The University of Maryland’s Independent Student Newspaper
T H U R S DAY, A U G U S T 6 , 2 015
U gets grant to study cryptocurrency Research will focus on security, improvements for digital currency systems such as bitcoin By Sam Reilly @thedbk For The Diamondback T h i s u n iversity w i l l sh a re a $1,935,783 grant to pursue research on cryptocurrency, digital and en-
these institutions will share the total sum and collaborate as part of the Initiative for Cryptocurrency and Contracts, said Andrew Dubrow, a crypted systems of money, including foundation spokesman. This program promotes further research on secubitcoin. The National Science Foundation rity and development in the field, awarded the grant to this university, which continues to grow, despite along with Cornell University and the lingering questions about widespread University of California, Berkeley implementation. “One thing that’s nice about [the in July. Researchers and faculty at
grant] is that it brings together people with different expertise to work together on this problem,” said Jonathan Katz, co-principal investigator for the project and a computer science professor at this university. Cryptocurrency refers to a decentralized form of digital currency that operates independently of any See currency, Page 2
Evelyn Cooper, an assistant dean, speaks to an audience member before the start of an AG Camp event on Friday. sung-min kim/for the diamondback
DETECTING drivers on drugs
Program links ag and tech Ag Discovery stresses agriculture, STEM career opportunities
University startup receives funding to develop drugtesting device
By Jacob Bell @thedbk For The Diamondback Analyzing microbes from a cow’s gut or creating response plans for an outbreak of avian flu might not seem like usual summertime activities, but for the 16 high school students participating in this university’s Ag Discovery program, it’s normal. This past Friday, the three-week residential summer program finished its 10th year of teaching high school students about the future of agriculture, as well as the food, animals, plants and technology involved with it. As part of collaboration between this university’s agriculture and natural resources college and the Agriculture Department, students are taught how science, technology, engineering and math education intersects with careers in the agriculture field, said Evelyn See CAMP, Page 3
By Michael Brice-Saddler @thedbk For The Diamondback A $150,000 grant awarded to a university-based startup will help them develop a saliva-based test to detect drivers under the influence of illegal drugs. Diagnostic anSERS announced July 20 that the National Science Foundation awarded it a Small Business Innovation Research Phase I grant, which will provide it with the funds over a six-month period, said Eric Hoppmann, cofounder of Diagnostic anSERS and 2013 alumnus. The team is developing a roadside drug assessment in the form of a paper test strip, which could be used to identify drugs in drivers, A researcher displays a p-SERS swab, which a university startup developed and which can detect illegal drugs in drivers. sung-min kim/for the diamondback
Milk aids in post-exercise recovery
Honor society awards alum with national fellowship Award marks latest recognition of many
Univ professor partners with 5th Quarter Fresh
By Jamy Klotzbach @thedbk For The Diamondback
By Rachel Kuipers @thedbk For The Diamondback While milk is known to help kids grow big and strong, a new study involving a university professor found there might actually be more to the drink than just strengthening powers. J a e K u n S h i m , a k i n e s i o logy professor, conducted a yearlong study with a chocolate milk product company from this state, 5th Quarter Fresh, which revealed this summer that the product helps muscles recover post-workout better than other post-exercise recovery products do. 5th Quarter Fresh creators Kurt Wi l l ia ms a nd R icha rd Doa k — also fathers of student-athletes — wanted to create a product that people like their children could benefit from. T hey noticed the number of injuries among young athletes was climbing, Doak said.
A calf lives at Dairy Maid Dairy in Frederick. A study run by a university professor with members of a milk company found that the drink can be beneficial for post-workout recovery. photo courtesy of elena sten “What we realized is that young athletes are training harder, they have better equipment, [there are] a lot of things that are in their favor — but not nutrition,” Doak said. “Most young athletes are not meeting their nutritional needs, and they’re not eating very well.” Researchers tested the study
ISSUE NO. 125 , OUR 105 TH YEAR OF PUBLICATION DBKNEWS.COM
Submit tips, comments and inquiries to the news desk at NEWSUMDBK@GMAIL.COM
@thedbk
See DRUGs, Page 3
TheDiamondback
Scan the QR Code to download our mobile app
participants’ ability to exercise and then had them drink different products designed to aid in muscle recovery post-exercise, Shim said. Later, the individuals completed the same exercises, and researchers again tested their ability to do the See MILK, Page 2
Fang Cao, a 2015 alumnus, is no stranger to recognition. Last year, the computer science and physiology and neurobiology major was this university’s first Truman’s Scholar as well as the second Rhodes Scholar in the school’s history. Now, the Phi Kappa Phi honor society awarded Cao a Marcus L. Urann Fellowship, which grants $15,000 each to a few select students across the country. Cao said his current situation is a result of many years of work, but his early life was all about adapting to transitions and taking advance of circumstances. “I was born in China, immigrated to England before I was eight,” said Cao, who cited various cultures, financial difficulties, learning a new language and making friends as hardships he had to overcome. “It was a time of great transitions and new cultures. It
helped me learn how to adapt to new environments at a young age.” While attending this university from 2011 to 2015, Cao similarly helped others adapt when he started and managed two separate tutoring programs for underprivileged students at Northwestern High School in Hyattsville. Cao said he worked with most of the students at the school, and helped with AP biology and calculus. “I spent a lot of time with them, and it was one of my most fulfilling experiences,” Cao said. “It was great to help students who had less than me.” Cao said his devotion to the service of others is an ideology that has driven his life, and one he hopes to continue. He added that he ultimately wants to provide health care opportunities — including affordable health care services, procedures and surgeries to those who are less fortunate. University officials immediately recognized Cao’s dedication to service when he first stepped foot on the campus. Robert Infantino — an associate dean for undergraduate education who worked with Cao on various scholarship applications
SPORTS
OPINION
THE WRIGHT STATE OF MIND
GUEST: Airbnb achieves inclusiveness
Julie Wright, the third Terrapins softball coach in as many years, said she came here to stay and will provide stability P. 8
See cao, Page 3
Tech industry lacks diversity P. 4 DIVERSIONS
DUETS DONE RIGHT Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett make quite a pair P. 6
2
THE DIAMONDBACK | NEWs | THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2015
currency From PAGE 1 government or bank authority. The most widely used cryptocurrency is bitcoin, which has grown in popularity around the world since its anonymous creation in 2009. “We already have currencies, and we already have digital currencies, too, so what’s different about cryptocurrencies is that they’re decentralized, and that means that there is no particular administrator or system of trust that you have to rely on,” said Andrew Miller, a cryptocurrency doctoral candidate. “Anyone can join bitcoin.” This university began offering courses in cryptocurrency last fall with CMSC 414: Computer and Network Security, which Katz taught. The computer science department also offered a graduate research course last spring, CMSC 818I: Advanced Topics in Computer Systems; Cryptocurrency, a focus of the foundation’s
initiative. With the new grant, cryptocurrency research at this university will continue to expand, Miller said. “Research funding is the foundation of a major university like Maryland, and NSF provides the lion’s share of academic research funding in the U.S.,” said Jeremy Epstein, a program director at the foundation. Researchers at this university plan to investigate the security, protocol, use and potential improvements of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. “First of all, just bitcoin in general is really fascinating,” Katz said. “It was really quite amazing when the proposal, which came out of nowhere, caught the attention of so many people and became so popular.” Since bitcoin’s inception, the number of transactions per day using the digital currency has at one point reached more than 200,000, and the number of businesses that accept bitcoin worldwide exceeded 100,000
the A.V. Williams BUILDING houses offices and labs of the computer science department. After the university receives a shared $1,935,783 grant from the National Science Foundation, several faculty members will be conducting research on cryptocurrencies, systems of money, like bitcoin, that are encrypted and digitally based. christian jenkins/the diamondback this past February. “What’s astonishing is that it has survived and existed at all,” Miller said. Miller, who transferred to this university in 2013 to pursue cryptocurrency research, did not expect bitcoin to be successful, despite his interest in cryptocurrency. Because of the
failure of other cryptocurrencies in the past, Miller said he expected the use of bitcoin to fade after a few years. The digital currency has endured attacks in its six years of existence, from criticisms of transaction speed to official bans imposed by governments of several countries.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) attempted and failed to impose a federal ban on bitcoin in the U.S. in February 2014. With its increase in popularity comes growing concerns about bitcoin’s security and use. This university’s research team’s attention to addressing these issues is one aspect that
sets it apart from other universities and attracted the foundation’s attention, Epstein said. “If we don’t fully understand the fundamental security properties that it achieves, we could have some potential problems down the road,” Katz said.
