March 17, 2011

Clean Snowmobile Challenge results

The

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Huskies prepare for third straight trip to Elite Eight

Mexican folk group brings music to Rozsa

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Michigan Tech Lode

March 17, 2011

Serving the Michigan Tech Community Since 1921

Huskies win Regional Championship

Women’s Basketball heads to Elite Eight for the third year in a row

Cutting down the nets (left): Senior center Lisa Staehlin shows off her piece of the net after the Huskies claimed their third straight NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Championship. She averaged 14.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.7 blocks in three Regional tournament games.

Let the celebration begin (above): The Huskies, who are 29-2 so far this season, are the first-ever team in the Midwest Region to secure three straight Regional Championships. They will play 30-2 Arkansas Tech in the Elite Eight on Tuesday, March 22 at 7 p.m. The full bracket is on the back page.

Photos by Ben Wittbrodt

Fukushima on the verge of meltdown ERIKA PEABODY Lode Writer Fears continue to rise as conditions worsen at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan. Currently, at least two of the nuclear reactor’s water pools for spent nuclear fuel have overheated.

As explained by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), “If fuel is no longer covered by water or temperatures reach a boiling point, the fuel can become exposed and create a risk of radioactive release.”

There are many efforts being made to cool down the overheating reactors. Bulldozers

are being used to clear a route so fire trucks can cool them using hoses. On Wednesday helicopters were supposed to drop water into the reactors in an attempt to cool the fuel rods.

The attempt failed however, when high radiation due to an explosion in reactor No. 3, prevented the helicopters from getting too close. The Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) said that they are going to ask the military to try the helicopters again once the radiation levels have gone down.

No. 3 is considered to be the highest priority because it is the only reactor that uses plutonium in its fuel mix. Plutonium is known to stay in the

human body for years and can lead to cancer.

Also, a fire broke out in the No. 4 reactor and water was being rushed to No. 5 and 6 as well. This indicates that the entire Fukushima Daiichi plant is in danger of overheating.

If the situation cannot be remedied soon, the situation at the plant will become critical in just a few days.

Thousands of people crowded the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau in order to receive re-entry permits so they can go home and then return to Japan when it is safer.

The U.S. Embassy to Tokyo urged citizens that were within 50 miles of the plant to evacuate while the British

foreign office urged their citizens to leave the area as well.

France and Australia have already urged nationals in Japan to leave the country and Russia plans to evacuate families of diplomats on Friday.

Japan is part of the circle of seismic activity known as the “ring of fire” that is responsible for 90 percent of the world’s earthquakes and 75 percent of its volcanoes. The panic surrounding the power plant was of course generated after the earthquake and tsunami left most of the area powerless.

It might not seem like the best idea to build nuclear reactors in such an active earthquake zone, however the Japanese are not the only ones that

have made the choice to do so.

Of the 26 countries located within the ring that have nuclear power, only three have built inside the ring itself. Japan has more than 50 plants, the United States has eight reactors at four plants, and Mexico has two reactors at one plant.

The crisis in Japan caused many of the communities surrounding these plants to voice their concerns about the possibility of a similar situation occurring near them. These plants have all been built to withstand a certain magnitude of earthquake based on their locations, but the current crisis in Japan has led many to reexamine their “what-if ” scenarios.

Tech Residence Obama pushes for Michigan Halls prepare for green clean energy by 2035 campus competition REBEKAH PRICE Lode Writer Nikola Tesla, Serbian inventor and engineer, created the concept of “free energy” a century ago. He was a very important contributor to the idea of commercial energy, which has been a power struggle ever since.

In a goal to set up clean energy, President Obama set a

goal in this year’s State of the Union Address to have 80% of energy used by America to be “clean” by the year 2035, which is within our lifetime. These clean sources include biofuels, natural gas, clean coal, nuclear power, and solar and wind energy. Obama no longer wants to tiptoe around the idea of achieving clean electricity.

“We’ve been having this conversation for nearly 4 decades now. Every few years, gas

prices go up, politicians pull out the same ol’ political playbook, and then nothing changes” said Obama at last week’s conference. The energy plan for 2011 is oil independence.

This change would allow for greater fuel efficiency and create millions of jobs. However, this will only happen gradually.

Car emission standards that were set by the Bush adminiscontinued on 3

HYEJI SON Guest Writer March 20-26– Michigan Tech residence halls will have the opportunity to compete against one another in an energy savings competition. Events such as green movies, eco-trivia night, and “green” speakers will also be held. The awards ceremony for the competition will be on March 26 where the overall

winner announced and prizes for individual events awarded.

The competition will be a great opportunity for students to incorporate sustainable practices into their everyday lives.

The Green Campus Enterprise proposed establishing this event during its first semester of operation, spring 2009. The mission of the enterprise is to work with Michigan Tech’s administration continued on page 2

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Michigan Tech Lode Thursday, March 17, 2011

Students have fun on Alternative Break trips KIMBERLY GRIGG Lode Writer For some, spring break was filled with relaxation and some much needed bonding time with their bed, while for many others it was filled with adventures in the woods and service in the south.

Some of these students got the opportunity to do such things as hiking, skiing and surfing. Others had the opportunity to go help out in communities, not only in the United States, but in other countries as well.

When talking to the students ahead of time, one could tell how excited they were. Every student was ready to get going on his or her spring break adventure.

The students who went on the alternative spring break trips did not just create lasting memories of camping and doing service work, but lasting friendships and lasting impacts on their lives.

They believe that most of the friendships made on these trips will last a lifetime since

they have memories to cherish forever.

One of the girls, Breanna Cornell went on the OAP Smoky Mountains trip and had quite a few stories to tell. Cornell said that they met some interesting men while hiking. These men had been traveling this trail for several months, because they were hiking across the Appalachian Mountains.

The people who go on the service trips get to experience some very rewarding projects.

They got to work on everything from maintaining coral reefs and trails to preparing campgrounds for the up coming camping season.

The service that the students did was both a rewarding and fun way to spend their break.

Not only did students on these trips get to go and do volunteer work, but they also were able to explore the area in which they were volunteering in. They were able to go to different restaurants and see the sights.

