Sports: Find out about OU’s second all-time leading scorer (Page 4)
Opinion: Executing prisoners isn’t a laughing matter (Page 3)
L&A: Filmmaker to screen short films at OU (Page 2)
The University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice since 1916
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STOLEN ART
OU may face lawsuits in future A state representative indicates OU may possess more stolen art ALEX NIBLETT
Assistant Campus Editor @alex_niblett
At a House Government and Modernization committee meeting Wednesday, state Rep. Mike Reynolds, R-Okla., indicated OU might face future lawsuits regarding art stolen by Nazis that OU has acquired over time. Reynolds’ claim follows a lawsuit against OU by Leone Meyer. Meyer is suing OU for the painting “Shepherdess Bringing In Sheep,” currently displayed at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, where it has been since 2000 when its former
owners, Aaron and Clara Weitzenhoffer, died. Though Clara Weitzenhoffer purchased the painting from a New York gallery in 1956, Meyer wants the artwork that once belonged to her family before Nazis stole it during World War II. Reynolds said there are possibly eight or nine other paintings at the university’s art museum that may have been stolen or taken in Nazi looting. University spokesperson Michael Nash said the university is unaware of any independent claims regarding artwork at the university. When The Daily contacted Reynolds on Monday, he wouldn’t elaborate on his statement from the meeting saying he didn’t have documentation for the individual paintings at the time.
Though he refused to comment on the paintings he mentioned, Reynolds said certain reports art collectors are supposed to file do not appear to be available regarding the artwork at the university’s art museum. Reynolds also wouldn’t share how he learned of the alleged additional paintings looted by Nazis. Joining Reynolds at Wednesday’s meeting was OU attorney Shawnae Robey, who addressed the university’s current stance on “Shepherdess Bringing In Sheep.” “We don’t want to give away property to a portion of potential rightful owners, and we also don’t want to give away properties until we know that it’s our property to give away, or to whom it should be given,” Robey said. Alex Niblett, alexandra.g.niblett@ou.edu
HEALTH
HOME STRETCH
Huff to host Diabetes Alert day
Spring is in the air
Social media to spread awareness MIKE BRESTOVANSKY Campus Reporter @BrestovanskyM
T
JESSICA WOODS/THE DAILY
International and area studies junior Robin Rainey catches up on her emails Monday afternoon by Bizzell Memorial Library. Rainey and many other students were outside Monday enjoying the warm weather and preparing for the last stretch of the spring semester.
he Huston Huffman Fitness Center will hold its Diabetes Alert Day on Tuesday to raise awareness about diabetes and its connection to fitness. Diabetes Alert Day is part of a month-long campaign to improve diabetes awareness throughout the campus. The Huff will provide online resources through social media, the National Diabetes Education Program and OU’s Harold Hamm Diabetes Center, said Amy Davenport, director of Fitness and Recreation. SEE HEALTH PAGE 2
PLANNING
IAS
Organizations, community to discuss revitalization of Norman
OU given executive position for program
Focus meeting to include a survey for residents to voice opinions
KATE BERGUM
Campus Reporter @kateclaire_b
AMBER FRIEND Campus Reporter @amberthefriend
On Wednesday, city of Norman officials, OU officials and representatives from several urban community-building companies will meet with the public to discuss what citizens of Norman want the city to look like in the future. The meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Fellowship Hall of St. John’s Episcopal Church located at 235 W Duffy St. and is open to the public, according to the city of Norman’s website. The meeting will kick off the Center City Vision project, a program to gather public opinions and goals for Norman’s center city so that they can be taken into account when developing new city designs and regulations, Norman revitalization planner Susan Atkinson said. The project will focus on commercial and residential areas near Downtown’s West Main Street and Campus Corner, according to the city’s website. Developing this area has caused WEATHER A mainly sunny sky. High 57F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
University named Secretariat for a national State Department program
TONY RAGLE/THE DAILY
A focus group meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Fellowship Hall of St. John’s Episcopal Church. The meeting’s focus will be about the future of Norman’s Center City and is open to the public.
