THE PAISANO
Crime most important election issue IN S.A. FOR 2024
By Jake Mireles Editor-in-Chief
Apoll conducted by the Center for Public Opinion Research at UTSA found that crime was the most important issue concerning Bexar County voters in the 2024 General Election.
The survey was conducted from Oct. 28, 2024, the day early voting started in Texas, to Nov. 4, 2024, the day before election day. There were 829 registered Bexar County residents polled, with 642 residing in the city limits of San Antonio.
According to the report released by the CPOR, respondents were asked to “identify the most important problem facing Bexar County today.”
The poll found that 14.8% of respondents identified crime as the most important issue facing Bexar County. Homelessness was second with 9.2%, followed by affordable housing at 8.6%.
The importance of crime to Bexar County voters is not uncommon compared to other major metropolitan areas in Texas.
According to a poll conducted by the University of Houston Hobby School for Public Affairs, crime and rising property taxes are tied for the single most serious issue facing Harris
County. Both categories concerned 16% of respondents, with electrical service reliability following at 12%. The survey polled 491 likely voters in Harris County.
The poll conducted by the CPOR saw several trends emerge among Bexar County voters concerning the six propositions that were passed during the 2024 election. Two contentious propositions — Prop C and Prop E — saw deviations in support based on the language presented to the voter.
Prop C removes salary and tenure caps for the city manager position. Before the proposition was passed, caps limited the role to an eight-year term and a salary no greater than ten times the lowest-paid salaried city worker.
Prop E gives salary raises of approximately $25,000 to both the mayor and city council positions.
The CPOR tested the support of Bexar County residents for these propositions. Respondents were given the proposition language as they were presented on the ballot and a simplified explanation about what the propositions would accomplish.
The poll found that respondents were less likely to support Propositions C and E if they read the simplified explanation.
Continue reading at paisano-online.com
‘Creating that more informed, engaged and proud roadrunner’
SGA promotes organization revamp, more time off for students, wellbeing services
By Jake Mireles Editor-in-Chief
Student Government Association
President Aydan Villarreal’s State of the Student Body address touted the organization’s attempts to rebrand, announced more time off for students during the academic year and stressed the importance of using new resources provided by Wellbeing Services.
Student representatives and SGA officers have engaged in a plan to revamp the organization and its image to the student body. The organization has strived to be more effective in its advocacy efforts and more accessible to the students they represent.
“It was just 10 months ago that your elected officers began to work on a plan that would realign SGA back to its main vision, being a unifying voice and advocate for you, the students,” Villarreal said.
SGA officers have learned about university processes, resources and longstanding traditions. These include Día en la Sombrilla, Best Fest and the University Life Awards. Additionally, SGA officers engaged with incoming freshmen at summer orientation sessions and held the Meet Your Representatives event. Villarreal promoted the Meet Your Representatives event as a success for SGA. Despite low occupancy for senator positions in the organization, SGA used this event to fill vacancies.
“This year, we had the added
why, in the fall 2024 general election, we filled nearly every single one of those empty seats.”
Attendance rose significantly for the Meet Your Representative event, as Villarreal claimed that only 40 students had attended the year prior. Additionally, Villarreal reports that SGA has seen increased engagement at tabling events and their bi-weekly general assemblies.
“I’m proud to say that this has been the most visible SGA administration in history, and along with our senators, we remade SGA to be an organization that is known and trusted by our students,” Villarreal said.
SGA also announced that UTSA will be giving students more time off during the upcoming fall semester.
“I’m thrilled to announce that in the fall of this year, UTSA will be implementing more time off for students. It’s another step UTSA is taking to continue being a model for student success,” Villarreal said.
However, Villarreal did not elaborate on the subject, and the specifics of this remain unknown.
Villarreal also stressed the use of TimelyCare, a 24/7 mental health support app available to UTSA Students through Wellbeing Services. The app added a “talk now” feature that allows students to receive immediate support from their phones.
“Now, this is an entire UT systemwide initiative and students at UTSA are taking advantage of this free resource at a higher rate than any other school in the UT institution, and it’s working with over 88% of those ‘talk now’ users reporting improved mental health,” Villarreal said.
The address closed with Villarreal claiming that the work of his administration was not finished despite the upcoming SGA election season.
“Now, the work of this administration is not done. We’re not going anywhere. This is not a farewell address,” Villarreal said. “Until our successors are inaugurated, we will work tirelessly to improve your student experience. It has truly been hard work to realign SGA and re-implement our place with the student body. This hard work will pay off.”
The next SGA general assembly will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 27 at the HarrisTravis Room (2.202 and 2.212) in the H-E-B Student Union. All UTSA students are welcome to attend.
CPOR poll uncovers trends with voter concerns, engagement, proposition support disparities
North East ISD shuts down three schools
By Khoi Nguyen Staff Writer
Declining enrollment and budget deficits have pushed North East Independent School District to close three of its schools. This marks the sixth San Antonio school district closing schools, contributing to 26 total shuttered schools across the city since 2023.
Nearly three months after the closure was proposed, the NEISD board voted on Feb. 10 to shut down Wilshire Elementary School, Clear Springs Elementary School and Driscoll Middle School by the 202526 school year. Students will be relocated to nearby schools.
The closures will save $5 million a year, which NEISD says will offset a $39 million deficit in its budget created by employee pay raises. NEISD
superintendent Sean Maika also cites expensive operation costs as another reason behind the closures, with all three schools operating under 50% capacity and exceeding the district average in cost per student.
“It’s incremental little changes that happen,” Maika said. “One day, you wake up, and this incremental change has become a giant change.”
NEISD has seen a sharp decline in enrollment over the past decade, losing 12,000 students since the 2014-15 school year — equivalent to 17% of its student population. Declining enrollment is one of many problems school districts in Texas face as they grapple with declining birth rates, inflation and insufficient state funding.
Texas ranks No. 41 nationwide in perpupil spending, and the last major boost in funding happened in 2019 through House Bill 3, from which NEISD received $27 million. For Maika, school districts can
no longer rely on lawmakers for financial support.
“Hope isn’t a strategy,” Maika said. “There is this belief that a windfall of money is potentially headed to education. I just don’t believe that.”
The closure of the three schools comes during a time of uncertainty for traditional public schooling in Texas. Senate Bill 2 — which will give parents $10,000 per year for every student attending an accredited private school — was passed in the Texas Senate days prior to the NEISD board meeting. It now awaits voting in the Texas House of Representatives. President Donald Trump has also urged the closing of the Department of Education, a key distributor in public school funding.
NEISD Community Advocates, a group pushing back against the closures, asked the board to delay the vote for a year to conduct an audit assessing the long-term effects of the closures.
“School closures rarely deliver on their promises. They don’t save money, and they negatively impact student outcomes,” co-founder of the advocacy group, Nikki Shaheed said. Opposition also came from the American Federation of Teachers, who echoed a delay in the vote and pointed out the imminency of the closures.
“We know that NEISD provides a much better education than charter schools. There’s no comparison,” Tom Cummins, president of the local AFT, said. “But that fact has to be communicated to the students and families who have left NEISD.”
As another school district in San Antonio moves forward with closures, other districts across Texas are tasked with proving their value in an evolving public education system.
Front sign for Driscoll Middle School, one of the schools slated for closure.
