Vinyl only Local music lovers gather at record shop Feature Page 5 vol. 103, no. 40
wednesday, march 4, 2015
1 SECTION, 6 PAGES
Drop in gas prices has minimal effect on endowment
what’s INSIDE NEWS Professor to film documentary in Mexico City next week Page 3
madeline orr editor in chief The university’s $370 million endowment saw an energy impact of less than 2 percent on its value as oil and gas prices fell dramatically from last September to the end of December. Jack Rich, ACU’s chief investment officer, said initially the endowment has not been hurt that significantly by the drop in energy prices despite having a portion of the endowment invested in mineral royalties and private equity. “We own royalty interest, meaning we own the minerals that are underneath the surface, and most of those have been given to us over time,” Rich said. “The other is we invest in private equity, and that’s investing in private companies that have some relation to the energy market.” The S&P 500, an index of the stock prices of 500 large U.S. companies, went down 3 percent in January. “We don’t own that much of the S&P, but that just shows that investments can be very volatile,” he said. The university’s endowment is made up of gifts given by donors for the long-term benefit of the university. Rich said return on the endowment provides about $17 million annually to support scholarships and operations. “We had a good year this past year,” he said. “We’re still one of the better performing endowments in terms of our investment return, in terms of the longterm. About 20 years ago, it was about $50 million, and today it is about $370 million, and that has come through a combination of investment growth and new gifts that come in.”
SPORTS Softball team launches 26 runs in Florida
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OPINION Bilingual education is necessary but not always progressive Page 4
SPORTS Women’s basketball hits five-game winning streak Page 5
OPINION The age of faculty and professors contributes to their relevancy
austin kilcullen staff Photographer
Tim Hawkins, Christian comedian, mocks the wildcats sign at his performance in Moody with ACU alumnus Bob Smiley. The event on Saturday was a fundraiser for Abilene Christian Schools.
contact orr at mco10b@acu.edu
‘Passport’ is now New Student Orientation Page 4
SPORTS Men’s tennis team struggles against Air Force Academy
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NEWS New apps change experience of SXSW festival in Austin
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Laura Benson Newscast producer New leadership has taken over for New Student Orientation at ACU. For the past 15 years, Wildcat Week (formerly known as Welcome Week) has been directed by Dr. Eric Gumm, the Registrar and Interim Director of General Education. However, because Gumm has recently taken on additional responsibilities, director of admissions, Tamara Long, will now manage New Student Orientation. “I am excited to help align the recruiting and
VIDEO The newscast and sportscast recap events on campus
Read more at acuoptimist.com
and parents have a strong transition into the ACU community, the university is adding additional orientation options for the summer of 2015 and the foreseeable summers to come. The three orientations dates will include: one for freshman students, one for transfer students, and one strongly encouraged for out-of-state students. Additionally, ACU will begin the new tradition of a “one day move-in”. The Office of the Provost believes by having only one move-in day “there will be more excitement, more resources allocated to helping students move
in, and all the students will be making the transition together.” Long said, “I think one move-in day allows the entire ACU community to place all effort on this important process and celebrate with families this major monumental life transition.” Residence Life is prepared to work with student groups who may need to move into residence halls early. They are also exploring the possibility of securing host families for unaccompanied students that attend the third session, for out-of-state students. The following are the
New Student Orientation dates: New Student Orientation 1: June 15 & 16 (Monday and Tuesday) New Student Orientation 2: June 29 & 30 (Monday and Tuesday) Transfer Orientation: July 20 (Monday) (Transfers can attend any of the four orientation sessions, but will be encouraged to attend July 20.) New Student Orientation 3: August 17 (Monday).
contact benson at leb10b@acu.edu
Debate team pair ranked 4th in nation collin wieder
what’s online
transition processes more seamlessly,” said Long. After many conversations with leaders across campus, the Office of the Provost has created a new vision for student orientation. This ‘new vision’ includes three significant changes to Wildcat Week: 1) additional orientation dates, 2) special transfer orientation, and 3) a single move-in day for new students. Previously, the university hosted two orientation sessions for about 1,100 undergraduate students and their parents. To ensure all students
sports editor ACU’s debate team has become one of the nation’s best this year, traveling across the country to compete against, and defeat, top schools. The team has traveled all over the U.S. this year to locations such as Berkeley, California, Kansas City and Bellingham, Washington. Dena Counts, debate team coach and director of forensics, said the team travels every year to compete against intense competition. “We travel about every three weeks,” Counts said. “We mainly do debate, and the type we focus on is par-
liamentary debate, which means we could have a different topic each round. We may do five rounds of debate that last 45 minutes on one day.” ACU competes against big names such as Oregon University, University of California, Berkeley and the University of Utah. Teams feature two students who take a stance against what the opposing team has decided. One of ACU’s pair teams was recently ranked fourth in the nation out of 500 schools. Top 60 teams will advance to nationals in Kansas City, Missouri, in two weeks. Caleb Orr, sophomore political science major from see debate page 3
Krystal fogle special contributor
Caleb Orr and Joyce Schuster comprise the debate pair that will advance to nationals in two weeks.
