Nov. 12, 2008

The student voice of Midwestern State University

The Wichitan page 5 Country night

CMA Award winners will be chosen tonight. Faces new and familiar are in the running.

page 8 Ready for tip off Freshmen come up with huge efforts in the last exhibition game of the season over Howard Payne.

WEDNESDAY, november 12, 2008

Fraternity takes trip to Galveston to help families clean up after Ike Kenny Bergstrom For the Wichitan

It was a bittersweet homecoming for junior business major Paul Overstreet.

He returned to Galveston Friday only to find his town still torn apart two months after Hurricane Ike slammed the Texas coast.

From an outsiderís point of view the homes did not look heavily damaged.

Looks, though, can be deceiving.

The hurricane flooded thousands of homes and left standing water inside for days. Damage totaled $29 billion.

Overstreet and his eight Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity brothers retrieved a list of tools needed for mold removal early Friday morning and did not stop ripping apart houses until sundown. Saturday and Sunday were no different. During the busy weekend Phi Sigma Kappa gutted three different homes, one each day.

Chemicals found in saltwa-

KA suspended for three years due to hazing

national office, will last for a minimum of three years, but could be longer.

MSU’s chapter of Kappa Lamb said students could petiAlpha was suspended for three tion the national office to restart years at a hearing last Wednes- the chapter at MSU, but that the day concerning alleged viola- national office of Kappa Alpha tions of the university code of would have to approve allowing conduct regarding hazing, alco- the fraternity to return to MSU. hol and reckless conduct.

Dean of Students Dail Neely The hearing was in response presided over the hearing and to an Oct. 4 incident at a pledge said that the president of the retreat in Nocona that left two chapter waived the fraternity’s Kappa Alpha pledges hospital- right to a hearing by the Student ized for alcohol poisoning. One Conduct Committee, which is had a potentially lethal blood al- “the highest level of due procohol level of six times the legal cess” that exists at the univerlimit. sity.

According to Keith Lamb, Waiving that right meant that Vice President for University Neely presided over the hearing.

Advancement and Student Af- The decision made last Wednesfairs, the chapter will no longer day was also final; the fraternity be able to have any organized cannot appeal it. activities or wear their letters.

Neely said that if anyone at “For all intents and purposes, tempted to restart the chapter, Kappa Alpha doesn’t exist on the national office would probcampus,” Lamb said. ably look to see how many of The suspension, which was See HAZING page 3 agreed upon by the fraternity’s Brittany Norman Editor in Chief

See Hurricane relief page 4 Top: Jace Henry walks through the house wearing a gas mask.

Middle: Blake Gonzales sweeps up a home damaged by Hurricane Ike. Bottom: Blake Gonzales, Blake Powell, Ari Caudle, Steve Ray, Jace Henry, Matt Faszczuk, Tyler Holeman and Paul Overstreet. The homeowner and other volunteers are also pictured.

Students pay price for Banner system snafu didn’t. Whatever could go wrong, went wrong.”

The errors arose from processing More than half of MSU students of the billing and due dates and misfound themselves victims of a soft- calculations, she explained. ware glitch recently, saying they “We had posted the bills prior to owe the university anywhere from the due dates, but the system would hundreds to thousands of dollars. not read the data. Then, all of the More than 3,000 students re- sudden we have all these bills that ceived such bills. They discovered should’ve gone out that did not unthey were not in the clear as the uni- til the system finally read it,” Ferguversity had previously told them. son said.

The problem lies in the new Ban- Used by some 900 institutions ner system that MSU implemented worldwide, the Banner system is this year. the most popular registration sys “Our understanding of the system tem among collegiate administrawas false. The Banner System was tions. Sungard Higher Education is brand new and we just ran into so the parent company for the Banner many glitches,” said business office system.

Controller Gail Ferguson. “What “We had two different consultwe thought would happen simply ing groups from Sungard come out

to help fix the problem. We should have had them here at registration,” Ferguson said. “It was a lack of communication. You assume it will work one way and it goes a total different direction. It was a lack of knowledge of the system and a lack of someone who could give us an answer.”

For the students involved, however, the discrepancy proved more than a headache.

Junior nursing and sociology major Taylor McKinzie received a bill on Oct. 31 saying she had until Nov. 4 to pay $370.

“I felt it was ridiculous that I was getting a bill right before the weekend and expected to pay it that Tuesday,” McKinzie said. “I was told that I should’ve known that I

would owe more than what I did, that I should’ve been prepared.”

McKinzie, among others, felt that it was not her fault since her account was clear when the semester started.

“They said I would encounter late fees and not be able to register for next semester until it was taken care of,” McKinzie said.

Many other students were frustrated at having this sprung upon them by the university.

“The biggest problem I had was dealing with being told I was going to have to pay late fees and also wondering if I was going to be dropped from my classes,” said sophomore mass communications

gin,” he said. “That’s going to be happening in the very near future.”

The re-striping will open up 10 to 25 percent more spots, Lamb said. Some lots will be painted diagonally to allow more room, though the measure may reduce the size of some spaces.

Administrators have discussed paving one of the practice fields to create more parking, an action that may hurt students more than

it helps them.

“We have too little free play fields on campus as it is,” Lamb said. “If we have a practice field to utilize, I’d rather use that as a free play field and pursue parking in other spots. Our students have too little green space to play on, frankly.”

Lamb said tearing down buildings and relocating certain departments could also free up

Russ Lawrenz For the Wichitan

See BANNER page 3

No easy fix for parking conundrum Chris Collins Managing Editor

Possible solutions to the university parking problem were discussed at a Student Government Association meeting Tuesday, though a quick fix to the issue seems unlikely.

MSU is currently obtaining formal bids to re-stripe several campus parking lots, said Associate Vice President of Student

Affairs Keith Lamb. A parking consultant who evaluated university lots in October concluded that they were inefficiently striped.

“I may be a little wrong on this, but this will pick up at least 138 more parking spaces, maybe more,” Lamb said.

The bids to improve parking are out right now, Lamb said.

“As soon as the bid is in and we award it, the work will be-

See PARKING page 4

Shaunette Hildabrand, singer for ‘Three’s A Crowd’ jazz trio, performs in Akin Auditorium for the Artist Lecture series.

Three’s company, too

dence. She had a voice.

As she kicked off the jazz group’s first song, it became obAkin Auditorium was quiet vious that the Oklahoma singer – almost too quiet – Wednesday had been transformed from a evening.

Southwest military brat to a Bel By all accounts, the half- gian jazz starlet. packed house should’ve ap- The trio’s performance, hostpeared less subdued. Patrons ed by the MSU Artist Lecture spoke in hushed murmurs. Stu- Series, proved that even though dents milled around the entrance, Hildabrand has traveled far from watching the stage and waiting her Southern home, she hasn’t for the lights to dim. The antici- lost any class on the journey. pation was mounting.

Since her father was in the Then, like sudden storm, the military, Hildabrand’s family room erupted in applause. lived in Texas, Florida, Illinois A petite, middle-aged woman and California before they setwith dark hair approached the tled in Enid, Oklahoma, when microphone, smiling at the warm she was 9 years old. This would reception. Two men trailed be- set the pace for her travels later hind, waiting for her to speak. in life.

The woman, 46-year-old An MSU scholarship gave Shaunette Hildabrand, coyly Hildabrand the opportunity to introduced her band, Europe- attend college, though Midwestan classical-jazz trio Three’s a ern wasn’t the only school that Crowd. offered to fund her. The jazz She had class. She had confiSee Jazz page 4 Chris Collins Managing Editor

Sweepstakes Winner 2006 Texas Intercollegiate Press Association

Viewpoints

Finalist 2004 Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker Award

The Wichitan

Staff Editorial

Parking Peace In less than two weeks, the Mass Communication Law course is hosting a parking protest in the Quad.

Several of the class’s juniors and seniors have stepped up to voice their opinion about the situation at hand and organized the protest, which will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the 20th.

There is constant talk around campus about frustration with parking tickets and inability to find parking spots. It’s great to see that the student body is finally taking a step to voice these widespread concerns.

Even though an immediate solution is probably an unlikely outcome of the protest, administrators will have to be more aware that parking on campus really has become a problem.