SGA president Aydan Villarreal alludes to more time off for students in Fall of 2025.
Diego Cisneros/The Paisano
Chloe Williams/The Paisano
UTSA researchers merge AI and healthcare
By Johnpaul Buwule Contributor
With a $500,000 grant from the National Institute of Health, UTSA’s artificial intelligence, MATRIX: The UTSA Consortium for Human WellBeing, is working to advance how health disparities are addressed. The multidisciplinary research combines neuroscience and computing approaches to create a complex AI system — for medical researchers or clinicians lacking AI background — to assist in making health or research-related decisions. The AI is set to advance medicine and improve the function and operation of AI.
MATRIX was created to bridge the gap between healthcare and complex computing systems. Researchers divided the AI function into four different thrusts or areas of study. Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering at UTSA, Amina Qutub and Mark Goldberg, Professor of Neurology at UT Health San Antonio, led the first thrust: Human Capabilities Augmentation.
“AI systems today have a limited ability to perform complex cognitive tasks,” Qutub and Goldberg wrote. By exposing MATRIX to complex datasets, it can work to augment human behaviors, such as optimizing the workout routine of an athlete.
The next thrust is led by Dr. Douglas A. Brooks of Southwest Research Institute R&D and Amanda Fernandez, an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at UTSA. They are working to close the knowledge gap between non-AI users and complex computing processes. Through an engaging community-based framework, Matrix can readily be accessible to clinicians and medical researchers.
The next thrust is neuro-inspired AI. M.D. Peter Fox and Dr. Fidel Santamaria, a professor of neuroscience at UTSA, are finding how AI,
reasoning, using neuroscience and the nervous system as a model. The research encompasses building low-energy cost and efficient AI models, laying the foundation for future AI projects.
Finally, UTSA’s electrical engineering professors, Gabriela Ciocarlie and Panos Markopoulos, are working to make MATRIX less susceptible to security breaches and bias. By researching these potential shortfalls, researchers can make the AI system more trustworthy and reliable in the medical field.
The first phase of the research involved using MATRIX to identify various health disparities. Now, researchers are shifting their focus to creating an online database, which will be integrated into Texas’ expansive network, for medical providers or researchers seeking to incorporate AI into their work. MATRIX is creating avenues for more research into the usage of AI in the medical field at UTSA, all while helping clinicians and researchers maximize patient care.
Education funding fears rise amid voucher legislation
By Jake Mireles Editor-in-Chief
San Antonio school districts implement costsaving measures to combat stagnant funding Northside Independent School District, operating on multi-million dollar budget deficits, is anticipating a further loss of state funding following the possible implementation of school voucher legislation.
The Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 2 on Wednesday, Feb. 12. SB 2 will allow the state to establish education savings accounts, a program that allocates taxpayer dollars to send their children to private schools and institutions.
SB 2 will allocate $10,000 per year for children who attend private schools, $11,500 per year for children with disabilities who attend private schools and $2,500 per year for children who are homeschooled.
SB 2 now moves to the Texas House of Representatives — where a similar bill was voted down two years ago. However, for this legislative session, Governor Greg Abbott claims to have the support he needs to pass the bill.
SB 2 has received pushback from local state lawmakers in San Antonio. Sen. Jose Menéndez (D-San Antonio), argued that San Antonio school districts — operating under steep budget deficits — will lose essential funding if the ESA program was implemented.
“In my own district, many of my schools are facing steep budget deficits and they have crippled their ability to provide services and resources to their students,” Menéndez said.
NISD, North East Independent School District and San Antonio Independent School District have all passed operating budgets with multimillion dollar budget deficits for the 2024-2025 school year. These districts have already begun to feel the effects of stagnant funding from the state.
For the 2024-2025 school year, 15 schools in SAISD were marked for closure as part of the district’s “rightsizing” initiative. SAISD aims to
reduce resource consumption to more efficiently distribute funding as the district experiences a decline in enrollment.
This trend for San Antonio school districts has progressed, as NEISD voted to close three schools by the end of the academic year. The district cited an aging population, declining enrollment and reduced funding to justify the closures.
While SAISD and NEISD have opted to close campuses to reallocate funding, NISD — San Antonio’s largest school district by population — has been able to stave off this measure thus far.
However, should school voucher legislation pass in the Texas Legislature, NISD Superintendent John Craft warned that campus closures, among other cost-saving measures, might be in the future for the district.
“I definitely foresee engaging in those conversations. In fact, we’ve already started that process and just assessing and looking at enrollment, but more importantly, enrollment projections for next year,” Craft said. “I don’t foresee us closing or consolidating campuses going into this upcoming school year, but that’s not to say that the conversations won’t commence going forward.”
However, NISD is considering other costsaving measures as funding its operating budget becomes more of a concern year after year.
Salary raises for teachers and other administrative or support staff — intended to maintain pace with inflation — might be readjusted or cut altogether without more funding from the state.
“We typically try to keep up with inflationary pressures,” Craft said. “It depends on what happens this state legislative session as to whether or not we’re able to do so.”
In addition to adjusting raises for educators, NISD may also look into adjusting classroom sizes and increasing student-to-teacher ratios. This means that classroom sizes will likely increase without an increase in funding.
San Antonio could host Abbott’s Texas Cyber Command
By Christopher Delgado Copyediting Coordinator
As part of Governor Greg Abbott’s seven priority items for the current Texas legislature session that runs until June 2, he unveiled plans for a Texas Cyber Command to help ward off cyber attacks from foreign nations. Abbott believes such infrastructure is important because of technology’s role in all facets of city planning. Increasing cyber defense would serve to protect Texas’ power, transportation and water systems. The current cost and timeline of the proposal are unknown. “Think about this, we’re investing so much in water, so much in the power grid. The water system [and] the power grid, can go out because of a cyberattack,” said Abbott. “Because of the infrastructure already in place in San Antonio, which is why we’re located there, it means that part of the investment is already made. Because it’s associated with
UT San Antonio, the University of Texas will be investing in that.” The proposal was previously unknown to San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg. However, upon hearing of Abbott’s suggestion, Nirenberg applauded the idea.
“This is an area where I can agree with the governor,” Nirenberg said.
“San Antonio’s cyber community is strong and growing, and the proposal could make good use of UTSA’s cybersecurity expertise while highlighting our city’s status as an emerging center for cybersecurity command would be stationed in San Antonio due to the growing cybersecurity expertise of UTSA. UTSA has been growing its reputation for cyber work. Forbes recently ranked UTSA No. 5 in the nation for online
State of the City Week of 2/18
By Bailey Hall Staff Writer
Not subscribed to local news but still want to stay up-to-date on the happenings around town? Look no further. Highlighting notable stories from external San Antonio news sources, State of the City summarizes the most captivating news headlines of the week. This week’s topics include a hit and run, the return of lost bulldogs, a six-vehicle car crash and the spread of bird flu.
Hit and run
A vehicle hit a 61-year-old pedestrian on Feb. 14 at 7:04 p.m. on the West Side; the driver drove off. The pedestrian was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police state that the pedestrian was crossing the street on a non-designated walkway. The driver was traveling west on Castroville Rd. SAPD reported the driver got out of the car to help the man hit but was told by bystanders to park the car in a nearby park. After getting back in the car, the driver was seen driving away. This case is still ongoing. The driver will face a charge of collision involving injury — moving when caught.
