The Optimist - 04.12.13

Page 1

Sports Page 6

Rained Out

vol. 101, no. 49

friday, april 12, 2013

1 SECTION, 6 PAGES

Softball team preparing for busy weekend after weeknight games were canceled

students’ association INSIDE OPINION An open letter from the weather to complaining ACU students

WE’RE NOT DONE YET

Treasurer candidates to face off on Friday

Page 4

OPINION Sophomore advocates for women’s rights to President Schubert Page 4

NEWS Committee to choose Study Abroad director Page 5

SPORTS

Benac elected president, Rodney Johnson to be VP mandy lambright chieF Photographer Above: J.P. Ralston, junior finance and accounting major from Plano, and Tyler Eidson, sophomore marketing and finance major from College Station, will face off on Friday in a runoff election because neither received the required amount of the vote, more than 50 percent. Ralston narrowly missed the victory, getting 49.5 percent. Left: Dylan Benac, junior political science major from Boerne, was elected the president of the Students’ Association with 51.2 percent of the vote. Right: Rodney Johnson, sophomore management major from Odessa, won the race for vice president with 59.7 percent of the vote.

Tennis teams to play final regular season match in Florida Page 6

staff report

SPORTS Goodenough’s rebuilding of the women’s basketball team is working Page 6

NEWS SA team to select greatest idea in challenge Page 3

ONLINE

Tyler Eidson and J.P. Ralston aren’t done campaigning for Students’ Association treasurer yet. Ralston, junior finance and accounting major from Plano, received 588 votes, or 49.5 percent of the 1,185 votes cast in the treasurer election. But, though he received the most votes, he had to get more than 50 percent of the total votes to be elected. Eidson, sophomore marketing and finance ma-

jor from College Station, received the second-most votes in the race, 373, and will face Ralston in a runoff election on Friday. The other two SA executive officers have been elected: Dylan Benac will be the next president of SA, and Rodney Johnson won the race for vice president. Ralston, who was five votes short of victory, said he had expected a runoff to occur. “I think Tyler had a really good advertising campaign, but I’m still very confident that I’m the best candidate

for the position,” he said. Eidson said he’s glad that if he doesn’t win, Ralston will. “He’ll do a great job and I’ll be happy for him,” he said. “And I’ll know it was God’s plan for him to win and that’s completely cool.” Benac, junior political science major from Boerne and current SA vice president, said he had been nervous about the election. “I’m really excited and kind of relieved honestly,” he said. “I was really wor-

SA election results compared to last year 2013 Overall 1,213 For President Benac: 614 Aaron Johnson: 418 Braddock: 167 For Vice President Rodney Johnson: 713 Rosales: 250 Fullerton: 231 For Treasurer Ralston: 588 Eidson: 373 Goodman: 224

2012 Overall 468 For President Dial: 443 For Vice President Benac: 439 For Treasurer Austin: 237 Bracken: 222

see elections page 5

campus venues

NEWS Ad/PR club tours agencies in Dallas acuoptimist.com

Advance booking frustrates planners brittany jackson student reporter

NEWS Sing Song co-chairs named, planning the February 2014 event acuoptimist.com

VIDEO Students gather for sunny All Club Rush to open rushing season

acuoptimist.com

PHOTOS Check our Flickr for more shots from club rushes

mandy lambright chieF Photographer Laura Kaminsky, junior business management major from Oceanside, Calif., performs with Sanctify Dance Co. in Cullen Auditorium last semester. The dance group was unable to book the auditorium for its spring show.

Cullen Auditorium has proven to be a challenge to book. Anyone planning an event must reserve the space a year in advance. This practice of claiming a space for venues in advance is not uncommon for event coordinators. In fact, it’s a “rule of thumb” that most sites are unavailable to secure locations at last minute. Because of its high demand as a multi-use facility, the auditorium functions on a large scale for securing activities. Therefore, the procedure for retaining a spot is tailored to the professional world, just as it is for saving a spot in the Civic Center or Paramount Theatre. Jacob “KP” Kilpatrick, junior Ad/PR major from Mesquite and captain of Sanctify, recently tried to book Cullen for the hip-hop group’s dance show. He said

he hasn’t been able to get the dance group into the facility for a spring show since he’s been at ACU. “I’ve never had a problem reserving it in the fall, only the spring,” Kilpatrick said. “And having a spring show that’s not in Cullen isn’t impossible. It just takes a little more work than usual and some focus.” Instead, the Sanctify members performed in the Beauchamp Amphitheatre last week. In this past year Cullen has housed 59 major events. Some events lasted two-three days while others lasted an entire week. The auditorium may seem empty at times, but the shows that occur take up a majority of its availability. For example, the ACU Opera reserved all of last week to prepare for its performance. These preparations involve more than simply booking Cullen and rehearsing. They require completing tasks such as fixing the lighting, adjust-

Successfully managing an event is a learning process.”

tom craig director of student activities

ing the sound system and constructing sets. Tom Craig, director of student activities and productions, said there are a lot of variables event coordinators must consider when organizing an activity. Things such as weather conditions, holidays and other activities happening in the community could significantly increase or decrease the event’s attendance. He advised that coordinators first work with the performers to find a reasonable date and then immediately put a hold on the spot in Cullen. “You have to think about all of those things,” Craig said. “Successfully managing an event is a learning see cullen page 3

local

Weather didn’t get the memo: it’s spring flickr.com/acuoptimist

OXFORD Marissa Jones, our Oxford correspondent, details her latest experiences abroad theoxfordcommablog. wordpress.com

below the freezing point on Wednesday morning. editor in chief With the 62-degree drop came a little more than an Don’t put away those sweat- inch of rain and some peaers just yet. The weather sized hail. The Wednesday just can’t seem to make up high of 50 was a record high its mind. minimum, according to an A cold front brought Abilene Reporter-News reTuesday’s high tempera- port. ture of 93 degrees down to This spring season has

mark smith

been unseasonably cool in Abilene, only nearing average temperatures, with a few exceptions, about a week ago. The inch of rain persuaded Taylor County Judge Downing Bolls to lift the burn ban on Wednesday. It also canceled two ACU softball games and convinced

Abilene Christian University

many students to stay inside. “I was looking forward to finally wearing shorts and not be freezing,” said John Martin, junior Ad/PR major from Pflugerville. “It’s supposed to start getting warm in April.” The weather on Thursday was a welcome change.

