OPTIMIST THE
FRIDAY November 5, 2004
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
Abilene Christian University
Vol. 93, No. 22 1 section, 8 pages www.acuoptimist.com
Serving the ACU community since 1912
Foxx shines as ‘Ray’:
Students anticipate all-night insanity:
Season ends Saturday:
Jamie Foxx portrays Ray Charles in the newly released film Ray. Page 4
X-box fanatics prepare, organize celebrations and late-night tournaments for the debut of Halo 2 on Tuesday. Page 3
The Wildcats look to post another winning season after playing Midwestern. Page 8
Graduate program awaiting approval
Four more years Bush officially seals re-election with insurmountable lead in Ohio Republicans extend control of House, Senate with four more seats By JACI SCHNEIDER OPINION EDITOR
New master’s degree to be implemented in fall of 2006 By SARAH CARLSON COPY EDITOR
A proposal for a new Master of Student Affairs graduate program will go before the College of Arts and Sciences Academic Council on Friday and the Graduate Council on Tuesday for approval. The 39-hour program is a master’s in higher education with an emphasis in college student affairs and is designed primarily to prepare students for professional careers in colleges and universities, said Dr. Carol Williams, dean of the Graduate School. The program will be implemented in the fall of 2006. “I think it will be a go if those two councils approve it,” Williams said. “I’m hopeful that they will.” Williams said the idea for the program evolved over several years with different administrators and professors around campus
Many Americans thought the 2004 presidential election would be drawn out for months as it was in 2000, but by Wednesday morning, the country knew that President George W. Bush would serve four more years in the White House. “I was afraid it was going to be a repeat of the last election,” said Becca Lemons, junior speech-language pathology major from Houston. “I was relieved that it didn’t take that long.” By Wednesday morning, Bush
had won 274 of the electoral and made a concession speech However, New Mexico will most votes; he needed 270 to defeat his later that day. likely go to Bush. opponent, Sen. John Kerry, D“It’s good that we make sure “It’s more Republican than Mass. Kerry won 48 percent of the every vote gets counted,” said ever,” said Chelsea Heard, sophopopular vote to Bush’s 51 percent, Andrea Gallman, junior history more elementary education major or 3.5 million from Albuquerque, votes. N.M. “I’m excited “I’m not surthat it’s going for “I’m not surprised at all that Bush won, prised at all that Bush.” but I was surprised that it was so short.” Bush won,” said A larger percentDr. Caron Gentry, age of voters cast Dr. Caron Gentry, freshman industrial technology major from Abilene associate profestheir ballots in this sor of political election than in any science. “But I election since 1968, was surprised that it was so major from Sugarland. “Kerry according to cnn.com. About 120 short.” could have waited longer and million people voted Tuesday, just Ohio, with its 20 electoral stretched it out a bit, but that under 60 percent of eligible votvotes, became the deciding state would have prolonged the insani- ers. in the election Tuesday night. ty.” Gentry said she thinks people Although talk spread that Kerry As of Thursday, New Mexico, could tell it was going to be a close would send lawyers to Ohio to with 5 electoral votes, and Iowa, race. contest Bush’s win, he called Bush with 7 electoral votes, had not See ELECTION Page 5 to concede Wednesday morning been called for either candidate.
The eyes of Texas
See DEGREE Page 5
International students find holiday cheer Families sponsor students during Thanksgiving, Christmas breaks By CHRISTY GOWER FEATURES EDITOR
Celia Deeds is a host parent for international students for the first time. She said because her father was a preacher, they constantly had homeless people at her house. “I grew up never knowing who was going to be at my house,” said Deeds, administrative coordinator for Creative Services. “I grew up around that, and I missed it.” Because of that, the two students she sponsors and one additional student will spend Thanksgiving Day with her. Laura Blake, coordinator of International Student Services, said eight to 10 families have expressed interest in sharing the holiday with international students, but she doesn’t know how many she will need. “It depends on the number of students who See HOLIDAY Page 5
PAUL BRYAN/Contributing Photographer
Republican supporters watch election results come in Tuesday night at the T&P Events Center. Viewers were forced to wait until Wednesday morning to know that President George W. Bush officially defeated Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.
Parking lot blocked for construction Beginning of new residence hall causes some inconvenience By LORI BREDEMEYER MANAGING EDITOR
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Jeremy Gudgel, sophomore environmental science major from Andrews, works on Campus Court by Edwards Hall.
Students returned from fall break to find fewer available parking spaces and a section of Campus Court blocked off in preparation for construction of the new residence hall across from Brown Library. Kevin Watson, chief administrative services officer, said in an e-mail that Campus Court is briefly blockaded in front of Edwards Hall to run fiber and phone lines from Edwards to the new hall. He said the street will be blocked temporarily at other times this year as well. “We will be blocking the street periodically during the construction, but we hope to minimize the number of times as well as the duration,” he
said. “We should expect some parking at other places on cam- students, faculty and staff that disruption of traffic flow peri- pus, like the former Big Purple with any progress comes temodically. We will need to run Stomping Ground north of porary inconvenience,” he said. our water and sewer, irrigation, Edwards Hall. “Parking lot closures, intermithot and chilled water lines onto “This lot holds approxi- tent street closures and other the property.” mately 223 vehicles and is usu- situations will arise throughout The projected completion ally near empty, so it will defi- the course of this project. For date for the e v e r y o n e ’s new resis a f e t y, dence hall “With any progress comes temporary inconvenience ... please drive is Aug. 1, safely and 2005, and situations will arise throughout the course of this project.” cautiously Watson through Jimmy Ellison, chief of ACU Police said conthis construction struction should bearea.” gin sometime next week. nitely hold all those who reguEllison said eventually, all of He said there have not been larly parked in West Campus the hassle during construction many problems with closing Central (parking lot),” he said. will pay off in the end. the parking lot across from the He said another option for “By this time next year,” he library, but it will not open parking is on Oliver Jackson said, “we will be enjoying a again until the hall is complet- Boulevard, which runs between new, state-of-the-art residence ed. the intramural fields and Gray hall, and the inconvenience of “It is somewhat more incon- Stadium. construction barricades will be venient for some,” Watson Ellison also added that stu- a distant memory.” said. dents and employees should be Jimmy Ellison, chief of ACU cautious with all the changes. police, said in an e-mail that “In light of this new conE-mail Bredemeyer at: students have alternatives for struction, I want to remind all lmb00g@acu.edu
CAMPUS
DAY
Friday, November 5, 2004
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Calendar&Events Friday
FilmFest tickets, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows. Tiffany Hamilton Run sign-ups, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows. Sadies Week ticket handouts, 11:30 a.m., Campus Center ticket windows. Hello Book sales, 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows. Reservations Only, 6-7:30 p.m.
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Sunday
International Rescue Committee, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Hilton Room. Tiffany Hamilton Run, 9 a.m., Elmer Gray Stadium.
Library visiting committee breakfast buffet, 7-9 a.m., Faculty-Staff Dining Room.
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FilmFest tickets, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows.
Monday
FilmFest tickets, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows. McNair Scholars poster presentation luncheon, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Living Room.
Culture Show ticket sales, noon-4 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows. Percussion Ensemble concert, 8 p.m., Cullen Auditorium.
Volunteer Opportunities Volunteers are needed Tuesday and Thursday each week to sell FilmFest tickets from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Campus Center ticket windows. Volunteers are needed at the show Nov. 12 to sell tickets before the show and to serve as ushers. Contact the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center for more information. Hendrick Home for Children needs volunteers to set up tables, serve lunch and clear tables after its fashion show Nov. 15 from 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Contact
Tuesday
Spring Break Campaigns leaders meeting, 7:30-8:30 p.m., Living Room.
