The Vol. 95, No. 36
IN THIS ISSUE CAMPUS Calling all men
The ratio of men to women who participate in Spring Break Campaigns is disproportionate. Openings are available for some campaigns, page 3
Leaving a mark
The Outdoor Club will travel to Paradise on the Brazos this weekend to go rock climbing. Anyone interested can participate, page 3
•
OPTIMIST
1 section, 8 pages
WEDNESDAY
February 14, 2007
•
www.acuoptimist.com
Love test upgraded, delays caused Pi Kappa disbands as social club this spring n Students who participated in the compatibility test last week may have to wait longer to find out their results because of technology problems. By VALERIE VALLE Student Reporter
Students who are hoping to find love this week through the ACM Valentine’s Day compatibility test may have to wait a bit longer.
The 13th annual online compatibility test, which is taken in a survey-like manner, began later than expected this year because of a combination of problems with the test. Students from the group ACM, who create the test, started rebuilding the survey software later than usual this year. They were also short handed in help from software developers, who
help make up the survey. In hopes of creating a better product than in previous years, makers of the test used new survey software as well, which meant they had to completely start over on creating the software. Extra time went in to making sure the survey which they created could be applied to any type of survey for others to use. “We wanted to make it
so other students or classes could use the survey software as well. We designed it with that in mind,” said Topher Fangio, ACU graduate and software developer for the test. Software developers ran into a few trouble spots and had a hard time making the Web site work in the beginning. Figuring out details of See
TEST page 4
n Pi Kappa will no longer function as a social club on campus. Instead, the members decided to form a brotherhood that is open to anyone on campus to join.
FEATURES
By MALLORY SCHLABACH Editor in Chief
The men of Pi Kappa no longer exist as a social club. As of the spring semester, the former club of 12 members has now formed a brotherhood, which also includes women. Pi Kappa president Robert Caskey said the group used last year to rethink what they were about and to figure out who the group was. Pi Kappa was created a decade ago by 16 men based on the seven commitments of Promise Keepers, including to honor Christ through worship; pursue relationships; to practice spiritual, moral, ethical and sexual purity.
Welding a quilt
See what Dr. Geoff Broderick’s sculpting class created Friday from iron scraps, page 5
See
SPORTS
brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Members of the freshman class rehearse their Sing Song act on Friday during Moody Weekend in Moody Coliseum.
Saturday ticket sales soar for Sing Song Setting the record
The women’s basketball team won its game Saturday against Tarleton State, 73-68. The team will take on Eastern New Mexico on Wednesday, page 8
Close call
The Wildcat men’s basketball team lost in overtime against Tarleton State on Saturday. The men must win their last four games to make the postseason, page 8
SPECIAL EDITION Larger than life
Friday’s issue of the Optimist will feature news on campus as well as Sing Song related news. For results of the Sing Song competition, please check online at www.acuoptimist.com Saturday night.
SPEED READS Money grows on trees
President Bush proposed an increase in student loans for both college students last Monday. The proposal would allow students to borrow up to $30,500 for undergraduates and up to $156,000 for graduates. Mixed emotions have arisen with some students concerned with how much debt this could incur while others are glad for the first student loan proposal made in the Bush administration.
n Sing Song attendees can either vote online for their favorite act or they can attend a backstage party following Saturday night’s performance. By CAMILLE V and CAMILLE PAINTER Student Reporter
People who buy tickets for Sing Song this year get the opportunity for more than just a show. With the ticket, the audience has the power in the palm of their hands. “We’re trying to involve the audience more this year,” said Courtnee Hembree, Sing Song co-chair. All of the tickets this year were printed with bar codes that will be scanned at the door to show that the ticket owner saw the show. Once a ticket is scanned, it allows the holder to vote once for his or her favorite acts. “After the show, you can go online and vote for your
favorite boy club, favorite girl club and favorite class, and that will total in to the total number to decide who the winner is overall,” said Hembree, junior broadcast journalism major from Abilene. Online voting is one thing viewers on Friday night and Saturday afternoon get to enjoy that viewers of the Saturday night show won’t. Attendants will be given a password so they can vote online from one of the computers set in Moody or on any computer before the last show. The winners of Sing Song will be announced at the conclusion of the Saturday night show. As for ticket sales, Sing Song house manager Ernesto Villarreal said all but two tickets of the about 3,000 tickets to be sold per show were sold for the Saturday night show by last weekend. “We’re expecting to be within 70 or 80 percent of
capacity for Moody on Saturday afternoon and we’re expecting to hit about 60 percent on Friday,” said Villarreal, senior interdisciplinary youth and family ministry and Spanish double major from Brownsville. A dozen of individual seats remained unoccupied one week from the premiere, but no seats were left as of Monday morning, said Tom Craig, Sing Song managing director. Craig said 30 percent of Friday night tickets have been sold so far. “Lots of good seats are still available for Friday night,” he said. Tickets for Friday night and Saturday afternoon are still available and can be ordered in the ticket office, online at www.acu.edu/ singsong or through the box office by phone at (325) 674-2648. Villarreal said another op-
tion is available for students. “I’d recommend the Thursday showing. … It’s kind of the discount showing. It’s $10, and you pay at the door,” Villarreal said. Thursday night viewers will see the first run through of the show, which may last about 30 minutes longer than the projected two and a half hours that the other shows are expected to run. Saturday night’s awards still draw the biggest crowd, said Hembree. Plus, this year Saturday night viewers get something extra too: a backstage reunion party. “We’re inviting everyone that came to the show to come back stage and meet the people that were in the show,” said Hembree. The reunion will be in the double gyms and refreshments will be available.
E-mail the reporters at: optimist@acu.edu
PI KAPPA page 4
Few return for African American reunion n Only three of more than 300 black alumni returned this weekend for the African American Alumni Family Reunion following the 10th annual Black History Production. By ERIN JORDAN Student Reporter
Mixed emotions emerged during the past weekend’s African American Alumni Family Reunion, hosted by the Office of Student Multicultural Enrichment. Emotions varied with each generation of African American ACU graduates from the last 10 to 20 years. The African American Family Reunion was an attempt to reunite past ACU alumni to celebrate the 10th annual Black History Production. More than three See
REUNION page 4
Heroic efforts by freshman, mom land them on Oprah n Oprah Winfrey was searching for one of the children Crista Cope’s family rescued from child slavery and invited them on her TV show to hear their story. By MALLORY SCHLABACH Editor in Chief
When the Cope family read a New York Times article about a 6-year-old boy named Mark that had been sold into slavery to bail water out of a fishing boat in Ghana, Africa, they knew they had to do something. So Pam Cope and her daughter Crista, freshman elementary education major from Neosho, Mo., decided to rescue him and
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
six other children also working as child laborers. “My dad saw the article while we were visiting in New York and showed my mom,” Crista said. “She and I read it and were weeping by the time we were done. We knew we had to help them. Something had to be done.” Pam contacted the Times reporter, Sharon LaFraniere, who put her into contact with the guide she used while writing the story. Pam learned the children could be rescued for $320 per child, but they needed a place to live. She contacted her brotherin-law, Mike Cope, adjunct in
the Bible, Missions and Ministry Department and senior pastor at Highland Church of Christ, who told her about Village of Hope, an orphanage in Ghana where an ACU professor was on the board: Dan McVey, missions coordinator for Africa. “My mom wrestled with the idea of what to do for a while because she assumed that out of all the people that read the New York Times, someone would help these children. We were the only ones though,” Crista said. Little did the Copes know, but Oprah Winfrey was also See
OPRAH page 4
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Crista Cope, freshman elementary education major from Neosho, Mo., hugs Sarah and Hagar, two children her family saved in Ghana, Africa, in January, while visiting the “magnificent seven.”
