INSIDE THIS EDITION: GOLDRUSH, CHARLOTTE VS. RICE PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA COMES TO CHARLOTTE FOR A FINAL CAMPAIGN EVENT FOR HILLARY CLINTON PG. 5
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OPINION WRITER JORDAN LOOKS AT THE CONCEPT OF VOTING FOR THE “LESSER OF TWO EVILS” THIS ELECTION YEAR PG. 8
NOV. 8 - NOV. 14, 2016
DISCOVER THE MAGIC FOUND IN THE DANCE DEPARTMENT’S FALL CONCERT PG. 10
VOL. 29, ISSUE 9
Cover photo by Ben Coon
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Making N.C. blue again President Barack Obama makes one last stop before Election Day in Charlotte to campaign for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign JASMINE TAYLOR MANAGING EDITOR
President Barack Obama returned to Charlotte last Friday in support of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign to encourage people to vote on Saturday and on Election Day. Thousands of people lined up at the PNC Pavilion to hear Obama speak. Because North Carolina is a swing state, both parties have paid a visit numerous times to get votes. PNC opened the doors to the public at 4 p.m., and a live DJ got everyone “fired up” before the President graced the stage. The event began around 6 p.m. with an opening performance from Johnson C. Smith University marching band. The band was then followed by guests speakers such as State Treasurer Dan Blue III, Gubernatorial candidate Roy Cooper and Rep. Alma Adams. Right before Obama made his debut, Charlotte native and public figure by the name of Dennis Reed Jr. introduced him with a speech touching on the seriousness of voting during this election year and being “fired up” to make change. Obama opened his speech by stressing how North Carolinians have four days to vote in this election, which will decide the future of this country. He stated that Saturday was the last day to register and vote on the same day, and even mentioned UNC Charlotte as one of the sites to do so at the Cone Center. “I need you to vote, the country needs you to vote! Because I don’t know about you, but I like to finish what I started,” Obama said He then went on to talk about how if we vote for Clinton, we all can continue to finish what his plans were for the country eight years ago when he was first elected. He also
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President Obama speaks at PNC Pavilion in Charlotte. Photo by Leysha Caraballo
brought up how America was living through two long and painful wars; Both economically and physically with our troops still fighting in battle. With the recession going on during that time, America was entering into the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Obama also talked about how within in the last year there was a rise in income at the fastest pace in four decades. During his presidency, he was able to create over 15 million jobs, lower unemployment, launch ObamaCare, raise Pell Grants and lower gas prices. “The reason this happened wasn’t just luck, it had to do with policies that were thought through. But it most of all had to do with our
greatest asset and that is you, the American people. People of every party, people of every color and background, who understand we are stronger together.” Both Obama and Clinton stand on a platform that espouses that it shouldn’t matter the circumstances into which a person is born, everyone should be able to live out their dreams. He stated how Clinton has devoted her life to help under privileged people, from all different backgrounds, making her the best candidate to be our next president. He goes on to talk about Clinton’s opponent Donald Trump’s tax returns, sexual misconduct with women, prejudices against people of color and insults, stating how
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untrustworthy and unfit Trump is as a potential president and how if Trump is this disrespectful towards America while running for president, imagine the disrespect afterwards if he wins this election. Obama wrapped up his speech by telling everyone to choose hope, not fear. He reiterated the importance in voting during this election, both locally and nationally, stating all the issues that Clinton stands for, and how America has to just give her a chance to prove herself, that we should also finish what we started and remind the world how great we already are. “You don’t have to just vote against somebody, but for somebody”.
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THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING TICKETS
Lack of student attendance at football games leaves little chance for student section’s return to glory, hundreds of seats go unfilled NICK CROPPER NEWS EDITOR
Two years ago, the Student Government Association proposed a bill that would address the issue of low attendance at home football games for the 2015 season. That bill would effectively cut the amount of seats reserved for students in half, reducing it from 8,000 to the current number of 4,500 and giving those seats to the public. However, this did not entirely solve the problem and hundreds of seats go unfilled in the student section each game. There is no clear answer to the issue of students claiming tickets for games and not using them. “I don’t know what the answer is,”
UNC Charlotte Athletic Director Judy Rose said. “We’d gladly give [the seats] back or provide them if that became a need. Our goal is to fill the stadium, that’s it. Whether it is students in the seat or paying people, we want the atmosphere in here to be as such that nobody wants to come in here and play us.” There is a discrepancy between tickets that are claimed and tickets that are actually used come game time. During the first four home games this season, an average of 54.6 percent of students who ordered tickets used them. There are still two home games left in the season and there is room for this average
to increase or decrease. After the 49ers win against Marshall, Rose hopes that this will encourage more attendance for the final two games. “We haven’t had the big wins at home for students to see or our other fans ... but that is a very big win for our program,” Rose said. “ So will that impact attendance? I’m hoping it will.” The average percentage of student ticket usage has dropped steadily since the program’s first game in 2013. This means that the gap of tickets claimed versus tickets used is only growing wider. According to statistics kept by 49er Athletics, in 2013, the average ticket
usage for the year was 66.9 percent. In 2014, the percentage dropped to 6 percent. In 2015, the average dropped to 56.4 percent. However, the number of tickets used at home games is on the rise from last year’s numbers and the year before that. In 2013, an average of 2,500 tickets were used for each home game; this number grew to 3,059 in 2015 and again to the current average of 3,531 for the current season with two games remaining. “The number of people that are actually going [to games] is higher than last year on average, so we’re Cont. on page 5
Students fill the student section during the Homecoming Game against Florida International University with noticable gaps. Photo by Chris Crews
