thebattalion ● friday,
february 10, 2012
● serving
texas a&m since 1893
● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2012 student media
Softball opener
Josh Mckenna — THE BATTALION
Aggie pitcher Mel Dumezich and the Aggie softball team open the 2012 season in Tempe, Arizona this weekend against programs from the Pac-12 and Big 10.
Doctor Dume
Road to redemption
Powerhouse pitcher brings quiet intensity
Aggies set sights on World Series bid
Courtney Nelson The Battalion Indiana native Mel Dumezich has made a made her presence known in the Aggie softball program both on and off the field since arriving in 2009. In her first two years in an A&M uniform, the right-hander holds a steady cumulative 1.94 ERA while registering 393 strikeouts. Dumezich’s quick pace in the circle allows her to catch many opponents off-balance, as she has recorded 18 shutouts — a statistic distinguishing Dumezich among dominant pitchers in program history.
thebatt.com
When determining what made her choose A&M over all other schools, she knew that College Station and A&M offered her the atmosphere that she wanted to be a part of. “I would have to say the coaches for sure influenced me and I was amazed by everything when I first came on campus,” Dumezich said. “The players were all really nice. Overall, it was just a really good setup for me.” Dumezich began playing baseball at a young age but soon progressed to softball in the third grade. See Dumezich on page 2
Courtney Nelson The Battalion After bowing out of postseason contention earlier than expected in 2011, the Aggie softball team is ready to begin its quest for redemption, seeking a ticket to the Women’s College World Series in June. “It is motivating that we will start the season at Arizona State,” head coach Jo Evans said. “It is interesting to start where we finished last year, and I think the fact that we lost there last year will make us remember to pay attention to all the small details.” The Aggies were slotted against Ari-
zona State, the No. 1 team in the tournament, last May and almost came out victorious on their home turf. But several errors by the Aggies and timely hits for the Sun Devils ended A&M’s season just short of the WCWS. “[That series] shows us that we have the ability to go all the way to the world series, because we should have won,” junior catcher Meagan May said. “It gives us the confidence we need that we are good enough to do it this season.” May, who posted huge power numbers at the plate in her first two seasons, is the See Softball on page 4
campus
Sports’ previews Read the previews to this weekend’s sporting events, including the debut softball tournament of the season.
Dress to impress
Illustration by Jorge Montalvo — THE BATTALION
A&M responds to URL changes, preemptively buys XXX domains Nicole Duffy Special to The Battalion The World Wide Web is changing. Since the birth of the Internet in the 1980s, dot-com has been the primary domain suffix for Uniform Resource Locators, or URLs. Now, with the development of alternative domain suffixes — such as dot-xxx — Texas A&M is working to protect the virtue of its trade-
marks and namesake. “Our trademarks are extremely valuable,” said Jason Cook, Texas A&M vice president for marketing and communications. “Our brand dates back to 1876, and we are extremely vigilant in not only promoting the brand, but also protecting our registered trademarks.” Cook said the University has already taken measures to secure dot-xxx domains connected to the
University’s trademarks. “We do not want Texas A&M to be connected to the porn industry in any way,” Cook said. The turnover into dot-xxx domains has stirred for a number of years. The delay is a result of multiple setbacks and extensive efforts, particularly for the purpose of perfecting and securing the system. The Internet CorporaSee XXX on page 2
state and nation The Battalion’s style blogger, Jason Syptak, turned an inquisitive eye toward students at the business career fair. See who rocked Wehner for employers at thebatt.com.
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Donors boost Teach for America Jonathan Webb The Battalion The grass-roots organization Teach For America continues to grow after recent philanthropic donations — to the tune of $100 million — expanded the program’s reach. Teach For America, TFA, is a non-profit organization that targets inequity in the public education system by recruiting college graduates to lead classes of at-risk youth across the nation. The program places young, well-educated instructors in low-income
communities throughout the U.S. Charles Glover, Class of 2005 and the executive director for Teach For America in Dallas, said TFA seeks top college graduates for the program. The instructors — who are not required to have teaching experience or an academic background in education — are trained by the organization and commit two years to teaching. Some instructors elect to continue with TFA, while others pursue separate careers following the period. See Teach on page 3
COURTESY
Teach for America places college graduates in public schools with at-risk youth.
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