OPTIMIST THE
WEDNESDAY December 1, 2004
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
Abilene Christian University
Vol. 93, No. 27 1 section, 10 pages www.acuoptimist.com
Serving the ACU community since 1912
Getting a Second Wind:
Survey says:
National treasure:
A faculty and staff intramural team dominates another flag football season. Page 5
An online Chapel survey worth two Chapel credits was available for students to complete during Thanksgiving break. Page 3
Nicodemus Naimadu became the second Wildcat to win a cross country title. Page 8
Thanksgiving travel raises safety concerns Four students involved in wrecks while driving during holiday break By LORI BREDEMEYER MANAGING EDITOR
Drivers traveling during the Thanksgiving holiday encountered heavier traffic and more serious driving conditions, and a few students were involved in wrecks last weekend. Dr. Wayne Barnard, dean of Campus Life, said he knows at
least four students who had wrecks during the break, although he does not have many details. Caden Jameson, sophomore management major from Lovington, N.M., was seriously injured in a wreck with his uncle and friend near his hometown Sunday morning. Barnard said Jameson is currently being treated at Covenant Health System in Lubbock, and it is unknown how long he will remain there. Katie Ritter, freshman biology major from Louise, and
Joelly Rasamoelina, freshman sociology major from Fianrantsdai, Madagascar, were involved in a wreck outside of Mineral Wells on Sunday and were taken to Palo Pinto General Hospital in Mineral Wells. Both girls are now back at school. Philip Greer, freshman management major from Colorado Springs, Colo., called Barnard to say he had totaled his truck and he would have to ride back to school with someSee WRECKS Page 3
ACU chief of police warns students to take highway precautions By MALLORY SHERWOOD STAFF WRITER
In 11 days, ACU’s campus will appear deserted. Most of the 5,800 students, faculty and staff will be finished attending and teaching classes, and students will have departed to enjoy the onemonth Christmas break. If statistics are correct,
though, nearly 4,020 deaths will result from crash-related accidents nationwide during the holiday season between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day because of driver fatigue, speeding and cell phone use, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “You don’t want to be that statistic,” said Jimmy Ellison, chief of ACU police. “Every year, every holiday travel season there are tragic accidents, like the Easter tragedy with the Nigerian students in 2002.
There are some people who think it won’t happen to them or to ACU students. It did, and it can.” Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death in drivers between the ages of 15 and 20, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Last year, a crash-related injury occurred every five seconds and a crash-related death every 12 minutes on average during the holiday season, said Jeffrey See SAFETY Page 3
‘On the first day of Christmas’
Third Day concert canceled Low ticket sales prompt band’s manager to make decision By TIFFANY TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
Third Day’s Live Wire concert, scheduled for Dec. 1 at Taylor County Coliseum, was canceled Nov. 23 by the band’s manager. Rochelle Johnson, administrative vice president for the Taylor County Expo Center, said low ticket sales, less than 500 sold as of Tuesday, caused the band’s manager to cancel the show. Tickets can be refunded by the sources tickets were purchased from. Those who bought tickets over the phone or on the Internet will have the $28.50 returned to their credit card. Tickets bought from the Expo Center can be returned Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. The Expo Center requires the band to pay $2,500 up front, utilities, 10 percent of sales and sales tax. Outback Concerts, Third Day’s promoter, also receives a piece of the earnings. “There’s a whole bunch of cost that goes into making a concert,” Johnson said. Bands choose either to demand a percentage of money from ticket sales or to ask for money up front. Receiving money up front is less risky for the band, Johnson said, but it puts more pressure on the promoter, who won’t see any money if there isn’t any left over after the band is paid. She said asking for a percentage of the ticket sales is riskier for the band, but it can be potentially more rewarding than receiving money up front in the case of a huge turnout. Johnson said she believes gambling on the likelihood of last-minute boom in ticket sales, which is common in Abilene, was too risky for the promoter and manager. Nick Bradshaw, director of youth ministry at KGNZ, has seen a successful Third Day concert in Abilene before and believed the See CONCERT Page 4
EMILY CHASTAIN/Staff Photographer
The combined orchestras of Abilene and Cooper high schools play during the annual Lighting of the Tree ceremony at the Abilene Civic Center on Tuesday night.
Sing Song directors begin organizing acts Class senators responsible for choosing directors By DANIELLE LINTHICUM STUDENT REPORTER
Eric Johnson and Brenna Schartz have attended Sing Song since they were kids. Now they are co-directors of the sophomore class Sing Song act, and, along with the other class directors, are preparing for next semester’s show, the 49th, on Feb. 18 and 19.
Both said they are thrilled to be directing this year. “I always thought it would be really cool if I could direct an act,” said Schartz, sophomore elementary education major from North Richland Hills. “And now I'm actually doing it.” “I’ve always loved Sing Song,” said Johnson, sophomore finance major from Boerne. “And I’m so excited to be co-directing it this year. It’s unique; Sing Song is one of the main reasons that I came here to school.”
Crunch time
Schartz and Johnson, along with the other class directors, were chosen by their senators, said Sarah Woodroof, Students’ Association secretary and junior history major from Nashville, Tenn. “Some classes have application processes; some just decide,” Woodroof said. “I was involved my freshman year and directed the sophomore act last year. It has always been fun.” Schartz said she is excited about meeting and spending time
with people during Sing Song. “That’s going to be the most rewarding part of it all,” Schartz said. Woodroof said she has seen a lot of enthusiasm for the show this year and also likes spending time with people while rehearsing. “It is something that the whole campus has in common,” she said. “It’s a chance to see people that you normally wouldn’t get to see.” See DIRECTORS Page 4
Chapel changes considered Community-formation Chapel could begin next semester By JACI SCHNEIDER OPINION EDITOR
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Amber Phillips, sophomore finance major from Houston, studies for her geology test on the third floor of the Brown Library on Tuesday. For many students, studying began this week for their last round of tests before finals. Others finish class projects and begin to think about finals.
Although original plans for Thursday Chapel never materialized this semester, coordinators said they hope to offer one special Chapel in Chapel on the Hill or Hart Auditorium in the spring, as well as small-group Chapels. Chapel has met in Moody Coliseum on Thursdays this semester even though coordinators had planned to have community-formation Chapels in three locations in addition to small-group Chapels. The locations proved too small for the number of students attending on Thursdays.
