03/04/19 Weekly Edition

Monday, March 4, 2019

The Independent Student Newspaper of Sam Houston State University

Students Dedicated to Professional Journalism Volume 130 | Issue 11

Full story on p. 10

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Katy Bound!

Men’s basketball wins regular season title, claims top spot in tournament Women reach postseason for first time in three years

The Houstonian | bit.ly/SHSUCampusNews | Monday, March 4, 2019

Page 2

campus news

ACT and The American: This Ain’t Their First Rodeo

BY RACHAEL FORBES Contributing Reporter Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT) are back again to help run social media accounts for The American Rodeo.

The American is one of the biggest rodeo events held every year at the Dallas Cowboys AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

The event consists of the top athletes in the world competing alongside underdogs who advanced from the semi-finals and competed for the biggest paycheck of their lives. The

American is the richest winnings in rodeo, with the winner receiving $1 million.

“ACT is still a small and growing organization, and so every time we get big opportunities like these, we take them,” ACT President Kinley Mueller said.

Before any individual is

Yuzmara Garcia

considered for the semi-finals and regular competitions, there is a set of requirements and submission forms that they must complete.

Semi-finals were held Feb. 27 through March 1 at the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards. During these days, fans were also able to enjoy musical entertainment, western fashion shows, vendors and many other attractions.

This was not the first time ACT ran the social media accounts for The American. In the past, they were given social media control before contestants started competing, giving them the opportunity to capture the pre-show nerves.

Several ACT members attended this year and had plenty of hands-on experience in conducting on-field interviews for social media, helping with the pre-game show and working in

the broadcasting booth, according to ACT Treasurer Yuzmara Garcia.

Opportunities like this allow students to get a real idea of their progress as well as see ways that they can improve and be better for the next year’s competitions.

Other organizations and colleges from around the United States were also in attendance to help run social media accounts.

“We here at SHSU were thrilled to be one of the schools chosen,” Mueller said.

ACT prides itself on giving members real life experiences in a variety of areas such as its most popular outreach— interviewing at rodeos.

Within the agricultural industry, The American provides an opportunity to gain experience for college students all around the world.

Greek Life, Mardi Gras Bonds Huntsville Community

BY BREANNA BIVENS Contributing Reporter For the 9th consecutive year, Greek Life hosted their Mardi Gras-themed Greek Week.

This year’s festivities began on Sunday with fraternities and sororities inviting students, faculty and staff to tailgate at the baseball game against Louisiana-Lafayette where participants were able to feast in a crawfish eating contest.

Throughout the highly anticipated week, Greek Life held a blood drive, a Chipotle profit share, an “Amazing Race,” a Mardi Gras parade, an “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” game and an award ceremony to announce the winners for Greek

Week 2019.

Although Greek Week seems to serve the Sam Houston State University and Huntsville community by providing a week-long worth of fun, Jerrell Sherman—Associate Dean of Students for Judicial Affairs and Student Development—explains the lasting tradition of Greek Week, and how it is effective in bringing Greek Life together.

“It’s about unity and collaboration,” Sherman said. “We have 30 active Greek organizations here on campus, so all of the Greek councils rarely ever come together for one event or one week. So it’s certainly about unity and having fun, but it’s also about giving back to the community.”

The tradition of Greek Week started in the early ‘90s. It did

not have as many activities spanned over an entire week, but Greek chapters and council members participated in blood drives and other forms of community service to commune with their fellow Greek family.

As these organizations grew, so did the contemporary merriments of Greek Week.

“Back then, there were only a couple of days designated for Greek Week,” Sherman said.

“Only two of the four chapters would engage in community service. Now, we have all four chapters helping build our community and, of course, the Greek family.”

Greek Week has come to an end, but Sherman is adamant that the forthcoming years will be even better.

“Greek Week gives the

students that are part of every Greek organization the opportunity to network, communicate and come together outside of their chapters for a bigger pic-

ture initiative,” Sherman said. “I always see this as doing something positive for the city of Huntsville for years to come.”

