'Cautiously Optimistic': A Test a Day Keeps the COVID Away — Technician 9/2/21

TECHNICIAN S E PTEMB ER 2, 20 21

VOL . 102 | NO. 4

‘CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC’ A TEST A DAY KEEPS THE COVID AWAY See Page 3

Contents

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WHAT YOU MISSED:

IN THIS ISSUE: page

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Chancellor Woodson remains cautiously optimistic

A quick look at the headlines in and outside of NC State

Chancellor Woodson speaks on returning to campus Following two weeks of in-person classes, Chancellor Randy Woodson feels optimistic about moving forward with the semester in person. With a campus vaccination rate of 64.7%, students and staff are encouraged to continue to follow mask guidelines and get vaccinated. Cases peaked Aug. 24 with 49 positive cases, but have since fallen to give NC State a seven day rolling average of nine positives per day.

NEWS

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Letter to the Editor: NC State needs to do the right thing

SOURCE: TECHNICIAN

Fort Bragg commander is last U.S. soldier to leave Afghanistan Maj. Gen. Chris Donahue was photographed Tuesday, Aug. 31 as the last soldier to board a plane leaving Afghanistan. Following Biden’s move to remove all American troops from Afghanistan, Donahue was the last American soldier to set foot on Afghan soil.

SOURCE: THE NEWS & OBSERVER

OPINION

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Fire spreads across Lake Tahoe area

Kanye West is back, discovers new sound on ‘Donda’

With thousands of firefighters sent to fight the fire that ravages the Sierra Nevada mountain range, fire continues to spread south of Lake Tahoe. The fire, named Caldor, is threatening tens of thousands of homes and hotels that surround the lake. Thousands of residents have been evacuated from their homes as firefighters continue to battle with the fire.

SOURCE: THE NEW YORK TIMES

CULTURE

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USF to provide litmus test for NC State football

British man bounces more than 10 miles on inflatable ball, sets world record David Kay decided to set the world record for longest distance bounced on an inflatable ball when he was brainstorming fundraiser ideas for a hospice center. Bouncing 10.5 miles in 17 hours, Kay raised more than $13,750 for the center.

SOURCE: UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL

SPORTS

THE RADAR Events to keep an eye on for the week of Sept. 2

FRIDAY FILMS: A QUIET PLACE PART II Friday, Sept. 3, 2021 7:00 p.m. and 10:15 p.m.

WITHERSPOON STUDENT CENTER CINEMA Free Haven’t seen A Quiet Place Part II yet?

Catch the summer blockbuster courtesy of the Wellness, Outreach, Leisure and Films (W.O.L.F.) Committee. Students will be able to attend either a 7:00 p.m. or 10:15 p.m. showing.

UNIVERSITY THEATRE AUDITIONS: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Sept. 1-3, 2021 Starts at 7:00 p.m. each night THOMPSON HALL Free Student theatre is officially back at NC State! Students interested in auditioning for University Theatre’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” can attend an audition orientation on Sept. 1 and sign up for audition slots to take place Sept. 2-3.

GUIDED TOUR OF THE GREGG MUSEUM’S CURRENT EXHIBITIONS Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

GREGG MUSEUM OF ART & DESIGN Free Those interested in catching up with the Gregg Museum can register to tour “crossed kalunga by the stars,” the gallery’s latest exhibition. Space is limited, and interested students can visit calendar.ncsu.edu to secure their spot.

WHAT’S ON THE TABLE? Friday, Sept. 3, 2021 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER LIVING ROOM Free The African American Cultural Center will be hosting a biweekly discussion space for students to talk about pertinent topics surrounding the Black experience. Registration is not required.

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Technician (USPS 455-050) is the largest student newspaper of NC State University and is published every Thursday throughout the academic year from August through May except during holidays and examination periods.

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

Chancellor Woodson remains ‘cautiously optimistic’ following two weeks on campus Avery Davis News Editor

Though students have questions about vaccination rates, surveillance testing and the future of campus and COVID-19, Chancellor Randy Woodson is excited and hopeful about the upcoming year.

“I’m thrilled that we were able to get back on campus,” Woodson said. “And it’s very clear in interacting with students, they’re excited to be back on campus. I mean, it’s a challenging time with the spread of the delta variant — but so far, our numbers are manageable, our quarantine spaces manageable.

And so, I’m cautiously optimistic.”

According to NC State spokesperson Fred Hartman, as of Aug. 26, 64.7% of students, 78.7% of faculty and 61.3% of staff are confirmed as vaccinated. Faculty and staff are being encouraged to get vaccinated if they have not already.

“We’re targeting all of our employees with messaging going out constantly, every time they log into their system for everything from logging their hours at work, to signing up for benefits, etc., it starts with a message about vaccination,” Woodson said. “And obviously, our testing policy is designed to make sure

that those that are not vaccinated, we know what’s happening there. So the numbers are increasing dramatically.”

Students, staff and faculty who are not vaccinated are required to submit to weekly surveillance testing. According to Woodson, surveillance testing is a critical component of knowing where the campus stands as it returns to in-person classes.

“People ask me, ‘What’s the big difference between this fall and last fall?’” Woodson said. “There are two big differences. The first is we have life-saving vaccines that we really want everyone to take advantage of. But the second big difference is we’ve built our own testing facility and we have much, much more testing capability. At least through the last two weeks, we’ve been averaging somewhere around 1,500 to 2,500 tests every day, and that is just critical for us to know how pervasive the virus is on campus and how to keep our community safe.’’

In the last 30 days, the total number of positive cases between employees and students has totaled 320. Cases peaked Aug. 24 with 49 positive cases reported that day, but have since fallen to give NC State a seven day rolling average of nine positives per day.

While administration has high hopes for

the semester, this next week is going to be a very important indicator of how being back in-person has affected campus.

“This will be a critical week, because, we’ve been back on campus for two weeks now,” Woodson said. “The first week of testing, if you think about it, was really what people brought with them to campus, knowing full well that a lot of our off-campus students are here well before the start of the semester. But this week, we’ll learn a lot about how student gathering events, those kinds of things are impacting us. At this point, the most we’ve had on any single day was 44 [student] cases.

We have 15% of our quarantine space utilized. It looks very manageable at this point, but this is going to be a critical week.”

Due to an increase in vaccination reports being submitted, vaccinations administered and surveillance testing, there have been delays in approving vaccination statuses and reporting test results.

“Part of our challenge is that we actually require evidence of vaccination and we validate that evidence by cross referencing it to the Department of Health and Human Services registry,” Woodson said. “So it takes time. And one of our challenges is that the same people that are validating vaccine re-

Students pass by 111 Lampe Dr. while on their way to class on the first day of classes Aug. 16, 2021.

NATALIE FOLSOM/TECHNICIAN

cords are the same people giving vaccines and the same people overseeing testing. So Dr. Julie Casani and her team are very, very busy, and we have a bit of a backlog of records that we’ve got to verify. So the numbers are improving, though dramatically.”

Though Woodson is hopeful, many professors do not share the same outlook, and the process to move classes online is not easy; being uncomfortable is not reason enough for a professor to move a class online.

“We have a process where faculty can request to move a class online,” Woodson said. “If it’s [that] they’re not comfortable, that’s not going to go online. But if they have health issues that clearly make them more vulnerable, or they have challenges at home, for example, with immunocompromised individuals at home, those have been the examples where we’ve shifted classes to online. But well over 80% of all classes are face to face. And we’ve had, actually, in the last week, very few requests come in. But we do have a formal process to go through that goes through the department head, the dean and then up to the registrar and the provost’s office for review.”

The next week is critical to see how the delta variant will affect NC State, and Woodson said he is grateful that most students are adhering to University guidelines on campus.

