Accident Coverage We have been working on extensive reports since Friday night. Check our website for updates throughout the week
vol. 101, no. 32
wednesday, january 30, 2013
1 SECTION, 10 PAGES
acuoptimist.com
mandy lambright chief photographer Six ACU students were in the green pickup pictured above. They were driving to Grand Ole Oplin dance hall when their truck smashed into 27-year-old Jeffrey Davis’ red pickup truck, pictured in the background. Davis and 20-year-old Lindsey Smith died in the accident.
Fatal accident ends trip to Oplin Five students survive head on collision on Friday night; one student and other driver die on scene mark smith editor in chief Six ACU students gathered Friday night to go two stepping at the Grand Ole Oplin. It was supposed to be just like every other Friday night. Each of them had enjoyed the weekly open dances on Friday nights at Oplin Community Center many times. Callie Kerbo, freshman marketing major from Murfreesboro, Tenn., was preparing for the familiar trip, but with an unfamiliar group. She didn’t know the three smiling faces in the front seat before stepping up into the back of the pickup cab. Kerbo had agreed to the night out at Oplin, and then the Guitars and Cadillac dance club, with two of her close friends: Deanna Romero, freshman international studies major from
Omaha, Neb., and Rebekah Cherniss, freshman Ad/PR major from Katy. Some upperclassmen had invited Deanna to go with them. “I didn’t know them from Adam,” Kerbo said. Bo Braddock, senior biology major from Deer Park, picked up the three freshmen from Nelson Hall in his blue-green 1996 Ford pickup. Eric Terrazas, junior Ad/PR major from Argyle, sat in the passenger seat. Between them in the front seat, secured only by a lap belt, sat Lindsey Smith, junior Ad/PR major from New Braunfels. The freshmen loaded up the backseat. Romero sat down behind the driver, Cherniss in the middle behind Smith and Kerbo on the right behind Terrazas. The six, all between the ages of 18-20, set off toward Oplin a little after 8 p.m. “We were all getting to know each other,” Kerbo
designs by david singer 1: The six students, driven by Braddock, were headed south on TX-36 in the green Ford pickup. Jeffrey Davis, 27, was driving east on County Road 107 and approaching TX-36 in the red Dodge pickup. 2: Davis ran the stop sign at the intersection to turn left onto TX-36. His truck collided with Braddock’s head-on. 3: The trucks bounced off in opposite directions. Davis’ Dodge came to rest facing west, partially still on the state highway. Braddock’s truck stopped facing east on the other side of the highway.
said. “We knew Eric a little bit, but Bo didn’t know us and I hadn’t met Lindsey before.” A few miles after merging onto the TX-322 Loop, Braddock exited onto TX36 on the southeast edge of Abilene. As the group passed Abilene Regional
Airport, he set the truck’s cruise control at 75 mph, the speed limit in that area of the highway. The sky was dark and no streetlights lined the country highway. “They were making fun of my southern accent, because I’m from Tennessee,” Kerbo
said. “Bo was hilarious, he was cracking us all up.” Then, at 8:21 p.m., tragedy struck head on. “Oh my God, I saw headlights,” Braddock yelled. Braddock’s Ford plowed into the front of a 2003 red Dodge pickup. Jeffrey Davis,
27, of Abilene, had run the stop sign turning left onto TX-36 from County Road 107 known locally as Potosi Road. The intersection is not perpendicular, and Davis could have cornered the see crash page 9
Smith remembered for joyful personality staff report Lindsey Lee Smith, the 20-year-old junior from New Braunfels killed in the car accident Friday night, will be remembered for her happy personality and adventurous spirit. Smith, an Ad/PR major, attended New Braunfels High School, where she competed in public speaking. She was chosen to be a part of the New Braunfels Youth Leadership, a citizenship and leadership class
She enjoyed tennis and played on junior varsity team her freshman and sophomore years. She was also actively involved in the theater program. She loved acting and singing and played Annie her senior year in the school musical. Her favorite films included Gidget and My Fair Lady. Tori Moore, junior biology major from Katy, was Smith’s roommate in Gardner Hall during their freshman year. photo courtesy of todd and linda smith “Loving Lindsey leaves where the city chooses the tive member of the New you gasping,” said Moore. leaders from each high Braunfels Church of Christ “She made your sides sore school. She was also an ac- youth group. from laughing and your feet
ache from following on her adventures. She sang like a bird and danced like an angel and dyed her hair purple because she wasn’t afraid. She loved without looking first. Coming into her life changed yours. We will join hands and pray that we can learn to dance again like Lindsey taught us.” Smith traveled to South America after her senior year of high school and visited Peru and Ecuador. She studied abroad with the ACU art department during the summer of 2012, visiting England, France, It-
aly and Spain. She traveled even farther to visit both Australia and New Zealand. Smith’s parents, Todd and Linda, were out of state when they received the phone call that their daughter died in a car wreck when she and her friends were headed to Oplin Dance Hall for a night of two-stepping. Her parents immediately returned to New Braunfels. Paige Buck, junior marketing major from New Braunfels, had known Lindsey for a long time. see smith page 9
inside ACCIDENT
SPORTS
VIDEOS
NEWS
For extensive reports on Friday night’s tragic accident, turn to:
Men’s basketball continue late season push with 8263 win over Angelo
Freshman accident victim describes terrifying experience
For other news from this week around campus, turn to:
Pages 2, 9, 10
Page 8
Abilene Christian University
acuoptimist.com
Pages 3, 5
accident
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adrian patenaude staff photographer Dr. Randy Harris, instructor of Bible, missions and ministry, embraces a student after University Church of Christ’s 9 o’clock worship service honoring crash victim Lindsey Smith.
Campus, local events honor victims staff report
curtis christian staff photographer Sing Song vocals coach Kristin Ward joins hosts and hostesses Abbie Boyd, junior elementary education major from Austin, Jarrett Ward, junior musical performance major from Houston, Bree Hembree, junior vocal performance major from North Richland Hills, and Amanda Jarufe, senior musical theatre major from Coppell in worship during the memorial Chapel for Lindsey Smith and the victims of the car accident.
Across the university, ACU organizations and events gathered to remember and reflect on those injured and affected by Friday’s car accident. The crowd in Moody Coliseum stopped for a moment of silence prior to the women’s basketball game versus Angelo State on Saturday night. In light of the tragedy that struck ACU Friday night, John Earle, a former NFL and CFL player who spoke during halftime, said a few words of encouragement after the death of Lindsey Smith, the junior Ad/PR major from New Braunfels killed in the car wreck Friday evening. “My dad shared with me the most important words; ‘Jesus loves you, he will
adrian patenaude staff photographer Dr. Kenneth Pybus, associate professor of journalism and mass communication, shares Scripture with JMC students during a Monday morning service honoring Lindsey Smith, who was a member of the department.
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We’re mindful that even in this community of incredible love and strength and support, that God is the only one who can deliver us from that despair.”
never leave you nor forsake you,’” Earle said. “To the hurting community, and to the hurting classmates and especially to the families who have to deal with this, when you can’t make any sense out of things that happen in this world, the only thing that makes sense is Jesus and our hope that we have in Him. Cling to it.” The weekly Sunday night Nine O’Clock worship at University Church of Christ dedicated its service as a vigil. A crowd of about 850 people packed the vigil for Smith. Dr. Phil Schubert, president of the university, asked those in attendance to remain faithful in God. “God’s glory is most profound in our greatest weaknesses,” Schubert said. “When all those questions seem so loud, only God can soothe them.” Monday morning at 9 a.m., JMC faculty and students met in Don Morris 320 for a brief time of prayer and devotion. It was the
dr. phil schubert president of the university
time and location of Smith’s JMC 100 Media Issues course, where her empty seat will be a reminder for the rest of the semester. Monday’s Chapel was planned to kick-off a semester series by Dr. Randy Harris. Instead, Schubert led a special Chapel memorial service to observe the tragedy. “I know we can’t begin to fathom what the Smith family is dealing with,” he said. “The depth and breadth of the pain is beyond anything we can imaginet. But we’re mindful that even in this community of incredible love and strength and support, that God is the only one who can deliver us from that despair.” For video reports on campus events since the accident, go to acuoptimist.com. Anne-Marie Coffee, Gabi Powell and Mark Smith contributed to this report. contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
curtis christian staff photographer Sing Song hosts and hostesses join hands in prayer during the memorial Chapel for Lindsey Smith and the victims of the car accident.
