The Lumberjack -- Nov. 2, 2017

T H E L U M BE R JACK

NOV. 2, 2017 – NOV. 8, 2017

THE PERFECT PUMPKIN PAGE 16

Online at JackCentral.org

From the Editor

S

ometimes I forget how long a year really is. One year ago, I was a wide-eyed sports reporter nervously stammering my way through an interview. Now, I am The Lumberjack sports editor and conducting an interview feels like a wide-open layup.

I quickly went from first-time writer to assistant sports editor this past spring and learned how to do more than just write. I also learned how to handle life when it does not go as planned.

About a month into the spring semester, I received a call at 6 a.m. from my older sister Kelsey.

When you get a call that early, you know it will not be good. She told me our dad had collapsed due to a heart arrhythmia while he was on a business trip in Orlando, Florida, and was in an ambulance going to the hospital. My dad had heart surgery before, but this one felt different to me.

My mom and older brother Jared were on the first flight from Phoenix to Orlando. I asked what I should do, and Kelsey said to try and stay normal with school, which is what I did that day.

I finally got a call from my mom that night telling me that the doctors didn’t LANCE think my dad was going to make it and that we all needed to be together. I went HARTZLER home to Phoenix and, three days later, I was on a red-eye flight from Phoenix to SPORTS EDITOR Orlando with Kelsey, my brother-in-law and my sister-in-law. We were ready for the worst.

I’ll never forget the sight of my dad in the cardiac intensive-care unit. Lying in a hospital bed, still in a medically induced coma that he slowly came out of.

The issue: He wasn’t able to remember any of our names.

I spent a week in Florida, and only told a handful of people what was happening. As the week went on, my dad started getting better. By the end of the week, he began to walk again, and his memories came back.

Flash forward, and my dad is back to normal. The effects from that week in Florida are still felt in my family, and I learned a valuable lesson: How to manage a terrible time. What worked for me, was jumping into my role as sports editor. I learned to channel my stress and worries into my writing, my editing and my schoolwork.

I pride myself in my work like any good journalist, and I have worked hard to make a section worth reading.

With one more semester left of college, I’ll remember how long a year really is.

“It’s the one day a year the NAU community pretends we are ASU students.”

- Dane Redifer, NAU alumnus, 2017

Thank you for reading.

Tequila Sunrise participants stumble home after drinking in downtown Flagstaff early in the morning Oct. 28. Nick Humphries | The Lumberjack

THE LUMBERJACK VOL. 105 ISSUE 11

Phone: (928) 523-4921 Fax: (928) 523-9313 Lumberjack@nau.edu P.O. Box 6000 Flagstaff, AZ 86011

Editor-in-Chief Megan Troutman

Managing Editor Kari Scott

Copy Chief Emma Helfrich

Faculty Advisor Mary Tolan

Faculty Advisor, Visuals Jennifer Swanson

Sales Manager Marsha Simon

Media Innovation Center Editorial Board News Editor Conor Sweetman Asst. News Editor Joey Postiglione

Opinion-Editorial Editor Elizabeth Wendler

Sports Editor Lance Hartzler

Director of Photography Michael Patacsil

Asst. Opinion-Editorial Editor Asst. Sports Editor Director of Illustration Peggy Packer Kade Gilliss Colton Starley

Features Editor Makenna Lepowsky Asst. Features Editor MaryAnn Witt

Culture Editor Katie Sawyer

Web Chief Ariel Cianfarano

Asst. Culture Editor Kaitlyn Sampson

Print Chief Matthew Strissel

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Director of Circulation Luis Gardetto

On the cover Arboretum-grown pumpkins of different shapes and sizes sit in a wagon at the entrance of the Arboretum Oct. 28. Tehlor Takahata | The Lumberjack

Corrections & Clarifications The Lumberjack is committed to factual correctness and accuracy. If you find an error in our publication, please email Megan Troutman at mlt273@nau.edu.

PoliceBeat Oct. 23 At 10:24 a.m., a staff member in the University Union reported a disorderly student in their office. One NAUPD officer responded, and the student was deferred for disorderly conduct.

At 10:44 p.m., an RA in McConnell Hall reported the odor of marijuana. One student was administratively referred for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Oct. 24 At 12:09 a.m., an NAUPD officer was patrolling near the San Francisco Parking Garage and made contact with two students. Both of the students were deferred for use and possession of marijuana. One student was also deferred for possession of drug paraphernalia.

At 6:38 p.m., a student in the Skyview Garage called to report their vehicle was broken into. One NAUPD officer responded and took a report.

The investigation is ongoing.

At 9:58 p.m., an RA called to report the odor of marijuana in Gabaldon Hall.

NAUPD responded to the dorm, and six students were criminally deferred for using marijuana. One student had a medical marijuana card and was given an administrative referral for a violation of the university code of conduct.

Oct. 25 At 11:20 a.m., a student called to report two intoxicated students outside McDonald Hall. NAUPD responded and made contact with the subjects. The subjects were warned about trespassing.

At 3:52 p.m., a faculty member reported the theft of a package of copier paper in the Social and Behavioral Sciences West building.

NAUPD

Compiled by Eric hermenitt

responded and took a report. South Village Apartments.

The case has been closed.

NAUPD responded, and two students were cited and released Oct. 26 for possession of marijuana.

At 4:59 a.m., custodial Two other students were cited staff in the Physical Sciences and released for possession of building reported hearing drug paraphernalia. strange noises. An NAUPD officer responded, but nothing At 9:24 a.m., an NAUPD was heard. officer reported a couple fighting at the intersection At 3:58 p.m., a student of Humphreys Street and reported their vehicle had DuPont Avenue. One student been broken into in the Knoles was booked into Coconino Parking Garage. An NAUPD County Detention Facility for officer responded and took a assault and domestic violence. report, but the case was closed after exhausting all leads.

At 3:51 p.m., a nonstudent reported someone had At 6:19 p.m., a student hit their vehicle in lot 13A and called to report harassment at fled the scene. After a brief Sechrist Hall. NAUPD took investigation by NAUPD, one an informational report. student was cited and released for leaving the scene of a crime.

Oct. 27 At 7:55 a.m., a student At 4:18 p.m., a subject reported a subject who got out reported two non-students of their car and started a verbal attempting to gain entry into argument at the intersection multiple vehicles in lot 64, of San Francisco Street and which is immediately next to Pine Knoll Drive. By the NAUPD headquarters. Five time NAUPD responded, the NAUPD officers made contact, subject had already left. and both subjects were banned campus wide.

At 2:18 p.m., a student called to report a child being At 9:09 p.m., an RA in neglected at The Suites. Raymond Hall called to report NAUPD responded, and three intoxicated subjects. arrested one non-student, who NAUPD responded and was booked into Coconino deferred all three for a minor County Sheriff’s Office Jail in consumption. for child endangerment, child neglect and underage At 10:07 p.m., an RA consumption of alcohol. in Allen Hall called to report Child Protective Services was the odor of marijuana. One notified, and two children were NAUPD officer responded and returned to their mother. cited and released two students for underage possession of Homecoming alcohol. One student had a At 12:06 a.m., staff in medical card, and the officer Sechrist Hall reported an removed the marijuana from unattended backpack that campus. smelled like marijuana. An NAUPD officer responded Oct. 29 and checked the bag, At 9:02 p.m., an RA called finding marijuana and drug to report roommates fighting paraphernalia. The backpack in McConnell Hall. NAUPD was confiscated. responded, and one student was criminally deferred for At 12:45 a.m., a student domestic violence, disturbing reported a loud party at the the peace and fighting.

