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UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA CEDAR FALLS, IA THURSDAY, APRIL 5 VOLUME 114, ISSUE 42

CEDAR FALLS, IA

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2024

VOLUME 120, ISSUE 16

News briefs

FROZEN

Gifts from the Grassleys T he u n iver sit y announced two historic gifts to UNI from Senator and Mrs. Chuck Grassley at the beginning of January. The couple donated papers and other historical materials from Senator Grassley’s time in the U.S. Senate to Rod Library, and a gift of an endowed professorship in the Department of Political Science to Donna Hoffman, Ph.D. Senator Grassley is an alumni of UNI and the longest serving U.S. senator from Iowa.

OVER NEWS

Volunteers braved the cold weather with the goal of packing 60,000 meals for children in northeast Iowa for the MLK Day Pack the Dome event.

SEE PAGE 4

MALLORY SCHMITZ

News Editor

FAFSA Now Open The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now open for the 2024-2025 academic year. Current and prospective students should fill out the application by Feb. 1, 2024 to maximize their financial aid opportunities. UNI’s school code for the FAFSA is 001890.

Incoming students can expect their financial aid offers to become available in March.

The start of the spring semester has been frozen in its tracks.

Following blizzard-like conditions over the weekend and facing dangerously low wind chills, the University of Northern Iowa made the call Sunday morning canceling in-person classes. The announcement noted that professors may choose to move classes online, and that supervisors should communicate to employees about working remotely.

See SNOW DAY, page 5 CAROLINE CHRISTENSEN

The West Gym: at the heart of campus history CAMPUS LIFE

Get a behind-the-scenes look at the official @northern_iowa Instagram account.

SEE PAGE 8

SPORTS

UNI wrestling defeats Utah Valley 32-6.

SEE PAGE 9

MALLORY SCHMITZ News Editor

A vacant brick building sits behind a chain-link fence directly west of the Campanile.

Stone busts of football players adorn the top of the eastern wall, now being held up by steel support beams. The nearly 100-year-old West Gym is silent — a stark contrast to its rich and bustling history in the heart of campus.

Constructed in 1925, the building has stood tall through a second world war, devastating flooding in the state of Iowa, a global pandemic and countless cultural shifts that have impacted students of yesterday and today.

However, those years have finally come to a close as the Iowa Board of Regents voted in November to demolish the building. The West Gym was deemed unsuitable for occupancy in July and has since sat vacant.

The request approved by the Board of Regents lays out a humble future for the over 50,000 square foot plot of land — that the utilities and foun-

COURTESY/UNI SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

The photograph above apeared in an August 1925 edition of the College Eye, one of the previous names for UNI’s student newspaper. It shows the West Gym nearing completion before it opened in November of that year.

The Iowa Board of Regents approved a request this past November to demolish the West Gym after nearly a century on campus.

dation will be removed and the basement filled with soil and seeded with grass.

While it is uncertain exactly when the building will be demolished or what the future may hold for that space on the west side of campus, President Mark Nook has stated that elements of the building will be preserved as a way to honor its central role in UNI’s history.

According to UNI Special

Collections, the gymnasium was originally constructed to attract more men to the teaching profession following World War I. When built, the West Gym — at the time called the Men’s Gymnasium — was the second gymnasium on campus in addition to what is now the ITTC, at the time called the Women’s Gymnasium.

See WEST GYM, page 2

New Director of Joh n Pappajoh n Entrepreneurial Center Announced Patrick Luensmann has been named director of the University of Northern Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (UNI JPEC) following the retirement of former Director Laurie Watje.

Luensmann is a 2012 graduate of the Economics and Finance Departments at the University of Northern Iowa and began his career at UNI in the Regional Business Center as a counselor for the Small Business Development Center.

UNI Gallery of Art announces spring exhibition The art exhibition “UNI Department of Art Faculty +1” opens Jan. 17 and will be on display until Feb. 23. The art features the work of current UNI faculty. Each faculty artist also invited a UNI Department of Art alum to showcase their work alongside them.

There will be an opening reception Tuesday, Jan. 23 at 6:30 p.m.

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NEWS JANUARY 17, 2024 |

f light training elsewhere, the pilots would eventually continued from page 1 be tasked with a variety of The Men’s Gymnasium unarmed flight missions over would expand physical edu- active battlefields, including cation and coaching curric- medical evacuations, delivulum, while eries of supalso providplies and ing a new The atmosphere mail or servspace for ing as air i nt e r c ol le - in the West Gym observers. giate athletAfter was fun because the the concluics.

C o s t i n g crowd was so close, sion of World $250,000 to War II, the c o n s t r u c t , and opponents hated universithe building faced an playing there. It isn’t ty opened in over whelmN o v e m b e r your typical college ing influx of of 1925 with men returnarena, but it worked a swathe of ing from the f e s t i v i t i e s for us and we enjoyed war. As a including result, during it. a turkey the 1946-47 Amy Swisher 2001-2004 UNI Women’s dinner for school year, Basketball player the footthe West ball team, Gym housed an address from University 38 male students as three President Homer Seerley, upstairs rooms were convertperformances by the College ed into dorms. While the livBand, a series of wrestling ing spaces may not have been and boxing matches and a up to par with the standard volleyball game. dorms, a 1946 College Eye In the years after, the gym article notes that, “You don’t was heavily utilized for ath- hear any gripes from the felletic and social events. lows as most of them have As described in a 1942 seen a lot worse in the serCollege Eye article, part of vice and are happy being here the West Gym was convert- going to school.” ed to quarters to house men It also hosted commenceenrolled in a new course for ment and a series of indoor prospective liaison pilots speakers and assemblies. during World War II. The Among presenters over university would provide 240 the years were anti-war activhours of ground instruction ist Jerry Rubin, who visited while the men lived in the in 1970. In recent years, the gymnasium. After complet- West Gym has echoed with ing artillery and advanced the voices of many political

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

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MALLORY SCHMITZ News Editor

VOLUME 120, ISSUE 16

WEST GYM

COURTESY/UNI SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

Commencement was traditionally held in the West Gym. The above photo shows Summer Commencement in 1967.

NORTHERN IOWAN L011 Maucker Union Cedar Falls, IA 50614 www.northerniowan.com northern-iowan@uni.edu 319.273.2157

CAROLINE CHRISTENSEN

COURTESY/UNI SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

UNI, at the time called the Iowa State Teachers College, competes in a wrestling meet against Iowa State University in 1933.

figures. John McCain, Bernie Sanders, Barack Obama and Donald Trump are just a few of the politicians to draw crowds to campus.

The West Gym continued to serve as the main location for athletics until the UNIDome’s construction in 1976.

In 1950, the Panthers won the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championship in the gym’s intimate atmosphere, built to hold only 2,100 fans.

In 1991, the United States Women’s National Volleyball Team made a stop in Cedar Falls on an exhibition tour where the team took on the Bulgarian National Team in the West Gym. The U.S. team would go on to earn a bronze medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics.

