May 3, 2024

Cycling, page 10

AIR SHOW WOWS THE COMMUNITY

Peter secures 2024-2025 SGA presidency

GEORGE SVOBODA MANAGING EDITOR

On April 22, Midwestern State announced

Vincent Peter as the winner of the Student Government Association presidential race.

Peter currently serves as the Vice President of External Affairs, working on student outreach and participation, something he said he plans to expand during next year’s presidential term.

“I want to get more organizations and more

people involved and trying to get people, like, out there, coming to events and so forth,” Peter said, continuing, “I plan to continue a lot of the traditions that have already been started here at SGA, and how we can improve on those traditions and just make it an overall better experience for everybody.”

Peter says he wants to make it clear his priorities are not his own wants and needs, but what the student body wants.

“So a lot of it will be finding out or trying to hear from, from students and one

way we plan to do that is try to get more social media interaction, I can probably count on my hands the amount of people, probably, knows where the SGA office is,” Peter said.

Peter plans on collaborating with VPEA Brianna Vidal and Vice President of Internal Affairs

Monique Watkins to ensure SGA is accessible by students and student organizations and students needs are met.

“For the meetings where all of us can attend together, we’re gonna go together to

do that. And the one’s where we can’t, again, it’s all about delegation,” Peter said, later adding, “During the summer, we will be meeting to plan and figure out what we want to do, or what common goal that we can set as the three of us.”

Current SGA President Zetta Cannedy has been working with Peter to ensure a smooth transition of power.

“Zetta’s trying to just get me into the presidency. So right now, actually, it’s more of a ‘Hey, I have this meeting to go to, you should attend with me,’” Peter said.

Peter described his anticipated difficulties making connections in the Wichita Falls community, but said Cannedy also provided him a contact list for people to collaborate with when planning events such as February’s candidate forum. Peter said he wants to expand the campus’s student involvement in the community, highlighting the Red Cross’s blood drive as an example.

“I think, especially for me as an international student, where I may not have these, much, local connections, it’s important to get people who are within the community and try to use the connections that they have,” Peter said.

Throughout the 20232024 academic year, MSU has been working to grow its alliance with Sheppard Air Force Base, a project that Peter says he intends to contribute to.

“It was one of the ideas

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I had with, like, some of the other organizations I’m involved with. I was like, ‘Hey, why don’t we just always send invitations out to the Sheppard Air Force Base?” Peter said, later adding, “Let them know what’s happening on our campus and get them out there.”

Peter said he wants to inform students about services the university provides that they may not know about, highlighting the availability of dental insurance as an add-on for student insurance.

Peter also mentioned the Midwestern State University Credit Union, which offers scholarships to members.

Peter and Cannedy will attend the Board of Regents meeting in Lubbock on May 9, where Cannedy will announce she is leaving her role as MSU’s SGA president.

“That will be her last meeting and then I will be the person who will be doing the reports at the Board of Regents moving forward. And again, she does plan in the month of May to just, like, meet with us,” Peter said.

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PHOTO BY GEORGE SVOBODA | THE WICHITAN Vincent Peter works in his VPEA office, preparing for the transition to SGA President, May 1.

PHOTO BY SAM DIFIORE | THE WICHITAN Vincent Peter volunteers at MSU's Pre-flight Block Party, April 26.

MSU works to strengthen ties, accessibility to Sheppard partners

CECIL WITHERSPOON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Midwestern State is in the early stages of exploring ways to strengthen ties with Sheppard Air Force Base under the leadership of President Stacia Haynie.

Provost Margaret Brown Marsden said the university is working to establish an infrastructure to build the improved relationship on.

“To become a military- and veteran-friendly campus, there are some things that we need to build, processes as well as places, for them to be able to come and be part of our campus community,” Brown Marsden said, adding, “And so that’s what’s engaged the conversation about the BAC.”

Brown Marsden referenced the Bridwell Activity Center because the currently-unutilized second floor may be the future location of a military affairs office. The purpose of the office would be to facilitate an easier process for students from the base. The location is not finalized.