NEWS

The high cost of selling alcohol in Arizona Hayley O’Connor

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istoric downtown Flagstaff is home to many restaurants and bars usually filled with students, locals and tourists visiting Flagstaff. Many establishments offer alcohol, but the process to be able to sell alcohol is not always easy.

In Arizona, in order to serve alcohol, the business must have a particular liquor license depending on what they wish to sell to customers.

Licenses for bars are known as a Series 6, which allows for the sale of beer, wine and spirits without the requirement to sell food. A Series 7 license allows a bar to sell just beer and wine. A Series 12 license is intended for restaurants who must make 40 percent of their revenue from selling food. If a restaurant does not meet the 40 percentile, they run the risk of losing their license.

The cost of obtaining a liquor license in Arizona can range from $3,000 to $300,000 depending on the license and location of the business.

According to liquorlicense.com, the most expensive place to request a liquor license in the state of Arizona is in Maricopa County for a Series 9 license intended for liquor stores. The least expensive is in Pima County for a Series 7 beer and wine license.

In Flagstaff, the law that establishments must follow is the time of day they sell alcohol.

It is not legal to sell alcohol during the hours between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m.

Bars follow this rule as a way to protect their licenses and main source of their income. Daniel Bannick of Flagstaff Brewing Company, located off Route 66 in the downtown neighborhood, explained how his business makes sure their employees follow the law in order to keep their license.

“I manage the door as well as work behind the bar. We require annual liquor law certification for bar staff and security, which can be taken online or in person,” said Bannick. “I know that [a liquor license] is expensive and owned by the property owner, not the business owner. Losing it has to do with common knowledge, such as over-serving, serving minors, DUI occurrences directly from your patrons, serving after 2 a.m. … things like that.”

Bannick has worked at Flagstaff Brewing Company for two-and-a-half years.

In the past six months, 157 incidents of

Top: Customers at Southside Tavern wait for their drink orders Oct. 28. Bottom: A bartender pours vodka into two glasses at Southside Tavern.

Will Inkret | The Lumberjack

crime in the downtown area during late night hours, 9 p.m. through 2:59 a.m., have been reported, according to crimereports.com. These incidents range from having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle to disorderly conduct and disruptive behavior. If someone were to be drinking at an establishment and commit a crime once they left, the bar is put at risk for holding some culpability.

Establishments do have the right to refuse service. This can be done if someone appears extremely intoxicated or if they do not have correct identification to prove they are of age. If someone tries to use a false form of identification, such as a fake ID, the bar can call the police.

The drinking age in Arizona, like the rest of the United States, is 21 years old.

Businesses in Flagstaff have taken measures to make sure their liquor license is not placed in jeopardy and for their employees to be fully aware of the laws that need to be followed.

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NEWS

car thefts spike during past month Tiera Oliver

T

he rate of auto theft in Flagstaff has increased during October. As the weather begins to cool down, Flagstaff police predict that auto thefts will continue to increase.

This correlation has been made due to the similarities in many of the auto thefts that have occurred. The Flagstaff Police Department (FPD) reported that about half of the missing vehicles reported stolen were left unattended by their owners while they were warming up their vehicles and had stepped away.

Another factor that connects these occurrences was that keys were left in the ignition in the five auto thefts that occurred the morning of Oct. 9. These instances occurred within a span of six hours, which have police suggesting they could be connected.

Of the five car thefts Oct. 9, three cars were recovered, and the owners pressed charges.

FPD public relations officer Sgt. Cory Runge said that the occurrence of the recent thefts is not uncommon in the Flagstaff area as the weather gets colder. Runge stated that the amount of thefts that have occurred are out of the ordinary, however.

“Often, we see vehicles taken as targets of opportunity,” said Runge. “The suspects are stealing unlocked vehicles that are running and unattended. Typically, this happens as people are warming their vehicles up in cold weather.”

The auto thefts are not limited to one area of Flagstaff but have been spread across the city.

Cody Little, a long-time Flagstaff resident who lives on the north side of town, reported his vehicle stolen Oct. 9 while warming up his car before taking his kids to school. Little said that he was surprised to find his vehicle missing when he returned, and his first thought was that his neighbors were playing a joke on him.

After finding out it was not a prank, Little called the police and reported that his car had been stolen. Leaving car doors unlocked in the area is not an uncommon practice for residents in the area, so it never crossed Little’s mind.

“I grew up in northern Arizona, and no one locked their cars,” said Little.

While getting a ride from a neighbor to take his kids to school, they saw his vehicle, a 2002 Toyota Forerunner, driving in front of them.

Little repeatedly told the driver to pull over, but the suspect sped off, making a u-turn headed

Photo Illustration By Rye so

back toward Cody’s home. Little eventually found his vehicle parked a block away from his residence. The suspect who stole the vehicle has not yet been identified or taken into custody, and the case is ongoing.

At 10 p.m. Oct. 3 an attempted auto theft occurred in the 1000 block of West Kaibab Lane. An FPD officer came in contact with a woman who reported the attempted theft of her vehicle.

The woman was loading her vehicle and had left the keys in her car. As she went outside, she found her vehicle being started by two females. When the car owner confronted them, they ran away. Evidence was collected from the vehicle, but the case was closed.

At 6:42 a.m. Oct. 9, another vehicle was reported missing in the 2000 block of North Crescent Drive. The owners, an older male and

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his son, contacted FPD reporting that his son’s car had been stolen after he went outside to start his car, leaving the keys in the ignition.

The victim’s father said that the vehicle was “running and unlocked.” The victim and his father said they heard the car take off down the street in less than a minute after walking back into their home.

After running outside, they said the truck was out of sight. The vehicle was eventually recovered in a driveway south of Butler Avenue and Agassiz Street. The suspect, or suspects, were not found, but a fingerprint was collected from the car for evidence. The vehicle was then returned to its owner.

At 7:18 a.m., also Oct. 9, a woman reported witnessing a male attempt to gain access to her locked vehicle near her business in the 1500 block of East Cedar Avenue.

Chasing after the male, she saw him get into an unlocked vehicle in the 3000 block of North East Street. The witness yelled to notify the owners, but the vehicle had left and was speeding south down East Street. The vehicle was eventually found and returned to the registered owner. No suspects were found at the scene.

The suspect in the chase was recorded on the surveillance camera of the businesses where they were first spotted near 1500 East Cedar Avenue. The video footage later helped identify the suspect.

While there is no real solution to the growing problem of auto thefts, Runge did have one suggestion.

“Residents can often prevent their vehicle from being stolen by being present in their vehicle while they are warming their vehicle up,” Runge said.