Grant Worley

The Houstonian | bit.ly/SHSUCampusNews | Monday, March 4, 2019

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campus news

First Annual Kat Kon at SHSU Deliberative Dialogue

BY MASON GONZALES Contributing Reporter

BY CHRISTINA KARASTAMATIS

Contributing Reporter Kat Kon is a student organization that got started about a year ago by their president, Maria Hendrickson. The founders of the organization started recruiting students and filling out the paper work last spring; they became an official organization this fall.

“Starting a new organization on campus felt like a big responsibility when it comes down to hosting a comic convention,” Kat Kon Social Media Director Zachary Nabors said. “The club was nervous about how it would go, and Kat Kon went great.”

Being a newer student organization, they faced many challenges, including the hardship of figuring out how to divide the work properly.

Junior Megan Pratt is the organization’s treasurer, as well as their panel coordinator. Pratt jumped at the idea of getting involved in Kat Kon because growing up in Bryan she was very familiar with Aggie Con, and wanted to help bring something like it here to Huntsville.

“It’s a lot of work, but also a lot of fun,” Pratt said. “I hope that everyone enjoys it.”

Tyler Josefsen The event itself had a much higher turnout than expected, with 47 preorders and well over 20 tickets sold at the door.

The day started out with the option to play popular board games like Catan, Betrayal at House on the Hill, Skulls, Code Names and Scythe— which were all taught and instructed by experienced gamers.

They also had student vendors selling post cards, drawings and homemade trinkets.

As the day progressed, Kat Kon continued with student panels discussing things like DC Trivia, The History of D&D, Star Wars Trivia, movies and more.

“As for another Kat Kon, we are wanting to host another one next year, make this an annual thing,” Nabors said.

The organization hopes that the event will become new campus tradition.

Critical Thinking Through Deliberative Dialogue, will be held March 4 in the Lowman Student Center Orange Ballroom as part of this year’s Common Reader Program.

The event consists of multiple teams of four students. During the event, student groups will work together to think through a problem tied to the Sam Houston State University Common Reader and The American Democracy Project. ”We make the teams,” Foundations of Science Coordinator Steven Koether said. “We don’t want a group of all freshman and a group of all seniors. We want diversity of thought and majors.”

This year’s SHSU Common Reader was Dan Rather and Elliot Kirschner’s “What Unites Us.” The novel covers author Dan Rather’s feelings regarding the divide in our nation, and he discusses what he believes to be subjects that can unite us as a country.

For this semester’s critical thinking, the main focus of the discussions will be on the topic of immigration.

“It brings comradery to the

students,” Special Programs Coordinator for the Student Success Initiative Kimberly Johnson said. “It brings them together. They get to see other students from different areas on campus and learn how to focus on the question at hand— to come together and solve that problem. They get to make new friends too.”

The American Democracy Project is a national association under the American Association of State Colleges and Universities that consists of over 250 universities.

“Their goal is to help students learn how to become citizens of the world and of the nation,” Koether said.

It is important that people realize that this event is not just a simple debate. It is a chance for people to see others having a different way of thought and having a real conversation instead of just retweeting and commenting.

The event will be sponsored by the Foundations of Science Program and the College of Science and Engineering Technology. The winning team will receive up to a $250 scholarship for each member and the runner-up will each receive up to a $100 scholarship.

The Houstonian | bit.ly/HuntsvilleCommunityNews | Monday, March 4, 2019

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community news

City Initiates Cleaner Greener Huntsville This Week

BY RYAN WELCH Contributing Reporter The City of Huntsville continues its Cleaner and Greener initiative by providing local dumpsters March 4-9 to improve city appearance.

Residents will be able to dispose of household trash or cumbersome items at no cost in large dumpsters located in each ward.

The dumpsters will be placed Monday through Saturday and will be emptied daily or as often as needed according to Kimberly Kembro, Assistant Public Works Director for Huntsville.