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STUDENT SEATING, cont. going in the right direction there,” Associate Athletic Director for Ticket and Facility Operations John George said. The game with the most student attendance of this season was the first home game against Elon. Students claimed well over the 4,000 seat limit, ordering 7,857 tickets, but only 4,648 tickets were actually used. In comparison, the lowest recorded student attendance for the current season was the game against Old Dominion University. Students ordered 4,518 tickets, but only 2,055 were used. The lowest attended home football game in UNC Charlotte’s young football program was the 2014 game against Coastal Carolina University where only 1,329 students attended. These numbers include student guest tickets as well. Every UNC Charlotte student is allowed to bring one guest for free. The first 49er Athletics home game against Campbell in 2013 had the highest recorded student attendance of any game in any season. Of the 7,785 tickets claimed, 5,911 tickets were used equaling 75.9 percent. “The first year was our absolute best year,” Rose said. When SGA had originally proposed the Student Seating Allocation bill for the 2015 season, the draft had included a penalty system for students who claimed tickets, but did not use them. However, there is no such system currently being enforced by Athletics. This is mainly because the demand for student tickets at football games has not reached a point that would warrant a penalty system being put in place. “It really comes down to supply and demand as to why the penalty phase hasn’t been implemented,”
George said. “Because the demand has not warranted a penalty structure, it really hasn’t been activated.” Since UNC Charlotte’s first football game in 2013, the demand has never been such that a student would be denied entry to the stadium on game day. However, if a penalty system were to be implemented, this would most likely be the reason why. “Where a penalty system could come into play is if you get a ticket and don’t use it and this affects another student from getting into the game, that’s where the penalty could be,” George said. Penalties could be either loyalty points based or there could be a system where if a student has claimed tickets for a game and fails
“IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO SUPPLY AND DEMAND AS TO WHY THE PENALTY PHASE HASN’T BEEN IMPLEMENTED.” JOHN GEORGE
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to show on multiple occasions during a season, then they could lose their privileges for the rest of that season. The NCAA requires that, for televised games, there be a minimum of 15,000 people in attendance. For UNC Charlotte, that means having at least that many students and paying attendants in the 15,300 capacity stadium. Since the student section has only averaged 23.5 percent of the minimum requirement, the rest of the unfilled seats go to the general public. “Students pay a student fee and we certainly want [students] to be at the games, but if they’re not going to come, then we need to sell those tickets and get people in those seats,” Rose said. As long as tickets were purchased for at least a third of their full price, then the people who own those tickets do not need to be present at the game for their attendance to count. However, students must be in their seats if they are to count towards the 15,000 attendance minimum. Despite the lack of student attendance, UNC Charlotte does meet the 15,000 requirement.
Average number of student tickets ordered (solid) versus tickets used (dashes) per year. Graphic by Michael Kuhn
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Photos by Ben Coon
WOMEN’S SOCCER WINS C-USA TOURNAMENT, ADVANCES TO NCAA TREVOR WILT SPORTS EDITOR
The Charlotte 49ers shut out the Florida Atlantic Owls, 4-0, Sunday afternoon at Transamerica Field while scoring three goals in the first half and one to cap off the game in the second, capturing the 2016 Conference USA Women’s Soccer Championship. With the win, the 49ers clinched a trip to the NCAA tournament for just the fifth time in program history, and the first under head coach John Cullen. “The disappointment of not getting in last year fueled us, and drove us on to be a better team and a better program,” said Cullen. “We addressed a few things internally to become better teammates, and I just think the closeness of this group has been outstanding. I’m immensely proud of the group, of how they’ve worked for 12 months to get to this point.” As the No. 6-seed in the tournament, the 49ers did not have an easy trail to the championship game against FAU, needing penalty kicks against No. 3-seed Western Kentucky in the quarterfinals and a shutout to slide by No. 7-seed UTEP. FAU (12-8-2) carried the fourthseed in the tournament, dominating Louisiana Tech 3-0 and sneaking
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by North Texas 3-2. With an NCAA tournament bid on the line, these two high-powered offenses made for an exciting championship game. Charlotte (11-8-2) wasted no time in netting their first goal of the half, scoring in just the sixth minute, using three freshman to do so. Riley Orr, an All-C-USA Third Team and All-C-USA Freshman Team selection, lined up for a corner on the far side of the field, centering the ball into the box with perfect loft to Megan Greene. Greene, named the C-USA Freshman of the Year, headed the ball to 5-foot-11 Julia Grainda who waited patiently at the goal line, heading it just by the C-USA Keeper of the Year, Sydney Drinkwater, to put the 49ers up 1-0. After 20 more minutes of action on the pitch, the 49ers used another cross-to-header connection to jump out to a two-goal lead in the 26th minute. Senior Kaitlyn Walker finessed her way around a defender on the right side, sending the ball into the box to a wide-open Katie O’Neill, heading the ball to the far post to give the 49ers a 2-0 edge. The 49ers used their aggressive attack that they displayed all tournament long to set up another
opportunity in the 46th minute. Orr worked her way by the FAU backline down the left side of the field, pitching a ball to the top of the six-yard box, with Greene waiting to attack. The star-studded freshman, Greene, found the back of the net with a header, putting Charlotte up by three goals in the championship game. Heading into halftime, the 49ers held a 10-6 shot advantage, barely making keeper Anna Sheldon break a sweat, using spectacular play from defenders Abby Taylor, Walker, Orr and Shelby Hicks. Coming out of the break, Charlotte figured three goals weren’t enough, so they added a fourth just two minutes into the second half. C-USA Offensive Player of the Year Martha Thomas received a corner from Orr, who then one-touched the ball over to Emily Truelove. With only two goals on the season for the sophomore out of Garner, N.C., Truelove earned the 49ers fourth goal of the game with a strike from 20 yards out in the 47th minute. With a four-goal lead, the 49ers also put on a defensive showcase in front of their home crowd, only allowing two shots to be on-
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goal, speaking volumes to how fundamentally sound coach Cullen’s team is. By getting the win at their home field, the 49ers improved to 9-1-1 at Transamerica Field, feeding off of a loud crowd that nearly reached 700 fans. “This program hasn’t been to the NCAA tournament in many years— it’s definitely a big step for us,” said try-captain Thomas. “We’re looking forward to it. We’re going to prepare all week, get our bodies some rest after three games in five days.” After raising the C-USA Championship trophy, there were a few ladies for the 49ers who brought home hardware of their own: Katie O’Neill, All-Tournament Offensive MVP; Shelby Hicks, All-Tournament Defensive MVP; Anna Sheldon, AllTournament Team; Kelley Suggs, All-Tournament Team. With the win, Charlotte earned an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, awaiting their seed and opponent with Monday’s selection show beginning at 4:30 p.m. The First Round of the tournament will be set for Nov. 11, 12 or 13.
