OPTIMIST_2005-02-09

WEDNESDAY February 9, 2005

OPTIMIST THE

Department of Journalism and Mass Communication

Abilene Christian University

Vol. 93, No. 35 1 section, 8 pages www.acuoptimist.com

Serving the ACU community since 1912

Flying high:

Matchmaker, make me a match:

Split decision:

Two Wildcats improved their provisional qualifying marks at Saturday’s meet.

Page 10

Students who took the Association for Computing Machinery’s Compatibility Test can purchase their results in the Campus Center for $1.

Page 3

The Wildcats returned from a two-game road trip with a split.

Page 10

Malagasy president visits students University honors leader while he tours campus

By SARAH CARLSON ARTS EDITOR

Marc Ravalomanana, president of Madagascar, was welcomed to ACU at a luncheon Sunday in the Teague Special Events Center as he visited the campus and the 24 Malagasy students sent here on a presidential scholarship.

Wearing a black cowboy hat, Ravalomanana walked into Teague in between 80 tables of guests, ranging from congressmen and government officials to ACU administrators, faculty and students, smiling and waving to the crowd of about 640 people.

“I have heard that things are bigger in Texas, and your hospitality is no exception,” Ravalomanana said later during the luncheon.

The president toured the campus with Dr. Royce Money, president of the university, Sunday morning and said at the luncheon he was impressed with the facilities at ACU and the advanced technology.

“What impressed me most about ACU is the heart and soul of its people,” he said. “You are committed to doing your best and at the

same time, are faithful to God. That is very important to me as a Christian businessman.”

Abilene Mayor Norm Archibald read a proclamation for the city declaring Feb. 6 President Marc Ravalomanana Day, and State Rep. Bob Hunter, senior vice president emeritus, presented him with a citation from the state of Texas. Rep. Randy Neugebauer, R-Lubbock, presented the president with an American flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol in honor of Ravalomanana; his wife received a tray with the U.S. House of Representatives seal engraved on it, and one other item was presented – a Texas bumper sticker.

“I don’t know what kind of vehicle you have back in Madagascar, but I know that this would look really good on the back of it,” Neugebauer said.

The luncheon was sponsored by ACU, the U.S.Madagascar Business Council and World Christian Broadcasting, of which Dr. John Tyson, vice president of development, is a board member. Tyson visited Madagascar in November 2003

Welcome Week Steering Committee applications available

By MALLORY SHERWOOD FEATURES EDITOR

Student Services and Student Multicultural Enrichment, to run 26.2 miles Jan. 9.

“It was the hardest thing I have ever done,” Sloan said, “but it was also the most fulfilling.”

Sloan ran the marathon for the Leukemia and

People scream. Signs with numbers can be seen from every section of Moody Coliseum.

New faces silently sit in the stadium seats offering shy smiles, while current students cheer and clap for the waryeyed newcomers climbing the stairs.

Welcome Week will come again.

Students who have been there before remember, and now it is their turn to give back to ACU. The First-Year Program is accepting Steering Committee applications and Peer Leader or Mentor Group Leader applications until Friday. More than 200 positions are open for Welcome Week 2005.

More than 1,100 new students are expected to participate in Welcome Week on Aug. 16 through Aug. 20.

Welcome Week is a tradition that has continued for nearly 20 years, said Eric Gumm, assistant director of the First-Year Program.

However, the tradition could not have continued without the help of volunteers, said Kathleen Piña, one of four Welcome Week chairs.

“We really need volunteers,” said Piña, senior political science major from San Antonio. “Welcome Week couldn’t have happened for you if other students hadn’t volunteered to help out.”

Students can apply for three volunteer positions.

The Steering Committee needs 20 to 25 students to organize the week and make sure it runs smoothly. The volunteers must attend a retreat and weekly meetings in April and come to Abilene a week early to finalize plans.

Students can also apply to be Peer Leaders for each of the 50 University Seminar classes.

The leaders will partner with a faculty mentor and stay with the group all semester for class, working alongside the professor to teach and mentor to the new students.

See RACE Page 5

See WEEK Page 5

See MADAGASCAR Page 5

EMILY CHASTAIN/Staff Photographer

EMILY CHASTAIN/Staff Photographer

Malagasy students sing before Malagasy President Marc Ravalomanana speaks at a luncheon Sunday.

Malagasy President Marc Ravalomanana speaks at a luncheon in Teague Special Events Center on Sunday. Ravalomanana came to Abilene to visit 24 Malagasy students who attend ACU.

Class registration date pushed back Registrar’s Office changes schedule to ease student stress

By MONICA SMITH STAFF WRITER

The Registrar’s Office changed the dates for fall registration. Customarily, fall regis-

tration would begin the Monday following spring break; however, to ease students’ stress, the Registrar’s Office has moved the first registration date to March 16.

The process has not changed; students can work with their advisers in schedulSee SCHEDULE Page 5

Officials look for students to lead program

Registration schedule • Graduate/Honors/Study Abroad students, 3 p.m.

March 16 • Seniors (90-plus hours), 3 p.m. March 21 • Juniors (60-89 hours), 3 p.m. March 23

Sloan completes marathon race Competition benefits research for Leukemia, Lymphoma Society

• Sophomores (30-59 hours), 3 p.m. March 28

By DANIELLE LINTHICUM

• Freshmen (0-29 hours), 3 p.m. March 30

Six hours and 34 minutes.

That’s how long it took La Shae Sloan, director of

STAFF WRITER

Globetrotters attract audience to Moody Turnout exceeds organizers expectations; only 212 tickets left

By RACHEL LAU PAGE DESIGNER

The Harlem Globetrotters attracted more than 4,300 people to Moody Coliseum on Thursday, entertaining the community with their basketball tricks, skills and humor.

The Globetrotters, a professional basketball team,

travel all over the United States and the world, entertaining millions with their basketball theatrics.

The large turnout exceeded many organizers’ expectations.

ACU officials were expecting between 2,500 and 3,000 people.

“All we had left was 212 tickets,” said Jared Mosley, director of athletics. “I really didn’t expect to sell out.”

Mosley received a call Friday morning from the

Globetrotters’ office about arranging a date for the team to return next year.

“They’re wanting to come back, so I know from their end they thought it went really well,” Mosley said. It’s just a great tool for us to get people on campus and to see ACU.” Throughout the night the players, who had nicknames like Sweet Pea and Special K, played a basketball game against the New York Nationals.

The crowds screamed and

cheered with every spinning ball or slam-dunk during the game.

During halftime, native African acrobats entertained the crowd by performing various acrobatic moves and tricks. Meridith Hollis said this was her favorite event of the evening.

“One guy was holding up seven people,” said Hollis, sophomore history major from Ruston, La. See GLOBETROTTERS Page 5

BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer

Kevin “Special K” Daley of the Harlem Globetrotters performs in the “Globetrotter Circle” during the Globetrotters' stop in Abilene on Saturday during their World of Fun Tour.

CAMPUS

DAY

Chapel Check-Up Credited Chapels to date: Credited Chapels remaining:

22 49

Wednesday, February 9, 2005

9

Calendar&Events Wednesday

Art Display, 9-11 a.m., Living Room.

Women’s social clubs meeting, 810:45 p.m., Living Room.

Siggies Meeting, 8-10:45 p.m., Hilton Room.

Welcome Week Steering Committee applications, Campus Center.

Black History display, 8 a.m.-10 p.m., Campus Center.

Study Abroad fair, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Campus Center.

Valentine’s Day compatibility test, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows.

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Thursday

CAB Free Night Out sign-ups, 11:30 a.m.-12 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows.

Practice LSAT, 6:30 p.m., Administration Building Room 220.

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Friday

Mac User’s Group meeting, 11a.m.2 p.m., Living Room.

Big Brother Big Sister enrollment, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Hilton Room.

Welcome Week Steering Committee applications, Campus Center.

