February 15, 2018

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Minnesota State University Mankato

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Analytics, data science RSO dreams big DREAM gives students resources to improve science and analytical skills

EMMANUELLA SHOKARE Staff Writer Have you ever wanted to be part of an organization on campus that could help build your skills and knowledge in data science, big data, data analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence?

DREAM (Data Resources for Eager and Analytical Minds) is just that.

It’s led by Dr. Rajeev Bukralia, a faculty member in the Computer Information Science department. Dr. Bukralia brought the idea about an analytics club to one of his classes and Facial Rayani, the president of the club last year, helped him organized students to make it happen.

DREAM helps to give students the resources

Photo courtesy of College of Science, Engineering, and Technology Facebook The team that won the Analytics Acumen Award at the MinneAnalytics data analytics competition. From left to right: Uddin, Dr.Rajeev Bukralia, Umanga Poudel, and Salem Wafi.

and opportunities for them to be more skilled in data analytics, machine learning, data science and artificial intelligence.

DRE AM began in the fall of 2016 and has grown to include 170 student members from different majors. The RSO has especially attracted

those who are in majors that require the knowledge and skills of data science.

“Although DREAM is primarily IT majors, we welcome all majors. All you have to do to join DREAM is sign up on OrgSync.

Everyone is welcome,” said Jeremy Klein, president of

DREAM. “Data analytics is a multidisciplinary field and the more diversity the better.”

The organization holds their meeting on Wednesdays from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at CSU 245.

According to Dr. Bukralia, their weekly meetings include activities such as

data analytic training and speakers from academia and the industry. Students can learn the complexities of how data science work and will have the opportunity to build industry connections for jobs and internships in companies like SAS, 3M, and Federated Insurance, which have participated in some of the DREAM meetings.

“SAS conducted a 2-day training for DREAM members and faculty in 2017. Another SAS data analytics training is planned for March 23 and 24, 2018,” said Dr. Bukralia.

Even though DREAM started just a year and a half ago, they have accomplished some major achievements, including a research project, titled “Using Text Analytics for Optimal Pairing of Actors for Movies,” which was selected for the National Conference on Undergraduate Research

DREAM PAGE 3

Employees able to relieve stress through free meditation sessions

KATIE LEIBEL Staff Writer Assistant Director of the Violence and Awareness Response Program (VARP), Laura Schultz, and the Program Coordinator of fitness, wellness, and special programs, Carley Hopper are working together to create a ‘Maverick Employee Meditation Session’ over the course of two five-week periods.

Schultz and Hopper had been thinking of starting

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this program for a while and decided now was the time to help employees at Minnesota State University, Mankato be more mindful through a variety of meditations and relaxation techniques.

Students at MNSU have many resources on campus for their mental health, and Schultz and Hopper’s goal was to make sure the employees knew that they have those same resources.

“As staff and faculty we might not utilize those resources, ourselves,” Schultz said, “but we also have an emotional response to things, too.”

These sessions are helpful to the staff and faculty of MNSU because they help everyone to learn that it is okay, and sometimes

necessary, to take some time to oneself and be quiet for an hour to become in tune with one’s mind.

Hopper has been doing different kinds of education in meditation for a few years now. She teaches a meditation class Fridays at 10 a.m. in Pennington Hall for students, and before that she teaches a 9 a.m. yoga class as well. She views it as a great way to start the day and one’s weekend.

Schultz is a bit newer to education in meditation and recalled an eightweek mindfulness-based, stress reduction clinic in St. Peter, Minnesota where she meditated for about 45 minutes every day. She grew to love the clinic around the fifth week of class and found

Photo courtesy of Pixabay

herself wanting to attend another one in the future. She also wanted to help others learn how to meditate and be mindful.

Hopper and Schultz are working to share their favorite mindfulness exercises in a

weekly class for the MNSU staff. They believe that having a class every week can

MEDITATION PAGE 5

Campus Kitchen gives back

Swim team paddles to Fargo

Maverick football coach signs extension

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2 • MSU Reporter

News

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Campus Kitchen helps students give back to the community

OLUWATOMIKE BALI Staff Writer Campus Kitchen is an initiative that caters for food insecurities in the community.

The kitchen is on campus at Minnesota State University, Mankato and operates out of Crossroads Lutheran Church.

The organization creates a community of care and also prepares students for leadership as the program relies on student volunteers to get work done.

Karen Anderson, the manager for Campus

the community.

