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Join the Student Media team Issue 29, Volume 82
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Down to a science Marchers proved to have perfected the art of anti-Trump protests in this weekend's demonstration by filling the streets of downtown Houston to support scientific institutes under threat of defunding. | PG. 4
uh.edu/csm
NEWS
American dream?
After the deportation of the first DACA student under Trump's administration, UH DREAMers fear for their security. | PG. 2
Goodbye, squirrel
A celebration of the deceased UH icon is planned for later this week, and the library has agreed to house a memorial. | PG. 3
OPINION
Keep it clean
In light of Earth Day, students have an obligation to each other and the campus to pick up the litter they come across. | PG. 8
SPORTS
Postseason prep
As Cougar baseball gets ready for tournament season, there are still plenty of holes needing to be filled. | PG. 10
World at their feet Three members of the Cougar Track & Field program have punched their ticket to the IAAF World Championships. | PG. 12
WE ARE THE POWERHOUSE Rated top 5% in the nation, UH College of Nursing fuels the health care industry by educating skilled nurses with a 100% first-time pass rate on the National Licensure Exam for RNs. uh.edu/nursing Health
Professions
2016
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The Cougar
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ABOUT THE COUGAR The Cougar is published every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters and online at thedailycougar. com. The Daily Cougar is supported in part by Student Service Fees.
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ISSUE STAFF WEB EDITING
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Trey Strange Alex Meyer Leah Nash
"DACA allows for for people who have gone through the education here and who have been acculturated by American society to really provide for America in the way they were meant to do," said Maria Trevino-Rodriguez, vice president of the Youth Empowerment Alliance. | Courtesy of Youth Empowerment Alliance
ACTIVISM
Deportation nightmare for DREAMers Immigrant-led campus organization sees dwindling attendance amid fears of Trump-era policies TRAYNOR SWANSON
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR @TRAYNORSWANSON
The first undocumented immigrant to be deported despite having protections under an Obama-era law permitting two-year work permits has brought a wave of anxiety to undocumented immigrants at the University of Houston. The lawyers of 23-year-old Juan Manuel Montes allege that their client was the first recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, to be deported under President Donald Trump on Feb. 17. The case has not gone unnoticed by the Youth Empowerment Alliance, an immigrant-led UH student organization, said Maria Trevino-Rodriguez, YEA vice president and political science senior. “It’s crazy,” Trevino said. “We’ve never seen such low attendance to our meetings for YEA … So, we do see this fear on campus to even say that you’re undocumented.” According to the New York Times, Montes, who came to the U.S. at age 9, was deported to Mexico from Calexico, Calif.,
after he was detained by a U.S. Customs and Border protection officer. Montes said he left his wallet in his friend’s car and was unable to produce to the officer his ID or proof of DACA status. Three hours later, he was back in Mexico, where he has lived since February. Montes’ legal team and the Department of Homeland Security have differing accounts of what happened, according to the New York Times. Montes said he was deported on Feb. 17 and caught trying to re-enter the country on Feb. 19. The DHS said it has no record of Montes being deported the first time, so when he was caught entering the country illegally on Feb. 19, the DHS believed he had left the country without receiving permission to re-enter, as stipulated by DACA rules. Geoffrey Hoffman, the director of the UH Law Center Immigration Clinic, said DREAMers are only allowed to leave the country under specific conditions, such as educational opportunities abroad or humanitarian needs. If a person illegally re-enters the U.S., the person is subjected
to expedited removal from the country under section 235 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, Hoffman said, which limits the person’s due process. “The statute is very strict with limited availability for judicial review,” Hoffman said in an email. “The due process allowed is usually limited to (1) being provided a credible fear interview and then placed in asylum-only proceedings before an immigration judge and/or (2) limited federal court review.” The case could impact the approximately 800 DACA recipients, or “DREAMers,” who attend UH, Trevino said,. “This guy – he had DACA,” said Trevino, who lives in the U.S. under DACA protections. “He just didn’t have it on his body. There’s so many times where I forget my purse or I forget my wallet, and I literally have no identification on me. For that kind of situation to occur only shows that we need people to stand up right now.” Montes’ deportation has caused contradictive statements to come from the Trump administration. The president told the Associated Press last Friday that DREAMers should “rest easy”
about his immigration policies. But on Sunday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions told ABC News “everyone that enters the country unlawfully is subject to being deported.” Matthew Wiltshire, a history senior and the communications director for the Federation of College Republicans, said what happened to Montes was an unfortunate situation that was made significantly worse by his attempt to illegally re-enter the country. “The only thing I can say beyond that is that (UH College Republicans) support the administration’s efforts to secure the border and enforce the laws of the country,” Wiltshire said. Trevino, meanwhile, said routine happenings in most people’s day-to-day lives, like making a midnight run to Whataburger without an ID, are privileges that undocumented immigrants do not have. “There are these very small privileges that people have that don’t realize an undocumented person’s whole life can be changed simply because of this one issue,” Trevino said. news@thedailycougar.com
