10/25 Weekly Edition

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

The Independent Student Newspaper of Sam Houston State University

SPECIAL EDITION INSIDE Health and Wellness on Campus

The Official News Source of Sam Houston State University MUSIC FESTIVAL, P.2

SHSU CREATES, P.3

DANCE GALLERY, P.3

CLINCHED, P.5

PRO TALENT, P.6

Huntsville will play home to a local festival, complete with local musicians.

Rachel Varner writes about Jacob Eldridge and his missions to Belize.

Sharon Raissi gives us a preview to the upcoming Dance Gallery Festival.

SHSU soccer has earned themselves a spot in the SLC Tournament.

Gabe Myers speculates about the draft status of SHSU football players.

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@HoustonianSHSU

@HoustonianSHSU

Volume 129 | Issue 9

Keller strikes 300 at Sugar Bowl win

HoustonianOnline.com

SAM Center: here to help Phi Alpha Theta makes history

HIVAN MORENO Asst. Sports Editor

EMILY DAVIS Asst. Associate Editor

Smart Bowling The Sam Houston State Bearkat bowling team has opened its season with a first place victory for the fifth time in the last six years.

The Kats took home the title at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Invitation hosted by Tulane.

SHSU entered the competition as the No. 1 seed. The Kats opened the tournament by beating their rival SFA in a seven-game match.

Sam Houston then went on to the finals where they beat the host university Tulane to claim the top spot.

“Today showed how mature a young roster can be when facing moments such as what we encountered today,” head coach Brad Hagen said. “What we did today makes me excited for the future.”

Two Bearkats were named to the all-tournament team—Stephanie Zavala and Madysen Keller.

Keller accomplished an incredible feat as she bowled a perfect 300 to beat SFA. This was the first perfect game in the eight-year history of the SHSU bowling program and undoubtedly an unforgettable moment for her.

Keller began bowling at a young age. Despite how much she enjoyed it, it took her a while to realize that she wanted to make it a serious part of her life.

“I started bowling when

Ethan Horn | The Houstonian

ADVISING CHANGES.

Students need to take advantage of the new online methods for scheduling an advising appointment in order to avoid long lines. The SAM Center still offers walk-in appointments, but be ready to get up early. Walk-ins are only available from 7:30 to 10 a.m. Advising is open to all students every weekday.

ETHAN HORN Associate Editor

The SAM Center is making some changes to procedures that students will want to pay attention to.

The center, located on the main floor of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, offers a suite of academic tools for students to make the most of their collegiate experience.

Beyond the traditional role of advising, the SAM Center also assists in a number of other capacities. The Academic Success Center and Academic Support Programs assist students in navigating coursework and workload management.

After the devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey, the different — BOWLING, page 6 branches of the center all offered

extra services specifically tailored to those affected.

But the center is looking for other ways to improve the programs for all students.

Beginning this fall, the center requires an appointment for a majority of its operating hours.

These appointments guarantee students a 30 minute block of time in which they can have person, one-on-one attention. “[We are] looking at how we got to where we are now with advising at Sam, looking for areas where we can be innovative and offer improvements for all our students,” Ann Theodori, the executive director of the Sam Center said. “We do not need to reorganize or build anything new from scratch. We have a historically sound center to build off of.”

Part of building the program

is ensuring that students have ways to mitigate long waits, and providing a space in which lasting relationships with advisors can be formed.

“The SAM Center is here, we are committed to students’ success,” Theodori said. “That hasn’t necessarily been our focus before, we have been so focused on seeing as many students as possible right before registration week that we haven’t had those opportunities to build relationships with students and work with the same set of students from freshman year to graduation.”

The center sets out to complete this goal in collaboration with other groups on campus.

“We meet at least once a month with with the Undergraduate —

ADVISING, page 2

Phi Alpha Theta, Sam Houston State University’s National History Honor Society, has received the national “best chapter award”.

For the first time in over a decade, the chapter submitted a scrapbook highlighting Phi Alpha Theta’s, Sigma Phi chapter’s involvement in conferences for Region 5, as well as several events, which ultimately outshone the other five divisions in the nation.

“Winning this award is a testament to the hard work and talents of our history majors and minors,” faculty advisor Brian Jordan said.

“I am thrilled that our students have received the national recognition they so richly deserve. This is a landmark achievement” SHSU’s Sigma Phi chapter of Phi Alpha Theta chapter was established in 1978, and currently has 48 active members. Nationally there are now 22,000 members and six divisions, SHSU being in Division 5.

“I find it amazing that our small group, having really no —

NATIONAL, page 2

Photo courtesy Briana Weaver

NATIONAL. SHSU’s Sigma Phi chapter of Phi Alpha Theta received a national award.

