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THE NONTRADITIONAL EXPERIENCE IN A “HIGHLY TRADITIONAL SCHOOL”

Nontraditional students share their unique experiences at the University of Oregon.

Daily Emerald

HOBBS: THE UNOFFICIAL HIERARCHY IN GREEK LIFE

BY MONICA HOBBS

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ON THE COVER

Christine Anderson, a member of the Non-Traditional Student Union, sits in during a meeting to plan upcoming events for students. (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)

THE DAILY EMERALD

The Daily Emerald is published by Emerald Media Group, Inc., the independent nonprofit media company at the University of Oregon. Formerly the Oregon Daily Emerald, the news organization was founded in 1900.

If there’s one thing Greek Life is good at, it’s classifying sororities into a hierarchy. One might be thinking, “They must be ranked on academics or community service, right?” Not quite. A sorority chapter’s value is often determined by their appearance and social life.

The first sorority was established in 1851 to offer women a space for excellence, although the term “sorority” was not coined until 1882. In this time period, higher education excluded women. Sorority chapters intended on enhancing the social, scholastic and professional interests of members, according to APP State.

Today, we can acknowledge the foundation of sororities was built on discrimination and exclusion. Most of the early organizations consisted of women privileged enough to attend college — wealthy and white. As Greek Life has served primarily white communities throughout history, whiteness became the stereotypical “standard” for sororities.

Modern chapters are placed into a tier system: top, middle and bottom. There’s no official ranking system that groups sororities into a tier. However, stereotypes and the dynamic of the panhellenic community determine how a chapter is perceived.

Greek Rank operates as the biggest platform for enforcing these tiers. The website is completely anonymous, meaning anyone can rank a chapter at any institution. A typical review includes a description, tier level and ranking of six characteristics: friendliness, popularity, classiness, involvement, social life and sisterhood/brotherhood.

I scrolled through the website to gather a general overview of each chapter at the University of Oregon.

For the top tier chapters, their reviews predominantly centered around appearance. Comments like, “Hottest girls on campus,” and “Pretty and sociable girls,” were recurrent.

Like everything online, there’s going to be a negative side. However, even the unfavorable reviews focused on looks. Comments saying that the top chapters have “the personality of a stale Triscuit,” was a common theme. One anonymous user commented, “If you’re not blonde and 2 pounds, they hate you just like how they all hate each other.”

The crude reviews only progressed when I reached the bottom tier chapters. One chapter had a “reputation of being the home to a bunch of crazies (which is accurate).” Users described the sorority as, “Rude, insecure and desperate.”

All UO chapters receive their fair share of

animosity online. However, I must comment on the demographics. Chapters in the top tier are predominantly white, illustrating the beauty standard. Chapters in the bottom tier are more diverse, both in terms of body types and racial backgrounds.

This contrast was most evident in a middle tier chapter. The positive reviews talked about the diversity amongst the members and their accepting atmosphere. On the other side, users said they weren’t “the hottest or most popular.” One review said, “Not a huge fan. They aren’t super attractive.”

Stereotypes end up being the determining factor for how a chapter is perceived by other sororities and fraternities. One girl gains likeability for being in a top tier, while another feels embarrassed to rep a bottom tier in fear of judgment.

The hierarchy of sororities expands further than just the panhellenic community. Women going through the recruitment process often take Greek Rank into consideration.

“There’s this phenomenon that people are choosing sororities based off prestige rather than where they want to be and who they want to be with,” Dylan Toler, a third-year student and member of UO Greek Life, said.

Toler was a former president of her chapter. Throughout her term, Toler grew strong connections with each chapter in the UO community. Each sorority brings something unique to campus. Instead of chasing social status, “new members should choose a chapter where they can be themselves,” she said.

Toler acknowledges that “there’s not a whole lot of diversity at UO, or other universities, and that’s deeply rooted within America.” Nationwide, Greek Life stays discriminative toward minority groups.

Like the rest of the country, the UO panhellenic community carries discriminative standards with them today. One might argue that Greek Rank is just a bunch of anonymous losers. Yet their unofficial hierarchy continues to govern relationships in the Greek Life community.

“Greek life in general needs to evolve. We’re slowly but surely getting there. It’s moving a little bit slower than usual, but I think it’s doing pretty decently so far,” Toler said.