Sadies Week ticket handouts, 11:30 a.m., Campus Center ticket windows.
Saturday
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FilmFest tickets, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows.
the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center for more information. Wesley Court, a new retirement living center in Abilene, needs volunteers Friday through Nov. 17 to assist elderly residents with various tasks as they move into the facility. Volunteers are needed from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday and occasionally on Saturdays. Contact the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center for more information.
Sadies Week ticket handouts, 11:30 a.m., Campus Center ticket windows. Culture Show ticket sales, noon-4 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows. Students’ Association Social, 6:30-8 p.m., Living Room. Service Action Leadership Team Angel Tree project, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows.
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Wednesday
Campus Life breakfast, 7:30-9 a.m., Living Room.
Service Action Leadership Team Angel Tree project, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows. Servant Leadership reception, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Hilton Rom. Culture Show ticket sales, noon-4 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows.
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Thursday
Service Action Leadership Team Angel Tree project, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows. Culture Show ticket sales, noon-4 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows. Veterans Day reception, 1 p.m.-3 p.m., Living Room. International Students Association Food Festival, 4 p.m.-10:50 p.m., Hilton Room.
About This Page The Optimist maintains this calendar for the ACU community to keep track of local social, academic and service opportunities. Groups may send announcements directly to optimist@jmc.acu.edu or to the Page 2 Editor, ACU Box 27892, Abilene, TX 79699.
To ensure that an item will appear on time, the announcement should be sent at least 10 days before. The Optimist may edit items for space and style. Corrections and clarifications of published news articles will be printed in this space in a timely manner.
Chapel Check-Up Credited Chapels to date: Credited Chapels remaining:
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CAMPUS NEWS
Friday, November 5, 2004
Long-awaited game to premiere Students prepare for all-night play when X-box releases ‘Halo 2’ By DEE TRAVIS ARTS EDITOR
Warfare is now considerably more advanced. There are improved weapons, new vehicles and entirely new terrains on which enemies can fight to the death. No, this isn’t in Iraq or Afghanistan. On Tuesday, it will happen all over campus. Halo 2, the highly anticipated sequel to the 2003 game of the year, will be released at midnight Tuesday. “I’m going to the mall Monday night to camp out until midnight when they open the doors,” said Brock Bowers, sophomore undeclared major from Garland. “At that point, it’s back to the dorm for an allnight Halo event.”
The original Halo quickly dominated dorm life last year all over America, boosting Microsoft X-Box sales to place X-Box among the highest-selling video game consoles. One feature of the X-Box is the ability to hook it up to a computer network so everyone in the network can compete simultaneously. Many Halo addicts are known across campus simply by their Halo codename. Bowers goes by the name “Rolling Rock.” Several Halo players are undeclared, and Elliott Wood, sophomore undeclared major from Nashville, Tenn., sees a definite correlation. “I’ve been way too busy playing Halo to declare a major,” Wood said. Wood, or “Yo-Yo Ma” as fellow Halo players know him, said he hopes to see im-
provements in the game-play and graphics. “It’s going to be incredible,” he said. Chase Webb, friend to “Yo-Yo” and fellow undeclared sophomore from Nashville, Tenn., doesn’t have to do much guessing about how Halo 2 will compare with the original; he’s already played it. “A friend of mine acquired a copy off the Internet,” Webb explained. Webb said the sequel is better than the original in every way. “The game is very natural,” Webb said. “The gameplay is much easier to control than its predecessor.” One improvement Webb described is a feature called “double-wielding,” which a player can use to operate two guns at one time. Another improvement comes in the form of rockets that will seek
Enterprising students to hone skills Fifth-graders to learn about free enterprise at mock city next week By TIFFANY TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
Taylor and Austin elementary fifth-graders will spend Monday and Tuesday in the Hilton Room at Enterprise City, an event organized by Students In Free Enterprise. Enterprise City, which will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end around 3 p.m., teaches students the principles of free enterprise, said Maria Rojas, project leader for Enterprise City and sophomore business management major from Dallas. “They’re going to be running their own businesses,” Rojas said. Enterprise City is a mock city in which some participants manage or own businesses, while others are employees. Businesses include a radio sta-
tion, city hall, newspaper, ice cream parlor, bank, gift shop, post office, photo shop, snack shop, pizzeria, arcade and jewelry store, said Vicki Blair, fifth grade reading, spelling and social studies teacher at Taylor Elementary School. Enterprise City will teach the fifth-graders about writing and cashing checks and balancing bank accounts. In addition, students learn how to make money, receive a paycheck and decide how to spend their earnings. “They’ll see it’s not easy work,” Rojas said. “They’ll get a glimpse into the jobs their parents have. I think they’ll get excited about it.” Blair said the students generally all like the arcade and being police officers and managers. “They enjoy being able to spend the money they earned,” she said. Rojas said she believes children in fifth grade are starting to desire independence. “They get to act like they’re
grown-ups,” she said. For many students, Enterprise City is either an introduction into or reinforcement of their junior achievement class, a curriculum that “talks to students about the business world and the market system,” Rojas said. Blair said she believes her students can better understand the interconnection and difficulty of free enterprise that is hard to describe in the classroom. “They get some hands-on experience,” Blair said. “Most of them have little chores they do to get money, but they don’t have salary-type jobs.” Rojas said she thinks Enterprise City will get kids excited about going into the world and make them knowledgeable about business, and she said she hopes the program will give them a greater appreciation and interest in the professions. E-mail Taylor at: tat04a@acu.edu
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Chucking wood
out and destroy vehicles. One of the biggest surprises, Webb said, is the improved storyline of the game. “The game is much more solid and story-driven,” he said said. “People will want to keep playing to see how the story unfolds, and that wasn’t really the case with the original.” Several celebrations are planned all over campus, including a private bash in the Campus Center. Wood probably speaks for the Halo everyman, though, in describing his plans for Tuesday. “I have to go to class on Tuesday because I’ve used up all my skips,” he said, “but then it’s back to the dorm to play Halo for the rest of my life.” EMILY CHASTAIN/Staff Photographer
E-mail Travis at: dxt02a@acu.edu
Katrina Smith, senior art major from Springfield, Mo., cuts wood for a frame Thursday afternoon in the Don Morris Center.