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TECH
NEWS
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Marialuisa Rincon, EDITOR
CAMPUS
Filmmaker to preview new documentary KAYLEE DUSANG
STAFF WRITER @KAYLEEMDUSANG
Houston Public Media will welcome documentary filmmakers Ken Burns and Lynn Novick to discuss and preview their upcoming 10-part series for PBS, “The Vietnam War,” Wednesday at Cullen Performance Hall. “The Vietnam War” examines how the United States became involved in the conflict, as well as the politics of the time. The film shows the perspectives of the United States military, those who opposed the war and of the Vietnamese soldiers and citizens. “All these years after Vietnam, it’s possible through the lens of Ken Burns and his team to really look at that decade and analyze its impact,” said Lisa Schumate, the vice president and general manager of Houston Public Media. The event will feature a 40-minute preview of the documentary and a Q&A session afterward. “At the end of the day we’re all people, and it’s going to take a look
at what was going on for people in North Vietnam, South Vietnam and what was going on for people here in the United States,” Schumate said. “It is going to be voices — many diverse voices and viewpoints of what was going on.” Valenti School of Communication Director Temple Northup said he encourages students to attend the event because of the impact Burns has on filmmaking since the success of his 1990 documentary “Civil War.” “It’s really just a great opportunity for students to hear from somebody who is such an incredible legend,” Northup said. “To actually see something new he’s producing, and to have that opportunity to interact with and hear about the process.” Houston Public Media executive director of operations Josh Adams said Burns the event is not just for the benefit Houston Public Media and PBS, but for the discussion that will be taking place with the students and faculty. “It’s not just about the portions of the documentary," Adams said. "It’s about thoughtful dialogue on
campus — something that I think is going to be impactful.” Northup said that one of the most important functions of a university is to bring in outside speakers, like Burns, who appeal to the greater city and push connections forward. “I think it’s a great opportunity to showcase our campus and our students,” Northup said. “In my experience, our students ask some of the best questions, and in a lot of ways that shows us off better than anything else.” Houston Public Media will premiere their locally produced series about the impacts of the war on Houston and international communities on TV 8 alongside “The Vietnam War” in September. Admission for the event is free for students by going to Ticketmaster and entering their student ID. “This going to be a completely immersive, multidimensional experience to understand the Vietnam War in a deeper way,” Schumate said. news@thedailycougar.com
White-Tailed Squirrel to be memorialized The UH community will honor the late White-Tailed Squirrel at a memorial service Thursday. The memorial will be walked from Lynn Eusan Park to MD Anderson Library, where it will be housed and displayed at the beginning of the school year, midterms and finals. A Residence Hall Association event beforehand begins at 5 p.m. and the memorial walk will start at 7:45 p.m. | Courtesy of Brinda Penmetsa
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The Houston Police Department estimated that about 15,000 people participated in the Houston satellite of the March for Science on Saturday afternoon near City Hall. | Traynor Swanson/The Cougar
NATIONAL
Thousands march around the world for science NASA scientist, biochemistry alumna value diversity, inclusion in STEM industries
TRAYNOR SWANSON
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR @TRAYNORSWANSON
Symptoms of mitochondrial syndrome include muscle weakness, fatigue, hearing loss — and for one Houston resident, a lifelong interest in science. Alejandra Ruley has spent the past 30 years in and out of emergency rooms with a rare medical condition, but for the last three months she has served as half of the organizing team for the Houston satellite of the March for Science. Along with co-founder Madison Logan, Ruley organized one of more than 600 rallies held Saturday to champion support for the science community amid President Donald Trump’s plan to cut federal funds to scientific agencies and organizations like the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Institutes of Health. “Science is huge for me,” Ruley said. “Since I was a
kid, medical science wasn’t something that I was afraid of. I was actually really interested in learning about the conditions that have affected me.” Houstonians began filing into Sam Houston Park at 11 a.m. Saturday with pro-science messages like “I had to leave the lab for this!” and “Keep your
finger, a rock band made up of neuroscience graduate students from Baylor College of Medicine, greeted marchers from a stage in front of City Hall as they filed into the park for the rest of the day’s events. The band’s performance was followed by speeches from 13 students and scientists from a wide range of fields, including Dr. Huda Zoghbi, the winner of the 2017 Breakthrough Prize for
“Determining how science is funded is a political decision that affects our daily lives, and so our whole community must play an active role in influencing that decision.” Huda Zoghbi, 2017 winner of Breakthrough Prize tiny hands off our NIH funding.” By 11:30 a.m., the crowd was marching through downtown streets, passing the CenterPoint Energy Plaza and One Shell Plaza before finishing at City Hall.