Monica Hobbs is an opinion columnist for the Daily Emerald. She is a third-year student from San Jose, majoring in journalism and business. Monica hopes to share opinions on the intersectionality of culture and social justice.

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The history of Greek Life promotes a discriminative ranking system for sororities at the University of Oregon.

EVAN REYNOLDS PREPARES TO TAKE THE MANTLE OF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Evan Reynolds will step into the role of editor-in-chief after two years of working at the Daily Emerald.

BY ETHAN DONAHUE

MARIS TOALSON

PREPARES TO BECOME THE ETHOS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

After working for the Ethos Magazine for two years, Maris Toalson will be the next Ethos editor-in-chief.

BY ETHAN DONAHUE

production, managing the Emerald’s personnel, and handling all behindthe-scenes clerical and administrative work.

“To say that I have big shoes to fill would be an understatement – I walk in cavernous footsteps,” Reynolds said. “So, I’m cautiously excited and ready to get started.”

Maris Toalson will be the Ethos Magazine’s new editor-in-chief for 2023-2024, starting summer 2023.

Evan Reynolds will be the Daily Emerald’s new editor-in-chief for 2023-2024, starting in summer 2023.

Reynolds is a third-year student majoring in political science and minoring in media studies. He joined the Daily Emerald staff in January 2022 as an arts and culture reporter on the mental health beat, where he published weekly stories with a focus on local mental health projects. He is currently employed as the Emerald’s community engagement coordinator, where he handles outreach initiatives, Ethics Board meetings and internal surveys.

Reynolds is also an associate editor on the Daily Emerald’s art and culture desk fall 2022.

“It’s been an absolute pleasure to work on the art and culture desk this year. My editor Krista and I have slowly watched throughout fall and winter term as our desk filled up with new writers, and we’re now producing so much content that it can be difficult to keep track of it all,” Reynolds said.

The EiC’s responsibilities, as described by current EiC Hannarose McGuinness, are divided into three main areas: organizing content

McGuinness said Reynolds’ prior work with city council campaign support has helped familiarize him with fundraising, budgeting and community outreach. During his years working at the Emerald, Reynolds has shown himself to be a strong leader who McGuinness is excited to see grow.

“The editor-in-chief job is hugely challenging in so many unexpected ways, and I feel so fortunate to be able to leave the newsroom in what I know will be capable hands,” McGuinness said.

Reynolds said he believes the most challenging, and exciting, part of becoming EiC will be rebuilding and expanding on the Emerald’s print and digital presence in ways that are “creative, modern and experimental.”

The Board of Directors, who selected Reynolds for the EiC position, noted that Evan’s instinct for making on-the-spot journalistic decisions was quick, thoughtful and exactly how a journalist and editor needed to think.

“Evan’s energy was infectious,” said board chair Jenn Casey. “His ideas, enthusiasm, and focus on building an audience not only for today’s Emerald, but to sustain beyond his year as EiC showed thoughtful leadership qualities.”

Reynolds officially takes on the role of EiC on June 21, 2023.

Toalson is a third-year journalism student with minors in political science and science communication. She started as a fact-checker for Ethos over the 2021 summer after she discovered Ethos through her media and social action Academic Residential Community student mentor. While holding the position of fact-checker, Toalson wrote for Ethos occasionally. She officially became an Ethos writer in spring of her sophomore year. In summer of 2022, Toalson became one of the two associate editors for Ethos.

“I see journalism as a public service,” Toalson said. “I hope that in the editor-in-chief position I can continue to empower people I work with and cultivate a strong sense of a supportive community.”

Current Ethos EiC Abby Sourwine describes the job as a very outwardfacing role. The EiC has the final say for all magazine decisions and sets the vision for the year. The EiC also participates in all hiring decisions and handles all internal personnel issues. The EiC ensures that everything runs smoothly while supporting the Ethos staff, she said.

Toalson plans to be an EiC who approaches people as “whole people” and not as just the work they do. Toalson defines her approach to leadership as “empathetic and holistic.”

Looking back on her time writing for Ethos, Toalson says that she is proudest of her work on Actively Ignored: The Fight for the Urban Farm because of how she was able to see the story impact the community that the story represented.

Sourwine said she’s seen Toalson’s growth over the past and appreciates how she has always been willing to try new

things. She remembers times when Toalson was off campus for a skiing competition but still logged into and engaged with the weekly Ethos Zoom meeting.

