FOR THE CROWN
LSU will make its run at women’s basketball royalty as March Madness begins.
Read on page 2
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19
RAGS TO RICHES
The story of LSU women’s basketball’s first seasons, 50 years later
BY MARTY SULLIVAN Deputy Sports Editor
2025 makes 50 years since women’s basketball became an official varsity sport at LSU in 1975.
The founding years were nowhere near the spectacle the team is now. There was no extravagant locker room, no NIL and almost no fans. Instead, the team was a budding championship contender staying in makeshift dorms and flying the team plane.
Jinks Coleman was the inaugural head coach for the “Ben-Gals.” She coached the team when it was still a club in 1973. Coleman even used money from her pocket to finance scholarships for women’s basketball, according to LSU.
“She had a lot of personalities to handle,” Lenette Caldwell Romero said. “I don’t know if you want to call it egos or not.”
Romero was a guard for LSU from 1974 to 1978, having been recruited in high school by Coleman.
Without much funding and absent from expectations, Coleman encouraged teamwork and discipline while maintaining high expectations for her players.
Described as hard-nosed, driven and tough, what she demanded of players often led to substantial overturns year after year.
“Lots of running stadiums. There was some punishment there,” Romero said. “Kind of molding a group, a team concept. It was a hard job.”
Players underwent both weight training and all kinds of conditioning, from stadium steps to suicides.
“Just normal stuff, you know. We’d vomit at the end, come back and do it again,” Romero said.
Nancy French played guard under Coleman from 1976 to 1979. She recalls enduring a two-and-ahalf-hour practice before Coleman decided it was unsatisfactory and ran the entire thing through again. The practice lasted five hours.
Romero started every game of her college career but one. In front of her friends and family at a match in North Louisiana, Romero began the game on the bench because she missed curfew the night before.
While the players embraced the team’s high expectations, few came back for more.
“I think we started off with 13 girls. I think there were only three that came back the next year,” Romero said. “A lot of them finished their first year, but a lot of them did not come back.”
But Coleman wasn’t just a tough-minded coach. Forwards Julie Gross and Maree Jackson came to LSU from Australia. Coleman played a vital role in their lives as they were across the globe from their family.
“She really took care of Maree and I because we didn’t have anyone to turn to,” Gross said. “She kind of became our caretaker, if you want to call it that. If we were sick, she would handle it. Things
like that.”
Coming off the inception of Title IX, the women’s team was afforded few of the luxuries the male athletes received.
“I definitely think girls should be offered the same facilities as men,” Romero said in a Jan. 31, 1975 issue of the Reveille. “And I feel our financial situation should be the same.”
In 1975, the women’s basketball allotted budget was $2,200, according to a Reveille issue.
A January 1979 Reveille article detailed a time the women’s team was nearly forced to end their game early in anticipation of a men’s game. Of note, this was against Tennessee, the No. 4 ranked team in the country.
“I don’t consider my team second rate and the game we played was just as important to us as the men’s game was to them,” Coleman was quoted as saying.
Objection from Coleman and the eventual intervention of thenAthletic Director Paul Dietzel prevented this. LSU went on to come back from down eight with two minutes left to win 85-80 in overtime.
“The men’s games are scheduled a year in advance and then the women come in here and decide all of a sudden that they are going to have a game,” then-Sports Information Director Paul Mannasseh said. “People don’t come to see women play, they want to see the men and that’s the way it is.”
Men were given priority for practices on the floor. They also received class prioritization, had food specifically prepared for them and had dorms specifically for athletes.
For the first month of her freshman year, Romero stayed in a dorm library converted into a six-person room with three bunk beds.
“Our dressing facilities were pretty much a closet,” Romero said.
“I mean, it was nothing.”
Before they started to find success and gain attendees from playing right before the men’s team, women’s players would try to invite classmates to attend their games. At the program’s inception, the bleachers were nearly empty.
The team would pile in a 12seat van for away games with Coleman in the driver’s seat. They were allowed to travel by plane for select games.
Half the team would fly with the men in the “Flying Tiger,” a “rickety” propeller plane. The others got in a smaller six-seater.
“I always sat in the copilot seat because I didn’t trust anybody else to land the plane if the pilot passed out,” French said.
On short flights to opposing campuses, French was occasionally asked to assume responsibilities outside her job description. She had no aviation experience.
“He would say, ‘Why don’t you fly for a while?’ So I would say ‘Okay,’” French said.
The Ben-Gals went 17-14 in their first season, not making it past the regional round.
The following season, they took a giant leap, going 29-8 and winning their way to the AIAW national championship game.
“We played a really fast game. We liked to fast break,” Gross said. “Our guards were really fast, so we pushed the ball up.”
An offensive strategy reminiscent of the 2025 team did not work for LSU in the 1977 championship against Delta State.
Without their starting point guard and challenged by national phenom Lucy Harris, LSU lost 6855.
The subsequent year, the BenGals looked even better than their second-place season, commanding a 37-3 record.
After beating them multiple times in the regular season, Ste -
phen F. Austin eliminated them from national contention in the regional round. Ironically, future LSU coach Sue Gunter was the head coach of the team that ended its title hopes.
Gunter coached 22 seasons for LSU beginning in 1982. She made the Elite Eight twice and the Final Four in her last season as coach. She was named SEC Coach of the Year twice and enshrined in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000.
Despite this, LSU women’s basketball didn’t win its first-ever national championship until 2023, with Kim Mulkey at the helm.
Today, Romero resides in Mangham, Louisiana, and maintains a relationship with Mulkey.
After Romero lost her daughter in 2021, Mulkey sent a letter to Romero expressing her sympathies and offering to talk. Mulkey lost her granddaughter in 2017.
“I think she really cares about people. There’s a lot to Kim that a lot of people don’t see,” Romero said. “She has a big heart. If I called and asked her for something, I think she would either do it herself or see that it got done for me.”
The team Romero played for paved the way for the one Mulkey coaches now. In 50 years, the women’s program has graduated from dancing around .500 and drawing no fans to national champions with a national fanbase.
“I go to watch the girls play now,” Romero said. “I don’t even know if I could be a water girl.”
The status of the LSU brand today and its embrace of women’s sports has the program pioneering a new era of women’s sports just like it did 50 years ago.
“Girls are so much more aware of what’s available for them to work towards as young kids,” Romero said. “They see LSU on the TV. They see programs like that where everyone wants to be a Tiger.”
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CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS
The Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure its readers the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes that may have been printed in The Daily Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or email editor@lsu.edu.
ABOUT THE REVEILLE
The Reveille is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. A single issue of The Reveille is free from multiple sites on campus and about 25 sites off campus. To obtain additional copies, please visit the Office of Student Media in B-39 Hodges Hall or email studentmedia@ lsu.edu. The Reveille is published biweekly during the fall, spring and summer semesters, except during holidays and final exams. The Reveille is funded through LSU students’ payments of the Student Media fee.
PHOTO COURTESY OF LENETTE CALDWELL ROMERO
THE ROAD TO TAMPA
3-seed
BY TYLER HARDEN Staff Writer
Selection Sunday is one of the most anticipated days of the college basketball season.
As Kim Mulkey and her 2025 LSU team gathered in the PMAC along with Tiger fans, they all found out together that the Tigers will be a No. 3 seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament.
LSU will face No. 14 San Diego State in the opening round of the tournament at the PMAC, and will be a part of the Spokane 1 Regional.
“When you’re going into a game, and you know nothing about personnel, you just start focusing in and you start fixating on that one team,” Mulkey said.