“The modelers tell us, for North Carolina, that we’re likely to peak in terms of the community spread of delta within the next five to 10 days,” Woodson said. “Whether that’s true for campus or not, remains to be seen, but again, we’re cautiously optimistic. We believe we have, well, we know we have the policies in place to know what’s happening. Students are doing a phenomenal job of adhering to policies wearing masks indoors. Yes, there are exceptions that we all hear about, but by and large, I’m just so proud of our students and their compliance for our rules, which are designed to keep us all safe.”

Woodson said he is grateful for how students have acted during these first couple of weeks back in-person and encourages students to continue to wear their face masks and comply with University guidelines.

“The main thing I want to say to the student body is I want to thank them for doing everything to continue to protect our community,” Woodson said. “Wearing face masks [is] the number one preventative treatment after vaccination. And so I hope people continue to take it very seriously and don’t let their guard down. Because we’ve got a few more weeks, we hope it’s just a few, of the challenging time, and we need to do everything we can to keep the campus open and operational for all of our students.”

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Largest freshman class in NC State’s history arrives -

GRAPHIC BY SHRADDHA MISHRA/TECHNICIAN

Heidi Reid Staff Writer

The class of 2025 is the largest class in NC State’s history, which may have been a result of factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic, like optional standardized test scores in the application process.

The class of 2025 shows an increased percentage of women, minorities and firstgeneration college students compared to the class of 2024. The incoming class also includes more students from Tier 1 and Tier

Students had many different experiences during COVID-19, so we had to look deeper -Ronnie Chalmers

2 counties, which is based on a ranking of economic distress; Tier 1 counties have the lowest economic well-being.

“The number of underrepresented students in the freshmen class increased by about 13% over last year,” said Jon Westover, the director of admissions. “28% of our incoming freshmen class identifies as a race other than white. 17% are first-generation college students, which is the highest it’s been in the last four or five years.”

According to Westover, the Admissions Office received a record breaking number of first-year applications last spring.

“The incoming class total is over 5,000, which is the largest freshman class in the history of the institution,” Westover said.

“32,900 applied as high school seniors, coming in as freshmen. We accepted a little over 15,600 applicants, or about 47%.”

The high number of applicants may be credited to students not having to submit ACT or SAT scores, Westover said, as only 52% of applicants chose to submit their test

scores. Other factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic may also have influenced the high number of applicants.

“Whether a student chooses to submit test scores or not, we would not use the scores to negatively impact the student and the application review process,” Westover said.

“The educational environment was so disjointed last year; we didn’t know what kind of support [applicants] were getting within their high schools.”

Ronnie Chalmers, the director of strategic initiatives at the admissions office, also credits the large number of applicants to the absence of the test scores requirement.

According to Chalmers, many potential applicants likely saw NC State’s average test score as a barrier.

“Here at NC State, we have a model where test scores are a factor of many other factors, and [applicants] don’t understand that; they just see that number and they think it’s a minimum requirement,” Chalmers said. “I think this year’s class included

students that would not have applied in the past because the system required test scores. Even if test scores are required next year, we are hoping that similar students will still be interested.”

According to Chalmers, the admissions office more thoroughly reviewed applicants’ extracurricular activities and leadership positions during their freshman and sophomore years of high school due to the limited opportunities of their junior and senior years.

“Students had many different experiences during COVID-19, so we had to look deeper into what their path was prior to COVID-19, but also look at what they experienced,” Chalmers said. “We had this incredible factor that changed many of our student’s lives. Many of them couldn’t participate in their clubs and organizations and things like that. Without having some of those experiences within your junior and senior year, it can change the college process.”

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

Women’s Center celebrates 30th anniversary with events all year Abigail Ali

Correspondent

NC State’s Women’s Center kicks off a school year full of events and celebrations on Oct. 14 with the Women’s Center’s 30th Anniversary Party.

The Women’s Center is one of four Campus Community Centers under the Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity and is a place that builds community, allies and leaders in pursuit of gender equity and social justice.

Staci Batchelor, a fourth-year studying horticultural science and sociology and a student programming intern at the Women’s Center, describes the Center as a place for support, education and more. “[The center] is this really inclusive space with a lot of services directed towards women, but they’re for anyone of any gender,” Batchelor said. “Anyone is welcome here. We have resources for people on campus who are survivors of interpersonal violence and other educational events that have to do with student empowerment.”

According to Janine Kossen, the interim director of the Women’s Center, the events and celebrations span a wide breadth.

“Throughout all of these events, we are looking at honoring our past, celebrating our present and envisioning our future,” Kossen said.

The anniversary celebrations begin with a celebration on Oct. 14: the Women’s Center’s 30th Anniversary Party. The party will include a coloring station, a dancing station, an affiliated student organization station, a paint-by-number mural station and more.

Another way the center is celebrating its anniversary is through a social media campaign that will last throughout the year. “[Some] of the bigger things we’ll be sharing along with a basic history of the center include: ‘did you know?’ facts, things about the Women’s Center currently, short staff interviews as well as student workers,” Batchelor said.

“That’s the basic structure of our 30th anniversary content. We really want to showcase what the center was, presently what’s going on with the center and also get feedback from students and staff on where we could progress.”

A major focus of the anniversary events is the Women’s Center’s history. Lisa LaBarbera-Mascote, the interim senior director of the Campus Community Centers, said students are the reason the center exists.

“We had a group of students in the late 1980s that worked to put the groundwork on campus in order to make sure their voices were heard by administration, and then getting key leaders connected, like Evelyn Reiman, ensuring that the provost saw the need for the Women’s Center here on campus,” LaBarbe-

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ra-Mascote said.

A full overview of the history of the Women’s Center can be found on the Women Center’s website.

Another project the Women’s Center will be working on this year is one that involves highlighting those from the past who have been a part of the Women’s Center and did not receive recognition for their work.

“We’re digging into our archives and seeing what’s been in and around the work of the Women’s Center, and then looking at whose voices were missing,” Kossen said. “Whose stories were missing and whose weren’t, and how we are going to rectify that. That’s a project we’re going to be working with the libraries on and then hopefully having an exhibit and panels to have discussions about history and stories.”

We are looking at honoring our past, celebrating our present, and envisioning our future -Janine Kossen

For this year’s Love Your Body Day, on Oct. 20, the Women’s Center will be using the book, “Rhetorics of Display” by Lawrence J. Prelli, to talk about how queer bodies have been represented in visual media in the past and present as a way to make change and participate in visual love.

LaBarbera-Mascote said it is important for the center to acknowledge its past in pursuit of its future.

“When you think about the founding of Women’s Center spaces, they are very white, straight women, and that is 100% a part of our past as a center, so what does that mean for us in the context of the work we do now and for the work we do moving forward?” LaBarbera-Mascote said. “Now we are a great community and vibrant space that is intersectional in nature and looking at not only [interpersonal violence] education but equity and ending oppression.”

Along with the 30th anniversary celebrations, the Women’s Center has other ways for students to get involved at the center.

Feminist Fridays began on Aug. 27 and will continue biweekly from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. These events are open discussions led by students on different topics that connect to a theory around feminism.

Kossen said the center’s education program, The Movement Peer Educators, is an important program that addresses interpersonal violence on campus.

“The Movement Peer Educators group is a great way to get involved too, and they are recruiting right now,” Kossen said. “Those are dedicated and passionate students who care about ending rape culture and other forms of interpersonal violence on campus.’’

Another one of the Women’s Center’s education programs is the Pack Survivor Support Alliance for faculty and staff. The program gives campus employees the tools they need if a student is in crisis and needs support in the classroom or workplace.

The Women’s Center will share more information about other celebrations and events throughout the year as details become available. Keep up with what the Women’s Center has going on by signing up for its newsletter and following the center on Instagram @ncsuwomenscenter.

LaBarbera-Mascote said she is excited to see the Women’s Center evolve.

