Vol. CXXII, Issue 13

the

eporter Vol. CXXII Issue 13

Stetson University | DeLand, Fla.

“The Girl Who Hiccups” A Q&A with Hannah-Grace Frazier

Inside this issue: People of Stetson: Opinion Edition Students and staff weigh in on what could be improved at Stetson Page 6

Jason Cruz Staff Contributor Hannah-Grace Frazier seems like an ordinary, successful Stetson student—testing the waters of college, figuring out what to study, making new friends. However, Hannah-Grace has a mysterious case of the hiccups that has been continuing for two years. Reporter staff contributor Jason Cruz spoke to Hannah about her hiccups and how a normal annoyance for most people has become the constant background to her life.

Q: What year are you at Stetson and what is your major?

A: I’m a freshman math major, thinking about double majoring in psychology. Currently, I have a minor in psychology, a minor in Spanish, and a minor in the certificate of community engagement.

Q: How long have you been hiccupping?

A: I have been hiccupping for two years as of March 18.

Continued on Page 2

Women’s Softball Dominates Team advances to A-sun after a great start to the season Page 11

Photo credit: Jason Cruz

Women’s Tennis Rolls Through the Competition

Team wins 9 of their last 11 matches Sean McKnight Sports Editor To say Stetson’s women’s tennis have had a strong start this year would be an understatement. At 9-2 overall, they sit among the top dogs of the Atlantic Sun Conference.

The only losses they have suffered include their second match of the season back on Jan. 30 to the hand of FIU, 4-3, and more recently, this past weekend against Chattanooga, 4-3.

Despite these losses, they have routed a majority of the team’s they’ve played. All season it’s been a full squad effort by this team; every player in some way, shape, or form contributes to their success.

In singles play, the stand-out players have been freshman Alizee Michaud, who is 9-0, freshman Ashley Dean, who is 8-1, sophomore Isabella Fernandez, who is 7-2, sophomore Carolina Meregalli, who is 8-2, sophomore Maja Salibasic, who is 3-0, freshman Arijana Korac, who is 6-4, and junior Eveline Lepinay, who is 7-2.

This team’s singles effort has been an overpowering force. Whether it’s been clinching a game point or coming back after being a few sets down, this team

just does not quit, and that effort shows on the court every time they come to play.

However, it’s not only the singles play that has been stellar for the Hatters; their strong doubles play has helped them sail past their opponents thus far.

With doubles teams the likes of Isabella Fernandez/ Eveline Lepinay, who are 7-3 overall, or Ashley Dean/ Arijana Korac, who are a perfect 2-0, as well as Carolina Meregalli/Maja Salibasic, who are also a perfect 2-0, it’s hard to beat this team on any front.

To me, the most impressive thing about this team is the fact that many of the strongest and most talented players on this squad are underclassmen.

Of their starters, three are freshman, four are sophomores, and one is a junior.

There is only one senior on this squad. This shows that not only does this team have the ability to dominate their competition now, but for the next three or four years, Stetson’s women’s tennis will always be in the running for an A-Sun title.

This past week I had a chance to speak with sophomore Carolina Meregalli about her team’s early success and where she and the squad see themselves at the end of the season.

“Tough practice is the only way you can prepare yourself, both mentally and physically, for game day— something we’ve all been doing,” she said. “I think one of the best parts about this team is how much we support each other day in and day out. It goes a long way in how well we produce each match.”

I also asked Carolina what specifically they have done to improve as the season goes on.

“We are working a lot on doubles, and I feel like all of the three positions are getting better daily. A lot of the northern teams we play have strong doubles teams so getting to play them has been great competition for us. Regarding singles, we all feel good about them and know that our singles teams can produce when they have to.”

Carolina also gave me her insight as to where the team sees themselves at the end of the season.

“We’re just staying focused and taking it one point and one match at a time.

This year we really want that ring! Last year we were so close, but I feel like this year, if we stay consistent, we can definitely win it.

I couldn’t agree more, this team is poised to take the A-Sun crown to Stetson.

Photo credit: gohatters.com

2

NEWS

Stetson Baseball Helps Strike Out Cancer Kirsten Scarborough Staff Contributor

Photo credit: Kirsten Scarborough

Mary Bougoulias, Sami Heartman, Ian Spencer, Roman Petty, Natalie Applebaum, and Kathryn Jackson run a table selling raffle tickets and Taco Bar tickets to raise money for their philanthropy.

"ME STRONG" was the prevalent logo seen on both t-shirts and ribbons Feb. 18 at Stetson baseball's Melching Field.

That Wednesday was Stetson baseball's Cancer Awareness/Strike Out Cancer Game against Florida International University (FIU). This game was put on and hosted with the help of DeLand 's local ME STRONG organization, as well as Stetson University's Greek chapters, Zeta Tau Alpha and Sigma Phi Epsilon.

For this special occasion, pink could be found on Hatter players from head to toe: pink shoelaces, sweatbands, and baseball caps.

One scene, which is uncommon compared to other games, consisted of five special guests present to aid in throwing out the game's first pitch.

Stetson men's head basketball coach, Corey Williams, threw out the first pitch, followed by four of the five ME STRONG

founders, including Linda Ryan, Barbara Underhill, Kim Winters, and Kathy Guyer.

ME STRONG'S founders, along with Stetson University ME STRONG club members were present and stationed just outside of Melching Field's entrance selling t-shirts to aid in support of their organization, as well as Zeta and Sig Ep members who were passing out pink ribbons to each individual who entered the park.

This event largely hit home for ME STRONG. According to their website, “ME STRONG is a charitable organization dedicated to supporting the friends, families and individuals battling cancer. ME STRONG began the fall of 2011 when a group of four friends organized a 5k in honor of their close friend Linda Ryan. The summer of 2011, Linda had just completed her first marathon when a few weeks later she was diagnosed with recurrent cervical cancer. It was Linda’s positive attitude

and commitment to healthy living while battling cancer that inspired her friends to organize an event that reflected her strong spirit in faith, body, and mind.”

Not only was this game and what it stood for close to the ladies of ME STRONG, but it was for the women of Zeta Tau Alpha too. Zeta’s philanthropy is breast cancer education and awareness.

“This is something we look forward to each spring!

We love the positive attitudes and all the attendees who are excited and willing to take part in it,” said Zeta member and ME STRONG club member, Auburn Abell.

Serving as the icing on the cake for the night's event was a 12 to two win for the Stetson Hatters over the FIU Panthers. To learn more, ME STRONG can be found online at MESTRONG.net.

This article was written by a member of Zeta Tau Alpha.

This article was originally published in The Woodland Wire. woodlandwire.wordpress.com.

“The Girl Who Hiccups,” continued from page 1 -Q:When did you first realize this was an issue that was not going away?

A: Well, I started hiccuping on my way to chorus state solo ensemble [during high school]. I was on a bus with a bunch of chorus kids, and I kept hiccupping, and they were like, “you have to sing soon, you can’t be hiccupping.” So, they had me try all of their dumb remedies like holding my breath and jumping around, but nothing worked.

