February 11, 2021 by MSU Reporter

S T U DE N T RU N N E WS SI NC E 1926

THURSDAY • FEBRUARY 11, 2021 Police Report: Gunman had Made Prior Threats Against Clinic

TUITION HIKES, LAYOFFS POSSIBLE University seeks solutions to fix structural deficit

By BAILEY BRENDEL Staff Writer

ASSOCIATED PRESS A man who opened fire at a Minnesota health clinic, killing one staff member and wounding four others, previously threatened to carry out a mass shooting at the facility, according to a police report. Gregory Paul Ulrich, 67, was arrested in Tuesday’s attack at an Allina clinic in Buffalo, a community of about 15,000 people roughly 40 miles (65 kilometers) northwest of Minneapolis. He remained jailed in Wright County on Wednesday and was expected to appear in court Thursday. County Attorney Brian Lutes said he would charge Ulrich with second-degree intentional murder, four counts of attempted first-degree premeditated murder and possession of explosive devices. Ulrich has a long history of conflict with medical clinics in the area and had been unhappy with the care he had received, Buffalo Police Chief Pat Budke said. According to a police report, Ulrich threatened to carry out a mass shooting at the clinic in October 2018, with a doctor telling investigators that Ulrich had talked about “shooting, blowing things up, and practicing different scenarios of how to get revenge.” He said Ulrich told him he dreamed about exacting revenge on the people who “tortured” him, referring to issues he had with back surgeries and the medication he was prescribed for them. Ulrich told police he had just been telling the doctor about his dreams and that he wouldn’t actually do anything, and police took him for a mental health evaluation at a facility in Monticello, the report says.

Student Gov: Scholarships and Student Newspaper

MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter

By MAXWELL MAYLEBEN • Editor in Chief Minnesota State University, Mankato, in the face of a multi-million dollar deficit, is looking to balance its budget with 3% tuition increases and possible layoffs. The University is currently looking at a structural deficit of $3 million — a deficit they want to solve before a new president takes office July 1. “We need to take care of the $3 million deficit” said Rick Straka, Vice President of Finance and Administration at MNSU. “We have a new president coming in. We owe it to the new leader coming in, that he or she takes on a balanced budget.” The university’s two main areas of revenue are tuition and state allocations from the state. Over 20 years ago, over two-thirds of the revenue came from state allocations while one-third came from tuition. Over the course of the last 20 years, those percentages have flipped. Tuition now makes up an estimated two-thirds of MNSU’s revenue and state allocations make up one-third. COVID-19 has been a significant player in state allocations, with the amount of available state funding dwindling. “In the past, when there has been a state budget deficit, higher ed has played a role in balancing the budget.” Straka said. “They look at us and say ‘You have another source of income.’” That source of income, of course, is tuition. The university has factored a 3% tuition increase for undergraduate students into its budget planning process. “We also know that there is great pressure from students and society as a whole about the affordability of college,” said Straka, recognizing student apprehension to tuition increase. Over the course of the last 10 years, tuition has been “frozen” for 4 of them. This means that there was no increase or decrease.

IN THIS LOVE IS IN THE ISSUE: AIR AT MNSU

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Since 2013 we have seen a 14.22 percent increase in tuition over time. Student leaders, like Student Government President Andrew Trenne, are less than pleased at the increase in tuition. “Defaulting to just having the students pay more is an answer, but not the correct answer,” said Trenne. “As Student Government, we are not supportive of a 3% tuition increase.” Trenne said college affordability is a critical issue for many students. “Tuition increases could make or break a student,” said Trenne, “What we need to consider is how many students will be affected and can’t afford to be here.” With a tuition increase comes the fear of how a higher price tag will affect enrollment. Straka maintains MNSU’s low tuition will still be a draw for potential students. “For a Minnesota undergraduate student, we are the most affordable option in the five-state area,” said Straka. Another tool to solve the budget issues that is being considered is “retrenchment,” which is a process that the university goes through to enable the ability to lay off faculty and staff, even those with tenure. Retrenchment isn’t considered often, with the last time it was brought to the table for consideration being 10 years ago. At that time, 12 faculty members were laid off. This tool has been used more recently in MNSU’s sister institutions such as Minnesota State University, Moorhead. The northern member of the Minnstate system went through retrenchment last year, due to a decrease in enrollment and decrease in funding from the state.

