04-17-24

TAPP’s Final Walk

Students bid farewell to the Textiles and Apparel Program’s Catwalk in its 32nd year

“Bittersweet.”

This was the word that eight of the nine Textiles and Apparel Program (TAPP) students participating in the final catwalk used to describe how they were feeling about the program ending this semester. A balance between grieving what they’ve built at UNI and celebrating all they’ve accomplished. From graduating seniors to sophomores who are wrapping up their final major courses, the current and predictably final TAPP cohort is a diverse group of students who have come together to strike a unique bond forged over their

love for textiles and apparel.

Students campaign for voter participation

“Let your voice be heard.”

That’s the message UNI student Grace Croat wants students to know as presidential and congressional elections begin in November. Croat is currently in a political science class preparing for the Panthers Vote campaign –which was established in 2018. The campaign is a non-partisan campaign intended to increase student participation in elections.

“We’re trying to find the disconnect,” Croat said. “How can we get those people that are motivated to actually show up? We looked at a lot of past research on how candidates motivate their voters, and we’re trying to apply that on campus.”

According to Professor Justin Holmes, the professor leading the class, UNI has

a strong tradition of civic engagement. The most recent presidential election in 2020 saw a 73% student voter turnout.

“Representative democracy depends on people voting,” Holmes said. “The whole theoretical underpinning of the American system rests on the

It is important to inform yourself and get out to vote. You know you could have an impact on laws and what happens in our country.

Sergio Morancy Student member of Panthers Vote campaign

consent of those who are governed.”

Ahead

BAILEY KLINKHAMMER Campus

continued from page 1

Earlier this academic year, UNI announced that they would not be accepting further students into the program, and have pushed the remaining students through their major coursework in an effort to close the program.

But, for the remaining students, this program is more than an academic setting. Since the cohort of students is smaller,

the group has become closely entwined. “It doesn’t really feel real yet,” said sophomore Lilly Munnik. Senior Jakob Watson echoed similar feelings, “When you’re spending so much time in the lab, you really get to know all of the people here. The community we have here is really special.”

While the university has not disclosed whether or not the program will officially shutter, the program will no longer accept students and the current

students will finish their TAPP major courses by the end of this semester.

Tucked away in a corner of Latham Hall lives the Sewing Lab, where the projects of the nine TAPP students participating in the Last Walk live. The lab is lined with sewing machines, tables for cutting fabric, and a machine used to print fabric. There are multiple sewing mannequins that students can use to help with measurements and dressings, and

lockers for the students to store materials.

For the TAPP students, the Sewing Lab is where they spend a majority of their time throughout the day. Senior and president of the TAPP Association, Ellie Steere, discussed the bond she has with her fellow students. “I feel like you really get to know each person. And I think it just makes it so special because you’re seeing these people every day. You’re explaining to them all ‘This is

what I’m making now,’ or you just get to talk about your life when you’re in your three hour sewing lab.” Sophomore Payton Weidner echoed Steere’s perspective, “We’re very collaborative, very intertwined with each other and just it’s very nice, it’s nice to have the people who aren’t making it more stressful. Everyone’s always very uplifting. That’s just the environment.”

FINAL CATWALK

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“You spend a lot of time between these four walls,” laughed Weidner.

Despite what some people may think, TAPP students don’t solely study fashion and styling. Their course catalog has offered a wide array of courses to ensure a diverse portfolio for students and prepare them for any field in the industry they may want to pursue. From merchandising, to purchasing, sustainability, textile sciences and sewing, the TAPP program has ensured that the remaining students enter the workforce with an array of knowledge. Sophomore Mia Balong believes that the program has changed to adapt to the ever-growing field that is fashion. “It started out as a home economics major, which

I think is really cool, but then it morphed into Textiles and Apparel and captures everything in the fashion industry. To see it build and then just stop is really hard because it’s such a fun major, and it covers so many things.”

But, for the sophomore students, some of these classes have felt a bit rushed.

I don’t know what other program on campus offer something just as hands-on as what TAPP has.

Lily Munnik Current TAPP Major

Sophomore Timothy Klinghammer discussed how moving through the program faster has affected him. “I’m sure there was more to the program that they didn’t take away. It’s definitely a little rushed, though. I don’t feel like we’re getting everything we should. Some of the classes are tied into two or more things so we aren’t dragging on, or we’ll get to do more hands-on stuff. So it’s difficult sometimes, but I mean, I enjoy it.”

PANTHERS VOTE

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Holmes said the Panthers Vote campaign is particularly focused on engaging college students who may not be aware of how to register or participate in elections.

“Young people turn out at much lower rates than older people,” Holmes said. “And there’s a lot of reasons for that. One of the big ones is we make it fairly hard. There are a lot of steps to vote for the first time. And so a lot of what we’re looking at is doing kind of educating the campus.”

Faith Larsen, another student in Holmes’ class, said the class has brainstormed many ideas to engage campus. They plan to have a registration table at a football game towards the beginning of next semester, and want to put on a big event for

News briefs

CAB Drive-In Movie

Join UNI’s Campus Activities Board to watch the movie “Step Brothers” under the stars. The movie will be located in the West Dome Parking Lot from 8 - 10 p.m. Candy and drinks will be available for attendees.

Suzette Who Set to Sea

Join TheatreUNI in Strayer Wood Theatre for “Suzette Who Set to Sea”

National Voter Registration Day on Sept. 17.

“I think a huge barrier is people just don’t know how to vote and they don’t know what they need to bring,” Larsen said. “I think just spreading that information by any means possible, will probably be the most effective.”