MSU Vice President for Enrollment Management Keith Lamb said such an office would benefit the whole campus.

“Potentially on the second floor of the Bridwell Activity Center. But, you know, what we do in that space, while it would serve the military, it would also serve other students,” Lamb said.

Lamb said the instructors, staff, students and families at Sheppard represent a population that MSU has not tapped into or served well in the past.

“You have a lot of students and instructors and permanent staff and civilians that come through here needing education, needing something more,” Lamb said, adding, “We know that we can serve the Air Force, and Sheppard in particular, better.”

Brown Marsden said the school is working to better the relationship on a variety of fronts and wants to view Sheppard as a partner in the community.

“So I think that we see that it’s not one thing that’s going to be of interest to Sheppard, it’s a lot of things. We’ve got to make sure we meet a lot of those points of alignment,” Brown Marsden said, later adding, “In practice though we’ve

seen that there are a lot of ways that we can interact with Sheppard that aren’t sort of trying to leverage, you know, leverage an opportunity just to form a relationship.”

There have been a number of collaborations between MSU and the base in recent months, including Brown Marsden working with a Sheppard spouses organization to award a scholarship. Other partnerships have come in the form of Haynie leading a prayer breakfast, MSU and Sheppard intramural sports teams playing each other and MSU hosting a preair show block party.

Lamb said the university is still working to identify community partners to make the relationship with Sheppard as strong as possible.

“We’re just starting to really craft our strategy on that one, you know, on the military, what that could look like. Clearly we’ve identified Bridwell Activities Center’s second floor as a physical space, but you know, we’re just beginning to craft our strategy. What do we need to partner with with different foundations or different grant opportunities, things like that,” Lamb said.

MSU has looked to other institutions, particularly Angelo State which is located near Goodfellow Air Force Base, for inspiration on how to build the relationship.

Brown Marsden said the Texas Tech University System has been helpful in navigating that path.

“Joining the Texas Tech University System has allowed us to see how universities partner. Angelo State does a great job of partnering with Goodfellow Air Force Base, so we’re using that as a model as well,” Brown Marsden said.

President Haynie added that while learning from other institutions is beneficial, the success of the partnership will

ultimately come down to listening to Sheppard as a partner.

“So I think if you look at Angelo State and the Texas Tech System, and they partner with Goodfellow and they’ve done that really well. And we’ve had multiple conversations with them. But I think the most important thing is that we’re having conversations with Sheppard,” Haynie said.

Lamb said the relationship will benefit the community beyond just MSU and Sheppard.

"That's a huge untapped opportunity for Sheppard Air Force Base, for Midwestern and for Wichita Falls," Lamb said.

PHOTO BY AARON BURROWS | THE WICHITAN President Haynie lisens to the guest speaker introduction before the second prayer at the prayer breakfast, March 8.

PHOTO BY GEORGE SVOBODA | THE WICHITAN President Stacia Haynie talks to Brigadier General George Dietrich, commander of Sheppard AFB, March 8.

PHOTO BY GEORGE SVOBODA | THE WICHITAN President Haynie talks to Air Force pilots, March 8.

A B-25 bomber drops simulated bombs on the

Guardians of Freedom

after

A

The USAF Thunderbirds fly in close formation, demonstrating piloting prowess, April 27.

An F-35 soars over the audience, April 27,

The F-35 has a top speed of 1200 miles per hour.

Airmen-in-training do not start training with the standard Air Force jet, the F-35, April 27. Instead, they begin on propeller planes, later building up to the T-38c jet.

PHOTO BY GEORGE SVOBODA | THE WICHITAN

PHOTO BY GEORGE SVOBODA | THE WICHITAN

The Thunderbirds break apart from each other

a V-formation, April 27, 2024.

PHOTO BY GEORGE SVOBODA | THE WICHITAN

Third Strike Wingwalking performer prepares to fly at the air show, April 27. Wingwalking has died down in popularity due to danger.