MILK
recovery drinks between rounds experienced closer to about a 16 percent muscle-strength decrease after exercising a second time, he said. Drinking milk can help improve recovery time for mu scles a f ter exercisi ng because of the abundance of proteins and electrolytes, Shim said. The sugars in the drink also benefit muscle-building. The carbohydrates in milk are also vital for muscle recovery, Doak said. The milk 5th Quarter Fresh uses comes from breeds of cows — Jersey and Guernsey — that naturally produce more nutrients such as proteins, calcium and electrolytes, which can be essential to muscle recovery. Robert Jackson, the acting chair of the nutrition and food
science department at this university, said he wasn’t surprised to learn the study found milk beneficial as a muscle recovery drink. The only issue with using milk as a recovery product, he said, would be with lactose intolerant student-athletes. “The real test for me is not just from the nutritional point of view in terms of what’s in the product, but also how it’s received by the athletes,” Jackson said. Doak said one of the goals when creating the product was to keep it pure and free of any added chemicals, but now they also wish to spread awareness to student-athletes and their parents about the importance of eating right. “One of the things that we’re really passionate about is we
“ONE OF THE
From PAGE 1 exercise. This allowed the researchers to compare how well the subjects’ muscles repaired after drinking the products. “The results showed that there were no significant changes between any of the [tested recovery products] in terms of muscular strength,” Shim said. However, researchers found a big difference when looking at how much work participants’ muscles could sustain in the second round of exercise when compared to the first. Those who drank the milk between exercise rounds had a 2 percent decrease in muscle bottles of Milk sit in Dairy Maid Dairy in Frederick. Members of company 5th Quarter Fresh work the second time, Shim said. partnered with a professor on a study about the benefits of milk. photo courtesy of elena sten But participants who drank other
Hunting for a job?
THE DIAMONDBACK IS HIRING Advertising Reps for Fall ’15!
Requirements -
must be an undergraduate student at UMD must work 10-15 hours/week around class schedule must return to school for training on August 11 must have strong communication skills must be professional and hard working
Beneets
-
Phenomenal resume experience 9% commission off all sales Incredible professional experience Increased business knowledge
To Apply, email: advertising@dbk.umd.edu
newsumdbk@gmail.com
THINGS THAT WE’RE REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT IS WE WANT ATHLETES AND PARENTS OF ATHLETES TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE NUTRITION YOU PROVIDE TO YOURSELF ... IS REALLY IMPORTANT.” RICHARD DOAK
5th Quarter Fresh co-creator want athletes and parents of athletes to understand that the nutrition you provide to yourself and your kids is really important,” Doak said. newsumdbk@gmail.com
THURSDAY, august 6, 2015 | news | The Diamondback
CAMP From PAGE 1 Cooper, the agriculture and natural resources college’s assistant dean for academic programs. “One of the primary things that we want them to get — if nothing else — is that agriculture, and the study of it, is a STEM field,” Cooper said. A large part of the program includes field trips that introduce students to nontraditional professions related to agriculture, such as visits to the Experimental Station laboratories at DuPont, a science and engineering company. Students learned how researchers use gene guns and other biotechnology to create hybrid plants, Cooper said. “T he biggest ta keaway that I’ve had is just how many options there are in agriculture,” said Allison Herrick, a rising senior at Pioneer High School in Yorkshire, New York.
DRUGS From PAGE 1 Hoppmann said. “If someone is pulled over with signs of impairment, we hope to create a way to test if that’s due to them being under the influence of illicit drugs, and not just from consuming alcohol,” Hoppmann said. While there are Breathalyzers to test for alcohol, no similar technology exists to test for illegal drugs and receive immediate results. With a $150,000 boost from the company’s new grant, Diagnostic anSERS hopes to fi ll that need. It’s technology uses ink-jet printed nanoparticles
3
“We learned how you can get into research [and] you can get into politics. There’s even different types of office jobs and journalism involved in agriculture.” The number of high-skilled agricultural jobs in the U.S. is expected to grow by about 58,000 annually between 2015 and 2020, with nearly half coming from management and business and 27 percent coming from science and engineering, according to a May report from the agricultural department’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Purdue University. Despite these figures, about 35,000 students graduate each year with a degree in agriculturerelated fields, according to the report. Almost 300 students received bachelor’s degrees from this university’s agriculture and natural resources college in fiscal year 2014, according to data from the institutional research, planning and assess-
ment office. This is almost double the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded in fi scal year 2005. The university’s Ag Discove r y prog ra m h a s h a d “more applications than we can handle” in recent years, and there has been an increase in the number of applicants with strong science backgrounds, Cooper said. This year, the program had more than 100 applicants, up from about 65 applicants in 2013, said April Brohawn, agriculture and natural resources college assistant to the recruitment dean. “Some of the conversations we’ve had have just blown our minds,” Brohawn said. “T hey have all this background knowledge, and they have passion for the subject because they’ve experienced it, not just saw a documentary or read a book on it once.” Organizers are working to further enrich students’ experiences and have plans
to identify traces of narcotics in saliva. The grant will be used to fund research into adapting the nanoparticles, thereby making detection even stronger, said co-founder Sean Virgile, who was the 2010 Fischell Fellow at this university’s bioengineering department. “Every chemical in every drug has a unique fingerprint,” Virgile said. “The nanoparticles serve as a magnifying glass for that chemical fingerprint, increasing the signal over one million times.” Hoppma n n a nd Vi rg i le founded the company in 2012 under the guidance of bioengineering professor Ian White. Many states, including this
one, rely on drug recognition experts, highly trained and specialized officers who can identify impaired drivers by observing a number of factors, University Police Chief David Mitchell said. “The problem with DREs is that they are expensive and not always accessible,” Mitchell said. “So we could really use this type of test.” After the completion of Phase I, Diagnostic anSERS will be able to apply for a Phase II grant, which could allot it $750,000 for up to two years of work. Efforts on this project come at a time when views about recreational drugs, specifically marijuana, are changing. More than half of Americans supported marijuana legalization
Compassion is a Beautiful Thing.
Choose Vegan
People who know chickens as friends know that chickens are not “all alike.” They know that, like all species with certain traits in common, chickens have individual personalities, distinctive identities, and unique ways of expressing themselves. Chickens enjoy being together in small flocks, sunning, dustbathing, and scratching in the soil for food. A mother hen will tenderly and even fiercely protect her young brood, driving off predators and sheltering her little chicks beneath her wings.