This protest is an opportunity for every student and employee to help make a difference on campus.

If you’ve ever had to park in overflow, dodge raindrops as you ran the mile between your car and the Student Center, or even if you have just experienced the pain of seeing a slip of paper sitting under your windshield wiper, you have a reason to show up and let your voice be heard also.

The Wichitan

3410 Taft Blvd. Box 14 • Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 News Desk (940) 397-4704 • Advertising Desk (940) 397-4705 Fax (940) 397-4025 • E-mail WICHITAN@mwsu.edu Web site: http://wichitan.mwsu.edu

Time for change in politics, ideas Ashley Campana For the Wichitan

Barack Obama leapt into the most pretentious job in the United States last Tuesday and some have shown complete ignorance in their reactions.

I am embarrassed to stand next to Americans who shouted out profanities because their next president is of an African American descent and not to mention, their belief that he is the Anti-Christ.

I am a Texan and I know we are a red state, but I refuse to believe red equals ignorant.

Each American is allowed the inalienable right to opinion but some infringe on others in the wrong time.

Election Day was the most important day for the United States this year, and I was determined to see it live.

On November 4, as soon as news anchors started predicting that the next President Elect would be Barack Obama, everything went crazy.

Televisions around me snapped off in horror.

Students yelled profanities and prophecies for our country.

This is the announcement of the President of the United States, not the time to preach Revelation.

Again, red shouldn’t mean ignorant, but turning off the TV five minutes after polls close because you are in support of John McCain just doesn’t seem like a mature way of handling things.

Of course, the ignorant reactions couldn’t end after the initial announcement of who our next president would be. No, they have continued and will proceed till who-

knows-when.

The myspace and facebook messages about flying to another country are sulking around the internet, even by celebrities! Stephen Baldwin threatened to move to Canada if Obama was elected.

Pack your bags, sir.

Growing up in a conservative home, I understand republican views and morals.

Obama stands for a few issues I don’t agree with, but this country is ready for change and a democratic president.

I’ll rephrase.

Our economy is ready for a democratic president.

This is the start of a new life for middle-class Americans. Obama is passionate about change.

I can’t wait to be able to afford to

go to the doctor for a check-up and to afford the health care I so rightfully deserve. A college education will be in reach for many unfortunate students.

Obama has been elected. Isn’t it time to accept and move on?

Barack Obama is the 44th president of the United States, not the Anti-Christ. Barack Obama is a 47-year-old first-time senator from Illinois, not a Muslim terrorist. Barack Obama sent more than 200 years of history collapsing to the ground last Tuesday, the least Americans can do is honor that.

Barack Obama is a God-fearing man who deserves the audacity of hope, not the audacity of narrowminded citizen’s who don’t understand change.

W. Wayne Schields For the Wichitan

A mere hour after the historical election of Barack Obama I was sadly witness to an event that I feared would happen. As I left my building to walk my dog I was told of an altercation that had just occurred between a group of white females and a group of black females.

The black females took to driving through campus, honking their horn and celebrating the significance of Obama’s ascendancy. A group of white females took exception to the celebration and a verbal joust began.

It ended as quickly as it began.

Shortly afterwards, as I walked down the sidewalk, a group of black males drove by and one of the young men shouted to me, “Hey, we got us a nigga in the White House now!”

On Wednesday, a friend came into my office to tell me that his daughter, who attends a local high school, was told to leave the student center by black students who had taken over the spot. They told her “we run this country now.”

It was if the past twenty months of endless coverage of “change” and “hope” had never occurred. It was if the historical moment that so many had fought and died for was now an irrelevant footnote.

It was if the progress this country has made in regards to racial healing wasn’t a reality but only a feeling that was supported by the draconian administrators of political correctness.

One of the most historical events in our nation’s and indeed the world’s history had quickly deteriorated into “we got us a nigga in the White House” and “we own this country now.”

Even though I was ardently opposed to Obama’s election based on his policies I was nevertheless proud of him and our country for the symbolic significance of America’s choice for president.

My initial fear was that the white racists that permeate our society (especially here in this city) would no longer hide their true feelings and that an already geographically segregated city would become a segregated one in the workplace and in the university residential halls as well.

But as I thought about the young man in the passing car last night, two questions kept popping into my head: What does he presume Obama will do for him that will result in a positive change in his life and what does he imply that “a nigga is in the White House?”

The young man’s excitement is justified, for sure. But if we are to truly grasp this moment for what it is then a new dialogue must emerge with it. Not just in racial terms but in personal accountability terms as well. Black Americans have simultaneously had the most tragic and most triumphant collective histories in this country.

They have not succeeded by giving in to the past but by looking ahead and taking full advantage of the immense opportunities that are before them.

Barack Obama has proved this to be true. But, the underlying theme by some black students participating in the immediate aftermath of this election is that now there is someone in power that will get young black Americans “over the hump” while keeping white Americans “on the hook” simply by moving from Hyde Park to Pennsylvania Avenue.

Obama will not stay up late at night wondering if this young man is preparing for his physics test tomorrow morning. In this sense, this young man’s responsibilities will be the same as they were under George W. Bush.

My expectations are that the mere visual of a black man as the leader of the free world will have a measurable impact among blacks. Any honest person would admit to seeing an added pep to the step of black students on Wednesday morning, as witness by the many black students that approached me with good- natured ribbing over my candidate’s loss.

My concern is what will happen when the shine wears off and the reality of the daily grind of everyday life sets in?

What will happen, if in four (or eight) years from now, the black pathologies of out of wedlock births, fatherless households, high school dropout rates, black incarceration, and black poverty are statistically no better than they are today? Will it matter then that a black man was president?

The point is not to argue an unknown but to make sure people realize that individuals should first and foremost

be the owners of their own successes, and more importantly, their own failures. The government should lend support to this, not insurance from it.

I’m afraid that the young man’s statement that “a nigga is in the White House now,” was not so much about having a president that will lead this country forward but more about having a president that will view him with less contempt for his own irresponsibility and future lack of success. Ironically, had Obama been standing next to me, he would have felt great sorrow for this young man’s jubilant exclamation.

As I went to bed on election night, Barack Obama took to the stage to make his acceptance speech. It was the same, tiresome platitudes I had become accustomed to over the last year or so. Rather than turn off the television altogether, I instead decided to press the mute button. It was at that moment that I was able to take in the greatness of our country.

Despite my deep philosophical differences with the man, he is, nevertheless, my president just as much as he is to his most dedicated supporter’s. As a white man married to a black woman, I am glad that my children will one day look at Obama and indeed see that nothing is out of their reach.

Perhaps one day that young man in the car will look at Barack Obama and our country the same way I do. I am angry that in twenty years I may remember this idiotic young man with the same clarity that I remember the day this country elected its first

‘Hope’ for different view to be held

Copyright © 2008. The Wichitan is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association. The Wichitan reserves the right to edit any material submitted for publication.

Opinions expressed in The Wichitan do not necessarily reflect those of the students, staff, faculty, administration or Board of Regents of Midwestern State University. First copy of the paper is free of charge; additional copies are $1. The Wichitan welcomes letters of opinion from students, faculty and staff submitted by the Friday before intended publication. Letters should be brief and without abusive language or personal attacks. Letters must be typed and signed by the writer and include a telephone number and address for verification purposes. The editor retains the right to edit letters.

Editorial Board

Editor-in-Chief Brittany Norman

Managing Editor Chris Collins

Entertainment Editor Courtney Foreman Op-Ed Editor Alyssa Edson

Sports Editor Bobby Morris

Photo Editor Patrick Johnston

Reporters Richard Carter Josh Mujica Lauren Wood Photographers Loren Eggenschwiler Advertising Manager Ayesha Dorsey

Copy Editor Patrick Johnston Adviser Randy Pruitt

News

The Wichitan Nov. 12, 2008

Keeping the birds at bay Ultrasonic boxes placed on buildings around campus keep birds from roosting, but most humans can’t hear a thing

3

Correction: There was a mistake in last week’s story, entitled “Bookstore writes chapter in student lives.” The MSU Bookstore was incorrectly referred to as the College Bookstore. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

Campus briefs •

Nov. 12

ACEI Scholastic

Book Fair; CSC Arrowhead; Wed. 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.

