Sept. 1, 2015

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111th YEAR, ISSUE 118

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

COLLEGIATETIMES An A n iindependent, ndeppendent, sstudent-run tudent-ruun new newspaper wspaper serv serving ving th the he V Virginia irgginia T Tech echh ccommunity om mmuunityy ssince ince 11903 9903

Cosplay and community Virginia Tech SciFi and Fantasy Club hosts International Cosplay Day celebration in the Hahn Horticulture Garden for second consecutive year SAMANTHA SMITH lifestyles staff writer

On Saturday, Aug. 29, Virginia Tech’s SciFi and Fantasy club hosted an event to celebrate International Cosplay Day in the Hahn Horticulture Garden from 12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. This was the event’s second year in a row in conjunction with craftysorceress.com and the Anime Club, currently an unofficial group of enthusiasts that plans to gain university club recognition by the spring.

The word cosplay is short for the phrase

“

It’s nice to get cosplayers together and get people to meet people and enjoy themselves.”

Alicia Pape Vice president, SciFi & Fantasy Club

costume play. It refers to when a person dresses up as a character from a comic, movie, TV series or video game, typically characters from Japanese anime or manga.

Although the event was to celebrate International Cosplay Day, no costume was required. Cosplayers from Patrick Henry High School, Virginia Tech and the Blacksburg community participated in activities all throughout the day including a costume contest, acting lessons and a stage combat workshop.

Anamary Leal, a human-computer interaction doctoral candidate who was an integral part of the arrangement of the event, stated that the event planning began in May of this year.

“It’s a collaboration between multiple clubs, and even last year we had representatives from different clubs hang out with us,” Leal said.

“It’s kind of like a showcase of not just clubs but organizations around here.”

For Alicia Pape, vice president of the SciFi and Fantasy Club and a doctoral candidate for chemical engineering, the event served as a way to help new cosplayers in the Virginia Tech community network.

“It’s nice to get cosplayers together and get people to meet people and enjoy themselves,” Pape said. “This is right after school starts, so we’re hoping to get people to just meet different cosplayers and new people.”

Aside from doing the event for fun, Leal is also using the event as an outlet for her graduate research.

“My research is actually studying and helping cosplayers build their costumes,” Leal said. “I really want to collect these people together to help them out and also help my research as well.”

Leal took multiple classes focused on costume construction during her undergraduate studies at University of Central Florida as well as during her graduate work here.

“For me I get to learn a different set of technical skills that I wouldn’t get to learn otherwise. So I learned how to build costumes

ZACK WAJSGRAS / COLLEGIATE TIMES

(L to R) Nathan Stowe, dressed as Vladamir Arytsar Strauss III; Yuchen Dou, dressed as Zelda; Gina Nam, dressed as Kaneki Ken; Peg Fisher, dressed as Madame Zonga; David Arthur, dressed as a Steampunk professor; Anamary Leal, a co-organizer of International Cosplay Day; Alicia Pape, also a co-organizer, dressed as Agatha Heterodyne; Andrew Mike, dressed as an elf; Sol May, dressed as Sollux Captor; Laura Wishart, dressed as Rocket Racoon; Karlee Campbell, dressed as Mituna Captor; Goldie Daniels, dressed as Poison Ivy.

see COSPLAY / page 5

Hokies held to a draw against Vols The women’s soccer team stays undefeated after a physical game that went into overtime against Tennessee. Kristina Diana kept the Hokies alive with a late-game strike.

KYLE COOKE

goal. In another precarious situation later in the game, a UT free kick slipped out of Smith’s gloves before she corralled it in the goalie box.

Murielle Tiernan was her normal self again, but there’s nothing normal about her game. The ESPNW player of the week highlighted her combination of size and speed by constantly drawing two or three defenders and still finding ways to take shots and create chances.

Although it was a hardfought battle in the first half, it was scoreless for both sides. Tennessee had the only shot on goal, and their keeper wasn’t even forced to make a save.

sports staff writer

BEN WEIDLICH / COLLEGIATE TIMES

Freshman midfielder Kristina Diana (28) shoots to score for the equalizing goal for Virginia Tech.

The Hokies’ fourth game of the season was perhaps their most physical yet, but their efforts paid off in a 1-1 draw versus the University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers thanks to some late game heroics from Kristina Diana.

Te ch ent ere d t he weekend ranked ninth in the country, and the team certainly played like a top-10 team in the first half of the game, with the exception of a few blunders and close calls.

The Hokies experienced their first scare when Tech goalie Kaylyn Smith tried to clear the ball out of the box and it instead bounced off the back of a UT player and almost went into the

see SOCCER / page 3

VT named fittest college in nation RICHARD CHUMNEY news editor

For the second time in three years, Virginia Tech has topped The Active Times’ annual list of Fittest Colleges in America.

The publication, which focuses on health and wellbeing, aggregates a number of ranking sources to create their own list of the top 50 fittest colleges in the nation, including US News & World Report, The Princeton Review and Niche Colleges.

