2015-05-14

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SOFTBALL

Michigan wins first Big Ten tourney since 2006

NEWS

Resort Civil Suit Treetops filing civil lawsuits against Greek life members for ski trip damages >> SEE PAGE 2

NEWS

Third-ranked Wolverines will host Regional Tournament beginning Friday

Great Books Students and faculty discuss diversity of texts studied in courses >> SEE PAGE 2 SAN PHAM/Daily

Students and Ann Arbor residents view a visualization of the distribution of dark matter in the universe at the performance “Jeweled Net of the Vast Invisible: an experience of dark matter” at the Duderstadt Center.

OPINION

Give Us Some Credit Fair Student Credit Act would help defaulting students >> SEE PAGE 4

ARTS

Artist Profile Student rapper discusses his music >> SEE PAGE 6

SCIENCE

Dark matter recreated in digital simulation display Physics, Computer Science and Art programs collaborate

By SAM COREY For the Daily

SPORTS

AFCAA Kicks Off Ann Arbor’s newest minor league soccer team proves to be a family affair >> SEE PAGE 12

INDEX Vol. CXXI, No. 136 | © 2013 The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com

NEWS .................................... 2 OPINION ...............................4 ARTS ......................................6 CLASSIFIEDS.........................8 SUDOKU.................................2 SPORTS..................................9

Thursday, May 14, 2015

An installation in the Media Union of the Duderstadt Center allows visitors to experience something often discussed in science fiction novels. Jeweled Net of the Vast Invisible: An Experience of Dark Matter — which officially opened Wednesday and is open until Friday — offers the public the opportunity to witness something that is otherwise invisible to the naked eye: dark matter.

A team of researchers and graduate students projected a computer simulation of data from billions of particles in our universe onto a 20-foot-high, 140-degree panoramic screen.

Attendees are immersed in “jeweled spaces” of particles and matter that displays how the

world would have looked following the Big Bang. Dark matter is simulated from billions of data regarding our solar system.

The MCubed seed grant program, funding programs consisting of faculty in a variety of disciplines, sponsored the event.

Physics Prof. Gregory Tarlé, who conceptualized the project, said the idea for the installation came from his desire to make the beauty behind his research of cosmology, the scientific study of the development of the universe, more accessible.

“When I do my research in cosmology, I see all sorts of very beautiful things,” Tarlé said.

“But these things are buried in data and equations and things that are not accessible to the general public. And so I thought that it might be possible, through art, to reveal this kind of beauty that’s in the universe to people who are not cosmologists.”

Tarlé collaborated with both Art & Design Prof. Jim Cogswell and Stephen Rush, professor of performing arts technology, to

create a visual simulation for the University community to experience. The project team also hired University alum Jason Eaton, who graduated with a degree in computer science, to work on computer visualizations.

“We just started brainstorming, coming up with ideas about how to visualize that which is invisible ...the dark matter of the universe — the cosmic web which forms the structure into which the stars, galaxies...”

Tarlé said.

In a preview Tuesday, a live jazz band from the School of Music, Theatre & Dance accompanied the visualizations. The melody of jazz constantly shifted from ominous to celebratory, varying based on the scenes of the simulated universe. As the lights travelled more quickly, the harmony quickened, providing the sensation of actual flight.

Tarlé said having music incorporated in the presentation of dark matter was essential to the project.

See SIMULATION, Page 3

By CHRIS CROWDER Daily Sports Writer

COLUMBUS — For the first time in the Big Ten tournament, the Wolverines found themselves as the away team despite boasting the top seed. The stadium was usually the home to Ohio State, covered in scarlet and gray. But on Saturday night, it couldn’t have felt more like home. The Michigan fan base came in bunches, occupying more than half of the seats, as the team led the crowd in Hail to the Victors before the first pitch.

To the surprise of many fans, senior left-hander Haylie Wagner got the start in the circle. The other pitcher on the Michigan staff, Megan Betsa, was dominant all weekend, only allowing one run over the first two games of the tournament.

Things were different Saturday night, but for the No.3 Michigan softball team, the result was the same as it had been all weekend.

Wagner proved why she earned the start in the Big Ten Championship final, leading her team to a 6-1 win over the Cornhuskers (17-6 Big Ten, 34-21 overall). With the victory, the Wolverines (21-2, 51-6) hoisted their first Big Ten Tournament trophy since 2006.

It was also the sixth time that they have earned both the Big Ten regular season and tournament title, the first since 2005, when it won an NCAA Championship as well.

“I’m really proud of my kids,” said Michigan coach Carol Hutchins. “I’m really pleased with our approach and our togetherness … We had great See TOURNAMENT, Page 8

2 NEWS

Thursday, May 14, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Resort to file suits Faculty, students against Greek life discuss diversity members on ski trip of Great Books Findings of additional investigations suggest further legal actions are necessary, Treetops says

By CARLY NOAH Summer News Editor

Tuesday afternoon, Treetops Resort announced it will file a civil lawsuit against individual members of the Sigma Delta Tau sorority and former members of the University’s disbanded chapter of Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity for damages during their ski trip the weekend of Jan. 19.

More than 200 members of Sigma Alpha Mu, along with members of Sigma Delta Tau, were present at the Northern Michigan ski resort that weekend. Following the trip, the SAM chapter was disbanded due to allegedly costing the resort more than $430,000 in damages, and the SDT chapter was placed on a twoyear disciplinary suspension for their failure to intervene.

SDT recently launched a bystander intervention program centered around providing students with the tools necessary to intervene in difficult situations.

Treetops spokeswoman Susan Wilcox-Olsen confirmed to the Detroit Free Press the resort plans to sue several fraternity and sorority members.

Barry Owens, general manager of Treetops, could not be reached for comments about the specific number of fraternity and sorority members the resort plans to sue.

“Treetops’ legal advisors have recently completed a review of the facts of the case, including recently released material prepared pursuant to the criminal investigation,” the resort said in a press release.

“Criminal charges were filed against three students last month.

Several facts from this review now suggest that legal action beyond the criminal matter should be pursued.”

The resort also said the resort’s management confronted the group of students involved after the first See TREETOPS, Page 3

Current classes only study Greek and Biblical literature

By RACHEL PREMACK Daily Saff Reporter

As students challenge the status quo of academic requirements at the University, one LSA Honors Program requirement is hardly unchanged since the program’s founding in 1947.

Freshmen in the Honors Program were, up until Fall 2014, required to take Great Books.

Although that requirement has since altered slightly, Great Books remains one of the few options, and, at about 200 students, it remains the most popular Honors course, according to History Prof. Sara Forsdyke, director of the Interdepartmental Program in Greek and Roman History. The reading list for the class is composed of Greco-Roman literature and excerpts from the Bible.

One Honors newsletter from 2007, the 50th anniversary of the Honors Program, notes, “The founders of Honors wanted a course that would allow students to immerse themselves in the study of a significant culture, and classical Greece seemed the obvious choice.”

However, some scholars say this choice shouldn’t be so instinctive, especially as the University pledges to prepare its students for an increasingly global society.

Microcosm of an ongoing debate Debates on increasing the diversity of university’s curricula grew in the early 1990s, when the term “dead white European male” was coined. Students and scholars alike began to question why their social science and humanities courses contained

only the experiences of white men from bygone eras. These activists wanted to amplify the voices of women and those outside white European and American heritage.

Critics of that movement claimed that Greco-Roman literature retained its significance.

They praised the Greeks’ innovations in areas such as politics, science and rhetoric, sometimes with a tinge of annoyance toward what they perceived to be political correctness.

Few elite schools today require Great Books courses, which were developed at Columbia University and the University of Chicago in the 1920s. At Chicago, Greek Thought and Literature remains one of the eight options for undergraduate students to fulfill the requisite humanities course sequence.

But world literature and openended topics such as “Language and the Human” are also applicable.

The University of Notre Dame has a more traditional Great Books course for students in its Program of Liberal Studies. Save for readings from Confucius, Bhagavad Gita and Black American author Ralph Ellison, the sequence is dominated by European perspectives.

But Notre Dame’s Liberal Studies program professes a much different task than our diversity-focused University: it is “anchored in the Western and Catholic traditions,” according to their website. The LSA Honors Program, on the other hand, pictures itself a “vibrant community,” emphasizing inclusion: “There’s something for everyone and all are invited.”

Why are these books so great, anyway?

While Great Books courses occasionally include upper-level courses on contemporary EuroSee GREAT BOOKS, Page 3

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Thursday, May 14, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

NEWS 3

U.S. News journalist talks book, reporting White House reporter highlighted how pop culture affects the presidency

By ALAINA WYGANT Daily Staff Reporter

May 7, Kenneth Walsh, a White House correspondent for U.S. News & World Report, spoke at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum about his book “Celebrity in Chief: A History of the Presidents and Culture of Stardom.”

TREETOPS From Page 2 night of their stay.