“In the beginning we didn’t have much participation, but each quarter it has progressed,” Kembro said. “I think it will grow. It is no cost to the citizens,

and by taking them and putting them in the neighborhoods they are more apt to use them.”

The city council determined that holding a quarterly clean-

up was an efficient way for residents to address trash and unwanted items during their strategic planning in 2018.

“A lot of times people don’t

have a way to get these heavy items all the way to the transfer station, but being in the community may [make it] easier to bring them down the road,”

Kembro said. “Maybe not everybody has a truck and trailer.”

Kembro has worked for the city for 15 years starting as an environmental chemist doing water and waste-water testing.

“I think it helps because a clean town benefits everyone, and I think it promotes community pride and spirit,” Kembro said. “Hopefully by people bringing their trash to this no-cost event, it will spark the interest of our residents to dispose of items they may not have gotten rid of.”

The Transfer Station is located at 590 Interstate 45 North.

For more information or to ask about disposing of any liquid or flammable materials, call 936294-5712.

Huntsville High School Student Showcases Work at PCFF

BY ALANNA HAYWOOD Huntsville Hive Reporter On Feb. 27, Huntsville High School junior Jonathan Williams presented his film at the Prison City Film Festival. The festival opened submissions to students, allowing submission of a film they made for free. Williams submitted a trailer for his film

“Undervalued.”

“It was an awesome opportunity to be allowed to submit my own film,” Williams said. “There were plenty of issues throughout the process, but in the end I was able to submit a 40-second trailer. I am very proud, and can’t thank everyone who helped me enough.”

Williams had just over one month to film and edit his trailer for the festival. To make the most of his time, he tried to spend two periods of his day filming.

“The deadline was really hectic,” Williams said. “First the deadline was January 3, which I had no way of finishing in time for that. Just before I gave up, I learned they had extended the submission deadline to January 25, making my life a lot easier.”

Teacher Charles Shewell

encouraged Williams throughout the production. When he learned of the festival, he immediately informed all his students of the opportunity and helped critique the videos.

“Having a student submit their work to a film festival is a proud moment for me, as a teacher,” Shewell said. “It takes a commitment that many students don’t have due to time and deadlines that need to be met. It takes a certain kind of person to open their heart and share it with everyone. I have seen Jonathan [Williams] take on hurdle after hurdle in order to put his work out there, and to be able to watch it on a theater screen at the Old Town Theater was an amazing moment for me.”

Receiving more than 100 submissions from around the world, the Prison City Film Festival is

a big way for students and filmmakers to display their work.

“Prison City Film Festival has opened doors for our students, and having Jonathan submit work has created an expectation about what it takes to create work, to take it to the next level,” Shewell said.

With this opportunity, Wil-

liams is looking forward to making more films in the future.

“The trailer was not my best work,” Williams said. “I know as I continue to make videos I’ll get better. I’m hoping to have another film ready for another festival in September. Someday I hope to be a household name in film.”

Joseph Macdonald

The Houstonian | bit.ly/HuntsvilleCommunityNews | Monday, March 4, 2019

community news

Page 5

Huntsville Fire Dept. Gets New Headquarters

BY TYLER MOWERY Community News Editor

The Huntsville Fire Department will soon close its doors at Station Two on Sam Houston Avenue to start construction of a new facility.

The new facility is part of the bond projects that the public unanimously voted for in 2016.

Under Proposition One, new public safety facilities— which are the fire station and police station— will be built to a higher standard for the staff so that they can better serve the community.

The station originally opened in the 1930s as the public pool and served as a storage facility for several years before being converted into a fire station in 1973.

“This present location was developed in the early ‘70s by the volunteer fire chief and the firefighters,” Assistant Fire Chief John Hobbs said. “[They chose the facility] because of its location and proximity to Sam Houston State University and TDCJ.” The original crew that chose the location knew that the city would eventually grow south and towards Interstate 45, which it has. However, the current station has long outlived its purpose.