The students on the OAP trips did not get this chance, because they were too busy in the woods or on the beach.

Green Campus Continued from front

to engage the University community in reducing our carbon footprint. The “culture team”, one of the five Green Campus Enterprise teams, identified the residence hall energy savings competition as one way to increase campus awareness of sustainability. Similar events, often called “EcoOlympics” have been held at other universities. For example Duke University held its first competition in 2006 and saw an average energy reduction of 24% in residence halls over the period of the completion. Harvard University saw average annual reductions of 10% in residence halls during and after their competitions. Annual intra-university competitions are also held with residence halls at one university competing against those at another univer-

sity. Green Campus is looking into the possibility of future competitions against other universities such as Northern Michigan.

Green Campus and the InterResidence Hall Council have taken the lead in planning this first competition, but setting up the event required substantial support from the Michigan Tech administration and facilities personnel, and Keweenaw Automation Inc. of Calumet which provided technical expertise.

Electrical consumption will be the metric for the overall Michigan Tech residence hall competition; the hall or wing with the greatest reduction per student will be the winner. The wings of McNair and Wadsworth are metered separately so there will be five competitors: DHH,

NEWS

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Many students were able to do things such as surf or ski, while others had the opportunity to hike in the woods. These adventures are extremely fun for anyone who enjoys the outdoors.

When you talk to any student who has been on these trips they will tell you that this is a once-in- a-life time trip and would be a good opportunity for anyone to try.

Ask any student who participated what their favorite part about the trip was, or what they have taken from the trip and you will get a different answer from each one.

Each trip had something different for the students to enjoy, and each trip was totally different from the other ones.

Maybe next year the adventures will be even greater, and student participation in the Alternative Spring Break program even higher in the years to come.

Either way, it would appear that this year’s Alternative Spring Break program was a success and was greatly appreciated by all the students who participated.

west McNair, east McNair, west Wads and east Wads. Students will be able to monitor the status of the competition from the LED monitors in each hall.

From this residence halls competition, Michigan Tech including the Green Campus Enterprise can expect several effects. First, we can expect the residents’ changing attitude about using energy. The students who are living in the dormitories can recognize opportunities to save energy.

There are limitations if they learn about saving energy through a book, lesson or Internet. This competition will stimulate students to save energy as well as inform them of their energy usage.

Secondly, we can save money as well as energy from this competition. The rate of energy in the

residence halls is really huge. So we can expect a dramatic reduction of energy during the competition. If we plan this event every year, it can save a lot of energy and money. Lastly, Michigan Tech can apply this event to the other buildings or departments. Namely, this competition has potential

to spread. Michigan Tech has also recognized the serious situation of using energy and mapping out some programs based on this event. Consequently, this competition will not only provide the opportunity to help reduce the carbon footprint of the university but also create many fun events.

NEWS

Michigan Tech Lode Thursday, March 17, 2011

What sort of activities would you like to see in the Lode? Let us know by e-mailing lodecomment@mtu.edu. I hope everyone enjoyed the last Sudoku puzzle.

This week’s puzzle is rated as normal. This puzzle should be entertaining enough to get you through your calculus homework, or at least enough to distract you from trivial task like work. The answer to last week’s puzzle is to the right. Good luck!

Clean Energy Continued from front tration are also being reviewed, and companies are now being held to those standards. The state of California was applauded for its efforts in going green and reducing fuel emissions.

“Making our buildings more energy efficient is one of the fastest, easiest and cheapest ways to save money, combat pollution and create jobs right here in the United States of America. To get the private sector to lead by example, I’m also issuing a challenge to CEOs, to labor, to building owners, to hospitals, universities, and others, to join us.”

Todd Stern was appointed the Obama administration’s principal advisor on “international climate policy and strategy.” Containing climate change will require nothing less

than transforming the global economy from a high-carbon to a low-carbon energy base,” said Stern. “But done right, this can free us from our dependence on foreign oil and become a driver for economic growth in the 21st Century.”

The Better Buildings Initiative is putting a goal of a 20% improvement in energy efficiency by 2020 which will reduce industrial energy bills by $40 billion each year and save the world a lot of energy. An Obama official said, ““This initiative has the potential to really unlock a large amount of investment, some of which is sitting on the sidelines right now ... and create jobs at a time when that has to be our central focus.”

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SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge Results Truly Tesla: (above) Nikola Tesla was a brilliant inventor, mechanical engineer and electrical engineer. His visions for electricity were revolutionary for his time, and his vision of free energy is still a goal for us today.

Photo courtesy of teslasociety.com

Fueled Final Results: First Place Winner Overall: Clarkson University Second Place Winner Overall: University of Wisconsin, Madison IC Third Place Winner Overall: University of Idaho Fourth Place Winner Overall: SUNY Buffalo

Fall 2011 Registration Priority Schedule Registration opens at 10:00 p.m.

NOTE: Due to the size of registration groups, some days may have two start times of 10PM and 11PM.

Fifth Place Winner Overall: University of Wisconsin, Platteville Best Performance Winner: Clarkson University Best Emissions Winner: University of Wisconsin, Madison IC Lowest In-Service Emiss. Winner: University of Wisc., Madison IC Best Design Winner: University of Wisconsin, Madison IC

Date

Earned Credits

Best Fuel Economy Winner: Clarkson University

Thursday, March 17

Graduate students

Quietest Snowmobile Winner: Clarkson University

Sunday, March 20 (10PM)

Most Practical Winner: Clarkson University

Sunday, March 20 (11PM)

126.5 or more 30 or more (students in 2 year degree programs) 114 - 126

Monday, March 21 (10PM) Monday, March 21 (11PM)

101.5 – 113.5 90 – 101

Best Ride Winner: Clarkson University

Tuesday, March 22

81 – 89.5

Wednesday, March 23 (10PM) Wednesday, March 23 (11PM)

71.5 – 80.5 60 – 71

Thursday, March 24

51 – 59.5

Friday, March 25 (10PM) Friday, March 25 (11PM)

43 – 50.5 30 – 42.5

Monday, March 28

18 – 29.5

Rookie of the Challenge Award: Michigan Tech University ZE

Tuesday, March 29

14 – 17.5

Best Engine Design Award: Ecole De Technologie Superieure

Wednesday, March 30

0 – 13.5

Simulation-Driven Design Award: S. Dakota School of Mines & Tech.