'First step' The event did not end after the mile-long procession. Tulip-
her research on Rett syndrome. “Determining how science is funded is a political decision that affects our daily lives, and so our whole community must play an active role in influencing that decision,” said Zoghbi, the director of the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital and the
event’s keynote speaker. “Scientific knowledge is only the first step. We need smart decision-making to allow that knowledge to benefit mankind.” Zoghbi said that she left Lebanon during her first year in medical school because of the country’s civil war. Thanks to a sympathetic immigration system, she was able to switch her tourist visa to a student visa, allowing her to study medicine at Meharry Medical College in Tennessee. “Sensible immigration policy allowed people from all over the world to come to American universities to study, teach and make amazing discoveries,” Zoghbi said. “My lab alone has had members from over 25 countries over the years, and the different cultures and life experiences of immigrants add to the creativity of our science.” It will be dangerous, she said, if Congress follows through on Trump’s plan to slash funding for the NIH by 20 percent because it would eliminate 28,000 research projects and remove 75,000 people from the scientific talent pool.
“When a lab shuts down, students lose a place to train and the opportunity to fulfill their dreams of becoming scholars who give back to the world,” Zoghbi said. “Hundreds of diseases will remain a mystery. Hundreds of potential treatments will never see the light of day.” To keep the event familyoriented, organizations such as the American Chemical Society and Rice University postdoctoral student groups set up tables to offer teach-ins to children and anyone interested in learning more about science, Logan said. “I think that’s our biggest thing is that these teach-in tables especially are aimed towards children, because children don’t necessarily want to listen to everything the scientists want to talk about,” Logan said. “So, these teach-in tables are a way for us to bring in the entire family and to show that science is important for everybody and fun for
PROTEST
Continues on page 6
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Protest 'awesome testament' of support for science, future PROTEST
Continued from page 4 everybody.” Patrice Yarbough, a senior scientist at NASA Johnson Space Center and a University of Houston alumna, spoke about the importance of diversity and inclusion in the scientific community. She serves as an advisory committee member for the Association of Women in Science, which advocates for more inclusion of women in science. “Let’s face it — women are half of the population,” Yarbough said. “For over 45 years, AWIS national has been promoting equal opportunity for women to enter into the science work force but to also sustain careers in the workforce … In order to show support of science education, we need our kids to know that they can be educated as scientists, they can have careers in science, and they can make the world a little bit of a better place.” Science matters, she said, because it leads to discoveries that improve everyday life. “We are explorers,” she said. “We are constantly asking questions. We are looking for answers, and then we want to put those answers to good use. It plays a role in everything we do. We engage in it for our health, for our education and for our welfare.”
'So far gone' At least one science and math student was encouraged by the march to continue down the path he is on. Christian Williams, a mathematics major at Texas A&M University with plans
to attend graduate school at the University of California in Riverside in the fall, said that although the Trump administration’s policies are worrisome, the public’s support for science is encouraging. “Just being ignorant and greedy with thinking that this short-term economic growth is really what’s important right now (is a threat),” Williams said referring to the Trump administration’s proposed cuts to the EPA. “He’s so far gone that I don’t even know how to talk about him … Today is an awesome testament that we have 5,000 people here and people in so many locations around the world. It’s just awesome.”
