DT VOLUME 121, ISSUE X DAY, MONTH XX, 2021
running in the dark Former track athletes speak out on poor mental health support.
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The Daily Texan compiled a list of five local Asian American-owned restaurants.
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By Sheryl Lawrence @sheryl_adelle
The Senate of College Councils passed a resolution on Thursday urging the Office of Admissions to make standardized test scores permanently optional, making admissions more equitable. Senate diversity coordinator Suseth Muñoz said standardized testing was created to keep certain populations out of higher education institutions. “The history of standardized testing is very much racialized,” said Muñoz, an English, government, and youth and community studies junior.
Miguel Wasielewski, executive director of admissions, said admissions officers review applications holistically, including standardized test scores, high school rank and transcripts but no one aspect of the application is worth more than another. “A holistic review is truly looking at everything and how it interacts together and produces a picture of what the student has accomplished and what they may be able to contribute to and benefit from here at UT-Austin,” Wasielewski said. Wasielewski said UT will decide whether a test-optional admissions process will continue in the future if it is beneficial for the students.
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Several former Texas runners reported a lack of mental health resources for injured athletes.
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Emily Caldwell (512) 232-2212 editor@dailytexanonline.com
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NEWS OFFICE
Senate passes resolution to make standardized tests optional for UT applicants
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The city released a plan to house people experiencing homelessness by 2024.
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UT should encourage instructors to complete student evaluation forms at the end of the semester.
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“When a school relies on just that score and throws out all the other things, then you’re really limiting incorrectly yourself from having the right information to make that decision about whether or not the student can handle the work at your institution,” Wasielewski said. UT waived standardized testing requirements for the 2021-2022 and the 2022-2023 application cycle because of the COVID-19 pandemic and received more than 66,000 applications for freshman admission to the class of 2025 — the highest ever and an increase of almost 9,000 from the previous year. Wasielewski said the office cannot attribute the increase in applicants to any one factor, but said waiving the standardized testing requirements was helpful to some applicants because it made the application easier. Neuroscience freshman Avery Bowman said she grew up in an affluent part of Houston where some of her peers paid $75 to $500 an hour for standardized test tutoring. She said she spent weekends studying by herself on the test but thinks her time could have been better spent on other activities. “(Students) could be spending that (time) doing stuff for Model UN or for National Honor Society or volunteering, and being an active part of their community … rather than working through algebra problems or saying where a comma needs to go in a sentence,” Bowman said.
(512) 232-2207 news@thedailytexan.com The Texan strives to present all information fairly, accurately and completely. If we have made an error, let us know about it. E-mail managingeditor@thedailytexan.com.
NEWS
3
FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021
COVID-19
UT ‘cautiously optimistic’ fall 2021 will be in person By Skye Seipp @seippetc
The fall 2020 course schedule shows more than 90% of classes will be in person, and UT will not require students, staff and faculty to receive the COVID-19 vaccine due to current state law. UT is not allowed to have a COVID-19 vaccine mandate after Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order on April 6 barring institutions that receive public funds from having a vaccine requirement. Some private institutions, such as St. Edward’s University in Austin, can require proof of COVID-19 vaccinations for attendance if they do not receive state funding. Elizabeth Sepper, a law professor and expert in health law, said Gov. Abbott’s order prevents any public institution on the state and local level from requiring proof of a vaccine authorized under Emergency Use Authorization to acquire services, which includes students acquiring their education. Sepper said there is a chance that once vaccines reach full authorization that a requirement could be enacted. However, she said because the COVID-19 pandemic has become so politicized and vaccines are still not readily available, she does not think this will happen. “For a university, it’s clearly excellent public health policy to have a vaccine mandate for a respiratory illness when you’re talking about people who live together and attend classes together,” Sepper said. “It’s a pretty low hanging fruit for public health measures.” Art Markman, head of the academic working group for COVID-19 planning, said that as of now, the committee is planning on having normal classroom occupancy in the fall. However, it won’t be until closer to the begin-
ning of the fall that the committee will know for sure what fall 2021 will look like, he said. Whether UT will require safety measures, such as wearing masks and reduced occupancy, has not yet been decided, Markman said. The academic COVID-19 planning committee will evaluate data related to COVID-19 to make health recommendations during the fall, he said. “What we’re doing is really encouraging all the members of our community to get vaccinated,” Markman said. “Our hope is that a large proportion of the community is going to get vaccinated, and we’re going to be monitoring that.” Markman said as a state vaccine hub, UT has a database of community members who have been vaccinated on campus. The database does not record names, but officials can see what percentage of employees or students have received vaccinations. UT President Jay Hartzell said the University expects vaccines to be offered to all members of the UT community by July in an announcement Thursday. For students who were vaccinated in other areas of the state, he said there are other databases UT is trying to obtain to collect a more accurate view of how many people are vaccinated. Right now, the committee is watching two things: the rise of variants and vaccine efficacy over time, Markman said. Markman said COVID-19 vaccines have proven to offer some protection against the different variants, but there is a chance another variant could arise that evades the vaccines. Also, it is unknown how long COVID-19 vaccines will remain effective, and booster shots might be needed in the future, Markman said. “At the moment, everybody’s cautiously optimistic that we’ll be back in person, but if something were to happen that was unforeseen, we will protect the safety of the community,” Markman said.