Black History display, 8 a.m.-10 p.m., Campus Center.

Valentine’s Day compatibility test, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows.

“The Mousetrap,” 6:45 p.m. and 8 p.m., Williams Performing Arts Center.

“Be My Valentine” ArtWalk, 5-8:30 p.m., downtown Abilene.

Black History production, 7 p.m., Cullen Auditorium.

Leadership Abilene luncheon, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m., Living Room.

“The Magnificent Marriage” retreat for married ACU students, 5-8:30 p.m., Oakwood Trails Retreat Center.

Siggies Sing Song rehearsal, 810:30 p.m., Hilton Room.

“The Mousetrap,” 6:45 p.m. and 8 p.m., Williams Performing Arts Center.

Welcome Week Steering Committee applications, Campus Center.

Black History display, 8 a.m.-10 p.m., Campus Center.

Valentine’s Day compatibility test, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows.

SAAB meeting, 6-7 p.m., Living Room.

FCA meeting, 9-10:45 p.m., Living Room.

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Saturday

“The Mousetrap,” 6:45 p.m. and 8 p.m., Williams Performing Arts Center.

Black History production, 7 p.m., Cullen Auditorium.

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Sunday

Sophomore class rehearsal, 2-5 p.m.

Sing

Siggies Sing Song rehearsal, 7-9 p.m., Hilton Room.

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.

Daniels Recreation Center. For more information, contact the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center.

The Scotland Spring Break Campaign is looking for five campaigners to join. The cost is $1,200. They will be working in the city of Glasgow with homeless, teens at risk and refugee shelters.

For more information, contact Travis McGuire at twm01a@acu.edu.

The Toronto, Canada Spring Break Campaign wants volunteers to work in children`s homes and soup kitchens. The cost is $525.

For more information, contact Chelsea Heard at clh02h@acu.edu.

Announcements The computer auction has been rescheduled for March 5 at 1 p.m.

For more information, please go to http://www.acu.edu/technology/em ployees/auction.html.

Friends of ACU Library annual Lectureship Dinner will feature Mark Twain impersonator Cary Branscum. FACUL provides an opportunity to honor a student by participation in the Sponsor-a-Student program, $25 for a year, plus $12.50 for a ticket to the Lectureship Dinner.

Alumni Day Luncheon honoring David Leeson (`78) upon his selection by the ACU Alumni Advisory Board as the 2004 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year.

The luncheon is Feb. 20 at 12:15 p.m. at the Abilene Civic Center.

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased through the Alumni Relations Office, 809 E.N. 16th St. or by calling Ext. 2622.

Freshman Follies 2004 Tshirts are available in the Office of Student Productions for $5. If you have questions, call Ext. 2847.

American Association of University Women is accepting applications for the Maude King Undergraduate Scholarship. The scholarship provides $750 for a mature woman returning to education at ACU. Applications can be found in the financial aid office. Deadline is March 15.

Monday 01/31/2005 5 p.m. Vehicle accident at Mabee, case # 05-015.

6:40 p.m. Theft report at Mabee Hall, 05-016.

10:30 p.m. Theft report at Mabee, 05-017

smoking on campus and advised them of ACU policy.

9:15 p.m. Directed traffic at Big Purple lot.

11:15 p.m. Report of suspicious vehicle on south parking lot, all okay.

Tuesday 02/01/2005 3:15 p.m. Interview of student worker 6:15 p.m. Vehicle accident at East North 16th and Washington, turned over to Abilene Police Department.

8:10 p.m. Incomplete 911 at Zellner.

Misdial, all okay.

Friday 02/04/2005 4:22 p.m. Report of suspicious vehicle at Sewell lot. Checked, all okay.

9:05 p.m. Incomplete 911 at Morris Hall. Misdial, all okay.

Wednesday 02/02/2005 12:09 a.m. Checked welfare of two females walking at Edwards, all okay.

8:30 a.m. Walk through of Campus Center.

11:10 p.m. Attempted to locate owner of vehicle in library lot.

5:10 p.m. Incomplete 911 at Zellner, Misdial, all okay.

5:19 p.m. Incomplete 911 at Zellner.

Misdial, all okay.

7:40 p.m. Traffic stop at Ambler and Campus Court, failed to stop at red light.

8:05 p.m. Traffic stop at East North 16th and Washington, failure to display lights.

10:30 p.m. Report of suspicious subjects at Smith and Adams halls lot. Contacted two students, all okay.

11:49 p.m. Escort student from library to University Park Apartment.

Thursday 02/03/2005 7:30 a.m. Supervisory alarm at Smith Hall, all okay.

8:10 p.m. Contacted two students

Saturday 02/05/2005 1:30 a.m. Report of suspicious subject at 800 East North 14th.

Contacted subject, all okay.

2:50 a.m. Report of suspicious subject at 600 East North 16th ringing doorbell. Checked area, unable to locate.

5:05 a.m. Report of suspicious subject at University Park Apartments.

Contacted subject, was a resident of UP. 6:35 a.m. Report of suspicious subject at Edwards lot, all okay.

6:45 a.m. Report of suspicious subject on Oliver Jackson Blvd.

Contacted subject, he was waiting on a ride.

1:41 p.m. Incomplete 911 at Bennett Gym. Misdial, all okay.

2:50 p.m. Skateboarders on Campus Center Rd., contacted and explained ACU policy and they left .

Sunday 02/07/2005 12:40 a.m. Suspicious subject at Cullen Auditorium, contacted subject wanting inside.

1:20 a.m. Alarm at Edwards Hall, all okay.

3 p.m. Picked up cones at Bible Building.

Organization needs outgoing volunteers Hospice of the Big Country honors loved ones with fund-raiser

By EMERALD MCGOWAN

Song

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.

Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteers are needed to serve as ushers during Lectureship Feb. 20, 21 and 23.

For more information, contact the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center.

Chisholm House Assisted Living has requested volunteers Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Chisholm House is located on EN 10th. For more information, contact the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center.

Urgent need for reading buddies to read with elementary students. Includes one-onone mentoring, reading and field trips. Thursdays 4-5 p.m. at G.V.

Police Log (edited for space)

STUDENT REPORTER

Hospice of the Big Country needs volunteers through Monday for a fund-raiser benefiting terminally ill patients and their families in Abilene and the surrounding area Volunteers help by selling paper hearts at Hospice’s Hearts Remembered display in the food court at the Mall of Abilene. Mall patrons can buy a heart in the name of a loved one, and the heart will be exhibited on a cloud shaped wall behind the display.

Individual hearts cost $10, six hearts cost $50, and 15 hearts cost $100.

Hospice is an organization that specializes in meeting the needs of terminally ill patients and their families. Hospice is an alternative to institutional care and provides aid to families of terminally ill patients who need help bearing the weight of their loved one’s illness.

“We are sort of unique,” said Carolyn Adams, assistant director of Volunteer Services, “in that we treat the family as a whole, not just the patient.”

Adams is in charge of Hospice’s card ministry, a service meant to reach out to patients and their families through personalized greetings. Adams’ team sends out

cards twice a month and on birthdays.

According to Adams, there is a variety of other ways that ACU students could get involved and serve through Hospice of the Big Country.

Volunteers are needed to assist with patient care, companion services and special ministries, such as the card and flower ministries or one-time projects.

Volunteers who wish to help through patient care and companion services are offered training so that they will be better able to meet the needs of patients. Training gained with Hospice of the Big Country is nationally accepted at any Hospice organization so that volunteers can continue to serve wherever they are.

“Hearts Remembered is such a special service,” Adams said. “We have people buy hearts as valentines or for deceased loved ones. I even had one woman buy a heart for her dog. People just get so excited when they see their loved one’s name in our display.”

