megan clarke
DT
/ the daily texan staff
VOLUME 122, ISSUE 58 TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2022
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Michelle Hunter shares firsthand experience of TikTok and volleyball success.
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Fall break will be extended with changes to the academic calendar.
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No. 10 Texas men’s tennis took down Oklahoma, 5-2.
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UT must provide grants to students to help them afford rising living costs.
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Contents:
CITY
CapMetro to tear down nearly 100-year-old hamburger eatery for new light rail By Riese Yates @riese_yates
The new Orange Line, expected to be operational by 2029, will span 21 miles connecting North to South Austin along 22 stops, and will require the city to demolish property along the planned route. “CapMetro has proposed that Project Connect, a comprehensive transit system including the Orange Line, will help create thousands of local jobs and provide more access to health care, education, employment, essential services and entertainment,” said CapMetro representative Jenna Maxfield in an email. Project Connect would require the demolition of several local businesses, including the Waller Creek Boathouse, home of Austin Rowing Club, several residential buildings and the historic hamburger restaurant on Guadalupe St., Dirty Martin’s. Some community members feel the benefits of new public transit outweigh the legacy of the restaurant. Others see the history of Dirty Martin’s and its connection to the city as too remarkable to be lost. Mark Nemir, owner of the restaurant for 33 years, said he was not informed of any plans of demolition until Oct. 13, 2021. He identifies his restaurant as a piece of city history that his family has been involved with since his grandfather bought the property in 1936. “It has been a really neat experience to keep the restaurant going,” Nemir said. “It is a family place, especially on the weekend (when) you see lots of kids. I’ve watched kids grow up.” He said his 20 employees, some employed for over two decades, make the business what it is. Nemir said general manager
Daniel Young has been eating at the restaurant since he was just a child. “Daniel runs the place. He sets up a lot of the functions, fraternity or sorority gatherings, birthday parties, wedding receptions and graduation parties,” Nemir said. Young is also responsible for creating the Change.org petition which has now reached more than 10,000 signatures. UT alumni Barbara Cantu and Benjamin Perez signed the petition since hearing of the CapMetro plan. “They serve great food and I like the ambience of the place,” Perez said. “I am also a sucker for history so the fact that it is almost 100 years old is impressive.” James Potts, a mathematics and African and African diaspora studies freshman, said that for beneficial public transportation, any restaurant can be justifiably torn down. “The Orange Line route would reduce travel times for UT students who
commute from North or South Austin,” Potts said in an email. “These same benefits apply to Austinites commuting to work or elsewhere.” Maxfield said the Project Connect route was created with the help of a community engagement process, in order to identify a locally preferred route. CapMetro will continue planning with partners at the Austin Transit Partnership and city of Austin. “We are working through the design process, which involves extensive community engagement including property owners and tenants along the routes,” Maxfield said. Nemir said he continues to attend CapMetro planning meetings to learn more about the effects to his business. “I never thought that the business would be shut down with me,” Nemir said. “I don’t have any anticipation because I’m not thinking of its demise. I want to get through this. I want it to stay where it is.”
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alyssa olvera
/ the daily texan staff
Dirty Martin’s Place guests sit at their tables in the backroom March 27.
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NEWS
3
TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2022
UNIVERSITY
Dining halls adopt more rigorous ID checks after increase in confiscations By Joelle DiPaolo @JoelleDipaolo
University dining halls and stores implemented a new policy to check student IDs due to an influx of students using each other’s IDs to access dining halls and make purchases. In February, dining hall cashiers confiscated more IDs due to improper use than usual, said Josue Rodriguez, assistant director of marketing and communications for University Housing and Dining. As a result of this spike, dining halls now require cashiers to visually check each ID to ensure it matches the individual. “Checking for improper ID use has always been part of the cashier’s duties,” Rodriguez said in an email. “(But) since we had a spike in February, we placed more emphasis on checking the IDs.” When cashiers notice an individual using an ID that doesn’t belong to them, they log the incident and confiscate the ID. The case is then sent to the office of student conduct and academic integrity.