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CHARLOTTE VS. RICE · NOV. 12, 2016
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STAFF PICKS FINAL SCORE: CHAR 34 Rice 10 “49ers use momentum on the road to win at home. Kalif and Robert show-out in front of Jerry Richardson Stadium. Special teams and defense stay hot.”
FINAL SCORE: CHAR 28, Rice 13 “Charlotte is going to use the momentum from their past two wins to collect another win against Rice this Saturday. Klugh is on a roll and Kalif will rack up another 100-yard game.”
FINAL SCORE: CHAR 35, Rice 14 “Rice is dead last against the run in C-USA. Charlotte is the best at running in the conference. Simple stats tell a lot, Kalif Phillips and company should have a field day.”
FINAL SCORE: CHAR 30, Rice 21 “The backfield will put on another show, gain 200 yards and carry the Niners to their fifth win.”
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GOLDRUSH · A NINER TIMES SPECIAL SECTION
CHARLOTTE RETURNS TO JERRY RICHARDSON TO HOST RICE ANDY GUSTAFSON ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
Charlotte football is rolling. The 49ers are making a statement in the Conference USA, defeating Southern Miss in Hattiesburg to earn their second-straight victory. Unlike their previous two wins, Charlotte beat Southern Miss in convincing fashion, 38-27. Kalif Phillps carried the 49ers, running for a season-high 183 yards, breaking off a 72yard run in the process. Phillps didn’t find the endzone, but Charlotte managed to rush for three touchdowns against the Golden Eagle defense. Hassan Klugh had another impressive performance, passing and rushing for a touchdown. Now, Larry Ogunjobi shushes the crowd at Marshall. Photo by Kathleen Cook all of a sudden, Charlotte is beginning to look for real. “This is an unbelievable place three of the last four games. If Phillps had gained to come down here and play,” head coach Brad one more yard against FIU, then it would be a Lambert said on the win. “This is a good program four-game streak with 100 yards rushing. The and this is huge for us to come in here and get senior is on the way to his second 1,000 yard this win.” rushing year, sitting at 741 yards so far. Playing away from the Queen City has been But it’s not only Phillps. True freshman Robert sweet to Charlotte, but the 49ers return to Jerry Washington is keeping the engine rolling while Richardson to play Rice. Charlotte only has one Phillps rests. With Phillps injured earlier in the win at home, opposed to their three wins away. season, Washington had his number called. And Last season, Rice defeated Charlotte 27-7. the freshman responded. Washington ran for 120 Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday. It is the yards against Eastern Michigan and had two first early kickoff of the season for Charlotte. touchdowns against Elon. Since then, Washington playing time has been cut, but he remains ready EMBRACE WHO YOU ARE when his number is called. Last week agaisnt The Charlotte running game is taking over. Southern Miss, Washington had 94 yards and a That’s not to discredit the production Klugh has touchdown on six carries. That’s what you call given the Charlotte offense. It’s clear that running making the most of your opportunity. the ball has become the identity for the offense. Not only are the running backs tearing up In fact, Charlotte is first in rushing in the C-USA, defenses, but Klugh is an added dimesion in the averaging 198 yards a game. running game. Klugh has ran for a touchdown in Phillps is on a hot streak as of late, garnering each game he has started. When Klugh isn’t able 20-plus carries and rushing for over 100 yards to move the ball down the field through the air, CHARLOTTE VS. RICE · NOV. 12, 2016
he still makes defenses honest with his legs. For Charlotte, stick with what works. Running the ball is the simplest way to move the ball. The passing game has taken over football, but there is nothing wrong with a little ground and pound. RICE SCOUTING REPORT The Rice Owls, coached by David Bailiff, sit at 1-8 on the season. Their lone win of the season came against Prairie View A&M. That doesn’t mean Charlotte can take it easy though. While Rice doesn’t excel in any particular area, it’s games like this that can be labeled as a trap. Rice is led by redshirt senior Tyler Stehling at quarterback, who has 11 touchdowns on the season. But Stehling isn’t the safest with the ball, with six interceptions as well. Also, Rice has Samuel Stewart and two other players with at least three rushing touchdowns, so the Owls have options at running back. But defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi, Charlotte’s best defensive player in program history, has been playing at an extremely high level this season, recently having the best run-stop percentage of any interior defensive lineman in college football. The good news is that Rice sits dead last in rushing defense in C-USA, giving up 223 yards a game. There could be a field day for Phillps and company at Jerry Richardson Stadium. Also, Rice gives up 40 points a game, a mark the 49ers have yet to reach this season. This is a winnable game for Charlotte. The 49ers have shown they can do it on the road, winning three in a row, and it’s time to show that they can defend home turf as well. With a win, Charlotte can move within one game from being bowl eligible.