“I’m excited about the future, because I just love to think about what’s next,” LaBarbera-Mascote said. “I think evolution is so important in the work that we’re doing, and I really value an opportunity to bring together multiple voices to be a part of that discussion.

Anyone that spends significant time in this space and comes to programs, you can feel what the Women’s Center is and I wish everybody on campus had the opportunity to feel that.”

Opinion 6 TECHNICIAN Dear Hillsborough St., please let students use their meal plans in your restaurants THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

Because of COVID-19, eating on campus has not been t he same. As t he safety of eating in dining halls remains questionable and the virtual Grubhub lines continue to test Lauren Richards our patience, students are Correspondent challenged to find a place to eat on campus that is comfortable and affordable. And to make things worse, while Hillsborough Street is the epicenter of student life at NC State, students are often dismayed to find out they can’t use their meal plans here, and they should be.

NC State presents students with a diverse array of meal plans suited to their individual needs, including three core plans for first-years, three additional plans for upperclassmen and three for athletes. Each plan allows students access to the different options on campus, and every location accepts some form of a student’s meal plan.

Because most first years are required to live on campus and have a meal plan, finding a place to eat is not as difficult.

However, for second-years or higher, a meal plan is not mandatory. As a result, eating on campus can be impractical and unnecessary, especially for students who live off campus.

Many of these students who choose to live off campus look to outside apartments. In fact, over half of the student body chose to stay in an off-campus residence. From the selection of off-campus apartments in Raleigh, the ones most accessible to the University are centrally located along or near — you guessed it — Hillsborough Street.

Although it is not officially part of

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AMRITA MALUR/ARCHIVE

A chicken zaki is seen at Jasmin and Olivz Mediterranean restaurant on Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018. Jasmin and Olivz serves Mediterranean food in seven locations across the Triangle, two of which are located on Hillsborough Street.

the University, there is something to be said about the deep-rooted relationship between the two. For over 134 years, Hillsborough Street has been serving members of the Wolfpack in more ways than fine dining and shopping. It’s also the site of major university landmarks, including the Memorial Belltower, the Gregg Museum of Art and Design and multiple Pack traditions like the Krispy Kreme challenge.

One of the grandest traditions to transpire on Hillsborough Street is Packapalooza, a fair that brings together students and local businesses to celebrate the incoming class. Every year, except for the past two due to the pandemic, it

closes off outside traffic to welcome vendors, performers, artists and much more.

Not only is the festival an exciting introduction for new students, but it’s also great exposure for the businesses that choose to participate. According to a 2019 survey report published by liveitup! Hillsborough Street, Packapalooza raked in over half a million dollars that year. Seeing that 71.9% of Packapalooza attendees were NC State students, a majority of the profits originated from students’ pockets.

Needless to say, the partnership between NC State and Hillsborough Street is undeniable: students get to enjoy the wide variety of services and school events

featured on the street, while Hillsborough Street reaps the rewards of their patronage. Considering the close connection, it’s almost surprising to think that no restaurants here accept student meal plans. As it turns out, that idea may not be unique to NC State students, but is also encouraged by business owners.

Ever since 2005, Nawaff Said, founder of Jasmin and Olivz Mediterranean, has been diversifying the diets of the Wolfpack with delicious Greek and Lebanese cuisine. Over several years of operation on NC State’s doorstep, Said has witnessed generations of students come and go, many of whom ask if they can use their meal plans. With two children who are alumni of the University, he knows what students want when it comes to dining.

“More students would buy into the meal plans if they were able to use them at restaurants directly associated with the campus,” Said said. “It would also make it easier for them to manage their finances if they are using the card.”

In addition to the potential benefits of expanding meal plan access to Hillsborough Street, Said recognizes the relationship between it and NC State. According to him, the success of one is contingent on the other, and I am obliged to agree.

But due to the limitations placed by COVID-19, that strong bond may be waning.

From finances to a worldwide pandemic, the list of troubles facing students sees no end. Even in uncertain times, students should have the assurance of knowing where their next meal is coming from.

What better way than to have that reassurance come from the place where the colors red and white are sewn into its very fabric?

We cannot forget about acts of linguistic discrimination Despite many flounders over the years, NC State has made quite a few initiatives toward diversity and equity between all groups on campus. Between the campus community centers, the Caryl Espinoza inclusion of diversity and Jaen equity policies in the classManaging room and how easy it is to Editor get in contact with various students of different backgrounds on campus, it’s fairly easy to see that the NC State community is at least making an effort to be inclusive of all students on campus. But one diversity initiative that is often overlooked is language — particularly, discrimination over

people’s accents and dialects.

This semester alone, I had two professors immediately apologize for their accents, despite both speaking perfectly good and eloquent English, and both made this apology right at the beginning of first class. And while I understand the need to speak clearly towards students, I also wonder why so many students, staff and faculty feel pressured to apologize for seemingly nonexistent mistakes.

Professors are not the only people experiencing this problem. Countless times I’ve seen students worry about the way they sound towards their peers, from international students not being able to make friends because of their accents to American students worrying about

how they sound in the classroom because of their Southern accents. It’s commonplace for many students, even if it’s not explicitly said. And you see these slights made in the academic sphere as well — in the humanities alone, many students and even professors will talk down on non-Western media and philosophies only by the way they are articulated, without even putting a glance into the actual content that is even said.

This is language subordination, a form of discrimination based on promoting certain speech dialects over others. In America, this often comes in the form of promoting a “standard” American English, one “without an accent” and that correctly follows “proper” grammar rules and regulations — both

obvious misconceptions about how diverse American English is.

Through language subordination, a gateway is formed towards more overt forms of discrimination. Racism, for example, manifests through the invalidation of African American Vernacular English; xenophobia manifests through American students mocking the accents of foreign students, staff and faculty.

It’s Southern students being worried that their accents will make them seem dumb, or gay men on campus putting up a “straight” voice to avoid discrimination in certain spaces.

There’s no clear answer to solving language subordination, either. In the United States,

DISCRIMINATION continued page 7

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Opinion TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

Dorm sink design creates problems for residents and the environment THE ADDITION OF MORE BOTTLE REFILL STATIONS COULD HELP REDUCE PLASTIC WASTE ON CAMPUS

Eve r y on e w ho h a s ever lived in a residence hall knows dorm showers leave something to be desired, but I think what is truly impossible to live with is the sinks.

Debra I’m sure ever yone has Mullis Correspondent tried, and failed, to fit a bottle, a bowl or a plate under the spout and realized it’s not going to happen.

I promise you are not the only one dealing with this struggle. Across campus, sinks seem to have an average distance between the faucet and the drain of 7-7.5 inches, based on measurements I took in Wood Hall and Bragaw Hall. They were designed to fit a pair of hands, a toothbrush and maybe a small teacup, but definitely not designed for the various activities that require a sink, like cooking, washing dishes, etc.

Mea nwhi le, popu la r water bot t le brands like Hydro Flask are typically over 10 inches tall. Even regular plastic bottles are typically 8 inches tall. There is simply no way you could get either under

the faucet to be able to fill up your water bottle, regardless of the brand or type.

In Wood Hall, for example, there are two options for getting water. I can put shoes on and walk outside with my keys and my ID to our office to the only water bottle refill station, which is shared among the 470 residents in Wood Hall.

My other option is to use a small cup to transfer water into my Brita or reusable bottle. Both choices are an inconvenience, so I am never surprised when I see the recycling bin filled with plastic bottles.

Even if people are recycling most, or even all, of the plastic bottles they use in their dorms, this is not a sustainable solution. According to NC State’s Office of Sustainability, less than four out of every ten plastic bottles end up getting recycled. Adding more bottle refill stations would decrease the overall amount of water bottles that are thrown into recycling in the first place.

