The Reveille 2-5-24

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What’s holding back LSU volleyball?

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What does Nebraska have that LSU doesn’t, and how does it get there?

BY CHLOE RICHMOND @chlorichmond The University of NebraskaLincoln’s volleyball team set the world attendance record for a women’s sporting event with 92,003 fans at the firstever volleyball game in a football stadium on Aug. 30, 2023.

Meanwhile, LSU volleyball attendance struggles to break 1,000.

Recognized as one of the top athletic schools in the nation when it comes to fan support, it’s almost concerning to see such low attendance records for an LSU sporting event. So, what does Nebraska have that LSU doesn’t?

It isn’t the sporting facility: Nebraska volleyball regularly plays in the Bob Devaney Sports Center, which seats 8,309 for volleyball matches; LSU volleyball regularly plays in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, which seats 13,125.

It isn’t the amount of success: in 2010, LSU volleyball went 12-1 at home and 25-5 overall but averaged just 892 fans per match.

It’s doubtful that it’s because it’s a women’s sport: LSU women’s basketball set an attendance record in the PMAC during the 2022-23 season and brought in large crowds for every home match.

Kinesiology sophomore Gracie Chen said she knows LSU is a football school, but she’s seen what support can do to a program, attributing much of LSU women’s basketball’s success to the fan support.

Maybe it’s simply because volleyball at LSU lives in the shadow of football.

When asked to name the first three things that come to mind about LSU, computer science sophomore Zahir Giwa immediately said “football,” then followed momentarily after with “tiger” and “sports.”

There are a few reasons Nebraska generates such a large fanbase for a sport outside of the big three (football, basketball and baseball), but a large factor that helped propel Nebraska volleyball to success in its early stages was the alreadyexisting success of the football team.

“Nebraska does not become a major player without a successful football program,” Terry Pettit, who coached Nebraska volleyball from 1977 to 1999, told ESPN. He added that the right resources and conference placement were vital in the emergence of Nebraska volleyball.

So, where does LSU volleyball stack up against the Huskers?

High-end sporting facility?

Check.

Successful season? Maybe not in recent years, but there have been more than a handful of successful LSU volleyball seasons. Check.

Support for women’s sports?

LSU women’s basketball and gymnastics gather decent crowds. Check.

Powerhouse football team?

Check. Check. Check. (Bonus points for the PMAC being right next to Tiger Stadium.)

Sufficient resources?

LSU has set aside $28,657,518 in the 2023-24 fiscal year for women’s athletics, according to its operating budget; in other words, if volleyball needs something, LSU could provide it. Check.

Good conference placement?

Southeastern Conference volleyball is arguably one of the toughest conferences in the nation now based on the number of ranked teams emerging in recent seasons. Check.

With every box ticked off for LSU volleyball, what else is it missing?

In an interview with the Guardian, Pettit credited the fans for volleyball’s success in the state of Nebraska, saying it “could not happen without great interest in the sport throughout the state.”

LSU, what volleyball in Louisiana is missing is your support.

How did Nebraska do it?

The ability to gather 92,003 fans for a volleyball match doesn’t happen overnight. The support Nebraska volleyball has gathered from the state is rooted in culture and history that was built by coaches with a commitment to the potential.

“My career was a commitment to provide opportunity for women,” Pettit said in an interview with the Reveille. “As I advanced as a coach, and [as] the program advanced, it was to build a culture that created independent women who could go on and have success.”

Fast forward to now, and John Cook has been at the helm of Nebraska volleyball since 2000.

In Nebraska Public Media’s podcast interview with author John Mabry about his book “Nebraska Volleyball: The Origin Story,” Andy Hermann referenced Mabry’s book and shared that in the mid-’70s, “there were fewer than 100 fans at the games,” and compared that to “50 years later, there’s 9,000 in attendance, it’s the hardest ticket to get.”

And Hermann meant it. The Cornhuskers have sold out 319 consecutive regular-season volleyball matches, which is an NCAA women’s record. Also, since the volleyball program’s move to the Bob Devaney Sports Center in 2013, it has led the nation in attendance every

season.

Despite Nebraska volleyball’s strong support from the state over the years, playing in a football stadium was never in the viewfinder of Cook’s mind. In fact, Cook has shared in press conferences that he was hesitant at first to follow through with the event. Pettit, though, didn’t doubt Nebraska for a second.

“If 30,000 show up, maybe you’re disappointed,” Pettit said, “but that isn’t what happened.

They (the fans) all showed up. I think I said, the day after it was announced, that they would sell out. It’s easier to say that when you’re not coaching it. I think John (Cook) was a little more skeptical, but there is a deep appreciation for that sport in Nebraska.”

Why should LSU care about volleyball?

If LSU is a major sports school like many students claim it to be, then it shouldn’t skip out on the opportunity to invest in volleyball. The sport is continuing to grow, and LSU might get left behind if it doesn’t start now.

“I’d like for our students to come out and support us more because they are noisy as all get-out when they’re here, along with the band, which makes a huge difference for our team,” Johnson said. “Volleyball is a great sport. It’s a fun sport, and there are really talented kids on the floor competing against each other, and I think it’s definitely worthy of some more fan support and getting people in the stands.”

The attendance at LSU volleyball games during the 2023 season was subpar at best, especially in comparison Nebraska’s numbers. Johnson, who played for LSU from 1987 to 1990, said attendance this season peaked “in the 1,200 to 1,400” range.

She said she would like to see it increase to “the 1,800 to 2,000 range.”

Reaching Nebraska’s level of commitment from fans will be a difficult task for LSU, but it’s not impossible. All it needs is someone willing to take the risk.