The Panthers’ own volleyball team also has a deep

EDITORIAL STAFF

PRODUCTION STAFF

MALLORY SCHMITZ News Editor schmimbt@uni.edu

SOPHIE HOFFMEIER

BAILEY KLINKHAMMER Campus Life Editor klinkbaa@uni.edu

Executive Editor chriscbi@uni.edu 515.418.2024

CADEN SHEA Sports Editor sheacad@uni.edu

SOPHIE HOFFMEIER

ANTONIA GOODWIN Copy Editor goodwaab@uni.edu

Managing Editor hoffmeis@uni.edu 515.795.6066

COURTESY/PANTHER SCHOLARSHIP CLUB

Athletes and coaches remember the West Gym as a unique and intimate college athletics facilty. With a capacity of 2,100, fans were always close to the court or mat, and opponents typically did not enjoy playing there.

KARINA ORTIZ Spanish Editor ortizkac@uni.edu

Webmaster

JORDAN JUNGE

Social Media Manager jjunge@uni.edu

STEPH STARK

Head Photographer starksag@uni.edu

ADVISERS ANELIA DIMITROVA anelia.dimitrova@uni.edu CHRIS MARTIN christopher.martin@uni.edu

CIRCULATION

NOAH BRITTEN Circulation Manager

history in the West Gym. UNI carried a 74-match winning streak from 1997-2004 in the gym, the fourth-longest in the country. The final volleyball and women’s basketball games were played there in 2006 before the programs officially moved to the McLeod Center.

In a February 2006 Northern Iowan article, 20012004 women’s basketball player Amy Swisher remembered what it was like to play in the gym.

“The atmosphere in the West Gym was fun because the crowd was so close, and opponents hated playing there. It isn’t your typical college arena, but it worked for us and we enjoyed it,” she said.

Alongside the many victories celebrated within the The Northern Iowan is published semi-weekly on Monday and Thursday during the academic year, except for holidays and examination periods, by the University of Northern Iowa, L011 Maucker Union, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0166 under the auspices of the Board of Student Publications.

Advertising errors that are the fault of the Northern Iowan will be corrected at no cost to the advertiser only if the Northern Iowan office is notified within seven days of the original publication. Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement at any time.

The Northern Iowan is funded in part with student activity fees.

All material is © 2024 by the Northern Iowan and may not be used without permission.

walls of the West Gym, it has also served the community during troubled times.

Following the floods of 1993, the building served as a temporary refuge for displaced citizens. The building served that same purpose following the floods of 2008.

The West Gym also served as the on-campus site for students to receive their first and second doses of the COVID19 vaccine in spring of 2021.

While the building will never again house students or hold packed athletic events, its legacy lives on as a part of UNI’s history. Its essence was captured by former UNI head wrestling coach Brad Penrith in a 2006 Northern Iowan article: “The building is alive.

You can walk through it and it is never quiet.”

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Letters must be less than 300 words in length and are subject to editing. Not all submissions will be printed. Send submissions to northern-iowan@uni.edu.

SEND US STORY IDEAS

Tell us what’s happening on campus. Email submissions to northern-iowan@uni.edu.

Do you want to have an event listed here? Email us at northern-iowan@uni.edu with information about the event to have it featured.

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NEWS

MALLORY SCHMITZ News Editor

JANUARY 17, 2024 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

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VOLUME 120, ISSUE 16

Textbooks without breaking the bank CAROLINE CHRISTENSEN Executive Editor

As the new semester begins, some UNI students may have to choose between paying for necessary items like groceries, or required textbooks for classes.

UNI’s Textbook Equity Librarian Anne Marie Gruber said this is a reality many students face.

“If that’s your experience as a student, you are absolutely not alone,” Gruber said.

The cost of textbooks, college tuition and housing have soared in recent years, and students are struggling to keep up. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, textbook prices have increased at a rate nearly three times faster than inflation over the past thirty years. The College Board estimates students at 4-year public universities like UNI spend more than $1,300 per year on textbooks.

A survey taken last semester of around 1,800 UNI students found 22% work extra hours to pay for textbooks, 17% have earned a poor or failing grade due to textbook costs, and 27% avoid the purchase or rental of required texts. Gruber says these numbers look a little better than data taken two years ago, but there is still room for improvement.

Northern Iowa Student Government (NISG) senator Anna Singelstad is a member of the Textbook Equity Student Advisory Board which engages students in textbook equity advocacy. She said textbooks

ic textbook billing programs to be opt-in for all students.

Gruber said UNI has some courses which will bill students automatically for course materials, but there is an option to opt-out of these charges.

The proposal from the Department of Education could mean students would have to consent to being charged before they are billed.

There are still lots of steps the department must go through in order to accept the automatic billing proposal, while hearing input from the general public.

Some universities, like Iowa State, have already opted for an automatic textbook billing system, but Gruber said UNI is not currently moving in that direction and any discussions would require ample faculty and student input.

While the cost of textbooks can be a financial and mental burden for many students, CAROLINE CHRISTENSEN As the spring semester begins, UNI faculty continue to make an effort to make course materials affordable. In the Textbook Equity Student Advisory Board member past two years, the number of professors selecting free materials for their courses doubled.

Nkasa Bolumbu said there are costs can be detrimental to a als that are affordable, inclu- free of charge. many resources for students to student’s educational experi- sive and accessible.

“The number of instructors utilize. ence.

Since tracking began in who have selected free mate“I don’t think a lot of “(Textbook equity) impacts 2016, the initiative has saved rials in their course last year students know that we have you and it impacts the people UNI students more than $1.5 compared to the prior year resources to be able to make it around you,” Singelstad said. million. Much of that money about doubled, which was easier for us to learn the things “It affects all of us. Even if has been saved due to fac- incredible,” Gruber said. “So we need to without hurting you’re not struggling to get ulty-driven efforts to tran- about 80 sections of our class- the bank too much,” Bolumbu textbooks, I guarantee you, sition their courses to Open es across said. “Go to there’s probably someone in Educational Resources (OER). c a m p u s the library, your life who has.”

The initiative has partnered have report- I would also say and ask them The textbook equity ini- with professors to help them ed using if they postiative at UNI is seeking to find alternative low-cost or free materi- to students, be bold sibly have reduce some of those textbook free materials for their class- als.” any of your associated costs for students, es. Some professors have G r u b e r and speak up, because t e x t b o o k s while ensuring all students even opted to create their own said 16 when faculty hear you need. Go have access to course materi- material for students to use UNI profeson the UNI sors spent from students, this Facebook their winb o o k ter break book is too expensive, e x c h a n g e , and spring that can maybe which is a s e m e s very great ter learn- encourage instructors resource and ing about sell your own options for to look into more stuff.” free and affordable resources.

Gruber also affordencourages Anne Marie Gruber able course students to Textbook Equity Librarian materials advocate for while conaccessible sidering how textbook equity course materials by sparking could be integrated into their conversations with professors. courses.