Sunny skies, a high near 70 and little wind made for a pleasant spring day. Dr. Kerri Hart, associate director of the Money Student Recreation and Wellness Center, said she had been complaining about how unpredictable, and ofsee srping page 3


2

friday 4.12.13

12

13

friday

14

saturday 12 p.m. Men’s and Women’s Tennis at Pensacola, Fla. vs Auburn-Montgomery

All Day - Track - UTEP Invitational 8 a.m. Noah Project Walk-A-Thon

6 p.m. Softball vs Cameron

15

sunday

7 p.m. Baseball vs Cameron

10 a.m. Men’s and Women’s Tennis at Pensacola, Fla. vs West Florida

7:30 p.m. Footloose ACU Theatre

12 p.m. Softball vs Cameron

monday

All Day - Golf - Lone Star Conference Championship

10 a.m. Men’s and Women’s Tennis at Pensacola, Fla. vs University of New Orleans

5 p.m. Zeta Rho Rush

1 p.m. Baseball vs Cameron

7:30 p.m. ACU Percussion Ensemble Concert

2 p.m. Baseball vs Cameron 2 p.m. Pack the Park Rush 7:30 p.m. Footloose ACU Theatre

Chapel checkup

Announcements

85 14

The ACU Career Center is now on Pinterest. Go to pinterest.com/acucareercenter to begin following the boards from the ACU Career Center Pinterest today.

@acuoptimist The Optimist optimist@acu.edu

OME will have its last Sundaes on Monday April 15 at 8:30 p.m. in the Mabee Core Classroom. Come for free ice cream sundaes and to discuss the minority experience at ACU. Upward Bound is still looking for male sumer advisors to come work with high school students for six weeks this summer.

Omega Dance Company is having its spring show April 12 and 13 at 7:30 p.m. in Cullen Auditorium. Tickets are $5 in advance and $7 at the door. Tickets will be sold in the Campus Center the week of the show after Chapel. The FAC Dodgeball Tournament is April 13 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Each team costs $30 to register and must have 8-12 players. Each team must include two guys and two girls. All proceeds go to charity of the winning team’s choice.

Shades Step Squad presents Reminiscing the 90’s April 19 and 20 starting at 7 p.m. in Gym D of the SWRC. Doors will open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $5 pre-sale and $7 at the door. Tickets will be sold in the Campus Center from 11-2 p.m. April 15-19. Percussion Ensemble and Steel Band will have a concert April 15 at 7:30 p.m. in Cullen Auditorium. Recent recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship and ACU grad, David Degge, will be featured as guest artist. Admission is free.

World Wide Witness is hosting a dinner fundraiser April 16 at 6 p.m. in Gardner Hall, West Lobby to support internships this summer. The main course will be spaghetti. A minimum donation of $5 is requested. Voting for ACU 2013-2014 Student Body Officers is in the Campus Center April 12 from 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

Police Log Police log 4/03/2013 9:08 p.m. A citizen reported that a male in a black pickup had exposed himself at the United Supermarket on Judge Ely. Officers located the suspect at a convenience store in the 300 block of N Judge Ely. Suspect was identified and charges pending. 4/05/2013 3:42 p.m. ACUPD received report from an area resident that an unknown person was in her fenced backyard and upon being spotted by the homeowner, jumped the fence and left in an unknown vehicle. On-scene investigation by officers revealed several dead birds in the back yard. It is unknown if the prowler had killed them or what he was doing there. 4/06/2013 12 a.m. ACUPD received a report of loud music coming from outside a house on Wildlife Trails Pkwy. The responding officer contacted the home owner who turned the music down.

Weekly Stats for week of April 2-April 9 4/06/2013 9 a.m. An ACU student reported that several parked cars had their windows shoe polished with numbers that created a phone number. None of the vehicles were damaged. The student who had written his number across the window glass called and admitted having done the writing. 4/07/2013 10:08 p.m. A Lunsford Trail walker reported having seen unknown persons smoking marijuana at Jacobs Dream. The responding officer found no one at the site. 4/08/2013 6:26 p.m. ACUPD assisted APD narcotics officers in arresting a suspected wanted for several felony parole warrants. Police Tip of the Week: With warmer weather coming soon, remember to be safe while exercising outdoors. Run, walk or bike with groups, always carry a cell phone, stay on the Lunsford Trail or other well-lighted area, and always report suspicious behavior to ACUPD.

911 call Accident Administrative activity Alarm Animal call Assist Attempt to locate Back up officer Building lock/unlock Check building Criminal mischief Direct Traffic Disturbance Escort Foot patrol Found property Indecent exposure Information report Investigation follow up Lost property Maintenance: University assets Medical Emergency Monitor facility/lot

1 Motorist assist: 2 Inflate tire 16 Jumpstart 1 Other 1 Unlock 2 Noise violation 1 Other 1 Parking lot patrol 13 Parking violation 102 Patrol vehicle: 1 Maintenance 1 Refuel 1 Prowler 7 Public service 12 Random patrol 1 Reckless driving 1 Report writing 2 Special assignment 3 Suspicious activity 2 Suspicious person 5 Traffic hazard 2 4 Total Events: 247

1 2 1 8 1 4 7 1 6 8 1 4 12 1 2 2 1 2 1

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 MondayFriday 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.

toring. Contact Susanna Lubango to make an appointment at 325-675-5643.

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.

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.