“There was certainly risk involved that the [Nebraska] athletic department took,” Pettit said about volleyball in Memorial Stadium. “You have to admire the decision Trev Alberts, the director of athletics, made.”

The risk that Alberts took in making Volleyball Day in Nebraska happen, and everything he’s done to help Nebraska volleyball become what it is today, wouldn’t have happened without a little push from someone.

Scott Woodward, athletic director of LSU, here’s your push.

Woodward’s commitment to LSU athletics, according to his biography on the LSU athletics website, is rooted in “providing an unmatched student-athlete experience.”

So, if the sport of volleyball being one of the fastest growing in the nation isn’t reason enough to invest more in LSU volleyball, then do it for the student-athletes that are a part of this program.

Do it for LSU volleyball’s freshmen who have more years as student-athletes.

“We have great, young people in our program who represent LSU well, and they will go on to do great things in this world,” Johnson said. “I have no doubts.”

Do it for LSU volleyball’s seniors and graduate students who committed time and energy to collegiate volleyball. “[Fans are] missing out on the opportunity to support some very special people who put in a lot of time and effort to represent LSU and wear that jersey,” Johnson said.

Do it for the current and future student-athletes who want to turn this program into a national-contending one.

“I think any team will tell you that across the country that when they play at home, the fans help with the home court advantage,” Johnson said.

If that still isn’t enough, then do it for the girls in Louisiana who watch these women do incredible things as LSU athletes.

“You see more families coming out, which is what we want to appeal to,” Johnson said. “We want every little girl to fall in love with the sport of volleyball.”

LSU volleyball’s studentathletes are committed to their sport and this school, just like LSU football’s athletes, LSU basketball’s athletes and LSU baseball’s athletes. The commitment from athletes doesn’t change across sports; every studentathlete wants to be a part of something bigger than themselves.

“It’s hard being a studentathlete,” Johnson said. “I think the commitment level that it takes to play on this level day in and day out, and the things that they sacrifice—from family time to, you know, all of the above— the things that they have to give up to be a part of this and to be a part of something so special, I think is what the fans miss out on when they don’t come.”

So, Woodward and LSU, the challenge is this: make volleyball important in Louisiana.

There was once a time when football, basketball and baseball needed someone to commit to its potential growth at LSU. Now, all three have a national title.

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NEWS BACK TO SCHOOL

page 3 ENERGY

Grant for energy Students tell stories of their winter breaks and what’s in store for spring transition

BY CROSS HARRIS @thecrossharris

With a school-canceling cold snap, burst pipes and flooding, LSU’s spring semester started strangely. Now that class has been back for nearly a month, the Reveille interviewed students to find out what they did over winter break and how they’re settling in.

Some traveled home for the holidays, near and far.

Animal sciences freshman Tamia Thomas returned to Pennsylvania. She spent time with her family, she said, and stayed up late into the night talking with her sister; it’d been so long since they saw each other in person.

This semester, Thomas said she’s looking forward to the weather.

“The energy here is more vibrant and up during the spring semester,” she said.

Freshman Sunny Day also went home for winter break, but for her, the trek was much shorter. Day is originally from New Orleans; her parents still live in the Garden District home she grew up in.

She said her favorite part of the holiday was reading with her boyfriend beneath her favorite tree in City Park.

“It’s really big, and it’s been there my whole life,” she said, smiling. “The park’s right down the street from my house, so I’ve like grown up there.”

BY ASHLYNN BAILLIO @ashlynnbaillio

Over the course of the spring semester, she’ll meet with the faculty who run the program and the students who’ve been accepted, she said.

Psychology junior Parker Zito had just returned from a study abroad program when he spoke with the Reveille.

For the last five months, Zito lived in Marburg, Germany, a uni-

The National Science Foundation announced Jan. 29 that the LSU-led consortium Future Use of Energy in Louisiana had secured a monumental $160 million grant.

The funding, awarded through the NSF Engines program, marks the largest and most competitive award ever granted by the agency.

The FUEL team aims to spearhead a clean energy transition for the state, addressing critical areas such as carbon capture, hydrogen utilization, sustainable manufacturing and water management.

The grant opportunity is a direct result of the ‘Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022,’ which allocated $8.8 billion from federal funds to the U.S. National Science Foundation. The majority of these funds are earmarked for research programs and equipment.

The NSF Engines program contributed $160 million, while an additional $67.5 million was pledged

by Louisiana Economic Development, emphasizing the significance of this collaboration between academia, industry and government.

“This NSF grant represents an unparalleled opportunity to educate and retain skilled workers and to expand our future energy economy,” said LSU Vice President

see BACK TO SCHOOL., page 4

see ENERGY, page 4

CROSS HARRIS / The Reveille

Students walk through the Quad on Feb. 2 on LSU’s campus in Baton Rouge, La. The tree is an oak, a lot like the ones that decorate LSU’s campus, Day said “The sun just always comes through it perfectly every time I’m there,” she said.

Day, a French and English double major, said she’d just been accepted into one of LSU’s study abroad programs when she spoke with the Reveille.

Next summer, she’ll go to a small town in the French Alps’

Ubaye Valley, called Barcelonnette. There, she’ll earn credit for two French courses by working in a local small business, she said; past students worked in chocolate shops, book stores and bicycle shops.

The town of Barcelonnette was founded in 1231; today, fewer than 3,000 people live there.

“It really seems like a sweet community,” Day said. “And that’s like what drew me to it.”

ENVIRONMENT

LSU Awarded $780K from National Academies to protect the coast

BY SARAH WALTON @sarahrosewalton LSU has won a $780,000 award from the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine to aid the Pointe-auChien Indian Tribe in protecting its lands from coastal erosion. the university announced Jan 8..

The Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe, also known as PACIT, is a French-speaking tribe indigenous to the Terrebonne Basin, composed of about 800 members residing in southern Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes. LSU has been working with the Pointe-auChien Indian Tribe since 2022 to protect its home.

Matthew Bethel, Louisiana Sea Grant’s associate executive director of research, lead the work with an original grant of $100,000.

Now, the National Academies’ Gulf Research Program has given LSU more than seven times that amount to continue its work.

“We lead this work by learning from the Tribe’s perspective and factoring in traditional eco-

logical knowledge and priorities from the Tribe,” Bethel said in the original LSU press release.

According to the Tribe, its battle with land loss began in 1992 after Hurricane Andrew. The recurring storms and changing climate have forced PACIT members to elevate their homes and even relocate. Ever since, they have been consistently working with scientists to protect their homes and help them withstand the problems many coasts around the world continue to face.

“This small French speaking tribe continues to comprise a distinct community despite colonization, land loss, lack of status as a federally recognized tribe, exploitation of the land and people, and denial of educational opportunities,” reads the Tribe’s website.

The Terrebonne Basin is the fastest-eroding basin in the United States. PACIT’s website has a diagram showing all the land loss and some of the areas where it is regaining and protecting its land.

COURTESY OF LSU

see ENVIRONMENT page 4

Boats travel down a bayou in Pointe-au-Chien, La.

Monday, February 5, 2024

page 4 ENERGY, from page 3

ENVIRONMENT, from page 3

of Research and Economic Development Robert Twilley.

FUEL’s loaded roster of partners includes the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, the Louisiana Board of Regents, the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, Greater New Orleans Inc., Shell, ExxonMobil and Baker Hughes. This extensive network, comprising over 65 organizations, will work collaboratively with LSU to improve Louisiana industries.

Andrew Maas, LSU’s associate vice president of innovation and ecosystem development, played a central role in orchestrating this unprecedented effort. Maas highlighted the meticulous review process by NSF, involving 13 experts from various fields, ensuring the project’s alignment with well-defined milestones.

The $160 million grant will be allocated over ten years, focusing on three main initiatives: use-inspired research and development, workforce development and technology commercialization. Maas explained that the allocation isn’t evenly distributed yearly, but the overall impact aims to foster cutting-edge research, workforce initiatives and technology commercialization.

FUEL’s comprehensive approach addresses Louisiana’s current status as the global leader in carbon dioxide emissions per capita, mainly attributed to the hydrocarbon industry. FUEL aims to mitigate this by advancing research in carbon capture, hydrogen utilization and sustainable manufactur-

Coastal erosion, according to New Orleans’ Hazard Mitigation Plan, is “the wearing away of land or the removal of coastal wetland, beach or dune sediments by wave action, tidal currents, wave currents, or drainage.” It makes it clear Louisiana is one of the greatest victims of coastal erosion.

People all over the world are working on mitigating and reversing the effects of coastal erosion, with LSU making the field an academic priority. In the press release from LSU, Bethel talked about some of the techniques the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe has been using.

BACK TO SCHOOL, from page 3 versity town about an hour north of Frankfurt. He said he wasn’t able to take any psychology classes while he was there; instead, Zito attended two German classes, an English class and another class on Israel and Palestine.

Zito said after a month or two in Germany, he began to feel less like a tourist and more like a resident. By that time, he had an ID and all his papers. Coming back to the U.S. after five months, he said, was a “reverse culture shock.”

“I got adjusted to one thing and then, coming back, had to readjust to the other,” he said.

Zito said he’d relied on public transportation in Marburg, and it was a relief to have his car back.

He also said his stomach took some time to readjust; the food in Germany was less “processed.”

Wildlife ecology junior Gabby Milton also did some adjusting over the break.

“I got my life back together,” she said.

Milton’s a transfer student. Before coming to LSU, she attended Baton Rouge Community College online. Fall 2023 was her first semester at LSU, and her first semester of in-person college. Milton said the change was challenging for her.

She had to relearn how to study, how to take notes in class and how to use Moodle, which took about half the semester, she said.

Over winter break, like Thomp-

MADALYN CUNNINGHAM / The Reveille

One such technique came from the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana or CRCL, a nonprofit that works on coastal restoration through on-the-ground work, advocacy, education and more.

Bethel describes how the tribe used the CRCL’s oyster shell recycling project. “That’s where they place oyster shells in areas needing protection. These not only serve as shoreline protection systems but also help baby oysters grow, and fish and crab colonies thrive,” she said.

LSU and PACIT will be working with researchers from the Louisiana Sea Grant, CRCL, and many more people in their journey to save Louisiana’s coast.

The memorial tower peaks above Coates Hall in the quad on Oct. 17 on LSU’s campus in Baton Rouge, La. ing, while also contributing to the state’s workforce development.

“When you look at economic development or job creation, in any location across the country, there’s almost always a component of job creation that comes from technology-based jobs,” Maas said. This initiative, therefore, not only advances scientific endeavors but also hopes to be a catalyst for economic growth, emphasizing the role of technology-based jobs in shaping the employment landscape, particularly within the energy sector.

“Leading the FUEL team and being selected for this transformational grant affirms what we already knew – that LSU is one of the nation’s premier research universities, poised to change the lives of the people of Louisiana and the

world,” said LSU President William F. Tate IV in the initial announcement of the award.

Louisiana’s economic landscape, heavily reliant on the energy sector, makes FUEL a critical player in shaping the state’s future. The collaboration extends beyond LSU, with partners including Tulane University, Xavier University, and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette actively contributing to this transformative effort. Each institution brings its expertise, fostering an interdisciplinary approach to address the challenges of energy transition.