The winner of the matchup between the Tigers and the Az -
tecs will face the winner of No. 6 seed Florida State and No. 11 seed George Mason in the second round of the tournament, which will also be played at the PMAC.
The route to the Final Four has its obstacles for LSU. The Spokane 1 Regional is highlighted by No. 1 seed UCLA, the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, along with No. 2 seed NC State.
LSU beat NC State 82-65 on Nov. 27 in the Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championship.
At the No. 4 seed in the Spokane 1 Regional is a team that Mulkey is very familiar with: Baylor.
The Bears take on No. 13 seed Grand Canyon in the first round, and the winner of that matchup will play the winner of No. 5 seed Ole Miss and No. 12 seed Ball State. LSU would
not see Baylor until the Elite Eight if both teams were to stay alive until that round.
LSU has not played in eight days, and being able to take a step back before its biggest games is certainly a good thing.
The Tigers have lost three of their last four games, and four of their last seven games.
1 4 3 2
STANDING IN THE WAY
These are the biggest threats to LSU’s championship hopes
BY TRE ALLEN Staff Writer
The road to Tampa begins now.
With a flock of their fans sitting next to them in the PMAC, the LSU Tigers watched and waited to see who they would play in this year’s NCAA Tournament.
The wait did not last long because in the first region that was presented, LSU was given the No. 3 seed. It will take on No. 14 seed San Diego State in the Spokane 1 Regional.
This region is jam-packed with other top teams such as No. 1 seed UCLA, No. 2 NC State and No. 4 Baylor. If LSU makes it far enough, it may have to face some of them to get to the national championship.
Each of these regional threats have a star player leading the way to get to that national championship.
Lauren Betts, UCLA
The No. 1 overall seed in the entire tournament is UCLA. The Bruins finished their season with a record of 30-2 and won the Big Ten tournament.
UCLA’s center, Lauren Betts, has been leading the Bruins to the best record in program history and has
been dominant all year.
The 6-foot-7 junior towers over her opponents and is a force to be reckoned with. Betts is averaging 19.6 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.9 blocks this season while shooting 63.4% from the field.
There’s no doubt that she has been one of the best players in the country.
Since she may not be as flashy as stars like Juju Watkins, Flau’Jae Johnson, Paige Bueckers and many more, it’s easy to not think of her as one of the faces in women’s college basketball, but she is.
On offense, once Betts gets to her spot and seals her defender, the only thing you can do is double team and leave one of her teammates open or hope she misses two feet from the basket, which she doesn’t do a lot.
She has fluid footwork with a nice soft touch at the rim. She attracts other defenders with her size and scoring ability, but has the skill set to find her teammates and make passes from underneath the basket.
The first team All-American is a unique player that not many other teams can compete with. If there is one player that LSU absolutely has to worry about in its region, it’s
Betts.
Saniya Rivers, NC State
Picking one individual player for NC State is a difficult choice, which seemingly reflects who the Wolfpack are as a team.
NC State has four players who average more than 10 points a game. Aziaha James leads the team in scoring with 17. 9 points per game, and Zoe Brooks won ACC’s Most Improved Player while averaging 14.3 points per game. However, it’s Saniya Rivers who I think is the most impactful player for the Wolfpack.
Rivers started her career at South Carolina, and any time someone mentions South Carolina in women’s basketball, ears perk up, and that was true for the NC State coaches.
Rivers only averaged 2.3 points with the Gamecocks, but when she went north to Raleigh, she had an opportunity to blossom.
In her three seasons with NC State, she averaged 11 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.1 blocks.
While she’s not the highest scorer on her team, she does everything else on top of scoring. Rivers stands at 6-foot-1, which gives her great height to guard positions one
through five. Compared to LSU’s lineup, the only consistent starter that’s taller than her would be Sa’Myah Smith, who’s only one inch taller than Rivers at 6-foot-2 and is the starting center.
Her versatility makes her a jackof-all-trades on defense, and she constantly hounds the opponent’s best player. But when she’s not harassing other teams on defense, she can contribute on offense.
In some of NC State’s biggest games, she stepped up. Against TCU, a team that won the Big 12, she scored 16 points.
When the Wolfpack lost to LSU earlier in the season, she led the team in scoring with 21.
NC State has its two best scorers in James and Brooks, but Rivers brings something to the team that others do not.
Aaronette Vonleh, Baylor
The No. 4 seed Baylor Bears made it to the Big 12 championship game this year before losing to TCU, 64-59.
Although they fell short, they wouldn’t have made it in the first place without center Aaronette Vonleh.
In the semifinal game against Oklahoma State, she scored 37
Men’s basketball declines 2025 NIT invitation
BY ETHAN STENGER Sports Editor
LSU men’s basketball will decline its 2025 NIT invitation, according to LouisianaSports.net.
A Tigers spokesperson cites the team’s injuries as the reason for the team’s decline.
The SEC receives two automatic NIT bids annually, awarded to the top two teams who failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. LSU, like South Carolina, opted to decline the invitation this March.
The Tigers finished their season with a 91-62 loss to Mississippi State in Wednesday’s opening round of the SEC Tournament.
LSU will finish the season 14-18 overall, 3-15 in conference play and second to last in the SEC.
Tigers head coach matt McMahon will return to the Bayou for year four with LSU.
points with nine rebounds to pull out an overtime win over the cowboys.
This hasn’t been the first time they’ve leaned on Vonleh this season, either. Her teammate, Darianna Littlepage-Buggs, has been out since Feb. 15 as she suffered a leg injury against Texas Tech. Littlepage-Buggs was the leading scorer and rebounder for the Bears. The team needed someone else to step up, and that someone else was Vonleh.
With a combined 57 points in her last two games, she has stepped up for Baylor. She brings physicality and excellent finishing through contact, even against players taller than her.
Vonleh went toe-to-toe with Oklahoma State’s Tenin Magassa, who’s 6-foot-6. The pick and roll has been Baylor’s bread and butter, and once she seals her defender, they’re going right to her, down low.
She shoots the ball at 57.3% from the field, so when she gets the ball in a prized position, it’s most likely going in.
The phrase “next man up” was real for the Baylor team, and they’ve found someone who stepped up.
BRACKET, from page 3
Flau’jae Johnson was unavailable for the SEC Tournament, but she is healthy and ready to go for the Tigers in the NCAA Tournament.
Aneesah Morrow will also take the floor in the first round of the NCAA Tournament after reinjuring her foot against Texas in the SEC Tournament, an injury that sidelined her against Georgia on Feb. 20.
“We have everybody,” Mulkey said after LSU’s loss to Texas in the SEC Tournament.
Having everyone healthy is one of the most crucial things a team can hope for, especially in its most important days. That’s where LSU finds itself; healthy in its most important days.
The Tigers are now in survival mode, taking it one game at a time to survive and advance until they’re the last team standing.
“Everybody’s going to start this game excited. Everybody’s going to start this game aggressive,” Mulkey said. “Everybody realizes you lose, you go home.”
PAYTON PRICHARD / The Reveille
men’s basketball senior guard Cam Carter (5) avoids an
on March 8 in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
PAYTON PRICHARD / The Reveille
LSU women’s basketball sophomore guard Mjracle Sheppard (1) shoots during LSU’s 81-67 win against Mississippi State on Feb. 2, in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
NEWS
ICE PROTEST A student’s guide to the East Baton Rouge Library
Student orgs oppose detention of pro-Palestine activist
Protesters gathered at Free Speech Alley Friday calling for the release of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate student detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The demonstrators, organized by LSU’s chapter of Students for a Democratic Society, chanted and delivered speeches condemning Khalil’s detention as an assault on free speech and student activism. Despite the midday heat, the group of roughly 30 protestors’ chants could be easily heard over the bustle of Free Speech Alley.