Rodriguez said one week in February, cashiers confiscated eight IDs from Jester dining locations. On an average week, cashiers confiscate a total of four IDs, he said. Students who live on campus have an unlimited meal plan. Rodriguez said since the plan is non-transferable, sharing an ID with other students is against the rules in the residence hall manual. Trevor Liu, an electrical engineering and psychology senior, said it is understandable that the University wants to prevent students from taking advantage of others’ meal plans. “It makes sense that they’re trying to make sure you can’t leech off of somebody who has unlimited swipes,” Liu said. “Last year I knew a lot of people who would borrow somebody’s ID from the dorms and use (it) to swipe in.” Liu said while he has noticed the policy, it does not bother him. “I come in enough that the people that work up there are familiar with my face,” Liu said. “I
have a commuter plan, so it doesn’t affect me too much.” Rodriguez said they plan to keep the new policy in place to deter improper ID use, but if students want to bring a guest into the dining hall, they can use their dine-in dollars to swipe a guest in instead of giving them their ID. Biomedical engineering freshman Samir Huq said he agrees with the new ID policy. “If you paid for (the meal plan) you (are entitled) what you paid for, but if you didn’t pay for it, you shouldn’t use it,” Huq said. “It comes down to being honest.” In addition to people sharing IDs, government freshman Oscar Magaña said the policy is a good precaution because someone could steal a misplaced ID and use it to access the dining hall for free. “If you allow people to give (their IDs) to their friends, you would never know if an ID was stolen,” Magaña said. “Because you can always use the excuse that, ‘Oh, my friend lent it to me.’”
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Students leave Kins Dining located in Kinsolving Residence hall March 27. University Housing and Dining are implementing stricter ID checks in order to minimize improper ID use.
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S A N I K A N AYA K
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Editor-In-Chief | @TEXANOPINION TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2022
OPINION
COLUMN
Provide grants for students to live in Austin UT should give more students extra grants to make up for the rising cost of living in Austin. By Adam Cherian Columnist
ustin is quickly becoming one of the most expensive U.S. cities to live in. UT students are starting to feel the effects of the rising cost of living, and it’s time for UT to distribute more grant money to a wider range of students. The unaffordability of Austin is one of the most relevant deciding factors for students admitted to UT. Austin had the largest rent increase out of any city in the U.S. as of 2021, and as of 2022, the average rent in Austin is around $1500. Working while attending school is also difficult. Due to the average wage of a typical server job in Austin being $16.50, it is almost impossible to expect students
to be able to live in Austin without additional assistance. “I haven’t received anything from them except for loans,” radio-television-film sophomore Angel Fletcher, said. “My dad apparently had made just about around the cutoff range for receiving any financial aid.” This is a story all too common. UT must acknowledge this and give more students grants in order to afford living in Austin. UT helps some students by providing additional aid and a myriad of scholarships. But to qualify for extra aid, a student has to meet very strict requirements. For example, the
Texas Advancement Commitment covers tuition if a student’s parents make less than $65,000 a year. The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund is also a lifesaver for many students who need extra money. Though these programs are massively helpful for low-income students, they do not include aid to cover housing expenses. There are scholarships that students can apply for, but it should be the responsibility of the university to assist students in pursuing their education. UT is slowly addressing this issue. In an email statement from Kathleen
emily maccormack
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Harrison, University spokesperson, Harrison assured students that “there are University efforts underway to address housing costs in Austin through new research initiatives.” Though the work being done will benefit future students, it is coming too late as many current students feel they are being priced out. Some seniors in high school are not even considering UT as a viable option because Austin is too expensive. “Housing cost is a big deciding factor for students too,” Minh Quan Duong, a senior in high school currently applying to college said. Duong agreed that housing prices are a huge factor in choosing the university he will attend. “(Students) still can’t pay for housing, so they have to go to school where the cost of living is lower,” he said. It is time for UT to give more grants to students. It is unreasonable to expect students to pay exorbitant amounts of money in order to live. Austin is continuing to grow, and with no help from the University, UT is slowly becoming a school that is unwelcoming to low-income students. If UT wants to create a level playing field for future graduates, they must provide the extra grants to ensure students can attend. Cherian is a journalism junior from Round Rock, TX.