“What has happened since then is the college has expanded, probably 10 or 12 multi-story buildings in the last 10 years and they’re building more,” Hobbs said. “Our city is growing around our education facilities so this location is key for us to get north, south, east and west to the I-45 corridor and to get back to the students’ location.”

Among concerns of the aging building is the apparatus bay.

“The truck bay is built over a swimming pool,” Hobbs said.

“The factor of safety of the truck weight compared to what we are on now is an issue because the size of the fire trucks has grown tremendously over the last 40 years.”

According to Hobbs, the Insurance Service Organization (ISO) states that Station Two is in a prime location; however, it is not up to date to serve the size of the staff on duty. “[The volunteer crew] doesn’t have anywhere to lay their head down,” Hobbs said.

“We’ve outgrown the meeting room, and the bathrooms are not up to ADA regulations. We knew we were going to have to replace it.”

Hobbs explained that the new building will have about six more modern sleeping quarters and adequate Emergency Medical Service (EMS) quarters, better storage space for equipment and gear and a separate decontamination room for gear.

“Many studies have happened in the last 10 years that we’re being exposed to many different types of cancers, and it’s coming off our gear,” Hobbs said.

While the construction takes place, full time crews will respond from Station Four on Highway 30 while volunteer groups will respond from Station 1 on Veteran’s Memorial Highway.

In order to avoid delays in response time with Station Two’s closure, plans have been made in anticipation of these changes.

“We’re ramping up Station One’s response,” Hobbs said.

“The guys that work out of that station know when they’re not in school or work they’re going to have to ramp up.”

According to Hobbs, the new headquarters is set for completion by Fall 2020.

Sharon Raissi

The Houstonian | bit.ly/HoustonianAandE | Monday, March 4, 2019

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Arts & entertainment

Exclusive Interview with Marty Haggard Review: ‘Our Lady of 121st Street’ entertains, impresses

BY TYLER MOWERY Community News Editor

Musician Marty Haggard, son of influential country star Merle Haggard, performed at the Old Town Theater on Friday, Feb. 22.

The performance is part of “A Tribute to Merle Haggard ‘My Dad’” concert series. Haggard has expressed great admiration for his father and travels across the country to keep his memory and work alive. The artist says his father instilled in him a positive work ethic and code of honor through his actions.

“He was a decent human being,” Haggard said. “That

in itself is enough of a lesson.

Nobody is less than anybody else. They’re all valuable, and they deserve to be looked in the eye when you talk to them and treat them with respect. Dad did that.”

Named after singer Marty Robbins, who was a close friend of his father, Haggard was born in Bakersfield, California. He was raised by his grandmother in a railroad boxcar until the age of 12 when he decided to move in with his father.

While living with his father, Haggard also spent time on the road. He recalled serving harmony vocals and playing guitar for a brief period of time for his

HARMONY IN MEMORY. Marty Haggard cherishes late father, Merle Haggard, through his music.

dad’s band.

According to Haggard’s website, the artist started touring in his own band in 1979, signing with Dimension Records just two years later.

Since 2012, he has toured the United States, Canada, England, Ireland and Scotland to perform “A Tribute to Merle Haggard, ‘My Dad,’” an idea originally conceived and recorded in 2010.

Although he has traveled all over the United States and Europe, Haggard performs most in this part of the country.

“This is what we do. We go around Texas primarily, and a couple of surrounding areas,” Haggard said. “I am no longer in the music business. I am in the business of making music.”

Haggard has several more tour dates lined up in Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi and Missouri.

When asked for words of wisdom he would give to younger generations, Haggard had some advice.

“You can’t teach somebody how to have a passion,” Haggard said. “Whatever your passion is, if it’s music, art, acting, whatever, your passion will dictate how you express yourself. Hang on to your passion, and don’t give up. It’ll guide you and lead you where you need to go.”

BY KRISTEN SCHULTHEIS Contributing Reporter

After the death of Sister Rose, a group of her former students return to Harlem to pay respects. But at the funeral home, her dead body has been stolen.

