That’s a wrap Wildcats win key Southland games this year
vol. 103, no. 26
Friday november 21 2014
1 SECTION, 8 PAGES
Sports Page 8
what’s INSIDE NEWS SA passes bill changing speed bumps to speed “humps” Page 3
SPORTS ‘Cats struggled in 2nd Southland year. All-time conference record drops to 6-24
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OPINION Ben Todd tells about his recent encounters in the Maker Lab
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NEWS Images of Aging competetion begins taking submissions
alicia adams staff Photographer
Students in Dr. Jim Cooke’s Enviromental Science classes presented their semester-long research projects about enviromental issues in the Campus Center on Wednesday morning.
Sing Song rehearsals get head start madelyn bane
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OPINION The internet must be broken: Enlightening and important news is watered down and scrolled past
student reporter Sing Song rehearsals will be extended into December to combat a lack of time between the beginning of the spring semester and opening night. The spring semester will begin Jan. 12, and opening night of Sing Song is scheduled for Feb. 12. With only one month to rehearse, Tom Craig , director of student activities and productions, and the rest of the Sing Song committee decided to allow extra time for acts to practice
beforehand. In the past, acts have had five to six weeks to rehearse once they got back from winter break. However, due to the shortened time of only four weeks, rehearsals are set to run from Dec. 5-8. “One of the main reasons this call was made was because of the way the calendar is falling this year,” said Ashley Crisp, Sing Song co-chair. “We wanted to give groups a little more time to make up for what they are losing in the spring.” Crisp, senior speech pathology major from Dallas, has participated in Sing Song
acts and the production team since her freshman year. She said she looks forward every year to seeing how the shows come together. “I think this has the potential to be beneficial,” Crisp said. “It gives you the opportunity to go into Christmas break with a basic knowledge of your act, so the whole act can be a little prepared when they come back.” During the four days acts are allowed to rehearse, each act is allotted a single, twohour rehearsal. In addition to December rehearsals, acts can begin rehearsing before school begins Jan. 10.
“Because of this, we can put on the same caliber show that we have been able to in past years, even with less time,” said Zeke Morgan, upstage co-chair. Morgan, senior psychology major from Keller, served as an upstage co-chair last year and worked on the upstage production team his freshman year. He said his job puts him in charge of organizing and leading all the class and club acts. “This ranges from organizing a rotation schedule and places in the gyms during show week to making sure everyone meets dead-
lines for things like their music and lyrics,” Morgan said. “It’s a really fun job, even though it can be incredibly stressful.” Whether rehearsal extensions will be implemented next year is still unsure. “It’s a conversation to be had for sure,” Morgan said. “The calendar may not dictate it in years to come, but if we allow the clubs and classes more time to master their music, the show can only go up from there.” contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Wellness class dropped from degree plan Page 6
daniel block intramurals editor
SPORTS Tulsa too much for Men’s basketball team to handle on the road Page 7
NEWS Debate team advances to national championship
Incoming students are only required two kinesiology credits, rather than three, to fulfill their general education requirement which has caused Lifetime Wellness to be dropped from the core curriculum as a mandatory class. The change came into effect for the current catalog year. Freshmen may choose between enrolling in two physical education activity classes or Lifetime Wellness along with one ac-
mains available as an option for all students. Jones said she encourages students to consider registering for the course either as one of their two required kinesiology credits or as an elective. “We as a department are sad that (the requirement) was taken down to two (credits),” Jones said. “You can still have two electives as PEACs or Lifetime Wellness, of course. We just want to put that out there, that if you have an elective or two. We have got PEACs or Lifetime Wellness that are available.”
Freshman students appreciate the change. Josh Mills, freshman youth and family ministry major from Sanger and cross-country athlete, is on the fence about the decision. “I mean, I kind of know more about my body in general just because of what I put it through every day,” Mills said. “But I guess I kind of have mixed feelings, because it would be kind of cool to know more stuff about it.” Mills said he felt the course could have been revised so it was not required
for collegiate athletes, but still mandatory for other students. Jones said such an idea has never been brought up in the department. “(Lifetime Wellness) does have a book with it, of course,” Jones said. “And it just talks about all areas of lifetime wellness. It’s not just the physical activity. We just felt like that was always a good foundational course.”
contact block at erg12a@acu.edu
Student entrepreneur wins $1,750
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allison brown managing editor
what’s online
tivity class. Dr. Sheila Jones, chair of the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition, said the department was forced to lower its mandatory credits from three to two, and most faculty felt the students should have a say in the classes in which they enroll. “We feel that Lifetime Wellness is a very good foundational course,” Jones said. “But we also feel that physical activity and enjoying what you do in physical activity is very important.” Lifetime Wellness is no longer mandatory but re-
Entrepreneurs young and old filled Hart Auditorium Wednesday morning for this year’s Springboard Elevator VIDEO Pitch competition. Ten groups of aspiring BSA hosts talent show business students advanced to the final round of the idea in Rec Center competition, competing for prizes of $1,500 for first place, $750 for second, $250 for third and $250 for audience favorite. Russell Garrett, new Springboard program coordinator, organized the event. “The elevator pitch competition is meant to put you in situations where if you were in an elevator with a potential investor, you have Read more at from the bottom floor to the acuoptimist.com top floor to convince them to
invest in your business,” Garrett said. With this concept in mind, finalists were allotted two minutes to pitch their business idea to a panel of judges. Judges evaluated the pitches on several different aspects: the concept of the business, the value proposition, the market, presentation skills and their impressions of the student entrepreneurs. Contestants were scored in these categories, and in the end, judges were asked the question, “Which team would you pick to have lunch with tomorrow to find out more about investing in their company?” Colby Hatchett, junior accounting major from Fort Worth, walked away with alicia adams staff Photographer
Judges evaluate a product pitched by students at the elevator pitch competetion in see contest page 3 Hart Auditorium on Wednesday.
Abilene Christian University
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saturday 5 p.m. Turkey Throwdown
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Turkey Throwdown
7 p.m. Women’s basketball game versus Eastern Washington University
8 p.m. Senior bonfire
Announcements
Chapel checkup To date:
2
Remaining:
62 7 @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!