DPS continuing accident investigation staff report
Department of Public Safety officials are still investigating the accident Friday involving six ACU students. The intersection between TX-36 and Country Road 107 is not lit with street lights, nor is it at a 90 degree angle. Despite this, Sparky Dean, senior trooper and public information officer for the Abilene district, said as long as both vehicles had headlights, visibility should not have been a problem. He also said the site of the crash was not prone to accidents. “That’s the first fatality since 1993 that we’ve worked at that intersection to my knowledge,”
student Lindsey Smith were declared dead at the scene. As per procedure, officers took blood tests from both Braddock and Davis to determine possible drug or alcohol use. Dean said receiving conclusions from blood tests takes time. “All they checked for here is alcohol. They will forward that sample to Austin,” he said. “We’re several weeks from getting those test results out.” While DPS waits for the results, Investigating Trooper Cory “Lance” Outland is working to uncover what caused Davis mandy lambright chief photographer to disregard the stop sign. Dean said answers are The car accident that took the life of Lindsey Smith happened at this intersection of TX-36 and County elusive. Road 107. The DPS is investigating the accident. “If he’s on that road, Dean said. through a stop sign on ing six ACU students being I’m assuming he’s familiar Jeffrey Davis, 27-year- Country Road 107 and col- driven by Bo Braddock. with the stop sign. Why he old Abilene resident, drove lided with a truck contain- Davis and 20-year-old ACU didn’t stop, I don’t know,”
Dean said. “That’s something I’m not sure that we’ll ever know for sure about.” Jeffrey Dane Davis was born on Oct. 8, 1985 in Baytown, according to his obituary in the Abilene Reporter-News. Davis loved the outdoors. He graduated from Cooper High School in 2004 and aspired to be the foreman of his family’s ranch. Davis is survived by his wife Jennifer and two children Jayton and Jeslyn. A funeral was be conducted Tuesday at Elliot-Hamil Funeral Home Chapel of Faith at 11 a.m. Melany Cox and Joshua Garcia contributed to this report. contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
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health
Rec Center to offer semester classes for $30 Kirsten holman staff reporter The Student Recreation and Wellness Center is offering unlimited group exercise classes this semester for only $30. This is $30 less than the price last year. This set price lets students attend any class throughout the week at any of the times scheduled. Classes include Zumba, Yoga, Circumference, Core Performance, Capoeira, Water Aerobics, Boot Camp and Cardio Kick. Dr. Kerri Hart, assistant professor at the Student and Recreation Wellness Center (SRWC) said, “We decided that we wanted more participation because
that’s our goal. Thirty dollars just seemed a whole lot more reasonable for the entire semester.” Hart oversees the group exercise program and hopes more students will get involved at the SRWC. “The important thing that we would like for people to know is don’t be shy,” Hart said. “No matter what level of fitness you are, our instructors that we hire can teach progression and modification. For example, when I go to yoga I need a lot of modification because of my knees. And the instructors for yoga are really good about saying, ‘If you can’t do this, try this.’ And Boot Camp is the same way. If you can’t run, walk or walk fast. Whatever level
you are at, don’t feel like you can’t do a class because you aren’t that fit. I hope nobody feels that way.” To enroll in group exercise classes students must pay at the member services desk.One hundred fifty students have enrolled in group exercise classes this semester already. Forty more students have signed up this semester than last semester. “Every class we have people slide in so we know the numbers. And we like to keep about seven or eight students in each class,” Hard said. “We switch up the times each semester based on the instructors availability. Every semester we go back and we look at our past attendance and
see hey, this hour was really “Capoeira is a Brazillian good, really busy. There is a martial art that is practiced lot of information that goes in community,” said Shilinto it.” cutt, “Legends of Capoeira describe the journey of the African slaves to Brazil who The important thing that practiced this martial art we would like for people to under the appearance of a to disguise the form know is don’t be shy.” dance and to persuade slave masters to let them continue their practice. So while dr. Kerri Hart SWRC Assistant there are many dance eleprofessor ments, capoieristas like my instructor will assert that it is a fight.” Dance instructor, Jackie Shilcutt also reminds Beth Shilcutt, started teach- students that beginners are ing dance as a senior in high welcome. Yoga and Capoeischool and then at ACU in ra contain modifications to 2009. She also spent two challenge students on all summers in Brazil studying different levels. Capoeira. She now teaches “I’m hoping that the both Capoeira and Yoga in social aspect is met along the SRWC. with the physical aspect,”
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mandy lambright chief Photographer
Friends and family have showered freshman Callie Kerbo, freshman marketing major from Murfreesboro, Tenn., with gifts and notes of encouragement since she was in the car accident on Friday night.
local
Hillcrest hires alum to be minister joshua Garcia managing editor Hillcrest Church of Christ, located on E. Ambler, has hired a new full-time preaching minister. Matt Haynes (‘05) has worked at Clifton Church of Christ since 2009 and will begin working at Hillcrest in March. Terry Brown was Hillcrest’s previous preaching minister, serving from 2004 until his retirement in 2012. Hillcrest began searching for Brown’s replacement a little over a year ago. David Copeland, elder at Hillcrest, said a search committee, church elders and ministerial staff collaborated with church members to ultimately select Haynes. “To identify prospects, the search committee asked for suggestions from our membership and other resource people. We
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followed up on all of the suggestions we received,” Copeland said. “For the prospects that were willing to talk with us, the committee read their résumés, listened to their sermons and personally interviewed several of them.” Haynes has received two degrees from ACU and is pursuing a third, a Masters of Divinity Equivalency. In 2005, he received a Bachelor of Science in Christian Ministry and in 2010 a Masters of Arts in Christian Ministry. Haynes worked at Hillcrest in 2004 as an intern. Dr. Joe Bell, elder at Hillcrest, has personally known Haynes for several years. He said Haynes will make a positive impact on the congregation. “Matt is a very bright man with a wonderful family,” said Bell, chair of the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition.
The Optimist
“He has extensive experiences working across the age spectrum and will be excellent both from the pulpit and performing
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Matt is a very bright man with a wonderful family.” Dr. Joe Bell Elder at Highland Church of Christ
pastoral ministry.” Bell said he is excited about the possibilities Haynes will bring. “I am impressed with his personality and his almost photographic recall of Scripture,” Bell said. Haynes’s first sermon at Hillcrest is expected to be delivered on March 3.
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contact garcia at jtg10b@acu.edu
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said Hart. “My goal for this facility is to get people in here who haven’t been in here yet their whole college career. People need to realize that it doesn’t have to be some intense workout every time. Just come in and do the rower. Or just come in and take a funny Zumba class and laugh.” To look up group exercise class times, visit the ACU website under the Student Recreation and Wellness Center, go to: http://www.acu.edu/campusoffices/studentlife/srwc/ programs-services/groupexercise-schedule.html.
contact holman at keh09c@acu.edu
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Wednesday
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Thursday
Chapel checkup
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Friday 11 a.m. Lindsey Smith’s funeral at Oakwood Baptist Church in New Braunfels
All Day - Blood Drive
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Saturday Bid Night for Spring Pledging
10 a.m. Softball vs. St.Edwards
10 a.m. Baseball vs. Arkansas Monticello
2 p.m. Women’s Basketball at Eastern NM U
10 a.m. Softball vs Texas A&M International
4 p.m. Softball vs. UTPB
12 p.m. Softball vs. Lubbock Christian
4 p.m. Men’s Basketball at Eastern NM U
7:30 p.m. ACU Choirs Concert at WPAC Recital Hall
7 p.m. Baseball at Central Missouri
Around Abilene Jan. 30
Jan. 31
Feb. 1
Feb. 2
12:30 p.m. Free tax preparation is available by appointment at the West Central Texas Center for Economic Opportunity, 1102 N. Third. To set up an appointment call 325-672-8980.
5:45 p.m. A six week class on learning the game of bridge begins at Rose Park Senior Center.
5:30 p.m. The Cottonwood Country Musical will begin at Cottonwood Community Center. The kitchen will open at 5 p.m.
6 p.m. Chad Robichaux, a US Marine Corps Force Recon Veteran, Pro MMA Champion and PTSD survivor, will demonstrate the MMA skills that made him a national champion and also share his story of overcoming PTSD.
The Optimist optimist@acu.edu Police Log Announcements ACU Leadership Camps is looking for college students to serve on summer staff. Pick up an application in Room 10 in the lower level of the Campus Center. ACU Theatre presents its winter musical comedy, [title of show] in Fulks Theatre Feb. 8-9, 15-16 and 22-23. For tickets call 325-674-2787. The Tedd Tripp Parenting Seminar is Feb. 1 at 6:30-9:15 p.m. and Feb. 2 at 8:30-12 p.m. at South Side Baptist Church. Registration is $12 per person and ends Jan. 25th.
The 6th annual Student Art Contest for Summit is open for submissions. The ACU Ministry Events Office calls any current ACU student to submit their original artwork, photography, drawing, painting or other creation to visually communicate the 2013 Summit theme: Margins. Submissions must be received digitally to summit@acu.edu by Feb. 15. One select work will be awarded a cash prize of $100 and used to advertize the 2013 Summit.