Campus Kitchen is affiliated with the National Campus Kitchen program, an initiative that brings college and universities together with student volunteers, on campus dining services and community organizations in order to fight hunger in cities across the United States, said Anderson.

She also stated that the campus kitchen does not use Sodexo’s kitchen or food. Sodexo does an annual food drive fundraiser for the organization to help stock the shelves of the kitchen.

The kitchen is a huge way for unusable, yet still edible food to be rescued from the community. According to Anderson, eight tons of food was harvested from local

“The kitchen is a huge way for unusable, yet still edible food to be rescued from the community.”

Kitchen, said that the aim of the organization is to “rescue food from restaurants and local businesses and serve it to people facing food insecurity.” The kitchen’s targeted demographics are the elderly, young and ill in

restaurants last year and seven tons was harvested the year prior.

The campus kitchen’s efforts have helped student’s give back to those who are in need in the community.

“The campus kitchen

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project has been able to inculcate the spirit of volunteering in most students,” said Anderson. “As a lot of students shift leaders stay in their positon because they enjoy the people they interact with at the agencies and restaurant and it also brings a sense of making a difference and contributing to the community.”

Campus Kitchen doesn’t have a particular day they meet as it is not a club, but they have nine work shifts and three to four shifts require more than two people.

Volunteers are needed to help make the meals and cover shifts. Drivers are also needed to drop the meals off to the people.

Anderson also notes that in April there will be “applications available to those interested in serving as shift leaders.”

“The process involves an interview and training at the end of the semester as well as training in the beginning of the school year,” said Anderson.

If time is tight and you can’t offer volunteer hours, donating much needed nonperishable food and nonfood items, such as to-go containers, is a way to get involved as well.

One goal for Campus Kitchen this semester is to send students to participate in the 2018 Food Waste and Hunger Summit in

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Indianapolis, Indiana at the end of March. The summit is a weekend for students all over the country to get together with young professionals and field experts to learn about sustainable solutions,

advocacy and leadership, according to the Campus Kitchen Project website.

For more details about the Campus Kitchen, students can visit the OrgSync page at MNSU.

Thursday, February 15, 2018

News

MSU Reporter • 3

Police: Florida high school shooter former student PARKLAND, Fla. (AP) — A former student opened fire at a Florida high school Wednesday, killing “numerous” people, sending students running out into the streets and SWAT team members swarming in before authorities took him into custody.

Frantic parents rushed to the scene and ambulances converged in front of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Live footage showed emergency workers

appearing to treat possibly wounded people on the sidewalks.

The Broward County Sheriff’s Office tweeted Wednesday afternoon that “so far we have at least 14 victims.” The tweet added: “Victims have been and continue to be transported to Broward Health Medical Center and Broward Health North hospital.”

Broward County Schools Superintendent Rober t Runcie said there were Photo courtesy of The Associated Press

DREAM

Continued from page 1 (NCUR) 2018; DREAM’s student team won the Analytics Acumen Award at the 2017 MinneMUDAC data analytics competition at Optum, where they analyzed insurance data to predict diabetes; and another student team won the third place in the Data Derby Analytics Competition in 2017, according to Dr. Bukralia.

These achievements

have shown how dedicated DREAM officials and their members are and also how it has helped the students in such a short period of time.

“I think the biggest thing I have done as president so far is taking on the job of hosting the SAS Workshop,” said by Jeremy Klein.

“numerous fatalities.”

“It is a horrific situation.”

He added, “It is a horrible day for us.”

The male shooter, approximately 18, was a student at the school at one time, but was not at the time of the shooting, Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said. He said the shooter was outside and inside the school at points during the attack, and taken into custody “without incident” about an hour after he left the school. Israel said police were waiting for the SWAT team to give them the allclear so that they could go

inside.

Noah Parness, a 17-yearold junior, said the fire alarm went off for the second time of the day about 2:30 p.m.

He said he and the other students calmly went outside to their fire drill areas when he suddenly heard several pops.

“Everyone was kind of just standing there calm, and then we saw a bunch of teachers running down the stairway, and then everybody shifted and broke into a sprint,” Parness said. “I hopped a fence.”

Television footage showed police in olive fatigues, with

weapons drawn, entering the school, then dozens of children frantically running and walking quickly out.

A police officer waved the students on, urging them to quickly evacuate. Some students exited the building in single-file rows with hands raised overhead to show they carried no weapons. Others held onto other students as they made their way out past helmeted police in camouflage with weapons drawn.

