Opinion Columnist Nkasa Bolumbu argues legislation in needed to protect survivors of trafficking like Pieper Lewis.
SEE PAGE 5
CAMPUS LIFE
Waverly restaurant owners bring new addition to downtown Cedar Falls, Bigfoot Betty’s.
SEE PAGE 6
SPORTS Panthers annhiliate in-state rivals Drake Bulldogs on Saturday, 91-77.
HOUSING PORTAL SCRAMBLE
CAROLINE CHRISTENSEN Executive Editor
With a reservation date of Feb. 15, he logged into the Housing Portal twenty minutes prior to his reservation time, but he quickly encountered, “numerous problems.”
He said, “I tried to get into the portal at the time I was given, but I was denied access, as it said there were too many people trying to get onto the server. And that frustrated me because I am sitting here in class, trying to set up my housing as fast as I can to ensure that I can get a room.”
News briefs
Campus Activities Board will be celebrating National Pancake Day by handing out free pancakes this Wednesday, Feb. 28 from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m in Maucker Union. They will have a variety of toppings, ranging from syrups to sweet jams. There will be giveaways while supplies last.
Toast for Change
Black Student Union will be hosting their annual “Toast for Change” event Feb. 29 from 6 - 9p.m. in Maucker Union Ballrooms. An RSVP is required for this event, and the dress code is formal. BSU will be reflecting and celebrating on all the work they have done so far this year at the event.
UNI Opera to present “Suor Angelica”
The University of Northern Iowa’s Applied Engineering Building hosted local media members and business partners during a media tour on Tuesday, Feb. 20, that highlighted the state-of-the-art construction that will house the next generation of industry leaders.
Led by Applied Engineering and Technical Management Department Head Lisa Riedle, Ph.D, PE, University Relations Director Pete Moris, UNI Facilities Management Assistant Vice President and Director Michael Zwanziger and UNI’s Metal Casting Center (MCC) Assistant Program Manager Nate Bryant; media members were able to see the impressive reconstruction that would add around 40,000 square feet of space — an expansion of almost 50% of the original facility — to the almost 50-year-old building.
Riedle says the $44.7 million renovation project was
special in the sense that future students got a hand in what decisions were made about the renovations.
“Students have been involved in the process,” she said. “Students got to come in and vote on what they liked and didn’t like.”
Even down to room signs, UNI collaborated with students to facilitate the creation of the labeled signs and install them as a learning experience.
See HOUSING PORTAL, page 2 COURTESY/INSIDEUNI
This wouldn’t be the only time UNI has sought out the specialties of its own students. Back around 2021, MCC and five teams of students led by 2022 UNI graduate Matt Watson were vital in the casting of the 56 commemorative Campanile handbells as a gift to the sponsors of UNI’s Our Tomorrow campaign.
UNI Opera will present three performances of Suor Angelica this Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 3 at 2:30 p.m in the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center. The opera in one act by Giacomo Puccini to an original Italian libretto by Giovacchino Forzano, and weaves the tragic tale of a woman who bears a child out of wedlock and is sent to a convent to repent for her sins.
Accounting program receives award
UNI’s Department of Accounting has been awarded the inaugural KPMG Accounting Program Innovation Award from the American Accounting Association, the largest community of accountants in academia. The awards committee specifically noted UNI’s new hybrid accounting program, increasing access for placebound adult learners in central Iowa. The program allows some online courses alongside in-person courses taught through the UNI@ DMACC program.
HOUSING PORTAL
continued from page 1
Hicklin said he was not able to get a room in Lawther due to the technical difficulties he experienced, and re-reserved his current room in Dancer for next year.
“The housing portal did not crash,” Karr said. “The system was slow because of the large amount of activity taking place, which is not unique to this year. It’s sort of like waiting in the queue for concert tickets. The high demand caused some people to have to wait longer than others. UHD staff helped students on-site and over the phone during those few hours, and IT increased server capacity within the portal.”
One current freshman, who preferred to remain anonymous, experienced some technical difficulties when they were attempting to reserve a room.
“It did cost a lot of people a lot of time and frustration,” Hicklin said. “A lot of people didn’t get the housing they wanted or should have gotten. Personally, I am fine with my situation. I’m over it. Some people I know are still bummed out.”
Karr said the housing portal will be moving to the cloud next year, so they are anticipating a faster response time moving forward. She said UHD’s goal is to ensure the room reservation process is as efficient and accessible as possible.
“We have a comprehensive plan in place for the contract renewal process. Lots of communication goes out to students leading up.”
NI ARCHIVES
Several students reported the website freezing completely when they logged on to try to reserve their room for next year. UHD staff helped students on-site in their office in the Redecker Center and over the phone during those hours.
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EAVES
According to Karr, students in the Live 2 Succeed Program get priority when reserving rooms. Students in Live 2 Succeed contract to live on campus for two years and receive a $1,000 scholarship in addition to priority reservations. According to one of UHD’s contract renewal tips, “All students on the Live 2 Succeed program will have priority during room selection. This includes those students who are currently in year two or three of their contract, as the benefit of priority room selection carries with it as long as you continue living on campus.”
The order for reservation groups is the following: students who want to reserve their same room, upperclass students on Live 2 Succeed, first-year students on Live 2 Succeed, upperclass students not on Live 2 Succeed and first-year students not on Live 2 Succeed.
Karr said the contract renewal process saw a near record number of returning students for fall 2024, and anticipated occupancy for the fall semester is projected to be as high as it was in 2018. UHD anticipated another increase in the number of students choosing to live on campus for the 2024-25 school year.
With thousands of students scrambling for rooms, confusion and frustration
PRODUCTION
SOPHIE STEPH STARK Head Photographer starksag@uni.edu
resulted for students like Grant Hospodarsky, a Panther Village resident. Him and his three roommates had one opening in their four bedroom dorm, and were able to pull in one of their friends into their roommate group. However, because their fourth roommate had a reservation date of Feb. 20, people they did not know were contracting to join their room.
After much negotiation and room swapping, they were able to get their intended roommate in the room.
“I understand we have more students than we’ve had before, so you kind of have to deal with living with randoms,” Hospodarsky said. “I’m glad that we worked out, but I know that there are plenty of other people who have had worse things.”
He said while he felt comfortable reaching out to those who joined their room, he recognizes not everyone would be.
“My heart goes out to those who are not as extroverted in terms of feeling comfortable reaching out and having those difficult conversations,” Hospodarsky said. “Like, you have to tell somebody, ‘we don’t want to live with you.’ I mean, that’s a tough conversation to have.”