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BRAD LAMBERT: FROM FARM FIELDS TO THE QUEEN CITY KATHLEEN COOK SPORTS EDITOR
The first time I saw Brad Lambert’s abilities in action he was on the sidelines of the 2007 Orange Bowl after he helped a 15th-ranked Wake Forest team to their seventh bowl game in the team’s history and a program best 11-3 season. A few years later coach Lambert and I both decided that green pairs better with gold than black does and we both now call Charlotte home. Long before Lambert put on the headset and coached, he put on the pads and found his love for the game in the sixth grade. “As a kid I grew up watching the Steelers, they had a guy playing for them named Jack Lambert. He was a great player, we had the same last name and the Steelers were winning Super Bowls. Seeing that on TV and then playing the game I just fell in love with the game,” Lambert said. After harnessing a passion for the sport in sixth grade, Lambert stayed athletic, playing football and basketball while running track throughout his high school days. He went on to have a stellar career as a defensive back at Kansas State. After he graduated, Lambert initially thought that meant hanging up his cleats and following in his father’s footsteps. “When I got out of Kansas State I had a degree in finance and I thought ultimately I would get into the banking industry like my father,” Lambert said. Instead, Lambert took the advice of one of his coaches and stuck with the sport, becoming a graduate assistant at the University of Oklahoma. There he formed a relationship with the offensive coordinator, Jim Donnan. A few years later Donnan left Oklahoma for Marshall, where he was named the head coach of the Thundering Herd. Following Donnan to Huntington was Lambert, who was given his
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first official coaching position. After a successful five-year stint at Marshall, Lambert and Donnan packed their bags and moved to Athens, Ga., where Donnan was asked to coach the Bulldogs. “Coach Donnan was really good to me from the stand point that he gave me my first job. He took me to a school like the University of Georgia where he probably could have hired anyone he wanted, but he brought me along,” Lambert said. After four years in Georgia, Lambert parted ways with Donnan and took a job at Wake Forest as a linebacker coach. He was promoted to defensive coordinator in time for the 2007 Orange Bowl run. During his time with the Demon Deacons, Lambert picked up the coaching style of head coach Jim Grobe. “I had a couple chances to leave Wake, but I never did because I liked the way he ran the office,” Lambert said. “I really liked his philosophy, the way he did things.” Part of his job with Wake Forest was recruiting in the Charlotte region. Being in the area, he heard rumors of the 49ers starting a football program. With a piqued interest, Lambert reached out to the university expressing his interest in the program and a job interview was set up. In the interview, Lambert was shown the plan that Judy Rose and the athletic department had drawn up and was impressed. After leaving the interview, Lambert was “really fired up” about the future of 49er football. In less than three weeks it was announced that Lambert would helm the football program at Charlotte and he began his first head coaching job in March 2011. “When you make the jump from assistant coach to head coach, you have to deal with a lot of things you never dealt with as an assistant. Then you throw in the aspect of
it being a start-up program, I was the only guy here for a month. We didn’t have pens, pads of paper or anything. The to-do list was overwhelming at first,” Lambert said. In addition to designing the stadium and picking out jersey styles, Lambert and his four-person staff had the task of piecing together the first recruiting class of Charlotte football. Believing in the ‘if you build it they will come’ mantra, the coaching staff kept working and sure enough, they welcomed their first class of players the summer of 2012. “It was a cool day when they finally got here and checked in for class. We got to issue them gear and we moved into the new facility. It was like we were here, we’re finally doing this,” Lambert said. Undoubtedly one of the most memorable moments for Lambert came a year later when Charlotte officially kicked off their football history against Campbell. “There were so many unknowns. We had never coached together, the guys had never played together, the school had never put on a game
before. The way that day went off was really one of the highlights of this whole thing. There’s nothing like the first game in school history,” Lambert said. “That day we were like ‘Okay, we can do this.’” Four years after the first wave of players reported to the 49ers, the program is hitting its stride. Charlotte is currently on a two-game winning streak and is two wins away from being bowl eligible in their second season in the FBS -- the first season they are even bowl-eligible. After such a quick and successful start, the only way is up for the 49er football program. “I would like to see our program in bowl games. You want to develop a program and a tradition where you’re consistently going to bowl games and winning games and you’re seeing the kids graduate,” Lambert said. From a farm in Kansas to the Queen City and all of his stops in between, Coach Lambert has been an asset to the 49ers from the beginning, and hopefully he will be on the sidelines to see the team to their first bowl game.
Brad Lambert watches a play unfold on the sidelines. Photo by Kathleen Cook
GOLDRUSH · A NINER TIMES SPECIAL SECTION
COVINGTON FOR PRESIDENT KATHLEEN COOK SPORTS EDITOR
Jamal Covington is a name recognizable to members of Niner Nation not only for his accomplishments on the field, but also for the work he does in his community. Covington was recently recognized for his efforts off the field when he was nominated for the Wuerffel Trophy, an award presented by the All Sports Association in an effort to recognize the FBS player that showcases high marks in community service, athletics and academics. In addition, Covington was named to an NFL’s 16 in ‘16 “Who could run for President one day.” Covington has been named to the Athletic Director’s List in five of his eight semesters after recording a GPA of above 3.0. He also spent this past summer interning with the Charlotte Community Scholars. Through his internship he worked with the Charlotte Action Research Project and developed a geospatial app for the Enderly Park neighborhood. “I really saw how people who were less fortunate were disconnected from the resources they needed,” Covington said. “It’s something I have a strong passion for. I can use geographic information systems to better the community and better other people’s lives.”
Being a football player at Charlotte gives Covington the ability to reach a larger audience. “That Charlotte brand holds a lot of weight in the community. It makes people want to listen and it makes people really want to pay attention to what you’re trying to say,” Covington said. During his time as a 49er, Covington has joined with three other student-athletes to form the Student-Athlete Ambassador Program. The group formed the club after attending the 2015 Athletic Prevention Programming and Leadership Education conference in Washington D.C. After the Student-Athlete Ambassador Program found success on the Charlotte campus, the quartet went back the next year to the same conference and presented the details of their program. “It’s a very humbling opportunity,” Covington said. “It’s something that I feel like will be a part of my legacy. We feel like it’s been very effective in dealing with student-athletes. We create an atmosphere that student-athletes feel like they have someone to talk to other than an authoritative figure such as a coach or a teacher.” In addition to helping student-athletes succeed, Covington is also interested in helping a larger audience: the surrounding community. In light
of recent events in Charlotte, Covington attended an event in which young black men, the Mayor of Charlotte, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and the national organization of law enforcement converged in an event set up by the White House. “I’m trying to facilitate action and facilitate change within the community,” Covington said. In addition to his community service and academic successes, Covington can be seen under the lights on Saturday nights making an impact as well. After joining Niner Nation with the inaugural class, the Fayetteville, Ga. native has started in 32 of the 33 games in which he has seen playing time in. Thanks to his blocking efforts, Charlotte was able to have the fifth leading rusher in Kalif Phillips last season. “It’s all about being the absolute best in whatever you do. I try to show people you can be a phenomenal student athlete as well as a phenomenal human being. A phenomenal teammate as well as a phenomenal person. I feel like it’s a direct reflection of the people I’m around,” Covington said. “Hats off to my coaches, to my teammates, they’ve really helped me grow and mold me into the young man I am today.”