After the event, I had been hiccupping for about five hours. I finally realized it was staying around. Before that day, I had hiccupped every day for as long as I can remember, but it always stopped. I went to the doctor, but they didn’t really do anything.

Q: You mentioned visiting a doctor. Can you talk some more about what you’ve tried to stop the hiccups?

A: I’ve been to lots of doctors and had lots of tests done: An MRI—multiple MRIs actually—PET scans, CAT scans, X-rays, blood work, a neurologist, an EMT, but everything has come back normal. They all said it was normal, but obviously something isn’t normal because I can’t stop.

Q: How do the hiccups affect your daily life?

A: They don’t affect me too much because they’re fairly quiet and don’t hurt me. They don’t affect my speech or singing or if I’m playing an instrument, and if I focus on my breathing they actually stop, temporarily.

They’re pretty annoying, but they don’t harm me or bother anyone because they’re quiet.

Q: They aren’t socially problematic?

A: Actually, when I first got them it was around the time for AP testing, and I had a note from the doctors explaining that I couldn’t control them. I gave this to the people in charge of testing, because in the beginning they were much louder, but they didn’t separate me. The best medicine I was given for the hiccups was ADHD medicine, but I didn’t like the way that made me feel so I stopped taking it now, although it did make the hiccups quieter.

The hiccups didn’t bother me, but I knew that if I was another student taking a test and someone kept hiccupping, I would be annoyed.

The AP tests had different people that weren’t in my class in the same room, so one boy who wasn’t used to my hiccups—I can’t remember his name, but we’ll call him Chris—before our AP statistics exam, was glaring at me like “stop” and I thought, “I literally can’t, I’ve been hiccupping for months now. I can’t stop. It’s not gonna change.” He said, “I was hanging out with you last week at Austin’s [a former boyfriend’s] house and you weren’t hiccupping.”

So, I explained that we were having fun, we were watching a movie, and we were being loud. We weren’t in a silent room. You just couldn’t hear them, but I was hiccupping. And after that, he was just pissed off and kept glaring at me. But other than that it’s been fine.

Editor-in-Chief A & E Editor Katie Dezes Garen Freed Managing Editor Web Editor Samuel Votaw Michael Galvez News Editor Layout Design Editor Sarah Dean Sarah Dean Sports Editor Layout Designer Sean McKnight Colleen Palmateer Opinion Editor Layout and Web Designer Michael Van Oppen Ethan Deal

Faculty Advisor Andy Dehnart Staff Writers Amber Cox Caroline Williams Madison Akins Business Manager Hallie Smith Circulation Manager Jacob Helwig

Q: You mentioned that you’ve stopped taking medicine for the hiccups. Are you resigned to hiccup for the rest of your life?

A: I hope they’ll stop, but the doctors resigned trying to figure out what they were and just settled on stopping them. They gave me stress meds, and that didn’t do anything. They gave me reflux medication— they didn’t really think it would be reflux because I didn’t have any signs of that before, and typically when you have a reflux problem it starts while you’re really small.

And then they put me on the ADHD meds which made them quieter but not any less frequent, and I didn’t like the way it [the medicine] made me feel. I don’t have ADHD, and I am already a super-focused person, so I didn’t need something that focuses you and makes you concentrate more because I’m already like that enough naturally. I noticed that sometimes I wouldn’t take them because they are supposed to keep you alert and focused for 12 hours. For me, it was more like 14, so if I woke up late and took them, I couldn’t get to sleep until 3 a.m. There were days where I would skip them, and I didn’t really notice a change in how frequent the hiccups were. They were expensive, I didn’t like how they made me feel, and they weren’t making all that much of a difference, so I stopped.

Q: If a new solution was available would you try it or would you just wait it out naturally?

Staff Photographers Nicole Frechette Shadee Rios Staff Contributors Alyssa Bajek Jason Cruz Kaley Fulton Kirsten Scarborough Staff Advisor John Sheehy

A: If it wasn’t expensive I’d try it, but the hiccups don’t really affect me all that negatively. I mean, I don’t like hiccupping, but they aren’t really harming me or anyone else. It’s not like it’s life threatening. They could give me surgery, but I don’t want to have surgery. Thanks, but no thanks!

Q: So as a math major, do you ever think about the astronomical odds of this happening to you?

A: I mean, I know they’re really small, but every time I would tell people about it, they say something like, “Oh did you hear—apparently there’s a girl who had been hiccupping for a really long time who was on some daytime talk show.” When it first started, people would ask if I had seen her, but I still haven’t. And my doctor had another patient who had been hiccupping since she was born, and she was eight when she saw my doctor. Everything my doctor tried for me worked for that girl, and she stopped hiccupping, but none of it worked on me.

Q: Do you have a personal theory about where these come from?

A: I don’t know. At first, I thought it might be stress-oriented because of all the advanced classes I was in. I was a very busy and stressed-out person, but the stress meds didn’t have any effect on them, and the doctors tell me its all perfectly normal, so I don’t know.

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March 20, 2015

NEWS Public Safety Report Highlight Reel

Case # 20150127: On Feb. 20, a Trouble Alarm sounded from DuPont-Ball Library.

The alarm was caused by a dirty ion detector. The device has since been replaced.

Case # 20150129: On Feb. 20, a Trouble Alarm sounded from Maxcy Hall. The alarm was caused by a malfunction. The device has since been replaced.

Case # 20150130: On Feb. 20, Public Safety received Information from an anonymous source regarding a student with possible drug involvement. The details were passed along to the Office of Community Standards who are now assessing the situation.

Case # 20150134: On Feb. 22, an incident of Trespassing was reported. 3 non-students were performing BMX bike tricks on the rails of the Hand Art Center. The three individuals were cited for trespassing and removed from campus.

Case # 20150137: On Feb. 22, a Motor Vehicle Theft was reported from Smith Hall.

A student reported their vehicle missing from campus, and DeLand Police were notified. The vehicle was found near the DeLand campus of Daytona State College and has since been returned to its owner.

Case # 20150139: On Feb. 24, an Attempted Burglary was reported to Public Safety from the LBC. A student walking to their vehicle noticed an unknown male going through it before fleeing. No items were stolen, and Deland Police were notified.

Case # 20150141:On Feb. 25, a Suspicious Incident was reported from Gordis Hall when a student, upon exiting her vehicle, was startled by two unknown males who jumped out at her before fleeing. No leads have been found.

Case # 20150143: On Feb. 25, Public Safety received a report regarding an Injured Person in Chaudoin Hall. A student allegedly stepped on an exposed nail in a hallway. The student was treated by University Health Services.

Case # 20150144: On Feb. 25, Public Safety received Information regarding a service dog issue from Hatter Hall. Officers assisted by waiting outside while the matter was tended to by Residential Life officials.

Case # 20150145: On Feb. 26, a Drug Policy Violation was reported from the DuPont-Ball Library. A Public Safety officer found a left-behind bag with exposed drug paraphernalia in it. The owner of the bag was identified and was reported to the Office of Community Standards. Discipline is pending.