LSU’s successful securing of the $160 million NSF grant for the FUEL initiative represents a transformative milestone in the state’s clean energy transition.

Memorial Tower stands tall on Friday, Feb. 2 on LSU’s campus in Baton Rouge, La.

son, Milton caught up on the things she’d been putting off.

“I went to the gynecologist,” she said with a laugh.

Milton had been too busy during the fall semester to go to the doctor, she said.

Milton also said her Baton Rouge apartment complex had been invaded by Zydeco hockey players over the break.

A new hockey team formed in Baton Rouge in 2023—almost 20 years after the city’s first hockey team, the Kingfish, moved to Victoria, British Columbia.

Milton said two of the Zydeco players moved into the two apartments on either side of her. One day they happened to come into her work, and they hit it off.

Later that day, Milton said she and her friends decided to go to The Queen casino with the hockey players on the spur of the moment.

“It was like, I know I’m about to start school,” Milton said, “so I know I have to have a good time.”

While Milton’s LSU journey was just beginning this school year, kinesiology major Tommy Nguyen’s was coming to a close.

Nguyen’s a senior. He only has a few months left before graduation, and he said he’s still not sure exactly what he wants to do after.

As a kinesiology major, he studied on the pre-physical therapy track.

One of his classes this semester is an English course, he said, and for some reason there are a handful of other pre-PT kinesiology seniors

in there with him.

On the first day, his professor had each student talk about their major and their plans for the future.

Nguyen said most of the other kinesiology seniors had already applied for physical therapy school,

but the professor hadn’t gotten to ask him about his plans yet.

“I don’t really know what I’m gonna say,” Nguyen said, looking down at his feet.

Gap-year possibilities came to him. Nguyen said he wanted to

REAGAN COTTEN / The Reveille

take time away from school when he was done with LSU, to get some kind of job, some kind of experience, but he didn’t know what.

“It feels like I’m growing up fast,” Nguyen said, “and I’m not 100% ready for it.”

CROSS HARRIS / The Reveille

Memorial Tower, viewed through a window in Hill Memorial Library on Feb. 2 on LSU’s campus in Baton Rouge, La.

ENTERTAINMENT

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Local art show to honor endangered whooping cranes

BY TOREY BOVIE @newclassic13 The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation will be honoring the return of the endangered whooping crane with an art show open to all artists and students.

Margo Brault, painter and French professor at LSU, said the Whooping Crane Art Show and contest will feature work from more than 60 Louisiana artists.

She said there will also be cash prizes that vary among first, second and third place. The public exhibits will last from Feb. 18 to Feb. 27.

Brault said the exhibit will showcase 17 of her pieces. All of the art will be available for

auction, and the funds will go toward the Whooping Crane Reintroduction Program.

In 1945, there were only two whooping cranes that inhabited the Louisiana landscape.

The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries released 10 young cranes at the White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area in Gueydan, Louisiana, in 2011.

This was only the beginning of the reintroduction program.

Since then, Brault said four to 10 whooping cranes have been released each year. Now, there are 81 wild cranes in Louisiana. There are actually more reported whooping crane sightings than people may think, she said. While this is great progress, Brault said the species was

still very vulnerable. There are only 800 whooping cranes in North America, which means this species is still endangered.

“In Louisiana, this is something we can be proud of because it’s working. The birds are coming back,” Brault said.

Factors like hunters and power-line accidents have caused the population to decrease. However, Wildlife and Fisheries tries its best to ensure the whooping cranes have a smooth transition to their new environment. The cranes receive tracking monitors and multiple medical checks before they leave the handlers.

Brault said she felt like the art show would spread the word about the work Wildlife and Fisheries was doing. She said

it would also give artists across the state exposure for their work.

According to a Wildlife and Fisheries information page, first place will receive $500, second place will receive $250 and third place will receive $100. There are two separate competitions for children and adults. All the artists who place in the competitions will be invited to watch the crane release at White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area.

The art at the exhibit will be 2-dimensional, Brault said, as a way to limit the possibilities of damages. The exhibit will be held at 2000 Quail Drive, in Baton Rouge.

An invitation-only gala will be on Feb. 24.

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

Margo Brault discusses whooping crane conservation and an art contest revolving around the birds on Jan. 30 inside the LSU Journalism Building in Baton Rouge, La.

LSU celebrates 60th anniversary of the Student Union

BY MATILDA SIPP & EMILY BRACHER @SippTilly & @emily_bracher_ LSU celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Student Union on Wednesday with a time capsule dedication ceremony and performances by local bands.

Students gathered on the Parade Ground for food, t-shirts and music, and heard speakers explain the significance of the building. Members of LSU organizations took the stage for the dedication portion of the celebration to present their contributions to the time capsule.

Items included unclaimed phones from the Union’s lost and found, LSU cheerleading pom-poms and confetti from the ribbon cutting of the restored Huey P. Long Field House.

The time capsule is set to be buried behind the Union in May this year and opened in 2074. It will be the fifth time capsule on LSU’s campus. The others are set to be opened in 2050, 2067, 2076 and 2160.

Shirley Plakidas, former director of the Student Union, spoke about the beginnings of the building and its programs.

When she came to LSU in 1967 from the University of Nebraska, the building was only 3 years old. At the time, Plakidas served as the program adviser of the Union and organized countless events with speaker panels, performing arts and travel programs.

During her time traveling to other schools for conferences, Plakidas couldn’t help but notice there was something special about LSU’s Student Union.

“This one always stood out as a model of construction and accessibility for students,” she said.