PHOTO BY GEORGE SVOBODA | THE WICHITAN The Thunderbirds fly the F-16 Fighting Falcon, April 27. The F-16 initially came out in 1976.

PHOTO BY GEORGE SVOBODA | THE WICHITAN

PHOTO BY GEORGE SVOBODA THE WICHITAN

2024.

PHOTO BY GEORGE SVOBODA THE WICHITAN

Sheppard AFB flightline, April 27, 2024. The B-25 bomber initially served in World War II.

Freedom air show takes to the skies

PHOTO BY GEORGE SVOBODA | THE WICHITAN

A C-17 crew member watches the air show after his performance ends, April 27.

PHOTO BY GEORGE SVOBODA | THE WICHITAN

During its show, the B-25 dropped simulation bombs, giving the audience the shock of being bombed, April 27.

PHOTO BY GEORGE SVOBODA | THE WICHITAN

After landing the C17, the pilots and crew wave to the air show attendees, April 27.

PHOTO BY GEORGE SVOBODA | THE WICHITAN USAF Special Tactics complete a parachute jump, April 27.

PHOTO BY GEORGE SVOBODA | THE WICHITAN Airmen rappel out of a helicopter during the air show, landing on the airstrip, April 27.

PHOTO BY GEORGE SVOBODA THE WICHITAN

A B-25 bomber flies over Sheppard AFB, April 27, 2024.

MSU hosts Pre-flight party, strengthening Sheppard alliance

Thomas Gardin, also known as Graffiti artist Fuego, paints the American flag, displaying patriotism at the Pre-flight Block Party, April 26.

'Does

GEORGE SVOBODA MANAGING EDITOR

The day before last weekend’s Guardians of Freedom Air Show, Midwestern State threw one of its biggest events this year, the Pre-flight Block Party.

MSU collaborated with Sheppard Air Force Base and the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce, to host stations from Sheppard organizations such as Public Affairs, stands for local businesses and vendors. They lined the Jesse Rogers Promenade while a line of food trucks waited on attendees on the northern end of the promenade.

President Stacia Haynie described the party’s importance to the growing alliance between Sheppard and MSU.

“First of all, even getting an air show is incredibly rare. So we want to be able to demonstrate to Sheppard how valuable they are to us and how much we value their being a part of our community,” Haynie said The cross-collaboration between the three

Privilege Prevail?'

President Haynie's new book releases

GEORGE SVOBODA

MANAGING EDITOR

Co-authored by President Stacia Haynie, University of South Carolina professor of political science Kirk Randazzo and Michigan State University professors of political science Reginald Sheehan, “Does Privilege Prevail?” investigates the justice system rulings of Australia, Canada, India, the Philippines, South Africa and the United Kingdom.

The project met several setbacks, including the deaths of two contributors, Neal Tate and Donald Songer. Tate was  college advisor and began the research into other countries’ courts, writing a dissertation on the Filipino Supreme Court. Songer was Sheehan’s advisor and built a strong base of knowledge on the U.S. Court of Appeals.

The United States Supreme Court has a relatively expansive dataset regarding cases, including participants, judges, authors and rulings. Because of this record of information, experts can develop theories and predict the outcomes of modern cases. Haynie says she and her team of political scientists wanted to study if this skill translated to other nations’ courts.

“Well, those of us who study courts in other countries, do those theories actually also hold true? Trying to predict outcomes in other countries,” Haynie said.

The National Science Foundation funded the research, which Haynie says helped the authors develop a data set recording

pillars of the community to host the party is a significant stride in strengthening the bond between them.

“We are so excited to be welcoming food trucks and our artisans in the community, our students, our community members, all to welcome the Thunderbird pilots,” Haynie said.

SGA President Zetta Cannedy and Vice President of Internal Affairs Joey Arthur attended the party, representing the MSU student body.

“We have over 200 students here now, and it’s not even, like, within the first hour, so I’m super excited,” Cannedy said, continuing, “I think it’s really just pumping everyone up for the air show tomorrow.”

Arts and crafts stations and bouncy houses were spread across Sunwatcher Plaza, providing fun for attendees of all ages.