•

Nov. 13

Athletics luncheon;

Wichita Falls Museum of Art at MSU; video replays, coach updates; Thurs.

12 p.m. to 1 p.m.; cost $6 • Native American Heritage Month: Native American Games; Sikes Lake Center; Thurs. 3 p.m.

•

Nov. 14

Museum Reception:

Fine Line- Mental Health/Mental Illness; Wichita Falls Museum of Art at MSU; Fri. 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

• UPB movie: Get Smart; CSC Shawnee; Fri. 3 p.m.

•

Nov. 15

Mustangs Rally; MSU

campus; Sat. 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.

• Council for Exceptional Children garage sale; Sunwatcher Plaza; Sat.

Andrew Weitner For the Wichitan

A myriad of sounds resonate through the Sunwatcher Plaza and roads and parking lots surrounding Prothro Yeager. There’s the rumble of large trucks making deliveries to the cafeteria, the hiss of brakes from a passing bus, the rumble of coolers, the squeak of doors and random conversations.

There’s another sound but it’s just for the birds. Humans can’t hear it.

It carries a continuous, pulsating, high pitch and a pattern of squeals.

An Ultrason X is aimed around the corners of Prothro Yeager.

Ultrason X is an electronic device that creates an ultrasonic sound used to deter birds and animals.

The roosting and mess left behind by pigeons has created a need to keep them away from the perfect nesting cervices offered by Prothro Yeager and other buildings on campus.

“It emits ultrasonic sounds humans aren’t supposed to be able to hear it, but we can pick up a hint of it,” said Douglas Allison, electrical supervisor. “It is supposed to repel them and get them out in a humane way without killing the pigeons.”

The Chicago-based Bird X Company specializes in many different bird and animal repellant devices including Ultrason X. Ultrason X admits a 1525 KHz frequency that loops through the four speakers.

The device works on a low, medium and high setting. The frequency increases with each setting.

Allison was first introduced to the Ultrason X system when he worked in airport hangers. Ultrason X was used to deter sparrows from roosting in the rafters.

When Allan Goldapp, associate vice president for facilities services, was looking for a non-lethal solution to the pigeon problem, Allison presented Ultrason X as an answer.

“We have been looking for a humane way to solve the bird problem and I have had good luck with these,” Allison said.

“They were having problems at the tennis courts with the bird droppings and I thought this would be a good idea. We tried them there first and it seemed to work.”

The Ultrason X device was first installed at the tennis courts on a center pole set up in four directions.

Allison later installed two devices on the roof of Prothro Yeager and will soon be putting more systems on the roof of Bolin. The system installed at the tennis courts has been in place for a year.

The system above Prothro Yeager was added about six months ago, according to Allison.

Ultrason X systems cost $595 each.

“The custodians have been seeing less droppings everywhere and that is a good sign,” Allison said.

The Company Bird X describes Ultrason X as silent to humans, though Allison admits he can faintly hear the sound and adds that if you can hear the squeak it probably means you have good hearing.

HAZING........................continued from page 1 the current members are still students at MSU. He said if too many current members were still present, the national office might decide to extend the suspension.

Lamb emphasized that the ad-

35 34

Percentage of undergraduate students enrolled in the College of Health Sciences and Human Services Percentage of students who come from Wichita County.

P/T Package Handler 4am-8am, Tue-Sat Tuition assistance.

Weekly paycheck.

Fast paced job, loading/scanning packages.

Apply in person.

208 Randy Dr. Wichita Falls, TX EEO/AA

ministration’s investigation processes and the university police processes were separate. MSU police are still investigating the incident.

Hazing is also a violation of state law.

Jack McGaughey, Montague County District Attorney, said that he has not yet received a report on the incident, but said that concerns could be taken to the Montague County Sheriff’s department if anyone believes a law has been violated.

7 a.m. - 5 p.m.

•

Nov. 18

cert; Akin Auditorium; Tues. 7:30 p.m.

BANNER...................continued from page 1 major Deidra Hadderton. “I was overlooked by the system.”

Hadderton received a bill for $1,496.

The students feel it was their fault since the university had messed up.

“I just didn’t understand why I had an account balance that was fully paid at the beginning of the semester then they send this to me in the mail at the end,” said junior mass communications major Jenny Oliver. “It did not transfer over, then just popped up and said I still owed them $400.”

Oliver also encountered similar problems with fees and registration.

“I was told I had until Nov.17 to pay or late fees would be assessed and that I couldn’t register for next semester if I didn’t pay,” Oliver said.

Hadderton struggled getting the problem resolved. She felt she was not treated fairly.

“I had to fight with financial aid to get my loan reopened and at first they wouldn’t do it. They finally did and told me it would be a ‘one time thing,’” Hadderton said. “They told me if the check didn’t clear by Nov. 4, I’d be charged late fees. I didn’t feel this was fair since it was their mistake to begin with. I got it paid, but had to take out a private loan to cover the rest.”

Freshman political science major Adrienne Lombaerde received a bill for nearly $3,000.

“I was under the impression that I had paid my bill in full at the beginning of the semester and now I owe this

New Jerusalem Baptist Church Rev. Angus Thompson, Pastor

Jazz Ensemble con-

1400 Borton Lane Wichita Falls, TX 76305

“A Church That Will Make You Feel at Home”

Come Worship With Other MSU Students.

Lively music and down home Sunday School 9:30 A.M. preaching and Morning Worship 10:45 A.M. Bible Study Wednesday Evening 7:00 P.M. teachings.

58613

Illustration by Andrew Weitener An ultrasonic device called Ultrason X emits a high frequency sound to prevent pigeons from roosting in Sunwatcher Plaza

much,” Lombaerde said. ”My mom paid the bill, but we just didn’t understand why we got the bill so last minute and were given so little time to repay it.”

Senior theatre major Joseph Stephenson was shocked upon receiving his bill for a little over $2,000.

“I received a bill for $2,034.45 on Nov. 4. This was way after I had received my refund check from the university. My balance showed that I was paid in full and I was issued my full refund already. It didn’t make sense.”

Stephenson was told that it was his fault because he claimed work-study loans, but it didn’t make sense to him because he had received both refund checks.

“The day I got the letter I freaked out. I know I didn’t get anywhere near $2,000 in work-study loans. I didn’t have that kind of money laying around.

I’m barely scraping by with what I have,” Stephenson said According to Ferguson, the Banner system overlooked students in three categories: ‘Three-peat students’, or those taking a class for the third time; students on a competitive waiver for out-of-state tuition fees, and finally a general category where there were simply miscalculations due to late billing.

“Some fees erred in the amount students were charged for credit hours and some were just not caught during initial billing,” Ferguson said. “The program was more than we had planned for.”

Due to all of the problems, workers in the business office labored until 2 a.m. some nights manually sorting out the calculations themselves.

“It was like being blindsided. You think it works then run into something you couldn’t foresee until it came,” Ferguson said.

Ferguson said the university has decided to waive any and all late fees that were to be charged.

“We are certainly humbled by this experience and apologize all we can,” she said. “We are being extra careful that it won’t happen again.”

4

The Wichitan Nov. 12, 2008

News

Healthy living can bump up your GPA

Quit smoking. Turn off the computer. Go to bed.

It could improve your grades.

Of course, parents have always known that. Now, in the first study of its kind, researchers at the University of Minnesota have proved it. They matched grade point averages with the typical health problems such as smoking, drinking and stress reported by nearly 10,000 Minnesota college students. They found a clear connection between student health and academic success.

“Health is important,” even for young adults who seem to be in the prime of their lives, said Dr. Ed Ehlinger, director of Boynton Health Services at the University of Minnesota and a lead author of the study. Both parents and college administrators “need to make sure that students have access to health care.”

What affects grades the most? Stress (lots of it), excessive screen time, binge drinking and gambling.

Students who reported eight or more emotional stresses_ anything from failing a class to credit card debt to a conflict with parents_had an average GPA of 2.72. Those who said they had no significant stress reported an average GPA of 3.3.

“Stress is one of the biggest factors,” said Marcus De La Garza, a senior from Duluth,

“

What affects grades the most?

Stress, excessive screen time, binge drinking and gambling.

Minn. A year ago, just before finals, he had to go home to take care of family members with serious health problems, and it showed in his grades, he said.