ARTSFRIDAY OPTIMIST
Page 4
The Box Office Figures are for the weekend of October 29-31 and are in millions. Total grosses in parentheses. 1 The Grudge—$21.8 ($70.7) 2 Ray—$20 (new) 3 Saw—$18.3 (new) 4 Shark Tale—$7.5 ($147) 5 Shall We Dance—$6.29 ($33.9) 6 Friday Night Lights—$4.09 ($52.9) 7 Ladder 49—$3.26 ($66.1) 8 Team America: World Police—$3.08 ($27.2) 9 Surviving Christmas— $2.44 ($7.98) 10 Taxi—$2.11 ($32.7)
New York Times Best-Selling Fiction Novels Numbers indicate: current position, last week’s position and total weeks on the list. 1/1/2 Nora Roberts, Northern Lights 2/3/84 Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code 3/4/5 Philip Roth, The Plot Against America 4/-/1 R.A. Salvatore, The Two Swords 5/7/3 Nora Roberts, The Gift 6/2/5 Stephen King, The Dark Tower 7/5/7 Patricia Cornwell, Trace 8/6/57 Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet In Heaven 9/8/2 Anita Shreve, Light on Snow 10/13/2 Stuart Woods, The Prince of Beverly Hills
November 5, 2004
Jamie Foxx achieves perfection as ‘Ray’ By DEE TRAVIS ARTS EDITOR
Ray
PPPP Starring Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, Regina King; directed by Taylor Hackford. Rated PG-13 (for depiction of drug addiction, sexuality and some thematic elements). He was blind by the age of seven, but Ray Charles Robinson didn’t let that stop him from becoming one of the world’s most beloved entertainers. His mother drilled into him the idea of not letting anyone turn him into a cripple; the choice was entirely his own. What this film about Ray Charles shows so well is how he made that choice on a daily basis. He recognized his own talent and knew he could convince others to believe in him if he first believed in himself. Unfortunately, there wasn’t always much to believe in. Ray goes behind the success and shows the real Ray Charles, from his consistently failing marriage to his deep-seeded drug addictions. These kinds of biographical movies often fall short because there aren’t many actors who can pull them off, but Jamie Foxx absolutely shines in the greatest performance of the year. Ray Charles began as most great artists do, traveling from town to town looking for work. The film wastes no time showing the extraordinary challenges Ray had to face that some would take for granted, such as walking up the stairs to a bus. He demanded to be paid with $1 bills because he knew he’d be cheated otherwise. The color of his skin wasn’t the least of his struggles, either. Amidst all these challenges, though, Ray never settled into discouragement or mediocrity.
Ratings Key
PPPP PPP PP P
Excellent Good Fair Poor
He was always moving forward. Just as he begins making a name for himself, he realizes that his employers have been cheating him financially. Rather than try to work things out, he immediately confronts, rebukes and leaves them, no questions asked. He knows he can’t survive without room to grow. Everyone he comes in contact with admires his talent, but he faces the familiar ailment of not having anything unique to offer. His manager correctly identifies the problem, telling him, “No one wants another Nat King Cole.” Ray’s records are selling, nonetheless, but it’s not enough for him. During his first conversation with his future wife, she tells him, “I wonder who the real Ray Charles is.” He says he doesn’t know, but we get the sense that he doesn’t want to tell. He later writes I’ve got a woman, which reveals his true style; a completely original cross of R&B and gospel. His wife is initially appalled but can’t deny the power of his sound. He divides crowds at night clubs, causing some to shout that he’s hell-bound for playing the devil’s music, but most people quickly get over it. Ray Charles’ music is just too good to pass up. Jamie Foxx’s portrayal of Ray is nothing short of brilliant. Foxx never goes over the top but manages to capture all of Ray’s flair. He delivers the Ray Charles trademarks, most noticeably his smile during performances, but he also gets the little things right. The way Foxx speaks, walks, and even the way he holds his arms after each
song all reflect a performance designed to stand up under scrutiny. I began watching Foxx closely to see how he would handle the role, but within minutes I forgot the performance and believed I was watching the real Ray. Foxx doesn’t sing his own songs, but this is a wise decision on the part of the filmmakers. When striving for authenticity about a completely unique musician, who are you going to get to sing like Ray Charles? Ray moves back and forth between scenes of Ray’s journey through the music world and scenes of his childhood. He was raised on a farm in northern Florida where he witnessed the death of his brother at a very young age. Although Ray was clearly not to blame for his brother’s drowning, he never forgave himself. In one of the film’s greatest sequences, a seven-year-old Ray trips in his living room and immediately screams for his mother. She sees him lying there and rushes to help him up, but then quickly restrains herself. Ray lies there and calls for her, but soon realizes she’s not coming to help him. With tears streaming down her face, Ray’s mother watches her son get up and help himself, using his ears to guide him around the room. She chooses the painful but loving decision that makes everything else possible. Ray’s relationship with his wife suffers through a long series of hardships. While packing a bag for him, his wife discovers a set of drug needles. She blasts Ray for keeping the secret from her, but he basically ignores her and continues with business as usual. Soon, it begins to interfere with his work. During a recording session, a studio representative expresses his concern to Ray’s manager, to which the manager responds, “What do want me to do about
Photo courtesy of WWW.ROTTENTOMATOES.COM
Jamie Foxx captures the heart and soul of the legendary Ray Charles in “Ray.” Foxx’s performance as Charles perfectly reflects all the energy and gusto that helped make Charles famous. it? Listen to that sound, man!” What Ray slowly realizes is how he betrayed his promise to his mother about never letting anyone turn him into a cripple; through his series of affairs and addictions, he’s completely crippled himself. When one of his backup singers becomes pregnant with his child, Ray denies her request to leave his family for her. She almost laughs and cries simultaneously, telling him in one of the film’s most heartbreaking moments, “Between your music, your dope and me, you’ve already left your family, Ray.”
The tale of Ray Charles’ life is a great story, but often a sad one. It’s a story of how the people he loved never came first; his music was always more important. Ray emerges as a portrait of a real man, and this wonderfully honest portrayal doesn’t necessarily paint him as either good or bad. Ray shows Ray Charles for what he was, nothing more. It knows exactly what is needed, which is more than most movies know. E-mail Travis at: dxt02a@acu.edu
Today’s Movies The Incredibles — voices by Craig T. Nelson, Samuel L. Jackson, Holly Hunter, Jason Lee; directed by Brad Bird. Pixar presents the story of a superhero and his super family who have practically entered retirement but are suddenly called upon for one last mission.
Alfie— starring Jude Law, Susan Sarandon; directed by Charles Shyer. Jude Law stars in this remake of the film that won Michael Caine his first Oscar nomination. A cockney womanizer living in New York City begins to ponder his unexamined life.
It’s All About Love—starring Joaquin Phoenix, Claire Danes, Sean Penn; directed by Thomas Vinterberg. In this futuristic thriller, Phoenix plays a New York City man who begins to suspect his wife is in danger.