Karr said UHD shares a number of contract renewal tips in their communication
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leading up to the contract renewal process, one of those regarding roommate groups and apartments. The tip reads, “Fully open apartments will be hard to come by. Most likely there will not be a fully open apartment in Panther Village, Roth or Jennings when PRDs open. This is because many of our students will select their same spaces or be pulled in as a roommate during the Same Room/Roommate steps. This includes one-bedroom apartments. Please plan accordingly as it pertains to coordinating roommate groupings.”
Hospodarsky said he hopes for a more simplified process in the future.
“We’re just trying to operate within the system they create. So the easier or more simplified that you can make it the better,” He said. “I wish there was a way to group single people into a room so they don’t break up roommate groups and kind of flop from place to place.”
Hicklin said that while he recognizes the hard work UHD puts into the contract renewal process, he would have liked to see more communication surrounding the technical issues experienced by students on Feb. 15.
“It needs to be addressed,” Hicklin said. “I think there should have been some context given in a public manner.”
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Elections for Northern Iowa Student Government (NISG) president, vice president, and senatorial positions are this week. The elected officials will represent the student body in a variety of ways, including meeting with the Board of Regents and legislators, lobbying with legislators at the state capitol and making student life decisions, including distributing funding for student organizations.
All students are invited to vote until 6 p.m. Feb. 28 through an emailed link which will be sent to the entire student body. Results will be announced around 7 p.m. Feb. 28 at the stairs in Maucker Union.
Visit northerniowan.com to read more about the campaigns and for updates on the election results.
Student Body President:
Meet the Candidates
Lizbeth Montalvo and Joshua Walsh:
Montalvo is a junior majoring in political communication and Spanish with a minor in legal studies. She currently serves as the student body vice president. Joshua Walsh, a junior majoring in public administration, is her running mate. He is a current NISG senator for the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and
APPLIED ENGINEERING
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Zwanziger pointed out that the original working space — which will be moved from the back of the building to the front to showcase students’ working areas — had a conjoined shop with both metal and woodworking spaces, making the space potentially dangerous if safety hazards were not properly working.
the chair of the Organization and Finance Committee.
Enoch Bolaji: Bolaji is a sophomore majoring in biology and premed. This is his second semester in NISG, where he serves as a senator for the College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences. Bolaji campaigned with sophomore Ethan Woodhouse.
However, according to NISG sources and the official ballot, Woodhouse is no longer in the race. Bolaji is currently running with no vice president.
Platforms
Bolaji: The Bolaji is running with the slogan, “The Choice for Better Change.” The key mes-
with the addition of study and collaboration spaces, a lounge with vending machines, a refrigerator and water coolers, showers and gear space and plenty of natural light to keep students more engaged throughout their long days — one of the most notable features about the new education area.
We’re creating students for jobs not created yet. We don’t know what’s next (in the field).
“With wood and metalworking in the same space, you got metalworking making sparks and woods making dust,” Zwanziger said.
Lisa Riedle Applied Engineering and Technical Management Department Head
The new space will also be more centered around a student’s day-to-day routines
“A lot of the kids are in these programs from eight o’clock in the morning to 10 at night, and they barely leave to get through some of the work they need to do,” Zwanziger said. “Just to help them with their studies here without having to figure out ‘Hey, how am I going to get lunch or supper?’”
Phase one of the project has a projected opening date
sage of their campaign is creating a more open connection between NISG and the student body.
“We are very interested in the relationship between the NISG and the student body. It’s almost nonexistent if you ask me,” Bolaji said. “I’ve spoken to so many people, and I’d say most of them don’t even know what the NISG means.”
Through his conversations with students, Bolaji has fielded a number of student complaints, including overpriced parking tickets, the lack of air conditioning in dorms and Rod Library closing at 11 p.m. each weeknight. During their campaign, Bolaji and Woodhouse met with university officials to discuss these issues, including
of Monday, March 18, 2024, for students and faculty. Phase two of the project is projected to be completed by December 2024.
Zwanziger also noted that since the project began in 2016 but was then structurally planned in the height of COVID-19, the architectural changes that were made were done so without changing the budget at all.
“What we’re really proud of is that through that time period of significant inflation, significant supply chain issues, we’re able to deliver this project on budget,” Zwanziger said, highlighting the ceiling beam features in the old shop compared to the steel I-beams in the new shop. “We were able to provide what the program needs were.”
Funding for the renovation was in part from the state for around $40.5 million over four years and $4.2 million from university fundraising.
UNI Foundation Director of Development Carrie Rankin says the foundation’s fundraising efforts have accumulated over $3 million of their goal that will go towards facility
ing propelling the Montalvo and Walsh campaign. HEAR is an acronym, standing for Health, Experience, Accessibility and Resources.
Alongside each of those pillars, their campaign is focused on working with overlooked communities, such as graduate students, international students, transfer students, deaf and hard of hearing students and blind students. Among those communities, she also wants to connect first-year students with needed support.
Walsh also pointed to their campaign’s combined four years of experience in NISG. “We know the ins and outs, and we know what is possible and how to get those possible things done,” he said.
President Mark Nook and Rod Library staff.
In response to the recent recommendations passed by the Board of Regents regarding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion services at Iowa Regent universities, Bolaji said that he and his running mate plan to “peacefully advocate against that” in whatever way they can.
“The reason (I’m) running is that we need to remind the students that we are in power and that this school is meant for us. We should be comfortable in our own school, because without us, there’s no UNI,” he said.
Montalvo and Walsh:
“We HEAR You” is the say-
enhancements such as equipment and the finished space.
The new student space, which is inside the newly named John Deere Innovation Corridor, features one large general education classroom that fits around 40 students and is centered around active learning with mobile desks and TVs for group collaboration, teacher usage and more. Two computer labs will be featured, and just across the street at UNI’s Center for Energy and Environmental Education, two classrooms will be utilized and will work hand-in-hand with the Applied Engineering Department since they were not in use.
The largest feature of the space is the amount of natural light and high ceilings, a major upgrade from the shop with less than five windows. Fitted with an open ceiling concept, Zwanziger made note that construction students can actively see how a building works by simply looking up during instructional time.
Outlets in the main corridor are inlaid into the floor in the middle, allowing for mobile desks and accompa-
Montalvo also said that they plan to continue encouraging a diverse and supportive culture at UNI. “I just want you to make sure that you understand that your voice as a student matters,” Montalvo said. “That is something that I think I even overlooked sometimes, but the institution was built for students. This institution is for students. If it wasn’t for students, the institution would not be a thing, so your voice matters. Make sure people hear your voice. That is something that I want to humbly advocate for — your voice matters. Your opinions matter. You matter here.”
nying technology. In individualized classrooms, outlets are suspended from above for easy accessibility and to make the most of the room space.
Zwanziger also said that the old building lacked the area for collaboration and that programs were “separated significantly.” Now, the 10 programs housed there will have the ability to do so, as applied engineering is an interdisciplinary major that works with other departments like chemistry and physics.