COMIC SPOT

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OPINION-EDITORIAL

Give the mind a rest Trending toxic love threatening to kidnap their partner if they leave, using pregnancy to force their partner to stay elationships are wonderful, and being in or forbidding their partner from leaving the love is a blessing. relationship — ever.

When in a relationship, it’s nice Other memes show partners being to have someone to cuddle, kiss, and Netflix controlling of what their partner is wearing and and chill with. Sometimes couples argue, and constantly monitoring their partner’s location there may be a healthy dosage of jealousy because there is not enough trust between them. partners experience As jokes, these memes on occasion. can be funny, but some Regardless people take them seriously. of arguments or They desire and idolize mild jealousy, the relationships like these. relationship should stand It is not healthy or on a solid foundation of good for someone to be trust, respect and mutual jealous of everyone their affection. partner interacts with.

One person gives Going as far as isolating them love and support, and they from other family members or receive love and support. threatening people they interact Both people are happy with is wrong. and fulfilled. If things In a healthy relationship, it aren’t working out is completely OK to interact with between two partners in other people and have friends and a relationship, however, family outside of it. either partner is able to If one of the people in the leave the relationship in relationship wants to leave, they order to be happy. should be able to without feeling In a healthy relationship, threatened or endangered. that is.

Romantic partners should In toxic relationships not control what they wear or there is a lack of trust, and where they go. Yes, they may be often times, an unhealthy one’s boyfriend or girlfriend, but amount of dependency on that doesn’t give a person the each other. This includes right to tell their partner what controlling behavior and to do. Regardless of how much extreme jealousy. A toxic someone loves someone else, it relationship can hurt both is not OK to force them to stay people involved and is in a relationship if they are not detrimental to one’s mental happy. health and everyday life.

It is not OK to be toxic A trend I’ve been noticing to one’s partner or anyone for on my Facebook feed lately that matter. Toxicity should not is the normalization of toxic be popularized or normalized. A partnerships. Some individuals person is supposed to support share statuses and memes and care for their partner, not threatening to kill anyone who constantly control what they talks to their partner, even do, wear or who they talk to. going as far as to get jealous of In a modern age where other family members. These people finally recognize seem like harmless jokes, but domestic abuse as not only I’ve actually witnessed people physical but mental, there sharing them and non-ironically should be no room to allow commenting ‘relationship goals.’ such problematic media to be Then, I’ve seen memes popularized.

Illustration By Beneva Fatt

Charlotte Wilson

R

MARIA ANGULO

G

oing to

college can be overwhelming with classes, work and living on your own. There are a lot of responsibilities, and sometimes it’s hard to keep it together.

As someone who suffers from anxiety and stress, after a long week of projects and exams, I just need a little rest.

For some reason, it’s very hard for people to understand that their brains need to relax just as much as their bodies.

Most of the time, I am so deep in my own mind I don’t realize I am losing it. It takes a long time for me to admit that I need some time off.

One woman from Michigan went viral when she sent her boss an email stating she would be taking a couple days off to focus on her mental health. Her boss said he appreciated her for “cutting through the stigma of mental health.”

This is so important because it should be acceptable for someone to take care of themselves without feeling any shame.

If someone doesn’t feel well, they should take a day off. People always say mental health can be controlled. They say it’s all in the mind, and that’s why it’s so hard to relax.

Being a student is not just about going to classes. It is exams, projects, homework, work, laundry and grocery shopping. It can be too much.

It is time to stop judging people who take mental health days off. If someone does not feel comfortable enough to do it themselves, they shouldn’t shame others for doing so.

A lot of people don’t want to admit to having mental health issues due to all the stigma that comes with them, but people are becoming more aware of mental illness.

One of the things I love that NAU does

during midterm week or finals week is when they bring therapy dogs. This way, students can play with them and relax. I think this works perfectly as it takes students out of their heads and allows them to stop worrying for a little bit.

So, relax.

Have a day, cuddle on the couch and play with a pet or watch a movie and take a nap. It’s time to stop feeling bad about needing to take a mental health day off. Everyone needs one every now and again.

Illustration By Kaleb Kirsop

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OPINION-EDITORIAL

The hidden history of the JFK files SAVANNAH TATE

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readful anticipation. That is what I felt watching the infamous Zapruder film, also known as the film of the assassination of former President John F. Kennedy.

A cheerful Kennedy enjoys the sunny day from the backseat of the topless, presidential Lincoln continental limousine. Beside him sits the elegant first lady Jacqueline Kennedy in her historic, bubblegum-pink Chanel suit.

Both smiling and waving to their beloved citizens, the silence of the film makes the scene disturbingly peaceful. Suddenly, Kennedy hunches over, clutching his chest. Mrs. Kennedy moves toward him, obviously concerned. They lean into each other, staring at one another as though they are incapable of fully comprehending the situation.

Then, the fatal shot. It is deeply disturbing to watch.

Watching the film closely, one has to wonder: Does the shot come from behind or from the front?

To this day, the JFK assassination conspiracy is one of the most well-known conspiracy theories in history and for good reason. There is a seemingly endless string of unanswered questions that have yet to be solved 54 years later, partially due the secrecy of information pertaining to the case.

According to CNN, “The U.S. government released over 2,800 records [Oct. 26] in an effort to comply with a 1992 law mandating the documents’ release, but kept roughly 300 files classified out of concern for U.S. national security, law enforcement and foreign relations.”

President Donald Trump gave federal agencies six months to

review their reasons for keeping the other documents secret.

Conspiracy theorists and historians have eagerly awaited the release of this information, hoping to find the long lost smoking gun regarding Kennedy’s death.

As a history buff and avid conspiracy theorist, I am as thrilled as anyone at the release of these files. I still wonder, after everything we know about the CIA and FBI’s mysterious inconsistencies and backtracking regarding the JFK assassination, are U.S. citizens seriously going to believe that these will eventually be the entirety of the files? That after years and years of investigation, research and scientific analysis, there isn’t still an abundance of questions left unanswered?

One of the more prominent and evidencebacked conspiracies is the CIA’s possible aid to Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy. Many believe in this theory because of the CIA’s tracking of

Oswald before and during his trip to Mexico City, implying that the CIA was well aware of who Oswald was before he killed the former president.

Then, just hours after Kennedy had been shot, the CIA hid or destroyed evidence they had compiled about Oswald and backtracked statements made in regards to information obtained about him. At least, that’s what the conspiracy dictates.

Who knows what other evidence the CIA hid away? How much was was redacted or allegedly lost?

Why did they feel the need to cover up what they were doing?

What if some of the “misplaced” files resurface years later? Would the CIA bring it to light? Or destroy it? I would put my money on the latter. Exactly how much of the JFK files have been destroyed over the past five decades? And what did they contain that warranted being destroyed?

There are too many holes in the story.

Even if the rest of the files would be released in six months, it is hard to trust that these files as a whole are the entirety of everything that was discovered and known about the murder of JFK. The public may never know for sure, but they can always keep looking. I know I will.

