Wednesday, Nov. 25 - Tuesday, Dec. 1 Weekly Digital Edition
Vol. 107, Issue 9 www.thedailyaztec.com
San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913
Three observations: Men’s basketball gearing up for unconventional season by
Kyle Betz
SPORTS EDITOR
Believe it or not, it’s been only about eight months since San Diego State men’s basketball’s 2019-20 season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The team had aspirations to make a run in the NCAA tournament until the entire sports world was put on pause. With the pandemic only worsening as winter approaches, the beginning of this season will look much different from the last. Instead of fans, cardboard cutouts will fill the empty seats of Viejas Arena as the Aztecs prepare for their season opener against UCLA on Nov. 25. Head coach Brian Dutcher said not having a home crowd inside their arena will be a drastic change. “We’ve won titles because we have the best crowd in the west, the Mountain West and maybe the coun-
try,” Dutcher said. “This is going to be a real challenge not having The Show, not having our Aztec fans in the building… It’ll be a big adjustment for us.” The game against the Bruins will be the first of two multi-team event games the Aztecs will play to tip off their season. Here are three observations entering the 2020-21 men’s basketball season. 1. Uncertainty with COVID-19 Winning 26-straight games, the Mountain West Conference regular season title and an NCAA tournament berth is clearly no easy task to accomplish. Senior forward Matt Mitchell said he’s using last season’s sudden disruption as motivation entering 2020-21. “I know it was our right to be (at the NCAA tournament) and we would’ve made a lot of noise,” Mitchell said. “But to a certain extent, also, you’ve got to let it go because i t ’ s not
the same team. So it’s kind of that looming factor of keeping that chip on your shoulder and knowing that you were there and having that determination to get back there.” The journey to potentially claim another NCAA tournament starts with the team’s multi-team event Wednesday versus UCLA and Nov. 27 against UC Irvine. Although games are set on the schedule, nothing is guaranteed during a pandemic. College football has already seen the effects of COVID-19 within programs across the country. Four games scheduled to be played this weekend, including SDSU football’s contest against Fresno State on Nov. 27, have already been canceled or postponed. Dutcher said
he is preparing for the worst in terms of getting through the season safely. “I’m concerned with getting through the beginning, the middle and the end,” Dutcher said. “We’re all going to face a pause at some point, whether it’s our own program or someone we’re playing. And so we’ll remain flexible, try to live the right way we avoid it, but we all know the numbers are going up around the country.” Turns out, the pandemic has already affected the men’s basketball program even before the season opener. The Aztecs’ series against Colorado State on Dec. 3 and Dec. 5 at Viejas Arena was postponed due to COVID-19 earlier this week. At this point, the team is considering adding “a couple of non-Division I teams” to fill the remaining void, according to Dutcher. Dutcher
emphasized the importance of the team finding another program to play rather than having almost two weeks off. “We want to keep our game timing up,” Dutcher said. “So maybe the opposition won’t be what we hope for, but I think game timing is everything, and to have a chance to just play game minutes is important.” 2. Dutcher to rely on transfers, depth Despite losing three starters in Yanni Wetzell, KJ Feagin and Malachi Flynn, the Aztecs now have other options to support their starting five and bench. Senior forward Joshua Tomaić, who transferred from Maryland during the offseason, adds a cushion at the forward spot following the departures of Wetzell, Nolan Narain and Joel Mensah. see
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INSIDE THE ISSUE
Graphics by Emily Burgess
PURPLE TIER EXPLAINED New restictions and guidelines are now in place. Here’s how they will impact SDSU.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL IS BACK The team is excited to start their season, and they’re aiming to suprise.
AGUEK AROP’S ROAD TO RECOVERY Faith, friends, family and mentors helped the junior forward bounce back after injuries.
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News
The Daily Aztec
Nov. 25 - Dec. 1, 2020 Editor: Jadyn Brandt
San Diego County is back in the Purple Tier. What does that mean for SDSU? by Jadyn
Brant
EDITOR IN CHIEF Brenden Tuccinardi
NEWS EDITOR
San Diego County slipped back into the most restrictive tier in California’s reopening blueprint this past weekend, after the county’s case rate was above 7 cases per 1,000 residents for two consecutive weeks. For the county, the switch to the purple tier means most businesses will be forced to operate outdoors only while bars, breweries, amusement parks and live audience sports have been shut down. For San Diego State, the restrictions have not closed campus itself, but have had an effect on other facilities like on-campus eateries. According to the university, SDSU remains open and has not closed
NEWS EDITOR Jadyn Brandt ASST. NEWS EDITOR Katelynn Robinson OPINION EDITOR Trinity Bland MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR Daniel Guerrero ASST. MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR Noé Sandoval Photo by Brenden Tuccinardi San Diego County residents and SDSU students wait in line to get tested at the county-operated COVID-19 testing center at the Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center on Nov. 18.
