April 17, 2014
W W W. V S U S P E C TAT o r . C o m
Inside This Issue
Check out more photos of the SGA debate on the web!
- oPinionS: night shuttle can’t go to sleep - FEATUrES: new publication provides an alternative for women
- SPorTS: VSU star approaches homerun title
Today at VSU vote vsu! - SGA elections are underway on the VSU homepage. So get out and vote! blazing cookout - Career opportunities and Student Employment offices are hosting the finale cookout on the PE Complex field at 5:30 p.m. sevyn streeter - CAB will be hosting the Spring Concert featuring Sevyn Streeter at the PE Complex at 7 p.m. Please bring a valid VSU id to enter. hope - need help with the woes of the job hunt? A seminar is being held from 11 a.m. to noon in the Student Union meeting room two to do exactly that!
Tuition rising, again Jordan Hill A S S t. o P i n i o n S E d i t o r
jorhill@valdosta.edu
for the third year in a row, VSU’s tuition will increase by 2.5 percent. VSU’s current tuition per semester is $1989.60, not including fees. With the 2.5 percent increase, semester tuition will rise to approximately $2,068.60. Student fees will then add another $955 to the tuition total. the USG’s Board of regents chose to increase the university’s tuition due to the lack of state funding.
USG is funded 50 percent by Georgia and 50 percent by tuition. USG Vice Chancellor for fiscal Affairs John Brown believes the tuition increase is necessary to keep Georgia universities running smoothly. “our differential tuition strategy gives us the flexibility to set tuition at rates that ensure our institutions can fulfill their instructional mission but also address the affordability concerns of students and parents, particularly at our access institutions,” Brown said in an interview
with WJBf. Brown presented the tuition plan to the Board of regents during a meeting at the University of north Georgia. the Board of regents is “mindful and sensitive to ensuring broad access to college,” Chancellor hank huckaby said in an interview with WJBf. “if we’re already covering our 50 percent, i think the increase is unnecessary,” Casie Wright, junior early childhood education major, said. “if we’re not covering 50 percent, then it’s okay.”
heal and be well - A panel co-sponsored by Campus Wellness and department of Philosophy & religious Studies will examine the relationship between chronic illness, spirituality, and healing. the event will be held from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Bailey Science Center, room 3009
This Day in History “Houston” on this day in 1970, apollo 13 made its way back home to earth after suffering a severe malfunction mid-voyage. Disaster struck 200,000 miles from earth, when oxygen tank two exploded. The event prompted astronaut John Swigert to make the legendary announcement, “houston, we've had a problem here.”
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Check out John Preer’s story, “Rock the planet at Drexel,” on the web!
SGA election: voting up and running Joe Adgie SoCiAL MEdiA Editor
jmadgie@valdosta.edu
Students can vote online today and tomorrow in the SGA election. Voting started at midnight last night and will continue until 11:59 p.m. tomorrow night. headlining the elections are presidential candidates tyler Barker and tamelonie thomas, who both spoke of their platforms on Wednesday. “i believe a lot of power is in the student body,” thomas said during the debate on Wednesday night. “this is our campus, and our changes that we want to see can be done by all of us.” thomas also expressed a desire to improve VSU’s retention rate. “here at VSU, we do have a low retention rate for students,” thomas said. “i feel as if this can be improved if we, as the student body, took it to ourselves to reach out to someone, your fellow Blazer−reach out and get to know them. “Because once someone has a support system that’s standard, and they know it’s there for them, that’s going to make them second guess leaving and going to another school,” thomas said. thomas also wants student organizations to reach out
and work with other organizations. “A lot of different organizations want to have more mixture in their programs and in the services that they do, and i would encourage each organization to take the first step,” thomas said. “the first step is outreaching to other organizations you would like to partner with.” thomas also hopes to inspire the members of the legislative board. her opponent, tyler Barker, spoke in detail about his platform. “My platform, essentially, stands for student empowerment, pride, tradition and unity,” Barker said. “i want the university to be aware of the amount of power that we actually have. “Essentially, we all came together as one against the masses. We actually have more power than President McKinney himself, but a lot of students just don’t know it,” Barker said. Barker said that the SGA is at “a very strong place” and that he would like the organization to reach out to people not involved. Barker also mentioned how hard it is to get the faculty senate to listen to the students concerning issues such as academic scheduling. “right now, we’re having a See SGA, Page 2
SGA contestants without challenge Joe Adgie SoCiAL MEdiA Editor
Source: History.com
Weather
VoLUmE 86 iSSUE 12
jaadgie@valdosta.edu
Carlin Morrison / The SPeCTaTor
VSU students and faculty participate in the Clothesline Project on the mall. The project raises awareness towards domestic violence against women and children.