The new Thursday Chapel next semester will allow only a few hundred people to attend who are not in a small group. “Once the room is full, people will either have to miss Chapel, or they will join a small group,” said Dr. Wayne Barnard, dean of Campus Life, in an e-mail. Barnard said Mark Lewis, director of spiritual life and student ministries, will possibly lead Thursday Chapel next semester. The three community-formation Chapels were supposed to be in Biblical Studies Building Room 114, Hart Auditorium and Cullen Auditorium; however, space in the three locations is limited, and attendance in Moody didn’t reach small enough numbers until too late in the
semester, said Shane Hughes, Chapel coordinator. On average this semester, about 1,370 students have attended Chapel in Moody on Thursdays, which Hughes said has gone well. Because of the attendance, coordinators combined the three planned ideas for community-formation Chapels into the themes covered in Chapel in Moody. “We rotated the three different ideas in and out of Moody,” Hughes said. Professors and ministers gave testimonies of their faith and shared personal stories with students who met in Moody, Barnard said. “Since we have been talking this semester about Life in the Spirit,” Barnard said, “it See CHAPEL Page 4
CAMPUS
DAY
Wednesday, December 1, 2004
1
Calendar&Events Wednesday
Faculty Senate meeting, 7-8:15 a.m., Faculty-Staff Dining Room. Counseling Staff meeting, 11:301:30 p.m., Faculty-Staff Dining Room. Freshman class Sing Song act signups, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows. Junior class Sing Song act signups, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows. Let’s Start Talking meeting, 5-6 p.m., Living Room.
2
Thursday
Camp Deer Run information, Campus Center tables, all day.
Resident Assistant interest meeting, 5:30 and 6:15 p.m., Hilton Room. ACU Band concert, 8 p.m., Cullen Auditorium.
Ko Jo Kai Christmas social.
4
Saturday
Service Action Leadership Team party, 8-10 p.m., Campus Center recreation area.
Choir concert with Abilene Philharmonic, 8 p.m., Abilene Civic Center.
3
Alpha Kai Omega Christmas social.
Friday
GATA Christmas social. Sigma Theta Chi Christmas social.
6
Monday
Dead Day. Survival Kit handouts, 7-11 a.m., Campus Center ticket windows. Wilderness Trek, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows. Faculty Women’s meeting, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Faculty-Staff Dining Room.
Last Day of Classes. Tri Kappa Gamma Christmas social. Camp Deer Run information, Campus Center tables, all day. Survival Kit handouts, 7-11 a.m., Campus Center ticket windows.
5
Sunday
The Village, 6:30 and 9 p.m., Cullen Auditorium.
Maria Christina Yanez senior recital, 8 p.m., Williams Performing Arts Center Recital Hall.
Travis Branam senior recital, 8 p.m., Williams Performing Arts Center Recital Hall.
Tri Kappa Gamma mixer, 7-10 p.m., Hilton Room.
7
Tuesday
Final exams. Wilderness Trek, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows. ACU Ambassadors’ Christmas Dinner, 6-8 p.m., Hilton Room.
Volunteer Opportunities The Virginia Beach Spring Break Campaign needs campaigners. The group will work in the inner city with the homeless and impoverished community. Email Jordan Swim at jas02f@acu.edu or Jordan Wesley at jew02h@acu.edu for more information. Campaigner spots are still available for the Portland, Ore., Spring Break Campaign. The campaign will work with the Portland Urban Ministry Project.
The price has dropped from $650 to $580, and fund-raising opportunities will be available. For more information contact Emily Vaughn at eev00a@acu.edu or at 672-7530. Campaigner positions are still open for the Mexico City Spring Break Campaign. The group will work with missionaries in the area to help them encourage local churches and participate in evangelistic outreach in the city. For more information, contact Ernesto Villarreal at ebv02a-
@acu.edu. The counseling center needs a graphic design student to volunteer creative talents and services to assist with designing bulletin boards. The boards will function in the residence halls to provide educational information on different topics for students. Interested students can contact Steve Rowlands at Ext. 2876 or e-mail him at rowlandss@acu.edu. Volunteers are needed for
the annual West Texas Rehab Phonathon on Jan. 12-14 from 5:30-9 p.m. at the Abilene Civic Center. Volunteers will need to participate in a brief training session, and dinner will be provided. Prizes will be available for volunteers. The proceeds from this event will be used to help disabled children and adults. For more information, contact the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center.
Chapel Check-Up Credited Chapels to date: Credited Chapels remaining:
69 2
Wildcat Kids finish semester with party Games and festivities planned for largest event of the year By JULIA REID STUDENT REPORTER
ACU students are working through the Wildcats Kids program to make Christmas better for children in the Abilene community. The Wildcat Kids will have The Big Christmas Party at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2, in the gym at Highland Church of Christ. Lauren Graham, senior interdisciplinary major from Smithville, is one of five students on the Wildcat Kids Committee, which plans the events throughout the year. “Many of these children don’t have good Christmases,” Graham said. “We try to give them as much support and encouragement as we can.” This year, 150 students serve as mentors to 75 Wildcat Kids who attend elementary schools in the area.
The Big Christmas Party will be the fourth Wildcat Kids activity for the semester, the other activities being Pizza in the Park, Costume Skateland and Kaleidoscoops Ice Cream. The Big Christmas Party usually has better attendance than any other event, Graham said. For the party, students will set up booths around the gym where the children can make crafts, such as Christmas ornaments and Rudolph antlers, or play games like musical chairs. At the party, the children will have submarine sandwiches as well as time to visit the different booths with their mentors. Santa will also attend the party, to read the story of Jesus to the children and deliver gifts to all of the children. “The best thing about December is Christmas,” Graham said. E-mail Reid at: jer02d@acu.edu
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.
CAMPUS NEWS
Wednesday, December 1, 2004
Survey offers Chapel credit Students answer questions, share views in online Chapel forum By LAURA STORK STAFF WRITER
The online Chapel survey offered during Thanksgiving break for two Chapel credits was given for two reasons: to hear what students have to say about Chapel and to give students one last opportunity to earn credits, said Shane Hughes, Chapel coordinator. Before the holiday, students received an e-mail with a link to the survey, which was also posted on the Chapel Web page. Students earned credit by answering 26 questions
about what they like and dislike about Chapel. After glancing through student comments, Hughes said it’s amazing how different the perspectives are. “We are a diverse group of people, and when we come together, we have the tension of holding both our diversity as people and our commonality in Christ,” Hughes said. “Somehow, Chapel needs to acknowledge both.” Hughes said that many of the comments show that students want more diversity in Chapel. Melissa Landry, sophomore accounting major from Dallas, said she took the survey because she wanted to voice her opinion.