CAMPUS page 3

OP: VALENTINES DAY SUCKS

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Budget cuts, scholarships and the student newspaper were among the topics discussed at Wednesday’s Student Government meeting. Outgoing Provost Matt Cecil and Associate Provost Brian Martensen talked about the “Budget Gap.” Budget gap refers to a structural or base funding deficit, or the money they expect to gain on an ongoing basis. Universities are people-heavy industries, so they must pay many salaries. On March 1, the university will receive the next state revenue decision. Then on March 4 they will provide a draft plan at meet and confer and there may be layoffs on campus. However, this is a draft plan, so they won’t have exact plans until mid-May. (See related story about tuition hikes and budget cuts.) Destiny Cherry, the graduate assistant in the Office of Student Affairs, addressed the Student

GOV page 3

Student Choice Award Votes are in! Once a year, The Reporter puts together a survey asking both Minnesota State University, Mankato students and the Mankato community what their favorite businesses are to help celebrate and appreciate the businesses in the Key City. These businesses are divided into categories in order to fairly rank them. Some of these include “Best Restaurant”, “Best Fitness Center”, and “Best Apartment”. Look inside to see the winners!

MAVERICKS TRAVEL TO ‘BAMA

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2 • MSU Reporter

News

Senator Spotlight: Emma Gabbert

Thursday, February 11, 2021

Love isn’t Dead, even with COVID-19 in the Air

JESSICA HAGGLUND • The Reporter

By ASHLEY OPINA Staff Writer

By BAILEY BRENDEL Staff Writer It’s hard to imagine Emma Gabbert having a spare moment for anything. Gabbert, a junior at Minnesota State University, Mankato majoring in Mass Communication Studies, has a long list of activities. Let’s add them up: Student Government, Tours and Speakers Director, public relations for the Student Society of America, writer for Her Campus, player in the Maverick Machine, German club, College Democrats, and Students United. One of her most important roles is her seat on the Student Government. Gabbert originally joined to help them with media outreach, but was then convinced to run for a Senator position and for the College of Arts and Humanities. “This year is especially important to be involved in Student Government with the massive budget decrease and the new president,” Gabbert said. “It is important to be involved with your school.” Sen. Gabbert’s project for the year was to integrate the film and media students into the video production team. “I thought this would give something for film students to have and experience behind the camera. During COVID-19 it’s so hard to find jobs, especially in video, and that’s where my background is,” Gabbert said. Because of these budget

cuts, the Student Government is looking into having an unpaid intern for the video crew, rather than a paid position, for the fall. From being involved in Student Government, Sen. Gabbert has learned many life lessons. “Really investing your time into something that’s going to help a lot of people makes a real difference. This experience has taught me that Student Government is not so much about politics, but it’s more so helping people in your position, listening to their concerns and then bringing those up to administrators, and so you’re the voice for your constituents.” When asked about what she would tell someone if they might be interested in getting involved with Student Government, she says,” It’s a good way to get your foot in the door at Mankato.” Gabbert then explained, “I joined to spread my network and to help people. We help each other out, and I would say too you get to know things before they are released to the public which is very helpful when you know when COVID stuff comes out. Also, you have the power to control the budget and where money goes, and that’s important. I would say just dip your toe in the water by doing a few committees first if you don’t want to be a fullon senator, and then if you’re ready come and apply cause it’s one of the best decisions you will make.”

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Among the list of national holidays that most people impatiently wait for and are just itching to celebrate, Valentine’s Day falls short of that enthusiasm. The reasons for it varies, but it is safe to assume that the excitement surrounding the day of love, or lack thereof, have to do with one’s relationship status. In order to get a glimpse into the minds of others regarding the holiday, students at Minnesota State University, Mankato were asked about it. Taylor Milos, a sophomore at MNSU, discussed her relationship status and her plans to celebrate Valentine’s Day with her boyfriend, junior at MNSU, John Marcella. “We’ve been dating for a little over a year,” Milos said. In their first year of dating, the couple chose to celebrate Valentine’s Day at home with only the company of each other to enjoy. “We ordered pizza and stayed in,” Milos said. “We watched some movies too.” This year, the couple intends to keep it simple as well, but decided that going out would be a good change of scenery from being kept at home all year due to COVID-19. “We’re going to go out for food and watch a movie afterwards,” Milos said. When asked how she felt about Valentine’s Day overall, Milos was indifferent. “I look forward to it but it’s not a big deal to me,” Milos said. “I do think it’s nice to have a set aside time to spend with your partner.” Her boyfriend, Marcella, felt the same way. “It’s definitely fun to have a day to make time for your significant other,” Marcella said. Another sophomore at MNSU, Jennifer Nguyen, finds herself in a happy relationship during Valentine’s Day with her long-distance girlfriend, Danielle Annun-