Night shuttle good to go Will Lewis Editor-in-ChiEf walewis@valdosta.edu
despite claims made by the night operations team employees that change is coming to the night shuttle service, VSU officials are assuring students that the night shuttle will continue to operate. A n.o.t. employee alleged that a statement made at a recent meeting informed night shuttle drivers that, due to the Affordable Care Act, their employment may change. the official stance of the housing and residence Life department is that the ACA will not play a role in the n.o.t.’s future, with dr. tom hardy, director of housing and residence life, calling the idea “ridiculous.” “this whole thing has gotten confangled,” dr. hardy said. “it almost sounds like an old telephone game. this one said this, and this one
said that. the shuttle service is continuing in operation like it always has for the rest of the semester; nothing’s changing in regards to that. “Somebody is going to be running shuttle in the fall. it’s not like we are discontinuing the service or anything. So i’m not sure where this whole health care thing came from; it has nothing to do with health care,” dr. hardy said. dr. hardy went on to say that any changes brought on by the ACA will definitely not affect night shuttle operations. “(the night shuttle is) a safety concern,” dr. hardy said. “Someone at this university has always had to run night operations so people can stay safe. that’s the most important thing in the world.” rumors of the potential shutdown began after a March 9 meeting, where employees were allegedly told that the service would be dis-
continued. “(Arian Bryant) told us that due to the new obamacare, if an employee works over 19 hours, (VSU has) to pay for our health insurance, and VSU can’t afford that,” Joseph rigsby, night shuttle employee, said. Bryant, n.o.t. leader, said that rigsby may have missed some of the information relayed in the meeting. “i’m unable to speak on it,” Bryant said. “As far as what Joe rigsby told you, he did not tell you the whole story. he gave you a partial story.” Bryant refused to elaborate on the statement he made at the meeting. instead he asked for questions to be directed to ryan teeter, assistant director of housing for residential facilities. teeter was reached Wednesday but refused to comment. See SHUTTLE, Page 2
nick Buford and tamelia hall are running uncontested for the vice president and comptroller (respectively) of the SGA. Buford, who is a running mate to presidential candidate tyler Barker, hopes to “improve the student experience.” “My job is basically going to be to implement the president’s plan, but carrying that out through the senate and through the order of the senate,” Buford said on tuesday. “Basically, what i’ve been running on for my part of the platform has been accessibility, accountability and transparency.” Buford wants to require that delegates to student organizations be senators. “if there’s a senator that’s in the BSL (Black Student League), i want them to be our go-to contact person for BSL, and the same thing for the BSL toward the SGA, and the same thing for every other organization that we can get that to happen with on campus,” Buford said. Buford said students must hold the SGA accountable as the SGA holds the VSU administration accountable. “We just want to make sure
that we’re catering to the students and improving the overall student experience,” Buford said. “We want to be as open as possible−communicating with the Spectator, using media arts geniuses to get things out to the student body, making sure our records are open on the website, and making sure that students feel comfortable coming to us and talking to us about any concern that they may have,” Buford said. hall will be the next comptroller, having served as the president pro tempore during the past year. “i want to make sure that organizations get money when they need it,” hall said. “i want to make sure they’re informed. A lot of them don’t know they can get money or get help when they need it.” hall said things have run smoothly with current comptroller Erica Adams but displayed some bewilderment over the new fee allocation systems. “it was a little confusing this year because it was kind of a new way to do it,” hall said. nobody is running for SGA secretary. that seat will be filled by a special election in the fall.