Abilene Christian University
Serving the ACU community since 1912
Chapel Checkup Credited Chapels to date: Credited Chapels remaining:
Wednesday, March 29, 2006 Wednesday, February 14, 2007
14
Calendar & Events Wednesday
Valentine’s Day
11:30 a.m. ACM Valentine`s Day Compatibility Test results may be picked up until 4 p.m. in the McGlothlin Campus Center ticket windows for $1.
15
Thursday
11:30 a.m. ACM Valentine`s Day Compatibility Test results may be picked up until 4 p.m. in the McGlothlin Campus Center ticket windows for $1. 7 p.m. Private Sing Song show for faculty, staff, students and friends at a special $10 general admission price at the door. Doors will open at 6:15 p.m. 8 p.m. ACU Theatre performs ‘Streetcar Named Desire’ in Culp Theatre. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.
16
Friday
Spring Preview Weekend for prospective students.
17
About This Page
Saturday
Spring Preview Weekend for prospective students.
4 p.m. and 7 p.m. The baseball team plays East Central at the Crutcher Scott Field.
1 p.m. and 4 p.m. The baseball team plays East Central at the Crutcher Scott Field.
8 p.m. ACU Theatre performs ‘Streetcar Named Desire’ in Culp Theatre. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.
2 p.m. Groundbreaking for the Diane and John Duncum Center for Conflict Resolution at the Southeast corner of Judge Ely Boulevard and E. North 16th Street.
8 p.m. Sing Song in Moody Coliseum.
2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Sing Song in Moody Coliseum. 7 p.m. The men’s basketball team plays West Texas A&M at McMurry’s Kimbrell Arena. 8 p.m. ACU Theatre performs ‘Streetcar Named Desire’ in Culp Theatre. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. 9 p.m. The women’s basketball team plays West Texas A&M at McMurry’s Kimbrell Arena.
Announcements Sing Song shows are scheduled for Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets are available for the Friday 8 p.m. show and the Saturday 2 p.m. show for $14, $16 and $18 per ticket. The Sing Song ticket window will be open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 1:50 p.m. Tickets will not be required for the Thursday show. Just pay $10 for general admission at the door. The Alumni Day Luncheon honoring Dr. James Womack, class of 1963, upon his selection by the ACU Alumni Advisory Board as the 2006 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year is Sunday at 12:15 p.m. at the Teague
Special Events Center. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased through the ACU Alumni Relations office at 809 EN 16th St. ATTENTION ALL MAJORS! Study while traveling this summer. Programs are offered in Australia, England, Scotland, Ireland, Jamaica and more. Scholarships are available. The deadline to sign up is Feb. 28. See Ed Timmerman for more info or e-mail him at timmermanj@acu.edu. Looking for an adventure this summer? Come intern with Dry Bones in Denver. Dry Bones is a ministry that works with homeless youth living on the streets of down-
town Denver. The ministry needs four city interns and one mountain intern who will facilitate youth groups backpacking in the mountains and working in the city. Visit the Web site or contact Rebekah Duke at rebekah@drybonesdenver.org for more information. For those planning to graduate in May, the deadline to submit the application for graduation to the Graduate School is March 1. The application is available in the Graduate School Office, Room 204, in the Hardin Administration Building or online. Come to the Chapel Prayer Room on Tuesdays in the Chapel on
21 51
the Hill and Thursdays at the Quiet Place in the Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building. Chapel credit is given. For more information, contact James Rhea at jcr04a@acu.edu or e-mail SLC@acu.edu. What do Tupac Shakur, Lauryn Hill, and Kanye West have to do with Jesus? Come find out at the weekly “Jesus and the Hip-Hop Prophets” Bible study on Thursday evenings at 8:30 p.m. in the Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building, Room 128. For more information, contact Matt Worthington at mrw03b@acu.edu or e-mail slc@acu.edu.
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@acu.edu or to the Page 2 Editor at mxe06a@acu.edu.
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.
Police Log Edited for space
Monday 02/05/2007 8:08 a.m. Traffic stop at EN 18th & Campus Court for disregarding stop sign 12:34 p.m. Traffic stop at 1700 Campus Court for disregarding stop sign 4:30 p.m. Criminal mischief report at Zona Luce 9:30 p.m. Parking violations on main campus Tuesday 02/06/2007 6:55 a.m. Traffic stop at EN 16th & Campus Court for disregarding stop sign 2:50 p.m. Vehicle hit and run accident at University Church Lot 4:30 p.m. Vehicle accident on EN 16th in front of Nelson Lot 7:30 p.m. Parking violation at main campus
Wednesday 02/07/2007 8:10 a.m. Report of trash dumping on 2600 Garfield 12:22 p.m. Released gun from safekeeping to student at the Station 2:30 p.m. Contacted students throwing baseball near vehicles, agreed to be careful 6:20 p.m. Stand by at University Park Apartments while grandmother picked up belongings Thursday 02/08/2007 3:35 p.m. Checked on dead birds in WPAC Lot, notified grounds to remove them
7:57 p.m. Burglary alarm at Physical Resources at Maintenance, false alarm Friday 02/09/2007 2:35 a.m. Assisted subject out of gas at EN 16th & Campus Court 12:40 p.m. Criminal trespass placed on student at Campus Life 5:50 p.m. Burglar alarm at Physical Resources, false alarm 6:30 p.m. Met with student in Campus Center reference to accident report Saturday 02/10/2007 1:03 a.m. Noise violation at 400 College, party broken up 1:25 a.m. Assisted Abilene Police Department with chase of two subjects at Cimmaron Apartments, subjects were arrested and transported to jail 2:48 a.m. Burglary of motor vehicle at Barret Lot 7 p.m. Report of trespassers on tope of Central Plant, subjects were gone upon arrival Sunday 02/11/2007 12:30 a.m. Burglary of Motor Vehicle at University Park Apartment 10:40 a.m. Jumpstart vehicle at University Park Apartments Lot 11 a.m. Burglary of a Motor Vehicle at University Park Lot 2 p.m. Burglary of a Motor Vehicle at Barret Lot 3 p.m. Burglary of a Motor Vehicle at Barret Lot
Volunteer Opportunities Meals on Wheels needs volunteers immediately to deliver meals to seniors and adults with disabilities. This usually takes about an hour, and students can have one day of chapel per week excused for this service. Contact the Volunteer Service-Learning Center in the Bean Sprout for more information. McKenzee Cheng, an international student, would like a female volunteer to help her pronounce vocabulary for her sociology class on Monday and/or Tuesday afternoons. If interested, contact McKenzee at (325) 669-7800 or at yxc06a@acu.edu. Volunteers are needed on March 1 from 9:30 a.m. until noon to assist senior adults walk up and down stairs at the Civic Center and escort them to lunch while they attend a conference. Contact the Volunteer Service-Learning Center in the Bean Sprout for more information. Big Brothers, Big Sisters is looking for young women willing to volunteer time and energy in a pro-
gram called Y-teens. Y-teens will give young women from Abilene High School the opportunity to mentor girls from Franklin Middle School. Through activities and service projects, this program will empower young girls with knowledge about life skills and build self-confidence while creating an atmosphere for learning and emotional growth. Help is needed every Thursday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Franklin Middle School and Lincoln Middle School. For more information, contact Erin McMullen or MC Jennings at (325) 677-7839. Day Nursery of Abilene needs volunteers to set up for their annual Mexican dinner, prepare and serve food and clean up. The dinner will be held on March 24 at the Abilene High School cafeteria. Help is requested from noon to 10 p.m. For more information, contact Pat Peck at (325) 670-0002. Fannin Elementary needs volunteers until the end of February to tutor fourth grade students in reading, writing and math in order to prepare the students for TAKS testing. Call to
set up an appointment. For more information, contact Rosalinda Walker at (325) 677-8085. The Christian Service Center needs volunteers to help maintain the furniture room. This might include picking up donated items or delivering furniture. It is helpful to have a pickup truck. For more information, contact the Volunteer Service-Learning Center in the Bean Sprout. Abilene Hope Haven needs volunteers in a variety of ways. Jobs vary from daytime hours to evening hours and include helping with children, answering phones and doing office work. If interested in any of these opportunities, contact the Volunteer Service-Learning Center in the Bean Sprout. Adaptive Recreation Services needs volunteers to assist staff with physically and mentally challenged participants in activities. Help is needed Mondays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. For more information, contact the Volunteer Service-Learning Center in the Bean Sprout.