French bulldogs returned home
After missing for two weeks, two French Bulldogs were returned to their home. Chewy and Nova were stolen from their owner’s backyard on Feb. 1; the family thought they would never return. Celene Isaac and their daughter Jennifer were very happy to have the dogs returned. The man who returned the dogs said he bought them for $2,000 in the H-E-B parking lot on S. New Braunfels Avenue. However, after buying them, the man’s family remarked how the dogs looked just like the missing ones on social media and the news. The man reached out and reunited the dogs with their owners. Isaac is looking into ways to help repay the man for his loss, but she is thankful for the return of her dogs. “Everything just felt like it was whole again, like everything was right again,” Isaac said. “The family was back together.”
Six-vehicle car crash
A six-vehicle car crash, on Feb. 12 at Potranco Road and Highway 151 resulted in three people being taken to the hospital. A black truck was driving on the Highway 151 access road when it ran a red light at an intersection. The truck was hit by oncoming traffic, which then caused the multi-car pile-up. As a result, three people were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver is not facing criminal charges and was not intoxicated during the accident.
Bird flu discovered in vultures at New Braunfels Park
According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, bird flu has been confirmed in black vultures at Landa Park in New Braunfels. The virus was found in many dead birds in the park after the TPWD had been surveilling the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza in birds across Texas. This virus has been identified in many birds across counties throughout Texas, including Amarillo, El Paso, Galveston, Harris, Lubbock, Potter, Travis and Wharton counties.
Northside ISD school buses sit outside of the Dub Farris Athletic Complex in San Antonio, Texas.
Editorial
PGiving god a bad name
Trump sets up White House ‘Faith Office’ with megachurch pastor at the helm
aula White-Cain became the first female pastor to deliver the incantation in a presidential inauguration at President Donald Trump’s 2017 swear-in ceremony. White-Cain is an ultra-conservative televangelist who now heads the White House’s brand new Faith Office, established via executive order on Feb. 7. The office forms a part of the Domestic Policy Council and is charged with assisting “faith-based entities, community organizations and houses of worship in their efforts to strengthen American families, promote work and self-sufficiency and protect religious liberty.”
Though the EO includes a disclaimer guaranteeing “all executive departments and agencies honor and enforce the Constitution’s guarantee of religious liberty” and “any form of religious discrimination by the Federal Government,” it is difficult to believe Trump’s administration has the interests of all Americans at heart.
The EO claims the Faith Office will combat “antiSemitic, anti-Christian, and additional forms of antireligious bias,” but considering Trump signed another EO dedicated to “eradicating anti-Christian bias” on
Feb. 6, it is clear which religion his administration is interested in protecting. Trump has previously enacted Islamophobic policies and engaged in racist rhetoric based on Christian fundamentalism.
Religion in government is nothing new, despite the separation of church and state outlined in the founding principles of the Bill of Rights. From President George Washington to President Abraham Lincoln to Trump, the
American government has continuously allied itself with Christian teachings and promoted the U.S. as one nation under God. Nevertheless, Trump’s new Faith Office is a hostile acceleration of bigotry and discrimination.
Even if the principles of the Faith Office are indeed meant to be tolerant of and fair towards all religions within the country, the appointment of White-Cain as its leader ensures its misuse. With White-Cain at the lead, the Faith Office will empower the teachings of prosperity theology, a belief of Charismatic Christianity that teaches material wealth as God’s reward to the faithful.
It is no wonder Trump, a rich businessman, has had someone with White-Cain’s beliefs acting as his long-time spiritual advisor.
“To say no to President Trump would be saying no to God,” White-Cain said back in 2019 when as a parttime special government employee she led the Faith and Opportunity Initiative during Trump’s first term. It is clear and concerning that she is so obviously loyal to Trump and his political agenda rather than the constitutional values the Faith Office — if it is to exist at all — should embody.
The rise of Musk: From rockets to recklessness
Commentary By Selaise Gifa-Johnson Contributor
The Department of Government Efficiency is a government agency created to enact President Donald Trump’s agenda regarding spending cuts to better utilize taxpayer money. Measures to reduce spending are necessary to mitigate the rampant increase in the American national debt, which is currently $36 trillion. Despite his role in the conception of DOGE, Elon Musk is not the man to bring about these changes. Musk’s recent Oval Office press conference was a clear display of his unfitness for a government role with unchecked power.
During Trump’s presidential campaign, he addressed the fact that he would take measures to reduce the national debt by appointing Musk to an advisory role focused on reducing unnecessary spending. Together, Trump and Musk developed the idea for DOGE and announced it in November 2024, a week after Trump’s election victory.
Regardless, Musk should not be running the organization due to significant conflicts of interest regarding government contracts. Part of DOGE’s role is to evaluate government contracts; this is
reasonable until DOGE demonstrates that it has the power to cancel government contracts with little resistance. Meanwhile, Musk makes $8 million daily from said contracts.
This is cause for concern with respect
rivals. As shown through his Oval Office press conference, the primary oversight of DOGE’s actions is public scrutiny, which Musk vaguely explained.
Musk is often complimented on his business acumen due to the success of
to Musk’s companies. Since he controls DOGE, there is little stopping him from canceling government contracts with competitors to his companies, Tesla and SpaceX, and undermining his business
Don’t turn this ‘tv off’
Commentary
By Malaki Lingg Arts & Life Editor
After an overwhelmingly successful year for Kendrick Lamar — with him receiving five Grammys for his 2024 hit “Not Like Us,” his pop culture influence from his feud with Drake and the successful launch of his album “GNX” — it was no surprise that he would be the perfect artist to perform at this year’s Super Bowl.
Lamar did much more than deliver a phenomenal show; he commented on the state of American politics in front of President Donald J. Trump while one-third of the American populace was watching from home.
The performance opened with Samuel L. Jackson taking on the role of Uncle Sam, the figurehead for World War II American wartime propaganda. The casting would be deemed as controversial, due to Uncle Sam originally being depicted as an older, white male.
Jackson’s role as the American figurehead was meant to be the inverse of Lamar’s role, taking on the experience of the typical half-time performer — representing traditional, conservative and patriotic values. This is an ironic twist for Jackson as he was heavily involved in the Social Rights Movement — attending various protests and having been an usher at Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral.
His portrayal of Uncle Sam is phenomenal; he leers at Lamar, claiming that the music is too “ghetto,” and asks Lamar if he “knows how to play the game.” Jackson’s portrayal serves as the epitome of American racism and colorism.
“The revolution ‘bout to be televised. You picked the right time but the wrong guy.” These opening words by Lamar set
the tone for his monumental half-time performance at Super Bowl LIX. It is a retort against Uncle Sam, Lamar is not the average performer, and he will be heard.
It could also mean that it is an important time in American politics, but the American people chose the “wrong guy” when electing President Trump. Lastly, it could be interpreted as Lamar telling those watching that he is a performer and not a political messiah, whether he wants that to be true or not.
During the performance, Lamar stated, “I want to perform their favorite song, but you know they love to sue,” while talking with his background vocalists. During this, they play a snippet of “Not Like Us,” referencing Drake’s lawsuit against Lamar’s record label claiming the song was defamatory. While this is obviously a reference to their famous rap beef, there is a theorized layer behind this.