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@ Don’t get sick and miss out on acu.edu for more information. any fun (or classes) this season! You can sign up at www.dresFlu shots are now available in semberfoundation.org. the ACU Medical Care Center for $20. We accept cash, check, Come to Chapel on the Hill credit, debit or you may bill it to Thursdays for Drenched a capyour ACU Banner account. Of- pella chapel. See you there for fice hours are 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. a time of fellowship and reflecMonday-Friday. tion!
Need a little extra cash? Participate in cognitive psychology research! You can expect to earn $5-10 in 30 minutes! Email arp10d@acu.edu to sign up. SSWA is collecting donations for the Community youth outreach in Conroe until Monday. You can place your donations in the box in the Campus Center. Items such as toiletries, small notebooks, pens, sunscreen, repellent, bandages, hand sanitizer, Tylenol and clothes for 16- to 24-year-olds are welcomed.
Dead Man’s Cell Phone is the Cornerstone production by ACU Theatre. The play will run through Sunday at 7:30 p.m. in Fulks Theatre. There will be a talkback after every performance. Recommended for ages 13 and older. Struggling with time management, stress, motivation, studying or test anxiety? The Academic Development Center is here to help. Schedule an appointment with an academic coach today!
optimist@acu.edu Police log SELECTED ACUPD CALLS FOR THE WEEK 11/13/2014 1:20 p.m. ACUPD investigated a hit-and-run accident involving a student’s parked vehicle in a parking lot on 1700 Campus Court. 11/14/2014 6:40 p.m. A student received mail that had been tampered with. A debit card and cash had been removed from the envelope. 11/14/2014 10:26 p.m. ACUPD answered two loud noise complaints in Mabee-Edwards Lot involving a loud car stereo. Student complied and lowered the volume. 11/16/2014 12:30 a.m. ACUPD investigated a reported noise violation in the 2500 block of Madison. Officers issued a verbal warning and shut the party down. 11/17/2014 5:26 a.m. ACUPD assisted APD at a disturbance call in the 600 block of College Drive. One person was arrested on an existing warrant. 11/17/2014 6:57 p.m. ACUPD responded to a suspicious activity call in the Conflict Resolution Center parking lot. Officers determined that a student was studying in his car. 11/19/2014 1:50 p.m. Two tenants reported the theft of money from their shared Morris Hall room.
911 CALL 1 ACCIDENT 3 ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITY 10 ALARM 1 ANIMAL CALL 1 ASSIST 3 BARRICADES 1 BUILDING LOCK/UNLOCK 19 BURGLARY (MOTOR VEHICLE) 1 CHECK BUILDING 142 CITATION ISSUANCE 1 DISCHARGE OF FIREARM 1 DISTURBANCE 3 DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE 1
Weekly Stats For Week of Nov. 13 - 20, 2014 - Total Events: 335 ESCORT 2 MOTORIST ASSIST: UNLOCK 8 FIRE 1 NOISE VIOLATION 6 FOOT PATROL 15 OTHER 5 FOUND PROPERTY 2 PARKING LOT PATROL 10 HIT & RUN 1 PARKING VIOLATION 3 INFORMATION REPORT 4 PATROL VEHICLE: MAINTENANCE 4 INVESTIGATION FOLLOW UP 18 PATROL VEHICLE: REFUEL 6 MAINTENANCE: UNIV. ASSETS: CCTV 10 PROWLER 1 MAINTENANCE: UNIV. ASSETS 2 PUBLIC SERVICE 1 MEDICAL EMERGENCY 3 RANDOM PATROL 19 MONITOR FACILITY/LOT 1 REPORT WRITING 6 MOTORIST ASSIST INFLATE TIRE 4 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY 1 MOTORIST ASSIST: JUMPSTART 13 SUSPICIOUS PERSON 2 MOTORIST ASSIST: OTHER 2 THEFT 3
UNAUTHORIZED USE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE 1 WELFARE CHECK 1
Police Chief Tip of the Week: Is your car ready for severe winter weather? Have tires, belts, hoses and anti-freeze levels checked now.
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.
local news
BBBS considers abandoning annual fundraiser keith sanders student reporter Big Brothers Big Sisters conducted its annual fundraiser Bowl for Kids’ Sake last Saturday with a turnout that proved to be disappointing compared to previous years. Due to this year’s low turnout, the organization is considering abandoning the annual event for next year. Mallory Ashford, director of events and corporate development for Big Brothers Big Sisters in Abilene, said only $300 was raised at this year’s Bowl for Kids’ Sake. “College Bowl For Kids’ Sake had 30 participants
on Nov. 15 from six to eight at Abilene Bowling Lanes,” she said. “Three teams were from HardinSimmons and two teams were from Abilene Christian University. Each team was asked to raise a goal of $400. The event raised $300 this year after costs.” Last year’s event was much more successful, and showed a greater turnout, Ashford said. “Eighty-five people participated last year with a total of 17 teams from Abilene Christian, Hardin-Simmons and McMurry,” she said. “Due to lack of participation and enthusiasm for this year’s event, BBBS will reconsider holding a Col-
lege Bowl For Kids’ Sake in 2015.” Though the turnout was less than expected, those who participated enjoyed themselves but were disappointed in attendance. “I think it was a fun and enjoyable way to raise money for an organization that is trying to do something good for kids who deserve to have a better life,” said Josh Hollers, senior management major from Corpus Christi. “It seems like such an effortless, easy and fun way to raise money for charity. Surely students at a Christian college could give some of their time and a little money to raise money for such a good cause.”