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 Monday-Friday 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 Monday-Saturday. 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 325-672-6061. The International Rescue Committee is seeking volunteers to work with refugees who recently moved to the U.S., teaching English, helping with homework and men-

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 325-692-4149 or mbeasley5@suddenlink.net. To serve on Fridays contact Rachel Brown at rdb08a@acu.edu. Christian Homes & Family Services is seeking volunteers to do minor landscaping such as raking, trimming bushes, minor apartment repairs and general upkeep MondaySaturday 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. For additional volunteer opportunities visit: www.acu. edu/campusoffices/ccsl/ministry-service/volunteeropportunities/


3

news

friday 04.12.13

Students’ association

Leadership team to select Greatest Idea Madeline orr copy editor Five presentations competed for the title of ‘Greatest Idea’ Tuesday afternoon. Finalists Naomi Johnson; Cole Brentham and JP Festa; Joesph Austin; Nathan McClain; and Dylan Benac had nine minutes to present and five minutes to answer questions by the senior leadership team Tuesday as a part of the Students’ Association’s

Greatest Idea Challenge. The senior leadership team includes Dr. Phil Schubert, president of the university, and his senior level advisers. Before the final round, 10 semi-finalists presented their ideas in-person to the strategic review team. This team consisted of several department heads, deans and upper level administrators. “I’ve enjoyed seeing all the presentations develop from the beginning to final stages,” said Rebecca Dial,

political science and finance major from Lexington, South Carolina and president of SA. “It will be cool to see which idea is picked and to see it implemented.” First place will receive $2,000 and will meet with administration to have their idea implemented. Runnerups will receive $1,500 and $1,000 respectively. Joesph Austin, SA executive treasurer, said he is excited about the idea he submitted to build two water

fountains around the Lunsford Foundation Trail. “They are designed identically to the existing limestone on the Lunsford,” said Austin, senior accounting and pre-law major from Houston. “They would also help with ACU’s sustainability effort by decreasing the amount of water bottles and also being a water bottle refilling station.” Other finalist ideas include Campus Center food delivery, a mentoring pro-

gram, the ability to use Bean bucks off-campus and more. “The Greatest Idea Challenge really puts administrators and students on the same level for dialogue to happen,” Austin said. “Administrators are really as open to talking to students as much students want to talk to administrators—it’s just finding the process for dialogue to happen.” Dial said administrators get to hear about the issues that students care about.

“Although it might not be a winning idea that actually gets implemented, it still brings up issues to the administrators’ attention that they may not have thought about before,” Dial said. The winner of the Greatest Idea Challenge will be announced in Chapel on April 19. contact orr at mco10b@acu.edu

theatre

Students to provoke thought in musical katie williamson student reporter

Adrian Patenaude Staff Photographer

Members of ACU Theatre perform ‘Footloose.’

ACU Theatre presents Footloose, a story about standing up for your heart and overcoming the hardships life can throw at you. Footloose will be showing in Fulks Theatre on Friday and Saturday, April 19-20 and 26-27. Tickets are $15 and groups of 10 or more may receive a $5 discount per ticket. “This is definitely a show where people will walk away singing the songs,” said Amanda Jarufe, senior musical theatre major from Coppell. “The show is full of astonishing dance numbers and songs the entire family can enjoy.” Jarufe will be playing the role of the reverend’s daughter, Ariel. “Dawne did a wonderful

job of cutting the adult material,” Jarufe said, “and so it is appropriate for 10 and up.” Footloose will have the whole family dancing and singing along by the end. With ACU’s dance ban being lifted last year, this musical has more implications than one might think. Standing up for what you believe in is a value close to the hearts of ACU students. “It was so important to me that through this process we did not create fluffy caricatures,” said Dawne Meekes, Associate Professor in the theatre department and director of the show. “I really wanted to make sure that these characters were grounded in a truthful place and that we explored some of the tougher issues, some of the grittiness.” This musical is a chance for students to see opposi-

tion in a new light. Rather than making the show about judgment and rebellion, the students are attempting to send a message of restoration and reconciliation. Performers in the show are faced with the challenge of deciding how they will portray these “close-minded” and “rebellious” characters on the stage. Perhaps the most challenging character is the reverend, played by Jacob Alexander, sophomore musical theatre major from Amarillo. “It would be really easy to play the reverend as a villain, who has no justification for the way he is thinking,” said Alexander. “But what we wanted to do is make it a little more complicated for the audience so we really tried to go into the text and discuss why he has

to be this opposition to the story.” Students are being invited to watch this show to have a good time and to see what it means to understand another person who doesn’t share their perspective. “The whole point is that we have to step back and try and put ourselves in someone else’s shoes before we mark them off as good guy or bad guy,” Alexander said. Tickets can be purchased by calling (325) 674-2787 or by going online at acu.edu/ theatre. The JMC Network is producing a video report on Footloose. Check our website at acuoptimist.com Friday for the video.

contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

campus venues

Cullen: Auditorium must be booked a year in adavance there are events in Cullen planned until the summer process.” of 2015, so anyone wantCraig has already begun ing to have a performance planning out next year’s in the auditorium must official schedule for Cul- think ahead. len, with events ranging from Freshman Follies to contact the optimist at the CORE curriculum’s jmcnetwork@acu.edu presentations. He said continued from page 1

scholarships

Campaign almost to $21 million jocelyn nederhoff student reporter ACU’s Partnering in the Journey scholarship campaign has reached $20.6 million in commitments since its public launch in February 2011. The campaign is a subset to ACU’s endowment dedicated to providing scholarships to students through generous donors. It raises funds through donors and sets up scholarships available for ACU students in need. There are currently 670 endowed scholarships on record, most with a minimum of $10,000 given, said Rendi Young Hahn (’83), an Advancement campaign coordinator. Scholarships range in award amount and criteria, based on the donor’s wishes. They may be set up to honor a person or group as the donor wishes. Alumni are the main donors in the campaign, and even recent graduates have been contributing, Hahn said. “We have a growing number of people making their first commitment, most with the minimum of $10,000,” she said. “Two graduates from 2010 are doing that – committing to a minimum of $10,000 and paying it off in small chunks. That’s a huge sacrifice.” Billie Currey (’70), director of advancement strategies, agreed. “It is encouraging to see our alumni help others experience the Christian education we continue to provide at ACU,” Currey said. The campaign not only helps students attend ACU, but it also allows for relationships to be formed be-