Cheng-I Wei, the college of agriculture and natural resources dean, speaks to the audience members at an Ag Discovery event Friday. The program operates in the summer and teaches high school students about agriculture and farming. sung-min kim/for the diamondback to incorporate all aspects of the college, such as oncampus research labs, into the program, Cooper said. T hey a re a lso try i ng to find avenues for additional funding, with a goal of expanding program participation to at least 25 students each year, Cooper said. Currently, the agricultural department’s Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service funds 17 Ag Discovery programs at universities across the country. This university’s program receives about $4,200 per student and is the only to offer participants college credit, Cooper said. A nd w it h l a rger clout, p rog ra m o rg a n i z e rs a n d teachers said they hope that their love of agricultural sci-
ences trickles down to the next generation. “I now have students who were here two, three years ago calling me up and saying, ‘I really loved Ag Discovery, I really want to come to Maryland, can you help me get there?’ and that’s very exciting,” Brohawn said. newsumdbk@gmail.com
in 2015, according to the Pew Research Center, and this state decriminalized small amounts of the drug during last year’s legislative session. “As we shift in how we view marijuana and marijuana use, this test becomes that much more critically important,” Mitchell. “Smoking weed is one thing, but smoking to where you’re impaired to drive an automobile is another — and that’s the challenge for us right now.” Mitchell praised Diagnostic anSERS for taking on the task. “I’m proud to say they’re from Maryland,” he said. newsumdbk@gmail.com
CAO From PAGE 1 junior and senior year — said Cao had “a deep core belief of inclusion and service to other people, formed by his own past experiences.” I n fa nt i no sa id Cao, a member of the first class of the Integrated Life Sciences Honors P rog ra m i n 2011, worked with various directors to integrate service as a pillar of the program’s curriculum. “He was unusually focused and unusually talented,” Infantino said. “Fang has a very forward sense of what he wants to do.”
SEAN VIRGILE, the co-founder of Diagnostic anSERS, works on a project in a laboratory. The startup manufactured a device that can test drivers for drugs. sung-min kim/for the diamondback
To nurture his vision of compassion toward others, Cao was accepted to some of the nation’s most prestigious medical schools. However, he deferred his medical school studies and the Phi Kappa Phi fellowship until 2017 to pursue a master’s degree in medical anthropology with his Rhodes Scholarship at the University of Oxford, where he will be studying in the fall. The selective Phi Kappa Phi fellowship, which Cao was awarded on June 11, is given to 57 members going into professional or graduate studies, the honor society’s programs coordinator Kelli Partin said. “Each chapter may submit
BUY 1 GET 1
FREE 6” SUB
WE DELIVER!
(Equal or lesser price. With purchase of meal.)
Cannot combine with any other coupon or discount. Must present coupon.
7411 Baltimore Avenue 301-864-1311
one nominee to the national competition, and these materials are evaluated by a fiveperson selection committee of faculty members and myself as the staff liaison,” Partin said. Only the top six fellowship recipients got $15,000 — the rest were awarded $5,000 grants. Phi Kappa Phi accepts the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students and 7.5 percent of second-semester juniors for admission across all chapters. Cao, who became a member of t he honor so c iet y h i s junior year, said the fraternity grabbed his attention for its “good community,” and maintained that this recent fellowship has brought him closer to the society. Partin said Cao was exactly the kind of student the honor society was looking for. “Extraordinary applicant, extraordinary individual,” Partin said. “Fang Cao is as close as I’ve seen to a completely worthy candidate of the [honor society] fellowship.” newsumdbk@gmail.com
NOW PLAYING TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE
PRE-SCREENING THURS AUG 6
TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE
The rooster proudly keeps watch over the flock. He alerts the hens if he senses danger, and when he finds a tasty morsel for his family to share, he calls them excitedly. Roosters often join in the hen’s egg-laying ritual, which is an extremely important and private part of a chicken’s life. Please choose compassion for chickens & a kinder world with a heart healthy vegan diet. For delicious recipes, visit www.upc-online.org/recipes.
ALSO PLAYING: Minions, Shaun the Sheep, Southpaw, Vacation, Pixels
5.50 TICKETS
$
with your UMD ID on Tuesdays.* (Add $2 for 3D!)
*After the first 7 days
ADD $2.00 FOR 3D to all prices • MORNING SHOWS: 10am-11:59am – $5.50 Per Guest MATINEE SHOWS: 12pm-4:59pm – $7.50 Adults, $7.00 Seniors, $6.50 Children EVENING SHOWS: 5pm-Closing – $9.25 Adults, $8.50 Students & Military, $7.00 Seniors, $6.50 Children
United Poultry Concerns www.UPC-online.org
Academy Stadium Theatre
6198 GREENBELT RD • 301-220-1155 • BELTWAY PLAZA MALL • ON SHUTTLE UM
FOR MOVIE TIMES & MORE INFO: ACADEMY8THEATERS.COM
4
THE DIAMONDBACK | THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2015
OPINION
EDITORIAL BOARD
Matt Schnabel Editor in Chief
Jordan Branch Managing Editor
NATE RABNER
Deputy Managing Editor
SAURADEEP SINHA Opinion Editor
CONTACT US 3120 South Campus Dining Hall | College Park, MD 20742 | opinionumdbk@gmail.com PHONE (301) 314-8200
GUEST COLUMN
STAFF EDITORIAL
Politicians should collaborate Airbnb sets to improve state jail conditions diversity example
O
nly in deep-blue Annapolis could the closure of a woefully corrupt and dilapidated Civil War-era Baltimore jail elicit nearly as many sneers as cheers, but that’s been the case ever since Republican Gov. Larry Hogan announced the surprise shuttering of Charm City’s notorious state-run men’s detention center last week. The delivery, as it were, was more than a little off — Hogan dropped the news on city and state Democratic lawmakers without forewarning, taking a few swipes at predecessor Martin O’Malley in the process. The July 30 news conference prompted blowback from some within the General Assembly, including the state House Appropriations Committee chairwoman, who said she would begin holding hearings on the affair, The Washington Post reported. It also evoked a particularly low blow from a Maryland Reporter columnist, who suggested that “perhaps [Hogan’s] hairless Kojack look, as well as his tough chemotherapy sessions, help explain what’s going on.” Kicking a man while he’s in the chemo chair? Nice. Bilious digs aside, real concerns remain as Hogan rolls out his plan
to cease operations at the men’s detention center and move its inmates to other correctional facilities in the area. Moving the jail’s 1,000-plus inmates to other state facilities could subject them to overcrowding or exacerbate adverse conditions elsewhere. Civil justice advocates voiced worries that the move could limit inmates’ access to legal aid or complicate visitations. OUR VIEW
Gov. Larry Hogan’s closure of the Baltimore City Detention Center could have been more tactful, but the move is still the right one. There’s also the slight matter of the fate of the jail’s corrections staff, an issue likely to be met with far less sympathy, given the welldocumented corruption perpetrated by jail employees that permitted contraband and gang activity to fester. All the same, the jail’s ill repute, established through decades of subpar administration and culminating in 2001 as the state assumed control of the facility, is no less viable as an ongoing concern.
In April 2013, federal indictments targeted 44 corrections officers, inmates and others involved a broad racketeering scheme, convicting all but four. The personnel and inmate issues merely compounded long-standing grievances regarding the jail, a relic hailing from 1801 that last underwent renovation in 1959. Moldy showers, vermin, heat and humidity and substandard medical care, among other complaints, led to an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit, which the organization filed to reopen in June. Hogan’s decision to close the jail was the right one, especially as Baltimore’s policing and corrections procedures continue to undergo national scrutiny. It also saves the state a decent chunk of change — to the tune of $10 million to $15 million a year. Unlike the so-called hostage situation that overshadowed this year’s education funding rollout (Hogan still upped spending from last fiscal year, lest we forget), this should be a lone-ranger initiative both Annapolis and Baltimore can get behind. Going forward, cooperation, not partisan grousing, seems the best way to ensure fair treatment of inmates by a city and a state that have so far failed on that promise.
EDITORIAL CARTOON
James Santos/the diamondback
NEW CARTOONISTS WANTED
Want to be an editorial cartoonist for The Diamondback? We are looking for someone to draw one cartoon a week, providing an opinion or perspective on a relevant university, local or state issue. If interested, please send a sample cartoon to editor Sauradeep Sinha at opinionumdbk@gmail.com. Please provide your full name, year, major and phone number.