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4 • MSU Reporter

Thursday, February 15, 2018 EMAIL THE EDITOR IN CHIEF:

What helps you get through your to-do list?

4 ways MNSU students study and stay stress-free Opinion

GABE HEWITT

gabriel.hewitt@mnsu.edu OR AT reporter-editor@mnsu.edu

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MADISON DIEMERT Staff Writer It’s the middle of the semester and as a student, you have a lot going on.

There are papers, quizzes, exams, the horrid group projects, and midterms that are just around the corner.

It can be a lot to deal with, especially if you’re new to the whole college thing.

But dealing with stress isn’t that hard, and a little stress can actually be a good thing, so long as you’re using it to push yourself to complete the work. Here’s what a few students from MNSU do to keep their stress levels low and finish their homework on time.

1. Make a to-do list Alcohol and Drug Studies major Mike Edison says that when he has a ton to do, he just makes a to-do list.

Seeing the things he has to get done written down helps him keep track. He says that it also helps motivate him when he crosses the tasks off, because he can see the number of things he has to do decrease.

2. Study a little each day

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A senior studying biology said that she studies a bit each day before a big test or quiz. Instead of studying for hours or cramming the night before, she takes a little in at a time. “It helps to study in chunks so you’re not overwhelming yourself,” she said. “I think I remember the material better if I’m not trying to cram it all in.”

3. Study with a buddy If you’ve got a friend or acquaintance in a class, try to set up a time to study with them or work on homework.

Having someone there can help keep you motivated to finish your work. You can also help each other if you ever get stuck or need an idea for a paper or project.

One student says that if she

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doesn’t have any friends in her classes, she’ll still meet up with someone to work on homework. Even if they can’t help you on something specific, having a friend will keep you from slacking off.

4. Take a break This may seem counterintuitive, but if you’ve been working on homework for a few hours, it pays to take a break. Rest your brain and eat something, or even take a shower. You should try to relax so you can get back to your homework refreshed and ready to go. Otherwise, you might burn out and not do as well as you want to or quit because you’re so fried.

If you’re someone who gets themselves stuck in a bit of rut in the middle of

the semester, try some of these tips out. You could find something new to keep your stress levels down and your production levels up.

But if you are experiencing more stress than usual and can’t seem to keep up with all the work you have to do, try scheduling an appointment with the Counseling Center here on campus. A counselor can help you with managing stress and many other mental health issues. Plus, it’s free.

You can go to their office which is located in CSU 285 to fill out some initial paperwork. Then call their number, (507)-389-1455, or go in person, to schedule an appointment.

“Which class do you spend the most time studying for?”

FLEVIS WAINDIM, BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE

SHAYLA PACHOLL, EXERCISE SCIENCE

SAM EISENBERG, BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

CARSON WEBB, CIVIL ENGINEERING

“Organic Chemistry.”

“HP 466.”

“Production and Operations Management.”

“Dynamics.”

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Compiled by Cassidy Dahl

JACK FERTITTA, CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT “Calculus.”

Thursday, February 15, 2018

News

MEDITATION

SHOOTER

Continued from page 1

Continued from page 3 The Broward Schools department said on its website that students and staff heard what sounded like gunfire and the school immediately went on lockdown.

Beth Feingold said her daughter, Brittani, sent a text at 2:32 p.m. that said, “We’re on code red. I’m fine,” but sent another text shortly afterward saying, “Mom, I’m so scared.”

Brittani later was able to escape the school, but was running along a busy road for part of the time, in what was a very chaotic scene around school — one of the state’s largest in the county with about 3,000 students.

Feingold said her daughter struggled with anxiety so she knew that she needed to stay calm. She told her daughter in a phone conversation when she was still inside a school building that a Swat team was there to protect her. She said she told her: “Your dad is on one

side of the building, and I’m on the other.”

Feingold said there had been a fire drill in the morning. Then in fourth period, someone pulled the fire alarm again and shouted code red.

The high school is a sprawling complex set on a tract in the South Florida community of Parkland, about 45 miles (70 kilometers) north of downtown Miami.

The school had just over 3,100 students in the 2016-2017 academic year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Major streets run along two sides and an expressway passes nearby on the other not far from a residential neighborhood of single-family homes.

Caesar Figueroa said when he got to the school to check on his 16-year-old daughter, he saw police officers drawing machine guns as they approached the campus.