Join Weekend Campaigns for a weekend of fun and service with a VBS style kid’s day and a teen activity night in Belton, TX. No fees apply, just bring enough for a few meals. For more information contact weekendcampaigns@gmail.com. Abstract submission for the Undergraduate Research Festival is now open. The 5th annual ACU Undergraduate Research Festival will be Apr. 4-5. To submit your abstract or get abstract writing tips and information on the review of abstracts go to the Research Festival Blog at blogs. acu.edu/researchfest.
The OME is having Cultural Crossover during the men and women’s basketball games Feb. 9. There will be food, decorations and music from different cultures. Sign up to host a table before Feb. 7 on the link found in the annoucements part of my.acu.edu. Students interested in joining The Wildcat Reign can sign up at thewildcatreign. com. The Wildcat Reign aims to provide students the ability to facilitate Wildcat pride on campus and serves as a linking point between students and Wildcat athletic events.
Volunteer Opp0rtunities The Center for International Education is looking for conversation partners for international students to practice English, conversations and cultural learning. Partners meet for one hour each week at a time and place determined by the partners. For more information contact Laura McGregor at 325-674-2821 or laura.mcgregor@acu.edu. St. John’s Episcopal School is seeking volunteers to paint metal playground equipment anytime Monday-Friday after 3 p.m. and Saturday anytime. For more information contact Rebecca McMillon at 325-695-8870 or flores@ stjohnsabilene.org. Center for Contemporary Arts needs a gallery assistant to greet patrons, answer phones and answer basic questions about the Center and its programs. This opportunity is open Tuesday-Friday. The Center for Contemporary Arts is located at 220 Cypress Street. For more informa tion contact Jessica Dulle at 325-6778389 or visit: http://www.center-arts. com/. Rescue the Animals is seeking volunteers to take pictures and videos in preparation for the launching of their new website as well as maintenance of the site after the launch. This opportunity is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. For more information contact Kathy Walker at 325-677-7722 or rescuetheanimalsvolunteers@yahoo.com. The National Center For Children’s Illustrated Literature is looking for volunteers to greet patrons, assist with art activities, sell books and make visitors feel welcome. Help is also needed for special events like Artwalk and exhibit openings. The NCCIL is located at 102 Cedar St. For more information on times and dates contact Debby Lillick at 325-673-4586 or visit: http://www.nccil.org/index.htm. The Christian Ministries of Abilene: Food Pantry is searching for volunteers to greet and interview neighbors, do computer entries, shop with neighbors, take groceries to vehicles, bag, stock and pick up
orders on Mondays and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. and 1 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. The Food Pantry is located at 701 Walnut St. For more information contact Becky Almanza at 325-673-1234 or cmapantry@aol.com. The Christian Service Center is seeking volunteers to help assist with filling requests for items such as clothing, bedding, kitchen utensils, etc. from the donation center, sort and organize donations and occasionally pick-up donated items. Volunteers are needed every weekday and the first Saturday of each month between 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. For more information contact Roberta Brown at 325-673-7561 or at robertabrown51@hotmail.com. For more information on the program visit: http:// www.uccabilene.org/ministries/csc.htm. The Food Bank of West Central Texas needs volunteers to help sort and stock food and other items any weekday Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. The Food Bank is located at 5505 N. 1st St. For more information contact Janice Serrault at 325-695-6311 or abfoodbk@camalott. com. Meals on Wheels Plus needs volunteer drivers to deliver afternoon meals to seniors and adults with disabilities MondayFriday between 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Drivers must be at least 18 years old and have a valid driver’s license. Training is provided. For more information contact Samantha Barker at 352-672-5050 or visit: http:// mealsonwheelsplus.com. The Salvation Army is looking for volunteers for a variety of needs including sorting and pricing items in the thrift store, helping in the kitchen and/or doing yard work. Times are flexible. Volunteers are needed throughout the week MondaySaturday. The Salvation Army is located at 1726 Butternut St. For more information contact J.D. Alonzo at 325-677-1408 or visit: www.satruck.com.
The House That Kerry Built is looking for volunteers to assist in the day care of medically fragile children any day Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. or 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. Contact Keith Loftin at 325672-6061. The International Rescue Committee is seeking volunteers to work with refugees who recently moved to the U.S., teaching English, helping with homework and mentoring. Contact Susanna Lubango to make an appointment at 325-675-5643. The Covenant Place of Abilene is seeking volunteers to lead singing and/or play piano for residents. For more information contact Ann Erwin at 325-793-1144. University Place is seeking volunteers to help with the resident birthday party for residents the third Wednesday of each month at 2:30 p.m. For more information contact Linda Tijerina at 325-676-9946. Breakfast on Beech Street is seeking volunteers to help set up, prepare and serve breakfast to homeless/lower income folks any Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 5:30 a.m. or Tuesday at 5 a.m. B.O.B.S is located at First Christian Church on 3rd St. and Beech St. Service times must be scheduled in advance. To serve on Mondays contact Jody Depriest at 325-669-3312 or jody.depriest@gmail. com. To serve on Tuesdays contact Allen Daugherty at 325-660-6949 or ale.al@ suddenlink.net. To serve on Wednesdays contact Jane Harvey at 325-695-0092 or jharvread@aol.com. To serve on Thursdays contact Margaret Beasley at 325692-4149 or mbeasley5@suddenlink.net. To serve on Fridays contact Rachel Brown at rdb08a@acu.edu. Eternal Threads is seeking volunteers to help with packing and organizing shipments, labeling products, errands and cleaning any weekday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. For more information contact Pam Early at 325-672-6000 or pam@eternalthreads.com.
Christian Homes & Family Services is seeking volunteers to do minor landscaping such as raking, trimming bushes, minor apartment repairs and general upkeep Monday-Saturday from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. For more information contact Shaylee Honey at 325-677-2205 or Shoney@ ChristianHomes.com. The Abilene Public Zoo is seeking volunteers to help clean/feed animals, assist zookeepers and assist with educational classes any weekday any time between 12 p.m.-4 p.m. They are also seeking volunteers to help with general labor such as grounds cleanup and painting any weekday at any time between noon and 4 p.m. For more information contact Joy Harsh at 325-676-6487. Hill Resources is seeking volunteers to encourage and entertain mentally delayed individuals Monday through Friday any time between 10 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information contact Michelle Espinoza at 325-673-3346 or mespinoza@ hillresource.com. The Oaks at Radford Hills is seeking volunteers to participate in activities, go on outings and provide social stimulation for residents any day at any time. For more information contact Michelle White or Sonia Serrato at 325-672-3236. Rescue the Animals is seeking volunteers to work at the adoption center doing a variety of tasks including cleaning, socializing and grooming the animals Monday - Saturday from 1 p.m.-5 p.m. For more information contact Mindi Qualls at 325698-7722 or rescuetheanimalsvolunteers@yahoo.com. The CAC Department is seeking volunteers to participate in Special Olympics, by helping mentally/physically challenged people play games and sports Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. For more infomation contact Angel Seca at 325-690-5235. For additional volunteer opportunities visit: www.acu.edu/campusoffices/ccsl/ ministry-service/volunteer-opportunities/
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news
Wednesday 01.30.13
missions
Spots available in Spring Break Campaigns madeline orr copy editor The ACU Spring Break Campaign office will be sending groups of students to 10 different cities across the country come this March. “Spring Break Campaigns give students opportunities to step out of their comfort zones, serving the community and God,” said Wilson White, senior history major from Ozona and SBC committee chairman. Most campaigns will leave March 8 and return March 17. There are still a
few spots open on the campaigns to Atlanta; Chicago; Los Angeles; Salem, Ore. and Manchester, Conn. Types of service work the campaigns will see include urban ministry, inner city youth, evangelism, and homeless shelters. “It’s like a big community service project with a lot of fun on the side,” Wilson said. “Spring break campaigns are a tangible way for ACU to show what great students come from this university with a willingness to serve.” In addition to their service work, each campaign
has plans for fun excursion days. The Atlanta campaign plans to go to the world’s largest aquarium while the Anchorage campaign will go skiing in the Alaskan mountains. Campaigners will stay with host homes or families from churches in their various cities. Most of these churches are great friends of ACU that over the years have built a relationship with Spring Break Campaigns. “The hosts like to support students doing service in their community and they are encouraging to us
as Christian role models,” Wilson said. The Salem, Ore. Spring Break Campaign needs an additional three students over the age of 21 in order to keep their campaign afloat. ACU policy requires anyone driving on an ACU sponsored trip to be 21 or older. While the campaign will be flying into Portland, they will be renting cars for their drive to Salem, as well as for transportation throughout the week. Breanna Barrow, nursing major from Fort Worth, and Colton McCoy, biology major from Granbury, are co-
leading the campaign. “It usually all comes together somehow,” Barrow said. “The Lord always puts someone in the way of the campaign.” This will be Barrow’s second campaign to Salem. She is looking forward to building on the relationships she formed last spring break. “Not only is Oregon a nice change of scenery compared to Abilene, but meeting new types of people is just as exciting,” Barrow said. The campaign going to Manchester, Conn., is also