I
n the technology industry, both racial and gender diversity have been and continue to be major problems even among the largest companies. Companies such as Apple and Google have a sour lack of women and minorities within their workplaces. It would make sense that an innovative company in an industry of the same nature could show some signs of social innovation through diversity in the workforce, but any efforts have been to little avail, at least so far, according to The Verge. The publication asked major companies to share their progress concerning diversifying their worker base — multiple times. Instead, what the tech site received in return was an abundance of nonresponses or outright refusal from companies including GoPro, Lyft, Snapchat, Square, Netflix, Tesla and Uber. Bigger companies, such as Apple and Google, are too large to avoid disclosure of this info r m a t i o n to s h a re h o l d e rs. While other top-tier companies avoided providing diversity details, Airbnb, a hospitality platform, openly shared its statistics with The Verge. According to the findings, “Airbnb’s US staff is 66 percent wh i te , 2 0 p e rce n t A s i a n , 6 percent Hispanic, and 3 percent black. Leadership positions skew white and male; 76 percent of managers and executives are white and 60 percent of the leadership group is male.” W h e n i t co m e s to wo m e n in the tech workforce, Airbnb thankfully has more of a balance: “Women make up 47 percent of its overall US staff, a number
that Airbnb tells us increases to 49 percent worldwide.” Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for other companies in the industry, where “only 17 percent of the technology roles at Google and Microsoft are filled by women, and that number falls to 10 percent at Twitter.” The tech industry is becoming increasingly important and central to our social universe. It is arguably a modern-day gold rush and is constantly evolving along with technology. Like technology, the tech industry is not going anywhere anytime soon. Society depends on it at this point. If the world is going to be dependent on an industry, and if that industry wants to thrive, it has to be representative of the world it is catering to so it can adequately serve its consumers. Airbnb is a company showing that even though it will take a while to show change, there are actions that can be taken right away to move in the right direction. Talking solves nothing, but it sparks the inspiration that is necessary for making imperative changes. Airbnb, for instance, claims it’s drawing more female employees thanks to its “strong pipeline.” Ne rd e t te s, a g ro u p o f fe m a l e engineers, mentor women at a 10-week software development academy, hosting middle schoolers and working with Girls Who Code. This can be done with minority groups as well. To other companies: Let’s step the game up and follow Airbnb’s example instead of shying away f ro m t h e i ss u e a n d s i d e s te p ping attempts to learn workforce demographics. James Morrow is a sophomore journalism and studio art major. He can reached at marrowj14@gmail.com.
Matt Schnabel, Editor in Chief Jordan Branch, Managing Editor Brittany Cheng, Online Managing Editor MOLLY PODLESNY, Deputy Online Managing Editor NATE RABNER, Deputy Managing Editor OLIVIA NEWPORT, Assistant Managing Editor Joe Zimmermann, News Editor Ellie Silverman, Assistant News Editor TALIA RICHMAN, Assistant News Editor TAYLOR SWAAK, Assistant News Editor SAURADEEP Sinha, Opinion Editor NATALIE GRIFFIN, Assistant Online Managing Editor MICHAEL ERRIGO, Diversions Editor DANIELLE OHL, Diversions Editor RYAN BAILLARGEON, Sports Editor KYLE STACKPOLE, Assistant Sports Editor JOSH NEEDELMAN, Assistant Sports Editor TOM HAUSMAN, Photo Editor CHRISTIAN JENKINS, Photo Editor SUMMER BEDARD, Design Editor Erin Serpico, General Assignment Editor
NEW COLUMNIST WANTED
Want to be a columnist for The Diamondback? We are looking for a new columnist for the fall 2015 semester. Columnists write biweekly columns on a relevant university, local or state issue. If interested, please send a sample column (between 500 - 600 words) to opinionumdbk@gmail.com. Please provide your full name, year, major and phone number.
Follow @theDBK on Twitter
AIR YOUR VIEWS
Address your letters or guest columns to Sauradeep Sinha at opinionumdbk@gmail.com. All submissions must be signed. Include your full name, year, major and phone number. Please limit letters to 300 words and guest columns to between 500 and 600 words. Submission of a letter or guest column constitutes an exclusive, worldwide, transferable license to The Diamondback of the copyright of the material in any media. The Diamondback retains the right to edit submissions for content and length.
Cost should be prioritized in Red Line debate SAM WALLACE
N
SENIOR
early a month and a half ago, Gov. Larry Hogan made the announcement that his administration would nix the state’s $3 billion plan to build an east-west rail transit system through Baltimore. For many in Baltimore and across the state, the governor’s decision was viewed as a betrayal of the city and a clear sign of Hogan’s bias for the rural counties that carried him to victory in November. Not long after Hogan’s public announcement, one journalist stated what was on the minds of many state liberals when he called the
governor “a cold, calculating political animal [who] has embraced a staunch right-wing mindset.” The truth of the matter, however, is far from the picture that liberal legislators and Red Line advocates have painted. Hogan’s decision to reject the Red Line plan shows the emergence of commonsense decision-making from the capital, something that had been sorely missed in the many years prior. The bottom line on the Red Line was simple: The state was going to spend money it didn’t have on a project that had far better alternatives, and funds were sorely needed to maintain transportation across the state. From the beginning, projections of construction costs totaling $3 billion dollars for the project were incredibly optimistic. The Hogan
administration’s concern with the potential for ballooning costs centered on the 3.4-mile section of tunnel that would have ran from Fremont Avenue to Boston Street. This section, squarely in the middle of the proposed Red Line, is eerily reminiscent of Boston’s “Big Dig” and attempts to tunnel in transit projects in Seattle, where city and state governments have seen construction prices skyrocket. This state simply doesn’t have the money to cover the cost of a similar construction disaster. The concerns over the tunnel rightfully dug a hole too deep for the project proposal to climb out of. At the same time, community leaders and transportation advocates have come up with a variety of different solutions that allow
just as many Baltimoreans to get around at a fraction of the cost of the proposed Red Line. One particularly exciting idea is the use of Bus Rapid Transit, which could be implemented far more quickly than the Red Line could have been built while diverting future transportation funds to improving roads in the city. This state’s transportation infrastructure is in clear need of an update, and the Red Line project simply took too much money away from road projects where funding was most needed. When Hogan announced his intention to put most of the future Red Line funds toward transportation projects in outlying counties, he made the responsible choice to not ignore the pressing need to maintain the state’s exist-
ing infrastructure before spending money on new projects. Of course, it will be impossible to convince some Red Line advocates and liberal legislators that the governor’s decision was the right one. To them, the Red Line was a utopian project that could have saved the city, and no price tag too big or any number of viable alternatives could have convinced them otherwise. This is the same idealistic thinking that has always trapped Baltimore’s citizens in a never-ending cycle of poverty and hopelessness. We can only hope for their sake that our governor continues his practical ways. Sam Wallace is a senior government and politics major. He can be reached at swallacedbk@gmail.com.
POLICY: Signed letters, columns and cartoons represent the opinions of the authors. The staff editorial represents the opinion of The Diamondback’s editorial board and is the responsibility of the editor in chief.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2015 | The Diamondback
5
FEATURES CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Uncanny 6 Sugarbush tree 11 Film classics channel 14 M*A*S*H site 15 Perrier rival 16 PBS funder 17 Makes waterproof 18 Permissible 19 First mo. 20 Ibsen’s Gabler 22 Image, in combos 24 Gumshoes, often 28 Ptarmigan 29 Goes along with 30 Gloomier 32 Novelist -- Ambler 33 Pyramid site 35 Epic 39 Put down carpet 40 Barley bristle 41 Fateful day 42 Sheltered 43 Flooded 45 Director Joel -46 Icky 48 Go by, as time 50 Utterly still 53 Manet or Matisse 54 Takes on cargo 55 Do-re-mi 57 Legal rep 58 Trailer rental (hyph.)
