Basketball is back Young women’s team to lead ‘Cats this season
vol. 103, no. 24
Feature Page 5
1 SECTION, 6 PAGES
Friday november 14, 2014
New director of athletics selected
what’s INSIDE
daniel zepeda sports director
NEWS New student-run software company launches under Wildcat Ventures Page 3
SPORTS Men’s basketball hopes to repeat high-scoring win in home opener
President Phil Schubert announced Thursday morning in front of faculty and staff that Lee De León had been selected as the eighth director of athletics for ACU. De León will take over all duties and responsibilities on Dec. 1. “I feel so blessed and honored to serve as the director of athletics here,” De León said. “As soon as I set foot on campus, I knew
it was a special place. As a Christian university in my home state that recently joined the NCAA Division I ranks, it’s the perfect fit – spiritually, academically and athletically – for my family and me.” De León joins ACU after spending the past three and a half years as the associate director of athletics for the University of New Mexico. He earned his B.B.A. degree in marketing in 2004 from University of Notre Dame, a master’s degree in sports management from Texas A&M in 2005 and
has worked for the University of Arizona, University of Houston and Louisiana State University. “I have devoted the last 10 years of my career to preparing to lead an athletics program, and I am humbled to have been selected by Dr. Schubert to have that opportunity at a university as prestigious as ACU,” De León said. “With the fifth most national team championships in NCAA history, it’s clear that ACU athletics has a rich tradition of excellence. The future is incredibly bright as we move
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forward in our second year at the Division I level and I can’t wait to help build upon the momentum.” After former athletic director Jared Mosley resigned in late August, Schubert began the search to find someone who could lead ACU into the new frontier of Div. I athletics as well as exhibit characteristics and morals that reflect on the ACU mission statement. “After an extensive national search, I believe we’ve found a leader whose commitment to faith influences all aspects of his life
and who he is,” Schubert said. “Lee also has broad experience in intercollegiate athletics and has been a part of several highly successful NCAA Division I programs. I believe that experience will give him great perspective as we continue to navigate our transition to Division I.” De León is married to his wife, Lacy, and has two sons, Landon (3) and Luke (one week). contact zepeda at djz11a@acu.edu
As a Christian university in my home state that recently joined the NCAA Division I ranks, it’s the perfect fit”
OPINION Marissa Jones is becoming one with nature, and not in a good way
Page 4
NEWS ACU Theatre hosts auditions for 24hour musical Page 3
OPINION There are too many superhero stories and sequels at the box office these days
emily guajardo staff Photographer
Lee De León answers questions at press the press conference announcing his selection Thursday at 11:30. Page 4
SPORTS
Half-court shot could win year of tuition jonathan ward
‘Cats look to extend .500 or better streak against Lumberjacks Page 6
NEWS Condoleezza Rice to make a visit to Abilene
Page 3
what’s online
staff reporter The Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) will have a basketball shootout for a year of free tuition at the fourth annual ACU Christmas Slam. All ACU students who attend Christmas Slam are eligible to be randomly selected for participation in the shoot-out at halftime. The participant must make all of the shots within 30 seconds to win the giveaway. Rudy Garza, president
allison brown VIDEO
Read more at acuoptimist.com
tion, considers CEO’s giveaway a fitting addition to the event’s charitable atmosphere. “Rudy approached me about teaming up for the event simply because Christmas Slam is an annual event geared toward giving back to the students and engaging our community, (as well as) building support and spirit for our athletic teams,” said Carter, junior political science major from Farmers Branch. Carter also said he hopes the giveaway, along with the giveaways that SA
is doing at the game, will draw students together to support our men’s basketball game and ultimately increase student involvement in athletic events. Garza also said this is CEO’s first year to participate in Christmas Slam. After engaging roughly 10 percent of ACU’s student population this semester, Garza looks forward to further extending CEO’s involvement in campus activities. “CEO’s massive growth this semester has been incredible, and all I can say is thank you to the stu-
dents who are interested in entrepreneurship. We hope to attract more students from all disciplines on campus because entrepreneurship is relevant to every field.” Christmas Slam is an ACU tradition facilitated by Students’ Association combining a basketball game with seasonal festivities. ACU Christmas Slam will take place at Dec. 4 in Moody Coliseum.
contact zepeda at djz11a@acu.edu
SA updated on construction progress managing editor
Victoria Sun selected as student speaker for spring TEDxACU event
of CEO, said the Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy is funding the tuition in accordance with the organization’s core mission. “The overall goal of the giveaway is simply to give back to students in a season of giving,” said Garza, junior marketing major from Corpus Christi. “As students, too often we focus only on the entrepreneurship aspect (of our club). This giveaway puts our focus on philanthropy in action.” Beau Carter, vice president of Students’ Associa-
Kevin Roberts, vice president of operations, shared a report of the progress of multiple university construction projects on campus at Wednesday’s Students’ Association meeting. Thirty-five of the 45 members were present at the session. The bottom floor of the Campus Center and Bennett Gymnasium are nearing completion and with that, a few departments will begin to shuffle around.
The elevator will be put in the bottom floor of the Campus Center early next week and the downstairs space is on track to be done by the beginning of December. Once complete, Student Life and Students’ Association will move into their new spaces downstairs, Roberts said. The Department of Psychology will then move from Chambers to the bottom floor of Mckenzie leaving Chambers vacant. Roberts said the Board of Trustees has approved construction to move forward on the Halbert-Walling lab facility which will occupy the space where
Chambers currently sits. After Christmas break, Walling Lecture Hall will be torn down and work will immediately begin on the exterior of Foster Science Building. Chambers is scheduled to be demolished in February. Once the new lab facility is complete, labs will be moved into the space and renovations will begin in the interior of Foster. Bennett Gymnasium was originally scheduled to be complete by the start of the fall semester, but due to some run-ins with the original structure of
Abilene Christian University
see SA page 3
erika bolado Staff Photographer
Scaffolding goes up outside of Bennett Gymnasium during construction.
friday 11.14.14
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friday
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saturday Last day to withdraw from a course
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sunday
monday
2 p.m. Volleyball game versus Northwestern State University
7 p.m. Men’s basketball game versus Hillsdale Freewill Baptist College
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7 p.m. Women’s basketball game versus Howard Payne University
5 p.m. Women’s basketball game versus Wayland Baptist University 6 p.m. Football game at Stephen F. Austin State University
Announcements
Chapel checkup To date:
Remaining:
60 12 @acuoptimist The Optimist
Seekers of the Word Drama Ministry meets for Chapel on Thursdays in the Bible building, Room 104. Our Chapel is open to everyone. Come study the Bible, pray, worship, talk and laugh with us, and get a Chapel credit in the process!