Plakidas collaborated closely with students during her time at LSU; she constantly looked for ways to adapt the Union so students could get the most use and

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

Former Union director Shirley Plakidas speaks about the history of the Student Union Jan. 31 on the Parade Ground on LSU’s campus in Baton Rouge, La. enjoyment out of it. After listening to student requests, the 16 bowling lanes in the building were replaced with the Live Oak Lounge.

After seeing University of Kentucky students sitting in the hallways of their student union just to find an outlet, she ensured there would be electrical outlets by every table in the new lounge.

“The Union has not only provided literally thousands of programs and events, planned by students for students, but also has been the place where students can do the things that they love to do,” Plakidas said.

Even though the student body and the Union have both changed since Plakidas’ retirement in 2011, its importance has not. Margot Hsu Carroll, assistant vice president of LSU Auxiliary Services, spoke to the crowd about the continued focus on students when it comes to the services and purpose of the building.

“After 60 years, the core

mission of the Student Union remains the same: to serve the needs and support LSU students in a safe and welcoming space,” Carroll said.

Carroll said the Union is constantly trying to evolve with the changing student population.

Student feedback is one of the best ways Auxiliary Services can do that.

“We definitely want to keep changing; we definitely want feedback,” Carroll said. “Events like this give us an opportunity to talk about the mission of the building, but also encourage people to keep giving us feedback.”

New additions to the Union like lactation spaces, a meditation and prayer space, and a food pantry for all students are just a few ways the building is adapting to the needs of modern-day students. Upcoming dining additions include bubble tea and a new vendor called Golden Vegan.

Carroll said Auxiliary Services is looking into possibly

bringing back board games for students to check out and maybe even giving students the option to put “sit with me” cards on their table to encourage more socialization.

While most people come to the Union to eat or collect their packages from the UPS Store, LSU Student Body President Anna Catherine Strong highlighted the other resources offered to students in the building.

Strong spoke about the Olinde Career Center and the new Student Success One Stop, where students can go for anything from assistance with resumes to help finding out what classes to take. She also said The Tailored Tiger, a Student Government initiative to help pair students with professional attire, is coming soon to the Union.

“The LSU Student Union is a space that promotes camaraderie, student connection and involvement,” Strong said. “Having a space that fosters togetherness empowers students and shows them that they have a place where they can feel supported.”

Lillian Brown, an LSU cheerleader and kinesiology freshman, performed with other members of LSU cheerleading for the celebration. Brown said if she could put anything in the time capsule, it would be her cheer shoes.

Brown said she hopes when future Tigers open the time capsule, they can look back on how successful our generation of LSU athletes was with players like Jayden Daniels and LSU National Championship-winning teams like baseball, women’s basketball and the Tiger Girls.

Trace Johnson, a construction management senior, works at the front desk at the Union and said the only thing he would put in the time capsule would be Lil Baby’s “My Turn,”

released in 2019.

Johnson looked back fondly on his time at LSU and on the Parade Ground during his freshman year, remembering how he teamed up with strangers for a kickball tournament during Welcome Week.

“Two of them are still my best friends to this day,” Johnson said.

Working at the Union has brought Johnson closer to campus and helped him gain knowledge of all aspects of LSU. As a front desk worker, he said interacting with people throughout his day allows him to meet and talk to people ranging from students taking a break in between classes to prospective high schoolers touring with their parents.

“It’s a place you can call home,” Johnson said. “The people here, they love you, and they want you to succeed. It’s a support system here. It’s a family.”

Johnson’s one wish for a change in the Union would be a McDonald’s comeback.

Microbiology sophomore Jayden Bates said he would put a picture of his grandfather who passed away in 2013 in the time capsule. Much like Johnson, Bates said LSU has become a place he can call home.

“Him coming to a place I truly love, where I made my own home away from home, taking him down here with me, even though he is already here would be perfect,” Bates said.

If LSU is home, then the Union is its living room on campus. Whether you go there to eat, study, sleep or laugh, it’s been a campus staple for 60 years.

“Seeing the many thousands of students who come through the building daily is a testament to the significance of the Student Union as a space that really is the heart of campus,” Carroll said.

Monday, February 5, 2024

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Monday, February 5, 2024

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LSU vocal performance graduate student Mickey Zhang plays dead as psychology junior Thomas Becnel messes with him.

LSU’s Musical Theatre Club reminds their audience “Don’t Feed the Plants” with its spring production of “Little Shop of Horrors” on Feb. 1 at the Reilly Theatre.

LSU theatre technology and design freshman Kamryn Hecker and psychology junior Thomas Becnel kiss.

Photos by Morgan Cook

LSU studio art senior Nya Skipper points as Ronette.

The ensemble surrounds LSU theatre technology and design freshman Kamryn Hecker.

LSU social work junior Jasmine Garrison leads the trio.

Characters pose for a photo for Mr. Mushnik.

LSU theatre performance sophomore Don Fields sings as Orin.

LSU theatre technology and design freshman Kamryn Hecker and psychology junior Thomas Becnel answer phones.

LSU theatre performance freshman Ashari Harper makes her first appearance as Audrey II.

The cast dances.

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THE Daily Commuter Puzzle by Stella Zawistowski ACROSS 1 “__ right there!”

5 Computer character code abbr.

10 Ticket remnant 14 Showed up 15 Same-birthday siblings 16 Bit of plumbing 17 Very, very dry 18 Baby gate feature 19 Seth’s son, in the Bible 20 Material for jotting 22 Tilt to one side 23 Family nickname 24 Space-saving abbr.

26 Squander 29 Segment 30 Hairstyle or bread serving 33 Not on shore 34 “According to me...”

36 Bill with Washington’s picture 37 Classic kids’ book

by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry 40 “A mouse!”