Top-Selling Albums Numbers indicate: current position, last week’s position and total weeks on the chart. 1/-/1 Rod Stewart, Stardust ... The Great American Songbook Vol. III 2/3/6 Nelly, Suit
3/1/3 George Strait, 50 Number Ones 4/2/31 Usher, Confessions 5/13/8 Ray Charles, Genius Loves Company 6/-/1 Jimmy Eat World, Futures 7/-/1 Brooks & Dunn,
The Greatest Hits Collection II 8/4/2 Celine Dion, Miracle 9/6/4 Hilary Duff, Hilary Duff 10/9/9 Tim McGraw, Live Like You Were Dying
FROM THE FRONT PAGE/CAMPUS NEWS
Wednesday, November 5, 2004
Friday event focuses on worship, unity
Laying down the law
Page 5
Election: Democrats lose seats in Congress Continued from Page 1
One Nite 2 Unite targets Abilene college students By EMILY CHASTAIN STUDENT REPORTER
A prayer, worship and unity event for all college students in Abilene is planned for Friday night. The event, One Nite 2 Unite, is 8-10 p.m. in “The Crossover,” the youth building at the First United Methodist Church on South 1st and Poplar streets. Rance Bland, event organizer and senior vocational ministry major from Lubbock, said the gathering is targeted at Abilene college students “who love Jesus and want to follow Christ regardless of background or traditional heritage.” One Nite 2 Unite will begin with a time of worship, led by a team of college students from various backgrounds. Attendees will then be split into several small groups with prayer and fellowship guided by local college ministers who include Keith Roberson, from Beltway Park Baptist Church; Paul McClendon, from River of Life Church; Steve Hare, from Highland Church of Christ; and Jerry Taylor, minister of North 10th and Treadaway Church of Christ. The night will finish with Mark Lewis, director of Spiritual Life, leading the Lord’s Supper. “I hope that it’s something that won’t just be a one-night thing, but will stir people’s hearts to begin thinking about what it would like on a consistent basis to be one with the body [of believers],” Bland said. Bland is a member of the
Prayer Network, a team of college students from different universities dedicated to prayer for campuses, churches and the city. Bland said One Nite 2 Unite is a product of him and other Prayer Network members feeling God laying on their hearts a need for unity within the body of Christ. “[We want to] look beyond congregations and think about what that can mean when we’re all united in spirit and purpose,” Bland said. “Ultimately, we just want Christ to be exalted.” Jerry Taylor, professor of Bible, is one of the leaders who will speak briefly about the need for peace and unity. Taylor said he hopes students will come to realize the deep need for unity in today’s society as they continue to face things like the war in Iraq and the current divisive political season. “I think it’s a positive event when any group of people can come together and talk about unity and talk about erasing walls or barriers that have been erected,” Taylor said. “There’s a passage in the Bible that says, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.’” Bland said although student response has been strong so far, he’s not sure how many people to expect at the event because it has never happened before. The Crossover building can hold a few hundred people. “The more, the merrier,” Bland said. “It’s whatever the Lord decides to do. We’re just trying to be obedient and see what happens.” E-mail Chastain at: optimist@acu.edu
Computer science club to travel to Louisiana ACM members to solve problems at regional competition By KELLY DENNIS STAFF WRITER
Members of the Association for Computing Machinery will travel to Louisiana State University Friday to compete in the South Central USA Regional Programming contest. Mike Frazier, associate professor and director of computer science, and Dwayne Towell, assistant professor of computer science, will travel with the six students in ACM to the contest. The students will make up two teams, each comprised of three members, to the competition. Team members are Chris Fangio, Chris Lemmons, Jace Miller, Amy Neimeyer, Soji Omiwade and Chris Smith. The South Central region consists of about 60 teams from Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico. The regional contest is part of the International Collegiate Programming Competition sponsored by IBM. If the teams do well on Saturday, they may advance to the international competition, which will be held in Shanghai, China, Frazier said. “The teams are given a series of about eight problems they need to solve,” Towell said. “Whichever team solves the most problems wins; in the case of a tie, the team which completes the problems in the shortest amount of time wins. Think of it as similar to a debate in history or politics—it’s your chance to show off your academic ability in a certain area.”
This is Towell’s first year to attend the competition as a faculty member; however, he competed in the contest 20 years ago when he attended ACU. Frazier, who has coached the team for nine years, said he thinks the teams could finish in the top 10. He said the outcome depends a lot on the problems and how they are worded. “Last year the questions were so easy that speed was the determining factor; in previous years, problems have been difficult and hard to understand, with wording creating a greater challenge than the computer science aspect of the problem,” Frazier said. Most of the students’ preparation comes from the classroom, and Frazier said in future years, he hopes to expand the amount of outside work the students do to prepare for the competition. “Once in a while we have had Saturdays where team members have come in and practiced,” Frazier said. “I’d like to do more practice problems and have a local contest here so our teams could have more experience.” The international competition supports programming languages c++ and java, though additional languages may be allowed during the regional competitions, depending upon the location. Frazier said his curriculum focuses on java, and students may tend to be more comfortable with that, but some students also have a good knowledge of c++ and may choose to use that, depending on the problem. E-mail Dennis at: kmd03a@acu.edu
“We have a fairly polarized nation,” she said. “People could tell it was going to be a close one.” Heard said because people have friends and relatives overseas, they were reminded of their responsibility to vote. “I think that probably because of the war right now, it hits home a lot more that we have the freedom to vote,” Heard said. In the U.S. Senate and House of Representative races,
the Republican Party gained ground over the Democrats with four seats in the Senate and four seats in the House, with three still undecided Wednesday. “It will be a good thing because I think it’s better when you have a Republican president and House and Senate,” Heard said. “It’s easier to get important stuff passed when there’s not so much political stuff to go through.” E-mail Schneider at: jrs02a@acu.edu
Degree: Program to have Christian emphasis Continued from Page 1
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Ken Starr, dean of Pepperdine University’s School of Law, spoke during Chapel on Wednesday about a Christian’s responsibility in society. He was on campus to conduct interviews for Pepperdine’s law program.
talking about it, and the University Planning Committee and the Academic Council for the Department of Education approved it in October. The program is designed to train students to work in higher education in areas like Campus Life, Chapel, financial aid, advising and residence life. Being at ACU, the program will emphasize faith and a role in administration as a ministry. “There aren’t many master’s programs that have the Christian emphasis we have,” Williams said. “We think we can be a national leader in
this area.” She said she is unsure of who would teach the courses in the program, but a likely candidate would be Dr. Mimi Barnard, director of Residence Life and Housing. Barnard said she considers her job a ministry and thinks implementing a program that emphasizes faith and higher education is important. “I think it’s a wonderful idea,” Barnard said. “It prepares you for a life of ministry as well as a professional career.” E-mail Carlson at: skc02a@acu.edu
Holiday: Host parenting a ‘blessing’ for all involved Continued from Page 1 respond,” she said. “I make the students aware of the opportunity to go to a family’s home for the holiday and ask them if they’re interested and just kind of go from there.” The residence halls are open during Thanksgiving, and Blake said the students who do not travel usually spend the time catching up on sleep or work. “It gives them a glimpse into
American families and holiday traditions,” she said. “I think it’s neat because they get to see how we celebrate and get to be a part of that.” Deeds said the students are not the only benefactors. “It really works both ways,” she said. “You learn a little more about other cultures. It’s been a blessing for us as well.” Joyce Voss, administrative coordinator for the executive vice president, is also a host
parent for the first time. “It’ll be a good opportunity to get away from dorm life and be around family life,” she said. She said she’s been considering what foods to serve for Thanksgiving, saying she may cook some rice for her two international students in addition to her traditional foods. “They like poultry, so I think they’ll be happy with the turkey,” she said. Deeds said she has enjoyed
spending time with her adopted students because it gives them an opportunity to learn about the other’s lives, cultures and languages. “They’re just going to be a part of our family for now on,” she said. Those interested in hosting an international student can contact Blake at Ext. 2821. E-mail Gower at: cng02a@acu.edu
Servant leaders to be honored in Chapel Wednesday Service is ‘a lifestyle’ for the 44 seniors to be recognized By MALLORY SHERWOOD STAFF WRITER
Chelsie Fletcher walks down the street just to talk to strangers. She strikes up a conversation with a man in front of his house about his kids, faith and daily struggles as part of the Streetwalkers program at Highland Church of Christ. Streetwalkers is an outreach program ministering to families in the neighborhood surrounding the church. Fletcher’s involvement in the outreach is just one of many services that she and43 seniors will be recognized for in Chapel on Wednesday. The
December graduate hopefuls were nominated by professors and nearly 120 seniors to be honored for their leadership and dedication to service while on campus, said Rita Harrell, administrative coordinator in the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center. “I felt very, very honored to be nominated for this award,” said Fletcher, senior history major from Midland. “It is a humbling experience to know that people saw and have seen service as a part of me.” The nominees will sit in a reserved section on the floor of Moody Coliseum along with a faculty or staff mentor that they choose and be recognized as a group. “We want to simply recognize the students for their involvement to service,” Harrell said. “They were nominated
because of their active role in the community, because they lead others to action and set an example. Through their encouragement, their lifestyle is contagious.” For many of these students who have been nominated, service is simply their lifestyle. Jackie Beth Shilcutt, a May 2004 graduate and interim camp registrar in the ACU Leadership Camps office, was recognized last year as a servant leader. “It is so neat that people can be honored at ACU for their dedication to service as a lifestyle,” Shilcutt said. “It is something that these people have often never been recognized for and who don’t realize others even notice.” Since the spring of 1999, about 530 people have been
recognized for their leadership on the campus and in the community. “Students have been getting more involved each year in service opportunities on campus,” Harrell said. “I believe it was started because [Provost] Dwayne VanRheenen saw the importance in recognizing these students within the ACU community who went above and beyond what we are all called to do.” Fletcher said service is a part of nominees’ lives, and they encourage people to get involved. “It is important to get out and share God’s love,” she said. “Be a servant by letting others see you serve them. Simply be Jesus.” E-mail Sherwood at: mes02e@acu.edu
VIEWSFRIDAY OPTIMIST
Page 6
Clear election results provide relief
The issue: President Bush secured a second term Tuesday with 34 more electoral votes and 3.5 million more popular votes than Senator John Kerry.