The background vocalists are the same voices featured on Lamar’s song “King Kunta,” from “To Pimp a Butterfly.” Fans have theorized that “King Kunta” is the real song he was not allowed to perform, dotting together connections from previous songs performed that night.
SpaceX and Tesla, which were his ideas but executed by experts he hired personally.
Despite this, he is not qualified to run a government organization. This was proved by his lack of professionalism
and several untrue statements he made throughout the press conference. The first thing that immediately stood out about this conference was the presence of Musk’s son, X Æ A-12. Throughout the meeting, X was seen to be causing minor disruptions — such as whispering to Trump, interrupting Musk as he spoke and putting his fingers in Musk’s ears, causing Musk to claim it was difficult for him to hear some questions.
Musk’s choice to bring his son to this event demonstrates his lack of professionalism toward his position within the government, considering the absence of precedent for his decision. As he spoke, Musk also made several false statements while expressing disregard for the consequences of his imprecision.
A reporter addressed the fact that he incorrectly claimed the U.S. had sent $50 million worth of condoms to Hamas. In reality, the condoms had been sent to Gaza for HIV prevention.
Musk stated that “some of the things [he says] will be incorrect,” and as a result of the speed at which DOGE is making changes, “[they] will make mistakes, but [they] will also fix the mistakes quickly.”
The problem is, depending on the mistakes, without oversight, significant damage could be made before he can correct them.
Moving through the performance, Lamar was gearing up to break the internet with his performance of “Not Like Us” when he stated, “It’s a cultural divide, I’ma get it on the floor. / 40 acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music. / They tried to rig the game, but you can’t fake influence.” His statement comes with a few layers, most notably of which is “40 acres and a mule” referencing the special order given out by the Union after the end of the Civil War, literally giving newly
The order was quickly overturned by President Andrew Johnson following President Abraham Lincoln’s death. The overturned order was yet another way to disenfranchise Black families postslavery.
This idea influenced director Spike Lee in 1979, with him naming his production company “40 Acres” as a nod to said order. Connecting these ideas is Jackson, a long-time friend and collaborator of Lee’s. Jackson’s performance as Uncle Sam was a callback to his work with Lee, having done similar roles in films like “Do
Ending the performance, of course, was the hit single and Grammy-winning “Not Like Us.” The influence of this track is undeniable, calling out Drake’s questionable behavior — claiming his counterpart is a pedophile on national TV. There was no way Lamar would not be playing this song; it is clear Drake will be thinking about this for a long time. While controversial, Lamar’s performance will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the most viewed and most influential half-time performances of all time.
Vincent Agquiz /The Paisano
Noor E-Saher Ahmed/The Paisano
No one mourns the wicked
Commentary
By Marcela Montufar Soria Opinion Editor
Rejoice! Duo, the owl mascot of Duolingo — the popular languagelearning app — is dead. On Feb. 11, the company announced Duo’s death through social media, launching a widespread publicity stunt. Large-following accounts — such as the singer Dua Lipa, the official X account, and the World Health Organization — joined in to share their condolences.
As part of the stunt, the company pretended to investigate his cause of death, concluding that it was a Tesla Cybertruck that killed him. On Feb. 13, the company posted a video killing the rest of their mascots and released a series of crosseyes plushies of Duo and his friends in coffins the next day.
What started as users getting fauxthreatening notifications from Duo to remind them of their daily lessons has gotten out of control. Duo, a once-lovable owl that encouraged people to take daily language lessons, should stay dead, and with him, Duolingo’s strange marketing strategies.
Publicly killing Duo has not affected the app’s operations; users are still getting notifications from the owl reminding them to do their lessons. Therefore, the purpose and resolution of such a large-scale prank are hard to grasp. The involvement of cybertrucks as the cause of death is also baffling and even insensitive, considering the real-life cybertruck-related accidents that so often plague the news.
The company posted some statements alluding that Duo may come back to life if people do their lessons, but people who use the app do not need dead birds on their timelines to encourage them. A notification works just fine.
This bizarre, cash-grabbing stunt is one
in a long line of efforts by the company’s media team to turn Duo into a viral sensation. The purpose of the app — to teach people languages — is entirely secondary to Duo’s function as an online meme. Previous stunts include giving the owl a BBL and having sponge children with the Scrub Daddy mascot. These would have been funny as occasional ventures, but all the company’s social accounts are flooded with nonsensical content pandering to the chronically online.
Duolingo’s mission is to provide a personalized education, make learning fun and be universally accessible. Their online
presence serves no aspect of that mission and harms the company’s image by turning it into a joke. Their gimmicks are no longer cute or funny. Their insistence on chasing TikTok trends to accumulate likes has degraded their content into brain rot. It almost seems like the languagelearning side of the company is completely separated from its social media team, who can think of nothing more entertaining than making their giant green plush owl twerk and Dua Lipa jokes.
Duolingo must redeem itself to the users who trust the app to provide a productive learning platform and leave aside its hunger for follower interactions.
‘But he made Graduation!’
Commentary By Mogbekeleoluwa Shebioba Assistant Opinion Editor
From interrupting Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards to publicly admiring Adolf Hitler, Kanye “Ye” West is no stranger to controversy.
On Feb. 6, West went on an X tirade, targeting specific groups, such as Jews and Black people. He stated, “Hitler was sooooo fresh,” and “SLAVERY IS A CHOICE,” among other nonsense; West made over 60 posts during his rant.
While one may wonder what sort of maniac would attack his own people, West is clearly addicted to the attention he gets from controversy. He has a new album coming out, and this is not the first time West has used controversy to have eyes on him. In 2016, he started a feud with Swift over a lyric in his song “Famous.”
Now, West is scraping the bottom of the barrel to garner attention, going for shock value and saying whatever rubbish he can think of to trigger the public.
It is understandably difficult to come to terms with the fact that the man who produced the critically acclaimed “Graduation” is an awful
One might think West could not get any worse, but he stooped as low as selling T-shirts with swastikas during his episode.
nature of who West really is.
People have tried to justify his
inappropriate behavior by claiming he changed since his mother died in 2007 and that he is just a boy who misses his mother. However, this only serves to infantilize West, absolving him from taking accountability and further enabling his disgusting actions. West is a grown man. He needs to act like one.
Many celebrities, such as David Schwimmer, called on Elon Musk to remove West from X. Finally, West deleted his X account on Feb. 9, thanking Musk for allowing him to vent.
This not only reflects West’s values but shows how little Musk cares about someone as popular as West spreading hate speech on his platform. Of course, one can expect nothing less from Musk, who did a Nazi salute at the president’s inauguration.
As Schwimmer stated, “We can’t stop a deranged bigot from spewing hate-filled, ignorant bile, but we CAN stop giving him a megaphone.”
West is a deeply disturbed, mentally unstable man. He made great music, but his legacy will forever be stained by his erratic behavior. “You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”
Democrats at an all-time low
Commentary
By Jackie Cardona Contributor
Since President Donald Trump’s administration took power, there has been less Democratic influence in ongoing government decisions. The only time anyone sees Democrats speak on social issues and Trump’s executive orders is if they follow the politician on social media platforms or read left-leaning news.