According to The Active Times, their editorial staff looked at a broad amount of factors related to health. Their website listed the questions that guided their evaluation: Do students have easy access to a variety of athletic activities and facilities? If so, does a large portion of the student body regularly put them to use? What’s the campus dining situation like? Are students generally happy?

What’s the overall quality of life like on campus?

The site specifically identified areas of strength for Virginia Tech, writing that the No. 1 ranking was awarded due “to attributes like dining halls dedicated to organically grown, sustainable foods, a student body that’s exceptionally active on both the varsity and recreational level and a school that, according to The Princeton Review, offers a first-class quality of life on campus.”

For Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Chris Wise, the ranking was anything but shocking.

“I’m actually not surprised to be honest with you,” Wise said. “When you take it all into consideration, it’s not surprising at all.”

Wise considers the high quality of Virginia Tech’s facilities related to health and wellness apparent.

“They’re obviously aware of the recreation programs that we offer,” Wise said.

“They’re also interested in the

overall health and wellness.

They specifically mention the quality of our dining services.”

According to Wise, the University is proud of the ranking and will continue to expand its wellness programs — an initiative important to Vice President for Student Affairs Patty Perillo.

“Whether it’s the healthy options in our dining centers, significant opportunities in recreational sports, resources to foster the relational, emotional, vocational and spiritual health of our students or our dedicated faculty and staff members who make healthy living a priority for themselves and our students, this campus exemplifies what it looks like to be the fittest college in America each and every day,” Perillo said in a statement issued by Virginia Tech.

In an attempt to continue to stay ahead of other colleges and to better provide resources to students, Virginia Tech will expand and improve. According to Wise, War Memorial Hal will be renovated, a study on health issues will be conducted and the Schiffert Health Center will be expanded. The coming changes are expected to take some time, with the bigger projects projected to last years.

For Wise, learning how to be active while still young and in college is a unique and valuable advantage, one he believes is possible at Virginia Tech.

“From a holistic wellness standpoint, everything we have goes into developing a well-rounded young adult,” Wise said. “When you begin to make those healthy choices on your own, that’s going to continue into the future.

I think it’s just a testament to our students here that they recognize what holistic wellness means. “ @RichChumney

Fall semester starts with a bang at Kickoff Concert PAYTON KNOBELOCH lifestyles editor

“We got The Band Concord, we got Delta Rae, but, most importantly,” shouted DJ TMMPO, “we got Hokie Nation right here.”

So began the fall Kickoff Concert.

Just a few hours earlier Friday evening, scores of Hokies both new to and familiar with the Blacksburg campus herded into Squires Plaza, just outside the student center. There was enough surface area for breathing room, but attendance was far from sparse.

The students, many of

them freshmen, were there for a rock concert. But in the back of their minds, they knew they were actually in front of Squires to begin the new semester.

The annual Welcome Back Kickoff Concert is exactly that. Held by Class Programs (and this year in conjunction with The Virginia Tech Union), the concert serves to usher in the fall semester and let new Hokies know that college life goes on after class has ended.

(Full disclosure, I served on the Virginia Tech Union’s Programming Council the past two years. I did not have any involvement with the

inception or production of this concert.)

Friday’s concert doubled as a pep rally for the fastapproaching football season, and the event doubled as a spirit rally for next Monday’s opener against Ohio State.

The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets Regimental Band, The Highty-Tighties, came out swinging with their meticulously rehearsed version of “Tech Triumph.” Afterward, they went through some jazzier tunes — those caught up on their 90s ska definitely noticed The Mighty Mighty Bosstones’ “The Impression That I Get.” The band was closely

followed by a performance from Dance Company at Virginia Tech and some rhythmic hip-gyrations from the Student Alumni Association Low Techs.

With that, the spirit rally concluded, the barriers went down and the mass of students flooded toward the stage.

Virginia Tech alumnus DJ TMMPO took his place before the crowd to hype them up, asking if any of them hadn’t been to a Hokie football game before. Just a few raised hands were enough to prompt Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” and a quick lesson in jumping see KICKOFF / page 2

OFFENSIVE LINE PREVIEW

FULL ROTC COMPANY RUNS TECH CAMPUS

Concerns remain for Tech offensive line.

Freshmen, upperclassmen perform first joint exercise.

page 3

page 6

CATIE CARRERAS / COLLEGIATE TIMES

Delta Rae performs at the Welcome Back Kickoff Concert on Aug. 28, 2015.

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column

Unlike Cuba, current Iranian regime should not be trusted

C

uba and Iran have been ma k ing a lot of noise in politics recently, and the public should spend more time really looking at what’s happening in these parts of the world.

Within the past few months, President Obama has made two important deals with both countries that have sparked some outrage (more so if you’re a Republican).

In the recent news, repor ters have most commonly been asking whether the two deals are good or bad or if the countries can be trusted.

However, I’ve yet to see anyone on television really dig in and break down both of these deals (and politicians in Congress don’t count). Hopefully someone like John Oliver will, but until then I’m going to give it my best shot.