“During that meeting, management pointed out that the student group had not completed their prepayment arrangement as is typical for larger groups and that the additional money was due,” the resort said. “Treetops’ management had also discovered significant, but non-malicious damage occurred after this first night and discussed the University of Michigan’s students’ behavior with their leadership.

In a statement to the Daily, Sigma Delta Tau’s national chap-

SIMULATION From Page 1 “The music kind of created a sense that there was something going on, and brought you through those parts of the visualization where things are fairly uniform, and gave a sense that something was about to happen,” Tarlé said.

“When things started to happen, the music tied it all together and

GREAT BOOKS From Page 2 pean, Iberian or Japanese literature, the core Great Books 191 and 192 courses for freshmen require students to read and analyze Greek and Roman texts and the Bible, as well as 13th- and 14th-century Italian literature. Homer, Sophocles, Plato, Saint Augustine, Dante and

Walsh has written from the White House during the tenure of five different presidents — most recently, President Barack Obama. His blog, “Ken Walsh’s Washington,” and column, The Presidency, provide coverage of the the president.

At the event, Ford Museum Director Elaine Didier praised Walsh for his unique style of reporting.

“Ken’s colleagues say that he is an old school journalist who knows how to find secrets, and then knows which ones can be told and which ones must be kept longer or even forever,” Didier said.

In his book “Celebrity in Chief,” Walsh examined how past presidents

have interacted with American popular culture. During his remarks at the event, Walsh discussed how he believed President George Washington was a pillar in molding the role of president.

“His feeling was that the president should be accessible,” Walsh said. “He set that precedent that the president should not be beyond the public.”

Walsh also highlighted some of the key moments reporters have witnessed in the White House over the past century including Elvis Presley’s visit to the White House during the Nixon administration and Marilyn Monroe’s birthday performance for President John F. Kennedy.

Walsh said the American public

often correlates presidential success with celebrity status instead of considering the substance — such as policy making and managing foreign and domestic affairs — that defines the presidency.

“That’s all people want is a little taste of the substance because they don’t have the patience to learn much more about things,” Walsh said. “Sadly, I think that’s true.”

Walsh said President Obama tries to connect with audiences on a deeper level by going on talk shows such as “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and the YouTube show “Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis.” He said these are behaviors that future presidents will

need to mimic.

“President Obama is trying to reach out to people through those different venues and find ways to communicate with them,” Walsh said. “I think this is what presidents are going to have to do for the foreseeable future. They’ve got to go where the voters are and where they’re paying attention.”

Overall, Walsh said he believes people will be less isolated from political affairs if they engage with politics more.

“Maybe people would get angry and start fighting each other if they engaged more. But they don’t,” Walsh said. “And so, that’s one of the reasons we’re so polarized — it’s because we’re not talking to each other.”

ter said the sorority was unaware of any pending lawsuits from the resort, and still maintain the findings of their previous investigations.

“We are not aware of any litigation involving the Chi Chapter of Sigma Delta Tau at the University of Michigan or its women,” the sorority wrote. “Through our investigation, we have found the women were not responsible for the damage incurred at Treetops Resort. We have also been made aware of multiple reports that management and security guards of The Treetops Resort and Spa did not step in to stop any of the actions while they occurred that weekend.“

In their statement, the resort said the lack of action against individuals contributed to their decision to pursue its own legal action was the lack of cooperation by the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity.

“Contributing to the decision to pursue its own legal action is the fact that to date, only three students are being charged and Treetops is not aware of the University of Michigan or the Greek organizations taking any other action against any individuals,” the resort said. “Apparently, authorities have been impeded by the refusal of the students to identify those specifically involved in the vandalism further suggesting that the damage was a group effort.”

Otsego prosecutor Michael Rola issued 30-day misdemeanor charges against Business sophomores Joshua Kaplan and Zachary Levin.

The pair turned themselves in to the Ann Arbor Police Department on March 25. Matthew Vlasic,

who was an LSA senior at the time of the ski trip, was arraignedon charges of malicious destruction of property.

gave audio cues to what you were seeing.”

Tarlé said in the future he would like to see this project displayed in a museum.

“I would like to take this to a museum somewhere and get it put it up as an installation...I think that would be a very good way to carry this forward,” Tarlé said.

As for Tuesday’s viewing audience, Tarlé said his favorite part was watching the reactions of the

younger attendees.

“There were a bunch of little kids that were watching this just getting really excited … I loved their reaction,” Tarlé said. They’re just looking at the thing and getting captured by it. It shows that science can be presented to people of all ages if you do it right.”

others are among authors read in these courses.

Professors both within and outside the Classics Department acknowledged the need for students to receive a comprehensive background in literature from across the globe. But they disagree about how Great Books could or should achieve that.

While some scholars say works from China, Africa, India and else-

where should be read alongside the Roman classics, Classical Studies Prof. Ruth Scodel, who teaches a Great Books course, felt it is unrealistic to expect one course to comprehensively explore multiple cultures and literatures.

“Everyone should read books from around the world,” Scodel

Read more at MichiganDaily.com

4 OPINION

Thursday, May 14, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890.

420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@umich.edu LAURA SCHINAGLE EDITOR IN CHIEF

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Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily’s editorial board.

All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.

FROM THE DAILY

Give us some credit

Fair Student Credit Act would help defaulting students

W

hile speaking at Michigan State University on Monday, Sen. Gary Peters (D–Mich.) presented the details of the proposed Fair Student Credit Act, a bipartisan collaboration between Peters and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R–W.Va.). The proposed legislation is an attempt to help students regain good financial standing and avoid the pitfalls of student loan default and was initially introduced to the House in 2013. Applying a similar credit rehabilitation procedure to that of federal loans, the bill provides students with the beneficial opportunity to repair their credit after defaulting on private student loans, as long as borrowers follow a schedule of nine consecutive payments. By doing so, the Fair Student Credit Act eliminates some discrepancies between public and private loans. The legislation intends to ensure students who needed to rely on these loans to finance their education will not face long-term credit damage because of continued financial difficulties after graduation and should be passed.

However, the bill should be more comprehensive in order to be more beneficial to students.

For students coming from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, the exorbitant costs that come with obtaining a college education often make taking out a private loan a necessity rather than an option.

In the past 30 years, the average published price of in-state college tuition and fees for public universities has risen by 225 percent adjusted for inflation, which could account for the prevalence of private student loans today. About one-fifth of debt from graduates of the class of 2012 was from private loans, and a good number of students have had difficulty paying these loans. Approximately 850,000 private student loans

are in default — according to the Consumer Financial Bureau — constituting a sum of roughly $8 billion in debt. Even after obtaining a degree and incurring debt, the current economic conditions may inhibit graduates’ ability to maintain, or even start, repaying the loans they accrued. Washtenaw County boasts some of the highest wages in the state, but overall, workers in Michigan earn less than the national average on their weekly paychecks. This could make it difficult for graduates working lower-income jobs while searching for a position in their desired field to pay back their loans.

During his announcement,

Peters stated, “It’s simply unfair to deny some graduates the ability to get their finances back on track after a default simply because their loans are private instead of public.” Currently, discrepancies between federal and private loans may worsen the situation financially struggling graduates find themselves in if they do default. Private loans, unlike federal loans, don’t have fixed interest rates.

These variable interest rates — ranging from roughly 3 to 12 percent, depending on the lender — fluctuate throughout the period, which can increase the overall amount due at the end of students’ college

careers. Private loans don’t regularly offer deferments or forbearance plans if students are experiencing issues finding employment or if their income is insufficient to maintain payments.

Furthermore, private loan borrowers are at even more of a disadvantage due to the shorter period in which an inability to pay can lead to default.

Unlike federal loans, which go into default after 270 days of no payment, private loans are deemed in default after being unpaid for 120 days.

These discrepancies between private and federal student loans, beyond credit rehabilitation, need to be addressed.

To make college more accessible, all types of student loans should work to help and accommodate students, not hurt them. The Fair Student Credit Act should be more encompassing in addressing these inconsistencies between private and federal loans.

Even in terms of credit rehabilitation,

the legislation doesn’t fully solve the issue. As it stands, the bill wouldn’t mandate that private banks comply, so there would be no guarantee that the default would be erased from a borrower’s credit history. This could mean that, even if the bill passes, many banks will continue to damage students’ futures over financial difficulties that can be the inevitable result of higher education for many people. Additionally, the private banks’ lack of accountability could create confusion for students regarding the consequences of defaulting on private student loans.

In absence of requiring private banks to erase these defaults from the credit history of student borrowers who successfully make the nine consecutive payments, private banks should at least have to be abundantly clear and up-front about whether or not they will comply with the Fair Student Credit Act.

More than just numbers

O

n May 2, I sat in the bleachers at the Big House as the blazing sun transformed my exposed arms, chest, face and scalp into a shade of bright pink.

My eyes squinted against the solar glare, transfixed on the field for the Class of 2015’s AARICA commencement MARSH ceremony from the University of Michigan. Memories evoked emotions while speakers recalled some of the amazing accomplishments I had witnessed first-hand from the people I entered college with.