Politicians like Alexandria OcasioCortez and Bernie Sanders are constantly trying to remind and educate any American who will listen to what they believe needs to be done in this country. As Democrats continue to live in the shadows of far-right extremists, they are trying their best to spread their policies out in the U.S.
The 2024 presidential election was a tough one for the Democratic Party; with
the results not coming out as they hoped for, it hurt their influence in politics. Democrats have now found themselves in a place of confusion and without hope for the future.
During Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, Democrats took on a centrist strategy hoping to gain undecided and less extreme right-wing voters. This agenda might have worked before, but in these times of extremism, that strategy was useless, and Democrats are only now realizing it.
With Democrats struggling to find footing in the fight for diversity in this new administration, many members of the party have thought about rebranding their ideology and identity.
“We need to have our own ideas,” said Democratic representative Josh Gottheimer. “We’ll never again if we
The Paisano
Editorial Board
Jake Mireles | Editor-in-Chief Editor@paisano-online.com
Jasmine Williams | Managing Editor Manager@paisano-online.com
Alessandra Avila | News Editor News@paisano-online.com
Marcela Montufar Soria | Opinion Editor Opinion@paisano-online.com
Malaki Lingg | Arts & Life Editor Arts@paisano-online.com
Haley Aguayo | Sports Editor Sports@paisano-online.com
Raul Martinez | Web Editor Web@paisano-online.com
Armin Suljovic | Photo Editor Photo@paisano-online.com
Kara Lee | Graphic Editor Graphic@paisano-online.com
Regan Williams | Multimedia Editor Multimedia@paisano-online.com
Sofia Mejia | Magazine Editor Magazine@paisano-online.com
Jaclyn Banda | Business Manager Business@paisano-online.com
Karis Vickers | Social Media Manager Socialmedia@paisano-online.com
Christopher Delgado | Copyediting Coordinator Copyediting@paisano-online.com
Christian Loustaunau | Distribution
are just playing defense.”
It is very apparent that the Democratic Party is in hole they created, and it will take a lot of hard work and rebranding to get the Democratic Party back in the spotlight.
As protests, boycotts and rallies start in response to the Trump administration, Democratic leaders are engaging increasingly through online and in-person events. It is unfortunate that the Party has lost its stronghold in the government, members must hope they manage to rise on top again.
It is crucial to stay informed on what the left-wing politicians are fighting for in this new administration. Even though they may have vanished from credited media, Democrats are still trying to advocate for what is right.
Unfortunately, bad people are capable of making good art.
Kara Lee/The Paisano
Valentina Quintanilla /The Paisano
arts & life
A night of intimate stories
By Kara Lee Graphics Editor
The Homesick Art Collective presented a captivating one-night exhibition on Valentine’s Day curated by Martin Delgado and Lani Tagle, showcasing the work of 50 talented local artists. The event, aptly titled “Intimate Stories,” offered an emotional journey through love, loss, friendship, sex, family and the complexities of human relationships. Surrounded by art that deeply resonated with the personal experiences of the artists was the perfect way to spend the Valentine’s Day evening.
The exhibition was an eclectic blend of mediums, featuring everything from photography and painting to drawings, sculpture and mixed media. Each piece carried a personal narrative, allowing the artists to communicate their stories in ways that words often cannot express. Some took a moment to share the significance of their work, shedding light on how art can serve as a powerful medium for storytelling and self-expression.
UTSA alumna Calli Recore presented two distinct paintings, a self-portrait and a depiction of two ravens perched on Bald Cypress branches. The painting with two ravens, “Walk of Balance,” symbolizes companionship and eternal love.
“Ravens and crows are incredibly intelligent, and while they mate for life, they’re also socially promiscuous,”
Recore explained. “So I really adore them, and I portrayed two mates on Bald Cypress branches to symbolize this eternal devotion and this eternal love that I feel I’ve always been surrounded by. I wanted to reflect that idea of eternal devotion, especially in the context of my own family. My parents have been together for 25 years and my grandparents for 50. It feels almost ingrained in me to find someone who will be with me for life.”
Recore’s self-portrait, “Heart of Self,” told a different story — one of self-love and growth. Inspired by tarot imagery, the painting reflected the “Three of Swords” card, which is often associated with sorrow, betrayal and healing.
“This card represents three past traumatic events that shaped me. It’s a personal reflection of my journey, as I’ve grown through pain to discover self-love,” Recore shared.
Sol Longoria, another standout artist at the exhibition, explored the theme of self-love and human connection through her lino print titled “Reciprocity.”
“I often use nature as a metaphor to explore the ways we connect with one another,” Longoria said. “I believe we’re all part of the same ecosystem, and this piece speaks to the idea that when we open ourselves up to others, we give a little of ourselves away, but in doing so, we gain so much more.” Her work was a reminder of the delicate balance between giving and receiving in relationships.
You can’t put a price on love
By Marisela Cruz Assistant News Editor
Partners arrive hand in hand, walking up the steps of the Bexar County Courthouse, reminiscing on the time they have been together, which has led them to this moment. Love is what makes life divine, especially when shared in a harmonious gathering like the free weddings held in San Antonio. The love of many couples was solidified at the Bexar County Courthouse this Valentine’s Day, as hundreds of love birds came to the courthouse steps and were graced with a free wedding ceremony. The event has taken place annually for the past 35 years, becoming a loving communal celebration for all to enjoy.
The event requires couples to obtain a marriage license at least 72 hours before the ceremony. Getting a marriage license costs $80 in Bexar County, a fraction of the cost of an entire wedding banquet. The affordability makes it easy for couples to tie the knot in a romantic way.
Beginning at midnight, the first mass wedding of the day was held on the Courthouse steps. The first 50 couples to arrive received a rose, which was donated by The Last Straw Florist flower shop.
Bexar County Clerk Lucy Adamic Clark, who officiated the weddings, said that “There must have been close to 1,000 people here. One couple brought in 50 family members and friends.”
Following the 10 a.m. wedding ceremony, Clark touched on the ease of the event and how it has evolved over the years. She also brings up the peaceful
ambience that radiated throughout the day.
“It’s so convenient to get a license and get everything done on a one-stop-shop out here in the beautiful courthouse,”
Clark said. “This is the one time in the year that we can celebrate with our community, and there’s no issues. I mean, thank God. We’ve never had any problems at all. It’s been very peaceful, because it’s a peaceful moment, and they’re saying, ‘I do.’”
Some people came to the wedding ceremony to renew their vows, rekindling that adoring passion in their relationship. Partners looked deeply into each other’s eyes and were granted the opportunity to recite their vows during the wedding ceremony that Clark led. At the end, Clark pronounced everyone as newlyweds.
Cheering from everyone who attended the ceremony filled 100 Dolorosa St.
The United States Postal Service Love Stamp for 2025 was unveiled during the mid-day wedding ceremony presented by Postmaster Robert D. Carr Jr. The Stamp had a 1985 untitled drawing by the late artist Keith Haring.
“[It’s] a first-class stamp and it will be that way forever, and it’s always protecting and projecting something to do with love. This year is no different,” Carr said.
The final wedding ceremony was brought to a close at 2 p.m. on Feb. 14. It was cold and windy this Valentine’s Day, but as the saying goes, “cold hands warm hearts.” In the case of the couples who got married this past week, this statement remained true.