/ the daily texan staff
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NEWS
5
TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2022
UNIVERSITY
UT academic calendar to change for 2022-2023 school year By Hope Unger @imhopeunger
This upcoming fall term, classes will begin on Monday, Aug. 22, and fall break will be extended to a full week, according to an email sent to the UT community Thursday from Sharon Wood, executive vice president and provost. The fall and spring long semester will now be called fall and spring term, allowing two optional terms, winter term and May term, according to the email from Wood announcing the changes. The final exam schedule for both the fall and spring terms will take place over four days instead of six, with options for two-hour exams and threehour exams. “These modifications include changes that will create more opportunities for innovation in our curriculum, better support our students’ well-being and success and help advance our academic mission while also ensuring federal and state compliance,” Wood said in
the email. Mark Simpson, who serves as the academic calendar modifications committee cochair with Tim Shanahan, said the committee received a positive response from students about the longer fall break. “The feedback that we’ve received from our students is they’re really looking forward to that time to either be downtime or also catch up time,” said Simpson, assistant vice provost for Enrollment
Services and University Registrar. “It’s a couple of weeks before finals kick in, big papers are due, etc. Students are really looking forward to being able to leverage that time with some flexibility that they haven’t had in the past.” Steven Ding, a management information systems and urban studies senior, said he has been involved in the calendar discussion and is a part of the academic calendar implementation committee. “I wish the University did
this more, where they brought a lot of folks from different units into one room to talk about issues like this,” Senate president Ding said. “It’s been such a productive conversation to talk through how everyone’s work is impacted and how everyone’s life is impacted in different parts of campus.” Spring term will begin Monday, Jan. 9, which allows the term to end two weeks earlier. The last class day will be April 24, according to the
victoria smith
/ the daily texan file
2022-2023 academic calendar. Finals will be held during a four day window, ending the spring term May 1. “(Ending spring term earlier) gives opportunities for different classes to be scheduled during those terms and allows us to diversify our course offerings,” Ding said. “Because we are ending a lot earlier, it gives students more time in the summer to do other things like internships or study abroad.” Ding said the new calendar was approved by the faculty council, provost and president in fall 2021. He said it is an ongoing discussion about how to regularly communicate with the campus community about the changes. “I know they really wanted to think a lot about how they were going to communicate this out,” Ding said. “I know they released a website and everything to go over some of the key dates, but I sincerely doubt anyone is actually monitoring the registrar’s calendar website.”
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TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2022
NEWS
RESEARCH
UT researchers find potential solution for respiratory virus with structure-based vaccine By Katy Nelson @KatyNel86
Some of the UT researchers involved in creating structure-based vaccines used against COVID-19 have potentially created a similar vaccine for a different respiratory virus. In a study published March 14, researchers describe how a structure-based vaccine could fight off human metapneumovirus. Human metapneumovirus is an upper and lower respiratory disease with symptoms including coughing, fever, nasal congestion and shortness of breath that could progress to bronchitis or pneumonia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Researcher Jason McLellan said that children, the elderly and the immunocompromised remain the most at risk for human metapneumovirus. “There’s a large push now to finally create vaccines for many common respiratory viruses and some of the ones that can cause severe infections in children and the elderly. Two of the top ones are respiratory syncytial virus and human metapneumovirus,” said molecular biosciences professor McLellan. “People get infected with these throughout life, so when you get infected early on as a child, that doesn’t lead to lifelong immunity and you get reinfected again as an adult. … As people become older it can lead to lethal infections and hospitalizations.” Researcher Ching-Lin Hsieh said the structure-based vaccine works better against the virus because of how scientists stabilize the human