Come to Chapel on the Hill Thursdays for Drenched a cappella chapel. See you there for a time of fellowship and reflection!
SSWA is collecting donations for the Community youth outreach in Conroe, TX until Nov. Don’t get sick and miss out on 24. You can place your donaany fun (or classes) this season! tions in the box in the Campus Flu shots are now available in Center. Items such as toiletries, the ACU Medical Care Center small notebooks, pens, sunfor $20. We accept cash, check, screen, repellent, bandages, credit, debit or you may bill it to hand sanitizer, Tylenol and your ACU Banner account. Of- clothes for 16 to 24-year-olds fice hours are 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. are welcomed! Monday through Friday.
Need a little extra cast for the semester? Participate in cognitive psychology research! You can expect to earn $5-10 in 30 minutes! Email arp10d@acu. edu to sign up.
studying or test anxiety? The Academic Development Center is here to help. Schedule an appointment with an academic coach today!
For 31 days of December, the women of International Justice Mission are wearing dresses to raise money and awareness for women who have been exploited for their femininity. Please consider donating or getting involved with the cause! Contact jem11c@ acu.edu for more information. Struggling with time man- You can sign up at www.dresagement, stress, motivation, semberfoundation.org. Dead Man’s Cell Phone is the Cornerstone production by ACU Theatre. The play runs Nov. 17-22 in Fulks Theatre at 7:30 p.m. There will be a talkback after every performance. Recommended for ages 13 and older.
optimist@acu.edu Police log SELECTED ACUPD CALLS FOR THE WEEK 11/06/2014 11 p.m. ACUPD investigated a marijuana incident in Edwards Hall and arrested one student for possession of marijuana. 11/07/2014 6:21 p.m. An ACU employee reported the theft of her wallet from her office. Investigation is ongoing. 11/07/2014 10:18 p.m. ACUPD responded to a citizen complaint of a large party near Ambler and Cedar Crest. 11/09/2014 12:47 a.m. ACUPD responded to a citizen complaint of a loud party in the 1500 block of Westheimer. 11/09/2014 1:50 a.m. ACUPD responded to a citizen complaint of a loud noises in the 600 block of EN 20th. 11/10/2014 11:37 a.m. ACUPD investigated the report of a suspicious male in Hunter Welcome Center asking for money. 11/10/2014 12 p.m. A campus visitor reported that his vehicle was burglarized while parked at Universtiy Park Apartments. 11/11/2014 10:50 a.m. A student reported the burglary of his vehicle while it was parked at University Park Apartments. Weekly Stats For Week of Nov. 6 - 13, 2014 - Total Events: 335 ACCIDENT 3 ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITY 11 ALARM 2 ASSIST 1 BARRICADES 1 BUILDING LOCK/UNLOCK 14 BURGLARY (MOTOR VEHICLE) 2 CHECK BUILDING 157 CITATION ISSUANCE 5 CRIMINAL MISCHIEF 1 DISORDERLY CONDUCT 1 DISTURBANCE 2 DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE 2
DRUG ACTIVITY/OFFENSE 2 FOOT PATROL 10 FOUND PROPERTY 1 HIT & RUN 1 INCIDENT REPORT 1 INFORMATION REPORT 4 INVESTIGATION FOLLOW UP 6 LOST PROPERTY 1 MAINTENANCE: UNIV. ASSETS: CCTV 9 MAINTENANCE: UNIV. ASSETS 2 MOTORIST ASSIST: INFLATE TIRE 1 MOTORIST ASSIST: JUMPSTART 10 MOTORIST ASSIST: OTHER 1
MOTORIST ASSIST: UNLOCK 16 NOISE VIOLATION 3 OTHER 4 PARKING LOT PATROL 7 PARKING VIOLATION 1 PATROL VEHICLE: MAINTENANCE 2 PATROL VEHICLE: REFUEL 6 RANDOM PATROL 26 RECKLESS DRIVING 1 REPORT WRITING 9 SMOKE 1 SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT 1 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY 1
SUSPICIOUS PERSON 2 THEFT 2 TRAFFIC HAZARD 1 TRAFFIC STOP 1
Police Chief Tip of the Week: Winter weather is upon us. Make sure to register with ACU ALERT so that you receive any announcements of class delays or cancellations due to ice or snow. Go to www.acu.edu/acualert to register.
Volunteer Opp0rtunities Big Brothers Big Sisters “Lunch Buddy” program is looking for volunteers. Each volunteer is matched with an elementary-age child. Volunteers spend just 30 minutes per week eating lunch with their “little brother” or “little sister” at local elementary schools, while mentoring through the simple act of friendship. Participants can enjoy playing card games, reading books and visiting during lunch. Each volunteer can choose their own “lunch buddy day” that fits best with their schedule. 138 children are on the waiting list. Contact Jamie Bearden at 325-674-3113 or jbearden@ bbbstx.org for more information. Communities in Schools needs 10-20 reading and lunch buddies at Ortiz Elementary. Volunteers are needed anytime between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. weekdays. Contact Sheila Ashford at 325-671-4945 ext.5351 or sheila.ashford@abileneisd.org for more information. Friends for Life needs volunteers to work with the elderly and people with disabilities, focusing on those that don’t have family or friends to care for them. Some live in nursing homes and some live independently. For nursing home clients, we have friendly visitation, reading to the blind, entertainment, playing games, help writing letters, special holiday recognition, adopt a grandparent and Gifts for Grannies and Grandpas at Christmas. For those living independently, we have minor household repairs, transportation to the grocery store or doctor appointments, running errands, reassurance calls, change light bulbs and mow lawns. Dates and times are flexible and able to work around students’ schedules. Contact Cecilia Barahona at 325-672-2635 or cecilia@friendsforlife.org for more information. Girl Scouts is seeking volunteers to help make a difference in the life of young girls. Girl Scouts offers several flexible ways to volunteer. You choose how: a one-day event, six-week series or year-round troop! Volunteer positions are ongoing and varied. Contact the Michelle Lawson in the Girl Scout Office for current opportunities at 325-670-0432 and mlawson@gs-top.org. Keep Abilene Beautiful is looking for volunteers to help with litter clean-ups. Small and large groups are both needed. Contact Nicole Eaves at 325-734-3301 and nicole.eaves@abilenetx.com for more information. Kingdom Kids (Beltway Park Baptist Church) is looking for assistance with Sunday morning activities for Kingdom Kids (physically and emotionally challenged children). 5-6 volunteers are needed. Contact: Sharla Sanders at beltwaykids@beltway.org for more information. Meals on Wheels Plus, Inc. is looking for volunteers to help deliver meals to the elderly and home-bound in Abilene, and to volunteer in their kitchen or pantry. Contact: Jessica Stewart at 325-672-5050 or volunteer@mealsonwheelsplus.com for additional information.