tween the donors and the recipients. Jonathan Pruitt, senior criminal justice major from Brazil and a recipient of the Kay and Bob Onstead Ministers Progeny Endowed Scholarship, has been able to meet the donor, Kay Onstead, at a yearly dinner. “The yearly dinner with Mrs. Onstead and the other scholars is always something I look forward to, not only to hear other Onstead scholars’ stories and to hear from Mrs. Onstead,” Pruitt said. “She talks about how much she loves hearing our life stories, and she makes us feel important when she hears about what we’ve had to overcome to get here.” Victoria Costa (’12), re-

If it weren’t for the Onstead scholarship, I wouldn’t have been able to attend ACU at all.” Victoria Costa (‘12) Ad/Pr gradiate from Winston-Salem, NC

cent Ad/PR graduate and Onstead scholar, attended the dinners while at ACU and is also thankful for the scholarship. “If it weren’t for the Onstead scholarship, I wouldn’t have been able to attend ACU at all,” she said. Pruitt agreed. “Mrs. Onstead and her donation has made it much easier to be able to attend the best university in the world: ACU,” he said. To learn more about the Partnering in the Journey scholarship campaign, visit www.acu.edu/journey. contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

paige otway staff Photographer

Freshman Rylee Schafer, psychology major from Keller, gets to know Carleigh Weider, junior family studies major from Richland Hills, at the Alpha Kai Omega rush in the Hunter Welcome Center.

local

Spring: Weather being bi-polar we shouldn’t complain about simple things like ten unpleasant, the weather the weather, and just be has been lately until read- glad that we’re living and ing a devotional-like book we have the opportunity to Thursday morning, which live in the day,” Hart said. included Psalm 118:24. “I needed to hear that be“It talked about how cause I had been complaincontinued from page 1

ing about the weather lately casted continue to rise this because it’s been so sporad- weekend and reach the 90s ic. I think yeah, it’s wacky, by next week. but maybe it’s made that way for a lesson we’re not even aware of until we have contact smith at beautiful days. mds10a@acu.edu Temperatures are fore-


Opinion

Friday 04.12.13

4

Editorial

Weather responds to student complaints Students, Thank you for contacting the Weather. We are aware that many of you have expressed frustration with some of our policies. We appreciate your feedback and believe that you deserve the right to a response. As you know, we have been developing our services since the dawn of time. Throughout this period, we have cultivated a variety of weather patterns. We enjoy giving people the opportunity to sample extremely hot weather in one part

of the week, while plummeting temperatures a few days, sometimes just hours, later. This variable climate is unique and allows for an exciting experience. In addition, it ensures that all parts of a student’s wardrobe are kept clean and ready to wear. We believe one of our most attractive offerings is the wind. We take pride in being defined by it; certain attributes characterize a region, though they may have a few detractors. Tradition is an important aspect of the society we live in. Incessant,

turbulent winds blowing on to maintain a manageable student. Our unpredictabila day that might otherwise haircut. ity and inconsistency allows be lovely is one of our flagWe invest an enormous you to preview weather from all over the country right We enjoy giving people the opportunity to sample here in Abilene, sometimes within the span of a day. extremely hot weather in one part of the week, while Where else would you have plummeting temperatures a few days, sometimes just the opportunity to prepare 90 degree weather folhours, later.” for lowed by a hailstorm and freezing temperatures? Consider this as another college class: Intro to Weathship features and we stand amount of energy and time er. You get a survey of everyby this. We regularly receive in making our services great. thing we have to offer for compliments about the The suggested changes wherever you end up living wind and have observed would result in a detrimen- after school. It’s the cheapthat it requires students tal experience for you, the est class you’ve had. You’re

welcome. Get used to the fact that you can’t get used to it. We have no plans to make any changes at this time. We encourage you to continue to communicate with us about ways we can improve. Again, we appreciate your feedback and look forward to serving you in the future. Sincerely, The Weather contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

EVAN’s marks

guest column

evan marks

Confession: I’ve been watching you, Delony THANK YOU HUMANITY ASIA TODD

There are people in life who I admire from afar. I get small glimpses of who they are through short encounters in meetings and passings in the Bean. I watch how they handle high-tension university crisis moments. I read about them in the paper. I don’t get to interact with them on a daily-BFFbasis, but I sleep soundly at night knowing that big decisions are in their very capable hands. When tuition rises and enrollment falls, I feel at ease knowing that, somewhere in the mix, Delony would have a say in things. So in saying that, I have a confession: For the past two years of my resident life experience, I have been watching Dr. John Delony. John Delony is the associate dean of students who has taken the position of assistant dean of students at Texas Tech University School of Law for next year. He is the chief residence life and housing officer and has done incredible work in the Masters of Higher Education program. He has the cutest Hank (his son) on earth and a superhero of a wife, Sheila. His family’s dedication to the ACU community is not something he’ll be able to sneak out of here unnoticed. If a man moves his family into campus housing, you know it’s true dedication. I have watched Delony conduct meetings, navigate through difficult budget cuts and peg an RA in the face with a dodgeball. This man has my respect. If ever faced with an impromptu battle, I would bet that every single ResLife staff would join his army in a heartbeat. So, I write this thank you on behalf of the Resident Life family to let John know that we think of him as a man of humility, humor and a whole lot of heart. Members of Reslife describe him as, epic, approachable and empowering. Tracy Wetsel, residential services coordinator, agrees that Delony is a rare find. He is able to walk into a meeting with the President of the University and conduct official ACU business, then see a student slap high fives and swap crazy

movie quotes as well as throw a mean dodgeball. He understands people and meets them where