confusion for builders because of land use requests that can’t be processed under 60-year-old zoning regulations, Atkinson said. The Norman City Council, mayor and involved citizens met earlier this year and decided to deal with the root of the problem instead of handling
issues on a case-by-case basis, as well as put an emphasis on public opinion, Atkinson said. The meeting will start by randomly grouping attendees, who will then participate in discussions, surveys and
INDEX
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Campus......................2 Classifieds................3 Life&Ar ts..................2 Opinion.....................3 Spor ts........................4
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CONTACT US
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OU will be Secretariat for a new program launched by the U.S. Department of State meant to engage students and faculty in policy-making while contributing research to aid the department. As Secretariat, OU offcials will coordinate all colleges and universities participating in the Diplomacy Lab program, a program where select colleges and universities around the country can participate in research projects starting in the fall, according to a press release. Secretary of State John Kerry announced OU’s position in the Diplomacy Lab program March 18 at a town hall meeting with college students and interns, according to the press release. OU’s College of International and Area Studies and College of JOHN KERRY SECRETARY OF STATE Law are currently involved in a pilot program for the Diplomacy Labs, according to the press release. In these courses, students are researching topics that will be submitted to the State Department. Suzette Grillot, dean of the College of International Studies, said the two colleges have been involved with the
VOL. 99, NO. 122 © 2014 OU Publications Board FREE — Additional copies 25¢
2
• Tuesday, March 25, 2014
CAMPUS
Paighten Harkins, campus editor Alex Niblett, assistant editor dailynews@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com • Twitter: @OUDaily
HEALTH: Campaign to focus on preventing diabetes through exercise Continued from page 1 This year’s campaign focuses on pre-diabetes and its risks, as well as possibly preventing or delaying diabetes through exercise, Davenport said. “It may be that someone is aware of diabetes and risk factors but needs to review as our bodies change,” Davenport said. While diabetes is not necessarily debilitating, the condition forces its sufferers to make drastic alterations to their life and habits to remain healthy, said Liz Hodgson, an architectural engineering sophomore, who has had Type 1 diabetes since she was 8. “It can be extremely detrimental if left untreated or poorly treated,” Hodgson said. In the short term, the disease will affect your mood, abilities, mental focus and motor skills, Hodgson said. In the long term, mismanaged diabetes could damage a person’s eyes, teeth, nerves, toes, brain cells and memory, Hodgson said. “It’s scary when you think about what you could lose,” Hodgson said. Diabetes comes in two types: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 is more commonly found in young people, and it means the pancreas has completely stopped producing insulin, forcing the sufferer to regularly take synthetic insulin, Hodgson said. Type 2 diabetes is caused by insulin resistance, meaning the body’s cells do not react properly to insulin, leading to higher blood sugar as well as an overproduction of insulin, Hodgson said. “The two types are different and most people don’t understand that,” Hodgson said. “Even some health articles
AT A GLANCE Things to know about Diabetes • About 1.9 million people 20 years old or older were newly diagnosed with diabetes in 2010 in the U.S. • About 215,000 people under 20 had Type 1 or Type 2 in 2010 in the U.S. • Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. • Diabetes affects 25.8 million people, 8.3 percent of the U.S. population Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2011 National Diabetes Fact Sheet
give tips for diabetics but don’t specify which type.” Hodgson said better understanding for the condition is vital for college students, particularly for those undiagnosed with diabetes. “Diabetes is definitely important to be aware of, particularly if you have a family history or someone close to you with diabetes,” Hodgson said. However, despite the risks and considerations that come with diabetes, it is possible to live a full and rewarding life, Hodgson said. “If people see my insulin pump on my arm they... say, ‘Oh, I’m sorry,’ which has always baffled me,” Hodgson said. “I’ve struggled, but who can say they haven’t?” Mike Brestovansky mcbrestov@gmail.com
TONY RAGLE/THE DAILY
Economics Junior Neil Pruthi excercises in the Huston Huffman Fitness Center on Monday afternoon. Today is prediabetes awareness day and 30 minutes of exercise five days a week can prevent or delay diabetes.