While getting adult-sized sinks would be wonderful, I recognize the difficulty of such a big project, which is why adding more water bottle refill stations is a

more realistic update.

There is an abundance of refill stations pretty much everywhere on campus except residence halls. For example, just earlier this year, Hunt Library added four stations, two of which were covered by an $18,500 grant from the Student Sustainability Fund. With how much time students spend in their rooms, funds also need to be directed to improvements in residence halls.

Yes, it is an expensive project, but implementing these stations has been proven to work at reducing single-use plastics. The numbers are right there every time you use one of the stations.

Just a few dispersed on every other f loor would be a huge step forward from the current situation.

University Housing did lose a significant amount of revenue over the 202021 academic year, but it is recovering, with housing back at full capacity. We students are paying thousands to shower with shoes on; I think a semi-convenient, environmentally-friendly place to get a drink is a small demand.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

DISCRIMINATION

continued from page 6

you can’t get far professionally without knowing the ins and outs of standard American English — indeed, language discrimination is a common issue in the workplace. So many international students, staff and faculty chastise their own accents and dialects, because NC State is an academic institution that primarily functions in standard American English, and expects most of its body to understand it.

But where does one draw the line between mastery and illiteracy, and who deserves educational, labor and social opportunities based on the way they speak? The answer to this question has a lot of weight, because it dictates who is allowed to thrive in the workplace, at school, or even at a social event. We’re talking about solving centuries of discrimination through language alone.

Acknowledging this issue is the first step.

NC State’s linguistic department, for example, has a statement on language diversity and initiatives to discourage language subordination. Other university departments should look into these initiatives and apply them, because the linguistic department is not the only department on campus with a variety of dialects and accents.

Lastly, students can also take their own initiatives to fight against language subordination. Every mock and slight towards someone’s dialect or accent should not be tolerated; instead, NC State students should be proud of the linguistic diversity found on campus and call out these slights for what they are: acts of discrimination. I promise you, your impression of your foreign professor’s accent is not funny.

Letter to the Editor: NC State needs to do the right thing

Every student at NC State has had to partake in several online modules about campus life and expectations before officially becoming a member of the Pack. Discussed in these Suzy modules were the inTaepke stances of sexual assault, Guest rape, drinking, unauthorColumnist ized prescription drug use along with confronting racial and gender stereotypes with our peers and colleagues. The overlapping theme one could surmise from this would be that we all need to “Do the Right Thing” — even if it feels awkward, weird, or even outside one’s own comfort zone.

In my own personal application to attend NC State, I had to state my intentions of stepping up to do the right thing no matter the circumstance. And collectively, we need to demand that NC State does the right thing now when it comes to COVID-19.

To many of those following the news, we can see an oncoming wave of COVID-19, not unlike the pandemic that swept across the world in 1919. It was this second wave in 1919 that turned out to be much deadlier than the prior winter. All the signs are

pointing that history is due to repeat itself.

Sure, our knowledge about disease and viruses have grown in the last 100 years, and we even have a vaccine available!

However, due to reluctance or a miscellany of theories, many in the US have elected to not get the vaccine. This creates an unique opportunity that is already unfolding through breakthrough infections amongst the vaccinated. Our opportunity for herd immunity is gone as each genetic variation of the coronavirus continues to evolve.

Southern neighbors like Texas, Alabama and Florida are already experiencing surges due to unvaccinated COVID-19 patients.

Mobile morgues have been summoned to deal with the influx. And a sad tragedy occurred when a Purple Heart veteran in Texas, suffering from an impacted gallstone, died as he was not able to find an available hospital bed for this easy, common lifesaving procedure. Stories such as these are likely to continue with increasing frequency as we deal with this second wave.

So how does this impact our campus, and our communities? Just this past week, WakeMed, Duke Raleigh Hospital and UNC Rex Healthcare held a conference

Due to reluctance or a miscellany of theories, many in the US have elected to not get the vaccine. This creates an unique opportunity that is already unfolding through breakthrough infections amongst the vaccinated.

stating that hospital beds are full and patients are currently getting backed up in emergency departments. The delta variant has been confirmed to display a higher viral load compared to the original wild type, and vaccines are having lesser efficacy in preventing spread of the pathogen. Addi-

tionally, our low student vaccination rate is a concern paired with NC State’s relaxed mask mandates and testing procedures; these problems will have dark consequences for our NC State community and the greater Raleigh area where students and faculty reside.

This winter will be difficult as we watch, read, or are personally impacted by community members who fall victim to COVID-19.

Or, just as gruesome, to an easily remedied operation prevented by the lack of hospital beds — from a traffic accident, random injury or a gallstone. It could be one of our own Wolfpack: a student, a faculty or staff member, or other residents impacted in the greater Raleigh area. One death is not worth the delay any longer.

As a community centered on “Do the Right Thing,” we need to do the right thing now before it is too late. NC State must switch to online classes for the safety of our communities. Often, the right thing to do isn’t the easiest, or the most comfortable.

But in our conscience, we know we will have made the right decision to protect and care for our communities as best we can during the pandemic.

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The marching band returns to the field at full blast Patsy McKee Correspondent

The return of students to campus this fall has been punctuated by the distant, yet familiar sound of instruments tuning at the Wolfpack Training Center. The NC State marching band has arrived on the practice field.

For over 80 years, NC State’s marching band has performed at numerous University events, including freshman convocation, the Legacy Luncheon and most football games. The band, also known by its moniker, “The Power Sound of the South,” attracts students from both NC State and its neighboring institutions.

Jordan Fulk, a fourth-year studying biology at Meredith College, plays the trumpet in State’s band. She credits the marching band with helping her find her current community of friends and for shaping her college experience.

“The community is really nice and it’s a great way to meet new people.” Fulk said.

“Everyone gets really excited when they see the band too.”

Fans will recall how the COVID-19 NICK FAULKNER/TECHNICIAN pandemic shortened last year’s marching The band played for the more than 56,000 fans who filled the stadium to watch the 24-13 win over James Madison on Saturday, Sept. 1, band season. They can now rest assured 2018, in Carter-Finley Stadium. that the marching band will return this fall. In fall 2021, the marching band plans to perform at both home football games members found a way to mitigate COV- est friends that are also strangers,” Tiffany ing in 2019. As the drumline instructor, and away games.

ID-19 transmission through bell covers, said. “If I go into a class and I see somebody Budway teaches the current drumline, Zachariah Kahler, a fourth-year studying which filter particles coming out of wind wearing a band shirt, then I automatically auditions prospective students and writes animal science, also plays the trumpet in instruments. Members are not required to go and sit next to them. We may have never music for that section — both performance NC State’s marching band. The band’s wel- wear masks during on-field performances spoken before but we are instant friends and exercise pieces. coming atmosphere and close community this fall. because we are both in the band.”

“Being outside, there are a lot fewer reattracted Kahler to join his freshman year.

“We had some masks and bell covers that Each August, the marching band gath- strictions,” Budway said. “Right now we “I was in the marching band for all four were designed for us to play with, but it ers on campus to practice for its new-and- are not rehearsing outside with masks on. years of high school, and I really wanted was just very weird to work with them,” improved, upcoming performances.

We are still adhering to the ‘stay three feet to continue being in a marching band be- Kahler said.

“Every year it gets better,” Tiffany said. apart when you can’ recommendation and, cause it’s like a big family,” Kahler said.

Kaitlyn Tiffany, a fourth-year studying “They’ve added planes flying overhead with luckily, a lot of our drills have us at inter“You have all these amazing friends, es- fisheries, wildlife and conservation biol- colored smoke, fireworks in the endzone, vals of four steps or seven and a half feet.” pecially in the trumpet section. We’re all ogy, remarked on the closeness of the band and this year they’re talking about adding If you attend any football games this really close.” community as well. Tiffany plays the pic- flame throwers.” fall, watch out for the marching band. Its According to Kahler, the band struggled colo with NC State’s marching band.