“He’s there because the state has decided he’s a threat to American interests, and it’s just wrong,” said Ryan Spalt, president of SDS at LSU. “It’s repression, and so we’re demanding his immediate release.”
Khalil, a lawful permanent resident, was taken into ICE custody earlier this month and transferred to a detention center in Louisiana. Federal officials have not charged him with a crime, but supporters say he was targeted for his role in pro-Palestinian activism on campus.
“This is a very clear example of how the attacks on immigrants and Palestine are very, very connected,” Spalt said. “I think it’s something that is relevant everywhere in America, just because
it happened in Columbia doesn’t mean that it’s not going to happen here.”
Tia Fields, a policy associate with the Louisiana Organization for Refugees, attended the protest and claimed Khalil’s arrest is a part of a broader immigration crackdown, particularly in Louisiana.
“We are the second largest ICE detainee state, next to Texas; they’re expanding the privatization of more jails and facilities,” Fields said. “You will see that there will be a lot more depor-
tations, and they’re going to be held here in our state.”
Some students, watching from a distance, pushed back against the protestors’ message, arguing Khalil’s detention was a legal matter, not political persecution.
“Donald Trump, who’s the president, is enforcing a law that if you’re a noncitizen of the U.S. and you are on campuses supporting a terrorist organization like Hamas, you’re going to get your green card revoked, and
see PROTEST, page 6
LSU Student Senate takes cautious approach to a post-DEI campus
BY MORGAN VANNOSDALL Staff Writer
The Student Senate met Wednesday to discuss legislation and the U.S. Department of Education’s end to diversity, equity and inclusion programs and how the changes would affect SG moving forwards.
Since SG is a registered student organization and a department it collects student fees, but with the new laws surrounding DEI, student fees can no longer be budgeted towards anything relating to DEI. There were questions among the senate about certain departments such as Student Life, Diversity and Community Outreach, and other identitybased committees and caucuses.
“As of right now all of those bodies and institutions are able to keep going, they were submitted to review of the university; as
of now they said yes,” said Senate Speaker Lailah Williams.
Williams is working on receiving a list of senate-specific rules to make proposing legislation, resolutions and orders go more smoothly in the future in light of the new rules.
“My current intent is to get full language intent now, when it comes to student government I would like to have it specified to us,” she said.
This will change how legislation is formed going forward, with the new federal laws in mind. Senate Speaker Pro Tempore Ethan Elmer brought up complications the University of Texas SG has faced, where members had questions on certain legislations allowed, and whether they were able to speak out against the DEI laws.
Texas moved to abolish DEI programs in 2023, implementing
BY SARAH WALTON Staff Writer METRO BR
As negotiations between the mayor-president and the East Baton Rouge Parish Library come to a close, residents may not see the changes in the Library’s programs and offerings they feared would occur.
Last month, Mayor-President Sid Edwards declared dedicated Library funds were to be moved to the general fund. The proposal wasn’t well received by the library or the residents of Baton Rouge, with hundreds showing up to the Metro Council meeting where the proposal was discussed.
In response to the backlash, the mayor-president and the library announced the Thrive! Baton Rouge plan last week, which will maintain the Library’s millage tax while providing a onetime rededication of Library funds to a parish general fund.
The millage tax funds hundreds of events, programs and resources at the Library many residents don’t know about, with some of the resources being potentially useful for LSU students.
One resource the Library offers is Kanopy, a free streaming service with hundreds of films and television shows. Kanopy has thousands of films with a selection that changes every couple of months. The service offers BBC programming, A24 movies, Oscar winners and blockbuster hits. Housing some of the oldest black-and-white and foreign
films to more recent well-known films like “Gladiator,” there is seemingly something for everyone on Kanopy.
Libby is one of the most-used apps the Library offers. It gives residents access to hundreds of thousands of books, audiobooks and magazines spanning all genres and available in multiple languages. All a resident needs to access the app is their name and their library card number. The same goes for Craftsy, an app with thousands of instructional videos on crafting.
Residents can also use Classica, an app with free recordings of concerts, symphonies and operas, through their free Libby account. Artistworks is also available; similar to the other apps, anyone can watch videos that instruct about music. The app teaches all genres from classical to rock and has downloadable pages to aid learning.
Reading and learning resources don’t stop there. The library also gives residents free access to comics through Comics Plus and books through TeenBookCloud and Novelist. Residents can also access the instructional Mango app, where they can learn over 70 languages.
The library doesn’t just give residents access to online apps and resources; it’s home to hundreds of events each year, like movie nights, visits from the Baton Rouge Symphony and yearly comic conventions and Maker
the change on Jan 1 2024.
“It is heavily advised to not put out any resolutions of the sort just so we don’t poke the bear,” Elmer said. “At UT, they sort of jumped the gun and had their code line-combed.”
In other news, the senate unanimously appointed two new members to the Latin Caucus and Chief Justice Camille Cronan gave an update confirming the Forward campaign received 1 violation of 6 SGC §817(2), an antibribery statute that immediately disqualifies those found in violation.
It was also moved by unanimous consent to appropriate $124.98 for banners being made for custodian appreciation week.
The Student Senate will have its next meeting Wednesday, March 19 at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Union Capital Chambers.
BY AIDAN ANTHAUME Staff Writer
AIDAN ANTHAUME / The Reveille
Students protest in Free Speech Alley on March 14.
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
PAYTON PRICHARD / The Reveille
LSU Student Government Senate members sit on Feb. 12 in the Capital Chambers in the LSU Student Union in Baton Rouge, La.
see LIBRARY, page 6
HEALTH
Free UREC fitness classes foster social, physical empowerment
BY MADDIE PACELLI Staff Writer
The recent rise in popularity of healthy and active lifestyles among young adults has proven to be more than just a fad, with many LSU students taking an increased interest in the myriad of classes offered by the UREC.
Pilates, power yoga, boxing, cycle classes, Zumba and more are all offered for free to all LSU students, with start times ranging from 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Many of the classes also have a social aspect, allowing a way for students to meet people with the same health goals all while experiencing the energy, music and the intensity of the class.
One of the most popular classes so far has been pilates, which not only provides a fullbody workout with minimal or no equipment, but also a thriving social scene.
“I think I bring a cool, ‘big sister’ energy. I make it a point to remember names, goals and even the little things they share with me,” said LSU fitness instructor Nelly Nguyen.
Nguyen teaches pilates, yoga, barre and cycle classes and strives to make each one of her attendees leave with a better attitude than when they came in.
“I hope my classes make
PROTEST, from page 5
you’ll be deported,” said coastal environmental science senior Morgan Guidry. “He’s enforcing the law, no matter what; however point of view you want to look at it, he’s just enforcing a mandate.
But for protestors like Gabriela Juárez, a political science sophomore and SDS member, the issue is much bigger than just Khalil alone.
“Every aspect of our economy, every aspect of the university system, of our government, is colluded in order to import and to impress and to enforce the Zionist order that is occupying the Palestinian people right now,” Juárez said in a speech. “And why are they doing this? Are they doing this out of simply the desire of their hearts? Does it come out of Netanyahu’s wet dreams? No, it comes out of money. It comes out of finance.”
Juárez continued to characterize the events surrounding Khalil’s detention as part of a broader class struggle, and called for further mobilization going forward.