'Blown away' When Ruley began organizing the event in January, she had no idea what to expect. But thanks to the hard work of her co-organizer, the march far exceeded her expectations, she said. “Madison’s motivation and resourcefulness drew me to her, and I knew she was the person I wanted beside me to lead this mission,” Ruley said. “From our calculations, we expected about 5,000 people, but according to (the Houston Police Department), there were 15,000 marchers. I was blown away, and I have to say, it was beyond our wildest expectations.” Ruley said that she and Logan plan to move forward in their efforts to increase more community involvement focused on science and the environment. "There is so much to be done,” she said. “The march may be over, but it will not end here.” news@thedailycougar.com
"Institutions like NASA, the NIH and the EPA depend on federal funds in order to function," said Madison Logan, director of the March for Science in Houston (above). "Without those federal funds, they really have to struggle a lot more than they already do. There's already been some cutbacks and some belt-tightening." | Traynor Swanson/The Cougar
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OPINION
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Thomas Dwyer, EDITOR
POLITICS
America is not a democracy
How is it that some Americans forget that their country is actually a republic?
T
ime and time again the concept of American democracy comes up. It’s always said with glee and pride. “That’s what makes America so great," people say. "We are a democracy.” Contrary to popular belief, the U.S. government is not a democracy. It's a republic, and we even said so in the DANA pledge from JONES Kindergarten SENIOR STAFF COLUMNIST to grade 12. How have we forgotten this? The first part of why we falsely claim democracy is not knowing the definition of government systems. In a democracy, all citizens of a state equally vote on government legislation, policy, etc. The word democracy derives from the Greek words “demos," meaning the people, and “kratia” or rule. A democracy could do away with a lot unique facets of American politics. For example, there might not be political parties. Of course, conservative, liberal, and moderate ideals would likely prevail but we would have no need for a party system. The electoral college couldn’t be any more antithetical to democracy — allocating a number of votes that historically lean toward one side of the spectrum isn’t rule of the people. Gerrymandering and all of the legal headaches about its sketchiness would also likely become a non-issue. This common thought of the United States as a democracy refers is rooted in 20th century wars. In WWII, dictators Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini had absolute power in their countries and wanted that to spread. In the Cold War, the Communist government of the Soviet Union had ownership of goods and services — which seemed backwards to the free-market enterprise that the United States held dear. Because of this, U.S. citizens wanted to appear to be as far away from Communism as possible — so they over-stated democracy is over in their social and political
spheres. Today, we still throw the term around. For the most part, U.S. politics resemble a republic — a state in which supreme power is held by representatives for whom the people vote. An article from the Washington Post says that the United States is both a republic and a democracy because it contains elements of both direct democracy and representative democracy. This implies that government systems exist like most things — on a spectrum. Just because these two types of government fall on the same side doesn’t mean they are mutually exclusive. Think of Bernie Sanders. He ran on the democratic ticket but has publicly described himself as a socialist, which led to the establishment of the term democratic-socialist. Still, he received staunch criticism for supporting socialist ideals, which have been historically viewed as the enemy of democracy. If we do away with calling the United States something that it’s not, then we do away with perpetuating a fallacy. This leaves room for candidates like Sanders to run on platforms that cannot be dismissed as “too radical” because of their name. Politicians should understand the root of these grievances, and people shouldn't protest without adequate knowledge of the systems that govern them. On the political spectrum, Democrats and socialists both fall on the left side. They have similar views, but socialists believe in redistribution for inequalities and improving life for everyone while Democrats incorporate all of the left ideas into key stances like universal healthcare, equal marriage, and women's rights to choose to have an abortion while preserving the capitalist economy. We should just call a spade a spade and publicly admit we live in a democratic republic. Or just use the words in the pledge — a republic. Senior staff columnist Dana Jones is a broadcast journalism junior and can be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com.
Direct democracy and representative democracy are both elements of our political system. | Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
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EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF
Trey Strange
MANAGING EDITOR
Alex Meyer
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Leah Nash WEB EDITOR
Emily Burleson NEWS EDITORS
Marialuisa Rincon Jasmine Davis Traynor Swanson SPORTS EDITORS
Leonard D. Gibson III JD Smith
OPINION EDITORS
Thomas Dwyer Jorden Smith ARTS EDITORS
Karis Johnson Karin Keller Julie Araica PHOTO EDITORS
Justin Cross Ajani Stewart SENIOR STAFF
Erin Davis Erin Fehres Dana Jones Emily Lincke Camille Mullery Katie Santana Peter Scamardo
STAFF EDITORIAL The Staff Editorial reflects the opinions of The Cougar Editorial Board (the members of which are listed above the editorial). All other opinions, commentaries and cartoons reflect only the opinion of the author. Opinions expressed in The Cougar do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Houston or the students as a whole.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Cougar welcomes letters to the editor from any member of the UH community. Letters should be no more than 250 words and signed, including the author’s full name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Anonymous letters will not be published. Deliver letters to N221, University Center; e-mail them to letters@thedailycougar.com; send them via campus mail to STP 4015; or fax to (713) 743-5384. Letters are subject to editing.