E M I LY C A L D W E L L
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Editor-In-Chief | @TEXANOPINION FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021
COLUMN
OPINION
Provide end-of-semester feedback UT should encourage instructors to provide students with feedback through an evaluation form.
By Hunter Littleton Columnist
t the end of each semester, UT students are encouraged to complete Course Instructor Surveys to provide anonymous feedback about their course experiences. Aside from their institutional value as a tool utilized by UT administration to advance instructors through the teaching hierarchy, these surveys also play an important role in instructors’ development. Instead of using guesswork, instructors are able to precisely pinpoint and address the areas of greatest concern. While these surveys provide instructors avenues for personal growth, students are not afforded the same opportunity. UT should work to address this fact by encouraging instructors, particularly those teaching smaller, upper-division courses, to complete a student evaluation form at the end of each semester. “Personally, especially as a graduate student instructor, I take student evaluations really seriously because it is how I learn what is working and is not working,” said Adena Rivera-Dundas, a postdoctoral lecturer in the Department of English. “For me, the written feedback is the most important part of it, and so what I do is I go through my evaluations and look for trends.” Instructors certainly provide students feedback now, even without such a survey. However, this feedback is often limited to the confines of a single assignment and only focuses on improvement for the next assignment within the course. The end-of-course student evaluation would have a broader goal: student growth and success beyond a single assignment and a
single course. “I think it would be really effective to get that feedback from professors, because it would help you learn what you did over the semester, how you started and how you grew, and then you can take that and use that information to better yourself for other classes,” said Jeremiah Baldwin, a government, rhetoric and writing, and African & African diaspora studies sophomore. The logistics of this survey would need to be further hashed out within each college and by individual instructors. However, the format of the CIS provides a good basis, with its focus on both analytical data and anecdotal feedback. Furthermore, to limit the amount of student evaluations an instructor would need to complete and to prevent unsolicited evaluations, students would need to opt-in to receiving one. Clay Spinuzzi, a professor of rhetoric and writing, expressed some concern about the benefits of using such tools as an evaluative measure of performance. “When someone is writing up an evaluation at the end of the semester, they are usually working from memory, and it’s easy to rely on anecdotes rather than patterns or evidence,” Spinuzzi said in an email. “That’s a known problem for (Course Instructor Surveys). So I’d worry that instructors would follow the same pattern.” This is something the surveys should undoubtedly account for. Analytical and anecdotal measures should complement each other. The analytical data should be based on a rubric that outlines the course objectives and provides an evaluative scale. The anecdotal feedback should capture the depth of commentary a simple numerical judgement lacks.
juwon yoo
It could offer constructive judgement and affirmative praise. The value feedback presents is plentiful. It not only allows students a path for growth and development by making them more aware of their weaknesses, it also provides an opportunity to embrace their unique talents and perspectives that might have gone unnoticed by students. Instructors and students alike need constant, deliberate feedback to develop. It is time to recognize this and provide students with the opportunity to receive end-of-semester evaluations that will help give them a baseline for their future far beyond the length of one semester. Littleton is a government junior from Waco, Texas.