News
PAge 2 | vsusPectAtoR.com Upcoming Events
APRIL 17, 2014 SCHEDULE
April 19 S.A.V.E. is hosting its annual Earth Day Festival from 1-4 p.m. in Drexel Park. There will be live music featuring Earth Tribe Revival, over 20 local vendors including nonprofits as well as places such as Smoothie King and The Main Squeeze, arts & crafts and free food. This event is completely free. The American Cancer Society’s Bark for Life will be held from 1-3 p.m. on the front lawn. It is a canine event to fight cancer. There will be dog walks, activities, snacks, music and more. For more information, contact Chelsea at cbbartholomew@valdosta.edu. Deep Release Poetry Society will present “#WorkPoet,” a poetry workshop to encourage creative insight, from 1-5 p.m. in Student Union Meeting Room 1 A and B. April 22 The Gay Straight Alliance will host a silent protest in honor of the Day of Silence from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information or if you’d like to participate, contact Megan Pugh at mlpugh@valdosta.edu. The Georgia Department of Labor’s Valdosta Career Center and several other local organizations will cosponsor a career expo. The expo will be held from 1-4 p.m. in Brooks Hall, Building 500, at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College at 4089 Val Tech Rd.
Sierra King/THE SPECTATOR
Relay for Life was held on the front lawn from 7 p.m., April 11 till the morning of April 12. This year’s theme was “Game Over Cancer.” Common Mind, a local neo-soul band, performed several songs for the crowd while attendees participated in games and visited booths that sold snacks to raise money for cancer research and awareness.
SHUTTLE Continued from Page 1 Jayvone Smith, night shuttle employee, said that employee hours may be the only thing at stake. “(Employment) would be changed for the allotment of hours; we aren’t losing our jobs,” Smith said. “(The ACA) is affecting everybody with grad assistantships and everything else. “It wasn’t that we are definitely losing our jobs because we don’t know yet. Instead of working 39 hours a week,
they are saying that we might be able to work no more than 1,300 hours annually,” Smith said. Hours aside, the service is popular among students. Rigsby said that the shuttle averages approximately 800 riders a week. Will Jimerson, SGA president, emphasized the importance of the night shuttle service. “The university is going to have to continue this service, no matter if they’re considering it or not, because it is a
Continued from Page 1 hard time expressing the opinion of the students because we’re so few in numbers,” Barker said, noting that not many students attend these meetings. “With student empowerment, we’d get a group of students together to go to these meetings, representing the student body with 25 to 50 visitors so our voice would be heard. “VSU has a lot to offer,” Barker said. “My favorite word to describe VSU is ‘potential.’ When we look at pride and tradition, it all
starts with the freshmen. President McKinney is already trying to revamp the freshman convocation. “Essentially, my vision for the freshman convocation is for all freshmen, within their first few days of move-in, to go to Whitehead Auditorium. When they go to this place, they see an NAACP president, they see a Gay Straight Alliance president, they see a CPC president, they see an IFC president, and they see an SGA president. To vote in the SGA election, go to valdosta.edu and click on the picture link near the top of the page that advertises the election.
safety issue, or a safety precaution, that we have in place for our students,” Jimerson said. Jimerson also suggested an alternative theory to what could be going on with the service. “I think the speculation now is that it may just be a realignment on our campus because right now Night Operations runs out of Housing, but it may be a realignment for it to move somewhere else; but we don’t know at this time,” Jimerson said.