Runge, administrator of the NHTSA on the NHTSA Web site. This holiday, students are encouraged to drive safely and avoid accidents that could be prevented. “It is important to realize that the highways are flooded with travelers during the holidays,” Ellison said. “You’re leaving in a rush, anxious to get off campus and to leave ACU in your rearview mirror, and you just rush, rush, rush. To tell you the truth, stopping every couple of hours to get a Coke is not going to ruin your great time, and it will make you so much safer.” He also said that college
students get into the habit of staying up all night to write research papers and to study. They think that they will be able to drive all night but find that driver fatigue is a risk factor for them. “It’s not like you are driving along and all of the sudden you get sleepy and realize you should pull over,” Ellison said. “It kind of sneaks up on you, and you don’t realize that you are fatigued until you swerve off of the road and scare yourself awake.” Fatigue doesn’t just happen to drivers during the night, though. Most fatal crashes happen on Fridays and Saturdays between 3 p.m. and midnight, according to the National Center for Statistics
E-mail Stork at: las00f@acu.edu
and Analysis. This is when many students leave college campuses to head home. Another factor to consider is cell phone use while driving. Today, 171 million people in America have a cell phone, according to an industry trade group, CTIA, that conducts research for the Wireless Association. People who use cell phones while driving are four times more likely to have a crash than drivers who don’t talk and drive, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.
E-mail Sherwood at: mes02e@acu.edu
Wrecks: Holiday traffic heavier Continued from Page 1 one else after the weather cleared up. Barnard said he is thankful nothing more serious happened. “I hold my breath every holiday time because there’s just more people on the road,” he said. “None of these accidents were because of carelessness, but when you’ve got a community like we have of 5,000 or more faculty, staff and students traveling in every direction as well as overseas, I think we’ve got to be in prayer for safety.” Sergeant Scott Stevenson of
the Texas Department of Public Safety said the number of wrecks was about average for a holiday weekend, and animals caused many of them. He said the department has responded to several in the past few weeks that involved deer, cows and even a horse. “With the holidays, traffic always picks up,” Stevenson said, “and also the college kids go home for vacation, so the traffic is pretty strong from the time they get out to the time they go back to school. That’s usually a busy time for us.” Barnard said after being involved in a wreck, especial-
On a mission
“I didn’t really need the credit, but I did want to have a say in how Chapel is run,” Landry said. “After all, I have to sit through it 55 times.” Hughes said as he listens to students, he tries to gauge what can transform for Chapel and what is not. Hughes also said that it is very likely that things will change because of this survey. As of Monday, 1,750 students had taken the survey, which began Nov. 22 and will end Thursday. The results of this survey will determine if this format will be offered again in the future, Hughes said.
Safety: Fatigue a factor in wrecks Continued from Page 1
Page 3
ly at the end of a semester, one concern is arranging for students to make up schoolwork. “It’s difficult for students to have these issues right at finals time,” he said. “That’s kind of what we do these last two weeks is work out these issues of when people can take their finals and if they need to take incompletes and how that will all work. But I think … there’s a real sense that you just step in and do what you need to do to help students make it through.” E-mail Bredemeyer at: lmb00g@acu.edu
EMILY CHASTAIN/Staff Photographer
Bryan Harrison, graduate student from Columbus, Ga., and Travis Fry, graduate student from Roundrock, help set up for the Missions Dinner on Tuesday in the Williams Performing Arts Center.
CAMPUS NEWS
Page 4
Wednesday, December 1, 2004
Memorabilia gathered for Centennial Concert: Third Day cancels show Committee appointed to collect bits of ACU’s 100-year history By SHAVONNE HERNDON STUDENT REPORTER
The Centennial Collection Task Force is preparing for the 2005-2006 Centennial Celebration year by collecting pictures and memorabilia from alumni. By displaying their memories, alumni will have a unique opportunity to share their legacy with ACU. The Task Force Committee is made up of appointed individuals who oversee the displays, said Carisse Berryhill, special services librarian. Members include Dr. Larry Bradshaw, professor of journalism and mass communication and specialist in film and video; Dr. Vernon Williams, professor of history and specialist in museum collections; Dr. Tracy Shilcutt, assistant professor of history and specialist in museum collections; Carisse Berryhill; Mary Manly, chair of
the Women for ACU Museum Board; Dr. Mark Tucker, dean of Library and Information Resources; and Dr. Charlie Marler as chair, senior faculty, journalist and historian. “I’m delighted to be on this committee,” Berryhill said. “I take care of a lot of historic documents that belong to this university. It’s very challenging to be responsible for things people entrust you with, but very interesting.” The committee is responsible for interviewing, writing down oral history, speaking to alumni groups and planning the displays and also provides a campus-wide walking tour guide for all Centennial visitors. “Planners also looked at means to preserve at-risk, disintegrating films, videotapes and audiotapes on campus,” according to a news article written by Marler. “They established an official policy, inviting all campus offices and departments, emeritus, alumni and friends to submit archives and artifacts for consideration for the displays by the university.”
The task force wants alumni and anyone who is involved or has a relationship with ACU to dig into their closet, garage, attic and basement for items that relate to their time here at ACU. Items received so far include diaries from former students while they attended ACU; identified photographs; art objects made in Troy Caraway’s elementary art teaching class; athletics equipment from the 1920s and ‘30s; roller skates used in touring The Loop; military decorations; and other assorted memorabilia. The audio-visual preservation project takes previous audio and video and converts it to modern and digital images. In order to do this the university approved a two-year plan for preservation technician Richard Chastain (83) to rescue these at-risk images. “We want to be able to convert what we receive into formats that can go farther into the future,” Berryhill said. E-mail Herndon at: optimist@acu.edu
Continued from Page 1 problem of ticket sales is not low public interest. Bradshaw blamed low ticket sales partially to overpriced tickets, which he said might have sold in Dallas, but had less of a chance in Abilene. “The promoter they had was not a good promoter at all,” Bradshaw said, referring to Outback Concerts. Bradshaw described the promoter as “secular” and therefore unable to understand the Christian music market. “The promoter wasn’t researching the market,” Bradshaw said. Unstable attendance has been relatively familiar to
Third Day during the Live Wire tour. “This tour has opened our eyes to a lot of things,” said David Carr, Third Day’s drummer. “We’ve had some up and down nights where one night we’ve had great attendance, and everyone’s high-fiving at the end because it was a good night; successful in every way. And then we’ve had other nights where we’re scratchin’ our heads, just goin’ ‘man what happened tonight? There was hardly anyone here.’ We lose money, and we’re not — it just doesn’t seem like a big winning night, and I think it’s kinda bringing us back to ground one and just helping
us realize why we do this, and I think at the moment it benefits us to be challenged in that way.” Fans can still enjoy the CD/DVD combo Live Wire: Live in Concert released Nov. 23 originally for $24.98. Carr described the live album and DVD as a balance between a studio album and a concert. “It’s something we’re able to control the mix of a little bit and make it sound as good as possible,” he said, “but it’s also really stuff that was caught while we were doing a live show.” E-mail Taylor at: tat04a@acu.edu
Directors: Sing Song approaches Continued from Page 1 Not all of the themes are decided yet, Johnson said, but all of the classes should be ready by Christmas break. “We will have all of our costumes and lyrics done so that we can hit practices as soon as we get back to school in the
spring,” Johnson said. While some classes are interested in the competition, others are just there to have fun, said Matthew Wert, criminal justice major from Chantilly, Va., and director of the junior class act. The junior class is “not trying to win the competition, just the hearts of our supporters and
fellow juniors,” he said. “I have a great staff of helpers. We have some real creative and stupid ideas, so look for a not-so-fantastic show, but a bagful of laughs.” E-mail Linthicum at: optimist@acu.edu
Chapel: Thursday to see changes Continued from Page 1 made sense to hear from people how God has worked such transformation in their lives. I think this has been a great thing.” Hughes said he hopes to emphasize small-group Chapel next semester, at a time when more students will attend one because of Spring Break Campaigns. “We want to encourage small-group Chapel and en-
courage new leadership in the student body,” Hughes said. “We’re going to try to move away from putting emphasis on Moody.” This semester, 43 smallgroup Chapels met on Thursday, plus 30 Spring Break Campaign Chapels, which began early in November. Hughes said small-group Chapels are important because people get to know each other; they learn names, meet new people and form bonds.