“The majority of Americans are stuck in credit card debt, in student loan debt. They live their lives in offices, in tiny dictatorships governed by richer men,” Juárez said. “And we have to be on the front line because we have the time, the power, the education to know how to overturn this, to know what needs to be done in order to free everyone.”
people feel strong, capable and supported both physically and mentally,” she said.
Some people come in wanting to build strength, some are working on flexibility and others just need a movement practice that supports them through their daily lives.
“A lot of people come in thinking they have to be flexible or already strong to do pilates, but I love showing them that it’s for everyone,” Nguyen said. “Watching someone surprise themselves — whether it’s holding a plank a little longer, feeling their core activate for the first time or just walking away with more confidence — those moments are why I teach.”
Pilates fits well into that because it’s about longevity, mobility and strength in a way that works for all bodies. Many don’t just want to burn themselves out anymore; they want to feel good in their movement, and they want to do it in a space where they feel welcome and supported.
Nyugen insists fitness should be empowering, not intimidating. Students can experience this at the classes at the UREC, while also finding a place they belong.
“Every ‘body’ is welcome in my class regardless of fitness level, athletic background or personal goals,” Nguyen said.
LIBRARY, from page 5
Faires.
There are also tech labs at five library locations with 3D Printers, Cricut cutting machines, a recording studio and more. These studios, called Makerspaces, are free and available for all to use like the library’s other resources.
The library aims to create community and forge friendships by hosting multiple clubs and reading groups that meet throughout the year. From the Fantasy Lovers’ Club to the Curious Minds Club, there is space for many to engage with others in the topics they love.
The library also holds classes teaching creative journaling, LinkedIn and programs like Microsoft Excel. It even gives lessons to help people pass their drivers test.
The Career Center at the library is designed to help residents grow their skills, plan for their career, perfect resumes, practice for interviews and find jobs. Staffed with trained professionals, the Career Center is available to help anyone with their planning for the future.
For those who need homework help, the library is a place to find both online assistance and in-person tutors. They also have literacy programs to encourage and help children learn to read and write. There are even resources for small businesses at the library with information
Carver Branch Library sits on Terrace Street in Baton Rouge, LA on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2018. It is one of several East Baton Rouge libraries that offer various useful services to the public.
on how to start a business to help with getting their name out there.
Like other libraries, the EBR Library also has a wealth of information, especially catalogues and stored information. Something special about the Library is their free genealogy database which houses information that would otherwise cost Baton Rouge residents hundreds of dollars to obtain.
The library provides access to career aids and free information and resources to use whenever with their library card. For those who don’t already have a library card, they can go down to any of the 14 locations with their ID and proof of their address to get a card and start using all of the resources the library has available.
MADDIE PACELLI / The Reveille
A pilates class takes place.
CALEB BORQUE / The Reveille
ENTERTAINMENT
Rev Rank: Bonjour Dubai’s chocolate is a trendy treat indeed
BY LANA LAWSON Staff Writer
Dubai chocolate has taken the internet by storm and local Baton Rouge dessert shop Bonjour has jumped on the trend, adding its own twist.
Bonjour is a dessert shop, located at 5727 Essen Lane, known all over social media for its Dubai chocolate crepe. Along with the crepe, the restaurant also sells Dubai chocolate covered strawberries and a variety of other treats.
Dubai chocolate first began trending online in December 2023 when a TikTok video of the treat went viral. The original chocolate bar was created by a Dubai chocolate shop called Fix Dessert Chocolatier, and the bar feature a rich milk chocolate shell filled with a pistachio cream filling and tahini.
On a cloudy day, I wasn’t expecting much of a crowd at the local dessert shop; however, to my surprise, the shop was lively and buzzing with business, proving that Bonjour has a very loyal following online. The parking lot was mostly full and there was already a line at the register once I headed inside. Most of the shop’s customers were also dying to get their hands on the Dubai chocolate crepe.
The decor of the shop was very impressive, with an aesthetic ambience that felt cozy and stylish with emerald green
walls, velvet seats and neon signs. The walls were embellished with flowers and golden frames, giving off a modern and chic charm to the shop. The inside of Bonjour was aesthetically pleasing and definitely Instagram worthy.
After about five minutes in line, I placed my order and was handed a beeper to hold until my order was ready. After a 25 minute wait, I finally had gotten my hands on the viral treat.
The Dubai chocolate crepe was stuffed with pistachio cream and kataifi (a crunchy, shredded pastry). On top of the crepe, there was drizzled milk chocolate, pistachio cream, kataifi and pistachio crumbles. From the first bite, I instantly loved the taste of the crepe and the presentation was perfect, but there was one flaw: it was cold.
While the flavors were still enjoyable, I was a little disappointed that my food wasn’t hot and fresh. I did enjoy the crepe, but at $16.99 plus tax, it definitely was one of the pricier items on the shop’s menu.
Bonjour is definitely worth a visit if you’re a fan of cute, trendy and Instagrammable dessert spots. Hopefully the next time I decide to stop by, there will be a shorter wait time and some warmer food. Bonjour is open Sunday through Thursday from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 12 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Madi May’s Menu: Light House Coffee’s fluffy lemon muffin
BY MADISON MARTIN Staff Writer
Muffins can be an ordinary treat, but if you’re looking for a fresh, homemade and deliciously unique muffin, Light House Coffee, located at 257 Lee Drive, offers just that.
The coffee shop is open Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Walking into the shop, customers feel like they are being greeted with a warm hug. The lively atmosphere, filled with sunshine, familiar faces, fair trade gifts and
a barista awaiting you with a smile.
Light House Coffee, a student favorite coffee shop, is a cozy corner for schoolwork or friend meetups. Although the shop’s pastries are always stocked with fresh goodies that stare at you saying, “pick me,” I had never actually tried one before.
I received a surprisingly large muffin that fell over on its side, having a bit of a muffin top, shortly after ordering. This muffin, unlike regular pastries, is full of fresh blueberries and a tang of lemon - seeming as if they squeezed a lemon right into the batter. The consistency
is light and fluffy, yet the perfect amount of doughiness. Light House has perfected the blend of blueberry and lemon into one wonderfully moist muffin. Each bite is full of exploding blueberries and a simple amount of lemon that your taste buds will surely pick up on.
The muffin itself is $4.50 and I can assure you, you will leave with a full stomach and an irresistible craving for more. You can pair this muffin with a cup of coffee, a glass of milk or simply consume it on its own. If sharing with a friend, you are guaranteed to both reach for the last bite.
LANA LAWSON / The Reveille
Bonjour, located at 5727 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge.
LANA LAWSON / The Reveille Front of Baton Rouge dessert shop, Bonjour, located at 5727 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge.
LANA LAWSON / The Reveille
Dubai chocolate crepe from Bonjour, located at 5727 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge.
MADISON MARTIN / The Reveille
Lemon blueberry muffin sits at Light House Coffee in Baton Rouge, La.
Spring blooms on LSU’s campus with birds chirping bugs pollinating, and flowers blossoming on March 7.
A
SPRING HAS
SPRUNG
wasp pollinates nearby flowers.
A Magnolia liliiflora tree.
A spicebush swallowtail butterfly pollinates surrounding flowers.
A small Chipping sparrow looks around for signs of food.
A red Camellia tree sits.
Fashion Azaleas.
A light pink azalea.