Police Briefs April 15 A Georgia Hall resident assistant reported smelling marijuana coming from a second-floor room. James R. Mehrhof, 18, of Auburn, Ga., was arrested and charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana and underage possession of alcohol. April 13 A student named Brianna
reported that her iPad was stolen/lost on April 11. April 12 A driver was pulled over by the Georgia Avenue and Oak Street intersection for driving with an expired tag. Several students reported being threatened by a VSU student at the Relay for Life event on the front lawn. The subject threatened to
shoot them with a gun he had in his car and then drove off in a gray Honda Civic. It is believed that the offender was a resident of Centennial Hall. April 10 A caller reported her car, parked in the Sustella parking deck, vandalized. Both rear tires of her black PT Cruiser were flat.
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Our point of view...
Night shuttle can’t go to sleep W
hen word got around that the night shuttle may be coming to an end, many students became concerned. the night shuttle is a must-have service offered by the university. It gives students a piece of mind knowing they don’t have to walk across campus in the middle of the night. Walking around at night can be sketchy, especially with inadequate lighting around campus. also, with a lack of visible security, students are in-
clined to want a service such as the night shuttle. recent crimes on campus (armed robbery, murder, stabbing) justly call for students to speak up and tell administration what they want. With pick-up spots in four different locations around campus, the shuttle keeps the safety level of campus up. It also helps the image of VSu to let current and prospective students know that the campus is safe 24/7. after hearing concerns
from students, the housing department said it was not going to end the night shuttle operations. dr. tom Hardy, director of housing and residence life, does not know where the rumors came from but was very adamant in letting people know that the service was not going to end. “It almost sounds like an old telephone game,” Hardy said. “this one said this, and this one said that. the shuttle service is continuing in operation like it always has for the rest of the semester;
nothing’s changing in regards to that.” Hardy cited safety as the main reason for keeping the night shuttle operating. “Someone at this university has always had to run night operations so people can stay safe,” Hardy said. “that’s the most important thing in the world.” the initial rumor was that the shuttle was going to halt operations because, according to a graduate assistant of the night operations team, the university didn’t want to pay for the health care of
night operations employees. “(arian Bryant) told us that due to the new ‘obamacare,’ if an employee works over 19 hours, (the school) has to pay for our health insurance, and VSu can’t afford that,” Joe rigsby, junior night operations employee, said. If VSu ever considers getting rid of the night shuttle, they need to hire more than three security guards to ensure that students get to their destination safely. With the number of people that benefit from the
shuttle every week, it is smart for VSu to keep it in operation. rigsby said the service transports around 800 students a week; the service is obviously not going unnoticed. We here at the Spectator are strongly against the night shuttle going away. It is a big part of campus safety, and VSu needs to keep it around. express your opinion by sending the staff a tweet at @vsuspectator
This editorial was written by a member of the editorial staff and expresses the general opinion of the editorial staff.
Pipeline proves destructive LaMarcus Wilkerson a S S t . f e at u r e S edItor
lkwilkerson@valdosta.edu
fracking, a technique used to extract natural gas from earth by drilling at 10,000 ft. below the surface, is destroying our planet. Local investors have been considering the possibility of building a pipeline that’ll run from alabama through Lowndes County and stretch into central florida. Students against Violating the environment (S.a.V.e) is a VSu environmental organization that’s making an effort to keep greedy supporters from investing in this forceful extraction process. Straining earth’s surface to extract oil is both cruel and
abusive. However, 300,000 barrels of natural gas are produced daily from fracking rigs, creating numerous jobs and making petroleum production increasingly profitable.
But is it really worth the risk? the effect fracking has on earth is horrendous, and it has the potential to destroy some of our most basic needs. Many hazardous chemicals such as mercury, radium and lead are blended into fracking
mixtures. Since the process takes place underground, the possibility of contaminating fresh water is high. How are we supposed to survive if our water is tainted? We can’t.