Our view: Kerry provided relief to the nation by conceding the election Wednesday and not dragging the country into another legal battle like the one that occurred in the 2000 election in Florida.
November 5, 2004
Less than 12 hours after the final polls closed on the West Coast, America officially knew its president. By winning Ohio, President George W. Bush sealed his re-election bid with what should end up to be 286 electoral votes to Sen. John Kerry’s 252. In an election that looked close all evening and a possible repeat of the drawnout 2000 election, simply knowing who the winner is provides some relief. Kerry made the right move
In 2000, late Wednesday In an election that looked close all evening ... simply Bush won by morning by knowing who the winner is provides some relief. 18 electoral calling Bush to votes over Al concede the Gore, but he election. In a year where one state’s electoral 137,000-vote lead in Ohio lost the popular vote. Even votes could have swung victory proved to be insurmountable, though the nation’s popular to either corner, it makes sense Kerry graciously bowed out of vote does not decide who wins that Kerry wanted to wait and the race. the election, people still quescontemplate his options before Because of that move, Amer- tioned how this could happen. officially conceding. ica should not have to worry This time, America has choHe took Tuesday night to do this time about charges that sen, and the choice is clear. so. Talks of sending a host of Bush stole the election or that Bush should win the Electoral lawyers to Ohio to fight the his presidency is illegitimate. College by 34 votes. He won vote totals swirled early WedKerry’s concession allowed the popular vote by 3.5 million. nesday morning — eliciting the election to be decided at the For the last six months, memories of Florida in 2000. polls — the only place elections America has been divided by However, when Bush’s should be decided. the election — divided over the
Recycle those soda cans, y’all
Daniel Barcroft
In My Words
I have to admit, Texas is Pepper, Pepsi, and some truly growing on me. Well actually, are Coke. Call it pop, call it it’s growin’ on me. I am still a soda, I don’t care, but please proud Pacific Northwest- don’t call it Coke; it just leads erner, but I to confusion. From my perspective, am beginning to see why Texas seems to be behind in some people recycling. It could just be in like this Abilene, but I cringe every strange, dusty time I see a soda can or newspaper in a trashcan. I find it land. The thun- strange that a recycling truck d e r s t o r m s doesn’t come once a week to Much Ado alone make pick up newspapers, bottles, West Texas a cans and cardboard. ReAbout place cycling is a way of life in Something decent to live. I love many states; when I first Jaci Schneider waking up in arrived in Texas, I didn’t the morning to the sounds of know what to do with my booming thunder and rain soda cans, and I couldn’t trickling down the gutter believe that I was expected to onto my front porch and cars throw them away. Why can’t splashing their way down the Texas join other states in making recystreet. cling easy and And the commonplace? place does have If you’re going to I could go some nice sunon for a while, sets. I have create a contracbut I’ll refrain spent many tion and use it in from listing evenings marevery grievance veling at the every sentence about the state spread of colors of Texas across the sky. spoken, please because I really However, in spell it right. don’t mind livthe two-ish ing here. The years that I’ve people are spent in Abilene, I still don’t understand friendly, and the sky is big. some of the finer quirks of But Texans, please remember, it’s not the only state in the West Texas culture. First, the word y’all. Sure, union, it’s not the biggest, and it’s a handy word; most lan- it’s not the best. Go ahead and guages have a word for the be proud of your home, but plural “you,” so it makes think before buying Texas flag sense that Americans would patio furniture, car seat covmake up their own. But if ers or bedroom sets – some you’re going to create a con- things really are over the top traction and use it in every y’all. sentence spoken, please spell it right. You all equals y’all, not ya’ll. Another language issue – carbonated beverages are not E-mail Schneider at: optimist@acu.edu or jrs02a@acu.edu all Coke; some are 7-Up, Dr
Sadies Week unfortunately uneventful Rare is the time that a comic strip affects the dating life of college students. For that matter, rare is the time that anything affects my dating life, much less the unfortunate events of the courting life of Hekzebiah Hawkins’ fictional daughGray ter. His daughMatters ter in Al Capp’s Li’l Abner Warren Gray comic strip was Sadie Hawkins. But her bad luck with the fellas makes this one of my favorite weeks of the year, while also, somehow, managing to be one of my least favorites. Sadie Hawkins week. Liberation; torture. The beginning of Sadies Week is always an uplifting time. For one week out of the year, my not having a date on Friday night is not my fault. It’s fun to wonder about what will
For one week out of the year, my not having a date on Friday night is not my fault. transpire, if that girl you so smoothly make unavoidable eye contact with in class will be overcome by your charm and ask you out. All of this freedom and anticipation thanks to ole’ Hekzebiah, who was so worried about his daughter living alone for the rest of her life that he established the first ever, all be it in newspaper print, Sadie Hawkins Day. Her special day consisted of a foot race in which the unmarried young ladies of the town pursued the local bachelors, with marital bliss the consequence of being caught. The race, transformed into a week-long marathon at ACU, comes to an unfortunate end when, at its conclusion, you remain uncaught. When Tuesday rolls around and your
phone, instead of the anticipated constant ringing, hasn’t been dialed up by a single female, the bottom portion of the rollercoaster ride that is Sadies Week sets in. The movie was free, and you didn’t even get an invitation. And now, for 51 more weeks, it’s your turn again. It’s not that the week has been all that different from normal routine. My dating life, if you could call it that, is about as active as, well, something that’s not very active. It’s just the fact that once again, you’ve been left high and dry. The tradition of Sadie Hawkins Day is now a national event, taking place annually on Nov. 13 for the rest of the country. As early as 1939, more than 200 colleges held Sadie Hawkins Day activities, just two
years after its inception. The events are supposedly designed to place power in the hands of the females, to give them initiative to ask out the guys, but I suspect ulterior motives. I think the true reason for the day, or week, is to let guys experience the sting of having to be on the other end. The agony of not being asked, and the creativity of having to escape the invitation from the wrong person. In the 1930s, Al Capp did not intend for there to be a set day every year for his fictitious ploy, and I would guess he could not have assumed the overwhelming popularity with which it spread. In 2004, I do intend to not let my fictitious plots of weekend chancings entertain my thoughts again, but I am sure that I’ll be overwhelmed by an uneventful Sadies week.
In Your Words What do you think of the election results?