Photos by Maleah Bourgeois
Page design by Rei Zimmerman
Perkins Rowe’s weekly concert series, Rock n Rowe, is returning
BY LEXIE WARE Staff Writer
Thursday nights just got a whole lot livelier with the return of Rock N Rowe, a weekly concert series in Baton Rouge.
The concert series takes place each Thursday at 10202 Perkins Rowe, from March 6 to April 25. The event is familyfriendly, free and open to all. From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., the concert takes place on the Town Square lawn inside of the iconic Baton Rouge shopping center, so be sure to bring your comfiest lawn chairs.
A different artist will take the stage each week, from Zydeco bands like Travis Matte & The Kingpins to tribute bands like The Walrus. Chelsea Jones, marketing manager at Perkins Rowe, hand-selected each performer for the series. She went to great lengths of featuring a different genre of music each week to ensure a diverse audience, introduce the crowd to
new sounds and of course have fun.
“Since our audience loves to dance, we always keep that in mind when choosing the music,” Jones said.
Audience members of all ages can be seen on their feet once the music begins. From young children to older adults, their energy keeps the atmosphere lively. The music sometimes even in shoppers who didn’t realize there was a concert but stay to enjoy the ambience. The event fosters a sense of community and excitement among the concert-goers that is comparable to an LSU football crowd, just a little less rowdy.
Rock N Rowe is a unique experience compared to other Baton Rouge live music events, said Jones. The event is free and outdoors, giving the event a music festival feel. Guests are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit and watch the performance or even dance around the Town Square’s icon-
ic fountain.
The performance on March 13 by The Michael Foster Project was certainly one of the series’ best. The lively brass band played for several hours, much to the delight of their audience. Attendees described the performance as groovy and fun, making it a special experience.
Rock N Rowe’s impact does not stop at the performances. Jones said that the event positively impacts the businesses around Perkins Rowe each week, especially the restaurants. Many attendees opt to dine in at one of the many eateries before the show or even grab a meal to enjoy while watching the performance.
Jones’ best advice for firsttime attendees is to come prepared with a chair or blanket and arrive early to snag a seat.
“Rain or shine, the show goes on,” Jones said. “If it rains, we’ll simply move across the street to the covered area in front of Cinemark. The music doesn’t stop.”
ALEXIS PERSICKE / The Reveille
The Michael Foster Project plays March 13 at Perkins Rowe in Baton Rouge, La.
ALEXIS PERSICKE / The Reveille
The Michael Foster Project plays March 13 at Perkins Rowe in Baton Rouge, La.
Doechii’s full journey debunks industry plant accusations
BY ARIS WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Tampa-based rapper Doechii has been in the game for a while now, but the release of her Grammy-Award winning album “Alligator Bites Never Heal” has taken her to the next level.
Let’s back track a bit to understand the full course of her journey. It’s 2020, and Doechii has just released her self-funded debut EP, “Oh The Places You’ll Go.” The single “Yucky Blucky Fruitcake” goes viral on Tiktok some months later. The song eventually obtains the attention of Rolling Stone, who wrote that the rapper “achieved the rare feat of a truly ubiquitous song.”
The year 2021 consists of releasing her second EP “Bra-less,” becoming an opening act for SZA’s “Good Days” tour and performing at the BET Awards with Isaiah Rashad.
Top Dawg Entertainment enters the picture in 2022, and Doechii becomes the first female rapper to join the label. “Persuasive” is the first single she released through the label. Its uptempo beat and sultry lyricism about the effect of marijuana earns it a place on Billboard’s Best Songs of 2022, and she even performs it on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.”
Her first label project “She/ Her/Black Bitch” also comes out later that year, with the title alluding to the reclaim of an insult that many dark skinned, Black women have been on the receiv-
ing end of. This EP is a sharp turn from the colorful nature of previous projects, revealing Doechii’s ability to cover a little bit of everything.
Doechii performs at the 22nd Coachella Valley Music and Arts
Festival in 2023 and makes her acting debut in Savannah Leaf’s “Earth Mama”. Then, it gets quiet for a bit. Doechii begins working on the mixtape that will forever change the trajectory of her career.
The 2024 album “Alligator Bites Never Heal” was released in August and received an overwhelming critical acclaim. Pitchfork wrote that it was her “most ambitious and musically diverse release” yet, as she unpacks the demands of the music industry, her own internal struggles and navigating fame in the 19-track project.
All of this hard work came full circle at the 2025 Grammy Awards when “Alligator Bites Never Heal” wins Rap Album of the Year, making her the third woman to ever win the prestigious music award. Doechii’s journey had many steps, and she gradually garnered support and became more versatile.
So, what’s with all the online hate and accusations of her being an industry plant? Rolling Stone writes that the hate is largely fueled by “misconceptions, misogyny, and prejudice”.
Doechii unpacks many of her encounters with blatant misogynoir and colorism in her songs.
People have a very narrow perception of what these forms of prejudice actually are. It’s much deeper than petty insults; it’s an attitude towards black women that makes everything that they do a problem. We’re “too loud.” We’re “too much,” when in reality, we’re just being ourselves.
AP PHOTO / CHRIS PIZZELLO
Doechii performs at the 67th Grammy Awards on Feb. 2 in Los Angeles.
OPINION
Hazing is a deadly Greek Life tradition that must be stopped
AMYRI’S VANTAGE
AMYRI JONES Columnist
My heart has been heavy ever since I received the devastating news of Caleb Wilson’s death.
Wilson was a 20-year-old Southern University student pursuing a degree in engineering and a talented member of the renowned Human Jukebox marching band. Like many of us, he was also simply a young man trying to find his place, seeking connection and brotherhood on his college campus.
In pursuit of those connections, Wilson was in the process of joining Omega Psi Phi, one of the Divine Nine historically Black fraternities. Sadly, instead of gaining a brotherhood, he fell victim to the dark underbelly of hazing, a toxic tradition that has claimed too many lives.
Despite Louisiana’s strict anti-hazing laws and mandatory hazing prevention courses on university campuses, hazing continues to happen in secret and for Wilson, that secrecy cost him his life.
According to police reports, Wilson and other pledges were brought to an isolated warehouse and were subjected to abuse. Wilson was punched in
the chest at least four times before collapsing, seizing and ultimately dying, according to CBS News.
The gruesome nature of this incident is heartbreaking, but what’s even more painful is knowing that those involved allegedly attempted to cover up what happened as if his life didn’t matter. However, the truth always comes to light.
Hazing has been a plague in organizations for centuries, often swept under the rug by members who seek to protect the reputation of their group rather than protect human life. Wilson’s death forces us all to confront the evil that lurks behind closed doors — the violence, humiliation and degradation that too often accompanies these so-called rites of passage.
This case painfully reminds me of the movie “Burning Sands,” which follows a young Black man in college who endures horrific abuse while pledging a fraternity — from eating dog food to being punched in the ribs to being stripped and paddled.
I remember when that film first came out, the backlash was loud, especially from those who felt the movie “misrepresented” Black Greek life. But what many refused to acknowledge is that “Burning Sands” was inspired by real stories and testimonies from
people who lived through those horrors.
And now, looking at Wilson’s story, it’s undeniable that there is a darker side to this world that so many people idolize.
Let me be clear — I’m not saying that every fraternity or sorority is abusive. I know many Greek organizations do positive work for their communities and uplift their members.
But what I’m saying is that hazing is a very real issue, and it’s one we don’t talk about nearly enough. And when another life is lost because of it, I can’t help but grapple with my faith in humanity.