Barnard also stressed the importance of the community formed by small-group Chapel. “These are excellent opportunities for students to be in fellowship in more intimate and sometimes meaningful ways,” Barnard said.
E-mail Schneider at: jrs02a@acu.edu
FOCUSWEDNESDAY They’re still going... OPTIMIST
December 1, 2004
Page 5
Second Wind intramural team playing strong after nine years
T
STORY BY LORI BREDEMEYER
he team on the intramural field the field.” could at best be described as Shake said although the team does unorganized. Their uniforms, if not have much order, the players rely on they could be called that, consist of var- experience when they’re on the field. ious shades of red, and one player does“We rely on athleticism and just n’t even match the team in her black T- knowing how to compete, and that’s a shirt. big thing,” she said. “It doesn’t mean As the flag football team, Second we’re not going to get scored on or we Wind, breaks from the huddle, instead might lose here and there, but we sure of one solid word to yell, it’s a 1-2-3 and don’t go out there thinking that’s going a scattered chorus of “team, yeah, woo- to happen.” Shake said the women also use the hoo!” Players from the other team have time as a way to get together outside of already taken their places, and what a professional setting. “It’s just one more time for us socialseems like hundreds of pledges dressed in their most outrageous outfits coordi- ly to get together, and in the circumnate cheers and use handmade noise- stances, we laugh if we bomb something,” she said. “It’s hard to make time makers to encourage the Kojies. A Second Wind player realizes her during the day when we all have differteammates are now taking their posi- ent, busy schedules. Just like students tions, and she prances onto the field say- like to join a club to be able to have a ing, “Oh, are we back on?” only to group, it’s kind of our little group thing prance off again when she realizes it’s that we enjoy.” This year the team has been able to not her turn to be in. Many of the women on this self-pro- rely on some fresher athleticism in some fifth-year seniors claimed ragtag team who recently finhave been playing ished college sports intramural flag footcareers, including ball together for Second Wind defeated Delta Theta volleyball player about nine years, 24-0 on Tuesday and will compete Haylee Hartline and winning every game for the championship flag football basketball players but one through title Thursday at 9:30 p.m. at Larry Lynsie Blau, Jenny those seasons. “Satch” Sanders Intramural Field. Jackson, Leah The team conWilson and Holly sists mostly of exercise science faculty and staff, coaches, Pruitt. The latter three played under graduate assistants and some fifth-year head women’s basketball coach Shawna seniors. Two of the players are over 40, Lavender, who said having a younger group has brought some positive qualiand five others are older than 30. Deonna Shake, instructor of exercise ties to the team. “They help to add a little speed, a litscience and health and unofficial coordinator for the team, said the motivation tle youth,” she said. “It’s fun because I to play is and always has been to enjoy get to be around them in a different environment to where we all pretty themselves and to compete. “Some of us don’t have that chance much just goof off while we’re out there. … It’s neat that they’re still around, and anymore,” Shake said. The team wins just about every game, they get to play with us and have fun but Shake believes it has no secret to vic- doing it. Plus, they bring a little bit of liveliness to the group.” tory. Although the team’s median age has “We call every play just from the huddle or from the line of scrimmage,” dropped, Lavender, who turned 31 this she said. “We don’t practice, so we’re semester, said it is becoming more diffivery human and can get beat, but the cult to get out on the field and play. “The older you get, the harder it gets difference is, if you look up and down our roster, we’re filled with people who after every game,” she said. “[The first have been in competitive situations all week] we were laughing because we their lives. We don’t go out there expect- were so sore after the first game, and I ing anything but to win.” thought, ‘Man, I am getting really old, Last year, the team had no problem and it is getting harder and harder to get winning as they outscored opponents out there and do that.’ 168-7. This year, the team has won all he only year the team lost a game, six games and has outscored opponents and the championship, in nine 150-18. years was to the social club Delta erri Hart, instructor of exercise Theta. It was a few years back, but science and health, has taken on because they win all the time, no one is the role of coach this year after sure which year it was. retiring because of bad knees. She said a The game ended in a tie, and as a tiefew years ago, students would get angry breaker, whoever scored the most or had because they thought it was unfair for the most yardage on four possessions the team to play because of the lopsided won, Shake said. Neither team scored, success. but DT had more yards, so they won. “They (students) didn’t think it was Hart said the pain of defeat didn’t last fair that we played because we were all too long because they knew many of the coaches,” she said. “But we weren’t all players. coaches. I’m not a coach. And we never “I just remember us all being quiet,” practice, and we’re old … so we ought to she said, “but then it wasn’t too long be at a disadvantage.” before we were like, ‘That’s alright. If Another drawback to having coaches we’ve gotta lose, that’s a good group to and faculty on a team is having other lose to.’” responsibilities get in the way. At other times, the group has not “Some people have night class, I conceded defeat so readily. Shake said teach a night class, some people have one time Carol Tabor, former ACU head practices, some people will even have softball coach and the team’s quartergames,” Hart said, “so what’s really back at the time, overheard the opposing funny to me is just before we play, we’re team calling one of their touchdowns a always like, ‘Are we going to have fluke. Tabor decided that from that enough? Who’s coming?’ And when it’s point on, they would score on every posgame time, we always have enough, and session – and they did. we just kind of stumble out there onto But Shake said usually it’s all just fun
Championship game
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BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Second Wind teammates gather to congratulate each other after their 24-0 win over Delta Theta on Tuesday.