looking for 21-year-old drivers. They will be working with a local youth group and helping with Hurricane Sandy relief. If you are interested in going on a campaign, visit the campaign office located in the Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies building, room 322. If you are interested in the Salem campaign specifically, contact Breanna Barrow at bsb10b@acu.edu or Colton McCoy at ccm10a@ acu.edu. contact orr at mco10b@acu.edu
Chapel
Football players encourage during Chapel forum Kirsten Holman staff reporter Basketball and a Chapel forum were combined Saturday night for a unique experience with guest speakers and former NFL/CFL athletes, Guy and John Earle, who gave their testimonies and spoke about “Think Twice Ministries.” To receive two Chapel credits, students swiped in at 6:15 p.m., before half-time of the women’s basketball game, and swiped out at 8:45 p.m. after half-time of the men’s basketball game. ACU Athletics and the Chapel Office have been in conversation for a couple of years about combining an athletic event with Chapel. The idea was to create a new kind of Chapel forum experience as well as boost attendance at ACU athletic games. Mark Lewis, assistant dean for Spiritual Life and Chapel Programs, said, “This wasn’t something that was thrown together last minute, it was very purposefully thought through.” In order for the event to be considered a Chapel forum, a spiritual aspect had to be present. The idea was formulated to bring in a speaker to talk during the halftime of both basketball games Saturday night. “We started networking to figure out who would be good to come into the context of a basketball game at half time and be able to talk,” Lewis said. John Houser, assistant athletic director, knew of the Earle brothers. He contacted them in December and they accepted the opportunity to speak at the event. The Earle brothers were professional athletes in both the NFL and CFL during the 1990s. John Earle was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals (1992) and went on to play for the Kansas City Chiefs (1992), New England Patriots (1993), Baltimore Stallions (CFL, 1994-95) and the St. Louis Rams (1996). Guy Earle came out a year later and played for the Washington Redskins (1993-94), Baltimore Stallions (CFL, 1994-95), Houston Oilers (1996) and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (CFL, 199697). Guy and John Earle shared their experience of being a part of the NFL and CFL, and how their faith in God brought them through the good and bad times including multiple broken bone injures along the way. However, Guy and John Earle did not consider themselves as having a relationship with Christ until they finally decided to follow Him during their careers as professional football players. They grew up in the Catholic Church and thought they had Jesus, but realized what they had was just religion. John came to Christ on March 21, 1991 and Guy came to Christ on Jan. 10, 1995. Guy talked about the challenges he faced with his faith in the beginning of his professional career. “Nowadays people are a little more outspoken about their faith. But sometimes people associate faith with meekness, and meekness doesn’t mean weakness. It just means how you go about handling business. Really, humility,” Guy Earle said. “So some of the challenges early
on was being able to be outspoken, but also living in and competing in a field where you have a lot of money and people are showering you with praise. That’s hard for a person because a lot of pride sets in because of the pats on the back and always hearing how good you are.” John Earle said, “A good friend of mine once put it this way, ‘The bigger the level, the tougher the devil.’” Guy shared how some of his fellow players for the Washington Redskins encouraged him in his walk with Christ. “I didn’t become a believer until my second year in the NFL. But there were two guys. Darrell Green will probably go down in history as one of the best defensive cornerbacks of all time, just a great player, and he was very outspoken about his faith. Not loud, but people knew that he loved Jesus. And then there was Tim Johnson who was a defensive tackle, him and Charles Mann who was a defensive end really spoke to my heart. In fact one day I was wearing a Christian t-shirt in the locker room and I will never forget, Charles Mann came up to me and said, ‘Do you live the t-shirt?’ And I realized at that moment sometimes we wear these Christian t-shirts, and we put things like a Christian bracelet on and think that it makes us a Christian. I don’t wear a t-shirt, I live a t-shirt. And I live a faith that Christ touched my life. So that is what he challenged me with.” John Earle also realized being in a community of believers within a professional athletic career helped his own walk with Christ. “You have to be able to surround yourself by people with good character, you’ve got to surround yourself with individuals that walk the walk, don’t just talk the talk,” John Earle said. Both Guy and John Earle have also been encouraged by fellow athlete O.J. Brigance, who played for the Baltimore Ravens. Brigance was Guy’s prayer partner, and they spent most mornings in prayer for one another. They realized a greater purpose than merely winning games. Their purpose was to live out their faith. Brigance was diagnosed
with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) in 2007, which confined him to a wheelchair and took away his ability to speak. “Seeing him continue to live out his faith is an encouragement to my brother and I today,” Guy Earle said. “We do what we do today because of people like O.J. who prayed with us. He continues to live out his faith and doesn’t let his circumstances get the best of him.” The encouragement the Earle Brothers have received from their families and peo-
“
Seeing him continue to live out his faith is an encouragement to my brother and I today.” Guy Earle Former Professional football player
ple like O.J. Brigance, Darrell Green, Charles Mann and Tim Johnson is what drove them to “think twice.” In 1997 both Guy and John hung up their jerseys and went into full time ministry. They had worked through other ministries such as Team Impact, Power Team, FCA and Sports World Ministries, but five years ago they decided to do something a little different. They decided to start their own ministry called “Think Twice Ministries.” “Think Twice Ministries” challenges everyone to “think twice” about where they are in any stage of life if it doesn’t incorporate God. “If someone wants to be an athlete, go and be the best athlete you can be and strive for what you want. But realize in the end if it doesn’t reveal the glory of God then maybe that is not what you should be doing,” Guy Earle said. This is the message they brought to ACU Saturday night. Their careers shaped the message they have told to many. Guy and John now average about 70 speaking engagements a year, and they stand in front of between 20,00025,000 people. They have reached over 50,000 people who have come to know Jesus Christ either directly or indirectly through the ministry of the gospel. “We want people to share
our passion,” John Earle said. “If you have a passion for anything you do, you are going to find success. But most importantly, if you have a passion for Jesus Christ, people will see that in you and people will remember the words that you share and will see passion. And that’s what we want them to do, we want them to see passion.” John Earle is a student pastor at First Baptist in Colleyville and Guy Earle is the executive pastor at Grace Point in Denton. “It’s not us,” Guy Earle said.“God has just given us a platform and we just want to be a vessel, a mouth piece. We don’t have the ability, we just make ourselves available.” Many students got the special privilege of hearing Guy and John Earle speak Saturday night, because the student attendance was almost double of what it is usually at a normal basketball game. Evan Webb, junior business management major from Houston was able to attend Saturday night. “Unfortunately, a lot of the time Jesus and sports do not go well together. However, incorporating two former NFL athletes into a sporting event, and chapel, to give their testimony was very interesting. I thought it was a great idea,” Webb said. Mark Lewis said,“I think it’s just a real neat experience to see this opportunity. We have a close working relationship with athletics anyway because we share the same facility. This reflects that.” Lewis will gather the students responses to the event from the end of semester chapel survey. If the majority of students display a positive response, Lewis anticipates that there will be more of these unique chapel forums in the future. “Different venues have different challenges,” Lewis said. “I think in an athletic event, to have someone get up and give a 10 minute lecture about the book of Acts would be kind of awkward. But the context of having an athlete who is very overt in their faith getting up, seemed to be a good mix at least for tonight, and that’s part of what we will look for in
the future as well.” In light of the tragedy that struck ACU Friday night, John Earle left the ACU community with words of hope and encouragement. “My dad shared with me the most important words; ‘Jesus loves you, he will never leave you nor forsake you.’ To the hurting community, and to the hurting classmates and especially to the families who
have to deal with this, when you can’t make any sense out of things that happen in this world, the only thing that makes sense is Jesus and our hope that we have in Him. Cling to it.”
contact holman at keh09c@acu.edu
Opinion
wednesday 01.30.13
6
column
Not the praise you in the storm kind of night EVAN’s marks
evan marks
THIS IS NOT MY FORTE
MANDY LAMBRIGHT
Last Friday, the world grew just a bit dimmer. The loss of one of our own lays heavy on our hearts. As I scanned the trauma room of Hendrick that night, I saw emotions laid out like open books. Tales of heartbreak, confusion, anger and fear were writ-
“
There is a gaping hole in the heart of the ACU community, once filled by the beautiful and witty Lindsey Smith.”
ten across the faces of the hundreds of students filling the small room. As the shock took over, two words replayed in my head like a broken record - Lindsey died. There is a gaping hole in the heart of the ACU community, once filled by the beautiful and witty Lindsey Smith. It will be
a long recovery before we can feel whole again. Our university is overflowing with emotions, many of which still cannot be understood or explained, and that’s okay. Some are completely numb, and that’s just fine. Many have turned to worship as an outlet, and that’s awesome. Some are still confused and angry, and that’s me. I am not the “praise You in the storm” type. I wish I was that strong, but I’m not. I’m angry. I’m angry at God. I’m angry at the other driver. I’m angry at people that are much more graceful in these situations than I am. I’m angry at myself for being angry. I’m just angry. And I’m not alone. There are plenty of people like me - people who think phrases like “she’s in a better place” and “God needed her more than us” sound like nails on a chalkboard, and that’s okay too. We all deal differently. The truth is, I walked out of that room Friday night an angry woman.