IAS: Program ‘exciting opportunity’ for students PLANNING: Students Continued from page 1 encouraged to attend will be able to submit proposals and project ideas to the Diplomacy Lab, like all other schools interested in pilot program for the spring 2014 se- working with the program. mester and the courses are still in Grillot said the new program will progress. help students gain expeGrillot said the College rience while helping the of International and Area State Department gain Studies will help manage insight and new ideas. and staff the Diplomacy “The Diplomacy Lab Lab. is an exciting opportuThough students may nity for students to get be involved in projects ininvolved by working on tegrated into their courses, real-world problems and they will not be involved contributing much needSUZETTE GRILLOT with the work or duties DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF ed research and inforAND AREA of the Secretariat, Grillot INTERNATIONAL mation for the U.S. State STUDIES said. Department,” Grillot said. In addition to serving OU students who want as Secretariat, Grillot said OU officials to be involved in the program can work
with faculty and submit project ideas to the Diplomacy Lab Secretariat website May 1. The website will not be available until May 1, when OU begins its duties as Secretariat, according to the press release. Schools interested in being involved in the lab can apply from May 1 to May 30, according to the State Department’s website. As Secretariat, OU will accept their applications. State Department officials will select 20 universities to participate in the program, according to the department’s website.
Continued from page 1 activities about what they value about Norman now and what their vision of the city’s future involves, Atkinson said. Bill Lennertz, meeting facilitator and executive director of the National Charrette Institute, said he hopes the exercises will bring out the different values of the community, such as health, sustainability and business. At the meeting, attendees will select which design they prefer from different photos, write down their visions on post-it notes and find which ideas are the most common through verbal and visual polling and small and large group discussions, Atkinson said.
Kate Bergum kate.c.bergum-1@ou.edu
LIFE&ARTS
More online at OUDaily.com
Tony Beaulieu, life & arts editor Luke Reynolds, assistant editor dailyent@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/life&arts • Twitter: @OUDailyArts
FILM
Native artist brings work to OU Acclaimed Apache filmmaker to screen short films at Fred Jones Jr. Museum SARAH PITTS
Life & Arts Reporter @s_spitts
The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art will screen short films by Apache filmmaker Dustinn Craig from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday as part of a current exhibit on the work of Apache artist Allan Houser. Craig is an established filmmaker whose art represents a generation influenced by many historic artists, such as Houser. “We were looking for examples of contemporary Apache artists, and Dustinn Craig’s work is exemplary of an artist who examines the Apache culture both historically and in the present,” said Susan Baley, the museum’s director of education. Baley said Craig’s films will provide a more expansive vision of the present Apache culture, in addition to the historic vision provided by the Houser drawings. The Houser exhibition will be at the art museum until May 18 in celebration of what would have been his 100th birthday. Accordingly, the exhibition features 100 of Houser’s drawings, which encompass a variety of subjects. Baley and the Houser exhibition curator, W. Jackson Rushing III, worked to bring Craig to OU to create another opportunity to reach out into the community. “We wanted to celebrate Houser as someone who has an influence on contemporary artists,” Rushing said. “Dustinn Craig has achieved some renown at a rather young age for the quality of his work.” O n e o f C ra i g ’s f i l m s, “Geronimo,” especially relates to the exhibition because Houser was the first Dustinn Craig’s work member of the Warm Springs Apache tribe to is exemplary of an Chiricahua be born outside captivity artist who examines after Geronimo’s surrender the Apache culture and tribe imprisonment in 1886, Baley said. both historically and Craig has also been very involved with the promotion in the present.” and depiction of modern SUSAN BALEY, Apache skateboard culture FRED JONES JR. MUSEUM OF as a way of bringing modART DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION ern Apache art to life. Some of his work in this subject is
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PHOTO PROVIDED
Apache filmmaker Dustinn Craig holds a camera on location at the White Mountain Apache Reservation in Arizona. Craig’s films will be screened from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art.
currently a part of the “Ramp It Up” exhibition at the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History. “I think he brings another contemporary voice to the exhibition in another form of native expression,” said Dan Swan, curator at the natural history museum. The inclusion of Craig’s films and involvement in youth culture will bring understanding of the history of the Apache tribe and how its culture continues today to the Houser exhibition. The film-screening event with Craig is free and open to the public. Sarah Pitts, s.elizabethpitts@ou.edu
GO AND DO Dustinn Craig shorts screening When: 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday Where: Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art Price: Free Info: The screening is part of the museum’s current exhibit on Apache artist Allan Houser.