due to the new restrictions. “The university continues to offer instruction, housing, ongoing research and other efforts to sustain its educational and research missions,” the university said. However, some on-campus restaurants and markets are now closed until further notice. The list of closed shops
COVID-19 Update: Cases on the rise, testing continues by
Catlan Nguyen
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR
Since the start of the semester, San Diego State has reported 1,520 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19. This is the highest number reported at any college or university in California. SDSU reported 156 new cases between Nov. 14 and Nov. 22 after reporting only 54 cases the week before, according to Student Health Services data. Of the total cases, 1,475 are among students, 27 are faculty/staff, two are vendors/contractors and 16 represent visitors, according to SHS. The recent spike in cases among students led to SDSU announcing that its remaining in-person courses would transition
online and remain virtual for the remainder of the fall semester ending Dec. 17, and that all on-campus residents returning to the dorms after the break would need to get tested upon their arrival. However, many students living on-campus have opted to stay home for the last two weeks of the semester. According to Cynthia Cervantes, the director of SDSU’s Office of Housing Administration, over 500 of the 2,200 students living on-campus are expected to stay home after Thanksgiving break and return for the spring semester. Since the beginning of the semester, about 1,200 students have moved back home from on-campus see
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includes: Aztec Market, Starbucks and The Grill at Aztec Shops Terrace, Oggi’s and The Habit at Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union, Rubios, SoCal Chicken, Subway, Halal Shack and Panda Express at East Commons and all BCB Coffee locations. All indoor facilities at the Aztec Recreation Center – which had only just reopened for indoor
workouts – are also closed once again, but students can still make reservations to workout at one of the ARC’s outdoor locations. The university is also moving in-person instruction online before the Thanksgiving break, and nearly 2,100 students enrolled in courses with in-person components see
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SDSU launches program supporting school counselors in Michigan by Jayne
Yutig
STAFF WRITER
San Diego State launched the School Counselor Fellows Program in partnership with the Michigan College Access Network. This first in the nation program will provide Michigan school counselors with mentorship and training aimed at increasing postsecondary college enrollment. This partnership with SDSU will also focus on how counselors can support students in the face of increasing challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. MCAN said in a press release, “Fellows will investigate how the pandemic, mental health and wellness, and equity driven practices influence college and career readiness and postsecondary planning. They
will develop action-oriented plans to increase practices that best support students as they navigate their postsecondary path in an erratic and changing environment.” Rakiba Mitchell is a school counselor, educator, and one of thirteen fellows from Michigan that will partner with SDSU in the two-year long program. During her fellowship she plans on gaining resources that she can deploy at home in Detroit, MI to support a community that has endured crippling effects from the pandemic. “My students also do not have access to quality technology or health care -- both of which are essential,” Mitchell said. “COVID devastated my city, ravaged my community and it is not see
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ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Devin Whatley SPORTS EDITOR Kyle Betz ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Luis Lopez SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Catlan Nguyen PHOTO EDITOR Alexa Oslowski ASST. PHOTO EDITOR Amanda Orozco VIDEO EDITOR Angela Kurysh ASST. VIDEO EDITOR Mackenzie Stafford GRAPHIC DESIGN EDITOR Emily Burgess SENIOR STAFF WRITERS Ryan Hardison Breven Honda Amber Salas Reese Savoie STAFF WRITERS Jason Freund Shalika Oza Flower Smith Jayne Yutig CONTRIBUTORS Sebastian Mendoza ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Bryan Diamond MARKETING/PR DIRECTOR Roxana Becerril EDITORIAL editor@thedailyaztec.com ADVERTISING advertising@thedailyaztec.com PRINT The Daily Aztec publishes 5,000 copies of its weekly print edition every Wednesday thoughout the semester when we are not in a global pandemic. WEB Daily content is available at www.thedailyaztec.com SOCIAL MEDIA @thedailyaztec
@TheDailyAztec
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/thedailyaztec The views and opinions expressed in this issue do not necessarily reflect those of The Daily Aztec.
Opinion
Nov. 25 - Dec. 1, 2020 Editor: Trinity Bland
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Thank you, Madame Awakened and empowered, young Vice President Americans will hold politicians accountable by
Sebastian Mendoza
CONTRIBUTOR
Graphic by Shalika Oza
by
Shalika Oza
STAFF WRITER
Growing up in America, it wasn’t often that I saw South Asian characters in the media, and if I did, they seemed exaggerated and not nearly representative of my culture. In television, many South Asian or Indian characters seemed like white people wrote them. Therefore the characters are what white people think Indian people are like. Thankfully, times have changed, and I see many more South Asian and Indian-Americans in the media. Actress, writer and producer Mindy Kaling changed the game with Never Have I Ever, but one show can’t represent us all, and besides, television isn’t real life either. Recently, I’ve witnessed seeing someone that looks like me and isn’t an exaggeration of my culture. Kamala Harris’ election as Vice President of the United States of America was life-changing. Harris may not be the perfect politician, but who is? In only a matter of weeks, there will be a Black and Indian-American woman in the White House – and not just as a secretary of something, or an advisor, but as the Vice President. And that is inexplicably important.