“I think it’s a great event for the students. It’s a way for us to get out of our dorms, out of our rooms, connect with our fellow students,” Arthur said.

Denim Day: A History

decisions of the previously mentioned nations’ high courts. “I was responsible for India, the Philippines and South Africa. And then we also explore Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom from 1970 to 2000. So we have 15,500, approximately, decisions across that timeframe,” Haynie said.

The University of Virginia Press published “Does Privelege Prevail?” in April.

President

Haynie displays her new book, "Does Privilege Prevail?" April 29.

EMILY COPELAND REPORTER

A1992 rape conviction garnered global attention when it was overturned and a rapist walked free. The justification? The victim had been wearing tight jeans and the Italian Supreme Court insinuated she must have helped remove them rendering the alleged rape as consensual sex.

Since 1999, Denim Day has been observed across the world in April. Participants are asked to wear jeans with a purpose, support survivors and educate yourself and others about sexual assault.

MSU’s Title IX office organizes a local observance of the day. Math and accounting junior, Chance Thompson has participated since his freshman year, though he has only recently learned the origins.

“All I knew is I had to wear denim. I didn’t really know what it was until I started working with [Title IX],” he said.

Many students, faculty and staff observed the day, posting photos on Instagram with the hashtag #stangsindenim including the Undergraduate Research office, the American Chemical Society, Respiratory Student Association, the Office of Residence Life and Housing and several others.

Thompson later said Denim Day is a good event because of its sentiment.

“The issues that Denim Day is addressing are issues that are seen everywhere,” he said. “And it's good to be able to tackle it head on and show that we stand with the victims and we’re against victim blaming.”

PHOTO BY GEORGE SVOBODA | THE WICHITAN MSU students stop by the Sheppard Air Force Base public affairs tent, April 26.

PHOTO BY SAM DIFIORE | THE WICHITAN

PHOTO BY GEORGE SVOBODA THE WICHITAN

Stacia

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALPHA PHI Alpha Phi participates in Denim Day, April 24. Denim Day was first observed in 1999, in protest of a 1992 Italian Supreme Court ruling in favor of a rapist.

The Wichitan’s Artist of the Week: GABRIELLA ENRIQUEZ

SABRINA HARRISON ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

As the curtains close on theater performance

senior Gabriella Elizabeth Enriquez’s time at MSU, she does not plan on staying out of the spotlight for too long.

Enriquez has been performing since she was a child, with her first role being a side character in “Jungle Book Junior.”

"My first show that I did was in the fourth grade. I was in Jungle Book Junior. I played Buck, the buck,” Enriquez said.

At MSU, Enriquez performed in many roles including Jenny Hill in “Big Fish,” Nym in “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” Betty Bumbrake in “Peter and the Starcatcher” and Druisilla in “L’inconoronazione di Poppea” with her favorite being her last role at MSU.

On April 28, Enriquez took

MSU’s stage for the last time. She played Mabel in “Pirates of Penzance,” and it became one of her favorite roles.

“It was my first, like, major lead role here. Yeah, it was a lot of fun, it was a great process,” Enriquez said.

The role of Mabel is usually played very sweetly. Many actresses portray her as soft and the ideal love interest.

Enriquez decided to turn that on its head, giving her a much stronger personality.

“So usually, she’s played very sweet and kind of like, very Disney Princess-esque, and I tried to go away from that a little bit and have a little bit more fun with her. So we made her pretty tough,” Enriquez explained, continuing, “I like to say, like, she’s kind of like Fionna of the Disney princesses, um, which was a lot of fun. I joked about having, like, a hidden knife somewhere on me, like, trying to fight the pirates. Y’know, not being the damsel.”

Mabel was a dream role for Enriquez and looking at her other dream role, it makes sense as to why she played to Mabel’s strength. Enriquez’s other dream role is Vilma Kelly from “Chicago.”

