed tomorrow, including all day and night classes. The Bean will remain open. The SRWC and Brown Library will be open from 10 am-6 pm.
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, February 7, 2020 | 5
Men’s tennis sweeps Friday doubleheader
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Savan Chhabra, freshman undeclared major from Irving, Texas, passes the ball to his opponent. BY TYLER HENDERSON SPORTS WRITER
ACU tennis extended its home winning streak to three matches on Friday, evening its record at 3-3 on the season. The Wildcats were back home on Friday for an indoor doubleheader against Oral Roberts and Prairie View A&M. Coming into the series, ACU was undefeated against both opponents since moving up to NCAA Div. I in 2014.
The Wildcats easily took the first match against ORU, going 7-0 on the morning. All six of ACU’s singles players won in straight sets and won two of the three doubles matches played. Senior Jackson Fine took a commanding victory over Andre Russo in their singles matchup, 6-1, 6-2. In the doubles matchups, seniors Nikolas Moceanu and Akinori Wada defeated Marcello Moreira and Andre Rus-
so, 6-4 at No. 2. ORU’s Geronimo Busleiman and Baranbas Koncz took down the dynamic senior duo of Jonathan Sheehy and Jackson Fine, 7-1 at the No. 1. “Oral Roberts is a good team, they are always a good team,” Head Coach John Walker said. “The 7-0 score is overshadowed, but we did a lot of good things we were working on.” The nightcap of the doubleheader featured the
Panthers of Prairie View A&M, with ACU taking the series 6-1. The Wildcats had two competitors play three spots ahead in the lineup, sophomore Riley Tran and freshman Savan Chhabra, while freshman Cole Stokes and junior Joaquin Delgado made their spring debuts. Delgado swept Kevin Ugarteche, 6-1, 6-3, at No. 5, and Stokes . won his match up over T. Washington, 6-1, 6-0, at No. 6. Sophomore Dimitri-
“Oral Roberts is a good team, they are always a good team. The 7-0 score is overshadowed, but we did a lot of good things we were working on.” JOHN WALKER HEAD MEN’S TENNIS COACH
ous Azoidis extended his spring winning streak to four with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Jorge Caballero at the top spot. “Our goal was to create
patterns to get more forehands and come to the net more,” Walker said. “The guys bought into it, and we saw it executed on the court today.” The Wildcats will have a rematch against Prairie View A&M in Waco on Saturday, March 7. ACU will continue their homestand Saturday, Feb. 8 with two matchups at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. against in-state rivals Tyler Junior College and Trinity University.
A Chiefs dynasty is alive after a Super Bowl victory
BY TAVIAN MILES ASSISTANT SPORTS DIRECTOR
As of last Sunday there is no more football left to be played. (Unless you’re excited about the XFL reboot happening Saturday.)
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The Kansas City Chiefs won their first Super Bowl in 50 years, and it couldn’t have come in more of an epic fashion. Scoring 21 unanswered points in the 4th quarter and never looking back. We were able to witness Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid win his first Super Bowl as a head coach, which has been a long time coming. Texas native quarterback Patrick Mahomes was able to win a league MVP, a Super Bowl ring, and Super Bowl MVP in
just three seasons in the league. What was an evenly matched first half wasn’t the case in the second half. The San Francisco 49ers controlled the third quarter by shutting down the explosive offense of the chiefs, but Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs made some adjustments and had other plans for the 4th quarter. Mahomes was facing pressure all night from the 49ers front seven all game, but stepped up to the pressure late in the
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4th quarter by scoring two touchdown to elevate them to a 31-20 victory over the 49ers. Now you and I are probably thinking the same thing. How did the 49ers not score at all in the 4th quarter and what happened to that amazing defense they were playing all year. Well it started with questionable play calling by head coach Kyle Shanahan on the offensive side of the ball. Shanahan is already known for not finishing games as he infamously
blew a 28-3 lead in Super Bowl LI against the New England Patriots. On Sunday they should have run the ball more instead of throwing the ball 13 times and only running it twice. Jimmy G is a good quarterback, but why not take some pressure off of his shoulders and run the ball to milk out some clock. Now not everything should fall onto Shanahan, but the defensive coordinator deserves some blame too. He shouldn’t allow them to
give up 21 points in the fourth quarter. His players were already starting to get gassed because of the speed of the Chief ’s receiving core and they gave up big plays on third and fourth down early and late in the game. Now overall it was a great Super Bowl and viewership can back that up as it was the 10th most watched Super Bowl in history. Expect Kansas City to be back in the Super Bowl next year and to become the next NFL dynasty.