Philip Scheidt, a UTSA alumnus, presented a mixedmedia curation titled “Memories of Men,” inspired by a box of vintage photographs he found in a local store.
The photographs captured various men throughout time, and Scheidt used them to tell a deeply personal story.
“Each photo represents a different relationship in my life — my father, lovers, priests and other male figures. I wanted to give these photos a voice, showing how these relationships have influenced and shaped me,” Scheidt explained. His work spoke to the complexity of human connections and the lasting impact they have on one’s identity.
As the exhibition continued, it became clear that this event was more than just a showcase of art. It was an opportunity for the artists to connect with each other and with the audience.
“I feel incredibly supported by the community here,” Recore said. “Whether it’s other artists or just people who come to see the work, there’s this energy of love and connection that surrounds everything. My paintings, with their dynamic motion, reflect how I feel supported and loved from all directions. It’s a beautiful thing to witness.”
The night was filled with emotion, creative energy and a strong sense of community. As the gallery filled with conversation and admiration for the art on
Courtesy of Lorenzo dela Cruz
Diego Cisneros/The Paisano
San Antonio residents meet at the Bexar County Courthouse on Feb. 14
San Antonio couple embrace after marriage ceremony on Valentine’s Day
Arts & Life
brave space
By Christopher Delgado
Copyediting Coordinator Reviews
Oscar-winning director of auteur cinema Martin Scorsese has not seen a Marvel film. He tried. “That’s not cinema,” according to Scorsese. “Honestly, the closest I can think of them, with actors doing the best they can under the circumstances, is theme parks.” The comments were ravaged by fans of the superhero genre.
Kevin Feige and crew’s response was to release a slate of films so devastating that even long-time fans cannot help but nod in agreement with Scorsese. Some fans felt that this resulted from Marvel Studios’quantity-over-quality mindset. In response, Feige decided to slow down on productions.
“Captain America: Brave New World,” directed by Julius Onah, was supposed to mark the first entry in a shifting production strategy. Instead, Anthony Mackie’s first entry as Captain America is indisputably unoriginal.
With poise and humor, Mackie proves worthy of the role. Sam Wilson, now donning the Captain America moniker, gets beaten down and then gets back up constantly, embodying the spirit of the superhero. Unfortunately, makeup and the writing never convey Wilson’s absolute bludgeoning throughout.
Mackie’s chemistry with Carl Lumbly’s Isaiah Bradley, a Black supersoldier experimented on by the U.S. government, anchors the story’s first act, but that is nearly all the time viewers will have with Bradley. He spends most of the film wrongfully imprisoned. Knowing Bradley is innocent, Wilson insists on trusting the system to free him. The choice is out-ofcharacter for Captain America, a hero who has consistently been on the run for disagreeing with the government.
Instead, Onah pairs Wilson with aspiring Falcon Joaquin Torres, played by Danny Ramirez, and former red room member Sabra, played by Shira Haas. “Captain America: Brave New World,” like “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” follows Captain America, Falcon and Black Widow.
The opportunity to pair two Captain America’s in a fight against militant President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, played by Harrison Ford, was right there; however, a Captain America film focusing on two Black men was too much of a stretch, so Marvel Studios played it safe.
The marketing underscores the safety of the film. The third act’s twist of Ross becoming the Red Hulk is riddled throughout trailers, and TV spots gave away the reveal of Tim Blake Nelson as The Leader — a character teased in 2008’s “The Incredible Hulk.”
Wilson’s Captain America never receives the nuance he receives in the comics. Whereas the comics are unafraid to address the racism he endures while carrying the mantle and his contradictory emotions in response to this, the film has Ross deliver “You’re not Steve Rogers” to create some complexity between Wilson and the mantle. He storms out and cuts his alliance with Ross for 20 minutes before he returns to aid the president in his colonialist endeavors. This Captain America has no backbone.
The reason for the government serving Captain America is discussed at the film’s beginning and at its conclusion. However, there is no arc. Wilson is never tested in his role. He serves the government at the start, and at the end, he encourages Torres to join the Avengers and serve the government, even though the government proves to be flawed throughout the film. There is a single line about what it means for Wilson to be Captain America. It amounts to him having extra pressure because he is not white.
Because the film was shot in IMAX, there are moments in conversations where the blocking is strange. A conversation does not need to be shot for IMAX.
The action scenes are shot with a stagnant camera, removing all the grittiness of a non-supersoldier being gobsmacked by a hulk. The choreography has moments of grandeur, especially when utilizing the flight ability of Captain America’s suits. Although, the repetitive nature of slow-motion shots undermines these moments.
The choreography looks amazing at regular speed, but the action’s whimsy and awe disappear when the shot is slowed down.
Worst of all, the script moves back and forth between buddy comedy and action thriller while serving as a sequel to “The Incredible Hulk” — the clear
blueprint for the third act that is a near one-to-one recreation. Somehow, the six screenwriters fail to capture the true essence of Captain America. Rather than dealing with the morally gray, Wilson contends with a world that operates in a black-and-white morality dictated by the law. The world is simple, despite Captain America’s whole shtick of a man with clear-cut morals operating within a complex world. Doing the right thing in “Captain America: Brave New World” is too easy, and because of that, audiences have no sense of tension when watching the film.
“Captain America: Brave New World” will indeed be categorized with “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantamania” and “Thor: Love and Thunder” due to the feeling that most of the people behind the film were seeking
By Ezequiel Pena Staff Writer
By Sarah Quintanilla Assistant Graphics Editor
Roadrunners come up short in opening series
Several newcomers flash despite disappointing outcome against Mavericks
By Rylan Renteria Staff Writer
UTSA baseball lost its opening weekend series to the University of Texas at Arlington Mavericks after dropping two of three games at Clay Gould Park.
The Roadrunners (1-2) struggled at the plate in the first two games, only managing four runs to the Mavericks’ (21) 12. With the team still trying to figure out which players best fit their goals, multiple newcomers made their case for a spot on the squad. The ‘Runners avoided the sweep in game three, where they put together their best all-around performance.
On Sunday, the Roadrunners picked up a 6-3 victory over the Mavericks — their first of the season. UTSA got on the board early with an RBI single from junior outfielder Tye Odom at the top of the first. In the fifth, senior outfielder Mason Lytle reached first base off a fielding error from Texas-Arlington shortstop Larry Haskins, allowing junior infielder Ty Hodge to score.
With runners on second and third base, UTSA senior starting pitcher Conor Myles was pulled in favor of Robert Orloski; the sophomore pitcher delivered two consecutive strikeouts to maintain a scoreless fifth inning for the ‘Runners.
“He’s outstanding. That’s why we’ve got him in that role,” coach Pat Hallmark said. “Rob likes the ball with the game on the line.”
Orloski’s magic ran out eventually, with the Mavericks taking their first lead with a three-run barrage in the bottom of the seventh. The UTSA offense got right back to work in the following inning; Odom picked up his second RBI of the day, shooting one into right field to tie the game at 3-3. In the same inning, UTSA extended its lead with a three-run home run from freshman utility Caden Miller.
“It felt great. I feel like it’s every kid’s dream,” Miller said of his first collegiate
home run with the baseball team.
The Roadrunners held the Mavericks scoreless over the last two innings and escaped with the victory.