But as I continue to reflect on all that has happened, my perspective is shifting. I no longer see only the tear-soaked faces of hurting friends and family. I see the warm embraces,
words of encouragement and hope. I no longer see hundreds of people that gathered to mourn Lindsey’s death. I see hundreds of people giving witness to the life that she lived. Hun-
dreds of people, all there A new two-word phrase is because of the impact she ringing in my ears - Lindmade in her short time sey lived. on this earth, and I am in awe of her for that. I am no contact lambright at longer consumed by the arl09a@acu.edu thought that Lindsey died.
editorial
France, study history so you do not repeat it the issue France has invaded the African country, Mali, in an attempt to push out radical, terrorist groups.
our take The French demonstrated quick initiative , but should proceed with caution, learning from the mistakes of the U.S. war in Iraq.
Every history teacher preaches the value of memorizing the dates, the places, the names and the speech goes something like this: we learn about the past so we won’t repeat it. By this definition, France has been handed a silver platter of history. On Jan. 12, France deployed thousands of ground troops and air strikes to the Republic of Mali, a country
in northwest Africa. The invasion was an effort to defeat extremists of al-Qaedalinked Islamists who seized control of the country more than nine months ago. Action was prompted when terrorist groups began to close in on the Malian capital, moving France’s president, François Hollande, to make the bold call of sending soldiers to action. This announcement
sent shockwaves through the country and the world. This was a nation who gave a clear, thumbs-down approval in 2003 concerning the U.S. invasion of Iraq for the War on Terror. What’s more, President Hollande has built himself a name of being a soft, indecisive leader at best. In fact, his spineless style has earned him the nickname “Flanby,” after a wobbly gelatin dessert. So for a country timid to raise its involvement hand, the Mali invasion speaks volumes of the progression of France as a country. To you, France, we give a round of applause for standing for something. The United Nations Security Council
agreed, giving its blessing of unanimous support. We are not making an argument whether this action is “right” or “justified,” but simply believe the crepeeating lot has a lot to be learned from us, the land that stole the french fry bit. The French have yet to set a clear objective or timetable in reaching that goal. And our country has a 10-year testament that refereeing for another nation comes with unforeseen consequences. France’s next move is unclear. Twenty-five hundred of the country’s soldiers have been sent into service and France has declared it will “stay as long as needed in Mali,” but has called
upon the African nations to take charge in backing the Malian armed forces. The true test of France’s take on the Spiderman moral
ance for the African nation, it must be the Malian people alone who fully restore their country. News of this revolution has a hushed presence in By this definition, the American media, a silent war in comparison to France has been handed a the U.S.-Iraq conflict. As of now, America has aided silver platter of history.” French forces in the refueling of their aerial services. France has awakened from its activist hibernation and the U.S. has begun to debate and discuss furthering “With great power comes its involvement. To both, we great responsibility,” will say this: study history. come after rebels have been subdued, and then Mali must face its own shambles. While the French’s quickly contact powell at executed efforts could very gmp10b@acu.edu well have been the deliver-
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column
Reporting with understanding and heavy hearts
The life of a journalist is not an easy one. In fact, it’s probably one of the most demanding professions. There’s the late nights, the struggle to meet deadlines, the sources that never call back and those dreaded Oxford commas. But there’s even more to it.
to the scene of a fatal car crash or to wait in a hospiDISTURBANCE tal for hours trying to gather information, but knowing IN THE FORCE the people involved in the MELANY COX crash were our friends and classmates made it almost unbearable. Journalists expect that So why were we there? one day they will have to As word about the crash cover difficult situations. got out, people needed to And we prepare ourselves know what happened. for this. But it’s almost imAnd we needed to tell possible to prepare for a them. situation that affects us diBut we didn’t want to be rectly. the stereotypical, apathetic, It would have been hard insensitive journalists. The enough for JMC Network people around us were our reporters, photographers friends, and our hearts were and videographers to drive breaking for them. We knew
people were still searching for the truth and we wanted to be able to give them answers. Hundreds of people
information to them as fast as we could. Within seconds of receiving word about the crash, my phone began lighting up with text mesAs word about the sages from friends who wanted to know what was crash got out, people going on. They expected me to have the answers and I needed to know what knew I had to get them. The last thing I wanted happened.” to do was drive to Hendrick, because I knew all too well what I would find there: a waiting room full of anxious were relying on someone to people and wails of agony get the word out as soon as when the names were finalpossible. We knew this and ly announced. we wanted to get accurate I knew because I had
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#PrayForACU 4:52 p.m. Jan. 26
10:03 a.m. Jan. 26
11:38 a.m. Jan. 25
1:01 p.m. Jan. 26
Thankful that this life is so much bigger than what we know here. Peace and healing to the families involved. #PrayforACU
We may be a small university in Abilene, TX, but you better believe we have the biggest heart and community in the world. #PrayforACU
Shaken by what happened. My heart aches for all involved. I pray that we can come together to help each other in this time. #PrayforACU
12:29 a.m. Jan.26
@ZNDavis
@allShayeveryday
@itsracheljoyce
@jeffportis
editorial and Letter Policy Unsigned editorials are the opinions of the Optimist and may not necessarily reflect the views of the university or its administration. Signed columns, cartoons and letters are the opinions of their creators and may not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the Optimist or the university. The Optimist encourages reader response through letters to the editor but reserves the right to limit frequent contributors or to refuse to print letters containing
personal attacks, obscenity, defamation, erroneous information or invasion of privacy. Please limit letters to 350 words or fewer. A name and phone number must be included for verification purposes. Phone numbers will not be published.
published by the department of journalism and mass communication editorial and management board
Address letters to: ACU Box 27892 Abilene, TX 79609 E-mail letters to: optimist@acu.edu
newsroom (325) 674-2439
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My heart is warmed by the overflow of love coming from the ACU community. God is making something beautiful from this tragedy. #PrayforACU
We only part to meet again. #PrayforACU
@beaucarter
been in the same position not that long ago. Nothing has been harder than watching people I love so deeply suffering from a pain I know too well. I would give anything just to help them feel better. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past year, it’s that the simplest gestures can go a long way. A hug can be one of the most powerful things in the world.
contact cox at mkc09b@acu.edu
9:53 a.m. Jan. 26
Friends of Anabel Reid, God has equipped you with the experience of a broken heart to comfrot those who were close to Lindsey. #PrayforACU
@dripplet
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featureS
wednesday 01.30.13
gabi powell Features editor
TAPPIN’ JACK story and photos by julie coppedge
“H
by any of them. I don’t know if I’m disappointed or glad about it.”
woman,” Jack said. to name a few. Though he wasn’t able to do all Though he hasn’t tapped in a class for a year, he hasn’t put away his taps just yet. “I do a few tap steps at work. I work every day in the back of a building and I tap when nobody is around.” Jack works for his son’s company, Orison Marketing. And just like that, Jack is on his feet in his kitchen exhibiting his skill. “You just go like this,” he says as he stands tall and swipes the ball of his left foot forward across the tile floor, ending with a tap of his white tennis-shoed heel. “See?” Jack’s still got it. Jackie Beth, who graduated with a missions degree from ACU in ’04, loved every moment of sharing tap with her grandfather. “He did a great job. It was fun.” But it was about more than just fun for Jackie Beth. “I have learned many-a-great-thing from Daddy Jack,” Jackie Beth said. “It was fun to get to share [tap] with him. It was an honor to get to do that.” Jackie Beth respects her grandfather’s character in many ways. “One of the things I like about Daddy Jack is that he is willing to try new things or look at things in a new way or to figure out a way to make things happen.” Jackie Beth began dancing at age three and ditched gymnastics early because she hated waiting in a line for the trampoline. In dance ever yone participated. She liked that. In high school, Jackie Beth often substituted for absent instructors until she was offered a position to teach her own classes. She continued to teach classes in college. After ACU, she studied dance at the University of North Texas and now teaches dance classes at ACU and at Dance Discovery. Last summer, she taught dance at a deaf orphanage in Kenya, combining her love of dance and missions. Jack swears by his granddaughter’s teaching. “She’s one of the best dance teachers ever because she recognizes where the problem is and can work on the problem,” he said. “She can more than likely tell you which piece of it can be tweaked. That makes a great teacher.” Sitting in his kitchen with his granddaughter, Jack reminisces on his tapping class and laughs a bright staccato laugh. He remembers another motivation for learning to tap. Jack tapped to keep from walking like an elderly man. “I don’t like the way the old men walk – I don’t want to waddle,” Jack said. “Tap dancing will keep you from doing that. See, there was a method to my madness!” “Oh yeah, and learn to laugh at yourself. Everything turns out OK.”