Let’s start with Cuba.

Our relationship with the country ended in the 1960s when Fidel Castro took over, unfortunately with our help. Shortly thereafter, the U.S. realized his communist tendencies and began to impose restrictions and eventually a permanent embargo that was levied by JFK. In 1982, The State Department labeled Cuba a “state sponsor of terrorism,” joining them with Iran, Syria and Sudan. However, just this past year, on July 20, Obama removed Cuba from this list. You might think he did this because of his agenda; however, there is more to it than that.

Back when the U.S. started to cut ties with Cuba in the ‘60s, Cuba began to do business with the Soviet Union, hence the start of the Cuban Missile Crises and many more terrorist/dangerous scenarios. They provided a safe haven to members of Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC — note that the acronyms are for the nonEnglish translation of the terrorist group names).

When the Soviets left, Cuba’s economy started to fall and Venezuela became a lifeline for them.

Venezuela is a major oil exporter and thanks to recent technological breakthroughs in the extraction of oil, the U.S. was able to drive the prices down along with becoming a major energy exporter.

This hurt Venezuela’s ability to help the Cubans, and the subsidies that Cuba received from them were now at risk. To make matters worse, Hugo Chavez, the president of Venezuela, died of cancer in 2013. The successor failed to keep up relations with Cuba, and Venezuela fell to political and economic instability.

Cuba is now left to dry.

So since then, what happened to all the

hosting of terrorist group members and providing weapons? Well, a recent report was done by the independent Council of Foreign Relations and they were “hard-pressed to find evidence that Cuba currently provides weapons or military training to ter rorist groups.” As for the ETA and FARC, Cuba has since distanced itself from the groups, and the membership of the ETA was last reported as being “fewer than 100,” with many imprisoned in France and Spain.

Now FARC is known as “Latin America’s oldest, largest, most violent and best equipped terrorist organization” in Colombia, and they are still active. Cuba’s role has since changed with the group; rather than supplying them, they are helping the Colombian government begin peace talks to end the violence.

Throughout 2013, Cuba reportedly hosted peace negations between the two groups.

Cuba has also been returning fugitives to the U.S. on a case-by-case basis, and Cuba is now a member of the Financial Action Task Force. The task force is an international group that was formed to combat the financing of terrorism, and yes, the U.S. is also a member of that force.

Now one incident did happen in July 2013 which caused a bit of a stir: Cuba was caught sending Soviet Union weapons to North Korea. And before you go off and think Cuba isn’t someone we can trust, remember that Venezuela was still able to help Cuba for part of that year until they fell out.

“

“Unlike Cuba, Iran shows no motion to change, and they aren’t desperate for a relationship with us.”

Armahn Rassuli regular columnist

Cuba needs someone to help them come out of rags, and right now, the U.S. is their best option. In order for them to retain our help, they know they will have to listen to what we have to say. If you’re worried about the Castro brothers, don’t be. They are both in their 80s now, and it’s only a matter of time before they kick the bucket. They have spent their whole lives with a choke grip on Cuba, and if you’ve read up until this point, then you should have noticed how that tight grip has seriously loosened over time.

This leads me to my main reason for supporting

this — our threat of taking it all away. Cuba has no more allies in which to turn, and they have a bankrupt economy. They represent the desperate homeless man on the street.

That man will do anything for a chance at having and keeping the basic necessities just as Cuba will if they think we will repeat history.

Now let’s compare this to Iran, a country that is heavily corrupt and active. I should be clear and say that I don’t support this deal, although the irony here is that I’m Iranian-American.

Iran is still to this date on the State Department’s list of “state sponsors of terrorism,” and that is rightfully so. It is reported that they still support Palestinian terrorist groups in Gaza and Hezbollah, they try to smuggle arms to Houthi rebels in Yemen and have been involved in many other disruptions in the Middle East.

Iran does all this with an economy that isn’t booming. What Obama has brought to the table removes economic sanctions, while allowing inspections to any place suspect of making a nuclear bomb. Sure, we might be able to catch them if they try to form a bomb, but in the process they would have more money to fuel other turmoil.

In a recent interview, Obama mentions that they already fund all these terrorist groups with the sanctions in place (because basically the sanctions don’t fully work) and that this deal is our best chance of preventing them from forming a nuclear weapon.

The President believes that a rise in economy will help change the country internally, but let’s look back to 2009.

Iran was facing a presidential election, and a candidate stood up for change only to eventually be forced into hiding. The movement didn’t succeed, and that was because the government intervened militarily. If President Obama wanted to change the country, then he missed his opportunity to help the people.

Iran is a country that can’t be trusted, and they have broken deals regarding their nuclear program before, so who’s to say they won’t do it again. Unlike Cuba, Iran shows no motion to change, and they aren’t desperate for a relationship with us. The two countries are vastly different from each other, and people need to have a conversation about these two deals because the outcomes could either be great or disastrous.