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LEGALESE | Opinions expressed in The Daily Texan are those of the editor, the Editorial Board or the writer of the article. They are not necessarily those of the UT administration, the Board of Regents or the Texas Student Media Board of Operating Trustees.
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NEWS
5
FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021
UNIVERSITY
Number of students with honors, using pass/fail affected by COVID pandemic
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By Skye Seipp @seippetc
About half of all UT undergraduates finished fall 2020 with honors, an increase from the previous four semesters, according to data obtained by The Daily Texan. The number of undergraduates who took a Q-drop for a class decreased in spring 2020 to 5,333 from 6,914 in fall 2019, but increased again in fall 2020 by about .5%, which put it slightly below levels in semesters before the COVID-19 pandemic began. The number of undergraduates finishing the semester with honors has been increasing since spring 2019, but the jump for fall 2020 showed the biggest increase of about 6% compared to spring 2020. Cassandre Alvarado, associate dean for undergraduate education for the Moody College of Communication, said having pass/fail options could have been one reason for the increase, because it allows students to be more strategic about the classes they put their energy into. “In trauma situations, we sometimes don’t perform our best because we’re using all of our mental energy to try and take care of the very basic needs we have as humans,” said Alvarado, who has previously led various student success initiatives. “I’m pleasantly surprised that there are students performing well, but I also know that we need to continue to keep an eye out for students who didn’t have that experience who need the support of the University in
/ the daily texan staff
order to continue being successful.” Uwazi Zamani, a dance and African and African diaspora studies senior, received honors last semester. Zamani said he has received honors every semester since transferring in fall 2019 while taking 20 credit hours. When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit, he said he had so much “disdain” for online classes. “But the reality was … we didn’t have a choice,” Zamani said. “One of the things that was useful for me … was (that) there’s more agency at home. We were so used to the hustle and bustle of going from one building on campus to another … that it was really just like, ‘OK, I’ve got time to focus.’” Journalism junior Kriss Conklin, who received honors for the first time last semester, said if the University listened to the student body more, students would be able to focus on academics rather than organizing and advocating for change. Conklin said issues like students’ access to mental health care, replacing “The Eyes of Texas” and bad communication during Winter Storm Uri are just some examples of how students’ needs are not being met. “UT just really needs to really listen to students more and what they’re asking for, because we are constantly organizing and petitioning for things … and I have seen no improvements,” Conklin said. “Until that happens, I don’t know where students will be. I don’t know where I’m going to be when it comes to doing well in school if I know I’m constantly worrying about other things.”
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FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021
NEWS
CITY
Austin to house 3,000 unsheltered residents by 2024 By Tori Duff @torianneduff
The Summit to Address Unsheltered Homelessness in Austin released a report Thursday detailing a plan to house 3,000 unsheltered residents by April 2024. “Starting today, the plan aims to house 100 people by June, 200 by August, 400 by December, 1,200 by October 2022 and finally, 3,000 by April 2024,” said a press release from the summit sent to The Daily Texan Thursday. According to the city of Austin, varying estimates show anywhere from 2,506 to 10,000 individuals experience homelessness on any night. “The goals are met through a combination of rehousing interventions including, but not limited to, a radical expansion of affordable hous-
ing and near-term rehousing strategies to rapidly reduce encampments,” the press release said. This summit comprises a coalition of community organizations, activists and citizens who have met since March to create a comprehensive plan for action. Some community partners include the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition, Downtown Austin Alliance, Austin Chamber of Commerce, Austin Justice Coalition, Homes Not Handcuffs, Notley’s HomeFront Fund and city of Austin representatives such as Mayor Steve Adler. The goal to have 3,000 residents in housing by 2024 accounts for more housing than people currently living on the streets, according to the report. The report said it must overshoot the summit’s goal to achieve enough available housing units proportional to