Forrest Budway, the marching band’s epic performances and lively stand-tunes at the pandemic’s onset to find suitable “[Band] is really your built-in family at drumline instructor, said the marching demonstrate why it is known as “The Power masks for its performances. Luckily, band State — we joke that it’s 350 of your clos- band is essentially back to what it was do- Sound of the South.”

New music-sharing platform Aux makes playlist collaboration easier Sam Overton Culture Editor

Connecting your music taste with friends has never been easier. Aux, a mobile platform slated for release this week, will allow users to effortlessly link Spotify Premium accounts together to curate the ultimate playlist and limit music indecision.

Galen Krugly, the co-founder and CEO of Aux, is currently taking a year away from his alma mater to focus on launching the app. His team, largely made up of college students attending UNC, NC State and Yale, is seeking to create a platform that allows users to “frictionlessly collaborate with others in music.”

“Around two years ago, my co-founder William [Cahan] and I met here at UNC our freshman year and just kind of saw this overarching need for an ability to bridge gaps in groups and make decisions for groups,” Krugly said. “And so, we recognized that the number one place where group indecision was ramping up was in

the listening landscape, in music.”

Born out of the need to curate seamless listening environments for groups, Aux has since expanded past Krugly and Cahan by bringing a different college experience into the fold — namely, NC State.

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

Kanye West is back, discovers new sound on ‘Donda’ Wade Bowman

Assistant Sport Editor

Rapper, producer, songwriter and former presidential candidate Kanye West made his highly anticipated return to the spotlight on Sunday, Aug. 29 with the release of his 10th studio album, “Donda.” The release came as a surprise to many, with West rarely speaking out about the plans for the album’s rollout over the course of the project’s promotion.

The lack of promotion from West personally has not lowered any of the hype surrounding the record’s release. Listening events defined the extent to which West was involved with marketing the project, hosting three before the eventual official release of “Donda.” Over the course of the three events, the album has undergone its fair share of changes and renovations but has now found its final form: a 27 track, 1 hour and 48 minute studio release.

Kanye fans and skeptics alike were thrilled at the opportunity to experience another release from one of the most polarizing figures in music history. From the fan’s perspective, “Donda” would hopefully be a step back toward the type of vibe that “The Life of Pablo” provided as opposed to the heavily gospelinspired “Jesus is King” that premiered in 2019. From the viewpoint of a skeptic, “Donda” could be the nail in the coffin for West’s legacy, which many would argue has been tainted with his performative antics over the course of his entire career.

Initial opinions would lean in the fan’s favor, however, with the overall theme and styling of the album being very reminiscent of West’s work on “The Life of Pablo,” which debuted in 2016. Parallels between the projects can be found in the overarching themes of each record, with both putting extra emphasis on West’s experiences with his religion and how he uses it as a vessel to deal with the issues that plague his personal life. In his newest record, he manages to

speak on these topics in a more mainstream fashion than he managed to do on “Jesus is King,” which is widely regarded as West’s least successful project.

Despite the step away from his previous gospel record, West shows no fear in making a point that his new, religiouslyfocused music is here to stay.

That isn’t something West wanted to leave up to interpretation either, making it a clear point in the track “Pure Souls” featuring Roddy Rich in which West explicitly states, “this the new me, so get used to me.”

In “The Life of Pablo” fashion, this album allowed West to get a lot of things off of his chest without sacrificing the sound that

his fans have clung to for years. Features played a key role in how West was able to achieve this, with this album boasting appearances from an absurd 37 artists across all of the tracks in this monstrous release. This is likely to cause a divide in terms of how much credit West can actually be given for an album with so many guest appearances, but with West turning 44 this past June, it seems clear that he is finding a new role as a producer first and a rapper second.

Features throughout this album also allowed for a plethora of sounds that were previously unexplored by the Chicago native. A perfect example of this is the track “Off the Grid’’ featuring Playboi Carti

and Fivio Foreign, a song with a heavy drill influence and a pair of uncharacteristic features for West. Regardless of the exploration of a new sound, West was able to play to the strengths of each of his features, especially Fivio Foreign, who delivered what many consider to be the best verse of his career up to this point.

While this album likely won’t be in any sort of “gospel album of the year” contention, it still features many tracks that could’ve been slotted into “Jesus is King” with no issue. Songs like “24”, “New Again” and “Lord I Need You” are just a few tracks of many with gospel roots that received the Kanye West treatment in terms of production. The track “24,” specifically, carefully balances on the line of a gospel ballad and a song that can have widespread appeal outside of a religious point of view. This is a balance that West truly struggled to find on his first true attempt at a gospel album.

The implementation of the new, religiously fueled Kanye along with the exploration of subgenres of rap that were previously untouched by West is a breath of fresh air to many, but he also made sure to pay homage to the specific sound that put him in the position he is today. The album’s tenth track, “Believe What I Say,” would fit nicely into a variety of West’s projects including “The Life of Pablo” and “Graduation.”

The sound of these records was defined by heavy sampling and light-hearted production that Kanye masterfully hones in on here, on top of a Lauryn Hill sample.

West also brings back an unexpected familiar face on the LP’s second track, “Jail.” Longtime fans of West were blown away with the addition of a Jay-Z verse on the track, with the duo seemingly separated for good following their massive fallout in the early 2010s. It appears that the pair of perennial superstars, commonly referred to as “The Throne,” are back on good terms. One of West’s proGRAPHIC BY JOE LINGO/TECHNICIAN moters for “Donda” even went as far as claiming that “Watch the Throne 2” would be debuting before the end of the year.

‘Rushtok’ craze makes its way to NC State, sweeps through the country Myra Bari

Assistant Culture Editor

With nearly 300 million views and hundreds of #ootds, #grwms and bid day reveals featuring brands like Kendra Scott, Pants Store and LoveShackFancy, #rushtok has given many TikTok users a glimpse of the rigorous recruitment process for sororities at the University of Alabama.

Ashley Stahl, a first-year studying finance

at the University of Alabama, said that she never expected her videos to become viral.

“I posted the video and then I was off that day for sisterhood round,” Stahl said. “It was kind of the first day, and then I came back from lunch and the video was at like 4,000 views and then it was at 10,000 and 14,000 and it just kept going up. I never expected it to be a million views, which was crazy because it just started as something really

small.”

Perhaps what is most unique about #rushtok is the diversity of the audience. Everyone from fellow college students to middle-aged women have been intrigued by the complex process of sorority recruitment.

“I think that so many people were intrigued because it was just like a national sensation, like, ‘wow, what is going on here?’”

Stahl said. “Here at Alabama, we have the

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largest Greek system in the country, so it’s something to follow. I see how people could be curious, like ‘What’s going on here? What are they doing?’”

According to Grant Bollmer, an associate professor of communication at NC State, these videos began gaining traction primarily through TikTok’s sharing options.

‘RUSHTOK’ continued page 10

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‘RUSHTOK’ continued from page 9

“When people first noticed the Alabama rush videos, it was not those videos,” Bollmer said. “It was somebody else commenting. It was somebody else going, ‘Hey look at this weird thing.’ One of the things that I think you can see, especially on TikTok, is sort of a viral currency, maybe a kind of value to discovering and pointing out something that might seem weird to you and other people.”

The hashtag #rushtok has also propelled many brands up in popularity. Kendra Scott CMO Mindy Perry cited a 17% increase in new users, with lesser-known stores like Pants Store becoming viral almost overnight.

Despite the sudden popularity of #rushtok, it’s difficult to forget the history of Panhellenic Greek life, especially at schools like the University of Alabama. In 2013, the University of Alabama’s student newspaper, the Crimson White, published an exposé concerning a Black student experiencing racism during the sorority recruitment process, resulting in the University of Alabama officially desegregating its sororities.