“I would also say to stuHaving affordable course dents, be bold and speak up, materials available has prov- because when faculty hear en to be incredibly benefi- from students, this book cial for students. Students are is too expensive, that can more likely to stay in courses maybe encourage instructors with free materials, feel an to look into more affordable increased sense of belonging resources.” Gruber said. “The and may feel an improved Textbook Equity initiative prosense of mental well being vides support for instructors because stress caused by text- to assist them if they are interbook costs is eliminated. ested in exploring options.”

Beyond UNI’s campus, in She continued, “Reach Washington, D.C., the U.S. out if you need help finding Department of Education is alternative options or backup also discussing the topic of options. Don’t just stay quiet textbook equity. They are cur- and not do well.” rently considering a proposal MALLORY SCHMITZ which may require automat-

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N.I. EN ESPAÑOL JANUARY 17, 2024 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

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SOPHIE HOFFMEIER Managing Editor

KARINA ORTIZ Spanish Editor

VOLUME 120, ISSUE 16

Panthers pack Las panteras the Dome empacan el domo MALLORY SCHMITZ

News Editor

On a blustery Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the UNI-Dome transformed from a football stadium to a food packing facility.

A total of nearly 2,000 volunteers gathered in the Dome for the Northeast Iowa Food Bank’s MLK Day Pack the Dome event. The volunteers aimed to put together 60,000 bags of non-perishable, nutritious food to support food-insecure children of northeast Iowa through the food bank’s BackPack program. Once assembled, the backpacks are distributed through schools to feed children on weekends and over holiday breaks when school lunch is not available.

Northeast Iowa Food Bank Director Barb Prather said that holding the event in the Dome has helped bring more attention to the program.

“We actually started in the Commons where we packed a few thousands bags of food for our backpack program, and about five or six years ago we said, ‘let’s do it in the Dome. Let’s get a lot of people involved, not only to honor Dr. King and MLK day, but also to raise awareness to the issue of childhood hunger not only here in the Cedar Valley but throughout northeast Iowa,’” she said.

The BackPack program has grown to reach about 3,000 kids since starting in 2004.

During the 2021-2022 school year, the program provided over 100,000 bags of food to kids at 159 schools in 16 counties.

Public relations major Paige Beck was one of the volunteers on Monday. She attended along with other members of UNI’s Public Relations Student Society of

America, where she and her teammates helped break down boxes, restock food supplies and fill in wherever needed.

“We just really wanted to give back to our community,” she said.

Beck and the other volunteers are just one vital piece of what makes the program successful, according to Prather.

“It’s really a partnership with the community between our donors and our volunteers and also the schools that then distribute them out into the community,” she said.

“Our focus is every meal every day for everyone, and we collaborate, educate and advocate for the food insecure person, and that’s really what we’re doing today,” she added.

Despite the frigid weather — with a high of 1 degree and a wind chill of 16 degrees below zero at the time the event ended — Prather said that the community still came together for the cause.

“The university recognizes that there’s food insecurity in our community, and because of that this is really the only place that we could do the logistics of all of this,” she said. “I don’t think there was ever a doubt that this would go forward.”

With all of the planning and coordination it takes to hold the event each year, Prather and her team focus on their main goal: helping the community.

“Our goal is to ensure people in northeast Iowa have access to food and that’s what we’re here doing, and it takes all of us working together to make that happen.”

MAHEDI ISLAM

Volunteers coordinate loading boxes onto crates during “Pack the Dome.”

MAHEDI ISLAM

Los voluntarios coordinan cargar cajas en cajones durante Pack the Dome.

MALLORY SCHMITZ

Editora de noticias

KARINA ORTIZ

Editora de español

Durante el ventoso día de Martin Luther King Jr., el domo de UNI se transformó de estadio de fútbol americano a instalación de envasado de alimentos Un total de casi 2 000 voluntarios se acumularon en el domo para el evento albergado por el Northeast Iowa Food Bank llamado MLK Day Pack the Dome. Los voluntarios ayudaron a armar 60 000 bolsas de comidas imperecederas y nutritivas para sostener a niños del noreste de Iowa que padecen inseguridad alimentaria a través del programa del banco de alimentos BackPack, o programa de mochilas. Una vez ensambladas, mochilas son distribuidas por escuelas para alimentar a los niños durante los fines de semana y descansos vacacionales cuando no está disponible el almuerzo de la escuela.

La Directora Barb Prather del Northeast Iowa Food Bank dijo que albergar el evento en el domo ha ayudado a poner más atención al programa.

“Empezamos en los Commons donde empacamos unos pocos miles de bolsas de comida para el programa

de mochilas, y hace casi 5 o 6 años dijimos, vamos a hacerlo en el domo. Involucramos a mucha gente, no solamente para honrar al Dr. King y su día, sino también para despertar la conciencia al problema del hambre infantil no solamente en el Cedar Valley, sino también alrededor del noreste de Iowa”, dijo ella.

Desde que el programa comenzó en 2004, BackPack hoy en día alcanza a casi 3 000 niños. Durante el año académico de 2021/22, el programa ha proveído 100 000 bolsas de comida para niños de 159 escuelas y 16 municipios.

Una estudiante de Relaciones Públicas, Paige Beck, era una de los voluntarios el lunes. Ella asistió conjuntamente con otros miembros de la Sociedad Estudiantil de Relaciones Públicas de América de UNI, donde ella y sus compañeros ayudaron a romper cajas, reaprovisionar alimentos y sustituir donde les necesitaban.

“Queríamos retribuir a nuestra comunidad”, dijo ella.

Beck y los otros voluntarios son una de las piezas vitales sobre por qué el programa es exitoso según Prather.

“Es una colaboración entre la comunidad y nuestros donantes y voluntarios y tam-

bién las escuelas que luego los distribuyen en la comunidad”, dijo ella.

“Nos enfocamos en cada comida cada día para todos, y colaboramos, educamos y abogamos por las personas que padecen inseguridad alimentaria, y eso es lo que estamos haciendo hoy día”, añadió ella.

A pesar del clima helado— con una máxima de 1 grado y la sensación térmica de -16 grados cuando el evento se terminó—dijo Prather que la comunidad todavía se juntó para la causa.

“La universidad reconoce que hay inseguridad alimentaria en nuestra comunidad, y por eso el domo es el único sitio en donde podemos hacer la logística de todo esto”, dijo ella. “Pienso que no había ninguna duda de que saldría saliendo adelante”.

Con todas las planificaciones y coordinaciones necesarias para albergar el evento cada año, Prather y su equipo se enfocan en su meta principal: ayudar a la comunidad.

“Nuestra meta es asegurar que la gente del noreste de Iowa tenga acceso a comida y eso es lo que estamos haciendo aquí, es necesario que nosotros trabajemos juntos para hacerlo realidad”.

MALLORY SCHMITZ

Volunteers from across the Cedar Valley braved the cold weather to help the Northeast Iowa Food Bank pack bags for children who struggle with food-insecurity.

MALLORY SCHMITZ

Los voluntarios a lo largo del Cedar Valley fueron valientes durante el clima frío para ayudar el Northeast Iowa Food Bank a empacar bolsas para los niños que sufren de inseguridad alimentaria.