In the opening game, the Roadrunners suffered a 5-0 Valentine’s Day loss. Both teams were scoreless through the first five innings. Junior pitcher Zach Royse was on the mound for UTSA and tossed four strikeouts before running into trouble early on in the sixth. After earning his fifth strikeout in the first at-bat of the inning, Royse allowed five consecutive singles — the latter three being RBIs. After hitting Texas-Arlington first baseman Tate Bethel with a pitch, Hallmark decided Royse’s day was over. Junior pitcher Sam Simmons checked in and struck out the final batter of the inning.
The Panola College transfer didn’t fare much better than Royse in the seventh, allowing an RBI double and an RBI single with two outs left in the inning. The UTSA offense was unable to get anything going in the final two innings.
UTSA dropped game two 7-4. The Mavericks picked up right where they left off, holding a 4-0 lead by the end of the third inning. This time around, the Roadrunners responded, with Lytle knocking an RBI single into left field in the top of the fifth. In the sixth, freshman infielder Jordan Ballin tacked on another point for UTSA with an RBI single that scored senior outfielder James Taussig.
After Texas-Arlington homered in the bottom of the sixth, UTSA responded with two runs at the top of the seventh. A wild pitch from the Mavericks allowed senior infielder Norris McClure to score, and an RBI double from junior outfielder Drew Detlefsen brought Lytle home shortly after. The ‘Runners once again could not score in the final two innings.
“We’ve played okay,” Hallmark said of the series. “It’s a long season. We’ve got some work to do.”
UTSA will next face Baylor University at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Baylor Ballpark.
Who runs the world?
By Marcela Montufar Soria Opinion Editor
To those who follow UTSA athletics, it is clear that the women are doing the heavy lifting this spring, consistently breaking records and delivering strong performances across their respective sports.
Women’s basketball has won all but one of its matches since the start of 2025 and possesses the top record in the American Athletic Conference. Women’s tennis is undefeated this season, with a 12-0 record. Softball’s year is off to a great start, with an all-time five-win streak at the UTSA Invitational earlier this month. UTSA’s women’s track athletes have also broken records multiple times this season.
Women’s Basketball
The women’s basketball team is undefeated at home and has an overall record of 22-3. Head coach Karen Aston completely turned around the program after stepping into the role in 2021 and was named the 2025 Kathy Delaney Smith Coach of the Year in recognition of her achievements of the team. The women’s basketball team’s improvement is evident in their transformation from a 13-19 record in the 2022-23 season to their current success. They are currently on a five game winning streak, most recently beating Memphis on Saturday.
Senior Jordyn Jenkins has been in the spotlight recently over speculation that she will go pro after graduation. She is the AAC’s lead scorer at 18.5 points per game, the highest in the team, and has received numerous accolades, including five AAC player of the week awards, three AAC Honorable Mentions and an AP Honorable Mention. The sheer number of laurels laid
at her feet demonstrates both her and the program’s excellence. Sophomore Idara Udo also received an AAC Honorable Mention and no doubt has a bright future ahead of her, an exciting prospect for the future of women’s basketball. Graduate student Nina de Leon Negron was also awarded AAC player of the week and reached 1,000 career points this season, a boon for both her and UTSA.
Women’s Tennis
The women’s tennis team is on a roll this season and could have been ranked last year had they not lost 4-3 to Tarleton State in the 2023 season. They have since redeemed themselves, beating Tarleton 4-3 last Saturday and winning again the next day against Houston. Head coach Ki Kroll has been with the team since 2018 and is having his best season with UTSA this year. The team’s 2023-24 season had the third-most wins in program history, and it’s looking like this one will be even better for the Roadrunners.
Sophomores Ekua Youri and Vittoria Baccino have stood out this season. Youri has only dropped one singles and doubles match this season and Baccino won both her third sets last weekend, fueling the team’s two wins. UTSA produces top-notch athletes that make a team unstoppable once they get together, bringing acclaim to the university and ensuring a bright future for both themselves and the program.
Women’s tennis has been thriving for quite a few seasons now, and there is no sign of a decline. Roadrunner fans have many years of exciting plays and recordbreaking victories to look forward to. UTSA
Read at paisano-online.com
Idara Udo – AAC Player of the Week Honorable Mention
By Aramis Santiago Staff Writer
UTSA women’s basketball continued its dominant season on Saturday, improving to an overall record of 22-3 after a win over the University of Memphis.
A key player behind the Roadrunners’ success has been sophomore forward Idara Udo, who has become the team’s defensive anchor. Her performances against the University of North Texas and Wichita State University earned her an AAC Player of the Week Honorable Mention, a well-earned recognition for her impact on both ends of the floor.
Udo found out about the honor in a way many athletes do today: through social media.
“I found out through Instagram, our team account posted it. I was very happy and pleased. It shows that hard work does pay off, so I was really happy about that,” she said.
The acknowledgment highlights her growth this season. Udo is averaging 8.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while helping UTSA lead the AAC in total rebounding, offensive rebounding and rebounding margin. She has also played a major role in the team ranking No. 2 in blocked shots.
In UTSA’s 54-52 win over North Texas, she posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, helping the Roadrunners grind out a thrilling victory. Days later, she recorded 14 points and
12 rebounds in a 60-49 road victory over Wichita State, once again dominating the glass.
“I think my hard work on the glass. I had two double-doubles in that week. I think as well my energy, I’m an energy player, and I play off of energy so that and encouragement from my teammates as well,” Udo said of the way she has been playing. Her teammates and coaches were thrilled when they found out about her recognition.
“They were all really happy for me. One thing about this team is we’re going to encourage each other and cheer for each other. I love them so much and that just speaks to our chemistry,” Udo said. That chemistry has helped her through the ups and downs of the season, especially early on when she struggled with consistency.
Clockwise: Andrew Stucky, Jordan Ballin, UTSA in the dugout, Norris McClure.
Rylan Renteria/The Paisano
Roadrunners edge Cougars in third-set upset
Sanchez and Baccino secure three points in Roadrunners pursuit of 12th consecutive win
By Haley Aguayo Sports Editor
UTSA women’s tennis defeated the University of Houston 4-3 in an intense match on Sunday at the UTSA Tennis Center.
The Roadrunners (12-0) secured their initial point following the doubles matches, but their 12th consecutive win against the Cougars (3-3) was no easy feat. Freshman duo Aoka Nagasawa and Natalia Guerrero swept 6-0 on court three and freshman Valeria Sanchez, alongside sophomore Ekua Youri, closed out their doubles 6-3 to pick up a point. Sanchez and sophomore Vittoria Baccino proved that they were forces to be reckoned with as Sanchez collected the first singles point for UTSA and Baccino withstood fatigue
to defend The Birdcage as she notched the teams fourth point to win the match.
“There are a lot of times where I’ve had to depend on the team for these points,”
Sanchez said. “The team has carried me so far and I’m just grateful to be able to help today; I was pretty stoked.”
Sanchez finished off Elizaveta Morozova 7-5, 7-5 with a dropshot for the win, earning the first singles point for UTSA as she put the team back in the lead at 2-1.
On the fourth court, junior Arina Babenko held out to win an extended second set at 6-3, 7-6. With three matches remaining and a score sitting at 3-1, UTSA seemingly had all but officially won the game, but that could not have been further from the truth.