“I was out of the game,” he said Friday. “Now I’m bouncing back.” His GPA is up to 3.5.

The ability to handle stress was equally important, the survey found. Those who said they could effectively manage it performed much better than those who said they couldn’t. That’s an important finding, because it can persuade colleges to provide students with the resources they need to learn how to manage stress, Ehlinger said.

Earlier surveys showed that students who spend a lot of time on the computer, watching TV or playing video games were more likely to engage in other unhealthful habits such as eating fast food, Ehlinger said. Now it’s clear that these activities cut significantly into their grades as well. Four or more hours of screen time a day resulted in an average GPA of 3.04 or less.

Less than an hour a day bumped it up to 3.3 or better.

The same pattern held with binge drinking. Teetotalers reported an average GPA of 3.31,

“

By Josephine Marcotty MCT

compared with 2.99 for students who drank excessively at least once in the previous two weeks.

Ben Flatum, a university senior from Stillwater, Minn., just completed what he called “the year of being healthy.” He stopped the regular partying, started eating better and began training for a race in Chicago that he ran last week.

“My time and energy has been exponentially better,” he said. His weight is down 25 pounds, and his GPA is up to 3.3 from the 2.5 he had as a partying freshman.

There were some surprises, especially in how resilient young adults can be, Ehlinger said. Students who said they had been sexually or physically abused at some point in their lives had no significant differences in their GPA compared with other students. It shows, he said, that with time, young adults can overcome such trauma, at least as far as their grades are concerned. Those who reported being sexually assaulted or abused in the previous 12 months reported lower grades.

Working to earn money had no effect on grades, another

surprise, Ehlinger said. That was true regardless of whether students spent one or 40 hours a week at work.

“There must be something else going on that is protective of folks that are working,” Ehlinger said. “It might be a matter of time management.”

But Mom and Dad probably knew that, too.

PARKING....................continued from page 1 more surface parking. The police station and the Biology House on the corner of Louis J. Rodriguez and Hampstead are likely candidates to be destroyed.

“We’re having significant problems with the water and electrical systems at the Biol-

ogy House right now,” Lamb said. “There’s going to be some serious work going on over there.”

Relocating the police department to another building would open up about 140 more spaces, Lamb said.

JAZZ.......................................................................................................................................................................................continued from page 1 singer had originally wanted to be an archaeologist, but had to get realistic.

“I come from a family of six children,” Hildabrand said. “On a military salary, going to school is very difficult. I auditioned for a scholarship, and that’s why I’m a singer and not an archaeologist.”

The vocalist moved to New York City after earning a degree in vocal performance at MSU in 1985. There she studied voice under Cornelius Reed in Manhattan.

“New York City was fabulous,” Hildabrand said. “For a

lot of 30- or 40-year-olds that’s the place to be, but New York is a tough place to live unless you have a lot of money.”

Hildabrand moved to Bonn, Germany, in 1991 to pursue a romantic interest. It was after moving to Europe that the classical singer from a small Oklahoma town tried her hand at jazz.

She got her foot in the door by joining the Holland-based Swing Cats in 1997. Hildabrand and the group’s reed player, Frank Roberscheuten, are now married.

Roberscheuten accompanies his wife in Three’s a Crowd,

along with pianist Bernd Lhotzy.

All three musicians are classically trained.

“It is sometimes difficult because you might take criticism more personally than if it were some other person,” Hildabrand said about working with her husband, “but Frank is a great musician because he listens to the other instruments. There’s no one else I’d rather play with.”

The Netherlands-based outfit excels at performing new arrangements of classic jazz standards, Hildabrand said. The songs have a prominent melody line

and don’t usually get too abstract.

Each musician relies on the other because mistakes are hard to hide in a three-person performance.

“What we’re doing is a very transparent and delicate thing,” she said. “Everything we present is fragile.”

The trio will perform this weekend in Ascona, Switzerland.

Hildabrand will teach an annual workshop the following week. It will be her eleventh year to participate in the festival.

Hildabrand, who now lives in Lindberg, Belgium, said her time spent in Europe has affected her

views of the United States.

“It’s made me look more objectively at American politics,” she said. “I was first shocked when I moved to Germany and heard harsh criticism about American political decisions. You get a different view of America. It’s not that rosy thing painted on the television stations.

“That’s never made me wish I’m not an American,” she continued. “You shouldn’t deny what you are. I just hope with this election Americans will gain a higher standing with the Europeans.”

Hildabrand returned to MSU

last October to give a classical concert. She’d like to return whenever she’s invited, she said.

“I love coming back. I love Wichita Falls,” Hildabrand said.

“I am thankful that in the ’80s this was a small campus,” she said. “The interest in each student, as far as professors were concerned, was genuine. I think I profited from that. I look back on that time as being very fruitful. I don’t know what the university’s like now. It’s probably much bigger, but I hope it’s not less personal.”

HURRICANE RELIEF...............................................................................................................................................................continued from page 1 ter differ from tap water. Mixed with pollution in the ocean, black mold grows quickly. ìThere was a house in town that had six feet of water inside of it for a week. If it had been tap water all the homeowner would have to do it wait for it to dry,î Overstreet said.

To help sanitize homes, Phi Sigma Kappa teamed up with C.O.R.E, Christians Organized for Relief Efforts, and the Baylor University baseball team.

Fancy equipment was not necessary for these volunteers. All that was needed were simple hand

tools.

“We tore apart the inside of homes to remove all the damaged parts. After that was done we sprayed a liquid to remove the black mold,” Overstreet said.

The liquid sprayed was a mixture of chlorine, water and dish detergent. When mold is found in the walls the liquid must be used two feet past it to ensure the mold is removed. This means if a wall has mold from the ground up to six feet, the liquid must be sprayed eight feet up the wall.

“We had to spray it above ceiling tiles and rip apart kitchens to

spray it under the floor. We had to wear masks to prevent ourselves from breathing in the mold as well,” Overstreet said.

The fraternity worked on three different homes. All had flooded and needed to have mold removed. The fraternity members split up into different groups, each with unique assignments.

“We all had positions in the homes and worked well together as a team to get the job done fast,” freshman Steve Ray said.

Meals for the workers were donated from local grocery stores.

Tools were donated from local

stores also.

Senior business major Tyler Holeman said he was happy to give back to the local community.

“It was amazing to see the look on their faces and to know we helped someone who basically has nothing now,” Hole-

man said.

With the recent negative publicity regarding MSU fraternities, all these men were happy to show Greeks in a positive light.

“We know it will be hard to change peopleís minds about us but maybe this will show the other side to us,” Overstreet

said.

Overstreet put together the trip to Galveston to give back to his town. His family was fortunate enough to have minimal damage to their home. Unfortunately, thousands are still left with damaged homes and businesses.

$ Come feel like a millionaire at $

FRENCH QUARTER APARTMENTS $199 Move-in SPECIAL** STUDENT DISCOUNTS 24 Spacious floor plans * 7 Laundry facilities * Assigned Covered parking 4 Beautiful sparkling pools * 24 Hour emergency maintenance Washer/ Dryer Connections Professional management staff * Pet friendly

Multi-Million dollar makeover Great off Campus living Visit us at: 4201 Cedar Elm (940) 692-8052 www.FrenchQuarterApartmentHomes.com **Details apply to Special

Entertainment

The Wichitan Nov. 12, 2008

5

Local talent on the fast track Courtney Foreman Entertainment Editor

Generally, the stereotypical band that comes out of the local scene in Wichita Falls involves intense screaming and needing of an aspirin after listening to a live set.

When it comes to A Formal Affair, the opposite comes into effect. This local band is well on its way to making a name for itself. The combination of soft piano and amazing lyrics is just a small description of what this band has to offer. The band consists of members Adam Rivera, (piano, vocals) Cody Magana, (guitar) Tanner Sloss, (bass) and Jaime Rivera (drums).

Although the band sounds like its been around for a while, in reality it’s only been a few months.

“We didn’t start actually setting up and playing music until September,” said Adam Rivera.

Until then, “Adam pretty much playing by himself,” said now guitar player Cody Magana.

Adam’s brother, Jaime, took over the position of drummer.