Bearkat Community Gardens brings town closer EMILY DAVIS Asst. Associate Editor The Bearkat Community Gardens is a brand new, grassroots program at Sam Houston State University, with a goal to end food insecurity through service, education, and sustainable gardening. The Garden was started in January 2017, to give students, faculty, staff and alumni the space to practice their own sustainable gardening. The garden is located at the SHSU Horticulture Center, and is currently comprised of a three-fourths acre Field Garden with 12 raised-beds that grow approximately 10 different types of fruits and vegetables each season.

The Community Garden is maintained and cared for by volunteers and donations.

“While the majority of the Photo courtesy Isabella Jeffrey ‘dirty’ work is completed by aweHARVEST. The Bearkat Community Garden enables learning some volunteers in exchange for opportunities and friendships, but it also allows students to give back to service hours,” Garden Manger the community through their service.

Isabella Jeffrey said. “There are some things that rely on the generosity of local businesses and donations from individuals, like deer fence, water hoses, mulch, fertilizer, etc.”

The garden is sponsored by the Center for Community Engagement, and is supported by several departments on campus, including Biological Sciences, Agricultural Sciences, Curriculum & Instruction, First-Year Experience, along with many others.

Not only does the garden enable learning opportunities and friendships, but it also allows students to give back to the community through their service.

“With the addition of our new Field Garden, we are producing tons of fruits and vegetables that we make available to our volunteers and club members,” Jeffrey said. “We are also partnered with the SHSU Food Pantry and the Good Shepherd Mission of

Huntsville.”

There are several ways to be involved with the gardens, whether as an individual or as a group.

Service hours are offered during the week for individuals at the Open Garden, and Service Days are scheduled for organizations to do some of the more extensive projects. Groups of students can also adopt one of the 12 raised beds, for a small fee, and grow whatever they would like in their plot.

“Of course, they sign a contract and have to make sure their plot is maintained through regular weeding, watering, and harvesting throughout their specified contract season,” Jeffrey said.

Not only do the volunteers get service hours for their time working in the Garden, but they can also take home some of the harvests and add to their own refrigerator and pantry.

The Houstonian | HoustonianOnline.com/news | Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Page 2 NATIONAL, page 1 — recognition on a national level, was able to win something so substantial,” Phi Alpha Theta President Briana Weaver said.

“Over the last year we have really been trying to get the word out that we are here on campus.”

Not only does the Sigma Alpha chapter get recognition, but the acceptance of the award will be announced at the Phi Alpha Theta bi-annual National Conference next January in New Orleans. The Department will also receive a $250 stipend for books, with which they plan to purchase the books from their next speaker and give them to the initiates next spring, so they can get them signed.

“I think it shows an interest in the field and that our department is growing exponentially,” Phi Alpha Theta Vice President Ingrid Patino said. “It also allows us to go to our department; since we are bringing in new students we are able to request more funding and do more of these events.”

With 25 new inductees last year, the chapter is trying to get more active on campus and spread involvement. They will even induct a faculty member this upcoming year.

“This year we are inducting last year’s Chair of the Department, so that is a huge honor for us,” Patino said.

To become a member of Phi Alpha Theta students are required to complete at least 4 courses of history (12 hours), maintain a 3.0 or better overall GPA, and 3.1 or better GPA in history for undergraduate students.

Olsen: SHSU welcomes differing perspectives EMILY DAVIS Asst. Associate Editor Earlier this month, Andrew Fastow, former Chief Financial Officer of Enron, canceled his appearance at Sam Houston State University after five professors publicly objected to his visit by submitting a letter to The Houstonian, stating that, among other complaints, “Fastow’s appearance at SHSU only helps him profit from his criminality”.

He was invited to the “Rules vs. Principles” event put together by members of the SHSU accounting department and Compliance Officer Joseph Agins to discuss business ethics and his role in one of the biggest corporate collapses in American history. It is no surprise that his appearance at SHSU would trigger some tension from certain staff and students, since families all across the United States were affected by the collapse of Enron.

However, many students, faculty and alumni feel college campuses are supposed to be a place where controversial events and ideas are discussed.

Nationwide, there has been a rise of universities disinviting college guest speakers since

RYAN REYNOLDS Editor-in-Chief

Advising, page 1 —

Music lovers will be able to rock out during the Huntsville Music Festival on Oct. 28 at Kate Barr Ross Park from 6 to 10 p.m.

Huntsville is a city that cultivates an underbelly of creativity.

From art exhibits to museums, the culture of this small East Texas town is expressed through the arts, however, there are not many venues or opportunities to hear live music.