Illustration By Alia Kruger

Plastic surgery and the urge to look alike PAIGE ARVIZU

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eople are using plastic surgery to completely transform themselves into someone who wouldn’t even match their driver’s license. Some say they get plastic surgery to feel better about themselves due to suffering from body dysmorphia, which is a disorder that causes someone to preoccupy themselves with a minor defect in their appearance.

There’s no going under the knife for something embedded in the brain.

According to the website Our Bodies Ourselves, “In 2015, more than 226,000 cosmetic procedures were performed on patients between 13 and 19, including nearly 65,000 surgical procedures such as nose reshaping, breast lifts, breast augmentation,

liposuction and tummy tucks.”

Since then, there has been an increase in plastic surgeries performed on all age groups.

Children between the ages 13 to 19 are not fully developed and should not have lifealtering surgeries that could prevent their natural bodies’ way of maturing.

I can tell you one thing: I do not look like what I looked like at the age of 13, and I thank the big man upstairs everyday for puberty. Society is teaching children the way they look isn’t beautiful unless they have a sculpted nose, puckered lips, perky breasts and cheekbones that reach the ceiling.

Thirteen-year-olds believe they need breast augmentations, which alters the natural process of puberty. Some girls won’t even reach puberty by 15, let alone 13.

Illustration By Dominic Davies

People have not flaws, but certain quirks. They shouldn’t aspire to look like anyone else because, at the end of the day, being unique is far more beautiful than copying someone else’s look.

With the era of the Kardashians, lip injections have become a new trend, made popular by Kylie Jenner. According to Allure, “In an interview with WWD, Jenner’s surgeon, Simon Ourian, M.D., credited the teen with empowering a ‘whole generation’ to go under the knife or the needle.”

People are original sketches, and some say, “An artist never makes a mistake.” Freckles, thin lips, big lips, crooked noses and more were never flaws until society said they were. The media tells people one look is beauty, and like sheep, the herd follows.

Beauty is not a categorized system that says one thing over the other is more gorgeous. To set new guidelines for beauty, one must embrace their true form. If they don’t, they might end up mistaking their own reflection for that of their peers.

NOV. 2, 2017 – NOV. 8, 2017 | THE LUMBERJACK 11

FEATURES

Sierra Cottle: Student activist extraordinaire Zara Glidden

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hen sitting down to talk about conservation, Sierra Cottle means business. As a sophomore in the global science and engineering program, when discussing science and environmental policy, Cottle eloquently upholds political etiquette regarding sustainable practices. She also surrounds herself with individuals who are equally enthusiastic about the natural world and aspire to protect it.

Unlike some undergraduates, Cottle is not waiting on a degree to start working in her field.

In her third semester of college, Cottle is building an impressive resume. Cottle is a full-time student, but she also holds more than five different positions with NAU environmental and conservation organizations. She is a sustainability mentor at Wilson Hall, the events coordinator for the Green Fund committee, a member of the Flagstaff Sustainable Citizens program, member of the Green NAU and the Our Climate student lobbyist groups.

Cottle’s endeavors stem from a passion for nature that was instilled in her at an early age. She grew up in a neighborhood surrounded by national forest outside of Prescott, Arizona.

“I definitely think that my experience growing up in the forest had an influence on my passion for the environment,” said Cottle. “I also regularly visited the local library and picked up nature documentaries. I feel like, between growing up in the forest and seeing these documentaries, I just wanted to be able to protect what I was seeing.”

Cottle took her first steps down the path of her dreams by getting friends together to clean up local parks.

“I called it the Save the World Club because that’s what I was going to do. I was going to save the world at 7 years old,” Cottle said.

As Cottle grew up, she retained her childhood interest in nature and conservation. She did not anticipate becoming involved in environmental advocacy, though. As a science lover, she assumed she would approach environmental concerns from the perspective of research as opposed to public policy.

“I never really saw myself being as involved as I am now. I actually went into college as a biology major, but that quickly changed,” Cottle said. “When I took my first environmental science class at NAU, I remembered why I fell in love with the environment as a child and, although the passion was never gone, it was rekindled and amplified.”

After this realization, Cottle quickly took action. Her first semester in college, she changed her major to environmental science with an emphasis in administration and policy and dove into activism. Conor Tantau, senior strategic communication in advertising major who used to be Cottle’s residential learning community mentor, witnessed this change firsthand.

“After [Cottle] decided upon pursuing studies in environmental science, that’s when I saw her work in the community here skyrocket,” said Tantau.

Cottle didn’t know it at the time, but her work would soon reach far beyond the NAU campus community. Our Climate is an NAU chapter of a national student organization affiliated with Citizens Climate Lobby. Members of the organization travel to

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Sierra Cottle is a member of the Green Fund committee and several other NAU environmental groups. She wants to be known as an advocate for the environment, Oct. 23.

Devyn Coons | The Lumberjack

meet with state politicians. The organization also lobbies in favor of environmentally sustainable policies.

Cottle joined this group armed with scientific knowledge and her passion for conservation. She admitted, however, that stepping into policy and politics was a frightening experience. At 18 years old, Cottle was not engaging with government changemakers and opposing ideologies. Cottle first lobbied at the Arizona Capitol in February 2017 and remembers this debut as an intimidating day.

“I don’t think I said too much during my first meeting there because I was so nervous, but getting that experience really helped me build my confidence when meeting with other officials,” Cottle said.

Cottle and her colleagues lobbied primarily in favor of a carbon fee and dividend policy, which would levy fees on carbon dioxide emissions from industrial production. Working toward issues of this magnitude on a national level demands many small steps and a long chain of personal interactions. Cottle visited the Arizona Capitol on multiple occasions during the spring 2017 semester, and in total, she spoke to seven different government officials.

“As a citizen, oftentimes elected officials are more inclined to listen if you go in,” Cottle said. “So, even if you mess up on your words, they still want to hear what you’re saying, and it’s not a really scary experience because you go in there and realize, ‘Oh, this is a person too.’ Going in and speaking to them has been pretty amazing, as well as knowing I can do that as someone

under 20 years old.”

For Cottle, seeing her work have a real effect was amazing.

Last month, the City of Flagstaff unanimously passed a carbon fee and dividend resolution that urged the national government to implement the policy that she personally lobbied.

“Seeing that and knowing that my voice was a small part of it was really cool,” Cottle said.

This fall, she has become an active environmental leader on campus. As the new events coordinator for the Green Fund committee, a nine-member, student-led board, which directs student fees into sustainability projects and programs on campus, she now has a direct say in university conservation initiatives.

Ellen Vaughan, manager of the NAU Office of Sustainability and a non-voting member on the Green Fund Committee, attested to the relevance of the work this group accomplishes.

Vaughan noted that this is student money on a student committee implementing student ideas. “[The Green Fund is] hidden behind so many of the visible sustainable things you see around campus, from solar panels to the wind turbine,” said Vaughan.

Although this committee has limited membership, Vaughan believes that there are opportunities on campus for every student, regardless of major, to be an agent of environmental change. She encourages anyone interested in sustainability to follow Cottle’s example and join student groups like Green Jacks and the Sustainable Citizens Program. Knowing the impact that behindthe-scenes work can accomplish, Cottle has no intention to let her activism plateau.