“Our Lady of 121st Street” is about the funeral of a wellloved teacher who passed away.

It follows a winding story as her body was stolen the day before the funeral. Her former students come to pay their respects, but the past brings tension between everyone.

Sitting in the first row of the theater, I could see the actors up close and experience the audience around me. Never having experienced the theatre on campus before, the ambiance in the room was full of energy. The theater played music that kept the mood cheerful, even though the content of the show would be grim. In between scenes, they

would play music and sometimes the actors would dance or bring out stage props to entertain the audience.

The first act introduced the characters with transitions between the funeral home, a church confessional and a bar in New York. It was lighthearted and comedic but with the conversations between the characters, there was a deep underlying tension. As the story progressed, there were moments of the tension building and an overall question of what the characters were struggling through. The story revealed glimpses on how the teacher, Sister Rose, had impacted the characters in different ways, but the mystery of if they would ever find her body remained.

After a short intermission, the second act began. It continued to build suspense and emotions of the characters, intriguing the audience. I sat in tears during the emotional fight between the brother’s scene and could feel the passion the actors were expressing in that moment.

Tangible feelings advanced in characters and it reached a standstill. Nothing settled between characters, but something had changed.

In the end, only half of Sister Rose’s body was found and there was nothing else the police and characters could do.

The show was entertaining from start to finish. The actors captured the emotions of the audience with their portrayal of the characters perfectly. I enjoyed my night at the theater and was left wanting more.

The Houstonian | bit.ly/HoustonianAandE | Monday, March 4, 2019

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Arts & entertainment

Prison City Film Festival Making Filmmaker Dreams Come True

BY ARIOLE JONES Arts & Entertainment Editor The 2019 Prison City Film Festival (PCFF) was a four-day event held at the Old Town Theater for filmmakers to showcase their work and network.

When I first walked in the theater the audience was very few, but I assumed it was because it was the last day of the event.

I sat in the very front, alone, and by the end of the first film the lights came on and I turned

around to a room full of people.

The screening lasted five hours and was followed by a Q&A session where the coordinators answered audience questions.

At 6 p.m., a VIP reception was held right around the corner at The Patio with the mayor of Huntsville, Andy Brauninger.

Attendees ate and conversed while awaiting the upcoming award show. PCFF coordinators chauffeured attendees from the restaurant back to the theater where they walked the red carpet before entering the building.

I was able to meet some amaz-

ing people who traveled from all over the world and nation.

There were a few Sam Houston State University students and some from other universities like the University of North Texas and schools in Dallas. Just about half were there for their first film festival and others on their 4ooth.

I met many actors and actresses, two of whom stood out to me by the names of Aric Cushing and Mark Allyn.

They both have been acting for years and have a good streak of projects they’ve been a part of.

There were some who were acting for the first time and some people who just came to watch.

The award show was somewhat like the Oscars in my opinion. They announced awards that were named after prison terms such as Correctional Officer Award, Sargent Award and Warden Vanguard award. Many of the same films won at least two awards and took home many in different categories.

After the event was over, they had an encore presentation of some of the films that won awards that night, and it was

Grant Worley wonderful. The turnout for it being the second year was pretty good; hopefully the numbers will increase in coming years.

Overall, I greatly regret missing the first three days of the excitement, but I was thankful to make the grand finale of it all. I highly suggest filmmakers, actors, actresses and anyone interested in the film industry to make next year’s festival. I promise it will be worth your time.

The Houstonian | bit.ly/HoustonianOpinions | Monday, March 4, 2019

Page 8

Opinions

Women’s History Month:

BY SHARON RAISSI Editor-in-Chief

From Seneca Falls to marching on Washington, women have historically climbed their way closer to equality even when the world tried to weigh them down.

“If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again!”