When tuition rises and enrollment falls, I feel at ease knowing that, somewhere in the mix, Delony would have a say in things.

letter

McKay: Women should have equal opportunities at ACU they are. I asked Shannon Kaczmarek, area coordinator for Nelson and McDonald halls and associate director of ResLife, what it had been like working with Delony for longer than I have. “John Delony is such a joy to work with and for,” she said. “He is upbeat, relational, and incredibly empowering as a boss. I have been so blessed to know and work with Dr. Delony for the past five years. Our team will miss his unforgettable presence and his tendency to make each person he interacts with feel valuable. Dr. Delony is going to be such an asset to Texas Tech Law School no doubt but his imprint here at ACU will stick around long after he transitions out.” I received a personalized email from John Delony my first year as an RA. I thought I was in trouble at first, but then I read that he had written a personalized email to me, a newbie staff member, ref lecting on a short missions video I made. I was so scared of replying that I never told him how much it meant to me to be recognized by my boss in that way. In this email, he said something that I would like to throw back at him as he concludes his time at ACU. Delony, thank you for “inspiring those of us who are supposed to be in the business of inspiring.” We will miss you dearly, and hope that you rock it at the lucky school who gets you next.

contact Todd at ajt10a@acu.edu

By Liz McKay, sophomore social work major from Wichita, Kan. Dear Dr. Schubert: Let me begin by expressing my gratitude for all of the change that has been happening on campus as of late. Compared to the past, there has been an incredible push for including women in many aspects of campus life, such as scripture reading in chapel and increased women speakers. The effects have been noticed and greatly appreciated by a vast number of both students and staff. Thank you.

hashtagACU

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.

9:33 a.m. Apr. 11

I cut my lip...anyone want to kiss it better?

@elihoover

as their male counterparts, as we are all equal in Christ. Respectfully yours, Elizabeth C. McKay Editor’s Note: McKay wrote this letter to Dr. Phil Schubert, president of the university, for an assignment in her SOCW 329 Diversity, Power and Oppression course. The assignment was to create a presentation about a group that advocates for a marginalized group of people and advocate for it locally. contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

3:02 p.m. Apr. 11

I was sitting in my car at the welcome center parking lot. Man tried to give me a ticket, then walked away when he saw me sitting there #BOOM

Shout out to the guy lounging on the sing song stage during chapel.

@Angela_Wilson_

@Audrey_Brooke

7:58 p.m. Apr, 9

You know what doesn’t look like a typical SA President? A woman :)

@RebeccaDial

1:19 p.m. Apr. 9

Whatever happened to the days when guys wore shirts while running the Lunsford??? I blame the dance policy. #slipperyslope @overheardACU

@Sh4zam

2:11 p.m. Apr. 9

Head out to my Pi Pi Pi rush tonight! I will feed all misfits, introverts, and non-clubbers 14 pies each.

7:45 p.m. Apr. 4

That moment in life when you make songs about your cat socks...

@Laynie_H

@BrandyRains

Oh, you know, just having lunch with the editor of the best college newspaper in the state of Texas. #deserving @acuoptimist @MarkSmith850

@sholleyholley

published by the department of journalism and mass communication editorial and management board

newsroom (325) 674-2439

sports desk (325) 674-2684

3:17 p.m. Apr. 10

I’ve resigned myself to the fact that my life will never be as cool as CW television series

@Megan_Claycomb

3:52 p.m. Apr. 8

Address letters to: ACU Box 27892 Abilene, TX 79609 E-mail letters to: optimist@acu.edu

during Chapel. By not allowing women to lead singing during Chapel, the university is discriminating against over half of the campus. If Abilene Christian University will grant a woman a Master’s of Divinity, why, then, is she not allowed to lead worship during mandatory chapel services? I want to thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I love this campus and only desire for it to become even more Christ-like. Above all, I hope that the voices of the women of Abilene Christian can be heard just as loud

11:16 a.m. Apr. 11

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

However, I am writing this letter to ask for the equal participation of women in all aspects of campus life. Although we have had a great start, the complete inclusion of women is a goal that is long overdue on our campus. The push for women’s rights on our campus is akin to the push for minority rights that occurred fifty years ago. Both are human rights issues. The issue that concerns most is the participation of women worship leaders during chapel services. I am asking that women be granted the ability to lead worship

2:21 p.m. Apr. 11 2:39 p.m. Apr. 10

Today I was four different people’s #wcw... But they were all girls. WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?!?

@hottmessjess13

233 p.m. Apr. 11

You start to re-evaluate your life when you see a 14 year old in the Masters.

@CallieKerbo

Teacher:”where can a man go where he will never feel rejection?” Student:”like strip clubs and stuff?” #ministrytofathers #acudifference

@emilymichelle53

Mark Smith

taylor langston

Deanna Romero

Denzil Lim

cheryl bacon

editor in chief

sports video director

staff photographer

staff videographer

faculty adviser

josh garcia

john edward isaacs

curtis christian

Stephen Reyes

cade white

managing editor

sports editor

staff photographer

staff videographer

faculty adviser

Mark Smith

Matt sloan

Paige Otway

evan marks

cara lee cranford

opinion page editor

assistant sports editor

staff photographer

editorial cartoonist

melany cox

Madeline Orr

Adrian Patenaude

marissa jones

online managing editor

copy editor

staff photographer

oxford correspondent

asia todd

Cara Kramar

Lucius Patenaude

Wyatt morgan

design editor

copy editor

chief videographer

arts writer

lindsay palmer

katie greene

Brance armstrong

anne-marie coffee

arts editor

page 2 editor

staff videographer

page designer

gabi powell

mandy lambright

JP Festa

features editor

chief photogrpaher

staff videographer

photo department (325) 674-2499

advertising office (325) 674-2463

multimedia desk (325) 674-2463

advertising

subscriptions ($40/Year) (325) 674-2296


5

sports/news

friday 04.12.13

track & field

Teams look to stay hot at WT daniel zepeda sports reporter The ACU track and field team will compete in the West Texas A&M Open and Multi at Canyon this weekend. The nationally ranked Wildcat men’s and women’s teams will look to continue their great play of late after a good outing at Lubbock last weekend. “Every week we are making strides and improving overall as a team,” Coach Jerrod Cook said. “I see us coming closer as a team and pushing each other to higher levels. Ev-