When I left my hometown — a village of about 800 people — four years ago, I was sure I would be among that sea of caps and gowns, smiling with friends as we took the last step of our undergraduate career.

But I wasn’t.

I was among the anonymous crowd of family and friends, befuddled over how quickly four years had passed.

We experienced the beginning of college together and are connected by the freedom we felt freshman year; we stumbled through dorms, tests and relationships, somehow starting to find ourselves. Yet, I often felt stunted in my journey, one step behind the people around me. I was blindly navigating my way through college, unable to fully comprehend what I was there for and how I would be able to stay.

Most students enter the University with the belief that they will finish

their undergraduate career in a mere four years. With a four-year graduation rate of about 76 percent, most students do. However, halfway through my junior year, I realized the fouryear college experience wasn’t the path my life was destined to take (or able to given the circumstances).

When I first came to the University in the fall of 2011, my mom and dad, though separated, were technically married and made a combined salary around $100,000. Though they had a solid gross annual income on my first Free Application for Federal Student Aid, there was never any way for them to afford my college education.

My parents — saddled with debt and mental illness, which often contributed to substance abuse — were financially unstable throughout most parts of my life. They were continuously employed, but after the first few years of the new millennium, there was barely even enough money to cover the bills.

I was a pre-teen in a rural village worried about my family; I didn’t think about college or its costs seriously. It’s also hard to plan for college when you’re the only one in the family to attend it.

According to the FAFSA, my parents were expected to pay thousands of dollars for my education. Luckily, I received a four-year scholarship that covered part of my tuition, with federal loans nearly covering the rest.

Still, each of the eight semesters I’ve spent here, I’ve owed thousands of dollars to the University. Every time, we paid the money far past the beginning of the semester deadline, most of

Thursday, May 14, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

the time after I called my mom panicking, worried I would be unable to sign up for the next semester of classes because of the financial hold on my account. We have always somehow found the money, waiting until the closest paycheck or borrowing from family. One semester, I personally took out a loan from my local credit union with my mom as a co-signer.

On my second FAFSA application, I claimed my dad’s income as my parents had officially divorced.

He had recently started a new welding job after being laid off by his previous employer; I received a Pell Grant and was able to do a work-study job. During the next few tax cycles, my mom claimed me as her dependent, as she was the one helping me financially far more than my dad. However, her income was increasing as she excelled at work, becoming a regional manager for Amtrak engineers in five short years. I received federal loans.

After moving out of the dorms sophomore year, I moved to Ypsilanti for cheaper rent and began working as often as possible to pay off the loan from my credit union and to pay for living expenses.

That year, I finally became actively involved in a student organization; something that is seemingly mandatory during a university education. Life became too much of a burden, financially, emotionally and physically. I slowed down my

“

schooling, unable to fit all of the required classes for my dual degree into my remaining semesters. My summers were spent working to save up money for school.

After finally figuring out what I wanted from college, I have four classes to take to finish my second degree. So, I was in the crowd among family and friends. But, I know I’m not the only one.

FAFSA measures our lives through a year of numbers. It doesn’t ask whether your parents nearly lost everything in the financial crisis of the early 2000s, how many times your house was almost repossessed, whether any of your family members suffer from a crippling mental illness or if there has been any long-term issues that may affect your financial situation.

FAFSA, like most financial aid, doesn’t care about the big picture.

They are only concerned with a snapshot of the present.

A year changes things, but only so much. Analyzing how much a family makes in one year, while helpful, doesn’t necessarily provide adequate financial aid to all applicants. FAFSA is an important tool in helping students across the nation attain higher education. In order to further help students, it should start to consider long-term circumstances that affect a student’s economic status.

— Aarica Marsh can be reached at aaricama@umich.edu

NOTABLE QUOTABLE

I don’t think we’re going to outspend Hillary Clinton or Jeb Bush or anybody else, but I think we are going to raise the kinds of money we need to run a strong and winning campaign.”

D

OPINION 5

Dear Pamphleteers

ear Pamphleteers, Oh, how I used to hate your guts. The way you owned the bricks ELIJAH of the Diag. SPARKMAN Intercepting me at every conceivable pathway through the heart of my campus. Unavoidable obstacles. Your arms extended, long towards me, blue, yellow and pink papers between your thumb and hand. “Come to my group’s event! Ahhh!” How you battered me with your announcements.

How, just to spite you, I’d take your pieces of worthless paper.

Oh, I would smile back. Smile at you. Look you in the eyes and tell you I couldn’t wait to “Check it out.” Then I would proceed to fold your pamphlets into the sharpest of paper airplanes, hoping you were still watching me, hoping that you felt your dreams being crushed and folded, and then I would fly them, ever-sogracefully, into the nearest garbage can where they would crash and whimper. I’d hoped you’d notice that I’d opted for the trash as opposed to the blue recycling bin — the two are literally right next to each other — just to spite you more, secretly hoping that enough people would do as I did, and in some weird swing of events that was completely irrational, highly powerful “officials” would have to ravage the Diag garbage cans in the middle of the night. They would find thousands of your papers that were perpetually demanding things of me. They would see all of the paper you’ve wasted that could’ve been recycled.

Best case scenario: your group would be disbanded, or at the very least, suspended, and you would have time to think about what you’d done.

Oh, but time. Time. Time.

What a mover and a shaker of minds. Like those paper airplane pamphlets, time has flown past me and found its way to waste.

Now, it’s summertime. I sit here attempting to type, my butt on

a concrete block, my feet on the brick where yours once stood, my only thoughts of you. You’ve been replaced now by sun, trees and the chirping of birds. But to say you’ve been replaced, if we’re going to be real — and I’m ready to be real now — is to be mistaken. You are irreplaceable.

Ssshhhhhh….. Do you hear that?

Well … there’s a little whisper of wind. A few birds. But, no, I didn’t really hear that. No! That’s because there’s nothing to hear!

You’re all gone! No one is here to haggle and barter for my time.

“Have you heard about this App I invented?” “Pizza House Fundraiser on Thursday.” I can only hear you in my head. I’m the only one here.

To be alone is the worst condition for someone who spends the vast majority of their time making fun of other people. I’m the only one left. I can only make fun of me for so long before I get, like, offended, you know? This is a lot different than previous scenarios. I feel my feelings. But I don’t feel your feelings. I am left to be oppressed by the spirit of my own silence, haunted by my best memories of you. They play over and over again in my mind … Every replay another menacing paper eagle, dissecting my weaving intestines, my butterfly stomach and my waning, regret filled heart. I’m chained to the top of this concrete block.

There’s Groove banging away on the tops of metal garbage cans while they stand on top of ladders.

I used to cover my ears when I walked by, grimacing. But, oh, how they would smile, enjoying themselves, playing their music! There’s the Every Three Weekly, who I could’ve sworn were out there like every three days with their satirical commentary that made me so envious wallowing in my own lack thereof. There’s DoRAK, the a cappella groups, the activists, the artists and the religious guys with their bibles and flags. And how could I forget the Hare Krishnas?

I simply never will.

And my most favorite of all. My very, very favorite. I really should

make a shrine to her on top of one of the other concrete blocks, maybe sculpt one into a statue of her with a chisel and hammer or something. The brunette girl conducting a simple survey for her psychology class. She was asking fellow pamphleteers, fellow students and simple passersby how they felt about the Squirrel Watching Club on campus.

She asked me.

I knew it would be too easy to criticize her and her survey. Look at her. She’s probably a freshman.

Cute, young, innocent. Out here in the world, this big world, this tiny Diag, collecting opinions like acorns, storing all of the crucial data in her pantry of a three-subject notebook.

I did it anyways.

I said, “I think everyone in that club needs to get a job.” I said, “Including the squirrels!

I mean who do they think they are?” Then I said, before turning away, “You’d probably be better off picking a job up too,” and I didn’t turn around to see her face or her reaction.

The horrible irony of it all. I didn’t even have a job at the time.

I didn’t get one until like yesterday. Who was I to say any of that?

But even if I did have a job, that’s so stupid. What a terrible thing to say. The Diag is the domain for life. People doing what they like. Hey, the point of her going to school is to get a job anyways.

I’m so dumb. Spirit of my silence, how can I forgive myself?

Dear Pamphleteers, I don’t want to be bound to the walls of my own subpar, comic nutshell any longer. I want you to know I’ll be waiting for you on my concrete block. I can’t wait to see and hear about all of the events and fundraisers and action plans you have lined up for me in the fall. I can’t wait to hear about all of the dreams you’ve been dreaming up — all of the ink you’ve put on paper.

Sincerely, ES — Elijah Sparkman can be reached at esspa@umich.edu.

CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION — Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” on May 10 when asked about the need for Super PAC funding in order win a political election.

Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor and viewpoints.

Letters should be fewer than 300 words while viewpoints should be 550-850 words.