Born into slavery in 1797, Sojourner Truth became an abolitionist and women’s rights activist. She escaped slavery with her daughter Sophia and makes a living in New York City

as a maid. In 1851, she delivered her now famous extemporaneous speech known as “Ain’t I a Woman?” Later in life, Truth worked to help ex-slaves create new lives for themselves. She eventually worked with Congress to help create jobs for ex-slaves.

“No man is good enough to govern any woman without her consent.”

In 1869, Susan B. Anthony led the charge for voting rights for women. She died in 1906 after dedicating her life to women’s suffrage. It was not until almost 15 years after her death that women could legally have their voices heard at the polls.

“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in

which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror.

I can take the next thing that comes along.’”

Eleanor Roosevelt set a standard for women in the White House. She volunteered at the International Congress of Women where she was a vocal supporter of women’s suffrage.

When her husband Franklin created the New Deal program, she was one of the only voices in her husband’s administration who insisted the benefits be extended equally to African Americans.

“The power I exert on the court depends on the power of my arguments, not my gender.”

Appointed by Ronald Reagan

We Can Do It! to the Supreme Court in 1981, Sandra Day O’Connor made history as the first woman to serve on the supreme court.

She was the subject of the very first confirmation hearing to be televised before the American people. The hearing lasted three days. O’Connor was confirmed by the U.S. Senate with a vote of 99-0.

“So let us wage a glorious struggle against illiteracy, poverty and terrorism, let us pick up our books and our pens, they are the most powerful weapons. One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world.”

The youngest ever Nobel Prize laureate, Malala Yousafzai has pioneered on the frontier

of education for most of her 21 years of life. Born in Pakistan, she spoke out as an activist for women’s education from 11 years old onward. In 2012, Malala was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman. After her recovery, she founded the Malala Fund with her father, a non-profit organization for girl’s education.

These women and countless more have laid the foundation for each generation that follows.

Looking past these historical figures, one need only look at the community around them to see countless more examples of pioneering women in positions of power.

The Houstonian | bit.ly/HoustonianOpinions | Monday, March 4, 2019

Page 9

Opinions

The Gift of Life: Why Donating Blood is Important

BY MARINA DELEON Contributing Writer

The amount of ice cream in one pint of Ben & Jerry’s is the same amount of blood it takes to help save a life.

The average adult has anywhere between nine and 12 pints of blood circulating throughout his or her body at any given time. That is a little over a gallon of blood on the low end.

Immediately after losing blood, the body begins to make more.

We are capable of producing a means to help others with cancer, blood disorders and those that are victims of trauma. All it takes is a simple and rather painless appointment with trained

phlebotomists.

It’s that simple.

So, here is a little biology lesson. Almost 50 percent of Americans have type O blood, which is the most common type of blood that is asked for by medical facilities. Type O positive blood (the universal recipient) is the most common among individuals, with type O negative (the universal donor) being one of the rarest and most sought after types. Under 10 percent of Americans have a blood type of O negative, which makes the supply and demand disproportionate.

According to the Red Cross, a blood transfusion is needed every two seconds. However, there are not enough donations to

keep up with the demands due to the simple fact that not enough people donate blood.

Many people find themselves wary of the idea of a needle going into their skin to take the blood or the potential side effects after a blood donation.

In all reality, the needle hurts only for the very short duration of it piercing the skin. The side effects, if any, are very mild and resolve with drinking some water and rest. After 24 hours, you are back to normal knowing that you could have saved up to three people’s lives.

Over 20,000 students are enrolled at Sam Houston State University. Of the thousands of students, a vast majority are eligible to donate blood. For this reason, there is periodically a big donor bus sitting outside the Johnson Coliseum. We are prime candidates to help those who can’t help themselves.

Donating blood is by far the simplest gift that we could give to each other. It takes an hour of your day, costs you nothing and leaves a lasting impression.