If anyone drinks the venom created by fracking, they will be affected internally. Internal damage from poisonous water can harm the sensory, respiratory, and neurological systems. also, fracking fluid can escape from the pipeline and evaporate into the atmos-
phere, causing the air to be contaminated. We need oxygen to survive. even though fracking is an effective technique to produce gas, it is detrimental to our planet’s environmental health. If earth’s wellbeing is affected, our very lives will be in jeopardy. I understand that many people are dependent on natural gas. But as technology evolves, we should become less dependent on fossil fuels and invest more in less hazardous sources of natural energy. a pipeline that reaches deep into the earth isn’t the most pleasant thing to hear about. and I’m pretty sure if you were in Mother nature’s shoes, you wouldn’t want a tube forced into your belly.
Understanding depression Jordan Hill a S S t. o p I n I o n S edItor
jorhill@valdosta.edu
although tumblr bans users who promote depression, self-harm or suicide, the users are still all over the site. While some users find sympathy and help from other users, the users sometimes encourage self-harm instead of deterring it. depression is a sickness that sometimes forces people to harm themselves by cutting their wrists or even com-
mitting suicide. It may feel good to have others understand the pain you’re going through, but self-harm and suicide are not things that should be encouraged. to support others while they battle an illness is completely different than giving suggestions as to how they should hurt themselves. It is understandable that depressed individuals want someone to talk to and confide in. While that may provide hope to some, others see it as a “trigger.” a trigger
makes a previous self-harmer want to start cutting all over again. depression is a disease that no one but the person going through it can understand. So what you may think is a harmless joke may be a trigger to those hearing it. the common saying, “just go kill yourself” or “I’d rather kill myself” is not something that should be said. Jokes that encourage depression, self-harm or suicide are unacceptable. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in america.
this number can be lowered. rather than encouraging and romanticizing this problem, people should seek to put an end to it. through the right treatment and support system, a positive solution can be found. depression and self-harm should not be glamorized. It needs to be understood, acknowledged, supported and hopefully done away with. the Suicide prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) is available at all times to help anyone experiencing depression or suicidal thoughts.
People Poll What do you think of the possibility of the night shuttle being shut down ? Michaela Washington junior pre-athletic training major “It’s a big safety hazard. Crime is a problem here, and if you shut the buses down you have people walking back and forth. It’s definitely not a good idea.”
Khiry Veney junior theatre major “You never know what could happen. It’s a safer choice to have the night shuttle running.”
Makenzie Davis freshman criminal justice major “Students are more prone to getting robbed, raped, or getting into fights at night.”
Check out the Video People Poll online at: youtube.com/ValdostaSpectator
Electives make well-rounded students John Stephen CopY edItor
jsstephen@valdosta.edu
as the frenzy and stress that accompanies the end of the semester descends like a weight upon campus, many students may question why they are required to take so many classes, especially electives that are not relevant to their major. electives, however, are not a waste of time; they are essential in building a student’s foundation for their college years, careers and all other post-college endeavors.
electives help students discover the major and career path they want to pursue, and students need all the help they can get when choosing a major. Half of the students who declare a major when first entering college end up changing it, according to dr. fritz Grupe of MyMajors.com, a site that assists students with college and career planning. uC Berkeley’s Career Center said these students will end up changing their major not just once but three to five times. When students decide they
are unsatisfied with their current major, electives inform students what options are available. they introduce students to a variety of fields and topics that they most likely would not experience if they were only required to take courses within their major. electives let students dip their toes into a certain pool of study, which is a chance to assess a major’s merits before diving completely into it. as a result, students are better prepared to make a wise, appropriate major choice. Many students will choose
a post-college career that is unrelated to their major. electives provide students with basic knowledge on a myriad of subjects, and that knowledge may prove to be the key in snagging a job that isn’t connected to a student’s main area of study. Likewise, an elective course may give students access to a job field that would otherwise be restricted from them. electives don’t only help a student’s career; they also help to produce a well-rounded college graduate who flourishes in several different interests. a student may enter
Spectator Staff Editor-in-Chief: Will Lewis Managing Editor: olivia McLean Business Manager: Kristen Varney Advertising Manager: aimee napier Circulation Manager: Sara turner Opinions Editor: elan Waite Features Editor: Hillary Straba
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an elective class begrudgingly, mourning the fact that it is required, but come out of the same class with a newfound fascination, hobby or even passion. the electives college students take will also widen their sphere of understanding through the exploration of different cultures, places, art forms, etc. Such learning makes students more aware and responsive to the rest of humanity. the benefits of taking electives are numerous and wideranging, but many students fail to see them because these
benefits aren’t reaped until after graduation; instead, students see yet another course to steal away their time and exhaust them with work. no discipline, academic or otherwise, seems pleasant at the moment, but rather painful; however, later on such discipline provides many gains to those who are trained by it. While electives may seem to be a pointless, unnecessary way to spend time in college, they will prove to be profitable in many ways after those college days come to an end.