The lack of diversity and inclusion in Greek life has led many Black and students of color to form their own Greek life organizations, one such example being the National PanHellenic Council (NPHC).

Alvin Mutongi, the president of the NPHC at NC State, said sororities and fraternities in the NPHC have a history based in African American culture, with smaller chapters that are diverse yet share a similar focus.

“NPHC encourages its members to display leadership potential and a love of service prior to joining so that those traits can be cultivated rather than instilled,” Mutongi

said in an email.

Despite the historical implications, Panhellenic sororities and fraternities can provide new students with a way to make lifelong connections and explore the campus.

Stahl says that anyone looking to rush should give Greek life a try.

“There’s always the stereotypes around rush that you can’t rush unless you have this or that, but I think anyone who wants to try

should definitely give it a try,” Stahl said.

“There are so many types of women across every campus who are so diverse and just going through rush gave me a nice appreciation for how diverse our campus is.”

Alexa Clymer, the director of public relations continued from page 8 for Au x a nd a fou r t h-yea r studying communications, joined Aux in July. Clymer works with publications large and small to

get the word out about Aux and brings a unique perspective to the team as the only Raleigh-based intern.

“Not only does that give us a different perspective of the student body and the people that we’re trying to serve, as this is geared toward more younger people in the beginning,” Krugly said. “But it also

provides us with their personal perspectives from the University.”

Clymer explains that at its core, Aux will allow users to link music streaming accounts and curate “the best listening environment.”

“You know — road trip, party, anything, you’re going to have exactly what you need to listen to, because it’s going to have everybody’s preferences mixed in,” Clymer said.

Platforms like Boil the Frog, a website where users can input two artists and create an artificial intelligence-generated “path” between the two, have been around for years. However, Aux would be one of the first services to curate music based on multiple listeners’ accounts. Group Spotify playlists can be tricky and difficult to navigate and so are similar features across other streaming platforms.

“If you want to go make a group playlist on Spotify, you can — it’s still arduous,” Krugly said. “What we do is, we take the preferences of everybody in the room and immediately with a single click, you’re able to have a playlist curated in seconds.”

The platform, which for right now will only be available on any mobile device, is slated to debut in late August. Krugly and his team are already planning for updates, including a location-based feature that will allow users to immediately link with their

friends nearby on the app.

Beyond the tech jargon and minute attention to detail, Aux is seeking to reach a younger demographic, overall. From college students to TikTok influencers, Clymer is working with public relations firms and larger publications to spread the word.

Plus, she’ll be keeping a close eye on universities at large to see how well students connect with the app.

“As soon as our app fully launches in the next few weeks, our short-term goals are to really focus on universities,” Clymer said.

“Especially the ones that we have people who work with us at, just to understand our demographic and understand where the numbers are and how interested people are going to be.”

Interested users should take note that Aux will, for the time being, only be available to Spotify Premium users. But thanks to Spotify’s sweet deal for students, a Premium account won’t break the bank if you’ve been holding out.

“We want to really have this collaborative listening experience with people,” Clymer said. “And I know, at least for the people I know, music is huge. Everyone’s life, especially in college. ...We want to make sure we’re taking the hassle out of it, and everything that comes with using Aux is just enjoyable and easy.”

AUX

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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY EMMA SHEPPARD/TECHNICIAN

Sports

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Volleyball takeaways: Pack would benefit from cohesive team play Kat Peters Staff Writer

After going 8-9 and ending its 2020 season on a two-game losing streak, the Wolfpack volleyball team is back and began nonconference play this weekend.

From the three losses the Pack recorded this weekend, it is clear that this team will need to rely on its previous key players, as well as some newcomers to overcome its inability to keep up with its opponents.

While there are some good things to talk about early on with this team, it’s only appropriate to also address the issue of the Pack’s stats. This was a big problem last year, despite one or two players having knockout performances, the team could not keep up with its opponents as a whole.

The stat that showed the most of the Pack’s vulnerability was hitting percentage, and in the season-opening weekend, that was once again where NC State fell short. While NC State only lost by two points in every match against East Tennessee State University, the Pack’s .186 hitting percentage didn’t even come close

to ETSU’s .238. Against Tennessee, NC State showed improvement with a hitting percentage of .222, but Tennessee answered that with a .364of its own. This isn’t to say that NC State is incapable of having good stats, instead the Pack’s hitting percentage hasn’t been up to par in order to give itself a fighting chance.

Senior outside hitter Jade Parchment has already recorded 35 kills, 26 digs and three service aces this season. She is tied with graduate opposite Melissa Evans with the team’s second highest points per set with 3.50. Evans, on the other hand, has managed 33 kills, 20 digs, three assists, three blocks and four service aces, all of which make her the only player to be in the top-five in every single statistical category for the team. Last season, Evans was a consistent name that came up as a player that the team relied on and it looks as though that pattern will continue.

Two players you will want to pay close attention to, especially as ACC play approaches for this team, are freshman middle blocker Jada Allen and redshirt junior outside hitter Taylor Rowland. In

Allen’s first career game, she notched a .500 hitting percentage, along with nine kills, two service aces and six digs. In the third game of the weekend, Allen recorded a .455 hitting percentage with six kills and three digs. Allen’s consistent performance this weekend earned her a spot on the Tennessee Classic AllTournament team.

Rowland ’s first game this weekend saw her record 12 kills, two blocks and one ace. She was able to notch 18 kills and three blocks, with a career-high 14 digs in the second game this weekend.

Rowland is already making waves in this season’s record book, holding the highest points per set, kills and total attempts.

As we saw last year, even through every loss, this team really recognizes its strengths and tries to capitalize on those as much as possible. If that trend continues and every game does not come down to one or two players’ performances, there is a chance we could see the Pack have a successful year.

The Pack competes again against Wofford on Friday, Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. at Reynolds Coliseum.

COURTESY OF RAY BLACK III

NC State graduate student Melissa Evans (3) points out a good pass from a teammate after notching a kill during the Wolfpack’s exhibition game against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in Reynolds Coliseum on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. Coastal Carolina defeated the Wolfpack 3-1 in the exhibition match, their first match of the season.

USF to provide litmus test for NC State football Jaylan Harrington Editor-in-Chief

NC State football’s 2021 campaign kicks off Thursday, Sept. 2 with a prime-time matchup against the USF Bulls. This is as good of an opening frame as the Wolfpack could ask for, as the Bulls should test it without posing too much of a threat to actually leave Raleigh with a victory.

This contest has the added gamesmanship of neither team releasing a depth chart to the other team. Spurred on by former Clemson assistant and current USF head coach Jeff Scott, who said «We’re not trying to trick NCSU, I don’t think they’re worried about how we lineup,» head coach Dave Doeren responded in kind, publishing this week’s game notes with a two-deep, so we’ll have to wait until Thursday evening to know for certain who the starters are for each squad.

One thing we do know, though, is that the Bulls are led by quarterback Cade Fortin. Fortin is another ACC transplant whom State fans might remember from the 276 yard, 47.5% completions, 2 TDs, 1 INT performance he put up in Larry Fedora’s last game as head coach of UNC, a 34-28 overtime victory for the Wolfpack in Chapel Hill.

After transferring in, Fortin saw little time for USF before suffering a season-ending injury during a terrible 1-8 2020 campaign which included eight straight defeats. After a reportedly strong spring and fall camp, he was named the team’s week one starter after beating out Miami transfer Jarren Williams for the job. He leads an offense that returns every starter with an exception at quarterback and receiver, but ranked No. 75 in passing offense and No. 79 in rushing offense last year.