From a young age, my mom instilled in me the belief I could do anything I ever wanted. She always told me I could be whatever I set my mind to, even if it was running for President of the United States. While it seemed like a far-off dream, it was meant to motivate me rather than anything else. Today, that dream doesn’t seem so far away. I don’t ever have plans to be a politician, but for young Indian girls seeing another Indian woman as Vice President gives us more than just a dream. Though my emotions were partly from the relief of the election’s outcome, I was brought to tears as I watched Harris’ victory speech. I became even more emotional as I read text messages from my mom, reiterating her support for everything I want in life and again telling me I could be President of the United States someday. Kamala Harris, Madam Vice President, is as real as it gets. I hope every little brown girl can have more than just dreams and understand doing what they want is important and can change the world. I hope they heard Harris say, “While I may be the first woman in this office, I won’t be the last,” and thought of themselves.
The year 2020 has been but a long series of peculiarities that would leave anyone’s mouth open in disbelief. Political chaos in the United States has been fueled by a plethora of events ranging from President Trump being acquitted from impeachment, his administration’s failure to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2020 Presidential Election. With the discomfort caused by this year’s events and a large fraction of the U.S. in disapproval of the current administration’s actions, this year’s election was rightfully utilized to achieve the change and progress many yearn to see in their country. While Joe Biden & Kamala Harris’ victory may be the antithesis of the previous administration, many have accepted the Biden/Harris administration only as an escape from President Trump. The phrase “Settle for Biden” echoed through
a sea of internet posts & pages leading up to the Presidential Election, carrying young voters’ wish to see their country lean increasingly left. “Democrats enjoy a 27-percentage-point advantage among Millennial voters (59% are Democrats or lean Democratic, 32% are Republican or lean Republican). In 2014, 53% of Millennial voters were Democrats or leaned Democratic, 37% tilted toward the GOP,” The Pew Research Center states. It comes as no surprise that the younger demographic aligns itself with the Democratic Party, whose platform stands on reversing climate change, reforming criminal justice and providing affordable and accessible healthcare. Voters made their choice, but not without a caveat. Both Biden and Harris have a long history of contradicting actions and votes. However, voters looked past these mistakes with the under-
standing that a Biden/Harris administration would get the country back on track. The election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris should not be viewed as the end of a push for a better America, but the beginning of more robust and sustained demands for equity and justice in the United States of America. Over the next two months, Americans will begin to see a vision of a Biden presidency take shape as the President-elect forms his cabinet and chooses the officials who will lead our government. It is too soon for young Americans to throw in the ‘political’ towel at the end of the day. If the nation expects to see real change from the upcoming administration, people ought to speak up. Our political representatives should be made well aware of what Americans truly want and that their power isn’t above the people.
Graphic by Shalika Oza
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The Daily Aztec
Mundo Azteca
Nov. 25 - Dec. 1, 2020 Editor: Daniel Guerrero
Conferencia virtual destaca los problemas raciales en Brasil by
Noé Sandoval
ASIST. DE MUNDO AZTECA
El día 18 de noviembre, el Centro de Brasil en la Universidad Estatal de San Diego tuvo una conferencia virtual llamada “Raza, Racismo, y Resistencia en América Latina: La Lucha Afro-Brasileña para Ciudadanía”. Esta conferencia fue la última de tres conferencias que hablan sobre reforma social en latinoamérica, enfocando en Brasil, y ha sido organizada por la directora del Centro, Dra. Erika Robb Larkins. La conferencia invitó a tres hablantes para hablar y platicar sobre la situación política y social en Brasil actualmente. Abner Francisco Sótenos, estudiante de doctorado en Historia Latinoamericana en la Universidad de California, San Diego. Su estudio examina el activismo político afrobrasileño en el Brasil de la era de la Guerra Fría y los aparatos de vigilancia estatal durante el mismo período; Monique Paula, estudi-
File Photo El Centro de Brasil en SDSU organizó su conferencia virtual con invitados Abner Francisco Sótenos, Monique Paula, y Watufani Poe. Los invitados hablaron sobre los problemas raciales y sociales en Brasil.
ante de posgrado en Medios y Vida Cotidiana en la Universidade Federal Fluminense en Niterói, Brasil. El estudio de Paula analiza las trayectorias políticas de las congresistas negras en Brasil a través de la visibilidad en las redes sociales y su papel en la arena política Watufani Poe es candidato a doctorado en Estudios Africanos en la Universidad de Brown. Poe se centra en el activismo negro
LQBTQA + en los Estados Unidos y Brasil para comprender el activismo social y político queer y trans negro en ambos países. Esta conferencia fue apropiada por el tiempo que fue dada. El 20 de noviembre fue el día de la conciencia negra en Brasil. Además, durante la conferencia se dijo que en Brasil tuvieron elecciones municipales el domingo, 15 de noviembre que mostró un cambio simbólico en el país.