Students who wish to help can contact JoAnn Wilson, director of Volunteer Services, at 793-5450. She said she is looking for volunteers with outgoing personalities and good salesmanship to work two-hour shifts in groups of two. The display is open from 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m. every day through Monday.

E-mail McGowan at: optimist@acu.edu

CAMPUS NEWS

Wednesday, February 9, 2005

Students seek Chapel credit More than 1,000 attended two forums last week

By TIFFANY WILLIAMS COPY EDITOR

Last week, students attended two Chapel forums Tuesday night and Thursday night to receive an additional five Chapel credits and heard Bible lessons from Department faculty members, said Shane Hughes, Chapel coordinator.

Tuesday’s forum, which dealt with a Christian minister’s expectations when sharing faith with others, was in Moody Coliseum and was worth three credits. The presenters were Gary Green and Wimon Walker, professors of Bible, missions and ministry, and Larry Henderson, professor of Bible, missions and ministry, assisted them.

About 775 students attended, Hughes said.

“I was impressed by the content of the presentation,” Hughes said. “They had a student stand up and tell his

testimony, which was incredible. But then they asked, ‘What if your story is not incredible?’ Then they went into detail about how to share your faith.”

Hughes said the Chapel team encountered a problem with the portable card readers, so students had to sign in before the forum by hand, and those who couldn’t sign in before the forum had to sign in after.

“It was a last-minute problem because we thought they would be up, but they weren’t,” he said, adding students were quick to help the sign-in process. “Students were respectful and responsible.”

He said Thursday’s forum was “smooth sailing” because the card readers began working again.

The speaker, Jeanene Reese, professor of Bible, missions and ministry, spoke about forgiveness.

“She was as vulnerable as you can be,” Hughes said.

“She was very personal and spoke not only from her mind but from her heart. She

By LAURA STORK STAFF WRITER

Students who took the 11th annual Association for Computing Machinery Valentine’s Day Compatibility Test can buy their results for $1 in the Campus Center ticket windows on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Chris Lemmons, president of ACM, said the group has updated the online test this year by doing more research to provide students with better, more accurate questions and by improving the scoring to produce better matches.

“This year we actually did research on different psychological theories, and the questions are loosely based on those theories,” said Lemmons, senior computer science major from Tucson, Ariz.

“But we’re not psychologists.”

Lemmons said it is fun to make the questions for the survey based off of the research his club has done.

“No one wants to take a boring survey,” Lemmons said.

As of Monday, 201 males and 237 females had taken the online survey, which consists of 22 questions. Last year, a total of 323 males and 418 females took the survey, said Lemmons, who expects similar results.

Tiffany Sims, senior psychology major from Abilene, said she took the test last year and this year because her brother is in ACM and he usually makes her take it.

Sims said she wasn’t surprised when her results showed her brother ranked as No. 1 on her results, while her boyfriend held the No. 2 spot.

“My brother and I are a lot alike,” Sims said. “And my boyfriend and I are a lot alike so I wasn’t surprised to see them on my list, but I was surprised to see a couple of other people who were on my list.”

Are you ready for some football?

pulled from scripture and experience.”

About 490 students attended the second Chapel forum in Cullen Auditorium, which was worth two Chapel credits.

James Barcroft, freshman graphic design major from Arlington, attended both Chapel forums and said both were crowded.

“For the first Chapel, they only opened up part of Moody,” Barcroft said. “In three sections, people were crammed in. The second one kids were sitting against the walls it was so crowded.”

Hughes said other Chapel forums will be offered Feb. 24 in Cullen Auditorium and in late March or early April.

He said the last opportunity for students to gain Chapel credit will be at the end of the semester when students are asked to fill out an online Chapel survey worth two credits.

Students react as the New England Patriots score their second touchdown during the Super Bowl on Sunday at a student’s house on East North 18th Street. Clockwise from top left: Steven Patterson, senior youth and family ministry major from Arlington; Daniel Stinson, senior business management major from Arlington; Curtis Graham, senior math major from Abilene; Lauren Graham, senior interdisciplinary major from Abilene; Brooke Tubb, sophomore photojournalism major from Farmington, N.M.; Erin Crawford, senior history and education major from Abilene; and Marcus Sanchez, senior biology major from Abilene. The Patriots beat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21.

E-mail Williams at: tnt00b@acu.edu

Stress relief needed on campus

Survey offers love connection Annual Valentine’s Day compatibility results available

Page 3

The purchased results will only rank other students who have also taken the survey, Lemmons said. But students will be able to see the name, classification, availability and compatibility of the people ranked on their list.

“We leave it up to students to look up their matches on my.ACU,” Lemmons said. “We could offer that information, but we choose not to.”

Also on the list will be the five least compatible people and the results for the student’s special match, which is an option available on the survey where students can enter a specific person’s name.

Daniel Stinson, senior management major from Arlington, said he might take the test just to see who ends up on his list.

“If I take the test, I am going to ask the first person on my list on a date,” Stinson said. “Even if I don’t know them.”

E-mail Stork at: las00f@acu.edu

ROBIN WALLER/Contributing Photographer

Counseling center recommends time, priority management

By BRANDON E. COOKS STUDENT REPORTER

Stress is something people cannot escape, but it can be managed in everyday life.

With Sing Song, Lectureship, sports and other activities taking place, most students are busier around this time of the year. However, stress is something that is experienced yearround.

“Stress is something that will always be on us,” said Steve Rowlands, director of the University Counseling Center.

Rowlands said students can handle stress in several ways.

“Although this may sound basic, we should think about our priorities, work on our time management and organizational skills, and most importantly, if we have problems, let’s swallow

our pride and ask for help,” he said.

Another important stress-reducing factor Rowlands suggests is time with God. “Even in the story of Jesus, despite all the things he did and experienced, he always found time to get away and deal with stressful situations,” he said.

“Whether it was leaving for a little while, riding on a boat or praying, he dealt with stress by finding and seeking God.” Rowlands said he believes in two levels of stress: good stress and bad stress.

“Good stress is when we use it to motivate us to take action and we control it ourselves, and bad stress is when we let it control us and dictate how we live.”

When a responsibility such as homework or work becomes a burden and creates fatigue, stops progression and paralyzes motivation, it becomes bad stress.

Douglas Bongmba, junior business major from Cameroon,

Africa, agrees with Rowlands about the two types of stress.

“Good stress can motivate us to do what we have to do, but I believe everyone is submissive to bad stress,” Bongmba said.

“We all have those times when we stress too much and lose motivation.”

Rowlands said stress is a compound thing adding up until it is overwhelming.

“If it’s academics, financial problems, work, or athletics, stress primarily comes from a build-up of activities,” Rowlands said.

He suggested students “know their limit.”

“Some of us can deal and cope with a lot more than others,” he said. “Not that those who deal with more than others are better people, it’s just the simple fact that we must all know our not overwhelm ourselves,” Rowlands said.

E-mail Cooks at: optimist@acu.edu

CAMPUS NEWS

Page 4

Wednesday, February 9, 2005

Healthy Relationship Week ends as another success Students enjoy Christ-focused forums throughout the week

BY JEREMY L. POND STUDENT REPORTER

The sixth annual Healthy Relationships Week was a success, organizers said.

The week, sponsored by the University Counseling Center and Spiritual Life Office, is conducted each year in an attempt to generate dialogue and promote healthy relationships.

Kurt Boyland, a counselor with the counseling center, said the turnout was better than it had been in previous years.

“We tried to focus on topics that students would be interested in,” he said.

This year the theme, the Lord Before the Ring, was intended to help students realize healthy relationships of any kind can be destructive unless students first have a proper relationship with Christ, Boyland said.

One of the speakers and organizers of the week was Steve Rowlands, director of the counseling center. He said he was

pleased with attendance at the discussion, but I think that dia- Monday’s panel discussion,” logue is important to have,” he Rowlands said. various discussions.

Healthy Relationships Week “I only wish we could do said.