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Nique Allen, junior management major from Canyon and member of Delta Theta, reaches for the flag as Sarah Carthel, assistant volleyball coach and member of Second Wind, rushes by during the women’s intramural flag football semifinal game on Tuesday at Larry “Satch” Sanders Intramural Field. and games. “The most fun we’ve had in years past is during pledging time,” she said. “… Here we come out, no uniforms, no sponsors, no fans; in fact, people love to [try to] beat us, so we’re the team that everyone likes to root against. And then we play against these club teams, and they have all their pledges with shakers and rocks and bottles, and they’re making noise, and they’re dressed up with their war paint on, and that just fires us up.” Shake said although her team has been beaten only once, all the teams have an equal opportunity to win when they step on the field. “We’re definitely not trying to make any enemies by playing,” she said. “Everyone has a chance just like we do to go out there with the score 0-0 and go for it.” Part of the fun is getting to compete against students, and Hart said sometimes that rivalry continues off the field with good-natured kidding between the players and students. Lavender said she’s enjoyed playing since the students stopped complaining “because they’re great sports, they’re fun to laugh with, they joke around with us and they talk a little trash with us.” lthough the team has maintained bragging rights for almost a decade, another reward they look forward to each year is receiving the championship T-shirt. “The T-shirts have always been a big draw for me,” Shake said. “… It’s kind of like our little trophy.” Lavender said Shake probably looks forward to getting the shirt more than anyone else on the team. “To me the T-shirt probably is not as important as it is to Deonna,” she said. “Of course it’s nice to get rewarded. When you’re competitive, you want something to show for it when you win. But it’s something fun that keeps us motivated and keeps us going a little bit.” Though the team has gone through several different rosters, combinations of players and median ages through this last decade, Lavender said she doesn’t think the team will ever be too old, at least for a few more years.
A
Second Wind Intramural Team Roster Deonna Shake — professor of exercise science and health Kerri Hart — professor of exercise science and health Robin Campbell — professor of exercise science and health Shawna Lavender — head women’s basketball coach Terri Twilligear — basketball graduate assistant Sarah Carthel — assistant volleyball coach Amber Scharf — assistant athletic trainer Tammy Powell — The Campus Store employee Haylee Hartline — senior biology major from Amarillo Lynsie Blau — senior management major from Menard Jenny Jackson — senior exercise science major from Spring Holly Pruitt — senior nursing major from Tuscola Leah Wilson — senior management major from Horseshoe Bay
“Whenever we think we’re too old to do it, we’ll just recruit younger players,” she said. “I’ll never be too old; I don’t know, maybe Deonna and Kerri, maybe they’re too old, but I’ll never be too old.”
VIEWSWEDNESDAY OPTIMIST
Page 6
No one wins when fans stop cheering
The issue: Violence and controversy have become commonplace at professional sporting events this semester.
Our view: Professional athletes need to learn how to deal with heckling spectators, but spectators need to learn where to draw the line.
The solution: Spectators and athletes need to adjust their priorities and bring the fun back into sports.
December 1, 2004
Fighting and have controversy plagued the sporting world this semester, leaving fans and players at their own risk when entering any sporting venue. August saw members of the Texas Rangers pitching staff charge the stands in Oakland, and one player threw a chair into the crowd during the altercation. Barely a month later, police officers in full riot gear lined the baseball field of a New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox playoff game to keep fans from charg-
ing on to the However, the Part of an athlete’s job description includes field. actions of the In the latest enduring the everyday heckling from the fans. Detroit fans — and one of the throwing beer ugliest moments and other beverin sports history, Ron Artest, a pensions ranging from one to 30 ages on to the players—went basketball player for the Indiana games. beyond everyday heckling. Pacers, on Nov. 19 charged into Even though a common per- Physically harassing players overthe stands to attack a Detroit son could have reacted the same steps fans’ rights. Spectators responsible for Pistons fan who threw a cup of way as Artest in a similar situation beer at him on the court. Two and not received one minute of harassment need to be identified other Pacers joined him in the national press coverage, athletes and punished for their parts in fight with several fans. must remember that much of the brawl to send a clear message The National Basketball As- their paycheck is made possible not only to players but fans as sociation suspended Artest for the by those fans, and part of their job well. Just one day after the Paremainder of the season, and description includes enduring the cers/Pistons brawl, a fight beeight other players received sus- everyday heckling from the fans.
Daniel Barcroft
In My Words
tween players broke out at the end of a college football game. Americans should not be surprised this hostility has trickled to the fields of college games and into the stands of Little League baseball. When spectators care more about heckling than enjoying a game and athletes forget about entertaining the fans, no one wins. Both need to adjust their priorities if Americans want to continue to enjoy their favorite spectator sports.
Safe sex editorial truly disappointing YOUR VOICE
I would like to take exception to the Opinion Page article, “Textbooks shouldn't abstain from safe sex.” As an abstinence educator, it is my passion to educate teens about the dangers of premarital sex and the consequences of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. What I wish to take exception with is the misnomer that there can be "safe sex" outside of marriage. Take a moment to read these stats/facts. Concerning chlamydia, no studies have proven whether or not condoms reduce the risk of contracting this disease. Granted, it is a bacterial infection, which can be eliminated with antibiotics, but the damage done is permanent. 80 percent of teens girls who have chlamydia do not know they have it (40 percent in teen males). Safe sex? One out of five people over the age of 12 in the United States test positive for genital herpes. Condoms have been proven to reduce the risk of women contracting herpes to some degree, but is it worth the risk, especially with a viral infection that you can never get rid of? Safe sex? Regarding HPV (human papilloma virus), condoms have been proven to have virtually no effect on the reduction of HPV transmission. This virus not only causes genital warts in some infected people but is also the cause of nearly all cervical cancer in women. About 4,000 women
SpongeBob crime spree taken too seriously Thanksgiving traditions in my family include football, the game “spoons” and, of course, eating out for the Thanksgiving meal. All traditions were kept this year, and a new one was even started: We watched Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Gray I don’t know why we Matters did. It was Warren Gray nothing special, so I went back to sleep. I awoke to discover I had missed SpongeBob Squarepants’ parade debut. A morning person I am not, and this news didn’t help. Granted, I was upset about missing the little sponge, but at no point did I consider taking my frustration out on Mr. Squarepants himself. Apparently, others weren’t as amicable in their disappointment.