Case # 20150147: On Feb. 26, an incident of Trespassing was reported from Facilities Management. Two non-students were caught by Deland Police taking wood panels with the intent to sell. The two individuals were cited for trespassing and removed from campus.

Case # 20150148: On Feb. 26, an Alcohol Policy Violation was reported from Gordis Hall. A empty bottle of wine was located on the floor by an RA during a roomcheck.

The room tenants were cited and face discipline from the Office of Community Standards.

Case # 20150150: On Feb. 27, Public Safety received Information regarding a dispute from Nemec Hall. Public Safety officers assisted a student in recovering their possessions from another student’s room.

Case # 20150152: On March 1, Public Safety received Information of a discharged fire extinguisher in Smith Hall. The extinguisher was found to be partially discharged, likely due to an accidental bump. The extinguisher has since been replaced with another.

Case # 20150153: On March 1, Public Safety received Information of a low fire extingher from the Edmunds Center. The extinguisher was found with significantly lower pressure with no signs of interference. It has since been replaced with another.

Case # 20150155: On March 9, an incident of Trespassing was reported from Elizabeth Hall. Deland Police officers found a homeless man wandering the halls looking for a place to sleep. The individual was cited for Trespassing and removed from campus.

Case # 20150156: On March 9, an incident of Fraud was reported from Gordis Hall.

A student reported unauthorized use of their credit card. The perpetrator was later identified by the victim, but no charges will be filed.

Case # 20150157: On March 9, a Trouble alarm sounded from The Book Store. The cause was unknown, although it is suspected that an event occurring at the time in NiteLites was potentially responsible. The device has since been repaired.

Case # 20150158: On March 9, a Trouble alarm sounded from Flagler Hall. The alarm went off in Room 104, which is currently unused. The alarm was said to have been a malfunction, and the device has been disabled until the room is used again.

3

Sick of College Already?

Finish sooner by enrolling in summer classes

Caroline Williams Staff Writer Summer school is not what it used to be.

Rather than enrolling due to the threat of being held back, students are now joining to further their education and explore local opportunities.

There are three separate summer sessions for students here at Stetson: two four-week sessions and one seven-week session.

The first lasts from May 14 to June 12, the second from May 14 to July 1, and the third from June 15 to July 14. The classes in the first session are the most popular, since they take place at the beginning of the summer and leave time for students to enjoy the rest of their break unhindered by responsibility.

However, if staying on campus while most of your friends are gone doesn’t sound so appealing, there is an option to take classes online.

Approximately 30 on-

line classes will be offered during the summer term.

Feel free to spend your summer with no pants on, eating pizza rolls, and using Google as your prime study aid from the comfort of home.

If you do choose to stay on campus, the summer sessions are much shorter and faster-paced than a fall or spring semester at Stetson.

Since the time span is shorter, the focus is more concentrated. Classes can last for two hours a day, almost every day. However, to ease the work-load, the maximum number of courses you can take is three, rather than the usual four.

Registration is open through my.stetson until the day classes begin, but it’s probably a good idea to register soon because courses will be cancelled if there is a shortage of students signing up.

For more information, visit stetson.edu/other/ summer.

Yes, You Can Hike in Florida The all-new Stetson Backpacking Club is having its first hike at Blue Springs State Park’s Pine Island Trail on Saturday, March 28.

To sign up and learn more information about the club and the first hike, come to the Backpacking Club meeting on Monday, March 23 at 7 p.m. in Sage 239.

4 OPINION

Stuck Between Paper and Screen Sarah Dean News and Layout Editor

I admit I am a paper snob.

I work at two print newspapers, I do not own an e-reader, and I journal in a notebook. However, even I must admit that when it comes to breaking news, despite all my pretentious, old-fashioned instincts, I have become dependent on Twitter.

I marvel at the speed that international news is delivered to the palm of my hand.

When legendary sci-fi author Terry Pratchett passed away, I knew within six minutes of the announcement leaking out to the world through his Twitter account.

I was amazed.

Just 20 years ago, when someone died, it would be several hours later or possibly the next day before the public would know.

Now, billions of people are notified in mere minutes. There are countless online news websites that are updated every minute of the day, and social media can spread news faster than I could even write it down.

As a journalist (and snob), I admit that this radical change of how news is delivered and absorbed is daunting. I am stuck between my love of the smell of newsprint and the thrill of seeing my own words on

a page, and the fact that I run three blogs and that my work portfolio for my first job outside of college will be a website, not a folder of clippings.

I know that online news is not just the way of the future—it's already the way of the present.

The thing is, I still love reading papers, but simply for different reasons than online news appeals to me.

Papers are fantastic for profiles, features, and in-depth information on stories you can’t get in brief articles or 140-character blurbs. Papers have character, unique thought, and a design completely different than a web page.

Frankly, there is something very satisfyingly permanent about seeing your name in print, whether in a story or a byline.

I will continue to read and work for print publications until either they or I cease to exist—whichever comes first.

For now, I must accept the internet as my primary breaking- news source with open arms.

My mind can be at peace knowing that print newspapers and online news sources are not in competition; they are simply two different animals. And I just happen to be both a dog and a cat person.

Photo credit: Sarah Dean

Stetson’s Cult of Positivity Kaley Fulton Staff Contributor Stetson presents itself as a liberal arts institution, one which emphasizes the ability to acquire a broad knowledge of subjects and the importance of discussion, debate, and, above all, critical analysis of arguments and information. Thanks to the excellent faculty here, I have enhanced my research and critical thinking abilities, and it is because I have been taught the importance of critiquing information beyond what appears at the surface that I feel I must write this article. Please understand that the criticism here is directed not at the personal character of any individual, but rather, my comments are critiques on ideas and policies in general.

During this academic year, there seems to be a motif of disconnect happening at Stetson: A disconnect between student desires for increased community spaces on campus and how the university responds to said desires (an expensive pile of rocks), a disconnect between student needs for access to academic resources (including the ability to print academic material) and university proposals to restrict that ability, a disconnect between claims of “environmental sustainability” and the practice of importing grass, and a giant disconnect between everyone about what the phrase “dare to be significant” means.

One of the largest and most

concerning disconnects at Stetson is the difference between the goals of the marketing department and President Libby’s administration and the goals and desires of faculty and students.

If Stetson claims to be a liberal arts institution with education and genuine academic debate as its top priority, and if one follows the strategic plan goal to recruit intellectually minded students, one would think that academic opportunities and scholastic honor societies would be heavily highlighted throughout Stetson’s marketing material to prospective students.

While it is true that certain academic achievements of the university are mentioned, such as Stetson’s ranking as a top university in the South by US News and World Report, the most recent cover story of Visual, a publication distributed to prospective students, is about the “campus culture of long boards.” There is also a four-page exposé on the women’s lacrosse team.

Athletics are important, and the women’s lacrosse team is lovely, and long boards are certainly seen widely across campus, but neither of these stories promotes focus on academic development.