Thursday, March 31

Non-degree seeking students

Phoenix Award: University of Alaska, Fairbanks IC

Thursday through Sunday, March 31–April 3 - Open to all groups

Best Value Winner: Clarkson University

Best Acceleration Winner: University of Wisconsin, Platteville Best Handling Winner: Clarkson University Most Sportsmanlike Winner: University of Idaho Most Improved Winner: University of Alaska, Fairbanks IC Innovation Award: Michigan Tech University ZE Talon Safety Award: McGill University ZE

Zero Emissions Final Results: First Place Winner Overall: University of Wisconsin, Madison ZE

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Priority is based on the number of credits earned at the time of registration.

Second Place Winner Overall: McGill University

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Students may register anytime on or after their scheduled day.

Third Place Winner Overall: Clarkson University

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Registration closes at midnight Sunday, April 3rd and reopens at 10:00p.m.

Sunday, April 17th.

Best Range Event Award: University of Wisconsin, Madison ZE

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The web will be unavailable for registration from 2:00am until 2:30am each day.

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Students with questions or problems should contact the Student Service Center at 487-2319 or e-mail schedule@mtu.edu

Drawbar Pull Event Award: University of Wisconsin, Madison ZE Best Design Winner: University of Alaska, Fairbanks ZE Visit http://www.mtukrc.org/snowmobile.htm for more information

Michigan Tech Lode Thursday, March 17, 2011

Pulse

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Mexican folk group brings music to Rozsa ZACHARY PAGE Lode Writer The Houghton/Hancock district will be featuring “Sones De Mexico” (Sounds of Mexico), courtesy of the Rozsa Center for Performing Arts, this Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

“Sones De Mexico”, as it is commonly known, is a Chicago based folk group that began in 1994 as part of the Mexican folk music scene which is often referred to as Mexican ‘son’ (‘son’ translates as sound). Today, the ensemble specializes in a unique

conglomeration of Mexican son, Irish folk, rock music and jazz.

“We like to entertain and at the same time show a type of diversity of music and instruments that is not often seen outside the regions of Mexico”, said producer and CEO Juan Dies. “We would like for people to take away the idea that while we like to preserve our musical traditions, we are also not afraid to innovate and experiment with them.”

Along with Juan Dies, the band includes music director Victor Pichardo, Zacbe Pichardo on harp and percussion, Lorena Iniquez, Juan Rivera on vocals

Upcoming Events March 18

7:30 p.m., Rozsa Center: Sones de México 10:00 p.m., MUB Ballroom: SACS Comedian Rajiv Satyal

March 22

5:00 p.m., EERC 100: Honors Institute speaker Dr. Seth Donahue

March 26

9:00 p.m., MUB Ballroom: Spring Music in the MUB

Red Riding Hood tries to reinvent classic, fails MICHAEL HILLIARD Lode Writer I admit, I was curious to see Red Riding Hood, in spite of the fact that it was proudly advertised as being helmed by the director of Twilight. I like the idea of reinventing a well known story with an unexpected twist—and I loved the 2005 animated Riding Hood adaptation, Hoodwinked (due for a sequel later this spring), with its spunky “Little Red,” its butt-kicking granny, and its bumbling, yet-endearing, wolf.

Hoodwinked was a clever spin on a classic, and it worked. From the previews for Red Riding Hood, this rendition aimed at being more of a suspense-thriller, and I held out hope that the producers could pull it off.

Of course, the previews also made it look like the cast was populated with teen models complete with tousled hair and ridiculous amounts of makeup, but, then, they do say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.

So, with a little hesitation, I decided to take a risk on Red Riding Hood.

Sadly, my fears were well grounded. Red Riding Hood is Twilight, with a couple of names switched around in a feeble attempt to keep audiences from noticing. I would say that Stephanie Meyer should sue, but even she might not want to admit the association. Just how similar, you ask? Let me explain: Pretty adolescent girl lusts after the hunky woodcutter who looks like he fell out of a fashion magazine, but, alas, they shouldn’t be together because Pretty Girl has been betrothed to malemodel #2 who makes more money, so he’s obviously the better choice.

Oh the tension. And if that weren’t enough, there’s a werewolf, making trouble, killing people and whatnot.

Add in some on-screen fantasizing where Pretty Girl imagines herself running away with hunk #1, sauntering through mountain passes, kissing and making love in the snow (apparently it’s not very cold snow) and no doubt the hearts of tweenage girls everywhere will be all aflutter.

Apparently the primary concern of the filmmakers was to ensure that all the leads would be ready for a photo shoot or a trip down the runway at a moment’s notice. Boring things, like period-appropriate wardrobe, interesting dialog or actually making the actors learn their lines, were eschewed in order to devote time to more important elements, like making sure everyone had enough makeup and hair gel.

In Red Riding Hood’s favor, I will admit that the final unraveling of the plot, the denouement, did surprise me a little, but only a little. And the

and guitar, and Javier Saume on percussion instruments.

There will be two daytime “Class Acts” performances for schoolchildren this Friday before the event that will be open to K-12 schoolchildren. The evening performance will be open to all community, students and faculty. The show will last approximately two hours long and will include refreshments and an intermission.

“Our own philosophy is to make our music accessible and enjoyable to all people, Mexicans and non-Mexicans,” said Dies.

“In all cases we hope to fill the

theater to capacity.”

The inspiration for the group came primarily from the rich folk culture of Mexico. According to Dies, the band feels that the music has merited the right to be expressed to various cultures worldwide. From this, they were able to pick up a greater cultural outlook which they successfully blended into their music.

Bethany Jones, a Rozsa Center employee, commented, “I for one am looking forward to spending an evening listening to their music, imagining myself somewhere in the warm Mexican countryside”.

The ensemble has gone on numerous tours since their founding and has also released three CDs. As a non-profit organization, they hope to continually increase awareness by teaching their music to children and young adults throughout the world.