“I think Maris is one of the most level headed people I’ve ever encountered,” Sourwine said. “She’s calm and just has this aura of compassion around her — she really cares about people. She’s also very dedicated and determined in the things she cares about. She always gives 100%.”

Toalson said one of her goals is to highlight the Ethos mission statement: “elevate the voices of marginalized communities who are traditionally underrepresented in the media landscape.” She wants Ethos to focus on non-extractive and collaborative journalism that doesn’t just focus on the negatives of life, but instead elevates communities and gives them a positive spotlight.

“I’m a big proponent of solutionsbased journalism because I think that journalism that focuses on important issues doesn’t have to be super down, harsh or depressing,” Toalson said. “It can also be about really happy stories, which are so important to tell.”

Toalson has begun shadowing Sourwine and will officially take the EiC role in early June.

(Photo courtesy of Evan Reynolds)

(Photo courtesy of Maris Toalson)

OPINION

MORALES: (UNFORTUNATELY) THE U.S. MILITARY WANTS YOU

Civilian indoctrination of the military has been a constant recurring theme throughout America’s relatively short but violent history. During the twentieth century, various forms of propaganda were at the forefront of the United States’ militaryindustrial complex as colorful posters and moviereels called for enlistment and the call to duty.

Earlier this calendar year, the Senate Committee on Armed Services passed its national military budget for all of 2023. In the National Defense Authorization Act, the 2023 military budget is an absurd $857.9 billion. These funds are to be sent to eight different military sectors –– of these eight, two sectors stand out as worrisome.

For example, a large amount of this funding is going toward nuclear modernization and continued research and development into weapons beyond human comprehension. Due to the current geopolitical climate between Western countries and the nuclear capable rogue nations of Russia and China, it makes sense that our budget would reflect the rise in nuclear threat. Regardless, it would be naive to completely ignore our current international responsibilities.

As the West continues to send weapons and aid to Ukraine, the chance for escalation is now a reality. In the Pacific, China continues to threaten Taiwan, and it recently simulated a live-fire faux invasion after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Unfortunately, we the people find ourselves in the

middle of a new Cold War, as the U.S. has promised Taiwan immediate military support in the case of China’s potential invasion.

As our new reality becomes grim, the U.S. military is desperate for immediate reassurance. There is now an increased need for soldiers, as the National Defense Authorization Act emphasized the need to “revive and extend temporary authority for targeted recruitment incentives to ensure the military can meet its recruiting and retention needs.”

Modern military recruitment is nothing new as its branches have been recruiting in low-income neighborhoods for the past few decades, following the idea that the poor fight the rich man’s war. Despite the U.S. military’s criticized recruitment tactics, it has doubled down on emphasizing a “new age” in the United States’ military-industrial complex as almost every branch of the military failed to reach its recruitment goal in 2022.

The Department of Defense has partnered with Congress to attract Gen Z to its major branches. The U.S. Army specifically has come out with a new $117 million ad featuring Hollywood’s rising star Jonathan Majors. Unluckily for Majors, who is slated to be the new “big bad” in Disney’s MCU, the ad has been recut and will not rerun until his domestic violence investigation is complete. Much of the financial details of the $117 million budget were not disclosed to the public during Majors’ six days of shooting the commercial, and now

the government will have to use an edited thirty second clip of blatant military propaganda. The question remains: Why is the United States more focused on being a military powerhouse than using these propaganda funds to fix immediate internal issues that our country currently faces? How come our country’s youth is once again being exploited to potentially fight in another foreign nation? We need to stand up to the militaryindustrial complex and focus on restructuring our relationship with peace and diplomacy.

Unfortunately, one thing is certain: The U.S. military wants YOU.

Opinion: As our geopolitical reality becomes grim, the U.S. military is desperate for immediate reassurance from Gen Z as the government pours millions of dollars into failed recruitment and retention efforts.

BY ANTONIO MORALES

(Illustration by Antonio Morales)

Antonio is an editorial cartoonist for the Daily Emerald. He is a fourthyear student studying History and Anthropology. Antonio’s cartoons emphasize the cultural and social significance of current events and its direct impact on UO.

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SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH IS ENDING, BUT THE CONVERSATION MUST CONTINUE

SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH IS ENDING, BUT THE CONVERSATION MUST CONTINUE

• BY JESS MCCOMBS •

We are approaching the end of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, but the end of April should not signify closure of the conversation on sexual assault (SA). As a large college campus, the University of Oregon has and will likely continue to experience many reported and unreported cases of SA.