Applied Engineering and Technical Management faculty and management hope that the elaborate space is something that draws prospective students to UNI in a way that it has never before.
As UNI’s general enrollment increased from 8,949 in 2022 to 9,021 in 2023, Applied Engineering and Technical Management is also aiming to increase enrollment by more than 75% by 2028, around 300 more students than the previous goal.
“We’re creating students for jobs not created yet,” Riedle said. “We don’t know what’s next (in the field).”
The University of Northern Iowa (UNI) hosts an annual spectacle that sends pulses racing and adrenaline pumping: Rock Revolution.
For 25 years, this event has been a cornerstone of the climbing community, drawing volunteers and participants from far and wide to test their skills and push their limits on a towering 38.5-foot wall inside UNI’s Wellness and Recreation Center.
In order to host such an event the Outdoor Recreation team spends weeks doing behind the scenes work. The forward facing aspect of preparation starts one week before the competition.
Volunteers begin with stripping the wall bare, removing any remnants of previous routes. Each hold is meticulously scrubbed to remove any dirt, chalk, or residue that could affect
a climber’s grip, leaving behind a blank canvas for the setters to work their magic.
With ropes and harnesses at the ready, the setting team plots out each route, carefully selecting holds and placement to provide the perfect balance of difficulty and excitement. Each route is a puzzle waiting to be solved.
But what exactly is top rope climbing, and how does it differ from the bouldering competitions offered in the fall?
Unlike bouldering, which involves climbing short routes without ropes, top roping requires a safety rope anchored at the top of much taller climbs, emphasizing endurance and technique with the added security of a belay system.
On Feb. 24, the work of over 30 volunteers came to fruition as over 60 competitors took part in Rock Revolution. Competitors have a set amount of time to climb as many routes as
they can. Each route is carefully labeled with its own set of rules and a point value, those who score the most points advance to the finals, where a climb off, ultimately decides the winner.
The Rock Revolution isn’t just a competition, it’s a celebration of the climbing community and the spirit of adventure that drives us to, quite literally, reach new heights.
With the support of dedicated volunteers and passionate participants, this annual event continues to inspire and captivate climbers of all ages and skill levels, fueling a love for the sport that knows no bounds.
Ready to take your climbing to the next level? The WRC offers climbing classes and open wall times for climbers of all levels. Whether you’re a seasoned climber or just starting out, there’s a route waiting for you!
La Universidad del Norte de Iowa (UNI) organiza un espectáculo anual que acelera el pulso y sube la adrenalina: Rock Revolution.
Durante 25 años, este evento ha sido un pilar de la comunidad de escalada, atrayendo a voluntarios y participantes de todas partes para poner a prueba sus habilidades y superar sus límites en una imponente pared de 38.5 pies dentro del Centro de Bienestar y Recreación de UNI ( WRC por sus siglas en inglés ).
Para poder organizar un evento de este tipo, el equipo de recreación al aire libre pasa semanas trabajando entre bastidores. La preparación exterior comienza una semana antes de la competición.
Los voluntarios comienzan a desmantelar la pared, eliminando cualquier resto de rutas anteriores. Cada agarre se limpia meticulosamente para eliminar cualquier suciedad, tiza o residuo que pueda afectar el agarre del escalador, dejando un lienzo en blanco para que los colocadores hagan su magia.
Con cuerdas y arneses listos, el equipo de configuración traza cada ruta, seleccionando cuidadosamente los agarres y la ubicación para proporcionar el equilibrio perfecto entre dificultad y emoción. Cada ruta es un rompecabeza esperando ser resuelto.
Pero, ¿qué es exactamente la escalada con cuerda superior y en qué se diferencia de las competiciones de escala-
da en bloque que se ofrecen en otoño?
A diferencia de escalada en bloque, que implica escalar rutas cortas sin cuerdas, la escalada con cuerda superior es una cuerda de seguridad anclada en la cima de escaladas mucho más altas, enfatizando la resistencia y la técnica con la seguridad adicional de un sistema de aseguramiento.
El 24 de febrero, el trabajo de más de 30 voluntarios se hizo realidad cuando más de 60 competidores participaron en Rock Revolution . Los competidores tienen un tiempo determinado para escalar tantas rutas como puedan. Cada ruta está cuidadosamente etiquetada con su propio conjunto de reglas y un valor de puntos; aquellos que obtienen la mayor cantidad de puntos avanzan a la final, donde un ascenso decide finalmente el ganador.
El Rock Revolution no es solo una competencia, es una celebración de la comunidad escaladora y el espíritu de aventura que nos impulsa, literalmente, a alcanzar nuevas alturas.
Con el apoyo de voluntarios dedicados y participantes apasionados, este evento anual continúa inspirando y cautivando a escaladores de todas las edades y niveles, alimentando un amor por el deporte que no conoce límites.
¿Listo para llevar tu escalada al siguiente nivel? El WRC ofrece clases de escalada y horarios de pared abierta para escaladores de todos los niveles. Tanto si eres un escalador experimentado como si estás empezando, ¡hay una ruta esperandote!
Legislation is needed to protect survivors of trafficking following the Pieper Lewis caseNKASA BOLUMBU Opinion Columnist
Editor’s Note: This article addresses topics like sexual assault, violent crime and drug use.
“I refuse to fail and let the system fail me.” Pieper Lewis, Sept. 13, 2022.
When Pieper Lewis, a Des Moines, native was 15 years old she ran away from home after enduring mistreatment and verbal insults by her adoptive mother in the summer of 2020. She was living in the halls of an apartment building complex when she was taken in by a young musician who said he’d take care of her. After giving her a place to stay, he forced her to have sex with him and then put up online ads to be sold into human trafficking. One of the men who she was sold to was Zachary Brooks, a 37-year-old bus driver, a father, who participated in the trafficking and alleged rape of a 15-year-old child. Lewis says that he violated her several times and kept her drugged.
In June of 2020, she stabbed 37-year-old Zachary Brooks, about 30 times after enduring hours of abuse after being forced to drink and use drugs. She pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was facing up to 20 years in prison at the age of 17. Per Iowa code chapter 910 from 1997, she was also told to pay $150,000 in restitution to Brooks’ family.
Despite her being a victim of sex trafficking, no charges were brought up against her trafficker. Lewis got national attention following her sentencing and her high school teacher started a GoFundMe to cover Lewis’s payment to Brook’s family. The GoFundMe ended up reaching three times the $150,000 goal and will allow Lewis the financial freedom to fund her future after doing her time.
Lewis’ story is one of many that show the reality survivors of sex trafficking face and their criminalization by the justice system. Cyntonia Brown-Long was 16 years old when she was charged with life in prison for also killing her abuser. Zephi Trevino was only 16 years old when she was charged with capital murder as an adult by Texas’s district attorney for a
crime committed by her trafficker. Joan Little was only 19 when she faced murder charges for killing the officer who attempted to rape her in 1974.