Now, we can laugh about a funny little cartoon being lifted from many locations. The SpongeBob crime wave started last week. For what reason, no one knows. Maybe it was the anticipation of the yellow guy’s silver screen debut. Maybe others slept through the parade. (Hey, those commentators could put anybody to sleep.) For whatever reason, numerous SpongeBobs were inexplicably stolen. According to the CNN Web site, it started when some oversized likenesses of the absorbent and porous Bikini Bottom resident were swiped from Burger Kings in Michigan, Minnesota and Utah. The craziness then spread to Wisconsin, where police are now looking for the “spongenappers” who yanked a sixfoot version of SpongeBob that was innocently promoting the new movie. This year my family ate at
Black-Eyed Pea for Thanksgiving. The fact that nobody wanted to cook a big meal was not surprising. The quality of the food at Black-Eyed Pea was. Who knew red beans and rice and peach cobbler could taste so bad? On the way home I wanted to stop at McDonald’s for a hamburger. Of course, if Crabby Patties were an option, that would have been my first choice. But I don’t have the foggiest notion of how to get my hands on one of those. But those clever thieves in Minnesota, they made an attempt at the patties that Plankton himself would be proud of. The nappers left a list of demands after taking off with Squarepants, insisting on, among other things, ten Crabby Patties for SpongeBob's
return. I am not one to condone criminal behavior, but that’s nice. At the time of writing this column, those demands had not yet been met. But other replica robbings have been met with happy endings. After what has been described as shrewd negotiations between police and a lawyer, a SpongeBob in Michigan was returned. Yes, the system works. Now, we can laugh about a funny little cartoon character being lifted from many locations. But the 1,000-dollar reward that Crime Stoppers in Wisconsin says will be rewarded to those providing information on the whereabouts of a Squarepants blow-up is not. Neither are the therapeutic methods of Chinese foot reflexology.
ing up all the garbage that is aired on TV and are not learning what fantasy is and what is real life, not to mention the difference between good and evil. Although Saving Private Ryan is based on a real event, these kids do not have parents who can explain the horrors of the movie with them and let them know that the violence in the movie is because of the war; it is not something that happens all the time. It said in her article that only 4 percent of the 7.7 million audience members were in between the ages of 2 and 11, but that is still 308,000 kids. It might seem like a little per-
centage, but every child should and does matter. It all comes down to the fact that Americans are selfish. Adults do not realize the responsibility of having a child, and it may sound conservative, but sometimes a parent (mom or dad) needs to stay at home with their child. If you plan ahead before you have a child, you can take care of your family on only one income; people have been doing that for years and still do. It is true that we are living in a country with freedom of
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 less. 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
The Optimist, Nov.10 “Textbooks shouldn’t abstain from safe sex” Editorial
die of cervical cancer in the United States each year. Safe Sex? I could go on and on, but I think my point is made (and I haven't even detailed the 20 percent failure rate for teens who use condoms as their only prevention for pregnancy. Ever hear of “condom babies?”). It's goofy to tell teens that they can engage in “safe sex” simply by wearing a piece of rubber which is .06 millimeter thick compared with surgical gloves which are (on average) .18 millimeters thick. Same material designed to stop the same diseases. Are doctors idiots for wearing thicker gloves? Safe sex? I do take exception to the wording used by the textbooks, but the message is clear and certainly the safest for every teen. For the editorial staff of the Optimist to dispute this is irresponsible and is doomed to give immature teens a false sense of security in their actions. What's next? Will the Optimist tell drivers that as long as they have an airbag in their car that they'll be "safe" in a wreck? Truly disappointing ... David Scott Class of '94
In Your Words What are you planning to do after your last final next week?
Respond to Gray at: optimist@acu.edu or weg02a@acu.edu “I’m going to Tennessee with my cousins to see some family I’ve never met.”
Christians need to learn where to draw line I recently read Sarah Carlson’s article “Government shouldn’t play role of parents” in last Friday’s edition. I strongly agreed with what she said, but I find her solution a little unrealistic. Living here in the ACU bubble, we forget that not every person is raised in a “Christian” family. There are nearly 10 million latchkey children living in America whose parents are using television as a babysitter. Not to mention all the children whose parents are irresponsible due to alcoholism, drug addictions and other mental illnesses. These poor kids are soak-
Re:
YOUR VOICE Re:
Jeffrey Edwards
Abisola Savage
freshman biology major from Fort Worth
junior accounting and finance major from Lagos, Nigeria
The Optimist, Nov. 19. “Government shouldn’t play role of parents” by Sarah Carlson, copy editor.
OPTIMIST
“I’m going to get in the car and head home.”
“I’m going to go burn all my books and then sleep.”
speech, and you can’t protect your children from everything, but we as Christians need to learn where to draw the line between art and sin. Sarah Mullen freshman music major from River Oaks
THE
“I’m going back to Nigeria. I’m so excited.”
Austin Brennen
Josh Barnes
junior finance major from Amarillo
freshman undeclared major from Odessa
The Optimist Editorial Board
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SPORTS JUMPS
Wednesday, December 1, 2004
Cross Country: Four named all-America Continued from Page 8 Mwamba earned her first Division II all-America distinction after winning consecutive National Junior College Association of America titles in 2002 and 2003. Naimadu, Manirakiza and O’Kello were all-America athletes for the men. “It was an impressive race,”
Murray said. Losing only senior Manirakiza, the potential for even more success from the team next fall is hard to ignore. “You have to be excited to see where this group will go in the next few years,” Murray said. “They competed well on a tough course in difficult conditions, and I think they will continue to
improve and make a better run at winning a cross country championship in the near future.” Between now and then, Murray will hope to sign more athletes like Naimadu. He will use the connections he made on his 2004 summer trip to Kenya and other upcoming recruiting ventures to build another strong
Page 7
Almost there
base of youth for 2005. “We will continue to work hard to get closer to a championship,” Murray said. “I will continue to challenge our runners to think about how we can work smarter while getting stronger.” E-mail Holt at: smh00a@acu.edu
Volleyball: Team finishes with 28-8 record Continued from Page 8 though the Wildcats would be able to get back into a game or the match, the Wildcats would either hit into net or out-ofbounds on the serve. The Wildcats' serve-receive wasn't good enough to give setter Lindsey Martin a chance to give the ball where ACU's hitters — Amanda Slate, Michelle Bernhardt, Sophia Kindred, Ashlee Motola and Abbie Lowry — could make something happen. Lowry — a freshman from Flower Mound who was named to the all-tournament team — was the only Wildcat to get anything going offensively as she finished with a matchhigh 20 kills to go along with
two digs. Bernhardt finished with 13 kills and 12 digs, while Slate had seven kills on only 20 attacks. Kindred had just four kills and Ashlee Motola three. Senior Lowry libero Kellen who, Morrow, along with Kindred, played her final match as a Wildcat on Friday, finished with 11 digs. The Wildcats trailed throughout much of the first game, falling behind by as much as 19-14 on a Jamie Shackleford kill. But after trailing by 27-23 late in the match, ACU scored 5 of the next
points to tie the game at 28-28. Bernhardt then had back-toback attack errors to end the game in favor of St. Edward's. The second game was a see-saw affair, Bernhardt with neither team leading by more than one point, until St. Edward's went on a 10-2 run late in the match to turn a 17-17 tie into a 27-19 lead. The Wildcats had three attack errors and one service error in the run. Erika Figuieredo, who led St. Edward's with 18 kills, finished off the game with a kill, ending it at 30-23.