ery week we are taking another step up the ladder to reach the top.” The Wildcats had several standout performances last weekend. Senior Chloe Susset was superb in the steeplechase, taking first place with a 10:56 time. Hammer throwers Shalania Lakey and Baptiste Kerjean also did well as each won their event with 164 feet - 5 inches (50.11 meters) and 154-6 (47.10m), respectively. For Kerjean, it was his second first place finish in his past three events. “We have to continue to raise the bar for our perfor-

mances,” Cook said. “We had some great placement performances at Texas Tech this past weekend. I was very pleased with the meet overall, especially after a tough week of training.” Freshman Johnathan Farquharson, from Freeport, Bahamas, did very well in the 200m. He finished with a 21.23 second time, ranking tenth in Division II. “Jay Farquharson had a great time in the 200m,” Cook said. “I am excited about his performances moving forward because he is very hungry for more and I know he hasn’t

reached his potential. He is definitely an athlete that will rise to the occasion and give one hundred per-

senior Tara Riley in the jave- in the 110-meter hurdles lin (123-8/37.69m). Hudson and finished with a time of finished third in the ham- 16.00 seconds. mer with a distance of 169-0 “There is a ton of talent out here and everyone is I am excited about his performances moving forward working hard to reach their because he is very hungry for more and I know he potential and their goals as individuals as well as our hasn’t reached his potential.” goals to leave division II as conference and national champions,” Cook said. Jerrod Cook Events this weekend beinterim head coach gin at 2 p.m., Friday with ACU track and field the decathlon and 100-meter dash and conclude Satcent every time he steps on (51.51m), while Rainey came urday night with the men’s the track.” in fifth (159-1/48.48m). ACU 4x400-meter relay. Junior Andrew Hudson also did well in the pole vault and freshman Jelani Rainey event, as senior Matthew contact zepeda at also registered personal re- Stark recorded a 15-1.25 djz11a@acu.edu cords in the hammer, as did score. Stark also competed

column

Rutgers coach fired for losses not tantrums the welcome matt matthew sloan

A couple of weeks ago, the basketball coach at Rutgers University was fired because he never won more than six conference games in a season and became more trouble than he was worth. Of course, Rice was officially fired because he used several different “F” words in the direction of his players and threw basketballs at them after bad

plays in practice. But if we are honest, nobody would have cared what he said or did if Rutgers was playing in the Final Four, and that is a fact. Is using “F” words at your players wrong? Absolutely. Is it uncommon? Absolutely not. Physical contact is nothing new in the coaching world either. Take Bob Knight for example. Knight is on the Mount Rushmore of college basketball coaches, and it would be silly to assume he never grabbed one of his players by the arms and sprinkled a few choice words in that

Is using ‘F’ words at your players wrong? Absolutely. Is it uncommon? Absolutely not.”

young man’s direction. The fact of the matter is that competitive athletics is littered with stories of coaches grabbing a player’s facemask or even giving them a shove, that’s the way it goes in sports. Rice’s record at Rutgers speaks for itself. 44-51 overall, 16-38 in Big East play.

ers hit YouTube next week, everyone would shrug their shoulders and maybe even laugh because those coaches win 25 or 30 games a year. Winning covers a multitude of sins, and nobody would even bat an eyelash if a winning coach lost his cool and used some salty Rice could not put a good language or yanked at a basketball team on the floor player’s jersey. for three years in a row, and In fact, hundreds of fora basketball being hurled at mer players would come his point guard’s knee caps out of the woodworks to was the straw that broke the defend their former coach camel’s back, not the prima- as they polished their ry reason for his removal. championship rings and If somehow videos of looked at their banners Coach K or Rick Pitino curs- hanging in the rafters. ing and pushing their playWhat Rice did is wrong

and should not be condoned or encouraged by any stretch of the imagination. But, I am sure dozens of basketball coaches around the country saw the Rutgers practice video and thought, “wow… that looks familiar.” Rice is on the record saying that he regrets the way he treated his players and would not make the same mistake again. However, the biggest mistake he made at Rutgers was losing.

contact sloan at mes10b@acu.edu

study abroad

New director to be appointed within a month melany cox online managing editor

mandy lambright chief Photographer

Seth Carstens, senior finance and accounting major from College Station, rides his unicycle through Bennett Gym during the Trojans’ Dodgeball Rush.

Members of the committee searching for the new director for the Center of International Education completed interviews with the candidates last week. Rachel Brown, Study Abroad coordinator, said the listing for the director’s position was posted on the human resources website for several months and the committee began interviewing the final candidates at the end of March. Dr. Robert Rhodes, provost, said there were several applicants, but the committee chose four finalists. Rhodes said the first candidate was interviewed March 19 and the final interview was conducted April 1. “All four of them have been interviewed,” he said.

“So now the committee is seeking feedback and then will be forwarding a recommendation on to me.” Stephen Shewmaker served as the interim director for the Center of International Education for the past academic year. Rhodes said Shewmaker is one of the four finalists. He said the duties of the director include “both the receiving and then sending of students.” “This is an individual who helps both promote on-campus Study Abroad, who works closely with our directors in the various sites, who identifies and schedules faculty to be the visiting faculty at these sites, but then also works with our offices to be sure those students coming internationally have their things taken care of for them,” Rhodes said. He said the director also

works with “non-hub site” programs. “When a college or department takes a trip that might be to somewhere other than Montevideo or Oxford or Leipzig, as they do that they coordinate that with this office so that we have knowledge of where those various groups are around the world at any given time,” he said. Rhodes said this position requires several different skills. “They need to be able to understand the mission of ACU and our desire to educate global leaders from a Christ-like prospective,” he said. Dr. Lynette Sharp Penya is chairing the committee. Committee members are Dr. Laura Carroll, Dr. Ken Cukrowski, Dr. John Delony, Daniel Garcia, Dr. Jeff Haseltine, Ronnie Rama and Dr. Phil Vardiman.