The way her case was handled and the investigation into her claims of sexual abuse speaks to the larger disparity of Iowa’s lack of modernity to sex trafficking crimes.
Sex trafficking victims are being treated more like criminals than the actual people who traffick and participate in their physical, sexual and mental abuse.
The Polaris Project, a nonprofit anti-human trafficking organization, defines human trafficking as “the business of stealing freedom for profit.
In some cases, traffickers trick, defraud or physically force victims into selling sex.”
as survivors to clear criminal records.”
Clemency hearings are done for the survivors to apologize and ask for forgiveness of crimes they committed during a time when they were victims themselves to courts, in my opinion, do little to protect and prevent these situations. Why should victims be solely blamed? Why not hold and punish their abusers for putting them in these situations? Why not train police to be able to investigate signs and allegations of trafficking?
Sex trafficking victims are being treated more like criminals than the actual people who traffick and participate in their physical, sexual and mental abuse.
Pieper Lewis’ case is a sign we need to look closer at our laws and make sure that they protect survivors of exploitation and abuse, especially when they are facing direct charges due to the circumstances of human trafficking.
be accountable for “leaving (Brooks) without a father.” It is completely absurd to not count her as a victim considering whether or not Brooks knew about Lewis being trafficked, he allegedly purchased a minor for sex.
What is truly perplexing to me is that her accused trafficker hasn’t been brought to justice for his role in even handing Lewis over to Brooks. He is still a threat to the community and other vulnerable young girls. Yet there’s no word on any arrests.
Lewis gave a nine-minutelong statement in September 2022. Lewis said the support of her team, support system and those who believe in her, along with faith and patience has kept her determined to shine.
“My spirit has been burned, but still glows through the flames,” she read. “Hear me roar, see me glow, and watch me grow.”
Following a quarantine in the center with limited time and communication with her loved ones and team, she felt like her “flight or fight” responses were turned on due to the isolation and her declining mental state. The Fresh Start Center is the only center in Iowa that is focused on rehabilitation for women who were victims of the circumstances that led them to be prosecuted. She had a job and was allowed to be out in the community during certain periods. She felt like she couldn’t avoid recognition, that a member of Brooks’ family had heckled her at a bus stop and that she had even bumped into her former trafficker.
The center was only one mile away from where she was trafficked. She felt trapped, unsafe, and ran away to a mall in order to gain a sense of normalcy. Much of her teen years were spent detained. She later pleaded guilty to escaping and was offered a “second chance” with no additional sentencing but, “she will not be offered a third” Polk County District Judge David M. Porter said.
In August 2022, the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act was introduced by Republican Utah House Representative Burgess Owens, which would vacate charges of survivors' criminal record after filing a motion that’s based on clear evidence of trafficking and a rebuttable presumption that the filer was trafficked. There has been no movement of the bill since November of 2022.
Since 2007, they have operated the National Human Trafficking Hotline and have built the “largest database of human trafficking in North America.” They studied the criminalization of survivors in the National Survivor study.
Out of the 439 participants, they found 62% had been arrested at least once and, of that percentage, 80% were arrested while they were being trafficked. The survivors were arrested and charged at “shocking rates.”
They speak of the importance of Criminal Records Relief which are policies that protect survivors and prevent the loss of their rights.
Having a criminal record can greatly affect employment, housing applications and one’s access to higher education.
Iowa has no haven law that allows for criminal immunity to trafficking victims. Polaris states that currently, survivors need to “prove their worthiness
Despite the judge going for the minimum and sentencing Lewis to five years probation in a women’s detention center, the system has been and is still flawed for survivors facing criminalization. After she aged out of juvenile detention, Lewis had to be transferred to The Des Moines Fresh Start Women’s Center following her 18th birthday. She obtained her GED during her detention.
Iowa does not have a specific treatment/rehabilitation center for young girls who went through similar experiences to Lewis. Her defense team wanted to transfer her to a girl’s center in Missouri, but Iowa’s Department of Human Services refused due to this only being a last resort and the fees for transferring her out of state.
In an article by The Associated Press, they say “prosecutors took issue with Lewis calling herself a victim” and that she needed to
She apologized for Brooks’ death and said that she wished it had never come to that point. To the prosecution, she retorted a prior statement and said, “To say there’s only one victim in the story is (absurd).” She said not only did a man die, but her innocence was stolen too.
She hopes to be a fashion and graphic designer one day for her brand called ‘Pie.’ She plans to advocate for survivors like her and others in juvenile court. She wants to be a counselor and start her own family one day. “I’m not a stranger to the dark because I’m a light. I am a survivor,” she added. Her story has been largely covered by Des Moines Register reporter, Philip Jones, who, in two direct interviews, asked Lewis about her life in the detention centers and plans for the future. She explained that despite the resources at her disposal, whenever she needed help outside the resources available to her in the women’s detention center, being the youngest there among women who still had a “criminal lifestyle,” the center “didn’t know how to help her.”
If you want to help Pieper Lewis live the life she deserves and achieve her dreams, please sign a petition to get her pardoned by Iowa’s governor Kim Reynolds. Keep up the hope and positivity and learn more about the signs of human trafficking
She’s not the first of many girls to be criminalized despite being a victim of human sex trafficking. But how will she be the last if we do nothing about the laws and systems that allow this criminalization to take place?
What can we do?
Ask Governor Kim Reynolds to pardon Lewis. Sign the petition. Spread the word and learn more about sex trafficking to understand the need to have legislation that protects survivors of human trafficking.
Her story is part of a larger issue of human trafficking and how easy it is for girls like her to slip through the ‘safety net’ of society. She was still in high school when she went to live with her alleged rapist who then took advantage of her and used her as a means to benefit himself.
BAILEY
For those who frequent Main Street, a new restaurant has opened behind Sarah’s Espresso at 419 Main St. Bigfoot Betty’s opened earlier this year under the ownership of Jesse and Chelsi Armstrong, who also own Sasquatch Jack’s in Waverly. For the couple, opening a restaurant in Cedar Falls has always been a dream, for a multitude of reasons.
