Photo spread Page 5
Surviving the night vol. 102, no. 12
Wednesday, october 2, 2013
1 SECTION, 8 PAGES
Newcomers to social clubs began the pledging process
Rain floods Cullen for second time
INSIDE
Caroline Hardie
NEWS
student reporter
Rain disrupted last weekend’s Balloon Fest
Page 3
Cullen f looded, once again, due to the excess rains on Saturday and Sunday. Corey Ruff, the executive director of Facilities and Campus Management, said that there are plans to fix the f looding problem in Cullen. “There is a drainage
improvement project for Cullen that is scheduled to start in the near future,” Ruff said. This is not the first time that Cullen has f looded. Excessive rain caused Cullen to f lood this past June, but the damage was much more severe because of six inches of water produced in just 30 minutes that rushed into the auditorium. The f lood caused 804 seats to
be taken out, treated and reinstalled, as well as a fresh paint job for Cullen. The Computer Auction, scheduled to be in Cullen this past Saturday, has been postponed until Oct. 5 because of the venue f looding. Eric Lemmons, auctioneer for the event, said he knew around noon that he’d have to reschedule the event because water started f lowing into the
auditorium. “Once water began f lowing into the orchestra pit, which had held the laptops we were planning on auctioning just minutes before, I made the extremely hard decision to go ahead and postpone the auction,” Lemmons said. None of the equipment was damaged because of quick decision-making by Lemmons’ staff.
“Fortunately, my excellent staff was able to mobilize quickly and all the equipment was moved before anything could be damaged by the water,” Lemmons said. Lemmons said he does not know if this change in date will affect the success of the event. “I have no verifiable way of estimating the see cullen pagE 4
NEWS Swing Cats host lessons and dance on Oct. 4 Page 4
NEWS The Ag club returns to Medina for their annual service project Page 4
OPINION The negative reactions to the Miss America Pageant shows how racism is still common
Page 6 deanna romero staff Photographer
OPINION Madeline Orr makes the case for why everyone should learn basic computer code Page 6
Traditional dancers from Mexico performed at Entra a la Plaza on Friday. Hispano Unidos hosted Entra a La Plaza in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. The event took place behind the Hunter Welcome Center. The event had free Mexican food, music, bounce houses, face painting and pinatas.
Pledging begins with Bid Night
SPORTS Tennis teams prove to be right at home in Div. 1 after weekend tournaments Page 8
NEWS The annual ACU crime statistics show a decrease in burglaries
Page 2
Madeline orr Managing editor Starting Friday night and not ending until the early hours of Saturday morning, Bid Night was just the beginning of pledging for more than 400 students who are pledging social clubs this semester. Between various locations on and off campus, prospective members of social clubs participated in club activities and traditions throughout the
night. Flame Kristen Wells, sophomore nutrition major from Frisco, is pledging GATA. “It was fun but really hard at the same time,” Wells said. “Bid night will be one of the hardest parts of pledging because of how tiring it was.” Kudo Katy Escott, secondary education major from Arlington, is pledging Alpha Kai Omega as a junior. “It was a good time to bond with each other and I am looking forward to
“
Bid night will be on of the hardest parts of pledging because of how tiring it was.”
their pledges back to their dorms by 5:00 a.m. “Bid Night was a lot less stressful being on the other side of pledging, especially since we had a schedule Kirsten Wells and knew what was comsophomore nutrition major from frisco ing next,” said Sigma Theta Chi member, Caroline Gafford, junior biochemistry getting to know my Kudo major from Dallas. sisters,” Escott said. “There “Bid night can be a rewill be a lot of activities flection of the next few that we learn from, but are weeks of pledging because fun at the same time.” we try to be more serious One of the many rules with the activities that we for Bid Night set by the are doing,” said Gafford. Office of Student Life is “Everything has a purpose that members had to have and if we are joking all the
time, pledges are not going to think it as important as it really is.” Pledging begins this week with what Student Life is calling Bid Week. During the next several weeks of pledging, which will continue through homecoming, pledges will participate in the homecoming parade, intramural games and getting to know members among other club activities. contact Orr at mco10b@acu.edu
Chapel canceled to emphasize wellness
SPORTS
linsey thut page 2 editor
ACU football team loses in doubleovertime to former Lonestar Conference rival, Tarleton State
Page 8
ONLINE VIDEO Watch the kidnapping of nominees for Homecoming Queen
acuoptimist.com
Chapel in Moody was canceled Tuesday as 380 students took the opportunity to walk the Lundsford Trail for Chapel credit. Jan Meyer, interim vice president of Student Life and director for Cdenter for Christian Leadership and Service, said they hoped the walk helped students realize that physical health is just as important as spiritual health.
“Wellness is a spiritual issue, in addition to being a physical issue. To call attention to it in the best way possible, we want to really make a statement and say, ‘This is so important,’” Meyer said. The walk was started last year, but not many students attended with the total barely capping off at 100. This year, she said they focused on bringing in more students, and the first step was canceling Chapel in Moody. “If I had the choice of
sitting in a classroom and learning or going outside, I’d choose going outside,” Meyer said. The walk was a part of ACU’s annual Wellness Week. Along the Lundsford, 14 booths from organizations both on and off campus were set up. Church booths, Zumba and spin classes, and even a masseuse booth with employees from Pura Vida Salon were included.
garon goodspeed staff Photographer
Isaiah Teran, junior marketing major from San Antonio, stops at a booth set up along the Lunsford Trail during see wellness page 4 Wellness Week.
Collegiate card available on mobile devices Association made the app a free, simple and accesStaff reporter sible app that all students could enjoy. The age-old ACU colDylan Benac, senior legiate card can now be political science major downloaded from iTunes from Boerne and presias an application for stu- dent of Students’ Assodents to access at any ciation, said the U Pocket time on their mobile de- and collegiate card crevices. The app was offi- ators offered to put tocially available to down- gether an app for the ACU load last week. Students students that would act
Kirsten Holman
as a multi-purpose collegiate card. This project has been in the works since the spring. “They approached us saying ‘hey, we have this opportunity do you think you would be interested?’ And we said yes,” said Benac. “It comes out of our budget for SA and it’s actually more than if we were just to buy collegiate
Abilene Christian University
cards, but we feel like this does so much more than just a card we hand out to people, and allows us to continue to have access to them or be able to pass on information to them beyond just them coming to our office once and us handing them a card. They still can do that, but now we are able to connect with them in a new
way.” Students who have smart phones, including android phones, are able to access this app. Students who do not have smart phones still have the option to pick up a collegiate card in the SA office below the campus center. see card page 4
Wednesday 10.02.13
02 Wednesday
03
4 p.m. ADCA Student Chapter Meeting
Thursday
04
Friday
7 p.m. Volleyball at Houston Baptist University
4:30 p.m. Softball vs. Cisco Junior College
05
4 p.m. Soccer vs. Central Arkansas
Saturday
8 p.m. ACU Swing Cats Fall Stomp 8 p.m. Jazz Ensemble Swing Dance Concert
1 p.m. Volleyball at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 2 p.m. Football at Pittsburgh State University
Around Abilene
Chapel checkup To date:
2
Remaining:
44 56 @acuoptimist
Oct. 2
Oct. 3
Oct. 4
Oct. 5
11:45 a.m. There will be a Tree of Mercy Benefit meal at The Abilene Civic Center benefiting the Namwianga Zonal Health Centre in Kalomo, Zambia.