Fatima Roohi Pervaiz, the director of the Women’s Center at UO, said statistically, based on the size of UO, 3,250 cases of SA will occur in just the first six weeks of school. She characterized these first six weeks as the red zone because of a heightened risk for SA.

“There are too many of us walking around the UO campus who have experienced harm and experienced trauma, and deserve to take our power back, deserve to have words to put with our experiences,” Pervaiz said. An issue of this magnitude should not be limited to discussion in the month of April alone, it is a reality the UO community must acknowledge and seek to combat every day. Pervaiz said one of the most important elements of awareness on SA is education. A large part of this education is gaining knowledge of resources available to survivors of SA on the UO campus. UO offers free counseling, health services and legal services to SA victims. Students can get a rape kit and an attorney for free through UO without any proof of insurance. All of these resources can be found under the Women’s Center on the UO website: https://dos.uoregon.edu/women. The UO also offers several education resources such as trainings and workshops for sexual violence prevention.

Sofia Rubalcava, a sophomore human physiology student at UO, said she was not aware of the resources available to her until after she experienced SA. Rubalcava said these services were extremely helpful in the legal process and the emotional healing process of her experience. The case has been addressed by the Eugene police department, and now Rubalcava said she is focused on healing and helping other survivors to become educated on what resources are available to them.

“Knowing there’s help and knowing there’s a team at UO that can aid you is

really important,” Rubalcava said. “I’m pretty open about my SA experience because I wish someone had told me this stuff.”

Within education and awareness of SA, it is important to unlearn the narrative of how we typically depict victims and perpetrators. Lucy Partridge, a senior planning, public policy and management student at UO, said victim blaming is often an issue in conversations about SA.

“The only person that causes sexual assault is the abuser,” Partridge said. “It has nothing to do with what the victim was wearing, or if they were drinking or even if they knew that person. Acknowledging this and not portraying these stereotypes is really important in raising awareness that it can happen from anyone and to anyone.”

To expand the way we think of SA, the Take Back the Night event, hosted by the Women’s center on Thursday, April 27 at 6 p.m. at the EMU, will include speeches from victims of SA of all racial, sexual and gender identities.

“We’ve been spoon fed these ideas about what it is to be the perfect victim and who is believed, and that only people of certain genders experience sexual or domestic violence,” Pervaiz said. “People of all genders can and do experience sexual and domestic violence, and people of all genders can and do perpetrate sexual and domestic violence.”

Take Back the Night will also aim to educate on the different kinds of SA. Pervaiz said penetrative, violent rape is most commonly associated with the definition of SA, but SA can fall into a number of categories and each experience is as valid as the next.

Moving forward, raising awareness for SA can be as simple as having a conversation. Opening up the discussion on SA is how we begin to educate ourselves and our community and attempt to break down harmful stereotypes.

“We need to have these conversations, bring it up with your friends, your parents, your classmates,” Partridge said. “Being open and not shying away from the topic because it is difficult –– and addressing these stereotypes and talking about what resources are available to us is the best way to raise awareness.”

To wrap up SAAM, the Daily Emerald is providing students with a list of their on campus resources and working to break down harmful sexual assault stereotypes.

Standing in front of a crowd of University of Oregon students, staff and Eugene community members in the EMU Amphitheater, UO student Ahsante Sankofa Foree shared their sexual assault story. (Emerald archives)

THE

BY ROMIE AVIVI STUHL

STORIES OF NONTRADITIONAL STUDENTS

“Nontraditional” is an umbrella term used to describe students who haven’t taken the common path to college. According to the University of Oregon’s Nontraditional Student Union website, this includes being over the age of 24, married, first generation, a transfer student and even self identifying as nontraditional. Due to the wide variety of nontraditional experiences, each person faces a unique set of challenges; some must balance raising a family, while others may feel too old to fit in with the student body.

FEELING OLDER

Christine Anderson sees UO as a “highly traditional school,” with many students attending directly after high school. According to the University of Oregon website, the median age for undergraduate students is 20.4, with the median age of freshmen being 18.8. Anderson said that being in her 30s, this can be an isolating experience.