The Houstonian | bit.ly/HuntsvilleSports | Monday, March 4, 2019

Page 10

SPORTS

Bearkat Basketball Paving the Road to Conference Tourney

BY COLTON FOSTER Contributing Reporter Both men’s and women’s Sam Houston State University basketball have wildly over-performed this season. After being picked to finish sixth in the Southland Conference preseason poll, the men have posted a 15-1 record, won the regular season and claimed the No. 1 seed in the Southland Conference (SLC) tournament for the first time since 2010.

The women, predicted to finish dead last in the preseason, propelled their way to a tournament berth after an unpredictably successful season playing better than .500 basketball.

It has been a long time since

basketball was this good at Sam Houston State University. For the first time since the 2015-16 season both the men’s and women’s basketball teams will be in the SLC Tournament in Katy March 13-17.

Major Success for the Men This is the school’s fourth overall conference title and their first under head coach Jason Hooten, who took the helm in 2011. Over the last six years, Hooten has led the Bearkats to five 20-plus win seasons and has made the conference tournament in all but one of his nine years at SHSU. “Well you know we’ve been really good and really successful here in my nine years as a head coach,” Hooten said. “I think when you take a job and you go

into coaching, your aspirations are always to do that. Now I can just tell you how hard it is.

We’ve had really good teams, we’ve won 20 games four out of the last five years, but we haven’t [won the conference] and it’s just hard to get it done.”

Senior guard Cameron Delaney and junior forward Kai Mitchell have led the success.

Delaney is having a career year, which could potentially lead to some postseason honors.

“I got news for you, I think [Delaney] is going to be player of the year,” Hooten said. “He’s shooting over 50 percent from [three-point range] in conference, and you kind of think when is it going to end, but he just keeps doing it every night.”

Delaney is leading the team

in scoring, averaging 13.5 PPG overall and 16 PPG in conference play. He is also second on the team in rebounds, averaging 5.6 RPG on the season and 6.6 RPG in conference play.

Wild Year for the Women On the women’s side, they are going to the tournament for the first time since the 2015-16 season when they arrived at the tournament as the No. 8 seed before making a shocking run to the championship game. This season the Bearkats will not be arriving to Katy as the bottom-feeders, but in all likelihood the team will be the No. 5 seed, the highest since the 2013 season when the ladies were second.

Powered by the up-tempo style play employed by firstyear head coach Ravon Justice,

the Bearkats have turned the program around in just one season. The team is number one nationally in free throws made per game (18.2) and number four in the country in turnovers forced per game (23.4).

A star for the Bearkats this season has been junior guard Jaylonn Walker. A transfer from McLennan Community College, she is the team’s leading scorer averaging 15.4 PPG. Both teams will be in action in Katy over Spring Break. The women will begin play on Mar. 15 at 11 a.m. when they take on the eight seed which is still to be determined. The men will begin play Mar. 16 at 5 p.m. and will need to win just two games in order to take home the tournament title.

The Houstonian | bit.ly/HuntsvilleSports | Monday, March 4, 2019

Page 11

SPORTS

Degging A Little Deeper: A Look at SHSU’s “Pack Baseball”

BY SCOTT MORRIS Contributing Reporter The Sam Houston State University Bearkats baseball team has been one of the schools most successful athletic programs within the last few years. A major contributor to this success has been head coach Matt Deggs.

Deggs was hired by the university before the 2015 season to be the head coach of a team coming off three consecutive regional appearances under former head coach David Pierce.

In Deggs’ first four seasons as a head coach, he led the team to a winning record every year, including being 44-23 and reaching the NCAA Super Regional for the first time in school history in 2017—the team’s best season under his command.

Before taking the helm for the Bearkats, Deggs bounced around the baseball world for many years. He began his coaching career in 1996 with Northwestern State University and stayed there for two seasons. He was then hired by Texarkana College in 1998 to be their head coach.

After four years there, he moved

around quiet a bit. He was an assistant coach with the University of Arkansas, Texas A&M University and University of Louisiana-Lafayette before finally behind hired by SHSU. “We’re home,” Deggs said.

“That’s the way Kathy [Deggs’ wife] and the kids look at it, and the way I look at it.