E-mail Gray at: optimist@acu.edu or weg02a@acu.edu
I’m very excited and happy that our Texas boy, Bush, won, and I appreciate Kerry’s concession speech. I thought he handled it well.”
Give hicks, small towns a chance Props to Lori Bredemeyer for upholding the virtues of smalltown life. I am also from a small town: Bonanza, a 350-person farming-and-ranching community in Southern Oregon. I agree; too many people don’t appreciate Abilene, or small towns in general. Growing up in the country, we learned to have fun in the simple things ... impromptu rodeos, riverside camp-outs, 4-wheel drive and country music. We manage to find joy in everyday stuff: ranch work, like mending fences and cutting firewood. Going to “town,” a place about half the size of Abilene, com-
plete with a Wal-Mart and coffee shop, is a fun outing, as well as necessary for groceries and other essentials. Probably many people reading this are rolling their eyes, thinking what a hick I am … but I’m proud of rural America. I don’t think that many people truly understand or appreciate farmers and ranchers and the value that they give to our country. I know that this sounds cliché, but small towns are the heart of America. The farmers and ranchers that so many deride as hicks actually have very important jobs that require a considerable
amount of skill, intelligence and finesse. How many people know how to doctor cattle, bale hay or fertilize crops? These are all skills that feed America and yet are derided by those who do not understand this way of life. So many skills that come naturally to us hicks are often unheard of here. Knowing how to ride horses, build fires, buck hay and mend barbed wire fence is essential to rural life. All I’m saying is give us hicks a chance. Pay attention in your Environmental Science class,
Editorial and letter policy Unsigned editorials are the opinions of the Optimist Editorial Board 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, its Editorial Board 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. Address letters to: ACU Box 27892 Abilene, TX 79699 E-mail letters to: optimist@jmc.acu.edu
YOUR VOICE Re: The Optimist, Oct. 10 Winters, Abilene a wonderland to some by Lori Bredemeyer, managing editor.
OPTIMIST
“I’m glad there wasn’t a lot of controversy like the last election.”
Justin Holloway
Carolyn Reynolds
senior agricultural business major from Abilene
freshman nursing major from Round Rock
“Bush is great. Kerry’s kinda weird. Charlie’s still my Stenholmie.”
“I was ecstatic. I was hoping that Bush would win.”
and don’t deride Abilene and its small-town cousins. We are more essential to your life than you think, and in our own quiet way, we’re taking care of you. Danielle Linthicum junior journalism major from Bonanza, Oregon
THE
candidates and divided over the issues. People will stay divided on the issues. They might very well maintain differing views on the candidates. However, given the opportunity to choose, America selected a clear winner. Kerry realized it was not him, and he has stepped aside to preserve national unity. Americans might never fully come together on the issues or who they wish were president, but they should follow Kerry’s lead and begin to move past the divisive election.
Kellie Williams
Chris Munn
junior nursing major from Carlsbad N.M.
junior social work major from Ennis
The Optimist Editorial Board
Published by the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Abilene Christian University
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SPORTS JUMPS
Friday, November 5, 2004
Page 7
Preview: Players uses preseason to jell with new team members Continued from Page 8 will play inside and outside for the team. “She’ll give teams some mismatch problems,” Lavender said. “She just works hard on every single play.” Lavender is in her third season as head coach after taking over the team the last six games of the 2002-2003 season after serving as an assistant. The former Southern Methodist University standout, said she will use the exhibition schedule to look at different combinations of players and get a feel for where the team is at on both ends of the court. “We’ll see who’s playing well enough to start, see who plays well coming off the bench and kind of get some of the jitters out for the new guys,” Lavender said. Jaymie Harner, a freshman from The Woodlands, will be one of those players getting her first taste of the college game.
“She’s a great athlete, a great defender,” Lavender said. “She does all the little things you don’t really notice.” The fourth freshman on the team is Miki Mays, who is recovering from a stress fracture. “She’s doing a lot of learning right now having missed the first two weeks of practice,” Lavender said. “She’s catching up.” The other new player on the team, Haley Hammond, a junior transfer from Harding, could very well end up being one of those players who plays well off the bench. With Riles and Boles penciled in as the starters down low, the Wildcats will probably look for Hammond to provide a spark off the bench. “She gives us some size inside,” Lavender said. “She’s done a really good job for us; she’s really learning her role and what we need inside.” Getting those new players integrated into the team will be one of the focuses of Friday’s
exhibition matchup with the Dallas Diesel, a semi-pro team from the metroplex area. With five of the 12 players playing their first game as Wildcats, Lavender said she really doesn’t know what to expect from the newcomers the first time out, but she expects all five to contribute this season. “They’ve started being more aggressive; they’re starting to become more comfortable with our offensive and defensive stuff,” Lavender said. Lavender said she is ready to see how it will all fit together, and that the team is ready to face some outside competition. “We’re trying to get everybody some game experience, especially having a bunch of new people,” Lavender said. “Of course you want to win, but that’s not the most important thing going into exhibition games.” E-mail Gray at: weg02a@acu.edu
Don’t miss out on volleyball Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, college students of all ages, this message is for you: Please remove yourself from your current location and go to the volleyball match. This is not a test. This is not Front a request. This Roe Seats is a mandate handed down Brian Roe straight from the newly re-elected president of the United States, George W. Bush. OK, not really. But this is your last chance to see the best volleyball team in the Lone Star Conference South Division. The Wildcat volleyball team plays its final two home matches of the season tonight at 6 p.m. against Incarnate Word and tomorrow against St. Mary’s at noon. The 2004 squad is the most successful in ACU history, already knocking off traditional volleyball power West Texas
A&M (twice), and clinching the LSC South Division championship for the first time and going undefeated at home. Here are the top 10 reasons every one of you reading this should get out to Moody Coliseum to watch the Wildcat volleyball team: 10. The football game doesn’t begin until 1 p.m. on Saturday. That leaves plenty of time to stop by the volleyball game, watch the Wildcats beat up on St. Mary’s and catch the ACU football game. 9. Ladies: Sadies week began yesterday. The volleyball game is a great excuse to ask Mr. Right out on a date. 8. Gentlemen: there will be a lot of girls at the volleyball game. Maybe one of them will ask you out in honor of Sadies week. 7. Amanda Slate. She’s tall, she’s blonde and she hits the ball harder than anyone else on Earth. During Tuesday’s game against Angelo State, she served the ball so hard that it bounced off the ground and hit an ASU girl in the face.
6. The NHL is locked out right now. I know most of you would be watching hockey on TV, but the NHL is in the midst of a lockout, so come watch volleyball. 5. The team deserves a good home crowd. The volleyball team has won 24 games already this season, so they must be doing something right. 4. The matches are short. The volleyball matches generally last one hour to 90 minutes. That leaves plenty of time to go catch a movie or sit down at a restaurant after a Wildcat victory. 3. The Wildcats lead the LSC in kills. A kill in volleyball is when our player smashes the ball into their player’s face. 2. It’s free. In case you didn’t know, all ACU students get into the volleyball games free of charge by bringing their ID card. 1. ACU will win. The team is 12-0 at home this season. E-mail Roe at: optimist@acu.edu or bpr00a@acu.edu
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Junior setter Lindsey Martin sets the ball during Tuesday’s 3-0 (30-25, 30-22, 30-22) victory over Angelo State in Moody Coliseum. With the win, the Wildcats clinched the LSC South Division title.