After attending a conference for the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education in Texas in October, she is building a committee to help NAU become fair trade certified through Fair Trade Campaigns. Her political activism through Our Climate is also scheduled to resume soon.

Graduation is still down the road, and she’s keeping her career options open. Cottle believes that legislation and public policy work will play a part in whatever she chooses.

Cottle may laugh at her childish naivety in thinking she would save the world by picking up trash at 7 years old. The belief that small initiatives make a difference has guided her into taking the actions she has today. Cottle knows that environmental advocacy is not always as exciting as giving a public speech or marching in a protest. She noted that, in her line of work, there will always be plenty of scheduling, paperwork and routine meetings. As a residence-life sustainability mentor, she has had her fair share of doors slammed in her face while educating fellow students on recycling and water conservation. Her outlook on herself and her passion toward her long-term goals keep her motivated even in moments when the work is drudgery.

“What was most significant for me was overcoming those personal barriers of thinking that I didn’t have any agency in the world,” Cottle said.

Each day, Cottle strides down the path of her dreams, and in light of her dreams, she hopes that more students work toward sustainability, and believe that their efforts make a difference.

“Everyone has a voice, and realizing that makes all the difference,” Cottle said.

FEATURES

Photo Illustration By Michaela Leikam

No more one and done Harrison Downing

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t’s common knowledge that throw-away plastic water bottles are detrimental to the environment and even for people’s health. Yet, they are carried by students, sold at restaurants and vending machines on campus and are even available at NAU sporting events.

All around campus there are water fountains designed to refill water bottles with filtered water. One NAU group is working toward getting students, staff and faculty to utilize these stations instead of carrying around throw-away water bottles that can be harmful.

“I think that the biggest thing that no one really knows about is that tap water in America is regulated by the [Environmental Protection Agency] under the Safe Drinking Water Act, which sets and enforces standards for tap water,” said Kelly Verrinder, senior environmental and sustainability studies major.

Verrinder is a member of the NAU chapter of Take Back the Tap, a national organization.

“A municipal water system serving more than one million residents must be tested 300 times a month for bacteria. On the

other hand, the [Food & Drug Administration] and the Cosmetics Act, which requires much less frequent bacteria testing with no mandatory reports of violation to federal officials,” Verrinder said.

More than 70 colleges nationwide have a Take Back the Tap program. It is a part of the Food and Water Watch program, a healthy food and clean water advocacy organization. Take Back the Tap is a part of their nationwide campaign that is encouraging college students to use reusable water bottles.

The filling stations were installed as part of Green NAU’s environmental efforts on campus.

Green NAU is a club at NAU and an information center that revolves around sustainability and also encourages NAU to make environmentally positive changes.

Laurel Westendorf, a member of Green NAU, said there are 71 filling stations around campus, and the group is looking to add more in 2018.

According to Cline Library’s sustainability website, “Each bottle-fill station can defer at least 20,000 single-use water bottles from landfills annually.”

If every one of the more than 500,000 annual visitors to Cline Library were to use the fill stations, it could reduce 280,000

single-use water bottles annually.

Plastic is not biodegradable, and if it is not recycled, it will sit in a landfill for up to 500 years, according to an estimate from the National Parks Service. United States citizens throw away about 33.6 million tons of plastic every year, and only 6.5 percent of that actually gets recycled, according to Columbia University.

If it doesn’t sit in a landfill for years and years, it will most likely be dumped into the ocean. According to a recent study by National Geographic, eight million tons of plastic is dumped into oceans every year. That equals five grocery bags for every foot of coastline around the globe.

“Most plastic water bottle companies, like Nestle, actually use tap water in their plastic water bottles,” Verrinder said.

She said she feels lucky to be living in Flagstaff where the tap water is better compared to other Arizona cities like Phoenix.

When it comes to the future of Take Back the Tap, Verrinder said that she would like to work with NAU President Rita Cheng to ban plastic water bottles on campus. Verrinder’s main goal is to educate students about the dangers of plastic water bottles and suggest the use of reusable ones.

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FEATURES

Conquering fear, one public speech at a time Kayla Rutledge

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weaty palms, a shaking voice, a heartbeat strong enough to cause an earthquake and a fluster of nervousness. This is what the act of public speaking does for some people. This is known as glossophobia: the fear of public speaking.

Glossophobia is a trait approximately 7 percent of Americans have. Those who have glossophobia vary in ages and different education backgrounds, according to research highlighted by the Magnetic Speaking website. After many years of giving keynote addresses, Jim Key, 2003 World Champion of Public Speaking, has perfected the art of moving audiences through his speeches.

He utilizes nerves as a progressive tool.

“To a degree, [nerves] are always present. The more experience you gain, the more you’re sure that you know you’re not going to die on stage,” said Key. Key has been a representative of Toastmasters International, an organization that improves the communication and leadership skills of its members, for approximately 18 years. He has given addresses on subjects varying from following childhood dreams into adulthood, to self-doubt. Throughout his time with Toastmasters, Key has learned different techniques to channel nerves into making a keynote speech more memorable and relatable for large audiences.

Through an online course and weekly meetings with other Toastmaster members, Key is constantly creating and practicing new material and approaches to public speaking.

The Toastmasters International website highlights some points that are free to the public and can aid in speech giving. The tips discuss important techniques for occasions like accepting awards, giving eulogies, presenting awards, speaking to diverse audiences, creating visual aids and utilizing different gestures and body language to further a point made in a keynote address.

In 2003, the delivery of Key’s talk “Never Too Late” exemplified the techniques of public speaking he now teaches others, and the speech made him the World Champion of Public Speaking out of 30,000 competitors. In his talk, Key’s voice is steady and his unidentifiable nerves are no match for the confidence he radiates while giving speeches.

It was not until a business meeting consisting of speeches from trained professionals, that Key knew he wanted to get involved in public speaking. After reaching out to the offices of the speakers at the business conference he attended, he was directed to Toastmasters with nothing more than a dream to speak of. Being an information technology project leader for nearly 30 years, Key has never felt that he fits the typecast of people in his field.

“I’m a nerd down to the DNA level. There is a stereotype about technical people when it comes to their personality, their demeanor. The public speaking thing doesn’t really jive with it as far as that stereotype goes. That has never been me,” Key said.

Conquering the fear public speaking is no small feat and is something people may only dream of. There is an abundance of psychological research from the Social Anxiety Institute that suggests social anxiety disorder, or social phobia, is closely

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Jim Key, of Toastmasters International, is the 2003 World Champion of Public Speaking. Key is scheduled to be in Flagstaff for a Toastmasters conference Nov. 3-5. Photo courtesy of Jim Key

correlated with the fear of the public speaking.

NAU psychology professor Jason Whetten has studied social-anxiety disorder. Whetten noted that there is a correlation between nervousness of public speaking and the fear of sociability.