“Afro-brasileños son el grupo etnico más grande en Brasil”, dijo Abner Francisco. “Los afro-brasileños son 55% de la población en Brasil”. Francisco destacó varias estadísticas de cómo grupos minoritarios están siendo marginados en Brasil. Él mencionó que los brasileños de descendencia africana son 17 veces más probable a ser asesinados que afro-americanos que en Los Estados
Unidos. Debido a la historia de Brasil, aún se ven muchos casos de racismo en Brasil. Brasil fue uno de los últimos países abolir la escalvatud. Con su presidente actual, Jair Bolsonaro, el gobierno en Brasil está tomando retórica militar con política liberal. En su turno, Monique Paula habló sobre cómo las redes sociales están siendo usadas por mujeres negras parlamentarias en Brasil. Ella también habló de cómo la cultura de miedo tiene su impacto en la sociedad brasileña. “El miedo es un instrumento para propósitos de control en una sociedad”, dijo Paula, durante su presentación. Ella analizó la política de Taliria Petrone, diputada en el estado de Río de Janeiro, Brasil. A través de las redes sociales, Taliria Petrone ha ofrecido más visibilidad para mujeres afro-brasileñas. Talia Petrone ha sido parte de un legado de Marielle see
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Todo lo que necesita saber para le temporada 2020-21 de basquetbol by
Daniel Guerrero
EDITOR DE MUNDO AZTECA
El inicio de las temporadas de básquetbol masculino y femenil 2020-21 para la Universidad Estatal de San Diego se acerca rápidamente. Ambos equipos de SDSU comienzan su temporada el 25 de noviembre. El equipo masculino tomará la cancha en Viejas Arena contra UCLA para comenzar su temporada, mientras que el equipo femenil abrirá su temporada en Las Vegas, Nev. contra la Universidad de Washington como parte del Clásico de Acción de Gracias de South Point. A medida que ambos equipos los Aztecs se preparen para volver a tomar la cancha, vendrá con algunos cambios en
el horario que se modificó para jugar durante la pandemia de coronavirus y con nuevos jugadores. Aquí encontrará todo lo que necesita saber para las temporadas masculina y femenina de básquetbol de este año. Los jugadores familiares que regresan buscan dar un paso adelante para ambos equipos El año pasado, el equipo masculino de SDSU hizo historia después de comenzar la temporada con un récord escolar de 27-0 y terminar el año 302. A pesar de perder algunos de los grandes nombres que les ayudaron a alcanzar esas marcas, algunos jugadores que ya conocemos volverán a tomar la cancha.
Algunos de esos jugadores incluyen a jugadores de último año Matt Mitchell y Jordan Shackel. Mitchell fue nombrado al primer equipo de All-Mountain West en la encuesta de entrenadores
después de la temporada de 2019-20. Durante la temporada, Mitchel promedio 12,2 puntos por partido y 4,8 rebotes después de jugar en cada partido. Mitchell también fue nombrado al equipo pre-
temporada All-Mountain West para la temporada de 2020-21. Shackel promedió 10 puntos por partido después de jugar en cada partido durante la temsee
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File photo El entrenador en jefe de baloncesto masculino de SDSU, Brian Dutcher, corta las redes después de derrotar a Nuevo México por el título de temporada regular de Mountain West el 11 de febrero en el Viejas Arena.
5 Sports Same names, new roles highlight SDSU offense in 2020-21 Nov. 25 - Dec. 1, 2020 Editor: Kyle Betz
by
Devin Whatley
ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR
As the 100th season of San Diego State men’s basketball begins on Nov. 25 against UCLA, the Aztecs are coming off of what some consider to be the best season in program history. The 2019-20 team finished with a 30-2 record, winning a school record 26-straight games, ranked as high as No. 4 in the AP Top 25 and clinching another Mountain West Conference regular season title. One of the main reasons behind the Aztecs’ record-setting success last season was their versatility on offense. Malachi Flynn and Yanni Wetzell operating a ball screen. K.J. Feagin attacking the lane and shooting off the dribble. Last year’s team had the ability to attack teams in a variety of ways. From free
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throws, to inside the paint and beyond the arc, it was difficult for opponents to defend the Aztecs on a nightly basis. Now, with Flynn, Feagin, Wetzell and others gone, head coach Brian Dutcher will have to figure out how to replace their scoring and impact on the team. However the cupboard isn’t completely bare. In fact, it has been infused with a mix of experienced returning players, graduate transfers and a highly-regarded freshman class. Here’s a look at what to expect from SDSU on offense this upcoming season. Elevated roles ahead for Matt Mitchell, Jordan Schakel and others Every season, as one player or more leaves the team for graduation or professional leagues, another one has stepped up to fill in the void.