CAMPUS NEWS
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Page 3
Faculty discuss school consolidation problems in Texas n Dr. Lloyd Goldsmith, chair of the Department of Graduate Studies in Education, spoke at a luncheon about the problems of school consolidation in West Texas. By KARIE SCHMIDT Student Reporter
An ACU professor spoke Tuesday to surrounding Big Country school administrative faculty about the definition of consolidation and what effect it has on a community. Because of the decline of attendance in Abilene middle schools, two schools — Lincoln Middle School and Franklin Middle School — will be consolidating for the next school year. With the joining of the two middle schools, the local school board will have to redraw the attendance zones for Abilene High School and Cooper High School. Pass the railroad tracks on Judge Ely, construction work-
ers are working full force to complete the new middle school for Abilene children. Franklin Middle School and Lincoln Middle School are just one example of consolidation that is happening all over Texas. Dr. Lloyd Goldsmith, chair of the Department of Graduate Studies in Education, focused on the topic of consolidation and what impact it has on communities at the faculty luncheon on Tuesday. Dr. Donnie Snider, associate professor of education, said, “Consolidation in small schools are fighting words.” Goldsmith and Snider have been researching for two years to help define what consolidation is and explain what an impact it has on a community. “I don’t think there’s a lot of research on small schools. Researchers seem to do research on larger schools, so
that’s why we chose them,” Snider said. The two have been mostly focused on West Texas because it is in proximity to ACU, and they train several students to become principals and superintendents of many small West Texas schools. Based on the online surveys Goldsmith sent to small schools, there are three major reasons identified by board presidents that their school districts are facing problems: financial problems, declining enrollment and student achievement. The first two reasons are connected because the state gives money to schools based on attendance. However, when these small school districts close “it’s a death nail to the community; it shuts down the town,” Goldsmith said. “The communities are built around the school; it’s a real big social thing.”
EMILY SMITH CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Dr. Lloyd Goldsmith, chair of the Department of Graduate Studies in Education, speaks to surrounding Big Country school administrative faculty about school consolidation at a luncheon on Tuesday. Texas has around 1,040 school districts, and 31 percent of those school districts have less than 500 students. In the small towns of West
Texas, consolidation is a problem because the towns are so far apart. In the luncheon Goldsmith wanted to help define the problems of
consolidation in West Texas “because they are our neighbors,” he said. E-mail Schmidt at: optimist@acu.edu
Outdoor Club to go to Paradise SBC seeks more male interests n Outdoor Club will go rock climbing and mountain biking outside the city of Graham. Spaces are limited, but non-members can also join the trip for $25. By KRISTA MEYER Student Reporter
The ACU Outdoor Club is going rock climbing at Paradise on the Brazos outside the city of Graham on Feb. 23 to Feb. 25. The trip costs $15 for Outdoor Club members and $25 for non-members whose extra $10 will earn them membership to the club. All fees include gear, food and transportation — no other payment is necessary. Beth McElwain, president of the Outdoor Club, said a few alumni are attending as well. Spaces are limited, so those
who want to attend need to sign up as soon as possible. “There aren’t any classes or experience needed to attend,” McElwain said. “This is actually where I first learned how to rock climb last year. There will be climbing for beginners and more advanced climbing for those who are really into the sport.” For those who aren’t the rock climbing type, the group will also go mountain biking. The group will climb for a short while on Feb. 23 after setting up camp. On Feb. 24 students can climb or mountain bike. Staying that night is optional, but most of the group will return during the evening on Feb. 24. The Outdoor Club became an ACU organization in September of 2005, and within a year
the club grew to 100 members. The club participates in volunteer events around Abilene, such as cleaning up parks for National Lands Day. The club has also taken numerous outings and encourages ACU students to enjoy the outdoors. “We decided on rock climbing as our first outing,” McElwain said. “We’re going kayaking next month and backpacking sometime after that.”
OUTDOOR CLUB AND ‘PARADISE’ web site
n Outdoor Club Web site: www.acuoutdoorclub.org n Paradise of the Brazos Web site: www.paradiseonthebrazos.com E-mail Meyer at: optimist@acu.edu
n Students can still sign up to participate in Spring Break Campaigns, and male students are encouraged to join because of the less number of male participants. By NATHAN MACDONALD Student Reporter
Since 1977, Spring Break Campaigns have blessed people from Alaska to Haiti, but in past spring breaks there has been a missing ingredient from the SBC mix: male involvement. Over the past years, the gender breakdown of students going on campaigns has been 55 percent female students to 45 percent male students. Mark Lewis, director of Spiritual Life and Student Ministries, said males don’t usually think about spring break during Novem-
ber when most people choose where they want to go. “The indecision is usually because that’s not what they want to do for spring break or they haven’t even thought about it,” Lewis said. Lewis said campaign leaders and SBC locations alike want male students to participate and come to their town. “There are campaigns out there that want guys,” he said. With some campaigns, it is beneficial to have male students because they can help with excessive physical activity, such as heavy lifting. Jordan Lyons, junior missions major from Tyler and leader of the St. Paul, Minn., campaign, said he feels male students should go regardless. “Last year there were six
guys on the campaign to St. Paul, but this year there are only three. Our campaign primarily works with kids so traditionally girls go, but if guys would go they would see what a blessing it is.” If there are any male students that didn’t know what they wanted to do on spring break in November but now want to go help serve, there is still hope. There are still SBC openings in: Anaheim, Calif.; Columbus, Ga.; Lihue, Hawaii; Huntington Beach, Calif.; Libby, Mont.; Seattle, Wash.; Laredo; Manhattan, N.Y.; Memphis; and Nicaragua. This year’s spring break is March 12-16, so time is limited to get involved.