Anderson is a first generation college student, which she said left her with “no context for higher education.” Additionally, coming from a low-income community in California, many of her peers did not attend university. Anderson said there are certain expectations in higher education about the knowledge students come in with that she did not have. These skills included how to ask the right questions, schedule and attend office hours and read academic papers.

“I can feel the assumptions being made about me just passively,” she said.

Anderson began attending UO in 2021. With classes online and the majority of students being in their early 20s, Anderson lacked the feeling of belonging and community she had always expected from university.

“There’s all this talk on campus about how you belong,” Anderson said. “And it’s like, I don’t feel like I belong.”

This feeling of isolation and frustration led her to searching the internet for communities her age. At the time, she did not know the term nontraditional existed and instead typed “University of Oregon I’m old I don’t know what to do” into the search bar. This led her to the Nontraditional Student Union, an organization aimed at helping nontraditional students meet their unique needs.

The Nontraditional Student Union, located on the second floor of the EMU, hosts weekly produce drops, caregiving office hours and socialization events. Anderson’s favorite part about going into the office is seeing people who look like her and may better understand her experience.

CULTURALLY DIFFERENT

Students at UO come from a variety of cultures and backgrounds. There are students from 93 different countries, and ethnic minorities make up 32.1% of the student body, according to the UO website.

Leaders of the Non-Traditional Student Union meet inside their office on the second floor of the EMU. The NonTraditional Student Union, located in the Erb Memorial Union, is an office dedicated to servicing the needs of students at the University who are learning non-traditionally. (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)

Nontraditional students share the unique challenges they face and overcome.

Iana Ivanshina moved with her family from Russia to Oregon six years ago. Going to high school in Woodburn, she felt like there were unspoken cultural expectations that she wasn’t aware of, such as unclear personal boundaries. Ivanshina said that “in the US people are often expected to be independent and selfsufficient,” which differs from her experience in Russia.

Ivasnhina decided to attend Chemeketa Community College in Salem right after high school. She said she was nervous about attending a four year university because in Russia there is a lot of stigma associated with taking out loans. At Chemeketa, she felt that she lacked the support and community she had hoped to have. Due to some personal challenges, Ivanshina decided it would be best to leave community college and take a break from higher education.

Ivanshina’s sister began attending the UO last year and inspired Ivanshina to go back to school. She helped make UO feel like home to Ivanshina, and showed her loans aren’t so scary. While this is Ivanshina’s first term at UO, she feels a strong sense of support and community.

While many students at UO take a traditional path, attending university straight from high school is not for everyone. Ivasnhina is proud of the

nontraditional path she has taken and the growth she’s accomplished.

“I encourage everyone just to feel what’s better for them,” Ivanshina said. “And just go for it.”

RAISING A FAMILY

Balancing school, sleep and social connections can be a challenge for many students. For journalism student John Adair, a father of triplets, there is an extra layer of difficulty.

Adair’s path to Oregon was far from linear. After high school, Adair dropped out from the University of Kansas and Johnson County Community College in Kansas. After a six-year break from higher education he attended ITT Technical Institute, a private for-profit institute, and received an associate degree in graphic design. However, several years later the organization settled felony charges and his degree was deemed invalid by many recruiters. For several years Adair pursued a variety of random gigs until he decided to attend Lane Community College in 2019.

Adair decided to go back to school because he wanted to see “what [he] was truly capable of.” At Lane Community College he said he transferred with a 4.0 GPA. Today, he isn’t chasing that 4.0, but he is putting his all into his education while also raising three babies with his fiancee.

Having to raise and provide for a family has put several barriers in his way. Luckily, he has a big support system including his family and the state. However, his sleep has still taken a major hit. With three babies also comes three sleep schedules. The common advice of “Sleep when the baby sleeps” hasn’t worked too well for him.

Free time is not something Adair has had for quite some time now. His “free time” is often spent catching up on his homework rather than playing video games or going to the movies.

Adair said most students are surprised when he tells them he has triplets. He noted they usually focus on his ability to stay calm in the midst of raising a family and going to school at the same time.

While nontraditional students only make a small percentage of the UO population, Anderson, Ivanshina and Adair help highlight the importance of accommodative and supportive systems in higher education.