Rhodes said the committee is looking for someone who understands the technical and missional aspects of the position. He said the new director must also have the administrative skills to manage the large program. Now that all the candidates have been interviewed, Rhodes said the search committee will meet sometime in the next week to forward on a recommendation. He said he an appointment could be made in the next two to three weeks. Rhodes said a challenge the new director will face will be to expand the program so more and more students are involved, but he said he looks forward to ACU continuing to grow in these areas. contact cox at mkc09b@acu.edu

international

ISA to host annual Food Festival Saturday denzil lim staff videographer The International Student’s Association annual Food Festival will take place Saturday from 6-9 p.m. in the Hunter Welcome Center. Food from 13 different countries will be featured. Mai Anthes, vice president of ISA and junior psychology major from Okinawa, Japan, and Guinia Wooden, secretary of ISA and sophomore

nursing major from Mission, are leading the committee for the Food Festival. Preparations for the event have been ongoing since the beginning of the semester. “We hope that this event will cultivate a cultural awareness and appreciation for cuisine from around the world,” Anthes said. “Attendees will be encouraged to participate in activities that will allow for exchanges between students from varying backgrounds.”

Anthes said because of FDA regulations, homecooked food can only be served for private parties. As such, only members or participants of the contributing organizations will receive the invitations. Students that are interested in attending the Food Festival can acquire tickets from ISA Chapel or other organizations including Students’ Association, Office of Multicultural Enrichment organizations and African Students’ Association.

Attendees will receive a passport with names of the countries represented. Questions are listed in the passport and if all are answered, the individual will be given a prize. There will be a total of 15 booths. Adrian Patenaude, junior Ad/PR major from Phrae, Thailand, who is part of the planning committee, said, “The passports will control the amount of servings each person is allowed.” Wooden said each person is allowed two serv-

students’ association

Elections: Treasurers ready for Friday’s runoff continued from page 1 ried about a runoff.” Johnson, sophomore management major from Odessa, said the week was stressful and required a lot of hard work. “There was a lot of social media pushes and trying to get the student body to understand what I’ve been working on for them for the past year,” Johnson said. Current SA Executive

Treasurer Joseph Austin served as this year’s election co-chair. Austin, senior accounting pre-law major from Houston, said students have taken more notice of the Students’ Association. “They’re starting to value these positions even more,” he said. Austin said he was proud of the election committee and candidates for their hard work. “I thought we had some

fabulous candidates and that’s evident in how close some of the races were,” he said. Austin said he is confident in both Ralston and Eidson. “Both of them have extensively talked to me about improvement in treasury,” he said. “Both of them have gone all out with their campaigning.” Austin said for Benac and Johnson to enjoy the moment, but to prepare for hard

work. “This job is about empowering students and lowering yourself to lift them up,” he said. The runoff will take place in the Campus Center on Friday from 11:30-5 p.m. Josh Garcia, Madeline Orr and Mark Smith contributed to this report. contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

ings of food from each country and additional two wild card servings to any booth. Patenaude said she is looking forward to the event, as it will encompass different organizations and cultures. “Rather than making the event just a food tasting party, we want the students to interact and learn more about the countries,” Wooden said. In addition to the wide range of food, the committee has prepared

trivia, games and activities for students to learn about other countries and have fun. “We want to create a friendly, inviting atmosphere that will foster the exchange of culture between other international and domestic students so that the campus may be more enriched,” Anthes said.

contact lim at dkw11a@acu.edu


sports

friday 04.12.13

softball

6

standings

Rain, rain cancels play Staff report

men’s tennis

Team

Div.

Ovrl.

Cameron UIW ACU MSU

16-2 11-5 12-12 13-5

3-0 1-1 1-2 1-2

Team

Div.

Ovrl.

ACU Cameron UIW MSU TSU TAMU-K

19-5 12-4 8-8 10-5 8-8 1-5

5-0 2-3 1-3 2-1 2-1 0-2

Team

Div.

Ovrl.

TSU ACU ASU TAMU-K WTAMU UIW ENMU Cameron

12-4 10-6 9-7 8-8 8-8 7-9 6-10 4-12

23-11-1 22-15 24-13 25-12 21-14 21-14 19-16 10-22

Div. 12-3 12-3 10-5 9-6 8-7 8-7 6-9 5-10 4-11 1-14

Ovrl.

women’s tennis

The Abilene Christian softball team will be eager to play this weekend after their scheduled double header against St. Mary’s University on Wednesday was canceled due to inclement weather. The team returns home to Wells field after being on the road the past two weeks, looking to play Lone Star Conference foe Cameron University in a three-game series. The first game starts tonight at 6 p.m. Tomorrow’s doubleheader starts at noon. After coming off three losses to West Texas A&M this past weekend the ‘Cats look to gain momentum coming home. The Aggies of Cameron have a chip on their shoulder looking to upset the team after they swept Texas A&M Kingsville this past weekend. The Aggies look to start pitcher Samantha Betts, who ranks second in the LSC with 132 strikeouts over 132.2 innings pitched this season. The ‘Cats and the Aggies have a long history, with ACU leading Cameron 32-17 overall, including last season’s two out of three wins in the series. Cameron has been a team known to upset. The Aggies beat Tarleton State and University of Incarnate Word earlier this year, but have been swept by Angelo State University. The teams will meet for the first time this season and after last year’s embarrassment in Lawton, Oklahoma. The Aggies have a solid .300 team batting average, but it’s the circle where they struggle most. With big hitters like

baseball

softball

Team TWAMU TWU ASU TSU MSU UIW Cameron ACU ENMU TAMU-K

briefings The softball team’s two games Wednesday were cancelled due to inclament weather and are not expected to be rescheduled. All of the social clubs will be set up around the baseball field Saturday for an allcan beat anyone on any club tailgating rush given day.” The team in- at 2 p.m. Clubs will tends to do so. provide food and drinks for rushers and watch the baseball team play as well. paige otway Staff Photographer

Junior outfielder Courtney Flanary catches a fly ball at Poly Wells Field. The Wildcats play a three-game series against Cameron University this weekend at home. Courtney Flanary, Lyndi Smith and Keanna Winkfield, the team hopes to be successful on the offensive side. The team looks to return to the win column this weekend after losing the past four games.