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ziata. “We’ve been dating for a little over seven months,” Nguyen said. Due to the length of time the couple has been dating, this year marks their first Valentine’s Day together. “We actually celebrated early since we’re in a long-distance relationship,” Nguyen said. “I took her out to dinner at a fancy restaurant where we had to dress all classy.” According to Nguyen, the couple looked amazing, and the food tasted just as good. When asked how she felt about Valentine’s Day overall, Nguyen announced that she was a newly proclaimed lover of the holiday. “I thought it was corny when I was single and I didn’t enjoy it,” Nguyen said. “Once I got into a relationship, everything changed.” Nguyen added, “Everything you do in a relationship is considered corny and I’m all for it.” Her girlfriend, Annunziata, went through the same realization upon getting into a relationship with Nguyen. “I used to hate Valentine’s Day and thought of it as a fake holiday made up by Hallmark to sell cards,” Annunziata said. “But now I get to spend it with my love, my person.” The two lovebirds are far from the only couple that grew fond of Valentine’s Day after finding their soulmate, but for the singles that have yet to run into theirs, their

opinions on the holiday differ. Jonathan Charlton, a junior at MNSU, takes pride in his independence and plans to enjoy his time alone on Valentine’s Day. “It’s on a Sunday this year so I’ll probably be watching TV in bed,” Charlton said. When asked how he felt about Valentine’s Day as a single man, Charlton did not seem to pay the holiday or his relationship status any mind. “I don’t look forward to it but it’s not like I despise it either,” Charlton said. “Having someone has never been a need for me since I can always just vibe by myself.” His roommate and fellow junior at MNSU, Dylon Taubert, plans to enjoy Valentine’s Day as a single man as well. “I’ll probably just stay home and cook something that night,” said Taubert. Taubert rarely dwells on the fact that he is single, but he finds himself thinking about it from time to time. “It is a little discouraging seeing all my other friends in a relationship,” Taubert said. “But I figure I’d much rather be single than with someone who doesn’t feel the same way I do or vice versa.” When asked if he felt the same way as Charlton did about the holiday, Taubert said he was indifferent. “I do normally get a card and cash from my grandma on Valentine’s Day though so that’s always nice,” Taubert said.

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Thursday, February 11, 2021

GOV Continued from page 1 Government about scholarships. In her presentation she discussed how MNSU has the Scholarship Finder, a onestop-shop for all the scholarships around campus. Not all scholarships are focused on a student’s GPA, as some are focused on majors, interests, or community service students may have done. After filling out a profile, the website recommends scholarships. Any MNSU student can apply on the Scholarship Finder website with the deadline being Feb. 28. The last presentation was given by Maxwell Mayleben, Editor in Chief at The Reporter. Mayleben discussed the benefits of having The Reporter within our campus community, some of the problems The Reporter has faced in the past and what the paper is working on to improve over the coming years. Mayleben stated, “One of the biggest things The Reporter does is provide ‘out of classroom’ learning experiences for students. These are things that students going into business and mass communication studies need to learn for their careers.” Some of The Reporter’s struggles have been budget-related. “In the past years, compared to other organizations around campus, The Reporter’s budget has been cut exponentially,” he said. “This has limited the amount of growth we can do and puts us in a tough place.” After listening to the presentation, Senator Joey Novack commented, “I am excited about Max’s attitude to work closely with Student Government, and I hope to cooperate more with them in the future.” In Open Forum, Martin Jacaruso discussed recent Maverick Adventures events, with the newest one being the Behind the Lens Outdoor Photography contest to help

students be connected with nature. The contest will run until March 15 and all photos must be original work. Another event they are hosting is the Mankato Adventure Speaker Series with the first speaker arriving on Feb 24. College of Allied Health and Nursing Senator Gretchen Bygd gave her report on her work over the past year. Recently, the college has welcomed a new social work program. Senator Bygd announced, “Starting Fall 2021, we will finally have an American Sign Language certificate for the students who complete all four levels of the ASL program. They will then have to complete a course called Dimensions of Deafness.” As Senator Bygd moves into the remainder of the semester, she stated, “My goals are to continue listening to the College constituents for what they want and need from Student Government. I’m going to head into budget season educated and ready to advocate for our students and for classes to be in-person, as safety allows.” The next to present was Senator Alimo. In his presentation he discussed how he is working on conducting a survey with the help of Senator Minahil Khan for the students in the College of Science, Engineering, and Technology to find out what tools they need to succeed. They are also working with faculty to incorporate more project-based learning, and finding out how to help students succeed. To wrap up the meeting, Senator Nelson spoke about building a survey for students living off campus to see how their housing managers are treating them. Nelson then plans on using this information to create a presentation for students about their rights as renters.