Students weren’t the only people participating in the fundraiser. Jon Howell, owner and manager of Record Guys, showed up to support the organization as well. “I had a great time at Bowl for Kids’ Sake, and I know it’s for a good cause,” Howell said. Howell was upset to hear the event might not happen again. “I was looking forward to next year’s event already,” he said. Though Big Brothers Big Sisters may abandon Bowl for Kids’ Sake, the nonprofit has a similar event in the spring geared toward a wider audience. Community Bowl for Kids’ Sake, like its winter
“
If we choose to not do Bowl for Kids’ Sake next year, we will probably combine the two.”
to get involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters are encouraged to contact Mallory Ashford. “Big Brothers Big Sisters would not be as successful in Abilene without mallory ashford our college volunteers,” director of events and Ashford said. “The agencorporate development cy hosts various events throughout the year recounterpart, also takes quiring additional volunplace at Abilene Bowling teers such as Run or Dye Lanes located on Ruidosa and Bike For Kids’ Sake.” Avenue. The event is tarTo volunteer at an geted to the whole com- event, students can conmunity and businesses. tact Mallory Ashford at “Community Bowl for 325-674-3115 or mashKids’ Sake is much more ford@bbbstx.org. successful,” Ashford said. “If we choose to not do Bowl For Kids’ Sake next year, we will probably contact the optimist at combine the two.” jmcnetwork@acu.edu Students who wish
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Roll-over SA money to fund speed humps allison brown managing editor Students’ Association passed a bill in Wednesday’s Congress session to assist in funding the refurbishment of speed bumps around campus. Sean Branchaw, senior mathematics major from Derwood, Maryland, has been pushing for legislation on speed bumps for the last few months. Branchaw’s “bill to coop-
eratively fund the removal of speed bumps and the installation of speed humps on select campus roads” passed unanimously in Wednesday’s session. In conjunction with Facilities and Campus Management and ACU Police Department, Congress allocated $2,000 from the Congressional Project Fund and any funds left over from student groups at the end of the semester to fund the removal
of current speed bumps and install new ones. Facilities and campus management will contribute $3,100, and ACUPD will contribute $1,000 to the project. “The reason we worked with ACUPD is because they know where the problem areas on campus are,” Branchaw said. “The majority of fender benders on campus happen in parking lots.” The installation of speed humps in problem
areas should aid in creating a smoother f low of traffic and make driving safer throughout campus. Speed humps, Branchaw said, are more gradual than traditional speed bumps. They are easier to drive over, there is less risk of damaging one’s vehicle and, if driven over at an appropriate speed, the driver can go over the speed hump without jolting the car. “I think this is really monumental because SA
is really getting in on this business, and that’s really exciting,” Branchaw said. “It shows a great partnership between the administration and SA and them willing to work with us to address issues that we care about.” With the passage of the bill, work will begin during winter break to remove speed bumps on each side of Teague Boulevard, on the south side of ACU Drive and at the northeast corner of Gard-
ner Hall. One speed hump will be installed at each location, and the process should be complete by the time students return. “I love that we can take care of stuff that affects students daily but aren’t always on the forefront of the administrations radar,” Branchaw said.
contact brown at akb12b@acu.edu
Images of Aging contest accepts submissions callie oliver student reporter The Gerontology Center has begun taking submissions for their annual Images of Aging contest. All current ACU students are encouraged to submit an original photo for the contest. There are three categories open for submission: color, black and white and mobile. The photo must contain a person who is 60 years or older.
Winners of the contest will be announced in March when the contest ends. The Gerontology Center will put on a lunch and hang up every submitted photo. There are first and second place winners for each category as well as honorable mentions. Dr. Charlie Pruett, director of Pruett Gerontology Center, said the contest supports creative expression and encourages relationships between students and people from
older generations. “The Images of Aging Photo Contest was started with the hopes of promoting more intergenerational contact between ACU students and older family and friends,” he said. “The contest offers students an opportunity to express creativity in digital media.” Mallory Wilkins, senior speech pathology major from Clyde, said she still keeps in contact with the women in the photograph she submit-
ted for this year’s contest. “I submitted a picture of my two adopted grandmothers that I met while studying abroad in Oxford, fall of 2012,” Wilkins said. “Their names are Mary and Joye, and the title of the picture is A Jolly Good Time in the Park. Mary and I remain pen pals to this day. She is 89.” Becca Clay, graduate speech pathology student from Salt Lake City, Utah, has submitted pictures of her grandparents in the past.
“The contest is something that I have been blessed to be a part of, and I now have photos of my grandparents that I will cherish forever,” she said. Addie Rich, junior speech pathology major from Boerne, said her favorite part of the contest is showing the models their photos and that they are still beautiful even when they’re more than 65 years old. “Its good for them to see themselves as beau-
tiful, and its rewarding for us to get to see them successfully aging,” Rich said. “That’s the whole point of this contest is to raise awareness that people successfully age and to take away those negative stereotypes about aging.” To find out more about the contest or how to submit, visit blogs.acu.edu/ imagesofaging. contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Debate qualifies for national tournament jonathan ward staff reporter For the first time in the team’s history, ACU Speech and Debate qualified for a championship at a national tournament last weekend. Joyce Schuster, senior justice and urban studies major from North Richland Hills, and Caleb Orr, sophomore political science major from McKinney, came in second at Washburn University’s competition in Topeka, Kansas. Schuster and Orr also received the fourth and eighth Top Speaker awards. “Washburn was really
exciting for us because it showed all of our hard work was paying off,” Schuster said. “(It’s) one of the tournaments everyone looks at to decide who will do well at nationals because the best teams compete there.” ACU faced some of the country’s top teams in the tournament including Texas Tech University, University of Missouri and Southern Illinois University. This is the first National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence (NPTE) recognized tournament ACU has qualified for. “It’s a big deal for ACU to (succeed) like that and make some waves in the debate
community,” said Orr, sophomore class president. The journey to nationals wasn’t an easy one. The team competed in multiple tournaments and made octafinals at William Jewell College, quarterfinals at University of California, Burkley, and semifinals at Colorado College before heading to Washburn. Rachael Shudde, sophomore political science major from Tuscola, and Si Alford, sophomore political science major from Trophy Club, broke to quarterfinals as well earlier in the semester. Shudde also won 15th Top Speaker at quarterfinals.