The class is also creating a short informative presentation which will be shown to larger UNIFI classes in order to reach as many students as possible.

“We want to make it super engaging because people usually don’t want to talk about voter registration,” Croat said. “We are also thinking about collaborating with large student orgs to reach as many people as possible.”

Sergio Morancy, also a student in Holmes’ class, said he is working with Larsen and another student to col-

Munnik mirrored similar concerns to Klinghammer. “Since this is my first and only catwalk, I definitely won’t have as big of a portfolio as other students might have. I hope it won’t be a huge issue, but having less to present kind of hurts.”

Junior Brady Thiesen worries about losing some of her progress within TAPP as she won’t be taking any other TAPP classes next year, along with the remainder of her cohort. “But I just feel like since I took so many classes my freshman year and sophomore year that then, I don’t know, I just feel like I start to forget everything. It would have been nice to have them spread out through all four years because even my friends were like, ‘what are you going to do?’”

In the light of tumultuous last semester for this cohort in TAPP, they’re dedicated to making the Last Walk one to remember. The annual event has taken place for 32 years, and has seen the work of hundreds of students gracing the stage of the Lang Hall Auditorium, and even a Zoom livestream one year. “Typically we have a

laborate with UNI Athletics. As a football player, he said spreading awareness about voter registration to student athletes is an important part of the Panthers Vote campaign.

“We are working in partnership athletics to get out proper information about the importance of voting and how to register,” Morancy said. “It is important to inform yourself and get out to vote. You know you could have an impact on laws and what happens in our country.”

Larsen also emphasized the importance of voter engagement, and said the Panthers Vote campaign hopes to inspire people to engage in voting.

“Voting shows you care about your community,” Larsen said. “It’s that commitment aspect. You’re taking time out of your day to do something that you hope will

theme and a set for the catwalk, but since it’s the last year we’re keeping it pretty simple so our designs can speak for themselves,” said Steere. “People are going all out. Most of the time designers will only show two or three designs. Most are doing four or five for the Last Walk, and I’m doing six pieces as a part of a bridal collection.”

The rest of the cohort agreed with Steere on the effort shown by their peers. Munnik discussed her pink jacket lined with feathers, and Weidner boasts about her two-piece denim set. “It’s about creating,” said Klinghammer. “Being able to create something from scratch … it’s really something great.”

“I don’t know what other program on campus offer something just as hands-on as what TAPP has,” said Munnik. “This program has really been something special.”

The 32nd annual and final catwalk for TAPP will be hosted in the Lang Hall Auditorium at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 20. The catwalk will feature a multitude of designs from the nine remaining students in TAPP.

better the community.”

Morancy also encouraged students to get involved and do their research as elections loom.

“I used to think, ‘this has nothing to do with me.’ But you can really make a change. Find something out there that you care about, or that you’re passionate about.”

Holmes said participating in civic engagement is especially important on a college campus, and the Panthers Vote campaign is an important part of that mission.

“We are trying to prepare people to go out and do good things in the world and be productive citizens,” Holmes said. “I think it really aligns with the mission of the university. We want people to be engaged in their world. Ultimately, we’re trying to get people over that hump and encourage them to participate.”

Saturday, April 20 at 10:30 a.m. In a small seaside village where men build boats and women do not, young Suzette knows she is different – she longs for the sea and believes she is meant for something greater than a life on land. So when a mysterious event occurs, Suzette is forced to do that most difficult thing – prove herself worthy of her destiny.

Best Buddies Friendship Walk

Join Best Buddies for their annual Friendship Walk, on Saturday, April 20 at 10 a.m. in front of Maucker Union. Take a walk around campus, participate in activities, learn about Best Buddies and share what inclusion means to you. After the event, they will be heading to Culver’s for lunch.

Rally In The Valley

The 16th edition of UNI’s Rally In The Valley, presented by Cedar Valley Dental Associates, returns to the McLeod Center on Saturday, April 20 as the purple tie affair brings together Panther supporters to help raise scholarship support for UNI student-athletes. The 2023 edition of Rally In The Valley saw an all-time record $271,155 raised last spring, breaking the event’s 2018 fundraising record by just under $7,000.

Interpreters Theatre presents “Alert! End the Mass Shooting Epidemic”

This thought-provoking performance, written and directed by student Hannah Tibbs, invites audiences to engage in constructive dialogue and seek preventative measures to the mass shooting epidemic. Performances will take place Thursday, April 18, Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m. in the Interpreters Theatre (Lang 040) Tickets are free and can be reserved online at eventbrite.com.

STEPH STARK

The students’ work will be on display in Lang Hall Auditorium at 7 p.m., Saturday, April 20. It will be the 32nd and final catwalk show.

STEPH STARK

Students talked about the tightknit community that was formed during their time in the TAPP program.

A night to remember

MALLORY SCHMITZ News Editor

As the UNIdos community came together to share a meal, enjoy live music and dance the night away at the annual Noche de Gala event, it also celebrated closing chapters and the start of new journeys for the group’s graduates.

The annual end of year event for UNIdos, a student organization dedicated to creating community and understanding of Latiné culture at UNI, brought people of many backgrounds to the Maucker Union Ballrooms Saturday night. Students, faculty, staff and others gathered to celebrate the group’s accomplishments over the year.

group, so seeing this many people, this many faculty and staff definitely means a lot for everyone,” she said.