The fact that one isn’t “encouraged to learn more about academic programs” by visiting Stetson’s campus or the website until the very back page of the publication gives the impression that academics is not the first priority at Stetson, which could hinder the university’s efforts to recruit “ intellectually-minded” students.

When I received advertising material from Stetson as a High School Senior, I received information about the return of football, student organizations, and Greek Life. I did not receive

information about academic programing or opportunities such as the Bonner Program until visiting campus.

The emphasis on student life-focused, rather than academic-centered adverts is telling.

From looking at Stetson's marketing materials, one can quickly infer that to Dr. Libby's administration, academics are not the top priority.

Within Stetson’s strategic plan there are “year one priority goals.” The first objective listed, “priority A” is to “Demonstrate Stetson’s distinctiveness and value proposition.”

Sub-objectives under this priority include “enhancing national reputation using strategic communication” and "leverage print and web publications and social media outlets to communicate a distinctive brand of significance and increase Stetson’s overall visibility to a national audience.” These are elegant sounding phrases that essentially mean “increase advertising.”

There is nothing wrong with advertising; it’s quite necessary for the success of any institution.

What is wrong, however, is that advertising is listed as a priority before academic and student focused goals such as “Enhancing excellence and innovation in learning” or “Empowering lifelong success and significance.”

This ranking of priorities makes it appears as though Stetson (or at least those who compiled this list) views advertising as more important than student learning. While I can say from personal experience that the faculty with whom I’ve interacted do not feel this way, I cannot say the same about the administration or staff due to less frequent interactions.

What I can say with certain-

ty is that impressions matter, and that Stetson’s marketing publications to prospective and current students (via Visual and Stetson Magazine) do not give the impression that students or academics matter most.

The other major problem with such intense focus on marketing and advertising is that it can lead to a “marketing mentality” on campus.

What do I mean by that phrase? In advertising, in order to sell a product, one must make it appealing, and thus, one must emphasize the positive attributes of a product. For example, within the year one priority list, a statement reads, “our goal is to increase awareness and positive perceptions of Stetson.” When I use the term, “marketing mentality,” I am talking about the need to overemphasize the positive aspects of Stetson.

During FOCUS week, for example, the advertising campaign continues as we all hear about how wonderful and diverse Stetson is from groups of enthusiastic leaders. While FOCUS week may be overwhelming for more introverted students, being enthusiastic during orientation makes sense.

However, this sense of overwhelming positivity is felt elsewhere on campus and can be detrimental rather than encouraging in certain contexts.

For instance, last year, one of my friends was having difficulty with paying her tuition. When she spoke to a financial aid representative, they told her something along the lines of “Don’t worry!

Just keep looking for new scholarship opportunities! I’m sure you’ll find a solution.”

While having a positive outlook is beneficial in life, it is not a cure-all for every problem. Being

positive alone doesn’t pay tuition, and while I’m sure that the above comment was meant genuinely, suggesting that someone remain positive makes it seem as though one is dismissing a student’s serious concern.

This feeling of disconnect between student concerns and the way they are being treated by the university could cause resentment or at least further distancing between students, staff, and administrators, which is counterproductive to building a community.

Another example, cited in the Stetson Magazine, claims that Stetson is noted for encouraging “B students” to apply, because “spirit and hard work can make all the difference.” This statement again, suggests, that being positive and “having spirit” can allow one to be accepted to university.

This is not necessarily the case and makes a serious process seem simple.

Again, the problem with these kinds of overly-positive responses is that students can feel as though their concerns aren’t viewed as important, which might make someone feel uncomfortable about reaching out to resolve a future issue.

Dr. Libby recently authored a piece in Stetson Magazine which discussed innovation and the need for the university to adapt and evolve as the world becomes more globalized and as the professional expectations of recent graduates increase and become more complex. I agree that Stetson must innovate. Stetson must change its presentation of ideas and information and perhaps reconsider its priorities so that the needs and desires of students and faculty, rather than recruitment and profitability, come first.

Itching to share your opinion? Email us at reporter@stetson.edu

March 20, 2015 5

OPINION

People of Stetson: Opinion Edition

Students & staff discuss what they believe could be improved at Stetson

Ari Kravatsky: Junior, Music Education Chelsea Probus: Sophomore, Religious Studies “...I find it hard to fit in sometimes as a non-greek-affiliated student. This was an unanticipated challenge when I decided to come to Stetson. The university does not market greek life as an important part of its social circles, and it really is.

I think other than correcting the way social life is marketed, the administration cannot do much more to change this. Ultimately, it is a form of social change and it needs to come from within the student body. Each person has to put their own effort in to overcome these social obstacles...”

“...I chose Stetson because I liked the feel of a small school versus like a large state university. But now, I feel like most of the decisions that the administration is taking are pushing toward a bigger school feel, and I know a lot of people don’t really want this to happen...”

Cameron Michael: Junior, Piano Performance and Chemistry

“...They changed the degree programs for most of us, especially in the music school. They are making the classes all four credits, changing our degrees. Now, we are still required to complete our old degrees, but some of the classes that are required in that degree are no longer offered, so it is really confusing how they are implementing these changes...”

Jeremiah Jones: Senior, Math and Music Ashley Edwards: Psychology Major “...I definitely think that as much as the administration says that they care about the students, they really don’t. As students, we are here to learn, but education is not the top priority of this university. Rather, looking good is the top priority. For example, residence halls the students live in completely suck. As an RA, we’ve had to pull teeth to get the administration to start caring about residence halls and improving them.

Also, hiring new faculty is not a priority for them.

The psychology department is mostly adjunct professors.

We don’t have actual permanent professors to teach most of the classes the department offers...”

“...I think inclusivity is very important at Stetson. Kaley Fulton’s article about accessibility and ‘The Rock’ is a great example. We don’t always succeed at it, but stepping outside of your own perspective and trying to see the world through other people’s eyes is very important. We need to make sure that everyone feels welcome and that no one is feeling particularly marginalized or excluded…”

“...I stay so busy I don’t really get involved in many of the issues this campus has. I don’t know, I feel like it is really hard for people to take courses they actually want because they are too busy going through the whole bureaucracy of the process. To me, the idea of a liberal arts education is to take the courses you are required to take but also experience broadly. A lot of times, I feel like students here are forced to set their entire schedules around the requirements they need. My biggest challenge so far has been getting all of my music and math requirements to play nice together. I don’t know what the administration could do to help students like me, mainly because they’ve got every department on campus wanting students to take more of their courses. But I would tell the incoming freshmen that at the end of the day, you need to do what you love to do and that everything will follow...”