metapneumovirus fusion protein, which is on the surface of the virus, by locking it in its prefusion state, which neutralizes the antibodies that act more effectively than the postfusion state. “It’s important to have a vaccine to treat these viral diseases, and currently there are no viral inhibitors that can treat this disease or prevent this disease,” said Hsieh, a molecular biosciences postdoctoral fellow in McLellan’s lab. Researcher Scott Rush said locking the protein in its prefusion state allows the immune system to recognize this form of the protein and prevent it from fusing the viral membrane with the host cell membrane, which prevents infection. “A metaphor for it is (to) think about transformers,” said Rush, a molecular biosciences graduate research assistant in the McLellan lab. “(It) has two different shapes before the fusion state, and then after it completes its transition, it’s in the postfusion state.” Hsieh, McLellan and Rush filed a patent application on the protein technology and received approval last year. McLellan said several companies licensed for the technology in use against respiratory syncytial virus and human metapneumovirus. He said the respiratory syncytial virus vaccine is currently undergoing phase three clinical trials, while the human metapneumovirus virus will begin the phase one clinical trials, all through the company Icosavax. “We hope that this will lead to one or more highly effective
vaccines that will substantially reduce the global disease burden for the human metapneumovirus and save the lives of elderly and immunocompromised people,” McLellan said. McLellan said the next step for scientists is to apply the structure-based vaccine design onto other diseases and viruses. “We’re now looking to apply a similar approach to many other pathogens, viruses, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and parasites like malaria,” McLellan said. “It’s an exciting time, and we (collaborate) with a lot of different pharmaceutical companies (and) colleagues at (the) National Institutes of Health (of) other universities to try to use the structure-based vaccine design approach for a lot of important infectious diseases.” rocky higine
BEYOND THE
FR AM E
/ the daily texan staff
Featuring the best from the photo department.
connor downs
| daily texan staff
The night sky inside of Big Bend National Park March 15. With so little light pollution, Big Bend is one of the darkest places in the lower 48 states.
LIFE&ARTS
ZOE TZANIS
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Life&Arts Editor | @TEXANARTS TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2022
MUSIC
COIN headlines Forty Acres Fest Yardsale! and COIN rocked the stage at Saturday’s Forty Acres Fest. By Sofia Treviño & Angela Lim
Ogren and Russell played their guitars over their heads and behind their backs. Wang’s groovy keyboard solo showcased his agility and technique, garnering excited shouts from the crowd. The band dragged out their final song “stranger” with an intense, rambunctious tempo and slowed it down with one final cymbal crash to wrap up the thrilling opening act.
@Sofiacis_7 @angelaiim
COIN
s this Saturday’s annual Forty Acres Fest came to a close, thousands of Longhorns stood in front of the UT Tower to watch performances by indie rock bands Yardsale! and COIN. As a prize for winning the Battle of the Bands competition March 9, Yardsale! opened for headliner COIN. Yardsale!
With powerful vocals, funky guitar riffs and candid interactions with the crowd, Yardsale! brought high-spirited energy and an evening for Longhorns to remember. Yardsale!’s 45-minute set began with “Japanese Motorbike,” picking up in tempo and inviting the crowd to dance. Featuring covers such as Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” and Olivia Rodrigo’s “deja vu,” Yardsale!’s unique twists gave the originals more upbeat and vibrant instrumentals for the crowd to lovingly sing along with. Each of the group’s five musicians — sophomores guitarist and lead singer Nathaniel Ogren, guitarist Christian Daniel, bassist Zach Russell, drummer Alex Meeler and keyboardist Patrick Wang — shined throughout the set. During “It’s Okay,” Daniel’s impressive guitar solo elicited head bops from the crowd. Ogren introduced each of his bandmates — plus a trombonist, saxophonist and trumpet player — with witty one-liners. The intros during the “Beastly” jazzy interlude, such as Meeler being the “ordained minister in (their) church of rhythm,” showed the musicians’ clear affection for each other. Leading into “Heal Me,” the group shared their playful personalities. Daniel,