i. Give me just a minute, the game will be over in 24 seconds,” Jack McGlothlin said. He was standing a foot from his television screen with his eyes locked on the fourpoint football game between the Falcons and the Saints. When the Saints pulled through to victory 24 seconds later, Jack clicked off the TV and walked over to the kitchen table. His glasses sat upon his nose, right above his rosy red cheeks; his white button-up shirt and black dress pants, evidence of his Sunday morning church attendance. “Are you a big football fan?” Not particularly, he responded – he just likes close-scoring games. Jack McGlothlin (’51) has other interests. Jack began tap dancing four years ago at age 78. He walked through the glass doors of Dance Discovery Studio every Thursday evening at 5:30 for his adult tapping class. In the waiting room sat two groups of dance students – the eight elderly tappers and the 20 three and four-year-olds. The little kids sat perched atop benches while their parents secured shoes on their feet. Meanwhile, Jack and the elderly struggled to get their tap shoes on unaided. The elderly and toddlers split into their separate room when the clock showed 5:30. Jack smiled at the instructor, Jackie Beth Shilcutt, as he walked in the door. He knew her a bit better than the rest of the class – Jackie Beth is Jack’s granddaughter. “I grew up in a Church of Christ, ‘gotyou-God, can’t-go-to-the-movies-onSunday, can’t-dance world,’” Jack said. He did, however, go to the movies on Saturday here in Abilene at the Paramount, the Queens or the Majestic Theater. All of the movies were either westerns or musicals. Jack watched Gene Kelley, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Bob Hope and Bing Crosby in awe as they tap danced on the big screen. “It sure would be nice to learn how to tap dance,” he thought. About five years ago, Jackie Beth called her grandfather to relay the news that Dance Discovery had made arrangements for an adult tap class. After the comments to his granddaughter throughout the years about his desire to tap, he only had one choice. “I couldn’t not go, I had to go,” Jack said. “I was the only male in the group. There Jack McGlothlin demonstrates some of his newly aquired tap dance moves in the kitchen of his home. were about six or seven older ladies and “I’ve got to admit, though, that of the steps, he mastered the shuffle and me,” he said. “I was a widower in that class the women were better dancers than I was slap, flap, buffalo, maxi-four, camp role, with all the women and I didn’t get hit up – each one of them, even the 82-year-old military camp role and ball change – just
contact coppedge at jac08b@acu.edu
sports
wednesday 01.30.13
standings
track and field
Women’s team sets tone with wins jimmy isbell sports reporter The ACU men and women’s track team has a dynasty to protect this 2013 season, and so far they have proved their worth only two meets in. The teams split up traveling just north of Colorado Springs, Co. to the Air Force Academy Invitational as well as Albuquerque, New Mexico at the New Mexico Invitational this past Saturday to show they have what it takes to regain their powerhouse status. There were many
8
highlights, but a few really stood out among the rest. The team combined for three first place victories, 19 NCAA provisional results, two automatic qualifiers in the All-America veteran Amanda Ouedraogo in the triple jump, and freshman Elea Diarra in the 400 meter dash. “Elea and a lot of the other freshmen stepped up hitting some great marks for nationals, said assistant track and field coach Jerrod Cook. “She is a huge asset to the program, and a blessing to have her here.” Chloe Susset, the
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Elea and a lot of the other freshmen stepped up hitting some great marks for nationals.” Jerrod cook assistant coach ACU track and field
team’s mile runner, has made a name for herself ranked third in the nation with her mile time down to 5:00.29 “My time is converted at 4:53 which is good for a first meet, but I definitely need to improve because that might not even get into nationals. I’m happy
with the position I’m in at the moment,” Susset said. Ouedraogo ranked second in D-II, qualified for the second straight meet. Her paramount performance at last year’s New Balance Invitational in New York City was the defining moment in her exceptional career here. ACU’s Track and Field head coach Roosevelt Lofton and assistant track and field coach Jerrod Cook are pleased, to say the least, about the performances from their athletes so far this season. As ACU jumps to the Southland Conference at the D-I
level next year, they have already started to build the program. The team added some new faces in nine freshmen. Coach Lofton made it clear he has high hopes for them as the future of the program continues to improve each year. The team will be headed to the Big Apple this weekend to compete in the New Balance Invitational, where Ouedraogo will feast her eyes upon another personal best jump. contact isbell at jri10a@acu.edu
women’s basketball
men’s basketball
Team
Div.
Ovrl.
MSU UIW Cameron TAMU-K TSU Commerce WTAMU ACU ENMU ASU
8-2 8-2 6-4 5-5 4-5 4-5 4-6 4-6 4-6 2-8
12-5 12-6 10-6 9-8 10-6 11-8 12-6 10-8 7-11 5-13
women’s basketball
Team
Div.
Ovrl.
ACU MSU TSU UIW WTAMU Commerce ASU TWU Cameron ENMU TAMU-K
10-2 9-2 9-2 8-3 7-5 4-6 4-7 4-7 3-8 2-9 1-10
15-3 14-3 13-4 12-5 11-10 6-9 7-10 6-11 4-13 3-16 3-14
briefings Tickets for the men’s and women’s Lone Star Conference basketball championships in Allen are now on sale. It costs $32 to buy tickets to all seven sessions for students and $45 dollars for adults.
Who’s Hot Senior Kelsey Smith, from Coppel, has been on a roll as smith of late, scoring in double figures each of her last three games. The post player is in the middle of one of the best stretches in her four years in purple and white, as the ‘Cats have won seven straight games and Smith has been instrumental to their success in the mandy lambright chief Photographer middle. Last week, Junior guard Mackenzie Lankford dribbles past a West Texas A&M defender on Tuesday night in Moody Coliseum. The Wildcats came Smith blocked four from behind to beat the Lady Buffs, 69-60. The team has won eight straight games. shots against Angelo State including a three block performance on the road. Over her last four games, Smith is averaging 11.5 points The ‘Cats were slow out phasis on defense. A three said. “We caused twenty one some big shots,” Saunders per contest. daniel zepeda of the gate, falling behind point make by Sadie Dick- turnovers which allowed us said. “Mack’s steal and
‘Cats rally late, defeat WT sports reporter
The women’s basketball team faced off against longtime rival West Texas A&M on Tuesday night in Moody Coliseum. The game was close down the stretch, but the Wildcats were able to take the game 69-60, and move to 15-3 on the season, while WTAM fell to 11-10. “We all plan to continue to work together, work hard and never take our opponents for granted and just continue to believe in each other,” said Shannon Saunders.
early and having to play catch up for the majority of the first half. Junior Mack Lankford and sophomore Paige Parliament kept ACU in the game, as Lankford buried three three-pointers in the first half, and Parliament added several rebounds and hustle plays. “We need to focus on staying aggressive on defense, force turnovers, reduce our opponent’s rebounds and continue to pull together as a team,” Saunders said. The second half continued to be close, as both teams had increased em-
inson gave the Wildcats a 62-52 lead with 1:07 left. “We started off poorly but we came together towards the end which is what matters,” Head Coach Julie Goodenough said. “One of our main focuses was making sure we slowed down the point production from White and Griffin.” Over the weekend, the Wildcats took on Angelo State and came away with the win, 74-65 as the Lady ‘Cats held on after almost losing an 18-point lead. “I feel we played really good defense,” Saunders
to build a good lead.” The Rams caught fire in the late going, cutting the Wildcat lead to three with two minutes left in the game. With 45 seconds left in the game, Dickinson drew a charge which gave the ball back to the Wildcats with a 68-65 lead. A converted layup off a hard drive by Lankford secured the win for the Lady ‘Cats, as they took ahold of a 7065 lead with 20 seconds remaining. “Our team stepped it up, and knocked down
layup was huge and then Newman’s free throws put us over the top.” A moment of silence was observed before the game in respect to the loss of Lindsey Smith and those who were injured in the car accident on Friday night. The Wildcats next game will be on the road against Eastern New Mexico. ACU won the last meeting against the Greyhounds, 74-56. contact zepeda at djz11a@acu.edu
men’s basketball
Wildcats chase down Rams at home matthew sloan assistant sports editor The men’s basketball team completed their sweep of Angelo State Saturday night to secure a win for a fan, Lindsey Smith, who watched from streets of gold. The Wildcats 82-63 victory in Moody Coliseum gives ACU a two game winning streak and means the ‘Cats have won three of their last four, and could be rounding into form for a late-season push. Eric Lawton got the ‘Cats going early with several consecutive buckets while getting the rest of the starters in a rhythm as well, as ACU had six players finish the game in double figures. “I just wait for my time to come,” Lawton said. “I am the point guard so I have the ball in my hands a lot, so I have to get others involved first. Coach is always telling me to get in the paint and
find others because they collapse on me.” Lawton had a game high 20 points, followed by Parker Wentz with 14, Elliott Lloyd and Cornelius Cammock with 13 each, and Dosh Simms tallied another double double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. ACU scored 49 points in the first half and ran away from the Rams early, leaving Angelo State down by 17 at the intermission. It did not get any better for the Rams in the second half, as ACU finished the game shooting 63% from the field. “There are two bigs they have to worry about with me and Steven being able to score in the post,” Cammock said. “They can’t just double me because it leaves Steven open and they can’t double Steven because then they leave me open, so teams have to pick their poison.” All three post players finished in double digits, finish-
ing a combined 13-17 from the field, showing a plethora of ways to get to the cup. “When the defense plays well behind me it makes it easier for me to score,” Cammock said. “When they play behind me, I can just attack.” The Wildcats defense frustrated the Rams the entire game as well, holding them to just 35% shooting and prevented Angelo State to make any sort of run in the second half to narrow the gap. The ‘Cats have forced their way into the middle of the pack in the Lone Star Conference with their recent run, and are now only one game back of fourth place and two games back of third. The team has already won more conference games than they did all of last year, and the first post-season birth for ACU in five years could be on the horizon. contact sloan at mes10a@acu.edu
Upcoming The men’s tennis team hosts Oklahoma Christian, Tyler College and Trinity University Friday and Saturday. The women’s tennis team will be split over the weekend. Friday, they play Centenary College at 9 a.m. at home. They also play at Northwestern State University at 1 p.m. Saturday, the women face Tyler Junior College at 9 a.m. and play at Sam Houston State at 1 p.m. Both ACU basketball teams travel to Eastern New Mexico. The women play the Zias on Saturday 2 p.m. The men play at 4 p.m. on Saturday. Baseball plays in The Astros in Action D-II Invitational over the weekend in Houston at Minute Maid Park. Softball competes in the St. Mary’s Spring Invitational on Friday and Saturday in San Antonio. Track and field is split over the weekend between the New Balance Invitational in New York, N.Y. and the Texas Tech Open in Lubbock.