41 Gentle touch 42 Canasta play 43 Some ER workers 44 Greek god of war 45 Carnival attractions 46 Cheese with a rind 47 Banned bug killer 48 Topic for debate 51 Rests, in a way 57 God with a hammer 58 Drive forward 59 Vegan protein 60 Male swans 61 Swoon 62 Get through hard work 63 Thermal energy 64 Petty quarrels 65 Took a photo of DOWN 1 Use an electronic reader 2 Poi ingredient

Created by Stella Zawistowski

3 Leave out 4 Idol’s place 5 Geography reference 6 Trade 7 Refer to 8 Goes up 9 “Kinda, sorta” 10 Say “S-A-Y,” say 11 Rock icon Turner 12 “__ my word!”

13 Second to none 21 Crusty dessert 22 Lecherous mythical character 25 Captures 26 Liquid in a 16-Across 27 Pale with fear 28 Looks for 29 Hoarder’s heaps 30 Like corsets 31 Mother’s brother, say 32 Requires 34 “Breakout” game company 35 Useful resource for a tourist 38 Compassionate words 39 Acts like

2/5/24

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©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC All Rights Reserved.

45 Lines on a 35-Down: Abbr.

46 Exploded 47 Shoulder muscles, for short 48 Allergic reaction 49 Sneaker or slingback 50 Japanese noodle variety

2/5/24

52 Samoa’s capital 53 Last name of Superman’s alter ego 54 Wyle of “ER” 55 Picked hairstyle 56 Fourth-down play, often 58 No __, ands, or buts

SPORTS

page 9

LSU women’s basketball earns 106-66 win against Florida

BY TYLER HARDEN @ttjharden The Tigers needed to get back in the winner’s column, and they were able to do so with a 10666 win over Florida on Sunday afternoon.

LSU was coming off of backto-back losses; a 76-70 loss to South Carolina, and a 77-73 upset to Mississippi State that following Monday.

After not playing for six days, Kim Mulkey and her Tigers had the opportunity to take a step back and reevaluate.

It seems they used that time wisely.

Hailey Van Lith sets LSU career-high Hailey Van Lith finished Sunday’s matchup with the most points she’s scored in an LSU uniform.

The graduate transfer from Louisville scored 21 points along with seven rebounds and two steals. She shot 6-for-11 from the field and 9-for-10 from the free throw line.

Last season at Louisville, Van Lith averaged 19.7 points per game, but she transitioned into more of a facilitator role when she came to LSU. Being one of the more experienced players on

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

LSU women’s basketball graduate student guard Hailey Van Lith (11) dribbles the ball Jan. 25 during LSU’s 76-70 loss against South Carolina in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La. the roster, the Tigers needed that type of player on the floor.

Tiger fans saw the version of Van Lith from Louisville on Sunday, as she wasn’t afraid to shoot the ball, and she knew her shot was there.

“I think I just decided to be myself,” Van Lith said. “My teammates have been encouraging me. My coaches have been en-

couraging me. So I was finally able to just find that.”

The Tigers found their shot early and it stayed Offensively, the shots were falling for the Tigers. As a team, they finished shooting 37-for-75 from the field (49.3%), and 7-for15 from three (46.7%).

Mikaylah Williams scored 21 points, knocked down three

3-pointers and shot 9-for-12 from the field.

Angel Reese finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 4-for-6 from the field, and 6-for-8 from the foul line. But she led the team in assists with six.

“She has talent around her now...now that she’s down there in 1-on-1 coverage, she can get some better looks,” Mulkey said.

“She loves assists.”

Aneesah Morrow finished with a double-double in 18 points and 20 rebounds. She also knocked down two 3-pointers.

Flau’jae Johnson added 10 points along with two 3-pointers, and Last-Tear Poa added nine points and four assists, shooting 3-for-6 from the field.

Aalyah Del Rosario came off the bench and scored 11 points and nine rebounds.

The time spent on defensive practice translated into game play But Mulkey and her Tigers emphasized their defensive schemes while preparing for Sunday’s matchup with Florida.

The Tigers outrebounded Florida 59-34, had 17 turnovers compared to Florida’s 20 and blocked seven shots compared to Florida’s two blocked shots.

“We did have good perimeter defense today,” Mulkey said.

“The bye week helped us focus on us.”

Morrow led the team with 20 rebounds. She finished the first quarter with nine rebounds, and the first half with 12. Reese finished the game with double-digit rebounds as well, as she added 10.

LSU also stayed further out of foul trouble as a team, ending the game with 20 team fouls compared to Florida’s 28.

In the loss…

Both of Florida’s leading scorers came off the bench in Aliyah Matharu and Leilani Correa. In fact, Matharu came into the game ranked second in the Southeastern Conference in points per game at 18.3, and Correa came in ranked third in the conference with 17.9 points per game.

The two led Florida on Sunday, as Matharu scored a teamhigh 20 points, and Correa was right behind with 13.

Who’s next?

The Tigers will head to Nashville to take on Vanderbilt on Thursday. The matchup will tipoff at 8 p.m. C.T. from Memorial Gymnasium at Vanderbilt University, and will be televised on the SEC Network.

LSU gymnastics defeats Arkansas 198.475-196.200 at home

BY AVA HEBERT @avahebe4 LSU beat Arkansas 198.475196.200 on Friday in a top-10 showdown.

The No. 5 Tigers hosted the No. 7 Razorbacks, where they dominated all areas of the meet and marked a new high-score, not only for the season, but for the nation.

The score is the highest in LSU history.

“The main goal was to get a good performance, a complete performance, out of ourselves,” head coach Jay Clark said.

And that is exactly what they did.

The Tigers started out on vault, while Arkansas competed on the uneven bars.