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Actions like going out of your way to pick up a piece of litter could lead up making a big difference if more students did it. | Thomas Dwyer/The Cougar
EARTH DAY
Students should keep campus clean
W
ith more than 40,000 students at the University of Houston comes an equally large amount of trash that is created. Most of it goes where it belongs. But sometimes, we litter. Trash bins THOMAS DWYER outside OPINION EDITOR overflow or some people forget to throw away their trash and leave it sitting on a table. Students occasionally forgetting to clean up after themselves is OK. However, sheer laziness and failure to do something as simple as cleaning up after yourself is inexcusable. My dad works at a university. The first time I went to work with him when I was little, we walked around the campus. He stopped to pick up small pieces of litter and deposited them in the trash even though that wasn’t his job at the college. As a small, naive child, I figured everyone was the same way about keeping the areas
they worked at or lived in clean. When I grew older, I realized this was not the case. University students should take a more proactive stance by picking up litter that they see lying around campus. It beats trying to convince people who don't care about where they leave their trash of how uncool of a practice that is. Even though it may seem unfair, it’s a reality that appearances are everything. Our campus is a direct reflection of our community. It is the first thing that visitors to the campus witness and make judgments off of. Imagine: Students stopping to pick up the garbage, placing it in the provided recycling and waste dispensers, and visitors and prospective students see it. That would speak volumes to them about how much students care about our campus. Keeping our campus clean and beautiful is not something that should only fall upon the shoulders of the custodial staffs. It costs us nothing to lend a hand if we’re walking through campus and spot a piece of garbage tangled up in a few blades of grass.
Keeping our campus clean is an obligation that we all have to each other. If you see trash, stop and pick it up. Thanks to the dense spread of garbage cans throughout campus, inside and outside buildings, it should only take a few extra moments to dispose of any garbage or litter picked up.
friends on social media — let's take the words we have about caring for our beautiful planet and turn them into actions. It’s a good habit to develop and carry out for others to replicate. Be the change that you want to see in the world and serve as a role model for others to follow. So next time you see a candy
“I saw a lot of posts about Earth Day from many of my friends on social media — let's take the words we have about caring for our beautiful planet and turn them into actions.” Thomas Dwyer, opinion editor There really isn’t an excuse for not being able to throw things away. Don’t take this as some sort of crusade to spend copious amounts of time picking up trash to make our campus spotless. Take it as a call to be a proactive human being while you walk to class. I saw a lot of posts about Earth Day from many of my
wrapper or a disposable cup or a plastic bag on the ground, pick it up and deposit it where it belongs: in the trash. Imagine the big changes that would happen if everyone partook in little things like that. Opinion editor Thomas Dwyer is a broadcast journalism sophomore and can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.
sifieds 713–743–5356 Find a home. Find a job. Find it here. ds 713–743–5356 Find a home. Find a job. Find it here.
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Wednesday, April 26, 2017 | 9
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OPINION
opinion@thedailycougar.com
Thomas Dwyer, EDITOR
The University of Houston allows students to take advantage of opportunities that allow for personal growth and the pursuit of leisurely activities such as relaxing at the fountain on the eve of finals. | Jorden Smith/The Daily Cougar
CAMPUS
Time spent as a student at UH is valuable
T
he best decision I’ve made in my life so far is to attend the University of Houston. During my time on campus, I have been able to do and participate in things that I could never have dreamed of in high school. All of this is thanks to UH and the opportunities the school JORDEN SMITH provides to ASSISTANT all of its stuOPINION EDITOR dents. So here is a modicum of advice to everyone: take advantage of UH and the opportunities you’re provided. There is always something happening on campus — an artistic event, a speaker who has a story to tell and a message to give or a career fair that will connect you with employers you never knew you never knew. These opportunities give each student the opportunity to better themselves both internally and professionally. And you will never get these opportunities again; college is the one time when you are (relatively) free enough to attend these kinds of events. After this, being an actual adult catches up. It helps that UH is located in the fourth largest city in America and the oil and gas capital of the country. Jobs are right there, for the taking, even