The NSU produce drop is one of the many different events hosted by the Union to aid all students. (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)

Located on the second floor of the EMU, the NSU is a union dedicated to meeting the needs of students who identify as nontraditional students. (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)

“THE NONTRADITIONAL STUDENT UNION, LOCATED ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE EMU, HOSTS WEEKLY PRODUCE DROPS, CAREGIVING OFFICE HOURS AND SOCIALIZATION EVENTS. ANDERSON’S FAVORITE PART ABOUT GOING INTO THE OFFICE IS SEEING PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE HER AND MAY BETTER UNDERSTAND HER EXPERIENCE.”

THE BEST DATE-NIGHT EATS IN EUGENE

Here are five restaurants to take your partner to for a perfect night out.

BY ANDREW GRIFFIN

For a place that blends the classic and modern sides of Italian cooking, you’ll want to book a reservation at Ambrosia. Nestled in an old brick building in the heart of Downtown, Ambrosia’s menu is packed with Italian classics. Also, the restaurant features a wine list that boasts aged reds and whites from Italy and the Willamette Valley. While the menu does contain an assortment of pasta and protein — as well as desserts such as chocolate torte and tiramisu — the highlight is the pizza and calzones, which are baked in a woodfired oven imported directly from Naples, according to the restaurant’s website. For Italian eats, Ambrosia is the place to be on your date night.

BLACK WOLF SUPPER CLUB

454 Willamette St.

Perhaps more than anything else, Eugene thrives on its nightlife. It’s a party town, with plenty of nightclubs, bars and all the weed you can possibly smoke –– if you’re 21. But another (classier) specialty of Eugene’s nightlife, one often overlooked, is date night spots. There are several options in town where you can take your significant other for a meal that’s equally significant. Here are some of my favorites.

BAR PURLIEU

1530 Willamette St.

A cozy and inviting bistro with a focus on shared dishes, Bar Purlieu is one of Eugene’s best fine dining options. The rotating seasonal menu consists of gourmet European fare such as Spanish-inspired octopus, coq au vin (chicken stewed in vegetables and red wine) and seared scallops over risotto. The “Bar” in the name isn’t just a stylistic choice: The establishment serves some of the best cocktails in Eugene, as well as a number of fine French wines. For those feeling more adventurous, there’s also an option for a five course chef’s tasting menu. Friendly staff, a warm atmosphere and delicious food –– Bar Purlieu has it all.

AMBROSIA

174 E. Broadway

Southern cooking can be hard to come by in the PNW, but thankfully, Eugene has fans covered with Black Wolf Supper Club. While the menu features numerous southern specialties like St. Louis spare ribs and shrimp ‘n’ grits, the focus here is on Louisiana and Cajun cuisine. Beignets, red beans and rice, jambalaya –– all the Cajun classics are here. For drinks, make sure to get yourself a Hurricane slushie, a frozen twist on a New Orleans classic. For a casual and quirky dinner packed with Southern comfort, take your date to Black Wolf Supper Club. LION

60

AND OWL

For those looking to impress with the most lavish meal in town, you’ll find what you’re looking for at Lion and Owl. Best known for its brunch, the restaurant is also open for dinners Thursday through Saturday. The menu features a number of dressed-up vegetable plates, locally sourced seafood, cocktails, cakes and, yes, a $90 serving of caviar complete with accouterments. It may not be the most accessible meal in town, but if you’re going all out, you might as well do it at Lion and Owl.

MARCHÉ

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Located in the 5th Street Market, this two time James Beard award nominated restaurant is one of the most celebrated in the entire Northwest, according to its website. With a focus on fresh ingredients prepared French style, the menu demonstrates that commitment to freshness. Marché also features an expansive bar, filled with wine and cocktails. For special occasions, there’s probably no place as iconic for them in Eugene as Marché.

Lynette Slape / Emerald

3 UNLIKELY HEROES CONTRIBUTE TO WIN OVER SAN FRANCISCO

Oregon baseball has a deep roster. Sometimes, there are talented players who don’t get a chance to display their skills in games.

On Wednesday’s 16-6 defeat of San Francisco, three unlikely heroes got their chance and thrived.

Bryce Boettcher, Anson Aroz and Drew Smith each had a special day, one they’ll remember for the rest of their baseball careers and lives.

Boettcher, a junior who’s been mainly utilized as a late-innings defensive replacement, had the game of his life, hitting his first career home run and reaching base six times. Aroz and Smith, on the other hand, are freshmen who can now say they’ve recorded a base hit in a Division I baseball game.