Orr said the team prepares by studying a variety of national cases every week. At tournaments, contestants only have 20 minutes before every round to prepare and analyze the assigned policy. “Not only do you have to research what’s going on in the world before you go to the debate tournament, but you also have to be able to take any one of those issues and go deep enough to the point that you would become comfortable defending that policy in a debate round,” Orr said. Orr attributes much of the team’s success to its coach, Dena Counts, instructor of
Contest: Students pitch potenial business ideas from page 1 ning first place and audience favorite for his restaurant idea called The Mullet. Hatchett’s business idea for a restaurant that is “a nice restaurant in the front but a childcare center in the back” captivated the audience and landed him the two prizes. He said he didn’t see the first place prize coming his way when he decided to enter the competition last Friday. “With an idea called The Mullet, I was really just going for the people’s choice award,” Hatchett said. “I just really wanted to come up here, have fun and gain the experience of presenting in front of possible investors.” Hatchett said he thinks the College of Business does a great job pushing
students to be innovative and to act on that innovation. “Innovation is so important because, without the innovation, we can’t keep learning,” Hatchett said. “All these businesses you can go work for started out with someone’s vision. I think, in step with ACU’s mission of educating students for Christian leadership and service around the world, part of that is thinking outside the box of how you can serve others.” Second place went to Timothy Holt and Matthew Sampson for their container home business, and Mason Cobern took third for his hunting guides business. Sampson, senior business management major from Vienna, Virginia, competed for the first time in the competition.
He and Holt, senior digital entertainment technology major from Plano, crafted a plan for building houses made of shipping containers. “It’s really fun to think about creating a business,” Sampson said. “The whole process of that was pretty neat, and it was cool getting to do that with a good friend of mine.” Rudy Garza, president of ACU’s chapter of CEO, said Springboard continues to be an important competition for ACU students. “It’s important that an aspiring business person can envision something great and tell others about it in a way that they also understand how great it is,” said Garza, junior marketing major from Corpus Christi. Garrett, in his first year as Springboard coordina-
Shinnery Review to publish online Kynzie newman student reporter The Shinnery Review is taking small steps to transition its way to a completely online publication. The Shinnery Review is ACU’s literary magazine, annually publishing student poetry, photography, short stories and artwork. It also facilitates workshops and poetry readings and brings distinguished literary figures to campus. Maggie Marshall, senior English major from Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the assistant editor of the Shinnery Review. “The hope is that, after Lexi French and I graduate, we’ll have new leadership in place who will complete the transition next year,” Marshall said. Al Haley, Shinnery advisor and professor in the Department of Language and Literature, and editor Lexi
French, senior English major from Palestine, are working alongside Marshall to leave the magazine with potential to make a greater impact on students once it’s online. Marshall said they are still hoping to have a few print editions made available to those whose pieces are published. The pros and cons of this movement seem to balance out, though. Marshall said online publishing will allow it to reach a national audience. It will also allow students who may not be aware of the literary magazine to see past work. “The cons, well, I struggle with moving entirely online mainly because I love having something tangible,” Marshall said. “I think a lot of writers do. Paper copies hold a special place in my heart. It’s always nice to see your work bound in an actual book.” Every year, the Shinnery Review receives submissions of poetry, prose and art. In the
spring, it selects the pieces that will appear in the magazine, which is revealed at the end of the year at an event called The Black Tulip. The magazine has plans to open submissions before winter break this year so students have more time to produce their best work. The Shinnery Review recently put on its annual workshop Nov. 1. In early December, it will conduct a book drive/exchange. Students will be able to get rid of old books as well as take books for themselves. With the direction in which the Shinnery Review is going and with the aspiration it holds, it seems the obstacle of transitioning to a complete online publication is hardly leaving a dent. “There’s just something special about paper copies,” Marshall said. contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
tor, said the competition teaches people the value of learning how to sell themselves. “I was a vocal major and I was taught that I could market my voice, that I was really valuable and I had all these options, but I wasn’t taught to sell myself,” Garrett said. “That was a deficit in my knowledge that I was not aware of until here.” It’s not just people that want other start their own business that need to know how to sell themselves, he said. “Entrepreneurs, if they’re good ones, have a knack at being able to sell themselves, which I think is a skill anyone’s going to need,” Garrett said.
contact brown at akb12b@acu.edu
communication and director of forensics. Counts was elected secretary of the National Parliamentary Debate Association last spring and has since earned the team significant national credibility. “Coach Counts has done a really great job with the program, and I think the work she’s put in over the last five years has really started to show,” Orr said. ACU Speech and Debate has competed and won in a variety of tournaments over the last few years. In February, the team took second place at the Oklahoma State University debate cham-
pionship where Orr was named fourth Top Speaker. “ACU Speech and Debate is really special because it’s an outlet for civic engagement on so many levels,” Orr said. “It allows you to analyze certain subjects and public policies more critically and get access to a wealth of knowledge within the debate community.” The team is scheduled to compete at the University of Utah in January for its next tournament.
contact ward at jtw12a@acu.edu
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Sam Riggs
UPCOMING EVENTS Friday, Nov. 21
and the Night People
Dead Man’s Cell Phone by Sarah Ruhl will be at Fulks Theatre by ACU Theatre. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $15. The Nutcracker brought by the Abilene Ballet Theatre. Performance begins at 8 p.m. Admission varies. Cody Canada, will be playing at The Silo. The show begins at 6:00 p.m. Admission is $12. Saturday, Nov. 22
Dead Man’s Cell Phone by Sarah Ruhl will be at Fulks Theatre by ACU Theatre presents. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $15. The Nutcracker brought by the Abilene Ballet Theatre. Performance begins at 8 p.m. Admission varies. Sam Riggs and the Night People will play at The Silo. The doors open at 7 p.m. Admission is $8.