REACH @ Abilene North Apartments is seeking volunteers. Volunteers will be a part of building relationships with at-risk kids and their families through a unique and developing apartment ministry. The program takes place Mondays from 4:30 p.m.-6 p.m. Contact Caroline Thompson at 281-782-2956 or crt12a@acu.edu for more details. The Alliance for Women and Children is seeking volunteers for after-school child care for Pre-K-5th grade children, 6th-8th grade children and A-Teens Middle School Girls Program. For more information about times and location, contact Toni Brown at 325-677-5321 or info@afwconline.org. The International Rescue Committee in Abilene needs your help in welcoming refugees to our community. We are seeking the following donations: hygiene and cleaning supplies, bed linen, towels and kitchen items (dishware, silverware, pots/pans etc). Donations are accepted Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2-4 p.m. or by appointment. Their office is located at 3303 N. 3rd St. Suite D. For more information contact Marie-Pascale Manishimwe at 325-675-5643. Love and Care Ministries is looking for volunteers to help with sorting clothing, stocking their food pantry, assisting in prayers in their prayer room and serving food to the homeless. For more information call 325-6700246. Volunteers are needed to help with daily activities organized by the staff at Chisholm House. This could involve playing board games, helping with arts and crafts and helping with a walking club. For some of these tasks volunteers may be asked to lead a group or work alongside a staff coordinator. Volunteer opportunities are from 2-4 p.m. or 6-8 p.m. daily. Contact Larissa Blankenship at 817-578-9296. The Noah Project is seeking volunteers to help with tasks such as answering phone calls, providing child care and doing maintenance and housekeeping. To volunteer call 325-676-7107. The Betty Hardwick Center is seeking volunteers for the Human Resources Center to help with filing and organizing. This job requires someone with attention to detail who wishes to learn more about Human Resources. The job is open Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. To volunteer, please contact Martin Walker at 325-690-5235 or mwalker@bhcmhmr.org. House of Faith is an organization that seeks to take Jesus to neighborhood children. Volunteers are needed to help with the various programs they do throughout the week. Backyard Bible studies are hosted Mondays and Wednesdays and a youth program takes place on Thursday evenings. The organization is seeking volunteers who can commit to a specific day a week. House
of Faith lasts from 3-5:30 p.m. To volunteer or for more information contact Amy Jeffers at abj09a@acu.edu or call 832-331-5324. Breakfast on Beech Street is seeking volunteers to help set up, prepare and serve breakfast to homeless/lower income folks any Monday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday at 5:30 a.m. or Tuesdays at 5 a.m. B.O.B.S. is located at First Christian Church on 3rd Street and Beech Street Service times must be scheduled in advance. To serve on Mondays contact Jody Depriest at 325-669-3312 or jody.depriest@gmail.com. To serve on Tuesdays contact Allen Daugherty at 325-660-6949 or ale.al@suddenlink.net. To serve on Wednesdays, contact Jane Harvey at 325-695-0092 or jharvread@aol.com. To serve on Thursdays, contact Margaret Beasley at 325-692-4149 or mbeasley5@suddenlink.net. To serve on Fridays contact Terry Stremmel at terry.stremmel@acu.edu. The Food Bank of West Central Texas needs volunteers to help sort and stock food and other items MondayFriday from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. The Food Bank is located at 5505 N. 1st St. For more information contact Janice Serrault at 325-695-6311 or abfoodbk@camalott.com. The Christian Service Center is seeking volunteers to help with filing requests for items such as clothing and bedding from the donation center, sort and organize donations and occasionally pick up donated items. Volunteers are needed every weekday and the first Saturday of each month between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. and 1-4 p.m. For more information, contact Roberta Brown at 325-673-7561 orrobertabrown51@hotmail.com. For more information on the program visit http://www. uccabilene.org/ministries/csc.htm. The Salvation Army is looking for volunteers for a variety of needs such as sorting and pricing items in the thrift store, helping in the kitchen and/or doing yard work. Times are flexible and volunteers are needed Monday-Saturday. The Salvation Army is located at 1726 Butternut St. For more information, contact J.D. Alonzo at 325-677-1408 or visit www. satruck.com. Meals on Wheels Plus needs volunteer drivers to deliver afternoon meals to seniors and adults with disabilities Monday-Friday between 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Drivers must be at least 18 years old and have a valid driver’s license. Training is provided. For more information contact Samantha Barker at 352-672-5050 or visit http://mealsonwheelsplus.com. Christian Ministries Food Pantry needs volunteers to help with tasks such as cleaning up, stocking shelves and bagging flour. They are seeking students who can make a commitment of 1-3 hours a week. For more information contact Becky Almanza at 325-673-5295 or balmanza7@sbcglobal.net.
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news
friday 11.14.14
Former secretary of state to visit Abilene wide, organized the event and recruited Dr. Condoleezza Rice, forDr. Rice to mer secretary of state, will speak. visit Abilene Tuesday to Danny speak at An Evening with exrice Sims, Condoleezza Rice conductcecutive died by Global Samaritan Re- rector of Global Samaritan sources. Resources, also recruited The event will take place ACU, Hardin-Simmons at 7:30 p.m. in the Abilene University and McMurry Civic Center Auditorium. University to sponsor and Global Samaritan Resourc- advertise the event on cames, a hub and staging ground pus. for non-profit efforts worldDyess Air Force Base also
elijah evans
student reporter
partnered with Global Samaritan Resources to advertise and sponsor the event. Col. Michael Bob Starr, 7th Bomb Wing Commander, Dyess Air Force Base, will introduce Dr. Rice. The City of Abilene will assist with event security because Dr. Rice is a high profile public figure. In the past, Laura Bush and Terry Bradshaw have spoken at the event, but Dr. Rice was at the top of Sim’s list of possible speakers. Global Samaritan Re-
source wrote a letter to Dr. Rice because they wanted someone to speak about making peace in the midst of war and crafting meaningful relationships with people and organizations around the globe, Sims said. “Come talk to us about the causes on your heart and inspire us to be faithful to the causes that are on our hearts,” Sims told Dr. Rice. “I wrote the letter, and within 48 hours we had an affirmative reply from her.” Sims said his interaction
with Rice’s office has been overwhelmingly pleasant, and he admires her genuine kindness that remains steady, regardless of politics. “I’m really looking forward to Condi coming to Abilene,” said Caleb Orr, sophomore political science major from McKinney. “I think she is one of the most accomplished women of all time and one of the most educated and smart policy makers America has ever had. I’m looking forward to going and hearing a speaker
that is a legend in politics.” The event will start with a lecture from Dr. Rice and will conclude with a 30-minute Q&A session with the audience moderated by Sims. The 2,500 seat auditorium is nearly sold out, and Sims encourages anyone interested in attending to buy tickets immediately at globalsamaritan.org.
contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Wildcat Software to launch first website james eldred staff reporter Wildcat Software, a studentrun organization, is making its debut tailoring the website of their parent organization, Wildcat Ventures. Wildcat Software is designed to offer clients unique solutions while giving students real-world workplace experience. “We’re not going to sell you out-of-the-box software,” said Stephen Martin, chief executive officer of Wildcat Ventures. “We’re actually building it for the company based on what they need as opposed to something you might pick up from Microsoft. We build custom websites, custom apps, things you can’t just go pick up in a store.” Wildcat Software was founded in the spring through a series of interest meetings that eventually formed a student advisory committee and selected Martin, junior information systems and business management major from Fallon, Nevada, as the company’s first CEO in the spring.
“Right now, our primary project is a website for Wildcat Ventures, the student entrepreneurship organization here through the College of Business Administration,” Martin said. “They were in need of a website to express what they do and what their companies are. Being that we’re a member of Wildcat Ventures, they came to us looking for that solution.” Dr. Brad Crisp, director of the school of information technology and an adviser for the new company, said that while Wildcat Software could have been independent of Wildcat Ventures, they decided to work under its banner. “Their mission is to encourage student-run businesses, and we thought there was good alignment between what they wanted and what we wanted,” he said. “Their interest is to encourage more student involvement, and they want any funds that are raised to benefit student scholarships and student programs, and we’re happy for our results to benefit that.” In the fall, the company began hiring students for the
Wildcat Ventures project. “As we bring in new projects, there may be more hiring,” Crisp said. “It takes a while. You have to have many interactions with a potential client to understand what they want, to build credibility with that client so that they see you as a viable source for their solution.” The solution for Wildcat Ventures is coming along well, Martin said. “We’re making pretty decent progress on it, but it won’t be up for a while yet,” he said. “We’ve still got to get some of the details worked out before it goes live.” Wildcat Software is up and running, but much like its first project, it is still in early stages of development. “I would still consider us in the launch process,” Crisp said. “I told our CEO that our goal is to get at least one project done this semester. If we do that and have a satisfied client, then that’s a great start. That’s not where I want to stay, but it’s a starting point.”
mariana cedillo staff photographer contact eldred at jce11a@acu.edu
Waterball wraps up final week of the regular season. Teams will face off in next week’s play-offs.
Miss Frontier Texas seeks more participants begin in February and will take place over a period of three weekends. The deadline to register was recently Miss Frontier Texas, Fron- extended to encourage tier Texas’ scholarship more women to particicompetition, has extended pate. the application deadline for The slogan for Miss this year’s competition. Frontier Texas is, “Not your Registration will end mama’s beauty pageant.” Nov. 26 and is open to all The competition focuses college-aged women. The on empowering women to winner of the competi- be hard-working and selftion is awarded a $3,000 sufficient instead of winscholarship in addition to ning competitions based custom James Leddy boots solely on looks. and other goodies that have Sara Bishop, junior anibeen given as prizes in the mal science major from past. Longmont, Colorado, won Miss Frontier Texas will Miss Frontier Texas in 2013.
madelyn bane
student reporter
Bishop said she decided to participate because of the competition’s unique nature. “My favorite part about Miss Frontier Texas is the unique situation you are in as an ambassador for the Frontier Texas Museum and all of West Texas’ history,” Bishop said. “It provides you with a great networking possibility within Abilene.” Miss Frontier Texas competitors will compete in a series of events ranging from a frontier skills educational class to a frontier obstacle course and Tom
Perini will teach competitors chuckwagon cooking skills. Rae Ann Rindhage, senior advertising and public relations major from Friendswood, works for Morris and Mitchell at ACU. Frontier Texas is a client of Morris and Mitchell, and Rindhage was assigned to their account earlier this year. “Frontier Texas specifically is our account, and they’re putting on Miss Frontier Texas,” Rindhage said. “I worked a little on the fundraising aspect of it and I’ve done a lot of the co-
Environmental groups unite for conservation efforts kynzie newman student reporter An environmental group on campus will put on an event to promote energy conservation during the holiday season. The Thanksgiving Holiday Shutdown, put on by ACU Green, encourages students to shut down and unplug all appliances before leaving for the holidays because that is where the most money can be saved. ACU Green is a synergistic coalition of environmentally conscious groups on campus working to provide energy-saving options for everyone. The initiative was created to improve ACU’s image and awareness of environmental responsibility and to change the culture of recycling/sustainability efforts on campus.
Though there are many environmental groups on campus, lack of communication between them has halted progress in the direction they hope to go. ACU Green plans to pull together groups already on campus and increase lines of communication so students can get involved. Jordan Fox, senior communication major from Houston, is in charge of the environmental initiative. “We would also like to raise awareness about the importance of sustainability here on campus and show students the direct impact they can make,” he said. Fox said ACU Green’s long-term goals may take a while to reach. “Eventually, we would like to see an office for sustainability here on campus,” he said. “We are behind as far as having a green
campus goes. We have a lot of the recourses and enthusiasm needed to generate change. We need to be innovative, but it will be a long and worthwhile process.” The Cedar Creek Waterway project has partnered with ACU Green in the past for events including tree plantings and recycling efforts on campus. Sean Branchaw, senior mathematics major from Derwood, Maryland, is vice president of Wildcats for Sustainability. “ACU Green is the genesis of an ACU culture shift,” Branchaw said. “It’s the willingness to think beyond ourselves to the world around us and realize that our actions impact, whether negatively or positively, the entire world. If the campus can come together and make ACU Green a lifestyle in which all students, staff
SA: Congress hears construction update from page 1 Bennett and delays at the steel company, the project fell behind schedule. The second floor was set to be poured this week, but again was delayed because of the cold weather. Despite delays, Bennett is on track to be complete by the start of the spring semester. Work still continues on the track and soccer complex. The purple track has
been installed and turf has been laid on the field. Construction on the field house and stands will begin in January or February, and the facility should be complete in time for the first home track meet in April. As for the funding of the Vision in Action campaign, the Halbert-Walling lab facility is fully paid for. Roberts said the final number is in flux because the university is still choosing materials and making decisions that could
influence construction cost. “We are still trying to figure out exactly the specifics of things,” Roberts said. “We’ve got plenty of money to do it. I could swing a couple million in either direction and we’d be totally fine. That is the heart of the discussions we are having right now.”