Ticket prices are $20 for Adults, $18 for Seniors and $14 for Students. To purchase tickets, contact Michigan Tech Ticketing Services at the Rozsa Box Office at (906) 487-3200, the Central Ticket Office (SDC) at (906) 487-2073, or go online at tickets.mtu.edu.

This week at Film Board:

Tangled in 3D

After receiving the healing powers from a magical flower, the baby Princess Rapunzel is kidnapped from the palace in the middle of the night by Mother Gothel. Mother Gothel knows that the flower’s magical powers are now growing within the golden hair of Rapunzel, and to stay young, she must lock Rapunzel in her hidden tower. One day, the bandit Flynn Ryder scales the tower and is taken captive by Rapunzel. Rapunzel strikes a deal with the charming thief to act as her guide to travel to the place where the floating lights come from that she has seen every year on her birthday. Rapunzel is about to have the most exciting and magnificent journey of her life. Written by Douglas Young

Friday and Saturday Showtimes 6:00, 8:30, 11:00 p.m.

Tickets $3.00 + Tech ID Swipe for 3D Glasses Runtime 100 minutes

Tickets available at the door.

Limited seating, arrive early.

Concessions available before each showing.

Fisher 135 | (906) 487-2704

film spent so much time parading around red-herrings that when the outcome was finally revealed, I was a bit bored.

My rating: One star out of four.

STUDY A LANGUAGE IN Fall 2011!

The online Modern Language Placement exam for students with backgrounds in French, German, or Spanish is being offered now until the close of fall registration To register for the exam, pay $5.00 non-refundable fee at the Cashiers Office in the Administration Building ASAP You will receive a login/password via e-mail to take the online exam Note: Language courses can count toward fulfilling the World Cultures requirement!

Questions? Contact Prof. Diane Shoos dshoos @ mtu.edu

Michigan Tech Lode Thursday, March 17, 2011

Letter: IVCF apology for slave trade event

OPINION

Ask Sassy

On Saturday, Feb. 26, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship held a reenactment of a slave auction to raise awareness and money about modern day slavery and child sex trafficking as a kickoff to our annual Justice Week. Though we had good intentions, we quickly realized that many people on campus took offense at our portrayal of a historical reality that is painful and hurtful to people to this day.

People were particularly hurt by the timing of the event, our lack of communication about it with any of the Black Student organizations on campus, and the levity in which the event was carried out.

For all of these things, we want to extend a sincere apology to those hurt or offended by our actions, especially those part of the African American community. We are passionate to bring awareness to our campus about the estimated 27 million people held as modern day slaves who have no voice of their own, and we are passionate to raise money and take action to combat this evil, but we realize that, unfortunately, we allowed our foresight and common sense to give way to our passion in this situation. We should have asked for input and partnership from other groups on our campus before going forward with plans that obviously have provoked a painful reaction in many. We did not intend to do this; it was not our goal, but we understand this is what happened and take full responsibility. I personally apologize for anyone who was hurt.

As a Christian group, we have strong convictions that Scriptures speaks clearly and often on the issue of reconciliation, particularly reconciliation along racial and ethnic lines. We

He Said, She Said

What is a goal you want to accomplish before the end of the semester?

Dear Sassy,

What’s your opinion on online dating? I think it’s pretty sad that people feel like they must search the depths of the Internet for someone to date.

AARON GREEN Guest Writer

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Garrett ‘Fidel Cashflow’ Lord, CNSA and Computer Science, Second year To become closer to God!

Sincerely, Old-fashioned Dear Old-fashioned, Oh, how the times are changing. One’s dating pool is no longer restricted to those in a fifty-mile radius. Every lonely person in the world with Internet access can search for their perfect match in a seemingly endless database of eager men and women. Although meeting someone online immediately brings to mind sleazy hook-ups and one night stands, it’s often a better idea than meeting someone physically.

Online dating eliminates awkwardness. No longer do you have to ask the same monotonous questions to every potential date you come across. Just a few seconds skimming an online profile gives you all the information you need. Be sure to check out their inspirational quotes. If they’re all from Rascal Flatts songs, move on.

Dear Sassy, I have always wanted to play the trumpet. But I’m afraid that it’s too late to start, since most people begin playing instruments at a young age. Do you think it’s worth the investment? Will I able to pick it up easily?

Sincerely, Making Music

Go camping in the middle of the woods.

Zach VanDuyn, Computer Systems Science, First year Sing ‘My Humps’ at coffee house (with or without Alex Baril).

Brynn Ahonen, Psychology, Second year To be in a flash mob dance in the middle of campus.

Travis Morden, Computer Science, Second year Do the best that I can and make it home alive!

Dear Making, I don’t think you’ll have any trouble picking it up. Most trumpets only weigh about three-and-a-half pounds. If you have concerns about your physical strength, do a few bicep curls with a book or a gallon of milk. You should get in shape in no time.

It’s never too late for anything. Besides a few exceptions (facial piercings, bubblegum pop, low-cut tops etc.) age shouldn’t determine one’s interests. I’d encourage you to enthusiastically pursue the trumpet. Just be prepared for people to complain when you practice. Younger children get much more leeway when it comes to making a racket on a musical instrument.

feel that pain and discrimination that happens in our world and our society today is just as much an injustice as many of the wrongs we tried to highlight during our Justice Week. Our hope is to be a catalyst on our university to help gain a deeper understanding of this issue, first starting within our own group.

Within hours of the event our leaders were dialoguing with leaders of other groups on cam-

Katy Crass, Wildlife Ecology and Management, First year

pus, expressing our apologies and ultimately discussing how to not simply ‘forget about this’, but to positively use it to grow our understanding of others as well as to grow real relationships across different groups on campus. We thank everyone who took the opportunity to have a real conversation on this issue and sincerely hope that this is just the beginning of good things to come.

Claire Johnson, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, First year Catch a ride on an iceberg out on Lake Superior again.