What’s been especially disturbing to me are some of the reactions I’ve seen to Wilson’s murder. Imagine hearing that a young man was killed during a fraternity ritual, and instead of mourning that life, some people’s first instinct is to defend the fraternity. Where is the empathy? Where is the accountability?
Sometimes, I wonder if we’ve all lost our sense of compassion. I have my own theory about these reactions, but I’ll just say this: Take the mind, and you control the body, but in this case, the heart as well. There is no need for an explanation; just observe and analyze the reactions I speak of, and you will see this truth play out.
This piece is not meant to deter anyone from joining a fraternity or sorority. I know that many people seek connection, family and community, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
However, you have to find love, peace and belonging within yourself first, so you don’t end up searching for it in spaces that won’t return that love.
Joining an organization should never require abuse or cost you your life. That’s not brotherhood, that’s violence. If
the goal were really “brotherhood,” then Wilson would still be here.
To Wilson’s family, friends and all who loved him, I am sending you love, light and strength. May Wilson rest in peace, and may those responsible, including bystanders, never find peace until justice is served.
Amyri Jones is a 23-year-old digital advertising and religious studies senior from Baton Rouge, La.
Letter to the Editor: As Americans, we must defend freedom
BY ZANE JONES
What the nation witnessed on Feb. 28, and since, will doubtlessly be remembered as one of the most egregious betrayals of an ally and an indelible mark in the legacy of Donald Trump.
What this President has done amounts to vandalism – of our nation’s image, our credibility, and, most dispiritingly, our character.
President Trump has sold out an ally, a people, and a fundamental philosophy that has underpinned our foreign policy for over a century. Since the League of Nations, America has led a unique experiment to prevent illegal massacres of civilians, senseless wars of aggression, and the preservation of freedom where it is threatened.
We have testified so often in our history that no nation has the
EDITORIAL BOARD
right to redraw borders by force, and the weak should never be the prey of the strong. All of this has been abandoned in one fell swoop by President Trump.
The defense of Ukraine transcends surface-level commentary. Opponents of continued support rely on trite platitudes like “we must take care of those at home” and “we cannot afford to continue our support.”
These contentions require ignorance—ranging from naivety to willful disinterest. Our actions in World War I and World War II were not rooted in self-interest; they were acts of selflessness. Callously some even will trumpet the refrain that “it is not our war”.
Short-termism is a cancer upon nations, sacrificing longterm strategy for seemingly immediate gains. This war is a hinge moment in history and has the unique potential to define
this century, as one of freedom, or as one of autocracy.
The U.S. now inclines toward the perspective of the butcher President of Russia. Trump perceives himself and Putin as comrades-in-arms. His foreign policy is proudly isolationist, signaling a retreat from responsibility and an abdication of moral authority.
America has been the architect of a rules-based world order. If we abandon these virtues – if we forsake the values that made us exceptional – America will diminish. This moment demands moral clarity.
If Ukraine falls, unchecked aggression will continue. I argue that we must stand with one unwavering voice: we are a free people, and we will defend freedom.
Zane Jones is a construction management senior at LSU.
JAVIER GALLEGOS / THE ADVOCATE VIA AP
Father Corey Wilson, right, mourns alongside other grieving family members during a vigil for his son, Caleb Wilson on March 5.
AP PHOTO / MYSTYSLAV CHERNOV President Donald Trump, right, meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office at the White House Feb. 28 in Washington.
A lesson from the LSU Skate Club — It’s okay to fall and get back up
GARRETT’S
GAVEL
GARRETT MCENTEE Columnist
LSU has a vibrant campus, bursting with crowds of bustling students, staff and fans walking down soon-to-be burning sidewalks. I have a habit of joining these crowds, as I am a walker. I walk, it’s my thing.
The mind-numbing repetitive ache of hard concrete on crappy shoes is cathartic and freeing. Sometimes I’m listening to music, chatting on the phone or borderline brain-dead, walking a winding path.
But most of the time, I’m walking with the single-minded goal of passive observation. I play by the rules of in-sight-inmind. Everything I see, I analyze and sometimes make a story for it as long as it’s in sight.
Basically, I people-watch, building-watch and animalwatch in the least creepy way possible.
On rare occasions, I’ll see something that makes me want to cease my incessant walking. It could be the feeling of the bones in my feet shattering, but typically, it’s something involv-
ing a group.
On one such recent occasion, I saw the LSU Skate Club practicing at the Memorial Tower. This was not my first time seeing them do sick tricks, but it was my first time actually watching them.
I sat down, watched from a comfortable distance near Hodges Hall and waited for boredom to set in, expecting it to come quickly. However, it was not quick.
I became enraptured by the movements, both the failures and successes, the clattering of boards, a cacophony of laughter and encouragement wrapped around my head and rooted me firmly to the ground.
I had a few basic but nevertheless important epiphanies whilst watching these skaters.
Like many others, I am extremely self-conscious. When I walk in a classroom, I put all my brain power into making sure I’m not “walking weird,” which is so incredibly dumb. Regardless, I do it every single time. Luckily, I was reminded that every dumb thing can be played off with humility and humor.
This unoriginal thought was not brought forth by Disney movies like it should have been, but by watching these people
ICE’s unlawful arrest tampers with freedom
ANDREW’S ANGLE
ANDREW SARHAN Columnist
Mahmoud Khalil was detained by ICE agents on Sunday, March 9, in New York City, for being the media spokesperson for the pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University.
Khalil, 30, is of Palestinian descent and a permanent resident of the United States. He was initially here on a student visa but obtained his green card after marrying an American citizen, who, at the time of this article, is pregnant and due next month.
This is a blatant injustice and an extremely dangerous precedent to set moving forward in this new administration.
“This is not about free speech. This is about people that don’t have a right to be in the United States, to begin with,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said during a Wednesday briefing.
Rubio’s comments on a green card-holding resident show the animosity this administration has against immigrants.
for antisemitism,” said Khalil. “What we are witnessing is anti-Palestinian sentiment that’s taking different forms and antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism [are] some of these forms.”
Khalil’s arrest is an attack on our constitutionally given rights to freedom of speech and protest, a pillar of American democracy. Khalil is today’s example, and you could be tomorrow’s. We can’t be neutral in this situation, as it affects all of us, regardless of political party or beliefs. You don’t have to agree with Khalil to want him to be free.
eat dirt and get up with a selfdeprecating huff and a smile.
Every mistake is always just a step toward perfection, something we must remember in our day-to-day lives. An especially pertinent phrase to live by for students under the strain of a rigorous curriculum and seemingly impossible standards.
I’m not blind to the fact that all of these lessons and ideas have been said before, typically by people much older than my readers and me.
Nevertheless, it was refreshing and inspiring to see my peers persevere and push back against physical discomfort and potential embarrassment in pursuit of a passion, not a job.
In times like these, there is an emphasis on succeeding on the first try and not making a fool of yourself.
So, seeing a group of people my age pursuing a hobby not only fearlessly and joyously but ready and willing, dare I say hungry, for the discomfort that proceeds growth.
Thank you to the Skate Club for reminding me of these core principles to live by.
Garrett McEntee is a 19-yearold English sophomore from Benton, La.
This should sound alarm bells to all of us college students. We should not be at risk of being deported, no matter who we are or what we say. If Khalil were supporting any cause other than Palestinian liberation, he probably wouldn’t have been arrested. So, why is it that protesting for Palestine is considered a deportable offense?
The State Department attempted to justify his deportation by calling him a Hamas supporter and an antisemite. Many of these claims are false, and Khalil has denounced antiSemitism from the pro-Palestine movement.