Send the writer’s full name and University affiliation to melikaye@umich.edu

6 ARTS

Thursday, May 14, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

ARTIST

By WILL GREENBERG Daily Arts Writer

It was a school night when Business junior Gary King walked into the Michigan Union. King is pursuing a dual major in Business and organizational studies, and upon arriving he announces that he needs to get back home soon; he has a lot of homework to do. Most of his time that past week had been eaten up already while finalizing and releasing his latest EP: Pre-Notions.

King released the alternative hiphop EP to his Sound Cloud in March and plans to have another project out in the next few months. He has been rapping for most of his life, and now that he’s at the University, with better recording resources and a wider array of other talent to collaborate with, he’s looking to make some noise.

King has been juggling school and music since he arrived at the University. A Detroit native, King started rapping in middle school and performs in the area as much as he can. He’s already performed at Ann Arbor’s Blind Pig, a University fraternity, the Martin Luther King Day Symposium and some other open mics around town.

The show King remembers most is one of his first. He tells the story of a show with his friends at his church’s talent show during sophomore year of high school: “We messed up horribly,” King laughs as he remembers. “We had the

IN

PROFILE

coldest rhymes already set and then we went up there — we forgot everything.”

Luckily, the pastor approached him and his friends and offered to let them try again at the following mass on Sunday, in front of a crowd filled with friends and family that was roughly three times larger than the little talent show. King jumped on the second-chance opportunity and turned it into his launch-pad for his musical pursuits.

“I went up there, killed it; it was all cool. And then we ended up performing at the harvest fest; that was pretty dope. Then that’s how I got my first recording opportunity,” King said.

One priority for King in his music is creating a unique sound (as he says in “Choices (The Segue)”: “I just try to avoid the norm ’cause I’m tryin’ to be remembered”). He pays close attention to the underground rap scene, always looking for artists trying new things and creating anything alternative. A personal goal for King is to locate the next big name in the genre before they catch fame, but he also incorporates other rappers’ ideas into his own music.

On this most recent project, King worked with Kinesiology senior James Huang, who goes by the stage name “Blank Face Villain.” Huang, who has played piano all his life but only started recording in college, produced and mixed Pre-Notions.

The duo worked out of the recording booths on North Campus, usually late

on Saturday nights when they could get studio time.

Huang said King introduced him to much of the underground scene and the two were on the same page for the type of sound they were looking for on the EP. The beats are across the board, slow but driving, creatively blending computer-generated sounds and Huang’s piano. The EP has soothing tracks like “$ouls,” as well as some more chaotic songs like “Evolve.”

What’s clear is that the EP isn’t merely two students dabbling in an after-school hobby; it’s pretty good.

Unfortunately, Huang will be in graduate school at Northwestern next fall — though King doesn’t think it’ll sever the partnership completely.

“Chicago’s not that far,” King said.

Still, King himself said he always puts grades ahead of music. While the workload of a double major can be tough, King said staying organized and focused frees up time for him to work on his music.

More than that, King said sacrificing school for music would defeat the purpose of his rap’s message. While in a perfect world King would see himself rapping, he said no matter what he does he wants to be an example, as a good student to kids and as a wholesome person to listeners at large.

He calls himself a “conscious rapper,” infusing his Christian faith, hard-working mentality and his belief in family into his lyrics. King said no matter what path he takes, whether in the business world or

AMANDA ALLEN/Daily

He calls himself a “conscious rapper.”

the music world, he wants to make a positive contribution to the people around him.

“I definitely want to get the right message across and help people in some sort of capacity,” King said.

For now, King is working on gaining attention for his music on Sound Cloud. Working mostly through word of mouth, King said this year he’s committed to performing as much as possible.

As he continues to record new material, King is always looking for feedback, consulting friends he feels are tuned into the hip-hop world. Business junior Max Quertermous, a friend of King’s, serves as a first set of ears from time to time.

As a fellow Business student, Quertermous can attest to the workload of the school — which he said isn’t unreasonable — but said King’s music doesn’t suffer from being one of two focuses.

Quertermous said he also watches the up-and-coming rap scene

closely and would compare King to others in the underground scene.

He said what he likes about King is his unique message and approach to his music, declaring it one of his biggest assets.

“If you’re serious about hip hop, you consider yourself a serious listener, and if you care about the music, then I would suggest that you do check out Gary’s music and listen to it closely,” Quertermous said.

Yes, keep an eye out for the name “Gary King” when returning to campus next fall. King said the title of Pre-Notions is a not-so-subtle hint of things to come, saying his next project should be his best work yet, something that should attract many new ears.

“This is just basically supposed to be an outline,” King said. “You know how you have papers and you make an outline before you get into a paper, or the real message you want to do?

That’s basically what the idea of this was.”

EVENT PREVIEW

Boston Calling heads into its fifth year

By KAREN HUA

Daily TV/New Media Editor

Summertime brings warmer weather, sunnier souls and the season of music festivals. There’s something liberating, refreshing Boston Call— empowering, even — about ing Music being in sunny Festival haze among a crowd of strang- May 22-24 ers bonded by the love of cer- Boston City tain bands and Hall Plaza musical culture.

Coachella and Bonnaroo are $50 - $350 renowned for

bringing concert-goers into wide desert and farm fields, but a newer trend has brought these festivals to cities for a change of pace and environment.

Over Memorial Day weekend, Boston Calling Music Festival will hold its fifth event since its inception two years ago. What began as a simple idea to bring the festival culture to an urban atmosphere was soon picked up by the Bowery to sponsor the event to reality — first headline

by The National in May of 2013. This year, Grammy award-winner Beck, My Morning Jacket and The Pixies will headline on May 22, 23 and 24, respectively. Other favorites such as Marina and the Diamonds and St. Vincent will be returning, while

bands such as Tame Impala, Tenacious D and Ben Harper will make their Boston Calling debut.

To hype up both ticket holders and the city for the musical start to the summer, Boston Calling has been holding a block party concert every Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m.

Last week, Tigerman Woah headed the first of the series in Downtown Crossing, where most attendees were regulars socializing after work or local passersby drawn to the springtime pulsation of sound. It was a small but hearty crowd enjoying a more private concert of a grungier, edgier sound with a twang of blues. The party brought an eclectic audience from yuppies to older professions, just like the diverse audi-

ence Boston Calling usually draws — a crowd of 20,000, from college students to families to independent fans of the music. Some come for the music, while others come just to enjoy the air of festivity.

Bernard, a 25-year-old finance worker from Lebanon, rocked out to the music up front even though he had never heard of the band before.

He was spontaneously attracted to the event after stepping off the train led by the sentiment to “taste the local culture … know more about the local scene.”

What sets Boston Calling apart from other music festivals is not only the urban setting off of which the music resonates; the event, much like the block party series,

has a lower key nature and also an open door reentry policy that allows goers to both explore the city and stay on the grounds for the concert.

The schedule is structured around two stages so that no performances overlap, and attendees may see all 10 acts.

Boston Calling intertwines both local bands and up-and-coming artists amalgamated with big-name headliners — a way to expose the community to diverse musical culture. The festival brings in a wide variety of artists — it isn’t only an alternative music haven like most festivals are: It caters to an audience comprising wide demographics and different musical tastes and, hopefully, an open mind to new sound.

Thursday, May 14, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

MUSIC COLUMN

TV REVIEW

ARTS 7

Shut up and listen to ‘Gotham’ lacks development ‘Shut Up and Dance’

By MATT BARNAUSKAS

R

ock ‘n’ roll’s not dead. It’s sitting right at number 2 on the iTunes singles chart.

I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t see it coming.

Don’t get me wrong, I liked Walk the Moon’s first single, “Anna ADAM Sun,” as much THEISEN as anybody. I’ve always been a huge fan of The Killers, Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party and those other new wave revivalists, so if a band can take the characteristics of these bands — huge choruses, disco-influenced backbeats and rough lyrics about “towns” and/or needing to get out of them — and distill them skillfully into a new four-minute composition, my acceptance is basically a given.

That said, I didn’t expect to hear much more from Walk the Moon after “Anna Sun.” It was one of those huge songs that felt like a big hit if you listened primarily to the Alt Nation channel on Sirius and drove around with friends who’d sing along when it came on that station. I put the track on my iPod thinking that in a short time I’d scroll across the title and it would stick out like that guy who wore a Mitt Romney mask to last year’s Halloween party.

Then I heard “Shut Up and Dance” when it was first released, and it pretty much confirmed my prediction. Bland guitar chords, a catchy cookie-cutter chorus and no signs of innovation — this song wouldn’t last the rest of the month. Bands come out with new singles every day, and “Shut Up and Dance” didn’t have what it would take to avoid quickly getting lost in the shuffle.