contact brown at akb12b@acu.edu
and faculty are seeking to care for God’s creation by being good stewards of the resources we use, ACU can make a marked difference not only in Abilene, but in Texas, the U.S. and the world.”
contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
ordinating and getting onto other campuses to promote the event.” This is Rindhage’s first time being involved with Miss Frontier Texas. She said she became familiar with the event through friends who had participated, but never participated herself. “It empowers girls and helps them realize they can do anything; they can hold their own,” Rindhage said. “It puts you to work. And it’s
a scholarship – everyone could use the money and use a little assistance.” To register, visit MissFrontierTexas.com. “I would highly recommend girls to participate because it’s a great way to learn about Texas and its roots and to network with women outside of ACU,” Bishop said. contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Opinion
Firday 11.14.14
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editorial
Hollywood uses the same old song and sequal the issue We are seeing a lot more repeats and a lot less originality when we go to the movies.
our take Movie goers should reward the films that make it to the box office with out a book series ahead of it or the ones leaving a trail of plush dolls and franchises behind.
Superheroes, sequels and remakes. That’s what it takes to win the weekend at the box office. Earlier this week, Disney announced that Toy Story 4 is in production, set with a 2017 release date. This announcement, along with one from a few weeks ago revealing Marvel’s lineup through 2020, have made it apparent that there is nothing original anymore. There
is nothing original being mass produced at a consistent rate because originality doesn’t make money these days. Disney is one of the main culprits taking part in the strategy of catering to the masses. As a multi-billion dollar industry, it’s understandable why money would be a key factor in determining what takes priority and what does not. But
quality is starting to suffer. For instance, Toy Story 3 left the characters with a perfect ending. If the point of a sequel is to finish what you started and round out a storyline, then why add more to what has already been successfully completed? Superhero movies, while admittedly extremely entertaining, have become formulaic. With Marvel dominating all other franchises, superhero movies are being released twice a year, maybe more when DC contributes. And Marvel’s marketers have been very astute, fine tuning their films one at a time based on what has been successful in the past.
As long as sales continue to break records every time Marvel releases a new movie, we can expect to keep seeing the same story over and over with a different hero leading the way. Let’s take a quick look at the numbers. Within the top 10 grossing movies of 2014 are Guardians of the Galaxy (1), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2), Transformers: Age of Extinction (4), X-Men: Days of Future Past (6), Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (7), The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (8), Godzilla (9) and 22 Jump Street (10). The only two movies on that list who don’t fall into the category of superhero,
DAILY doodle dosage
sequel or remake are No. 2 The Lego Movie, which was a much-needed breath of fresh air, and No. 5 Maleficent, which is just a different take on a story Disney told 50 years ago. But it’s safe to assume that Mockingjay: Part 1 and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies will knock those two out of the running within one or two weekends. This pattern shows no sign of slowing down, and production companies and movie studios have no reason to change their strategy, despite the fact that many sequels are legitimately awful. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal
Skull may have been terrible, but another trilogy will work with Star Wars, right? Not the most solid logic, but people will wait all night for the midnight premieres anyway. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being entertained by these kinds of movies or paying money to go see them. But balance out the sequel-mania by supporting independent films and original storylines. They’re out there, but movie companies need to be reminded that film is an art, not just a business. contact The Optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Ben Todd
hashtagACU Nov. 13 12:48 p.m.
It’s 20 degrees outside and you have the ac on in class...#logic
Nov.12 8:48 p.m.
Do you ever look at Moody and wonder when the aliens will come back for it’s spaceship? #acudifference
@BishoffAlyson
@cork_95
Nov. 11 9:37 a.m.
“Abilene had a short fall season. This year it was on a Monday.” Dr. Bennett’s explanation of Abilene weather. #truth #loth
Nov. 11 10:44 p.m.
My mini fridge is filled with Chick-Fil-A. #ACUdifference
@This_HippieChic @alikaywould Nov. 12 5:50 p.m. Nov.12 1:54 p.m.
Column
Conflict: Marissa versus nature THAT’S WHAT VAGABONDAGE SAID SAMANTHA SHE SUTHERLAND MARISSA JONES
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” Dominion over animals. It’s a God-given right. Recently, however, my house seems to be void of this right, and nature has been running wild, ignoring the natural order of things. One day, I walked upstairs and heard something violently flapping. A bird was flying around the living room, obviously a little lost. Can I direct you
somewhere else? A tree? A high wire? Anywhere but my living room? Because, man, for some reason birds are absolutely terrifying indoors. Maybe it’s because I’ve never gotten an especially gruesome scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds out of my head. And how’d he even get in my living room? I had no idea. All I knew was that he needed to go, so as he landed on a window blind, I strategically creeped up to the door, swung it wide open and clapped at him. And he flew out of there. Bird0, Marissa-1, and it was only 8 a.m. An hour passed. I left the room.
When I came back a few minutes later, there was another one casually flying around like he owned the place. I was afraid and angry, but mostly afraid because this second bird did not exit the building as easily as the first. He ignored the doors I flung open for him and decided to roost behind the microwave. I experienced a combination of fight and flight that was pretty ineffective. I settled on throwing things lying around me and then hiding under a blanket. But he would not leave the microwave. I gathered my courage, grabbed a broom and poked in his general direction. He flew somewhere, but I couldn’t tell where because I was under the blanket. We never knew whether he flew outside or to another hiding spot. It’s possible he could be still in here today.
Quiz grades validate me as a human bean. As do boys & my political views, which came to me in a DIVINE encounter. I love Starbucks.