Rowlands said the students will end this Friday with a more,” he said.

The first major event of the week took place Jan. 31 in Cullen “As Christians, we tend to want to ignore sex as a topic of Auditorium. About 70 students attended a discussion, but I think that dialogue is important to have.” panel discussion that Kurt Boyland, counselor in the counseling center addressed the topic of sex and the single Christian.

The session encouraged dis- he spoke to were excited about retreat for married students.

“Our goal is to give the stucussion on a topic often glossed the forum topics selected this dents a nice, romantic evening over, Boyland said. year.

“As Christians, we tend to “Several students told me together. We’ll give them a few want to ignore sex as a topic of they wish we had recorded tidbits on magnificent mar-

Asia Interest Group meets Thursdays Students interested in missions and Asia can attend meetings

BY SHELBI WATTEN STUDENT REPORTER

Anyone interested in Asia or missions can attend the Asia Interest Group on Sunday at 7 p.m. to discuss mission work.

The Asia Interest Group is a group of 12 to 25 people with a passion for ministry, missions and preaching in Asia who come together to learn and talk about Asia, said Larry Henderson, professor of Bible, missions and ministry and facilitator of the group. Members don’t have to be Bible majors, and the group is not considered a club, he said.

During meetings, which take place at Henderson’s

house, students eat Thai food prepared by his wife, he said.

In the past, Henderson has invited guest speakers from China, Cambodia and Thailand who share their personal experiences concerning each of those places.

They also spend time in prayer for missionaries. They discuss what students will be doing during the summer and what they have done in past summers in Asia.

Some students from the group are already in Asia doing mission work. Many who attend the meetings plan to intern this summer in Thailand including: John Garrett, sophomore finance major from Abilene; Lauren Hart, sophomore integrated marketing communication major from Austin; Lisa Lynch, sophomore interdisciplinary major from Dumas; Justin Tuggle, graduate stu-

BY LACI ARMSTRONG STUDENT REPORTER

Students who participate in the International Students’ Association’s Chai Café are rediscovering their roots. Chai Café, which takes place on Thursday, is an informal time for students from different cultures to fellowship.

This semester each Chai Café is designed to represent different geographical themes led by officers from the chosen

country. Officers present their home culture at the meetings by bringing snack foods commonly served in their country and by decorating for the event with symbols and colors unique to their home.

This week’s theme is Asia.

ISA officers Kanako Ishimaru, senior marketing major from Japan, and Rachel Lau, sophomore journalism major from Malaysia, are leading the Asianthemed café Thursday at 9 p.m. in the University Park Clubhouse.

Lau, ISA public relations officer, said this week is the celebration of the Chinese New Year, and in honor of the holi-

dent in missions from Edmond, Okla.; and Chris Coggin, sophomore marketing major from Pflugerville.

Henderson is experienced in Asia’s mission field because he grew up and lived in Bangkok for 35 years and was a missionary for 25 years.

He said the group is a way for students to “meet each other, share their dreams and their commitments.”

Whether a person is interested in missions or simply in Asia, it is each individual's personal experiences that create the meetings.

Meetings usually last until around 8:30 p.m. so that students may attend worship at University Church of Christ.

Anyone interested in attending a meeting should contact Henderson at Ext. 3757.

BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer

E-mail Watten at: optimist@acu.edu

Kevin “Special K” Daley of the Harlem Globetrotters is bombarded by fans wanting his autograph during the autograph session after the Globetrotters game in Moody Coliseum on Thursday.

day participants will have Chinese music and specific foods for students.

“Chai Cafés basically create a venue for students to get to know each other and to provide an opportunity for American and international students to interact,” Lau said.

Diana Gutierrez, senior management major from Abilene and president of ISA, said Chai Café began in order to provide a social environment for international and American students to relax and drink free Chai tea.

Now the celebration has evolved into an opportunity for ISA members to share their ethnic background by preparing an

atmosphere similar to their culture.

“The Chai Cafés are not just for international students; any one can come. It’s just a time to share common interests,” Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez also said the new themes were established this semester in order to encourage more students to become involved, to allow students to share their culture and to serve as a transition period for new officers.

E-mail Armstrong at: optimist@acu.edu

Goodies from parents to arrive on campus this week Some parents send students Valentine’s Day packages

BY EVAN BLACK STUDENT REPORTER

Some students will receive Valentine’s Day gifts from their parents Monday through Wildcat Parents, an organization for parents and guardians of ACU students.

The gift packages, which

consist of a 4-inch bear and $10 Starbucks gift card, sell for $15.

Samantha Adkins, coordinator of Alumni Programs, said Wildcat Parents have been selling Valentine packages for the past 10 years.

“It's a good way to say ‘I love you’ to your student when most parents are 150 miles away,” Adkins said.

Students who receive a gift package will find a notice that says ‘Someone Loves You’ in

E-mail Pond at: optimist@acu.edu

Does anyone have a pen?

Asian-themed Chai Café begins Thursday Cultural cafes available for students through ISA

riages, but that’s about it.”

The counseling center is already working on ways to increase student interest even more next year. The staff plans to bring in several popular speakers for next year’s Centennial Celebration.

“We were very pleased with this year,” Boyland said. “We’re hoping that bringing in nationally renowned speakers next year will be an even bigger draw.”

their e-mail and campus mailboxes, Adkins said. The packages can be picked up at the Campus Center ticket windows on Monday.

All profits will go to the organization’s annual programs, including: Midnight Breakfast, a midnight buffet each semester during finals week; Parents of the Year, an annual award to recognize outstanding ACU alumni parents; and, new this year, the Freshman spring lock-in, a

freshman event planned to take place in March.

The total sales for the Valentine’s Day packages are estimated to be more than 350 packages. Sales are expected to end Wednesday, Adkins said.

“Some students are actually surprised that their parents send them something,” Adkins said. “Seeing their faces makes it worth the time.”

E-mail Black at: optimist@acu.edu

‘From the Top’ taped in Abilene will air in March Students from Abilene High, Cooper make audition for program

BY LAUREN WARE STUDENT REPORTER

A national radio program featuring young classical musicians was taped Feb. 1 at the Paramount Theatre in front of nearly a full house.

KACU-FM sponsored the show, called From the Top, and was responsible for the initial effort to have the show come to Abilene.

The Revolution Fiddle Ensemble with violinists from Abilene and Cooper high schools submitted an audition tape when they learned From the Top was coming to Abilene. They also played in the show.

John Best, KACU-FM general manager, and Kim Seidman, development director for KACU-FM, collected donations from community companies and organizations including the ACU Music Department to make it possible for the show to come. Tickets for the program cost $20 for adults, $15 for KACU-FM members, and $10 for students. The show averages 750,000 listeners and airs on more than 250 stations.

More than 1,000 tickets sold out of 1,200 possible.

“They were excited enough about the response that they would love to come again,” Best said. “One of the missions of the station is to produce and to

bring things of musical quality to the city and the community, so this was one of the ways to do that. I stood there and could hardly believe that this was happening.”

Best first saw a taping of From the Top in Waco in 2002 and then again in Lubbock in 2003.

Seidman, who also wanted to see the show come to Abilene, handled the details involved with hosting a taping of From the Top. Best said he approached the producers of From the Top in 2003 to see if they would be interested in coming to Abilene.

“It was a big project for a very small staff,” Best said.

“I asked them to come and then raised the money for them to come. We could not have done it without the support of our sponsors.

The Abilene community is just phenomenal in their sponsorships.”

The day after the show, From the Top hosted three workshops at the HardinSimmons School of Music.

The taping of the Abilene show will be distributed by satellite by Public Radio International on April 4.

The show will run on KACU-FM on Apr. 5 and Apr. 9.

“It felt good to be a part of something that was that magnificent,” Seidman said.

“To be a part of the group that made it all come together was an amazing feeling.”