Garcia Tellez added, “Seeing our graduates is a little sad just because they have been in UNIdos, some of them, for four or more years… I feel like we have built such a strong community together and UNIdos means united, and I feel like that’s definitely what Noche de Gala and UNIdos is all about.”

We’re not just breaking barriers that are placed onto us. We’re shattering them.

Jesús Lizarraga-Estrada Director of Student Success and Retention

Garcia Tellez will continue to serve as UNIdos president next year, and is looking forward to hosting more events and general body meetings. She encourages all students to get involved with UNIdos events, no matter their background.

Una noche para recordar

Mientras la comunidad de UNIdos se juntaron a compartir comida, disfrutar música en vivo y bailar toda la noche en el evento anual de Noche de Gala, también celebraron los capítulos que estaban cerrando y el comienzo de nuevos viajes para los graduados del grupo.

El evento anual del fin del año para UNIdos, una organización estudiantil dedicada a crear una comunidad de entendimiento sobre la cultura Latiné en UNI, trajo gente de muchos diferentes orígenes al Maucker Union Ballrooms el sábado. Estudiantes, facultad, personal y otros acumularon a celebrar los éxitos del grupo durante el año.

“Estoy muy orgullosa”, dijo la Presidenta de UNIdos Lizbeth Garcia Tellez. “Es muy emocionante ver a todos juntarse, cuál es el punto total de UNIdos, y otra vez, ver a todos salir para asistir al evento fue muy increíble”.

de UNIdos que se graduarán. Nueve estudiantes fueron honrados por su tiempo pasado en la organización, incluyendo a Brenda Hernandez, una estudiante que se especializa en criminología y justicia criminal. Ella ha sido miembro de UNIdos por los dos años que he estado en UNI.

“Como un estudiante de primera generación, es otra comunidad en la que puedo ser parte que se relaciona conmigo un poco más que otros estudiantes”, dijo Hernandez. “Ha sido muy significante para el aspecto de la comunidad”.

Sábado fue la segunda Noche de Gala en que ella ha asistido y sintió que este año han subido el nivel.

El año pasado había un grupo más pequeño, entonces ver a mucha gente, mucha facultad y personal definitivamente significa mucho para todos”, dijo.

al orador invitado Jesús Lizarraga-Estrada, el Director de Éxito y Retención Estudiantil, quien fue iniciado al Iowa Latino Hall of Fame en octubre de 2023.

El speech de LizarragaEstrada contó la historia de educación para gente Latiné en los Estados Unidos, trayendo el recuerdo al público — y los graduados de primavera 2024 — de los pasos largos que la comunidad hizo durante su historia, y las siguientes oportunidades que depara el futuro.

“Hoy, podemos juntarnos por el resultado de resiliencia, sacrificio y esperanza imperecedera heredado por la generación de Latinos”, dijo él.

“I’m very happy,” UNIdos President Lizbeth Garcia Tellez said. “It’s very exciting to see everyone come together, which is the whole point of UNIdos, and again, just seeing everyone really come out has been really amazing.”

The UNIdos executive team had been planning the event since January, and they brought in several local vendors and entertainers. The night started with a catered meal from Taqueria Los Reyes in Waterloo. Later on, guests danced to live music by Des Moines-based band Los Chavalos de Zacatecas and closed the festivities with DJ Tejeda from Marshalltown.

Aside from the celebration, the night set the stage to honor the graduating members of UNIdos. Nine students were honored for their time spent in the organization, including Brenda Hernandez, a criminology and criminal justice major. She has been a member of UNIdos for the whole two years she has been at UNI.

“As a first gen, it’s just another community I can be a part of that relates to me a little bit more than other students,” Hernandez said. “It’s definitely meant a lot for the community aspect of it.”

Saturday was the second Noche de Gala she has attended, and she felt that this year stepped it up another level.

“Last year was a smaller

As one more touch to the event, UNIdos invited guest speaker Jesús LizarragaEstrada, UNI Director of Student Success and Retention, who was inducted into the Iowa Latino Hall of Fame in October 2023.

Lizarraga-Estrada’s speech told the history of education for Latiné people in the United States, reminding the crowd — and the spring 2024 graduates — of the strides the community has made throughout history, and the ongoing opportunities the future holds.

“Today, we are able to gather together as a result of resilience, sacrifice and undying hope passed down through the generation of Latinos,” he said.

“Let us remember, our history is not just a narrative of struggle, but also one of triumph. It’s a reminder of our ancestors’ courage and determination, and it’s our responsibility to ensure that their stories are not forgotten,” he continued.

“It’s time for these spaces to change, to adapt to the rich diversity that we bring. Let us be the catalyst for that change, refusing to compromise our identities and values for the sake of acceptance. Your presence in spaces where you’re not expected is a revolutionary act,” LizarragaEstrada said. “We’re not just breaking barriers that are placed onto us. We’re shattering them.”

El equipo ejecutivo de UNIdos ha planeado el evento desde enero, y trajeron varios vendedores y artistas locales. La noche empezó con un servicio de comidas de la Taquería Los Reyes en Waterloo. Después, los invitados bailaron la música en vivo por la banda Los Chavalos de Zacatecas de Des Moines y cerró las festividades con DJ Tejeda de Marshalltown.

Aparte de la celebración, la noche preparó el camino para honrar a los miembros

Garcia Tellez añadió: “Ver a nuestros graduados es un poco triste porque han estado en UNIdos, algunos, por cuatro años o más…siento que hemos construido una comunidad fuerte y siento que eso definitivamente es lo que se trata de Noche de Gala y UNIdos”.