Senior forward Matt Mitchell and senior guard Jordan Schakel are the two most experienced players on the roster, each entering their fourth season on the Mesa. With their experience and veteran leadership, Dutcher expects Mitchell and Schakel to go through an adjustment phase toward becoming the go-to guys on offense. “Jordan (Schakel) and Matt (Mitchell) are both capable of stepping their games up, but with that said, they’re going to have to adjust to defenses gearing toward them specifically, so we’ve worked on that,” he said. “They’re going to have to make plays for themselves and their teammates, and that’s the challenge.” Schakel said he along with other veterans on the roster feel prepared to step into the leadership
Photo by Sam Mayo Then-junior guard Jordan Schakel shoots a 3-point shot over a Long Island defender during the Aztecs’ 81-64 win over the Sharks on Nov. 22 at Viejas Arena.
role. “We want a player-driven team,” he said. “A lot of the older guys can hold the younger guys account-
able and make sure that’s how we (as a team) want it at all times.” see
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Nathan Mensah returns to action following health issue by
Amber Salas
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
San Diego State men’s basketball is set to take the court Wednesday night against UCLA to open the 2020-2021 season with a defensive presence they deeply missed last season: Nathan Mensah. Last season, the Aztecs went on a historical 30-2 run but they missed the presence of Nathan Mensah to provide strength on both ends of the court. Mensah protects the rim with a 7-foot-5 wingspan that allows him to do things for the Aztecs that others simply cannot. “Nathan is a difference-maker,” head coach Brian Dutcher said. “He’s been a two-year starter in our program, obviously only played 13 games last year but he is a full-go in practice right now.” Mensah missed the final 19 games of the season last year due to a health issue
that SDSU continually reported as a respiratory issue. Others reported that the 6-foot-10 starting forward suffered a pulmonary embolism, or blood clot in his lung. Before being sidelined,
Mensah led the team in blocks (22), offensive boards (27) and overall rebounding (6.8). Mensah had some of his biggest showings early in the 2019-2020 season. He had 12 points and 12 re-
File Photo Then-sophomore forward Nathan Mensah attempts a shot over a Texas Southern defender during the Aztecs’ 2019 season opener against the Tigers on Nov. 5 at Viejas Arena. The game resulted in a 77-42 SDSU victory.
bounds against San José State on Dec. 8, as well as 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting against Utah on Dec. 21. He brought a strong defensive performance with 62 defensive rebounds last season. The tipping point for Mensah was the Aztecs’ game against Cal Poly on Dec. 28 where he only lasted four minutes in the game before being pulled out due to shortness of breath. The following months consisted of Mensah seeing specialists and following the recommendations of the SDSU athletic training staff. Mensah was resilient and was hopeful to make a return for the NCAA Tournament in March. The tournament was cancelled due to COVID-19, giving Mensah more time to recover instead of rushing back into peak basketball season. Mensah received full medical clearance in early
October. He returns for his junior season with the Aztecs, where he is expected to be one of the starting five yet again. Throughout the recovery process, Dutcher said he wanted to proceed with caution to make sure Mensah was fully healthy before returning to the court. “The most important thing to all of us is Nathan’s health,” Dutcher said. “So we wanted to be extremely cautious with him and make sure that the doctors did their evaluation and made their recommendations, and with that done it’s great having Nathan back on the floor.” Mensah has continued to make improvements after returning to the court. After observing him in five-on-five drills, Dutcher said he feels Mensah’s shot blocking abilities will be key for the Aztecs’ defense. see
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Sports
The Daily Aztec
Nov. 25 - Dec. 1, 2020 Editor: Kyle Betz
Women’s basketball ‘excited’ to be back Katelynn Robinson & Breven Honda by
The San Diego State women’s basketball season is here after an unusual summer. After last year’s first round Mountain West Conference Tournament loss to Utah State, head coach Stacie Terry-Hutson said the team is not utilizing it as fuel for this season because of the events that transpired following the shutdowns caused by the pandemic. “We’re actually not using that for motivation to be quite honest,” Terry-Hutson said. “Our motivation this year is going to be from how easily things can be taken away and we can’t take things for granted.We appreciate things so much more with COVID-19 taking so much from our year.” Here are three observations for the upcoming season. SDSU has more newcomers than returners but
File Photo Then-sophomore guard Sophia Ramos looks to drive to the basket while facing a USD defender during the Aztecs’ 70-47 loss to the Toreros on Dec. 11, 2019 at Viejas Arena.
are building unity early and often The team’s chemistry is one of the biggest challenges entering the year. SDSU welcomes eight newcomers to the program. Terry-Hutson, who is entering her eighth season as head coach, said the team has been coming together before the season begins. “I was concerned about our chemistry because
we have such a new team,” Terry-Hutson said. “That being said, I think they are in such a fantastic place, they respect each other, they are challenging each other and trying to get better every single day. So our chemistry probably has been better than it’s ever been, which is ironic during this time and our lack to be around each other physically.”