The third game got away from the Wildcats pretty quickly as they fell behind 7-3 before St. Edward's ripped off a 12-6 run to take an insurmountable 19-9 lead. ACU had six service errors and six attack errors in the third game alone as the Lady Hilltoppers closed out the match with a 30-22 victory. “We just didn't play very well today,” Horn said. “We didn't do a good job with our serve-receive, and we didn't pass the ball well at all. But we finished 28-8 and won the conference title, so I don't think we have anything to be ashamed of or embarrassed about.”
Classic: Tarleton comes to town Thursday Continued from Page 8 early in the year, finished with 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting. “It’s always nice to see one of your shooters start to come out of a slump,” Lavender said. “Hopefully that will help her in the next couple of games.” The Wildcats made 10 threepointers in the game, and the offensive production allowed the Wildcats to trail by only one with 2:25 left in the first half. But Drury closed the half on a 10-1 run to take a 10-point lead to halftime, then used a 13-0 second-half run to put the game away. “We just had a 10-minute spell where we kind of let them dictate everything we did,” Lavender said. “That took the
wind out of us a little.” With a late offensive flurry, the Wildcats scored the final 10 points of the game to close the final margin to a more respectable 13. But it was too little too late, as they had already made too many costly mistakes. Playing without starting point guard Kristal Robeson for the second straight game, the Wildcats committed 31 turnovers against just 13 assists. “We had a lot of unforced turnovers, and against teams like that you’ve got to take care of the ball and be disciplined,” Lavender said. “We didn’t do those things.” ACU is 3-2 on the year after the tournament and will host Tarleton State Thursday at 6 p.m. at Moody Coliseum. The Wildcats beat the TexAnns in
Stephenville last season, but Lavender said she is expecting a battle. “Tarleton is always tough,” Lavender said. “They’re going to be physical, strong; they’re going to crash the boards hard.” The Wildcats now sit at 3-2 overall, and just before Thanksgiving played in a tournament that St. Edward’s hosted in Austin on Nov. 19-20. ACU split in Austin as well, falling to Incarnate Word the first night 79-64 and then finishing the weekend out with a
67-59 win over the hosting team. King had 18 points, and junior forward Kierstan Barbee added 11 in the loss to Incarnate Word. Three Wildcats scored in double figures in the win against St. Edward’s; Boles led the squad with 14, King added 11, and Riles contributed 10 points.
E-mail Gray at: weg02a@acu.edu
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Wildcat senior center Matthias Krieg fights for a layup against Wiley power forward Silvester Simple Jr. during the 86-80 ACU victory Nov. 20. The Wildcats will face Tarleton on Thursday.
SPORTSWEDNESDAY OPTIMIST
Page 8
December 1, 2004
Naimadu wins national title Men’s team finishes third, Mwamba places ninth for women By STEVE HOLT SPORTS WRITER
Nicodemus Naimadu made history on November 20. Barely. The freshman runner became only the second Wildcat ever to win the individual title at the NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championships, edging out Western State’s Oliver Bodor by just onetenth of a second at the championship meet in Evansville, Ind. The ACU men placed third in the team race, but the story of the day was Naimadu’s individual win, one of the closest in the championship’s history. Just months after first stepping foot onto American soil from Kenya, Naimadu followed 2000 and 2002 champion Alfred Rugema by becoming ACU’s second national champion with a time of 38:31.1 over the hilly 10,000meter course.
“After the race I was very happy, and I thank God for the energy that he provided me throughout the race,” the Olenguruone, Kenya, native said. Naimadu led the race almost from the starting line, battling Harding’s Peter Kosgei and two Western State runners throughout much of the race. Murray said Naimadu was leading the race by 20 meters with just over a mile to go and was pressured by Western’s Bodor the entire last mile. But Naimadu held the Mountaineer runner off with a lunge at the line. “Nicodemus just willed himself to the victory the last 100 meters of the race,” head coach Jon Murray said. “It was a courageous one to the very end. The course was muddy and hilly, which I think did not play into our favor for our strengths, but Nicodemus made it his strength. He was killing people on the hills.” Naimadu recounted the conditions at race time.
Cross Country “The course was not such a good one mainly because it was muddy, and I was also sliding,” Naimadu said. “But I encouraged myself to strive ahead because I knew that we were all having the same problem.” Western State College (Colo.) was the team champion, placing three runners in the top 10 and all five runners in the top 20 finishers. Adams State placed second with 76 points, followed by ACU, which has finished second or third every November since 1999. “Our group did a good job of competing, and I expect them to challenge these two teams even more next year,” Murray said. Murray added that several factors helped the two Colorado teams at nationals, including training at altitude and racing each other three times throughout the season. Senior Bernard Manirakiza earned his fourth all-America
distinction, placing 10th with a time of 32:31.9. Junior Martin O’Kello managed to place 27th despite becoming sick toward the end of the race, and he was followed by freshman Laurent Ngirakamaro in 39th place. Junior transfer Lucky Hadebe rounded out the Wildcat top five by placing 60th. California State-Chico and Harding placed fourth and fifth, respectively, in the men’s team race. On the women’s side, the race was all Adams State, which placed all five runners in the top 15 finishers for a dominant score of 31. Three ACU women competed individually, however. The top Wildcat was junior transfer Adeh Mwamba, who completed the 6,000-meter race in 21:56.2 to finish ninth. Trina Cox was 50th for the Wildcats, finishing in 23:20.1. Sophomore Olha Kryv’yak finished 72nd with a time of 23:50.3. See CROSS COUNTRY Page 7
JOHN NEPOLITAN/Contributing Photographer
Nicodemus Naimadu leads in the NCAA Division II National Cross Country meet in Evansville, Ind. Naimadu won the individual title.