E-mail MacDonald at: optimist@acu.edu
FROM THE FRONT
Page 4
Reunion: Alumni return Continued from page 1
hundred invitations were sent out; only three African American Alumni were in attendance. The Reunion was a weekend-long event complete with a talent show and concluded with the Black History Production of “Logos: That Which You Say, So Shall It Be.” Erica Ray, president of Essence of Ebony and a participant in the event, explained her talks with the three alumni in attendance. “The alumni who attended expressed that during their time here in the 80s to early 90s either they had really, really bad experiences at ACU, or they didn’t feel like there was a connection here at ACU that drew them back,” said Ray, junior social work major from Fort Worth. “Before organizations like Essences of Ebony, they didn’t feel socially connected to the campus. They came back in hopes to meet other alumni and see how they felt and to possibly develop a connection.” Freshman Charles Gaines, political science major from
Cedar Hill who participated in the Black History Production, expressed his feelings on the low turnout at the reunion. “I thought the reunion was kind of cool, but I heard that only three alumni came back. It’s kind of discouraging because I heard over three hundred invitations were sent out. I don’t know why more people didn’t show up.” More recent alumni however felt joy from the weekend’s events. Linnita Thomas, class of 2002, said, “Events like this may seem small at the time but they are really important. Being a graduate has meant a lot; my sister and I came here for graduate school it was a big step in our success.” Malik Crowder, class of 1993, said, “I’m so proud. I remember being in the Black Student Union when we were here at ACU in the early 90s. This Black History Program has come a long way; I’m so glad at the increased amount of black students here.” Crowder said it’s important to remember past sac-
rifices made by former students and generations. “In years past their grandparents probably couldn’t come to school here at ACU, so I want them to appreciate that they’re here now and the numbers are increasing. They have this freedom here on campus because of what those before them did for them,” he said. Current students already recognize this production’s importance. “In the future I plan to contribute more to the Black History Production. It was a lot of fun; I learned a lot about Black History I didn’t know previously. I hope this tradition is kept alive at ACU,” Gaines said. Ray said that EoE has learned a lot from this experience. In the future OSME plans to reach out to past African American alumni by starting a newsletter to inform alum of events and the progress of African Americans here and also to express a desire for all to feel connected to the campus. E-mail Jordan at: optimist@acu.edu
Pi Kappa: Social club no more Continued from page 1
semester, we realized that the social club atmosphere couldn’t serve our purpose,” said Caskey, senior Christian ministry major from Stockton, Calif. “With the image of a social club, we couldn’t do that.” Last fall Pi Kappa was unable to participate in the pledging process because the advisers were unable to be there for Bid Night. Caskey said not being able to do what they had planned broke the spirit of many members, which inspired their thinking about dissolving as a social club. Mauri Westbrook, coordinator of Student Activities and Organizations, also encouraged the group to try other things, Caskey said. “Mauri encouraged us to rethink who we were and if being a social club was what we wanted,” he said. “We decided to still be a presence on campus but not a club.” He said last semester half of the members wanted to try one more year to rebuild their numbers. Now all members are on board, he
said, and excited about the prospects of this group. Maher Saab, SA president and Pi Kappa member, said Pi Kappa wanted to change directions so it could reach more people. “Social clubs are not bad, and we’re not saying we’re better than them,” he said. “But many students are either really attracted or repulsed by the idea of clubs. We want to reach both groups.” Both Caskey and Saab said becoming an off-campus group allows freshman to participate and females, if they’d like. “We’re just a group of guys who want to hang out with friends but also have a level of accountability and trust here. In everything we do, we invite everyone to participate,” Caskey said. Caskey said Pi Kappa was not an alternative to the social club, per se, or a co-ed group, but the members wanted all friends to be able to participate in its activities, and perhaps in the future, women may want to begin a sisterhood, similar to what Pi Kappa is trying.
“It’s a difficult thing to explain because its vague,” he said. “It’s fundamental that we remain a brotherhood because that’s who we were founded as.” Caskey said anyone can participate with the club, except during Wrestle mania, which is for men only. He said Pi Kappa will participate in Sing Song in the future and still have socials and participate in service projects too. This semester the group is focusing on helping Global Samaritan. They also are beginning Pike lunches again on Fridays after Chapel. Caskey said it was a tradition the club had when it was founded that died out during the past few years. “We knew that if we just kept talking about what we wanted to do that we were going to fade away,” Caskey said. “We created this because our No. 1 concern was to maintain the image our founders created us on. They didn’t want to just become another social club, and that’s what we were,” he said. “A club should be something that shapes your life and your vision for what you do. That’s what our intention is.” E-mail Schlabach at: mes02e@acu.edu
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Oprah: Cope family honored on show for rescuing children Continued from page 1
searching for Mark to rescue him. Winfrey sent Lisa Ling, her ‘Oprah Winfrey Show’ correspondent, to Ghana to find Mark. Instead, they learned that a mom of four from Missouri had rescued him, so they invited them onto the ‘Oprah Winfrey Show’ to talk about how they had rescued him. The show aired Friday on ABC and opened with this statement by Winfrey: “When I saw this picture of this little boy in the New York Times, I was haunted by this little boy and his story. I was not alone. So did this Missouri mom, and what she did will make your heart soar.” Pam was the only person onstage with Oprah, who was hearing of the Copes’ rescue of the seven children for the first time. Crista and her dad Randy were shown sitting in the front row when Winfrey asked both of them questions about how the rescue transpired in their home. Crista said before the show Winfrey came into their dressing room and taked with them. “Most people don’t realize it but Oprah didn’t know everything about our story when we were on the show. She sees the footage and hears our story for the first time, so everything you see her react to is real,” Crista said. Two weeks before Christmas, the children the Copes rescued were released from the fishermen who owned them
and taken to Village of Hope orphanage. At the beginning of January, Crista and her mom traveled to Ghana for a little more than a week to meet the kids and let them know they were loved. Crista said that by the end of the trip the kids were calling her Sister Crista and her mom Mama Pam. Crista said her family calls the children they rescued the “magnificent seven,” and they plan to go back to Ghana as often as they can. On the episode that aired Friday afternoon, Ling said it is estimated that one in every four children in Ghana work as child laborers. Children are often sold into slavery by their parents for money. Some are promised $20 per child for a year but often don’t receive all the money they are promised or have to spend half of it on transportation fees to go pick it up. When parents send their child with fishermen looking for workers, they are promised money in return for their child, along with the promise to keep them safe. Ling said parents don’t realize the terrible conditions their children are forced into by selling them. While people may think the fishermen are evil for forcing the children to slavery, most fishermen on these lakes were fishing children themselves, so they know what it’s like. It’s simply a way of life for them. Crista said the chil-
dren work 12-14 hour days on fishing boats beginning as young as age 4. Many cannot swim and are forced to jump into the water to find nets entangled in the lakes. The Ghanaian government is trying to stop parents from selling their children. Child slavery is illegal in Ghana — but the government just doesn’t have the resources to stop all the trafficking of children, said Richard Danziger, the head of counter-trafficking at International Organization of Migration, an organization that rescues children from slavery, on the show. After visiting them in Ghana, Crista said it was neat to see them happy. “These kids are literally skin and bones, but they have muscles. They never got to play and never knew their parents. Now they can laugh and get an education,” she said. “It’s neat to see God working through you. These kids were nothing, and now they have a future and education and will learn about God.” Both Crista and Winfrey came to the same conclusion: If a mom in Missouri can rescue children in Ghana, then anyone can do it. “I’ve interviewed thousands of people — famous people, rich people — but never has anyone deserved a standing ovation more than you,” Winfrey said to Pam on the show.