The Armstrongs, who already own and operate the fast-casual restaurant Sasquatch Jack’s in Waverly, always knew they wanted to expand their business to Cedar Falls. For them, it’s personal, as they both hail from the Cedar Falls-Waterloo area. Chelsi Armstrong is a UNI alum, and Jesse attended Cedar Falls High School. “Waverly is great, and we love it there,” Jesse said. “But it does have a ceiling. You know, it’s a smaller town and we wanted to get our brand out there and get exposed to the Cedar Falls-Waterloo market.” The couple had wanted to explore a second location for a while, and one day, Jesse stumbled upon a listing for what’s now Bigfoot Betty’s home. He toured it, the couple sent in an application and, by October, the couple had decided that
the space was the spot for Bigfoot Betty’s. With the restaurant opening earlier this year, that makes for a turnaround being only a couple months. “We were only able to do it with the help of our people. Our family, our friends,and our employees. Our general manager is fantastic. We wouldn’t be able to do anything without their support,” the couple said. According to the Armstrongs, everyone pitched in to help them get Bigfoot Betty’s off the ground. “We seriously wouldn’t be able to do it without our amazing employees. With COVID19, a lot of restaurants lost a lot of people, but we retained about 90% of our staff. We’re so grateful to how dedicated they are and everything they do for us.”
The branding of Bigfoot Betty’s was something that came easy for the Armstrongs, who use their family-style restaurants to honor their grandparents. “The branding wasn’t something we struggled with,” laughed Chelsi Armstrong. “Sasquatch Jack’s is named after his grandfather, so for us, Bigfoot Betty’s was kind of a no-brainer, Betty being my grandmother. After we nailed that down, we made our logo and brought in our trees and wildflowers, and I think it turned into
something really beautiful.” In their quick turnaround, their employees supported their vision.
Over the course of just a couple months, the restaurant quickly came together.
For the Armstrongs, they want the fast-casual family restaurant to be something everyone can enjoy.
“We’re one of the only restaurants on main street that doesn’t sell alcohol,” said Jesse Armstrong. “We really wanted this space to have something for everyone here.” With that, the couple has a couple recommendations for firsttime customers at Bigfoot Betty’s. “I’d say the best thing on the menu is our tenderloins,” Jesse said. “I can’t seem to find a good tenderloin in Iowa, so I figured we’d make one ourselves. A lot of times at restaurants, things are ordered frozen and dropped to fry. Not here. We bread everything ourselves, make our own breading, make all of our soups, sauces, dressings, gravies, here, in house.”
For Chelsi, it’s hard to just pick one thing on the menu that’s worthwhile. “I love the jack bites, and I’m partial to the Chelsi salad,” she said, alluding to the steak salad with her namesake on the Bigfoot Betty’s menu.
While the Armstrongs believe everything on the menu is worth a try, the menu is a work in progress, and always will be. “At most restaurants, if someone has something they don’t like, they just won’t come back. I don’t want that here. If someone has something they don’t like or think could be better, I want to know. I want feedback. We revisit our menu and look at what works and what doesn’t. We always want to be improving for our
BAILEY KLINKHAMMER customers,” Jesse commented. The family style restaurant welcomes all employees and customers like family. The restaurant located at 419 Main Street in Cedar Falls serves customers weekly from 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. on every day except for Sunday, when Bigfoot Betty’s is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. A full Bigfoot Betty’s menu is available at bigfootbettys.com.
“The eight awards we brought home to UNI made me so proud to be a part of this sisterhood, and made me so thankful that all of my sisters are dedicated to seeing our chapter thrive,” Ellie Penick, Alpha Delta Pi’s vice president of recruitment, spoke on the recent accolades the chapter received at Alpha Delta Pi’s Officer Academy in Cincinnati, Ohio. The weekend of Feb. 10, the Epsilon Mu chapter of Alpha Delta Pi traveled to Cincinnati to enrich the sorority’s leadership and award leaders who had excelled in their positions.
The chapter, overall, received eight awards. These awards include History Reporting Excellence, Finance Excellence, Academic Excellence, Philanthropy Excellence, Membership Experience Excellence, Recruitment Excellence, Operations Excellence and Panhellenic Excellence. President Nicole Bellis spoke on what this means for the Epsilon Mu chapter, “Receiving these awards and this nomination was such a confidence boost
for the chapter. It reassured us that we are operating at a high level and showed us that our whole chapter is excelling in many aspects of the sorority. It got everyone excited to implement new ideas and continue to work hard in our positions to better the entire chapter.”
The chapter was also nominated for a Golden Lion Award, which is the highest honor for an Alpha Delta Pi chapter. The Epsilon Mu chapter received a Golden Lion Award in 2022, and is aiming even higher to receive their second one within two years. For Penick, these awards mean more than one might think. “Being recognized for all of our chapter’s hard work over the past year validated the long days, countless emails, and passion that we all put into our officer positions in Alpha Delta Pi. Additionally, the awards symbolized how a smaller chapter can still achieve just as much as some of Alpha Delta Pi’s other larger chapters.” Kylie Fink, vice president of marketing for Alpha Delta Pi, affirmed Penick’s passion. “Seeing the hard work our Executive Board put in last year pay off
through receiving various awards at ADPi Academy year, her passion has turned into a focus on setting her the Grand Convention in Baltimore for Alpha Delta Pi to find out if Epsilon Mu will be awarded the Golden Lion on top of the Officer Excellence Awards the chapter received earlier this month.
BAILEY
Campus Life Editor
Over the weekend, UNI opened up their first theater production of the semester, and it’s a production that will for sure not be forgotten. “Heathers” is a dark comedic adaptation of the 1989 cult classic film of the same name written by Daniel Waters and directed by Micheal Lehmann, that starred both Winona Ryder and Christian Slater. It would later be adapted into the acclaimed and familiar musical that many would recognize today around 2010, by Andy Fickman.
“Heathers” received a lot of positive reception by both critics and audience members, and has been praised for how it tells the narrative that many have come to enjoy over the years, whether on screen or on stage. It follows the story of Veronica Sawyer, as she struggles to navigate her life at Westerburg High, located in a small suburban town in Ohio, where cliques and jocks dominate the flow of
her school.
Students a part of the TheatreUNI program knocked it out of the park with this production. Though it pokes fun at the familiar and classic tropes within the genre of teen and coming-of-age plays and films, it handles a lot of the subject matter in a mature and appropriate sense. The musical delves into the issues of teen suicide, bullying, social stances and mental health, to name a few. It navigates the social hierarchy of high school in a clever way that would eventually pave the way for many films, television series and plays that take place within high school.
This adaptation stays true to the source material that is based off of while also adding some new elements to fit the elements of theatre in a smoother and less complex fashion. By the very beginning of the first act, you will stay glued into everything that unfolds in the plot and discover how amazing the department of theatre here at UNI is at bringing stories to life, for entertainment purposes or even to send a
message.
The production had a lot of creative minds behind it and it really grabs your attention as soon as the curtains open up. Matthew J. Weedman’s direction keeps you invested and the characters are spontaneous and are essentially extravagant parodies of classic high school cliques. The cast does an astonishing job at keeping the people watching this fully engaged and makes sure that you’re transported right into the world of “Heathers.” TheatreUNI’s cast brings the characters of “Heathers” to life.