Garcia Tellez continuará sirviendo como presidenta de UNIdos el próximo año y espera albergar más eventos y juntas generales. Ella anima a todos los estudiantes a involucrarse con los eventos de UNIdos sin importar sus orígenes. Como último trato del evento, UNIdos invitaron

“Dejanos recordar, nuestra historia no solamente es una narración de lucha, sino también una de triunfo. Es un recordatorio de determinación y valor de nuestros ascendientes, y es nuestra responsabilidad asegurar que sus historias no se olvidarán”, continuó él.

“Ya es hora que estos lugares se cambien, para adaptarse a la riqueza diversidad que traemos. Deja que nosotros seamos el catalizador para ese cambio, rehusando a comprometer nuestras identidades y valores por el beneficio de la aceptación. Tu presencia en lugares en donde no eres aceptado es un acto revolucionario”, dijo Lizarraga-Estrada. “No solamente estamos rompiendo barreras que están puestas sobre nosotros. Estamos destrozandolos”.

COURTESY/LIZBETH GARCIA TELLEZ

Pictured above are UNIdos’ class of 2024 graduates. Back row, left to right: Esmeralda Luna, Yeili Aleman, Mireya Patino, Brenda Hernandez Garcia. Front row, left to right: Juan Daniel Lopez, Iverson Aragon, Pablo Cuevas Montes. Not pictured: Karina Ortiz and Vanessa Pogyo.

COURTESÍA/LIZBETH GARCIA TELLEZ Arriba está la clase de 2024 de graduados de UNIdos. En la fila de atrás, izquierda hasta la derecha: Esmeralda Luna, Yeili Aleman, Mireya Patino, Brenda Hernandez Garcia. En la fila de frente, izquierda hasta la derecha: Juan Daniel Lopez, Iverson Aragon, Pablo Cuevas Montes. Los que no están en la foto: Karina Ortiz y Vanessa Pogyo.

Overconsumption is over

CAROLINE CHRISTENSEN Executive Editor

‘Run! Don’t walk! Must haves! Now 50% off in the TikTok shop! This deal won’t last long!’

From skincare to Scrub Daddy sponges, it seems consumerism is practically inescapable on social media. As self-described influencers shamelessly promote some new useless product to poor unsuspecting scrollers, I can’t help but wonder the impact this blatant overconsumption is having on our mental health, society and environment.

I am not the only social media consumer annoyed by this constant barrage of useless products. The era of de-influencing seems to be upon us as consumers are getting weary of the incessant promotion of products.

One of the biggest de-influencers on TikTok is a 30-year-old named Diana whose TikTok handle is @ depressiondotgov.

With almost 200,000 followers, she stitches videos of other creators as they buy hundreds of dollars worth of Valentine’s Day decor in Target, useless accessories for their Stanley water bottles or “restock” mini-makeup fridges among other videos.

She has dubbed her followers the “garbitches” and emphasizes the uselessness

of products some influencers showcase by creating “garbage haul” playlists.

As Diana points out, the reality is a $600 Dyson Airwrap will not change someone’s life. People do not need a snack tray for their Stanley. And the Target dollar section is a waste of money – you know you probably don’t need a small sparkly pink gnome

for Valentine's Day anyway.

While buying something can make a person happy for a short period of time, it does not create long-term happiness and fulfillment. Research has shown that when people orient their lives around buying the trendiest new product, they report “greater unhappiness in relationships, poorer moods and more psychologi-

Additionally, our over-con sumption is inevitably leading our planet down a path of environmental destruction.

According to a U.N. panel that studies global natural resources, consumption is the leading driver of our environmental problems around the world.

Environmental journalist

J.B. MacKinnon highlighted this dire situation in a recent interview with NPR.

“Consumption is the leading driver of our environmental problems around the world today, surpassing even the growth of the human population on the planet,” Mackinnon said. “So you name it, it drives it – deforestation, toxic pollution, climate change, mining, even fisheries, even the extinction of species is tied in tightly to our consumption.”

Industries like fast fashion specifically are key contributors to overconsumption and environmental issues. According to Princeton University, the fashion industry is responsible for more annual carbon emissions than all their international flights and maritime shipping combined. If the industry continues growing like it is today, an increase of 50% greenhouse gas emissions is expected within a decade. Clothing hauls from fast fashion companies like Shein and Zara are often all over TikTok and Instagram, further perpetuating this harmful industry.

While cheap clothes and products may be enticing to purchase, especially as college students, try to steer clear of these harmful industries for your own mental well-being and the planet’s well-being.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION/CAROLINE CHRISTENSEN

The TikTok Shop feeds into a culture of cosumerism which can be toxic for both people’s well-being and the enviornment. cal problems.”

Moo’s Bakery to open physical store

UNI Alum Maddie Palmersheim brings business to the Hill

ESTELLE JOHNSON Staff Writer

Sharky’s neighbor, Milkbox Bakery, has sat empty since 2022. That is, until an expanding entrepreneur and UNI alumnus recently began to lease the space. Maddie Palmersheim, owner and operator of Moo’s Bakery, has been on the hunt for a physical storefront since the demand for her 100% plant-based baked goods reaches new heights. Palmersheim’s business had been strictly onlinebased until she purchased the storefront. She’s been documenting her journey in cleaning and preparing the bakery for a grand opening on the bakery’s TikTok, @ MoosBakeryCF.

If students are interested in supporting Moo’s Bakery, Palmersheim asks that students continue to follow and like her social media platforms. She’s enjoyed people knocking on her bakery doors and mentioning that they’ve seen her TikToks. Palmersheim said, “I’m excited to be serving the

community and UNI students.”