Tuesday, March 25, 2014 •
OPINION
3
Kaitlyn Underwood, opinion editor Rachael Montgomery, assistant editor dailyopinion@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/opinion • Twitter: @OUDailyOpinion
CLASSIFIEDS Execution not a laughing matter
Editorial
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This 2008 file photo shows the gurney in Huntsville, Texas, where prisoners are strapped down to receive a lethal dose of drugs. Recently, Oklahoma Assistant Attorney Generals Seth Branham and Stephan Krise joked in emails in response to a request from Texas officials for help to find scarce lethal injection drugs that Texas should give Oklahoma 50-yard-line tickets to the Red River Rivalry game in exchange for Oklahoma’s assistance in locating the drugs.
injection drugs to carry out planned executions. Our View: The death penalty should be taken seriously and regulated stringently, not joked about Oklahoma uses a cocktail of three different drugs as Oklahoma officials have recently done. to kill prisoners, but has had to delay executions in recent months because of a scarcity of two of the Like it or not, the death penalty exists in 32 of the drugs. 50 states, including Oklahoma and Texas. It is our We understand that in cerbelief that if our legal system is going to be in the tain cases death is the punishThe Our View business of taking human lives, those decisions ment meted out after a fair trial is the majority by a jury of the accused’s peers. should be taken seriously and carried out as ethiopinion of cally as possible. So we are outraged and saddened However, we aren’t sure if allowThe Daily’s that Oklahoma attorney generals joked about tradeight-member ing Oklahoma to engage in shady ing favors and football tickets to Texas in exchange editorial board dealings and attempt to test new for Pentobarbital, a drug used to execute prisoners. lethal injection drugs is the right Records show Oklahoma Assistant Attorney course of action. Because of drug Generals Seth Branham and Stephan Krise joked in scarcity, it cost 15 times more to legally execute emails in response to a request from Texas officials someone in 2012 than it did in 2011, according to a for help to find scarce lethal injection drugs that Huffington Post article. Texas should give Oklahoma 50-yard-line tickets It seems to us that it would be more cost effective to the Red River Rivalry game and the University and humane to delay executions until a less expenof Texas should intentionally lose in exchange for sive, more readily available alternative to current Oklahoma’s assistance in locating the drugs, aclethal injection drugs is found and approved. cording to an article in The Colorado Independent. Death row inmates know their days are numWe are flabbergasted that state officials could bered. It would not be a miscarriage of justice to be so callous and flippant about taking the lives postpone executions pending the acceptance of of other human beings. To equate lethal injecalternative methods that wouldn’t involve secret tion drugs with tickets to a football game is stagsales and jokes about trading favors in exchange for geringly immature and should make all Sooners quicker deaths. and Oklahomans concerned about how seriously Oklahoma takes the death penalty. Comment on this at OUDaily.com Unfortunately, Oklahoma government officials’ suspicious attitude toward the death penalty doesn’t stop with the egregious emails. Public records also show that Oklahoma has engaged in gray market dealings with unidentified sellers to obtain lethal injection drugs. Under Oklahoma’s By Bernice Bede Osol 2011 secrecy law, the state has obtained drugs from Copyright 2014, Newspaper Enterprise Assn. unnamed suppliers and refuses to say whether the involved with those who have TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 2014 drugs have been tested, according to the Colorado similar ambitions to yours. You You will be rewarded for your Independent article. States have been scrambling have made great strides, but a humanitarian acts and unselfish little extra help never hurts. A in recent years to obtain enough approved lethal
HOROSCOPE
assistance. You will find personal fulfillment, providing you maintain your high-spirited nature as well as your determination and stamina. Collaborating with an interesting party will lead to a meaningful venture. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- You shouldn’t assume that everyone is as honest as you are. Do your homework before accepting a tempting offer. An exciting new prospect may come with strings attached.