Outrun The Sun tour in Abilene Catherine Blakemore Arts Editor Sam Riggs and the Night People will perform Saturday at The Silo as part of their Texas tour. Riggs and his band have been touring since the release of their record Outrun the Sun, their first full album. Door will open at 7 p.m. and the band is set to play at 8 p.m. With a song that was featured on the show Nashville, music videos that break the top 10 on CMT, a session recorded with Daytrotter and mentoring from Ray Wylie Hubbard, the show and the chance to hear Outrun the Sun is a must-do for Saturday night. “Sam Riggs wears a legacy of honest country, makes good rock, writes lyrics that matter and straps on a stage presence second to none,” Hubbard said. This is a fact the country artist does not take lightly. The appreciation from his fans for the work done on his first single, Lighthouse EP, and on Outrun the Sun goes a long way for this singer-songwriter. “The first moment when I was like, ‘Wow, this is crazy,’ was when we were playing a show in Lubbock and the crowd started singing Six Feet in the Ground back to us,” Riggs said. “There’s been a few times people come to me and tell me about a song has that changed their life or influenced them or got them through a hard time, especially When the Lights Go Out and Last Prayer. They say it not really realizing what an impact it has on me as a writer, but it feels neat to no end. It makes me want to write more; it’s so gratifying.” A true country artist, Riggs has been playing guitar and drums since he was in high school and writing songs since his sophomore year in high school. “When I was a little kid, my mom had this old Gibson guitar that she passed down to me,” Riggs said. “She used to play for my brother and I, so I picked that thing up and I played it.” Riggs’s background and love of music are what took the singer-songwriter from his high school hobby to touring and producing music videos and sought-after songs. It’s also what makes his story true to country music.
“I was a welder and working my butt off, and I decided I wanted something bigger in life, so I picked up my guitar and went to Texas,” Riggs said. “I wanted to taste the dream of being a musician and a singer/songwriter. I figured if I’m going to die some day, I don’t want to look back on my life like I wasted it.” His journey has not worked perfectly to achieve the dream of fame, though. “There hasn’t been a lot, but there’s been a couple moments when I look back and I think how things would’ve been different if I hadn’t done this,” Riggs said. “But I don’t think there’s ever been a moment where I wished I hadn’t. I lost touch with a lot of friends, lost touch with a lot of family. When you’re blowing and going and writing music all the time, you change and grow so much when you move away from home, much less being in a band. You’re not the same person and you can’t go home again.” Sacrifice is not a subject Riggs is unfamiliar with. Lighthouse was a path and a decision not taken or made lightly. “Lighthouse was made around a whole lot of turmoil in my life. That’s where the premise for Lighthouse came from; everybody needs a lighthouse to pull them through the fog,” Riggs said. “That record was after me. I gambled everything on it. I sold my truck, I sold my welder to finish it and I put out my first radio single.” Now that Outrun the Sun has been out for a little more than a year, Riggs is planning for the future. “You’re always trying to see over the horizon to see what’s coming up next,”he said. “We’re going to Steamboat (Colorado) in January doing a big tour up there and back. In the meantime, I’m writing my tail off, writing as many songs as I can, because in April, we’re going into the studio to make another record.” As for Abilene, Sam Riggs and the Night People will be perform Saturday to share their talent and drive. “Everybody wants to get done and have a night off and experience something surreal or just get out and cut loose and have a good time,” Riggs said. “We’re looking forward to having a show (in Abilene). We have the saying, if it’s five or five thousand, it’s the same show.” contact Blakemore at crb13a@acu.edu
Sunday, Nov. 23
The Nutcracker brought by the Abilene Ballet Theatre. Performance begins at 8 p.m. Admission varies.
WEEKLY FAVORITES with Madeline Orr.
Song Currently Common Sentiments by Typhoon.
Band The Killers because I haven’t remembered to take Hot Fuss out of my CD player since 2007. TV Show
30 Rock because Tina.
Food Breakfast in the World Famous Bean. Coffee Drink All about that coffee, no cream. Photo courtesy of maroon weekly
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Blog/Website
Wikipedia. Movie The Muppet Christmas Carol. 90’s Knick Knack
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Opinion
6
Friday 11.21.14
editorial
Focusing on real news: no ifs, ands or butts the issue Kim Kardashian’s breaking of the internets is breaking our hearts and our beloved news cycle
our take Enlightening and engaging news about phenomenal human accomplishments should not be scrolled past on your feed
Last week, one giant step was taken for mankind. For the last 10 years, Rosetta spacecraft has roamed the solar system, following a comet headed toward the sun. And last week, Rosetta’s probe, Philae, landed on the comet. That may not seem like
a big deal to you, but think about it for a second. A machine in space landed on a frozen comet only two and half miles wide, hurtling through the galaxy, 317 million miles from earth. The spacecraft bounced across the surface of Comet
hashtagACU
67 P/C hu r y u mov- G er asimenko as its harpoons worked to secure it to the rocky, icy terrain. This incredible feat of human space exploration to the edges of the universe was overshadowed by none other than a celebrity’s backside. Right around the time of Philae’s landing, the world stood gawking at Kim Kardashian’s attempt to “break the internet.” Sites like Twitter were buzzing with commentary on the Kardashian’s newest claim to fame, while cometary talk of Philae was reduced to the trending
hashtag #WeCanLandOnACometButWeCant [fill in the blank here]. What started as a conversation about society’s progress and great achievements ended with people saying things like “#WeCanLandOnACometButWeCant get Canada to realize their bacon is really ham.” The news industry continues to be shaped by social media, and more and more people are turning to Twitter for their current event briefings than ever before. And while major achievements in history are talked about via Twitter,
important things are watered down and silly things are magnified and given center stage. One Twitter user said “#WeCanLandOnACometButWeCant take back the decision to give the power of global communication to the kind of people who make hashtag jokes.” Another comment “#WeCanLandOnACometButWeCant stop making stupid people famous.” Sometimes amidst the collection of generally poorly thought out tweets, we stumble upon combinations of words that make
us stop and think about what is really worth talking about. We landed a spacecraft on a comet, but we are still here on earth scrolling past tweet after tweet about Kim Kardashian. There are important conversations not being had, real news happening, and incredible accomplishments in history looked over and made light of by an Internet that really might be broken.
contact The Optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
DAILY doodle dosage
Ben Todd
Nov. 20 7:21 p.m. Nov. 20 12:28 p.m.
Dead Man’s Cell Phone...
i am crayola you are roseart
Dead audience
@MasonAndrews21 @AmandavBynes Nov. 20 12:40 p.m.
Nov. 19 11:25 a.m.
It’s fitting that she’s talking about warm fresh bread again considering Moody feels like an oven #chapeltweet
I only have four more sessions of Bcore but I might die before they’re done #overit
@marafleet
@sweetcarolina93
Nov.19 5:27 p.m.