CATIE CARRERAS / COLLEGIATE TIMES

The Band Concord performs at the Welcome Back Kickoff Concert on Aug. 28, 2015.

KICKOFF: Delta Rae rocks Class of 2017 fall concert from page 1

for the freshmen.

“TMMPO is just great for Virginia Tech. He helps out a lot with SAA stuff, he does a lot with Ring Dance and Relay for Life,” said Pat Finn, Class of 2017 president and junior marketing major.

“TMMPO is the real MVP in this situation.”

Some remixes and bass drops later (not to mention the help from TMMPO’s handy dandy new fog cannon), DJ TMMPO made way for local favorite The Band Concord.

Fresh from their summer tour, the Blacksburg based, five-piece folk-rock outfit reminded everyone why they’re so sought-after for local events.

The Band Concord hasn’t missed a step with their musicianship. Their performance showed not only a great amount of technical experience with their instruments (fiddle, mandolin and upright bass, to name a few) but also months of comfort onstage.

Most importantly, the crowd was into it.

“We all know Alex (Winemiller, bassist for The Band Concord), and he did awesome – well, they all did awesome,” said Wayne Stafford, a senior neuroscience and psychology double-major.

From their first song, “Etchings,” to a new one called “Gambling Man,” The Band Concord has their smooth sound down to a science – the four-part harmonies didn’t hurt, either.

The band hasn’t done much to hide its inspiration from groups like The Avett Brothers, but with the upcoming concert in Burruss Hall, they didn’t have to. Concord was quick to respond with a cover of “Talk on Indolence.”

The Band Concord closed with a new song called “Red Cars and Kitty Pryde” (member and Tech alumnus Andrew Steger assured me it isn’t about the “X-Men” character) and made way

for the headlining act. The cloudy skies brought a few drops of rain, but it wasn’t enough to derail the show.

“

Within seconds of their first song, Durham, North Carolina-based headliner Delta Rae made it clear why their fan base is so enthusiastic.”

Within seconds of their first song, Durham, North Carolina-based headliner Delta Rae made it clear why their fan base is so enthusiastic. “(Delta Rae) is from my home state, so it’s pretty awesome to see some talented artists from North Carolina,” said Spencer Vass, a freshman in university studies.

“I’m from Durham, so I know of them, but I’ve never seen them before,” said Maggie Caruso, a junior biology major. “They were really good.”

What the band lacks in eccentric instrumentation, it makes up for in talent and experience. Siblings Brittany, Ian and Eric Hölljes and Elizabeth Hopkins are all vocal powerhouses. That isn’t to say bassist Grant Emerson and percussionist Mike McKee don’t pull their own weight, but the singing definitely caught me off-guard.

Delta Rae is clearly a band that wears its emotions on its sleeve. Guitarist and vocalist Ian Hölljes told me his thoughts about playing the first show of the school year.

“We’re very honored. I think it seems like a very beautiful way to start off the year, and I have very fond memories of moments like this from my college career,” Hölljes said. “It’s fun to have it come kind of full circle.”

That same emotion

• regular columnist • junior/psychology and economics

@MaybeNotPayton

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ARMAHN RASSULI

permeates their songs, as well. From their upbeat breakup song “If I Loved You” to the pounding “Dance in the Graveyards” (complete with a sample of Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”), Delta Rae’s songs are nothing if not honest about their messages.

Speaking of which, the band performed “All Good People,” which they began work on before but released after this summer’s Emanuel AME Church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina.

The song is a call to end racial injustice and violence toward black Americans, and it isn’t afraid to bring up imagery from the headlines (the line “our brothers cannot breathe” definitely serves as a reminder of Eric Garner’s death at the hands of the NYPD).

The crowd felt a surge of excitement at fan-favorite single “Bottom of the River,” which is half spiritual, half “STOMP” stage show.

However, I’d argue that the most impressive performance of the night was “Any Better Than This,” which the four vocalists harmonized around one mic to slight help from the bassist. It was impressive, it was understated and it was beautiful.

Delta Rae closed with the aforementioned “Dance in the Graveyards,” and then the crowd began to disperse – some going downtown, others returning to their residence halls. But all three acts left plenty for the Hokies to remember.

“I loved it. Especially the first week of school to boost things up. It was awesome,” Stafford said.

“I thought it was great.

I’m a big fan of Delta Rae, so I thought it was exciting,” said Grace Herrick, a junior biology major.

It’s safe to say the concert provided a nice set-up for the Class of 2017 to make its mark.

“It’s finally our year to make some noise,” Finn said.

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September 1, 2015 PAGE 3

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Volleyball sweeps opening series Wednesday, Sept. 2

JOSH WILETS

Women’s Soccer vs. Longwood Thompson Field 7 p.m.

sports reporter

Virginia Tech played host to the Radford University/ Virginia Tech Invitational which started this past Friday and finished on Saturday.

The Hokies completed a sweep, giving them a 3-0 record to start off the season.

Tech’s first match was Friday afternoon against East Tennessee State.