PAGE 5

NEWS

CAROLINE CHRISTENSEN Executive Editor

JANUARY 17, 2024 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

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SNOW DAY

continued from page 1

“Please remain safe by staying home on Tuesday if you have not been identified as essential personnel,” the announcement read, sent via email and phone as a UNI Alert. “Current plans are for campus to resume normal operations and in-person instruction on Wednesday, January 17.”

On Tuesday, Black Hawk County was in a wind chill advisory with an afternoon high of 6 degrees and wind bringing temperatures between -10 and -20 degrees.

While students didn’t have to brave the cold for their first day of class, the weather impacted many students’ travels back to Cedar Falls. Several students came to campus early to beat the nearly 10 inches of snow that blanketed campus starting Thursday night and into the day Friday.

As Provost José Herrera and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs said, university officials have to take multiple variables into account when deciding whether to cancel in-person classes.

“It’s mostly science but a little bit of art,” he said.

“We considered wind chill… How students will be able to get across campus in 10, 15 minutes,” he said. “But we also consider how well can students and their families get them back safely here to Cedar Falls, and that’s a big variable.

If we can’t assure ourselves that the students can come back safely, given the weather and given the road conditions, that

PACK THE DOME

continued from page 4

VOLUME 120, ISSUE 16

including Dancer, Bender and Lawther Hall, where some stuhad already moved in assure ourselves that dents for the semester. The first outthe students can come age occurred from around 11 a.m.-3 p.m., and the second back safetly, given around 6:30 p.m. The majority the weather and given of campus buildings had power the road conditions, restored by 8:30 p.m., including all Housing and Dining that weighs pretty facilities.

“Our team worked through heavily on the the night to replace the failed decision. transformer, and all power José Herrera was restored before 7 a.m.,” UNI Provost Zwanziger said. He said that it online they say, well, UNI is unclear whether the power should move online. Most of outage was weather related.

On Sunday, Roth residents the time that’s true,” he said.

“But as a reminder, both insti- faced a frozen water line that tutions are about 100 miles caused some water damage. away, and 100 miles can make The damage was “fairly minia lot of difference in the kinds mal.”

For further updates on of weather and the forecast that is being predicted for each of weather conditions at UNI, students can visit the National those locations.”

UNI Facilities Management Weather Service at www. and grounds crews have been weather.gov or www.uni.edu/ resources/weather. hard at work dealing with the snow and other weather-related incidents.

“We’ve had about 18 staff working 12 hour shifts since last Tuesday to move snow,” Assistant Vice President and Director of Facilities Management M i c h a e l Zwanziger said.

The crews were CAROLINE CHRISTENSEN faced with a power outage on Saturday due to a failed Temperatures plunged this week, transformer. Several cam- prompting the university to have all classes meet virtually on Tuesday. pus buildings were affected,

If we can’t

CAROLINE CHRISTENSEN

This Panther is certainly not in its natural habitat. Nearly ten inches of snow fell in Cedar Falls starting last Thursday into Friday.

weighs pretty heavily on the decision.”

Herrera said that the decision comes down to himself and Senior Vice President for Finance and Operations Michael Hager. The two of them use resources including the National Weather Service and Iowa Department of Transportation to monitor weather data and road conditions to inform their decision.

On Tuesday morning, the National Weather Service advised that in temperatures below -10 degrees, frostbite is possible in as little as 10 minutes.

However, Herrera said that they also have to examine weather conditions on a case by case basis, or as he calls it, the

“art” of the decision-making process. “If there’s sunshine, that changes things.

If the wind is not as harsh or the gusts are not as big, that’s where a little bit of the art comes into play.”

The University of Iowa and Iowa State University canceled their Tuesday in-person classes as early as Friday, while UNI did not call a snow day until late Sunday morning.

“We try to remain in line (with the other universities), but keep in mind that we want to give the students their money’s worth. Essentially we want to make sure if the weather allows…we want to give the students the best opportunity for learning, and we know that sometimes that has to be in face to face modality,” Herrera said.

“But we also know that there are expectations from students and families once Iowa and Iowa State move

Our goal

is to ensure people in northeast Iowa have access to food and that’s what we’re here doing, and it takes all of us working together to make that happen.

Barb Prather

Northeast Iowa Food Bank Director

MAHEDI ISLAM

Despite the frigid temperatures on Monday, the Cedar Valley community and UNI came together in the UNI-Dome to pack meals for the Northeast Iowa Food Bank. The meals they prepared will go to support food-insecure children across northeast Iowa.

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CAMPUS LIFE JANUARY 17, 2024 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

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BAILEY KLINKHAMMER Campus Life Editor

VOLUME 120, ISSUE 16

CATS: Panthers with hardworking paws GRANT PEDERSON Staff Writer

“CATS,” otherwise known as The University of Northern Iowa’s Connecting Alumni To Students, is the foremost student organization on campus that promotes the lasting connection between past, present, and future Panthers. With the “Our Tomorrow” capital campaign in full swing, it is essential that the university can build and keep strong connections between former and current students, and this is where CATS members come in to help.

CATS is the official student-led organization of the UNI Alumni Association.

According to Assistant Director of Alumni Relations as well as chapter advisor Sarah Craw (UNI 14’ and 16’ grad), “CATS’s main purpose is to help the alumni association build pride and engagement with students and build a sense of belonging of current students of being a UNI panther, that helps drive their engagement after graduation.”

Craw says that CATS supports three main universi-

ty goals. The first overarching goal CATS helps support is the encouragement of future philanthropy to be given by UNI alums. The UNI Foundation receives support from CATS members to aid in ongoing capital campaigns and fundraising, as well as to assist alumni upon their return to campus. CATS members are advocates who help motivate others to give their first donation during the “Live Purple Give Gold,” the yearly UNI day of giving in the Spring. This will hopefully begin a lifetime of giving back to the university for these first-time donors.

The second goal of CATS is the keeping of UNI Traditions for generations to come.

This is done through the organization’s sponsorship of the “Traditions Challenge.”

The challenge was founded in 2009 as a guide for all current students to record and explore ways to create the most meaningful UNI experience possible. At this time, over 1,082 students have completed the challenge and been inducted by the program as “Tradition Keepers.”

The last pillar of the

COURTESY/CATS Connecting Alumni to Students (CATS) hosts a variety of events for students and alumni alike. For homecoming, the students in CATS volunteer to make sure these events are enjoyable for all of it’s attendees.

COURTESY/CATS Sarah Craw, pictured above left, advises the students in CATS. She facilitates meetings and volunteer sign ups. Her role in the Alumni Association is vital to the university and the students she supports.

organization is connecting alumni to students. Craw mentioned this includes “knowing what it means to be an active alum, supporting current students through mentorship, or networking opportunities so they can see the value of alumni engagement on a personal level.”

Chapter President Sam Adams said regarding alum-student interaction, “I think it is a great networking opportunity; as a soon-to-be grad, I am not as nervous when it comes to finding a job, as I know I have networking capabilities with UNI alums. As a student involved in CATS, it has pushed me to grow and become a better person.”