if not in your major. There are career fairs all the time, and employers are always looking for someone - and that someone may be you. Same goes for professors. Many of UH’s esteemed professors have already worked in the field they teach in, so they know the industry better than any jobs-listing site. Use your professors to make connections and learn all you can about your major. It’ll pay-off in the end. And they're pretty cool people as well. But UH doesn't just offer amazing career and personal growth opportunities. There is so much more to the campus than just academics and future job prospects. UH has an amazing Campus Recreation and Wellness Center that offers so much to current students. Whether it’s a fitness class taught by certified student-instructors, a game of pickup (or intramural) basketball or just a workout, use the Rec to your advantage. Right now a gym membership is included in your tuition. Once you leave UH and find youself stuck in the vaunted real world, a gym membership is a separate purchase in itself - and you have to decide which one works for you. UH is also an extremely beautiful campus. And, during the better-weather months (not including August and May, and depending on how hot of a year
it is, September and April), it is an absolute pleasure to sit outside. Professors will routinely allow students to leave the stuffy classroom and trek outside for class on the grass. There is a whole campus to explore and all of it is pretty amazing to bask in, especially when all the conditions are perfect. UH did an expert job planning the tree coverage. So take advantage of the fall days when the wind is calmly blowing in cooler and very-welcome wind, and take a nice walk around campus, sit in the shade of a full-grown tree and study. And now that the fountains have returned to us after their long hibernation, there’s another great place to sit (and take pictures). Again, when else in your life are you going to be able to do this? Retirement? With the way Social Security is going, you may not even get to retire unless you’ve saved for years. So fellow students, take advantage of this amazing campus. There’s so much to do and there’s so much to be seen on this campus. You made the right choice coming to UH. Now build on that choice by taking advantage of everything this wonderful university has to offer you. Assistant opinion editor Jorden Smith a political science and creative writing junior and can be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com
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If the Cougars hope to be celebrating come tournament season in June, they're going to have to get more production out of their depth players, both in the lineup and on the mound. | Courtesy of UH Athletics
BASEBALL
Road to AAC tournament still paved with holes J. D. SMITH
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @JDSMITH_08
With only four conference series and 16 total games remaining for the Cougars, tournament season is just around the corner. Currently tied for first in the AAC and ranked in a multitude of polls, they are in prime position to make a deep run towards Omaha and the College World Series. At 27-12 on the year, including some curious losses to weaker competition, the Cougars have shown they have the talent to be a national competitor, but still have plenty of room for improvement over the final month of play.
Scheining through After struggling earlier in the season to put up runs against elite pitching, the Cougars have corrected that since early March, averaging over seven runs per game over their last 26. Key to the offensive revival has been newcomer Jake Scheiner. The junior shortstop has exploded onto the scene in his first season with the Cougars, leading the American and ranking No. 18 nationally with 12 home runs. "When I get the right pitch, I will take a good swing on it, and most of the time, the results are a hard hit ball hopefully over the fence," said Scheiner in an interview with the Houston Chronicle. Since transferring from Santa Rose (California) Junior College,
Scheiner has done it all for the Cougar offense, leading the team in eight statistical categories while hitting .375/.459/.729 en route to be named to the midseason Golden Spikes Watch list. In addition to Scheiner, junior catcher Connor Wong has been a steady force at the top of the lineup. Named by Baseball America as the No. 88 best college prospect, Wong has been a menace on the base paths to opposing pitchers. He is currently second in the AAC with 18 stolen bases and leads the conference with 37 runs scored. Not known for his power, Wong has shown glimpses of it this year, hitting eight long balls, including three in a game against Tulane on Sunday. Though ranking in the middle of the pack when it comes to home runs, Houston has turned it on in AAC play, hitting 18 of their 34 total against conference foes. If the Cougars hope to make a deep run come June though, they’re going to need other players to step up as well. A season after he hit a freshman record 14 home runs, sophomore designated hitter Joe Davis has been unable to repeat that success. The reigning AAC Freshman Player of the Year has hit only five home runs in 146 at-bats, with only 11 extra base hits total. When the offense is on though, the team is nearly unbeatable, going 26-3 in games in which they score at least three runs.