Michigan Tech Lode

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Staff Writers - Jack Ammerman, Jordan Erickson, Michael Friesen, Kimberly Grigg, Elijah Haines, Michael Hilliard, Priyanka Moharir, Jun Ni, Liz Nigro, Zachary Page, Erika Peabody, Rebekah Price, Jodhbir Singh

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CLASSIFIED Very nice 3 bedroom duplex 17867 Canal Road - Houghton. Spacious rooms, carpet, some furnishings. No pets. Plenty of parking. Water & Sewer included. One unit available now & other available June 1. $600/mo. (906) 482-1437 Also 3 bedroom spacious home with plenty of parking. No pets. Water & Sewer included. Available June 1. $600/mo. (906) 482-1437 We have a large selection of firearms. Stoeger, Remington, Mossberg, Savage, Glock, Benelli, Ruger, Tikka and many more. Stop in at Northwoods Sporting Goods downtown Hancock. 482-5210 E-mail lodeads@mtu.edu for information about placing a classified ad.

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Michigan Tech Lode Thursday, March 17, 2011

Sports

Huskies hope third time will be the charm for Elite Eight DAVER KARNOSKY Sports Editor Continued from backpage Guard Reyana Colson might be one of the top back court players in the country. She averages 21.5 points and 4.5 assists per contest. She dropped 28 in the Broncos’ 68-61 victory over Grand Canyon to advance to the tournament. Colson earned West Regional Most Oustanding Player honors for her efforts.

Center Megan Ford has also played well for the Broncos, averaging 12.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. She notched 29 against Cal. State Monterey Bay to win the California Collegiate Athletic Association title.

The Bearcats won their first South Central Regional title with a 82-70 victory over Central Oklahoma. The Bearcats come into the tournament with a 28-4 record and boast five players who average double figures in scoring.

Guard Gabby Curtis is the Bearcats’ top offensive threat, averaging 17.9 points and 3.5 assists per game. She put up 21 in the victory over Central Oklahoma.

Center Kyla Roehring and

Ridge Roamers gear up for competition With the warm weather announcing the arrival of spring, the Michigan Tech Ridge Roamers are preparing to host their Spring Climbing Competition on March 26, at the SDC. The event is open to club members and the public alike.

Similar to the fall competition, the Ridge Roamers will set up the course with runs for everyone from beginners to advanced climbers. Each competitor will be given a half hour time slot in which they can attempt to complete three routes.

Two attempts per route will be allowed.

The club will also provide prizes for the top three competitors in each division and pizza for all climbers who give it a go.

Cost for the competition is $10 if you register by March 19.

The cost will be $15 after that and on the day of competition.

For more information, contact club president Jeff Sugden at jasugden@mtu.edu.

guard Abby Henry both average 14.5 points per game. Roehring notched 26 in the Regional Semifinal matchup with Tarleton State. Henry scored a season-high 33 in a victory on the road against Nebraska-Omaha back on Dec. 11.

The four squads on the other side of the bracket include the Metro State Roadrunners, who won the Central Region,

the Shaw Bears, who emerged from the Atlantic Region as the eighth seed, the No. 15 Bentley Falcons from the East Region, and the No. 2 Clayton State Lakers of the Southeast Region.

The Roadrunners are making their first appearance in the Elite Eight after never winning a game in the NCAA Tournament prior to this season.

Forward Cassondra Bratton is the Roadrunners’ top scoring threat, averaging 12.9 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.

She practically carried the Roadrunners into the Elite Eight by posting 10 rebounds against Winona State before notching 20 and 21 points against Wayne State (Neb.) and Adams State, respectively.

The Bears have won 10 in a row, including wins over Edinboro, California (Pa.) and Johnson C. Smith to get the Elite Eight.

Forward DemaDriver’s seat: Forward Lindsey Lindstrom ria Liles has been drives against a Wisconsin-Parkside spectacular for the defender.

Photo by Ben Wittbrodt Bears, averaging

16.2 points and 11.5 rebounds per game. She posted 17 points and 14 rebounds in the 74-54 victory over Johnson C. Smith.

Freshman forward Jacqui Brugliera led the Falcons to a three-point victory over Pace on Tuesday night. The Falcons’ last loss came on Feb. 19 in overtime against Franklin Pierce.

Brugliera, who averages 15.0 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, put up 21 against Pace.

She notched 25 in the Falcons’ first-round matchup with C.W. Post.

The Lakers won each of their last games by 16 points en route to the Elite Eight. Their last loss came in their conference tournament against USC Aiken.

Forward Teshymia Tillman has been the Lakers’ top scorer this season, averaging 14.9 points per game. Unlike her counterparts from the other squads, however, she led her team in scoring in the first game of the Regional Tournament, but neither of the other two.

She put up 15 againt Francis Marion.

No matter what happens, it’s been a great season for the Huskies just to get to this point. Be sure to check out our web site, www.mtulode.com/sports, on Monday for a detailed preview of the Huskies’ first game.

Basketball referees take the court

By # the er nu m b

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opponents (Minnesota State and Emporia State) who’ve beaten the Huskies in the Elite Eight and gone on to win the national championship over the last two seasons.

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members of the women’s basketball Huskies, Lisa Staehlin, Lucy Dernovsek, and Lynn Giesler, named to the NCAA Midwest Regional AllTournament Team.

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blocks, a new school record, set by senior center Lisa Staehlin against Lewis in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

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straight wins by the women’s basketball Huskies including six straight tournament games.

That ties a school record for consecutive wins in a season.

94

percent winning percentage (93.5) by head coach Kim Cameron in her inaugural season at the helm of the women’s basketball Huskies.

Schedules/Results Visit gliac.org for full standings W. Basketball (29-2 overall) Mar. 11 vs Lewis, W, 72-56 Mar. 12 vs Drury, W, 70-51 Mar. 14 vs Wis.-Park., W, 69-57 Mar. 22 vs Ark. Tech, 7 p.m.