Mary Bernard: Administrative Assistant, Political Science Department

By Shadee Rios, Staff Photographer, and Michael Van Oppen, Opinion Editor Photo credit: Shadee Rios

6 A&E

On the Beat: a Review of Beeatroot

Events This Week: Friday, March 20 Senior Party in the CUB 11 AM - 2 PM, CUB Circle Foods of Faith 12 PM - 1 PM, Allen Hall Auditorium World Vision’s 30-Hour Famine 5 PM - 6 PM, Allen Hall Digital Arts Senior Exhibition Opening Reception 6 PM - 8 PM, Hand Art Center 20th Annual Carnival 7 PM - 11 PM, Hollis Center, Rinker Fieldhouse Stetson Opera Theatre and Orchestra: Mozart’s Idomeneo 7:30 PM - 9 PM, DeLand High School Theatre “Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare” movie Showing 8 PM - 10 PM, Stetson Green (Rain location: Sage 257) Sunday, March 22 Hatter Games All Day, Field between Smith & Gordis Halls Stetson Opera Theatre and Orchestra: Mozart’s Idomeneo 3 PM - 4:30 PM, DeLand High School Theatre Monday, March 23 BSA’s Professional Fashion Show 8 PM - 9 PM, Stetson Room Tuesday, March 24 The Hazards and Costs of Living in Paradise: Dealing with Sea-Level Rise 6 PM - 7:15 PM, Library Room 25L Guitar Ensemble 7:30 PM - 9 PM, Lee Chapel Wednesday, March 26 What It Takes to Be a Leader 6 PM - 7 PM, Library Room 25L Thursday, March 26 Bra Drive 10 AM - 5 PM, CUB Steps “To Light a Candle”: Persecution in Iran 7 PM - 8:30 PM, Flagler Room 334 Jewish Film Festival: “Waltz with Bashir” 7 PM - 9:30 PM, Library Room 25L

Photo credit: Alyssa Bajek

Alyssa Bajek Staff Contributor

One of downtown DeLand’s newest locales, Beeatroot, is an organic juice and smoothie shop.

Priding itself on its sustainable practices and unique flavor combinations, Beeatroot is more than just a flavor of the month, if the price point doesn’t drive you away first.

Beeatroot is nestled away in the alleyway next to Forno Bello at the south end of downtown DeLand.

Sharing its location with an art gallery in a converted yellow house, there are two things one perceives about Beetroot right off the bat: The first is that Beeatroot embraces its “alternative” identity—from the refillable mason jars the store fills its juice with to the

recycled containers. Even its off-the-beaten-path location emphasizes its status as somewhat unconventional.

The second is the price point. The caveat of using fresh ingredients is that the product is more expensive.

A large smoothie being more than seven dollars is enough to turn the more frugal away. They do give you a 50 cent discount if you reuse your mason jar, but for some, that may not be enough to justify the expense.

That said, Beeatroot fills a niche that is needed in DeLand—a smoothie made with actual fruit.

Unlike Island Oasis Smoothies, which are served at Berryville and the Stetson Coffee Shop (not to be confused with Starbucks whose coffee they “proudly serve”), everything that

goes into Beeatroot is an organic farm product and is not a prepackaged juice mixture.

This comes through in the tastes, which are crisp and refreshing. The flavor combinations may seem odd, including ingredients such as kale and titular beets with berries and pineapple, but the resulting flavors pay off, providing a unique taste that blends together well.

Other drinks are available, including their house brewed coffee and tea, as well as their lemonade sweetened with maple syrup in place of sugar (highly recommended for lovers of sweet flavors). The prices may be high, but the drinks sure does hit the spot.

This article was originally published in The Woodland Wire. woodlandwire.wordpress.com.

Uncouth Hour 9 PM - 10 PM, NiteLites Friday, March, 27 GABA Mediated Regeneration in the Retina 12 PM - 1 PM, Sage 257 Artists & Lecturers Series: Sounds New featuring Blair McMillen, piano 7:30 PM - 9 PM, Lee Chapel Hatter Productions Presents: Haydini 7 PM, Stetson Room Friday Night Live 8 PM - 10:30 PM, Second Stage Theatre All Week Art Exhibitions: 22:1 and Oscar Bluemner’s Europe: The Mediterranean Monday-Friday, 11 AM - 4 PM Saturday, 12 PM - 4 PM Hand Art Center

March 20, 2015 7

A&E

What’s New on Netflix

Sarah Dean News and Layout Editor Movies Taxi Driver (1976) If you’re looking for some good classic film, this flick starring Robert DeNiro is more than likely one of your dad’s or grandpa’s must-sees. And for once, dad is right. You’ll be asking people “You talkin’ to me?” for the rest of the week.

Groundhog Day (1993) It is far too bad this movie wasn’t added before February.

Even if it’s not really Groundhog Day, if you like Bill Murray or even feel indifferent towards Bill Murray, the is a weirdly classic film with a great concept that is worth a watch.

Also added to the lineup is Top Gun (1986), displaying Tom Cruise in his prime—a true “80s classic,” and definitely another check mark on the “dad’s favorites” list.

If you’re in the mood for an older movie, and I mean OLD, you can now watch Wings (1927). This is a great flight into film history. It won the 1929 Academy Award for Best Picture and was a very big deal at the time. If you liked 2011’s The Artist, another silent film and Best Picture winner (trivia fun fact: The Artist was the first silent film to win an Oscar since, you guessed it, Wings), you may just appreciate this film.

Nostalgic and wanting comedy? Bridget Jones Diary (2001) and Billy Madison (1995) are now available. You can see Renee Zellweger be charmingly funny and relatable in England, or watch Adam Sandler be predictably Adam Sandler. Something for everyone.

And if you have unique taste or are an 11-year-old girl, you can squeal with joy at Twilight (2008). Or, you could not. As star of Twilight Robert Pattinson has said about the movie: “This seems like a nightmare!”

Television If you’re feeling like indulging your inner child, you can now binge-watch every single episode of The Powerpuff Girls and catch season four of the delightfully morbid Courage the Cowardly Dog.

Not ready to commit to a brand new show yet? You’re in luck. New seasons of Archer, Glee, and the Netflix smash-hit original House of Cards were all just added.

Speaking of smash-hit originals, now is the time to watch Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Created by the fountain of comedy that is Tina Fey, this comedy retells the “new girl in New York” tale in a truly unique way. Listening to Kimmy is refreshingly uncomfortable; you will be left with just the right amount of secondhand embarrassment—which is not a bad thing at all. Have I already binged on all of season one? ...yes I have.

Agent Carter Kicks Ass

Caroline Williams Staff Writer

Marvel’s Agent Carter ended just a couple weeks ago, and I’m a little sad about it.

It’s not often that we see a TV show with such a strong female lead. I’m not saying that other shows with female leads are terrible, but they tend to categorize women in four ways: virgin, bitch, slut, or mother.

Peggy Carter, portrayed by British actress Hayley Atwell, is a wonderfully complex character who cannot be confined to one of the four categories above.

She is tough without sacrificing her femininity, she is beautiful without being vain or oversexualized, and she is smart without be-

ing a know-it-all.

In the first Captain America movie, Peggy was fighting Nazi soldiers side by side with Steve Rogers. Everything he did, she did in heels and lipstick.

In the show, Peggy’s job was different. She was reduced to secretary, and the men in the office took no notice of her unless she was bringing them their reports or their coffee. They did not acknowledge her skills as a government agent.

That changed when Howard Stark asked her for her help.