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ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- There is no need to be envious. Devote your energy to your goals, and you will be successful. Precious time will be wasted if you get caught up making comparisons.
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Previous Solution
Monday- Very Easy Tuesday-Easy Wednesday- Easy Thursday- Medium Friday - Hard
Instructions: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. That means that no number is repeated in any row, column or box.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- Consider the consequences before rushing into a situation, or you may end up repeating past errors. Make sure to take a long look at any proposition that comes your way. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -Don’t sell yourself short. Be proud of all you have experienced and accomplished. Expanding your social circle will provide you with influential new associations. Put your assets front and center. CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- Don’t be reluctant to act quickly if an opportunity arises. The offer may be revoked if you are too slow to accept, and you could lose a chance to advance your position. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Get
team effort will be beneficial to your current situation.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- While your professional profile may be strong, a personal relationship may be weakening. Allot some time to take care of your home, family, friendships and any other connection you deem important. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- Maximize the positive energy that currently surrounds you. It’s likely that your current colleagues will play a key role in your future plans. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- It’s fine to follow your dreams, but be honest about your intentions. Don’t make any false promises if you want to continue to get the necessary help to reach your goals. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Romance is highlighted. Take a chance and get involved in a project that interests you. A sudden change of plans will take you by surprise and bring you a tasty reward. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -Refuse to be bullied into something that you don’t agree with. Be flexible, and try to arrange a compromise that will suit everyone. Don’t say something you may regret later. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- Keep abreast of what’s going on around you. Focus on collaborating with influential people. Consider the past before renewing contact with an old friend or lover.
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WESTWOOD POOL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES Asst Aquatic Mgr AM - $9.75 - $10.75/hr Asst Aquatic Mgr PM $9.75 - $10.75/hr Office Mgr/Cashier AM - $8.50 - $9.50/hr Cashier - $7.25 - $8.25/hr Instructor/Lifeguard - $8.50 - $9.50/hr Maintenance Worker - $7.25 - $8.25/hr Lifeguard/Water Slide - $7.25 - $8.25/hr If you are interested in any of these positions, please access our website to find out the minimum qualifications. Selected applicants must pass background investigation, physical exam, and drug screen. A complete job announcement and application are available at www.normanok.gov/hr/hr-job-postings. To request an application, call (405) 366-5482, or visit us at 201-C West Gray, Human Resources Dept., City of Norman. EOE
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Universal Crossword Edited by Timothy E. Parker March 25, 2014
ACROSS 1 Milky-white gem 5 Current measures 9 Abnormal breathing sounds 14 Baby doll’s word 15 Empty truck’s weight 16 Leave out in pronunciation 17 Skillet material 18 “Put a lid ___!� 19 Icy forecast 20 Consider carefully 23 Pricey 24 Unconscious 25 Tries to buy time 29 Brown brew 30 Speed, to a DJ 33 Attractive one 34 Agra garment 36 Like desert growth 37 Makeup swab 40 Ball-___ hammer 41 They may be wild or sown 42 Had the nerve 43 Stat that concerns pitchers 44 Shipboard direction 3/25
45 Old computer accessories 46 Keebler character 47 College exam type 49 Have birthdays pile up 57 Insect’s final stage 58 Casa kitchen crock 59 Oratorio piece 60 Stable female 61 Flow gradually through cracks 62 Honeycomb compartment 63 Classic Kilmer poem 64 “In ___� (actually) 65 Visibly healthy DOWN 1 Give off 2 Introduction to psychology? 3 Crazed way to run 4 Country road 5 Redeems wrongs 6 Tropical ray 7 Earlier in time (with “to�) 8 Words before fire or price 9 Come to one’s aid
10 Divvy up 11 In ___ of (replacing) 12 Paradise lost 13 Paving block 21 Good-fornothing 22 Baby’s complaint 25 “Land� or “sea� ending 26 Edible root 27 Not docked 28 MGM mascot 29 Fine and liberal things 30 Vintage 31 Introduction or preface 32 Uses a darning egg 34 Airline availability 35 Aardvark’s quarry 36 Galaxy component
38 Variety headline 39 In an unconventional manner 44 Metallic mixtures 45 Cheese on a cracker 46 Aerie inhabitant 47 Gawks at 48 Makes angry 49 Package under the Christmas tree 50 Arabian chieftain 51 Account of incidents 52 Victory margin, at times 53 Made for ___ other 54 Vicinity 55 Junior brook 56 Store event
PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
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4
• Tuesday, March 25, 2014
SPORTS
OUDaily.com ›› Softball star Lauren Chamberlain will be out for six weeks because of a back injury.