Deggs is very well traveled in the baseball world, so naturally he has coaching influences from all different parts of baseball.

“Butch Hopson [had] a tremendous impact on my career,” Deggs said. “I was fortunate enough to play professionally under him and learn a lot of baseball and learn a lot about leadership and managing.”

Being a former hitter, Deggs had a lot to learn about pitching when going into the coaching profession, and he was able to learn from former Arkansas

pitching coach Dave Jorn. “[Jorn] was an incredible baseball man that I was with at the University of Arkansas,” Deggs said. “I learned a lot about pitching from Dave. Most hitters don’t know pitching, and I was able to learn from one of

the best.”

When he accepted the job, Deggs was not worried about the pressure of keeping up the success the program had been having. He was tasked with replacing David Pierce, who

is now the head coach at the University of Texas. Pierce coached the Bearkats for three years and left the school with a winning percentage of 65.7, the highest in school history. Coming to SHSU, Deggs was known for creating a style of play that he refers to as “pack baseball.”

Deggs adopted this style of offensive baseball himself, but the name comes from a pretty unlikely source.

“One night I was watching a documentary on a pack of wolves, and that’s when I had the lightbulb moment,” Deggs said. “In nature literally every wolf has a job, duty or function. In order for them to survive— not win a baseball game, but to survive— they have to perform that duty.”

In large part due to pack baseball, the Bearkats were able to make history in 2017 when

the team made it to a Super Regional for the first time in school history.

“When you get fired, it humbles you,” Deggs said. “I spent 430 days outside the game. It’s not about wins or losses…it’s about love. It’s about building men and building relationships that will last forever.”

The Bearkats ended up losing to Florida State University in the Super Regional, but after the loss a video of coach Deggs’ press conference went viral. In the video he talked about the way he now coaches.

“You can’t stop God’s timing,” Deggs said about that video.

“I’m not a social media guy, but the outpouring was so significant that we saw it as the most viable [way] to get the message out to thank people and to let them know we appreciate their support."

The Kats are 6-3 to begin the 2019 campaign, and Deggs feels really good about the team he has in place. For the Bearkats once again it is mission Omaha, and Deggs believes this team has a good chance of getting there.

@HoustonianSport

Kats Dominate on Track, Claim 4th Consecutive Indoor Title

BY GABE MYERS Sports Editor The Sam Houston State University men’s track team won the Southland Conference indoor championship for the fourth consecutive season. This senior class has now completed a perfect run of indoor championships.

“To be able to have a group that has come through and never

known not to win is a good thing,” head coach David Self said. “It’s also a daunting task to keep that up over the years… but we have a very talented group of seniors that have done a great job indoors.”

Leading the class is senior sprinter Chris Jefferson. He placed second in the 200-meter dash clocking in at 20.97 seconds, finishing only behind freshman teammate Jo’Vaughn Martin, who set a school record

in the event with a time of 20.94 seconds. Martin and Jefferson also placed second and third respectively in the 60-meter dash.

In a group with a lot of experience, it was the freshman Martin that really made headlines at the conference meet.

“He has made the first big jump,” Self said. “He’s already running really fast, the big challenge for me as a coach is to make sure that his realistic expectations can be met. He’s got a

lot of really fast running left in his career.”

Junior hurdler and Huntsville native Fabian McCall took home the individual title in the 60-meter hurdles and set a meet record in the event with a time 7.75 seconds— breaking a record that had been in tact since 2003.

All in all, the Bearkats cruised to a conference title, scoring 112 points as a team. SHSU was the only school in triple digits and 29 points ahead of second

place Southeastern Louisiana University. With that success the Bearkats will have a school record three athletes heading to the indoor national championships March 9: Jefferson, McCall and sophomore pole vaulter Clayton Fritsch.

Once the indoor nationals are wrapped up, outdoor season will be upon the team. They will head to Abilene to compete in the ACU Spring Break Invitational.