Contacting Us Faculty Advisers: dr. pat Miller, dr. ted Geltner, Keith Warburg Reporters/Photographers: Stephen Cavallaro, Jessica Cooke, allison ericson, eric Jackson ,Jordan Hill, tyra Mills, Isaiah Smart ,taylor Stone, alexis Waters, Christopher Webb, Lamarcus Wilkerson
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Online at www.vsuspectator.com opinions expressed in the Spectator other than editorials are the opinions of the writers of signed columns and not necessarily those of the Spectator and its staff. all rights reserved. reprints by permission of the editors. Views in this newspaper are not necessarily those of the Valdosta State university administration, faculty and staff.
PAge 4 | vsusPectAtoR.com
Features
New publication provides an alternative for women Rikysha Williams S ta f f W r i t e r riwilliams@valdosta.edu
More than 60 percent of VSU students are women, and now they have a publication that speaks directly to them. Launched on March 4, Her Campus Valdosta is an online magazine that empowers, enlightens and entertains VSU women. ariel Hairston, president and editor-in-chief, started a Her Campus chapter at VSU because she wanted a more entertaining and lighthearted source of journalism on campus.
“i felt like students at VSU could use an entertainment magazine,” Hairston said. “i knew that it would help english and mass media majors who were considering working for a magazine such as Seventeen or Cosmopolitan.” according to the Her Campus website, contributors have been offered jobs and internships with Glamour, Vogue, Vanity fair, Marie Claire, People, teen Vogue, inStyle, Lucky, O magazine, MtV and the Washington Post. the Valdosta chapter of Her Campus gives young journalists the opportunity to write about what interests
them while gaining knowledge and experience about how publications work. Writers for Her Campus Valdosta come from majors that range from interior design and dance to english and mass media. the editorial team loves writing, whether it is part of their major or just a hobby. “the content discussed is mainly style, beauty, health, love, life and career,” Hairston said. the online magazine has a campus style blog which features stylish women on campus. there is also a campus celebrity section so students can be featured on the site.
Students to experience life without any sound Abbie Baggerly S ta f f W r i t e r rabaggerly@valdosta.edu
What’s your sign? VSU’s american Sign Language Club will host its annual Deaf, Deaf World event on april 25 in Student Union Ballrooms a, B and C. for student convenience, Deaf, Deaf World will be split into two sessions: 1011:30 a.m. and 12:30-2 p.m. “Deaf, Deaf World is an event that brings the community together, and it raises awareness of the deaf culture/community in Valdosta and Lowndes County,” Brandon Gaskin, deaf community advocate, said. the event gives those who can hear the chance to step
inside someone else’s shoes and experience what people who are deaf face every day. Upon arrival, participants will sign in and enter the ballroom where they will be asked to remain silent for the duration of the event. individuals will have the opportunity to learn basic sign language that will help them overcome different obstacles throughout the event. the obstacles are what make this year’s event different. “in the past, we had different tables set up for students that would represent things such as banks, and they have to figure out how to communicate what they wanted to do,” Gaskin said. “this year is different; we
will have three different rooms where students will not only learn about the communication obstacles that deaf (people) face, but they will also learn about deaf history, resources and so much more,” Gaskin said. Deaf, Deaf World usually has 400-500 people attend every year, and many professors offer extra credit for participating in the event.