Volleyball season ends in Kearney
LSC South Standings Men’s Basketball Team A&M-Kingsville A&M-Commerce Angelo State Midwestern State ACU E. New Mexico West Texas A&M
Div. 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Tot. 1-0 4-1 3-2 3-2 1-1 2-2 2-2
St. Edward’s puts end to historic season with 3-0 sweep FROM ACU SPORTS INFORMATION
Women’s Basketball Team Angelo State A&M-Commerce West Texas A&M ACU E. New Mexico Midwestern State A&M-Kingsville
Div. 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Tot. 2-1 2-1 2-1 3-2 2-3 2-3 2-3
The second outing of the tournament would prove to be tougher for both Riles and the Wildcats. After going 13of-18 from the field against Lincoln, Riles was just 2-of-8 against Drury, the secondranked team in the nation, in an 84-71 loss. ACU stayed in the game early behind the shooting of Doyle and King. King, who shot 1-of-8 against Lincoln and has struggled shooting
The ACU Wildcats' historic 2004 volleyball season came to a resounding end Friday with a 3-0 loss to St. Edward's in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Division II Southwest Region Tournament on the campus of the University of NebraskaKearney. The Wildcats — who had beaten St. Edward's twice earlier this season by 3-0 scores — were beaten 30-28, 30-23, 30-22 by the Lady Hilltoppers, who advance to the regional semifinals for the second straight year. ACU finishes its season at 28-8. “We did a lot of good things this year, and I'm very proud of this team for that,” said ACU head coach Brek Horn, who finished her sixth season as the head coach on Friday. Despite all of the historic firsts in this season — the first Lone Star Conference South Division title, the first overall LSC title, the first regional tournament berth in school history and the first season sweep of West Texas A&M in school history — the Wildcats couldn't overcome one of their most uneven performances of the season. ACU committed 44 errors in the match (19 attack errors, seven serve-receive errors and four blocking errors among them), but the ones that will be most remembered will be the 12 service errors. Every time it looked as
See CLASSIC Page 7
See VOLLEYBALL Page 7
Scores Friday Nov. 19 Women’s Basketball: Incarnate Word 79, ACU 64 Men’s Basketball: Cameron 88, ACU 75
Saturday Nov. 20 Women’s Basketball: ACU 67, St. Edward’s 59 Men’s Basketball: ACU 86, Wiley 80
Friday Women’s Basketball: ACU 79, St. Edward’s 58
Saturday Women’s Basketball: Drury 84, ACU 71
Monday Men’s Basketball: ACU 68, St. Edward’s 67
Upcoming events in Wildcat sports...
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Senior forward Stephanie Riles hits a fastbreak layup during practice on Monday. The Wildcats’ next game is Thursday against Tarleton State.
Riles drops 40, Cats split in weekend tourney Wildcats roll over Lincoln, fall to No. 2 team in nation: Drury
(home events in italics)
By WARREN GRAY
Thursday, December 2 WBB: Tarleton State, 6 p.m. MBB: Tarleton State, 8 p.m. Saturday, December 4 MBB: SW Assemblies of God, 4 p.m. Thursday, December 9 MBB: Texas-Permian Basin, 7 p.m.
The ACU women’s basketball team hosted the ACU-CHI Classic last weekend at Moody Coliseum and came away with a win, a loss and a historical performance from senior forward Stephanie Riles. The Wildcats won their
SPORTS WRITER
first game of the tournament 79-58 over Lincoln University (Mo.) thanks in large part to a career-high 40 points from Riles. Her point total was the seventh-best scoring outing in ACU women’s basketball history. Riles was also 14-14 from the free throw line in the first half. “She really took command of the game, and they didn’t have an answer for her,” ACU head coach Shawna Lavender said. Junior center Jamie Boles added 10 points in the win,
Women’s Basketball while junior guard Ashley King led the team with seven assists, and senior forward Meredith Doyle had eight steals. Lavender said the team did many things well, but in the end the game belonged to Riles. “Defensively we did a good job of stopping a lot of things they were trying to do, and we did a good job of pushing the ball,” Lavender said. “And it helped that Stephanie had 40.”
Rasul lifts Cats over St. Edwards ACU loses to Cameron, defeats Wiley College at Tip-Off Classic BY KYLE ROBARTS SPORTS EDITOR
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Junior guard Joe Carr passes through the Wiley defense to junior forward Hakim Rasul for the score during ACU’s 86-80 victory over Wiley College on Nov. 20 to end the ACU Tip-Off Classic in Moody Coliseum.
The men’s basketball team won its first official road game Monday night when Hakim Rasul put back Mauro Matai’s missed layup with three seconds left and the Wildcats defeated St. Edward’s in Austin 68-67. Rasul led all scorers with 32 points and 11 rebounds, including six on the offensive end. The Wildcats got help from some upperclassmen as senior guard David Baxter had 12 points and seven assists, senior center Matthias Kreig tied Rasul for the team lead in rebounds with 11 and added seven points, and senior guard
Adrian Scott had nine points and five rebounds. The Wildcats played on the road earlier this season against NCAA Division I competition in Fayetteville, Ark., against the University of Arkansas and in Bowling Green, Ky., against Western Kentucky University, but both games were exhibition and didn’t count against the team’s record. The Wildcats hosted the ACU Tip-Off Classic Nov. 1920 just after starting the season 1-0 with a 78-61 win over Rhema College. ACU split two games, losing to Cameron 88-75 on the 19th, while bouncing back with an 86-60 victory over Wiley College. In the loss to Cameron, the Wildcats were able to get an early look at some of the Lone Star Conference South
Men’s Basketball Division competition they will be facing later this season. The Wildcats played well at times said head coach Klint Pleasant, but Cameron won the points off turnovers battle 23-13 and proved it had depth as it outscored ACU’s bench 25-8. “We were dealing with some early season glitches,” Pleasant said. “The team is still trying to get on the same page as far as chemistry; but the things we did wrong are things that are correctable … so we’ll spend every practice trying to get better.” ACU’s win over Wiley saw its rocky spots as well as the Wildcats had 21 turnovers, were outscored in the paint 40-32, and Wiley’s bench players outscored ACU’s 38-18.
However, the Wildcats got solid play on the offensive end from both Rasul and Baxter, as Rasul had 26 points and 10 rebounds, while Baxter had 21 points and five assists. Junior Joe Carr had 17 points and nine assists against Wiley but was injured in Monday night’s contest against St. Edwards with a high ankle sprain and is expected to miss time. The Wildcats will begin the first contest of a threegame homestand Thursday at 8 p.m. against Tarleton State. On Saturday, they will host Southwest Assemblies of God at 4 p.m. and Dallas Christian Dec. 9 at 7 p.m.
E-mail Robarts at: kdr00c@acu.edu