More recently, our house has been suffering from the worst of all @verycoolgirllex plagues – fruit flies, incredible amounts of fruit flies. Nov. 12 8:16 p.m. My roommate and I had enough one night. We My freshman year self chose our weapons – tow- would be appalled at els and 409 spray – and at- how much my senior tacked. Our strategy killed year self is loving the the flies all right, but con- solitude that is the botsequently killed our brain tom floor of the library. cells as the 409 filled the room. We decided to wage a more patient, kind of war after that and set up fruit @sbeckendorff fly traps of mason jars filled with apple vinegar. And it’s working. They’re My life is like a romantic almost all gone. comedy. Except there’s With our chimney no romance and it’s just boarded up and fruit for- me laughing at my own ever banned, our domin- jokes ion over nature will return, and our house will be our own once again.
“There is no dangerous mold in Mabee” #satweets
@taylorcrumpton at ACU the walk of shame is when you walk into the bean not wearing church attire on sundays
YikYak I love college because people can cry or sleep anywhere they want and everyone just kind of understands
YikYak Somehow managed to register for Jazz Ensemble and not get into bible... I don’t play an instrument
YikYak contact Jones at mnj10a@acu.edu
YikYak
Column
I wrote this column on my phone in an airport I’M SORRY VAGABONDAGE MISS JACKSON SAMANTHA SUTHERLAND BRITTANY JACKSON
“The kids these days, they have to work. The time for dreams, the time for dreaming, is done. But everyone is dreaming, everyone is dreaming these days.” Sitting in a little bak-
ery two doors down from my hostel in Rio de Janiero, Brazil, I didn’t expect to hear this. I didn’t expect to hear any English, to be honest, but a woman behind me and slightly to the left was ranting in her
broken English, nonetheless. While I don’t know exactly what she was going for in that conversation, she seemed to be painting our younger generation as irresponsible and privileged. To her, the bakery we were sitting in and the shops around it only stayed in business for the past few years because they were working hard. She seemed tired of younger people going about life without work-
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
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ing their fingers to the bone (OK, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but I guess we’ll never know). And I just sat there, slowly eating my food and listening to her argue with a fellow bakery goer. But I wish I hadn’t because I want her to know that yes, working is important, but dreaming is the basis of it all. Dreaming is what gets people out the door. It makes working 40 hours a week worth it. It makes
people learn a second language, or a third. It makes people teach themselves skills and stay up at night to get something right. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes all people ever do is dream. They create scenarios in their heads and aspire for them, but when the hard work starts, they decide to get a new dream. Ma’am, what I need you to know is that when I was a girl, I dreamed of helping people. That’s led
me to volunteering in a hospital, to becoming a lifeguard, to working for newspapers and now to learning a second language. The world is not divided between dreamers and doers, because the people that dreamed the most all started out with a dream of how they wanted it to be. contact Jackson at bkj12a@acu.edu
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5
arts
FRIDAY 11.14.14
Interstellar invokes imagination richard lyne Arts reporter “In space, no one can hear you scream.” This memorably chilling tagline accompanied 1979’s Alien, whose two-minute trailer is hailed as one of the best ever made. Unlike blockbusters today, the movie didn’t rely on massive explosions or breathtaking spectacles to get its point across. It was the mystery of the alien monster that drew people in – what would it look like, and what was it capable of? All Ridley Scott needed to use was a disorienting montage of frightened astronauts locked in a battle against an unknown terror. Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, which premiered in Abilene Nov. 6, capitalizes on Scott’s brand of genius. The story is similar to Contact or 2001: A Space Odyssey. After discovering an anomaly from across the reaches of space, explorers must defy the limits of human science in order to confront the universe’s greatest mysteries. To capture the imagination of his audience, Nolan offers us some of the most difficult mysteries that modern science fiction can offer. Physicist Kip Thorne was recruited to help the film team create breathtaking depictions of space-time anomalies such as a wormhole and a spinning black hole. The result is a nearly unprecedented cinematic dive into scientific subjects that even the brightest minds have trouble grasping making astrophysics accessible to anyone with an imagination. As with Nolan’s work in Inception, the visual tour-de-force is one of the biggest attractions for an audience that’s increasing-
ly hard to impress, but there is no shortage of emotional impact. With a soundtrack to match the sights, the space saga becomes increasingly epic as it winds onward accompanied by an abundance of talented actors. Matthew McConaughey stars as the prodigal pilot, Cooper, driven by survival instincts and the need to see his children again. Mackenzie Foy and Jessica Chastain deliver formidable performances as his daughter, Murph, who grows up waiting for a father who might never return home. Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine and Matt Damon are just a few other big names rounding out the excellent cast. Even at a run-time of nearly three hours, Interstellar keeps the action moving at an excellent pace. After a slow but necessary introduction, the film doesn’t stop raising the stakes throughout the mission. The characters are faced with nearly impossible choices and forces that threaten unbelievable carnage, keeping the audience just as involved as the explorers. Where a film like Gravity packed a few emotional punches and a lot of computergenerated imagery, Interstellar rolls out a buffet of potent feelings and powerful imagery. Michael Caine’s character repeats a stirring admonition from poet Dylan Thomas: “Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” Until the last light leaves the screen, we’re left raging, raging for our heroes to prevail. contact lyne at arts@jmcnetwork.com
UPCOMING EVENTS Friday, Nov. 14
The Prophet Darla by Jared Strange is being performed at the Van Ellis Theatre by Hardin Simmons University. The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $8. The Wizard of Oz brought by the Paramount Theatre. Show will begin at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $5 for stuCody Canada, will play at The Silo. The show begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $12. Saturday, Nov. 15
The Prophet Darla by Jared Strange is being performed at the Van Ellis Theatre by Hardin Simmons University. The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $8. The Wizard of Oz brought by the Paramount Theatre. Show begins at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $5 for students. Webbie, the Louisiana rapper, will perform at The Silo. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $25 advance and $35 at the door. Sunday, Nov. 16
Military Appreciation Day, at the Buffalo Gap Historic Village. Admission is free to active and retired military and their family.
WEEKLY FAVORITES with Shera Niemirowski.