“There is, of course, no place
We cannot allow the fascistic rule of Donald Trump’s administration to take away our right to protest publicly. Imagine if the tables were turned and Joe Biden arrested Turning Point USA members on college campuses for protesting against his presidency. That would be brought with immediate outrage, so why is Khalil different? We must now use our constitutional rights to go out into the streets and protest this injustice. We need to write to our representatives – regardless of party, to let them know that this is an illegal governmental overreach and that we the people are pissed off.
In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote that, “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Khalil’s arrest goes against this, and it threatens our democracy. It’s a warning that we must heed; our civil liberties are at stake, and we must choose to stand up before we’re forced to stand in line.
Andrew Sarhan is a mass communication freshman from Baton Rouge, La.
AP PHOTO / TED SHAFFREY. FILE
Student negotiator Mahmoud Khalil is on the Columbia University campus at a pro-Palestinian protest encampment on April 29, 2024.
ALEXIS PERSICKE / The Reveille Skate Club LSU member jumps the ramp April 26, 2024, at the Memorial Tower.
METHOD TO THE
MADNESS
BY GORDON CRAWFORD Columnist
March Madness is the largest playoff bracket in all of sports.
Three hundred and fiftytwo Division I men’s basketball teams vie each year for the opportunity to play for a coveted title, and only around a fifth of them will get that chance. Simultaneously, millions will place their bets, with billions of dollars on the line. The stakes are high, which creates a perfect environment for intrigue and, well, madness.
So, where exactly does the NCAA Tournament bracket come from?
The first March Madness was unrecognizable from what we see today. It consisted of just eight teams in 1939 and was generally held in much lower regard than the now-maligned National Invitation Tournament. The teams were selected in an odd district system, frequently leading to highly ranked teams being skipped over for tournament appearances.
The tournament began to look the part in the early ‘70s. Two significant rule changes were made: first, teams were banned from postseason tournaments if they declined the NCAA tournament invitation. Second, and most significantly, multiple teams were allowed
from the same conference.
The tournament took its current core form in 1985, expanding to 64 teams and removing byes. Thirty-one of the teams automatically receive bids through their conference championships. Then, the top 37 teams who didn’t win their conference are selected through a somewhat complex voting process.
Each selection committee member identifies 24 teams they believe qualify for at-large bids, placing them into one column. They then place any teams they think should be considered for an at-large bid into a second column. Any team that gets all but three votes in the initial column is entered into the tournament. The second column is gradually whittled down through successive balloting and ranking until the bracket is filled.
Then comes the challenging part: the seeding. Seeding ensures that teams are roughly equally matched in competition, but several factors ultimately create the bracket.
Seeding begins with and primarily relies on creating an “Scurve” list, ranking each team based on factors like RPI, stats, and sometimes even injuries to key players, giving each team a “true seed.”
The teams are seeded within the four regions, and the com-
mittee does its best to ensure the top four in each region are roughly equivalent in strength. The seeding within each conference generally aligns with the S-curve list, with the top four teams usually being the No. 1 seed in their region, the following four being No. 2 and so on.
The goal is that the sum of the true seeds, the seed totals, from the top four in each region average at 34, with a difference between the lowest and highest total of no more than five.
Another critical factor in seeding is geography. The committee tries to place the topseeded teams as close to their regional site as possible, which plays a significant role in determining each team’s region.
Conference membership also shapes the bracket. Teams that met once prior may only meet in the second round, and each subsequent meeting means they can’t play for another level of the tournament.
Certain cultural restrictions can also play a role, as religious schools like BYU are only scheduled to play at sites designated for Thursday and Saturday games.
While 68 teams qualify for the tournament, only 64 can advance to the final bracket. This is where the First Four comes in.
The First Four is a mini-tournament where eight teams, the
Why do female athletes make less?
How the NCAA makes the March Madness bracket.
four lowest-seeded conference champions and the four lowestseeded at-large teams, play four games to determine who will go dancing.
The bracket creation process usually attracts tremendous intrigue and a matching amount of criticism. Underseeded teams are disadvantaged, facing more difficult opponents earlier in the tournament and traveling farther. It also hurts teams at higher seeds, as they face overly strong teams in the first or second round, leading to early elimination.
Kentucky and Louisville were battling for seeding before the 2014 bracket dropped. Despite the Cardinals being ranked No. 5 nationally and the Wildcats losing only a few close games against tough opponents, Kentucky was given the No. 4 seed, and Louisville nabbed the No. 8 seed.
This forced the undefeated No. 1 seed, Wichita State, to play Kentucky in the third round.
If we had more accurate seeding and less focus on RPI, each team’s chances of making deeper tournament runs would’ve increased.
Selecting teams for the March Madness bracket is always a spectacle. It provides a rare structure and consistency in one of the most chaotic endeavors in American sports.
BY GABBY GRAY Staff Writer
This year marks the 37th annual celebration of Women’s History Month, so what does the world of women in sports look like today?
At the professional level, last February marked the second consecutive year in which no female athletes were included in Sportico’s list of the 100 highest-paid athletes in the world.
The 2025 Women’s History theme is “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations,” this statistic might be discouraging for aspiring female athletes. Still, LSU softball head coach Beth Torina reminds them that it’s all about their love for the sport that keeps her players moving.
“Female sports shine in their own light, and all the young fans are motivated by these athletes and their love of the sport,” Torina told the Reveille. “We are in a sport that’s coming into more spotlight, and these girls [her players] aren’t worried about the money. They are doing it for the love of the game.”
When it comes to the younger female audience, such as that of LSU gymnastics, athletes like Konnor McClain need to do their best in their sport for themselves and their fans.
“Even though we aren’t women in the top 100,” the all-around sophomore said, “We’re doing our job, trying to inspire those young girls, to inspire them to keep going.”
The last time a woman was featured on the 100 highest paid athletes in the world list was in 2022. Professional tennis player Naomi Osaka ranked No. 20 with $53.2 million in earnings, followed by No. 52 Serena Williams, who earned $35.3 million that year.
Despite lacking women in the top 100, Sportico compiled a list of the highest-paid female athletes of 2024. It was reported that 11 women made at least $10 million in the past year, while only six women did so in 2023.
Coco Gauff was the highestpaid female athlete, with a $9.4 million salary and $21 million worth of endorsements. This list also includes athletes like Simone Biles and Caitlin Clark, who have each earned up to $11 million in endorsements.
While some fans might find the revenue comparison between male and female professional athletes disappointing, women still work in the sporting industry in many ways.
TON PRICHARD / The Reveille
LSU women’s basketball junior guard Kailyn Gilbert (16) celebrates during LSU’s 81-67 win against Mississippi State on Feb. 2 in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La.
March 17, 2025
WOMEN, from page 14
Actor and sports enthusiast Whoopi Goldberg played a massive role in women’s sports last year by launching All Women’s Sports Network, a sporting network that covers, you guessed it, women’s sports.
“This month and every month, we’re celebrating the power, resilience and brilliance of women in sports,” Goldberg said in a video posted on March 6. “Women’s sports are stronger than ever because when she wins, we all win.”
“We fell in love with it,” Lee said. “When we found out that we can make money off of it, it was like, ‘Okay, we’re doing this.’”
Lee founded Grizzlee Entertainment a couple of years later. At first, he didn’t even charge his fraternity, which was offering him anywhere from $50$100 for a show. Lee eventually starts charging $300-$400 a gig. Ten years later, Grizzlee Entertainment can start charging $1,000 for private events and $15,000 for weddings.