6:30 The Wagon Wheel Squares will be hosting a free square dancing workshop at the Wagon Wheel in Tye.
7 p.m. Grand Ole Oplin Community Center is hosting a Country Western Dance. Admission is $5 and Muddy Creek will be the featured band.
8:30 a.m. The Worldwide Photo Walk with Marjohn Riney will begin at First United Methodist Church. Pre-registration is at www. worldwidephotowalk.com
12 a.m. University Baptist Church will conduct Midnight Worship.
The Optimist optimist@acu.edu Police Log Announcements The Sing Song 2014 Host and Hostess au- ACU’s Downtown Gallery’s new exhibit ditions will be Oct. 7 and 8. is called “Sacred Spaces” and features new work from Jack Maxwell. The exThe Engineering and Physics Department hibit lasts until Oct. 4. is hosting a lecture by Dr. Carlos Stroud, a pioneer in the field of Quantum Op- The ACU Theatre is now selling ticktics, Laser Science and Astro Physics. He ets for the homecoming musical Les will be speaking at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 1 at Miserables. Showtimes are 8 p.m. Oct. Walling Lecture Hall. 18-19 and 2 p.m. Oct. 20. Tickets may be purchased online at acu.edu/theatre The ACU Swing Cats host their annual or at the box office 1-5 p.m. Mondayevent Fall Stomp, featuring the ACU Friday. Jazz Band, on Oct. 4 in the Elks Ballroom. Admission is free and there will Men who want to study abroad can call be beginner dance lessons. Stephen Shewmaker at 325-513-9240.
The Career Center is hosting a Linked-In Headshot Photo Booth 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Sept. 23, Oct. 16 and Nov. 5 in the Campus Center. Students can recieve help setting up Linked-In profiles at booth.
The ACU Career Center and Alliance Data are hosting info sessions for students interested in Human Resource, Public Relations, Communications, and Marketing internships. The meeting will be 2-3 p.m. on Oct. 7 in the Campus On the first Monday of every month, OME Center Living Room. will conduct “Sundaes on Mondays” in the Campus Center Living Room. Students interested in competing in the 24-hour Film Fest can contact Lucius Students interested in joining a League of Patenaude at lrp09b@acu.edu. StuLegends team with other ACU students are dents will get the chance to write, film encouraged to email dla10a@acu.edu for and edit a short film before the deadmore information. line.
Volunteer Opp0rtunities Alliance for Women and Children is seeking volunteers to care for children on weekdays from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. To learn more contact Toni Brown at 325-6775321 or info@afwconline.org. The Center for Contemporary Arts needs volunteers to greet patrons, answer questions about the gallery and answer phones. Volunteer opportunities are avaliable Tuesday-Friday between 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and the second Thursday of every month for Artwalk from 5 p.m.-8:30 p.m. For more information contact Jennifer Parks at 325-677-8389. Love and Care Ministries is looking for volunteers to help with sorting clothing, stocking their food pantry, assisting in prayers in their prayer room and serving food to the homeless. For more information, call 325-670-0246. House of Faith is an organization that seeks to take Jesus to neighborhood children. Volunteers are needed to help with the various programs they do throughout the week. Backyard Bible studies are hosted Mondays and Wednesdays and a youth program takes place on Thursday evenings. The organization is seeking volunteers who can commit to a specific day a week. House of Faith lasts from 3-5:30 p.m. To volunteer or gain more information, contact Amy Jeffers at abj09a@acu. edu or call 832-331-5324. The Salvation Army is looking for volunteers for a variety of needs such as helping in the kitchen and/or doing yard work. Times are flexible and volunteers are needed Monday-Saturday. For more information contact J.D. Alonzo at 325-677-1408.
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.html.
life-skills classes, accompanying transport, visiting homes and/or assisting in construction of facilities for assisting in the betterment of male and female youth ages 15-25. This opportunity is open each morning Mondays through Fridays. Students interested must contact Johnny Nguyen at 325-692-0033 or jnguyen@bcfs.net.
The Food Bank of West Central Texas needs volunteers to help sort and stock food and other items 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 325695-6311 or abfoodbk@camalott.com.
The Betty Hardwick Center is seeking volunteers for the Human Resources Center to help with filing and organizing. This job requires someone with attention to detail who wishes to learn more about Human Resources. The job is open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. If you are interested, please contact Martin Walker at 325-690-5235 or mwalker@bhcmhmr.org.
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. Big Brothers/Big Sisters offers two volunteer programs. Lunch Buddies pairs volunteers with a little brother or sister to have lunch with once a week for 30 minutes. Lunch Buddies has a preferred time of 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. The Community Based program pairs volunteers with a little brother or sister that they will hang out with two to four times a month. Both programs require committment to the program for 12-18 months. To sign up stop by the Big Brothers/Big Sisters office at 547 Chestnut St. or contact Randy Woods at 325-674-3102.