E-mail Schlabach at: mes02e@acu.edu
Survey: Late start shrinks numbers Continued from page 1
the test and wanting to take the time in putting out a good product for surveyors further delayed the Web site to open up for participants. “We got a day or two behind, and so now the test is only going to be up for four days instead of five or six,” said Jonathan Gray, senior computer science major from Springfield, Tenn., and vice president of ACM. The number of participants in the Valentine’s
Day compatibility test last year was between 900-1,300. As of Sunday night, for this year’s test there were about 500 participants. There’s no way to know if the low number of participants is because of the late start of the online survey; however, Gray remains optimistic despite the problems the test had this year. “It’s just more practice for next year’s test. We are always trying to improve our service,” he said. At no cost for participants, the test was available online to students and faculty at http:// cupid.acu.edu from
last Wednesday to Sunday. After participants have filled out the survey, they can pay $1 to find out the results of their 15 most compatible matches, five least compatible matches and your compatibility with a special match of your choice. Originally, participants could pick up their results from Monday through Wednesday but because of the late start on the survey, results will instead be available on Tuesday and Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the McGlothlin Campus Center. E-mail Valle at: optimist@acu.edu
February 14, 2007
Page 5
Salvaged scraps to molten iron lava Students of Dr. Geoff Broderick, associate professor of art and design, melted 500 pounds of iron into lava on Friday, which they poured into molds to create a quilt.
Emily smith CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Jordan Blakey, sophomore graphic design major from Rowlett, guides the iron lava. The molds take 3 or 4 hours to cool.
Students found iron scraps for their project at Pine Street Salvage. The iron was poured into fruit molds and molds that will create a quilt.
brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Students wear steel-toed boots, leather shin guards, a leather apron and sleeves, gloves, a helmet and a visor to protect themselves from the heat.
brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
A furnace, called a copula, heats up the iron using coke, a by-product of coal.
brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Desiree Street, freshman art education major from Dallas, pours melted iron into a mold near Moody Coliseum.
ViewsWednesday Optimist
Page 6
February 14, 2007
Get engaged this Valentine’s Day
The issue:
The program “Get Engaged” offers individuals an opportunity to participate in community service projects.
Valentine’s Day inspires countless commercials for expensive diamonds, gourmet chocolate and all things expensive and romantic. For a holiday that is supposed to be all about love, it sometimes seems to have a very narrow scope, focusing only on romantic love and overlooking love for one’s friends, family or neighbors. But in a refreshing perspective on the holiday that celebrates all things related to love, The Case Foundation challenges singles to “Get Engaged” this Valentine’s Day by volunteering with various service organizations across the nation and making a commitment to stay engaged in their community. Chicago, San Francisco and Philadelphia organized weekend service
Our view:
“Get Engaged” is a great opportunity for students to focus on helping others as opposed to thinking about themselves.
The solution:
While Valentine’s traditionally celebrates the love of family, friends and a significant other, this year, look for ways to serve the less privileged around you.
e v e n t s For a holiday that is supposed to be all about love, tion: toward with the themselves. it sometimes seems to have a very narrow scope, Regardless, Hands On N e t w o r k focusing only on a romantic love and overlooking if the projthis past ect works to love for one’s friends, family or neighbors. weekend, encourage but more people to than any“Get Engaged” campaign love in less thing the Web site (www. in Abilene, the Volunteer traditional ways this holicasefoundation.org) en- Service-Learning Center day, it’s a commendable efcourages people to “Get does offer many opportu- fort, especially considering Engaged” in their com- nities for students to “Get the excess of money spent munities, listing the top Engaged,” from answering on the holiday. 10 organizations with phones at the Noah Project According to aboutflowvolunteer opportunities to painting houses for Hab- ers.com, 189 million roses and offering a plethora itat for Humanity. were produced for Valenof suggestions for volunThe only drawback to tine’s Day in 2006. Thirtyteering as an individual. the Case Foundation’s proj- four percent of yearly reveThe Case Foundation ect: it will console lonely nue comes from the holiday isn’t joking — they chal- singles with a free two- — proof enough that the lenge volunteers to make a month membership to Per- holiday produces plenty commitment and give their fectmatch.com and flow- of sales. In 2001, a survey name and e-mail address ers from Organic Bouquet, conducted by the Internato ensure they keep their which distracts from the tional Mass Retail Associapromise later in the year. project’s challenge to “share tion projected 18 to 24 year While no one has stepped the love” and could work to olds would spend the most forward to organize any direct people’s thoughts money on Valentine’s Day specific events with the back in the wrong direc- at an estimated average of
Cole Williams
Let Loose
Love should see past skin color Letter to the Editor A letter to the editor in response to the 2007 Black History month.
My name is Dylan Wann, and I am a junior at ACU, meaning that this February is my third chance to experience Black History month on campus. The purpose of this letter is to express my strong disappointment and confusion with Friday’s Chapel presentation. The vignette of this year’s Black History Month production left me, and a good number of my peers, questioning
the validity and overall purpose of such a presentation. Though it was very creative and well performed, what exactly was it that was being accomplished? Unfortunately, I get the distinct impression that every February I must feel guilty and serve my subsequent penitence for being a Caucasian, middle-class American. This underlying sentiment seemed to be typified by Friday’s performance. I walked away feeling as though I was somehow targeted for being a white, racially-biased bigot, though I am nothing of the sort. Though I am a Welsh-Irish-English mix,
with ancestry drawing from tobacco plantation owners in the Carolinas and southern Kentucky, I have never owned slaves myself nor tried to somehow oppress the African American population of the U.S., even in my youthful ignorance. Nevertheless, I am a follower of Christ, called to love my fellow man, despite any prejudices I might have. I believe that my lifelong efforts to achieve such a goal are good enough for man and for God. Racism itself stems from those darker, more deepseeded evils that plague the heart of mankind and taint all relations among humans
— namely, prejudice and an innate fear of the unknown. Let us understand and attack these deeper issues that confront us all instead of being blinded by our obsession with the plight of one ethnic group versus another. Let us follow Christ’s example of love and prejudicial blindness. Let us love without regard.
Dylan Wann sophomore environmental science major from Torrington, Wyom. dqw04a@acu.edu
Worship leader defends Chapel Letter to the Editor A letter to the editor in response to the Optimist’s Feb. 7 editorial headlined “End the worship monotony in Chapel.”
Dear Optimist Editors, I wanted to let all the writers in the Optimist know I was greatly offended and hurt by some of the comments made in the article “Ending the Wor-
ship Monotony in Chapel.” As one of those “boring” leaders called upon to lead Friday praise days, I put a great deal of effort and thought into each and every Chapel time. Though it may look like a “concert” sometimes, you do not know how discouraging it can be to lead Chapel because of the excessive talking and other distracting antics going on. It is not the leaders’ fault
they are called on frequently to lead Friday praise day. I understand there is a problem with racial diversity in the leadership of Friday praise days, but I hardly believe this fact alone justifies the bashing and embarrassing of hard working worship leaders. If there is a concern about the organization of praise day leaders, this problem should be taken before the Chapel committee and not publicly
addressed. Please remember there are people who work very hard behind the scenes in Chapel to make it a good experience.