Still, Jeff Scott is an offensive mind, and he was as hampered in installing his system last year as NC State offensive coordinator Tim Beck was for the Wolfpack. Towards the end of the year, the Bulls offense improved, putting up its top point performance of the year in its last game, a 58-46 loss to rival UCF. That game offers a look at what this South Florida offense can be: a spread look that passes to set up the run, utilizes QB mobility and runs up-tempo to keep the defense on its

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Sports 12 TECHNICIAN Freshmen standing out, tough opponents highlight early season for women’s soccer THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

Nicholas Schnittker Sports Editor

The NC State women’s soccer team is off to a solid start to the season. With two draws and a last-minute loss, the Wolfpack has started the year with some very tight games and needs to turn these close results in its favor as ACC play looms closer. From young players standing out to some big early tests, here are some takeaways from the Pack’s first four games of the season.

Big tests early The ACC is a tough conference in any sport, but women’s soccer just might be the toughest. Four ACC teams are ranked inside the top-5 in the United Coaches Poll currently and NC State will face three of those four this season.

With that tough ACC slate coming up fast, head coach Tim Santoro planned a tough nonconference schedule and it looks like it could pay off in the long run. The Pack started the year with a 2-2 draw against then-No. 9 Georgetown, before beating Old Dominion, drawing reigning Big South Champions Campbell and losing in the last minute to No. 16 South Carolina.

The Pack battled through injuries in those games as well with junior midfielder Toni Starova being limited, sophomore midfielder Jaiden Thomas missing two games and freshman defender Nina Zimmer missing

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three. If the Pack can get healthy and turn these draws and narrow losses against big teams into wins, there is no telling what could happen in conference play.

Jameese Joseph playing with confidence With Tziarra King now in the NWSL, the Wolfpack was in need of a go-to goalscorer and it just might have found that in sophomore forward Jameese Joseph.

Joseph started all 23 games her freshman season, scoring three goals along the way, a tally she has already hit in just four games this season. While she showed a ton of talent her freshman year, Joseph has really stepped it up this season and is playing with a level of confidence that fits her talent level.

Her goal against South Carolina is an excellent example of this confidence. Joseph picked up the ball in her own half before tearing down the sideline, cutting in and placing the ball perfectly into the far post.

And she did it against a ranked team.

A confident Joseph, paired with the other attacking weapons who have shown a lot of promise to start the year, can lead the Pack far this season.

Freshmen standing out The Wolfpack’s freshman group this season is big. With 15 of them on the roster, Santoro reloaded this season, and those freshmen are already showing just how good they are.

Three of the freshmen, goalkeeper Ma-

BENJAMIN PRUITT/TECHNICIAN

NC State freshman Emika Kawagishi dribbles through the midfield during the NC State Wolfpack’s soccer match against the South Carolina Gamecocks at the Dail Soccer Field on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2021. The Wolfpack lost the match 2-1 on a last-minute score by the Gamecocks.

GAGE FRINGER/TECHNICIAN

NC State sophomore Jameese Joseph (15) moves past a defender during the NC State Wolfpack’s game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Dail Soccer Field on Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. The Wolfpack lost the match 2-1 on a last-minute score by the Gamecocks.

Joseph scored the only goal for the Wolfpack in the opening minutes of the first half.

ria Echezarreta, forward Mia Vaughan and defender Cara Elmendorf, saw time in the Wolfpack’s spring games and three more were on the roster in the spring but could not play due to NCAA rules.

Echezarreta has started all four games in goal and carried on her solid play from the spring season. Elmendorf has been a solid forward option off the bench, while Vaughan’s ability to play both outside back and up front has been big with the Pack’s injury issues.

Five freshmen, including Echezarreta, have started at least two games. Defender Brianna Weber has been really solid as both a full back and midfielder. Defender Fernanda Soto is constantly up and down the flank as a full back, providing a solid wide option in the Wolfpack’s attack.

Forward Annika Wohner balled out in the preseason, scoring three of the Pack’s four goals, and has already scored one in the regular season, an excellent free kick against Campbell.

Midfielder Emika Kawagishi has arguably been the most impressive of all the freshmen, stepping into the Ricci Walkling role flawlessly and helping the Pack’s midfield tick. Kawagishi plays with a level of maturity far beyond that expected of a freshman and will be a player to watch both this

season and in the rest of her time with NC State.

Other freshmen like midfielder Michaela Virgin, Zimmer and midfielder Samantha Castro have also made appearances, proving that the Pack is not only loaded with freshmen talent, but that Santoro is willing to play those freshmen.

Center back connection as strong as ever Coming into this season, one of the main areas where NC State did have an abundance of experience was its center back duo.

Junior Jenna Butler and redshirt junior Lulu Guttenberger have been playing together for awhile and it has really showed this season.

While the duo have been really strong defensively, working well with Echezarreta to give the Wolfpack a solid base to build from, they have also been deadly at the other end of the field. In both of the Pack’s first two games, Guttenberger picked out Butler’s head on set pieces for some important goals, including the game winner against Old Dominion.

The Wolfpack’s defense is overall incredibly young with a freshman starting in goal and freshmen getting the majority of the minutes in the full back positions, but with Butler and Guttenberger leading the way, the Pack’s defense should only get stronger as the group gains familiarity.

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Freshmen lead Pack men’s soccer to 4-0 win over UNC Asheville Nicholas Schnittker Sports Editor

&

Bryan Danner Staff Writer

The NC State men’s soccer team took down UNC Asheville 4-0 behind a trio of goals from its freshmen on Monday, Aug. 30.

The Wolfpack (2-0) was dominant throughout, outshooting the Bulldogs (11) 19 to 6 across the 90 and controlling the tempo of the game.

“It was a good, solid performance out of the team,” said head coach George Kiefer.

“I liked the intangibles. When we score a goal and the whole bench is celebrating that... The consistent thing about the team is the toughness, the competitiveness, the NC State-like people we are. … There’s a lot of good things, but some things we can still work on.”

Scoring his second career goal in just his third career game, freshman midfielder Luke Hille opened the scoring for the Pack. The NCFC Academy product put in some good hustle to win a 50/50 ball against the defender before breaking into the box. Hille’s first shot was blocked by a defender, but he made the rebound count.

Just under 10 minutes later, freshman forward Henrique Santos doubled the Pack’s lead. Asheville’s keeper attempted to clear the ball, but it only made it as far as freshman defender Will Buete, who headed it down to Santos. Santos received the ball and cut in before placing it perfectly in the bottom corner.

The Wolfpack poured on the chances in the second half, but the Bulldogs were able to hold fast until the 80th. Hille eventually broke the second-half deadlock with his second goal of the game, and third goal of his college career.

Having played for the NCFC u23s and trained with the NCFC first team all summer, Hille has been able to hit the ground running in his freshman season.

“Playing games in general with the u23s kept the fitness going, kept the right attitude and kept me in between the lines; obviously it’s about getting better every day,” Hille said.

“Then playing on top of that with the professional team. Being in a pro environment, it totally changed my lifestyle and the way I take on the game. These guys do it for a living, and hopefully that’s what I want to do one day as well, so I learned every day from them. They took me under their wing and taught me a lot of things, so it couldn’t be better than that.”

MEGAN MINOR/TECHNICIAN

Freshman forward Henrique Santos jumps into the arms of senior forward Ivy Brisma after scoring a goal. Santos had one assist and one goal during the 4-0 win against UNC-Asheville on Monday, Aug. 30, 2021.

Hille’s second goal opened the floodgates with senior midfielder Aidan Foster making it 4-0 just three minutes later.

“What I like about the last two goals: they were team goals,” Kiefer said. “Seven, 10, maybe even 20 passes. ...We do a ton of training for that.”

With Hille scoring twice, Foster scoring once and Buete picking up the assist on Santos’ goal, an NCFC Academy product had a hand in each of NC State’s four goals. Buete was one of the 15 academy players signed by NCFC prior to the start of the USL League One Season and while Foster is a few years removed from his time with NCFC, he has

also previously played for the u23s.