The Hokies swept ETSU, winning the first three sets: 25-19, 25-19, 25-19.

Junior Amanda McKinzie led the way for the Hokies, tallying 14 kills and contributing six digs.

McKinzie racked up 18 points for the Hokies in the match.

Villanova transfer Cara Cunningham, a middleblocker, made her Tech debut, appearing in the starting lineup.

“You look at her strength, and she takes away a lot of space. She makes teams do things differently offensively,” Riley said. “Having Cara is just really great.

She’s doing a great job in there right now.”

Tech returned later that evening to face off against LIU-Brooklyn. The Hokies also swept LIU-Brooklyn in three straight sets: 25-16, 25-14, 25-18.

Again, McKinzie led the way, racking up 11 kills and tallying 11 points.

Freshman Jaila Tolbert set a career-high in this match as she was responsible for 10.5 points.

The Hokies were very effective, only making seven errors and owning a team attack percentage of .419 for the match.

The third match of the tournament was between Virginia Tech and Elon.

Tech has a connection with Elon’s volleyball team, as Elon’s Sydel Curry is daughter of former Virginia Tech men’s basketball great Dell Curry. The former Hokie was in attendance for the match.

The Hokies also swept Elon three sets to zero, 25-20, 25-17, 25-11, giving Tech a clean sweep of the Radford University/Virginia Tech Invitational.

Lindsey Owens, a junior outside hitter, was downright dominant to say the least. Owens tallied 14 kills while only making one error, giving her an attack percentage of .684.

Aside from making plays herself, she tries to help the newcomers that are on the squad.

“Just making them feel comfortable, not letting one mistake freak them out,” Owens said about her focus on helping the young talent.

This tournament was also the first stretch of matches for new assistant coach Fred Chao.

“He’s helped us a lot,” McKinzie said. “He had a lot of good ideas, and they’ve really helped us, especially defensively.”

Virginia Tech heads to Michigan State on Friday, Sept. 4 to take part in the Spartan Invitational, facing Miami University (OH), Michigan State and Butler.

Michigan State is a member of the Big 10 Conference and will be the first true test for the Hokies.

“We’re excited about that. I think that level is what we’re looking for and what we need to keep challenging ourselves,” Riley said. “We’re looking to see how much better we can get as a group.” @Josh_Wilets

Thursday, Sept. 3 Men’s Soccer at Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio 7 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 4 Volleyball vs. Miami University East Lansing, Mich. 10 a.m.

Cross Country hosts Hokie Invite 6 p.m.

Buford Meredith Cross Country Course Volleyball at Michigan State East Lansing, Mich. 7 p.m.

Women’s Soccer vs. UNCG Thompson Field 7 p.m.

MALIK KEATON / COLLEGIATE TIMES

Jonathan McLaughlin (71) protects Brandon Motley (9) in the pocket during the Spring Game.

Lack of depth and talent still a concern for Hokies’ offensive line RICKY LABLUE, FAIZAN HASNANY

Projected Starter: Right Guard

editor in chief, sports editor

Last season, the offensive line was a gaping hole for the Hokies. Quarterback Michael Brewer was often under pressure and the running game was inconsistent, partially due to poor blocking.

The Hokies lost Laurence Gibson, David Wang and Caleb Farris, all of whom were starters at some point.

Gibson was the primary starter at left tackle, and Wang saw time across the offensive line.

If the Virginia Tech offense is going to improve as much as they need to, the offensive line will need to grow up quickly. Of all the projected starters on the line, only Wade Hansen is a senior.

Here is a preview of the offensive line from football beat writers Ricky LaBlue and Faizan Hasnany.

Projected starter: Left tackle # 71 Jonathan McLaughlin Other notables: #69 Yosuah Nijman Projected starter: Left guard #57 Wyatt Teller Projected starter: Center #64 Eric Gallo Other notables: #61 Kyle Chung Projected starter: Right guard #72 Augie Conte Other notables: #58 Cole Pettit Projected starter: Right tackle #77 Wade Hansen Other notables: #67 Parker Osterloh

Biggest Strength L a Blue: Jon a t h a n McLaughlin McLaughlin started at left tackle as a true freshman and started most of last season at right tackle until going down with an injury.

He has the most experience on the line and is a solid pass and run blocker. Having him healthy should help stabilize a young offensive line.

Hasnany: Returning core Led by four returning st a r ters in Ha nsen, McLaughlin, Conte and Teller, the core of the Virginia Tech offensive line has had the opportunity to develop a continuity that they haven’t had in recent years. Over the course of the offseason, sophomore Eric Gallo has solidified himself as the likely starter at the center position. Teller potentially has the highest ceiling of the group, earning MVP of the offensive line despite starting in just half of the season.

Biggest Weakness LaBlue: Lack of top-tier talent There aren’t any big standouts on the offensive line. In recent seasons, the Hokies have not been known for having elite offensive linemen. Sure, none of the projected starters are bad options, but none of them will be top talent at the professional level. This makes continuity even more important, something they have very little of at this point.