CATS currently has 43 members within the organization. Craw stated, “Because of everything we do for the alumni association, we need a robust number to be able to move in different directions and find the right events for the right population.” These events have ranged from foundation fundraisers to working with the President’s office and peer-to-peer development.” Another responsibility CATS takes on is the working of Alumni Suites during home basketball and football games. Adams says, “We work these suites to be the faces of the university and connect with alums.”

The UNI Foundation’s “Our Tomorrow” campaign has raised $243 Million dollars of its $250 million goal.

CATS has been right there since the beginning of the campaign, connecting with potential donors and explaining to them the importance their gift can make to UNI students like them. Adams stated, “We advocate for “Our Tomorrow” as much as possible. We are always there talking to those donors; as students, it actually impacts us because there is always more room to grow as a university.” Advisor Craw mentioned that part of the CATS mission is to educate current UNI students on what the UNI Foundation and alumni association do to support them while enrolled as a student and outside campus within the workforce. Craw stated, “Panther Nation is a very unique bubble to be a part of. Panthers love helping panthers, and it’s not uncommon for someone to come to us asking, I’m heading to a certain geographical area, and who do you know? We have the resources to know alums who could help you.”

CATS is always looking for new members of their team. CATS will begin recruiting new members when UNI returns to classes in January 2024. CATS will take applications through February 16 th ; interviews will follow if selected. Adams mentioned that all information will be available on the CATS Instagram page at “CATSUNI,” and all interested students should apply.

PAGE 7

CAMPUS LIFE

BAILEY KLINKHAMMER Campus Life Editor

OIE Director makes lasting impact at UNI JANUARY 17, 2024 |

CLAIRE SVENBY Guest Writer

Carolina Coronado-Park , the Director of International Engagement at UNI, sees challenges as opportunities.

She says they are learning experiences everyone should take advantage of.

Growing up in a country where most things seemed to come easy, she said it was a big adjustment when she moved to the United States and had to learn everything new.

In 1995, Coronado-Park came to Iowa to visit her family for the summer with no intention of becoming a full-time resident. That summer, Coronado-Park stayed in Iowa and studied at the University of Northern Iowa in the Culture and Intensive English Program. Soon after, she fell in love with the university, the Cedar Valley and her now husband.

Coronado-Park is no stranger to hardship or adversity. Originally from Peru, she lost her father at 16-yearsold, then had to flee from her home country to Spain due to an active terrorist group.

During that time she had to give up on one of her dreams of becoming a diplomat.

However, when she realized she wouldn’t be able to return to Peru, she decided she was going to focus on her studies in Political Science and International Relations.

“We had to learn how to do almost everything. From studying to parenting and working,” she said.

While many things were hard for her, she had a lot of help and support from her

Without the

challenges, you are not able to enjoy the successes or good times.

Carolina Coronado-Park

Director of International Engagement

family.

“I think I need to take every challenge as an opportunity and to push through and to see the rewarding part of what we were doing,” she said.

When she first arrived in America, she was overwhelmed. She didn’t know how to speak the English language and had to learn to get around campus. She had to do everything that was expected of a new college student, which any college student can attest is no easy feat. Despite these challenges, she had the opportunity to do an internship at the Senate in Washington D.C., which gave her a lot of exposure to work with a diverse group of people.

“It has been a great opportunity for me to be exposed, not always has it been fun,” she said. “However without challenges, you are not able to enjoy the successes or the good times.”

Prior to coming to Iowa, Coronado-Park visited Chicago, finding it just how she imagined it would be.

However, when she later came to Iowa, she was shocked.

1“There were no people on the streets like there were in big cities, or in any other places,” she said. She said movies and social media set expectations

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

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that weren’t always correct or what they appear to be.

In spite of these false hopes, she found positives in the world around her.

“I have so many great things to tell about the Cedar Valley,” she said. “I think the community, people, UNI is a great place and has resources for not only international students but the community in general.”

Despite being overwhelmed when she first arrived and having no prior plans to stay here, she knew there were lessons to be learned and had a big goal that required her to remain here in the Cedar Valley.

She had been exposed to working with international people and learning from different cultures in many aspects before coming to the United States. Her mother worked for the Peruvian Embassy in Spain, Venezuela, and Panama, so she and her brothers were exposed to the world and its different cultures at very young ages.

This is what inspired her to become involved in international engagement.

When meeting with students, Coronado-Park tries not to assume everyone is going through the same experiences, because not all cultures and backgrounds are alike. She always makes an effort to help

VOLUME 120, ISSUE 16

COURTESY/Office of International Engagement Carolina Coronado-Park is all about climbing mountains and excelling in the face of adversity. She coaches international students at UNI to do the same.

students in any way possible.

Whether that’s advocating for them, supporting them, advising them, or connecting them with peers, she hopes those experiences here at UNI will guide students in creating a positive impact in the world.

“I mainly focus on the students’ success,” she said.

She tells students to always come in with an open mind.

“Just because things are different does not mean they’re bad or better,” she said. One takeaway from her experiences would be to take every single opportunity

that is provided because most opportunities may only show up once and you may never get that chance again.

In the Fall of 2022, 84 students out of approximately 8,900 here at UNI were international students and all of them probably got the chance to meet with Coronado-Park as she supported them on their journies.

From Peru to Cedar Falls, Coronado-Park will continue to support and inspire students, making an ever-lasting impact on their lives.

COURTESY/OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT The Office of International Engagement works to provide opportunities to to UNI’s 84 international students. They work symbiotically with local UNI students to promote inclusion of students.

PAGE 8

CAMPUS LIFE

BAILEY KLINKHAMMER Campus Life Editor

Behind the posts of @northern_iowa JANUARY 17, 2024 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

|

VOLUME 120, ISSUE 16

OLIVIA BRUNSTING Staff Writer

With a following of 21.5k, UNI’s official Instagram account has been keeping staff, alumni, parents, students and prospective students up-to-date on everything that goes on at UNI. Although sharing UNI culture has always been the Instagram page’s goal, it’s been noted that recently @ northern_iowa has been stepping up their game by intertwining campus culture with current trends and memes.

One of the great minds who has greatly influenced social media content is Liv Wendt, a December 2023 alum who previously worked as a UR intern.

“We have hired, when I say we as the Department hired, a digital media specialist,” Wendt said. “So we have another person on the team that is editing videos and doing more things. So she’s kind of slowly trickling in, but pretty much it’s just Andy and I.” Wendt began her journey in the Department of Admissions when she transferred to UNI in January 2021. While in that role, she worked with other staff and interns on UNI’s Tik Tok page. Over time, the university realized the importance that social media has on this and future generations of students.

“I worked here over the summer; I was a social media intern,” Wendt said. “...

I still worked in admissions.

I did transcripts and all of that. And then they kind of realized that the position

COURTESY/ELLIE DOVE Liv Wendt graduated this winter with a degree in Communications. Her concerted efforts in University Relations can be found on the @nothern_iowa Instagram page with relatable and funny content for students.

needed to be bigger than it was, so another intern and I got moved to the University Relations office. That’s how that started in August of ‘22.”