M. Basketball (17-11 overall) Feb. 24 at SVSU, W, 71-67 Feb. 26 at Northwood, W, 88-77 Mar. 2 at Grand Valley, W, 74-72 Mar. 5 at Ferris State, L, 73-64

Men’s Tennis (4-4, 0-0 GLIAC) Wannabe refs: Michigan Tech President Glenn Mroz (far right) joins several students in lending a “helping hand” to the actual referees during the Regional Tournament. Photo courtesy of Gowtham

Online exclusive: Jamie Russell resigns as Michigan Tech hockey coach Visit mtulode.com/sports/hockey for full story

Mar. 8 vs S. N.Hampshire, W, 6-3 Mar. 9 vs St. Leo, L, 9-0 Fri at Grand Valley, 3:30 p.m.

Sat at Ferris State, 10 a.m.

Women’s Tennis (10-9 overall) Mar. 8 vs S. Indiana, W, 8-1 Mar. 8 vs W. Vir. Wes., W, 9-0 Mar. 9 vs. St. Leo, L, 5-4 Apr. 9 vs St. Norbert, 3 p.m.

Editor’s Shootout

The Editor’s Shootout is a competition of knowledge, luck and wits between sports editor Daver Karnosky, editor in chief Stephen Anderson, business manager Jacob Vehring and you, the reader, via online poll. Stephen Anderson won last year and has won two of the last three years (former opinion editor Rob Devaun with the other win). This will be a weekly feature where each editor picks his winners of the three biggest games/series of the week and backs up his decisions with a short rant.

THIS WEEK: Denver Nuggets at Miami Heat, Detroit Red Wings at Nashville Predators, George Mason Patriots vs. Villonova Wildcats

JACOB VEHRING Business Manager 2-1 Last Week, 41-25 Overall

STEPHEN ANDERSON Editor in Chief 3-0 Last Week, 40-26 Overall

DAVER KARNOSKY Sports Editor 2-1 Last Week, 26-40 Overall

YOU Readers 1-2 Last Week, 28-38 Overall

This week March Madness starts and I look forward to the only time of the year where I watch college basketball on cable, the championship game that is. I like Villanova in this match-up as the Big East competition that they have had to play all year is much better than George Mason has seen so far. The Miami Heat have been picking up their play recently and they will easily handle the post-Mello Nuggets. The Red Wings are getting better as their star players have been coming back from injury and the Predators have been playing well, they just cannot beat the Wings.

All of a sudden, all the Heat naysayers are in hiding after the 30-point blowout over the Spurs, but the Nuggets have been even more of a surprise. No ‘Melo, no problem. As a Red Wings fan, I think they’ll be just fine in the playoffs, but the Predators have given Detroit major problems this year. Regrettably, I expect more of the same in Nashville. George Mason may not be quite the underdog they once were, but I expect similar results, knocking out Villanova in the “second” round of the tourney. By the way, Jake, enjoy your last week atop the standings!

With the playoffs ramping up, the Miami Heat need to make a real run down the stretch, and that should start with a win over a depleted and retooled Nuggets squad. The Red Wings may end up being the lone Central Division representative in the NHL’s Playoffs, but right now the Predators need the two points more than the Wings, and I see this young squad stealing the second point in the shootout. After their magical run a couple of seasons ago, I know better than to go against George Mason. This hungry squad should give Villanova all it can handle before advancing.

Each week, we’ll let you the reader vote in our Editor’s Shootout online poll at www.mtulode.com/sports/2011/3/17/ editors-shootout-polls-7/. The majority of the vote for each match-up will be the chosen team, and your cumulative record will get put alongside our three wannabe experts. We’ll run this feature through the entire year and see who comes out on top.

Heat, 102-91 Red Wings, 5-2 Wildcats, 67 - 61

Nuggets, 102-99 Predators, 4-3 Patriots, 67-63

Heat, 100-93 Predators, 3-2 Patriots, 55-52 Last week’s picks: Penguins Heels Lakers

Michigan Tech Lode Thursday, March 17, 2011

Sports

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Taking a look at the WCHA Final Five JORDAN ERICKSON Lode Writer The Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Final Five begins today in St. Paul, Minn.

North Dakota, Denver, Colorado College, Bemidji, Alaska Anchorage and Minnesota Duluth being this year’s contenders for the Broadmoor Trophy and the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

For the first time in this event’s history, this season’s tournament features six teams instead of the traditional five. The teams will compete in five games over the next three days.

The teams have been seeded No. 1-6 based on their regular season records. North Dakota, who is the defending Broadmoor Trophy winner and WCHA regular season champion, is the No. 1 seed, Denver is the No. 2 seed, Minnesota Duluth is the No. 3 seed, Colorado College is the No. 4 seed, Alaska Anchorage is No. 5 seed, and Bemidji State will be the No. 6 seed.

North Dakota has consistently been one of the highest-ranked teams in the WCHA. The Fighting Sioux are 28-8-3 overall and 21-6-1 in the WCHA and have not lost a game since Jan. 28 when they fell, 4-2, at Colorado College.

The Sioux’s Matt Frattin has been one of the leading players on the team and was recently be-

stowed with the titles of WCHA Player of the Year and Scoring Champion. Frattin leads the team with 33 goals and 21 assists overall and leads the WCHA with an average of 1.43 points per game. Sioux goaltender Aaron Dell was also given recognition when he was named the WCHA’s top goaltender for the season. Dell has a .921 save percentage overall and a 1.87 goals against average. The team will take the ice on Friday at 3:07 p.m. when they play the winner of Thursday’s Colorado College and Alaska Anchorage matchup.

Denver enters the tournament as the second seed after battling with North Dakota for the top spot throughout most of the season. The Pioneers have an overall record of 23-10-5 and a conference record of 17-8-3, gaining entry to the tournament by sweeping Minnesota State last weekend. The Pioneers last loss was on March 4, when they hosted St. Cloud State.

The Pioneers’ underclassmen have been major contributors to the team with four out of their top five scorers being freshmen and sophomores. Drew Shore, a sophomore forward, is the team’s leader in points with 22 goals and 21 assists overall and is closely followed by freshman Jason Zucker who has 21 goals and 19 assists and a team-leading 143 shots on goal.

The Pioneers’ first game will be on Friday when they take on the winner of Thursday’s Minnesota

Duluth vs. Bemidji State game.