MSU Reporter • 5

“My wife called me that there was an active shooter and the school was on lockdown. I got on the road and saw helicopters. ... It was crazy and my daughter wasn’t answering her phone.”

She finally texted him that she was inside a closet with friends.

Len Murray’s 17-year-old son, a junior at the school, sent his parents a chilling text around 2:30pm: “Mom and Dad, there have been shots fired on campus at school. There are police sirens outside. I’m in the auditorium and the doors are locked.”

A few minutes later, he texted again: “I’m fine.”

Murray said he raced to the school only to be stopped by authorities under a highway overpass within view of the school buildings. He said he told his son to save his battery and stop texting, while the boy’s mother told him to turn off his ringer.

provide some structure to the meditation practice. Hopper plans on utilizing some of her yoga experience to teach chair yoga during the classes along with meditation.

There are many benefits to meditation. It improves relationship satisfaction, reduces stress, and can improve memory. It can also lead to more empathy, compassion, and decrease stress and anxiety in many.

Schultz and Hopper are encouraging as many people as possible to try this activity, or utilize the apps and videos online available for free.

“Our goal is to de-mystify it,” Schultz said.

Many people have anxiety tied to meditating. Schultz stated that it can be a bit of a barrier for them, which can prevent them from trying.

She voiced that meditation is utilized in many religions and is not tied down to just one.

The meditation session is not connected to any religion.

The people that attend can

be from any religion, or no religion, and still come and benefit from the meditation group.

These mediation sessions are Thursdays at noon in CSU 256. The first session started on Feb. 1 and will go until March 1, with the second five-week course starting March 15 and going to April 12. The sessions on Feb. 15 and April 5 will be held in CSU 201.

Employees at MNSU can join the classes at any time.

They are welcome to bring any props they wish to bring, but are not required to bring anything. Chairs will be provided. The classes are for employees only.

If any students wish to take up meditation, they may go to Hopper’s Friday Introduction to Meditation classes in Pennington Hall at 10 a.m. from Feb. 2 to March 2 and March 16 to April 13.

Both the student and faculty classes are free.

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6 • MSU Reporter

News

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Feature Photo: Safer Sex Carnival, Feb. 13

Michelle Vlasak/MSU Reporter

MSU Reporter • 7

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Minnesota State University, Mankato

A&E

Have a story idea or a comment?

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A&E Editor Caleb Holldorf

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FILM REVIEW: Netflix orignal horror film The Ritual Influences from other films expose The Ritual’s lack of originality

LUCAS TORBORG Staff Writer

The Netflix original film “The Ritual”, a bloody and psychological horror movie, was recently released on the streaming platform.

“The Ritual” is based on a 2011 horror novel of the same name that was written by genre writer Adam Nevill. The novel was credited with being one of the scariest books of the year and was soon after planned to be made into a film.

Director David Bruckner is fairly new when it comes to directing, but after seeing his newest film it is clear that Bruckner has an eye for horror. Bruckner’s previous work includes director and writing credit for critically acclaimed independent horror films such as the 2012 horror movie “VHS”.

Image courtesy of BagoGames

Bruckner did a great job considering the uninspired and overall sloppy script he had to work with. The basic plot is a familiar one especially to those who have seen their fair share of horror movies.

The story consists of a group of four friends as they embark on a back-

packing trip through the Swiss Alps in memory of their friend, who passed away six weeks prior to the trip.

The story primarily focuses on Luke (Rafe Spall, from “Prometheus”) who is dealing with a great amount of grief after witnessing the murder of his

friend and failing at defending him against his perpetrator.

The trip is going fine until one of the guys in the group injures his leg, and of course, they do what any logical person would do - they take a shortcut through the spooky woods.

They make it through the woods and everything ends up fine - just kidding: everything goes terrible.

While in the woods the group begins to find strange pagan carvings on the tree, as well mutilated animals throughout the forest.

It begins to rain and the group stumbles into a cabin to keep dry and to get some needed rest. In the cabin, they discover a strange sculpture of a person that seems to be a part of some strange kind of worship or ritual.

That night everyone in the cabin has horrible nightmares, especially Luke. He wakes up confused finding strange claw

RITUAL

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Use of blackface in Brazil Carnival parade sparks debate SAO PAULO (AP) — A top samba school’s use of blackface in a Carnival parade sparked debate Tuesday about depictions of race in Brazil, which is still grappling with a fraught racial legacy.