Nov. 20 7:02 p.m.
The sidewalks are clean.. tours must be starting soon #acudifference
The semester is almost over and I still haven’t had a guy over for visitation day #singlelife
Column
@juliaaprior @alannarael Nov. 20 12:05 p.m. Nov. 20 1:43 p.m.
Study tip: Set up your homework down for a break Grab some cigs and a lighter to relax Throw away the cigs Use lighter to burn homework
Saturday. In Moody. At 4pm. Biggest home game. In ACU basketball. HISTORY! Don’t miss it!
@ACUWildcatReign @jbc30 When you take a 10 minute study break and it accidentally lasts the entire semester
Hi mom can you come pick me up from life?
YikYak
YikYak
One simply does not have a “sleep schedule”
YikYak
Column
De León is the real deal-eon
In case you missed it, ACU chose Houston native and Notre Dame product Lee De León as the new athletic director. For me personally, it was a bit of a shock, but a happy one for sure. In the past, whether it be an administrative role or a coaching position, ACU has gained the reputation of hiring within the ACU community. But this time, President Schubert reached out to someone outside the school who has an incredible resumé. De León graduated from Notre Dame,
earned his masters at Texas A&M University and then went to work for major programs such as LSU, University of Houston, University of Arizona and the University of New Mexico before joining ACU. He studied sports management and has dreamed of being an athletic director. For ACU, this is a huge pickup and a step in the right direction for Wildcat athletics. De León knows what it takes to put together a winning program, has the experience and credentials to back it up and has the
enthusiasm to make it happen. At 33 years old, De León is one of the younger ADs to be selected for ACU. He is also only the third director to be selected who did not attend Abilene Christian. The move to get De León was a loud statement from the university that said ‘we want someone who takes athletic success seriously and wants to bring us to the top,’ and that the search for athletic excellence on the field is required for a Div. I university. Even though De León is just 33 and this is his first gig as a Div. I athletic director, you have to think this guy has what it takes to move this program to the top. When you think of the fact that former AD Jared Mosley,
who was 27 years old when he first took over 10 years ago, did great things for the university, age might not be as big of a factor as you think. And to top it off, De León exhibits the lifestyle and attitude that is endorsed by ACU. The decision to bring on De León was a good call. He has a top-notch education, great experience in Div. I athletic offices and has the energy and drive to push us to new heights. As for me, this man gets two thumbs up. And I can’t wait to see where this ride takes us if he’s driving the bus.
contact zepeda at djz11a@acu.edu
I’m discovering where the maker meets the lab DAILY DOODLE VAGABONDAGE DOSAGE SAMANTHA SUTHERLAND BEN TODD
This semester has been full of new experiences for me. Even as a sophomore, there are still so many things to experience here on our campus. There is one experience in particular that I have grown fond of: the Maker Lab. The Maker Lab piqued my curiosity when my professor recommended me to use their laser engraving machine for one of my art projects. I had heard stories of the place,
but the stories could never measure up to standing inside the lab, surrounded by a plethora of gadgets. Some tools were familiar, others were foreign, a few were even intimidating to think about using. Regardless, until that day that I came into the lab for my art project, I had never internally squealed so loud in my life. Watching the laser machine cut my stencils out with such speed and precision gave me the
excitement equivalent to a small child seeing his first fireworks show. I was hooked, and had full intention of returning to the creative playground. As I skipped happily out of the lab with my freshly cut stencils in hand, I was also plotting my next excuse to come back to the Maker Lab. Fortunately, an opportunity did reveal itself. The smallest inconvenience in my life had a solution that could be solved by building something. I didn’t like how disorganized my Xbox controllers looked sitting on my counter, so I decided to make them a case/cabinet for them to be stored in. I immedi-
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 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.
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Address letters to: ACU Box 27892 Abilene, TX 79609 E-mail letters to: optimist@acu.edu
ately drew rough plans in my sketchbook and then designed the cabinet pieces on Illustrator. After finding a prime piece of wood I returned to the Maker Lab, excited to build. This time, I got to see the wood cutting machine in action. Once my pieces were cut out, I started to sand and glue them together, encountering many issues along the way. I didn’t expect to create the perfect project the first time through. My cabinet ended up having design issues that required lots of improvisation, but even with these setbacks, I’m actually proud of myself for rolling with the punches. The
“
The smallest inconvenience in my life had a solution that could be solved by building something.”
cabinet for my controllers is currently sitting in the Maker Lab, waiting for my schedule to free up so I can finish it, and once that project is done, I already have ideas for another project. With the holidays closing in on us, I’m going to try to create some small holiday gifts for my friends and family. No longer do I have
to give my list to Santa’s workshop, I AM SANTA’S WORKSHOP! (Laughs maniacally while holding 3D printed hammer) In all seriousness, the Maker Lab is awesome. Go check it out!
contact todd at bat12a@acu.edu
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sports
friday 11.21.14
7
Tulsa Hurricanes handle Wildcats, 65-39 daniel zepeda sports Director The Wildcats were over matched Wednesday night, as the team fell to Tulsa on the road, 65-39. It was the first time since 1982 that the team was held to under 40 points for a game. “Tulsa is a NCA A tournament team so it was a great challenge for us,” senior Harrison Hawkins said. “Hopefully, we’ll look back at this game and learn from it and it will help us down the road.” After scoring 101 points in the season opener, ACU was held to a dismal 27 percent shooting on the night against the Golden Hurricanes, and were just 5-22 from beyond the arc. Junior Austin Cooke scored 12
points and junior Parker Wentz 16-game streak of double digit scoring came to an end, as he finished with seven points on 3-10 shooting. It was only the third time in the last 23 games that Wentz was held to under 10 points. “We just couldn’t make shots, even when they were wide open looks,” Hawkins said. “We didn’t execute to the ability that we know how.” The Wildcats kept things competitive early on, trailing only by five, 20-15, with six minutes left in the first half. The Golden Hurricanes would then go on a 13-4 run to end the half, leading 33-19. Shooting in the second half would prove to be near impossible for ACU. paige otway Staff Photographer Senior Harrison Hawkins Austin Cooke led the Wildcats in scoring against Tulsa. started off the second He scored 12 points on 45 percent shooting. half with a three point
bucket for three of his six points, but the Wildcats wouldn’t make another shot until seven minutes later with thirteen minutes left in the game. With just over five minutes left, a Tulsa layup pushed the score to 61-33, dooming all hope for an ACU comeback. The Wildcats struggled on the glass, as Tulsa outrebounded ACU 43-29, and committed twice as many fouls as Tulsa, fouling 22 times compared to 11 by the Golden Hurricanes. ACU struggled to get to the free throw line, going just 4-7 and not attempting a single free throw until the second half. Tulsa attempted 25 free throws for the game, converting just 14. Junior Duran Porter got the start over sophomore Riley Payne, who
was scratched from the lineup after injuring his ankle in shoot around Thursday. The Wildcats will now prepare for what is highly considered one of the most notable home games in school history. Duquesne University, who ACU lost to last season, 94-75, will travel to Abilene for the game Saturday afternoon. Head coach Joe Golding emphasized the need for a major test in Tulsa before taking on Duquesne at home and declined when Tulsa offered to reschedule the game with ACU. The Wildcats will play Duquesne Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m.