people who need housing. “It’s really important to note that, even though ECHO does a fantastic job with the (unhoused) count, there’s no possible way that we’re counting everybody,” said Chas Moore, executive director and founder of the Austin Justice Coalition. “We add for inflation to make sure that whatever the issue is, that at the end of it, that we have enough housing for anybody that chooses or wants to be housed.” Additionally, the plan can set Austin on a course to serve 7,500 unhoused people beyond the outlined timeframe. Lynn Meredith, chair of the coalition’s Core Leadership Planning Group and ECHO board member, said the ways in which people are housed will vary. Some people may be placed in rental units, while others will be given the resources to reconnect with their
community and family and find housing there, she said. “This build-out is going to require all of us in the city, all of the community, to lock arms to get to the outcome that we want. In five years, if we do this well, our city will look very different,” Meredith said. One aim of the plan is to establish, within five years, a homelessness response system that rehouses an individual within 30 days of experiencing homelessness, according to the report. Within the summit, six working groups were formed to address solving issues of prevention and diversion, crisis beds, permanent supportive housing, rapid rehousing, street management and encampment response. The plan estimates a $240 million budget to complete the effort. Approximately $72 mil-
lion of this budget has been secured, leaving a $168 million gap. The effort is hoping to receive American Rescue Plan funds allocated to Travis County and Austin to close the funding gap, according to the report. Mayor Adler said in a statement Thursday that the city “must address the lack of housing, mental health and other services, and equity in its systems.” “This approach will meet the challenge of homelessness and create dignity for our unhoused residents without pushing them further into the shadows,” Adler said. “Government cannot do this alone and great appreciation is due (to) the community partners stepping up to help lead this effort. Now that we’re beginning to exit the COVID-19 virus, Austin will start to see real results and successes with homelessness.”
christina peebles
/ the daily texan staff
LIFE&ARTS
A I S L I N G AY E R S
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Life&Arts Editor | @TEXANARTS FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021
FOOD
5 Asian American-owned restaurants to check out in Austin By Dina Barrish @BarrishDina
With every savory, satisfying slurp of Pho Thaison’s chicken pho, Lucy Lopez said she couldn’t believe how she had lived without the meal for so long. Since her first bite, she’s returned to the restaurant almost every day. Eating at Asian American-owned restaurants is an easy, fun and delicious way to support the Asian American community and culture. The Daily Texan has compiled a list of five unmissable Asian American-owned restaurants in Austin. Pho Thaison
Owned by Vi Tran 1908 Guadalupe St. Enjoy a combination of Vietmanese, Thai and Japanese staples such as pho, curry and spring rolls at Pho Thaison. Journalism sophomore Lucy Lopez said she found Pho Thaison while walking back from a failed two-hour wait at Raising Cane’s during Winter Storm Uri. “Growing up in a Mexican-dominated area and only ever eating Mexican plates, I thought any other type of food wouldn’t be able to compare,” Lopez said. “Pho is officially the way to my heart.” LooK Noodles & More
Owned by Ricky Chen 1914 Guadalupe St. Located right off campus, LooK Noodles serves Chinese and
Japanese cuisine. Open seven days a week, their most popular dish is spicy fried rice. Server Karina Soto said she looks forward to seeing UT students every day. “Students always come in and start small talk,” Soto said. “It’s nice to build a connection when I see the same familiar faces.”
Wok ’N Express
Owned by Cindy L. Tran and Tang T. Tran 4413 Guadalupe St. In May 2012, Cindy and Tang Tran opened Wok ‘N Express to provide everything from fresh, hot Chinese food to convenience store necessities for the Austin community. Linguistics senior Alex Brown said she loves the food and the atmosphere. “I really like the grungy vibe of the place,” Brown said. “The food reminds me of my first year of college, because my friends and I would meet there really late after doing homework.” Madam Mam’s
Owned by Art Hanwong and Sone Srisngnam 510 W 26th St. Nothing cures Sunday scaries like a heaping portion of Madam Mam’s pad sea-ew. Along with his wife Sone Srisngnam, Art Hanwong opened the Thai cuisine restaurant in March 2015 to expand a 14-year-old family business started by his mother, Chatfuang “Mam” Hanwong. Genzhel Gaygon, manager of
julius shieh
/ the daily texan staff
The Daily Texan has compiled a list of five Asian American-owned restaurants for students to check out in Austin.
the West Campus location, said she often laughs when UT students try negotiating prices. “When students are really hustling, it brings me back to my old days in college when we also used to hustle for food, asking for discounts and all that,” Gaygon said “I appreciate the hustle.” China Family Restaurant
Tiantian Tan 1914 Guadalupe St., Suite B Whether you’re craving fried dumplings, shrimp lo mein or szechuan chicken, China Family Restaurant will satisfy your taste buds with its authentic Chinese cuisine. This hidden gem is casual, cost-effective and close to campus — a great option for students.