The storied Salgueiro school’s performance in the early hours of Tuesday featured two groups in blackface in a parade that paid tribute to African culture and black women, in particular.

Many took to Twitter to express shock the school relied on a trope that has historically been used to depict black people in demeaning ways.

White performers in minstrel shows in the United States used black face paint in racist caricatures of black people through much of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

While Brazil doesn’t

have the same history of minstrelsy, there is a legacy of denigrating caricatures of black people.

“Shoot, Salgueiro!

Blackface? In this day and age 2018?” tweeted Renan Wilbert, who is from Rio de Janeiro.

Though Brazil was the world’s largest slave market and also the last country in the Americas to abolish slavery, modern Brazil often perpetuated a myth of a colorblind, harmonious society. For decades, discussing racism was taboo, but Brazilians are slowly beginning to talk about prejudice and the way the country’s searing inequality is racially tinged.

People of color, despite making up more than half the population, have only recently begun to gain access in significant numbers to areas that traditionally excluded them, like uni-

versities, prominent acting roles and senior political positions.

Dark-skinned Brazilians are more likely to be poor or suffer violence than their white counterparts.

Salgueiro even made reference to that reality, ending the parade with a depiction of the “Pieta” that honored black mothers who had lost their children to violence on Brazil’s streets.

In their coverage of the night’s parades in Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome, much of Brazil’s media described the face paint in neutral terms.

But many Brazilians thought the use of black face paint detracted from the school’s message of celebration and tolerance.

PARADE

PAGE 8

Photo courtesy of The Associated Press

8 • MSU Reporter

A&E

Thursday, February 15, 2018

RITUAL Continued from page 9

PARADE Continued from page 9

marks on his torso. Luke then hears shouting as he goes upstairs to find one of his friends worshipping the sculpture.

The group quickly leaves the cabin and continue down the trail.

However; this is only the beginning of the story as someone or something starts following them.

“The Ritual” starts off great. The atmosphere and cinematography are very surreal and wonderful. The film puts the viewer in a constant feeling of dread just like the characters. The film also explores some great themes, specifically grief and guilt.

The first half of the film is wonderful and very frightening. However; the second half almost feels like a completely different movie.

The best way I can explain it is that the first half

Lucia Xavier, who is the coordinator for Criola, a group that promotes the rights of black women in Brazil, said she thought it was distasteful, even if she understood there were artistic considerations.

“It was not necessary to use blackface. There are a lot of black people in this country!” she said.

On Twitter, some defended the school, saying that it was wrong to label as blackface the mere use of black paint since the practice historically involved demeaning depictions as well.

Members of the school told O Globo newspaper that the subject never came up during rehearsals, despite the fact that many of the performers are black.

“The plot was Afro. It was a more historic Afro,

is a supernatural survival horror movie in vain of “The Blair Witch Project”, but the second half feels like a schlocky SYFY channel monster movie.

Another problem the movie has is that all of the characters except one are extremely underdeveloped. Luke is really the only one with any character development. The ending of the movie also leaves some unanswered questions which could annoy some viewers.

Overall, “Ritual” is worth a watch, especially for the second half. It’s nothing most viewers haven’t seen before, but it is a well-made horror movie that unfortunately suffers from its strange third act.

Reporter Rating

3 5

so we needed these darker features,” Helio Bejani, a choreographer for the school, was quoted as saying. “The makeup was the only way to achieve the right tone.”

But Barbara Weinstein, an academic who writes about race in Brazil, said the use of blackface implies some kind of limitation on how black people can present themselves — and that its history is known the world over.

“It’s very recognizable, people understand what it meant and continues to mean,” said Weinstein, who is a professor of Latin American history, specializing in Brazil, at New York University. “So the argument that this isn’t a Brazilian tradition really doesn’t work because the African diaspora is a really transnational world.”

James N. Green, director of the Brazil Initiative at Brown University’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, said it made sense that there would be confusion over how to interpret blackface in Brazil, since it originated outside the country: Some people are referencing the American history and critique of the practice, while others are resisting taking on what many in Brazil see as America’s more fraught racial legacy.

He said it’s possible that the school was using blackface as a way to affirm blackness.

“There’s always been a current in Brazilian history of affirming people’s Africanness,” said Green. It’s a way of saying: “No there are not 179 categories (of skin tone), there’s just really white and black.”