In the 87th minute, redshirt senior goalie Leon Krapf came up with a big save on a late penalty to preserve the shutout. He ended the game with three saves.

“I just wanted to get a shutout, obviously, but if you look at it, there wasn’t really that much pressure left,” Krapf said. “I tried to stay calm and I think that’s always a good attitude. Just focus on what you can control and don’t worry about the things I cannot control.”

With the win, the Pack improved to 2-0 on the season, a stark contrast from its winless fall in 2020.

“Growth happens outside of your comfort zone,” Krapf said. “We were outside of our comfort zone last season, and we went through some difficult times, but we kept together and reflected on what went wrong. We tried to fix the things that went wrong and now we’re back and we learned from that and that made us better. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season because I still think this team has a lot of potential to get even better.”

The Pack will stay in Raleigh for the George Tarantini classic, which consists of two games. The first game will be against Seton Hall on Sept. 3, and the second game will be against UCF on Sept. 6.

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LITMUS

heels. While Fortin has the legs to accomcontinued from page 11 plish the second portion of that, and the experience to do the third, he’s never shown much ability to be efficient in the pass game. Last season he threw eight passes and completed just four prior to suffering a season-ending injury, and his 39 passing yards and paltry 4.9 YPA doesn’t inspire confidence, especially considering he’s going up against one of the best defenses in the ACC. NC State returns all but one starter on the defensive side and has loaded up with transfer talent at key areas including defensive line, cornerback and safety. With the added experience and talent of those additions, the defense is in position to achieve the high expectations in its defensive core tenets.

“We expect those guys to battle in there for us and create havoc and disruption, and to beat the other team in plays in the backfield,” Doeren said. “We call them bombs, but how many bombs go off, where we’re in that backfield, versus our backfield? The next thing is defensive takeaways, how many times are we to get the ball back for our offense? I think that’s a big deal. … And lastly, it’s just [limiting opposing offense’s] explosive plays.”

At its first level, redshirt freshman defensive tackle C.J. Clark, graduate end Daniel Joseph and sophomore end Savion Jackson will likely lead off and will be a load for any Group of Five offensive line. Starting the year with South Florida’s line is a gift for a unit that’s in need of confidence building, and it should not have trouble stifling the Bulls’ rushing attack.

At linebacker, NC State has a vaunted group of players that really goes four deep. Led by team captains in redshirt junior Isaiah Moore and redshirt sophomore Payton Wilson, the second level has to be disruptive but under control, aggressive enough to shut down de-

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signed QB runs but able to stay home during Scott’s RPO actions. If the linebackers can force Fortin to beat the defense with his arm, defensive coordinator Tony Gibson will be a happy man.

In the secondary, there are two questions Thursday will begin to answer: how much can we expect from the newcomers, graduate cornerback Derrek Pitts and graduate safety Cyrus Fagan, and injury returnees, senior cornerback Chris Ingram and junior cornerback Teshaun Smith, and how disruptive can this defense be in the backend? Fortin isn’t the most dangerous signal caller in the country, so look for the defensive back to be aggressive in coverage, trusting that he can’t make them pay. If the unit comes away with multiple takeaways, that bodes well for the defense going forward.

On the offensive side, the biggest question mark isn’t at a skill position, it’s the offensive line and specifically who emerges at guard.

Head coach Dave Doeren mentioned during fall camp that injuries were hampering cohesion for the line as all five starters couldn’t practice together, and that lack of cohesion extends back to last year as injuries hamper

“We expect those guys to battle in there for us and create havoc and disruption, and to beat the other team in plays in the backfield.”

- Doeren

ADITYA PENUMARTI/TECHNICIAN

Redshirt freshman quarterback Devin Leary rushes against Louisville on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019, at Carter-Finley Stadium. Leary threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns in the 34-20 loss

the line. Getting the line a significant amount of game time together will prove extremely valuable.

It gets to take on a 3-3 USF front which ranked No. 106 in rushing defense and gave up nearly 5 yards a carry, and if there was ever a time to feel good about having two backs as good as sophomore Zonovan Knight and junior Ricky Person, it’s now. They are, Scott said, “probably some of the most talented p-backs we’ll see all year,» and if they don’t perform to expectations, the blame will likely reside with the men blocking for them.

In terms of the threat the Bulls pose in defending the pass, there isn’t much there either.

The team ranked a deceptively high No. 60 in the country in pass yards allowed, but its almost 13 yards allowed per completion mark shows how many explosive plays the

unit gives up. Teams with solid quarterback play performed well against the South Florida secondary, with UCF’s Dillon Gabriel in particular ripping it a new one with a 336-yard, 4-TD day against USF last year.

With Devin Leary solidly in command of this offense and an incredibly deep wide receivers room that matches up well size-onsize with the Bulls, the passing attack should do enough to keep the defense honest.

When the final buzzer sounds, we’ll know much more about NC State football than we did before kickoff, and not because of whether the Wolfpack wins or loses. Thursday is about how dominant a performance the Wolfpack can turn in. How explosive is it on offense, how stingy on defense, how clean on the penalty sheet? Those answers will give us an early gauge on the potential of this squad.

MLB Pack Pros: Turner, Rodόn key pieces heading down the stretch Rachel Umbach Staff Writer

It’s been good news these past few weeks for MLB Pack Pro fans as Carlos Rodόn has returned from the injured list with another successful start and Trea Turner has continued his dominant season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. These past few weeks have been crucial times for the Chicago White Sox and the Dodgers in the race to October, and both Rodόn and Turner have played a major part in ensuring their team’s success down the stretch.

Trea Turner, shortstop/second baseman, Los Angeles Dodgers Slashing .325/.367/.494 in his time with the Dodgers so far, it’s been busy for Turner as he continues to integrate himself into Los

Angeles’ lineup. Since his debut earlier this month, he’s played a large role in the Dodgers’ fight for a playoff spot, as they currently sit 2.5 games out of first place in the NL West.

In the 21 games he has started for LA, the Dodgers have gone 17-4, continuing their battle with their National League West rival, the San Francisco Giants.

Following a short series against the Pittsburgh Pirates back in mid-August, Turner made a splash in the series against the New York Mets. Going 7 for 12 in the first three games, with two RBIs and a home run, Turner was red-hot before cooling off and going 0 for 4 in the final game of the stretch.

Despite going just 1 for 6 in LA’s second game against the Padres back on Aug. 25, a clutch single in the 15th inning provided the Dodgers a much-needed insurance run to

grab the 3-1 lead in the eventual win.

He also played a key role in the Dodgers win over the Colorado Rockies back on Aug. 28, grabbing three of LA’s seven hits that night in his 15th game with more than three hits this year. Turner is now one of 13 players in the National League this season with 15 or more home runs and 10 or more stolen bases.

Carlos Rodón, left-handed pitcher, Chicago White Sox In his first game back from the injured list, Rodón pitched five innings against the Toronto Blue Jays, striking out three and giving up only two earned runs in a win.

Missing the Field of Dreams game with shoulder soreness, this was his first start since Aug. 7 against the Chicago Cubs. Despite an injury-riddled beginning to his career,

he seems to have overcome this particular setback. He will likely take extra precaution to stay healthy in the coming games, with the hope that he’ll be a key piece to the White Sox’s rotation down the stretch and come October.

Andrew Knizner, catcher, St. Louis Cardinals It’s been another quiet couple of weeks for Knizner. With just three appearances since Aug. 19, he went 1 for 4 with a strikeout against the Milwaukee Brewers, 0 for 3 with two strikeouts against the Detroit Tigers and 1 for 2 with a strikeout against the Pirates.

With the recent news that Cardinals’ starting catcher Yadier Molina will be retiring at the end of the 2022 season, now is the time for Knizner to prove that he deserves that starting spot in 2023.

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