Abilene Christian University
Wednesday 3.04.15
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wednesday
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thursday 9 a.m. Women’s tennis at Collin College 9:30 a.m. Men’s tennis at Collin College
6 p.m. Women’s basketball at University of the Incarnate Word
3 p.m Men’s tennis at Xavier 3 p.m. Women’s tennis at Xavier
8 p.m. Men’s basketball at University of the Incarnate Word
Chapel checkup To date:
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friday 5:30 p.m. Chinese New Year celebration in the Hunter Welcome Center
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saturday Women’s tennis versus University of the Incarnate Word
Men’s and women’s basketball at Texas A&M Corpus Christi
4 p.m. Softball versus Southeastern Louisiana University
12 p.m. Softball versus Southeastern Louisiana University
6 p.m. Baseball versus Nicholls State University
2 p.m. Baseball versus Nicholls State University
Around Abilene
Remaining:
38 35 @acuoptimist The Optimist
March 5
March 10
March 10
March 12
6 p.m. Artist Tamberley Thomas will teach beautiful watercolor flower painting techniques at the Grace Museum. Go to http://thegracemuseum. org/category/classes/ to register.
11 a.m. Oops! Make No Mistake About It. Make Life Art. opens at the Center for Contemporary Arts. Artist Cara Hines is a self-described recovering perfectionist. Creating works with her eyes closed or with her non-dominant hand forces her to respond to feelings, emotions and the sounds around her, quieting her inner critic and helping her to appreciate the mistakes that make life art.
7:30 p.m. Camelot at the Abilene Civic Center. Recount the time-honored legend of King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot and the Knights of the Round Table in an enchanting fable of chivalry, majesty and brotherhood in this four-time Tony Awardwinning show. Tickets start at $25. Visit http://www. celebrityattractions.com/ index.asp for more.
5 p.m. ArtWalk at the Grace Museum. ArtWalk is an event led by the Center for Contemporary Arts. During ArtWalk, the Grace hosts a free make ‘n take activity in our third floor education center.
optimist@acu.edu
Announcements The ACU Undergraduate Research Festival is almost here! Come to Hunter Welcome Center March 31, to support undergraduate researchers during our seventh annual festival.
Come celebrate Chinese New Year with The ACU Graduate School academic CSSA and ISA at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in journal is now accepting article submisthe Hunter Welcome Center. sions related to the humanities, social sciences and theology. Creative writSpoken Word Chapel will meet Tuesdays ing submissions will be accepted for in the Onstead Packer Biblical Studies the journal’s new blog located at http:// Are you free this summer and in need Building, Room 250. If you enjoy poetry, blogs.acu.edu/conversations/. Deadof a job? Are you energetic, love being come listen, share and be ministered to line for submissions is April 10. Email around children, and have a passion for by Christ-centered poetry. snw12a@acu.edu for more information. Jesus? Then ACU Leadership Camps may be for you. If you have any ques- Missionary Tech Team will overview in- Have an idea for a business? Register tions, we are located downstairs in the ternship opportunities 5 p.m. Wednes- for the Springboard Ideas Challenge by Campus Center. Apply online at day in the Shore Art Gallery. Refresh- Thursday. Registration fee is $10. The acucamps.com/apply. ments will be served. Internships are college division grand prize is $10,000. possible for several majors. Email greggscenter@acu.edu for questions or more information.
The second annual Finals Fun Fest will be April 25. The four-on-four grass volleyball tournament will be at Sanders Intramural Fields. Cost is $80 per team. Each team can have a maximum of five players, but only four can participate at a time; at least one player must be female. The play schedule will be sent by email beforehand. For more information or to register, contact Ijeoma Moronu at ish07a@acu.edu or 674-2383. Midnight Worship is every Friday night at Fountaingate Fellowship, 909 N. Willis. Join college students and young adults across Abilene as we unite to worship.
Volunteer Opportunities 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. The waiting list has 138 children. Contact Jamie Bearden at 325-674-3113 or jbearden@bbbstx.org for more information. Communities in Schools needs 10 to 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. 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 yearround 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 325-6725050 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. Special Olympics is seeking volunteers for two upcoming events. The first is September 26-27. They will be hosting a Bocce Ball tournament at Centennial Park. 20 volunteers per day are needed to keep score, hand out medals, escort athletes and cheer! The second event is November 6-8. They are hosting a bowling tournament at the Abilene Bowling Lanes. 30-35 volunteers are needed per day to sit with the athletes at the lanes, make sure each athlete bowls on his/her turn and handle issues of stuck balls and lane malfunctions. Contact Luann Chastain at 325-677-3200 or lchastain@sotx. org to volunteer. The Alliance for Women and Children is seeking volunteers for afterschool 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 325-670-0246. 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 Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. The Food Bank is located at 5505 N. 1st St. For more information contact Janice Serrault at 325695-6311 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.
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news
wednesday 3.04.15
Missionary program advertises internships mercedez hernandez student reporter An East Texas organization that provides support for Christian missionaries will come to campus Wednesday to give interested students a glimpse inside its summer internship program. Missionary TECH Team is an organization based in Longview that works to provide national and international missionaries with
materials for success. Services MTT performs include designing brochures for missionaries and designing facilities for churches and Christian schools. The group is looking for engineering, graphic design, interior design, architecture, accounting and computer science majors interested in working in a Christian-based, collaborative environment. “We will be having our event so that students can hear about their opportuni-
ties and if it’s something they want to look into more,” said Kitty Wasemiller, interior design program director. Wasemiller said she first learned of the internship program from Steph Muwangi, a junior interior design major from Congo, who interned with the group last summer. “It was my first opportunity for an internship; it was very interesting,” Muwangi said. “It was quite an experience, and I acquired great notions of design that were not
taught to me at school. They will serve me well in the future.” Muwangi interned with MTT for about six weeks last summer and assisted with a couple of projects. “I worked with great designers,” Muwangi said. “One thing I enjoyed the most was the fact that they do not underestimate any student’s creativity and their particular approach to design. In fact, I have proposed ideas that were incorporated in the con-
struction of the schools, and I am not even licensed yet.” Wasemiller and Patrick Schnell, an architect intern at MTT, said they think the internship offers students authentic career experience. “It’s one thing to be in a classroom and imagine what it’s like out there, but it’s another to experience it,” Wasemiller said. Schnell has been with MTT for four years and was an intern with the program in 2005.