It’s been quite a road for Boettcher. The Eugene native has constantly had to fight for playing time, switching among all three outfield spots and even some second base. This year, he also joined Oregon football as a walk-on, making his life all the busier.

“It’s challenging,” Boettcher said. “Obviously I grew up here, so it’s been a dream to do both. So that’s in the back of my mind. I’m doing it for my family and all the other kids in Eugene, to give them hope that they can do the same thing one day.”

Wednesday’s contest was the 26th game Boettcher has appeared in this year, but only the fourth start. With a reputation as a defensive replacement, it would be tempting to write him off as an easy out.

But there are no easy outs on this Oregon team.

Boettcher, remarkably, was hit by a pitch in three of his first five plate appearances of the day. In the other two, he doubled and walked.

“I gave a little smile,” Boettcher said of when he was plunked a third time. “I’ve never been hit by three pitches in my career, so that’s a first.”

But reaching base five times apparently wasn’t enough. With Boettcher batting in the eighth, and the game already well out of hand, he smacked a ball into the left field bullpen for his first collegiate homer.

“I’m not looking to get hit by pitches,” Boettcher said. “I’m looking to do damage.”

Oregon’s dugout must have been exhausted from celebrating, because by the time Boettcher hit that home run, they’d already cheered on two freshmen who achieved something special of their own. It’s a simple achievement, but one that’s remembered by every baseball player at any level: the time they got their first hit.

Aroz, a highly touted catching prospect, hasn’t

found success as quickly as he would have liked. Part of it has been his brutal luck with injuries; he had only one at-bat last year and ended up redshirting. In five at-bats this year over very limited playing time, he was yet to record a hit.

But in the sixth inning, with runners on the corners, he had his chance and delivered. He knocked one through the right side, collecting his first hit and first RBI in one swing.

“Personally, it took a little longer than I would have hoped,” Aroz said. “But I loved every part of it.”

Aroz recalled the first thing he remembers seeing when he looked up: hitting coach Jack Marder, looking on with his signature smirk and saying something Aroz couldn’t quite make out. After that, he reveled in the mass of teammates in the dugout cheering him on.

“We’ve got a group of 40 guys that are a lot of my closest friends,” Aroz said. “It was really cool to hear that support.”

It’s been a long time coming for Aroz, who’s third on the catching depth chart behind Josiah Cromwick and Bennett Thompson. The Ducks also have fellow redshirt freshman Chase Meggers as their fourth catcher. It might be Oregon’s deepest position on the field.

Aroz embraces this depth, though, and works with the other catchers rather than strictly competing against them.

“Chase is one of my best friends in my life. Not

BY MOJO HILL

even just on the team. But regardless, I love that guy,” Aroz said. “Bennett and I had a class last term, and we sat together every single day.

You’d think a guy that I’m competing with, I wouldn’t love, but that is completely incorrect. Same with Josiah.”

Another talented player blocked in a deep position battle is Smith. Sabin Ceballos, Oregon’s starting third baseman, is arguably the best player on the team and one of the best players in the country. But Smith is one of many inexperienced yet talented freshmen on this squad. Just an inning after Aroz’s hit, he followed suit, swinging on the first pitch to smack an RBI single.

CourtesyofJaredMackofDuckTerritory

It was just his second collegiate plate appearance, after getting hit by a pitch in his first one.

“Just a really special moment for me and my teammates,” Smith said. “Everybody’s on the top rail for me, and I just really appreciate it.”

In a sunny postgame press conference, all three players brought their respective ball with them — Boettcher with his home run ball, and the freshmen with their first hit. Boettcher and Smith both said they’re gonna give it to their dad, while Aroz said he’ll give it to his family because they’ve been saving all his big career moments since Little League.

“He’s helped me a lot in my life, and my No. 1 role model when it comes to baseball,” Boettcher said of his father.

With this roster having established its depth of talent, Oregon should be at full power as it goes into the remainder of a tough Pac-12 schedule.

Two-sport athlete Bryce Boettcher hit his first home run, while a pair of freshmen recorded their first hits.

OREGON WOMEN’S TENNIS SIGNS

INTERNATIONAL RECRUITS AS IT BIDS FAREWELL TO THE SENIOR CLASS

Get to know the latest signees and learn what excites them about joining the Ducks’ 2023-2024 class.