Hasnany: Lack of depth

After freshman Yosuha Nijman and sophomore Parker Osterloh, there isn’t much depth in the offensive line. Senior Darius Redman is in his first year on the line, converting from tight end. Kyle Chung has been injured for most of his time at Tech. Outside of Nijman, no freshmen have stood out, and the second unit has struggled throughout the preseason. The Hokies’ offense could be in trouble if the offensive line has another year with bad injury luck.

X-Factor LaBlue: Wyatt Teller Teller is the lineman with the most potential.

He’s already a really good run blocker at the college level and improved in pass protection last season.

He needs to make those final strides to become the lineman people are expecting him to be. If Teller comes closer to achieving his potential as a lineman, it will do wonders for the offensive line as a whole.

H a s n a ny: Yo su a h Nijman and Parker Osterloh Nijman and Osterloh have impressed this offseason and should be vital pieces to the Hokies’ offensive line this year. Osterloh, who lost about 20 pounds this offseason, showed off his versatility throughout the preseason, seeing time on both sides of the line.

Nijman made the switch from defense to offense this spring but has shown some natural ability at left tackle.

At 6-foot-8 and 280 pounds, Nijman has quick feet and hands as well as the length to disrupt opposing defensive

ends’ paths to the quarterback. In an offensive line struggling in terms of depth, Nijman and Osterloh could see significant playing time this season.

Summary LaBlue: This unit makes me skeptical about the Hokies’ outlook this season. Teller had a lessthan-impressive spring and for a limited amount of time took reps with the second-team offensive line. That being said, he’s still a solid lineman. There are some other question marks, including the health of Hansen. The offensive line needs to open holes for the group of talented running backs and, more importantly, to protect the quarterback. Brewer is the key for Virginia Tech this season, and putting a good line in front of him is a necessity.

Grade: CHasnany: The Hokies’ offensive line showed flashes during the spring and into the preseason, behind a decent returning core and the emergence of Nijman and Osterloh.

However, this unit has the most to prove and remains the most pressing area of concern for Tech. If the offensive line continues to struggle, the Hokies’ offense could fail to see a major improvement this year, despite having a healthy backfield, an improved receiving corps and a more experienced Brewer.

Grade: C

@CollegiateTimes

SOCCER: Women’s soccer stays undefeated after thrilling draw from page 1

The Hokies came out much more aggressively on offense in the second half but struggled to find the back of the net.

Coach Chugger Adair said they had to change their game plan in the second half, starting with their aggression.

“It was more of a reaction. I think they (Tennessee) came in and disrupted our style of play a little bit,” Adair said.

“It’s the second Sunday in a row we got off to a slow start, so we’re still trying to find our legs a little bit.”

Wit h 21 m i nut es left in the second half, Te n n e s s e e ’s Anna McClung sprinted down the left side of the field and fired a perfect pass to the right side of the goal

that Heather Timothy put away for the Lady Vols. It was an impressive play by Tennessee, whose players simply outran the Hokies.

Tech continued to press on offense, and the Hokies spent a majority of the second half in Tennessee territory. They had nine shots and four corner kicks in the second half, compared to only four shots and two corners in the first half.

While Tennessee didn’t have much going offensively all night, they were great in transition and played a lot of “kickball,” sending looping clearances and through balls over the heads of the Tech defenders. These led to a few close calls for Kaylyn Smith in goal, but she held the Lady Vols to one goal in regulation. Midfielder Candace Cephers said it’s

incredibly frustrating as a defender to pay against a team that uses the kickball strategy.

“It’s more of a tiring game than anything else,” Cephers said.

With four minutes left in the game, freshman Kristina Diana had an absolutely magnificent goal to tie the game at one goal each. After multiple close calls inside the 18-yard box, Diana blasted a shot with her right foot that sailed from about 30 yards out and into the right upper 90. It ended up being the final goal of regulation and it forced overtime.

The fi rst half of overtime included the most exciting minutes of the game. A header from Tennessee hit the crossbar after what seemed like a never-ending scuffle in front of Smith in goal. Tech

also had chances to score in overtime, including a shot from Madi Conyers that Tiernan redirected with her chest. The balled trickled passed the goalie who had to turn around and dive before barely knocking the ball out of play with one hand.

The second half of overtime also had the crowd on the edge of their seats and often standing up. Both teams had multiple chances, but they failed to convert any into goals, ending the game in a draw.

The Hokies remain undefeated with a record of 3-0-1. Their next game is Wednesday when they take on the Longwood Lancers at home at 7 p.m.

@CollegiateTimes

Saturday, Sept. 5 Volleyball vs. Butler East Lansing, Mich. 2:30 p.m.

Men’s Soccer at Xavier Cincinnati, Ohio 7 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 6 Women’s Soccer at VCU Richmond, Va. 7 p.m.