Although the location is unknown to many students, the Office of University Relations is based in Bartlett and oversees everything that represents UNI, such as branding and Inside UNI. “It’s just a great team.

COURTESY/LIV WENDT Big reputation! Liv spent her time as a UR intern with her fingers on the pulse of social trends, including the Eras trend, taking the internet by storm due to Taylor Switt’s stardom.

They’re a wonderful group of people. We have graphic designers, we have writers.

And we have, you know, the marketing specialists for the school,” Wendt said. “Pretty much anything I put out about UNI is seen or done by university relations. And so I want to say there’s probably like maybe 15 people that work in the department. So it’s not the biggest, but I’ve always loved it.”

During her time as a UR intern, Wendt delved into the researching aspect of her job that helps determine what to post and how other universities are showcasing their school pride.

“Part of my job is when I go, like when I look at what to post, I’m looking at tons of different universities and colleges throughout the United States,” Wendt explained.

“I’m looking at schools that are similar in size to us, have about the same alumni support, that even have the colors purple and yellow, how they implement that, or schools that are completely different from us.”

Although formatting, colors, and fonts are usually not huge factors when it comes to one’s personal Instagram account, they’re essential components when running a university Instagram account.

“I really looked at building an aesthetic,” Wendt said. “And I was like, okay, I want it to be really purple,

yellow, black and white. So that is something that we had to strategically learn to do.”

While researching, Wendt noticed a lack of student-focused posts and shared her desire to focus even more on what it’s like to be a UNI panther.

“I started planning like student photoshoot,” Wendt explained. “So I’ve done I think two or three now where I just reach out to random people I know on campus.

And, you know, I’m like, Oh, wear your favorite UNI outfit,” Wendt continued, “Andy and I will walk around campus and just kind of get more content for that, and so that is one thing that I’ve really wanted to implement is just seeing more students on it.

So they feel like oh my gosh, like I made it, Instagram and you know, their friends are sharing it, they can send it to their loved ones.”

Along with showcasing UNI students, Wendt was also passionate about bringing some Swifty energy to the UNI Instagram page.

“So normally, Andy and I are in our office, I’m either playing Taylor Swift or divorced dad music,” Wendt said. “And normally, I will be working on something, either coming up with captions or something, and I will randomly get the spark of energy. And I will have like, insane ideas for like three minutes where I just go, go,

go, go go.”

Wendt continued, “And so one day, I was like, okay, so Instagram carousel, there’s 10 posts that you can do. There’s 10 Taylor Swift albums. And so sitting there, and I was like, What can I do with this? And so I went through the UNI archives like in the library and found the old photos, and I corresponded the photos to different songs from her era.”

The Eras Tour (Uni’s Version) Instagram post made its debut on May 5, 2023. The post was highly enjoyed by the public, and many students commented about how they love the Taylor Swift representation and how the post shows that they picked the correct university to attend. For each Taylor Swift album, Wendt chose a UNI archive picture that gave homage to a song on that album or the album title itself. One of Wendt’s favorite finds was a picture of a girl doing archery, which hints at Taylor Swift’s song ‘The Archer.’

Another pop culture reference was posted on June 26, 2023. This post utilized Instagram’s 10-post carousel feature and had the meme of Kourtney Kardashian Barker holding up a sign that was addressed to Travis Barker announcing she was pregnant. On the UNI’s Instagram page, the sign’s content is replaced with sayings like “Travis, wanna go to ROD?” and “Travis, do the interlude!”

“I looked at Andy, and I was like, I have an idea,” Wendt said. “I was like, You’re not a Kardashian fan.

But I am … this is a pop culture reference we’re doing.”

Wendt continued, “So I like to keep like pop culture references also, but then also bring kind of like the old archive photos or at least try to get a good mix.”

Wendt’s plans for the future include pursuing social media as a career, and she shares her appreciation toward her campus jobs that have helped her grow over the years.

“I really want to preface like I would definitely get involved with students like an on campus job or an internship,” Wendt said. “I mean, the opportunities I’ve had are like something that I’ll never forget.”

Wendt continued, “I love it. It’s really helped me just kind of build a foundation and just meet so many people here at UNI. And it’s really what I needed, but I didn’t know I needed that kind of thing.”

PAGE 9

CADEN SHEA

SPORTS

Sports Editor

JANUARY 17, 2024 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

|

VOLUME 120, ISSUE 16

WRESTLING

UNI destroys Utah Valley in Ames MICHAEL SPAHN

Sports Writer

The Panther wrestling meet against Utah Valley was temporarily canceled, but not for long as the meet was moved to Ames due to weather conditions in the area. The UNI wrestling team defeated Utah Valley on Saturday 32-6 and improved to 3-4 on the season.

The meet started with the 125 weight class, where Northern Iowa’s Trever Anderson defeated Utah Valley’s Yusief Lillie in a 1-0 decision, giving the Panthers an early 3-0 lead.

In the 133 weight class, Panthers red shirt sophomore Julian Farber had two early takedowns to help defeat Utah Valley’s Kase Mauger 11-1 in a major decision.

This awarded the Panthers four points and extended their lead to 7-0.

In the 141 weight class, Panther junior Cael Happel had two takedowns in the first period against Utah Valley’s Haiden Drury, which led to a 14-4 victory in a major decision. This gave four more points to the Panthers and extended their lead to 11-0.

In the 149 weight class, Panthers red shirt sophomore Adam Allard fell to Utah Valley’s Isaiah Delgado in a 5-0 decision. This awarded the Wolverines three points and cut the lead to 11-3.

In the 157 weight class, Panthers redshirt freshman Ryder Downey defeated Utah Valley’s Alex Emmer 14-2 in a major decision.

Downey had four takedowns in the match and awarded the Panthers four points, extending their lead to 15-3.

In the 165 weight class, Panther redshirt Sophomore RJ Weston defeated Utah Valley’s Jaxon Garoutte in a 5-1 decision. This gave the Panthers three points and extended their lead to 18-3.

In the 174 weight class, redshirt sophomore Jared Simma defeated Utah Valley’s Caleb Uhlenhopp in a 7-5 decision. Simma had two takedowns and awarded the Panthers three more points, extending their lead to 21-3.

In the 184 weight class, redshirt junior Parker Keckeisen dominated Utah Valley’s Mahonri Rushton 15-0 in a technical fall.

Parker Keckeisen had a strong showing over break with multiple wins.

Keckeisen’s victory awarded the Panthers five points and gave them a 26-3 lead.

In the 197 weight class, Panthers redshirt freshman Wyatt Voelker fell to Utah Valley’s Evan Bockman in a 4-2 decision awarding the Wolverines three points.

In the final match of the dual, redshirt senior Tyrell Gordon took the 285 weight class due to a forfeit. This

gave the Panthers six points, and capped off a Panthers victory by a score of 32-6.

Over winter break, the Panthers played two top 10 teams in Nashville, Tennessee on Dec. 19. They fell to #10 Ohio State 26-7, and #2 NC State 25-16. The Panthers were able to get out of Nashville with a 35-3 victory over Lock Haven.