That was August 2014, and in the subsequent seasons, Walk the Moon slowly slipped out of my consciousness. I didn’t listen to the radio at school, and I got caught up in other new releases — very few of which were from rock bands. I even, regretfully, deleted

Daily Arts Writer

“Anna Sun” off my iPod. But, like the whispers of that secret you knew no one would ever find out about, “Shut Up and Dance” came back to me. First it was innocuous enough for me to dismiss — I caught the closing notes as I walked into a store, and I picked it up from a passing car on State Street. Then my Twitter timeline seemed unusually excited for Walk the Moon’s show in Detroit back in April — an interesting blip on my radar, but not much more.

Finally, not long after the concert, I go to a party and pretty good music is playing, but nothing out of the ordinary — the great ’00s nostalgia trips and the best hits of this school year. Suddenly, the choppy opening guitar notes of “Shut Up and Dance” echo around the room. I’m confused, but people are dancing. Everyone seems to know this song. And everyone seems to love this song.

And everyone screams along to the chorus, because why the hell wouldn’t you scream along? After way too much denial, I realize this plain old rock song is a fucking hit.

Now, I stand by what I said — “Shut Up and Dance” is a cookie-cutter rock song. The fouron-the-floor beat (God bless it), a singer declaring “this woman is my destiny” and a breakdown with the inevitable audience-clapping already inserted (genius!).

However, “Shut Up and Dance” doesn’t work despite these clichés, but because of how effectively it executes them, and how great it feels when you can dance and sing along with them. That golden drum beat conducts your body and moves it exactly how it needs to; those audience cues will just ratchet up the anticipation and make everyone’s hearts that much more explosive when you hear it live. And Nick Petricca sells those lyrics with every molecule of air that comes out of his mouth, singing like he’s the first guy ever to call a woman Juliet and fall in love with her at first sight, like he’s losing his virginity and falling in love and getting married and raising children all on that dark,

crowded, slippery discotheque floor. And then that refrain just tops it off. There’s no comeback to “Shut up and dance with me!” If you say anything in response to a command that joyful and assured, you’re a gutless asshole.

And even though I admit I was wrong when I first judged the song’s quality in the solitude of my car, I still have no idea how “Shut Up and Dance” made it to the mainstream. This is a song that came out last summer that’s finally peaking and poised to take over 2015’s season of sunshine.

And it was an indie rock song, of all things, from a band with little previous pedigree or name recognition. At the risk of sounding curmudgeonly, right now is kind of a dead period for rock bands. Of course, plenty of bands are making great music, but it feels like ages since rock has been a regular on Top-40 radio.

Hip hop, country and even EDM have all earned well-deserved greater relevance today.

That said, I still see rock poking out here and there. I hear it in music ostensibly made for kids, like One Direction’s “Little Black Dress” or Five Seconds of Summer’s “She Looks So Perfect.” (In fact, the girl of “She Looks So Perfect” could very well be the girl of “Shut Up and Dance” before she got a fake ID and traded in boys’ American Apparel underwear for a backless dress and some beat-up sneaks.) And I hear it when our generation’s few altrock classics suddenly surprise a room, when “Mr. Brightside” comes on and everyone gets shocked and disoriented by euphoria. I suppose “Shut Up and Dance” just had the power and resilience to beat at the walls of the charts until it was heard, and I suppose that even if rock keeps getting topped on the pop charts, it’ll always be around, waiting to be heard. Because as soon as we hear it, we know it’s our destiny.

Theisen is now reevaluating All Time Low. To reminisce, e-mail ajtheis@umich.edu

Picking up in the middle of a gang war, “Gotham” ’s Season 1 finale, “All Happy Families Are Alike,” brought an end to the inauguCral season of Fox’s uneven Gotham Batman prequel. “Gotham” Season Finale shouldn’t have Fox gone beyond its initial 16-episode order, but with the show’s initial success, Fox ordered extra episodes. This bloated an already thinly stretched season and created an underwhelming finale.

I’m not sure if there’s a good show in “Gotham,” but there are solid elements that make its struggles even more frustrating. The escalating gang war between Carmine Falcone (John Doman, “The Wire”) and Sal Maroni (David Zayas, “Dexter”) was consistently one of the strongest aspects of the season. This mainly came from the scheming, Iago-esque presence of the future Penguin, Oswald Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor, “The Walking Dead”). Cobblepot’s plans for power and two-sided dealings with the two crime lords grew increasingly elaborate and were the best-constructed plot lines for the new series.

Fish Mooney’s (Jada PinkettSmith, “Hawthorne”) return complicates this conflict, introducing a third party. Fish has been a problematic character for the show, personifying several of its issues.

“Gotham” is a muddled show tonally — it tries to walk the line between serious and campy but struggles at several points. The show is more successful when it leans to the grittier tone within its gothic film noir styling. However, Pinkett’s overthe-top performance clashes with the more grounded characters with whom she shares screen time, such as Doman’s Falcone.

Furthermore, Fish represents “Gotham” ’s biggest struggle: forming strong, independent characters, particularly females. Too often in “Gotham,” supporting characters are merely objects in relation to

primary characters: They exist in a vacuum without any real definition.

Take Barbara Kean (Erin Richards, “Breaking In”), Jim Gordon’s (Ben McKenzie, “Southland”) former fiancée. Barbara serves only to complicate the life of Gordon. Her struggles aren’t her own, but rather obstacles placed in Jim’s path. This became a glaring issue in recent episodes when Barbara became the target of the serial killer, the Ogre (Milo Ventimigilia, “Heroes”). She became little more than a damsel in distress for Gordon to save. Furthermore, in the finale, Barbara spends almost the entire episode talking to Jim’s current girlfriend, Leslie Thompkins (Morena Baccarin, “Homeland”) about Gordon.

In fact, Barbara is so defined by her relationship with Jim that she tries to kill Leslie, in an out-of-left-field move that reveals how shallow the writers have made the character.

The other issue in “All Happy Families Are Alike” was the anticlimactic feeling it had despite the fact that there were big shifts in the titular city’s power dynamic. Major story elements were introduced leading up to the episode, including Gordon owing Cobblepot a favor, but too many of these were resolved with a wave of a hand and little narrative buildup. Take the Gordon / Cobblepot deal — an opportunity to truly test the moral fiber of the nearly incorruptible detective is wasted on just having Gordon not leave Cobblepot for dead. The chance to have Gordon aligned with “the least worst option,” Falcone, is dismissed because Falcone, after a whole season of fighting for dominance of the city, decides to quit because of a sudden revelation that crime isn’t the way to fix the city.

If there is one thing “Gotham” isn’t, it is subtle. Characters are painted in broad strokes and the obvious is often overstated. As Cobblepot stands on a rooftop proclaiming, “I’m the king of Gotham” this becomes readily apparent. As “Gotham” moves forward, it must become defter at developing characters into actual people instead of plot points and creating fully realized narrative arcs that crawl to the finish line.

8 SPORTS

Thursday, May 14, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

TOURNAMENT From Page 1

After causing no damage in the first inning, the Wolverines got the offense going in the second. Following junior right fielder Kelsey Susalla’s walk, senior catcher Lauren Sweet laid down a perfect bunt down the third base line to not only advance Susalla to second, but to reach base safely herself.

Sophomore third baseman

Swag, and we had great leadership, and we played some great ball.”

Wagner started off well, efficiently recording outs. She shut down the Nebraska side in order, setting the table for the Michigan offense.

Lindsay Montemarano then slashed a ball off the third baseman’s glove into left field to knock in Susalla to score the game’s first run.

Freshman designated player Aidan Falk grounded out to advance the runners to second and third. The other freshman in the lineup, first baseman Tera Blanco, stepped up next and hit

Classifieds RELEASE DATE– Thursday, May 14, 2015

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a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Sweet to put the Michigan lead at 2-0.

“We’re having a lot of fun and we’re coming out ready to play,” Wagner said. “We love to be on the field and we just go out there and attack, sticking to our onepitch focus.”

The third inning started off with a bang on the Wolverines’

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defensive side to help Wagner’s cause. Nebraska’s leadoff batter in the third, catcher Steph Pasquale, hit a 1-0 pitch deep to center field.

The hit looked like it had a shot to go over the wall for a home run, but junior centerfielder Sierra Lawrence made a jumping catch at the end of the warning track to record the out.

The polished defensive effort continued in the bottom of the third inning. After making an error in the previous inning, sophomore shortstop Abby Ramirez put out all three batters.

The outs included two cross-diamond throws to first that drew cheers of awe from the predominantly-Michigan crowd.

Wagner didn’t allow a hit until the fourth inning with one out.

Nothing would develop beyond it in the fourth, though, as Wagner kept the Huskers from scoring once again.

The bottom of the fifth inning started with two singles by Falk and Blanco. Ramirez came up next and put down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners. The bunt was perfectly executed, and the Wolverines got lucky when the shortstop overthrew the first baseman. The error allowed a run to score, pushing the lead to three.

With junior second baseman Sierra Romero up with two runners in scoring position, Nebraska found themselves in a situation they never want to be in. The fans might have expected what was to happen next. Romero didn’t miss the 2-1 pitch, smashing it over the center-field wall for a three-run homer. Romero’s third home run of the weekend pushed the Michigan lead to 6-0.