Taylor to start for Bills, Week 1 DREW DAVIS sports reporter

TYROD TAYLOR Former Virginia Tech football standout Tyrod Taylor is getting his first chance to start in the NFL. FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer was the first to report the move, and Buffalo Bills Head Coach Rex Ryan confirmed the decision after practice on Monday. aTaylor, who played in Blacksburg from 20072010, left a very successful campaign behind him in Blacksburg.

Under the quar terback’s lead, Virginia Tech captured three conference titles and two bowl victories, including the upset of the 12th-ranked Cincinnati in the 2009 Orange Bowl 20-7.

Since being drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in 2011, Taylor has played in 14 games throughout his four-year NFL career, completing 19 of his 35 pass attempts for 199 yards and two interceptions. He has also rushed for 136 yards on 27 attempts for one touchdown.

After signing with Buffalo this offseason, Taylor was initially listed as the third quarterback on the Bills’ depth chart behind Matt Cassel and EJ Manuel.

Taylor has impressed this preseason, showing the ability to make plays with his arm and his legs.

He’s completed 24 of his 31 passes for 236 yards. In his last outing, he completed 11 of 12 passes for 122 yards including a 20-yard rushing touchdown.

The Bills will open the season on Sunday, Sept. 13 at home vs. the Indianapolis Colts, as Taylor will finally get his chance and his first start. @CollegiateTimes

PAGE 4

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COSPLAY: Virginia Tech club hosts Tribal artist to international cosplay celebration exhibit work in from page 1

ZACK WAJSGRAS / COLLEGIATE TIMES

Sol May (Left) and Karlee Campbell, both seniors at Patrick Henry High School, dressed as Sollux Captor and Mituna Captor respectively, laugh as they pose.

in college, and I wanted to learn how to increase that skill set of sewing and making stuff and building,” Leal said. “It pushed me to increase my technical skill set both as my craft as a costumer, but also I get to think about how to build things in different ways which feeds back into my research.”

Joseph Rodas, a senior statistics major who also helped with the planning of the event as a member of the Anime club, said he hopes the event can serve as an alternative for students who do not have the opportunity to attend official conventions.

“It’s kind of a niche hobby, so I think it’s really nice because Tech’s kind of out in the middle of nowhere and cons are mostly in cities, so I think it gives people the

chance to participate without necessarily having to go far,” Rodas said. “Usually it’ll be like a three-day thing with hotel fees, so this is like a cheap alternative for people who just want to cosplay and have fun.”

According to Leal, the event and events like it are an important part of what makes Virginia Tech so welcoming.

“I think what I’m most excited about is just seeing all of the people and chatting with all of the people and networking,” Leal said.

“Basically fostering that community, that’s what I’m most excited about. Whether it’s walking around the garden and taking pictures or what have you, that kind of community fostering is what I’m looking forward to.” @smith992_CT

ZACK WAJSGRAS / COLLEGIATE TIMES

(L to R) Gina Nam, a freshman animal culture sciences major; Goldie Daniels, an undecided freshman; and Yuchen Dou, a post-baccalaureate at the Virginia College of Medicine, dressed as Kaneki Ken, Poison Ivy and Zelda respectively.

Early Bird Sale

campus gallery EMILY CARRIGAN lifestyles staff writer

An intimate crowd consisting of students, f a c u lt y, staff and com mu n it y memb ers gathered in the Perspective Gallery in Squires Student Center on Friday, Aug. 28 for the opening of Venkat Raman Singh Shyam’s contemporary “Pardhan Gond” tribal art exhibit.

The Radford University Art Museum will feature a similar exhibit from India, “Painted Songs and Stories: Contemporary Gond Art” from Sept. 3 to Oct. 25.

The exhibit features 32 pieces, including “Finding My Way: A Gondwana Story,” a series of 16 small pieces that details the work Shyam did to survive in India.

These illustrations were most recently displayed in the National Gallery of Canada and will appear in Shyam’s 170-page, coffeetable-style autobiography scheduled to be released in February 2016 in English, French, German and Hindi.

“He’s get t i ng t he recognition that I think he’s due,” said John H. Bowles, exhibit curator and author of “Painted Songs and Stories: The Hybrid Flowerings of Contemporary Pardhan Gond Art.” According to a press release from the Division of Student Affairs, Shyam’s work ranges from ink

drawings to acrylic and watercolor pa i nti ngs.

Many have a storyline derived from Gond tribal mythology, which Shyam said he learned from elders.

“Earth mother teaches us how we save our life and how we save nature because we cannot learn that ourselves,” Shyam said. “Nature speaks to us.”

T h roug h h is a r t, Shyam hopes to positively influence the environment.

“Save nature, love nature and pray (for) nature. I’m trying to do something to save the earth through my paintings,” Shyam said.

Aurogeeta Das, a freelance lecturer, curator, editor, researcher, writer and artist from the United K i ngdom, sa id each Gond artist has their own chosen pattern that recurs throughout their work.

“Vankat’s is a wavelike (pattern) made of dots representing a supreme god and lines around that representing a community,” Das said.

According to Das, Shyam is fearless when it comes to his work.