“You’re able to do the skills that you’re in your college major for, but you’re also getting that college experience,” Schnell said. “We love working with students, and we like people coming around so we can give them opportunities to use what skills they have.” MTT will have its interest meeting at 5 p.m. in the Shore Art Gallery. contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Documentary highlights sexualization in media savanah silva student reporter The Chapel Office presented a forum Tuesday about the complex topic of eating disorders and the sexualization of women in the media. Killing Us Softly, a documentary series, is being shown as part of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week facilitated by We Are Not Alone, an on-campus support group for students who have or have had an eating disorder.
Dr. Jennifer Shewmaker, author of Sexualized Media Messages and Our Children: Teaching Kids to Be Smart Critics and Consumers, will be available after the forum to moderate discussion and answer questions. Shewmaker’s book dives into the often-hushed topic of media messages and their increased sexualized themes over the years. As a mother to three daughters, Shewmaker noticed marketers were reaching out to children her daughters’ age with a much
higher focus on romance and appearance, which inspired her to write the book. “Everywhere I looked, I noticed the same old story; that a woman or girl gains her value from her ability to be sexually attractive and that boys and men gain value from being seen as sexual aggressors or players,” said Shewmaker, associate professor of psychology. Killing Us Softly breaks down more than 160 television and print advertisements that pertain to the idea that the media influ-
ences and creates false expectations for society’s adolescents. Steve Rowlands, director of the Weber Medical and Counseling Care Center, said he hopes people will take away more than just two Chapel credits from the forum. “I would love for us all to gain a core sense of our value and the beauty that God has created in all of us,” he said. Shewmaker dedicated years of study to this topic and said she is excited for others to understand what
sexualized media can do to not just adolescents, but adults as well. She hopes the film plants a seed in the audience’s brain that allows them to see themselves in a different light –a light not produced by the media. “Media is powerful,” Shewmaker said. “It can influence the way the audience thinks and feels, and when done with a social conscious such as the Killing Us Softly films, it can bring us a new awareness or enlighten us.” The decision to show the film was not difficult given
the topic is so controversial, Rowland said. “The movie was recommended to us, and after we previewed it, we felt it was a powerful documentary that would help create a positive conversation,” he said. The documentary is one of four events occurring this week regarding the topics of image and identity as part of NEDA Week.
contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Professor films, researches in Mexico City jonathan raitz student reporter After producing numerous documentaries and books, Dr. Vernon Williams, professor of history, will spend his spring break in Mexico City to conduct interviews for his next film about the Pancho Villa Expedition, or Punitive Expedition, of 1916. “The story of the film is going to be the story of this expedition,” Williams said. “It will not just be the story of the American side, but I want to look at the role Pancho Villa had in the Mexican Revolution.” The Punitive Expedition was a military operation in
which the U.S. Army tried to capture Francisco “Pancho” Villa, a Mexican revolutionary, and took place during the Mexican Revolution. With the help of Francisco Villa, an ACU graduate and great-grandson of the late Pancho Villa, Williams was able to set up interviews with other members of Pancho’s family and various academic historians to help expand the research done for his first book, Lieutenant Patton. “He (Francisco) said one day he went to the library to see what kind of books they might have that included his great-grandfather,” Williams said. “He was shocked to find out someone at ACU had written a book about the Pu-
nitive Expedition.” According to Williams, Villa tried to follow up with him about his first book a few years back, but their timing never matched up. “He came over to the history department looking for me, and as it turns out, he was told I was out of the country,” Williams said. Although no one ever mentioned it to Williams when he returned, he unintentionally followed up a little while back. After speaking with Villa, Williams said the interviews are set, and the people are looking forward to being interviewed. “The Mexican people I am going to interview are very eager to talk with me,” Williams
said. “They have agreed to be interviewed with no restrictions. They’re eager for the stories to be done, they are supportive of the film, and there is an eagerness.” Williams said he hopes the film will portray the American and Mexican sides of the event. He has already been to Washington D.C., and the interviews and research he is planning to conduct during spring break will be valuable to the final production. “Our primary goal is to preserve the history of this event, but more than that to make it possible for the voices of ordinary people on both sides of the combat trail to be heard,” Williams said. “When I was in the National Archives,
the footage I was looking for had not been looked at in 50, 60, 70 years. It had been forgotten.” The project is being conducted for a historical society in Arizona, and Dr. Ron Morgan, chair of the Department of History and Global Studies, said this is another example of the impact and reputation Williams has at ACU and in the community’s history. “It’s really good for ACU because Vernon Williams represents us out in the wider historical scholarship community, and he is well known and well reputed for his work,” Morgan said. His film will be titled Patton and Pancho: A Clash of Cultures and it is set to pre-
miere March 2016. This date will mark the 100-year anniversary of the event, and Williams said he hopes it will mean even more. “All of these people – the Americans that I will interview, the historians on this side of the border, the members of the family of Pancho Villa, the Mexican historians – we are all interested in trying to help develop this resource that will not only help us make some sense of what happened, but apply it to our world today,” Williams said.
contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Reading group connects faculty, students abbey bowling student reporter The Adams Center for Teaching and Learning has started a new reading group called Make It Stick to help faculty members improve the ways their students learn. The group is based on the book Make It Stick, by Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III and Mark A. McDaniel, which explores research on the science of learning. The group meets Wednesdays for lunch in the
Adams Center and is led by Dr. Robert McKelvain, researcher in residence and professor and director of graduate studies for the Department of Psychology. “The Reading Group is for faculty who are exploring ways to improve how much their students learn … it is an important idea,” McKelvain said. “Make It Stick is a very important book that summarizes current research on how students learn. The faculty is reviewing it to apply the principle to their courses.”