Bass player Tanner Sloss, at the time of joining, didn’t even own a bass guitar and hadn’t played in over two years. After the guys came together, they began to work off of the music and lyrics that Rivera already had. They also wrote a few songs together.

When it comes to practice and rehearsal, it’s pretty easy to schedule time in since the band lives together in a house off campus.

“Tuesdays and Thursdays we

Jaime Rivera, Adam Rivera, Tanner Sloss, and Cody Magana. Photo by, courtesty of Megan Carr

have our set times where we always practice,” said Sloss.

Luckily, since the band does live together, it’s convenient having everyone in one place so that any time inspiration for a song strikes, the whole band is there to help the cause.

The band has been compared to the sounds of Jack’s Mannequin and Gavin Degraw, and that’s exactly what they’re aiming for. Some of the band’s other musical influences range from Damien Rice to even the musical styles of Tool, preferred by drummer Jaime Rivera.

When it comes to the crowd usually drawn to their shows, there really is no set audience.

Fans range from a 5-year-old

girl who sang every word to their songs, to adults well in their 60s.

As for their debut album “When Words Fail” just released last week, Rivera described the final product as, “not something that you normally hear off a local band.” Asked about the overall feel or message he hopes fans can get from the CD Rivera explained that, “the piano is my way of trying to communicate when everything else fails.”

The recording process launched at the beginning of the summer didn’t provide the band with the final product until the very end of the summer.

“We invested a lot of money to record in the studio,” Rivera

said. He feels that paying a little more upfront ended up being well worth the money when they got the final product back.

Rivera wants to promote this album and play these songs, “until people know them as well as we do.” If the band can collect enough of a local gathering, the radio stations will begin to play their songs and put them into circulation. Recently, 92.9 played an excerpt from the song “Two Towns” while plugging A Formal Affair a few weeks ago.

The band hopes that this is just the beginning of what is to be expected when it comes to radio in the future.

Currently, the band is unsigned and looking forward to

night at 7 p.m. on ABC. The reigning CMA Male and Female Vocalists of the Year, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood will host the awards from the Sommet Center in Nashville.

Both artists will not only host the awards, but will also perform along with George Strait, Brooks

& Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, Sugarland, Taylor Swift and many more.

The category “Entertainer of the Year” includes nominations for Kenny Chesney, who leads with seven nominations this year, Brad Paisley, George Strait, Sugarland and Keith Urban.

Kenny Chesney snagged nominations for “Male Vocalist of the Year” against the reigning winner Brad Paisley, “Single of the Year” and “Music Video of the Year,” both for his song “Don’t Blink.” He is also on the ballot for “Album of the Year” and holds two nominations for “Musical Event of the Year,” one for when he paired with Reba McEntire for the hit “Every Other Weekend,” as well as for his duet with George Strait in “Shiftwork.”

Brad Paisley holds four nominations which also included “Music Video of the Year” for his hit “Waitin’ on a Woman,” as well as “Song of the Year” for “Letter to Me.” With five nominations this year, George Strait is also in the category for “Male Vocalist of the Year,” “Single of the Year” for the song “I Saw God Today,” as well as “Album of the Year.”

Sugarland also holds five nominations this year including “Vocal Duo of the Year.” Nominated for “Single of the Year” and “Music Video of the Year,” lead singer Jennifer Nettles also snags a nomination for “Song of the Year,” all three of which for the hit “Stay.” The group also is on the ballot for “Musical Event of the Year” for when they featured Little Big Town and Jake Owen in “Life in a Northern Town.”

“Female Vocalist of the Year” nominees include Allison Krauss, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Taylor Swift, and the reigning winner, Carrie Underwood.

The “New Artist of the Year” category includes Jason Aldean, famous for his hits “Johnny Cash” and “Laughed Until We Cried,” and Rodney Atkins, known for “Watching You.” Lady Antebellum, James Otto and American Idol contestant Kellie Pickler are also on the ballot.

Trace Atkins holds two nominations, both for his hit “You’re Going to Miss This.” The songwriters of the hit, Ashley Gorley and Lee Thomas Miller, are nominated for “Song of the Year” also.

possibly getting on board with a record label in the future.

“We set goals, not time limits,” said Magana when it comes to preparing for what the band has in store for them later down the road.

After playing at a smaller stage for Falls Fest this past semester, “we decided within one year we wanted to be in the main stage at Falls Fest and in two years we want to be signed.” With the progress that the band has had so far, those goals don’t seem too far-fetched.

Because all the members of the band are students, school is still a priority so they have to work shows around school schedules.

Rivera is caught off guard when he thinks of the progress they have already made in such a short amount of time.

“Everything’s happening so fast,” he said when it comes to CD sales, and booking shows out of town.

As for touring next semester Rivera hopes, “to be booked from January to April, having shows in Dallas, Denton, Fort Worth and Oklahoma.”

Some details about what you can expect from the recently released album, “When Words Fail” include the six-song EP that is filled with mesmerizing tracks of truth and upstanding lyrics.

This band has come to offer what most bands that are just getting started simply can’t. The sound alone is already more mature and sophisticated than the

majority of major famed bands out there. In today’s music industry, it’s very difficult to find music that actually connects with the listener. With A Formal Affair, there is a sense of authenticity in the overall sound of the band that really makes them stand out from the crowd.

The idea of encompassing piano with rock is not something you hear often from music acts today, most likely because it’s such a difficult art to master. A Formal Affair not only has that idea in mind, they succeed completely in their attempt of capturing it. The songs like, “Take It In,” “Two Towns,” and “Lost” are great tracks from the album that are definitely worth hearing.

A Formal Affair’s debut EP album is on sale now at Hastings or you can pick up a copy from any of the members of the band for only $8. Also, don’t miss the band on Nov. 20 for the Channel 6 News show at noon, where it will have the opportunity to play a live set.

In addition to the TV appearance, the band is set to play in Shawnee Theater on Nov. 21 so be sure to catch A Formal Affair in action at their live show.

The band can be contacted by their MySpace account page or you can find them on their purevolume account at purevolume.com/aformalaffair. So, if you’re interested in finding your new local fix that can provide you with pure talent and amicable melodies, A Formal Affair is well worth the look.

Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley set to host CMAs Lauren Wood For The Wichitan

“Country Music’s Biggest Night.” Most die-hard country music fans know what this means: the CMA Awards.

This year marks the 42nd Annual Country Music Association Awards, which will be aired to-

SUMMER III

FOR JUNIOR NURSING STUDENTS

Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood

$110,000 Value By Owner HIGHEST BIDDER SALE Stunning 2 Story, 3 Bedroom Town Home

4112 Picasso, Near MSU We invite you to explore the Summer III Student Nursing Experience with Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. This program is for junioryear students of a four-year baccalaureate nursing program. The Summer III program is a paid nursing experience that begins in early June and lasts for 10 weeks. This is a supervised nursing program that allows students to work alongside an RN Clinical Coach. This program also provides subsidized housing for students.

For more information, and to view a short video about the Summer III program, please visit our website or contact:

Mayo Clinic Human Resources, OE-4 200 1st Street SW Rochester, MN 55905 ph: 800-562-7984 e-mail: summer3@mayo.edu

Application Deadline: January 15, 2009

www.mayoclinic.org/summer3-rst © 2008 NAS (Media: delete copyright notice)

IL State Univ. • 4.03” x 8” Missouri Western State College • 4.05” x 8”

$65,000 or Best Reasonable Offer Inspection Saturday Night 11/22 & Sunday 11/23 11am- 4pm

MSU’s Chapter of the Council for Exceptional Children Will be having a Garage Sale on Saturday, November 15th In Sunwatcher Plaza From 7:00 am to 5:00p.m.

Please come shop and support our organization!

Home Will be Sold Sunday Night 11/23 to HIGHEST and BEST BIDDER

(940) 704-0970 www.HighestBidderSale.com

6

Sports

The Wichitan Nov. 12, 2008

Mustangs open season looking for winning combination Bobby Morris Sports Editor

Bobby Morris | The Wichitan Nolan Richardson (right) attempts to drive past a USAO defender Saturday night in the Mustangs’ exhibition victory, 82-72. Richardson ended the game with eight points after pouring in a team-high 21 in their opener against OKCU.