“She’s a badass, she’s awesome. She knows what she wants, she kills for what she wants, obviously, and she’s willing to like, put aside her need to be the star to be the star to work with, y’know, Roxie to get back into the limelight. So I just think, it’s a beautiful tragic story,” Enriquez said.

While Enriquez enjoyed her time as Mabel, the fact that it was her last role made it sentimental.

“It’s bittersweet, I’m excited to see what comes next. But you know, thinking about, I don’t know, like I said it was a dream role of mine, so it was a lot of fun to do,” Enriquez said.

Enriquez has learned a lot from her time at MSU. Performing at MSU has helped her be confident in herself and

keep her grounded.

“I think my time here has really taught me, you gotta be true to yourself. Know, know what you have to offer, I think. Like, know where you are talent wise, and like, trust in yourself, be confident in yourself. But also, really know how to work with people. And um, yeah, not lose sight of what you want,” Enriquez said.

After graduating, Enriquez has a few job offers lined up and plans to use her free time to audition for shows. For students who plan to follow in a similar path as Enriquez, she encourages them to be confident in themselves and go after what they want.

“Just be confident, know your worth. Don’t let people try and take advantage of you. Like, know what you want and don’t be afraid to get it,” Enriquez said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GABBI ENRIQUEZ

Gabbi performs in the "You're A Good Man Charlie Brown" musical as Snoopy, Oct. 2020.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GABBI ENRIQUEZ Gabbi performs in the "L'incoronazione di Poppea" opera as Drusilla, July 2023.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GABBI ENRIQUEZ

Gabbi performs in "The Pirates of The Penzanze" musical as Mabel, April 28.

The Wichitan’s Song of the Week: 'MY LOVE MINE ALL MINE'

JOSEPH ARTHUR REPORTER

Welcome back to this week’s edition of the Wichitan’s Song of the Week. In celebration of Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, this week’s pick is “My Love Mine All Mine” by Japanese-born singer-songwriter Mitski.

Released September 15, 2023, the song was a single and the seventh track of her seventh studio album “The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We.”

“My Love Mine All Mine” is a song about the feeling of being in love, the sense of safety that comes with it but also the vulnerable and mortal feeling it brings.

Mitski sings about how, in a world where she doesn’t have much, she is grateful that she has love. She sings to the moon about how she wants the world to feel her love but, most especially, an unnamed person. She wishes to be there for that person and to love them even after death.

In “My Love Mine All Mine,” Mitski has rediscovered a new way of looking at love which is an altruistic way.

Born in Mie Prefecture, Japan, Mitsuki Miyawaki Laycock most is a Japanese American indie rock singer-songwriter most famously known for her unique sound, emotionally raw lyrics, powerful stage presence and prominence in the indie music scene.

Although Mitski was born in Japan, she was not raised there as she moved around the world a lot because of her father's job with the United States Department of State. She settled in the United States at the age of fourteen, where she first explored her love for music when she joined her high school choir.

At the age of eighteen, she wrote her first ever song on the piano while living in Ankara, Turkey.

While enrolled at Hunter College in New York, She decided that she wanted to pursue music and transferred to SUNY Purchase College to study studio composition.

While at SUNY Purchase, Mitski released her debut album, “Lush,” in 2012. Her second album, “Retired from Sad, New Career in Business” came out in 2013 and her third album “Bury Me at Makeout Creek” came out in 2014.

However, it was her third album that garnered widespread attention and critical acclaim. The album's fusion of indie rock, punk and folk elements, coupled with Mitski's introspective and saddening songwriting, helped establish her as a rising star in the indie music scene.

Her subsequent albums “Puberty 2” (2016), “Be the Cowboy” (2018), “Laurel Hell” (2022) and “The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We” (2023), further solidified her reputation as one of the most compelling voices in contemporary indie music.

“Be the Cowboy” in particular received widespread acclaim, topping numerous yearend lists and earning Mitski a dedicated fanbase.

Mitski's music often explores themes of identity, loneliness, desire and the complexities of human emotion. Her lyrics are characterized by their honesty and vulnerability, drawing listeners into deeply personal narratives.