Three of the eight newcomers are junior transfers in forward Ivvana Murrillo, along with guards Alex Crain and Mercedes Staples. On Nov. 18, the program announced Staples received a waiver from the NCAA to play immediately. An excited Terry-Hutson said Staples will take an active role as it adds to the team’s depth.
“She’s such a good ball player, has a great IQ, just a really talented young lady,” Terry-Hutson said. “It also helps with our depth. It gives us another body, another player so we can do different things, plan different schemes because we’re going to be a little deeper than we’ve ever been in the past.” Junior guard Sophia Ramos, who was picked to the preseason All-MWC team said the transfers have adjusted to SDSU’s style. “They’ve really gelled well with us,” Ramos said. “Luckily, Mercedes was a mid-year, so we were able to get to know her a little bit earlier. I think we’re such an easy group to mesh with. We are all pretty relaxed, like to have fun and hang out. Them coming in with us has been pretty easy. It’s been an easy transition.” In addition to three juniors, the Aztecs welcome see
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Women’s basketball releases updated 2020-21 season schedule by
Reese Savoie
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
San Diego State announced its schedule for the upcoming 2020-21 season Tuesday afternoon. In a year as strange as this one, it’s no surprise the upcoming season will differ from the norm. The 2020-21 Mountain West campaign will run four weeks shorter than usual, totaling up to 10 series. Each team will have five series on their home court and five on the road. Over the span of a week, teams will face off against one another in a short, two-game series with one day of rest between each matchup. Junior guard Sophia Ramos recognizes the physical and mental challenges that this modified schedule presents.
“I think it’s going to be tough,” Ramos said. “20 games is a lot, no matter what, and that’s a small span of time we’re getting them all in, especially on a one-day break.” “I think it’s going to be really important to focus more on scouting and taking advantage of the recovery time we’re given, just because it is going to be a wear and tear on our bodies from travelling. Going into one game, taking the one (day) break and jumping into the next,” she added. However, despite these difficulties, Ramos says that the schedule gives the team a unique opportunity to bond. “It’ll be fun,” she said. “It’ll allow us to somewhat enjoy the road trips that we’re given and find other ways to make memories
with our teammates.” The Mountain West’s decision to shorten the upcoming season is something head coach Stacie Terry-Hutson said she appreciates given the circumstances that have come about as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. “It is what it is. I think it is a great call by our conference to try to keep us as safe as we possibly can and get the most amount of games in as we can,” she said. “Limiting the travel, playing at Colorado State for two games and not doing the home-and-home I think will help that.” “I think it is the right call to do with all the stories going on in our country, and we want to make sure our student-athletes’ health is our first priority,” Terry-Hutson added.
SDSU will tip off its season with non-conference action. The Aztecs will partake in the South Point Thanksgiving Classic beginning on Nov. 25 against University of Washington in Las Vegas. The Scarlet and Black will play again
Nov. 27 against Lamar University to finish up the tournament. Terry-Huston says she’s looking forward to the opportunity to play a Pac-12 opponent like University see
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File Photo Then-junior guard Téa Adams signals a play to her teammates during the Aztecs’ 55-45 win over Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 17, 2019 at Viejas Arena.