2016 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE THURSDAY, SEPT. 1
FRIDAY, OCT. 1
SATURDAY, NOV. 5
Louisville, Ky.
Jerry Richardson Stadium
Hattiesburg, Miss.
Old Dominion
Southern Miss
6 p.m. L, 52-17
3:30 p.m. W, 38-27
SATURDAY, SEPT. 10
SATURDAY, OCT. 8
SATURDAY, NOV. 12
Jerry Richardson Stadium
Boca Raton, Fla.
#19/#23 Louisville 7 p.m. L, 70-14
Elon
6 p.m. W, 47-14
Florida Atlantic 3:30 p.m. W, 28-23
Rice
Jerry Richardson Stadium
2 p.m.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 17
SATURDAY, OCT. 15
SATURDAY, NOV. 19
Jerry Richardson Stadium
Jerry Richardson Stadium
Jerry Richardson Stadium
6 p.m. L, 27-26
2 p.m.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 24
SATURDAY, OCT. 22
SATURDAY, NOV. 26
Philadelphia, Pa.
Huntington, W.Va.
San Antonio, Texas
E. Michigan 6:00 p.m. L, 38-19
Temple Noon L, 48-20
FIU
Marshall 5:30 p.m. W, 27-24
CHARLOTTE VS. RICE · NOV. 12, 2016
Midd. Tennessee
UTSA 7 p.m.
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NINERS HALT EAGLES IN HATTIESBURG
ZACH TIMMONS STAFF WRITER
After a slow start to the 2016 football season, the Charlotte 49ers got another crucial win on the road and now find themselves needing only two wins to qualify for a bowl game. Once again, the Charlotte backfield did significant damage, and the Niners toppled the Southern Mississippi Eagles, 38-27, in their own stadium. Charlotte struck gold first, as dual threat quarterback Hasaan Klugh ran in a score from seven yards out on Charlotte’s opening drive. However, USM countered with quick scores-- both on plays created by quarterback Chris Mullens. The second touchdown, a 78-yard pass play, came with only 35 seconds remaining in the first frame. However, that would be the only points USM would score until the fourth quarter. At the 13:29 mark of the second quarter, Charlotte tailback Robert Washington broke free for a 58yard touchdown that tied the score at 14 apiece. Washington, a true freshman, finished the game with 94 yards rushing on only six carries. Then, at the tail end of the half, USM broke down. First, Charlotte’s Chris Montgomery got free for a nine yard touchdown run with 1:46 remaining. Then, with 35 ticks left on the clock, receiver TL Ford III scored on a 18-yard touchdown pass from Klugh. Ford’s score gave the Niners a commanding 28-14 lead going into
BY THE NUMBERS
intermission. Klugh only finished 11-24 for 127 yards, but he accounted for those two touchdowns and also rushed for 21 yards. Meanwhile, senior running back Kalif Phillips finished the game with 186 yards on 29 carries. Saturday marked Phillips’s sixth straight 100-yard game. “He’s really doing a nice job,” coach Brad Lambert said when asked about Klugh. “He gets a little bit better each week, and he’s just got to continue to work and grow and mature. He’s playing really well for us, and in two really tough environments, he’s come in on the road and held his composure and done a nice job.” Lambert also praised the backfield effort. “I thought that was one of the better defenses we’re gonna face, and they just have really played at a high level. So for our guys to come in here and run the ball like that is really, really big and something we can continue to build off of.” The third quarter was all Charlotte, and the defense was on full display. First, placekicker Blake Brewer knocked in a short 22-yard field goal. Then, Juwan Foggie got though the USM offensive line and blocked a punt, his second punt block of his career. Defensive back Ed Rolle recovered it in the end zone for another score, increasing the Charlotte lead to 38-14.
Defensively, linebacker Nick Cook led the team with 10 tackles; Ben DeLuca and Karrington King finished with nine and eight tackles, respectively. Meanwhile defensive backs Daquan Lucas and Terrence Winchester had a field day for Charlotte. Winchester picked off two passes and Lucas intercepted one, helping Charlotte win the turnover battle and change the momentum of the game. The Eagles managed to score two touchdowns in the final quarter while holding Charlotte scoreless, but they could get no closer. Ito Smith and Parker Adamson both scored on runs inside the redzone, but Charlotte was able to keep possession of the ball and left Hattiesburg with another win. “It shows that we’re working. We work Monday through Friday in all facets of the game-- special teams, offense and defense. So I’m just really proud of where we’re at,” Winchester said in his postgame presser. “It’s really a blessing. I just want to give a shoutout to my teammates and the coaches for trusting me and letting me make plays.” Charlotte returns home and will look for its fifth win next Saturday, Nov. 12, as they take on the Rice Owls at Jerry Richardson Stadium. The game kicks off at 2 p.m.
NICK COOK LINEBACKER
10 TACKLES, 1 SACK
KALIF PHILLIPS RUNNINGBACK
29 CARRIES, 186 YARDS
ROBERT WASHINGTON RUNNINGBACK
6 CARRIES, 94 YARDS 1 TOUCHDOWN
Charlotte is the first team to defeat both Marshall and Southern Miss on the road in C-USA history
Photos by Chris Crews and Leysha Caraballo
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GOLDRUSH · A NINER TIMES SPECIAL SECTION
CHARLOTTE VS. RICE · NOV. 12, 2016
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GOLDRUSH · A NINER TIMES SPECIAL SECTION
WHAT DO WE LOSE WHEN WE SETTLE?