“My Love Mine All Mine” is my favorite song from the album and my favorite from Mitski’s entire discography.

In “My Love Mine All Mine,” Mitski begins by setting a scene for the listeners. She immediately lets listeners know that the entire song is a conversion between her and the moon.

In the song, she tells the moon that she is very grateful for the chance to have been in love and to have been loved. She then asks the moon if she can send her love up so it can

outlast her and so that the entire world can feel her love after she's gone.

In the second part of the second, she begins to tell the moon about an unnamed special person she calls “her baby.” She sings that this person is the reason she understands the importance of love and the value of her heart.

She then asks the moon to shine her love on Earth especially for her (the unnamed person).

In “My Love Mine All Mine,” Mitski introduces the listeners to a new way of looking at love, an altruistic way. In the song, she thinks of the permanence of love even after she dies.

She tries to explain that when someone dies, it is the absence of their love that causes the loved ones they left behind to be in pain and sorrow. This is why she talks to the moon. She asks the moon to place permanence on her love so that it is still reflected after she is gone.

Another point she brings up is that her love is the only thing she truly owns in her life. She describes her love as the safest thing she owns in life and because of that, her love is hers and will always be hers.

As stated in previous editions of the Song of the Week, lyricism is an important aspect of any song and Mitski understood that when writing “My Love Mine All Mine.” In “My Love

Mine All Mine,” Mitski utilizes storytelling, metaphor and pathos to tell a story about one of the most important things in life, love. My favorite lyric in the entire song is:

“Nothing in the world belongs to me.

But my love mine, all mine, all mine

My baby, here on earth

Showed me what my heart was worth.

So, when it comes to be my turn. Could you shine it down here for her?”

As stated above, vulnerability and the complexities of human emotion are recurring themes in Mitski’s discography. In “My Love Mine All Mine,” Mitski sings about a vital part of humanity that she believes a lot of people overlook, which is love and the power it holds. Love is the only thing she believes anyone can genuinely rely on, and it makes her so happy, and she wishes to spread that happiness. The song is a great listen with a powerful message.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALBERT ORTEGA

Mitski performing at the Auditorium theatre in Chicago, Illionois, April 16.

PHOTO COURTESY OF EBUR YILDIZ Mitski announces her expansion of 'The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We' 2024 tour, Jan 16.

Sanders talks inspiration, success

ABBY TURNER SPORTS EDITOR

From the young age of just two-years-old, when most kids are mastering the art of walking, fifth-year senior and team captain Pierre Sanders found his calling. Sanders’ love for the game of basketball was ignited the second his first ever basket. That first basket marked the start of a career full of determination, resilience and unyielding love for basketball.

“I started playing basketball when I was about five, and I had my first basketball goal when I turned two. Both of my parents played basketball in high school and everything, so I was just always surrounded by it,” Sanders said, adding, “growing up, I always knew, like, basketball was my first love and I always dreamed of going to college and playing basketball. That was always one of my main goals growing up was to just play basketball.

Growing up, Sanders played Amateur Athletic Union basketball and was a three-year letterwinner guard at Hutto High School, with 1,499 points during his years playing there. While transitioning from high school to college ball, Sanders had offers from other universities, but the coaches were a big factor in Sanders’s decision to attend MSU to make his dream of playing college basketball come true.

“I had other schools and everything, but I would say, like, the coaches and everything, like they showed a lot of love to me and, like, I felt like I was wanted here, and I wanted to be here,” Sanders said.

Another factor was the connection that had already been established at MSU through Sanders’s AAU coach and one of his dad’s best friends.

“My AAU coach and one of my dad’s childhood friends played here in the early 2000s. So I kind of already had, like, a connection here,” Sanders said.

Throughout Sanders’s remarkable journey to where he is now, there have been some guiding hands who have helped shape him into the player and the man he is today. Sanders said his dad and all of his coaches have all helped him get to where he is today.

“My dad would be my biggest role model. Just because he’s been like really there, helping me, guiding me through basketball my whole life. But I will say, honestly,  all the coaches I have had growing up have played a big part in getting me to where I’m at today,” Sanders said.