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News

MSU Reporter • 3

CAMPUS Continued from page 1

MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter A graph displaying the change in tuition at MNSU by percentage points over the last 10 years.

Moorhead’s retrenchment resulted in 30 faculty members being laid off across 10 disciplines, causing the closure of 10 programs. The process of retrenchment, according to the Minnesota State System guidelines, is not a short path. Before even considering retrenchment, the University must attempt other courses of action first. The administration has already implemented many of these alternatives. Attrition and retirement incentives being large tools for the University. Attrition is the method of saving money that involves the separation of an employee from an organization and not filling that role again. Interim Provost Matt Cecil, in the Student Government meeting yesterday spoke to the use of attrition at the administration level.

“Last summer, we had 4 admin positions open, and we didn’t fill any of them,” said Cecil, “We did create one new administrator that took on a bunch of that portfolio.” Another method the University has used to save money and lower the structural deficit is using a board approved employee separation incentive or “BESI”. 21 faculty members took this option, resulting in an estimated 1.7 million dollars of savings. Only after these efforts have been exhausted can the University announce their consideration for retrenchment. This announcement was released last week during the “Meet and Confer” sessions. Gregg Marg, the President of the Faculty Association, speaks to staff and faculty concerns with the recent announcement. “Obviously, it makes peo-

ple nervous any time people’s jobs are on the line,” said Marg, “Our bigger concern is that this affects the students. Whenever we are losing faculty, that leads to fewer classes, and potentially fewer programs.” In response to these concerns, Straka said, “We try to ensure that we have as minimal impact as we can, but I don’t think we can say we will have zero impact.” As it is still in the early phases of budget talks, more information on both the tuition increases as well as retrenchment will be addressed next month. Straka said faculty will be working presenting solutions to budget issues, stating, “Expect to see a draft plan or proposal in March. We expect to get feedback through the months of March and April, and then finalize a plan when the term is done in May.”

4 • MSU Reporter

Thursday, February 11, 2021

SPRING 2021 EDITOR IN CHIEF:

MAXWELL MAYLEBEN

Peterson: Why Valentine’s Day is a Scam

maxwell.mayleben@mnsu.edu

MADISON DIEMERT

madison.diemert@mnsu.edu

Opinion By JENNA PETERSON News Director As the holiday of love quickly approaches, it’s time to reflect on its true meaning (and whether it’s important. I’ve both been in relationships and single for Valentine’s Day, and I can say with confidence that this holiday is just another marketing strategy for companies to benefit from. To begin, Valentine’s Day was first influenced by the three saint Valentines of the Catholic Church who fought for the marriage rights of young people, since it was ruled that married men couldn’t become soldiers. They believed these people shouldn’t have to give up on love in order to fight in battle, since the two have very little correlation. Naturally, there are other variations to this story and the true origin of Valentine’s Day, but as a whole it stems from the belief in love and the celebration of it. While people in love should celebrate the affection they have for each other, I don’t believe you need a designated day to do so. Love is something that should be celebrated every day, and I’m afraid people are losing sight of that. With the stress of everyday life, especially in a pandemic, it’s easy to let things slip and to forget to appreciate the one you love in a significant way. Not everything has to be a grand gesture. Something as small as making a cup of coffee is a touching way

NEWS DIRECTOR: Jenna Peterson jenna.peterson-3@mnsu.edu MEDIA/DESIGN DIRECTOR: Mansoor Ahmad mansoor.ahmad@mnsu.edu SPORTS EDITOR: Daniel McElroy daniel.mcelroy@mnsu.edu ADVERTISING SALES: Anna Lillie 507-389-1063 anna.lillie@mnsu.edu Logan Larock 507-389-5453 logan.larock@mnsu.edu Baylee Sorensen 507-389-5097 baylee.sorensen@mnsu.edu

to show someone affection. If gift giving is more of your love language instead of acts of service, there are plenty of options for that as well.

buy some Valentine themed gift, whether it be flowers or chocolates, and call it a day. Don’t get me wrong, these gifts are great to show your

“Love is something that should be celebrated every day, and I’m afraid people are losing sight of that.” Most people who give gifts to their significant other will

love and appreciation. The only problem I have with them

is that they’re just ordinary gifts with the theme of love slapped on it and upcharged since they’re holiday themed. If you’re looking for other gift ideas, homemade gifts are a great route to take that adds a touch of individuality and sentimentalism to it. Some ideas can include a photobox, a goodie basket with Valentine-themed colors, or a customized puzzle as a photo of you and your significant other. No matter how you celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, be sure to remind the people in your life that you love them and honor this holiday however you see fit.