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FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021
LIFE&ARTS
FOOD
We need to taco ‘bout Healthy Horns’ Torchy’s Gift Card Giveaway By Dex Parra @dexparra
alex donovan
/ the daily texan staff
Annie Lyons has texted “TXTACOS” to HealthyhornsTXT every single Tuesday since her freshman year at UT in 2016. In her third year, she finally won the $10 Torchy’s Tacos gift card. When she arrived at the Torchy’s restaurant on Guadalupe Street to buy a green chile pork taco and Hillbilly queso, the gift card was declined — there was no money on it. “I was like, ‘No, that can’t be right. This is the Healthy Horns card,’” said Lyons, who graduated last December. “I was crushed, obviously. I went from the highest high to the lowest low in a matter of days.” Healthy Horns, a program under University Health Services, launched an initiative in 2015 called HealthyhornsTXT. Students who subscribe to the text message list receive several general health tips each week related to stress, substance use and nutrition. Every “Taco Tuesday,” Healthy Horns invites students to respond with the phrase “TXTACOS.” Within seconds after pressing send, they receive a text back confirming they have entered the weekly giveaway of a Torchy’s gift card. “When this program was initially being designed, we knew that there was an intrinsic motivation to get health and wellness tips,” said Katherine Protil, who coordinates the HealthyhornsTXT program. “But we also knew that an incentive would give a little extra push for students to stay in the program.” Protil said that about 4,000 students participate in the giveaway each week. Only one winner is selected every
Wednesday, and many students don’t know of anyone who has previously won. Because of this, students, such as public relations sophomore Logan Ulery, wonder if the program is a scam. “I enter (the contest) every week, and I’m in group chats with tons of other people that go to UT,” Ulery said. “Every week, someone will say, ‘It’s TXTACOS time.’ I’ve just always been curious about who the winners are.” Protil, aware of the students’ concern, said she can “confirm this is not a scam.” “There really are thousands of entries,” Protil said. “When you’re entering a contest, it always feels like this is (the) lucky time, but there’s a lot of students that also want the gift card and also feel like, ‘This is the week.’” Lyons, who won the contest in March 2019, received a text at 1:52 p.m. the day after she entered that read, “Congrats! You’ve just won a $10 gift card to Torchy’s Tacos.” The message told her to pick up the card from the Students Services Building before the following Monday. “I, like a lot of people, thought it was a bit of a myth,” Lyons said. “I had never met anybody who had won. I really could not believe my eyes when they sent the little, ‘You won!’ text, and I remember it had ‘Yay!’ at the end. I kind of thought it was fake.” When the card was declined at the register, Lyons tweeted about the frustrating situation. Although Healthy Horns staff replaced the card immediately, Lyons said the “whole thing was a whirlwind.” “I graduated in December, and I still haven’t unsubscribed from the messages,” Lyons said. “My phone is literally trained. If I type in a capital T, it will (suggest) ‘TXTACOS.’”