The Center for International Education is looking for English speaking students to be paired with international students for English practice, conversation and cultural learning. Partners meet for one hour each week at a time and place determined by their partners. To volunteer contact Laura McGregor at laura.mcgregor@acu.edu. Habitat for Humanity needs volunteers to help with various construction tasks including carpentry, painting, cleaning up, installing cabinets and other tasks. Volunteers are needed any day Monday-Saturday between 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Contact Steven Legget at 325-6700489 or email sleggett@abilenehabitat.org For additional volunteer opportunities visit: www.acu.edu/ campusoffices/ccsl/ministry-service/volunteer-opportunities/
Volunteers are needed at the BCFS Abilene Transition Center for event planning and setup, assisting in teaching
Police report shows decrease in burglaries marissa jones editor in chief
The ACU Police Department’s annual crime report sent to students on Friday showed a significant decrease in burglaries on the ACU campus in 2012. The ACUPD is required by federal law to release the 2012 Clery Act Campus Crime Statistics report to students and employees. The report focuses on crimes ranging from minor offenses to certain major offenses such as robbery and manslaughter that have occurred over the past three years
on campus and other properties owned or controlled by ACU, Police Chief Jimmy Ellison said. Ellison said the department felt good about the overall numbers contained in the report, especially the number of burglaries, which were reduced by almost 50 percent compared to last year. “It could be just due to this was a down year, but I would like to say it was at least in part due to the intentional crime prevention information that we constantly put out,” Ellison said. “We’re constantly reminding students to make sure and lock your
dorm room, stay safe, report suspicious activity, things like that.” Ellison said there’s always room for improvement, though. “One number that continues to bother us every year is the liquor law violations and that’s where students are typically returning to campus from off-campus with possession of alcohol or having consumed alcohol,” Ellison said. “Obviously, we’d like to see that number go down. That’s a number that always troubles us from a student safety perspective as well as a compliance perspective.” Another incident that
troubled Ellison was a single incident that was classified as both a hate crime and an aggravated assault that occurred during 2012. In that case, a student was assaulted by another student and suffered a significant injury. The victim alleged that the assault was based on the offender’s bias regarding sexual orientation. This required the offense to be classified in two categories in the Clery report as both a hate crime and aggravated assault. “This type of case troubles us from a law enforcement standpoint, that we had a crime allegedly
committed with sexual orientation bias,” Ellison said. “However, we’re very pleased that the victim in this case was aware of their Title IX rights, and they chose to come forward months after the attack and report it anonymously. This tells me that ACU’s efforts at educating the campus community about Title IX rights and options are working.” Ellison said ACUPD wants to know every crime that happens on campus, no matter how major or minor. He said he’s troubled by victims who don’t report the crimes for fear of exposure. Victims can choose to stay anony-
mous. The ACUPD works to keep the campus community informed throughout the year, not just when they publish the report, Ellison said. “I think it’s important that the United States Department of Education requires the report to be filed so that students stay fully aware of what’s going on around and in their campus,” Ellison said. “We want to make sure students are informed and aware. We hope our community always feel informed and aware.” contact jones at mnj10a@acu.edu
3
news
wednesday 10.02.13
Weather fails to ground Balloon Fest james eldred Staff Reporter High winds and heavy rains didn’t stop pilots from coming out for the 19th annual Big Country Balloon Fest at Red Bud Park this past weekend. Sixteen pilots from around the country came to Abilene for the festival. Two or three launched their balloons on Sunday, but many remained grounded because of the weather conditions. Mark Ibbotson, pilot of Grand Prairie, remained on the ground for safety reasons. “The wind is just a little fast for flying,” said Ibbotson. “It’s about 20 mph over our limit.” The only airborne objects on Friday and Satur-
day were kites flown by the Austin End of the Line kite team. “We’re their insurance policy,” said Jim Cox, co-founder of the team. “When balloon festivals are too windy for the balloons to go up, we’re here to provide some entertainment.” Cox’s team was not the only one to provide activities. “We’ve got a whole festival for families,” said Robin Hicks, Balloon Fest coordinator. Pony rides, inflatable bounce houses, bands and mechanical bull rides and just a few of the attractions the festival sported. The pilots themselves could do little more than sit on the sidelines and hope for the weather to clear.
“The biggest thing is, we’re just as disappointed as everyone else,” Ibbotson said. “It’s eating at everyone,” added Ron McKinney, a pilot from Oklahoma City, Okla. “We didn’t come all this way just to sit here.” Only one balloon, called an envelope, was inflated Friday evening. Pilot Steve Lombardi of Houston said he uses the smaller balloon specifically in bad winds. “I mostly do promotions,” he said. “I bought the balloon for occasions like this where we wouldn’t normally be able to fill one.” While most pilots were unable to fill their balloons Friday evening, they did participate in a “candlestick burn” at sunset. “A candlestick burn is
where you basically shoot fire up in the air,” Ibbotson said. Pilots set up the baskets on the ground and fire their burners into the night sky. The propane burners typically heat the air inside the envelope, allowing the balloon to stay upright, as some were Saturday evening. The festival was officially cancelled Saturday morning because of the rain, but reopened as the park dried. Another candlestick was held at sunset and some pilots even inflated their envelopes. “They basically told us to do whatever we thought was safe,” said pilot Dwayne Jackson of Abilene. “I live here, so I know the weather patterns, and I felt like I could fill her up.”
james eldred Staff reporter
Workers at the Balloon Festival fire up the balloons to light up the night.
“
I live here, so I know the weather patterns, and I felt like I could fill her up.”
More balloons were inflated Sunday morning and a few eventually took to the skies. Several pilots were still unwilling to launch because of the weekend rain and the mud it left behind. The Big Country Balloon Festival benefits the Optimist Club of Abilene. The club, a local branch of Optimist International, is a non-profit organization benefiting low-income youth in Abilene. The Balloon Fest is the organiza-
dwayne jackson abilene balloon pilot
tion’s primary fundraiser. “It’s all about helping the kids,” Jackson said. “They’re the reason I do this. I love seeing the look on their faces.” Robin Hicks wanted to thank the volunteers that helped set up the Balloon Fest, including a number of ACU students.
contact Eldred at jfe11a@acu.edu
news
wednesday 10.02.13
4
Swing Cats to stomp the night away with Jazz Band jesse harper student reporter The ACU Swing Cats are ready to host the 4th annual Fall Stomp event this Friday. Fall Stomp is free admission and open to students and the community. The Swing Cats was the first student dancing organization that was allowed on ACU campus, established in 2003. Dr. Cole Bennett, associate professor in lan-
guage and literature and the faculty sponsor of the Swing Cats, expanded more on the Swing Cats’ purpose and expectations for the upcoming event. “Swing Cats is dedicated to the preservation of World War II swing music and dance era,” Dr. Bennett said. The Swing Cats have also partnered with ACU’s Jazz Band to ensure live music and a big band atmosphere for the event. Dr. Bennett said it is not uncommon for people to
come in costumes to represent the Swing Era and, in fact, urges people to do so. “I believe most of the Swing Cats will come in costumes,” Dr. Bennett said. “Some common costumes I have seen are GI uniforms, suits and dresses from that specific era.” In addition to dancing and music, a photo booth will be set up for anyone who wants to capture moments from the night. Dance lessons will be offered an hour before the
“
Fall stomp is a place where people from the community can come to show appreciation and participate in the Swing Era.”