60 Plains drifters 65 Styron’s -Turner 66 Shake awake 67 Free to roam 68 Mao -- -tung 69 Works on a manuscript 70 Follow upon
34 36 37 38 43 44
Rubberneck Give a home to Migratory flocks “Lou Grant” lead Do something Get better
47 49 50 51 52
Hesitant Prone Biased viewpoint Smidgens Espresso with milk
53 55 56 59 61
Tent supports Tropical isle Discharge Coal scuttle Solar wind component
62 Emergency signal 63 Buckeye campus 64 Society column word
DOWN 1 Part of mos. 2 Help-wanted abbr. 3 Retiree’s kitty 4 Family mem. 5 Part of a churn 6 Canasta plays 7 Insatiable 8 Type option 9 Medieval poem 10 Whole 11 Green-skinned pear 12 Is sincere 13 White-water craft 21 Gaelic 23 Napoleon 24 Frat letter 25 Not built-up 26 Priest’s vestment 27 Askew 28 Destroy, as a fire 30 Side road 31 RN assistants
© 2015 UNITED FEATURES SYNDICATE
PREVIOUS DAY’S PUZZLE SOLVED:
TODAY’S CROSSWORD SPONSORED BY:
D.P. Dough
®
Delivers Calzones
THE ORIGINAL CALZONE COMPANY
THURS.
8/6 MAUI WOWI
FRI.
8/7 CHICK-NBACON
SAT.
8/8 TWILIGHT ZONE
SUN.
8/9 OH! ZONE
MON.
8/10 CHICKEN PARMAZONE
TUES.
8/11 RONI ZONI
WED.
8/12 2 FOR $12
$6 Zone of the Day! ORDER ONLINE @ WWW.DPDOUGH.COM
8145 J Baltimore Ave, College Park, MD • 301-614-9663
NEW COMIC ARTIST WANTED
HOROSCOPE | STELLA WILDER
T
he coming week is likely to see at least two contrasting forces converge -- and the result is sure to be a dramatic development that demands immediate attention, one that will likely have a profound effect on all involved for quite some time. Who will be affected, and in what way, are the questions many will be asking, but the answers cannot be calculated in a rational, linear fashion. Indeed, the greatest challenge to everyone may be to wait and see what happens -- for patience may be the only way to deal with the week’s events. Anticipation, while usually a valuable and necessary tool, isn’t likely to be all that effective. As the poet said, “the readiness is all” -- and this week, those who are ready will stand the best chance of coming out on top. Even where obstacles are unusually formidable, or challenges unusually complex, being ready for anything can be the deciding factor. LEO (July 23-Aug. 7) -- Your ability to create something new and stunning out of whole cloth will prove invaluable. You can surprise your critics. (Aug. 8-Aug. 22) -- Travel may prove more complicated than expected as the behavior of others throws a wrench in the works. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 7) -- You may fear that irreparable damage has been done, but in fact, you’re already well on your way to a full recovery. (Sept. 8-Sept. 22) -- Your attention span may be rather short, but as luck would have it, that suits what you have on the docket quite well. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 7) -- You’ll want to thank someone who has come through in the nick of time. Don’t wait until you’ve both moved on to other things. (Oct. 8-Oct. 22) -- You’ve been waiting quite a long time for something that is at last just around the corner. Final preparations can be made. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 7) -- You may not understand just how bad a
certain situation appears to someone else, but you can take his or her word for it -- that’s a start. (Nov. 8-Nov. 21) -You may wish that you could hide from a certain heavy responsibility, but the time has come at last for you to tend to it once and for all. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 7) -- Be sure to take in your surroundings, wherever you go. Peripheral awareness can save you from embarrassment or danger. (Dec. 8-Dec. 21) -- You may make more minor errors than usual, but they’ll only cause you real trouble if you fail to acknowledge them. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 6) -- Your ability to anticipate another’s behavior will save both of you from certain dangers. (Jan. 7-Jan. 19) -- A friend or co-worker has a proposition for you. Although it may require a sacrifice, it’s well worth considering. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 3) -- You may be facing a startling deadline as the week opens, but if you keep your head, you can surely satisfy all expectations. (Feb. 4-Feb. 18) -- You’re eager to take on an assignment that gives you the chance to display your talents. Things may transpire differently. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 5) -- You are sought after for your expertise in a certain area. What you have to offer is rare indeed, but you’re not the only game in town. (March 6-March 20) -- Someone is willing to give you more of what you want than originally arranged, but are
you going to have to give more yourself before all is said and done? ARIES (March 21-April 4) -- A reunion of sorts results in personal enjoyment and professional gain. You’ll have much to be thankful for by the weekend. (April 5-April 19) -- You aren’t really in a position to claim victory just yet, but that end is surely in sight. TAURUS (April 20-May 5) -- You’ll want to be sure that everything adds up with mathematical precision. Don’t forget to add in last-minute revelations. (May 6-May 20) -- What transpires may try your patience, but if you resist the temptation to overreact, you can surely come out on top. GEMINI (May 21-June 6) -- It may be time for you to chime in on a certain topic that you know perhaps better than anyone. Others are promoting faulty notions. (June 7-June 20) -- You can contribute something quite memorable. As far as you’re concerned, it’s nothing out of the ordinary. CANCER (June 21-July 7) -- You’ve waited quite a while to climb to the rung on which you are now perched -- and the view is extraordinary, if you just take the time to look. (July 8-July 22) -- There’s no point in holding a grudge of any kind; it will only get in your way and hurt your future chances. COPYRIGHT 2015 UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE, INC.
TODAY’S HOROSCOPE SPONSORED BY:
APPLY TODAY! INSOMNIAC
ALEX CHIANG
SU | DO | KU © Puzzles by Pappocom
Fill in the grid so that every row, column, and 3x3 grid contains the digits 1 through 9.
tablet friendly ;-)
PREVIOUS DAY’S PUZZLE SOLVED:
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY:
HARD
TODAY’S SUDOKU PUZZLE SPONSORED BY:
follow the Diamondback on twitter
@thedbk
dbknews.com
CLASSIFIED
CLASSIFIED DISPLAY ADS • Larger type • Sold in 1” increments • 1 column wide • $16.50/col. inch • Run online FREE OFFICE HOURS 10AM – 4PM Monday – Friday • 3136 South Campus Dining Hall DEADLINES The deadline for ads is 2PM • 2 business days in advance of publication RATES 35¢ per word: $3.50 minimum • ALL CAPITAL LETTERS: 35¢ extra per word • Bold Letters: 70¢ extra per word SPECIAL Run the same ad 4 consecutive days and get the 5th day FREE!
TO PLACE AN AD: PHONE 301-314-8000 EMAIL ADVERTISING@DBK.UMD.EDU FAX 301-314-8358
EMPLOYMENT
The Diamondback is looking for Ad Reps!
10–15 hrs/week working around your class schedules. Must be ready to work August 11th. E-mail your resume to: advertising@dbk.umd.edu
FOR RENT Student housing, 4-5 bedroom in beautiful forest area 1 mile from campus. http://www.coolhousecollege.com.
GOT EXTRA STUFF?
THE DIAMONDBACK CLASSIFIEDS ARE THE PERFECT PLACE TO SELL YOUR EXTRA STUFF. CALL 301-314-8000 MON.FRI., 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM, TO PLACE YOUR AD WITH YOUR CREDIT CARD.
SERVICES DISSERTATION EDITING — Theses, papers. Wordprocessing. Call 24 hours. 301-474-6000. www.Compu.Media/academic NEED MONEY FOR RENT? — Call 301-314 -8000, 10 am - 4 pm, Monday - Friday, to place a classified ad and sell your extra stuff!
v m A
¿ ONLINE All Classified & Classified Display Ads
will run online at no additional charge.