Philadelphia Park gets its sculpture back Famous 1976 “LOVE” Robert Indiana sculpture has returned

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — “LOVE” returned to Philadelphia on Tuesday, just in time for Valentine’s Day. The famous 1976 Robert Indiana sculpture was brought back to its namesake downtown park on a flatbed truck after making a number of stops at parks and statues along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway before the reinstallation.

School children cheered and those gathered spontaneously sang the fight song for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles as a forklift placed the sculpture atop a pedestal.

Susan Murphy had the day off from work and came to the park to see the sculpture reinstalled. She played the Beatles “All You Need is Love” on her iPhone and sang along with her new pal Caitlin Night, who swung by take photos of what she called “the symbol of our city.”

“This is what we are known for, and it’s wonderful to have the ‘LOVE’ back,” Murphy said. “The city seemed empty without it.” The sculpture was temporarily installed at nearby

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City Hall in 2016 while Love Park was going through a renovation.

It was taken out of view a year ago for repairs ahead of the park’s reopening.

The perennial tourist attraction and engagement photo backdrop looks a bit different. It’s been repainted to the original colors of red, green and purple that the artist originally used.

At some point over the decades, the purple had been repainted blue.

Deborah Rickards, who teaches third grade at nearby Friends Select School, brought her class over to see the statue’s return.

“We consider the city to be part of our campus and all of these kids know the LOVE statue,” she said. Student Caroline DeFalco said she thinks the statue is one of the city’s best.

“I missed it,” she said.

“It’s a really big part of Philadelphia.”

MSU Reporter • 9

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Have a story idea or a comment?

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Swim & dive paddle to Fargo COLTON MOLESKY Staff Writer The no. 17 Minnesota State Mavericks women’s swim and dive team are headed to Fargo, North Dakota to compete in the NSIC Championship following a 6-1 season.

The four-day event is held in the New Hulbert Aquatic Center and featuring St. Cloud State, MSU Moorhead, Northern State, Augustana, Sioux Falls and the University of St. Mary’s. The aquatic center itself is a site of note outside of the week’s events, as it was the place that held the 2016 Olympic trials.

To start out the season, the Mavericks suffered a duel loss at home against South Dakota 154-146. While it was a tough loss to swallow and not the desired way to start the season, the Mavericks bounced back in a big way over the following five months.

Against UW-Eau Claire, MSU came out firing with a stunning 234-65 victory on the road. It was a sign of what was to come this season after suffering the only loss of the season in the opening outing. Back home for the first time since going down to South Dakota, Augustana was the next Mavericks victim with a 140-115 win.

For a Mankato/St. Peter duel weekend, the swimming team performed in back-toback outing admirably. They slapped Gustavus Adolphus by a stunning 214-85 score.

While that was a monster win, they doubled down on it by besting UW-Stevens Point 241-58. Two embarrassing performances for the competition proved where the Mavericks belong in the national rankings.

Following the big weekend, the Mavericks attended two invitationals. The first was in St. Paul, which they took second in with 834 points. In Rochester, they placed second in as well despite posting 1,644 points.

The toughest part of MSU’s schedule was on the horizon, with the squad taking the road for the entire

Photo courtesy of msumavericks.com

month of January. They with a trip to Sioux Falls, which they promptly won 153-141.

Following the fourth victory, they attended an invitational at Stevens Point, Wisconsin.

At the invitational, they took first with 1,352.50 points.

They concluded the road trip, and the season, with a 186114 win against MSU Moorhead.

For the swim and dive team, everything they’ve been through so far has

brought them to the tournament. This team not only went on a run of six duel wins after starting the year losing their first meet, but they also took second as the worst performance in their three invitationals.

Three times this season, the Mavericks took wins over opponents by a 100 point margin. This is also a team that spent a month on the road, without the constant travel taking an edge off their

production.

The Mavericks will be looking to make a run in the conference championship because this is what they have done all season long. Whether it is on the road or close to home and no matter the competition, the Mavericks have consistently shown up with their best performance for five months. They will head to Fargo with similar plans.

Men’s hockey skating to the finish AARON YOUNG Staff Writer This Friday, Minnesota State men’s hockey kicks off their two-game series against Ferris State.

The players will take the ice on Friday and Saturday, hoping to find a way to keep their momentum alive heading towards playoff season.

Ranked 5th in the WCHA, the Minnesota State Mavericks (23-7-0 overall, 19-5-0 WCHA) team is expecting to be the favorite, heading into this matchup against Ferris State (12-19-1, 9-14-1 WCHA).