There are many misconceptions about learning and studying which can cause students to waste time and effort, McKelvain said. The purpose of the reading group is to work together to teach students more effective learning habits. “Anyone can increase what they learn and do it in less time using the principles in the book,” he said. “The professors in our reading group are working to help students use the principles in the classes they teach.”
One of those principles, McKelvain said, is that the most effective learning strategy may be retrieval practice, or trying to remember information. The reading group has already learned several techniques through the book that can help students train their minds through retrieval practice. David Christianson, instructional designer, said the fall semester’s reading group did so well that members encouraged McKelvain to host it again so more instructors could benefit.
“Dr. McKelvain walked into our office one day last spring, smiled broadly and proclaimed, ‘I have been replaced by a book,’” he said. “He then told us how excited he was for the upcoming release of the book, its content and direction, and we quickly asked him to lead a book group.” The faculty involved in the group last semester has already begun to make changes to the design of courses they are teaching this semester, Christianson said.
“The book is targeted to students and instructors and focuses more on effective study skills than learning from emotional experiences,” he said. “The idea of ‘stickiness’ is that learned information is available for recall beyond a classroom test and becomes part of the body of knowledge one can access from memory in appropriate situations.”
contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
SXSW uses apps to improve networking emily studer student reporter South by Southwest 2015 comes to Austin later this March, providing opportunities for entertainment, career-building conferences and now enhanced networking opportunities with four apps hitting the market. The four apps, Heard, Holonis, Vuevent and SideChef, are highlighted as the best tools this year to maximize the South by Southwest Conference and
Festival experience for the thousands of attendees, including ACU students and alumni. According to its website, the conference offers attendees the opportunity to examine the future of the music industry through various activities held at the Austin Convention Center while over 2,200 regional, national and international acts perform over a period of six nights. “With more than 65,000 attendees and 500 exhibits to visit at SXSW, Los Angeles’ tech and app public
relations firm, PMBC (Publicity, Marketing, Branding, Consulting) Group, is highlighting the hottest apps to enhance the SXSW experience,” said Lisa Inouye, senior account manager of PMBC Group. The apps Inouye featured are: – Heard, a social exchange network that matches user content to the perfect audience. It is the place to find the latest tech gossip and breaking news content. – Holonis, a marketing app which helps startup
businesses manage their online presence. It allows its users to publish on all major platforms, engage with all customers on all of their major channels and manage all orders, reviews and deals from one place. Holonis is set to launch at SXSW. – Vuevent, a mobile event app that allows users to search, share and discover events that are happening all around them and is customizable to each users needs. At SXSW, the app can be used to find networking events or celebrity-
Debate: Team beats state schools in competitions from page 1 McKinney and Joyce Schuster, senior composite interdisciplinary major from Richland Hills, make up the top-ranked team. “It’s been a blessing to get to compete against these big state school programs,” Orr said. “When we compete against bigname schools like Rice or Texas Tech, it’s one of those things where you have nothing to lose. So,
you throw all your arguments at them and hope you can win some.” The schools competing against the Wildcats feature more of an academic approach and less of a spiritual one. However, Orr said the team has earned respect with the recent winning streak. “I think that over the years ACU has done a great job of establishing our credibility around the debate circuit,” Orr said. “Yes, we come in
with a smaller name and a Christian name, but whenever you start beating teams and they start to become afraid of you, then they take you seriously.” Winning consistently has not been a problem for the Wildcats as they have ranked among the top 10 percent in the country from year to year. The Wildcats beat teams almost eight times their size. “We are just having
quite a bit of success this year,” Counts said. “We are usually successful every year and in the top 20 or top 40 in the country. It’s great that we are attracting quality students that are engaged in learning and want to know things that are going on out in the world.”
contact wieder at cpw11a@acu.edu
studded after parties. – SideChef, a step-bystep cooking app that will be hosting a happy hour at SXSW featuring the best food and drinks from the app. When asked, students were not aware of the existing apps. Melody Landrum, junior math major from Fresco, said she had never heard about the apps before, but they would have made it easier to maneuver around the festival instead of having to figure everything out on her own.
Alumni and current ACU students have downloaded apps for SXSW before, but ended up not getting much use out of them. “I think I had to download some for free stuff, but I didn’t actually use them,” said Emily Sears, junior psychology major from Austin. “I always use the one they make for ACL and it’s really helpful, but a SXSW app would be great to have, especially with how spread out it is.” contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Opinion
Wednesday 3.04.15
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editorial
Is age a factor for having relevant faculty? Ready Player One: Gamer dystopia meets ‘80s nostalgia
the issue
Students complain that some professors are too old to impart any knowledge.
our take
A professor’s relevancy is entirely dependent upon the subject that they are teaching.