ALL ADS MUST BE PREPAID
SERVICES
FAX SERVICE
Send/Receive Local/Long Distance (international not available) Diamondback Business Office 3136 South Campus Dining Hall PHONE: 301-314-8000 Mon. - Fri. 10 am - 4 pm
like us on facebook
6
THE DIAMONDBACK | THURSDAY, august 6, 2015
DIVERSIONS
ALL THE Sony pictures has released its film slate for the next two years and CRAP YOU the list of upcoming features includes some tantalizing possibilities. CARE ABOUT Among the fun to come are two Bad Boys sequels and a remake of Jumanji.
REVIEW | LADY GAGA & TONY BENNETT
Cheek to cheek Gaga and Bennett make the perfect pair in concert By Josh Magness @DBKDiversions For The Diamondback
Ben platt stars as the titular Evan Hansen, a quiet teenager who pushes himself further and further into a web of lies. Platt’s performance is solid and his fellow cast members (including Rachel Bay Jones (above) as Heidi) also find the right balance between humor, energy and emotional depth. photo courtesy of arena stage REVIEW | DEAR EVAN HANSEN AT ARENA STAGE
The right notes Dear Evan Hansen finds the right balance of musical energy and emotional depth By Mel DeCandia @melephant11 Staff writer A t h e a te r l a n d s c a p e crowded with sleazy j u k e b o x t u n e s , fo rc e d movies-turned-musicals and tired revivals got a m u c h - n e e d e d e n e rg y boost last week from Dear Evan Hansen , the latest offering at Arena Stage in Washington. Dear Evan Hansen introduces a unique new story about a quiet teenager, the titular Evan Hansen (played by Pitch Perfect and The Book of Mormon’s Ben Platt), who spins himself an ever-tangling web of lies when his selfaddressed diary entry is found in the wrong hands and mistaken for his former classmate Connor’s suicide note. Despite his initial attempts to explain the mix-up, Evan ultimately decides to fake a friendship with the deceased in exchange for popular-
ity, family and a sense of belonging. The show’s first act is a bi t to nally i nconsis tent, just barely striking a balance between the ridiculous humor of Evan’s situation and the reality of mourning senseless death. At times, the show can be laugh-out-loud funny, but in other moments, it is a harrowing look at what it means to be a young person today, grieving or otherwise. “Sincerely, Me” is a standout musical number, in which Evan hilariously drafts fake emails between him and his late classmate, inventing a Connor that never truly existed. Still, the song is problematically sandwiched between two others that address the burden of losing a loved one. The second half of the show is stronger, pulling the story’s several disconnected components into perfect cohesion — narratively and thematically. While singing outcast high
school students seems too reminiscent of Glee on the surface, in Act 2, we see the characters’ struggles as far less trivialized. Despite the story sometimes straying toward absurd, the show effectively discusses real issues of social anxiety, loneliness and acceptance. In the play’s second act, Platt proves he is leadingman material in his earnest and sympathetic portrayal of Evan, but the real heart of the show rests with actress Rachel Bay Jones (Broadway’s Pippin and Hair), who plays Evan’s hard-working mother Heidi and whose solo “So Big/So Small” preceding the finale earned audible sniffles among the opening-night crowd. Directed by Broadway big shot Michael Greif (Rent, If/ Then ), Dear Evan Hansen bears his signature strippeddown style, here especially evocative of the staging of Greif’s 2010 Pulitzer Prizewinning musical, Next to Normal. What sets this show
apart from its predecessor — and perhaps as superior — is its music. Compared to Tom Kitt’s score of sometimes-grating guitar and unrelenting belting in Next to Normal , young Tonynominated composer duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul ( A Christmas Story, Dogfight) produce melodic piano music for Dear Evan Hansen. Perfectly synchronized with the story it underlines, the score serves as a driving force behind each scene rather than a mere interruption. With a little fine-tuning, Dear Evan Hansen has serious potential for a successful transfer to Broadway. In the meantime, it’s something Washington audiences should savor while they still can. Dear Evan Hansen opened Ju ly 3 0 i n t h e K re e ge r Theater at Arena Stage and will play until August 23. Tickets are available at arenastage.org.
and inability to stand still, and in turn the pop star seemed a bit more sophisticated and toneddown than usual. Gaga still had a bit of a bite to her, however, making jokes about some people’s reservations of the musical partnership. “You may be wondering why Tony recorded a jazz album with the girl who wore the meat dress,” she quipped, evoking laughter from the crowd. “But I assure you, I’m a much better jazz singer than a pop singer.” While an intriguing pair to watch, the highlights of the night came during solo performances. Bennett, just two days before his 89th birthday, had no vocal problems on the 36th and final performance of the C2C tour. His strongest moment came when belting Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon” over the boisterous band sans microphone. The hushed crowd sat in silence before erupting into a rousing ovation. Donning a pantsuit and a shirt with Bennett’s face on it, Gaga delivered purposeful vocals and slick movements during a cover of Louis Jordan’s 1944 “Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby,” transporting the crowd back to an early 20th century night club. If there’s any fault to be found in the pair, it’s that Bennett’s subtleties were sometimes lost behind the powerhouse that is Gaga’s booming voice. Gaga — not one for holding back — can sometimes come across as too strong, but it’s also that overthe-top quality that makes her performances so enthralling to watch. While the partnership could easily be viewed as a smart business move,it was obvious — through the way they gushed about each other on stage and their well-rehearsed, soulful vocals — that both are bonded by a mutual respect for each other and a love for jazz.
Few people have had a stranglehold on the world’s attention like Lady Gaga has since her meteoric rise to stardom in 2008. For some, the controversial pop star’s attention-grabbing actions seemed proof that Gaga was more style and less substance. Her heavily produced music and often-Auto-Tuned vocals on her records only further fueled the ideas that she couldn’t make it with her voice alone, and thus needed to compensate with outrageous acts. That’s why many were bewildered when Tony Bennett and Gaga announced they were releasing an album of classic jazz standards called Cheek to Cheek in 2014. It was an unlikely partnership that left many wondering what Bennett saw in the eccentric hit-maker and just how well the 29-year-old singer could keep up with the jazz legend. The one-of-a-kind duo left no critics after their closing performance of their Cheek to Cheek Tour at the Kennedy Center on Aug. 1, receiving five standing ovations and dazzling the crowd with fresh interpretations of some classic numbers. From the first song, it was apparent that Gaga and Bennett had developed strong chemistry. They improvised intricate harmonies and challenging tempo changes throughout the nearly two-hour performance, with a 13-piece big band of brass and strings, as well as their respective bands — a quartet for Bennett and a quintet for Gaga — following along. During their duets, Bennett would rigidly stand in place, occasionally tapping his foot or clapping his hands, while Gaga fluttered about the stage, sensually shaking her hips and twirling her outfits. Bennett seemed energized by Gaga’s electric voice
diversionsdbk@gmail.com
I TALI AN K I T CHEN
THE MALL AT PRINCE GEORGES 3480 EAST-WEST HWY, HYATTSVILLE, MD 20782 (301) 853-0289 • ORDER ONLINE AND HAVE IT TO GO
mdecandiadbk@gmail.com
Across the street from Target Express! Once a customer, always a friend! MORE ONLINE
Voted College Park’s “Best Bagels”!
BAGEL PLACE B BA (301) 779-3900
Catering available! Sign Up for Our VIP Rewards Card!
Route 1 • Across from S. Campus Visit us for lunch or dinner
Buy One Bagel with Cream Cheese, Get One
1.00 OFF
$
Any Specialty Sandwich
FREE
Not valid with other offers.
Of equal or lesser value. Not valid with other offers.