Sports
Nov. 25 - Dec. 1, 2020 Editor: Kyle Betz
The Daily Aztec
7
After suffering injuries, Aguek Arop discovers faith to persevere through adversity by Jason
Freund
STAFF WRITER
Junior forward Aguek Arop is a men’s basketball player at San Diego State. He gets a full-ride scholarship, plays on one of the most notable teams in the nation and is recognized by virtually every student on campus. The glitz and glamor of a college basketball player are well documented. What isn’t documented are the struggles a player goes through when playing. Arop has seen his fair share of struggles. His freshman season was plagued with a painful hip injury that he played through. After the season, Arop got surgery on his hip to repair damage to his labrum. He returned to the team for his sophomore season, bringing the same versatility. Coming off the bench, Arop played in 22 games while logging an average of 9.9 minutes per game. Then April arrived, and along with it the news that he needed more surgery: this time, on his shoulder. For Arop, it was yet another obstacle in a life filled with them. Born in Khartoum, Sudan, Arop moved to Egypt to avoid a brutal civil war before ultimately arriving in Houston. From Houston, Arop and his family moved to Omaha, Nebraska where Arop began to play basketball. “There were a lot of outside influences from where I was from and my neighborhood,” Arop said. “Basketball gave me something to focus on.” Arop quickly found success on the court, being named the 2016 Nebraska Gatorade Player of the Year and committing to SDSU over schools like Wichita State and Texas. Then came the injuries. Combined with the strain of being away from home and past traumas, Arop found himself in a bad
mental state. Through rehabilitation, Arop was making progress to return back from his injuries, but he needed a place to recharge. That place just happened to be five minutes from his apartment at the SDSU Newman Center. As described on their website, the Newman Center is a Roman Catholic center located on school grounds that provides “a place for students to form friendships, worship, and nurture their faith while attending San Diego State University.” Arop credits his former strength and conditioning coach Andrew Mitchell for introducing him to the center. “(Mitchell) invited me to check out an event called XLT,” Arop said. “It was praise and worship but it was my first step into Newman.” Michell, now the strength and conditioning coach at TCU, said there was a mutual interest in the Catholic faith between him and Arop. “There was an exchange of commonalities where we were both Catholic,” Mitchell said. “At that point, I started to take more of an interest in things that were off-the-court.” Despite Mitchell leaving for TCU a year later, he and Arop remain in contact with each other to discuss topics ranging from basketball to faith. “We try and reach out at least once a week,” Mitchell said. “When you make a bond with someone in your faith life, some of those boundaries in a typical coach-player mentorship, some of those things you share in the faith transcend the typical boundaries of conversation. The experience was a positive one for Arop and he found himself continuing to attend Sunday mass and various events held at the Newman Center.
File Photo Then-sophomore forward Aguek Arop attempts a layup during the Aztecs’ 68-55 win over Nevada on Jan. 18 at Viejas Arena.
“I was in a pretty bad mental state and dealing with a lot of things,” Arop said. “I was trying to find ways to cope with it and when I was at the praise and worship and I realized what I was looking for was Jesus.” His renewed drive to better his mental state through his faith didn’t go unnoticed with his fellow church-goers. A wellknown basketball player was an uncommon sight at the Newman Center, but Arop quickly became a regular and formed new relationships. Eventually, Arop would meet Josh Schroeder, who currently resides at the Newman Center. Schroeder initially believed Arop wouldn’t give him the time of day, but a friendship formed as Arop continued to join more events at the church. What impressed Schroeder the most was Arop’s character and his drive to improve himself in every aspect of his life. “That guy (Arop) is very driven… he is a great person,” Schroeder said. “I
don’t know how else to describe him. He is good at basketball, he works hard when he reads for fun, he works hard when he reads for school. He cares about the people he is with.” After the two continued to learn more about each other, an idea was formulated: lead a Bible study group. Arop was initially against it. He was still new to the Newman Center and felt that he didn’t have much to offer. He was still learning about himself and his faith, after all. However, the more he discovered about himself and his faith, the more inclined he was to begin the group. “I thought I didn’t have much to bring to the table regarding faith,” Arop said. “As time went on, I realized if I could be that someone who could bring someone closer to Christ… that was my opportunity to do so.” Arop and Shroeder then began their Bible study group. With the lessons Arop learned over the past months, he shared those
with the students who joined him each week. At first, it wasn’t easy. As the weeks went on and the meetings became regular, Arop became comfortable with his role as a leader while speaking about his experiences with both his faith and his life. Now, with the basketball season approaching, Arop is physically ready for the season. With his shoulder healed, he’ll be able to perform on the court as per usual. His resolve, however, has never been stronger. With his newfound faith and growth, Arop is set to take on an expanded role as a leader among his teammates — one he admits he wouldn’t have been prepared for had he not faced the obstacles he was presented. “It puts me in a leadership position that I was very uncomfortable with at first,” Arop said. “We all have different stories and being able to relate with each and every one of our guys. It is a whole set of new challenges that brings a lot of growth ultimately.”