Wagner allowed two more hits in the seventh inning. One run would score, but that would be all the Huskers could muster as Wagner closed out the win with a groundout.

“I’m proud of our team,” Romero said. “I wouldn’t expect anything less … Nothing really has to be said to our team. We know what we want and we had a chip on our shoulder this year. We wanted to come win the tournament and we did.”

The fans turned Buckeye Field into a temporary Alumni Field, and the Wolverines played like they were at home. When Michigan plays its first NCAA Regional game, they will be in Ann Arbor.

But it isn’t the stadium, it’s the fans that make the team play like there’s no place like home.

Thursday, May 14, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

NCAA Regional Preview: Wolverines set to defend home turf

By KEVIN SANTO Daily Sports Writer

The Michigan softball team will begin the Regional round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday at Alumni Field. The Wolverines will host California, Pittsburgh and Oakland. Only one team can emerge from the double-elimination Regional round to move on to the Super Regional. The Daily breaks down each team competing for a chance to survive and advance.

No. 3 Michigan The Wolverines (21-2 Big Ten, 51-6 overall) are the NCAA Regional favorites.

Michigan will be playing with home-field advantage and is coming off a Big Ten regular season and tournament title, not to mention they’re on a 20-game win streak.

Junior co-captain and second baseman Sierra Romero was just named ESPN’s Player of the Year and is on a hot streak entering the tournament — something that won’t bode well for opponents.

In three games at the Big Ten tournament, Romero went 5-for8 with 11 runs batted in and three home runs.

Sophomore left fielder Kelly Christner trails just Romero in team batting statistics, boasting 18 home runs and a .420 batting average while leading the Wolverines with 74 hits.

Michigan’s pitching corps is expected to be dominant as usual, as the duo put together strong performances in the Big Ten Tournament. Sophomore right-hander Megan Betsa recorded 15 strike outs and allowed zero walks in seven innings. Senior left-hander Haylie Wagner allowed only one run on three hits to lead the Wolverines to victory in the tournament championship.

With everything clicking for Michigan, it’s hard to imagine an upset in Ann Arbor.

California The Bears (10-14 Pac-12, 38-16) will prove to be the greatest obstacle of the Regional for the Wolverines. Cal has a number of impressive wins against topranked teams, defeating No. 8 Ten-

nessee, No. 9 Florida State and No. 12 Arizona. Only three of its losses during conference play came at the hands of an unranked team.

There’s no questioning that the Bears have been battle-tested by a powerful Pac-12 conference, but they will need a number of players to produce in order to emerge from the Regional.

Centerfielder Jazmyn Jackson has been exceptional in her first season for Cal, recording a .446 batting average and leading the team with 78 hits. Left fielder Cheyenne Cordes and catcher Danielle Henderson have been dominant power hitters this year, boasting 15 and 14 home runs, respectively. The duo have also accounted for 119 of the team’s 286 RBI. Though the Bears are more than capable at the plate, they are not nearly as strong in the circle. Righthander Katie Sutherland-Finch leads the team in innings pitched with 168, but has accumulated a mediocre 3.79 earned-run average.

Cal could make a push to emerge from the Regional, but it will likely be faced with the difficult task of outscoring Michigan.

Pittsburgh The Panthers (11-13 ACC, 35-20) have earned their first bid to the tournament in program history and are looking to continue to take down powerhouse teams. Though Pittsburgh has an unimpressive record, it is fresh off a huge performance in the ACC Tournament.

The second and third-ranked teams of the tournament, Notre Dame and North Carolina, were handed losses at the hands of the Panthers, and the selection committee awarded Pitt by punching its ticket to Ann Arbor.

The Panthers have unimpressive stats — they are fifth in batting average in the ACC, recording a .293 team batting average. They also are eighth in the conference with a 3.90 ERA. Despite the low batting average, Pitt still is first and second in the ACC with 445 hits and 82 doubles, respectively.

The Panthers struggle from the circle as well, accumulating a 3.90 ERA that could be exploited by the other three teams in the field.

Pitt will have a tough road to get through the Regional, but at the moment it appears nothing is impossible for this team.

Oakland The Golden Grizzlies’ are the Cinderella of the Ann Arbor regional. Oakland (14-6 Horizon League, 27-22) reigns as both the regular season and tournament champion of its conference, but that isn’t as impressive when compared to the competition of the Big Ten, ACC or Pac-12.

It would be shocking if the Golden Grizzlies advanced through Regional play, but they have a handful of players that could turn their current dream into a reality.

One of Oakland’s biggest assets is its speed on the base paths.

Third baseman Morgan Muron and shortstop Sarah Hartley are both 21-for-22 in stolen base attempts.

Hartley leads the team in home runs as well with 11 while posting a .366 batting average. The underdog squad’s biggest threat at the plate is first baseman Sara Cupp, who boasts a team-high .382 batting average and 43 RBI. The Golden Grizzlies’ have leaned on right-hander Erin Kownacki in the circle this year, who maintains a 2.43 ERA and leads her team in appearances by 15 games.

Oakland’s journey will likely end at Alumni Field, but nothing is guaranteed in the NCAA Tournament.

SPORTS 9

Despite injury, Driesenga is dedicated to seeing Michigan succeed

By TYLER SCOTT Daily Sports Writer

As good as sophomore righthander Megan Betsa and senior left-hander Haylie Wagner have been heading into this weekend’s regional round of the NCAA tournament, the Wolverines’ pitching rotation today looks considerably different than anyone would have guessed it would during the early stages of the 2015 season.

Senior right-hander Sara Driesenga started the season as one of three major threats in the circle for the Michigan softball team. On February 21, Driesenga pitched five complete innings, allowing just four hits and one earned run during a 13-1 Michigan win over Lipscomb. And then her season was derailed.

“You don’t expect (an injury) coming into the season,” Driesenga said. “I always expected to be able to contribute on the field.”

The game against Lipscomb would prove to be Driesenga’s last.

Since appearing in eight games for the Wolverines at the beginning of the year, she has missed the majority of the season with an injury — forcing the two-time first team All-Big Ten pitcher to adjust to a new role on the team.

As frustrating as it is being unable to take the field with her teammates and help win games for

Michigan, Driesenga knows what she wants each player to be focused on heading into the NCAA tournament.

“Even if we do come out and score a lot of runs like sometimes we have, not getting complacent with that and not being content, always wanting to get better,” Driesenga said. “Because those little things and that mindset is what’s going to make all the difference in the postseason.”

It would have been interesting to see how differently Michigan’s season would have taken shape had Driesenga, a team captain with a 2.07 career ERA, not been injured.

Throughout her career, Driesenga was an adequate producer at the plate as well, batting a career .272 average and a .444 slugging percentage when she played mainly as a designated and utility player.

Instead, the Wolverines lost a decorated veteran on the field, but gained a steadfast leader in the dugout that still wants to contribute to her team in any way she can.

“Really what I’ve been focusing on is watching the game and really being into every pitch,” Driesenga said. “I guess (I’ve been) learning the certain tendencies of my teammates and trying to help them if they’re struggling. Or if they’re doing well I make sure to tell them, See DRIESENGA, Page 10

Thursday, May 14, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

SPORTS 10

Wolverines to begin shootout with No. 13 Cowboys Thursday

By BEN FIDELMAN Daily Sports Writer

PAUL SHERMAN/Daily

The Michigan baseball team has outscored its opponents, 36-3 in its last two games

Baseball thumps Eastern by 15

By ZACH SHAW Managing Sports Editor

No one in the stands Tuesday evening would’ve guessed that Eastern Michigan had beaten the Michigan baseball team eight of its last nine tries. Few would have guessed that the same Wolverines lost to the same Eagles less than a month ago.

On a cold, windy night, Michigan (14-10 Big Ten, 32-21 overall) hastily unseated its Washtenaw County rival, pouring on 17 runs in the first four innings to cruise past the Eagles (19-33).

With the 17-2 win and a 19-1 win over Northwestern on Sunday, the Wolverines have perfected their blowout look.

“We took advantage of the free passes that we got,” said Michigan coach Erik Bakich. “With our offense, if you get that many free passes, that many walks, hit-by-pitches, errors, you’re going to score. I didn’t think we had an unbelievable day offensively, but I thought what we strive for, which is quality at-bats, we had a lot of.

“Whether they were given to us or earned, it’s still stringing together quality at-bats together, and that was a positive tonight.”

In total, Michigan hitters reached base via 14 walks, 11 hits, four errors and two hit-by-pitches. Sophomore infielder Carmen Benedetti led the way for the Wolverines, going 4-for-4 with three runs and three RBI. Benedetti now has 63 RBI, the most by a Big Ten player since 2010 and good for third in the nation.

On the other side of the ball, Michigan used seven pitchers, who combined to allow just five hits, eight strikeouts and zero earned runs. With No. 13 Oklahoma State coming to town on Thursday, the committee — comprised mostly of lesser-used bullpen arms — gave some of the regular pitchers much-needed rest.