Era,” Dr. Bennett said. Dr. Bennett said he believes there will be 200300 people, a mixture of students and faculty from ACU as well as people Dr. Cole Bennett faculty sponsor for swing cats from the Abilene community, attending Fall Stomp. Fall Stomp will take actual Fall Stomp event “Everyone is welcome place at 8 p.m. in Elk’s begins. to come no matter how Club Ballroom and end at Kristin Holz, senior much swing dancing they 10 p.m. The dance lessons physics and math educa- know,” Holz said. will begin at 7 p.m. tion major from Chicago, “Fall Stomp is a place Ill., is the president of where people from the Swing Cats and encourag- community can come to contact the optimist at es anyone to come experi- show appreciation and jmcnetworka@acu.edu ence Fall Stomp. participate in the Swing
AES club returns to Medina for service project abigail runnels student reporter The Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Club is preparing to go to Medina Children’s Home for its annual service project. The club members have only a general idea of what they are going to do once they get there, said Kimberly Panther, junior animal science major from Southlake and the club’s
secretary. “Last year we cleaned pig pens and sorted food in their pantries. Some of the members made mums for the girls’ homecomings,” said Panther. “It’s tradition to put on a dinner and have a devotional, and everyone who lives there comes.” Medina Children’s Home is located about 40 miles northwest of San Antonio. The facility is a notfor-profit Christian home for orphans, at-risk chil-
dren and single-mother families. Will Morales, junior environmental science and animal science double major from Rotan, is the president of the club. “We do any kind of general labor they need,” Morales said. “We also play with the kids that live there and try to show them love any way we can.” The service project has taken on a new meaning in the past two years. On the
way to Medina two years ago a bus rollover on Highway 83 resulted in several injuries and the death of one student, 19-year-old Annabel Reid. In light of the tragedy, Morales said the trip has taken on an additional mood. “Everyone was always so excited to go. But the mentality has changed. It’s viewed as a memorial, as well,” said Morales. Annabel is not only re-
membered by students and faculty, but by Medina Children’s Home as well. “They recently built a beautiful memorial, and I think one of the prayer rooms is dedicated to her,” Panther said. “We all went up there during the trip last year to pray together. It was really emotional, but it was good.” While the trip serves as a memorial to Annabel, it is also a time for the AES Club to grow closer with
each other. The group last year was relatively small, but with around 70 members this year the club hopes to fill all 60 slots available, Panther said. “It’s not mandatory, but it’s highly recommended that club members go. It’s a great bonding experience,” Panther said. contact the optimist at jmcnetworka@acu.edu
Wellness: Students Zumba on the Lunsford from page 1 “All the different groups that you see around the trail all have to do with our wellness, whether it’s social wellness or emotional,” said Kerri Hart, assistant professor of kinesiology and nutrition. Students in attendance appreciated the opportunity to walk and receive Chapel credit. Mychal Ricks, junior management major from Missouri City, Mo. said college kids don’t get enough chances to work out during the week. “It’s really hard to fit it into your schedule, so I think that this is great because you have to go to chapel anyways,” Ricks said. Caleb Hill, junior management major from Gaithersburg, Md., said he enjoyed taking a walk and getting to enjoy the weather. “I love the outdoors so anything that has to do with outdoors, I’d do it in a
heartbeat,” Hill said. Hill said that many times Moody chapel can get crowded. “Moody’s a bit small and cramped, so this is more fun,” he said. Hart said that one of the reasons they planned on doing the walk instead of Chapel in Moody was that being physically healthy is also a form of worship. “Our bodies are the temple and we are given charge of our bodies, so we should try to make them as well as possible,” she said. Jessica Nguyen, a counselor at ACU’s Counseling Center and the planner of the event, said they are already in talks on how to make next year’s walk even bigger. “It is always so exciting when we can partner with departments and organizations across campus with a common goal of Wellness,” she said. contact thut at lct10a@acu.edu
Garon GoodSpeed Staff Photographer
ACU students participate in Zumba on the Lunsford Trail as a part of Wellness Week.
Card: Students’ Association pays for student app from page 1 The collegiate card app by U Pocket also provides unexpected and convenient features for students. The new collegiate card app shows students where they can get discounts at local food and retail stores with a valid student ID. It also allows students to search among local businesses to find anything from car repair shops to good places to eat BBQ. Benac said users will discover the app provides updates, events,
“
Robert Hull, senior piano performance major from Ripon, Calif., will be managing the events section of the U Pocket collegiate card. “I think the majority of Robert Hull it is going to be student orSenior piano performance major from Ripon, Calif. ganization events, sporting events, things that we a campus map, the ability myACU, and that’s good, are trying to encourage to share on social media but it doesn’t meet all the students to attend,” said and it also connects stu- needs of a student or the Hull. dents to the latest news social aspect of a student, Hull had the opportufrom The Optimist. so that’s what we are hop- nity to talk to Jim Litton, “There really isn’t an ing for with this.” the creator behind the app for ACU that does Benac said the stu- app for ACU, who diseverything non-school dents he talked to are ex- cussed potentially introrelated,” said Benac. “We cited about this new app ducing the application have the mobile page for and eager to use it. during freshmen orienta-
It should be more convenient. I knew about the Sonic discount but I didn’t know the rest of the places you could use a collegiate card at.”
tion each year for the incoming students. “He talked a little about maybe working it into freshmen orientation at the beginning of the year because it has other things on there, too, not just discounts,” said Hull. “It has a map of campus which, when I was a freshman, I came in and I didn’t know where anything was. I was constantly trying to find buildings. So things like that will help out a lot.” In the past, students had to go to a website to see where the colle-
giate card could be used around Abilene, but now it is all on one simple app. “It should be more convenient,” said Hull. “I knew about the Sonic discount but I didn’t know the rest of the places you could use a collegiate card at.” Search the word “upocket” on iTunes to download the free app today.
contact holman at keh09c@acu.edu
Cullen: Damaged read the optimist by weekend rain from page 1
deanna romero Staff Photographer
Authenitc dancers from Mexico twirl at Hispanos Unidos Entra La Plaza Event.
Lemmons said he and his team chose to have a impact of the change in positive attitude about date,” Lemmons said. “I the postponement. have heard equally from “We may have had a lot folks who will no longer of clouds this past Saturbe able to attend due to day, but we are finding the change and those who several silver linings they are now able to come and brought with them,” Lemwere unavailable on the mons said. “It may be a original date.” week later than planned, He does think that the but it’s still a fantastic opdelay might give his team portunity for the commumore time to prepare for nity to get a great deal on the auction. great equipment.” “The extra time is allowing us the ability to add a handful of additioncontact zepeda at al, nicer items to the aucdjz11a@acu.edu tion,” Lemmons said.
iPad iphone online ipod
5
Wednesday 10.02.13
featureS
mandy lambright chief Photographer Gob Dane Bressert, sophomore business marketing major from Wylie, fights through the pain of Sub-T pledging activities during Friday’s Bid Night, the kick-off to the five-week pledge process.