E-mail Ware at: optimist@acu.edu

FROM THE FRONT PAGE

Wednesday, February 9, 2005

Page 5

Madagascar: President impressed with ‘heart and soul’ of ACU Continued from Page 1 on the first trade mission of the U.S.-Madagascar Business Council representing World Christian Broadcasting, a communication ministry that broadcasts from a station in Alaska over shortwave radio to reach various parts of the world, including Russia and China.

Tyson met Ravalomanana during the trip, and after telling him about ACU, the president was inspired to send students here to raise leaders for Madagascar.

World Christian Broadcasting is looking to build a broadcast tower in Madagascar, a location that would enable them to reach 3 billion

shortwave radios worldwide.

Earl Young, president of the U.S.-Madagascar Business Council, spoke at the luncheon, thanking Ravalomanana for his support in the process of building a transmitter and

dents’ arrival to ACU upheld the university’s mission of educating students to change the world.

“Once again, we’ve witnessed the working of God with the coming of these

“We’ve witnessed the working of God with the coming of these wonderful students.”

Dr. Royce Money, president of the university

broadcast tower in his country.

Tyson introduced the various speakers throughout the luncheon, including Money, who said the Malagasy stu-

wonderful students,” Money said.

One such Malagasy student, Joelly Rasamoelina, freshman sociology major, spoke on behalf of the 24 stu-

dents, thanking both Ravalomanana and the ACU community.

“Mr. President, we all would like to thank you for what you’ve done,” Rasamoelina said. “The scholarship means a lot to us, and it has been something that we’ve always dreamed about.

“We would like to give thanks to every single member of the ACU family for all that you’ve done to help us adjust to life in America. We know that so many people are working hard to make our lives easier, and we really appreciate it.”

EMILY CHASTAIN/Staff Photographer

E-mail Carlson at: skc02a@acu.edu

Joelly Rasamoelina, freshman sociology major from Madagascar, speaks on behalf of the Malagasy students Sunday during a luncheon honoring the president of Madagascar, Marc Ravalomanana.

Week: Peer leader applications due Friday Continued from Page 1 Peer Leaders will receive a $300 stipend instead of class credit for the three hours per week they work.

Interested students must turn in their application by Friday and be at least a junGumm ior next fall.

One hundred Mentor Group Leaders are also needed to work with the Peer Leaders

during Welcome Week. They can be any classification, and they must turn in their application by March 16.

“These students are folks that are just really excited about ACU,” Gumm said.

“They like meeting new people, they want to be a part of Welcome Week and they had a great time themselves.”

The Welcome Week chairs urge students to volunteer.

“It is a great way to give perspective to others about what ACU is about,” said Sarah Woodroof, Welcome Week co-chair and junior his-

tory major from Brentwood, Those interested can find the Tenn. applications online at www.

“You can think back and acu.edu/academics/fyp/leaderremember what it was like ship.html.

“I would just coming encourage people in with to apply to help n e w On the Web Welcome eyes and www.acu.edu/academics/fyp/leadership.html for Week,” said Krisn o t tina Anderson, knowing what to expect here,” she said. Welcome Week co-chair and “It gives you the opportunity junior Spanish major from to both serve others and Canton. “It is personally fulremind yourself of why you filling when you can give back to ACU.” are at ACU.” Students from any involvement level with ACU can E-mail Sherwood at: participate in Welcome Week. mes02e@acu.edu

Schedule: Registration begins March 16 Continued from Page 1

EMILY CHASTAIN/Staff Photographer

Antwan Scott, forward for the Harlem Globetrotters, celebrates after dunking the ball by hanging upside down from the rim during the Globetrotters’ game in Moody Coliseum on Thursday.

ing their classes for the next semester and then register online. Two weeks before the first registration, students can find the bulletin with classes offered online. The printed version of the schedule bulletin will be available a week before the first registration.

“We always encourage students to look for holds and get them cleared a week or two in advance,” said Bart Herridge, assistant registrar for technology. “We always get calls from students who can’t register. We don’t deal with that really. We just sort of flip the switch. All the real

action takes places in the advising offices.”

Darrell Horn, associate director of counselors for Student Financial Services,

the payments are current,” he said. “If you aren’t on the payment plan, tuition was due at the beginning. For the payment plan, we don’t look

“Students who are proactive will really come out ahead.”

Darrell Horn, associate director of counselors for Student Financial Services

said students can expect to know via e-mail if they have holds on their account at least a week before registration.

“We look at the balance on the account and make sure

at how far you have to go, we only make sure the payments are up to date.”

Students should know that if they have holds, they will be unable to register for classes. To have a hold lifted,

“I loved running in those surroundings,” Sloan said. “I was just praying and praising God for the experience.”

Sloan said the 18th mile was difficult. She had just finished praying, and one of her teammates ran at her side to encourage her and run the rest of the way with her.

“That was the most encouraging thing that could have happened,” she said.

Support was not lacking throughout the race because volunteers began cheering for them at 4 a.m. on race day. The runners started at 6 a.m., and volunteers were lined up along the way, cheering them on and handing out food and drinks.

High school bands and cheerleading squads were among those encouraging the runners, and a choir was singing Awesome God at the finish line.

“Hearing that song got me over the finish line,” Sloan said.

However, the song was not the only thing that helped Sloan finish the race. She said friends encouraged her to not give up in September when she began training.

“I wanted to be able to tell my kids that I had followed through and finished,” she said.

“I wanted to challenge myself.”

Globetrotters: Fans Race: Money will help research fill Moody Coliseum Continued from Page 1

Continued from Page 1 “My favorite part was when Special K was on the court making all these funny comments as they played,” said Josh Lai, freshman communication major from Penang, Malaysia.

Special K had a microMosley phone as he was performing and made comments and jokes through-

out the night.

The night’s success appealed to many fans of all ages.

“I saw a lot of kids there that were really happy,” Lai said. “I’m sure it meant a lot to them.

“If we can get even less than half of this response for ACU’s own sports,” he said, “I think the players would be very encouraged.”

E-mail Lau at: rhl02a@acu.edu

Lymphoma Society at Walt Disney World, as part of a threeperson team from Abilene. The team ran in honor of Rebecca Lawson, an Abilene resident who was diagnosed with leukemia in 2004.

The marathon raised $6.4 million Sloan that will go toward research, and 25,000 people ran the race, which looped from Epcot Center through the Magic and Animal Kingdoms and back to Epcot.

E-mail Linthicum at: del01a@acu.edu

students should make a payment on their account. If a loan is needed, students are advised to see the Student Financial Services Office as soon as possible, Horn said.

“Don’t wait till the last minute,” Horn said. “[Students] think they can get it all solved in one day. But if they need a loan, they will have to wait, and that takes time. Students will be watching classes fill up while they are waiting for a loan.

“Students who are proactive will really come out ahead.”

E-mail Smith at: mxs02a@acu.edu

VIEWSWEDNESDAY OPTIMIST

Page 6

Cease-fire gives hope to weary

The issue: Leaders of Israel and Palestine met and declared a cease-fire Tuesday.

Our view: The cease-fire brings hope to a region overly familiar with violence, but peace will not come unless people follow their leaders.

The solution: Although the process of peace will be a long one, the people of Palestine and Israel and their leaders need to persevere.

February 9, 2005

On Tuesday, Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, and Ariel Sharon, the prime minister of Israel, declared a cease-fire between their people.

The two leaders met at a summit in the Red Sea Resort of Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt — the first time in more than four years that Israeli and Palestinian leaders have met.

According to CNN.com, Sharon agreed Israel would stop its military operations if the Palestinians end violence against Israelis. Abbas, who was

Christians should honor all of First Forty-nine percent of my don’t see a reason for concern. peers say I should not have the After all, most of the questions right to publish this sentence. asked deal specifically with the At least not without the gov- freedom of the press, so why ernment’s ap- should nonjournalists fret over misconceptions about press proval.