KJ Johnson led the Tigers off, sticking the landing on her first pass of the night. She scored a 9.875. Aleah Finnegan followed with a 9.875 of her own, then freshman Amari Drayton landed the first 9.90 of the night.

Kiya Johnson followed with a 9.90 of her own, and Haleigh Bryant anchored with a near perfect score of 9.975, the highest vault score of the night. Bryant will likely hold her spot as a top three-ranked gymnast on vault.

The Tigers ended with a 49.525 on vault, exceeding their average score by almost two-tenths of a point.

On the other side of the gym,

the Razorbacks weren’t nearly as successful. Their uneven bars’ performance consisted of two falls and only one score of 9.00. They ended with a score of 48.175.

And not much changed after the second rotation.

The Razorbacks continued to struggle. They failed to produce a score higher than 9.875, ending with 49.200 on vault.

The Tigers, on the other hand, couldn’t have been more opposite.

Alexis Jeffrey started on the uneven bars for the Tigers, scoring a 9.875. Johnson followed with a 9.90 and freshman Konnor McClain stuck her full-twisting double-back to score a 9.925.

The Tigers didn’t back down after that. The crown was passed to Savannah Schoenherr after she scored a 9.950, and Bryant anchored for the second consecutive rotation, scoring a 9.90.

The Tigers dominated going into the second half of the meet, leading 99.075-97.375.

LSU had some comfort going into its weakest event, the balance beam.

But the 4-inch beam wasn’t a problem for the Tigers.

Sierra Ballard led off with a solid performance. Sticking her double-pike landing, she scored a 9.90.

McClain followed her perfect beam routine in Missouri with one almost as good. The fresh-

man scored a 9.975, tying for the second-highest score of the night.

Bryant followed with a stellar performance of her own, scoring a 9.950, and Finnegan anchored with a 9.90.

The Razorbacks struggled to gain momentum, even on their floor routines, which is the event that holds their highest average.

Freshman Hailey Klein led off for the Razorbacks where she stepped out of bounds, ultimately ending with a score of 9.60. Because her score was dropped, Arkansas relied on their next five gymnasts to deliver. They ended with a 49.325.

The Tigers continued to lead 148.700-146.750 going into the final rotation, arguably their best rotation, the floor.

McClain led LSU on floor, scoring her second near-perfect score of the night, a 9.975. Drayton followed with a 9.90, and Olivia Dunne made a comeback appearance for the Tigers. After being out of the lineup for two weeks, she scored a 9.875.

Finnegan, Bryant and Johnson closed out the night with three top-notch performances.

Finnegan scored a 9.925, Bryant followed with a perfect 10 and Johnson anchored with a 9.975.

After a tough loss on the road, the Tigers knew that this win was important to boost their momentum and restart their winning streak.

“Certainly when you’re com-

ing out of a disappointment, getting back in front of your home crowd can be a tremendous boost,” Clark said earlier in the week. “We want our fans to continue to come out in force and pack the PMAC.” The Tigers remain one of only two teams to break the 198 mark, with the other being undefeated, No. 1-ranked Oklahoma. In addition to this, the Tigers remain a top 20 team on all four events, including a top five-ranked team on vault, bars and floor.

LSU left little to no room for

improvement in their match against the Razorbacks. Scoring no less than a 49.525 on each event gave them a sense of comfort that they haven’t been able to feel in previous meets.

Despite the stellar, close to perfect performance by the Tigers, they are always looking for ways to improve.

“There’s clearly things we can do better,” Clark said.

But the Tigers have plenty of time to improve as the season goes on, and they are on the right track to bring home a trophy.

MORGAN COOK / The Reveille

LSU gymnastics all-around freshman Konnor McClain hugs head coach Jay Clark Feb. 2 during LSU’s 198.475-196.200 win against Arkansas at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La.

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OPINION

page 11

Getting to class on campus shouldn’t be a life-threatening task ISABELLA’S INSIGHTS ISABELLA ALBERTINI

@BasedIsabella LSU seems to have an obsession with endangering students’ lives.

The university’s priority should be the safety of its students, but with the first two weeks of school being plagued by nasty weather, that wasn’t the case.

From the polar vortex freezing the South to heavy rains flooding the state, LSU didn’t cancel classes past the first day of the semester nor take any major precautions for the safety of its students.

This had its consequences.

As we all know, Patrick F. Taylor Hall, LSU’s pride and joy, flooded as pipes burst and inundated classrooms, eventually shutting down our beloved Panera Bread. But the results could be much worse than a building breaking down.

Countless car accidents occur

on the roads when they’re covered in ice, and the city of Baton Rouge isn’t equipped with the machinery to clear this away. LSU and Baton Rouge, in general, aren’t built with the infrastructure for freezing temperatures, and most students aren’t prepared either.

Any temperature below 31 degrees Fahrenheit can cause frostbite, which can freeze your skin.

Baton Rouge faced temperatures as low as 17 degrees Fahrenheit on January 17, the first day of classes.

But what did LSU do? It waited until the last minute to cancel classes, even though the incoming polar vortex freeze was announced by meteorologists far in advance.

Many students travel from out of state, and they had to drive in those dangerous conditions only to arrive and then have class canceled.

Then came the flooding, and LSU refused to cancel classes, again. Not only PFT but other buildings around campus flooded, too, like Lockett, as well as some areas that LSU had to close tempo-

rarily, such as Engineering Lane at South Stadium Road.

Yet students were still told to go to class under these inclement conditions. One student splashed his way to class barefoot, the other option being, of course, sloshing away and ruining a pair of shoes, as a video on the LSU Chicks Instagram account shows.

With the option of having class through Zoom, LSU has no excuse for endangering students’ lives and making them attend class in person under hazardous weather. Even though I hate to say it, the University of Alabama canceled classes due to the cold weather they experienced. How can we get beat by Bama?