“There is a music presence in Huntsville, but it’s hard to find live music, and a lot of people seemed to like the idea of having a festival,” said Alan Culbert, event organizer and musician. “I think Huntsville needs somewhere to present its music and there are a lot of good bands coming out of Huntsville. I thought having it in the park was the perfect spot.”

Around 10 bands from the surrounding community are scheduled to perform at the park, and the festival will have a two-stage setup. The bands vary in genre so those in attendance can have a taste of just about everything.

The lineup includes Zero Detail, Silk Knives, Primaries, Ari and the Skeletons, Forager, Den Mother, Nello, Taylor Court and Kyle, By Himself.

“I tried to get a wide array of different kind of bands,” Culbert said. “I got three just outstanding bands. The headliner is Silk Knives, which is a rock-n-roll

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event poses a threat to student safety or disrupts the academic process” Olsen said.

Guest speakers make up a majority of special events hosted at Sam, though the school has carefully selected who it invites in official capacities.

Another noteworthy speaker is headed to campus in the coming weeks, though this time free from any controversy. Steve Pemberton is coming to share

his “Story of Resilience” in the President’s Speaker Series on Oct. 31 at 10 a.m. in the James and Nancy Gaertner Performing Arts Center’s Payne Concert Hall.

To stay up-to-date on future public speaker appearances visit Today@Sam.

/HoustonianSHSU @HoustonianSHSU

BALLOONS EVERYWHERE.

Ethan Horn | The Houstonian

Students were abuzz with the balloons placed around campus Tuesday morning. They advertised the LSC Takeover, a Halloween event taking place on Oct. 25 for students.

Huntsville Music Festival promotes local musicians

Visit HoustonianOnline.com for the entire article

Advising Committee, the registrar’s office, financial aid officers, representatives from enrollment management to make sure we are part of the conversation on the operational side of getting students into the right classes,” Theodori said.”

Participating in these gatherings allows the center to stay up to date, and help others keep current across campus.

“The mission of the SAM Center is to provide a quality, student facing, consistent, advising experience for all student here,” Theodori said. “The number one thing that students need to know right now is that we are open for advising and that we are taking appointments.”

With the new appointment system, the advisors at the center have no patience with those who complain about lines.

“The long lines are on them! If they are standing in a long line in November right before enrollment it’s because they didn’t make an appointment ahead of time,” Theodori added. “They can make those appointments online at MySuccess Center.”

For those who can’t manage operating the online appointment service, the SAM Center will make the appointment for you at their front desk.

2014, due to objections by faculty, students, staff and interest groups.

Several universities have adopted new policies regarding guest speakers since recent college campus protests, such as Middlebury College, which saw intense protesting at a speaking event for author Charles Murray.

According to the school’s new policy, proposed events will be evaluated by a Threat Assessment and Management Team; if the team feels that an event attracts an “imminent and credible threat to the community”, it could be cancelled.

This has students and faculty asking the question: Are universities a place where controversial ideas are discussed, or a place where too much controversy or particular ideas should not be allowed?

“SHSU encourages an open dialogue and welcomes differing perspectives,” SHSU Director of Marketing and Communication Jeff Olsen said. “Discussion and debate are an important part of the learning process.”

Fastow, himself, decided to cancel his appearance and that there were no actual threats of protests or violence for his speech at Sam. “The university will only cancel a guest appearance if the

group. They’re on Spotify and they’re really good. Another really great band is called Zero Detail, they’re more of a reggae style rock band.”

Culbert’s girlfriend originally struck the thought after she showed Culbert a music festival in London that was designed toward kids with special needs.

Culbert, who was a member of Project Sunshine for two years, then came up with the idea of having a local music festival in Huntsville.

“It looked really easy to put together and as soon as I started telling people about it, it really caught on quickly,” Culbert said. “The entire organization of Project Sunshine was just openly down for it. Then I thought to myself, if I’m going to rent all this equipment then why not have a city-wide music festival for the entire town of Huntsville?”

Sam Houston State University’s Sigma Phi Epsilon organization and its Balance Man Scholarship, as well as Pita Pit and One Music Square are also contributing to the event. Pita Pit will cater food and beverages while One Music Square Owner Chip Looney is providing a van for guests to decorate. Upon entry, every guest will receive a glow stick wristband.

Although there are still a few things in the works before the event kicks off, Culbert hopes that everyone will come out to have a good time, and that the festival turns into an annual event in the future.

“SigEp has been a huge help

with all of this and Elizabeth from Pita Pit was really excited to be a part of it,” Culbert said.

“Chip donated the van for the festival and he is supplying a lot of the musical equipment as well. We’re going to paint on the van and will have glow in the dark paint for when it gets dark.

There are all types of music

and every genre and just a wide range of people here. I hope to be able to do this every year.”