Depth needed Coming into 2017 the rotation was seen as the biggest strength of the team. Returning three of their top four starters from 2016, Cougar pitchers started the season on fire, ranking as high as No. 3 nationally in ERA. Though they still rank in the top 10, the team has had to compensate after a suspension led them to lose one of the best pitchers in the nation and a sure first-round pick in June’s MLB Draft. On April 7, the team announced that junior left-hander Seth Romero had been suspended indefinitely for multiple violations of university and athletic department policy. At the time of his suspension, Romero was 3-3 with a 3.05 ERA and ranked in the top 3 in the nation in strikeouts. Despite not pitching since March 31, he still ranks No. 3 in the AAC in strikeouts. In his absence the Cougars moved midweek starter Trey Cumbie to Romero’s slot on Fridays and haven’t missed a beat. Though not as prolific a strikeout thrower, the sophomore left-hander has easily been the best pitcher for the Cougars this season, going 6-0 with a 2.25 ERA in nine starts. He burst onto the national scene after a complete-game shutout against then-No. 10 Louisiana. Along with Cumbie, the weekend rotation has consisted of
The Cougars' pitching staff ranks No. 12 in the nation in ERA and is led by sophomore left-hander Trey Cumbie with his 2.25 average. | Ajani Stewart/The Cougar
sophomore righty Mitch Ullom and senior southpaw John King. Ullom has had an up-and-down season, going 5-3 with a 3.49 ERA in 10 starts, while King has been a workhorse, going 5-1 with a 3.26 ERA and throwing three complete games in a team-high 60 2/3 innings. Since Cumbie’s move to the weekend though, the Cougars have struggled to find a consistent midweek replacement. Freshmen Henry Carter and Brayson Hurdsman have both struggled in the position, as the Cougars have gone 0-3 in midweek contests since Romero’s suspension. In the bullpen, sophomore Aaron Fletcher has emerged as the go-to reliever, going 1-0 with a 0.39 ERA
and six saves in 11 appearances. Fletcher is one of four Cougars who have made at least eight relief appearances with an ERA of 3.00 or lower. Despite having one of the nation’s lowest ERAs the Cougars have struggled to win when the offense hasn’t been there. They are currently 1-9 when scoring two runs of less and 0-6 when totaling one or less. For them to make a deep run to Omaha the Cougars are going to have to find a way to win when their offense isn’t firing on all cylinders. In addition, the emergence of a consistent fourth starter would be invaluable. sports@thedailycougar.com
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BASKETBALL
Taking the next step to creating the 'power six' LEONARD D. GIBSON III
SPORTS EDITOR @LEONARDDGIBSON
The American Athletic Conference is becoming the powerhouse it claims to be — and is definitely worthy of being called a power six conference. With AAC football snagging Charlie Strong to coach at University of South Florida, a five-star recruit at Houston and a consistently competitive atmosphere, the AAC is definitely a “power six” conference. AAC basketball is keeping up with their football counterparts as well. With the addition of Wichita State University earlier in April, the American has become a strong presence in the college basketball world. “We didn’t want to simply be a power-six conference in football and lag behind in any way in basketball,” said AAC commissioner Mike Aresco in a conference call with reporters. “Wichita will give us a tremendous boost. If it has a beneficial effect on our next TV negotiation, that’s wonderful, and I hope it does. "In the end, we took them in because we think they’re the right fit four our conference. You have to have quality product, and I believe we’ve strengthened ourselves in a key area.”
Normally, a new addition to a conference wouldn’t make an immediate splash, but that will not be the case for Wichita State. In Bleacher Report’s preseason poll, the Shockers are ranked at No. 6 in the nation. Wichita State is returning its entire starting lineup for the next season and will be the team to beat in the American. The Shockers may have only advanced to the second round in 2017, but if they had a better seed and had not faced Kentucky so early, they would’ve advanced at least another round. The new kid on the block won’t be just a one-hit wonder either. Wichita State has made it to the NCAA tournament for the past 6 seasons, including a Final Four appearance in 2013 and a 10-6 overall record.
Well-rounded Unlike Navy, all of Wichita State’s sports will be transitioning to the American. The Shockers’ track & field team will be the other biggest boon to their new conference. They swept the indoor championships this season and the outdoor championships in 2016 in the Missouri Valley Conference. “I consider the Valley a legitimate, tough, track & field
“We didn't want to simply be a power six conference in football and lag behind in any way in basketball.”