Lee and his partner have performed at every Southern Miss fraternity and sorority for years. Meanwhile, Southern Miss foot-
In addition to Goldberg’s contribution, Monarch Collective, a fund dedicated to women’s athletics, recently made $100 million worth of investments, expanding last year’s starting fund of $150 million, as reported by Sportico.
Brands like Mattel, which strive to appeal to younger audiences through Barbie products, continue to honor female athletes at the collegiate level.
2024 Olympic gymnasts Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey received their own Barbie dolls styled after them to celebrate International Women’s Day this
ball finished 0-12 in 2012 and cleared the house with head coach Ellis Johnson and his staff after only one season.
“Sports and music have always been my whole life,” Lee said. “Those are the two things from when I was young. I didn’t know how I was going to be able to do both, kind of just see how it happened on the road, but to be able to watch that door close and then see it open again through this opportunity. It’s crazy.”
Little did Lee know, he would soon get his chance. His fiancee wanted to move to New Orleans, La., to tackle a work program. Lee was a little hesitant. He’s always aspired to live in Louisiana, especially New Orleans,
year.
“That’s just a little kid’s dream come true,” People Magazine reported. “Jordan and I have definitely experienced what can come from our friendship and how much easier a journey can be together. So, I’m just really honored to be a part of this day with Barbie.”
But how are things going for the Tigers?
LSU athletics reported in an Instagram post that each women’s spring sports team, including softball, gymnastics and women’s basketball, are ranked within the
but his entire business is centered in Hattiesburg, Miss.
But Lee agrees; he knows he can’t pass this opportunity up. Lee built his business and online presence in the world’s party capital and thrived. It was enough to get the attention of LSU, which was looking for a women’s basketball DJ after the program won its first national championship in 2023.
“Oh, I’m jumping all over this,” Lee said.
So Lee travels to Baton Rouge and steps into the PMAC for an opportunity to become the DJ of one of the biggest brands in college athletics.
“The entire marketing department for athletics was there,” Lee said. “So every
top 20 of their respective sports.
No. 2 gymnastics is on its way to the SEC Championships next weekend, looking to continue its purple reign after winning last year’s tournament title.
As the team gears up to travel to Birmingham, the Tigers are celebrating its most recent victory against Georgia, where it set a program record and season-high score across the nation.
Competing in that night’s lineup was all-around senior Aleah Finnegan, who received the first perfect ten for the Tigers on the balance beam.
sport, except for football, had just came because they’re like, ‘Oh, DJ at the PMAC? Yeah, we’ll come listen.’”
Lee sits down at the scorers’ table for his audition. It’s the first one he’s ever done in his life.
“It was like 15 minutes of, ‘Okay, we’re down by five in the fourth quarter. What song would you play?’” Lee said. “I would have like 10 seconds to find a song out of the 1,000 songs on my laptop.”
Lee’s performance impressed everybody in the building. It wasn’t just women’s basketball anymore; every LSU sport wanted him to play for them, too. In his second year, Lee has established himself as the PMAC DJ.
“She’s one of the best teammates and the best friends that you could ever ask for,” LSU gymnast Sierra Ballard said about her teammate. “She’s always going to give you 100%, and she’s going to do that with her gymnastics as well.
With women’s sports as a burning topic in today’s world, there’s always something exciting to be found everywhere you look, so whether you’re tuning into the Tigers or your favorite professional team, there’s never a loss of entertainment regarding female athletics.
“As a kid, I’ve always wanted to play for LSU,” Lee said. “Obviously, I stopped growing at 5-foot-11-inches, so that probably wasn’t going to work.”
Instead of being a part of the team on the field, Lee is now part of the team behind the scenes, putting on productions that can pack the PMAC to its 13,215 with a sea of purple and gold, and that’s completely fine with him.
For Lee, any job working for LSU is a dream come true.
“I’m kind of just living in the moment for what it is now,” Lee said. “There’s not really too much more that I could ask for besides what’s going on right now. So I’m just gonna kind of take it as it is.”
DJ, from page 16
SEIZING THE SOUND
How does LSU pump up the PMAC on gameday? Meet DJ Grizzlee
BY ETHAN STENGER Sports Editor
As Tiger fans fill the stands for the opening round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament later this week, a purple glowing DJ booth sits in front of one of the rowdiest student sections in the country. The man operating it is the life of the PMAC party.
His name is Gerald Joseph Lee Jr., but he goes by his shortened middle name, Joey. At house parties, weddings and the PMAC, he’s more commonly known as “DJ Grizzlee.” Lee got the alter-ego in college for his ponytail and grizzly beard, with some inspiration from his name.
“With my first name being Gerard with a G and my last name being Lee, it just kind of made sense,” Lee said.
Lee isn’t a regular DJ; he has a lot to manage. Lee is given a 15-page game script and a headset to communicate with Tiger Band and LSU marketing throughout the show.
“I would say that DJ-ing is third on the list of qualities that you need to be able to do the job that I do,” Lee said.
Lee has never had a problem keeping Tiger fans engaged in the action. Whether at a New Orleans Pelicans game or just
searching on Spotify, he’s constantly looking for more songs in his free time and thinking about what situation he could play them in. While LSU suggests songs for Lee to play in specific scenarios, the school provides him complete creative freedom at the booth.
“I’m dealing with so much, so you have to play the song at the right time,” Lee said. “It’s almost like you have to be more of a manager than just a DJ.”
Lee performs at nearly all of LSU’s PMAC sporting events, including men’s and women’s basketball, gymnastics and volleyball. There were 68 events in 2024, and Lee missed only four. He’s not particular to an exact genre of music, which helps him bounce between them depending on the event. Lee plays hiphop at a Tigers basketball game but leans into EDM and pop at an LSU gymnastics meet.
When Gerald Lee Sr. took his young son to church one day, Lee pointed at the church band, specifically the keyboard.
“He would come to me like, ‘Hey, I want to get a keyboard. I want to play keyboard,’” Lee Sr. said. “It was like, ‘Where’s that coming from?’ He was young, real young.”
Lee said it came from his
father, “DJ Green Eyes,” who made his professional career as a producer and DJ.
“Within weeks, he’s playing what he’s hearing on the radio. [It] just was a knack thing,” Lee Sr. said.
Lee does the same thing to his father years later. They’re at church again, and Lee can’t help but point at the guitar his friends are strumming on.
“Dad, I want a guitar,” Lee tells his father.
Lee Sr. reluctantly gave in. Even if he couldn’t see it then, he was making the right decision for his son.
“Eventually, we bought him one, and again, within weeks, he’s killing it,” Lee Sr. said. “He’s just having that natural instinct.”
Now, Lee Sr. works beside his son, filling in when Lee is forced to miss and even accompanying him at events. The two make up Grizzlee Entertainment, which Lee founded in 2015. LSU contracts Lee and his father through Grizzlee Entertainment to perform at the PMAC.
Over a decade ago, Lee wanted to play football during his college years at Southern Miss. He walked on for the Golden Eagles football team but was declared academically ineligible when one of his old
So Lee joined a fraternity, which was the best decision he could’ve ever made. His fraternity brothers needed help when a DJ canceled before a house
high
schools failed to send his transcripts to the NCAA.
party. With Lee’s PA speakers and his roommate’s little DJ-ing experience, the two stepped up, saved the day and enjoyed every second.
PAYTON PRICHARD / The Reveille
The PMAC DJ stands before LSU’s 66-52 loss to Texas A&M on March 8 in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La.
see DJ, page 15
PHOTO COURTESY OF DJ