FARM-TO-TABLE OPTIONS
VEGAN GLUTEN FREE FLEXITARIAN
SILVERDINER.COM
photo courtesy of wikimedia
A journey taken with Lianne La Havas To listen to Lianne La Havas’s Blood is to brace yourself for the magic it unleashes. To read more from The Diamondback’s Karla Casique, head online to dbknews.com.
5
CARRY OUT AVAILABLE
$ OFFWhenin thisyouad!bring Must spend $15 or more
301-220-0028 GREENBELT SILVER DINER
FREE WIFI
GREENBELT PLAZA SHOPPING CENTER 6040 GREENBELT ROAD • GREENBELT, MD
4429 Lehigh Rd 301-927-6717
$1 OFF
Now accepting:
Any $5 Purchase
Visa • Mastercard • Discover
v m D
Offer details: One coupon per party. Coupon void if altered.
Wood’s Flowers and Gifts ◆ Fresh Flowers ◆ Beautiful Roses ◆ Fruit & Snack Baskets ◆ Plants ◆ Dish Gardens ◆ Orchid Plants ◆ Gifts ◆ Cards ◆ Silk Flowers ◆ Stuffed Animals ◆ Balloons
Flowers for
* All Occasions * Daily Local and Nationwide Delivery Special Requests Welcome with Advanced Notice
Call, stop in, or visit our website. Family-owned and operated since 1938
9223 Baltimore Ave. College Park, MD 20740 One mile north of the University of Maryland (Next to Proteus Bicycles)
OPEN LATE! SUN-THURS 7AM–12AM FRI & SAT 7AM–3AM
301-474-7000 | 1-800-671-6934
www.woodsflowersandgifts.com
THURSDAY, august 6, 2015 | SPORTS | The Diamondback
ROUNDUP From PAGE 8 127 special-teams plays as a freshman with Virginia Tech, but he saw just five snaps on the defense. In his final campaign at Gilman, he registered 85 tackles, 16 for a loss and nine sacks. Coming out of high school, Keihn was rated the No. 16 outside linebacker in the country and No. 4 overall player in this state by recruiting website Rivals.com. He will become the third Gilman player on the Terps roster, joining fullbacks Kenneth Goins Jr. and Shane Cockerille, who recently converted from quarterback. While coach Randy Edsall has had significant success luring in-state recruits in the 2016 class, the Terps didn’t land any of the three top-20 247Sports recruits. THREE-YEAR SERIES The Terrapins women’s basketball team has added Con-
camp From PAGE 8 [the] U.S. team feelings don’t really matter,” Cummings said. “[We’re] trying to, I guess, get to know the former enemy, now teammate.” In addition to building new relationships, Cummings and Mercer had to acclimate to a different playing style. Mercer, who was not available for comment, had to adjust to the U.S. team’s highpressure defensive style. “We have a [joke] with the coaching staff that when Alice is playing that style, it’s almost like she’s hunting prey and going after her opponent and dictating where they’re going to go and
7
necticut, a familiar foe and perennial powerhouse, to its nonconference schedule for the next three seasons. The two programs announced a three-year deal Wednesday with one game at a neutral arena plus a homeand-home series. The Terps and Huskies, who are the three-time defending national champions, have played each other in each of the past three seasons. The Terps lost all three contests, including an 81-58 loss in the Final Four in April. Connecticut and the Terps will face off Dec. 28 at Madison Square Garden, part of the 10th annual Maggie Dixon Classic. Then in the 2016-17 season, the Terps host the Huskies, and the series concludes with a Connecticut home game. “There’s a lot to like about this series for us,” coach Brenda Frese said in a news release. “It’s a terrific challenge for our team and will demand that we’re razorsharp. We want to be on our game’s biggest stage.”
The Huskies have won 10 national championships, nine more than the Terps, who won their lone title in 2006.
what they’re going to do,” U.S. coach Ricky Fried said. “Watching her play out of her comfort zone is very refreshing because not everybody is able to do that.” Fried credited Cummings’ leadership skills, citing her competitive drive as an asset to the team. Her work ethic was infectious for teammates, Fried said, especially after they made friendships off the field. “We ask them to get to know each other because they do know each other competitively, but not personally,” Fried said. “When you get to know someone personally, it carries onto the field, where you’re able to trust each other at a higher level, and you’re able to make mistakes and feel like you’re covered.”
By the end of the week, Cummings was friends with her roommate, Madison Crutchfield from Duke, and she ate meals alongside Syracuse attacker Kayla Treanor. Cummings and Mercer have spent hours game planning and playing against many of the U.S. players over the years. But with the July camp behind them, Cummings is seeing her rivals in a new light. “We respect each other so much as players on the field, and to get to know them off the field and get the chance to play with them is awesome,” Cummings said. “You know, I’d rather play with them then against them.”
ESPN RANKS TERPS NO. 1 What many fans had been hoping would happen came to fruition Wednesday morning, when the Terrapins men’s basketball team garnered the No. 1 ranking in ESPN’s No-LongerWay-Too-Early Top 25. The Terps had previously been ranked No. 5 in the WayToo-Early Top 25 that was released April 7. But after adding Duke transfer Rasheed Sulaimon, the Terps jumped to the top spot. ESPN’s rankings also foreshadow a potential No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup Dec. 1 at the Dean Dome against North Carolina, which currently is No. 2. The season doesn’t start until Nov. 13, though, so Terps fans will have to be content with dreaming of what the future might hold for now. sportsdbk@gmail.com
ccaplandbk@gmail.com
wright From PAGE 8 professionally, and no one knowing it,” Wright said with a chuckle. “People [were] just walking by me, watching the softball game[s].” Wright finished up the visit on behalf of Idaho State but felt excited to help stabilize a Terps program that has been mired with uncertainty in recent years. After an 11-35 campaign in 2014 led to former coach Laura Watten leaving the program, coach Courtney Scott Deifel helped improve the team’s win total by 16 games last season. But on June 11, Scott Deifel accepted the same position at Arkansas. The third coach in three years promises things will be different this time. The revolving door ends with her. Many of this university’s teams enjoyed success in their inaugural Big Ten campaigns, and Wright wants her squad to have reason to celebrate, too. “This is where I want to be,” Wright said. “Maryland is where I want to be. I’ve told the team repeatedly, ‘Relax. I’m your coach.’ And I’ve told that with my recruiting, too. I’m the coach. Period.” Wright took the helm at Idaho State for the 2011 campaign with the hopes of turning around a program in need of a culture shock. The team had little leadership, former Bengals infielder Hailey Breakwell said. Wright intended to change that. “[Idaho State] had just brought softball back a few years before,” Breakwell said. “They had some bad coaches, and some just terrible years. [Wright] really sold me on that we are going to build this program together. We’re going to change it. And we ended up doing that.”
Coach julie wright led the Bengals to three Big Sky titles. photo courtesy of maryland athletics After two rocky years, Wr i g h t h e l p e d l ea d t h e Bengals to their first-ever Big Sky regular season title in 2013 with a 29-win campaign. The following season, they eclipsed that mark with 35 wins and posted the fourthbest team batting average in the country. So after accepting the Terps job, Wright stayed on the recruiting trip for another few days, hoping to bolster the Bengals before her departure. “I had a wonderful experience at Idaho State,” Wright said. “I wanted to leave that program in the best possible place. I told my athletic director at the time, finishing this up for the next two or three days is really important.” Wright had been following the Big Ten from afar, so she had many ideas for the Terps when she arrived. She saw the team’s need for improved communication in the field. While the Terps scored more than six runs per game under Scott Deifel, Wright noticed they had lost nine contests by one run and were allowing an average of more than one unearned run per game. “There’s always the play that you’re making immediately, and there’s the play after that, and then there’s the play after that,” Wright said. “Be ready for all of them.”