According freedom?

Because the First Amendto results released Jan. 31 ment mentions five different in a survey of protections, people often make more than the mistake of considering 100,000 high them five separate protections school stu- instead of facets of one idea— dents, 75 per- expression.

Ask the Christians have mastered cent of the Question students said trumpeting the freedom of Jonathan they don’t religion but frequently fail to Smith know what place as much emphasis on the they think about the First other four protections. The Amendment of the U.S. Optimist receives countless letConstitution or take it for ters each year asking why we granted, and more than one in were allowed to print a certain article or exthree said its press such an rights extended opinion if this too far.

Without each is supposedly Let’s see just how far this protection provided by a Christian over-reaching the First Amendment, campus.

What good principle goes: is the freedom “Congress the others are of religion if shall make no method law respecting ineffective at best and no an establish- nonexistent at worst. exists to exment of relipress those gion, or probeliefs? hibiting the free Sometimes exercise thereof; or abridging protecting the freedom of rethe freedom of speech, or of ligion through speech and exthe press; or the right of the pression will mean allowing an people peaceably to assemble, unpopular—or even unscripand to petition the govern- tural—idea to be expressed. ment for a redress of grievWithout each protection ances.” provided by the First Journalists across the Amendment, the others are nation have bemoaned the ineffective at best and nonexresults of this survey and what istent at worst. it means for the future of the So journalists, hold fast to First Amendment if its next the freedom of the press. generation of protectors won’t Christians, continue to cling to stand at its defense. We have a the freedom of religion. special interest in the protec- Protesters, enjoy your right to tions provided by the First petition the government.

Amendment, so the concern But don’t forget to support displayed was to be expected. every other freedom provided I have waited to hear the by the First Amendment. outcry of another group—oth- When misconceptions of one ers who have a special interest freedom lead to its restriction, in the First Amendment’s pro- restriction of the other freetections. So far, Christians have doms will not be far behind. remained silent.

Maybe most people look at Respond to Smith at: this recent survey and simply jvs02a@acu.edu or optimist@acu.edu “No, there’s laws for freedom of speech. If it’s not derogatory they should be able to say it.”

In Your Words Do you think the government should regulate what newspapers print?

Dacia Samuel sophomore business management major from St. Thomas, Virgin Islands

No, cause this is America and everybody has their freedom of speech. If that’s what they want to do, then it’s what they do.”

“I think they probably should put some restrictions on it because some crazy people out there would print inappropriate stuff.”

Justin Singleton

Will Eason

sophomore environmental science major from Austin

freshman business and management major from Houston

Daniel Barcroft

In My Words

Clinton good choice to lead U.N. relief The United Nations recently decided to place Bill Clinton, former president of the United States, as the head of the Tsunami Relief Program and to ease tensions with rebels in the areas affected by the natural disaster. Talk also has been Don’t circulating of beBelieve the Clinton coming the Hype head of the Mitch Holt United Nations after Kofi Annan’s time is up.

When people hear the name Bill Clinton, phrases such as “Oval Office” and “Monica Lewinski” often come to mind.

Many see this decision as a mistake on the part of Kofi Annan because of Clinton’s failure to tell the truth about these personal issues that had strangely

He is good at what he does. Why not give a great politician such a great responsibility? a history of showing compassion to the down and out. All of this was done under a conservative Congress and overwhelming odds.

These reasons, among others, are ways our country’s 42nd president served as a benefactor to the American way of life during his time in office.

I say all of this not to make a shameless plug for Clinton. I know as well as the rest that he is not an entirely ethical man; however, he is good at what he does. Why not give a great politician such a great responsibility?

George H.W. Bush, Clinton’s predecessor, has played a major role in these relief efforts as well.

The two seem to be a good match for the job and the mes-

come to the attention of the public during his second term in office.

Before you write off the decision to give Clinton these responsibilities as a mistake, let’s look at some facts about Clinton that West Texas youngsters don’t often hear from their parents at the dinner table. While Clinton was in office, the United States broke the budget deficit and slid into surplus for the first time since 1969. Millions of unemployed Americans received jobs, and the Handgun Violence Prevention Act was passed in 1993, which required an instant background check and a 90-day waiting period before any citizen could purchase a handgun. You may not like his politics, but Clinton has

sage that these polar-opposite politicians are sending out to the world is a good one. To see these political enemies touring the country and appearing in commercials together is a good step toward unity in the United States and an effective way to raise money from liberals and conservatives alike.

Just because Clinton hasn’t had the best personal track record doesn’t mean one should ignore his political talents.

There is a need for a good leader, so the United Nations called on him.

The tragedy that struck Indonesia and Sri Lanka on Dec. 26 has left a chance for the United States to lend a helping hand to those who actually need it. Could this be an opportunity for the world’s view of America to change?

Respond to Holt at: mah02f@acu.edu or optimist@acu.edu

Library to be ‘hub of intellectual activity’ I appreciate Daniel Barcroft's articulate op-ed piece on Feb. 2.

He stated well his concerns about prospective changes in Brown Library, especially the introduction of a coffee shop. As a fellow devotee of libraries, I was also concerned when I first heard about the possibility of food in Brown, or rather, the legitimation of food in the library, because of course many people eat and drink throughout the building anyway.

However, as our faculty library committee researched libraries that had made changes similar to the ones we are discussing, and as we visited TCU,

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

the West Bank, among other historical disputes, cannot be quickly forgotten or glossed over by a handshake.

The Optimist waits, along with the rest of the world, to see what happens in the coming days, weeks, months and years.

Obviously, peace in the Middle East will not come quickly, but we’re hopeful that peace will come.

We hope militant groups follow the precedent set by their leaders, and we hope the Israeli and Palestinian peoples will let go of their anger and bitterness and move toward reconciliation or at least tolerance.

elected to his shows The cease-fire does not solve fundamental issues which position in Janthat the talks uary after the that have sparked violence for thousands of years. will continue. death of Yasser What reArafat in Nomains to be vember, agreed he would put an Condoleezza Rice, United States seen, however, is if Sharon and end to violence, terrorism and Secretary of State, said the meet- Abbas follow through on their incitement. ing has been “the most promis- promises and if their people folSo far, Abbas has sent securi- ing moments for progress.” The low their leaders.

One ty forces into Palestinian territo- Optimist agrees.

Palestinian militant group, the ries to prevent terrorist attacks, Although the people of Israel Hamas, has already said it and Israeli leaders have ap- and Palestine might have seem- would not agree to a cease-fire proved the release of some ingly insurmountable obstacles until it sees what the Israelis do Palestinian prisoners and given ahead of them on the road to next, according to MSN.com. up control of five West Bank peace, the leaders have taken a The cease-fire does not solve cities, according MSN.com. giant step in the right direction. the fundamental issues that The steps made this week President Bush invited Sharon have sparked violence for thoubring great hope to the Middle and Abbas to visit the White sand of years; the ownership of East and even the world. House separately this spring, Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip and

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@acu.edu

YOUR VOICE

The changes the faculty propose go much further than a coffee shop. We are trying to respond to the changing nature of classroom assignments, which increasingly involve group work and demand the use of computers and AV equipment. More than that, we are trying to help make the library a true hub of intellectual activity on this campus, and thus to raise the level of work on the campus as a whole.

These changes need the input of everyone, faculty, staff, administration, and students alike. I look forward to hearing

Trinity, a n d elsewhere, we heard librarians testify to the good results of such changes. They found that students trusted to do the right thing responded well. More students came to the library, and they increasingly used on-line databases. Some universities saw gate counts double in a twoyear period. Spills were cleaned up, not hidden. I believe that ACU students will be at least as responsible as those at other schools.

OPTIMIST THE

Re: The Optimist, February 2 “Just say ‘no’ to crumbs in the librar y” by Daniel Barcroft, cartoonist

more from Mr. Barcroft and others. And, when the coffee shop opens, I would like to buy him a tall cup and talk awhile.