Leading the show with her amazing performance, Lauren Steelman, a third year majoring in Theatre Performance and Theatre for Youth said, “Veronica reminds me so much of myself in a way when it comes to just being myself and always looking out for others as well. I’ve never been in a big musical quite like this one, and when I found out that TheatreUNI was doing this production, I knew I just had to audition. The experience has been fantastic! Some might even
say it’s been ‘big fun’! My director has been a really great influence, and has pushed me into the actor I am today. TheatreUNI is amazing, and the faculty are incredible and have been incredibly helpful as well.”
Steelman continued, stating, “I’ve always wanted to perform. Being able to be on stage, and putting a smile on people’s faces is why I love to perform, and also just putting on one hell of a show! My goals after UNI are to hopefully continue to perform and someday make it to Broadway.”
Communications student Braelyn Ensor, who plays the role of Heather Duke, explained how the show has impacted her.
“I would say honestly, I had a very very positive experience. Everyone, the cast was amazing and very professional, wonderful, well-trained people, especially welcoming in someone who has never done theatre on this scale before.”
Ensor explains that of all of her theatrical expereinces, this is the first of Ensor’s college career, which presents new challenges, and
new expereiences.
“I’ve done community theatre, I’ve done high school theatre, never like a college production. So it was really great to get to know these people who are much more experienced than I am and they were so very kind, thoughtful, and helpful but not only that, but I think that the directors are, again, amazing, very professional people, and care a lot about students which I value a lot. Basically it’s just been a very positive experience overall.”
Head of the Department of Theatre and UNI Artistic Director, William Hickman notes, “This season offers comedy, horror, family entertainment, and killer music,” and so far, stays true to his word for what is to come in the near future within the magic and art that TheaterUNI contains.
The next showing of the musical “Heathers” will premiere once again on Friday, March 1 at 7:30 p.m. in Strayer-Wood Theater.
The University of Northern Iowa softball team has hit the ground running to start their 2024 season. The Panthers started the season on their home turf going 3-2 in the Doc Halverson UNI-Dome Classic. Since then the women have gone 5-1 in their last six games, including a ranked victory over #24 Auburn in Alabama.
Through the first three innings of the game it was a
true pitching battle, as both teams were scoreless. In the top of the fourth inning that all changed. Kylee Sanders got on base to start the inning with a lead walk. Alexis Pupillo then reached on base with a single. With two runners on base, Madison Parks hit a hard ground ball at the shortstop who couldn’t field it to give UNI a 1-0 lead. Addison McElrath kept the Panthers going as she hit the ball in play, which ultimately resulted in an error from the third baseman,
allowing Sanders to score from second base. The Panthers led 2-0.
With two runners on and two outs, Auburn had another error to allow Parks to reach home from third to give UNI a 3-0 lead before retiring the inning.
In the top of the sixth inning Pupillo added an important insurance run with her sixth home run on the year. Pupillo hammered the ball over the right field wall to extend UNI’s lead to 4-0.
After fending off an Auburn comeback the Panthers triumphed in victory as they beat the Tigers 4-2.
The victory over Auburn marked just the third ranked win in program history for the Panthers. Anna Wischnowski (4-1) pitched her first career complete game at the collegiate level to help lead UNI to the win.
“Honestly, I was just so incredibly proud of Anna,” said catcher Savanna Jemilo. “She absolutely killed it, and I was so grateful that I was able to be out there with her.” While reflecting on what the win meant to her Jemilo added, “I just thought about how much I loved my team and how hard everyone on the team worked to get to this point.”
With hopes riding high, the remaining non-conference schedule does not get any easier for the Panthers. Their next game is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 28 against the University of Alabama Birmingham on the road.
Following the game at UAB, the Panthers will compete in the T-Mobile Crimson Classic in Tuscaloosa, Ala. where they will take on two more ranked opponents in Arizona (#23) and Alabama (#10).
After their stint in Alabama the Panthers will be on the road once more, this time in
Arkansas to compete in the Razorback Rumble. Arkansas, the host team, is also ranked in the top 25 currently sitting at #14 in the polls.
So how will UNI continue to find success amidst their difficult schedule? According to Jemilo the answer is simple.
“We are going to continue to play Panther softball and do all of the little things right.”
The UNI softball team understands how important these non-conference games are and views them as opportunities to work as a team and continue to grow as a program.
“We know we can compete with any team that we face,” said Jemilo.
The Panthers will start conference play on March 15 against Belmont on a threegame road stretch in Nashville, Tenn. Following that match-up UNI will have its first home game on March 22 against Indiana State. It will be their first home stint since early February.
“We are looking to use these next few weeks on the road to prepare ourselves for the regular season,” said Jemilo. The Panthers are hunting for the third consecutive conference championship this year and another bid into the NCAA tournament.
“Tytan Anderson with another rebound,” is something that the broadcasters said quite a lot in UNI’s home basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 24. The Panthers were going up against in-state rival and one of the top teams in the conference, Drake, and Tytan Anderson had one of the best performances of his career to date. He had 18 points and a career-high 18 rebounds to help lead the Panthers 91-77 victory over the Bulldogs. In a big game for the Panthers, Anderson showed why he is such an important piece to this team.
The 18 rebounds for Anderson were a career high, but he has been one of the top rebounders in the conference for two seasons now. Standing at 6 “6’, Anderson is an elite rebounder for an undersized post player. Last sea -
son he led the conference in rebounding with 8.5 rebounds per game, and is top 10 in the conference this year with 6.7.
Anderson says that it is the way that he approaches the game that makes him such a great rebounder. “I think it is just that dog mentality, I go after every loose ball, every rebound, long rebounds, gotta battle sometimes against those bigger guys.”
Along with the rebounding, Anderson also has 35 steals, 18 blocks and does a lot of the hustle things that do not always show up on the stat sheet at the end of the games. He is also one of the leading scorers for the Panthers, averaging nearly 12 points per game. He attributes a lot of his success over the last two seasons from his experiences his first two years on the team. Particularly his sophomore year when he was more of a role player, the Panthers had a lot of
veteran players that helped lead the team to a regular season conference championship. Anderson says that, “I think it was a great opportunity to learn and grow,” and also emphasized building on what they had done and continuing the program’s success. One thing Anderson has not gotten to be a part of, and that the program as a whole has not for some time now, is a conference tournament championship and an opportunity to participate in March Madness.
Anderson said, “I think just our defense, being more physical, and rebounding,” will be the team’s biggest keys to achieving this goal.
The season is winding down and the conference tournament is coming up quickly. Anderson and the Panthers will look to do something that the program has not since the 2015-16 season, as they will battle to earn a spot in the big dance.
The 2023-2024 college basketball season has been nothing less than an exciting watch. Teams like UConn, Houston and Purdue showcased dominant seasons once again, while Iowa State, Arizona and Dayton surprised us all with successful seasons so far. The regular season is coming to an end, which means it’s time to hand out awards to each individual who dominated their particular role.