The sky darkened as the sun set behind the Tower, and COIN took on the Main Mall under incandescent lights. Thousands flooded the outdoor venue as the Nashville-based band brought their dynamic presence and 13-song setlist to the Forty Acres Fest stage. The indie pop rock group immediately took the crowd to Dreamland with the synth intro of “Into My Arms,” following up with the addictive, rough bassline in “Chapstick.” The audience’s energy climbed during “I Want It All,” a track with a sonic, triplet-infused rhythm. From Longhorns clapping during the bridge of “Nobody’s Baby” to the bandmates circling around drummer Ryan Winnen in “Valentine,” the barrier between the stage and crowd dissipated, creating a more enjoyable show for both the audience and the performers. After a chilling performance of “Cemetery,” the group played a stellar version of “Hannah” with an explosive outro. The atmosphere then relaxed with “Malibu 1992,” and arms swayed to the slower tempo. Despite the set’s technical difficulties, which cut “Youuu” short after “You Are the Traffic,” the venue’s synergy didn’t waver. COIN intensified their power in “Crash My Car” to compensate. “Please help me sing this, dear God,” said Chase Lawrence, lead vocalist and synthesizer. Toward the end of the show, COIN performed their most streamed song, “Talk Too Much.” With a recognizable, feel-good guitar riff and stable vocals, the audience belted every single line. Making their exit with the exhilarating headbanger “Fingers Crossed,” Lawrence lept atop a bass drum, hit the snare with a bouquet from a fan and valiantly faced the unparalleled concert crowd.
jacob levy
/ the daily texan staff
Nashville-based COIN performs for thousands in front of the UT Tower March 26. Despite technical difficulties, the crowd’s energy didn’t waver throughout the set.
BEYOND THE
FR AM E
Featuring the best from the photo department.
peyton sims
| daily texan staff
During spring break, two people stand underneath the shade of a straw umbrella while visiting Nassau, Bahamas.
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TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2022
LIFE&ARTS
STUDENT LIFE
Texas Skate Mates: safe place to overcome fears, grow confidence By Sarai Cantu @cantuusaraii
Pushing forward off the ground, Victoria Lara slid her weight to the tail of her board, placing one foot toward the front. Following the YouTube tutorials she’d long since memorized, Lara lifted her knees to her chest, carrying her board in the air and then landing swiftly on the ground. After five months of bruised skin and scraped elbows, ollie trial run 2,054 was a success. The environmental engineering senior described the achievement as one of the best moments she’s experienced on a board. “It’s really satisfying to work so hard on a trick and land it after the work put behind it,” Lara said. “It makes you feel confident and independent.” In the hopes of fostering a stronger, more inclusive skating community at UT, Lara and radio-television-film senior Simone Greer established the unofficial club Texas Skate Mates to provide a safe place for women who pursue the historically male-dominated sport. The group regularly skates around Gregory Gym until late hours, practicing and learning new tricks. Pending its approval to
become an official UT club, the Texas Skate Mates communicates through GroupMe, which includes more than 100 skaters and grows larger every day. “It’s a really supportive group that makes you feel very welcomed,” Lara said. “(Skateboarding has) taught me to be more confident in myself, to push myself and try new things. It can be really scary at times, but it’s (exhilarating) to see what you can do and overcome those fears,” Lara said. Like Lara, Sarah Darbar, an astronomy and physics sophomore, said.skateboarding transformed her life, helping her get out of her
comfort zone, make friends and discover the on-campus skating community. “I used to be super shy and introverted, but skating makes you face your fears head on,” Darbar said. “It makes you throw yourself into the unknown and do things you wouldn’t normally do.” However, Darbar said diving into the male-dominated skate world wasn’t easy. Even when she’s in the groove of ollies and kickflips, Darbar said the environment doesn’t feel welcoming for women. “The guys in the skating community can be really toxic,” Darbar said. “You’re perceived
sylvia asuncion-crabb
/ the daily texan staff
differently. You have to prove yourself as a female skater, and it makes you want to find people you can relate to.” Lara, who shares a similar experience to Darba, said she hopes Texas Skate Mates offers an escape from discomfort and a safe space for women skaters. “Skating while being a girl can be difficult, especially if you’re a beginner because most (people) in the skate parks are dudes, which is intimidating,” Lara said. “A lot of the time they don’t take you seriously just because you’re a girl. It makes for a stressful environment that can be hard to learn in.” After creating online content and videos for Texas Skate Mates, Anna Altamirano dove into the skating world herself. After finding the on-campus skating community increasingly male-dominated, the theater and dance and radio-television-film senior said she hopes her content motivates other women to engage in skating and the on-campus community. “Everybody wants to help each other out,” Altamirano said. “It’s confidence building and community engaging. There’s always going to be a new thing to experience with someone while skating.”