Volleyball: Regional up next Continued from Page 8 assists (1,339) and assists per game (13.39). The Wildcat setter was also named LSC South Setter of the Week—for the fourth time this season—for her play last week against Texas A&M-Kingsville and Tarleton State. “She’s just a great player and really makes our offense work,” said senior libero Kellen Morrow. “She and I came in together, but Lindsey red-shirted her
freshman year.” Martin and the Wildcats are not only the LSC South Division champions, but the team is also ranked No. 3 in the Southwest Region Poll behind Nebraska-Kearney (25-0) and Fort Hays State (21-2). ACU owns a record of 21-7 overall and 17-4 against regional opponents. The top eight teams in the final regional poll of the season will be invited to the regional tournament. If the Wildcats win
the LSC Post-Season tournament they will be guaranteed a spot in the regional tournament. No Wildcat volleyball team has ever reached the regional tournament. “Our overall goal this season is to make it to the regional tournament and be a competitive team there,” Horn said. “But first we have to take care of business in our conference.” E-mail Roe at: bpr00a@acu.edu
SPORTSFRIDAY OPTIMIST
Page 8
November 5, 2004
LSC South Standings Football Team Div. 1. A&M-Kingsville 4-1 1. Midwestern State 3-1 2. E. New Mexico 4-2 3. ACU 3-2 4. A&M-Commerce 1-4 4. Angelo State 1-4 4. W. Texas A&M 1-4
Tot. 7-1 7-2 5-5 5-4 3-6 2-8 3-6
Projected Depth Chart Chart Projected Depth
Div. 9-1 7-3 5-3 2-6 2-6 1-7
Tot. 24-7 20-8 21-7 9-20 18-14 16-16
Briefs Martin receives another Player of the Week If Lindsey Martin hadn’t already made a name for herself this season, on Monday she was awarded with her fourth Lone Star Conference South Division Setter of the Week for her performances against Tarleton State and Texas A&M-Kingsville. Martin had 38 assists, one service ace and five digs against Kingsville, and she also added another 38 assists, two kills, a service ace, eight digs and two blocks against Tarleton.
41 - Haley Hammond, C/F 6-0, jr, TR - Granbury 03-04 season: (Harding) 7.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 18 blk
24 - Stephanie Riles, F 5-11, sr, 2VL - Lockhart 03-04 season: 5.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, .422 FG% 32 - Ashlee Barr, W/F 5-10, fr, HS - Lake Dallas 03-04 season: (LDHS) 18.0 ppg, 7.2 rpg
Shooting Guard
Small Forward
22 - Ashley King, G 5-7, jr, 2VL - Weatherford 03-04 season: 12.4 ppg, 3.9 apg, .438 3FG%
42 - Meredith Doyle, F 5-10, sr, 3VL - Sulphur Springs 03-04 season: 3.3 ppg, 1.6 rpg, .386 FG%
43 Kierstan Barbee, G/W 5-6, jr, 2VL - Abilene 03-04 season: 4.2 ppg, 1.7 rpg, .329 3FG%
23 - Laura Smith, G
5-8, soph, 1VL - Rio Rancho, N.M
Point Guard
(home events in italics)
Friday, November 5 VB: Incarnate Word, 6 p.m. WBB: Dallas Diesel, 8 p.m. Saturday, November 6 MCC: at NCAA II regional, 10 a.m. WCC: at NCAA II Regional, 10 a.m. VB: St. Mary's, noon FB: Midwestern State, 1 p.m. Thursday, November 11 WBB: at SMU, 7 p.m. Friday, November 12 MBB: at Arkansas, 7 p.m. Saturday, November 13 MBB: at Western Kentucky, 7:30 p.m.
14 - Alex Guiton, PG 5-7, fr, HS - Fort Worth 03-04 season: (FW Chr. HS) 43 3FG, 5.1 apg
By KYLE ROBARTS SPORTS EDITOR
Playoffs and division titles may be out of reach, but the Wildcat football team still has an opportunity to post its thirdstraight winning season. At 5-4, ACU plays host to Midwestern State at Shotwell Stadium Saturday at 1 p.m. The MSU Indians are tied with Texas A&M-Kingsville for the Lone Star Conference South Division lead with a 4-1 record in the south division. Midwestern is 7-2 overall with its two losses coming from two teams that the Wildcats have defeated this year. On Sept. 11, the Indians fell to Tarleton State 19-3, and the following week ACU defeated Tarleton 31-14. On Oct. 16, Midwestern lost to Texas A&M-Kingsville 27-3, and last week ACU knocked off Kingsville 17-10, dropping its No. 2 national ranking to No. 9. Last year’s contest with Midwestern ended well for ACU, as the Wildcats took advantage of four Eben Nelson field goals to come away with an
Date
Opponent / Result
Time
Nov. 5 Nov. 11 Nov. 15
@ Dallas Diesel @ at SMU vs. Texas-P.B.
8 p.m. 7 p.m. 6 p.m.
Fri.-Sat., Nov. 19-20 ST. EDWARD'S CLASSIC -AUSTIN Nov. 19 vs. Incarnate Word vs. St. Edward's Nov. 20
2 p.m. 6 p.m.
Fri.-Sat., Nov. 26-27 ACU CLASSIC Nov. 26 vs. Drury Nov. 27 vs. Lincoln
6 p.m. 3 p.m.
Dec. 2 Dec. 11 Dec. 13 Dec. 20 Jan. 6 Jan. 8 Jan. 13 Jan. 15 Jan. 18 Jan. 20 Jan. 22 Jan. 27 Jan. 29 Feb. 3 Feb. 5 Feb. 10 Feb. 12 Feb. 15 Feb. 17 Feb. 19 Feb. 24 Feb. 26
# vs. Tarleton State 6 p.m. # at Central Oklahoma 4 p.m. # at Northeastern State 6 p.m. vs. St. Edward's 6 p.m. # vs. SE Oklahoma State 6 p.m. # vs. East Central 2 p.m. # at Cameron 6 p.m. # at SW Oklahoma State 2 p.m. * vs. Angelo State 7 p.m. * vs. Texas Woman's 7 p.m. * vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville 2 p.m. * at Texas A&M-Commerce 6 p.m. * at Midwestern State 6 p.m. * at Eastern New Mexico 5:30 p.m. * at West Texas A&M 6 p.m. * vs. Eastern New Mexico 6 p.m. * vs. West Texas A&M 2 p.m. * at Angelo State 7 p.m. * at Texas Woman's 7 p.m. * at Texas A&M-Kingsville 2 p.m. * vs. Texas A&M-Commerce 6 p.m. * vs. Midwestern State 4 p.m.
Home events in Italics * Lone Star Conference South Division games # Lone Star Conference crossover game ^ Game at Eastern New Mexico starts at 5:30 p.m. Portales time; 6:30 p.m. Abilene time @ Exhibition game
Team Information
Coaching Staff
2003-04 Record:
Shawna Lavender Head Coach 3rd Season 24-11 overall record
19-10 (10-4 in LSC)
Others
12 - Miki Mays, G 5-8, fr, HS - Azie
Aubree Schwartz Assistant Coach
03-04 season: (Lake Cty. Chr. HS)
18.1 ppg, 2.6 apg
31 - Jaymie Harner, G 5-10, fr, HS - The Woodlands
Terri Twiligear Graduate Assistant
03-04 season: (Woodlands HS)
10 ppg, 6 rpg, 3 spg
Postseason: Defeated East Central 99-67 in the LSC Tournament quarterfinals; Lost to Northeastern State 66-65 in the LSC Tournament semi-finals.