In order to explain social-anxiety disorder, it is important to identify its origins. “[People] can have an experience early in their life that classically conditions them to be afraid of those situations. Maybe we have parents that have this type of anxiety or phobia. So, maybe we picked it up from them. There is definitely a bit of biology and genetics behind anxiety in general, but the way it manifests itself may look different based off of different people,” said Whetten.

By understanding its origins and applying methods of psychology to overcome social anxiety, the disorder can be minimized. They are also illustrated through the work of Toastmasters. Whetten noted that one approach used to help people overcome social phobia is medication. Toastmasters, however, utilizes other techniques, which Whetten suggested are generally effective over time.

One technique is the exposure method, which is when a subject is exposed to the cause of their anxiety frequently in order to negate the effects it has on their stress levels. Toastmasters applies this method to their organization through frequent

meetings. In these meetings, members are encouraged to work up to their comfort level in front of small crowds.

Nov. 3-5, Key will be presenting his keynote address, “Hitting the Mark: The Quest for Excellence” at the Toastmaster District 3 conference that is scheduled to take place at Little America in east Flagstaff. District 3 is an Arizona District that covers northern Arizona, Chandler, Gilbert and Scottsdale.

Key will also give a speech on how to attain personal public-speaking goals through the Toastmasters organization in a speech entitled “Maximum Value: Getting the Most from Your Toastmasters Membership.”

During this conference, Gerard T. van Belle, an astronomer at Lowell Observatory, educator and new Director of the Navy Precision Optical Interferometer, will also be speaking. Belle will be discussing his work with the stars, linear radii and temperatures and accepting the Communication and Leadership award.

The award is the highest honor District 3 Toastmasters can give someone outside of the organization, and is awarded to someone that is a strong communicator and leader.

In a world where communication, the political climate and international affairs is changing, public speaking may be more crucial than ever. Toastmasters allows people to confront their fears and turn stresses about communication into motivation.

CULTURE

Best dressed at the Fest

Top Left: Pumpkins carved into spooky, silly and funny faces line the pathways at the entrance to the Arboretum at the Flagstaff Pumpkin Walk and Fall Festival Oct. 28. Top Right: Hiram Johnson and his 15-month-old daughter Sadie pose after the costume contest at the Arboretum Pumpkin Walk and Fall Festival. Hiram and Sadie were dressed as the popular characters Sully and Boo from Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. Bottom Left: Brian and Jessica Sinclair compete as the Big Bad Wolf and Little Red Riding Hood Oct. 28. The couple won second place for best adult costume. Bottom Right: Children raise their contestant numbers for the judges during the most sustainable costume contest at the Pumpkin Walk and Fall Festival Oct. 28. Tehlor Takahata | The Lumberjack

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CULTURE

Ginny Lea, financial coordinator of Arizona National Organization for Women (AZ NOW), explains membership at the newest AZ NOW chapter’s informational meeting in Bright Side Book Shop in downtown Flagstaff Oct. 26. Rye So | The Lumberjack

Bringing feminism to Flagstaff, NOW Ashley Besing

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he Arizona National Organization for Women (AZ NOW) is a non-profit organization that has worked to advance the equal status of females since the organization was founded in 1966. Their focus ranges from ending violence against women and racial and economic justice to reproductive and LGBTQ rights.

With six chapters already in operation, several members of the board of AZ NOW traveled to Bright Side Bookshop Oct. 26 in hopes of starting a chapter in Flagstaff.

Dorene Campbell is a co-coordinator for

chapter development and a retired public health professor at UA. She has high hopes for the future of the Flagstaff chapter of AZ NOW. “I hope that [the Flagstaff chapter of AZ NOW is] able to collaborate with other nonprofit organizations, like Together We Will and the She Wolf Project, so we can have a bigger impact on the political system in Flagstaff so we can hopefully elect people that are womenfriendly, and, in fact maybe get women to run,” said Campbell.

One of the main focuses of AZ NOW is political change.

“We have a political action committee, and we review bills that are being proposed … We

call our representatives, we protest on site. It’s mostly political action, it’s all based on politics,” Campbell said.

Though AZ NOW is focused on politics, it doesn’t take any particular political party stance.

“It’s not political in the sense of parties, but it’s political in the sense for what’s best for women. How we can promote the women’s agenda with access to birth control, hopefully getting [the Equal Rights Amendment] ratified.

Things like that,” Campbell said.

The chapter’s introduction started with opening remarks from Flagstaff Mayor Coral Evans.

“I can tell, as the first African-American

female council member and the first AfricanAmerican mayor here in the city of Flagstaff, that what we are doing here tonight matters,” said Evans.

Evans was a student and community activist for more than 20 years and is very vocal about women’s rights.

“I just really like to raise the consciousness … that diversity is good. Females are good.

Working together is good,” Evans said.

Though feminism can be a controversial issue, Evans emphasizes its importance in a society. “[Some people] think that [feminism] takes away from everybody else. It actually doesn’t. It

NOV. 2, 2017 – NOV. 8, 2017 | THE LUMBERJACK 17

CULTURE completes the circle. And once the circle is completed, and it’s whole, that’s when you really have a high-functioning city, town, community, country, world,” Evans said.

Along with feminism, Evans believes empowerment also drives a society.

“We as a society should truly hope that all of us are empowered in a way that we feel free and able to do what we need to do, to earn the money that we need to earn, to be who we are,” Evans said.

Sanjam Ahluwalia, professor of women and gender studies at NAU, gave a brief history on feminism. Her presentation included feminists throughout time, the waves of feminism and intersectionality.

“We are moving backward more than we are moving forward,” said Ahluwalia during her presentation.

Ahluwalia said she recognizes the importance of teaching women and gender studies.

“The way we understand the world from a feminist perspective deeply resonated with me, and I feel very honored and very privileged to be actually teaching in the women and gender studies program,” Ahluwalia said. “It’s my dream come true.”

Ahluwalia hopes to see an AZ NOW presence on campus in the future.

“I’m excited about exploring the opportunities to align with [women and gender studies] and the university more largely and bring NOW to campus because I think we really need to have younger people engaged in these conversations,” Ahluwalia said.

Ahluwalia thinks it’s time for feminism to come back to light.

“I think what would be really nice is … to bring feminism back to mainstream conversation.

Maybe NOW is the organization that can make it happen,” Ahluwalia said.

One of the people in attendance was Maria Campbell, a marine biologist and co-founder of another women’s rights group in Flagstaff, the She Wolf Project. Maria Campbell has no relation to Dorene Campbell. “[The She Wolf Project is] a platform for women to come together to spark ideas into action, to voice their opinion on certain things, to give support to each other. We have talks by females in the community who have something to share,” said Maria Campbell.

Maria Campbell was interested in what AZ NOW had to offer.

“I’m really interested in being more active in different levels of the community, so I was really interested in seeing what NOW was because I didn’t know anything about it,” Maria Campbell said.

Maria Campbell said some of the most important aspects of women empowerment are sharing women’s stories, women supporting women and education on the issues both past and present.

“Women groups like this can facilitate many things and give us more knowledge and empower us to make some change and be agents of change in our own community,” Maria Campbell said.

Maria Campbell wants to be a member of AZ NOW and plans to attend the first meeting.