Nasmith Player of the year: Zach Edey, Purdue
After winning this award in the 2022-2023 season, I think Zach Edey defends his title and claims it once again. This would be the first back-to-back Nasmith winner since Ralph Sampson won it three times in a row from 1981-1983. Edey is averaging a double double with 23.3 points per game along with 11.7 rebounds. The Purdue offense runs through him, as his 7’4” height is almost impossible to stop as a defender. When opponents try to double team him it creates wide open shots for his teammates. Edey has led Purdue to a 24-3 record on the season, and will likely hear their name called as a No. 1 seed come Selection Sunday. It’s safe to say, without Edey the entire
landscape of this Purdue team is different. He’s a true difference maker on the court and will be looking to get Purdue its first ever National championship this upcoming March. Coach of the Year: TJ Otzelberger, Iowa State
After missing out on the tournament last season with a 19-14 record, Iowa State head coach TJ Otzelberger has led his team to a 20-5 record and is currently ranked No. 6 in the entire country. Iowa State is averaging around 78 points per game with four players averaging more than 10 points per game. Otzelberger has his team playing fundamentally sound basketball, averaging the second fewest turnovers
in the Big 12. They have two marquee victories at home this season beating both No. 2 ranked Houston and No. 7 ranked Kansas. Iowa State is currently sitting second in the Big 12 and is looking to capture its first conference title since 2019. Title or not, Iowa State will be a top seed in the NCAA Tournament.
A year ago right now the Cyclones season was basically over. Now they are National Championship contenders, in large part due to head coach TJ Otzelberger. An ecstatic turnaround in Ames.
Transfer of the year: Hunter Dickinson, Kansas
In this day and age of college basketball, acquiring transfers
through the portal is essential for teams. Many acquired new players, but no addition was bigger than Hunter Dickinson transferring to Kansas from Michigan. Dickinson averaged 18.5 points per game in his junior year at Michigan, but a disappointing season and NIL opportunities led to his departure. This season for the Jayhawks he is averaging 18.3 points and 10 rebounds per game. Dickinson doesn’t have a great 3-point jump shot or a whole lot of quickness. He’s a true old-school big man that dominates in the post offensively and defensively. The best part of his game is his craftiness with his post moves that makes it hard for defenders to guard him. He’s a big reason why Kansas is 21-6 on the year and ranked 9th in the country. It’s hard to imagine the Jayhawks having the kind of season they’re having without Dickinson.
Freshman of the year: Rob Dillingham, Kentucky
No surprise the freshman of the year comes from the university known for its famous “one and done” slogan. Rob Dillingham has been nothing short of spectacular for the Wildcats this season. He currently averages 15 minutes per game and is the second leading scorer for the Wildcats. Dillingham
has a smooth 3-point shot and the ability to get to the rim and finish. Along with that, he does a great job creating his own shots, and is a solid defender as well. We could very well see Dillingham go one-and-done to the NBA, but for now he’s helped the Wildcats to a 19-8 season and 6th place in the SEC. Kentucky will participate in the NCAA Tournament once again, in large part due to the contributions of Dillingham. Fanbase of the year: Duke Blue Devils
No surprise here. The group known as “The Cameron Crazies” named after its stadium somehow makes a capacity gym of just over 9,000 one of the loudest places to play in college basketball. The record backs it up, as Duke holds a 15-1 record at home this year. Duke fans are on a different level when it comes to cheering on their program. Students have to enter a weekly lottery in hopes to get into the stadium. It sometimes gets to the extreme of camping out in tents in order to get tickets. Not every basketball program can say their fans are part of the reason their team is successful. If you’re a part of the Duke basketball program, you can say it proudly.
Last week, the NCAA announced that double contacts are now legal in the sport of volleyball. A double is when a player contacts the ball twice in one succession or when it hits multiple parts of your body successively. This rule change has a lot of club, high school, collegiate and professional volleyball players very upset as it opens the door for practically anyone to be a setter or act as one during a game.
Many girls practice for years and years in order to master the art of being a setter and having the right hands for it. It is not a skill that comes overnight and is a very valued position on the floor. As a setter, you spend years perfecting the art of having no spin on the ball when it comes to setting it to your players. And now the NCAA has arguably taken away the hard work of setters and opened the door for others.
Now, most who are not super familiar with the sport would say this may be a posi-
tive thing, and one could argue that as it would help to keep rallies going in a game and not have a team lose a point when it happens. But, with this now being legal, it kind of lowers the bar in a sense of technical aspect when it comes to the sport.
Of course now, coaches are obviously still going to be looking for consistency from setters in the recruiting process and not just dismiss them and make anyone the setter. While you may not need the perfected “setter hands” to be a setter, a coach is not going to take away the hard work that their setter has put in and just replace them with someone else with little to no experience.
Many volleyball players and setters have taken to TikTok to voice their opinions and frustrations from this rule change. Often showing them training and working on their craft followed by the NCAA headline that the rule no longer exists. From the players perspective, this is leaving them more upset than non-players whom this does not really affect. And they are using the platform to make
it known how they are feeling about the change.
On the flipside, many people are saying that this is a good thing for a couple of different reasons. Some say it is good, because it will help the change of pace of the game. They say it will help the game to be faster and more continuous. People have also said that this is a good way to let the girls play the ball out a little more and avoid the tedious call of a double being called.
This has been an ongoing debate for many years between coaches and the referees regarding the double call. By reversing it, the NCAA hopes that it is solving that issue from now on and creating more consistency within the game. While many players and setters are very unhappy about this, they are going to have to get used to it and face this new reality for themselves. This controversial call has the NCAA turning heads and people hoping they are not making a mistake or taking away training by doing so.
When the UNI and Drake men’s basketball teams take the court in February, the fans are always in for a treat. And for the 4,674 people in attendance on Saturday, they got what they paid for.
The Panthers snapped their three-game skid to the Bulldogs and earned their first win over a team either ranked or receiving votes in the AP Top-25 since November 2021. While the win was significant, the Panthers still have their eyes set on what’s to come.
“We still got time to play our best basketball,” said UNI coach Ben Jacobson.
Panther guard Bowen Born got the party started with a 3-point basket in the first 20 seconds of play. Each team exchanged a couple of baskets and, after the first media timeout, UNI held a slight 8-6 lead. Both teams played an aggressive style of defense, calling for lots of ball pressure. UNI knew they would be up for a battle coming into the game.
“They’re terrific in the half court with their defense, one of the top two or three defensive teams in our league and they may be at the top,” coach Jacobson said.