“It’s just such a joy to look at this,” Das said of the exhibit.

Shyam’s work will be on display until Oct. 25 in the Perspective Gallery on the second floor of the Squires Student Center.

@EmilyKCarrigan

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Army ROTC unit starts semester with campuswide run LIBBY HOWE Corps of Cadets beat reporter

Last Friday, Virginia Tech’s Army ROTC unit participated in its first battalion run of the semester. As one of the largest freshman classes in Virginia Tech history with 6,300 new students, this year’s batch of first-year cadets pose a significant challenge for upperclassman cadets and Army cadre to train. This battalion run gave freshman cadets the opportunity to see the Army ROTC unit as a whole.

Whereas battalion runs are usually conducted at the end of the semester, new leadership this year decided to push up the first physical training session to the beginning of the semester. Colonel Kevin Milton, professor of military science, played a crucial role in rescheduling the battalion run.

“It’s meant as a morale event, so I think (Milton) just wanted a really good start to the semester,” said Sherry Kim, senior industrial

systems engineering major and the public affairs officer for the Army battalion.

“He wanted us to feel like we’re part of a team,” Kim added.

Battalion exercises such as this one are carried out at a slower pace, considering this is the beginning of the semester when the physical fitness level of individual cadets has not been evaluated.

The exercise aims to ensure no cadet falls behind and to solidify the sense of team.

With such a large freshman class, the Army ROTC unit is focusing more on ensuring that freshman cadets know they have a home within the battalion.

“We look out for each other, and I hope that they get that sense of — as cheesy at it sounds — brotherhood,” Kim said. “That’s our goal.”

The battalion run represented the freshman cadets’ first chance to interact with the entire Army ROTC unit.

During day-to-day classes and

ZACK WAJSGRAS / COLLEGIATE TIMES

Members of the Army ROTC battalion stretch on the Drillfeld before an early morning run, Aug. 27, 2015. even during Army ROTC lab, a class held on Tuesday afternoons for the entire battalion, cadets are separated by year and frequently conduct class in completely different locations from upperclassmen.

“Dur ing A r my lab everyone is on different parts of campus, so this is one of the few times that everyone

is together,” Kim said. “This is like their first real taste of what being in Army ROTC is like.”

These freshman cadets have yet to learn the vast difference between their life in the Corps and life in ROTC. Kim explained how the attitude changes between the two different aspects of being

a Virginia Tech cadet.

“There’s that differentiating between ROTC and the Corps. The Corps is a lot more of the upperclassmen really being on you, they’re breathing down your neck, whereas ROTC is still professional, but it’s more laidback,” Kim said.

At 5:30 a.m., the entire

battalion could be heard running down Main Street, Washington Street and Duck Pond Drive. The cadets left the Drillfield as a unit and returned after roughly three miles, leaving no cadet behind.

John Shevlin, freshman business information technology major, commented on his impression of the run as well as the battalion while he stretched in a squad after the run.

“It was impressive,” Shevlin said. “There are a lot of us, and everyone wants to work hard. Everyone’s motivated.”

After stretching, the battalion assembled together for the last time of the day to hear from Milton.

“If that didn’t fire you up, then your fire’s wet,” Milton said. “That’s how we start Friday mornings in the Army.” @yourlenny

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Aug. 28 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

Aug. 28 9 p.m.-9 a.m.

Aug. 28 4:08 p.m.

Aug. 28 9:07 p.m.

Aug. 28-29 11:56-12:56 a.m.

Aug. 28-29 9 p.m.-8 p.m.

Aug. 29 12:09 a.m.

offense Underage Possession of Alcohol Vandalism/Damage/Destruction of Property Larceny-All Others Harassment Underage Possession of Alcohol x 9 Assualt-Simple Hit & Run Underage Possession of Alcohol/Public Intoxication x 2 Aug. 29 12:23 a.m.

Underage Possession of Alcohol Aug. 29 12:27 a.m.

Underage Possession of Alcohol/Public Intoxication Aug. 29 12:49 a.m.

Underage Possession of Alcohol Aug. 29 12:49 a.m.

Underage Possession of Alcohol x 7 Aug. 29 1:54 a.m.

Underage Possession of Alcohol Aug. 29 2:16 a.m.

Underage Possession of Alcohol Aug. 29 3:27-11:59 p.m.

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Underage Possession of Alcohol

location Miles Hall 1330 Perry St. 410 Washington St. SW 401 Ingles Ct. Pritchard Hall 2875 Oak Lane 899 Prices Fork Rd Parking Lot 500 Drillfield Dr.

status Referred by Student Conduct Inactive Active Active Referred to Student Conduct Active Active Referred to Student Conduct

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Referred to Student Conduct Referred to Student Conduct Referred to Student Conduct Referred to Student Conduct Referred to Student Conduct Referred to Student Conduct Inactive Referred to Student Conduct

Pritchard Hall 530 Washington St. SW

Cleared by Arrest Referred to Student Conduct

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