For more information, visit the Huntsville Music Festival on Facebook.

Band Schedule:

Stage 1 1. Zero Detail – 6 p.m.

2. Primaries – 7 p.m.

3. Ari & the skeletons 8 p.m.

4. Silk Knives – 9 p.m.

In between performances: SHSU Tonal Knockout Acapella Stage 2 1. Sultan Subdued 6 p.m.

2. Den Mother – 7 p.m.

3. FORAGER – 8 p.m.

Health Inspector Report: Keeping Restaurants Clean Jimmy John’s - 2023 Sam Houston Ave. #1 - Score: 99 ∙Grease trap needs to be cleaned.

China House - 2105 Sam Houston Ave. - Score: 96 ∙Product held longer than 24 hours must show 7 day expiration date. ∙Sanitizer bucket must be stored 6 inches off the floor. ∙Fan and walls need to be cleaned and dusted.

3 Spoons Yogurt - 1524 11th Street #B - Score: 91 ∙No sanitizer available on site during prep.∙Person in Charge or Certified Food Manager must be available on site at all times. ∙Employees have 30 days from the day of hire to obtain food handler cards. ∙Floor needs to be re-sealed where raw concrete is showing.

Little Caesars - 111 I-45 South #H - Score: 89 ∙Improper cold hold ∙Counter top in prep area and equipment in prep area needs to be cleaned and sanitized. Sanitizer bucket must be available during prep. ∙Product held longer than 24 hours must show 7 day expiration date. ∙Wall behind 3 compartment sink, floor under prep area, oven racks and venthood need to be cleaned and sanitized. ∙Venthood exhaust needs to be cleaned.

McDonalds #3 - 2502 Sam Houston Ave. - Score: 94 ∙Product must show proper prep dates. ∙Soap must be provided at handsink at all times. ∙Multiple flies observed inside kitchen ∙Health permit must be posted for public view and ceiling tile needs to be installed properly.

Mr. Hamburger - 918 11th Street - Score: 93 ∙Employees have 30 days from the day of hire to obtain cards. ∙Adequate water pressure is needed for proper handwashing. ∙Floors need to be cleaned ∙Employee personal items must be stored properly to prevent cross-contamination.

The Houstonian | HoustonianOnline.com/campusculture | Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Page 3

SHSU Creates: Jacob Eldridge missions to Belize RACHAEL VARNER Senior Campus Culture Reporter There are those who walk the path of some scripted fate.

There are those who prefer to go with the flow. There are those who live out their own hopes and dreams. Then there are those who believe their lives are not their own – that there is a need and a purpose for the talents they’ve been given.

Except life does not always work out as planned. No matter what someone’s outlook on life, sometimes they are thrown for a loop in more ways than one, just as it was for sophomore physics and engineering major, Jacob Eldridge, whose future goals took a tumble back in his first and third years of high school.

“My junior and senior physics teacher...kind of shot down what my other dream used to be [to become an architect] and kind of got me into physics,” Eldridge said. “And it turned out that I was good at it, and I liked it, so I figured, ‘Why not do that?’”

But long before deciding on his career path, he felt a calling

to something beyond himself.

Eldridge came to know Christ when he was only six years old and made a decision that would affect his eternity.

“A couple months before [I accepted Christ], my mother had accepted Christ, and at the time, I didn’t know what that meant,” Eldridge said. “I just saw her get baptized and I started having those conversations with her... and I decided that was something I wanted to do.”

Shortly thereafter, the thenpastor of his church walked him through what exactly it meant to be a Christ-follower. But while walking by faith was a choice to be made every day, it wasn’t until his freshman year of high school that he was confronted with that calling.

The Oak Ridge Baptist Church youth program offered him the chance to go on mission to a small village in Belize.

At the time, it didn’t seem like something he wanted to do. He did ponder the possibility of going the next year, especially when that first group returned from Belize and showed a video presentation of the impact they had.

Photo courtesy Jacob Eldridge

OAK RIDGE BAPTIST. The Oak Ridge Baptist Church youth program offered Jacob Eldridge the

chance to go on mission to a small village in Belize.

“They had this [picture in the video] of their last night, and they all sat around this little fire...but there was one empty chair out of that whole group,” Eldridge stated. “I’d been debating whether or not I was going to go that year, but I was like, ‘No, I’ll just do it next time,’ but then I saw that chair and it just kind of hit me: I should have

been there.”

This was his motivation for joining the mission team that next year and the three summers after that. Each trip lasted about 10 days, each involving six adult chaperones for about 17 high school and college students, who led the mission.

The trip consisted of completing several community works

projects – like building a house, a chain-link fence, or a small concrete bridge over a ditch near the church – and hosting a Vacation Bible School for the children of Mascal and San Ramon.