“How are you celebrating Valentine’s Day this year” Compiled by Jessica Hagglund

KISAET KIDANU, JUNIOR “I’m not celebrating Valentine’s Day.”

JARED ANDERSON, FRESHMAN “Alone, but doing a secret Valentine’s with friends.”

LENA VUE, SENIOR

JACOB GILLESPIE, JUNIOR

MEGAN RABE, SOPHOMORE

“Through FaceTime since my boyfriend is in the military.”

“I’ll go out and eat somewhere.”

“I’ll probably do something with my roommates and order fast food.”

Olivia Haefner 507-389-1079 olivia.haefner@mnsu.edu BUSINESS MANAGER: Jane Tastad 507-389-1926 jane.tastad@mnsu.edu ADVERTISING DESIGN/ PRODUCTION MANAGER: Dana Clark 507-389-2793 dana.clark@mnsu.edu

• If you have a complaint, suggestion or would like to point out an error made in the Reporter, contact Editor in Chief Maxwell Mayleben at maxwell.mayleben@mnsu.edu. The Reporter will correct any errors of fact or misspelled names in this space. Formal grievances against the Reporter are handled by the Newspaper Board. • The Minnesota State University Mankato Reporter is a studentrun newspaper published twice a week, coming out on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Reporter generates 78 percent of its own income through advertising and receives approximately 22 percent from Student Activities fees. The Reporter is free to all students and faculty, but to start a subscription, please call us at 507-389-1776. Subscriptions for the academic school year are $55.00 and subscribers will receive the paper within three to five days after publishing. • Letters exceeding 400 words may not be accepted. The Reporter reserves the right to edit letters to fit space or correct punctuation. The Reporter reserves the right to publish, or not publish, at its discretion. Letters must contain year, major or affiliation with the university, or lack thereof. All letters must contain phone numbers for verification purposes. THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THE MSU REPORTER ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OR STUDENT BODY.

Thursday, February 11, 2021

MSU Reporter • 5

Mavs Travel to ‘Bama to take on Chargers By DANIEL MCELROY Sports Editor The Minnesota State men’s hockey team will travel down south to take on the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers this week. Rather than having to wait until the start of the weekend to start the series, the first game will be Thursday at 7:07 p.m., and the series will end Friday with the puck drop also at 7:07 p.m. The Mavericks moved into third in the national rankings following their sweep of then No. 8-ranked BGSU. Following the series, junior goaltender Dryden McKay was honored by the WCHA with the WCHA Goaltender of the Week award. McKay turned away all 30 shots he faced Friday, and stopped 20 of 21 Saturday. This is McKay’s third Goaltender of the week honor of the year, and his 17th of his career. Mckay is 11-1-0 on the year with seven shutouts and he leads the WCHA in goals against average with 0.84 goals per game, a .959 save percentage, and win percentage with .917. With one more shutout, the tendy will take over as the all-time WCHA leader in shutouts, and sit alone in second in the NCAA all-time list. The depth of MSU continues to prove to be one of the biggest strengths of the team, with 21 different Mavericks scoring at least one point on the year. Everyone down to the extra skaters have made significant contributions to the team in this COVID riddled year. “That’s a real hard decision and actually Coach Hastings loses sleep on that one sometimes,” associate head coach Todd Knott said in a press conference Tuesday. “If they’re [the players] doing their job, it’s really hard on

Photos by MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter Shane McMahan (above) scored his first goal of the season against the Bowling Green Falcons. Reigning WCHA Goaltender of the Week Dryden McKay (below) leads the WCHA in save percentage and goals against average.