Mark W. Hamilton assistant professor of Bible missions and ministry Chair, Faculty Library Committee

The Optimist Editorial Board

Published by the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Abilene Christian University

Editor in Chief

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Jonathan Smith

Jaci Schneider

Sarah Carlson

Dr. Cheryl Bacon

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Christi Stark

Optimist contact information Newsroom: (325) 674-2439

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Online: www.acuoptimist.com

SPORTS JUMPS

Wednesday, February 9, 2005

Page 7

Baseball: Win, losses provide experience

Catch me if you can

Women: Not ready Saturday Continued from Page 8

Continued from Page 8 halftime lead into a 25-point blowout. The Wildcats never could find their rhythm as their nemesis, turnovers, hurt them again.

ACU committed 32 of them against the Lady Buffs.

“You don’t win many games with 32 turnovers,” Lavender said.

“The thing is we didn’t even turn the ball over against their press. Once Lavender we got them out of their press we turned it over in the half court.”

Lavender said the Wildcats didn’t have the same energy on the second leg of the western trip that they had in the first game. The free throw numbers back up her claim. The Wildcats took only eight free throws in the game, including just two in the second half, while the Lady Buffs got to the line 38 times.

“They were much more aggressive than we were,” Lavender said. “We turned the ball over to fast; the refs didn’t have time to call a foul on them.”

After four straight road games, the squad is looking forward to playing in Moody Coliseum, where they will be Thursday when they take on Eastern New Mexico again.

“It’ll be nice to play at home,” Lavender said. “The girls seem to play a lot better at home.”

E-mail Gray at: weg02a@acu.edu

back after that.

Bonneau said the team got a solid start on the mound from Coy Polk, but a few mistakes led to Polk giving up three runs in 4.1 innings, earning the loss. Adam Jones, Simmons and Jason Kennedy combined to give up seven hits and seven runs the rest of the way.

“We had problems with leaving ball over the plate,” Bonneau said. “When you do that against good teams they’re going to hit it over the fence.”

The Statesmen did just that, knocking four balls over the outfield wall. The Wildcats got good production at the plate from Joel Wells, who saw one of his three hits leave the yard.

ACU returned to action on Tuesday with a home game against St. Mary’s at 3 p.m. and will play Incarnate Word on Friday in San Antonio.

E-mail Gray at: weg02a@acu.edu

BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer

Wildcat senior catcher Ashley Whittenberg attempts to tag out Thunderwolves pitcher Angela Heitman, who was called safe, during the 10-5 ACU loss to Colorado State-Pueblo on Thursday.

Tennis: Coach pleased with results Continued from Page 8 Chattanooga, Eastern Kentucky and Morehead State. The team’s only win came against Eastern Kentucky where they swept doubles and won 5-2. However, the Wildcats fell to UTChattanooga 5-2 and Morehead State squeaked by with a 4-3 win despite the Wildcats win-

ning the battle on the doubles court.

Jones said he was impressed with the women’s start and believes their early performance will be ominous of what is to come for the rest of the season.

They will head to Arkansas and Oklahoma this weekend after hosting Hardin-Simmons University and Temple College

on Tuesday, where they will have a chance to see Lone Star Conference opponents in Northeastern State and East Central, regional opponent Drury and a shot at another NCAA Division I school in the University of Arkansas.

The men will have a chance at their own ACU Indoor Classic this weekend, and Jones

said he is content with the team’s first week of competition.

“We are much more ‘tennis match mature’ after this weekend’s matches, and that was our goal,” Jones said.

E-mail Robarts at: kdr00c@acu.edu

Men: Players feel good about effort Continued from Page 8 However, ACU’s bench provided just one point of offensive production on a Matt Sutherland free throw, while WTAMU countered with 39 points away from its starting five.

The Wildcats also sent the Buffaloes to the free-throw stripe 55 times where they hit 37, and lost the battle inside where WTAMU outscored them 42-28 in the paint and out-rebounded ACU 46-28.

Rasul, the nation’s fourthleading scorer through Jan. 30, continued his scoring dominance against ENMU with 30 points, including 28 in the second half where ACU outscored the Greyhounds 49-42. However, his offensive output wasn’t enough to help the Wildcats overcome a 4722 halftime deficit.

“ENMU came out and hit some tough shots early, and we found ourselves in a hole,” Pleasant said. “I was proud of

the way we fought back and had several chances to cut the lead to single digits, but we just could not get over the hump.”

The Greyhounds’ Jamaal Hunnicutt torched ACU with 23 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists while a sharpshooting A a r o n Rodriguez — who went 8 of 10 from the field — contributed 20 points in Matai ENMU’s first LSC South Division win.

Baxter scored 15 points but struggled to hit shots from outside the 3-point arc-a shot that he is known for hitting.

This season he has hit 80 of 212 at better than 37 percent, but he went 0 of 8 against the Greyhounds.

Mauro Matai added a double-double for ACU with 15 points and 11 rebounds while

Carr added 10 points and six assists.

Where Baxter struggled, ENMU did not as the team was 7 of 10 from 3-point land.

ACU’s 22 turnovers and Eastern’s ability to get to the free throw line also helped put them over the edge.

ENMU went to the free-throw line 11 more times than ACU, hitting 22 of 29 while the Wildcats hit 14 of 18.

Even after four straight losses on the road, Pleasant said the team is feeling good about the effort they gave Saturday and are excited to be returning home.

Pleasant and the Wildcats will get a chance at revenge against each of these teams this week as ACU returns to Moody to face ENMU on Thursday at 8 p.m. and WTAMU on Saturday at 4 p.m.

Continued from Page 8 point in the season.

“The season has just begun, but it’s almost over,” Murray said. “We’ve got over the Christmas stuff, and anyone who didn’t get to do anything over the break has had four weeks of training.

Everyone is looking good.”

Twenty-one athletes have qualified either provisionally or automatically for the NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships March 11-12 in Boston.

E-mail Holt at: smh00a@acu.edu

BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer

E-mail Robarts at: kdr00c@acu.edu

Track: Team trains for Tyson Foods meet

Adrian Scott, senior guard, leans away from defenders to attempt a shot during the 97-83 loss to West Texas A&M at Canyon on Saturday.

SPORTSWEDNESDAY OPTIMIST

Page 8

Tennis teams begin strongly

LSC South Standings current through 02-02-05

Men’s Basketball Team A&M-Commerce Midwestern State A&M-Kingsville West Texas A&M Angelo State E. New Mexico ACU

Div. 6-1 5-2 4-2 4-2 2-5 1-5 1-6

Tot. 19-3 13-9 13-8 10-11 9-13 8-13 8-14

Women 3-0 in NCAA Division I, men 3-3 last week

By KYLE ROBARTS SPORTS WRITER

The Wildcats began their spring tennis season this past week with the women hosting the ACU Indoor Classic and the men traveling to Kentucky to play six matches in four days.

The women swept through three NCAA Division I opponents to grab an early 3-0 record to start the year, while the men split their six matches to begin at 3-3.

The women played host to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, UT-Pan American, and Louisiana Northwestern Friday and Saturday and lost only two matches over the weekend.

The team didn’t lose a doubles match on its way to an 81 victory over TAMCC, a 9-0 sweep of UTPA and a 4-1 win over Northwest Louisiana.