Young people complaining about old people is a first-degree cliche. So we just want to clarify: that’s not the point of this editorial. The point is that universities are one of the few environments where a large group of people in their early twenties spend their days listening to and learning from people twice their age. And this age gap affects professor-student relationships more than we
may realize. While some students might complain that professors should have a required age of retirement, the comment is inapplicable. Those students believe there is a threshold at which a professor becomes so old that the knowledge they are imparting is irrelevant. We think this threshold doesn’t exist with certain subjects such as Bible or history, but it
may be worth noting in areas where the professors’ relevancy to current technology and research is essential in preparing students for the state of the professional world. In fact, students should actually be ahead of the curve while in college, otherwise they will enter the real world already behind. Subject areas involving the use of technology are growing. Industries students are entering are evolving rapidly. Subjects that involve business, data, journalism, arts, coding or any digital aspects demand professors who can provide the most relevant curriculum. While it’s always im-
“
Evolving industries demand that students learn from professors who can provide relevant curriculum.”
portant to have circulating ideas and stimulating conversations in the classroom, that doesn’t always require a particularly younger professor. Bible classes and language classes could benefit from older faculty, given that they have studied the subject in more depth than their younger counterparts. The issue ultimately lies in a professor’s ability to prepare a student
for their professional life outside of college, which is not always hindered by older professors, it all relies on the situation. So next time you hear a fellow student complaining about how old and unrelatable their professor is, take into account the actual material they are learning before jumping on board. And before signing up for the youngest professor’s class just so that you can drop pop culture references in the reseach paper, make sure they have the experience you’re looking to learn from.
BEN TODD
Ben Todd
Column
‘La importancia de un idioma extranjero,’ she says I’M SORRY VAGABONDAGE MISS JACKSON SAMANTHA SUTHERLAND BRITTANY JACKSON
Bear with me. I spent at least three hours trying to read 46 pages of Cien Anos de Soledad two nights ago, and I am on a Spanish kick. But really, as difficult as reading a magic realism novel in a foreign language is, and no matter how ridiculous I sound when I stutter and spit out the words as I attempt to read aloud in class, I’m getting closer and closer to being bilingual. While I might feel cool and unique when I say that, and as I read one Hispanic novel after another,
I really shouldn’t. Bilingual education should be more integrated in schools and campuses around the United States. The 2013 United States Census Bureau documents about 38.4 percent of Texas’s population as being Hispanic or Latino. Now, it’d be grossly negligent to say all of those people only speak Spanish. I’d actually offend myself if I let that publish, but I’m trying to emphasize a point here. Texas, and its border with Mexico running 1,254 miles, should be a chief in-
hashtagACU Feb. 27 5:09 p.m.
March 3 3:57 p.m.
Running to class eating a corn dog When is spring break
@meganwesley23
Feb. 26 9:27 p.m.
I don’t know about you. but I’m feelin 22 (degrees fahrenheit)
@carolinetaylor14
March 2 4:10 p.m.
I get so salty when I see a guy with better hair than me.
@stinacuevas21 Girls: I don’t think you’ve realized how handsome my grandmother thinks I am.
Living in a dorm builds character
@gracemayernick
“Where are you going for spring break?” “to sleep.”
YikYak
stigator of better-incorporated bilingual education. I’m a little biased with my Spanish class background, but really ANY foreign language being incorporated in required curriculum would be helpful. Huffington Post hopped on the bilingual bandwagon, reporting that bilingual education benefits students cognitively and socially. It helps people understand their native language better and can lead to more confidence is conversation. OK, OK, so I’m sure you took a foreign language in high school and maybe even completed your college requirement for it, too. But did you really learn anything? I took four years of Spanish in school, all the
way up to AP classes, and when I got back into Elementary I and II Spanish last year, I could barely remember a thing. Also, I never, ever, learned the correct pronunciation of anything, really. Similar concepts apply to foreign language in college. In my experience, the teachers here are great, they really work with you and incorporate as many oral presentations they can to get students speaking the language (OK, so I’ve only been in Spanish classes, but I imagine it’s the same across the board). But how much does the average student retain? After spending an entire semester in Montevideo, Uruguay, immersed in the culture and basically
March 3 4:52 p.m.
Feb. 28 2:25 p.m.
Perks of living next to the laundry room: You get to hear everyone walk by and scream about new washers and dryers
@AustinLinehan
@chloe_braaten
March 3 3:26 p.m.
March 2 11:34 a.m.
When your professor is tired and decides to have class at Starbucks. There is a God. #loth
@alikaywould
Does swimming in debt count as exercise?
YikYak
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.
published by the department of journalism and mass communication editorial and management board
Literally just saw a squirrel get eaten by a cat right in front of me. Happy Monday everyone. #circleoflife #acudifference
@carolyntorrey
@carlischeevel The people that bring extra scantrons on test day are the real MVP
This dress is actually ruining my life. Who is the devil that introduced this to social media??
@scottydye8 Remember those snow/ice days we had? Aw man...Those were the days
YikYak
The novel Ready Player One takes place in the near future where the majority of the world has ignored global issues (global warming, food shortage and so on) and instead spends time on a gigantic, elaborate virtual reality game called the OASIS. The billionaire founder of the game dies, leaving his entire fortune to whomever can find the easter egg he left in his own game using riddles and challenges based on ‘80s pop-culture references. This book was an intense page-turner, complete with laughs, heart and best of all, a ton of references to pop culture in the last 30 years. I took pride in every reference I understood and didn’t feel bad if I didn’t get some of them. Because we carry the Internet in our pockets, I could easily find out what the movie War Games was about. But even if I were sans-net, I still loved the vivid descriptions of characters and locations (during one scene in which characters were at a night club in the game – I totally geeked out). But what good is a story without a strong cast of characters? Ready Player One follows a pale-faced high-schooler, Wade, living in the slums of a future Columbus, Ohio. But in the virtual world, he lives through his avatar, Parzival, a low-level character in need of leveling-up experience. This depiction of the virtual world versus the real world creates an interesting dynamic as the friends he makes online may not be everything their avatars show. Could an avatar be his colleague? Or just some overweight creeper living in a basement in California? Let’s talk content, people. It all comes in the form of nostalgic references: Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Contra, Schoolhouse Rock, Dungeons & Dragons, Highlander, and the list goes on. This book will make you want to read, watch and play all your favorite pastimes when you were a child. The book even has a little bit of social commentary. As I said earlier, most of the world is playing in the OASIS, ignoring rising ocean levels, starvation and mushroom clouds. It’s an exaggeration of how problems don’t disappear if you neglect them. It’s close to what is happening today; we’re submerged in our devices and entertainment, so it’s easy to ignore the problems of the world. Ready Player One is a quest worthy to read. Ten out of 10. And if you get the chance to read it, ring me up. I’ve been dying to chat with someone about it.