It’s not a game to see who can resist the worst weather and show up to class, or on the other hand, choose to hurt your grades to protect your safety. LSU can’t keep making its students choose between getting frostbite or soaked in rain and potentially catching a cold just so that we don’t fall one calen-

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

Ice covers a Mike the Tiger statue Jan. 16 on LSU’s campus in Baton Rouge, La. dar day behind.

The long-term solution to the problem is for LSU to fix the infrastructure to withstand changes in weather, but until that gets done, its priority should be to protect its students’ safety in the ways possible.

School will never be more im-

portant than your safety and wellbeing, and if there’s one thing that’s more important than what’s being taught in class, it’s to make wise decisions and not endanger your life.

Isabella Albertini is a 23-year-old mass communication junior from Lima, Peru.

Nicki Minaj just killed her career with embarrasing behavior GARRETT’S GAVEL GARRETT MCENTEE

@9are_bear On Friday, Jan. 26, artist, rapper and all-around hot girl Megan Thee Stallion released a song that, in essence, dissed some of the most prominent faces in rap, including “Drizzy” Drake and, perhaps unshockingly if you possess an X account, Nicki Minaj.

Megan’s one callout that could be drawn to Minaj isn’t even really about her but is about her husband: “These hoes don’t be mad at Megan, these hoes mad at Megan’s Law.” Megan’s Law is a federal law in the U.S. of A that requires law enforcement authorities to make information available to the public regarding registered sex offenders.

Minaj’s husband, Kenny Petty, is a registered sex offender. Petty pleaded guilty to raping a 16-yearold girl. The pair have a child together. You can imagine the posts.

Minaj took Megan’s diss… hard.

For two days straight, Minaj was on and off lives, posting throughout all hours of the day and dropping some admittedly hard phrases such as, “You (Megan) are a dis-

LEFT: EVAN AGOSTINI/INVISION/AP, FILE RIGHT:YOUNG MONEY/REPUBLIC RECORDS VIA AP

Left: Megan Thee Stallion arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, March 27, 2022. Right: The cover image released by Money/Republic Records shows “Pink Friday 2” by Nicki Minaj gusting serpent, SERPENT THOU ART LOOSE.” She could also be heard repeating the phrase, “lying on your dead momma,” several times and, my personal favorite, a word vomit that goes a bit like, “Fragment, fragment, ooh, uh, skaa, fragment foot, bullet fragment foot b*tch, bullet fragment, bullet fragment b*tch, she a bullet fragment b*tch.”

To say the least, Minaj’s behavior was worrying. The lauded “Queen of Rap” was in a tizzy, and some of her fans, the Barbz, were either abandoning ship en masse

or begging for their queen to strike back, to use her silver tongue to put the Stallion in the stable for good.

Others took matters into their own hands, doxxing people who dared to side with Megan. Allegedly, one such victim is a lawyer, so you might be able to imagine how those psycho fans will be dealt with.

And perhaps even more shocking for those of us who’ve become desensitized to doxxing — specifically at the hands of the Barbz, seriously, not a single other fanbase has such an obsession with doxx-

ing — Pop Crave and TMZ reported that the cemetery in which Megan’s mother is buried heightened its security after the location was leaked.

Alternatively, Hotties (Megan Thee Stallion’s fans) were salivating over the fuchsia-colored corpse that Megan had single bar-ingly handed to them on a silver platter.

They proclaimed that Minaj fell off years ago, emboldened by the relative floppiness of her newest album “Pink Friday 2.”

Perhaps the most embarrassing thing for the Barbz and their mother is that the only thing the Original Hot Girl had to say about the situation was, well, nothing.

Absolutely embarrassing for Minaj.

Oh, and Minaj released a song that she claimed isn’t a diss track, but in the words of Pop Base, “well what do you call it then?”

The title of Minaj’s great comeback? “Big Foot.” Yep. The entire song is honestly very fun and did rise to No. 1 on the Apple Music charts; however, just because it’s fun doesn’t make it good.

Minaj basically went after Megan with rhymes that are borderline Dr. Seuss-ian, “Bad b*tch, she like six foot, I call her Big Foot / The b*tch fell off, I said, ‘Get up on your good foot.’”

I’m sure making fun of a wom-

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Opinion Editor

The Reveille (USPS 145-800) 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. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to editor@lsu.edu or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.

an named “Thee Stallion” for being tall, and then attacking her for getting shot in the foot will prove to be evergreen insults.

Some of the other insults included calling Megan a liar, saying she got liposuction and saying Megan can’t rap. Very elementary, schoolhouse playground-type stuff.

And by far the funniest part of the song is when Minaj just starts a podcast at the end. In this heartto-heart with the listeners, Minaj claims she’s got lots of secrets Megan doesn’t want to come out and that she better apologize.

You know, apologize for a bar that doesn’t even directly call out Minaj.

Minaj allowed her own petty bitterness to knock the already slipping crown off her dome. As a now ex-barb this was both shocking and heartbreaking to watch.

In another universe, Minaj retired gracefully and didn’t defend or marry sex offenders. And her fans aren’t freakish and annoying. But that’s not this universe, and I think that unless the threats that Minaj made (that she has five tracks waiting to be released) are just pure perfection, this is the end for her.

Garrett McEntee is an 18-year-old English freshman from Benton.

Quote of the Week “Every day is different. You never know what to expect, and you have to be ready to pivot on a dime.”

Kris Jenner American icon 1955 — present

Music, Food, and Fun! Tuesday, February 6 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. | Tower Drive

A joyful event presented by LSU Campus Life and LSU Dining.

lsu.edu/campuslife