stephen reyes Staff Photographer
Senior guard Eric Lawton stretches for a layup in Moody.
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Wednesday 01.30.13
ACU community floods Hendrick ER melany cox online managing editor Students, faculty, staff, friends and family poured into the waiting room in the Hendrick Medical Center trauma unit Friday night to await information about six ACU students involved in a deadly car crash. More than 250 students packed the waiting room, filled the hallway and lingered outside the ER. Groups of anxious students hugged and comforted each other. Members of the ACU faculty
and staff mingled with the students, offering support and comfort. “I was amazed last night, there were probably 250 students, so many in the emergency room that at some point the emergency room staff had to ask that we relocate to another place,” said Dr. Phil Schubert, president of the university. The accident, involving two pickup trucks and seven people, occurred at 8:21 p.m. on TX-36. By 11 p.m., the emergency room was full of anxious acquaintances. At 11:50 p.m. Mark
Lewis, assistant dean for Spiritual Life and Chapel programs, announced the injured students were Robert Braddock, Rebekah Cherniss, Callie Kerbo, Deanna Romero and Eric Terrazas. He then informed the crowd Lindsey Smith, junior Ad/PR major from New Braunfels, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the other truck was also killed in the crash. Stacy Acton, junior elementary education major from Boulder, Co., drove to the hospital with some friends when they heard their friend, Braddock, was
injured and being treated at Hendrick. “We only knew that Bo was there and we all jumped in the car and drove to Hendrick,” Acton said. Acton said she knew Smith had been riding in the car with Braddock. She said when the announcement of Smith’s death was made she saw people falling to the ground, crying and running away. She said she had never heard so much wailing in one place. “We just got together, held each other and cried,” Acton said. Acton said Smith was
one of her best friends. She said the last thing she told her was, “I love you.” Michael Davis, junior finance and accounting major from West Lake Calif., also rushed to the hospital after hearing about the accident. He said details were vague at first and he kept hearing different information. Davis was friends with Smith and when he heard rumors she had been killed, he said he didn’t believe it. “We heard the words, we just didn’t believe it,” he said. As Lewis was reading
the names of the students involved, Davis said he could see Smith’s photo on the sheet with a note written by it saying she had passed away. He said, at that point, it became real. “We were all just kind of in shock,” Davis said. Davis said his friends began to pray. “We were angry, but we just had to let it out to God and let him know that we still believe and He’s still good,” he said.
contact cox at mkc09b@acu.edu
Crash: Two students remain in hospital continued from page 1 turn at a high speed when he disregarded the stop sign. The windshields and windows shattered, the chassis dented and compacted, and each seat belt locked to keep all six students from being thrown from the truck. The two trucks, now totaled, came to an abrupt stop facing opposite directions on either side of the highway. Smith, 20, and Davis were pronounced dead on the scene. Kerbo stayed conscious throughout the accident and never moved from her seat until after the truck came to a stop. She received seat belt wounds on her neck, chest and abdomen, and some scratches on her arms from the shattered windows and bruises on her face. She looked around the cab and saw everyone else had been hurt worse than she. “I stayed in the exact same place, but everyone else in the car had shifted,” she said. “Rebekah was unconscious and had fallen over on top of me, and my jeans were covered in her blood, and so was some of my shirt. Then I could hear Deanna yelling to me, and I knew something had happened to her back. I knew if I moved her, I’d just hurt her more. Eric was conscious, but I couldn’t understand what he was saying.” In the front seat, Smith had fallen over onto Terrazas, who was in a great deal of pain. Braddock, who suffered a concussion from the collision, was trying to crawl across them to get out of the cab, but Terrazas pushed him back. “Then he crawled out of the driver’s side window, and his face was bloody from the windshield shattering,” Kerbo said. Kerbo had pulled herself out of the open window
first, “NASCAR-style.” Almost immediately after exiting the vehicle, Kerbo was met with help. Marsha Harris, who lived nearby but has no ACU connection, was the first person to come up on the accident. She tried to help Kerbo and the others as best she could. “She called my mom so I could talk to her,” Kerbo said. “Then the police came, and I told them the details about the others. Then before I knew it, I was in the ambulance on my way to the hospital with Bo.” Harris told Dr. Phil Schubert, president of the university, she was amazed with the students’ faith. Amidst the tragedy, Kerbo took her aside and asked, “Would you pray with me?” “I know that God was there at that very moment,” Harris said. Matt Barber, freshman kinesiology major from Frisco, was also on his way to Oplin with some friends but stopped at the accident site about five minutes after Kerbo got out of the truck.
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I wouldn’t want to come back if I was where she is now.” callie kerbo freshman marketing major from murfreesboro, tenn.
Barber, a trained EMT, didn’t hesitate to help the victims. Barber first ran to Davis’ truck, checked his vital signs, and found that he had died. Then he ran to the other truck, where Callie and Bo had gotten out already. Barber then stabilized Cherniss, Romero and Terrazas and stayed with them until they were taken to the hospital. “I do not try to understand why I did what I did,” Barber said. “But instead, how God used me to help
save three lives in such a way that brings Him glory and unifies the student body of ACU together with the friends and families of those who survived and those who passed.” Kerbo knew she’d be OK, that her injuries weren’t as serious as the others’. She continued to ask her nurses about how her friends were while she lay in the hospital bed, and they told her their conditions among the chaos. “There was a lot of misinformation going around, but I had a really good nurse who kept me updated and helped me contact my boyfriend and my mom,” Kerbo said. “A couple people from ACU showed up, including Matt, and they told me how my friends were.” That’s when she learned that Smith had died. “I kind of already knew right when we stopped initially, that that was what had happened,” she said. “But I found out officially from my nurse.” She received several surprise visits before she was discharged around 1 a.m. on Saturday, including someone she didn’t recognize. He identified himself to her as “the president of the university you attend.” “Dr. Schubert came in, and I didn’t recognize him because he was in a baseball cap and a sweatshirt,” she said. “I asked him who he was, and then I was really sorry I forgot his name. He made sure I knew everyone was praying for me.” A group of close friends met her as soon as she left the discharge room. “I didn’t want many people to see me because I had a lot of fresh scrapes, but I walked out and all my friends were there, and it was good to see them,” she said. Hundreds of other students crowded in the waiting room to hear the victims’ statuses. When Smith’s
mandy lambright chief photographer The Taylor County Sheriff’s Department and Potosi Fire Department sift through the debris of Jeffrey Davis’ Dodge pickup after Davis died in a car accident involving six ACU students.