Someone had been stealing his inventions and using them in malicious ways, later framing him for the crimes. She was the only person he trusted to clear his name, so she became a double agent.

Although Agent Carter had

some incredible fight scenes and stunning costumes, that was not the best part of the show.

I appreciated that the gender roles were reversed.

Peggy was the hero struggling with the aftermath of the war and the death of a lover, whereas the male character was sidelined to provide emotional support—something the female character usually does.

Edwin Jarvis (James D’arcy) played Stark’s butler, and he assisted Peggy in her missions. On multiple occasions, he comforted her and encouraged her to keep going.

I also liked that Peggy didn’t put other women down. The show highlights the horridness of sexism in the 1940s, and many of the female characters accepted their place as the “inferior sex.”

Rather than seeing these other ladies as lesser, Peggy encouraged them to follow their dreams and stand up for themselves.

At the end of the show, one of her cocky male coworkers took all the recognition for her work in the Howard Stark case. When Jarvis asked her why she didn’t say something, she simply replied, “I don’t need a congressional honor. I don’t need Agent Thompson’s approval, or the president’s. I know my value; anyone else’s opinion doesn’t really matter.”

The show also connected other Marvel movies. Of course, several references were made to the first Captain America film and the Iron Man films, but they also hinted at Black Widow.

The second half of the season explored the origins of a spy

training program in Russia, which sparked many theories and discussions online. Hopefully these theories are correct and Marvel will cave in and give us a Black Widow movie, but it’s too early to say for sure.

Agent Carter received high ratings and attracted millions of viewers, which gives hope to other TV shows with female leads.

Marvel knows the show was a success, so perhaps they’ll think about renewing it for a second season. If you missed it on TV, all of season one is on Hulu and may be coming to other streaming services soon. I’d much rather watch Peggy Carter fight spies and sexism than go see the Ant-Man, the Fantastic Four reboot, or Spiderman reboot movies.

8 A&E

The Ten to Two: Brunch Better at Rivertown Café

Whether you are looking for a boozy brunch, an all-you-can-get buffet brunch, or perhaps a pancake brunch that will make you believe in love again, we will be giving you the low-down on DeLand’s greatest brunch spots each issue until we run out of places to share.

Amber Cox Staff Writer Before I discovered the reason Deland’s Rivertown Café was closed on Sundays, I boycotted its brunch. I thought “What respectable brunch connoisseur would grace the doorway of an establishment that neglects the only day of the week that literally blesses brunch?” ...Then I found out that this schedule is due to chef and owner Tony Ortiz’s efforts in organizing food drives for the homeless in Sanford.

Unless you hate dainty crepes crafted by the delicate hands of angels or perfectly balanced fluffy-yetchunky breakfast potatoes chasing down every sip of your mimosa, Rivertown Café is the ideal place to get your brunch on.

Rivertown Café is utterly charming and quaint.

Tucked away from the rest

of downtown DeLand’s historic district and situated inside the Eastwood Inn, it lends an irresistible feeling of taking a vacation to a countryside bed and breakfast, but without the pains of having to venture far from Stetson’s campus.

More bonuses: rarely any wait time, chalkboard tables, a courtyard, and funky thrift shop décor that would appease even the hippest of hipsters.

As every brunch should, Rivertown offers a drink menu that, among other things, features mimosas and fresh coffee.

Though the mimosas were perhaps unfavorably heavy on the orange juice and lacking slightly in the champagne, they were still quite yummy (as all mimosas are). Priced only at $2 a pop, the champagne stinginess is not too much to be upset about.

The prices overall are quite reasonable and Or-

tiz’s creative touches set its brunch menu apart from others.

For those that have an appetite that just can’t quit, Rivertown is thinking of you. They offer an allyou-can-eat buffet for only $10.99 that is surprising delicious, hearty, and not at all skimpy. Be prepared to go carb crazy.

The spinach omelet was delightful and, upon request, the chef cooked avocadoes into the fluffy concoction with no charge.

The chocolate chip pancakes were also quite yummy and were served with real maple syrup.

But the breakfast potatoes were the true MVP. I am fairly certain they were the best I have ever had.

If you are in the mood for something a little sweeter but like a little tartness too, then I have two words for you: Lemon. Crepes.

Nothing more needs to be said.

Rivertown Cafe WHERE: 442 E. New York Ave., Suite 7, DeLand, FL 32720 HOURS: Monday to Thursday, 11a.m. to 3 p.m., and 5p.m. to 8p.m.

Friday, 11a.m. to 9 p.m.

Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Closed Sunday.

PHONE: 386-279-0110

Photo credit: Amber Cox

Go Further Faster.

Serious about getting ahead? Stetson’s summer

programs let you earn credits toward your degree.

Study Online

Stetson offers a hands-on approach to help students achieve their personal and professional goals. Our student-centered approach by Stetson’s best faculty provides students virtually anywhere with a personal learning experience.

Study Away

Expand your horizons through our far-reaching range of study away programs in the US and across the globe. Experience firsthand how culture and place impact global affairs while learning the essential skills that will help you be competitive in a global marketplace.

Study On Campus

Our focused on-campus summer courses ensure that you have the foundation, advanced knowledge and relevant skills you will need get ahead today and stay ahead tomorrow. Our top faculty offer relevant and condensed coursework.

Registration is Open Now! Secure You Spot at stetson.edu/summer-study

March 20, 2015 9

A&E

Featured Student Work

Highlighting student’s written work, be it fiction, non-fiction, or poetry

Excerpt from “Mother Sleeps”

by Bridget O’Brien

This piece has been rearranged from its original order.

“Grandmother,” she whispered, keeping her eyes closed. The girl, dressed in her favorite Scooby Doo pajamas, pulled the sheets up to her chin and nuzzled her face further into her pillow. The room was dark save for a bedside lamp that illuminated the pages of the old woman’s copy of Anna Karenina.

“What?”

“Temuffluufftyy.”

“Don’t talk into your pillow,” Grandmother said, not looking up from her book, “unless you want to sound like that forever.”

The girl giggled and rolled over, facing her.

“Grandmother!” the little girl whispered again, loudly enough this time to defeat the point of whispering.

“What now?”

“Tell me a story.”

“A story?”

“A story about a princess.”

“Hmm,” she sighed, placing her book back on its nightstand, “a story about a princess.”

“Tell me right now!”

“Hold on, hold on,” she sighed, looking up at the ceiling. The little girl gathered her hands under her cheek in anticipation.

“I can’t remember any more princess stories, baby.” She confessed, reaching over and brushing hair out of the girl’s face. “But I can tell you about the time I saw the Taj Mahal. That was built for a princess.”

“Tajmawhat?”

“Taj Mahal.” She pulled her own blankets

up towards her chest and switched her lamp off. The window across from them let in a soft, blue light from outside. “It means ‘the crown palace.’ An emperor in India built it for his wife--” “So she’s a queen. Not a princess?”

“No, that would make her an empress, actually. But, just for this story, we’ll call her a princess, okay?”

“Whatever.”