The Midwestern State men’s basketball team opened up its 2008-09 season this week, looking for a winning combination in a pair of tough matchups.

MSU played its first contest on Gerald Stockton Court Saturday night, hosting the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma Drovers in an exhibition game.

Trajinski Grigsby’s 12-point second-half effort led the Mustangs to an 82-72 victory over the Drovers.

USAO guard Jamaal McCoy hit a pair of free throws with 13:38 remaining in regulation to tie the ballgame 49-49.

But, Grigsby sparked a 9-2 run with a key three-pointer as they took the lead for good.

Grigsby finished with seven rebounds and three assists, while Quincy Sarpy and Aboubakar Wandji joined him with double-digit scoring outputs with 11 apiece.

MSU was able to respond with the 10-point victory, following an exhibition loss last Wednesday to the hands of the top-ranked NAIA team in the nation.

NAIA No. 1 Oklahoma City Stars took the game 75-55, as the Mustangs were obviously still working through some early-season jitters and chemistry issues.

“It was a pretty typical first

game,” MSU head coach Jeff Ray said. “We made a lot of mistakes which I though we would against a really good team.”

The Stars featured five NCAA Division I transfers and improved their record to 3-0, while MSU was just looking to find which combinations would work the best together.

Nolan Richardson led the Mustangs with 21 points in the exhibition opener, while Sarpy poured in 10 of his own.

Ray played 11 guys in both halves, as well as many different roster combinations in the search for the right fits.

The Mustangs open up their regular season Saturday as they play host to Dallas Baptist. Tip off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Mustangs Conference Standings Lone Star Conference Football

Gear up for game day

North W-L Central Okla. (7-4) 5-0 SE Oklahoma (6-5) 4-1 Texas A&M-Comm (5-5) 3-2 East Central (3-8) 2-3 SW Oklahoma (3-8) 1-4 NE State (1-10) 0-5 South W-L #2 ACU (10-0) 6-0 #9 WTAMU (10-1) 5-1 Tarleton State (8-3) 3-3 TAMU-Kingsville (7-4) 3-3 MSU (6-4) 3-3 Angelo State (3-8) 1-5 Eastern NM (2-9) 0-6

WITH V CAST MUSIC, RINGBACK TONES & MORE.

NEW! Motorola Krave™ ZN4 Verizon Wireless 3G Exclusive

Volleyball

Our first 3G touch-screen flip

W-L #3 WTAMU (30-4) 13-0 Tarleton State (21-9) 10-3 MSU (25-8) 9-4 Abilene Christian (24-8) 9-4 Texas Woman’s (19-12) 8-5 Angelo State (20-13) 8-5 TAMU-Comm (15-11) 7-6 Central Okla. (13-20) 6-7 SE Oklahoma (19-14) 5-8 Cameron (14-13) 4-8 TAMU-Kingsville (11-17) 4-9 East Central (12-22) 4-9 SW Oklahoma (14-18) 3-10 Eastern NM (6-28) 0-13

> NEW! Visual Voice Mail > Get V CAST Music with Rhapsody (subscription, wireless and PC downloads)

$14999

$199.99 2-yr. price – $50 mail-in rebate debit card.

NEW! Motorola Rapture™ VU30 Verizon Wireless 3G Exclusive

Vanishing touch-sensitive external controls > NEW! Dashboard capable — scroll through your favorite multimedia links! > External music controls

$9999

$149.99 2-yr. price – $50 mail-in rebate debit card.

Switch to America’s Most Reliable Wireless Network.® Call 1.888.640.8776

Click verizonwireless.com

Visit any store

VERIZON WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS STORES Open 7 days a week. Technicians available at select locations.

WICHITA FALLS 3210 Midwestern Pkwy. 940-692-8080

Visit the Verizon Wireless Store inside the area’s following Circuit City location Wichita Falls

MA TRÍCULA

CONSULAR

BUSINESS CUSTOMERS

1-800-899-4249

*Our Surcharges (incl. Fed. Univ. Svc. of 11.4% of interstate & int’l telecom charges (varies quarterly), 7¢ Regulatory & 85¢ Administrative/line/mo., & others by area) are not taxes (details: 1-888-684-1888); gov’t taxes & our surcharges could add 6% - 27% to your bill. Activation fee/line: $35.

IMPORTANT CONSUMER INFORMATION: Subject to Customer Agmt, Calling Plan, rebate form & credit approval. Up to $175 early termination fee, and other charges. Device capabilities: Add’l charges & conditions apply.

V CAST phone & add’l charges req’d for V CAST service. Offers & coverage, varying by service, not available everywhere. Network details & coverage maps at vzw.com. Rebate debit card takes up to 6 wks & expires in 12 months. © 2008 Verizon Wireless GUG

Women’s Soccer W-L-T WTAMU (16-3-1) 8-2-0 TAMCU (14-3-3) 7-1-2 MSU (14-7) 7-3-0 Central Okla. (13-6-3) 6-3-1 ACU (9-8-2) 5-4-1 NE State (7-8-4) 4-3-3 Angelo St (10-7-3) 4-4-2 TWU (9-8-2) 4-4-2 Eastern NM (9-10) 3-7 East Central (5-11-2) 1-8-1 SW Oklahoma (2-17) 0-10 Southwest Soccer Conference Men’s Soccer W-L-T #3 MSU (17-2) 7-1-0 #22 WTAMU (12-5) 6-2 Eastern NM (6-10-2) 3-4-1 NE State (3-14-1) 2-6 MO Southern (1-14-1) 1-6-1

On Deck this week...

Thursday November 13

6Mens Soccer

NCAA Division II Super Region One vs. Incarnate Word at 7:30 p.m.

Volleyball @ LSC Championship (vs. TWU)

Friday November 14 Volleyball @ LSC Championship

Saturday November 15 Mens Soccer NCAA Division II Super Region One at 5 p.m.

Mens Hoops Dallas Baptist at 7 p.m.

Volleyball @ LSC Championship Womens Hoops @ Arkansas Tech

Sunday November 16 Rugby Club @ Univ. of North Texas

Tuesday November 18 Mens Hoops Hillsdale Freewill at 7 p.m.

Home Events are Bold

Sports

The Wichitan Nov. 12, 2008

7

Mustangs ‘shock the world’ on their way to nationals MSUMustangs.com For the Wichitan

Elation, jubilation and shock.

Those may be the best adjectives to describe the feat Midwestern State pulled off at the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Meet Saturday at Live Oak City Park.

Three Midwestern runners earned all-region honors as the Mustangs finished second only to No. 8 Missouri Southern to earn a trip the NCAA Division II Championships to be held on Nov. 22 in Slippery Rock, Pa. “Words can’t explain how well they ran today,” MSU coach Koby Styles said. “Everyone

PR’d. We pretty much shocked the world today.”

The Mustangs placed three runners in the top 15 as the team’s total of 94 points fell just six points shy of South Central Region champion Missouri Southern.

Senior Katie Stepp set a school 6,000-meter record with

a time of 21:46 and was joined on the all-region squad by freshmen Kayla Hendrix (22:11) and Lindsey Pate (22:17).

But the trio had plenty of support as Brittany Barrington, another freshman, finished 30th with a time of 23:05 and junior Andrea Borgan was 33rd at 23:09 to close out the scoring

runners for the Mustangs.

Freshman Kourtney Aylor finished 40th with a time of 23:27, while Hassie Sutton covered the course in 24:49 to finish 84th.

Warm and muggy weather conditions played a significant role in the event as the Mustangs chose to hang in the middle of the pack early and push the pace

later in the race.

“I told the girls it was going to be survival of the fittest,” Styles said.

The Mustangs head north to compete in the NCAA Division II National Championships Meet at Cooper’s Lake Campground in Slippery Rock, Pa. on Nov. 22.

Tyron Morrison for a 10-yard pitch-and-catch three plays after the takeaway to take the early 7-0 lead with about 10 minutes left in the first quarter.

Eskridge only completed 11of-22 passes during the match for 73 yards, including an interception while constantly being pressured into six sacks. But the sophomore quarterback hit Andy Tanner for a 3-yard score to put his name further atop yet another passing record.

He finished the season with 18 scoring tosses, passing Phillip Boggs and Daniel Polk, who each had 16 touchdown passes in 2002 and 2007, respectively.