“We had kind of scripted it out, that that’s how we wanted the day to go,” Bakich said. “We were hoping that we would have a lead that was expanded that we could do that. Getting all of those guys some innings pitched keeps everybody fresh for Oklahoma State.

“It was good to get everybody and inning or two, and everybody

“We took advantage of the free passes that we got.”

Over its last two games, the Michigan baseball team scored an average of 2.25 runs per inning, blowing out Northwestern in a rubber game, 19-1, and rolling over cross-town foe Eastern Michigan, 17-2.

However, those two opponents combine to have just three more wins than the Wolverines (14-10 Big Ten, 32-21 overall) on the season. No. 13 Oklahoma State will travel to Ann Arbor this weekend to provide a tougher test.

The series pits the Big Ten’s top offense and the Big 12’s leading pitching staff against each other, with high stakes for both sides.

As it stands, Michigan looks in from the outside on the field of 64 teams that comprise the NCAA Tournament. Sitting at 83 in the Rating Percentage Index standings doesn’t look good for the Wolverines, who enter their final regular-season series. RPI takes into account both win percentage and strength of schedule, so a series win for Michigan over a highly-ranked (15th in RPI) opponent could help a late push toward the tournament.

“We know we haven’t done anything yet,” said Michigan coach Erik Bakich. “We have a challenge with a ranked Oklahoma State team coming in, but we just want to be playing our best

DRIESENGA From Page 9 Good job. Don’t think too much, just keep doing what you’re doing.’ ” But Driesenga does much more than supply moral support for Michigan. She’s intimate with the craft of pitching as well as softball in general, and as such is a valuable resource for her teammates during in-game scenarios.

When assistant coach Jennifer Brundage is relaying sig-

at the end of the year because of the momentum that can create to allow us to extend our season as long as we can.

“The only way we’re going to do that is to play well, train hard and execute well. You want to be playing your best baseball when it means the most at the end of the year.”

Michigan also has a chance to qualify with an automatic bid by winning the Big Ten Tournament, which begins in Minneapolis next Wednesday.

The Cowboys (14-8 Big 12, 32-16 overall) are a lock to make the NCAA tournament, and at this point are playing to improve their seed, secure the opportunity to host a Regional and keep momentum rolling through to the postseason.

Much of Oklahoma State’s success this season has come from its conference-best pitching staff. Carrying a combined 2.90 earned-run average, the Cowboys are projected to cause problems from the mound for the Wolverines from the first to ninth innings.

Pitchers Michael Freeman and Remey Reed highlight the staff, holding 1.16 and 0.92 ERAs, respectively. Freeman anchors the rotation, and Reed works primarily from the bullpen.

On the weekend of May 1, Michigan faced No. 16 Iowa and its 2.84 ERA — similar to Okla-

homa State’s. Though the Wolverines lost two of three games that weekend, they scorched the Hawkeyes for an average of six runs per game. Breaking through with that offensive success will prove to be key this weekend if Michigan moves to pull the upset.

This will be just the second series the Wolverines have played against a ranked opponent this season, but the lack of experience against top-flight teams isn’t shaking the team’s confidence. Sticking to the approach is something the coaching staff has preached all year, and there’s no sense in deviating from that now.

“The mentality has really been the same since September, which is to just get better every day,” Bakich said. “That’s all we talk about, and there’s no secret.

Everyone has goals and everyone wants to win championships, but those things happen because of a relentless attack on each day to get better every day, and that’s kind of how we approach it. Keep pushing the program forward, keep getting each individual player a little better, and the whole team will get better.”

The public test for that mentality will come Thursday evening, as Michigan and Oklahoma State kick things off at Ray Fisher Stadium. If the Wolverines want to prove to outsiders that they belong in the NCAA tournament, there’s no time like the present.

nals and calling pitches during games, Driesenga lends a valuable set of eyes to her pitching comrades. She’s on guard for lapses in fundamental mechanics and stays wary of potential tells that might warn opponents of what pitch Wagner or Betsa are readying to deliver.

“I think I’ve definitely gotten closer with them over the course of the year,” Driesenga said. “I’ve been close with Haylie (Wagner) because we’re in

the same class, and last year I was close with Megan (Betsa) too, but I think our relationships have just developed because I can watch them.”

Dedicated to her desire to contribute and to see the Wolverines reach success, Driesenga has maintained a critical role within the pitching staff and developed a deepened bond with the other two hurlers.

“If they’re struggling with certain things, they ask me to watch them warm up or watch them pitch a little bit,” Driesenga said. “I think I’ve been able to help with them in that way and still just help them be confident.”

“I think I’ve been able to help them.”

Thursday, May 14, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Tennis topples Redhawks and Blue Demons, wins Region

By BEN KIM Daily Sports Writer

Tensions were high at the Varsity Tennis Center as the No. 11 Michigan women’s tennis team needed a victory in one of the remaining two matches in order to earn a spot in the Sweet 16.

Michigan was up 3-2, with junior Ronit Yurovsky down 3-1 in a tiebreaking third set and freshman Mira Ruder-Hook’s set tied at 4-4. Hook was in danger of extending her match to a third set after winning the first.

With all eyes on her, the freshman was able to win the next two games and punch the Wolverines’ ticket to the Sweet 16.

Michigan (11-0 Big Ten, 26-3 overall) took the weekend, rolling through Miami (Ohio), 4-0, and grinding out a 4-2 win against DePaul.

“We’re happy to get through,” said Michigan coach Ronni Bernstein.

“We’re relieved and excited. The girls did a good job.”

In years past, the Wolverines had entered the NCAA Championships following a loss at the Big Ten Tournament. Things were different for Michigan this time, having claimed its first Big Ten Tournament Championship in program history. The Wolverines fed off the success they found in the conference tournament.

“We have a lot of confidence coming from the Big Ten Tournament,” said senior Emina Bektas. “We’ve had some really good practices. Not being able to come through (in past Big Ten Tournaments) has put our confidence lower than it usually is. Finally being able to come through has been really good for us.”

Michigan rode that confidence to a swift win over the Redhawks (8-0 Mid-American, 17-6 overall).

The Wolverines quickly clinched the doubles point, never giving up a lead in either of the completed matches.

Sophomore Sara Remynse and RuderHook took the first doubles match, 8-0.

Yurovsky and senior Sarah Lee ended doubles competition with an 8-4 win of their own.

Michigan continued its dominance in the singles matches. Bektas was the first off the court with a 6-1, 6-1 victory.

“I just wanted to set a tone,” Bektas said. “I wanted to get off the court quick, get a point up and not let things

get away from me.”

Yurovsky and freshman Alex Najarian would follow Bektas’s lead with triumphs of their own. Yurovsky cruised to 6-1 and 6-3 victories, while Najarian took her match with 7-6 and 6-1 wins.

The duo clinched the match for the Wolverines and earned them a second round matchup against the 37thranked Blue Demons (5-0 Big East, 22-5 overall).

Michigan’s solid play continued into the doubles matches against DePaul.

Lee and Yurovsky were conceded a lead, as they came off the floor with an 8-4 victory. Remynse and Ruder-Hook ended the doubles competition for the weekend with an 8-4 win of their own.

The similarities between the first and second rounds ended after doubles play. The Wolverines struggled in singles matches against the Blue Demons, though Lee gave Michigan the 2-0 lead with her 6-0, 6-3 victory.

DePaul roared back, winning the next two matches to even up the score.

Remynse and Najarian couldn’t find their rhythm on their way to 3-6, 4-6 and 2-6, 3-6 victories. The pair, along with Yurovsky, had a hard time on the floor as the Blue Demons gave them all they could handle.

“They just didn’t play that well and their energy wasn’t great,” Bernstein said. “They competed hard, but I don’t know if their body language and energy wasn’t as good as it needs to be. It was a bit of a struggle, but a lot of it was DePaul and how well they played them.”

Bektas gave the Wolverines the advantage with her 6-3, 6-4 win, giving them a 3-2 lead. In the end, Ruder-Hook won her match, 6-4, 6-4, and made a place for Michigan in the Sweet 16 for the fifth time in six years.

“I think those are the most fun moments,” Ruder-Hook said. “When everyone’s watching, you can just feel the energy. I’ve never had the opportunity to clinch a match and that’s exactly what I came here for.”

The Wolverines will face off against No. 6 Georgia in the next round of the tournament with a chance to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history. After another strong weekend, it’s rinse and repeat for Michigan.

“There’s nothing to change, tenniswise,” Bernstein said. “I think we’re there now, we just got to relax.”

SPORTS 11

TERESA MATHEW/Daily

Seniors Blake Countess and Dennis Norfleet will leave the Michigan football team before its 2015 season begins

Countess, Norfleet leaving Michigan football program

By MAX COHEN Managing Sports Editor

The Michigan football team’s secondary will have a new look next season. Fans already received a glimpse of redshirt freshman Jabrill Peppers playing safety in the Spring Game, but additional changes are on the way.