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6 | Friday, February 7, 2020 | SPORTS
ACU struggles on the road against NWSU, 73-69
STANDINGS Men’s Basketball Team SFA SHSU Nicholls ACU McNeese Lamar NWSU UCA TXAM-CC UIW HBU UNO SELU
Ovrl. 20-3 15-8 14-9 12-10 12-11 12-11 9-12 7-16 10-14 6-16 3-17 7-15 6-17
Conf. 11-1 8-4 8-4 7-4 7-5 6-6 6-6 6-6 6-7 3-8 3-8 3-9 3-9
Women’s Basketball
BY DAVID MITCHELL | PHOTOGRAPHER
Redshirt sophomore guard Tobias Cameron pushes past freshman guard Keaston Willis. BY OWEN SIMPSON SPORTS DIRECTOR
The ACU men’s basketball team fell on the road to Northwestern State Wednesday night, 73-69. The Wildcats (12-10, 7-4 SLC) were coming off a win at home Saturday to Incarnate Word (6-16, 3-8 SLC) but failed to start a winning streak against the Demons (9-12, 6-6 SLC). In fact, the Wildcats
have failed to complete a winning streak of any kind since Jan. 18 against Southeastern Louisiana, where they won their second game in a row. Sophomore forward Joe Pleasant led the way for ACU in its road loss. He contributed 16 points on 6-13 shooting and a pair of blocks. Early in the game, it was a back-and-forth battle. Three lead changes oc-
curred in the first four minutes, before ACU created some separation. However, the Demons responded with a 10-1 run to close out the first half with a 38-33 advantage. Redshirt junior forward Chudier Bile finished with a double-double for Northwestern State. He brought in 10 rebounds and 15 points to help give the Demons their first win over the Wildcats since 2013.
The largest lead for either of the teams Wednesday night was seven points, as the competitive matchup witnessed 14 lead changes and 13 ties. Going down the stretch, the Wildcats had possession, trailing 66-65, with 39 seconds remaining as Pleasant missed a layup inside the paint. Freshman guard Nikos Chougkaz ensued to drill a 3-pointer to push the lead to four.
Chougkaz finished the night with 10 points and eight rebounds with a key performance in the win. With its fourth conference loss on the season, ACU will look to regroup as they travel back home to face Lamar (12-11, 6-6 SLC) on Saturday at 7 p.m. on ESPN+. Meanwhile the Demons come back to Texas Saturday to face Houston Baptist (3-17, 3-8 SLC).
Golightly’s career night snaps ACU’s losing streak BY CARRIE JOHNSTON SPORTS WRITER
After back-to-back losses, the Wildcats earned their first victory in February, defeating the Northwestern Louisana Lady Demons, 84-69. The game stayed close through the first half, full of runs and seven lead changes. However, the momentum shifted as soon as the third quarter started. At this time the Wildcats took control, extending their lead throughout the remainder of the second half. “We changed our defense up a little bit and made the adjustment for the third quarter, and our players did a really nice job of bringing more of that defensive intensity,” Head Coach Julie Goodenough said. “If you can hold an opponent to 10 points in a quarter, that’s a really good defensive effort.” The Wildcats’ defense played one prominent part in the win on Wednesday.
BY DAVID MITCHELL | PHOTOGRAPHER
Junior forward Alyssa Adams blocks senior forward Lunden Henry’s shot. The Wildcats held the Lady Demons to only 4-11 shooting in the third quarter and brought in 10 steals throughout the game. These steals led to many fast break opportunities, where the Wildcats held a 36-26 point advantage. Along with defensive effi-
ciency, ball movement on the offensive side played a considerable role in this game. The Wildcats tallied up 23 assists, eight of which were from senior guard Breanna Wright. With the help of ball movement, the Wildcats’ shot 49.2% from the field, proving to be overwhelming for
Northwestern’s defense. “We did a lot better on the defensive end and once we picked it up there, it helped us on the offensive end,” senior guard Dominique Golightly said, “Once you get good defensive stops then we usually transition to great offense and that includes making the extra
pass to the teammate.” Golightly proved to be a spark on both ends of the floor. Golightly scored a career-high 29 points, shooting 55.5% from the field and 70% from three-point range. On top of those 29 points, she also acquired four rebounds, three steals, one block and one assist. “I feel like what we worked on this week we really utilized and used what we focused on,” Golightly said, “I just feel like we played really good team basketball today.” The Wildcats are hitting the road once again, facing off against the Lady Cardinals of Lamar University, which will be live at 2:00 p.m. on ESPN3. “We’ll just take it one day at a time,” Coach Goodenough said. “Tomorrow we’ll focus on Lamar. We’ll celebrate this victory tonight, and then tomorrow we’ll get right back to work and figure out what to do in order to be successful at Lamar.”