“The Taj Mahal,” she started again slowly, “was built by a great emperor for his beloved. When they were young he fell in love with her at first sight. She was only fourteen. They got married and the emperor mandated that the empress never leave his side.

After that, she went everywhere with him. She even followed him onto battlefields during wars. She didn’t fight -- and neither did he to be honest -- but they were always together.

He built the Taj Mahal for her after she died.”

“That’s sad,” she mumbled without opening her eyes, “I don’t like this story.”

“No, it’s not sad,” Grandmother looked down at her, “it’s beautiful.

When it was built, the emperor looked at it and said that it was so magnificent, and the empress he built it for was so lovely and good, that any who’d enter would be purified just by its presence.”

“Hmm.” “It took over one thousand elephants and twenty thousand people to build it. They brought in white marble from the west, jade from the east, turquoise from Tibet, sapphire from

Sri Lanka. No expenses were spared. The princess deserved only the best of everything.” She paused looking down at the girl’s relaxed face.

“Are you even listening, Bridget?”

“Mhmm.”

“It’s the most beautiful palace in the entire world, but no one lives in it. It’s made entirely out of white marble. The hot, Indian sun makes it difficult to look at in the day because it’s so bright. It’s entirely symmetrical; each side is just like all the others, down to the tiniest detail.”

“It’s so white and pure and perfect that any soul who steps foot inside the holy walls is cleansed, just by being there.”

She paused and listened to the deep breathing of her granddaughter.

Asleep at last.

--You have one new voice message.

Please enter your password, then press pound.

First voice message: Hey Bridge, listen.

The hospice nurse was here earlier today and Grandmother isn’t doing well at all. There’s no hurry today -- don’t drop what you’re doing -- but it looks like this weekend is going to be her last. I know this is happening really fast, but… it’s okay. She isn’t in any pain. Uncle Jim is here. Try to come home soon, honey.

End of voice message.

--“You know, we’re really lucky,” Jim said, getting up from his chair.

“Mother’s cancer is moving quickly. I knew a guy who had it for almost twenty years. They caught it early, but the cancer just kept coming back. Radiation, chemo, surgeries…”

He walked over to the foot of her bed, staring down at his mother, deep in an artificial sleep.

Kathryn continued typing on her phone, fully absorbed in the process.

“It was just awful,” Jim glanced back to his sister, unnoticed between taps. “He just decided that he didn’t want to take it anymore. Didn’t want to suffer. He called the Hemlock Society and they helped him arrange the whole thing.” He waited for her to stop typing before adding, “He died on a beach in Florida, in his bathing suit and everything.”

Kathryn looked up over her narrow reading glasses.

“Hemlock Society?”

“I’m sure you’ve heard of it, Kathryn.”

“Of course I’ve heard of it,” she said, clicking off her phone and dropping it into the purse next to her chair. “But there’s no need for all that pomp and circumstance just for a suicide.”

“No?” “No. All you have to do is drive down to any party supply store, rent a tank of helium, and -- in the privacy of your own home -- simply tape a bag to your head with a hose for the helium to come in and, poof, you’re dead.

Odorless, painless and takes less than five minutes. There’s no better way to kill yourself than that, if you ask me.”

“I didn’t, but thank you.” Jim looked at the figure of his mother lying on the bed. Next to her, someone had placed a small, brown bear.

“Did Bridget say when she would be coming home, yet?”

--I was nervous when I arrived at the house that day. From the hallway outside, I could hear each labored breath being dragged from her chest, each exhale sounding like a structural collapse. My mom walked in ahead of

me and crawled up on the bed next to Grandmother.

She gently reached out and touched her wrist.

“Mother,” Kathryn spoke softly, tucking her feet behind her legs, “Mother, Bridget’s here.

Bridget’s here.” The gasping continued unnoticed.

She nodded towards me, signaling me inside.

“She’s going to keep sleeping like this,” she said, “but I like to think that she can still hear us.”

Kathryn leaned her head back against the pillow, keeping her eyes fixed on Grandmother. I approached the bedside and sat down in the smallest chair.

“No pain?” I managed to croak out.

“No,” she said, allowing herself to close her eyes for a moment, “she’s on morphine. Doesn’t feel a thing.” I nodded.

“You watch her for a little while, okay, Bridge?”

Mom murmured to me.

“Yep,” I said, blinking forcefully. Minutes passed and Grandmother’s wheezes mixed with my mom’s deep, exhausted breaths.

I reached out and touched Grandmother’s tiny wrist, her skin feeling like warm sand.

The colorless hairs on her arm stood out in all different directions, and I busied myself with smoothing them down. The sleeves on her pink nightdress were also crooked, and I straightened them. Her mouth hung open and, as I leaned over to tilt it closed, I noticed my reflection in the vanity mirror.

Apparently, I was crying.

--Jim and Kathryn have both fallen asleep. The DVD of Moulin Rouge has long since ended. It’s two o’clock in the morning.

Grandmother’s breathing has slowed down over the course of the night. It’s softer, with long stretches of silence in between.

I’m lying next to her in bed. Someone had found her diary from her travels in Morocco and I’m slowly leafing through them.

The view from my front door is breathtaking: undulating fields of tall grass are sprinkled with yellow dandelions and red poppies. In the background are the snow-covered Atlas Mountains. The girls in the house next to mine spend a lot of time in front of a mirror outside, brushing their long hair, twisting it into a tight bun and covering it with a colorful scarf.

Here, a woman’s hair must be covered whenever she is in the public eye.

They are safe here, though.

No one passes through here but me.

At two-thirty, an alarm on my phone tells me it’s time to give her another dose of morphine.

Her breathing is slow and shallow, her jaw hangs open wide. A soft, blue light falls across the bed from the window. I prepare her dose and gently spoon it into the side of her cheek so she doesn’t cough.

It’s been raining torrents every night. Some of the windows leak causing rivulets of water to run down the walls and puddle on the floor. The wind changes direction and the rain floods under the door.

At least the dust has been washed away.

I lie back in bed. It’s late and my eyes are heavy.

Driving through a valley. Blossoming olive trees line the road. Their shiny silver leaves and snowwhite flowers contrast vividly with the black rock of the mountains behind. In the valley the mountains tower steeply above. White birch trees and wild cacti sporting pink flowers are part of the landscape as we descend. Are you even listening, Bridget?

I paused, waiting to hear the faint breathing of my Grandmother.

www.Facebook.com/ StetsonReporter

10 SPORTS

Sand Volleyball Cleans Up Its Competition in Sand Opener Dynamic duo Kristin Lind and Maren Rygh show outstanding promise this season Madison Akins Staff Writer

Photo courtesy: gohatters.com

Savannah Byl spikes the ball to the other side as she tries to give the Hatters an early lead against the FAU Owls.

The Stetson’s women’s sand volleyball team went into the Stetson Spring Break Tournament as 2014 A-Sun Conference Champions, ranked 13th in the DIG Top 20 Poll.