Returning Starter: Ashley King , G - 12.4 ppg, 3.9 apg, 3.3 rpg, .433 FG%, .438 3FG%, .811 FT%
Key Losses: Melanie Carter, F - 15.6 ppg, 1.2 blk/pg, 7.7 rpg, .577 FG%, .741 FT% Lynsie Blau, C - 11.4 ppg, 3.0 blk/pg, 11.1 rpg, .439 FG%, .505 FT%
Wildcats begin season with shoes to fill Team plans to play smaller after losing Blau and Carter By WARREN GRAY SPORTS WRITER
The ACU women’s basketball team opens its season Friday against Dallas Diesel at Moody Coliseum. After losing two all-conference post players and a starting point guard, some have coined the season as a rebuilding campaign after the 19-10 season that ended in the second round of the conference tournament. Head coach Shawna Lavender said she is asked all the time if she expects a drop-off from last year. But Lavender is optimistic about this year’s squad; she expects to win. “I have the same expectations for this team that I did last year,” Lavender said. “I expect us to finish at the top
of our conference, I expect us to go out with the confidence that we’re going to win every single game, and I don’t expect anything less from this team.” Repeating the success from last year won’t be easy. Four starters are gone, leaving Ashley King at the shooting guard as the only incumbent starter. But Lavender said she is excited about the players expected to step up and fill those vacated roles. “We have a great nucleus,” she said. Without the size last year’s team possessed, Lavender said she expects to employ much more of an up-tempo game, complete with defensive presses and full-court man-toman defense, which she hopes will lead to easy points. “We’ll look to run a lot more than we did last year,” Lavender said. “It’s definitely going to be a little different
Women’s Basketball style of game than we’re used to, which is fun. You’ve got to adapt to your players.” Two important players in the Wildcats’ revamped starting five will be posts Jamie Boles and Stephanie Riles. They will attempt to replace Melanie Carter, who led the team in scoring last season, and Lynsie Blau, who lead the team in rebounding and blocked shots. Lavender said both Boles and Riles were stuck on the bench sometimes behind the two seniors last season, but that she is looking for big years from both. “I think they’re going to do a great job for us,” Lavender said. Riles is just one of the two seniors on the team, and Lavender said her senior leadership is important. “Steph is definitely a leader by example; people watch
Winning season at stake against Midwestern Indians Wildcats, seniors look to stop motivated team this weekend
03-04 season: 0.5 ppg, 0.2 rpg
11 - Kristal Robeson, PG 5-6, soph, 1VL - Hurst 03-04 season: 4.6 ppg, 2.0 apg, .419 3FG%
- Kyle Robarts Sports Editor
This week in Wildcat sports...
2004-05 Women’s Basketball Schedule
21 - Jamie Boles, C 6-2, jr, 1VL - Keller 03-04 season: 2.6 ppg, 1.8 rpg, .521 FG%
Power Forward
Volleyball Team 1. ACU 2. Angelo State 3. E. New Mexico 4. A&M-Kingsville 5. West Texas A&M 6. Tarleton State
Center
Lavender said. “She does a great job of pushing the ball and of distributing the ball.” The fifth starting spot appears to be the most undetermined at this point, as Lavender said a handful of players are still competing for the spot. One player vying for time at the small forward position is fifth-year senior Meredith Doyle. Lavender said Doyle is one of the more vocal players on the team. “She’s just a great leader,” Lavender said, “and with that leadership, it’s hard to keep her off the floor.” Two other returning players — Kierstan Barbee and Laura Smith — will also compete for time at the swing position, as will freshman Ashlee Barr. Lavender said Barr is a strong, physical player who See PREVIEW Page 7
Volleyball prepares for weekend homestand
Football 18-14 Homecoming victory. Fans will get their final taste of Nelson and 10 other seniors who will see their last action in ACU purple. On the offensive end, quarterback Greg Wiggins, running back Charles Williams, fullback Brett Unger, wide receiver Dillon Cobb and offensive lineman Cody Stewart will play their last games. On defense, the Wildcats will lose defensive backs Dawon Gentry, Adam Black, David Jones and Jason Campbell and linebacker Shawn Taylor. Midwestern State will be highly motivated entering Saturday’s game. With a win, not only can the Indians share the LSC South Division title with Kingsville, but most likely they will be able to maintain their regional ranking in the southwest poll. At fifth out of 12 in the rankings, all Midwestern has to do is stay in the top six to qualify for the post-season. “We’ll get their best game,” head coach Gary Gaines said. “You can book it.” ACU has won the past three meetings between the two teams, and Gaines said that this week’s game plan won’t differ
what she does on the court,” Lavender said. “When she does say something, everybody listens to her; they know it’s important.” The starting point guard spot has been left vacant as well, with Jenny Jackson gone. Kristal Robeson has the edge as she started 11 games last season when Jackson was out for medical reasons. However, Lavender said she is being pushed by Alex Guiton, one of four freshmen on the squad. “Kristal obviously has a little more experience than Alex does, but they’ve both been working hard in practice,” Lavender said. Even if Guiton doesn’t get the starting nod, Lavender said she expects her to have a big impact this season, and she is playing the position very well so far. “She’s a great shooter, and she’s got great floor sense,”
Team faces two home matches before tournament next week By BRIAN ROE SPORTS WRITER
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Senior running back Charles Williams carries the ball in Wednesday’s football practice at Shotwell Stadium. much from the style of play that allowed them to upset Kingsville last week. “We’ll bring a rushing attack, but they will try to force us to pass,” Gaines said. “We just have to take advantage of what they give us and do our best to prevent the big play on defense. “The keys to victory don’t change much from week to week,” Gaines said. “You try to feature what you do best and keep from turning the ball over, minimize your penalties, and win the battle of field position.” A win this week would mean the third-consecutive 6-4 season for Gaines and the Wildcats.
And though the win won’t propel the team to play in the postseason, sophomore defensive back Danieal Manning said a win is important. “It will give us something to build on,” Manning said. “A win always helps a team come together, and a win this week will help in recruiting because a lot of guys know about Kingsville and Midwestern; so if we beat them, it’ll help us out in that area.”
E-mail Robarts at: kdr00c@acu.edu
After reaching a climax in the season Tuesday night by clinching the Lone Star Conference South Division title in a win over Angelo State, the Wildcats return to Moody Coliseum for a pair of non-conference matches against Incarnate Word Friday at 6 p.m. and against St. Mary’s Saturday at noon. Head coach Brek Horn said she scheduled the two nonconference matches on purpose to make sure her team stayed sharp in preparation for the LSC Post-Season Tournament. The tournament begins Thursday in Lawton, Okla., at the home of LSC North Division champion Cameron. “I didn’t want the girls to have a week in between matches, so we scheduled two matches after conference play ended,” Horn said. The Wildcats have played both Incarnate Word and St. Mary’s this season. ACU defeat-
Volleyball ed Incarnate Word on Sept. 11 in a four-game match in San Antonio and lost to St. Mary’s in a three-game sweep on Sept. 10. “There’s a revenge factor toward St. Mary’s since they beat us earlier in the season,” Horn said. “But we can’t overlook Incarnate Word. We’ll worry about Incarnate Word first and then focus on St. Mary’s.” Horn also said the final two games of the season are important to the Wildcats because the team wants to remain undefeated at home. Assistant coach Sarah Carthel said the team will be motivated to reach that goal. “One of our goals from the beginning of the season was to win every home match,” Carthel said. “There are only two more home matches left, and the girls will be motivated to win them.” One of the reasons the Wildcats are undefeated at home this season is because of their setter, junior Lindsey Martin. Martin leads the entire Lone Star Conference in total See VOLLEYBALL Page 7