coach,” he said. We saw this in action this weekend with one of the best performances we’ve seen from Shane McMahan, putting pressure on BGSU’s special teams while he was on the penalty kill unit, scoring his first goal of the season while getting his season-high three shots on goal, and winning three of the four faceoffs he took Saturday. Alabama-Huntsville will look to grab their third win of the year at home against the Mavericks as they hold a 2-7-1 record and are coming off two losses against the Michigan Tech Huskies. The Chargers hold one of the top power plays in the country, scoring 8 goals on 34 opportunities, good for 23.5%. Luckily for MSU, the Mavericks have one of the best penalty killing in the country with 88%, and are the only team with a higher power play percentage than the Chargers with 30.2%, making their special teams one of the most lethal units in the nation. “Alabama’s going to be a good test for us, they play hard, it’s a tough rink to play in, it’s a little bit smaller so it’ll be a tough challenge for us,” senior defenseman and alternate captain Jack McNeely said Tuesday. The Mavs veteran defensemen have made a massive impact on the year with the likes of McNeely and Zmolek, each paired up with a freshman defender in Akito Hirose and Jake Livingstone. “I think they’ve taken a lot of steps this year. Obviously both very talented players...they’re getting better everyday, it’s kind of cliche but they’ve been working really hard,” McNeely praised his teammates. Jared Spooner will not be available due to the hit he took against Bowling Green last week.

Willingham, Mavs hit the Road in an Attempt to Dismount Upper Iowa Peacocks By DANIEL MCELROY • Sports Editor The Minnesota State men’s basketball team will travel to Upper Iowa to start their two week road trip. The Mavericks will play their last two series on the road after closing out their home games last weekend with a series split against the Winona State University Warriors. MSU is 8-4 overall with a conference record of 7-3, while the Peacocks is 7-5 overall with a 5-3 conference record. Upper Iowa is staying hot right now with a five game win streak, the longest current streak in the NSIC, and most recently sweeping Concordia-St. Paul. Since 2002, the Mavs hold a record of 22-7 against the Peacocks, although they have lost their last two matches, failing to find a win since the 2018-19 season. As of now, the Mavs sit in first place in the NSIC south standings with a win percentage of .700, tied with Wayne State College, a team they split their series with earlier this season.

Sophomore Quincy Anderson is coming off a career-high game scoring 31 points in Saturday’s win against the Warriors. Anderson leads the team in points with 218 through 12 games, averaging 18.2 points per game. Anderson’s 218 is the third most by any NSIC player, and is averaging the fourth most in the conference. He also leads the team in total 3-pointers made and total field goals made with 29 and 75, respectively. Lastly, Anderson leads the team in rebounds with 70 total, eight offensive and 62 defensive, averaging 5.8 rebounds per game. Junior Devonte Thedford holds the number two spot in scoring for the Mavericks with 150 points, averaging 12.5 points. Thedford is shooting a .441 field goal percentage and .353 from three-point range. Malik Willingham is right behind Thedford in scoring with 139 points on the season, averaging 11.6 points per game. Willingham is coming off a 17 point game against the Warriors after scoring single digits for three straight games, hoping to continue to stay as a top scorer for the Mavs. The two teams are very close to each other in

MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter Sophomore guard Malik Willingham (2) averages 11.6 points per game for the Mavericks.

shooting field goals, as UIU sit at the number two spot in the NSIC averaging 10.9 field goals per game, while the Mavs are in third, averaging 9.6 field goals per game.

6 • MSU Reporter

Sports

Women’s Basketball looks to Improve Against UIU

Thursday, February 11, 2021

Mavs Close out Season at Home

Maverick Athletics By DANIEL MCELROY • Sports Editor

MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter The Mavericks women’s team is 26-0 in all-time meetings against the Upper Iowa Peacocks.

By DANIEL MCELROY Sports Editor The women’s basketball team at Minnesota State University is getting ready to tipoff against the Upper Iowa Peacocks in their final home stretch. The Mavericks are 6-5 on the season with a 5-4 conference record, splitting every series they’ve played with the exception of the one game series the Mavericks played against the University of Sioux Falls, where the Mavericks handed the Cougars their second loss of the season. Since 1979, the Mavericks have won all 26 meetings between the teams, most recently winning 71-49 last season at the Taylor Center. The Peacocks sit uncomfortably at the bottom of the standings with an overall record of 1-11, and conference record of 0-10. UIU has lost 11 straight games after winning their first game of the season against the St. Cloud

State Huskies in overtime. MSU sits at second in total points scored in the NSIC, with 833 points across 11 games, averaging 75.7 points per game. The Mavericks near the bottom of the standings in defensive scoring, allowing 74.4 points per game. Despite being low, the Mavericks are still higher than the Peacocks in both categories. UIU are in last in offensive scoring and 15th in defensive scoring, with 56.3 and 76.7, respectively MSU’s Tayla Stuttley leads the Mavericks in scoring with 151 points, averaging 13.7 points per game. Stuttley also leads the team in turnovers with 44 total, averaging 4 turnovers per game. With that being said, Stuttley is averaging the second most minutes per game on the Mavericks, staying on the court for 28.2 minutes per game. Rachel Shumski is well within arms reach of Stuttley in scoring, being just one point behind her with 150