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL MATCHUP 2020 SEASON 80.6
POINTS PER GAME
59.3
62.9
POINTS AGAINST
61.9
48.0
FIELD GOAL %
35.3
38.2
REB/GAME
34.1
ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSIT Y (16-4)
Owen Simpson SPORTS DIRECTOR
LAMAR UNIVERSIT Y (9-12)
Tavian Miles
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
This Wildcat team has shown some of its best and worst play over the past few games. The big question is can they play one full complete game without showing their bad tendencies. In ACU’s game, it struggled to get the ball inside, becoming a very one-dimensional team. But in the second half, they were able to find holes in the Lady Demon defense. This upcoming game against Lamar, they have to succeed inside the paint and outside the perimeter. They also need to find answers on the defensive side. Lamar lost to ACU in Abilene on Jan. 4, 78-72. But the Cardinals have struggled offensively in recent games. In its last game, they only scored 29 points. Golightly had a career night Wednesday with 29 points, and they’ll need more of her in this game. ACU wins this one, but its defense still needs work.
The Wildcats bounced back with a good win over a struggling Northwestern State University team by defeating them, 84-69 in a lopsided matchup. The Wildcats are now looking to get their second win in a row against the subpar Lamar team who only averages 60.9 ppg. Lamar is led by Amber Vidal who averages 13.3 ppg and isn’t afraid to let it fly as she shoots 33% from the 3-point line. They only allow teams to score about 62.3 ppg, and in order for them to win, they need to hold ACU’s below their average of 80 ppg. Guard Dominique Golightly is coming off a 29 point performance against Northwestern State and expect for her to come out strong against Lamar. Both teams will start out slow and expect the Wildcats to push the ball more in the second half.
FINAL SCORE: ACU 78 Lamar 67
FINAL SCORE: ACU 81 Lamar 62
Tyler Henderson SPORTS REPORTER
ACU is coming off a big win against Northwestern State on Wednesday evening. They follow up that big game with another big one against Lamar. ACU put up 84 against Northwestern State, and I predict they’ll do the same against the Cardinals. Amber Vidal will be the name to watch for the Cardinals, as she’s been the spark plug for the Lamar offense all season long. If ACU plays quality defense, and shuts down Vidal, they have a good chance of taking the win at home. For ACU, look for Lexie Ducat to put up big numbers against the Cardinals. She’s been one of the best post players in all of the Southland Conference, and does not mind bodying up against the best of them. Ducat will get to double-digits in scoring against Lamar. If the Wildcats feed the ball down low and take quality threes, they win big. FINAL SCORE: ACU 83 Lamar 66
Team SFA TXAM-CC SHSU ACU UNO UIW SELU UCA Lamar Nicholls McNeese NWSU HBU
Ovrl. 16-3 16-6 14-7 16-4 12-9 10-10 9-11 10-11 9-12 6-15 5-16 5-16 5-15
Conf. 10-2 10-2 9-3 8-3 8-4 6-5 6-5 6-6 5-7 3-9 2-10 2-10 1-10
Softball Team ACU SFA TXAM-CC SHSU HBU NWSU Lamar SELU UIW UCA McNeese UNO Nicholls
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 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 0-0
Baseball Team ACU SFA TXAM-CC SHSU HBU NWSU Lamar SELU UIW UCA McNeese UNO Nicholls
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 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 0-0
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Tennis
ADAMS Senior tennis player Sarah Adams from New Braunfels took on Vanessa Valdez of UTEP at this past weekend’s tennis tournament. Adams beat her opponent with the resulting scores being 2-6, 6-3 and 7-5. The Wildcats beat the Miners, 6-1 by the end of the tournament. Their next home tournament will be Feb. 28.
Men’s Basketball
Jalen Garrett SPORTS REPORTER
The Wildcats bounced back at home defeating the Northwestern State Lady Demons, 84-69. Led by senior guard Dominique Golightly’s 29 point game explosion, the Wildcats seemed to have gained their offensive repertoire back, shooting 49% from the field and 38% from 3-point range. As the tournament season approaches, the Wildcats will look to finish strong and win huge games on the road. The Wildcats go back on the road to face the Lamar Cardinals, a team that the Wildcats beat in their first matchup back in January. Led by senior guard Amber Vidal and sophomore guard Angel Hastings, the Cardinals have been one of the weaker offensive teams in the Southland Conference. However, the Cardinals are fifth in scoring defense and first in three-point field goal percentage defense, which is a crucial part of the Wildcats’ advantages. The Wildcats are going to have constant ball movement on the perimeter to keep the Cardinals on their feet. If they do this, the Wildcats will win this one. FINAL SCORE: ACU 75 Lamar 60
PLEASANT Sophomore forward Joe Pleasant racked up 16 total points against Northwestern St. Wednesday night. Pleasant played a total of 24 minutes while recording two steals and three rebounds for the evening. The next home game will be against Lamar this Saturday on ESPN+. For more visit us at
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