ACU tied the game at 7-7 with a touchdown connection from Billy Malone to Edmund Gates midway through the first quarter but Eskridge was poised to lead the Mustangs on another scoring drive.

The Mustangs stormed down the field in three minutes to take the 14-7 advantage following the

second TD toss by Eskridge.

MSU held tough for most of the first half, holding the Wildcats to a pair of field goals, before extending the lead to 17-13 with a field goal of their own with 5:38 left in the opening half.

But after that, it was all Abilene Christian, as they reeled off the games final 34 points.

“We made improvements all the way until the second half of this game,” MSU head coach Bill Maskill said. “But this is a quality team and you can see that with the amount of attention they’ve garnered in a lot of the polls.”

Sophomore running back Marcus Mathis led the team on the ground with 67 yards on 11 carries. Mathis was also honored as part of ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 6 team announced Thursday.

Ryan Craven and Emmanuel Bagley combined to lead the Mustangs’ defense with 10 tackles apiece.

Patrick Johnston | The Wichitan Zack Eskridge (18) looks to run during Saturday’s season-ending loss to the Abilene Christian Wildcats. Eskridge couldn’t find much room to move during the 47-17 blowout, getting sacked six times. The loss ended MSU’s hopes of getting into the postseason while clinching ACU’s first undefeated season in over half a century.

against Texas Woman’s University at West Texas A&M Events Center.

The Mustangs used a balanced attack to dispatch the Lions as freshman middle blocker Miranda Byrd led the way with 12 kills and committed just two errors in 22 attempts for a sizzling .455 attack percentage.

But LSC Setter of the Week and ESPN The Magazine AllDistrict 6 Academic team member Allison Schreiber, who finished with 48 assists and led the team to a .313 attack rate, spread the offense around as MSU had the best team hitting day since hitting .357 against Missouri Western State on Oct. 4.

Whitney Maxwell, Alysha Pritt and Jessica Ransom each had 11 kills, while Sesley Graves added 10 more.

Defensively, the Mustangs notched 56 digs and recorded eight total blocks to frustrate the Lions into a team attack percentage of .161.

Senior libero Shay Velasquez led the back-row effort with 20 digs, while Kiara Jordan added nine. Pritt and Schreiber also added six digs each.

Maxwell led the block party with four, while Pritt and Graves had three each.

Texas A&M-Commerce ends the regular season at 15-11 and 7-6. The Lions open the

LSC Volleyball Championship against Tarleton State on Thursday.

advantage of a pair of first-half miscues to cruise to a berth in conference finals with a 3-0 win over the Mustangs at The Pitch in Canyon.

“I’m really proud of the way the girls have played down the stretch,” MSU coach Jeff Trimble said. “That’s what makes

this one tough because we made mistakes that we haven’t been making and we missed a few point-blank chances and you can’t do that.”

The loss ends an eight-match winning streak as the Mustangs close the season with a 14-7 mark, while the No. 25-ranked

No. 2 Wildcats too much for Mustangs in season finale Bobby Morris Sports Editor

No. 2 Abilene Christian gave Midwestern State a heavy dose of running back Bernard Scott Saturday afternoon as they took the 47-17 win in the season finale.

Scott rushed for 201 yards and a score in the ballgame as the Wildcats (10-0, 8-0) capitalized on a strong second half effort to take the victory and complete their first undefeated season since 1950 and claim the Lone Star Conference Championship.

The Mustangs finished their ninth-straight winning season, despite the loss, finishing 6-4 on the season and 5-4 in LSC competition.

MSU jumped out to an early advantage in the first quarter following an Antoine Cumby interception.

Zack Eskridge continued his stellar play during the second half of the season by finding

Volleyball team returns to winning form in time for playoff push MSUMustangs.com For the Wichitan

Midwestern State geared up for the postseason in fine fashion Saturday as the Mustangs dusted Texas A&M-Commerce 25-18, 25-15, 23-25, 25-18 at the A&M-Commerce Fieldhouse.

“It’s good to play like this going into the playoff season,” MSU coach Venera FloresStafford said. “The girls are excited. If we can keep this intensity, we should be fine.”

Midwestern State, which improved to 25-8 on the season and 9-4 in league play, opens the Lone Star Conference Volleyball Championship Thursday

The fun was back for Midwestern State Thursday night at Kitty Magee Arena as the Mustangs swept Texas Woman’s University, 28-26, 25-21, 25-17.

“We played like we did early on in the season,” MSU coach Venera Flores-Stafford said.

“Our serve receive was better than it has been and we were more aggressive on our serve, but our enthusiasm was back.

We enjoyed ourselves and we had some fun. That’s the key to what we do.”

Midwestern State frustrated the Pioneers into a sluggish attacking game as the Mustangs recorded 66 digs to limit TWU to a .152 team attack percentage.

Schreiber notched her 11th double-double of the season as she finished with 38 assists and led defensive efforts with 16 digs, while junior middle blocker Alysha Pritt recorded her second double-double of the campaign with 10 kills and 10 digs, but also added four total blocks.

Velasquez also contributed to the dig party with 15, while freshman defensive specialist Jordan added nine digs.

Offensively, Ransom turned

in a big night for the Mustangs as the senior outside hitter committed just one error while recording 10 kills for a .391 kill percentage.

Junior middle blocker Graves added nine kills while hitting .333.

The Mustangs notched seven service aces as Pritt had three followed by Jordan and Velasquez, who added two apiece.

The Mustangs committed just one reception error.

Texas Woman’s University was paced by Kandis Schroeder and Sharon Schaffner with 11 and eight kills, respectively.

The Pioneers fell to 18-12 overall and to 7-5 in LSC play.

Lions (14-2-3) advance to face West Texas A&M, a 5-1 winner over Central Oklahoma in Friday's other semifinal, for the LSC title Sunday at noon.

Texas A&M-Commerce cashed on a corner kick opportunity which resulted off of a misclear by MSU in the third

minute as Melissa DoRemus netted her fifth goal of the season.

The Lions used the a stiff crosswind in the 31st minute to their advantage to gain a twogoal lead going into intermission.

Chelsey Haight played the

ball down the end line and launched a shot that drifted off of Midwestern goalkeeper Heather Primavera to put Texas A&M-Commerce up 2-0.

The Lions’ Meagan Lasley ran her season goal total 19 with a meaningless goal with 23 seconds remaining in the contest.

Playoff loss ends Mustangs’ late-season winning streak in semifinals MSUMustangs.com For the Wichitan

Midwestern State’s run of near-flawless soccer came to an end Friday afternoon in the Lone Star Conference Championship semifinals.

Texas A&M-Commerce took

Wichita Falls’ Only Adoption Agency!

Available 24 Hours “Give The Gift Of Life”

• Meet & Choose Adoptive Family • Visits & Contact With The Child • Assistance With Living Expenses & Medical Care • Free & Confidential Counseling

1 (800) 425-BABY (1-800-425-2229)

1 (940) 32-ADOPT (940-322-3678)

624 Indiana • Suite 308

www.inheritanceadoptions.org

8

The Wichitan Nov. 12, 2008

Sports

. . . d l r o w e h t d n u ay aro

w f l a h From

Originally from Western Africa, Aboubakar Wandji comes to Wichita Falls as a member of the MSU basketball team Joe Cockrum For the Wichitan

It’s a Saturday morning and Aboubakar Wandji is sitting in his apartment watching highlights of the great Michael Jordan on his laptop.

When he stands, his calf muscles bulge. Anyone can tell from his 6’ 7”, 240 pound frame that he must play basketball.

That is exactly why Wandji, 21, is in the United States.

He wants to play basketball while getting an education.

MSU is giving the former Division I player the opportunity.

“You have to have commitment,” the junior

said of basketball.

Commitment to basketball is what got him here in the first place.

Wandji was born in the large city of Douala, Cameroon located in the central western part of Africa.

Basketball wasn’t the most popular sport in his homeland so he initially had another sport on his mind.

“My first sport was soccer. I love to play soccer,” he said.

Wandji later decided he was getting too tall and it was too hot to play soccer, so at 11 years old he started playing basketball.

Wandji and his mother began living in France while his father traveled back and forth to Cameroon working in the agriculture business.