The danger of supporting the “lesser evil” JORDAN BRUSSO INTERN
In rhetoric, the lesser evil principle extends back as far as the Greek myth of Scylla and Charybdis in Homer. In the story, Scylla is a monster who manifested itself as a six-headed rock while Charybdis materialized as a whirlpool, both of whom were located in the sea between Italy and Sicily. Odysseus had to choose which monster to confront in order for his ship to pass. Scylla was ultimately chosen as Odysseus decided that losing a few sailors against the rock would be worth it instead of risking losing the entire ship in the whirlpool. From this story is where our culture has derived the specific idiom: “between a rock and a hard place.” This notion has shifted forms and travelled through time, and today I feel it suits this election as well. For some, Trump may be seen as a whirlpool, spinning in all directions, going back-and-forth on his ideologies and never settling on concrete plans for the United States’ future. And Clinton may then be seen as a firm rock, something to grab for shelter, normalcy and stability while Trump spins on. But let’s not forget the oppressed and neglected communities who get caught and shredded on the jagged edges of her foreign and domestic policies. If we look at almost any previous presidential election, the moments leading up to Election Day seem to always make us think, “This candidate isn’t perfect, but compared to that one they’ll have to do.” From John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon, to Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, to Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush, to Al Gore and George W.
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Students and community members in line for early voting. Photo by Leysha Caraballo
Bush, we’ve seen these all become a lose-lose game of who’s “less evil.” Hillary Clinton has been a heavy supporter of both Israel and its Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. The implications of her apologetic relationship, as she speaks only of a future in which two states exist: Israel and Palestine, neglect the disproportionate loss of life, the loss and destruction of land, and the revocation of basic human rights faced by Palestinian people. For the past 70 years, Palestinians have been stuck between a rock and a hard place. Clinton proposes we support the lesser of two evil options: giving Palestinian people some of their land back, as opposed to fully allowing Israel continue its claim over what was once Palestine. When people settle for Hillary, they settle for an evil which allows Israel to openly discriminate based on
identity and to continue the battle and destruction of Palestinian livelihood. Lesser evilism doesn’t work for everyone. It’s only made possible because Americans have been cultured to see certain people as lesser human beings. A recent domestic example can be found in Morton County, N.D., where Indigenous People are physically fighting in order to maintain the Treaty of 1851 which granted them the land that is now being violated by the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Clinton finally released a statement Thursday saying that everyone involved needs to “find a path that serves the broadest public interest.” Clinton may as well have kept her mouth shut as her weak statement further perpetrates our culture which views the Indigenous as being less than
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and undeserving of a right as basic as water. When Charlotteans settle for Clinton, they have to know that it might not be long before North Carolina will have to partake in the same fight as the water protectors in North Dakota since construction of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline is currently in the route-planning stages. Let’s not fall into this trap of settling for the lesser of two evil presidential candidates. While you will never hear me encourage a person not to vote, you also won’t hear me condemning those who choose alternate routes such as third party or voter abstinence. Those who control our status quo hate to see resistance, which is precisely the reason we must spend the next four years fighting to dismantle the entire system which places us all between the rock and the whirlpool.
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RUMINATIONS ON DATING
Prepping for the onslaught of family conversations at Thanksgiving DAVID SHEPPERD INTERN
As Thanksgiving break approaches, there are three things that I know I have to look forward to: an assortment of delicious foods, an assortment of delicious family arguments, and about 85 people asking me how my dating life is going. “Are you dating anyone?” “Who’s the lucky girl?” “You know, I’ll bet you have all the girls chasing after you constantly...” Ummm, thank you – why are we having this conversation? I’m going to answer these questions in the best way I know how. Here’s the thing – I don’t date much. Sometimes I’ll get really dressed up and go to a fancy restaurant, and I’ll have a very nice conversation with the waitress. She usually convinces me to get the dessert, and I like to think it’s because she just really wants me to enjoy my meal, but then I realize that she kept pushing it because it’s her job. And then when the meal is over, I leave her a huge tip, because in my mind she’ll probably use it to eat sometime, so it’s as if I’m buying her dinner. A perfect evening I’d say. Although this scenario may sound stupid or pathetic, it’s pretty much exactly what a date is for the guy involved. We as guys give our date a huge tip for having a conversation with us, and coaxing us into buying dessert with our meal. I dare you tell me I’m wrong – search your feelings, and you know it to be true. I don’t even understand a lot of the rules that go along with dating. Like why does the guy have to shave before a date? The girl isn’t expected to cut her nails. Sometimes girls will put plastic on their nails to lengthen them, so if she’s allowed to show up to the date with witch’s nails, I think I’m allowed to show up with a huge Santa Claus beard. And last but not least, the big question. What are we going to do?
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President Obama pardons Abe the turkey last year in the presence of the National Turkey Federation Chairman. Photo via Tribune News Service
Are we going to a movie, taking a nice walk through the park or going with the classic ‘get dinner’ plan? Let’s be honest here, no matter what all is included on this date, we’re going to get dinner as well. So here’s a question – where are we going to dinner? Wendy’s? Sounds good to me, probably not to her though. So a place nicer than Wendy’s, IHOP? - I don’t know. It’s always in the back of my mind that when I say “I thought we’d go to IHOP,” that her response will be
“Who goes to IHOP on a date? Are we 12?” IHOP is delicious, man, and if 12-year-olds are the only ones going to IHOP on dates, then they’re the smartest people on Earth. I also like when sometimes, since we’re in college, our first thought is – let’s just go to the dining hall together. Which may sound good, but it isn’t good. For one thing, I’m not going to enjoy that. My entire life is constructed around avoiding the dining hall at all costs. The big
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thing that I will never understand about dining halls is that they serve the weirdest combinations known to man, and act as if it’s totally normal. When was the last time that someone went to McDonalds and said “I’ll have the Big Mac with cooked cabbage?” That guy was probably also on a date – at McDonalds. So does that answer your question Aunt Lucy? By the way, your apple pie is excellent. I just love family gatherings. See you at Christmas.