Palmersheim has been interested in this specific building on the Hill for about a year, she said. The white brick, the patio, and the location drew her to desire this lot as Moo’s Bakery, even though she knew the building would need some refreshing. Palmersheim added, “I love college hill, I went to UNI and loved my time there, and this was actually my first choice for a location.”

Moo’s Bakery was founded in response to the lack of plant-based bakeries in the Cedar Valley. Palmersheim ate only plant-based food for multiple years and yearned for more restaurant choices. There’s plenty of plant-based establishments in big cities, but there’s very few locally. Palmersheim said, “Finding vegan options while I was plant-based felt really good.”

But, Palmersheim adds that there were some suspicions that came with opening a plant-based bakery. Customers wanted to know if being plant-based changed

the result of the product. Palmersheim added, “I wanted to show others that plantbased eating actually isn’t gross!”

Moo’s Bakery’s best selling baked goods are the chocolate chip cookies. Palmersheim said that she was hesitant to sell them at first, but changed her mind once she saw how well they sold. The chocolate chip cookies are a permanent menu item, but Palmersheim says “I love introducing new things seasonally.”

For Palmersheim, it’s even deeper than just the minimal plant-based options. Opening Moo’s was also a direct result of a favorite pastime. She added, “My favorite thing to do is to be with people I love, eating yummy food in a good environment.”

Moo’s Bakery is expected to open late summer. Palmersheim says that they’ll be prepared for new and returning students during the Fall 2025 semester. The bakery is located at 2223 College Street in Cedar Falls.

COURTESY/MOO’S BAKERY

Moo’s Bakery’s

Rummage Rampage a success

BELL ROGERS

UNI students Kendall Lienemann, Paige German, Haley Hamm and Kate McAlister hosted the “Rummage Rampage” event in Maucker Union. They sourced lots of the clohtes from donations.

BELL ROGERS

UNI students participate in the rummage rampage, filling their bags for only five dollars.

BELL ROGERS

Instead of purchasing fast-fashion, students were encouraged to come shop for thrifted clothing.

BELL ROGERS

The group sold the majority of their clothing items during their event. Anything left was donated.

BELL ROGERS

All money earned from the sale went to support the Cedar Valley Angels.

BELL ROGERS

NBA Playoff Preview 2024

With the NBA regular season coming to a close, the focus shifts to the postseason. The NBA playoffs are widely regarded as one of the most exciting sporting events in the world, and this year is shaping to be no different. I’ll be looking at every team that made the playoffs and giving a general overview of their team and some of the players you can expect to come up big in the big games.

Eastern Conference

Starting with the best team in all of basketball, the Boston Celtics come into the playoffs with the best record at 64-18 and are the top seed in the East. The Celtics have arguably the best starting five in the NBA, led by forward Jayson Tatum, who averages 26.9 points per game. Not far behind is Jaylen Brown, who scores 23 per game, and Kristaps Porziņģis, who averages 20 points per contest. Rounding out the starting five is Derrick White and Jrue Holiday, who are both two-way guards that can score and play defense. The bench is held down by Oregon product Payton Pritchard, veteran Al Horford, and 3-point sniper Sam Hauser. They are just one of two teams to be top five in both offensive and defensive rating. The Celts are the betting favorite to win the title at +165. They’ll take on the winner of the No. 8 seed in the play-in tournament, which will consist of the Heat-76ers game loser vs. Hawks-Bulls game winner.

The New York Knicks are the No. 2 seed in the East for the first time since the 2012-13 season. 2012-13 was also the last time the Knicks won 50 games. The Knicks are led by Jalen Brunson, who averages 28.6 points per game. Six other players average double-digit points per game. They include Julius Randle, RJ Barrett, Donte DiVincenzo, Immanuel Quickley, OG Anunoby and Bojan Bogdanović. The Knicks excel in their defensive versatility and rebounding. At times they depend on Brunson to get it done on the offensive side, but nonetheless, they are a dangerous playoff team. They’ll open up playoff play with the winner of the 76ers-Heat play-in game.

The Milwaukee Bucks limped to the finish line, going 3-8 in their last 11 games and barely hanging on to the No. 3 seed. It’s been a wild season for the Bucks, starting the season 30-13. Then, they fired their first-year coach Adrian Griffin and hired Doc Rivers. Since Rivers joined the scene, they are just 17-19. To make

matters worse, their star player, Giannis Antetokounmpo, got injured in a game in early April, forcing him to sit out the remainder of the regular season. They’re optimistic that he will be back for their first game of the playoffs, but until then, they’ll rely on strong play from Damian Lillard. Lillard ranks 10th among the league’s top assist leaders. Khris Middleton, Bobby Portis and Brook Lopez are all role players that will make a big impact. The Bucks will take on the Indiana Pacers in the first round after two early exits the last two years.

The Cleveland Cavaliers secured the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference after a 48-win season. The Cavs are led by guard Donovan Mitchell, who contributes 26.6 points per game. Center Jarrett Allen hauls in a whopping 10.6 rebounds per game and Darius Garland dishes out 6.5 assists per game. Evan Mobley provides the Cavs with strong interior defense. The Garland-Mitchell duo has proven to be successful in Cleveland, and they’ll rely on their strong guard play to make a deep run this spring. Mitchell has been battling injuries all season long, and will be needed if the Cavaliers want any chance of winning games. Their playoff meltdown last year wasn’t pretty, but they can put that to rest with a win over the Magic in round one.