“The way we did the VBS, [all the student missionaries] did Visit HoustonianOnline.com for the entire article

Halloween Throwback: The Thing

LINDSEY JONES TV/Film Reviewer

Unlike most horror films — notably cash-grabs— this film promises more to horror fans than just a conventional monster, slap-worthy characters, and a predictable storyline.

The Thing’s premise in itself is a monster — exposing old and new eyes to an intriguingly nihilistic direction of narration.

From the start, the film drags the audience into a wasteland of mystery, helplessness, and rising levels of mistrustfulness — only enhancing The Thing’s authenticity as one of the best, choosing not go for the tiresome “good-guy-survives” happy ending. While some might be disappointed with the end result, many horror fans (and film fans in general) appreciate the film for its realistic approach to such a despairing situation and for its bold embrace with psychologically hard-to-swallow topics of discussion like suicide, emotional instability, and sacrifice for the greater good.

The skepticism of the characters and the worsening circumstances that the characters find themselves in works entertainingly-well in creating a symbiotic terror of original-

ity not shared by many horror films today. Carpenter’s careful development of characters is done with an intentional subtlety — a brief line here, a peculiar expression there — gradually weaving characters like MacReady, Dr. Blair (played

by Wilford Brimley), and Childs (Keith David) into anything but cannon fodder who are ready to be “be hacked, slashed, disemboweled and decapitated.”

While the parasitic creature is responsible for most of the film’s terrifying moments, The Thing’s effortless manipulations of the audiences’ expectations is the mastermind behind its success in the psychological department of horror. The film’s success in constantly changing the audiences’ suspicions towards a specific character, all the while questioning the film’s main character, evokes an ongoing feeling of vulnerability. Despite the fact that we are not in the film, our uncertainty about the humanity of each character invites an anxious attentiveness that is not replicated in most horror films.

John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982) — which was initially considered “instant junk” by critics from across the spectrum in the 1980s— continues to stand the test of time as a gem among horror films. Its audacious courtship with a psychologically dark narration, coupled with Carpenter’s cleverly subtle execution Cartoon courtesy Elisabeth Willason and Rob Bottin’s unmatched practical effects sets this sciencefiction horror on a 35-year-old pedestal as the classic among classics.

Based on John W. Campbell, Jr.’s novella Who Goes There? and a remake of the classic The Thing from Another World task at hand on stage.”

SHARON RAISSI (1951), The Thing centers Dance Gallery Texas will Staff Reporter feature twelve unique acts, whose on said “thing” — a parasitic choreographers are scheduled to extraterrestrial lifeform that asteach a Master Class exclusively similates other organisms and, in The Dance Gallery Internaturn, imitates them. When The tional Festival showcases in both for dance students. To register, Thing infiltrates the base camp dance students must purchase a Texas and New York, with conof a group of American research ticket to the performance, then tributing choreographers from scientists in remote Antarctica, fill out the online registration all across the world. The festival the crew is thrown into a gory form found at the Dance Gallery will premiere at the Gartner and paranoia-induced fight for Festival website.

Performing Arts Center on Oct. survival as the vicious creature Visit HoustonianOnline.com for Audiences should be aware 27 and 28, before moving to New picks them off one by one. the entire article that the festival isn’t just an opYork in early November. portunity to see a show, it’s an This year, Sam Houston State opportunity at a sneak peak of University is well represented, the future and present faces of with both alumni and graduate dance as they navigate their way students being showcased. With in the professional world. such a wide, diverse array of “It’s become a real platform for performances and performers, the show promises something for people to get their name out and get started,” Noble explained. everyone.

“It’s really great for our current “It’s just beautiful, it’s always students and alums to have opinspiring,” said Andy Noble, Asportunities to get on stage New sociate Artistic Director of the York and be seen, and come back Dance Gallery Festival. “You’ll see some work with humor, some home and be presented.”

The festival also runs in both work with intense emotion, Manhattan and Brooklyn, at the some of the works have dance Ailey Citigroup Theater and the technology in it, so you’ll see Kelsey Kirkland Arts Center, some projection elements that respectively. The Sam Houston are visually exciting. It’s a show State University Dance Theater that covers a wide range.” is right on-par with two of the For participating dancers and most established theaters in New choreographers, the festival is a York. way to showcase their signature When asked why people styles and talents. Local gradushould be interested, Noble simate student and choreographer, ply answered, “Because you can Victoria DeRenzo, will have get exposed to culture outside of her piece, “Exposure Therapy”, Huntsville. I encourage everyone performed both here and New to come and have a unique exYork City. perience. There’s this wonderful “My style tends to be raw sense of people coming together and unrefined, blending athleticism, floorwork and partnering,” and getting to know each other.”