While she hopes to improve the Terps defense, she also wants to impart a far more important lesson: a strong sense of self. She wants the Terps to feel good about what they are doing. She wants them to do well in the classroom, and she wants everyone to graduate on time. Wright speaks confidently and affirmatively when looking into the future. She maintains that her players will get used to her and “stop waiting for the other shoe to drop.” After all, this isn’t the first time she’s been tasked with righting a program in flux; Wright also started at Idaho State a few years after the team returned in 2007 and transformed them into a competitive program. It’s been three years since the Terps qualified for the NCAA tournament and four years since they’ve won a postseason game. Wright believes she is the right coach to change the ethos, though it might take a couple of years to establish a winning foundation. Not that she plans on going anywhere. “It’s not like coaches come in here and you intend to leave,” Wright said. “It’s just what happens. Things happen in life. In my life, right now and what I’ve always wanted, is this.” jneedelmandbk@gmail.com
Extraordinary spaces for extraordinary living. WALKWAY TO CAMPUS
DESIGNER INTERIOR FINISHES
VARSITYCOLLEGEPARK.COM
ON-SITE DINING & RETAIL
ACADEMIC SUCCESS CENTER WITH iMACS, PCs & FREE PRINTING
PRIVATE BEDROOMS & BATHROOMS
TWO STORY 24-HOUR FITNESS CENTER
Voted Best Off-Campus Housing 4 years in a row
FULLY FURNISHED WITH FLAT PANEL TV INCLUDED
CABLE TV & INTERNET INCLUDED
Apply online today at
LIMITED SPACES AVAILABLE—APPLY NOW
You’re going to love it here.
®
Going to college at the University of Maryland is extraordinary—how you live it should be too. The Varsity’s fully furnished, modern living spaces feature enhanced privacy for comfort and study, amenities promoting health, fitness, and socialization, and professional on-site management.
Where students love living.
TM
VARSITYCOLLEGEPARK.COM 8150 Baltimore Ave 301.446.3790
AMERICANCAMPUS.COM
Amenities & utilities included are subject to change. See office for details.
TWEET OF THE DAY
Jaylen Brantley @Jaybrant2 Terrapins men’s basketball guard
“Where is @_STAYMELO ?? Denny’s is calling our nameee!!!! I’m starving...”
SPORTS
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER
For news and updates on all Terrapins sports teams, follow us on Twitter @DBKSports.
PAGE 8
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2015
ROUNDUP
SOFTBALL
4-star WR Ellis commits to Terps Virginia Tech DE Keihn announces he will finish career in College Park By Ryan Baillargeon and Phillip Suitts @RyanBaillargeon, @PhillipSuitts Senior staff writers The Terrapins football team nabbed another highly regarded class of 2016 in-state recruit Friday evening when four-star wide receiver Tino Ellis verbally committed to the Terps on television. Ellis, who plays for DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, announced his commitment live on Comcast SportsNet, a regional sports channel. He chose the Terps over Virginia Tech, which was previously considered a slight favorite, according to 247sports.com. Three of ESPN’s top-10 recruits in the state have committed to the Terps, including quarterback Dwayne Haskins Jr. Other top-10 in-state recruits, such as Trevon Diggs, are still considering the Terps. Trevon is the younger brother of Minnesota Vikings wide receiver and former Terps star Stefon Diggs. Ellis is ESPN’s No. 10 player in the state, eight places behind Haskins, a Potomac native who attends the Bullis School. The two class of 2016 players are reportedly good friends.
That isn’t Ellis’ only connection to the Terps. Ellis is high school teammates with two Terps commits, Darryl Turner and Lorenzo Harrison. While Ellis had narrowed his choices down to five schools, Virginia Tech and the Terps were considered his top two choices. Ellis is the second cousin of Hokies cornerback Donovan Riley. Keandre Jones, an outside linebacker from Good Counsel High School ranked at No. 9, is the third top-10 in-state commit. TERPS TO ADD KEIHN After former Virginia Tech defensive end Melvin Keihn was granted his release from Virginia Tech on July 30, he announced on Twitter on Tuesday that he will be joining the Terrapins football team. The Terps recruited the two-time Baltimore Sun All-Metro recipient in high school at Gilman, but lost out to the Hokies. The 6-foot-1, 211-pound defensive end will likely have to sit out a year per NCAA transfer rules but will have three years of eligibility remaining. Keihn was on the field for See roundup, Page 7
Coach julie wright stands in the bleachers at the Maryland Softball Stadium. The previous Idaho State coach was named to the Terps job July 17.
photo courtesy of maryland athletics
the wright coach Terps’ third coach in three years looks to stabilize program in flux By Joshua Needelman @JoshNeedelman Senior staff writer Julie Wright hung up the phone and went back to work. The Idaho State coach had just received life-changing news, but she had nobody to tell as she stood in the middle of about 20 softball fields in Reno, Nevada, on a recruiting trip. For the past five years, Wright had dedicated herself to stockpiling talent and turning a middling Idaho State
program into a Big Sky powerhouse. So it was fitting that Wright, who grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and longed to coach in the Big Ten, was scouring a softball tournament for potential recruits when this university’s Associate Athletic Director Kristen Brown called Wright to offer her the Terps head coaching job. “It was almost surreal looking around, and me getting probably one of the greatest opportunities of my lifetime See wright, Page 7
PARENTS!
WOMEN’S LACROSSE
KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOUR KIDS WHILE THEY’RE IN SCHOOL.
midfielder taylor cummings guards Syracuse midfielder Kelly Cross during the Terps’ 10-7 win over the Orange on March 7. Cummings and Terps defender Alice Mercer participated in the U.S. Lacrosse Women’s National team training camp last week. file photo/the diamondback
Cummings, Mercer polish game at U.S. training camp Terps play with former teammates, ACC competitors By Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan Staff writer In late May, midfielder Taylor Cummings and defender Alice Mercer helped the Terrapins women’s lacrosse team defeat Syracuse and North Carolina on the sport’s final weekend to seal the program’s second consecutive national title. This past weekend, Cummings and Mercer took the field and saw many of the players they battled during the season. This time, though, everyone was playing for the same team. The two seniors participated in the U.S. Lacrosse Women’s National Team training camp from July 31-Aug. 2 at Delaware, polishing their games and developing bonds with players from other schools. “The thing that our coaches really stress is to connect with each other,” Cummings said.
“TO COME TOGETHER FOR A QUICK WEEKEND AND BOND REALLY FAST IS DIFFICULT, BUT I THINK WE DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB WITH THAT.” TAYLOR CUMMINGS
Terrapins women’s lacrosse midfielder “We’re a group of 36 people who have never really played together before, so to come together for a quick weekend and bond really fast is difficult, but I think we did a pretty good job with that.” Though Cummings and Mercer were the lone current Terps on the roster, several alumnae participated, including former attackers Brooke Griffin and Alex Aust, and midfielders Kelly McPartland and Katie Schwarzmann.
But the U.S. coaching staff encouraged the players to branch out. At one point, the coaches paired players with a teammate they didn’t previously know. After learning about their partner, the players had to introduce each other to the team and share something unique about them. Cummings teamed with former North Carolina defender Sloane Serpe, who graduated in 2014, one season after defeating Cummings and the Terps in triple overtime in the national championship. Many other Terps worked with North Carolina and Syracuse players, too. “What’s awesome about that is on the field when we play for our respective teams, we do play hard and we do have a good rivalry going, but when we come together for See camP, Page 7
The Diamondback, the University of Maryland's award-winning daily newspaper, offers a FREE daily e-mail headline service. Go to DBKNEWS.COM, click on About Us in the navigation bar, then click Subscribe! You'll receive daily e-mails with headlines from that day's Diamondback. If there is important breaking news we'll send one, also. Keep up with the news that is shaping your son's or daughter's life.
THE DIAMONDBACK
University of Maryland’s Daily Newspaper
DBKNEWS.COM