SPORTS
C A R T E R YAT E S
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Sports Editor | @TEXANSPORTS FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021
FEATURE
‘it put me into a pretty bad headspace’ Former athletes say Texas track and field did not adequately address mental health concerns. By Payton Luster @paytonnluster
TW: Discussions of mental illness, including depression, anxiety and eating disorders. homas Hinojosa loved the thrill of running — the feeling of his feet pounding on the pavement, legs burning with every stride and arms driving him down the final stretch. During his senior year of high school, the San Antonio runner was No.7 in Texas in the 1600 meter. But shortly after making his collegiate debut at the 2018 Texas Invitational, that thrill disappeared: Hinojosa contracted mono and was forced to stop running for months. “There was a time I was on my own,” Hinojosa said. “I would go through the routine of seeing the academic advisor and go to study hall but outside of that I didn’t see the team.” The viral illness dangerously enlarged his spleen, and out of fear of his spleen rupturing, Hinojosa was advised to rest until it returned to its normal size. There was no muscling through recovery, and over time, this took a toll on his mental health. Not running for months was frustrating. As the days went on, Hinojosa felt months of
training slipping out of his legs. “I was pretty separated, and that was a big part,” Hinojosa said. “I felt lonely, and it put me into a pretty bad headspace.” Hinojosa isn’t alone. Several former Texas track and field runners report a lack of mental health resources for athletes recovering from injuries and illness and an unsupportive culture. Hinojosa is one of the first to speak out, shedding light on how distance runners are afraid of seeking help for their mental health, and how this fear is ingrained in Texas’s winat-all-costs culture. “Mental health is definitely something that’s important with athletes who are injured because it’s a struggle,” said Eric Kroon, a former Texas distance runner. “You have all of these ambitions to be a great runner, and you can’t do it anymore. You’re struggling to readjust, basically recalibrate to a new kind of life.” But former athletes say the Texas program did not adequately address their students’ mental health concerns. Jane, a former Texas track athlete who requested anonymity due to a waiver she signed when she quit the team junior year, described struggling athletes who were left in the dark. “There were girls on the team with
cynthia treviño
eating disorders that I don’t believe were being addressed or supported in a fashion that was equitable or ethical,” Jane said. “It was kind of an unsaid thing that was not being addressed.” Alex, another anonymous source and former athlete who left her junior year, described athletes being prescribed medicine for anxiety or depression rather than getting help from mental health counselors, almost as soon as they showed signs of a troubled emotional state. She said most athletes never spoke to a sports psychiatrist, and Doe said when she did, she did not benefit from it. “I noticed there are a lot of people on either anxiety or depression drugs on the team, which for me, was a warning sign. I was one of them,” Alex said. “I think that was a symptom of something bigger, because I think their first resort was to prescribe you something.” Texas Athletics did not respond to
/ the daily texan file
multiple requests for comment from The Daily Texan. Hinojosa departed Texas’ distance team three months after his bout with mono and didn’t run for two years afterwards. He is one of several former athletes that said they still struggle to cope with the mental health struggles that arose from their time on the team. Other distance runners said they also couldn’t bear to run for a long time once they left and described feelings of heartbreak and failure. “The emphasis is too much on physical rehab, rather than mental rehab,” Kroon said. “I would like to see that balance shifted a little bit towards the mental side of things. I think that starts with having a group of counselors who are more approachable, and who have better relationships with the teammates, so they feel more comfortable talking to them.”
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FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021
LIFE&ARTS
STUDENT LIFE
Spring has sprung: Where to see bluebonnets near Austin this year By Gracyn Freiling @gracynfreiling
The familiar sight of bluebonnets popping up on the sides of highways and overtaking previously barren fields is a sure sign that spring has sprung in Texas. Bluebonnets are the state flower of Texas and only bloom for a short time in the spring. The fields of blue and white petals attract constant visitors and make for a classic Texas photo op. The Daily Texan has compiled some of the best places for students to see the bluebonnets. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
UT’s own Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is the official Botanic Garden and Arboretum of Texas. Located in Austin, the center is only about a 20-minute drive from campus and offers art exhibitions, art workshops and workout classes. An advanced reservation is required, but admission is free for UT students, faculty and staff. Ennis Bluebonnet Trails and Festival
For those who want to make a day trip out of their visit, consider driving to the Ennis Bluebonnet Trails and Festival. They are about a three-hour drive from campus and offer over 40 miles of mapped driving bluebonnet trails. KyongJoo Hong, an assistant professor in the department of statistics and data sciences, said her family recreates the same bluebonnet picture there every year. “I’m originally from South Korea, and though I have lived in Texas for more than 10 years, still
Go smell the flowers. Don’t miss the beautiful moments.” KYONGJOO HONG
assistant professor in the department of statistics and data sciences
kenny jones
/ the daily texan staff
Bluebonnets are the state flower of Texas and only bloom for a short time in the spring. Take a trip to these popular bluebonnet spots near Austin to enjoy some natural beauty that is truly Texan.
every spring I am amazed,” Hong said. The annual Ennis Bluebonnet Festival will take place April 16-18 with live music and activities for guests. Admission is $5.
that have sprung up around the lake. Kayak, paddleboard, bike or simply walk around the lake for a fun way to get active while admiring the bluebonnets.