All tickets to the show are DeRenzo said, alluding to her $15, and anyone can reserve tickpiece in the show. “I want to see ets at the GPAC Box Office. real people with eclectic backCartoon submitted by Michelle Sklar grounds fully engaged in the

Campus Conundrum

Dance Gallery Festival leaps onto SHSU stage

Make It Stop!!

The Houstonian | HoustonianOnline.com/sports | Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Page 5

Kats clinch trip to Corpus

Photo courtesy SHSU Athletics

REACHING THEIR GOAL. Sam Houston State soccer is heading to the Southland Conference Tournament

after clinching a postseason berth with a draw against Southeastern Louisiana.

TYLER JOSEFSEN Sports Editor The Sam Houston State University soccer team have earned a spot in the 2017 Southland Conference Tournament.

The Bearkats took on the Cardinals of the University of the Incarnate Word Sunday on the road and clinched their tournament berth after a 2-2 double overtime draw.

“I think we scored a couple GABRIEL MYERS Sports Reporter The Sam Houston State University Bearkats defeated the Texas A&M Corpus Christi Islanders in five sets (33-31, 22-25, 25-21, 20-25, 17-15) Saturday at Johnson Coliseum in a game that was a rematch of the 2016 Southland Conference championship game.

“Last year they beat us both times we played them,” senior outside hitter Taylor Cunningham said. “We just have to flush everything from last year away.

We’re a new team.”

The two teams picked up right where they left off in last year’s conference title game.

The match was back and forth, with neither team really being able to separate from the other in the first set. Down 24-21, the Bearkats proceeded to score the next four points, taking a 25-24 lead, thanks to two Islander errors plus a block and a kill by Cunningham. The Islanders got the next point to avoid losing the set.

The next 14 points it was a battle between two all-conference outside hitters from last year: senior Brittany Gilpin of the Islanders who is the reigning Southland Conference Player of the Year and senior Jordyn Vaughn of the Bearkats. The two combined to score seven of the 14 for their teams, but it was ultimately a block by Cunning-

nice goals,” head coach Tom Brown said. “We’ll just continue to move forward and try to get better.”

SHSU has a streak of five consecutive matches where they have not lost a game, bringing their SLC record to an even 4-4-2. The team’s solid run over the last three weeks propelled them to 14 points in league action. A dominating 2-0 win over Southeastern Louisiana on Oct. 15 played a huge role in the team qualifying for postseason play. ham that won the set for the Bearkats 33-31.

“That was a big set,” Vaughn said. “I’m not going to lie. I didn’t even know that it was that close. I was just trying to play the game, and when I looked up it was 24-24.”

In the second set, the Islanders jumped out to 11-5 lead thanks in large part to Bearkat errors. Despite SHSU’s valiant effort to spark a comeback, the Islanders were able to finish the second set, winning 25-23.

“Their offense is extremely quick,” head coach Brenda Gray said. “If our serving isn’t as crisp as we’re accustomed to, then we are going to get ourselves in some trouble.”

In the third set it was the Bearkats who took control early, jumping out to a 6-2 lead.

That lead quickly evaporated and turned into a 8-6 Islander advantage due to four straight attacking errors by the Bearkats.

Neither team could get more than a two-point lead before the final points of the set, where the Bearkats took a 23-20 lead, and were able to finish the set 25-21.

With SHSU leading the match 2-1, the fourth set was a continuation of what these two teams have come to expect from each other. A balanced attack and great defense at the net gave the Islanders a 25-20 fourth set win.

In the winner take all fifth set it was the Islanders who just seemed more comfortable in

SHSU flies to OSU

Photo courtesy SHSU Quidditch

BROOMS AWAY. Sam Houston Quidditch is preparing to head to OSU

for their next tournament of 2017 before the World Cup.

“We’ve gone the last couple of weeks without losing,” Brown said. “We were able to reach our goal of getting into the playoffs.”

After missing the conference tournament last season, SHSU will look to build upon the showing they had there in 2015 when the team did not allow a single goal to their opponents during regulation in any of their three games. The Kats found themselves in the championship match that year for the second

time in school history after beating Central Arkansas on penalty kicks and shutting out Houston Baptist 2-0. SHSU would eventually lose to the tournament champions Southeastern Louisiana 3-1 on penalty kicks in the title match.

SHSU ranks fourth in the conference this year with 29 goals through their first 16 games. Sophomore forward Carlota Suarez Crespo ranks among the best offensive players in the Southland. Her seven goals puts her tied for fourth in goals scored, and she sits fifth with an average of 0.47 goals per game. Not only has her scoring been consistent, but it has been clutch. Crespo has three game-winning goals this season, ranking her fourth in the SLC in that category.