PLEDGE
AND FIND OUT “The most fun you’ll never want to have again” begins
[
[
Top Right: GATA Flame Ashlyne Lanza, sophomore biology major from Abilene, and Frater Sodalis pledge Marshall Towell, junior English major from Abilene, participate in Myrtle and Hollis. Bottom: Galaxy NOVA pledges during activities on the intramural fields. Above: Jonathan Nix, sophomore computer science major from Austin, leads a line of GSP siblings on the steps of the amphitheater during a traditional Bid Night activity.
Left: Sophomore NuNus Emily Sorrells, kinesiology major from Waco, Judith Barajas, elementary education major from Abilene, and Marley Bostick, biology major from Ransom Canyon, respect Kojie Park. Right: Sigma Theta Chi squigs are tasked with “burying their smiles” in the Gardner lawn.
Opinion
6
Wednesday 10.02.13
editorial
Miss America Pageant crowning diversity the issue After Nina Davuluri was crowned the first Indian-American Miss America, many people responded with hateful and racist tweets.
our take Diversity is not a threat and Miss Davuluri’s win should be celebrated, not criticized.
The Miss America Pageant is a long-standing American tradition. What first started as a beauty contest almost a century ago has since developed into a scholarship pageant. As the pageant has progressed, there have been many controversial “first” winners. On Sept. 15, Nina Davuluri made history as the first Indian-American to be crowned Miss America. Davuluri ran on the platform “Celebrating Diversity through Cultural Compe-
tency” and now plans on using her $50,000 scholarship award to fulfill her dream of becoming a physician. For many, this story is all well and good and serves as a perfect representation of the melting pot of the United States. However, every “first” winner has faced backlash and criticism from nonapproving U.S. citizens, and Davuluri is no exception. When Davuluri was crowned last Sunday, Twitter blew up with harsh and racist tweets about her In-
dian heritage. The Washington Post documented and published tweets mislabeling Davuluri as an Arab, a foreigner, and even a terrorist due to her nontraditional beauty and dark skin combination. One minor, who later deactivated his Twitter account, tweeted “9-11 was 4 days ago and she gets Miss America?” Other tweets even went so far as name Davuluri as a member of the al-Qaeda terrorist group. Nina Davuluri, age 24, is a born and raised New Yorker. Born to parents who immigrated more than 30 years ago, Davuluri remained connected to her heritage growing up by studying Indian dance forms as well as making a yearly trip to India to visit her relatives there.
Davuluri further celebrated her heritage during the Miss America Pageant by preforming an Indian and Bollywood-style dance during the talent portion of the competition. Unfortunately, many people do not see her life as the traditional “American dream” story. Unable to see past the color of her skin, people continue to slander Davuluri and the Miss America Pageant more than a week later. According to the Miss America website, this is not the first time a pageant winner has received criticism based on her background. In 1984, the first African-American winner Vanessa Williams received similar public outcries of disgust. On multiple occasions, Williams’ even re-
ceived death threats. Other “firsts” include Bess Myerson, the first Jewish Miss America in 1945, Irma Nydia Vasquez, the first Miss Puerto Rican and first Hispanic contestant in 1948, and Yun Tau Chee, the first Miss Hawaii as well as the first Asian contestant. More recently is Heather Whitestone, the first deaf Miss America in 1995 and Angela Perez Baraquio, the first Asian-American to be crowned in 2001. Like the women before her, Davuluri is receiving the racist comments with the poise and grace expected of her in her new role as Miss America. When asked about the remarks by USA Today, Davuluri responded simply “I have to rise above that. I always viewed myself as first and foremost American.”
However, it is a shame she has to deal with such backlash. There has been a slue of Davuluri supporters defending her on social media sites during the past week. Unfortunately, the support has not been enough to completely outweigh or even balance out the antidiversity hate coming from the Twitter universe. It is disappointing so many Americans view diversity as a threat instead of a confirmation of our freedom. Nina Davuluri is a true representation of the American dream and her win is something that should be celebrated as a milestone instead of criticized. contact The Optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
DAILY doodle dosage
Guest Column
Ben Todd
College Democrats a safe place to share opinions By Dylan Brugman, senior political science major from Aurora, Colo. and vice president of the ACU College Democrats College Democrats is an excellent way to get involved in the current political sphere through our university. We are students who seek to encourage others to share with us their opinions about how we should interact with each other in the ever-changing world of politics. Politics have become somewhat of a taboo in everyday discourse, but I assure you, it is a topic that should be very important to all of us.
“
Democrats embody a wide variety of belief systems and practices. Some of us are very socially progressive, some are more socially conservative.”
The College Democrats is a great way to get involved. We embrace a variety of different political beliefs and, even amongst ourselves, we don’t always agree on things. However, I’ve found that getting involved as a student and a voter has been very beneficial to my ability to interact with and learn from others. Democrats embody a wide variety of belief systems and practices. Some of us are very socially progressive, some are more
socially conservative. We vary in our beliefs and opinions in the realm of fiscal policy as well. The good news about College Democrats is that you will never have to apologize or be ashamed of the things you believe. I think that difference in opinion and the ability to discuss those difference is the greatest part of a democracy. We are always looking for smart, opinionated people to hang out with and discuss issues that are very important to us all: whether those are issues on campus, in the state of Texas or in the United States as a whole. Our position as students gives us a unique opportunity to involve ourselves in promoting and discussing the things that we are passionate about. If you aren’t sure where you stand politically, that’s OK. We just love hanging out and having fun. Also, we sometimes order pizza. If you’re interested in getting involved with the College Democrats all you have to do is contact current president Elizabeth Koepke, or me. We would love to sit down for coffee and discuss your interest and involvement. If you don’t want to get involved, you should probably still register to vote. It is the best way for politicians in Austin and Washington DC to hear your voice on the issues that face us today. contact The Optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
column
The 21st century language everyone should speak the very authorities that are making the headlines over information indignities. Humans have been challenged to restore responsibility when it comes to ethics or driving etiquette. Individuals in this century should be called to take responsibility not only for the information they release about themselves, but in understanding how their information is encrypted and shared. More importantly, how corporations and governments have learned to harness it. History repeats itself and there was a similar situations several centuries ago. Before the Guttenberg press was invented and Bibles were more readily available, the only way the public had access to the Bible was through the priest. The priest not only had the only Bible in his respective area, but remained the only one to translate it the masses in a language they could understand. As a result, the people only heard what the priest wanted them to hear and only knew to act how he told them to act,
THE ORRACLE MADELINE ORR MANAGING EDITOR
Twitter announced last year it would start tracking users’ Internet browsing habits to better recommend people to follow. In May, details about the National Security Agency’s Internet security surveillance programs revealed just how much information is available about individuals. In June, Facebook announced a bug with one of its programs that inadvertently compromised the contact information of six million Facebook users. All of these scandals, news stories and technological surprises have a common factor of two digits: zeros and ones. But if you don’t understand binary code, that’s OK, because I don’t either. Maybe that is just our problem. As we continue to become a culture more reli-
ant on technology, there are countless ways for information to be kept, stored, shared and exposed. With each innovation in technology, we are nearing a world that speaks a language unlike any other. Unless individuals take responsibility for trying to understand the language nearly every electronic device speaks, humans are only going to continue to be shocked by the capabilities of technology. People continue to grow more upset by insufficient privacy settings and become shaken over what they see after Googling their own name because as innovation increases, their computer literacy decreases. As long as citizens remain unable to directly communicate with technology, they will have no choice but to trust
Sept. 30 3:02 p.m.
