Feb. 20, 2017

Page 1

collegiatetimes.com

112th YEAR, ISSUE 209

February 20, 2017

COLLEGIATETIMES An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903

“This is not a test run. calories burned shot speed

THIS IS INVENTING THE FUTURE.”

UN goals inspire new RLC service requirements Virginia Tech’s RLC mirrors service initiatives set forth by the United Nations. ANNA DAVIS

- head coach Jim Thompson

news reporter

spin rate

distance traveled AUSTIN SCHERBARTH AND JINA RO / COLLEGIATE TIMES George Cartledge of the Virginia Tech tennis team prepares to serve against St. Bonaventure, Feb. 11, 2017.

Hokies debut tennis tech Virginia Tech tennis is changing the game This Tuesday, the Virginia Tech men’s tennis team will be the first college to implement live electronic line-calling technology, a system long used in the pros. FAIZAN HASNANY sports editor

Athletics and analytic technology have become increasingly intertwined in recent years, in nearly every sport at both the professional and collegiate levels. It’s no secret that Virginia Tech, a school that prides itself on innovation, has been a leader in this trend. There has been a lot of talk about the men’s basketball team’s unique use of

technology and data analytics, but the men’s tennis team has flown under the radar with its innovative practices. This Tuesday, when Virginia Tech faces off against the College of Charleston at Bur rows-Burleson Tennis Center, it will be the first college ever to implement a live line-call review and challenge system. “The challenge system is through this technology called PlaySight, which we had

installed in 2015. This system is used for statistic tracking and also can call the balls in and out,” said junior Freddy Mesmer. “In the match, we will get two challenges per set. If you get your challenge right, you get to keep it and if you’re wrong, you lose one.” PlaySight was founded in 2011 and has since gained an incredible amount of support from the tennis community, drawing investments from nu mer ous t en n is ic on s

Students in the RLC have completed service initiatives in the past, but previous events lacked the structure of the praxis projects. “Initially our projects involved having us just go out and find an organization ... These projects would be unorganized and people would have these events that ended up falling through the cracks because they needed more volunteers,” said junior Michael Haller, the RLC’s

see TENNIS / page 5

see RLC / page 3

In new head coach John Sung’s ACC debut, the Virginia Tech women’s lacrosse team earned its first conference win in nearly five years, defeating Boston College 18–12. lacrosse beat reporter

The Virginia Tech Hokies upset the Boston College Eagles, 18–12, in John Sung’s inaugural ACC game. This win marks the first ACC win for the Hokies since April 7, 2012, when Tech beat in-state rival Virginia 10–9 in overtime. “No one on this team knows what it feels like (to win an ACC game),” Sung said. “We just keep working and pushing ourselves. We had to take that JMU loss to get this win, and I’ll tell you Boston College is a good team.” Kristine Loscalzo and Tristan McGinley led the way for the

Hokies, each scoring four goals in the win over Boston College. Emma Harden and Taylor Caskey helped Tech a great deal off of the bench with three goals a piece. Zan Biedenharn and Marissa Davey also knocked home two goals each. Goalie Meagh Graham has had a phenomenal week against JMU and Boston College, with 12 saves against JMU and nine against Boston College. “Meagh Graham is amazing, she’s doing an awesome job. I tell our kids, if we practice well, we will play well, and Friday was our best practice since I’ve been here. I had that good feeling that we had worked really hard and knew it was

coming,” Sung said. In attendance at today’s game was Baltimore Ravens’ head coach John Harbaugh. Harbaugh’s daughter Alison is being recruited to play lacrosse at Virginia Tech. “It’s been great, we’ve had a chance to get on campus,” Harbaugh said. “My wife and daughter had been here another time, so they had been bragging about Tech. It’s my first time here on campus, well, actually we were here in 1989, I was coaching for Cincinnati, so I didn’t exactly get a tour back then.” Along with Tech, Alison is also being recruited to Boston College, Notre Dame and Johns Hopkins.

While students are required to contribute to a specific project that aligns with an SDG, they are encouraged to pick a topic that they are truly passionate about.”

including Novak Djokovic, Billie Jean King and Pete Sampras. The company’s SmartCourt technology has become exceedingly popular, not just within tennis but also other sports, including basketball. The Golden State Warriors were actually the first professional basketball team to implement the technology, doing so in their practice facility.

Lacrosse lands first ACC win since 2012 JORDAN HUTCHINSON

Beginning this semester, all 170 of the freshmen who live in the Residential Leadership Community (RLC) are required to complete a “praxis project,” or a service initiative that aligns with one of the United Nations’ (U.N.) 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The RLC is a living-learning community centered around enhancing students’ leadership and interpersonal skills. Freshmen in the RLC take two academic courses together, one during the fall semester and one in the spring. The praxis projects are conducted as part of the spring class.

“It’s just beautiful, it’s a beautiful campus and a beautiful town. The facilities are ridiculously nice. Coach Sung has been amazing, he’s a great recruiter and a great guy,” Harbaugh said. Next on the schedule for Tech is Liberty, next Wednesday. The first road game of the year should be a good test for the Hokies. Sung will look to have his team primed and ready for another out of conference opponent. Virginia Tech is 6–0 in its career against Liberty. The game will start at 4 p.m. @JHutchinsonVT

Conference combats opioid use in rural Virginia Last week’s conference expressed concerns on Virginia’s opioid use. ANDREW SHEDLOCK news reporter

Opioid abuse has become an epidemic throughout rural America in the past decade. In 2015, over 20,000 Americans died due to overdosing on prescription pain relievers out of the 50,000 who died due to drug overdose (via data provided by the Centers for Disease Control). Toward the end of November 2016, Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared that the opioid addiction crisis in Virginia had become a public health emergency.

Once you got the plague you weren’t likely to get it again, but with addiction you need multiple attempts to break the cycle.”

William Rea vice chair and doctor at Carilion Clinic

BILLY CLARKE / COLLEGIATE TIMES The Virginia Tech Hokies raise their sticks in unison during their bout against Boston College, Feb. 18, 2017.

FUTURE’S NEW ALBUM DOES NOT SURPRISE Does consistency in sound hurt or help a musician?

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL FALLS 63–55 TO UVA This loss extends Tech’s losing streak to 10 games.

page 6

page 4

On Thursday, Feb. 16, the Virginia Rural Health Association at Virginia Tech held a conference focused on the growing opioid epidemic in rural Virginia. The conference began with a personal anecdote written by a Virginia Tech student describing the pain and damage her family experienced caused by her father’s opioid addiction. see ABUSE / page 3

/CollegiateTimes

ctlifestyles

@collegiatetimes

@collegiatetimes


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.