“Tonight was a little introduction … so I think the first meeting that we all get together will be really interesting,” Maria Campbell said.

The first meeting of the Flagstaff AZ NOW chapter is scheduled to be held Nov. 11.

AZ NOW will continue to fight for women’s equality.

“We’re losing our rights under the current administration and the current political climate.

We’re still fighting the fight, and we’ve been fighting it since the 1970s,” Dorene Campbell said.

Left: Professor Sanjam Ahluwalia gives a presentation on the history of feminism to attendees at Bright Side Book Shop in downtown Flagstaff Oct. 26. Right: Mayor Coral Evans introduces the AZ NOW event at Bright Side Book Shop Oct. 26. Rye So | The Lumberjack

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SPORTS

Media and sports: It’s complicated

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arolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton stepped to the podium Oct. 25 with the apathetic body language that has become normal after his bad games. He’d thrown two interceptions, including a pick six and zero touchdowns in a 3-17 loss to the Chicago Bears three days prior.

When asked about the consistency of his team’s offense, Newton refused to answer and walked out of the press conference seconds later.

Newton is immature for his age. He doesn’t handle failure well, and his mental strength has been called into question repeatedly. He’s also incredibly explosive. His smile can light up a room, and he was the Most Valuable Player of the NFL in 2015. The good, the bad and the ugly have all been presented to us by the media. The way Newton sees it, though, the media is his enemy. That’s the problem.

MATTHEW For years athletes have been screaming out, “We are JARECKI humans too!” in an effort to get the Colin Cowherds, HOST OF THE JERK Stephen A. Smiths and Jim Romes off their backs. The ON KJACK RADIO common thought would be, “We’re just trying to do our jobs, why can’t they leave us alone?”

That logic would make sense, if we were criticizing insurance agents or accountants. Accountants, who earn their living by examining their client’s finances, have no rooted interest in the media. Athletes like Cam Newton, who earn over half their salaries based on media rights that contributed $7 billion to the NFL’s $14 billion total revenue in 2016, according to CBS Sports. Because of this, athletes need the media. The same is true for MLB, NBA and NHL superstars. These aren’t just athletes.

In fact, one could argue that when an athlete goes pro in a major United States-based sport, they transition into the role of reality television stars. The media is very much their friend.

Stephen A. Smith may sound intrusive or over the top, but every morning on ESPN’s First Take, when he makes his proclamations about a player, team or coach, he’s increasing the social equity of all three. He cares, so we care.

Sports and the media are intertwined in one big cycle of entertainment, and the players, albeit the most important part, are just a part of that cycle.

The network promotes the game, the players play the game, the writers divulge, the radio hosts expound and the conversation continues to pick up social currency.

The sports-to-media relationship is far from parasitic but is rather mutualistic. The media needs great games, epic moments and mythical figures like Newton. But without the media promoting, televising and taking fans deeper into the game, professional sports would be more comparable to a traveling circus rather than the cultural institution they stand as today.

Newton will make more than $20 million this season as the Panthers starting quarterback. Media rights will contribute to a little more than half of that salary. Next time a member of the media asks an athlete a question the athlete does not like, they should keep this in mind: That reporter is an important cog in the growing salary cap of that professional league.

The athlete is a slightly more important cog in the growing industry that is professional sports. If the athlete can’t handle the $20 million-dollar heat, then the should stay out of the $14 billion-dollar kitchen.

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The NAU men’s basketball team huddles following practice Oct. 29 in the Union Fieldhouse. The Lumberjacks play their first home game against Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Nov. 13. Devyn Coons | The Lumberjack

NAU basketball: getting back to winning Lance Hartzler

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ack Murphy has been at the helm of the NAU men’s basketball program for five years, but his time at NAU has been riddled with up-and-down seasons. The program is in rebuild mode following a disappointing 20162017 season.

Murphy is under contract until the 2020 season, showing that NAU is focused on a return to winning.

Murphy is the first one to say that he is still learning the tricks of the trade of being a head coach.

“The learning is constant, and the lessons are daily,” said Murphy. “I think it’s just one of those things where I’m excited about some of the things we have accomplished over the last five years, but I’m certainly not satisfied.”

The last five seasons have been inconsistent for the program, with a 63-102 overall record.

NAU increased its win total every year for the first three years under Murphy, increasing from 11-21 overall and 8-12 in conference play in the first year to 15-17 and 12-8 in year two, then a jump to 23-15 and 13-5 and a hard-fought loss

in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament championship game 71-65 against the University of Evansville. In the first three years of the Murphy era, he compiled a 49-53 overall record and a 33-25 Big Sky record, which showed his ability to win in conference play.

Then, in an injury-plagued fourth season, the Lumberjacks went 5-25 and 3-15 — the lowest winning percentage in program history. The season also saw former Big Sky defensive player of the year forward Jordyn Martin go down with a season-ending foot injury in the third game of the season. For a team that had 12 freshmen who received meaningful minutes, NAU struggled without one of the team’s core players.

Last season, year five, the Lumberjacks increased their win total to 9-23 and 6-12 and finished the season 6-8 in the final 14 games, showing signs of growth and the potential to bounce back in the 2017-2018 season.

Murphy attributes the struggles of the last two years to a lack of juniors and seniors in the program. There was only eight juniors and seniors combined on the roster the previous two seasons out of about two-dozen players.

SPORTS

NAU head coach Jack Murphy looks on as redshirt junior guard Torry Johnson shoots a free throw during conditioning drills at the end of practice Oct. 29. Devyn Coons | The Lumberjack

“You don’t win on this level unless you have juniors and seniors,” Murphy said. “When we had juniors and seniors, we won my first year, my second year, my third year. The last two years we relied heavily on freshmen and sophomores, and we haven’t fared as well.”

Fifteen players have transferred or left before their senior years to play professionally in the last five years. Two of the most notable departures are former guard Kris Yanku in 2016 — who led the Lumberjacks in scoring in 2016 at 14.7 points per game his junior year, then left to play professional basketball in Turkey — and guard DeWayne Russell, who transferred to Grand Canyon University (GCU) following his freshman season in 2013 in which he finished second on the team in scoring with 14.4 points per game. Russell went on to average 21.2 points and 5.4 assists in his senior season at GCU in 2016-2017, leading the team to a 22-9 overall record.

The idea of leaving early is a tricky one.

“The team was in a rebuilding stage, since it was mainly freshmen, and I didn’t think it would be the best choice for me to go stick around for that,” said Yanku over Twitter direct message. “[I] thought starting my professional career a year early would be beneficial, and it has been.”

This past offseason saw two of NAU’s top scorers in the 20162017 season, guards Mike Green and Marcus Deberry, decide to transfer. The two transferring, coupled with the graduation of Martin and forward Ako Kaluna, NAU lost a total of 44 points per game, 58 percent of the team’s averaged points last season.

The loss of Martin and Deberry is also a big hit to NAU’s defense.

Throughout the season, both were tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best post and perimeter players respectively.

“I don’t hold any ill-will to somebody who may not find exactly what they are looking for here at NAU,” Murphy said.