On Dec. 29, the Panthers

COURTESY/UNI ATHLETICS

participated in the Soldier Salute tournament where five wrestlers medalled.

On Jan. 6, The Panthers took on the Wyoming Cowboys in Lincoln Nebraska. They won the dual by a convincing score of 36-6. On the same day, the Panthers took on #7 Nebraska where they lost in a close dual of 18-17.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Panthers finish break on three-game win streak BRADEN ELTON Sports Writer

As UNI students traveled home for their winter break, the UNI women’s basketball team was hard at work, winning three of their last five games. Maya McDermott led the Panthers, averaging 18 points and 3.4 assists during the stretch.

UNI opened the break with a tough non-conference bout at Iowa State. The Panthers came out strong as they traded buckets with the Cyclones, ending the first quarter tied at 16 points each. The two teams continued battling back and forth in the second quarter until Iowa State created a comfortable eightpoint lead heading into the half. The Panthers continued to hang around to begin the third quarter, but their efforts were squandered when Iowa State ended the quarter on a 17-6 run, extending their lead to 17. UNI was never able to close the gap and lost 87-70. McDermott finished the game with 30 points, four rebounds, and four assists.

Following the loss to Iowa

State, the Panthers traveled to Springfield, Mo. to take on Missouri State in a conference game. UNI started off the first quarter looking poised on the road, leading 18-11. The second quarter was drastically different than the first, as the two teams stalled offensively. Despite the lack of offense in the quarter, UNI maintained their lead heading into halftime 26-22. In the third quarter the Panthers were able to get their offensive game back on track as they extended their lead 42-37.

As the fourth quarter got underway, Missouri State’s defense stole the show and game from UNI, holding them to only 10 points in the quarter and narrowly defeating the Panthers 54-52.

McDermott led the team with 19 points while Emerson Green added eight points and 10 rebounds.

The Panthers returned home after the loss to Missouri State looking to bounce back against Evansville. UNI came out on fire, scoring 25 first quarter points, and commanded a dominant 14-point lead at the end of the first. The

Panther’s defensive game shined in the second quarter, holding Evansville to only five points. UNI continued their impressive performance en route to an 82-52 victory, snapping a nine-game losing streak. Kayba Laube led the Panthers in scoring with 15 points, while freshman Katy Reyerson led the team with 10 rebounds.

Fresh off of their blowout victory, the Panthers sought to continue their success against Indiana State at home. Both offenses started out hot as the two teams went back and forth. ending the first quarter tied at 24. In the second quarter, UNI was able to take a narrow lead, heading into halftime 44-42.

The Panthers continued to extend their lead the remainder of the game, winning 85-79. McDermott led the Panthers in scoring with 20 points and four assists, while Green added 18 points and six rebounds. Laube finished with 16 points as well.

After the two home games, UNI was back on the road set to take on UIC in Chicago, Ill. Unfortunately mother nature had other plans and

the game was postponed due to inclement weather.

Following their overnight stay in Chicago, the Panthers were back on the road to Indiana to take on Valparaiso.

The Panthers once again came out firing on all cylinders, leading 20-13 after the first quarter. The second quarter continued in the same fashion as UNI led at the half 38-20. The Panthers finished out the game with solid play on both ends of the court, winning 76-52. Grace Boffeli, in her first game

back from injury, led UNI in scoring with 16 points and seven rebounds. Green added 15 points and five rebounds while McDermott contributed 11 points, five assists and three steals.

The women’s team is set to be back in action on Friday, Jan. 19 at home against Murray State. The tip off is scheduled for 6 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+ and listened to via the Panther Sports Radio Network.

COURTESY/UNI ATHLETICS

Maya McDermott led the team in points including a 30 point game against Iowa State.

PAGE 10

CADEN SHEA

SPORTS MEN’S BASKETBALL

JANUARY 17, 2024 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

|

Sports Editor

VOLUME 120, ISSUE 16

UNI hoops keep rocking over break ADAM JOHNSON

Sports Writer

Over the winter break while most of the students on campus were at home, the UNI men’s basketball team continued to play. They came into the break with a 4-7 record, certainly not where they wanted to be, but they worked to improve their record over the break. Over the span of six games, they lost just one, making their record 9-8 as the spring semester begins.

They started things off great when they dominated in the first two games. The first game was against Alcorn State in the McLeod Center on Dec. 17. The Panthers did not mess around in the first half, scoring 62 points to Alcorn States 41. While things slowed down just a little bit in the second half for the Panthers, they still managed to score 100 points in a dominating 100-82 victory. The Panthers made 14 3-pointers on the night, five of which came from leading scorer Nate Heise, who finished with 24 points. In a

game earlier that week, Heise had scored 25 points, and his elite play for the week earned him the MVC Player of the Week. The next game for the Panthers was against Northern Illinois in Dekalb, Illinois on Dec. 21. They jumped out to a great start once again, and had a 17-point lead going into the half. They were able to stay steadily ahead of the Huskies in the second half, and won by a score of 76-63.

The Panthers had a nice break over the holiday season, and then were back to work on Jan. 3 when they traveled to play against Missouri State.

The Panthers were 0-2 in conference play, so it was a big game for them. The Panthers started the game out hot, and it looked like it might be a similar story to the other games up to this point, but the Bears were not going to be beaten so easily. They cut back on the margin before the half, and UNI held only a four-point lead, 33-29. In the second half the game remained tight. With 12 seconds left, Heise made a free throw to put the Panthers

up two, but then missed the one to go up three. The Bears had a chance to win the game, but missed an open 3-pointer at the buzzer, allowing the Panthers to sneak out with the win.

The Panthers played back at home the next two games, facing off against Indiana State on Jan. 7, and then against UIC on Jan. 10. The game against Indiana State marked the first and only loss for the Panthers over the break. They dug themselves into a hole in the first half, being down 44-27 at halftime, and it was too much to overcome in the second half. While outsourcing the Sycamores in the second half, they still took the loss 77-66. Despite the loss Bowen Born led all scorers with an impressive 27-point outing. The Panthers bounced back against UIC. This was a close game the whole way through. The Panthers held a slim 35-32 lead at halftime, but were able to hold the Flames to under 30 points in the second half, and ended up winning the game 67-59.

The last game of the break was at Murray State on Jan. 14. Scoring was hard to come by in the first half, as neither team was able to get to 30 points. It was the Racers that had a two-point lead with the score at 27-25. The offense improved for both teams in the second half, but more so for the Panthers, particularly for Heise. He led the way with 16 points in the half, as the

Panthers scored 45 total. The Racers could not quite keep up, as UNI won the final game of break 70-60.

The Panthers performance over the break has moved their record to 9-8 overall and 3-3 in conference play. They will be back on the court Wednesday, Jan. 17, when they travel to Tennessee to play Belmont.

Bowen Born dribbles up the court during a game.

STEPH STARK

TRACK AND FIELD

Panthers kick off 2024 season at Hawkeye Invitational NICOLE WATERS

Sports Writer

The Panthers started action off Friday with throwers. Sarah Byrd finished sixth in the weighted throw for the women with a throw of 16.77 meters.