Sept. 28 4:52 a.m.
rather than how the Bible actually instructed. In essence, they were cheated out of their money and salvation. In the same way the language of the Bible was misused, the digital language is going to be misunderstood and therefore misused. Additionally, individuals are being cheated out of their rights to privacy and personal information. We could blindly leave it up to the engineers in Silicon Valley and allow them to translate everything for us. We could leave it up to the IT majors to be the only ones literate in this binary century. But maybe the best way to reduce ignorance is to become participants in the language unfolding before us. Investigate how a website is made. Take a coding class. We don’t have to be able to speak in zeroes and ones, but we should be able to talk to our computers before they start talking for us. contact ORR at MCO10B@acu.edu
hashtagACU Sept. 29 1:07 a.m. Sept. 27 4:39 p.m.
May the odds be ever in your favor. #bidnight
@bthouston11
campus looks like a ghost town.. where everybody at?! #ACUProbs @acuoptimist
@hardin_TJ
It isn’t even worth getting on Instagram cuz all the post are “meet my little” posts #pledging @acuoptimist
@amcollier58
Sept. 30 3:35 p.m.
bid night: when half the student body knows what it feels like to be an art major #thisismynormalbedtime
Sept. 30 2:11 p.m.
All the Novas might ast well change their ringtones to “Suit and Tie” by JT
I’ve named my burden Roxanne! She’s as stubborn as a rock #slavlife
@Lincoln_Woods
@paigeeileen41
@DillonReed21
Sept. 30 11:50 a.m.
@overheardACU freshman girl- “are the girls who look like flight attendants saying I will respect Rosa Parks?” #acudifference #thingsfishsay
@tylerpainter117
Sept. 30 2:04 p.m.
Sept. 30 11:33 a.m.
Wearing a Siggie shirt and still got konichiwa’d... Cool
@tmounce413
Sept. 27 9:25 p.m.
The NuNus don’t know Bye Bye Bye. #dissapointed #figureitoutnunus
@shannoneball
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
sports desk (325) 674-2684
It’s barely 9, and I’m sick of all the green day jokes.
@tomevans74
@marafleet
@ACU_Wildcat
Marissa Jones
Brittany Jackson
Jaci Isham
Linsey Thut
Kenneth Pybus
editor in chief
Copy Editor
Staff Videographer
Page 2 Editor
faculty adviser
Madeline Orr
Maggie Marshall
Denzil Lim
James Eldred
cade white
managing editor
Copy editor
Staff Videographer
Staff Writer
Visuals adviser
Melany Cox
Matt Sloan
Rachel Smith
Rachel Fritz
cara lee cranford
opinion page editor online managing editor
Sports Director
Video Projects Editor
Staff Writer
mandy lambright
Daniel Zepeda
Paige Otway
Laura Benson
Sports Editor
Staff Photographer
Staff Writer
Kara Stutesman
Deanna Romero
Kirsten Holman
Sports Video Editor
Staff Photographer
Staff Writer
Shera Niemirowski
Garon GoodSpeed
Ben Todd
Sports Broadcaster
Staff Photographer
Cartoonist
JP Festa
Jarred Schuetze
Multimedia Managing Editor
Staff Photographer
chief photogrpaher
Alikay Wood arts editor features editor
newsroom (325) 674-2439
Oct. 1 9:06 a.m.
Welcome to the real dead day: Saturday after bid night.
gabi powell
Address letters to: ACU Box 27892 Abilene, TX 79609 E-mail letters to: optimist@acu.edu
Sept. 28 5:51 p.m.
Trying to start a social club with the ferrel cats but they lack discipline and thumbs... makes carrying a can of fancy feast difficult
photo department (325) 674-2499
advertising office (325) 674-2463
multimedia desk (325) 674-2463
advertising
subscriptions ($40/Year) (325) 674-2296
7
news/sports
wednesday 10.02.13
ACU fries Colonels in 3 set home victory daniel zepeda sports editor The volleyball team captured its first Southland Conference victory as they defeated Nicholls State, 3-0. The Wildcats swept the Colonels, 25-19, 2514 and 25-20 as they kept control throughout the competition. “It was a great boost playing in Moody because we felt like we needed to defend our home court,” freshman Lexi Mercier said. “We all were very focused and ready to win.” Junior Neely Borger led the Wildcats with eight kills on the afternoon, while sophomore Sarah Siemens had 25 assists. Sophomore libero Madison Hoover had another solid game as she recorded 19 digs against Nicholls State. “Our game plan was to be both aggressive and smart,” Siemens said. “We’ve been working on different plays incorporating faster sets and more crossing patterns to open up hitters against the big block.” The Wildcats opened up with a lot of energy, taking the first set behind big blocks from Mercier who finished with eight blocks. She had over half of the team’s blocks as ACU finished with 15 as a team. The excellent blocking by Mercier and the rest of the front line set the tone for the rest of the match and gave ACU a distinct advantage in the match.
The Wildcats were able to fight back as Nicholls State would try to come back in each set, but would come up short while feeding off the home crowd energy. “It’s such a thrill to play on your home court and have pride in playing for your school,” sophomore Jennifer Loerch said. “Support from fans goes a really long way.” ACU came into the game with losses to Central Arkansas, Oral Roberts and McNeese State. The win against Nicholls State puts the Wildcats at 5-7 overall and 1-3 in the Southland Conference. The Colonels now stand at 3-11 and 0-4 in conference play. “Our past games have really made us focus on what we need to change in our game and what we need to work on,” Hoover said. “We need to execute on our side of the ball and capitalize on their weaknesses.” The team will travel to Houston to take on the Houston Baptist Huskies on Thursday at 7 p.m. The Huskies are 5-10 with an 0-3 Southland Conference record. HBU is coming off of three straight losses and have lost five of their last seven games. The Wildcats will be looking to improve their Southland Conference record to 2-3 with a win.
jarred schuetze Staff Photographer
contact zepeda at djz11a@acu.edu
Jennie Loerch prepares for a spike in Moody Coliseum last week against McNeese State. Loerch has been great at outside hitter the entire year for the Wildcats, who are 1-3 in the Southland Conference. However, the volleyball team has beaten several good teams in their first season as a Div. I school and beat Nicholls State 3-0.