The Orlando Magic have finally arrived after a long period of rebuilding. They’ve assembled a young core that includes Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony, Wendell Carter Jr. and Paolo Banchero, who was the #1 overall pick in the 2022 draft. Banchero averages 22.5 points per game and is considered one of the league’s best young talents. Wagner contributes 19.7 per game of his own. The Magic have one of the top defenses in the league, and turnover their opponents at the highest rate in the NBA. If the Magic are going to “Play the Song” in the playoffs, they’ll need their young guys to play like a group of veterans. They’ll travel to Cleveland for the opening round.

Western Conference

For the second straight season, the Oklahoma City Thunder had a 10-win improvement, landing them as the No. 1 seed in the West. In just a twoyear span, they’ve gone from first pick in the draft to first seed in the conference. A lot of the credit can be given to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. SGA, who is just 25 years old, has emerged as an MVP candidate, averaging 30.1 points per game. He is also the oldest member of their young core. Rookie

Chet Holmgren has been stellar in his first season of play, averaging 16.5 points and eight rebounds per game. He also provides a defensive presence around the rim. Jalen Williams, Josh Giddey and Luguentz Dort round out the starting lineup. The Thunder are extremely well-rounded, ranking third in offensive rating and fourth in defensive rating. A concern for OKC in the postseason is their youth and inexperience, but when they’re clicking, this team is as good as anyone. They’ll take on the winner of the No. 8 seed, which will either be the winner of the Warriors-Kings game or the loser of the LakersPelicans game.

The reigning NBA Champion, the Denver Nuggets, come in as the No. 2 seed. They won more games than a season ago, priming them for another championship run. Nikola Jokić is the MVP favorite, averaging 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and nine assists per game. The team has battled injuries throughout the season, most notably Jamal Murray. Murray has averaged 21.2 points per game but has missed time due to hamstring, knee and ankle injuries. Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon will need to step up when it matters, as the Nuggets run a thin bench. If they can stay healthy, the Nuggets are as good as it gets in the NBA. The Nuggets will open up postsea-

son play with the winner of the Lakers-Pelicans play-in game.

The best regular season for the Timberwolves in the last two decades resulted in a 56-win season and the No. 3 seed in a loaded Western Conference. The T-Wolves are led by rising star Anthony Edwards. Edwards averages 26 points per game and is one of the most explosive players in the league. Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert have been great together in year two. KAT offers more of a scoring role whereas Gobert is a dominant defender and a beast on the boards. Towns had knee surgery just over a month ago, so he is not at 100%. Naz Reid comes off the bench and is in contention for the sixth Man of the Year award. Minnesota fell just one game short of being the No. 1 seed, and will have to pay for it. They’ll face the Phoenix Suns in the first round.

The Los Angeles Clippers clinched the No. 4 seed this year, months after landing star James Harden. For the first half of the year, the Clips looked to be one of the scariest teams in the NBA. After a two-month stretch of .500 play, they have finally picked it up again. Kawhi Leonard leads the team in scoring with 23.7 points per game. Paul George and Harden follow close behind with 22.6 and 16.6 points per game, respectively. Ivica Zubac cleans up the glass with 9.2 rebounds

per game. Russell Westbrook has been seeing more minutes after fracturing his hand. Like most years with LA, health is the main concern. If they’re healthy, they can go as far as anyone. If the injury bug hits, they could be in for another disappointing finish. They’ll face the Dallas Mavericks in round one.

The duo of MVP candidate Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving has the Dallas Mavericks in the 5th spot in the West. Doncic has been masterful this season, nearly averaging a triple-double every time he steps on the hardwood. He scores 33.9 points, dishes 9.8 assists and hauls in 9.2 rebounds per game. Irving has found his stride once again, averaging 25.6 points per game. With these two on the floor, the offense will always be rolling, but the Mavs have been exceptional on the defensive side of the ball. They rank #1 in defensive rating since March 7th, when head coach Jason Kidd introduced Derrick Jones Jr. to the starting lineup. PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford pull this lineup together. Their series against the Clippers should be one of the best of the opening round.

For the rest of this article with in-depth analysis on every team in the NBA playoffs, go check out northerniowan.com.

COHEN KAMAUS Sports Writer

COURTESY/CNN

Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics look to be the team to beat in this year’s NBA Playoffs.

The Masters transcends golf

BRODY LOVELL Sports Writer

As its 2024 tournament came to an end, the Masters once again drew in an impressive 3.4 million two-day viewership average, being the centerpiece of the sports world around the country this past weekend. Though

OPINION

big names like Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy were frequently discussed as competitors looking to improve their resumes, such as Woods getting his 16th major and Mcllroy finally completing his Grand Slam, it was Scottie Scheffler who won in the end: his second Masters victory in three years.

But outside of the traditional green jacket ceremony and special made dinner for the victor that are highly talked about events, I believe the Masters provides something more special the sports world should take more notice of.

For starters, the Masters is the only major championship that is played at the same course every year, the prestigious Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. Unlike its counterparts, it is also operated and organized by a private club as opposed to a national organization such as the PGA or the R&A. The history of the tournament arguably set the standard for what we know of major golf tournaments to be today, being the first to use the 72-hole, four-day system.

The long-standing history of the tournament is self-evident. Every major sporting league in the country has their own historical championship from the Super Bowl to the World Series; long-standing sporting traditions that almost feel un-American not to be a part of.

However, what makes the Masters special is the club’s dedication to preserving the tradition and prestige of the competition.