ACU theatre brings Dead Man’s Cell Phone to life james eldred staff reporter The ACU Department of Theatre is putting a new spin on the annual Cornerstone production with Dead Man’s Cell Phone, a quirky comedy that targets the advantages and disadvantages of technology. “With the Cornerstone production, we’re always looking for something that has themes that would apply to college students in their freshman year,” said Kari Hatfield, director of the show. “We thought this would be a great show, especially at ACU, because it’s dealing with questions of whether technology is a help or a danger – does technology bring us closer together or drive us farther apart?” The play follows Jean, played by Alyssa Cavazos, as she picks up the cell phone of a dead man and answers calls for him. “She falls in love with the idea of him,” said Cavazos, a junior musical theatre major from Mission. “She thinks that as long as people are still trying to communicate with him, he’s not dead yet.” Jean goes on to meet the dead man’s family and becomes embroiled in the intrigue surrounding the man’s shady occupation as an organ trafficker on the black market. “It’s an absurdist play,” Cavazos said. “When I first read it over the summer, I thought it was a dramatic play, but now that I’m actually in it, it’s hilarious.” The production has a variety of themes ranging from technology’s impact on relationships to whether everyone always walks alone. “That’s one of the popular lines from the play,” said Hatfield, an associate professor of theatre. “You’ll never walk alone because there’s a machine in your pocket that might ring.” The quirky theme is reinforced
by the set constructed mostly out of recycled materials. “We’ve got a chain link fence acting as a teaser that has recycled water bottles that we’ve gotten from all over town stuck in it,” said Eric Pitney, lighting designer for the show. “The water bottles are going to create some very interesting textures and effects.” Pitney, a sophomore theatre major from Abilene, added that the theatre department is working with the Maker Lab to create some of the furniture for the show from bookshelves to tables to a coffin. The rest of the set is created from recycled paper, said Andrew Wheeler, the show’s technical director. “We’re taking shredded paper and making four-foot-by-fourfoot papier-mâché squares,” he said. “Once it dries, we’ll hook them together with wire to make pillars. It’ll keep that recycled, unfinished look to it.” Hatfield said the show should be easily relatable, especially to the current Cornerstone class. “My hope is that the show will be entertaining but also open some discussion,” he said. “Sometimes, presenting those questions in a comedic form can make us feel a little bit more vulnerable, especially if we’re not coming to the table expecting that to happen.” For this production, the theatre department has decided to open a blog to allow students to comment on and discuss the themes of the play in addition to the traditional talkback sessions after the performances. Dead Man’s Cell Phone will show at 7:30 Nov. 17-22 in Fulks Theatre. Tickets are available in the Williams Performing Arts Center box office or atacu.edu/ theatre.
Song
No Diggity by Chet Faker; it’s a cover but absolutely my jam. Band
Hozier, he’s different, Irish and has a manbun. He’s perfect. TV Show
White Collar, its the last season and I want to be Neal Caffrey. Food/Recipe
Carrots with humus, ‘cause I’m a nerd like that. Coffee Drink
Peppermint Hot Chocolate, basic for life. Blog/Website
Into the Gloss, it’s my go-to. Movie
Ratatouille, that is my movie! 90’s Music Video
Scrunchies, I use that thing.
Tell us yours with #OptimistFavorites contact eldred at jfe11a@acu.edu
sports
Friday 11.14.14
Men look to top Hillsdale in Moody Daniel Zepeda sports Director The men’s basketball team tips off its season Friday night against Hillsdale Baptist. The Wildcats are returning seven players from last season’s roster, all of which played significant minutes for ACU last year. “It’s really nice to have returning guys, it helps to not have to start all over like I feel we have the past few years,” said Joe Golding, head coach. “But our guys are ready to get to it and stop beating up on each other, and as a coaching staff, we’re ready to get the season going.” Hillsdale will go into the game with a 2-3 record. The team defeated Southwest Adventist Nov. 1, 96-70, and Central Christian University, 85-76, Nov. 8.
file photo
The Wildcats look to be competitive this season with returning starters and new role players. “We start off with Hillsdale and then we get tested really early in the season against some tough teams,” Golding said. “We’ve looked good in practice, we’re better than last year, so now it’s just a ques-
tion of how much better we are and whether we can show that against the teams we play.” The team is very excited to have stayed healthy and added depth to the roster over the summer.
“It’s great to have depth, it really helps you throughout the course of the season,” Golding said. “Because of guys coming in and getting healthy, it allows us to not have to play guys like Parker (Wentz), Austin (Cooke) and Riley (Payne) 38 or 39 minutes a game.” After missing half of the season due to injuries and academic ineligibility, the Wildcats’ best scorers, senior guards Harrison Hawkins and LaDarrien Williams, are expected to be back to play a major role in the Wildcat’s offense. “LD (Williams) has been battling an injury, but he finally looks like he’s back to normal so he will play against Hillsdale,” Golding said. “We’re going to take it slow with him so by the time we get to conference games, he’ll be fresh and
one hundred percent.” Size will be an issue for ACU, as the team’s biggest players on the roster include six-foot-seven junior forward Austin Cooke, six-foot-eight junior transfer forward Duran Porter and six-foot-ten senior forward Alexsander Milosavljevic from Serbia. “Size and rebounding will be a challenge, but we’re a hardworking team so we’ll be able to battle with the best of them in or out of conference,” Golding said. “Parker, H (Hawkins) and LD (Williams) will primarily play the two-guard, and small forward for us and Jalen Little and K.J. Maura will switch out at point.” The game will begin at 7 p.m. in Moody Coliseum. contact zepeda at djz11a@acu.edu
6
standings football Standings
Team
Div.
SELU SHSU UCA SFA MSU Lamar NSU ACU UIW HBU Nicholls St.
5-1 5-1 5-2 4-2 4-2 3-3 3-3 3-4 2-5 1-6 0-6
Ovrl 7-3 6-4 6-5 7-3 6-3 6-4 5-5 5-6 2-8 2-8 0-10
volleyball Standings
Team
Div.
SFA UCA SHSU TAMU-CC HBU NSU SELU UIW MSU Nicholls St. ACU Lamar NO
14-0 12-3 11-3 9-5 8-6 8-6 8-7 6-8 5-10 5-10 4-10 4-10 0-16
Ovrl 21-7 17-10 18-9 16-15 14-15 11-16 11-16 10-18 15-16 9-19 6-22 4-22 6-24
mens basketball Standings
Team
Div.
SFA 0-0 NSU 0-0 SHSU 0-0 TAMU-CC 0-0 MSU 0-0 UIW 0-0 SELU 0-0 Nicholls St.0-0 NO 0-0 Lamar 0-0 ACU 0-0 UCA 0-0 HBU 0-0
Ovrl 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
womens basketball Standings
Team
Div.