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Photo by Jeff Cravotta
DANCING INTO FALL Dance students shine at the Fall Dance Concert ELISSA MILLER STAFF WRITER
Every year, UNC Charlotte’s Dance Department works hard to put on their annual fall dance concert. The choreography comes from many esteemed choreographers in the dance world and features a variety of styles, from ballet to vintage jazz. It features performances from various students in the department. The concert opened with a large group number entitled “Triangle Circle Square.” Dancers in bright red and yellow costumes performed this upbeat dance that had a special focus on geometric patterns. This was seen clearly in the choreography by Delia Neil. The dancers often held their arms in straight lines and organized themselves in various formations such as circles and V shapes. By far, the most moving dance of the evening was “Broken Pärts,” choreographed by Rachel T. Tucker. It explores the experience of loss by examining the five stages of grief: denial, isolation, guilt, anger and acceptance. It begins with a sole dancer in front of a black curtain, clearly distraught. She begins to move through
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her loss and is then joined by three other dancers. I watched as the dancers moved ever closer to each other, almost touching, before they pulled themselves away in isolation. The performance sent chills up my spine. Each dancer truly showcased the emotions in the piece; one can even hear their distraught breaths over the sound of the music. In the end, the dancer comes through her loss to the other side and runs into the audience. It’s truly beautiful to watch. Following this came “Flower Festival at Genzano Pas de Deux,” a ballet duet choreographed by August Bournonville. The dancers were playful with one another and had excellent chemistry. They allowed each to showcase their individual talents in solos and then join together for their duets. It leaves the viewer feeling excited and happy, a great contrast to “Broken Pärts.” Opening the concert after intermission came a trio ballet number named “Sleeping Beauty Act III Jewels.” Similar to the previous dance, this piece allowed for many different arrangements NOV. 8 - NOV. 14, 2016
of the performers. Not only did they perform in a trio, they also split into duets where each had individual solos. By doing this, choreographer Marius Petipa gave each dancer a moment to shine and showcase their abilities. The costumes for this dance were exceptionally gorgeous, covered in silver jewels and topped off with large sparkling crowns. “I.I.W.I.I. Revisited” provided a strong contrast from the previous dances, adding a bit of almost musical theater style performance. The group of dancers performed an arrangement of vintage jazz dances while playing various characters with names like Saucin’ Susie and Jivin’ Joanie. The steps such as Rubber Legs and Scarecrow are authentic as are the floor patterns. The dancers exuded energy and the entire dance felt fun and unique. It was arranged by Karen W. Hubbard in collaboration with the Jazz Apple Dancers and the current cast of dancers. It was originally performed in the spring 2014 dance concert.
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STANDING WITH STANDING ROCK “Every day becomes our history; every day becomes a story.” HEATHER BENSON STAFF WRITER
The performance of Larry Yazzie was promoted to students at UNC Charlotte as a Native American Dance concert, but it was so much more. Yazzie and manager/performer Christal Moose teamed together to take their audience on a musical and spiritual journey. Before Moose introduced Yazzie, she took the time to tell her audience a little bit about their reservation culture and the issues that Native American people face every day, including the recent controversy at Standing Rock Indian Reservation in the Dakotas. She then sang a song in which she expressed her gratefulness towards water and dedicated it to the Native American tribe at Standing Rock and the controversy itself. Her tone was meaningful, somber, and she held the room’s attention in her voice. When Yazzie took the stage next, that attention didn’t waver. Throughout the show, the tone was meaningful. Yazzie began, after also speaking about Standing Rock and Native American culture, with a flute song. Like Moose, Yazzie dedicated his song to the tribes affected by the Dakota Pipeline Controversy. The song was beautiful. The slow, captivating tones of the flute transported the audience to their
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reservation. The room filled with a powerful mood. It was clear to the audience how much this performance meant to Yazzie and Moose. Moose then opened the eyes of many audience members by telling them that at the time of first contact, when Europeans came to North America, there were around 98 million Native Americans living in North America. However, because of disease and warfare, Native Americans are less than 1 percent of the U.S. population today. She said this is what makes the controversy at Standing Rock so huge, and why she and Yazzie feel it’s important to travel and educate people on Native American culture. After answering questions from the audience, Moose and Yazzie encouraged everyone to get in a circle where Yazzie taught everyone in the room a Native American dance. Yazzie pointed out that the people in that circle were of different races, ethnicities, religions and creeds, but came together in that moment to connect in dance. It was the perfect way to end a meaningful and touching performance by Yazzie and Moose.
ACROSS 1 Money-saving characters 10 Complaints 15 Fade 16 Pitfall! platform 17 Hunt object 18 For real 19 “Break Free” singer Grande 20 Benihana founder Rocky __ 22 USN officers 23 Early 20th-century first family 24 Wine commonly served chilled 25 Institute in whose logo the first letter is a stylized question mark 26 Snorting scene 27 Hosp. test 29 Flier with a large bill 31 Most Hong Kong Airport
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62 Software giveaways 63 Historic sewer DOWN 1 Kilt features 2 Find really funny 3 Harden 4 Used for a rendezvous 5 Classic access provider 6 “Around the World in 80 Plates” co-host Cat 7 Red state verb 8 Big name at the Musée d’Orsay 9 Rye blight 10 Denpasar’s island 11 Dog days in Haiti 12 Big bird watcher 13 Quiche cousin 14 Audits 21 Parts for a model 24 Tequila plant 25 Court figures travelers 28 Blood 34 “Fab!” 30 Sale restriction 35 Movie with the subtitle 31 REO Speedwagon “Dawn of Justice” guitarist Dave 39 First-stringers 32 Situation Room gp. 40 Greetings from American 33 Sophisticated Greetings 35 Nagged 41 Showtime title vigilante 36 Completely dominated 43 BBC World Service 37 Cellphone annoyance alternative 38 Expert 44 Loyal follower? 42 Took off 47 Enemy of un ratón 44 Completely 48 Part of un drame 45 Dark drafts 51 Grapevine planter? 46 Tours relatives 53 2012 British Open 49 Suriname native champion 50 Now and again? 54 Work on a bone 52 “Enigma Variations” 55 “Time, Love and composer Tenderness” singer 54 Hurdles for srs. 56 More ready, in a way 55 eBay action 58 Weathering 57 Tokugawa shogunate 60 Duck capital 61 Refreshing espresso drink 59 Crime solver: Abbr.