When: April 25 Where: Student Union Ballrooms A, B and C Time: 10-11:30 a.m., 12:30-2 p.m. Cost: Free
Other content includes product reviews and do-it-yourself articles. Her Campus is highly recognized by various publications such as the Huffington Post. founded in 2009, Her Campus was started by three Harvard undergraduate women who ran Harvard’s lifestyle and fashion magazine. Since its beginning, students have started Her Campus chapters at 230 colleges in six countries. Students interested in reading Her Campus Valdosta can visit hercampus.com/valdosta.
APRIL 17, 2014
VSU’s meeting of the minds
Carlin Morrison/ THE SPECTATOR Students and faculty gathered at the Undergraduate Research Symposium last Thursday in the Student Union Ballrooms.
Log-on to read LaMarcus Wilkerson’s review of the latest episode of “Game of Thrones.” www.vsuspectator.com
SportS
APRIL 17, 2014
Tennis looks to postseason play Lia Armistead S p o rt S W r i t e r jparmistead@valdosta.edu
As the tennis season starts to dwindle down, the men and women will travel today to Montgomery, Ala., to compete in the Gulf South Conference tournament. Nine different teams will compete in a tournament lasting four days, including No. 1 West Florida, No. 6 North Alabama, No. 7 Christian Brothers, No. 13 Valdosta State, No. 25 West Alabama, Delta State, AlabamaHuntsville, Shorter and Lee. the tournament begins with the men’s team serving up No. 6 North Alabama in the quarterfinals at 9 a.m. From there, the winner of match one, DSU or UAH, faces two-time defending champions UWF Friday. the winner of match two, UWA or CBU, will play the winner
of match three in the semifinals. the finals will take place on Saturday with the winner of match four playing the winner of match five. the Blazers shut out UNA 9-0 last month in their only meeting this season. the men’s team is led by freshman Francisco Yim Kim, who is ranked No. 35 in the nation for singles. in order to win the tournament, the competitors will have to defeat UWF, who defeated both the Blazers and the Lady Blazers 5-0 this season. the No. 15 Lady Blazers start off the tournament against UWF in the quarterfinals at 1:30 p.m. on thursday. After those matches, the winning teams move onto the semifinals with the winner of match one, UWF or CBU, playing the winner of match two, UWA or UAH,
and the winner of match three, VSU or UWG, playing the winner of match four, UNA or DSU. the finals will consist of the winner of match four playing the winner of match five. VSU is bringing competi-
tion to the tournament with their doubles team Michelle Fischer and Sabrina Schmidt being ranked No. 21 in the doubles top 25. After being defeated last season, the Lady Blazers hope to make it back to the championship match.
Softball regular season comes to an end this weekend Rashad Milligan S p o rt S W r i t e r jrmilligan@valdosta.edu
the last regular season series for the No. 21 Valdosta State softball squad begins tomorrow evening. VSU (36-12, 16-9) will face off against Lee University (20-22, 10-14) in Steel’s Diamond at Blazer park, with a doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m. and ending with a Saturday game at 1 p.m. For many Blazers, this is a great moment to reflect on regular season and career memories. Before tuesday’s practice, freshman infield
standout Chelsea Canara expressed her gratitude for the experience she has gained at VSU. “i feel really blessed to have the opportunity to play and start to help out the team,” Canara said. Helping out is something that Canara has done for the Blazers all season. Last Sunday, the Milton, Ga., native put West Georgia away with 3 runs batted in, highlighted by a late game home run in the team’s 7-1 victory.