Usually after such a streak, the ‘Cats will bounce right back. The team would like to reverse their now 5-10 conference record with the last few games they have this season, which by the looks of the rest

of their season could be likely. With only 12 games left this season, all against conference opponents, the ‘Cats look to compete in every last one of them. Coach Reeves always tells his players, “Anyone

contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

tennis

Teams tune up before postseason brittney johnson sports reporter This weekend, both the men’s and women’s tennis team will be traveling to Pensacola, Fla. to end their regular season. They will gear up to play a three-day tournament facing what might be the toughest of their competitors. The team has no worries as they have finished all of their matches that could affect their high conference standings. “I look forward to playing teams that are highly ranked,” Micah Hermsdorf said, “We usually

don’t see [them] because of the distance.” Day 1, Friday, in the Sunshine State, the Wildcats will face the most challenging team of their tournament weekend, the Auburn University Tigers. Day 2, Saturday morning, the team will face the University of West Florida. On Sunday, the Wildcats will end their last day in Florida with a match against the University of New Orleans. Upon their return to Texas, the men’s team will go head to head against McMurry, Wednesday, at the Eager Tennis Pavilion. At the end of this

I look forward to playing teams that are highly ranked. We usually don’t see [them] because of the distance.”

month, both teams will proceed to the Lone Star Conference championship tournaments to defend their title as conference champions. This season, nearly half of the men’s team were freshman, which means they quickly had to bond and get use to playing new doubles. This difficult task

Laura Mongin. Overall in singles this season, Kelley went 11-3, Julia went 13-5 and Laura was 13-4. Hutton Jones, the longest-serving head coach micah hermsdorf junior for tennis, has seen many acu women’s tennis great players come and go, and take part in shapseemed not to be an issue ing the program to what it as they proved that they has become. can work together like a “I like the foundation well-oiled machine, win- we’ve laid,” Coach Hutning their first game of ton Jones said. “We’ve the season, against Trini- done well battling the ty University in February. [many] adversaries we’ve While the women’s had this season.” team gained a few freshman as well, this season they will lose all of their contact johnson at superstar seniors, Hannah baj12a@acu.edu Kelley and twins Julia and

column

Coach is more than Goodenough gangnam style edward isaacs

Head coach firings are usually looked upon in a negative light. In the case of the women’s basketball program, the change was a step in the right direction. Julie Goodenough took over as head coach of the basketball team on March 27, 2012. She replaced Shawna Lavender who began her head coaching career with the Wildcats during the 2002-03 season. Lavender posted a 149111 record and led the ‘Cats to seven LSC tournament appearances and two NCAA regional tournament berths. However, her team had lost much of that steam the past two seasons.

30-4 34-9 25-12 21-15 29-12 25-15 13-22 21-20 12-31 11-27

In 2010-11 ACU went 11-16 overall and 8-6 in conference. They made the Lone Star Conference Post-Season Tournament but were knocked out in the first round by Northeastern State University. In 2011-12 the Wildcats posted a 12-14 record and were only 7-13 in the LSC. They missed both the conference tournament and the NCAA Division II tournament. Lavender put together many good basketball teams in her time at ACU, but in her nine full seasons she appeared only twice in the D-II tourney. Athletics director Jared Mosley was not satisfied with that. He shouldn’t be. ACU athletics should strive to be competitive in their conference and on a national level. In her last two seasons, Lavender’s teams went a combined 15-19 in league play. A coaching change was a necessary step to get back

early in the season. They also beat Cameron by 47, Texas Woman’s by 25 and Tarleton State by 16. The team earned a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Division II South Central Region tournament. They lost to the University of Texas of the Permian Basin on a last second shot in the first round. The Wildcats still have a long and tough road ahead of them as they are moving up to the Division I level next fall. However, this season a young, confident group of women left a lasting mark in the LSC. Change is not always mandy lambright chief Photographer easy but sometimes it is Coach Goodenough watches her team from the sidelines. a necessary part of life, even in the sports world. to that competitive level. conference champs in the Coach Goodenough was a Goodenough has al- regular season, the first great hire by Mosley and ready turned the program time they’ve done that she has already made an around in her first season since the 1998-99 season. immediate impact. as coach. Many of those diviThe ‘Cats were a stag- sional games weren’t gering 21-7 team this even close. The squad contact isaacs at year. They lost only four defeated Texas A&Mjei08a@acu.edu LSC games and were co- Commerce by 21 points

Who’s Hot Junior John David Baker has been one of the main baker storylines of ACU spring practice. Baker has taken the majority of the first team reps in practice this spring in preparation for a spot as the starting quarterback next fall. Baker has appeared in several games over his ACU career, but is the frontrunner to take the reigns of a talented ACU offense in their first Division I season.

upcoming The men’s and women’s tennis team plays Auburn University Montgomery at noon Friday at home in a nonconference match. The tennis teams will also play the University of West Florida Saturday morning at 10 a.m. The softball team hosts Cameron University for the first game of the series Friday at home at 6 p.m. They also play two games Saturday, the first game starting at noon. The baseball team hosts Cameron University Friday at 7 p.m. at Crutcher Scott Field. They also play a doubleheader Saturday and a game Sunday afternoon. The track and field team will take part in the West Texas A&M Open Friday and Saturday.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.