of her own, averaging 13.6 points per game. Shumski leads the team in field goals scoring 57 total for .483%. She also has the highest field goals made per game with 5.3 field goals per game. Joey Batt had a breakout game in the win against Winona State, almost matching her season-high points with 27 last Saturday. Batt is now averaging 13.5 points per game, with 148 total points. The three women are all right next to each other in the NSIC individual scoring standings at 16, 17, and 18 in the conference, respectively. One of the glimmers of hope thatshines through for the Peacocks is Lydia Haack, the leading point scorer for Upper Iowa with 158 total points, averaging 15.8 points per game. Haack is shooting .376% in field goals and .906% in free throws. The tip-off for Friday’s game will be at 6 p.m., with the tip-off for Saturday’s game will be at 3 p.m.

Mavericks Start Season Against the Lewis Flyers By DANIEL MCELROY Sports Editor The Minnesota State University softball team will kickoff their season tomorrow, Friday, with a couple-header against Lewis University. The 2017 NCAA Division II Champions Mavericks will start their season being rated third in the NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Poll with 194 points. Winona State rank second with 210 points and Augustana at first for the second straight season with 222 points. St. Cloud State and Minnesota-Duluth round out the top five teams. The Mavericks will play a series of non conference

matches until conference play begins Tuesday, March 30, beginning with the Minnesota State DII Softball Classic this Friday. Before COVID-19 cancelled the remainder of last season, the Mavericks held a 17-3 record, winning their last 10 straight games. In 2019, the Mavericks finished with a record of 3719, with their season coming to an end following a pair of losses to Augustana University and Winona State University. The Lewis University Flyers were ranked at No. 10 among teams in the Great Lakes Valley Conference in the GLVC Preseason Poll.

Last season before hit COVID-19 hit the United States and canceled the rest of the season, the Flyers were 13-6, winning their last nine out of 10 games played. In their last full season played in 2019, Lewis University finished with a record of 22-30, finishing eighth in the GLVC. Senior outfielder Carly Esselman will attempt to lead the team in their first series against the Flyers, starting it just how they ended it last season. Esselman led the team in several categories before the season was cancelled last year in batting average, runs scored, hits, doubles, home runs, and RBI’s.

Following Minnesota State’s wrestling team win against UMary last week, the 4-1 Mavericks will host their final match of the regular season tonight in the Taylor Center against the 1-4 UWParkside Rangers. The Mavs sit in third place in the NSIC standings behind the undefeated St. Cloud State and Northern State, while Parkside nears the bottom of the standings, with their only win coming against Southwestern Minnesota State. Since 2012, the Mavs have had three meetings with the Rangersand are 1-2, winning the most recent match last year by a score of 20-18. The Mavericks roster three wrestlers who remain undefeated through five duals in No.2-ranked wrestler at 149 pounds Kyle Rathman, No. 3-ranked at 174 pounds Trevor Turriff, and No. 9-ranked at 125 pounds

Trenton McManus. Kolbe O’Brien has also been having a year for himself, holding his own record of 4-1 on the season, with his only loss coming against the No. 4-ranked St. Cloud State University wrestler, Joey Bianchini. The Rangers are coming off their toughest matchup of the year against the No. 1-ranked wrestling squad in the nation in St. Cloud, where they got outclassed by a score of 26-9. UW-Parkside roster two wrestlers with undefeated records themselves in Joey Arroyo, who has won all five duals, and Shane Gantz, also winning his five duals. The only other wrestler to grab a win against St. Cloud is freshman Ben Durocher, who took a 6-4 tie breaker win against the No. 4-ranked Jake Barzowski. The dual will take place tonight at 7 p.m. at home.