SFA 0-0 NSU 0-0 SHSU 0-0 TAMU-CC 0-0 MSU 0-0 UIW 0-0 SELU 0-0 Nicholls St.0-0 NO 0-0 Lamar 0-0 ACU 0-0 UCA 0-0 HBU 0-0
Ovrl 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Who’s Hot paige otway Staff Photographer
Junior wide receiver Cedric Gilbert battles to stay in bounds as the Wildcats took on Northwestern State last weekend at Shotwell. The Wildcats will look to finish the season at .500 when they play Stephen F. Austin on the road Saturday.
Wildcats to avoid first losing season since ‘05 vs. SFA Collin Wieder sports Editor ACU football plays it’s final game of the season Saturday against the surging Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks. SFA has won two out of it’s last three games against top-10 opponents. The Lumberjacks defeated then No. 8-ranked McNeese State last week 31-16 and previously ranked No. 8 Southeastern Louisiana, 27-17. ACU sits just below .500 with a 5-6 overall record and a 3-4 conference record. SFA brings in a 7-3 overall record with a 4-2 conference record.
The Wildcats have not had a losing season since the 2005 season where they went 4-6 while they were still in Division 2. To keep that above-.500 streak alive, they will need to play a cleaner game than last week where they turned the ball over five times. “I love where we are as a team, but we are hit-andmiss on Saturdays still,” said Ken Collums, head coach. “From time to time we play really good, but there are times when we give the game away with turnovers. We have gotten into a rut here lately where we haven’t played well.” Quarterback Parker McKenzie struggled in back-to-back starts for the
first time all year. McKenzie turned the ball over three times against Sam Houston and four against Northwestern State. Kade Munden will continue to be used and will be used more in the passing game this week. The running game has regained Herschel Sims after he was limited for the last two weeks but may have lost freshman De’Andre Brown who left last week’s game with an undisclosed injury. Stephen F. Austin brings a balanced offensive attack featuring one of the nation’s top running backs in Gus Johnson. Johnson has 1,282 yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground this season.
The passing game features a young dual threat sophomore quarterback in Zach Conque, the son of SFA head coach Clint Conque. The sophomore has put together a great campaign so far, throwing for 2,123 yards, 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions while rushing for 442 yards and 12 touchdowns. Clint Conque hired Collums onto his staff back in 2000 when Conque coached at Collums’ alma mater, Central Arkansas. “I know him very well; he is a good friend of mine,” Collums said. “He is a good coach, and his guys will always be ready.” The defense looks to finish out a solid first
Southland season where they forced 24 turnovers and were among the top in the Southland in sacks. Defensive end Nick Richardson also finishes out his career this Saturday short of breaking the the ACU career sack record by 2.5 sacks. Collums does feel the defense and the team has competed well this season in the Southland. “It has been affirmed to me and everyone in the program that we are headed in the right direction,” Collums said. “We learned that we belong in this league.” contact Wieder at cpw11a@acu.edu
‘Cats aim to repeat last year’s success success with a number of new faces but will need to sports reporter continue to improve as individuals and as a team if The ACU women’s basket- they want to surpass their ball team will begin its sea- previous performance. son Saturday against Way“I really feel like we exland Baptist University after ceeded expectations last an 18-12 overall record last year and probably surprised season with an 8-6 South- some of our conference opland conference record. ponents,” Goodenough The game will begin at 5 said. “But this season, we’re p.m. in Moody Coliseum. known by everyone, and Sophomore forward Su- they know our personnel, zzy Dimba is ready to finally so if we think we’re gonna get the season started. be successful and competi“I’m very excited to get tive every night playing at to play with my team and the same level we played get to play under coach at last year, we’re going to Goodenough another year,” be very disappointed. We Dimba said. “I feel like we’ve have to elevate our level of grown from last season, so play and not make the same I’m excited to put it all to- mistakes we did last year. gether in our first game on We’ve got to really grow as Saturday.” a team if we want to have a Head Coach Julie Good- successful season.” enough and Dimba stressed In just their first season how the team turned heads as an official Div. I program, last season accomplishing the team won eight confer-
collin thompson
ence games, including a 7862 win on the road against the 11-7 Nicholls State University Colonels, but the team has bigger aspirations this season than two conference wins over .500. “Winning conference is a really huge goal,” Dimba said. “A lot of people don’t expect that from us, and the conference doesn’t really see it coming. We established ourselves last season so this year, we’re more of a force to be reckoned with. I feel like we have put ACU on the map so far, but it can only go up from here.” Regardless of returning conference powerhouses like Stephen F. Austin and Lamar, the coaching staff isn’t afraid to set the season goals high. “In practice, the intensity they bring and how on a daily basis they tell us that we’re going to be the team,
we’re going win conference, that’s our goal this year and they’re reiterating it to us a lot so we just got to get it through our minds and play really hard to get to that point,” Dimba said. With greater success comes an influx game attendance and team support which Goodenough said is why she and her fellow coaches want their players on the team to know who and what they’re really playing for. “Our goal as a staff is to put a team on the court that the ACU community will be extremely proud of,” Goodenough said. “That looks different to different people, but for us it just means that we get out on the court, we play together as a team, we play with extreme toughness, competitiveness and we use our gifts and talents to the full-
est to glorify God. We challenge our players every day to seek excellence in everything that we do and we feel like if that’s what we’re striving for, we will put a product on the court that people enjoy watching and will feel we’re a team worth investing time in and supporting.” Dimba said the team will be ready to hit the ground running in their first game of the season and that she knows they have what it takes to hold their own in this conference and this division. “Come out and watch us,” Dimba said. “We’ll shock a lot of people, especially the freshmen who haven’t come to our games before, just come out.” contact thompson at Cnt13c@acu.edu
Senior linebacker Justin Stephens recorded his third stephens doubledigit tackle game of the season last Saturday. Stephens compiled 13 total tackles and 0.5 sacks against Northwestern State. Stephens is second on the team in tackles with 84 and is tied for first in interceptions with two.
briefings ACU announced its November studentathletes of the month: senior cross country Daniel Block, senior volleyball Neely Borger, senior football Angel Lopez and sophomore soccer Kelsie Roberts. Be sure to follow @OptimistSports on Twitter for more stories and the latest ACU sports news coverage.
Upcoming Men’s basketball will begin it’s season Friday at home against Hillsdale Baptist. The game will begin at 7 p.m. Women’s volleyball will play its final game of the season Saturday at home against Norwestern State. The match will begin at 2 p.m. Football finishes out it’s season Saturday in Nacodoches. ACU will play Stephen F. Austin at 3 p.m. Women’s basketball also starts it’s season Saturday against Wayland Baptist. The game will begin at 5