Jake Lollar sophomore biblical studies major from Tucson, Ariz. jal05a@acu.edu
attacks, obscenity, defamation, erroneous information or invasion of privacy. Please limit letters to 350 words or fewer. A name and phone number must be included for verification purposes. Phone numbers will not be published. Address letters to: ACU Box 27892 Abilene, TX 79699 E-mail letters to: optimist@acu.edu
E-mail the Optimist at: optimist@acu.edu
Don’t forget all the cosmonauts
Growing up I remember to ACU and finding you seeing commercials for don’t have a place with Space Camp. It seemed your friends anymore like a cool idea when I was and they all got along OK y o u n g , without you. You cringe but as I when the conversations grew old- turn to times that haper Space pened while you were Camp be- gone — and no one is recame un- ally too interested in all cool, so the cool or funny things I ditched you experienced while the idea studying abroad. Correspondence and made There are people I’ve from Russia fun of it met in Russia that are a instead. lot like cosmonauts. The Denton Josey S t u d y - other international stuing in Rus- dents I have met have sia, I’ve to stay in Russia until been thinking about space they graduate, and they exploration because Rus- have to learn Russian for sians are proud of the a year or so before they space program and their can take other classes. cosmonauts. The univer- Imagine being gone from sity I attend is on Gagarin friends, family and familAvenue, a street named iar food or language for after the first cosmonaut five years. in space: Yuri Gagarin. There’s a similar I haven’t learned much scene at ACU. We have Russian language yet, but a thriving international I can say “my name is Cos- culture with students monaut” or “I am a cos- from all over. Though monaut,” and even “are Texans even drive you a cosmonaut?” I have friendly, sometimes our a poster of a guests have cosmonaut a hard time standing in adjusting. You worry about outer space Sometimes coming back to holding a it may not ACU and finding hammer in have anyone hand thing to do you don’t have a and a sickle with Amerplace with your in the other. ica or ACU, friends anymore. This feeds but with the my fascinasheer fact tion with that they cosmonauts because it miss home. takes a brave person to I propose we appreleave behind everything ciate our international familiar and safe and go students, much like the explore new worlds. I be- Russians appreciate their lieve they do this because cosmonauts. It’s not so people rarely regret ad- different — space exventures and journeys to ploration and what our new, foreign places. international students Still, at certain times have to go through. I sugyou might doubt how gest we ask about their good an idea of leaving life back home and about things was, and most of their families. Look at us can relate. Head off their pictures. They are to college as a freshman an integral part of the and you say goodbye to ACU environment. friends from home who It takes brave people will indeed move on with- to decide to leave beout you. Sometimes that hind everything familiar is why we worry about and safe and go explore school ending in May; new worlds. Historically, will I still be friends with these people are valued everyone next year or will and celebrated. All I’m resomething change over ally saying is don’t forget the summer? the cosmonauts. Those who have studied abroad can understand even better. You E-mail Josey at: worry about coming back jdj03e@acu.edu, optimist@acu.edu
Editorial and letter policy Unsigned editorials are the opinions of the Optimist and may not necessarily reflect the views of the university or its administration. Signed columns, cartoons and letters are the opinions of their creators and may not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the Optimist or the university. The Optimist encourages reader response through letters to the editor but reserves the right to limit frequent contributors or to refuse to print letters containing personal
$183.80. The college demographic obviously recognizes and celebrates the holiday — so why not find alternative ways to celebrate this year? This is not to suggest that all the romance traditionally associated with Valentine’s Day is wrong, but the Optimist would like to point out other ways to look at the holiday that celebrates love. Love your roommate, love your significant other, love your family, but love your neighbor, too — even the one you don’t know. So whether or not you have a significant other this holiday, “Get Engaged” and show love in a different way this Valentine’s Day.
Editorial and Management Board Mallory Schlabach
Published by the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication Newsroom: (325) 674-2439
Sports desk: (325) 674-2684
Lauren Sutton
Daniel Johnson
Editor in Chief
Opinion Editor
Sports Editor
Jared Fields
Emily Smith
Todd Piersall
Christi Stark Advertising Manager
Managing Editor
Chief Photographer
Arts Editor
Kenneth Pybus
Michelle Jimenez
Kelsi Peace
Shelby Coates
Adviser
Copy Editor
Photo department: (325) 674-2499
Features Editor
Advertising office: (325) 674-2463
Video Editor
Subscriptions ($40/academic year): (325) 674-2296.
Online: www.acuoptimist.com
Wednesday February 14, 2007
Page 7
SPORTS JUMPS
Wins: Cats win in Hawaii, Abilene Tarleton: Five score Continued from page 8 won 5-0. The Wildcats did not have any luck this time around either as ACU fell by a score of 8-1. “I just don’t see anybody in Division II coming close to them,” said head coach Hutton Jones. “Playing BYU-Hawaii is really like playing a professional team.” The Wildcats, however, did have one bright moment in their match-up when sophomore Irene Squillaci and junior Aina Rafolomanantsiatosika teamed up to beat BYU-Hawaii’s No. 1 doubles team of Jing Jing Liu and Kun Deng by a dominating score of 8-3. “Irene and Aina had a huge win beating BYU-Hawaii’s No. 1 doubles team which will probably end up being one of the top doubles teams in the country,” Jones said. “And that’s probably going to do a lot towards making Irene and Aina one of the top doubles teams in the country, And I do think they are.” On Friday, the Wildcats lost 6-1 to the University of Hawaii in Honolulu. Then on Saturday, the ACU women finished up their road trip with a win over the No. 18 team in the nation, Hawaii-Pacific. Despite losing two of the three doubles matches against Hawaii-Pacific, ACU was able to
recover and take the match-up 6-3 by winning all but one of its singles matches. “It was a great trip to get to experience being in Hawaii,” Jones said. “It was a little bit tough from a competitive standpoint.” While the women were in Hawaii, the men were hosting the ACU Indoor Classic. Friday, the men, ranked No. 22 nationally, squeaked out a slim 4-3 win over Lamar University. Later in the day, ACU took on Texas-Pan American but lost 5-1. The back-to-back matches took a toll on the Wildcats as they appeared to be a little winded by the end of the day, said ACU’s assistant head coach John Walker. Coach Jones said the match play on Friday can be nothing but beneficial for the Wildcat men. “It really does help our conditioning,” Jones said. “We are going to have to win some matches at some point when we’re possibly tired. We’re trying to lay a foundation, and part of that foundation is conditioning.” On Saturday, the Wildcats rebounded from Friday’s loss and took down the No. 24 team in the nation, Oklahoma Christian. Finally, ACU crushed Hardin-Simmons by a count of 9-0. One major plus from
in double figures
Continued from page 7 women’s basketball team jumped out to a quick 11point lead in the opening half and did not let go even though the TexAnns battled back. After building a 31-20 lead in the first half, Tarleton State cut the lead to 36-32 by halftime. In the second half, Tarleton State crept to within two points, but the Wildcats held the TexAnns off for a 73-68 win. Five Wildcats scored in double figures Saturday night. Guard Lacey Blau led ACU with a game-high 19 points. Behind her, forward
brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Luke Hawk returns a shot in a doubles match against Lamar University during the men’s ACU Indoor Classic on Friday. ACU beat Lamar 4-3. the Hardin-Simmons matchup was that sophomore Brett Proctor, who had been nursing an ankle injury, was able to play and pick up an 8-4 win against Doug Eckstein of Har-