YikYak
contact Todd at bat12a@acu.edu
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Address letters to: ACU Box 27892 Abilene, TX 79609 E-mail letters to: optimist@acu.edu
contact Jackson at BKJ12a@acu.edu
Feb. 26 10:10 p.m.
So wait, what is Texas Independence day? #outofstateprobs
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drowning in Spanish (conversational and literature classes), I’m still struggling to read a few novels. And please don’t ask me to speak Spanish, I’ll immediately clam up and feel like a failure. The foreign language requirements are just that, requirements. They don’t require a student to learn anything more than remote memorization and how to work well in group projects. The United States has got to take the importance of bilingual education more seriously, especially if we dare call ourselves the melting pot.
March 2 3:06 p.m.
FR: ACUPD DUE TO WEATHER SCHOOL HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE SEMESTER. YOU ALL RECEIVE A’S.
SAMAN
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featureS
Wednesday 03.04.15
THE RECORD GUYS Local music store is a haven for vinyl record collectors and music lovers. Founder and “Record Guy,” Jon Howell, runs the store with his dad and one other employee.
catherine blakemore arts editor For three years, The Record Guys has been off of Leggett and South 7th. The music shop sits on the corner with a big red text banner and the words “Records, tapes, record players.” The shop is stocked with piles and stacks of organized vinyl records and cassette tapes, an ode to the history of music. Old fashioned bar lights hang from the ceiling and reflect off the red and tan checkered floors. It’s a haven for local music lovers. “The culture that they present in Abilene is so powerful,” said Josh Ramseur, junior English major from San Antonio. “Because what it says, by their opening up an independent record store, they allow for a spirit of independence, of sustainability, of friendliness, of hard work and what it can get you. They allow for that to exist in Abilene.” Ramseur said he has a deep appreciation for the Howell family and the influence they have in Abilene, and he says that Record Guys is the core of what Abilene is in the arts and what it could be. “It’s been amazing to see the transformation and go from when we started and people were questioning what we were doing,” said Jon Howell, owner. “Now, I’ve got kids that are 8 and 10 years old, I’ve got people that are 80 and 90 that are getting back into it. They just want to listen to the records that they’ve always had.” The Record Guys, Justin and Jon Howell, brothers and Abilene High School graduates, began selling records as preteens at local flea markets. Now, years later the store is run by Jon and his father Kevin and they have one employee, Hannah Walker. Now years later, The Record Guys is a four man operation, a local man with a card kiosk in the store, Hannah Walker, Jon Howell and Kevin Howell. Justin Howell has since left working with the store and moved to Chicago. “He is on his personal mission, which we’re all okay with,” said Howell. “At one point he just said ‘I love the record store, this has been great but I have to let go.’ It happened a point where we were kind of small, we were still just doing flea markets once a month.” Hannah Walker began coming to the store as a shopper three years ago and has now been working for the store
“
We’ve made our home here. People recognize us here on the corner.”
for a year. “I built up a good relationship with Jon and Kevin,” said Walker. “Then I just kind of took a chance one day and asked if I could get a job here and they actually said yes. I can practically run the store, most days.” Most of the records at the store are sold for less than $5, and Howell says sometimes it’s a wrestle between selling for more or selling for less. “People always say, ‘You can sell online’ and ‘You can sell this for more money’,” said Howell. “I don’t want to sell it for more money, I want people to be able to afford it, but I still want to be able to feed myself.” With the store stocked to the brim, it is really only 20 percent of all the records that The Record Guys have. The other 80 percent sit in a warehouse in Abilene waiting for sales and interested buyers. “We do brown bag sales about every couple of months,” said Howell. “We got the idea from a friend of ours that used to own a record store in California. He said it’s a great way to introduce people to it and let them explore new things.” The store is a vessel for music and community in Abilene. Howell says he is currently working on building a kiosk where people can come and listen to local music and buy CDs from local bands. The Record Guys never charges anything for selling local music. All profits go back to the artist. “We have so many ideas for the future,” said Howell. “It just takes time. We don’t want to overreach our bounds. I see a lot of other businesses do that sometimes. We want to make those moves as slow and deliberate as possible.” Howell served as an adviser for a group of young musicians in Abilene that wanted to create a music venue fit for hardcore/metal music. “It was kind of cool growing up and looking up to people that were doing things like that,” said Howell. “Now I have people coming and asking me what I think about it. I want to help as much as I can with pushing people in the right direction. Making sure that they’re making the right decisions not only for fun, but for business.”