Landon Wolf came off the bench for the Panthers and provided a big spark with an old-fashioned 3-point play with 12:58 in the first half. Wolf averages 4.2 points per game but showed up in a big way, providing 10 points on 100% efficiency. Coach Jacobson gave Wolf credit for his hard work during practice.
“He’s in the gym work-
ing all the time, and that can get hard when you’re not in a prominent role,” Jacobsen said. “He knows his role is prominent, but when your minutes are up and down, to still come into the gym and put time in so you’re ready for what he did in the second half, I’m really proud of him for that.”
The next possession, freshman guard RJ Taylor drove to the lane, stepped through and finished the play with a floater in the paint. Taylor provided ball pressure on the Bulldog guards all night and anchored the second unit by playing the point guard position. The Panthers built up a 35-27 lead, but the Bulldogs responded with a run of their own, knotting up the score at 39 with under a minute left. Nate Heise had a runaway layup thanks to a Tytan Anderson block. Born found Heise again in transition for the easy 2twowith short time left, giving the Panthers a 43-39 lead going into halftime. Drake’s Tucker Devries led all scorers with 12 points at the break.
Out of halftime, the Bulldogs came to play. Drake started the half on a 6-0 run to take a 45-43 lead. Towards the end of their next possession, Panther center Jacob Hutson hucked up a 3-pointer, giving UNI a lead they would never let fade away. Hutson had just one 3-point make coming into the contest. He had 3 makes in the game against the Bulldogs.
“I was kinda forced to shoot the first one because of the shot clock expiring, so that gave me some confidence, but it’s a lot of fun being able to hit those threes,” the 6’11”
Hutson said.
Heise got out in transition and provided a thunderous slam that ignited the McLeod Center. Born hit back-to-back 3-pointers, sending the packed crowd into a frenzy and giving the Panthers a double-digit lead. Despite the strong UNI run, Drake would refuse to go away. Devries put the team on his back, hitting tough shot after tough shot. His crafty layup with the foul cut the lead all the way down to four.
Cole Henry got in on the scoring action, making a layup through contact. Henry was a pivotal part of the offense for the Panthers, dishing out a team-high five assists. The Panthers 3-point shooting continued to stay hot. Wolf and Hutson found the bottom of
the net, extending the lead back to eight at the eight-minute mark.
That’s when Tytan Anderson took over on the boards. The junior collected 18 rebounds, tying a career-high and a single home game conference record he set last winter. Anderson snagged multiple rebounds over many Bulldogs, drawing fouls in the process. Anderson’s layup at the four minute mark put the Cats up 84-69, essentially putting the nail in the coffin. Anderson says his mindset doesn’t change from game to game.
“It’s the same mentality every game to just play as hard as I possibly can and to go after every rebound,” Anderson said. “Some nights they just fall in your hands and sometimes you gotta work for them.”
After some garbage time scoring, the Panthers came out victorious by a score of 91-77. Heise and Anderson led the way for the Panthers, both notching 18 points. Not far behind was Born, who rained in 16 of his own. Born has now scored double-digits in 18 of his last 21 games played. His 3 made 3-pointers tied him with coach Jacobson (200206) for 4th on the program’s all-time made 3-pointers list with 203 makes. Hutson added 14 points on an efficient 4-5 shooting. Trey Campell scored seven points, etching his name in the UNI history books by becoming the 114th player in program history to eclipse 500 career points.
For the Bulldogs, Devries led all scorers with 28 points. He also had a team-high nine rebounds. Colby Garland, who came off the bench, provided
13 points on 6-8 shooting. Atin Wright tallied 10 points in the loss. Kyron Gibson and Nate Ferguson each scored six points, respectively.
After the loss to UIC on Feb. 11, coach Jacobson decided to make some changes. He had three things he wanted his team to do: play harder, play faster and play 10 guys. All the guys on the bench had gotten good minutes throughout the season, but none were consistent. Jacobson wanted to change that.
“We’ve worked hard to get 10 players into double-figure minutes and as close to 15 minutes as we can. We have a lot to offer on that bench.” The switch in scenery has seemed to work, as UNI has posted a record of 3-1 since then. The offense has also received a boost, averaging 81 points per game during that stretch.
Coming up, the Panthers only have two regular season games remaining. The Panthers’ home finale is on Feb. 27 when they take on the Valparaiso Beacons. The Cats beat the Beacons earlier this season on Feb. 14 by a score of 86-67. UNI closes out the regular season with a trip to Carbondale to take on the Southern Illinois Salukis on March 3. The Panthers came out victorious in the first meeting between the two teams.
Then the Panthers travel to St. Louis for the annual Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, also known as “Arch Madness.” The winner of the tournament advances to the NCAA Tournament, something UNI hasn’t done since 2016 when they made it to the second round.
Across
1 Cravat kin
6 "Masters of Illusion" host Dean
10 Swedish pop group
14 Fabric
15 Land unit
16 Subatomic particle with greater mass than an electron
17 Rather impressive exclamation of relief?
19 Peruvian people who made rope bridges
20 Server with a spigot
21 Unoccupied
22 Perfect little darling
23 "Science Friday" host Flatow
24 Astonished exclamation at the Four Corners Monument?
27 Get back
29 __ de Janeiro
30 Volleyball quartet?
31 Biblical garden
32 Brian Setzer genre
34 "Park it!"
35 Exasperated exclamation over a breath mint?
39 "The Gilded __": Julian Fellowes series
42 Splash
43 Once, quaintly
47 Photographer Goldin
48 Exhibition funding agcy. since 1965
49 Moves furtively
51 Quiet exclamation of dismissal from way back when?
55 Future louse
56 "Correctamundo!"
57 Station under the Garden
58 Training course for an EMT
59 Jai __
60 Etymological story about an equestrian's exclamation?
63 Governor of Georgia
64 Paper clip shape
65 Devoured
66 Dates
67 Caresses
68 Small pastries
Down
1 Get
2 Spoke indistinctly
3 Neologism
4 Hall of Famer Mel
5 Law org. led by Christopher
A. Wray since 2017
6 Escapade
7 Felt sore
8 Sore feeling
9 Still in the box
10 __ acid
11 Botches
12 "Romanza" tenor Andrea
13 Equity expert
18 "Between a Rock and a Hard Place" memoirist Ralston
22 Whisky __: Hollywood disco
25 Psychoanalyst Fromm
26 Peel
28 Echidna snack
32 Brown ermine
33 Is in the past?
36 "Nuh-uh!"
37 Pitch setter
38 Happy sound
39 Hooded gear
40 Sea fed by the Jordan
41 Final Avengers film in the Infinity Saga
44 Major stock holder?
45 Take a powder
46 Features of some Mary Janes
49 Prefix with -gram
50 Like some ice cream
52 Uses UPS
53 Wet impact sound
54 Parts of a loaf or loafers
60 Spinner
61 Wide st.
62 Coco Gauff's org.