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Thursday, February 11, 2021

Barton: The Weeknd’s Show was Artistic and Genius

Sports

MSU Reporter • 7

Mavs’ Cuban Relents on Anthem after NBA Reiterates Policy

ASHLEY LANDIS • Associated Press

By JULIA BARTON • Staff Writer Having performed on America’s biggest stage, Canadian recording artist The Weeknd had his shot as the star performer during halftime of this year’s Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has three top-selling albums in the U.S. including his most recent, “After Hours,” which includes the hit song “Blinding Lights.” Other notable songs The Weeknd performed include “Can’t Feel My Face,” “Star Boy,” “I Feel It Coming” featuring Daft Punk, and “The Hills.” Having three Grammy Awards, five American Music Awards, and nine Billboard Music Awards under his belt, he was more than qualified to perform at an event of such magnitude. Although his performance was very non-traditional, it will be one for the books as it is the first ever Super Bowl performance during a pandemic that is COVID-19. Whether you enjoyed the show or not, his performance will always be remembered along with the winning team’s ultimate stars Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski. Not to mention the Super Bowl streaker that ran onto the field mid-game. If you were along with the many, usually older crowd, that had no clue what was going on during The Weeknd’s performance, here’s the performance explained and why it was genius. First off you would have to know some things about his past to understand why he performed like he did regarding his outfit, the dancers, set design and message. Back in August 2020, he showed up at the MTV Music Awards with bruises painted on his face as if he was undergoing plastic surgery. Then, in November 2020 at the American Music Awards, he was seen with white bandages all over his face similar to what his danc-

ers were wearing; apparently a statement on the absurdity of Hollywood culture and modifying yourself for superficial reasons. In his new music video, which debuted last month, he is seen with a very swollen and unrealistic plastic face wearing the same iconic red jacket in “Save Your Tears.” All of these past events played a role in how he planned out his performance. The opening number, “Star Boy,” was accompanied by a large choir at the top of the stage made to look like a big city. Singing one of his first big hits about him wanting to become a star, the singer looks to be “on top of the world.” Later, he enters a hall of mirrors with bright flashing lights as he sings “I Can’t Feel My face.” During this song his dancers, dressed like him, are wearing plastic surgery-like bandages on their faces. As the look-alikes swarmed around him, The Weeknd made a connection between Hollywood fame and plastic surgery. The Weeknd then comes down from the top of the stage onto the field where the “different versions of himself” surround him. Although, by the end, he seems happy to have achieved all of his goals and fame. In the end, the look-alikes are lying lifeless on the ground. Fully committed, The Weeknd spent months rehearsing and around $7 million of his own money to pull off this performance. Although many may just remember the shaky, up-close camera angles during “I Can’t Feel My Face” and odd outfit choices, his performance was well thought out. Ranging from the overall message of the performance, having all the dancers wearing masks and the social distancing of the backup singers, The Weeknd did an overall great job given the current situation in our society.

JACK DEMPSEY • Associated Press Members of the Denver Nuggets and the Dallas Mavericks lock arms and take a knee during the national anthem before an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021 in Denver.

ASSOCIATED PRESS Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban relented Wednesday and the national anthem will be played before home games this season after the NBA reiterated its “longstanding league policy” to include the song. The league’s initial reaction to Cuban’s decision was to say teams were free to conduct pregame activities as they wished with the unusual circumstances created by the coronavirus pandemic. Most teams don’t have fans at home games. But the NBA abruptly reversed course with Cuban’s decision reverberating around the country, including a question put to White House press secretary Jen Psaki during her daily briefing. Athlete protests of social and racial injustice during the “The Star-Spangled Banner” became a flashpoint between then-President Donald Trump and various leagues during his administration. “With NBA teams now in the process of welcoming fans back into their arenas, all teams will play the national anthem in keeping with long-

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standing league policy,” the league said. The Mavericks said they would play the anthem starting Wednesday night against Atlanta while releasing a statement from Cuban. “We respect and always have respected the passion people have for the anthem and our country,” Cuban said. “But we also loudly hear the voices of those who feel that the anthem does not represent them. We feel that their voices need to be respected and heard, because they have not been. “Our hope is that going forward people will take the same passion they have for this issue and apply the same amount of energy to listen to those who feel differently from them,” he said. “Then we can move forward and have courageous conversations that move this country forward and find what unites us.” The Mavericks played their first 10 regular-season games without fans before allowing 1,500 vaccinated essential workers to attend Monday’s game against Minnesota for free. Cuban at that point de-

clined to elaborate on his decision to not play the anthem, other than to say nobody noticed until after 11 regular-season home games. The move wasn’t without support among NBA coaches. “This should happen everywhere,” New Orleans coach Stan Van Gundy tweeted Wednesday. “If you think the anthem needs to be played before sporting events, then play it before every movie, concert, church service and the start of every work day at every business. What good reason is there to play the anthem before a game?” The question Van Gundy raises has been debated for some time. The NBA rule book does not specifically say that the anthem — or anthems, in games involving the Toronto Raptors, the lone Canadian team in the league — must be played before games. The only rule regarding the songs states this: “Players, coaches and trainers must stand and line up in a dignified posture along the foul lines during the playing of the American and/or Canadian national anthems.”

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8 • MSU Reporter

Thursday, February 11, 2021