LIFE&ARTS
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TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2022
STUDENT LIFE
UT women’s club volleyball coach creates viral TikTok content By Alishba Javaid
connecting the show to my friends playing. That was my theme: real-life Haikyuu with my friends.
Michelle Hunter, a 2021 alumna and music advertising graduate, currently serves as the UT women’s club volleyball coach. Since taking on the position eight months ago, Hunter leads weekly practices for her team of 20 and travels with them for tournaments in the spring. Since starting her TikTok account, @michelle.my. bellee, in March 2020, Hunter has made hundreds of videos focusing on both the men’s and women’s club volleyball teams, amassing over 200K followers and 7.5 million likes. The Daily Texan spoke with Hunter about her volleyball and TikTok journey.
DT: What kind of TikToks do you like making?
The Daily Texan: How did you get into volleyball and then, later on, coaching?
DT: Why do you like making volleyball TikTok content?
@ alishbaj24
Michelle Hunter: I’ve played volleyball since elementary school. After graduating, I wanted to stick with it since I played it my whole life. I was on the club team a bit throughout college. I showed up to their tryout to play (last year), and the president (and) vice president (of the team) came up to me and they’re like, “We actually are looking for another coach if you’d be interested.” I’ve worked with kids and played volleyball my whole life, so I thought I should combine it. DT: Why did you start making TikToks?
MH: I started March 2020, so peak quarantine. That’s actually when I downloaded TikTok for the first time. I started binge-watching Haikyuu, which is a volleyball anime. That gave me an idea to make TikToks based off of the anime solely, not even real-life volleyball yet. As school started to reopen, and I was playing more (volleyball) with my friends, I liked
MH: I do a lot of making fun of my friends and players when they mess up. I find it really funny. It shifted to — since I started coaching more — tournament and real-life practice content. People ask (me) how to serve, how to hit the basics of volleyball, so I try to answer those. When I go to tournaments, I try to film some of them, with the players’ consent, and then post the highlights. People tend to like that. It shifted from just for ‘funsies’ with my friends to actual higher level volleyball and tips.
MH: I’ve gotten a lot of comments saying, “I’m going to go to Texas now because they have a men’s (and) women’s club team,” (and), “Wow the volleyball looks so hype here. I’m gonna go to UT.” I think it has made people aware of UT’s volleyball program. I didn’t know this many people cared about volleyball, especially men’s volleyball because women’s tends to be more popular. DT: Do you want to continue making volleyball TikToks in the future?
MH: I love coaching, so I’m gonna try to keep doing it as long as I live in Austin or even if I move. As long as I keep thinking of content to post, I’ll keep doing (TikTok) because it’s really fun. It’s a creative outlet. I’ve always loved video and photography. It’s fun to edit videos, and if I’m going to edit something, I might as well post it and let other people watch.