contact zepeda at djz11a@acu.edu
paige otway Staff Photographer
ACU volleyball improved on its 2013 conference record by two wins this year under new head coach Jason BIbler. However, the Wildcats still struggled to close out multiple games and ended up losing seven games in five sets.
Wildcats conclude tough, rebuilding year Tori Valdivia sports reporter The ACU volleyball team played its last match of the 2014 season at home last Saturday against the Northwestern State University Demons. The Wildcats fell to the Lady Demons for the second and final time this year in five sets (19-25, 2519, 18-25, 26-24 and 1512). The loss concluded ACU’s season at 4-12 in the Southland Conference and going 6-24 overall. “I thought the team fought hard all season which was good to see,” said Jason Bibler, head coach. “The girls progressed really well this season; it was disappointing to not see that carry over to the win column.” The Wildcats honored their three graduating seniors, Neely Borger, Rachel Riley and Taylor Nix, at the match. In her final match, Borger, senior middle blocker from Amarillo, led the team in blocks, recording five block assists for the day. Borger concluded her college carrier with .85 blocks per set and hit .172. Riley, senior right side
“
I thought the team fought hard all season which was good to see. The girls progressed really well this season; it was dissapointing to not see that carry over to the win column.”
hitter from Flower Mound, recorded 14 kills right behind Jennie Loerch, junior outside hitter from Georgetown, who had 16. Riley finished the year with 1.49 kills per set hitting .137. Nix, senior outside hitter from Crawford, contributed to her team’s offense when she recorded two back-to-back kills giving the Wildcats their first lead in the fourth set. Nix ended her senior season hitting .136 and 1.29 kills per set. Loerch also received a Southland Conference honorable mention for the 2014 season. She consistently led the Wildcat’s offense as she recorded 419 kills, 1,340 attempts, 15 aces and 254 digs. Loerch finished
“We realized that we’re actually a good team and we can compete at this level, but our biggest downfall was our mental game,” Loerch said. “We’re going to do what it takes to push through that barrier and work toward games that we should win.” jason bibler The Wildcats had a difhead coach ficult season for the most ACU volleyball part, but are hopeful for next year. “We are in a better her junior season with place right now than we 3.71 kills per match, rank- were during two-a-days, ing fifth in the Southland and that is good,” Bibler Conference. said. “I think the girls are
ready to start working how good we are.” this spring and get ready for next season. Nothing contact valdivia at comes easy, so we will vmv12b@acu.edu have to go out and prove
sports
Friday 11.21.14
8
standings football Standings
Team
Div.
SELU SHSU UCA Lamar SFA McNeese St. NSU ACU UIW HBU Nicholls St.
6-1 6-1 5-2 4-3 4-3 4-3 4-3 4-4 2-6 1-7 0-7
Ovrl 8-3 7-4 6-5 7-4 7-4 6-4 6-5 6-6 2-9 2-9 0-11
mens basketball Standings
Team
Div.
NO 0-0 UIW 0-0 TAMU-CC 0-0 ACU 0-0 HBU 0-0 MSU 0-0 NSU 0-0 SHSU 0-0 SFA 0-0 Lamar 0-0 Nicholls St.0-0 SELU 0-0 UCA 0-0
Ovrl 1-0 2-0 1-1 1-1 1-1 1-1 1-1 1-1 1-1 1-2 0-1 0-2 0-3
womens basketball Standings
Team
Div.
NSU 0-0 ACU 0-0 MSU 0-0 Nicholls St.0-0 SELU 0-0 SFA 0-0 UIW 0-0 TAMU-CC 0-0 UCA 0-0 NO 0-0 SHSU 0-0 HBU 0-0 Lamar 0-0
Ovrl 2-0 2-1 1-1 1-1 1-1 1-1 1-1 0-1 0-1 0-1 0-1 0-2 0-3
Who’s Hot Sophomore guard Alexis Mason has led the team in scoring Mason so far this season averaging 18.0 points per game. Mason is shooting more than 45 percent from the field and 36 percent from behind the arc.
briefings Paige Otway Staff Photographer
ACU football finished its first season in the Southland by winning two out of its last three conference games, a 52-35 win over Central Arkansas and a 37-35 upset of conference power Stephen F. Austin.