Jake Jaremko

Connor LaCouvee

With a seven-game winning streak still intact and four games remaining on the year, they will definitely be ready to carry the momentum to close out the year.

Freshman forward Jared Spooner will be looking forward to ending his season on a high note. With 3 goals, 9 assists, and 12 points overall, Spooner hopes to shine once again against the Bulldogs.

Freshman forward, Jake

Jaremko, has had a great year for the Mavericks, finding the back of the net 10 times and assisting on 21 goals. Despite his percentage being low, Jaremko still keeps shooting the puck and keeping the goalie on his feet. It could

HOCKEY PAGE 11 Aditya Dhapare /MSU Reporter

10 • MSU Reporter

Sports

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Coach Todd Hoffner signs extension

The football head coach signs a deal that keeps him with the organization until 2023

KEVIN KORBEL Sports Editor Minnesota State University officials announced on Tuesday that they’ve reached an agreement, with head football coach Todd Hoffner, on a new five-year contract extension, which will make him head coach of the football team until 2023.

Hoffner, who has guided the Mavericks to a 79-20 (.797) record in his eight years total with the team, is looking forward to continue the foundation he’s built upon for the program over the past few seasons.

A lot can change for a person in five years. Five years ago, Hoffner was in the middle of an investigation, and was let go from the team because of it. After going to court and clearing his name, he got a second chance with the team in 2014, and he hasn’t turned back since.

“This experience taught me a lot how to stick up for myself. I was accused of something I didn’t do, and I turned this bad situation, into a positive one,” he said.

Athletic Director Kevin Buisman, has been very pleased with the turnaround Hoffner has made for himself and the team.

“Coach Hoffner has guided the program on a pathway that has allowed us to experience a consistent level of success that places us in a position to compete for championships each and every season and establishes

Mansoor Ahmad /MSU Reporter

Todd Hoffner (pictured) looks to build on what’s been a very successful career for him at Minnesota State. Clinching a playoff berth last year, the Mavericks now look to put it all together going into 2018.

Minnesota State as one of the top football programs in the country,” said Buisman, “This new contract provides a level of stability and security about our future direction and demonstrates the level of commitment we want to

continue the journey together.”

For Hoffner, he didn’t do a whole lot of celebrating after signing his extension with the team.

“There wasn’t a whole lot of celebrating to say the

“This extension is a very positive thing for the team, and my family. I’m excited to see what’s to come from this great group of young men within the next couple of years”, said coach Hoffner, “I take great pride in my job. This place is where I want to be, to work and raise a family.” make to Coach Hoffner and the future success of Maverick football. We are excited about what we have accomplished with Todd at the helm and optimistic about attaining our ultimate goals as we

Sports

least”, said Hoffner. ”The team [has] yet to win a game in 2018, and that’ll be the mindset moving forward into the offseason.”

Under Hoffner, Minnesota State has won four Northern

Pulse KATELYNN OGUNFOLAMI POLITICAL SCIENCE “The Hammer.”

Sun Intercollegiate Conference championships and six NSIC South Division titles.

His 79 wins rank second on the school’s all-time list for football career win, including an appearance in the NCAA championship game in 2014

when the Mavericks posted a 14-1 record.

Minnesota State has made five NCAA Division II postseason tournament appearances and earned a Mineral Water Bowl championship

“Favorite sports-related movie?”

during his career.

Hoffner was also named the NSIC Coach of the Year in 2009 and the regional coach of the year in 2014, 85 players have earned NSIC All-Academic honors, five student-athletes have earned CoSIDA Academic All-America honors and 13 players have earned All-American honors under his leadership.

A pair of his former players have continued their careers in the National Football League in wide receiver Adam Thielen with the Minnesota Vikings and offensive lineman Chris Reed of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Hoffner looks to continue to build upon his career for this talented football team.

As the team now has their coach locked up, they can now focus at the task at hand, and that’s playing football the Minnesota State way.

Compiled by Jeremiah Ayodele

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“Remember the Titans.”

“Undefeated.”

“Friday Night Lights.”

“Pele.”

Thursday, February 15, 2018

MSU Reporter • 11

Sports

Last stretch for men’s basketball The team looks to finish off their successful season with a series sweep this weekend game, while senior Charlie Brown had 19 points on the night. Junior Carlos Anderson added 14 points off the bench as well.