Rangers fans should be proud of their team SLOAN RANGER MATTHEW SLOAN SPORTS DIRECTOR
The Rangers loss to the Tampa Bay Rays was a tremendous disappointment for students across campus, but Rangers fans have a lot to be proud of from the last year. The Texas Rangers did limp into the last week of the season, to say the least, but a seven-game winning streak to close out the season showed the resolve that was absent from their team a year ago. A 5-15 start to the month would have been enough to make most teams fold like a cheap chair and try again next year, but the Rangers put together an impressive last week of the season. They beat up on the worst team of the decade, the Astros, and the tremendously disappointing Angels to win seven straight games. However, sweeping two series in a row is difficult no matter who the
opponents are. In fact, the sevengame winning streak to close out the season was the second longest streak this season for the Rangers. If nothing else, Texas finished strong. Throughout the year, the Rangers fought off adversity that would have been difficult to predict. Keeping pace with an Athletics team that was more balanced than them and even catching the Rays at the end of the year was impressive because the Rangers were not as good as they had been in the past. Designated hitter
“
Lance Berkman was unable to escape knee problems that have plagued him for the last five years, which meant that general manager John Daniels made a 10 million dollar investment in a player that was not a factor in the second half of the year. Daniels countered by acquiring Alex Rios, which, under the circumstances, is the best move he could have possibly made. Rios hit .280 in his time with the Rangers, which makes him a quality hitter but not nearly the same caliber as a healthy Berkman. Josh Hamilton also left for the arch-rival Angels, leaving a chasm in left field. Granted, Hamilton only hit around .250 for the Angels this season, but that is still markedly better than the Rangers’ host of left fielders
...What most people will remember about Matt Garza’s stay in Dallas was a chauvinist twitter rant and a ballooning ERA.”
RANGERS CRITICAL STATS 2012 Rangers
2013 Rangers
Runs Scored
808
730
Batting Avg.
.273
.262
Home Runs
200
176
Slugging %
.466
.412
ERA
3.99
3.62
WHIP
1.28
1.26
that were unable to come through at the plate. The Rangers’ pitching staff also fought off injuries the entire year, meaning that only two starters took the ball more than 20 times as a starter the entire year. The blockbuster trade the Rangers made was an attempt to address that concern, but what most people remember about Matt Garza’s stay in Dallas was a chauvinist Twitter rant and a ballooning ERA. Offensively, it seemed like the Rangers were always about one hitter short in the second half of the season. In fact, they were two hitters short. Berkman was hurt and Nelson Cruz was suspended. It would be difficult to imagine a scenario that is more damaging to an offense than removing an injury to the future Hall of Fame designated hitter and the removal of a perennial All-Star right fielder. Any team would be in quite a predicament if they lost two quality hitters and could not find
healthy pitchers to fill out their rotation. In fact, what the Rangers accomplished this year should be commended because of their toughness, instead of criticized because they missed the post season. Winning 91 ball games is an excellent season for a team that was picked by many to finish third in their own division, even before injuries and suspensions made matters worse and hamstrung the team’s depth.
Last year, the Rangers won 93 games with more talent and their collapse was something to be ashamed of. However, the 2013 Rangers team should be remembered for their resilience in the face of adversity and success despite a drop-off in talent and production.
contact sloan at mes10b@acu.edu
sports
wednesday 10.02.13
Men’s tennis team goes 1-2 on road price bahcall student reporter The ACU men’s and women’s tennis teams were in action this past weekend. The men were in Tennessee at the Steve Baras Classic and the women were in Houston for the Rice Fall Invitational. The men faired well in the tournament as ACU teammates Borja Cortes and Nicklas Wingord each won semifinal matches in three sets, setting up an all-Wildcat final at the Steve Baras Classic. Sophomore Jason Proctor lost in the Flight 3 semifinals to Rob Mitchell of Lipscomb, 6-1, 6-2 and
Marco Bensley was eliminated in Flight 4 by Liam Sullivan of Samford, 6-0, 6-3. Proctor, a marketing major from Tulsa, Okla., said he was not, by his standards, physically at the top of his game. He said he is excited for the Div. I competition he will be facing week in and week out. “I have confidence in my ability 100 percent to compete with top Div. I competition,” Proctor said. “We played many Div. I schools last year, so I feel accustomed to competing and succeeding at the Div. I level.” Proctor and freshman Nico Agritelley lost in
doubles semifinals, 8-6, to a team from Eastern Tennessee. Proctor plans to get his serve in rhythm, a part of his game that is crucial for him to be successful. On the women’s side from the Rice Invitational, freshman Erin Walker improves her record to 7-2 after winning the Flight 4 championship 6-4, 6-1. It only took her three tournaments to claim her first title of her young college career. The Wildcats also scored two wins over Texan A&M. In female singles, Kaysie Hermsdorf won third place in the Flight 3 singles, 6-3, 6-1. Her sister Micah Hermsdorf beat
A&M’s Saska Gavrilovska in her match 6-0, 6-4, but fell in the second round to Jessica Kahts of Texas State. “I felt most prepared this weekend, Brittney Reed and I played the best doubles we’ve played together,” said Micah Hermsdorf. “I was happy about the wins over A&M and I played my best tennis so far the season this weekend.” Hermsdorf took down her second Aggie of the day with teammate Brittney Reed in doubles, 8-0. John Walker, assistant coach of tennis, was satisfied with the way the women played. “I was very pleased with
they way they competed, and how well they are playing this early into the season,” Walker said. Walker said being an underdog can play to their advantage, because it can all be left out on the court and there is nothing to lose. However, it’s about finding the hunger not only for matches where they are the underdog but are also favored. The Wildcats return to action in three weeks for ITA Regionals, which are taking place in Fort Worth.
8
standings Soccer
Team
Div.
Ovrl.
ORU Nicholls St. ACU SELU UCA SFA SHSU NSU UIW Lamar HBU MSU TAMU-CC
3-0-0 3-1-0 3-1-0 3-1-0 2-0-0 2-1-0 2-1-0 1-2-1 1-2-0 0-2-1 0-2-0 0-3-0 0-4-0
8-2-0 9-1-1 9-1-1 8-2-1 5-3-2 7-2-1 4-5-1 3-7-1 7-3-0 3-6-1 1-7-1 5-5-1 1-9-0
Team
Div.