The Masters is known for its limited advertising, with the Club only allowing its broadcaster, CBS, a total of four minutes of commercial break per hour.

On the course, advertisements are scarce, if nonexistent, and unseen by viewers tuning in. Making roughly $150 million from merchandise, concessions and ticket sales, the Club has never sought to change the tradition of not selling out to advertisers, a breath of fresh air for sports fans in the 21st century.

Speaking of concessions, the Masters is also known for providing food and beverage options at incredibly cheap prices at the tournament. From the 2024 menu, prices included a Pimento Cheese or Egg Salad sandwich for $1.50, a Masters club sandwich for $3 and domestic beer for $6. If these prices were at a minor league baseball game, people would still be astonished at the value in 2024.

In terms of merchandise, all licensed Augusta National and the Masters clothing can only be purchased at the Club itself, giving the products higher demand amongst golf fans.

Of course, the tournament still needs to make money somehow, and with running as few ads as possible and having concessions cheap, the financial hit comes at ticket prices, with four-day passes starting at $6,944. Moreover, just having the money does not guarantee a ticket, as the Club randomly selects who gets to attend the event each year.

2024 NFL Draft Predictions

We are about a week away from the NFL draft kicking off in the city of Detroit. A time of year where teams look to improve, or even change the course of their franchise for years to come. This draft class includes a lot of intriguing quarterback prospects with a lot of teams at the top of the draft board in need of one. Wide receiver will also be a hot position within the top ten amongst teams. Here’s my prediction on how the first round will shape out.

1. Chicago Bears: Caleb Williams, Quarterback, USC

So the Masters is prestigious, does not value advertisements, keeps their food prices low and their tickets hard to get … so what?

I think the admiration for the Masters and a big part of why it is one of the most watched events in the country every year is not purely about the high level of golf play and anticipation to see who comes out on top, but the almost “innocence” of the event itself. As opposed to the other major sporting events listed earlier, the Masters feels unique. Where the Super Bowl is bombarded with advertisements and infamous commercials drawing even non-football viewers in every year, the Masters is the complete opposite. The perfectly kept course, beautiful gardens, zero on-screen advertisements and cheap food prices show the passion the Club has for preserving such a long-standing tradition. It is, in a way, a lost art in our media-driven world.

To me, the Masters not only symbolizes a dedication to what was, but a representation of what sports used to be before the world of commercialization took over. Unfortunately, it is probably the last to have not sold out. It is for that reason why I believe the Masters should be respected not just by golf and sports fans, but the entire world.

2. Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels, Quarterback, LSU

The Commanders are in need of a quarterback and I like the fit of Jayden Daniels in Washington. The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner has phenomenal arm talent and ball placement while being a major threat with his legs. Daniels skill set fits right in with Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s scheme. It could be similar to what he did with Kyler Murray when he coached the Arizona Cardinals.

3. New England Patriots: Drake Maye, Quarterback, North Carolina

The Patriots need a fresh start at the quarterback position after Mac Jones’ poor play the past couple of seasons. Drake Maye is a solid pocket passer who possesses great ball placement to his receivers. This team is far from win-now mode. I think it’s the perfect time for them to pick up a

Caleb Williams has been the surefire number one pick since the season came to an end. The Bears will look to break a long drought without a franchise quarterback. Williams will enter an ideal situation with two premier receivers in D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen. This won’t be your typical rookie quarterback season, as the Bears are in “win now” mode and will be looking for Williams to be ready to go from the jump.

young quarterback and let him develop under veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett.

4. Trade: Denver Broncos via the Arizona Cardinals, J.J. McCarthey, Quarterback, Michigan

Amongst the NFL draft world, it’s a strong possibility the Cardinals trade the number four pick to a team that’s in need of a quarterback. I think that team ends up being the Denver Broncos. Head coach Sean Payton doesn’t have a starting caliber quarterback on his roster right now, and I think they will be aggressive and get their guy. J.J. McCarthy is a solid college quarterback and National Champion at Michigan. He’s a smooth passer in the pocket and can use his legs to escape pressure. Under Payton in Denver, he could turn out to be a solid quarterback for the Broncos.

5. Los Angeles Chargers: Marvin Harrison Jr., Wide receiver, Ohio State

Marvin Harrison has been the consensus top receiver in this draft class dating back to

last year. He’s very dynamic and solid in contested catch situations. With the Chargers losing both of their top receivers this offseason in Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, it makes sense to pick Harrison here. Justin Herbert needs to throw the ball to somebody. For the rest of this article rounding out the top 10 picks, check out northerniowan.com.

COURTESY/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE Scottie Scheffler won the 2024 Masters tournament over the weekend, winning his second green jacket.

MICHAEL SPAHN Sports Writer

TRACK AND FIELD

Panthers on track for big things

The UNI Track and Field team is right around their halfway mark in the outdoor season with a lot of potential to make some noise at the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Outdoor Championships next month.

The Panthers have been all over the United States competing in various meets. UNI started their outdoor season at the end of March in three separate meets including the Bobcat Invitational, hosted by Texas State in San Marcos, Tex., the Texas Relays hosted by the University of Texas in Austin and, finally, the Good Friday Challenge hosted by Wartburg in Waverly, Iowa.

The Panthers competed well at all events including an impressive 15 first-place finishes at the Good Friday Challenge. Caleb Shumaker started the afternoon for UNI with a win in the men’s 5,000-meter run with a time of 14:57.06.

Paige Kisley, running the women’s 100-meter hurdles, earned her first victory of the outdoor season with a winning time of 14.55. Jack Sumners won the men’s 110-meter hurdles with a time of 14.20.