Youri and junior Letizia Corsini warded
Roadrunners lock in during second half to take Memphis down
Women’s basketball dominates in the paint with aggressive offensive plays
By Hannah Velasquez Assistant Sports Editor
UTSA defeated the University of Memphis 80-61 in a rugged game Saturday at the Convocation Center.
The Roadrunners (12-0, 13-1 AAC) struggled to score in the first half but quickly rebounded in the second, pulling ahead in the third quarter as Memphis (5-7, 4-9 AAC) began to unravel. The ‘Runners were able to capitalize on errors and fouls committed by the Tigers and maximize possessions from rebounds and turnovers to propel them to a victory.
“We got more connected, guarded the ball better and made some adjustments,” coach Karen Aston said. “We put our foot down as far as guarding the basketball. It was much better than [it was in] the first half. I think we’re a good defensive team, and we needed to be who we are in the second half, and I thought we did that.”
An intentional foul by Tigers’ guard Tanyuel Welch only strengthened the Roadrunners’ dominance over the game with a 72-57 lead as the game neared its end. Senior forward Jordyn Jenkins took advantage of the call, knocking down a free throw; junior forward Cheyenne Rowe drained a jump shot, capitalizing off a defensive rebound by sophomore forward Idara Udo. Junior guard Sidney Love then followed it up with a free throw after a Memphis foul.
The Roadrunners nearly found their footing with 43 seconds left in the second quarter when Rowe tied the score at 3838 with a layup. However, the Tigers took back control after a personal foul on Love. Just before heading into the third
quarter, the Tigers took the lead at 40-38.
“The first half, we were just not locked in,” graduate guard Nina De Leon Negron said. “In the second half, you can see that everything changed. We started talking. We started rebounding, so it was a being locked in thing.”
In the third quarter, the Roadrunners came alive, with Jenkins scoring the first point with a jump shot — pushing the score to 41-40. Udo then scored two more points on an offensive rebound and foul against Memphis.
Maintaining their lead, the Roadrunners entered the final quarter with a 57-52 advantage. Rowe increased that lead as she scored the first two points from the high post. After a foul on the Tigers, a minute later, Udo scored two free throws.
“If people are playing really well against us, we learn to handle it without panicking, and that’s attributed to our leadership and experience,” Aston said. “Those types of things have helped us in a lot of games. I think our second halves have been better.”
Driving UTSA to a 19-15 lead as the first quarter neared its end, De Leon Negron scored a triple off a turnover. However, that front was short-lived, as the Tigers tied the game at 19-19, scoring the final points a minute later.
UTSA garnered their biggest lead in the fourth quarter by 22 points. De Leon Negron and Proctor were the leading scorers in the game, with 16 and 15, respectively.
UTSA will take on Rice University at 4 p.m. on Saturday at the Tudor Fieldhouse.
off the Cougars in the first and second set, respectively, but ultimately lost to their counterparts. Similar to the ‘Runners’ match against Tarleton State, the deciding factor would come from a match point and a third-set win from Baccino.
“I said it was the best match of my life,” Baccino said referring to her win against Tarleton State. “This one is the second.”
Nobody has been harder on Baccino over the past two days than herself. Visibly frustrated with her returns and misses, Baccino struggled to beat Heta Nuutinen. With her previously cramped hand wrapped, she was able to do what Nuutinen could not: focus on her goal, stabilize the ball and fight off late-game exhaustion to win her match 7-5, 6-3, 7-6.
“She’s good, so I knew it was gonna be a fight here,” Baccino said of the Finnish
native. “I was watching the score and then when I realized that more or less it was my time I said, ‘Okay focus,’ and I did. I did everything I [could] to win.”
Baccino rarely missed a ball and rarely missed her serve, whereas Nuutinen struck every serve and return with a lot of power, eventually tiring herself out and losing the match because she swung a ball past the baseline.
“We are undefeated at home; we are undefeated everywhere,” Baccino added. “So when the national ranking comes out, we deserve to be in that, we deserve this.”
Looking to continue their win streak, UTSA will head on the road to begin conference play and take on both South Florida and Tulane at 10 a.m. on both Friday and Saturday, respectively, at USF Varsity Tennis Complex.
TPC San Antonio vs. Iberostar Playa Pasaiso Golf Club course
Walker Franklin provides insight on the golf teams recent trip to Mexico
By Alejandra Garza Staff Writer
TPC San Antonio is the practice course for both UTSA men’s and women’s golf. The course contains two 18-hole courses — the Canyons course and the Oaks course. TPC is also home to PGA Tour events such as the Valero Texas Open, an event that typically takes place a week before the Masters. Last fall, the course served as the playing field for the Valero Texas Collegiate, which senior Walker Franklin competed in for UTSA.
Franklin, a native of Colorado and Louisville transfer, has been playing golf all his life.
“My entire family played golf. My dad [and] mom were professional [as well] as my uncle, so it kind of just passed on. They have been able to help me a lot,” Franklin said.
UTSA men’s golf played its first spring tournament in Playa del Carmen, Mexico at the Iberostar Playa Paraíso Golf Club. The intercollegiate event was hosted by UTRGV and was the Roadrunners’ first appearance at the course. The weather conditions were ideal, allowing for all three rounds of golf to be played.
“The weather was unbelievable. It was 85 every day, a little windy and very hot compared to [San Antonio] ” Franklin said.
“Looking at the course during the practice round, there are certain situations you can get yourself into if you are too aggressive,” Franklin said about what coaches advised them to look out for.
“We were really trying to put the ball in play and make sure we had control.”
TPC’s Oaks Course is described as the most difficult of the two. The layout of the course challenges a player to be both assertive and cautious. The course is lengthy with a combined yardage of 7,034 compared to Iberostar Playa Paraíso Golf Club’s 6,683.
“The Oaks is, I feel, one of the toughest courses that I have ever played,” Franklin said. “On the PGA tour, number one is the toughest starting hole, so I feel that just sums it up.
“I would say the layout of the Oaks course is the most similar because it is quite tough off the tee,” Franklin said of the comparison between the two courses. “If you hit a bad tee shot or loose shot, it can penalize you pretty quickly.”
An experienced golfer’s goal is to reach the green in one stroke on a par-3, two strokes on a par-4 and three strokes on a par-5. The short game a player possesses is crucial to obtaining the score they want. It is a super technical concept that even comes down to the type of grass that is found throughout the course.
Iberostar Playa Paraíso Golf Club has paspalum grass. The Oaks course at TPC is composed of different types of Bermuda grass: Champions Bermuda for greens, TifSport Bermuda for fairways and Bandera Bermuda for rough areas.
“I would say a little bit quicker. I feel here in San Antonio and TPC when it’s a little colder, the greens are slower,” Walker said about the speed of the greens in Mexico.
Despite TPC San Antonio being the home course for the Roadrunners, it is still their most difficult, especially the Oaks Course.
Sophomore Vittoria Baccino (left) returns a serve during her third set: junior Arina Babenko (right) celebrates after triumphantly winning her singles match against Houston.
Graduate guard Nina De Leon Negron (left) and junior guard Sidney Love (right).
A sign at TPC San Antonio promoting the PGA tour, Valero Texas Open.
Miles Jones/The Paisano
Armin Suljovic/The Paisano
Jake Mireles/The Paisano