Wichita State basketball will come into the American as the favorites to win the conference behind five returning starters from the 2016-2017 season that made it to the NCAA tournament. | Steve Adelson/Wichita State Athletics
worship DIRECTORY
Mike Aresco, American Athletic Conference commissioner
Top performers In the 2016-2017 basketball season, Wichita State boasted one of the best records, going 31-5. Even with this stellar record and a first place finish in the Missouri Valley Conference, the Shockers only claimed a No. 10 seed in the NCAA tournament. They advanced to the second round where they dropped a close 65-62 to No. 2 University of Kentucky. Kentucky later advanced to the Elite Eight and lose to University of North Carolina. With Wichita State, the American is at an even 12 teams for both football and basketball. Wichita State does not have a football program, and Navy is a football-only member. “We’re done for now,” Aresco said. “We’re very happy where we are at 12 and 12.”
conference,” Wichita State’s track & field coach, Steve Rainbolt, told The Wichita Eagle. “The American is a step up. But not a dramatic step up. The Valley is tough enough that we feel like we can go into that conference and be competitive right away.” Rainbolt compared Wichita State’s indoor times at MVC’s indoor championships to the American’s, and Wichita State would have come in second place behind Houston. All in all, the American will benefit greatly on more than one front with the addition of Wichita State. Most importantly, basketball in the American will be more competitive and might have more teams in the NCAA tournament next year. sports@thedailycougar.com
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TRACK & FIELD
Program on pace to become Olympic training school PETER SCAMARDO
SENIOR STAFF WRITER @PLSCAMARDO2
Recruiting athletes is easy when the coaches are Olympic gold medalists Leroy Burrell and Carl Lewis. Prospective Cougars come in to see athletes being transformed into world-class athletes by former world-class athletes. Three of these athletes are sophomore Mario Burke, freshman Brianne Bethel and Class of 2016 graduate LeShon Collins. All three ran at the International Association of Athletics Federations World Relays this weekend and helped the 4x100m relay teams from Barbados, the Bahamas and the United States qualify for the IAAF World Championships in London. "Having athletes on national teams is what we're trying to do," Burrell said. "We want to be successful in conference and then nationally and then produce a couple athletes that can compete at the international level and ultimately at the highest level of games."
Running with the best Burke, Bethel and Collins have all had success at the collegiate level for the Cougars. The IAAF World Relays was their first opportunity to represent their respective countries at the World Championships. Collins and Burke earned gold and silver medals after Team USA and Team Barbados finished first and second in the men's 4x100m final. Bethel missed the podium, but she helped the Bahamas to a sixth place finish, good enough for a ticket to London. "I think that it's such a wonderful opportunity and it says a lot about the program that we have here," said assistant coach Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie. "I think it's an honor and set the precedent for the rest of their teammates to follow." Burke and Collins in particular got to run with some of the best for their respective countries. Burke got to hand the baton off to Olympians Ramon Gittens and Burkheart Ellis Jr. Meanwhile, Collins
Sophomore Mario Burke ran with his country of Barbados and came in second place, qualifying for the championships in London. | Courtesy of UH Athletics
Freshman Brianne Bethel helped the Bahamas to a sixth place finish, also enough to qualify for the championships in London. | Courtesy of UH Athletics
met Olympic gold medalist Justin Gatlin.
The Perfect Method
Long season The Cougars are in the middle of preparations for the Penn Relays, the oldest track & field meet in the United States. The Cougars currently have the second fastest 4x100m relay team in the country and look to break the Penn record. The team is primarily focused on the World University Games this August. At the World University Games, only U.S.
“Our goal going in when we agreed to represent the US was to bring home a really solid medal haul. We think we're on pace to do that, and that'll be just another chapter in the story.” Leroy Burrell, head coach
citizens will represent the United States, including stilleligible graduates like Collins. This creates an interesting dynamic for the Cougars: With eight international students on the roster, there is a chance they may end up competing against their teammates. "Our goal going in when we agreed to represent the U.S. was to bring home a really solid medal haul," Burrell said. "We think we're on pace to do that, and that'll be just another chapter in the story."
With three athletes qualified for the World Championships, the coaches' vision for the program is being realized. They wanted to sell the Track & Field program as a place where athletes could have successful collegiate careers and then go on to have post-collegiate careers representing their countries. Coach Lewis created Team Perfect Method to train these athletes post graduation. Collins and fellow 2016 alumnus
Issac Williams are two current members of Team Perfect Method. They are following in the footsteps of Lewis who trained at Houston all throughout his Olympic career. "All these young recruits that come to us that want to go to the Olympics, we’re actually physically showing them the path," Lewis said. "You can do it in school while you’re here and you can also do it post collegiately for (your country).” sports@thedailycougar.com
Cougar wins AAC individual championship Junior Michael Perras won the American Athletic Conference individual golf championship. He finished the event at 1-under 212 after 54 holes. Perras became the first player in Houston history to win an NCAA regional title and a conference tournament championship. This was the junior's first title in his career. Courtesy of UH Athletics