Julia Nelson, sports editor Joe Mussatto, assistant editor dailysports@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/sports • Twitter: @OUDailySports
THEY CALL HER Las Vegas is known for its flashing lights and fun atmosphere. So, it only makes sense that OU’s flashiest player, Aaryn Ellenberg, came from the entertainment capital of the world.
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She’s just one of those kids who gives you confidence. She’s so good, and just the way she is, it makes you want to play well for her. When she looks at you and tells you that you need to make an open shot, you do it because you know how much she does for the team.” MORGAN HOOK, SENIOR GUARD
BRETT COPPENBARGER WOMEN’S BASKETBALL BEAT REPORTER
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enior guard Aaryn Ellenberg, who was given the nickname Vegas by coach Sherri Coale, started playing basketball at the age of 9. Her mom didn’t want her lying around the house being lazy. Little did she know, the encouragement she received from her mother would eventually turn her into the second-leading scorer at a history-rich basketball program like OU. Ellenberg began playing Amateur Athletic Union basketball while also playing on her middle school team. When she was a freshman in high school, the recruiting process began for the talented guard, but the jump from Las Vegas to the Midwest wasn’t as hard of a decision for Ellenberg as you might think. “I ran into OU and really didn’t k n o w t o o m u c h a b o u t t h e m ,” Ellenberg said. “At that point in time, you can go on as many official visits as you want to, just to check places out. But I ended up coming here, and I fell in love with the place and everything they were about, and I made my decision pretty early.” G etting E llenberg to commit early was big for Coale and the Sooners. Ellenberg was expected to visit Big 12 rival Baylor before she committed to the Sooner state but decided not to because OU felt right. “It was great, because I thought she committed for the right reasons. She came here and said it felt right, and it’s a place where she wanted to become a member of the family and wanted to make her mark, and she stayed true to that all the way through,” Coale said. Ellenberg had to find her place once she got to OU. The Sooners were full of upperclassmen and big-time scorers like Danielle Robinson and Whitney Hand. While it could have been a difficult transition for Ellenberg, she said the older leaders on the team really helped her along. “When I got here, I was sure that I was in the right place, and everyone was pretty accepting of me. I had the skills and everything I needed, so all I had to do was go out there and prove it to everybody else,” Ellenberg said. “I looked up to D-Rob (Robinson) a lot. She was an All-American at the time, and it was her senior year, so I soaked up as much as I could while playing with her. Also playing with Whitney Hand helped a lot, too. The overall way she just conducted herself as a person — you really can’t help but to learn from her.” Ellenberg wasted no time making a name for herself at OU, but that didn’t stop her from getting nervous. She had to calm her nerves before the tip of her first road game at Ohio State her freshman year. “I normally don’t work myself up over things. People say that I’m pretty relaxed. But in our first road game, it was a different situation because it was my first one, and we’re on the road against a top ranked team, but I think I ended having 34 in the game or something like that.” Ellenberg got her first taste of bigtime scoring at the college level, and she wasn’t going to look back. She went on to average 16 points a game her freshman year and served as a great role player behind star Danielle Robinson. When Robinson graduated, Ellenberg knew it was her time to shine. “My freshman year, the focus was on D-Rob most of the time, so all I had to do was move and get open and then make the shot,” Ellenberg said. “Her moving on meant that it was time for someone to step up and take on some more responsibility.” Ellenberg was an honorable mention on the All-Big 12 team after her freshman year. With the team now looking to her as its go-to scorer, she put her game in another gear. She averaged 15 points per game her sophomore year before she bumped that total up her junior and senior years scoring an average of more than 18 points per game. She made the AllBig 12 team all three of her final years. “She’s just a prolific scorer and offensive player that can create her own shots,” Coale said. With all that scoring, Ellenberg was quickly climbing