din-Simmons. Both ACU tennis teams played Hawaii-Hilo on Tuesday at home. E-mail Freeman at: mxf04b@acu.edu
Qualify: Athletes post new marks Continued from page 8 Morgan posted a provisional time of 57.04 in the 400-meters, and Mwangi ran a 2:13.80 to provisionally qualify in the 800-meters. While the Arkansas meet saw success, the members of the men’s 4x400 relay, who went to the Iowa State Classic, saw different results. Hood said he hoped to use the bigger track and
tougher competition to his team’s advantage; however, the men failed to post a qualifying mark in the 4x400-meter relay. “I don’t know what’s working there,” Hood said about the relay team. “We’ll try a different combo in Oklahoma.” Hood sent most of the athletes to Texas Tech, where two people provisionally qualified. Women’s shot-putter Liga Klavina posted a qualifying
mark with a distance of 441.25, but Hood said she could do better. “She’s still not quite where she wanted. It’s at least a start,” Hood said of Klavina, who has been bothered by injuries in her career. “Her knees are more healthy now than they have been since she’s been in Abilene.” The men’s long jump saw a surprise qualifying. Campy Pounds, while competing in the pentathlon, jumped 23-
Wildcats go 1-2 over weekend n The ACU baseball team lost twice on the road to Southern Arkansas over the weekend. The loss dropped the Wildcats’ record to 5-2 and national ranking to No. 16. By DANIEL JOHNSON Sports Editor
Head baseball coach Britt Bonneau knows the benefit of consistent hitting. Had the Wildcats scored runs late in its game against Southern Arkansas on Sunday, it would have won the series over its regional opponents. “Once we get the lead we’ve got to continue to put runs across the board,” Bonneau said. “We’ve got to learn to play all nine innings.” ACU lost two out of three games to regional opponent Southern Arkansas this weekend dropping its record to 52 and ranking to No. 18 in the nation. ACU lost Saturday 8-6 and 8-7 Sunday. Despite scoring a pair of
Women’s basketball high run innings — three in the first and four in the fifth — the Wildcats were unable to facilitate runs when it counted in Sunday’s loss. Southern Arkansas, though, spread out its runs, eventually sending it to extra innings tied at 7-7. “That game was like a seesaw match,” Bonneau said. The Mulreiders won after Jeremy Triche ended the game with a walk-off solo homerun. “We just didn’t get the breaks we needed,” said pitcher Chris Wiman. ACU’s only win of the weekend was a 3-0 shutout in Saturday’s second game. Wiman, who pitched six full innings and struck out seven Mulreiders, started on the mound in that win and played a large part of it. “Wiman threw a great game,” Bonneau said. “He threw a shutout and that’s
just what we needed.” Wiman is 2-0 as a starter and has thrown 10 total strikeouts. Although the pitching wasn’t perfect in the Wildcats two losses, Bonneau wasn’t surprised. “It’s always tough to be pitching on the road,” Bonneau said. Although the Wildcats lost the series, Bonneau said he is thankful for the benefits playing close games early in the season has for the rest of the season. “That’s why we scheduled these tough games on the road to get better,” Bonneau said. ACU’s next three game series will be against East Central at Crutcher Scott Field on Saturday and Sunday.
E-mail Johnson at: djj04a@acu.edu
5.50 feet to provisionally qualify for nationals. His mark currently puts him seventh in the nation. Pounds said he thought he had a chance to qualify for Boston but not in the long jump. “I’m not satisfied, I want to do more,” Pounds said. “Training wise it doesn’t change much, I’m still trying to make it on the pole vault.” E-mail Fields at: jrf03b@acu.edu
Kristee Davidson had 13 points and four assists. Also, forward Ashlee Barr, center Audrey Maxwell and forward Jody Meyer contributed 10 points each. ACU shot 45 percent from the field and 46 percent from behind the threepoint arc for the game. Coach Lavender said she thought it was most likely the best game the Wildcats had played since defeating Angelo State 76-64 on Dec. 5. The Wildcats will hit the road and take on Eastern New Mexico on Wednesday. E-mail Freeman at: mxf04b@acu.edu
Softball: Johnson hits home run Continued from page 8 three errors in the same inning that resulted in the Wildcats scoring three more runs. “To be able to come into the game and hit the ball like that at a time when we really needed to get something going was a great feeling,” Johnson said. ACU scored two more runs in the bottom of the sixth, making the final score 11-3. “The highlight was being able to come back on the second day and win,” Johnson said. “It was great to see the offense and defense come together like that.” In the night game, ACU began with a 2-0 lead and never lost it. In the bottom of the fifth inning, the offense really took off, spurred by Borgeson’s single RBI to left field. The team went on to score four runs in the fifth and scored twice more in the
sixth inning, shutting out the Skyhawks with a score of 80. The last win gave the team a third-place finish in the tournament. Both of the Saturday games ended early because of the eight-run rule, which states that Johnson a game is ended when a team is up by eight runs. “I was satisfied with our performance on Saturday,” Wilson said. “The pitching, hitting and defense helped with those games. Hopefully it’s gotten us back on track and where we need to be.” The team now has an overall record of 5-4 and is 19th in NCAA Division II national rankings. E-mail Davis at: optimist@acu.edu
SportsWednesday
Page 8
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
ScoreBoard Standings Scoreboard as of Tuesday
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Team
Div. 6-2 6-2 6-2 3-5 3-5 3-5 1-7
MSU Tarleton WTAM TAMK-U ENMU Angelo St. ACU
Overall 17-5 17-6 14-8 16-7 9-13 8-14 10-12
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Team
Div. 10-0 6-4 5-5 5-5 ACU MSU 4-6 TX Woman’s 4-6 ENMU 3-7 TAMK-U 3-7 WTAM Tarleton Angelo St.
BASEBALL
Team
Div. 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
ENMU ACU Angelo TAMK-U WTAM Tarleton
Team
Overall 21-3 13-7 14-10 14-10 11-11 10-13 12-10 8-15
Overall 7-1 5-2 3-3 1-2 1-2 2-6
Cats drop to 5-4 after CBS Insurance Classic n After winning both games over Fort Lewis University on Sunday, the ACU softball team finished 2-2 at the CBS Insurance Classic on Saturday. By RACHEL DAVIS Sports Writer
The Wildcats walked away from the ACU-CBS Insurance Classic this weekend with a third-place tournament ranking and two wins. The women lost 7-3 to St. Mary’s University and lost to Southeastern Oklahoma State 10-1 on Friday. The team never took the lead in either game and had only 13 hits in both games. Wildcat pitchers gave up 25 hits, including 10 extra base hits. “I think Friday was kind of a disappointment to all of us,”
Softball said head coach Chantiel Wilson. “We’re a better team than what we were on Friday.” In the loss to St. Mary’s, ACU was down 4-0 after five innings until freshman Courtney Clark drove in a run. She and senior catcher Samantha Borgeson then scored on a two-run double by Tayler Wilson. Saturday’s games were quite different for the Wildcats. The women took on Fort Lewis University twice and won both times. In the morning game, the teams were tied at three runs in the bottom of the fifth, until junior Jessica Johnson hit a two-run homer and the Skyhawks committed See
SOFTBALL page 7
brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Shortstop Courtney Clark stretches for a grounder during the top of the fifth inning of ACU’s 7-3 loss to St. Mary’s on Friday. Clark threw out St. Mary’s base runner Sarah Cooper at first after making the catch.
Wildcats fall short in overtime n The men’s basketball team lost 81-80 in overtime to Tarleton State on Saturday. ACU will play Eastern New Mexico on Wednesday. By DANIEL JOHNSON Sports Editor
SOFTBALL
Div. 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 TX Woman’s 0-0 WTAM 0-0 Angelo St. Tarleton ENMU TAMK-U ACU
Overall 10-0 3-1 8-4 5-3 5-4 4-6 1-5
Scores Saturday WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ACU 73, Tarleton 68
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Tarleton 81, ACU 80
Upcoming Wednesday WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ACU at Eastern New Mexico, Portales, N.M. 6 p.m.