“Our job is to try and find young men who are going to become so ingrained in this community they don’t want to leave.”

Transfers aren’t a factor that just NAU deals with. It’s something that all NCAA basketball teams face. The 2016 offseason saw 700 players transfer from all three divisions of NCAA basketball, and the wave has been coined by some as an epidemic.

To put into perspective how players transferring has affected NAU, Martin and Kaluna were the first players to earn four-year letters under Murphy. The two were the first to play all four years of their careers at NAU in the Murphy era.

Due to the transfers at NAU, young players have had to play

meaningful minutes that they realistically wouldn’t have had to play, said assistant coach Wes Pifer. The players have a chance to grow from the early exposure to big games, but there are growing pains and a learning curve that comes with having so many young players on the court.

“I think all those guys have grown. It just shows where the program is going,” Pifer said. “Juniors and seniors win, so our recruiting efforts are geared towards that now.”

Players such as sophomore guard JoJo Anderson and junior forwards Corey Brown and Isaiah Thomas all have shown growth since playing heavy minutes as underclassmen and played well in their minutes last season. Anderson averaged 15 points per game in the last three games of the season as NAU finished 1-2 in that span — one of the defeats being by just one point. Murphy said he has noticed how hard the returning players worked in the offseason.

“They have worked their tails off,” Murphy said. “My hope is they all are invested two feet in with the program, and their work ethic would show me that they are.”

With the season approaching, NAU has eight players who have committed to playing for the Lumberjacks this season, four incoming freshmen, two junior-college transfers and a pair of graduate transfers.

Two notable freshmen NAU received commitments from are two Chicago standouts, guard Carlos Hines and forward Lennell Henry. Hines adds some depth to the guard lineup for NAU and Henry adds a much-needed big body inside.

One of the junior-college transfers is sophomore guard Karl Harris. Harris averaged 2.6 points per game in 2015-2016 for La Salle before transferring to Indian Hills Community College where he played the 2016-2017 season. Harris will be eligible to play next season for the Lumberjacks.

The first of the graduate transfers to commit to NAU is guard Malcolm Allen. He graduated from Stanford University last spring and will be eligible to play immediately due to NCAA graduate-transfer rules. Allen averaged 1.9 points per game during his career at Stanford.

The second graduate-transfer is former University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) guard Gino Littles. A former standout at Desert Mountain high school in Scottsdale, Arizona, Littles was a walk-on at UTSA and averaged 5.4 points per game during his career and will add more depth and leadership at guard.

“I really feel like the point guard is what is going to take us to the next level,” Pifer said. “I look at our team, and we have been incredibly successful in the Big Sky over the years. I think the point guard position is critical.”

This season, NAU men’s basketball hopes for an improved year and has momentum following a 6-8 finish to last season’s conference play. Murphy believes there is improvement on the horizon for the men’s basketball program.

The current group of players draws comparisons to Murphy’s most successful team, which was the 2014-2015 season and was comprised of five key former transfers: Aaseem Dixon, Quinton Upshur, Len Springs, Jaleni Neely and Zach Reynolds. The five combined for 47 percent of the total points for the team that season. Littles, Harris and Allen combine for eight years of NCAA basketball experience and will add leadership to a team that has not performed well the last two seasons.

“For the guys we have coming back, the sky’s the limit,” Murphy said.

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SPORTS

Something to prove at NAU Quinn Snyder

G

ame day is fast approaching for the men of NAU basketball, and after a few weeks of practice, the members of the team said they feel prepared for their new challenge, to put NAU hoops back on the map.

In the Big Sky Conference preseason media and coaches’ polls, the Lumberjacks found themselves on the back end of each list, at No.10 and No. 11 respectively out of the 12 teams in the conference.

During some offseason soul searching following their 9-23 record in the 2016-17 season, head coach Jack Murphy was able to bring in three upperclassmen guards to reinvigorate the program.

A chemistry sparked between graduate-transfer senior Malcolm Allen from Stanford, graduate-transfer senior Gino Littles a former University of Texas at San Antonio starter and junior Karl Harris from Indian Hills Community College in Iowa.

“They bring a different dynamic to the team with experience,” said Murphy. “They also have that experience knowing coaching is hard, practice is going to be hard. Whatever it is, just getting the team ready, that’s really helped some of the guys that have been here and some of the younger guys that are currently on the team.”

The Lumberjacks have not had a winning season since 20142015 when they competed in the semifinals of the CollegeInsider. com postseason tournament, a season that was dominated by seniors. With only three seniors on the roster this season, the coaching staff is putting their focus on energy and fostering an environment where excitement is strived for and reveled in. “[Allen and Littles are] excited to come to practice, and that brings everybody up,” Murphy said. “Gino and Malcolm talk and communicate. They’re excited to be in the gym, and it gets us excited as well.”

The team’s third senior, guard Kye de Laveaga, will be back for his fourth season in Flagstaff after appearing in 27 games last season and starting in 18. This season also brings the return of redshirt junior guard Torry Johnson who was unable to play last season due to injury.

Allen said he wants to bring his experience of playing in the Pac-12 to NAU and has already seen the benefits of the senior leadership that he and Littles have brought to the program.

“Leadership, experience and energy. We bring that every day, consistently, and I’ve seen it pay off already. We are excited to get the season going,” said Allen.

With eight newcomers and nine returners, the Lumberjacks are looking to change the narrative from the past couple seasons as the team has a 14-48 record the past two seasons.

“They’ve struggled for the last couple years so just bring that excitement back,” said Harris. “Our goal is to win the conference.”

Finding team chemistry that clicks on all cylinders helps to create a winning mentality. Littles said the energy around the program is different, and that energy will translate on the court as the season begins.

With excitement comes some unknowns. Murphy said the team needs to figure out how to fit the new pieces together to

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make the line-ups work.

“I think we’re excited because we don’t know exactly how all the puzzle pieces are going to fit together,” Murphy said. “But we have some taleanted puzzle pieces, and I think the guys are excited to be a part of that too.”

The team begins their season on the road at UA Nov. 10 in the McKale Center. UA is projected to finish first in the Pac-12, a conference and an arena Allen is familiar with.

“It’s always fun playing in McKale, it should be fun,” Allen said. “I think our guys are ready to play there, I’ve played there four years in a row.”

Harris said the team wants to make a statement against UA to potentially prove some doubters wrong in the start of the season.

“We just want to go out there and send a message,” Harris said. “I don’t think anybody in Arizona besides us thinks we can compete in that game. We want to go in there, and we’re going to send a message.”

Following their trip to Tucson, the Lumberjacks will return home to face off against non-conference opponent Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Nov. 13 in the Rolle Activity Center.

Murphy is confident about the senior leadership and what it brings to the new season and, with the team ranked low in the polls, he wants to embrace their underdog role once again.

Top: Guard Geno Littles (left) talks with guard JoJo Anderson (right) at practice Oct. 29. Bottom Left: Guard Malcolm Allen is a vocal leader of the team. Bottom Right: Guard Karl Harris dunks the ball at practice Oct. 29. Devyn Coons | The Lumberjack