The Panthers swept the

OPINION

top-five spots In the women’s 100-meter dash with Madelyn Sanda finishing first with a time of 11.98 seconds. Olivia Kramer (12.25) and Eva Van De Mortel (12.30) finished in second and third, followed by Ariana Yaklich (12.31) and Kisley (12.33) in fourth and fifth. On the men’s side, Jerome Jessup picked up a first-place finish in a time of 10.67.

Sophia Jungling secured another first-place finish in the women’s 1,500-meter for the purple and gold with a

personal-best time of 4:32.20. Jill Bennett took home the women’s 400-meter title with a time of 57.96, and Carlie Jo Fusco finished in first place in the women’s 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:04.21. The Panthers also swept the podium in both the women’s and men’s 200-meter dash with Sanda and Tinashe Chigudu finishing first in both races.

UNI was back in Waverly on April 5, 6, for the Wartburg Outdoor Select as well as competing in the Arkansas Spring

Invitational in Fayetteville. The Panthers finished with four champions at the Wartburg Outdoor Select and two at the Arkansas Spring Invitational.

In Waverly, Alivia Silvestri took home first place in the women’s pole vault, competing unattached after clearing 3.50 meters. Josey Dunbar took home first place in both the women’s long jump and triple jump with marks of 5.73 meters and 11.04 meters. In the decathlon, Zack Butcher led the Panthers with 7,046

points, while Darci Wiseman and Katy Hand led UNI with 4,082 points each to take first and second. Finally, Tyler Colvin picked up a win for the Panthers in the men’s 5,000meter run (15:06.02).

In Arkansas, the Panthers claimed the javelin title with a 59.98-meter throw by Justice Miller. UNI women took home the 3,000-meter steeplechase title as Emma Hoins finished in first with a time of 10:54.97.

This last weekend UNI competed in the Jim Duncan Invitational hosted by Drake in Des Moines. The Panthers took home seven first-place finishes.

UNI will compete next in the Musco Twilight hosted by the University of Iowa in Coralville. Following that meet the Panthers will be competing in the infamous Drake Relays from Wednesday, April 24 through Saturday, April 27. UNI has four more meets until the MVC Conference Outdoor Championships, which will be held in Terre Haute, Ind., May 10 - 12. Last season the Panthers took home eight first-place finishes in the conference meet and finished in second place for the men’s and fourth for the women’s collectively.

Doncic makes the most sense for MVP

ADAM JOHNSON Sports Writer

The regular season has come to a close in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and with that come talks of who should be the winner of the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. Last season the award was given to Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid, but it will be going into different hands this time around. The top five are currently, Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum. I personally think that the first three names that I mentioned are the only ones that have any chance of actually winning the award.

Nikola Jokic, a nearly seven foot tall center for the Denver Nuggets, has arguably been the best player in the league over the last four seasons. While he did not bring home the MVP last year, he finished in second and won it the two prior seasons. He has a good chance

of winning his third this season. Jokic averaged 26.5 points per game, 12.3 rebounds and 9 assists. He also averaged just over two blocks and steals per game, as well as having one of the highest field goal percentages in the league. He has led the Nuggets to a tie for the best record in the Western Conference, where they will get the No. 2 seed going into the playoffs.

Another guy who is right there next to Jokic is Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He truly broke out into the season with a tremendous season last year, but has followed that up with an even better one this time around. Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 30.1 points per game, 6.2 assists, 5.5 rebounds and led the league in steals with two. He also scored at an especially efficient rate for a guard, shooting just over 53%. On top of the great stats that he has put up, he has also led one of the biggest single season turnarounds that we have ever seen in the NBA. Last season the Thunder went 40-42 and missed out on

the playoffs, and this year they finished with a record of 57-25 that got them first place in the Western Conference. They did all of this while having the second youngest roster in the NBA. While they added some needed pieces like rookie Chet Holmgren, Gilgeous-Alexander has been the lead horse on the Thunder’s terrific season.

The last guy who is truly in the discussion is Luka Doncic. Doncic has been putting up elite numbers since he got into the league, but this just might be the year that the Dallas Mavericks forward finally takes home the MVP. From a statistical standpoint, Doncic has been the most dominant player in the league this season. He led the league in scoring with 33.9 points per game, was second in assists with 9.8 and also averaged 9.2 rebounds. His points per game is top 20 in a single season all time, and matching that with almost 10 assists is not something you will see often. While Doncic has not brought his team to as good of a record as the other two guys, the Mavericks have still been one of the better

teams this year. They finished the season with a record of 50-32, which was good enough for a fifth place finish in the Western Conference. I talked about the turnaround that the Thunder made being impressive, but the Mavericks had an impressive turnaround as well. They missed the playoffs last season with a record of 38-44.

At the end of the day, all three of these guys have had great seasons, but I think that the award should be given to Luka Doncic. He has put up numbers that we have almost never seen. The one guy who has come close to these statistical numbers is James Harden in 2018. Harden won the MVP that season, and Doncic still has higher averages this year in almost every statistical category than he did. The award is not all about statistics, but when you are putting up numbers as good as Doncic did this year, it can not be ignored. Coupled with a nice turnaround from a disappointing end to the season for the Mavericks last year, I think this is the year Doncic finally brings home the hardware.

BRADEN ELTON Sports Writer

COURTESY/UNI ATHLETICS-PRICE JACOBSON

A slew of Panthers lead the pack on the famous blue oval in Des Moines.