jon howell owner and founder of the record guys
Earlier in the month, The Record Guys hosted a brown bag sale. Anyone could fill their bag to the brim with records and leave only having spent $5. ACU alumni and founder of the The Appetizer Radio Show, D Grant Smith, provided the music. “Growing up here in Abilene, seeing different places open and close, get supported and not get supported,” said Howell. “We see bands come and go. When I actually got to have a brick and mortar store like this, with a stage outside, I always wanted to do concerts and help bands.” The Record Guys keeps the warehouse full of thousands of records and recently, Jon Howell purchased the collection of a record store in San Angelo that was open in the ‘90s. “Sometimes we get donations, I do get people that just come and say ‘I don’t need these anymore, here have them’,” said Howell. “But a lot of it is people walking in and selling collections. I bought a store out of San Angelo, two weeks ago now. We bought half of it; we should be getting the other half in the next couple months. That was 6,000 records.” The store on the corner of South 7th and Leggett is open for hours contrary to traditional business because of the extent of work that has to be done outside of open store hours. “When we’re here, we’re busy visiting with customers and getting records and sorting and stuff,” said Howell. “There’s a lot that has to happen when we’re closed, moving boxes and working in the warehouse.” Expansion to a new building isn’t on the radar for Howell, but they are expanding business to sell music DVDs, music books and other used formats of anything from the past. The current store has been the most successful for the company; Jon attributes “blossoming” business to the new location. “We’ve made our home here. People recognize us here on the corner.” contact blakemore at crb13a@acu.edu
austin kilcullen Staff Photographer
Top: Hannah Walker, the only employee at The Record Guys, and Jon Howell, owner of The Record Guys. Below: Jon Howell with a Radiohead album, photo of the inside of the store, and a vintage reel-to-reel tape recorder.
sports Five-game Win streak ends in Big Easy Collin thompson sports reporter The ACU women’s basketball team’s five-game win streak ended last Saturday on the road, falling to the New Orleans University Privateers, 71-50. The Wildcats, who fell to 8-8 in the Southland conference and 16-11 overall, maintain their place at eighth in the conference. The Privateers, who, with the win, improved their conference record on the season to 4-12, were led by freshman guard Randi Brown in their victory over the Wildcats. The team began the season 0-9 and held the bottom spot in conference for most of the season, but has rallied recently, going 4-3 in its last seven games. Brown, who has reached double digits in each of her last six games, recorded 27 points against the Wildcats and forced seven of ACU’s 31 turnovers. This, combined with her 27-point performance
Feb. 26 against Nicholls, helped her earn the Southland Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week honor. The Wildcats’ highest lead was just four points, which they reached 2:21 into the game on a threepointer by junior guard Whitney West, who was the team’s highest scorer with 12 points in 30 minutes. That lead would dwindle, and just 2:59 later, with 14:40 left in the first half, on a three-pointer by the aforementioned Brown, the Wildcats would lose the lead for the rest of the game. Turnovers and fundamental mistakes played a large role in ACU’s loss to the New Orleans team. At seventh in the conference in turnovers, the Wildcats, who averaged 18.0 turnovers before the game, managed to commit 31 against the Privateers, which tied for their highest mark of the season – a mark they hit Jan. 11 when they lost 63-39 to Nicholls. The Wildcats have not won a game this season
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wednesday 3.04.15
when they committed more than 21 turnovers, going 0-5 in such games. Though the team thrives on threes and rebounding, it struggled with both Saturday. ACU has two of the best three-point shooters in the conference in West and sophomore guard Alexis Mason, but the team’s three-point shooting against UNO was just 4-21 from behind the arc. The team also has three of the best rebounders in the conference in sophomores Sydney Shelstead, and twins Lizzy and Suzzy Dimba, but managed just 37, the team’s lowest number of boards since grabbing 36 against Central Arkansas Jan. 4. At 16-11, the Wildcats have guaranteed a winning record with only two games left in the season. The Wildcats’ next game is Wednesday, March 5 at the 2-14 University of the Incarnate Word at 6 p.m. Paige otway Staff Photographer
Sophomore Ellyn Avery grabs the offensive rebound for ACU in the Wildcats’ 68-53 win over Houston Baptist.
contact thompson at cnt13c@acu.edu
standings men’s basketball Standings
Team
Div.
SFA 14-1 SHSU 13-2 NSU 11-4 TAMU-CC 11-5 UIW 9-6 Lamar 9-7 HBU 6-9 SELU 6-9 MSU 6-10 NO 5-10 Nicholls St.4-11 ACU 3-12 UCA 2-13
Ovrl 24-4 22-6 16-10 16-12 17-8 15-13 11-14 9-19 12-15 9-15 7-18 9-19 2-24
women’s basketball Standings
Team
Div.
SFA 14-2 Lamar 13-4 Nicholls St.11-5 UCA 10-6 NSU 10-6 TAMU-CC 10-6 MSU 10-6 ACU 8-8 HBU 5-11 SHSU 5-11 NO 4-12 SELU 3-13 UIW 2-14
Ovrl 21-6 16-12 15-12 17-11 15-12 14-13 16-12 16-11 11-16 6-20 6-19 7-20 5-22
Who’s Hot Freshman outfielder Brianna Barnhill hit two home runs in the Wildcats’ Barnhill 14-11 loss to Cleveland State. Barnhill went 4-for-10 during the Wildcats’ trip to Jacksonville for the Dolphin Invitational.
briefings ACU’s baseball team canceled three more games over the weekend as icy weather prevented the Wildcats from playing its series against Northern Colorado. Spring football has had a delayed start because of the inclement weather. Football postponed spring ball until they could have a guaranteed 15-day practice time.
Erika bolado Staff Photographer
Freshman outfielder Brianna Barnhill waits for the pitch in ACU’s game against Prairie View A&M earlier this month. Barnhill is hitting .242 with two home runs and three runs batted in for ACU so far this season.