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APRIL 17, 2014
VSU star approaches home run title Shane Thomas S p o rt S W r i t e r shanethomas@valdosta.edu
three years, two-time Gulf South Conference player of the Year, 57 career home runs, and one national championship−Valdosta State softball sensation Courtney Albritton has put together quite the career. only a junior, Albritton made history in the fifth inning of the Blazers’ 7-1 win over West Georgia. Her 21st blast of the season staked her claim as the new home-run queen for VSU softball. Coincidentally, in the game prior, West Georgia senior third-baseman Nicole Yancey set the GSC career home runs record with 58 homers. trailing Yancey by a single home run, Albritton will undoubtedly have a chance to set the GSC career mark and build a cushion during the remainder of this season and throughout her senior season. “With the record, i try not to think about it at all,” Albritton said. “i just try to have fun and play the game. obviously, i just want to win and if that’s part of winning, (then so be it).” While Albritton’s on-field
dominance is certainly impressive, head coach thomas Macera lauds Albritton’s demeanor, leadership and influence on his club. “She instantly gets the respect of the team because she’s a doer; she’s not a talker,” Macera said. “She’s an instant leader because she’s very humble; she’s very quiet and just goes out there and performs. She performs day in, day out−it’s not streaky, it’s not once-in-a-while, it’s every day. “this young lady does everything in her power to make herself better, and that’s why she’s as good as she is,” Macera said. Albritton’s consistency on the field is a product of the work she puts in on the practice field. Macera believes the willingness to work is what makes Albritton such a special player. “Her work ethic is unbelievable,” Macera said. “[As a coach], you’d wish your whole ball club had that work ethic. She just never takes a day off, and she’s always, always working on her game.” “When i see the things i need to work on, that’s the stuff i work on during my days off,” Albritton added. “i just enjoy softball, and i love
“ This lady does
everything in her power to make herself better, and that’s why she’s as she is. ” - Tom macera
to practice.” the Sycamore, Ga., native has played in all 48 games for the Blazers this season and leads the GSC with a .445 batting average. When asked if she feels any pressure as the team’s best player, Albritton’s bashful grin gives way to her beaming humility. “i don’t consider myself the best player by any means,” Albritton said with a shy chuckle. “it takes a whole team to win a game and a whole team and coaching staff to win a national championship. We all work together and work hard each day.” that teamwork has manifested itself in the win column as the Blazers have amassed 140 victories in the past three seasons (including the 2012 national championship) while suffering only
Brown Hall gets crowned Victoria Johnson S p o rt S W r i t e r vijohnson@valdosta.edu
Basketball team Centennial, one of the top teams in the intramurals league, fell to Brown Hall in the championship game. Centennial lost 49-42 in a close game. Centennial’s last game against Brown Hall ended in a tie, but Centennial couldn’t manage to clinch the win in the final game
“You win some, you lose some,” Centennial forward tJ Johnson said. “We had an exciting semester and hope to compete against some new teams next year." the Centennial team is predominately juniors and seniors, and they have been practicing twice a week in the rec center since February. the team had to play a handful of teams to get to the championship game, including reed Hall, who they faced in the play-
offs. Centennial won the semifinals game against reed Hall 53-51 and went 4-1 on the season. Although the basketball championship is over, there are many other intramurals sports that haven’t yet held their championship games. For more information regarding upcoming games, go to imleauges.com.
30 losses. At 36-12 this season, the Blazers are navigating through the peaks and valleys of a long season, including a few hiccups on the mound. “We’re playing well, (but) we’ve had our ups and downs,” Macera said. “We’ve had some pitching issues this year. it happens. pitching is the hardest part of this game, and we’re trying to work through it. You’ve just got to keep showing up to the ball park and keep trying to find other ways to win.” “our expectations are always to win the last game,” Albritton added. “that’s still our goal now, even though we’re not doing as good as we usually do. We’re still fighting for it.”
VSU ATHLETICS
Junior Courtney Albritton set the VSU record for most career home runs last weekend.