The team will have one final match Friday against Stephen F. Austin at Pritchett Field in Huntsville at 6:30 p.m. before turning their attention to the SLC Tournament. Despite having already clinched their tournament berth, this will still be an important game for SHSU. SFA comes into Huntsville in third place in the conference.

The Bearkats will have a chance to knock off the 7-2 Ladyjacks to end the Bearkats’ season with a winning record both in conference and overall.

The conference tournament will be a five-day event in Corpus Christi beginning Nov. 1.

W HO’ S T HAT

K AT ?

Clue #1: He was born July 2, 1965 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Clue #2: He graduated from Sam Houston State University in 1989 before becoming a professional baseball player for nine years.

Clue #3: He is now employed by the Houston Astros organization.

He will be inducted into the SHSU Hall of Honor Nov. 3.

@HoustonianSHSU @HoustonianSHSU

Perfect season continues

Photo courtesy GoBearkats.com

STILL UNDEFEATED. SHSU beat UIW and TAMUCC to improve to a perfect 9-0 against Southland teams. the moment as they got out to an early 5-2 lead. It was senior outside hitter Brooke White who turned the tide for the Bearkats with a kill, followed by a service ace to make it 8-7.

An ace by junior Madison Wallace would eventually tie it at 10, but an error on the following point gave the Islanders an 11-10 lead. After a Cunningham kill tied the game at 11, an attacking error by the Islanders made it 12-11 Bearkats before an

Islander block evened it up again at 12 apiece. Two errors by Gilpin made it 14-12 Bearkats.

A Gilpin kill made it 14-13, and the next point was won by the Islanders making it 14-14. An attacking error by White made it 15-14 in favor of TAMUCC, but a service error by the Islanders tied it once again at 15. A block by freshman middle blocker Courtney Littlefield and a Madison Wallace kill gave the Bearkats a 17-15 win.

“We knew it was going to be tough,” Gray said. “Even though they had lost a few, Corpus isn’t a pushover, and they never have been.”

The win makes the Bearkats 9-0 in conference play, continuing their best Southland start in school history. Up next the Bearkats will travel to Natchitoches, Louisiana to take on the Northwestern State Demons on Thursday Oct, 26.

The Sam Houston State Quidditch team is preparing for the Cowboy Cup in Oklahoma.

“We are doing pretty well right now,” club president Travis Ward said. “This upcoming weekend we are heading to Stillwater to face 16 other teams at Oklahoma State Univeristy.

In preparation for the Cowboy Cup, the team has been practicing non-stop. They are optimistic and feel that they can make a run this year in the World Cup. “We got to see what the competition was like and we saw what we were up against in our first tournament,” Ward said.

“Honestly, this is looking to be the best year so far. We have the most potential this year because we have a lot of ex-football players and people who used to play sports at a high level.”

Throughout the past month, the new players have stepped into their roles well. They are beginning to settle into their positions and are giving everything they have at practices.

“What really stood out was the physicality of the new players,” Ward said. “I think their aggressiveness was good and we just need to work on technical skills now.”

With the team being confident in their ability to make a run in the World Cup, the team feels that this is the best team they have ever had.

“We have made it to the world cup for five consecutive years,” Ward said. “This year I can say we are confident that we can make a run with this team.”

Both the A team (SHSU Quidditch) and the B team (Deathrow

Quidditch) will be competing in the Cowboy Cup this weekend.

Photos courtesy SHSU Quidditch

The Houstonian | HoustonianOnline.com/sports | Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Page 6 BOWLING, page 1 —

SHSU teammates gaining pro attention

Photo courtesy GoBearkats.com

I was five years old,” Keller said. “It was a pee-wee league and if you bowled 100 you would get a stuffed animal. I wasn’t dedicated to the game, but once I got into the eighth-grade that when I knew I wanted to have a career in bowling.”

Keller started playing competitively in her early teens. When she entered her first tournament, she bowled a 96, but she has definitely come a long way since then to bowl the first perfect game in school history.

“My 300 was crazy, honestly,” Keller said. “My coach was helping me through out. I knew that I had to hit my marks and if I didn’t, I would be fine with that.

It’s just crazy how I’m the first at Sam Houston to bowl a 300.”

Keller’s transition to collegiate wasn’t easy. Her freshman year was her chance to grow as a player. After that, it was all uphill from there.

“My freshman year was my developmental year,” Keller said.

“I defiantly had to work and put a lot of time into the game. I had to work on my spares, timing, and my hands.

Keller’s performance helped the team secure their first tournament win this season. The win helps the Kats’ rank as they hope to be ranked in the top three going forward.

“It means a lot for the rest of the season,” Keller said. “It gives us a strong chance that we will be ranked top three going into these future tournaments which is huge.”