Sanders also said his trainer back home has helped him grow his game to a different level.

“2019 to 2020 summer, I was with him everyday, and just the people he had me around, the way he helped me change my game and transform my game, it was just, I feel like that was one of the biggest things,” Sanders said.

After completing his final year of collegiate basketball, Sanders hopes to find an opportunity to continue his basketball career overseas and get to fulfill another dream of his and travel while doing it.

“I really just plan to play overseas somewhere. Really wherever the opportunity presents itself, just a good opportunity to go overseas. Kind of see the world while playing basketball, it is a lifelong dream of mine as well,” Sanders said.

While basketball is a huge part of Sanders’s life, he also has the drive to put his accounting degree to use through starting a business of his own with some of his teammates from MSU and helping out his family in starting a business.

“While I’m even overseas and everything, I would want to use my degree. I’ve always thought about, like, kind of helping my dad like start businesses and things that I know he wants to do, and just knowing I got my degree in accounting, and just knowing different things within the business world I know it will help me help him,” Sanders said, adding, “and also starting my own businesses and me and some of my teammates have even talked about, like, even while we might be playing, starting different businesses and stuff here.”

Sanders is a dedicated player and leader to the MSU men’s basketball team. Behind him, cheering him on and what he says is his motivation to be the best he can be is his family.

“My girlfriend Jenae [Arias] and my daughter Avangeline [Prejean-Sanders]. So I would just like to give them a shout out, just Jenae has been, me and her have been together going on four years. So like she has been here with me throughout my whole basketball journey. She has been pushing me on and off the court,” Sanders said, adding, “Then our daughter was born in December. So she has been pushing me as well. So I just want to give them both a shoutout for just pushing me to be a better person and a better human in general.”

As Sanders's basketball journey continues, he lives by two mottos. One from his team and one from his family.

“Be third. Keep God first. Others second. Yourself last,” and “Be humble and hungry.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF PIERRE SANDERS

An infant Pierre Sanders sits with a basketball, July 2002.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PIERRE SANDERS

Pierre Sanders stands with his girlfriend, Jenae Arias and their daughter Avangeline Prejean-Sanders, Jan 18.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PIERRE SANDERS Pierre Sanders (23) picks up Mason Gibson (3), July 2023.

MSU cycling brings home

JESSICA BINZARI REPORTER

Midwestern State’s cycling team is racing on to compete in the Collegiate Road National Championships on May 3 to complete its outstanding season.

The MSU riders brought home multiple titles, including which the South Central Collegiate Conference title on April 14, where the Mustangs dominated in all categories.

The trio of senior mechanical engineering Pavle Kabala, sports and leisure studies sophomore Dušan Kabala, and management freshman Carlos Maldonado crushed the Men’s A Division with the Mustangs sweeping the podium, placing first, second, and third. Another victory came from mechanical engineering senior Joaquin Traslosheros who finished first in the Men’s B Division.

The Mustangs crushed the remaining races on the women’s side as well, with exercise physiology freshman Molly Hayes winning her category in the A Division, educational leadership graduate student Brittany Bailey taking second place in the B Division and mass communication Sophomore Jacelyn Reno who secured the silver medal in the C Division.

Overall, Midwestern State outplaced teams such as Texas A&M and Texas State and finished first in team rankings, winning the conference championship title.

The cycling team has been under new direction with former Midwestern State cyclist Pablo Cruz Trochez taking the helm as the new coach in 2022.

Coach Cruz has helped the team grow to its fullest potential in the last two years, and his commitment to the team has been strongly reflected in the way his cyclists look up to him.

As Reno puts it “Pablo is the best.” She adds “He has us growing over all different ways, as better athletes, better cyclists, and better people. There are a lot of things we’ve done with Pablo that just help the team grow overall. We have a national champion, Dušan Kalaba, that won two individual races and now he is a double national champion just from last year, underneath Pablo’s wing. We also got a lot closer to each other.”