Softball launches 26 runs in Florida savanah silva sports reporter The softball team traveled to warmer weather this weekend and competed in the Dolphin Invitational in Jacksonville, Florida. The ‘Cats played doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday and wrapped up their five-game tournament on Sunday. ACU would leave Florida without a win, including a close 4-3 loss to Campbell on Sunday afternoon, moving to 3-13 on the season. Senior pitcher Emily Seidel started both games Friday against Campbell and Jacksonville. Seidel struck out eight batters through nine innings but got jammed in the third when Campbell produced two runs. She continued to battle with baserun-
ners from the fourth through the sixth inning. The team struggled to capitalize offensively Friday. Against Campbell, the Wildcats left runners on third base in the third and fourth innings and runners at first and second in the sixth, leading to a 3-1 loss. “I don’t think we brought the same level of intensity as we did to the Baylor tournament,” sophomore infielder Tori Valdivia said. “We never had all three parts of the game (offense, defense and pitching) working at the same at any point in the tournament.” ACU would then fall to the invitational host, Jacksonville University, 9-1. The Dolphins started off fast and held the lead until the end. Sophomore outfielder Taylor Brown produced ACU’s lone run of the game
in the fifth on an RBI-single that would score teammate freshman outfielder Brianna Barnhill. Jacksonville would add two in the bottom of the fifth to cut the game short. Saturday morning brought on Cleveland State and Savannah State in day two of the invitational. Freshman infielder Peyton Hedrick went 6-for-7, while junior catcher Cara Hoover and Barnhill each had two homeruns through both games against Cleveland State and Savannah State. The Wildcats started the day against Cleveland State. ACU came out strong and took an 11-6 lead in the bottom of the fourth, but would watch as the Vikings scored the game’s final eight runs. Miscues and four errors would be a main factor in the loss against Cleveland State. The final score was 14-11,
with both teams combining for 30 hits. Savannah State was next on the slate. ACU would lose the lead early in first inning, but would come back to tie things up with a seven-run third inning, after Savannah added four more at the top of the inning. Tied 7-7, the Wildcats would go up by one, but would then give up four runs for a final score of 11-8. Going into the final games of the tournament, head coach Bobby Reeves had one theme for the girls. “Find a way,” Valdivia said. “Whether it’s finding a way on base, finding an out or, most importantly, finding a way to win.” Seidel once again started both games, striking out four over 7.1 innings pitched. Seidel and junior pitcher Julia Montoya combined to give
up 12 home runs. In the final game of the invitational, ACU played Campbell University again and came up short. Hedrick had another good game, leading the Wildcats at the plate this weekend with two RBIs, two extra-base hits and a .556 hitting average. ACU scored their first run of the game in the fifth on a squeeze bunt by Hedrick that allowed Brown to score. However, the Wildcats had two other runners thrown out at home in the same inning. The ‘Cats would drop this one as well, 4-3. ACU returns home this weekend in a three-game series against Southeastern Louisiana for their first game in conference play. contact silva at sns12b@acu.edu
‘Cats struggle against Air Force Academy hannah little sports broadcast producer The men’s tennis team competed against top competitors Seattle University and Air Force Academy last weekend. The Wildcats lost their dual match 7-0 to the Air Force on Saturday. The only big win of the match was in doubles competition against Air Force with freshman Henry Adams and junior Marco Bensley. The duo defeated
Mark Kite and Dillon Launius 6-4. “Playing in Colorado Springs offered many challenges which we had to try to overcome,” Adams said. “The biggest obstacle we faced was playing in the high altitude, which makes the game much harder to play because the tennis ball flies much more in the elevation.” The Wildcats lost all six single competition matches and its other two doubles matches.
The team then finally snapped its four-match losing streak, to Seattle University in a dual match, 5-2. “I was really proud of guys in the Seattle match because we won the doubles point and everyone competed hard and it paid off with a victory,” Adams said. The match was a close one throughout the contests as half of its six singles matches went into a third set, and its doubles matches came down to two points
or less. “Air Force’s team is used to playing in it so they had a home court advantage,” Adams said. “But in our second match against Seattle University we had adjusted well to the conditions and we used it to our advantage.” ACU’s singles competition winners were Henry Adams, sophomore Nico Agritelley and junior Jason Proctor and Marco Bensley. Winners in doubles were partners Agritelley and se-
nior Guilherme Gesser, Adams and Proctor. Gesser and Agritelley’s match went into a close game as the duo won 7-6, while Adams and Proctor competed strong, winning 6-4. The tennis teams will resume action, as the team will travel to Dallas on March 4 for a doubleheader against Colin County and Xavier University. contact little at hll12a@acu.edu
The ACU football team added four FBS teams to its future schedule last Thursday. The Wildcats will play the Air Force Academy in 2016, the University of New Mexico in 2017, Baylor University in 2018 and an unscheduled 2019 game against North Texas. Be sure to follow @OptimistSports on Twitter and like the Optimist Sports Facebook page for more ACU sports news and updates.
Upcoming Baseball travels to Arlington Wednesday to make up its game against UT-Arlington. First pitch is at 6:30 p.m. Men’s tennis heads to Dallas to take on Collin County Community College Wednesday. Matches start at 9 a.m. Women’s tennis also travels to Dallas Wednesday to take on Collin Country Community College and Xavier University. Men’s and women’s basketball play a doubleheader Thursday in San Antonio against Incarnate Word. The women tip off at 6 p.m. and the men play at 8 p.m. Baseball opens conference play Friday with a three-game series against Nicholls St. First pitch is at 6 p.m.