MEN’S BASKETBALL ACU at Eastern New Mexico, Portales, N.M. 8 p.m.
Thursday
brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Guard Tiago Souza shoots the last shot in the ACU’s 81-80 overtime loss to Tarleton on Saturday. Souza’s last-second shot bounced off the back of the rim as time ran out.
With less than four seconds left in overtime, guard Tiago Souza caught the inbound pass, dribbled past one Tarleton State defender, squeezed through two more and lofted what would’ve been the game-winning shot from the top of the key. But like most things lately for the Wildcats, the shot fell short. “That hurt a little bit,” said head coach Jason Copeland. “It was just a game of both teams fighting hard, and we’re proud of our kids’ effort.” Despite leading by as many as 16 points, the Wildcats lost to the Texans 81-80 in overtime Saturday dropping the Wildcats’ conference record to 1-7 and overall record to 10-12. The loss doesn’t completely dash ACU’s chance at a postseason appearance, but it doesn’t make it any easier. ACU has to win its remaining four games to bridge the gap between it and the three 3-5 Lone Star Conference teams tied for fourth in the LSC South Division. “We just want to win so bad,” said guard Cortnie Ross. ACU was winning 37-27 at halftime against Tarleton and kept winning after jumping to the game high 51-35 lead with 16 minutes in the second half. But Tarleton stormed its way back into the game with a six-minute 22-3 run that gave it a 58-54 lead. The two teams continued to go back and forth and went to overtime after Tarleton forward John Davis sank a three-pointer from the right-corner to
Men’s basketball end the second half at 72-72. “Yeah, we took it to them, but we didn’t bring enough,” said guard Elmo Williams. Williams said the loss was especially hard on the three Wildcat seniors —Souza, forward Igor Vrzina and guard Norman Alexander— as the game was their last true home game. Although there is one more home game on the Copeland schedule for Saturday, it will be played at McMurray because of Sing Song. ACU’s game Wednesday will be against another opponent that slid past the Wildcats the last time they played: Eastern New Mexico. Eastern New Mexico beat ACU 86-82 in its conference opener on Jan. 18. The Javelinas are 3-5 in conference after losing its last five conference match-ups. If the Wildcats keep playing with the same intensity they had against Tarleton, Copeland said he knows things will fall their way eventually. “If the guys keep playing like the way they did tonight, we will win games,” Copeland said. A win over the Javelinas may be the push ACU needs to claim the program’s first postseason appearance since 1999. “All we can do is take it one game at a time,” Ross said. “If we win the last four games, we still have a shot at the playoffs.”
E-mail Johnson at: djj04a@acu.edu
SOFTBALL ACU at NFCA Leadoff Classic, Phoenix, Ariz.
MEN’S TENNIS ACU vs. Seward City Junior College, Spearman 2 p.m.
Friday SOFTBALL ACU at NFCA Leadoff Classic, Phoenix Arizona
MEN’S TENNIS ACU at Colorado State, Pueblo, Colo. noon ACU at East Central, Colorado Springs, Colo. 7 p.m.
BASEBALL ACU vs. East Central, 4 p.m. (DH)
n Home games listed in italics
Intramural Round-up Upcoming n The intramural schedule seen on the Optimist sports page is not final and is subject to change. Any last-minute changes can be viewed on the intramural bulletin board in Moody Coliseum.
Thursday INTRAMURAL BASKETBALL
Women defeat Tarleton n The Wildcats overcame Lone Star Conference South Division second place team Tarleton State on Saturday and will move on to play Eastern New Mexico. By MICHAEL FREEMAN Online Editor
The Wildcats upset Tarleton State, the No. 2 team in the LSC South Division, with a 73-68 win Saturday night in Moody Coliseum. The women’s basketball team will face Eastern New Mexico on Wednesday in Portales, N.M. Eastern New Mexico is 12-10 on the season and is going into Wednesday’s game riding on a three-game winning streak. “Eastern is always really tough,” head coach Shaw-
Women’s basketball na Lavender said. “They’re playing with a lot of confidence. We’re going to have to play great. It’ll be a battle to the end.” The Wildcats will play one of the Lone Star Conference’s most potent offenses in Eastern New Mexico. The Zias of Eastern New Mexico average nearly 70 points per game. The ACU women will attempt to outplay Eastern New Mexico after coming off one of their best shooting games this month. Saturday’s victory over Tarleton State inches ACU closer to advancing to the postseason as the Wildcats improve to an overall record of 14-10 and a confer-
ence record of 5-5. The loss drops the TexAnns to 13-7 and 6-4 in the conference, leaving the Wildcats just one game behind Tarleton State with four games left in the season. “I was very pleased with the way the girls played,” Lavender said. “I thought we did a much better job of playing great team basketball. We made the extra pass, we got to loose balls, made the defensive stops when we needed to, got offensive rebounds when we needed to and really just did the extra things on Saturday that we hadn’t been doing the last several games.” In Saturday’s game, the See
TARLETON page 7
Teams win at home, abroad n The women’s tennis team went 1-2 in Hawaii and the men went 3-1 at the ACU Indoor Classic this weekend. The women are now 4-2 while the mend are 7-2. By MICHAEL FREEMAN Online Editor
brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Forward Kristee Davidson shoots a three-pointer against Tarleton State on Saturday.
Track automatic qualifiers’ list lengthens n The list of the ACU track and field athletes who have automatically and provisionally qualified continued to grow after various meets over the weekend.
No intramural games due to Sing Song .
By JARED FIELDS
For complete intramural scores and schedules visit: w w w. a c u o p t i m i s t . c o m
After splitting his teams across three meets last weekend, head coach Don Hood returned with three new au-
Managing Editor
Track & Field tomatic qualifiers and eight provisional marks. All but two provisional marks came in Arkansas at the Tyson Indoor Invitational. “The highlights there were probably Serge [Gasore] and Nicodemus [Naimadu],” Hood said. “Nicodemus wasn’t feeling well and still ran well.” Gasore ran a time of
14:27.35 in the 5,000-meters for a provisional mark. The women picked up automatic qualifiers in the 4x400-meter relay and in the pole vault, with Angie Aguilar posting the best height in the nation at 13-0.75 feet. The women’s relay team notched the third-best time in Division II this with a time of 3:44.25. Azraa Rounds, who an-
chored the relay, provisionally qualified in the 400-meters with a time of 56.37. Hood said Denise Morgan and Mary Mwangi ran personal bests in their respective events. “That’s people we didn’t have in nationals last year,” Hood said.
See
QUALIFY page 7
The ACU women spent last week in paradise, but their time on the tennis court was less than heavenly. The women’s tennis team finished 1-2 against teams in Hawaii last week. The ACU men, however, went 3-1 during the ACU Indoor Classic at Teague Special Events Center on Friday and Saturday. The women have an overall record of 4-2, and the men have a record of 7-2. Last Wednesday, the women’s first match against Chaminade University was canceled due to rain. Thursday No. 5 ACU played the No. 1 team in the nation, BYU-Hawaii. The last time the Wildcats took on BYU-Hawaii was in last year’s playoffs when BYU-Hawaii See
WINS page 7