Football flexes Southland muscle
Wildcats headline 2014 season with Troy, SFA, UCA upsets Collin Wieder sports Editor Wildcat football came to a close last Saturday with possibly its best performance of the season, a 37-35 win against Stephen F. Austin. ACU finished the season at 6-6 overall. The Wildcats looked like a Southland Conference team this season, going 4-4 in conference play including two wins against the established programs of Central Arkansas and Stephen F. Austin. ACU also battled two FBS teams and two top-25 FCS opponents. “There was a little bit of everything this season,” said Ken Collums, head coach. “We won some really big games, and we lost some really disappointing games that we should’ve finished. We went to Troy, Alabama, and took them down. That was a huge win, and for me, that solidified that we can compete with guys for four quarters.” The ‘Cats opened the season facing their toughest non-conference schedule to date. ACU went into the Georgia Dome and fell on a last-second field goal to Georgia State 38-37. The Wildcats would fall just short of completing a comeback the following week against nationally-ranked Northern Arizona, 27-21. ACU would finally get its first win of the season against a successful FBS program in Troy, 38-35. ACU cruised past Houston Baptist and Incarnate Word to place them atop the Southland Conference with a 2-0 Southland record. It didn’t last long, however, as
Lamar would pull out a lastsecond comeback to beat the ‘Cats at Shotwell, 24-21. The team would bounce back in their final non-conference game of the year as they defeated the NAIA’s Ave Maria, 55-14, for ACU’s homecoming game. A rough stretch of games ended in disappointing losses at McNeese and Sam Houston, putting them at 4-5 and 2-3 in conference. ACU’s tough stretch would continue against Coach Collums’ alma mater, Central Arkansas. The ‘Cats, without an injured Parker McKenzie, pounded the Bears 52-35 behind five touchdowns from freshman quarterback Kade Munden. The final home game of the season did not go well for ACU as the team turned the ball over five times on its way to a 34-10 beatdown by Northwestern State. ACU would need one final win to continue the streak which came against Collums’ mentor, Clint Conque, at Stephen F. Austin. This time, ACU’s 37 points would be enough to give the Wildcats an even 6-6 season. “We struggled from time to time, but every other team struggled also,” Collums said. “The fact that we were able to come right in from the beginning and compete right away tells me we aren’t that far off. It tells me that we belong in this league and everybody knows it. To me it’s the biggest up-andcoming FCS program in the entire country.” ACU put together its ninth consecutive .500 or better season, making the program a perennial winner and competitor. The team
has shown that even with changes on either side of the ball, there will be still be success. The offense put together another campaign of more than 5,000 yards behind the arm of sophomore quarterback Parker McKenzie and the legs of freshman running back De’Andre Brown. McKenzie became the sixth quarterback in ACU history to throw for over 3,000 yards. He also added 22 scoring tosses through the air. Brown dominated opponents this year, averaging 7.0 yards per carry on his way to 962 yards and seven touchdowns. The talented freshman ran for more than 100 yards five times this season, including a 256-yard, three-touchdown performance against Stephen F. Austin. Junior Herschel Sims contributed as well in an injury-plagued season. Sims ran through the pain for 559 yards and four touchdowns. He was a key player in the Wildcats’ win at Troy, rushing 20 times for 96 yards. The turnover from the 2013 season at receiver was no problem for the ‘Cats as young players and transfers stepped up to the challenge in 2014. The ball was spread around all season as five players had 20 or more catches. The lone senior receiver, Demarcus Thompson, led the way with 54 catches for 640 yards and two touchdowns. He ended his career with 120 receptions for 1,523 yards and eight touchdowns. Thompson passed Johnny Knox in the final game of the season to be 10th on ACU’s career recep-
tion list. Junior transfer Cedric Gilbert turned out to be the biggest playmaker for the ‘Cats this season. Gilbert burned opponents as he led the team in yards per catch (17.6), yards (667) and touchdowns (seven). Junior Cade Stone entered the season with experience as a returner but none at receiver. He entered this season with zero career catches. Stone was a consistent playmaker for the ‘Cats snaring passes for 494 yards and five touchdowns. ACU’s tight ends continued their red zone success from the previous year as they combined for seven touchdown catches. Senior Noah Cheshier led all tight ends with 27 catches for 298 yards and three touchdowns. Senior starting fullback/ tight end Jonathan Parker did a little bit of everything for the Wildcats this year, even playing running back against Incarnate Word. Parker will leave the team as a three-year starter and key contributor to the team. The defense continued their opportunistic ways as they forced 25 turnovers this year with a veteran defense. The defense featured two senior safeties in Justin Stewart and Angel Lopez. They both tied for the team lead in interceptions with two and combined to make 181 total tackles. The two safeties started three years together, forcing 12 total turnovers. The rest of the starting secondary struggled to stay on the field. Junior cornerback Keith Barnett missed three games this season due
to injury, while Tyler Chapa was dismissed from the program for issues off the field. Junior transfer Jonathan Epps and freshman Terry Ausborne stepped up, especially in the Central Arkansas game, where the two combined to force four turnovers. Senior linebacker Justin Stephens wreaked havoc all over the field this year, leading the team in tackles with 100 and ranking second on the team in tackles for loss with 7.0. True freshman Sam Denmark showed how important recruiting classes can be as he compiled 77 tackles in just 10 games of play. Denmark also played a huge role in ACU’s win over Incarnate Word as he recorded two interceptions. Defensive End Nick Richardson finished up his ACU career ranked no. 2 on the sack list with 32.5 sacks. Richardson dominated Southland opponents this season with 17 tackles for loss and nine sacks. He also forced two fumbles and blocked a field goal against then-No. 25 Northern Arizona. ACU’s first official season in the Southland was one to remember as they upset three major opponents. Wide receiver Cedric Gilbert believes the team has a bright future. “We have more confidence and belief in our team,” Gilbert said. “We know that we belong in the conference and we can win a conference championship.” contact Wieder at cpw11a@acu.edu
The football team swept conference awards this week with senior linebacker Justin Stephens (Defense), sophomore Nik Grau (Special Teams) and freshman De’Andre Brown (Offense) earning players of the week. Men’s basketball announced the addition of four recruits for the 2015-16 season. Guard Jaylen Franklin from Arkansas, Jaren Lewis from Florida, forwards Hayden Howell from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and Hayden Farquhar from Throckmorton. Freshman running back De’Andre Brown was named to the Jerry Rice Award watch list on Wednesday. The award named after the great Jerry Rice is given to the FCS’s top freshman player of the year. Be sure to follow @OptimistSports on Twitter for more stories and the latest ACU sports news coverage.
Upcoming Men’s basketball travels to Tulsa, Oklahoma, Wednesday to take on the Golden Hurricanes. The game will start at 7:05 p.m. Men’s basketball will play Duquesne on Saturday at Moody Coliseum. Tipoff at 4 p.m.