UT Tower
Fayetteville, Texas
To see the bluebonnets here on campus, take a walk to the tower to see the wildflowers that have popped up in the flower beds nearby. This location is convenient for students and provides a more unique photo op than the typical field of flowers. Hong encourages her students to take time out of their day to visit the blooms. “I know you are stressed,” she said. “Go smell the flowers. Don’t miss the beautiful moments.” Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail on Lady Bird Lake
One of Austin’s most popular trails is also a prime location to spot patches of bluebonnets
For those willing to drive about an hour, there are several picture-perfect fields in Fayetteville, Texas. One is right off of Texas State Highway 71 and would make a convenient stop for students planning a drive to Houston. Katie Wilson, a youth and community studies freshman, said she stopped there on her drive back to Austin after the Easter holiday. “We were just driving, and I saw a bunch of cars on the side of the road, so we decided to stop and get out and look at (the bluebonnets) ourselves,” Wilson said. “It was really pretty and was definitely a sign that spring was for sure here in Texas.”
COMICS
B A R B D A LY & R O C K Y H I G I N E
Comics Editors | @TEXANCOMICS FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021
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FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021
SPORTS
SOFTBALL
Best friends Iakopo, Rhodes bond over home run battle By Nicholas Pannes @nickpannes
It’s not difficult to spot junior utility player Mary Iakopo and senior outfielder Shannon Rhodes’ similarities. The two power hitters attend the same colleges, played on the same teams and are versatile threats on both sides of the ball. But if you somehow can’t see the resemblance, they’ll probably find a way to remind you. “We’re roommates. We’re best friends,” Iakopo said after she homered against Iowa State on April 11. “We swing the same and (basically) have the same scouting report. We work together both on and off the field.” Even statistically, the two align closely. This season, Rhodes and Iakopo have become certifiable home run heroes for their team, combining for 24 of the Longhorns’ 58 home runs on the season, only 34 games in. For reference, the esteemed 2010 Longhorn squad, led by Texas softball icons Taylor Hoagland and Blaire Luna, scored 50 home runs by that time. The 2010 Longhorns finished their season with a
jack myer
/ the daily texan file
Senior outfielder Shannon Rhodes and junior utility player Mary Iakopo are on pace to help Texas break the single season home run record.
single-season record of 88 total home runs. Throughout the season, Rhodes and Iakopo have been battling back and forth for the top spot as the team’s premier home run hitter. On March 3, Iakopo earned five RBIs off of two home runs against Houston. Three weeks later, on March 27, Rhodes blasted three home runs in a single game against UTSA.
It’s an ideal form of competition: a friendly rivalry pushing both players to excel at the plate. Their dads even have a little bit of cash riding behind the contest. “It’s funny. A couple weeks ago our dads, they (said), ‘All right, whoever gets the record first, we’ll put some money together and see who (wins),’” Rhodes said in a March 31 teleconference. “So (it’s)
just between us and our dads. Just a little incentive to keep it going.” But the relationship between the two extends far beyond their statistical impact. In many ways, the dynamic duo of Rhodes and Iakopo reflect upon their team as a whole. Their decision to follow head coach Mike White from Oregon down to Texas shows the commitment
We swing the same and (basically) have the same scouting report. We work together both on and off the field.” MARY IAKOPO
junior utility player
and respect towards White and his coaching staff. Their continued friendship demonstrates the bonds that run deep within this team. And their respective home run totals of 13 and 11 — already eclipsing their own single-season records — are emblematic of the continued improvement of No. 7 Texas softball, currently holding a 31-3 record. On a team of players split between a set of budding underclassmen and dedicated upperclassmen, Rhodes and Iakopo also provide a valuable source of leadership and veteran experience. Rhodes returned for her fifth year through an extra season of eligibility following last season’s cancellation due to COVID-19, and she and Iakopo are making the most of a potential final championship run. “I feel like I had a little bit of unfinished business,” Rhodes said. “You don’t really realize how much you take something for granted until it’s taken from you … I just wanted to go out on a high note and chase that dream of a national championship one more time.”