Fifth-year senior cornerback Blake Countess announced on his Instagram on Wednesday afternoon that he will not be returning to Michigan for his final season of eligibility.

“My past four years here at the University of Michigan have been great!” Countess wrote. “Nothing but love and appreciation for Ann Arbor, the faculty, the coaches, the support staff and the great fans but after many sleepless nights and much prayer I have decided to play my final year of eligibility elsewhere. I truly thank those that have been there for me and hope you would con-

tinue to do so. #ForeverGoBlue.”

Countess started 30 games for the Wolverines during his career.

He recorded six interceptions in 2013, a season in which he earned first team All-Big Ten honors from the media and second team All-Big Ten honors from the league’s coaches. Countess started 10 of Michigan’s 12 games last season.

One day before Countess posted about his transfer, the Wolverines officially announced the transfer of fifth-year senior cornerback Wayne Lyons from Stanford. Lyons will be immediately eligible because of his status as a graduate transfer. His arrival had been rumored for months and was confirmed by Michigan secondary coach Mike Zordich during spring practice.

Lyons recorded 128 tackles, three interceptions and three forced fumbles for the Cardinal, playing in 43 games. Lyons’ mother, Gwendolyn Bush, works for the football program

“I truly thank those that have been there for me.”

as the director of player development.

“He brings great experience and ability to our secondary and special teams unit,” Zordich said in a statement. “In addition, Wayne is a super individual who will achieve great things both on the field and in his future career.” *** As first reported by MLive. com Tuesday afternoon, rising senior receiver and kick returner Dennis Norfleet has been dismissed from the Michigan football team.

No formal announcement has been made by the program, but according to Dale Harvel, Norfleet’s coach at Detroit’s Martin Luther King High School, the decision to remove Norfleet from the team was a disciplinary one.

“Evidently he was dismissed from the team, Dennis informed us he was no longer on the team,” Harvel told MLive Tuesday afternoon. “Something about a disciplinary thing between him and (Michigan coach Jim) Harbaugh. Whether it was academics or something internal, I’m not sure. He just said they had a disagreement and he was let go.”

12 SPORTS

Thursday, May 14, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

AFCAA plants its roots in Ann Arbor

By KELLY HALL Daily Sports Writer

A teenage YMCA volunteer crouched in the grass and aimed her radar gun at a five-year-old girl, who pumped her arms, lengthened her stride and bolted through the agility course.

“Thirteen miles per hour,” the volunteer told the young AFC Ann Arbor fan, who squealed with delight.

It may not have been the main event at Hollway Field at Pioneer High School on May 1, but it was definitely a highlight for the girl’s father, who high-fived his daughter after her flat-out sprint and rewarded her with a freshly-made donut from one of the local food trucks.

On the field adjacent to the YMCA course full of small victories, Associate Football Club Ann Arbor’s inaugural game in the Great Lakes Premier League was set to begin. The players come from all different skill levels, and about half are associated with the University of Michigan, competing at the club and varsity level. The other half comes from all over the nation, and some from across the world.

To the crowd’s enjoyment, two skydivers delivered the game ball from the cloudless blue sky just before kickoff. Over 2,000 fans attended the inaugural game, and the Main Street Hooligans — AFCAA’s rowdier fans — banged drums and delivered a bevy of chants from behind the home bench as the skydivers descended onto the field.

The chants projected across the pitch to the families sitting in the grandstand, where the bleachers were littered with green- and blueclad fans. Some donned apparel that boasted the team’s slogan, “Strength in the Oak.” Even after the 2-1 loss to San Marino, fans crowded the tables where players signed autographs.

All throughout the stadium, it was clear that the city’s newest team had planted its roots in the heart of Ann Arbor. *** A ragtag group of players make up the roster. Two play on Michigan’s club team, five compete at the varsity level and three used to represent the block ‘M’ in their college years.

ALLISON FARRAND/Daily

AFC Ann Arbor has developed as a community-oriented soccer club, and returns to Hollway Field Friday at 7:00. ALEXANDRIA BODFISH/Daily

There are 12 Division I soccer players on the roster, five of which play for Michigan: redshirt sophomore defender Michael Kapitula, redshirt sophomore midfielder Tyler Anderson, sophomore midfielder Tristan Jacob, junior defender Lars Eckenrode and senior defender Jack Brown.

Of the five, only Ann Arbor native Jacob was available for the inaugural match against San Marino. It was Jacob’s first day of eligibility, and also his first time playing with his new teammates.

Jacob graduated from Pioneer High School in 2014, but hasn’t played on Hollway Field in three years. He didn’t play for Pioneer in his final two seasons because of his involvement with the Crew Soccer Academy Wolves, so he feels that he’s finally getting that missed experience back.

“It was great,” Jacob said. “My family was here, and I saw so many of my friends’ families here. Even my neighbors came out, and it made for an amazing atmosphere.”

Jacob is awaiting the arrival of his Michigan teammates, many of which went home for a week to visit with family, and he can’t wait to practice with them once more.

AFCAA coach David Hebestreit (pronounced heeb-street) is looking forward to having the rest of his players for the summer as well.

“We’re waiting for 12 Division I players to show up, but that doesn’t mean the players that were here tonight won’t compete,” Hebestreit

said following the May 1 loss to San Marino. “I think Lars Eckenrode will be a huge addition when it comes to leadership out of the back.

Tonight we had good play out of the back, but we didn’t have leadership out of the back, and I think Lars will bring that.”

There are also players from Colgate, Xavier, Stony Brook, Albany and Liberty. The team boasts more than just players from all over the United States though.

“We have players from Switzerland, Nigeria, Germany and colleges all across the United States,” Hebestreit said. “It’s not a challenge at all — I mean it can be challenging (but) it’s not something I don’t want to do.

“I find it remarkably energizing to bring all of these people together and get into a training sessions and just let everyone be themselves and see what we can do with it.” *** This isn’t the first time Hebestreit has brought a community together.

He has been the coach of the Michigan club soccer team for nine years, while also teaching creative writing, composition and literature at Livonia Public Schools. Now, he can tack on another title: head coach of AFC Ann Arbor.

“All three jobs are the same thing,” Hebestreit said. “All three jobs are community building, working with young adults and trying to help make an impact on their growth, whether that be in the classroom or on the field.

“I feel so fortunate, like I stumbled and somehow fell into a pot of honey. The ownership group ballooned, and then the community got involved, and then the players showed up. It’s really an amazing thing and I feel so fortunate to be a part of it.”

Hebestreit keeps in close contact with Michigan coach Chaka Daley, updating him on his players’ challenges and improvements. Unlike most colleges, where there’s a clear divide between the club and varsity level, Hebestreit has maintained a close relationship with Daley.

The two work together at the prospective player camp in the summer, allowing Hebestreit to become familiar with all of the club and varsity players. It made the transition to minor league soccer easier for some of the varsity members.

His familiarity with the game and the community seem to be working for AFCAA so far.

“I think it’s pretty evident that the team is important to the community,” Hebestreit said. “Our first game, which was just a friendly, had 2,500 people there. It was just wonderful, the whole event.” *** While attending a game at Hollway field, there are two different seating options. The field is simply laid out, with an east section labeled “a little rowdier” and a “family seating” section on the west.

From the get-go, AFCAA’s coowners aimed to have both fan groups. According to co-owner

Adam Lowenstein, both crowds are necessary for the team’s success.

“I think it will be something that people really look forward to every summer,” Lowenstein said. “Something that is engrained in the fabric of Ann Arbor, just like Top of the Park or Sonic Lunch.”

Adam Schmader sat on the opposite side of the field while his two elementary-aged sons ran around with friends. He goes to some Michigan men’s soccer games with his family, but was happy to hear that Ann Arbor would have its own team.

He enjoyed the game while his children explored. They could have been down by the fence watching the game, in the YMCA Kids Skills Area or listening to live music while eating snacks from one of the food trucks.

Fans are accustomed to buying name-brand foods from large corporations at most sporting events, but AFCAA’S dining options are different. The trucks are all owned by locals, and they serve as a testament to Hebestreit’s dream of a soccer club and community intertwining. *** Since May 1, AFCAA has tacked on another loss with the absence of the majority of its 12 Division I players, but it also recorded its first victory in club history.

In its win against AFC Cleveland, the connection to the University was quite evident.

“We had eight or nine players that had ties to Michigan, so that makes it a little bit easier, but I thought the morale and chemistry was pretty spectacular yesterday,” Hebestreit said. “Even in those tough moments when we were up 3-0 and gave up two goals, there was no yelling at each other and people were still supporting one another.”

Its second home game is on May 15 against Oakland United, and Ann Arbor fans can expect to see their neighbors, both in the stands and on the field. They can expect to see kids running through the YMCA skills course, trying to break their previous record.

And most importantly, they can expect to see their family to grow from beyond that of the Big House just across the street. With a passionate coach and a vibrant community, the ‘Oak’ can only grow stronger.