Denver is 1-1-0 against Duluth this season, with the win coming off a 5-4 overtime victory. The Pioneers have yet to lose to Bemidji State this season with both wins coming from their home rink in 3-1 and 4-2 victories.

The third seed, Minnesota Duluth, is in tournament after sweeping St. Cloud State, 4-2 and 3-2 in overtime, last weekend. The Bulldogs come to the Final Five with a 22-9-6 overall record and a 15-8-5 WCHA record. Colorado College remains the only team in the Final Five tournament that Duluth has not beaten this season, as they lost, 5-4 and tied 3-3 during the only series between the schools this season.

Duluth boasts one of the top lines in the WCHA consisting of Jack Connolly, Justin Fontaine, and Mike Connolly. Between the trio, they have 153 overall points and all three have appeared in all of Duluth’s 37 games.

Duluth will face Bemidji State tonight. This season, the Bulldogs are 1-0-1 against the Beavers, with a 3-2 win and a 1-1 tie back on Oct. 29 and 30, respectively.

Fourth-seeded Colorado College comes to St. Paul with an overall record of 21-17-3 and a WCHA record of 13-13-2. Last weekend against Wisconsin, the Tigers took the first round to a third game after losing the first night, 3-1, by coming back in a 4-3 overtime victory and then fishing

Men’s Tennis takes two of five in Florida DAVER KARNOSKY Sports Editor After taking two of three during their season-opening trip to Wisconsin and Minnesota, the men’s tennis Huskies dropped three of five in Florida during their annual spring break trip. The Huskies fell to Aquinas and Presbyterian before defeating Miseracordia and Southern New Hampshire.

The Huskies surrendered a 9-0 decision to end the trip against St. Leo. On March 5, the Huskies dropped all three doubles matches and five of six singles matches against Aquinas.

Senior Chris Verhulst was the lone Huskies player to win, getting past Fran Huber at number six singles in a tiebreaker, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3), 10-5.

Verhulst is 4-4 on the season.

Against Presbyterian, the

Huskies grabbed two of the three doubles matches, but couldn’t hang on to the momentum in the singles matches, falling 5-4.

Sophomore Andrew Kremkow and junior Anders Sandholm won at number two doubles, 8-5, over Zachery Sprouse and Edward Snead. The duo is now 6-2 on the season, which is tops among the Huskies’ doubles teams.

The Huskies’ top pair of juniors Luka Stupar and Douglas Yossida defeated Rafael Berghaus and Andrew Brigham, 8-6. The pair is now 4-4 on the season.

Stupar needed a tiebreaker to beat Berghaus at number one singles, 5-7, 6-4, 10-8. Stupar improved to 3-4 on the season during the trip.

At number three singles, Yossida also needed a tiebreaker to defeat Sprouse in one of the most contested matches in

recent years, 7-5, 5-7, 14-12.

Yossida is now 5-2 on the season.

The Huskies took all three doubles matches against Misericordia before sweeping the singles matches to get the 9-0 victory on March 7.

The duo of Stupar and Yossida was the only one to surrender a game in the doubles matches. Yossida was only the singles player to drop a game.

On March 8, the Huskies took two of the three doubles matches to take momentum into the singles, where the Huskies took the bottom four matches to earn a 6-3 victory.

Verhulst and freshman James Konarske put the Huskies on the board at number three doubles over John Niland and Tim Hamilton, 8-5. The pair is now 4-4 on the season. continued at mtulode.com

Women’s Tennis takes three of five in Florida DAVER KARNOSKY Sports Editor Seeing their first action since a 5-3 loss in the GLIAC Championships to the Ashland Eagles, the women’s tennis Huskies played in five matches over spring break. They showed signs of rust in their opening match against Presbyterian but rattled off three straight victories before closing their trip with a disappointing loss, 5-4, to No. 24 St. Leo on March 9.

The Huskies lost all nine matches against Prebyterian on March 6. Freshman Natalia Lebedeva was able to force a third set by winning the first in her number two singles match against Christina Limatoro.

Freshman Anna Hegyi also forced a third set at number four singles after winning the opening set in a tiebreaker.

Against Winona State on March 7, the Huskies won all three doubles matches to grab momentum.

Senior Nathalia Rondelli and junior Ploy Suthijindawong defeated Heather Pierce and Jessica Urban, 8-3, at number one doubles. The duo improved to

9-7 over the course of the trip.

Lebedeva and senior Asel Otunchieva also cruised to an 8-3 win over Laura Lindstrand and Laura Roesslein at number two doubles. The pair have improved their record to 10-6 on the season.

At number three doubles, sophomore Kira Eck and Hegyi downed Addie Adler and Britney Freund, 8-4. The duo is now 4-3 on the year.

The Huskies won in straight sets at numbers one, two, three, and five singles.

Suthijindawong defeat Pierce at number one singles, 6-3, 6-2.

Lebedeva lost only one game to Urban at number two singles, 6-1, 6-0. Hegyi defeated Asche, 6-3, 6-0, at number three singles. Eck earned the final Huskies’ point with a, 6-0, 6-2, win over Andrea Krueger at number five singles.

On March 8, the Huskies won a pair of matches, first over Southern Indiana, 8-1, and then over West Virginia Wesleyan, 9-0.

All three doubles teams won in both matches.

Against Southern Indiana, the Huskies won in straight sets at numbers one through five sin-

gles. Rondelli dropped the most games, losing four in the first set against Morgan Coquerille, but she recovered and won the second set without dropping a game. Lebedeva didn’t lose a game against Lindsey White in her win.

The Huskies won the top five singles matches in straight sets against West Virginia Wesleyan and won the final match by default.

Against St. Leo, the hosts struck first with a win at number three doubles. They followed that up with a win at number one doubles.

The Huskies first point came from Lebedeva and Otunchieva, who needed extra games to get past Selma Hidass and Caroline Ebner, 9-7.

St. Leo struck again at numbers three and four singles, putting them within a point of winning the match.

Lebedeva needed a tiebreaker in her first set, but she scored a point for the Huskies when she defeated Jeanette McDonald, 6-4 (9-7), 7-6. Lebedeva is now 12-4 on the season. continued at mtulode.com

out a 2-1 win in the rubber match.