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THROWBACK TO THE 50S
Looking back on the decade’s lifestyle, music and memories SARAH MARTIN INTERN
The 1950s does not seem that long ago. My grandma was a teenager during that time and it was only a short 66 years ago. After researching for this article, I can honestly say it seems to be one of the most important decades. Let’s stroll (stroll was a popular song and dance) down memory lane. Fashion was starting to take a slow turn. Girls mostly wore poodle skirts with bobby socks and oxford shoes. Guys wore jeans, white shirts and leather jackets; however, jocks got to wear the iconic letterman jackets. Of course, the nerds may have dressed a little different. Girls did not wear jeans and definitely not shorts unless it was a one off. Bathing suits were one pieces. Hair for girls was usually in a ponytail or a bouffant up-do and guys’ hair was gelled back or a flat top buzz cut. Entertainment would have definitely left today’s young adults bored to tears. Some homes had rotary dial landline phones that were party lines. Party lines means that any neighbor may be able to pick up their phone and hear your conversation. Not cool. Further in the not cool area was there were no cell phones, no texting, no iPods and no social media. Forget tablets, laptops or even desktop computers. There was also limited television time and there were no DVDs, VCRs or rentals, let alone cable or satellite. In 1950, only 1 in 10 households had a TV but by 1959, 9 in 10 households had one. TV shows such as “I Love Lucy” and “Gunsmoke” were popular. There was no Disney, Nickelodeon or other television channels for specific viewers. Disney broadcast a show on Sunday evenings, usually a movie or Mickey Mouse cartoon. After the news each
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night, the television channels all went off air. The only thing you could see was either static or a still shot of a TV Tower. So no reality TV. Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog” was the number one song of the decade. The Peanut’s comic was first printed in this decade, but not with Snoopy. Can you imagine no Snoopy? Marilyn Monroe was the top female film star and James Dean topped the male heartthrob lists. Movies costs 40 cents versus $7 before 6 p.m. in today’s time. Gas was only 19 cents per gallon, compared to a fluctuating $2.30 today, wish I could fill er’ up in the 50s! The skating rink was a popular hangout joint, where kids would dance the “sock hop” - or dance with socks, no shoes. Kids would smoke just to be cool and parents even encouraged the habit by doing it themselves. The main running commercial during the 1950s was on getting a pack of cigs. Things like car seats did not exist. Bike helmets were not enforced, so forget having to look uncool in the 50s. The 1950s also saw a lot of things invented that we cannot live without, like McDonald’s, credit cards and M&M’s. Also aluminum foil, TV dinner, Barbie, Mr. Potato Head, Life Savers Candy, Corvette cars and birth control. Oh and Playboy magazine printed its first issue in 1953. And to sum it all up the average home costs $14,000.00. So all in all while lots of new things like technology have been invented since the 1950s, I would hands down prefer the cost of gas and a house over that of today.
Photo by Wikimedia Commons
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DIAGNOSIS: SENIORITIS Class of 2016, stay focused and stay motivated.
TORI SUMMERS STAFF WRITER
We’re more than halfway through the semester and school continues to be overwhelming. Each month you have a week or two where there are no assignments due. Then, out of nowhere there is always one week when you have 4-5 assignments due back to back or on the same date. Out of those assignments usually you haven’t even started. There is no doubt that this pattern becomes aggravating, especially when you think you have organized your life to the best of your ability. To the seniors who are graduating in December: Are you beginning to have thoughts of wishing school was over already? Is graduation taking too long to come to your rescue? If you suffer from this feeling, my friends, you are suffering from senioritis! Below are tips that will help you avoid senioritis and help you end this semester on a good note. Use Your Planner If you don’t use an agenda by now, go ahead and start! This is the best way to organize what
is coming up in the next month or two. Your professors did not make a syllabus for no reason. Use the syllabus to map out which assignments are due so it will prevent procrastination. When you can see what assignments are due, you minimize the habit of overloading yourself to complete assignments that need to be turned in by the same date. Do Something Fun During your senior year, you must take courses that you need to graduate. However, if your schedule allows, you should get involved with something that interests you so that you can have a balanced schedule. For example, if you’re taking a writing intensive course, but you also like to dance and exercise, you should go to Zumba classes a couple of times during the week so that you can relax a little. Whenever you involve yourself in things that you like to do, it becomes your motivation for you to do better within the classroom.
Take Care of Yourself Many times, seniors develop senioritis because of burnout. Normal patterns of staying up late to study and waking up early to go to class affect how the body can function throughout the day. Not only does your body not resting affect the way you feel, but what your body is being fueled with can also make it come to a dysfunctional state. For example, for students to stay awake to study, most drink coffee or energy drinks which eventually affects the individual’s ability to fall asleep. When you don’t get enough sleep and you skip breakfast, you tend to become irritable. It is important to take care of yourself so that your performance in the classroom doesn’t affect your ability to make good grades. As graduation approaches in less than two months, just remember you started on you’re A-game so finish on you’re A-game! In other words, the light is at the end of the tunnel! Everything that you are going through will be worth it in the end.
CANDICE KELLY STAFF WRITER
“I chose to volunteer in this election because I wanted to help support my candidates. I am a Democrat, so that is the party I am campaigning for. This is a pretty unique election where a lot of people have an unfavorable opinion of both sides. But it’s still important to vote because in my opinion one choice is better than the other. I am a senior political science major, so for me, it’s more about learning how elections work and gaining a better understanding of politics. But I still hope everyone goes out and votes, I voted the first day.”
- Audrey Rankins
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