death was announced, the group’s collective emotion poured out in tears, hugs and disbelief. Mark Lewis, assistant dean for Spiritual Life and Chapel Programs, said Barber, the first responder to the accident, went with the victims to Hendrick and Lewis saw him pushing Terrazas’ wheelchair out of the discharge room at 2 a.m. Barber said he stayed with the victims until 5:30 a.m. Braddock was also released soon after midnight. Cherniss and Romero are still hospitalized. According to the DPS, Cherniss was the only one Care Flighted to Hendrick. She has improved from critical to fair condition after suffering a concussion, but when she is released she will go to her home in Katy and recover until she can return to classes this semester. Romero is in good condition and expects to be released soon. She has a fractured L1 vertebra in her lower back, and was put in a back brace on Monday. Kerbo said the university community’s response has
been more than enough. “I knew ACU reacted quickly to things like this, but Dr. Schubert was there within an hour,” she said. “It was nice to see that kind of support. I know the entire Mabee dorm went down to the library to pray for us. There was hundreds of people there waiting to see how we were. I had 64 text messages when I reopened my phone, which took me an hour to get all the way through them.” The university reserved a room for Kerbo and her mother, Susan, who flew in on Saturday, for three days in the Residence Inn near campus. Callie said she’ll return to her dorm room in Nelson Hall on Tuesday. She doesn’t want to rush into classes yet, but she might start return to the classroom as soon as Thursday. Friends and family of the victims sat near the stage in Monday’s Chapel service dedicated to Smith and the other victims in the accident. During the service, Schubert said God’s kingdom will continue to be glorified. “As we move forward
may we do so with hope, trust and perseverance,” he said. “Although it may not be easy and the pain may be great, God will walk with us every step of the way.” Callie said while she didn’t know Smith before Friday night, she will remember her friendly smile and personality from that trip to Oplin cut short. “Lindsey seemed really sweet and funny,” Callie said. “We were joking around and she seemed really carefree and fun.” While she thinks it was a tragic story, Callie believes there is hope to be taken from the accident. “It was a really bad accident; there really should’ve been no way any of us got out of that, but there was a hedge of protection over all of us,” she said. “And even though Lindsey passed away … I wouldn’t want to come back if I was where she is now. I really think God is working through all of this.” contact smith at mds10a@acu.edu
Smith: Active junior enjoyed theater, sports
optimist file photo
continued from page 1 “Lindsey was my best friend,” Buck said. “She was a blessing not only in my life, but everyone’s she met. I will always miss her, but more importantly, I will always love her. I am devastated at the loss of such a great friend, but I know Lindsey is at peace now, and in the midst of all this pain, that gives me some comfort.” Smith loved to dance
and went every week to Oplin to two-step with her friends. She enjoyed dancing in her free time and had recently picked up a hobby of crocheting. She participated in the sophomore act of Sing Song 2012. She was also a part of Seekers of the Word, an ACU drama group. On her Facebook profile, it says, “laughing is my favorite pastime.” Stacy Acton, junior elementary education major from Boulder, Colo., said
Smith was full of energy. “Lindsey is the most vivacious girl I knew,” said Acton. “She loved people with her whole heart and did everything with a passion. She made me laugh harder than anyone else, hugged me close, and always reminded me to never change.” Lindsey decided to follow in the footsteps of her parents by attending ACU. During the fall semester of 2012, Lindsey had the opportunity to participate in the Disney College program. She had also recently started working for the president’s office as a student worker. In Monday’s Chapel service dedicated to the accident’s victims, Dr. Phil Schubert, president of the university, said Lindsey had a nickname for him. “I heard that she referred to me as Schubey-Dooby, but she never said that to my face,” Schubert said. “And you know what, that’s great. I’m going to miss her. I know we all will.” Zach Stromberg, junior psychology and business financial management major from Putney, Vt., will remember “her beautiful smile, joyous personality and huge heart.” “We were all blessed to be her best friends. God doesn’t create bad situations, but he sure holds
people close to his heart,” Stromberg said. Paige Berry, junior missions major from Houston, posted a sad but hopeful status for Lindsey a few hours after being at the hospital. “So glad I got to see you
optimist@acu.edu
tonight Lindsey. You looked step too.” so beautiful. I bet you look Madeline Orr and Elizaeven more beautiful before beth Weiss contributed to Daddy right now. I can’t this report. believe this is real. I don’t know how we’re going to contact the optimist at dance without you... But jmcnetwork@acu.edu I heard Jesus likes to two-
The Optimist
@acuoptimist
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accident
wednesday 01.30.13
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adrian patenaude Staff Photographer
Lindsey Smith dances with Michael Davis, junior accounting major from Malibu, Calif., at the Grand Ole Oplin last year. This photo ran on the front page of the Optimist on Feb. 24, 2012.
Oplin dancers slowly learn of crash staff report
The Grand Ole Oplin – known simply as Oplin to most ACU students – is becoming a popular place for students to go on Friday nights. Based in the Oplin Community Center, the Grand Ole Oplin hosts a weekly dance open to all comers. Located 25 miles southeast of Abilene, Oplin seems almost impossible to find, hidden down long, dark country roads. Despite this, the dance sees about 100-150 people show up every week, and even more for their events. This past Friday, Oplin
saw a much larger group of people than usual, with around 200 college students crowding the community center. Students started to show up in large groups around 8 p.m. and gathered in the corner of the dance hall normally claimed by ACU students. Conversation revolved around Sing Song, the beginning of classes and groaning about homework. Students showing up around and after 8:30 p.m. brought disturbing news with them: they had to detour around a severe car wreck just past Abilene Regional Airport on TX-36. One student, Matt Barber, freshman kinesiology major from Frisco, stopped
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It wasn’t until we left Oplin around 10:30 p.m. that people started texting and realizing that ACU students were involved.”
about five minutes after the wreck. A trained EMT, Barber was also going to Oplin with a small group but instead cared for the injured students at the crash site and stayed with them in the hospital until 5:30 a.m. Haley Conaway, junior psychology major from Plano, drove past the crash about 20 minutes after it happened, at about 8:45 p.m.
haley conaway junior psychology major from plano
“We thought it was probably a head-on collision, but a police car was blocking the view,” Conaway said. While it was not much of a concern at the beginning, as the night went on more and more students started to worry about who was involved in the crash. “It wasn’t until we left Oplin around 10:30 p.m. that people started texting
and realizing that ACU students were involved,” Conaway said. Social media became the bridge of communication between campus and Oplin. As the first news of the crash came out, more statuses and tweets were posted. By the end of the night the atmosphere was more troubled than usual. Everyone was comparing what little pieces of information they had to figure out if they knew who was involved in the crash. No names had been released by the end of the night at Oplin, leaving students with worries about their friends and classmates as they headed home. Even before any names
were released, students were praying and checking on the safety of their friends. At about midnight, the Optimist reported that Lindsey Smith, junior Ad/PR major from New Braunfels, died on the scene. Five other students were injured in the accident; two of them are still being treated in Hendrick Medical Center. The six students were on their way to Oplin for a night of dancing. Katie Greene, Cara Kramar and Mark Smith contributed to this report.
contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Schubert seeks prayers from community josh garcia managing editor ACU President Phil Schubert called on the ACU and Abilene communities to come together in prayer during a press conference Saturday afternoon following a fatal car crash Friday evening involving six ACU students. Schubert said part of the healing process is being able to have conversa-
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The university takes immediate steps to make sure they’re doing everything possible for the students and their families.” jimmy ellison ACU police chief
tions and fellowship. “Obviously, everybody’s overwhelmed. You never expect to have a tragedy like this and we’ve had too many here over the last year and a half,” Schubert said. “I think part of the healing process is being able to come together as a community and share the feelings that we have. I’m
proud of our students and the way that they do that.” Schubert compared Friday’s accident to the bus crash of November 2011 that claimed the life of Anabel Reid. He said the healing process will take time. “I think the thing that we certainly realize from the horrible accident over a year ago is that it’s a long process. It goes well beyond the accident,” he said. “We’re still dealing with impacts from that accident today and my guess it that we will continue to deal with different varying degrees of impact from that unfortunate circumstance.” Schubert said he appreciates the response the university has received so far. “Already the outpouring of love and support and prayers is deeply felt,” Schubert said. “None of us will ever understand we accidents like this have to happen. That’s not the journey we’re on. The journey we’re on is to understand how God works in difficult circumstances.” ACU Police responded to the crash shortly after it occurred. Jimmy Ellison, ACU police chief, said their first priority was to give comfort and support
mandy lambright chief photographer Dr. Phil Schubert, president of the university, answers reporters’ questions in a press conference on Saturday afternoon in the aftermath of a car wreck on TX-36 involving six ACU students. The accident resulted in the death of 20-year-old Lindsey Smith.
to students at Hendrick Medical Center, where the five injured students were taken, and to communicate with families. He said Spiritual Life and counseling personnel were sent to
the hospital to help students affected. “It’s not just a crash involving students. The university takes immediate steps to make sure they’re doing everything possible
for the students and their a memorial Chapel service families,” Ellison said. in Moody Coliseum, MonUniversity Church of day at 11 a.m. Christ will conduct a special devotional service at 9 contact garcia at p.m. Sunday. Additionally, jtg10b@acu.edu Schubert will preside over