Wandji traveled back and forth as well to see other family members and friends.

“It’s not that far and not as expensive like it is here,” he said.

While in France he played basketball at the local school.

His father, who loved watching his son play, traveled back and forth to see his games.

His father encouraged him to play at NBA and Nike camps in France and S o u t h Africa, where high school coaches were scouting. His father told him if he had the opportunity to come to the United States and wanted to, he could.

“He said it was okay, but it was hard to leave my family,” Wandji said.

However, Wandji was committed to playing basketball. In 2004 he moved to Houston to play tournament basketball for Heritage Christian Academy his junior and senior year.

When he arrived in the U.S. he admits experiencing culture shock. He said it was much different from what he had expected.

“The impression I had about the U.S.A. was it was a little bit like Hollywood and that type of stuff,” he said.

While the education level wasn’t as difficult as some of his other schools, Wandji said learning the English posed a challenge. He had only been in the United States two days before starting school. However, people helped him and repeated things until he started to catch on.

With English, he now speaks five different languages.

It seems as if his commitment to basketball had finally paid off. Wandji was named in the top 100 players in Texas during both his junior and senior seasons.

Once he graduated from Heritage Christian Academy, Wandji received plenty of scholarship offers including Idaho State, Morgan State, Sam Houston State, and Prairie View A&M. He decided on Idaho State, but before ever enrolling at the university the head coach

was fired. Suddenly, Wandji was stuck with no scholarship.

It was too late to take any of the other Division I offers but he was offered a scholarship from Panola College, a junior college in the small town of Carthage, Texas. He decided to take it. “[Panola College] was okay.

It was in a big, good conference,” he said.

Wandji spent a year there before being recruited by a Division I mid-major level college, Sacramento State. He moved to California to play in a higher level of basketball.

“Everybody was taller and faster. You have no life when basketball season starts. You have got to stay committed,” he said.

After playing his sophomore season at Sacramento State and spending many hours of hard work to play at the Division I basketball level, Wandji caught another bad break with his head coach. The coach was at the end of his contract and did not stay with the school so a new coach was brought in.

With the new coach came new recruits and a new system and the current players were told if they weren’t a senior they would not have a scholarship. Once again Wandji was left hanging.

Instead of calling it quits, Wandji learned of MSU through his former junior college coach.

He decided to visit the campus.

Immediately, he took to the

small town environment and friendly people.

“The town is quiet, not too much drama, so I can focus on school and basketball,” he said.

Wandji moved to Wichita Falls a week before the fall semester started. His coaches and new teammates helped him get adjusted to the community and MSU. He runs with the rest of the team most mornings at 6:30 a.m., along with group practices and workouts in the afternoon. In his spare time he relaxes and hangs out with his new teammates.

Assistant Coach Rod Jacobs is very happy with Wandji’s work ethic so far and said he continues to see improvements.

“Wandji can flat out run,” he said. “He’s real fast and as a team we like to get up and down the court. He can rebound real well. He is probably the hardest worker on the team. He does everything we ask him to do and he is very coachable.”

Wandji will be seeing some time at both power forward and center for the Mustangs this season. Based on what he has seen so far, he has high hopes for the team.

“We look pretty good. Hopefully we make it to the tournament, maybe even win the championship,” he said.

For Aboubakar Wandji a championship doesn’t seem out of reach.

MSU pulls away from Howard Payne in final tune-up game, 62-54 MSUMustangs.com For the Wichitan

Midwestern State used a 21-0 first half run to take command in its final exhibition game, then cruised to a 62-54 win over Howard Payne Tuesday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.

But it was the defending NCAA Division III national champion Yellow Jackets that took command in the early stages as they ran out to an 8-1 lead before MSU scored the next 21 points.

“Their zone threw us back on our heels and we didn’t execute or push the ball like we needed to,” MSU coach Noel Johnson said. “We started penetrating the

zone and pitching out. That really sparked the run for us.”

Junior guard Andrea Buben scored the Mustangs’ first field goal at the at the 16:17 mark before Cierra Thompson converted a transition layup on a Buben steal.

Junior Brittny Smith sandwiched a pair of layup around a pair of 3-pointers from Savannah Carvers on drive and dishes from freshman point guard Sunny Satery, who finished the game with nine assists.

The Mustangs, who led 3419 at halftime, limited the Yellow Jackets to 4-of-23 from the field, but Howard Payne missed just one charity toss in the first half as it accounted for 11 of its

19 first-half point from the freethrow line.

“Overall, we should have done a better job sustaining tempo, but they put enough pressure on us in the zone to keep us from doing that,” Johnson said.

MSU placed three players in double figures as junior Brittany Bryant led the way with 14 points.

Freshman forward Cierra Thompson and Buben added 10 points each.

Junior Katiya Jackson had 12 rebounds to help the Mustangs control the glass.

The Mustangs open the regular season on the road against Arkansas Tech. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m.

Patrick Johnston | The Wichitan Michelle Kenny (44) leads a fast break after gathering in a rebound Tuesday night in the Mustangs 62-54 exhibiton victory over Howard Payne. Kenny pulled in a pair of boards after seeing limited action. The regular season tips off this Saturday against Arkansas Tech.

big time and it says great things about our coaches and players who have made it happen.”

Midwestern State clinched its conference crown with a 3-0 win over Eastern New Mexico at ENMU Soccer Field on Friday.

The win extended their school-record winning streak to 15 matches, improving them to 17-1 overall and 7-0 in SSC play.

Craig Sutherland set senior Ahmad Ihmeidan up with an assist in the 27th minute that put MSU on the board.

Nick Auditore gathered in a corner kick during the 41st minute and blasted it into the back of the net to give the Mustangs

a 2-0 advantage heading into intermission.

But a valiant second-half effort from the Greyhounds halted many more scoring opportunities in the match. “(ENMU) played really hard and we got a little frustrated,” Elder said. “They packed it in defensively and tried to counterattack. It’s hard to attack 10 defensive players.”

Sutherland was still able to find the net in the second half, scoring his team-high 16th goal of the season off a header in the 58th minute.

It was the 11th shutout of the season for the Mustangs as the defense only allowed the Greyhounds to get three of their six

shots on goal.

The winning streak was snapped this Sunday with a loss at the hands of archrival West Texas A&M in double overtime, 3-2.

The loss was the only blemish on the Mustangs’ SSC record this season, dropping them to 7-1 on the season in conference play, but it was also the first loss since Sept. 5 taking their overall record to 17-2.

“We had some chances in the run of play to bury them and we didn’t,” Elder said. “They are bigger and we just didn’t defend well on restarts. In the run of play, they didn’t really do anything.”

Ihmeidan and Auditore both

No. 3 Midwestern State set to host first two rounds of playoffs Bobby Morris Sports Editor

The No. 3 Mustangs had a small hiccup in their quest to get back into the NCAA Division II National Championship Game on Sunday afternoon.

But MSU head coach Doug Elder and the Mustangs are still poised to make a run at the national championship after claiming their third-straight Southwest Soccer Conference Championship and being selected to host the first two rounds of the NCAA Division II tournament.

“This is the first time we’ve made it three-straight seasons, so it’s awesome,” Elder said. “To make it five out of seven years is

scored a goal in the match but many restarts throughout the match spelled doom for the potential win, as the Buffs took their height and used it to their full advantage.

After MSU took a 2-0 lead, the Buffs clawed back into the match, scoring on a corner kick and a throw-in to send the game into overtime.

Then, a free kick during the second overtime period sealed the match for WTAMU. MSU slipped a couple of spots in the National Soccer Coaches’ Association of America/adidas national rankings dropping from No. 1 to No. 3, but still were honored with hosting the first two rounds of the NCAA Divi-

sion II Super Region One with their great season.

Midwestern State joins Incarnate Word, Metro State (Colo.) and Fort Lewis (Colo.) in this grouping for postseason competition.

MSU is set to take on the Incarnate Word Cardinals Thursday night at 7:30 p.m., while Metro State and Fort Lewis square off at 5 p.m. Thursday.

The winners of each match will compete against each other at the MSU Soccer Field Saturday at 5 p.m.

MSU has defeated the Cardinals twice this season and has also notched victories over both Fort Lewis and Metro State on the road.