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The Daily Aztec
Arts & Culture
Nov. 25 - Dec. 1, 2020 Editor: Devin Whatley
Thomas Boyd performs in first ‘Virtual Nooner’ of fall semester by
Flower Smith
STAFF WRITER
In a Nov. 17th virtual performance, criminal justice sophomore Thomas Boyd performed in San Diego State’s first “Virtual Nooner” of the semester. Nooner is an event held by Associated Students to allow up-and-coming students to perform for the SDSU community. Boyd’s performance comes after previous attempts to start the event earlier this semester were cancelled due to miscommunications. The Virtual Nooner was posted on the official account of the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union on their Instagram as a live IGTV stream. Boyd kicked off the show performing in his band Cardboard Breakfast alongside bandmates Ricardo Dollero and Josi-
ah “Jojo” Mundo. For the first two songs in their set, they played original pieces called “SD up to LA” and “Tokyo Town.” The band also played two cover songs, “Sabor a Mi” by Luis Miguel and a traditional Mexican folk song “La Bruja,” displaying their talents with many instruments and vocals. For the second part of the act, Boyd performed as a solo artist, singing nine original songs under the stage name Midnight Crow. Midnight Crow played an original song titled “Mercury,” a soft bass and soothing keyboard track that underlies an environmental influence to kick off the performance. “I started in music as a mariachi student two years ago,” Boyd said. “I learned the guitarrón, which is the bass for mariachi, and ever
since then, I have continued to learn more instruments.” One of the instruments he currently plays is a bass guitar, the foundational beginning of his creative musical process. With every artist having a different approach to finding their muse, Boyd’s process comes organically with the help of his bass. “I normally just play my bass and then work off of whatever sounds cool,” Boyd said. “Once I have something cool sounding, I like to fit it to a drum track and then add in anything else, whether it’s more bass, guitar, keyboard, or samples to spice up the track.” Boyd writes and composes music inspired by lo-fi, short for low-fidelity, music, and related beats. Although this is his prima-
Photo courtesy of the Aztec Union Instagram An Instagram post from Associated Students promoting the Virtual Nooner with Thomas Boyd.
ry music genre, he plans to make more alternative music in the future. During the virtual performance, each song performed by Midnight Crow has a theme within the song titles. “A lot of the music presented in the Virtual Nooner was written while I was sitting outside looking out at the stars and planets,
which is actually why a lot of the songs are named after planets,”Boyd said. With Boyd’s intense passion for music, his inspiration draws from everyday things and organic processes. “What inspires me are my problems in life and what I see around me,” Boyd said. see
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Cooking with Chefs experiments with Native Frybread by
Ryan Hardison
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Looking for a tasty traditional meal? Or a savory dessert to warm you up as the days get colder? Well, look no further than to Native frybread. For their third edition of Cooking With Chefs: Student Organization Edition, Associated Students partnered with the Native American Student Alliance (NASA) to make Native frybread into Indian tacos. Following videos with Tijuana Home Build and AB Samahan, this is yet another collaboration with a cultural organization on campus, as A.S. looks to bring fun videos to SDSU students wherever they’re residing. Though Cooking with Chefs was a long-standing tradition on campus before the pandemic, A.S. is using clubs to introduce authentic regional foods for people to cook anywhere from gourmet kitchens to their apartment stove.
NASA Chair Kenedi Kraten participated in the video and spoke about the history of the dish while providing an easy list of ingredients to make it. Kraten said A.S. reached out to the alliance to make a video for their series and they happily accepted. “I’m glad I was able to share the frybread recipe, making the video was a really fun experience,” Kraten said. Frybread is a versatile dish. It can be eaten alone, as a meat-based meal or with sweet toppings to make it a delicious dessert. The dessert version is Kraten’s favorite and she
enjoys putting powdered sugar, honey or chocolate sauce on top. “I have been making and eating frybread since I was a little kid. Frybread is a staple dish in many indigenous households, which is why I wanted to share the dish,” she said. According to Kraten, frybread was created by the Apache and Navajo people in 1863 and is now a staple dish in many native households nationwide. Though there are several different names for this dish, each version uses all the same ingredients. It requires only around ten ingredients to make and less than
Photo courtesy of Associated Students A screenshot of the ingredients required to make Native Frybread.
an hour of cook and prep time. Throughout the video, Kraten dropped numerous fun facts about frybread making competitions occurring nationwide. This included referencing the first National Fry Bread Contest being held in Anadarko, Oklahoma in 1993 and the 13th Annual National Indian Taco Championship Festival being voted Best Food Festival in Oklahoma in 2015 by Red Dirt Report. Like many student organizations on campus, NASA had to transition online for the fall semester. Though there have been varying degrees of success for each club, NASA has been able to maintain much of their reach, even with the tumultuous switch to digital interaction. “NASA has adjusted well to being all virtual,” Kraten said. “Sometimes [it has] been tough trying to navigate the new virtual world, yet we have still managed to remain an active pres-
ence on social media, even hosting and co-hosted several zoom events.” November is Native American Heritage Month and with collaboration from the Native Resource Center, SDSU American Indian Studies Department, and others, NASA is planning on holding numerous events for students to come together, learn and celebrate the indigenous community, while also acknowledging the importance of our studies on Kumeyaay land. Kraten named some upcoming events that all students are welcome to join in. “Friday, Nov. 20 at 5 p.m., we will be celebrating the 2019-2020 graduates, and Tuesday, Nov. 24, there will be a Community Check-In at 3 p.m. with the NRC,” Kraten said. Follow NASA on Instagram @SDSU.Nasa and follow @sdsunativerc as well for updates, events, zoom links for more activities in the near future.