MSU’s new cycling coach also helped his team get closer to each other, while also inspiring them to never be afraid of taking on a new challenge as was the case with Reno.

While the rider from Bowie has been excelling in the BMX and mountain biking categories throughout her career, her

coach she has encouraged competitive range and category.

Reno describes her experience like a total newbie at this done this discipline of nervous going into the season, some very good teammates they held my hand basically the finish line and they better athlete overall and conference in the C Division.”

While Cruz played helping Reno get ready cycling, she has a lot of teammates as well.

The cycling champion is one of the greatest resources the team.

PHOTO BY DONOVAN JACKSON | THE WICHITAN

Jacelyn Reno, mass communication sophomore, participates in the women's Class C race, April 13.

PHOTO BY DONOVAN JACKSON | THE WICHITAN Jadiel Moreno, management freshman, participates in the men's Class A race, April 13.

PHOTO BY DONOVAN JACKSON | THE WICHITAN Pavle Kalaba, engineering senior, participates in the men's Class A race, April 13.

PHOTO BY DONOVAN

Pablo Cruz, exercise physiology participates in the race,

the gold, silver and bronze

encouraged her to expand her participate in the road

experience saying, “I felt this because I had never cycling, so I was really season, but luckily with teammates and a great coach, basically the whole way to just pushed me to be a and I ended up winning Division.” an essential role in ready to compete in road of credit to give to her champion mentioned that Hayes resources she has had on

"The biggest help for me has been Molly. Molly is a big road cyclist and, from knowing nothing, she helped me learn so much and so did the boys on the team. Molly kind of just guided me in the right direction and she is a great cyclist and I have a lot of respect for her,” Reno said.

Next season, Cruz has plans to increase the size of the team, and bring in over ten new riders, which would give the team a total of 30 cyclists. A major change in this sense will represent adding more female riders to their roster.

With a larger women’s team, Reno is ready to take on more responsibilities in leading her teammates to be successful on the track.

“Since there are going to be more girls on the team, I think it will take a lot of selfimprovements if I want to be more of a leader. I want to lead these girls in a good direction and still be a good cyclist,” Reno said.

Cruz’s team has proven to be a formidable competitor so far, taking away major titles from teams such as Texas Tech, UTA and UT Dallas.

Despite the team’s impressive results over the last two seasons, Cruz’s riders wish they received more recognition from the MSU Athletics Department, as their sport has been severely underrepresented. Cycling has been

struggling to receive the acknowledgement it deserves from schools which have the program because it is not part of the NCAA. This generally makes getting publicity and funding extremely challenging.

As Reno puts it “I wish we had more representation here. We’re slowly but surely getting that, but a lot of our other sports are widely spread across the news and so are we but I think since we’re a small team and we’re not in NCAA, it’s hard to get some good recognition. For example, we are not allowed to go to the athletic banquet at MSU.”

She adds that “I wish our school would recognize our accomplishments because we do have 32 national champions here, which shows we’re one of the most successful teams at Midwestern, but there’s not enough recognition.”

The MSU cycling team is getting ready to hit the road to the Division I Collegiate National Championship in Albuquerque, NM, starting May 3.

To keep up to date with their latest results, you can follow their pages on Instagram at msu_ cyclingteam or Facebook at Midwestern State University Cycling Team.

PHOTO BY DONOVAN JACKSON | THE WICHITAN Left to right, Sebastian Restro, buisiness analytics graduate student, Dusan Kalaba, sports and leisure studies sophomore, and Mauri Maldonado, business freshman partcipate, in the Class A men's race, April 13.

DONOVAN JACKSON | THE WICHITAN physiology master student, April 13.

PHOTO BY DONOVAN JACKSON | THE WICHITAN Cyclists compete on campus in the Vuelta Del Viento, April 13. The Vuelta Del Viento is a two-day ominum road race.

PHOTO BY DONOVAN JACKSON | THE WICHITAN Pablo Cruz, exercise physiology master student, leads the pack in the Class A men's race, April 13.