The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 copyright michelle hunter , and reproduced with permission For Release Tuesday, March 1, 2022
Crossword 36 Millennium, at the beginning and end? 37 Lure (in) 38 University entrance exam, for short 39 It turns red litmus paper blue 40 60 minuti 41 Click of disapproval 42 Wears 44 Antitrust concern? 48 Requests from 49 Big name in ice cream 50 Formerly named 53 Editors of crossword puzzles, e.g.? 57 Dagger’s partner 60 “Come as you ___” 61 They may be locked or blown 62 Hooded snake 63 Singer Cooke
ACROSS 1 Smug expression 6 Gentle attentiongetter 9 “Fidelio” is Beethoven’s only one 14 Be honest (with) 15 Tide competitor 16 Tongue, but not cheek 17 Make amends 18 Hi or lo follower 19 ___ boson (the so-called “God particle”) 20 General’s responsibility? 23 Foxy 24 “___ Te Ching” 25 In which head shots can be taken 29 Apology from Iago? 32 Take stock of 35 Peculiar light in the sky, in brief
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64 Country with the highest percentage of vegetarians 65 Reuben ingredient 66 “The Last O.G.” channel 67 One of the Affleck brothers
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HANNAH WILLIFORD
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Sports Editor | @TEXANSPORTS TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2022
BASEBALL
SPORTS
Skyler Messinger overcomes early slump, draws comparisons to Antico Transfer third baseman Skyler Messinger is getting in a groove after an early slump. By Hunter Dworaczyk @HunterDworaczyk
kyler Messinger knows that hitting slumps do not last forever. Messinger, a redshirt senior and transfer from Kansas, pressured himself to produce behind the plate more leading into this season. A 2021 All-Big 12 Second Team honoree, Messinger said he wanted to come in and contribute right away as the new guy on the team. Yet after Texas’ series finale against South Carolina on March 13, he was sitting at a .191 batting average, well shy of his team leading .324 average at Kansas last season. “You want to come in, especially as a new guy on the team, and contribute. It’s tough not to do that,” Messinger said. “When you’re looking back on (slumps), you look back and think of them as a good thing because you come out of them as a better player.” Just two weeks later, Messinger now stands at a .360 batting average following an eight hit, four RBI and two homerun series against Texas Tech in Lubbock. The third baseman has recorded a hit in nine consecutive games, including five three-hit games since March 16. Head coach David Pierce said Messinger’s recent turnaround at the plate reminds him of outfielder Mike Antico last season. Besides both donning the No. 5 jersey for Texas, the two players also shared early season hitting struggles after coming in as graduate transfers. A transfer from St. John’s, Antico was batting roughly .200 at this point of the season for the Longhorns last year before improving into a
key contributor for the offense. Pierce likes how Messinger has been working hard since the first day of practice and playing great defense, even through the offensive slump. The third baseman has yet to record an error this season. “His character has shown to be really strong, and I think that is why we’ve started to see him come out of (the slump),” Pierce said. “He’s an incredible young man and a good teammate. I think he’s a great piece right now.” Messinger credits Texas’ coaching staff, specifically assistant coach Troy Tulowitzki, for helping him make adjustments to see the ball better. A Colorado Rockies fan growing up, Messinger said one of the biggest factors that led him to Texas was the opportunity to play under Tulowitzki, a five-time MLB All-Star who played for the Rockies from 2006-15. “He was always who I tried to model my game after,” Messinger said. “To be exposed to (his knowledge) and being able to learn as much as I possibly can from him has been unbelievable.” Messinger said another reason he came to Texas was for a chance to play in Omaha. Transferring from Kansas, which finished ninth in the Big 12 last season, Messinger admits that he’s looking forward to no longer playing the role of the underdog. As No. 8 Texas enters the halfway point of the season, only time will tell if Messinger is able to help secure a Big 12 championship for the Longhorns like Antico did last year. Messinger though, said he looks forward to being the “hunted” team in Big 12 play. “It’s definitely a different mindset, but we’re ready to go and we’re playing good baseball,” Messinger said. “We’ve got a good team and I am excited to see what we are going to do.”
jacob levy
/ the daily texan file
Senior Skyler Messinger pulls a ball down the third-base sideline. The third baseman, who transferred from Kansas, said a main reason he came to Texas was to learn from assistant coach Troy Tulowitzki.
BEYOND THE
FR AM E
Featuring the best from the photo department.
hannan abdikadir
/ the daily texan file
Freshman Darja Sopova makes her Texas debut in the Women’s Triple Jump March 25.