Ovrl.
SHSU ORU UCA NSU TAMU-CC SFA MSU Lamar UIW ACU HBU SELU NSU NO
5-0 4-0 4-0 3-0 3-1 2-1 3-2 2-3 1-3 1-3 0-3 0-4 0-4 0-4
8-6 12-2 12-3 7-8 8-7 10-6 10-8 4-12 5-6 5-7 5-10 6-10 3-11 2-14
Team
Div.
Ovrl.
ACU MSU SHSU Lamar Nicholls St. NSU UCA SLU SFA
0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
3-2 4-1 4-1 3-2 3-2 3-2 2-2 2-2 2-3
Volleyball contact bahcall at pmb09a@acu.edu
ACU drops double OT thriller 41-34
football
ex- factor Clyde Gates had 3 receptions for 24 yards in the New York Jets (2-2) 38-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans (3-1). Daryl Richardson recorded 12 carries for 16 yards as the St. Louis Rams (1-3) fell to the San Francisco 49ers (2-2) Thursday night, 35-11. Danieal Manning had 3 tackles in the Houston Texans (2-2) loss to the Seattle Seahawks(4-0), Wildcats responded by down to start the second tinue to mix in because it having a chunk run to our 23-20. mandy lambright Staff Photographer
Wide receiver Taylor Gabriel runs away from Tarleton State defenders Saturday at Toyota Stadium in Frisco. Gabriel led ACU in receiving yards last week with 78 yards. The Wildcats lost the game in double-overtime 41-34.
matthew sloan sports director The ACU football faced off against Tarleton State trying to get back in the win column, but the Wildcats fell short in double overtime 41-34. “The bottom line is, we did not play clean enough to win this game,” head coach Ken Collums said. “I don’t know how many turnovers they gave us, and when you don’t capitalize on it, you are not going to win. That is a good team over there with good players and coach Fowler does a good job.” Tarleton State came out firing on all cylinders, scoring the first 14 points of the game. However, in the second quarter the
scoring 10 unanswered points of their own to narrow the gap. “Our team responds well to being down because we are poised and we play hard,” Collums said. “We didn’t come to the sideline freaking out. We trusted our coaches and trusted the calls. As far as coming back, that didn’t surprise me.” ACU entered halftime down 21-10, but put together a great fourth quarter, erasing a double-digit lead and forcing overtime. The ACU defense held the Texans to a field goal as time expired, forcing overtime at Toyota Stadium in Frisco. After exchanging field goals in the first OT, the Texans scored a touch-
overtime period, and the Wildcats were unable to respond with a score of their own. Despite the loss, the Wildcats did have several players on both sides of the ball that made impact plays. Quarterback John David Baker ran the ball for 77 yards on a lot of designed runs and threw for another 230 yards to eclipse 300 yards of total offense. Baker also scored two total touchdowns and threw his first interception of the year. “We have to use him in the run game,” Collums said. “When you do that, you can outnumber the defenders so it is a positive thing that we have not done in the past. That is something we will con-
was effective.” Wide receiver Taylor Gabriel led the Wildcats in catches with eight for 78 yards. Tight end Jonathan Parker scored his first career touchdown on a three-yard pass from Baker in the second quarter. Kicker Nick Grau was perfect Saturday, making both of his field goal tries. Defensively, the Wildcats recovered three fumbles and took the ball away in clutch moments to give the ACU offense a chance to get back into the game. “Taking the ball away for us was absolutely critical,” Collums said. “Several times that was at the end of a very good play for them. They go from
guys being in a position to strip the ball.” Nick Richardson, Keith Barnett and Blake Rudd all recovered fumbles in the contest. Richardson and Barnett each forced a fumble as well in the sloppy conditions. Cornerback Caleb Withrow recorded 10 tackles in the game to tie Richardson for the most on the team. Richardson also had a sack in the game. ACU will be back in action when they travel to Pittsburg State Saturday to take on the Gorillas at 2 p.m.
contact sloan at mes10b@acu.edu
Carpenter nails 54th minute goal team, but I felt that we on the ball and it bounced 0.44 goals-against avercame out ready and played right in. It was nice to get age this season, currently with a lot of energy,” head one of those.” ranked second in the concoach Casey Wilson said. The shutout gave ACU ference. The women’s soccer team “Andrea had a nice goal freshman goalkeeper ACU is now tied for secmoved to 9-1-1 with a vic- fed in from Kat [Garner] Kelsey Dombrowski her ond place in the Southland tory against Southeastern on top of the 18 as their first complete-game shut- Conference with a 3-1-0 Louisiana University. The keeper came out to chal- out. She had three saves in record. Nicholls State and Wildcats broke through lenge. Andrea got her head the game and is allowing Southeastern Louisiana in the 54th minute with a goal from senior Andrea Carpenter. The single goal was enough to defeat SELU, 1-0 on Sunday. “We wanted to bounce back strong after our first loss, and we did,” Carpenter said. “SELU is a good team, and we’re glad to get back on the winning track again.” The goal was Carpenter’s ninth of the year through the team’s first 11 games. ACU snapped the Lions’ four-game winning streak, and became the first team to score against the Lions since Southern Miss did it on Sept. 1. Mary melissa kiel Staff Photographer “Southeastern is a talKatie Stivers prepares to pass the ball into the box at the ACU soccer pitch. ented and well-coached
daniel Zepeda sports editor
also own the same conference record, while Oral Roberts is in first with an undefeated 3-0 conference record. “There are a lot of great teams in the conference, but we are one of them as well,” Carpenter said. “We believe we can win every single game we play, and so far we have come close. We still feel like we are trying to prove ourselves, and that’s what we’re going to do.” The goal against SELU gave her 52 for her career, and ranked her second in the Southland conference, behind Nicholls State’s Spencer Valdespino with 22 points and nine goals. The Wildcats are back in action at home against Central Arkansas at 4 p.m. on Friday.
contact zepeda at djz11a@acu.edu
Former Cincinnati Bengals running back Bernard Scott was released last week as he recovers from a torn ACL that has sidelined him so far this year.
briefings Senior soccer player Jacey Ferrara scored a goal in her match against her sister and Sam Houston State last week. ACU won the match 2-0. The women’s tennis team won 15 matches over the weekend in Idaho at the Boise State Jack Taylor Classic.
Upcoming Volleyball will host Houton Baptist on Thursday at 7 p.m. Women’s soccer will play the University of Central Arkansas on Friday at 4 p.m. Football travels to Pittsburg State Kansas on Saturday to take on the Gorillas at 2 p.m.