BY RUBY WOOL

On April 10, Oregon women’s tennis head coach Courtney Nagle announced the additions of Candela Aparisi, an incoming freshman, and Nina Geissler, a graduate transfer, to the Oregon women’s tennis 2023-2024 roster. Aparisi and Geissler are joined by Tilde Jagare, who signed a

National Letter of Intent in the fall.

Aparisi, a native of Valencia, Spain, joins the Ducks with impressive rankings and accolades. The 18-year-old is currently ranked No. 535 in International Tennis Federation juniors, No. 1188 in the ITF women’s singles and No. 1074 in the Women’s Tennis Association doubles.

While on the junior tour, Aparisi won the singles draw at the J5 ITF Silla-Saladar tournament in Spain. She claimed the title after upsetting the first and second-seeded players. The future Duck previously held a top-eight Spanish national ranking in the 16-and-under player division, as well.

Aparisi has also been successful while competing in the professional circuit. This past week, April 10-16, Aparisi competed in the doubles main draw of the W15 Telde tournament in Spain. Aparisi and her Spanish partner, Naroa Aranzabal, lost in the quarterfinals to a French doubles pair. Last year, the Spaniard won the doubles title at the 15K event in Valencia, Spain. Also in 2022, Aparisi reached the doubles quarterfinal round of the 25K tournament in Seville, Spain. At the same tournament, she made it through singles qualifiers and claimed an impressive victory over a top-800 player on the WTA tour.

Hailing from Rheineck, Switzerland, Geissler is completing her fifth year in Eugene after spending her undergraduate career at Louisiana State University.

In 2019, LSU picked up Geissler and made her part of the school’s 10th-ranked recruiting class.

Geissler achieved an ITF world ranking of No. 137 as a junior. She won the 2019 Switzerland Girls 18s National Championships and competed for her native country in multiple draws. In the same year, Geissler gained entry in the ITF Junior U.S. Open Tournament, making her the first Tiger in program history to compete in a junior Grand Slam while actively being a player on LSU’s roster.

This 2022-2023 season, Geissler has consistently played at the No. 4 singles position and the No. 3 doubles position for LSU. The current senior has tallied records of 14-13 in singles and 14-11 in doubles matchplay. In addition to completing her tennis career at LSU, the student-athlete is finishing her undergraduate degree in general business and communication studies.

“Having already played four years of college tennis in a very strong conference, I know how college tennis differs from juniors. So, for me, it is just about leading by example, helping my teammates, and being a person that my teammates can go to, especially since we have a lot of young players joining the team,” Geissler said. “Also, I am excited to enjoy my fifth year in a new location, with a new team.”

Jagare, originally from Gävle, Sweden, confirmed her commitment to Oregon this past December. The 2021 Swedish national junior champion comes to Eugene with premiere training and numerous titles under her belt. As a junior, Jagare is currently ranked No. 564 in the ITF rankings.

“I think that being part of a team is one thing that intrigues me the most about college tennis; just because tennis has been such an individual sport for me,” Jagare said. “I think I am a good team player and a positive person. I can cheer everyone on and I help keep up the team spirit.

She just started the clay-court season and is currently preparing for the 2023 W15 Varberg tennis tournament. The event will take place the first week of May in Varberg, Sweden.

Jagare collected three junior titles during the 2022 season. She won the singles draw at the Swedish Tennis Academy Open and both the singles and doubles titles at the 2022 JSM Race Finals. She was a silver medalist at the Vintertour 2022’s XL Bygg Open and Ystad Indoor. Jagare also advanced to the singles quarterfinal at the J3 Varnamo in Sweden last May.

While on tour, the Swede also reached the quarterfinal doubles rounds in the 2022 J4 Bromma and J4 Malmo tournaments.

In 2021, Jagare made it through to the singles semifinal round of the J5 Roskilde tournament in Roskilde, Denmark. She was also crowned the doubles champion at the J5 Kramfors 2021 in Sweden.

From the statistics, Oregon’s incoming group appears quite promising for the women’s tennis program. Geissler has the potential to contribute strong leadership to the team, while Aparis and Jagare both bring high-level matchplay experience and youthful energy.

Eugene looks forward to welcoming the newest recruiting class as it parts with five Oregon seniors in the coming weeks.

Oregon women’s tennis recruit Candela Aparisi pumps her fist after scoring a point. (Courtesy of Oregon WTEN)