Jorie Hanenburg finished eighth and Katie Fare finished second on the women’s side of shot put with a 12.89 meters, a career best, for Hanenburg and 15.82 meters for Fare.

Carson Lienau took second on the men’s side with a 17.62 meters throw and a new career best. Spencer Kessel was right behind in third place with a 17.41 meter throw, Sebastian

Swistak with a 16.63 meters career best throw for sixth and David Russell with a 15.93 meters throw for an eighth place finish.

Saturday began the rest of the events. For women’s high jump, Rylie Todd took second with a jump of 1.65 meters.

Three more Panthers finished shortly behind with career best jumps. Chloe Largent, Josie Moreland and Soren Maricle finished with 1.65 meter jumps as well. Women’s 400meter would take place next and Libby Wedewer would take charge for the Panthers finishing in fifth place with a time of 59.44. Ella Santi fol-

COURTESY/UNI ATHLETICS

Many athletes had great performances as the Panthers officially kicked off their 2024 season.

lowed close behind with a seventh place finish with a career best time of 1:03.79. Tinashe Chigudu finished second with a career best time of 49.23 on the men’s side.

In the women’s 600meter, Sophia Jungling led the Panthers with a time of 1:35.45 for a seventh place finish. Over on the men’s side, two Panthers recorded career bests. Chase Knoche finished third with a time of 1:18.07 and Micaiah Ellis finished eighth with a time of 1:20.30.

The 60-meter hurdles saw Paige Kisley finish with a time of 8.82 for seventh place and Olivia Kramer finish with a time of 8.94 taking eighth. The men’s side consisted of Jack Sumners recording a time of 8.15 seconds for fifth, Hunter Manock with a time of 8.31 seconds for sixth and Carter Accola with a time of 8.55 seconds for a seventh place finish.

Jill Bennett finished seventh in the 60-meter with a time of 7.73. On the men’s side, Luke Meyers and Jerome Jessup each recorded career bests in the 60-meter as Meyers ran a 6.82 for third place and Jessup a 6.86 for fourth place. Emma Hoins had a career best time of 4:54.46 in the women’s one-mile to take third.

The Panthers found their groove in the 800-meter with men’s and women’s individual champions. Liza Schaffer had a career best time of 2:18.00 for a first place finish. Kaylin Lacher followed behind in second with a time of 2:21.58.

Makenna Edwards took fourth place with a time of 2:35.22, a career best. Jayden Dickson finished with a time of 1:53.93 on the men’s side for a first place finish. Kon Dut followed shortly behind with a time of 1:57.25 for a fourth place finish and Karson Kleve with a time of 1:57.65 for a sixth place finish.

In the women’s pole vault, the Panthers notched the top three spots with Alivia Silvestri finishing first place with a height of 3.65 meters.

Hannah Wallace and Isabelle Cox finishing with career bests of 3.10 meters to take second and third place. On the men’s side, Brendan Safley finished first and claimed the individual title with a height of 5.10 meters.

The long jump also saw great success for both the men and women. Katy Stephens recorded a career best of 5.58 meters for a third place finish, while Kallie Greiner also recorded a career best of 5.30 meters for a fourth place finish. Maleah Walker

finished in fifth place with a jump of 5.29 meters. Zack Butcher took second on the men’s side with a jump of 7.17 meters. Drew Bartels came in right behind, at third, with a jump of 6.83 meters. Sumners then came in at fourth with a jump of 6.71 meters and Brody Lovell shortly behind, in sixth, with a jump of 6.44.

In the men’s 200 meter Kaden Emanuel finished fifth with a time of 22.56 seconds and Austin Kunkle finished with a career-best time of 22.70 to place sixth.

In the women’s 4x400 the team of Wedewer, Auriona Kimbrough, Jungling, and Bennett finished with a time of 3:55.13 for fourth place. Right after them was Joey Perry, Eden Barrett, Darci Wiseman, and Anna Winterrowd with a time of 3:55.30 for a fifth place finish. The men’s team of Zach Butcher, Meyers, Knoche and Chigudu finished with a time of 3:17.94 for a second place finish. Lovell, Jessup, Ellis and Emanuel finished with a time of 3:24.44 for fifth place, and Zach Fall, Titus Jackson, Dickson and Dut finished with a time of 3:28.71 for sixth place. Caleb Shumaker finished with a time of 8:37.64 in the men’s 3,000meter to take fourth place.

PAGE 11

CADEN SHEA

SPORTS

Sports Editor

JANUARY 17, 2024 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

|

VOLUME 120, ISSUE 16

PAGE 12

SOPHIE HOFFMEIER

CLASSIFIEDS JANUARY 17, 2024 |

CROSSWORD

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

|

Managing Editor

VOLUME 120, ISSUE 16

SUDOKU 1

SUDOKU 2 Across 1 Campus gp. with a Greek name 5 Eyelid hair 9 End 13 __ slaw 14 Aptly named cooler brand 16 Ocean motion 17 "Neat!"

18 Place to store valuables 19 Father and son authors Kingsley and Martin 20 Thoroughfare in New York City's Little Italy 23 Nerf missile 24 Central cooling systs.

25 Hit single from Taylor Swift's "Midnights" 32 Commonplace 35 Unethical one 36 Limo passenger 37 "Sad to say ... " 38 Choreographer de Mille 39 Chromosome part 40 Goofy drawing?

41 "Farewell, chérie" 42 River vessel 43 Meatless cheesy entree, familiarly 46 Bum __: unfounded accusation 47 City near Anaheim 49 2023 musical film produced

by Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg, and an apt title for this puzzle 56 Have a strong 52-Down 57 Love 58 Neeson of the "Taken" films 60 Actress Hathaway 61 Rosebud __: "Schitt's Creek" location 62 Land measure 63 Hissed "Over here!"

64 Kelly of morning talk TV 65 Hornet home

12 Gnat, e.g.

15 Bonus sports periods, for short 21 Imitate a donkey 22 Weight adjustment factor 26 Baylor in the Basketball Hall of Fame 27 Group of nine 28 In the on-deck circle 29 Strong start?

30 Oomph 31 Sword with a blunted tip 32 Frilly material 33 Designer Cassini 34 CVS rival 38 Org. on a bottle of mouthwash 39 Coach's strategy 41 Gravy Cravers pet food brand 42 "I'm f-f-f-reezing!"

44 Single serving of sugar 45 Tía's madre 48 "The Brady Bunch" housekeeper 49 Lint collector 50 Farm cluckers

Down 1 Airwaves-regulating govt. agency 2 Part of a suite 3 Audibly 4 Candid memoirs 5 Broadcast with minimal tape delay 6 Food thickener made from seaweed 7 Enunciate poorly 8 Sacred 9 Fabric stiffener 10 Shortcut, hopefully 11 Drooling dog in "Garfield"

SUDOKU 2 ANSWERS

SUDOKU 1 ANSWERS

51 Go on the __ 52 Hamper emanation 53 Unleavened bread similar to naan 54 Make ready 55 AirPods holders 59 Ran into

ANSWERS