The Bearkats will now prepare for the McKendree Bearkat Open taking place at Fairview Heights, IL Friday through Sunday.

Photo courtesy Associated Press

NFL BOUND. Sam Houston State University football players Jeremiah Briscoe and P.J. Hall have their eye on the National Football League.

NFL might have their eye on those two Bearkats, as well.

GABRIEL MYERS Sports Writer The Sam Houston State University Bearkats football team has two record breakers on the field this season. The first is senior quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe, who set the FCS singleseason passing record with 57 touchdowns in 2016. Last weekend he would pencil his name in the history books again as he set the SHSU record for career passing yards.

The other standout player is senior defensive lineman PJ Hall, who is currently chasing the FCS career sack record and already holds the school record for both career sacks and tackles for loss. Aside from being record setters on the collegiate gridiron, both players have opportunities to make impacts in the National Football League.

For Briscoe, his accolades speak loudly, but when going to the NFL scouts often do not look at college production as much as they look at how a quarterback’s style translates into professional offenses. Briscoe stands at 6’3” tall and weighs 225 pounds, giving him the body of the prototypical NFL

Photo courtesy Wilf Thorne

quarterback. He has one of the strongest arms in the 2018 quarterback draft class, which will work very much in his favor when teams watch game film and do private workouts, as arm strength is one of the most sought after traits in young quarterbacks.

What will work against Briscoe is that he is playing at the FCS level. While quarterbacks such as Carson Wentz and Joe Flacco were drafted in the first round from FCS schools, the NFL does not draft many quarterbacks in the high rounds from FCS programs. The other major area of concern is the offense that Briscoe has run in college. Both Wentz and Flacco played in pro style offenses in college, which was a big reason why NFL teams were more willing to take them in the first round. Briscoe plays in a spread, no-huddle offense that does not translate to the NFL level. That does not mean that Briscoe cannot play at the next level; several quarterbacks have run a spread offense in college and had success early in their careers. For Briscoe, interviews with team personnel that test his knowledge of NFL offenses will

Photo courtesy NCAA.com

be crucial, as NFL teams want to see a quarterback’s mental makeup. Interviews for quarterbacks are often a major factor in a prospect’s draft stock.

On the other side of the ball is P.J. Hall. He has been on the NFL’s radar since the beginning of his junior year. The 6’1” 310 pound defensive lineman has played all over the defensive line this season. Hall, a running back in high school has elite speed and quickness for a defensive lineman, which has made him all but unblockable while in college. His draft status is hard to gauge right now because as a defensive lineman his draft stock will largely be determined by his measurables at the NFL combine. NFL scouts are going to want to see where he ranks against other defensive line prospects in things such as the 40-yard dash, 20-yard shuttle, and bench press. A good combine could make Hall one of the most highly sought defensive line prospects in this year’s draft, but an underwhelming combine could drop him to the late rounds.

These two will have at least four more games to make their case to NFL scouts before the

season ends. A deep playoff run by the Bearkats would also help the draft stock of these two, as well. After the season, both Briscoe and Hall will likely be invited to the senior bowl where many FCS prospects have seen their draft stock soar over the years. The senior bowl was the biggest reason why Carson Wentz was the second overall pick in the 2016 draft.

For Briscoe, the classroom will be where his draft stock is most greatly affected, while for Hall it is on field workouts that will affect his stock the most. As of right now, I would say Hall is probably a fourth round pick, since he will probably be drafted as a defensive tackle, and has not played there exclusively in college. Briscoe is probably a fifth round pick as of right now, since he is playing at the FCS level in a spread offense, and this appears to be the deepest quarterback class in the last 20 years.

Both players, however, have the potential to move up draft boards quickly with a strong performance in the second half of the season and eye-opening performances in pre-draft workouts.

Photo courtesy Joshua Yates

Photo courtesy Joshua Yates

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK JEREMIAH BRISCOE QUARTERBACK

Senior quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe has taken sole possession of another school record. With a 57-yard completion to sophomore wide receiver Coree Compton on the first play of the game, Briscoe passed Brian Bell’s career mark of 8, 655 passing yards. Briscoe would finish the day with 371 total yards through the air and another four tocuhdowns to bring his season total to 22 through the first seven games of the season.

It seems the

MADYSEN KELLER BOWLING

Sam Houston State University junior Madysen Keller acheived a feat that has never been accomplished in SHSU bowling history. Keller bowled a perfect 300 on Saturday to make Bearkat history as the team would claim the title at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Invitational hosted by Tulane. In her 17 games prior to this perfect game, Keller was averaging just over 192 points. She finished in the top 16 at the 2016 Junior Gold National Championships.