SPORTS
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TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2022
MEN’S TENNIS
Woldeab shines as No. 10 Texas defeats Oklahoma 5-2 in Red River Rivalry By Evan Vieth @EvanVieth
The Red River Rivalry was in full force Sunday as No. 10 Texas men’s tennis faced No. 30 Oklahoma in Austin. After a successful West Coast trip that featured Texas beating two top 25 teams, the Longhorns were ready to make a statement at home versus the rival Sooners. “Texas versus OU is always going to be one of those rivalries where it’s always gonna be chippy,” sophomore Siem Woldeab said. In typical rivalry fashion, the matchup didn’t fall short of its high-intensity expectations. The doubles portion of the competition quickly turned into an intense match at all three courts. Players from both teams exclaimed after every point, with shouts of, “Let’s go!” echoing almost constantly throughout the Texas Tennis Center. Neither team was ready to give up points, with Oklahoma leading at different points in all three matches. The Longhorns, however, were too much for the Sooner duos as senior Richard Ciamarra and sophomore Cleeve Harper took the first match 6-4, with sophomore Eliot Spizzirri and Woldeab winning an intense tiebreak against their opponents to earn Texas the coveted doubles point to kick off the match. “In spring season, (you’ve) got all your guys playing around you, and you just gotta embrace that energy,” Woldeab said after the match. “Usually, in college tennis, the team with (the) most energy is the winning team.” The doubles point has been a struggle for the Longhorns in recent matches, as they’ve taken just one of their previous five, including multiple straight sweeps by ranked opponents. On the flip side, the Sooners had been one of the best doubles teams in the nation, coming into
Sunday’s meet having won the point in 14 of their last 16 matches. “I knew Oklahoma was playing well in doubles, and I was pretty impressed,” head coach Bruce Berque said. “I see why today.” The upset in doubles set Texas up for success early, as the Longhorns have been much more potent in the singles competition. Berque trotted out five separate top 100 singles players, the lowest-ranked being Woldeab, the most recent Big 12 Player of the Week. Sophomore Micah Braswell continued to show why he’s a top 25 singles player in the country, easily defeating unranked junior Alex Martinez 6-4, 6-1. Braswell has now won four of his last five matches from the top spot in Texas’ lineup, solidifying himself as one of the best in the nation. With a strong 2-0 start, Texas needed to win just two of the last five singles games to take home the victory over the rival Sooners. The Longhorns chased the win with ferocity, led by Woldeab in singles. The California product worked through a grueling first set against No. 125 Jordan Hasson, with both competitors trading leads. Needing one final point in a tiebreak, Woldeab finished off Hasson with a perfect swing, sending a cry throughout the stadium. Woldeab kept up the intensity, constantly exclaiming “Go Texas!” and roaring out loud screams after every successful point. “I’ve been doing this for 30 years,” Berque said. “I’ve never been part of a team culture as good as this.” Even at 2-1 in his second set, Woldeab had the crowd enthralled with his match, making sure everyone in the stadium knew when he had won the point,
andrew zamora
/ the daily texan staff
Sophomore Siem Woldeab shows his intensity in a commanding straight-set win over Oklahoma’s No. 125 Jordan Hasson. Texas took down Oklahoma 5-2 on Sunday.
or when the referee made an incorrect call. Woldeab’s intensity and fight earned him a commanding straight-set win to give Texas its third point of the day. “I’m super confident right now,” Woldeab said. “I’m confident in the team, the way we’re looking. I can speak for everyone and say the rest of the teams are confident for sure.” The Longhorns took the fourth point and the match with No. 66 Eliot Spizzirri’s defeat of Baptiste Anselmo in two sets.
BEYOND THE
With the win fully assured and the entire crowd watching, No. 124 Chih Chi Huang and Oklahoma junior Justin Schlageter played an intense set for the final match of the day. The Canadian gave the Longhorns their final point and capped off a 5-2 home win for the Longhorns. Sitting at 11–7 on the season, the Longhorns have six more matches, five against conference opponents, left before the Big 12 Championship in late April.
FR AM E
Featuring the best from the photo department.
sophie stoeger
A Princeton student pole vaults at the Mike A. Myers Stadium March 26.
| daily texan staff
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Comics Editor | @TEXANCOMICS TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2022
COMICS