the ranks of OU’s scoring list. On a Thursday night game in February in Lloyd Noble Center, Ellenberg scored 18 points, passing Phylesha Whaley (2,187 points) for second on OU’s all-time scoring list, behind only Courtney Paris. Ellenberg admits she didn’t know much about the program’s history when she first got on campus, but she started to realize the importance of being a part of it when former players came back and told stories of their playing days. “Once you get here, a lot of the alumni start to come back so you get to know them and the history and how special some of those past teams were and individual players, as well,” Ellenberg said. “So being in this position now, I definitely think it’s a great accomplishment because we’ve had so many great players come through this program. We’ve had a lot of capable scorers, so to be second on that list behind Courtney (Paris), who is probably the greatest player to ever play here, it’s pretty special.” Ellenberg said the scoring is nice, but she’s more about team-oriented accomplishments. “I’m not too big on individual statistics and whatnot, but at the same time, knowing that you’re going to leave something behind and leave a mark in some sort of a way, I think that’s pretty special to me,” she said. “I mean it’s history; you can’t erase that.” Teammate and senior guard, Morgan Hook, echoed the fact that Ellenberg was a team player. “She’s just one of those kids who gives you confidence,” Hook said. “She’s so good, and just the way she is, it makes you want to play well for her. When she looks at you and tells you that you need to make an open shot, you do it because you know how much she does for the team.” Hook gave an example of Ellenberg’s confidence when reflecting on the NCAA tournament last year, when the team was trying to make it to the Sweet 16. “When we played UCLA last year to go to the Sweet 16, she just told us, ‘Come on guys, I’m taking us to the Sweet 16.’ She showed it that night. She made shots that were ESPN top 10 shots,” Hook said. “From that point on, we knew this girl was going places, and I wanted to hitch my ride with her.” Ellenberg shared her love for her teammates when asked what her favorite memories were at OU. “Really, just every moment with my teammates. I don’t think people realize how much we are together from being on the court to off the court, Ellenberg said. They are your life. They are your family now. The only time we aren’t together is when we are going to class or sleeping.” Vegas even recalls a time where she and her teammates got their golf cart driving privileges revoked after crashing one of the carts on campus. “We had this activity where we were copying off of the TV show, ‘The Amazing Race,’ so we all got on to teams, and each team got a golf cart. One of the assistant coaches placed some clues around campus that we were supposed to go find to figure out what to do next,” Ellenberg said. “So we were racing like it was ‘Need for Speed,’ or NASCAR or something like that, and we ended up crashing one of the golf carts. Anything turns into a competition for us.” Ellenberg’s career at Oklahoma is over now. OU received a bid to the NCAA tournament but couldn’t make it past DePaul. Through it all, Ellenberg said she has no regrets. “I couldn’t have picked a better place to be these last four years. I’ve grown in so many different ways as a person and as a player as well. That’s due to the people I’ve had around me, and I’ll be grateful for that forever.” Brett Coppenbarger, Brett.C.Coppenbarger-1@ou.edu
UNIVERSITY THEATRE HELMERICH SCHOOL OF DRAMA
With characteristic compassion and humor, Chekhov holds up a magnifying glass to the foibles of being human.
The Cherry Orchard By Anton Chekov
Susan Shaughnessy, Director
8 pm April 4-5, 10-12 3 pm April 6, 13
Weitzenhoffer Theatre. Rated G OU Fine Arts Box Office
(405) 325-4101
OU ARTS DISTRICT
The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution. ou.edu/eoo