Women’s Basketball Team Angelo State West Texas A&M ACU A&M-Commerce Midwestern State E. New Mexico Texas Woman’s A&M-Kingsville

Div. 6-1 6-2 5-2 5-3 4-4 3-5 2-6 0-8

Tot. 18-2 15-6 14-6 10-11 9-12 9-12 9-11 4-17

Scores Thursday Women’s Basketball ACU 76, ENMU 73 Men’s Basketball ENMU 89, ACU 72 Softball Game 1: ACU 7, SCU-Pueblo 1 Game 2: CSU-Pueblo10, ACU 5

Saturday Women’s Basketball WTAMU 80, ACU 55 Men’s Basketball WTAMU 97, ACU 83 Baseball ACU 7, STE 2; Delta State 10, ACU 4

Cats lose one, win one on the road again

Section F T-Shirts on sale Thursday

Upcoming events in Wildcat sports... (home events in italics) Tuesday, February 8 BSB: St. Mary’s, 3 p.m.

SB: Midwestern St., 2 p.m.

Wednesday, February 9 SB: Cameron, 2 p.m.

BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer

Senior pole vaulter Val Gorter clears the bar to win first place at the Wes Kittley Invitational on Saturday in Lubbock with a height of 12 feet 6 inches. The meet was the final of three indoor meets hosted by Texas Tech University that the Wildcats participated in. They will go on to Fayetteville, Ark., to compete in the Tyson Foods Indoor Invitational next weekend.

Track team advances Quality training prepares team for championship results

By STEVE HOLT SPORTS WRITER

Thursday, February 10 WBB: E. New Mexico, 6 p.m.

MBB: E. New Mexico, 8 p.m.

Friday, February 11 MTK: Arkansas Invitational, 10 a.m.

WTK: Arkansas Invitational, 10 a.m.

Head coach Hutton Jones said the standout performer for the women was Lana Pavlin, who beat TAMCC’s Holly Lindloff 6-0, 6-0, a player head coach Hutton Jones said is solid.

The men traveled to Lexington, Ky,. on Wednesday and Thursday for three matches against Bellarmine, the Southeastern Conference’s University of Kentucky and Northern Kentucky.

ACU went 2-1 with its only loss to the No. 13-ranked Kentucky, who came out on top 8-1. However, the Wildcats were able to pick up dominant 8-1 wins over both Northern Kentucky and Bellarmine.

Jones said the standout performance for the men came in the midst of a threeset loss when Artin Tafazoli fell to Kentucky’s No. 1 player Tigran Martirosyan 6-1, 3-6, 6-4.

Friday and Saturday the team went on to Richmond, See TENNIS Page 7

Women continue splitting streak

Briefs

The athletics department will be selling “Section F” T-shirts for $5 on Thursday at the basketball games against Eastern New Mexico University.

February 9, 2005

While ACU’s top track and field athletes stayed in Abilene to train, a handful of Wildcats traveled to Lubbock for the Wes Kittley Invitational with the hopes of returning with new or improved qualifying times and marks.

Two athletes improved their provisional qualifying marks or times in Lubbock, but head coach Jon Murray said the real effect came through a full week of quality training.

“Everyone’s finally coming around,” Murray said. “We were real excited to get in the kind of work we have had.”

In Lubbock, senior Val Gorter won the pole vault with an improved provisional height of 12-6, while sophomore Brooklyn Hunt improved her provisional time in the 200

meters with a time of 24.81.

“It was a real low-key meet,” Murray said.

The rest of the team stayed in Abilene to complete a week of training in preparation for next weekend’s Tyson Foods Indoor Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark. The Tyson Invitational will feature the best competition the Wildcat athletes will see all season, and Murray said he is pleased with where his teams are at this See TRACK Page 7

By WARREN GRAY SPORTS WRITER

For the second straight weekend, the ACU women’s basketball team hit the road for two games. And for the second time in a row, it came back with a split capped by a disappointing performance.

On Thursday, the Wildcats defeated Eastern New Mexico 76-73 but followed the win with an 80-55 loss to West Texas A&M on Saturday. ACU coach Shawna Lavender said the main difference in the two games was that the team came out ready to play Thursday and not Saturday.

Against Eastern New Mexico, the Wildcats rode a hot-shooting first half to a 4324 lead at the break. But the Zias responded in the second half to make a game of it.

Fortunately for ACU, the lead was too much to overcome.

“We played a great first half,

shot the ball really well, played great defense,” Lavender said.

“In the second half, we had a little bit of a letdown on the defensive end but were able to hang on.”

With 4:42 to play, ENMU tied the game at 60 on a Mika Robertson 3-pointer and, after trading baskets for a brief stretch, took the lead with more than two minutes remaining. It was the first time the Wildcats, who scored the first 13 points of the game, had trailed.

But Kierstan Barbee hit a 3pointer on the next possession to regain the lead for ACU, and the Wildcats pulled it out.

Meredith Doyle led the team with 16 points in the game.

“She came out hot and just did a great job on Thursday,” Lavender said of Doyle’s efforts in the win. “On Saturday, I don’t know if we had anybody stand out.”

Saturday was indeed a much different story for the Wildcats. They again had second-half problems, as West Texas A&M turned a six-point See WOMEN Page 7

Wildcats lose 11 games in a row Men lose to West Texas A&M 97-83, drop to 1-6 in LSC

By KYLE ROBARTS SPORTS WRITER

The road has been cruel to the Wildcat basketball team this season, and it didn’t get any better this weekend. The Wildcats fell 89-72 to Eastern New Mexico in Portales, N.M.

,on Thursday and lost their 11th straight contest to West Texas A&M 97-83 in Canyon on Saturday.

The losses dropped the team to 1-6 in the Lone Star Conference South Division and dropped its record away from Moody Coliseum to 1-9.

The Wildcats enjoyed a solid first half of play against the WTAMU Buffaloes, and had control of the game through most of the second

half.

However, WTAMU’s Carl Lamb sparked a 14-1 run with 6:39 remaining-nailing three consecutive 3-pointers-from which the Wildcats would not recover.

“It was one of those games where we led about 90 percent of the game,” head coach Klint Pleasant said. “However, we were not ahead the only time it matters: when the buzzer sounds.”

The Buffaloes’ Jamil Terrell dominated the Wildcats inside with 26 points and a careerhigh 19 rebounds to go with Lamb’s 14, and Ronnie Holmes’ 13 off the bench.

Four Wildcats scored in double figures as David Baxter led the way with 29, Hakim Rasul added 26 with 10 rebounds, Joe Carr scored 16 and Adrian Scott had 11.

See MEN Page 7

Baseball begins with 1-1 record Men lose to Delta State but win over St. Edwards on Saturday

By WARREN GRAY SPORTS WRITER

The ACU baseball team began the season in grand fashion Saturday against Delta State, the No. 1 team in the nation. The Wildcats lost 104, but responded with a 7-2 win over St. Edwards to even their early season record at 11.

“We got great pitching from Ben Brockman,” ACU coach Britt Bonneau said, speaking of the team’s win over St. Edwards.

“We were able to get some big hits. That was a game when we took control late instead of letting someone else control us.”

ACU was able to take control with a four-run sixth inning. The Wildcats had three hits in the frame, including an RBI double from Ryan Barker, and took advantage of a Hilltopper error to

prolong the inning.

Right fielder Chris Walsh had three hits and two RBI in the game. Brockman pitched five innings and didn’t give up an earned run while striking out four batters.

Justin Whitlock saw his first action since 2003 and gave up two hits in one inning against the Hilltoppers.

Against Delta State, Kade Simmons also saw the mound for the first time since 2003, and he too went one inning and gave up two hits.

Bonneau said it was good to

get them some work and good for the whole team to play against tough competition.

“Whether the outcome was good or bad, the experience is a learning experience for us,” Bonneau said.

The outcome wasn’t as good against Delta State. It was the Statesmen, not the Wildcats, who took over late.

Trailing 5-4, ACU gave up a combined five runs in the sixth, seventh and eight innings and couldn’t come See BASEBALL Page 7

BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer

Freshman guard Alex Guiton drives past Lady Buffs point guard Stephanie Williams during the 80-55 Wildcat loss to West Texas A&M in Canyon on Saturday. They currently stand third place in the LSC South Conference with a conference record of 5-2, 14-6 overall.