Playing at the No. 2 seed, Kristin Lind and Maren Rygh went 2-1 in their first three matches, beating both Florida Atlantic University and No. 9 ranked team, Florida International University with the same score of 3-2. The team just fell short with the score of 2-3 against No. 2 ranked team, Florida State.

After their success in the Stetson Spring Break Tournament, the pair was named the Atlantic Sun Pair of the Week and the team moved up to 11th in the DIG Top 20 Poll after their wins.

“I know I had a lot of nerves before the beginning of the season, knowing Kristin and I would be playing some very competitive pairs on the No. 2 seed, but I think we came out fighting and started the season with a bang” Rygh commented. “Let’s hope we can keep up the hard work to be successful throughout the season.”

This pair seemed destined for each other throughout preseason.

When playing, Lind

speaks Swedish and Rygh speaks Norwegian. They are able to understand each other due to the similarity between their native languages. Opponents are not able to hear their game strategies, which makes this pair even more intimidating.

“I think our compatibility is very strong,” said Rygh. “We’ve both been taught the sport similarly and have similar backgrounds both within the sport and culturally. So, we think alike and agree on most tactics and our decisions in play.”

The pair beat Florida State’s No. 2 seed in two sets 23-21 and 25-23.

“Maren and I knew it was going to be a tough game, but we wanted to play aggressively and not hold back,” Lind said. “I think our plan worked well.

We played fearlessly and we were able to come out with a win.”

While both girls look forward to adding to their winning record, Lind specified some goals for the season.

“I want us to keep climbing the national ranking, defend our conference championship title, and cause an upset at the AVCA National Championships,” said Lind.

Stetson Sand begins conference play in an away game against Florida Gulf Coast on March 20.

Upcoming Sport Events

Saturday, March 21

Women’s and Men’s Tennis at Kennesaw State Times TBA Kennesaw, GA Lacrosse at St. Joseph’s 1 p.m DeLand, FL Baseball vs. Long Island 2:00 p.m.

DeLand, Fla. (Melching Field) Softball at Lipscomb 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Nashville, TN *Live stats on ASUN.TV*

Sunday, March 22

Women’s Golf vs. Multiple Opponents Times TBA Ocala, FL (Juliette Falls Golf Club)

Baseball vs. Long Island 11:00 a.m.

DeLand, FL (Melching Field) Softball at Lipscomb 2 p.m.

Nashville, TN *Lives stats on ASUN.TV*

Tuesday, March 24

Men’s Tennis vs. Brown 2 p.m.

DeLand, FL Baseball vs. Florida 6:30 p.m.

DeLand, FL (Melching Field)

Wednesday, March 25

Sand Volleyball at Jacksonville (DH) 2 p.m.

Jacksonville, FL

Softball vs. Bethune-Cookman 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

DeLand, FL

SPORTS

March 20, 2015

11

Women’s Basketball Shocked At Home in A-Sun Semifinals Team falls to Northern Kentucky, 53-52

Sean McKnight Sports Editor Last Wednesday, the Lady Hatters took on Northern Kentucky at home in the Atlantic Sun Semifinals. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t their night.

Many different factors came into play in this heartbreaking loss—tough transitions, inability to sink shots, missed free throws.

All in all, it was a shocking end to yet another fantastic season of women’s basketball.

The Hatters, who end the season 23-7 overall, shot a mere 33 percent from the floor last Wednesday night and hit 2-of-20 3-pointers.

It was a disappointing performance by a team who is usually an offensive powerhouse.

Head Coach Lynn Bria spoke candidly on the team’s loss.

“It is certainly disappointing for us…I thought we battled pretty well, but at the end of the day you can’t go 2-for-20 from the arc against a team that is going to pack it on you. I thought we had some good looks; we simply didn’t make them.”

With just under a min-

ute left in the game, Stetson trailed Northern Kentucky 51-49. Myeisha Hall drove the lane, scored, was fouled, and converted a three-point play to give Stetson the one point edge.

However, on NKU’s next possession, Molly Franson hit a pair of free throws with 15.9 seconds left to put NKU ahead, 5352. After a Stetson timeout, Jama Sharp took one last shot before the buzzer but couldn’t get the basket, and NKU escaped with the onepoint victory.

At the end of the day, Stetson lost this game from the beginning.

NKU came out of the gates fast and hard. For most of the match, they controlled the flow and did an excellent job outside of the arc as well as in the paint.

Although Stetson faced such a disappointing loss at home, they should be proud of the stellar season they had.

This loss likely ends Stetson’s quest for an NCAA tournament berth.

However, they find out soon which opponent in the WNIT will be giving them another chance to play some more basketball this season.

Photo courtesy: gohatters.com

Softball Set to Dominate the Atlantic Sun The women go into conference, play 16-5 overall Sean McKnight Sports Editor

Photo courtesy: gohatters.com

Amanda Grimaldo bunts the ball as she tries to bring the runner in from third base to help put the Hatters on the scoreboard against LaSalle.

It’s been yet another stellar start to the season for Stetson’s softball squad.

In their first 21 games, they’ve been able to notch 16 wins and they have had only 5 losses—all of which were in close games.

This team’s ability to shut down hitters on the mound, close out on defense, and produce with their bats is seemingly unmatched.

Where it all starts is on the mound. Behind the arms of Courtney Brandt and Chelsea Hostetler, the Hatters ERA is 2.83. Brandt is pitching 2.32 with 7 wins and 2 losses, while Hostetler is pitching 3.30 with 9 wins and 3 losses.

Being 21 games deep into the season, Stetson’s ability to closeout on the mound is a huge part of their dominating play.

Thus far in the season, the softball squad’s batting average is .354. This is an un-

precedented batting average for a team who is this deep in the season.

The only team who has eclipsed Stetson’s batting average in the Atlantic Sun is USC Upstate who are hitting at .355. Every other team’s batting average is well under .300.

Stetson’s bats have been hot all season, and that’s the reason why they’ve scored 160 runs, notched 148 RBIs, and have an on-base-percentage of .455 – the best in the A-Sun by far.

As of yet, Stetson hasn’t played any conference games. A majority of the teams they have played have been Northern teams who travel to Florida to escape the cold.

March 21 is when Stetson will begin conference play against Lipscomb in Nashville, Tennessee.

As of now, Stetson is set to blast through the A-Sun on the backs of their pitching, hitting, and fielding. Their full team effort is some of the best I’ve seen and is the

reason why they’ve been as successful as they are so early on.

I had a chance to catch up with senior pitcher Courtney Brandt and talk candidly about her team.

“We’re a close knit team,” she said. “So, in a mental and physical aspect we need everyone to win. We have a great support system with each other.”

I then asked her what, specifically, has been helping them play so well.

“Our hitting has been keeping us on this hot streak lately. It’s hard to tell where we will be when playoffs come around because softball is such a day-to-day game. All it takes is one great weekend when the tournament rolls around. But overall, I am excited that our bats have been on fire. As a pitcher, it’s a huge weight off your shoulders.”

All in all, Stetson softball is poised to make yet another deep run into the NCAA tournament as long as they can stay consistent.

12

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