The Tigers are led by senior Stephen Schultz, who has 15 goals and 25 assists overall. Sophomore goaltender Joe Howe has a .901 save percentage and 2.93 goals against average. The Tigers will face Alaska Anchorage in tonight’s quarterfinals. In previous matchups this season, the Tigers are 3-20 against the Seawolves.

The Seawolves enter as the fifth seed after surprising Minnesota last weekend in 4-3 and 2-0 victories. Those two wins added to the sweep Alaska earned against Minnesota State in the previous weekend means their last conference lost was to Nebraska-Omaha back on Feb. 19, 4-1. The Seawolves are one of two teams entering the tournament with a losing record, with an overall record of 16-17-3 and a conference record of 12-142.

Goaltender Chris Kamal stood tall in the net last weekend during the sweep of the Gophers, getting a shutout in the final game of the series. Although Kamal, a freshman, has only played in nine conference games this season, he has played in the last five, winning all of them. Seawolves scoring is led by senior forward Tommy Grant, who has 16 goals and 16 assists.

The Seawolves have swept Colorado College once this season with 4-1 and 4-2 wins, but have also lost three times to their first round competitor.

The final competitor in the Final

Five is one of the newest teams to join the WCHA, the Bemidji State Beavers. During their inaugural season in the league, the Beavers have gone 8-15-5 in WCHA action and 14-17-5 overall. Nebraska-Omaha remains the only team that Bemidji has swept this season, as they have done so twice, once during their first meeting on Dec. 3 and 4 in 3-0 and 3-1 wins, and last weekend with 4-2 and 3-2 wins.

The Beavers are lead by senior forward Matt Read, who has 21 goals and 12 assists overall this season. Goaltending for the Beavers is lead by Dan Bakala, a junior, who has played a majority of the minutes this season and has an overall save percentage of .922 and a 2.41 goals against average.

The winner of this weekend’s tournament will proceed onto the first round of the NCAA tournament during the weekend of Mar. 25-27, when four regionals will be held.

The East Regional will be played at Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, Conn., on Friday and Saturday. The West Regional will be played at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo., and will also be played on Friday and Saturday. The Northeast Regional will be that Saturday and Sunday at Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire, while the Midwest Regional will be on Saturday and Sunday at Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

CCSA prepares to host annual Ice Show this weekend If you’ve had enough of hockey and basketball, but not enough of the SDC, the Copper Country Skating Academy (CCSA) will be treating those who venture up to their annual Ice Show exhibition on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

This year’s theme is “Happily Ever After?” and will be an onice interpretation of myths, folktales, fables, and fairy tales. Skaters will be skating programs to songs from Disney movies such as Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast, pop artists such as Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson,

and even some modern remixes of some classic princess-themed songs.

Featured in the show besides the CCSA skaters will be six high school senior soloists and Michigan Tech’s Learn-to-Skate program.

For more information, feel free to contact Jada Gullstrand, Michigan Tech’s Skating Programs Coordinator, at 487-2227, or jmgullstrand@mtu.edu. Tickets are available from any CCSA skater, or the SDC Ticket Office.

Show times will be 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Visit mtulode.com/sports to catch up on all your Huskies sports and keep your eye out for athlete features throughout the semester This week on www.mtulode.com:

Today (Mar. 17): WCHA Frozen Four preview Friday: Men’s Tennis recap Saturday: Men’s Tennis recap Sunday: Online exclusive look at past NCAA Tournaments Monday: Editor’s blog Tuesday: NCAA Elite Eight Matchup breakdown Wednesday: Men’s Tennis preview, Women’s Basketball preview (if necessary), Hockey season recap

Every week on www.mtulode.com:

• • • • • •

Article continuations All game recaps posted online the same day Interactive reader/fan polls (see previous page) Regular blog posts by sports staff Digital PDF archive of print editions Become a Facebook fan of the “Michigan Tech Lode”

Look for our special “Reader Interaction” section at www.mtulode.com/sports

Lode SportS Talk Radio

91.9 FM Sat. 10-Noon Check the Lode Facebook page on Friday night to find out who will be the special guest(s) on the show.

Would you like your club team featured in this section?

E-mail Daver Karnosky at dbkarnos@mtu.edu

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Husky Hodgepodge

DAVER KARNOSKY Sports Editor After rolling into the NCAA Tournament with a 13-game winning streak, all the women’s basketball Huskies have done is continue winning, taking down Lewis, Drury, and Wisconsin-Parkside. With several members left who remember the last two Elite Eight teams, this year’s group hope to finally get past that roadblock that is the first round game and finally advance towards their first national title in 36 seasons of play next week at St. Joseph, Mo. Their path won’t be easy, as the Huskies have to face the No. 1 Arkansas Tech Golden Suns. The Golden Suns (30-2 overall, 13-1 GSC) have won the Gulf South Conference and the South Regional Tournament, both for the second straight season.

The Golden Suns’ top player is forward Natalia Santos, who posted 25 points in their 85-77 victory over Delta State

How was your Spring Break?

• Busy • Too short • Lots of fun • Couldn’t wait to come back vote now on mtulode.com

Michigan Tech Lode Thursday, March 17, 2011

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on Monday night. Santos averages 17.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.

Guard Jenny Vining is also dynamic, averaging 15.4 points per game. The Golden Suns’ minute leader, Vining has led the squad in scoring nine times this season, including a 29-point performance in the Golden Suns’ South Regional Semifinal against Florida Tech.

Should the Huskies advance beyond the Golden Suns, the Huskies will face either the No. 23 Cal Poly Pomona Broncos, the top seed from the West Regional or the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats, who are essentially playing in their backyard in St. Joseph.

The Broncos come into the tournament with a 28-4 record, and have won eight in a row. However, they have not seen a team outside of their region, and that could make things tough as they look win their first national championship. continued on page 6

Last edition’s poll results:

How far away will you be going over Spring Break?

More than 500 miles - 44% Staying at Michigan Tech - 33% 200-500 miles - 22% 0-200 miles - 1%