KEVIN KORBEL Sports Editor The Minnesota State men’s basketball team will conclude its successful regular season schedule on the road this weekend, as they face-off against Southwest Minnesota State on Friday and Sioux Falls on Saturday.

Friday’s game between Minnesota State and Southwest Minnesota State will mark their 58th meeting between them, with the Mavericks owning a 41-16 record against the Mustangs alltime. Earlier this season, MSU defeated SMSU 72-70 in a nail-biter at the Taylor Center.

Senior Chris Kendrix posted a team-leading 20 points against the Mustangs last

Ryan Bruggeman led all scorers on the night, with 21 points and six assists, while Carter Kirk had a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. As a team, SMSU shot 42.9% from the field, to go along with a 9-of9 showing from the line.

After Friday, Minnesota State and Sioux Falls will faceoff on Saturday. This game will mark their 19th all-time meeting, with MSU holding a 16-2 advantage in the series. The Mavericks have won their last 13 games against the Cougars, including a 9982 win at Taylor Center earlier this season.

Drew Guebert led the Cougar offense last game with 28 points and six rebounds, while Trevon Evans added 24 points and six assists. As a team, USF shot

54.2% from the field.

Minnesota State currently owns a 20-6 overall record on the season, including a 16-4 NSIC record. Last weekend, MSU defeated Upper Iowa 99-92 before falling to Winona State 90-78.

If the Mavericks win one of their two games this weekend, they will win at least a share of the NSIC South Division Championship. MSU will also claimed the south division’s No. 1 seed for the NSIC Tournament.

As a unit, Minnesota State is shooting 48.3% from the field this season, including a 43.4% performance from long range which ranks third in NCAA Division II. The Mavericks have also passed out 337 assists and have forced 304 turnovers.

Southwest Minnesota State enters the weekend the owner of a 19-7 record, including a 15-5 NSIC record.

SMSU has won its last five games, including wins over Wayne State (75-60) and Au-

HOCKEY continued from 7 very well be their time come next year as three senior forwards will be graduating in the Spring.

For senior forward, Brad McClure, he hasn’t had his best season as a starter this year. He hasn’t scored a goal in the last 6 games, and has only had two goals in the past 14 games. He hopes to end his drought this weekend against Ferris State and find his stride again. Although he hasn’t found the net in a while, McClure has assisted in 4 goals, one of them coming in the last game against Alabama Huntsville. Against an opponent like Ferris State, the forward could find his mojo before the arrival of primetime playoffs.

On the other side of the ice, Daniel Brickley looks to continue to help out the team by doing what he does best, blocking the shots and setting up the forwards for goals. With 20 assists on the year and a team-leading 43 blocks, Brickley has been making the forwards and goalie’s job a little bit easier this season.

With senior goalie, Connor LaCouvee, at net for the Mavericks, the team shouldn’t experience too much trouble facing the Ferris State Bulldogs. LaCouvee leads the WCHA men’s division in GAA (Goals Against Average) of 1.72 and is in the top 5 in Save Percentage with .914

percent. The former Boston University goalie has been in the zone and most likely will stay there come Friday night.

The Minnesota State Mavericks should be in great shape heading into the weekend. Come and support the hockey team this Friday and

Saturday in a back-to-back series against the Ferris State Bulldogs.

Chris Kendrix

Carlos Anderson

gustana (81-77) at home last weekend.

As a team, Southwest Minnesota State is shooting 48.9% from the field and 40.3% from long range. The Ryan Bruggeman leads the Mustangs with an average of 16.4 points and 5.7 assist per game. Carter Kirk is averaging 14.8 points and 10.5 rebounds per game as well.

Brad Bigler is in his ninth season as head coach at Southwest Minnesota State.

He owns a 155-108 overall record.

Sioux Falls enters the weekend with a 17-9 record, including a 12-8 conference.

Last weekend, USF defeated Augustana 88-86 before falling to Wayne State 78-64.

The Cougars are averag-

ing 79.3 points and 37.9 rebounds per game this season, while shooting 46.3% from the field. USF has also passed out 350 assists, but has committed 305 turnovers.

Trevon Evans is averaging 20.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists a game this season. Drew Guebert is posting 19.8 points and a team-best 5.8 rebounds per game.

The Cougars are coach by Chris Johnson, who is in his 10th season at USF. He owns a 173-131 record at Sioux Falls.

We’ll look to see who the better teams are in the conference after this weekend.

The Mavericks look to finish off a season that’s been one of their best in a long time.

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Thursday, February 15, 2018